FORMULA 1

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Rescued Force India targets immediate upgrades

Force India’s new ownership will allow it to press on with crucial upgrades that could be ready in time for the first race after Formula 1’s summer break. 

A consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of current Williams F1 driver Lance, has agreed a deal with the team’s administrators to bring it back into solvency and secure its future. 

The F1 season resumes with the Belgian Grand Prix on August 26 and the Italian Grand Prix follows a week later. 

Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer told Motorsport.com he was hopeful the team would have its upgrades by Spa, but admitted it may need to wait a little longer.

“I hope that’s the case,” he said. “If not, definitely by Monza.

“There are some components that have been put on hold and I don’t know where the suppliers will get to because they don’t work over the break. 

“So, we’re only going to have a couple of days before Spa. But if not before then, before Monza.”

The team will receive some funding immediately with more to come in the next two to three weeks, once its emergence from administration is complete, which will also allow it to resume work on its 2019 challenger.

It still has an outside shot of fourth in this year’s constructors’ championship. 

Force India has finished fourth the previous two seasons, and despite its financial difficulties holding back development – see below – it is sixth in this year’s contest, just seven points behind Haas and 23 behind Renault.

“We definitely need the funding otherwise this doesn’t work,” said Szafnauer. 

“We have to start paying our suppliers and purchase some needed materials for both upgrades for this year and for next year’s car.

“We’re in the midst of building next year’s car and without funding we wouldn’t have been able to do that. It’s much needed and couldn’t have come at a better time.”

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WILLIAMS: PADDY IS OUR CTO AND I BACK HIM 100%

Williams technical chief Paddy Lowe was one of the first to put up his hand and declare that their current car, the FW41, is one of the worst cars ever produced at their Grove factory, but deputy team principal Claire Williams is backing the former Mercedes man to lead them out of the doldrums.

Lowe once again shouldered the blame for the shortcomings of their current car, while protecting their inexperienced drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin, during an interview with the official F1 website, “We haven’t given them the equipment this year to fight for points, which is unfortunate but within that, they have stayed disciplined, committed and hardworking.”

“People have asked if that [inexperienced drivers] has been a problem to us. I’d say the car is our main problem. We don’t assign any of that responsibility to the drivers.”

“What we have done is produce a car where some of those aggressive steps have not worked and on the contrary has taken us backwards, not forwards. On top of that, it’s uncovered a range of areas in which we have slipped behind in terms of our capability and process to develop the car. That’s been disappointing.”

Williams has revealed that “a reset and rebuild” is in process at Grove, with Lowe adding, “We’ve done a lot of very good work, but when you go and look at the numbers, we’ve probably stood still relative to our competitors.”

“We’re not going to give up, but if we’re realistic, the idea of getting back towards the front of the midfield at this stage in this season is maybe not going to happen.”

“So naturally, which happens anyway, a lot more focus moves to the following year,” explained Lowe who survived the axe, but once the dust settled Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer and Chief Designer Ed Wood were no longer in the building.

Next year may be even tougher for Williams, Martini title sponsorship will terminate after Abu Dhabi and now the Strolls are taking their business to Force India, who are also heading for a significant dip in prize money earnings from FOM.

Their last world champion Jacques Villeneuve, a staunch critic of the team, predicts this is the beginning of the end for the once mighty team that has 16 Formula 1 world titles to their name.

Prior to Lawrence Stroll pulling his investment, Williams said, “We’re in fine shape financially. Of course we’d always want the money. Engineers spend as much as you give them. But we’re not about to go under, we’re not in a fight for survival.”

“We have a good budget. There are lots of losses financially for us next year, but we have other avenues. I’ve grown up in this sport, I’ve grown up in this team where we’ve been in much harder situations than this.”

“When Mum and Dad have been sat around the dinner table and Mum saying: what on earth are we going to do next year Frank? and Dad replying: Don’t worry, something will turn up. I have that approach because something always does.

“I believe we will be fine next year, we already know we do have a healthy budget and that we’ll be okay next year,” added Williams in the interview, before the news of the Stroll led buyout of Force India.

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BROWN: I WOULDN’T SAY WE’RE DISAPPOINTED BY STOFFEL…

McLaren boss Zak Brown has sounded out the first true warning that Stoffel Vandoorne best raises his game, relative to his veteran teammate Fernando Alonso in the second stanza of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, or face the consequences.

With Vandoorne’s future uncertain McLaren have admitted talking to Daniel Ricciardo before he signed for Renault, is interested in Carlos Sainz and has Lando Norris possibly requiring a McLaren F1 seat next year.

The Belgian’s future at McLaren, and F1 for that matter, largely depends on what Alonso decides to do, if the Spaniard remains one would expect Vandoorne to be shown the door with Sainz or Norris in his place.

For the first time, in an interview with MN, Brown fired what might well be a public warning to his driver, “I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed by Stoffel. You’d like to see him beating his team-mate more often than he has.”

“That’s the same in any situation. You’d love to see your team-mates split right down the middle in beating each other every weekend.”

“He’s not been able to do that on a regular basis but I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed because last year we know we gave him a very difficult situation and this year we’ve not given him a very good car to work with.”

“Given Fernando’s talent and experience he’s able to adapt to situations that aren’t great,” conceded Brown.

The team’s new sporting director Gil de Ferran, who is tasked to mentor the drivers, sympathises with Alonso and Vandoorne because the team have not provided them with the tools to fight fairly.

