F1 Madness

Tag: red bull

  • F1 2018: Hungarian Gp Review – Hamilton Cruises to Victory

    F1 2018: Hungarian Gp Review – Hamilton Cruises to Victory

    The Hungarian grand prix weekend was never one Mercedes would’ve marked as one where they had a clear shot at the win. Its tight and twisting layout rewards superior aerodynamics and a shorter wheelbase, which are two areas where Ferrari and Red Bull hold the upper hand.

    But Formula 1 in 2018 has arguably been one of the most unpredictable seasons of this decade and likely the previous one too. Extraordinarily a downpour during Saturday qualifying nullified Mercedes’s biggest weaknesses and brought their drivers’ prowess to the fore. Lewis Hamilton took a stunning 77thcareer pole and Valtteri Bottas ensured a team lock out of the front row.

    Mercedes biggest job on race was to orchestrate a clean start and from there Hamilton would be able to control the race.  It panned out beautifully for the Silver Arrows as Bottas slotted in behind with Vettel and Raikkonen in third and fourth. Before long Hamilton had built a handy lead with the assistance of his teammate Bottas who team boss Toto Wolff referred to as a “sensational wingman” post race.

    56i0670Try as they might Ferrari couldn’t make inroads on Hamilton who never looked troubled on his way to a sixth victory around the Hungaroring. It wasn’t quite the day Red Bull had envisioned either. Max Verstappen had made a rapid start from seventh to fifth but was soon forced into retirement with yet another power unit failure this time on the MGU-K. If the Red Bull/Renault relationship was fraught before it is now boiled over and some serious questions are likely to be asked by Christian Horner and co.

    The ever dependable and impressive Daniel Ricciardo, who started 12th, made his way through the field in true Honey Badger style as he dispatched several drivers with numerous brilliant overtakes. Still Hamilton was leading with ease with a significant gap to Bottas who was now beginning to struggle on his soft compound tyres.

    Vettel was on the gearbox of the Mercedes but never within striking distance of taking the place. However, it all went off the closing stages for Vettel as he elbowed his way into second. Bottas desperately tried to maintain his position and lost a good chunk of his front wing in the process, which also allowed Raikkonen through into third. Raikkonen finished just 2.9 seconds behind Vettel despite making an extra pitstop and losing time in the pitlane. His fifth podium in a row surely means that the Finn deserves to be signed up for 2019.

    54i6661It wasn’t the last of Bottas’ woes as he frantically tried to keep Ricciardo at bay by running into the side of the Red Bull in Turn One. Ultimately Bottas was handed a ten second penalty but still finished fifth on the road behind Ricciardo. For as quick as Bottas occasionally can be, i.e. Russia and Austria, he does not have the essential mettle against the top drivers. In Bahrain earlier this year he was mugged by Vettel, similarly in Silverstone and again in Hungary Vettel doffed him up.

    Unfortunately for Bottas he’s beginning to get a reputation of being soft in wheel-to-wheel combat. It’s unquestionably an issue that he should be pondering over the break.

    Elsewhere, Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly finished a superb sixth with Kevin Magnussen of Haas in seventh. Birthday boy Fernando Alonso finished eighth ahead of Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean in ninth and tenth respectively. Early on Charles Leclerc was out of the race with suspension damage. Verstappen joined him on the DNF list as did Stoffel Vandoorne whose McLaren conjured up yet another gearbox failure.

    Hamilton’s win ensures him a 25-point lead in the driver’s championship standings over Vettel ahead of the Belgium grand prix on August 26.

    All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport 

  • 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix: Friday Practice Round Up

    2018 Hungarian Grand Prix: Friday Practice Round Up

    Coming into the weekend Red Bull looked the favourites for the 2018 instalment for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Come Free Practice 1 on the Friday and they showed that they were in the running from the outset with Daniel Ricciardo taking the honours in the first practice session. Free Practice 2 was more of the same up front, this time with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel taking the top spot.

    Free Practice 1

    Red Bull showed they were fast as soon as their cars hit the tarmac in the morning session. At the end of the session it was Daniel Ricciardo running an older spec Renault engine that took the top spot with a 1:17.613. Ricciardo’s time came courtesy of the soft compound tyres. The Red Bull driver ran the medium and soft compound tyres during FP1.

    Just narrowly missing out on the top spot in FP1 was the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel with a session best time of 1:17.692, just a mere 0.079s ff the pace. Vettel only ran the soft compound tyres. Kimi Raikkonen in the other Ferrari finished 4th fastest behind the other Red Bull of Max Verstappen. The top 3 drivers being covered by just 0.088s.

    It was quite a lively session with the green track proving challenging with the lack of grip in places. Marcus Ericsson spun twice in the Sauber. It was not just Ericsson that was caught out. Brendon Hartley in the Toro Rosso, and Max Verstappen also had off track excursions courtesy of  spins.

    If drivers were not spinning off the track they were locking up. Notable lock ups from Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes as well as Sauber test driver Antonio Giovinazzi.

    Both Mercedes drivers struggled for grip around the tight and twisty Hungaroring while Renault appeared best of the rest despite the Ferrari customer teams receiving new power units.

     

    Free Practice 2

    The fight between Ferrari and Red Bull continued in FP2 with Vettel topping the time sheets with a fastest time of 1:16.834 on his qualifying simulation. Max Versatppen in the Red Bull was just 0.074s off Vettel’s benchmark on his qualifying setting a time of 1:16.908. Daniel Ricciardo was 3rd fastest ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in 4th.

    Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished in the same spot as they finished in FP1, with Hamilton in P5 and Bottas in P6. Romain Grosjean got his Haas in P7 ahead of the Renault of Carlos Sainz in 8th.

    Pierre Gasly in the Toro Rosso and Esteban Ocon in the Force India rounded out the top 10.

    The session has fewer spins than FP1. The big one was McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne who spun at T5 after dipping a wheel on the grass just before turn-in.

