FORMULA 1

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Ricciardo wants more "common sense" over red flag rules

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo thinks Formula 1 needs a more "common sense" approach to red flag rules, in the wake of Sebastian Vettel's penalty at the United States Grand Prix.
Vettel was dropped three places on the grid at Austin for having not slowed enough when a red flag was called out in the first free practice session to allow gravel to be cleared from the track.

The Ferrari driver was angry about the decision because, although he had slowed, he had failed to keep below a maximum speed target that the FIA had laid down.

Ricciardo himself fell foul of a similar rule at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and he thinks the new procedure this year is perhaps not ideal.

"Like mine it [Vettel's red flag] wasn't actually for a stranded car on track," said Ricciardo. "There wasn't really a danger, as I think it was for the gravel. So a bit of common sense as well should probably prevail.

"But I think out of fairness to me, the stewards were like – we gave Ricciardo the penalty earlier in the year so it is unfair on him if we don't give you [Vettel] a penalty as you have done pretty much the same thing.

"In a way I kind of applaud the stewards for doing that. But generally speaking, none of us should be getting penalties for that.

"We shouldn't be speeding but it is not like there is someone upside down on the track. That is a different story."

This year, F1's red flag rules were changed to impose a strict time delta on drivers for when sessions were stopped rather than just being asked to reduce speed.

In Melbourne, Ricciardo had failed to remember about the new rules when a practice session was stopped – and he was given a grid drop.

"My case was simply that I forgot the rule," he said. "I slowed down but I forgot you have to follow the delta, so I slowed down to what I thought was safe but it wasn't under that delta time.

"My intentions were right. It is the rule, it is fair enough – but probably maybe it is just the penalty thing. Maybe it should be a reprimand. I don't know."

 

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Hamilton: F1 needs to solve "fundamental" racing issues

Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 needs to sort some "fundamental issues" in order to make the racing better when it overhauls its regulations for 2021.
Hamilton cautioned that future rule changes should ensure that it's much easier to get close to other cars and be in a position to attack, and suggested that if that could be achieved, F1 could be the "best racing series ever."

Front wings are changing next year in an attempt to allow drivers to follow more closely, and research is ongoing for a bigger package of changes in 2021.

"I really enjoyed the race," he said when asked by Motorsport.com about the Austin race. "Kimi drove great, Max drove great.

"Seeing that there was three of us, at one point there was me and Kimi wheel-to-wheel, I thought it was awesome. I wish it went for longer in that first stint, and the next time that it happened.

"And then at the end with us three in that train I wished the race could continue, because it was awesome, and I was hoping that we might get to manoeuvre.

"But still fundamental issues in F1 being that you can't follow, so there's so big gaps between us all. So I really, really hope that whatever the guys are doing I hope they are making some good decisions for 2021.

"So that there's not a second and a half that you need to get close to a car. I hope it's a lot less than that. If you get it a lot less then we're gonna have the best racing series ever."

Hamilton suggested that the rules should ensure that there's not such a big speed differential between the top teams and the rest.

"That's a fundamental issue of the sport. There shouldn't be such a big difference between first and last, there shouldn't be such a massive difference between cars.

"How a Williams or a McLaren can be three seconds off a lap? That's a huge amount of performance. So I think they've got to change the rules to allow that gap to go so we can have more awesome racing.

"It's got the potential to be the greatest racing series there is, but you look at MotoGP and they are wheel to wheel, fighting from corner to corner."

Hamilton also rued he problems he had lapping traffic in Austin, which cost him huge amounts of time.

"I don't feel like it's entirely the backmarkers' fault. Here, tyre pressures have gone up, it's very hard to follow, so as soon as you get within five seconds you feel the wake from the car ahead. The car starts sliding more. So the advantage you have starts to disappear the closer you get.

"They've got a race to do, they shouldn't have to let off massively to give several seconds to you. So it's a bit of a difficult scenario.

"For example I was stuck behind two Toro Rossos, but I couldn't get close enough, and my tyres were getting worse and worse, and I wasn't getting close enough for them to have to lift off.

"So it is a difficult one. It was nowhere near as bad as somewhere like Singapore, for example."

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MEXICO PREVIEW: The stats and info you need to know

Fresh from a thrilling Grand Prix in Texas, the teams and drivers make an immediate trip south to Mexico City for this weekend’s showdown at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Lewis Hamilton made history there last year, and he could well do it again if he secures his fifth world championship. So, do the stats bode well for the Mercedes star? Let’s find out…

Hamilton could have achieved that fifth title in Austin had he outscored chief title rival Sebastian Vettel by eight points. But a masterclass from race-winner Kimi Raikkonen and a superb drive from Max Verstappen meant the Briton had to make do with third place, extending his lead over his German counterpart by three points.

And so, following nicely on from Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, it’s another modern classic that hosts the season’s 19th round – Mexico’s popular Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. All eyes will be on Hamilton – who secured his fourth world title here last year – and he knows if he finishes seventh or higher, then he can put a fifth trophy in his cabinet.

So without further ado, let’s dig into the data and see who’s got the wind in their sails heading to the Mexican Grand Prix…

The form book…

Formula 1 cars arrived in Mexico in 1962 for a non-championship race, returning the following year for a proper, bona fide Grand Prix. That 1963 race was won by Jim Clark, while for the next few years, Mexico’s fiesta vibes meant it became the traditional season-ender for Formula 1.

Since then, Mexican fans have had to endure two lengthy spells without Grand Prix action, but the country was welcomed back onto the F1 calendar in 2015. And in the three races at the upgraded track, we’ve seen our fair share of entertainment and great racing.

Much of the talk this season has been the Mercedes vs Ferrari battle, and it’s perhaps the former team who have the upper hand in Mexico. They’ve won two of the last three Grands Prix here, with Hamilton following up on Nico Rosberg’s 2015 triumph a year later.

The Prancing Horse are tied on two Mexican GP victories with Mercedes, but those wins came in 1970 and 1990. They’ll obviously be buoyed by their morale-boosting Austin win, though, and have often secured victories this season when the odds were against them.

It’s hard to say who is the favourite this weekend, with this circuit only recently returning to the calendar, and it is by no means guaranteed to be a tussle between red and silver cars, with a certain Milton Keynes squad listing the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez among their strong tracks.

Red Bull proved their strength here last year, Max Verstappen producing a fine performance to secure what was the third triumph of his career. Team boss Christian Horner spoke of their chances of glory following the United States GP, admitting 'both the guys can be strong in Mexico', so we could well see another enthralling battle between the top three teams this weekend.

The stats that matter…

Lewis Hamilton has finished on the podium at the last nine consecutive races, the second-longest streak of his career behind his 16-race run in 2014-15 (the record is Michael Schumacher’s 19 in 2001-02).

His team mate Valtteri Bottas has finished second on seven occasions this season, the most ever in a single season without winning a race (surpassing the six scored by Francois Cevert in 1973), although he can still lose that record if he wins before the end of the year.

Sebastian Vettel has never finished on the podium in Mexico (he was promoted to third by Max Verstappen’s post-race penalty in 2016, only to then receive a penalty himself that relegated him to fifth).

