| By Matt Beer | Wednesday, May 8th 2013, 11:50 GMT |
McLaren says its priority is to identify and resolve the correlation issues that led to its poor start to the 2013 Formula 1 season, as it fears the problem could also impact on its preparations for the '14 rules
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| By Matt Beer | Wednesday, May 8th 2013, 14:10 GMT |
Formula 1 could not reintroduce mid-season testing without teams setting up separate test squads again, reckons McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, May 8th 2013, 16:12 GMT |
Formula 1 bursts back into action at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend for the start of what will be a crucial phase of the world championship battle
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| Tuesday, May 7th 2013, 10:33 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Force India
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, May 7th 2013, 10:39 GMT |
Force India team principal Vijay Mallya has praised the way that Paul di Resta has bounced back from his miserable end to 2012.
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| Tuesday, May 7th 2013, 11:23 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Williams
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| Monday, May 6th 2013, 10:31 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Pirelli
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, May 6th 2013, 10:59 GMT |
Plans to encourage Formula 1 teams to run rookie drivers during free practice in exchange for extra tyres have been abandoned for now, with all outfits getting another set for the Spanish Grand Prix.
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, May 6th 2013, 12:49 GMT |
Williams believes that Formula 1's return to Europe, which starts with the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, will give it a better chance of curing its car problems.
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| Friday, May 3rd 2013, 16:54 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Marussia
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| By Edd Straw and Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:43 GMT |
Caterham should waste no time worrying about the gap to the established outfits right now and instead needs to keep its focus on longer term gains, reckons Charles Pic.
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:50 GMT |
Jenson Button says his expectations are in check about McLaren's update package for the Spanish Grand Prix, and that he is not letting himself believe they will transform its form.
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| By Edd Straw and Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:43 GMT |
Caterham should waste no time worrying about the gap to the established outfits right now and instead needs to keep its focus on longer term gains, reckons Charles Pic.
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:50 GMT |
Jenson Button says his expectations are in check about McLaren's update package for the Spanish Grand Prix, and that he is not letting himself believe they will transform its form.
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| Friday, May 3rd 2013, 16:54 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Marussia
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| By Edd Straw and Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:43 GMT |
Caterham should waste no time worrying about the gap to the established outfits right now and instead needs to keep its focus on longer term gains, reckons Charles Pic.
You have viewed over 30 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.
| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, May 3rd 2013, 15:50 GMT |
Jenson Button says his expectations are in check about McLaren's update package for the Spanish Grand Prix, and that he is not letting himself believe they will transform its form.
You have viewed over 30 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.
| Friday, May 3rd 2013, 16:54 GMT |
Spain preview quotes: Marussia
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'); if (google_ads[0].type == "text") { for(i=0; i '; } s += '' + '' + '' + google_ads[i].line1 + '| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, May 2nd 2013, 10:19 GMT |
Formula 1 teams are set for fresh discussions at the Spanish Grand Prix about implementing a driver penalty points system.
FIA race director Charlie Whiting is scheduled to meet teams at a gathering of the Sporting Working Group think-tank ahead of the Barcelona race to discuss potential future rule changes.
AUTOSPORT has learned that as well as discussions about framing a testing schedule for 2014 - which would require a change to the F1 regulations – the agenda also includes further talks about the introduction of penalty points on licences.
Although there has been support for the move from a number of teams during initial talks on the matter, there has not yet been the unanimous support that will be needed for an introduction later this season.
In a bid to try and ease concerns from some outfits that a host of minor infringements by a driver could lead to a costly penalty later in the campaign, the FIA has already been trialling a mock system to show the impact of totting up.
This will be evaluated at the SWG meeting to try and win over the sceptics.
Whiting said earlier this year that one of the key issues that needed resolving was that any hefty punishments handed out as a result of penalty points being accrued were deemed worthy.
"It's a complex question and we need to get the balance right because banning a driver is a serious issue," he said. "We need to make sure a driver genuinely deserves any ban.
"We will be monitoring offences and running a [hypothetical] system in the background to see how it would all work if put into practice. We need to do that for a while."
F1 drivers are keen for the penalty points systems to be introduced because that would then bring an end to the fines they have been handed for pitlane speeding offences this year.
