Tag: felipe massa

F1 2019: Brazilian Gp Preview – Interlagos tailor-made for drama

Arrival in Brazil is usually a good indicator that Formula 1 is in the final push towards the season finale. With both the constructors’ and drivers’ world titles neatly sewn up by Mercedes it leaves the rest of the field with three more opportunities to save face in 2019.

The Interlagos circuit, which will host the Brazilian grand prix, is famed for several reasons. Forever, it will be synonymous with the Ayrton Senna and the fanatical support he elicited from the masses. A quarter of a century after his tragic death at Imola he is remembered and revered and by his triumphs and indomitable ability his is raised to racing immortality. It seems only fitting that F1 continues to maintain Brazil’s place on the calendar.

The Sao Paolo situated circuit is famed too for delivering some of the most exciting races in the 21^st century. It is here, in 2007, where Kimi Raikkonen won the driver’s world championship with seemingly impossible odds. He remains, to date, the last Ferrari driver to win the driver’s crown. Twelve months later Lewis Hamilton won the first of his six world championship titles in the most dramatic style imaginable. The 2009 Brazilian Gp produced the icing on the proverbial cake of what is likely one of the most romantic F1 stories of all time when Jenson Button clinched the title in the neon-yellow and white liveried Brawn. And Sebastian Vettel too showed his mettle in 2012 by recovering from a crash on lap one to become the youngest ever three-time world champion by the end of the 71 laps.

Surprisingly, all of this drama, elation, and inconceivable races are packed in and produced by a circuit that takes no more than 71 seconds to negotiate. At 4.3 km Interlagos, or the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, is an amalgam of high-speed straights, highly technical banked corners, and the distinctively tight Turn One known as the Senna S.

A lack of pace at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas last time out wont have deterred Max Verstappen and Red Bull from arriving in Brazil with a good chance of walking away with the spoils. A coming together with then Force India driver Esteban Ocon meant that he fell short of picking up the win last year. But his masterful drive in the wet to win the 2016 looms large as one of the best race victories in the last five years. Red Bull should have the car to cope with the demands of the Brazilian circuit, especially where it concerns the tight middle sector.

But there are two scarlet Ferraris who might fancy a crack at the top step of the podium themselves. And given their ability to turn on the wick in qualifying they should be well in the mix at least in the form of Vettel as Leclerc will incur a ten place grid penalty for fitting a new engine. Amazingly, 2018 was Hamilton’s first win in Brazil and he will undoubtedly want to add to this tally.

Renault currently occupy fifth place in the constructor’s standings on 83 points but a wild fluctuation in form over the last several races means that the French team is still within striking distance of sixth placed Racing Point, on 65 points, and the seventh ranked Toro Rosso on 64 points.

With the season now in the home stretch several teams will be teetering on the edge of reliability with several power unit components sure to be on their last legs. It could be just the opportunity Williams’s George Russell needs to score that elusive first point in Formula 1.

Three teams are well and truly in the mix at the infamously unpredictable and dramatic Brazilian grand prix there’s no telling what Interlagos could deliver in 2019.

November 13, 2019
F1 2018: Brazil Gp Preview – Title Battle Still On

More often than not the crowing of an F1 drivers’ champion takes the sting out of the remaining races of that season. But there is no such thing as a dead rubber in Formula 1 and it is certainly not the case in 2018 as Mercedes and Ferrari are still embroiled in a battle for the constructor’s championship title.

While most of the attention is often paid to the drivers’ title the constructor’s championship trophy is as coveted. Lest we forget, the two cars that pound around circuit after circuit around the globe are only able to do so because of the incredible effort of hundreds of people both at the factories and trackside. And then there is the marketing capitol that goes along with being able to emblazon all promotional material with the champion epithet.

The fight for the sought-after prize sees Mercedes in the lead by 55 points over Ferrari. With a maximum of 86 points still available in the final two races of the season there is every chance that Ferrari could still walk away with at least one championship trophy from 2018. And there are several reasons to suggest why they may just do it too. Generally, as evidenced in the last few seasons, Lewis Hamilton’s form seems to dip slightly after winning a title, which could be something for Ferrari to pounce on. What’s more, Valtteri Bottas will no longer be in Hamilton-wingman-mode which could, potentially, prevent Mercedes from executing the perfect strategy by focusing on only one car.

Another detail to add to the mix is the fact that Hamilton has never been a particularly special performer around Brazil’s Autodromo Carlos Pace, which hosts the penultimate race of the season this weekend. Though Hamilton claimed his first championship title here in 2008 in astonishingly dramatic fashion the Brit has never truly bossed this track.

What’s more, since Ferrari finally figured out where it went wrong with their upgrade package their pace has returned. A win at the US grand prix and a double podium in Mexico is proof of that. While Kimi Raikkonen, off to Sauber for 2019, has racked up eleven podium finishes in nineteen races, it is Sebastian Vettel who should want to atone for the mistakes that he’s made this season. There is no better way to do this than to deliver the constructor’s trophy to Maranello. With the weather forecast predicted to be sunny on race, at least for now, Ferrari has every opportunity to put one over Mercedes who has been struggling with tyre wear in warmer conditions.

There could hardly be a better backdrop for this battle that Brazil’s iconic circuit at Interlagos. The lap may be a relatively short one but it has hardly ever been short on delivering dramatic and enthralling races. And it has been the sight of many a championship triumph. This is Ferrari’s chance, which has already let one title slip through their fingers, to stand up and show what they are made of. Or will they once again trip over their own feet?

