FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

MCL33 issues were discovered too late for B-spec car - McLaren

McLaren has admitted it would have introduced a B-spec version of it's 2018 challenger, the McLaren MCL33, had it discovered its fundamental flaw earlier in the season.

The British team arguably had the second slowest car on average throughout the season despite switching to Renault engines, which it claimed pre-season would allow it to battle for occasional podiums.

That never materialised, with Fernando Alonso's fifth place at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix the highlight of the year.

A "fundamental problem" with the MCL33 meant the team were unable to develop it according to McLaren Group chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalif.

"We're confident we know why we haven't been able to develop this year's car," he is quoted as saying by the BBC. "There is a fundamental problem and we think we've addressed it.

"I don't know if we want to disclose what we have discovered and why, but we have taken steps, and the development of next year's car has helped us understand what went wrong here."

Sheikh Mohammed admitted the problem was discovered too late in the season to properly address it, but had it been uncovered in the opening races, McLaren would have introduced a B-spec car.

"Had we discovered that [problem] in April we would have had a B car," he added. "But it was too late."

McLaren all but abandoned the development of its 2018 car mid-way through the year to instead focus on its successor and has installed a new technical team in place in the hope of turning its fortunes around.

[MIKA27]

F1 tweaks penalty rules to curb qualifying no-shows

The FIA has tweaked the way penalties will be applied to Formula 1 grids from 2019, in an attempt to encourage those who have penalties to take part in qualifying.
A rule was introduced this year that put anyone with more than 15 places of power unit grid penalties to the back of the grid.

When more than one driver was affected the starting order was determined by the order in which the offence was committed, i.e. when the new elements were first used on track.

That led to the sometimes farcical situation of drivers leaving their garages well before the start of a practice session and parking at the end of the pitlane with their engine switched off, thus bagging their spot on the grid ahead of anyone who joined the queue behind them.

The most extreme example was at the Russian GP, when four cars were waiting at pitlane exit.

To prevent this from happening in 2019 penalised drivers will instead line up on the grid in the order in which they qualified, which will also provide an incentive for them to set competitive times in qualifying, instead of making just a token appearance in Q1 and then saving tyres, as was often the case this year.

The FIA has also clarified that any driver who is outside the 107% rule and is allowed to start will be placed at the back come what may, behind any drivers with power unit penalties.

In other changes to the sporting regulations confirmed by the World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday, teams will now have to ensure that fuel handling procedures are the same for testing as they are at race events.

Since the Williams garage fire at the 2012 Spanish GP the rules have specified precautions such as the use of protective equipment and dry-break couplings, and FIA observers had noticed that the same procedures required for race weekends have not always been employed in testing.

In another piece of tidying up, the rules now specify that cars will be kept under yellow flag conditions until they reach the control line after the safety car returns to the pits.

While no overtaking was allowed in such circumstances hitherto green flags had been displayed around the track when the safety car entered the pits, creating a “mixed message” that the FIA has now addressed.

From now on the SC boards will be withdrawn, the yellow flags will continue to be shown, and the leaders will see the green lights and green flags only at the line.

The final change to the 2019 sporting regulations is to allow unrestricted CFD simulations to be carried out for the development of cars in accordance with the 2021 regulations. This has been done in the past when teams were working on future rules, and reflects the fact that they will be providing feedback that will help F1 and the FIA shape the 2021 rules.

Minor adjustments to the F1 technical regulations are the final signing off on bodywork details relating to the 2019 front wing changes, while an extra 3kgs has been added to the minimum weight, boosting it from 740 to 743kgs.

Usually such weight hikes are related to specific rule changes, such as the addition of the halo or the move to wider wheels and tyres, but in this case teams simply lobbied the FIA and complained that they were struggling to get the weight down to 740.

[MIKA27]

Grosjean: I wouldn't forgive myself for another slump

Romain Grosjean says he would not be able to forgive himself if he suffered a repeat of the woes that marred the first half of his 2018 Formula 1 campaign.
Although the Frenchman's season started off well with a strong showing in Australia before pitstop trouble, he later endured a run of incidents and accidents that left his future with Haas in doubt.

But after getting his mental approach back on track, Grosjean delivered a very strong finish to the year that helped him secure a new contract.

Asked about what he needs to do this winter to ensure he performs at his best, Grosjean said: "Definitely not have the same mistakes as I had this year.

"I don't think I would pardon myself if I had another start of the season as I had.

"Definitely a lot learned this year, understanding what had happened. I remember the week before the German Grand Prix I called my manager and I said 'I'm back'.

"Even before driving the car I said 'I'm back' and I was back.

"It was just like everything went in the right place and it was like 'fuck, this, this, this, this, and sort that out' and I moved on. It was a great experience: things that you don't even realise can bother you."

Grosjean's return to form this year has been likened to the way he turned himself around after famously getting banned for causing a first corner crash at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix.

However, he thinks this year's recovery is something more special because of the way he had to dig deep to find out why he was not performing.

"It's been interesting, and I'm quite proud of the way I bounced back as well," he said. "At one point people were thinking I should stay at home. I thought that I still had it. And I still had it, I just needed to understand why I was just not getting it right."

Asked by Motorsport.com if he knew what was needed to prevent a repeat of trouble happening again, he said: "I hope so, I hope so.

"You never know until you've done it. But so far I've always learned my lessons and not done the same mistake twice and hopefully that's the same case again."

[MIKA27]

Juan Pablo Montoya on driving for Helmut Marko, beating the Schumachers and why he quit F1

In qualifying for the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen drove Formula 1’s fastest ever lap, trumping a record that had been set at the same venue 14 years earlier. The driver who’d set that record was Raikkonen’s former team mate, Juan Pablo Montoya, who in his brief five-and-a-half season F1 career, with Williams and then McLaren, earned a reputation both as one of the sport’s best-ever one-lap drivers and equally as one of its most ferocious racers.

Montoya’s first taste of Formula 1 came when the young Colombian was selected as a test driver for Williams for the 1997 and 1998 seasons, alongside his active duties in International Formula 3000 – where, incidentally, he was fielded by Dr Helmut Marko, who’d later go on to oversee the Red Bull Junior Team programme.

