Kevin Magnussen says Haas have “made improvements and taken small steps forward”, while Romain Grosjean focused on “geting back to decent level”
Kevin Magnussen says Haas have “made improvements and taken small steps forward”, while Romain Grosjean focused on “geting back to decent level”
Following a season best P7 finish for the team by Kevin Magnussen in Azerbaijan, Haas F1 Team moved to 7th in the constructors standings with 21 points, a three-point margin ahead Renault and 12 points behind sixth-place Toro Rosso. That gives Haas points-finishes in the last four consecuitive Grand Prix’s having not scored in only two race’s so far this season.
Next is the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, this beginning a five-race European tour leg of the Formula 1 Championship. The 4.326-kilometer (2.688-mile) Austrian circuit uses a smaller layout of the Österreichring, which held Formula One races from 1970 until 1987. In last year’s Austrian Grand Prix, Haas F1 Team driver Romain Grosjean finished a strong seventh to pick up six points
It’s a very short circuit wtih just ten turns – the fewest in Formula One and is relatively easy on brakes. For Haas F1, brakes have been the one issue that has come up in the team, but in 2017 it seems Kevin Magnussen has had more fortune with Brembo brakes than Romain Grosjean. Following previous GP weekend in Azerbaijan, those frustrations of the French driver seemed to reach a boiling point, with the team too offering comment on the situation. Grosjean spent most of the Azerbaijan weekend struggling again with the Brembo brakes on his VF-17.
“The brake feeing has been terrible all weekend long but Kevin’s got he same comment and he can drive around [it], that’s why I’m saying I don’t want to blame anything. Braking is my strength, since Formula Renault. But when things are not working as I want, it’s my biggest weakness” Grosjean said.
Guenther Steiner however suggested later in the week it was driving styles which was the difference.
“It’s not that Kevin didn’t have the problems with the brakes,” Steiner said.
“With his driving style for him it’s easier to drive around it, or make it less evident. He was not happy ith the brakes in FP2. For the race he had to lift and coast as well, because we had some issues. With Romains driving style, the brakes need to be perfect, or as close to perfect as can be. At the moment, we are not there.”
“I think it’s driving styles. Maybe Romain brakes later and harder and then turns and maybe Kevin brakes into it and turns already. Maybe it’s easier to feel the brake, but I am not a race car driver so for me I can just see it from data and from my eperience to see what people do, but that is my gut feeling, that that’s what they do. Kevin can drive around it a little bit more.” Steiner said.
These issues are definitely to watch for in Austria, and whether Grosjean can keep calm otherwise the brakes become a more mental issue than anything.
Though most of the lap is easy on brakes the Red Bull Ring’s main overtaking spot will be at turn 2, a heavy braking first or second gear corner after a steep hill climb from turn one where Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton famously crashed on the last lap in 2016. Turn 5 kink will be flat out this year followed by two very fast corners of 6 and 7, the quicker of the two. Turn 10 is also critical because it is blind for the drivers, it will be important for both Haas drivers to get this become comfortable with their braking markers here. If Haas can score double points it should give them a more comfortable cushion to Renault behind and keep the pace with their target Toro Rosso.
Pirelli will bring its three softest tire compounds for this Grand Prix weekend – P Zero Yellow soft, P Zero Red supersoft and P Zero Purple ultrasoft – to the Austrian Grand Prix making it the fifth time this season this package has been offered.
When summer comes and F1 takes to its European heartlands, that can only mean one thing—the time for silly season is here. At time of writing, only six drivers on the current grid have contracts in place for the 2018 season, and while many can be expected to renew their existing deals, there is still plenty of scope for changes over the course of the next few months.
Wolfgang Wilhelm / Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Starting at the very front of the grid, it looks unlikely that Mercedes will feature much in the contractual rumour mill this season. Lewis Hamilton is one of those half-dozen drivers with a 2018 deal already in place, and although many speculated early in the year that Valtteri Bottas’ one-year deal was just a placeholder until a superstar name became available, the Finn seems to have established himself as an asset to the team and is likely to be retained.
The same cannot be said of Ferrari, however. With the Scuderia now locked in a close title fight with Mercedes, it’s hard to imagine much desire among the bosses to retain Kimi Räikkönen for yet another season when there is much younger blood to be found elsewhere. The obvious candidate for his seat is Sergio Pérez, who carries that blend of proven talent and North American sponsorship so desired at Ferrari, although Carlos Sainz is also well-known to join him on their shopping list.
An alternative name to throw into the Ferrari pot is that of Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian has been visibly disheartened by Red Bull’s lack of a title bid this season, and although he already has a supposedly ironclad contract in place for next year, his departure may actually suit Red Bull in the long run—especially when one considers the alternative is losing Max Verstappen to Ferrari instead.
