F1 Madness

Tag: kimi raikkonen

  • 2018 Bahrain GP: Post Qualifying Press Conference

    2018 Bahrain GP: Post Qualifying Press Conference

    DRIVERS

    1 – Sebastian VETTEL (Ferrari)

    2 – Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari)

    3 – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes)

     

    TRACK INTERVIEWS

    (conducted by Johnny Herbert)

    Q: Let’s talk to this man, who is on pole position. Nice smiley face. You must be a happy boy?

    Sebastian VETTEL: Yeah, let me breathe! It was quite intense. First run in Q3 I was very happy and then tossed it away in the last corner. No, really happy that I got the second run and I got it clean and I knew in the last corner I just knew I had to stay away from that kerb. Then obviously you’re looking around trying to see where the others are. Very happy. The car was excellent all weekend so far, so looking forward to tomorrow.

     

    Q: We’ve go to talk about the car, because these guys, your mechanics, have done a brilliant job for you. But when we look at her, she just seemed to do everything you needed to do day and that seemed to be the comfort factor that you had?

    SV: Yeah, you know best. If the car is responding to what you want it to do it’s a pleasure. Otherwise it’s a fight. Australia was more of a fight. I think we worked on the balance. I think we looked into it a lot and I think we improved it as well yesterday and today – even though it’s not easy because we do the practice session when the sun is up and qualifying and the race when the sun is down. But yeah, the car is responding, so very pleased.

     

    Q: Good to see that smile on your face. And Kimi… that was a battle and a half. How are you feeling now? A little bit of disappointment I guess? But that was a good performance for you this weekend?

    Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN: For sure, not ideal. Far from ideal in the last run, with the traffic, but what can you do?

     

    Q: Yeah, what can you do? But again, everything seems to have started strong for you this season. It was unfortunate for you in Australia but coming here you look more at home than I think we have seen you for a long time. There are millions of people around the world who support you big time and this is maybe the start of something coming good for you.

    KR: Well, we’ll see. It’s one Saturday. Tomorrow is the main thing and tomorrow is the time when we get the points or we don’t get the points, so obviously see what we can do then.

     

    Q: Valtteri, happy with that performance today? You beat your team-mate, which is great. I know you had pole position last year, but these two guys in red, they were strong today.

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, it felt OK, the laps were OK and getting better towards the end. In Q3, when you need to put everything together, we got it more or less. I think these guys with the red car they are just a bit too quick. We can’t be happy with this, so we are looking forward to tomorrow.

     

    Q: But tomorrow is something you can focus on, a totally different scenario, because race pace looks a bit better than qualifying?

    VB: Yeah, I think it’s going to be a close race, even with Red Bull and with Lewis and Max coming from behind we’ll see. It should be interesting.

     

    Q: Well done. Seb, you’re going to be starting right at the front, no one in front of you. You’re going to be feeling pretty good once those lights go out.

    SV: Feeling good now, tomorrow’s a different story. It’s a long, long race and we’ve seen that it’s not easy to make the tyres last so… The car is quick – that usually helps! Let’s see when the lights out, but for now I’m very chuffed and for the team as well. We had some issues this morning but we overcame those, so, yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.

     

    PRESS CONFERENCE

     

    Q: Seb, your 51st career pole position in Formula One. It didn’t look that likely after FP3. Was it as surprising to you, the way the weekend has panned out?

    SV: I think it’s surprising for us to be, after Australia, that competitive. So, obviously, we, I think, have a good base. The car is working; in Australia, I think we struggled with the feel for the car. Here it’s been better, so we improved a little bit, working the car, y’know, the beginning of the season, it’s always difficult because you don’t know yet the car that well. It’s getting better, so obviously today was quite nice and the car came alive. I didn’t have much session this afternoon, so it was a bit tricky to know what to expect but I felt quite good right from the start and knew that I could make progress throughout the session. Q3, that’s when I wanted it to peak, and I think I peaked in the first run, just before the last corner. I wanted a bit too much. So, I knew I had a bit in me and yeah, basically, it was a bit copy/paste the final lap I had, but the last corner I managed to stay away from the kerbs, so yeah, very happy with both laps in the end and happy obviously with the result, with the car, the way the car was handling and responding, so, yeah. Chuffed.

     

    Q: Kimi, coming to you, you’ve looked quick all weekend here, and it looked like you were one of the favourites for pole position today. Where do you think that pole just got away from you today, compared to Seb?

    KR: Somewhere around the lap. Far from ideal but with the traffic on the last run. I thought there is a lot we can improve but obviously, it was such a messy thing in the end, I was passing people and doing this and that, so it’s disappointing because it’s been good most of the weekend. Everything. You always want one more but we’ll see tomorrow.

     

    Q: Valtteri, coming to you. The gap between Mercedes and Ferrari at times looked even bigger this weekend than it is in the final result. Does that give you encouragement for tomorrow’s race?

    VB: Well yeah, of course. First of all, it’s disappointing not to be in the first row. Ferrari was quicker today – but yeah, for sure we made some good progress during the weekend, we tried some things which didn’t work, that’s why the gap was sometimes bigger. So, I think we have the right setup in the car for the race. So, it’s difficult to estimate really, with the race pace. I think it’s still a long race tomorrow so anything can happen. We’ll definitely go for it and hopefully Lewis can also come back to get some good points, and hopefully we can put pressure on these guys.

     

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

     

    Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-Magazin.com) Seb, do have an idea why you feel the car more here: is it the track characteristics, the updates you’ve got on the car, was it set-up that you made changes?