But when Frank Williams opted to run Alex Zanardi for 1999 rather than promote newly-crowned F3000 champion Montoya, it looked as though the Colombian’s career was destined to be played out in the United States. He took up a drive in the CART series with Chip Ganassi Racing, sensationally winning the title in his rookie season, while also claiming victory at the 2000 Indianapolis 500 (Montoya and Fernando Alonso are the only two active racing drivers requiring just one win to complete motorsport’s Triple Crown).

Then, in June of 2000, came the call he’d been waiting for.

“I remember I was in Colombia in a hotel,” Montoya tells host Tom Clarkson in the latest episode of the official F1 podcast, Beyond the Grid, presented by Bose, recently selected for Apple Podcasts' Best of 2018 list.

“[Frank Williams] called me and said, ‘Do you want to race Formula 1 next year?’ And I’m like, ‘I would love to but I can’t because I have a contract with Ganassi.’ And he said, ‘But you want to?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’

“‘I’ll take care of it. Done.’ Okay – I’m racing in Formula 1.”

He was signed up with Williams for 2001 alongside Ralf Schumacher, and the pair were partners for three seasons before Montoya was lured away to McLaren for 2005. But although it's Ralf’s brother Michael who looms large in F1 history, Montoya believes that the younger Schumacher sibling remains underrated as a driver.

“He was very, very, very, very good – I think he was a lot better than people thought,” he says. “I remember my first test in Jerez, struggling to keep up with Ralf. It was hard work. I remember he was really, really quick, and every time I got closer, he moved up the bar. And he kept moving up the bar and it was like, ‘Oh my God’.

“The problem with Ralf was, on his A day, like when he was really quick, if you could beat him – it didn’t matter [if it was] by one-thousandth of a second – you had him… He started doubting everything he did and he’d just spiral out of control from there.”

In a wide-ranging conversation, the seven-time Grand Prix winner goes on to discuss the thrill of driving F1’s early-2000 era cars on the limit, reveals what really happened when he acrimoniously departed from McLaren midway through the 2006 season, and opens up about why he always felt like an outsider in the F1 paddock.

He may not dish out the sort of media-friendly answers that professional sportspeople often feel obliged to give – but that’s just what makes Juan Pablo Montoya such a fun, spiky and refreshing interviewee, and he doesn’t disappoint here! You can listen to the latest episode of Beyond the Grid in the player above, or via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app – and don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes…

And to check out all the episodes to date, including conversations with Montoya’s racing contemporaries Mark Webber, Jacques Villeneuve and Nico Rosberg, click here.

[MIKA27]

FORMULA 1’S 21-RACE 2019 CALENDAR IS APPROVED

Formula 1’s 21-race calendar for 2019 has been approved, with Melbourne, as usual, hosting the season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 17.

Governing body FIA said after a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in St. Petersburg on Wednesday that 11 races would be held in Europe, five in Asia, four in the Americas and one in Australia.

The season will start one week earlier and finish one week later.

FIA said the cars would be heavier – with a weight limit increase from 740 kilograms to 743 – and that fuel handling procedures during testing are to be the same as during racing.

There will also be more clarity on how grid positions are formed when drivers are hit with multiple engine penalties. Typically, drivers who have made several unauthorized engine-part changes are hit with a penalty of 20-25 places – which sends them to the back of the grid.

But it can be confusing to understand who’s starting from where and from how far back if several of the 20 drivers have the same penalty imposed.

[MIKA27]

Hulkenberg may need "another gear" to beat Ricciardo

Nico Hulkenberg thinks he may have to "find another gear" if he is going to beat Daniel Ricciardo at Renault next season.
The German is excited about the prospect of his former Red Bull rival driving alongside him in 2019, as it will give him a proper chance to prove himself alongside a race winner.

Although he is far from worried about taking on Ricciardo in the same car, he accepts that he may need to lift his game if he is going to prove himself.

"Bring it on – we all cook with water, I'm not scared of anyone," said Hulkenberg about facing Ricciardo next year.

"Probably it will be very challenging and I might have to find another gear, but let's see what happens."

Hulkenberg came out of 2018 with the accolade of having outqualified and outscored teammate Carlos Sainz.

But despite being happy with the job he did there, he says his main focus was more on the overall progress of the Renault team.

"I guess it's always important – people, outsiders, look at that [teammate comparison] more," he said.

"People inside the team, they know more obviously about what's really going on. But, yeah – it's good, I'm happy – it's much more important that the team and the car progression happens."

Asked if he had expected more from Sainz, Hulkenberg said: "I wouldn't say I expected more – I think he's a great driver, very competitive, very quick.

"I think he's been very helpful and good for Renault and for our development as well – he also contributed a lot. And I think we've been working really strongly and well together for the team."

[MIKA27]

Red Bull: Gasly needs "discipline" for 2019 step

Red Bull will need to instil a bit of "discipline" into Pierre Gasly for his 2019 Formula 1 promotion, according to Helmut Marko.
Gasly will step up to the Red Bull senior team after one full season with its junior outfit Toro Rosso, having been picked to replace Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo.

The 22-year-old had to wait to earn Red Bull's faith in F1 after being placed in Super Formula for 2017 following his 2016 GP2 Series title success, but has now been fast-tracked to partner Max Verstappen in 2019.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Marko told Motorsport.com that Gasly will be under scrutiny because "that's what F1 is like".

"In football if you're not performing, you're sitting on the bench," Marko warned. "Gasly has shown speed, but of course we have to [install] discipline a little bit.

"But also, the support from the team is a different one. We're confident that he can do it."

Gasly makes the step to the senior team with marginally more experience than most of his predecessors.

The Frenchman has started 26 grands prix with Toro Rosso, more than Sebastian Vettel (25 plus one with Sauber), Max Verstappen (23) and Daniil Kvyat (19) when they made the same move.

He earned a best finish of fourth in 2018, giving Toro Rosso's engine supplier Honda the strongest result since it returned to F1 grid four seasons ago with McLaren.

While Gasly is aware there are things he can improve for next season, he is satisfied with his efforts in a rookie campaign he marks as an "8.5" out of 10.

"In my first complete season my main target was to make the best out of the package I had," Gasly told Motorsport.com.

