F1 Madness

Tag: jenson button

  • Button Confirmed as Alonso’s Replacement in Monaco

    Button Confirmed as Alonso’s Replacement in Monaco

    McLaren have confirmed that Jenson Button will make a come back out of his sabbatical to drive for the team in the Monaco Grand Prix to replace Fernando Alonso who will be taking part in the Indianpolis 500.

    Button was replaced by Stoffel Vandoorne at McLaren for the 2017 season. While saying that it was a sabbatical it could’ve effectively be seen as a retirement from the sport. While not having set foot in competitive racing since his break from F1 Button feels that he is fit and up to the task of driving in Monaco.

    “I’m thrilled to be making a one-off return to Formula 1 racing, and I couldn’t think of a better place to make that return than my adopted home Grand Prix: Monaco,” said the Briton.

    “I’ve won the race before, in 2009, and it’s one of my all-time favourite racetracks. It’s a tricky street circuit on which a good driver can really make a difference – and, although the McLaren-Honda MCL32 hasn’t begun the season well, I think it may be more suited to Monaco than to the faster circuits that Fernando and Stoffel have raced it on so far this season.

    “OK, I realise we won’t have a realistic chance of repeating my 2009 victory, but I think we’ll have a opportunity to score world championship points, which will be very valuable to the team in terms of constructors’ rankings.

    “As for Fernando, I hope he not only fares well at Indy but enjoys it too.

    “It’ll be a great experience for him. He’s an excellent driver, as we all know, and he’s very experienced, so, although super-speedway driving techniques will be all-new to him, I expect him to get to grips with it all pretty quickly.

    “And on Sunday evening, after the Monaco Grand Prix, I’ll sit down and watch him do his stuff on TV. I’m looking forward to that too.

    “But most of all I’m looking forward to pitting myself against the unique racing challenge that is the Monaco Grand Prix. I’ll drive the MCL32 around Monaco in the McLaren sim beforehand, and I reckon I’ll be ready for the race after doing that.

    “I’m supremely fit, having done a lot of triathlon training recently, so I have no worries on that score. And it’ll be nice to say ‘hi’ to all my old Formula 1 mates too, and hopefully to give the fans something to cheer about.”

  • F1 2017: Opinion: Fernando Alonso Racing The Indy 500

    F1 2017: Opinion: Fernando Alonso Racing The Indy 500

    By now you will have heard, or read, that Fernando Alonso will run in this year’s Indianapolis 500 behind the wheel of a McLaren Honda Andretti Indy Car.

    In doing so he will miss the Formula 1 Monaco grand prix. The Monaco grand prix is one of the most attritional races on the calendar, which makes it, probably, McLaren’s best opportunity to bag some much-needed points.

    This move, by McLaren Honda, is indicative of their desperation to hold onto the considerable talents of Fernando Alonso going forward. And while this is an exiting announcement for motorsport fans and the Indy Car Series I have a bit of a problem with this.

    But first some much needed context. There is little doubt in the heart and mind of any motorsport fan that Fernando Alonso is easily one of the most talented drivers of his generation. There is even less doubt that were he behind the wheel of front-running car he’d be giving Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel more than a hard time.

    Alas, he finds himself in lackluster McLaren Honda that can barely make it to the chequered flag. Is this where a double world champion of Alonso’s talents should be? The answer is a resounding and definitive no. But, and it is a rather significant but, at this moment in time it is where he finds himself and where he should be. He should be in the trenches, slumming it with his team. He should be leading by example and pushing as hard as he can. Instead, he’s buggering off to an Indy Car race.

    You could make the argument that he has the right be frustrated. And you’d be right but it still wouldn’t change the fact that he is the center of a team, aside from Honda, that in many ways look to him for inspiration. What sort of message does it send to the hundreds of people who have invested every ounce of their being that their driver is off frolicking in the States?

    Coincidentally, Jenson Button is McLaren’s reserve driver. The same Jenson Button who unflinchingly stuck with Honda through season after season of difficulty.

  • F1 2016: Abu Dhabi Gp – Rosberg Holds Nerve To Win Title

    F1 2016: Abu Dhabi Gp – Rosberg Holds Nerve To Win Title

    Since that first weekend of the F1 season, back in mid-March, there has been a menacing steeliness about Nico Rosberg that seemed unbreakable. This steeliness, along with astonishing form, has, after eleven seasons and 206 grand prix, made Nico Rosberg the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion.

