INDIA in F1

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  • We made mistakes and did not perform to our maximum: Toto Wolff

    Bahrain, April 4: Torger Christian “Toto” Wolff, Executive Director, Mercedes, AMG Petronas Formula One team, admitted to a few mistakes made during the season-opener Rolex Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne.

    In his own words, “Toto” explains: “We suspected that the new season would be closely fought and the first race confirmed those suspicions. We made mistakes and did not perform to our maximum – and it reminded us that this is the toughest racing series in the world, where every error is punished. It hurt to leave all those points on the table, especially because we know we had the pace to win in Australia.”

    “Back at base, we did what we always do after a tough weekend. We made sure that we understand what went wrong and put a process in place to make sure that we don’t see a similar issue in the future. These painful moments are the real learning experiences. Mistakes become training,” he added.

    “We expect Bahrain to be another challenging weekend, although the challenges will be of a completely different nature. The race in the desert is tricky because the conditions change drastically between sessions. FP1 and FP3 take place in the heat of the day whereas Qualifying and the race itself take place after sunset so it’s much cooler. That makes it extremely difficult to find the right set-up with the car.

    “Bahrain is also a power-sensitive race with the long straights. We saw in Melbourne that the Ferraris, in particular, were very quick, so I expect it to be a close battle. We’ve seen some great racing in Bahrain in recent years, particularly between our drivers back in 2014, so I think we can look forward to an exciting and competitive weekend.

    Featured this Week: What Are Engine Modes? 

    Over a million working hours have gone into designing, developing and constructing our 2018 Formula One car. While the result of some of that engineering work can easily be spotted by the untrained eye – for example, the complex aerodynamic bodywork – other equally important areas are hidden from sight.

    One of the all-important elements that lie underneath the bodywork is the Power Unit (PU). In this modern, 1.6-litre V6 Turbo era, it’s much more than just an engine. The Power Unit is made up of six different elements – the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Turbo, MGU-K, MGU-H, Control Electronics, and Energy Store.

    These elements are combined together to deliver different Power Unit modes, which drivers and teams can utilise throughout a race weekend. Over the course of the 2018 season-opening Australian Grand Prix weekend, these proved to be a particularly hot topic and sparked plenty of debate. So, what are Power Unit modes and why are they necessary?

    PU modes are a combination of settings that adjust the performance of the ICE as well as the flow of electrical energy. The ICE performance is changed, for example, by varying the amount of fuel that is injected into the combustion chamber or by changing the timing of the ignition. For the Hybrid side of the Power Unit, the modes will alter the interaction and scheduling of the electrical energy for both deployment of the 120kW (maximum) MGU-K and recovery of both the MGU-K and MGU-H.

    The main task of PU modes is to balance performance and reliability. Formula One is all about performance, but with just three Power Units per driver in 2018 (and only two of some systems), reliability is increasingly important. This is why the drivers have reduced mileage allocations of the higher power modes.

    At Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, we use three basic modes over the course of the weekend – one for the majority of the free practice sessions, one for the majority of Qualifying and one for the majority of the race.

    All three can be altered with various sub-settings for different situations, which control whether electrical energy is being net deployed over a lap, recovered or used in a balanced manner (with energy deployment and recovery balancing each other out).

    At the start of the race, for example, performance is particularly important, so drivers will choose full deployment to either defend a good position on the grid or try and gain positions in the opening laps. But F1 is about a blend of ballsy on-track passing and tactical strategy, so the drivers will later switch to a recovery energy management mode and charge the battery – just to make sure they can have more energy available for their next attack.

    Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas switched their race mode to lower performance during the Australian GP when they were stuck in traffic and the turbulent air of the cars ahead, in order to cool the engines and prevent them from overheating. A Safety Car presents a similar challenge – drivers want to conserve energy and the Power Unit, so the engine mode is set to reduce the duty and cool the hardware.

    Conserving damage and the reliability of the Power Unit is also important in free practice. Pushing the engines to the limit in practice just doesn’t make sense, as they need to last seven race weekends. There is one session, however, when the Power Unit is pushed to the absolute limit and gives the drivers everything it can: Qualifying.

    In terms of engine modes, the setting for Qualifying will be the most powerful one. This mode is only required for a few laps each race weekend, and usage varies according to the competitive context – sometimes this Qualifying mode will be used throughout Qualifying, sometimes only in the final Q3 session.

    The available mileage is dictated by what is termed the “phase document”, which defines the limits to which the Power Unit may be used during each race weekend, and which is the same for the works cars and the Mercedes customer teams.

    PU modes are defined when the first set of hardware is tested in Brixworth and the mileage limit is determined by the success of the long-run programme. Some of these are circuit-specific, others are more general. Making the call on which mode to use can either be the driver’s decision or through the advice of the engineering team – who will communicate over the radio which settings to adjust and which mode to switch to.

    If you hear some technical-sounding instructions over the team radio, it might well be the Power Unit mode being changed. The drivers will then change the mode through the switches on their steering wheel.

    PU modes are particularly significant at power-sensitive circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps or Monza, which are dominated by long straights and acceleration zones. The first power-sensitive track on the 2018 F1 calendar is Round 4 in Baku.

    It will be interesting to see how the storyline around engine modes develops as the season progresses, particularly when F1 reaches those more power-sensitive venues.

    Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Release

  • Sahara Force India prepares for the intense mid-field battle: Bahrain GP

    Sahara Force India prepares for the intense mid-field battle: Bahrain GP

    Preview photo by Sahara Force India F1 team.

