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Author: David Bodapati
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Lorenzo takes pole, Marquez 2nd ahead of Rossi
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team kept the momentum going during the Q2 session. Jorge Lorenzo was in a league of his own today, bettering the previous pole position record at Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo – set by himself last year – by 0.610s. Valentino Rossi was also in contention for a front row start and had the Spanish fans wait until the final minutes of the qualifying, to see him secure third place for tomorrow’s Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana Valencia (Spain), 12 Nov 2016: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo continued to dominate proceedings at the Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo during a thrilling qualifying session. The home hero gave a magical performance dropping multiple 1‘29s laps to take a convincing pole position, his fourth of the season. Valentino Rossi made today‘s two free practice sessions count to prepare his YZR-M1 for a strong time attack in Qualifying Two and took third on the grid for tomorrow‘s Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana. Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda, who clinched the championship, took P2 ahead of Valentino Rossi. The 2016 World Champion was nevertheless happy with the result as he was able to display very competitive form throughout the day, ending both FP3 and FP4 in P1.
Lorenzo was on good form in front of the Spanish crowd during the Free Practice sessions and gave another blistering performance later in the afternoon. He was one of the first riders to leave pit lane and didn‘t waste any time to drop a time of 1‘29.849s, a new pole position record, on his first attempt to put his name at the top of the provisional leader board.
Having set the benchmark high he immediately returned to the pit box with ten minutes remaining. He quickly went out on track again and duplicated his stellar effort and set a 1‘29.613s before making a second stop. He quickly dashed off again with over three minutes left to defend his number one spot. Flashing red through all the sectors, the Mallorcan signed off his impressive qualifying efforts with a 1‘29.401s, leaving a 0.340s gap to his closest rival.
Teammate Rossi also brought his a-game to this afternoon‘s sunny qualifying session, to the delight of the local fans, with an impressive last-minute time attack. Avoiding traffic, he headed out as one of the last riders, giving him enough clear space on track. He gradually built up his pace, shooting up from eighth to fourth on his second lap, before setting a 1‘30.539s for third place.
With a provisional front row in his grasp he returned to the pits and there were four minutes remaining when he rejoined the session. Having been pushed back to seventh, the Doctor had to dig deep to reclaim third place on his next try. He further bettered his time to 1’30.128s, 0.727s from pole, on lap eight and secured third place to wrap up the last qualifying session of the year securing the seventh double front row of the 2016 season for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team.
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It’s incredible teamwork, says Hamilton after 19th pole
DRIVERS
1 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)
2 – Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes)
3 – Kimi RAIKKONEN (Ferrari)
TV UNILATERAL
Q: Lewis, a record 19th pole in a Formula One season for Mercedes, but that was a really exciting qualifying session. Is it fair to say that’s the hardest you two have pushed each other all season?
Lewis HAMILTON: To be honest I don’t remember every single qualifying session we’ve had, so honestly I felt quite comfortable in qualifying, as I have done all weekend to be honest. Nico has been getting quicker and quicker but I’ve generally had it covered throughout the weekend. But it’s just remarkable when you think what this team has done and what we’ve done with this team. To have that many pole positions is a true showing of incredible teamwork from everyone. This is the best that I could have hoped for really coming to Brazil. I think this is only my second pole here. It’s always a track that I’ve struggled at, so I’m really happy to be up at the front.
Q: Nico, you radioed “traction not great” but the margins were very small. Do you feel that’s as hard as you have pushed each other?
Nico ROSBERG: Yeah, exciting qualifying our there for sure, very close. Lewis was just marginally quicker in the end and my lap was good as well. Just not quick enough, missing that little bit out there. But it’s OK and anyway as we’ve seen this year pole isn’t always the guy who then wins the race, so still optimistic for tomorrow because of course I want to try to win the race tomorrow.
Q: Back to you again Lewis. Some rain forecast for tomorrow. Of course you’ll have great memories of 2008 when it was a complete lottery. Would you like another lottery tomorrow?
LH: I don’t really mind. I’m ready for whatever.
Q: And how about you Nico. Do you feel you have the most to lose if there’s rain and a lottery in the race tomorrow?
NR: I don’ think of anything in terms of most to lose at the moment. I just look forward to tomorrow’s race and whatever comes comes. We have a great car in either condition, in the dry and in the wet, so it will be exciting.
Q: Thank you for that you two. And Kimi, nice to see you here. Max Verstappen had that third place bought and paid for for most of the qualifying session but you pulled it right out at the end. Where did that come from?
Kimi RAIKKONEN: I struggled the whole qualifying in a few places, in a few corners in the middle sector. To be honest the last lap it was pretty average from my viewpoint. Obviously it was enough to be in third place. The Mercedes seems to be a bit too far. I struggled the first two corners with the tyre warm-up a bit. Even in the middle I wasn’t really happy but I don’t mind, it was good enough for this and we’ll see what we can do.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Back to our pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton. 60 poles, that a big, round number. Thoughts on that first of all and also the fact that you haven’t won here and you’ve got a Senna tribute helmet this weekend. As he always used to say “Tomorrow it has to be my way.” Tomorrow, are you going to make it your way?
LH: Of course that’s the plan. It’s what we’ve been working towards all weekend. But this is an incredible circuit, even though it’s so short, it’s incredibly technical and the smallest time makes the biggest difference. It feels a little bit like Donington, sorry Brands Hatch where you can be so close, it’s such a short track. But tomorrow, I hope that, whatever the weather brings, we are prepared we are prepared as a team and I give it everything I’ve got.
Q: Nico, obviously you said earlier on that pole isn’t everything. That’s been proven several times throughout the course of this year. But the one thing about this race track that is always a bit risky is the start, isn’t it? That Turn One, short run but all sorts happens there and through the Senna S. Presumably you’ll breathe a sigh of relief once you’re on that back straight tomorrow in reasonable shape.
NR: That’s another very grim view of it! Not at all, no. I’m looking forward; I’m going to try and get Lewis into Turn One. That’s the plan. Obviously it’s not going to be easy and the run to Turn One is very short here so that doesn’t help, of course but I’ll try everything I can, definitely.
Q: Kimi, just looking at the way you’ve performed today in particular, you were quickest in practice in Sector One and Sector Three, which was interesting. And then obviously it took a little while to get it all together but what is it about Sector Two that was causing you problems and Ferrari problems today that you managed, I guess, to finally put right.
KR: I think we’re lacking a bit of downforce overall there, comparing maybe to the guys in front of us – but you know the car’s been behaving today, pretty good and just been struggling on the tight corners to turn around the car and a bit of front-locking so obviously it’s been a bit guessing whether we can turn or not. As I said, it was not ideal, the lap, but it was good enough for third place and even making a perfect lap it wouldn’t be fast enough for Mercedes today. But, y’know, tomorrow is another day and we try to improve.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Alessandro Gianini – Globo) This is the most exciting race since 2008 and you know the reasons why. And there is this extra thing about Massa retiring. I want to know what do those things mean to you three: the race, the most exciting race and dispute, and Mass retiring?
LH: Well, it’s Brazil, it’s a historic Grand Prix for me, growing up, watching the Grands Prix here. When I was playing computer games it was always the first Grand Prix on the calendar and now that’s obviously a long time ago. Knowing that this was Ayrton’s home, that always makes it a special event coming here. The track is fantastic, as I said, and the fans are incredibly passionate. It’s quite humbling to see how many people come out for this Grand Prix and how much energy they bring with the music and all the beautiful colours. This is a special race which, as I’ve said, I have not won so that’s my goal.
NR: I wish that the fans go crazy tomorrow at the race to wish Felipe a farewell here, and that we get an awesome atmosphere, that would be cool. He deserves that after all that he’s achieved in his career and all that he’s also done for the Brazilian people, the pleasure that he’s given them over the years. Apart from that, for sure, yeah, it’s going to be exciting, the battle at the front. Let’s see.
KR: For me, it’s another race. I’ve had some good memories here but also some not so good. It will be interesting to see how it goes tomorrow and obviously with Felipe, he’s made his decision to do something else with his life and I’m sure he will enjoy it and all the best for whatever he does.
Q: (Leandro Alvares – Autosport Brazil) Tomorrow could be the last Formula One race in Brazil so what do you think about it and do want that this really happens?
LH: Of course not, after all we’ve just said. I don’t know how it is for these guys but obviously I’m aware of the battle that people are having here with the economy and I’m hopeful that with the things that are going on in the world, that will pick up. This is a Grand Prix that must stay, it’s a part of Formula One’s heritage, I believe, and it’s one of those original circuits which we can’t lose. The fans are really what make a Grand Prix. There are some Grands Prix we go to and we don’t have a third of the fans we get here so for me it’s very important, I hope that it does stay but I also understand that there is a lot of money that it takes to put on this event and it could do a lot of great things for this country and for the people here.
