In the round-up: Nico Rosberg rubbishes Toto Wolff’s suggestion he could return to F1 with Ferrari one day.
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Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more from hundreds of sites across the web:
From winning the F1 world title to running an ice cream parlour in Ibiza (The Telegraph)
"'I’ll give you a little confidence,' Wolff said, during a lunch in Montreal last month. 'I would not be surprised to see Nico running at Ferrari or elsewhere. He’s still young.' (Rosberg) grins contentedly when he hears such comments. 'No,' he says, with a conviction that we should know by now not to doubt. 'I’m good.'"
Vettel boosted by Ferrari engine upgrade at British GP (Sky)
"It was the plan to have the new engine here, so we're on plan."
Vasseur prioritising potentially ‘scary’ Honda (Autosport)
"We need to take care of this quickly. In light of what I hear from McLaren, it can be scary."
Wehrlein: Sauber set for Budapest boost (F1)
"For Budapest we are set for a big upgrade. Almost all the car – or all the aero side – will be new, so that should give us a good performance boost."
Alonso set for another grid penalty (ESPN)
"At the moment we will put the 'Spec Three' tomorrow with the new (MGU-)H because we don't have an older one to run, so that is already a penalty,"
'Pretty normal situation' waiting to hear about Ferrari future - Raikkonen (Crash)
"In my view this is a pretty normal situation, like it has been the last few years and it's OK."
Rosemary Smith is 79 and she just tested a Renault F1 car! (F1i)
"Smith enjoyed a successful career in rallying, winning the 1965 Tulip Rally in Holland, a victory which put the former dress shop owner turned racing driver on the map."
Horner worried Shield 'rushed through' without proper testing (Motorsport)
"I would rather get the job done properly for 2019 than rushing something through for 2018."
An overlooked story from last week.
Hamilton’s snub harms brittle relationship with British fans (The Guardian)
"Hamilton does not like to be told what to do but choosing to be contradictory to make a point about who is in charge is best not achieved at the expense of the people with whom he would connect."
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Odd to see a team, in this case Toro Rosso, facing an investigation for "an attempt to enter in a
competition a car in an unsafe condition".— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) July 13, 2017
Rumours of new RBR chassiss pic.twitter.com/Xy2RAb0ifJ
— Craig Scarborough (@ScarbsTech) July 13, 2017
Bernie had said that Liberty 'Don't understand exactly what @F1 is' I think after yesterday he may need to reconsider that PoV. #F1Live
— Jonny Bowers (@Jonny_Bowers) July 13, 2017
Mega success of #F1LiveLondon proves categorically @F1 bigger than one driver: @LewisHamilton wasn't there so see that himself. #inexcusable
— Fritz-Dieter Rencken (@RacingLines) July 13, 2017
We are so proud to have 2 drivers @alo_oficial @svandoorne who understand the importance of going the extra mile for the fans. 😏 pic.twitter.com/Vyib332K5Y
— Zak Brown (@ZBrownCEO) July 12, 2017
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
Is the Shield design the best solution yet to the head protection problem?
OK, it doesn’t look that bad. It doesn’t offend me the way either Halo or Aeroscreen did, but it still looks like something that has just been plunked onto a car as an afterthought (yes, I am aware there is more to it than that, but you know what I mean).
If the FIA have taken a firm decision that they will try to protect drivers heads more, surely they should be revisiting the cockpit area/survival cell as a whole, and then implementing a solution that is fit for purpose rather than being a ‘decent compromise’.
@GeeMac
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Ryanmack09!
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is via the contact form or adding to the list here.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
14th July 2017, 0:21
I really don’t like Hamilton at all but even I think it’s silly he’s being criticised about skipping an optional event.
@HoHum (@hohum)
14th July 2017, 0:39
Yes it’s a great “pile on” for those other teams with nothing to be proud of gleefully grabbing a bit of publicity, Lewis will be quietly smiling as the news of his incontestably virtuous and unpublicised visit to a children’s hospital spreads. Where were you then Zac !?
NotAgain
14th July 2017, 9:30
It’s old news/event which was shared and discussed on the internet last week.
Maybe FOM and the other 19 drivers were caught off guard and decided to do their own promotional event ;)
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
14th July 2017, 0:42
Well if it was optional everyone elses attendance (even retired drivers) leaves him looking like a bit of a stuck up dropkick. Made worse as he is a driver that has struggled to be accepted by the wider British audience as they view him as a stuck up dropkick.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but upon reflection I am sure he will realise he has stuffed up.
iFelix (@ifelix)
14th July 2017, 6:53
I don’t like Hamilton one bit, but I just don’t get the outrage of him skipping this event which some even call it a “snub”!