    Bahrain, April 3: After an unusually poor beginning to the season on the street circuit at Albert Park, Sahara Force India who are now famous for punching above their weight, are preparing for the Bahrain GP.

    Acclaimed Indian racer and rallyist of yesteryears, Harish Samtani of `High Octane’ fame will bring forth his columns live from the Shakir circuit. Watch out for the `High Octane’ logo on the top right-hand corner of the home page.

    In the curtain raiser, team Principal and liquor baron, Vijay Mallya, who is facing a deportation case reiterated from London that the team will continue to work hard and fight for better positions after both the cars finished outside points in the first race of 2018.

    “Melbourne was a clear indicator that the competitiveness of the grid has closed up in 2018. We’ve got to work hard to maintain our fourth place in the championship and there’s going to be an intense development race at the front of the midfield. We are certainly up for the challenge and there are further changes to the car in Bahrain. We are a motivated team, with determined drivers and we will be targeting points this weekend,” said Mallya about the team which got a fighting fourth place for consecutive years by spending budgets that were a fraction of the huge amounts that the top three teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull spend.

    But Chief Operating Officer Otmar Szafnauer retorted saying: “It’s where you end the season that counts.”

    A brief interview with the COO:

    Q: One race down, twenty to go. How is the mood in the camp…
    “Melbourne is always a peculiar race. We came within a whisker of scoring a point with Sergio having caught Carlos Sainz, but overtaking was especially difficult at Albert Park and the tenth place remained out of reach. The race pace was stronger than our qualifying speed, but without track position, we couldn’t really show our true performance. Esteban’s front wing picked up some debris early in the race as well which compromised his pace, especially in the second stint.”

    Sergio Perez says: “Racing in Bahrain is good fun. It’s unusual because you’re in the desert and we also race under the lights. It’s actually one of my favourite tracks of the year and I’ve always gone well there. It’s where I had my first podium with Force India [in 2014] so I have those memories every time we go back there.

    “The Bahrain track often creates good racing. I still remember the battle I had with my old teammate, Jenson Button, in 2013. The layout really allows you to race wheel-to-wheel at times. If you lose a position in turn one, you can fight back through turns two, three and four.

    “It was difficult to overtake in Melbourne, but Bahrain should be a bit easier because it’s a more traditional track. We’ve got to be targeting points this weekend. Melbourne showed just how close all the teams are in the middle of the grid, so it’s especially important to have a clean weekend and maximise every session.

    “The development race will be very intense this year, but I know we have good things coming. We need to do what we have done in the last few years by making improvements to the car at each race. We’ve already made a step forward since pre-season testing so we need to keep working in the same direction.”

    Esteban Ocon, feeling good and ready, says: “When I think about Bahrain I always remember the beautiful paddock, which has so much space and looks amazing at night with all the trees lit up. Every year there’s a barbeque for the paddock and it’s nice that all the teams and media can come together before the racing begins.

    “I love racing at night. It almost feels quicker under the lights and it looks better on television. Hopefully, the fans like it as much as the drivers. The track is good fun and there are a few good overtaking spots, such as turn one and turn four.

    “It’s a track that feels very satisfying when your car is working well. I particularly enjoy turns five, six and seven because they are so quick and then you’re immediately into a big braking zone for turn eight. It’s tricky because you approach at really high speed and it’s easy to make a mistake and run wide.

    “It’s a tough weekend physically because of the heat. The daytime practice sessions are the most difficult, but fortunately, it gets a bit cooler in the evenings for qualifying and the race. You need to drink lots to be hydrated and make sure you don’t lose concentration.”

    Q: What can we expect from the next couple of races in Bahrain and China?
    “It’s business as usual in terms of developing the car. We’ve got a new front wing coming for Bahrain, which will complement the upgrades we introduced in Melbourne. The car we have now is totally different from the spec we used during testing and we’re still on a learning curve. There is huge development potential with this new aerodynamic platform and we have things in the pipeline, which will bring performance steps in the first quarter of the season.”

    Q: How do you see the competitiveness of the 2018 grid? Were there any surprises?
    “Testing showed us that the midfield has closed up considerably, so there were no big shocks in Melbourne. I think the points will be spread among the teams more evenly this year and retaining fourth place is going to be a big task. But we’ve only had one race and things can change very quickly in Formula One. The development race is only just beginning and it’s where you end the season that counts. Last year we out-developed the teams around us and we have to do the same this year. Our goal is to defend our fourth place and we will be fighting hard to get back up there.”

    Q: The pink livery continues to turn heads. It’s surely the most eye-catching car on the grid…
    “The BWT pink identity is even stronger this year. I remember standing in the pit lane in Melbourne and thinking how much better this year’s paint scheme looks. Commercially it’s been another strong winter with Ravenol, DUO and PEMEX coming on board, whilst also developing our existing partnerships with NEC and Hype Energy. It was fantastic to unveil our partnership with Havaianas in Melbourne. The branding on the halo is very powerful and it’s great to see a young lifestyle brand supporting us and recognising the value of F1. We hope to have more news to announce over the coming weeks.”

     

     

  • Gaurav Gill: Switching tracks for betterment of Indian rallying

    Gaurav Gill: Switching tracks for betterment of Indian rallying

    Gaurav Gill as the TC marshal giving countdown ahead of a timed lap on the last day of the ADA programme in Coimbatore. Photo – Anand Philar

    By Anand Philar

    Bengaluru, March 30: Like a hitherto dormant volcano slowly coming to life, there are rumblings within Gaurav Gill who is all set to burst forth with a plethora of initiatives and activities while giving wings to his fledgling driving academy which is founded on his intense passion for the sport and an all-consuming desire to contribute to the sport in the best way that he can.

