FORMULA 1

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BINOTTO: WE TRIED TO BE AS EXTREME AS WE COULD

Ferrari turned a page on their recent past as they unveiled the Formula 1 car designed to end an era of Mercedes domination and shatter Lewis Hamilton’s dreams of a sixth world championship title this season.

The sport’s oldest and most successful team, who last won a title more than a decade ago and finished runners-up last year, presented the SF90 with plenty of fanfare at their Maranello factory.

“I’m looking forward to this year. I think the team is on the right path and hopefully we can continue improving,” four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, winner of five races in 2018, assured the audience.

The German has a new teammate in Charles Leclerc, replacing 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, and a new principal following the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene and appointment of Mattia Binotto.

“I’m extremely excited to start this new adventure,” said Leclerc. “It’s a dream since childhood. I’ve always been looking at the red cars, hoping to be one day in this car, so it’s a very emotional day for me.”

Ferrari chief executive Louis Camilleri said Raikkonen, now at Alfa Romeo, and Arrivabene would always be part of Ferrari’s history but made clear the team was entering a new era.

Noting that Ferrari had enjoyed their best season in 10 years, he said they had still fallen short of their objectives in a setback that was “never easy to swallow.

“I can assure you that we look ahead with strong commitment and determination,” he added.

Camilleri said Vettel was as hungry as ever, and Leclerc a youngster with a great future.

He hailed Binotto as a “team player, decisive, talented and determined to make a huge difference at all levels.”

“Despite all the obvious pressure that exists, the atmosphere in the team from top to bottom will be one in which serenity will prevail,” said Camilleri.

“It is a precondition to a tightly-knit team where creativity, talent and transparency will flourish.”

Ferrari were far from serene under Arrivabene, adopting something of a siege mentality with the media often shut out and insiders talking of a climate of fear at Maranello.

Binotto said there were a lot of positives to take from 2018 but the new car was a step up. “We simply tried to raise the bar, raise the level, tried to be as extreme as we could.”

“Certainly we tried to push very hard, being innovative. The roll hoop is very narrow and very slim. The bodywork from the back, very slim.”

“In terms of engine installation, power unit installation, packaging, a lot of effort has been done and I think the final shape is the result of all these efforts.”

Testing starts in Spain on Monday with the first race in Australia on March 17.

 

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BINOTTO: WITH A GOOD CAR I’M EXPECTING A LOT FROM VETTEL

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is fully behind his star driver Sebastian Vettel ahead of the first day of preseason testing for the 2019 Formula 1 season which begins in Barcelona on Monday.

The newly instated team principal insists that the onus is on the Scuderia to provide Vettel with a race winning car so he can fight for the championship.

Speaking after the launch of the Ferrari SF90 at a lavish function at Maranello, Binotto said, “Sebastian is a very experienced driver, he won championships, he knows what is necessary to win, so it’s my task to put him in the proper conditions to do the job.”

“I’m expecting a lot from him, no doubt, as he is from himself,” added the technical chief turned team boss.

Tifosi could argue that the SF90’s predecessor – the SF70H – was a title-winning car but Vettel’s mistakes cost him the world title or at least ended his challenge far sooner than anyone wanted except, of course, his nemesis Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes team.

Charles Leclerc brings with him a dash of youth, a policy the team has seldom employed for drivers to race in their hallowed cars. But the Reds have groomed young Leclerc from his early days and it was as if he was ordained to drive for the team.

Binotto said of the 21-year-old Monegasque, “Charles for us is a very young driver, I can’t remember in the recent past of Ferrari having such a young driver in our line-up. There will be much to learn for him at the start, he’s got a good reference. I think Sebastian will be a good reference for him.”

Gone is veteran 2007 F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen who Vettel had the measure of both in and out of the car, but now the German may have to dig deeper than ever before as the first challenge will come from the young chap within his own garage.

However, Binotto a racing man knows that there may come a point, in the year ahead, when Leclerc may have to play second-fiddle, “I think it’s normal, especially early in the season, that if there are particular situations our priority will be Sebastian.”

“He is the guide with which we aim for the championship. But there’s no prejudice – the absolute priority is for Ferrari to win.”

“To have a driver pairing so competitive I think it’s not a problem but an opportunity. Sebastian has little to prove, and he remains our guide. Charles still has to learn, as pointed out by himself, but we know how talented he is.”

“I hope to have this problem of having two drivers to manage among the top positions,” added Binotto as his team seek another Formula 1 title, that has eluded them for over a decade, to add to the 31 they already have.

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SMEDLEY: BRINGING THE INNER BEAUTY OF F1 VIEWERS AND FANS

Rob Smedley, one of the better-known engineers in Formula 1, is set to work alongside motorsport chief Ross Brawn as he lends his experience to mapping the future of the sport which means for the first time in two decades the Englishman will not be affiliated with a team.

The former Jordan, Ferrari and Williams engineer will take on the role of technical consultant for Liberty Media, who are running the sport at the highest level since they bought it a couple of years ago.

Smedley said in an interview during a Beyond the Grid podcast, “It’s about trying to get a coherent message in terms of the technical side of Formula 1. How the events unfolded, why people have made certain decisions, and putting that out across the various different platforms, and hopefully telling a better story of Formula 1. It’s about really bringing the inner beauty of Formula 1 to the viewer, to the fan.”

After leaving Williams late last year, Smedley was in contact with Brawn, his former colleague at Ferrari, and it was agreed that he could contribute to where the sport is heading.

Smedley explained, “In conversations with Ross, we were both of the opinion that there’s this really rich seam of technical content, of data, of the way that teams operate, that actually never gets told. And it’s part of the whole story that underpins Formula 1, which actually the paying public, the Formula 1 fan, never ever gets to see – or they get to see very little of it. So there’s an opportunity in front of us to put that together at some level.”

“It’s well documented that I’d taken a decision to have a little bit of time away from the coalface in the teams, but I still have a huge burning passion for Formula 1.”

“I hope that this is a way of me giving a little bit back to the sport, to explain what I’ve learnt over the last 20 years in Formula 1 as an engineer to the viewer; not only the technical side or the operational side, but the human side as well – of what it takes for all those women and men who work in Formula 1 and commit their lives to it,” added Smedley.