As revealed by AUTOSPORT, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) had sought clarification from the FIA about why they were still being fined for speeding this year when a deal agreed over a hike in superlicence fees was supposed to have stopped financial penalties.
Following discussions with the FIA, the GPDA has been happy to hold fire on the fines issue until the penalty points issue is resolved.
| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, May 2nd 2013, 11:48 GMT |
Formula 1 drivers and teams are adamant that the importance of qualifying has not been devalued by the fact that overtaking is now much easier.
Although there was a time when starting from pole position was almost essential for winning races, the role played by tyre strategy and use of DRS means that drivers can come through from further back to triumph.
Most outfits also concede that setting their car up for the race rather than qualifying is more important, which suggests the fight for pole position does not carry the intensity it had before.
However, leading figures insist that the status quo does not mean that qualifying is no longer of value.
Felipe Massa told AUTOSPORT: "It is always better to be in front. This is something we always need to work for - although we cannot make the car worse for what we have in the race because we need to be the quickest car in qualifying.
"We know that the most important thing is the race. But if you start the race tenth then for sure it is quite hard to fight for the victory.
"If you start the race in the top five, the top three, everything is still possible."
Red Bull's Mark Webber says that qualifying at the front is no longer as vital as it once was, but is still not something that can be ignored.
"Qualifying has become less and less important over the years," he said. "Back in the day it was everything really - it was 75-80% of where you come around on the first lap.
"Now it is less of a factor, but it is still important in terms of traffic. You don't want to be sitting in too much traffic with the tyres - they don't like being in disturbed air and they wear a lot more.
"That shortens the first stint quite a lot, which will load up the stints after that.
"There are still some chess games to play on Saturday to make sure you are in a good position."
Kimi Raikkonen added: "It helps if you can be in front, to save your tyres, and you also have less chance of having issues at the start."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali backed up the view that it was the tyre factor that meant qualifying was still essential.
"It's important because if you are able to start in front then you are able to manage the tyres the best way that you can," he said.
"But considering the situation that we have seen in the first four races, everything is possible.
"If I have to think about if, for sure I like to start in front then I can cruise – well, cruise is not the right word – but I can manage the tyres better."
| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, May 2nd 2013, 13:21 GMT |
Paul di Resta says 2013 has felt like a 'fresh start' to him, after admitting that the end of last year could not have been any worse.
The Force India driver equalled the best result of his career with a fourth-place finish in Bahrain a fortnight ago, having battled for a podium place for much of the race.
With his form this season showing that he has recovered well from the performance dip he suffered at the end of last year, di Resta reckons that there is even more to come from his team.
"It's been a question of building confidence," di Resta told AUTOSPORT about the progress he has made since the start of this season.
"Working with my guys it has been a good fresh start - and it had to be. Nothing could have been any worse than it was going at the end of last year in terms of how difficult it was.
"You just have to be man enough and say it was out of my hands. But, we are working away now and we will not be giving up.
"I certainly hope this is not the last time that we will be fighting at this end of the grid - and I would hope we can be better."
Force India has had an encouraging start to the season, and is currently fifth in the constructors' championship standings – one place ahead of McLaren.
Di Resta thinks that rules stability has been a key factor in allowing his Silverstone-based team to be able to challenge its big-budget rivals.
"This car is an evolution of the car we had last year, and that is generally a strong point of this team," he said.
"We have not reacted well to new design philosophies right away. We react better during the year."
| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, May 1st 2013, 08:39 GMT |
Lotus is convinced that Romain Grosjean is on course to return to his best form, after ending his early season troubles with a podium in Bahrain.
The Frenchman struggled in the first three races of the year with unspecified car problems, but a switch of chassis for the last race at Sakhir helped him and his team overcome the issues.
Having been under the spotlight because of a troubled end to 2012 - which included a race ban for causing a pile-up at the Belgian Grand Prix - Grosjean was coming under pressure to deliver.
But team principal Eric Boullier says that with the car issue now sorted, Grosjean is perfectly placed to build on what he did in Bahrain and deliver more success over the remainder of the campaign.
"If you look at the season so far, except for the car issue, he didn't have troubles," said Boullier.
"He was having good starts, good first laps and good overtaking manoeuvres. So I think he is OK now.
"But Bahrain was a big relief. He put a lot of effort in to rebuild himself after 2012, and it is now paying off.