    Both Mercedes cars could not get a representative qualifying simulation time with Hamilton more than half a second off the pace.

     

  • F1 2018: German Gp Review – Hamilton Delivers Miraculous Win

    F1 2018: German Gp Review – Hamilton Delivers Miraculous Win

    How dramatically the Formula 1 pendulum can swing. For most of the German grand prix pole sitter Sebastian Vettel seemed well in control and seemingly heading towards a first win at the Hockenheimgring.

    He led Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen cleanly from the start and was eking out the first stint on the ultrasoft compound. Meanwhile Hamilton, starting 14thafter a mechanical failure in quali, was scything his way through the field on the soft compound tyre. Nevertheless, before too long he was a pitstop adrift of the race leader.

    Raikkonen pitted first of the front-runners on lap fifteen. On the soft tyre the Finn delivered a string of fastest laps, which ultimately netted him the lead of the race after the pitstop phase. However, as Vettel’s tyres were twelve laps fresher the Ferrari pitwall instructed Raikkonen to let his German teammate through. Hamilton and his Mercedes team chose not to pit and completed a stunningly impressive stint of 42 laps on the soft tyre. It was unquestionably a master class in tyre management.

    By now Daniel Ricciardo, starting from the back of the grid due to penalties had pulled out of the race after reporting that he was “losing power”.  On lap 46 the rain came in and prompted several drivers, including Verstappen, into the pitlane for intermediate tyres. While the track remained slippery unfortunately for them the rain didn’t increase and they had to switch back to slicks.

    Vettel’s race too would be dramatically affected in the slippery conditions. as the race plunged into chaos with a dozen laps to go. Caught out by conditions Vettel dumped his Ferrari into the barriers and out of the race. It brought out the safety car which Raikkonen and Bottas took advantage off by switching to fresh ultrasofts.

    0090Hamilton too was initially called in only to be told to stay out. The Brit stayed out by controversially cutting the pit entry line. Post race a Mercedes team representative and Hamilton were summoned to the stewards for breaching Appendix L, Chapter IV Article 4 (d) of the FIA International Sporting Code. The regulation states that crossing the pit entry line is prohibited. While Raikkonen received a five second penalty for breaching the same rule in the 2016 Azerbaijan grand prix Hamilton was given only a reprimand. Remarkably, the stewards considered the fact that the “team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion” as a mitigating factor.  Considering this and the inconsistency of the rule application teams will undoubtedly store this nugget for future reference.

    Nonetheless, Hamilton’s drive was a stellar one. His control on the soft tyre and ability to master the slippery conditions makes this victory, arguably, one of the best of his career. The one two victory for Mercedes regains them the lead in the constructors standings by eight points while Hamilton returns to the top of the driver’s standings as well. Raikkonen’s third place, his fourth podium in four races, keeps his third in the standings and some would say still within striking distance should all thing be equal.

    0112Elsewhere, Verstappen finished fourth after a gamble on the intermediate tyres didn’t pay off. Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg proved best of the rest in fifth with Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon, Marcus Ericsson, and Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley rounding out the top ten. Meanwhile, in addition to Vettel and Ricciardo both McLaren drivers and both the Williams’ failed to reach the chequered flag.

    Hamilton now takes a 17-point lead to the Hungarian grand prix next weekend where Ferrari and especially Red Bull are expected to have the upper hand.

    All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

  • F1 2018: German Gp Review – Ferrari Favourite?

    F1 2018: German Gp Review – Ferrari Favourite?

    Formula 1 returns to Germany and the Hockenheimring for the eleventh round of the absorbing 2018 season.

    Throughout the decades Germany and Formula 1 have become synonymous, arguably, because of a man named Michael Schumacher. Schumi’s unprecedented brilliance not only made him a record breaking seven times world champion but also catapulted F1 to superstardom in Germany. What’s more, Schumacher’s relentless genius easily transcended the boundaries of his sport and seeped into the consciousness of sports fans around the globe. To this day hardly anyone would speak of Formula 1 with mentioning the unmatched genius of Schumacher. Keep fighting Michael.

    These days there is another German at the forefront of the sport. Sebastian Vettel, aiming to win a fifth world title, currently leads the driver’s standings by eight points from Lewis Hamilton. And if he was determined to take victory at Silverstone one can only imagine that he’ll be even more resolute to win on home soil.

    Ferrari’s stunning pace in Silverstone would’ve come as a bit of a surprise to Mercedes given the team’ long running domination of the British circuit. Mercedes have been an incredible team at the forefront of Formula 1 for the last three and a half years. But they’ve been placed under enormous pressure in 2018. Ferrari has pushed the German mark into uncharted territory and they haven’t responded in the most elegant of ways. Off the track technical director James Allison called Raikkonen’s clash of wheels with Hamilton in Silverstone “either incompetent or deliberate”. Peculiar statements like this only tell of one thing – they’re starting to feel the pressure.

    Mercedes-Benz, MotorsportNevertheless, they are an incredibly resourceful and driven team who will bounce back sooner rather than later. Their first opportunity to do so comes this weekend around the 4.574 km Hockenheimring. The circuit’s layout is a blend of long straights and a final sector of medium-speed corners that should play to the strengths of a superior aero package and may bring Red Bull somewhat in to play.

    The hairpin in the first sector of the lap is a key area for overtaking and demands good braking performance. Despite a relatively short lap drivers and engineers seek to strike a balance between top-speed and downforce. “You’d like to have the downforce for the stadium and to keep it steady on the brakes but equally you don’t want too much drag on the straights,” says Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.

    GP CANADA F1/2017The final sector is not favourable for overtaking but the stadium section is a vital element to what makes the German GP unique. The decidedly muted sound of Formula 1 cars should make it possible to hear the cheering of the crowds, should a certain German driver be leading the race.