November 9, 2018
Review: Williams Documentary

In 2017 the Williams team celebrated four decades in Formula 1 with the release of a documentary that tells the most incredible story of one of the sport’s most successful teams.

Often sports documentaries have a tendency to be predictable but the perspective from which the Williams story is told is simultaneously unexpected and profound. The film is mainly based on the 1991 book, A Different Kind of Life, written by Lady Virginia Williams, late wife of Sir Frank Williams. As a result the film is infused with the sort of extraordinary authenticity that elevates it well above the average sports documentary.

There is marvelous input from co-founder and designer extraordinaire Sir Patrick Head who minded the store between 1991 and 1997 during which the team won 59 races and four drivers’ titles. It also charts the tumultuous and highly successful time of teammates Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet in 1986-7.

But mostly it is about the seemingly unstoppable Sir Frank Williams and his legacy. With nothing but a single-minded obsession with speed Frank Williams created one of the world’s most successful and enduring F1 teams. Despite nearly losing his life in a 1986 car accident, which left him a tetraplegic, his unconquerable resolve and spirit endures to this day. Though the film charts not only the history of the team it also provides a compassionate portrait of not only Sir Frank Williams’ survival against the odds but his voracious passion.

At 75 years old he remains, technically, as team principal but the duties and responsibilities have, since 2013, fallen to his daughter Claire Williams. Despite more than holding her own as deputy team principal she maintains that she never expected “to be given the keys to the shop”. Sir Frank’s faith in Claire is easily one of the most touching aspects of the film. Further, it is Claire’s presence in the film, her openness when questioned about personal matters, and her poignant readings of excerpts from her mother’s book that create the human connection and shows its sensitivity.

This film is guaranteed to leave you with a deeper and perhaps even emotional appreciation for Williams and what it means to the sport. What’s more, it if wasn’t there before, it will probably leave you with an insightful reverence for the team. And it will leave you with the unmistakable realization that Williams will never stop fighting, never stop working, and never stop racing.

February 7, 2018
F1 2018: What F1 will look like in 2018

2018 is here and it brings with it the prospect of a new Formula 1 season. Though there is no great change in regulations the modifications for the 2018 season could still have a significant impact.

Aesthetically there is good news and bad news for the 2018 cars. The good news is that the T-wings and shark-fins will no longer feature thanks to a tweak of the aero rules. Like it or loathe it the halo head protection system is coming in 2018. There’s little doubt that the halo will make a significant visual impact to F1 but it’s not the only impact it will have. The two other factors that will have been giving several designers prolonged headaches is the effect it will have on aero performance and the weight addition. While the FIA has added 6kgs to the overall weight limit of the cars rumours are that the halo comes in at around 15kgs. This will likely force teams into trimming weight in other areas of the car.

One of the more preposterous rules for 2018 is the limiting to three power units for the entire 21-race season. It means that each engine will now have to last seven races. This, in the name of cost saving, means manufactures will need to balance reliability and performance on a knife-edge. With only three engines its likely inevitable that all teams will incur grid penalties at some point, including the frontrunners. The irony of it all is that money wont be saved on power units. Spare engines, gearboxes, turbos, etc. are manufactured and carted around the world anyway which means that no money is being saved. Instead the manner in which teams and drivers, and fans for that matter, pay is with absurd grid penalties.

Toro Rosso in particular will be hoping that Honda has solved its woeful reliability record as it starts its partnership with the Japanese manufacturer in 2018. While Honda’s performance saw a slight upturn with McLaren in the latter half of the 2017 season they still have a long way to go to catch up to Renault let alone Mercedes and Ferrari. The Honda partnership does make Toro Rosso a de facto works team, which means a plethora of perks, including a more than tidy injection of cash.

Elsewhere, McLaren and Fernando Alonso will be hoping that Renault has solved its own reliability issues that marred the end of the 2017 season. There is great expectation that bolting the Renault into the back of the McLaren will push it up the grid. How far they’ll progress remains to be seen. Sauber too are looking to recover from one of the worst season on record. They’ll be doing so with the signing of F2, formerly GP2, champion and Ferrari Academy driver Charles le Clerc. Despite jumping into the high-pressure cauldron of F1 there is high expectations for le Clerc who is considered one of the best young drivers.

Another boost to Sauber’s 2018 bid is a new technical and commercial partnership with Alfa Romeo. While the car will be decked out in Alfa red the link up also means access to Ferrari’s latest power units.

The Williams team has announced Sergey Sirotkin alongside Lance Stroll in their 2018 car. While Robert Kubica returns to F1 as the reserve and development driver for the team. It’s a big year for Williams as Paddy Lowe can begin to make the sort of impact the team needs to move forward. The question remains whether the team’s inexperienced driver line-up will be equal to the task. If not, someone like Romain Grosjean could well be lined up for 2019.

With all of this there are still many more scenarios, issues, permutations, and speculations for the new season. Will Mercedes be able to hold off Ferrari and perhaps even Red Bull? What of the intra-team battle between Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo? How far can McLaren go with Renault power? What impact will Pirelli’s remodeled tyres have on track?

January 22, 2018
The Year that was F1 2017

From Australia to Abu Dhabi the 2017 F1 season has inscribed moments, memories, celebrations, and lessons that will be well remembered.

