F1 | Abu Dhabi GP – Rosberg World Champion. Ferrari on the podium

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In the night of Abu Dhabi, Nico Rosberg wins his first world title. A German driver at the wheel of a German car. It is the proper ending of a very long season characterized by 21 races. Rosberg had started in a great way, showing a downturn in July and then getting back the lead of the standings. He has fought against a three-time world champion who made things difficult for him, in this last grand prix as well. In spite of everything, he has maintained the coldness, proving to deserve the title. It has been an exciting race and ended with four cars in a space of 2”, thanks to the strategy of Hamilton who made an all-out attempt. A very technical and tactical race where drivers have given their 100%.

I didn’t appreciate the behavior of the English driver at Mercedes’, he will have to meditate and vent during the holidays. It is not fair to complain about team’s negative moments on the podium. It has been a long championship in which driver’s reliability and mistakes are part of the game. Till the end, Mercedes put both his drivers in condition to play for the title at par. He should show more sportsmanship. This is why I appreciate Nico’s style more. Even in hard times, he didn’t find any justifications. We must remember that in some occasions he has been victim of subjective (and not objective) decisions by the commissioners.

The overtaking at the detriment of Verstappen was beautiful. It has been a crucial action for defending the title. A calculated risk that was to be taken. With this success, he has equaled his father, who is always very attentive, and never intrusive. He reached the track when the titled had been already conquered. Congratulations to Rosberg’s whole family.

Ferrari ends the season in a great way with the third place of Vettel, maker of the fastest lap and of an amazing overtaking at the detriment of Max Verstappen, protagonist of a mistake at the start and of a beautiful recovery. A Red Bull that has something to complain regarding Daniel Ricciardo penalized again by the team strategy.

The curtain falls on a long season, but 2017 is coming. We will experience a demanding championship with cars certainly different and new regulations that could determine a mixing of the powers on the field or lead to a more fought championship and the hope to have more satisfactions with the Italian colors.

A significant year for ACI Team Italia is filed thanks to the second and third places in GP2 accomplished by Giovinazzi and Marciello respectively, and to Fuoco’s third place in GP3. I want to thank these boys because they made us hear the hymn of Mameli a lot of times, proving how much the work of the Federation is a successful. Italy can manifest itself at the highest levels along with its drivers. There are still some unoccupied places in F1, and we hope to have a nice surprise in the upcoming weeks.

F1 | Ecclestone inclined to two races. Minardi «A correct choice»

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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”.

 

F1 | Abu Dhabi GP – The final challenge

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After 20 grand prix, and such a long season, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton will put the World Champion title on the line in Abu Dhabi, to the delight of Eccleston and of the Arabs. In fact, the agreement provides an extra payment if the world championship title is assigned in the last race. Both the Mercedes drivers are equal regarding victories – nine each- with an advantage of Rosberg if we take the second places into account, and with an advantage of Hamilton if we sum the fourth places. This means that if Rosberg pass the third position (and Hamilton wins), the points being equal, the title will go into the English driver’s hands.

For all these months, Nico has proved to deserve the win, due both to his perseverance and his education with which he swallowed some very questionable decisions made subjectively and not objectively by commissioners. Otherwise, we would already have the new winner.

After his beautiful presentation in Sao Paulo, the attention will also focus on Max verstappen that will have to prove to be mature for be a protagonist in 2017. We hope that the praises that he received the following days don’t distract him. The Dutch driver at Red Bull will try to oust Vettel, trying to tear off the fourth place in the drivers’ standings. For the German driver it would be surely a negative result. Ferrari will have trouble in opposing Red Bull that is going to close a growing season.

Abu Dhabi will also be the stage of the final challenge between Force India and Williams for the fourth position, with the advantage of the team from Silverstone. Toro Rosso and McLaren will fight each other for the sixth place. Sainz and Kvyat will try to hit at the detriment of Woking. Regarding the tires, teams and drivers will have at their disposal all the soft tire compounds, from the Softs to the UltraSofts. Mercedes and Ferrari will carry seven violet tire compounds, Red Bull six. Vettel, Ricciardo, and Verstappen will have five sets of “yellows” each, the couple Nico/Lewis and Raikkonen will have four. Only Seb will have at his disposal a set of red SuperSoft, his principal rivals will have two.

