Tag: nico rosberg

F1 2021: Abu Dhabi Gp Review – Super Max is World Champion

At the first free practice session of the 2014 Japanese grand prix a driver by the name of Max Verstappen stepped into the cockpit of the Toro Rosso. What immediately stood out about the 16-year-old Dutchman was his poise behind the wheel and of course – that prodigious speed.

A year-and-a-half later he stood on the top step of the podium in Spain as the youngest ever race winner. There was some discontent though about Verstappen’s driving style and some even deemed it dangerous. While a case could be made in support of that opinion what also becoming clear was that Verstappen was a revelation. He came into F1 and seemed to be instantaneously in command. Naturally, there were a few mis-steps but it was clear that it would be only a matter of time before Max Verstappen would become world champion.

That day came in Abu Dhabi this past Sunday in a manner most befitting of one of the most memorable, exhilarating, and dramatic F1 season in living memory. From Bahrain to Spain to Monaco to Baku and Brazil the 2021 Formula 1 season has been one lived on the edge of your seat from the first lap of the season until, quite literally, the last.

Thanks to an unbelievable comeback from Lewis Hamilton which saw him win three on the bounce in Brazil, Qatar, and Jeddah, the championship protagonists went into the season-ending Abu Dhabi grand prix equal on points. Max Verstappen threw down the gauntlet by taking pole position on Saturday but the ever-present Hamilton was right alongside him on the front-row of the grid. It was short-lived advantage for Verstappen though as Hamilton aced the start and swept into the lead of the race. But Verstappen wasn’t about to give up and sent a move up the inside of Hamilton at the turn 6 chicane. Though Verstappen kept within the white-lines Hamilton ran off the track and maintained the lead of the race. Most were sure that Hamilton would have to yield the place to Verstappen but race stewards felt otherwise and deemed no investigation necessary.

On soft tyres Verstappen steadily lost time to Hamilton in the opening stint. On lap 13 Verstappen fitted the hard compound tyre which Hamilton too opted for one lap later. It was clear fairly early on that the Hamilton had a definite pace advantage over Verstappen. Red Bull would need to rely on strategy if they were going to have any chance of beating Hamilton. Enter Checo Perez. The Mexican, dragging his Red Bull around on severely worn soft tyres, was told to hold-up Hamilton as much as he could. It seemed for all money that Hamilton would merely breeze past Perez on his fresher tyres but not only did he miraculously hold off Hamilton but Perez did so long enough for Verstappen to close down a nearly seven-second gap to roughly one-and-a-half seconds. But again, Hamilton’s raw pace allowed him to re-build the gap to Verstappen. Perez’s work wouldn’t be in vain however as a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed on lap 36 to recover the stricken Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi.

Hamilton stays out while Verstappen chooses to pit for new hard tyres. He emerges only 17 seconds behind Hamilton and the race is on to catch the race leader. However, somehow Hamilton, a master of tyre conservation, appears to be doing enough to stymie the Verstappen-threat. On lap 53 of 58 the Williams of Nicholas Latifi crashes into the barrier of Turn 14 and it requires a full Safety-Car to be cleaned up safely. Red Bull rolled the strategy dice one more time and brought Verstappen in for fresh soft tyres while Hamilton stayed out. Initially, it appeared that the race would end under the Safety-Car. However, while originally lapped cars were told to hold position, they were then instructed to overtake the Safety-Car as Race Director Michael Masi was set on returning to racing conditions, even if only for one lap. Five lapped cars overtook and left Verstappen right behind Hamilton for the re-start. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff bemoaned Masi’s decision to allow lapped cars to overtake as “unfair”. Verstappen made his move for the lead of the race by diving down the inside of the re-profiled turn 5. He held off Hamilton on the two straits and crossed the finish line to become the 2021 world champion.

Instead of accepting defeat however Mercedes immediately lodged an appeal against the race result by citing that not all lapped cars had overtaken the Safety-Car and therefore the regulation was not adhered to. This after Wolff demanded that the result be counted back one lap in order to hand Hamilton the victory. In the steward’s hearing, which dismissed Mercedes’s protests, it was pointed out that the regulation prescribes that any lapped cars and not all lapped cars can be instructed to overtake. It was further pointed out that the race director is imbued with overriding authority over use of the Safety Car. Still, Mercedes have stated their intent to appeal the steward’s decision.

