FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

BROWN: FERRARI AND LIBERTY CONFRONTATION IS INEVITABLE

Ferrari big boss Sergio Marchionne has made it clear where he stands regarding the future of Formula 1, his views seen as a taunt to the sport’s American owners Liberty Media as knives are sharpened for the battle to carve the way forward for the sport.

Marchionne has referred to F1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn as Moses dishing out the commandments and warning Liberty Media not to deviate from the ethos of what Formula 1 is and should be going forward. Needless to say, their respective road-maps appear to differ and animosity between the parties is mounting.

McLaren chief Zak Brown is not surprised, “A confrontation between Ferrari and Liberty is inevitable. Ferrari wants to protect the money they receive because they earn a substantial proportion of the amount.”

“We all recognise Ferrari as a team has added more value to the sport than any other and should be awarded accordingly, but I think it is very unbalanced. Liberty only wants and has to do the best for the sport.”

While the Formula 1 world waits for a vision of sorts for 2021 and beyond, Liberty are doing it their way and to their own agenda, which Brown relates to, “I know from my McLaren experience, I’m on top of things now, but it takes you a year minimum to get on top of things and it’s the same for them.

“F1 is a fast-moving, impatient and unforgiving sport but the teams can’t rely solely on Liberty and F1 to solve all the problems. Yes, there are several challenges but the key is to turn these into opportunities,” concluded Brown.

Liberty Media reportedly distributed a comprehensive blueprint for the sport in December to the main stakeholders. Details are sketchy but it appears Ferrari were not happy with a raft of issues which has since sparked the possibility of a F1 ‘civil war’ of sorts.

[MIKA27]

Video: The Halo explained by Mercedes tech boss James Allison

Whether you like it or not, the Halo is here to stay. Technical Director James Allison explains all you need to know about the Halo ahead of the 2018 F1 season...

[MIKA27]

Fernando Alonso's quest for motorsport's Triple Crown

Fernando Alonso will make his World Endurance Championship debut this year as he chases the Le Mans’ segment of the Triple Crown, and, as we explain, it demonstrates the turnaround in his perception by the wider motorsport community, prompting a desire to see him succeed

The news that Fernando Alonso will participate in this year’s World Endurance Championship is surely the final piece in the puzzle of his transformation from divisive Formula 1 driver to an all-round racing legend.

Throughout the bulk of the mid-late 2000s, and even into early-2010s, Alonso – while still harbouring a legion of fans – was often plagued by controversy: some comments while with Renault, his toxic year at McLaren, Crashgate, and a few incidents at Ferrari. They were not all his doing, but his reputation as a sportsman was so-so.

Honda nightmare plagued 2015-17 F1 prospects

But over time attitudes toward the Spaniard have changed, ostensibly fuelled by his lack of success, creating the pervading theme that his talent has not been rewarded. There is a sense of unfulfilled achievement, through (bad) luck and (bad) judgment, meaning a World Champion has been consigned to the status of paddock joker, more known for deckchairs and snarly radio messages than winning.  He has not triumphed at a Formula 1 race since 2013, and the last of his two titles came in 2006. It is a mind-bogglingly long run. It is not a unique phenomenon that sportsmen become more appreciated over time – perhaps it is because we realise that we will not be witnessing their exploits forever, or perhaps it is heightened because the sense of unfulfilled achievement grows ever more likely with each passing year. It has happened to several drivers, it happens in other sports, and it happens in life itself. Music albums, for example, frequently gain an increasingly iconic status as the years pass; an appreciation of artists gathers pace after their death.

Alonso has flourished into an old-school driver, a throwback to a time when top-level racing drivers launched themselves into multiple categories, and confirmation of the worst kept secret – that he would join Toyota in the WEC – was met with universal acclaim. He has been permitted the opportunity through a combination of factors.

Alonso was competitive at IMS last May

For several years, the idea of a Formula 1 driver competing in another major category was off radar, heightened by Bernie Ecclestone’s near-pillorying of other series, frequently ensuring events (such as Le Mans) clashed.  Nico Hulkenberg broke ranks in 2015, taking a stellar – if slightly unexpected – triumph with Porsche, and it was not coincidental that 12 months later the French classic again clashed with a Grand Prix. Liberty Media has already taken a different approach; last year it outlined its desire to avoid date clashes – where feasible – with the WEC and Formula E, while Ross Brawn suggested it also made sense to consult MotoGP officials. The FIA spoke of “harmonising” calendars, where possible. Chase Carey even acted as the official Le Mans starter in 2017. Lo, and behold, there was life outside of the F1 bubble. 

Alonso, too, has wanted to compete at Le Mans for several years; he pushed to compete with Ferrari in the GTE Pro class during his days at Maranello, but his bosses were not keen on the idea. It was a situation which repeated itself in 2015; Alonso was linked to Porsche but McLaren management, under Ron Dennis, did not share the Spaniard’s enthusiasm. And then Hulkenberg, who co-piloted the No. 19 car reportedly touted for Alonso, went and won the thing.

Consequently, another crucial factor in Alonso’s non-F1 adventures has been McLaren’s fortunes, ironically working to his favour. Had McLaren-Honda rekindled its dominant partnership of the late 1980s, then Dennis may not have been ousted, while Alonso would not have been able to skip Formula 1’s jaunt to Monaco last year. As it was, Dennis was unceremoniously shown the exit door, in favour of Zak Brown, who was not only open to non-F1 activities but a key facilitator in Alonso’s Indianapolis challenge, itself prompted by Honda’s early season malaise.

Daytona acted as practice for Le Mans

It was that Indianapolis run last year which was one of motorsport’s biggest stories of 2017, as Alonso ran competitively before retiring due to an engine failure. His oval deeds were fanatically tracked, and he earned huge respect from various communities for leaping out of his comfort zone to take on a new challenge. That he was rapid throughout the month of May only served to enhance his reputation further, and any notion that he was going there for a bit of fun, or would be underprepared or unable to keep pace, was quickly quashed.

