In the round-up: Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey is still very much involved with the design of their new car.
Links
Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more.
ESPN (Newey's step back not as big as expected - Ricciardo)
"I know Adrian Newey was supposed to step back a lot this year and that hasn't really been the case. He's been at most of the tests and he looks to be keeping a pretty strong interest in the car."
Ricciardo happy to assume the burden of expectation (Reuters)
"I think I've proved what I'm capable of and it's just a matter of hoping we've got the equipment."
Max Verstappen leads the young guns ready to take F1 by storm in 2015 (The Guardian)
"I can understand the reaction. But I just have to prove them wrong. Try to be mature for my age, that’s the most important."
Canadian GP looks to improve site (TSN)
"At the same time last year, we were in the last phase of finalizing the agreement, to make sure we'd have an agreement before the race. Now we have a 10-year agreement. We can now look forward. It's less pressure on my shoulders."
Wolff: Mercedes driver rivalry to 'intensify' in 2015 F1 season (Autosport)
"I think they rate each other, they respect each other on track and I have no doubt that the battle's going to intensify"
Formula One venues ranked and rated by Daniel Johnson, in pictures (The Telegraph)
"The track is dreary, the race was dull, and the surroundings are dreadful. Two restaurants in a hotel of 2,500 people just doesn’t make sense. Oh, and don’t forget the overbearing political influence of a certain President Vladimir Putin. How did it win the race promoters' trophy? No prizes for working that one out."
Swimming against the turbo tide (The Way It Is)
"For many years I've joked with people in NASCAR's garage area that one day in the distant future NASCAR will have to find a way to renounce its antique rocker-arm V8s in favour of small capacity turbos. I always add it's a change none of us can ever imagine happening, but the facts of the market appear to make that day of change not only inevitable but something that will have to happen sooner rather than later."
Tweets
Manor drivers @WillStevens_ and @robertomerhi will have race numbers 28 and 98: http://t.co/An53jtMyX1 pic.twitter.com/cKHmmEyNQd #F1
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) March 10, 2015
It’s @RGrosjean's turn to preview the #AusGP in three words! (Full Q&A here –> http://t.co/uEA4TEKOAm) #F1DownUnder pic.twitter.com/sewxQFzrN0
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) March 10, 2015
Finding the 2015 #F1 field a bit bland and grey? Check out the colourful @WSR_Live FR3.5 grid: http://t.co/rS1bBND7Jq pic.twitter.com/iHNxAtj2iU
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) March 10, 2015
A good omen for @ManorF1Team: @WillStevens_ and @robertomerhi finished 1-2 in their first race last year: https://t.co/VO0Y6x2Px2 @WSR_Live
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) March 10, 2015
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Snapshot
Honda is the latest IndyCar manufacturer to reveal its aero kit which teams may use this season. See here for more:
Comment of the day
Quite a few people commented that Adrian Sutil’s departure is no great loss to F1, but at least one has several fond memories of his career:
I still commend Adrian for lasting as long as he did, and for some genuinely great drives.
His move on Schumacher at Silverstone 2010 is still one of my favourites, overtaking Kobayashi at 130R in 2011, Monaco 2013 was immense, as was his battle with Massa at Canada 2013. All a bit wild, but so brave.
Jack (@Jmc200)
From the forum
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Renegade.Ego!
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is via the contact form or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Ayrton Senna won the United States Grand Prix 25 years ago today but Jean Alesi stole the show by leading the early running and re-passing Senna when he came under attack from the McLaren:
Alex de Brito (@corix)
11th March 2015, 0:33
Allianz is doing an ad campaign here in Brazil to pay homage to the anniversary of Ayrton Senna. The main video has Érik Comas talking about how Senna saved his life in the practice session of Spa in 1992.
