Archive for category: F1

10 years after his death,  Gian Carlo Minardi remember his friend Clay Regazzoni.

After Nico Rosberg’s retirement, Mercedes could lose another bigwig. According to the English parlors, the technical manager at Mercedes, Paddy Lowe would have done his luggage, ready to greet Brackley, because it hasn’t been found an economical agreement for the contract extension.

Arrived at Mercedes in July 2013 after being torn off from McLaren, the Technician from Cambridge could go back to Woking after three seasons rich in triumphs from both the point of view of Drivers and Constructors. These weeks, McLaren has been subject of an internal reorganization with Ron Dennis’ exit and Zak Brown’s arrival. In my opinion Lowe can’t accept the challenge just to try to revive the fortune of the stable. This action makes me think that a great engine constructor is accruing behind the curtains for 2018. As all the technicians, Lowe will have to face a gardening period (about 6-7 months) before being operative on the new front. This would bring him to work on the project for 2018.

It is the proof that the bond to the flag doesn’t exist anymore. The money god always governs. As history teaches us, after a winning period, there is a boarding towards the team to gain the best technician and his know-how with him. This is part of Formula 1 history.

In these very days, through Autosport website, Mercedes has published a job advertisement looking for a new driver. In this moment they have three different choice. Betting on a young driver placed side by side with Lewis Hamilton (see Ocon or Wherlein), or on a second driver like Bottas, the Finnish at William’s, or on a top driver.

Regarding this last option, I see Fernando Alonso in pole position, in spite of his manager’s denial. The Spanish driver, that I continue to consider the best driver in the Circus, in my opinion is paying a wrong management of his career where the economic aspect has been favored rather than the technical one. To date, Nando has just two world championship titles and is left out from the fight to reach those records reached by his colleagues. I don’t see a McLaren-Honda capable to win in the short run and at the end of 2017 Alonso could think to retire. Mercedes is his last chance to fight again for the title.

Mercedes – 10 with honors winning 19 of 21 scheduled grand prix race. It is the result of an absolute supremacy, irrefutable and unconditioned. Spain and Malaysia were lost because of two mistakes.

Red Bull – 9 despite a slow start, they managed to recover in the standings till the second position, becoming maker of a new move in the environment with the promotion of Vertappen at the detriment of Kwyat, an action repayed with the Dutch driver’s success in Spain. Max has also become the youngest driver to win a F1 race. A record difficult to beat. They also defeated Maranello concerning the drivers, with the third place of Ricciardo behind of Rosberg and Hamilton.

Ferrari – 6.5 after the second place last year, we expected more. No victory, no start from the first row, third place in the constructors’ world championship, behind of red Bull and a booty of 11 podia. Little for Ferrari. We hope the third place conquered by Vettel in Abu Dhabi can be a good auspice for a more intriguing show in 2017.

Force India – 9 it is surely the true surprise in this championship. Perez and Hulkenberg supported by a good car managed to reach an incredible result for a team with few economic resources. The fourth place (173 points) ahead of Williams, the first ones after the top teams. The seventh absolute place of Perez is the evidence of their excellent season. Year by year, they managed to grow till reaching this unexpected result, in spite of their great economic and managerial problems.

Williams – 6,5 it made its task, closing the season with the fifth place that guarantees a good economic return. Till the end, Massa made things difficult for Bottas who next year will have to face a rookie who imposed himself in every the championship that he raced. Now Stroll has to prove to deserve such an important seat.

McLaren – 6 compared to their disastrous 2015, they managed to make a good step ahead. After all the changes made within the team, next year will be crucial. We hope that the new regulations can contribute to bring back up both the team and Honda and remake an historic union that donated a lot of successes.

Toro Rosso – 6 they close the season with the seventh place, even if at the beginning their ambitions were different. They have surely paid the price of a dated power-unit. As we saw, especially in qualifying, in spite of a good shell. The team has the potential to fight for the fifth place.

Renault – 5 an uncolored season. It was a transient year waiting for a more strong 2017 thanks to the contribution that Nico Hulkenberg will be able to bring.

Sauber – with a kidney hit and thanks to the Brazilian adverse conditions, they managed to save the season by “tearing off” some points and important money from Manor which is about to do a new transfer of shares. New technicians and capitals will reach Hinwil. They could redeem a difficult year, also supported by the Ferrari 2016 power-unit.

Nico Rosberg – 10 he managed to defeat the anxiety created by Hamilton’s game remaining calm. It is the first time that four cars have crossed the finish line within a little less than 2”. An exciting final. The smallest error was enough to be out of the podium and lose the world championship.

Sebastian Vettel – 10 after a not exciting qualifying, ended behind his team mate, he became maker of a quintessential race which ended with a deserved podium, without any mistakes. A good Ferrari strategy and an excellent overtaking at the detriment of Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo – 8,5 once again I think he to be the victim of a strategy in favor of Verstappen.

Max Verstappen – 8 what a pity his mistake at the start, but once again, he amused us with a good recovery ended at the foot of the podium.

Kimi Raikkonen – 7 after a positive qualifying, he hasn’t been so aggressive as in other races. Very good at the start with the overtaking at the detriment of Ricciardo.

Felipe Massa and Jenson Button – 7 the Williams driver has conquered Q3 at the detriment of his team mate proving that, often, the age does not matter. Button would have deserved to close his F1 career by crossing the finish line. Before his retirement he was performing a race in attack.

Fernando Alonso – 7 he closes an hard season and gets an important point after conquering Q3 at the detriment of Bottas.

Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg – 7 both the drivers at Force India ended the season in the point zone, confirming their team in the fourth place among constructors, ahead of Williams. They are the surprise of 2016.

Lewis Hamilton – 6 just because he won his tenth grand prix, achieving a significant place in F1. Anyway, I do not appreciate his strong words used before and after the race. It is a lack of respect towards his employer. 

Formula 1 tries to look ahead, looking for new formats and solutions to attract a moving away audience.

It does this through Bernie Ecclestone who points his finger at too long races, proposing to split the Grand Prix into two races, 40 minutes each, with different starts.“90 minutes of race (if not more) are really too many for the current spectators’ needs. Other sports are considering shorter format, as well. Having two races on Sundays could be the right solution. Between a race and the other, the mechanics will have the chance to work on the cars and the drivers will make the interviews”, Mr. Eccletsone explains.

A solution backed by Gian Carlo Minardi who had already proposed the idea of making two separated events. “We have to promote spectators’ needs, who are changing faster than the show offered today does. I surely agree with the choise of two races. The audience would benefit from this choise, and the show as well because there would be two separated starts – the manager from Faenza tells us – . As it was Formula 2 in the 70s. I hope that the weekend in Abu Dhabi is the occasion to speak about the future. In 2017 there will be significant changes, around the calendar there is a lot of uncertainty. We know that Sepang will exit from 2019. Singapore is thinking of not renewing and Brazil is hanging the balance. Against the current, Montreal has renewed his agreement”.