Judging by frustration alone, the Dutchman looks far more likely than Ricciardo to want out of Red Bull this year. But allowing him to become the team’s new and undisputed leader would appease Verstappen no end, and promoting one of the Toro Rosso juniors to be his teammate would prevent them from leaving the programme to strengthen the hand of a rival like Renault or Williams. With all five of its drivers (including understudy Pierre Gasly) under interest from all ends of the F1 grid, Red Bull could well be forced this year into losing a finger to save the hand.
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
If Red Bull decides to stick with (or rather, refuses to let go of) its current senior lineup, then the likely price will be to lose one of its junior drivers instead. It’s obvious that Sainz, with at least some interest from all four works teams, will face the most attractive offers, but considering Daniil Kvyat’s difficult relationship with both the Red Bull and Toro Rosso management, it’s he who in all probability will find it easier to leave.
Should Kvyat be released from the Red Bull stable he will no doubt carry some considerable weight among the midfield teams. Questions of consistency aside, with a proven points and podium record the Russian will make an appealing option to replace Pérez at Force India, or the ageing Felipe Massa at Williams.
Another potential home for Kvyat would be alongside Nico Hülkenberg at Renault. The French marque is known to like its Russian drivers (not to mention their sponsors), and if Sergey Sirotkin doesn’t prove up to an F1 seat in 2018, the team could do worse than signing Kvyat in place of Jolyon Palmer—particularly as the former’s history of Renault engines at Red Bull and Toro Rosso will help him slot quickly into their development programme.
As for Palmer himself, even with his underwhelming performances so far it would be surprising not to see him somewhere on the grid in 2018. The Briton’s GP2 title and substantial personal backing was known to have put him on Force India’s radar when it sought a replacement for Hülkenberg last season, and could do so again this year; if not, he may well find a welcome home at Sauber-Honda.
Renault Sport F1 Team
If Palmer were to pitch himself to Sauber, it’s almost a given that his drive would come at Pascal Wehrlein’s expense. The German is understood to have developed a difficult relationship with both Marcus Ericsson and the team’s new owners for starters; and with Sauber taking on a new engine deal with Honda for next year, Mercedes may feel it’s best to place Wehrlein elsewhere.
Had Lance Stroll not found his F1 feet in Baku, it would not have been much of a shock to see Williams switch him with Wehrlein to allow the Canadian time to mature outside of the spotlight. And whilst Williams could still opt to take on Wehrlein to partner Stroll instead, the team would probably prefer to find a more experienced driver should it decide against resigning Felipe Massa for a fifth season—a driver like Romain Grosjean, for example, whose vexation with Haas’ continued brake issues has been made all too public this year, and who might be on the hunt for fresh inspiration now that his Ferrari hopes seem to have vanished.
Alternatively, at 31 and with no clear shot at a front-running seat, Grosjean might be tempted to chance one last throw of the dice at McLaren. It’s hard to see who else the former champions would be able to attract if Fernando Alonso walks away and leaves them with an empty seat, unless they take a substantial risk and promote F2 protege Nyck de Vries. Nevertheless, the matter of any driver replacing Alonso remains dependant on the Spaniard actually leaving McLaren—something that still seems a long way from happening with no obvious top-tier cockpit for him to assume.
The 2012 Monaco Grand Prix had plenty of sub-plots, sidestories and points of interest aside from Mark Webber’s final victory in the Principality. Webber became the sixth different winner from six races in an open start to the World Championship, Romain Grosjean had more opening lap contact – and one other important story. That was the performance of Michael Schumacher during Saturday’s qualifying session.
The seven-times World Champion had failed to find the scintillating form seen during those Ferrari days at the beginning of the millennium ever since joining Mercedes for 2010 after three years away. Since that second coming his best result had been a fourth place scored at the famous Canadian Grand Prix of 2011 and 2012 had been beset by bad luck, collisions and sometimes lack of pace. Indeed, Schumacher went into the race weekend with a five-place grid penalty following an accident with Bruno Senna in the previous Spanish Grand Prix.
Monaco. Monaco Grand Prix 2012 BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
Mercedes had had solid pace all weekend but were not considered to be amongst the favourites – aside from the Chinese Grand Prix in which they were running first and second before Schumacher’s retirement, the car had been inconsistent. However, in the second qualifying session both Mercedes made it comfortably through to the pole position shootout with Rosberg just ahead of fifth-placed Schumacher.
Mark Webber’s time of a 1:14:381 looked like enough as Lewis Hamilton and Romain Grosjean both struggled to eclipse it. But Schumacher, one of the last men over the line, slapped in a 1:14.301 to take his 69th and final pole position of a glittering career. Post-qualifying, in the knowledge that he would start sixth, the then 43-year-old was delighted with the result.