There is little doubt that the stewards and race director’s decision-making has been ambiguous at many points throughout the season. And there is some scope for understanding why Mercedes feels aggrieved. But then there is scope for pretty much all the teams to have felt aggrieved sometime in the season. The fact is however that the issue of clarity in decision-making must be addressed.

The regulation allowing lapped cars to overtake was brought in for the simple reason that having back-markers amongst the frontrunners could interfere with racing. Case in point, Hamilton would’ve been advantaged by Verstappen having to pass all five lapped cars thereby giving him a leg up.

Elsewhere, Kimi Raikkonen’s storied 20-year career came to a close with a wheel-nut failure on lap 29. The 2007 champion bows out after a staggering 349 races, 21 wins, and 105 podiums. He doesn’t leave empty-handed though as his legion of fans around the globe combined to vote the Iceman as Driver-of-the-Day. Perez’s retirement promoted Carlos Sainz to third. The Spaniard, in his first year at Ferrari, beat highly-rated teammate Charles Leclerc to fifth in the final driver’s standings. Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly were fourth and fifth for Alpha Tauri while Valtteri Bottas trundled home in a lowly sixth in his final race for Mercedes. In seventh was Lando Norris ahead of Alpine duo Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon in eighth and ninth. Leclerc scored the final point in tenth.

Seven years has been a long time coming for Max Verstappen but there has always been an air of inevitability about it. If there were stand-out moments that genuinely solidified the fact that Verstappen could be champion this year those moments came in France and Texas. The manner in which he drove the in- and out-laps around his pitstop in France was so magnificent that not even Mercedes could understand how they had been undercut. And then there was the defensive drive in Texas. Red Bull had left him with an awful lot of work to do but instead of questioning the team he pumped in the laps and held off a faster Hamilton in true Schumacher-esque style. Oh, and the other eight wins and ten poles helped some too.

In 2014 Max Verstappen arrived in Formula 1 as an uncompromising, self-confident, and blindingly quick teenager. Over the last seven years he has not only become, astonishingly, even quicker but he has also refined into an unquestionably deserved world champion. Goed gedaan Max.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

December 13, 2021
F1 2021: Saudi Arabia Gp Preview – Into the Mix

In 2021 Formula 1 has served up what is easily going to be one of the most memorable seasons in the last two decades. With breath-taking racing on-track F1 and commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, has also taken F1 to venues that have never before formed part of the calendar. Some of those venues, over the last two years, have produced inspired racing while other additions have raised some eyebrows.

There will be no beating around the proverbial bush in acknowledging that this weekend’s race in Saudi Arabia is a controversial addition to the calendar. The vociferous debate around Saudi Arabia’s human rights, and women’s rights, are, arguably, the most prominent issues within which there exists stern opposition. These issues are as pressing and vital to address as any other. But the reality is that it is not only Saudi Arabia which is a controversial venue for F1. Countries such as Bahrain, Russia, Hungary, even China continue to form part of the calendar despite their own questionable approaches to human rights and equality. Stefano Domenicalli, group CEO of F1, has stated that his hope that is to stimulate a conversation around these issues by bringing a global sport to these countries.

In the meantime, the show will go on around what is being billed at the world’s fastest street circuit. As the second longest track on the 2021 calendar the Jeddah Corniche circuit’s 6.175 km will three DRS zones and run for a total of 50 laps in Sunday’s race. The track, divided into a hefty 27 turns, is a high-speed rollercoaster through the floodlit streets on the shores of the Red Sea. Due to its flowing, high-speed nature most of the corners are likely to be driven at full throttle with an estimated top speed being set at 322 kph. To illustrate the high-speed nature of this circuit computer simulations put the average speed of a lap around 252 kph.

