INDIA in F1

Tag: F1

  • 2015 E23 Hybrid represents a new era for Lotus F1 team: Team principal

    Enstone (UK), 26 Jan 2015:

    Lotus F1 Team is proud to present its 2015 challenger; the E23 Hybrid.

    Matthew Carter, Lotus F1 Team CEO:
    “The E23 Hybrid represents a new era for Lotus F1 Team, not only in the change to a Mercedes Benz Power Unit, but also it is the fruition of a busy winter behind the scenes. Improvements within our Design, Aero and Simulation departments have all contributed to the development of a car which is a huge step forward. As a team we are confident that the new car coupled with additions to the Race team will enable a huge leap forward and we are full of optimism going into the new season. It is time to put the disappointment of last season behind us and benefit from 12 months of hard work; we are ready to return to our rightful place at the pinnacle of the sport.”

    Nick Chester, Lotus F1 Team Technical Director:
    “The E23 Hybrid represents a massive step forward for us. It’s no secret that we struggled with last year’s car so we’ve targeted every area that caused us an issue. We’ve made strong progress in the wind tunnel as well as in areas such as packaging and cooling. We expect the E23 to perform far, far better than its predecessor. In terms of what’s new, obviously a massive change for us is a new Power Unit supplier. We made this change as it looked and looks to be the one area of the car which could bring us the greatest performance gain. It’s not just performance, but reliability and driveability as well as packaging and cooling too. The E22 did deliver good figures in the wind tunnel, even if it was difficult to unlock its potential, so we’ve paid more attention to making the characteristics of the car more adaptable. In terms of the suspension, we were delivered something of a blow last year when the front-rear interconnected suspension was outlawed mid-season. The E23’s suspension design is specific to the updated regulations so we’re not trying to update a system originally intended to work a different way. We learnt a lot in many areas of the car over the course of 2014 so there are many lessons which have been applied. We know we’ve made a big step. We won’t know how our car will fare in relative terms until we’re out in action at a Grand Prix, but we certainly expect to be much more competitive than last year.”

    eom/Lotus F1 team release

    Lotus reveals E23. Image courtesy Lotus F1 team
    Lotus reveals E23. Image courtesy Lotus F1 team

     

  • With early start by 1 hour, Sepang set to offer high-octane after-race party


    Sepang (Malaysia), 23 January 2015     – F1 fans and their families will have more to look forward to than just excitement on the track during the 17th edition of the FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX, that takes place from the 27thtill 29th March 2015.

    Themed ‘Experience F1 Like Never Before’, the event changes the standard activities that was offered at the circuit in the past with the fun activities for young and the young at heart, making it a wholesome family affair. Visitors will see Sepang, a world class racing circuit, be transformed into a huge entertainment ground dubbed the ‘F1 Carnival’.

    For years, SIC’s CEO Dato’ Razlan Razali, has been mooting the idea to make F1 a carnival that is as exciting on the track as it is off.  In a recent meeting with Formula 1 Chief Executive, Bernie Ecclestone, Dato’ Razlan got the green light to make the upcoming Malaysian leg just that.

    “He (Ecclestone), was open to the ideas we put forth to make the weekend even more exciting, It will have something for everyone, and I assure you it’s going to be spectacular”,

    “What’s more with tickets as low as RM80, we are maintaining our status as the most affordable F1 event on the calendar plus the event starts an hour earlier making it ideal for family fun.” said Dato’ Razlan.

    SIC hosts Round 2 of this season’s 20-round 2015 FIA Formula 1 World Championship from March 27 to 29. Already buzzing with excitement with the return of Honda, movement of the top F1 drivers and the exciting prospect of the youngest rookie in Max Verstappen, the 66th edition of the F1 world championship opens at Albert Park in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix from March 13 to 15.

    The F1 Carnival, has something for everyone, for the adrenaline fueled there is the XTrack-drifting, Go-Cart, for the kids and the kid at heart there is awater course cool zone, the carnival family zone and other fun family affair activities complete with a Ferris wheel, haunted house, carnival games and a relaxing zone where visitors can kick-back and enjoy food and drinks.  The world-class after-race concert will also end the night on a high note.

    “The after-race concert, which will feature multiple Grammy award winnerLenny Kravitz as the main act, will be opened to all ticket holders including the RM80 for free. It will be a healthy event free from alcohol and tobacco; with children to be welcomed as well.  The early start time will also ensure that families can have fun but also leave early,” Dato’ Razlan said

    Targeting an attendance of more than 120,000 for the three-day event, Dato’ Razlan added that the circuit would be going on an aggressive promotional campaign which includes international promotions, domestic road shows, on-ground promotions and including advertising at all touch points including cinemas and the social media.

