In the round-up: Stoffel Vandoorne rates his chance of staying in Formula 1 next year as “zero”.
What they say
Vandoorne was asked if he thinks F1 is off the table for him next year:
F1 is, unless anything out of control happens, then maybe yes. But I think the chances of anything like that happening is almost zero percent.
The priority for me is to have a proper racing programme and obviously in some ways stay involved within Formula 1, let’s say, to still be connected to this world. I still feel I deserve a second chance in a good and right environment.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
"I'm quietly hoping everyone in front of me gets positive drug tests or something and I can win by default. That's my only hope now. USADA, where are you? No, WADA…" – @danielricciardo
Hell of a joke to make in Sochi! #F1 #RussianGP
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) September 27, 2018
Amusing moment from @alo_oficial earlier. Asked how he would change the Sochi circuit to improve overtaking, he took a pen and drew a massive oval over the existing layout #F1 #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/BZluDAFcnj
— Nate Saunders (@natesaundersF1) September 27, 2018
Well, today was a cool day 🤩🏎
Nothing comes close to the experience of driving a Formula 1 car! #PureMcLaren pic.twitter.com/2kA86aJj9W
— Ben Barnicoat (@BenBarnicoat) September 27, 2018
So can any tell me how long is the main grandstand for Sochi?
The line for pit walk one is longer than the stand in fact it goes all the way back to turn one…#crazy #RussianGP #Sochi pic.twitter.com/cogaL8IpBu
— RBR-Fans&Friends (@RBRFans_Friends) September 27, 2018
If you hadn't already heard the whispers…
We are introducing some Power Unit updates on both cars here in Sochi. We're looking at more performance in the long term, which does mean penalties here in the short term.#RussianGP 🇷🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/aSSrNjQba8
— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) September 27, 2018
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Snapshot
Mercedes has announced its forthcoming F1-engined road car will be officially known as the Mercedes-AMG One. It was developed under the working title Project One.
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Vandoorne se dirige vers la Formula E avec Mercedes et gardera un pied en F1 (RTBF - French)
Vandoorne is linked to a move into Formula E with HWA.
Toro Rosso set to confirm Kvyat return (ESPN)
"Toro Rosso is expected to confirm the return of former driver Daniil Kvyat during this weekend's Russian Grand Prix."
Renault beating top three in '19 is 'ludicrous' (Autosport)
"We have grown over the last two years, but they have had structures with 900 people for many years."
Vettel at a crossroads (Racer)
"Vettel needs to raise his game and deliver under pressure. Not only will that prolong the championship battle and potentially put doubt in the minds of those in the Mercedes garage, but it will also reduce similar reservations at Ferrari."
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Comment of the day
Does Nico Hulkenberg’s experience point to a possible route back into F1 for Esteban Ocon?
Nico Hulkenberg bounced back after being dropped by Williams in favour of Maldonado and he didn’t have any backing at all. So Ocon could do the same, sitting out for 2019 while staying in Mercedes’ orbit. Who knows, maybe Bottas flops next year and they need a replacement for 2020. Maybe a seat in such a hard environment like Williams might not do him any good at all.
In any case, best of luck for him and his family. I hope he returns sooner than later.
@Fer-no65
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maiagus
28th September 2018, 0:20
Besides the seats for young drivers, another situation is kind of bad: Not until 2021 or after we should not expect a champion other than the first driver for Ferrari or Mercedes.
Those teams seems to have a lock on the podium. Red Bull wins are too sparse to push a title contender. Renault still has problems to land a podium. Other teams on the podium depend on crashes, storms and asteroids.
Nothing personal against Vettel or Hamilton, but the hope that a third driver would have a chance to wins and a title would be enough to generate new interest.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
28th September 2018, 9:03
What a claim. Just before last season it was still ‘noone will ever reach merc’.
Well look where we are now. If anything It is the constant proposal of major rule changes for the not quite immediate future that keeps teams/engine manufacturers from going all in on the currrent pus. And then, when the new regs finally arrive we will once again have a dominating team if History is anything to go bye. Oh the Joy….
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 15:23
@mrboerns I don’t get any vibe at all that the teams are holding back on Pu development, and it sounds more and more like the pu’s format will not be changing until a few years after 2021 if anything. Even if they were changing them for 2021 I was of the understanding that they would still be basically the same architecture, so….no I don’t think they’re holding back on Pu work at all.
As to once again one team dominating and history repeating itself in 2021? I also disagree, or at least I think there should be less of a chance of that happening, with budget caps coming and cars able to race more closely. Of course the top teams are the top teams, but I’m just saying with all that Liberty is trying to do, there should be less of a chance of one team running away than in previous gens. Theoretically.
Tim
28th September 2018, 0:21
I’m quite disappointed it’s not Mercedes-Benz-AMG F1-One #HybridPower Eco++
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
28th September 2018, 0:28
The Mercedes AMG One car looks very impressive. I was thinking the other day that Mercedes needed to put out something in the Super Car range, and here it is. I hope Valtteri gets one, even if was just a loan car.