With Indianapolis put to one side – for now – and the clash still unfortunately present, ruling out a 2018 tilt, attention has switched from open-wheels and ovals to tin-tops and Le Mans.

Despite the then-current Honda links, Alonso was able to sample Toyota’s TS050 HYBRID during November’s WEC rookie test in Bahrain, and made use of Brown’s co-chairmanship of United Autosports to link up with the squad for the Daytona 24 Hours. While multiple setbacks derailed any hopes of a top result, the experience of endurance competition – albeit with several differences to Le Mans – will prove hugely beneficial, and remove some doubt that will have inevitably formed in Alonso’s mind. For example: working as part of a three-driver team, coping with a day-long race, and dealing with traffic and night-time driving.

The move is surely a win-win-win scenario for the involved parties; Alonso gets to satisfy his hunger to battle for Le Mans honours, McLaren gets a happy, motivated driver, Toyota gets one of motorsport’s greatest racers to spearhead its tilt, and the WEC gets a box-office driver for its Super Season, even if the event becomes more ‘24 Hours of Alonso’ than ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’. 

Renault power should boost 2018 chances

It means a busy 25-race schedule (allied to the one already completed) alongside tests, factory visits and simulator duties – not to mention maintaining fitness and other off-track activities – in 2018, but that’s just what suits Alonso, whose ‘true racer’ attitude has been fully displayed in recent years.

“I like how he just wants to race every weekend,” Brown explained towards the back end of last year. What a lot of people don’t know is he’s racing in a go-kart most weekends he’s not in a Formula 1 car. That’s how it used to be in the Mario Andretti days and it’s great to see Fernando has that kind of attitude.”

It has been stressed that leading McLaren’s (anticipated) Formula 1 revival remains the Spaniard’s priority in 2018, but if he is standing atop the podium at the Circuit de la Sarthe just after 3pm on June 17, then the entire motorsport world will stand and applaud in admiration.

[MIKA27]

Williams backs governments 'Year of Engineering' initiative

Williams and the British Government are working together to raise the profile of engineering amongst seven to 16 year olds as part of the 'Year of Engineering in 2018' initiative launched in January.

The Grove company, which encompasses its Formula 1 team and its advanced engineering department has joined forces to bring its expertise, which stretches back more than 40 years to when Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head founded Williams F1, to the initiative.

Williams has long supported the promotion of STEM subjects and practical technical education with its various educational programmes. Initiatives like the Williams Engineering Academy, Autosport Williams Engineer of the Future award, and various internships and apprenticeships give students a head start towards a career in Formula 1, technology and engineering.

“For 40 years, Williams has been at the forefront of engineering innovation," commented Williams' human resources director, Nicola Salter. "Many of the sport's legendary engineering figures began their career at Williams so we know the importance of nurturing and developing engineering talent.

"To inspire, encourage and attract a new generation of engineering stars, we are delighted to be supporting the Year of Engineering, the Government’s campaign to promote engineering from a young age, which we believe could kick start a skills revolution."

Minister for the Year of Engineering Nusrat Ghani added: "Engineers – whether they are working on cutting-edge technology in motorsport, or other areas such as energy or artificial intelligence – are vital to the lifeblood of our economy. Through the Year of Engineering, we want to show young people and their parents the immense creativity, opportunity and value of the profession.

"By working with partners like Williams to bring young people face to face with inspiring role models and experiences, we can send a clear message that engineering careers are innovative, varied and a chance to shape the future of this country."

Over the course of 2018, Williams will be working with the Department for Transport across its Year of Engineering campaign with a range of content, events and support.

[MIKA27]

McLaren set to land major new Dell F1 deal

McLaren is to announce a new sponsor in the shape of American-based multinational computer company Dell Technologies for the 2018 Formula 1 season, reports Sky News.

The long-term deal, which is expected to be confirmed on Thursday, will see the manufacturer of PCs, computer servers and TVs supply both hardware and software to the F1 team and its Applied Technologies division – according to Sky News sources.

McLaren enters into a new engine supply deal with Renault for this season, after a torrid three-year partnership with Honda.

The Dell deal will be seen as a major boost after the poor results of recent years have threatened its capabilities of attracting new backers.

[MIKA27]

When Ron Dennis took over the McLaren F1 team

At the end of the 1980 season, a young and ambitious owner of a Formula 2 team made the news by taking control of the prestigious McLaren Formula 1 team.
This 33-year-old entrepreneur was the determined, strong-minded Ron Dennis; a man known for his professionalism and attention-to-detail. For him, motorsport was a lot more than just a sport, it was a way to do business.

Ron Dennis started in life in Formula 1 as a mechanic with the Cooper team before he went to work for Brabham and Lotus. Getting his hands dirty was not his goal in life. He wanted to run his own organisation.

Dennis found a business partner in his friend Neil Trundle and they created their own team, Rondel Racing in 1971. The team ran cars in the Formula 2 Championship and in Sportscar racing with major sponsorship from oil company Motul.

Rondel then launched a Formula 1 project. Ray Jessop designed the F1 car, but the timing was wrong as the 1973 oil crisis forced Motul to withdraw its financial support.

Ron Dennis returned to Formula 2 racing, running cars under the Marlboro banner, including one for a wealthy young Italian, Andrea de Cesaris. Dennis’ Project Four team also prepared and ran a Marlboro-sponsored car for Niki Lauda in the Procar series, which ran identically modified BMW M1s for top, professional drivers of different categories.

Simultaneously, the McLaren F1 team was facing tough times. After James Hunt’s title in 1976, the team, led by Teddy Mayer, an American lawyer, was going from disappointment to frustration as the team’s designer, Gordon Coppuck, did not produce a good ground effects car.

  

The help of Marlboro

There was a strong link between Project Four and McLaren: Marlboro. Ron Dennis had regular meetings with John Hogan, the marketing director at Philip Morris. Hogan was not longer convinced that Teddy Mayer was the man for the job and was persuaded by Dennis that Project Four should take over control of the F1 team with the financial backing of Marlboro.