While promotional events are part of the job of the F1 driver, it is up to Hamilton and his employer to judge whether it was ok for him not to attend. He is also a person and deserves a private life outside of F1.
In my opinion he do
iFelix (@ifelix)
14th July 2017, 6:57
…doesn’t owe anyone an apology or explanation except to his employer which I am sure they have done (probably since they feel guilty for Baku and Austria they actually had not much choice than to grant his wish)
anon
14th July 2017, 7:39
@come-on-kubica, I am quite willing to bet that if, for example, Kimi Raikkonen had refused to attend this event (and there have been times when he has refused to attend events in the past), very few people would be complaining or even cared less. I do have to agree that it does feel as if the press are trying to milk this for all they are worth.
bippy
14th July 2017, 8:55
I think if it had been in the Finnish capital and Kimi didn’t turn up, the Finnish press and public would have had a field day. They probably would have all mumbled incoherently at a slightly higher volume than normal. For 5 seconds.
Drg
14th July 2017, 12:45
Proms – prams….
Well maybe proms is a better term…
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th July 2017, 12:26
I think Liberty was lucky – very lucky – to get as many drivers as they did at such short notice. F1 drivers are often scheduled months in advance when they get set obligations, and it shouldn’t have surprised people if some of them had turned out to have such an obligation. That the only driver skipping it had a choice in the matter is not something Liberty could have predicted when making a short-notice event like this. For that matter, if it had given enough notice for people to be able to arrange time off work, it would have made a much better event (the crowd size was tiny compared to the half-million audience at a similar event run in 2004, with many people on my feed being upset because work couldn’t process their holiday requests).
While I grant that it would have been better had Lewis chosen to attend than not, it remains the case that if Liberty is serious about getting every driver to partake of these events, it needs to be letting them and us know long in advance.
kanan
14th July 2017, 13:52
It wasn’t short notice to teams and drivers. It was short notice to fans.
James N
14th July 2017, 15:12
This was scheduled months in advance… they didn’t announce it ahead of time to make sure that terrorists had no time to plan an attack (which my mind is overkill, but hey (I live in C. London)). No way they could have pulled this off without months of planning
Racerdude7730
14th July 2017, 0:36
It’s smart the are putting the spec 3 PU in Alonso’s car. What can they lose? Nothing! But they do have the chance to learn more about it and improve. I’d start at the back of every race if it gives you a chance for next year
Todfod (@todfod)
14th July 2017, 5:35
Agree abut testing new engine specs, although Alonso’s the only driver in their team capable of getting points. They should probably test upcoming upgrades on Vandoorne more often… unless they want to finish dead last in the championship.
Mclaren finishing dead last in the WCC. This is a statement I didn’t think I would make in my lifetime. Hat’s off to you Honda
Jordi Casademunt (@casjo)
14th July 2017, 6:51
Well, their performance explains their livery.
Manor lives on!
anon
14th July 2017, 7:47
@todfod, Vandoorne has already switched to the latest engine unit (both drivers used the “Spec 3” engine in Austria).
Equally, there is an argument that McLaren were already declining back in 2013 – their 5th places in the WCC in 2013 and 2014 were, at the time, their joint worst results in the WCC since 1983, and they weren’t even that far ahead of Force India (a team operating on a fraction of McLaren’s budget) in 2014. Even if you had switched out that Honda engine and put the Mercedes unit in it, I don’t think that they would be quite as strong as they claim they would be – there is more to their performance drop than just Honda, easy though it is to blame them.
Todfod (@todfod)
14th July 2017, 9:42
There’s a massive difference between declining and a total meltdown.
I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that they would be behind Force India or Williams if they had a Mercedes engine in the back. At worst they would be at P4 in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and at best they would have finished 3rd in the WDC from 2014 to 2017.
All of the scenarios are a heck of a lot better than coming last. I honestly don’t see how people think that McLaren’s being last in the championship is any one other than Honda’s fault.
Gabriel (@rethla)
14th July 2017, 15:33
I doubt they would be p4. They are a midfieldcar with a bad engine.
Racerdude7730
14th July 2017, 0:37
They* Keith an edit button plz!
Sundar Srinivas Harish
14th July 2017, 0:39
And the award for the most blatant dig at Hamilton goes to – Zak Brown!