“It is simply a wonderful feeling to set pole after such a long time, and particularly here in Monaco. Okay, it has taken a little bit longer than I might have wanted in the second chapter of my career, but that makes it even sweeter. It’s just beautiful.”
After contact with the pinballing Grosjean at the start, Schumacher remained solidly in the top eight through the Grand Prix until his retirement from a fuel pressure issue with fifteen laps remaining. He would stand on the podium once more before retirement at the end of the season with a third place at a chaotic European Grand Prix in Valencia.
11th July, 1926: thirty-two drivers line up on the grid at AVUS, Berlin, to take the start of the inaugural Grand Prix of Germany. Among them is a young Rhinelander by the name of Rudolf Caracciola, a mechanical engineering student and car salesman attempting to launch a racing career.
Fielded as an independent entry in a loaned and outdated Mercedes-Benz M218, Caracciola’s first Grand Prix start was almost a disaster when he stalled his engine off the line and eventually got going several minutes behind the field. But when heavy rain washed the AVUS track shortly after, Caracciola was given a second chance; as the more seasoned drivers ahead of him careened off the road, Caracciola pressed on, unaware of his position but determined to finish, and after twenty laps he emerged astonished from the dense fog and rain to find himself as the winner of the first-ever German Grand Prix. The press hailed him as the Regenmeister, or “Rainmaster”, and a winning partnership between Caracciola and Mercedes-Benz was born.
Rudolf Caracciola navigating the spray en route to victory at the 1936 Monaco Grand Prix. Courtesy of Daimler AG.
Rudolf Caracciola’s performance at the 1926 German Grand Prix was a prime example of the racing legend he was well on his way to becoming—one who would be remembered for his supreme ability and resolve in even the most challenging circumstances, and for the integral part he played in the pre-war successes of the Silver Arrows.
Caracciola was born in 1901 in Remagen, Germany, and like most early Grand Prix drivers came from a background of wealth and class: his ancestors were of the historic House of Caracciola, a prominent family in the Naples aristocracy whose members included princes, politicians, artists and clerics. Aided by such an upbringing, it wasn’t long before the young Rhinelander had developed a fierce passion for motoring, and by the age of fourteen—despite pressure from his father to attend university—he was already set on a future as a professional racing driver.
His first opportunity to realise that dream came when he took up an apprenticeship at the Fafnir factory in Aachen, and he found success as early as his first races for the company in finishing fourth at AVUS and first at the Opelbahn in 1922. But it was in the following year, after a brawl with an occupying Belgian soldier forced Caracciola to relocate to Dresden, that the German really began to make his mark on the European motoring world: finding new work as a Daimler salesman, Caracciola was allowed to enter up-to-date Mercedes touring cars in prestigious events across Germany, and went on to take numerous rally and hillclimb wins before his infamous German Grand Prix victory in 1926.
From then on, Caracciola’s star continued to ascend. Using the prize money from his first Grand Prix win, he married his girlfriend Charlotte and opened up a Mercedes-Benz dealership of his own in Berlin—all the while continuing to race state-of-the-art Mercedes’ tourers across Europe, in races such as Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and the first Grand Prix of Monaco in 1929. He secured his second and third German Grand Prix wins at the Nürburgring in 1928 and ’31 (the latter requiring those same wet weather skills that took him to victory at AVUS in ’26) and also displayed his prodigious talents outside of circuit racing with two European Hillclimb titles in 1930 and ’31 and overall victory in the 1931 Mille Miglia.
Caracciola in his Mercedes-Benz SSK during the Schwabenberg round of the 1930 European Hillclimb Championship. Courtesy of Daimler AG.
In 1932 Caracciola was forced to move to Alfa Romeo, after the Wall Street Crash and resulting global economic depression drove Mercedes to withdraw from motorsport altogether. Alfa Romeo was easily one of the most respected teams of the era and, as the dominant force in Grand Prix racing that year, enabled Caracciola to score podiums in Monaco, Italy and France, as well as a fourth win in Germany and a third consecutive hillclimb title.
But although the partnership was a fruitful one, it was far from harmonious. Alfa Romeo would initially only offer Caracciola a contract as an independent entrant, as the marque doubted his capacity to adapt from his old Mercedes-Benz tourers to their lighter Italian cars; even when he was promoted to the works team, his finishes behind Italian teammates Tazio Nuvolari and Baconin Borzacchini were plagued by accusations of team favouritism. Compared with his close, respectful relationship with Mercedes-Benz racing manager Alfred Neubauer, Caracciola’s time at Alfa Romeo was undeniably one of intense strain, and proved to be just the beginning of a period of great personal trial for the German.
Caracciola (centre) with Mercedes manager Alfred Neubauer (left) and engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut (right). Courtesy of Daimler AG.