Ferrari revival

As the cars rolled out onto the track for testing in early 2017 it was immediately evident that Ferrari had put together something special with its SF70H. It was beautiful, consistent and most importantly, fast right out of the box. Ultimately, Ferrari’s season ended on bittersweet note after often having the quickest car but failing to attain championship glory through mistakes and unreliability.

Specifically, it was the unreliability in Malaysia and Japan coupled with the error in judgment from Vettel in Singapore is what ultimately derailed their chances of taking the title. These incidents also overshadowed a season in which Ferrari had spectacularly resuscitated the prancing horse and made it a genuine championship contender.

It wasn’t solely the work of the engine department, or the designers, or the aerodynamicists, which made the 2017 Ferrari a great car. Rather, it was the combination of all facets of the team, which had undergone major reshuffling, which had made 2017 possible.

There is clearly some work still to be done but Ferrari finally has a plan in place that works. One that if refined could very well deliver titles in 2018.

Mercedes juggernaut

If Ferrari is to be commended for their 2017 season then Mercedes deserves even more praise. They faced a stern test from the Italian team in the first half of the season but showed their sublime class on every level.

Similar to Ferrari there was little doubt that the W08 was a quick car. But it’s the running of the team and the factory that set these teams apart. The most minute of details were considered and covered by the team proving that German efficiency is no myth. Through their microscopic attention to detail Mercedes proved that it takes more to win in F1 than building a quick car and that having the procedures and processes in place is what ultimately ensures victory.

New 2017 cars

New regulations ushered in significant change to the appearance of F1 as wider tyres and cars became the norm. The new look of F1 was an instant win as cars looked far more aggressive and quick than their predecessors.

Naturally, there are some kinks to iron out such as making the T-wing and sharkfin disappear for 2018. While some, read Hamilton, complained about the inability to overtake in these cars the truth is that while the Merc wasn’t conducive to overtaking there were a plethora of overtaking moves that will live on the replay reel for some time to come.

Lap of the year

Given the fact that Lewis Hamilton took the overall record for number of pole position it seemed obvious to pick one of the Brit’s quali laps as the best of the year.

But Kimi Raikkonen’s pole position in Monaco stood out as the best as the sheer commitment of the lap left most, if not all, in awe as he brushed the barriers around the famed streets of Monte Carlo towards one of the most memorable pole positions of his career.

Race of the year

The grand prix in Azerbaijan is likely one of the craziest races of the last few years let alone 2017. Blotted by several crashes and clashes the race neutralized several times by the safety-car. In one of these safety-car periods Vettel took offence to Hamilton’s ‘behaviour’ pulled up alongside the Merc and turned into the side of him. It was as controversial a move that’s been seen for the last decade.

While Hamilton, and some others in the ‘media’, called for a ban Vettel was given a ten second-stop/go penalty. It seemed Hamilton was cut-and-dried at the front until a loose headrest forced him into the pits. Still the order was far from sorted as the race resumed after a red-flag period. An audacious move into turn one on both Williams’ cars by Daniel Ricciardo gave the Aussie the lead and a victory that’ll go down as the one of the most chaotic ever.

Rookie of the year

Though Esteban Ocon had a short stint with Manor in 2016 at the start of this year he was very much a rookie. Most would’ve assumed that he was in at the deep-end with an experienced and quick teammate such as the Mexican Sergio Perez.

The relationship between Ocon and Perez was far from friendly and directly symptomatic of the fact that he’d gotten under the Mexican’s skin with his pace.

He pushed his Mexican teammate so hard that he began to unravel, Canada and Spa being the optimal examples of said Perez’ unraveling. Ocon scored points in all of two races in 2017 and finished eighth in the driver’s standings.

Driver of the year

Four times a world champion Lewis Hamilton is easily the driver of the year. But it isn’t because he picked up a fourth crown but rather how he went about it. While grand prix weekends such as Monaco and Russia show that it wasn’t a perfect season for Hamilton his relentless ability to churn out performances is astounding.

By the time he binned in quali at Brazil the championship had already been won and it was the solitary mistake he’d made all year. In the thick of the championship fight there was a relentlessness to the level of Hamilton’s performances that he’d never shown before. Despite having three titles and a decade of racing under the belt he showed his hunger for success. He’d stepped up yet another level that proved peerless in 2017.

December 13, 2017
F1 2017: Abu Dhabi Gp Review – Bottas Steps Up

In the blink of an eye the 2017 has flown by and the Abu Dhabi grand prix has brought the curtain down on another Formula 1 season.

The 55 laps around the Yas Marina circuit may not have delivered the most exciting race that’s been seen this year. Still, there were several important things to take away from the season finale. Not least of all was the performance of race winner Valtteri Bottas.

It’s nearly twelve months ago now that Bottas was catapulted into the Mercedes team following Nico Rosberg’s surprise retirement from the sport. The Finn started the season well enough but faded, dramatically, from contention in the second half of the year. His issues centered on the tyres the team said but it was evident that mentally he wasn’t on the level of the championship contenders.

Candidly Bottas revealed that he’d finally found ‘something’ in himself that aided his mental preparation during the grand prix weekend. It came together beautifully for him in Abu Dhabi as he first beat Hamilton to pole and then absorbed everything his four-time champion teammate could throw at him. And he did so on merit too. He won’t only take an enormous amount of confidence from this win but also the knowledge that he can beat his teammate in a straight fight. All that remains now is for him to do over an entire season. No pressure Valtteri.