NR: I wish that we come back, for sure, because it’s an awesome track, it’s an awesome race, the fans love it so we need to come back here.
KR: Obviously it’s not up to us. I think if it was up to the drivers we would come back but this is how it seems to be in many places. The drivers like the places but there’s always a question mark whether we’re coming back or not. Sadly, it’s all about money unfortunately. The best amount gets the race.
Q: (Silvia Arias – Parabrisas) Kimi, congratulations for this position. We are used to seeing Red Bull in this position. I would love to know what difference has been the factor that has made Ferrari much better this weekend, because so far it’s really good?
KR: Yeah, but it’s been very close. I think it’s been very close most of the year and obviously sometimes we’ve been a bit behind, sometimes in front but I think we’ve done a very good job in the recent races as a team and improved in certain areas and trying new things. We’ve learned some positive things and as a team we’ve worked very well in recent months and I think it’s helping us to get back to where we were at the start of the year so hopefully we can have a good strong race tomorrow. It’s all about learning from what we’ve done and improving things. All of us have been pushing in the same direction and it seems to start paying off a little
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Double for Jagan Kumar, Sofyyan Ahamed
Bengaluru, 12 Nov 2006: Jagan Kumar from Chennai (TVS Racing) and Bengaluru’s Sofyyan Ahamed (Quick Shift Racing) achieved a double each in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Saturday.
International rider Jagan Kumar from Chennai, astride the TVS RTR Apache, got into his stride by clocking 14.250 seconds for the 400-metre sprint in the Up to 165cc class.
Later, he took the honours in the Indian Open class with a time of 13.484 seconds which was the quickest in the National Championship category.
“I could have probably clocked a better timing had I reacted to the start lights faster. I am not used to having lights so low. So, my reaction time was a bit slow, and I also did a wheelie unintentionally, but it was a good run nevertheless,” said Jagan, the National track racing champion.
Emulating the double was Sofyyan Ahamed who topped in the 360cc and 225cc classes of the National Championship. “I was much quicker in a recent drag race here, but today, I had some issues with the clutch and hence was a bit slower. But I am happy to have won a double as the competition was stiff,” said Sofyyan.
Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc) and Khalid Pasha (130cc) won in their respective classes in the the MMSC Drag Race series which doubled up as the support event.
The championship concludes on Sunday when the Superbikes and cars get into action that promises to be as close as it was today.
Provisional results (National Championship – all 4-Stroke):
Indian Open: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (13.484secs); 2. Ashwin Kumar (Chennai) (13.707); 3. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.723).
Up to 550cc: 1. Zaker Baig (Mysuru) (13.689); 2. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.725); Anantharaj (Chennai) (13.946).
Up to 360cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.410); 2. Avinash R (Bengaluru) (15.944); 3. Abdul Hafeez (Bengaluru) (17.130).
Up to 225cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.527); 2. Avinash R (15.831); 3. Harsha V (Bengaluru) (16.604).
Up to 165cc: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (14.250); 2. KY Ahmed (Chennai) (14.385); 3. Khalid Pasha (Bengaluru) (15.796).
MMSC Drag Races (2-Stroke – winners only): Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc), Khalid Pasha (130cc).
eom/AP Media Communications press release
Jagan Kumar, on way to wining the 165cc class title (4-Stroke) on Nov 12, Saturday at the Taneja Aerodrome in Hosur. Image by Anand Philar -
Team reps talk about rules, tyres et al
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES – Christian HORNER (Red Bull Racing), Maurizio ARRIVABENE (Ferrari), Paul HEMBERY (Pirelli), Monisha KALTENBORN (Sauber), Guenther STEINER (Haas), Frédéric VASSEUR (Renault)
PRESS CONFERENCE
Christian, can we start with you: just looking at the track action that’s been going on today, the long run pace obviously looks quite close to Mercedes, but is it really that offers you the chance to fight for victory, or can you be a little more optimistic after today?
Christian HORNER: Well, I think under normal circumstances the usual business will happen. Mercedes have been the dominant force all year and there’s no reason to expect any different this weekend. But, race pace over the last few race, on a Sunday we’ve managed to get close to them particularly their tail car. Perhaps with a little bit of weather… there are some unpredictable forecasts over the next few days and opportunities can hopefully present themselves to put a challenge on.
Either way, there is a pretty good chance that you are going to wrap up second place in the Constructors’ Championship this weekend. Given where you’ve been, in transition from 2015 to 2016, does that constitute a success?
CH: It would represent an enormous achievement for the whole team. We came into the year thinking, ‘you know what, to get into the top five will be difficult’. But the guys have produced a great car. The people at Renault have done a good job with the engine over the winter. Our season has just grown stronger and stronger. To be sitting here having achieved 14 or so podiums, two grand prix victories, Max’s first victory in Barcelona, Daniel with a one-two finish in Malaysia and to be sitting here ahead of Ferrari on points and the nearest competitor to Mercedes represents and extremely impressive season for the whole team.
Maurizio, what about your side of that story: the battle with Red Bull. It’s not the team you set our to be battling against this year in the world championship but how and why did they get ahead of you?
Maurizio ARRIVABENE: I think first of all we need to take into consideration… it’s not an excuse but it is circumstances that happened where we lose position on the grid and you know when you start a bit in front the story is going to change. Having said so, they have a strong reaction, as Christian said, and we are below of our expectation. By the way, as I said many, many times, we are not giving up here and not either in Abu Dhabi. I know it’s tough, but the championship is still not finished.
Now you told Sebastian yourself, personally over the radio in Mexico, to “calm down”, quote-unquote, and he admitted sitting here yesterday that he did lose his cool in Mexico but he said it was not down to frustration, so how happy have you been in general with his performance?
MA: I have zero problem with Sebastian. I mean, as I said many, many times, Sebastian is quite emotional. Sometimes he looks a bit more Latino than German. I think Christian knows the matter like I do. He’s very emotional, he’s very passionate, especially when he’s driving and it’s in a racing battle. It’s not a question of frustration. Sometimes he can be unhappy as we are unhappy because our expectations are different. But he’s not a guy who is giving up; he’s a guy that is pushing like hell. Sometimes when the adrenalin is going up to the sky, maybe he’s choosing a word more than what is expected, but then my role, like in Mexico, is also to call him and to invite him to be focused on what he’s doing.
Paul, you brought soft and medium again this year to Interlagos, but also the hard tyre. It’s quite an unusual move, only the second time this season you’ve brought a harder tyre than the one that came last season. How’s that looking?
Paul HEMBERY: Well, you wouldn’t want the supersoft here that’s for sure, so it sort of chose itself from that point of view. The soft tyre is suffering. It’s hot, an aggressive track, high wear, so it’s pretty much as we expected, but that was the majority choice as well of the teams.
Important test coming up for you in Abu Dhabi. Can you give us a preview of what to expect and a general overview on progress, where you are with next year’s tyres?
PH: Well, we’re clearly homing in on final solutions now. There are still going to be a lot of combinations tested next week in Abu Dhabi. Still some compounding work, we’re still working on some internal aspects of the tyre but we’re progressing as planned.
Fred, coming to you, you’ve retained Jolyon Palmer for 2017 to drive along Nico Hulkenberg. What were the reasons for that and what do you expect from him in his second year?
Frédéric VASSEUR: First we had to secure the first one. It was done with Nico around Suzuka, something like this. Then we were able to postpone a little bit the decision. If you have a look at the last event, I think that Jo did a very good job; he is improving. If you have a look also to what he did in the past in the junior series he was always able to improve step by step, year after year and we took the decision to move forward with Jo and I would expect that he will have the same improving curve that he did in the junior series and it will be good.
Now, a lot hinges for next season, for you team and for Christian’s team, on the Renault engine taking a decent step. So will it?
FV: I hope so! It’s in the pipe… I think Christian also thinks so… no, no we are working on the project of the new engine and I think everything is going well so far and we will see in Barcelona.
Guenther, coming to you and continuing on the theme of the drivers, Esteban Gutierrez has said on social media this weekend that he is leaving your team and there are strong suggestions that Magnussen will be leaving Fred’s team to come and join you. What’s most important for you over the next couple of years? Is it to have consistent drivers that you can work with to develop the team and the cars or would you look to bring in an American or a rookie? What’s the most important thing?
Guenther STEINER: I think the most important… just if somebody hasn’t seen the press release, it just came out maybe 10 minutes ago, we confirmed that Romain and Kevin will join us next year, that just came out 10 minutes ago. We want to grow the team and therefore we wanted some experience of drivers that have been on the podium and that have scored points and Kevin was fitting the bill, therefore we moved forward with him. I would like to take this moment to thanks Esteban for what he did for us over this year. I think he has got a good future; he did a good job and whatever people say he is a good driver. He helped us develop the team from nothing to be where we are so thanks a lot to him.
