Not many people knew Josh, Josh was a quiet person almost shy at times. But he was funny, and could have a laugh with everyone he ever spoke to. Now that Josh has sadly passed away, myself and many others, not to forget his loved ones, family & friends will miss him so much.
I first spoke to Josh on twitter, probably 2011 if my memory recalls. As he was Jenson Button fan, and McLaren fan. He was always so funny to make a joke and join in with the rest of us. At this point I didn’t know about his condition, which is Muscular Dystrophy. He covered it up, didn’t tell anyone until he felt it was right to do so.
We had so many group chats on twitter where he was mostly found, general F1 banter chat and then the Pitcrew Online 2000 (now The Pitcrew Online) he joined myself to do F1 BTCC, and again we didn’t know of his condition. So he would struggle and we would help. Then he finally told me, he felt better for telling us. And we helped him as much as we could. Josh felt it was right to leave us, but we always stayed in contact.
Me and Josh, especially me and him always DM’d one another about F1, general news & topics. He’d have his low days, I would tell him it will get better. And he always kept on smiling whatever the issue was. It wasn’t until late last year when he started having problems. He had an operation, which was to help him move better (from memory) which improved his quality of life.
Josh never ever wanted sympathy for his condition, he just carried on a normal life. Always interacting with everyone on Twitter etc he was such a down to earth person, funny and tough. Many people didn’t know Josh like I did. And for the years I knew him he wouldn’t become just some follower, he was my friend.
I didn’t realise how badly Josh must have deteriorated this year, as he was seriously not well. And now looking back, I feel awful I wasn’t there for my friend, he was always rock solid. I feel bad that he couldn’t tell me he wasn’t ok, and I feel bad that overlooked him & that I wasn’t there for him to talk to. I should have seen his twitter that he wasn’t tweeting as much.
One thing you can’t take for granted is life itself. One minute it’s there and the next it’s not. There’s a huge void in my life know without Josh, we stayed up till stupid o’clock discussing everything you can imagine. He was just like me and you, his condition didn’t stop him doing what he loved which was Formula 1, McLaren, Jenson Button, Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso & Moto GP.
Josh was always the first person to make a joke in bad situations, he could break the ice when no one else could. He just perked everyone up when the mood was a little glum. He could do that, no matter what he was dealing with, he put that to one side and just made everything better or less awkward.
I urge you all to remember that twitter is sometimes the only place people can be themselves and hide away the pain they face on a daily basis. If someone needs a chat or anything just say “hey wanna talk? Am happy to talk!” It will go far, they’ll feel better about themselves also. Josh did, and I did. I gained a friend, and he’ll always be here no matter.
For Josh, I know you’re in a far better place now and it’s always going to hurt that you won’t be around on my feed or messages & phone. I feel for your family, your friends. You was such an inspiration and you fought so hard, you won’t be forgotten ever. Thank you for the memories, laughter & banter we had on group chats via the pitcrew and other places, you’ll be sorely missed mate.
I’d like to thank The Pit Crew, my former team for allowing me to do this tribute for Josh. We had many laughs in the chat! If you would like to donate to the Muscular Dystrophy you can click here. Muscular ardystrophy.
We at Crew Towers are very saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and one time Crew Member Josh.
Here’s and article he wrote for then forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix
Thanks Josh we will all miss you…
Chinese Grand Prix Preview – Can Ferrari challenge again
After the elation and emotion of Malaysia, the F1 fraternity now heads to China for the third race of the season in what will hopefully be an epic weekend in which Mercedes and Ferrari will be favourites for the win.
Sebastian Vettel will be on a high after the previous race and will be hoping for the same again but Lewis Hamilton’s win in China last season will invigorate the world champion in to keeping his winning streak going.
Lewis Hamilton said “Malaysia was a tough weekend. It always is with the heat – but with car problems on Friday, rain during qualifying on Saturday and a race which didn’t go to plan on Sunday, this one was particularly challenging. I think ultimately we made the best choices we could – but there is always room for improvement and we’ve been working hard to analyse everything for the next race in China”.
Teammate Nico Rosberg said “The last race weekend was not great for me. I didn’t get my lap together in qualifying, then losing time in the pits made it a tough race to fight back and try to catch Lewis. We’ve definitely learned some lessons and it’s time to take that to the track in China”.