    The season-ending Abu Dhabi grand prix delivered a tension filled race from beginning to end. Lewis Hamilton, starting on pole, needed to win the race with Rosberg in fourth to take the title. Unfortunately for Hamilton Rosberg stayed in a close second for the majority of the race and as would be expected Hamilton tried all he could to win the championship. In fact, Hamilton attempted to back his teammate into the clutches of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen by deliberately slowing his pace. Less than two seconds covered the top four by the chequered flag but just as in the other twenty races of this season Rosberg held his nerve and finished second.

    Ultimately, Hamilton won the Abu Dhabi Gp ahead of Rosberg and a late-charging Vettel. Meanwhile, the two Red Bulls of Verstappen and Ricciardo finished fourth and fifth, respectively, while Raikkonen brought his Ferrari home in sixth. Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez’ seventh and eighth capped a tremendous season for Force India who finished a superb fourth in the constructor’s championship. In his final F1 race Felipe Massa finished ninth ahead of McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. Jenson Button’s 17-year F1 career, sadly, came to a premature end with the failure of a wishbone on the right-front suspension.

    GP ABU DHABI F1/2016There will be those who question whether Nico Rosberg deserves to be the 2016 drivers champion but the answer to their question is an easy yes. He’s won nine grand prix this season and most vitally, delivered stunning qualifying performances under extreme pressure. His ability to absorb the pressure and not buckle under it has been the key to Rosberg’s success in 2016. In 2014, his inability to handle pressure from Hamilton was there for all to see as he buckled first in Russia and then in Italy and Texas while leading. He went away with the aim of coming back stronger, and he did. His heightened mental strength allowed him the ability to focus on one race at a time. While it seems an easy enough concept the mental strength required to successfully accomplish it, under extreme conditions, cannot be underestimated and must be commended.

    Some will crow about unreliability, specifically Hamilton’s failure in Malaysia. But unreliability has been a part of the sport for as long as it’s been in existence and it will be going forward. It’s as much a part of a grand prix season as changeable weather or safety cars. In context, the ‘unreliability-argument’ only goes so far though. For example, while the headlines after the Malaysian Gp screamed of Hamilton’s truly unfortunate failure it didn’t focus much on Rosberg’s drive in the same race. After all Rosberg was dead last after a collision with Sebastian Vettel and recovered brilliantly to ultimately finish third. What’s more Hamilton’s ‘finger-trouble’ off the start-line in Japan and Italy, and the crash in Baku, that prompted a gearbox penalty, were all his own doing. The simple, but telling, fact is that Hamilton was simply out-performed by Rosberg.

    GP ABU DHABI F1/2016Any world championship triumph depends on the consistency of the eventual winner and the proof of Rosberg deserved success is in the numbers. Of the 1268 laps in the 2016 season the German driver has spent 957, or 75%, in the top three. In addition, in all of the 21 races he never qualified outside the top two and only spent thirteen laps outside the top ten in the entire season.

    While all these numbers reveal an emphatically imposing season the only number that Nico Rosberg will care about is the 285 points which have made him the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion.

  • 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference (Part I)

    2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference (Part I)

    DRIVERS – PART ONE: Felipe MASSA (Williams), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Kimi RAIKKONEN (Ferrari), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Felipe NASR (Sauber). PART TWO: Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes) 

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: Jenson, if we could start with you: officially you’re on option for 2018 but as there’s a chance this could be your last Formula One grand prix tell us about the adventure of the last 17 years?

    Jenson BUTTON: Wow, we could be here for a little while! First of all I go into this thinking it’s going to be my last race. I think that’s the best way to be and at this moment in time I don’t want to be racing Formula One past this race, and that’s the whole idea. Anyway, I think of this as my last race and hopefully everyone else does as well. Yeah, it’s been a long journey. Since eight years old until now I’ve been racing in motorsport and everything before Formula One was work to try and get to Formula One. You get to Formula One with many dreams and you aspire to be something and hopefully you leave the sport with memories. That’s something I definitely do have from my 17 years of racing in Formula One. Lots of amazing memories, lots of life-changing memories – some good, some bad – and also to walk away with the world championship is a very special feeling as well. To race with two of the teams that I dreamt of racing with when I was a kid – Williams and McLaren – and when I did win the world championship it was with a privateer team, which I think is also pretty special. Obviously a very memorable year of my life and in the future it’s something I’ll hopefully be telling my grandchildren all about, how we came from nothing and we ended up winning the world championship. There are so many memories that I can’t put them all out on the table right now, but that’s a small snippet of my career. Over 300 grands prix. I will definitely step away from Formula One happy with what I’ve achieved and knowing that my life really does start now.