"I knew there would be two, three, four opportunities in the season to score big points.

"All the opportunities that came to us in Bahrain [fourth], Monaco [seventh], Budapest [sixth], I would say they were the main three ones where we managed to do the right thing.

"In Bahrain I had to deliver a good qualifying at the right time to have the free air in the race and that's what I managed to do.

"In Monaco, to make it into the Q3, to get a better starting grid position, that's what we did.

"In the wet in Budapest in qualy as well, I managed to make it to Q3 and have a good starting position.

"They were the races where we had a bit more performance compared to others and we managed to make it happen when it mattered."

[MIKA27]

KUBICA: MAYBE WILLIAMS SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THE DRIVERS

Robert Kubica revealed in a recent interview how Williams really believed they had good car before testing began in February, but soon the drivers realised they had a dreadful car but no one would believe them.

However, neither the Pole or his young teammates Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin were not believed by those responsible who took their time to realise that the FW41 was the worst Formula 1 car the team has ever built.

Kubica, who next year with Williams returns to Formula 1 after an eight-year absence, revealed to Auto Motor und Sport, “We really thought we had a good car according to data from the simulator and the various departments.”

The Pole then inadvertently (or not) revealed how the powers that be at first did not believe the drivers’ feedback and thus were slow to react, “Maybe they should have listened to the drivers and reacted faster.”

“I don’t build the car but sometimes the driver becomes aware of a problem earlier than the best engineer in the world. At the beginning of the season we still had correlation problems. In the end these deviations between tools and reality led to the misjudgment with the car.”

“Nevertheless, we made good progress in the second half of the season, especially in the simulator.”

Early on during the first Barcelona test it became apparent that there were serious issues with first chassis built under technical chief Paddy Lowe’s watch at Grove.

Although the engineers were initially in denial, eventually it became undeniable that they had messed up their sums. The axe was wielded and heads rolled as has been well documented. Lowe survived the culling and we now await the FW42 from him and his tech team.

Kubica recalled, “We started the year with high hopes, but after driving it during the winter tests I felt that we could get a problem there. Engineers sometimes take a little longer to realise the problems. That is normal.”

“As a driver, you immediately feel certain deficits. Although I’ve been away for a long time, I still know what I need to charge for a car to go fast and get the most out of the package.”

Williams, with 16 titles an 114 victories on their impressive Formula 1 resume, were last in the 2018 constructors’ championship as they never got to the bottom of the problems the car had which were clearly terminal from very early on.

“We improved the car,” explained Kubica. “But in the course of development work we also discovered some other weak spots that had nothing to do with the lap times, but from our position, it was really difficult to close the gap.”

“The others also continued to develop. Sauber were behind us at the start of the season but they had an incredible pace of development, eventually making it into the midfield.”

“It was a difficult season for Williams, but also an important one. We have understood the mistakes and now have to learn from them and not repeat them. We need to lay down the development for 2019 so that it does not happen again” added Kubica who will line-up for his 92 grand prix start in Melbourne next year.

[MIKA27]

PIRELLI CONFIRM COMPOUNDS FOR FIRST FOUR 2019 RACES

Pirelli will take the following compounds to the 2019 Australian Grand Prix (March 15-17), Bahrain Grand Prix (March 29-31), Chinese Grand Prix (April 12-14)
and Azerbaijan Grand Prix (April 26-28).

What’s new for 2019?

• Just three colours at each race in 2019, with five different compounds available: C1 is the hardest, C5 is the softest.

What’s confirmed?

• Each driver must save one set of the softest of the three nominated compounds for Q3. This set will then be returned for those who qualify in the top 10, but the remaining drivers will keep it for the race.
• Each driver must have both race sets available for the grand prix.
• Teams are free to choose the remaining 10 sets, making 13 sets in total for the weekend.
• Selections for long-haul events have to be made 14 weeks in advance; for European races the deadline is 8 weeks in advance.

[MIKA27]

VASSEUR: 10TH TO 8TH IS EASIER THAN 8TH TO 6TH OR 6TH TO 4TH

Sauber emerged as the surprise team of the 2018 Formula 1 season, rising from the brink of closure and turn last place in the constructors’ standings in two years ago to eighth by the end of this season.

In 2017, Sauber finished last in the championship, scoring only five points the entire campaign, but last year with Frédéric Vasseur at the helm and serious commitment from the team’s backers they went on to finish eighth in the championship with 48 points.

A remarkable turnaround considering how the team nearly collapsed during the Monisha Kaltenborn era. But timely title sponsorship from Alfa Romeo, a handy Ferrari power unit package and young Charles Leclerc hauling in the points proved to be a godsend for the Swiss outfit.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Vasseur explained how he recovered the team, “It’s the combination of many factors. First, we have the current Ferrari engine. This is a huge step forward compared to last year. In the engine performance and also in the motivation.”

“We know that we have an excellent engine and therefore can compete at the same level as our rivals. We were also a much more attractive option for sponsors.”

“Second, we had a strong driver pairing. Marcus Ericsson improved a lot. He worked hard on himself over the winter. Charles is the rookie of the year.”

“Third, we added 40 people to our aerodynamics department and nominated a new boss, Jan Monchaux. Fourth, we are well on the way to restructuring our team. And finally, the partnership with Alfa Romeo helped us, not just with money. They make us more visible, attractive to partners and good to attract people we want to bring to the team. It gives the whole project a serious touch and ignited a new dynamic which has helped us progress.”

Williams is an example of how a F1 superpower has fallen on hard times with no clue how to recover from the bog of ineptitude they fell into this past year, that Sauber recovered from one season to another as they did is quite remarkable for the relatively small organisation.

Vasseur expounded, “I did not want to stay in that state for four years like last year. And let’s face it, moving from 10th to 8th is easier than going from 8th to 6th or 6th to 4th. I know that every next step gets harder.”

“Nevertheless, we can be proud. We are now in the front end of the midfield, although we stopped the development of aerodynamics early in favour of 2019,” revealed the team chief.

Sauber ended the season with a very strong run scoring more than half their points in the final six races of the season which helped them to eighth place in the constructors’ standings with 49 points, only 14 shy of McLaren in sixth place, however 45 points down on fellow Ferrari customer team Haas.