It will be a very hot paddock also due to the new regulations. These days, Bernie Ecclestone, proposed to divide the Gran Prix into two races. A solution that I had already proposed and with which I agree. Anyway, this is another story…

F1 | McLaren Earthquake Minardi "New scenarios in sight"

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Ron Dennis has resigned from the McLaren Group CEO and AD position after seeing his appeal to the High Court rejected. After 35 years, a significant era, tied to the world of Formula 1, finishes. The British manager, 69 year old, entered into McLaren in 1980, taking full control the following year. Under his guidance, the stable won seventeen world titles, 10 drivers’ titles (with Lauda, Prost, Senna, Hakkinen, Hamilton) and seven constructors’ titles. In 2015, a black year arrived in conjunction with the partnership with Honda.

From the Chairman’s headquarters, the already former McLaren shareholder, has announced that he wants to take a new challenge and undertake new projects.

“With the rejection by the High Court, at McLaren, ends a significant era started in 1980, surely rich in successes, but not immune to errors – Gian Carlo Minardi consulted by www.minardi.it says – this change at the top brass could reopen the doors to some scenarios already contradicted in the last months, with important economic and technical consequences in an immediate future. I will make a more in-depth analysis as soon as rumors become certainties”, the manager from Faenza concludes.

F1 | Alonso criticize F1. Minardi “A difficult situation”

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“Watching this Formula 1 is impossible”, these are the strong words used by Fernando Alonso in the Interlagos weekend. The McLaren driver, who is accustomed to these kind of externalization (his team radios about the Honda engine and against his team are already famous) used fire words to describe the lack of show in the modern Circus. “I was away from the track for 30 minutes and I got asleep. We should pay spectators for getting them to come to the circuit.

Thus, we consulted Gian Carlo Minardi who is engaged to follow the boys selected for the ACI Supercourse on the Vallelunga track.“These are difficult days for Formula 1, due both to the unclear regulation and to the offered show, except few episodes like the Brazilian Grand Prix to which the weather conditions gave a determinant contribution. I believe that Nando refers also to the limits imposed by commissioners for the fights on track.

The other big issue is determined by the strong technical and economic gap among the teams. In the specific case, McLaren is facing a hard moment at a corporate level with Honda that is not able to retrace the path of Renault. It is a pity to see a driver like him staying away from top positions. Both in qualifying and in race, he did not give away nothing, fighting constantly”, the manager from Faenza explains.

F1 | Brazilian GP – Minardi “10 to Verstappen”

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Taking into account the harsh weather conditions with which the drivers had to fight,I just think that every driver is to be applauded, independently from the fact that he reached the finish line or was protagonist in some accidents. Visibility was low and the aquaplaning risk around the corner.

Anyway, I want to give a great 10 to Max Verstappen that amused us with significant overtakings, detachments, and countersteers with which he managed to recover to the third place in spite of the hazard strategy of the pit. Being equal the car, he defeated the competition of his team mate, his first rival.

10 to Felipe Massa who raced his last Brazilian grand prix and ends his career in fifteen days in Abu Dhabi. The fondness he received was touching. In these years, Felipe has proved to be an honest gregarious and an excellent worker. He made the Ferrari fans dream. They celebrated with him – even if for few seconds- the world title.

The Brazilian Grand Prix was also important for several other stables like Toro Rosso that conquered an important sixth place (for the constructors’ world championship title) with Carlos Sainz, and Sauber that achieved two points at the last minute, outdoing Manor (the eleventh with a point) in the standings. At some points during the race, Manor and Sauber were equal in the standings. It was a beautiful fight. Both their pits must have experienced moments of tensions.

F1 | Brazilian GP – Spectacular track, but at risk

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Two races to go. After a 19 events long path, Formula 1 is ready to land on Brazil – Saint Paul – for the second to last round of the season. We gets to a demanding track, with an insidious descending bend, stage of spectacular contacts and overtakings. This will be the principal concern for Nico Rosberg who will try to close the game with his team-mate here, where he usually goes fast.