While the two Mercs cruised up front Sebastian Vettel was confined to third some twenty seconds off the pace. It was a rather lackluster performance from Ferrari who never posed any threat to Mercedes in Abu Dhabi. Nevertheless, Vettel finished a remote third and for what it’s worth takes second place in the driver’s championship standings.

Despite Ferrari’s many mistakes and issues in 2017 they seem intent to commit ridiculous strategy calls to the very end. In a move that probably seemed like a good idea at the time a decision was made to under fuel Kimi Raikkonen’s car. Ultimately, it meant the Finn was reduced to fuel saving for almost the entire race. Besides the obvious time and focus Ferrari will have to invest in solving their reliability issues it’s clear that many other aspects of the team need to be, at the very least, rebuilt.

It wasn’t a great day for Red Bull either as the Austrian team’s season ended with a bit of a fizzle. While Daniel Ricciardo was forced into retirement with a hydraulic failure Max Verstappen could only finished fifth. In sixth place Nico Hulkenberg ensured that Renault leapfrogs Toro Rosso to finish sixth in the constructor’s standings. It’s an especially important result considering that Renault will in the region of R170 million for sixth in the standings.

Elsewhere, the two Force India’s of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon finished seventh and eighth ahead of Fernando Alonso’s McLaren in ninth. In the final race of his F1 career Felipe Massa somehow brought his sluggish Williams home in tenth place. While no points are awarded for eleventh place finisher Romain Grosjean the Haas driver delivered a brilliant drive, which a stunning overtake on Lance Stroll. Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein was equally impressive in fourteenth.

Although the season may have officially drawn to a close attention immediately turned to 2018 with the unveiling of a new F1 logo. The white and red logo, in use for the last 23 years, has been replaced with a more modern and dynamic design that adds some much needed freshness. Roll on 2018.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

November 27, 2017
F1 2017: Abu Dhabi Gp Free Practice 2 Report – Hamilton Fastest

Lewis Hamilton led the way at the end of the second free practice session for Mercedes ahead of the Abu Dhabi grand prix.

Hamilton’s fastest time of 1:37:877, a circuit record, was 0.149 quicker than the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen, and Valtteri Bottas completed the top five at the end of the ninety minute session.

Unlike the earlier session in the day the second free practice session provided a much clearer picture of what the rest of the weekend could look like. And while Mercedes and Ferrari were nip and tuck in terms of long run pace Red Bull, especially in the case of Verstappen, were slightly adrift of the ultimate pace. However, several factors could be contributing the Red Bull’s seemingly slower pace not least of all being power unit reliability.

Similarly, Hamilton’s looks set fair for Sunday’s race given the much fresher engine in the back of the Mercedes. Nevertheless, Vettel doesn’t look far off and shouldn’t be written off.

November 24, 2017
2017 Formula 1 Brazil Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference – Part 1

PART ONE: DRIVERS – Felipe MASSA (Williams), Lance STROLL (Williams), Marcus ERICSSON (Sauber)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Felipe, here we are again, and once again we know this is a swansong. Do you mean it this time?

Felipe MASSA: Yeah! Actually this is my second retirement race in Brazil, but this time it’s the last one for sure in Formula One, so definitely really looking forward to another amazing feeling to race at home and really enjoying the track that I grew up at here for my last time in a Formula One car. So, really looking forward and really hope that we can have a nice race and a nice result to finish it off.

What’s been the highlight of this bonus season for you in Formula One and how do you see the Williams team going forward from this point?

FM: Not amazing highlights to be honest. So the way we started the season it was not the same way we finished the season. Definitely the car was more competitive at the beginning than at the end, so development-wise it was not great, I would say, this year. But I think I definitely enjoyed driving the car after all these rules were changed from last year to this year. I think it’s a lot of fun to drive these cars, a lot more downforce, I definitely enjoyed it a lot. Unfortunately, I was a little bit unlucky in some races that I would have scored massive points but I couldn’t, not because of my fault but because of some issues we had in the car. I expect maybe a season that would have been a little bit more competitive than how we were. But I definitely enjoy, having fun by driving the car. I’m happy that I’ve been able to take the best out of this car when I didn’t have any problem. So it was a season that I definitely enjoyed. It would be nice to remember this season, I mean the way you drive this car, for my career some years in front, nice to come back and remember this way you are driving this car.

And the second part of the question about where the Williams team goes forward from here?

FM: I think it’s definitely important to change a little bit some ideas for the car, but I think that’s the way Williams is doing for next year. So having a car that’s a little bit more different – the way they are developing the car, the way they are working the car – so I really hope they can achieve that from next year to the future.

Thank you very much, Felipe. Lance, in the points at four of the last six grands prix and now into the top 10 in the drivers’ standings. Some great runs, lots of great starts, but would it be fair to say that qualifying is where you are going to be putting the bulk of your effort in preparing for 2018?

Lance STROLL: Yeah, it’s been a good run. We’ve scored quite a few points in the last few races. I’m really happy about how that’s gone. For sure, qualifying we still need to adjust a few things. It’s mainly been little mistakes here and there and not being able to capitalise on our full potential. But I think with time and experience and analysing bits and pieces we can improve in that and I believe that with the people I’m working with and the team that we can address some of those issues and definitely improve on them in the future. But definitely when it comes to races and the points we’ve scored, I’m extremely proud of the job we’ve done and we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.