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STROLL HAS LAST LAUGH AS WILLIAMS STUMBLE BEFORE FIRST TEST

Lance Stroll would be forgiven having the last laugh as he prepares to test for Racing Point, as his former Williams team will have the garage door down on the opening day of the first Formula 1 pre-season test which begins on Monday at Circuit de Catalunya.

The split between the Strolls and Williams was inevitable and after a disappointing season, in which they were clearly handed a dud of a car by Paddy Lowe and his team of engineers, billionaire Lawrence Stroll took his money and saved Force India from extinction.

The Strolls departed having spent anything up to $50-million with the Grove outfit, yet late last year Lowe had the gumption to tell reporters, “My personal view is that in hindsight [Lance] came into Formula 1 too early.”

“I think he would have been better to come a year later when he was better prepared. It was a really, really tough year for him last year,” admitted the Williams technical chief.

Lowe somehow survived the ‘post-2018 disaster’ inquisition at Williams, he lives another day as they say, but his second car for the team has already hit a rather big snag: the FW42 is not ready for day one of testing in Spain. His reputation and future hangs on the success of this next car.

Meanwhile, at the Racing Point launch function at the Toronto Auto Show, Stroll junior was asked by reporters if Lowe was perhaps correct in his claim that it was all a bit too much, too soon.

To which the Canadian responded, “All I can say is that the car was badly born last year and the engineers did not know how to develop it during the season.”

“When I took part in a test session two days after the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi [with Force India], I was 1.4 seconds faster in a car I had never driven. I think the times did the talking in Abu Dhabi. But it’s a thing of the past. I’m starting a new chapter in my career.”

“We have an outstanding organisation, which we have proved in recent years with limited resources. We don’t want to be at the back of the pack, which happened too often last year. Podiums are achievable. Our new team has the means to beat many teams in F1,” added the 20-year-old.

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WILLIAMS: WE HAVE TO DELAY THE START OF OUR PRE-SEASON TEST

Williams will not be on track for the first day of Formula 1 preseason testing which begins tomorrow (Monday) with the first day of official track action at Circuit de Catalunya.

The announcement comes in the wake of the team being forced to cancel the shakedown for the Fw42 which was scheduled for yesterday (Saturday) at Silverstone.

The news is a blow for their new drivers, as both Robert Kubica and George Russell need as much track time as possible, while the team are depending on this car – the second under the watch of technical boss Paddy Lowe – to reverse their fortunes and lift them off the bottom of the F1 pecking order.

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, ROKiT Williams Racing said in a statement, “Unfortunately, we have had to delay the start of our pre-season Barcelona test to Tuesday morning.”

“We have had an incredibly busy winter at Grove getting the FW42 prepared for the season ahead and, despite everyone’s best efforts, we need some more time before it will be ready to run.

“Our absolute priority is to always ensure we bring a car to the track that is the best that it can be and sometimes that takes longer than you’d anticipate or like. It’s clearly not ideal, but equally it’s not the end of the world.”

“We will obviously have our work cut out to recover the time lost but we still have seven days of testing left and we will be maximising that time to prepare the car for the first race,” added the deputy team chief.

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McLaren expects smoother second year with Renault

McLaren believes last year’s experience with engine supplier Renault will stand the parties in greater stead for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign.

McLaren, following three years with Honda, switched to Renault power for 2018, but the team’s anticipated leap forward failed to materialise, as it finished a low-key sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Renault has already expressed confidence that it has made strides with its engine package, having been unable to consistently challenge at the front in the hybrid era.

McLaren, meanwhile, has been able to refine its MCL34 with greater clarity, having only confirmed its Renault deal for 2018 the previous September, hindering the potential of last year’s MCL33.

“Renault are saying things differently this year than they did last year,” said McLaren boss Zak Brown.

“Ie, last year they were very grounded in where they thought their engine was and the deficit to the front.

“So on the basis of that we’ve found them to be very honest in their communication of where they think they are, so it’s encouraging they’re as positive as they are.

“A second year with Renault, we’ve done a better job working closely with them to develop the car around the power unit, we know the power unit better.

“That was some of our issues last year, I think we made the decision to change [in 2017] a little bit late and we had reliability issues, some of those were car design and not knowing the power unit and how to package it as well as we could do.

“So it seems like they’re in a better spot, a better position to capitalise on a year’s experience.”

Brown nonetheless stressed that McLaren is remaining grounded with its expectations for 2019, having emphasised last year that its recovery is a long-term project.

“I think all we can do is, which is our desire, is to take a good step forward,” he said.

“I think it’s difficult not knowing the competition, and it’s really close where we’re racing, where that is in points and championship.

“I think last year was obviously very disappointing, we did not produce a fast race car or a race car that responded well to development… as the season went on others got in front of us.

“I think this year the desire is to put a good quality race car on track from the word go and then have our development work over the course of the year.

“But it’s hard to put a number on what that looks like.”

[TheGipper]

I like the black accents on the Ferrari.  Looks better than the white they had previous seasons.

[TheGipper]

And Williams already behind everyone else, missing Day 1.

Plus they are putting the guy with the thickest wallet out in the car for Day 2 (Latifi).  And not one of their active drivers.

Already looks like a long 2019 in store for Williams.

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12 minutes ago, TheGipper said:

And Williams already behind everyone else, missing Day 1.

Plus they are putting the guy with the thickest wallet out in the car for Day 2 (Latifi).  And not one of their active drivers.

Already looks like a long 2019 in store for Williams.

As soon as I read the article on that I face palmed myself.

This story for the Williams team is so woeful, I have no positive words for them. I used to love this team, to call them even a shadow of their former selves is an understatement.

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Daniel Ricciardo gives Renault R.S.19 track debut in Spain

Daniel Ricciardo has completed his first running in Renault Formula 1 machinery as part of a filming day in Spain.

Ricciardo has joined Renault on a two-year deal after opting to leave Red Bull following a decade-long affiliation, which included five seasons with its Formula 1 team.

Renault posted a short clip of Ricciardo giving the R.S.19 its on-track debut at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday, two days before the start of pre-season testing at the venue.

It means Renault has become the sixth team to carry out a shakedown of its 2019 car.