McLaren’s new man said, “We’ve been trying to figure out how to progress with the car and how to address some of the balance issues that we’ve been having.”

“As a result of that, not only is the car not an easy car, but we keep changing things at a very fast pace. That’s very difficult for both drivers to deal with. Certainly for a driver like Fernando, not only do I think that’s one of his best traits, but his experience helps him a lot,” explained de Ferran.

Ahead of the season break, Alonso joked with journos when asked about his edge over Vandoorne, “It’s difficult to beat me!” Before adding on a serious note, “If you see previous teammates, they were a lot further down than Stoffel. In 2014 it was six or seven tenths to Kimi every race. It’s less than that now.”

“He arrived in a difficult car with some difficulties last year and this year as well, but he’s OK, and he will be very close in performance as soon as the car is delivering normal performance.”

“Nothing really to say to him. And for his reputation, you just need to wait and see, or see the results before Silverstone, or last year, in terms of qualifying,” added Alonso.

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STEINER: NO PITY FOR MERCEDES CUSTOMER TEAMS

Haas F1 team have emerged as the best of the rest this season, largely because Ferrari have found a spurt of power which they have not only unleashed for the red cars but have also passed on to their customers.

As a result Haas are have a very handy car at their disposal while Sauber are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent times. While all this is happening in the Ferrari camp, Mercedes customers have slipped down the order with Williams and Force India struggling to find the sweetspot with their packages.

Steiner has no pity for the Merc brigade, “Their customers should not complain because they have had a very strong power unit during the last four years.”

“In the first years of the current era, you were lost if you did not have a Brixworth engine on the back of your car,” Steiner told Speedweek. “Now Ferrari has overtaken them and now all criticize us with Ferrari power.”

“They say: Oh, you also have the good engine. I say: Yes, we have. Just as you had in recent years. Should I do something about it? I am very happy with the situation as it is now. If the other teams have a problem, I can’t help them,” added Steiner whose team lie fifth in the Formula 1 constructors’ standings.

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GASLY: CARLOS AND I ARE WAITING FOR THE RED BULL CALL

Pierre Gasly is a candidate for one of the most coveted seat in Formula 1 as Red Bull management consider who to place alongside Max Verstappen after Daniel Ricciardo decided to take his services to Renault starting next season.

Gasly has emerged as a likely contender along with Carlos Sainz whose loan deal with Renault terminates at the end of this season and is likely to return to the Red Bull fold. However, the Spaniard is also on the radar for a McLaren drive.

Whatever the Red Bull bosses decide the young Frenchman is up for the challenge, “Sure, I would like to be promoted, but I do not think too much about it. I’m happy with my season so far with Toro Rosso and I’m happy to be in this team.”

As for the future, the 22-year-old said, “It’s the same as Carlos’s, we both wait and see what happens.”

Red Bull is notorious for breaking careers of promising drivers, the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne, Sebastien Buemi and most recently Daniil Kvyat got a taste of the big time but were cast cruelly aside from F1 when their services were no longer required.

In late 2016 when Kvyat was retained for another year with Toro Rosso, Gasly over lobbied his cause through the wrong channels, namely the media, which did not endear him to the team management.

At the time the young Frenchman was not happy Gasly, “The goal for me was to get in at Toro Rosso next year [2017]. They signed Kvyat. I don’t understand it. From what I understood it seems I was in the right place but at the wrong time.”

Gasly clearly learnt a lesson and this time around intends to be patient, “If I’m fast, I’ll get my chance. I have to concentrate and make sure I’m fast. Then the rest will reveal itself and become evident.”

“You can see everything from different angles. At Red Bull, you can look at all the drivers who did not make it to the A-Team or take Verstappen, Vettel, Ricciardo and all the others who have made a success of themselves.”

Gasly has outshone his older teammate Brendon Hartley, to the point that little has been said of the New Zealander as a possible candidate for promotion to the Bulls.

But Gasly has respect for Hartley, a Le Mans winner and WEC champion, and said of his teammate, “He’s pretty fast and does not make it easy for me.”

“I do not care what teammates I’ll have, because if I want to be the best I have to stand up to the best. It’s my first full Formula 1 season and I’m only 22 years old.”

“I’m happy to stay on board with Toro Rosso when they need me. But of course, I also want to fight for victories and titles as fast as possible,” added Gasly.

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BRAWN: HONDA MADE IMPORTANT PROGRESS IN PERFORMANCE

Formula 1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn is impressed with the progress Honda has made with Toro Rosso this season, feedback that will no doubt be music to the ears of Red Bull bosses who have slapped all their money on the Japanese auto giant providing them with a race-winning engine next year.

Looking back on the season, after 12 rounds, Brawn observed, “Given the situation and the resources available, Toro Rosso is doing a good job, just like Honda. The Japanese have made important progress, especially in terms of performance.”

“It is important that they are on the right path as they will also be providing power units to their Red Bull sister team next year. The more teams that can battle it out at the top the better the show – that’s exactly what fans and we in Formula 1 also want.”

Stats at this stage show that Toro Rosso are eighth in the championship standings, having scored nearly half of what their closest rival team has scored this season.

But Brawn sees the positives after their good showing at the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, “The Honda-powered team celebrated their best qualifying result of the year.”

“In the race, Gasly drove to a brilliant sixth place. He was the only one who was not outscored by a star driver from one of the top three teams and Hartley was in eleventh also close to the points.”