    SV: Well, we mostly tried to work on the set-up, understanding the car so we tried different things obviously. Across the weekend, you don’t have that much time so in Australia, the first race in Australia, it’s a tricky track, it’s improving a lot throughout the weekend, it’s very bumpy so it’s difficult to change too much in drawing conclusions. I think after the weekend, after the race distance, especially when you have so many laps, I think we had a very good understanding and feel and obviously we’ve been talking about it and looking into it and I think overall I’ve been happier this weekend with how the car has been responding, how the front end was responding so yeah, overall, I think you also see it in the results but I think the good news is that we are a lot closer in all the conditions, if you look at all the sessions across with everyone so I think that’s the only difference. For the rest it’s the same car as in Australia.

     

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Kimi, P2 in qualifying in Australia and now again.  How difficult is it to start against your teammate compared to Lewis in Australia?

    KR: I don’t think it’s any different, it’s another car. We’re never next to each other at the start because it’s staggered but it’s no different, we’re basically in the same position, just a different way round with the start. Makes no difference.

     

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Valtteri, in Australia Mercedes was very fast and here on a more normal circuit we expected you to be even more fast but we saw exactly the opposite. What is going on with your car? Is it tyre management again like last year?

    VB: I don’t know what’s going on. I agree that we were not having the pace this weekend that we’ve been expecting coming here but we also didn’t have anything new since Melbourne. It’s a very different circuit, very different kind of tarmac, different temperatures, everything so for sure we still need to understand completely why. For sure we are struggling a little bit with some overheating issues with the tyres. Obviously less so in the evening sessions but still, we have work to do. It’s like we’ve been saying all through the beginning of the season that we are not miles away. Today, Ferrari, this weekend so far has been the quicker car so that’s where we are. We were better in Australia, we need to understand why we were not quickest today but for sure we still have tomorrow to see how the pace is.

     

    Q: (Luigi Perna – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Sebastian, this pole position, is it only up to the better balance of the car or do you have a party mode working as well as the Mercedes one this time?

    SV: No, I think we answered that already in Australia. As I said, I was happier with the balance of the car so obviously there’s a lot of factors. It’s how comfortable you are in the car, whether the car’s responding or not to what you like it to do. The track, Valtteri has mentioned, the surface, the temperatures, so there are a lot of things but I think we are very very happy that we build another very strong car and we are able to put it on the front row on our own, beating everybody today, so I think that’s a great result and deserves some credit for the team, the effort that everyone is putting in so I think that’s the best thing about today but the race is tomorrow so even if it’s a good day, the main day is coming tomorrow.

     

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – Autosport) Kimi, you seem a lot more comfortable in the car at the start of this season compared to last year. Do you feel happier in the car and what’s different for you to access that higher level?

    KR: Every car is different, it’s a new car obviously and it’s been OK. Obviously there are things we need to improve and we can improve but it’s reasonably fine. Like I said, it’s a new car, there are certain designs that have been done but it’s either good or not and there’s not one specific thing that is suddenly better for me than other years.

     

    Q: (Arrackal Alexander – Gulf Auto Zone) Looking at the new halo system, how is it functioning with the three of you and what would hold the key for success tomorrow?

    VB: It doesn’t feel so new any more, the halo. I think we’re used to it and I think it’s all good. I actually missed the second question, what was it?

     

    Q: What will be the key tomorrow?

    VB: Be quick. I think here tyre management is going to be really important but consistent things, whoever’s having the less drop-off with the tyres is going to be high in the end.

    SV: Just the first time in the weekend you get in the car it’s still a bit weird but as Valtteri said, you get used to it. I think it would be funny now if we take it off, it would feel a bit naked but yeah, it’s fine. I think the most difficult thing is to get in and out. And for the rest, yeah, nothing to add from Valtteri.

     

    Q: Key to success for you tomorrow? Is it the start against your teammate?

    KR: It’s the whole package, obviously, but I think we should have a good car. Make a good start and go from there.

  • F1 2018: Bahrain Gp Qualifying Report – Ferrari Supreme

    F1 2018: Bahrain Gp Qualifying Report – Ferrari Supreme

    The hotter temperatures and circuit layout in Bahrain played perfectly the Ferrari’s strengths as Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen easily locked out the front row of the grid for the second round of the 2018 season.

    The German’s 1:27:958 was one and half tenths quicker than Raikkonen’s best lap. However, the Finn cited traffic as an issue during his final run in Q3. Valtteri Bottas will line up third for Mercedes and share the second row with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

    Lewis Hamilton had set the fourth quickest time overall but drops to ninth following an forced gearbox change. Elsewhere, Max Verstappen made an early exit from qualifying with a crash in the opening session. The Dutchman is slated to start the Bahrain grand prix from fourteenth on the grid.

    Pierre Gasly was the star of qualifying as he remarkably set the fifth quickest time in his Toro Rosso Honda. Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz round out the top ten on the grid. It was a dismal day for McLaren as Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne managed only the thirteenth and fourteenth quickest times. Similarly, Williams continues to struggle as Sergey Sirotkin and Lance Stroll are set to line up in eighteenth and twentieth, respectively.

    While qualifying is a vital part of any race weekend prizes are only handed out on race day. And with Hamilton having to fight his way through from ninth, on a contra strategy, it’s advantage Ferrari in Bahrain.

  • Raikkonen Fastest in Bahrain GP Final Practice

    Raikkonen Fastest in Bahrain GP Final Practice

    Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen picked up where he left off yesterday after setting the fastest time in the final practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

    Raikkonen’s time of 1:29.868 on the super soft tyres was the fastest of the session. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was 2nd fastest 0.525s off the pace with a 1:30.393. Rounding out the top 3 was Daniel Ricciardo in the second Red Bull with a 1:30.452.

