Tag: sebastian vettel

F1 2015: Mexico GP Review – Rosberg Rises To The Occasion

What a difference seven days has made in the life of Nico Rosberg. Seven days ago the Mercedes driver was sulking his way through a podium ceremony in Texas and had become part of the Twitter-dubbed ‘cap-gate’ saga.

But seven days later all was right again in the world of Nico Rosberg. He’s still come second to his championship winning teammate in the greater scheme of things. But he’s won the Mexican grand prix in a straight-out fight with Lewis Hamilton. There was sense of consistency as Rosberg secured a fourth straight pole position. The expectation, created over the same last four races, would have been that the German would again succumb to the craftier Hamilton.

In Mexico, he beautifully controlled proceedings and never allowed Lewis Hamilton even a momentary chance at victory. There has been much criticism heaped on Nico Rosberg, some even from this column. His performance on Sunday is perfect example of why Rosberg is criticised. Inherently, most criticism comes from a place of frustration. The frustration with Nico Rosberg is confirmed in his two last performances – decidedly average in Austin and unassailable in Mexico. The last race proves that Rosberg does have the skill to beat his illustrious teammate.

Then again, it could be argued that Rosberg beat a far more relaxed Hamilton. A Lewis Hamilton who is who is fighting with all of his powers to win the world championship is a far different and defiant prospect. However, Mexico proves that Rosberg does have the ability to do so, on occasion. But now he needs to couple that ability with the mental fortitude to take on, and beat, a three-time world champion. The psychological strength needed to be a successful Formula 1 driver is equally as important as the racing prowess. With only two races remaining in the 2015 season Rosberg must find a way to unlock the mental barrier in 2016.

As the two Mercedes wrapped up a one-two finish it was Williams’ Valtteri Bottas who came through to take the final step on the podium. The Finn collided with countryman Kimi Raikkonen earlier in the race. However, this time the roles were reversed as Raikkonen retired with right-rear suspension damage Bottas was able to continue and see the chequered flag.

It was a day to forget for Ferrari as Sebastian Vettel too crashed out of the Mexican grand prix. It marks the first time since 2006 that Ferrari has suffered a double retirement. Vettel endured a lacklustre race after suffering a puncture early on in a tussle with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

It was Vettel’s crash on lap 52 that brought out the safety car. It bunched up the field and allowed Bottas to overtake the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat for third. While Kvyat was demoted to fourth he led home teammate Daniel Ricciardo in fifth. Felipe Massa was sixth in the other Williams ahead of Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg in seventh. Local hero Sergio Perez opted to play the long game on tyre strategy and finished eighth. Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen finished ninth ahead of Lotus driver Romain Grosjean who wrapped up the final point on offer.

The sense of occasion as the Mexican grand prix returned to the F1 calendar wasn’t lost on anyone. More than one hundred thousand fanatical supporters packed into the grandstands and vociferously displayed their enthusiasm and love for Formula 1. While the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez didn’t quite deliver the racing spectacle that was hoped for it more than made up for it in atmosphere.

November 2, 2015
Vettel Accepts Responsibility for Crash

Ferrari’s Sebastian took the blame for his crash in the race for the Mexican Grand Prix which seen Ferrari’s first double DNF for the season and the first one in 8 years.

Vettel’s race got off to a bad start when he was slow off the line and lost a place to Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat. On the run to Turn 1 Daniel Ricciardo tried to make a pass down the inside of the German. Vettel seemed to have closed the door on Ricciardo who then clipped Vettel’s right rear wheel puncturing it.

Once Vettel got going again he had a spin out of Turn 7. Replays suggested that he lost the rear of the car under braking which sent him spinning into the run off area just in front of the barriers.

He continued despite flat-spotting his tyres and pitted again on lap 35 after being trying numerous times to get by Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado.

On lap 50, Vettel was caught out again at Turn 7. This time locking up the front wheels and spearing straight into the tech pro barriers. Vettel got out of the car unhurt but he was very angry with himself. There was an exchange between Vettel and his race engineer where Vettel Finally said: It’s not ok. I did a s**t job today.”

“Today I had a bad start, and obviously after the contact with Daniel I was very angry, but in the end I think no one is to blame,” said Vettel after the race.

“He clearly could not avoid hitting me being too fast for the line he had chosen, but these things happen.

“I was hoping for a safety car earlier on, but it didn’t happen.

“I tried to catch up, but the two mistakes didn’t help. The last one obviously ended my race and I am not proud of it.

Photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1

November 2, 2015
2015 Mexico GP Qualifying: Rosberg beats Hamilton to Mexican pole

Nico Rosberg bounced back from his US grand prix disappointment today by secured his fourth straight pole position after topping the timesheets of the qualifying session ahead the Mexican Grand Prix.

Rosberg set an initial time of 1:20.120 and then lowered his benchmark to a 1:19.480 with nobody able to improve on the final Q3 lap.

In the end, Rosberg’s time was 0.188s faster than his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton with the two securing yet another front-low lock-out for the team.

Rosberg seems to have left Austin and the lost championship title behind, and revealed his pleasure at securing the Mexican Grand Prix pole position. “I’m quite pleased with the first half of the weekend,” said Rosberg. “I have to thank my engineers because we nailed the set-up and I felt great in the car.”

Hamilton was very relaxed about losing out on the pole position, clearly not allowing too much space for Rosberg to get too comfortable psychologically. Hamilton says he thinks that the long run down to Turn 1 makes second on the grid better than pole position for tomorrow’s Mexican Grand Prix. “It’s actually the best spot to start, second or third, because there’s a long way down to Turn 1 like Russia – I think it’s longer than Russia,” Hamilton said. “I’m happy with my spot. The races have always proved to be quite good ones for me so I’m excited for tomorrow.”

