Sergio Perez remained behind the wheel of the VJM07 today as Sahara Force India concluded its first week of testing in Bahrain.
Day Four Statistics:
Chassis: VJM0701
Laps: 19 laps
Mileage: 120 km
Fastest lap: 1:39.258
Sergio Perez: “It’s a shame to lose the track time this afternoon, but I think we can feel quite positive about what we have learned this week. Every lap in the car gives us more information and we are always trying something new. I was not able to do the long runs we planned this afternoon so it’s important to do those next week. We also need to start pushing the performance and set-up work, which is not really an area we have focussed on that much yet.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer:
“Although we didn’t cover a large number of laps today, we were able to complete some aero work this morning and evaluate some more set-up items. The programme was cut short by a drivetrain issue just before lunch, which confined us to the garage for the rest of the afternoon. With the amount of work involved in resolving the problem and the lack of time available, we decided it was better to regroup and put our efforts into achieving our objectives next week.”
endsSergio Perez in a Sahara Force India car. A Sahara Force India photo
Doha, 21 Feb 2014: The first regional Women in Motorsport seminar, organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in partnership with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, took place in Doha this week.
Almost 50 people from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region attended the seminar along with invited guests and speakers, providing the opportunity to discuss issues that affect women in motorsport, share knowledge and ideas, as well as identify new opportunities.
Hosted by Nasser Khalifa Al Atya, QMMF President and FIA Vice President for Sport in the Middle East, and in the presence of FIA Deputy President for Sport Graham Stoker, and Women in Motorsport Commission President Michèle Mouton, the seminar was aimed at encouraging women to get involved in the sport both regionally and internationally.
Conclusions from the seminar identified the need to focus on four primary areas; research, training, education for all, communication and promotion. This includes assessing the true position of women in the sport today, encouraging their involvement from an early age, and improving the perception of women’s participation in motorsport.
Since its creation in 2009, the Women in Motorsport Commission has enlisted the support of national representatives from 52 countries around the world, all of whom have been designated by their National Sporting Authority (ASN) to liaise with the Commission and help implement actions and programmes at a national level.
“To activate a taskforce in the MENA region, in all aspects and including women specifically, is my first challenge as Vice President for Sport in the region,” commented Nasser Khalifa Al Atya. “From this week’s seminar it is clear that the women present have a strong motivation to build a clear vision and they are passionate about achieving their goals. This is a big achievement for us and the Middle East and it’s important we move this forward in a proper way.”
“For over 100 years the FIA is proud that women have been a central part of motorsport,” commented Graham Stoker. “This heritage was recognised in 2009 with the establishment of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. Now as a member of the IOC, the FIA continues to be determined to encourage and support the promotion of women in the sport in all areas in accordance with the IOC Charter.”
Summing up the success of the first regional Women in Motorsport seminar in Qatar, Michèle Mouton said: “We can see that wherever we come from, we all have the same will and desire to progress. This has been a hugely satisfying forum for the exchange of ideas, solutions and contacts to enable us all to work closely together in the future.”
The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission also conducted its first meeting of 2014 in Doha yesterday (20 February 2014).
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Nico Hulkenberg covered 59 laps today as Sahara Force India completed its second day of testing in Bahrain.
Day Two Statistics:
Chassis: VJM07-01
Laps: 59 laps
Mileage: 319 km
Fastest lap: 1:36.445
Classification: P2
Nico Hulkenberg: “My two days in the car have been very positive. We’ve made some improvements to the car, collected lots of data, and continued to learn with each lap. At the moment it’s still early days, but I’m pleased with the progress we have made in terms of understanding the car. I think we are getting closer to seeing the potential of these cars, certainly compared with the performance in Jerez, but it’s such a steep learning curve and I expect the times to become quicker and quicker.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer:
“It’s been another productive day with aero data collection, performance work and tyre evaluation. We had some aero devices on the car this morning and then continued with the set-up programme that we started yesterday. Nico was able to try the various tyre compounds available to us. There was a small amount of downtime in the middle of the day, but on the whole it’s been another solid performance with good reliability.”