Mercedes, Red Bull and Toro Rosso all ran on Wednesday, Alfa Romeo on Thursday, while Haas preceded Renault by running in Barcelona on Friday.

Formula 1 teams are permitted two filming days per season in which running is limited to 100km and must be carried out on Pirelli’s promotional tyres.

Pre-season testing will begin at 09:00 on Monday morning at the Spanish Grand Prix venue.

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Formula 1 2019 ready to roar info life in Spain

It's almost time for Formula 1's 2019 season to kick into life. Motorsport Week looks ahead to pre-season testing, and the start of a new campaign.

The winter break is creeping towards its conclusion. Formula 1 slipped into its hibernation at the end of November but behind the scenes the 10 teams have been burning the midnight oil, pushing the boundaries and putting the finishing touches on the cars which will carry their respective 2019 hopes. Their ambitions will vary – titles, wins, podiums, points; glory or merely a return to respectability – but the nerves will be the same when the green light comes on at the end of the pit lane in Barcelona on Monday morning. There will then be just eight days of testing, interrupted by a four-day pause – where the work and tweaks will never stop – after which there will be only a week before the paddock ready their boarding passes for the long journey to Australia’s season-opener. Melbourne is well and truly peering over the horizon.

Formula 1 chiefs are still ruminating over the proposed 2021 regulations – with the level of overhaul appearing slimmer with each passing month that the can gets kicked down the road – but tweaks have been made for 2019. The front wing has been simplified, with standardised endplates and revised dimensions (up from 1800mm to 2000mm, moved forwards 2500mm), with the ambition of directing the air to the underbody of the car. The removal of upper flaps on the front wing should also mean that there is more ‘inwash’ than ‘outwash’ in terms of aerodynamic philosophy, changing the nature of the air flow. It is hoped that the ‘dirty air’ will therefore be reduced by around 20 per cent, facilitating drivers in remaining closer to each other. Bargeboards have also been lowered by 150mm and brought forwards by 100mm, while the DRS opening has been increased from 65mm to 85mm, as part of an overall taller and wider wing, in a bid to make it more effective when activated. That higher wing profile will also mean the rooster tail wake coming off the car in front is higher, giving it greater scope to disperse before it affects the pursuing car. Elsewhere there has been an increase in car weight while for the first time there will be a mandatory minimum driver + seat weight (set at 80kg), ensuring that the taller drivers are not unfairly penalised due to their height. Fuel allocation has also been increased from 105kg to 110kg.

Does title number six beckon?

But while there have been technical changes the greatest intrigue, as ever, is the human element, and in 2019 there have been switches and swaps galore to set up a tantalising array of storylines up and down the 20-strong grid.

Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton are both out in search of their respective sixth World Championships, with the Briton edging closer to Michael Schumacher’s tally of titles and Grand Prix wins, a total that once seemed impregnable. Such has been the mercurial nature of both Hamilton’s displays and Mercedes’ operation that the tallies could be equalled, or eclipsed, by the end of 2020. Not that either party will allow any such thought to enter their minds. Hamilton will again by joined by Valtteri Bottas, the pressure on whom has increased after a 2018 campaign that promised much but delivered little, wrecked by early misfortune, team instructions and a batch of late-season middling performances. The Hamilton/Bottas dynamic has taken the Briton and Mercedes to a new level but the presence of highly-touted Esteban Ocon in the wings – twiddling his thumbs on the simulator after losing his race seat – will not go unnoticed by the Finn.

The high plateau on which Hamilton/Mercedes operated was bad news for Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari, as both driver and team cracked for a second successive season. Goodwill is in short supply towards Vettel, whose occasionally outstanding performances were contrasted by a sequence of errors that undid Maranello’s realistic title prospects. He still has two years left on his lucrative contract but will face an intriguing internal battle in the form of new team-mate Charles Leclerc, who steps up to the Scuderia off the back of a stellar rookie campaign with Sauber. Leclerc has the speed and the attitude to be a successful fixture at Ferrari for the next decade and being paired with Vettel will be a test for both. It is surely now or never for Vettel’s dream of emulating Michael Schumacher as a Ferrari champion. The squad also has a new face in the Team Principal hotseat after replacing Maurizio Arrivabene with Mattia Binotto, widely praised for turning around the engine department before his work with the technical organisation. Can he translate that into success at the highest level?

Will Honda give Red Bull wins?

Red Bull Racing is the only other team in the hybrid era to have triumphed at a Grand Prix – and for 2019 it embarks on a new relationship with Honda, having severed its 12-year Renault association. Red Bull has pinned much of its deficiencies since 2014 on Renault’s engine deficit (and the French manufacturer has struggled to match its opponents, although perhaps not to the extent of Milton Keynes’ protestations) but now the mantle rests on Honda. It is not overly hyperbolic to outline that the future participation of Red Bull and Honda in Formula 1 is dependent on the partnership flourishing. Formula 1 will be healthier if a third team and engine supplier can regularly battle for wins and the title, while if Honda cannot succeed at this team – and at this level – then it is difficult to envisage the company green-lighting the budget forever. Along with the name of the engine supplier on the car, the name above the garage door has also changed. Pierre Gasly joins Max Verstappen in the driver line-up and if the stars align will be well-primed to end France’s 23-year wait for a Grand Prix win – last achieved by Olivier Panis when Pierre was but a mere few months old. Gasly is also out to forge a strong reputation, after an impressive first full season, and horns could certainly be locked. Gasly has been drafted into Red Bull in place of Daniel Ricciardo, which brings us nicely on to Renault.

Renault is entering year four of its comeback and for the first time has a de facto A-list race-winning driver in its line-up. Renault has made gains in each season since it took over the almost-defunct Lotus operation at the end of 2015 and has invested both financially and resources-wise at its Enstone (chassis) and Viry-Chatillon (engine) bases, albeit not to the extent of the front-runners. It leaves Renault in a peculiar twilight zone. It does not want to hugely expand in anticipation of potential post-2021 budget caps but nor will it want to tread water until the next regulatory cycle, particularly with Ricciardo on board. Last season it spearheaded the midfield group, edging Force India’s combined points tally, and eventually moving clear of Haas. This year the challenge must be to firmly leave that pack behind. It must be in a position to threaten for podiums and worry the established winners. If it is still being referred to as ostensibly a midfield operation then something is amiss.

