Mercedes “going for broke” in Abu Dhabi
Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff says that the team will “really go for broke” at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, now that both titles have been secured.
The German manufacturer has already wrapped up its fifth consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ titles but struggled to get on top of Red Bull and Ferrari in the last three races. In the last few races, the team has been focused on the titles and outscoring Ferrari.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Wolff said “or now, we have one race to go in 2018 and we want to put on a great show for the fans who supported us through the season.”
Wolff, who called the Mercedes’ title celebrations “a very humbling experience”. “The championship pressure is off, so we can look at this as one race where we can really go for broke.
“Our ‘Silver Arrow’ has won 10 races so far this season and we all want to add one more to that score – especially Valtteri [Bottas], who has lost out on wins this season through bad luck and team orders.” Wolff says that now the championship is decided that racing would be the priority as both titles are decided.
Mercedes focus will be ‘especially’ on Bottas because he has lost wins this year because of team orders and bad luck. Wolff admitted that Red Bull and Ferrari will be targeting the win to carry momentum into the winter.
However, Hamilton suffered engine damage during the race and it is unknown if it will affect his Abu Dhabi GP by forcing him to run a high-mileage or turned-down engine or take a grid penalty to fit a new one.
While Bottas is searching for his first win since Abu Dhabi last year, where he comfortably led the way from pole. Mercedes may also be able to count on an upturn in form at the Yas Marina circuit, having struggled with tyre management at previous races.
Ferrari needs to be “ready” to handle Leclerc
Ferrari’s chief engineer Jock Clear says the team must be “ready” to manage the “brave” decision to promote Charles Leclerc next season. The Monacan will become the second youngest driver in Ferrari’s history when he replaces Kimi Raikkonen.
The twenty one year old who joined Sauber this year, has impressed the Italian manufacturer with his performances earning himself a seat with the team alongside Sebastian Vettel next year. Asked by Motorsport.com about the importance of managing Leclerc, Clear said: “One of the comments that many people made was ‘is he ready?’ – well, we have to be ready as well.”
“Ferrari have to be ready to take this step. It is a brave step that Ferrari has made, and we’re all pleased about the fact that we’re willing to make that step. But we have to be ready to give him the opportunity and support him in the right way.”
Clear says that he hopes that Leclerc will go on to great things, but the team needs to manage the relationship positively so that the teams grows on both sides of the garage.
Clear, who has worked with multiple world champions, will take a key role in Ferrari’s management of Leclerc and could become his race engineer.
He said that while Ferrari is “very excited” for Leclerc to join and has been impressed by his efforts this year, racing at the front will be a new challenge to adjust to.
Expectations grow on Red Bull
Expectations are growing on Red Bull for 2019 which the team looking to become a genuine championship contenders as they switch to Honda next season.
The Austrian team secured all four of their championships with Renault between 2010-13, but the relationship has become strained in the turbo-hybrid era, during which period Mercedes have claimed five successive title doubles.
But the team’s recent form, and rumours about Honda’s progress, has sparked optimism they can join the title fight next year. Team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports “We have a phenomenal team which can create a great car. As soon as we can get that little bit more horsepower, which it looks like Honda are delivering.”
“Then hopefully we can give them a hard time at every circuit. We have had a great car through this year. Our problem has been qualifying and straight-line performance.”
“If we manage to address that, and all the numbers are looking encouraging, then it puts us in a stronger position.” In the summer the team announced the switch to Honda, months after they parted with McLaren.
Red Bull have been impressed by Honda’s commitment and the rapid step forwards that they have made with sister team Toro Rosso. They believe also that Honda matches the scope of ambition that Red Bull has.
Red Bull won the Mexican GP at the end of October while only Max Verstappen’s crash with backmarker Esteban Ocon prevented the team securing back-to-back victories at Brazil.
Honda, meanwhile, have recently introduced a beefed-up engine for Toro Rosso which has offered greater straight-line speed, although its reliability has been patchy.