Here’s a link to the video: http://youtu.be/Jnm3yz5oimA
celeste (@celeste)
11th March 2015, 2:01
Not avalaible in my country :(
Alex de Brito (@corix)
11th March 2015, 4:34
Unfortunately, it looks like it is only available in Brazil. =/
Canderous (@yoshif8tures)
11th March 2015, 4:41
You could reupload it for us :)
woogle
11th March 2015, 17:34
use a proxy
dragoll (@dragoll)
11th March 2015, 8:50
It should be noted that if you can see it, it’s spoken in French with Portuguese subtitles… However, is very impactful despite the language barrier for me.
Bruno (@brunes)
11th March 2015, 0:40
I am not sure if starting F1 with Manor is the right thing to do for those two talented drivers.
It could ruin their future.
matiascasali (@matiascasali)
11th March 2015, 3:11
yes, Ask alonso how bad it went for him to start at MINARDI…
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
11th March 2015, 3:53
All these guys would rather be a small fish in a big pond rather than a big fish in a small pond. Look how Giedo has fought tooth and nail to drive for a team who obviously don’t want him. Although he has won, he obviously hasn’t thought it through how it’s gonna work in practice working with people you have just taken to court, all for the price of calling himself an F1 driver.
RBAlonso (@rbalonso)
11th March 2015, 3:56
Whilst Alonso was able to become a top driver from a small team, it is not common, certainly not since 2010. Take these examples from the last 20 years of notable F1 drivers and their starts in F1.
Started at a top team: Hamilton, Montoya, Villeneuve, Hill, Coulthard
Started at a midfield team: M. Schumacher, R.Schumacher, Button, Raikkonen, Vettel, Massa, Kubica, Rosberg
Started at a minnow: Webber, Alonso, Trulli, Fisichella, Hakkinen
The evidence suggests most top drivers have been picked up by midfield or even top teams. Also, since 2010 the only drivers who progressed up the field were Senna, Ricciardo and Bianchi. Riccardo we can say would probably have started for Toro Rosso the next season and Ericcson’s promotion to Sauber is due to Jules’ accident. The teams at the back also destroyed the career’s of about 6 drivers who were fairly respected before switching. We have also had a considerable amount of dross at the back of the grid. I don’t look back at Albers, Ide and Baumgartner with much fondness. But this has always been the case and is going to be for the near future if costs are so tight that money trumps talent.
Anyway, I think the point Bruno makes is that the team are going to be in such disarray that they will be 5-6 seconds from Mercedes pace and risk the 107% rule. That is Lola territory by today’s standards. I obviously don’t blame Manor nor the drivers for racing, indeed I think it will be Stevens’ only chance at F1, but it will be a serious struggle from the word go. We shouldn’t underestimate how hard the team are working just now, but I can’t see it doing wonders for the drivers CV.
Layercake
11th March 2015, 4:12
Leaving out Ricciardo and Bianchi from your list leaves us with a tie 5 top teams 5 minnows, so evidence suggests that your stats are clearly biased. Sorry but not counting Jules standout year with Marrusia and Dan’s early intro into the sport just because you feel like it doesnt provide enough evidence to suggest anything. Also, if you look at the total number of drivers come and gone over the years you’ve limited this range too, I feel confident that evidence suggests top drivers are rare in general and their routes to F1 are as unique as they are. Big players and minnows have all had impacts on top drivers and suggesting that one route is better into F1 for everyone is a bit short sighted.
RBAlonso (@rbalonso)
11th March 2015, 16:29
Rest assured there is no bias in my comment, Layercake. The list, as I’m sure you are aware, is of the most recent GP winners. I am not considering drivers who went on to be midfield challengers as I feel they are being more polluted by pay drivers given the financial constraints applied by the sport. Obviously, I am not considering Jules as he will not be racing at any time in the future. Ricciardo was also part of Red Bull long before he had any connection to a broke HRT. The reason I have limited the range is the teams at the back are so far from the pace it is far better to accept a pay driver than go for talent. I agree that there are many junior categories which occur a way into F1 but Berger was given the task of creating a universal way to get into F1. The GP2 world champions never get a chance. British F3 has shut down, and the FIA has introduced a points system which is not representative of the challenge of each series. The facts suggest that the best way to be a top driver is not to start at a minnow in this era of F1.