Haas is eager to build on a strong 2018

That Renault and Haas developed an at-times prickly relationship in 2018 was demonstrative of the manner in which Formula 1’s newest team rose up the order. It enters its fourth year as one of only two teams with an unchanged driver line-up in the form of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, and another season’s worth of experience will make it a stronger and more rounded team, having allowed several chances to slip through its fingers last season. Haas’ car will again be designed by Dallara and it continues the relationship with Ferrari that attracted the attention of rivals last year – though, noticeable, those voices were louder from those whose performance was lower…

While Haas has remained stable, for McLaren it’s another new era. That was supposed to come in 2018, when it re-emerged from the doldrums after severing its ties with Honda. That was the plan – only it did not work out so sweetly. Direct comparisons with fellow Renault-powered teams alerted McLaren to its own deep-rooted deficiencies, leading to a revision of its organisation and shake-up of its technical department. James Key will arrive at some stage, as will Andrea Seidl, whose task will be to lead the Formula 1 team, reporting to Zak Brown. Seidl will find a team with a revised driver line-up in the shape of ex-Renault/Toro Rosso racer Carlos Sainz Jr. and Formula 2 runner-up Lando Norris, the 19-year-old the youngest full-time McLaren racer in history. With Fernando Alonso having had enough, they have big shoes to fill. McLaren’s MCL33 was fundamentally flawed and the team will be desperate to avoid such a repeat with the MCL34, and it can barely afford another year with such ignominious showings.

The Force India name has gone and in, perhaps temporarily, comes Racing Point. Owner Lawrence Stroll has lofty long-term goals for the team, which now enters a tricky phase in its existence (we are, after all, in throwaway terms recognising it as the same team that has existed since 1991, even if legally it is a new mid-2018 entrant). Force India made its name by being efficient, maximising its resources, and avoiding being led down incorrect paths. Can it maintain such an approach now that it is flushed with greater backing? Entrusted with taking the team into its new era is midfield stalwart and occasional plucky podium finisher Sergio Perez and son-of-team-owner Lance Stroll, who joins after two years with Williams. Can Stroll challenge the established and formidable Perez? And how will the team dynamics develop when there is such a clear and obvious (and financially-flushed) family connection between driver and owner?

Alfa Romeo has taken over the Sauber name

Sauber’s rise was one of the feel-good stories of 2018 as, freed from the shackles of worrying financial constraints and a year-old engine, it returned to respectability. Now the task is for the Frederic Vasseur-led outfit to build on that platform – the boss having originally regarded 2018 as a transition year – and make the next step. It aims to do so with a refreshed line-up of 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and full-time Ferrari-affiliated rookie Antonio Giovinazzi, and a rebranded identity in the form of Alfa Romeo. Raikkonen’s return completes an unexpected career full circle but Raikkonen is not merely at Alfa Romeo to make up the numbers and his presence will galvanise a team that has lost a star asset in Leclerc. Raikkonen’s precise feedback and pure passion for racing will be of huge benefit, not to mention his marketability, while he also presents a useful benchmark for Giovinazzi, whose potential remains something of an unknown.

Toro Rosso was last year effectively a test bed for Honda, as the Japanese firm developed its power unit, and this season should benefit from a closer alliance with Red Bull, with both teams now in bed with the Japanese manufacturer. Toro Rosso, though, will still be the guinea pigs. Out has gone the promoted Gasly and the axed Brendon Hartley and in their places are returnee Daniil Kvyat and ex-junior-come-good Alexander Albon. Both are low-profile diligent characters capable of a quick turn of pace, whose career paths mean you’d have got long odds on this being Toro Rosso’s 2019 line-up. Kvyat was sacked from Red Bull late in 2017 and revitalised his career with a development role at Ferrari, with his greater maturity prompting Helmut Marko to gamble on the Russian’s services for a third time. Albon, meanwhile, spent a single unsatisfactory year on Red Bull’s junior scheme in 2012 but kick-started his prospects with a strong GP3 campaign in 2016, finishing runner-up to Leclerc, and last year emerged as a F2 title contender, making a mockery of the budget shortfall that meant he started on a round-by-round contract.

Williams was at the back last year and already on the back foot this season missing day 1 of testing

Hopeless backmarkers no longer exist in Formula 1 and that means a hundred-million-dollar operation has to finish at the rear of the field. Last season that was Williams as it endured a terrible campaign with its flawed FW41, prompting an overhaul of technical management and an analysis of where it went wrong. For this year it has promoted Robert Kubica to a race seat, with the Pole’s return to the grid understandably set to be one of the season’s most-tracked stories, while his healthy sponsorship package from his homeland also assisted his cause. Kubica will be partnered by Mercedes-backed George Russell, whose back-to-back titles in GP3 and Formula 2 cemented a growing reputation, having impressed Williams with his off-track conduct in commencing negotiations. It would be a major surprise if Williams was able to lift itself back into the midfield considering its dire 2018. It is already on the backfoot after confirming that its FW42 will not be ready until Tuesday.

As for testing – that begins at Spanish Grand Prix venue Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Monday and will last for two blocks of four days, concluding on March 1. The circuit will be open from 09:00 to 18:00, with a one-hour break for lunch at 13:00, on each of the eight days of running, though action will be suspended in the event of breakdowns, accidents or freak weather (as happened in 2018, when unseasonably snowy weather all but wrecked one day). Each team is permitted just one car, meaning drivers will typically share duties 50-50, either receiving four whole days or eight half days, or a combination thereof. Motorsport Week will be present throughout the test to gather the latest news, views and insight so be sure to stay tuned to our coverage of a busy period for Formula 1.

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Norris: Sim racing can make me a better F1 driver

McLaren driver Lando Norris reckons his sim racing exploits, which included teaming up with Max Verstappen last weekend, can help make him a better Formula 1 driver.
Norris is an eager gamer, and regularly broadcasts his racing exploits online. He recently joined Verstappen in a Team Redline assault on iRacing’s Bathurst 12 Hours, but the event ended in frustration after an early crash by their team boss Atze Kerkhof put them out of contention.

But even without a hard result to show for his efforts, Norris says he is constantly able to learn more about car setups that have real world benefits.

