2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Monte-Carlo, Monaco Saturday 13 May 2017. Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16. Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image 585A1174
Sébastien Buemi has extended his championship lead by taking a commanding victory from pole in the 2017 Monaco ePrix.
The Swiss driver came into the event with much to prove, following a difficult last round in Mexico City, and immediately reestablished himself by topping both practice sessions before becoming the season’s fifth different polesitter in as many races.
From there, he rarely had cause to look back—a good start off the line saw off any challenge into Sainte Devote from front row rival Lucas di Grassi, and over the course of the opening stint he set about building up a five-second gap back to the rest of the pack.
Behind Buemi, Mexico City winner di Grassi settled into a rhythm in second place, whilst third became a hotly-contested duel between Nelson Piquet and Jean-Éric Vergne. Maro Engel, who qualified an impressive fifth in Venturi’s home ePrix, lost out to Nick Heidfeld at the start, as did Heidfeld’s teammate Felix Rosenqvist. Further back, Stéphane Sarrazin stalled on the grid and fell to the back of the field.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Monte-Carlo, Monaco Saturday 13 May 2017. Maro Engel (GER), Venturi, Spark-Venturi, Venturi VM200-FE-02. Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _X0W0950
Piquet and Vergne continued to fight for position right from the off, but as the race approached its halfway mark their battle was brought to an abrupt halt.
Vergne had been making several attempts to pass Piquet around the outside of the Nouvelle Hairpin and appeared to finally make the move stick on lap 21, only to make contact with the NextEV on the exit of the corner and be forced into the barriers.
Piquet was able to continue on back to the pits, albeit after losing third place to Heidfeld, but Vergne’s race was over—to make matters worse, the Frenchman also picked up an injury to his right hand, which could hurt his chances in next weekend’s Paris ePrix.
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Monte-Carlo, Monaco Saturday 13 May 2017. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA), Techeetah, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16, walks back the pits. Photo: Malcolm Griffiths/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image MALC2047
Their accident triggered a safety car, which in turn caused a flurry of action in the pits as the entire field stopped within the first few neutralised laps.
On lap 26 the race resumed, and Buemi launched into a second’s advantage over di Grassi almost straight away. But this time, the Renault driver was unable to leave his main rival completely in his mirrors, and in the closing laps di Grassi managed to slash the gap down to mere tenths.
Formula E
However, despite forcing Buemi to defend through the Swimming Pool complex on the final lap, di Grassi was unable to find a way through and prevent Buemi taking his fourth victory in five races.
Nick Heidfeld finished some thirteen seconds behind in the third place he inherited from Nelson Piquet, taking his second podium of the season, whilst Piquet himself recovered from his contact with Vergne to take fourth.
Maro Engel fought off a resolute challenge from Felix Rosenqvist to cross the line in fifth, his best result in Formula E so far. Daniel Abt battled his way into the top ten after a disappointing qualifying to finish seventh, and Esteban Gutiérrez continued his profitable start in Formula E by taking four points in eighth, somewhat consoling Techeetah for Vergne’s retirement.
António Félix da Costa originally returned Andretti to the points for the first time since Hong Kong by finishing ninth, but was penalised for an unsafe release and dropped back to eleventh in the final classification. This promoted Nico Prost to ninth, and gifted the final point to Jaguar’s Mitch Evans.
Dragon and DS Virgin both endured torrid afternoons with both of their respective duos joining Vergne in retirement, although Sam Bird did manage to bring home a single point for his team by setting the fastest lap.
Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Saturday 13 May 2017. World Copyright: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Images ref: Digital Image _31I4862
Lewis Hamilton secured his 64th career pole position ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix with a blistering time of 1.19.194 – nearly three seconds quicker than the time to beat last year, again set by the number 44 car.
The Mercedes man edged out nearest rival Sebastian Vettel, who will start alongside the Brit after crossing the line .051 seconds behind his title challenger and managing to split what looked set to be the Silver Arrows’ fourth consecutive lockout at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
It was a particularly impressive result for the German who, if it were not for his experience, would have been starting alongside Daniil Kvyat at the back of the grid after receiving team instructions to turn the engine off at the start of Q1.
This came as a result of Ferrari mechanics having to complete a full engine change before the beginning of qualifying in under two hours, and seemingly being unable to cure a water leakage which occurred at the end of FP3.
However, Vettel questioned the radio communications and managed to alter in-car settings to remain on track and boost his chances of maintaining the Driver’s Championship lead come the end of tomorrow’s race.
It was not the start Mercedes wanted in terms of reliability on Saturday morning either, with Valtteri Bottas also suffering from a similar engine issue overnight meaning the Finn had very little time out on track during FP3; a session in which Ferrari dominated with Kimi Raikkonen setting the fastest lap; .242 ahead of his teammate and .381 in front of Hamilton.
But the two countrymen will line-up together on the second row of the grid after both lost time in sector three whilst seemingly on course to pip pole position– with the chicane catching several drivers out throughout the weekend including Hamilton, Vettel, Max Verstappen and particularly Romain Grosjean – who starts 14th after abandoning his final lap in Q2 following a second lock-up of the afternoon.
The top six is completed by the two Red Bulls with, as has been the case all weekend so far, Verstappen coming out on top of their battle for supremacy, with Daniel Ricciardo seemingly struggling to match the pace of his Dutch teammate.
It was here 12 months ago the exciting youngster truly arrived on the F1 scene after a collision between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg allowed the former Toro Rosso man to take a maiden victory for the senior team. Something when asked if it could be repeated this year Verstappen joked would have to be involving the top four for him to stand any chance of taking away full points again.
Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso was somehow able to drag the McLaren up to seventh on the starting grid after more technical issues on Friday which forced the Spaniard to take some time way from the track to de-stress achieved by a game of tennis, seemed to be yet another episode in the long-line of disasters this season.
But the veteran was able to overcome no time on the track in FP1 and the colossal achievement sparked celebrations similar to those of the days the 35-year-old became a double world champion with Renault, leaving a sad comparison to see how much the great has fallen.
It was not all smiles in the McLaren garage however as Stoffel Vandoorne was unable to match the heroics of his teammate and lines up alongside Kvyat at the back of the grid – who claimed there was something broken on the car following the session.
There were similar looks of disappointment etched across the faces of Lance Stroll and Joylon Palmer, who both had Q1’s to forget and will begin Sunday’s race on the second row from the back.
It will be especially disappointing for the Renault driver after the Brit set a solid pace in Friday’s FP1 and FP2 and arrived in high spirits ahead of Saturday’s sessions only to comment after stating he was unhappy in the car and that it seemed to have lost its speed overnight.
Teammate Nico Hulkenberg was also unable to continue his good qualifying run which had seen him secure a place in Q3 for the last three consecutive races. The German’s 1.21.397 leaves him 12th on the tomorrow’s grid, again a disappointment following the weekend’s previous sessions.
A Look Ahead
The Silver Arrows and Hamilton will be hoping they can repeat the standings of FP1, FP2 and all of qualifying in which the three-time world champion secured top spot.
However, Vettel and Raikkonen will take spirit from their FP3 dominance and believe they have what it takes to force Mercedes all the way.
One thing that was certainly noticeable throughout both Friday and Saturday are the upgrades that have been placed on and in both the Mercedes and Ferrari’s ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix seem to have improved all four cars, however have not dampened the ferocity of the teams’ rivalry and it is sure to be another tense encounter in Barcelona.
When I wrote that this is the modern-day Acropolis Rally, I meant it. It’s tough on the cars and drivers. We saw all sorts of problems, and through it all, the margin between first and second place came down to just seven tenths of a second.
A reminder then of the 18 stages that made this year’s Rally Argentina such a thriller!
