F1 | Gp Spain, Minardi “Ferrari and Mercedes devastating. Finally true overtaking and close duels”

The Spanish Grand Prix, the fifth round of the F1 world championship, gave us another exciting race on the edge of hundredths of seconds between Ferrari and Mercedes. Strategies and team tactics played an important role in the final result, just as the overtaking manoeuvres and the close duels did, luckily unpunished by the marshals. The battle at the start was very good, as were Sebastian Vettel’s duels with Bottas first and then with Hamilton. The English champion then took the lead with a great display of force as he also took the fastest lap of the race two laps from the finish and thus claimed the pole, race and fastest lap triple.

Barcelona gave us a very reactive Ferrari that knew how to reply very well to the many changes introduced by Mercedes, managing to reduce the gap even more. The car from Maranello is a strong machine and put together very well that reacts to the developments.

The force of these two teams in regards to the other teams is devastating. Third placed Daniel Ricciardo finished 70 seconds behind and all the others were more than a lap from the winners.

It was a pity that the accident immediately knocked out Kimi Raikonnen, thus forcing his Ferrari team mate to fight alone against the two Mercedes that were able to take advantage of team tactics. Ferrari and Mercedes will go to Monte Carlo close on the two ladders where Fernando Alonso will be missing for his home race after having given a show of his enormous talent taking the McLaren-Honda to seventh spot (a near miracle) and improving his performance in the course of the race up to the final lap. I wish him the best of luck for his adventure in the Indianapolis 500, even though I do not agree with it as the race requires specific preparation.

This weekend we saw important signs of change on the part of Liberty Media. The interviews with the drivers in direct contact with the fans were excellent, as well as the quick reaction to the tears of the very young Kimi Raikonnen fan after the driver’s exit when he was brought to meet his idol in the pits. In forty years of activity I had never seen anything like it.

It was a grand prix that gave us important surprises in the back markers such as the precious points brought home by Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso.

We anxiously await the next chapter.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Minardi “Clear victory for Ferrari. Mercedes beaten on the track”

In his interview by the Minardi.it editorial staff and webTV Gian Carlo Minardi once more underscored the victory by Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari on the Melbourne track in the first race of the 2017 World Championship. He was not sparing in his praise. “It was a clear win for Ferrari. For the first time Mercedes was beaten on the track by another team. Ferrari did everything very well putting under pressure both Lewis Hamilton who constantly asked to change tyres and Mercedes who brought forward the changes by a few laps.”

While one swallow does not a summer make,” continued the manager from Faenza, “And Mercedes remains the car to beat as it showed in the pole position, the gap from last season has narrowed. I see Ferrari favoured by the potential of its drivers. If Kimi Raikonnen becomes once more the driver of the last part of last season then it will have an advantage over the pair of Hamilton-Bottas.”

Words of praise for the debutant Antonio Giovinazzi at the wheel of the Sauber, “You could not ask more of the young man. On the first occasion of a grand prix he was ready to show his true worth. He demonstrated that he has his papers in order to become a great driver. Last week in Melbourne was an excellent calling card, “continued Gian Carlo Minardi, “Now he also need a bit of luck.”

If Ferrari and Mercedes showed vital reliability and that they are the top of the class the situation is exactly the opposite for McLaren-Honda “Alonso’s facial expressions and his choice of words say a lot more than his mere words. He is going through the most difficult phase of his career and there are implications we cannot decipher. The Japanese giant cannot continue on this road. There is no two without the third and in the past it has already retired twice from F1. On the other hand, McLaren cannot do without Honda, its technical and financial sponsor. Without Honda it would have great difficulty surviving.”

F1 | Gp Australia. It begins, but without Nico Rosberg and Mr. Ecclestone

After a very long winter for all the enthusiasts we are at the start of a new Formula One world championship. For the first time in years and due to Nico Rosberg’s sudden retirement  Formula 1 will be without its reigning world champion. Also missing will also be Bernie Ecclestone after forty straight years at the helm of the Circus (as a master puppeteer). The stake at play will be in the hands of its new promoter, Liberty Media. It will be interesting seeing what will be the new guidelines.

We are about to reach Australia for the first grand prix after only eight days of testing on the Barcelona track which certainly rewarded Mercedes and Ferrari in regards to reliability and failed some others (see Honda). Beyond the times registered up till now we will only know after qualifying what the gauge of this season will be as in Spain many played with their cards hidden.