Test Schedule
Sergio Perez will drive the VJM07 tomorrow and Saturday.
endsNico Hulkenberg in a Sahara Force India on Day 2 of Testing at Bahrain SIC on Thursday. A Sahara Force India photo
Sakhir, 19 Feb 2014: The second of Formula 1’s three pre-season tests kicked off Wednesday morning at the Sakhir circuit here in Bahrain.
Sahara Force India and Nico Hulkenberg finished at the top of the timesheets after the first day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Day One Statistics:
Chassis: VJM07-01
Laps: 79 laps
Mileage: 428 km
Fastest lap: 1:36.880
Classification: P1
After the busy programme, Nico Hulkenberg said: “A very positive and satisfying day. We had a busy programme and we learned a lot. Time in the car is very valuable at the moment and so it feels good to cover so many laps and even complete two long runs at the end of the day. That gave me a chance to see how the car behaves and to start getting a feel for it, which was not something I was able to do in Jerez. It’s great that we’ve already done some set-up work and started to improve the drivability of the car. But it’s still very early stages; we are learning with every lap and we face a very steep learning curve in the coming days. ”
Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer said: “Our Bahrain test has got off to a positive start. 79 laps is a good effort and it’s just what we need at this early stage of the VJM07’s development. The aero work this morning ran smoothly with the constant speed runs giving us some aero data we required. In the afternoon we started evaluating the soft and medium tyres, and running through different set-up options – changing ride heights and rebalancing the car. We ended the day with a couple of longer runs on the soft tyres.”
Test driving schedule
Nico Hulkenberg will be back in the VJM07 tomorrow. Sergio Perez will drive on Friday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, Kevin Magnussen drives the opening two days of the test for McLaren Mercedes, with Jenson Button concluding the test by running on Friday and Saturday.
Kevin kicked off proceedings for McLaren by conducting a series of short aerodynamic evaluation runs, complete with monitoring equipment fitted to the car.
In the afternoon, he completed a number of longer runs, aimed at putting mileage on the power unit and components, and also to proof theories and improvements introduced after the first test in Jerez earlier this month.
Kevin completed the second-highest mileage of the day, and, despite a slow start to the morning, was pleased with his progress.
1 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1m 36.880s 78 laps
2 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m 37.879s 64 laps
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG 1m 37.908s 74 laps
4 Kevin Magnussen McLaren Mercedes 1m 38.295s 81 laps
5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 1m 40.224s 14 laps
6 Adrian Sutil Sauber 1m 40.443s 82 laps
7 Robin Frijns Caterham 1m 42.534s 68 laps
8 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso 1m 44.346s 5 laps
9 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1m 44.832s 8 laps
10 Felipe Massa Williams – 5 laps
11 Jules Bianchi Marussia – 3 lapsNico Hulkenberg sets top times on Wednesday on Day 1 of Bahrain testing. A Sahara Force India photo
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Williams (Ticker: WGF1) is pleased to announce that it has signed a new multi-year partnership agreement with Brazilian multi-national energy company Petrobras.
Williams and Petrobras have had a history of technology collaboration dating back to 1998 when the team started using Petrobras’ fuel for the first time in a partnership which lasted for 11 years. This new agreement will see the Williams and Petrobras technical collaboration continue once more as the two parties work together to develop a new specialist motorsport fuel for use by the team starting in the 2015 season. With new engine regulations coming into effect from 2014 that require teams to use more efficient fuels, Petrobras’ expertise will ensure that the team is well placed to meet the demands of greater energy efficiency within the sport.
Petrobras will use the global platform of Formula One to further brand awareness through the placement of its logo on the side of the Williams Mercedes FW36 chassis and across the team environment and apparel.
Petrobras is a Brazilian company and global leader in energy production through deepwater oil and gas exploration and production. Today they are the pioneers in one of the world’s most promising oil and gas reserves: the pre-salt formation, which will aid the company in doubling its production by 2020. This increase will significantly impact global energy supply and further the development of society.
