F.1 – China Gp: DRIVERS’ SCORECARDS

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Lewis Hamilton – 10 He was absolutely perfect, throughout the weekend. He was disarming for all his rivals, when at the 30th passage (the 16th lap with Soft tyres) he marked the fastest time in 1’42″208 against a 1’42″565 of Rosberg and 1’43″018 of Vettel (scored in the 15th passage, with fresh Soft tyres).

Sebastian Vettel – 8 He did not make mistakes in making the most of his Ferrari, confirming as the second force in the world championship

Nico Rosberg – 8 The attempting to snatch pole to the teammate (missed for just 42 thousandths of a second) are the reason of this vote. For the rest, he seems resigned by the overwhelming power of Lewis.

Kimi Raikkonen – 8 Amazing start, with a first round as a true world champion that makes you forget a Qualyfing, once again, under his chances. He immediately got rid of the two Williams, helping with the fourth place to consolidate the second place among Ferrari’s Constructors.

Felipe Massa – 8 He continues to trouble his teammate, defending himself with a car that, for the moment, is not up to the 2014. Great his fourth place in Qualifying.

Max Verstappen – 8 Good race and he deserved the missed points because of  a technical problem, in the last kilometres. He gave us some good overtakings as an experienced driver, and not as a 17 years old driver who debuts in a F.1 world championship and on a track such as Shanghai.

Romain Grosjean – 7 As encouragement, for bringing the points to Lotus, which will have to work hard to return to the levels of 2013.

Fernando Alonso – 6.5 For the tenacity that he is putting into this season. He certainly did not expect it would be so hard.

Mercedes – 10 It wanted to forget right away the mistakes made in Sepang, legitimizing its technical advantage on track.

Ferrari – 8 Everything’s perfect in terms of strategies and reliability. Now is the second force in the championship, but work is not missing.

Williams – 7 It wanted to overturn a good project such as that of 2014, thus making a step back

Sauber – 7 Fourth power of the world championship, bringing home important points, waiting for the awakening of Red Bull and McLaren.

Toro Rosso – 7 Well done, it was a pity for the technical problems of Renault PU that have undermined efforts.

Red Bull – 5 It’s lost its guiding star. Strange for a four-times world champion team, with great technical and economic potential. The problems do not just come from the PU. Perhaps it need more peace and coolness.

Renault – 4 Looking for competitiveness, they’re sacrificing reliability. Verstappen and Kvyat will be forced to use down the third engine. And we have still to attend the fourth Grand Prix of the season.

F.1 – Road To Shanghai

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These are special days for me, because 30 years ago, exactly on April 7th 1985, began Minardi team’s adventure in Formula 1, in Brazil, ending after 340 Grand Prix in China, the scene of the next round of the World Championship. For many years China has been the arbiter of the world championship, especially when it was held at the end of the season.

It’s a Tilke’s circuit, with very similar characteristics to Sepang, where even the weather conditions play an important role on the final result. In recent years, we have experienced tests and races with variable weather. In 2014, for example, the Qualifying were under the rain, while race with dry conditions. Ferrari, in that circumstance, it was very good at exploiting this variable conquering the podium with Fernando Alonso.

It consists of 16 corners and 3 straights with an asphalt that does not solicit the tyres too. For this reason, Pirelli brings Soft and Medium. Two types of compounds that could favor the ST-15T, which does not exploit the tyres. The strategies will be played on two or three pit stops. Last year most of the team opted for two stops.

We come from a ten days “hangover” thanks to the victory of Seb, where it is rightly praised this imported result, but I loved the statements of Maurizio Arrivabene at the end of GP: “...feet on the ground and drive”. I do not think that Mercedes will give other gifts, but Shanghai will be a good test for Maranello, that will try to confirm itself as second force of the World Championship, ahead of Williams. The W06 has shown, however, to have still a considerable technical advantage.