Though he did briefly hold provisional pole in Q3 before Rosberg’s second lap on the soft tyre, Hamilton admitted that rosberg did a better job on the day but was quick to add that his set-up is more geared for the race.

Sebastian Vettel finished the qualifying session third fastest in his Ferrari, beating Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo.

The Williams F1 team took up sixth and seventh positions with Valtteri Bottas finishing ahead of team mate Felipe Massa. Massa clocked the highest top speed of the 2015 F1 season during qualifying, reaching a peak of 364.3km/h during Q1.

The altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez – over 2,200 metres high – means that drag and downforce is reduced due to only 78 per cent of the oxygen being available compared to sea level.

Top speeds are also aided by the medium-speed entry onto the pit straight, which is 1.2km in length and DRS-assisted.

Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas ranked up second on the list at 360.8km/h.

Max Verstappen hailed his qualifying session in Mexico as one of the top performances of his rookie Formula 1 year after grabbing eighth place on the grid. “It was one of the best to be honest,” Verstappen said. “I mean it’s not our favourite track and in the end, especially if you miss FP2 which is quite crucial to set up your car, we were struggling in FP3 to find the right balance. I think we managed to turn it around very quickly for qualifying and it was a bit of a thriller in Q2 with the last lap, I’m very happy I could put that one in.

“It was very tense. I saw I was three tenths down and so I was like ‘don’t f**k this one up”. Then I managed to do it, so I was quite happy with that one.”

Force India only sent Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg out for the final moments of the Q3 qualifying session and the duo finished as the slowest of the runners in the session.

Carlos Sainz Jr. set the 11th quickest time for Toro Rosso and Lotus claimed 12th and 13th with Romain Grosjean beating team mate Pastor Maldonado.

Marcus Ericsson made it through to Q2 and set the 14th best qualifying time for Sauber while Kimi Raikkonen had a miserable day finishing in 15th place.

Having stopped on track during final practice, Raikkönen only returned to action in qualifying but spun at Turn 1, citing a brake problem with his car. Raikkonen will start ahead of only the McLaren drivers.

Fernando Alonso was 16th quickest but will drop to 19th due to an engine penalty, with Felipe Nasr finshing 17th for Sauber. Alexander Rossi again managed to out-qualify Manor Marussia team mate Will Stevens.

Jenson Button was not able to participate in qualifying due to a power unit problem that forced him out of the final practice session.

Button was set to start last even if he had participated in the session after having to take a 50 place grid penalty.

November 1, 2015
2015 Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix: Post Qualifying Press Conference

DRIVERS
1st Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes)
2nd Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)
3rd Sebastian VETTEL (Ferrari)

TV UNILATERAL
Nico, first of all congratulations, your fourth pole in a row. Qualifying is proving very strong for you at the moment, what was the key today?
Nico ROSBERG: I don’t really have a precise explanation. I just felt good all weekend. I’ve been quick in all different sessions and found a good balance in qualifying. So thanks to my engineers in the team I was able to push and got a really good lap in.

Thank you. Lewis, if I can come to you. You looked good in Q2, you were on top in Q2, but that 50th pole is proving tricky. Were there any mistakes in Q3 on your final lap?
Lewis HAMILTON: Not really, no. This weekend Nico has been quick and I’ve just been chipping away at it. There were a couple of moments where the car felt pretty spectacular but otherwise generally there are some areas where, for sure, I could improve both in my driving and also with the set-up. But we have quite a bit of a different set-up this weekend, so perhaps the avenue I went might not be the perfect one for qualifying but it’ll be good for the race.

Thank you. Sebastian, you tried everything, [but] Mercedes [were] too quick today. Was the drop in temperature in that final session a factor at all for you?
Sebastian VETTEL: I don’t think so. In the end we were hoping for it to be a bit closer but in the end it wasn’t. I think already already in Q2, in Q1 to be fair, with the hard tyre they looked very, very quick, so it was difficult. I tried everything. I was very happy with the first attempt in Q3. On the second one I probably pushing too hard and I didn’t go any faster. Yeah, I don’t think it is fair to blame it on the conditions or the track. In the end they were just a sniff too quick. But who knows what happens tomorrow. Seems to be a fun circuit. Finally it starts to rubber in a bit. Yesterday it was very slippery. It’s good fun and it’s nice to see so many people coming, so I think it should be exciting for all of us tomorrow.

Thank you. Nico, returning to you, how do you turn this into a win tomorrow and how badly do you want it to turn into a win tomorrow?
NR: It’s a good start, for sure, starting from pole. It’s going to be a long run down to turn one, so it’s going to be an exciting battle. Then I’m sure we have a good race car. It will be interesting tyre-wise. There was some stuff going on on Friday, which is going to be not so easy to handle in the race but we’re prepared well, so looking forward to it.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Nico, congratulations, you’ve looked comfortable all weekend, it this ‘Angry Nico’ fighting back?
NR: No, definitely not. There’s no difference, it’s attack like always. It’s three more races to go, great to be here in Mexico, great track, I really enjoy driving here, so business as usual.