    “We will have on-ground shout-outs with the SIC Zoomers, which will be visiting no less than 45 key venues around the country bringing great ticket promotions and exciting prizes to be won.  The team will not just provide a sneak preview of what the fans can expect at the event; but fans can also get up close and personal with the latest MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team car the F1 W06 Hybrid.

    “As this year’s race is a family affair, SIC would also be targeting malls and hypermarkets too,” Dato’ Razlan said, adding that the circuit would be working with premier retailer TESCO to run promotions.

    To top things off, one race ticket unleashes more than just the thrill of the race, ticketholders will get to enjoy selected activities and the F1 Carnival at no cost, get entrance to the after race concert and also be rewarded with One Ticket Unlimited which offers a list of discounts and promotions from various retail outlets and brands in Kuala Lumpur.

    Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting SIC Customer Service Centre at the circuit, online at www.sepangcircuit.com or by calling TICKET HOTLINE at 603-8778 2222. Fans can also visit SIC’s promotional booth, currently located at NU Sentral.

    eom/SIC release

    Sepang International Circuit during F1 race in 2014 March. Photo courtesy SIC
    Sepang International Circuit during F1 race in 2014 March. Photo courtesy SIC

  • Season begins for INDIAinF1.com with launch of VJ08 in Mexico City

    Mexico City, 21 Jan 2015: : Sahara Force India launched its 2015 season today offering fans and media a first impression of how the VJM08 will look when it makes its track debut next month. Aspectacular event at the Soumaya museum in Mexico City saw Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg pull back the covers to reveal the team’s fresh new look for 2015.
    The new car livery is guaranteed to get heads turning. The chassis features an elegant combination of silver and black with the team’s traditional colour of orange streaking from the nose cone to the rear of the car in two symmetrical curves.
    Key to the new livery is the introduction of several commercial partners for 2015. Prominent NEC branding appears on the engine cover to signal the beginning of a relationship with the global ICT firm based in Tokyo, Japan. Also on the engine cover are the logos of telecommunications branMotor Racing - Sahara Force India F1 Team Livery Reveal - Mexico City, Mexicods Claro and Telcel as America Movil begins its second season supporting the team.
    Branding from world-famous tequila brand, Jose Cuervo, features on the car’s headrest, while logos from Latin America’s leading insurance broker, Inter, appear on the front wing end plates. Motor oil brand, Quaker State, also partners with the team placing its logos on the rear wing end plates.
    The team is also delighted to extend its partnership with Smirnoff for a second season, in addition to the continuation of long-time partners United Spirits, Kingfisher and Royal Challenge.
    Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya, was the first to praise the team’s new livery: “It’s another evolution of the contemporary look we introduced last year, which reflects the growth of the team and the global brands with which we are working. I love the addition of silver, which makes the car appear more sleek and aggressive and I’m sure it’s something that will appeal to the fans as well. Our traditional team colours remain integrated in the livery, but we’ve given it a very modern twist.”
    With relatively stable technical regulations, the VJM08 has been designed with evolution rather than revolution in mind. The most significant changes from the outside will appear at the front of the car with the lowering of the front of the chassis and nose. “The front of the car looks very different from what we had developed previously,” explains Technical Director Andrew Green. “It is a redesign that involved a lot of work over the winter, as the new regulations caused a loss in terms of downforce and we’ve been working to claw back all that performance.”
    The VJM08 will also feature several subtle changes, including modified sculpting of the sidepods and new cooling intakes. Underneath the skin there will be a completely new rear suspension layout with a new hydro-mechanical system replacing the original torsion springs. The VJM08 is expected to make its track testing debut in Barcelona next month with the VJM07 running at the first test in Jerez.

  • Hamilton wins in Abu Dhabi to take 2014 F1 World Drivers’ title

    Lewis Hamilton took his second Formula One world title with victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as championship rival Nico Rosberg’s challenge was ended by technical problems that wrecked the German’s race.

    Hamilton made the better getaway at the start of the race to take the lead but across the opening stint Rosberg kept in touch with the title-leading Briton.

    However, on lap 25 Rosberg began to slow and reported that his car was down on power. Mercedes told the German it had suffered an ERS failure, and lascking horsepower and hampered by brake and throttle problems the German’s challenge fizzled out and he eventually limped home in 14th place.

    Hamilton, though, was imperious, fending off a late surge from Williams’ Felipe Massa, who took in a late set of supersoft tyres to close to within three seconds of the Englishman.

    Hamilton defended hard and crossed the line in front, to take his 11th victory of the year and his second championship title. Massa took second place ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas, with Daniel Ricciardo fourth after the Australian had started from the pit lane.

    At the start, Hamilton made a superb getaway to leave Rosberg standing. Behind them, Bottas had a bad getaway and by the end of the first lap had dropped from third to eighth.

    Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kyvat also has a bad start and dropped from fifth to seventh. Jenson Button took advantage of that and moved up from sixth to fourth behind Massa. Button was followed by the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.

