FORMULA 1

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WILLIAMS: WE ARE A FRESH AND REVITALISED BRAND

Although the jury may be out on the merits of the Rokit Williams livery unveiled today, team chief Claire Williams insists that a change from the norm was deliberate and a show to the world that they are re-energised for the challenges of a new season.

On the occasion of the team’s livery launch, they also announced a new title sponsorship deal with yet to launch mobile phone producer Rokit which has prominent branding on the pale blue on white paint job.

Williams, daughter of team supremo Sir Frank Williams, said of the new look, “From my perspective, I wanted a livery that told a story about where Williams is and the future that we believe it has.”

“A lot of people are aware that Williams’ traditional colours are navy blue and white, but I wanted to move away from that and show the world that we are a fresh and revitalised brand.”

“Just sticking and reverting to our traditional navy and white didn’t really tell that story. A Formula 1 car at the end of the day is your shop window to the world and I wanted to tell a great story and come out with a really vibrant livery. I feel that does that.”

“We’ve lost pretty much nobody from our race team this winter and I think that shows the strength of spirit that we have within Williams – and everyone’s dedication to getting it back.”

The team descended to last in the 2018 F1 constructors’ standings, this year with George Russell and Robert Kubica they aim to work the once mighty team back towards the respectable end of the grid.

Although the road map is in place, Williams refused to make predictions, “We never say our target is to be X, Y or Z, that’s dangerous, but clearly our target this year is to make progress.”

“We have to do that. In the short term we have to be targeting P4 again and then we have to work back towards getting those podiums.”

Williams, which has amassed 16 F1 constructors’ and F1 drivers’ titles combined during their illustrious history, were third in the championship in 2014 and 2015, ended 2016 and 2017 in fifth before dropping to 10th and last at the end of 2018.

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Toro Rosso unveils its 2019 Challenger

Toro Rosso has revealed images of its 2019 Formula 1 car online, providing the first clear look at the impact of this season's new aerodynamic regulations.
While Haas became the first team to publish images of its new car last week, its new mostly black livery shrouded much of the detail on the VF-19 beyond the simplified front wing.

Toro Rosso unveiled its Honda-powered STR14 online on Monday afternoon, showing a dramatically different bargeboard arrangement in line with this year's greater aerodynamic restrictions.

The team's blue, silver and red livery, first introduced in 2017, remains.

Toro Rosso finished ninth in the constructors' championship last season and will have a closer relationship with Red Bull this year by using parts from its senior team's 2018 car.

Franz Tost, Toro Rosso team principal, said: "The aim is to always improve in order to compete at the highest possible level and this winter we have worked intensively to bring a few organisational changes, which we hope will help smooth a few issues we experienced in the past.

"We have analysed all the internal procedures in order to optimise our strengths and minimise our weaknesses.

"Compared to other teams, Toro Rosso count on a smaller number of people, but the synergies with Red Bull Technology for the non-listed parts, now that Red Bull will also be equipped with the Honda engine, will leave more time for our technical working groups to focus more on the details.

"Attention to detail makes the difference and this translates to more performance."

Tost explained that components that relate to the Honda engine will be the same specification as Red Bull's.

He said that "most of the remaining parts" will be last year's specification because Toro Rosso would not be able to match Red Bull's rapid development of 2019 parts.

"We have very good technical people to follow the in-house design, and the reliability of last year's synergy project parts will put us in a more favourable situation to develop quicker during the season," Tost added.

 

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CLAIRE: IF DAD DIDN’T LIKE IT, HE WOULD HAVE FIRED ME

Williams revealed on Monday the livery that will adorn their 2019 Formula 1 challenger while ushering in a new title sponsor in the form of mobile phone start-up Rokit.

The paint job deviated from the Williams norm, which briefly troubled deputy team chief Claire Williams who feared her father’s reaction to the change, after all, it is still the team that Sir Frank Williams built.

She explained, “Frank loved it, and you might be surprised to hear that. I was a little nervous presenting it to him. Frank is very traditional and protective of the traditional navy blue and white, but also understanding of the arguments behind the change.”

“We are telling the world a very clear story and clear message as to where we are as a company. He is fully behind it. I am still here, and if he didn’t like it, he would have fired me.”

It’s all change at Williams for 2019, gone is the iconic Martini branding and in their place is little-known Rokit, while both their 2018 drivers have been replaced by Robert Kubica and George Russell.

Williams revealed, “Martini’s departure gave us a great opportunity to show how we wanted to position Williams moving forward. This is a very important year for us, so we spent a lot of time on this livery.”

“A lot of people are fully aware of our traditional colours, but I wanted to move away from that and show the world we are a fresh, revitalised brand.

“A Formula One car is your shop window to the world so I wanted to make sure we came out with a really bright livery,” added Williams ahead of a vital season for the once mighty outfit.

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WATSON: WITH 22 RACES WE WILL HAVE TO RETHINK HOW WE GO RACING

The column inches of material churned out by Formula 1 PR Departments for this time of the year is impressive to say the least, credit to them for all this information which tends to be standard stuff, but at times can also be quite revealing.

By intent or not Toro Rosso team manager Graham Watson revealed in the team’s press pack, on the occasion of the launch of the STR14, how adding an extra race to the already crowded 21-grand prix calendar will force teams to rethink how they go racing in terms of staffing.

Vietnam next year bumps the championship to 22 rounds which according to Watson may be the tipping point, “Honestly, I think we’re almost there. We’ve already started a little bit of a rotation with most of the departments now to help sustain it. However, when it comes to race mechanics, it’s a little bit trickier.”

“Next year, 2020, we’re scheduled to have a new race in Vietnam. If that pushes the race total to 22, then I think we will seriously have to reconsider how we operate in terms of personnel at the track.”

Last year was a new era for the Red Bull-owned junior team, powered by Honda for the first time as a prelude to the entire organisation backing the Japanese auto giant to return them back to winning ways.

The second year of the ‘marriage’ is expected to get better according to Watson who has implemented a wide range of changes across the floor, “This is our second year with Honda, so things should be a little clearer and more stable than year one of the relationship. We’ve had quite a few changes in terms of our own race team.”