    Q: Ok, well, huge changes going on at McLaren. Are these changes that will leave the team stronger for the future?

    JB: You always hope changes that you make for that reason do work of course. I think there’s still a lot more going on before next year. But of course I will still be working at McLaren-Honda, so yeah you hope that that the change will be positive. New outlook, fresh ideas and certain things that have changed the team definitely needs and hopefully we can put that to good use next year and in the future.

    Q: OK, thank you for that. Felipe coming to you: obviously in Brazil incredible emotions in the pit lane, incredible scenes, unprecedented really in Formula One. Rival teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari were coming out to applaud you as you walked back towards the garages. Describe the emotion of that moment? 

    Felipe MASSA: It’s difficult to describe. It was such an amazing feeling. The first moment after I crashed I was not happy because I wanted to finish the race. My last race at home… I even prepared a Brazilian flag in corner one to do the lap and I was so disappointed to finish like that. But then when I started to walk and I started to kind of talk with the grandstand I just had an amazing feeling. I started to cry, I couldn’t hold. That walk I was doing was like forever. It was an amazing feeling; it’s impossible to describe what I was feeling. And then when I get to the pit lane, I saw all the teams out, I couldn’t believe. It is still in the middle of the race and the race just stopped. For that… that feeling is just impossible to describe, how emotional it was and how thankful I am for everything that I pass through this year. The only thing is to say thank you for everybody, including you guys, including everybody that was around me for this period that I was racing Formula One. I really hope Jenson feels the same here in this race, because it’s a very special feeling and a very special emotion and I’m really thankful for everything that I passed through. And as Jenson said, I’m so happy and proud of my career, even if I couldn’t have the title like him, I was missing one point but anyway I’m so proud for everything I passed through, everything I worked with, or friends, incredible and difficult moments… it was really an amazing feeling.

    Q: Two hundred and fifty and out then this weekend, you are the only driver to have finished in the points in all of your races in Abu Dhabi? How do you want to sign off on Sunday?

    FM: With a good result! That’s what I wanted to finish with also in Brazil! I’m really looking forward that we can have a nice race here. I think a good result is what gives you more happiness. I managed to finish here second two years ago. I know it will be not easy to get the same this race, but if you can take the best out of the car, if you can do a good race that is when you feel happy.

    Q: Thank you for that. Coming to you Kimi, how are you feeling: two of your contemporaries are leaving the scene, are you going to miss them? 

    Kimi RAIKKONEN: I mean I left once already so I kind of know how it feels. Obviously, it’s their choice and I’m sure they will have a lot of fun and I wish them all the best for whatever they do in their lives. For sure, things will change in F1 in the future and all of us will leave one day and that’s just how it goes. They’ve both had a good long career in it and I’m sure they will have some other things to do now.

    Q: Your world title win in 2007 is a good example that anything can happen in a Formula One title showdown race. Hamilton needs something similar to what you got to win the title on Sunday. Tell us how you approach an ‘anything can happen’ mentality and what do you think will happen on Sunday?

    KR: I don’t know what will happen on Sunday obviously, we’ll see on Sunday and over the weekend. When I was in that situation obviously we had nothing to lose, so we go as any other race. We had a strong weekend and a strong last part of the year so obviously that helped. I don’t think there’s a point in doing anything different than you normally do. You always come to a race and try to do the maximum. Our only chance was to try to win and then see what happens to the other guys. As a team they did a very good job of it and then obviously had some luck involved and all things fell into place, so who knows what will happen on Sunday but whoever wins deserves it.

    Q: Thanks for that. Felipe, what story: the pressure on the team, no points for 19 race and then you go and score two of the most valuable points in Formula One history. Describe the emotion of the day and the emotion of the team?

