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  • Hungary was a step forward: Zak Brown at the FIA press conference

    Hungary was a step forward: Zak Brown at the FIA press conference

    Zak Brown of McLaren at the FIA Friday press conference. An FIA image

    PART TWO: TEAM PERSONNEL: Yusuke HASEGAWA (Honda), Franz TOST (Toro Rosso), Zak BROWN (McLaren)

    Q: Zak, let’s begin with you. Hungary, obviously a strong performance, the best performance of the season so far. How do you feel about the level of that performance that weekend and the steps on the journey back to competitiveness for your team?

    Zak BROWN: Hungary was definitely a step forward. Good to see both cars get home in the points. Sixth and tenth isn’t exactly what gets McLaren too excited but it was definitely forward progress.

    Q: Where are you now on the long-term plans in terms of power units. Obviously we’ve heard all these stories of various steps along the way from winter testing right through to the summer break. Has anything changed? What can you tell us?

    ZB: I think like all racing teams, we’re working on our 2018 drivers. We obviously announced Stoffel, which was never in doubt that he was going to continue with us, and we’re working on our second driver, some two-time World Champion, and making sure we have the most competitive race car for next year.

    Q: Hasegawa-san, coming to you, your side of that story. Obviously Hungary, a step forward, your updated engine here, and also where do you feel it’s going, the relationship with McLaren?

    Yusuke HASEGAWA: Of course, in Hungary we are very happy. Actually, we are very relieved we get the points. That is performance we are not satisfied with but it is a minimum level of performance we have to achieve, so we are relieved about that. So, still the matter, we need to update our engine performance definitely to convince McLaren as well and to satisfy us.

    Q: And the updated engine this weekend, what can you tell us about that? How much more performance is there in Stoffel’s car?

    YH: OK, it’s actually… we had planned to introduce a spec-4 engine here but we failed. Actually we didn’t match to the schedule. So that we have a halfway upgrade. We called it 3.5 and 3.6 but I think we can introduce some decent upgrade here but we don’t stop the improvement.

    Q: You have Franz next to you this afternoon. Is Toro Rosso still a possible contender for a second supply of engines in 2018? Are those talks still live?

    YH:  I don’t think so. We don’t have an official conversation about that. So although Mr Yamamoto visited Dr Marko, because we need to discuss about Super Formula, the Japanese formula series, and we have Pierre Gasly the Red Bull young driver, so that we have some communication with him – but other than that the Formula One engine supply, we didn’t have an actual conversation.

    Q: Franz, just picking up on that, as far as you’re concerned, that was never really something that was in the offing; you’re sticking with what you’ve got: Renault engines going forward.

    Franz TOST:  No, Hasegawa-san has just answered that there has never an official negotiation or talks between Honda and Toro Rosso.

    Q: We spoke to Christian in the first part of this press conference about your Red Bull Young Driver programme – obviously it’s been tremendously successful over the years but he was saying there’s no real hot prospects. You’ve got some young drivers in the pipeline but it’s just that sometimes there’s plenty of good drivers and sometimes there aren’t. I just wanted to know what your perspective was on what’s been achieved if you like and whether there’s still that same enthusiasm on the Red Bull side, when you consider that McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes have all got some very hot prospects on the threshold of Formula One now?

    FT: I think Red Bull is in a fantastic situation because there are four drivers who are able to win races which they’ve showed in the past: Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat and there’s the reigning Formula Two champion, Pierre Gasly who is in the pipeline, who is also very successful in Japan. That means this infrastructure which Red Bull has built up is so successful and why should they change anything? You should also take into consideration that something can happen at Red Bull Racing – an accident and so on – and they can just take a driver from Toro Rosso and this is why Toro Rosso is educating drivers for Red Bull. Young drivers are coming but it takes another two or three years maybe until we can discuss to bring them into Formula One and I think that Red Bull is really in a fantastic position with the driver line-up.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday, Motorsport Week.com) Franz, Carlos Sainz is going to be spending his fourth year next year in Toro Rosso if we take Christian’s comments in Austria that they’ve activated his contract for next year. This will be the first time that a driver has actually spent a fourth season in the team. Who will be sitting next to him? Have you decided? Will it be Daniil next year as well or would you be evaluating that later in the season?

    FT: We will see. As I just mentioned before, Red Bull is in a fantastic situation. Why should they dismiss these highly skilled drivers? Red Bull has financed all the careers so far of Carlos Sainz and now he is ready to win races if he has a proper car so why give him to another team, to an opponent or whatever? And Daniil Kvyat was this year a little bit unlucky because many times we couldn’t provide him with a reliable and fast car and I’m convinced that once he gets this car that he will show his talent, because he did it already in the past. He won the GP3 championship before he came to us. He finished on the podium at Red Bull Racing in China and he can race and he has the ability to be successful and as I mentioned before, Pierre Gasly is in the pipelines, which means Red Bull is really in a very strong position and there’s no necessity to change something, but we will see. The driver line-up will be decided by Red Bull in the next months.

    Q: (Abhishek Takle – Midday) To Zak and Hasegawa-san: firstly, the upgrades that you introduced this weekend, have they delivered as promised, and secondly, it’s been reported that Honda has been working with Ilmor and has discovered some good gains on the power unit front. Hasegawa-san, firstly, can you confirm that you’re working with Ilmor and Zak, couldn’t Ilmor’s involvement convince McLaren to stick with Honda for the future?

    YH: First of all, about the performance upgrade, it is very difficult to compare the previous engine to this engine because this is a completely different circuit but from the data point of view, we see some good upgrade of the performance here.

    And regarding Ilmor consultancy, we do not disclose any partner of a consultancy or a supplier or any partnership. But we don’t deny about any kind of consultancy or partnership from outside. We have many partners in the development.

    ZB: A good question was what do we think about Ilmor. As Hasegawa-san said, it’s really up to Honda to discuss what their activities are. All I would say is that Ilmor as an organisation that has worked with McLaren in the past and is very successful and very good at what they do.

    I wouldn’t think we’ve been satisfied all year but I think Hasegawa-san’s not been satisfied with how things have gone so we have seen some improvements here at Spa, not to the level we’d hoped for but some improvement nonetheless.

    Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) Zak, bearing in mind what the other two gentlemen said about there being no official discussions between Honda and Toro Rosso although there were talks at high echelons, I believe that the McLaren/Honda  contract has got some form of veto or approval clause where you’ve got to approve somebody else which I believe you did with Sauber. Have you been asked to bless some form of Toro Rosso/Honda deal at all? Has that come up?

    ZB: We did bless the Sauber arrangement which we were official asked to do and in fact started to get to work on a gearbox. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to disclose any conversations we’ve had. What I would say is we would be very supportive of Honda having a relationship with Toro Rosso and have been asked by Christian if we would be in a position to help with a gearbox if asked, so I think that’s about as far as I will go on sharing any conversations.

    YH: We didn’t ask to start a conversation with Toro Rosso to McLaren actually because we didn’t have any official conversation so that it is…

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Zak, it looks like Ferrari and Mercedes won’t supply the power units to McLaren, in the case that McLaren has decided not to continue working with Honda. And also, we believe, as Cyril said, that very possibly Renault won’t also supply, so it looks like you don’t have other options. Is that correct?

    ZB: No. We’re not going to give a running commentary on our power unit situation. I know it’s of keen interest to everyone but we’ll say something when we have something to say.

    Q: (Inaudible) Zak, do you feel within the team a difference for Stoffel now that his contract for ’18 has been announced and this weekend, racing at home, is there more pressure, is he different or is he relieved that he will continue for next year for you?