Just a year after joining Alfa Romeo, Caracciola found himself without a seat once again when the Italian marque followed Mercedes in pulling its factory squad from competition. His response was to join forces with friend and fellow racer Louis Chiron and set up Scuderia C.C., a privateer entry built around three blue-and-white Alfa Romeo 8Cs and a Daimler-Benz truck to transport them—but at the first race of the year in Monaco, Caracciola’s brakes failed in practice and he was sent hurtling into the wall at Tabac, suffering an impact that destroyed his car and left the German with a badly fractured right thigh.
After doctors at the local hospital doubted he would ever race again, Caracciola was determined to defy them and spent the rest of the year recovering in private in Italy and Switzerland. But even as his leg began to heal, he was hit by an even greater tragedy when his wife was killed in an avalanche whilst skiing in the Swiss Alps; under the pain of his injuries and his grief, Caracciola retired in mourning from public life and all but abandoned his racing career.
That may well have proved the end of Rudolf Caracciola’s story, had it not been for the efforts of his one-time teammate Louis Chiron. During their years as racing rivals, the Monegasque had developed a close bond with Caracciola and continued to visit him through his isolation, and it was during one of those visits that Chiron persuaded Caracciola to drive the lap of honour before the 1934 Monaco Grand Prix—and despite still suffering considerable pain in his right leg, the experience of returning to a Grand Prix circuit was enough to ignite Caracciola’s flame for racing once again.
Caracciola (far right) with Mercedes-Benz teammates Manfred von Brauchitsch, Richard Seaman and Hermann Lang (left to right), and Alfred Neubauer (back). Courtesy of Daimler AG.
As if by design, Caracciola’s return to the track coincided with the revival of the Mercedes-Benz racing team, which in 1934 was making its way back to the top of Grand Prix racing as the global economy recovered. In April of that year Caracciola had his first taste of the new Mercedes challenger, the supercharged W25, in an AVUS test session; and even in the face of numerous setbacks (chiefly mechanical issues with the W25 and a right leg that, once healed, was now two inches shorter than the left) the Rainmaster proved that he had lost none of his skill in his brief retirement, finishing second at the Spanish Grand Prix and first in the Klausenpass hillclimb before the end of the season.
The following year, Caracciola made a triumphant return to the top of the rostrum when he won in sweltering heat in Tripoli, his first Grand Prix victory since 1932. This marked the beginning of Mercedes-Benz dominance in the European Championship, and over the course of 1935 Caracciola took his W25 to further wins in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain as well as collecting a third place in Germany—with the trauma of his Monaco crash clearly behind him, Rudolf Caracciola was firmly back where he belonged and was all but unchallenged in becoming the 1935 European Drivers’ Champion.
The Rainmaster began his title defence in characteristic style in 1936 by winning the torrential opening round in Monaco, but over the duration of the season the W25 proved second-best to the new Auto Union Type C, and Caracciola lost the title by some margin to countryman Bernd Rosemeyer. Their championship battle sparked an intense rivalry between the two Germans both on and off the track, one which saw a flashpoint at the 1936 Swiss Grand Prix when the stewards ordered Caracciola to cede position to Rosemeyer in punishment for being too aggressive in his defence of the lead.
Caracciola (second) behind teammate Hermann Lang, and leading Bernd Rosemeyer and Hans Peter Müller of the Auto Union at the Nürburgring in 1937. Courtesy of Daimler AG.
For 1937, spurred on by their loss to Auto Union the previous year, Mercedes-Benz introduced the brand-new W125. With an eight-cylinder, 5.6-litre engine capable of producing over 600 BHP, the W125 was considered the most powerful race car ever built—and with Grand Prix engine capacity limited to just 3,000cc the following year, that became a title it would hold until the introduction of turbo-charged engines to Formula One in the 1980s.
Emboldened by the might of his new Mercedes-Benz challenger, Caracciola put the frustration of 1936 behind him in convincing fashion, winning three of the ’37 season’s five championship Grands Prix to reclaim his European title. He followed up his racing success by taking a streamlined W125 to the Frankfurt–Darmstadt Autobahn, and taking aim at the previous road speed records set by Auto Union’s Hans Stuck and Rosemeyer—to this date, the average speed of 432.7 km/h (269.9 mph) set by Caracciola over a flying kilometre remains the fastest ever speed recorded on a public road.
Mercedes-Benz then continued its Grand Prix dominance in 1938 with the W154, a new design built to match the reduced 3.0-litre engine formula. Caracciola opened the season with second place in a Mercedes 1-2-3 in France, and took another two podiums and victory in Switzerland—again in the wet—to secure his third and final European Drivers’ title, sealing his legacy as the most successful driver in the championship’s history; Mercedes-Benz also finished the season with each of its drivers occupying the top four positions in the final standings.
