Tag: molaren

F1 2016: Italian GP Preview – Uniquely Monza

Most would agree that the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is one of the most unique circuits on the F1 calendar. It’s uniqueness doesn’t just stem from one thing either.

When you describe Monza as a classic it is a literal description as the first grand prix it ever hosted was in 1950. It may have undergone a few tweaks but every legend that has ever inscribed their name in the folklore of Formula 1 history has raced around this circuit. The infamous Ferrari one-two for Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto in 1988, to Sebastian Vettel first grand prix win in 2008, to the emotional announcement of Michael Schumacher’s (first) retirement here in 2006.

The layout too is another factor which adds to Monza’s uniqueness. The long straights places an overwhelming demand on a low downforce setup and pushes the engine to its absolute limit. There are some quite famous twiddly bits in between which demand precision on braking and good traction. “People often think that Monza is all about the straights, with tight, small corners – but that’s not really true: corners like the Lesmos, the Ascari chicane and Parabolica are big, fast corners that require precision and commitment. It’s a great track,” says McLaren’s Jenson Button.

And then there is the Tifosi. Ferrari’s fanatically passionate supporters who only see red. Ferrari’s 2016 season has made for some uncomfortable viewing and that’s without the two red cars swopping paint. Despite this, there will be high expectations for the Italian team this weekend. Ferrari are determined to meet the expectation head on and are expected to role out an engine upgrade this weekend in the hopes of thrilling their Tifosi.

However, as far as beating rivals go putting one over them on home soil as hallowed as Monza is always going to rank high on the priority list regardless of the era. Therefore, Mercedes will be more determined than ever to climb onto the top step of the podium on Sunday. The Italian circuit has always been a favourite of Hamilton who currently holds a nine point lead over teammate Rosberg and a significant advantage where spare power unit elements are concerned.

Red Bull performed well in Belgium but will find the going a bit tougher given the extra emphasis on engine power. Dutchman Max Verstappen arrives in any paddock with a bunch of attention how there will be a bit of a different air to it in Italy after his shenanigans at Spa. It won’t bother him though, nothing much seems to get under the 18 year old’s skin…yet.

If a definition for pure, unadulterated passion is being searched for then look no further than the Italian grand prix. It is passion defined. And should a red car make it to the chequered flag first expect an outpouring of emotion and elation the likes of which have not been seen in many a year.

September 1, 2016

F1 2016: Belgium Gp Free Practice 2 Report – Verstappen Quickest

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen set the quickest time in the second free practice session for the Belgian grand prix.

The second free practice session ran in pristine sunshine during which Dutch driver Verstappen set a quickest time of 1:48:085 ahead of his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg set the third fastest time ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and the sister Force India of Sergio Perez.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton ended the session sixth and thirteenth quickest on the timing sheets. Neither Mercedes driver ran the quickest supersoft tyre. The number 7 Ferrari of Raikkonen was seventh quickest without a clear run on the red-walled supersoft tyre while Haas F1’s Romain Grosjean was eighth overall. McLaren’s Jenson Button and Esteban Gutierrez in the Haas rounded out the top ten. The Williams duo endured a tough session as Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa ended 16th and 17th overall.

The long runs revealed a comparable pace on the yellow-walled soft tyre between the two Red Bull teammates with Vettel a few tenths adrift in the Ferrari. Hamilton, who will start the race from the back of the grid due to penalties, ran a long stint on the medium compound tyres which consistently hovered in the mid 1:55 bracket.

