Tag: susie wolff

F1 2015: British GP – Rosberg Tops FP1

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg topped the timing sheets at the end of the first free practice session.

Nico Rosberg set a fastest time of 1:34:274 ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton and Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen. The Mercedes driver sent a clear message of intent to Hamilton as he set the quickest time of the session despite missing out on the majority of the session due to a hydraulic leak.

The session was relatively error free for most drivers save for a few locked wheels and a couple of spins including one for Sauber driver Felipe Nasr. Kimi Raikkonen set the fourth fastest time in his Ferrari ahead of the second Toro Rosso of Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren had a difficult start to their weekend as “a leak” meant that Jenson Button was only able to complete a handful of laps towards the end of the session.

Sebastian Vettel was sixth fastest in the other Ferrari with Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing), Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull Racing), Nico Hulkenberg(Force India), and Felipe Massa (Williams) rounding out the top ten. Several test and development drivers had a rare opportunity of some track time and Susie Wolff was the quickest of this lot in thirteenth place. Jolyon Palmer was 14th in the Lotus of Romain Grosjean while Ferrari Academy driver Raffaele Marciello clocked the sixteenth fastest time for Sauber.

July 3, 2015

Wehrlein Tops The Time Sheets on Day 1 of Rain Hit Austria In-Season Test

Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein ended on top of the time sheets after the first day of the final in-season test at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The young German set a best time of 1:11.005, 0.187s clear of Force India’s Esteban Ocon who’s best time was 1:11.192.

The session got off to a very wet start on Tuesday morning with just Ferrari Academy driver Antonio Fuoco and McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne heading out for installation laps on full wets. The track remained quiet for the rest of the morning. The session was red-flagged 30mins in due to the heavy rains that showed no sign of letting up.

There was much deliberation between the teams to cancel running for the day and extend the test for an extra day to Thursday. It was eventually decided, as the rain started to ease up, that Monday’s running should be extended by 2 hours.

Cars started firing up and heading out after the lunch break. First on full wets and then on intermediates as the track quickly dried up. Not long after that it was time for dry weather tyres and we were able to see more cars on the track.

Finishing 3rd fastest for the day was Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen. He set a best time of 1:11.328 clocking up 97 laps, the most from all the drivers on the day.

Ferrari Academy driver Antonio Fuoco’s fastest time was 1:11.331 which was 0.326s off Wehrlein’s pace. He’s lap time steadily climbed all afternoon but a slight mistake into Turn 1 saw him spin off the track and hit the wall damaging the front end of the SF15-T. “I am very angry with myself for making a mistake today,” commented Fuoco. “But getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari has always been my dream and today it finally came true. All the same, I am pleased with the work I was able to do, gathering useful data for the team, even if the rain affected our programme today.”

GP2 driver Stoffel Vandoorne ended his day for McLaren 8th fastest 1.525s off the pace with a fastest time of 1:12.530 and managed to rack up 76 laps for the dayLotus’ Romain Grosjean ended his day 5th fastest ahead of Red Bull’s Peirre Gasly. Another Ferrari Academy driver Raffaele Marciello was in the driving seat at Sauber. He racked up 53 laps for the Swiss based team with his fastest time of the day of 1:11.826.

Williams test driver Susie Wolff was 9th fastest for Williams with a best time for her of 1:13.248. Wolff says that her runs in the dry were mainly for aerodynamic evaluations and preparation work for Silverstone. The Williams did emerge from the pits with interesting looking winglets ahead of the rear wheels which, if deemed legal, could provide the team with a really big advantage come Silverstone.

Force India were trailing parts for their B-spec car which they hope to run in Silverstone. Deputy Team Principal Robert Fernley says that the team hopes to have two complete B-spec cars ready for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. At the moment, he says they are on track to meet their deadline.

Wednesday’s driver line up:

Mercedes	Nico Rosberg
Ferrari	Esteban Gutierrez
Williams	Valtteri Bottas
Red Bull	Daniel Ricciardo
Force India	Pascal Wehrlein
Lotus	Jolyon Palmer
Sauber	Felipe Nasr
Toro Rosso	Marco Wittmann
McLaren	Fernando Alonso

Below is the unofficial timing sheet for Day 1 of the Austrian in-season test.

Pos	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Gap
1	Pascal Wehrlein	Mercedes	67	1:11.005	–
2	Esteban Ocon	Force India	76	1:11.192	+0.178
3	Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso	97	1:11.328	+0.323
4	Antonio Fuoco	Ferrari	71	1:11.331	+0.326
5	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	45	1:11.509	+0.504
6	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull	80	1:11.757	+0.752
7	Raffaele Marciello	Sauber	53	1:11.826	+0.821
8	Stoffel Vandoorne	McLaren	76	1:12.530	+1.525
9	Susie Wolff	Williams	39	1:13.248	+2.243

June 23, 2015

F1 2015: Malaysia GP Preview – Sepang First True Test

The first race of the season around Australia’s Albert Park circuit is a highly anticipated one. It’s the keenness to kick off a new F1 season which gives the streets of Melbourne that distinctive feeling of excitement. Its twenty-five points awarded to the winner are no less important than some of the more iconic races on the calendar but it can often disguise the teams’ true form and potential.