Caracciola leading the rain-soaked 1938 Swiss Grand Prix in his Mercedes-Benz W154. Courtesy of Daimler AG.
Despite the great heights achieved by both parties that season, 1938 turned out to be the final chapter of Caracciola’s and Mercedes-Benz’ Grand Prix success story. The 1939 championship was abandoned after the outbreak of war in September, and with Hermann Paul Müller leading a fightback for Auto Union, Caracciola could only manage one final career win—fittingly that was a sixth German Grand Prix win at the Nürburgring, making him the last German to win a home Grand Prix until Michael Schumacher in 1995, and still the most successful driver in that event’s history.
During the Second World War, Caracciola and his new wife Alice lived in exile in Lugano, Switzerland, during which time the injuries to his right leg returned to pain him. In 1946 he was invited to take part in the Indianapolis 500 in a loaned Thorne Engineering Special, but was struck on the head by a bird during practice and crashed into the south wall, leaving him with severe concussion and in a coma for several days. He returned to active racing six years later when Mercedes-Benz invited him back to drive a 300SL in the 1952 Mille Miglia, in which he finished fourth despite being given an inferior engine to his teammates Hermann Lang and Karl Kling; but in that same year, a heavy accident at the Grand Prix of Berne resulted in a fractured left leg and forced him into retirement for good. In 1959, after enduring a variety of serious illnesses, Caracciola suffered a fatal liver failure and died at the age of 58.
Caracciola and co-driver Peter Kurrle at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL in the 1952 Mille Miglia. Courtesy of Daimler AG.
Though his story may not be as widely known as those of later Formula One legends, there is no doubt that Rudolf Caracciola is a name that deserves to be remembered. He was a driver of unparalleled skill, possessing the same calculated resolve as Niki Lauda or Fernando Alonso, the formidable versatility of Graham Hill, and with a flair for wet weather driving to rival the great Ayrton Senna; moreover, his legacy includes speed records and a tally of six German Grand Prix wins that still have yet to be surpassed nearly eighty years on.
In the words of his Mercedes manager Alfred Neubauer, Rudolf Caracciola was “the greatest driver of the twenties and thirties, perhaps even of all time. He combined, to an extraordinary extent, determination with concentration, physical strength with intelligence. Caracciola was second to none in his ability to triumph over shortcomings.”
Formula One world is still focused on the battle between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, a battle which started in Azerbaijan and finished on the 3rd of July. The four time world champion apologised for his behaviour, and FIA didn’t take any further action for the incident between the two drivers.
The clock is ticking and it is almost time for the Austrian Grand Prix the title competitors must concentrate on the race and remain in the limits of the fair play game.
Sebastian Vettel is leading in the drivers’ standings by 14 points, followed by the two Mercedes’ drivers who are willing to fight till the end and secure one more title for their team. Lewis Hamilton wants to remain close or even pass Sebastian before the summer break.
Daniel Ricciardo, after an unexpected race, won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It was the first victory for Red Bull Racing and for Ricciardo in 2017. That victory gave a psychological boost to the Australian and that might play a crucial to the championship.
Red Bull Ring
Laps: 71
Circuit Length: 4.318 km
Race Distance: 306.452 km
Lap Record: 1:08.337 (Michael Schumacher – 2003)
Tyre compounds: Ultrasoft (Purple), Supersoft (Red), Soft (Yellow)
The Austrian Grand Prix is a historical circuit which is held in Spielberg, the first Formula 1 race took place in 1970. There were two places which drivers had to race, the first was the Zeltweg Airfield circuit and the second one was the Österreichring. Another interesting fact about the Austrian Grand Prix is that in 1975 the race was designated as the European Grand Prix. The top speed of the F1 cars, in those years, was increasing and that caused problems with the authorities, because the track was not safe for the drivers. Hence, the race disappeared for almost a decade.
In 1997, the track renamed to A1-Ring and returned to the Formula 1 calendar. The circuit was re-designed by Hermann Tilke, the majority of the track changed, the long straights and the sweeping corners disappeared and were replaced by safer options, the final race in A1-Ring was held in 2003.
About ten years later, Red Bull made a deal with Bernie Ecclestone and the Austrian Grand Prix returned, once again, in Formula One. The circuit was renamed to Red Bull Ring, after the new owners.
Alain Prost is holding the record of the most victories (3) in Austrian GP, whilst McLaren is the only team who has won six times in Austria. Ferrari is holding the record of the most podiums, points and poles.
Toto Wolff – “It is always special to return to Spielberg and my racing roots. As a young racing driver, I did my first laps at the old Oesterreichring, so the circuit will always be close to my heart. Since those days, Dietrich Mateschitz has invested impressively into the facility and the region and it’s a source of pride for Austria to have this world class circuit in our country. Happily, it has been positive ground for Mercedes over the last three years. But we cannot rely on our historic success rate in Spielberg because the regulations are brand new. We start again from the ground up on Friday morning and will aim to come out of the blocks well in FP1. In a season as close as this, we have to if we are going to be on the top step at the end of the year.”