    The driver’s will need to vigilant at the start of the race as the first corner tightens dramatically before opening up onto the straight. Although there is an expanse of run-off area a touching of wheels or front-wing is a high probability.

    Though it may be the home race of Mercedes it’s likely to be a difficult task for Hamilton and co to beat Ferrari to the chequered flag. And if either Hamilton or Bottas best the Italian team it’ll be 67 laps you wouldn’t want to miss.

  • F1 2018: Spanish Gp Preview – Merc, Ferrari, Red Bull In The Mix

    F1 2018: Spanish Gp Preview – Merc, Ferrari, Red Bull In The Mix

    Formula heads to Spain’s circuit de Catalunya for the fifth round of the 2018 season.

    Amid the enthralling on track action of the season there has been many, significant, developments off it. Firstly, it was recently announced that the aerodynamic rules for the 2019 will be modified with the aim of allowing cars to follow each more easily. This, the FIA hopes, will ultimately aid in overtaking. The revision include a wider, simplified front wing and brake duct with no aero winglets and a wider and deeper rear wing that will increase the effectiveness of DRS. These changes are a bit of a quick fix for the 2019 season while the FIA are planning a comprehensive overhaul of the sport’s technical regulations for 2021.

    On the face of it anything that improves the ability to overtake is a positive. However, several teams voted against the 2019 changes and for good reason. The changes proposed by the FIA aren’t trivial and will likely force several teams into completely changing aerodynamic philosophy of their cars. And a re-designed aero package precipitates a re-design that will likely cost teams a lot of money.

    Elsewhere, the local authorities of Miami will vote this week on a bid to bring F1 to Florida from 2019 onwards. The bid is being backed by Miami mayor Francis Suarez and with American-owned Liberty Media wanting to expand the sport’s presence in the US it seems like a no-brainer. The first images of a possible layout for the Miami street-track have been revealed and it features a, first-ever, bridge that runs across the water and back, an idea first touted by Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s. With F1’s calendar already bulging with 21 races it remains to be seen how a Miami Gp will be slotted in.

    spain-hamilton-rosbergAmidst it all there is a grand prix to be had this weekend around a circuit that teams and drivers know all to well. The circuit de Catalunya has long been the pre-season testing venue of choice meaning that teams arrive at the Southern-Spain track with a vast amount of data and know-how. Still the cars tested in late-February will be significantly different to what they arrive with this weekend. What’s more, it is the traditional trend that the Spanish grand prix weekend sees several teams bolt on upgrade packages to their respective cars.

    While Lewis Hamilton may have taken victory in a chaotic Azerbaijan grand prix he has been decidedly lacking in his usually near-faultless form. Still, he comes into the weekend with a four-point lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and with the expectation of being near the sharp-end of the grid.

    However, what has been most thrilling about F1 in 2018 is that no grand prix weekend has been predictable. Whether it be because of safety-cars, pit strategy, or out-right pace the potential has been there for at least six drivers to stand on top of the podium.

    Your money could be on Mercedes as they traditionally excel in Spain, or Ferrari who have seemingly built a car that can perform well at all circuits, including over one lap. Or you could put your money on Red Bull. After all it was here that Max Verstappen won his first race and who would bet against an ultra-confident Daniel Ricciardo? If nothing else this is what fans of the sport have wanted, and deserved, for the last several years – the beautiful unpredictability of Formula 1.

  • F1 2018: Azerbaijan Gp Review – Chaos & Collisions in Baku

    F1 2018: Azerbaijan Gp Review – Chaos & Collisions in Baku

    The ingredients were there to make the Azerbaijan grand prix a cracker. And they all mixed together to produce as thrilling and unpredictable a race as any Hollywood director could dream up.

    There wasn’t a long wait for the inevitable safety-car as Esteban Ocon collided with the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen after leaving the Finn no room into turn two. It meant that Raikkonen needed to stop for a new front-wing and the soft compound tyre, which dropped him to plumb last.

    For most of the race pole starter Sebastian Vettel seemed to have it under control as he managed the pace ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes. But the mid-race lull quickly gave way to a melee of crashes and safety cars. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen who dramatically took each other out at the end of the start/finish strait induced the second appearance of the safety-car.

    The two Red Bull drivers had been swopping paint and banging wheels throughout the race as the battled for supremacy. Ultimately the FIA race stewards adjudged that Verstappen had moved twice ahead of Ricciardo that prompted the crash. Both drivers were given a reprimand and Red Bull management have chalked it up to “two guys taking things into their own hands” and that blame would not be appropriated either way, at least that’s what team principal Christian Horner said in public.

    Baku 2018_Ricciardo_Versatppen_Race_CrashIt certainly hasn’t been the first time that Verstappen has made two moves under braking as Vettel, Raikkonen and others have criticized him for it in the past. His errors in judgment are beginning to pile up and well into his third season in the sport the excuse of ‘inexperience’ cannot be used any longer. While his aggressive approach to racing has been lauded and welcomed Verstappen runs the risk of developing a reputation that wont be easy to overcome.

    The second safety-car was good news for Valtteri Bottas, who, because he hadn’t stopped yet, was in the lead of the race. His twelve-second window over Vettel was enough to get him in and out of the pitlane ahead of the Ferrari driver. The re-start prompted Vettel to attempt a dive up the inside of Bottas for the lead of the race but the Ferrari driver only succeeded in significantly flat-spotting his tyres. He dropped behind the Force India of Sergio Perez to finish fourth.

    The joy was short lived for Bottas though as he was agonizingly forced out of the race with a right rear puncture. As the dust settled Lewis Hamilton emerged to win the 63rd race of his career ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who was at one point plumb last. Sergio Perez kept his nose clean enough to earn the final step on the podium. By his own admission Hamilton considered ‘lady-luck’ the determining factor in his race win. Nevertheless, luck is part of the sport and Hamilton kept it together when everything was going off around him.