“The team have experienced ups-and-downs this season, on the one hand, there were the highlights like Bahrain, Monaco and Hungary, but on the other hand they were victims of a lot of bad luck,” added Brawn whose own ‘minnow’ team – Brawn GP – dominated the 2009 F1 world championship with a car originally built for Honda, only to be powered by Mercedes after the Japanese bosses pulled the plug on their F1 programme.

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HORNER: ALONSO CAUSES A BIT OF CHAOS WHEREVER HE’S GONE

Red Bull have all but closed the door on any chance of Fernando Alonso joining the energy drinks outfit in the wake of Daniel Ricciardo’s departure to Renault for 2019 and beyond, leaving open one of the most coveted seats in the sport.

The veteran Spaniard is at the crossroads of his career, some reports suggest he will depart Formula 1 at the end of the year fed up with the frustration of toiling in the midfield with McLaren.

Some Spanish publications have lobbied the unlikely option of Alonso joining Red Bull alongside their young star Max Verstappen.

But according to Red Bull team chief Christian Horner such a scenario is unlikely, “I’ve got huge respect for Fernando, he’s a great, fantastic driver, but it would be very difficult to see. He’s tended to cause a bit of chaos wherever he’s gone.”

“I’m not sure it would be the healthiest thing for the team for Fernando to join. Our preference would be to continue to invest in youth then take a driver who is obviously close to the end of his career,” added the Red Bull team chief in an official F1 podcast.

Red Bull have tended to promote from within the ranks of drivers they groom in the junior categories, currently they have Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly with the young Spaniard arguably with an edge over the French rookie due to greater experience in the top flight.

Horner explained, “We’re fortunate that we’ve got several drivers under contract that are great talents. I think we’re going to sit back and evaluate what the situation is, see what comes out.”

“It’s an incredibly attractive car to be driving, I don’t think we’re going to be short of requests and offers. I think we’ll look at everything.”

“The preferred route will be to invest, as has been so successful, in home [grown] talent. Vettel, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Sainz, Gasly – they are all products of the junior programme that have delivered for us.”

“[Sainz and Gasly] are very quick drivers so I think this just gives us opportunity to take a breath. They’re under contract anyway till the end of the summer or beyond. We’ll look at the options available to us and make sure we make the right decision for the team,” added Horner.

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PÉREZ: I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR 2019

Sergio Perez may be out of a drive next year in the wake of latest developments at Force India, but the Mexican is sure he will have a drive next year despite this.

Perez told Motorsport-Total, “I am fortunate to have several options for 2019. Of course, we all want for one of the top two teams Mercedes or Ferrari drive, but I do not think that there is a possibility for the next year. So you have to look at what else is the best option for the future.”

Perez has consistently been best of the rest behind the six drivers in the Big Three teams, the 28-year-old from Guadalajara finishing seventh in 2016 and 2017 and will bide his time before he makes a final call, “I want to see which teams have a vacant cockpit they need to fill.”

“I’ll also keep a close look at what’s happening here at Force India because I think this team has the most potential of any midfield team.”

Perez instigated legal proceedings that led Force India into administration, his actions a formality which ultimately helped the team be saved by a consortium led by Lance Stroll’s billionaire father Lawrence Stroll.

The young Canadian will thus have a guaranteed drive with The Pinks in 2019, however his teammate is not yet announced.

Mercedes backed Esteban Ocon is expected to stay on with the team as the new owners seek to position the Silverstone based outfit as a Silver Arrows B-team.

Meanwhile, Perez is not panicking, “There is no reason to hurry, I know that I am in a good position but of course, the sooner it’s clear, the better.”

Perez was apparently on Renault’s shopping list until the French team managed to secure the services of Daniel Ricciardo on a two-year deal.

Beyond Force India, Checo has in the past been linked to Ferrari, where he was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) but the Reds look set to keep Kimi Raikkonen for at least another season.

The most obvious option for the Perez is a seat with Haas who may show Romain Grosjean the door at the end of this season (if not sooner) and thus free up a seat at the American team.

Perez comes along with several loyal and committed Mexican corporate backers, which would be a bonus for a team such as Haas, or any of the midfield teams.

A return to Sauber could also be one of the several options he is alluding to.

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Mid-season review: McLaren gets a reality check 

McLaren talked the talk but this year has had to walk the walk – and found the journey a struggle. Its malaise did not end with the departure of Honda and pre-2018 ambitions have been realigned amid frustrations with its recalcitrant MCL33. The late switch to Renault ultimately proved a hindrance while aerodynamic flaws – in effect creating a draggy package – left the team mired in the midfield. Race pace has been far stronger than qualifying speed but while it profited from rivals’ mistakes early on to score well, the situation has deteriorated during European phase of the campaign. Heads rolled, and then further changes were undertaken, with the high-profile departure of Eric Boullier coming after a sequence of lacklustre of events and reports of staff discontent. McLaren adopted a changed mea culpa thereafter as it accepted its previous statements had been overly optimistic, and expressed its belief that it faces a long, slow recovery back to respectability, echoing the viewpoint held by many long beforehand. The remainder of this year is surely about trying to limit the damage in the championship while working hard on correcting the weaknesses for 2019. 