Q: The Ferrari partnership has obviously got you started in 2016; you’ve scored plenty of points but as you now move forward, are you now looking to build your own capability in the future to be able to take control of your own destiny.
GS: No, we have a long-standing contract in place with Ferrari that we can continue the business model we are doing. We are going forward like this for the next few years and then we see, we rethink. But at the moment we are very happy with Ferrari, what they did for us over the year to get again to the point where we are now. Hopefully we finish eighth if Fred’s team doesn’t pull out something very special, and we hope we move up next year. But in the moment, for sure you always develop your team and you keep on getting better and more people in and that will happen – but in general it stays like we are now.
Q: Coming to you Monisha, staying again on the theme of the drivers, the other teams clearly as we’re hearing have been tying down their drivers and making their announcements, just a few moments ago in the case of Haas. You did yours here a couple of years ago I think. How far off being able to do the same thing are you and should we expect any changes?
Monisha KALTENBORN: Well we are still in the process of analysing our options but it’s not going to take that long any more. We still have the target that we do want to announce in the season, so there’s not that much time left. So that’s all I can tell you now.
Q: Jörg Zander has returned to the team. How had he benefitted from his years with Audi in particular and what will that bring to your team?
MK: Well, we know Jörg Zander for quite a while. He was the chief designer in our team earlier and now, as we decided to actually take up a technical director again it was quite an obvious person to look at. He’s been working at Audi for very long, he has a lot of motorsport experience now, inside Formula One, outside Formula One, so we do think he fits in very well with that because we also have third party business outside Formula One. I’m sure he’ll bring many new ideas and the team can only benefit from that because we are now in a new era, you know it’s a new chapter in the team history and this kind of influence and these ideas will only be beneficial to move into the right direction.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Alessandro Giannini – Agência O Globo) For you Monisha, I would like to ask you a direct question about Felipe. How are the talks with him and if he has one chance to stay at the Sauber team?
MK: Well, Felipe is certainly one of our options, that’s clear, we know him well, we know his skills. We’ve had a lot of experiences together with him: good ones, bad ones, so we can assess him very well. So talks are taking place, that’s what I can tell you.
Q: (Andrea Cremonesi, La Gazzetta dello Sport) Question for Maurizio, yesterday you present an appeal now for the podium win in Mexico. I would like to know some more details, when you find out the new elements. If you can give us some more details about which are these elements.
MA: Yes, if we present according with the International Sporting Code Article 14.1, we presented new elements, of course, as we said, what we think are new elements and we have the right to present it. If you want me to present all the elements here, is not something that I’m going to do because in 40 minutes we have a conference call and we have to discuss the matter. I think it’s not correct to share this kind of information here.
Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) As the previous question proves, there’s been a lot of controversy about the regulations etc and Christian, you and Maurizio have been particularly outspoken about them. You’re both members of the Strategy Group: would you like to take them up in the Strategy Group. Would you like to take them up in the Strategy Group? What would you like to see changed? And if anybody else would like to comment, feel free, please.
MA: Back, if you refer to Mexico and many other races, I think, I understand the difficulties of the stewards because sometimes they have to take a decision immediately and to take this decision they need to collect in quick time all the available data and material – and it’s not an easy job, I think. That is further complicated by what we said many, many times at the strategy group level about sometimes the complication of the regulation. We ask many, many times to try to find a way to simplify the rules, so I think this is something that we need to think further for the future, making sure that we don’t have a Rule A that is covered by the Rule B that is covered by the Rule C and D and E and F and so on. If there is a rule it is A dot. And then we go to the B. I’m expressing my thought with all the respect for the people that is making the rule. But I think this sport, it is already complicated in terms of technology, in term of what we have to do to build-up the car and to make competitive the car. I think simplifying the rules could be a good help for everybody.
Christian, your view.
CH: Yeah, I think that we’re over-regulated in many respects, that the drivers need to take a rulebook with them really on a Sunday now in the car and consult it before they either defend or make an overtaking manoeuvre these days and there’s too much subjectivity and interpretation of different events. So Lewis Hamilton going straight on at the first turn last weekend, comes out half a kilometre up the road, is that an advantage or a disadvantage compared to Max going off and coming back in the same position he went off with, with dirty tyres later in the race. It’s very difficult for the teams, for the drivers and one can only think for the viewers as to what’s permitted and what isn’t. I think, like all things in life, keep it simple. Keep it straightforward. I’d say less rules in terms of… but more clarity in terms of what the rules of engagement are. Nobody wants to see dangerous driving but let the drivers race, let them go wheel to wheel. I mean everybody’s talking about the last five or six laps in Mexico because, let’s face it, the rest of the race was pretty boring. The last ten laps were fantastic and of course there’s been a whole bunch of discussion about it since then and that’s what Formula One needs to be and I think let’s avoid the situation that drivers can cut corners and gain an advantage. Put a gravel trap there. Put something to slow the cars down, and then it takes that subjectivity away from stewards having to interpret ‘well, is that result different to this one. Is that incident different to that?’ We can see so many examples of that that I think for the teams, for the drivers and most importantly for the fans, let’s come up with something straight forward and simple that’s easy to understand and interpret.
Monisha, do you agree?
MK: Well I agree with that but I think there’s another element to it which is how you actually apply the rules, and you would need to try to bring some consistency in there. At the end of the day it’s always up to an interpretation, it’s up to the discretion of the people who are doing it, so apart from making things simpler it’s also that you try to have consistency on the people. That you have somebody who is always there, or a group of people because this is how you will bring in certain consistency on how rules are applied. So I think you have to look at both sides: look at the rules themselves but also how they are implemented.
Fred?
FV: It’s not an easy point and to know if we are to take the decision during the race or not, the first one is that you will always have someone to complain: that if you take the decision during the race you will say that OK, the steward has to take time before to take a decision and, if they take the decision after the race, OK you will affect the results of the race, after the podium and so on. But for sure we’ll have always issue with the chicane and probably the only solution would be to do all the races in Monaco but even Monaco will be tricky. The solution to slow down the car when they cut the chicane would be the best one to be sure. We have to find a solution that the guy will be directly penalised, that will avoid discussion and the stewards and so and so and so because it will be always the same mess after the race.
Final thought on this Guenther
GS: I think everything was said. I think I’m good, y’know, they all spoke and I agree with all of which was said. It’s just to try to simply what we are doing.
Q: (Silvia Arias – Parabrisas) Maurizio Arrivabene, just two days ago Bernie Ecclestone said that in his opinion maybe the problem with Ferrari not winning races is because it is 100 percent an Italian team. I would love to know if you agree with that and in which way the passion which we know the team has and which we know is fantastic is a handicap for your work?
MA: First of all, we all know Bernie. The day after he said the opposite and he also came to me to explain himself without being requested to do so. If I’m not wrong, it’s said that I need somebody nearby me to help. I don’t need it. I’m part of the Ferrari racing department and I have hundreds of people who are nearby me. We have a new technical group led by Mattia Binotto. They are enthusiasts, they are working very very well. So we have a team. In terms of the passion, I was always passionate about Ferrari, all my life, I have to say, even before doing this job and Ferrari is about passion, it’s about emotion. When I’m at the factory and I cross the street to go in the GT department and I’m looking at new GT cars that are coming out from the factory, for me it’s a big emotion. And this is something that is not a handicap, it’s a dream.
Q: (Andra Cremonesi – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Maurizio, it’s about the arguments of the last Grand Prix. Have you talked to Sebastian, have you tried to make a different approach for this Grand Prix, even because the FIA said they will not forgive another situation like this in the future?
MA: Listen, first of all I think… I don’t know if you know but Sebastian asked… he excused himself in writing with Charlie and the FIA and the FIA responded to Sebastian in a way that we really appreciated. I spoke every day with Sebastian, and not only after the Mexican race. Somebody maybe thinks we have tension or things like this. No, we are honest with each other. The word honesty must sometimes be put in the script or in the article, because we have an honest, open, straightforward relationship and if you are asking me, we are always in agreement, like all human beings, sometimes yes, sometimes no. We have a fantastic relationship and it’s based on an honest, day after day feedback. I respect him as a driver, he was four times World Champion. He’s putting all of himself into the job that he’s doing. A couple of months ago, I said sometimes even too much but it was not a criticism. I want to make it clear, once and forever. It’s because he’s putting all of himself – he tries to put all of himself into everything he’s doing and sometimes you just have to say, like in Mexico, ‘hey Seb, calm down, head down, look in front of you and push.’ And there’s nothing wrong with that so you ask me, you can ask him and you have the same version.
Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) I’m not Italian but the question’s for you, Maurizio, and I’d like to refer to yesterday’s teleconference call by your president to investors after your Q3 results. One of the things that Mr Marchionne didn’t do is rule out Ferrari possibly going into Formula E. And the second thing is that he said that Ferrari can’t continue throwing money at Formula One, which would indicate that the investors are starting to seek more value for money. How do you feel about these two comments? Could we see a red Formula E car and how do you see this for Ferrari’s future, that just maybe investor pressure could turn Ferrari away?
