F1 | European GP, Baku – THE POINT

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Critics and insiders have prized the circuit in Baku and its first Grand Prix. Surely, compared to what we watched in GP2 with the double win, pole-position, and fastest lap accomplished by an excellent Antonio Giovinazzi, we would have expected a more animated race. Contrary to predictions, all the drivers have been very capable because Baku has proved to be a demanding and atypical track, considering its length of six km and the very high speed reached (more than 375 km/h at the end of the long straight).

An impeccable Nico Rosberg signs the pole position and the win, managing to keep far away his competitors. Red Bull payed its technical choice betting everything on qualifying and went missing. Well Ferrari that after sacrificing Saturday’s free practice, made its best in race with the excellent second place of Sebastian Vettel. Another amazing race for Sergio Perez that completed the podium, in spite of an economically troubled Force India, he exploited at his best both his Mercedes engine and the shell, blacking Nico Hulkenberg out. The German car company has placed six cars in the first ten positions.

Weekend out of shape, instead, for Lewis Hamilton. Protagonist of numerous mistakes in qualifying that have also jeopardized the result in race. He did not match up with his prize list, but brought home important points for the Championship.

As I have stressed in the first part, I must congratulate Antonio Giovinazzi for his two wins in GP2. In race 2 he was protagonist of an exemplar recover, performing an extraordinary overtaking in the final that worth him the second success in the weekend. Surely, he is ready for Formula 1.

I want just to invite you next Saturday at the Circuit of Imola for the Minardi Day, a sport day devoted to all aficionados and fans. In this day, we will have the chance to watch a lot of Formula 1 cars on track and more than 50 cars from the World Championship thanks to the exhibition “From Minardi to Toro Rosso” that retraces over 30 years of passion. Everyone is invited.

F1 | Canadian GP – THE POINT

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Surely, Sebastian Vettel’s start is one of the few positive signals in this grand prix, along with Max Verstappen’s good defense against Nico Rosberg, and the high-level struggle between Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari man, going chastely at 1.16. Once again, the World Champion was not perfect at the start and was off guard,  but he definitely reopens the world championship with this win.

Strengthened the second place, the Ferrari pit tried the utmost with a risky strategy. In my view, it was the only move to do in that moment to try to tear the win off to a Mercedes still superior as lap-times prove. Only in the final, Vettel, thanks to the few fuel on board, managed to reach the times of Hamilton and Rosberg, the maker of the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately, then Nico found on his path a great Verstappen that forced him to a mistake in the final. Anyway, very good the German driver that optimized his Ferrari, as his vantage of 59″ (definitely too much) on Kimi Raikkonen, that ends in sixth, demonstrates. Is it perhaps time to look around?

Williams handled very well the race with Bottas in third place, taking full advantage of other’s mistakes. In a week, we will arrive in Baku, a new and extremely fast track with little space for mistakes.

F1 | Monaco GP – The POINT "Strike Hamilton. Ferrari even behind Force India"

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This Monaco GP could had been more animated considering the weather conditions, anyway, offered us some mistakes, on track and at pits, with overtakings and fights. Excellent Lewis Hamilton who brought home the first seasonal win, nibbling away important points at Nico Rosberg, also helped by the mistake made by Red Bull at the pits during Daniel Ricciardo’s pit-stop.

Within Milton Keynes’s team, they will have to review something because it is not the first time that they have fallen into this kind of situations, even if they are strongly proving to be the second powerful team of the world championship at the expense of Ferrari. The Australian strengthens his position in overall standings and makes this season enlivened. What a pity Max Verstappen’s mistake, very nervous during the whole weekend.

Certainly, it was disappointing the performance of Ferrari that greets the principality with only a fourth place behind of Force India. Definitely too little. We had already realized that something was going wrong due to the state of mind and to declarations made by the German driver. His displeasure is clear, and he begins to feel these placings too tight. The boy starts to paw the ground. His declarations about his team are changing.

Beginner’s mistake for Kimi Raikkonen that had never been efficient for all the weekend, probably he was not backed by his car. Surely, the gap with his teammate is substantial. A “zero” that costs important points also to Ferrari.

