In the round-up: Racing Point technical director Andrew Green says the team hasn’t fully exploited the potential of the upgrade package it introduced in Australia.
What they say
There’s still work to do on it. There’s still bits coming at the next race to try and improve it further. It’s got more potential, that’s for sure, it didn’t realise its full potential [in Australia].
Sometimes you can hit the sweet spot, sometimes it needs a bit of understanding and tweaking.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
DRS might produce more overtaking but is it really producing more proper fights on track which I believe is what we want to see? Just my 2 cents 😊👍🏻
— Marcus Ericsson (@Ericsson_Marcus) March 27, 2019
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Motorsport UK hoping inspirational Hamilton can drive greater diversity in F1 (South Wales Argus)
David Richards: "I am sure in future years that Lewis is going to be a great ambassador for us in helping to attract and appeal to disadvantaged children in inner cities, who may kick a football around, but the last thing they would ever dream of being able to do is drive a racing car."
Bahrain GP preview (Racing Point)
"We’ve got some improvements coming for Bahrain, but the main task will be extracting more from the new aero package we introduced in Melbourne. Bahrain will give us a better indication of where we stand because it’s a much more traditional circuit compared to the stop-start layout of Melbourne."
Ferrari fans? (Ferrari via Facebook)
Sebastian Vettel: "Everyone is a Ferrari fan. Even if they say they're now, they are Ferrari fans."
FOS to celebrate Michael Schumacher with Hakkinen and Hill (Goodwood Road and Racing)
"The 2019 Festival of Speed will delight in a celebration of the incredible career of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, as friends, family and rivals come together to pay tribute to Formula 1's greatest record-breaker."
Every moment I spend in prison in Bahrain stains the reputation of F1 (The Guardian)
"In 2017, I backed the calls for “freedom for Formula detainees”. I never thought I would become one of them. Every moment I spend in prison stains the reputation of Formula One, who have abandoned their commitment to freedom of expression and allowed injustice to be perpetrated in their name."
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Comment of the day
@Bakano is hopeful Ferrari will be as competitive this weekend as they looked during pre-season testing:
I have the feeling that the Bahrain Grand Prix will have results much more similar to what we see during the winter testing.
Ferrari will be fast and the midfield will be closer to Red Bull (well, maybe not to Max in particular) lead by Renault this time (also the midfield fight will be fierce but that was already the case in Melbourne). The ‘only’ difference is that Mercedes will be the one from the second week of testing, not the one seen on the first week of testing, meaning it will be on par with Ferrari’s pace.
If that does not happen then I shut-up forever about “predictions” during the rest of 2019.
@Bakano
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ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
28th March 2019, 7:08
Sure. Diversity. We need asian women wearing hijab in F1 too. Meritocracy is overrated.
GongTong (@gongtong)
28th March 2019, 7:33
You sound like a right snowflake @ruliemaulana. They’re talking about attracting young people. We assume the process of meritocracy will still exist.
You did hear about Lewis Hamilton’s other championship victories, right? He was rather good.
GongTong (@gongtong)
28th March 2019, 7:38
“I hope that will be by assisting us to expand the grassroots level and footprint of motorsport into areas where we haven’t been in the past.”
Opening up to new entrants that previously wouldn’t have been interested/ had access, only serves to improve a meritocracy by giving a larger pool of participants to filter through.
Perhaps the next big star is currently a 5 year old girl in a hijab, is that concept really unacceptable?
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
28th March 2019, 8:23
@gongtong
I’m not Lewis fans, yes. But I still think he’s the best driver for now or at least in 2018.
We already had european, african-britain (?), south american, russian, asian, mix-race on the grid. It should be about race, not race. What other diversity F1 need?
And what is ‘right snowflake’ anyway?
GongTong (@gongtong)
28th March 2019, 13:18
@ruliemaulana snowflake is a term used for people who seem easily triggered. Normally as an insult to liberal types, but in this case the opposite.
We have a grid of varied nationalities and ethnicities, sure. But the argument here isn’t about race (directly) it’s about background.
I’d like the grid to be accessible to all, because then we can claim it’s a true meritocracy. Obviously if these efforts lead to us closing doors for the sons of Canadian billionaires I’d be against it. They’re an important part of the DNA of our sport.
grat
28th March 2019, 12:18
If she can qualify within 107% and match her teammate for pace, why not?
