Tag: jules bianchi

2014 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference

DRIVERS:

Jules BIANCHI (Marussia)

Jean-Eric VERGNE (Toro Rosso)

Marcus ERICSSON (Caterham)

Nico HULKENBERG (Force India)

Jenson BUTTON (McLaren)

Romain GROSJEAN (Lotus)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Jenson, if we could start with you. Obviously you’ll reach 250 grand prix this weekend – congratulations on that. Later this year I guess you’ll become the third most experienced grand prix driver of all time. Maybe your thoughts on that what lessons you’ve learned along the way.

Jenson BUTTON: I’ve learned a lot along the way, as you can imagine, racing for 14 years in Formula One. The thing that surprises me is how quickly it goes by. Fifty races ago I was in Hungary, celebrating my 200^thgrand prix, which I won by the way! So, it’s amazing how time flies. You really do have to enjoy every moment of it as much as you can. For me, being 14 years in the sport, I still feel like I have more to learn. I’m definitely not the perfect driver yet, and I never will be, but there is always still more to learn. That’s something, for me, that’s exciting about the sport. New regulations obviously are changing the sport quite a lot, especially with these new regulations, and again, you always have more to learn. For me that’s what keeps the sport exciting and that’s what has kept me on my toes for the last 14 years and hopefully for many more.

Judging from the first two races and also from some of the messages from the team, it seems that McLaren is a bit better perhaps in the cooler conditions than it was in the heat of Malaysia. What are you expecting this weekend – we’re in a warm place but it’s a night race?

JB: Well, we have a good engine, which helps us here. There isn’t as much high speed as Malaysia and Malaysia was also hot. So hot and high-speed corners are tricky for us. It’s an area we know we’ve got to work on, high-speed downforce. So, here it should be quite a bit better. Fuel consumption is pretty tricky here though, I think for everyone, some more than others for some reason. There’s a lot of work needed before the race to get the right balance for a night race – our first night race here, which should be pretty interesting.

Coming to you Marcus. Obviously your first Formula One finish, in Malaysia – congratulations on 14^th place? Can you describe your feelings and the progress at Caterham?

Marcus ERICSSON: Yeah, it was a good feeling to finish my first F1 race. I think we have done good progress. It’s been a tough, a difficult year so far, with the problems we had in pre-season and then Australia was obviously a very difficult weekend for the whole team. But we’ve been working really hard and making progress all the time, which is the key for us. To have both cars finishing in Malaysia in our home race was a great effort from everyone. Hopefully now in Bahrain we can continue to work forward and first of all a trouble-free Friday, so we can start setting up the car and then see what we can get form the set-up.

I wonder if being a rookie in a year with such new and complex machinery proved harder or easier than you expected?

ME: It’s been quite hard because especially in pre-season there were quite a lot of issues. So it was difficult to get ready for it before you arrive in Australia, with very limited running. So I wouldn’t say it’s easier but it’s been alright.

Jules, coming to you, obviously a very frustrating first couple of grands prix for you in Australia and Malaysia, with very few race laps. But the car seems to have run OK the rest of the time. I wonder what your feelings are at this point?

Jules BIANCHI: Yeah, obviously the feeling is not the best. We are trying very hard to improve everything. For sure the car is running well at the moment. We had a small issue in Australia before the start but now it’s fine all that. Another issue on the first lap in Malaysia but actually we don’t have big problems on the car, so this is the positive thing and now we have to have everything going well for the next races.

As Jenson was saying it’s the first time we have a night race here in Bahrain. I wonder what your thoughts are on that and how it will add to the challenge of racing here?

JBi: Well, obviously the lights will be good, as it’s always good on night races in Formula One, so I don’t expect that to be a big challenger. But it will be good to have a night race in Bahrain. I think it will be a nice one for us.

Nico, obviously the last two grand prix, two fantastic battles with Fernando Alonso and Ferrari. Give us some insight into those two battles and what it’s been like from your cockpit.

Nico HULKENBERG: Well, I think Australia was not quite a battle. I was just driving in front of him and he overtook me by strategy. And in Malaysia there was not much I could offer in the end. I was struggling on my tyres; he was on a fresh set of softs. Still I was trying to make him work a little bit for the move. But it was always clear that he, coming two second a lap at me, that I don’t have to offer so much. But I think a really positive start to the season for us at Force India. Eighteen points for me already, which is good. I feel we have a good foundation but we need to keep pushing and I need to keep the momentum up because it’s a good opportunity to collect good points this early in the season.

This race last year was obviously one of the strongest for Force India last season. Is there much optimism within the team going into this weekend’s race?

NH: Absolutely. The whole team is very positive, everybody is working in the right direction. We had two strong races, we’re basically trying to keep the races and keep plugging away at good results. I think here this weekend here is a little trickier. In Malaysia, we had surprisingly good performance on Sunday maybe stronger than we expected. We were quite clear on McLaren and Williams, which was a little bit of a surprise, but I think here things might be a bit more tricky and a bit more tight.

Q: Jean-Eric, double points finish for Toro Rosso in Australia, Daniil Kvyat in the points in Malaysia; is it fair to say Toro Rosso has started this season on the front foot, feeling competitive?
Jean-Eric VERGNE: Yeah, I think Toro Rosso has done a massively good job during the winter and even before that, produced a good car and I believe there is still a lot more to come from this team. Many things have changed in a good way and you can definitely feel it inside the team and I’m really happy, they’ve showed some really good results. I think if I didn’t have a problem, I think we could have finished again in the points, a double points finish in Malaysia as well, and that’s what we’re going to try and do here in Bahrain. But overall, I think it’s a good start but the good thing is that I’m sure there is a lot more to come.

Q: Speaking of changes, can you talk a little about the changes that you’ve made, in that some of the people you’re working with, the way you’re going racing this year?

JEV: I’ve changed many things, I would say. I will not go into much detail but I needed to change my approach a little bit and I think the changes that I’ve made have been in the right direction. I feel better as a human being and as a racing driver as well, and enjoying more of what I do; I can see that already inside the team, outside the track and on the track. As for the team, I think I still have a lot more to give, so it’s all positive so far.

Q: Romain, obviously 11^th in Malaysia, close to the points but not quite there. It’s been a real up and down couple of Grands Prix for you. I wonder if you could describe your emotions and how they’ve evolved over the last couple of races.

Romain GROSJEAN: Yeah, I won’t say exactly everything I could say inside my helmet sometimes. I think it was good for all the guys that we could finish the Malaysian Grand Prix. Of course it was not the way you would like to see when you start a Grand Prix but at the moment that’s where we are plus we were not that far from the points. I think without a small issue at the end of the race, we could probably have got closer and maybe fight for points but it was good and as I said, the guys had three nights in Melbourne when they didn’t sleep, all that for not a big reward. And then we went to Malaysia and again, they worked very hard and we all know it’s humid and hot there so conditions were tough but we managed to get to the end of the race. I think we learned more about our car and we wish from now on that we get troublefree weekends as was the case on Saturday and Sunday and then from there we can learn, improve and get closer to where we would like to be.

Q: Do you feel that the team is on a path back to where it was; how long is it going to take?

RG: Yeah, I don’t know, to be honest. I know that we still have in our genes the winning spirit and we can still fight back. Of course, when you start the season with everything in the right direction it’s easier to move forward but at the moment we’ve had some issues, we’ve solved most of them, hopefully no more coming, then we can go from there. Of course, Renault is well aware that the power unit needs to improve a little bit compared to certain other manufacturers, but I think it’s going to be good and we can work on our car.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Vincent Marre – Sports Zeitung) Jenson, in all the seasons that you’ve been racing now, which car has been the most memorable for you? Not the year or the season but the specific car. There must be one.

JB: There have been quite a few, for different reasons. 2009 obviously was good, it was the year I won the World Championship so an enjoyable car to drive. I liked the big front tyres that we use to have as well. 2011 was good fun. It was quite difficult because we had the blown diffuser that everyone had but it was quite unusual to drive, but when you got used to it, there was so much downforce, it was pretty awesome. But then if you look back, 2004 was also a great year: V10 engines, 900 horsepower, revving to 20,000rpm. Obviously there was a tyre war then as well. Most of the lap times that were achieved then, the fastest laps, have not been beaten in ten years. That was a pretty special car to drive as well. All very different eras in the sport, if you like.. It’s great to have been around through the V10, V8 and now the V6 periods. I think it’s been some exciting times that I’ve had in my career.

Q: (Luis Fernando Ramos – Racing Magazine) To all drivers: in less than one month, motor sport will pay tribute to Ayrton Senna on the 20^th anniversary of his passing. I would like you to recall what impact that Sunday at Imola had on your lives and the ones who were too young to remember, maybe how Ayrton Senna relates to you as a driver?

NH: What that Sunday had, the impact of that Sunday? Not many memories, it was just my first contacts with motor racing and therefore I can’t really remember so much of it but obviously having heard a lot of stories and have seen a documentary, obviously he was a very passionate guy about the sport, about racing and was always pushing the limit very hard.

JB: Obviously I was four years old when this happened, so I don’t remember many things but let’s say I remember just the fact that all the people were loving him so this is what I remember the most.

JEV: Same as Jules. I was four years old so I have absolutely no memory of this but obviously it took me a few years to realise who he was and what he has done for the sport. I think everybody has a massive respect for this guy. Obviously I love all the sportsmen that changed the philosophy of world sport, like Michael Jordan in basketball; I believe he is part of the really big sportsmen of any kind of sport, Ayrton Senna, and I think that’s why everybody loved him.

