Latest F1 news from Grand Prix 247

[clyderomerof4 (clyderomerof4]

Latest F1 news from Grand Prix 247

---

• Mercedes versus Ferrari it’s game on!
• Alonso: I knew my Mum would be watching on TV
• Sainz: Toro Rosso now best of the rest
• Long calendar leads to risk minimising by F1 teams
• Imola is Plan-B to replace Monza as Italian GP host
• Is modern Formula 1 too complicated?
• Rosberg: A perfect start
• Hamilton: It was damage limitation
• Ricciardo: We are happy to have exceeded expectations
• Ferrari: You shouldn’t count your chickens before they’re hatched

Mercedes versus Ferrari it’s game on!

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 01:05 AM PDT

“Game on!” declared a smiling world champion Lewis Hamilton after the Australian grand prix, as he finished second behind teammate Nico Rosberg.

The Briton was notably – and oddly – upbeat in the face of defeat to his Mercedes teammate, but Hamilton insisted he has had much worse starts to title campaigns.

“The longer the season, the less important the first race is,” Hamilton is quoted by Bild newspaper at the start of the unprecedentedly-long 21-race calendar.

But Hamilton and Rosberg may also have listened to their boss Toto Wolff, who warned late last year that if the severest of the heat did not go out of their off-track battle, Mercedes may need to consider a new lineup.

Rosberg even apologised for touching Hamilton in the first corner, but Wolff also promised to ease the restrictions on the pair, telling Welt am Sonntag newspaper: “We will not intervene between them, or at least we will try not to.

“This may actually be helped by the reduced radio communications, which gives greater scope for the drivers to make autonomous decisions,” he added.

Hamilton’s post-Melbourne mood may also be explained by the fact that, following his late-2015 performance dip, he actually set the pace all weekend.

“Rosberg, although he won, will realise that he has to find another couple of tenths,” agrees former F1 driver Robert Doornbos.

“I also expect a lot from Ferrari next weekend in Bahrain with the higher temperatures,” he told Ziggo Sport Totaal.

Indeed, many believe Sebastian Vettel only failed to win on Sunday because of the red flag, and a strategy blunder by Ferrari regarding tyre compound choice.

“I was surprised and glad when I saw Sebastian was on the red (super soft) tyres,” said Rosberg, “and I thought ‘This is my chance’.”

Corriere dello Sport surmised: “The wind has turned and Ferrari has made a significant step forward. But the gap to Mercedes is still far from overcome.”

Alonso: I knew my Mum would be watching on TV

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 12:54 AM PDT

Fernando Alonso was wearing a bandage on his knee and a grimace on Monday when he bumped into Blick correspondent Roger Benoit at a Melbourne beach.

“I slept badly and have sore ribs,” said the Spaniard, who had flipped and rolled his McLaren-Honda a day earlier after running into Esteban Gutierrez at 300kph.

The entire sporting world and beyond was relieved to see Alonso otherwise unscathed, and pondering what next step F1 needs to make to improve safety.

For instance, as the smashed remains of the car had landed upside-down, Alonso was able to quickly climb out of the open cockpit “as I knew my Mum would be watching on TV”.

But if his car had the FIA-supported ‘halo’ device fitted, as the entire field might in 2017, would Alonso have been able to get out quite so quickly?

“It’s an interesting question that we will have to consider,” Alonso admitted, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

Nevertheless he did acknowledge, “It was a scary moment and I’m happy that I can stand here. I am very grateful and would like to express my gratitude to the FIA for the safety standards. It’s the only reason I’m still alive.”

“I feel fine physically but everything hurts a little because you move around so much at those speeds. The knee is what bothers me most as it hit the steering column but I feel very lucky,” added the two times F1 world champion.

But Alonso’s teammate Jenson Button says what happened on Sunday, and the fact that ‘halo’ might have prevented such a quick escape, is in fact no argument against the concept.

“People talk about fire, but how many fires because of accidents have we seen in recent years?” the Briton is quoted by Speed Week.

“Ok, in an accident like Fernando’s it would have taken a little longer for him to get out, but the most important thing is that Alonso is ok and the much greater risk is a driver being hit on the head. All other discussions are pretty irrelevant,” Button added.

          

Sainz: Toro Rosso now best of the rest

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 12:42 AM PDT

In the aftermath of the Australian Grand Prix weekend, Toro Rosso appears to have emerged the third-best team in Formula 1 behind grandees Mercedes and Ferrari.

That is despite the fact that driver Carlo Sainz only recently ruled out podiums in 2016, suggesting parent team Red Bull and Williams are further ahead.