"He had a frustrating first three races, but he can now build on this and keep the momentum."
Boullier insists that the key to Grosjean's turnaround in Bahrain was not just the new chassis that the team brought for him.
"It was not only the chassis, there were a lot of details to understand why it didn't work," he said. "But the team did a good job and we found a couple of things that made Romain happy with his car.
"So when he started to enjoy driving, it was a different world. I know he is starting his season now."
| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, May 1st 2013, 13:06 GMT |
Formula 1's high-degrading tyres have turned the sport into a 'thinking man's game', reckons McLaren sporting director Sam Michael.
Pirelli's move to more aggressive rubber compounds for this year has put a higher premium on tyre management, with most teams accepting that getting on top of degradation is now the key to success.
While that change of focus has meant a different challenge for teams, Michael thinks it is also putting a premium on driver experience - as was proven at the Chinese GP, which delivered the most extreme degradation of the season so far.
"If you look at China, the top five places were filled by five world champions - and that is not an accident," said Michael.
"It means right now it is a thinking man's game.
"The top ten guys are all very fast in terms of talent, but what separates them is their experience and ability to cope with different situations.
"The type of racing you have had for the past 20 years in F1 has been sprint racing, being flat out on tyres, even with pit stops and things like that.
"Whereas before refuelling, before I was involved in F1, it was similar to now, as you were trying to get through the race on one stop, or no stops, as you were managing tyres."
Michael thinks that experience is such a benefit because those who have done more races can draw on past occasions when they have got their tyre management wrong.
"What happens when they have that experience and the race starts unravelling like that, they change everything they do in the cockpit," he said.
"They are drawing on 10-15 years of experience of where it has all gone wrong before. Because he [the driver] has done it wrong as well and he knows if he does these things now it is better. He is playing a numbers game now."
TEAM-MATE HELP NOW MATTERS
Although the stance suggests that relatively inexperienced drivers like McLaren's Sergio Perez may face difficulties, Michael actually believes that as long as a team has one seasoned man on board, the new boys can develop quickly.
"When you have situations like you have now in F1, with high degradation, it becomes a much harder task for the young guys to adapt," he said.
"The nice thing for Checo is that his team-mate is a world champion and he does know how to manage the race - so he is learning a lot from him.
"At least he has a guy next to him he can follow.
"There are a lot of teams on the grid now who have two young blokes or guys in the middle of their career who are faced with an extremely difficult environment now."
CHINA SHOWS HOW THE EXPERIENCE STACKS UP
Sam Michael singles out the Chinese Grand Prix as a race that highlights the increased importance of experience in Formula 1 nowadays.
The high degradation experienced there, with the soft compound being effectively nothing more than 'qualifying' rubber, meant drivers had to race wisely to ensure they kept their tyres in the right shape for the best strategy.
The race ended with the five world champions on the grid taking the top five places on the road, and there appears to be a strong correlation between races started and the final result.
2013 Chinese Grand Prix result Pos Driver Race started 1. Alonso 200 2. Raikkonen 179 3. Hamilton 114 4. Vettel 105 5. Button 232 6. Massa 176 7. Ricciardo 35 8. Di Resta 43 9. Grosjean 30 10. Hulkenberg 42 11. Perez 41 12. Vergne 24 13. Bottas 4 14. Maldonado 43 15. Bianchi 4 16. Pic 24 17. Chilton 4 18. van der Garde 4
* This week's AUTOSPORT magazine, available digitally and in shops on Thursday, features further in-depth analysis of whether the 2013 Pirelli spec is a good or bad thing for Formula 1
| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, May 1st 2013, 14:32 GMT |
British Grand Prix bosses have promised fans that they have done all they can to try and ensure there is no repeat of the weather-affected troubles that hit last year's race.
But they admitted on Thursday that it may take more success from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to secure a race-day sellout again.
Silverstone had to deter fans from attending qualifying at the 2012 British GP after freak weather conditions flooded car parks and campsites.
The move to keep spectators away allowed the circuit to keep its infrastructure intact for race day, which duly took place in front of a record 127,000 crowd.
Although such unusual climatic conditions are unlikely to hit the British GP for a second year in succession, Silverstone is taking nothing for granted.