Q: Lewis, P2 hasn’t proved too much of a problem for you in recent times, there’s a very long run down to Turn One as well. Is that your target for the race tomorrow?
LH: Actually coming into the weekend it’s one of the best spots to start, second or third because it’s a long, long way down to Turn One. Just as in Russia. I don’t know if it’s longer than Russia but I’m quite happy with my spot. As you’ve said, the races have always been proved to be quite good ones for me so I’m excited for tomorrow and, yeah…

Q: Sebastian, it’s looked close this weekend. Did you think pole was on?
SV: Well, now we’ve just finished qualifying… no! If we talk about another tenth I think it’s always normal for us to say “yeah, one-tenth here or there, could have squeezed a bit more,” but I was reasonably happy with my lap and I think we were missing four-tenths in the end so the gap was probably too big. We have to be fair and say congratulations to Nico who drove a very good qualifying and put in a very strong lap.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Luigi Perna – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Question for Seb. In your opinion, it will be possible tomorrow to match Mercedes considering your race pace especially with medium tyres?
SV: Well, I can’t predict what’s going to happen but usually we’re always a bit stronger, compared to them, in the race. As Nico touched on with the tyres, could be crucial tomorrow, the circuit is very slippery and I expect it to be slippery again. There might be some rain overnight so might be a bit of a reset for the track. To answer your question, we will have to wait and see tomorrow – but I hope so.

Q: (Michael Schmidt – Auto, Motor und Sport) What happened at the end of qualifying, because everybody seemed to be slower than before?
NR: I was a tenth off my (best) lap, I think, so it was a good lap, just not as good as the previous one.
SV: Sounds like a good excuse! I did the same, I was a tenth off, it was a good lap, just not as good as before.
LH: Yeah, I just wasn’t quicker on that lap.

Q: (Christopher Joseph – Chicane) To all of you, we touched on altitude on Thursday. I just wondered if you’re feeling any physical effects after qualifying and in general, out and about in Mexico City?
LH: No issues, it’s tough out there as usual and it will be interesting for the race tomorrow for sure with the altitude. It does make a difference. And otherwise, so far I’ve had the best time here, I had the best tacos last night and I’m going to go back and have them again tonight and tomorrow night and probably the next night as well. I’m enjoying my stay.
NR: The only time I felt it was running round the track where for sure I had a higher heart rate on Thursday but in the car, not really, it’s been fine.
SV: I think it’s fine, we have a very very long straight to rest so that helps. Other than that, I think it’s great for us, it’s exciting, a lot of people. I think the size of the grandstands here seem to be at least double to other places and still full so it makes it very special for us.

Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globo Esporte) Lewis and Nico, there’s no way not to ask you (this question) considering what we saw in the last few races; will there be any conversation between you both considering the start tomorrow?
NR: It’s no different, you know, it’s always going to be a battle and what’s in the past is in the past and now we move forward, it doesn’t change.
LH: The same as he’s just said.
SV: Can you make sure you take both of you out so I can go through? Yes? No? I tried.

October 31, 2015
F1 2015: Mexico GP FP2 Report – Rosberg Fastest For Mercedes

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg set the pace in the second free practice session in Mexico.

Conditions looked slightly better than the first free practice session which started with a damp circuit. However, on his first lap of the afternoon Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen clouted the barrier and in the process destroyed the left front suspension of his car. This prompted a short red flag period in order for the stricken car to be recovered.

A second, albeit short, red flag session came about as the Lotus of Romain Grosjean grinded to a halt with a suspected gearbox issue. Earlier in the session Williams’ Valtteri Bottas was lucky to only lose his front-wing in a high speed collision with the barrier.

Despite an improvement in laptimes from the tyres the circuit conditions remained tricky with several drivers running wide, spinning and having to compensate for extremely low grip.

Halfway through the session spots of rain were visible and intensified as it ten minutes to go on the clock. Nico Rosberg set the most laps, at thirty-six, in his Mercedes and was followed closely on the timing sheets by Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo.

Final Free Practice Two Standings:

October 30, 2015
F1 2015: Mexico GP FP1 Report – Verstappen Tops

Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen topped the timing sheets at the end of the first free practice session for the Mexican grand prix.

The talented teenager set the fastest time according to the timing screens but in reality the laptime was achieved by cutting one of the corners on the Autrodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The session started in slightly damp conditions which forced all drivers onto the green side-walled intermediate tyres for the initial installation laps. The circuit appeared to dry relatively quickly as the intermediate tyre became obsolete and eventually replaced but the white-walled medium compound tyre.

Whilst conditions proved slippery with several drivers having off track excursion no major incidents were noted during the one and a half hour session. However, the Mercedes team were the first to encounter brake temperature issues. Shortly after overtaking Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel both the rear brakes on Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes caught fire. The sister car of Lewis Hamilton was also warned on escalating brake temperatures. It wasn’t only confined to Mercedes as Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen was also told to cool his brakes.

In the most peculiar fashion McLaren’s Fernando Alonso later toured around the completely dry circuit on the intermediate tyre. As it turns out the team had noticed a cut on the set of slicks the Spaniard had run earlier in the session and didn’t want to risk the same occurrence on a second set of tyres.

Final Free Practice 1 Standings:

October 30, 2015
Rosberg blames ‘big gust of wind’ for Austin mistake

Nico Rosberg says a freak gust of wind cost caused him to lose control of his car in the closes stages of the United States Grand Prix, costing him the victory and ultimately his last shot at the 2015 Formula 1 Drivers’ world title.

With 10 laps remaining at Austin, Rosberg was on course for a win that would have at least put team mate Lewis Hamilton’s bid for his third championship title on hold.

But Rosberg then made a mistake at Turn 16, running wide, allowing Hamilton to breeze into the lead. After the race Rosberg was unsure of the reason behind the mistake but on arrival in Mexico Rosberg revealed that it was a big gust of wind that unbalanced his car.

“It was a gust of wind, a big one, and I lost a lot of rear downforce as a result,” Rosberg said. His comment was met with a few giggles from the media. “Seriously!” he quickly chipped in.