Renault chairman to be sacked
The Chairman of Renault Carlos Ghosn is expected to be dismissed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, following his arrest by the Japanese government over allegations of financial impropriety.
The news comes less than a week after it was announced the president of Renault Sport Racing Jerome Stroll, would be replaced by Thierry Koskas from January when he retires.
The company which is fifteen percent owned by the French government was due to meet today to discuss his replacement. Finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, has stated that Ghosn is “no longer in a position” to lead the company.
On Monday, Japanese prosecutors said Mr Ghosn had under-reported his income from running Nissan by 5bn yen ($44.4m; £34.5m) over five years.
Japanese broadcaster NHK also reported that the company had spent millions buying luxury homes for Mr Ghosn.
Any changes in the management at the top of the alliance is unlikely to have short term impact on the team. However, It was announced last week that Stoll, who has been in his role of president of Renault Sport Racing since 2016, is due to retire at the end of this year and will be replaced by Thierry Koskas.
First real year of development paid off – Haas
Haas believes it reaped the rewards from the team’s first real year of car development. The American team entered the sport in 2016, scoring points in three of the first four races, including on its debut in Melbourne.
However failed to score more points in all but one of the remaining races, finishing eight in the constructors. 2018 has been a much stronger season, with the consistent points finishes set to secure them fifth this year.
Race engineer Ayao Komatsu believes the car has been improved in “most areas” since the start of the season. He told Motorsport.com, “This is only the third year for us but this is also only the first year that we actually decided to develop the car throughout the season. The first year was all about operation.”
“The second year we managed to focus a bit more on performance, but third year we really focused on performance and improving the cars throughout the season. Of course last year we stopped development early to focus on this year, so that paid off.”
Komatsu says that the team are very happy with its baseline and the way is operating, considering it’s the teams third season.
Team principal Gunther Steiner believes Haas has done a “much better job” at bringing developments to the car than last year as a result.
Steiner said “We still have a long way to go, because it’s only our first season [developing the car] but we’re getting better in everything. In development, we still have our downs, like Mexico, like Monte Carlo [where Haas struggled] but we fixed them as well.”
Haas sees my potential – Deletraz
Louis Deletraz says that Haas “sees his potential” after handing him a drive in next week’s tyre test following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Swiss F2 driver goes into the weekend eleventh in the championship, in his second season.
Deletraz may become a attractive to F1 teams in the future given his wealthy number of 42 superlicense points. Deletraz is the son of former Larrousse and Pacific driver Jean-Denis Deletraz.
He told Motorsport.com “[Team owner] Gene Haas, [team principal] Gunther Steiner are sports people and they have a good mentality. I think they like the challenge and they see potential in me, they are happy to test me and to see the result and where we can go after that.
“I think Haas has a really good car, they are one of the first teams outside of the top three, so it’s something [a deal] we’ve worked on for a while.
Verstappen factor key to Dutch GP
Formula One is hoping that the popularity of Max Verstappen could help with bringing back the Dutch Grand Prix. Speaking at the weekend, commercial managing director Sean Bratches said “We are very interested in racing in Holland.”
Local media reports have suggested a deal for 2020 could be on the table. Verstappen is seen as a future world champion, has a huge national following as the country’s most successful Formula One driver. Bratches told Reuters “We are very interested in racing in Holland.”
“We are having productive conversations there and I am cautiously optimistic we can do something to surprise and delight fans in that territory and take advantage of the Max factor,” he added.
Zandvoort last held a race in 1985, and a return to the circuit would alleviate fears about the sport distancing itself from its European past, with other ‘heritage circuits’ facing an uncertain future.
Liberty Media, recently announced Vietnam will host a grand prix in Hanoi for the first time in 2020 and is aiming to expand the calendar beyond the current 21 races.
However financial concerns mean that fears remain about the British, German and Italian Grand Prix’s, as the contract expires at the end of 2019.
Those were put into sharper focus when Formula One chairman Chase Carey told a Liberty Media investor meeting last week that “we expect to replace a few existing races where we inherited unattractive agreements, with new events or agreements that are better for racing and provide more value.”