    Motor Racing - Formula One World Championship - Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Race Day - Baku, AzerbaijanRenault’s Carlos Sainz secured a brilliant fifth place finish by the driver of the day was undoubtedly Sauber’s Charles Le Clerc with a stunning sixth place. Fernando Alonso recovered from a double-puncture to finish seventh ahead of Lance Stroll who scored Williams’ first points on the season in eighth. Stoffel Vandoorne took ninth for McLaren as Brendon Hartley scored the first point of his F1 career in tenth.

    Hamilton’s victory takes him four-points clear at the top of the driver’s standings while Ferrari retake the lead in the constructor’s standings ahead of F1’s return to Europe for the Spanish grand prix in two weeks time.

  • Ricciardo and Verstappen Given Reprimands for Baku Collision

    Ricciardo and Verstappen Given Reprimands for Baku Collision

    Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were both handed reprimands following their collision which took both Red Bull drivers out of the race.

    The incident happened when Ricciardo was lining Verstappen up for a pass on the run to Turn 1. Ricciardo sold the dummy to Verstappen on the outside then switched to the inside on the right. Verstappen was seen moving twice to close off Ricciardo. After Verstappen’s second move Ricciardo had no way to avoid contact with his team mate and drove into the back of him which sent them off the track into the Turn 1 run off area.

    After hearing from both the drivers the stewards reprimanded both the drivers. The stewards outlined their decision in the FIA decision document.

    “The Stewards heard from Daniel Ricciardo, the driver of car 3, Max Verstappen, the driver of car 33 and the team representative.

    “Both drivers contributed to the collision.  The driver of car 33 made two moves, both of which were relatively minor.

    “The driver of car 3 admitted he left his move to overtake on the left, too late.

    “It was obvious to the stewards that although the incident had its origins in the moves by car 33, the driver of car 3 also contributed to the incident.

    “Both drivers expressed regret about their respective contributions to the incident, during the Stewards’ hearing.”

    Elsewhere on the grid, Williams’ Sergei Sirotkin was handed a 3-place grid penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix for driving into the back of Force India’s Sergio Perez at the start of the race.

    “The Stewards examined video evidence. The driver of car 35 drove into the back of car 11.

    The Stewards determined that the driver of car 35 was wholly to blame for the collision,” read the decision document for the incident.

    After the race, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen were cited for illegal use of DRS during the race when the automatic detection system failed. The stewards subsequently decided that no further action would be taken on either of the drivers.

     

  • Azerbaijan GP 2018: Friday Practice Round Up

    Azerbaijan GP 2018: Friday Practice Round Up

    Friday Practice in Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix showed the Red Bull are looking like the team to beat. After a strong showing in FP1, and FP2 Daniel Ricciardo looks like he’s in the groove this weekend, hot on the heels of his victory in China.

    The Australian was not far off the pace in FP1 finishing 2nd fastest. In FP2 he finished top of the time sheets with team mate Max Verstappen a little bit off the pace finishing off a strong Friday for Red Bull.

    Free Practice 1

    The session was off to a busy start with the Mercedes drivers heading out unusually early in the session. Nevertheless it was Valtteri Bottas that edged out Daniel Ricciardo by 0.035s to finish fastest of the session. Bottas best time of the session was a 1:44.242.

    In a really strong showing was the Force India of Sergio Perez finishing the session 3rd fastest ahead of Lewis Hamilton in 4th nearly one second off Bottas’ pace.

    Esteban Ocon finished 5th fastest ahead of the second Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Although Verstappen had set a time early in the session, he was out of the session just as quick. The Dutchman lost the rear of his Red Bull under braking into T5 and tagged the barrier side on. He kept the car running and tried to get going again but he stalled the car and could not get it going again. The VSC was deployed to retrieve the stricken Red Bull. Verstappen sat out the rest of the session trackside.

    The green and dusty track made conditions tricky and the notorious Turn 8 run off area came into play very quickly there were also a few other drivers that tested the limits of grip into various other corners around the track by aborting the corner and taking to the run off area.

    Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, got on with McLaren’s program and finished the session 7th fastest. Sergei Sirotkin ended 8th in a very good session for Williams.

    Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10 for Ferrari. Vettel complained about a lack of rear grip throughout the session and tried various tyres in a bit to try and find a viable setup. Kimi Raikkonen suffered a technical issue after 10-minutes and sat out the rest of the session.

    At the end of the session it looked like Mercedes and Red Bull had it dialled in very early on in the session but the long runs of FP2 were still to come…

    Free Practice 2

    Free Practice 2 all but confirmed Red Bull’s strong pace with Ricciardo topping the session with a session best time of 1:42.795 just edging out Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen who set a best time of 1:42.864. Raikkonen did catch a small break courtesy of a tow from Hamilton down the long run to the finish line.

    3rd Fastest was Max Verstappen who had a much cleaner FP2 but had an issue at the end of the session where he was told to come into the pits slowly. Red Bull, after the session revealed that a faulty sensor was the cause and that there is no real concern.

    Valtteri Bottas finished 4th fastest ahead of team-mate Hamilton in 5th. Continuing their good run of form from FP1 was Esteban Ocon in the Force India finishing 7th ahead of another solid session for Carlos Sainz in the Renault.

    Kevin Magnussen finished a good session for Haas in 9th with Nico Hulkenberg in the second Renault rounding out the top 10.

    Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari did not feature in the top 10 with another scrappy session with rear grip once again the issue.

    Like in FP1, the drivers continued to test the limits of grip under braking with a few drivers running into the run off areas around the circuit.

    Marcus Ericsson in the Sauber was confined to the garage for the session after a gearbox issue was detected early in the session.

    On the long runs Red Bull are coming out the fastest with Ferrari close behind. Mercedes are finding it hard to get heat into the tyres which means front and rear grip comes at a premium. On board shots of Hamilton’s car shows that the usually on rails Mercedes is quite a way off peak grip.