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo has the most retirements of the 2018 season with seven, whereas nobody else has more than five (Alonso, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Leclerc and Hartley). Ricciardo also suffered six retirements last season, as well as being the first retirement in the 2017 Mexican GP.

Max Verstappen was the 2017 Mexican GP race winner when he led all 71 laps (the Red Bull driver is the active leader in laps led on this track, nine more than Lewis Hamilton).

Sergio Perez has scored points on all three previous appearances at his home race – but he is still yet to score a top-six finish in Mexico, something not achieved by any Mexican driver since Pedro Rodriguez was sixth in his last home appearance in 1970.

Nico Hulkenberg, currently P7 in the drivers' standings, has a great chance to score his best-ever finish in the F1 world championship, having been ninth in both the 2014 and 2016 seasons for Force India.

Haas' Romain Grosjean has been the slowest qualifier in Q1 in Mexico for the last two years in succession, and only progressed from Q1 by one place in 2015. He has also only scored one point on this track (10th for Lotus in 2015).

Fernando Alonso has exited Q1 at the last three races – and if he’s knocked out in Q1 again this weekend, it will be his worst run since this qualifying format was first adopted at the beginning of 2006.

Lance Stroll finished sixth in the 2017 Mexican GP, the best result of his career other than the podium finish he scored in Baku last year.

The circuit…

It's altitude that really makes this circuit unique - the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez sits over 2km above sea level, making the 4.3km lap a breathless experience.

It is the highest on the F1 calendar and that has implications on car performance. There is only 78 percent of the oxygen available at sea level, which means the internal combustion element of the power unit produces less power and the brakes are harder to cool in the thin air.

The track still largely follows the outline of the original 1959 circuit, the main difference being that the spectacular – and spectacularly scary – Peralta corner is now bisected, with the circuit instead winding through the old Foro Sol baseball stadium, providing one F1’s most unique vistas.

And with the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez located just to the east of the city, with a metro station ready to whip you into the downtown at the end of each day’s racing action, the Mexican Grand Prix is a fantastic chance to properly mix sport and culture.

The tyres…

The hypersoft makes its fifth and penultimate appearance this season in Mexico alongside the ultrasoft and supersoft. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is one of the fastest tracks on which Pirelli’s softest compound will be used this year, allowing the drivers to make full use of the pink tyre’s record-breaking potential.

So will they aim for one stop or two? The pit lane is one of the longest of the year: this increases the time needed to make a stop and will probably encourage the teams towards a one-stopper. Last year, a one-stopper was the winning strategy but there were some two-stoppers, helped by a Virtual Safety Car.

“The nomination we’re bringing to Mexico is effectively the same nomination that we would take to a street circuit, so we expect the teams to keep a close eye on wear and degradation in order to manage their pace so that a one-stopper is possible, given that the total length of the pit lane means that significant time is lost,” explained Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola.

“The weather will be another important factor: in the past we have seen a variety of conditions in Mexico at this time of year. It’s a track that has traditionally produced a few incidents with a safety car probability of more than 60%, so keeping some flexibility in the strategy will be paramount”.

The forecast…

Heavy rain in Austin caused problems for the drivers in Friday practice, and it could be a similar story this weekend – with the forecast currently predicting light rain on the opening day of Mexican Grand Prix action.

However, as it stands, the rest of the weekend is set to be sunny, with highs of 20 and 21 degrees Celsius on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Should be an exciting one then...

When does the Mexican Grand Prix start?

 

 

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HAMILTON: HOW ARE WILLIAMS OR MCLAREN THREE SECONDS SLOWER?

On the eve of what could be his fifth Formula 1 World Championship coronation, Lewis Hamilton laments the lack of competition in the top flight while questioning how his former McLaren team and Williams can be so far off the pace.

The reality of modern Formula 1 is that only drivers from the top three teams can win races, and dominate the podium with Mercedes ruling the roost, Ferrari closest in the chase and Red Bull hanging in there to pick up the pieces and on occasions deliver a surprise coup.

The gap between the haves and the have-nots is massive, in effect turning Formula 1 into a championship of two tiers with The Big Three in their own world while The Rest rarely getting a sniff of the podium.

Speaking ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton told AS, “There shouldn’t be such a big difference between first place and the last. There shouldn’t be such a big difference between the cars. How are Williams or McLaren three seconds slower per lap? That’s too much…”

Both Williams and McLaren, once mighty forces in Formula 1, toil at the wrong end of the grid way off the pace and very little hope of progressing up the grid in the current era.

The gulf between the big three has grown over the years, creating two contests under the facade of one. Force India driver Sergio Perez is resigned to competing for Best of the Rest knowing that challenging the Big Three is out of the question.

The last podium scored by a driver not driving a Ferrari, was when Perez inherited third in Baku. A rare anomaly.

Hamilton added, “Formula 1 has the potential to be the best racing series that exists, but you have to watch MotoGP and to see wheel-to-wheel racing, fighting from corner to corner is something fundamental to our sport.”

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HAAS TO GO BLACK AND GOLD WITH RICH ENERGY BACKING

Energy drink Rich Energy, a start-up brand recently linked to billionaire West Ham United soccer club owner David Sullivan, is to become title sponsor of the Haas Formula One team in a multi-season deal starting next season.

Rich Energy had previously expressed an interest in buying Force India before the financially-stricken Formula One team was rescued in July by a consortium led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

Haas announced the deal at the Mexican Grand Prix on Thursday but gave no details other than saying a significant change of livery would be involved.

“Our partnership with Haas F1 Team ensures we have a prized asset on which to build our global marketing efforts,” said William Storey, chief executive of the London-based company, in a statement.

Storey announced on www.linkedin.com on 12 October that Sullivan, West Ham’s co-chairman and majority shareholder, had taken a ‘significant stake’.

The Rich Energy website also includes the West Ham women’s team among its brand ambassadors.

Press Release:

Rich Energy, the premium British energy drink brand, will become the title partner of Haas F1 Team in a multi-year agreement beginning with the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship.

The partnership will result in a significant livery change to incorporate the colors of Rich Energy, while the team name will become Rich Energy Haas F1 Team.

Rich Energy, currently available in over 30 countries worldwide, and expanding rapidly, will utilize its partnership with Haas F1 Team as the centerpiece of its marketing campaign, exploiting the global platform offered by Formula One to increase its market share in the competitive energy drink sector.

“We are delighted to become the official title partner of Haas F1 Team in Formula One,” said William Storey, Chief Executive Officer, Rich Energy. “Our companies share a synergy in our work ethos, and our desire to bring something new to the table in an environment made up of established brands. We revel in competition, and through our distinctive collaboration, we’re looking to further prosper, delivering an exciting concept for the promotion of Rich Energy to the consumer along the way. Formula One is a premium product in its own right, and our partnership with Haas F1 Team ensures we have a prized asset on which to build our global marketing efforts.”