Austrian Grand Prix will be an interesting race, a race which will give the chance to Vettel to remain on the top of the championship and will allow to Lewis Hamilton to defend his world title.
“Brave”, a word that is readily and correctly used to describe Formula 1 drivers and their exploits on the track, essentially being strapped in to the motoring equivalent of a rocket ship. But sometimes, that word exits the apex and extends beyond the track in an unexpected way. A part of our Mercedes F1 tribute week, we look at the brave decision taken by reigning world champion, Nico Rosberg.
Rosberg shook the F1 world at the end of the 2016 season, announcing his immediate retirement from the sport, soon after he secured his maiden F1 drivers title. It was a season of attrition and hard work that saw a toe to toe, wheel to wheel fight for the title, gripping fans worldwide. After a season like that, only those privy to his decision could have expected the retirement.
The inevitable media and fan analysis began with certain sectors mumbling less than flattering comments. Rosberg is an intelligent and astute man and would no doubt have foreseen this and the fact that it may have, for a short time at least, slightly overshadowed the title win. Given the social media storm, media leanings and the fact that a decision like his was relatively unprecedented in the modern era, Rosberg’s decision was brave.
While many may argue that brave might be proverbially stretching things, consider this:
1. Rosberg’s history
2. The weight of the 2016 season
3. The social media discussion
HISTORY
Rosberg’s history is well known, the world champion was regarded as one of the hardest working and intelligent drivers on the circuit. While much as been written about him being the son of a world champion, Mercedes themselves would be the first to confirm that Rosberg was instrumental in the development of the Silver Arrows on their return to the sport.
However, it was his childhood friend and teammate that took the title with Mercedes and Rosberg fine-tuned his thinking for the 2016 season. We simply saw a different mindset, a focused determination and strength of purpose with one goal in mind; the championship.
2016
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona. Spain. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
This made for a titanic fight between him and Lewis Hamilton, coming to a head in Spain and causing tension both on and off the track. The social media backlash against Rosberg was especially harsh with many unpalatable comments being thrown about. Accusations of underhanded tactics were paired like a wine with conspiracy theories, all unfounded of course.
He however continued to focus on his goal, which came to fruition at the end of the season – Nico Rosberg was finally World Champion. Having endured many jokes, memes and media probes, Rosberg could finally join his father in that special club of champions.
Then came the announcement, a decision that he had taken and revealed to only those he was closest too. He would have achieved his goal and did not require anything further.
SOCIAL MEDIA STORM
Media, regular and social alike, erupted with opinions after the initial shock with reactions as diverse as the paddock itself. Many happily understood his reasons, related to his personal goals and family. However, it was inevitable that just as many, speculated that Rosberg could not defend his title or that he was somehow afraid to take on his teammate in 2017 and so on. Rosberg, who had endured many personal aspersions, would have foreseen this and how it would forever be linked to his title win.
Tweets and other social postings referred to him as “afraid of his teammate’s comeback in 2017” or “he won’t beat him again and he knows it” to more personal character related comments which we will not repeat, save for saying that it would make a sailor blush.
Yet he still had to conviction of character to take an unprecedented decision, retire immediately, despite what the F1 world would say, think, and record. Brave decision.
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
LIFE AFTER F1
Driving the dominant car and being crowned champion would make tempt any driver to stay on for more; another title and a chance to go wheel to wheel with the best again. But Rosberg is not your ordinary driver, he never has been.
Rosberg had set himself the goal of being a champion and achieved it in a season that caused deep division in the F1 world, often erupting into a war on and off the track. He waded through the murky waters and faced even more after his announcement. And yet he was unfazed, basking in his deserved success and committing to his role as a Mercedes ambassador.
While the less than flattering terms were being thrown about, Rosberg stuck firm, he was not retiring because he did not have “what it took” or because he had lost his passion, he retired because he wanted to. He accepted something that at times some drivers are reluctant and perhaps slightly afraid of; there is life outside of F1.
Psychology speaks about the strength of mind it takes to walk away from success and Rosberg, we would argue, displayed this in a way that we may not see for some time, he walked away while he had even more to gain. Some may argue that he had just as much to lose, a consideration which may be correct, however Rosberg has never changed his reasoning, he had nothing to lose because he achieved his personal goal, it was all he needed.
Brave we would argue is his step away from the paddock that he called home for years, with the rumblings about his reasoning not, as far as we know, affecting him, or causing him to waiver.