The change of ownership happened in the fall of 1980. McLaren Racing was renamed McLaren International and the team was moved from Colnbrook to Woking. There are two versions about what happened during the following months.

One story says that it was an aggressive takeover. The long standing Teddy Mayer and Gordon Coppock apparently were totally against it, and sold their shares and angrily left the team.

The other story comes from Ron Dennis in an interview published on Formula1.com: “Initially it was a 50:50 deal – but, after 18 months, and to my surprise, Teddy [Mayer] said he was becoming increasingly concerned about the prohibitive cost of turbocharged engines and was ready to step away, so the opportunity arose for me to acquire a controlling interest in the company, which I immediately did.”

  

The first carbon fibre F1 chassis

Ron Dennis was determined that McLaren should utilise every available technology - including some that had never before been considered in F1. He hired British engineer John Barnard, the man who had designed the Chaparral 2K, a highly successful Indy car; a copy of the Lotus 79. In F1, the ever-increasing forces generated by ground effects required much stronger and stiffer chassis. Aluminum was no longer strong enough and for Barnard and Dennis, carbon fibre was the solution.

However, no one outside the aeronautic and military industries had experience of this space-age composite material. Barnard, who had worked in the United Stated, found a company based in Salt Lake City that had massive experience in carbon composites: Hercules Aerospace.

The McLaren MP4/1 consisted of a Barnard carbon fibre chassis manufactured by Hercules and powered by a Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine. In 1981, John Watson and Andrea de Cesaris drove the MP4/1, and the first victory came at Silverstone when Watson won the British Grand Prix. Ron Dennis savoured his first F1 World Championship three years later, in 1984 when Niki Lauda captured the title behind the wheel of the mighty TAG Porsche-powered McLaren.

[MIKA27]

McLaren influence on Renault engine unlikely until 2020

Renault is open to McLaren influencing the design of its F1 engine, but says the British team is unlikely to have any impact until the partnership enters its third season.
McLaren has given up works status with Honda to join Renault's customer F1 engine programme until the end of 2020, when the current V6 rules cycle concludes.

As a works partner with Honda, McLaren influenced the design and packaging of Honda's troubled F1 engine, sending personnel to Honda's Sakura HQ and even collaborating on the design of certain electrical components of the power unit.

By returning to customer status, McLaren will now have to adjust its 2018 chassis around whatever product Renault delivers.

McLaren hopes to influence Renault's engine in a similar way to Honda as their new relationship develops, but Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com the deal for 2018 came too late for McLaren to have any immediate say on engine design and packaging.

Abiteboul said Renault would be "open to their suggestion" but cautioned McLaren would probably have to wait until the final season of its initial three-year deal to hold any real sway.

"It's a bit complex," Abiteboul said. "First and foremost, we developed a complete power unit before working with McLaren, so it's not like with Honda, where Honda was dependent upon McLaren - we have the whole parameters of the power unit under our responsibility.

"I think we will take it step by step. We want to be very pragmatic. Clearly for 2018 and even 2019, it's very late for McLaren to have any influence on the hardware of the engine.

"Having said that, we want to be humble. We accept that we can improve our product, that we have to improve our product, and we will be open to their suggestion.

"I think it's more on the medium to long-term. First, we have to accept it's a new relationship, we will have to see how it evolves, but if it's working well, if it's a fruitful and positive relationship, then there is no reason it could not go further than this cycle of regulation.

"And therefore that we can have a different and more connected way of working together for the medium to long-term future. But it's not something for before 2020 in my opinion."

[MIKA27]

Analysis: How FIA will clamp down on F1 engine tricks

Formula 1's close fight between Ferrari and Mercedes last year inevitably meant that small details had a big influence on the outcome of races.
One of the more intriguing battlegrounds between the two manufacturers was on the engine front – with Ferrari's power unit giving the benchmark Mercedes a decent run for its money.

The intensity of that fight inevitably meant boundaries were being pushed and there was a great deal of discussion throughout the year about oil burn.

A spate of clarifications on this matter over the course of the campaign coincided with an ebb and flow of the performance of the red and silver cars - even though there was never a suggestion either of them had out-and-out broken the rules.

One of the consequences of the oil burn controversy was a push by teams and the FIA to impose new rules for 2018 to stop any grey areas of the regulations being exploited.

But intriguingly, it is not just with oil burn that changes have come on the engine rules front – because it appears that other tricks were being used in the engine department to try to help eke out performance.

Here then is a summary of the key areas where engine rules will be getting tighter in 2018.

Oil burn limits

The FIA began last year a process of limiting the amount of oil that could be burned during the course of a grand prix.

From the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, teams could only burn 0.9 litres of oil per 100km. For the 2018 season, this limit has been reduced to just 0.6 litres of oil per 100km.

To further help the FIA police matters, new regulations have also been introduced that will ensure the governing body is able to keep an extremely close eye on what teams are doing.

* A new regulation says that teams must supply the measurement of the oil level of its main tank to the FIA at all times of the event. The mass of oil contained in each oil tank, with the exception of the main oil tank, must also now be declared to the FIA one hour before the start of the race.

* Active control valves between any part of the power unit and the engine intake air will be banned.

With sump breather pipes now feeding excess oil back into the engine through the intake – rather than out of the back of the car as happened decades ago – this will prevent clever systems diverting this oil into the engine for a power boost.

* Teams will be limited to a single oil specification per engine at a given grand prix – which must be declared before the event gets underway.

This will prevent the possibility of teams using a qualifying oil specification for extra power, and switching to a different type for the race.

There are also much stricter definitions of what oil should be – with set characteristics to ensure that it is being used purely for lubrication, cleaning and cooling and not for any power boost.

Article 20.1.2 of F1's technical regulations states: "The presence of any component that cannot be rationally associated with the defined functions of the engine oil will be deemed unacceptable."