It has invested heavily in drainage, campsite expansion and transport solutions to do all it can for this year's race on June 28-30 passes trouble free.
Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips said during a media event at the track on Thursday that Silverstone was as ready as it could be.
"What happened last year was unprecedented," said Phillips. "We had 10 years before that of reasonable weather conditions and great grands prix - so we need to keep things in proportion.
"But nevertheless, we cannot rest on our laurels. What happened to us last year was a wake-up call and we have had to put a lot of measures in place to ensure that people have a good time in 2013."
"We learned last year that we have got to go the extra mile. Those sorts of weather conditions, freak as hopefully they were, you cannot tell these days can you?
"So it could happen again – and obviously what we had in place before did not cope with it, so we have spent a lot of time and effort on it [to make sure it does this time]."
TICKET SALES DOWN SO FAR
The weather troubles last year have left some fans reluctant to commit early to buying tickets for the 2013 race, and Philips admitted that sales were down on 12 months ago.
However, he said that was not unexpected because of the weather, Sebastian Vettel's ongoing success and the fact neither Lewis Hamilton nor Jenson Button have won a race so far this year.
"Different factors affect every event. If you take MotoGP, the year before last you had a wet year and last year not many people turned up – plus there was no [Valentino] Rossi.
"Last year [2012] was good weather, so this year with Rossi coming back and other good riders, the sales have gone up.
"What you are seeing now in F1 is a combination of what happened last year with the weather, and probably – controversially – you have Vettel doing a bit too well consistently.
"So ticket sales are not as good as they were last year, but they are not drastic. We could do with some help."
When asked if a lift in results for Hamilton and Button would provide that assistance, BRDC president Derek Warwick said: "If Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button started winning from Barcelona, it would make a massive difference."
SILVERSTONE STILL CHASING INVESTORS
Silverstone's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, have not yet concluded an agreement with potential investors about a long-term lease deal that will help push it towards its 'Masterplan' transformation – but are hopeful that a deal can be concluded this year.
BRDC chairman Stuart Rolt said that the worldwide economic slowdown had impacted on Silverstone's chances of finding the right partner – and that the situation was further complicated by the fact that keeping motor racing at the Northamptonshire track was essential.
"The investment process has been going on a long time and it has been frustrating for us," said Rolt.
"We have something pretty special to offer people, but we have had a thing called the recession. Land and investment in property has become really tough – and outside London it is really tough. We have learned that.
"We are also very fussy about speaking to people who will maintain high level motor racing at Silverstone.
"We cannot be surrounded by, or in the hands of, property developers who will take that characteristic away from Silverstone."
He added: "We would like to get something done this year."
| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, April 30th 2013, 09:45 GMT |
Helmut Marko's presence at Red Bull is a help rather than a hindrance to the Formula 1 outfit's ambitions, insists team boss Christian Horner.
Although Marko's outspoken views have often stirred up controversy - especially because of his close ties with Sebastian Vettel - Horner claims that Marko's Red Bull advisory role assists the F1 squad by giving it the independence it needs.
With the recent 'Multi 21' team orders row having prompted fresh intrigue about the management make-up at Red Bull, Horner argued that he is freed up by Marko's responsibilities with Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz.
In an exclusive interview with AUTOSPORT, Horner said: "I have full responsibility for the operation of the team – trackside and in the factory.
Horner interview: I'm here to win, not be popular
"I report directly to Dietrich, who has always been tremendously supportive. He sets high standards.
"Helmut has responsibilities elsewhere with the young-driver programme but he has no operational responsibility or input into how we operate as a racing team. He's an advisor to Dietrich, and he's obviously an experienced hand.
"Part of his role is that within the Red Bull corporate world, now that it's such a large company, he has enabled Red Bull Racing to retain its independence. That allows me to operate with the freedom to manage the business and manage the team how I see fit."
Although ultimate decisions on Red Bull's long-term plans are still down to Mateschitz, Horner says his relationship with the Austrian is on solid ground, and he has never had anything but full support.
"Dietrich is the chairman and a major shareholder, so of course I answer to him," said Horner.
"But he gives me the autonomy and he has a trust in me that I represent the team as well as I can, and he gives me very much a free hand to run and operate the team; to recruit, to operate the team the best way that I see fit.