    The session got off to a very slow start after driver waited for quite some time for the track temperatures to drop a bit. The session was relatively uneventful except for Sebastian Vettel who had a problem with a lose right barge board. He was back in the pits immediately and the team got to work on his car. Shortly after he was back out for a few laps and was back in the pits with an engine issue with 15mins before the end of the session. Ferrari are working on the problem but no word as to the cause of the issue.

    Finishing 4th fastest was Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton 0.823s off the pace. Mercedes have been struggling all weekend with grip on the super soft tyre and Hamilton could be seen lighting up his rear tyres on his flying lap. Bottas in the second Mercedes finished the session 6th fastest behind Vettel in 5th.

    The two Renaults seem to be hitting their stride with Nico Hulkenberg finishing 7th fastest ahead of team mate Carlos Sainz.

    Pierre Gasly continues his good run of form this weekend with a 9th fastest finish of the session while Alonso rounded out the top 10.

    With the Mercedes cars struggling for pace, qualifying will be difficult for them to set a good time and with Hamilton’s grid penalty adding to their concerns. But we’ve seen that Hamilton is able to dig deep and find pace and grip and put in a stunning lap where it counts.

    Ferrari look to have the advantage, but with cooling track temps it will get very close between the top 3 teams come qualifying.

     

  • 2018 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference

    2018 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Thursday Press Conference

    DRIVERS – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes), Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari), Fernando ALONSO (McLaren)

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Kimi, if we can start with you. It was third place in Australia for the opening and it could have been even better and you said you were happy with the car during the first weekend. Could you just tell us what about this car you like and does it suit you more than last year’s car? 

    Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN: Obviously it’s hard to say. I think it was a pretty straightforward weekend. For sure, we could have done more things and improved always, but it’s the same: it doesn’t matter if you win or are tenth of something; there are always things to improve or work on. Obviously we have a very limited amount of time over the weekend to do things, with the practice, and also with the weather it was a bit tricky. Overall, I think we were quite pleased with how things went. You want more, better positions, but I think we take that happily. As a team we did a pretty job out of it. Not much to complain about really. We want to win races, but it’s the first race out and we managed to do decent points, so we go forward here, try to make a good practice. So far the car has been working well, even with pretty limited testing over the winter, with some illness and obviously the weather was not ideal on the first test, so I’m pretty OK with how things are running, so let’s just keep doing our normal things and improving.

    Thank you. Valtteri, coming to you: it was a difficult weekend for you in Australia, especially with the crash in qualifying. How much does a weekend like that play on your mind in the gap between races and how eager are you to get out on track this weekend? 

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Well, not so much been in my mind, because everything was kind of processed during the weekend. It was a bad weekend, that’s it. Now we still have 20 races to go and we’re here in Bahrain, so nothing really to worry about at this point. We have a competitive car. We know we still have a lot of work to do to make it better. Just a bad weekend, so looking forward to this one.

    Thank you very much. Fernando, you said on Saturday evening in Melbourne that hopefully you’d finish higher than P7 or P6 in Australia and you went and finished in fifth place, so where will you finish this weekend? 

    Fernando ALONSO: I don’t know, I don’t have the crystal ball anymore! I think definitely the car has some potential. Over the winter we had some ups and downs in testing and then in Australia it was the same thing – the free practice was affected by the weather and the qualifying was not smooth enough for us to show the potential. It was a good race, a lucky race with the two Haas retirements and the Virtual Safety Car. Nevertheless, I think we take this fifth place and we move on. There is still a lot to improve for us if we want to catch up to the top three teams, but I think we have the potential there and hopefully we can unlock some performance in the next races.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and Speedsport) Fernando, following on from that: as you say, ups and downs and still potential to come, but are happy days here again?

    FA: Well, I think there’s still quite a reasonable gap to close with the leaders, but I think it’s up to us now. It’s up to the team to deliver the performance in the next weeks, in the next four or five or six grands prix. If we are able to bring the performance to the track and close that gap and, you know, being in a reasonable distance to the pole position and the podium finishes and things like that, then it’s up to us to deliver the result on the weekend. I think the next two months are crucial for our hopes in this year’s championship, but hopefully we can keep improving the car, keep putting more performance and if it’s not a world championship fight, it will hopefully be some podium positions during the year or it can be regular top six or top five positions, not only in Australia P5 because of the Virtual Safety Car and the two Haas retirements. Maybe P5 could become a normality. That’s something we need to discover and to find out and as I said before, it’s probably the first time in the last three years that it’s up to us now to deliver that result, so we will try to do our best.

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Kimi, you have eight podiums here but the qualifying results have not been that good – only one P3. Is that the biggest difference you have between racing and qualifying in any circuit, and, if yes, where is that coming from?

    KR: I don’t look too closely what has happened in the past, you probably know better. To be honest we try to do our best. Sometimes it works; sometimes not and obviously, you start where you qualify. If it’s a good place or not that great you try to make the best out of it. To be honest some years it’s been working out well here. You can choose the tyres and do a different race and it worked out well. Could it be better if you started at the front? Who knows? Another weekend where we try to do a good job and be up there and see where we end up. It’s a bit unknown. This is a completely different circuit to the previous two where we’ve been in Barcelona and Australia – so yeah, we have to see how everything plans out and where we are, where others are – but it’s been a pretty decent place in past years.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globoesporte.com) To Kimi and Valtteri, starting with Kimi. Kimi, you were almost seven-tenths slower in qualifying in Australia. Do you think Mercedes can also have such an advantage in qualifying here? And, in race conditions, if you believe Ferrari will be more or less in the same gap to Mercedes – or even smaller due to characteristics of the track, and considering the history of Ferrari in this track?

