Formula One: 2018 Season News and Discussion Thread
10-29-2018, 01:05 PM
#1241
Moderator
Thread Starter
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...aAc4qkoIy.html
Formula 1 is a team sport, but it’s rare to hear a driver say he willingly sacrificed his own race chances to aid a team mate as Marcus Ericsson did in Mexico.
Sauber got both their drivers into Q3 on Saturday, but then had to start the race on the hypersoft tyre that was proving so troublesome during Friday practice.
Charles Leclerc was the lead car on track and managed to pull away from his team mate to finish in seventh, while Ericsson defended against Sergio Perez for a number of laps during a long first stint, and the Swede - who picked up two points in ninth - says his role was to aid Leclerc’s points return.
“The plan was just to help Charles’ race basically,” Ericsson said. “I was just sacrificing my race completely to help him.
“I wanted to box many laps earlier because I knew I was throwing away my race, but for the team and for Charles I had to try and keep these cars behind to help him open the gap. So I did that for the team, but it was frustrating because it felt like I was throwing away my chances of points.
“Then on top of that we had a problem in the pit stop and we lost nine seconds in the pits. So with all that I came out after my pit stop and I was 15 seconds behind the next car in last. So I thought it was over, and still I managed to do a second stint that was unbelievable, with the pace and I managed to keep the tyres alive.
“And then when I got all this pressure from the Toro Rossos and from Ocon - all these guys putting massive pressure on me - and still keeping them behind. I don’t really know how I managed to do it, but I did and I’m really, really happy about it.”
Ericsson described the performance as one of his best in Formula 1, and insists he did not hesitate to help the team get the best overall result - even if he was 'fuming' inside the car during the opening stint.
“I think that’s one of the things with me, I’ve always been a team player. I’ve always done everything for the team, I always put the team first and I think that’s one of my abilities that people value a lot and I will always do that.
“I think I did that in a very big way, and I think even Charles acknowledged that as well, that I helped him a lot in the race. He even thanked me after the race, as he knew that without me he would not have been able to do that race. So that’s what I did and it was good for the team.”
As Ericsson pointed out, Leclerc was aware of his team mate’s role but was also keen to praise Sauber’s overall performance after a tricky Friday of practice.
“In the end it’s also teamwork and I think he did a very good job,” Leclerc said. “It has helped us to score the points. Obviously the performance was there all weekend, but the train was also something that has helped us.
“It’s a great race for us. P7, performance was really amazing, especially at the end of the race. We took it very safely because we knew tyre management would be a big thing, and at the end we could actually push and I think the potential of the car was definitely there. Overtaking Hulkenberg would have been very difficult because it’s very difficult to overtake here, but overall a very good race.
“It was also a very good weekend overall because we struggled quite a lot on Friday, and to recover with both cars in Q3 and both cars in the points is great. We also passed Toro Rosso in the constructors’ championship, which was the main target.”
Sauber, eighth in the constructor standings, moved three points clear of Toro Rosso with the result in Mexico, as Pierre Gasly picked up a solitary point in tenth place.
Sauber got both their drivers into Q3 on Saturday, but then had to start the race on the hypersoft tyre that was proving so troublesome during Friday practice.
Charles Leclerc was the lead car on track and managed to pull away from his team mate to finish in seventh, while Ericsson defended against Sergio Perez for a number of laps during a long first stint, and the Swede - who picked up two points in ninth - says his role was to aid Leclerc’s points return.
“The plan was just to help Charles’ race basically,” Ericsson said. “I was just sacrificing my race completely to help him.
“I wanted to box many laps earlier because I knew I was throwing away my race, but for the team and for Charles I had to try and keep these cars behind to help him open the gap. So I did that for the team, but it was frustrating because it felt like I was throwing away my chances of points.
“Then on top of that we had a problem in the pit stop and we lost nine seconds in the pits. So with all that I came out after my pit stop and I was 15 seconds behind the next car in last. So I thought it was over, and still I managed to do a second stint that was unbelievable, with the pace and I managed to keep the tyres alive.
“And then when I got all this pressure from the Toro Rossos and from Ocon - all these guys putting massive pressure on me - and still keeping them behind. I don’t really know how I managed to do it, but I did and I’m really, really happy about it.”
Ericsson described the performance as one of his best in Formula 1, and insists he did not hesitate to help the team get the best overall result - even if he was 'fuming' inside the car during the opening stint.
“I think that’s one of the things with me, I’ve always been a team player. I’ve always done everything for the team, I always put the team first and I think that’s one of my abilities that people value a lot and I will always do that.
“I think I did that in a very big way, and I think even Charles acknowledged that as well, that I helped him a lot in the race. He even thanked me after the race, as he knew that without me he would not have been able to do that race. So that’s what I did and it was good for the team.”
As Ericsson pointed out, Leclerc was aware of his team mate’s role but was also keen to praise Sauber’s overall performance after a tricky Friday of practice.
“In the end it’s also teamwork and I think he did a very good job,” Leclerc said. “It has helped us to score the points. Obviously the performance was there all weekend, but the train was also something that has helped us.
“It’s a great race for us. P7, performance was really amazing, especially at the end of the race. We took it very safely because we knew tyre management would be a big thing, and at the end we could actually push and I think the potential of the car was definitely there. Overtaking Hulkenberg would have been very difficult because it’s very difficult to overtake here, but overall a very good race.
“It was also a very good weekend overall because we struggled quite a lot on Friday, and to recover with both cars in Q3 and both cars in the points is great. We also passed Toro Rosso in the constructors’ championship, which was the main target.”
Sauber, eighth in the constructor standings, moved three points clear of Toro Rosso with the result in Mexico, as Pierre Gasly picked up a solitary point in tenth place.
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Chief F1 Fan (10-29-2018)
10-29-2018, 02:54 PM
#1242
AZ Community Team
10-30-2018, 09:40 AM
#1244
Moderator
Thread Starter
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...ted-verstappen
Daniel Ricciardo's Mexican Grand Prix pole celebrations left his Red Bull Formula 1 team-mate Max Verstappen even more "agitated" at his qualifying defeat, his father Jos has revealed.
Verstappen had swept practice at the Mexico City circuit and led the way after the opening runs in the Q3 pole position shootout session.
But Ricciardo improved at the death to deny Verstappen by 0.026 seconds, preventing the Dutchman from becoming F1's youngest-ever polesitter.
Verstappen, who described his qualifying as "crap" and blamed losing pole on a brake-locking issue, went on to win the race on Sunday.
He admitted afterwards he "didn't sleep very well" after his qualifying disappointment.
"I wasn't happy either, but I spoke to him before going to sleep. I tried to calm him down a bit," Jos Verstappen told Dutch TV show Peptalk.
"He was upset because the car wasn't right. [On Sunday morning] he said right away he slept very badly.
"He was irritated because he missed out on pole and because of the car, but also because of Ricciardo's exuberance celebrating pole.