FlyingLobster27
11th March 2015, 6:20
Nearly. Hill actually debuted at a minnow: Brabham. Montoya and Villeneuve debuted at top teams having done their classes in another world-class series – with several senior racers, CART could hardly be considered a feeder series.
Promoting a young driver to F1 from GP2/FR3.5 straight to a top team is actually very rare.
McF1 (@mccosmic)
11th March 2015, 6:38
I seem to remember that Hill started out at Brabham when it was well off the pace. Silverstone 1992 Hill was in a Grand Prix all on his own – at the back! Whilst Mansell was stroking it.
BJ (@beejis60)
11th March 2015, 4:44
@matiascasali or how about RIC at HRT…
Corey
11th March 2015, 5:34
Wasn’t he on loan from Toro Rosso in order to get seat time?
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
11th March 2015, 13:10
Minardi were on the front row in that Phoenix race! That was a bonkers grid.
Anthony
11th March 2015, 7:32
It is not just drivers like Alonso, Ric etc that got there first taste of F1 with a small team but also designers, pit crew, etc…
dragoll (@dragoll)
11th March 2015, 8:52
+1
Layercake
11th March 2015, 0:59
Love anyone actually bought neweys retirement story. I’ll assume 1) he has some scope into the 2017 (maybe as soon as 2016) rule changes. 2) fans will continue justifying vettels wins to the car but nobody will have the courage to hold the same standards to Dan.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
11th March 2015, 4:02
Point 2 is a bit silly, engine parity was more or less achieved by the time Red Bull started dominating, there’s some way to go before that will be the case with this new formula.
Layercake
11th March 2015, 5:58
Neweys cars have won races and championships with and without engine parity.
anon
11th March 2015, 7:27
I would argue that quite a few of Newey’s cars won in part thanks to a superior engine (the Renault V10 was the benchmark engine for much of the 1990’s), whilst the MP4/13 arguably had a better engine than Ferrari (thanks to the properties of the beryllium alloys they used at the time) and the Red Bull’s won with engines that had been equalised in performance to their rivals.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
11th March 2015, 1:07
I fear that the racing in Indycar which has been rather good since the introduction of the new car is going to be a lot worse this year because these new bodykits & all the stupid flaps, winglets & fins they have now are going to produce way too much dirty air to produce good racing.
Going after performance/lap records for spectacle or whatever by throwing tons of downforce on the cars is all well & good, But when they produce shit racing because of how much dirty air all these flaps are likely to produce then who’s going to keep watching?
Not only that but the flaps, winglets & all the other nonsence look just as ugly as they did on the Pre-2009 F1 cars.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
11th March 2015, 8:28
I agree, F1 cars looked ridiculous then – this is boxy and ugly as well. They should put a yellow flag on each winglet because they’ll end up strewn all over the track. Then, at the restart…it’ll happen all over again.
Put a picture of the McLaren engine next to that Indycar (maybe with Fred in his hospital gown giving it a thumbs-up) and you have the worst Honda advert ever!
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
11th March 2015, 1:24
Loving your attitude, Sir (or rather, kid). You’re one of the things I’m most looking forward to follow carefully this season.
Fletch (@fletchuk)
11th March 2015, 2:23
+1 indeed!
greg-c (@greg-c)
12th March 2015, 15:15
@fer-no65 & @fletchuk
Does Max have to wear P-plates ? :)
racerdude7730
11th March 2015, 1:49
How do you guys like the Honda aero kit for the Indy Car? I think it looks alot better then the Chevrolet and you can see that it has alot of “F1” styling to the front wing. All and all i think its a much better looking car. Im hoping for next year to have maybe 1 or 2 more aero kits for people to pick from. I do think that the only advantage Chevrolet will have is that the teams have more little wiglets that can be taken on and off to do a better setup. I think this is a great thing for Indy Car but it will more the likely make passing harder but i can live with that in order for the teams to have some freedom on the cars.