FRIDAY 28 APRIL
7.00am: Service A (Villa Carlos Paz – 15 min)
8.38am: SS2 – San Agustin – Villa General Belgrano 1 (19.95km)
9.41am: SS3 – Amboy / Santa Monica 1 (20.44km)
10.24am: SS4 – Santa Rosa / San Agustin 1 (23.85km)
12.29pm: SS5 – Super Especial Fernet Branca 1 (6.04km)
1.09pm: Service B (Villa Carlos Paz – 30 min)
3.02pm: SS6 – San Agustin – Villa General Belgrano 2 (19.95km)
4.05pm: SS7 – Amboy / Santa Monica 2 (20.44km)
4.48pm: SS8 – Santa Rosa / San Agustin 2 (23.85km)
7.08pm: SS9 – Super Especial Fernet Branca 2 (6.04km)
7.43pm: Flexi Service C (Villa Carlos Paz – 45 min)
SATURDAY 29 APRIL
7.20am: Service D (Villa Carlos Paz – 15 min)
8.08am: SS10 – Tanti – Villa Bustos 1 (20.80km)
9.21am: SS11 – Los Gigantes – Cantera El Condor 1 (38.68km)
10.14am: SS12 – Boca del Arroyo – Bajo del Pungo 1 (20.52km)
12.04pm: Service E (Villa Carlos Paz – 30 min)
1.08pm: SS13 – Tanti – Villa Bustos 2 (20.80km)
2.21pm: SS14 – Los Gigantes – Cantera El Condor 2 (38.68km)
3.14pm: SS15 – Boca del Arroyo – Bajo del Pungo 2 (20.52km)
5.04pm: Flexi Service F (Villa Carlos Paz – 45 min)
SUNDAY 30 APRIL
7.15am: Service G (Villa Carlos Paz – 15 min)
9.13am: SS16 – El Condor – Copina (16.32km)
10.56am: SS17 – Mina Clavero – Giulio Cesare (22.64km)
12.18pm: SS18 – Power Stage El Condor (16.32km)
1.41pm: Service H (Villa Carlos Paz – 10 min)
2.01pm: Finish
On Thursday morning shakedown showed that once again the cars were pretty close to each other.
Stage one was held on the Thursday evening and the short 1,75km stage would confirm the close pace!
The leaderboard would look as so.
1. Ogier 1:53.8
2. Evans +0:00,9
3. Sordo +0:00,9
4. Neuville +0:01,6
5. Latvala +0:02,1
6. Ostberg +0:02,4
7. Paddon +0:02,5
8. Meeke +0:02,7
9. Tanak +0:03,1
10. Hanninen +0:03,8
It was a cold start on Friday morning and Elfyn Evans in his D-Mack shod Fiesta would power through and take the lead on the 19,95km stage at an average speed of 94,2km. Clearly road position would be an advantage to those further down in the championship standings. Ogier could only manage seventh fastest after sliding wide on a left-hander. Kris was the closest challenger to the young welsh wizard, just a few seconds behind in his Citroen C3. Dani was also enjoying a good start to the event! Ogier would slide wide after a wrong pacenote, and would drop some time. Hayden would roll in this stage, but not in a big way. He would lose two and a half minutes though.
SS2 – San Agustin – Villa General Belgrano 1 (19,95km)
1. Evans – 12:42,3 (94,2kph)
2. Meeke +0:04,6
3. Sordo +0:06,9
Stage three next of course, and there was drama for Dani, who ran wide and damaged a steering arm. Whilst he replaced it, he would lose 11 minutes!
SS3 – Amboy – Saint Monica 1 (20,44km)
1. Evans – 10:18,8 (118,9kph)
2. Meeke +0:02,3
3. Tanak +0:02,7
Stage four next, and there would be big drama for both Kris and Craig in their Citroen’s! Kris would roll in the stage after hitting a bump in the road which launched the car into a big roll. Incredibly, Craig would hit the same bump, and this would damage his gearbox leaving him stuck in fifth gear. With the demise of Kris, Jari-Matti would move into second place overall and Mads third! His secret plan was working well!
SS4 – Santa Rosa – San Agustin 1 (23,85km)
1. Evans – 13:44,8 (104,1kph)
2. Latvala +0:02,8
3. Tanak +0:05,6
The short six km stage before service was next. Elfyn was driving really well and now had increased his lead to thirty seconds!
SS5 – Super Especial Parque Tematico (6,04km)
1. Evans – 4:43,5 (76,7kph)
2. Neuville +0:02,2
3. Ostberg +0:03,4
Stage six then, and Jari-Matti would get some problems with overheating in his Toyota, and he just could not understand why there was a problem! It was a great time though for Mads, and he would move ahead of Jari-Matti into second place overall!
SS6 – San Agustin – Villa General Belgrano 2 (19,95km)
1. Evans – 12:35,9 (95,0kph)
2. Neuville +0:08,7
3. Ostberg +0:12,0
Stage seven next and Seb would start to push hard and move up as would Thierry in his Hyundai. Hayden would go well though here as well, clearly getting back in the groove.
SS7 – Amboy – Santa Monica 2 (20,44km)
1. Evans – 10:21,1 (118,5kph)
2. Paddon +0:00,0
3. Ostberg +0:00,1
Hayden would go one better in the next stage, becoming the first driver to beat Elfyn all day in a stage. The big mover was Thierry, who moved from fifth overall, into third and only ten seconds behind the flying Mads!
SS8 – Santa Rosa – San Agustin 2 (23,85km)
1. Paddon – 13:39,0 (104,8kph)
2. Evans +0:04,0
3. Neuville +0:07,1
So the final stage of the day, and this would be won by Thierry, but Elfyn would remain in the lead, from Mads, who was now just five seconds ahead of Thierry.
SS9 – Super Especial Parque Tematico 2 (6,04km)
1. Neuville – 4:49,4 (75,1kph)
2. Latvala +0:00,3
3. Ogier +0:01,4
Here’s the thoughts then of the top three at the end of the first day.
Elfyn Evans (1st) said:
“It’s been a really positive day for us – everything has been working well and we got ourselves into a pretty good rhythm from the word go. I’ve really enjoyed the driving and what more can I say…? The car has performed really well and the driver’s not been too bad either!
“We’re really glad to be here with no dramas and in such a strong position. But we need to remember that there is still a long way to go. The stages tomorrow are really nice, but quite challenging and we’re expecting another tough day out there which is always the case in Argentina.
“But right now, it feels pretty good. Tomorrow, we just need to go out there and continue to enjoy it. We’ll try not to think too much about the result and just focus on ourselves as if it’s a brand new day.”
Mads Østberg (2nd) said:
I had a good feeling before the start, but still a bit unsure of where we would find ourselves after the first stages as I have not competed since Sweden. But the day has been good and has confirmed that the development work we have done on the car, has been successful
The result today is a team effort. We have a small but competent team, and everybody is working in the same direction. I got a very good feeling during our test in Portugal in the beginning of April, when I felt that the whole team worked according to my own ideas for set-up of the car. We all have the same goal and that is to fight for podiums in the WRC, which is exactly what we are doing right now.
I really didn`t know what to expect, even if I felt the speed was good. Now I have got that confirmation and we will continue working to go even faster. Tomorrow will be a long and tough day and tyre choice and strategy will be important, but we will push as hard as we can to stay in the fight for a podium.
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Argentina (ARG) – WRC 26/04/2017 to 30/04/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Thierry Neuville (3rd) commented:
“We are pretty happy to end today in third place overall considering just how difficult it has been for everyone. Argentina has always been a demanding event but that is the case even more so this weekend. We had a hard morning loop. A lot of things happened in the stages so we were pleased to make it to service. We picked up some damage to the rear damper, which meant we couldn’t push and didn’t feel as comfortable. The mechanics did an exceptional job over lunchtime to get all our team’s cars ready for the afternoon. Although it was still tricky, I felt better and we could make up some positions to keep firmly in the podium fight. There’s a long way to go!”
M-Sport WRT
Sébastien Ogier (4th) said:
“Like expected, it’s been a tough day and difficult for everyone. Many people had a lot of trouble and, on top of that, we knew that we would suffer from opening the road. We were fighting as much as we could and I’m happy with where we are tonight. We’re still in a good fight for the podium and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
“We will keep pushing and tomorrow should be a much more enjoyable day. These long stages are very beautiful and I’m sure we will have good fun driving them.
“Elfyn has had incredible speed today and no one could match his performance. It’s been an impressive drive from him and Dan. If they continue like this then no one will have a chance of catching them. But of course, we always need to remember that there is still a long way to go.”
Ott Tänak (5th) said:
“It’s been a tricky day. We knew that this rally would be hard on the cars and my plan was always to drive quite safely and to look after the car. Maybe we were a bit too cautious in some of the rougher sections, but we made it through which has been the most important thing today.
“On the smoother sections, we’ve still been driving quite fast and the times have been okay so I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to fight for at least second place tomorrow.