Amongst many uncertainties one thing is certain; the 2017 power-unit consumes much more and this will have the engineers scratching their heads. The 105kg fuel limit imposed by FIA would not be enough to finish the race. This increased fuel consumption also comes from the new Pirelli tyres (much wider than those of 2016) which allow for greater grip and faster speed on the bends. From what we have understood the tyres wear out very slowly. Thus we will see only one pit stop. For this first race the teams will have at their disposition the soft, SuperSoft and Ultrasoft mixes.

There is much curiosity about the season. As a fan I would like to see Ferrari very close to the Mercedes (which for me remains the car to beat) with a good contest between the two. Neither would I underestimate Red Bull.

Let us hope we will see a good grand prix and we will be in touch on Sunday after the race.

 
 

F1 | Fuel consumption alert?

The eight days of tests on the Barcelona track are giving their first results. If on the one side Ferrari and Mercedes saw their efforts rewarded from the point of view of reliability – unlike Renault and especially Honda – an important problem is rising and it must not be underestimated.

Precisely, the data came out of the simulation of the grands prix. From what we have heard from various sources overseas, due to the new performances of the vehicles the 5kg more of fuel (last season’s 100kg of fuel has gone to105kg in 2017) foreseen by FIA’s regulations are not enough to complete a grand prix.

The new regulations have given us decidedly better performing vehicles in both speed and performance in the bends with lap times up to 4” faster. In addition to the increase in fuel the width of the tyres increased as well. This combination makes the power-units even thirstier for fuel.

This information would explain in part why the drivers lifted their feet from the accelerator pedal during their lap sessions. The teams must put the fuel consumption under the magnifying glass.

Melbourne is getting ever closer.

The curtain falls on the Barcelona tests. Minardi “Too early to judge. We don’t know how much fuel”

The sun has set on the last day of tests at Barcelona. The first session ended with the best time by Kimi Raikonnen in his Ferrari SF70H. The day was marked with a deliberately wet track to evaluate the behaviour of Pirelli’s wet and intermediate tyres. The slicks were then tested in the afternoon

It was a difficult day to judge as the track dried quickly, effectively thwarting the development and grip of the track, as well as having lowered the temperature of the asphalt and affecting that results of the rivers who took to the track on ultra soft, super soft and soft mixes.

Too early to judge the forces at play

At the present time it is too early to judge the forces at play even though there are only four days available before the departure for Melbourne. The cars will be back on track beginning Tuesday. Thanks to Pirelli’s colours we know the types of mixes, but we are missing one vital detail; the amount of fuel aboard each car.

Reliability

For now the only detail we can use is reliability. The numerous laps run by Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen as a good calling card for the SF70H and also for Hamilton and Bottas’ W080. In the final minutes of yesterday’s session Seb had a problem with his Ferrari, whereas in the morning it was Hamilton’s turn to remain the in the box for an electrical problem for his Mercedes. Renault and particularly Honda fought with a few too many problems. The French, according to the Red Bull drivers, have yet to push their power-units to their limits.

Pirelli ready to change the mixes

Despite the thumbs up from the drivers Paul Hembery, Pirelli Motorsport’s Director, announced that the mixes of the wets will be changed, especially the intermediates, as they had suffered significant deterioration. The decision came at the end of the final session on the artificially wet track at Barcelona. It is thought that two types of wets will be available according to the situation: one for the warmer tracks and one for those such as Silverstone and Spa which are always colder.

 

F1 | An important step for the fans by Liberty Media

A change of direction by Liberty Media, the new owner of Formula 1, that during the first four days of testing underway at Barcelona allowed the teams and drivers to publish brief videos in their respective social media pages. An operation that was totally banned by the previous FOM.

A small but very important step in opening not only to new communications technologies, but also towards the fans that can live up close the brief moments of action in the boxes and pit-lane.

The teams were not caught unprepared…

F1 | Mercedes, Hamilton opposed to share telemetry. Minardi "Absurd Decision"

 As we await Thursday’s presentation by Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton’s statements hold the lime light. The three times world champion has declared that he is not willing to share his telemetry with new team mate Valtteri Bottas who replaced Nico Rosberg.