Final Standings Free Practice 2:

Pos.	Driver	Team	Best Time	Gap	Laps
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:48.085	–	27
2	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	1:48.341	+0.256	27
3	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India	1:48.657	+0.572	30
4	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	1:49.023	+0.938	27
5	Sergio Perez	Force India	1:49.100	+1.015	27
6	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	1:49.161	+1.076	33
7	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	1:49.244	+1.159	30
8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	1:49.419	+1.334	20
9	Jenson Button	McLaren	1:49.419	+1.334	23
10	Esteban Gutierrez	Haas	1:49.648	+1.563	23
11	Pascal Wehrlein	Manor	1:49.716	+1.631	31
12	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	1:49.772	+1.687	30
13	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:49.782	+1.697	33
14	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	1:49.916	+1.831	25
15	Marcus Ericsson	Sauber	1:50.083	+1.998	27
16	Valtteri Bottas	Williams	1:50.151	+2.066	19
17	Felipe Massa	Williams	1:50.157	+2.072	29
18	Carlos Sainz	Toro Rosso	1:50.194	+2.109	25
19	Kevin Magnussen	Renault	1:50.375	+2.290	34
20	Jolyon Palmer	Renault	1:50.562	+2.477	32
21	Esteban Ocon	Manor	1:50.659	+2.574	25
22	Felipe Nasr	Sauber	1:50.719	+2.634	24

August 26, 2016

F1 2016: Austria Gp Review – Hamilton, Lord Of The Ring

Over the course of a grand prix weekend a driver normally runs close to two hundred laps. It’s uncanny then that everything can be made or undone by one lap.

In Saturday qualifying, a wet and dry session, Lewis Hamilton steered his Mercedes to pole position in dominant fashion. While teammate Nico Rosberg qualified second on the road he moved down the grid due to a gearbox penalty. It promoted Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg to the second front-row starting position of his career. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, also hit with a gearbox penalty, fell down the starting grid, which promoted McLaren’s Jenson Button to third place.

As Hamilton led cleanly from pole position it didn’t take too long for Hulkenberg and Button to fall by the wayside. Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, now into second, kept Hamilton relatively honest with a gap of 3.5 to 4 seconds in the first stint. A recovering Sebastian Vettel was soon running third behind teammate Raikkonen.

Ferrari’s advantage rested on the fact that, as Hamilton’s closest rival, Raikkonen started the race on the supersoft tyre, which, theoretically, should last longer than Hamilton’s ultrasoft tyres. However, for a reason unbeknownst to most Ferrari called Raikkonen in only one lap after Hamilton’s own visit to the pitlane. It dropped the Finn to sixth behind both Red Bull drivers. Ferrari’s strategists, not for the first time this season, had made the wrong call.

As Hamilton and Raikkonen dived intot he pitlane it left Vettel in the lead of the race. However, as the German driver started lap 27 he suffered a violent delamination to the right-rear supersoft tyre. It speared the Ferrari into the pitwall and out of the race. Ferrari do not believe that they pushed the tyres beyond their limits and Vettel’s laptimes before the incident would suggest that the set of tyres were well within working range.

After a short safety-car stint to clear up Vettel’s tyre debris Rosberg resumed the lead of the race on lap 32 with Hamilton in second. After both Merc driver made their second stops Nico Rosberg was delivering a drive at the Austrian grand prix worth remembering. He fought he way through to the lead of the race with consistent speed and superior strategy.

But Hamilton wasn’t giving up and closed the gap to four tenths of a second on lap 67. Rosberg seemed unflustered right until the final lap of the race. The German driver made a mistake into Turn 1 handing Hamilton the advantage. Hamilton had a run on the lead into Turn 2 as Rosberg let his car run wide and made contact with Hamilton. Rosberg got off worse in the exchange as he limped home in fourth with a damaged car. The stewards imposed a 10-second penalty on Rosberg for causing a collision but he remained fourth overall. As it were Rosberg’s brake-by-wire system went into passive mode on the pit-strait. However, it’s clear from on-board footage that he was trying to run Hamilton wide.

Behind race-leader Hamilton Red Bull’s Max Verstappen narrowly held onto second after running a 56-lap stint on the soft tyre. Kimi Raikkonen recovered Ferrari’s dubious strategy call to finish third as Rosberg limped home in fourth. Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth ahead of one of the stars of the race Jenson Button. The Brit out-performed his McLaren to finish in sixth ahead of Romain Grosjean (7th), Carlos Sainz (8th), and Valtteri Bottas (9th). The other star of the afternoon was Manor F1’s Pascal Wehrlein who scored his first career point in tenth.