“It’s still all very close and anything can happen. Tomorrow’s stages aren’t as rough as the ones we saw today and they should be easier on the cars – and for sure more enjoyable to drive.
“There’s still a long way to go but I’m looking forward to a good battle tomorrow.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala (6th)
“I was surprised by how rough it was right from the very first stage: we hit the sump guard hard in about five places, so I knew it was going to be tough. In the afternoon conditions were even rougher, with all the cars having already passed through the stage once, so we raised our car to play safe. This set-up was definitely safer, but I didn’t feel so confident with it. On stage eight we were avoiding a rock, went wide, and put the tyre off the rim. There were about 15 kilometres to go and we drove on the rim to the finish, which is where we lost the time. That was bad luck, but at least we are still here and ready to improve some more over the next challenging two days.”
Juho Hänninen (9th)
“It was really rough all day, which meant that you focused simply on getting through the stages. In the morning, we had a power loss, which cost us a bit of time, but we were able to find the problem and fix it at service easily. Then we had no issues for the rest of the day. In the morning, we also lost part of the aero package over the bumps: it made the handling quite tricky but it was still OK. Tomorrow, we will hopefully be able to make up some more places: this is definitely a rally of endurance.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Hayden Paddon (7th) said: “Things definitely went better in the afternoon! Conditions have been very rough out there today. It’s a lot tougher this year, especially with the extra speed for the new cars. In the first stage of the day, we were caught out at a hairpin and the car rolled. It was very slow and thankfully we could get out and get it back over. The car wasn’t quite as competitive as it was before but we were still in the rally. The team worked fantastically at service to get us ready for the afternoon. It is good to take our first stage win of the season, but we know this will be a rally of attrition so we have plenty still to fight for.”
John Kennard (NZL) seen after crash during the FIA World Rally Championship 2017 in Carloz-Paz, Argentina on April 28, 2017
Dani Sordo (13th) said: “It was really bad luck! There were lots of loose rocks and I knew it would be hard on the cars. We reached a fast-right-hand corner in the second stage this morning and touched something on the inside. The result was a broken steering arm, which we had to stop and fix. We just lost so much time. It’s hugely disappointing because I really enjoy this rally and the car felt quick. Thanks to the team, we could continue into the afternoon. My aim now is to try and make the most of the weekend and see what we can pick up.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Kris Meeke
“This fourth stage turned into something of a nightmare for the team, since both cars were forced to retire at the same time. It’s a shame because before that, my pace was good and I was holding second place behind Elfyn. Then we were surprised by this bump in the road: it just launched the car and I couldn’t regain control before the next corner. We hit the bank on the outside of the corner and rolled. It wasn’t a massive crash, but it did a lot of damage to the car.”
Craig Breen
“Right from the start this morning, I had moments in several places, the road surface was just so difficult to judge. I wasn’t pushing that much, but I knew that’s what I needed to do and stay patient. On the fourth stage, I was caught out by this compression on a fast-left-hand corner. The bottom of the car hit the ground hard and that damaged the gearbox. We tried to keep going to make it to service, but oil leaked out and we had to retire. We’ll be back tomorrow to keep picking up experience.”
Top ten at the end of the first day
1. Evans 1:24:55,4
2. Ostberg +0:55,7
3. Neuville +1:00,7
4. Ogier +1:06,7
5. Tanak +1:11,3
6. Latvala +1:29,9
7. Paddon +3:41,8
8. Bertelli +4:13,9
9. Hanninen +4:48,6
10. Tidemand +6:32.3
Day two then and could anyone catch Elfyn and Dan in their D-Mack Fiesta with the six stages and 160km of stages? Seb didn’t have a good start and had to avoid a dog and then he got stuck in a water splash, losing him more time. Thierry had a huge moment on the exit of a right-hander, nearly spinning which caused a puncture on the rear right tyre. The sun was so low, that he couldn’t see the apex of the corner and went in too fast. In the same stage Mads lost his rear diffuser and then also started to spin in the same corner as Thierry. He’d also started to get hydraulic problems, meaning that his handbrake was not working and the centre diff was affected as well. Elfyn did a great stage and won it, extending his lead over Thierry, but how impressive was the Belgian, only eight tenths down from the young Welshman?! Kris returned to the fray with a rebuilt C3, going third fastest.
SS10 – Tanti – Villa Bustos 1 (20,8km)
1. Evans – 11:00,2 (113,4kph)
2. Neuville +0:00,8
3. Meeke +0:02,1
Kris would win stage eleven, showing good pace in his Citroen and Ott would go ahead of Seb in this stage as well and in doing so close on Mads who was really struggling without his rear diffuser.
SS11 – Los Gigantes – Cantera El Condor 1 (38,68km)
1. Meeke – 20:01,6 (115,9kph)
2. Neuville +0:00,6
3. Tanak +0:01,5
Stage twelve would see another mistake from Seb, running wide and having to rejoin the road, costing him more precious seconds. Kris won the stage, with Mads just behind, clearly getting a handle of his car woes. There was a little drama though for Elfyn who misheard a note from Dan and they picked up a puncture on the right rear.
SS12 – Boca del Arroyo – Bajo del Pungo 1 (20,52km)
1. Meeke – 13:18,2 (92,5kph)
2. Ostberg +0:01,1
3. Tanak +0:01,8
Stage thirteen now and Ott was on a mission targeting both Mads and Thierry ahead of him. The smoother roads were suiting his style and he got past Mads into third place and was only nine seconds down on Thierry.
SS13 – Tanti – Villa Bustos 2 (20,8km)
1. Tanak – 10:47,9 (115,6kph)
2. Ogier +0:01,2
3. Meeke +0:01,8
Stage fourteen would see the retirement of Mads. He hit a rock and damaged the right-rear suspension. A sorry end after a massively heroic drive. Thierry was right in the groove now and closing on Elfyn. Hardly a surprise given that he’d lost downforce at the rear of the car. Sadly, this was the stage which saw Kris roll spectacularly out. The car was totaled and they were out.
SS14 – Los Gigantes – Cantera El Condor 2 (38,68km)
1. Tanak – 19:45,5 (117,5kph)
2. Neuville +0:00,0
3. Paddon +0:02,0
Stage fifteen would see Thierry close even more, going nearly 19 seconds faster than Elfyn with Ott and Hayden second and third fastest.
SS 15 – Boca del Arroyo – Bajo del Pungo 1 (20,52km)
1. Neuville 12:59,5 (94,8kph)
2. Tanak +0:06,9
3. Paddon +0:10,4
That was the last stage of the day, and Elfyns’ lead was just 11.9 seconds. Could he hang on and take his maiden WRC victory, or would Thierry nick it?
1. Evans 2:40:27,3
2. Neuville +0:30,4
3. Tanak +0:38,8
4. Ogier +0:57,2
5. Latvala +1:25,1
6. Paddon +4:35,2
7. Bertelli +8:02,0
8. Hanninen +8:43,4
9. Sordo +13:20,3
10. Tidemand +13:57.5
Let’s hear then from all of the drivers, starting with the top three.
Elfyn Evans (1st) said:
“We’ve not had the best of days with a few issues here and there. Some small mistake from myself and a few little niggles with the car have dented our advantage quite a lot, but it’s still an advantage and it’s all to play for tomorrow.
“We’re here to do a job so we’ll focus on that and do the best we possibly can. There’s still a hard 50 kilometres to go and anything can happen, but we’ll be giving it our all.
“After all the hard work over the past two days, we didn’t come here to finish second. If Thierry wants this victory, we’re going to make him fight for it!”
Thierry Neuville (2nd) commented:
“We couldn’t have asked for more from our Saturday. The day didn’t start too well after I got caught out on the opening stage, and picked up a puncture. Things improved after that and we were able to catch Mads to extend our grasp on second place. The balance of the car was good and for the most part I felt comfortable. We gave a bit of a push in the final stages to try and reduce the gap to Elfyn, which we were able to do. The aim is always to win but it’s going to be a tough fight, not only for the victory but also to defend our current position from those chasing behind us. We will see what happens!”
Ott Tänak (3rd) said:
“It was always the plan to play it quite safe through the first day. Maybe we were a bit too cautious in places, but today it was a lot easier on the car and we could enjoy the driving a lot more.
“I think it was a good drive from us today. We made some quite big changes to the car during service and things got even better in the afternoon.