    Felipe NASR: Well, first of all, nice words from these two guys here. I think they both achieved a lot and I definitely… when I was younger I saw them racing and to see them going now is something hard to see. But as I say they both achieved a lot. Talking about Brazil, I wouldn’t imagine a better way of doing it, in my home race, these two points really felt like a victory for us, for the whole team. We have been going through such a difficult year and it was looking like quite an impossible way of achieving those points. But with all the rain, the difficult conditions we had in Brazil, I knew there was going to be an opportunity. It was difficult for everybody. It was a tricky race and when I crossed that finish line and I saw these two points were ours it was an incredible feeling because I know how much we put ourselves in a position… of such hard work to overcome this situation. Saying that, nevertheless we have a last race here to confirm that so we go to keep focused on the weekend and make sure we get away with those points.

    Q: Has the result changed anything with respect to our future in Formula One?

    FN: I would expect that it does help for sure. If anything that a racing driver can do is to contribute to a team with points and I know how much these points are valuable. Let’s put it this way, we know how much these points mean in terms of the championship the points and the restructuring the team will take for ’17, so it’s the best, the best I could have given them.

    Q: Thanks for that. Finally to you Max, you were cast as the bad boy of Formula One not long ago and now you’re being billed, after Interlagos, as the new Senna. How do feel your image and the way you fit in here in Formula One has changed after Brazil?

    Max VERSTAPPEN: Difficult to say. I don’t think that’s up to me. I just try to do the best possible race I can. I was definitely enjoying myself in Brazil but I’m not sure if it has changed something for me personally in terms of my reputation.

    Q: Are you and Red Bull feeling fast enough and confident enough to mix it with the Mercedes on Saturday and Sunday and make those title contenders sweat a little bit? 

    MV: We’ll try. I think they will be very strong in the dry anyway, so it will be difficult to beat them but hopefully we can be very close. That would be very positive for us.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Kate Walker – Motorsport.com) Max, since the Brazilian Grand Prix you’ve been quoted in an interview saying that part of what gave you the skills to perform the banzai drive that we saw in the wet were your years working your way up through karting and Formula 3. Could you elaborate on how the previous racing categories gave you the skills to impress as you did last week?

    MV: I think everybody here did go-karting so you always learn from that as well, but it’s just also when you are not in a competition and you are just having fun with friends, for example, you are driving on the snow or whatever. You are always trying something different; you’re sliding and you’re still competing against your friends, trying to have fun in one way but still trying to beat each other in something. That’s what I’ve always done in winter time for example and somehow in a fun way you are still improving your skills. I think that definitely helps a lot. Then, together with my dad we practice a lot in those circumstances, also in the wet, he was helping me a lot, especially when I was six or seven years old. He was even standing on the track showing me where to drive, trying to find different lines and that definitely helped me a lot our there in Brazil a lot.

    Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Jenson you have been pretty unequivocal now about your feelings about this being your last race, but it wasn’t quite presented in the same way initially. Why the change between Monza and here? 

    JB: Nothing’s changed. I’ve just gone into this last race thinking that it is my last. I don’t want to go into this race thinking that it’s not my last and it is my last. It is true that I have a contract for 2018 but at this moment in time I don’t want to be racing in 2018. But the whole idea about having a contract was that in three months’ time, when I’ve eaten myself stupid and I’m thinking of things to do in the future and I feel like I need Formula One back in my life, but at this moment in time that isn’t the case.  So this is my last race, that’s the way I think about it at the moment, but who knows that could change in six months, eight months, one year.

    Q: (Seff Harding – Xero Xone News) For Felipe and Jenson: as you two get ready to leave the sport there are a lot of changes coming in 2017, what are your hopes for the future of Formula One as you leave the sport?

    FM: Well, I hope to be honest what everybody hopes: to see Formula One more competitive; to see more than one team fighting for the championship; to see more drivers winning the races. That’s what everybody has hoped since a long time in Formula One. That’s what I hope to see when I am watching the television, to see these guys fighting, not to see only one guy winning the races or maybe only one team. So that’s what I hope.

