In the round-up: Mercedes has confirmed that they will replace the power unit in Lewis Hamilton’s car following the issues that left him unable to set a time in yesterday’s qualifying session.
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Lewis Hamilton forced onto second engine of F1 2016 at Chinese GP (Autosport)
"Mercedes confirmed the power unit would be changed in order to 'give us time to properly analyse the issue back at the factory and then determine which components from PU one can be re-used at future events'."
Ferrari 'missed an open goal' in Chinese Grand Prix qualifying (Sky)
"'Ferrari have missed an open goal, haven't they?,' Brundle said, as Raikkonen and Vettel had to settle for third and fourth. 'Hamilton retired with a technical issue and they're not even on the front row of the grid.'"
Hamilton's personal development 'mind blowing' - Wolff (Motorsport.com)
"The development I've seen in him as a personality is mind blowing, over the last three years he's been with the team. He's won two championships and found himself, I think, as a person."
Jenson Button troubled by 'dangerous' pit incident in qualifying (Autosport)
"For me that was the most dangerous part of the session."
Fernando Alonso thinks his radio gets singled out (Eurosport)
"But it seems always it's quite attractive. I've heard many, many things they don't put live. So it's good to have that respect from FOM..."
Formula One: Who's in charge of the runaway train? (ESPN)
"I sometimes wish Max Mosley were back in charge. I'd even go so far as to occasionally suggest we would be better offer with Jean-Marie Balestre holding the presidential reins in Paris. That's how bad things have become."
"But if you walk around the city you would not have too much of an idea that this sport is in town. In Thursday’s Shanghai Daily, the local newspaper, the day which kicks off the whole weekend with driver press conferences, there was not a line on F1."
Rising Ferrari offer growing threat to Mercedes’ relentless F1 hegemony (Guardian)
"That even Raikkonen is fractionally more animated this season is further evidence that Ferrari have moved forward. But, like last year, they still look a team more likely to take victories off Mercedes than win the title themselves. "
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Awesome day. Start 2nd for tomorrow. Everyone thinks it must be the aerodynamic hair. I'm not superstitious but I may just keep it 😜
— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) April 16, 2016
5th today in quali. Pretty maximum result for us and pleased with the laps! Lets have a good #ChineseGP tomorrow 🏁 pic.twitter.com/4CUhD3njtJ
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) April 16, 2016
So this just happened…
One for the scrapbook! 📸 #Selfie #F1 #ChineseGP #FP3 pic.twitter.com/UIPmXKn4ZT— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 16, 2016
Long delay because of a small patch of water on track, but a car in the run-off area is completely fine. Formula 1 everybody #F1 #ChineseGP
— Mattzel89 (@Mattzel89) April 16, 2016
What a ridiculous over-reaction to a puddle by #F1. Not sure the best drivers in the world can handle a puddle…
— Jennie Gow (@JennieGow) April 16, 2016
Grill the Grid: @MassaFelipe19 scored 8/10 last time. Will @HulkHulkenberg beat that? >> https://t.co/Oxveg3eBov #F1 pic.twitter.com/L3n1BxQXtf
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 16, 2016
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
After the most entertaining qualifying session of the season by far, @bullmello offers a reflection.
Firstly, how refreshing to see a “normal” qualy session where it comes down to drivers and teams giving their best performance, or not. No gimmicks.
Even though Rosberg ended up on top, he had to drive the lap to do it. Who knows how much Ferrari could have been with a better lap form both drivers.
Race start, obviously the start at the front will be fascinating between ROS, RIC, RAI and VET. But, keep an eye on SAI and VES, that could be very interesting.
@bullmello
From the forum
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On this day in F1
Happy birthday to Romain Grosjean who is 30 today!
On this day five years ago Lewis Hamilton scored a memorable victory for McLaren in the Chinese Grand Prix, passing Sebastian Vettel to win while Mark Webber climbed from 18th to third place.