“We have two new Number One mechanics and a couple of new garage technicians, so there’s a little bit of a rebuilding process that has taken place over the winter and will continue through testing. The new Number Ones have been with us for several years and deserve their promotion, so I hope they will thrive in their new positions.”

“The change in personnel means we have had to re-align the pit stop crew for 2019 as well. But honestly, between now and the start of the season we should be able to get that under control.”

Looking ahead to the season which kicks off with preseason testing on 18 February, Watson said, “At the beginning of a new season the motivation is high because everyone is excited to get back racing, as well as seeing the hard work from the winter being put on track for the first time.”

“Obviously, if the season starts well it’s easier to keep the motivation high, but it becomes difficult to maintain the same kind of motivation when the season doesn’t go your way. It’s a choice we make when we sign on to work in Formula 1, you have to set your private life aside as you’re away from home so much and focus on your work which, very often, brings a lot of stress.”

“We’re all competitive people, that’s why we’re in this business. At the end of the day, it is a sport and I think we’ve found a reasonable formula but for sure it will be a lot easier this year if we can have a good season.”

“Part of my job is to keep motivation high, I try to give the guys as much time off as possible, but as the calendar is so busy it’s not an easy task,” added Watson who begins his fifth full season with Toro Rosso.

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MCLAREN ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

British American Tobacco (BAT), which had its own Formula 1 team before selling to Honda in 2006, is returning to the sport under a multi-year global partnership with McLaren.

Both sides said in a statement announcing the deal on Monday that the partnership will focus solely on BAT’s “potentially reduced risk products” with an emphasis on technology and innovation.

“McLaren Applied Technologies will work with BAT on areas including battery technology and advanced materials. The two companies will share best practice, innovation know-how and mutual experience,” it added.

Tobacco advertising was widespread in Formula One until a ban in 2006 led most teams to kick the habit and seek sponsors elsewhere.

Ferrari’s partnership with Philip Morris International, whose Mission Winnow initiative focuses on smoke-free ‘heat not burn’ products and is the team’s title sponsor, has been going for more than 40 years, however.

BAT, the world’s second-biggest international tobacco company by revenue, bought Tyrrell in 1997 and competed as British American Racing (BAR) from 1999 to the end of 2005 when Honda took over.

Honda then quit at the end of 2008, handing over to principal Ross Brawn who led them to victory in both championship under his own name in 2009.

In 2010 they became Mercedes, who have won both titles for the past five years.

Press Release:

The multi-year partnership is centred on accelerating BAT’s transforming agenda, leveraging its portfolio of potentially reduced risk products, aiming to deliver the world’s tobacco and nicotine consumers a better tomorrow.

The agreement brings together two companies with a shared interest in technology, innovation and design, as well as a clear desire to deliver significant and meaningful change in their respective industries.

Technology is a core part of the relationship; McLaren Applied Technologies will work with BAT on areas including battery technology and advanced materials. The two companies will share best practice, innovation know-how and mutual experience.

Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Racing, said: “We welcome BAT to the McLaren team and support their ambition of delivering meaningful and lasting change through innovation. BAT’s transformation agenda is central to this partnership and we are pleased to share our technical experience and expertise in helping to accelerate this.”

Kingsley Wheaton, Chief Marketing Officer, BAT, said: “We’re extremely proud and excited about this new partnership, further enabling us to accelerate the pace at which we innovate and transform ourselves. It gives us a truly global platform with which to drive greater resonance of our potentially reduced risk products, including our Vype, Vuse and glo brands. Ultimately, innovation and technology will support us in creating a better tomorrow’ for our consumers worldwide.”

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Alexander Albon braced for 'steep learning curve' with Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon says he is braced for a “steep learning curve” in Formula 1 as he prepares to begin his career in the championship.

Albon is one of four full-time rookies on the grid in 2019, and steps up to Formula 1 after finishing third in last year’s Formula 2 championship.

But whereas rivals Antonio Giovinazzi, Lando Norris and George Russell all have substantial experience in Formula 1 machinery, Albon has never tested a contemporary car.

His promotion to a race seat was announced only last November and he did not participate in the post-race test that followed his confirmation.

“Obviously, I think it’s going to be a steep learning curve,” said Albon, as Toro Rosso unveiled its STR14.

“I’ll get four days of testing in Barcelona before Melbourne so we don’t have a lot of driving.

“The main focus is to be comfortable in the car and get up to speed as quickly as possible. We’ll see.

“In terms of my personal preparation, I’ll try not to put too much pressure on myself and give it everything I have from day one.

“It’s my opportunity this year to show everyone what I’ve got.”

Albon’s promotion to a Formula 1 seat capped an unexpected rise to the championship, six years after he was initially dropped by Red Bull, and came at the end of a season in which he began his Formula 2 programme on a round-by-round deal.

“In general, the way I’ve gone about my career and my racing, is I never set any goals on anything,” he said.

“Every year, it was just each race, take it step by step, focus and race in that session -whatever it would be, practice, qualifying, the race. Just take it as it is.

“If you start setting long-term goals, you just put unnecessary pressure on yourself. I’m just focused on myself and let’s see how it all goes.”

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Honda vows equal treatment for Red Bull's F1 teams

Honda has stressed that it will treat Red Bull and Toro Rosso equally in Formula 1 this season, in terms of resources and development.

Red Bull has joined Toro Rosso in being supplied by Honda, marking the first time in over a decade that the Japanese manufacturer has acted as a partner for multiple teams.

Red Bull is ostensibly regarded as Toro Rosso’s senior team and last year the Faenza-based squad occasionally compromised its own prospects to assist Honda’s development path.

Formula 1 regulations stipulate that power unit suppliers must provide equal equipment to partners – and Honda has outlined that at Grand Prix weekends it will retain this equality elsewhere.

“It [providing the same parts] is the most logical method and one which Honda feels is best, not to mention that the regulations state we must supply all teams equally,” said Honda F1 Technical Director Toyoharu Tanabe.

“But it’s not just a case of supplying the two teams with the same technical hardware.

“We will also treat them equally in terms of the resources we allocate to manage our operations and on the development side.

“This should be quite a straightforward procedure as the two teams are part of the same family and because we can work with Red Bull Technology.”

Honda, having returned to F1 in 2015, overhauled its power unit concept for 2017, when it partnered McLaren, and has stuck with that same design for 2019.