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB13, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF70H, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB13, Nico Hulkenberg, Renault Sport F1 Team RS17 at the start

Recycling fluids

While the FIA has moved to stop teams cleverly burning oil as fuel, there is also a clampdown on the use of other fluids being used to achieve a similar power boost.

A new Article 5.1.12 of the technical regulations makes it clear that any breather fluids must exit the car at the rear, and cannot be recycled for use in the engine.

It states: "All power unit breather fluids may only vent to atmosphere and must pass through an orifice which is positioned rearward of the rear axle centre line and less than 400mm above the reference plane and less than 100mm from the car centre plane. No breather fluids may re-enter the power unit."

It could be that there was scope for teams to use power-boosting additives in breather fluids, that could then get put back in the system to be burned by the engine as they came back through.

Article 5.14.2 adds: "The addition of any substance other than fuel into the air destined for combustion is forbidden. Exhaust gas recirculation is forbidden."

Engine temperatures

One particularly intriguing item that was added to the F1 rule book for this year relates to engine temperatures – and has raised some eyebrows about what teams were up to to prompt such a change.

A new article 5.6.8 of the technical regulations makes it clear that in the engine plenum air (defined officially as from plenum entry to cylinder head) temperatures must now hit a minimum target.

The rule states: "Engine plenum... air temperature must be more than ten degrees centigrade above ambient temperature. When assessing compliance, the temperature of the air will be the lap average recorded, by an FIA approved and sealed sensor located in an FIA approved location situated in the engine plenum, during every lap of the race."

While some laps will not count for this average (the first lap of the race, laps carried out behind the safety car and laps with a pit stop), it is clear that the FIA wants an overall picture of what teams are doing with the air going into engines.

The requirement for teams to keep above a minimum temperature suggests that there was scope for the air to be cooled – which would help the performance of F1's modern turbo hybrid engines.

Hotter air holds less oxygen than cooler air – which means that the turbo will have to work harder, spin faster and compress more air to produce the same amount of boost than it would get if things were cooler.

If the turbo is already at its maximum potential, then it will mean that engine performance gets reduced as the air temperature increases.

There can be other knock-on effects of warmer air too – for it can increase the temperature inside the turbo which causes a further loss of power, with things not helped as the intercooler becomes less efficient, too.

It is hard to predict right now what impact – if any – the new FIA regulations on engines will have in 2018.

Opinions were, after all, divided last year about how much the performance gap between Mercedes and Ferrari closed up and spread out as the various oil burn clarifications came out.

However, the tighter scrutiny on what teams are doing with engines should at least bring an end to a lot of suspicions and finger-pointing – until, of course, teams find another grey area to go away and chase.

[MIKA27]

THE HALO IS FORMULA 1’S NECESSARY EVIL

Formula 1’s new driver head-protection ‘halo’ device is so robust that it can take the weight of a double-decker bus, according to Mercedes’ technical head James Allison.

“This is not a light piece of work, it is several kilograms of titanium that need to be put on the car,” the Briton said in a video on the world champions’ website explaining one of the season’s big novelties.

“We had to strengthen the design of the chassis so that it would be able to take roughly the weight of a London double-decker bus sitting on top…”

The halo, designed to shield a driver’s head from flying debris and the danger of being struck by bouncing wheels, will be making its Formula 1 race debut at the season-opener in Australia on 25 March.

The look of the device, fixed at three points with its central upright in front of the driver and an overhead loop, has been criticised and compared to the thong on a flip-flop beach sandal.

Cockpit protection has become a priority since the deaths of drivers in other series after being hit by wheels and flying debris.

All teams have to use the same device, a standard part provided by a sole manufacturer but are allowed to make some aerodynamic modifications.

“This round tube is quite bad aerodynamically so we’re all permitted to modify the halo in a way which will be individual for each team,” said Allison.

”We’re permitted to fit an aerodynamic fairing around it, which gives us a certain amount of scope to mitigate the effect that it has on the aerodynamics of the car.

“It’s a bit of an acquired taste, and we’re still busy acquiring it and I‘m sure everyone else is too, but I think there are things we can do in coming seasons to make it also look nicer on the car.”

[MIKA27]

BROWN: I THINK GRID KIDS IS REALLY GOOD

McLaren chief Zak Brown has praised Formula 1’s decision to use Grid Kids instead of traditional Grid Girls ahead of every grand prix, seeing it as a positive step towards broadening the sport’s appeal to a younger fan base.

Formula 1 announced this week that they would use budding young racers to stand next to the drivers’ cars as part of the build-up and pre-race ceremonies.

The youngsters will be chosen by their national motorsport clubs on merit, or by lottery, from among those competing in karting or junior series.

The sport had revealed last week, to the delight of some fans and anger of others, that it was phasing out the walk-on models who have been a feature of the starting grid for decades.

“I think ‘Grid Kids’ is really good,” said Brown, a marketing expert before becoming the team’s executive director, while adding that the two announcements should have been made at the same time.

“I am a big baseball fan and I was a batboy once for a game,” he told reporters at the McLaren factory in southern England.

”The attention I got in school, the build-up and the excitement and the kids talking about it, was just an awesome experience that got shared within the whole class; ‘Zak’s going to be the batboy, go watch TV..’

“So I think having ‘Grid Kids’ is going to create that same excitement, energy, something to talk about, younger fans, people talking about it in school…I think it’s a really good idea.”

Brown said he had given little thought previously to the use of models, with the starting grid a high-pressure hive of activity before races.

“Did they need to change it? I think there’s a lot of things that need to change in Formula One,” he said of the sport’s owners Liberty Media. “Going after a younger audience is certainly something they need to do.”

The American said there might be an impact on race sponsors, who might have used uniformed models, but they could be easily compensated.

“Let’s say it was a Heineken-sponsored grand prix, you’re not going to want to have a kid in Heineken (branded clothing),” he explained.

”But I think the level of exposure that created can be replaced. So if I’m Heineken and I’ve just lost that moment of exposure, if I’m Formula One I’d go ‘fair enough, I’ll give you more signeage’. I think that one’s easy to navigate from a sponsor standpoint.”