There is no rest of the sport that never sleeps as the F1 paddock heads straight to legendary Silverstone circuit for this weekend’s British grand prix.

(All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport)

July 4, 2016
F1 2016: Austrian Gp Free Practice 1 Report – Rosberg Runs Quickest

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg set the quickest time in the first free practice session ahead of the Austrian grand prix.

The first free practice session for the 2016 Austrian grand prix got underway in sunny conditions at the Red Bull Ring. The drivers quickly hit their stride with some blistering lap times early on in the session with Nico Rosberg’s 1:08:166 having been a record breaking lap.

The German driver would improve to a 1:07:373 by the end of the session to record the quickest lap ever around the current configuration of the Red Bull Ring. Teammate Lewis Hamilton set the second quickest time with a 1:07:730. The two Ferrari’s of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were third and fourth with Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo rounding out the top five.

Dutch driver Max Verstappen exited the session early after clouting a kerb which broke a steering arm and left his Red Bull beached in a gravel trap. No other major incidents were recorded but for a few spins from several drivers.

Ferrari were expected to test the Halo 2 head protection system but chose not to do so. The McLaren team ran several updates including a new rear wing and conducted a back to back test on a new floor.

Free Practice One Standings:

July 1, 2016
F1 2016: European Gp – Free Practice 1 Report – Hamilton Tops Baku Practice

Lewis Hamilton set the quickest time in the first free practice session ahead of Sunday’s Baku grand prix.

The first ever official Formula 1 session in Azerbaijan got underway in splendour as the cars and drivers had their first look at the Baku City circuit. Aesthetically the circuit and its surrounds create a terrific view with the architecture around the circuit making the biggest impression.

Several drivers took their time to get the proverbial eye in around the long lap. Turn 15 claimed the most errors with several drivers taking to the escape road a few times throughout the session.

Daniel Ricciardo became the first victim of the new circuit as he heavily clouted the barrier at turn 15 with the right-rear of his Red Bull. The incident brought out the red flag for several minutes as marshals took about clearing the debris and stricken Red Bull.

The rest of the session ran to plan for most of the teams. However, Max Verstappen’s session ended earlier than scheduled with an oil leak. Similarly, Lewis Hamilton’s session came to a premature end as he flat spotted his tyres with several minutes of practice remaining.

While the two Mercedes drivers led the way with Hamilton in first and Rosberg in second the Williams of Valtteri Bottas set the third quickest time overall. Fernando Alonso set the fourth quickest time ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in fifth.

Free Practice 1 Standings:

June 17, 2016
F1 2016: European Gp Preview – In with the new

Too many times new F1 circuits are talked up and promised to be glorious showpieces that will electrify the racing. And then you end up with Valencia, a dull F1 street circuit somewhere in Spain that evokes more winces than grins.

But the new hosts of the European grand prix may have hit on something special. As the most recent addition to the F1 calendar Azerbaijan’s Baku City circuit promises much from the initial glimpses of its layout. At six kilometres it’s second in length only to Spa-Francorchamps and with twenty corners behind Abu Dhabi’s 21 and Singapore’s 23. But the most arresting feature of the circuit is slim width in certain areas of the track. It’s not pancake flat either, in fact it has significant elevation changes and even a cobbled section.

Because it is temporary circuit it isn’t required to subscribe to the FIA sporting code which stipulates a width of twelve meters, with an additional three meters on the starting grid. While the circuit has some areas which stretch to thirteen meter width its narrowest point, on Aziz Aliyev Street, is just 7.6 metres wide. The average speed of lap is currently projected at 210 kph and a top speed of 340 kph.

From an early perspective the Baku City circuit has many positives going for it; high-speed, tight sections, fast corners and for a street circuit, a longer than usual lap. Already it bears some similarities with China’s legendary Macau circuit.