It means this season is the first time it has entered year three with the same concept, and Tanabe reckons last season’s progress provides encouragement for the coming campaign.

“With no real changes to the rules regarding the power unit, apart from being allowed to use 5 kilos more fuel per car in the race, our development work has really been a continuation of what we have been doing over the past year,” he said.

“Naturally, with no racing over the winter, the work in Japan and Milton Keynes has stepped up in preparation for the new season.

“We have been looking at all areas of the power unit, such as ICE, ERS and Energy Store.

“At Honda, we feel we made better progress than indicated simply by the results.

“We moved forward during the course of the year and this is encouraging for the 2019 season.”

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost outlined earlier that Honda's alignment with Red Bull will boost his team's chances in Formula 1 this year.

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Giovinazzi feels "lucky" to have Raikkonen as teammate

Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi says he is "lucky" to have 2007 world champion and ex-Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen as his teammate.
Giovinazzi has been given his full-time F1 break this season after working as a development driver for Ferrari since 2017, when he made his F1 race debut as a two-race substitute for Sauber's Pascal Wehrlein.

Alfa has now taken over the title of Sauber's F1 entry, which finished eighth in the constructors' championship in 2019 and ended the year as a regular top-10 threat.

Speaking to Motorsport.com about his goals for 2019, Giovinazzi said: "There is still no data on the potential of the new car, but beyond that in my case it will be important to confirm a growth race after race.

"I'm lucky to have Kimi as a teammate, and it will be a great benchmark."

Having worked alongside Raikkonen at Ferrari, Giovinazzi joked that he and the Finn had talked "more in these last months than in the previous two years in Ferrari!".

However, the 2016 GP2 runner-up reiterated: "It's nice and transparent. It's lucky for me to be his teammate."

Landing the Ferrari simulator role in 2017 was crucial for Giovinazzi, whose career up to that point had been supported financially by Ricardo Gelael – the father of current F2 driver Sean.

The Ferrari move meant Giovinazzi was the prime candidate to take advantage of Sauber's partnership with Alfa, Ferrari's sister company, increasing this year.

"At the beginning it is a very pleasant experience, because you work with great professionals and with great drivers, in my case Vettel and Kimi," said Giovinazzi of his simulator work with Ferrari.

"Over time it can become a routine activity, but for my part I have always seen it as a chance. It was the way to convince [Ferrari] that I deserve a chance."

Giovinazzi's 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours outing with the Ferrari GTE team is the only time he has raced since the second of his two stand-in F1 appearances in the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix.

In China, he suffered big crashes in qualifying and the race, which he describes as the worst moment of his career.

"I knew very well that the chances of being in Formula 1 were very few, and for the first time I felt I had missed the opportunity," he said.

"I was not happy with myself, I could have shown much more. For two years I have tried to repay those who have continued to trust me by working to the best of my ability.

"I was on the 'bench', getting better and better, and I'm happy today to see that the job has paid off.

"But I am also aware that the role of Alfa Romeo Racing driver is a point of arrival but above all, starting point.

"I'll have to show on the track to deserve this opportunity."

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F1 loses Middle East broadcaster over piracy issue

Formula 1 is on the hunt for a new broadcast partner in the Middle East and North Africa, after the Qatar-based BeIN Sports company decided against renewing its deal because of piracy problems.

BeIN Sports’s previous five-year contract ran out at the end of 2018, and there had been discussions about extending it. The Middle East is one of F1’s top 20 markets and estimates have put the value of the deal at more than $30 million a year.

However, amid ongoing unease about the growth of pirate channel ‘BeoutQ’, which has been illegally broadcasting F1 content across the Middle East, BeIN has decided against continuing.

In a statement issued by BeIN, the managing director of its Middle East region Tom Keaveny said that piracy was the driving factor behind its call.

"A rights holder's stance on BeoutQ's piracy - in other words, whether they're taking legal action, making a public stand, and doing everything within their power to combat the industrial-scale theft of their rights - is a critical factor that we now consider when bidding,” he was quoted as saying.

“We pay enormous amounts for media rights, but the natural consequence of Saudi Arabia’s piracy is that those rights cannot be protected so we will pay less for those rights in the future – in particular to the rights holders who pay only lip service to combatting BeoutQ. 

“We have been warning of the very real commercial consequences of BeoutQ’s theft of world sport and entertainment for almost two years now – yet the piracy continues with impunity every day and represents an existential threat to the economic model of the sports and entertainment industry.

“The international community must take decisive action to bring this state-supported piracy to an immediate end.”

Although BeoutQ has been widely linked with Saudi Arabia, the government there insists it is not based there and has vowed to help stop piracy. It is unclear who owns or funds the channel.

Last year F1 vowed to take action over BeoutQ’s activities, which have also led to measures implemented in other sports.

A statement issued by F1 last year said: “Formula 1 takes intellectual property infringement of this nature extremely seriously, we are looking in to the issue and those that are involved and will take appropriate action."

Motorsport.com has contacted F1 for comment.

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What’s the greatest Williams livery of all time?

Ferraris are red, Mercedes are silver… but Williams have never been a team defined by one shade throughout their history, having instead let their choice of sponsors dictate some corking colour schemes over the years.

For 2019, Williams will adopt a dramatic new look for the cars of George Russell and the returning Robert Kubica. But how does the livery that will sit on the FW42 stack up alongside some of the team’s all-time greats? Check out a few of my favorites over the years.

1. FW15C (1993)

One of the most technologically-advanced F1 racers in the history of the sport, the Adrian Newey-designed FW15C was also a bit of a looker, and wrapped in blue, white and Camel-yellow – with some cheeky Sonic the Hedgehog graphics on its flanks – remains one of Formula 1’s iconic cars. Those sponsors got their money’s worth too, with Alain Prost running away to his fourth title in 1993 with seven victories to his name.

 

2. FW19 (1997)

For 1994, Camel tobacco sponsorship at Williams gave way to the more muted tones of Rothmans. By 1997, the year Jacques Villeneuve claimed his one and only F1 title (despite the best efforts of Michael Schumacher), the design had been refined to this classy blue and white look speckled with gold and red, while additional sponsorship from nascent energy drink Hype – now run by former Jordan driver Bertrand Gachot – added some funky day-glo flecks to the car’s bargeboards.