[MIKA27]

ABITEBOUL: THREE ENGINE LIMIT NOT RIGHT FOR FORMULA 1

This forthcoming season Formula 1 drivers will only be entitled to use three engines, as opposed to four in previous seasons, a new rule that Renault chief Cyril Abitebiul does not support and says is a headache but his team will manage.

In 2018 each driver will only be allowed three MGU-H, turbocharger and ICE unit with only two MGU-K, control electronics and energy store components to be permitted before being subject to grid penalties.

These limitations could well mean an even greater spate of grid penalties as drivers go through their allotments faster than they did last year when they had four power units at their disposal.

Grid penalties have been a farce with nearly 800 related sanctions handed out to the 20 car field during the course of the 20 races in 2017. Mercedes power units and components were the most durable, while Renault’s reliability was a concern, only worse was Honda’s woeful efforts.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Abiteboul said of the three engine per year limit, “It’s a headache but it’s a known headache. We knew that it was coming so we have built our plans and strategy accordingly. Right now there is nothing to indicate that we can’t stick to this plan.”

“Having said that, I still don’t believe it’s the right thing for Formula 1 and will still have another go [to change it] in the upcoming discussions with FIA and FOM and other teams because I don’t think it really makes sense for anyone.”

Another unpopular feature is the Halo which is mandatory for 2018, the Renault boss reported, “We find it heavy and not very nice aesthetically but we have talked about that.”

“The decision is made, it’s necessary from a safety perspective and things need to evolve. I guess there will be more attempts to do that in a more refined manner but for the time being we are trying to integrate it in the best way possible,” confirmed Abiteboul.

[MIKA27]

Mercedes are favourites to win every title up to 2021 reset - Zak Brown

McLaren's Zak Brown says he wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes went on to claim every title up until the 2021 rules reset, meaning the Brackley-based squad would enjoy a run of seven consecutive title successes stretching back to 2014.

If that were to happen it would beat Ferrari's record run of six consecutive titles between 1999 and 2004.

With the current power unit and aerodynamic rules in place until 2021, Brown believes Mercedes are "odds on favourites" to win the title in each of the next three seasons as current manufacturers are unable to match the performance of the Mercedes engine.

“I think we need to ask ourselves if Mercedes win seven championships in a row, how’s that going to impact the sport? And is that healthy for anybody in the sport? And I think under the current regulations, current spend, you’ve got to say they’re odds-on favourite to win the next three years.

“We’ve got a chance to course-correct with 2021, but we need to do that now because I think Formula 1 will be much more entertaining and therefore more valuable to all of us if we have four, five, six teams winning races, that have a chance at a championship."

Brown is hopeful that Mercedes and Ferrari will agree to Liberty Media's plans to redistribute the prize money pot in a fairier manner, which could go some way to aiding rivals teams in their bid to catch up – but understands why they'd rather keep the status quo as it benefits them hugely.

"If you’re Ferrari and Mercedes, especially Mercedes dominating the sport, you’ve got all the revenue," he added. "So on one hand I understand why they’d want to protect that position.

“[But] I think [agreeing to change] will ultimately be healthier and I don’t think Mercedes gets any more credit winning 15 races and the championship than they do winning five races and winning the championship, and all that will actually do is make the sport more entertaining than it is today."

[MIKA27]

Kyalami wants F1 return but says costs aren't feasible

South Africa's Kyalami Circuit would welcome a return to the Formula 1 calendar, but says it's unlikely to happen whilst the costs of doing so are so high.

The circuit, which last hosted a round of the F1 championship in 1993 and on 20 occasions prior to that, has recently undergone a major refurbishment following its takeover by Toby Venter, owner of Porsche South Africa.

However with hosting fees in the tens of millions, circuit spokesperson Christo Kruger admitted that remained a massive barrier to returning.

"Kyalami would welcome Formula 1 at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit again," Kruger told F1 Fanatic. "We think there's a heritage that we would like to see back again. I also think the African continent deserves an actual Formula 1 race again.

"But the prohibitive costs of hosting Formula One is really the bugbear. It's just not financially feasible in the current structure to host Formula 1."

Whilst the circuit is currently rated Grade 2 by the FIA, Kruger added that upgrading to the necessary Grade 1 status wouldn't be an issue should Liberty Media show an interest in getting the African continent back on the calendar.

"Kyalami remains there as a facility and we are prepared to enter into negotiations and discussions to upgrade or to change the actual the circuit to what is palatable for Formula 1 racing.

"It's an FIA grade two track at the moment, we will upgrade to grade one but there needs to be commitment in terms of a long-term future for Formula 1 in South Africa. But we do not have the financial wherewithal to be the promoter for a Formula 1 race."

[MIKA27]

Same-spec Ferrari engine a "big leap" for Sauber - Ericsson

Marcus Ericsson has no doubts that Sauber's "beautiful" new Alfa Romeo-badged Formula 1 car will deliver an "important" leap forward in performance this year.
The Swede has seen computer renderings of Sauber's new C37 and is full of excitement about the progress that can be expected – thanks to moving to a current Ferrari engine plus the team's closer ties to Maranello.

"I think it's a big leap to have the same engine as the Cavallino," Ericsson told Motorsport.com during an event with Formula Medicine this week.

"The team have a lot of confidence and a desire to do well. I got to see the car in a computer rendering and it seems very beautiful – it should be an important step forward.

"Alfa Romeo's partnership means the return of an historic brand to F1. It is one more reason to believe that Ferrari will give us maximum support to grow. I'm confident."

Sauber finished last in the constructors' championship in 2017, but its plight was not helped by it using a year-old Ferrari customer power unit.

For the season ahead, Ericsson believes Sauber's main opposition will be Haas and Toro Rosso, and thinks some occasional giant-killing performances are possible.

"We're up against Haas and Toro Rosso," he said. "I think next season will be very unpredictable in some races.