“Securing a title partner in Rich Energy is another milestone moment in the development of Haas F1 Team,” said Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team. “We welcome their commitment to us as an organization, and together we share an ambition to advance further in our respective fields. It’s going to be exciting for us as a team to be the focal point of Rich Energy’s marketing endeavors, as we go into both new and existing consumer markets around the world in Formula One. As we have seen already this season, our own continued push for performance has delivered on-track, and I have no doubt that the platform we provide for Rich Energy will translate into equally favorable dividends.”

Haas F1 Team sits fifth overall in the constructors’ standings, with the third-year American team recording 84 points on the season with three races remaining. It will head into the 2019 Formula One World Championship with continuity in its driver line-up with Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen paired together for a third consecutive year.

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MASSA: ALONSO SHOULD LEAVE NOW BEFORE THE SEASON ENDS

The last four years of Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 career are forgettable, to say the least, but this year the humiliation the Spaniard is being subject to is outright cruel, prompting former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa to wonder why he does not simply walk away… immediately.

Speaking ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, Massa said, “Being honest, if I were Fernando now, and I was struggling to finish 15th, maybe I would leave right now before the season ends.”

“He does not need this, he does not have to be there because he is not part of their plans next year. So why keep him there until the end of the season, maybe it will better to let him go,” reasoned the Brazilian.

Alonso is enduring a dismal swansong, his last Formula 1 podium was at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix during his last season with Ferrari. Since his switch to McLaren, he has not sniffed the top three but rather has endured 28 DNFs with the sub-par kit at his disposal.

Love him or not, the warrior from Oviedo has been a bad luck magnet. Even his relentless push to convince McLaren chiefs to ditch a works Honda deal to become a Renault customer has backfired massively.

Meanwhile, Massa, who retired from F1 at the end of 2017, has since been watching from sidelines. Recently he announced he will be back in a cockpit as he continues his career in Formula E. Until then he is on a self-imposed racing sabbatical.

Asked what double F1 World Champion Alonso will miss when F1 ends, Massa predicted, “Like me, he will miss the competition, so he won’t stop racing. He’s a bit bored in Formula 1 because he’s not at the front.

“We’ve heard he was thinking about IndyCar. But now I am starting to think that Formula E may have more chances of attracting Fernando than IndyCar.”

“Doing the Indy 500 is a different story, but to do a championship I think Fernando may look at Formula E and I would not be surprised if he decided to come here,” added Massa whose own Formula E rookie season begins at December’s opener in Riyadh.

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RICCIARDO: I WOULD LIKE TO BE WORLD CHAMPION IN 2021

Daniel Ricciardo parts ways with Red Bull to begin a new Formula 1 adventure with Renault in 2019, thus ends a massive chapter in the Australian’s life which he recalls with fondness while adamant that his move was not only about very big bucks, but rather a chance to win the title… in 2021.

Asked to analyse his season during an interview with AS correspondent Manuel Franco, Ricciardo began, “Confused, we could say. Confused because it is difficult to analyse. The truth is that I started very strong and then somehow I started to get worse. I still do not know why this has happened, as far as I’m concerned personally, I did not change anything since Monaco.”

“Maybe I went partying a few days after that… Joke! But I did not do anything different since then, however, it really hasn’t worked out the way I thought it might. I tried to understand it, I tried to be better, but it was very strange, a season of two halves. But I won’t remember it in a very negative way. Monaco will continue to be a huge achievement for me, so I would happily repeat the season just for that.

Ricciardo’s long association with Red Bull ends when the lights switch off at Yas Marina Circuit at the end of the season. It would be fair to say, top this point, the energy drinks brought him through the ranks, gave him his break in the top flight and he delivered big time.

Reflecting on his years with the team, Ricciardo said, “It’s been fun, that’s for sure. An important part of my career, they gave me the opportunity once I arrived in Europe, took me to this place I am in right now…”

“We helped each other, but they, for sure, helped me more and gave me the opportunity to compete with the best equipment at the highest level. I paid them with results, but they created that platform for me. It has been incredible.”

“And then there are other fun things, I’ve also had some good off-piste experiences, playing ice hockey, soccer, motocross, flying in helicopters, aeroplanes… It’s been fun and I do not know how long I’ll continue as a driver but I know I’ll look back and I’ll think about Red Bull and me, together, and that will always be the most important part of my career.

Red Bull funded Ricciardo’s debut with back of the grid strugglers HRT, but the half season proved invaluable and despite running out of the spotlight he did enough to convince his Red Bull backers to promote him to Toro Rosso and the rest is now history.

The Australian recalled his early F1 years, “That was a long time ago but even that was interesting, sure the team was not fast, but Red Bull gave me the opportunity to be in F1 and I started learning immediately, and that was important.

During the summer break, he shocked the Formula 1 world by announcing he would depart Red Bull to spearhead Renault’s F1 effort on a two-year deal. A huge gamble? A big mistake? Any regrets? Objectives?

“I think several things,” continued Ricciardo, “As a team, have the best possible result. I do not know what is his best moment in recent years, but if it is the sixth, I want to finish fifth, for example.”

“I also want to prove to myself and other people that it was the right decision, I guess that proving that some people are wrong would be good. And of course grow with the team and feel the progress, be part of that and feel that your investment in me will have been worth it.”

As for a timeline, “Five years ago! (laughs) I mean, in 2014 I think I drove well enough to be world champion that year. So for me that’s past, but now, starting this next journey, realistically, I would say I would like to be world champion in 2021.

Ricciardo’s quick and big smile is his trademark, but when the visor is down the Honey Badger is a ruthless prize-fighter second to few, so what’s the secret?

“I think my secret is perspective,” mused the 29-year-old. “Perspective, many people forget the important things. What is a bad day? For me, it may be finishing in fifth place. But a bad day for someone else is being fired, or he could be shot in the war or on the street.”

“It’s the perspective. A bad day for me is the best day for someone else. I think this is very important to understand the perspective. Naturally, I am a competitor and I will never be happy with the fifth, but it’s fine, it’s not really a bad day, maybe a bad time, but not a bad day.”

“I will wake up in spite of everything in a nice hotel room somewhere, and I will enjoy being happy. I do not like to be sad, I like to have a good time, so a part of me is determined to find that perspective because I do not want to be sad.”

Daniel at 50? “I hope I’m not too fat (laughs) but I’d like to have children someday, for sure. Children would be great, I could play sports with them. I would like to have succeeded in something else by the time I am 50 years old. When I retire, I would like to create something else and have another passion to last another 20 years but I don’t know what.”

And real happiness for the Perth native, “The sun… a sunny day. If the weather is good, I’m happy. The other day it was cold where I came from, I arrived in Mexico and when we landed I left the airport and it was hot. I took off my sweater and immediately I felt happy. So yes, that, the sun!”

Ricciardo’s final appearance for in blue will be at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, also the occasion of his 99th race for the Red Bull senior team in the top flight.

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DOMENICALI: ALONSO RETIRING FROM FORMULA 1 IS A BIG LOSS

Fernando Alonso will call time on his Formula 1 career at the end of this season, a fact that his former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali believes will be a blow for the sport.