    ZB: Well, we always intended to put him in the car in ’18. Of course, any driver, when it becomes public at their home Grand Prix, I think that’s a nice feeling so Stoffel has been great all year for a rookie. He has been in a very difficult situation, we’ve not given him a faster, reliable race car which is that much more difficult when you don’t have the experience of someone like your teammate so he’s been a treat to work with and Hasegawa-san, I think you would agree, he’s been a real star this year.

    Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday, Motorsport Week.com) Zak, on the assumption – and it’s obviously an assumption – that you persuade Fernando to stay for next year, and he was wanting to do this, would we see another possible attempt at the Indy 500, given that this year he was very competitive and could have possibly won it on his first time out? Is that something you would perhaps dangle as a carrot to keep him there for next year?

    ZB: No. We would love to go back to Indianapolis, Fernando would love to go back to Indianapolis. He did an unbelievable job but it will conflict with Monaco again and we’re not going to be in the same situation that we were this year in Monaco, so unfortunately he can’t be in two places at once but we’d certainly love to do it with him again in the future.

    Q: (Abhishek Takle – Midday) A follow-up to what you said earlier, Zak, on not giving a running commentary on the power unit situation, how soon though do you need to have something to say? How soon do you need to be in a position to announce something because obviously whichever way you go will those influence your signing of Fernando for next year?

    ZB: Well, I think all racing teams right now – whether it’s McLaren or Toro Rosso or anyone else down the grid – we’re heading into 2018 so we need to be finalising all of our activities, whether that’s driver, car design so that will be soon.  As we all know, soon as the summer break is over it seems like it all starts to happen in Formula One so the timetable we’ve got to work to to get ready for next year.

    Q: (Ysef Harding – Xiro Xone News) This week, we talked about e-sports and how some e-sports events have been a platform for inspiring young drivers to have a way into motorsports. And now this week F1 has launched an e-sports championship. Do you feel these platforms are good for young people who are interested in motorsports and that could possibly find an inroad into motorsports through this?

    FT: I said already two years ago that you have to do something for e-sports because if you want to attract the young people, then e-sports is a very important game. What I said is that maybe ten or may nine o’ clock in the morning on Sunday there should be an e-game race here at the racetrack, just to attract the young people, to come to Formula One, to see Formula One and to involve them in this complete package. Therefore I’m really happy that Liberty media managed to come up with this game.

    YH: Sorry, actually I don’t have many opinions about the current operation or situation but I expect to make it a very attractive sport especially for the younger people.

    ZB: Yeah, I think e-sports is great. McLaren was the first team to announce our World’s Fastest Gamer and whoever ultimately wins that will be our simulator driver next year. I think it’s great what Liberty and Formula One have done and I think ultimately what you have with these sports is… Motor racing is a very expensive and difficult sport to get youngsters involved in, unlike football where you can go to school and you have a football and a pitch all ready to go so I think e-sports not only will generate a younger audience but it will also almost become the grass roots of motorsports and be able to expose a younger audience to what it’s like to drive a race car in a more inexpensive user-friendly way, so I think it’s great that we’re all embracing it.

    Q: (Dieter Rencken – Racing Lines) Zak, I’m not asking for a running commentary but I would just like to address the issue of engine supply to the teams, the FIA regulation being that you can only supply three teams with an engine. Now at the end of the day, unless you can persuade somebody to take the Honda engine it looks like you’re going to have to approach somebody to supply a fourth engine supply. How do you stand with the FIA on this issue?

    ZB: We speak with the FIA on a regular basis on lots of topics, being that they’re the governing body of the sport so I’ll leave the conversations that we’ve had, power-unit related, to ourselves and see what transpires.

    eom/FIA transcript of the Press Conference

  • Hamilton fastest in FP2: F1 Belgian GP

    Hamilton fastest in FP2: F1 Belgian GP

    Hamilton at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. on
    Friday 25 August 2017.
    Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W08 EQ Power+.
    Copyright: image for Pirelli: Sam Bloxham/LAT Images
    ref: Digital Image _W6I9342

    Lewis Hamilton took over at the top of the timesheets at Spa-Francorchamps, beating first practice pacesetter Kimi Räikkonen by almost three tenths of a second. Valtteri Bottas was third in a session disrupted late in the session.

    The quickest times of the session arrived just after the half hour mark, when the teams bolted on ultrasoft tyres for qualifying simulations. Vettel was first to show, grabbing P1 with a lap of 1:45.235. However, that was swiftly eclipsed by Bottas, the Mercedes driver edging ahead with a time of 1m45.180s.

    Raikkonen, who had used ultrasoft tyres to top the opening session ahead of s soft-shod Hamilton, then made his claim for a session double by putting in a lap of 1:45.015. Hamilton wasn’t to be beaten this time, however, and with the purple-banded Pirellis onboard he set a time of 1:44.753 to end the session 0.262s ahead of Räikkönen.

    It looked by Vettel might eclipse his team-mate as he went for another quick lap and set the fastest first sector, but he couldn’t find enough time in the remaining two sectors and he was pushed out to fifth as Max Verstappen stole ahead by one hundredth of a second.

    With the qualifying simulations complete, attention then switched to longer runs but with a little less than half and hour remaining rain began to fall across the circuit.

    As the downpour intensified only Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso went out to test the conditions. Equipped with intermediate tyres they tiptoed around but soon returned to the pitlane and the session and all running stopped.

    Ricciardo was sixth fastest in the session, 0.8s off team-mate Verstappen, while  Nico Hulkenberg took seventh place for Renault ahead of Force India’s Esteban Ocon. Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) and Hulkenberg’s teammate Jolyon Palmer completed the top 10.

    2017 Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 
    1 Lewis Hamilton  Mercedes 17 1:44.753
    2 Kimi Raikkonen  Ferrari 21 1:45.015 0.262
    3 Valtteri Bottas  Mercedes 17 1:45.180 0.427
    4 Max Verstappen  Red Bull 16 1:45.225 0.472
    5 Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari 20 1:45.235 0.482
    6 Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull 15 1:46.072 1.319
    7 Nico Hulkenberg  Renault 24 1:46.441 1.688
    8 Esteban Ocon  Force India 19 1:46.473 1.720
    9 Carlos Sainz Jr.  Toro Rosso 19 1:46.561 1.808
    10 Jolyon Palmer  Renault 23 1:46.670 1.917
    11 Fernando Alonso  McLaren 20 1:46.743 1.990
    12 Sergio Perez  Force India 18 1:46.984 2.231
    13 Romain Grosjean  Haas 15 1:47.285 2.532
    14 Stoffel Vandoorne  McLaren 17 1:47.303 2.550
    15 Daniil Kvyat  Toro Rosso 12 1:47.450 2.697
    16 Kevin Magnussen  Haas 15 1:47.556 2.803
    17 Lance Stroll  Williams 13 1:47.861 3.108
    18 Marcus Ericsson  Sauber 12 1:49.214 4.461
    19 Pascal Wehrlein  Sauber 18 1:49.725 4.972

    eom/FIA press release

  • Raikkonen fastest in FP1: F1 Belgian Grand Prix

    Spa Francorchamps, 25 Aug 2017: Kimi Räikkönen set the quickest lap of opening practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, the Finn edging title contender Lewis Hamilton by five hundredths of a second.

    Räikkönen, who earlier this weekend was handed a new contract with Ferrari for the 2018 season, set a lap of 1:45.502  to beat Hamilton by 0.053s, though the Finn had to bolt on a set of ultrasoft Pirelli tyres to shade Hamilton, whose best time was set on the soft compound tyre on offer this weekend.

    Räikkönen’s championship-leading team-mate Sebastian Vettel was third quickest with a lap of 1:46.302 also set on ultrasofts.

    Force India’s Esteban Ocon set the pace in the opening minutes of the session, but after just 15 minutes the red flags appeared when Williams’ Felipe Massa crashed out at on the exit of the Malmedy corner.