But teammate Max Verstappen qualified fifth in Melbourne, saying he was ‘best of the rest’.

“Yes, it is true that we are,” Spaniard Sainz now agrees, according to Marca sports newspaper. “It’s amazing and I’m very happy. I have to congratulate everyone because the work now has its reward.”

Red Bull official Helmut Marko agrees, telling Kleine Zeitung newspaper: “Yes, that’s right. Their Ferrari engine has more power (than Red Bull’s Renault).

“On the simulation it is nearly eight tenths of a second, in qualifying especially. In the race it is not so much,” he added.

Sainz acknowledged, however, that the situation may only be temporary for Toro Rosso, as its 2015-specification Ferrari engine will not be developed this year, “I would rather take it as an opportunity rather than an added pressure.”

The young Spaniard also played down the post-race controversy stirred by teammate Verstappen, who raged on the radio and even tapped the rear of the sister car.

“Max complained a lot?” the 21-year-old told Spanish reporters in Melbourne. “What can I do?”

Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos, however, thinks that rivalry will only intensify in 2016 andhe told Ziggo Sport Totaal, “Helmut Marko is putting the pressure on them as they both chase one spot at Red Bull.”

Long calendar leads to risk minimising by F1 teams

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 12:35 AM PDT

The unprecedented length of the 2016 Formula 1 calendar is further limiting the aggression with which teams and drivers can tackle individual races.

That is the view of Mika Hakkinen, when asked by Tagesspiegel newspaper about what he regards as the current state of Formula 1.

“Already drivers are having to conserve the car,” he said, “taking care of the tyres, engine, brakes, but that’s not what a racer wants.”

He thinks that in earlier eras, and also those with calendars notably shorter than the unprecedented 21-race schedule of 2016, were more about how “aggressive” a driver can race.

“But a driver today knows very well that he has a very, very long season in front of him,” said the Finn. “Many teams enter a race with the goal of minimising risk and finishing the race in order to take as many points as possible.”

Hakkinen acknowledged that the same is true in any series, but “the hunger of the driver is given more free space” in many categories outside of today’s F1.

Imola is Plan-B to replace Monza as Italian GP host

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 12:32 AM PDT

The death knell is nearing for historic Monza’s place on the Formula 1 calendar, according to the latest reports from Italy.

Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that 2016 will be the last Italian grand prix to be held at the fabled Autodromo Nazionale, after negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone broke down terminally.

“There is no more room for negotiating,” Italian automobile club (Aci) chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani is quoted as saying.

He added that “personal interests have prevailed”, amid suggestions the F1 supremo fell out with the circuit operator Sias and demanded that Monza choose ‘F1 or MotoGP’ over ambitions to make modifications for motorcycle racing.

So the report said Ecclestone rejected Aci’s final race fee offer of EUR 19 million, with Imola and Mugello now in the frame to take over the Italian grand prix.

But Sticchi Damiani was subsequently quoted by Correre della Sera newspaper as rejecting the suggestion that Monza’s hopes are now definitely over.

“The negotiations on the future of the Italian grand prix continue,” he said. “Monza is option A, although there are great difficulties.”

‘Option B’, it seems, is a return to Imola, the popular Italian circuit that last hosted the San Marino grand prix in 2006.

“I have a clear mandate that the grand prix be in Italy, preferably in Monza,” said Sticchi Damiani. “But if we cannot solve that, we have to do it a different way.”

Is modern Formula 1 too complicated?

Posted: 21 Mar 2016 12:30 AM PDT

In the aftermath of a thrilling Mercedes versus Ferrari battle for victory in Melbourne, the spectre of ever-changing rules continued to hang over F1.

Over the few days of the opening race weekend of 2016, no fewer than three rules were changed. Mika Hakkinen, a former double world champion, thinks the situation is damaging F1.

“Fans are always telling me that they watch less races than ever and don’t follow F1 as closely,” he told Tagesspiegel newspaper. “They say it is far too complicated, too technical. People like simple things.”

Even for the experts on the ground, Melbourne 2016 was hard to follow. Musical chairs qualifying took place on Saturday and was completely scrapped less than 24 hours later, but world champion Lewis Hamilton thinks the decision to revert to the 2015 format has been taken too hastily.

“We shouldn’t be afraid to take another gamble just because we got this one wrong,” he said.

The rules changed in other areas in Melbourne, too. A ban on drivers discarding helmet tear-offs was promptly delayed at the best of the teams, while a fresh list of communications allowed over the radio was drawn up.