MA: The strategy in terms of investment at Ferrari is not under my responsibility. Formula E, I think Mr Marchionne was very very clear, at the moment it’s not in the programme of Ferrari. If we’re talking about hybrid, we have Formula One, we are building up our experience in Formula One on that side. We could be but it’s not up to me to decide or to indicate the right strategy but Formula E, I don’t think so.
Again, it’s not my responsibility to talk to the investors. I can talk about the word pressure. Everybody is talking about pressure when they are referring to our job and everything we are doing but there’s nothing strange in that. If you are working in a team like this, the day that you sign a contract you know what you are doing, you know that the sport is pointing at you because we are Ferrari. Sometimes I am hearing ‘are you guys under a lot of pressure?’ It makes me laugh. So what, it’s expected when your name is Ferrari.
eom/FIA transcript of the Press Conference
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It will be a very special moment for me, Massa on his last race in Brazil
DRIVERS – Felipe MASSA (Williams), Sebastian VETTEL (Ferrari), Daniel RICCIARDO (Red Bull Racing), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes).
Charlie WHITING (FIA)
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Let’s start with Felipe, your last Brazilian Grand Prix as a Formula One driver, what does this weekend, this occasion, mean to you?
Felipe MASSA: Well, I think it will be a very special weekend for me, for my last home race, the place where I grew up, the place that I remember I was in the grandstand watching and supporting Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, always dreaming to be here. And then I managed to get here and managed to win two races here in Interlagos, getting quite a lot of times on the podium, so it’s definitely a fantastic place for me. I will miss, definitely, this race. When I see these guys racing next year, I will definitely miss to be here. But I am so happy and proud for everything I passed through these 15 years in Formula One, every people that I met – friends, drivers, the competition I had with these guys for quite a long time. So yeah, I will miss, definitely, this place, some nice races around the world but also some friends. It will be a very special moment for me.
Q: As you say, so many great memories from your own career here, especially the pole positions, the podiums and those two very special wins with Ferrari. What stands out, though, for you, and what were these guys like to race against?
FM: Difficult. We are talking about the best drivers in the world. Everybody who got here is here because of talent. They are here because of talent. The competition is really high, but I think I definitely learned a lot. I think it was an amazing life experience that I had. It’s definitely not easy to be a Formula One driver I would say, but I had a fantastic time and so happy to achieve what I managed to achieve and to get here after very long and yeah, I will always remember them as tough drivers on track and I would say maybe the relationship maybe in the last years gets a little bit better outside the track and it will get even better when all of us stop I would say. Just expect the best for them and support them for the future.
Q: OK, thank you. Lewis, of course that 2008 memory is still very strong. You won the world championship, your first of three world championships, that day but Felipe showed great dignity on the podium, having won the race. What was he like as an adversary?
Lewis HAMILTON: It’s been great driving alongside Felipe and against him. We’ve had some great times. Even before I got to Formula One, when I was in GP2, we had already become friends back then and had some good experience. But yeah, to have those great, strong battles we had, even beyond 2008, for me was a privilege and something that I will always cherish. At some stage we’ll be a bunch of oldies, replacing the older drivers that are hanging around today and we’ll be coming along, looking at the other youngsters, but yeah I think Formula One is going to miss him for sure.
Q: OK, and the other drivers, your thoughts on Felipe’s final race here as part of his Formula One career. What kind of atmosphere do we expect at this Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend?
Nico ROSBERG: It will great. I’m sure the Brazilians will go crazy to support Felipe in his last race here. He’s given a lot to F1 so it’s going to be a loss for the sport, for us, for sure.
Q: Max?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Of course, I mean the career he has had many want to achieve. That many years in Formula One as well, and being able to fight for four world championships. So I think it will definitely be a very special moment for him and I think, in general, the Brazilian Grand Prix is always very special and a great track and a great atmosphere to be at.
Q: Seb, you’ve won here a few times, you’ve had a few good battles against Felipe, your thoughts?
Sebastian VETTEL: Yeah, I think… well, we don’t need to talk about his talent. I think there’s no doubt that he’s one of the most talented drivers on the grid. But apart from that, he’s a great person. He’s the kind of person you look at and smile, because he’s just smiling from the inside, so I think that will be missed a lot. So I hope he still comes around a couple of times and has a look and a laugh and in that regard I wish him the best. But for this weekend, I think it would be great to see hopefully a lot of Brazilian flags, support for him, because as everyone said, he has had a great career. So, yeah, it’s hid weekend.
Q: Daniel, final thought?
FM: Be careful what you say!
Daniel RICCIARDO: Yeah, I’m looking forward to the drivers’ parade on Sunday. It’s always very interesting. For as long as I’ve been doing it at least anyone who is Felipe’s team-mate gets an absolute pounding on the drivers’ parade. He’s going to get some extra love this weekend and we’ll probably get yelled some funny Brazilian names, but it’s all in good humour. The atmosphere is awesome, so I think we are going to have a pretty amazing crowd this weekend.
Q: Thanks for that. Back to Lewis and Nico then. Two races to go and Nico a win for you on Sunday and you’re world champion. Lewis, a great motivation for you to win a Brazilian Grand Prix you haven’t won before. How are you both feeling going into this? Is the tension rising? Nico, first…
NR: Yeah, feeling great, of course, because it’s awesome to be fighting for the world championship with two races to go and so, yeah, excited about the weekend, looking forward to it and of course going to try to go for the win.
Q: Lewis?
LH: yeah, I’ve had lots of great, or mixed experiences here, so it’s a real challenge to come here and try to win for the first time, something that Nico and Felipe have experienced in the past. That’s my goal and nothing really to lose.
Q: For the drivers on the back row, with the nature of this track and also the weather forecast we have at the moment for this weekend, what’s the scope for racing against these two guys at the front this? Daniel…
DR: Yeah, it looks like it’s going to be potentially wet on the weekend, which is going to make it interesting. There’s obviously a little bit less pressure on everyone else but I’m envious of their positions. I’d like to have that little bit of pressure. Anyway, if there’s an opportunity we still go for it. We race, and that’s how it’s going to be. If it’s wet it’s going to make it interesting. It’s going to be fun. We’ll see how it pans out on Sunday but hopefully we get a good race on Sunday.
Q: Seb?
SV: I think this place for some reason has always delivered special races. I don’t know what it is: I think the circuit is good fun, nice to drive, but I think it’s the atmosphere, the weather, all that coming together that has created crazy races in the past. You mentioned the one in 2008, the last race in 2012 was pretty amazing as well. I’m sure we’ll have a great race on Sunday. Obviously for all of us not fighting for the championship, we are fighting for the victory here, but yeah, we’ll see. Weather conditions and so on, as I said, there’s always room to do something.
Q: Max, a potentially winnable race for you?
MV: You always try, but I haven’t really experience a lot of mixed conditions here in Brazil. Of course I’ve seen a lot on the TV. But it will be interesting like always. I really enjoyed it last year and hopefully with some rain coming in it would be even more interesting, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Pedro Lopes – GloboEsporte.com) Ricciardo, how was you meat feast yesterday?
DR: Our meat feat yesterday was… very good. Fortunately it’s no longer with me, otherwise I would still be sweating. But yes, how do you say… muito bon?
Q: (Kevin Eason – The Times) Seb, can you tell me, do you believe… You’ve had a pretty fruitless year with Ferrari and you started with bit of a dream. Do you believe you’ll ever win a world championship with Ferrari.
SV: Yes.
Q: (Kevin Eason – The Times) Why?
SV: Because, generally I think I’m positive, looking forward. Obviously it was a big step when I decided to change, at the time when I did. It was clear that it would take some time. Obviously we had a great season last year, we got closer and closer to Mercedes, so the hopes and expectations for this year were high. I think it’s normal when you finish second in the Constructors’ you aim to finish first. We haven’t achieved what we set out to achieve but nevertheless our main target is to win the championship, fight for the championship, and I think there is a lot of change that I see, a lot of change that is going on inside the team that will make us stronger, I’m pretty confident about that. I guess it’s a question of time.
Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) To Nico and then to Lewis. You won the last two races here starting from the pole position and Lewis also I recognise that you were very strong both weekends. Can you explain if you find something special, some special way to win here. And Lewis, why you’ve said he’s so fast and you could not reach him in the last two Brazilian Grands Prix?
NR: I love the track. It’s a great track, feels good and I’ve always gone well here, so I’m looking forward to the weekend also. Great memories also from those two wins, those were very special. But at the same time, this year we all start from zero. Those past wins are not going to help me get the win this weekend. We all start from the same place and I just need to do a good job this weekend and that’s it.
LH: I don’t really know why I’ve not won here, so I don’t really have an answer for you. I try every year and I’ll try harder this year.
Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and Speedsport) Felipe, there are going to be a lot emotions leading up to the red lights going out. How difficult will it be to switch off when the red lights go out?
FM: I think it’s always the same. I think when you are in the car you don’t think about other things, you just think about what you want to do in the best way that you can. I would say that maybe the whole race I will be concentrating on my job, trying to get the best race possible, the best result I can, for me, for my team, especially in this moment that it’s quite important this fight with Force India for Williams Martini. But I think that maybe when I finish the race, after the chequered flag, I think it will be very special. It will be an amazing feeling to do the last lap in Interlagos of my career in Formula One, here, you know. I think during the race you just so much concentrate on everything you need to do but after it may be quite different.
PRESS CONFERENCE PART 2: QUESTIONS ARISING FROM THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX
[Note: Charlie Whiting refers to video clips of the Mexican Grand Prix that were shown in the press conference room to illustrate his answers]
Q: Charlie, obviously there are several key areas of interest. Firstly, can we talk about the incident with Lewis missing Turn Two at the start and the one later with Max at the same spot and the differences between them?
Charlie WHITING: Yeah, sure. I think the principal difference between the two was simply that, in Lewis’ case it was felt that he didn’t gain any lasting advantage and it Max’s case, he did. We can show you a couple of videos here just to refresh everyone’s memory: perhaps that will be a help. The first… I think you’re all pretty familiar with it. You can see that Lewis makes a small mistake at the beginning, cuts across, gains significant track advantage but then sets about giving that back immediately. You can see on the straight – or we can see – on the straight between Turns Three and Four he backs off to 80 per cent throttle to give that advantage back. Because obviously he’s got a significant advantage there. Then, about a minute later, the Safety Car’s deployed and that advantage is gone completely. So, the stewards felt no lasting advantage. On the other hand, the case with Max and Sebastian, if Max had done the same thing on the straight between Turns Three and Four, he would certainly have lost the place. I think that’s why the stewards felt that this deserved a penalty because the driver had gained a lasting advantage. That’s the fundamental difference between the two incidents in the eyes of the Stewards.
Let’s bring the drivers in on this. Max, you had a comment there. What’re your thoughts on what you’ve seen here and what Charlie just said?
MV: Yeah, well of course I don’t agree with the decision but it doesn’t really make a lot of difference, does it? I’ve got a penalty. I think if you give penalties, give it to both or you don’t give any penalties. But I think what we maybe need to change for the future is that once you go off it should be a penalty on its own instead of the stewards interfering with that to decide a penalty. I think we need to come up with a solution that, once you go off, that should be the penalty on its own.
Lewis, your thoughts on what we’ve just seen and what Charlie just said?
LH: I relatively agree with Charlie’s explanation. I don’t really have a particular opinion about it. I think ultimately the stewards have a very, very difficult job because every single scenario is different, as he was mentioning. For example, the Safety Car came out immediately after my incident, for example. Every scenario is a little bit different; it’s not that easy to apply the same rule to every single thing. I also agree with Max that we should work with Charlie – as we have been, I think, through the year – to try and make it easier for them to make decisions and for it to be more clear.
OK, moving on to another topic of great interest. The moving under braking obviously has been widely discussed throughout the season. You issued a clarificiation at the Austin weekend. Can you tell us about Sebastian’s defence from Daniel at the last race in light of that?
CW: I think it might be helpful to just go back a little bit to Hungary where there were two incidents involving Kimi and Max. This got thoroughly discussed during the drivers’ meeting in Germany and the consensus of opinion was that moving under braking was something that should not be done. We agreed with this and then we had the incident with Max and Lewis in Japan where the first think that Lewis said on the radio was “He moved. He moved when we were braking.”We looked at it after the race. The stewards, as you know, felt that there wasn’t a case to answer there, which gave rise, of course, to a lengthy discussion in the drivers’ meeting in Austin. I then issued what was a clarification of existing regulations to say exactly what we felt should be reported to the stewards. With that as the backdrop, so to speak, Mexico was really the first race where that rule was applied.
There are three fundamental points there within the rules. Firstly, if a driver has to take evasive action; if a driver makes an abnormal change of direction in the braking zone; and if it could be potentially dangerous to another driver. If those three conditions are satisfied then the stewards felt that was a dangerous manoeuvre and should be penalised. That’s how the stewards looked at it and they felt Sebastian had moved under braking; that was very clear from the data, and also pretty clear from the video, of course; it was potentially dangerous and it was an abnormal change of direction which could have led to an accident. So I think it we look carefully at some footage here, you’ll probably… there’s one view I doubt anyone has actually seen. This is from the track camera. I think you can see very clearly that both cars are on the left of the track; Sebastian moves to the right and then, in the braking zone, moves to his left and then you can see quite clearly that Daniel had to take evasive action. And then the onboard [footage]. I think you can see very clearly that, had Daniel’s right front hit Sebastian’s left rear it would have been a significantly different scenario. That’s, I think, what the stewards really looked at was that it was a potentially dangerous situation. It’s close, and I think that’s what the stewards looked at. As I say, those three conditions were satisfied as far as the stewards were concerned and that’s what they felt they should act upon.
OK, let’s bring the drivers in on this, Daniel first.
DR: yeah, I think it’s obviously been explained and we were in the stewards’ after the race and, from an outside point of view, for fans – and for drivers – you don’t want to wait so long after a race to then have an outcome but that was that. I felt like the move was as Charlie explained. It’s just when you’re in that braking zone, once you’re committed, and especially when you’re overtaking. You know, we’ve discussed this, drivers, that you’re putting the car on the limit because you’re trying to out-brake someone, so you’re already on the edge, so any sort of move then, you’re not really in control, I guess. Hence why I lock up the brake and it all turns into a bit of a mess. It’s the only real part where we’re not in… it’s not that we’re not in control but we can’t really get out of it much, once we’re on the brakes. When you’re down the straight, if someone defends, if they move one way you can obviously move the other, or whatever, but then once you’ve committed to the braking then it’s hard to pull out of the move. Yeah, so obviously I felt that was the right decision. As I said, from an outside point of view, from I guess fans and that it’s probably a bit hard to understand and digest it all after the race but yeah, obviously we’ll try to keep it… I won’t say clean: I like the hard racing, but we’ll just try to avoid these moving-under-braking things in the future and then these things won’t need to be addressed.
And Seb, your thoughts?
SV: Well, obviously I don’t agree with the decision that was made. I think I moved over once to defend my position, after that yeah, I think I gave Daniel enough room on the inside; I kept the car straight for more than the majority of the braking, so I think the reason why, from my point of view, why Daniel locked up so bad is because there was no grip on the inside and it’s something that… yeah… I think we all knew. There were people locking up on other corners when they were offline, so I think it actually looks a bit worse than it was. I don’t think it was actually dangerous for Daniel at that point but OK, I have to deal with the decision.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Charlie, we understood perfectly but the main question we see if that you have different stewards in each race and we are not sure all of them have the same criteria to interpret it. Even why it’s also an interpretation question what we have been seen. Don’t you think it’s a problem? If in one race they follow one criteria and then in another race another criteria. And also, the drivers I believe had complained about that.
CW: Well, needless to say, I disagree. As Lewis pointed out, every incident is different. Some can look at first sight to be very similar to another incident from a previous race but when you examine then more carefully… You must remember also that the stewards have an enormous amount of images available to them, data, all manner of things available to them which you don’t see. I think it’s easy to say decisions are made inconsistently but more often than not, in my opinion, when you look into it in detail, you find that, in fact, Incident A wasn’t the same as Incident B. They have small differences and that’s where I think further explanation is sometimes needed.
Q: (Alan Baldwin – Reuters) Charlie, one of the things you haven’t addressed so far is the issue of language being used over the radio and specifically what Seb said about you. Could you give us your take on that and your views on driver language and what was said about you?
CW: I’ll give you my views on what was said about me. I think bad language… it’s not the first time that bad language has been used, of course, and the fact that it was directed at me was unfortunate and I think there are a number of mitigating circumstances that led up to Sebastian’s obvious frustration but the fact that he sought me out very shortly after the race to apologise, for me that was enough and I’m prepared to just forget it and move on. I think that’s really what we should do. Things happen in the heat of the moment. I think you’ve seen what the FIA’s position on this is; and I personally feel that’s enough.
Sebastian, you have the right to reply if you wish.
SV: Well, I think it’s all been said but I have no problem saying it again. I’m sorry for what I said. Obviously when we are racing, when we are fighting… I think you can understand why I wasn’t so happy at that point but yeah, for sure I regret what I said and certainly didn’t mean it but yeah, it was very clear for me to look for Charlie right after. I wrote a letter as well. I’m happy that Charlie accepted the apology and happy to, as he said, move on.
Q: (Alan Baldwin – Reuters) A follow-up. One of the things the FIA said was the impact swearing might have on the younger generation. So perhaps Max could also comment on that.