    When the action resumed it was Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo who made the most significant move, using ultrasoft tyres to record a time of 1:46.656.

    Hamilton, though, was on a march and halfway through the session he used the third compound available this weekend, the supersoft to move into first place with a time of 1:46.439s. As the session moved into its final third he then went even quicker on soft tyres posting a best time of 1:45.555.

    Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas was having a less enjoyable time, however. The Finn ran wide and off track at before the Stavelot turn. He skittered across the gravel trap and collided with the barriers. He managed to limp his car back to the pits.

    Max Verstappen also employed the ultrasofts for his best time, a lap of 1:46.302 that put him five hundredths clear of Ricciardo with Bottas in sixth place 0.922 behind Räikkönen.

    Seventh place in the session went to Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard was separated from team-mate Daniil Kvyat by Ocon, whose lap of 1:47.670 was just under two tenths better than Kvyat’s best. Tenth place wen to local hero Stoffel Vandoorne who set a time 1:47.865 for McLaren, 2.363 behind Räikkönen.

    Vandoorne, Hamilton and Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson also the latest itertations of the halo cockpit protection device at the start of FP1, with Vandoorne and Hamilton returning to the pits at the end of their out-lap while Ericsson continued onto a second.

    2017 Brazilian Grand Prix – Free Practice One
    1 Kimi Raikkonen  Ferrari 13 1:45.502
    2 Lewis Hamilton  Mercedes 19 1:45.555 0.053
    3 Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari 13 1:45.647 0.145
    4 Max Verstappen  Red Bull 18 1:46.302 0.800
    5 Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull 22 1:46.352 0.850
    6 Valtteri Bottas  Mercedes 20 1:46.424 0.922
    7 Carlos Sainz Jr.  Toro Rosso 22 1:47.446 1.944
    8 Esteban Ocon  Force India 27 1:47.670 2.168
    9 Daniil Kvyat  Toro Rosso 20 1:47.851 2.349
    10 Stoffel Vandoorne  McLaren 18 1:47.865 2.363
    11 Jolyon Palmer  Renault 14 1:47.930 2.428
    12 Nico Hulkenberg  Renault 15 1:48.037 2.535
    13 Fernando Alonso  McLaren 18 1:48.252 2.750
    14 Sergio Perez  Force India 19 1:48.452 2.950
    15 Lance Stroll  Williams 24 1:48.541 3.039
    16 Kevin Magnussen  Haas 20 1:48.615 3.113
    17 Romain Grosjean  Haas 20 1:48.626 3.124
    18 Marcus Ericsson  Sauber 21 1:50.160 4.658
    19 Pascal Wehrlein  Sauber 13 1:51.263 5.761
    20 Felipe Massa  Williams 3.

    eom/FIA press release

  • As long as I feel I can win races, I will be here: Raikkonen

    PART TWO: Drivers – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes), Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (Ferrari), Felipe MASSA (Williams)

    Q: Valtteri, you’re the top scorer in the last six grands prix on 106 points. Eight more than Vettel, 16 more than Hamilton and the only man to finish on the podium on the last five in succession – the best streak of your career: how much more confidently do you start the second half of the season, compared to the first?

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Definitely it is nicer, the start of the second half than the first half because I started this season with a new team, new environment, there was so many things for me to get used to and to learn, so now I can just get on with it. So, I’m looking forwards to the second half and nice to be back here in Spa.

    Q: We’re seeing a lot of renewal announcements coming through for Stoffel, we just had him here, Kimi obviously. When can we expect yours?

    VB: Well yeah. First of all, congrats to Kimi and Stoffel for that. For me, there’s no news yet, and we will tell you the news when there is some.

    Q: Kimi, congratulations on your new Ferrari deal. Why is it the right thing for you and your career?

    Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN: Well, I wouldn’t do it if I wouldn’t want to, and be happy with it and obviously the team feels the same way so, y’know…

    Q: You’ve qualified third or higher on the grid at the last four races and you’re tied three-all with Vettel in the last six qualifying sessions and obviously we all saw you had the pace to win in Hungary. Are we seeing the highest level of challenge from your since your return to Ferrari, do you think?

    KR: I don’t know. It’s so difficult to… everybody has their own view of things and obviously we want to do well, we want to improve and I guess you always find things to do better and, that way, find more speed. Lately it’s been a bit better, we’ve been feeling a bit more comfortable and been able to drive as want and obviously the result suddenly looks a bit better. I’m confident we are doing the right things and getting where we want to be.

    Q: Felipe, how are you feeling, what was the diagnosis that kept you out of the car in Hungary and are you confident it’s all over now?

    FM: Yeah, I feel good, I feel ready to get back in the car. I had a… I was feeling a little bit dizzy on that weekend. Vertigo is the name of what I had and unfortunately it’s the first time I had this. It was a little bit of a strange feeling and unfortunately it happens in a race weekend and keeps me out of the car but I feel good now, ready to get back to the second part of the season and really hopeful we can do good races.

    Q: It’s been a bonus year in your career in some ways. It was around this time last year that you announced your decision to retire. Has this season given you a second wind. Do you think you’ll be staying on again for 2018.

    FM: Well, I was quite happy to be honest, in the way I was driving the car. The first part of the season, unfortunately I was a little bit unlucky with the result but I was quite happy with the way I am driving the car. And when I see that, I don’t see the point not to carry on. So if I have an opportunity to stay in the position I believe is correct for me to stay, yes I believe maybe I can stay for another season. Otherwise not. I’m quite relaxed about my future in one way or the other, to be honest. So I think maybe just thinking about the races and we’ll see what happens.

     

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Flavio Vanetti – Corriere della Sera) To Kimi, do you think the Ferrari looks more at the experience you can grant, or that you are able to bring harmony inside the team?

    KR: You’ll have to ask them. Honestly, the only thing is I was interested to be here next year. I didn’t really care what the rest is thinking. Obviously the team feels the same way. What is the reasons… you’ll have to go and ask them. I don’t know what else I could say.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) Valtteri, everybody says that the circuit seems to be more adapted to your car than the Ferrari but on the other hand, Pirelli surprised everybody by using the ultrasoft tyres here. In this competition, what do you project for your weekend here?

    VB: I think we are more confident coming to this race than, for example, a track like Budapest. I think we have seen that on the very high downforce tracks Ferrari is very strong. They’ve been not bad at any circuit so we don’t feel that we are favourites or anything but we feel we can be reasonably strong here and I’m sure it’s going to be another tight battle and with the tyre compounds, luckily it’s not quite as hot as last year so the soft compounds can actually be very good but it’s (inaudible) to predict really so we will see once we have started practice and see how the tyres work. But I personally always rather go softer than too hard with the tyres so I’m happy for the decision.

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) To Valtteri and Kimi: two Finns on the podium in two successive races for the first time ever. Would it mean anything to you to make a new kind of history with a hat trick?

    KR: Obviously we must try to win races. If you don’t get that then you get the next positions and would it really make us happier? I don’t think I know. I think you’re happy if you win but less if you come second or third but obviously it’s been great for Finns, for us, but I don’t think it’s something that you aim to purposely do or you get more satisfaction from that I think is purely if you do better than worse.

    VB: Yeah, I think definitely to finish one-two would be better than two-three so but yeah, we are always there to try and win the race and not really focus on who is third or second. Of course, it would be nice.

    Q: (Marco Privitera – LiveGP.it) Kimi, in Austria Sebastian said that Kimi is my favourite teammate for the next season. Do you have the same opinion? Do you think that Sebastian is your favourite teammate for the future?

    KR: Yeah, I’m sure he is. I think we work very well together, as the whole team, a good way of working, but obviously I’m not the guy who decides who does what and obviously I have no idea what will happen in his case but hopefully all that stays how it is now and it would be perfect.

    Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday, Motorsport Weekly) Kimi and Valtteri, one of you has been confirmed for next year, one of you is still waiting to be confirmed. You are both at the sharp end of the grid. Do you think, Kimi, the fact that you’ve got next year out of the way and we won’t be asking you these questions any more eases the pressure on you? And Valtteri, do you think that because you haven’t been confirmed and you don’t know what is actually happening next year this puts added pressure on you in addition to winning races?

    VB: No, for me it doesn’t make a difference. Coming to this weekend, not thinking about it. Like I’ve said before, I’m used to these situations over the last few years, always the same thing that there’s no confirmation about next year so now that we start the race weekend with a practice tomorrow, it’s not going to be in my mind, for sure, so I’m just going to focus on the driving and the weekend, getting the most out of the weekend so no pressure from there.

    KR: I don’t think it’s serious, you know. Maybe this weekend again you guys will not ask at the next race but start again, so that wouldn’t be a big surprise for me. Obviously it’s more easy to deal with that side of the stuff and we can put all our effort into pure racing. It just doesn’t change the end result, it doesn’t guarantee better results or worse results. It doesn’t work like that but it’s a good thing to be done.

    Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action, Speedsport) Felipe, where are the key areas the car needs to be improved to be a regular challenger for the podium?

    FM: Well, I think we need to improve the car, especially from the downforce point of view so if you see that when you go to tracks like Budapest or maybe like city tracks, we are struggling a lot. And we saw that some of the teams, like maybe Renault… depends on the track,  developing the car a little bit better than us, so definitely developing is very important from the first race until the last race so I think maybe developing is very important so we are pushing hard to make the car better, race by race. It hasn’t been perfect, to be honest but we’re just pushing harder to see if we can improve and make the right results that we need to do also on tracks where the car should be better like here maybe or maybe Monza. So yeah, we have so many things where we’re fighting for one or two tenths. I know that it’s really important not to lose any opportunity in terms of improving the car.

    Q: (Grabriel Lima – Motorsport.com) Felipe Massa, I would like to know what you had, your illness exactly and how it was when you found out you could not race and how was it for you to watch the race on TV?

    FM: Well, actually I had… it was like vertigo so I was feeling dizzy, not only in the car but also when I was laying down on the bed. For sure it happened in the race weekend, so I was also feeling it in the car, especially with so many G-forces. So then I stopped and I said exactly how I was feeling and it was not a good feeling to race so for sure I just decided… me together with some other… the doctors there, I decided that I was not feeling good to race. Then I went to Monaco on the Saturday evening and I watched the race there, at home. It was a bit strange to be honest but yeah, it was interesting also to watch the race there, just to see when I decided to stop, how it was going to be. I think I definitely preferred to be in the car, it’s where you enjoy yourself.  I feel good, I feel ready to get back in the car, that’s the most important thing.

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Valtteri, fitness-wise, which is more demanding: a duathlon or a Formula One race?

    VB: It’s completely different so you just can’t compare. Driving, how you feel it physically, it’s way different to running or cycling. Obviously both sports are demanding but in so different ways that it’s difficult to compare.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – GloboEsporte.com) To all drivers: how do you imagine will be your flying lap on Saturday with cars that have a minimum 30 percent more downforce, tyres 25 percent wider and ultrasoft tyres?

    KR: We’ve driven these cars all year so far; some circuits you feel that for sure you will go faster everywhere and obviously it’s quite a high speed circuit so we expect to be feeling a bit faster but I think it’s good for this place to have the grip and the speed through the corners and it makes it more exciting so I would guess that it’s quite a nice feeling.

    Q: Felipe, any corners that you’re particularly looking forward to in these cars, any sequences?

    FM: Well, I think it will feel similar to Silverstone. Silverstone is a track that is not different to how it is going to be in Spa so a lot of high speed corners, a lot of quick changes of direction so you will feel maybe similar to Silverstone. I think Eau Rouge will not be a corner that is very interesting because it will be too easy for all of the drivers, all of the cars, more or less like a straight but then, when you get to the second sector it will be quite interesting, a lot of high speed corners, quick changes of direction. Then it will be quite interesting and a good feeling for the drivers as well, like it was at Silverstone.

    VB: I don’t think there’s much to add. It’s definitely going to be fun like it always is here in Spa and like we saw at Silverstone with just more downforce, more grip, it is even more fun basically.

    Q: (Luigi Perna – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, what is making you carry on racing, considering that you said that you would retire at the end of your contract with Ferrari 2015? It’s because you have the same excitement as you had at the beginning or just because you have the right car to compete?

    KR: It’s purely the racing. The rest not but I enjoy racing  and obviously I want to do well. If I did not feel that I can go fast I wouldn’t be happy in myself. If I wasn’t driving, I wouldn’t be here. I have zero interest to waste my time or the team’s time to be a part of it, it’s not the most nicest place to just hang around. So the racing is the main thing. Yes, there’s a lot of other sides of F1 but as long as the racing is the biggest part, then that’s it and as long as I feel myself that I can win races and fight for championships then that’s fine. When I don’t feel like that I will be the first guy to do something else.

    eom/FIA press release

  • Karan Kadam wins Round 4: MRF National Supercross

    Kolhapur, 23 August 2017: Young TVS rider Karan Kadam of Bengaluru won the best rider title in the fourth round of the MRF National Supercross Championship at the Mohite Racing Academy track near Tamgaon village in Karvir tehsil on Sunday August 20?.

    The 17-year-old rider secured 40 points in the fourth round in the ‘A’ group and lifted the best rider title. The fourth round of the M R F national championship was conducted here jointly by the Mohite Racing Academy and Sports Track, Pune, in eight different groups.

    The fifth round of the tournament will be held in goa on October 14, and the sixth and final round will be held at Bangalore on December 9.

  • Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Feature: Fighting the Force

    One of the major stories heading into the 2017 campaign was the increased G-Forces that drivers would have to withstand in the cockpit of these new generation Formula One cars. Bigger wings and tyres mean more downforce and grip, which puts more stress on the driver than ever before.

    Take the season opener in Australia, for example. Melbourne is not typically one of the more physically demanding circuits on the calendar for the drivers. Yet, through the left-hand sweeper of Turn 11, forces were peaking at 5G – up 10% on 2016.

    G, or G-Force, is a physical force equivalent to one unit of gravity that is multiplied during rapid changes of direction or velocity – such as during acceleration and braking. We live in a three-dimensional world, using three axes to describe the space around us. In F1 terms, the longitudinal X-axis lies along the car, the lateral Y-axis is across the car and the vertical Z-axis runs from top to bottom.

    When looking at the stresses placed on a Grand Prix car and its driver, G-Force can be broken down into longitudinal acceleration – experienced when braking or accelerating – lateral acceleration – while cornering – and vertical acceleration – caused by bumps, kerbs or change of gradient in the circuit.

    The highest longitudinal acceleration experienced in Formula One is actually a deceleration, achieved under braking at the end of a long straight – prime examples being Turn 1 in Baku and Turn 14 in Shanghai. In Monza, too, when the drivers blast out of Parabolica and along the famous start-finish straight before planting their foot on the brake into the Rettifilo chicane, they are expected to experience a peak deceleration exceeding -5G.

    Since longitudinal G is also linked to downforce, peak deceleration is only achieved in that brief moment when the driver first hits the brakes, as they are forced forward towards the steering wheel. While the seat belts keep them in position in the car, their head is pushed forward. The car itself will pitch forward, as the vertical load on the four corners transfers from the rear to the front tyres. The front suspension and tyres are both squashed into the circuit by the G-Force as the rears unload.