    At the end of the first lap Hamilton was one second ahead of his title rival and by the time DRS use was permitted he had widened the gap beyond its use to 1.2s.

    Further back, Alonso and Kvyat passed Raikkonen and the Spaniard immediately got on the radio to inform is team he would pit to shed his starting supersofts. That triggered a round of stops as a number of option tyre starters, including Button, Kvyat and Raikkonen, headed for pit lane.

    Hamilton, though, stayed out until lap 10, taking on soft tyres, and he was told to enrich his fuel mixture to up his pace as Rosberg tried to push to close up during the title leader’s stop. Rosberg’s in-lap wasn’t good enough to make an impact and after a 2.6s stop he rejoined just behind the Briton.

    On lap 15 the first of the soft tyre starters began to pit, with Jean-Eric Vergne heading in after being passed for sixth place by Daniel Ricciardo, who had also started on softs and risen to the position after starting from pit lane, to where both Red Bull cars had been sent following exclusion from the qualifying result due to an illegal front wing.

    Kvyat became the first runner to retire, the Russian taking an escape road and stopping his Toro Rosso on lap 16.

    Still out on track on lap 18 on the soft tyres were Ricciardo – now in P4 behind Hamilton, Rosberg and Massa – McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen in P5 and Vettel in P6. They were followed by Button, Alonso and the top 10 order was rounded out by Raikkonen.

    Vettel and Magnussen made their first stops on lap 21, with the Dane taking on supersofts and Vettel opting for more softs. Vettel’s stop wasn’t a good one, however and his 4.3 seconds in front of the Red Bull garage saw him rejoin in P15 and now two seconds down on Magnussen. That left Ricciardo, in fourth, as the last man out on track not to have made a pit stop, with the Australian having completed 23 laps on his starting softs.

    But there was a limit to attempt to eke out life from his tyres, however, and on lap 24 he was passed by Bottas.

    Ahead, Nico Rosberg was suddenly in trouble, however. On lap 25 he reported that he was losing engine power. The Mercedes pit wall quickly informed him that his ERS system had failed and with the German massively down on horsepower and running slowly, the title battle was effectively ended.

    His lap 25 time was a 1:51.791 compared with Hamilton’s 1:47.963 and within a lap the German was under pressure from Massa. The Brazilian swept past the Mercedes man on lap 27.

    Ricciardo finally headed to the pit lane on lap 27 and he took on another set of softs. Meanwhile, Raikkonen was the first to make a second scheduled stop and he was followed by Button, from P5.

    At the front, Hamilton’s pace also began to drop and Massa closed to within nine seconds of the leader. It was straightforward race management, however, and the Briton was told that if he needed to turn the car back up again he was free to do so.

    The race leader made his second stop on lap 31 and when he rejoined he was marginally behind Rosberg. The severity of the troubles afflicting the German’s car was underlined when Hamilton swept past, with Rosberg still needing to make his second stop. It was further emphasised when Bottas eased past the wounded Mercedes on lap 33 to demote Rosberg to fourth.

    Rosberg made his second stop a lap later and when he emerged he found himself embroiled in a battle for P6 with Nico Hulkenberg.

    Hamilton returned to lead of the race when Massa pitted on lap 44, taking on supersoft tyres. The stop left Massa 10.8s behind the champion elect and a lap later he closed by half a second. On the following lap the Williams man took a whole second out of Hamilton’s advantage and a race to the flag looked on.

    Behind them Ricciardo made his final stop, taking on the supersoft tyres he had not yet used. He rejoined in fourth place, behind Bottas who was racing on an older, final set of soft tyres. With the gap to the Finn at 20s, however, the task of reeling in the Williams in the final laps was impossible.

    The order on lap 50 of the 55-lap race was Hamilton, with Massa now just six seconds behind. Bottas was third ahead of Ricciardo, with Button fourth. Hulkenberg was sixth ahead of a forlorn Nico Rosberg.

    In the end Rosberg slipped back to 14th and was offered the chance to retire the car by his team. The German, though, bravely insisted that he would like race to end.

    Ahead, Massa’s bid to overhaul Hamilton almost worked, with the Brazilian getting to within three seconds of the Mercedes man. Hamilton, though, wouldn’t be denied and he crossed the line 2.5s ahead of the Williams to take his second title.

    Massa was a worthy second, with team-mate Bottas third. Ricciardo finished an excellent fourth place, after starting from the pit lane, with Button fifth. Hulkenberg ended his season with sixth place at the Yas Marina Circuit, finished ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez. Vettel was ninth in his final race for Red Bull Racing and the final points position was filled by Fernando Alonso.