Petrobras President Maria das Graças Silva Foster celebrated the return of the company to a Formula One team by saying: “We are very happy to be going back to the biggest motorsport competition in the world. During the 11 years that Williams was by our side we made significant advances in product development, such as Podium gasoline. Participating in this competition is a huge challenge, since it requires us to always be ready to meet the highest standards for quality and efficiency demanded by the category. We are very excited to start this new challenge.”
Speaking about the new partnership Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal of Williams, said: “Petrobras and Williams have had a successful partnership before and we are both looking forward to reuniting for 2014. Technologically they are very strong and that will be important for the team as the new regulations have made fuel efficiency increasingly important. They are also a very ambitious global company and we are looking forward to working together to further their marketing goals.”
Chennai, 3 Feb 2014: J Prithviraj of Coimbatore Automotive Sports Club, an active council member in promoting the rallying in India for the last few years was announced as the President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in India while pre-election favourite Bharat Raj, of Karnataka Motor Sports Clubs, who pumped in monies in the last few years to keep the rallying scene alive in India, was forced to support the new team.
It was Tutu Dhawan, who took Bharat Raj’s place as Vice-President in the Federation, which is under severe pressure to prove its efficiency and capability after the outgoing team’s high performance, at least, as far as Formula One is concerned.
Just like FIA and Formula One, both of whom are steeped in secrecy as far as financial transparency is concerned, FMSCI will also come under the scanner as far as Governance and Transparency issues are concerned especially as the National body which is the ASN (Association recognised by FIA, the World Governing boday) has paid a hefty income tax which would have been avoided, had it spent the money on promoting sport at the grassroot level or sharing the booty with the hard-working Clubs, who are suffering for lack of funds. Motorsports experts in the country feel that had FMSCI spent the money sharing the expenses of running events with the clubs, they would not have ended up paying a huge amount in scores of lakhs to the Income Tax department.
Coming to the elections, while Prithviraj serves as the President, Tutu Dhawan will be the Vice-President. The FMSCI also announced the formation of the new Governing Council for 2014-15 which will see the introduction of two new members. The change of guard promises a new direction that will focus on taking the sport to a higher level and the team and its members at various forums including Facebook, have expressed their inclination to come clean as far as transparency is needed. Prithvi, as he is popularly known in the rally circles, promised to look into the possibility of bringing the Federation under the ambit of RTI act.
Prithviraj has been a part of the rallying scene for over two decades, both as a participant and organizer. He has been a councillor since 2007 and the Vice President of FMSCI for two years, being Chairman and a member of various FMSCI sub committees.
Prithviraj was humbled to be elected President and commented, “I am honoured to be elected FMSCI President by my fellow councillors. Firstly I would like to thank the outgoing President and team for all their efforts over the years. As part of the last council our biggest achievement was bringing Formula One to India. Now our role will be to ensure we maximize the benefits of that to build national motorsport events across the country. The newly elected council is extremely excited of the task that lies ahead and I am confident that this is the perfect team to take the sport forward.”
The newly-elected Council will focus on the following few areas for the year ahead. The first area of focus will be the fact that policies and procedures will take precedence and not just the people involved. Secondly the council will select the best man for the job to ensure that seamless running of the sport comes first. The third objective will be to ensure total access to all information with regard to all aspects of the Federation. The FMSCI will also continue to partner with the auto and auto ancillary manufacturers to increase their involvement in the sport.
The FMSCI announced that they will launch an interactive website which will aim at making all event details easily accessible. From entry forms to regulations to schedules to officials to penalties everything will be made available on the website for everyone to see. Most importantly the online platforms will be interactive and open to queries and suggestions. There will also be an effort to ramp up marketing activities to ensure there is more reach and visibility for events.
Prithviraj commented, “We will look at coming under the ambit of Rights to Information act. The sport has been built to this level with the help of the media and we are looking forward to their continued support as we march on. All these factors will help us in offering better support and returns to our promoters, sponsors and partners.”