To date, the surprise is Toro Rosso, at the fifth position among the Constructors, a few points behind Sauber and Red Bull, which is in chaos. The two young drivers in Malaysia have managed to get behind Ricciardo and Kvyat, bringing home two important results despite a PU Renault (the same of elder cousins) did not live. This means that problems of RB11 do not comes only from the engine. We hope that they stop arguing and start working in the same direction.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Minardi: “Monza, along with Silverstone and Monte Carlo, is Formula 1”

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These are difficult days for Motorsport in the Old Country. Emerging countries are making their way quickly and so, after losing France in the last few years, this year it is the turn of Germany, which will have its Formula 1 Grand Prix. Hockenheim and Nurburgring stand aside. “We are talking about circuits that are part of a nation at the height of motor racing, not only sportingly speaking. However, they will not have a Grand Prix. This should make us think about”, Gian Carlo Minardi says.

Unfortunately, also in Italy could occur the same shortly? In 2016 the agreement between FOA and Monza will expire. The Italian Grand Prix is at great risk. At this time, Monza track, the Temple of Speed, is called an effort on two fronts: the renewal of its structures, to adapt to the needs of the two and four wheels, and finding all necessary resources (22-24 million euro) to prolong the agreement with Mr. Ecclestone. “So far, Monza has enjoyed privileged treatment compared to the average of the European and non-European countries”, the manager from Faenza says. With the current contracts, the only source of income for the event organizer comes from ticket sales. “Royalties and logistics depend on FOA. Too little to survive and cover all costs”. Minardi, however, focuses the attention to an important aspect.

“In seven/ten days, a Formula 1 Grand Prix moves, in areas where it takes place, a turnover amounting to 100-120 million dollars, reaching hundreds of millions of people per event, through television and newspapers around the world” – staggering numbers – “that only the Olympics and various World Championships can reach, but every four years. Formula 1 represents a real economic benefit for state assets. Precisely for this reason, Formula 1 must be treated as World Swimming Championships, the Olympics or World Football Championships, events in which not only the Sports Federation but also the Government can intervene. Do not forget that Italy has the Number One cultural heritage in the world, which is envied by all. Therefore, we should use Formula 1 as a magnet to attract tourists, studying holiday packages, Pre and Post GPs, with worldwide tour operators. Besides, we are talking about a city which is easily accessible by plane and high-speed trains”.

The policy implemented by emerging nations, like Malaysia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Russia and so on, is going in this direction. “They bet on Formula 1 to grow tourism, commercial and industrial sectors. Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur were the first among the new entries in recent years. Petronas itself has taken advantage of Motorsport’s image to become a global giant. The same holds true for cities like Imola or, going back several years, Adelaide. Before F1, who knew them?“

Do not forget that Motorsport is not just a élite Sport. Behind every car, there are millions of jobs in the world and certainly hundreds of thousands in our country. An income that generates a quite relevant turnover. “This is the reason why I want to wish the President of Milan Automobile Club, Ivan Capelli, good luck for the start of negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone and our ACI President Sticchi Damiani, who cares about the existence of Italian Grand Prix and Monza’s safeguard. He will make every effort to find the right funds and agreements”. Gian Carlo Minardi concludes: “Monza, along with Silverstone and Monte Carlo, is Formula 1“.

F.1 – Malaysian GP: DRIVERS' SCORECARD

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After the great victory of Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari before the two Mercedes, let’s give votes to the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel – 10 He predicts that his victory was not easy, indeed. All we expected again two unattainable silver arrows, but instead he stood out with his Ferrari #5. Good job, as well as team’s job that get the exact strategies, since Qualifying. He was constantly attacking without making the slightest mistake. It was very mice the overtake on the World Champion, Hamilton.

Kimi Raikkonen – 8 He made a mistake which is not proper to a World Champion in Qualifying and it costed him the access in Q3 and a slower start with the result of ending up in the middle of the group with a puncture. However, he managed to recover up to the fourth position.

Lewis Hamilton – 8 Fantastic pole position, but he was penalized by Mercedes in trouble with tyres on this track. Good his 1’43″161 at the 41st round, against 1’43″782 of Vettel at the 40th round.

Nico Rosberg – 7 He completed his homework, driving without malice, except scoring in the final an incredible time lap of 1’42’062, or 1″ faster than the best lap in the race last year. I’d like to have some explanation.

Felipe Massa e Valtteri Bottas – 6,5 After Australia, we will have certainly expected something more, but last year the Williams had been in difficulty. Maybe the car does not fit Sepang circuit or extreme heat. According to the current standings, they have become the third force.