"So he was really agitated and he only wanted one thing - to win that race."
Asked whether he was concerned about his son's state of mind coming into the race, Jos said: "I already received messages from my sister and my daughter saying, 'Hopefully he won't do anything crazy'. But usually when Max is mad he just goes faster."
Ricciardo bogged down from pole at the start of race, and was passed immediately by both Verstappen and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton then challenged Verstappen for first on the run to Turn 1, but the Dutchman held the inside line and retained the lead, and controlled the race from there.
"In the end it was a good thing he started from second place," Jos said.
"If you look at Hamilton's start and how he gets in between the Red Bulls, Max would have been on the outside if he had started on pole.
"It all worked out well."
Verstappen had swept practice at the Mexico City circuit and led the way after the opening runs in the Q3 pole position shootout session.
But Ricciardo improved at the death to deny Verstappen by 0.026 seconds, preventing the Dutchman from becoming F1's youngest-ever polesitter.
Verstappen, who described his qualifying as "crap" and blamed losing pole on a brake-locking issue, went on to win the race on Sunday.
He admitted afterwards he "didn't sleep very well" after his qualifying disappointment.
"I wasn't happy either, but I spoke to him before going to sleep. I tried to calm him down a bit," Jos Verstappen told Dutch TV show Peptalk.
"He was upset because the car wasn't right. [On Sunday morning] he said right away he slept very badly.
"He was irritated because he missed out on pole and because of the car, but also because of Ricciardo's exuberance celebrating pole.
"So he was really agitated and he only wanted one thing - to win that race."
Asked whether he was concerned about his son's state of mind coming into the race, Jos said: "I already received messages from my sister and my daughter saying, 'Hopefully he won't do anything crazy'. But usually when Max is mad he just goes faster."
Ricciardo bogged down from pole at the start of race, and was passed immediately by both Verstappen and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton then challenged Verstappen for first on the run to Turn 1, but the Dutchman held the inside line and retained the lead, and controlled the race from there.
"In the end it was a good thing he started from second place," Jos said.
"If you look at Hamilton's start and how he gets in between the Red Bulls, Max would have been on the outside if he had started on pole.
"It all worked out well."
10-30-2018, 11:16 AM
#1246
Moderator
Thread Starter
IMO, still shows some immaturity. 
My meanie teammate took my pole position
He won the race, which should bolster his spirits way more than a pole position.
Let your driving do the talking & don't get butt-hurt when it doesn't go your way. At least his car isn't cursed.
My meanie teammate took my pole position He won the race, which should bolster his spirits way more than a pole position.
Let your driving do the talking & don't get butt-hurt when it doesn't go your way. At least his car isn't cursed.
10-30-2018, 02:46 PM
#1248
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Thread Starter
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...velopment-role
Robert Kubica could take up a development role at the Ferrari Formula 1 team next season.
The one-time grand prix winner has not given up returning to the F1 grid with Williams in 2019, having missed out on a sensational comeback this year.
Kubica sustained career-changing injuries in a rally accident in early 2011 and has not raced in F1 since, but his incredible recovery led to testing for Renault and Williams last year and he secured some financial backing to help land a '18 Williams drive.
While he missed out on that and had to settle for a reserve driver role with Williams instead, that has facilitated his first grand prix weekend action since Abu Dhabi in 2010 and he is on the team's shortlist to partner George Russell next year.
But Williams needs to commercialise its second seat and while Kubica is believed to have access to more funding than before it is not enough to plug a gap.
Sources have indicated Williams could need as much £15-20million.
Kubica has made it clear he is not prepared to wait too long to learn his fate, after Williams only confirmed Sergey Sirotkin for 2018 in January.
He is understood to have had discussions over a simulator position with Ferrari, which needs to replace Antonio Giovinazzi and Daniil Kvyat because its 2018 development drivers have secured '19 F1 drives with Sauber and Toro Rosso respectively.
Kubica would not be a reserve driver at Ferrari because Giovinazzi would be called up from Sauber should either Sebastian Vettel or Charles Leclerc be unavailable.
Ferrari has relied heavily on its development drivers this season and the work on the simulator over grand prix weekends has often been specifically credited for turnarounds in form from practice to qualifying and the race.
Kubica is not thought to have agreed a deal with Ferrari yet.
Speaking earlier this month, he said: "Of course the target will be to be on the grid next year, but, as I said, I cannot wait until December.
"The situation is quite clear, and we will see. I think the team is evaluating different scenarios, and they are right to do it.
"And I'm doing, on my side, some other stuff."
Should Kubica join Ferrari as a simulator driver, he would finally link up with the team he should have raced for in F1 had he not suffered his rallying accident.
Earlier this year, the Pole confirmed the long-running rumour that he had agreed to move from Renault to Ferrari for the 2012 F1 season.
He said he had signed a contract with then-Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.
Kubica also said driving for Ferrari was one of the three goals he had in his career: the others were racing in F1 and winning the world championship.
The one-time grand prix winner has not given up returning to the F1 grid with Williams in 2019, having missed out on a sensational comeback this year.
Kubica sustained career-changing injuries in a rally accident in early 2011 and has not raced in F1 since, but his incredible recovery led to testing for Renault and Williams last year and he secured some financial backing to help land a '18 Williams drive.
While he missed out on that and had to settle for a reserve driver role with Williams instead, that has facilitated his first grand prix weekend action since Abu Dhabi in 2010 and he is on the team's shortlist to partner George Russell next year.
But Williams needs to commercialise its second seat and while Kubica is believed to have access to more funding than before it is not enough to plug a gap.
Sources have indicated Williams could need as much £15-20million.
Kubica has made it clear he is not prepared to wait too long to learn his fate, after Williams only confirmed Sergey Sirotkin for 2018 in January.
He is understood to have had discussions over a simulator position with Ferrari, which needs to replace Antonio Giovinazzi and Daniil Kvyat because its 2018 development drivers have secured '19 F1 drives with Sauber and Toro Rosso respectively.
Kubica would not be a reserve driver at Ferrari because Giovinazzi would be called up from Sauber should either Sebastian Vettel or Charles Leclerc be unavailable.
Ferrari has relied heavily on its development drivers this season and the work on the simulator over grand prix weekends has often been specifically credited for turnarounds in form from practice to qualifying and the race.
Kubica is not thought to have agreed a deal with Ferrari yet.
Speaking earlier this month, he said: "Of course the target will be to be on the grid next year, but, as I said, I cannot wait until December.
"The situation is quite clear, and we will see. I think the team is evaluating different scenarios, and they are right to do it.
"And I'm doing, on my side, some other stuff."
Should Kubica join Ferrari as a simulator driver, he would finally link up with the team he should have raced for in F1 had he not suffered his rallying accident.
Earlier this year, the Pole confirmed the long-running rumour that he had agreed to move from Renault to Ferrari for the 2012 F1 season.
He said he had signed a contract with then-Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.