    Red Bull seem to have the edge on one lap pace as well in Baku. Mercedes’ qualifying engine mode might spoil the party for the Bulls come qualifying which will make strategy quite important once again. With the Ultra soft being the qualifying tyre and with little durability, it looks like the soft tyre will be the favoured race tyre. And we know how well the softs suit the Mercedes. Red Bull have something to say about that though…

  • 2018 Azerbaijan GP: Thursday Press Conference

    2018 Azerbaijan GP: Thursday Press Conference

    DRIVERS: Daniel RICCIARDO (Red Bull), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Renault), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas)

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: Daniel, if we could start with you, last time you were in the press conference room you were very emotional after winning in China. Having had two weeks to reflect on it, why did that win mean so much to you?

    Daniel RICCIARDO: I haven’t had many, I guess, so they still feel very special. The wins. I guess it had been a fairly long time since Baku. A pretty long time between drinks, the last win and the whole race, I guess the weekend in Bahrain, the kind of… I just feel that the biggest disappointment in racing is being out of the race at the beginning, y’know, before it’s really started. You’re out of the race on the first lap or something, it’s tough – because you’ve worked all weekend to get to the Sunday and then it’s over like that. After Bahrain, I was obviously relieved to have a race the weekend after and have a chance to back it up. Well, to try again. And then yeah, the whole weekend, Saturday, FP3, another kinda head-down moment, but then to get out for qualifying and how the race turned out. It was cool. I guess jsut a lot emotion, happy emotions for sure. Yeah. The highs and lows of the sport can do that to you.

     

    Q: Have you seen enough from Red Bull Racing to think about the Championship this year?

    DR: Probably haven’t seen enough from everyone yet! So, I’m not thinking about the Championship in that sense. Obviously, I want to think about being there. But yeah, naturally because we won everyone’s asking can we fight for the championship now? It’s still early – but I think we’ve proved, if we’re there, we can do a lot with it. That’s the plan: to continue to be there for the next few races.

     

    Q: Nico, coming on to you, you’ve qualifying seventh at every race since Mexico last year. You’ve only been out-qualified by a team-mate once in the last 27 races. It’s an impressive stat, so let’s start by talking about qualifying. Have you made a step in this area?

    Nico HÜLKENBERG: I think I’ve just managed to… yeah… to hit it on the head each time. I quite enjoy qualifying, I like getting out there where it counts and putting a lap together. I feel also the last 20 or so races I also had a car that allows me to do that and gives me the support that a driver needs also. Since last year, with this generation of cars, when you have the downforce, you’ve got more grip to work with. It’s just been a bit more fun and probably helps the way I drive also, a little bit.

     

    Q: Let’s talk about where Renault are battling in the Championship. It looks, at the minute, a tight fight between yourselves, Haas and McLaren for fourth. Is this where you see yourself destined this year – or do you think you can start to challenge the guy on your left?

    NH: No, I think for now it’s more, like you say, about Haas and McLaren, these kind of teams, to try to keep them at bay but it’s very tight. Each weekend will be a bit different depending on the tyre compounds, different tracks and layouts. What favours one car more than another one. But for sure it’s a big development race in the midfield also. But yeah, we’re trying to get ahead but still got a lot of areas to work on to catch all the three guys ahead.

     

    Q: Kevin, coming on to you. While we’re talking about this battle for fourth place, perhaps we could ask you about Haas. Do you think they can maintain their current level of competitiveness, going forwards?

    Kevin MAGNUSSEN: It’s not going to be easy for sure. We’ve started with a good car and done a good job over the winter. I think we’re in this situation and we haven’t had a perfect start to the year so I think there’s more in it if we can get through the races and clear out any mistakes. Then I think we’re in good shape. Whether it will stay like that for the whole year, I think it depends a lot on how the other teams do: obviously, Renault and McLaren. Last year, consistency wasn’t our biggest strength, so I think that’s an area we have improved, it seems. Our car this year is a little easier to work with and seems like it has a broader window for its performance. I’m hoping that we can at least be much more competitive thought the whole season than last year – but whether we can keep up to those big guys, it’s not going to be easy but we’ll do our best.

     

    Q: You mentioned consistency, and one area where you have been very consistent is qualifying. You appear to have made a big step since last year. Can you explain how that’s come about?

    KM: It’s only been three races but I think the car is obviously better than last year. It’s performing, as I said, it has a broader window for its performance and it’s easier. You can set it up for what you prefer as a driver, in your driving style and it will still work. It’s just a little easier to drive. A little more forgiving, more predictable and it obviously has more grip. In terms of aero it’s more consistent. I prefer a consistent car, especially on the rear, a rear that I can trust and depend on and predict. This car has a good consistency in that regard. I think that helps – but generally just being more competitive makes things easier.

     

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

     

    Q: (Arjan Schouten – AD) Question for Daniel. You won in China from sixth place. Only one of the previous 72 races, there has been a driver starting outside the top five who also won. That was you, here in Baku. What is your secret? Is it patience? Can you tell me something about it?

    DR: I’d like to qualify on the front row. It’s not always the case. I don’t know. Obviously the race is the race and qualifying is super-important in the sport but you can also have a different car on Sunday. You can take more opportunities and more opportunities can present themselves in the race – and that’s ultimately what we get to the weekend for, is the Sunday. The race obviously had the mid-race safety car in China and bunched everyone up and gave me a second chance to attack. I sensed an opportunity and made sure I capitalised on that. I think that’s something I really demand from myself and, I guess, expect from myself. A bit like Baku last year. Mid-race we were at the back but it was kinda just… you see a car in front and you try to pass them, you see the next car, you try to pass them, you see the next car and try to pass them. Obviously, I knew Seb was going to have the penalty, Lewis had the headrest thing. It was crazy – but again I sensed an opportunity and knew the restart was super-important to try to pass the Williams in front and in the end, for me that was the race-winning move, so I think yeah, just being aware of what’s available. Because we’re not winning every weekend, when you have a sniff of a victory, that’s all the motivation and the hunger I need. It’s enjoyable when you can see it in front of you.