The FMSCI will also continue to make sure motorsports reaches all ends of the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kutch to Kohima. The North-East has already proved a popular motorsport venue with one of our promoters holding rallies there under the aegis of the FMSCI. The FMSCI will continue to give more importance to the region.
Prithviraj also announced the forming of a advisory body which will work with auto manufacturers, partners and government. He commented, “The dedicated committee will be entrusted with the task of working closely with auto manufacturers and government officials. Motorsport is the perfect platform for auto majors to showcase their products and get maximum visibility out of it. We are very happy by the government’s decision to modify the trade policy to facilitate easy import of cars and motorcycles for racing events. We still feel there is a lot of work to be done”
The results of the election were not announced immediately after the elections in Dec due to a court case filed by Sportscraft’s Shrikant Karani. The court ruled in his favour and struck down FMSCI stand that profit making bodies are not eligible to contest as per a recent amendment, but Karani chose to withdraw from the contest at a later stage.
However, it was Sanjay Sharma of JK Tyre, who called the shots. Hardy, as he is popularly known represented as an alternate member of Himalayan Motorspord Club.
Akbar Ebrahim – Meco, S Karani – PCRT, J Prithviraj – CASC, J Balmurugan – Spitfire, Sanjay Sharma, the kingmaker – HMSA. A photo by Adrenna
He also addressed the Press Conference.
Two new member clubs made their entry into the council joining the three founding members. The eight members of the council are:
Jerez, 31 Jan 2014: Formula One’s new era got underway with four days of testing at Jerez (to be followed by two more four-day sessions in Bahrain next month) with teams trying out their new cars and the 2014 tyres for the first time.
With such a revolutionary series of technical changes, running was considerably limited compared to last year, and very little tyre work was carried out.
Nonetheless, the teams were able to have their first taste of Pirelli’s 2014 tyre range, which features new compounds and constructions. The teams could also try out the new Cinturato Green intermediate and Cinturato Blue wet on the second day, which was designated as a wet-weather test day. More rain then fell on Friday, providing another opportunity.
Pirelli additionally brought a bespoke ‘winter’ version of the hard tyre to Jerez, designed to enable teams to maximise running even in low ambient temperatures (which dipped down to six degrees centigrade).
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director:
“The emphasis was not on tyres during this test: instead the teams were simply trying to get an understanding of this radical new set of regulations and put the first kilometres onto their cars. With so much to understand about the new power units and aerodynamic rules, the teams aimed simply to increase their knowledge about the cars. The upcoming tests in Bahrain should allow them to focus on tyres a little more, having had two weeks to develop their cars and remedy any issues that have been identified at Jerez. We too are completely open, flexible and ready to adapt our tyres should the tests in Bahrain, where more meaningful running will take place, identify any need to do so. This year’s test regulations stipulate a day of wet weather running, which we were able to carry out on Wednesday morning. With more rain fallingon Friday, the teams had the opportunity to try out the wet-weather compounds before using them in race conditions.”
Testing Facts:
The opening day of running was extremely quiet, with just 93 laps completed from eight drivers and cars on Tuesday. The on-track action then ramped up, with teams attempting longer runs. The final day was the busiest day of the test, with 688 laps completed.
Teams had a maximum of 25 sets of tyres each at their disposal for Jerez. In total, 18 of those sets were selected by Pirelli (six ‘winter’, four hard, two medium, and three each of intermediate and wet). The teams were then allowed to choose in advance seven more sets of tyres to test per car, up to their total maximum of 25. In total, 135 sets of tyres are allowed per team for testing purposes throughout 2014.
Owing to the huge number of new variables at work, and the very wide spread of lap times seen throughout the four days, there was no real significance in the time difference between the compounds that were tested at Jerez. More meaningful tyre data should be seen in Bahrain, with all the teams expected to be present.
More Testing Facts:
A total of 22 drivers took part in the Jerez test, completing 1,470 laps and 6,509 kilometres.
The equivalent Jerez test last year took in 3,531 laps and 15,634 kilometres.
McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen set the fastest time of the Jerez test, with a time of 1m23.276s on Thursday. By way of comparison, the fastest time at the Jerez test last year was 1m17.879s, set by Felipe Massa in a Ferrari.
The highest number of total laps completed at this year’s Jerez test by any one driver was Nico Rosberg, who racked up 188 laps with Mercedes.
Testing numbers:
Total number of sets brought to Jerez: 250 sets which equals 1,000 tyres
– of which supersoft tyres: 2 sets
– of which soft tyres: 9 sets
– of which medium tyres: 52 sets
– of which hard tyres: 52 sets
– of which ‘winter’ tyres: 69 sets
– of which intermediate tyres: 36 sets
– of which wet tyres: 30 sets
Total amount of sets used: 99
– of which supersoft tyres: 1 sets
– of which soft tyres: 2 sets
– of which medium tyres: 23 sets
– of which hard tyres: 11 sets
– of which ‘winter’ tyres: 32 sets
– of which intermediate tyres: 20 sets
– of which wet tyres: 10 sets
Longest run: 10 laps on the supersoft compound
9 laps of the soft compound
17 laps on the medium compound
24 laps on the hard compound
23 laps on the ‘winter’ compound
26 laps on the intermediate compound
13 laps on the wet compound
Highest / lowest ambient temperature over four days: 17 °C / 5 °C
Highest / lowest track temperature over four days: 23 °C / 6 °C
Testing Times:
Day 1
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
1’27’’104s on Winter compound, New
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
1’27’’820s on Winter compound, Used
3. Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
1’30’’082s on Winter compound, Used
Day 2
1. Jenson Button (McLaren)
1’24.165s on Medium, New
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
1’24’’812s on Medium, Used
3. Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
1’25’’344s on Winter compound, New
Day 3
1. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren)
1’23’’276s on Medium, New
2. Felipe Massa (Williams)
1’23’’700s on Hard, Used
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
1’23’’952s on Medium, New
Day 4
1. Felipe Massa (Williams)
1’28’’229s, on Hard, New
2. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
1’29’’145s, on Medium, Used
3. Daniel Juncadella (Force India)
1’29’’457s, on Soft, New
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A Pirelli photo after Jerez testing on 31 Jan 2014.
Jerez, 31 Jan 2014: Sahara Force India wrapped up its first week of testing as Daniel Juncadella spent his first day in the VJM07.
Day four statisticDaniel Juncadella makes his debut in a Force India car at Jerez. A Sahara Force India photo
s:
Chassis: VJM07-01
Laps: 81 laps
Mileage: 359 km
Fastest lap: 1:29.457
Classification: P3
Daniel Juncadella: “It was my first day working with the team and it was a big challenge because of the tricky conditions. I took things very cautiously because I had never driven a Formula One car in the wet and for the whole day the track still had damp patches. It was a case of building up my confidence and learning how the team operates. It was a great experience and I made sure to make the most of it. We covered a lot of laps, which was a big improvement after quite a frustrating day yesterday. It’s what the team needed before the Bahrain test to really start understanding the car. I want to thank the team for today and I look forward to the rest of the season.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer
“The final day in Jerez has proved to be the most productive so far. Despite the mixed weather conditions, Daniel was able to cover 81 laps, which has given him valuable experience for his role as a reserve driver this season. The car has run reliably all day, which is a result of all the hard work carried out earlier in the week to resolve some of the initial reliability concerns. During these early days it’s paramount to get laps under our belt and over the last four days we have clocked up almost 650 km. It’s not been an easy test operationally, with lots of different challenges, but the whole team has done an extremely professional job to ensure we maximised the test days we had available.”
WOKING (SURREY, UK), 29 Jan 2014: McLaren Racing is pleased to announce that Eric Boullier has been appointed to the position of Racing Director, effective Monday February 3rd.
A press release said, Eric is one of the most capable trackside leaders in Formula 1. He has played the central role in Lotus F1 Team’s recent successes, and brings with him extensive single-seater motorsport experience, having worked in senior positions in World Series by Nissan and A1 Grand Prix before moving up to Formula 1.