    2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 55 Winner 2 50
    2 Felipe Massa Williams 55 +2.5 secs 4 36
    3 Valtteri Bottas Williams 55 +28.8 secs 3 30
    4 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 55 +37.2 secs 20 24
    5 Jenson Button McLaren 55 +60.3 secs 6 20
    6 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 55 +62.1 secs 12 16
    7 Sergio Perez Force India 55 +71.0 secs 11 12
    8 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 55 +72.0 secs 19 8
    9 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 55 +85.8 secs 8 4
    10 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 55 +87.8 secs 7 2
    11 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 55 +90.3 secs 9
    12 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 55 +91.9 secs 10
    13 Romain Grosjean Lotus 54 +1 Lap 18
    14 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 54 +1 Lap 1
    15 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 54 +1 Lap 14
    16 Adrian Sutil Sauber 54 +1 Lap 13
    17 Will Stevens Caterham 54 +1 Lap 17
    Ret Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 42 +13 Laps 16
    Ret Pastor Maldonado Lotus 26 +29 Laps 15
    Ret Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 14 +41 Laps 5

    eom/FIA press release

    Hamilton 2014 World Drivers' champion. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image
    Hamilton 2014 World Drivers’ champion. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image

  • Hamilton wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, becomes double world champion

    Yas Marina, 23 Nov 2014: British driver Lewis Hamilton wins the season-ending Etihad Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in a Mercedes to win the Forumala One World Championship drivers’ title and becomes a double world champion under lights on Sunday.

    Lewis does a donut and celebrates the victory lap with the Union flag and waves to the crowd after winning his 33rd Grand Prix. He won 11 races this season and consigned the ridiculous double points rule to history. He became the first non-German driver after Michael Schumacher (2002 and 2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2011, 2013) to win 11 races in a season. He also became the fourth British driver to win more than one drivers’ championship in F1.

    File photo of Hamilton in Abu Dhabi courtesy FIA.
    File photo of Hamilton in Abu Dhabi courtesy FIA.

    Hamilton who started on P2 behind teammate Nico Rosberg jumped into the lead with a stunning get away at the lights and controlled the race thereafter. He had a scare midway but soon recovered the lead from Massa after a pit stop and with Nico Rosberg losing pace with the failure of hybrid system, towards the end, and finishing out of points in 13th place, it was a cake walk for the Briton.

    As Martin Brundle interviews the drivers on the podium and says, The final word goes to Lewis Hamilton. What happens now? “I don’t know what will happen,” he says. “This is the greatest day of my life and that’s due to people around me.

    “2008 was special but the feeling I have now is above and beyond. It’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had. Thanks so much everyone.”

    Hamilton continues on the podium:

    “I’ve been lost for words but I want to thank the fans,” he says trying to control his emotions.“ It’s made such a difference. And to my family: I love you guys. And to my team thank you. It feels even more than the first time.

    “It was a good start, probably the best start I’d ever had. Going into the race I had a couple of different options. If it was ahead I knew I had to race. Qualifying wasn’t perfect but we got it right for the race.

    “Nico put on an incredible fight throughout the year. We met in 1997 and always thought we would be competing together. He was graceful enough to come up to congratulate me. He just came into the room, very professional and he said: ‘you drove really well.’ And the same for him.” And he did not forget to thank the God before he concluded the final podium ceremony of the season.

    eom

     

  • Hamilton remains cool and refuses to get into a battle of words: FIA pre-race press conference

    DRIVERS

    1 – Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes)

    2 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)

    3 – Valtteri BOTTAS (Williams)

    TV UNILATERAL

    Nico, three poles in a row now at the end of the season and I guess you have the vital advantage going into tomorrow’s grand prix. How do you feel about that?

    Nico ROSBERG: Yeah, it was a great day again today I’m sure. I’m thankful to the engineers and everything, because [they] did a good job, sorted out the car, you know, I was really happy with the set-up. It all worked out well. I got a good lap together in the end; I’m pleased with that. But, of course, it’s only one step, a very small step, because this weekend it’s about the championship, not about pole position or anything. Of course, I was hoping, you know, who knows… Valtteri said he got his perfect lap together, so there wasn’t anything else in that. Of course it would have been great if somehow there could have been a Williams between the two of us, but that can always happen tomorrow. For sure, starting first is a great place to be and it should be a good start.

    I guess the crucial question is how are you going to play the first corner tomorrow? 

    NR: Yes, that’s going to be interesting, as always. But I’m on the clean side I think, I’m not sure. Maybe none of them are realty clean, not sure, but anyways I have the advantage from pole, so that should be OK.

    Lewis, is it the case that the driver who made the fewest mistakes eventually came out on top at the end? 

    Lewis HAMILTON: I don’t know. I don’t know how many mistakes Nico made but I generally didn’t have the best of laps but it was still a really good qualifying session, I really enjoyed it. The car was fantastic. So, as Nico was saying, tomorrow is the special day.