In taking such a step, Rosberg was unbowed and brave simply saying to the world, I have done all I need, on my own terms and I will leave the same way, despite what many may think. Stepping down in one’s prime is a decision that cannot be made easily and requires a certain something special to do. We would say that is brave.
It certainly will be one for him to celebrate, as on his 30th anniversary he avoided being hit with more sporting penalties following his rash clash with title rival Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Vettel was angered by what he saw to be a brake-test on lap 19 at the end of a Safety Car period, and ploughed into Hamilton.
While gesticulating wildly, he then ploughed into the side of his rival and sparked a mass debate over whether he is in fact mad, bad and dangerous to know.
For this, he received a 10-second stop/go penalty, costing him 30 seconds and almost certainly the race victory.
The FIA has noted Vettel’s sincerest apologies and his commitment to devoting time to educational courses over the next 12 months.
They have also warned that a repeat of this behaviour would immediately herald another tribunal, and most likely worse consequences.
In not punishing Vettel any further they have avoided turning themselves into a laughing stock across the wider motorsport world.
It would have sent a bad message out to the stewards to overrule them on something not as cut and dried as many would have you believe.
The debate about whether they awarded the right penalty will no doubt rage on through to this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
No doubt partisans on both sides will claim it either to be the biggest injustice of human kind or that in fact it is a victory for the golden old days where “men were men”.
The issue of whether the stewards got the decision right or wrong is not easy to resolve.
The incident does set a bad example to younger drivers, but the fallout following the handbags should act as enough of a pointer to show that a driver must always stay in control.
While mindless and daft, it is difficult to believe Vettel would deliberately risk damaging his car and putting himself out of the race, even at 30mph. This was pointed out by of all people Mercedes chief Toto Wolff.
Hamilton was right to be aggrieved, angry and upset at the outcome of the race and Vettel’s impromptu dodgems ride.
However, much of that stemmed mostly from his own dramas and had he not had to make an unscheduled pit-stop to replace a broken headrest, he’d have walked home.
It would have been wrong to punish Vettel based on others’, including Hamilton’s, misfortune.
Far more dangerous and indeed pivotal acts have been committed in the heat of F1 battle.
Michael Schumacher in 1994 cutting across Damon Hill’s Williams to after earlier contact with the wall at the title-deciding Australian Grand Prix to ensure that if he couldn’t finish, neither would Hill.
And then we have the infamous first corner of the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, where Ayrton Senna made sure that Alain Prost didn’t the corner ahead of his McLaren – whatever the cost.
Yes, Vettel’s silliness was under controlled conditions but that just adds to the stupidity of the incident, not the danger.
The FIA have rightly avoided changing the result of the football match because the referee awarded a free-kick instead of a penalty.
With the fall-out from this decision, the Austrian Grand Prix now has more needle than it already had.
Now, let’s get on with racing and watch this intriguing, absorbing title fight play out over the next twenty weeks.
Maybe we’ll all then have our (birthday) cake and eat it.
2017 marks the first year of Formula 1’s hybrid era where Mercedes have not had an advantage that sets them ahead of the rest of the field by a country field. After achieving three consecutive constructor’s championships, might Mercedes and their dominant winning ways finally be coming to an end?
Though we are only eight races into the 2017 season, with another twelve races yet to be contested, it is clear that it is far from the same old story for the German team. By this point last year, Mercedes had won all but one of the races – their one loss an anomaly after the collision between Rosberg and Hamilton in Barcelona – and would go on to win nineteen out of the twenty-one races. It is already impossible for them to hold onto such an impressive win percentage.
Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
It was in Melbourne at the season opener that we saw the first glimpses that Mercedes might have lost their grip on the dominance that they have enjoyed for the past three years. Though Ferrari had outperformed them in terms of ultimate pace in testing, it is always impossible to say whether form will carry over from Spain to Australia. Though Mercedes won pole position Down Under, clearly hanging onto their superiority in putting together a blindingly fast qualifying lap. It was in race pace that they found Ferrari could match them.
Ultimately, it was strategy, and Vettel’s use of the undercut that won the race for them, as well as Hamilton struggles in passing Verstappen, despite his higher speed. This was the first sign that a disadvantage of the new Mercedes package might be its struggles to run in dirty air.
China saw Mercedes back on top, with a grand slam for Hamilton, but Bottas finished a little way down the order in sixth. It was enough for Mercedes to take the lead in the constructor’s championship by a single point. Again there was no denying that the Mercedes engine is as impressive as it has been since the hybrid era began, but the question still remained of whether or not that would be enough to carry them to a fourth consecutive title. Had they got a handle on all aspects of the new regulations; which was always going to be the biggest challenge for them in 2017.
Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
The pendulum swung away from them in Bahrain, and it seemed as though the pattern for the season was set. But it was in Russia, where Valtteri Bottas would win – the first of his career – where it became apparent that Mercedes struggle to get the new Pirelli tyres within the correct operating window. Unfortunately for them, this is something Ferrari have a much better time dealing with.