Domenicali became Ferrari team chief in 2008, that year Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa captured the constructors’ title for the Italian team, their last championship trophy. He was also at the helm during most of Alonso’s five-year stint at Maranello, thus knows the Spaniard very well.

In an interview ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, Domenicali lamented, “It’s a shame to hear that Alonso will retire from Formula 1 – it will be a big loss. I rate Fernando as an incredible driver. He was really good with the team, he wanted to keep everyone on side.”

“Don’t forget, Alonso’s Latin and when you have that sort of temperament there are certain moments when it is not easy to stay in control. But I didn’t have any issues.”

History will show that twice the Domenicali-Alonso era Ferrari team came desperately close to claiming titles but stumbled at the final hurdle.

The former Ferrari boss recalled, “There were some difficult moments, because when you’re in a team where you want to win and you don’t have the best car…”

“This element isn’t taken for granted – top drivers must have a good car. In that respect, it’s natural that if your car is somehow lacking, tensions are going to develop.”

“That’s the nature of the approach of a driver, of a champion. I rate Fernando as a driver who is able to make a big difference,” added Domenicali who has since departed Ferrari and is now Lamborghini CEO.

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DOMENICALI: SCHUMI NEVER SAID A WORD AGAINST THE TEAM

Before he became Ferrari team principal in 2007, Stefano Domenicali was an integral part of the great Michael Schumacher era at Maranello, looking back on that period the Italian recalled how Formula 1’s most successful driver never criticised his team.

Let’s talk about the influence that Michael Schumacher had on the team, as you were there throughout his time at Ferrari.

Domenicali said in an interview published in the Mexican Grand Prix magazine, “The thing that amazed me was that you never heard him say a single word against the team.”

“I remember when he had the big crash at Silverstone, in 1999, when he broke his leg. The problem was that we didn’t fix a joint in the braking, so there was no pressure. But Michael never said that officially – he never said anything against the team publicly.”

“When you’re a part of a group, something like that really makes a difference. The mechanics were totally on his side because of his attitude.”

“On the professional side, what I learned from him was this: close your eyes and try to do a super slow-mo on the performance, in order to see that every single frame of a lap has something to give in terms of gaining an advantage.”

“By doing that, he was able to work with the engineers and invent switches to give a different performance – under braking, at the entry of the corner, in the middle of the corner and at the exit. He had this ability to close his eyes and imagine what he could do to improve his level, both as a driver and as part of a team.”

“That was the most incredible thing that I saw when we were working together,” added Domenicali who in 2016 he was appointed CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.

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Max Verstappen: Mexican GP Red Bull's best victory chance

Max Verstappen says this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix presents Red Bull with its best chance of taking another Formula 1 win before the end of the season.

Daniel Ricciardo triumphed in China and Monaco while Verstappen went on to win the company’s home race in Austria, but the team has not added to its victory tally since.

Verstappen finished a close runner-up to Kimi Raikkonen in the United States last Sunday, rising from 18th on the grid, marking his fourth podium in the last six Grands Prix.

Verstappen dominated in Mexico last year, having prised the lead from Sebastian Vettel at the start, and reckons the nature of the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez should suit Red Bull.

“This is definitely the best chance for us,” said Verstappen.

“We will try to set up the car in the best way possible and then we will find out how we are going to perform.

“I don’t think in qualifying we will have a chance but in the race I think we seem to working a lot better so I expect us to be better than Austin.

“I think the engines will be a little bit closer because it is a little bit more difficult for them to breathe.

“Downforce wise you lose a lot of performance and then it’s more about mechanical grip and stuff because even with the biggest wing here you have less downforce than Monza.

“I think our car is very good mechanically and aerodynamically anyway, although of course that is less of a factor so I think that’s why we are normally more competitive on this track than others, even though there is a super long straight. I think that explains a lot.”

Verstappen holds fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship, 26 points behind Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas.

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F1 drivers reminded over Mexico run-off

Formula 1 drivers have been reminded of the protocol in the event of running wide at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, venue for this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Track limits have regularly been a talking point due to the layout of the circuit, with additional kerbs installed last year as a response to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s approach in 2016.

Hamilton locked up and went wide, across the Turn 1/2 grass run-off at the start of the race, keeping hold of the lead, while Verstappen adopted a similar stance later in the race to retain position over Sebastian Vettel.

F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting has reminded drivers of the procedure they must undertake if they run wide at this weekend’s Grand Prix.

“For safety reasons, any driver who either passes to the left of or runs over the fluorescent yellow kerb sections on the driver’s left between Turns 1 and 2, or who passes to the left of the bollard on the apex of Turn 2, must re-join the track by driving around the end of the fluorescent yellow kerb sections on the driver’s right between Turns 2 and 3,” read Whiting’s pre-event notes.

 “If a driver overshoots the corner at Turn 4 there is a small road to the left of the asphalt area which leads back on to the track before Turn 6, please ensure that your drivers use this when necessary.

 “Any driver whose car passes completely behind the kerb on the apex of Turn 8 must re-join the track by keeping wholly to the right of the fluorescent yellow kerb parallel to the track on the exit of the corner.

“Any driver whose car passes completely behind the kerb on the apex of Turn 11 must re-join the track by keeping to the right of the polystyrene block and then wholly to the left of the fluorescent yellow kerb parallel to the track on the exit of the corner.”

Drivers have previously received a reprimand if they fail to abide by the instructions.

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Mercedes cleared to run controversial wheel design

The Mexican Grand Prix stewards have given Mercedes the green light to use its controversial wheel rim design for the coming Formula 1 race weekend.
Mercedes runs a spacer on their rear wheels with small holes and grooves added to reduce the heat flow across between the axle and the wheel.

This has been credited as a factor in Mercedes’ recent run of four race wins in a row, and after the Japanese Grand Prix clarification was sought from the FIA’s Technical Department over whether this violated Article 3.8 of F1’s technical regulations. 

The stewards have noted that the question was whether the air passing through these holes and grooves violated the part that states “any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car”.

While the FIA was satisfied with the design’s legality ahead of the United States GP last weekend, ongoing questions from Ferrari led to Mercedes being notified by the FIA that the matter was not finished. 

As a precaution, Mercedes decided its safest option was to modify its wheel rims in the US to ensure that the areas of contention were addressed for last weekend’s race – in which it struggled with rear-tyre management, but did suffer other problems as well.

However, as such advice from the FIA is advisory in nature, Mercedes submitted two requests to the stewards ahead of this weekend’s Mexican GP.

First, it sought confirmation of the interpretation of the rule and the legality of the part, and second details of all changes required to the FIA’s clarification.

The stewards have declined to make a “generalised interpretation” of the technical regulations, and their report also notes that “the FIA’s clarification and acceptance of the part specifically states that it is limited to the part presented by Mercedes in their submission to the FIA and that alternative design options would have to be considered separately”.

However, crucially, the stewards have ruled in favour of the FIA’s technical department’s position so long as Mercedes follows that understanding. 

The stewards state: “Should Mercedes run the part as described in the correspondence between Mercedes and the FIA’s technical department, the stewards would consider this part to be in conformity with the regulations, but only with respect to the points raised in Mercedes’ request.”