“Everybody has it, so you can’t really use it as an excuse. It is still a mistake but I understand my mistake now, which is important.

“For me to understand it, it is very unusual scenario that happened just once in all of those laps, so I understand the mistake and it helps me moving forward.”

Rosberg still has second place left to fight for at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix and will surely be hoping to take the win and bounce back from his disappointing US Grand Prix weekend.

October 30, 2015
F1 2015: Mexico GP Preview – Formula 1 Refires Mexican GP

There is an adage which says that money can’t buy happiness. But in 2011 Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, revealed that he was going to revive the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City and bring Formula 1 back to this South America location. It appears that money can, after all, buy some happiness.

There have been several attempts to revive the Mexico GP over the last few decades. However, its return to the F1 calendar was only made official in 2014. It is here to stay for the foreseeable future with a five-year deal already signed. “I feel it is the right for F1 and for Mexico and I’m sure it will be to the benefit of both for many years,” said Ecclestone.

The last time Formula 1 raced around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez was in 1992. Twenty-three years ago it was a grand prix dominated by the Williams team. Nigel Mansell won by twelve seconds over teammate Ricardo Patrese and it signalled the arrival that would become one of the sport’s greatest phenomenons. In the Benneton-Ford Michael Schumacher would finish third in the race. Watch this highlights reminder of what happened at the 1992 Mexico GP.

While all teams and drivers will have their pockets of support no one will receive a heartier welcome than Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver is enjoying a good year with Force India which includes a podium finish in Russia. “Having the opportunity of driving in my home Grand Prix is something I never thought would happen. It will be one of the highlights of my career and I have no doubt that this race will become a modern classic of Formula One,” says Perez. “Mexico has a lot of history in motorsport: the fans know the sport; they have a lot of enthusiasm and have been waiting a long time for Formula One to come back. I think everyone will have a great time.”

The circuit layout has some slower bits, such as the first three corners, and several low apex-speed corners. But in truth its demand will be for power. Between turns seven and eleven is a classic Esses section which should make for some spectacular viewing. But what everyone wants to see in F1 is wheel to wheel racing and overtaking. The 4.3 kilometre long circuit may just have the ability to provide it to. Its two long straits are expected to deliver the second highest top speed of the season and be the prime catalyst for several overtaking opportunities.

Ferrari’s deliberate engine changes in Austin, and subsequent penalties, were always made with the Mexico GP in mind. Now, the Scuderia’s final engine upgrade for the 2015 season could play a big part in how competitive they are this weekend. Williams too will find the circuit’s characteristics more suited to its car while Red Bull will regrettably struggle to feature in normal racing conditions.

Lewis Hamilton cannot possibly be in a better place after being crowned a triple world champion in Texas. Regardless, he will be pushing as hard as ever to see the chequered flag first on Sunday. He won’t suddenly become more aggressive because he has nothing to lose, he doesn’t have to. And it isn’t because he’s already won the championship either. It’s because it’s what he’s been doing all season long and it has been more than enough to break his closest rivals his on and off the track.

Still, an all-out fight between Hamilton and Rosberg does make for a mouth-watering prospect. The Rosberg critics need to be answered. No, they can’t be dispelled with one good drive but here is where it can start for the German. There are too many times when he has come of second-best to Hamilton and a bold, unrestrained, drive will do wonders for his psyche.

In a slight deviation from the norm the podium is not situated in the pitlane but in front of the grandstand in sector three. The only question now is who will be on this distinctive Mexico GP podium?

October 29, 2015
F1 2015: Texas GP Review – Hamilton Clinches Title in Texas Thriller

On Friday and Saturday race fans would have been cursing the biblical levels of rain that fell over Texas’ Circuit of the Americas. It completely obliterated any opportunity of running in all but one of the practice sessions and forced a postponement of qualifying to Sunday morning.

However, as the weather cleared in time for Sunday’s race it was the changeable conditions that were the catalyst for a frenzied US grand prix. As the start of the race drew closer the rain had ceased its incessant pounding but with the track still mostly wet conditions called for a start on the intermediate tyres for the entire grid.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg snatched pole from teammate Lewis Hamilton in a shortened qualifying session while Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat locked out the second row of the grid. Along with Williams’ Valtteri Bottas, who incurred a five place penalty for changing a gearbox, both Ferrari drivers were demoted ten places on the grid for fitting a sixth, upgraded, engine. Sebastian Vettel started in thirteenth while Kimi Raikkonen lined up in eighteenth place.

The start of the race followed a familiar pattern between the two Mercedes drivers. Hamilton took the inside line into turn one and forced Rosberg wide and onto the run-off as the pair bumped wheels. The move, which Rosberg later called “a step too far” dropped the German down to fifth. As Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat hounded the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes for the lead of the race the sister Red Bull was in close attendance in third. But a clash between Sauber teammates Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson left enough debris at turn one for race control to call on the virtual safety car.

As the race restarted the superior performance of the Red Bull on the wearing intermediate tyres was enough for both its drivers to overtake Nico Rosberg. As the circuit dried it was evident that Daniel Ricciardo was able to look after his intermediate tyre slightly better than Hamilton and he took the lead of the race on lap fifteen.

By lap eighteen the circuit had dried enough to change onto slicks. As conditions changed so too the challenge of the Red Bull’s diminished in the dry conditions. With superior pace Nico Rosberg retook the lead of the race and proceeded to build a stunning ten second gap over Hamilton. This was the Nico Rosberg performance we had been waiting to see all season. By this point, it was a strong, determined drive that would delay Hamilton’s winning of the world championship.