    As in his motorsport career, Gill, a restless soul even otherwise, is seeking to move up to the next level that will not only provide a platform to the businessman in him but also help share his experience with the hope that at least one more talent emerges to follow his footsteps.

    “I will be happy and proud to see another Indian on the international rally circuit and win laurels,” said the triple Asia Pacific Rally Championship title winner, in the course of several conversations over two days that I spent with him in Coimbatore where he held another round of his Advanced Driving Academy programme, in conjunction with Chettinad Sporting.

    With his own rallying career struggling to progress from regional to World stage even after proving over and over again that he belongs to the elite group of rally drivers on the planet, Gill, now on a strict diet and looking leaner than last year, has decided to channel his frustrations rather than drown in them.

    Competing against and beating the best of factory-supported European drivers with WRC exposure and seat time as his MRF team-mates, Gill won the APRC title thrice in 2013, 2016 and 2017. Through it all, he hoped and prayed that his achievements will give him a leg up to the WRC stage. Gradually, when the wait prolonged, he realized that it was best for him to focus on the “attainable”.

    ADVANCED DRIVING ACADEMY

    “Like my driving, I too have evolved as a person. I am at peace with myself and the World at large after realizing that it was pointless for me to fret about things beyond my control. If I am destined to move to the World Rally Championship scene, then it will happen, and until then, I don’t even want to talk or think about it, because it is pointless. I have to move on,” he said, while deftly steering my car through the Coimbatore traffic.

    The Advanced Driving Academy is probably a logical step forward. “Through the academy I can share my knowledge and contribute to at least raising the level of rally driving in India,” he added, though it meant getting even busier while still finding time to be with his young family, especially his two boys, the elder of whom is already showing evidence of his father’s driving genes in him!

    DABBLING IN BOLLYWOOD AND MODELING!

    At 36, Gill is a dealer for Royal Enfield bikes in his hometown New Delhi; has invested in mining property in Goa; is all set to launch a Rally Park sometime in late April; has taken up modeling assignments for a leading fashion designer in Mumbai; will soon be driving premium luxury cars in Bollywood films; working on plans to start pan-India franchise academies for beginners. system. On top of all this, there is this small matter of rallying!

    As for his entry into Bollywood, he said: “I will be driving some top-end luxury cars for scenes in some films. Some of these scenes will be shot at the BIS (Buddh International Circuit, Noida). The modeling shoots will also be happening pretty soon.”

    “Yes, my plate is getting filled up, but then, I have look ahead to my post-retirement (from motorsport) life too,” he said with a distant and dreamy look.

    ADA – LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION FOR INDIANS

    Retirement at 36 when he has barely tickled the tip of his potential as a rally driver? When I told him he would be driving competitively even 20 years from now, for, after all, rally drivers get better with age, he responded with a happy chuckle.

    “Perhaps, but who knows? For the moment, I am keen that my academy takes off in a big way. It is not just the commercial thing, but like I said, I have the knowledge and experience to share with my compatriots. The Indian rally drivers are generally fast, but there is more to competitive driving than just speed. They can getter better if they iron out certain technical flaws, and that is what I hope to do.

    “It is not just about the pace, but there is a lot of science to driving, understanding the limits of the car beside yourself. These are some of the aspects that I dwell on during the training sessions. Also, the academy is a far less expensive option than going abroad to attend driving schools,” said Gill as he shared his vision.

    “When I look back on my career, I wish I had an Indian driver with international achievements I could have looked up to and learned from. There was no such icon at that time. I can say without being falsely modest that I have achieved something internationally and in a position to share my experience with young Indian drivers who are trying to make a mark. I started the academy since I am still very much active and fairly well known rather than wait until retirement after which you will be forgotten,” he said.

    Further, the academy offers plenty of options and packages depending on the trainee’s budget, beginning with “arrive and drive” where a fully-prepped Rally car along with fuel, tyres and service back-up is offered for hire to bringing one’s own vehicle and merely hiring the support system.

    THE RALLY PARK

    Besides the ADA, Gill’s other major project is the Rally Park in his hometown Delhi that will be thrown open to all-comers with a formal launch in April.
    The Rally Park facilities include:

    • 3 Kms of Rally track with timed lap option and available for rent
    • 1 Kms of Grade B motocross track
    • Off-roading zone for SUVs
    • Karting zone

    “The Rally Park is on a 15-acre plot and open to people across all age-groups, from eight to 80, besides Corporates and manufacturers who wish to test their products. Also, as we go along, I want to start academies on a franchise basis to tap the talent at the grassroots level. These franchise units will train beginners. There are so many youngsters around who wish to get into rallying and these franchise academies will help them get a start,” he explained, shedding light on his future plans for expansion.

    The two days at the ADA in Coimbatore was certainly an eye-opener in many ways. If anything, it gave driving a totally different perspective. Those who attended the sessions were unanimous that they benefitted hugely from Gill’s inputs and shared his belief that there was more to Rally driving than just pedal-to-metal.