    Does it matter? At the end of the day you only need to finish second to win the title but how are you going to approach it tomorrow and again the same questions as to Nico, how will you approach that first corner? 

    LH: Same as every time.

    OK, let’s move on to Valtteri. Valtteri, well done, another top three. Do you think you’re fast enough to mix it with the two Mercedes drivers in tomorrow’s grand prix?

    Valtteri BOTTAS: Thanks, yeah, it was a nice quali and especially the lap in the end, the car felt pretty good and I got a really good lap in the end. That felt nice because Felipe was really quick today as well, so it was not easy to beat him. Yeah, it’s good to be third and fourth again. I think in the race, as we’ve seen before, Mercedes is normally having a bit more advantage on Sundays than Saturdays, so it could be difficult, but for us the main target is to finish as high as possible and if something is going to happen and if we have the pace there is no doubt we are going to try to move forward.

    And what are you going to do into the first corner tomorrow? 

    VB: Same as usual really, just trying to gain any positions if there are possibilities but in the end the race is never won in the first corner, so that’s good to remember. So this race is no different to any other for me.

    Back to you Nico, a unique situation tomorrow, double points on offer for the first time. Your thoughts going into the race, and your mindset? 

    NR: Well, the mindset is that I need to get the job done and continue on the sort of form that I had in Brazil in the race. I’m sure it’s going to be a great battle between the two of us. Of course I hope for more than that – not just the win but some sort of help from Lewis, or anything, I don’t know… I mean I offered Valtteri… I’m paying [for] a wellness night [for him] tonight, a spa session, all-inclusive, hoping that he can be in extra special form and do the impossible tomorrow.

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Q: Nico, you came here wanting pole position, you’ve done it. Just tell us what kind of statement you think your qualifying has made this year.

    NR: Of course yes, qualifying was one of the strengths this year but that’s only… it’s not even half of it on a weekend, just the first step into every race weekend. It’s Sunday that counts and that’s where I’ve looked to improve a little bit recently, like in Interlagos for example where I managed to do the step – and that’s what I need to do again tomorrow.

    Q: Lewis, in a similar situation in Austin, you tried to pass and pulled it off spectacularly; in Brazil you didn’t get a chance to try the pass. Which of those is it going to be tomorrow?

    LH: I don’t know. We’ll see.

    Q: What are your feelings though in terms of the way you’re going to conduct the race? Are you going to…

    LH: Same as always.

    Q: Valtteri, the 12th top three qualifying this season for Williams. It was a difficult start to this weekend for the Williams team, particularly in free practice one. Tell us about how you built up the speed this weekend.

    VB: Well yeah, we only really had one real issue this weekend, it was the thing with the bodywork. We tried something different, it failed but it’s good we tried it in Practice One. It was no drama, everything was all set for Practice Two and everything went into the plan. And yeah, Practice Three the car felt OK but we still knew that adjusting some things we could get more out of it for qualifying and still not compromising the set-up for the race, so pretty normal weekend. Normally Friday we’d not be looking so good so pretty normal weekend so far for us. We’ve done a solid job but, like always, it’s tomorrow that really matters.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Ralf Bach – Sport Bild) Question to Lewis. How many risks will you take tomorrow at the start to keep Valtteri behind you?

    LH: I don’t know. I’m looking forwards, so just drive the same as I always drive.

    Q: (Haoran Zhou – F1 Express) Question for Lewis. If you can pick a fight tomorrow, who is safer? Fight with Nico or fight with Valtteri? To you.

    LH: Neither is safer, they’re both just as safe.

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Valtteri, do you feel any kind of extra pressure now that you are some kind of factor in this championship fight?

    VB: No, not at all. I think it’s kind of cool if I can be part of something. It’s nice. Obviously for me the maximum I can get at the moment is fourth place in the championship and the main thing for us as a team is definitely securing the third place – and that’s our target tomorrow and to achieve that our goal tomorrow is finish as high as possible where we can. So no different race to any other for me.

    Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action / National Speedsport News) Valtteri, qualifying started at 5pm like the race tomorrow. During that hour, do the track conditions change much?

    VB: Quite a bit, yeah. The temperature is definitely still dropping. The air temperature and also the track temperature so that affects how the tyres are behaving so, you know, for the tyre life of the tyre it should only get easier to us end of the race. So maybe at the end of the race everyone can see bit longer stints than in the beginning. That’s the main thing really. And if some people are struggling with the cooling of the car, that should be a bit easier in the end of the race.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globo.com) Lewis, this is not your style when you don’t fight. You have to go to the fight. Do you consider, maybe, in this specific race, to race for second place, that would be enough for you? 

    LH: I don’t know. We’ll see. You’re right, it’s not my style, so we’ll decide tomorrow.