 

3. FW08 (1982)

The arrival of the airline Saudia as a sponsor was a gamechanger for Frank Williams in 1977, allowing him to make the step from plucky garigista to serious contender. A title with Alan Jones followed in 1980 but, for our money, the green and white Saudia livery reached its apotheosis with Williams on the cute, snub-nosed FW08 that carried Keke Rosberg to his 1982 championship.

 

4. FW36 (2014)

Martini colours have adorned some of motorsport’s finest machinery, from Lancia Delta S4 rally cars to Porsche 935 Le Mans racers. Williams executed a proper coup in 2014 by bringing the ‘proper’ Martini colour scheme – white background with dark blue, sky blue and red stripes – back to Formula 1 for the first time since Brabham’s cars wore it in 1975. The car was a good’un too, with Williams finishing the year third in the constructors’ standings.

 

5. FW21 (1999)

There were horrified gasps in 1998 when Williams drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen pulled the covers off a blood-red Williams FW20 – which, considering the cool colour palette that Williams cars had always worn up till then, was hardly surprising. A year later, Williams opted to stick with the red but softened the look a touch with some soothing white and blue brushstrokes – if anything, to help them stand out from a certain other team also known for fielding red cars. To some, a Williams in red is just wrong – but taken out of context, we feel the time is right for the FW21’s place in livery lore to be re-evaluated.

 

6. FW26 (2004) - My Favourite!

Williams’ post-millennium liveries certainly weren’t flashy, but they had a certain purposeful, functional classiness to them – while also being stuck onto some of the fastest cars in the sport’s history – that endeared them to our hearts. It was, after all, in his white and dark blue Williams FW26 that Juan Pablo Montoya zinged around Monza to set what was at the time the fastest ever Formula 1 lap during the 2004 Italian Grand Prix weekend – a record that stood for 14 years until Kimi Raikkonen broke it at the same circuit in 2018.

[rckymtn22]

^^ FW19 is my favorite

[Lotusguy]

I quite like the cleaner lines of the 2019 cars - let’s see if it changes anything in terms of overtaking in races...

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4 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

I quite like the cleaner lines of the 2019 cars - let’s see if it changes anything in terms of overtaking in races...

One can only hope... though by all means, sounds doubtful when one reads Horners comments that it won't really make any difference. 

Fingers crossed though!

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RENAULT UNVEIL THEIR WEAPON FOR 2019: THE RS19

Renault have released images of their 2019 Formula race car, the RS18 which Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg will campaign in the forthcoming world championship.

Press Release:

Renault F1 Team today detailed its plans to maintain its momentum in the FIA Formula One World Championship. Renault returned as a works team in 2016 and has made strong progress each season, finishing last year’s campaign in fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship.

Renault F1 Team’s star driver line-up of Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo was also presented to attending media and partners, underscoring Renault’s commitment to long-term success.

Jérôme Stoll, President of Renault Sport Racing, also confirmed Renault’s ongoing commitment to the sport.

“At Renault, we are passionate about motorsport. Our history in F1 has continued unbroken for more than 40 years. Formula 1 is a show, a spectacle, pure entertainment, but it is also the highest level in motorsport.”

“A passion for Formula 1 is a metaphor for fighting spirit, determination, resilience but also progress thanks to the limitless innovation that inspires the sport. But this passion has to be tempered with a healthy dose of reality.”

“F1 makes sense for Renault; it is a laboratory for our future road-going technology – as seen by the new engine designation – Renault E-Tech 19. It is a very exciting time to be part of F1.”

Since its F1 comeback three years ago, Renault has invested heavily across its technical facilities in Enstone, UK, and Viry-Châtillon, France.

At Enstone, the team has significantly increased production capabilities, with upgraded machine tools, including two new Breton machines, wind tunnel, gearbox dyno, enlarged design office and state-of-the-art race operations room. Its workforce has also grown by around 50% since 2016.

At Viry, a newly refurbished dyno has just been commissioned and will be used throughout the season to develop the power unit, while an ambitious building programme to house new engine assembly bays, reliability departments and an automated stores department has recently started, due for completion next year.

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RICCIARDO AND HULKENBERG FORMIDABLE PAIRING AT RENAULT

Renault are fielding one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid, the French team welcome ‘new boy’ and proven race winner Daniel Ricciardo who will partner veteran Nico Hulkenberg as the team take the next step to rediscover their race winning glory years.

Ricciardo was famously poached from Red Bull by Renault team chief Cyril Abiteboul as he signalled his intent ahead of the 2019 campaign.

Hülkenberg embarks on his third year of competition with the team in 2019 and said, “As a team, we’ve developed a lot since the start of 2017 and that’s all part of the process if we want to achieve our long-term targets.”

“When I arrived, the infrastructure was still young, we’ve come a long way since then with a lot of progress. I want to extract the best from myself and maximise the potential from the team and the car. The important thing is, as a team, we take a good leap forward and perform better consistently.”

“We want the trend to continue upwards and keep the developments coming,” added the German who has yet to celebrate on a grand prix podium in 156 starts.

Ricciardo, a seven-time Grand Prix winner, will be the benchmark for his teammate as well as the team, “Renault has a massive history in motorsport, so to be part of the next step of their Formula 1 journey is an exciting challenge.”

“I’m here to do a job on track and drive as fast as possible, but I would like to bring the team energy. I want to put a spring in everyone’s step because that’s part of my job and also my character. I aim to be able to get the team to work that extra bit harder, put in more effort and rally everyone together. I’d like to be a catalyst for positive energy.”

“Everything I learnt in 2018 will make me a better version of myself in 2019. The difference will be a more mature person. I have more clarity of where I’m going and I aim for that to be shown with good results on track.”

“I feel a lot of positive pressure and expectation to do good things, but that’s something I’m looking forward to taking on,” added the Australian.

With new facilities and new drivers bolstering confidence, 2019 promises to be an interesting year on and off track.

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RENAULT: THE MOST PRODUCTIVE WINTER WE HAVE EVER HAD

Renault aim to close the gap to Formula One’s top three teams this season and keep the smile on new recruit Daniel Ricciardo’s face, after seeing a big step up in engine performance which their team chief is boasting about.