Fernando Alonso has raised a few eyebrows this year with some of his proclamations (that border on grandstanding sermons) but it has been another season of frustration, stymied by machinery that has restricted him to the lower points positions. The Triple Crown, now two-thirds complete, is surely the primary goal, but Formula 1 retains an allure for the Spaniard, who has usually found the limit of the MCL33. Alonso drove well to bag points early on, none more so than in Azerbaijan after dragging a car some thought was terminally damaged back to the pits, and holds a commanding 12-0 qualifying head-to-head advantage over Stoffel Vandoorne. A spin in France – during a dismal race for McLaren – and a scrappy time in Germany act as minor blots on the copybook for a driver who is surely destined never to return to the front-running positions his talent warrants. 

The pure statistics make for grim reading for a driver whose prowess in junior single-seaters is becoming an ever-distant memory. Vandoorne has yet to out-qualify Alonso this year (though did come frustratingly close in Canada) and has contributed just eight points to McLaren’s tally of 52. In an extremely competitive midfield pack the differences are magnified, and Vandoorne too frequently has found himself on the negative side of the fence. A sub-par one-lap display leads to a disappointing grid spot, consigning him to an alternative strategy, and getting mired at the wrong end of the midfield train in race trim, his plight accentuated by the MCL33’s straight-line speed woes. A mysterious absence of downforce resulted in the British and German weekends being a write-off, and race pace in Hungary was a return to form – points were on the table before a gearbox failure. Vandoorne needs a strong few events after summer to prove his 2019 credentials. 

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'I think it's difficult to beat me' - Fernando Alonso

McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne who is under pressure to keep his seat at the team for the 2019 season has been given a vote of confidence by double-world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso.

The Belgian has yet to out-qualify Alonso in 12 attempts so far in 2018 and 17 overall, going back to the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017.

Despite this, the Spaniard defended Vandoorne as he harked back to 2014 where he remembers beating then Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen 16 times out of 19 in qualifying during the 2014 season.

"I think it’s difficult to beat me," joked Alonso to F1.com "He always has to be a little bit behind. But if you see previous team-mates, they were a lot further behind than Stoffel. Like in 2014 or something like that, it was six or seven-tenths to Kimi every race. He’s less than that now.

"I don’t think his reputation is going down. The car is what it is. The car is underperforming. We as a team are trying to find the problem and to have both cars in the same conditions, with the same performance. He has shown his talent already. There’s no need for proof."

Vandoorne came into Formula 1 on a high wave of form, winning the GP2 championship in 2015 by 160 points over Alexander Rossi who has since moved over to IndyCar, driving for Andretti Autosport.

The Belgian also stood in for Alonso at the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix after a horrendous crash in Australia, scoring McLaren's first point of the season after finishing in 10th place.

Alonso is certain his team-mate will eventually deliver in F1 when he gets comfortable with the right car beneath him. "Being a champion in every series before Formula 1, right now in a difficult car with some difficulties last year and this year as well," added the Spaniard.

"He’s OK. He will be very close in performance as soon as the car is delivering the normal performance.

"There’s nothing I need to say to him. For his reputation for you guys, you need to wait and see, or see the result before Silverstone or last year in terms of qualifying."

Vandoorne has only scored 8 points in 2018 while Alonso has racked up 44 overall.

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Italy pay-per-view switch to blame for audience drop - Chase Carey

Formula 1's recent drop in television viewership can be blamed on Italy's move from free-to-air TV to subscription service according to Chase Carey, who insists it has nothing to do with declining interest in the sport.

F1 reported a four per cent drop in audience numbers compared to the previous season, which Carey explained was down to a switch in how F1 is broadcast in Italy, and if those numbers are excluded, audience numbers actually increased.

"That [drop] is largely due to our move from free to pay television in Italy," Carey said during an investor call. "Excluding Italy our television viewership is up three per cent year-on-year and our Saturday viewership for qualifying is up even more."

He added that the USA and China showed "particularly strong uplifts" in the amount of people watching live coverage.

While televisions audiences might be down overall, Carey reported that live race attendance had risen.

"Live attendance in aggregate is up 4 per cent year-on-year at the 10 tracks where we raced last year," he added. "And attendance at the two tracks we did not have in 2017, which are France and Germany, was well in excess of expectations. In Germany, the promoter even had to build new grandstands to meet demand."

Liberty Media's research also showed that fans believed the sport had improved in 2018 compared to previous seasons.

"44 per cent of our average fans are more interested in the 2018 season than they were in 2017 versus only 7 per cent a year ago. 66 per cent of fans believe F1 has improved versus two years ago, just 15 per cent say it’s worse. And 67 per cent of fans say F1 is in good hands with Liberty while 10 per cent disagree."

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Mercedes: Formula 1 title battle 'more exciting than ever'

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes the battle for overall honours in Formula 1 is "more exciting than ever" and that over half of this year’s races have not been won by the quickest car at that specific venue.

Mercedes and Ferrari have exchanged the lead of the Constructors’ Championship on multiple occasions this year, with the reigning champions taking five wins to the seven accrued by its rivals Ferrari and Red Bull with four and three wins respectively.

Mercedes holds a slender 10-point advantage over Ferrari, while third-placed Red Bull, although a distant 122 points behind Mercedes, has also been a front-runner but has suffered from a high number of reliability issues.

“The battle at the top is more exciting than ever before, and things are also very tight in the midfield,” said Wolff.

“The races have not only produced some great wheel-to-wheel action on the track but also some surprise winners: seven of the 12 races so far were not necessarily won by the fastest car. 

“All in all, I would say that the 2018 season has been a marvellous advertisement for the sport. 

“For us as a team, the half-term report is a positive one, as we are currently leading both world championships. 