    Q: (Chris Medland – crash.net) Nico, Lewis was saying that he didn’t really get a lap together today, he made a few mistakes in qualifying. Do you feel that that is a sign of the pressure, that you’re handling it better so far this weekend? 

    NR: I don’t know. Of course pressure is one of the hopes that I have. If Lewis feels the pressure and here makes a mistake as a result, a bit like today – I haven’t seen it – but if you’re saying that and a bit like Brazil and that’s the sort of opportunities that I’m looking for and I’m trying to push for. I push flat out, all the time to try and keep the level extremely high and that’s all I can do really and try and go for the win and keep the pressure on.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – Globo.com) Valtteri, if you overtake one of the Mercedes cars, do you think it’s realistic to keep one of them behind you during the race? 

    VB: Well, yeah, it’s difficult to say now. We will see tomorrow. Sometimes this season it’s been difficult to predict in detail about the race pace and how we’re going to be, how the tyres are going to behave, how long stints we can do, there’s a lot of factors. We’ve seen that we have quick straightline speeds normally, so that normally helps us defending, so that’s on our side I think. But it’s really difficult to say, we’ll see tomorrow.

    Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Nico, how intensely is your father living this weekend? Is he supporting you all the time, or how does he do it? 

    NR: Yeah, of course my family is intensely watching and I’m sure it’s as nerve-wracking for them and intense as it is for all of us here and that’s great to know that they’re supporting me and also my Dad wrote me… or we had a discussion about it. He gave me his advice for this weekend and I try and apply that or take whatever I think would help me and that’s it really.

    Q: (Phillip Merrell – AMEInfo.com) Lewis, how does this finale compare to 2008, given your position and the double points system? 

    LH: I don’t really remember much from 2008 but obviously it was a great season and this is a lot different, just much older and hopefully wiser and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Yeah, it’s a great battle. Obviously it’s different when you’re racing your teammate to racing someone from another team but just as exciting.

    Q: (Chris Medland – crash.net) Lewis, what’s the over-riding emotion for you after qualifying with the gap you’ve got to Nico? Are you just happy to be in P2 and where you need to be or are you disappointed with your performance? 

    LH: I’m not particularly disappointed with it. Of course you always want to be on pole, that’s what we work for. I’ve had very good pace throughout practice and particularly the long runs which is comforting and then in Q1, Q2 was good, Q3 just wasn’t… didn’t really put a comfortable lap together but it wasn’t really lots of mistakes or anything, it just wasn’t a great lap. Nico did a great job but we’re still there for the fight tomorrow.

    Nico Rosberg, right, takes pole ahead of Hamilton on Saturday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image
    Nico Rosberg, right, takes pole ahead of Hamilton on Saturday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image

  • Sergio Perez continues with Sahara Force India with multi-year contract

    Yas Marina, 22 Nov 2014: Sahara Force India is pleased to confirm that Sergio Perez has extended his contract to continue racing with the team for 2015 and beyond. Nico Hulkenberg was retained for 2015 in an October announcement and now the duo will continue to pair for another year and Checko, as Perez is known among his near and dear, will look forward to a home race in Mexico next year.
    The 24-year-old Mexican joined the team at the start of 2014 and enjoyed immediate success with a podium finish in only his third race for the team. Since then, he has continued to demonstrate his speed by scoring points in eleven races so far this season. The contract extension provides the opportunity for one of Formula One’s brightest young talents to continue his association with one of the sport’s most ambitious teams.
    Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “I am delighted that Checo will continue with us. He’s a true racer who has done a fantastic job for us this season. The whole team has been impressed with his speed and racecraft, as well as his role away from the track. He has a very bright future in Formula One and we will do our utmost to give him the equipment to match his talent. I look forward to celebrating more strong results with Checo this year and in years to come, and I cannot wait for Checo’s first home Grand Prix in Mexico in front of his huge following of passionate fans.”
    Sergio Perez: “It’s good to announce my plans. As soon as I joined Sahara Force India, I noticed the hunger and determination of everyone in the team, and I’m very proud to be part of that. I feel at home here and I’m fully committed. I’m enjoying my racing and we’ve already celebrated some special results together. It’s important for me to establish myself in a team and have some continuity. The team have given me a competitive car this year and I believe we can continue to achieve great things together in the future.”
    eomMotor Racing - Formula One World Championship - United States Grand Prix - Race Day - Austin, USA

  • Rosberg on pole for title decider in Abu Dhabi

    Nico Rosberg takes pole position from title contender Lewis Hamilton at Yas Marina on Saturday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas team image
    Nico Rosberg takes pole position from title contender Lewis Hamilton at Yas Marina on Saturday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas team image

    German finishes four tenths of a second ahead of rival Hamilton to take 11th pole of season. Bottas third for Williams.