Kubica also said driving for Ferrari was one of the three goals he had in his career: the others were racing in F1 and winning the world championship.
10-31-2018, 08:13 AM
#1249
AZ Community Team
This is a area that is very unfair to the other teams and gives an advantage to Ferrari
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/29/ferr...hoo&yptr=yahoo
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/29/ferr...hoo&yptr=yahoo
It's been nearly a decade since Ferrari last drove its way to a Formula One Drivers' Championship, but the iconic Italian brand remains one of motorsports biggest assets.
Ferrari could only look on and wonder what might have been during the 2018 season, as a combination of its own errors and the superior driving from Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton meant the individual race honors went elsewhere.
It is the only team that has been competing in Formula One continuously since the championship was launched in 1950, and it is richly rewarded for doing so.
Ferrari's importance to Formula 1 is evident in particular through a unique "Long Standing Team" payment of more than $62 million it receives every year from the sports owners Liberty Media. That's on top of a Constructors Championship Bonus of around $38 million, which is also given out to the teams of Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.
That means Ferrari makes over $100 million per year, even before a single car reaches the start line. With two Grand Prix remaining in the 2018 season that has only translated into just six wins from a possible nineteen.
The Maranello-based company has never been shy is voicing its objections as part of maintaining its status on the grid, despite not winning races. Prior to his death in July 2018, the former head of Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne had been against proposals by Liberty Media to impose new car restrictions and a cost cap, even threatening on occasion to walk away from the sport.
"We go to the track to prove to ourselves and to everyone our ability to manage the power unit. If we begin to undermine this advantage, Ferrari has no intention of racing," Marchionne said back in December 2015, when Formula One was still under the control of Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management (FOM). "I understand very well the difficulties that smaller teams face, but this is something that FOM has to solve; it is not something Ferrari has to solve."
By winning the drivers' title for a fifth time in 2018, Hamilton has moved into joint second on the all-time list of champions, level with Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio and two behind Michael Schumacher.
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel (although none of those successes came with Ferrari), will be joined by the talented Monacan driver Charles LeClerc at Ferrari next season. Vettel is already looking to the future and is promising to learn from the failures of this campaign.
While congratulating Hamilton as the Briton clinched the title with a fourth place finish in Mexico, Vettel said: "Number five is something incredible. I asked him to keep pushing for next year and be at his best to fight him again."
Ferrari could only look on and wonder what might have been during the 2018 season, as a combination of its own errors and the superior driving from Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton meant the individual race honors went elsewhere.
It is the only team that has been competing in Formula One continuously since the championship was launched in 1950, and it is richly rewarded for doing so.
Ferrari's importance to Formula 1 is evident in particular through a unique "Long Standing Team" payment of more than $62 million it receives every year from the sports owners Liberty Media. That's on top of a Constructors Championship Bonus of around $38 million, which is also given out to the teams of Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.
That means Ferrari makes over $100 million per year, even before a single car reaches the start line. With two Grand Prix remaining in the 2018 season that has only translated into just six wins from a possible nineteen.
The Maranello-based company has never been shy is voicing its objections as part of maintaining its status on the grid, despite not winning races. Prior to his death in July 2018, the former head of Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne had been against proposals by Liberty Media to impose new car restrictions and a cost cap, even threatening on occasion to walk away from the sport.
"We go to the track to prove to ourselves and to everyone our ability to manage the power unit. If we begin to undermine this advantage, Ferrari has no intention of racing," Marchionne said back in December 2015, when Formula One was still under the control of Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management (FOM). "I understand very well the difficulties that smaller teams face, but this is something that FOM has to solve; it is not something Ferrari has to solve."
By winning the drivers' title for a fifth time in 2018, Hamilton has moved into joint second on the all-time list of champions, level with Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio and two behind Michael Schumacher.
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel (although none of those successes came with Ferrari), will be joined by the talented Monacan driver Charles LeClerc at Ferrari next season. Vettel is already looking to the future and is promising to learn from the failures of this campaign.
While congratulating Hamilton as the Briton clinched the title with a fourth place finish in Mexico, Vettel said: "Number five is something incredible. I asked him to keep pushing for next year and be at his best to fight him again."
10-31-2018, 09:08 AM
#1250
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"That means Ferrari makes over $100 million per year, even before a single car reaches the start line. With two Grand Prix remaining in the 2018 season that has only translated into just six wins from a possible nineteen." Or, that means Ferrari offsets its $400M plus yearly expenditure by $100M. lol
10-31-2018, 09:15 AM
#1251
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Jackie Stewart's wife diagnosed with dementia:
Some old video to go along with the story.
Some old video to go along with the story.
Facebook Post
10-31-2018, 09:47 AM
#1253
AZ Community Team
^ 
, Helen Stewart supported and comforted other F1 driver's wives that were killed or injured in the late 60's and early 70's
, Helen Stewart supported and comforted other F1 driver's wives that were killed or injured in the late 60's and early 70's
Last edited by Legend2TL; 10-31-2018 at 09:50 AM.
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Chief F1 Fan (10-31-2018)
10-31-2018, 01:01 PM
#1254
AZ Community Team
My title bid unravelled in Singapore - Vettel
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/title-b...33100--f1.html
Vettel's no BS excuse for his season, pretty sincere and straightforward
Vettel's no BS excuse for his season, pretty sincere and straightforward
10-31-2018, 03:54 PM
#1255
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It was done 4 races before Singapore (Germany)
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kurtatx (11-01-2018)
10-31-2018, 06:29 PM
#1257
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Hartley out YuUUUUGE shock
https://www.planetf1.com/news/hartle...so-axe-report/
https://www.planetf1.com/news/hartle...so-axe-report/
10-31-2018, 10:06 PM
#1258
Senior Moderator
Poor Hartley
It's been a little quiet recently on the replacement rumors. Wonder when RB will make an announcement.
It's been a little quiet recently on the replacement rumors. Wonder when RB will make an announcement.
11-01-2018, 06:17 AM
#1259
AZ Community Team
Nice guy but Toro Rosso's a tough team to work for, Sébastian Bourdais wrote about it after his lawsuit (which he won) against the team
11-01-2018, 06:29 AM
#1260
AZ Community Team
Weekend of a champion - F1 documentary Jackie Stewart Monaco GP 1971
Since Stewart is in the news, here's Roman Polanski documentary "Weekend of a Champion" about Jackie Stewart at the Monaco GP in 1971.
Have not seen the whole thing but some of the track scenes are really good especially in the wet.
Released in 1972, it was re-released again in 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekend_of_a_Champion
Last edited by Legend2TL; 11-01-2018 at 06:33 AM.
11-02-2018, 07:53 AM
#1261
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"Neeeeow"
the guy behind the background noise at the USGP
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fsttyms1 (11-05-2018)
11-02-2018, 09:28 AM
#1262
AZ Community Team
Why did Daniel's clutch fail? F1 Update Craig Scarborough by Peter Windsor
Excellent explanation and view of F1 car clutch.