The Brazilian Grand Prix will also be the last “home race” for Felipe Massa who will try to honor his fans with an important result, even if his Williams seems to slack off.A track that crowned him world champion for a few seconds, before definitely giving Lewis Hamilton the scepter.

Sao Paulo has also been land of conquer of the last world title of a Ferrari driver, thanks to Kimi Raikkonen. A Ferrari now called to face a confused situation. Once again, it will have to deal with the frame and with the aerodynamics of Red Bull.

Regarding the tire compounds, Pirelli will carry the Hards, Mediums and Softs. Differently from Ferrari and Red Bull that will carry seven sets of tire compounds for each driver, Hamilton and Rosberg will have eight sets of “yellows”, four of “white” mediums and just a set of two “reds” each.Differentiated solutions at Ferrari with five sets of mediums and an hard one for Vettel, against four sets of mediums and two hard ones for Raikkonen.

Sao Paulo is one of those circuits that could lose the Circus, renouncing to sign the renewal. I hope there will be a large number of fans because it deserve to stay on calendar due to his fascinating payout and the enthusiasm of its audience.

This circuit reminds me significative memories.With Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, in 2003 we were in the top positions when it started to rain, he rolled over and went out of the track at the Do Sol Bend. The same situation with Christian Fittipaldi.

We had the pleasure to cooperate with many Brazilians – Tarso Marques, Christian Fittipaldi, Moreno Roberto – in addition to make our debut into F1 World Championship in Brazil on 5 April, 1985 (in Rio). With Marques, in 2001, we achieved the top ten, ending in the ninth place, as with Piero Martini in 1990 (9°), and Gianni Morbidelli (8° in 1991 and 7° in 1992).

F1 | Mexican GP – SCORECARDS

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The winner of the weekend is the audience that deserves 10 because of its cheerfulness and its large presence.

Lewis Hamilton – 8.5 pole-position and win, but the small imperfection of the first bend remains. A mistake capable to  prevent him from winning the world championship without these modern escape routes.

Sebastian Vettel – 8 with an illegible car and a Ferrari in regression compared to 2015 that abandoned its dream of grasping the vice-champion title among the constructors in favor of Red Bull, was protagonist of a strong race. I didn’t appreciate his comments on the team-radio.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8 a good race that stresses how much it is strong Force India despite its problems. He has almost achieved the fourth place in the world championship against a giant like Williams.

Nico Rosberg – 8 someone says that he didn’t make his best, I would say that he managed the race at the best, optimizing the result. In Brazil, he could attempt the success since the track suits him. It is good to spare the car.

Williams drivers – 7 a good race for Bottas. It is nice to see that Massa still desires to fight in spite of the fact that there are just two race to the end of his career and that he hasn’t a top car.

Daniel Ricciardo – 7 he showed good actions in race, even if the first pit-stop didn’t bring great results.

Kimi Raikkonen- 6.5 he made an anonymous race unlike what he usual does on Sundays.

Max Verstappen – 5 he cannot continue to race against everybody, and they should reprimanded. Unfortunately, his team defends him, without helping his growth. His strategy is wrong. Excepting the Dutch, his fans are going away.

Sports commissioners – 5 I haven’t agreed with their decisions since a long time. Ecclestone should make self-critics.

Focus on the Mexican GP – Minardi "They used double standards. The escapes routes are also guilty"

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The fabulous spectators that painted the whole weekend of the Mexican GP don’t deserve a show like that of last Sunday. Within a few hours, three drivers have changed in the third step of the podium. From Verstappen to Vettel and in the evening, some hours later after celebrations, Ricciardo was in third position and the Ferrari driver at the fifth place (penalized with 10”).

What we experienced is the last proof of unclear regulations, and it proves the use of double standards.

The fault belongs especially to these modern escape routes, paved and grassy, that transmit an excessive confidence to drivers. We saw the first example of this fact at few meters from the start.

Lewis Hamilton, after his long-lasting braking, cut the bend, he was aware to find a “clear” path. In the presence of the usual gravel, he would almost surely run aground. Definitely, he wouldn’t have been back on track with a so significant advantage on the group. Probably, he wouldn’t even attempted the crossing.