Working with Jonathan Neale (Chief Operating Officer) and his senior management colleagues within McLaren Racing, Eric will ultimately report to the Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing, an all-new position, whose yet-to-be-appointed occupant will in turn report directly to Ron Dennis (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Group).
Until such time as a Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing has been appointed, Jonathan Neale will be acting in that role.
Eric Boullier said: “First of all, I regard this appointment as an honour, a privilege and a wonderful opportunity.
“The McLaren Racing workforce and the facilities at the McLaren Technology Centre are world-class, and I’m hugely excited about the prospect of joining such an outstanding team.
“I’m both eager and determined to play an active part, working alongside McLaren Racing’s other senior managers and directors, within a new operational structure, to bring about the changes that will deliver success.
“Last, I want to take this opportunity to assure the McLaren Racing workforce that I’m utterly determined to match their famous passion and commitment to win.”
Ron Dennis said: “Eric’s appointment is an integral part of a senior management restructure within McLaren Racing.
“I’ve already personally conveyed to the entire workforce of the McLaren Group, which includes McLaren Racing, the values, principles and mindset that I intend us all to adopt, going forward. My intention is that from now on everyone at McLaren Racing will understand their responsibilities and accountabilities, focusing on their specific areas of expertise, in keeping with those values, principles and mindset.
“In due course we’ll announce the identity of McLaren Racing’s new Chief Executive Officer, who’ll report to me, and to whom Eric will report.
“I’m firmly of the belief that, once McLaren Racing’s restructured senior management team has been assembled, together we’ll begin the march back to full competitiveness, quickly and professionally, harnessing the fantastic depth of talent that exists within our organisation.”
Woking (UK), 24 Jan 2014: A period of unprecedented change – both in Formula 1 and within the team itself – is the backdrop against which McLaren launches its latest grand prix challenger, the all-new MP4-29.
2014: Formula 1 begins its reinvention
Gone are normally aspirated engines – a Formula 1 mainstay for a quarter of a century; in their place come 1.6-litre V6 power-units, which sophisticatedly integrate turbo-charging and turbo-compounding, fuel-flow restrictions, and a powerful energy recovery system, a release said.
These new regulations will enable teams to harness both traditional internal combustion and electrical energies. They further underline Formula 1’s relevance as a pioneer of future roadcar technologies, represent the biggest and most dynamic change to the sport since its inception in 1950, and are duly destined to re-shape grand prix racing.
McLaren, too, faces a period of dynamic change: the organisation has not only embraced the extreme technical and strategic challenges posed by the new regulations, it has simultaneously been growing and developing ahead of even bigger and more exciting future partnerships.
MP4-29: a frozen snapshot of intense development
We have responded to the disappointment of our 2013 season by pragmatically framing our approach to the technical challenge. The new MP4-29, revealed today, is a sensible and calculated response to the new regulations.
But it is very much a frozen snapshot of the design team’s steep development curve, and, as such, a machine that will potentially undergo more technical change throughout a single season than any other car in McLaren’s long and illustrious history.
The challenge for 2014 is to build-in both performance and reliability – something that can no longer be taken for granted given the steep technical challenge ahead.
And that is entirely as it should be: for this season will be Formula 1’s steepest-ever learning curve.
It is also a time of transition. Our final season with our engine partner, Mercedes-Benz, will be our 20thtogether, before we begin an exciting new journey with Honda from 2015.
Our drivers: the perfect blend of styles
Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion, remains for his fifth season at McLaren. For 2014, his experience, level-headedness and innate ability to read the behaviour of a racing car will be a powerful asset to our engineers, designers and analysts.
Kevin Magnussen arrives in Formula 1 with a stunning record in Renault Word Series 3.5, grand prix racing’s feeder series, and, crucially, no preconceptions. Having already devoted hundreds of hours to refining and developing our 2014 car in the McLaren simulator, his eagerness and commitment will sync perfectly with Jenson’s experience, providing us with a perfectly balanced driver pairing.