“It’s good that we are at least allowed to discuss strategy,” said Christian Horner, “because Formula 1 is a team sport and the tactical element is very interesting and important.”

But the final words may not yet have been spoken, particularly on the qualifying format. Speed Week pointed out that Ferrari still has its veto, while the latest changes must be rubber-stamped by the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council.

And the growing complexity of the so-called ‘radio ban’ is becoming farcical.

“The teams will soon have to write what is allowed and what is not allowed on a roll of toilet paper,” joked one paddock wag.

Sebastian Vettel, an avowed F1 ‘purist’, is no fan of the clampdown, “I think you can argue that we’re here to race, not to play memory games.”

“I had a bit of an issue in the race with the software, but I don’t think it’s very exciting for the fans when I’m struggling with that when I’m racing,” he added.

And even Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes will have to continue to do its homework about the radio clampdown after Melbourne.

Leader Nico Rosberg, for instance, had a problem with a tyre late in the race, “but we could not tell him”. And on another occasion, Wolff admits: “We were not sure what we could say to the drivers” on the radio.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Rosberg: A perfect start

Posted: 20 Mar 2016 10:28 PM PDT

Nico Rosberg’s impressive run of wins has carried over from last year as he endured a dramatic season opening Australian Grand Prix to claim his 15th Formula 1 career victory and with it kick start his 2016 campaign in the best way possible.

Speaking after the race in Melbourne Rosberg said, “Early days, but a perfect start. We have to keep an eye on the red guys, because they are very close, as you saw today, so we need to give it everything to stay ahead, for sure.”

Rosberg and Mercedes got their sums right after the race was red flagged after Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez collided firightfully. Mercedes opted to bolt on white stripe medium tyres while, their main rivals and leaders at that point, Ferrari went for red band supersofts on both their cars.

“The strategy was crucial, o I’m really thankful, “acknowledged Rosberg. “The team did a great job on that side as well. We are really strong in strategy amongst other things.”

And added, “I don’t want to single out one thing, we’re strong in nearly all areas but that did it today. So I’m thankful. It was the tyre choice also on the red flag. I was glad to see that they were on the supersoft.”

“I wasn’t sure that was going to be the case. I was happy that I was able to follow quite well with the medium. I was a bit concerned about the restart with the medium, that that tyre would be too cold but it worked out OK. Definitely necessary and the right thing for sure to clear out the incident,” reflected Rosberg.

As for the momentum from previous season’s hat-trick of race wins at the very end, Rosberg said: “Everything starts from zero, it’s a new season, new car. I feel that everything is starting from scratch, I’m just happy to get a good start in such a way into the season and that’s it.”

Hamilton: It was damage limitation

Posted: 20 Mar 2016 10:16 PM PDT

Defending Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was happy to limit the damage of a terrible start and fight back for second place behind Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Pole-sitter Hamilton could do little to prevent Ferrari’s fast-starting Sebastian Vettel from roaring to the front from third on the grid and the Briton then fell back to sixth after making contact with Rosberg at the first turn.

Hamilton soon moved up a place before getting stuck behind teenage Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen but the race turned on its head when McLaren’s Fernando Alonso was involved in a huge crash that brought out the red flag at lap 18.

Frustrated by his lack of progress, Hamilton changed to the medium compound tyres shortly before the race was halted and his one-stop gamble paid dividends as the durable tyres held out and gave him enough breathing room to see off third-placed Vettel.

“Well, generally for me a great race,” he told reporters. “Having to fight back from behind, it’s very, very hard to follow as we all know from the history here.

“I did the best I could with a difficult start and yeah, just grateful I got back. Damage limitation really because obviously Nico could have got a lot more points than me today.”

Rosberg has now won four races in succession after sweeping the final three races last season in the wake of Hamilton clinching his second successive championship with Mercedes in Texas.

The intra-team rivalry between the German and the Briton has been heated at times and could prove so again this season but on Sunday the pair hugged after the race in a rare sporting moment.

The good relations continued in the post-race media conference with Rosberg offering an apology for the start that set the Briton back.

“If I did push you out wide then I apologise, of course, that was not the intention,” he said.

Hamilton spoke of Ferrari hiding something “up their sleeve” before qualifying and had they chosen a better tyre strategy, the season could have started with a Vettel win.

“Ferraris obviously are there and in the battle as you’ve seen today, so hopefully some exciting races coming up ahead of us,” Hamilton added.