Amazing battles at Red Bull, between Daniil Kvyat (7.5) and Daniel Ricciardo (7), and Toro Rosso. The two young drivers Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. are not betraying the expectations. To them I give an 8.

Pastor Maldonado – 5 FIA removes even 3 points from his license for excess speed under safety car. Now has several races behind.

Nico Hulkenberg 5 Sergio Perez 4 Weekend to forget for Force India and its drivers, which closed respectively in 14th and 13th place (out of 15 classified cars), Moreover, they lose 2 points on their licenses for the contacts against Kvyat and Grosjean.

McLaren – NC They are still too far away from the group and from top positions, despite an improvement over a fortnight ago. There is still much work to do.

F.1 – Road to Sepang

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After a first race in a semi-street circuit such as Melbourne, the Circus of F1 is ready to get to Sepang, on a permanent circuit with two straights about 1 kilometre long, medium-fast corners and quite stressed tyres. You go from speeds around 80-90 km/h out of the corners to reach 300 km/h at the end of the straight, before gearing down again in second. The car works in support and the asphalt is quite abrasive.

We are in the monsoon period, therefore track surface will be clean, but for the weekend are expected temperatures around 34 °C. Therefore, Pirelli will bring Medium and Hard compounds. It’s a Grand Prix pit characterized by 3-4 pit stops. Last year, only Force India tried the two stops, closing in fifth place with a gap of 47″, but the two Williams missed – 7th and 8th after a GP with difficulties – and Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari was out of the score zone. The choice of the two stop seems too risky, although this year the tyres get wear less easily.

After passing medical exams, Fernando Alonso will get at the wheel of his McLaren-Honda and Bottas will regularly on track, having recovered perfectly. Moreover, on Friday morning our bearer will be back on track, with Raffaele Marciello busy behind the wheel of the Sauber. The cars on the grid should go back to twenty, after the Australian forfeit Manor. So the interesting ideas will not miss. Once again, there’ll be fight between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, with the German driver forced to come up with something to keep in touch with the mate, without making mistakes. At the moment, in the internal challenge we are 1-0 for the World Champion. Behind them I see the advantage Williams on Ferrari, which has to contend with other Mercedes engines (Lotus and Force India). It will not be an easy weekend, where power consumption and can make a difference. After Vettel’s podium, Ferrari is called to repeat itself. But we must be down to earth. I read too much triumphalism. Let us remember that it is a team sport with developments step-by-step.

In Red Bull there is great nervousness, especially against Renault. The rumours on patron Mateschitz’ disinterest towards the F1 are increasingly insistent and the meetings between Red Bull and Renault are intensifying. This ferment could remove the focus required to recover the gap. Having dominated the scene for four years, so raise the tone at the first difficulty blaming the other teams have put in place an anti-RB policy to stop them, I do not find it correct. I clearly prefer the philosophy of Maranello when they say will win Mercedes on track.

Gian Carlo Minardi

 

F.1 – Minardi: "A quarter of the budget for engine and gearbox? That's no good"

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The Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the F1 World Championship, along with Mercedes ready to dominate the scene, showed us several teams in strong economic difficulty, asking for advances on 2014 rewards.

Over the past year, these scenes took place at a later time, toward the end of the season. Today, instead, we are awaiting only the second race. We had Force India (sixth team of 2014 World Championship) forced to race with the old car for most of the tests, Manor that currently haven’t still raced even a lap and lost the Caterham. “It’s a very serious matter that has to make us think about. I still maintain that the main evil is the exaggerated cost of the engines”, Gian Carlo Minardi analyses at the columns of www.minardi.it. “20 – 22 million dollars is a staggering price. The “engine-gearshift” entry can’t occupy a quarter of the team’s budget. We always talk about twelve engines per season per team. Four cars, plus four others for testing”, the manager from Faenza says.

“Only manufacturers can afford certain expenses, but at the moment they are only four (Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault), too few to ensure the spectacle of F1. For customer team is crazy. Mercedes claims a turnover of 440 million dollars … Such a competition doesn’t work. It’s too selective. At these budget levels, the current F1 Championship makes difficult to earn an adequate economic return for commercial sponsor that are not the manufacturers themselves, as it was instead a time ago”.