BJ (@beejis60)
11th March 2015, 4:46
For good side-by-side comparison shots, check out the link below. It’s the first image of the set so just scroll right as there’s nothing to be seen at the left. And I agree that it’s better than chevy IMO
http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/g6174/2015-indycar-aero-honda-chevy-side-by-side-comparison/?slide=1
Boomerang
11th March 2015, 6:53
I love the front wing, it looks like jumbo’s wing with all flaps deployed…
MattDS (@mattds)
11th March 2015, 7:22
@racerdude7730 I don’t like it at all. It might be effective but it looks like a 5-year-old went berserk with putting winglets everywhere there’s a space for it.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th March 2015, 7:54
I’m glad IndyCar is allowing some aero development, I think that’s good for the series. Individually, the aesthetics of the kits don’t look great at first glance. However I think the sight of multiple cars with hopefully different combinations of different bits of aero kits will give IndyCar some much-needed visual variety.
BasCB (@bascb)
11th March 2015, 16:40
That is what I find the most interesting aspect of it too Keith
From what was said it seems this is something like “max configuration” and teams can put everything on or only part and experiment with wing angles so if we are lucky we will see some variety in what is used between teams.
Mach1 (@mach1)
11th March 2015, 1:51
Any word on how many tokens have been used by each engine manufacturer?
If not, is there a specific date when we get this information?
Boomerang
11th March 2015, 6:51
In november, i think…
BasCB (@bascb)
11th March 2015, 16:38
The FIA stated that they will base the final “standings” on inspection of the cars here before the race and announce the amount Honda gets based on that (if I remember right, they said they would announce that on Monday after the race weekend) @mach1.
BJ (@beejis60)
11th March 2015, 4:57
I’m not so sure the allure of nascarl will remain with an adoption of a smaller-capacity and thusly more quiet engines. While I have never been to a race, I hear from friends that have attended say it’s a great drinking party as well as the loud thunderous roar of the engines, plus all the drama and crashes. Conversely in F1, I’ve really only seen people complain that the v10s sounded better, some seem to complain that the v8s were too loud and screetchy, which leads me to believe that it’s not the loud roar but rather the racing itself that draws the crowd. Two fundamentally differing aspects, I think.
But what do I know. I’m just a silly merican.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
11th March 2015, 5:24
Will Stevens was very lucky in Italy last year, that said I’m sure he’s more capable and committed than Chilton. We may see some extra crashes this season beware.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
11th March 2015, 5:55
Wow, that Honda car looks a lotlike Lucky Strike and nothing like Earthdreams……
Hans (@hanswesterbeek)
11th March 2015, 7:22
I hope that Honda Indycar is a hint towards McHonda’s 2015 F1 livery. It sure goed well with the clothing they used in winter testing.
Fingers. Crossed.
notalent
11th March 2015, 8:42
Nascar only recently stopped using carburetors, im guessing it will be another couple of decades for them to realize that there are turbocharged engines in racing
Nickpkr251
11th March 2015, 11:34
On Rosberg – Ham rematch, is pretty amazing that with a car 1 second faster and a team mate that never drove a championship car, last year battle went to the wire and decide by failure. Have to say that qualyfing didn’t had as much effect, maybe this year we will actually see domination Redbull – Vettel style.
Sven (@crammond)
11th March 2015, 19:46
Thanks for the 1990 video. That was the exact moment when 10-year old me turned from a kid who liked Alesi to a huge Alesi-fan, a defining moment of how I watched F1 for the years to come.
greg-c (@greg-c)
12th March 2015, 15:26
What is Romains jacket supposed to say when its zipped up ?