Very positive, instead, the performance of McLaren-Honda that marks the fifth position with Fernando Alonso and the points zone with Jenson Button. Sometimes, the Spaniard has also tried to cause problems for Vettel. They begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

                                                                     

 

F1 | Spanish GP – THE POINT

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A Spain Grand Prix that since first meters gave us an unpredictable emotion with the contact between Hamilton and Rosberg that put the both Mercedes offside. We can split the guilt almost in equal parts (51% to Lewis, and 49% to Rosberg) although it was absolutely to be avoid, considering their supremacy in qualifying.

The Management of Mercedes will be able to overcome this moment of tension as it already did in the past, also because they have no competitors on track. The contact increased the show on track with an amazing struggle between Red Bull and Ferrari played on strategy.

The different strategy used by Verstappen and Ricciardo is the proof that the commercial aspect was favored, anyway, the amazing victory of Max will remain in the annals. He drove magnificently without mistakes despite a determined and combative Kimi Raikkonen. The very young Dutch driver wasn’t overwhelmed by the events, despite a demanding week. Red Bull proved to be strongly growing. The tire puncture at the end of the race prevented Ricciardo from trying the final attack against Vettel.

Ferrari that had arrived here with the aim of winning, failed. It didn’t succeed in exploiting a golden opportunity despite a Kimi’s and Vettel’s podium. The Finnish grasps the second place in the world championship behind Rosberg who leads the standings, but in Maranello there is a lot of work. We had the first signals in Sochi.

Noteworthy is the sixth place of Carlos Sainz who was able to overcome a difficult moment. I wish him a bit more luck, he is a fast driver with his head on his shoulders

Let’s see what will happen in Monte Carlo.

                                                                                                                

F1 | Russian GP – THE POINT “Rosberg tsar of Russia”

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It is the fourth success for Nico Rosberg and Mercedes that once again has proved all its overwhelming power making Hamilton recover after the suffered problems in Q3. Nico Rosberg is surely in great shape and optimized the astonishing lap he did in qualifying. He concedes nothing to his competitors, the fastest lap signed in the penultimate lap demonstrate that up to that moment he had been the leader of the race.

In this early season, the Luck turned its back to Lewis Hamilton who, anyway, proves to be a strong driver who never gives up, supported by a superior Mercedes. This new demonstration of excessive power is disheartening to its chasers, firstly to Ferrari that is facing a difficult time.

In Russia, it had the chance to defend itself just with Kimi Raikkonen. With qualifying mistakes and those made at the start after the safety car, the Finnish driver did not prove to be a world champion. In qualifying, Sebastian Vettel had grabbed the front row revoked by a penalty for a gearbox change, he was also protagonist of a good start, unfortunately thwarted by a Kvyat under pressure. The Russian driver is affected by the results of Ricciardo and by the rumors about Verstappen to be promoted in Red Bull next year.

This weekend, Red Bull has certainly disappointed also in strategy, deciding to mount medium tires.

In fortnight, we will get to Spain and, as usual, all the teams will make important changes decided after first GP races. Even the forces in the field are emerging with a Ferrari in front of a growing Williams who finished the trip with two cars in the points, as well as McLaren-Honda with Fernando Alonso in sixth and Button in tenth.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

F1 | Chinese GP – THE POINT by Gian Carlo Minardi

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The critical point was the start. The mistakes done by Ferrari affected the results, and the numerous accidents and the safety-car enlivened the race. We watched amazing overtakings made by Ricciardo, Vettel, Kvyat, Massa who defended the sixth place, and Hamilton forced to start from the last row.

As we anticipated, the tire choice influences the strategies letting us to experience a race more vivid than those of last season, even if the supremacy of Mercedes remains. Nico Rosberg scored his third seasonal success in a row, leaving Sebastian Vettel with a gap of 37″. I don’t endorse the attack toward the Russian Red Bull driver made by the Ferrari man, because he is not guilty of the contact at the start. Rosberg managed the race very well, increasing his advantage in the overall standings, even if the season is very long with more eighteen scheduled events. This one may be his year. In spite of complications in qualifying and some damages in the bottom of his car, Lewis Hamilton recovered to the seventh place with a jerk, ending his race ahead of the two Toro Rosso cars. A sign of great strength from the team, because he could have fought for the podium, even if they have some reliability problems.