    JB: Yeah, I totally agree. I think coming up through… starting in 2000 and racing here in 2016 the sport has changed quite a lot – a lot for the positive. There are always going to be negatives, especially when you are trying new trends and technologies and what have you. But the main reason why I think people turn on and watch Formula One is the fighting, seeing different teams and different drivers fight for every race. For sure we’ve had it in the past when the have only been two drivers fighting for the championship but it’s been with different teams. Basically Mercedes are doing too good a job and nobody else is doing a good enough job right now. We are all working hard to catch up but it’s tough, because they are very competitive. I think that is what’s going to attract people more next year, if there are more teams fighting at the front, different drivers winning more races, because at the moment if nothing goes wrong with Mercedes, if they don’t have any issues, they win the race and a bad result is finishing second to your team-mate. That’s something that needs to change but obviously we will see if it does. Hopefully the rule changes, which are very big, will help other teams find a new direction and close the gap, because that’s exactly what we want to watch, as Felipe said, and it’s the only reason I’ll be watching Formula One next year.

    Q: (Alan Baldwin – Reuters) Felipe Nasr, you’re the only one up there whose future is not clear at the moment. What is the position? Are you taking to Manor? How\’s it going at Sauber?

    FN: There are still negotiations going on. The talks are with Sauber mainly. That’s our priority right now? As I said, I have a great relationship with the team. It’s been two great years. We saw the two sides of the coin. Then first year I had in Formula One I was able to do so much, to achieve so much in a very first year. The second, we had such a difficult time, the car being uncompetitive, but it was nice that we were able to get those two points in Brazil. I’m sure that has given a boost to the team. These two points mean a lot for myself, for the team and hopefully we will know it soon.

    Q: (Jerome Pugmire – AP) Question for Max. Given how well you’ve raced this year, especially the victory that you got and also the performance in Brazil, what are your objectives for next season? What do you see as realistic for you to achieve?

    MV: I think maybe that all depends on the package you get around you, you know? So if it’s the fastest car on track, for sure we can win races. So, we’ll see. I think we’re all very positive about next year but I think it’s important to just wait and see when the car gets to the track. Then we’ll know more. At the moment it’s a bit difficult to say what exactly what I want to achieve for next year because you don’t know what the packages are.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globoesport.com) To Jenson and to Felipe. With 17 and 15 years of experience in Formula One, what would you do differently to what you did in the past?

    JB: It’s a good question but I think for both of us our job is not to look back. It’s to live in the moment right now. This our last race and I think we’re both looking forward to getting out on the track. There’s no point trying to change the past because you can’t. You’ve got to learn from your mistakes and move forwards. It’s living in the moment and looking forward to the future.

    FM: I think it’s the same. To be honest, you do so many things in this long time of your career. Maybe one or the other you would try to do different now – but I mean, to be honest, I’m really happy for everything I did, really happy for everything I learned. Even with a difficult situation, that it happens, maybe I would do it differently yes, but I was always professional and I gained more by doing that than by doing different, so I’m really happy for everything I passed through and everything I learnt.

    Q: (Abhishek Takle – Mid-Day) Question to Felipe. You spoke about the emotional send-off you got in Brazil. I wanted to ask you, at the end of the day, leaving with that sort of respect and regard, does it count for me than the trophies and the championships?

    FM: Definitely. I think that is what you represent in the human side. That’s really than a lot bigger than a simple trophy. That really represents a lot and the respect, how you are, I think that’s really important for me as a person. Definitely. People not just looking at you only as a driver, people looking at you as a person, as a driver, as everything. It really represents me massively for everything that happened.

  • F1 2016: Abu Dhabi Gp Preview – Season Finale, Title Decider

    F1 2016: Abu Dhabi Gp Preview – Season Finale, Title Decider

    There is much significance to the 2016 season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend. For one, it is going to decide if Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton walks away with the ultimate prize of driver’s champion.

    What’s more, Formula 1 bids farewell to two drivers who have left their indelible mark in the history books of the sport. Brazilian Felipe Massa entered the sport as an erratic Sauber driver but spectacularly found his feet as teammate to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. It was during his time at the Italian team that he truly shone and put the best of his talent on display. At the peak of his powers there were few in the business that could’ve trumped Massa’s qualifying speed or his seemingly unbeatable form around Turkey’s Istanbul circuit. There is no reference to Felipe Massa without conjuring the images of the 2008 Brazilian grand prix. Though he felt heartbreakingly short of claiming the title his emotional response to the defeat revealed a man of great character and passion that will remain as one of the most successful Brazilians ever to be a Formula 1 driver.