The rest of the chasing pack will want to have a better weekend with Williams and Red Bull hoping to close in on the top two teams after a lacklustre race. Toro Rosso have put themselves in the running for the best of the rest as they battled in the top ten throughout.
McLaren had a much better weekend after showing much better pace and even with a double retirement, they are taking a step in the right direction.
Racing Director Eric Boullier is optimistic but realistic “We came away from the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend feeling optimistic about our state of development and the improvements we’d made relative to our closest rivals. However, we don’t take anything for granted, and are fully aware that the next two races probably won’t show quite the same rate of improvement as we witnessed at Sepang.
The weather can be unpredictable and will be significantly cooler than in Malaysia and Pirelli have said it is likely to be a 2-stop race.
Mercedes will be better suited to this race track with the long flowing corners and their car will suit cooler conditions but tyre could become an issue and Ferrari will hope to capitalise if they hit problems and it will surely make for a fantastic race.
It is no secret that the Honda are struggling in World Superbikes, however, Stefan Bradl – the team’s sole rider after the tragic passing of teammate Nicky Hayden – has got bundles of talent and on a good bike with the right team, he’s a WSBK race winner all day long. Come next year, I have a feeling that the German could be a bit of a threat.
It sounds ridiculous that I am mentioning the 2018 WSBK season after just reaching the half way distance this year but for Stefan Bradl, the remainder of this campaign will be more of a huge test session on the new Honda Fireblade.
Having received the bike late this season, the Red Bull Honda Ten Kate Team have been slashed of testing time and the results have highlighted that. Stefan Bradl’s 6th place in Assen is the team’s best result and they are slowly but surely making progress, with throttle connection being a main target, although a gearbox solution for WSBK is still looming a large issue.
Stefan Bradl is one of the top riders in World Superbikes. Having been unceremoniously tossed out of the Grand Prix circus last year, following a tricky time at Aprilia, he found himself in WSBK on what was supposed to be a championship contending bike. Bradl’s speed is most certainly there and his resilience is too, riding in honour of fallen hero Hayden at Donington Park.
Bradl is also the only German on the grid, following Markus Reiterberger’s departure due to injuries sustained over a year ago. The former Moto2 World Champion has actually been rather steady in WSBK. Every race he has finished has been in the points, which gains not only track time for him as a WSBK rookie but valuable data which will be used to improve the Fireblade. He has only retired from two races, at circuits that he has never rode a 1000cc bike at in his life.
The next circuit for the German to visit is Misano, where the team recently held a test to try and make further gains with the Honda. Bradl also knows the circuit reasonably well too, having raced there in his Grand Prix years, with a 2nd in Moto2 in 2011 and a top class best of 5th.
There is no doubting Bradl’s pace. It will just take some more time to be shown. Likewise for the Honda, development and testing is the most valuable asset to the outfit at the moment. I’m predicting a Honda podium by the end of the season; where that will be, I’m not so sure. But with a determined Bradl and a hardworking team around him, I expect some breakthroughs very shortly.
Image courtesy of Gareth Davies from Full Factory Photography
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is preparing to host its 39th Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, a 4.3km-long track that features the infamous Wall of Champions – which has claimed the pride, and carbon fibre, of several drivers over the years, including names such as Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and 2017 championship points leader Sebastian Vettel.
The 70-lap race often boasts excitement, not only the dramatic encounters as you enter the pit straight, a number of on-lap overtakes and manoeuvres due to the high-speed nature alongside low asphalt grip.
Ultrasoft tyres will be the preferred option in the dry this weekend, with all four title contenders holding at least eight sets of the purple-walled rubber due to the low degradation expected, meaning a split-second mistake on the usual two-stop strategy could make all the difference.
Mercedes and Ferrari will be the ones expected to top the timesheets come Sunday, with the tarmac ribbon situated on the Notre Dame Island in Montreal favouring those with higher-power over aerodynamics. Bad news for the returning Fernando Alonso. At least he won’t have any penalties to walk into this weekend unlike his part-time replacement Jenson Button last time out in Monaco.
However, one target for the rest of the field to aim for will be Rubens Barrichello’s current race lap record around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve of 1:13.662, which the Brazilian set back in 2004.