Renault Sport Racing Managing director Cyril Abiteboul said ahead of the unveiling of the 2019 car on Tuesday that the team were on the rise and needed to put the hard years of rebuilding behind them.

If long-term targets remained unchanged — podiums next year, and wins in 2021 before a championship challenge — there was quiet confidence at the former champions’ expanded Enstone factory.

Renault finished fourth last year, still a long way behind reigning champions Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, but with their engines winning four races in the back of the latter team’s cars.

Abiteboul said progress on the engine over the European and that winter had seen substantial a big step up in performance, “It is the biggest we have ever done since the V6 was introduced in 2014. It’s the most productive winter we have ever had in terms of engine performance.”

Renault and Red Bull split at the end of last year, leaving the French manufacturer with just two teams — their factory outfit and McLaren — while their former customers have switched to Honda.

Abiteboul said one benefit of that was Renault could now ‘fully control our communication’ after years of public criticism from Red Bull about a lack of performance and reliability.

“On the engine side, yes we’ve had some issues and one issue is too many,” he said. “We are aiming for zero DNFs (non-finishes) related to either the chassis or the engine. We have no reason to believe its impossible at this stage.

“We will have to balance performance and reliability, but it’s a game everyone is playing in modern Formula One,” Abiteboul added.

Renault have grown in numbers and spent heavily on equipment, bringing in new resources including two Breton 1500 matrix dynamic machine tools at around $1 million each within the last year.

Staff levels at Enstone have reached 750, including contractors, with a further 450 in France working on power units at Viry-Chatillon.

“With the new facility, we have more in-house production capacity which allows us to be more time efficient. And therefore being able to react quicker than before. We have confidence that we have a good platform,” Abiteboul said.

Retired four times world champion and team special advisor Alain Prost, addressing staff before the launch, said he was impressed by the changes and hoped to see Ricciardo or German teammate Nico Hulkenberg on the podium this year.

“We are now becoming a big team,” the Frenchman said. “We know what we want to do and where we are going.”

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STOLL: GHOSN IS GONE BUT THIERRY BOLLORE IS A REAL FAN OF F1

The departure of scandal-hit Renault chief executive and chairman Carlos Ghosn changes nothing with regards to the French carmaker’s commitment and involvement in Formula 1, team president Jerome Stoll said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of the team’s 2019 car at their English factory, the Renault Sport Racing boss told reporters that the company remained fully committed.

“OK, Carlos Ghosn is gone but (new Renault CEO) Thierry Bollore is a real fan of Formula One,” he said.

“Despite his very busy agenda, he came to (the Renault techno centre) in Viry in late December to make an address to all the staff and restate the fact he was a strong sponsor and it was not because Carlos Ghosn was no more the chairman that Renault will limit its commitment to the Formula One competition.

“He came, he made his address, it was very clear — 200 people in front of him — and he said we are here, the strategy remains the same.”

Renault replaced Ghosn in January, more than two months after his arrest in Japan over allegations of financial misconduct uncovered by Renault’s Japanese partner Nissan, which he also chaired.

Stoll, 64, had been due to stand down this year but remained in place after his designated successor Thierry Koskas suddenly left the Renault Group.

Renault finished fourth in Formula One last year and are aiming to close the gap on Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull before targeting podiums, wins and a championship challenge under a five-year plan.

They have signed popular Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a race winner from Red Bull, and invested heavily in upgrading the factory.

Stoll warned however that the carmaker was very concerned by the lack of a clear plan for the sport beyond 2020 when current commercial agreements expire.

He said Renault and U.S.-owned commercial rights holders Liberty Media were aligned on key proposals such as implementation of a cost cap and the redistribution of revenues, but swift action was needed.

“The Concorde (Agreement between teams, rights holder and governing FIA) will come to an end within two years, and we need visibility to know what is going to be the next step after,” said Stoll. “My main concern is to have a decision.

“We are pushing. I had several discussions with (Formula One chairman) Chase Carey about that. He promised the decision would be taken by late last year. No decision has been taken. So I’m going to push.

“As soon as I meet him again at Melbourne (for the opening race on March 17) or maybe in Barcelona (for testing) next week I’m going to start again to push him. What is your planning? When can you take a decision? It’s crucial for us.”

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No-one ever doubted Daniil Kvyat's ability - Franz Tost

Toro Rosso Team Principal Franz Tost has asserted that “no-one ever doubted” Daniil Kvyat’s driving ability, as the Russian prepares to return to Formula 1.

Kvyat has had a rollercoaster career under the Red Bull umbrella, having been promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull after just one year, before being dropped for Max Verstappen in early 2016.

Kvyat spent the next phase of his career at Toro Rosso but was axed towards the end of 2017, losing his race seat, instead, he spent 2018 as Ferrari’s development driver.

Daniel Ricciardo’s move to Renault kick-started a chain-reaction in the driver market, with one strand resulting in Toro Rosso opting to recruit Kvyat for a third stint with the team.

Tost believes Kvyat has always held “natural speed” but that his initial promotion to Red Bull for 2015 came “too early” in his career, and that he is now a more rounded driver.

"I always say that a young driver needs two to three years to understand and deliver in the complicated world of F1, but Daniil showed his natural speed from the very beginning,” said Tost.

"When the contingency required his move to Red Bull, it seemed that he could be ready for the challenge.

"He showed some very good performances but to perform under pressure is always a challenge, now we can say with hindsight it was just too early.

"He had to live through a difficult time when he joined us again in 2016 – it was psychologically tough, but no one has ever doubted his driving skills.

"I strongly believe he deserves another chance in Formula 1 and I feel the best is yet to come from his side.

"Having had time to mature as a person away from the races will help him show his undeniable capabilities on track.”

Kvyat will be paired with Alexander Albon, third in last year’s Formula 2 championship, and Tost reckons the rookie will be able to learn from his more experienced team-mate.

"Alex will have a lot to learn, like any newcomer in Formula 1,” said Tost.

"But he certainly proved himself in the lower categories like European Formula 3, GP3 and especially in Formula 2, where he was able to win races.

"In the second half of last year’s F2 Championship, he impressed with a lot of overtaking manoeuvres and that’s what convinced us he is the right driver to get on board.

"With Daniil on the other side of the garage, he has an F1 experienced driver with whom he will be learning a lot from, along with the support of the team around him."