    felipeJenson Button has not officially announced his retirement from F1 but it is unlikely that he will be seen in the cockpit after his 2017 sabbatical. A fresh-faced Button made his debut for Williams in 2000 before moving to Benneton and Renault for the next two seasons. By the mid-way point of 2002 team boss Flavio Briatore announced that Button would be replaced and called him a “lazy playboy” and said that “time will tell if I’m wrong”. It turns out that Briatore was wrong, categorically so. Button went on to perform solidly for BAR Honda and capped it with a first career win at the 2006 Hungarian grand prix. Four months before the 2009 season Honda announced a sudden departure from F1 and left JB without a drive. The Honda team, bought by Ross Brawn, morphed in Brawn Gp, trounced the field and delivered JB to his much-deserved world championship.

    He then boldly made the move to McLaren to partner a highly vaunted Hamilton. Button not only held his own against Hamilton but also showed him the way in 2012. Unfortunately JB exits the sport after two difficult seasons at McLaren-Honda but his super-smooth driving style, his incredible feel for conditions, great racing brain, and typically dry humour will be missed and remembered.

    Jenson Button grid penalty now 70 placesBesides the farewell parties that are sure to happen there will be a victory party for one of the Mercedes drivers after Sunday’s race. With a 12-point lead Rosberg and barring unreliability is standing in front of an open goal. The permutations for a Hamilton-championship win aren’t easy. Seeing that’s he’s pretty handy around this circuit lets, hypothetically, give him the win on Sunday. Still, he would need Rosberg to finish fourth or lower to win the title. Furthermore, if the drivers are tied on points at the end Rosberg will take the title as he has won more races in 2016.

    With all the permutations running rampant the expectations for the Abu Dhabi Gp are grand so spare a though for both Merc drivers amidst all of it. One is on the cusp of achieving everything he’s ever dreamt of. The other has a chance to join a very select list of drivers who have four world titles. Aint F1 grand?

  • Watch: Jenson Button Reflects on 17 Years in F1

    Watch: Jenson Button Reflects on 17 Years in F1

    After 17 consecutive years in F1, Jenson Button will race his final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

  • F1 2016: Brazilian Gp Review – Hamilton Cruises Amid Chaos

    F1 2016: Brazilian Gp Review – Hamilton Cruises Amid Chaos

    Three hours, five safety cars, and two red flags all combined to deliver a Brazilian grand prix that was high on intensity and high on emotion. But none of it fazed Lewis Hamilton as he cruised to his first ever victory in Brazil.

    Conditions proved so difficult that race director Charlie Whiting ordered a ten minute delay to the start of the proceedings in the hopes that the rain would ease. This wasn’t enough for Romain Grosjean though as his Haas speared into the wall while making his way to the starting grid. The race commenced behind the safety car and it quickly became apparent that visibility up the long start/finish straight was the biggest issue.

    Nevertheless, a handful of laps later conditions calmed enough to get some proper racing underway. Pole man Lewis Hamilton easily controlled proceedings and scampered off into the distance while Rosberg fended off a feisty Max Verstappen who had already made short work of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari at the start.

    Ferrari’s afternoon got more difficult as Sebastian Vettel spun at the exit of the final corner which dropped him down to fifteenth. Several drivers dived into the pitlane for intermediate tyres despite track conditions being more conducive to the full wet tyre. The first big crash came in the form of Marcus Ericsson who clipped a white line in the run-in to the pitlane and destroying the Sauber in the process. Ericsson’s stricken car ended up in the pitlane entry which prompted its closure. However, quick thinking from Red Bull saw Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo into the box. While Verstappen made it into the pitlane before the red light Ricciardo was as fortunate and was given a five second penalty for his troubles.

    GP BRASILE F1/2016The safety car once again led the field and just as racing commenced on lap 20 Kimi Raikkonen lost control of his car on the main straight which left him facing oncoming traffic in a situation with low visibility. Several drivers, including Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon, reacted brilliantly to avoid hitting Raikkonen’s car. This prompted the first red flag of the race with Hamilton still in the lead.