Tom
14th July 2017, 8:25
Well it’s the only award McLaren are even close to winning.. I’d rather he focus on not being the worst team in F1..
Todfod (@todfod)
14th July 2017, 9:44
Most blatant dig at McLaren was when Hamilton mentioned that Alonso deserves a better car.
Sundar Srinivas Harish
14th July 2017, 13:41
Honestly though, Alonso has the top 10 in that stat.
OOliver
14th July 2017, 0:42
Not all British people are Lewis or Mercedes fans.
44fanandproud
14th July 2017, 10:55
OOliver Ain’t that the truth.
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
14th July 2017, 0:47
As a side note, I don’t think Hamilton is too happy in the Mercedes camp at the moment. In between Baku and the FIA hearing Vettel held his 30th birthday party. Toto was in attendance.
Mercedes is a German team that sells Germans cars, and this is the first season (including 1954 and 1955) in Formula 1 that at least one of their drivers hasn’t been German.
Formula1 (@s2g-unit)
14th July 2017, 1:57
I really don’t think they care. I honestly believe behind closed doors they wanted Hamilton over Rosberg as a champion every season. I think the clashses between the two Nico & Lewis followed by Toto’s reactions was is enough proof. Grin in Italy 2014 when Rosberg lost the lead is one example.
TomD11 (@tomd11)
14th July 2017, 2:01
Mercedes is an international team, based in Britain, owned by a German car manufacturer that sells >75% of its cars outside Germany. Ferrari have gone 25 years without an Italian having a full-time drive. I fail to see your point. You have two poor weekends, largely out of your control, and lose ground to your nearest rivals and see how your mood is.
Gabriel (@rethla)
14th July 2017, 2:25
@tomd11 Maybe they sell 75% of their cars outside of Germany but they dont have 75% of their F1 fans outside of Germany.
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
14th July 2017, 2:48
Not a well thought out response. We are talking about Mercedes, what on earth does Ferrari have to do with this?
Mercedes have had a total of 10 seasons in the sport, and of the 26 drivers during that time 15 of them have been Germans. Add to that, this is the first year in all of those 10 seasons that at least one of the drivers isn’t German, and that wasn’t by design.
Vettel will be in Mercedes 2018 at the earliest, 2019 at the latest.
How about you go and race a car, have your nearest competitor drive into you, have a team boss not be damning about his actions, and then find your boss is socialising with that very person who drove into you before the FIA meeting, and see how your mood is.
knight
14th July 2017, 4:26
Dude not even toto wolf is german .both he and lauda are austrian.
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
14th July 2017, 5:10
But we are talking about the Mercedes team, which is German.
Either way, dude, go and read up on Austrias history. Whats their official language?
Farrari2017
14th July 2017, 7:41
I think i agree with you here. We call this reading between the lines and i am afraid you are spot on. Something brewing in the Merc garage and it has been for long now. But surely not to a naked eye
NotAgain
14th July 2017, 9:46
That explains Zak at McLaren and Vasseur at Sauber (Longbow is from the French part).
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
15th July 2017, 2:55
I wouldn’t be surprised if Vettel and Hamilton swap next year. On the basis that Vettel wins this year, both drivers will be going for 3 WDC with three different teams, an amazing feat only achieved once.
Michael Brown (@)
14th July 2017, 3:49
Are we still discussing this?
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th July 2017, 7:30
Perhaps you should watch the press conference where this question was put to HAM,RIC,etc @bamboo – no that’s not really an issue, I don’t think.
Kgn11
14th July 2017, 5:03
So Zac Brown is out here throwing shade at Hamilton whilst in a picture with a guy who blackmailed the team he’s now driving for for a second time? Stop it….lol
If I was Lewis, when I’m lapping both McLaren’s on Sunday (granted his car holds up and the McLaren’s make it to lap 10), I’d go on the pit radio and say, “Hi Zac”.
But that’s just me, I’ve got that level of pettiness in me. Lol
Robbie (@robbie)
14th July 2017, 13:28
Blackmailed? Second time? How so?
dbHenry
14th July 2017, 16:08
I think some blame Alonso for McLaren getting caught back in 2007 with their hand in Ferrari’s design cookie jar. I don’t get it either Robbie. Cooperating in an investigation seems different than blackmail.
Sonics (@sonicslv)
14th July 2017, 5:29
Funny that there’s almost no news on what actually happened in the events and what the drivers who attending is doing for the fans there but everyone talking about a single driver that’s not attending. It actually proves that one driver is actually bigger than F1 on gathering mass media (and common people) attention at least.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th July 2017, 12:30
I’ve seen more people complain about not getting time off for the event than (non-F1 paddock members) talk about what happened at the event itself.