Whether it be a Silver Arrow or Italian Stallion standing aloft on the podium come the end of Sunday afternoon, it will undoubtedly provide thrills and spills and disperse crucial points in the race for the Drivers’ Championship.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve based on Montreal’s Notre Dame Island is a stunning track. The track has the right balance of slow- to high-speed areas that creates some spectacular racing.
There is one infamous part of the track which legends such as the great Michael Schumacher have hit—they call it the ‘Wall of Champions’. After the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix the wall on the exit of Turn 14 was christened most notably with three world champions. Drivers had hit the wall prior, but 1999 was when it was especially unforgiving.
1999:
Many drivers—or shall we say victims—had fallen prey to The Wall especially this year, but it all began with Damon Hill, he was the first notable casualty, after winning the World Championship in 1996. Now driving with Jordan he was amongst a midfield battle, and he clipped the rear of his car against The Wall—you could say he was an appetiser for it.
15 laps later Michael Schumacher mid-chicane lost control after going off the racing line, and slid helplessly into The Wall’s grasp; at the time the German was leading the Grand Prix. The difference here was that Hill managed to get away, but Schumacher & Ferrari could not, with severe damage caused. The main course? The Wall was not done there, it wanted more!
Canada’s own Jaques Villeneuve was the third champion into The Wall, only 5 laps after Schumacher, pretty much nose on, it was getting more and more of the cars at every attempt! The Wall after that had had enough, was full and had its fair share of rubber across it. Villeneuve was the dessert of The Wall’s three-car meal in 1999. From then on it was named the Wall of Champions.
Recent Years:
The Wall laid low for a few years, claiming the odd driver here and there—on a diet, you could say, but when it saw an opportunity it was more than happy to take full advantage.
The rise, then fall, of Jenson Button at the 2005 Canadian Grand Prix, for example. He took pole position in qualifying, and then threw it away in the race when Schumacher was chasing him for third. He attacked the chicane but as a result broke his rear suspension: The Wall was ready for a taste of BAR, though much like Hill he managed to escape The Wall’s grasp.
The most recent major casualty was in 2011, where we had the most incredible race that Button won. Funnily enough it was the complete opposite with Button rising to the top from the bottom.
The Wall did not devour anyone during the race, as it was still buzzing from the first practice session. Sebastien Vettel lost his rear on a very green track, and over the kerbs he headed straight towards The Wall. So early on in the weekend, Vettel could not escape, and it ended his session with The Wall covered with fresh carbon fibre and rubber, whilst leaving the Red Bull team a major headache to get his car ready for FP2.
Other notable mentions:
– Ricardo Zonta, a champion in the FIA GT series, was actually the first to hit The Wall in the 1999 Grand Prix.
– Juan Pablo Montoya—the 1999 CART and two-time Indy 500 champion—in what turned out to be his penultimate Grand Prix, did brush The Wall in 2006 resulting in retirement. Could this have been the catalyst for what ensued in the following US Grand Prix, resulting in an early Formula 1 departure?
Will there be another one this year though? It’s been a few years since The Wall last had a tasty meal. Could an F1 champion such as Hamilton or future champion Max Verstappen join the ever-growing list of victims claimed by the Wall of Champions? The cars seem to suffer more in dirty air this year, and Canada always has been a tough track on brakes. The recipe is there for The Wall to claim another driver.
Montreal is getting ready to host the Canadian Grand Prix, one of the most famous and historic tracks in Formula 1. In 1977, Giles Villeneuve inspired the French Canadians and they decided to design and construct an F1 circuit.
In their mind was the famous quote “simplicity is the best”, so their idea was to take the lle Notre-Dame, and connect all the roads around the island. It took them less than a year and about $2m to build and upgrade the track to meet Formula One’s standards, the first race was held in 1978.
No one could imagine a better debut for the track, Gilles Villeneuve on his debut season with Ferrari won the first Canadian Grand Prix, but the track was marked by Villeneuve’s death in 1982 and renamed in his honor.
Michael Schumacher holds the record of seven victories in Canada, whilst McLaren have won the race for thirteen times.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Laps: 70
Circuit Length: 4.361 km
Race Distance: 305.27 km
Lap Record: 1:13.622 (Rubens Barrichello – 2004)
Tyre Allocations: Ultrasoft (Purple), Supersoft (Red), Soft (Yellow)
Courtesy of Pirelli F1 Media
The drivers will aim to warm up their front tyres properly, because that is the key to a quick lap in Montreal, especially during the qualifying session. The circuit’s format affects the brakes and the tyres, and that is because the track applies longitudinal forces rather than lateral forces. Finally, this year’s cars are much faster than last year’s, which means that the lap record is in danger and it might be broken this weekend.