Here a look at Azerbaijan’s Baku City circuit

June 16, 2016
F1 2016: Free Practice Report Canadian Gp – Hamilton Leads

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has set the fastest time in the first free practice session ahead of the 2016 Canadian grand prix.

The first free practice session got underway in sunny conditions and a balmy track temperature of 21 degrees celsius. As teams slowly began to find their way around the famous circuit Gilles Villeneuve the Williams of Felipe Massa made heavy contract with the barrier at turn one. The Williams, stricken and heavily damaged at the rear, brought out the red flag for several minutes.

Several drivers opted for a run on the purple side-walled ultrasoft tyre but it delivered inconclusive results at this early stage of the weekend. With half an hour remaining Lewis Hamilton had set the quickest time on the red supersoft tyre, a 1:14:980. Teammate Rosberg wasn’t far off at this stage in second place with a gap of 0.182.

Indonesian driver Rio Haryanto showed well in the Manor by running ahead of teammate Wehrlein, Renault’s Magnussen and Palmer and Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson for the majority of the session. Haryanto eventually finished the session 18th overall.

At the end of the 90 minute session Lewis Hamilton set the quickest time overall with a 1:14:775 ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

Final Free Practice 1 Standings

June 10, 2016
F1 2016: Canadian Gp Preview – Montreal Test For Mercedes

The St. Lawrence Seaway is transformed this weekend into the seventh round of the 2016 F1 season as it hosts the famed Canadian grand prix.

Named after one of the greatest drivers in F1 history the circuit Gilles Villeneuve has a distinct street-like feel thanks to the close proximity of the barriers. It’s long straights, with a top speed of 330 kph, makes it a highly power sensitive circuit with a heavy focus on braking performance. “The track is quite special as it has a lot of long straights and then slow corners with low grip so we have to find the right balance with our setup. You’re very close to the walls so there is a special feeling to drive there,” says Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

The track surface, rarely used throughout the year, is relatively green but grip ramps up exponentially as the weekend progresses. Coupled with variable weather conditions, which often tend to the cooler end of the spectrum, it makes getting the tyres to their prime operating temperature tricky. In terms of tyre strategy Pirelli has made the soft, supersoft, and ultrasoft compound available. In particular the Renault and Haas F1 Team will be worth keeping an eye on as neither pair of drivers has chosen a single set of the red-walled supersoft tyre.

Occasionally the lack of proper overtaking opportunity can turn the race in a procession. However, it has delivered several dramatic and memorable races over the years. As if perfectly scripted the first race in 1978 was won by Gilles Villeneuve in a Ferrari. Throughout the years that followed Ferrari’s love affair with the Montreal circuit deepened. With seven victories Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Canadian Gp victories while Ferrari and McLaren boast thirteen wins each as constructors.

In 2015 Lewis Hamilton led home teammate Nico Rosberg for a Mercedes one-two. However, it wasn’t a straightforward victory for the championship winning team. Twelve months ago sky-high brake temperatures plagued the pair throughout the race and required drastic management. In 2014 the failure of the brake-by-wire system forced Hamilton into retirement and Rosberg on to the defensive, which allowed Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo to take his first grand prix win.

This year the competition appears a bit closer to the Silver Arrows. In Spain and Monaco, circuits that share several similarities with Canada, Red Bull showed their competitiveness. Add to the fact that the Renault upgrade should come into its own around this track and Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen should be more than a nuisance to Mercedes this weekend.

It isn’t just Red Bull snapping at Mercedes’ heels either. Ferrari will be the first to admit that their season hasn’t quite gone to plan. Mistakes and unreliability has cost the Italian team a slew of points in the first few races of 2016 but they’re not letting up any time soon. This weekend Ferrari is expected to run a new rear suspension in the hopes of improving downforce as well as other aerodynamic upgrades. They are also introducing a new Shell fuel and a new turbo, which is expected to yield more hybrid power and improve reliability.

Mercedes are far from sitting ducks and will, just like the others, continue to push ahead. But they’re under a bit more pressure than what they’re used to.

June 8, 2016