Looking to the future, Vasseur said, “We focus on ourselves and do not look at Haas. We know that we still have weaknesses and are too small in some areas, such as production. It is important for us that we use our biggest asset which is our wind tunnel and we have to make the most of it.”

“Therefore, we will always develop the outer elements of the car ourselves and also the things for which we need a lot of time in production. Ferrari can release many PU components late because they have a large production capacity. ”

On the matter of Formula 1’s future including the suggested budget caps to level the playing field, Vasseur said, “Honestly, I’m not worried about how much the cost cap will be. We’re miles below that anyway. That’s why I can upgrade the team without risk.”

“Whatever is decided it will not affect our corporate philosophy. Being small and comparing myself to Force India is not such a bad thing, that creates a very special team spirit. It’s easier to carry 400 people than 1,000.”

Perhaps the biggest coup of the season, and possibly the team’s history, was luring back Kimi Raikkonen to the team. The popular veteran is returning to the outfit that gave him his Formula 1 debut and launched the Finn into superstardom almost two decades ago.

Vasseur acknowledged, “We will have a strong driver line-up next year. Antonio [Giovinazzi] has shown in the Friday practice that he can provide good feedback from the car. Kimi will bring us the reference to a top team and a lot of experience. That’s a strong combination.”

“[Kimi] loves racing and he likes the atmosphere in our team. I’m sure he will feel comfortable in the small troop. The choice was between Räikkönen and Ericsson,” divulged the team chief.

Raikkonen is a known quantity who will not only attract more attention to the team, he also has it in him – as victory at the United States Grand Prix proved – to take the team to the next level, in terms of speed and experience.

Giovinazzi, before Vasseur’s appointment to team principal in July 2017, broke his F1 cherry when he subbed for injured Pascal Wehrlein in Australia and China last year.

The 24-year-old Italian’s second F1 race in Shanghai was a disaster – crashing in qualy and the race. As a result, he dropped down Ferrari’s young driver pecking order behind Charles Leclerc.

The Monaco Kid made the most of his rookie year and heads to Ferrari for his efforts. Now it’s Giovinazzi’s chance to prove what he has what it takes in the top flight with Raikkonen as his benchmark and with Vasseur at the helm to take the team to the next level and maintain the momentum he has built since he took over at Hinwill.

[MIKA27]

UK COURT ORDERS MALLYA TO BE EXTRADITED ON FRAUD CHARGES

A London court ruled on Monday that Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya should be extradited from Britain to India to face fraud charges resulting from the collapse of his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

India wants to bring criminal action against Mallya, 62, whose business interests have ranged from aviation to liquor, over $1.4 billion in loans Kingfisher took out from Indian banks which the authorities argue he had no intention of repaying.

Mallya, who co-owned the Formula 1 racing team Force India which went into administration in July, has denied any wrongdoing and says the case against him is politically motivated. He said he would consider his next steps and whether to appeal.

Judge Emma Arbuthnot, England’s chief magistrate, told Westminster Magistrates’ Court false representations had been made to Indian banks, including state-owned IDBI, regarding what the loans would be used for and she ruled there was evidence of a conspiracy to defraud the lenders and of money laundering.

She said the banks themselves had made a number of failings but said there was little evidence that senior IDBI officials had been involved in planning to defraud their own bank.

Arbuthnot said officials might have been in “the thrall of this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejeweled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled” them into ignoring their own rules and regulations.

She said Mallya, nicknamed “the King of Good Times” after the slogan of one of his premium beers and his hard partying lifestyle, had used the loans, among other things, for “vanity projects” such as Force India which had received payments at a time when it was struggling in 2010.

“I have found that on the face of it, (Mallya) was doing everything he could by using honest or dishonest means to keep the company going,” she said.

Ordering his extradition, she said there was a prima facie case against the tycoon, who moved to Britain in March 2016. Her ruling must now be approved by Britain’s interior minister.

Mallya’s extradition would be a huge win for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi months before an election, after opposition parties said the government had given a “free passage” to Mallya to flee, an accusation it denies.

Modi has faced pressure from political opponents to bring to justice several people who have fled India in recent years to escape prosecution in an array of cases, many of them loan defaults.

“It’s a victory for ethics and probity. It’s also a signal to all that nobody can cheat India, its people, economy, and go hide somewhere in the world,” said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Monday’s ruling is unlikely to be the end of the long-running case and Arbuthnot told Mallya, who was released on bail, that “you may have a long process ahead of you”.

He can appeal the decision within 14 days to London’s High Court. The interior minister’s decision can also be appealed to the High Court and ultimately the Supreme Court.

“The judge herself said it’s a lengthy process that I need to pursue here in the UK, which I will do,” Mallya said outside court. “My legal team over the next few days will review this judgment in detail and decide the way forward.”

The Indian government said Kingfisher took out a series of loans from Indian banks, in particular IDBI, with the aim of palming off huge losses which Mallya knew the failing airline was going to sustain.

It argued that Mallya had no intention of repaying money it borrowed from IDBI in 2009 and that the loans had been taken out under false pretences, on the basis of misleading securities and with the money spent differently to how the bank had been told.

Arbuthnot rejected his defense team’s argument that the case was motivated by political considerations, that he would not receive a fair trial in India or that extradition would infringe his human rights.

“A spell in custody is likely to help him cut down on alcohol,” she added.

Mark Summers, the lawyer acting for the Indian government, said they would seek 216,000 pounds ($274,924) in legal costs.

The Formula 1 team Mallya owned for over a decade was sold to the Racing Point consortium led by Canadian Billionaire Lawrence Stroll and is unaffected by the former’s legal woes.

Thus the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the final race of Mallya’s Force India Formula 1 adventure which began at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix after he took over the Spyker F1 operation at the time.

During their tenure in the top flight, the Silverstone-based team contested 212 grand prix races, scoring one pole position, five fastest laps and six podiums.

[MIKA27]

SALO: WE DON’T THINK WILLIAMS WILL IMPROVE NEXT YEAR

Sergey Sirotkin’s backers SMP Racing wanted better financial terms from Williams to continue with the team in 2019, after a hugely disappointing season for the Russian in the team that produced an ‘evil‘ race car for their drivers.