“We owe this to the efforts of our team in Brackley and Brixworth and to the driving skills of Lewis [Hamilton] and Valtteri [Bottas]. 

“At the same time, though, we also realise that we have dropped points in more than one race, so we are going flat out to boost performance even more for the second half of the season. 

“We will come back refreshed with the necessary energy to raise our game even further in the second half of the season.”

Hamilton holds a 24-point title advantage over Sebastian Vettel having capped the first half of the campaign with back-to-back wins in Germany and Hungary.

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Mid-season review: Still a Force (India) to be reckoned with

Force India has been the epitome of efficiency in recent seasons but having reached the heights of fourth place it was perhaps inevitable that it would eventually get dragged back into the midfield scrap, especially with its engine advantage becoming less pronounced. That it holds only sixth is no shame – considering it entered administration and has spent much of the first half of the year stymied by update delays owing to the financial constraints. The early races yielded little, off the back of an indifferent pre-season, but Sergio Perez’s opportunistic podium in Azerbaijan provided a much-needed boost, and three double points finishes in a row, prior to its typical Hungary slump, gives further hope that the VJM11 is on the right track. Now that a deal has been reached for a consortium of businessmen, led by Lawrence Stroll, to take over the team, let’s hope that developments waiting in the pipeline will be given the green light to allow the team to do what it does best. 

Having been the lead midfield driver across the past two years Perez has cut a more inconsistent figure this year, not gelling with the VJM11 to the extent as he did with the car’s predecessors. He has scored points in only five of the 12 Grands Prix, but holds a top 10 placement in the standings, much of which is owed to his podium in Azerbaijan. In a crazy race it was typically Perez who avoided the drama that befell others to pluckily collect a rostrum finish, his first since the corresponding event in 2016. Perez admitted that the mental strain of the team’s recent financial woes had a negative impact on him, especially in light of his decision to begin proceedings that led to its administration. He deserved commendation for his actions. On-track, it was always going to be tough to live up to the regular points of 2017 – but this year he does at least have a trophy! 

Ocon has had a quietly impressive second year in the sport, though the fact he has out-qualified Perez 9-3 is offset by the less-than-a-tenth gap between them on average, a continuation of their closely-matched 2017 battle. Ocon was a standout midfielder in Monaco and has added a healthy haul of points elsewhere, and the usual couple of first-lap scrapes on occasion, with Kimi Raikkonen in Azerbaijan (a frustratingly clumsy clash that denied him a potential podium) and friend-turned-foe Pierre Gasly in France. The issue as it stands is where does he go next? Mercedes has locked down its drivers for another year while the mooted Renault option no longer exists – leaving a third year with Force India possible, should a seat remain open. If not? Williams? It risks not only stagnating Ocon’s development but resulting in the Frenchman joining the growing logjam of talents at midfield teams.  

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Williams no longer feels “pain of failure” – Coulthard

The Williams Formula 1 team is no longer feeling the “pain of failure” that it used to, according to former driver David Coulthard.
Williams is in the midst of one of its worst-ever seasons, sitting 10th and last in the constructors’ standings heading into the summer break with just four points scored in 2018 so far.

Lance Stroll’s eighth place finish in Azerbaijan has been its only appearance in the points of the year, while Stroll and teammate Sergey Sirotkin have dropped out of Q1 together in six of the 12 races so far.

Coulthard, who drove for Williams in 1994-95 and scored his first grand prix victory with the team, expressed concern that the Grove outfit has become resigned to its position at the rear of the field.

“Williams I’m a little bit concerned for,” the Scotsman, now a pundit for Channel 4's F1 coverage, told Motorsport.com. “I just don’t see the pain of failure that maybe we saw in the past.

“You can fool people about how you’re feeling, but you can’t fake passion. I’d love to see that passion come back to Williams.

“The paddock has a great deal of affection for Williams and what they’ve achieved, but of course things move on and that will dwindle over time. I hope they can turn it around.”

McLaren struggles "confusing"

McLaren, where Coulthard raced from 1996-2004 and scored the remaining 12 of his 13 F1 wins, is another team enduring a below-par season in 2018.

The team’s failure to take a major step forward in its first season of using Renault power units resulted in Eric Boullier standing down as race director last month, with former CART champion Gil de Ferran joining in the new role of sporting director reporting to CEO Zak Brown.

Coulthard expressed sympathy to Boullier's plight, but said he thinks the Woking squad will be able to get back on track in due course.

He said: “It is confusing that they are going through such a difficult time, but it always comes down to people: the people with the power to design and build the car, have either not had the resources at their disposal, or they’ve misused those resources, and therefore they are accountable.

“Ron Dennis [former McLaren boss] used to say to me, ‘I don’t design the car, I don’t build the car and I don’t drive the car, so all of those elements are not my responsibility’, which is a fair comment.

“His responsibility was the vision for the company, getting sponsors on board, giving the engineers the resources they need to come up with a good car.

“I think Zak and Gil, someone with a great racing mind, they will turn it around. But it will take time.”

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MASSA: ON PURE TALENT MICHAEL AND FERNANDO ON SAME LEVEL

Felipe Massa a distinction of being a teammate to two of the most respected Formula 1 drivers of the past two decades namely Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, both during their times at Ferrari.

The Brazilian who retired from F1 at the end of the last season spoke about his two former teammates during the TV show “Conversa com Bial” and the comparisons provide some interesting insight to the two great drivers.