    Yas Marina (Abu Dhabi), 22 Nov 2014: Nico Rosberg seized the initiative for tomorrow’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, claiming his 11th pole position of the season and beating championship rival Lewis Hamilton by four tenths of a second.

    Valtteri Bottas took his ninth top-three qualifying spot of the season with third place, the Finn putting in a superb final flyer to displace Williams team-mate Felipe Massa, who finished fourth.

    The first segment of qualifying had a predictable shape, with the Mercedes drivers occupying the top two slots, despite Rosberg’s car requiring a change of floor between final practice and Q1. Hamilton went quickest with a 1:41.207 to finish a tenth ahead of his team-mate. Massa took third spot with a time of 1:41.475.

    The order at the back also had a relatively familiar look. Caterham, returning to F1 action after missing the last two grands prix, were eliminated in P19 and P20, with regular race driver Kamui Kobayashi beating rookie Will Stevens, though the Englishman finished a respectable five tenths down on his far more experienced team-mate. Eliminated ahead of them were Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado in P18, the Venezuelan finishing just over 1.7s in front of the Caterhams but four hundredths of a second behind Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez. Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus could only manage 16th and with the Frenchman facing a 20-place grid penalty due to a series of power unit component changes he will also be hit with a drive-through penalty in the race as penalty places cannot be carried over past this season-ending race.

    Hamilton continued at the top of the timesheet in Q2. His first run yielded a time of 1:40.920 and with Rosberg’s running only yielding a best time of 1:41.459, the door was left open for the Williams drivers to close the gap to the championship leader. They duly obliged. Massa’s 1:41.144, just over a tenth down on Hamilton, was good enough for P2, while Bottas slotted into P3 just over two tenths further back. Rosberg, though, like Hamilton, chose not to make a final run in the segment, as did Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

    Eliminated from the top-10 shootout were McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen, Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne, Force India’s Sergio Perez and Nico Hullkenberg and 15th-placed Sauber driver Adrian Sutil.

    If Rosberg’s Q2 laps had featured a couple of small errors, his first outing in Q3 showed not signs that the pressure was getting to him. He powered straight to the top of the order with a first outing in 1:40.697 to shave a full two tenths off his title rivals Q2 best. Hamilton had no response in the opening run and a mistake on his flying lap saw him finish a tenth down on his Q2 benchmark.

    Behind them Massa and Bottas occupied third and fourth respectively, with the Williams duo followed by the Red Bull pairing of fifth-placed Ricciardo and Vettel in P6. They were followed by McLaren’s Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat and the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.

    And in the final laps Rosberg demonstrated why, at the last round in Brazil, he won Formula One’s 2014 pole position trophy. The German found more time again, putting in a lightning-quick, 42-second second sector to better his first run time by two more tenths.

    Again Hamilton had no response and the Briton appeared content to settle for second as he finished four almost four tenths behind Rosberg who sealed his 11th pole position of the season. Behind them Massa was pipped for third by a superb final lap from Bottas, who finished just 1500ths of a second behind Hamilton.

    With Massa fourth, fifth place went to Ricciardo, with team-mate Vettel sixth. Kvyat scored an excellent seventh for Toro Rosso ahead of Button, Raikkonen and Alonso.

    2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Qualifying
    1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:41.308 1:41.459 1:40.480 13
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:41.207 1:40.920 1:40.866 12
    3 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:42.346 1:41.376 1:41.025 18
    4 Felipe Massa Williams 1:41.475 1:41.144 1:41.119 20
    5 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 1:42.204 1:41.692 1:41.267 12
    6 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 1:42.495 1:42.147 1:41.893 1
    7 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1:42.302 1:42.082 1:41.908 18
    8 Jenson Button McLaren 1:42.137 1:41.875 1:41.964 18
    9 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:42.439 1:42.168 1:42.236 15
    10 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:42.467 1:41.940 1:42.866 19
    11 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:42.104 1:42.198 13
    12 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:42.413 1:42.207 12
    13 Sergio Perez Force India 1:42.654 1:42.239 15
    14 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:42.444 1:42.384 12
    15 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:42.746 1:43.074 14
    16 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:42.768 8
    17 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:42.819 8
    18 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:42.860 8
    19 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1:44.540 7
    20 Will Stevens Caterham 1:45.095 8

    eom/FIA press release

  • Rosberg tops final practice in Abu Dhabi

    German driver beats title rival Hamilton by three tenths of a second. Massa third for Williams.

    Yas Marina (Abu Dhabi), 22 Nov 2014: Nico Rosberg climbed to the top of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix timesheet for the first time in final practice, beating title rival Lewis Hamilton by three tenths of a second at Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday ahead of the Formula One World Championship final round showdown on Sunday.

    Hamilton was marginally quicker than his Mercedes team-mate in the opening sessions but in the final hour-long practice period before qualifying Rosberg deposed the Briton with impressive pace on the supersoft options tyre.