ME: Yes, the same, I was four years old so I don’t remember anything but obviously he was a great driver and a great person from the look of it. When you watch the documentaries and stuff like that, you can see how great he was both on and off the track.

RG: Yeah, I think it was the first or second year that I was starting to watch Formula One and of course it was Prost and Senna when I started watching in ’94. I remembered that Sunday, I was watching the race with my Dad and I didn’t understand what exactly was going on and why the race was stopped and it was so long. And then, well, I found out a little bit later and of course, Ayrton has been part of the sport… Again, I started watching Formula One when he was fighting with Alain, I think it was a great era and they were fantastic drivers.

JB: I wasn’t four years old, I was fourteen years old, still very young obviously but I was racing in Italy that weekend, karting, I had just started racing there so it was a massive shock. Basically the kart meeting was over as soon as we heard the news from Imola. A horrific day for everyone but as the guys said, sometimes it takes something like that – a terrible tragedy – to really change the sport for the better and in terms of safety for us guys, it’s had a very big impact.

April 3, 2014
What’s in a number?

The FIA announced late last year that drivers would be issued with permanent numbers to be carried throughout their Formula 1 careers. All drivers were asked to nominate two numbers between #2 and #99 as Sebastian Vettel has an automatic hold on #1 as the current F1 champion.

The complete list of numbers that the drivers will carry, starting in 2014, was recently announced by the FIA with many of the choices revealing the nostalgic sentimentality of several drivers.

Current world champion Sebastian Vettel will race with the #1 while he has reserved #5 not so much as an homage to former British champ Nigel Mansell but rather as a return to the number he used as a child in karting. Should Vettel not make it five world titles in 2014 he will run with the #5 in 2015. Red Bull Racing teammate Daniel Ricciardo has also chosen his first number in karting but tweeted that #3 is also a result of being a fan of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt.

Lewis Hamilton continued the trend of karting numbers and the 2008 champion will race with #44 emblazoned on both his helmet and car. Nico Rosberg has chosen his number as a tribute to his father Keke Rosberg who carried #6 during his championship winning year in 1982. However, the number six seems to run in the Rosberg family as Nico also secured the 2002 Formula BMW title while carrying the same number.

Fernando Alonso carried the nostalgic trend further as he too reminisced about his karting days with the choice to race #14. Believe it or not Fernando Alonso is the only driver on the grid to have won the Karting World Cup and he did so using kart #14 when he was 14 years old.

While sentimentality overflowed Kimi Raikkonen delivered his trademark, unaffected reasoning for his choice. “It was my number the previous year so I saw no reason to change it,” he said. Raikkonen will race with #7.

Romain Grosjean has similarly elected to retain his 2013 number. However, the Frenchman revealed that his choice to retain #8 is based on the fact that he had experienced his best ever season last year. Newly signed teammate Pastor Maldonado has brought back #13 to Formula 1 which is considered to be unlucky in many circles. However, Maldonado’s choice could be down to the fact that this particular number in considered lucky for Venezuelans. Several Venezuelan Baseball players all carry #13.

Jenson Button has returned to his championship winning season of 2009 with the choice of #22 while rookie teammate Kevin Magnussen is continuing the trend of karting numbers with #20.

Nico Hulkenberg’s choice of #27 hasn’t been given much clarification as yet but the romantics amongst the F1 fans would like to think that German’s choice is in honour of the great Gilles Villeneuve. Coincidentally, Ayrton Senna clinched the 1990 world driver’s championship with #27. Mexican Sergio Perez has picked #11 as the second Force India driver. “Ever since I was a kid I always wore the 11, in karting. Actually my email has 11 in it as well,” he grinned. “A lot of things have to do with 11 so I identified myself with that number,” said Perez.

Adrian Sutil, a Sauber driver for 2014, will run #99 which was the highest possible number up for grabs. Esteban Gutierrez will race #21. Jean-Eric Vergne hand-picked his karting number 25 while rookie teammate Danniil Kvyat has confirmed #26.

Williams driver Felipe Massa has selected #19 which could be in honour of Ayrton Senna as this was the Brazilian’s first number in Formula 1. Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas has seen the marketing potential in his choice of #77 as it resembles the letter ‘T’ in his name. Marussia driver Jules Bianchi had to be content with his third choice of number 17. The FIA has confirmed Max Chilton as the second driver at Marussia for 2014 but the Brit is yet to select a number. Caterham are still to announce their driver pairing for the upcoming season.

The issuing of permanent numbers is a great homage to the history of Formula 1. Gilles Villeneuve will always be as synonymous with #27 as Nigel Mansell will be with #5. Now it is the chance of a different era of drivers to breathe new life into these legendary numbers.

January 13, 2014
Full driver line-up for Bahrain tyre test confirmed

The full driver line-up for this week’s Pirelli tyre test in Bahrain has been confirmed.

The three day tyre test is set to get underway on Tuesday and end on Thursday and will see teams testing using their 2013 cars. All 11 teams were invited to the tyre test but only six agreed to participate. McLaren and Force India however later decided to withdraw. Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be on track to put Pirelli’s 2014 tyres through their paces. The running plans however, will be dictated by Pirelli as they gather data for next season.

World champions Red Bull, will be making use of test driver Sebastien Buemi while Toro Rosso will give Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniil Kvyat one and a half days of running each.

Ferrari confirmed that they will be using their development driver Pedro De la Rosa for two days and that Marussia driver Jules Bianchi will take part in one day of the tyre test.

Mercedes were last to confirm their driver line-up and will be using only Nico Rosberg for the tyre test.

December 17, 2013
Updated F1 2014 driver line-up

Following Lotus’ announcement that Pastor Maldonado will race alongside Romain Grosjean and the news that Nico Hulkenberg will drive for Force India next season, 16 drivers have now been announced for the 2014 season, with six more seats up for grabs.

In terms of the 2014 driver line-up only one team – Mercedes – have confirmed that they will be retaining both of their drivers. Red Bull, Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren, Williams and Toro Rosso have all replaced one of their drivers.

We have two teams – Sauber and Caterham – who still need to announce any drivers, and the sixth and final ‘available’ seat is at Marussia, alongside Jules Bianchi.

We have two rookies included in the 2014 driver line-up so far – Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen who will replace Sergio Perez at McLaren and Russia’s Daniil Kvyat who’ll take over Daniel Ricciardo’s seat at Toro Rosso.

The current 2014 driver line-up stands as follows:

Red Bull Racing
Sebastian Vettel
Daniel Ricciardo

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg

Ferrari
Fernando Alonso
Kimi Raikkonen

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
Pastor Maldonado

McLaren
Jenson Button
Kevin Magnussen

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
TBC

Sauber
TBC
TBC

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
Daniil Kvyat

Williams
Felipe Massa
Valtteri Bottas

Marussia
Jules Bianchi
TBC

Caterham
TBC
TBC

December 3, 2013
Team and Driver Quotes – Brazilian Grand Prix

Team and Driver Quotes following the final Formula One race of the season – the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel, 1st
“I don’t want to compare the record what we have got today; it’s not fair as it was a different time when Ascari was driving. Cars broke down more often then and teams were less consistent, so therefore it’s a different type of record that we have got today. For all of us in the whole team we love coming to work and giving it all we have. There’s a great spirit and it’s sad in a way that the year comes to an end, but that’s how it is. I’m sure everyone’s looking forward to a break to get the batteries charged and to look forward to next year. My start wasn’t so good today, but I was able to get past Rosberg. It was hard to know what was going to happen in today’s race. When we came for the second pit stop, it was a late call and then we had to wait for the tyres. We managed to recover with some laps to go. Today was of course Mark’s last race. We didn’t have the best relationship, but nevertheless we always had respect for each other on a professional level and whatever was going on off-track, didn’t make a difference to us on track and we both pushed each other very hard. I certainly learned a lot from Mark. I learned to become a better driver, due to his impressive skills; that’s why I consider him one of the best drivers on the grid.”

Mark Webber,2nd
“It was nice to take the helmet off for the final lap. In this sport it’s not always possible to give things a personal touch. We have the helmets on all the time, so they fans don’t always see a Formula One driver in a car without a helmet. It was nice to get it off and see the marshals and the fans; it was just a really nice thing to experience. I heard a lot of noises that I don’t normally hear. The difficult part for me today was actually getting in to the car for the final time. I was overcome with some emotion then to be honest. That moment of the helmet going on and stepping into the car was actually the strongest emotion I’ve had all day. Then crossing the line and seeing all the guys was great. Christian radioed me and said enjoy the last lap, which I did. I did it as slow as I could; it was a very special day. Seb and I have had our challenges over time and it’s easier to have a relationship with Fernando, as he’s in another team, but to finish on the podium with those two guys – well, they have been the best of this generation. I have raced them a lot and to finish with those guys was nice for me because it meant a lot, showing that I can drive well at the end of my career and that I got the timing right. Formula One is a sport which I’ve loved. I could never have dreamt of the career that I’ve had, the tremendous highs, the tough lows – you know they have to happen and you learn from adversity. The biggest and strongest memories you have are from when you are in the car; it’s what we were tuned and trained to do. Driving on the limit is what I was paid to do and what I enjoyed doing. They are the strongest memories you have as an individual at this level.”

Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal
“What an incredible way to sign off not only a remarkable season, but also Mark’s career in Formula One. It was a fitting way to finish with a one two finish. Sebastian claims yet another record and has driven like a true champion this year to have won thirteen Grand Prix in one season; it’s a remarkable achievement and will be very difficult to surpass. For Mark, it was fantastic that he finished his Formula One career on the podium with a really gutsy drive. His moves on Rosberg, Hamilton and twice on Alonso showed what a real racer he is and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for the invaluable contribution that he’s made to the team, to the four constructors’ championships that we have won together and for all his hard work and efforts throughout the last seven years. As he moves on to a new challenge we wish him the very, very best to him and his family for the future.”

Thierry Salvi, Renault support for Red Bull
“A perfect way to close the V8 era: winning the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships and all the races since the summer break! Congratulations to all at Red Bull for the sheer amount of work they have done this year and for helping us secure the place of the Renault RS27 V8 in F1 history. Thank you to Mark who leaves us today: we wish him a lot of success in his future role.”

Ferrari
Fernando Alonso, 3rd
“A podium is the best way to end this long season and finishing behind two Red Bulls almost tastes like a victory, as well as being the maximum we could have done today. It’s a real shame that the much awaited rain didn’t arrive in the end, because in the wet, we would definitely have been more competitive. I did not get away well at the start and I found myself blocked on the outside and then the inside. However, after catching Hamilton and Rosberg, I began to push and my race was all on the attack. Even if we cannot be fully satisfied with this result, because our aim is always to win, I would view the season in a positive light: we did win and get podiums, as well as finishing second in the drivers’ championship and these are figures we can be proud of, both myself and Felipe. He’s been a fantastic team mate and even if we continue to see one another in the paddock, I will miss the relationship we have had. I wish him all the best for the future.”

Felipe Massa, 7th
“My race began perfectly, with a great start and then a strong pace that allowed me to immediately pull of some nice passing moves and I was having a really great race up until the moment I was given a penalty for crossing the white line. I don’t think I deserved a drive-through and I believe it was very unfair. I am very disappointed because today I could have finished fourth or third. I am sure that if I had found myself behind Fernando, he’d have let me pass. However, I don’t want this incident to ruin such a special weekend for me and all my team. In their eyes, I am a world champion and I will never forget them, nor anything about my time with Ferrari. I want to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity and maximum support all the time, including President Montezemolo, Stefano Domenicali and all the mechanics and engineers who work at the track and back home, as well as all the Ferrari fans who, over the years, have rejoiced with me and also suffered with me during the most difficult moments. Thank you!”

Pat Fry, Ferrari engineering director
“Today’s was a very uncertain race, for which it was difficult to make predictions because of unknowns relating to the weather and tyre behaviour. In the end, it didn’t rain and the tyres displayed linear degradation, thanks also to the skilful management of both drivers. The car was well suited to the characteristics of this circuit also in the dry and, but for Felipe’s penalty, we could have finished third and fourth. It would have been absolutely deserved because without a doubt today we were the second best team in the field. The team worked impeccably all weekend and I want to congratulate everyone for having tackled such a difficult season with maximum dedication. I am pleased the pit stop guys set the fastest times of the year and that our engineers were able to yet again deliver amazing reliability on the engine front, the systems and all car components, which is a key element when it comes to preparing for next year, for a new season when we want to return to being front runners again.”

Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari team principal
“We have ended a difficult season with our heads held high, once again front runners in a Grand Prix that had a bittersweet outcome. Today, we witnessed a very aggressive Ferrari, in a wonderful race for Fernando, while for Felipe it was over when he was handed a penalty, which honestly, I find a bit extreme and forced. Because I don’t think Felipe’s move gave him any advantage. With the points he could have scored the outcome of the constructors’ championship could have been different. However, I was very happy to see the team react and work well here in all conditions. This has to be the impetus to prepare for next season as well as possible and our engineers are aware of the results we want to obtain. The assessment of this season just ended cannot be positive, because after a competitive start, we had a second half that did not live up to our standards, as I have said many times before. Now words count for nothing, but only the work we must do back home: on this topic, I think all the decisions we have taken and the changes we made are taking us in the right direction to tackle next season in the best way possible.”

McLaren
Jenson Button, 4th
“For Checo, myself and the whole Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, today was an incredible day. I’m pleased to have finished fourth: it’s almost the podium position that I came here aiming for. We really needed today’s result. The 2013 season hasn’t been an easy one – it’s been tough for all of us at the circuits, but it’s probably been even tougher for the guys back at the factory, working flat-out to make parts. They’re a really amazing bunch of totally passionate and utterly dedicated people, and they richly deserve the ‘lift’ that today’s result will have given them. I’m also pleased for Checo. He won’t be with us next year, but he drove a great race today. Well done, mate. I also want to say a big ‘thank you’ to Vodafone. Vodafone has been an absolutely incredible title partner, and we’ve also had a lot of fun together – both on and off the track. Some of the videos they made with us have been truly brilliant. I’m sad to see them leave, but I guess nothing lasts for ever. This is a great way to end the year, and now our focus turns squarely to 2014. McLaren is an incredibly strong and powerful organisation – and, believe me, we will fight back.”

Sergio Perez, 6th
“What a contrast today was to yesterday, when we were unlucky to lose five grid positions owing to a gearbox-change penalty, but I think we made a very strong recovery this afternoon. I was praying for heavier rain at the end of the race, so that I could have a go at making up some more positions. But unfortunately I had to save fuel in the final laps, which meant I couldn’t really attack Nico [Rosberg] as hard as I’d otherwise have been able to. I’ve learnt so much from everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the best team I’ve ever raced with, and I wish every single one of them all the best for the future. I wish Jenson and Kevin all the best for the future, too. I think I’ve grown up a lot this year – both as a racing driver and as a man – and I think I’ll be an even stronger competitor in future as a result.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Undoubtedly, that was our best Grand Prix of the year. It’s frustrating to have to say that after a race in which our drivers finished only fourth and sixth, but it’s also true. Moreover, the manner in which those results were achieved was heartening indeed: both Jenson and Checo had difficulties in qualifying, through no fault of their own, but the way they charged through the field from their lowly grid slots this afternoon was seriously impressive. It also illustrated very creditable race pace, which was good to see. Having said all that, 2013 been a long, hard and disappointing year. Nonetheless, I want to take this opportunity to pay particular tribute to our trackside mechanics and engineers, who are without doubt the best in the pit lane. That’s not only my opinion, by the way; the stats bear it out too.

As of today, McLaren became the first team in Formula One history to have both its cars classified in every Grand Prix during the season. And, also as of today, McLaren completed 99.17% of the season’s total possible race distance – 7139 miles [11,488km] out of a possible 7198 miles [11,584km] – which is not only better than every other team managed this season but is also a new world record, beating the previous record of 98.30% set by BMW-Sauber in 2008. Those two stats constitute compelling proof of the fact that our trackside mechanics and engineers possess the three D’s in impressive abundance: dedication, determination and discipline. Well done, boys, I’m proud of you. Today, Jenson broke a record, too, becoming the first British F1 driver to start 247 Grand Prix, eclipsing the previous British milestone of 246 set by our old friend David [Coulthard]. And the way Jenson drove today proves that he’s as hungry and as competitive as ever he was. Checo also drove a superb race today, surging from nineteenth on the grid to sixth at the flag, and I’m personally delighted that he was able to end his year at McLaren with such a fantastic performance. As I’ve said many times, he’s a fine driver. He’s also a lovely guy, and the way he’s conducted himself over the past ten days, in particular, in extremely challenging circumstances, has been hugely impressive. He’s a class act.

Today we also have to bid farewell to our title and total communications partner Vodafone, after seven seasons in which together we won one world championship, here at Interlagos, in 2008, perhaps the most dramatic denouement in Formula One history, and also scored 34 grand prix wins. Vodafone has been a fabulous partner for McLaren, and has contributed not only funding but also technology. Moreover, our partnership delivered all the marketing objectives that Vodafone had set for it, and gave its clients and customers a lot of fun, too. Finally, I want to say something about the future. Formula One is a relentlessly demanding sport, and next season’s new regulations are already presenting all the teams with a daunting array of technical challenges – not only powertrains but aerodynamics, too. For quite some time we’ve been working extremely hard on those technical challenges and our focus will be unstinting and unwavering from now onwards, throughout the winter. In other words, the 2014 season starts this evening.”

Mercedes
Nico Rosberg, 5th
“Today is a great day for the team and to finish in second place in the Constructors’ Championship is a huge step forward for us. My thanks to everyone who made our success possible and congratulations to the team here at the track and back at our factories. It was certainly an interesting race today; I had a perfect start but then I struggled a lot with my rear tyres in the opening stint and lost a few positions. We could have cleared Jenson in the pits but it was better for us to be conservative and focus on our battle with Ferrari. I’m so happy that we have achieved our aim and now everyone can look forward to a break and the new challenge of 2014. It’s a huge project and there’s a lot of work ahead over the winter. I’m very much looking forward to working with the team to put us in the best possible position for next season.”

Lewis Hamilton, 9th
“Firstly, congratulations to the team today for achieving second place in the Constructors’ Championship. That result means so much to everyone and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it this year. From my side, it was a tough race today. I don’t know what happened exactly with Valtteri and will have to have a look at the replay. I thought that I had moved to the left, he outbraked me and then we touched but it happened so quickly and it was obviously judged that I did something wrong. I was having a good race until that point in fourth place and a podium might have been possible as I was closing on Fernando. That’s why I’m so disappointed with my own race but of course I’m delighted for the team. They have done an incredible job this year and really deserve this result. It’s the reward for what I know has been many years of hard work and my thoughts are with everyone here at the track and back at our factories at Brackley and Brixworth. We’ve got so much to look forward to next season so I’ll put today behind me quickly and focus on what should be a great year in 2014.”