A famous Italian saying goes: “Non tirare troppo la corda…perché prima o poi si spezza” (- don’t’ take things too far -). And it’s like what is going on in this Formula 1. “We must review the regulations. We started in the right way, blocking the cost of engines to 5 million. It would have to continue on that way, to stabilize teams’ turnovers”.

Other signals dismay: Nurburgring’s about face is another highly negative signal. “The organizers of the historic German GP – always in F1 – give up and this shakes the wrists and worries for even our future. 2016 is fast approaching and we must give all necessary guarantees for the contract renewal of the Italian Grand Prix. The old country is likely to disappear from the world of Formula 1. Together with Silverstone and Monaco, we speak of the circuits that have shaped the history of this sport”. The new actors, such as Qatar, are ready to take over in their place. “Will they be sufficient to keep alive the Circus? The F1 has to take remedial action to take its fans back, approach them, find new resources and explore new strategies to reduce operating costs”.

 

F.1 – After Singapore Gran Prix, DZ Engineering achieves Sepang

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DZ Engineering, a company of Zoli’s Group in Forlì (FC), is the Italian company responsible for the management of lighting, CCTV, PA system and radio communication of Singapore Circuit for the Formula 1 event that reaches its eighth edition this year.

In recent days, DZ Engineering has been awarded installation and testing of the closed circuit HD TV camera system (CCTV) and related operations centre of Sepang circuit in Malaysia, thanks to its know-how and experience.

The new plant, which will be operational for the first time during the Formula 1 event scheduled for March 29th, was set up in record time, thanks to the experience of the three Italian technicians, led by Marco Scaioli from Forlì and, recently, Singapore’s adoption. “Sepang’s CCTV system dates back to the first edition of the Grand Prix, in 1999. Since then, technology has really made incredible progresses and, with the introduction of the HD systems, security is increased and that’s an important step for all drivers and experts protection“, Scaioli says. “We are proud to be among the first to equip a major circuit like Sepang with such innovative system and, given the demands of the FIA, soon the others racetracks will have to go along with“.

Works took place very rapidly, even after a long decision-making process. “The first contact with the leaders of the Malaysian circuit occurred over a year ago, during the Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, in November 2013“, Roberto Grilli, the Head of Motorsport Systems Engineering of the DZ comments. “Since then, we have had frequent contact with managers of Sepang, thanks to our presence in Singapore during Formula 1 Grand Prix and our involvement in operations management of another motorsport event in that area, the Formula E Grand Prix in Putrajaya, a town a few kilometres from Sepang International Circuit“, Grilli continues. “The project materialized a few days before arriving in Malaysia (for the second round in 2015) and our team started working only in early March, realizing installation and testing in just ten days! After all, we are specialized in this type of challenges“.

F.1 – Gian Carlo Minardi: “Art. 23.12 of regulation has to be modified”

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In about one week (March 28th – 29th) the Malaysian circuit of Sepang will host the second round of F1 World Championship. It will be the seventeenth edition of the Malaysian Grand Prix, whose “first” edition dates back to 1999, with the victory of Eddie Irvine of Ferrari ahead of Michael Schumacher.

All the teams will certainly have had the opportunity to analyse and study maniacally all data collected during the weekend opening in Australia, with the intent to make corrections to improve cars’ performances to get the best result both in Qualifying and in the race. The other focus points will be strategies and also work at the pit stop. In Ferrari, this latter point will be the subject of scrupulous meetings, to find the cause of the problem to the left rear wheel that led Raikkonen to retire at the 40th lap.

Ferrari and the driver have been relieved of any penalties (to serve in the next Grand Prix), because the DS Massimo Rivola has shown that the origin of the problem resulted from an erroneous manoeuvre realising the clutch by Kimi. There was backlash on the wheel, while the mechanic was in action on the tyre, making the thread of hub holder seize up and preventing the old tyre replacement. Then, the car was no longer not in compliance with regulations. Therefore the decision to stop immediately Kimi was correct. TV programs have focused their attention inside the box, filming the DS Rivola, Ferrari’s mechanic and FIA Commissioner Kristensen, talking about what happened. We can assume that the explanation of Rivola, expert in regulations who has avoided penalties to Ferrari on other occasions, was crucial to let the possible “Competitor Responsibility” fall down for technical reasons, which would have penalized the Finn in Malaysia.