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Some F1 drivers missing approved helmets for testing

Several Formula 1 drivers may have to take part in pre-season testing without the use of a crash helmet that has been homologated to the FIA’s 2019 safety standards.

F1 has a new mandatory helmet standard for 2019 following years of work from the FIA that included extensive military ballistic testing in a bid to further improve driver head protection.

All four current F1 helmet suppliers – Stilo, Bell Racing, Schuberth and Arai – were involved in the research and development phase for the new 8860-2018 standard.

However, Arai has only passed part of the FIA's performance test and is yet to achieve homologation.

Motorsport.com has learned it will not receive approval in time for pre-season testing because of the extensive product evaluations and reviews required to meet the new high standards.

Arai is expected to supply Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, and Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo this season.

The company anticipates getting its new model homologated in time for the first race in Australia on March 17.

Drivers who rely on other companies may not be in possession of a homologated 2019 helmet in time for testing either.

Only Stilo, which produced the first race-ready version last summer, appears to have achieved homologation for its ST5 helmet in all sizes.

According to the FIA's most recent list of approved crash helmets, Schuberth – expected to supply four drivers – currently only has its SF3 homologated in a medium size.

Bell, which should supply the remaining 10 drivers, achieved homologation for its HP77 for sizes up to 56+ earlier this month – but its website states sizes are available up to 61+.

That could impact a driver who wishes to use one of those helmets, but requires a size that does not feature on the homologation list.

Crash helmet requirements for pre-season testing fall into a grey area.

Teams and drivers only need to adhere to testing stipulations in the FIA's F1 sporting regulations, which do not cover crash helmet requirements.

It is not clear whether the drivers who do not have a 2019-spec helmet from their preferred supplier will resort to last year's product, use an approved design from another company – or simply run a 2019 crash helmet that has not yet been homologated.

Asked if a 2018 product would be eligible for use in pre-season testing if the 2019 product is not approved, a comment from Arai read: "The prototype of the new model has been supplied.

"It is not yet officially homologated, but our in-house tests assure the product quality."

One risk that would be attached to using a product not formally approved by the FIA could be the potential consequences if an accident occurred and a driver got hurt.

The new 2019 spec has lowered the visor opening by 10mm to increase safety during impact from debris and features better energy absorption and more advanced shell construction to aid resistance to crushing and penetration.

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How a 45-minute talk and a bottle of sauce helped Williams secure a new title sponsor

Brown sauce. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a bacon sandwich and also, it seems, the ideal garnish to signing a multi-year, multi-million pound sponsorship deal.

Williams have been on the lookout for a title sponsor ever since Martini opted to end their involvement in F1 after a five-year stint. Recently, telecommunications company Rokit emerged as a contender to step into the breach.

Though not well-known in Europe, Rokit have been making a name for themselves on the sporting scene Stateside, through their sponsorship of NBA basketball team Houston Rockets and NFL outfit Los Angeles Chargers. The smartphone and network provider wanted to boost their global footprint and they decided F1 was the answer.

Three teams, including Williams, got a sniff of a deal and opened talks. But Jonathan Kendrick, chairman of ROK Brands, opted for Williams, a team he has a remarkable history with. More than 40 years ago, as a 17-year-old, he was sent from Wolverhampton – where he worked for Goodyear tyres - to engineer the tyres on Alan Jones’ Williams race car at the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix.

When Kendrick walked into Williams HQ at Grove to hear Williams’ pitch for his business, a bottle of HP sauce – signed by race drivers Robert Kubica and George Russell – sat on the table, alongside a plate of bacon sandwiches.

“Jonathan is a big fan of HP sauce,” joked Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams at the launch of her team’s fresh new-look livery. “He said - don't forget the HP sauce with the bacon roll. So I think the deal was done there!”

Kendrick said the decision to choose Williams was simple. “It’s a British team, I’m British, my company is British,” he said. “I love the fact the Williams name has been above the garage for a long time. Others have been and gone. Williams is still standing.

“The other reason, to be blunt with you, is Claire. It was a great meeting, I bought into her vision, her passion, her drive. After 45 minutes, I was convinced she was the one I wanted to work with.”

Williams has a long and illustrious history in F1. Sir Frank Williams will celebrate 50 years as a Team Principal this year. The helmets of the greats who have driven for Williams in the past line a corridor in the team's Conference Centre, which also houses more than 40 of their race cars. You can feel the history.

But the glory days seem like a long time ago – you have to go back to 1997 for their last drivers’ or constructors’ championship. And last year was as bleak as it gets, the Williams cars often filling the back row of the grid and rarely threatening the points. Tenth – and last – was the end of year result.

So Williams and her management team opened an inquest, as soon as last year's season-opening Australian Grand Prix no less, and started making changes to the organisational structure, reworking departments and changing the culture. It’s been an exhaustive task – but one that was required.

It’s why Williams says this is the dawn of a new era, ‘next-gen Williams' as she puts it. The team have chosen their drivers Kubica and Russell based on raw talent. They’ve signed a title sponsor – something that is very hard to achieve in this financial climate – and they have financial stability. They are in F1 for the long haul, despite suggestions to the contrary.

So it’s no surprise that to coincide with this transformation, Williams have overhauled their look. A fresh start, if you will.

“It’s next-gen Williams,” said Williams when we chatted after the livery unveil. “That’s what we’re doing for this year. Things feel like they are coming together. Our livery is our shop window to the world, hence the revised livery. It’s fresh. To me that says we are a team that’s here to stay and we have a bright future. It’s important for us to convey that message with all the speculation, all this nonsense going around about the team at the moment.

“We have new drivers who I’m really excited by, and I know everyone in the sport is as well, to see how they do. George is fantastic and the same for Robert. They are both technically rookies this year. I know it’s going to take a few races but I know they are going to do the best job. It’s up to us to provide the performance in our race car to enable them to do that.

“We’re on a journey, this is a start of a new Williams. That means a new race car and we’ve really stripped everything back in order to make sure we address the weaknesses that came out of last year’s Williams and that’s not the work of the moment. We won’t get everything right straight away, that’s not how it works.

“We have to go through this piece by piece and we will get there in the end. It’s all about progress this year, we have got to make improvements to the team.”