On lap twenty-eight the Sauber of Marcus Ericsson grinds to a halt at turn eleven and requires the deployment of the safety car to recover the car. Rosberg’s nearly eleven second lead over Hamilton is completely eradicated. Sebastian Vettel, who has fought his way into fifth, takes the opportunity to fit a set of mediums to see him through to the end of the race. The Ferrari driver makes short work of Kvyat and Ricciardo and moves himself into third place.

It wasn’t long before the virtual safety car was called on again this time to clear the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver tried an ambitious move up the inside of Daniel Ricciardo for fourth place but came off second best with fatal damage to his car. It prompted Rosberg to pit as Hamilton took the lead of the race.

By lap forty-two Hamilton had a six second gap over Rosberg and as Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat clouted the barrier at the final turn, bringing out the safety car, the Brit dived into the pitlane for a new set of tyres. It dropped Hamilton behind Rosberg and it seemed as if he would have to wait at least one more week to secure the title.

However, in a bizarre twist Rosberg ran off the circuit at turn sixteen and gifted the lead of the race to Hamilton. Rosberg just held on for second in the closing stages ahead of Vettel. This ensured that as Hamilton crossed the line he was a three-time world champion.

Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen finished a stunning fourth ahead of Force India’s Sergio Perez in fifth. Jenson Button brought his McLaren home in sixth whilst Carlos Sainz finished seventh in his Toro Rosso. Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado , Sauber Felipe Nasr and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top ten.

Eight cars failed to make it to the chequered flag including Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen who retired with overheating brakes after sliding off the track earlier and colliding with a barrier. For Williams too it was a weekend to forget with a double retirement. Manor Marussia driver Alex Rossi can hold his head high after matching the team’s best result with a twelfth place finish.

In an incredible season Lewis Hamilton has become only the tenth triple world champion in the history of the sport. Yes, Mercedes has provided him with an astonishing car to drive but the knowledge that Hamilton is a racer of the highest calibre has been there since his first lap at the 2007 Australian grand prix. Now, Lewis Hamilton is no longer just on the cusp of greatness.

(All images of Lewis Hamilton courtesy of @MercedesAMGF1)

October 26, 2015
US Grand Prix FIA post-race press conference

Drivers: 1 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 2 – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 3 – Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari).

PODIUM INTERVIEWS

(Conducted by Sir Elton John)

Q: Lewis, amazing. For me to be English and to be here today is an amazing feeling. Congratulations on everything.

Lewis Hamilton: I can’t believe you’re here. It’s Elton John!

Q: No, there you go, I am! What a wonderful crowd, what a great support, you guys – thank you. What a race! How are you feeling?

Lewis Hamilton: Amazing! Firstly, thank you so much for coming up here today and being here. I want to say a huge thank you to the whole crowd, for coming out and staying through the rain and staying with us. I hope we put on a good show for you today. But I can’t really find the right words right this second to tell you how amazing this feels. I couldn’t have done it without this team who have empowered me for the last three years and really taken me on board and really helped nurture me with the car and just faultless. I love you guys, thank you so much for everything you do for me. And all the guys back at home. And then, my family who are watching. I love you all. And team LH – still I rise.

Q: Nico, congratulations, but you must be disappointed though right?

Nico Rosberg: Yeah, for sure, very disappointed with that, unbelievable. I don’t know what happened. But anyway, you’ve been great. Thank you so much, you’ve been awesome this weekend, with all this bad weather… to come out here so numerously, thanks a lot for that. Yeah, just very disappointed.

Q: Sebastian, you started off 14th [13th] on the grid – congratulations – and finished third. You drove an amazing race. And at one point you were going faster than anyone else. Does that give you encouragement for the rest of the grands prix and for next season?

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, it does. We have a great car; we have exceeded all expectations. But yeah, it doesn’t feel great when you cross the line and you know that you can’t fight for the championship anymore, so congratulations to Lewis, he did a superb job all year round. Congratulations to his team as well, but we are getting closer and hopefully next year we can give them a very, very hard time.

Q: I think you are getting closer and it’s going to be very exciting, congratulations. And Lewis, celebrations tonight?

Lewis Hamilton: Are you throwing a party?

Q: I’m going to party; I’m playing tonight later.

Lewis Hamilton: I’m going to be here, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: Lewis, many congratulations, a classic grand prix, one of those days when you’re up, you’re down, you’re never quite sure which way it’s all going to end. I’m sure for you personally a day of great emotion, given the journey you’ve made and I guess the best way to sum it up is: is this a boyhood dream fulfilled?

Lewis Hamilton: It really is. I’m just overwhelmed at the moment. It’s difficult really to find the words. I’m just sitting here thinking about… I remember my first British championship where my dad and I drove home singing ‘We are the Champions’ – at the time of Great Britain – and you know it’s just crazy to think that now I’m a three-time Formula One world champion. I owe it all to my dad, to my family who supported me all these years and sacrificed so much for me to be here. And then the really positive energy I get from my fans who travel around the world to see, that is, I get messages… I really do realise that whilst I get to enjoy driving a Formula One car this is really a platform for me to inspire young people and I hope that if there is any inspiring from today it’s just that: never give up on your dreams, on your hopes and on your desires. Just keep working at it. Today, there were so many times I thought I’d lost the grand prix. I’d fallen back and then Nico pitted under the safety car and he was really quick at one stage but I never for one second believed that I couldn’t win and then we pushed and pushed… You know, Nico drove a fantastic grand prix, he really has done…. since I’ve been with this team he’s been driving fantastic well. So mad respect for him as my team-mate and otherwise, as I said, a very humbling experience, especially to equal Ayrton Senna who meant so much to me and still does today. So, yeah, I feel very, very blessed today.