It begs the question then as to whether this track will suit Mercedes or Ferrari? Throughout the season high-speed circuit have been the bread-and-butter of Mercedes. What’s more, Mercedes is also expected to fit Hamilton’s fresh Brazil engine to his car. This will undoubtedly give Hamilton an advantage in terms of horse power. Couple this with Mercedes’ and Hamilton’s form over the last few race weekends and you have yourself a team and driver sitting somewhat pretty. Nevertheless, if anything is known of Max Verstappen and Red Bull it is they won’t go quietly, if at all. After all, one of the biggest flubs of this entire season has been believing that one track will suit either Mercedes or Red Bull only to show up and be proven categorically wrong. Circuit designer Herman Tilke believes that a powerful engine would help but that the fast corners could give Red Bull the advantage. But comments and computer simulations are just that – speculation. And as the stop watch never lies it’s only on-track on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday that will reveal the truth of each car and driver’s performance.

As it stands Max Verstappen will start the weekend with an eight-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. Mathematically, Verstappen could clinch the title this weekend. However, unlikely this permutation is what we have learned from F1 2021 is not to rule out anything. Nevertheless, it remains a fairly unlikely outcome. And should Hamilton win, and score an extra point for fastest lap, with Verstappen in second place it will move the championship fight on to Abu Dhabi with both drivers equal on points. Spicy indeed.

November 29, 2021
F1 2021: French Gp Review – Mighty Max Fells Mercedes

You’ve got to know that you are in the midst of a cracking Formula 1 season when even the usual drab French Grand Prix turns into a cracker of a race.

Pole position, the perfect race strategy, and a mighty Max Verstappen combined brilliantly to secure a sumptuous win for Red Bull in France. Though he started from pole a snap of oversteer into turn two cost him the lead of the race. Hamilton, now in the lead of the race, maintained a three-second gap to Verstappen as the pit stop phase drew closer. But a gross mistake by Merc and a stonking out-lap by Verstappen earned him back the coveted position of P1.

Some might say that there are cracks beginning to show in the Mercedes armoury and they might be onto something. The Silver Arrows were completely caught out by the power of the undercut and the reality is they didn’t need to be. All the strategists had to do was pay attention to Daniel Ricciardo undercutting both Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz by more than three seconds. But such is the pressure from Red Bull that it is requiring every ounce of their attention. Mercedes dropped the ball on the finer points of Sunday’s race but they will learn from this and will most definitely not lie down.

Lewis Hamilton deserves much credit. The team’s strategy placed him in a difficult position on severely worn tyres. Yet still he managed to deliver some very impressive lap times. It underlines very much that Hamilton is driving at a high level and that it requires something quite special to beat him.

And something special is what Max Verstappen’s 2021 season is turning into. The Dutchman is getting pretty used to the top step of the podium these days but this win was easily his best, so far. On paper having fresher tyres seemingly equals an easy run. But with a formidable opponent in Hamilton, the difficultly of the windy conditions, and the weight of expectation it isn’t as easy as most might think. Nevertheless, Verstappen is on an incredible run of form and he is most definitely making hay while the sun shines.

Checo Perez’s recent form has likely assured his seat for 2022. The Mexican driver eked out his tyres with a longer first stint and transformed his one-stop strategy in a third place finish. Valtteri Bottas started off the weekend seemingly on the up. But when it mattered most the Finn simply wasn’t in the mix. His frustration boiled over on team radio too as he berated the team for not putting him on a two-stop strategy. The fuming Finn eventually finished fourth.

Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo delivered some important points for McLaren in fight and sixth. The points are crucial for McLaren’s fight against Ferrari for third in the constructor’s championship. As it were neither Ferrari driver was able to score any points. Pierre Gasly was seventh while his Alpha Tauri teammate Yuki Tsunoda finished 13th. Fernando Alonso, in eighth, was able to hold off Seb Vettel who brought his Aston Martin home in ninth ahead of teammate Lance Stroll scored the final point of offer in tenth.