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“Well, I’ve certainly got a few more grey hairs after that race! Both cars made fantastic starts but it was soon clear that we hadn’t found the sweet spot with the car balance for Nico and he was struggling for rear-end grip. Lewis was stronger in the opening stint and showed good pace before and after his first stop. Our race obviously turned on the two drive-through penalties for Felipe and Lewis. Our drivers had been reporting that Felipe was consistently crossing the white line at pit entry with all four wheels and when the FIA eventually took action, that obviously helped us. Then we had Lewis’ unfortunate incident with Bottas and we have to take that one on the chin as we should have kept Lewis better informed of just how quickly the Williams was closing, even though he was a lap down. He then drove strongly after the penalty, especially considering his floor was damaged by the flailing tyre. But the key thing today is that the team secured second position in the Constructors’ Championship, even though we made rather hard work of it. That was done on the basis of a very good step forwards and one we made for good reasons. My thanks and congratulations go to everyone at our team for all of their hard work, dedication and commitment. Red Bull have been extremely dominant in 2013, and congratulations to them. But our progress is the first fruits of the technical team we began building two years ago and I am optimistic that the trend of progress will continue in 2014.”

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“Our target today was to secure second position in the Constructors’ Championship; we achieved that target and that’s what counts. Ferrari, and Fernando in particular, made life extremely hard for us in the first half of the race and that kept us on our toes and gave us some nervous moments. Lewis’ incident with Valtteri was unfortunate; we must be glad that it did not ultimately cost us any positions in the standings and learn our lessons from it. Thank you to everyone at the team, both at the track and at our factories, for their efforts and please keep up the hard work! Congratulations also to Red Bull, who once again showed incredible pace and have set the standard this season. From tomorrow, our attention will be fully focused on 2014 and taking another significant step forward in performance.”

Sauber
Nico Hulkenberg, 8th
“It was a good race. I had a good start and nice battles in the first few laps. Then I was by myself for most of the race. The problem today was too much understeer. Because of that the front tyres were ruined pretty quickly, which cost us time. But finishing eighth is a solid result and it puts me in tenth place in the drivers’ championship, which I have never achieved before. That is a good feeling.”

Esteban Gutierrez, 12th
“Overall I feel positive. It’s been a great race and I enjoyed all the fights on track today. I had a good first lap overtaking quite a few cars. We were struggling a bit with the hard tyres in the first stint, but then managed to recover some time with the medium tyres during the second and third stints. So the way we approached everything today was good. It was still quite a challenge to manage the front graining we had and I was doing everything I could to try and compensate for that. All in all I have finished the season with a positive race. It was a season where learning and gaining experience have been the main topics for me, and I feel I did a solid job as a driver to take the next step forward for my performance.”

Tom McCullough, Sauber, head of track engineering
“The rain just held off and, as planned, we had a two stop strategy with both cars. With a lot of information that needed to be processed today, our strategy engineer did an excellent job. Finishing P8 and P12 is good, considering where we started from. After a difficult start to the season, we have improved our results in the second half. This was a team effort from everyone at the track as well as everyone back at the factory in Hinwil. They have all been working very hard to improve our competitiveness. A big thank you to everyone involved in that. We start a new era in Formula One, and that is now our immediate focus.”

Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal
“It was a consolidating end to the season, which has been very difficult for the team. However the team has shown its morale in this difficult situation and together we will come back stronger. The foundation for a successful second half of the season was a strong performance from everyone in Hinwil and the race team, which translated into success at the track. The race today was typical of the season: despite a difficult starting point we were able to score four points and, therefore, have a satisfying end to the season.”

Toro Rosso
Daniel Ricciardo, 10th
“The conditions were very difficult with the occasional drop of rain. From the cockpit, it’s actually quite difficult to judge how much rain there is. You see a few drops on your visor, look at the guy in front of you and if he doesn’t go off, you assume it’s dry. We were not very quick from the start and I was struggling with cold graining on the front right. We did try and rebalance it during the race, but we struggled in terms of pure pace, so I was quite happy to come away with a point. At midnight tonight I become an Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver, but for now I just want to say thank you to everyone at Scuderia Toro Rosso, here at the track, back in Faenza and at our wind tunnel for two fantastic years. Thanks guys!”

Jean-Eric Vergne, 15th
“Catastrophic starts for both Toro Rossos today and after that, I had a car that was very difficult to drive. I know it’s the same for everyone as it was the first time we ran here in the dry, but the balance of my car just wouldn’t allow me to push. It improved in the final two stints but it was a real struggle. As for the incident with Maldonado, I came up the inside of him at Turn 1 and he didn’t leave me any room, so we touched and he spun. This season has had more bad times than good ones for me, but we are all determined to work very hard over the winter to start next season with a better car.”

Franz Tost, Toro Rosso team principal
“Our race was compromised immediately off the grid as both cars got poor starts. This cost us most of the benefit of yesterday’s very good qualifying result. We therefore had poor initial pace, dropping down the order and it was worse for Jev than for Daniel. We decided to take Daniel out of traffic quite early, ignoring the risk of rain and he then made up some ground. In the middle of the race, everyone was holding off making the final stop because of the threat of a wet track, at which point Daniel’s tyres had done a lot of laps. He managed this situation very well and we made an early stop which got him ahead of a couple more cars, after which he looked after his tyres well enough to take the point for tenth, with both Force Indias’ and a Sauber behind us. After Jev got stuck in traffic following the start, he also complained about car balance and we only got him out of traffic for the final two stints, when his times improved to a similar level to his team mate’s. It’s nice to end the year with a point, even if we had been aiming for rather more than one at the start of the day.”

Force India
Paul di Resta, 11th
“The light rain made for quite a tricky race, but it was also enjoyable with lots of overtaking. Losing six places off the line with too much wheelspin was a key moment and really put us on the backfoot, but the performance of the car in the race was consistent and we achieved the two-stop race. We chose to extend each stint but I struggled for performance on the hard tyre at the end and I wasn’t able to challenge Ricciardo for the final point. However, I think we can go away from here quite satisfied with what we achieved today and with the year as a whole. Although I missed out on a top ten position in the championship, it’s been a successful season, an incredible journey and I want to say a massive thanks to the team for the job they’ve done this year.”

Adrian Sutil, 13th
“It was quite a challenging final race and I was really hoping for some points, but it just wasn’t possible today. It was drizzling with rain for most of the race, but I felt quite sure the track was going to stay mostly dry. The main issue for me was the tyre wear because we had to stop three times and that made it hard to race for points. In the final laps I was catching the train of cars ahead of me, but I didn’t get close enough to change my position. It’s been an up and down season, but I will remember the positives and the fact the team is once again in sixth place in the championship, which is a great effort by everybody.”

Robert Fernley, Force India team deputy team principal
“Although we missed out on points today, we achieved the objective that we set ourselves coming into the weekend to defend our sixth place in the championship. In the end we did that quite comfortably, which is a real credit to everybody at Sahara Force India. It means we’ve finished in the top six twice in the last three seasons, consolidating our reputation as being the best non-manufacturer team. I thought Paul and Adrian both drove well today, although the ground Paul lost at the start proved quite costly. His race pace was good on the two-stop strategy, but the final point was out of reach. Adrian suffered more with tyre wear and had to stop three times. Looking back on the season as a whole I think we can be proud of our performance. The start of the year was exceptional and we recaptured our form in the final few races. We look forward to the challenge of 2014 and will come back determined to pick up where we left off.”

Lotus
Heikki Kovalainen, 14th
“It has been a great opportunity to drive for the Lotus F1 team and I’m upset that I was not able to score any points for them today. I think the car is great, but I was not able to unlock the pace and make the most of it. I made some mistakes – probably through lack of routine – but I was anticipating it would be easier to come back and race competitively. My starts both here and in Austin were really poor, with procedural issues both times meaning I wasn’t able to keep pace with everyone off the line. That was disappointing as it’s such a big part of the race and it’s very difficult to recover positions. I’d like to thank everyone at Lotus F1 team for all their support during these two races.”

Romain Grosjean, DNF
“At this point in the season I think everyone needs a holiday, but apparently my engine decided to go on vacation early! Of course, that’s not the way we wanted to end the year but it’s been a fantastic season for the team and I think we can be really proud of what we’ve achieved together. We’ve proven this year that we are a top team, and I’m certainly proud of all the guys in the garage and back at Enstone. Today was obviously disappointing for everyone as they deserved more from this final race after all their hard work, but now it’s time to get a little bit of rest and then focus on making sure we head into 2014 and the new regulations as one of the top teams once again.”

Eric Boullier, Lotus team principal
“Clearly this is a disappointing way to end what has been a strong season for the team in often difficult circumstances. Our goal at the start of the year was to improve on last season’s fourth place in the constructors’ championship, and although we may have just fallen short of that target, it has certainly not been through a lack of effort. Fourteen podium finishes and 315 points is a commendable improvement on our 2012 performance, and I am extremely proud of everyone who has worked so hard to keep us right at the front of a very competitive pack until the very last weekend of the season. In Kimi and Romain we have had one of the strongest line-ups on the grid, and I would like to congratulate them both on some fantastic performances throughout the year. From Kimi’s memorable win at the opening race to Romain’s recent run of podium finishes, they have both been superb. It’s going to be a busy winter preparing for the challenges of 2014, but for now we wish everyone a good few days of well-earned rest.”

Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director
“After the season we’ve had with the E21, it’s hugely frustrating that we were unable to give what has been a fantastic car the send-off it deserved. For Romain in particular – who has barely put a foot wrong over the past couple of months – we feel particularly aggrieved after his early retirement. We’ll be looking into what happened with his engine to see exactly what caused such a significant failure, as generally speaking our reliability has been pretty strong all year. After a poor start it was always going to be difficult for Heikki to climb back into the points, but we’re nonetheless disappointed to come away from this weekend with nothing on the board. We now look ahead to the challenge of 2014 aiming to maintain the momentum of the past two seasons.”

Ricardo Penteado, Renault Sport F1 team support leader
“Today was the last race for the V8s and unfortunately Romain’s gave up before the end. We saw a massive drop in oil pressure in the data but we won’t be sure of the exact reason until we get the car back; it could be cause or consequence. In any case it caused the engine to seize and explode in a spectacular way, so we’ll investigate thoroughly to analyse exactly what lead to the failure.”

Williams
Pastor Maldonado, 16th
“We were fighting hard today with the cars around us but the pace wasn’t quite in the car to be able to challenge for the top ten. We lost some time in the pit stops today and ultimately we couldn’t recover the places. It’s been a great three years with this team, I had a nice moment with Frank and the team this morning and they will stay in my heart forever.”

Valtteri Bottas, DNF
“Unfortunately we had to end the season without finishing the race today. We seemed to be struggling a bit with the prime tyre but once we put the option tyres on we seemed to be able to catch the cars in front. We had an incident with Hamilton where I tried to keep my line overtaking on the outside and we touched. It’s disappointing to end the season like this but a points-finish may have been too much for us today anyway.”

Xevi Pujolar, Williams Chief race engineer
“We planned a two-stop strategy with both cars today starting on option tyres. Valtteri pitted as planned for prime tyres but we extended Pastor’s first stint as there was a chance of rain in the early stages. As the forecast changed we brought Pastor in for another set of options, but in the lower temperatures today both cars were struggling for pace so couldn’t really fight. We continued on plan, whilst continuing to watch the weather, bringing in Pastor to switch onto the prime tyres with Valtteri back on the options for the final stage of the race. Unfortunately, Valtteri’s race ended early as he retired at Turn 4 after losing his left-rear wheel when Hamilton made contact with him. Pastor then had a spin whilst racing Vergne and eventually finished in 16th.”

Laurent Debout, Renault Sport F1 team support leader
“Unfortunately we could not end the V8 era and our partnership with Williams in the way we would have liked but we can still hold our heads high. After a difficult start to the year everyone at Williams and Renault worked hard to come back and we showed a lot of form in the second part of the year. We’ve enjoyed our two years together immensely and wish the entire team all the best for 2014. We look forward to a clean fight on track!”

Marussia
Jules Bianchi, 17th
“Well done to everyone in the team on a fantastic season and the well-deserved tenth place in the championship. Thanks for all the hard work and dedication to providing us with the best car possible right until the end. Today, I got a fantastic start once again and the opening lap was strong, but a few laps in I struggled with some graining on the medium tyre and it was really tough to drive round this, which caused me to have to yield the place. I knew it was all about the long game and just sticking with it, knowing that the balance would be much better on the prime hard tyre. I dug in and drove as fast as I could on the next two stints to make as much progress as possible and it is nice that not only have we got tenth today but we finished ahead of Caterham again. This has been a very important and rewarding year for me personally and I can’t wait for us to take that to the next level together in 2014.”

Max Chilton, 19th
“It was hard finding our way today having only driven in the wet all weekend. We had just the sighting laps to the grid to make a few changes in order to try to optimise the dry balance as best we could. The middle part of the race was quite nail-biting with the constant threat of rain, but I knew that all I had to do was keep going and be ready for any scenario, especially with the weather. In the last stint I struggled with a vibration on front left tyre, which was really costing me time and that is why we pitted for an unscheduled third stop. I would like to thank the whole team for a brilliant season, with particular credit to my car crew. I am really proud of my record-breaking nineteen finishes in nineteen races and this is the result of a fantastic team effort.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“Although we have held on to tenth place in the championship all season, we still had to cross the line at the season finale in order to get the job done. The Brazilian Grand Prix is renowned for being one of the most chaotic races on the calendar and so we needed to have our wits about us throughout the full 71 lap race, especially as there was the constant threat of rain. Although we encountered a few light showers, the way the race eventually panned out meant that no one was going to challenge our position today. This has certainly been a character-building season. At the beginning we had a clear advantage over Caterham, then we lost some ground during the middle part of the year. Over the final long-haul phase we have pushed extremely hard, caught up and enjoyed some proper racing with them, with our performance in Austin last weekend underlining our continued progress and providing the perfect prelude to the finale here. With zero dry running before going to the grid, today was a tough ask of our two young drivers, who have never driven at this circuit before and had to go out there and be on it from lap 1. They were improving at every stage of the race and towards the end, in very damp conditions, Jules was running exceptionally well on the prime tyre and pulling away from Van der Garde. Credit to the whole team – both trackside and back at base in Banbury – for an incredibly hard-fought 2013 campaign. Well done to both Jules and Max, who have performed admirably in a tough rookie season, having more than risen to the challenge. Congratulations must also go to Max for his fantastic record of 19 finishes in 19 races, which is a testament to his skill and the team’s fantastic reliability record. Finally, today’s result is about the whole package, and so credit to our powertrain partners, Cosworth and Xtrac, with whom we have worked for four rewarding seasons, as well as our team partners and suppliers who have shared the journey with us.”

Caterham
Giedo van der Garde, 18th
My start was really good, I passed my team mate and was fighting with Bianchi through turn one, but had to lift slightly to avoid one of the Force Indias which let Jules through. The car felt good at that point so only a couple of laps later I was past him and immediately put clear air between me and him, pushing on to Kovalainen ahead in the Lotus. We went until lap 24 on the first set, at one point running as high as 14th, but the main aim was to put a gap between us and the Marussias, and when I re-joined on another set of mediums we had the gap up to about seven seconds. My second set of tyres weren’t performing as well as the first and about halfway through the planned second stint I was given the command to change positions with my team mate. That set of mediums had started to go off but with the possibility of more rain coming we had to stay out. We were still pulling away from Bianchi which meant we were covering his plan, but it was a struggle to keep up the pace we needed on those tyres as they were pretty much gone by lap 42. The second stop was on lap 47 when we went onto the primes. I came out ahead of Bianchi again but had to serve a drive through a few laps later which put me about 15 seconds behind him. I was pushing really hard and closed the gap a lot, down to seven seconds by lap 65 but that was as close as I could get. It’s obviously not how I wanted the season to end, but I think, overall, I’ve learnt a lot. There have been quite a few highs and a few lows but this is a great team, a good group of people who work so hard and are determined to succeed, just like me.”

Charles Pic, DNF
“My start wasn’t great but by the end of lap five I was past Bianchi and closing the gap to my team mate. We put in a long first stint on the mediums with one eye on the rain that could have come, and boxed on lap 25 for another set of options, coming out clear of Bianchi which was obviously the first target. My pace in the second stint was good – the car felt great and Giedo and I switched positions just after the halfway mark as I was on a different strategy and pace to him at that point. My lap times on that second set were good – running in the 1.18s which was close most of the midfield, but at that point it was all about hanging on to see if the rain would come. The tyres held up really well and I was in seventeenth when the rain was just starting to fall a little more heavily, but then, on lap 58, there was a suspension problem on the car and that was the end of the race for me. It’s obviously a real shame that my race ended like that as the plan was working well and if the rain had fallen harder we’d have been in a really strong position, but sometimes it’s like that.”

Cyril Abiteboul, Caterham team principal
“It’s obviously disappointing to finish the season like this and to end in eleventh place in the championship. We started with last year’s car which was slower than our rivals for the first three races and it was in the second race in Malaysia that we lost the tenth place that we then ended up chasing all year. It’s particularly frustrating because our development strategy paid dividends in terms of outright pace from Bahrain onwards, but we had to balance our 2013 campaign against the need to focus on 2014 and that was always going to be a challenge. Despite the position we ended up in I want to thank the drivers and the whole team for the work they put in this year. We have experienced people in every department and a lot of young talent throughout the team, on track and at Leafield, and everyone in the team needs to be thanked for their hard work throughout 2013. Our shareholders and our partners have continued to support us unequivocally and the investments they continue to make, in infrastructure, resources and, most importantly, people, put us in a good position for the future. Now we’ll regroup, recharge and come back fighting in 2014 in an all new Formula 1.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“The fact that there was no dry running prior to the start of the Grand Prix meant that formulating the right tyre strategy was a matter of educated guesswork for all the teams. And with no rubber having been laid down on the track previously, it was extremely hard to calculate the wear and degradation levels. The weather forecast remained uncertain throughout the race to complicate matters even further, with different teams interpreting the information in various ways. However, they had to bear in mind their obligation to run both compounds if conditions stayed dry – which turned out to be the case. This race has marked the end of an era and now the cars, along with the tyres, change completely for next year. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull for a record-breaking season, and best of luck for the future to Mark Webber, who ends his distinguished Formula One career here in Brazil.”