“Tomorrow will be a really tough day with two very tricky stages. In these stages, 20 seconds is nothing so we need to keep going and keep concentrated. Anything is possible so we’ll keep focused and keep pushing.”
Sébastien Ogier (4th) said:
“We’ve had some small issues today and struggled to find the speed that we wanted. This morning we had some problems with the rear of the car. It felt very unstable but the team changed everything during the midday service and it felt a lot better after that.
“We had a good first stage in the afternoon, but I started to struggle again towards the end of the loop. During the last stage, in particular we had massive wheel-spin which knocked our confidence.
“It’s not been the day we wanted and we’re not in the best position to fight for the podium, but with these two stages a lot can still happen. Our target will be to get through them without issue and then see what we can gain from the Power Stage. We still have to push, because anything can still happen.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala (5th)
“We started the day really well, although in the morning it was tricky to see because the sun was in my eyes. The second stage of the morning loop was actually where I had an accident last year, so I was maybe a little bit too careful. We’re more or less there on pace, but we’re missing just a little bit; I’m not entirely sure what it is. I seem to be losing small chunks of time to the leaders; I think maybe through being a little bit too aggressive in the corners. But still we’re going to keep the pressure on and see how it goes. The final day tomorrow is a bit shorter, but it’s still going to be one of the most challenging days of the whole rally.”
Juho Hänninen (7th)
“The car felt a bit nervous today in the rough conditions but it was reliable, although not so easy to drive. I just wanted to be careful and make sure that we got to the end with no problems. In the end, we managed to do that and even make up some places. I’ve obviously been talking with the engineers and we think we can make some changes to make the car better for me tomorrow. Again, the priority will be to have a clean day and try to score some points.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Hayden Paddon (6th) said:
“I was happy with our speed in the morning loop, considering our road position. We had a good feeling in the car and were preparing to push in the afternoon. A broken roll bar in the first stage of the repeat loop was definitely not what we wanted. We had to fix that and in doing so we were six minutes late to check-in for the following stage, incurring a time penalty. Generally, though, the stages today were smooth, flowing and enjoyable to drive. There was still a bit of frustration over what happened on Friday because without that we could have been in the fight for second place – and, from there, who knows what could have happened. We can’t dwell on that, though. We will instead aim to finish the rally strongly and secure some valuable Championship points for a top-six finish.”
Dani Sordo (9th) said: “Being first on the road today made it almost impossible to set good times, but these are the rules. We’ve had very little luck this weekend, but I am sure it will be better next time. We simply wanted to go out there and enjoy ourselves. We have benefited from other crews’ misfortune to make up some positions, and we are now inside the top-ten. Tomorrow, we will adopt a similar approach, trying to bring the car home safely and then look forward to Portugal.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Kris Meeke
“This morning, I was pleased to be able to repay my mechanics for the incredible job they did in repairing the car last night with two stage wins. It was also good to be able to contest these stages, which are new for all the crews, and find some good pace with the car again. On SS14, I lost control of the car on a very fast corner. I oversteered, the car span and we hit a bank. We were then thrown into a series of rolls…”
The final day dawned bright and warm. Thierry was poised, but could Elfyn get that win?
Stage 16 beckoned and Ott continued his push, winning the stage. Elfyn lost more time, after experiencing brakes that would not work at first, but then came back to him later in the stage. His lead was now 9 seconds.
SS16 El Condor – Copina (16,32km)
1. Tanak 13:07,0
2. Neuville +0:01,3
3. Evans +0:03,8
Stage 17 and Thierry flew through the stage, an incredible 8.4 seconds faster and this meant that the gap was just 6 tenths of a second, with Elfyn just in the lead. Elfyn’s car started to overheat again. One stage remained.
SS17 Mina Clavero – Giulio Cesare (22,64km)
1. Neuville 18:05,0 (75,1kph)
2. Evans +0:08.4
3. Breen +0:11,7
It was time for the final stage and Thierry won the stage. The question was, could Elfyn do enough to keep the Hyundai driver behind? Well, 5.7km into the stage, Elfyn was 3.1 seconds up on Thierry! Mega drive! Coming to a bridge, the Fiesta rear slid and hit the post. He lost all of his advantage there sadly crossing the line 1.3 seconds slower in the stage. Thierry had won the event by seven tenths of a second, the closest finish for six years!
SS18 El Condor (16,32km)
1. Neuville 3:38:10.6
2. Evans +0.7
3. Tanak +29.9
It’s his second victory in a row and takes him closer to second place in the world championship. Let’s hear what the top three had to say then.
Thierry Neuville (1st) commented:
“I cannot believe it. I have never had such a nerve-wracking final few minutes of a rally in my career. It’s an amazing result and I have to say thanks first of all to the team for everything they’ve done. Congratulations also to Elfyn, who put up an incredible fight this weekend. I gave it absolutely everything I had in today’s final stages. After the difficult start to the rally, I would have been happy to take second but it’s a special feeling to win again. It has been an exciting but crazy rally from the start, so to come away with the victory is fantastic. We wanted to build up our momentum after Corsica and this was the perfect way to do just that. To have the Power Stage win is just the icing on the cake and gives us a very important boost in the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship. We could not have asked for more.”
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 05, Rally Argentina 27-30 April 2017 Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Photographer: Austral Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Elfyn Evans (2nd) said:
“We’ve got mixed emotions at the end of this one. It’s obviously disappointing to have missed out on victory by such a fine margin but it was definitely a rally of two halves.
“Thierry had his own problems on Friday whilst we had a really good day and were able to establish a fairly reasonable lead. But it was a case of role reversal over the next two days.
“Thierry drove really well and no one can take that away from him, but we had a fair amount of problems – some self-inflicted and some not. To be honest, we didn’t have a clean run since the opening stage on Saturday morning so it was a big push to keep the battle so close.
“It’s a long story and I could probably write a list as long as my arm for why we didn’t manage to make it stick this weekend – but all credit to Thierry. He’s driven really well and from our side there are still a lot of positives that we can take away.
“When everything was working well, our speed was really strong. We just need to make sure that we learn from this weekend and come back stronger.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Argentina (ARG) – WRC 26/04/2017 to 30/04/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Ott Tänak (3rd) said:
“It’s been a very good weekend for us. In the past I’ve not been so lucky here so we decided to change the approach and had a clear strategy of what we wanted to do.
“We played it safe through the rough stages on Friday – maybe a bit too safe to be honest as we gave a lot of time away. But since Saturday morning when the conditions became a lot smoother we have been on the pace.
“The guys at the front have been really on it today so we weren’t able to build on third position, but we come away with another podium and some good points so we’re happy with that.
“Coming up next, Portugal is one of my favourite rallies. I’m really excited to get back to Europe and tackle some of the more ‘traditional’ gravel events. We’re in a strong position in both championships and the plan will be to build on that as the season continues.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Argentina (ARG) – WRC 26/04/2017 to 30/04/2017 – PHOTO : @World
The rest of the drivers
M-Sport WRT
Sébastien Ogier (4th) said:
“It’s been a very difficult weekend for us. For much of the rally we’ve had a strange feeling with the car and lacked confidence as a result. For the moment, we’re not sure what is causing the issue so we’ll have to look into that before the next event and ensure we get to the bottom of it.
“Regarding the hard weekend, we’ve had, to score 14 points is not too bad and we’re still leading the championship which is the most important thing.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Argentina (ARG) – WRC 26/04/2017 to 30/04/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala (5th)
“The final day of the rally was consistent. I tried not to be a superhero and just finish the rally safely! Our car is very tough, we can say that for sure, and we certainly improved the performance compared to the last gravel round in Mexico. We got one point for the Power Stage and took fifth overall, but the most important thing was that we kept our consistent run of points that we had from Monte-Carlo, and so the championship stays open. It’s incredible, but in all of my career I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to the front after just five rallies. Now I’m looking forward to the next test and the next rally, so that we can keep on making the car better.”