     

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – Autosport) Question for you Daniel, you have a big decision to make at some point over what you do for next season, which team you’ll be driving for. Red Bull is an environment you know extremely well, it will be a big change of scenery if you did go to another team. Lewis was in a similar situation a few years ago, left McLaren for Mercedes. How curious are you to find out if the grass is greener somewhere else?

    DR: It’s a good way of putting it. I don’t know. The curiosity will not overcome the facts, I guess, in terms of what options I will have, I guess and then which car is ultimately the fastest I can be with. Obviously that’s really top of my list. So yeah, I wouldn’t just… to answer that differently, I wouldn’t just go somewhere else just for a change. If I did move on obviously I’d want to make sure it was something I feel would potentially be better. That’s all really.

     

    Q: As a follow-up to that, do you feel a loyalty to Red Bull?

    DR: There will always be a bit of that, for sure. It’s kind of like, the start of it, 2008, it’s ten years since I was in the Red Bull Junior Team. So it’s a long time and they really set it up for me, to make all this happen. There will always be that. At some point you’ve got to weigh-up what does what but regardless, there will always be something and I’d always show love, I think, nonetheless.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globoesporte.com) Daniel, you said you can go to one place potentially better. After watching the last race, we saw Kimi competing for Sebastian, not for himself, and he was faster than Sebastian all the weekend, except in qualifying. Aren’t you worried that eventually, if you consider the possibility of Ferrari, that people you ask the same function as Kimi, to work just for another driver and not for himself, being a world champion like him?

    DR: These are certainly things that I would… wherever I may be, or go, I would always make sure that there was some clarity. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere where I didn’t feel I had a chance. At the moment that’s what I’m chasing is to try and be world champion. That’s my goal, my dream, something I really believe I’m capable of, so yeah, if someone said ‘we’ll let here but you can’t do this’, that’s not an attraction option to me. Is that the case somewhere? I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what’s going on with other teams. At Red Bull there’s always been really good clarity and I would say fairness, since 2014, since I’ve been there. That’s been certainly a nice environment and I would expect that environment everywhere.

     

    Q: (Louis Dekker – NOS) A question for Nico, Kevin and Daniel. How surprised are you that Mercedes didn’t win yet and do you think it might change this weekend? Is it good for the sport?

    NH: I think there have always been some circumstances that stopped them from winning. In Melbourne it was a safety car, in Shanghai as well, in Bahrain I don’t remember. I tend not to look at their race so much. I think they will get a shot at it pretty soon. Again, I think they have one of the best packages, so it’s just a matter of time.

     

    Kevin?

    KM: Nothing to add to that.

     

    Are you surprised?

    KM: Oh yeah, very surprised.

     

    Daniel?

    DR: They’re still very competitive and probably for circumstances and maybe not executing the perfect race yet are perhaps why. I think it is a matter of time. It is good for the sport, I think, to have that little bit of a change for now, but I don’t think it’s going to be necessarily a trend. As Nico said, I think it is a matter of time. They do have a fast car. They do have certainly a good package. We’ll try to keep holding them out as long as we can. But for sure, I expect them to be strong every weekend.

     

    Q: (John McEvoy – Daily Mail) Daniel, to what extent have you had any talks with Ferrari or Mercedes or Red Bull about next year, and how would you feel going side by side with Lewis?

    DR: So, I’ve only had talks with Red Bull. Even already last year, we’ve been pretty open with each other, and through the media as well, I think everyone is aware they’re interested in keeping me. We’ve had some talks regarding that obviously. I’m aware of other reports, but there hasn’t been anything else. They’re not true, at least up until now certainly not. Lewis: I would love to be challenged against the best and Lewis is arguably up there, so for sure that would be a good challenge. I’ve got a good challenge now obviously with Max and I had Seb, so I don’t want to say it’s just Lewis I’m looking for, but that would be a good challenge.

     

    Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines, Racefans.net) Daniel, to date Red Bull have managed your career, so you’ve driven for them and they’ve also been your managers. Now at the end of this year you’re on your own. What sort of infrastructure do you have? Do you honestly believe you could negotiate a crucial contract for your future and concentrate on delivering your best on track this year? Do you have a manager? Do you have some advisers? What do you have?

    DR: Yeah, I’ve got a small little group, a network, around me and as far as the real negotiations go. I’ve got a guy doing that for me. Look, I’m obviously super aware and invested in what I want and where I see myself I guess, but as far as the real in-depth talks and all that, I think it’s best for me not to really focus on that too much. I’ve been getting asked the same questions since Austin, since Max re-signed. I think it was in Austin. So, it’s been probably been more than six months now, and it hasn’t got me. I don’t overcomplicate it. I guess with the people around me I keep it pretty small and I’m happy with that.

     

    Q: (Alan Baldwin – Reuters) Daniel, as a follow-up to the earlier question. Could you specifically rule out that you have any kind of pre-arrangement with Ferrari, because that’s what the reports have been in Italy?

    DR: No, that’s not true. Yeah, I can say that.

     

    Q: (Ralf Bach – Autobild Motorsport) The question goes to Daniel…

    DR: I’m going to buy these guys a drink… Jeez!

     

    Q: (Ralf Bach – Autobild Motorsport) You’re brave driver, I expect now a brave answer. Do you think you would have won the race in Bahrain with the Mercedes in this situation?

    DR: Oh, I answered this question in Shanghai. I know you weren’t in Shanghai. All I said is that I would have tried. I don’t want to say tried like… I would have had a look in Turn 1. If it worked, I don’t know, I don’t want to say it, because I wasn’t in the race and it’s probably not fair, and it’s probably a bit disrespectful when I wasn’t in Seb or Valtteri’s shoes. But I would see myself having a lunge for sure, so that’s the way I would answer it.