Red Bull is growing. They have an excellent frame and an extremely competitive car, but they aren’t supported at the best by the power-unit yet. Ricciardo was decidedly unfortunate: the punctured wheel early in the race deprived him of the podium in favor of his team-mate.

Williams fell again into his negative trend of early season, backed up by a car that can fight with Red Bull for the third and fourth place in the World Constructors’ Championship. At the end, Bottas was victim of the two young bulls, Verstappen and Sainz.

In fifteen days we’ll arrive in Russia, a circuit that is featureless compared to Shanghai. The choice of the tires could make it lively.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

F1 | Gp Bahrain – THE POINT

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We watched an interesting and animated Grand Prix. It was rich in overtaking thanks to the strategies and choices made by the teams. From this point of view, Williams has been catastrophic. Once again, the race was marked by unreliability at Ferrari that forced Vettel to park his SF16-H during the parade lap. The race was also marked by a new mistake done by Hamilton at the start that has frustrated his amazing pole position. Second victory for Nico Rosberg who achieves five consecutive wins (three of which in 2015) and sixteen seals in his career. This perfect scoring in the World Drivers’ Championship launches him powerfully into the World Championship.

Ferrari consoles itself with the second place of Kimi Raikkonen, but has to look over its shoulder because of Red Bull: Ricciardo is now third in the drivers’ standings, ahead Raikkonen and Vettel (in sixth with 15 points). We experienced the excessive power of Mercedes one more time. Despite their mistakes, also strategic ones, Hamilton ended in third after having tried to mount the Medium tires and after his contact with Bottas at the start.

Next days, Grosjean’s fifth place with his Haas will make discuss. Considering the substantial resources invested for making the frames, Williams, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, and Force India will hardly swallow this new format launched by the American group, which is going to redraft the definition of Constructor. If you exclude the nose and few other components, it is a Ferrari clone. They are rather assemblers. It has been undertaken a dangerous road.

I must congratulate Vandoorne entirely. At his debut, he brought to McLaren the first seasonal points, making a real wonder. Recalled from Japan and catapulted into the car without any tests, he gained the top-10 without doing any mistakes. Given the results of his prize list, there was no doubt about his quality as a sprinter. It’s a pity that teams aren’t obligated to let racing these young drivers on Friday morning, letting them the chance to show off and not just to hope lucky circumstances for putting themselves to the test.

Before concluding, I’d like to highlight what left me puzzled. We always talk about more security, and Halo, the device for the driver’s head protection, made its debut during Barcelona testing days. In Bahrain, the Commissioners didn’t reprimand cars loosing pieces on the track. In our Italian Championship weekends, Commissioners oblige drivers to pit to repair their car. Here no one has said anything.

In fifteen days, everyone in China.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

F1 | Australian GP: The POINT

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This season started with a bang, literally. The accident of Fernando Alonso with Gutierrez changed the circumstances in the Grand Prix, frustrating the amazing start made by Ferrari, which has optimized the new system. Then, the red flag changed the strategies in the game.

Surely, Mercedes made the best choice with Medium Tires, whereas Ferrari chose the Soft tires because in Barcelona the SF16-H had turned out more comfortable with tires Soft and Supersoft. A guided choice with the aim to cause problems for rivals. A glass half full for Maranello, especially after qualifying.They have a lot of work to do, but now their race solutions are better. Compared with a year ago there is an improvement. We had some mistakes, with an aggressive strategy not fully rewarding on the track. Vettel had a problem at the pit stop, and the withdrawal of Raikkonen from the race.

We experienced a nice Sunday morning with several family struggles. After a weekend lived in the shadow of Hamilton, Rosberg prevailed, and we watched an amazing challenge between Verstappen and Sainz at Toro Rosso. In my opinion, the Dutch driver has been too harsh, also verbally toward both the team and his team-mate. We have to applaud the starting of Haas. A debut with the sixth place equals a victory. Daniel Ricciardo had an excellent strategy and managed to recover up to the fourth place, signing the fastest lap of the race.