@HoHum (@hohum)
28th September 2018, 2:12
Dare I suggest that it will be Lewis’s turn to pose alongside when they bring out the Maybach SUV.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
28th September 2018, 1:45
Renault can downplay expectations and give excuses all they want but the fact is when they returned they were very clear in the media about having a 3-year goal to return to the podium.
Does Marcin Budkowski’s proclamation signal an end to Cyril Abiteboul? Is there a new figure-head at Renault? It reminds me of McLaren and how all of a sudden Zak Brown started talking who ended up replacing Éric Boullier.
After all there is not exactly transparent differentiation in roles between managing director and executive director, it could be seen as though Cyril has failed in his expectations from Renault.
Man United_Vettel (@siegfreyco)
28th September 2018, 3:55
They just want to be able to drop Kvyat again so Verstappen can win the next race LOL
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
28th September 2018, 5:48
I really don’t understand why Kvyat would be all that high on TR’s radar or why they’d want to keep Hartley for next year either.
Surely RBR would want to pick up some new raw talent from somewhere, even if they have to play hardball with some contractual arrangements to get the likes of Ocon or Russell out of their Merc deals and in to their programme.
The only thing I can assume if they don’t go after a new set of drivers is that TR next year (as it has been this year) will be Honda’s test car and that the drivers will have to expect to be starting from the rear of the grid pretty often.
anon
28th September 2018, 7:44
@dbradock, you are probably right that the main objective for Toro Rosso in 2019 is to be Red Bull’s moving dyno. Newey has already made it clear that the 2019 Toro Rosso is basically going to be another Haas – in other words, that car will have a lot of parts on it which are taken directly from the 2019 Red Bull car – and hinted it will be used as a test bed for the parent team.
That also seems to be why Key wants to leave Toro Rosso – it seems that he was questioning quite how many parts the 2019 Toro Rosso will adopt from the parent Red Bull team, and possibly suggested that Red Bull were taking things a bit too far, which put him at odds with Red Bull’s management. It seems that he was also rather annoyed at the fact that he was having his role significantly downgraded by that arrangement, since most of his design duties would have been passed back to the parent team.
Michael
28th September 2018, 7:56
Kvyats 4 years younger than Hartley and at his best was beating Riccardo while Hartley’s not been a match for Gasly. Kvyat’s also spent a season testing at Ferrari so he must have learnt things… They will probably have both though as Red Bull don’t have anyone coming through.
Aaditya (@neutronstar)
28th September 2018, 8:10
I hope Vandoorne can somehow put in some rejuvenated performances in the remaining races so that his stock can at rise at least enough for teams to consider him as an option in the future. The fact that he was closer to Alonso last year than he is now tells me that he hasn’t been in an environment that can help him grow and improve as a driver.
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
28th September 2018, 8:54
Anyone else remember around the time of the RBR-Honda deal being announced that they said STR would not be sacrificed this year for the development of next year’s PU? That lasted long didn’t it?
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 15:33
@tonyyeb Not sure what you mean. Both STR’s getting Honda upgrades this weekend. How is that a sacrifice?
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
28th September 2018, 15:34
@robbie STR as a team are being sacrificed for a better 2019 engine for RBR. They said they wouldn’t do that.
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 15:50
@tonyyeb Still not seeing where the sacrifice is. Besides, did anyone think STR were going to do much anyway? They were never going to be fighting for wins…barely for points. Where have they sacrificed the team? Aren’t they working with the team, likely with much involvement with RBR and Newey too? Doesn’t what they are doing all make sense?
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
28th September 2018, 15:59
@robbie They are taking unnecessary grid penalties when the engines they have are fine. Doesn’t matter what was expected from them, RBR said this wouldn’t happen in the persuit of 2019 PU performance.
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 17:15
@tonyyeb ‘…the engines they have are fine.’ Lol…good one.
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 17:17
Also, how big a hit is a grid penalty for them? 5 spots? Inconsequential. Well worth the badly needed pursuit of a better Pu for both teams. No sacrifice whatsoever. Just prudent work toward the goal of progress.
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
28th September 2018, 17:32
Jeez can you just not see that the team clearly are going against what they already said? Or are you just someone who likes to create an argument?
Jere (@jerejj)
28th September 2018, 10:44
If Kvyat’s rumored return to STR indeed happens, then it’d be an error IMO.
– Nice to see MP4-27 in its original livery.
– I agree with the COTD although I hope he’d get the Williams-drive since it seems to be his only realistic option for next season.
– Alonso’s drawing, though.
Shimks (@shimks)
28th September 2018, 12:20
Chris Medland’s article on Vettel at a crossroads is good read.
Robbie (@robbie)
28th September 2018, 15:46
@shimks Agreed. Pretty much well sums it up for Vettel. As was subtly hinted at by one of the guys at Sky at the last race, perhaps it wouldn’t be terrible for SV if LH and his Merc just dominated for the rest of this season, showing a superior car, which would take some of the pressure off of SV for his squandered points. Ie. if LH wins by more points than SV has squandered, then his mistakes matter less and he’s a bit off the hook for them.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
29th September 2018, 1:39
Meh, I would prefer if ferrari can keep bringing a competitive car for the last races and perhaps get closer than last year and win more races than last year, I’m honestly tired of mercedes domination, so going back to it if only for a part of the season is not interesting to me.