Juho Hänninen (7th)
“Our last day went without a problem and that was good because I needed to finish. We drove quite carefully as there was some big gaps in front and behind us, so no point in taking any risks. El Condor was actually much rougher than I expected, so my goal was just to bring the car back in one piece. In general this has been an extremely tough and demanding rally, with some especially rough roads, but now we have got to the end of it, scored some points, and learned a lot, so I am happy.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Argentina (ARG) – WRC 26/04/2017 to 30/04/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Hyundai Motorsport
Hayden Paddon (6th) said: “You could not have written a script more opposite to what we had here last season. We’ve gone from a career high to a result that is much lower on the scale. I just can’t believe our luck. Our issue on Friday was long behind us as we started to show some improved performance. There was not much we could do about our position but we wanted to build a rhythm. I didn’t have the feeling with the car in this morning’s stages, and that culminated with a power steering problem in the Power Stage. We struggled to the finish but sixth place is not where we want to be.”
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 05, Rally Argentina 27-30 April 2017 Hayden Paddon, John Kennard, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Photographer: Austral Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Dani Sordo (8th) said: “It has been a horrible weekend for us. The rally was over almost as soon as it had begun, really. When you lose so much time early on in the event, as we did, it is impossible to regain that. We just had to concentrate on bringing the car to the end but even that was difficult. The puncture on El Condor came at the beginning of the stage, and it typified our luck this weekend. Incredibly unfortunate and it’s a shame because I feel that we had the car to do better. I just want to put this behind us and look ahead to Portugal.”
Well, what an amazing event! Just incredible. Elfyn will win this season I believe. What about Thierry as well? He’s definitely offering up a challenge for this year’s title. Seb is doing just enough to remain in front with his fourth-place finish. Finally, Kris and Citroen, what must they be thinking? Their season has to be due some luck soon.
The fifth round of the 2017 Formula 1 championship beckons this weekend with the paddock descending on Barcelona for the start of the “European” leg of the F1 calendar. The trip to Circuit de Catalunya will see Sauber F1 introduce an aerodynamic upgrade to the car, as they hope to open their points tally at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The circuit should not spring any surprises given that its layout has been favoured for testing during the winter and both drivers are eager to see how the developments will pan out over the weekend as we head into busy period of the season:
Marcus Ericsson
“We will also bring first modifications to the car, which we will then enhance and further develop within the next GPs. I am looking forward to this weekend being confident that we make another step in the right direction.”
Pascal Wehrlein
“Considering the race weekend, it will be important for us to introduce some new aerodynamic parts on the car. I am positive that we can further develop the car in order to make progress, and thus improve the performance on track.”
Despite being a well-known circuit, given the extensive testing that takes place there, Barcelona can be tricky to set up for, given the cornering speed differentials seen at different points on the circuit layout. Downforce is an area that Sauber had struggled with in 2016 and hope to improve upon this weekend as the circuit places great emphasis on this area. Both drivers have chosen to go with 2 Hard Tyres, 4 Medium and 7 Softs for the race weekend.
Although the team is at a slight power differential, running the 2016 Ferrari power unit, by introducing upgrades alongside the other teams in 2017, they are light years beyond the gloom that faced them at this point in 2016. While Sauber may not necessarily score any points this weekend, we think the positive steps at Hinwil will see them ending the European leg with points in the kitty.
I spoke to former BSB champion Josh Brookes exclusively at Oulton Park about many things. From fear in racing to the mental approach, to the TT and preparation, this comprehensive interview gives a real insight into the mind of one of the fastest motorcycle racers on the planet.
How much are you looking forward to getting back onto the roads in 2017?
I probably wouldn’t have left the TT but I’m not really bothered about the other roads. If I hadn’t been steered away by the other teams then I would’ve carried on. I’m back now and happy to be back riding it. There will be no NW200 because the Norton bike isn’t homologated. They did pursue the NW but the insurance doesn’t cover it to be on track. The organisers were happy to have it but the insurance company wouldn’t allow it.
How do the roads compare to the short circuits?
The NW is a bit closer to circuit style racing because it’s in a bunch and it’s a grid start, whereas the TT is a time trial. There’s a lot of difference between the TT and NW200 compared to the circuit racing but even those two aren’t that similar. It’s another discipline really.
How do you adapt to the roads from the circuits?
I think that it is your experience that dictates how you ride. The first lap you take it steady and then you get comfortable with how you ride and the next lap you get quicker and quicker. It’s a bit like natural progression. If you compare it to water skiing for the first time, obviously you learn how to do it, but over time you become more accomplished and able to do it as you practice. It’s the exact same in our sport: you start where you feel comfortable and then you just build speed as the bike and your confidence will allow you. At the TT, you never really ride to the capabilities of the bike. Often there is far more in every corner that the bike is capable of but it isn’t healthy to ride to the capabilities of the bike because there is far more risk. You ride to what you feel comfortable with but you’re also trying to make that comfort point as fast as it can be.
Was there a fear aspect at the TT for your first time?
Yes. There’s always fear, even in BSB. It’s natural to have fear – it is a human emotion. If you have fear, you’re alive, if you don’t have fear then you won’t be alive for very long. It is a normal sensation to have fear. You’ve got to listen and engage in that feeling and ride appropriately. The fear is more or less the same on both the TT and BSB. Inside your helmet you have your own thoughts and you’re still recognising what you can do in that moment. With thoughts, you’re always on your own. The thought process is very similar for both disciplines but the surroundings are very different.
How do you prepare for the TT, is it different to the circuits?
No, not really. The TT is far more mentally tiring than BSB. You are constantly evaluating every aspect of racing in the TT. The TT has different physical demands, such as you remaining in one position for a long period of time. If you sat in a regular chair for a long period of time then it would get uncomfortable. It is similar to that, not that it is so tiring but it is the repetitive nature of being in the same position for a long period of time doing the same process. The short circuit preparation is enough to see you through.
What are your first thoughts of the Norton?
I’ve ridden it a couple of times now. It’s very good. The bike is fast, the engine is strong and the bike itself is quite stable which is one of the most important elements to being comfortable and confident on the roads, so to have that there already is a big plus. I made a few adjustments to riding position and things to try and get more comfortable. I made suspension changes so it goes over the bumps a bit better. They’re all very small setting changes really, they’re not welding new parts to the frame or anything like that. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the bike. It’s all fairly normal BSB type stuff, adjusting springs and damping to find that comfortable setting.
How do you become confident riding the TT course?
I think it is all relative to the bike. If you have a bike capable of doing a 132mph lap, put it has been in storage for a year and then rode it around the TT again, the first few laps wouldn’t be at 132mph. Even though the bike is capable of that speed, it still takes time to get confidence and ride the bike to that speed, which is where those laps are important. If you’ve got a bike that’s only capable of 129mph, it doesn’t matter how many laps you get in at the start of the week, you are only going to do a 129mph lap. There are two vital areas. The bike has to be able to improve to the point where it can do the target time and if the bike is already there, it’s up to you to gain those laps and confidence. It’s like a see-saw. The bike improves and then you get better, you make the bike better and you move forward again. It is a step by step process. Another thing is cornering. If you take a corner at 80mph each lap, you get confident and gain familiarity with it and get comfortable with the exits. At 90mph, it’s like a new corner. You arrive faster, go through faster and exit faster, before arriving at the next corner even quicker because the momentum is there. As soon as you go a bit quicker, the whole course changes. So, as I said, its a bit like a see-saw. As you go quicker, you require more from the bike. You have to make changes to the bike to do that speed and if the bike can do that speed then it is up to you to perform at the level the bike is at. Early in the week is super important if you can get a dry track and lots of laps. However, for every lap that you do, your competition is doing the same, so everyone gets better at more or less the same rate.
Does having a rider in front (leaderboard or on track) help at the TT?
Yeah for sure. You would get motivated but I think at a short circuit race, you would take more risk to try and go quicker than them. Taking more risk and riding closer to the edge is the key to gaining speed. Whoever can ride at the maximum for the most amount of laps for the longest period of time is usually the winner. The short circuits are great for that mental process, whereas the TT, you don’t really follow that process. You shouldn’t really try to do – or match – what someone else is doing because that is dangerous. What their bike and riding style can achieve in the corner might be totally different to what you can do. If you go ‘he can make it so I can make it’, then that isn’t necessarily true. At short circuits, you have the room to make a mistake and run wide or whatever, whereas at the TT, you don’t want that situation. It is safer to try and improve your speed by focussing on what is stopping you from going quicker and look at improving yourself and not the others.