Last season Lewis Hamilton lead the race from the start to the end as the Brit took the pole position and remained first till the chequered flag followed by Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. Nico Rosberg, qualified second but finished fifth ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and behind Max Verstappen.
This year Ferrari will try to build their own wall of champions, a wall which will allow them to remain first in the constructors’ championship and give the advantage to Vettel to increase his lead from its competitors.
The question is if Scuderia will manage to finish once again in the front row and secure the second 1-2 of the season.
*Alternative route in Portugal located at final turn
*Ground-breaking initiative targets overtaking on street track
*WTCC drivers to take ‘joker’ lap once per race
World championship circuit racing is set for a global first when an alternative ‘joker’ lap is used in the FIA World Touring Car Championship at Vila Real in Portugal later this month.
Designed to further spice up the action on the challenging street circuit where overtaking isn’t always possible, the FIA World Rallycross-style concept will require drivers to take an alternative route in both the Opening Race and Main Race broadcast live around the world on 25 June.
18 MONTEIRO Tiago (por) Honda Civic team Honda racing Jas action during the 2016 FIA WTCC World Touring Car Championship race of Portugal, Vila Real from July 24 to 26 – Photo Jorge Cunha / DPPI
Vila Real’s ‘joker’ lap route is located at the final corner, Turn 26, with the full approval of the FIA Safety Department and local authorities. While the right/left flick through a roundabout will still be used in normal racing conditions, the alternative route will effectively take drivers the other way onto the roundabout and through a tighter left/right sequence before they re-join the start/finish straight. The alternative route is expected to take an additional two seconds, which will hand pursuing drivers ample opportunity to overtake.
However, the ‘joker’ lap cannot be taken until the third lap of either race, while drivers will be able to practice the new route during Free Practice 1 and 2 on 24 June.
The ‘joker’ lap location will be highlighted by special branding to make it visible and understandable on TV. A graphic will give viewers instant notification when the lap has been taken, while fans following live timing will be able to determine the ‘joker’ status of each driver.
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, welcomed confirmation of the Vila Real ‘joker’ lap. “The ‘joker’ lap concept works very well in rallycross, and I’m certain it will bring an extra dimension to the WTCC street race in Vila Real. It will open up strategies for each WTCC driver, and might even change the course of the race. Of course we never compromise on safety so we have worked very closely with our colleagues at the FIA and with the authorities in Vila Real to put in place a route that matches our requirements but also conforms to all the rigorous safety standards.”
18 MONTEIRO Tiago (por) Honda Civic team Honda racing Jas action during the 2016 FIA WTCC World Touring Car Championship race of Portugal, Vila Real from July 24 to 26 – Photo Alexandre Guillaumot / DPPI
Tiago Monteiro, who claimed a hugely popular home in Vila Real last season driving for the factory Honda team, said: “It’s great to try new ideas, new options to spice up the show. When you are in pole position you don’t really want the ‘joker’ lap because you don’t want to lose your lead. But if you are not on pole position then there is a new opportunity to overtake.”
Yvan Muller, the four-time world champion and now a development driver for Cyan Racing, the team behind Volvo Polestar’s factory effort in the WTCC, said: “It’s like the WTCC MAC3 [team time trial]. Everyone said ‘ah, it’s a crazy thing’ and so on but it’s something new. And when it’s new and it shows something different, it’s always good. We have to try new things, to bring new positive and attractive elements.”
The ‘joker’ lap route remains subject to a final FIA track inspection on 21 June.
The calendar is now in June, and that means the 2016–17 Formula E championship has reached its halfway point. Having passed through Hong Kong, Marrakesh, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Monaco and Paris, there remain only three more rounds and six more races, in the form of double headers in Berlin, New York and Montreal.
2014/2015 FIA Formula E Championship. Formula E Race. Berlin e-Prix, Berlin, Germany, Europe. Saturday 23 May 2015 Photo: Adam Warner/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _L5R8477
Last year, the Berlin ePrix represented a massive swing in the championship stakes, as Sébastien Buemi put a halt to Lucas di Grassi’s streak of wins and closed up to one point behind the Brazilian going into the final round in London.