F1 will get to a “real” circuit in 15 days, where hot temperatures will rule the roost, and Ferrari could cause trouble for Mercedes. In qualifying, we will make a step back: the format of last year.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Video, F1 | Australian GP: THE POINT on qualifying

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Nothing seems changed. Everything looks like in November 2015, with the two Mercedes ahead of everyone. I get the impression that they haven’t even revealed all their cards. Once again, Hamilton has been great managing to run just 3 seconds below the absolute record on the track. FIA and the Working Group should meditate on this fact in view of new regulations in 2017 that will require more performing single-seaters.

As we anticipated, Scuderia Toro Rosso has made us a surprise. We had two single-seaters in Q3 with Verstappen in fifth and Sainz in seventh, ahead Ricciardo’s Red Bull. They proved to keep up with the situation in spite of an engine 2015. Ferrari should meditate, because it can count on a power unit that is definitely more advanced. In post qualifying, Vettel seemed very regretful and argumentative on performances.

At Mercedes, Aldo Costa has dusted off the hydraulic suspension that he already used along with Gabriele Tredozi on the Minardi in ’93-’94. I am glad they are talking about it. Half standings is for McLaren that managed to exploit at best the features of this track. If the reliability supports them, they will be able to aim to the points, their primary goal in this starting of season.

The show we watched in Q3 is shameful. None fought on the track for pole position in the last minutes: this is unacceptable. When teams realized that they couldn’t get close to their competitors, they saved tires, like Ferrari. I don’t agree with this kind of Format, and it is completely to be revised. In Q1, we watched two incredible mistakes at Sauber and at Red Bull with the elimination of Kvyat. Nothing more exciting.

Tomorrow it will be interesting watching the first race of the season, starting from 6.00 am.

F1 – Abu Dhabi GP: THE POINT

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Another season has just been archived with a grand prix that stressed the currunet powers at play, Mercedes-Ferrari-Williams. A year along which Ferrari has managed to recover and get back the second place in the standings at the expense of Williams itself, even if the technical gap with Germans remains wide.

The chronometer is a good gauge. Sebastian Vettel signed his best lap in 1.44.550 with the Super Soft tires while Hamilton grasped the fastest lap of the race (1.44.517) with the Soft ones.

This end of season was also favorable to Nico Rosberg who brought home the pole position (the sixth consecutive one) and the victory. These results will relaunch him next season. What a pity he woken up too late, otherwise we would have had fun. Mercedes has been very good at managing tensions between the two standard barer, continuing on their way, using the same strategies and leaving them free to fight on track. 

Force India deserves a plaudit, and particularly Sergio Perez who placed two car in points, proving himself in fifth at the back of Red Bull and ahead of Lotus which has an uncertain future. The sixth place is an important breath of fresh air for Entone’s “cash counter”.

Although they fell outside the points, I appreciate the performance of Toro Rosso with a determined but unlucky Vestappen who once again received a penalization from too severe commissioners.I can sincerely decipher the challenge with Button as a positive sign for this sport. Luckily today we experienced different fighting and overtaking. We are fortunate to have “racetracks with eternal and asphalted escape routes that should let us to see a lot of overtakings and give drivers the possibility to fight freely.Let us hope winter can bring some advice to improve our sporting rules and also to built F1 on “sideswipes”.

After Vettel’s hash in qualifying, also Ferrari made a good job with excellent pit stops and a good recover by the German driver.

From Tuesday, December 1 it will be already 2016 with the test of Pirelli behind closed doors. The Ultra soft tires will go into action. They are an extra variable for next season.

F1 – Brazilian GP: THE POINT

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Nico Rosberg has surprisingly woken up. In the last two grand prix he hasn’t made any mistakes succeeding in coping with Lewis Hamilton who is determined to keep winning, despite his world title. Once again it has been a family fight between Nico and Lewis. Vettel tried to keep the Mercedes pace, but he closed the race with a gap of 17”.