The stewards also revealed the extent of the FIA’s position regarding the legality of the holes.

It considers the cooling of very localised areas, as in Mercedes’ design, acceptable and considers the primary function of the spacer on the wheel assembly “is that of a spacer” and that “the fact the spacer rotates is inherent in its function, in much the same way that the wheel rim spokes rotate”.

This is why the FIA finds the Mercedes approach “permissible”.

However, it has made it clear it “would reserve [the] right to judge alternative geometries, and to change this view if (for example) the spacer were to grow beyond its primary function and if the holes were to become big enough to have a more significant aerodynamic effect”. 

The stewards’ decision can be appealed, which means the issue could continue to be debated this weekend. 

As this ruling is made on a case-by-case basis, the issue could also be dropped and raised again ahead of the upcoming Brazilian or Abu Dhabi GPs.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton explains "massive" issue behind US GP slump

Lewis Hamilton says a set-up mistake by his Mercedes Formula 1 team ahead of the United States Grand Prix left his car handling "very strange".
A cross-weight problem - a weight imbalance across tyres - affected Hamilton’s car after some major extra work saw the water pumps on both W09s replaced as a precaution.

Mercedes also had to deal with an increase in the prescribed Pirelli rear tyre pressures, and the team also closed up the ventilation holes in its rear wheels to avoid a possible post-race protest.

All of those factors contributed to a difficult afternoon for Hamilton, who still finished third.

“They took the car apart in the morning, and when they put it back together, the car was unbalanced,” he explained. “So a massive cross-weight issue, it was something like 50kgs, which was massive.

"So the right front and the left rear would take all the weight, the car would not turn through the left hand corners.

“It felt very strange out there. It felt like I had a massive tailwind or something when I was going through places like Turn 19, through the right-handers it was a little better.

"But there are not a lot of right-handers at that track. I think if we hadn’t had that problem it would have been a much different race.”

Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas confirmed that the changes to the rear wheels didn’t help performance.

“That made a difference for sure,” said the Finn. “We know that the car wasn’t in 100 percent condition on terms of mechanical set-up for the race, and we also got caught by the tyre life predictions we had.

"I think also the difficult balance we had in the race was partly because the Pirelli limits were raised from Saturday to Sunday.

“The car wasn’t as good to drive any more around the lap as in qualifying. With the sub-optimal balance the tyre wear was higher, that made it more difficult.

"It looked worse actually than I think the pure pace of the car could have been with optimum balance.”

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Ferrari to try new floor again as Red Bull copies idea

Ferrari is to test its new floor again in Mexico this weekend, with rival Red Bull also set to run its own version of the concept.
Ferrari has not been convinced by the new floor idea so far, having abandoned it after practice in both Japan and America, but its decision at both races was influenced by poor weather conditions in practice leading to a lack of useful running.

Although rolling back on its updates helped Ferrari deliver victory in Austin last weekend, the team still wants to understand more about the new floor idea.

It has fitted the upgrade again to Sebastian Vettel's car for Friday practice in Mexico so it can do a proper back-to-back with the old floor that Kimi Raikkonen will run.

The floor features a long slot at the rear in front of the rear tyre, and it was modified last weekend with a series of three fins aimed at both energising the airflow and diverting debris away from the diffuser area.

Speaking ahead of the Mexico race, Vettel said it was important the team got to the bottom of why recent updates had not delivers all that had been hoped.

“It is important that we are starting to understand what didn’t work or was not as good as before,” he said. “I think it was important to go a step back to understand some things. But the main thing is we keep moving forward.

“The last couple of days have been quite important, the last weeks also, and we have started to understand a bit more, so we try to move forward.”

Rival Red Bull has now also copied the Ferrari idea by adding extra fins to the floor of its RB14, as it plans to evaluate the development in Friday practice.

Red Bull has also added a Gurney flap to the back edge of the sidepod in a bid for extra downforce.

 

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Hartley gets Toro Rosso upgrade use in Mexico

Brendon Hartley will have sole use of Toro Rosso's upgraded front wing and floor in Mexican Grand Prix practice as the team continues to assess the new package.
Toro Rosso introduced the update last week in the United States, with Pierre Gasly running it in all three practice sessions.

However, the team took it off ahead of qualifying because Friday's wet practice sessions made it tough to evaluate the upgraded parts and only having dry running in FP3 proved inconclusive.

Hartley said: "Definitely there's a lot for the engineers to look at, data-wise. I think Pierre wasn't happy with the balance in FP3 when he ran the aero so that's partly why they removed it.

"So it's going to be interesting to see how it performs, if we can get any more performance out of it.

"In terms of the rest of the weekend I think there's not a clear plan yet, it really depends how tomorrow goes."

Should the team decide to qualify and race with the new wing and floor, then it is expected to remain on Hartley's car.

The upgrade is viewed as vital for Toro Rosso to re-establish itself as a proper top-10 threat in the closing races.

Honda's upgraded engine is not enough on its own as the car is largely the same as it was at the start of the year thanks to the failure of most of the major upgrade introduced in Austria in July.

Gasly said: "In Austin it wasn't ideal with the weather conditions, so we had a new package that we could not run until P3.

"Basically, we need more mileage, more running with this one to really understand how to use the package and extract the full potential, so we took it off before the qualifying.

"This weekend we are going to run it again. We've got only one part, so this time Brendan is going to get it on the car and hopefully we can learn a bit more about how to use it."

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Alonso's exit a lesson for F1, says Sainz

Carlos Sainz says Fernando Alonso's impending exit from Formula 1 should give the series' chiefs food for thought and encourage them to make the championship more competitive.
The 37-year-old two-time F1 champion will not be on the grid next year, and while he has left the door open for a return, he has also stated he's treating his departure as a “goodbye” to grand prix racing.

Alonso has endured a difficult time in F1 since re-joining McLaren four years ago, and with wins and podiums out of reach the Spaniard has often struggled to hide his frustration at the competitive picture.

Speaking ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, Sainz said Alonso's exit should prompt introspection from F1 – as he hinted his compatriot's decision was motivated by the fact teams like McLaren have no chance of taking the fight to the big three of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.

“The fact that he's leaving I think is a big loss for Formula 1,” said Sainz, who will replace Alonso at McLaren next year. “To not have one of the best drivers, or the best driver, in motorsport at the moment on the grid is a big loss.

“I think it is something for Formula 1 and for everyone to consider - why one of the best drivers is leaving and why we cannot have a bit more competitive grid, where many drivers can fight for wins or for podiums.

“I think it's a thing to consider and something to think about for the future.”

Following his announcement, Alonso named F1's predictability and the quality of track-action as the reasons for his decision – but some have suggested the fact he couldn't find a top-line drive for 2019 was instead the main impetus.

“Fernando is a winner, he wants to win races,” Red Bull's Max Verstappen said in Mexico. “He didn't see that happening in the near future, and of course he's been trying for a few years, I can understand why he leaves.

“Probably some new adventures for him, probably he can win again, I think that would motivate him very much and we'll see what happens in the future, if he comes back or not.”