"It could go very well and at points we could also challenge Renault and Force India. But there will be other races where there will be problems and we will be further down.

"The goal is simply to get into the group of teams that are in the midfield – but it is clear that there will be a very open battle grand prix after grand prix.

"I want to be in the best shape possible to find the satisfaction that was missing in 2017."

MIKA: Ericsson seems like a nice guy, but his driving is less to be desired IMO. Didn't score a single point last season, beaten by Pascal.

Sorry to say and I hope I'm wrong, but I think rookie Leclerc will give him a run for his money much the same as Pascal did.

[MIKA27]

Mark Webber fears WEC will distract Fernando Alonso from F1

Former grand prix driver Mark Webber hopes that Fernando Alonso does not get too burned out by his Toyota LMP1 programme to deliver his very best in Formula 1.

Alonso confirmed last week that he would be competing in the majority of World Endurance Championship rounds for Toyota this season, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, alongside his McLaren F1 commitments.

It follows a shock Indianapolis 500 effort last season, although McLaren's final campaign with Honda was a dismal one that was not significantly compromised by Alonso's American effort.

Webber hopes his friend does not become distracted now McLaren is anticipating bigger things in F1 after switching engine supplier from to Renault,.

"I thought the Indy idea was awesome," said Webber. "Obviously they [McLaren] were really embarrassing last year.

"Hopefully they'll be a bit more competitive this year.

"I just hope the distractions of trying to bounce around from all the categories, when there's a really good result in F1 on the table, that he doesn't miss it through burning too many candles."

He added: "For him to do Le Mans is great, he's going to really enjoy that. He'll enjoy the whole thing.

"But I'm not sure what the whole game is.

"It's fine for him, but I'm not sure how stoked McLaren are with the whole thing."

Alonso has already kicked off his racing season by contesting the Daytona 24 Hours, and could end the year having taken part in 27 events.

He has at least 25 more races planned with 21 grands prix and four WEC rounds, and could add another if Toyota's home race at Fuji is moved to avoid a clash with the United States Grand Prix.

"He's definitely a racer," said Webber. "He wants to race at every opportunity possible.

"That wasn't available three or four years ago, it just wasn't the done thing.

"Now with less testing in F1, and clearly he's uncompetitive - if he was fighting for a world championship he'd never be doing any of this.

"He doesn't do much simulator time at McLaren, if any.

"He's an old-school racer and that's what we all admire about him."

'Like a rocket ship'

Alonso tried out the 2018-spec Toyota TS050 HYBRID, which was revealed today, for the first time last week in a three-day test at Aragon, immediately after contesting the Daytona 24 Hours.

"The car is just amazing, this machine is something very special," said Alonso.

"The four-wheel drive, together with the boost of the hybrid system makes the acceleration like a rocket ship.

"You go out of the corners and you feel the compression of the seat and your eyes are very wide open. Any racing driver should feel that, one time.

"I cannot wait until June [for Le Mans], but I know that before that big event I need to do some tests, because you need to prepare for that race.

"You need to respect that race and I will try to do that."

[MIKA27]

RICCIARDO: I WOULD LOVE TO GO UP AGAINST LEWIS

Daniel Ricciardo’s future in Formula 1 is a hot topic and will only get hotter as the season progresses until the Australian puts pen to paper, meanwhile the Red Bull driver admits that he would relish being teammate with Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to Racer, Ricciardo revealed, “I would love to go up against Lewis at some point, irrespective of the team situation. That would be fun…”

“I have never really been too fussed about the type of teammate. People will probably call me a liar for this but I would like a fast teammate.”

“You are always going to get more out of yourself and it’s going to be more of a true valuation, how good you are, where you stand.”

“I’m in this sport, yes, to win, but to win by being the best, and not getting lucky or whatever. If I win a title I want to know that I was the best guy that year.

“To be the best you have to go against the best. I’ve certainly got a good one alongside me now with Max.”

Meanwhile, Ricciardo is wary of the situation he currently finds himself in, “I don’t want to treat it like the big dog holding every card and everyone’s going to listen to me and wait for my call.”

“I spoke briefly with Red Bull since the end of the season and they haven’t given me an ultimatum either, they haven’t put a contract in front of me and said: Sign it this week or we’re moving on.”

“They’ve been kind and given me some time, and they understand that I kinda want to say where we are in the first race or two,” added Ricciardo who hinted that he will make his final decision around April.

However an occasional message to Mercedes, and Ferrari for that matter, no doubt keeps the big smiling Aussie on the radar of key decision makers in the F1 paddock… and it’s also not the first time Ricciardo has revealed his desire to team up with Hamilton.

[MIKA27]

CAREY: I LIKE THE GRID GIRLS BUT DECISION IS FOR F1 FANS

Formula 1 will have no female models parading on the starting grid this season but will still be a sport of “glamour and mystique”, according to chairman and chief executive Chase Carey who also admits he liked the old tradition of grid girls.

The American, who replaced octogenarian Bernie Ecclestone as supremo last year, told newspaper reporters that he personally would have retained the use of the models to hold up the drivers’ numbers before the race. However, he accepted that others had different views.

Formula 1 announced last week that it was ending the use of walk-on models because the custom “does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern-day societal norms”.

“I think the reaction has been what we expected,” Britain’s Daily Telegraph quoted Carey as saying. “Unsurprisingly, many long-term fans view it as part of the sport they grew up with and I respect that.

“Actually if you just left it up to me, personally, I like the grid girls,” he added. “But it’s not a decision for me, it’s a decision for fans.”

Carey said a significant number of people found the use of models to have “an exploitative element”, be outdated and inappropriate – even if the models themselves were proud to do the job. Those in favour generally felt less strongly about it.

“We’re going to maintain glamour,” said Carey, who was brought in by the United States based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holders.

“We’re going to continue to have pretty girls at races. I think it’s part of life, and it’s a part of what makes our sport special.”