That's a very small diameter clutch considering it transmits ~900HP
11-02-2018, 10:13 AM
#1263
AZ Community Team
Ferrari has not had a dominant car at any point in F1 2018 - Vettel
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ferrari...141410209.html .
To me (just a spectator) it looked like Ferrari had a better car at some races this season.
As to the dominant car of 2018 it's difficult to say, as Ferrari had numeroud strategy errors but the chassis and powertrain engineers did their job pretty well this season even if they didn't get WDC and WCC.
The Mercedes and Ferrari looked closer than 2017 and were both better than Red Bull and the rest of the teams.
To me (just a spectator) it looked like Ferrari had a better car at some races this season. As to the dominant car of 2018 it's difficult to say, as Ferrari had numeroud strategy errors but the chassis and powertrain engineers did their job pretty well this season even if they didn't get WDC and WCC.
The Mercedes and Ferrari looked closer than 2017 and were both better than Red Bull and the rest of the teams.
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fsttyms1 (11-05-2018)
11-02-2018, 10:28 AM
#1264
~HondaF1~
At the end of the day, it will be regarded as pure domination these past several years of the turbo era. I'm done with it.
After all, there are still 2 races to go and it's already over for the WDC, WCC is kinda up for grabs but...... we shall see.
After all, there are still 2 races to go and it's already over for the WDC, WCC is kinda up for grabs but...... we shall see.
11-03-2018, 10:43 AM
#1265
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I would say it obviously lies in the interpretation of Seb's use of the word "dominantion." If he means that in the context of past years where MBZ was clearly ahead every weekend by a sizable margin I would agree that the Ferrari was not the car with that kind of advantage this year. It was however, better at a large number of races by a slight advantage over qualifying laps but not necessarily consistently over the length of a race in pace.
11-03-2018, 09:13 PM
#1266
Rooting for Acura
iTrader: (1)
Could this be the reason behind Mecedes' horrible tire blistering?
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139836/inside-mercedes-controversial-f1-wheels
Well that and those overly aggressive tire choices Pirrelli is using this year. What are they again? Double Bubble, Trident and Bubblicious? Please go back to hard, medium and soft, or at least medium, soft and supersoft.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139836/inside-mercedes-controversial-f1-wheels
Well that and those overly aggressive tire choices Pirrelli is using this year. What are they again? Double Bubble, Trident and Bubblicious? Please go back to hard, medium and soft, or at least medium, soft and supersoft.
11-04-2018, 02:09 PM
#1267
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Saw this and forgot to post it
Driver swap time for Alonso and Jimmie Johnson at Bahrain
F1 Star Fernando Alonso and NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson to Trade Race Cars in Bahrain Swap Test - The Drive
F1 Star Fernando Alonso and NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson to Trade Race Cars in Bahrain Swap Test - The Drive
11-04-2018, 06:35 PM
#1268
AZ Community Team
Driver swap time for Alonso and Jimmie Johnson at Bahrain
F1 Star Fernando Alonso and NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson to Trade Race Cars in Bahrain Swap Test - The Drive
F1 Star Fernando Alonso and NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson to Trade Race Cars in Bahrain Swap Test - The Drive
Just read another article about it and was going to post it. Some of the Zac Brown comments get into logistics and who's going to pay for it.
Jimmie Johnson, Fernando Alonso to swap rides
When Stewart and Gordon finished their drives and took off their helmets, they had the biggest grins.
Still wonder how Tony fit into the McLaren cockpit?
11-04-2018, 06:42 PM
#1269
AZ Community Team
Rival teams eye Ferrari's disgruntled Binotto - report
https://sports.yahoo.com/ferrari-bos...192949946.html
https://www.wheels24.co.za/FormulaOn...eport-20181028
I like how MB fans are trying to lure Ferrari Technical Director Binotto via Twitter, the reason there may be some substance there is MB technical director James Allison worked with Binotto at Ferrari and MB car designer (another former Ferrari F1 car designer) Aldo Costa is heading to semi-retirement and the 2019 car is being designed by his staff. Costa has designed the past 6 years of MB F1 cars.
https://www.wheels24.co.za/FormulaOn...eport-20181028
I like how MB fans are trying to lure Ferrari Technical Director Binotto via Twitter, the reason there may be some substance there is MB technical director James Allison worked with Binotto at Ferrari and MB car designer (another former Ferrari F1 car designer) Aldo Costa is heading to semi-retirement and the 2019 car is being designed by his staff. Costa has designed the past 6 years of MB F1 cars.
"According to our Italian sources, Binotto has told (new Ferrari CEO) Louis Camilleri that it's 'him (Arrivabene) or me'.
Last edited by Legend2TL; 11-04-2018 at 06:54 PM.
11-05-2018, 07:18 AM
#1270
AZ Community Team
Smedley to eave Williams F1 team after 2018
The revolving technical door at Williams continues
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...-team/3208729/
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...-team/3208729/
Williams performance chief Rob Smedley will leave the Formula 1 team at the end of the 2018 season.
Smedley joined Williams from Ferrari in 2014 as head of performance engineering in a newly-created role as the team sought to bounce back from a tough 2013 campaign.
He helped guide Williams to back-to-back third-place finishes in the constructors' championship, then fifth place in 2016 and 2017.
Smedley said he has not decided on what he will do next, while Williams has no immediate replacement as it is thought to still be evaluating changes behind-the-scenes in response to its tough season.
He will depart Williams at the end of another disappointing year for the team, which also lost Dirk de Beer (head of aerodynamics) and Ed Wood (chief designer) in May.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Williams," said Smedley. "The team has been through great change since I joined in 2014 and it has been a pleasure to have played a part in that.
"Williams is a very special team within the F1 community and I'm certain that with all the talent that we have here they will go on and do better things.
"The team will always remain close to my heart. After 20 years in Formula 1, however, I feel it's the right time to reflect on things and evaluate what the next move is.
"I'm thoroughly looking forward to spending more time with my family before deciding on future opportunities."
Smedley's F1 career started 17 years ago with Jordan, before joining Ferrari three years later in 2004.
He did not immediately join long-time Ferrari companion Felipe Massa at Williams at the start of the 2014 and had to wait until just before the third round of the season in Bahrain to start working with the team.
Smedley joined as part of an overhaul of the team's engineering department, initially in charge of the Williams pitwall on race weekends and as the senior trackside engineer under then-chief technical officer Pat Symonds.
He then moved into a broader role looking beyond only race-weekend performance.
Claire Williams, deputy team principal, said: "It has been a pleasure having Rob in our team for the last four years and we will miss him both personally and professionally.
"He agreed to join us at a time when our performance was low, and we are grateful that he saw the potential for us to turn things around at that time.
"During his time with us, he has made a significant contribution to the team through his role, but he's also been just a great person to have at Grove, inspiring many with his enthusiasm and passion for Formula 1.