The same for Max Verstappen. At the start, he leant against Rosberg – fortunately without any damages for both of them-,  he then didn’t find anybody to ram and went straight (without losing time), like Daniel Ricciardo. Under the new regulations – modified at five races from the end (and this is another nonsense) – Sebastian Vettel couldn’t change direction once surpassed the brake point, but, at the same time, the Red Bull driver – without the presence of the Ferrari driver – would have gone straight to the bend. He arrived with burning tires. Vettel had left the space to Ricciardo, as required by regulation.

Once again, they used two different evaluation standards since I don’t see many difference between the episode of Hamilton, Verstappen, and Vettel.  This  suggested me that they want reach the last race with the title still to be assigned at all costs, or that Vettel’s team-radio had a role in the final decision.

I disagree absolutely with Vettel’s behavior, because he insulted his colleagues and commissioners for the whole weekend. In my opinion, the radio is to be used just to manage the car and the race. Every other expression of opinion should be inhibited.

I am regretful by Horner’s behavior who defends his young driver energetically. It is a Team Principal’s task to teach calmness to his drivers, especially when you have a boy of 19 years old.

Formula 1 must decide to change direction. The audience is free falling as the reliability of this sport…

F1 | The best result in Mexico belongs to Morbidelli

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It’s with Gianni Morbidelli that the Minardi Team achieved the best result at the Hermanos Rodrìguez Circuit. On 16 June 1991, the Circus was in Mexico City for the sixth event of the World Championship.

That year, the stable founded by Gian Carlo Minardi deployed Pierluigi Martini at his fifth season with the team from Faenza, and Gianni Morbidelli, 23 years old, at the wheel of the Minardi M191 motorized by Ferrari. For the first time in its history, the Prancing Horse Stable had supplied another team with its engine.

On a bunch made out of thirty-four single-seater, twenty-six of them took part in the grand prix, surpassing the pre-qualifications and qualifying.

The Minardi car, at its seventh season in the world championship, places “Piero” Martini in the fifteenth place and Gianni Morbidelli in the twenty-third, respectively at 2.5 and 3.6 seconds from the pole position of Ricciardo Pratese’s Williams.

If the race of Martini – maker of a spinning –  lasts just four sessions, Gianni Morbidelli was protagonist of an important recovery that ended at the seventh place, almost touching the points zone (in those years, F1 gave some points only to the first six classified), a lap away from Riccardo Pratese (Williams-Renault), Nigel Mansell (Williams-Renault) and Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Honda). With the retirement of both Ferrari drivers, Alesi and Prost, Maranello crosses the finish line thanks to Minardi.

With the current scoring system, Minardi would have already hit the point zone in 1986 Mexican Grand Prix – at its second F1 season – thanks to its eight place signed by Andrea De Cesaris (who started from the 22th place in the grid) at the wheel of the Minardi M186 motorized by Motori Moderni.

Those were the years of the turbo engines, and the Minardi Team fought against giants like BMW, Renault, Honda, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, with a private engine. Alessandro Nannini closed in the fourteenth position.

In 1988, the Spaniard Luis Perez-Sala, paired with his compatriot Adrìan Campos, carried the M188 into the eleventh position.

F1 | Circus comes to Mexico, while Sepang thinks to give up

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Seven days after last double win of Mercedes at the US GP, F1 Circus is back at the Autòdromo Hermanos Rodrìgues, in its second edition after the restyle and his return into the world championship.

We go into a Motorsport friendly Country that twelve months ago hosted the comeback of the world championship in a great way, filling the stands. I hope that this trend can last long time because, unfortunately, we hear the death knell around F1. Last alarm bell comes from Malaysia, Sepang Circuit, whose promoters are thinking not renew the agreement.

It is a worrying signal because we are talking about an event backed by the State and not by the paying audience. In this moment, they don’t see the media feedback of the TV audience as a good investment for the development of their Country.

Being at 2300 meters above the sea level, the teams should work on the car balance because the thin air affects the aerodynamics, the setup of the control unit, and the carburation negatively. Moreover, the circuit has an initial long straight line, and a mixed part that also stimulates the mechanics with more than 5500 gearshifts during the grand prix. Last year, Nico Rosberg started a victories row. Despite the title was already attributed to Hamilton, the row keeps this season.  Twenty-six points separates Hamilton from the German driver with just three appointments to the end. To become a champion, Rosberg just needs, so to speak, a second place three times. There is going to be an amazing fight between the standard-bearers of a Mercedes that wants to break any records.