With Buemi’s win tally almost perfect this season, it’s hard to imagine the championship leader doing anything other than repeating that result again this weekend, perhaps even in both races. What makes things even more ominous for the rest of the field is that Buemi also comes to Berlin off the back of two pole positions in Monaco and Paris.
However, even with the level at which Buemi is currently performing, his and Renault’s rivals can draw some inspiration from the fact that the championship leader will be under supreme pressure to win this weekend. After Berlin the calendar moves to the infamous WEC-clashing round in New York, from which Buemi will be absent and leaving a considerable open goal so late in the title race.
And although Buemi’s buffer to di Grassi in the standings is currently the largest it’s been all season, at 43 points it’s still not enough to cover off the possibility of di Grassi taking away a maximum points haul in New York.
That makes it imperative for the championship leader to win at least one, if not both, of the races in Berlin—but as we’ve seen many times before, when the pressure mounts Buemi often becomes overwhelmed, allowing his more collected rivals to land some heavy blows amidst his distraction.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, France. Saturday 20 May 2017. Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16, on the grid. Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _J6I9038
But of course, it’s not all about Buemi and di Grassi this weekend, and of the eighteen other drivers heading to Tempelhof Airport, Stéphane Sarrazin will certainly be one to watch. The Frenchman has scored points only twice this season and sits last of the full-time drivers in the standings, but this weekend his chances of a top ten finish will be vastly improved as he moves up from Venturi to Techeetah, taking over the former car of Esteban Gutiérrez as the Mexican leaves Formula E to join the IndyCar series.
Sarrazin’s move means rookie Tom Dillmann gets another chance to show his abilities following his eighth-place finish substituting for Maro Engel at the last race in Paris. Dillmann had been eyeing up a full-time drive in Formula E for season four, and with Sarrazin on the move it looks like his future at Venturi is secure for now.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, France. Saturday 20 May 2017. Tom Dillmann (FRA), Venturi, Spark-Venturi, Venturi VM200-FE-02. Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _W6I9760
Also worth keeping an eye on both in Berlin and for the rest of the season are those drivers in and around the top ten in the standings. Mahindra’s Nick Heidfeld and Felix Rosenqvist are matched closely with Jean-Éric Vergne in the battle for fourth place, whilst two points separate Sam Bird and Nelson Piquet in seventh and eighth respectively. Bird’s teammate José María López has launched himself into the top ten at last after taking his first podium in Paris, and is just two points clear of a consistent Daniel Abt.
Below them, Robin Frijns and Oliver Turvey are in a fight to head the second page of the standings with Jaguar’s Mitch Evans. Although the British marque has had a slow start to Formula E, neither Evans nor Adam Carroll can be discounted from the points anymore now that Jaguar appears to have settled into the demands of the series and is hunting Andretti for seventh in the Teams’ Championship.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, France. Saturday 20 May 2017. Mitch Evans (NZL), Jaguar Racing, Spark-Jaguar, Jaguar I-Type 1. Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _W6I8428
Incredibly, it’s the halfway point of this year’s championship! Twelve months ago, Thierry won this event, on his way to finishing the 2016 championship in second place. He had a very strong second half to last season, so what can we expect from this year?
Now, both Kris and Hayden will want to get a solid result from this rally, to kick start their seasons. Kris hasn’t scored any points since his win in Mexico. Hayden certainly can point to a lot of problems, not always of his doing.
This year’s event will feature 19 stages, totalling 312.66 km’s. Here are the details of the stages.
Now, there are a couple of changes to announce in terms of co-driver changes and also Citroen changing their crew for in the number nine C3 WRC.
Sadly, Hayden’s co-driver has decided to bring forward his retirement. If you recall, he sat out Portugal because of an existing hip problem. Well, with no improvement, he’s decided to call it a day.
In the Citroen camp, we have Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger stepping into the C3 normally driven by Stephane Lefebvre and Gabin Moreau. It’s not a permanent move, as they will be back in the car for the following round in Poland.
Let’s hear from the drivers then!
M-Sport WRT
Sébastien Ogier said:
“We found a good feeling with the Fiesta in Portugal and we’ll be hoping to continue that in Sardinia. We’re approaching the mid-point in the season, and that’s where the championship will really start to heat up… quite literally!