Powering the market with world-beating expertise
McLaren is leading the evolution of sports partnerships. The breadth of the McLaren Group’s experience and expertise presents a wealth of opportunities for innovative technical integration with our partners, which can have an impact way beyond the racetrack.
Whether it be extensive engagement with ExxonMobil to develop new lubricant technology, which can help McLaren Mercedes cars on the grand prix circuit, and ultimately improve the efficiency of consumer cars; developing new lightweight coatings with AkzoNobel; or working closely with SAP to develop and implement innovative data analytics techniques, our work with partners goes way beyond what can be described as sports sponsorship.
Our strategic partnership with GSK is now also in its third year and is breaking new ground from manufacturing to pharmaceutical R&D.
Race technology is helping to improve the delivery of experimental trials into new medicines. Working with GSK we are using telemetry systems, which are inspired by the way we monitor our cars, to collect real-time data about the recovery of patients taking part in drug trials. These are at an early stage, but in future it’s hoped that being able to take a constant stream of reliable information about a patient could significantly enhance the already robust process of drug evaluation.
Our commitment to innovation and creativity does not stop with technology projects, but extends to the implementation of marketing campaigns with and on behalf of our partners. Santander recently announced a renewal of their major eight-year partnership with us, and this reflects the continued impact that our creative marketing campaigns can have.
The depth of trust and respect we enjoy with our partners has allowed us to extend record-breaking relationships with the likes of Hugo Boss (33 years), TAG Heuer (29 years), Kenwood (24 years), ExxonMobil and Mercedes-Benz (20 years) and SAP (16 years), Johnnie Walker and Hilton (nine years).
JONATHAN NEALE
Managing director, McLaren Racing
Formula 1 in 2014 is all about managing change – how is McLaren going about that?
“We’ve never had such significant new regulations before; reacting to them, and managing those changes, while still pushing the performance limits, has been an extremely tough job.
“We’ve been relatively pragmatic about it. We know that the need for consistency initially outweighs the need for performance – the winter tests won’t be about chasing set-up or refining the car; the envelope of performance is likely to be so wide, and so relatively unknown, that the winter – and to some extent the opening races – will be about understanding the operational boundaries of the car as best we can.
“To achieve this, we need a consistent platform – one that responds positively to changes. Moreover, the work of the engineers and designers to understand and interpret trackside data will be more important than before. That’s because this year, more than ever, will come down to a development race: I don’t necessarily think you can expect the car that wins the opening race to be the car that leads the championship charge, something we’ve often seen in the past.
“No, it will be all about a team’s ability to react and respond. We already have an update package that we’re readying for race one, and we’re discovering new things in the ’tunnel, or in CFD, all the time. Once we start track testing, I think you’ll see an intense throughput of ideas and concepts – that’s the nitty-gritty that will win or lose the world championship.”
There’s a greater backdrop of change at McLaren, too, isn’t there?
“A team with a fantastic heritage like McLaren is always faced with the challenge of continually winning races and championships. Equally, there’s a responsibility to move the organisation – and our processes – forwards. In fact, we’ll be doing just that during 2014: pushing ahead with an incredible amount of effort, analysis and commitment on the racetrack, but also making changes away from the track that will reap a greater dividend in the long term.
“There’s a huge amount of talent and potential already extant within the organisation, but there’s always more to discover. And we’ve made some very important key additions who’ll have a significant input into our future momentum – we’re incredibly pleased and excited to have hired the likes of Peter Prodromou and Dan Fallows, both from Red Bull Racing, and Ettore Griffini and Ciaron Pilbeam from Lotus, as well as more than a dozen top-level engineers from among the best teams in Formula 1, all of whom have seen the capacity and potential that exists here at McLaren.
“Nonetheless, this is a long-term process, and this year will be about developing and growing McLaren to a position where we can once again fight at the front.”
What are your thoughts on the driver pairing of Jenson and Kevin?
“We all know and like Jenson very much – he’s an integral part of this team now. And Kevin has shown such fantastic promise – both in the junior series, and on the occasions that he has tested for us – that it made absolute sense to develop him as our race driver.