You will have a new team-mate next season. What profile are you looking for: someone young, someone experienced, or should the team take a gamble?

LS: It’s up to the team at the end of the day. My job is to drive my car. I mean I was hoping for Hamilton, but he’s not really available these days. I’m just kidding. It’s completely up to the team. Like I say, my job is to drive my car and they’ll take care of the rest.

Marcus, you’ve outqualified your team-mate at the last three grands prix but you’ve yet to get that breakthrough point. It looked like it could be on in Mexico; you were in positions for many laps until the breakdown. This race worked out pretty well for Sauber last year so have you targeted this weekend for the result?

Marcus ERICSSSON: Yeah, I mean we always go into a weekend aiming to try and score points. I think Mexico was a really good weekend for us and we’ve had quite a few good weekends now in a row. Very unfortunate I think in Mexico with the Safety Car, it came out with absolutely the worst possible timing for us, before that we were running in the points for the whole first part of the race. It was a good feeling and it was a good opportunity for us but we were just unlucky with the safety car. But then we had the breakdown as well. Hopefully here it’s new opportunity that we can take advantage of. This track should not be worse for us than the last two. We’re looking forward to it. We still need to obviously maximise what we have. It’s still a handicap with the old power unit so it’s going to make it more difficult. But as we’ve shown on the last two weekends, if we get everything right on the car side we can still take the fight to some of the midfield cars, so that’s what we need to do again this weekend and then we see here in Brazil everything can happen with the weather. Usually the races here are very eventful and that’s why we need to take the opportunity.

Well, you mentioned the weather. It looks like we could have some rain again this weekend. One of the talking points is that the organisers have cut some more groves into the surface. So tell us about this place in the wet and what those grooves might do?

ME: I think it’s a fun track to drive in the wet. Obviously we saw last year that it does get a lot of standing water, so that’s the only problem really. So if that’s helped a bit this year I think it will improve. Like I said, it’s a fun track to drive both in the dry and the wet. I wouldn’t mind a bit of mixed conditions during the weekend, I think that would spice things up

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Lucas Santochi – Pole Position) Lance, in this your first year, what you do feel that Formula One has different, that you feel like ‘oh, this is difficult, I have to work on this’, and how you felt about this during the year? And Felipe, if you can say some words about his evolution?

LS: Formula One is very different in many ways from any other category. There is a lot more activity going on off the track and the car itself is very different to drive, so technically, driving the car, working with the engineers, working with the team, the weekends are a lot more loaded than any other category. There is a lot more going on everywhere, so you have to put your attention on so many little details that in other categories you don’t necessarily do as much. And then, like I said, off the track there are so much more going on, so many media activities and commitments that you have to take part in. So I would say just that the weekends are generally very loaded. But it’s becoming easier and easier every single time. The more experience I have and the more weekends I get under my belt it starts to become second nature more and more every single time. It’s just part of the process of learning and settling into Formula One, but those are the main things – the activity off the track and just driving the car and getting used to these kind of cars to drive. They’re quite a handful in a fun way, in a good way. So I would say those are the main things.

And Felipe, your comment on how Lance has developed? He’s been a bit like you were to Michael Schumacher when you were together.

FM: Yeah, I think definitely the way he started until now he had a big development, which is pretty normal. In Formula One everything is different to every other category. You need to learn, you need to understand the car, you need to understand the tyres, when you need to make the perfect lap. Even if we have the sessions on Friday and then on Saturday morning, sometimes it’s not enough because you’re not having new tyres all the time, and then you get to qualifying , you have new tyres and straight away you need to do a very good lap time, otherwise Q1, especially the way you are fighting with three or four teams for a couple of tenths, if you don’t do a lap time straight away maybe you can even not pass into Q2. So that shows the intense battle you have in Formula One. But I think the way he started, the way he is now, he’s just learning and getting better and better and improving. Definitely he understood much quicker the way he needs to drive in the race, because he did many good races and the qualifying for sure is coming. He has a good teacher as well, so… maybe next year he can qualify closer to another driver that he’ll race.

Q: (Arjan Schouten – AD Sportwereld) Question for Felipe, going on the farewell tour, what’s your view on the future of Brazilian Formula One racing – because it looks like we have a year without for the first time since 1969…

FM: Yeah. I really hope Formula One stays forever in Brazil. So definitely Brazil is a very important country for Formula One. So many titles, so many drivers, so many Brazilian drivers raced for Formula One since the start, so I really hope Interlagos stays for a very long time in Formula One and anything I can give to help, not racing any more, I can do, so definitely it is a very important race. It is true that we are suffering not an easy moment in Brazil, financially, but I think it’s a very important event for São Paulo, it’s a very important event for Brazil Formula One and y’know, for me it’s very difficult to answer – but I really hope Brazil stays for a very long time in Formula One.

Q: (Andres Lopez – Motorlat.com) Question for Felipe, this will be your last GP at Brazil as an F1 driver. What is your best memory here in this track?

FM: I think the best memory is my first victory, in 2006. It was like a dream come true for a Brazilian that was always dreaming to be in Formula One, especially in this track, then you get to Formula One and you manage to win. I won two races here, three pole positions, I think it’s the track I’ve been more times in the podium. So… but I definitely… the victory here 2006, it was like a dream come true, that I will never forget. It was definitely the most incredible day that I had in my career, winning the home grand prix for the first time, 2006

Q: (Silvia Arias – Parabrisas) Felipe, I would like to know, in the future do you expect to drive in a different category, to compete in a different category – and which one will it be?