Massa spent 2006 as Schumacher’s teammate before partnering Kimi Raikkonen from 2007 until the end of 2009. Alonso arrived at Maranello in 2010 where he spent four seasons as Massa’s teammate.

When asked to compare the two drivers during the TV show, Massa said, “As for pure talent, I would put Michael and Fernando on the same level. Alonso has the gift, the ease, of understanding a race and driving incredibly fast. A highly intelligent driver with extensive skills and I would say all that also about Michael.”

“I have to admit – it was not easy to live by his side. I had a close relationship with Michael. I was young and eager to absorb all the knowledge of a seven-time champion, and Schumacher treated me very well.”

“But I had to wrestle with Fernando in a different way. Outside of the race car, I had zero problems with Alonso, we have always maintained a healthy working relationship.”

“With Fernando, that’s one thing. If he pulls down his visor, he becomes another person. He can split a team. We saw that in many racing teams he drove for.”

“I see that as his problem. Maybe he could have made more of his talent without this trait,” added Massa, echoing the general consensus in the F1 paddock.

[MIKA27]

FIGHTER NIKI HAS ALREADY STARTED PHYSIOTHERAPY

Austrian media report that Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda is in the process of recovery and rehabilitation after undergoing a lung transplant after a series of events that nearly cost the Mercedes F1 chairman his life earlier this month.

Website portal oe24.tv report that “Niki is getting better” and added: “Great relief across [Austria] Niki Lauda is on his way to recovery after his lung transplant. In the days after the surgery that lasted several hours, at the Vienna AKH reported a very satisfactory procedure while revealing that certain complications had arisen.”

On Thursday and Friday, there was a short crisis when Lauda’s kidney had to be supported by a dialysis catheter. Over the weekend, however, the top medical doctors at his side were able to stabilize his condition and completely overcome the problems, his recovery is reportedly progressing well.

Lauda is currently no longer on any devices and is able to breathe independently with his new lung, he did so within 24-hours of the transplant and he can speak.

As is normal after such a severe procedure, Lauda lies in the AKH intensive care unit (ICU) and will probably remain there for some time.

Although, according to doctors, danger to life is over the Formula 1 star and airline boss has now begun the challenging path back to a normal life with his new lungs while all is being done to return the 69-year-old to his old strength.

Nevertheless, Lauda has to undergo a complete life change: his job with Mercedes in Formula 1 and airline Laudamotion hang in the balance.

Air travel is ruled out for at least the next six months and the three times F1 World Champion must spend his holidays in “neighbouring countries” in order to be able to get to the AKH quickly in the event of an emergency.

In addition for him, there is a “life-long ban on public swimming pools, saunas and spas” while “all plants must be removed” from where he is recovering and he must also avoid contact with animals in the future.

The report concludes: “Fighter Niki has already started physiotherapy.”

[MIKA27]

ABITEBOUL: NO NEED FOR RADICAL CHANGES TO F1 ENGINE RULES

As Formula 1 stakeholders plot the way forward for the sport led by Liberty Media, agreement on the engine rules for 2021 and beyond need to be finalised sooner rather than later while arguing that the need to change current regs are not that important.

Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul, speaking after a video conference between the various parties, warned, “The clock is ticking if we decide on extensive changes they need to be implemented timeously.”

“It’s clear that there were reasons to push for a major change in the rules: the ability to attract new manufacturers and thus resolving the situation at Red Bull.”

“Now Red Bull and Toro Rosso are strongly committed to a new engine partner to focus on their own situation with a new partner in Honda. There is also no prospect for a new [manufacture] entry, so the need to make radical changes to engine regulations is gone.”

“We are currently discussing details but generally there is unanimity with regards to the goal. We agree that we can keep and improve the current engine. We also accept that we need to improve the power unit with regard to the show.”

Talk of ditching the MGU-H from the power unit package does not make sense to Abiteboul, “It would be crazy to have used the MGU-H for a few years and then to go in the opposite direction of automakers. Maybe we can simplify the way it’s used…”

[MIKA27]

RAIKKONEN TO RELEASE FIRST BOOK THIS WEEK

Kimi Raikkonen – Formula 1’s superstar and a man of very few words – will this week launch his first book “Tuntematon Kimi Raikkonen” which translates to “Unknown Kimi Raikkonen” with the Finnish and Swedish version available from 16 August.

The Ferrari driver commissioned respected Finnish author Kari Hotakainen for the project, the 61-year-old is a big name in Finland. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages, the father of two is known for his ironic-socially critical writing style.

Hotakainen turned from a journalist to a book author, first with poems, then with children’s books, and finally with novels.

Raikkonen announced it himself, on Instagram: “My story so far, available in Finnish and Swedish on August 16, 2018. Other languages will follow soon after.”

The tale as told by the Iceman is that of a young kid from humble beginnings who went on to become a F1 superstar – arguably the most popular driver of his era – and appears to be an effort to reach out to fans by giving insight into his life away from the F1 limelight as well as his grand prix escapades.

Raikkonen seldom smiles and his podium ‘celebrations’ are morbid, to say the least, his professional image suggests a humourless fellow, ill at ease with his surroundings. But by all accounts, behind-the-scenes he is affable, funny, humorous and a chatterbox to boot.

The book will be illustrated with a collection of private photos.

[MIKA27]

DRIVERS DISAGREE OVER GRAND PRIX WEEKEND FORMAT

Formula 1 is exploring all options to improve the sport, on the table are suggestions to change the format of grand prix weekends, even introducing an additional race to the three days, a concept that appears to have divided some driver opinions.