I do not agree with this and I find the decision and his attitude absurd. As already happened last year, one of Formula One’s highest paid drivers has put down his employer’s work and decisions which would place him at the peak of the sport. We are talking about a team which put together 51 wins in 59 grands prix. For Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff the priority is the constructor’s title, just as I find it unlikely that the engineers of the two cars do not compare the data gathered on the track. We are faced with a complicated season that will be conditioned by important changes to the regulations. For this very reason the team’s programme must take be more important than any single driver’s.

After Nico Rosberg’s retirement Mercedes was forced to back Hamilton who has been flanked by the Finn with a one year contract (with an option for a secondseason). In other circumstances the case would have been very different.

I never had the chance to work with a star, but within the Minardi team we all worked together to make the best use of and to improve the material available to us. Everything was directed towards the result.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | Pub talk

The covers have not yet come off the racing cars (which begins on February 20th) and we have not gone onto the track for the first preseason testing  (the first session is booked in for February 27th to March 2nd at Montmelo), but with the exception of Mercedes a certain level of nervousness is seeping from the factories.

While everyone at Brackley is sleeping comfortably because they are all ready for February 23rd and look forward to the first test session with confidence due to the results of the simulations and in respect to the construction of the cars to be entrusted to Lewis Hamilton and Vallteri Bottas, at all the other factories there are significant delays, as well as problems in analyzing and comparing data from previous years. The Team from Maranello will reveal Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen’s new weapon on Friday February 24th at Fiorano and from comments by engineers they are already working on the B version to make its debut when the World Championship reaches Europe as they are not satisfied with the results of the wind tunnel testing and the simulations. This all creates tension.

I would be careful about playing the Last Post and dressing in mourning. There are rumours doing the rounds of the pubs and the mobile phones are ringing continuously. We await the results of the first round at Barcelona.

As Nikki Lauda believes, I am convinced that the teams are keepings their cards well covered until the first day of testing to discover the forces at play with the objective of gathering the most information possible to be able to develop and modify the cars in anticipation of the first Grands Prix.

Let’s not forget that we are waiting for FIA’s reply on the interpretation of the regulations and on the plans of the new owners.

F1 | McLaren sheds light on its reorganization. Minardi “I agree with the programme”

A few days ago I told you about my conclusions on the situation within the McLaren Team after the departure of its C.E.O. Jost Capito and team manager David Redding (who will go to the Williams Team), together with the possible collaboration with BMW on the Formula 1 front with the supply of the next Power-Unit.

Following my considerations I was contacted from inside the Woking Factory who let me know through the words of Race Director Éric Boullier of how the Team’s reorganization is proceeding which left me favourably impressed.

These are Boullier’s words:
Dave Redding had been offered an opportunity with another team and we did not want to get in the way. Let’s not forget that Dave had been with McLaren for 17 years. His place will be taken by Paul James (who had already been the Team’s Chief mechanic).

The position that Paul James left free will be entrusted to Karu (Lammenranta) – the former number one mechanic of Alonso’s car who will be the new Chief mechanic.

Andrea Stella will carry on in his role as the supervisor of the track side engineers and his duties will be expanded to involve the sporting relations between the Team and FIA.

Éric Boullier when on by emphasizing “When we understood that Dave would leave we were able to enlist entirely from within the Team. Over a long period of time we had been encouraging people to study science, engineering, technology and mathematics at local schools and to support apprenticeships and university theses with the aim of introducing better prepared young talents into McLaren.

A programme with which I agree because it coincides with the Minardi mentality, in other words to mature people within the Team and, at the same time, collaborate with Universities to bring better prepared young people into the organization and at the same time encourage loyalty towards the Company. By so doing it is possible to create a hard core to the Team thus creating the conditions for another winning cycle.

With the exit of Ron Dennis, the new General Director Zak Brown, – an expert marketer –will have the task of reorganizing McLaren and in an interview released on the American site Roundandtrack had spoken about the possibility of success in 2017 “I do not believe we will win a Grand Prix this year”. Every reorganization takes time.

I thank the whole staff at the Factory to whom i wish the best of luck for the upcoming presentation of the car (February 24th) and the 2017 racing season.

 

F1, Jost Capito and David Redding leave Woking. Minardi “F1 cannot afford to lose McLaren as well”

McLaren continues to lose important piece the day of the presentation relentlessly approaches as well as the first official tests on the track at Barcelona. After Ron Dennis’ estrangement at the end of last year C.E.O. Jost Capito and team manager David Redding also left the Woking factory.