Alonso's peer Kimi Raikkonen – who will leave Ferrari at the end of the year but will remain on the grid with Sauber into his forties – argued that rather than being an early departure, the Spaniard's exit was nothing out of the ordinary.

“The fact is, we are all going to stop at some point,” he said. “There's always new guys coming, and all of us have to go at some point. That's how it goes.”

[MIKA27]

ZETSCHE: WE HAVE WATCHED HAMILTON BECOME A LEGEND

The accolades keep pouring in for Lewis Hamilton in the aftermath of him claiming his fifth Formula 1 World Champion title with fourth place at the Mexican Grand Prix, now the man who signs his $40-million a year salary cheque has weighed in with his own lavish praise for the Briton.

When Hamilton crossed the finish line on Sunday, not only the team at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez celebrated. Many Daimler employees in Germany and around the world had watched the race on TV, keeping their fingers crossed for their colleagues at the track.

One of them was Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, “This was one of the most epic race weekends I can recall. It’s rare that one gets the opportunity to watch up close when athletes become legends and teams truly seal to become the absolute best in the world. That’s what just happened.”

With his latest title, Hamilton becomes one of only three drivers who have won five or more championships in Formula 1, after Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher. All three played an important role in the racing history of Mercedes-Benz.

Fangio’s name is almost synonymous with the historic era of success for the Silver Arrows in the 1950s. In 2010, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher came back from retirement to race for Mercedes, providing invaluable experience to the team.

When Schumi decided to retire three years later, Lewis took over his seat at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport and has since won four drivers’ championships and four constructors’ championships with the team.

“With this result, Lewis punched his well-deserved ticket to join that super exclusive club of just three drivers who’ve won five or more Formula 1 titles. I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and work with all three of them at Mercedes-Benz. Each of those drivers dominated an era in motorsport – in his own way. Each is a very special personality and great athlete.”

Lewis has for the past decade been one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1. He has scored more pole positions than any other F1 driver and he is second on the all-time list of race wins, behind only Michael Schumacher. Lewis also holds the record for most races with a single engine manufacturer, having started every single one of his 226 Formula 1 races with a Mercedes-Benz engine.

“With Lewis joining our team the most recent era of Mercedes success in motorsport began – now crowned by five drivers’ world championships in a row for the team, four of them with Lewis. Even as the success grew, Lewis never stopped pushing himself to get even better.”

“And so did the team, again and again. It’s incredible what they have achieved and how far they have come thanks to tremendous passion, hard work and a lot of outstanding expertise,” concluded Zetsche.

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JOS VERSTAPPEN: MAX ANNOYED BY HOW RICCIARDO CELEBRATED

Max Verstappen dominated proceedings for most of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, except for a tiny 0.026 of second that it took his Red Bull teammate from claiming a surprise pole on Saturday at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Ricciardo who has been through a rough spell since, during the summer break, he announced his departure to Renault for next year. Thus pole in Mexico was a sweet comeback for the big smiling Aussie.

After watching his son win the race on Sunday, Jos Verstappen revealed to Ziggo Sport, “I saw him on Sunday morning and he told me straight away that he had slept very badly.”

“Max was annoyed about the car and missing the pole, but also by Ricciardo. He celebrated his pole position with the exuberance of having become world champion. Max was very angry and wanted only one thing: to win.”

Ricciardo’s joy was shortlived as he was gobbled up at the start as his pole turned to fourth place early on and thereafter he was playing catch up until he was forced to park his car with his ninth DF of the season.

In contrast, Verstappen was simply in another league and powered to a commanding victory on a day his accomplishment was somewhat overshadowed by Lewis Hamilton clinching the world title with fourth place on the day in Mexico City.

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GASLY: WITH OCON IT’S ALWAYS THE SAME THING

An intense Gallic rivalry, that has roots since their karting days, is developing between Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly and Force India’s Esteban Ocon, the pair this time sparring during the Mexican Grand Prix.

During their duel at the Mexican Grand Prix, Gasly and Ocon tangled with the soon to be Red Bull driver forced off track. FIA appointed race stewards looked at the incident and deemed it fair and square.

But Gasly was fuming after the race, “With Ocon it’s always the same thing. I’ve known him for a long time, there are a lot of chances that things happen. I think he wasn’t very happy that I had started last and managed to overtake him, so he pushed me wide and I had to go off track.”

“I could have forced my way in Turn 5 and we would have had contact, but it wasn’t worth it, as I could have another go after that. For me it wasn’t fair, because you leave the space for one car, but if they say you can race aggressively, I don’t mind.”

Gasly was also unhappy with the lack of action from the stewards, “I think compare it with many other situations, like with me in Silverstone, so it seems to be quite a grey area, as normally you should leave space for one car and clearly there wasn’t space for one car there.”

“In the end, I don’t care, because I finished ahead of him [Ocon] and I scored one point, and he didn’t score points,” added Gasly.

Earlier in the year, he said of his relationship with Ocon, “I started to beat him and he didn’t like it so we’re not friends any more.”

“We’ve done so many things together with Esteban. When we were like nine, 10 years old we used to go testing in karting when it was snowing, do five laps then come in because it was so cold. Go out on the track together, trying to get warm and then go back on track for three or four more laps.

“We’ve spent a lot of time together but it got to a point where he got a bit too upset and it wasn’t so nice any more.”

After an impressive rookie season, Gasly has been rewarded with a promotion to the Red Bull senior team, while Ocon who is highly rated by Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff, has s slim chance of remaining in Formula 1 with Williams. Beyond that he is set to sit out a season until a cockpit becomes available for him.

Whatever the case, there is no love lost between the 22-year-olds and it is clear when (and if) they are in strong cars, this will be a rivalry that is likely to produce great dollops of entertainment amid the tears.

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HAMILTON: MICHAEL IS STILL THE GOAT

Lewis Hamilton has admitted Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 Formula 1 race victories and seven world championship titles are in his sights while brushing aside a suggestion he may already be the greatest.

The Mercedes driver won his fifth crown in Mexico on Sunday, only the third man to reach that milestone since the championship started in 1950.

“I’ve still got things to achieve, there are so many targets, so many things ahead,” the Briton told reporters after finishing fourth to take an unassailable lead with two races remaining.

“Michael’s still quite far ahead in race wins so you have to say he is still the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). (Juan Manuel) Fangio, I think, is the godfather and always will be, from a driver’s perspective.”

The late Argentine won all five of his titles in the 1950s.

Hamilton, 33, has won four of his in the last five years and has a contract with champions Mercedes for two more seasons.

Mercedes are also heading for their fifth successive constructors’ title and there is every reason to suspect they will start as favourites again next year.

Team boss Toto Wolff said on Sunday that Hamilton was driving better than ever, “As long as he is in a good car and he continues to enjoy the way he is today I think there is more to come.” said the Austrian.

Hamilton told reporters he still had “that fierce fire that I had when I was eight years old” and would keep going until that left him.

“Whether or not I’m going to have the chance to win more, who knows — but I’m going to give it everything to do so,” said the champion.