“The temperatures that we’ll experience next week are probably the highest of the year and we’ll need to be prepared for that. We had a good test last week where we confirmed our cooling options as well as set-up configurations for the event – so there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be confident of challenging for another strong result.
“We’ll face an element of cleaning on the opening day, but we’ve got a good track record in Sardinia and I’ve learned to enjoy these demanding stages. It’s not the easiest of events. You need to keep a margin and be focused from start to finish. Tyre preservation can also prove really important and that could be particularly significant on Saturday with two 70 kilometre loops.
“The aim is always to increase our lead at the head of the championship, and we hope to do that with another strong performance.”
Ott Tänak said:
“I feel as though we’re getting better all the time and learning more about the car every time we get behind the wheel. We had a great set-up in Portugal – the best we’ve had all year – and another test last week means that we go to Sardinia in a positive mood.
“The island holds a lot of special memories for me as it’s where I secured my first podium back in 2012 and we’ll be aiming to at least equal that next week.
“We’ll need to be fully focussed from the start as there are so many things to consider on an event as tricky as this one. The stages are very narrow, but also quite fast in places. There is always something to catch you out, so you need to keep that margin.
“If that weren’t enough, we’ll also be experiencing the highest temperatures of the year which could mean more tyre wear and a need to manage the situation. We got an idea of what to expect at the test, and we hope to be in a position to challenge for another strong result.
“The plan will be to go out there and enjoy it – which isn’t difficult with these new cars!”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Portugal (POR) – WRC 18/05/2017 to 21/05/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville commented:
“Rally Italia Sardegna is a special event for me, particularly after our win last year. I still have very fond memories of our entire team jumping into the harbour in celebration. We already have a couple of wins this season, but this is a technical event that we cannot take for granted. The roads are very hard and dry which can be tough on the cars, especially the tyres. Therefore, tyre choice can be crucial depending on road position and will be something we watch closely. Overall, we are happy, we are confident, and we are hopeful that we can achieve a positive result.”
Dani Sordo commented:
“I was pleased to get back onto the podium in Portugal, and to show we can fight on gravel. Sardinia is not one of my preferred events, but the second passes of the stages are nice as they are a bit cleaner and smoother. The stages themselves are very narrow so it is always difficult to build up confidence. Getting a podium in Portugal shows what we are capable of and the consistency that we have had since the beginning of the season has been encouraging. I just hope we can use this positive momentum to tackle this next challenge to the best of our ability.”
Hayden Paddon said:
“The decision for John to step down early was not an easy one, but we all felt it was best in the difficult circumstances. He will continue to play an important role in our WRC programme. Seb did a great job in Portugal, so we are looking forward to continuing the partnership in Sardinia, with John’s support and backing. I think Sardinia is one of the toughest European rallies that we do. It’s rough, it’s hot and you have to pay really special attention to the car as well. But those challenges aside, we have some good memories from there and, of course, we would like to try and repeat some of those. Most of all, we are hoping to just have a nice clean rally. We saw some signs of genuine encouragement on the final day in Portugal, so I’d like to pick up from there!”
2016 FIA World Rally Championship / Round 06 / Rally d’Italia Sardegna // June 09-12, 2016 // Worldwide Copyright: Hyundai Motorsport
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala said:
“I’m looking forward to the rally, but it’s going to be much hotter and more slippery than Portugal, with a bigger cleaning effect. Punctures are going to be the big thing: because the surface is quite hard, the roads don’t get so rough or degrade on the second passage but any loose rocks don’t get pushed back into the surface either. Instead they just stay on the road and this is what can puncture your tyre or even damage the damper. There are some things that you can do to change your driving style to try and avoid this: you have to be very careful of the rocks on the insides of corners.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Portugal (POR) – WRC 18/05/2017 to 21/05/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Juho Hänninen said:
“We did a two-day test in Sardinia before we went to Argentina. That was quite a long time ago and of course conditions were much cooler but it still gave us a good idea of what the roads were like. The advantage of the heat is that it actually makes the tyre choice a little more straightforward, so that is one less thing to worry about. Portugal was a good event for us and we learned plenty of things there, so if we can have another clean run then we have a great chance of scoring more points. I think our road position on the first day could help and then we have to make the most of the conditions to the end.”