    Lateral acceleration is achieved through wide, fast corners. For example, through the flat-out Copse corner at Silverstone, drivers were hitting nearly 5G during this year’s British Grand Prix. Expect to see them experiencing similar values as we head to Spa and then Suzuka – both circuits like Silverstone with sweeping curves that favour strong aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical grip.

    Lateral acceleration like this forces the driver into the side of their cockpit, putting stress on the ribs and thighs that meet the seat edge. They’ll also need those strong neck muscles to sustain the repeated force pushing their head towards the outside of the corner. It’s a rough ride. And the new cars also have to stand up to this increased G. Under lateral acceleration, cars will tend to roll to the outside of the corner. The vertical load on the four corners of the car will transfer from the inside to the outside tyres. Pouhon at Spa and Suzuka’s unforgettable Esses at the start of the lap will punish both the drivers and their cars in 2017.

    When it comes to F1, vertical accelerations are recorded in relation to ride – when a car hits a kerb or ripple in the track. The bump before the right-hander at Mirabeau in Monaco is a good example. But these events are typically extremely short lived, lasting just a few milliseconds.

    For any kind of sustained vertical lift, an extreme gradient change is needed. Turn 1 at both Spielberg and the Circuit of the Americas are good examples – but nowhere is the gradient change as sharp on the modern Grand Prix calendar than through the iconic Eau Rouge at Spa. As drivers hit the very the bottom, the car is compressed into the ground, with tyres and suspension squeezed as the vertical acceleration on the car hits 2.5G – right through the driver’s rear end!

    The car climbs, before cresting the top of the hill, as the vertical accelerations hit upwards of 0.5G – with the driver experiencing weightlessness and actually able to feel the belts holding them down in the car for up to half a second. They have to be particularly careful on corner exit here, as the car can go light and quickly lose grip – see Kevin Magnussen’s monster shunt there in 2016 for evidence. It’s a unique experience – and will be even more of a challenge in this year’s cars, with drivers expected to be easily flat through the entire Eau Rouge section.

    With its mix of fast, wide corners like Pouhon, a big braking zone into Les Combes plus the standout centrepiece that is the mighty Eau Rouge, the iconic Spa circuit offers a punishing ‘back-to-school’ experience for the F1 grid…

    eom/Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport team release

  • Spa is a happy hunting ground for Force India: Mallya

    Spa, 22 Aug 2017: Sahara Force India returns from its summer break and looks ahead to the Belgian Grand Prix.

    Vijay Mallya: “Spa is always a special weekend for Formula One. It’s one of the greatest circuits in the world and a marvellous venue to appreciate the best drivers in the fastest cars. It’s been a happy hunting ground for this team too and I’d like to think we have a good chance of adding some more memories this weekend.

    “We’re over the half-way point of the season now and feeling upbeat about the remaining nine races. Along with Spa, there are some other tracks coming up that should allow us to show the speed of the VJM10. We are pushing hard with the development of this car and there are some further steps we will introduce over the next few events.

    “Our consistency has been our strength this year. We’ve scored points in ten of the eleven races so far and had double points finishes in nine of those races. I’m proud of the team for this achievement and it shows that all our hard work is paying off. We’ve still got our sights on the podium for this year and if the opportunity arises I believe we are ready to take it.”

     

    Sergio: “I’m feeling fresh and relaxed after the summer break and really looking forward to getting back to racing. I had a very nice break with my family, but now I can’t wait to be back on track.

    “Belgium is the one of the best circuits to experience an F1 car. I love the high-speed layout, the history of the place and you get to meet some very passionate fans there. It’s just a great weekend and there is also the question mark over the weather. It nearly always rains at least one of the days.

    “Pouhon is one of my favourite corners of the year. It’s so quick and satisfying when you get it just right. The 2017 cars will feel extra special through this part of the lap, as well as through Eau Rouge.

    “As we begin the second part of the season, I want to improve on what we have done so far. We have been competitive, but we also lost a few chances to score more points than we did. Hopefully we will make up for those lost points in the races to come.”

    Esteban: “I had a great summer holiday in the south of Spain. My batteries are fully recharged and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car. It’s now a year for me as a Formula One driver and the time has gone by really quickly. So I’m no longer a rookie!

    “Spa is where I made my debut last year. It’s a great track, but it’s not necessarily one of my favourites. There are some special corners, especially through sector two, which has a nice rhythm. It’s a circuit where you have to be totally at one with the car because you need to be really committed through the high-speed corners.

    “Spa is usually a good track for racing because it’s easier to overtake there compared to some other tracks. There’s also the famous Spa weather which brings unpredictability. I don’t mind if it rains because it could bring some more opportunities our way.

    “I think we can be competitive this weekend regardless of whether it’s dry or wet. The layout of the track should suit our car quite well. Everybody loves driving through Eau Rouge and it’s certainly the most famous part of the lap. In these cars it will be an amazing experience. Maybe the first lap of the race will be a bit of a challenge, but after that I think we should be able to take it easily flat.”

    Sahara Force India’s Chief Race Engineer, Tom McCullough, analyses the challenges of Spa-Francorchamps.

    “Spa is an iconic circuit and a great test for Formula One machinery, even more so this season. It’s the longest lap of the season with a mix of slow and quick corners, long straights and elevation changes: finding the right setup is always a challenge. There are some unique corners, like the Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex with its rapid compression and decompression, which will be asking a lot from the driver, the car and the tyres. There are also many long and fast corners putting big loads through the tyres: it will be important to understand how the compounds on offer, the three softest of the range, work in these conditions. Usually, races in Spa are very entertaining: there are many overtaking opportunities, mistakes are easily punished and the weather can play a big part. It often rains and the extended nature of the circuit means you could be driving on a completely soaked track in one sector and on bone dry tarmac in another. Choosing the right strategy and being ready to adapt to the changing circumstances is crucial.”

    eom/Sahara Force India Press Release

  • Tanak, Jarveoja take 2nd WRC win: Rallye Deutschland

    Ford Fiesta WRC drivers Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja claimed their second FIA World Rally Championship victory today when they took the top step of the podium on Rallye Deutschland. The Estonians led from the first full day of competition on Friday to take their first Tarmac win on an event their M-Sport team had yet to conquer. Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger held off Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia for second position, a fine result for the Norwegians on their third event with Citroën and first on asphalt for the French manufacturer.

    “It’s a great feeling!” said Tänak. “The start to the rally went perfectly. After that it was just about controlling our lead. Winning our first Tarmac event feels cool. With 25 points here I don’t see any reason why we can’t fight for the Championship. We will keep fighting; we need to keep winning if we’re going to win the Championship.”

    In the race for the title, Ogier had hoped for better but with Thierry Neuville retiring yesterday and failing to score any Power Stage points, the Frenchman now has a 17 point advantage over the Belgian with three rounds remaining. Ott Tänak maintains third but still with a chance of fighting for the title. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, M-Sport’s double podium sees it take an impressive 64 point advantage over Hyundai who had a more than disappointing weekend in Germany.

    Today’s route was by far the shortest and covered two identical loops of two stages covering 51.94 competitive kilometres. In confident mood, Tänak was able to control his pace through the closing stages and never looked challenged before ultimately taking the win by 16.4 seconds. Mikkelsen nevertheless kept the pressure on the Estonian and fended off Ogier to take Citroën’s second podium of the season after Kris Meeke’s victory in Mexico. With both Ogier and Neuville making mistakes earlier in the event, Ogier adopted a more cautious approach after his Championship rival retired yesterday and the Frenchman set his sights on maintaining position and scoring as many points in the Power Stage as possible. He picked up two additional points.