“I really think the beauty of our driver line-up comes from its strength and structure through sheer contrast. In Jenson, we have Formula 1’s unofficial ambassador, somebody who provides us with an unprecedented databank of experience; we can really work with him as we learn together how to develop and refine this year’s car.
“In Kevin, I see a raw, unfettered enthusiasm and a fearsome work ethic. His arrival has been a terrific motivator for the entire team, and I’ve been really pleased and impressed by the way he’s thrown himself into the process. While he’ll naturally need time to acclimatise, we’re undoubtedly of the opinion that he’s ready for F1.
“Additionally, we have Stoffel Vandoorne as our reserve – another driver whose long-term potential is tantalising. He’ll have an increasingly complementary role alongside our two drivers – he’ll be attending all the races where GP2 is on the support bill, and will be heavily dialed in to our trackside operations as we ramp up his learning and experience.
“I think we have a fantastic line-up, and the best thing is that each driver will motivate and inform the other – it’s a win-win situation for the whole team.”
SAM MICHAEL
Sporting director, McLaren Racing
What are McLaren’s expectations for 2014?
“We’ve made no secret of our disappointment at how the 2013 season turned out. The aim now is to get back to winning – that’s what McLaren exists to do – but there’s a certain amount of growth and regrowth that needs to take place before we return to a position where we can challenge for the world championship.
“The good thing is that we’ve acknowledged that, and we’ve actually been working towards that goal for many months now. We have Honda waiting in the wings, we have a number of key technical staff bolstering our existing design and engineering teams, and we are fostering the careers of our young drivers, all of whom have an incredible amount of potential. The future for McLaren is bright, and we’re now putting in place the processes that will move us closer to our goals.
“For 2014, our aim is for continuous development; we’ll be refining and strengthening the car and the organisation throughout the year, so you’ll see a rapid turnover of parts and ideas on the car as we, like every team, wrestle with the many unique challenges of these new regulations.
“More immediately, our aim is to enjoy a smooth winter at all three tests, hopefully learning a lot as we go, and hopefully developing MP4-29 into something consistent, useable and quick.”
How do you balance the equation of reliability vs performance?
“I think the key to the first quarter of the season could well be consistency. It’ll be critical in the pre-season tests – firstly, to enable the drivers and engineers to learn about and understand the behavior of the new car; but, secondly, to provide us with the mileage and data our designers at the MTC need to further refine and develop the car for the year ahead.
“It’ll be a season of complexity and subtlety; we won’t find ourselves in a situation where the guy who wins the first race goes on to win the championship, I think it’ll be unpredictable and exciting – and that’s fantastic news for Formula 1’s fans.
“One thing is for certain, though, there’ll be a lot of cross-pollination of ideas during the season as the best concepts and solutions proliferate. We’re proud of some of the concepts we’ll be introducing with this car but, likewise, there’ll be areas where we can learn and improve.
“In fact, I think constant learning and improvement will be the key motifs of 2014.”
OUR DRIVERS – READY FOR ANYTHING
In Jenson and Kevin, we have both the sport’s most respected senior ambassador and its newest and most promising young hopeful, respectively.
Jenson has proven again and again that his unmatched experience, application and supreme natural ability make him perhaps the perfect driver to spearhead the development and integration of the myriad of new systems introduced for 2014.
Kevin is motivated, incredibly focused and eager to learn. Everybody at McLaren has not only been convinced by Kevin’s raw pace and commitment, but also by his ability to channel his determination and thoughts with singular and unblemished dedication.
Only 21, he is unmistakeably ready for Formula 1, and is prepared and equipped for the intense and steep learning curve ahead of him.
Our test and reserve driver, 21-year-old Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, is the most promising racer outside Formula 1. He will combine a full year of racing in GP2, with the ART team, with his duties as McLaren’s reserve driver – a role that will naturally dovetail with his racing activities at all coinciding events.
Both Kevin and Stoffel are outstanding protégés of the McLaren Young Driver system.
ends
MP4-29, the McLaren Challenger for 2014 season. A McLaren Mercedes photo