Q: Very well done. Nico, as we said, a crazy race. You seemed to have the advantage when you went onto slick tyres initially and then at restarts and after stops you seemed to have great performance in that condition, you seemed to have the race under control. But it looks like one slip got it away from you. Tell us about that but also about the start.

Nico Rosberg: Yeah, I just got wheelspin. It’s never happened to me, ever. Not even in testing or racing, never, ever something like that. I can’t explain it; it’s unbelievable. I don’t know. Just need to look into it afterwards but obviously that was really, really tough at the time, to lose the lead like that and to lose the win, because I was feeling really good at that point and it just went wrong. Turn One for sure was very aggressive… What am I going to say? I haven’t seen it again, so how the hell… I can’t comment yet. I need to see it, as always. For sure it was extremely aggressive, we hit each other, or I would say Lewis came into me, so obviously that’s not good. I can’t say more than that.

Q: Thanks for that. Sebastian, this is one of those races… I’ve seen you sitting here and I can tell you’re thinking about all the things you’ve been through in the last few hours. There’s so much to go through and analyse and understand from a grand prix like that, but basically you took a gamble at the safety car to go onto the medium tyres, intending to go to the finish, and it looked like it might work, except that then there was another Virtual Safety Car and then another Safety Car. Did you believe it was one and that without those two events you might have won this grand prix? Were you feeling good about your gamble?

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, I think it was the right thing to do, given where we were, given that we wanted to make our chance last as long as possible and I think there was a chance definitely to do it. Obviously when the safety car came that was gone, because we’ve seen that with the option tyre everyone one of us was in the same boat with a lot of graining. First laps amazing and then the laps after that falling off quite dramatically. With a green track that’s what happens. So I think I had a good chance. Already after four or five laps on the medium tyre, six laps, I don’t know how much it was, I was doing more or less the same pace as the guys in front. A shame to lose out, but on the other hand in a race like this I think all three of us in a way at some point in the race we got lucky with timings, because it can also work against you. But yeah, a bit mixed. Thinking a lot about the season, what we could have done better here and there to squeeze even more out. I think we did a fantastic job, much better than everyone expected, but still it’s not great when you lose the fight for the world championship. But, as I said, this is Lewis’ day, congrats to him, he deserves to win the championship. The race we had, there’s not much to add. It was every exciting – I started 14th, had an average start and then we had a very, very good opening lap and after that we did the right things. Amazing pace when we switched to dry tyres, closing to the field. And then I think it was very close with Nico in the end but not close enough, so that was it.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Dan Knutson – Honorary) For Lewis and Seb. You’ve both won multiple world championships – but what does it signify for any driver to win even one world championship? What does it mean?

Sebastian Vettel: It’s your day…

Lewis Hamilton: For any driver I think it’s the pinnacle. There’s no further you can go. Your ultimate goal is to win in everything you compete in. It’s to perform at your best and hopefully better than everyone else, so when you do win a world championship it signifies at that particular time your greatness and the people around you. The whole unit. The teamwork. The greatness of that partnership as well. I remember when I got my first one. I was just grateful for the first one. I told Ron when I was ten that I wanted to be world champion in his car and it’s kinda crazy to think that ten years after he signed me I was. Yeah.

Sebastian Vettel: One thing is to be able to perform on that level, that’s a big achievement already if you’re in a position to be able to win races. Then obviously if you can crown that with winning the championship… it’s very difficult to describe. I think the first championship is probably the most powerful. But then it’s not like you have a head start for the next year’s. It all starts from zero again. In the end I think you have something inside you that drives you to keep doing it. As long as you have that hunger, you’re in to probably fight for it again. And if you manage to do it more than one time, obviously that’s a big bonus. So, it’s an incredible feeling. And that’s why I can only underline, this is Lewis’ day and obviously I’ve been in his seat before. It’s a great feeling. Especially the nights after you win the championship. They’re quite good!

Q…but you have to be generous buying everybody drinks.

Lewis Hamilton: No problem man! No problem.

Q: (Seff Harding – Xiro Xone Radio) This question’s for Lewis, first off, congratulations for winning the championship – and thanks for winning it here in the US. Last year when you won this championship you talked about the Hamilton legacy and what you’re doing, what your brother’s doing. Now having won a third world championship, how does it feel continuing to add to that legacy?

Lewis Hamilton: Yeah. As I said, I’m not the only one who’s been achieving great things in the family. Firstly my Dad, coming from nowhere, he never wanted his kids to struggle the way he did, so the effort that he put in was just remarkable. I’ve got my younger brother who’s seven years younger than me who’s one of the first disabled individuals to be racing cars and again his motivation is to inspire. He never wants anything coming off my success, he wants to do it all on his own, and he’s inspiring young kids also to exceed expectations – that’s his hashtag, #ExceedExpectations – and so hopefully I can be a mascot for my brother Nick. To be able to add to that, to know that our Hamilton name will be here past our lives. I’m super, super proud about it. And, as I said, while I’m standing here, and I’m here in front of the cameras, I’m a small kink in a much, much larger chain which is pretty strong.

Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday) Congratulations Lewis. Between Lewis and Sebastian you have seven world drivers’ titles, emulating Michael Schumacher. Question to both of you: do either of you ever see yourselves emulating Michael’s total or, if not, do you think it’s just not possible anymore?

Sebastian Vettel: If we managed together it’s a good thing already! That’s how big Michael is.

Lewis Hamilton: For Sebastian, being from the same country I think that would be, for sure, I would imagine, Sebastian’s target. As for me, as I said, it was always to get the three that Ayrton had. Of course, he wasn’t from the same country as me but he was the guy that inspired me as a youngster. Now I’m like… I don’t know where it’s going next. There is no-one else I look to, that I want to equal or emulate now. I’m just going to start… as I said one race ago or something like that, I feel like I’ve got the baton now for myself and Ayrton and I’m going to carry it as far as I can, as strong as I can and keep building and see where I take it.