As Williams says, a revival takes time. But there’s a genuine belief among the staff that change – real change – has swept through the team and that they now have a solid foundation on which to build. This is not the first time Williams have reinvented themselves – and it may not be the last. But the boys and girls at Grove will hope this latest reboot leads to a return to the success of old.

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FLASHBACK: HOW RENAULT PIONEERED THE FIRST FORMULA 1 TURBO ERA

Renault launched their 2019 challenger today, the French manufacturer revealed the RS19 for Nico Hulkenberg and team newcomer Daniel Ricciardo as they plot their way up the grid and try to emulate their race and championship-winning predecessors.

It is always worth remembering that Renault has huge pedigree in motorsport and their foray into modern Formula 1 back in the seventies was as pioneers, who turned – laughing stock – turbo technology (in the very early days it was scoffed at in the F1 paddock) into a potent force in the top flight.

The proud legacy began when Amédée Gordini, who had created Grand Prix cars under his own name, was recruited to design high-performance cars for Renault.

A new factory was founded at Viry-Châtillon, on the edge of the motorway leading from Paris to the south of France. It was inaugurated on 6 February 1969, and it was to be the launch pad for motor sporting success over the following decades.

The initial focus was on a new 2-litre V6 engine, which was officially launched in January 1973. The engine soon proved to be competitive in the prestigious European 2-litre sportscar series. That was followed by a move into the FIA World Sportscar Championship with a turbocharged version of the engine.

Renault Sport was founded in 1976, and that year saw the birth of a parallel single-seater programme with the V6 engine in European F2.

In sportscars the turbocharged Renaults proved to be incredibly fast, securing a string of poles and fastest laps, but bad luck robbed the team of good results. Everything came together in 1978 when Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud scored a historic victory, with another Renault coming home fourth. With Le Mans success finally secured, Renault could now focus on its other goal – Formula 1.

The option to run a turbocharged engine had been in the rules for many years, but nobody had dared to pursue it until Renault. It had quietly begun track testing with a 1.5-litre version of the turbo engine in 1976, and a short programme of races was scheduled for the following year.

The V6 turbocharged RS01 made its debut in the 1977 British GP in the hands of Jean-Pierre Jabouille. Nicknamed the ‘Yellow Teapot,’ the car retired from its first race, but not before it had made a big impression. Four further outings at the end of the year provided more valuable experience.

‘It was a very special decision to build the turbo,’ recalls Bernard Dudot, who headed the technical programme. “We were a group of young engineers at Viry-Châtillon, all very enthusiastic but having a rare understanding of the future. We were so enthusiastic that we convinced the President of Renault, Bernard Hanon, that we should do F1.”

“It was a really crazy idea at the time. Fortunately he was very enthusiastic as well, particularly about the benefit of ‘la compétition’ and F1.”

Jean-Pierre Jabouille gave the prototype F1 car its first run at the Michelin test track at Clermont-Ferrand on 23 March 1976. It was just the start of a long journey as the team prepared to enter the sport.

“We needed to have the right level of power to fight the atmospheric engines,” says Dudot. “But on the turbo we had the lag of a couple of seconds, and we never knew what to expect on the different types of track.”

“The main problem was assembling the engine and packaging in the small car. It was heavy as well, and the weight balance was not ideal – that was one of our greatest problems at the start.”

Jean-Pierre Menrath, one of the young engineers working on the project at the time recalled the depth of the challenge. “The most recurrent problem we had was to do with lag. The drivers absolutely had to change their driving style.”

“And, of course, the heat dissipation of the turbo engines was the most restrictive aspect in terms of designing a fast race car. The radiators had to be bigger, which made the turbo engines more difficult to fit into single-seaters than the normally-aspirated engines.”

The debut for the RS01 was set for Silverstone. Jabouille started 21st, although retired from the race in a cloud of engine smoke. He also took part in the Dutch, Italian and US GPs, qualifying as high as 10th in Zandvoort.

The car made a big impression, but its propensity for expiring in smoky style earned it the nickname of Yellow Teapot ! It had, however, made a big impression and the team was learning all the time.

The education process continued through 1978. In the first part of the year, Renault concentrated on preparations for Le Mans, which paid dividends as Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud scored a memorable victory. With the target achieved, the focus now turned fully to F1.

The team missed the first two Grands Prix of the year, but thereafter Jabouille completed a full season with the RS01. He qualified an encouraging third in both Austria and Italy, and scored the marque’s first points with fourth place in the USA. It was the first points for Renault, but also the first for any turbo engine – a real landmark for the sport.

“I have to say that we took some time to achieve the right level of reliability,’ says Dudot. ‘At first we needed to put the suppliers at the right level of service, for example the guys supplying the pistons, valves and so on. We needed to improve quality control. Progressively we achieved it, and over the years we were more reliable, and able to challenge a lot more.”

A move to a twin-turbo set-up for the 1979 Monaco GP proved to be one of the big breakthroughs. The team had finally begun to conquer the critical problem of turbo lag, and Jabouille duly scored the marque’s historical first win on home ground in Dijon, having started from pole. Further poles followed at Hockenheim and Monza while Arnoux earned two poles and three podium finishes.

It was a watershed moment as Menrath recalls: “People started looking at us differently when we won our first race, the French Grand Prix. It was both a radical change and a revelation : suddenly, the turbo-powered cars posed a real threat. It made others realize that they had to start thinking about abandoning normally-aspirated engines and switching to turbo.”

The team ran a second car for the first time in 1980 as Rene Arnoux joined Jabouille. Again, the team covered new ground and achieved progressive success, with Jabouille earning Renault’s first pole position in South Africa with the RS01. An updated car, the RS10 ground effect car, was introduced mid-season.

Meanwhile the engineers continued to experiment, including changes to the radiators and cooling. Progress was rapid. The team went from 520/530bhp in 1979 to over 1,000bhp in the space of five years.

When Alain Prost joined in 1981 the Renault team had developed into a regular pacesetter, and a World Championship contender. Indeed Prost only just missed out on the title in 1983.

His methodology, precision and absolute sense of competition so nearly brought his first world crown and he recalls, “We saw turbo engines develop every year, but the driving style was very different.”

“You had to find the right moment to accelerate – and anticipate when the power would come through. Getting the timing right depended on a lot of factors : the type of corner, speed, grip, the type of tyres, how worn they were and how much the turbo had been used.”