MV: Thank you! Thank you very much. I think when you’re in the heat of the moment and you have a radio available you can say bad things. But it’s the same if, let’s say you give a microphone to a football player. Imagine how many words are coming out there during a game. Or another sport, it doesn’t need to be football… rugby, whatever. So I think it’s just, yeah, with the radio around you it’s pretty dangerous. So, I think maybe you shouldn’t broadcast it. That’s another solution. Because you know, we are driving on the limit, in some good fights and then, you know the adrenaline is going really high. So maybe in the future, if it’s bad for the younger generation, just don’t broadcast it.
Lewis, you’re nodding. Do you agree with Max’s point?
LH: Someone’s nodding to me in the crowd.
Q: (Ralf Bach – AutoBild Motorsport) Charlie, what do you think… how often would a guy like Donald Trump, because of the language, after a race, to the stewards? I asked because he’s now the president of the United States. Do you think it’s the right way to show the youth, OK, maybe it’s not the language you have to say it but it’s the language of everybody in the world, in the universities and everywhere?
CW: To be honest, I’m not sure what Donald Trump’s got to do with this. I think I’ve already answered what I feel about the language that was used there and I think the question of whether or not it should be broadcast is something that needs to be discussed really. I really don’t understand exactly what you’re asking, if I’m honest, but I think my answer to the previous question said what I feel about the actual incident that occurred in Mexico.
Q: (Andrea Cremonesi – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Sebastian, don’t you think that in the last two Grands Prix you needed to revise your image a little bit, your reputation, because of the accident that happened during the race was followed by other accidents… I mean bad languages by other drivers. And the second question is if, when you lose your temper during a race, do you also lose your commitment to attack Verstappen? In that case, do you penalise yourself, losing control of yourself during the race?
SV: I’m not sure I understood this. First, what happened in Austin then, because you said the last two races, accidents? Well. Can you repeat the question, I’m not sure I….
Q: The basic gist of the question is about losing your cool.
Q: (Andrea Cremonesi – La Gazzetta Dello Sport) Your reputation in the last two races, if you want to rebuild your reputation…
SV: I think we actually had two very strong races. I think we started seventh in Mexico and we were fighting for the podium at the end which I think is a great achievement. We had a great race so there’s a lot of positives. Obviously, I think… similar to all other drivers, when you’re fighting, for sure the adrenaline goes up, you’re excited and I was not happy with sitting in fourth which is still a good result coming from seventh. I wanted to attack for the podium because the opportunity was there. I think I tried everything I could. Obviously circumstances weren’t helping but from my point I think I did everything I could at that time. I think we’ve seen many times that overtaking is not so easy. I think I put Max under pressure and then I think we all know what happened but in the end I think it was actually two good races. If there’s anything to criticise, I think it was the performance on Saturday which wasn’t much in the performance that we could show on the Sunday.
Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Charlie – initially – a lot of the problems that arise from drivers going off track come from the fact that there’s no penalty for going off track. You can rejoin and keep your position. Are you looking at changing tracks to make that not the case and would drivers like to see that happen?
CW: Yes, I think we’ve done this in fact in a number of circuits where you have a situation similar to the one that occurred in Mexico: second chicane in Monza; last chicane in Montreal; Sochi, first corner or turn two in fact. So we’ve developed systems, if you like, that drivers have to take a certain route back onto the track and thereby are automatically slower. This wasn’t a problem last year in Mexico because I think simply because the grass was all new and it was wetter and it was more difficult to drive across. This year, quite clearly, it was quite easy to drive across and hence we had a problem, but it’s very easy, I think, to rectify that and do a similar sort of arrangement to come back onto the track, which will mean that drivers will come back on slower and hence there will be no discussion whether or not they gained an advantage. I think that’s what Max was saying earlier.
NR: For sure, I think it would be good if somehow we can automatically get some kind of slowing down system on all run-off areas so that would solve the issue, definitely
Q: (Luis Fernando Ramos – Racing Magazine) Charlie, the incidents in turn one; was the safety car decisive for not giving Lewis a penalty, because you said ‘not gaining a lasting advantage’ and from what we see from the video, he had a one car length advantage under braking and at the braking at turn four, even though he lifted, a four or five car length advantage. If the safety car hadn’t happened, would it have been alright for his race to continue? And the other drivers who didn’t comment, what do they think about this?
CW: We were going to ask Lewis to back right off to ensure that he maintained the same distance he had when he went in to the corner but we could see from the data that he had already backed off significantly and then the VSC was deployed followed by the safety car so there was no need to take any further action but had that not happened, yes we would have done that, yes.
Q: (Erick Gabriel – motorsport.com) To Lewis and Nico, of course Max Verstappen has been a great topic – I think we’re discussing a lot of things because of his driving style. I want to know what do you think about his driving style and if you have any fear that he could interfere with the outcome of the championship?
NR: Fear? No, definitely not. And driving style? I think it’s just important that we keep on discussing because I think there’s still room for progress in terms of getting continuity in the decisions and that’s it. So it’s something we need to keep going on with, keep discussing to see if we can make improvements there and that’s it. It’s not depending on one specific driver or not, so that would be good to do that.
LH: Well, firstly I think you should move your phone from down there because it’s kind of dangerous. It’s not healthy to have it there – just so that you know. Radiation, yeah. I’m helping you, seriously. I can only really comment on Max’s driving as I have through the year. He’s obviously a very talented kid and he’s come in and… I’m calling him a kid because he’s a kid to me, he’s still below 20 and he’s still got a lot to learn but he’s obviously done a great job up until now and he’s going to continue to grow and be a force to be reckoned with in Formula One.
MV: I’m still negotiating with them, who’s going to pay me the most. Yeah, so we’ll see, we’ll see on Sunday.
Q: (Frederic Ferret – L’Equipe) To all of you apart from Lewis and Nico, will you be more careful during the last two races, when you attack Nico or Lewis because they’re contesting the World Championship?
DR: Honestly no, because I think that every race is like it’s the start of the season: in Melbourne, you race hard and now it’s the end of the season so I think the championship will work out how it should work out. I don’t think we should… if you like, assist in the outcome if that makes sense. Just because they are fighting doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still try and make an overtake if there’s a door open. I’ll always race, I think, with respect but sure I’ll race hard and if there’s an opportunity… normally if we are fighting with them it means we’ve got a chance to probably win a race. If there’s an opportunity to win, for sure I’ll go for it. I just feel that the championship will end as it probably should. The winner will be the winner and we shouldn’t affect it by staying out of the fight, if you know what I mean.
SV: First of all, it’s clear that the fact is that you race to see the chequered flag, so you never try to do something that doesn’t allow you to see the chequered flag. Equally it applies when racing against people who are racing for the championship, but for sure, I think it’s something you have to have in mind because credit to them, they did the best job of the season for whatever reason, to put them in that position and I think it’s for the others to respect the fact.
MV: For sure. Imagine you tell your team like ‘now I’m going to stay out of the fight, I’m just going to cruise round behind them.’ They wouldn’t be happy as well. You always treat it with respect, you never try to hit each other but that’s already the whole season when you try to pull a move on them or when you are in that position. There is the same approach.
FM: Well, I would love to be fighting with them, to be honest, in the race. If I can be fighting with them, then I think they need to be careful with me because I will try everything I can.
Q: Nico and Lewis, what you’ve heard from the other drivers is presumably what you expect on Sunday and again in Abu Dhabi.
NR: Of course, they’re not going to take it easy just because one guy’s fighting for the championship. He’s a competitor like everybody else and that’s completely normal for all us drivers to approach it in that way.
Q: (Bruno Vicaria – Bandeirantes Radio) Charlie, what’s your opinion about this new Interlagos? Are you satisfied with the structure here?
CW: Absolutely. It’s given the teams more space, I think it’s a lot better for all. I think the working conditions are greatly improved and I think it’s improved the whole place massively.
Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Charlie, you started in the seventies as a mechanic and then track engineer and we are discussing here, until now, drivers’ behaviour. Do you think all these rules, concerning drivers’ behaviour, are a step forward in motor sport or not? And what do the drivers think about this subject?
CW: Unfortunately I think the whole sport has become more complex and there are continual requests to make things clearer and the clearer things need to become, the longer the rules and the more detailed the rules become. For example, all the rules on driving could be summed up in one sentence: drivers must drive safely or something that simple. But when you have a simple rule like that, you are continually asked exactly what does that mean? Can we do this? Can we do that? And then the rule becomes longer and longer and longer, there’s always the request for more detail and more precision and it’s not just in driving, it’s throughout the whole rules, sporting and technical. They naturally become more complex because everyone’s trying that much harder to get everything out of every situation. So I personally don’t see any likelihood of the rules becoming simpler, because we do have a complex sport, that’s really how it is and that’s how it’s developed over the last twenty or so years, I would say.