Daniel Ricciardo told Speedweek that in an ideal world he “could do without free practice, and would enjoy qualifying on Saturday morning, race in the afternoon and then another race on Sunday.”

But at the same time warned, “Seriously, of course, that would not the Formula 1 as we know it today. One has to be careful with such changes too. But I like racing more than I like the practice. So if we drive more races and do less practice throughout the year, that’s exactly what I want.”

Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel is reportedly something of a F1 history guru and not keen for change, “I’m a traditionalist, so I am not impressed much by such ideas.”

“I think that would take away something from the spectacle, the Grand Prix would not be the highlight anymore if there were two races.”

Even Toro Rosso rookie Pierre Gasly likes things as they are, “I’m not a big fan of a second race on the weekend because since I was born and follow Formula 1  it was always a one race event.”

“This is the main event of the weekend and I’m waiting for this highlight. I do not think the race format needs to be changed because it’s pretty good as it is,” insisted Gasly.

[MIKA27]

Kevin Magnussen: Haas a relief after 'horrific' stints at McLaren and Renault

Kevin Magnussen has said life at Haas is the most fun he's had in Formula 1 and a huge relief compared to his time at McLaren and Renault.

The Danish driver made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2014 where he scored 55 points compared to team-mate Jenson Button's 126, but said the atmosphere at the team knocked his confidence, partly because of unstable management.

He then sat out a year – although made a one-off appearance at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix to sit in for an injured Fernando Alonso – before switching to Renault, where he struggled and blamed it on a lack of support.

"It was a very unstable beginning to my Formula 1 career," Magnussen told Autosport. "I had great momentum before I got to Formula 1 and I lost it once I arrived [at McLaren].

"The team that I got there with was very unstable and the management were fighting. The pressure was massive as we knew it was all between me and Jenson, we started making mistakes, and you start being tense and not performing well."

On Renault, he added: "I didn't have the support I needed there. I still think I did a good job, but they had already decided from the beginning that I wasn't the right guy for them."

Magnussen described the early part of his F1 career as "pretty horrific and very unstable", but was able to find a seat with Haas in their second season and has begun to rediscover his passion for the sport and currently sits eighth in the standings with more than double the points of his team-mate Romain Grosjean.

"Luckily Haas saw the potential and gave me a shot, they offered me a deal where I could see stability.

"It's really good fun, the most fun I've had in F1. I think it just shows the quality that the team is made of. They are able to make decisions and they are able to commit and take directions, it's a real strength of the team."

 

 

[MIKA27]

Mid-season review: Haas done very well

The overhauled regulations meant Formula 1’s newest, and potentially smallest, entrant had to create two distinctly different cars in its first two years – and so opting for evolution over revolution was a smart tactic. That rivals pre-season began questioning Haas using the regulations to its advantage in terms of its alignment with Ferrari and Dallara acted as a testament to the respective parties contributing strongly to the VF-18. Haas has been a contender for points at nearly every Grand Prix and has developed strongly (a weakness last year ostensibly on account of its early focus on 2018), particularly on slow-speed corners, having been off the pace in Monaco. Operationally the relative youth of the team means it has been more susceptible to missing opportunities, and should probably hold fourth in the standings, having been hurt badly by its wheel nut issues in Australia and Romain Grosjean’s twitchy right foot. That it can still realistically aim for the position demonstrates the year-on-year gains it has made; few teams this young have ever finished this high in the standings. 

Magnussen’s form in 2018 perfectly demonstrates what consistency and a bit of confidence can do for a driver. Considering his stop-start career (McLaren, benched, late Renault call-up, Haas) it is little wonder that it has taken this long for him to emerge as a standout midfielder. There were flashes of promise in 2017 but this year he has been Haas’ lead driver, signalling his intent from the off by nonchalantly passing Max Verstappen at the start in Australia. Points in seven of the 12 races – that would be nine without team blunders – leaves him on a respectable 45, but it is his qualifying speed that has impressed. Having failed to reach Q3 since 2014, a situation that left him playing catch-up on Sundays, he has taken a top 10 spot eight times, and heads Grosjean in the intra-team battle. There have been low moments – especially his bafflingly dangerous move on Pierre Gasly in Azerbaijan – but overall the Magnussen/Haas relationship has blossomed this year. 

For a driver approaching 150 Grands Prix Grosjean is frustratingly enigmatic, capable of executing an accomplished drive one weekend and subsequently following it up with a mistake of rookie proportions. Grosjean’s 2018 campaign has been his least convincing in years, owing to several high-profile mistakes, accentuated by the improved machinery highlighting the missed chances. Grosjean cannot be blamed for setbacks in Australia and Bahrain, and a general malaise at a few other races, but his error in Azerbaijan was breathtakingly bonkers, and just two weeks later in Spain his causing of a multi-car first-lap pile-up was reckless in the extreme. Silly crashes and clashes in France and Britain provided further angst as Magnussen added the points. Yet in Austria – a perennially strong track – he scored a magnificent fourth, and brilliantly rose to sixth late on in Germany. His future may well depend on whether Haas is willing to accept the lows that come with the highs and continue its loyalty – or if the depths are now too costly and consistent. Comments post-Silverstone suggested he is walking a tightrope. 

[MIKA27]

Brendon Hartley feels 'on top of things' after tough start

Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley says he has "a lot of positives" to take into the second half of the Formula 1 season, believing he has made gains after a tough start.