"Rob's been in the sport a long time, so we totally understand and respect his decision to take some well-deserved time out to spend with his wife and boys.
"We wish him all the best and thank him wholeheartedly for the time, passion and fighting spirit he's given to Williams."
Smedley joined Williams from Ferrari in 2014 as head of performance engineering in a newly-created role as the team sought to bounce back from a tough 2013 campaign.
He helped guide Williams to back-to-back third-place finishes in the constructors' championship, then fifth place in 2016 and 2017.
Smedley said he has not decided on what he will do next, while Williams has no immediate replacement as it is thought to still be evaluating changes behind-the-scenes in response to its tough season.
He will depart Williams at the end of another disappointing year for the team, which also lost Dirk de Beer (head of aerodynamics) and Ed Wood (chief designer) in May.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Williams," said Smedley. "The team has been through great change since I joined in 2014 and it has been a pleasure to have played a part in that.
"Williams is a very special team within the F1 community and I'm certain that with all the talent that we have here they will go on and do better things.
"The team will always remain close to my heart. After 20 years in Formula 1, however, I feel it's the right time to reflect on things and evaluate what the next move is.
"I'm thoroughly looking forward to spending more time with my family before deciding on future opportunities."
Smedley's F1 career started 17 years ago with Jordan, before joining Ferrari three years later in 2004.
He did not immediately join long-time Ferrari companion Felipe Massa at Williams at the start of the 2014 and had to wait until just before the third round of the season in Bahrain to start working with the team.
Smedley joined as part of an overhaul of the team's engineering department, initially in charge of the Williams pitwall on race weekends and as the senior trackside engineer under then-chief technical officer Pat Symonds.
He then moved into a broader role looking beyond only race-weekend performance.
Claire Williams, deputy team principal, said: "It has been a pleasure having Rob in our team for the last four years and we will miss him both personally and professionally.
"He agreed to join us at a time when our performance was low, and we are grateful that he saw the potential for us to turn things around at that time.
"During his time with us, he has made a significant contribution to the team through his role, but he's also been just a great person to have at Grove, inspiring many with his enthusiasm and passion for Formula 1.
"Rob's been in the sport a long time, so we totally understand and respect his decision to take some well-deserved time out to spend with his wife and boys.
"We wish him all the best and thank him wholeheartedly for the time, passion and fighting spirit he's given to Williams."
11-05-2018, 07:47 AM
#1271
Senior Moderator
Could this be the reason behind Mecedes' horrible tire blistering?
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...sial-f1-wheels
Well that and those overly aggressive tire choices Pirrelli is using this year. What are they again? Double Bubble, Trident and Bubblicious? Please go back to hard, medium and soft, or at least medium, soft and supersoft.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...sial-f1-wheels
Well that and those overly aggressive tire choices Pirrelli is using this year. What are they again? Double Bubble, Trident and Bubblicious? Please go back to hard, medium and soft, or at least medium, soft and supersoft.
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00TL-P3.2 (11-05-2018)
11-05-2018, 08:04 AM
#1272
AZ Community Team
The main issue is FIA insists on the tire provider (Pirelli) engineering in tire degradation so the tires start to go off at predetermined wear and environment.
It's maddening to watch the drivers conserving their tires versus trying to drive at the limit, the large difference in lap times from qual to race is ridiculous.
IMO tire degradation has never been worst in F1 than it currently is.
https://www.motorsport.com/us/f1/new...64425/3148457/
It's maddening to watch the drivers conserving their tires versus trying to drive at the limit, the large difference in lap times from qual to race is ridiculous.
IMO tire degradation has never been worst in F1 than it currently is.
https://www.motorsport.com/us/f1/new...64425/3148457/
The FIA wants two-stop races at a majority of races and has laid out technical requirements to achieve this through tyres that drop off in performance.
But Michelin says that its preference is for tyres that perform consistently well over a longer period, which would showcase its abilities as a manufacturer and allow drivers to push flat out.
The spokesman added: "A tyre that wears out after a few laps is not something that we aim to produce. We are not big fans of high degradation."
But Michelin says that its preference is for tyres that perform consistently well over a longer period, which would showcase its abilities as a manufacturer and allow drivers to push flat out.
The spokesman added: "A tyre that wears out after a few laps is not something that we aim to produce. We are not big fans of high degradation."
11-05-2018, 08:16 AM
#1273
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Just read another article about it and was going to post it. Some of the Zac Brown comments get into logistics and who's going to pay for it.
Jimmie Johnson, Fernando Alonso to swap rides
When Stewart and Gordon finished their drives and took off their helmets, they had the biggest grins.
Still wonder how Tony fit into the McLaren cockpit?
Last edited by Chief F1 Fan; 11-05-2018 at 08:19 AM.
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Legend2TL (11-05-2018)
11-06-2018, 04:26 PM
#1274
Moderator
Thread Starter
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...india/3209294/
Having switched to a current-spec engine, the team was once again slowest in the 2018 season opener in Melbourne – but the C37 blossomed into a midfield regular and an occasional Q3 threat as the campaign wore on.
Asked by Motorsport.com for his take on Sauber's recent progress, Szafnauer said: “I don’t know how they had such a steep development curve.
“I think they outdeveloped the top teams this year from last year. From where they ended last year to where they are now, they outdeveloped everybody.
“I don’t know how that happens with a small team, but we’re got to figure that out, because they’re smart guys.”
Sauber's progress has convinced former F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen to return to the team on a two-year deal after losing his Ferrari seat, with the Finn joined by Ferrari protege Antonio Giovinazzi in 2019.
The Swiss outfit sits eighth in the teams' standings with two races left, and will record its best points tally for the season since 2013 should it score a top-10 finish in Brazil or Abu Dhabi.
Szafnauer reckoned Sauber's 2019 campaign could “maybe” suffer if the team over-committed resources to the in-season development of the C37.
“I don’t know when they stopped developing this year’s car, because we stopped quite a long time ago to focus on next year,” he said.
“If they continued developing this year’s car in areas that don’t translate to next year, then it can hurt them.
“If it translates, if what you learned this year works next year too, than it doesn’t hurt. They can apply it.
“But I am impressed with their development rate, very, very impressive.”
Team boss Frederic Vasseur has previously claimed that Sauber was to cease 2018 development at the end of July.
Racing Point Force India team principal Otmar Szafnauer says midfield rival Sauber has “outdeveloped the top teams” with the leap it's made from its 2017 car to the current C37 challenger.
Sauber propped up the constructors' standings last year, scoring just five points to nearest rival McLaren's30 as it struggled with a year-old Ferrari power unit.Having switched to a current-spec engine, the team was once again slowest in the 2018 season opener in Melbourne – but the C37 blossomed into a midfield regular and an occasional Q3 threat as the campaign wore on.
Asked by Motorsport.com for his take on Sauber's recent progress, Szafnauer said: “I don’t know how they had such a steep development curve.