    KR: Who knows. You can keep guessing as long as you want, we see over the weekend where we are. I have zero interest to start guessing where we are, what’s the difference in qualifying. There’s so many things that will change that and y’know, we’ll do our best and see where we end up in qualifying and the race – but the most important part is the Sunday after the race where it will be finished. I am finished to be two seconds off if we win every Sunday. I don’t care. It’s pretty irrelevant on Saturday in that way. But yeah, I don’t know. That’s why we come here. To find out.

    VB:     I think pretty much the same. You can always guess but at this point we can only guess, so yeah… I think historically Ferrari has been good here. They had good race pace in Australia. Last year they had stronger pace here than in Australia, so I think it’s going to be a threat and they’re going to be close to us. Even Red Bull. But more than that, just can’t say. We will see how the weekend develops.

    Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Interesting day coming up tomorrow where we understand Liberty Media will be presenting their blueprint of the future of Formula One to the teams. I was just wondering, as drivers, what input you’ve had, what consultations you’ve had and where you see any changes necessary from a racing perspective to improve Formula One for the future. It’s a question to you all.

    FA: I don’t think that there is anything thing that we can probably can say about that. Definitely Liberty has been quite open to us from Day One and they’ve been asking us all of last year about opinions and different ideas that we may have. So, they were very productive conversations. So, now I think they have a plan. They will show it tomorrow to the teams and we will agree with whatever their decision is because they have all the power and they have all the knowledge of who to do things. Hopefully they’ll bring new ideas, new things that can improve the show and that will be welcome from all of us.

    Kimi, has there been any feedback you’ve been giving to Liberty about the direction of Formula One?

    KR: No, in the end it’s no our decision, it’s up to them. It’s their business. They make plans and obviously take decisions they feel is correct. I don’t know what they’re doing now. I know very little about it and I’m not interested in it, so we’ll see tomorrow what they say. It’s in many years’ time anyhow. I doubt I’ll be here so it doesn’t really bother me.

    Valtteri, anything to add?

    VB: Not really. I think Fernando covered well. In the end, it’s their decision and tomorrow we’ll see what they will recommend. It’s difficult to speculate more than that – but it will be interesting to see what they recommend.

    Q: (Jerome Pugmire – Associated Press) Valtteri, you say it’s been processed –  what happened at the Australian Grand Prix –  but how much pressure do you feel to have a good performance here? 

    VB: I think it’s a normal race weekend, that’s my feeling at the moment, honestly. Sometimes you have bad races and then there’s always the next one and of course you always want to perform but there is no point in gathering pressure from one mistake in qualifying. Of course, I always hope for a good weekend but yeah, I feel a normal race weekend ahead.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Just coming back to the previous question, to all drivers, Fernando said they have the power to change Formula One. If you had the power, what would you change in the Formula One we have today? 

    KR: I don’t have it, so…

    Q: Nothing you’d change at all?

    KR: No, I don’t have the power so what’s the point to wasting… even thinking about it because I don’t understand why you… what’s the point for me, to give you a list, because in the end I have zero power? I can’t. You understand? We can’t, we don’t make the rules, that’s my point. What’s the point of even making a story out of it.
    FA:  Well, I think it could be a closer battle, that will always be welcome but it has always been like that in F1. I remember watching the TV in the very old days… it was on television last week a race from ’90 or ’89 and apart from the first four cars, everyone was flat. We remember that era like a golden era, with big names etc and they’ve always been a big spread but I think if you see now, other series, if you watch a race of IndyCars or whatever, that unpredictable result until the last ten laps makes you excited in front of the television and now we can put (down) the qualifying order for this race right now, on Thursday and that’s a little bit sad.
    VB: Well, I think, like everyone, all the spectators, all the drivers, we would all love more closer racing like Fernando said but how to do that? It’s not in my hands.

    Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines, Racefans.net) Fernando, one of the current stated objectives this year is to return to the podium. Now based on what you’ve experienced in testing and the race, what you’ve just said etc, in order to get onto the podium you have to beat both or one or both Ferraris, one or both Mercedes, plus two Red Bulls which have got the same engine. Do you honestly believe that that’s do-able and achievable this year? 

    FA: Yes. We were two places from that podium already in Australia. They were very close, the last ten laps, Ricciardo and Kimi fighting together so anything can happen in a race. I won two races in 2008 with that ING Renault. I was on the podium in 2009 with the introduction of KERS and that car that we were, I think, ninth in the World Championship or something like that, and I was on the podium so anything can happen in F1. If you are close to that position, sooner or later that opportunity will come and we will be there to take it. I think it’s very possible this year.

  • F1 2018: Bahrain Gp Preview – Ferrari to drive home advantage?

    F1 2018: Bahrain Gp Preview – Ferrari to drive home advantage?

    Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher won the first Bahrain grand prix, held in 2004. While it was a new, never before raced at, venue for F1 it didn’t produce much excitement as it earned the unfortunate moniker ‘Bore-rain’ thanks to its processional races.

    However, in 2014, as the tenth anniversary of F1 in Bahrain rolled around, no pun intended, organisers decided to run the race under lights. It was a masterstroke as the formerly docile race came alive and produced some of the most exhilarating racing all season. It was Lewis Hamilton who beat then teammate Nico Rosberg to victory following thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle for the lead.