  • ŠKODA Motorsport with Kopecký, Veiby well prepared for 10,000 corners of Tour de Corse

    ŠKODA Motorsport with Kopecký, Veiby well prepared for 10,000 corners of Tour de Corse

    Ole Christian Veiby (left) and Stig Rune Skjaermœn. Photo: SKODA AUTO

    Mladá Boleslav, March 30: For the first time in the 2018 season of the FIA World Rally Championship, ŠKODA Motorsport factory crews Jan Kopecký / Pavel Dresler (CZE/CZE) and Ole Christian Veiby / Stig Rune Skjaermœn (NOR / NOR) face pure tarmac roads on the fourth round of the WRC 2, the Rally France / Tour de Corse (April 5-8), also known as the “Rally of the 10.000 corners”.

    While Kopecký and Veiby successfully honed their tarmac driving skills in the opening round of the Czech Championship, the Rally Valašská, two weeks before, the ŠKODA FABIA R5 got an engine upgrade, improving engine power, performance and torque.

    Kopecký said: “I finished second in the WRC 2 category in Corsica in 2016. And in 2011, 2012 and 2013 I also achieved a second place each time. Last year, I had some power steering issues, which cost me the chance to fight for a podium result. Now I want to take a revenge for last year’s mishap.”

    Ahead of the Tour de Corse, the Czech champion prepared himself with a special asphalt warm-up, scoring a dominant win with his ŠKODA FABIA R5 at the first round of the Czech Rally Championship 2018, the Rally Valašská.

    Kopecký, who won the WRC 2 category at Rally Monte Carlo, the opening round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), could take the lead in the 2018 WRC 2 championship standings by winning in Corsica.

    Team-mates Ole Christian Veiby and co-driver Stig Rune Skjaermœn prepared themselves as well on the Rally Valašská by finishing in third place. “I did not compete on tarmac since the Tour de Corse last year, so it was a welcome experience to get the feeling again for the ŠKODA FABIA R5 on asphalt. After my fifth place in 2017, I want to achieve another top result,” said Veiby.

    Not only the crews but also the ŠKODA FABIA R5 are travelling well prepared to the Mediterranean island. To maintain the global success of the ŠKODA FABIA R5, the ŠKODA Motorsport recently upgraded the currently most successful rally car in its category.

    ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek explains: “In the past, our work on the ŠKODA FABIA R5 focused on reliability. As a result, none of the factory cars had to retire due to technical issues so far. Thanks to the presence of our works team in the FIA World Rally Championship, we got the experience to continuously develop the car making the FABIA R5 the best car in its category.

    “In 2018, we are facing new R5 cars from our competitors. As a result, we are now offering an engine upgrade to our customer teams which improves torque, power output, drivability and the throttle response of the engine. At the Tour de Corse, Jan and OC will benefit from this upgrade which offers on top of that nine horse powers more.”

    The Rally France / Tour de Corse features only 12 timed stages which are notorious for their length and the fact that virtually no straight is longer than 50 metres. Hence, the organisers call it the “Rally of the 10.000 corners”. Nevertheless, the competitive mileage sums up to more than 333 kms.

    On Sunday, the penultimate monster test Vero – Sarrola – Carcopino will bring men and machine to their limits on a grueling, non-stop sequence of corners over more than 55 Kms. The winner will reach the island’s capital Ajaccio at 3 pm on the “Place du Diamant”.

    ŠKODA Motorsport Overview

    ŠKODA has been successful on the motorsport scene since 1901. Be it on the circuit or in rallies, ŠKODA has celebrated victories and won titles all around the world. Historical highlights include winning the title in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2) for the first time in 2016, numerous title wins in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), as well as the victory in the European Touring Car Championship in 1981. ŠKODA teams have also triumphed in the world’s oldest and most famous rally, taking several class victories in the legendary Monte Carlo, which was first held in 1911.

    The ŠKODA FABIA R5, a high-tech 4×4, was homologated by the International Automobile Federation FIA on 1 April 2015. ŠKODA’s new FABIA R5 is successfully continuing the long tradition of ŠKODA Motorsport. Its predecessor, the FABIA Super 2000, won 50 national and international titles around the world. In the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2) 2016, Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN) won the title for the Czech car maker. In total, 10 of the 2016 season’s races in the World Rally Championship were won by a ŠKODA FABIA R5.

    ŠKODA drivers Gustavo Saba (PRY) and Gaurav Gill (IND) also won the continental championships in South America and the Asia-Pacific region at the wheel of the successful ŠKODA FABIA R5. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) was unbeatable in the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) while a further 10 national titles also went the way of ŠKODA drivers.

    The 2017 season was the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport. Works duo Pontus Tidemand / Jonas Andersson (Swe/Swe) became WRC 2 Champions, ŠKODA Motorsport won the Team Championship. Jan Kopecký / Pavel Dresler (CZ/CZ) won the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the third time in a row and are the spearhead of in total 14 crews winning their country’s national titles. Furthermore, the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) and the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) have been won by teams competing in a ŠKODA FABIA R5.