These signals are synonymous with the internal collapse of a glorious team, a symbol of Formula 1, which is passing through an important phase of changes of management and ownership. Considering his past Jost Capito could have been an important figure. His departure, together with that of the team manager tells us of moments of tension within the team. Over the last few days we had hinted at the possibility of an agreement between McLaren and BMW on the Circus front as well, but it was denied by the team from Bavaria. A hint of hope had appeared which disappeared just when chaos ruled within the team.

At this moment Formula 1 cannot allow itself to lose a team such as McLaren. It was once an expert puppet master that controlled the strings very well. Now Liberty Media is called to undertake a sensitive task.

2017 is a delicate year for McLaren, but above all for Honda. The winter tests will give us the first answers, even though I do not have much faith in the Japanese constructor.

McLaren and BWM together again, waiting for Apple

It is back in vogue the marriage that made millions of fans dream in the 90s. McLaren and the BMW group will be again together, even if not in the world motorsport for the moment.

The goal of the new partnership between McLaren Automotive and the Bavarian group, whose cooperation also comprises a number of other partners, is linked to the development of new technologies for the inner combustion that will make us reach new power levels and reduce CO2 emissions.

Contextually, Zak Brown is working to bring new sponsors to Woking to give some oxygen to the stable. The wind would carry to Cupertino, Apple destination. Last year, the name of the company created by Steve Jobs had already been associated with McLaren, but then denied. According to rumors, any Apple landing in F1 would open the doors for the return of BMW in the world championship as a propellers supplier.

As in many other operations, and despite the estrangement from Liberty Media, I am sure that behind this there is, once again, Bernie Ecclestone’s hand. No one else knows this environment as him, and he is still the reference point for companies.

F1 | Minardi "Studying the past to plan the future"

Day after day, Liberty Media, the new owner of Formula 1, discloses its cards aimed at improving the show. Chase Carey confirms he wants to bring the Circus towards the US with events in Miami and New York, without forgetting the traditional destinations that have made this sport great.

The managing director Ross Brawn points the finger at the power-units and at the too high costs, especially for the little teams called to a basically unsustainable effort. The former engineer at Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes as well as founder of the 2009 world champion stable named after his name, would like to see a Leicester-style fairy tale. A small stable able to fight with the major teams. With regret I learn that the courtain will fall definitively on the Manor, defeated by debts. Unfortunately, no buyer has been found.

Surely, the discussion it will focus on the new Concord Agreement, which expires in 2020.

My advice, is to study the past, before releasing any statements. At this time, words are carried away by the wind and create just nervousness. It is sure that F1 will have to undergo a relevant transformation both on the sporting and technical front. The current Concord Agreement is the result of laborious negotiations. Liberty Media should study the previous agreements in order to understand the evolution of the faced difficulties.

As I have already said in my blog, I find it crazy the idea of having 4-5” faster cars than last year with the consequent increase in research and development costs. All this will not lead to a better show because the audience at the circuit or in front of the TV will not perceive all this. The introduction of the Power-Units was a risky step, the development of which was to be directed towards endurance races.

Surely, Formula 1 has to work on marketing to attract new companies, but has also to find technical solutions able to ensure the survival and the continuity to all its teams. Last years have been detrimental for small entities forced to raise the white flag.

In US, the Federations are investing $ 50 million dollar in studies to make the sport more competitive in the future. A signal that shows how much this area and the needs of enthusiasts and spectators are changing quickly. We are going towards shorter and faster events.

F1 | The curtain falls on the Manor. Minardi "It's a defeat for the whole system"

The starting grid of 2017 Formula 1 will be constituted by only 10 teams. The curtain falls on the Manor. When you loose a team it is a defeat for the whole system. Perhaps it is the first real signal of the exit of the orchestra leader Mr. Ecclestone. It seems almost impossible that they didn’t find a new investor.

The engineers and the technicians of Manor have wanted to make a last step ahead with the 1/50 scale model that will never see the track. This image brings me back quickly to November 2005 when the Minardi PS06 (in the picture) had been created under the skillful design of the engineer Gabriele Tredozi and his working group. A car that had produced excellent results on paper but that unfortunately has never see the light because the new ownership had decided to line up the RB1 clone.

The regret for the abortion of that project was cancelled by the confirmation of the whole Minardi staff by the new Toro Rosso ownership. Today, after eleven years, they still have an important role within the structure.

My best “good luck” goes to the more than 200 employees of the Manor, can they find peace soon.