“I think they outdeveloped the top teams this year from last year. From where they ended last year to where they are now, they outdeveloped everybody.
“I don’t know how that happens with a small team, but we’re got to figure that out, because they’re smart guys.”
Sauber's progress has convinced former F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen to return to the team on a two-year deal after losing his Ferrari seat, with the Finn joined by Ferrari protege Antonio Giovinazzi in 2019.
The Swiss outfit sits eighth in the teams' standings with two races left, and will record its best points tally for the season since 2013 should it score a top-10 finish in Brazil or Abu Dhabi.
Szafnauer reckoned Sauber's 2019 campaign could “maybe” suffer if the team over-committed resources to the in-season development of the C37.
“I don’t know when they stopped developing this year’s car, because we stopped quite a long time ago to focus on next year,” he said.
“If they continued developing this year’s car in areas that don’t translate to next year, then it can hurt them.
“If it translates, if what you learned this year works next year too, than it doesn’t hurt. They can apply it.
“But I am impressed with their development rate, very, very impressive.”
Team boss Frederic Vasseur has previously claimed that Sauber was to cease 2018 development at the end of July.
11-07-2018, 01:10 AM
#1275
You'll Never Walk Alone
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Here's my take on this year's championship. There's no clear superior car between the Ferrari and the Mercedes. Some track the Mercedes looks faster, on other tracks it's the Ferrari. Both Hamilton and Vettel have made mistakes. In terms of luck, I feel that Vettel has been more unlucky. For instance, the German GP where he had the race on hand and then it rained. You know what they say, it's better to be lucky than good. I think the true difference between the to two teams have been organization and team strategy. More often than not, it seems that Mercedes gets it right on their strategies compared to Ferrari.
Mercedes was all over Ferrari in the opening race in Australia, especially the qualifying pace, a massive 0,7s gap. Mercedes made a mistake with the pit stop calculation, and Hamilton made a mistake in a attempt to pass Vettel, handed Vettel the win. But Hamilton during the race was all over Vettel.
Bahrain was close with Vettel somehow managing to win despite using super old tires and Bottas being all over him.
China is the start of his rotten luck of this season. Vettel was doing decently in the race until Hartley and Gasly came together causing a safety car. Both Ferrari and Mercedes did not take this opportunity to pit their cars, unlike RB. And after the restart, Verstappen ran into Vettel, and he finished 8th.
Vettel was doing pretty well in Baku and enjoyed a decent gap from Hamilton. But again his rotten luck continued with both RB taking each other out, causing a safety car. He made a mistake of trying to outbrake bottas but gotta admit it wasn't his day with that crash. Hamilton also got extremely lucky that Bottas got a puncture in the final lap, earning an extra 7 points for doing nothing.
Ferrari's strategy at Spain is questionable, and with Kimi's retirement, it meant Vettel didn't have much of a chance. And here, MB was clearly faster.
Monaco is Monaco and it's a RB track. Ferrari nor MB is dominant here.
Ferrari showed its dominance in Canada.
...and MB showed how good they are in France in qualifying. Vettel made the mistake of getting to close to Bottas and so he got no downforce to help with braking, but realistically this mistake only costed him 5 points (3rd to 5th).
MB was dominant in Austria but both cars DNF. There's not much to separate Ferrari and RB though. Vettel got a grid penalty because he blocked Sainz in quali, but I think that's more of Ferrari's mistake for not providing him with enough info. He could've won the race.
MB again was dominant in Silverstone. Kimi made Ham spin around and he still recovered two second place thanks to a safety car. Hamilton got a bit lucky there.
Germany was the pivotal point in the championship race IMO. It wasn't the worst mistake but it's a very costly one. But I do have to question Ferrari, why didn't they let Vettel pass Kimi earlier when Vettel was on a different pit strategy with way fresher tires? Vettel was stuck behind Kimi for 8 laps, costing him many seconds. And being stuck behind someone also means worse tire degradation. It created extra, unnecessary pressure for Vettel since Hamilton was catching up fast with fresher tires. The funny thing is, Mercedes implemented its team order in this race and asked Bottas not to pass Hamilton because Bottas had better tires after the restart. So, on the surface it's a Vettel's mistake, but look deeper, I think it was Ferrari's mistake.
In Belgium, again, the weather costed Ferrari in qualifying. Vettel was able to pass Hamilton in the first lap, and was able to hold onto his position.
At this point, people started saying the Ferrari is the faster car. Well, even if it was, the weather certain didn't help them. In Hungary, Ferrari was leading FP2 and FP3, but in the rain the Ferrari wasn't as fast. End result? MB used Bottas to help Ham win the race.
I was baffled by Ferrari's decision to use Vettel to help Kimi with getting pole. By this time, it should be clear that Vettel was the only one close to challenging for the title. And also at this time, there are off-track issues with Ferrari, such as the death of Marchionni, and Kimi's contract situation. It was clear after this race that Kimi was not going to be with Ferrari in 2019. That's probably why Ferrari didn't want to screw with Kimi for qualifying and the race. It's also weird how Vettel would keep spinning out despite being the inside car. This was the first time, then Japan, then US. He wasn't even going fast. I have a feeling Vettel might have been over driving the car the whole time, and making it seems like the Ferrari is the faster car when it's not.
Singapore, Russia, Japan, Ferrari simply didn't have the pace. Their upgrades made the car slower. It also didn't help with Ferrari's strategies in Singapore and Japan. The tire choice for the qualifying in Japan was especially stupid.
After these races, the Championship was pretty much wrapped up.
The only mistakes that are purely on Vettel was the France GP one, but that would only cost him 5 points. He also had to take a fair share of blame for the lock up in Baku but man was he unlucky with the timing of the safety car.
Ferrari could've prevented Vettel's mistakes in Monza (20pts), Germany (at least 32 pts) , and Japan (7 pts).
In Spain and Singapore, I feel like Vettel could've gained a few more points if the strategies were better.
I also think Bottas has done a brilliant wing man job for Hamilton this season, namely in Hungary, Russia, and Monza where he successfully take away points from Vettel. I can't say the same for Kimi.
It's easy to place the blame on Vettel for Ferrari's failure this season. But I think that's a bit unfair to the man when looking at the whole picture.
11-07-2018, 09:35 AM
#1276
Moderator
Thread Starter
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...88y0mMsUU.html
From 2020, an exciting new venue will adorn F1’s calendar as Vietnam plays host to a dazzling new street circuit in the beating heart of its iconic and culturally rich capital city Hanoi…
Vietnam will become F1’s fourth street race, joining Monaco, Singapore and Azerbaijan with its unique 22-turn, 5.565km track. It will also be the fourth race in Asia, joining China, Japan and Singapore.
F1’s Motorsports team have worked with renowned circuit design company Tilke to create a semi-permanent street track, using both existing and purpose-built roads.
Let’s take a look at what we can expect come April 2020...