    ŠKODA AUTO

    • Is one of the longest-established vehicle manufacturers in the World. The company was founded in 1895 during the pioneering days of the automobile. Today, the company’s headquarters remain in Mladá Boleslav
    • Offers the following models in the range: CITIGO, FABIA, RAPID, OCTAVIA, KAROQ, KODIAQ and SUPERB
    • In 2017, delivered more than 1,2 million vehicles to customers Worldwide
    • Has belonged to Volkswagen Group since 1991. The Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful vehicle manufacturers in the world. ŠKODA, in association with the Group, independently manufactures and develops vehicles, as well as components, engines and gear transmissions
    • Operates at three locations in the Czech Republic, produces in China, Russia, Slovakia, Algeria and India mainly through Group partnerships, as well as in Ukraine and Kazakhstan through local partners
    • Employs over 35,000 people globally and is active in more than 100 markets

    Skoda Motorsport release

  • Chaz Davies of Aruba.it Racing wins 2nd Race: WorldSBK

    Chaz Davies of Aruba.it Racing wins 2nd Race: WorldSBK

    Chaz Davies of Aruba.it racing wins 2nd race on Sunday at Buriram. Rnd2. Photo: WorldSBK

    Buriram: In an unpredictable second race in the Motul Thai Round, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) surged through the field to take a 28th career victory and a first around the Chang International Circuit, becoming a third different winner in the opening two weekends of the 2018 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship.  Davies produced a stunning ride with an average gain of a position per lap over a seven-lap period, hitting the front by the end of lap eight and controlling the race from there.

    Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – 1st said: “It was a fantastic race, something special. To come away with a win here makes me so happy. At Buriram we’ve always struggled in the past, it’s been a long process to get into a race-winning position. I want to thank the whole team because they’ve given me such a great bike today. The Panigale R was working really well, we found a little bit more consistency and I could be more adaptable to the bike. It was quite hectic out there but, if you can get through it OK, it’s so much fun. Our package is competitive and in Europe, it will be like starting from zero. I’m looking forward to Aragon.”

    Taking advantage of the reverse grid format, it was the Pata Yamaha duo of Michael Van Der Mark and Alex Lowes who made the early break, but as they squabbled among themselves the remainder of the pack stayed in touch.  Lowes was the second of three riders to lead a lap on the Chang International Circuit as he passed teammate Van Der Mark on lap two, but the Dutchman came back through and led for the next five laps.  Eventually, both overhauled by Davies the Yamaha pair nonetheless did enough to secure second and third positions, the first double podium for Yamaha since 2016.  Lowes, in particular, was satisfied with an extra surge of pace in the seven closing laps that helped him to claim an eighth career podium.

    Kawasaki´s unbroken record of victories at the Motul Thai Round was finally ended on a day where neither of their top performers could make it on to the podium at all.  Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) failed to take advantage of his front row grid slot, dropping back to ninth by the end of the opening lap and eventually retiring from the race.

    Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), meanwhile, finished just three seconds from the podium places after an action-packed ride.  Following an excellent first lap that saw him surge through from ninth to fourth with a series of aggressive inside overtaking moves, Rea had put himself among the favourites for victory and threatened to make it back-to-back wins.  But the Race One victor struggled in handlebar-to-handlebar combat, making a series of errors that ruled him out of contention for the win.  His first duel was with Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), a shadow of the rider that looked in command in Philip Island, and the pair swapped positions on no less than five occasions before Rea eventually came out on top.

    By the time Rea passed Melandri on lap nine and then shook the Italian off, Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team) had overhauled the pair of them to move clear in fourth.  But Rea in clear air was a different proposition to the rider who had struggled under side-by-side pressure earlier on, and he hunted down the lead independent rider before an overtake on lap eighteen.

    Upon reflection, despite not being the result he would have hoped for, Rea´s fightback to fourth could prove critical in the Championship Standings overall.  Marco Melandri, series leader coming into Race Two, had another disastrous race in which he was relegated to seventh and never looked comfortable on the bike.  And Xavi Fores, who had looked set to close on both Rea and Melandri in the Championship Standings and leave the three separated by just five points, conceded fourth place three laps from the finish to change the complexion of the series standings.  With the riders of him in the race well adrift of him overall, Rea becomes the Championship leader and the man with the momentum as the highest scorer of the series´ top three for the second race in succession.

    Meanwhile, three of the top ten in the points coming into Race Two failed to finish.  Tom Sykes retired with mechanical problems after seven completed laps and therefore drops 26-points back from the leader and down to seventh overall.  Retirement for Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was more spectacular, the pair coming together on lap five when dicing over the eighth place: both riders will now arrive in Europe next month out of the top ten in the Championship leaderboard.  Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the rider to take advantage in Thailand, finishing best of the rest in eighth ahead of Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), who did well to nurse his injured shoulder into the top ten in the race.

    The Championship resumes with the Pirelli Aragón Round in three weeks´ time.
    P1 – Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 
    “It was fantastic, what a race. For the first few laps it was absolute carnage but brilliant carnage. It was such good fun trying to figure out where you can make the pass and to be honest everyone has had such a good pace every weekend and its been so difficult to know who was fast where, so it was an exercise of patience. Just so happy with the win, its not been an easy few months but thanks to the team and Ducati for the fantastic package today.”P2 – Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
    “After yesterday I was not feeling that happy at all, and we made a few changes in warm up and I still wasn’t happy. But we made some changes back to Friday’s set up and changed the front tyre and and we made a podium, so I hope it’s the first of many.”P3 – Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
    “To be honest I was to slow in the first 12 laps, like yesterday, Michael just passed me and pulled away. It was a bit annoying I had to dig deep and kick on, it’s a bit frustrating so we need to work out what the issue is. But it’s fantastic for Yamaha and the whole team, and amazing to have such great racing.”
  • Stunning win for Vettel; Hamilton overcomes technical glitches to take 2nd: Rolex Aussie GP

    Stunning win for Vettel; Hamilton overcomes technical glitches to take 2nd: Rolex Aussie GP

    Melbourne: Sebastian Vettel took a sensational Rolex

    Vettel celebrates Aussie GP win on Sunday. Photo: Ferrari

    Australian Grand Prix victory, as the Formula One 2018 World Championship began at the traditional street circuit of Albert Park. Taking advantage of a mid-race safety car he beat arch-rival Lewis Hamilton, who suffered soft-ware glitches. The defending champion was forced to settle for second place ahead of the second Ferrari of Kimi “Räikkönen. Local hero Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth.