From an entertainment point of view the French Grand Prix could not have delivered a more intense and thrilling race. It’s a big win for Red Bull too. To beat Mercedes on a circuit where they had previously destroyed the field is a big statement. It bodes very well for the rest of the season. But Mercedes will regroup and they will find a way to strike back. And the most beautiful thing about F1 2021 is not only the upcoming Styrian Grand Prix this weekend but that this enthralling battle is set fair for the rest of the season.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

June 21, 2021
F1 2020: Eifel Gp Review – Hamilton equals win record

With visits to Mugello and the Nurburgring it is all but confirmed that old school circuits far outclass the passionless supermarket car parks that pass as F1 circuits these days.

The Nurburgring, back in the line-up for the first time since 2013, is a proper challenge to car and driver with the peril of gravel lurking just beyond the edge of the circuit. Friday’s practice sessions were cancelled to due fog and the subsequent inability of the medical helicopter to fly should it be needed. The absence of running on Friday, and extremely cold conditions, heightened the challenge on an already highly technical circuit.

Nevertheless, Valtteri Bottas was able to secure pole position ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc drove an outstanding lap too to qualify fourth fastest for Ferrari. Saturday morning also brought the announcement that Lance Stroll would be unable to drive for the rest of the weekend due to illness, not Covid related. In stepped super-sub Nico Hulkenberg who had subbed for Checo Perez at Silverstone several races ago.

Miraculously, the rain held off for all of Sunday which left Bottas a clear run into turn one. He momentarily lost the lead to Hamilton but steamed around the outside of turn one to retake P1 while Verstappen followed behind in third. Bottas’s aggression came as a bit of surprise given his reputation of not getting his elbows out when it matters most. Unfortunately, the Finn’s ascendency was short-lived as he locked up into turn one on lap 13 and allowed Hamilton into the lead of the race. While Verstappen was keeping relatively close in third the top three quickly gapped fourth placed Leclerc. The lofty heights of fourth have been uncharted territory for Ferrari in 2020 and it didn’t last very long at the Nurburgring either as Daniel Ricciardo quickly dispatched of Leclerc. It was even worse for Vettel who spun off at turn one while running outside of the points. Vettel was forced into the pits to get rid of his flat-spotted tyres while Kimi Raikkonen, in his 323^rd race, locked up into turn one and careened into the side of George Russell. The Williams drive was forced into retirement with rear suspension damage while Raikkonen was handed a ten-second penalty for causing a collision.

As if surrendering the lead of the race wasn’t bad enough for Bottas it got a whole lot worse on lap 18 retired from the race with a lack of power. The retirement decimated even the smallest chance that Bottas had to win the title. It did prompt an enticing battle for the final step on the podium with Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez well within range of snapping it up. While Verstappen was cruising in second Alex Albon’s difficulties at Red Bull continued as he wiped the front-wing off Daniil Kvyat’s car by pulling in front of the Alpha Tauri before being completely clear of him. For what can only be described as a rather embarrassing driver error Albon was given a five-second penalty for the incident. It all came to naught though as he too retired from the grand prix with a mechanical issue. He was followed a lap later by Renault’s Esteban Ocon who retired with a hydraulic failure.

Though Verstappen was able to keep Hamilton within six seconds the gap behind the leading duo was heading towards a minute. Ricciardo, running third, in turn held a healthy gap over Norris but the McLaren driver still fancied his chances at third place. It wasn’t to be though as a sensor issue put paid to his race. Norris’s retirement on lap 44 brought out the safety car and set up a ten-lap sprint to the chequered flag. Hamilton and Verstappen pitted while Ricciardo, Perez, and Sainz too followed suit into the pitlane. The Safety Car was a saving grace for Ricciardo who was facing a near impossible task of keeping Perez, on fresh tyres, at bay.

There was little Verstappen could do in second to challenge Hamilton who secured a record-equaling 91^st race win. Ricciardo’s third place finish is the first for Renault since 2011 while Sergio Perez came home in fourth ahead of Sainz in fifth. Pierre Gasly churned out another solid drive in sixth as Charles Leclerc salvaged seventh for Ferrari. Nico Hulkenberg completed only a handful of laps in qualifying before the race and finished a stunning eighth after qualifying 20^th. Romain Grosjean scored his first points of the season in ninth ahead of Antonio Giovinazzi in tenth. The two former teammates Vettel and Raikkonen finished 11^th and 12^th.