The second round of the season, around Malaysia’s Sepang International circuit, will highlight those who have taken a genuine step forward. Equally, the dazzlingly high-speed corners and tantalising long straights of Sepang is also going to emphasize any shortcomings a car might have.

Not much has changed at the sharp-end of the grid which Mercedes still, comfortably, dominate. But behind the silver arrows’ Williams and Ferrari appear to have traded places in the competitive order. Much of the Ferrari turnaround is down to the notorious power unit. Not long ago the Ferrari power unit more closely resembled a slow trotting donkey than its famed emblem of the prancing horse. But the Maranello team has produced a unit worthy of its heritage with a rumoured initial 80 horsepower gain since last year. It even has Williams raising a few eyebrows and admitting that the Ferrari unit may be “a bit quicker” than their Mercedes. This has made such a big change at Ferrari that it’s even spurred to normally tacit Kimi Raikkonen into a notably bullish state. “I believe in the race, we are not far from Mercedes. I’m sure we can be up there and fight at the front,” said Raikkonen.

At this stage no there has been no news on Valtteri Bottas’ readiness after suffering a partial muscle tear in the Oz quali session. If Bottas is not Finn he will undoubtedly be missed by Williams who will likely find themselves in a spicy fight for the podium with Ferrari. The lofty predictions for an all-out fight could not happen thanks to the temperamental weather system in the area.

Of the things that will happen this weekend Red Bull whinging and finding fault with Renault is a given. If their problems were evident Down Under then they will be glaring in Malaysia because Sepang is a power hungry circuit and Red Bull has nothing to feed it. So unhappy is Red Bull with the competitive order that Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, has threatened that Red Bull will quit the sport because of its current regulations. Team boss Christian Horner suggests that the FIA should look into an equalising engine performance to close up the field. It’s quite ironic, and perhaps even a bit hypocritical, given Red Bull plethora of victories during Vettel’s four consecutive championship seasons.

Let’s be clear Red Bull may have won four consecutive drivers and constructors championships but it doesn’t have the legacy of a Ferrari or Williams or McLaren so its threat to quit the sport doesn’t elicit the same fear. In the meantime, they’ll do their PR image a huge favour by taking it on the chin and focusing on the track. The form suggest that their fight will be for the lower points paying positions with Lotus and Toro Rosso and perhaps on a good day they may even challenge for a top five place.

Malaysia will provide a more realistic pecking order which will unquestionably be headed by Mercedes. It is ridiculous to suggest that the mighty Silver Arrows will face any form of pressure but it will be fascinating to see Sepang reveal Ferrari’s true progress.

March 25, 2015
Maldonado Puts Lotus on Top of the Time Sheets for Day one of Second Test

Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado finished the first day of the second winter test ahead of the pack after running with the soft compound tyre.

Maldonado’s time of 1:25.011 was 0.156s faster than Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari who held the top spot for most of the day. Although he set the fastest time, it was not a trouble free day for the Venezualan. He stopped twice on track in the morning sessions with sensor issues. Nevertheless a very good day for Lotus.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen enjoyed a good run of 74 laps for the day. Holding the top spot for most of the day is very encouraging for Ferrari at the moment with his and Maldonado’s fastest times are faster than Lewis Hamilton’s pole setting time for the Spanish Grand Prix last year.

Ricciardo finished the day in 3rd for Red Bull with Force India’s Sergio Perez finishing the day in 4th. The Mexican was not scheduled to drive today but was called up when Lewis Hamilton took ill after completing a few laps in the morning. Which meant that the Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein who was driving for Force India today, had to swap the Force India overalls for the Mercedes ones to take Hamilton’s place. Wehrlein managed 8th for Force India and 9th for Mercedes.

Felipe Nasr showed strong pace in the morning session for Sauber completing 79 laps. He ended the day in 5th. Max Verstappen ended the day in 6th with 94 laps on the board, the highest lap count for the day.

Jenson Button’s day came to an early end after and MGU-K failure. The word from McLaren is that they will need to redesign the MGU-K component and that the engine would need to be replaced until the MGU-K was redesigned. There was no guarantee from Honda that the problem may not occur again. Fernando Alonso, who was scheduled to drive on Saturday and Sunday will be in the car tomorrow to prevent Button from having his day affected by the problem.