    Nearly fifty minutes later the race re-started behind the safety car but the field completed only eight laps before another red flag stopped it. It wasn’t too long before drivers clambered back into their cockpits for the re-start and this time the race ran until lap 48 until the safety car was required in order to recover the Williams of Felipe Massa which had shunted in a similar fashion to Ericsson. It was an bittersweet end the popular Brazilian’s last home race. While a solid result eluded Massa it did afford him an opportunity to salute the thousands of fans in the grandstands with a Brazilian flag draped over his shoulders and a few tears to boot. As Massa made his way into the pitlane it produced one of the most emotional scenes as team mechanics and personnel from several teams, including Mercedes and Ferrari, stood outside the garage to applaud him.

    GP BRASILE F1/2016On lap 55 the race re-started with the spotlight focused on a fast-charging Verstappen in 14th who swopped inters for new full wets. The teenager scythed through the field with some stunning overtakes which had more to do with his bravery than his new rubber. Verstappen eventually finished a miraculous third.

    As rain transformed the Interlagos circuit into a treacherous roller-coaster every F1 driver had to ply the maximum of their ability to keep their cars on track. Several drivers failed to reach the chequered flag but others impressed. Force India’s Sergio Perez was fourth ahead Vettel in fifth and Carlos Sainz in sixth. Nico Hulkenberg took seventh ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in eighth while Felipe Nasr scored Sauber’s first points of the season with a fine ninth place finish. McLaren’s Fernando Alonso survived his own spin to finish tenth.

    Nico Rosberg wasn’t able to clinch the title but he delivered the next best thing with a second place finish. He now takes a 12 point lead to the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi.

  • F1 2016: Brazilian Gp Preview – Sao Paolo Ready For Drama

    F1 2016: Brazilian Gp Preview – Sao Paolo Ready For Drama

    There is something about the Brazilian grand prix that brings out the very best that Formula 1 has to offer. For years the South American circuit has delivered some of the most memorable races and visuals in the sports history.

    The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace has immortalised itself by crowning five world champion in the 21st Century, so far. In 2005 and 2006 Fernando Alonso wrapped both of his titles here and in 2007 Kimi Raikkonen won the championship by one point over then rookie Lewis Hamilton. In 2008 one of the most dramatic endings to any championship season culminated in Hamilton’s first title. The unlikely story of Brawn resulted in Jenson Button’s title at the end of the 2009 season. The last champion here was crowned in 2012 as Sebastian Vettel swept to his third driver’s crown.

    In 2016 the opportunity for another champion to be crowned has once again come to the fore. Nico Rosberg currently leads his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton by nineteen points with a maximum of fifty still on the table. For Rosberg the equation is clear – win the race and he will become the world champion. It sounds like a simple enough task but there is of course one rather large obstacle in way – Lewis Hamilton. Granted, Hamilton doesn’t have the greatest of records in Brazil but he must throw caution to the wind in order to stop Rosberg. This weekend there is no percentage game to be played, no damage limitation. It is the type of situation where a true champion thrives and one that, arguably, all F1 fans relish.

    Brazil 2015_StartThe Autodromo is one of the shortest circuits on the calendar but still provides a specific challenge to drivers. “The track is quite a technical layout, especially sector 2, it’s important to get this right for a quick lap. Like many of the circuits we race at it has had a lot of history and great moments over the years, this makes it one of the ‘special’ ones on the calendar,” says Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Red Bull could be in with a good chance this weekend as despite the long start/finish strait the layout should suit their car.

    Sebastian Vettel is likely to lay off the radio commentary this weekend after his rather colourful Mexican grand prix. The German driver apologised to all parties involved and will most likely opt to do his talking on track where Ferrari should be able to deliver a turn of pace which could make proceedings quite interesting.

    The track surface is quite an abrasive one for which Pirelli have brought the hard, medium, and soft compound. This doesn’t provide any profound insight as to what will happen in the race though. In truth, over the years the Brazilian grand prix has been one of the most unpredictable races of the year with a tendency to err towards the dramatic. Naturally, the expectation is that Mercedes are the favourites going into the weekend but at this history-laden South American circuit nothing is a given.

    FelipeMassaIt’s already primed to be a weekend of high stakes but it’s likely to be an emotional one too. Brazilian driver Felipe Massa will contest his final home race ahead of his retirement from the sport. The image of Massa winning this grand prix amid the euphoria of the crowd is a special memory. What’s more, few will ever forget the gracious manner in which Massa conducted himself as he fell agonisingly short of winning the 2008 title. While his star may have waned slightly over the last few seasons we will never forget Felipe Massa’s prodigious quali speed, his glorious wins in Brazil, and the grace he showed in 2008. Obrigado Felipe.