Hamilton has 71 career wins so far and has averaged 10 a season for the past four years, putting him well on track to match Schumacher providing Mercedes continue to deliver a competitive car.

“There’s still a long way to go but I’m here for a few more years, so I’m hoping that I can at least get close,” said the Briton.

“But even so, Michael was just such a genius in how he implemented himself into Ferrari and what he did with that team. I will always be a fan of him.”

Mercedes technical director James Allison, who previously worked for Ferrari, said Hamilton’s performance had been ‘peerless’.

He saw no reason why 2019 should be any different. He’s done five now and it might as well be his first. He comes to each weekend burning up with the desire to put the thing in front of the others and I’m sure he’ll be the same next season as well.

“He’s done five now and it might as well be his first,” he said. “He comes to each weekend burning up with the desire to put the thing in front of the others and I’m sure he’ll be the same next season as well.”

“This is how he defines himself and he’s not happy until he’s done it,” explained Allison.

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ALONSO: WITH THE SAME CAR WE COULD ALL BE LIKE LEWIS

Fernando Alonso has been cunning with praise for Lewis Hamilton who clinched his fifth Formula 1 World Champion title with fourth place at the Mexican Grand Prix, bagging enough points to wrap up the 2018 championship with two rounds still remaining.

Alonso who endured a fractious year as Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren in 2007, but since then mutual respect has grown between the two drivers.

He also pointed out that Hamilton has endured excellent service from Mercedes who have consistently provided the Briton with a race winning car and prior to that it was Sebastian Vettel who had the advantage of a great car when he bagged his four titles in a row between 2010 and 2013.

Speaking to reporters after the race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Alonso claimed, “I think we all could have a run in championships like Lewis had or Sebastian had – he won four championships and he had half a second or one second advantage to the next car.”

“That was the right time and the right moment and the right car. You need to be on those places to win that amount of championships,” added the two times F1 World Champion whose own career was blighted by poor decision making off the track.

When asked to rank the Mercedes driver among the all-time greats, he responded, “It’s difficult to rank in different times, different eras of Formula 1.”

“Some of the championships you are fighting until the last race, some of the championships you are winning against your team-mate. Arguably Lewis lost with Nico one of those championships.”

However, the Spaniard acknowledged, “He is one of the top so I think he should be happy with that. And it’s not finished yet. I think next year he starts as a favourite again so that is a good thing.”

[MIKA27]

BRAWN REPORT: FERRARI MUSTN’T THROW ANY BABIES OUT WITH THE BATHWATER

In Mexico, Lewis Hamilton carved his name deep into the annals of Formula 1 legend with an astounding fifth World Drivers’ title, matching the great Juan Manuel Fangio.

And as the Mercedes driver clinched the crown, Max Verstappen also notched a fifth of his own, with the Dutch driver adding to his career wins total and once again marking himself out as a champion of the future.

Here, Ross Brawn, Formula 1’s Managing Director, Motorsports, celebrates Lewis’ remarkable achievements, salutes Max’s Mexican mastery and ever-developing maturity and lauds another outstanding Mexican Grand Prix, an event that not only delivered on track but which once again showed the way forward as a truly spectacular blend of gladiatorial racing excitement and mindblowing entertainment.

The Brawn Report, Mexico:

“It’s hard to know how to congratulate Lewis Hamilton for his fifth world title. It puts him level with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio and that’s simply incredible.

“It’s also hard to find a sportsman in any other field who has achieved so much in so short a space of time. This is Lewis’ 11th season in Formula 1 and he’s won the title in almost half of them, which is truly amazing.

“It’s always hard to draw comparisons, but this was maybe the hardest won of all his titles. It’s true that the first one, in 2008, came after his rival Felipe Massa thought he’d done it for a few seconds after the chequered flag, but that year, Hamilton’s car was always better than, or at least equal, to the Ferrari. However, this year Mercedes faced stern opposition, again from a Ferrari car that was usually more competitive, as indeed was the case in Mexico.

“To take the title with two races remaining is even more impressive, with Lewis supported by an equally brilliant team. If I had to choose one characteristic that makes Lewis special, it’s his ability to win so many races in which he wasn’t the favourite, as we saw several times this year – in Hockenheim, Budapest and Monza to name but a few.

“Of course, he also won those in which he was deemed to be the man most likely to win. It’s a characteristic he shares with the only driver to have won more titles than him – Michael Schumacher. Lewis was already part of Formula 1’s history and now he is truly a legend of the sport. Well done indeed!

“Max Verstappen was undoubtedly the best driver of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. His fifth win in a still developing career was well deserved, given that he was out front for pretty much the whole weekend. There was just that one magic lap in Q3 from Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo that denied him pole position.

“But as the lights went out, Max immediately got the better of his team-mate and from then he was able to manage the race, taking no real risks. Certainly, in a race where tyre degradation was the key factor, one always had to be careful, but Max once again demonstrated great maturity.

“He pushed when he had to and managed the situation when necessary. His quick laps towards the end wiped out any possible threat from Vettel, and that showed he knew exactly what he could ask of his car.

“It has to be said that not since Monaco have we seen such a competitive Red Bull, both on a qualifying lap and over a longer distance. But once again reliability was the team’s weak point and hydraulic failure robbed Ricciardo of a clear podium finish, which would also have been well deserved.

“Verstappen is still in the running for third place in the Drivers’ classification, and given his current form, scoring 58 points in the last three races, the most of any driver, anything is possible.

“In Asia, Ferrari seemed to be struggling and was no match for its major rivals, but in North America the Italians fought back with three podiums, including Kimi Raikkonen’s win in Austin, which closed the gap to Mercedes by 33 points in the Constructors’ Championship.

“However, it was not enough to keep the Drivers’ battle open any longer. At least the result in Mexico means there’s a chance the teams’ battle could go down to the wire over the last two races.

“Vettel struggled in Austin, but in Mexico City, he stepped up and fought right to the end to try and take a win, a feat that had eluded him since Spa.

“Räikkönen, the only driver to complete the 71 race laps with a single pit stop, also drove a great race, even if it was constrained by a strategy that was more focused on tyre management than on putting the pedal to the metal.

“In the post-race conference, Vettel seemed dejected and I can understand that. When the goal you have been chasing all season is definitively put out of reach there’s a lot to regret if one looks back on previous races, what might have been, and what could have been improved on.”

“These are situations I know well. I’ve experienced them at first hand in the same team as the German. Ferrari and Vettel must start over from here, by understanding what went wrong and improving on it, without panic, and without knee-jerk reactions.”

“In just two seasons, Ferrari has once more become a contender for titles, something that seemed difficult to imagine at the start of this hybrid era, given Mercedes undoubted power advantage. Now Ferrari has to move forward, without throwing any babies out with the bathwater.

“The race in Mexico City was run in two divisions, which is nothing new in recent years, but we’ve never seen just four cars complete a full race distance, with all cars outside the top three teams finishing two laps down on the winner.

“Apart from the usual performance gap, this time there was also a gap relating to tyre management on a track that gave the tyres a hard time. Nico Hulkenberg, Charles Leclerc, Stoffel Vandoorne and Marcus Ericsson, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, all made a single stop, changing tyres between lap 11 and 16, but after that they were treading on eggshells in their efforts to get to the end and that led to a veritable abyss between them and the front runners.