DR: Obviously I was in a position last weekend where I was in a way protesting a move but on the flipside of that, I think that was a specific move as we discussed, under braking, but apart from that, I think that we should be allowed to… and I think they’ve eased the rules over the last couple of years or so. We did make a conscious effort to give us a bit more freedom to race and I think it’s been more fun and better since then. So there’s always going to be incidents where you feel this or that but I definitely feel that we should be allowed to still put it all on the line. I think that’s what makes the sport exciting, it lets out emotions as we’ve heard and it gives us our own personality, I guess, as well. Fans can attract to a driver on the way he races or the way he responds. Yeah, we should definitely… I mean all of us love racing. I’ve said it: you come here to win but if you can’t win you don’t want to drive around on Sunday afternoon by yourself. You want to have a fight and have a battle. We can always make improvements here or there but you don’t want the rules to become that tight that we’re afraid to do anything, but I think we’re OK as we are.
LH: I agree with what Daniel said. We’re here to race hard but of course we all have different opinions about different rules that are set and how we go about them, obviously, because we have two different opinions for every one scenario and that’s why we need people like Charlie in the middle who really helps, with no bias, to make sure the right decision is made. I think also they allow us to race but of course we can’t be led down the wrong path, the incorrect way.
MV: It’s normal that you don’t crash or make the other driver lose a lot of positions. I think you can race pretty hard.
Q: (Ralf Woodall – L’Equipe) Charlie, could you explain or clarify regarding the penalties: why Seb had a ten second penalty and Max a five second penalty?
CW: I think that in every set of circumstances where a penalty is applied, the stewards have a range of penalties they can choose from: a five second, ten second, drive-through or a ten second stop-and-go. It’s just simply a matter that the stewards felt that it was more serious hence ten seconds was necessary.
eom/FIA transcript of the Press Conference
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Esteban Ocon joins Sahara Force India for 2017
Sahara Force India is pleased to confirm Esteban Ocon as a race driver for 2017 and beyond following the signing of a multi-year contract. The 20-year-old Frenchman will race alongside Sergio Perez to form one of the most exciting line-ups on the grid with a blend of youth and experience.Esteban Ocon: “I’m very excited to join Sahara Force India. I know the team quite well already because I was a test driver last year and I’m really looking forward to working with everybody at Silverstone once again. I’m still relatively new to Formula One, but spending half a season at Manor Racing has given me some valuable experience and I feel ready for this new opportunity with Sahara Force India. The next few months will be very busy as I do all I can to prepare for the challenge ahead of me. It means lots of days at the factory, working on the simulator and building relationships with the engineers and everybody in the team. It’s something I’ve been working towards my whole life and I intend to grab this opportunity with both hands so that I can deliver the results the team expects from me. I want to say ‘thank you’ to everybody at Manor and especially to Mercedes-Benz for their support and belief in me. I can’t wait for 2017 and my first full season racing in Formula One.”Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Esteban as our new race driver. He’s an exceptional talent, as his status as a Mercedes Junior demonstrates, and I have no doubt he will flourish inside our team. We’ve had our eye on Esteban for a number of years and have followed his progress through the junior categories where he delivered outstanding results. We ran him in the car last year during testing and his performance convinced us that he is more than capable of racing alongside Sergio. Sahara Force India has a tradition of investing in young, talented drivers and the arrival of Esteban will bring some fresh energy and motivation to everyone in the team.”Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: ““Esteban has the most impressive track record in junior formulae and he is an exceptional personality outside of the car. Force India have a strong record of working with young drivers and have again shown courage and vision to take Esteban under their wing. Even more, it is a positive development for Formula One that talent wins over money and we will be seeing some of the most impressive youngsters fighting to make it to the top in Formula One over the coming years.”eom/SFI press release -
Williams confirms Lance Stroll’s debut for 2017
Stroll, (Left) makes debut for Williams in 2017. A Williams image Having won the FIA Formula 3 European Championship title this year, Lance Stroll has now secured a Formula One driver seat for the upcoming 2017 season. The Canadian, who turned 18 just a few days ago, will contest the 2017 Formula One season for the tradition-rich Williams Martini Racing F1 Team.
By advancing to Formula One, Lance Stroll already is the fifth young driver in the past four years to make it from the FIA Formula 3 European Championship straight to the pinnacle of motor racing and follows the footsteps of Max Verstappen, Daniil Kvyat, Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon. They all gathered important experiences and learned their trade in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship before being offered the chance to demonstrate their skills in F1.
“To be racing in Formula One in 2017 is incredible. I can’t thank Williams enough for showing faith in my ability,” Stroll beamed after having signed his driver contract. “And I also am very thankful to everyone who has helped me to reach this level. Racing in F1 was something I dreamt about as a young kid. When I began karting seriously, F1 was then the ultimate goal and especially when I started racing cars in 2014.”
Stroll dominated the 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship by winning 14 races and securing the same number of poles. But the young driver residing in Geneva, Switzerland, knows that life will become more difficult for him in his new motor racing environment. “2017 is going to be a big learning curve for me, but I’m eager to absorb everything Williams can share with me so that I improve. I’ll be taking things on a race-by-race, lap-by-lap basis.”
Nonetheless, Stroll feels ready for the new challenge. “I believe contesting the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for the past two years has prepared me well for the step up. Furthermore, I’ve been experiencing a 2014-spec Williams FW36 since August, which has gone very well. The power is incredible. I’m learning about the car, the incredible downforce, DRS and tyre management, finding a rhythm and finding the limit.”
In late 2015 Lance Stroll became part of the Williams Young Driver Programme but quickly convinced the team of his skills. “Lance joined the Williams Young Driver Programme at the end of 2015 and has impressed our engineers with his maturity, talent and enthusiasm,” said Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams. “We are pleased to be able to offer him the opportunity to step up and show what he can do in Formula One, after proving a dominant force in all the categories he has raced in so far. He is still young, and we are looking forward to seeing him develop as a driver. Williams has a great record of introducing young drivers to Formula One, who have achieved great results, and we hope this will be the start of a long successful career for Lance as well.”
Williams Martini Racing adds:
WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING is pleased to confirm Valtteri Bottas will race with the team for a fifth consecutive season, with Lance Stroll making his Formula One debut alongside him for the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Valtteri has proved a great talent with four years’ Formula One racing experience under his belt and nine podiums to his name since the start of 2013. Valtteri remains a valuable asset to the team and will help lead the team through the big regulations changes that will be introduced in 2017.Since beginning his karting career in 2008, aged eight, Lance Stroll has gone on to secure the 2014 Italian Formula 4 Championship title and 2015 Toyota Racing Series title in New Zealand, with numerous wins to his name. Lance has progressed through the Williams Young Driver Programme alongside clinching the 2016 European Formula 3 title in dominant style with 14 race wins and 17 front-row starts, 14 from pole position. At the age of just 18, he has already proved he is a talent to watch in the future.Speaking about the announcement Valtteri Bottas said; “Firstly, I am very happy that I will be starting my fifth season racing for Williams in 2017. It’s going to be an exciting year with all the regulation changes and a great opportunity for the team to get closer to the front. I’ll be giving 100% as always to the team. Thank you to Frank, Claire and the whole Williams Board for their continued trust in me. Also, thank you to everyone at Williams, as it will be nice to continue working together with everyone both at the factory and the track.“I’d also like to extend a very warm welcome from myself to Lance on joining the team. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.“Williams is like my family. Going into next season, it will be eight years in total since I joined at the start of 2010, so it really does feel like home here. However, I still believe we haven’t yet achieved what we should, and can do together.”Lance Stroll added; “To be racing in Formula One in 2017 is incredible, I can’t thank Williams enough for showing faith in my ability. Racing in F1 was something I dreamt about as a young kid. When I began karting seriously, F1 was then the ultimate goal and especially when I started racing cars in 2014.“2017 is going to be a big learning curve for me, but I’m eager to absorb everything Williams can share with me so that I improve. I’ll be taking things on a race-by-race, lap-by-lap basis and hopefully progress with experience like I did when I entered Formula 4 and then Formula 3.“I believe contesting the FIA European Formula 3 Championship for the past two years has prepared me well for the step up. There are many elements for me to learn and I’m still young. I’ve been experiencing a 2014-spec Williams FW36 since August, which has gone very well. The power is incredible. I’m learning about the car, the incredible downforce, DRS and tyre management, finding a rhythm and finding the limit. I’m becoming more comfortable and confident with each run.“I’ve enjoyed success in karting, F4, Toyota Racing Series and most recently F3 – winning every category I’ve competed in – so I believe I have earned a shot in F1. I’m very thankful to everyone who has helped me to reach this level.”Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, said; “I’m delighted to confirm that Valtteri will be racing for Williams once again next year, and be joined by Lance Stroll. Valtteri is a much-loved member of the team and his talent is unquestionable, so for him to use that experience to help lead the team forward is exciting. He has played a pivotal role in the team’s turnaround since 2014 and we are looking forward to continuing the strong relationship we have with him into the future.“Lance joined the Williams Young Driver Programme at the end of 2015 and has impressed our engineers with his maturity, talent and enthusiasm. We are pleased to be able to offer him the opportunity to step up and show what he can do in Formula One, after proving a dominant force in all the categories he has raced in so far. He is still young, and we looking forward to seeing him develop as a driver. Williams has a great record of introducing young drivers to Formula One, who have achieved great results, and we hope this will be the start of a long successful career for Lance as well.“As a team, we continue to push forward in our goal to win races and championships, and believe this exciting fresh combination will put us in a strong position to deliver on our future targets.”eom/Williams press release -
FIA president decides not to take disciplinary action against Vettel
Paris, 1 Nov 2016: At the recent Mexican Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel made comments over team radio using repeated foul language directed at both the FIA Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting and a fellow competitor which were retransmitted during the live broadcast of the event.