The achievement of Michael Schumacher’s 91 race wins seemed a near impossible record to break. Lewis Hamilton’s win in Germany equals that staggering number but there is no doubt whatsoever that it will be surpassed in the coming weeks. Some will always put the Mercedes forward as the reason for Hamilton’s unfathomable success. They would be right but it simply doesn’t tell the whole story. To maintain the motivation and desire and level of skill that he has must be commended. The Schumacher family too recognized Hamilton’s incredible achievement with a presentation of Schumacher’s 2012 Mercedes helmet by son, Mick Schumacher.

October 15, 2020
F1 2020: British Gp Preview – Silverstone Primed for Merc Dominance

After a short break F1 returns this weekend for the first of two races at Britain’s Silverstone circuit.

Given what’s transpired in the first three rounds of the season it is difficult to look past Mercedes for the victory. With one win for Valtteri Bottas and two for Lewis Hamilton the Mercedes team has established itself well ahead of the rest of the field. Red Bull, seemingly the closest challenger, languished well behind in Hungary and chalked up their lack of pace to setup issues.

Traditionally the Hungaroring, and the Red Bull Ring for that matter, have been circuits where Red Bull has excelled in the last few years. But it hasn’t been the case in 2020 and it all has to do with timing. By the time F1 normally arrives in Austria and Hungary teams would have already run several races and would know their cars inside and out. What we know of Red Bull in the last few years is that they have tended to start the year slowly and gradually built momentum as the season progresses. However, in 2020 they haven’t had that luxury.

Instead they arrived in Austria and Hungary still learning the behaviour of the car and still discovering exactly how to extract best performance from it. Unfortunately for Red Bull the 2020 season will not afford any time for teams or drivers to find their way. The good news is that the calendar has been extended by three more races with the inclusion the Nürburgring, Portimaõ, and Imola. More good news is that the Red Bull does appear to be a quick car but unlocking the pace is reliant on hitting the setup nail on the head. And even then it might not be enough, on merit, to challenge the might of Mercedes.

Valtteri Bottas sits only five points behind teammate Hamilton. In the next two races at Silverstone he has a big opportunity to not only regain the lead in the driver’s standings but to land a significant mental blow on Hamilton. It’s been repeatedly proven that over the course of a season it is highly unlikely that Hamilton will be beaten in terms of pace.

The only way to ensure eventual victory over the six-time champion is to get inside his head, as proven in 2016 by Nico Rosberg. It will be a monumental effort but if Bottas manages to beat him two weeks running, especially at Silverstone, he will force Hamilton to take notice and adjust his approach.

For Ferrari it was slightly better in Hungary but still nowhere near where they are expected to be. A restructuring back in Maranello has taken some of the pressure off team principal Mattia Binotto but there is a substantial amount of work ahead of Ferrari to return to the top step of the podium. Silverstone should produce a better yardstick for the upgrades introduced in race two but the power deficit of their engine will likely be even more telling around the British circuit.

For much of the first half of 2020 the Formula 1 season was seriously in doubt. It is a real treat then to have back-to-back races on, arguably, one of the most iconic and historic circuits in the world. Silverstone hasn’t only been on the F1 calendar since 1950 but was the first circuit to host a championship race. The power dominant circuit has been re-modeled since and newish layout is possibly even better than its predecessor. Formula 1 too has raced through seven decades that has delivered unforgettable moments and memories. This latest iteration seems primed for Mercedes domination unless Max Verstappen can coax enough pace out of his Red Bull to contest the victory.

July 29, 2020
F1 2017: Abu Dhabi Gp Review – Bottas Steps Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

November 27, 2017
F1 2017: Abu Dhabi Gp Preview – Much to gain at Season Finale

The final round of the 2017 F1 season is upon us as the paddock heads east to the twilight race of Abu Dhabi.

Introduced to the calendar several years ago the Yas Marina Circuit has delivered resplendent views of F1 cars at dusk for since 2009. With no expense spared the circuit and surrounding facilities are, arguably, the grandest of the lot. Complete with an its Ferrari World theme park and several thousand coloured LED lights all the facets of the Abu Dhabi combine to deliver a visual spectacle of note.