Esapekka Lappi said:
“Sardinia has always been one of those rallies that is more about survival than raw speed: I just want to have a problem-free rally and get to the finish. I think I’m going to be trying some new parts on the car, so my job is to collect data for the team and gain more experience. We had a good result in Portugal, but that only alters the expectations from other people: it doesn’t make any difference to me personally. Before Sardinia I had a one-day test in Finland to get more of a feel about how I can set up the car. Obviously, Finland isn’t the same as Sardinia, but I did around 150 kilometres, which was useful just to try some different suspension settings.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi Racing WRT
Kris Meeke said:
“Obviously, we’ve had a couple of disappointing rounds in Argentina and Portugal. We are fully focused on getting back onto the positive trend that helped us to win in Mexico, and lead the Tour de Corse before having a technical problem. As we didn’t compete in Sardinia last year, we’re going to have to refamiliarise ourselves with the rally. The stages are technically difficult and slippery, so your driving needs to be incredibly precise, especially when the road is narrow. From a pure racing point of view, it isn’t necessarily that enjoyable to drive on this type of surface, but we’ll try hard to have a solid race. I think it’s a good thing to have Andreas in the team. He brings valuable experience and he has the potential to win rallies. We’ll work together to ensure Citroën wins.”
Craig Breen said:
“Like Argentina and Portugal, pretty much all of this rally is going to be new to us. I did recce in 2016 and we did some testing in Sardinia a few weeks ago, but that’s still not very much compared with the guys who have been competing at this event for several years. To try and compensate, I have prepared meticulously for this rally. For example, viewing on-board footage has helped us to spot the largest pitfalls and trickiest sections. After a series of fifth places, I’d be delighted to get the same result in Sardinia, before tackling more familiar events such as Poland or Finland. I’d like to say welcome to Andreas; we don’t know each other very well at the moment, but I’m looking forward to working with him!”
Andreas Mikkelsen said:
“The last few days have been exciting, seeing the Citroën Racing factory for the first time, meeting the members of the team and, of course, getting to grips with the car in the south of France. The roads used during the test were very different to those we’ll see in Sardinia, but it gave me a good idea of the potential of the Citroën C3 WRC. With the downforce and the power of the engine, the feeling in the car was good – it’s an impressive piece of machinery. We started to work on the set-up in order to adapt it to my driving style. Next weekend, I have no idea where we’ll be in relation to the other crews. We’ll have a favourable starting position for the opening leg, but the standard is so high in the WRC at the moment that we won’t be taking anything for granted. We’ll do our best on this tough event.”
D-Mack WRT
Elfyn Evans said:
“I’ve got a lot of good memories from Sardinia. It’s where I first got behind the wheel of a world rally car and I didn’t want to give it back! It’s not the easiest of rallies by a long shot, but I think it’s the challenge that I enjoy.
“There are so many factors that you need to keep in mind at an event like this. The stages are very rough and abrasive, and then there are the high temperatures. Air temperatures can be as high as 30C and those in the cockpit can get up to 50C plus!
“This will be the first time that we’re experiencing this sort of environment with our 2017 package so we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. We’ll certainly be giving it our all though, and as history has shown, anything can happen at an event like Rally Italia Sardegna.”
Onebet Jipocar WRT
Mads has become something of a jump king this year! After leaping 44 metres at Colin’s Crest in Sweden and then during Rally de Portugal he jumped 36 metres in the Fafe stage! Coming to Rally Italia Sardegna there is Micky’s Jump in the Monte Lerno stage and this will present another opportunity to get a big jump in!
Mads Østberg said:
“Really, I`m not driving rallies to jump the farthest! It`s not intentional that we have been flying so far this season, but it has been fun and has resulted in a lot of positive publicity. My co-driver Ola has been into it just as much, he is just laughing when we are touching the ground again. We have fun in the car and that is actually very positive.”
“We are aiming to put together a whole event without punctures or other technical problems. We won two stages in Portugal and generally the speed was satisfying, but several minutes time loss with a wheel change on one stage just destroyed our chances.”
Talking about his team, Mads explains the great spirit that has brought them together.