Having a rider further ahead though is a confidence gauge. When you get to the point you normally brake at and you’ve got someone just ahead of you doing what you’re doing, you can use them as a marker. Their movements indicate what is possible. It is sometimes an encouragement to have someone just their ahead of you but if you have caught them it is because you’re going faster anyway. Often, the reason you was able to catch them is because you was already faster. It is a double edged sword. You don’t want to catch anyone because if they’re similar speed then it is harder to overtake, whereas if you’re quicker then it is easier.
How does overtaking compare between the TT and circuit racing?
I can’t speak for other riders but I am more reserved at the TT. You don’t know where everyone brakes. One guy might be early on the breaks and be quick on the way out, whereas you may well be late on the brakes and lose a bit on the way out. It isn’t until you’ve gone through the corner that you realise you may have been able to make a pass there but then you might have to wait a whole lap to try again. It is quite difficult but with a fast bike, obviously it is a lot easier. As you are behind for a lot of the time, the drafting effect is really efficient. If you have a long period of time on a straight with a fast bike, you can use that draft to overtake quite quickly.
How did you learn the TT?
Just laps. I did watch the onboard laps but they were insignificant to me because they had no value. If you haven’t ridden the circuit at that speed, watching it at the speed doesn’t offer you much in terms of learning. However, laps and laps in the car and getting familiar with the ground do help. As a newcomer however, doing laps and laps on your own and then watching onboards is good, that is when they become relevant.
Was there any push from the Anvil Hire Team to put on the NW200 grid this year?
They were talking about doing the Superstock races but it was one of the those things where the conversation fizzled out. It was a proper talk though, it appeared very possible at one point.
How do you prepare for bike racing on a whole?
I just think bike skills. You need to ride as much as you can. I’ve said in other interviews that if you compare it to other sports, like skateboarding, where you’re a kid and you want to learn a trick, you have to do the trick over and over and over again to master it. It is just a repetitive process that makes you good at something; you’re not born with that ability, it is just practice that allows you to do that. That kid on the skateboard will only be doing that one thing too, he wont be playing basketball, computer games, BMX or squash and all he’s doing every day is practicing his skateboard tricks.
It is the same for a motorbike rider. Unfortunately, we can’t ride our Superbikes on a race track every week. It’s too expensive, it’s impractical, track days aren’t suitable because of the different skill levels, tyres are expensive, the bikes are expensive to build, the engine running costs are too expensive etc. But even if you did ride all the time, rules in the championship stipulate that you can only test for ‘x’ amount of days a year.
For me, preparation is finding an alternative method to riding a bike. Obviously trials aren’t like a Superbike, but I ride a Jetski, a BMX, a mountain bike, a motocross and a road bike. It is about always being active, there is no substitute for being on two wheels all the time. A lot of people cross from different sports, from say BMX to motocross racing and get to a high level. The skills they learn in BMX – the jumps, the way a bike reacts in the air, in a corner, when the front goes, what to do, when the back goes, what to do and how to recover – they’re things you learn and reactions without even thinking about it. It is second nature.
When you go to another sport, those same impulses are still there, you’ve grown up with them as a kid but now, you just use them in a different manner. When you lose the front on a road race bike, it is the same process to stop crashing as it is on a motocross bike. Yes, the speed is different, the grip is different, there are variants but ultimately the input on the human side and science is still the same. As you lose the front on either bike, you actually have to turn into the corner to make it slide more initially but then as the physics come into play – often along with bike set-up – you stand the bike up and may well be able to recover.
How many front/rear end moments do you have around the track?
Definitely more rear because you open the throttle and control the slide. A front slide is more difficult to recover from because you have no engine. It is literally from speed and too much lean angle. It is much easier to create and control a rear slide. We probably have them as a ratio of 9:1 in terms of slides. Almost every session you have a moment of some kind because you push so hard. Sometimes it is every lap. In qualifying, it can be up to four corners in succession that you have a moment because you are exposing yourself by pushing so hard. In a race, if you was to push like that, there is only going to be a handful of times before your number comes up. As fuel loads come down, tyre grid levels come down, body fatigue and mental fatigue are becoming more prominent, you would definitely crash if you rode on the limit in the race.
For one lap however, you can get away with it for a few times and if luck is on your side then you can make it to the finishing line. Often it depends on all the variants. If you have a bike set-up for your confidence then you can ride it to the level where you think you’re going to crash but you don’t. If you have a bike that isn’t set up to your confidence level then you will never have a slide because if you did, you would have crashed. Sometimes you have a bike that you have so much confidence in that you think you’re going to crash at every corner but you know you won’t.
How much change is there between qualifying and racing for the bike then?
I think there is elements in qualifying that are different than the race, such as a using less fuel with a new tyre. Every time you go out, you’re experimenting with the limit. When you are at the start of the race, when the tyre is at it’s best there are variants that mean that you won’t be, such as coming from lunch, pre-race nerves etc. As the tyre starts to decrease in performance, you’re in a rhythm, you are starting to get a feel for the track, whether it be track temperature or wind speed and direction. The environment is changing a lot during a race whereas in qualifying you try and create a controlled environment. The set up on the bike hardly changes between racing and qualifying, it is the other, outside elements that do.
If I was to offer a 2nd BSB title or a Isle of Man TT Superbike win, which would you take?
Err, a 2nd BSB title. Of course I’d like a TT win, but I’ve had a couple of years off and I’ve lost the connection with it. Hopefully, me riding this year will rekindle those memories. At the moment, I’d take the 2nd BSB title.
Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko
Norton image courtesy of Gareth Davies of Full Factory Photography.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is preparing to host its 26th annual Formula 1 Spanish Grand-Prix this Sunday since its inception into the race calendar in 1991. Its construction coincided with the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, where the circuit was used as the start-finish line for the road team time trial cycling event.
The 4.65 kilometre track containing 16 corners; nine right-handers and seven left, boasts five main overtaking points at turns 1, 2, 4, 10 and 13, as well as a 1.3km flat-out section where cars reach speeds of 332kph.
The left-hand side pole position sits 730 metres away from turn one, making it one of the most important starts of the season. However, wind-speed often violently fluctuates around the municipality of Montmelo, meaning without correct aerodynamic set-ups, the Catalan tarmac can particularly be a tough place to maintain a lead.
So, taking all the challenges that lay ahead for the 20 drivers this weekend into account, let’s look at this race-weekend’s track preview: The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Familiarity.
The circuit is a familiar one to all teams with it not only playing host to the Spanish Grand Prix, but is also the home of F1 winter testing. The FIA often receives criticism that there is little overtaking during the 66-lap race nowadays due to drivers being so knowledgeable of the track – with races during the early stages after construction littered with daring manoeuvres, particularly in the last two corners.
However, with track temperatures expected to be between 40.5 and 42.4 degrees Celsius, conditions are vastly different to those experienced during testing. Combining this with the ever-changing aerodynamics, the 307km-long battle can provide as many twists and turns as anywhere on the calendar.
We only have to take a look at last year’s collision between Mercedes pairing Lewis Hamiltion and Nico Rosberg to know Barcelona can provide thrilling entertainment.
Tyres.
We have already discussed how influential aerodynamics can be, however not many tracks provide as much tyre strain as that of Barcelona.
The circuit is known for being tough on tyres and teams often split between a two and three-stop strategy with Soft, Medium and Hard compounds the three options for this weekend.
History.
The 4.65km ribbon of tarmac has played host to the Spanish Grand Prix for the last 26 years, however it is someone who will be on the starting grid on Sunday who holds the current record.
Ferrari-man Kimi Raikkonen set a blistering lap of 1:21.670 back in 2008, 5.278 seconds faster than the fastest lap of last year’s race set by Daniil Kvyat in the Toro Rosso.
The Spanish Grand Prix in general has been a happy hunting ground for Ferrari throughout its 104-year history, with the Italian Racehorse taking 12 wins – their most recent coming from Fernando Alonso in 2013 before the Silver Arrows’ hybrid dominance thereafter.
However, Mercedes have only been victorious six times in Spain, with two coming at Barcelona, a number that could have been three if it were not for their first-lap disaster last year.
Hamilton and Rosberg’s antics paved the way for a historic moment on Spain’s east coast, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen securing his first ever win in Formula 1 during his team debut – making him the youngest winner in the sport’s history.
What to expect from the 2017 Spanish Grand Prix.
This season has started out a very much two-horse manufacturer’s race, with Ferrari finally showing the race-pace practice and qualifying sessions promised last year.