Todfod (@todfod)
14th July 2017, 5:38
In the Autosport article, Vasseur says that he’s got a chance to fix things for Sauber.. starting with dumping Honda for 2018. LMAO
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
14th July 2017, 7:48
Lol, yeah poor engine is not sonething that would help any team
Sundar Srinivas Harish
14th July 2017, 13:45
He’s definitely not getting a Renault engine, and Ferrari seem to be comfortable with Haas. Looks like Wehrlein’s gonna score Sauber a Merc engine and put them in the 3rd/4th place battle!
Marian Gri (@)
14th July 2017, 7:42
I hardly believe Ferrari will hire any driver that might give VET a headache… as long as VET drives for them. Their main goal is the WDC, they have the driver to win it – VET, they just need a car capable to win the WDC. I think RAI chances to secure a Ferrari seat in 2018 depends a lot if VET wins the WDC, Ferrari will please their champ by keeping in the 2nd seat the driver he likes most.
Mig
14th July 2017, 16:03
Why would any car manufacturers really care about winning the WDC. Their first priority is the WCC.
Ridwan
15th July 2017, 4:39
Ferrari DO prioritizing WDC. A statement made from Ferrari team (must be Marchionne), not long ago.
Samurai (@royalz)
14th July 2017, 7:58
JB had Santander logo on his racing suite but it wasn’t present on both FA and SV. Why is it so?
Sundar Srinivas Harish
14th July 2017, 13:45
Personal sponsorship, probably.
Tom
14th July 2017, 8:23
Yeah Zac, Alonso did so much for genuine fans who paid to see him in Monaco…
Robbie (@robbie)
14th July 2017, 13:30
You mean Zac who played a big role in FA doing Indy, with huge marketing impact for themselves?
Chapor (@chapor)
14th July 2017, 8:52
I am slightly bemused about the amount of petty jabs directed at Lewis. If there is one guy that does more for his fans than any other driver… See China this year. Who of the other drivers bothered to approach the grandstands and toss signed merchanidise to the crowd?
I just do not understand why he gets so much flak?
matt
14th July 2017, 10:04
I think that Lewis Hamilton is a polarising figure for a few different reasons but not least, his David Beckham lifestyle, with the fashion, photo shoots etc… it distances him from every day people and makes it hard to relate to him.
He is British and in my opinion, when the nonsense is stripped away, I think he is basically an alright bloke but his published image is not of that guy, it´s of somebody who wants to be a celebrity and in his own words, build a global brand, of himself. This is something that will likely earn him a lot of money for the rest of his life but it wont endear him to F1 fans.
That is why he gets so much flak, in my opinion.
Oluseyi
14th July 2017, 18:24
He’s black. No, I don’t think the people “polarized” by him are racist; I think we exist within a global media culture of deep disrespect and denigration toward black people, and it influences people’s perspectives and reactions in ways they aren’t even necessarily cognizant of. A lot of the “How dare he?” and “Who does he think he is?!” reactions seem particularly pointed because it upsets their notion of his “proper place,” and the “gratitude” he should feel for being able to live such a successful, lavish lifestyle.
That he is unapologetic only further stokes that.
Otek Ondiek
14th July 2017, 18:43
+1
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
14th July 2017, 12:14
Another piece of funny interview from Ric… Quite a nice way to turn the question.
Picasso 1.9D FTW (@picasso-19d-ftw)
14th July 2017, 12:57
Love that story about Rosemary Smith. What a shame the video is immediately followed by a link to “GALLERY: F1 drivers’ wives and girlfriends”. Painful irony.
us-brian (@us-brian)
14th July 2017, 14:12
The only way the shield will be tested completely is if we get to do it in a downpour, throw debries at it like tire marbles, small pieces of carbon fiber….
As for that Lewis thing….. Everybody is looking for that little bit of advantage. For Lewis …. taking time away was more important. Thats fine. Whatever floats his boat.
The other Teams and drivers try to mock him about his absence. They are trying to get in his head about it. Just like Lewis tried to get into Sebs head after the Baku thing. He told will buxton he had a few things he could use now to get to Seb (NBC broadcast in the US).
But….. This was in London. Not sure if this was a free event for the fans (but if) this was most likely the only chance for many to get this close to their biggest idols Since F1 is very expensive. I wonder if this disgruntled a few of his fans to much.