Susie Wolff ended her day in 10th ahead for Williams ahead of Lewis Hamilton in 11th. Wolff collided with Sauber’s Felipe Nasr on track in the afternoon session. The contact between the two resulted in Nasr ending up in the T5 barriers with Wolff coming to a stop in the gravel. At the time Wolff was on an out-lap while Nasr was supposedly on a timed lap. Both drivers blame each other for the incident.

After Hamilton took ill, news emerged that Nico Rosberg had an inflamed nerve in his neck and will have to rest until the swelling subsides. It looks as though Wehrlein will be driving the Mercedes for a bit longer.

Below are the unofficial times for Day 1 of the second pre-season test

February 19, 2015
F1 2014: German GP Free Practice 1 Report – Rosberg Tops

The first free practice session for the German grand prix got underway under glorious blue skies.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg topped the timing sheets ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

Williams development driver Susie Wolff completed her second outing for the British based team. However, the first lap out of the pits revealed an issue which required the Scottish driver to limp back to the pitlane in 1st gear. Thanfully, the engineers were able to sort out the issue and sent Wolff back out. Wolff completed a total of 22 laps and set a fastest time of 1:20:769, roughly two tenths slower than teammate Felipe Massa.

The session progressed without incident although Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was forced back into the pitlane early on with a water pump problem. The Finn, fully recovered from his heavy Silverstone crash, clocked the 8th fastest time overall.

Albeit the early stages of the weekend, the Red Bull pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were able to set a relatively similar long run pace to that of Mercedes. The second free practice session will reveal a clearer picture of the pecking order for Sunday’s German GP.

July 18, 2014
F1 2014: German GP Preview – German or Englishman?

The battle for supremacy between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has been so enthralling that somehow the Formula 1 season is already on the cusp of its tenth round.

Hockenheim returns for the first time since 2012 to not only the new hybrid Formula but also to a new pecking order. In 2012, the Hockenheimring had its first introduction to both DRS and Pirelli tyres. Red Bull Racing and Lotus arrived at that grand prix as the likely podium contenders. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso won the race from Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen.

The circuit’s 4.574 km layout is a blend of long straights and final sector medium-speed corners. The hairpin in the first sector of the lap is a key area for overtaking which places commands good braking performance. Despite a relatively short lap driver and engineers need 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.

The 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 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. Teams such as Ferrari will need to devote more time towards their qualifying pace in order to avoid starting mid-grid and the possibility of a first-lap incident.

Before then, the first one and a half hours of free practice will be the centre of attention as Williams’ development driver Susie Wolff gets another opportunity to participate in an official session. However, don’t expect any flashy laptimes from the Scot. The main aim is to run through Williams’ program which is geared towards set-up of the car rather than outright pace.

Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull didn’t have the pace to challenge for victory around the Hockenheimring two years ago and it’s not much is different in 2014. The reigning champion is unlikely to match the Mercedes but the Red Bull may have a better outing this weekend thanks to the aerodynamic demands of the final sector.

Out of the car the verbal digs continue between the two Mercedes drivers. Ahead of the German GP Lewis Hamilton noted that seeing as Nico Rosberg was raised in Monaco he could not consider himself German. Rosberg responded to his teammate by describing himself as “100% German.” It is clear that Hamilton is continuing his methodical psychological battle against Nico Rosberg as much out of the car as on the track. Some may think it’s nonsense and that the Brit should get on with driving. However, the make-up of Lewis Hamilton the racing driver dictates he exploits every possible advantage, in whichever form it is presented.

It was crucial for Hamilton to strike back at Silverstone and it will be an important long-term victory if he does the same this weekend. The biggest incentive for Lewis Hamilton to bring that same intensity to the track is the chance to take over the lead of the driver’s championship.

July 16, 2014
F1 2014:Free Practice 1 Report – Rosberg Fastest at Silverstone

Nico Rosberg topped the timing sheets at the end of the First Free Practice session for the 2014 British GP.

The second of the Mercedes Lewis Hamilton ended second fastest time but remained seven and a half tenths off Rosberg’s pace. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso clocked the fourth fastest time ahead Daniel Ricciardo and teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

All eyes were on Williams development driver Susie Wolff as she became the first woman in twenty-two years to take part in an official Formula 1 session. An initial flying lap in the mid 44s would be the only lap that the Scot would register as an oil pressure and engine issue brought her run to a premature end.

Despite the disappointment Wolff cherished the opportunity to get out on track and gracefully accepted that sometimes motorsport is a tad unfair. Wolff will be out for Williams again at Hockenheim in preparation for the German grand prix.

The misery continued for the Grove based team when Felipe Massa destroyed his Williams after dipping a wheel on to the artificial turf. The car sustained severe damage to all four corners and will have to undergo significant repair work. Massa celebrates his 200th F1 race this weekend.