“There are definitely things you can learn from a strategy perspective,” said Norris. “I tend to like the endurance races and I attempted in doing one at the weekend with Max…

“We go through hours and hours of preparation trying to do setup stuff and, from that side of things, you learn a lot about different cars.

“A lot of it relates very well back to an F1 car. So you try ride heights, wings, camber, caster, whatever, tyre pressure.

“You are staying involved in all this and knowing what everything does and the combinations of, for example, if you go with this wing you can get away with a bit more lower rear ride height and things like that. Sometimes people don’t know that.”

Norris says that the intensity of online racing, and how serious it has become nowadays, it also something that brings him great satisfaction.

“A lot of it is for the enjoyment point of it,” he said. “I love driving on the sim and doing races, and putting the time and effort in and hopefully getting a good result out of it.

“Sometimes it is not always a good result and your teammate crashes on lap five and you don’t get to drive that much!

“Putting in the hours and the passion and dedication just for a simulator race, I absolutely love. I can learn from people like Max and not just real life drivers, people who drive in the sim, they know a lot about how to set up a car even.

“For the race we did in Bathurst we had a proper engineer, we had another simulator guy who runs a simulator company in the Netherlands. There are a lot of wise people that you can learn from, and it is not just drivers.”

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Ricciardo: Red Bull's handling of Baku crash a factor in exit

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that the way Red Bull handled his collision with Max Verstappen in Baku last year played a part in his decision to leave the team for Renault.
The Australian and his then teammate caused controversy in Azerbaijan when an intense on-track battle culminated in a spectacular crash.

The incident left Red Bull chiefs furious, and both drivers were told to apologise to staff at the factory.

Reflecting now on the circumstances that led to him choosing Renault over Red Bull for 2019, Ricciardo says that he felt it was unfair of his former team to blame him and Verstappen equally for what happened.

Speaking about the factors that prompted his decision, Ricciardo said: “I couldn’t tell you how many little pieces made up the puzzle, the kaleidoscope, but I guess that [Baku] was one of the little pieces.

“We both got a talking to, putting it politely, but in my eyes, I felt like I was not really in the wrong even though I was the one that hit him. I think most people saw the double move.

“Even before that, there was a lot of contact and I think a lot of people thought it went on too long.

"I guess the way it was handled at the time didn’t sit too well with me, so that was like a little thing that bothered me. But it wasn’t the dealbreaker, if you know what I mean.”

Asked if he felt that Verstappen should have been told off more for the incident, Ricciardo said: “Yeah. Handling the media I get, and it [Red Bull] is a big brand to look after. So again it doesn’t help if we both go off at each other and that.

“I kind of felt like there was a bit of equal blame. And maybe that is me being a stubborn race car driver, but I didn’t feel it was an equal incident I guess. That is the easiest way to put it.”

Despite his unease over Red Bull’s reaction to the Verstappen crash in Baku, he insists he never had a personal problem with the Dutchman, nor felt that his teammate played political games with him.

“I don’t necessarily think Max was political. Just Max is Max,” he said. “Even now it is done and I don’t need to be careful with what I say, it was actually pretty good.

“Look, some of the flamboyancy with Max, that is just with age as well, and I guess from that point of view I would expect less with Nico [Hulkenberg] just because it is a bit of an age gap and maturity. 

"Nico has been around the block plenty of times. But going back to Max... I don’t think he was political. It was fun.”

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Vettel not entertaining Ferrari exit with "mission" incomplete

Sebastian Vettel says not to expect anything other than him remaining at Ferrari beyond 2019 as his "mission" at the Scuderia remains incomplete.

Vettel’s long-time Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen has been replaced by highly-rated youngster Charles Leclerc for 2019, which has drawn comparisons to when Vettel was outshone by new Red Bull signing Daniel Ricciardo in 2014. 

This even moved 2009 world champion Jenson Button to declare Leclerc could give Vettel a “tough decision” to make over his future.

Addressing his Ferrari future for the first time, at the launch of the team’s new car, Vettel pointed to the contract extension he signed in 2017 that committed him to Ferrari until the end of 2020 at the earliest. 

“It's quite known that my contract goes until 2020 so, don't expect anything else,” said Vettel. 

“I'm very happy here. Obviously my goal is to win the championship.

“We were not getting as close as we want, so there's still a job to do, and I feel that's my mission and the reason why I'm here, for myself, for the team. 

“Obviously, I like driving, I love driving, I've got a great passion for driving, but on top of that I've got a great passion for this team, for Ferrari, inspired throughout my whole childhood.

“For me, it's pretty clear what I'm here to do.”

Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015 and enjoyed the upper-hand over Raikkonen throughout their four years together, winning 13 races and twice finishing second in the championship.

Leclerc, who has only one year of F1 experience with Sauber, has been widely tipped to challenge Vettel more regularly.

At Ferrari’s launch new team principal Mattia Binotto said he hoped to have the “problem” of managing two drivers competing with each other, although admitted Vettel would get priority early in the season if the situation demanded it. 

Addressing his performance advantage over Raikkonen, Vettel dismissed the suggestion it was “always that clear” and reiterated previous comments that he anticipates no problems with Leclerc. 

“When you are teammates you see exactly what the other driver is doing and I think with Kimi it worked very well the last couple of years,” said Vettel. 

“I think we had a similar feeling for the car. 

“Obviously now Charles is there and I think he will be very quick, there is no doubt. I expect him to pick up very quickly. 

“The main thing is to work together as a team. On-track I don’t need to remind Charles he wants to be quicker than me and the same goes for me. 

“That’s normal. You find the 20 best drivers in the world in the 20 cars on the grid, nobody needs a reminder of that.”

[MIKA27]

Tech verdict: Alfa Romeo's 'extreme' 2019 F1 front wing explained

Formula 1 fans were treated to a surprise on Thursday, as spy shots of Alfa Romeo's 2019 Formula 1 car emerged three days before its scheduled launch date.
The team, which has taken over Sauber's name and entry for 2019, gave its new challenger a shakedown run at the Fiorano circuit in Italy – using one of two permitted promotional events to run the car before the start of pre-season testing at Barcelona next week.

Autosport's Technical Editor Jake Boxall-Legge joins Glenn Freeman to analyse what the pictures reveal about Alfa's challenger, which features what he describes as "the strangest 2019 front wing we've seen so far".