    Behind the leading trio, Juho Hänninen managed to climb to fourth; the Finn overhauled Elfyn Evans in the day’s opener when the Welshman overshot a junction and stalled. Evans’ woes continued with probably not the best tyre choice and he was passed by Craig Breen in the final stage, the Irish driver closing the gap in the penultimate stage with fastest time and powering ahead in the final one, dropping Evans to sixth. Jari-Matti Latvala salvaged some extra points for third in the Power Stage, adding to his tally for seventh overall. Hayden Paddon was the lead Hyundai driver in eighth and while team-mate Dani Sordo finished way down the order, the Spaniard took some consolation from maximum points in the Power Stage. Germany’s Armin Kremer finished ninth in his first outing in a 2017 spec WRC car.

    Eric Camilli rounded off the top 10 and also won the FIA WRC 2 Championship category in a Fiesta R5. He headed asphalt ace Jan Kopecky by nearly a minute. Pontus Tidemand’s third position was enough to secure the Swede an unassailable lead in the category and he and Skoda provisionally take the title with three rounds remaining*. In the FIA Junior WRC Championship, local driver Julius Tannert took a dream win by an enormous margin after his rivals hit problems. Nil Solans, second in the category, looks on course to win the title on the final round of their Championship in Spain, but the Spaniard claimed the FIA WRC 3 Championship title here in Germany*.

    The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now take a break before returning to action for Rally España (5-8 October).

     

    Rallye Deutschland – Final unofficial results (subject to scrutineering)

    1.   Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 57min 31.7sec
    2.   Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger Citroën C3 WRC 2hr 57min 48.1sec
    3.   Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 58min 02.1sec
    4.   Juho Hänninen / Kaj Lindström Toyota Yaris WRC 2hr 59min 20.9sec
    5.   Craig Breen / Scott Martin Citroën C3 WRC 2hr 59min 33.2sec
    6.   Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC 2hr 59min 35.1sec
    7.   Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC 3hr 01min 29.9sec
    8.   Hayden Paddon / Sebastian Marshall Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 02min 04.1sec
    9.   Armin Kremer / Pirmin Winklhofer Ford Fiesta WRC 3hr 07min 51.1sec
    10. Eric Camilli / Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta R5 3hr 08min 16.0sec

     

    * Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA

  • It is not over until it is over: Tanak

    Present:
    1st – Ott Tänak, M-Sport World Rally Team
    1st – Martin Järveoja, M-Sport World Rally Team
    2nd – Andreas Mikkelsen, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
    2nd – Anders Jæger, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
    3rd – Sébastien Ogier, M-Sport World Rally Team
    3rd – Julien Ingrassia, M-Sport World Rally Team
    Malcolm Wilson, Team Principal, M-Sport World Rally Team

    Q:
    Ott, it is your second WRC victory, it is a win on tarmac at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland which M-Sport has never won before. How do feel?
    OT:
    It has been a great weekend and it is a great feeling. It was a tricky event which started in a very difficult way with extreme weather conditions and a lot of dirt on the road. We took a brave tyre decision which everybody on the team fought me for, but it worked out very well. The tyre decision decided the whole rally I would say.

    Q:
    Most of the rally was basically mistake-free for you?
    OT:
    The conditions were improving a lot after the rain. There was much more grip and it was much more enjoyable to drive.

    Q:
    We have seen a very confident Ott Tänak. Is this because you got your first WRC win already out your way? Did you feel less pressure?
    OT:
    For sure it is helping a bit. But the most important thing was the first drive through the long Panzerplatte stage where I managed to keep up with Seb [Ogier]. So I felt a bit more comfortable. He was pretty fast there before. But after this we managed to keep the pace up.

    Q:
    We thought you were going for more bonus points in the Power Stage. Was that going through your mind?
    OT:
    Not really. We are in this position in the championship where we need to collect all the points and it was very important to get these points. So I had to be smart this time. Let’s get some more experience so we can also start to push in these situations, but this time we needed to be safe.

    Q:
    How do you feel about your chances in the 2017 Championship?
    OT:
    It is never over before it is over. We managed to get closer to the two guys in front of us. It is three rallies to go and the gap is not too big, so let’s see what happens. We try to do our best job and it will be interesting at the end of the season.

    Q:
    Martin, the victory here is probably one of the best 30th birthday presents that you can get. How does it feel?
    MJ:
    The feeling is great. Thank you, Ott, for this present. It is always difficult to win on tarmac rallies with all these pace notes and especially so on Friday with the challenging weather conditions. In the end it was a perfect weekend for us.

    Q:
    The conditions on Friday were tough. How did you make it through there?
    MJ:
    We made a good tyre choice. That was the key to our win here in Germany.

    Q:
    Andreas, brilliant result on tarmac here in Germany. You must be feeling good with P2?
    AM:
    I feel great. When I saw the weather forecast coming into the rally I was sure I would not have a chance. Starting so far back on day one was really a challenge. But luckily I really enjoy the vineyard stages. By now I feel at home on these stages. So I pushed really, really hard because we knew that the weather would be better on day two and three. Our objective was to stay close to Ott which we did. The other days were also a challenge with small mistakes but I finally mastered the long Panzerplatte so our preparations paid off. So we are really happy to deliver this second place – for us but also for Citroën.

    Q:
    How much did you feel the pressure from Ogier sitting in P3?
    AM:
    Last year we were leading the rally going into the Panzerplatte stage. Then we lost 14 and 16 seconds on each run through. I knew that when he was four seconds behind me going into Panzerplatte I knew I needed to go for it because he was so much faster. But we managed to take some time out of Seb and this was the deciding moment.

    Q:
    This was an important result for Citroën but also for you. You said that Germany was your final event for Citroën. Do you have an update on whether you will appear in one of the remaining events this season?
    AM:
    I hope to do all the events. The important thing for me now is to find a place where we can fight for the championship next year. If this is for Citroën or not, I don’t know. But I have done three rallies with them and I enjoyed them. So let’s see if there are some more.

    Q:
    Anders, a tough weekend but a great result for you as well?
    AJ:
    We were excited for this event, considering our last tarmac event was Spain last year. Germany is not an easy tarmac rally. To be able to perform on this level in difficult conditions like on Friday and then to continue doing it is a confirmation for us that we are where we think we are. And to give Citroën a second place here we have to thank the team for a perfect car throughout this event. We are for sure very satisfied with this result.

    Q:
    It all worked out with the route note crews during the rally?
    AJ:
    Of course, when you start way back in the field like we did here, it is sometimes hard to really trust the information that you get from the crews because so many cars have already been through the stages. But they did an amazing job which is important to succeed in a rally like this.

    Q:
    Sébastien, how did you feel when you knew that your closest rival for the Championship, Thierry Neuville, had to retire for the day yesterday?
    SO:
    It changed a little bit at this point. We were aiming for more this weekend but we had a difficult start on Friday. It started with a wrong tyre choice in the afternoon. But when you are in a close fight for the championship like we were with Thierry it is difficult to take these rain tyres that we have never used before and don’t have any experience with. It is easier when you are a bit further back in the standings where you can try something, but for us we did not dare to make the choice at this point. In the end it cost us some time. I also struggled a bit with the car. But after that it was an okay weekend. But when Thierry stopped we did not want to take all the risk anymore. Ott did not leave any space for a comeback. He was strong and consistent at the top. We were not so far behind Andreas as well, but he was also fast. But we decided not to take any risks for three more points. At the end it was a good weekend. We are leading the championship again by 17 points. That’s the positive of the weekend for us.

    Q:
    What was your approach for the extra points on the Power Stage? Did you go for them or were you cautious there as well?
    SO:
    I saw that Thierry would not take so many points there so I did not have to go all crazy but some drivers were pushing hard at the same time. Once again, you have to take a lot of risks to get the max points. But still I wanted to get some points. Our two points are counting at the end of the season and maybe they will be the important ones.