Q: Sebastian?

Lewis Hamilton: I’m going to do everything to stop you getting seven, don’t worry!

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, you can try!

Sebastian Vettel: To be honest, no, it’s not really part of my thinking. I think it’s because, the way I think of Michael is with massive respect for what he has achieved. He is my childhood hero. In many ways still my hero. Especially since the day I joined Ferrari – to know what he did with the team and what especially he did to be that successful makes me respect him even more. So, yeah, I don’t really want to go near… I think I’m very, very happy to be in the position that I am – and of course my target is to win the championship with Ferrari – but I haven’t, y’know put a number to it and I wouldn’t dare to think about equalising Michael.

Q: (Jonathan Green – Speed City Radio / COTA) Lewis, just go through the gamut of emotions you must be going through because this morning after qualifying – or the lack of – we almost had a washout here. There was hardly anybody here and then at the end the British flags, the American fans celebrating a world championship. It could have been so different. Just describe your emotions on that last lap.

Lewis Hamilton: The last 10 – 15 laps were the tough ones. What an extraordinary grand prix. I just started out well, very, very close obviously with Nico at the beginning and that wasn’t intentional, we both broke very deep into it and I understood he was on the outside and in the wet that’s where the grip is, so he was turning and I wasn’t turning so we touched. After that just fighting for position, trying to stay ahead. Emotions were just up and down through the race because at one point I was in the lead but I knew I didn’t have it in the car. I was struggling and sliding all over the place and then I fell to fourth and the track was drying and just the most… the trickiest conditions for us. And these guys were all driving fantastically well. And then, as I said, the last ten laps really… I was behind the Safety Car and think ‘OK, I’ve got ten laps, the world championship is right there – how am I going to get it?’ And then I was just head down, everything that I’ve got from all these years. Everything that I’ve built up, everything that I’ve learnt comes into this. This is the defining moment really. Of course I could have gone on to other races but for me, I’m kind of like ‘now!’ It’s so close that I could smell it. I was pushing and I was looking forward to a race with Nico of course. I had the same issue as he did. Obviously I didn’t go off but I had a similar issue of wheelspin at that one point where I was changing a switch out, that same corner, and nearly lost it so I understand and sympathise with him but the emotions… I just can’t believe it. Honestly, I really, really can’t believe. It’s very, very strange sitting here after nine years and I’m… it’s not even the end of the season yet and I can’t believe how well this year’s gone; how amazing my team has been. Sitting in front of you guys for, God knows how many times I’ve been up here, but it never gets old and I just feel incredibly grateful right now and extremely humbled and excited. I have no idea what I’m doing next. I’m going out of here, I know I have to stand in front of some cameras, I’m going to hug lots of people, I definitely need to have a drink after that race. Yeah, just continue to enjoy this life and the many blessings that are around me.

Q: (Kwane Lillard – Tennessee Tribune) Winning today in the US, will that encourage more excitement about Grand Prix racing in this country? And with the new team coming from Haas, will that excite more people about Grand Prix racing in the US?

Lewis Hamilton: I hope so, I hope the more and more we come here, the more it excites people. It’s such an exciting sport and for some reason at this track we always have good races. I can only imagine that it was an exciting race for you guys to watch because I saw the screens a couple of times and it looked… for me it was one of the most exciting races that I’ve had for a while and yeah, while we only have one race here, we’ve had an amazing turn-out with lots of Americans, people from different parts of the world have come here to enjoy Austin to see the town, great food, great ambience, great atmosphere. So hopefully every single person that comes here will infect someone else here, particularly in the States, whether they’re going to the airport, through the petrol station or wherever it is: ‘hey, did you see the race? You should watch it.’ Hopefully one by one, by word of mouth, it will catch on because it is an incredible sport and I think today maybe was a good race? Yeah, today it was one of the best so that’s a great. This track really is amazing and it’s enabled us to race which is what we all want.

I feel like I’m trying to compete with Sebastian when for all those years he was up here, Nico or whoever was up here with me, sitting here and it was again it was your day so we just sat there and enjoyed it, so I’m trying to exceed the length of time you were talking back then.

Sebastian Vettel: You’re still behind.

Lewis Hamilton: Yeah, I think I’m still behind.

Q: (Ted Kravitz – Sky Sports) Nico, I just wanted to ask: did you seem to feel that something went wrong on the car that made you go off the track like that and I know emotions were high in the cool-down room but why did you throw the hat back at Lewis?

Nico Rosberg: No, for sure I’m not saying there was something wrong with the car. For now, I’m assuming that it’s a mistake that I made, just getting too much wheelspin, going away on the cold tyres, the tyres weren’t fully up to temperature yet but it felt very very strange and it has never happened to me before like that, so it really is something that I definitely want to look into and try and understand. And that was just some games so nothing much, nothing more into that.

Q: (Tony DiZinno – NBC Sports) Lewis, how different does it feel to clinch a World Championship with multiple races remaining as opposed to doing so in the final race of the season?