That’s what the architects of the Circuit of The Americas, the current home of the United States Grand Prix, did. They drew creativeness from the quick Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence at Silverstone and Istanbul’s multi-apex Turn 8 among others.
The same strategy was employed for Vietnam’s new track, located on the western side of the city in the vicinity of the My Dinh National Stadium. And that means it’s not your typical street circuit – far from it…
The aim was to create a unique hybrid layout, fusing a street circuit’s characteristics with a permanent countryside track layout within the confines of the city’s topography.
There was a real desire to steer away from humdrum 90-degree road-junction type corners and foster a layout that facilitates wheel-to-wheel racing while retaining a closed-in street feel that makes city race tracks so demanding for drivers.
Turns 1 and 2 are based on the opening corners at Germany’s Nurburgring – known as a red zone for overtaking. In 2006, you may remember Juan Pablo Montoya sweeping by Giancarlo Fisichella by using the long straight for slipstream and completing his pass in the braking zone for Turn 1.
Turns 12 through to 15 may look familiar, too. They have been inspired by a section of the famous Monaco street circuit, from Turn 1 and the run up the hill to Massenet.
The Turn 16-19 sequence that follows features fast changes of direction reminiscent of the sweeping iconic Esses at Suzuka, while the final three corners take inspiration from Malaysia’s Sepang – the fast left-right followed by a tightening radius entry.
That tricky and challenging final sequence, which completes the lap, offers the potential for mistakes and opens the door for a chasing driver to pick up a slipstream and launch an attack into the first turn.
The Hanoi Feasibility Group provided suggestions of potential locations, track layouts and associated CAD (Computer Aided Design) data to F1’s Motorsports team, who subsequently built a simulation model of the circuit to carry out lap simulation analysis.
It was at this stage that anticipated car speeds, G-forces and the overall flow and characteristics of the circuit could be assessed.
The final design will be the culmination of a collaboration between F1’s Motorsports team, circuit design company Tilke (who have been responsible for designing many of F1’s best tracks), the City of Hanoi authorities and the race promoter, with governing body the FIA also part of the process.
The circuit features a range of corners from a slow-speed hairpin and technical slow- to medium-speed corner combinations to high-speed esses and flat-out corners and long straights – one of which is 1.5km in length, with expected speeds of 335km/h through the speed trap.
The opening two sectors lean towards slower-speed turns and longer straights while the final sector will put a premium on cornering.
The long straights will create a challenge for the teams, as they will have to balance wing levels to maximise speed on the straights while generating downforce to attack and defend through the corner sequences.
Intriguingly, the pit lane also misses out the last and first corners, which should reduce the amount of time it takes to complete a pit stop and therefore make a multi-stop strategy more enticing and viable.
April 2020 may seem like a while away, but there is plenty to do before then – in fact in many ways the project is just beginning!
The circuit and building detail designs need to be signed off, along with construction project plans and site planning approvals. Once those are completed, the land can be prepared ahead of the construction phases.
The build process for the inaugural race will run from now right up until the start of the event. Roll on 2020!
Vietnam will become F1’s fourth street race, joining Monaco, Singapore and Azerbaijan with its unique 22-turn, 5.565km track. It will also be the fourth race in Asia, joining China, Japan and Singapore.
F1’s Motorsports team have worked with renowned circuit design company Tilke to create a semi-permanent street track, using both existing and purpose-built roads.
Let’s take a look at what we can expect come April 2020...
Inspiration from all over the world
F1 is blessed with a plethora of stunning turns and corner sequences scattered across the world’s great racing circuits, so in creating a new track, it makes sense to take inspiration from them.That’s what the architects of the Circuit of The Americas, the current home of the United States Grand Prix, did. They drew creativeness from the quick Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence at Silverstone and Istanbul’s multi-apex Turn 8 among others.
The same strategy was employed for Vietnam’s new track, located on the western side of the city in the vicinity of the My Dinh National Stadium. And that means it’s not your typical street circuit – far from it…
The aim was to create a unique hybrid layout, fusing a street circuit’s characteristics with a permanent countryside track layout within the confines of the city’s topography.
There was a real desire to steer away from humdrum 90-degree road-junction type corners and foster a layout that facilitates wheel-to-wheel racing while retaining a closed-in street feel that makes city race tracks so demanding for drivers.
Turns 1 and 2 are based on the opening corners at Germany’s Nurburgring – known as a red zone for overtaking. In 2006, you may remember Juan Pablo Montoya sweeping by Giancarlo Fisichella by using the long straight for slipstream and completing his pass in the braking zone for Turn 1.
Turns 12 through to 15 may look familiar, too. They have been inspired by a section of the famous Monaco street circuit, from Turn 1 and the run up the hill to Massenet.
The Turn 16-19 sequence that follows features fast changes of direction reminiscent of the sweeping iconic Esses at Suzuka, while the final three corners take inspiration from Malaysia’s Sepang – the fast left-right followed by a tightening radius entry.
That tricky and challenging final sequence, which completes the lap, offers the potential for mistakes and opens the door for a chasing driver to pick up a slipstream and launch an attack into the first turn.
How the design came about
You won’t be surprised to hear it’s been a lengthy process.The Hanoi Feasibility Group provided suggestions of potential locations, track layouts and associated CAD (Computer Aided Design) data to F1’s Motorsports team, who subsequently built a simulation model of the circuit to carry out lap simulation analysis.
It was at this stage that anticipated car speeds, G-forces and the overall flow and characteristics of the circuit could be assessed.
The final design will be the culmination of a collaboration between F1’s Motorsports team, circuit design company Tilke (who have been responsible for designing many of F1’s best tracks), the City of Hanoi authorities and the race promoter, with governing body the FIA also part of the process.
What the drivers and fans can expect
What’s certain is that fans attending should be treated to plenty of action – not a procession. The drivers, meanwhile, will have their skills tested to the limit.The circuit features a range of corners from a slow-speed hairpin and technical slow- to medium-speed corner combinations to high-speed esses and flat-out corners and long straights – one of which is 1.5km in length, with expected speeds of 335km/h through the speed trap.
The opening two sectors lean towards slower-speed turns and longer straights while the final sector will put a premium on cornering.
The long straights will create a challenge for the teams, as they will have to balance wing levels to maximise speed on the straights while generating downforce to attack and defend through the corner sequences.
Intriguingly, the pit lane also misses out the last and first corners, which should reduce the amount of time it takes to complete a pit stop and therefore make a multi-stop strategy more enticing and viable.
The next steps
F1 representatives have already made multiple visits to the venue while the FIA’s F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting has also been, with the governing body responsible for granting the circuit a homologation licence once they are satisfied the track design is safe and meets their Grade 1 (the highest level required to host F1) requirements.April 2020 may seem like a while away, but there is plenty to do before then – in fact in many ways the project is just beginning!
The circuit and building detail designs need to be signed off, along with construction project plans and site planning approvals. Once those are completed, the land can be prepared ahead of the construction phases.