For this reason, I remember what says the regulation and the risk of penalties to which the driver was subtracted.

ART. 23.12:

a) It is responsibility of the competitor to let his own car restart from their garage or pit stop only if this can be done safely. The competitor must also establish clearly, from the front view of the car, when the car has been released.

b) If it has been considered that a car was released in the absence of safety during any practice session, the race officials may move back its driver as many grid positions they consider appropriate.

Personally, I have never shared this point of Regulation, as it does not take into account the two championships: Drivers and Constructors. I can’t understand why the driver, who has already paid the consequences on track, should be penalized even for a possible team’s mistake. It would make more sense to impose a right penalty only on the “Constructors” standings.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Australian GP – DRIVERS’ SCORECARD

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Waiting for experiencing the second Grand Prix of the season, in Sepang on March the 29th, we come back to Melbourne to give votes.

Lewis Hamilton – 10 What else. World Championship has started with pole, fast lap and win.

Mercedes – 10 Although it declares an ashtoniting turnover, 400.000.000,00€, taking advantage of it and sealing its first double of the season. Mercedes maintains an advantage that will be immense.

Nico Rosberg – 8 Against an unchained Lewis Williams, he could do very little, also with a small mistake in Qualifying.

Felipe Massa – 8 Well done in Qualifying. Unfortunately, Williams’ arguable strategy ruined his race. To Williams goes 7 in conduct.

Sebastian Vettel – 8 He optimized the material provided by Ferrari. There’s still a lot to do, because a gap of 1”40 in Qualifying and 34” at the finish line are too much. The third place is always good placing and it gives the right incentive to go on the recover.

Felipe Nasr (Sauber) and Carlos Sainz Jr (Toro Rosso) 8 – Excellent debut, in Qualifying and in the race. They have given to their respective teams important points already in the opening race.

Daniel Ricciardo – 7 He didn’t lose the heart, despite a Renault Power Unit that is not up to competition. He brought his Red Bull to the sixth position.

Lotus – 6 to encourage him, in order to enter the Top 10 in Qualifying

McLaren – no vote, with the hope to be able to vote it positively from next weekend.

 

F.1 – McLaren with 5” off the top. Minardi: “What will Ron Dennis think about?”

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With the Australian Grand Prix, 2015 F1 World Championship has started and Mercedes has certainly lived up to expectations, dominating far and wide the whole weekend. They achieve the first row and the first double of the season, thanks to Lewis Hamilton, a truly unique star (pole position, fastest lap and win!), before his team mate Rosberg. Third place for Vettel’s Ferrari, which closes the “first” in red, leaving behind Felipe Massa’s Williams, without the Finn Bottas.

This beginning of the season brings us to reflections. On the one side, we get to know all real forces in field and teams’ development of these winter months, on the other, instead, we unfortunately touch the economic crisis, which seems not to spare even the golden world of Formula 1. As we know, Manor (formerly Marussia) attended this first round leaving Stevens and Merhi’s cars still in the pits and, to date, no one knows when they will actually be able to get on track. Lotus has already asked Bernie Ecclestone an advance on FOA prizes (derived from the results obtained in 2014). In the past, this same request came from small teams, after the second half of the season. Force India, in great difficulty even before the start, because of they have to debut the new car only in the last days of winter tests and it seems that they are looking for new financial solutions (perhaps through Mr. E).

In addition to this scene (already quite worrying and the subject of several winter meetings, from which there still has been no concrete solutions), there is also the technical crisis of two manufacturers like Renault and Honda.

In this weekend, Red Bull has made no secret of his discontent with the motoring partner (which also lost Lotus, passed the Mercedes this year). The Post-Australia will be the subject of inflamed meetings. McLaren no response. They were last in Qualifying, over 5″ from Hamilton’s pole, and last in race, with Button and Magnussen forced to withdraw even before the start. With this technology, the Japanese seem highly in difficulties and problems will not be solved quickly.