“We are developing together and that gives me strong motivation. It may be a small team, but there are some very creative and smart minds among us. The idea with the shiny and reflective gold roof on the car, that we ran in Portugal, is just an example of this. It really lowered the temperature inside the car, and will certainly be essential also in Sardinia with very high temperatures and lots of sun expected during the event.”
“Argentine, Portugal and Sardinia comes one after the other and has lots of similarities. They are all technical demanding gravel rallies, and that’s a type of rally I like a lot. All three rallies have rough and narrow gravel roads, but there are some differences. In Sardinia starting positions are more important as there normally is a fine layer of sand and loose gravel on top when we drive the stages first time through. There are also more loose stones and rocks. Our starting position when the rally proper begins on Friday should be an advantage, but we are not alone in having that advantage.”
With the recce starting today for all the teams, drivers and co-drivers, creating those pace notes, making sure that the cars are fully prepared for the event, we are set for another very exciting rally.
Can Thierry win a third rally, or will we see Kris get to the top step again? What about Andreas in his first drive for Citroen? Could Ott Tanak finally get his first victory?
After the recent rebranding of Formula 2 following the Liberty Media takeover, the first whisperings have appeared of the technical changes that are to follow. Series boss Bruno Michel has revealed some details of the new spec car that will be introduced for the 2018 season, which will bring them more in line with the new model of F1 car launched for 2017. While the finer details of the new specifications are yet to be released, there is the need to question whether or not these changes are what Formula 2 needs to move forward as a series.
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Thursday 30 March 2017 Norman Nato (FRA) Pertamina Arden Photo: Malcolm Griffiths/FIA Formpula 2 ref: Digital Image MALC8799
The most dramatic change will be the engine. Though it will continue to be supplied by Mecachrome, from 2018 onwards, engines for the Formula 2 series will be V6 rather than V8. The new six-cylinder specification will bring the regulations in line with GP3 and, more importantly, with Formula 1 as well. In an effort to keep costs down, the engines will not follow the hybrid model of F1, but will be turbocharged.
This marks the first change in engine specification since GP2 was founded in 2005. Motorsport purists, who enjoy the sounds of F2’s current V8 engine, will be disappointed to hear that go, but the real problem lies in the potential cost.
Keeping down the price of Formula 2, and other feeder categories of motorsport, has long been in the mission statement of the FIA, and so long as the upgrade is handled correctly, then the financial repercussions of the new regulations should not impact upon teams too much. However, the risk is there, and it will be up to the FIA, working together with Mecachrome, to ensure that Formula 2 still remains accessible for teams and drivers alike.
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Thursday 30 March 2017 Antonio Fuoco (ITA) PREMA RACING Photo: Malcolm Griffiths/FIA Formpula 2 ref: Digital Image MALC8251
Plans for a new aerodynamic package have been vague for the time being, though Michel did indicate that they would replicate the new 2017 F1 regulations more closely than they currently do. Such a move is entirely necessary if Formula 2 is to act as a step ladder for Formula 1, since the difference between the two categories is currently rather striking.
It is unlikely that in 2018 the drivers will be facing the levels of G-force that F1 drivers do, but the experience of driving the two sets of machinery will become more comparable. Ideally, these aero regulations would have been introduced for the 2017 season, as there is now the threat that F2 will be placed in a cycle whereby they are constantly playing catch up with F1, always a season behind.
While there will be changes to the engine and aerodynamics, statements made by Bruno Michel suggest that the Pirelli tyres run by Formula 2 will remain largely unchanged. Michel has been vocal about wanting to maintain the high degradation tyres currently used by the series, and ruling out a move towards the much wider models that are now being used in Formula 1. This is one decision that definitely poses a problem for drivers graduating from F2 to F1, and other categories with lower degradation tyres.
Such was the case for 2016 GP2 runner-up Antonio Giovinazzi who filled in for Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber F1 team for the first couple of races of the 2017 season. After the Australian Grand Prix the Italian admitted he drove too conservatively on the supersoft tyres, on account of expecting the degradation to be similar to that which he had experienced in GP2. While high degradation tyres are part of the excitement and appeal of Formula 2, keeping it as its current levels runs the risk of providing young drivers with the wrong kind of preparation for their senior racing careers.
The announcements by Michel do make it clear that the FIA is committed to developing Formula 2, following their acquisition of the series earlier in the year. In the meantime, we will have to wait until 2018 to see whether or not these changes will be a step in the right direction.