The build process for the inaugural race will run from now right up until the start of the event. Roll on 2020!
11-07-2018, 01:48 PM
#1277
Senior Moderator
Track looks boring.
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Chief F1 Fan (11-07-2018)
11-07-2018, 04:13 PM
#1279
Moderator
Thread Starter
F1 sends warning to historic circuits
Formula One's commercial boss Sean Bratches has sent a warning to historic circuits such as Silverstone, reminding them that their position on the calendar is not essential for sport's long-term future.
Following an announcement on Wednesday that F1 will go racing in Vietnam from 2020, questions over the future of existing races have been raised. The contracts for Silverstone, Hockenheim, Monza, Barcelona and Mexico City are all due to expire at the end of the 2019 season, and Silverstone and Monza have made no secret of their desire to see a reduction in the sanctioning fees they pay F1.
Race fees are a key source of income for F1 and the sport's owners Liberty Media have discussed the possibility of expanding the calendar to 25 races to increase revenues. However, plans to add a Miami street race in 2019 fell flat earlier this year and have since been postponed indefinitely, while the majority of teams are against expanding the calendar beyond 21 grands prix.
Negotiations with Silverstone over the future of the British Grand Prix have been taking place for over a year after the circuit announced in 2017 that it would trigger a break clause to make the 2019 race the last of its current contract. The circuit has made clear that it wants to continue in F1 but will only do so on terms that ease the financial burden of hosting the race.
Silverstone's hand has been strengthened by several public statements from F1's bosses promising they would preserve "heritage races", but Bratches has now revealed that the sport is not afraid of replacing some of its most iconic venues.
"We're a 68-year-old entity and the nature of grand prix racing is that it is dynamic," he said in an F1 press release. "Silverstone was the first grand prix, but we haven't raced at Silverstone all those 68 years. The race has been held at Brands Hatch and other venues. Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race.
"We do value certain races highly and we do what we can to preserve racing there, but we are a business. We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders and we're trying to marry what's best for fans with running a successful business."
Bratches explained that he wants to see a mix of circuit types on the calendar, with an emphasis on growing the number of street races such as the proposed circuit in Vietnam's capital Hanoi.
"We look at it in three ways," he said. "Firstly, we want to preserve the heritage races, they are very important to Formula 1 and they are very important to fans. I'm talking about the Silverstones, the Spas, the Monzas of this world.
"Then we have a set of street races and hybrid street races, where we race in parks and on city streets, such as Melbourne, Montreal and Mexico City.
"The third segment features purpose-built facilities such as Shanghai, Austin, Texas and Bahrain. Beyond that we are looking to identify further street races, so this race is a further step in terms of our vision."
Bratches envisions more races in cities like Hanoi and said F1 was carefully considering where to go next based on a number of offers from around the world.
"One of the things we have been intensely focused on is extending grand prix racing to iconic cities, in downtown areas, where we can best engage fans," he said. "Most of our grands prix are currently half an hour to an hour outside cities, so the race in Hanoi fulfills of one of our preliminary goals -- an iconic city hosting racing on a potentially thrilling street circuit. Vietnam's concept of what grand prix racing should be about matches our vision for the sport.
"We're the beneficiaries of interest from cities, states, countries, municipalities from around the world and we have been taking a very cadenced approach in terms of how we go to market in terms of race promotion, choosing carefully so that potential races fit well with the existing structure we have and the direction in which we want to go in the future
"Historically Formula One has been very reactive in terms of people coming to them, but we have been more proactive, going to markets that we think are aligned with our brand values and which provide the opportunity to engage fans in new ways. A street circuit is a great way to do that. We have Monaco, Baku and Singapore and this is a great addition to that line-up."
Following an announcement on Wednesday that F1 will go racing in Vietnam from 2020, questions over the future of existing races have been raised. The contracts for Silverstone, Hockenheim, Monza, Barcelona and Mexico City are all due to expire at the end of the 2019 season, and Silverstone and Monza have made no secret of their desire to see a reduction in the sanctioning fees they pay F1.
Race fees are a key source of income for F1 and the sport's owners Liberty Media have discussed the possibility of expanding the calendar to 25 races to increase revenues. However, plans to add a Miami street race in 2019 fell flat earlier this year and have since been postponed indefinitely, while the majority of teams are against expanding the calendar beyond 21 grands prix.
Negotiations with Silverstone over the future of the British Grand Prix have been taking place for over a year after the circuit announced in 2017 that it would trigger a break clause to make the 2019 race the last of its current contract. The circuit has made clear that it wants to continue in F1 but will only do so on terms that ease the financial burden of hosting the race.
Silverstone's hand has been strengthened by several public statements from F1's bosses promising they would preserve "heritage races", but Bratches has now revealed that the sport is not afraid of replacing some of its most iconic venues.
"We're a 68-year-old entity and the nature of grand prix racing is that it is dynamic," he said in an F1 press release. "Silverstone was the first grand prix, but we haven't raced at Silverstone all those 68 years. The race has been held at Brands Hatch and other venues. Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race.
"We do value certain races highly and we do what we can to preserve racing there, but we are a business. We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders and we're trying to marry what's best for fans with running a successful business."
Bratches explained that he wants to see a mix of circuit types on the calendar, with an emphasis on growing the number of street races such as the proposed circuit in Vietnam's capital Hanoi.
"We look at it in three ways," he said. "Firstly, we want to preserve the heritage races, they are very important to Formula 1 and they are very important to fans. I'm talking about the Silverstones, the Spas, the Monzas of this world.
"Then we have a set of street races and hybrid street races, where we race in parks and on city streets, such as Melbourne, Montreal and Mexico City.
"The third segment features purpose-built facilities such as Shanghai, Austin, Texas and Bahrain. Beyond that we are looking to identify further street races, so this race is a further step in terms of our vision."
Bratches envisions more races in cities like Hanoi and said F1 was carefully considering where to go next based on a number of offers from around the world.
"One of the things we have been intensely focused on is extending grand prix racing to iconic cities, in downtown areas, where we can best engage fans," he said. "Most of our grands prix are currently half an hour to an hour outside cities, so the race in Hanoi fulfills of one of our preliminary goals -- an iconic city hosting racing on a potentially thrilling street circuit. Vietnam's concept of what grand prix racing should be about matches our vision for the sport.
"We're the beneficiaries of interest from cities, states, countries, municipalities from around the world and we have been taking a very cadenced approach in terms of how we go to market in terms of race promotion, choosing carefully so that potential races fit well with the existing structure we have and the direction in which we want to go in the future
"Historically Formula One has been very reactive in terms of people coming to them, but we have been more proactive, going to markets that we think are aligned with our brand values and which provide the opportunity to engage fans in new ways. A street circuit is a great way to do that. We have Monaco, Baku and Singapore and this is a great addition to that line-up."
11-08-2018, 05:30 AM
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A "Virtual lap" of the new track with Rosanna Tennant
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...o284QmO8A.html