But along came Robert Kubica with PKN Orlen supplied funding to claim the seat and leave Sirotkin out in the cold, a situation which SMP Racing’s sporting director Mika Salo insists is not an issue as he predicts another season of woe for the Grove outfit.

Speaking to Finland’s MTV, former F1 driver Salo revealed, “Our offer was on the table, Williams would only had to sign. Of course, after the performances of 2018, SMP wanted to push the price down a bit.”

“Most importantly, our company wanted assurances from Williams that they would improve. We did not come to an agreement because they could not provide any guarantees and then they opted for another solution.”

“We don’t think Williams will improve next year, so another season with them is not worth the money, thus I’m not worried that Sergey has left the team. ”

“We believe he had a good season. He did a solid job and team members liked him. His technical expertise is amazing,” added Salo who hinted that the Russian driver may be drafted into the team’s WEC programme which includes ex-F1 drivers Vitaly Petrov and Jenson Button.

Asked to comment on Kubica’s return, Salo added, “It’s going to be tough but Robert is tough too. He will be the best judge of how to deal with the comeback.”

[MIKA27]

ABITEBOUL: OUR BUDGET IS 60 PERCENT LESS THAN MERCEDES

Renault team chief Cyril Abiteboul claims that Mercedes are spending a staggering 60 percent more than the French team in the quest for Formula 1 glory, explaining the gap between the World Champions and his team.

While Mercedes have cleaned up, winning ten titles in ten years, in this budget-heavy hybrid turbo era Renault are lagging way behind in both their power unit package and their team.

In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Abiteboul revealed, “The budget we’re operating on is about 60 percent less than what Mercedes is spending. That’s a handicap, but when the budget cap comes, this handicap becomes a strength.”

“To catch up with what Mercedes is currently spending would be a huge challenge. The numbers that the top teams spend are unacceptable and we have to protect these teams from themselves.”

Facts are, since motorsport began money has generally meant horsepower, thus no surprise there is a deficit in a performance related to that. The reality is that Renault are anything between a second and a second and a half down on Mercedes when everything is tuned up.

Budget wise Mercedes are spending in the region of $500-million per season, with Renault on about $200-million, the impact this has on performance is apparent in the results.

“At the moment we are down 1.5 percent on the top lap time,” revealed Abiteboul. “We need to reduce that by 50 percent. We do not want to be outclassed next year on race pace.”

“In qualifying, we estimate our deficit to be 40 kilowatts. That’s significant, but with a customer engine from Mercedes or Ferrari, we would have qualified in seventh place in Abu Dhabi, which also shows that we have a better chassis than our competitors. But not as good as the three top teams.”

“Therefore, the first focus is on engine development. I do not want to have to say next year that we missed too much in qualifying. There is no reason why we should not close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari with the engine over the winter. It will take a little longer with the chassis.”

Although relative to Mercedes and Ferrari, Renault power units may lack punch but they are still good enough to win races when bolted onto a good race car such as the Red Bull RB14, suggesting that the French team need to up the ante on the chassis side.

Abiteboul acknowledged, “Absolutely. The chassis makes the biggest contribution to our backlog. That’s why we’ve changed the structures and operation of the chassis department in Enstone.”

“Marcin Budkowski has been responsible for this since the middle of the year. That may not pay off tomorrow, but the day after tomorrow…” concluded the French team boss.

Next year Renault will only power Mclaren as a customer team, and of course their own project with Daniel Ricciardo joining Nico Hulkenberg in the French team for 2019.

[MIKA27]

Ecclestone says he attempted to buy Silverstone

Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone says he has made enquiries about buying the Silverstone circuit – and was told that the venue is not for sale.
Ecclestone's claim comes as the future of the British GP remains in doubt, with the current contract expiring after next year's race.

"It would be nice to have one," Ecclestone when asked about the British race.

"They could do a deal there, but I think they'll have to come up with some sort of an idea of sharing the losses. Or profits, or whatever.

"They must be comfortable, Silverstone. I asked them the other day if they wanted to sell, because I would have bought it, and they didn't want to sell. They were not interested.

"We could have had the race, obviously. Anyway, they don't want to sell, so they're comfortable. They're not desperate, but they've got to have an F1 race."

Asked what his plans for Silverstone would have been, Ecclestone said: "I wouldn't have been directly involved as such."

F1 boss Chase Carey's recent suggestion that there are other options hints that on the back of the 2017 F1 Live event there's still a desire to run a British GP somewhere in London.

However, Ecclestone says that's unlikely, having already explored that possibility during his time at the helm of F1.

"We looked at it. We looked at the whole thing, about eight or 10 years ago. It's too complicated, with too many restrictions. I mean I had the whole thing laid out for the centre of London, past Buckingham Palace, everything was done.

"During the meetings I tried to explain to the City of Westminster and the mayor at the time that we've got to find the money to do this.

"And in the end let's see how much money you're prepared to put in.

"Between the two people that made a difference it was £3m. I said, 'That will probably cover the cost of the mineral water for the hundreds of meetings we'll have to have. So I think we'll forget that.' "

[MIKA27]

Sainz not expecting Toro Rosso rivalry repeat at McLaren

Carlos Sainz does not expect his relationship with new teammate Lando Norris to be as troubled as those he faced at Toro Rosso at the start of his Formula 1 career.
The Spaniard and fellow rookie Max Verstappen endured some tense times during their first season in Formula 1, as they knew that the winner of their battle would likely get promotion to the Red Bull team.

Despite there being very little to separate the pair in pace terms, it was Verstappen who eventually got to move up - and he took a maiden win on his first outing for Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.

Sainz, who also had run-ins with his other Toro Rosso teammate Daniil Kvyat, was eventually loaned out to Renault, joining the team at the 2017 United States Grand Prix, and will now be moving to McLaren as Norris's teammate next year.

Although Norris arrives in F1 eager to prove a point after an F2 campaign that did not deliver the title he hoped for, Sainz thinks there will be little tension with the young Briton.

Asked if he expected the pair to get on well, Sainz said: “Compared to Toro Rosso, for sure. I'm expecting to have a very similar situation as with Nico [Hulkenberg] at Renault.