Scalextric (@scalextric)
17th April 2016, 0:17
People who think that was an over reaction to a puddle have never played Pole Position.
ivz (@ivz)
17th April 2016, 0:25
I wanted to see which drivers are actually good, and not rookies. But we were robbed of the chance to finally see them use some skill and brains for a change.
paulguitar
17th April 2016, 0:35
@scalextric
Ok, that made me laugh out loud.
Remember the FIREBALL!?
Johannes (@johanness)
17th April 2016, 2:26
Yeah @scalextric, that was my COTD. Lol
Fast
17th April 2016, 0:24
I too, “sometimes wish Max Mosley were back in charge”
beneboy (@beneboy)
17th April 2016, 0:52
Maybe occaisionally, but never with Jean-Marie Balestre, he made Bernie look sane and rational.
DaveD (@daved)
17th April 2016, 3:43
@beneboy I think even scarier is that Balestre made Bernie look “less corrupt” by comparison. Wow, I can’t believe that’s even possible but there you have it.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
17th April 2016, 2:14
I find it fascinating that people see Mosley or Balestre as “better” (or “less worse”) than Todt.
If those two were in charge today, they’d probably behave in exactly the same way. When the business is broken, those dinosaurs all make the same decisions. Comparing Mosley and Balestre to Todt is just as wrong as comparing Fangio with Schumacher and Hamilton: different eras, different circumstances.
The political war would still be there. We HATED the Mosley years! And for what I’ve read about the Balestre years, they weren’t that much happier either. And they enjoyed big grids, tobacco advertisement and loads of money in sponsorships, no “social media” to worry about, etc. They had a sport in much better shape and YET, we absolutely hated the way things were decided. Yes, Mosley improved safety and we will all thank him for that, but then?! Mosley killed the smaller teams, Mosley made more deals together with Bernie than anyone else, he made Ferrari the power that it is, he played his part in dividing the teams, made ill fated decisions along the way, and was part of what was then frequently named “the Ferrari International Assistance”.
Doesn’t anyone remember that?! I feel like I’m taking crazy pills… Keep Mosley away, please! And remember that whatever puppet comes next in place of Todt, he’ll also be properly trained to ruin this sport.
Mike (@grippgoat)
17th April 2016, 2:55
I will always remember Mosley for refusing to make some kind of compromise happen to avoid the travesty of the 2005 USGP.
bosyber (@bosyber)
17th April 2016, 5:46
Have to agree @fer-no65,@gripgoat; In the last years both FIA and Bernie have been behind some of the worst ideas in F1, with the teams being the most sensible partners, even if often split and opportunistic. And that is scary.
At the moment, a more decisive F1 would be an F1 I’d probably not want to watch. We need good decisions and governance, not change for the sake of it.
bosyber (@bosyber)
17th April 2016, 5:47
Sorry, @grippgoat,misstyped your name above.
bull mello (@bullmello)
17th April 2016, 5:27
Agree @fer-no65 . Some folks seem to have short memories. F1 needs to move forward, not backward. The past is what led to where we are now. The future path should solve the problems of the present and make the racing better which will give the best chance for F1 to survive and thrive. (Being realistic, I’m not holding my breath.)
Jules Winfield (@jules-winfield)
17th April 2016, 20:03
Mosley would at least do something. Todt does nothing at all, and is content to sit on the sidelines and watch the sport fall apart.
Tristan
17th April 2016, 5:26
Haha, just had a fun little side experience on the Telegraph article. Saw an article linked about how Lewis Hamilton is the worst dressed man in sport, which in turn linked to an article about how he was the best dressed man in sport, which in turn linked to yet another article about he was the worst dressed man in sport.
I’m glad I follow F1 rather than fashion, that’s for sure.
Will Wood (@willwood)
17th April 2016, 5:34
That is highly amusing.
Angel
17th April 2016, 5:31
I have a question…As a team If you have three drivers an you change them every other race… You do have 15 engines? 5 for each driver?
x303 (@x303)
17th April 2016, 12:30
You have 5 engines for the car, no matter who’s driving. Vandoorne used an engine that will be reused by Alonso.