"Of course I keep him updated. And of course with any major decisions – be it on the drivers for example – it will ultimately be with him.
"But he has always followed and backed the team – whether that be an investment in capital expenditure, or be it in an engine change."
| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, April 30th 2013, 10:26 GMT |
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says he is now happy to bide his time over any further management tweaks after his team's successful start to the 2013 Formula 1 campaign.
The future of team principal Ross Brawn has been the subject of great intrigue ever since Mercedes signed McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe to join it next year in a senior role.
But with Brawn's future tied in to the fortunes of the team, Wolff says Mercedes' two pole positions and two podiums in the early rounds mean there is no pressure to make rash decisions about longer term tweaks.
Instead, he says the plan now is to work closely with Brawn to ensure that any future changes are done only when necessary.
When asked by AUTOSPORT how things were panning out with Brawn, Wolff said: "Ross always says performance is power, and this is how you are being measured.
"Even though the story about Paddy was a lot in the media, we are trying to have a rational proactive way of structuring our management with no knee-jerk decisions.
"What we have discussed internally is all under control. Ross is in that role now and he is very efficient in that role now.
"But you need to look ahead. That doesn't mean that Ross is not going to be with us, not at all, but we will probably strengthen the organisation with other people."
BRAWN PUSHES FOR STABILITY
Brawn himself said recently that Mercedes' progress was the result of the current team structure having bedded down, and that it would be foolish to make changes to upset the dynamic.
"F1 is about a massive engineering exercise, as well as the sporting side with the drivers and the team," explained Brawn. "You must always look to improve both sides, but without damaging what you already have. It is a very delicate evolution.
"It is very easy to damage what you already have, so you need to make sure that if you do big changes, you know where they are going to end up.
"We have a good aero group now. We can always strengthen it, but we must strengthen it by enhancing what we have. We must not damage what we have because it is a great group of people now - and on the sporting side it is the same."
Wolff added that it would still take him more time to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the team. He said there was no immediate concerns, however, and any tweaks being implemented were minor.
"We have started already to change things internally on many things which are not visible on the weekends and are not visible externally," he said.
"We have looked at things internally: about the structure, how you communicate internally and responsibilities. That is an ongoing process actually.
"But I can only make up my mind properly if I understand the whole picture and you cannot understand the whole picture after three months."
| By Peter Farkas | Tuesday, April 30th 2013, 12:55 GMT |
Jenson Button sees no need for his McLaren bosses to get involved in any of his future on-track tussles with Sergio Perez, despite their clash at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Button and Perez criticised each other after a frenetic fight for position at Sakhir, which included the pair making contact on a couple of occasions.
As revealed by AUTOSPORT, the two drivers met with McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh and sporting director Sam Michael immediately after the Bahrain race to clear the air over the matter.
Button thinks that get-together was vital, and is confident that he and Perez now both understand what is acceptable so that they can be left alone to sort matters out between themselves in future.
"After the race it was important to sit down with the team and Checo and for us all to talk about the race, get it out and move on," Button told selected media, including AUTOSPORT, during a promotional visit to Hungary this week.
"I think we're very lucky that we were allowed to race. There are a lot of teams where team-mates aren't allowed to race. But we'd better respect that decision and not take advantage of it.
"That's something that we all understand now. Hopefully we can be racing in Barcelona: fighting cleanly and hopefully for the win, not for sixth or seventh."
Button also believes that the situation between himself and Perez was built up into something bigger than it appeared because his radio messages were broadcast on television.
"The problem with the radio is that my message is not meant for the masses, it's meant for the team," explained the 2009 world champion, who said he did not intend his comments to be made public.
"In a way it's a pity that TV companies just choose the messages they want, because they can come across in the wrong way.
"I was obviously angry, but the anger was supposed to be kept within the team, because I am radioing the team, I'm not radioing TV companies."
CAR PROGRESS BUTTON'S MAIN CONCERN
Button insists his biggest concern is not how things pan out on track with Perez, but whether McLaren can deliver the step forward it needs with its updates for the Spanish GP.
"In terms of our results, they haven't been good. But in terms of the direction we're going with the car, I think it's very good," he said.
"We have some new parts for Barcelona which should help us, and we can build on them in future races. But the points need to start coming soon, we understand that."