“Obviously Nico was [at Renault] for a year before me, and arriving to McLaren, me probably with a lot more experience and with Lando in the same year, we are both starting from scratch. I think that will allow us to start fresh, both drivers, in the same way.

“Obviously I will take the chance with the experience I have to lead the team at the beginning of the year, especially when Lando starts to get a bit of experience, but it's definitely going to be a fresh start for McLaren.

“I'm sure it's going to be very similar to how it was at Renault. I've had a very good relationship with Nico, we both played it really fair on track, we both pulled the team forward and the fact we are so close in every qualifying has helped the team to score many points on Sunday.

“Hopefully it will be the same at McLaren and we will have some fun.”

[MIKA27]

Wolff backs Mick Schumacher for F1 success

Toto Wolff reckons Michael Schumacher’s son Mick can achieve success in Formula 1, “maybe” even with Mercedes.
Seven-time world champion Schumacher raced for Mercedes in sportscars before stepping up to F1 and joined the manufacturer for his return to grand prix racing from 2010 to 2012. 

His son Mick clinched the European Formula 3 title this season, his first championship success in car racing. 

Mick Schumacher is not officially affiliated with any F1 team but used Mercedes engines in F3, while another of his father’s former employers – Ferrari – has also stated it would like to work with the 19-year-old. 

Schumacher, whose father has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in late 2013, will step up to Formula 2 next season with his current Prema team.

Asked about whether Mercedes was interested in making Schumacher part of its young-driver programme at the FIA’s end-of-season prizegiving in Russia on Friday, Wolff said he was an “exciting young man”.

“He’s won the Formula 3 championship this year with Mercedes engines, which is great, but he’s not part of the Mercedes-Benz junior programme,” said Wolff.

“I think the most important is to give him time. He has this incredible legacy of having a father who was the most successful racing driver of all-time. 

“He’s won F3, ticked the box, now he’s going into F2 which should be very difficult again against many experienced drivers. 

“I have no doubt he has the potential to be a successful driver in Formula 1. Maybe one day with us, maybe not.”

Mercedes committed to helping young talent

The future of Mercedes’ junior programme has been uncertain since Wolff suggested the manufacturer would reconsider its validity in the current climate. 

Its trio of official juniors this season comprised Esteban Ocon (who will be Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2019), George Russell (Formula 2 champion and Williams 2019 signing) and Pascal Wehrlein, who will leave the programme at the end of the year.

Wolff said earlier in the year that question marks over the future of Mercedes’ drivers, particularly as they were being restricted by their affiliation to the manufacturer, meant the future of the programme was up for discussion. 

However, in Russia, he hinted that supporting future talent would continue because it is “very important for Mercedes to play a role” with young drivers. 

“Michael Schumacher started as a Mercedes young driver in sportscars and became the best of all-time,” said Wolff. 

“In the same way, today, we’re looking at very young drivers like we did in the past, with Pascal Wehrlein, Esteban Ocon and George Russell and we hope to see these kids graduate successfully into Formula 1 and make their own career, and hopefully one day stay in a Mercedes. 

“I personally think about the enjoyment about them coming together and coaching them and mentoring them with our group. I think it’s very important for Mercedes to play a role in the young driver programme.”

[MIKA27]

VERSTAPPEN: HAMILTON’S TEAMMATE IS NOT THERE ANYWAY

Max Verstappen believes the secret to Lewis Hamilton’s success is the fact that the entire Mercedes team revolves around making the Briton a winner, even teammate Valtteri Bottas does his bit for the cause.

In an interview with Ziggo Sport, the Dutchman said of the World Champion and his team, “Lewis was ready in his first year already, just because he had a really good car. But now he also has less pressure.”

“He has a very good car and his teammate is not there anyway. When the whole team is all about you, it’s a lot easier. And the better your car is, the easier it is again.”

With regards to Bottas, the facts are this season he has was humiliated. He scored no victories while his teammate romped to 11 of them

He also had to suffer the indignity (and all the related head stuff) of relinquishing a win for Hamilton’s benefit, when in retrospect it was really not necessary as the title was decided way in advance of the finale in Abu Dhabi. At the time Mercedes being pedantically over-cautious to the benefit of their star driver in the #44 car.

If prior to this season there were any doubt that the #77 car was number two at Mercedes, then 2018 made it patently clear that it was. Now, when a rival points this out so blatantly, it will hurt Bottas because it is also a pretty damning indictment of his rep among the current drivers and they do talk.

It also comes at a time when the Finn needs all the confidence to take on Hamilton again next year and knows that another below-par season and young Esteban Ocon will be only too keen to jump into his seat.

Mercedes and Hamilton have the capacity to raise their game to another level constantly and when required, which is why Verstappen has set them as the benchmark, “It is not about being ready or not ready.”

“You just have to have the right material. If we can just do a bit better and then do a season like Lewis just had then it is already a lot better for the championship.”

On the topic of next year, Red Bull’s first with Honda, Verstappen revealed, “The engine for next year is a completely new one. It has been on the test bench for a while but it’s a bit of a wait. I think the prospects are good compared to what we had until now. It is definitely a lot better.”

After a wobbly start to the 2018 season, Verstappen raised his game considerably in the latter half and it would be fair to say that he demolished his teammate Daniel Ricciardo whose form went mysteriously AWOL after he announced he was Renault bound.

With Ricciardo defecting to Vichy, Pierre Gasly has been cocked and loaded into the Red Bull double-barrel chamber alongside Verstappen who clearly knows his first job next year is to emulate Hamilton and destroy his new teammate.

In other words turn Gasly into another Bottas. Interesting times lie ahead.

[avaldes]

I'm not sure I would say that Ricciardo's form went downhill. He had some pretty miserable equipment failures toward the end of the season.

[MIKA27]

BOTTAS: A CHANCE TO TAKE A PEEK INTO THE WORLD OF RALLYING

Mercedes F1 driver Valtteri Bottas will make his rally debut when he contests the Arctic Lapland Rally (aka Tunturiralli) from 24-26 January in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta World Rally Car with veteran co-driver Timo Rautiainen.