    In 2017 Valtteri Bottas scored the first pole position of his career but ultimately didn’t have the composure to hold of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. It is a new season though and Australia has not done much to reveal the true pecking order of 2018.

    Though Ferrari stood on the top step of the podium in the first race of the season the Sebastian Vettel was the first to admit that the opportunistic win had a definite element of luck infused. Further, he admits that the 2018 Ferrari isn’t yet where it needs to be. “I think our car has huge potential but I’m still struggling a little bit. When you talk about something that you miss as a driver, it’s because the car doesn’t respond the way you like. Ours is still sliding in places you don’t want it to slide. I want the car to be spot-on when I hit the brakes and turn in, and in that window, I’m not yet happy,” says Vettel.

    MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS

    The Sakhir International circuit is not the ideal test of an F1 car but it will allow them to stretch their legs a bit more than in Australia. Low speed corners dominate the circuit layout, which means that traction and tyre temperatures significantly influence the laptime. Specifically, management of rear tyre temperatures is the key in Bahrain.

    The top three teams, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have made similar tyre choices for the weekend where the supersoft, soft, and medium tyre will be run. The high desert temps and difficulty in managing rear tyre wear could play to Ferrari’s favour as Mercedes has traditionally suffered on the softer compounds of the Pirelli range.

    It isn’t all about what happens at the sharp-end though as the tight mid-field battle has all the potential to produce some of the closest racing of all. The team to look out for is Haas. They were desperately unlucky that cross-threaded wheel-nuts forced both cars retire in Australia. However, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen were turning a genuinely quick pace and should be able to replicate it this weekend.

    Bahrain_NightMany drivers including Lewis Hamilton and both Red Bulls complained about the lack of overtaking opportunities in Australia. This should be somewhat alleviated in Bahrain partly due to its kilometer long straight.

    There was little question in Australia that Mercedes had a quick car. However, there are several factors, most notably the higher temperatures and rear tyre wear, that could play in Ferrari’s favour. Given that Vettel does not yet feel 100% comfortable with his Ferrari it could well be Kimi Raikkonen who has a record seven podiums in Bahrain.

  • F1 2018: Australian Gp Review – Ferrari Score Opportunistic Win

    F1 2018: Australian Gp Review – Ferrari Score Opportunistic Win

    “I was waiting to put a lap in and wipe the smile off your face”. This was the jibe Lewis Hamilton directed at Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel after Saturday’s qualifying session. “What goes around come around” was Vettel’s retort at the time but he also responded on Sunday with an opportunistic win the opening round of the 2018 season.

    Hamilton withstood a challenge for the lead of the race from Kimi Raikkonen in the opening lap as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen slipped to fifth behind the Haas of Kevin Magnussen. The Dutchman’s race suffered further when he oddly spun in the middle of turn one.

    All who put money on the fact that Mercedes and Hamilton were going to scamper off into the distance wouldn’t have seen a great return on that bet. Not only did the Mercedes not disappear into the distance but also Raikkonen kept him within three seconds for all of the first stint. Elsewhere, Valtteri Bottas was making slow progress from fifteenth after binning the Merc in qualifying a day earlier.

    The race seemed to settle slightly just before the forced retirement of both Haas drivers. Kevin Magnussen was the first to pull over with a loose wheel and Romain Grosjean suffered the same fate one lap later. It was desperate situation for the American team who were running comfortably in fourth and fifth at the time. While Magnussen pulled off in a safe area Grosjean’s Haas required the deployment of the Virtual safety-car (VSC) and later the real safety-car.

    0090Raikkonen and Hamilton had made their respective trips through the pitlane while Vettel remained on track for several more laps. As it were his pitstop coincided with VSC period during which all drivers must run to a minimum laptime. Bizarrely, Hamilton ran well below the prescribed laptime and ceded the lead of the race to Vettel.

    The bunching up of the field behind the safety-car also allowed Daniel Ricciardo back into the action and onto the gearbox of Raikkonen. However, while the Aussie got within seven tenths of the Ferrari he never looked like making a pass for the final step on the podium.

    Further adrift Fernando Alonso emphasized McLaren’s comeback with a fine fifth ahead of Verstappen in sixth. Nico Hulkenberg brought his Renault home in seventh ahead of Bottas in eighth and McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne in ninth. Carlos Sainz snapped up the final point on offer in tenth despite fighting off severe nausea in the cockpit due a drinks bottle failure.

    Many will term Vettel’s win lucky but opportunistic is better-suited and fairer descriptor of events. Ultimately, it was Vettel’s pace, and Ferrari’s strategic call, that was the determining factor. Though he ran slightly adrift of his teammate and race-leader Hamilton in the opening stint of the race he remained within touching distance. When the VSC, and later the safety-car, was deployed he was close enough to take full advantage of it.

    0084Similarly, he had enough pace to hold off Hamilton and push the reigning world champion into waving the white flag with a handful of laps to go. The VSC and safety-car has been a well-known and accepted variable in F1 for decades. It’s not luck but merely a part of the sport.

    Vettel and Ferrari will come away from Australia with a significant boost in confidence and a doff of the cap to the strategists.

  • 2018 Australian Grand Prix: Post Race Press Conference

    2018 Australian Grand Prix: Post Race Press Conference

    1 – Sebastian VETTEL (Ferrari)

    2 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)

    3 – Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari)

     

    PODIUM INTERVIEWS

    (Conducted by Mark Webber)

     

    Sebastian, 48th victory, 100th podium, a couple behind Alain Prost, so run us through it – what a race. 