This scene isn’t definitely the best, since we are talking about two teams that do not suffer the economic crisis, but the lack of results could lose patience to its funders, Mr. Mateschitz and Takanobu Ito, Honda new President and CEO. I’d like to know what will happen in the next few days and, above all, what Ron Dennis will say; he has always been very critical in the past with small teams that were racing to 2-3″ from the pole. According to him, they were not worthy to occupy the starting grid!

After dominating the world scene for four years, what will happen at RB? Rumours starting to speak about the opportunity to greet the Circus. Among other things, precisely Renault would be interested in buying Toro Rosso.

In short, Formula 1 is like a cat on hot bricks. At the first race, it led to the finish line only eleven of the twenty cars attending the championship, with McLaren, Lotus and Manor obviously out of the score zone. It didn’t happen since a long time.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Gian Carlo Minardi: “What is happening in Melbourne is unbelievable”

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Tonight, when in Italy will be the hours 2:30am, spotlights on 2015 Formula 1 World Championship will switch on officially with the first free practice session.

The new season has not yet started, but the pages of websites and newspapers are filling (unfortunately) with the economic vicissitudes related to some realities that have little to do with sport, in particular Sauber and Manor (Marussia). It is certainly not a sign of good luck, whereas we are just at the first round. Therefore, we wanted to hear all opinions of Gian Carlo Minardi, who speaks about the events of the Swiss team and the presence of Manor Team to the columns of his website, www.minardi.it.

Van der Garde – Sauber

What is happening now in Australia at Sauber about the controversy related to Van der Garde is unbelievable. Since some years, there’s been the Contracts Recognition Board, or a notary who’s located in Geneva and at his office all teams register all contracts of their drivers in a sealed envelope. The contract that is registered first will have the priority over all others. I find absurd that, during the launch of the first race, there are judges and court decisions that determine who has to race. The Contracts Recognition Board was born many years ago, due to a problem created by Jean Alesi, when he signed three contracts simultaneously with three different teams in the 1990s: Tyrrell, Williams and Ferrari, if I remember correctly.

Once again, this scene represents a humiliation for those who have created the regulations. There should be really a little more seriousness. The other point of discussion is linked to Drivers’ Superlicense. Considering my information, Van der Garde has the A Superlicense. Therefore, it becomes only a formal, solvable fact. This quibble won’t surely prevent him from racing.

Manor

It is an economic-political case. Manor team is present in Australia, at Melbourne circuit, only to preserve the royalties (and get the benefit) won last season with the tenth place in the Constructors’ Championship. When I was racing with my team, if you’d like to be considered at the event, you had to carry out all checks. Then, it did not matter whether or not you took part in the race. In this very difficult moment its only thought is to tear allowance arising from television and commercial royalties (we remind you that Manor team hasn’t taken part in any test and it will race in this championship with the car of 2014, which is updated only of the nose of 2015). It would be nice to know how many mechanics are present in Melbourne.

F.1 – Road to Melbourne

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After less than five months the final race in Abu Dhabi, the countdown to Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of Formula 1 World Championship, has already begun.

The Circus prepares his arrival in Melbourne with many certainties, including the double domain of Mercedes. During the collective test sessions in Jerez and Barcelona, the Champions in office have never used Pirelli Super Soft tyres, unlike all the others, scoring anyway the fastest chronometric result with Nico (1’22”8), against 1’23” of Williams with the SS. All things considered, it is a difference of almost 1 second between the pair Hamilton/Rosberg and their first pursuers, the Williams of Massa and Bottas. Then, behind them there is a large group with Ferrari, Red Bull, Lotus, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso.

At the moment, it is difficult to establish with certainty the hierarchies, because we don’t know most of the parameters considered for the cars on track. One out of all, the amount of petrol. Therefore, the weekend of Melbourne will be interesting. It will give us the first results on the winter work. No one can hide away. Fuel consumption will be examined carefully. Performances are getting closer to those of 2011-2012 with time results, speed and fuel consumption different from last year. In twelve months, F1 has managed to gain as many as 3″ on aerodynamic development, engine and tyres.