His appearance billed as: Flying Finn – Mission in Lapland is a marketing initiative arranged by AKK-Motorsport to promote Finnish race drivers and motorsport projects.

Interestingly Mercedes have released Bottas to drive a Ford, a practice that is rare in the brand-aware sport these days. He will drive “a blue-and-white car, with the AKK Flying Finn insignia. The car livery will be revealed at a later date.”

The undertaking also has an obvious risk factor as Robert Kubica once proved when he did a spot of off-season rallying a decade ago. In 2017 Pascal Wehrlein compromised the start of his season when his extramural driving at the ROC in Miami went wrong.

Bottas said of his forthcoming adventure, “This is a unique chance to take a peek into the world of rallying, and I would like to thank everyone who has made it possible.”

“It’s a totally new territory for me too, as I have no prior experience of a World Rally Car. Still, being the race car driver that I am, you always go flat out whatever the vehicle you’re driving in.”

The navigator’s seat beside him will be occupied by highly experience Rautiainen, a two-times WRC world champion with Marcus Gronholm in 2000 and 2002.

Rautiainen said of the opportunity, “In my life, I’ve sat in a rally car with only three drivers, but this is such an interesting mission that I just had to accept the challenge. I believe that for a talented wheelman like Valtteri, we’ll be able to establish a good basic driving routine in testing.”

“The challenging part, of course, will be learning the ins and outs of pace note making and learning to drive with pace notes all at once,” explained Rautiainen.

The rally has been organized continuously since 1966 and is currently part of the Finnish Rally Championship. In previous years it was part of the European Rally Championship until 2004 and the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers in 1977 and 1978.

[MIKA27]

4 minutes ago, avaldes said:

I'm not sure I would say that Ricciardo's form went downhill. He had some pretty miserable equipment failures toward the end of the season.

I agree mate. Dan was amazing. 

[MIKA27]

STEWART: VERSTAPPEN HAS REJUVENATED FORMULA 1

Formula 1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart has hailed the impact 21-year-old Max Verstappen injects into the sport while welcoming an era of youth that will lead to the youngest grid in the top flight in 2019.

In a Q&A with F1 Fan Voice Stewart, 79, said that he this is good news for the sport, “We need young drivers, we need new blood.”

“They’re out there… and suddenly, a Verstappen arrives and blows the place apart, and that’s rejuvenating, in a way, for Formula 1, that he’s come in and done so well so quickly. But Red Bull [helped] by bringing him on through the formative classes of the sport.”

At the same time the triple F1 World Champion lamented, “But it’s tougher today than it’s ever been for a young driver to come along, to find the resources.”

“If more multinational corporations were to take an interest – because everybody drives a car, whether it’s a Fiat or a Ferrari, they’re all driving cars, so some of the commercial enterprises of the world should see that and use motorsport… because it’s infectious, and bring young drivers along and hopefully bring them to the highest levels,” added Stewart.

Next year Formula 1 welcomes four rookies in Lando Norris (McLaren), George Russell (Williams), Alexander Albon (Toro Rosso) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Sauber).

[MIKA27]

ITALIAN MEDIA CALL ON ELKANN TO SORT OUT FERRARI FEUD

Italian media continue to report of a power struggle of sorts between Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene and technical director Mattia Binotto, citing more frequent sightings at Maranello of the marque’s president John Elkann as crucial decision time looms ahead of the new year.

In an editorial for Corriere della Serra, penned by Daniele Sparisci and Giorgio Terruzzi, the pair shed light on the whole affair that could have a serious impact on the team’s 2019 season.

They argue that the almost invisible Elkann needs to emerge from the shadows and sort matters out as soon as possible, the team needs leadership and direction while warning that total focus on the job at hand – the 2019 F1 campaign – is essential.

The current divisions within the operation simply foment uncertainty, and that’s not how they will beat Mercedes next year.

Sparisci and Terruzzi wrote: “A deafening silence reigns. In particular, at Maranello, where the F1 winter break sees them more mute than normal. Unspoken words often end up feeding gossip and indiscretions, they make even more noise.”

“The 2019 single-seater is practically ready, from the wind-tunnel it appears the first impressions are positive. There is also an impatient 20-year-old Charles Leclerc and a four-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel, one in search of identity and the other redemption.”

“So why so much privacy after they said we need to open up more? Or perhaps they first have to get their house in order.

“The task is for President John Elkann. Lately, the Agnelli heir has increased the frequency of his visits to Maranello. This is the Ferrari family jewel and he must keep it shining.

“He inherited the team built by Sergio Marchionne but has not been involved in anything in recent months. His public appearances have been very rare, but now he has to step up and restore peace and take control of the team.”

Ferrari, through Maurizio Arrivabene, have always denied splits and feuds within the team. He branded the speculation about the exit of technical director Mattia Binotto as fake news.

“But the engineer from Reggio [Binotto] requested a meeting to ascertain his future with the team because up and down the F1 paddock there are those keen on his talents and expertise, with Mercedes top of that list.

“It is also known he would like to stay to continue the unfinished mission: to bring the Formula 1 World Championship to Via Emilia. To do so, requires clarity, protection of roles and peace within the ranks.

“Remember [Binotto] did not appreciate the public criticism of the car by Vettel and Arrivabene, as if the defeat to Mercedes was only due to technical reasons. This hurt.

“Elkann can choose to confirm the tandem leadership of Arrivabene and Binotto, making all the necessary adjustments so the two work together with greater harmony for the forthcoming championship.

“The other options? Confirm the full support of Arrivabene and run the risk that Binotto will leave. Or dismiss the team principal to safeguard the technical department.

“But who would replace Arrivabene as team principal? Apparently not Binotto, who has never publicly manifested interest in the role. Whatever the case decisions need to be taken quickly.”

[MIKA27]

Why Schumacher was the best I ever worked with – Pat Symonds

Pat Symonds race engineered Michael Schumacher to his first two Formula 1 World Championships, but what made the seven-time champ so special both in and out of the cockpit?
In this video, F1 Racing editor Ben Anderson is joined by associate editor James Roberts to discuss with Symonds, who is now F1's Chief Technical Officer, the lasting impact and legacy that Michael left on the sport.