    Sebastian VETTEL: Yeah, obviously pretty good. We got a bit lucky with the safety car but yeah, really enjoyed it. A great turnout today, you saw in the grandstands, I really enjoyed the lap back in. And for the race, I mean my start, I was hoping for it to be a little bit better, but it didn’t really work, so I had to settle for third. And then, towards the end of that first stint I lost a little bit the connection to Lewis and Kimi ahead. I was struggling a little bit with the tyres. I felt happier with the soft tyres, with the yellow tyres at the end, for the second stint. Obviously I was praying for a safety and there was a car that stopped in Turn 4 and I was like ‘no, it’s not coming out’ and then somebody stopped, I think it was a Haas, in Turn 2, and then when I saw it I was full of adrenalin, even though the race is frozen, but still to come into the pits, everything on the limit, trying to get back out, because they told me it was really close with Lewis. And when we got out ahead I knew it was difficult to pass but he kept some pressure on, especially at the beginning of the last stint and then at the end, during the last five laps at least I could enjoy it a little bit more.

     

    Well done. Lewis, God, what a weekend you’ve had! Give him a round of applause. He’s been incredible this weekend, absolutely on fire yesterday in qualifying. You’ve been on this podium eight times, more than any other driver in history in Australia. I thought you drove phenomenally this weekend, mate, it got away through tactics in the [it lane. Talk us through the race, how was it for you?

    Lewis HAMILTON: It’s been an incredible weekend, honestly. To arrive and have the performance we had today. A big congratulations to Sebastian and Ferrari. Today, obviously, they did the better job and we have to go back to the drawing board and work on it. We still have great pace, our qualifying was great, I think through the race I was able to apply some pressure towards the end. This is one awesome circuit but it’s so hard to overtake, even with the extra DRS, obviously with the cars being as close as they were. At the end it was really trying to live to fight another day, save the engine and we’ll try to regain the point later on. But a big thank you to everyone that has come out this weekend. We’ve got so many British flags and for the Australians for having us this week.

     

    Kimi, my man. How was it? Sixteen times this man has raced in front of you guys. He’s an absolute legend. Up here on the podium for the first time since he won in 2013. Kimi, how was your race?

    Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN: I think it was OK. We didn’t have the most luck but what can you do. Luckily it was Seb that got the luck and it was our team at least. I think I had decent speed all day long and just difficult to pass. I got a good go in the second corner and then just tried to follow and see if we could do something in a pit stop. Obviously with the safety car it’s pure luck. We could hold onto third place. Got some pressure in the end, from the Red Bull with little bit more fresh tyres, but I’ll take it the third place. I think I’ve been happy with the car and it’s nice to go onto the next races.

     

    Sebastian, we meet up again on this podium with (you) victorious. It’s a nice meeting point in terms of Ferrari winning, the season starting off on the front foot, last year it was a titanic battle with Lewis, off to Bahrain in a few weeks. How do you see it playing out?

    SV: Obviously we were a little bit lucky today. Lewis had a great lap yesterday. He deserved pole position. He drove a very good race; controlled it in the beginning. As I say, we got a bit lucky, but we’ll take it. We put a flag up in Maranello for every win and I asked them to do that this morning back in Europe. We’re not yet there where we want to be. I’m not yet exactly there with the car, you know. If I don’t feel what I need to feel then it’s a bit tricky. I think we all know. But I think it gives us a good start, a good wind and fresh motivation for the coming weeks.

     

     

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: (Yianni Mavromoustakos – Talkingtorque.com.au) Firstly congratulations to Seb, now for all three drivers, how did you find the Halo in race conditions.

    KR: No different than in testing or at any other point. I think it definitely doesn’t disturb at all. I think it was helpful here because the sun, when it’s coming in the right height, it’s blocking the sun in the eyes. So, I think it was only beneficial here, and it’s safer. Maybe people don’t like how it looks but y’know it might make a difference for us one day and it’s a good thing to have.

     

    Seb?

    SV: During the race, it was no issue. As Kimi said, it even helped. I don’t know what you call the thing in the car… it worked like a sun visor, that helped. In the parade lap, that’s when it was bothering because you couldn’t see so well the people in the grandstands. Was trying to find, is it better to look below, or… wasn’t tall enough to get above. Other than that, no difference.

     

    Lewis, anything to add?

    LH: I don’t think so.

     

    Q: (Luigi Perna – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Question for Seb, what do you still miss in the feeling of the car. It’s up to the balance of the car, the power of the engine or what else?

    SV: No, I think the car has huge potential but yeah, I’m still struggling a little bit. I think if we also compare to where we’re still a bit weak, it’s where I also feel that the car is not yet there, so, what am I missing, when you talk about something that you miss as a driver, the car doesn’t respond the way you like and it’s still sliding in places you don’t want it to slide. I’m quite… I want the car to be spot on when I hit brakes and turn in, and in that window, I’m not yet happy, so it’s always sort-of a compromise. Of course, it’s our job to drive around problems that we have but if I could chose, I would like it a bit different and yeah, it’s not a big drama. I think we can live with it but I feel also if we get on top of that then you feel more confident. A track like here, when you have confidence it makes a big difference. I think today was quite windy, very gusty. You always try to push but equally to try to be a bit safe – because you don’t want to throw it away. That’s exactly where it makes a difference: if then then have the confidence and you trust the car, you don’t think for a second, you just go out and do it. At the moment, it just feels a bit too conscious. So, let’s hope I get to think less, and we need to think less in the next races.