November 26, 2013
United States Grand Prix Team and Driver Preview Quotes

For the 18th Round of the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship, we head to the spectacular Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas for the United States Grand Prix. Here’s what the teams and drivers had to say about their prospects ahead of this coming weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

*Article to be updated as teams release their preview quotes

Read our United States Grand Prix Preview here.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying – 17th, 2012 Race – 13th
“The first United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas last year was great and it immediately became one of my favourite weekends of the year. The track has a similar layout to Suzuka in the first section and is very fast with good long straights and the DRS zone for overtaking. The big uphill section at the start of the lap is very unique as you’re looking straight up into the sky and then suddenly you’re in the middle of the corner. We’ve built up some momentum over the last couple of races and I hope we can have another good weekend in Austin and maintain our position of second place in the Championship.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying – 2nd, 2012 Race – 1st
“I’m really looking forward to returning to Austin this weekend. I love the States and the first race at the Circuit of the Americas last year was such a great occasion, particularly for me as I was lucky enough to win! The enthusiasm and passion from the fans at the new venue was amazing and it was fantastic to see the support at the track and in the city; Austin is such a cool place. The track itself is a lot of fun and a real challenge to get the perfect lap. The high-speed changes of direction combined with the long straights and slower sections make it quite tricky to find the right set-up and balance. We’re going into the final two races with one aim in mind and that’s to finish second. It would mean so much to everyone at the team and we’re determined to achieve it. Hopefully we can start with a strong weekend and some good points in Austin.”

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“Formula One’s return to America last year was a huge success and we’re delighted to be heading back to Texas for our second visit this weekend. The Circuit of the Americas is a fantastic facility which provides a fitting venue and showcase for our sport in a very important market. It was very rewarding last year to see the packed grandstands and experience the welcome that we received in the city of Austin. The final two race weekends of the season are extremely important for our team and the outcome will determine how our season is judged. We’ve gained some momentum from two strong weekends in India and Abu Dhabi which consolidated our position in the Constructors’ Championship but we can’t take anything for granted. Everyone at the team has been and will continue to work extremely hard to ensure that we can outperform our rivals and achieve our goal.”

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“As a team, we have built some good momentum in the past two races, outscoring our direct rivals and showing our determination to hold on to second place in the Constructors’ Championship. That’s our clear focus and we have been working hard since Abu Dhabi to see how we can give the drivers a more raceable package for the final leg of the season. Nico will be out to maintain his strong finishing record, after two consecutive podiums, while Lewis showed last year that he is very comfortable on this circuit. It will be an intensely hard-fought weekend for the entire team.”

Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2012 Qualifying – 10th, 2012 Race – 9th
“Austin is one of the better new circuits and it’s a challenging layout that I enjoyed last year. Turn 1 is particularly spectacular with its very steep climb and the atmosphere last year was one of the best of the season. The track is quite hard on the tyres because of the many high speed corners and it is a long lap so getting on top of this will be a key focus during the practice sessions. The weather can also be quite varied in Texas with strong winds common and swings in temperature so this is another challenge for the teams. We made a positive step forward with the car in Abu Dhabi and its feeling better to drive, so hopefully we can continue making progress this weekend and manage to finish in the points.”

Valtteri Bottas, Williams
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“I did not drive this track in FP1 last year so this will be a new experience for me but one I’m really looking forward to. I talked to some of the drivers last year and they were very positive and mentioned how challenging the Circuit of the Americas was. There are lots of different types of corners so you will need a well balanced car to get a good laptime. You need a car that changes direction well and doesn’t feel too soft as it needs to be very responsive when turning from one corner to the other. There is also a very long back straight so you need to find a good compromise between the level of downforce and drag. Turn 1 looks especially fun to tackle but the main excitement for me will be sector 1 in general because it has a lot of flowing high speed sections. The fans in Austin were so passionate and loud last year as well, that is my overriding memory, and it will be great to return to the US for a second year.”

Xevi Pujolar, Williams chief race engineer
“The United States Grand Prix returns this year, for only the second time at the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas. Another Tilke designed track, this one takes some of the best features from some of the classic F1 racing circuits and combines them together to make a challenging layout. There are corners that are strongly inspired by the ‘Senna S’ from Interlagos, the Becketts-Maggots sequence from Silverstone, Motordrome from Hockenheim and the multi-apex Turn 8 from Istanbul. In total, these corners add up to give the circuit a mid- level average corner speed and below average turn angles. Pirelli have chosen the same compound combination as last year, bringing the hard and medium compounds, and they are expected to last for a relatively long number of laps with a low level of degradation. It is likely to be a one-stop race if the tarmac’s roughness remains the same as last year. The current weather forecast is changeable for all three days with cool temperatures and a chance of rain throwing other elements into the mix. After showing improved pace in Abu Dhabi, we are looking forward to getting out to Austin and pushing hard for the final two races of the 2013 season.”

Remi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations
“Last year the United States Grand Prix proved to be an interesting challenge for engines. The low humidity put the internals of the engine under a lot of pressure, with the gradient changes – particularly into turn 1 – compounding the difficulty. We found fuel consumption to be one of the highest of the season due to the twisty first and last sectors where the driver is constantly on and off the throttle and also due the aerodynamic configuration, which tends to be high downforce, so higher drag. The starting fuel load is correspondingly one of the heaviest of the year. With an average speed over one lap of 196kph during the race and just over 205kph during qualifying, the Circuit of the Americas sits towards the top end of the power sensitive tracks.”

Jenson Button, McLaren
2012 Qualifying – 12th, 2012 Race – 5th
“I had one of my most enjoyable races of the season at the Circuit of the Americas last year – I’d struggled in qualifying, starting 12th, but just got my head down on Sunday afternoon, had a great fight, and eventually finished fifth, which was extremely satisfying. The first sector of this circuit ranks as one of the best parts of a racetrack anywhere in the world. The first corner is really tricky, because it’s steep and blind, after that, the circuit just winds through an incredibly fast switchback until the heavy braking for the back straight. After such an intense start to the lap, the straight offers a bit of a breather until you commit once again to the final sector, which is a series of slow-speed, quite technical corners. Again, there’s a real variety of corner here, and it’s fun to nail the sequence. It’s definitely a place where accumulated knowledge of the layout can add to your speed. I’m optimistic that the track will suit the high-speed characteristics of our car, which showed improved pace in both India and Abu Dhabi. After a couple of difficult races, it’d be great to get a strong finish for all the Formula 1 fans in the US.”

Sergio Perez, McLaren
2012 Qualifying – 15th, 2012 Race – 11th
“I’m happy to call the United States Grand Prix my ‘home’ race! Texas is on the border with Mexico, so the venue provides the perfect opportunity for many Mexicans to make the trip to Austin for a taste of Formula 1. Last year, I was really overwhelmed by the level of Mexican support – you could see the grandstands full of Mexican flags, and the fans that I met were all really passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. For a first race, Austin put on a fantastic show. For me, this will be the most important weekend of my year, and I’ll be especially keen for a strong result to send my fans back home with a smile on their faces. I think we’ve shown some solid improvement and greater understanding of our car over the past few races, yet, frustratingly, both Jenson and I have had few opportunities to really demonstrate what the car is capable of. I’d love another chance of a race like India, where I was able to push throughout the entire race and get some strong points for the team.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“After such a successful inaugural United States Grand Prix at COTA last season, the whole Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team is looking forward to returning to Austin. I was so impressed by what we witnessed last year – it was one of the best-organised and most enjoyable races of the season, and with none of the teething problems you usually associate with a new venue. The city of Austin, too, really rose to the occasion – and I know that the entire F1 community was hugely pleased and proud by the way Austinites everywhere made us feel so welcome. For Checo, the weekend will be a busy and important one – it’s the closest he gets to his home in Mexico, and he’s naturally excited and looking forward to the amount of local support and expectation that will be focused on him across the weekend. He will respond to it very well, I’m sure.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“The hard and medium tyres are the best choice for the United States Grand Prix, because it’s a circuit that places several high-energy demands on the tyres, so you need the most durable compounds in the range. There are some fast corners and many rapid elevation changes as well: in that respect it’s a bit like Spa. When you have more energy going through the tyre, you have a bigger heat build-up – which is what increases wear and degradation. Now that we’re coming to the USA for the second time we have a better idea of what to expect, whereas last year – when we also nominated the hard and the medium – it was much more of a step into the unknown. This year’s compounds are softer, so we would expect around two pit stops in the race, depending also on the rate of track evolution. Even though it’s November we’re still likely to have warm weather, which obviously affects thermal degradation too. Formula One received an absolutely fantastic welcome from the American public last year, which made it a truly memorable race, and we’re very much looking forward to going back to a country full of great F1 fans, which is also a key market for our Ultra High Performance tyres.”

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying – 13th, 2012 Race – 15th
“It’s great to have a race there, especially at such an impressive facility. I still remember the huge crowd that came to the race last year and the amazing atmosphere. The place was absolutely packed and the whole city was very enthusiastic about Formula One. We go to the United States Grand Prix with high hopes and will try and build on the performance of Abu Dhabi.

“Sector one stands out for me. It’s very similar to the Maggots and Becketts sequence at Silverstone and the fast chicanes work the car and tyres really hard. It’s a very enjoyable part of the lap and those corners really show you the potential of a Formula One car. The rest of the lap is quite open with a great flow. A lot of the corners are off-camber, too, which adds another challenge.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“I’ve spent time in America before. I’ve been to a few of the big cities: New York, Los Angeles and Miami, but never to Texas. I hear it’s a beautiful place with a lot happening so it sounds like a great location. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Circuit of The Americas, too.