In it, they talk about how Schumacher broke the mould in terms of what it meant to be a Formula 1 driver – unprecedented levels of fitness, commitment, attention to detail and a win-at-all-costs competitive spirit – that allowed him to blaze a trail to greatness.

Symonds also gives his opinion on how he thinks Schumacher compares to Fernando Alonso – who he also ran to two world titles – and Lewis Hamilton, who is now the closest driver to challenging Schumacher’s mantle as the statistically greatest F1 driver of all time.

As well as Symonds' insights, Roberts talks about his experience at the Schumacher museum in Cologne, featuring cars from his private collection, which he toured along with Michael's legendary Ferrari team boss, Luca di Montezemolo.

[MIKA27]

First look: McLaren's touches lift F1-inspired smartphone

Formula 1 teams are no strangers to tying up with mobile phone companies, but McLaren’s new partnership with Chinese smartphone company OnePlus has taken things to the next level.
Rather than this being a simple branding exercise – with just a pretty logo and a few photo opportunities with drivers – the new special edition OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition has delivered something that is of genuine interest to those who follow the sport closely.

Under the spotlights at McLaren’s Woking factory on Tuesday, the official launch of the handset revealed how the new generation of phone has F1's past and present at the heart of it.

OnePlus has embraced McLaren’s history, with the papaya orange box that the phone comes in making clear from the start that this is about saluting the team’s heritage.

Emblazoned on top is a ‘Salute to Speed’ message – which is the catchphrase the company has used for the new product. At the heart of the box is a small book that reflects on the legacy of Bruce McLaren and the F1 team, as it brings buyers through the history of the team.

But it is only when the smartphone itself is unlocked from the back section of the book does the scope of the tie-up between McLaren and OnePlus become clear.

The phone itself features a carbon fibre layered case under the rear glass – something that has only been available before in luxury phones.

There is also the McLaren logo on the back, with papaya orange branding. Turning the Android device on produces a loading screen that mimics the orange pulsating garage wall branding that is seen at F1 tracks.

Once the phone is up and running, the true nature of the McLaren book comes alive as a ‘Salute to Speed’ Augmented Reality App brings some fascinating insight and cool tricks.

Black and white images come alive with video and sound to reflect on the life of Bruce McLaren and the history of the team.

But the best element comes at the end, when a black and white overhead image of the MCL33 transform to burst out of the page as it turns into a fully rendered colour car – running in a wind tunnel with aero effects and audio on top.

In a world where AR is becoming ever more important, this element of the tie-up is something that shows both companies making use of what they can each offer.

Tech spec

In true F1 spirit, OnePlus has pushed the technical boundaries too – introducing some cutting-edge elements that will get tech geeks excited.

It is one of the very few phones available in the world that boasts 10GB of RAM (with 256GB of storage) to help make sure things run as quick as possible. With a 4K camera filming at 60fps, such capacity will be important for helping process it.

But perhaps its most impressive feature is what it calls Warp Charge 30 – which allows the phone to be charged up to 50% (enough for a full day) in just 20 minutes.

It’s something Carlos Sainz pointed out as something that would sway him if he was on the market for a new phone.

“The way they can be able to charge the battery in 20 minutes, it is one of those things that is practical,” he said. “And when I go for a phone, I go for practical phones. 

“It is one of those things at 3pm and 4pm when you run out of battery and you still have the day ahead of you, it is something that really gets on my nerves! This is a good tool.” 

As a special bonus for purchaser’s too, each box of the new phone includes a small presentation case featuring a McLaren-shaped piece of carbon fibre produced from the same batch that went in to the 2018 MCL33.

The phone launches in western Europe and America on December 13, and will cost £649 or $699. It will be available in other markets later this year.

[MIKA27]

McLaren presentation convinced Sainz of recovery potential

Carlos Sainz says a presentation his new McLaren team gave him when he arrived at Woking has left him convinced the team knows what it needs to do to return to the front of the Formula 1 grid.

After a difficult 2018 campaign that was hindered by a fundamental aero problem on the MCL33, McLaren has undertaken a restructuring to help ensure it does not repeat its mistakes in the future.

And although the squad was unable to show its progress in understanding the problems on track, Sainz says that the message he has had from McLaren team members is that it knows what steps it needs to take – even though there is no suggestion of a quick fix.

“I don’t see a lot of scratching heads,” said Sainz, speaking at a launch event for the new OnePlus 6T McLaren smartphone at its Woking factory on Tuesday.

“I see they more or less have a very clear picture of what has happened, why and the way we need to improve.

“Already when I got here, they made me an explanation and presentation of what happened – so for me it was very positive to see how there are some clear minds out there, and strong leadership, to see where we are going. For me it was nice to see that when I arrived here.”

Sainz is not pretending that McLaren can instantly get back to the top of F1 next year, but he thinks the potential is there for a longer-term recovery.

“Whether it is going to work or not next year, this we don’t know. We know we have a direction, we know we have an analysis. It is going to take time. That is everything I can say.

“It is still not going to be night and day, and it is still going to be a process of years ahead, but I am happy to be part of this process.

"I am proud of this team because I think I can be a good help and I can improve with them altogether.”

Sainz admitted he had been slightly concerned that McLaren’s morale would be low after its struggles this season, but he says the opposite was true when he arrived.

“Probably on the back of my mind I thought maybe I would find a team that wishes that its season is over and we go for next year,” he said.

“But actually I have found a team that is full of battery, even in November/December. It is full of will to go racing next year, and that is an immediately contagious thing.

“It [the energy] gets really well through everyone in the team and through me. 

"I was coming full of energy and full of batteries – and it has made me come even more than I thought to Woking to make sure that I cover all the areas before we go racing next year.”

Asked if he felt McLaren has the ingredients it needed to become winners again, he said: “I think the team has the tools but I still think that Mercedes has set a new bar to everyone.

“I think every team that is not Mercedes right now is playing catch up. They have set a new benchmark to all the teams of F1, the way they need to work and perform to get the level they are, which is simply incredible at the moment.

“That is why there is not a lot of rush, but there is a commitment to improve McLaren and to make it first a solid midfield car and then do a step. And that is our short-term/mid-term plan.

"Hopefully one day this team, and hopefully I am still here, goes back to where it belongs.”