In spite of its announcements, I don’t believe that Ferrari can recover fifty-three points that divide it from Red Bull in the pursuit of the second place in the constructors’ world championship, and Daniel Ricciardo will start to celebrate his third place among the drivers.

As it happened in Austin, tires and strategies will have a crucial role. Pirelli will bring the SuperSofts for the first time along with the Softs and Mediums. Once again, Ferrari decided to bet on the softer tire compounds, bringing six sets of SuperSofts like Red Bull, one more than Mercedes.Five sets of Soft for Raikkonen against the four for Vettel, this last will have an extra set of Mediums in comparison with his team-mate (2 Mediums). Nico Rosberg prefers the white-strip tire compounds (Medium) with four sets. Hamilton will have three sets. We have to say that Mercedes proved to adapt to any solution very well. Same strategy for Ricciardo and Verstappen with three mediums, four softs and six Supersofts.

 We have just to watch the race that will start at 20.00 (Italian time).

F1 | US GP – SCORECARDS

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Lewis Hamilton – 10 perfect both qualifying and race. He managed the whole weekend with calmness and serenity, despite the world championship pressure.  The Gran Prix  appointments are decreasing inexorably and  just three races remain .He comes from difficult weeks, but has reacted as a champion.
Nico Rosberg- 9 in spite of an imperfect start, he managed his emotions well, bringing home a perfect result for him, with other three second places, the World Championship will be in his hands.
Daniel Ricciardo – 9 very good in qualifying where he put his car ahead of his team mate. Very good at the start when he inserted his Red Bull between two Mercedes.
Fernando Alonso – 8 his race was amazing. He managed to handle his McLaren very well and signed a series of fast laps, improving his performances constantly. Important his overtakings on Massa and Sainz, that are worth the fifth final place.
Carlos Sainz – 8 in qualifying, conquering the Q3 he made a master-piece. Considering his 2015 Ferrari engine, a sixth place in race is important.
Sebastian Vettel and kimi Raikkonen – 7 giving a low mark would be difficult because their performances are proportional to the quality of their cars. They are doing their best with enthusiasm and determination. They are aware of the hard time at Ferrari.
Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez – 7 they could fight tenaciously and conquered important points. In the last race, they will compete for the fourth Constructors’ place.
Romain Grosjean – 7 he reached the point zone at home circuit.

F1 | US GP – Preview

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We enter the hottest part of the calendar with just four events at the checkered flag.Each race could be crucial for Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Thirty three points are a great advantage for Nico, even psychologically speaking because four seconds are enough for becoming the world champion. With the car that he has at his disposal, excepting any reliability problems, it is a result more than achievable. Regarding the engine, Mercedes will keep playing in defense since they have already achieved the Constructor’s title (for three year in a row).

Last year, the weekend was heavily affected by the rain ( Q3 wasn’t raced), and it created a lot of troubles to the promoters. In spite it hasn’t an asterisk in the new calendar, Austin is one of those circuits in difficulty. I wish a serene weekend (in every respect).

It is a very demanding track, where the engine is committed fully during 60% of the lap, and the safety-car is a factor to keep in mind. Regarding strategies, Mercedes, Ferrari and red Bull have bet on different tire compounds. Ferrari bets resolutely on Supersofts, bringing seven sets for each driver against six at Mercedes and Red Bull. Just a Medium tire compound, against four at Red Bull, three for Hamilton and two for Rosberg. Five Softs for Vettel, Raikkonen and Rosberg, four for Hamilton and three for the couple Ricciardo/Verstappen.

After the fourth and fifth place gained in Japan, at Ferarri they will have to pay attention to Red Bull. The silence at Maranello means nervousness.Last year, Seb managed to end behind Mercedes, ahead of Verstappen’s Toro Rosso and Perez’s Force India.The attention will also focus on Hamilton, after his slam against the team, and on the Drivers market.

In 2017, Hulkenberg will move into Renault. At Williams, it is waited Lance stroll, 18 years old ( whose sign will come in November when he will be adult). I wish also to see the Italian flag…