    Q:
    You said that you wanted to have your future decided before the end of September. We have a little season break now so what will be happening in the next six weeks for you?
    SO:
    I am sure we will know much more in Spain. It would be great for M-Sport to get the full support again. What the team has achieved so far this year is amazing. It has a good lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship as a private team. It would be good to see their efforts rewarded.

    Q:
    So if the team got the manufacturer funding you would stay?
    SO:
    Yes, I always mentioned it. It is never easy to switch teams every year. I needed some time this year to get used to the team and the car. This always takes some time. If I could continue and build on what we did this year, I am sure we would be strong. But I also think that we would need a little bit more support to be where I want to be.

    Q:
    Julien, three rallies to go this season. It is a close fight for the championship but this is also very motivating for everyone, isn’t it?
    JI:
    I hope fans will also follow the rest of the championship as it gets more and more exciting. Everybody will come back motivated from the six-week break that is upon us. But speaking for us, we are determined to come strong for the final push.

    Q:
    Malcolm, you are leading in the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships, how do you feel about it?
    MW:
    Very, very happy as you can imagine. We did not think that we would achieve this kind of result prior to the event. But all the guys have done a fantastic job, particularly on Friday under difficult conditions. No real mistakes, stayed out of trouble, I could not ask for more from these guys. It has been a fantastic weekend for us.

    Q:
    How do you feel about the Manufacturers’ Championship in particular, because it was a big gain this weekend?
    MW:
    Finland turned out better than we expected, so that was a bonus. Getting this result was a real positive. Historically, we have been in this position before and ended up losing it. There are only three events left but we will try to do everything we possibly can to try and secure both championships.

    Q:
    It is the first victory for M-Sport in Germany, how about this?
    MW:
    All the boxes are ticked. Now I can retire!

    Q:
    Success in the WRC, but also success in the WRC 2 with Eric Camilli taking a win as well, so this has been good for the brand?
    MW:
    Eric had a great rally and he is really showing the promise that we all know he has got. He is really a solid professional driver. This win will further lift his confidence so hopefully Eric can go on to better things as well.

    Q:
    What will be going on during the upcoming six week break to keep that fantastic line-up of drivers that you have?
    MW:
    The results tell you that we have a great driver line-up. I would really love to retain all the guys. Whether this is achievable, I genuinely don’t know. If it was all in my power, that is what I would definitely like to be doing.
    FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP (event winner)

    Present:
    1st – Eric Camilli, M-Sport World Rally Team
    1st – Benjamin Veillas, M-Sport World Rally Team

    Q:
    Eric, it’s fantastic to see you on the top step of the podium of the FIA WRC 2 Championship on what has been such a tough weekend in Germany. How are you feeling right now?
    EC:
    Thank you, I’m feeling good of course. It’s an incredible weekend for us. We did what we needed to do. For us, it was very important to win here, especially on tarmac. We’ve done a good job this weekend, as well as the team. It was not an easy weekend for them and for us. We started with a problem but the mechanics were very, very efficient and professional. That’s why we were able to avoid a penalty because of the clutch, to continue the rally, to come back and to be able to fight. Thanks to all of them.

    Q:
    As you say, you had a clutch issue on Friday morning and brought the car back to service. Lots of mechanics were working really hard to change the clutch in time.
    EC:
    We were 100 percent sure that we would receive a penalty. On the last minute, we decided to not change it and try. We lost only 30 seconds. Later, when the car was okay again, we did the maximum to attack on Mittelmosel in the afternoon. After Kopecký had the puncture, it would have been very easy to have a puncture in Panzerplatte. We tried to avoid that and maybe we were just a little bit lucky compared to them.

    Q:
    Kopecký dropped over a minute behind you. Was it difficult to stay concentrated?
    EC:
    Yes, of course. With a one minute lead, you can say it’s easy to win. But in fact, it’s not. When you are in the car you can as well have a puncture. You can make a mistake or something else can happen. You don’t know. So, you need to stay focused, concentrated, as we did this morning.

    Q:
    Were you feeling a little bit nervous with your first win in WRC 2 on the cards here in Germany?
    EC:
    No pressure, to be honest, I was free. Because since this year in Mexico, okay we finished second after we had a big battle. In Sardinia we won the category, Finland went well, Poland as well. We were free and just wanted to win and finish the race correctly.

    Q:
    What happens now for the rest of the season? What can you tell us about 2018?
    EC:
    The next rally we’ll do is Spain. We don’t score points there but we’ll do Rally GB and score points there. We need to prepare for these two events and after that we’ll see.

    Q:
    Benjamin, congratulations to you, too. How was it from the co-driver’s seat? Stressful?
    BV:
    Stressful, maybe, yes – also on Friday morning honestly. I was focusing on my job.

    Q:
    How tough is a co-driver’s job here in Germany? Tougher on the Friday in the vineyard stages or is it generally tough all weekend?
    BV:
    No, all the weekend.

    Q:
    I know you had some mechanical issues on Friday. Were there any big moments out there that Eric hasn’t told us about?
    BV:
    Yes, sure. But I’m feeling very happy right now.
    FIA WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP (Championship winner*)

    Present:
    1st – Pontus Tidemand, Škoda Motorsport
    1st – Jonas Andersson, Škoda Motorsport

    Q:
    Welcome to the 2017 FIA WRC 2 Champions, Pontus Tidemand and Jonas Andersson. Pontus, this must be such a good feeling for you. You’ve had a really successful year and you rounded it off early with a championship win already. How does it feel?
    PT:
    Thank you! For sure it feels good. This is special for us and the team. We have worked very hard and also the team has worked very hard, prepared very well before every rally. They’ve been putting all efforts there to take this title. That we managed to do it with one rally to go is very good.

    Q:
    You came into this event trying really hard not to think that you could win the championship title. Has it been quite a pressure-filled event for you?
    PT:
    Yes, on Friday it was going quite well in the fight for the first position. But early on Saturday we had a puncture and lost almost one minute. We lost contact to the top two. Then we changed strategy and tried to enjoy, drive and not to feel the pressure too much.

    Q:
    You tried to enjoy – did you manage to enjoy it?
    PT:
    Yes, for sure. There’s some nice stages and a lot of spectators. The car was very well, good and easy to drive. Then we had fun to drive it, yes.

    Q:
    When you got to the final stage today, knowing that when you reached the end of the Power Stage you would be champion, were there butterflies in your tummy? Were you a little bit nervous?
    PT:
    Maybe a little bit extra.
    JA:
    Yes!
    PT:
    We were listening to every sound in the car. Maybe a little bit, but it was okay.

    Q:
    So, what happens for the rest of the season? What’s next for Pontus Tidemand?
    PT:
    For sure, Rally GB and also some testing. We don’t know yet about Rally Spain.

    Q:
    Will you remain in WRC 2 and defend your title? Or will you be moving on to other things?
    PT:
    I Iive in the moment. No idea.

    Q:
    What would you like to do, Pontus?
    PT:
    What do you think?

    Q:
    A nice World Rally Car would be good, right?
    PT:
    Yes, that would be good. Soon, it should be time to take this step up. We will see. We’ll just keep working hard and need to get the chance.

    Q:
    Congratulations to you, Jonas, on the WRC 2 co-driver championship title. How do you feel?
    JA:
    Very, very good. Thank you. It’s been a pleasure the whole year. We’ve done six events so far and got four wins, one second place and now a third place here to secure the title win with one rally to go. It’s been an amazing year. I’m very, very happy for the both of us and for the team. The rest of the season: we’ll see how many rounds we can do. But then we can go really flat out.

    Q:
    There are absolutely no worries. You can do what you want in the remaining rounds.
    JA:
    Yes, that’s very nice. We’ll see. Like you said, we will do Rally GB. Hopefully, maybe, one event more.