Despite not being known for delivering the most memorable on track racing the Abu Dhabi based circuit has nevertheless seen the creation of several memorable moments for the sport. It was here after all, in 2010, that Sebastian Vettel won his first world championship title and here too where Kimi Raikkonen, en route to victory, uttered the now famous “leave me alone, I know what I’m doing” radio message.

In 2016 Lewis Hamilton turned over every trick in his book to win the title and even attempted to back rival Nico Rosberg into the clutches of other cars with the hope that he would be overtaken and thus not win the title. Alas, none of Hamilton’s moves had done the trick and Rosberg took a well-deserved win. It’s a far different story twelve months later. Not only does Hamilton arrive in Abu Dhabi as a four-time champion but also there’s no Nico Rosberg on the other side of the Mercedes garage. Instead, it’s Valtteri Bottas who sits in the other Mercedes cockpit and who has a lot to prove. It’s been a lackluster second half of the season for Bottas who has summarily been blown away by Hamilton. While he scored a pole in Brazil he folded at the first sight of the front-wing of Vettel’s Ferrari. He needs a big performance this weekend in order to beginning righting his ship for 2018. If not, Hamilton may well blow him away, again.

Similarly, Daniel Ricciardo could do with putting one over teammate Verstappen who has stolen the limelight from the Aussie this season. The Yas Marina circuit, 5.5 kilometers in length, does have several long straits in its layout but the second, more technical sector, should play to the Red Bull’s strengths. “ The final sector at Yas Marina is actually quite technical so you have to be really precise there, but it should also be our strongest part of the track” said Verstappen. “There are quite a few overtaking opportunities to make the race interesting, before the long straight at the hairpin and then at the end of the straight under braking for the next chicane section”.

While the constructor’s championship has been settled at the top of the standings the battle for sixth is going down to the wire. Only six points separate Toro Rosso, Renault, and Haas and with the promise of a big pay day for finishing sixth the battle between these three teams could be the highlight of the weekend.

Through nineteen rounds and 1147 racing laps there’s still much to play for and gain the final race of the 2017 season.

November 22, 2017
F1 2017: Monaco Gp Preview – The Eternally Sublime Monte Carlo

The Formula 1 paddock arrives in the Principality of Monaco this weekend for the sixth round of the 2017 season around the famous streets of Monte Carlo.

The Monaco grand prix has long since been regarded at the most glamorous and prestigious race on the calendar. Celebrities pour into the Principality and parties spring up in every corner of the Monegasque country. But, truthfully, this isn’t what makes the Monaco grand prix exceptional. Instead it’s the severe juxtaposition of trying to thread an immensely fast racing car through such tight confines.

Like the tickets to the grand prix passing is at a premium on the Monaco streets. Its tight and twisting nature means that any overtake is attempted is at a high risk. This year it will be exponentially more difficult given the increased width of the cars. The best opportunity for overtaking on this track has always been under braking into Ste Devote, turn one, and at the exit of the Tunnel under braking for the Nouvelle chicane. Traditionally, the start of a race has been the best time to make up positions and given the difficulty of overtaking here it could translate into a frenetic opening lap.

A lap of the Antony Noghès circuit, at 3.3 km in length, lasts just over seventy-three seconds. But its intimidatingly tight and the walls lurk ready to punish the smallest of errors. “There is no such thing as a low risk lap in Monaco, it doesn’t exist if you want to be fast because you have to be on the limit,” says Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. So unique is the Monaco grand prix that the first two practice session for the grand prix take place on Thursday.

Track position around Monaco is king and For Red Bull and all other teams Saturday qualifying could be the most important day of the weekend given how challenging it is to overtake on the streets. While there are still 73 important laps to survive on Sunday a good lap in qualifying is nearly half the job done.

The lesser focus on power unit performance could bring Red Bull into the mix, especially if they choose to optimize their one-lap performance. The Austrian team is still lacking quite a bit in race pace but has edged closer in quali-performance. Still, Mercedes and Ferrari should have enough in hand to see of the Ricciardo-Verstappen threat. The combination of tyre compound, ultra- and supersoft, will be to Ferrari’s advantage. The key to good tyre performance will be the ability of the driver to limit rear tyre wear.