Mercedes superiority is really disarming. It is a technical matter and you can see it looking at the characteristics of the circuit which is short and positioned on a high ground with few brakings to recharge the kers. Nevertheless, they vanquished their competitors. The standings shows only four cars with a slow laps. Mercedes drivers can manage their PU to the best making the most of every single component also against their clients.

The comparison on fast laps is another alarm bell. Lewis Hamilton with the Medium tires signs the best lap of the race in 1.14.832, Vettel with the Soft ones stops at 1.15.056. For their competitors it will not be easy to put a patch on these results for the upcoming season.

Surely, Sebastian Vettel did well trying to keep their pace, highlighting his Ferrari, and giving 30” to Raikkonen. The German is closing his best season ever thanks to his 13th podium. Now, Rosberg is mathematically the vice-champion, while the challenge between the two Finns at Williams and at Ferrari for the fourth place is still open; Bottas has a point more than Kimi.With Grosjean’s ninth place, Lotus earns a point more than Toro Rosso that is in tenth with Max Verstappen who once again is maker of an excellent race. He gave us ancient emotions with excellent over-takings. What a pity for Sainz who once again has been stopped by a technical complication.

F1 – Mexican GP: THE POINT

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The Mexican GP slipped away without strong emotions characterized only by a bad day at Ferrari where both drivers made several mistakes.Talking about the choreography, it was a beautiful grand prix thanks to 300.000 spectators gathered at the circuit with a very scenographic “stadium sector” even if the original big bend remains unique. Instead, there is nothing to report about the show on track. The lack of rain was felt.

Once again, Mercedes dominated the scene with its drivers. After the pole, Nico Rosberg brought the victory home winning his challenge with the new world champion by faster laps; also, he won his battle for the second place with Sebastian Vettel. “Seb” tryed to resist pushing over limit, but he payed the consequences heavily. Surely, the two standard-bearers at Maranello had a stressful day. Once again, Bottas and Raikkonen shown a contact. This time, the Ferrari driver had to retreat and clear out the way to Bottas’ podium. 

On the Red Bull front, the Russian driver proved his qualifying result and dominated Ricciardo. Maybe, If he had hastened his pit stop he would have worried Williams.With Verstappen’s ninth place, Toro Rosso succeeds in nibbling a point in the challenge with Lotus for the sixth place in constructors’ general standings. Once again, the Dutch driver was protagonist of a laudable race. Before dropping the curtain, there are only two scheduled events on the calendar. By now, the whole general standings is clear, only the challenge between Lotus and Toro Rosso, that will become money coming from TV royalties at the end of the year, is in the running.

Therefore, all the efforts will be focused towards 2016. McLaren itself has been using racing weekends with the intention to develop itself and to run kilometers in view of the next season when Haas team will debut with Grosjean-Guttierez as standard-bearers.

                                                                                                                                                          

F1 – Us Gp: THE POINT

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The Grand Prix of Austin offered us the most beautiful week-end of the season thanks to the hard weather conditions that affected the supremacy of Mercedes and gave us an amazing show.

Among over-takings, recoveries, and over-turnings at the top positions, Mercedes has brought another double-victory home. Once again Lewis Hamilton won the race claiming his third world title and closing the championship. Nico Rosberg attempted to win but he could not do anything, his season has surely been under expectations.With the wet track Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat had hoped. The Australian driver, before dropping to rear positions and closing in tenth overpowered by Alonso on final, has led the race for some laps.

Now all the attention will focus towards the challenge between Rosberg-Vettel for the second place in the world championship where Nico has everything to loose: closing behind a Ferrari driver would be a great defeat to him. Masterful race for Vettel who springing from the 13th place was able to recover till the podium closing a few tenths of a second from Nico. Also Sainz’s recover was amazing. From the last place he has recovered till the sixth place closing the last week-end of Toro Rosso which has almost reached the podium with Verstappen. Essential points for STR from the point of view of the World Championship because it has approached the sixth place of Lotus. Jenson Button’s sixth place with his McLaren ahead of Maldonado’s Lotus proves how this race has been odd and affected by the heavy rain in the morning.

With all the titles already assigned we’ll be back on track in a week for the Mexican GP, the new calendar event. Congratulations to 2015 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.