“Even the drivers from the top three teams had their work cut out, especially Mercedes who suffered from unusual graining, while the others seemed constantly on the look out for signs of trouble, not using the tyres to the full except in the crucial moments, as Verstappen and Ricciardo did when Vettel closed in on them.

“Pirelli does not have an easy job: on the one hand it is asked to bring tyres that make for exciting racing and tyre degradation definitely does that, while on the other hand they are asked to deliver tyres that allow the drivers to exploit their cars’ potential to the full.

“It’s not always easy to find the right compromise and that’s why it’s very important to work together because Formula 1’s next venture should offer the on-track show that everyone wants, drivers and spectators included.

On the subject of spectators, from what I could see on television, once again the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez put on an amazing show for the pinnacle of motorsport.

Over 135,000 people turned up on Sunday, over 330,000 for the whole weekend, packing out the grandstands and the paddock, where, according to what friends and colleagues in attendance told me, made for an electrifying atmosphere.

“Noise, colour, masked people, all sorts of activities for team members and fans, music from world famous DJ Armin van Buuren, and more traditional sounds from the mariachi bands, were all ingredients that once again made this a really special event.

“As ever, the Mexican Grand Prix promoter did an amazing job and the race is an example of what we would like to see everywhere, with the right mix of a great sporting event with various forms of entertainment.

“In the future, Formula 1 has to deliver that blend if we are to consolidate and expand the sport’s popularity: an entertaining event for all age groups with its beating heart coming from the very highest level of motorsport, the only one where the best drivers on the world race each other in the most technologically advanced cars.”

“That’s the challenge we face in the near future and it’s one we share with all of Formula 1’s stakeholders,” concluded Brawn.

[MIKA27]

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX ORGANISERS KEEN ON NEW DEAL

Mexican Grand Prix organisers are confident they have the economic evidence to persuade the country’s new administration to keep the race on the Formula 1  calendar after the contract expires next year.

Sunday’s title-decider at Mexico City’s Hermanos Rodriguez circuit drew a sell-out crowd of 135,407 with a three-day attendance of 334,946 — only slightly less than the season’s best British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

It also won high praise from Formula One’s managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn, “The race is an example of what we would like to see everywhere, with the right mix of a great sporting event with various forms of entertainment.”

The grand prix is run by CIE, whose chief executive Alejandro Soberon has collected Formula One’s Race Promoter of the Year award for the past three seasons, with significant state funding.

That is guaranteed for the five-year duration of the contract but any extension depends on the leftist administration of Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who takes office on Dec. 1.

Soberon told Reuters in a telephone interview that continued support was ‘fundamental’.

“This has always been positioned as a country marketing project. This size of project cannot be done otherwise,” he said.

“They (the new administration) are going to evaluate the results of the four races and then make a decision on extension. I am very respectful of whatever the new government has to say and make an opinion,” he added when asked if he was confident about the outcome.

“When I see all the data and everything that this race has brought the country, I am very confident that in some fashion we are going to find a way to continue the race.”

Figures provided by CIE stated that the race generated an economic impact for Mexico of $1.3 billion, or 12.2 times the original investment, and created 31,600 jobs in the first three years.

The promoter cited also data from the ministries of Tourism and Interior that showed Mexico climbed from 15th to sixth in the world ranking of most visited countries during the period.

Top soccer owner confirmed dead in chopper crash
Thirty percent of those attending the race come from overseas. Soberon said global television exposure last year, when Lewis Hamilton won his fourth title, showed a 31 percent increase.

Mercedes driver Hamilton returned on Sunday to take his fifth championship, with Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen winning the race for the second year in a row.

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RICCIARDO: I’LL LET GASLY DRIVE IT, I’M DONE WITH IT

After stunning the paddock with a scintillating pole position winning lap in qualifying on Saturday, Daniel Ricciardo was expecting to have a strong Mexican Grand Prix a day later but Lady Luck shunned the Australian yet again.

In the wake of another DNF, this time when looking good for a podium if not a win Ricciardo said he does not see the point of racing for his Red Bull team in the two remaining rounds suggesting Pierre Gasly, his replacement at the team next year, should get an early induction.

Speaking after parking his car before the race for the ninth time this season, Ricciardo said,”You know, honestly, now where I am, I don’t see the point of coming on Sunday. I don’t see the point of doing the next two races.”

“I don’t think ‘frustration’ is the word anymore. Everything feels hopeless. I haven’t had a clean race or weekend in so long. I’m not superstitious or any of that bullshit, but the car’s cursed. I don’t have any more words.”

“Just things are happening on Sunday which I’ve got no more explanation for. The car, I’ll let Gasly drive it, I’m done with it,” added Ricciardo.

Later he cooled his anger in a post-race debrief, “I saw pass-fail on my dash which I guess was some sort of hydraulic failure and I was forced to retire immediately. This sucks and it is at a point where I feel why should I even come on a Sunday.”

“There hasn’t been a clean weekend for so long due to many different reasons and it’s breaking my heart. Deflated comes to mind but this feels deeper than that. I put it on pole but lost out at the start. It just doesn’t seem to happen for me on a Sunday, even if I have a good Saturday.”

I don’t want to end it like this and I know nobody is doing it deliberately but I just can’t seem to catch a break and a double podium for the Team today was exactly what we all wanted. I’m a very positive guy and I will probably still wake up tomorrow with some sort of positivity.”

Ironically most of the DNFs he has suffered are because of the Renault power unit package failing, next year he moves to the French team…

[MIKA27]

Williams handed $25,000 fine for unsafe release in Mexico Grand Prix

Williams has been handed a $25,000 fine for the unsafe release of Lance Stroll during his second pit-stop at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Stroll made his second stop on lap 23 for a set of Supersoft tyres to go to the end of the race, as he left his pit box one of the team members had been knocked to the ground.

The FIA deemed it an unsafe release as the crew were not fully cleared of the car upon its release.

Tighter rules were put in place after the Bahrain Grand Prix where Ferrari's Francesco Cigarini was knocked down by Kimi Raikkonen, causing Cigiarini to suffer a broken leg.

The Mexican Grand Prix race stewards reviewed the evidence and handed the down the penalty which stated: "The Stewards reviewed the video evidence of the pit stop of Car 18 (Stroll) at 13:46 and heard from the team representative.

"The Stewards determined that the car was released unsafely in breach of Art. 28.13 a). The team released the car in a manner endangering team personnel.

"The Stewards determined that the entire pit stop sequence was complete and that the mechanic being struck was as a result of a minor mis-coordination at the conclusion of the pit stop sequence.

"Nevertheless, while the contact did not result in injury, the Stewards found that it is the obligation of the team to ensure that all personnel are clear of the car before it is released.

"In determining the penalty, the Stewards reviewed the incident in Bahrain 2018. In that case, the sequence on the left rear tyre was significantly delayed and not at all completed prior to the car being released, resulting in serious injury to a team member."