THE FRONT ROW

World Champions are ready to start from where they left, with Rosberg who confirmed to be very fast in Qualifying. Last year, reliability was the only Achilles’ heel, allowing us to have a different winner on three occasions (Canada, Hungary and Belgium), thanks to Daniel Ricciardo. From what we could see in the three sessions, they focused much on reliability, racing many kilometres. This could further make impossible for competitors to act.

FIRST AMONG OTHERS

Williams will be at the start as the second force of World Championship, with a slight lead over Ferrari, Red Bull, Lotus, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso. After the excellent growing season in 2014, Mr. Frank went on to develop a simple car, but more and more reliable and streamlined aerodynamically. It will be really the second force of the Championship.

GROUP FROM TOP 10

Ferrari made an important evolutionary step, proving to be able to rely on good reliability both in terms of mechanical power unit, as well as of Sauber team. Despite the financial problems, Lotus and Force India, driven by the German engine, have impressed. In particular the VJM08, which saw the light only in the last three days of test sessions, carrying out a large number of laps (about 1600 km). Unfortunately, the serious financial problems may affect the development. Let us hope that they can find the best solution. Do not forget also Toro Rosso. Verstappen and Sainz Jr collected a lot of laps, far more than the cousins of RBR, getting important positions in standings.

THE UNKNOWN

Red Bull is the main unknown element. Among Top Teams, it seems to be late in car’s development, but I don’t think they will arrive unprepared in Australia. Just think about what happened a year ago, with the disastrous winter tests. Ricciardo was able to be on podium in Melbourne opening race, but being disqualified for a regulation that has been changed today. So, that said, I expect the World Champion Team will take part in the fight for the third row. 

SECOND LINES

The Manor (Marussia) remained in the field, giving us a grid of twenty cars, but it won’t be certainly an easy season for them. The car will be that of 2014, just with the front adapted to 2015 regulation, and, of course, they will have to fight to remain within the limit of 107%.

At the start of the season McLaren-Honda disappointed a little and seemed far behind the competitors in terms of reliability and competitiveness. Moreover, they could not rely on Fernando Alonso. We hope that all speculations about what happened at Montmelo will stop and some light will shed on this matter. With all the available technology, it is not possible not come to a certain conclusion. Everyone must know what happened. I can’t understand what the problem in saying clearly the truth. This whole story isn’t good for F1 that would need new rules and convey serenity. It’s likely to further alienate fans. To date, they have told us a lot of lies. Now is the moment of truth.

Let the show begin. Mercedes hunt can start. It’s expected to be a new really interesting season that will give us different ideas.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Gian Carlo Minardi: “FIA should shed some light on Alonso's accident”

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Finally confirmation has arrived: Fernando Alonso will not race the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for the weekend of March 14th-15th and scene of the opening round of Formula 1 World Championship. Alongside Jenson Button at the wheel of McLaren-Honda, then there will be the test driver and third driver Kevin Magnussen.

A communication that will increase the already numerous questions that surround the accident of February 22nd on Barcelona’s track. Fernando had been taken to hospital as a consequence of the violent concussion. Since that day, however, no certainties. The International Federation has opened a file with the aim to clear up, but to date any official communication has not been issued.

As for now, the only accused is Aeolus. “There’s need to shed light on this affair. I hope that the FIA will clear up before the start of the World Championship”, Gian Carlo Minardi says, speaking on www.minardi.it. “When we speak about safety, I expect that all the necessary checks are aim of verification. From 1994 to date, great strides have been made in this sector, but in front of this new episode might be missing something. Maybe it was underestimated the side impact or something. Until now, so many words have been wasted, but without understanding the cause of the accident. I agree on Fernando’s decision not to take part in the Grand Prix, because after a head injury, you must always observe a period of rest for about 30-40 days. In boxing, after a KO, you have to be on the bench before coming back to the ring“, Minardi analyzes. “Motor racing is a very dangerous sport and it is useless to risk running into a new accident that could bring far worse consequences“. The decision was taken in mutual agreement with the doctors who followed the Spaniard in recent days. “The fact that they allows him to continue his athletic training is certainly a good signal“. The manager from Faenza and talent scout of the Spaniard champion clamours for truth coming to light. “We owe it to drivers, teams and especially to fans“, Gian Carlo Minardi concludes.