ColdFly (@)
28th March 2019, 7:43
That was an amazing story – a true fairytale – 10 years ag .
Tristan (@skipgamer)
28th March 2019, 7:51
The Bahrain thing is getting to me. F1 really should make a stand. If there are so many locations interested in hosting as Liberty claims and teams don’t want more races on the calendar, places like these should be first to get dropped.
I hope the question gets asked in a presser and it’s not washed away as “we don’t do politics” because F1 at its core is politics. Nobody is out there just racing on a whim for the fun of it, it means something to everyone. And I’d be very surprised if it means an opportunity to provide positive press for oppressive governments to anyone.
KGN11
28th March 2019, 8:42
Should they also make a stand in China? Because that too needs to be looked at, however no one seems to have an issue with going racing there.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
28th March 2019, 8:44
Sure. Don’t forget about Qatari backing for Al-Qaeda in Yemen that fight US-Saudi who all contribute to the worst famine in 100 years there. COTA and McLaren should not be a part of F1.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
28th March 2019, 9:19
What? That’s very different to the current situation, as the article reads people are prisoners 22km away from the track for peacefully protesting their government…
Very different from whatever leaps you’re making to reach your conclusion.
JohnH (@johnrkh)
28th March 2019, 9:58
China should also be questioned over it’s human rights record it’s abysmal. Even Australia has more than a few skeletons in the closet, some of them very recent.
Sth Africa looks like it may be considered for a GP in the future.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
28th March 2019, 10:34
I can’t speak for China although I can imagine agreeing, but I can assure you the Melbourne gets traffic stopping protests quite regularly. For sure our government isn’t perfect, but critically the population isn’t punished, let alone abused and jailed for speaking out against them.
Vietnam too come to think of it, an Australian Vietnamese refugee (Chau Van Kham) was recently imprisoned there for returning to speak with peaceful human rights groups. It actually does make me a little disgusted to think Liberty are not only complacent on the issue and actually pursuing relationships with such regimes.
JohnH (@johnrkh)
28th March 2019, 10:57
@skipgamer I know I currently live in Victoria, there is an idea and just an idea at the moment of extending the track length to allow more passing.
I agree.
GongTong (@gongtong)
28th March 2019, 13:24
@skipgamer this conversation always goes the same way. And reminds me of the conversation ‘re. Tobacco sponsorship.
Energy drinks and alcohol are bad too. So we shouldn’t do anything about tobacco.
America, Britain, Spain and China have bad human rights records too. So we shouldn’t condemn Bahrain.
I’m sure there’s a line somewhere that should be drawn. But it’s definitely AFTER condemning Bahrain.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
28th March 2019, 14:09
Never mention in Round-up article doesn’t mean its not true. Nor it mean less devastating.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
28th March 2019, 9:31
I’m looking forwards to the race this weekend even though I agree it shouldn’t really be given (sold?) to such an oppressive nation.
Melbourne is a great start to the season but (like Monaco in my opinion) it isn’t a good indicator of the competitiveness of the cars. No way would Gasly have finished so far back on a standard circuit …. at least I hope not or Red Bull are in for a poor season.
I think you’re wrong Seb.
There are definitely people around who are daft enough to hate a vehicle brand regardless of it’s history, quality etc. I worked with a guy for years who hated Ford motor cars. He had never owned one or had any solid reason he could give for his hatred but boy oh boy did he detest that brand :/
ColdFly (@)
28th March 2019, 9:42
I don’t think people hate a specific brand, but dislike the people who typically drive them.
@nullapax
Robbie (@robbie)
28th March 2019, 11:18
I despised the imho manufactured, skewed MS/Ferrari days, but will always have a soft spot in my heart for Ferrari because of the Gilles Villeneuve days.
Jere (@jerejj)
28th March 2019, 12:36
I agree with the COTD except for the ”midfield will be closer to Red Bull” part.
”You don’t “wait” for a DRS zone to overtake, you just go for it when you get the chance.”
– That indeed has been the case in F1, though.
Ram
28th March 2019, 17:14
Sebastian Vettel: “Everyone is a Ferrari fan. Even if they say they’re now, they are Ferrari fans.”
I thought he had more common sense than that.
BlackJackFan
28th March 2019, 18:13
His “tongue-in-cheek” remarks used to be a tad more amusing… ;-)