Hartley entered his first full season with Toro Rosso this year after stepping up in late 2017 as a replacement for Renault-bound Carlos Sainz Jr. at Red Bull’s junior team.

Hartley endured a tough sequence of races early on that included a high-speed near-hit with team-mate Pierre Gasly during qualifying in Azerbaijan, and heavy crashes in Spain and Canada.

Hartley, though, feels he has made solid progress in recent rounds, culminating in a top 10 finish in Germany and a Q3 appearance in Hungary.

“Some positives, some ups and also some downs,” Hartley said, reflecting on 2018’s opening half.

“I feel like the second half of the first half of the season I was strong, luck wasn’t always on my side. 

“Again [in Hungary] I think I had a strong performance but the way the race worked out I wasn’t able to finish in the points and I didn’t really feel like I put a foot wrong which has been a bit the theme in the last five or six races.

“There were some tough times in the beginning where I made a couple of mistakes, where I had opportunities to capitalise, but I feel in the last four or five races feel like I’ve been on top of things and don’t have the points to show from it. 

“There’s been a lot learned, I feel in a good place mentally, even after the rumours and a bit of pressure early on, makes me feel a lot stronger coming out the side of that. See things a lot clearer.”

Hartley added that the end-of-2017 experience should leave him in good stead heading into the second half of the season.

“Yeah definitely, a lot of the circuits I know,” he said. “There’s going to be a few new ones for me. Suzuka. Russia. Singapore. 

“I think they’re the three new ones for me and the rest I know which is always positive, looking forward to the second half of the season.”

[Baldy]

Going to miss Alonso in F1.  One of my favourite drivers. If he does switch to Indycar, I wish him the best though I question is career choice dollar wise.  But I guess, at this stage of his career, money means less than legacy. At least I'll be watching more Indycar.

[skalls]

Will miss Alonso as well.  Be interesting to see how he transitions into IndyCar, my guess is he will do quite well.

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN: ALONSO WILL NOT BE IN FORMULA 1 NEXT YEAR

Double world champion Fernando Alonso will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season, his team McLaren said in a statement on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Spaniard is competing in his 17th Formula One season and his fifth with McLaren, and has been widely tipped to race in the Indianapolis 500 next year as he attempts to win the ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’.

Alonso, a double Monaco Grand Prix winner, won the Le Mans 24 Hours on his debut with Toyota in June this year and is currently ninth in the Formula One drivers’ championship standings.

Alonso started his Formula 1 career with the now-defunct Minardi team in 2001 and moved to Renault two years later. He became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history with Renault in 2005, winning again the following year.

However, he has not won a race since his victory at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix with Ferrari and has not finished on the podium since rejoining McLaren in 2015, no doubt factors that played a big role in his decision.

Nevertheless, his storied career includes 32 grand prix wins, 22 pole positions and 97 podiums in 303 starts so far, his last race in the top flight should be the season finale in Abu Dhabi – the occasion of his 312th grand prix start – unless, of course, McLaren find that elusive magic bullet…

McLaren Statement:

McLaren Racing today confirms that double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso will not race in Formula 1 in 2019.

Fernando, who turned 37 in July, is competing in his 17th F1 season, his fifth with McLaren, and has amassed 32 wins, 22 pole positions and 97 podiums to date. Beyond his two titles – in 2005 he became the then-youngest world champion in F1 history – Fernando has been championship runner-up three times.

Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Racing, said: “Fernando is not only an outstanding ambassador for McLaren but also for Formula 1. His 17 years in the sport, as arguably the pre-eminent driver of his generation and undoubtedly an F1 great, have added another layer to Formula 1’s rich history.

“There is a time for everyone to make a change and Fernando has decided the end of this season to be his. We respect his decision, even if we believe he is in the finest form of his career. Our open dialogue with Fernando has meant we could plan for this eventuality.

“While evaluating his future during the past months, Fernando’s competitiveness has been undimmed. He has continued to perform at the highest level throughout, as we know he will do in the remaining nine races of this year’s championship.

“I know that the entire team joins me in paying tribute to Fernando’s enormous contribution to McLaren; he is a legend both for the championship and for the team. Fernando is an important part of our story and will join an illustrious line of McLaren drivers. On behalf of Shaikh Mohammed, Mansour and our entire board, we wish Fernando every success in the future.”

Fernando Alonso commented: “After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it’s time for me to make a change and move on. I have enjoyed every single minute of those incredible seasons and I cannot thank enough the people who have contributed to make them all so special.

“There are still several grands prix to go this season, and I will take part in them with more commitment and passion than ever.

“Let’s see what the future brings; new exciting challenges are around the corner. I’m having one of the happiest times ever in my life but I need to go on exploring new adventures.

“I want to thank everyone at McLaren. My heart is with the team forever. I know they will come back stronger and better in the future and it could be the right moment for me to be back in the series; that would make me really happy.

“I have built so many great relationships with many fantastic people at McLaren, and they have given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and race in other categories. I feel I am a more complete driver now than ever.

“I made this decision some months ago and it was a firm one. Nevertheless, I would like to sincerely thank Chase Carey and Liberty Media for the efforts made to change my mind and everyone who has contacted me during this time.

“Finally, I would also like to thank my former teams, teammates, competitors, colleagues, partners, journalists and everyone I have worked with in my F1 career. And, especially, my fans all over the world. I am quite sure our paths will cross again in the future.”