“It’s a very unusual lap with a big variation of corners. The first sector is interesting with so many turns one after the other and it looks like there are some nice high-speed corners. The feedback I’ve heard is very positive and everyone says it’s smooth and enjoyable to drive. From what I’ve seen it appears to be one of the better new generation tracks so I’m looking forward to getting there and trying it for myself.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“We’ve scored 15 points in two races and we now have some breathing space behind us. But we won’t change our approach heading to the United States Grand Prix. We will go there focused on closing the gap to fifth place, which is just 18 points. I think everybody was impressed by our first visit to Austin last year. The race was a real success and it’s great to see the interest from such an important market. We were in the points last year and we go there determined to get some more this year.”

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying – 1st, 2012 Race – 2nd
“Last year we were all sliding quite a lot because the tarmac was still so new, especially on the tight and twisty bit towards the end. It was sometimes almost more rally style than Formula One, because it was so slippery! The section after the steep hill at the beginning is particularly challenging. Last year it took me quite a while to get my bearings and to position the car correctly.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying – 3rd, 2012 Race – DNF
“It’s a real credit to everyone involved in organising the inaugural event (last year) that it passed so smoothly. And Austin is a great city, so I see no reason why F1 can’t gain a true foothold in the US at this venue. It is an incredible race track, it looked good on paper and lived up to expectations. It’s really stimulating to drive, with lots of fast corners and some big undulations. There were some initial worries about the length of the first sector because it’s long and has a lot of consecutive corners. But I think it’s okay; it’s very challenging because it’s fast and you have to be very precise because it’s very difficult to regain lost momentum if you make a mistake.”

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2012 Qualifying – 4th, 2012 Race – 7th
“I am really looking forward to the United States Grand Prix. Last year we had a reasonable weekend there in what was Formula One’s first visit to the Circuit of The Americas, but this year I think there’s potential for a lot more. In 2012 the track surface was new and temperatures were quite cool, so we struggled to find grip and also to get the best set-up as we learnt the new circuit. This year we have all the data from last time, we’re expecting warmer temperatures and I know both the team and myself are working really well together to extract strong performance from the car.

“It’s quite a balanced circuit in that you don’t need one particular thing over another for the car to perform well, but it should be a circuit where the E21 can go strongly once again. Last year the challenge was finding the level of grip we wanted and I expect this to be a challenge again. The tyre allocation is quite hard so you really have to work the tyres to get them in the best performance window. We expect warmer temperatures this year which will help and the track surface will have changed a bit from the very new surface we had last time. All in all, I think we have potential to go quite well.

“My first visit (to America) was for the race last year and I definitely like the USA. It’s such a big country and I know I’ve seen only a very small part of it. Since last year I’ve bought myself a Harley Davidson, so visiting Austin last year must have made an impression! I’ve had it customized so maybe I’ll have to ride it around the US sometime in the future. As well as great motorbikes, we saw so many enthusiastic fans last time which was really great.”

Eric Boullier, Lotus team principal
“We missed out on a podium in Abu Dhabi, but it’s clear that the car had the pace to be there. That’s where we want to be as that’s where you get the most points. It would obviously be fantastic if we could get both of our drivers back on the podium before the end of the season, and if both cars could be there in Austin I’d be a very happy man.”

Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director
“There are certainly no particular features of the circuit that give us cause for concern. The layout has a similar feel to Korea in many aspects, with high speed change of direction in the opening sector, a long straight in the middle sector, and low speed traction events combined with a long continuous curve in the final sector. It’s a circuit we should be comfortable with by all accounts. Given what we’ve seen recently and after analysing all the data from Abu Dhabi, there’s no reason to say we shouldn’t be right in the hunt to take the challenge to Red Bull.

“As per the previous season, Pirelli have been very conservative in their allocation of the hard and medium compound for this race. On our first visit to the circuit last year, the tarmac was extremely smooth as you would expect from a newly laid surface, which naturally presented a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of tyre performance; the particular challenge being in generating tyre temperature.

“The uncertainty this time around lies in how much the tarmac will have matured over the past 12 months. In principal, with some of the bitumen having now worn away we should be left with a rougher surface which will allow more energy to be put through the tyres, thereby alleviating the aforementioned warm-up issues. Given the early running times and also the seasonal aspect of when we visit Austin, track temperatures can be relatively low during the morning practice sessions but rise significantly during the afternoons; an additional consideration to factor in when preparing practice strategies. We’re hopeful of a slightly warmer welcome this year, and the forecast seems to be in our favour.”

Alexander Rossi, Caterham reserve driver
“I very much look forward to the United States Grand Prix week starting. This is an important time in my career and the sport for America and another major step forward for me, to drive FP1 in my home country, in front of my own friends, family, supporters and fans. It means a lot to me that the team is giving me this opportunity, while trusting me with the responsibility and I want thank everyone who’s helped make this possible.

“It’s obviously going to be a very busy week, but I’m totally prepared for it all. I have a full plate of media appearances before we even get to the track, the FOTA Fan Forum event downtown on Wednesday evening, and then a karting event straight after that. I will have a good chance to meet fans and tell the local Austin media all about our sport, but then on Friday morning it’ll be time for the real work to begin on track.

“I’ve already driven COTA several times, including in a classic Grand Prix car, so I know the layout well, but driving a current-season F1 car is a bit different altogether and on Grand Prix weekend it’s a very important responsibility. With the amount of F1 testing I’ve already done over the last few years, I’m fully prepared to do the best job for the team in FP1. As it’s an official practice session it’s important that I help the team as much as possible to set the car up right for the rest of the weekend, while, for me, this is another chance to use the session to continue to learn, develop and progress towards the next step up to being the next full-time F1 race driver.”

Giedo van der Garde, Caterham
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a

“Austin was a fantastic experience last year and I think I speak for the whole paddock when I say everyone’s excited about getting back there. This year will be my first time driving the track, and as I’m sitting out FP1 it’ll be even more important we get maximum track time on Friday afternoon and for the rest of the weekend, but after the race I had in Abu Dhabi, I’m ready for anything.

“I really was pleased with how the Abu Dhabi race went. The car felt great all weekend and I could just push for the whole race without mashing up the tyres. That’s an amazing feeling in the car, when it all just clicks, even when you’re racing for the sort of positions we are right now, and it’s even better as I’d had a couple of tough weekends before that race and it was good to bounce back in such strong style.

“The focus for the United States Grand Prix will be the same as it has been all year. Keep ahead of the team we’re fighting with for tenth and keep our fingers crossed for a bit of luck. I think we’re due it – if luck was the reward for hard work and effort I’m sure the whole team would have had a load by now, but even without that, we just have to do the best job we can and grab anything that comes our way.”

Charles Pic, Caterham
2012 Qualifying – 20th, 2012 Race – 20th
“After a tough race in Abu Dhabi it’ll be good to be back in the car again at the United States Grand Prix. We had a set-up issue in Abu Dhabi that held us back all weekend but the guys in the factory have been looking into it in detail and it’ll be fixed for Austin so I’m sure we’ll come back fighting there.

“COTA is a great track to drive an F1 car around – it has huge elevation changes, some really technical sections and it’s one of those very special Grands Prix where there’s an amazing atmosphere all weekend, on and off track. I think that last year, when we went for the first time, we all expected the organisers to put on a great event, it is America after all, but I don’t think anyone realised the whole city of Austin would embrace F1 like they did. I think this year it’ll be even bigger and better – I know all the boys in the garage are looking forward to it as one of the great races of the year, and when you find a race like that, it’s very special.

“It’s also the home race for a couple of our main partners, Dell and GE, so we’ll have a lot of guests in over the whole weekend. That’s one of the challenges of being an F1 driver, being able to focus on the main goal despite everything else going on around you – I’ve always been good at that so, no matter how much off track work we have to do, I’ll be ready to seize any opportunities that come our way on race day.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
2012 Qualifying – 8th, 2012 Race – 8th
“Austin is a place everyone in Formula One likes, and I certainly like it. The organisers have done a fantastic job in putting an event like this together and making us feel welcome. It’s a great circuit, although last year tyre management was a bit tricky because of the nature of the brand new asphalt, oil came to the surface. But, in terms of fun, it’s a great track. It’s very quick, has different and challenging corners and a good flow to it. I had a strong result there last year finishing eighth. Also, Austin as a town is fun. It’s not a mega city, but there is a lot to do, and it has good restaurants and a nice atmosphere.”

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“The United States Grand Prix will be a very special weekend for me, because we can expect to have a lot of Mexican supporters again. I’m from Monterrey, which is quite close to Austin, being about one and a half to two hours away, so my family and also a lot of my friends will come to the event. This will give me additional motivation for the weekend and makes the atmosphere special. It will be a challenge, because I have not yet raced in Austin. It is a very complex layout and the first sector particularly is really interesting. It is very quick, a bit like Silverstone. They basically took the drivers’ favourite parts of other tracks and combined them into one. I think this makes it a very attractive layout, and I am looking forward to get to know it. I really enjoyed attending the event as test and reserve driver last year, and now I am excited to be there as a Formula One driver. My personal expectations are to score points for our team in front of a big Mexican crowd. I want to entertain them and give them a reason to celebrate.”

Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering
“The Austin race was a popular addition to the calendar last year, and we look forward to having a large Mexican crowd supporting our team again. Significant elevation changes throughout the lap always add to the character of a track, with non-more so than the steep entry and exit to the low speed turn one. The rest of sector one is a challenging sequence containing multiple changes of direction at high speed. Sectors two and three put a larger emphasis on good straight-line-speed and a car that performs well in lower speed corners. The layout of the track also means overtaking is possible, especially into turns one and 12. Being new, the track evolution was high last year. It will be interesting to see how the medium and hard tyre compounds perform this year. We have a car capable of scoring points at all types of circuits, and that is clearly our aim for this penultimate race of the season.”

Jules Bianchi, Marussia
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“I’m really looking forward to the next two – the final two, actually – Grands Prix of my debut season. We are in a strong position to achieve our objectives and we are all firmly focused on what needs to be done. From the work in the simulator and having been to the Circuit of The Americas last year, the track is fantastic and Austin is a lot of fun, so a good place to begin our final push. Every now and then I get the chance to look back and think how quickly my first season of F1 has passed by, so I will take some time to savour Austin and Brazil and hope for a positive end to 2013.”

Max Chilton, Marussia
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“I shared the experience of the inaugural United States Grand Prix with the team last year in my role as reserve driver and it was great to see just how much Austin had put into welcoming F1 back to America. The reception we all received from the fans was fantastic and the track looked awesome, so I’m really happy that I will finally get the chance to drive there next weekend.

I’ve been on the simulator this week for some final preparation and we’ve done a lot of work evaluating the issues from the race in Abu Dhabi, so I think we are as prepared as we can be for whatever challenges the final two races throw at us.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“We enjoyed every minute of our United States Grand Prix experience in Austin last year and the Circuit of The Americas provided a fantastic racing experience for the drivers, the engineers and the fans. We’ve had a few days since Abu Dhabi to take a proper in-depth look at some of the issues we experienced there last weekend and we have some solutions in place to ensure we can attack the final two races with rather more confidence.

I think we have some strong developments in hand at present, but the challenge as always is to do the homework necessary to understand them thoroughly and utilise them effectively to extract more performance from the overall package. I hope we will be in a better position to do just that in Austin and Brazil.”

More to follow.

November 12, 2013
Abu Dhabi GP Preview Quotes – Marussia F1 Team

Preview Quotes from the Marussia Team ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“We enjoyed a very strong race in India last weekend, so we are keen to carry this momentum forward with the advantage of just one week between races. Abu Dhabi is a fantastic venue to race at and I enjoyed the track a lot when I drove in FP1 last year. It’s quite exciting to be able to start a race in full daylight and finish it at night with the track artificially lit – another new and interesting experience for me. Our car performance is quite strong at the moment and we have the new suspension development to work with again here, so I’m really hoping for a race where I am finally able to make the most of those factors.”

Max Chilton, Marussia
2012 Qualifying – n/a, 2012 Race – n/a
“Taking part in FP1 at the Yas Marina Circuit last year was one of the highlights of my career and racing here for the first time is certainly one of the things I have been most looking forward to in my debut season. It’s a great circuit, in a part of the world I love. With GP2 Series running with us here in Abu Dhabi it has been nice to spend some time ahead of the business end of the week training and relaxing with drivers I raced alongside over the past few years. I had a great race last Sunday and it has been nice to reflect on that and think about how we can maintain our current stride with three very important race weekends remaining. Yas Marina Circuit is a tough track technically and physically, but I’m feeling confident and aiming for a repeat performance from India.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“The Abu Dhabi GP will be another tough back-to-back for the race team, who have been pretty much straight on the case with unpacking the freight from India and setting up for the weekend ahead. The task is made easier by the fact that Yas Marina Circuit is a magnificent track – aesthetically pleasing, technically interesting and demanding of drivers and engineers. The Drivers’ Championship may have been decided but for us there are still three critical races ahead. We took a great deal of heart from our performance in New Delhi last weekend and we would hope to continue in much the same vein here this weekend. We will conduct a further evaluation of our new suspension developments on Friday morning and see how things go from there. Generally we are feeling positive about our current performance level.”

October 30, 2013
Buddh International Circuit – Marussia Preview Quotes

Preview quotes from the Marussia F1 Team ahead of the Indian Grand Prix to be held at the Buddh International Circuit this weekend.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia

“It seems next weekend may be my first and last opportunity to drive the Buddh International Circuit, but I am very much looking forward to doing so because it is really a very special track. I attended the race there last year, so I got the chance to see it first-hand and to hear the drivers’ reaction to driving it. I’m sure I will be equally impressed. Turns 3 and 10-12 look particularly interesting. I’m working on the basis that Japan was my ‘jinx race’ and with that behind me I am very optimistic about the step we have taken with the car performance and the developments we have yet to bring.”

Max Chilton, Marussia

“The Indian Grand Prix represents another new race for me and my team mate, so once again it will be an exciting and challenging weekend in equal measure. The team have good experience of the Buddh International Circuit, having raced there on two occasions previously and, as always, the work we have done in the sim will be a huge benefit, so we have a good foundation on which to start the weekend. Having reflected on Japan in particular I’m really pleased with how things are progressing at the moment, so I’m hoping for a similarly productive time in India, making good steps at every stage of the weekend. A good two-car finish is our team target, but also from my point of view I would obviously be happy to maintain my record of being the only driver to finish every race – for another four weekends!”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“We very much enjoy racing on the Buddh International Circuit, so we will take time to savour our final experience of what is actually a very challenging and technical track and one which has received a great deal of praise from drivers and engineering teams during the past two seasons. Once we have acclimatised Jules and Max to the circuit, we will be firmly focused on maintaining the positive upturn with car performance and indeed trying to extract even more in India and over the next few races with the smaller developments we are introducing.”

October 23, 2013
Vettel heads second practice at Suzuka

Sebastian Vettel led the second practice session as several other drivers suffered spins and crashes.

Vettel’s out going team mate Mark Webber made it a Red Bull one-two despite twice being held up by Force Indias. Mark was heard voicing his frustration with the Force India duo over his team radio saying, “These Force Indias are a ******* joke.”

Mercedes, who were quickest in the first session, could only manage the 3rd best time for second practice with Nico Rosberg.

The two Lotus drivers, Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen were next. Raikkonen’s session did however come to an early end during his long run when he spun his Lotus off into a gravel trap at the Dunlop corner and he was unable to rejoin the Suzuka circuit. The Iceman told his time “I got stuck”. Indeed.

Jules Bianchi was unable to participate in the second practice session following his crash in FP1.

Within the first 30 minutes of the second practice session, Pastor Maldonado joined Bianchi on the sidelines as he went off at Denger 2 and became stuck in the gravel trap.

Sergio Perez joined them shortly after after losing control of his McLaren on the way into Spoon and making pretty heavy contact with the barrier.

A good few drivers also lost control but were able to steer away from hitting anyone or anything else.

Below is the full timesheet for the second practice session at Suzuka. Click here to read our report on FP1 and join us for live commentary of FP3 and Qualifying tomorrow on Twitter @F1_Madness.

Photo of Kimi’s beached Lotus posted by David Coulthard on Twitter.

October 11, 2013
F1 2013: Free Practice 1 Report – Japanese GP

The first free practice session for the 2013 Japanese grand prix was topped by Lewis Hamilton.

The notoriously difficult Suzuka circuit didn’t take long to snare its first victim as Marussia’s Jules Bianchi ended his first session in the tyre barrier of the Degner 2. It was later reported that Bianchi had gotten his elbow stuck between the steering wheel and the chassis and was unable to reduce the steering wheel lock which resulted in the crash. The Frenchman was seen icing his forearm in the Marussia motorhome. Bianchi completed only eight laps in the first free practice session.

The track looked in great nick for the session with slightly overcast conditions doing nothing to hamper the pace set by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton set the quickest time for the session on the orange side-walled Pirelli tyres, a 1:34:178. The standings had a familiar look about them towards the closing stages of the session as Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber occupied second through fourth on the sheets.

Two separate incidents for Williams’ Pastor Maldonado and Caterham’s Giedo van der Garde brought out several yellow flags. The first incident involved Maldonado running wide at the Spoon curve and losing his left right wheel. The tyre bounced into the gravel trap around the edge of the circuit and was quickly recovered by the Japanese marshals. At the same time van der Garde parked his Caterham in the barriers of Degner 2, thankfully without too much damage to the car. The famous Degners have already claimed two victims and there is sure to be a few more this weekend.

The level of tyre degradation seemed minimal however the long runs completed by some drivers lasted on a handful of laps. A clearer picture should emerge in the second free practice session. The news coming into the Japanese GP this weekend was about the possible retirement of Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn. However, during an interview with the BBC Brawn was adamant that nothing had been decided and that no discussions had taken place between himself and Honda nor McLaren. In fact, Brawn made it quite clear that negotiations are on the go with Mercedes for 2014.

Over at McLaren Martin Whitmarsh neither confirmed nor denied the rumour about Fernando Alonso rejoining the Woking based team. Whitmarsh also declined to reveal details about Sergio Perez’ future with McLaren. Rumours suggest that Alonso wants to make the move to McLaren in 2014; however this is pure speculation at this stage.

Jenson Button has long since considered the Japanese GP as his second home race of the season and is sporting quite a nifty new helmet design for the weekend. (Photo: www.twitter.com)

Sebastian Vettel considers every race weekend a special occasion and is also sporting a new lid design. (Photo: www.twitter.com)

October 11, 2013