“For the drivers, there were corners where you definitely had to brake a bit earlier, so you could accelerate earlier, and therefore be able to have the required power at the right moment. That’s why there could be such big gaps between the cars, as well as drivers becoming tired towards the end of the race. Your brain had to process things differently.”

Meanwhile one-by-one other teams followed the turbo route, in effect acknowledging that Renault had got its sums right.

In 1983 the company became a supplier for the first time, joining forces with Lotus. Supply deals were also extended to the Ligier and Tyrrell teams in subsequent seasons. In Portugal 1985 Ayrton Senna scored his first-ever GP victory with Renault power, and the Brazilian proved to be one of the stars of the season.

The Renault management decided to close the works outfit at the end of 1985, and focus instead on supplying engines to other teams. Indeed in 1986 the Senna/Lotus/Renault combination proved to the fastest on the grid, as the Brazilian took eight poles – although frustration on race days meant that he scored only two wins.

In 1986 the entire field used turbo engines, and power figures were boosted to way beyond 1,000bhp, a figure even the Renault engineers could not have foreseen just a few years earlier.

‘At the end of 1986, we even had a test engine that was capable of developing up to 1,200bhp thanks to the use of new turbochargers, with a new design,’ Menrath now reveals. ‘At the outset, they were intended to be used at altitude and in the end, at sea level, they produced exceptional performances.’

However, a new challenge was on the horizon. The FIA had decided that turbos were simply now too powerful and thus had to go, and a new formula for 3.5-litre normally aspirated engines was drawn up. Turbos were to be gradually reined in and phased out over the 1987 and ’88 seasons, before being outlawed completely by 1989.

Renault’s first turbocharged Formula 1 adventure lasted for 10 memorable seasons from 1977 to 1986, but its legacy has endured for much longer. The current turbo/hybrid era has not been as kind to the marque but as their illustrious history shows, things can and do change fast in F1.

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MERCEDES UNLEASH THE W10 THE CAR TO BEAT IN 2019

It has been an interesting journey for the team that began life as Tyrrell, morphed into BAR, became Honda Racing F1, was Brawn GP for a year before becoming the mighty and all-conquering Mercedes F1 operation we have now.

Ten titles in five years, the W10 has an awesome pedigree but also big shoes to fill. The recent James Allison video on how this year’s car was built was an exercise in jaw-dropping efficiency, commitment and dedication, prompting the question: Who can beat these guys?

Lewis Hamilton will be defending his championship this season, while looking to add to the five he already has, with Valtteri Bottas in the sister car trying to shake off the ‘wingman’ label that haunts him.

Smart money will be on the world champs getting their maths right and the W10 will be on the money, the car to beat if anyone can.

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Tech verdict: Mercedes reveals the first 'proper' 2019 car

While lesser Formula 1 teams revealed detail-free renders and modified 2018 cars, and are struggling to be ready for shakedowns, Mercedes’ true 2019 design hit the track at Silverstone on Wednesday.
In the words of legendary technical illustrator Giorgio Piola, this is the first “proper” 2019 car to be revealed.

The W10 shows the attention to detail that has been so crucial to the team's domination of the current F1 era, as Autosport technical editor Jake Boxall-Legge highlights in his in-depth analysis of the design, also starring Glenn Freeman.

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Hamilton: “First date” with new Mercedes W10 “one of the best”

Lewis Hamilton hailed his debut run in the new Mercedes W10 Formula 1 car as a ‘great first date’, as he said it was one of the best starts the team had ever made.
Mercedes used up one of its filming days to let Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton get a first run in their 2019 challenger at Silverstone on Wednesday.

And, after releasing an on-board video of Hamilton giggling and saying how ‘amazing’ the car felt during his first installation lap, the reigning world champion said he was delighted with how things had gone.

“It was a great first date, probably one of the best ones that we’ve had in all these years,” said Hamilton. 

“But what has been most impressive is seeing the car coming together last night, which is always impressive to see. And then to see how smooth today has gone. 

“There are things we can continue to work on, but so many people worked tirelessly to pull this car together, and to see it come to the test and go out, get through the programme we needed to and get the filming done is great."

He added: “For me it is crazy, because I have been racing a long long time, it's my seventh year with the team, but the excitement I had today was the same I had when I first got in an F1 car, which is really weird and I was not expecting that.”

Bottas got the chance to test the car for the first time in the morning and said that the team had taken positives from the shakedown, as well as understood things that needed to be addressed for the start of pre-season testing at Barcelona in Spain on Monday.

“Being the first ever to drive a new Formula 1 car is very cool,” he said. “I feel very privileged and it was nice to get a bit of a feel.

“It was a shakedown, so it is not a proper test, but everything was working fine already. We have found some things we can improve for the testing, and found some positives.”

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Red Bull reveals its first Honda-powered F1 car

Red Bull has unveiled its first Honda-powered Formula 1 car in what it called a "one-off" livery.
The four-time constructors' championship-winning team has moved away from long-time supplier Renault in a bid to fight for titles again, and issued images online of the RB15 on Wednesday morning showing a new colour scheme featuring substantially more red.

Last year Red Bull's deal to brand its Renault engines Tag Heuer meant it ran the watch manufacturer's logos on the nose cone and where the engine cover meets the back of the sidepods.

Now, the Honda branding appears on the engine cover with Tag Heuer – which continues to support Red Bull despite the changed engine deal – shuffled to a position in front of the cockpit.

Aston Martin logos continue to appear on the outside of the cockpit and rear wing.

Red Bull looks set to shake its car down at Silverstone later on Wednesday, joining champion team Mercedes on track.

The junior Toro Rosso squad is also on track at Misano with Daniil Kvyat driving its 2019 car.

Max Verstappen, who effectively assumes the role of lead driver alongside newcomer Pierre Gasly, said in a Red Bull video released ahead of the unveiling that he was "very excited" to get started after off-season that had felt "quite long".

But he said he would avoid setting targets until the opening race.

"I guess up until Australia you can't really set goals," said Verstappen. "It's a bit blind. In F1 it's related to the package you get.

"So, I'm always quite easy going. That doesn't mean I'm not always going to try to do as good as I can try to get the best out of myself.

"But you're so dependent on what you get as a package you just have to wait."