     

    Q: (Maksudov Teymur – 1news.az) Daniel, Baku was the only race you won last year, and how do you feel now when you are again here and does it give you more confidence before the current race?

    DR: Well done, Baku. I’ve been waiting to say that. Felt good! Obviously some good memories. I think when you come back to a track that you’ve had success on, I don’t think it necessarily changes your confidence. I think every race you go to you come prepared and that gives you confidence. So I’m not coming here thinking I’m going to be better than I was last week or anything like that, but there is a good feeling. There’s a nice feeling coming back, some good memories, so there are happy thoughts, I guess, and that’s nice. But the approach to the on-track stuff and the way I’ll approach the weekend, that doesn’t change.

     

    Daniel, you’ve had fastest lap in two of the opening three races. Are you favourite this weekend?

    DR: I wouldn’t go that far! Maybe a fan favourite, is that what you’re saying? I hope we’re close, but I think it’s too early to say we’re favourites. I think we have a good race car for sure. I think one-lap pace we’ve still got to show a bit more. At least for Saturday I think we’ll probably not be there but Sunday, who knows, that can turn around.

     

    Q: (Louis Dekker – NOS) I was going to ask you Daniel, but the question fits all three drivers: the three of you have had a better start to the season than last year and I know the season is still long but does this give an amount of confidence, a boost?

    KM: Yeah, definitely, it’s a much better season, getting off better at the start of the season so yeah, I would say the answer is yes, it’s a nice feeling and it’s more and enjoyable and easier to look forward to the races when you know you’ve got a good car and can fight for points.

    NH: Yeah, for sure. It’s definitely fun if you have a good couple of races and straightaway you get a couple of points and good results on the board. For sure that helps yourself, you know, but also the whole team, all the people are working hard; back in the factory, it puts a spring in their step and helps to create a good atmosphere and motivation inside the team.

     

    Q: And Nico, how are you enjoying the intra-team battle with Carlos Sainz this year?

    NH: I enjoy it, it’s good so far.

    DR: Yeah, I think the team one’s a big one. For sure it’s getting a good start like that it’s… there’s a lot of people back at the factory and for them to have that kind of motivation and that drive, it’s a long season and to get that kick-started early with some results is really important. I definitely feel that and believe that so that’s cool and I think from a personal point of view I think it’s just nice to get the season started well, because there’s a long break, obviously, between the… the off-season, then you do your training and you obviously prepare as well as you can so when that then corelates to good results on track that’s also a little bit rewarding.

     

    Q: Bahrain was only two races ago for you guys, are you worried about reliability?

    DR: I don’t want to use the word worried because, at least from my point of view, I’ve just got to drive the car. In a way it’s out of my control so I’m not going to drive around worried. You’re going too fast and too focused to be worried, but yeah, right now I’m not really in the short term. Maybe once we get later in the season it’s likely we’ll come across some penalties or whatever but right now… baseline chill.

     

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – Autosport) We know now that next season Formula One is going to raise the fuel limit slightly. From your perspective, do you feel a bit too forced to manage your races at the moment and do you think this is going to make a significant difference in terms of flat-out racing next year?

    NH: Yeah, it will definitely help the fuel saving situation and not really having to worry about that too much, on that front, definitely allows you to push to the limit. Obviously it’s not always just about fuel sometimes, it’s linked in with what the tyres are doing, how they behave. Weekend for weekend that’s quite different. There might be some of that left still but for sure it’s a positive thing I think and in the right direction.

    DR: Yup, I don’t see any real loss for the… Like races like Melbourne, that’s quite a high fuel demand circuit – there’s probably a better word but you know what I mean. So there’s a lot of lifting during the race, a lot of fuel management I guess. We all do it, part of us, like now, we’re all used to doing it but for sure it’s going to be better if we can race with real intentions for every lap.

    KM: Yeah, I think it’s good that it’s been raised. There are some races during the year that can be really really tricky like Russia for example, it can be almost ridiculous there. So it’s nice to see that going up so you can push a bit more. I don’t mind a little bit of fuel saving…  sometimes even before you had these limitations, like five years ago they were doing some management because they would start the race with an anticipation of safety cars or whatever. A little bit is fine but sometimes it’s too much. I think it’s a good change.

     

    Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines, Racefans.net) Daniel, what exactly are you looking for in your next contract? You’ve been reported as saying you don’t want anything longer than two years because Formula One’s going to be changing post-2020. The other top teams have all got somebody established in there already. What are you actually looking for? You’ve said you’ve got key requirements that you want, what are they, please?

    DR: Did I say key requirements, Dieter Rencken? I don’t really know how to answer any more contract questions. I don’t know if I’m getting bored of it but no, look, the real requirement obviously is to try and put myself in a position to win a World title. As I said, it doesn’t mean where I am currently is not that place but I think that’s why I’m trying to take my time with it because it’s still too early. Obviously we won the last race, that was great but realistically we need to win more than just once in the season to fight for a title so that’s why I’m going to take my time, but that’s the priority for sure and I guess the financials and all that are definitely behind that.

     

    Q: Daniel, how concerned are you about the regulations post-2020?

    DR: I guess I haven’t thought about it too much. We’re aware of it but I don’t know if I’m concerned about it. I don’t know. I feel like every year something changes, as in like life changes, things change, so looking beyond, like two years after this, seems like a long way away so that’s more for that but for the sport itself, I think all us drivers will do what we can to make it – any change – to make it for the better, we will, for the racing, for the atmosphere, for all of that. We are, let’s say, investing some time in those discussions, amongst us drivers, but I’m not necessarily concerned about the sport or where it’s going. But yeah, for me personally, I think just thinking about 2021 now seems like a long time away.