    Rosberg set purple, fastest times through the flowing first sector and on the long straights of sector two but crucially as the winding final sector seemed to cause problems for everyone on the option tyre, Rosberg lost less time than his championship rival. He ended the session with a best time of 1:41.424. Hamilton did not complete a final flyer and ended the hour 0.369 down on the German.

    Mercedes’ closest challenger in the session was Williams for whom Feipe Massa was third quickest, though he finished a full second adrift of Hamilton’s benchmark.

    Fernando Alonso who completed his running in the first 35 minutes of the session, finished fourth, two tenths off Massa’s time. Alonso had been sidelined for almost all of the second practice session and it appeared he was keen to make up lost time amid concerns that the problems might reoccur. He ran for just eight laps in the session, using both tyre compounds, before returning to the Ferarri garage where work continued on his car.

    Behind the Spaniard Sebastian Vettel was fifth for Red Bull Racing ahead of McLaren’s Jenson Button and the second Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo. Valtteri Bottas was eighth for Williams and the top 10 order was completed by Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat and the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.

    2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Free Practice 3
    1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:41.424 19
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:41.793 0.369 17
    3 Felipe Massa Williams 1:42.429 1.005 18
    4 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:42.653 1.229 8
    5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 1:42.679 1.255 19
    6 Jenson Button McLaren 1:42.768 1.344 20
    7 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 1:42.773 1.349 14
    8 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:42.794 1.370 19
    9 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1:42.809 1.385 20
    10 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:43.038 1.614 14
    11 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:43.112 1.688 13
    12 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:43.352 1.928 20
    13 Sergio Perez Force India 1:43.360 1.936 19
    14 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:43.501 2.077 18
    15 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:43.643 2.219 24
    16 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:43.718 2.294 17
    17 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:43.778 2.354 18
    18 Adrian Sutil Sauber1:44.022 2.598 22
    19 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1:45.044 3.620 16
    20 Will Stevens Caterham 1:45.959 4.535 21

    eom/FIA press release

  • Hamilton maintains advantage in FP2 at Abu Dhabi

    File photo of Hamilton in Abu Dhabi courtesy FIA.
    File photo of Hamilton in Abu Dhabi courtesy Mercedes AMG Petronas team.

    Title leader fastest in second practice session ahead of Rosberg. Magnussen takes third place.

    Abu Dhabi, 21 Nov 2014: After running quickest in the opening practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton doubled up in the late afternoon, the championship leader beating team-mate and title rival Nico Rosberg to top spot in FP2.

    The gap between the two was vanishingly low, however. In the morning just over a tenth of a second separated the pair but in the second session, on the option super soft tyre, Rosberg narrowed the deficit to 0.083s.

    Third in the session was Kevin Magnussen, the McLaren driver getting to within 0.7s of Hamilton’s benchmark. In the morning Fernando Alonso occupied that position, though 1.7s down on the Hamilton’s best time. In the afternoon the Ferrari driver had an altogether more difficult time, with a suspected electrical problem halting his progress after just two laps.

    With Magnussen third then, Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel finished fourth with Valtteri Bottas fifth. After his work in the first session ended after just eight laps due to a bodywork problem, Bottas had a more profitable run in the second outing, the Finn completing 34 laps and finishing just under a second off Hamilton’s time.

    Daniel Ricciardo was sixth fastest for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

    Like Bottas, McLaren’s Jenson Button had limited running in the morning due to a hydraulic issue and work on the problem kept him in the garage for part of the evening session. He eventually managed to take to the circuit and completed 20 laps to claim the eighth fastest time of the session.

    Daniil Kvyat was ninth for Toro Rosso and the top 10 order was rounded out by Williams’ Felipe Massa.

    Elsewhere, Lotus’ Romain Grosjean had been handed ad20-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race after his team made multiple changes to his engine for the race weekend.

    2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:42.113 35
    2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:42.196 0.083 37
    3 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:42.895 0.782 37
    4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 1:42.959 0.846 33
    5 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:43.070 0.957 34
    6 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 1:43.183 1.070 32
    7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:43.489 1.376 33
    8 Jenson Button McLaren 1:43.503 1.390 23
    9 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1:43.546 1.433 38
    10 Felipe Massa Williams 1:43.558 1.445 34
    11 Sergio Perez Force India 1:43.746 1.633 37
    12 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:44.005 1.892 38
    13 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:44.068 1.955 32
    14 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:44.157 2.044 39
    15 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:44.316 2.203 38
    16 Adrian Sutil Sauber 1:44.763 2.650 37
    17 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:44.986 2.873 35
    18 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1:45.505 3.392 38
    19 Will Stevens Caterham 1:47.057 4.944 34
    20 Fernando Alonso Ferrari No time 2
    eom/FIA press release