Lewis Hamilton: To be honest, last year or the last two times obviously was really climatic in the last race. One was 17 seconds before the end of the race, I think it was something like that, and obviously last year it was amazing but it took a lot out of us, that race, because obviously it was double points, anything could have happened. This one still feels just as special, if not more special. I think this has to have topped last year for me, being as it’s equalling Ayrton, as I said before. Of course, I drive every year and I believe that I have the ability to win but with the way life goes, sometimes you have the luck with you, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes you have a good car, sometimes you don’t. I really didn’t think a few years ago that I would be sitting here. I thought that I would win championships at this team and as I said, that is why I moved here. It was never ‘I’m just going to take a chance.’ I don’t think I really… I did my due diligence and I believed it was the right choice. As a kid, I just wanted to be World Champion and so it’s kind of crazy to think that me and Ayrton, in terms of championships, stand on the same line which is just the greatest.

Q: (Kirk Bohls – Austin American-Statesman) Lewis, you mentioned the popularity of the sport, I’m curious, football is on a pedestal in this country. What can Formula One do to enhance the appeal for the population in the US?

Lewis Hamilton: I really don’t know what we need to do. I think lots of brain-storming and really just conversation with perhaps new people’s ideas. I’m assuming – because I don’t really know who makes the decisions – that it’s a group of people who have been there for some time, so always introducing new blood and new ideas and interacting with – I think they should really interact with people here in the States and try and figure out whether there’s something… Because for some reason, whatever it is, the Americans put on the greatest shows, whether it’s music, sports, games, whether it be basketball, NFL, they have the best games, the atmosphere, the way they put on the show is just outstanding and there’s something definitely that Formula One can learn from that. So as I said, maybe we need to hire some new people, I don’t know, but any ideas you guys have… I speak to Bernie and he’s like ‘yeah, any ideas you have’ so…

Q: (Kirk Bohls – Austin American-Statesman) Will having an American team help?

Lewis Hamilton: I don’t really know. I definitely think it will and having an American driver would be good but I think having more races here. It’s such a big country, I think we have to have more races here. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have at least two races here, it’s such a big place.

Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday) Nico, this is the second time in two years that you’ve sat where you are sitting. You’ve beaten Lewis on a number of occasions, you’re in a winning car, where do you go next? Back to the planning board, what do you do for next year, where are you going to get your motivation from?

Nico Rosberg: I haven’t thought about that yet. I’m still in today and today’s a disappointment. I don’t know. What am I going to say to that? Whatever happens in the past doesn’t change me going forward. It’s always full attack, big push, that’s the way I am.

Q: (Christopher Joseph – Chicane) Lewis, you speak a lot about being inspired by Ayrton, not only as a childhood hero but in terms of driving style etc etc and he spoke often of the zone and being in that zone driving-wise. Over the past couple of years you seem to have gone into another zone, a more spiritual zone with your driving and your outside life. Do you feel that way now?

Lewis Hamilton: Definitely. I think I’ve always had that but I think I express it a little bit more and I think having that freedom to be able to express myself in the way I want to and be who I want to be and who I am I think enables me to drive better than ever, than I have ever driven. It’s difficult to describe, the power that you feel from within, because it all comes from within in that belief and yeah, I think today is… I’m very very blessed to be able to do what I do and in the way I do it and to be here today, to have the experiences and opportunities that I’ve had in my life – you know, have my Dad stay around, good Mum, good friends. Yeah, very very very blessed.

Q: (Joseph D. Love – Tennessee Tribune) Once again I’d like to congratulate you on your third Formula One victory. You’ve broken all barriers…

Lewis Hamilton: Would you just say that again? Sorry, I didn’t hear you!

Q: (Joseph D. Love – Tennessee Tribune) Congratulations, Lewis, on your third Formula One World Championship…

Lewis Hamilton: Sounds good!

Q: (Joseph D. Love – Tennessee Tribune) Absolutely, absolutely. My question to you is: you’ve broken barriers, you done amazing things. Do you see yourself as a Formula One team owner in the future? Or as a musician?

Lewis Hamilton: You know what, I don’t have any desires to be a team boss. I’ve witnessed great team bosses in Ron, in Martin Whitmarsh, in Ross Brawn and in Niki and Toto. And I think I will stick to what I do best. Would I like to be a part of a team in the future? I’m sure that at some stage when I stop I’m going to have massive withdrawal symptoms because I’ve been doing it pretty much my whole life so there’s going to be that desire to be around racing in some capacity. So I do know that it’s not behind a camera, that’s what I definitely definitely know but never say never, as I said. I hope that…

Sebastian Vettel: In front of the camera!

Lewis Hamilton: Music I will continue to do for as long as I live because it’s just fun and enjoyable but there are so many other things I can do, I think, outside of racing and beyond what I do today so I think it’s just going to be finding that next path, when the time comes, hopefully it’s a long long time away from now. Don’t know what else to say.

Q: (Adam Tate – tributeracing.com) Sebastian, Lewis was talking about all the times we were sitting here watching when it was your day. You’ve each publicly stated you want a showdown with the other next year; is Ferrari ready to make that step? How badly do you want it to be your day again this time next year?

Sebastian Vettel: Well, on days like this, very badly. It’s a long way, for sure today it doesn’t feel as good as probably it should after a great race to be honest. When you start 14th and you finish on the podium that’s a pretty good. Equally, let’s not forget the targets that we set out in the beginning… it’s a new start for the entire team, with a lot of things changing. I think we’ve exceeded expectations this year by quite a lot so yeah, the target is to do better next year and to keep fighting until the end and be in a better position. Equally we have to be patient because it’s a big project, there’s a lot of effort that’s going in in Maranello and the people are really hungry and I think that probably the whole factory, the whole team here feels similar to me today whereas it’s great to know that we had a fantastic recovery and another strong race but equally it’s not so nice if you lose out on the championship, so the target is definitely to come back stronger next year and just to keep making progress. I think that’s the best medicine that we need to prescribe to us.

Photo credits: Mercedes AMG Petronas

October 26, 2015