  • F1 2016: Mexico Gp Qualifying Report – Hamilton Seizes Pole

    F1 2016: Mexico Gp Qualifying Report – Hamilton Seizes Pole

    Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole position for Sunday’s Mexican grand prix.

    A ninety thousand strong crowd looked on as Mercedes locked out their eleventh front row of the season. Crucially it was Lewis Hamilton who took the team’s 18th pole of the season ahead of championship rival Nico Rosberg.

    Max Verstappen was best of the rest in third and will share the second row with Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Nico Hulkenberg delivered a brilliant fifth for Force India ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in sixth and Sebastian Vettel in seventh. Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa secured eighth and ninth for Williams with the ever-impressive Carlos Sainz in tenth for Toro Rosso.

    Pascal Wehrlein underlined his credentials with a fine sixteenth place for Manor while Fernando Alonso, in eleventh, will the first driver with free tyre choice. Renault’s Jolyon Palmer missed out on the qualifying session as the Renault team uncovered a crack in his chassis.

    Final Qualifying Standings:

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  • F1 2016: Mexican Gp Preview – All Eyes On Rosberg

    F1 2016: Mexican Gp Preview – All Eyes On Rosberg

    The eyes of the racing world will be on Nico Rosberg this weekend as the Mercedes driver has his first chance to win the driver’s title.

    It isn’t a straightforward chance though. For Rosberg to clinch his first title he’ll have to win the race and Lewis Hamilton will have to finish tenth or lower. While it’s certainly not impossible [insert image of painful Malaysian engine failure here] it does seem improbable. Many are waiting with bated breath to see how Rosberg will react to the situation he now finds himself in. There probably won’t be a reaction from Rosberg because one isn’t needed. He’s gotten himself to this point and this position with a method that has worked for him the entire season, why change that now? A smart person once said: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The reality is that Rosberg has to keep doing what he’s done since the end of the 2015 season. It’s up to Hamilton now to pull something out of his bag of tricks.

    Rosberg’s first chance to take the crown comes at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez just south of Texas. If there is one thing that is true about Mexico it’s that they love Formula 1. A record-breaking crowd at last year electrified the grand prix. The final sector’s stadium section is likely one of the most visually stunning aspects of any circuit anywhere in the world. The hundreds of thousands of fans clambering for a glimpse of the heroes and raucous passion of all of them is truly something to behold.

    Sergio Perez (MEX) Sahara Force India F1 VJM08. Mexican Grand Prix, Sunday 1st November 2015. Mexico City, Mexico.

    It might have something to do with the fact that they have two Mexican drivers on the grid in the form of Sergio Perez at Force India and Esteban Gutierrez at Haas F1. “It’s a very special week for my whole career. It’s probably one of the best two weeks of my career because it represents so much to racing, to motorsports in Mexico in general, and to me,” says Gutierrez. “It’s a kind of connection where I can share my passion for racing and what I do with all Mexicans. I feel grateful for their support”.

    Besides the second highest top speed, after Baku, the Mexican circuit provides several other challenges. “The primary feature of the circuit is its altitude which tests the turbo charger of the power unit, as well as the vehicle’s cooling systems. The altitude is not only a test for the car, but indeed the drivers and the whole pit crew,” says Williams’ Chief Technical Head, Pat Symonds. “Of particular note is the brake duty cycle, with this circuit now being one of the highest benchmarks we need to achieve. For the second time in a row, the teams also have to handle back-to-back race events as we continue through the busy final stint of the season.”

    The circuit’s demand on power unit performance will be prevalent this weekend. Normally, this would mean that Ferrari should have the edge over Red Bull and their Tag Heuer branded Renault engine. However, it has been a season of decline for the Italian team and not just on car performance. If they are to get anything out of this weekend they’ll have to inch perfect.

    Nico Rosberg stands on the cusp of realising his biggest dream – to become a Formula 1 World Champion. Despite this overwhelming prospect there is a feeling that Rosberg will continue to do what he’s done best this season and see how the chips land at the end of it. One thing is certain though he will not relent.