With three different winners in the opening weeks of the campaign already, it would come as no surprise if Sunday gave us the fourth.
Ferrari’s testing pace pre-season looked promising, and Maurizio Arrivabene will be hoping they can emulate that success. Toto Wolff and the Mercedes garage on the other hand will be keen to secure their first back-to-back win of this term in a season they were expected to walk away with again.
Hello and welcome to this week’s Formula 1 round-up, your one-stop-shop for biggest stories in F1 over the past seven days.
Today we cover a shock deal that has apparently already been done ahead of the 2018 season, a fresh, new look for all cars on the grid ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, a new deal that could see Honda become an even bigger presence in the sport than they already are, and a familiar face set to return. So, let’s get cracking.
Deal Done? Insider Seems to Think So
Ferrari’s number one driver, and the 2017 Driver’s World Championship leader Sebastien Vettel has a pre-contract agreement already in place with Mercedes for next year, according to someone close to Ferrari.
The German, who has a 13-point advantage over Silver Arrow Lewis Hamilton going into Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, was contacted when Nico Rosberg left the constructer’s world champions at the end of last campaign – this is not new information.
However, now well-known F1 blogger, and Ferrari friend, Leo Turrini has stated that the 29-year-old has a deal in place to join his biggest rivals come the close of this term.
“It is no secret to anyone that after Rosberg’s retirement, Mercedes contacted Seb”, he said as reported by F1i.com.
“During the pre-season test in Barcelona, Niki Lauda told friends confidentially that Vettel has a pre-agreement with the Germans for next season.”
These comments mirror those of pundit Eddie Jordan who also believes negotiations have taken place.
“Of course they’re talking with Vettel”, the 69-year-old stated.
It is unsure whether any formal agreement has been reached between the two German parties, and with the Italian manufacturer’s impressive race pace this year it remains to be seen if any deal will be done.
Another New Rule from Charlie Whiting
As we head into race-weekend number five in the 2017 season, teams are finally getting to grips with the new rules and regulations of this year in practice, however now there’s a new one.
All drivers will now have easier to recognise designs on their cars, allowing spectators and race officials to identify who is who out on track, or Article 9.2 according to Charlie Whiting.
“We require each car number to be clearly visible from the front of the car (Article 9.2)”, he stated as reported on pitpass.com.
“We feel that to be clearly visible the numbers should be no less than 230mm high, have a minimum stroke thickness of 40mm and be of a clearly contrasting colour to their background.
“Each driver’s name (or TLA) is to be clearly legible on the external bodywork (Article 9.3).
“We feel that to be clearly legible the names should be no less than 150mm high, have a minimum stroke thickness of 30mm and be of a clearly contrasting colour to their background.”
Mercedes were the first to release their new design ahead of strict rulings that all teams must abide by or face the stewards’ wrath, and boy does it look good. Suppose on this one we must admit it’s a positive. Thanks Charlie!
More Than Just an Engine
Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has stated that the Swiss F1 team’s new partnership with engine manufacturers Honda could go beyond just a power unit supply.
The ninth-placed constructers became the third team to sign a deal with the Japanese company ahead of next year, however the team principal has stated that there could be more to come from their new relationship.
“We’ll see how it all pans put”, the 46-year-old told Motorsport.com.
“We’re really at the beginning now. I don’t know their deals with McLaren. We are a very different project.
“We’ll see where we can benefit from each other in this. We’ve been in situations where we were a manufacturer team – we’re not a manufacturer team now, we’re a customer to them.
“But we know that there are a lot of opportunities there, and this is one of the reasons why we decided for this partnership.
“It’s far too early to say we’ll be doing this and that, but yes, we’re open to anything.”
Honda have done well to secure two additional teams to McLaren considering the reliability issues the former-F1 force have been facing.
However, if they were able to overcome the problems incurred this year, the Japanese company could once again prove that they can supply race-winning power units.
Familiar Face Set for Return
Former Jordan, Toyota, Virgin Racing and Marussia F1 driver Timo Glock is to make his return to the pinnacle of motorsport.
It has not yet been formally announced when the three-time podium sitter will feature on the grid again, however following a successful DTM season the 35-year-old announced via his official Facebook account he was contacted by an F1 team for a seat-fitting.
Now the question is, which team?
Has Fernando Alonso finally snapped at McLaren? Are Renault fed-up with Jolylon Parmer underachieving? Is this the back up for Seb Vettel after he moves to Mercedes? (I doubt it but you never know).
One thing is for sure we will find out soon, and it will be good to see the German back.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, and I will see you all again next time.
After 4 very different and less than ideal results, including a turn 1 exit for Romain Grosjean in Sochi, Russia, Haas F1 heads to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain for Round 5 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. It’s a great challenging circuit where you rarely have time to rest with long corners, long straights and tricky chicanes.
There are a lot of areas that are going to test the set-up of the VF-17’s chassis and the two Haas pilots lifting and throttle application skill. The circuit is a mix of very long corners such as turn 3 and shorter, sharper corners such as the complex of turns 7-9.
Typically, most teams have a lot of data about how their cars will behave here since it is used in pre-season testing. Haas made a big 241 lap improvement in their 2017 Catalunya testing over 2016, running a total of 715 laps in 2017. Grosjean and Magnussen traveling 3,328.325 kilometers (2,068.125 miles) on the 4.655-kilometer (2.892 mile) circuit in their VF-17.
New FIA regulations for 2017 should even out the playing field this year with teams still learning the best ways to apply the data they gained from their first season of testing at the track under them in pre-season. The bigger and faster cars have increased the width of the front wing, the size of the chassis, larger barge boards, a lower and wider rear wing and diffuser that expanded 50 millimeters in height and width. Tyres too have changed to compensate for this, the fronts now 60 millimeters and the back 80 millimeters, a 25% increase from 2016.
Another possible curveball may be the shark-fins this year, with speculation they may be susceptible to cross winds which are a danger in Catalunya especially at turns 3 and 9. If that’s the case will there be any difference between a true shark fin look like what Haas have vs the more square elements like what Williams, Force India and McLaren have?
Another thing will make this weekend spectacular is the upgrades. Let’s just say you don’t want to miss any practice sessions, many teams plan to roll out huge upgrades to their cars for the first time and Haas F1 is no different, saying in their team press release: “…in the Spanish Grand Prix, where competitive arms race of technological bits and pieces are debuted by teams up and down the pit lane. Haas F1 Team is no different, bringing a significant upgrade to its VF-17, the details of which are being kept close to its vest.”
It is unknown however if these upgrades will make any improvement to the brakes which were not solved in Sochi as I thought they might be. Haas did one session on Carbon Industrie brakes then went straight back to Brembo. Grosjean then preceded to be very animated on radio that he was not happy, but Magnussen didn’t seem to be too bothered, and Gunther Steiner seemed to imply the issue was a driver issue not a car issue.
There will be a couple of tough areas on the brakes most so being turn 1 after the long pit straight. The start of this season is not what Haas wanted and now we must aim big to get in a good position for the rest of the it. A very clean weekend and a double points finish will be what the team should be aiming for. Much easier said than done in this new and exciting 2017 Formula 1 Championship.
Two weeks ago, a rider was thrown from his machine whilst leading the Americas Grand Prix. He sat, dazed on the painted run-off area, regathering his bearings and wondering how it could have gone wrong. Fast forward to now: Sunday 7th May and that same rider, Aron Canet, is crossing the finish line to take his maiden grand prix victory after a thrilling battle. To make matters sweeter, it’s his home race as well. In his own words: “The best day of my life!”
The Estrella-Galicia rider had been looking strong all weekend in the sessions leading up to the race, qualifying on the front row of the grid in P2. Canet got a good start as the lights went out, surviving the usual shenanigans on the drag down to the first corner, and holding his own in the leading group. The Spaniard was content to sit back in the early stages as fellow protagonists Romano Fenati, Joan Mir, Darryn Binder and Marcos Ramirez diced it out at the front. The latter two of these caught the eyes of spectators and pundits alike as, unlike the other three, were riding privateer KTM bikes as opposed to machines powered by factory outfits.