An old friend returns to the paddock too in the form of Jenson Button who steps into Fernando Alonso’s McLaren cockpit while the Spaniard runs his first Indy 500 race in the United States. It certainly wont be an easy weekend for Button given McLaren’s woes. However, a few things will count in his favour. The race in Monaco is often a war of attrition and if he can manage to get to the chequered flag there is a possibility of scoring some points.

The Honda-powered team is also introducing the second part of the major upgrade package in Monaco, which they hope will catapult them into the points paying positions. The final aspect in his favour this weekend is that JB is a bit of a Monaco specialist who has always shone on the Monaco streets.

Though it is one of the shortest laps on the calendar and not as physically demanding as others the Monaco grand prix is the jewel in Formula 1’s crown and victory here means immortality.

May 23, 2017
F1 2017: The Case For Valtteri Bottas

By now the news has spread far and wide that Mercedes have, officially, picked Valtteri Bottas to partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2017 season. Instinctively, the dominant question will be how he will shape up against his three-time world champion teammate.

It wasn’t the electrifying choice many were looking for but Bottas is a known quantity with a solid track record, literally. He isn’t considered as exciting as a Max Verstappen but that has more to do with his circumstances rather than his ability. For an independent mid-field team such as Williams the constructor’s championship is vitally important. Hence, Bottas could not afford to throw caution to the wind as Red Bull drivers often do. Williams needed a consistent driver and one that would convert his points-scoring opportunities and this is what Bottas delivered.

Since it didn’t include flashy overtakes it’s easy to forget Bottas’ performances in 2014 and 2015 that ensured Williams finished ahead of significantly richer teams Ferrari and Red Bull respectively in the constructor’s standings. His four years at Williams has undoubtedly ensured that is much better prepared to step into the Merc seat, and into the limelight, than any younger driver would be.

What’s more, over their three years as teammates Bottas regularly out-qualified his veteran teammate Felipe Massa. While Lewis Hamilton will undoubtedly be a much tougher benchmark Bottas has the potential to challenge his new teammate in this arena.

Nevertheless, while the Finnish driver has spent four seasons at Williams he remains somewhat unproven. At Williams his good performance were praised, but they were just that good. Not great, not awesome, never enough to induce a genuine thrill amongst those watching. What he has now is a golden opportunity to unleash all of his talent and show what he is truly capable of without inhibitions.

There is no doubt that Mercedes’ first choice for Nico Rosberg’s replacement would have been either a Sebastian Vettel, or Fernando Alonso, or even Daniel Ricciardo. Since these drivers were all locked into contracts Valtteri Bottas was the next best option. However, the likes of Vettel and Alonso are only signed up with their respective teams until the end of 2017. Therefore, Bottas has signed a one-year deal with Mercedes and he’ll have twenty-one races to prove that he deserves to be signed ahead of them.

The other aspect of being a driver in a top team is life outside the car. The media focus on Valtteri Bottas will be intense, unrelenting, with a microscopic level of interest. But he is Finnish and like most of the great Finns in Formula 1 history, like Kimi Raikkonen, Mika Hakkinen, Bottas will likely be unflustered by the pomp and circumstance.

All this assumes that Mercedes’ 2017 car will be at the sharp-end of the grid. Given the comprehensive rule changes this prediction is impossible. But wherever Merc stack up in the pecking order Bottas’ performance against Hamilton will be one of the most fascinating developing stories of the season.

Will Bottas beat Hamilton in 2017? Probably not, but he will be closer to Hamilton than many predict.

January 23, 2017
Top 10 F1 Overtakes of 2016

Have a look at this great compilation of the Top 10 F1 overtakes of 2016. Some absolutely fantastic overtaking here with Max Verstappen coming out at the top of the pack after fans voted in the official F1 website’s Twitter polls. Interesting to note how Lewis Hamilton must have spent so much time leading races that he doesn’t even feature.

January 18, 2017