    Sahara Force India duo of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon failed to finish in the points, thus ending a successful run of double points finish at the Rolex Australian GP.

    “There could have been no better start for Ferrari in this Championship. Listening to Italy’s national anthem echo around Melbourne was an emotional moment for us all, and for every fan of the Scuderia. It’s the best possible reward for the team, which built a competitive car and used a perfect strategy to take advantage of the way the race evolved. Congratulations to Sebastian and Kimi, both drove a great race. Of course, there’s still a long way to go in the series, with 20 more Grands Prix. So it would be wrong to celebrate too much. We know that we still have a lot of work ahead of us, but the first step has been taken in the right direction,” said Ferrari Chairman  Sergio Marchionne.

    Hamilton led away comfortably at the start, dismissing a brief challenger from Raikkonen as they made their way through the first corners. Vettel held third place but behind Haas’ Kevin Magnussen got the jump on Verstappen who dropped to fifth ahead of Grosjean, Hulkenberg and Ricciardo.

    At the back of the field, Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley had a major lock-up into Turn 1 and pitted at the end of lap one. The New Zealander took on soft tyres in a bid to reach the end of the race on the yellow-banded set.

    Ricciardo was soon past Hulkenberg to take P7, but further ahead team-mate Verstappen was struggling to put pressure on Magnussen. The result was a rapidly degrading set of tyres and on lap 10 the Dutchman lost control into Turn 1 and spun. He dropped to eight behind Hulkenberg.

    At the front Hamilton was attempting to build a gap, but both Raikkonen and Vettel were tenaciously hanging on and by the end of lap 15 Hamilton only had three seconds in hand over the Ferraris.

    On lap 22 Magnussen made his first stop of the race, but almost immediately afterward he pulled over at the side of the track. The Dane reported an engine issue but Race Control later stated that the team had possibly released Magnussen unsafely.

    That boosted team-mate Grosjean to fourth but under pressure from Ricciardo and on fading ultrasofts the Frenchman also pitted. Again though, as soon as he rejoined the circuit, he immediately pulled over and stopped in a mirror image of the Magnussen incident, this time with the front left wheel of Grosjean’s car not being properly attached.

    With Grosjean’s car at the trackside on lap 24, the Virtual Safety Car was deployed. Ferrari seized the opportunity and pitted Vettel for soft tyres. Hamilton, though, lost a huge amount of time under the VSC and when Vettel emerged from the pit lane he swept into the lead.

    The VSC was replaced by the real thing as Grosjean’s car was cleared and when racing resumed Vettel held his lead over Hamilton, with Raikkonen third and Ricciardo fourth. McLaren’s Fernando Alonso had vaulted up to fifth place under the SC and was being shadowed by Verstappen who had also recovered from his early woes.

    The second half of the race became a cat and mouse battle between the Ferrari and Mercedes driver, with Hamilton regularly getting to within DRS range of the leader only for Vettel to drag the gap back out to beyond a second.

    Six seconds further back, Raikkonen kept Ricciardo at bay in the same manner, with the Australian getting to within DRS range and the Finn pulling away as he carefully managed his defence of the final podium position.

    Behind them, in the battle for fifth place, a little under two seconds covered three Renault-powered drivers in the closing stage, with Fernando Alonso leading Verstappen and Hulkenberg.

    With 10 laps remaining Hamilton got on the radio to his team saying that he was going to attack for the lead. The attempt came to nothing, however, as the Briton suffered a heavy lock-up at Turn 9, losing almost two seconds to Vettel.

    He clawed half that back over the next two laps and with seven laps remaining was 1.5s behind Vettel. A lap later and the deficit was just one second.

    But there Hamilton’s charge ended. On the next tour, he was 1.3 slower than Vettel and then drifted to 4.4s off the Ferrari, and having been warned about high engine temperatures, Hamilton voted to save the engine on his car and settled for a safe second place.

    A handful of laps later Vettel crossed the line to take his 48th career win ahead of the Briton. Raikkonen clung on to third place ahead of Ricciardo, while Alonso gave McLaren a positive start to life with Renault power by keeping Verstappen at bay to take fifth place. With the Dutchman sixth, Hulkenberg finished seventh ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne. The final points position went to Renault’s Carlos Sainz, who battled to the finish despite suffering from nausea caused by the fluid in his drinks bottle during the race.

    2018 Australian Grand Prix – Race
    1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1h29:33.283
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 5.036
    3 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 6.309
    4 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 7.069
    5 Fernando Alonso McLaren 27.886
    6 Max Verstappen Red Bull 28.945
    7 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 32.671
    8 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 34.339
    9 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren 34.921
    10 Carlos Sainz Jr. Renault 45.722
    11 Sergio Perez Force India 46.817
    12 Esteban Ocon Force India 1’00.278
    13 Charles Leclerc Sauber 1’15.759
    14 Lance Stroll Williams 1’18.288
    15 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso 1 lap
    16 Romain Grosjean Haas 34 laps
    17 Kevin Magnussen Haas 36 laps
    18 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso 45 laps
    19 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 53 laps
    20 Sergey Sirotkin Williams 54 laps.

    Source: FIA

  • Halo blocks drivers’ vision, starting lights shifted: Season Opener

    Melbourne: “After the winter debates, pro and against the protective device, all focus shifted away from the halo and on to the cars’ performance,” claimed an F1 release.