This problem didn’t seem to hinder them in Spain where Mercedes managed to win with Hamilton thanks to smart tyre strategy, but it returned to haunt them in Monaco. Both drivers, but especially Hamilton, struggled for grip and getting their tyres up to temperature.
Whether it is a setup issue that the team have yet to get on top of, or the design of the car which hinders them from extracting the maximum from the new Pirelli tyres, only time will tell. While it is something the whole grid seems to have trouble with, the fact that it affects Mercedes’ closest rivals Ferrari far less will undoubtedly prove to be crucial.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
Hamilton’s sixty-fifth career pole in Canada left no doubt that Mercedes have the one lap advantage over the rest of the field, especially at circuits, such as the one on the Île Notre-Dame, which suit the Silver Arrows. But with a one-two for Mercedes followed by a distant Ricciardo in third, after problems for Ferrari, it was one race where they weren’t really under pressure. But it does show that they know how to capitalise on the mistakes of their rivals, and gain the most from such moments.
In the grand scheme of things, Azerbaijan was an outlier for all the teams in terms of gauging their performances. It was always going to be a track that suited the Mercedes engine, and the huge margin Hamilton and Bottas had in qualifying proved just that. But with such a disrupted race, it is impossible to say whether, in normal circumstances, their race pace would have held up.
Bottas’ impressive drive from the back of the grid to second place does suggest that Mercedes might have found a way around their troubles of driving in traffic. Especially compared to the first race of the season in Australia where Hamilton had great difficulty overtaking Verstappen in a much less powerful car.
Where the German team seems to be lacking is in their understanding of these new specification Pirelli tyres, and how their cars run in dirty air. But all things considered, these do not detract from the face that Mercedes have once again produced a package which is more than capable of winning the world championship. The only difference this year is that they are not the only team to have done so.
With Ferrari closer to them than they ever have been before in the hybrid era, it is the little things that matter most. A small mistake during a pit stop, a single lock up in qualifying, a clumsy start; these things are now the difference between winning races .And as the season wears on, these things will become the difference between losing and winning the all important constructors and drivers’ championships.
Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan. BY COURTESY OF PIRELLI
In the past three years, Mercedes, thanks to their unbeatable machinery, rarely faced such pressure from their fellow competitors. It is entirely possible that they made these small errors but they went unnoticed because of the lack of impact on the bigger picture. Dealing with an inter-team battle is wholly different to an intra-team rivalry.
So far in 2017 Mercedes have dealt with this pressure with composure expected of world champions, but it hasn’t been entirely smooth running – as Sebastian Vettel’s lead in the drivers’ standings proves. If they are to make it to four in a row, they will need technical supremacy, first-rate performances from their drivers, and perhaps just a little bit of good fortune.
Großer Preis von Monaco 2017, Sonntag – Wolfgang Wilhelm/Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport
Ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff has spoken of the challenge his Mercedes team faces if it is to come out on top in its championship fight with Ferrari.
His comments follow what he described as a “bruising” race in Monaco, which saw Lewis Hamilton struggle in practice before qualifying only thirteenth, and Valtteri Bottas beaten to the podium by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.
“It’s painful, but we are not the favourites for this year’s championship,” Wolff said. “At the moment it’s Ferrari. They have a very strong package and we need to rise to the challenge to prove once again that we are the team to beat.
“Everybody at the factories is working absolutely flat out to assess the current difficulties we are facing. We’ve had bruising weekends [like Monaco] before and it’s about showing resilience and getting up after falling.
“We have to fight for all we are worth for every single win, pole position, podium finish and every point. You can no longer expect when you look at a timesheet that the two Mercedes will be right at the top.”
Großer Preis von Monaco 2017, Donnerstag – Steve Etherington
Steve Etherington/Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport
Wolff also likened the Monaco result to that of the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix, in which the Silver Arrows again failed to reach the podium after losing pole and the win to Sebastian Vettel, and added that in both cases the team’s response has been “to define our objectives, work with the data we have and then come up with the right solutions.
“We gave ourselves a deadline [after Singapore] to address that setback before switching our focus to the next race in Suzuka, which we won. We’ve done exactly the same thing after Monaco—addressing the problems before turning our attention to Montréal.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, the Mercedes boss said the team is confident that Montréal will offer “the chance to bounce back with a strong result”, as the circuit has been a successful one for Mercedes’ two drivers throughout their careers.
Lewis Hamilton is the only repeat winner of the race on the 2017 grid, and with five wins in Montréal to his name is the most successful driver at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve besides Michael Schumacher. Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, has finished on the podium there in the last years, and also qualified an impressive third for the 2013 race in his debut year with Williams-Renault.