[MIKA27]

Ferrari: New rules have been a 'gamechanger' says Binotto

They came close. Very close. But ultimately 2018 was another defeat for Ferrari as they sought their first Formula 1 world championship since 2008. As they look to right that wrong, new boss Mattia Binotto said at the launch of their 2019 car that the new aerodynamic rules will be a “gamechanger” for this season…

This year’s breed of F1 cars will feature radically different front and rear wings as part of a tweak of the championship’s aerodynamic regulations. Despite losing out to Mercedes, Ferrari have opted to incorporate those changes onto a car that is an evolution rather than revolution.

“The car we presented today is a evolution of the 2018 car, the reason is because the 2018 car was already a great car,” said Binotto. “It was not strong enough to win at the end, but it was a good baseline.

“We have tried to raise the bar, to be even further and more aggressive and try to adapt ourselves to the new aero regulations, which has been a gamechanger for the next season.

“It’s not a revolution, it’s step by step and we will try to learn from the past what was wrong and try somehow to address all the issues we have got and make sure we’re ready for the season.”

Ferrari will field a different line-up this year, with Charles Leclerc coming in to replace Kimi Raikkonen alongside Sebastian Vettel, who was defeated by Lewis Hamilton in the battle for last year’s drivers’ championship.

Binotto says he is “expecting a lot” from Vettel, who will enter his fifth year with the Scuderia, while he expects Leclerc will have “a lot to learn” as he becomes one of the youngest drivers Ferrari has ever fielded.

“Sebastian is a very experienced driver, he won championships, he knows what is necessary to win, so it’s my task to put him in the proper conditions to do the job,” said Binotto. “I’m expecting a lot from him, no doubt, as he is from himself.

“Charles for us is very young driver, I can’t remember in the recent past of Ferrari having such a young driver in our line-up. There will be much to learn for him at the start, he’s got a good reference. I think Sebastian will be a good reference for him.”

 

[MIKA27]

Mercedes: 2019 power unit tweaks to provide efficiency and aerodynamic benefits

“Every season starts with zero points” noted Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff ahead of the launch of his team’s 2019 car, the W10. And with that being the case, Mercedes haven’t rested on their five-straight-title-winning laurels, with the Silver Arrows set to debut an all-new power unit on Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas’ cars this year.

While the power unit in last year’s W09 helped propel the team to their fifth double championship in as many years, the bods at Mercedes’ Brixworth engine base have been busy combing through the design of the unit for the W10 with a view to making it even stronger for 2019.

Hamilton enjoys ‘great first date’ with 2019 car

“We’ve made changes to the cooling architecture of the power unit,” said Andy Cowell, Mercedes’ Managing Director of Performance Powertrains, “which hopefully provide aerodynamic benefit on the car and also provide efficiency benefit on the power unit – so hopefully a win on both the chassis and on the power unit.

“Right at the heart of the power unit is the conversion of fuel into heat release in the combustion chamber and useful work out of the crankshaft. We have made steps on the combustion efficiency and on the [energy recovery system]. The marriage between the turbocharger assembly with the MGU-H, the inverter, the cells and the MGU-K: that whole system is now capable of operating more efficiently and helping with energy deployment through a race.”

Mercedes didn’t have too many chinks in their armour last year, but a key one was the way the W09 tended to be harder on its rear tyres than either the Ferrari or the Red Bull – and it’s another aspect the team have been looking to improve heading into the new season.

“The handling of the W09 was a big improvement over the rather idiosyncratic W08,” said James Allison, Mercedes’ Technical Director. “We managed to be competitive at tracks which had plagued us in recent years. However, notwithstanding this improvement, we were still not as good as some of our competitors at preserving the performance of the rear tyres.

“We have worked hard on the suspension and aerodynamic characteristics to deliver a car that will be much kinder to its tyres – enough, we hope, to allow us to be competitive at all phases of the race and at each track on the calendar.”

The W10’s first major chance to prove itself will come when 2019 winter testing begins in Spain on February 18 – and expect Ferrari and Red Bull to be eagle-eyed observers the first time the new Silver Arrow hits the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

[skalls]

Looks like Williams is doing a good job from bouncing back from an awful 2018 season. (That's sarcasm).  Now they are saying they are missing 2 days.

How the hell do you have 3 months of 24/7 work and still not have a car built?

[MIKA27]

ALFA ROMEO UNVEIL THE C38 AHEAD OF BARCELONA F1 TESTING

The Alfa Romeo C38 broke cover on the same morning that Formula 1 preseason testing began at Circuit de Catalunya, but before engines fired up in anger the former Sauber team revealed not only their new car but also their all-new driver lineup of veteran Kimi Raikkonen and rookie Antonio Giovinazzi.

The team reported:

At 8.30, exactly 30 minutes before Formula 1 cars took to the track for the first time in 2019, Alfa Romeo Racing presented the new Alfa Romeo Racing C38, last but not least.

A shame that our friends from Wikipedia didn’t show up, as it would have made their job of updating our page so much easier. Boy will they be busy, as there is a lot to do:

New name: The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team became Alfa Romeo Racing. Structure, ownership and management stay the same, the name changes. Nice.

New drivers: Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Iceman and Giovi. Thanks to Title Sponsor Alfa Romeo, one (Kimi) is driving the Stelvio with the number 7, the other (Antonio) has the pleasure to deal with Giulia in the car with number 99, which is a homage to his earlier career.

New livery: already a stunner in 2018, this livery is even cooler and sexier, combining the classic colours of the traditional Sauber team – white and blue – with the iconic red symbolizing one of the most historical brands in racing, Alfa Romeo.

New sponsors: our Comms office was nearly as busy as Zurich airport as press releases about new partners “departed” on an hourly basis.

New technical features: Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur and Technical Director Simone Resta don’t want us to go into any detail, but let’s say we used the winter months for getting creative rather than skiing in the Suisse Alps.

We believe that’s enough of exciting news for one day, but it’s fair to say that the
team behind Alfa Romeo Racing looks forward to a new shot at proving their potential and scoring big in 2019.