Immediately following this incident, Sebastian Vettel spontaneously sought out Charlie Whiting to express his regrets for his behaviour in person. He then, again on his own initiative, sent letters to each of the FIA President Jean Todt and Charlie Whiting, in which he apologised profusely for his actions. He also indicated that he would likewise be contacting Max Verstappen and vowed that such an incident would never occur again.
In the light of this sincere apology and strong commitment, the FIA President has decided, on an exceptional basis, not to take disciplinary action against Mr Vettel by bringing this matter before the FIA International Tribunal.
The FIA will always condemn the use of offensive language in motor sport – especially when directed at officials and/or fellow participants – and expects all participants in its Championships to be respectful and mindful of the example they set for the public and the younger generation in particular.
The FIA takes this opportunity to advise that, in the event of any future incident similar to the one that occurred in Mexico, disciplinary action will be taken by bringing such incident before the FIA International Tribunal to be judged.
eom/FIA press release
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Aishwarya, Shruthi for FIM Asia Cup in Taiwan
Chennai, 1 Nov 2016: Aishwarya Madhusudhan and Shruthi Nagarajan are about to make the country proud by representing FMSCI Team India in the 2016 FIM ASIACUP of Road Race in Taiwan, at the Penbay International Circuit, organised by CTMSA.
The race would take place between November 4th -6th and the race machine that is used for this race is YAMAHA Cygnus 125.The FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing is three-round championship to promote young and upcoming talent in the Asia region. In this championship the host nations provide the bikes and bring riders from Asian countries. India hosted a round of this Asia Cup of Road Racing in 2011 and 2013.
Shruthi Nagarajan, a 22year-old delicate-looking girl to the eyes, is a racer at heart. Learning to ride gear bikes at the ages of 12, Shruthi started out on her motorcycle enthusiasm as a writer for Bikes on road, moving on to racing in the year 2016 and has already emerged as one of the finest female racers in India. “This is like a dream. Representing the country, as a woman, is very special. There is lots of exposure in every other field. Women compete in various other sports internationally but not in motorsports. This is the first time women are competing at this level”.
Aishwarya Madhusudhan is the other female inspiration, who is a constant seeker of the “adrenaline rush” as she calls it. When asked if she had always wanted to race, she says she was more of a traveller but a “fast” one. When the racing spirit in this 21 year- old was getting too evident, she began her career at the month of May in 2016, and has sought podium finishes in various series. “I want to break the stereotype. There were many who told me this is not my cup of tea. But I say, follow your heart”.
Sujith Kumar, Chairman of 2w Racing Commission, expressed his happiness about the nominations and conveyed his wishes to these budding women racers. “We are very happy to nominate two female racers to participate in the ACCR. This is the first time in the history of FMSCI that two female riders are nominated. These two girls are very talented and this is a very big exposure for them to ride with some of the fastest young racers in Asia and I’m sure they would perform well too. We wish them the very best for the upcoming races”.
Zayn Khan, President of FMSCI, wished the lady participants the very best saying, “We are seeing a big jump in women participants in our motorsport events. This is a wonderful initiative by our two-wheeler racing commission”.
Gone are the days when motorsports was a man’s sport. These two stirring women are rewriting the story by breaking barriers and creating a path on their own.
eom/FMSCI press release
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Hamilton wins; Verstappen demoted to 5th
Lewis Hamilton scored a textbook victory at the Mexican Grand Prix ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg, as Max Verstappen was ruled out of third position after a titanic battle with Sebastian Vettel saw the Dutchman penalized for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Vettel finished third ahead of Daniel Ricciardo with Verstappen demoted to fifth place. However, after the race both Vettel and Ricciardo were called before the stewards for possible dangerous driving during their battle. And Vettel was penalised 10 seconds for `erratic’ driving thus Ricciardo inherited third.
At the race start Hamilton got away in the lead, despite a slightly slow getaway. Directly behind Verstappen made a good start and pulled alongside Rosberg as the pair entered the first corner. Under pressure, Hamilton braked too late and went skittering across the run-off area and the infield grass.
Rosberg too was under pressure from Verstappen and as the pair went through turn one, Rosberg was forced wide. Instead of backing out, however, he powered across the run-off area to rejoin in P2. The race stewards launched an investigation but eventually ruled that no further action was warranted.
At the back there was more drama as Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein collided. The incident, which ruled Wehrlein out of the race, brought out the safety car and during this period Daniel Ricciardo pitted to shed his starting supersofts for medium compound tyres.
As the first stint unfolded that looked a good move. By lap 18, when Hamilton made his first stop, for mediums, Ricciardo was seventh and 22.4s behind on-the-road race leader Rosberg.
The Australian pushed hard as he was told that there might be an opportunity to pass the German when the Mercedes man pitted, but with Perez defending hard ahead of Ricciardo time was lost and when Rosberg emerged from his first stop, for medium tyres, he was comfortably 2.8s ahead of the Red Bull.
Behind Ricciardo, team-mate Verstappen was now champing at the bit on fresher mediums and on lap 22 Ricciardo did the sensible thing and allowed his quicker team-mate through.
Sebastian Vettel, though, was still circling on his starting soft tyres and with the German posting lap times better than second-placed Hamilton after 28 laps, there was a real suggestion that the Ferrari driver could influence the podium outcome if he was to stop just once.
Ferrari appeared to roll the dice on lap 33. Vettel dived for the pit lane and took on medium tyres. He rejoined in sixth place, just over two seconds behind team-mate Raikkonen and 18.6s behind race leader Hamilton who now led Rosberg Verstappen and Ricciardo.
Further back, the battle for fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship was again fierce. Seventh-placed Hulkenberg was comfortably 11 seconds ahead of Valterri Bottas, but behind them Felipe Massa in the second Williams was coming under enormous pressure from local hero Sergio Perez. The battle would last the entire race but Massa held his ground until the flag.
As the race entered its final third, Raikkonen was the first to blink on strategy, with the Finn taking a final set of mediums on lap 46. Ricciardo was the next to make a switch and the Australian shed his 49-lap-old mediums for a set of soft tyres on lap 51. Again the move seemed positive as he rejoined in sixth and immediately passed Hulkenberg.
The Australian began to push and on lap 56 he was 14.5s behind fourth-placed Vettel and lapping almost a second quicker than the German who was hitting traffic.
At the front, though Hamilton was comfortable. At the start of lap 57 the Briton led Rosberg by seven seconds, with Rosberg now three seconds ahead of Verstappen. With just 15 laps to go it looked like the front four would stick to a one-stop strategy, though Verstappen was beginning to nurse tyres that were 45 laps old.
And as the race entered its final laps, Vettel’s strategy, and that of Ricciardo, paid off. The pair pulled up close to the fading Verstappen and with a handful of laps to go Vettel found himself within DRS range of the Dutchman. He moved to attack, prompting the Red Bull driver to brake too late. The Dutchman went off track but rejoined ahead of the German. It looked certain that he would be told to cede the position.
Behind, Ricciardo had closed up to Vettel and he launched an attack on the Ferrari driver. The pair banged sidepods and almost came to a halt but Vettel held the position. Ricciardo then backed off as the stewards announced they would investigate the Vettel/Verstappen incident after the race.
Ahead Hamilton crossed the line to claim his 51st career win ahead of Rosberg but all eyes were on the fight for P3. Verstappen took the flag in third but Vettel drew alongside furiously wagging his finger at the teenager.
The stewards agreed and as Verstappen climbed out of his car in parc fermé the news was delivered that Verstappen had been handed a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage when he went off track.
It dropped the Dutchman to fifth place and gained Vettel his 86th podium finish. Ricciardo moved up to fourth ahead of his team-mate while sixth place went to Raikkonen. Hulkenberg was seventh for Force India ahead of the Williams cars of Bottas and Massa, while the final point went to Perez.
eom/FIA press release