     

    Q: (Paul Gover – Herald Sun) Party time for you guys tonight. Will you be inviting the guys from the Haas team perhaps as well?

    SV: I don’t know what the problem for them was. Obviously, as I said before, the Virtual Safety Car did help me today, no doubt, but as I said as well, there were other races where it didn’t, so that’s the way it goes. I’ve been on the other side as well. I said as well that, y’know, Lewis was probably the quickest out of all three of us but that’s how it goes and for sure, wearing red is a good day today.

     

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Kimi, it’s your best start to the season for five years. P3, it is more satisfaction or a disappointment?

    KR: Obviously, you want more, always, and you want to win. I think we had decent speed all weekend and we were pretty OK in the early part of the race and then obviously, it’s just pure luck sometimes that goes your way or against you. What happened today, at least it was our team. Not ideal for me but it’s a decent start and it’s a long year so the feeling has been OK this weekend. We go for the next race and I’d rather take a third place than no points, so yeah, we always want more but I’ll take it and we go.

     

    Q: (Ben Hunt – The Sun) Tabloid time again. Sebastian, are you concerned about ‘Party Mode’, do you think it’s legal what Mercedes have got?

    SV: I think so. I think also Lewis was right yesterday. I think that… y’know we do get a bit of data, GPS data and stuff like that… I think they did turn it up for Q3 but not by seven-tenths. I think probably if you look at qualifying carefully, I try to do so last night. It’s fair to say they were quick in Q1, quicker than us, Lewis was quick in Q2 and then his second run, I don’t know, something happened. So, his last run in Q3 was the only proper run at the end and he had a clean run and I don’t think the gain that he had in time was down to engine. Probably a tenth, a little bit more, but not seven tenths. So, the credit is for his lap that he did and not for the engine power. It’s completely fine what they’re doing because they didn’t do anything special. Not more than they did last year, probably even a bit less by the looks of it. So, it was clear that he just had a very good lap and he drove well.

     

    Q: (Phil Duncan – Press Association) Seb, do you take any extra satisfaction in the win today, given the comments that Lewis made yesterday about wiping the smile off your face after qualifying?

    SV: Not really. He said he was joking and I believe him. I think we are old enough, I don’t think we need to go on that sort of level. It’s fine as long as we joke with each other and I don’t think… apart from a point last year, we don’t have a problem with each other. I think even if we are very different persons, I think we share – all of us – a common passion and that makes us quite equal again. We love racing and we try to do our best, once we’re in the car and beat all the others. I think in that regard, I don’t see why we shouldn’t get on with each other.

    Q: Do you see it the same way, Lewis?

    LH: Sorry, I wasn’t listening.

    Q: No reason you shouldn’t get on with each other?

    LH: Don’t think so, no.

     

    Q: (Daniele Sparisci – Corriera della Sera) Seb, in your feeling, what is the difference between this victory from the one from last year in Melbourne? Which one is more unexpected?

    SV: The one today. I think last year we had more pace in relative terms. Last year we were putting them under pressure. Even though Lewis was in the lead, I think we managed to put him under pressure so yeah, I was forced to pit and we benefited from that. Because we had the speed today…  I think we didn’t have the true race pace to match them but we weren’t that far off. In the last stint, even though we were probably lucky with the safety car or virtual safety car, we still had enough pace to stay ahead and make it very difficult for him to be close and try and do something. I think also compared to the others, it didn’t look like there was a whole train behind us so I think we had some decent pace.

     

    Q: (Luis Vasconcelos – Formula Press) Two questions for Kimi: first of all, you were quicker than Sebastian in qualifying and in the first part of the race with the ultrasoft tyres so is that satisfactory and encouraging for future races? And second, with the harder tyre, you didn’t seem to be able to hold on to them. Was the balance the difference?

    KR: I think I had a chance to fight for the first place in the beginning but I was very happy with the car all weekend. Obviously there are things that we have to improve, we know that, but it wasn’t too bad and in the end of all the guys I had the older tyres so obviously with Ricciardo my aim was just to keep him behind because I followed throughout the first part of the race but it’s very difficult to overtake so it wasn’t really there. The biggest thing was to try to get in front of Lewis. I was happy to take the third place, not ideal but I was pretty happy with everything, not much to complain about but obviously the position could be a bit better.

     

    Q: (Frederic Ferret – L’Equipe) Lewis, if the team had warned you about Seb’s pitting, would have you been able to do something else to change the scenario?

    LH: I’d have to go and look at it but it was quite close between us, maybe a second or so. If I had known that Sebastian was in my window I may have been able to make a difference, yes. Whether it would be enough, I’m not quite sure. I’d have to look.

     

    Q: (Mikko Hyytia  – Iltalehti) Kimi, how surprised were you by Sebastian’s tactics because on the radio it sounded like you were pretty surprised?

    KR: Not really. The only thing I was surprised because we were talking on the radio that they didn’t let me know what he was doing. Obviously we talked before the race and there were hundreds of options what we can do and that was his best option and no threat from behind. He would obviously take a chance because he had nothing else to lose at that point, safe in third place so it would work out well. I wasn’t really surprised what they did. I was surprised that we didn’t – at one point – know exactly.

     

    Q: (Phil Branagan – Auto Action) Question to Seb to follow on from that earlier one: because the result was so similar to last year, and the race played out similarly, would you say, compared with Lewis’s car you were better off this year than you were a year ago, worse off or about the same?