July 4, 2014
F1 2014: British GP Preview – 50 Years of Silverstone Splendour

Year upon year the world of Formula 1 undergoes changes. From rule changes to regulation shifts to not-so good looking cars. Yet, through all of its transformations and guises the lineage of Formula 1 has always been protected, honoured and celebrated.

Nestled in the English countryside of Northamptonshire Silverstone will celebrate its 50^th year of hosting the British grand prix. In recent history Lewis Hamilton’s stunning 2008 victory lingers one of the most memorable. The masterful drive in treacherously wet conditions remains one of Hamilton’s finest. After failing to score in the previous two rounds Hamilton’s natural talent shone in difficult conditions and earned him a first victory on home soil. It proved to be the turning-point in the 2008 season at the end of which he would be crowned world champion.

In 2014 the Silverstone circuit and its facilities look slightly different but remains a cherished challenge. After announcing a 17-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone Silverstone was unveiled in 2011 with a new pits and paddock complex in addition to an in-field sector after the Abbey chicane. Importantly, the glorious sections of Maggots, Becketts and Chapel and Copse corner have been preserved.

Silverstone is a circuit characterised by high speed corners and one which tests aerodynamic performance to the limit. This combination may bode well for Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. The Red Bull RB10 is clearly not the fastest package on the grid however the Milton Keyes factory has produced a good chassis which only limitation is its power unit. The root of Red Bull’s issues in 2014 has been due to under par Renault ‘engine.’ The French manufacturer has continually tried to optimise performance but the reality is that the Renault power unit baseline is significantly lower than that of the Mercedes which makes catching up nearly impossible.

Were Red Bull equipped with a Mercedes power unit we may have seen a significantly closer fight for the title. But at least for now Christian Horner and Red Bull are sticking with Renault power which has led them to four consecutive world championships.

Nico Rosberg won for Mercedes at Silverstone last year in the midst of several Pirelli tyre failures. Lewis Hamilton was one who fell victim to the suspect rubber in 2013 and is a driver who needs to make in-roads on his championship-leading teammate. Hamilton, twenty-nine points adrift, needs to finish ahead of Rosberg this weekend if he is to keep the championship dream alive. Yet, Rosberg’s crafty, under-the-radar manner will aid him on a weekend where all the focus and pressure shifts to home-grown hero Lewis Hamilton.

On the back of a strong weekend in Austria the Williams team are worth keeping an eye on if only for the possibility of finishing best-of-the-rest. The Grove based team has finally unlocked some of the pace and potential it displayed in pre-season testing with a first-ever podium finish for Valtteri Bottas. Williams’ qualifying pace in Austria was owing to its ability to get the tyres up to temperature much quicker which will be handy in the cooler British conditions.

History will me made in the first free practice session for the British grand prix as Williams development driver Susie Wolff takes to the track. Wolff will become the first woman to take part in an official F1 session in 22 years. Go Susie!

Ferrari’s hit and miss season, with decidedly more miss, is set to continue as the team has ruled out the possibility of closing the gap to Mercedes. As a result of homologated engines and the team reaching the limit of improvements it can make on the power unit The Maranello team will turn its attention to the 2015 season.

Theoretically when it all shakes out towards the end of the season Lewis Hamilton should have enough in his armoury to beat Nico Rosberg. However, theories are just that – a combination of ideas based on speculation. What Hamilton needs is a dominant performance on the track starting at Silverstone.

July 3, 2014
Susie Wolff Gets FP1 Outings In 2014

Susie Wolff is set to break the 22 year long wait for a woman in Formula 1.

The Williams F1 team confirmed earlier that Wolff would continue her role as development driver alongside new signing Felipe Nasr. Wolff has tested for the Williams team on several previous ocassions including a run in the revamped young drivers test last season.

The team confirmed that Wolff will take to the track in two free practice one sessions in the 2014 season with Silverstone and Hockenheim the circuits of choice. She will also complete a days running during one of the eight in-season testing days.

“I’m grateful for the support and belief Williams continue to show in me and 2014 promises to be a very important milestone in my career,” said Wolff.

“Competing in two FP1 sessions, alongside an additional full test day this season will be a big step and I am looking forward to the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the FW36 on a grand prix weekend.”

Wolff will become the first woman in more than two decades to take part in a grand prix weekend.

February 25, 2014
Adrian Sutil sets the morning pace at Young Driver Test

Adrian Sutil set the early pace on the final morning of the Young Driver Test at Silverstone, putting Force India back on top of the time sheets.

Carlos Sainz Jr, who ventured out for Red Bull for the morning session, ended in second place ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Jean-Eric Vergne for Toro Rosso.

Susie Wolff, who is testing for Williams today, focused on aero testing and finished in 8th place after a rather impressive morning. A big day for F1 as Wolff becomes the first woman to take part in the tests.

Here is the full time sheet for the morning.

Photo: Official Force India Twitter account

July 19, 2013