    But it had to admit: …“the halo still managed to hold on to a bit of the limelight, as the starting lights were shifted under instruction from FIA Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting. This because the drivers
    could not see through the halo to the lights high above them, this problem being worse for the cars on the front row of the grid.”

    Now one can decide if that is a bit of the limelight. Read the High Octane Column by Harish Samtani here: F1 running out of fresh ideas to breathe life back into racing!

    The 2018 season has finally got underway at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit as the Friday practice sessions were run under a hot sun and blue skies. Mercedes posted the best times across the two sessions, confirming what was seen in the Barcelona tests a few weeks ago. Lewis Hamilton was the fastest in both practices, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen managing to split the Mercedes drivers, pushing Valtteri Bottas into 3rd place in the second free practice. Fourth and 5th were the Ferrari, with Kimi Raikkonen ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

    The Melbourne weekend also witnessed the debut of Brendon Hartley’s social media collaboration with Formula 1 as he takes us on a journey with him on his first full season as one of the top drivers in the world. Follow Toro Rosso’s Kiwi here:

    Also, new this weekend is Brian Tyler’s newly-composed music for the Formula 1 starting sequence. Recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the score reflects the power and the fury of F1 cars as interpreted by one of Hollywood’s most successful film and game music
    composers.

    F1 Release!

  • Reigning champ Jonathan Rea puts Kawasaki on top: #THAIWorldSBK– Day 2

    Reigning champ Jonathan Rea puts Kawasaki on top: #THAIWorldSBK– Day 2

    Rea wins Race1 in Buriram 24mar2018 Photo: WorldSBK
    Buriram: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took an excellent victory in Race One of the Motul Thai Round, continuing a dominant weekend that has now seen him take pole position, a race win and fastest lap.  The 3-times World Champion certainly didn´t have things all his own way, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who was narrowly pipped for pole position in Superpole 1, twice overhauling his teammate to hit the front.  But when Rea finally repaid the compliment he was able to stretch away and then manage his advantage to the finish.

    Sykes, meanwhile, dropped gradually backward as the race went on.  He was unfortunate to slip from third to first as Rea took command at the front of the peloton, Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) coming through and running second for some time, and Sykes eventually only able to manage sixth.

    Camier, meanwhile, was one of the stars of the show, as he put in a masterclass in defensive riding and for some time looked set to end a barren run with a first podium finish since 2013.  In the end, he lost out to Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who made a perfect block pass for his second podium of the campaign.  But Camier, with the fourth position, has the consolation of pole start when the grid positions are re-set for tomorrow´s Race Two.

    After a disappointing Tissot Superpole performance and fall, Australia´s double winner Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) rose to the fifth position by the end of the opening lap but steadily dropped back to eighth despite showing inconsistently strong pace.  Victory for Jonathan Rea means Melandri retains the Championship lead, but the Italian´s advantage is cut to just two points.

    Meanwhile, Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team), with an excellent runner-up result, moves above Tom Sykes and into the third position in the series overall.  The independent runner passed Sykes on the track into turn three for a provisional place on the race podium and picked off Leon Camier on lap twelve to secure his best result in 69 starts.  Meanwhile, the line-up´s other main Spaniard, Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), faded quickly after a strong qualifying, ran wide and off the circuit whilst seventh and was later passed on the penultimate lap for ninth by Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia).

    The same lap saw Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) take the fifth position from Tom Sykes, completing an excellent second half of the race in which he recovered from eighth.  Lowes had earlier enjoyed another side-by-side combat with his teammate Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), before the Dutchman slipped back to seventh.

    With the top ten separated by just eleven seconds in Race One, and plenty of change in the rankings compared to results last time out in Australia, Race Two promises to be a similarly entertaining affair.

    With the reversed grid format, lights go out for race two at 16.00LT (+7 GMT) for the Buriram Battle.

    P1 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    “I am so so happy, where we started the weekend was behind with the set-up but I had 100% faith in my team, so thanks to everyone. We are starting to head in the right direction, and my team have worked really hard all weekend, it was a long 40 minutes for me too, I think I deserve a cold bath after that!”P2 – Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) 
    “It was a really hard race with the weather and the battle with Leon at the beginning of the race, he was hard to overtake. When I got into my rhythm I was pushing hard to catch Jonny, but he was riding perfectly and I was not able to arrive with him, but this is like a victory for me. It’s like a victory for me and we will see what happens tomorrow.”

    P3 – Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 
    “I made it hard work for myself from the third row, it was a good scrap with Leon in the closing laps, I showed him the wheel a few times and he was so late on the brakes. I was able to bide my time and got past Leon, but then it was too late to do anything about Xavi and Jonny but we will see what we can do tomorrow.”