    SV:  Well, at the moment we’re a bit worse off. Last year we had more pace at this point. If you look at the gaps the whole weekend and we’re not yet a true match. Obviously we had very good pace today, Kimi was very strong in the first stint. I think I was probably a tiny bit stronger in the second stint but it was a different race for us. But I think if you look and you are fair, then Lewis was fastest whereas last year I think we were fastest and it was very very close and therefore at this point we know that we are not yet where we want to be because we want to be fastest.

  • F1 2018: Australian Gp Preview – Who will it be?

    F1 2018: Australian Gp Preview – Who will it be?

    There are few things as sweet as the hope and eagerness that accompanies the week before the start of a new Formula 1 season. Right now every enthusiast’s expectation is sky high. Their optimisms and expectation ready to be encouraged or sunk by the unpretentious but all-powerful stopwatch.

    On Friday morning the cars will trundle out of the pitlane and onto Australia’s Albert Park circuit for the first official practice session of the 2018 season. A warm, fuzzy feeling will fill your heart as a smile spreads across your face: F1 2018 is a go.

    The famed part-time Albert Park circuit in Melbourne will host the season-opener for the 22nd time. At 5.3 kilometers in length it remains somewhat of an outlier in terms of layout. As it utilizes public roads, and even part of a car park, it is more akin to a street circuit. These unique characteristics do have the ability to soften a car’s shortcomings as opposed to a track such as Bahrain’s Sakhir International circuit.

    Twelve months ago in Australia Sebastian Vettel stepped onto the podium and Ferrari made a clear statement of intentions. Ultimately, 2017 didn’t go the way the Italian team would’ve predicted or wanted but they have learned valuable lessons from it. But Ferrari doesn’t start the 2018 season in quite the same standing as it did last year. A big question mark lingers over the Scuderia and if they have closed the gap to Mercedes or even fallen slightly off the pace. Pre-season testing was difficult to read but still many persist with the opinion that Ferrari is not in Mercedes’ league.

    Pre-Season Test D1_Daniel RicciardoInstead it’s Red Bull who has seemingly made the bigger step forward. But still, despite the dynamite driver pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, their biggest Achilles heel remains the Renault engine’s power deficit. However, if the RB14 is what its pre-season form has suggested then they may hit the ground running in Australia.

    Meanwhile the midfield looks like it is poised to deliver some close racing as several teams find themselves in close contention. The surprise of this pack may be the American Haas team who appears to have made a step forward in almost all areas. Contrastingly, Williams and Sauber are likely to duke it out at the back of the grid.

    For McLaren, who have endured harrowing reliability in pre-season, there will be nowhere to hide. So many of the team’s issues over the last few years were heaped onto Honda’s shoulders. However, despite having a new partnership with Renault the problems persist. Despite this Fernando Alonso and co are optimistic about the season and insist there is nothing to be concerned about.

    We may pour over countless points of data and hundred of laptimes from testing and scrutinize every picture taken in the two weeks but the fact remains that the true pace of the 2018 contenders will only be revealed come race day.

  • F1 2018: Testing Diary, Week One

    F1 2018: Testing Diary, Week One

    The first pre-season ahead of the 2018 has been one of the most difficult to read anything into. The main reason being the cold, even snowy, weather for much of the first week of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

    Nevertheless, even though the fuel loads, engine mappings, and run plans are unknown to outside observers there is always something to learn from cars on track.

    Mercedes

    It is easy enough to assume that Mercedes has built a good car for the 2018 season. With the exception of a suspected oil or fuel pressure issue early in the week, there didn’t appear to be significant issues with the reliability of the W09. Though they hit the track relatively slowly as the week progressed so the car too began to come into its own. What was evident was that both drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, seemed to struggle with oversteer while in the process of heating the tyres. Naturally, it’s still a work in progress but Mercedes would be pleased with their work thus far.

    Ferrari

    In contrast, Ferrari seemed to start the week on the front-foot with a car that appeared to be an impressive step forward. The SF71H looked stable and showed no reliability issues whatsoever. As the test progressed however Ferrari seemed to stagnate slightly in its performance. There was no real improvement from the car that rolled out of the pitlane on day one. This could very well have been Ferrari’s run plan, which will make their performance in the second test all the most interesting. It is quite clear however that Ferrari and Mercedes maintain an advantage in engine performance.

    Red Bull

    It was a rather muddled few days for Red Bull. While the first day likely went according to plan much of the rest of the test session was spent fidgeting with aero parts. Similarly, Max Verstappen’s time in the cockpit was affected by fuel leaks and ending up in the kitty litter. The good news is that when it’s on track and running smoothly the Red Bull looks a good car. It may be early days yet but it is quite evident that the Renault engine is still somewhat adrift of the performance of the Mercedes and Ferrari engine.

    Renault and McLaren

    The Renault works team look to be the leaders of the mid-field after the first few days of testing. The car looks settled in the hands of both Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr and appears to be a good platform to build from for 2018. While Renault may be topping the mid-field it’s likely only by a slight margin over McLaren. Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne’s new orange-and-blue liveried car looks quite solid and, most importantly, reliable with the Renault power unit now in the back of the car.

    Toro Rosso

    The announcement that Toro Rosso was partnering with Honda was a surprise given the Japanese manufacturer’s dire runs with McLaren. However, in stark contrast to 2017 the Honda engine ran with notable reliably. While the Toro Rosso didn’t set any headline grabbing laptimes it seems that the team and Honda are willing to work together which will be vital for their season prospects.

    The second pre-season test commences on the 6th of March ahead of the opening round of the season in Australia on March 25th.

  • Review: Williams Documentary

    Review: Williams Documentary

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

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

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

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

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

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