     

    Q: (Ralf Bach – Autobild Motorsport) Daniel, my last question about your future, for the moment: you said you didn’t speak with Ferrari or Mercedes at the moment, only with Red Bull. But are you patient enough to wait, that people come to you or do you have a deadline maybe in summertime and nobody, apart from Red Bull, was talking to you? Would you then go to the people from Mercedes or Ferrari, to ask what’s going on? Or would you just wait until they come to you?

    DR: I guess it’s not a bad question. For sure, like the summer seems fine. I guess I don’t really fear not having a seat next year so I don’t feel that I need to sign something tomorrow or I will have nothing, so I guess for that reason I feel like I can see until the summer what’s happening. If nothing has happened since then, then yeah, I guess I think of Plan B or whatever that is and if it’s only then Red Bull, then that’s where I am at so yeah, but I don’t really feel that I need to push anything until then.

     

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globoesporte.com) All of you drive cars with power units that have won races this year: Ferrari and Renault. Mercedes out of first place until now. Can you comment what improvements your partner took for Renault to win the races and also Ferrari?

    Q: Your thoughts on the Ferrari power unit this year, Kevin, compared to last year?

    KM: Yeah, it’s a step forward, not only in power – a little step in power but in reliability. We need to see a little further to be sure that the reliability is there completely but it seems like it is. No complaints about the power unit. It’s not the power unit’s fault that we’re not winning, for sure.

    NH: Yeah, I think for us at Renault it’s the step in reliability that we’ve managed to fix. Obviously the second half of last year we had a lot of problems, lost a lot of points and results and I think they’ve managed to cure and fix a lot of the issues there. On top of that, also worked on a lot of the installation things. Powerwise, I think we’ve made a step too so they’ve done a very good job on the Renault power unit over the winter. Doesn’t mean that there’s not more work to do but I think we’ve done some good improvements.

    DR: I think, in race trim, I think on Sundays… I guess it’s no secret we don’t have as much power available on a Saturday as Ferrari and Merc power units but I think on Sunday, when everything kind of settles down and you run a race mode-type of engine, I think we’ve closed the gap on Sundays so yeah, following the quicker cars in China, for example, even Kimi in Melbourne, from what I remember last year, it felt like we were certainly losing out a lot less in those conditions so that was nice, that was positive, for sure.

  • F1 2018: Chinese Gp Review – Red Bull Win Shanghai Thriller

    F1 2018: Chinese Gp Review – Red Bull Win Shanghai Thriller

    The 2018 Chinese grand prix may have taken some time to kick off. But once it came alive it produced one of the most thrilling and memorable races for quite some time.

    Ferrari’s front-row lock out in Saturday qualifying, some half a second clear of the first Mercedes, set up what seemed like a foregone victory for the Italian team. However, even as dominant as Mercedes have been in the hybrid era Formula 1 remains one, if not the, most unpredictable sports in the world.

    Nevertheless, the race got off without too much excitement. Sebastian Vettel cut off teammate Kimi Raikkonen to retain the lead while the Finn dropped behind the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. The opening stint of the race was uneventful with Vettel heading to a third win in as many races. However, it was a dubious day for Ferrari as Mercedes, with Bottas, took over the lead with a sharper strategy call.

    Ferrari weren’t done with the astonishing calls though as they decided to leave Kimi Raikkonen out on track to serve as a blocker for teammate Vettel in his quest to get back the lead of the race from Bottas. Ferrari’s call dropped Raikkonen to sixth after the pitstop. To treat their last world champion in such a manner was nothing less than shameful by Ferrari.

    Daniel Ricciardo_China 2018_Finish LineThe race kicked off soon after as Pierre Gasly crashed into the side of his Toro Rosso teammate Brendon Hartley. Not only did Gasly incur a ten second penalty but the debris strewn across turn 14 prompted the deployment of the safety-car. While Bottas and Vettel missed a chance to dive into the pitlane for fresh tyres both Red Bulls of Verstappen and Ricciardo were called in and armed with new soft tyres.

    Again, Ferrari was out-smarted on strategy as there was enough time to make the call to switch Raikkonen to new tyres. Mind you, Mercedes didn’t call in Hamilton either but did so as they though track position would be more important than fresh rubber.

    The pace advantage of both Red Bulls was clear immediately in comparison to Raikkonen, Hamilton, Vettel, and Bottas. But Max Verstappen proved too impetuous in his overtaking moves as he ran off track when attempting to overtake Hamilton. He regrouped but got it wrong again when he hit Vettel at the turn 14 hairpin. The Dutchman was given a ten second penalty and will undoubtedly receive a talking to from his team.

    He’ll be well advised to take note of his teammate Daniel Ricciardo who pulled off several stunning moves. First, he came from impossibly far back to take the place off Hamilton at the hairpin and followed it a lap later by easily picking off Vettel at the same spot. The best of the lot was the audacious on Bottas to take the lead of the race. Ricciardo scampered off into the distance to secure the sixth win of her career.

    Daniel Ricciardo_China 2018_PodiumValtteri Bottas held on to a solid second place by just six tenths of a second. Kimi Raikkonen secured third despite being hung out to dry by Ferrari. Though Verstappen recovered from his collision with Vettel his fourth on the road turned into fifth with a warranted ten-second penalty for causing a collision. Lewis Hamilton trundled home in a desolate fourth in what was an off-colour weekend for the reigning champion.

    Nico Hulkenberg brought his Renault home in a solid sixth place ahead of Fernando Alonso’s McLaren in seventh. Sebastian Vettel limped home in eighth with Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top ten.

    Daniel Ricciardo’s brilliant win in China illustrated a Formula 1 team in perfect synergy. The team was pushed to the limits after needing to change the Australian’s engine on Saturday in time for qualifying. A job that normally takes three hours to complete was miraculously accomplished in two. And then there was the genius strategy calls and tremendous work in the pitlane to stop and service both cars back-to-back. To top it all off Ricciardo provided the icing on the cake with a sensational driving performance. Now that is Formula 1 at its best.

    All images courtesy of Red Bull Racing & Pirelli Motorsport