    #THAIWorldSBK at Chang International Circuit: Race 1
    1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    2. Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) +1.550
    3. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.118

  • Formula One running out of fresh ideas to breathe life back into racing

    Yay, it’s 2019 and we are going to get to witness F1 in its new avatar! Idiot! It’s still 2018, I had to remind myself and I wanted to crawl back into bed and continue watching Stranger things on Netflix! Anyway, being a petrol head too, zapped on the telly to watch F1 qualifying in Melbourne today and saw even more Stranger things!
    A new fangled helmet covering a helmet?!!! Hmmm …..From the 70s era to now, the men and racing drivers have become boys in more ways than one! Men crashed and burnt alive during events that were more gladiatorial than it being a sport about ambitious drivers in fast cars. Then, as F1 evolved and Eccelstone, the creator of this magnum opus brought in 30 and 40 million and more as salaries for drivers, the current crop wanted to live a lot longer to enjoy this wealth!
    The changes made in the 70s and 80s simply had to be done because the bloodshed was way too much and turning fans away. But this wussifying the sport by adding further fortification is the giddy limit.
    The two examples of accidental death and disability can be understood from the unfortunate incidents of the two legends – Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Ayrton had crashed a wall at close to 200kmph and a simple bolt ejected from the damaged front suspension like a bullet and went through his visor that opened up just that half inch. The result was the same as that of a bullet wound. He died on the spot. Schumi is fighting a losing battle after an innocent skiing accident. Just a day out with the family. Both heroes and both with absolutely no reason to be in that situation.
    So, if F1 thinks that they can save lives randomly and take away the no guts, no glory somewhat, should rethink.
    The qualifying today at the Australian GP did prove that the top four teams will remain there. A Ferrari win will improve the telly viewership substantially. In any case, the results of the first few races will not have too much bearing on the championship.
    With limited testing time in hand, teams will need to sort out their machines under competitive duress. The racing really begins once the circus moves to the traditional racing circuits in Europe.

  • Hamilton powers to Melbourne pole ahead of Ferraris as Bottas crashes out

    Hamilton powers to Melbourne pole ahead of Ferraris as Bottas crashes out

    Lewis Hamilton celebrating pole position in Melbourne on Saturday. Photo: FIA

    Melbourne, March 24: Lewis Hamilton took his first pole position of the 2018 season in imperious fashion, beating Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen and third-placed Sebastian Vettel by nearly seven tenths of a second. It was a bittersweet session for Hamilton’s Mercedes team, however, as the defending team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, crashed out heavily at the start of the final session.

    Räikkönen set the pace early in Q1, eventually rising to a time of 1:23.096s ahead of the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. The order changed when Hamilton began to put together laps and five minutes before the flag the defending champion jumped to the top of the order with a lap of 1:22.824.

    That put him 0.272 ahead of Räikkönen who finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bulls Verstappen and Ricciardo.

    At the lower end of the order, it looked like Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley was going to prop up the table, as he sat in P20 ahead of the final runs. The New Zealander rose to the challenge, though, and put in a superb final flyer to climb up the order. His time of 1:24.532 was only good for P16, however, and he missed out on progress to Q2 by just 0.029s, as Force India’s Esteban Ocon scraped through in P15.

    Eliminated behind Hartley were the Saubers of Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc in P17 and P18 respectively, while Williams’ Sergey Sirotkin went out in P19 ahead of the second Toro Rosso of Pierre Gasly who had an off on his final run.

    Q2 saw Verstappen set the first quick lap on supersofts, but that of the ultra soft-shod Räikkönen quickly bypassed his lap of 1:22.830. This time top honours went to Vettel, with the Ferrari driving rising to P1 with a second-run time of 1:21.944. That put him a tenth clear of Hamilton, who stayed on his first-run time of 1:22.051. Bottas took third ahead of Verstappen and Ricciardo.

    Alonso was the main driver to miss out. Ahead of the final runs the Spaniard sat in P7, but once the final times came in the McLaren driver had been edged out to P11, some 1500ths of a second behind 10th-placed Nico Hulkenberg of Renault.

    Alonso’s McLaren team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne was meanwhile eliminated in P11 ahead of Force India’s Sergio Perez, Stroll and Ocon.

    Q3 began in dramatic fashion, with the first runs being interrupted by a red flag being shown when Bottas crashed heavily in Turn 2. The Finn lost control on the approach to the corner and broadsided the wall, causing severe damage to his Mercedes.

    When running resumed, Hamilton led the way, with a time identical to his Q2 best. That left him just three hundredths of a second clear of Vettel, with Verstappen third ahead of Räikkönen and Ricciardo.

    In the second runs, though, Mercedes turned up the heat and Hamilton simply powered ahead, taking almost nine tenths of a second out of his first-run time to claim his 73rd career pole position with a time of 1:21.194.

    Räikkönen took second place, though the Finn was 0.664s behind Hamilton. Vettel was third, just one hundredth of a second behind his Ferrari team-mate.

    Ferrari were pushed hard, however, by Red Bull Racing who looked closer to the Italian team than last season. Verstappen qualified just four hundredths of a second behind Vettel, with Ricciardo fifth on a time of 1:22.152.

    Behind them, Haas confirmed their dark horse status, with Kevin Magnussen taking sixth place ahead of team-mate Romain Grosjean. Hulkenberg was eighth ahead of Renault team-mate Sainz, while the unfortunate Bottas qualified 10th.

    2018 Australian Grand Prix – Qualifying:

    1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:21.164
      2. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:21.828
      3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:21.838
      4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 1:21.879
      5. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 1:22.152
      6. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1:23.187
      7. Romain Grosjean (Haas) 1:23.339
      8. Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) 1:23.532
      9. Carlos Sainz Jr. (Renault) 1:23.577
      10. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
      11. Fernando Alonso (McLaren) 1:23.692
      12. Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren) 1:23.853
      13. Sergio Perez (Force India) 1:24.005
      14. Lance Stroll (Williams) 1:24.230
      15. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 1:24.786
      16. Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso) 1:24.532
      17. Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) 1:24.556
      18. Charles Leclerc (Sauber) 1:24.636
      19. Sergey Sirotkin (Williams) 1:24.922
      20. Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) 1:25.295

    FIA News