FM: Yes, definitely, it’s part of my expectation to keep driving, to keep having fun on the track, so that’s what I have been doing since I was eight years old, and that is my job since a long time as well. So, I think when you’re driving and you’re competing, you really feel the emotion of doing your job, or for enjoying yourself, so yes, definitely I really hope I can find the category that I have fun, like I had in Formula One for very long. So yeah, I will have enough time to think about it, to understand which is a good category to go, and then we will see.

Q: (Stephen Wade – AP) Felipe, how do you rate your career? You were very close to being a World Champion at one point; you come from a country with great tradition, how do you rate your career? An eight? A ten? How do you see it?

FM: I think when you… ten is when you win a championship or maybe even more than that, y’know? So yeah, I would say I had a very successful career. I have a career I thought I never would achieve, when I was a kid, so first of all, Formula One was a dream, and I managed to get to Formula One, I managed to win many races, I managed to fight for the championship until maybe the last metres, and yeah, maybe I was the driver who gets more close to the championship in the history, so I am very proud of my career. If it’s seven, eight, nine, it doesn’t matter. I am very proud for what I achieved, for what I did and I’m so happy for so many things that I learned, so many people that I met, and also really the most important thing is that people respect me and I think that’s the most important thing: have a great relationship with most of the people that I work, and I pass even a few moments together. Definitely I’m so happy for what I achieved, and yeah, still many things to do in life but really finished with my head up, and I think that’s the most important thing.

Q: (Fabio Aleixo – Folha de São Paulo) Will you do anything different for the public? Because last year after you finished the race… you didn’t finish the race and walked through the pitlane and you could see the people closer. After the race, if you finish, you have anything to do different, maybe walk around the track? Go to the public to say ‘thank you’? Do you have anything in your mind for after the race?

FM: Well, actually I really hope I can finish in a great position. That’s that most important thing, that it didn’t happen last year, so it happens, another thing that I will never forget. So I think the feeling that I have on the human side, after the race, last year it was something really I never thought I will feel that, I will have that in my career. So, I think what I had last year was definitely more than enough, and the only thing I’m looking forward to now is having a good race, having a good result and I never really planned everything, so if I do this, everything, y’know this will be natural, so we’ll see what we invent to do after what I really hope is a good result.

Q: (Pedro Enrique Marum – MSN Esportes) Lance, before pre-season you said Felipe would be a mentor to you and then, after pre-season started you said it wasn’t quite like this. Now a season went by, Felipe has mentored you?

LS: Well, he’s been a great team-mate to have. He has a bunch of experience, he brings a lot of knowledge to the team. I think we’ve understood a lot about the can and how to improve the car throughout the weekends and, for sure, he’s been a great guy to have in the team. I think everyone’s really enjoyed having him at Williams, and he’s had an unbelievable career: many victories, many times on the podium, one point from winning a world championship, so, y’know, definitely an A+ career, that’s for sure

November 9, 2017
F12017: Brazilian Gp Preview – Free-for-all at Iconic Interlagos

For all the innovation that Formula 1 continues to deliver there are some things in the sport that, untouched by too much change, remain and embodies the very essence of the sport. One such example is the Brazilian grand prix and the famed Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.

For decade after decade the Interlagos based circuit has delivered on everything a Formula 1 race should be. Through scorching temperatures and rain-soaked afternoons the Brazilian fan’s euphoria for F1 has always been palpable. And it has, since 1973, been driven by some of the most dramatic and memorable races in the history of the sport.

There have been many highly emotional Brazilian grand prix throughout its history but none more so than Ayrton Senna’s majestic 1991 win in the McLaren after which he was so physically exhausted that he had to be extricated from the cockpit. In the decades since there’s been no let up on the drama with several of the most theatrical moments coming in the 21^st century. In 2005 Fernando Alonso became, at the time, the youngest world champion and two years later, in 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won his world title in what had been, arguably, one of the most fascinating championship battles of all time. A year later thousands of Brazilian hearts sank as Lewis Hamilton snatched the title from local-favourite Felipe Massa, literally, on the last corner of the last lap whereas the 2012 grand prix marked the final race of the great Michael Schumacher storied career.

The circuit, at roughly 4.3 kilometers, isn’t a long one and a lap time below seventy seconds is likely, especially for quali. Besides having the iconic, and tight, Senna S as Turn One its three sectors stand in contract to each other. A strait and several medium to high-speed corners dominate the first part of the lap while the middle sector is the more technical section before its capped by Junção, the final climb up the hill to the start/finish strait.

Despite not having a Brazilian world champion since Ayrton Senna the fans have shown a fanaticism for the sport and other Brazilian drivers as fervent as you’re likely to see anywhere in the world. One driver responsible for inspiring said passion is Felipe Massa. The Williams driver has announced his retirement at the end of the 2017 season making this weekend his final Brazilian grand prix. Though never a world champion Massa has inspired countless fans, colleagues, and contemporaries with his incredible talent, generosity, passion, and sportsmanship. Obrigado Felipe.