    Q:
    Any little mistake can be punished quite hard. What about you – where you feeling any pressure at all this weekend?
    JA:
    Like we said, on Friday none of us really thought much about the championship. We just said before the rally that we wanted to go out and enjoy. We like the rally and just wanted to set some good times. On Saturday, when we had the puncture and dropped down to third place, then you start to think a bit more and start to go a little bit more onto the safe side. Then it all becomes a little bit more difficult because you don’t use the car properly and probably don’t concentrate 100 percent. Then you feel the pressure. Overall, for the weekend, it’s been very good, actually.
    FIA JUNIOR WRC / WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP (event winner)

    Present:
    1st – Julius Tannert, ADAC Sachsen E.V.
    1st – Jürgen Heigl, ADAC Sachsen E.V.

    Q:
    Julius, you’ve won with a 12-minute lead. You must be feeling good right now.
    JT:
    It’s a really good feeling to be here. To win the Junior WRC at your home event here in Germany is really unbelievable for me. We’ve said it before but it’s really hard against these strong competitors. We made less mistakes than the others. We secured the first place and we’re really happy about it.

    Q:
    Against three tarmac specialists it was always going to be very difficult. At the end of the day, did a little home advantage play its part?
    JT:
    For sure, we knew some stages. But as you just said, they are tarmac specialists who know the stages also from last year. They pushed really hard and it was hard for us to go the same speed. But in the end, we got first place and that’s great.

    Q:
    How did it go for you in terms of moments and mistakes?
    JT:
    Well, it started on Thursday with this stage in the city. We had a small moment when we touched the wall. Also in the vineyards, we had to reverse two times and the feeling was not so good. We lost a lot of time on Friday. And then on Saturday morning everything changed and went well for us. On the last one and a half days we secured the first position and took no further risks.

    Q:
    So many drivers say that you can lose focus when you’re not in a battle. You didn’t?
    JT:
    It was really hard, especially today. The stages look easy but they aren’t. To make no mistake is quite hard. If you’re not pushing and fighting for every second it is easy to make a mistake. This would have been a big drama if we had crashed on the last stage. I was a bit nervous at the start but in the end, everything went well.

    Q:
    Jürgen, were you a little bit nervous going into that final stage today, knowing that you could take the win?
    JH:
    Absolutely!

    Q:
    How difficult was it from a co-driver’s perspective to get everything on point this weekend?
    JH:
    It was really difficult because of the conditions, with the rain. But we are here now – we have won. That’s good.

    Q:
    Did you celebrate a little bit in the car when you crossed the finish line?
    JH:
    Maybe! But tomorrow I have to go to the Barum Rally.

    Q:
    You’re competing at Barum as well?
    JH:
    Just me.
    JT:
    I rent out my co-driver to others! I have to save some money for Spain!
    FIA WRC 3 CHAMPIONSHIP (Championship winner*) 

    Present:
    1st – Nil Solans
    1st – Miguel Ibanez

    Q:
    Nil, congratulations on the FIA WRC 3 Championship win. We were waiting to see if it would be a Junior WRC Championship as well – but you picked up WRC 3. How are you feeling right now?
    NS:
    It was difficult. On Friday we went off. It was my fault. In one corner we were too late. Well, we are WRC 3 Champions. But that’s not the main championship that we want to win. We wanted to take points for both championships but we still have to concentrate and fight in Spain. We maybe need to change something on the car to be fast in Spain and win the championship.

    Q:
    You’ve had such a dominant season so far but here it was a bit tougher. We saw you make a mistake. Is that because of the pressure?
    NS:
    This time I was thinking more about to not do mistakes, winning the championship, and didn’t go as fast. In the wet stages I didn’t feel comfortable. I went too late while trying to play it safe. It’s a bit strange but we crashed. Luckily, the team could repair the car and everything was fine for the next day. We are still here, in second place. Everyone makes mistakes. It was a tricky event, really difficult. It’s our first time here in wet conditions. I think we learned something for next year.

    Q:
    When we go to Spain, your home event, you just have to win four stages to win the Junior WRC title. Is that correct?
    NS:
    Yes, let’s see if we can get these few stages. We know that we are fast. But we’ve seen what happened in the last rallies. It’s strange because in the first split times we’re always in front and then we start to lose much time. Maybe it’s the car, maybe us – we don’t know. We have to work.

    Q:
    Miguel, has this been the toughest weekend for a co-driver?
    MI:
    This weekend it was very, very difficult. Three different types of stages, very bumpy and wet. One small mistake and then you’re out.

    Q:
    Are looking forward to your home event in Spain?
    MI:
    Yes, it’s our home. I think this year it’s possible to win the rally and to win a lot of stages.
    * Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA

    \eom/FIA press release

  • Lando Norris gets season’s 7th win: GP3

    Zandvoort, 20 Aug 2017: British driver Lando Norris (Carlin), who is supported by the McLaren Formula 1 team, scored his seventh win of the season in the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Second place went to Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin), German Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam) finished third. Norris, who was also the best rookie in the field, extended his lead in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings to eleven points from his nearest rival Günther.  Indian racer Jehan Daruvala finished 13th.

    Lando Norris took the lead at the start and already returned from the opening lap with a margin of almost one second. From the very beginning, Ferdinand Habsburg was in second place, followed by Maximilian Günther, Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam) and Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam). Jake Hughes (Hitech Grand Prix) was in sixth place, but soon saw Ilott in front of him pull away. Behind the Brit, who had scored a podium finish in the second race at Zandvoort, a group of ten drivers, Hughes included, assembled.

    On lap eleven, Callum Ilott headed into the pits to have the front wing of his car replaced and rejoined the race in last place. Thus, Jake Hughes moved up into fifth position, but at that time already was ten seconds down on Guanyu Zhou, who was fourth.

    Out in front, Lando Norris had established a lead of over five seconds on his team-mate Ferdinand Habsburg. For a long time, the Austrian was unable to pull away from his rival Maximilian Günther, but his margin was always sufficient to avoid any danger. Thus, first to fourth position were already taken early: Lando Norris went on to win from Ferdinand Habsburg, Maximilian Günther and Guanyu Zhou.

    The battles for positions in the midfield were a little closer, Nikita Mazepin (Hitech Grand Prix) repeatedly tried to overtake his team-mate Ralf Aron (Hitech Grand Prix). The Estonian, who temporarily also put Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing) under pressure, managed to keep the Russian at bay. With five minutes remaining, Pedro Piquet (Van Amersfoort Racing) tried to overtake Jake Hughes on the outside at Tarzan corner, but the Hitech driver successfully defended his position. Meanwhile, Nikita Mazepin had to slot in behind rookie driver Joey Mawson and lost his ninth place to the Australian. Mazepin wanted to counter, but didn’t succeed. Thus, the finish order from fifth place onwards was: Jake Hughes from Pedro Piquet, Harrison Newey, Ralf Aron, Joey Mawson and Nikita Mazepin.

    Lando Norris (Carlin): “There is not too much to say about this race. My start was fairly good, so that I didn’t have to defend my first place in the first corner. I am happy that my starts here at Zandvoort worked out so well. Apart from that, I almost went off the track once because, I believe, the wind had turned and I made a mistake. But it went well and I am happy with my second win of this weekend.”

    Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin): “In the first two races of the weekend, my pace wasn’t great, but we looked at the data and the videos and managed to make a significant improvement. After a few laps, it went really well and in sector two, which was my main problem, I was really fast. This year, we have made a good step ahead. I started rather at the back, but now, I am on the podium for the third time already. Driving in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship is fun. I would love to benefit from what I have learned and then be a contender for the title next season.”

    Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam): “This weekend wasn’t what I had expected. Eventually, we have two podium finishes, but I wanted more. For me, this race wasn’t too exciting, because overtaking is nearly impossible here. Thus, third place was the maximum I could achieve.”

    eom/FIA press release