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing and CEO Sauber Motorsport AG: “We are proud to present the Alfa Romeo Racing C38 – a car which is the result of the important work of each of member of our team, at our factory in Switzerland as well as at the track. The livery brings out last year’s features in a stronger and more edgy way. We are proud to display the logos of our partners, who have joined us in the scope of the expansion of our commercial activities, on these cars. I would like to thank everyone who has worked towards creating this car for their relentless enthusiasm for our team’s mission and our sport, and we look forward to continuing to make progress and fight for strong results in the upcoming championship.”

Simone Resta, Technical Director Alfa Romeo Racing: “Since joining the team last year, I have seen progressive growth on all fronts and am very pleased to see the result of the hard work completed over the course of this winter, our 2019 Formula One contender, the new Alfa Romeo Racing C38. All departments have been collaborating well and the whole team has been pushing in the same direction. We have set ambitious targets for this season which brings along a significant change in regulations – mainly from an aerodynamic point of view. We have a great driver line-up and look forward to hearing their feedback in the next two weeks of testing ahead of the first Grand Prix in Melbourne.”

Kimi Räikkönen (car number 7): “The car looks great. The livery design is nice. A lot of partners have joined to support this team which is a positive, and we thank them for believing in us. I look forward to getting on track now and learning more about the C38 during the next two weeks of testing.”

Antonio Giovinazzi (car number 99): “I think it is a beautiful car – the design of the livery is great, very clean, and I like the colours a lot. It is my first own car in Formula One and it is something very special to me. We have many great sponsors who support us and we are very thankful for their confidence in our team. I really look forward to jumping into the C38 for the first time this week.”

[MIKA27]

WILLIAMS: THE FW42 WILL ONLY RUN WEDNESDAY AT THE EARLIEST

Williams have started the 2019 Formula 1 season in the worst way possible as another day of testing will be missed tomorrow, making it two days that the team and their new drivers Robert Kubica and George Russell will miss while their rivals rack up mileage.

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, ROKiT Williams Racing: “It is looking more likely than not that we will now not be in a position to run on track until Wednesday at the earliest. This is obviously extremely disappointing, but it is unfortunately the situation we are in. We will be getting the FW42 on track as soon as we are able.”

This is a huge blow for Kubica and George both in desperate need of track time for obvious reasons, the Pole funding his drive through backers makes a return to the top flight after an eight-year journey to return, while Russell as a rookie will also be disappointed by the turn of events.

This is the second car being built under technical director Paddy Lowe’s watch, and after last year’s disastrous FW41, the successor simply has to be good for the situation not to worsen drastically. The two (or more) days of delay will be hurting all involved.

This means Williams will only have six or fewer days to prepare for the season opener in exactly a month from now.

MIKA: As @skalls mentioned, pretty woeful IMHO. This will be the season for Williams I'm afraid. I think the leadership of the team needs to change.

[MIKA27]

VETTEL: AN UNBELIEVABLE FIRST DAY

Ferrari’s first day of Formula 1 preseason testing on Monday was close to perfection, a delighted Sebastian Vettel said after setting the fastest time and completing more laps than anyone else.

The four times world champion managed 169 laps of Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya at the wheel of the Ferrari SF90 and the German did not hide his delight.

“I couldn’t have hoped for a better first day. Unbelievable.”I think the car was working really well. we had no issues slowing us down, we actually completed the programme just the way we wanted,” he told reporters.

“Obviously I am still a little bit rusty because I haven’t driven for a couple of months but it’s getting better. I certainly got enough laps today,” added Vettel.

“I will sleep well tonight. The car is working, I’m very happy. It’s doing what I want, so I am very pleased at the moment.

“I think huge compliments to everyone back in the factory… how they tackled the new rules and regulations and what they put on track today is very close to perfection on the first day of driving.”

Ferrari have had a shake-up since last season, with Mattia Binotto installed as team principal in place of the departed Maurizio Arrivabene.

That has also brought a change in attitude, with Ferrari already seeming a more welcoming place — for the media at least — after what had seemed like a siege mentality under Arrivabene.

Binotto has decades of experience at Ferrari and Vettel said the foundations remained the same.

“Obviously he’s been around a long time and knows everybody so in this regard there is no news,” said Vettel.

“Its obviously news to be in the position and have that responsibility but so far I think everybody is having a smile on their face, focused and happy to come in for work and do their job.

“Days like this and a start like this are quite rewarding, with a lot of laps on the clock and a general good feeling for the car.”

Vettel is now starting his fifth season at Ferrari, and he was reminded that it took his great compatriot Michael Schumacher five years before he won a title with the Italian team.

While he said it was too early to make such comparisons, and it did not feel like five years since he left Red Bull, Vettel saw clear progress in the team.

“The team is developing and closer together year by year so I hope that this year we get to have a lot of fun — fun means win a lot of races and then ultimately you are fighting for the championship,” he said.

“If we can maintain the level of enjoyment and fun that I found on the track today, and saw in people’s faces the last couple of months, then I’m positive and hopeful for the future.”

[MIKA27]

TOST: ALBON COULD BE THE SURPRISE OF THE YEAR

Rookie Alexander Albon could be a surprise of the Formula 1 season, the Thai’s Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost said as testing started on Monday.

The 22-year-old driver has moved up from Formula Two, where he won four races last year and finished third overall behind fellow F1 rookies George Russell and Lando Norris.

In 2016, he was runner-up to now Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in GP3, where they were teammates.

“I think Alex could become a positive surprise of the year because people don’t know him so much,” Tost told reporters at the Circuit de Catalunya.

“We observed him last year and also the years before. We must not forget he was successful also in GP3, he was together with Leclerc and could beat him a couple of times and in Formula Two he showed really some good races, good overtaking.

“I am more than optimistic that he will do a good job,” added the Austrian.

Albon, the first Thai Formula One driver since Prince Bira in the 1950s, is teamed up with Russian Daniil Kvyat in a new for 2019 line-up at the Red Bull-owned team.

Kvyat previously raced for Toro Rosso from 2013-14, before being promoted to Red Bull Racing for 2015. He was then demoted again in 2016 after four races and dropped in 2017 after 14 rounds.

He spent 2018 as a Ferrari development driver before being recalled by Toro Rosso, who had dropped New Zealander Brendon Hartley and needed a replacement for Pierre Gasly after the Frenchman moved up to Red Bull.