The fact that most positions in both the drivers and constructors championships have been settled adds a further element to this weekend’s Brazilian grand prix. No longer do teams such as Force India have to impose team orders on Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. Now they’ll be free to race and bang wheels to their heart’s content and this directive, pretty much, goes for everyone up and down the pitlane too.

While the forecast predicts a dry race weekend the weather for the Brazilian grand prix has always been, at best, uncertain.

One thing that is a certainty however is that there has rarely been a dull Brazilian grand prix and it shouldn’t be any different in 2017.

November 8, 2017
2017 Japanese GP: Thursday Press Conference – Part 1

PART ONE: DRIVERS – Felipe MASSA (Williams), Daniel RICCIARDO (Red Bull Racing), Lance STROLL (Williams)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Felipe, let’s start by talking about your future. This time last year you knew what you were going to be doing, or not doing, in 2017….

Felipe MASSA: No, I didn’t know anything last. What I decided didn’t happen.

Well you weren’t going to be racing in Formula One, that was the plan, but there seems to be some uncertainty now. Where are you at ion your head, how much do you want to stay in Formula One and how much do you want to stay at Wiliams?

FM: To be honest in my head I’m pretty relaxed, so I’m enjoying and trying to do the best I can in the last races this year and I don’t know what’s going to happen next year. But I’m quite relaxed. I’m quite keen to do maybe another season. I think I can do it in a great way. I can give a lot to the team, like I did already and I think maybe I can do another year. But I don’t decide; the team decides. Yeah, I’m pretty relaxed, trying to enjoy the races, trying to do the best I can in the car, trying to the give the best to the team, and that’s the most important thing. I’m talking with the team definitely for next year and we are in discussion. So everything has some directions around, so I have my direction as well to follow, like a professional driver, like I was always in my career in Formula One and I am very happy for that. That’s the way it is and definitely I can do a good effort for the team but we need to find a good solution to carry on in the right way, that everybody is happy. But anyway, I’m quite relaxed and definitely gave a lot to the team, to Formula One as well. If people are happy that I stay, I stay, and I will do everything I can to stay at the top level. But I’m quite relaxed and I’m trying to do my job in the right way in the last races and we’ll see what’s going to happen.

When do you need to know by? Have you given the team a deadline?

FM: Well, we don’t have a deadline. Definitely I think it would be good for the team and also for myself that we know what’s going to happen before the race in Brazil. We’ll see if this will be possible but I really hope so.

Turning to matters on track now, you hold the pole position record here at Suzuka, for your Q3 time in 2006. Tell us a little about what’s the secret of stitching together a good lap here and indeed is there any advice you can give a rookie, like your team-mate Lance Stroll?

FM: Yeah, I remember it was 2006, it was around 29.5 lap time. That was pretty amazing. A long time ago, many things change from that time to now. If you see also that the car we race now is one hundred and something kilos heavier than how it was the car in 2006. But maybe this year it can change. Maybe this year we can see some records around this track and I’m sure it will be great to driver the car we have this year on this track, which is definitely one of the best tracks in Formula One. I’m sure Sector 1 will be quite fun, but also quite difficult for all of us in terms of our neck and in the race and also to do one lap in qualifying will be pretty interesting, to see that feeling. Lance knows already the track, but definitely it is a different car so I think it will be nice for him to drive the car this year.

Thank you. There is clearly a good dynamic between yourself and Felipe, and there’s a lot of speculation around who is going to be your team-mate next year. Do you have a preference?

LS: We’ve had a really good relationship this year and we’ve done a good job to help the team score as many points as possible, between the both of us. But, at the end of the day, it comes down to the team, who are the drivers. I’ve just got to focus on what I’m doing, but definitely we have a good relationship this year.

Is there one particular thing that you have learned from Felipe this year?

FM: Many!

LS: That’s it.

FM: We should say, no?

LS: No. It’s between the two of us. All in all, he brings a lot of experience to the team and I’ve been able to use him as a benchmark throughout my rookie season. He’s really helped to develop the car in many ways, with these regulations, and as well I think I’ve been able to pick up a few details along the way that I could apply into my work at the track, so all in all there have definitely been a lot of things I’ve picked up throughout the year.

And you’ve now scored points in six of the last nine races. You’re looking very assured in the car. How much more confident are you now compared to Melbourne at the start of the year?

LS: I’m a different driver to where I was in Melbourne at the beginning of the year. It’s just experience that you soak up through the year and every race there is always something that I think I could do better. I just feel that I’m getting better every single race and that’s just experience and time in the car.

Thank you Lance. Daniel, can we start by talking about what you’ve been up to since the Malaysian Grand Prix last weekend, have you been having fun in the Land of the Rising Sun?

Daniel RICCIARDO: It can be a dark place… the sun doesn’t always rise (laughs). It can get emotional in Tokyo. But no, it’s been OK. A more positive experience in the last few days, was actually with this man here [Felipe Massa]. We went to the famous sushi… I’m going to get it wrong now, Sukiyabashi Jiro, and it kind of became more on the map to let’s say the western world after there was a documentary ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ and I was told about it a couple years ago and I was like ‘oh, we’ll just call and get a reservation for tomorrow night’, but you’ve got to book like a year in advance, so two years later we finally made it. It was a good experience. Yeah but… well, anyway…

FM: It was good to see his face, when some fish that he is not really keen to have…

DR: I only started eating seafood a few years ago, like properly, like raw fish. I like some of it, but some is still new to me, but you don’t want to disrespect.

FM: There was no salmon.