“It is a sport of glamour and of mystique. But I think you have to continue to evolve. In today’s world, there are obviously different sensitivities to 10 or 12 years ago. I don’t think you can just be stubborn.”

Formula One has announced a new ‘Grid Kids’ programme to replace the models when the new season starts in Australia on March 25.

[MIKA27]

Renault's experience has made switch 'seamless' - McLaren

Renault's experience with the current power units compared to Honda's relative inexperience has made the late switch "seamless" according to McLaren.

The Woking team made a last-minute decision to drop Honda in favour of Renault last year following three years of constant reliability problems and poor performance.

That late decision caused some delays with McLaren's 2018 chassis, but thanks to the experience at Renault's Viry facility, those delays have been wiped out and the trasition described as "seamless" by chief engineering officer Matt Morris.

"I think the big difference, speaking with all the guys at Renault, is they have got more experience," said Morris.

"Those guys on the ground have been doing it for a lot longer than Honda, that is just a fact, and that is what allowed us to get the packaging done so quickly.

“It is just their experience and the same is true in their factory at Viry. It is more mature than Honda. It might not have as many fancy dynos, but they just have more experience.

"We are over there at the moment doing some work on the dyno with them, and that has just been seamless."

McLaren is due to unveil its first Renault-powered car on February 23, a day after Ferrari and Mercedes.

[MIKA27]

FIA and IndyCar exchanging data from windscreen test

The FIA has said it is exchanging data with IndyCar over their respective head protection solutions and that it is therefore very aware of the new windscreen development IndyCar is currently testing.

Whilst FIA sanctioned series, such as Formula 1, Formula E and Formula 2, will adopt the halo this year, IndyCar is trialling a windscreen it hopes to introduce in 2019 – the latter is similar in design to the shield and aeroscreen F1 tested before deciding to go with the halo.

Speaking to Racer Magazine, FIA safety delegate Laurent Mekies admitted the FIA was following the windscreen test with interest and said the two bodies regularly exchange data on new safety developments, meaning the FIA is fully aware of how the windscreen is performing.

"Of course we have seen it," said Mekies. "As far as safety is concerned we work closely with all other motorsport stakeholders. Four times a year during our research working group we meet with all the key players for safety research. So we meet with IndyCar, we meet with NASCAR, we meet with the guys in V8 Supercars in Australia.

"They know exactly what we've done in the genesis of the halo and we know that they have been pursuing to explore the route of a screen.

"So the exchange does work, I think it's quite clear today what the advantages and the downsides are of the [two] solutions. It's very good that IndyCar is putting some energy in trying to develop solutions and maybe it can complement the work we're doing one day."

The two screens the FIA trialled both caused some distortion, whilst rain and oil spray could also pose a problem. IndyCar's solution seems to have solved the distortion issue by increasing the angle of the screen, but rain and oil spray could remain an issue.

[MIKA27]

Eric Boullier was 100 per cent certain Fernando Alonso would quit McLaren in 2017

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has revealed that he truly believed Fernando Alonso would call it quits in 2017 after the Honda engine proved to be less powerful and less reliable than its predecessor.

In an Amazon Original documentary, which delves into McLaren-Honda's disastrous 2017 season, Boullier is seen meeting with McLaren COO Jonathan Neale following the opening pre-season test. During that meeting, Boullier tells Neale that he's "100 per cent sure" Alonso will quit the team after it became apparent just how bad the situation was.

"He's going to say 'you know what guys? Ciao bello (goodbye)', he will not stay. I am 100 per cent sure he will not stay," the Frenchman says.

"After this testing, obviously Fernando is quite pissed off. He is clearly saying 'I may reconsider my position to race because I'm not going to survive another year like this'.

"My main worry at this time is not to have the team collapsing. I know the domino effect as well, you know.

"I mean, in this business you know how it works...when you are weak, people they come, they just poach who they want. It takes years to build an F1 team but you can kill it in six months."

Later in the final episode of the documentary Neale addresses the McLaren workforce and apologises for the situation and gives the first hint that McLaren would end its relationship with the Japanese manufacturer – which they officially did several months later, striking up a new deal with Renault for 2018.

"It was a shock to us, it was a shock to all of us. I apologise for that," he said. "We set clearly competitive targets for what we believed would take to be competitive this year. I'm pleased to say that from a McLaren perspective, the engineering team, largely hit all the targets. As far as I'm concerned, the McLaren team got the job done during the winter.

"A line has been crossed [by Honda]. We are done. We've done that experiment about just trusting what is going to happen. So we need to find a new way, we need to find a new plan. McLaren will not travel hopefully during the course of this season."

[MIKA27]

Verstappen: Red Bull would dominate F1 with Mercedes power

Max Verstappen believes Red Bull would be dominating Formula 1 if it had Mercedes engines.
Though Renault powered Red Bull to four straight F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel from 2010-13, it has been on the back foot since the start of the current hybrid V6 regulations in '14.

Verstappen is certain Red Bull's chassis performance is now "really good" again, and that only the engine needs to improve.

"I think that if we had a Mercedes engine in the back, they would never see us again," he told Motorsport.com.

Though Renault has made gains in recent years, Verstappen is adamant that in 2017 he still had "less horsepower than the other manufacturers, apart from Honda", saying the MGU-H had been a particular weakness.

"Ours just isn't that stable compared to what Mercedes and Ferrari have," the Dutchman said.

"But it has to do with several things. Otherwise they would have solved it a long time ago, of course."

Red Bull had been expected to return to title contention in 2017 when the rule changes put more emphasis on aerodynamics.

But instead it was leapfrogged by Ferrari and spent most of the season as the third-best team.

It still won three grands prix, with Daniel Ricciardo coming through a chaotic race to triumph in Azerbaijan in June before Verstappen took more straightforward victories in Malaysia and Mexico in the final quarter of the campaign.

"They thought about going for a low drag configuration, but for some reason it just didn't work out," said Verstappen of Red Bull's poor start to last year.

"Maybe it was a bit too optimistic. But you've seen that the team can turn things around very quickly.