“We all know that Daniil Kvyat is a very, very highly skilled driver,” said Tost. “I think we have Daniil Kvyat back as we know him from the former times and therefore he will do a good job.”

Both Toro Rosso and Red Bull have the same Honda engines this season and will be working more closely together in development.

Tost expected Toro Rosso, ninth of the 10 teams last year, to be further up the pecking order with Honda making progress on the engine side.

“I think that Honda has reached a very high level on the reliability side as well as on the performance side and I don’t expect that we will have so many additional engine changes this year,” he said.

“I am quite sure that Red Bull Racing will be able to win races with them and that we will also gain a lot of advantages out of this cooperation. I expect a successful season for Toro Rosso as well as for Honda,” added Tost.

[MIKA27]

CHANDHOK: I SENSE A VERY DIFFERENT MCLAREN THESE DAYS

Karun Chandhok has made a welcome return to Sky F1 as a pundit, his insight and depth of knowledge coupled to unbridled enthusiasm for the sport make him highly quotable and a pleasure to listen to.

Along with Sky F1 colleagues, Chandhok did an excellent job keeping us viewers on F1TV Pro informed. Eight hours of track time and everything in-between and after is a great deal of talking, in fact it is about as close as Formula 1 gets to five-day cricket (those who know the game will understand)…

After the first day in Barcelona, having watched Carlos Sainz pop the McLaren MCL34 into second place on the timing screens shortly before the end of the day, Chandhok said, “I sense a very different McLaren these days. During the Honda era, there was a lot of: we have one of the best chassis and it’s all down to Honda.”

“I think there was a degree of humility that got set in last year and when you listen to people like Zak Brown and Jonathan Neale, once we got to Silverstone onwards, there was a humility of: we haven’t done a good enough job, we need to do better.”

“They understand that, they have a lot of people in there who are solid, grounded people who are newish to the fold. I think the new McLaren here, they’ve lost Fernando Alonso which to me is quite a big blow as that is three tenths of lap time in qualifying. Fernando delivered that sixth place in the constructors’ championship.”

“They are going to miss him but they have two motivated young drivers who are very, very capable. It’s a clean slate and every F1 fan will feel it’s important for McLaren to do well,” added Chandhok.

[MIKA27]

SAINZ: A VERY GOOD DAY FOR THE TEAM

Carlos Sainz was so keen to be the first driver on track at Circuit de Catalunya he orchestrated the ‘overtake’ of the season so far (pictured above) when he swerved around Valtteri Bottas at the end of the pitlane to get out first.

His day got better from there as the McLaren MCL34 showed handy pace to end the day second fastest behind pacesetter Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari.

Sainz went on to rack up impressive mileage with good reliability, ending the day only four tenths down on the top time, and almost 2.5 seconds up on the similarly powered Renault team.

Clearly satisfied with his first day in the cockpit, Sainz told reporters afterwards,  “A very good day for the team, 120 laps on the first day was exactly what we wanted – they were on the run plan and we managed to complete them.”

“After such a long winter it’s time to thank the mechanics and everyone back in the factory for the design process, the car build-up they’ve done, the very hard work to get the car ready – already for the presentation a week ago – and running it today without any issues.”

“There were small issues here and there, but nothing that stopped us from running. It was just a very slight cable that was not so connected, so nothing reliability-wise, nothing to worry about, just a car build-up issue.”

“So something to be very proud of as a team. We’ve come a long way since last year – where we were here last year compared to where we are now in terms of lap count and reliability, so definitely a step forward in that direction.”

“I think there is a lot to improve on the car still. Today we managed to learn a lot of things, we managed to see the underlying balance issues with the car, what we need to improve, “ he said.

“Now we have the directions. Once we have identified the balance issues and where we want to go, we will start working,” added the Spaniard who will sit out day two as teammate and rookie Lando Norris gets familiar with what appears to be a handy piece of kit, offering a glimmer of hope for long-suffering McLaren fans.

[MIKA27]

WOLFF: BREXIT IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR US

Brexit is a major concern for Formula 1 world champions Mercedes who fear the ‘mother of all messes’ could cause massive damage to Britain’s motorsport industry while also playing into the hand of rivals Ferrari, team chief Toto Wolff said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters on the first day of pre-season testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, the Austrian suggested a chaotic British departure from the European Union was the nightmare scenario for his team.

Mercedes, champions for the past five seasons, have their Formula One factory and high-performance engine operations based at Brackley and Brixworth near the British Grand Prix circuit Silverstone.

Seven of the 10 teams, including former champions Williams, Renault, Red Bull and McLaren also have factories in Britain with only Ferrari, Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso and Alfa Romeo based elsewhere in Europe.

“Brexit is a major concern for us and should be a major concern for all of us who and live and operate out of United Kingdom,” said Wolff.

“The way we get parts and services is just in time, at the last minute into the UK and any major disruption in borders or with access would massively damage the Formula One industry in the UK.

“There is uncertainty at the moment whether the industry is going to be impacted by a no-deal Brexit, or a Brexit that is damaging to what for me is one of the outstanding industries in the UK. We have said before, the mother of all messes.”

With 39 days left to Brexit, the ratification of the EU-UK divorce agreement has stalled in the British parliament, raising the risk that Britain could leave without an agreement in place to cushion economic disruption.

Formula One has 21 races this season, starting in Australia in March, with one in Britain and eight more in continental Europe including Monaco.

Wolff said Mercedes had 26 different nationalities represented in their team, many of them EU citizens, and Britain’s motorsport industry was akin to California’s Silicon Valley as a centre of expertise and innovation.

According to the Motorsport Industry Association, Britain’s ‘Motorsport Valley’ has an annual turnover of some 9 billion pounds ($11.63 billion) with British motorsport employing at least 41,000 people.

“We have certain contingency in place, like having more stock and thinking about how we would get parts and people in and out of the country, but it would be a disruption and it would cause all the UK teams a lot of headache,” said Wolff.

“Ferrari in Italy, Sauber (Alfa Romeo) in Switzerland, they would have a massive advantage over every UK-based team.”

Ferrari design and build their chassis and engine in Maranello, also supplying the Alfa Romeo and Haas team with power units.