DR: There was some different stuff, but anyway, it was a good experience for sure. And you’re in and out in 30 minutes, so it’s bang, bang, bang, but it was good. I did some Kendo as well, a Japanese martial art. That was quite cool and I enjoyed that. So two good experiences this week.

You’ve been having a good time! Thanks for that. Well, let’s just cast our minds to the race last Sunday. Can you describe your emotions on Sunday night, because on the one hand you had scored your eighth podium of the year, but was there a sense of what if? What if, for example, you had got past Bottas sooner, what might have been possible?

DR: I guess there was a small what if. If I had got Bottas or he hadn’t got me on the start I guess then my chances of having a battle with Lewis would have been higher. But I still didn’t look back on the race like ‘aw, it was a missed opportunity’. After the race I thought the start, I was like ‘if only I went to the outside I could have braked later and held my position’, but I think if I had pulled out early of Max’s slipstream to the outside, I think Bottas would have probably just gone through the middle of us. So in hindsight it would have been difficult probably to do anything better on the start. I was still happy, another podium. Although I won there last year it’s actually never really been a track I’ve… I wouldn’t say enjoyed, but had much success on, so to finish on the podium there in the last year I was going to take that, so it’s OK.

Well, the car has been competitive on three very different tracks now, Monza, Singapore, Malaysia. Would you agree with Helmut Marko that it’s now the best chassis in Formula One?

DR: We have to be close. If it’s not then we’re certainly close, and a lot closer than we were in the first handful of races this year. Like Monza, you surprise yourself on Sunday but then in Singapore, Seb puts a few tenths on us in quali. So you’re like ‘we do and we don’t, we do and we don’t’. Obviously, in Malaysia we were quick. If Ferrari has started at the front they would have been tough to beat. But we’re certainly close. If we’re not the best, we’re certainly close and I think this circuit is another chance for us to show that and I’m looking forward to it very much.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) Daniel, Dr Marko has been quoted this week as saying that you are already on the market. Could you elaborate on that, are you aware of that, have you discussed anything with them and what does your future look like within the Red Bull family?

DR: I mean the only thing I’m aware of is that my contract with them is at an end next year. I guess he’s referencing that. He’s not referencing next year, I guess.

Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) You hope!

DR: Ha, ha! I’m 100%, well 99.999% sure I’ve got a seat with Red Bull Racing next year. But I guess he’s talking about beyond that, but nothing’s been said between us beyond next, so I guess he’s more stating facts than… I don’t think he has a plan yet beyond ’18. But yeah, I should be racing next year! He wasn’t too disappointed after Malaysia; I think he was OK, so I think I’m still OK.

Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Daniel, in the beginning of the season you were not that close to Valtteri’s pace but in the last four races you have overtaken him twice and beaten him three times. Are you surprised at this change?

DR: I think it’s been… we’ve been getting stronger. So, we have been able to compete more regularly now with Mercedes and yeah, since the summer break he hasn’t had as many – I guess – good performances compared to Lewis at least. I think it’s a combination maybe: he hasn’t performed at his best the last few races and we have got better, so it’s given us a chance to steal some points from him. Obviously my chance of winning the title is very, very, very little but there’s still a small chance at least to get top three again. Valtteri still has a good gap but if I can keep closing on this, then I’ll be pretty satisfied.

Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Daniel, Red Bull are really good at developing through a season and getting better and better, as you’ve just said. From your perspective isn’t it about time they stopped developing through the season and started developing in the winter and gave you a car to win a championship from the outset. If that doesn’t happen next year, is that make or break for you with the team?

DR: It’s certainly our plan. It has been obviously… I still don’t know why the last few years we’ve had slow starts and then found a way to come back. So I guess the idea is again what we learn, because there’s not many changes next year, what we learn hopefully from this year hopefully we take to next year and we start stronger. So yeah, that’s obviously the plan, that’s everyone’s wish and yeah, I guess we go from there. Look, if next year’s not a very competitive season at all then, of course, that will then, y’know, be addressed. At least… I feel I’ve said it every time this year but where we are now this year, you’d think next year we should be competitive. Hopefully as competitive as y’know, I would like to see. So, yeah. Mercedes has been winning for too long. We’ll try to change that.

Q: (Abhishek Takle – Mid-Day) To Felipe. It’s been reported that Williams are going to be evaluating Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta for next year. Knowing that, how does that factor into your plans for the future?

FM: I think it doesn’t change anything for me. So… it doesn’t change anything for me. Williams know 100 per cent what I can give to the team and, even if you do a test with a car that is four years before, completely different. You cannot evaluate too much, as well. So, doesn’t change anything for me, to be honest.

Felipe, will you attend that test?

FM: No! I don’t know. I don’t know even if it’s true, that test, or not. I don’t know. To be honest… I don’t know.

Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) Lance, on the topic that Felipe’s just mentioned about a four-year-old car, you’ve done a lot of testing with a four-year-old car and you’re obviously driving the current car. What comparison is there between the two? Do you believe that one could really evaluate a driver that way?

LS: Well, the cars we drive today are really quick. Back then, in ’14, the cars were, I believe, the first year with the new regulations, so there has been a lot of development, obviously the rules have changed this year, so lot more down downforce, different tyres and all that. So, they are very different, yeah, we’ll see what the team thinks about it. It’s not up to me to decide whether it’s a good evaluation or not.

October 5, 2017