"Of course, by then your season is already lost, but it does give you confidence for the future that it can go in the right direction."

[MIKA27]

Wolff: Tech chief exits wouldn't affect Mercedes

The Mercedes Formula 1 team now has such strength in depth that it could withstand any of its senior technical personnel leaving, reckons boss Toto Wolff.
Paddy Lowe left his role as Mercedes' executive technical director ahead of 2017 and moved to Williams.

But Mercedes still a fourth straight F1 title double, with James Allison heading up a chassis team including Aldo Costa, Geoff Willis, Mark Ellis and John Owen, and Andy Cowell remaining in charge of its engine division.

Wolff said Mercedes had put huge emphasis on in-house staff development so that it was not vulnerable whenever any big-name technical personnel moved on.

"In the Formula 1 team, because of the ever-changing regulatory environment and the challenges you face, it is not a static structure, it is dynamic," Wolff told Motorsport.com.

"You can't freeze an organisation because it is successful. You need to look after the next generation of leaders, you need to adapt to new challenges.

"And therefore you will see this organisation develop and younger engineers and mechanics and management coming up.

"This organisation is not dependent on a single individual, not Paddy, not James, not Andy, not myself, nobody.

  

"We have a strong base of individuals that do a tremendous job that would deserve much more external visibility and external recognition for the awesome jobs they do.

"And therefore you can say that when a highly senior person leaves the team or there is a change in the senior personnel, it will not affect the organisation because the base is so strong."

Wolff said it was important to him that he established a generation that could take Mercedes forward to even more success.

"What we're seeing is that if the current generation of senior leaders in the team would leave, the team needs to be as strong afterwards in a really different way because you will not replace a James or a Andy or a Mark Ellis or an Aldo Costa," he added.

"They are just very special people. but eventually the next generations are going to come up with their own set of skills, with their own personality and will be able to develop the team from strength-to-strength.

"My personal challenge is if I call it a day one day I would want to know that this team can do better without me."

[MIKA27]

Sirotkin backing to be spent on car development - Williams

Sergey Sirotkin's backers say the money they are putting into Williams will all be spent on development to improve the team's Formula 1 car.
The team's decision to sign the 22-year-old Russian over other candidates including Robert Kubica, Pascal Wehrlein and Paul di Resta led to suggestions that it was a financial decision to plug gaps in Williams's budget.

However, senior figures from SMP Racing, which supports Sirotkin's career, say their investment is specifically targeted at car development rather than simply helping Williams pay the bills.

SMP Racing chief executive Dmitry Samorukov said: "The financial side of the deal is top secret, but we're very hopeful – actually, certain – that the monetary part will be directed at the development of technologies, for the car to go faster.

"To be even more precise: we know that the financial cooperation with Williams will go towards improving the car.

"Whatever the money is, it will go towards making the car more competitive."

SMP boss Boris Rotenberg said that while money was being spent with Williams, he did not feel that was the deciding factor in Sirotkin getting the drive.

When asked about the amount of money SMP was spending, he said: "Money is always an important part of motorsport, it's an expensive sport.

"But here it's not a money principle, it's Sergey, who's proven he can work with the car, he can be as fast as the team's regular drivers, and he can work with the machinery, the engineers, and establish a great relationship with the team.

"That's why Williams chose him, because in Abu Dhabi he did the best he could and surprised everybody.

"Yes, we're investing money, but we're investing it in technology, in the new car, that we'll see in February and going forward."

Williams technical chief Paddy Lowe believes the team's 2018 car will be a "significant step" forward compared to its predecessor.

"We set targets internally, we always aim to meet those, and they're always very stretched," he said.

"We've done that for this new car that we'll be bringing out at the end of February, so we think it will be a very significant step relative to last year's car.

"Where that takes us in the absolute measure, against all the other teams, we cannot predict.

"We keep pushing year on year, month on month, so we're optimistic about what we can do, but we are also realistic."

[MIKA27]

On board with Max Verstappen in the snow at Kitzbühel

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen pushes the boundaries by driving a Formula One car on snow at Kitzbühel, Austria. It sure beats taking the ski lift!

[MIKA27]

WEC MOVES RACE DATE TO ACCOMMODATE F1 STAR FERNANDO ALONSO

When Fernando Alonso made his announcement recently that he would compete in the World Endurance Championship with Toyota as well as F1 with McLaren, there was a clash in the calendar.

Today the organisers of WEC removed the clash to accommodate Alonso.

The round in October at Fuji was scheduled for the same weekend as the US Grand Prix at Austin, but it has now been moved. That has introduced a clash with a round of the IMSA Petit Le Mans SportsCar Championship finale.

It is a sign of the pulling power of Alonso to the series that they have moved a date to work around the two time champion.

Fuji requested the date change. The track is owned by Toyota, for whom Alonso will be racing and it hosted F1 Grands Prix in the days when Toyota was competing. Suzuka is owned by its main rival, Honda.

Toyota has some clout as it is the only remaining manufacturer team running hybrid turbo engines in the LMP1 class after Audi and more recently Porsche pulled out.

The Japanese date was moved originally to avoid the Petit Le Mans clash, but after Alonso signed for Toyota WEC team, there was pressure to revert to the original date so the Japanese fans could see the Spaniard in action.

WEC has seen a real spike of interest since Alonso made his announcement – unlike Nico Hulkenberg in 2015, who only competed at Le Mans, Alonso is embracing the WEC series and audiences on track and on TV are expected to be boosted significantly as a result.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport this week former F1 driver Jean Alesi praised Alonso’s initiative and even said that he hopes more top line F1 drivers will follow the lead and compete outside F1.

“It’s great,” Alesi said. “Fernando is not only brave but is setting a good example. I hope that many others will copy him.”

Alonso is aiming to win the Triple Crown of Monaco GP, Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 hours. He has won Monaco and competed at Indy last season.

Williams driver Lance Stroll competed at the Daytona 24 hours last month, finishing 15th.