Ricciardo: We are happy to have exceeded expectations

Posted: 20 Mar 2016 10:10 PM PDT

Daniel Ricciardo missed out on a fairytale podium at his home Australian Grand Prix but felt Red Bull should be ready to challenge for one by the Montreal race in June as they exceeded expectations at the season opener.

After starting eighth on the grid, Ricciardo completed a fine race to finish fourth behind Mercedes’ winner Nico Rosberg, with the German’s teammate Lewis Hamilton runner-up and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel third.

Reliability issues with the Renault engine blighted Ricciardo and Red Bull last year but Sunday’s performance left the 26-year-old flashing his usual toothy grin.

“I’m really happy, towards the end we were sitting in the top three and I had the fairytale in my mind of being on the podium here but I’m happy,” he told Sky Sports. “Fourth is great but I’m probably more happy with the pace we had.”

“Not far off Mercedes and Ferrari and we finished a fair step ahead of Williams and the rest of our competitors. To come out here in the first race and exceed expectations, you’ve got to be happy with that.”

It was a forgettable day for his teammate Daniil Kvyat, however, with the Russian unable to race after his car came to a halt with a power unit problem at the end of the formation lap.

Team principal Christian Horner was nonetheless encouraged by Red Bull’s pace, while Ricciardo said they had definitely found “a little bit more” from the power unit.

He said the team were expecting an upgrade to the Renault package by the Canadian Grand Prix in June, which could offer a further lift in performance, “And we know there’s a good step to come in a few races.”

“We can definitely aim for more top fives before the (engine) update … We’re hoping it’s going to come sooner rather than later but perhaps Montreal is where we expect it, and from that point, yeah, I want to spray some champagne.”

Ferrari: You shouldn’t count your chickens before they’re hatched

Posted: 20 Mar 2016 10:05 PM PDT

Scuderia Ferrari put on a strong showing at the Australian Grand Prix. At the start, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen both got the jump on the two Mercedes ahead of them on the front row of the grid, to lead the race. However, after 18 laps the race was red-flagged because of a huge crash involving Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez.

The stoppage wiped out the advantage Vettel had built up over Rosberg and upset the race strategy, allowing Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton to move back into the top two places.

Raikkonen then had to pit and retire at the end of lap 22 with a technical problem. Vettel began to close steadily on the Mercedes duo so that he ended the race right on the tail of the German cars.

Maurizio Arrivabene: ”Our pace was good in the first part of the Grand Prix, before the race was red-flagged, but we shouldn’t use it as an excuse. This only show that you shouldn’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. Today’s race should serve as a lesson to us to push even harder, with even more humility and dedication, starting already at the next race in Bahrain.”

Sebastian Vettel: “I obviously had a great start, I was very happy to see that I had a better start than the two cars in front of me, reminding me of Hungary last year and it worked out. It was great to see that Kimi made it as well, so we got first and second and from there we dictated the pace. The red flag didn’t help us, but to be fair the most important thing was that Fernando and Esteban were alright. It was the right decision to stop the race. First time I went through I saw the debris on the track. Naturally the expectations are higher when you had a strong season last year and you wanted to close the gap. Yesterday we were a bit further away and today we were closer. In general it was a great race, I was racing flat out until to the end, I didn’t want to go onto the grass but I did the lawn mower! So I don’t have to do it next week when I go home, but for sure we would have liked more from today.”

Kimi Raikkonen: “Today we had a good first part of the race but at a certain point I lost power and had to retire. I don’t know exactly what happened, I don’t think that the problem was related to the engine because it was still running. It must have been something else. It’s a very unfortunate thing for the whole team. After the winter testing we had a rough idea that we should be pretty ok, Saturday was a funny day, with very odd conditions and circumstances, so we knew that the time difference in qualifying was not real. The car has been handling well, it’s fast and I had a good feeling but obviously we need to finish the race. We still have some work to do.”

You are subscribed to email updates from GRAND PRIX 247. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

In victory you deserve Champagne

In defeat you need it!

     

Scars are Tattoos with better stories !

If you follow all the rules

You miss all the fun! 

If you have no enemies, you have no character !

Clyde Romero    

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail ( including attachments ) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U. S. C., Sections 2510-2521, and is intended only for the persons or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain confidential or privileged material.  Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited.

This email transmission, and any documents, files or previous email messages attached to it, may contain confidential information that is priviledged.  If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the information containes in or attached to this message is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify us by reply e-mail at Clyde.romerof4 [at] gmail.com or  by telephone at (678 6419932)and destroy the original transmission and its attachments without reading them or saving them to disk.