It was a classic Moto3 race in many respects: the leading group numbered twelve riders, there was slipstreaming galore down the back straight into the Dry Sack hairpin, and up the long main straight out of the final corner. The lead of the race changed hands as frequently as the laps were chalked off. Joan Mir, seeking to increase his hold on the championship, took the lead with 10 laps to go and upped the tempo. The lead group of twelve, suddenly became just five. Mir led the charge going into the final lap, but was beaten up by Ramirez and Fenati and forced out wide on a number of occasions. This ultimately put paid to his hopes of victory, but a last lunge up the inside of the KTM rider secured him a hard fought podium finish.
Having been rejuvenated since his move from the VR|46 team last year, Fenati (Marinello Rivacold Snipers Team) looked the man to beat for much of the race. The Italian was back fighting with everyone who’d dare pass him for the lead. Binder would discover how hard Fenati is prepared to defend his track position, when the two came together at the infamous Turn 13 hairpin. The South African slid out into the gravel, but was able to remount and continue. Replays proved that the incident was caused by aggressive defending and an overly ambitious attempt to overtake from both parties. A racing incident, no more – no less. Both will fight again for victory another day.
It was however a weekend to forget for British Talent Team’s John McPhee. The Scot had struggled to find a setup for the bike which worked around the Jerez circuit. A disastrous qualifying session on Saturday, meant that the Brit had to start the race from way back on the ninth row in P25. The race began more promisingly, with the 22-year old from Oban managed to haul his machine up to thirteenth, leading the chasing pack before losing the front end under braking at turn 1, and crashing out. The non-finish meant McPhee slipped from second to fourth overall in the championship. He now trails the leader, Mir, by 25 points.
But the day undoubtedly belonged to Canet. The victory has been on the cards for a while now. Ever since his points scoring debut at Qatar in 2016, it has been clear that Canet is abundant with talent. A rostrum finish, multiple fourth of fifth places and a pole position from his rookie season provided the strong basis to work on heading into 2017. Now with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix added to his growing CV, Canet and his team will be hoping to press on and challenge for the title.
Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Tuesday 14 March 2017. Nyck De Vries (NED, Rapax). Action. Photo: Alastair Staley/FIA Formula 2 ref: Digital Image 580A0752
This weekend, Formula 2 heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for round two of the 2017 championship. It is a track all the drivers will be familiar with after the three days of pre-season testing there in March.
But considering Saturday’s feature race will only be the third race at this level for this season’s rookies, experience will likely still play a big part in determining the running order. If testing is any indication then this track should be one that suits Arden and ART, but as we saw in Bahrain, testing is not an infallible indicator of true pace.
If Prema can repeat the form that they found in Bahrain, then the 2016 champions will be a danger. While there are some question marks over their long run pace, the Italian outfit’s one lap speed is as impressive as it was last year. Out of the two Ferrari juniors, Leclerc was certainly the hero of the last round, and Fuoco has some catching up to do.
However, it is unlikely that the team will be able to repeat their bold strategy for the sprint race again, and with Leclerc obviously struggling to keep on top of the high tyre degradation, it would be unwise to assume they will leave Spain as the championship leaders. Going into the race weekend with Leclerc leading the drivers’ standings, it is undeniable that he has the pace to challenge the more experience drivers.
2017 FIA Formula 2 Round 1. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Sunday 16 April 2017. Charles Leclerc (MCO, PREMA Racing) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _J6I1710
Two other teams that are looking dangerous as we head to Catalonia are Pertamina Arden and Russian Time, the latter managing to score two podiums in Bahrain and currently sitting in first place in the team standings.
Compared to his 2016 form, Markelov is looking like a more mature driver, but only time will tell if he can maintain any kind of consistency, something that is vital if he is to mount a title challenge. Ghiotto was overshadowed by his more flamboyant teammate last round, but he is a highly capable driver, and the pairing could prove to be very beneficial for their team.
Though circumstance did not play into Arden’s favour in Bahrain, with Nato’s unlucky retirement in the sprint race, the Frenchman’s feature race performance was promising. Many have predicted that 2017 could be his year to finally seal the title, and all the signs are suggesting that it is possible.
Nato’s teammate Sean Gelael could not match his teammate last time out, and while he is partnering a highly rated driver, the disparity between the two cars suggests that he has not quite got on top of things yet. Barcelona will be his chance to prove he can measure up.
2017 FIA Formula 2 Round 1. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Sunday 16 April 2017. Norman Nato (FRA, Pertamina Arden) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _X0W4790
Sérgio Sette Câmara is another driver who will be hoping he can keep up with his teammate in Barcelona, after having failed to achieve the same results as his MP Motorsport teammate, Jordan King. Recently dropped from the Red Bull junior program, even after testing for them at Silverstone last summer, the young Brazilian is out to prove himself. Promisingly, he did manage to beat his teammate in the sprint race in Bahrain, but was wholly out-driven in the feature race.
This is somewhat unsurprising considering King hinted at the fact that he may have been sitting in an F1 seat this season, had the Manor Racing team not collapsed before the 2017 season had begun. Still, the team needs a string of more promising results if they want to compete amongst the best in the series.
Flying under the radar a little in Bahrain, but nevertheless delivering strong performances were DAMS. The 2014 GP2 champions will be hoping Barcelona provides them with the opportunity to mount their own title challenge. Their line-up of Oliver Rowland and Nicholas Latifi certainly looks strong on paper, but there is always a difference between potential and delivering on expectations.
2017 FIA Formula 2 Round 1. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Sunday 16 April 2017. Oliver Rowland (GBR, DAMS) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _56I1690
ART will be hoping that they can convert their solid qualifying performances into race results this time out. Of course, thanks to the quite frankly bizarre incident in Bahrain qualifying between Malja and Jeffri, it is hard to gauge who truly has the one lap speed needed to secure pole, but ART did look quick.
Thai racer Alexander Albon is only in his first season at this level, and therefore should be given time to get up to speed. Matsushita on the other hand, has completed two seasons of GP2 and performed well in testing, even going quickest on the first day in Barcelona. If his luck is better this round then it is not unreasonable to assume that he will be able to challenge for at least a podium.
While most teams suffered from the disrupted qualifying in Bahrain, Rapax driver Nyck De Vries succeeded in being one of only two drivers able to get a second run in, earning him a P2 on the starting grid. But their race made it apparent that in Barcelona set up will be a main concern for the Italian team, with tyre degradation posing a serious problem in Bahrain. Fortunately, the temperatures will be markedly lower in Spain, which might do them some favours.
Campos Racing will be hoping for a better weekend for their first home grand prix this season after failing to score any points in Bahrain. Since re-joining GP2 in 2014, the team has struggled to repeat their successes of the past, and as of yet, nothing has suggested that 2017 will be any better for them.
2017 FIA Formula 2 Round 1. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Saturday 15 April 2017. Ralph Boschung (SUI, Campos Racing) leads Gustav Malja (SWE, Racing Engineering) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _W6I0250
Trident and Racing Engineering are the other teams who have yet to score a point this season, though we are only entering the second round after all.
Racing Engineering definitely need a change in fortunes to turn things around. Had it not been for Gustav Malja’s shunt in qualifying and Delétraz’s stall on the grid, Bahrain might have been a very different weekend for them. They will be hoping to put the past from their mind, and start anew in Barcelona.
Trident also suffered from bad luck last round, not least from Jeffri’s qualifying, but even so it might take some work to secure a decent result. Last season in GP2 Jeffri only managed to score two points, and Canamasas has something of a reputation as a reckless, and sometimes dangerous, driver; but hailing from Barcelona itself, the Spaniard will be hoping to keep a handle on things in order to perform in his home race.
2017 FIA Formula 2 Round 1. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Sunday 16 April 2017. Nabil Jeffri (MAS, Trident) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _56I1730
With experience still paying dividends, drivers such as Nato, Rowland and Markelov are the obvious choices to watch, and it will be worth seeing if Markelov can find the consistency that has evaded him so far in his career. If so, he could turn his impressive tyre management and bursts of brilliance into a serious bid for the title this year.
Round two is still early to expect astounding things from the rookies of Formula 2. Yet, as Charles Leclerc proved in Bahrain, it would be short-sighted to overlook them entirely. With tyre degradation less of an issue at this cooler circuit, it may suit the nineteen-year-old from Monaco, but only by Sunday will we know whether or not he can retain his lead at the top of the championship standings.
If we manage to see a clean qualifying this round, then Barcelona will also provide us with insight into the true pace of the teams this season.
