F1 Today – 30/11/2016
Can’t deny what cost Hamilton
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says that the team can’t deny the fact that reliability cost Lewis Hamilton the title this season. Team-mate Nico Rosberg took the title by five points after finishing second in Abu Dhabi.
This season the Mercedes team and their customers suffered remarkably few reliability problems across both cars. Two MGU-H issues during qualifying for the Chinese and Russian Grands Prix with a dramatic engine failure while leading the Malaysian Grand Prix proved costly for Hamilton.
The issue also stocked up in Belgium in power unit components knowing he would exceed his allocation before the end of the season. While Rosberg had relatively few issues with only one penalty for a technical issue at Silverstone.
Wolff told ESPN “I did everything that I could, particularly towards the end [of the year] and obviously Nico had a very, very clean year without any real issues to be honest and that’s why we sit in this position right now.”
“But he did a fantastic job, so big congratulations to him, it’s a great feeling to win the world championship and I look forward to fighting with him next year.” Malaysia could be seen as where Hamilton lost the title because he stopped on track while leading with a engine failure.
Wolff says that it is clear Malaysia was the turning point in the season. Adding that Rosberg needs recommission for beating the most talented driver on the grid and winning the title.
Error cost Monaco win – Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo has said in a interview that following the error which cost him victory at the Monaco Grand Prix he went straight back to his apartment without speaking to any of the Red Bull team.
Ricciardo was on for his first victory on the street of Monaco before a miscommunication over his pit stop meant he came in without the team being ready. He says he went straight home after the podium and media commitments, unwilling to face the Red Bull at the time.
He told Motorsport.com “Basically the only person I saw after the race was Helmut [Marko]. He was sort of waiting in my room, just to I guess apologise. Then I went straight back to my apartment.
“It’s not my style to spit the dummy if you like, I just felt it wasn’t going to be a good environment for anyone, so I was like ‘let me just go back and be in my own space’.” Ricciardo says that when he spoke to Christian Horner after the race he was apologetic.
2017 Calendar drops Germany
The FIA are set to announced a new revision to the 2017 calendar which includes the dropping of the German Grand Prix again after talks between Hockenheim promoters and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone broke down.
The new calendar has seen the European Grand Prix move to the 25 June to avoid problems in logistics and big time zone shift the teams encountered when it followed the Canadian GP in back-to-back events this year. Also, to avoid clash with Wimbledon the British GP has been moved back, but that causes a clash with the penultimate rounds of the Formula E season.
However the Brazilian GP remains to be confirmed as negotiations continue over its future.
Singapore was initially pencilled in to run back-to-back with Japan, but it has now swapped back with Malaysia to run as a standalone race in mid-September.
There are five back to back races with the season will start in Australia on March 26 and conclude in Abu Dhabi on November 26. The four-week summer break remains between the Hungarian GP on July 30 and Spa on August 27.
Verstappen need educating – Rosberg Sr
Former world Champion and father of champion-elect Keke Rosberg says that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen needs educating. In his first interview since 2010 with motorsport.com he spoke about his role in his Son’s career and his historic achievement
He said about his role to Nico as private support before reminding them he hasn’t given an interview since 2010. When asked why he hasn’t given an interview since 2010 he said “I think the time had come to take a step back. There was no choice to come here, because if I was to come here for three days doing nothing, there would not have been a peaceful minute for me.”
He says his son knew where he was all the time. Speaking about Maxc Verstappen he said “He is a very talented guy but he needs a little bit of guidance. He is throwing away great results all the time. And F1 is all about results.”
Rosberg Sr says that he always though that his son would be champion saying there are three goals in F1 winning your first race, you have to wing Monaco and the championship. When asked about dynamics going forward within Mercedes he said “ I think he will raise the game a little bit next year like everybody does. Jenson [Button] did it when he won the championship. I did it. That will probably happen. It goes with the game.”
When asked if Nico was lucky he said “Lewis was lucky twice already, so why shouldn’t he [Nico] be once. If you want to win the championship in F1 you cannot have a lot of bad luck. I could have won the championship in Monza.”
Williams knew Rosberg would be champion
Claire Williams says her team knew that Nico Rosberg would be world champion when he made his debut with Williams in 2006. Rosberg had a great season beating world champion Lewis Hamilton to seal his first title.
When Rosberg made his debut for the team in Bahrain where he set fastest lap, however his time with Williams only earned him two podiums. His time at Mercedes Rosberg has proved successful where he was runner up for the last two years before sealing his debut title in Abu Dhabi.
When asked by ESPN if f he looked like a future champion when he joined the team Williams, Ms Williams said: “Yeah, I think it was pretty clear. You know when there are certain drivers that come to you of that kind of material, and he was.”
“I heard that he’s won what 23 races, the highest number of races before winning a championship but then you have drivers that win world championships on less wins then you’ve ever heard of.” Ms Williams prasied his achievements saying that he did everything he needed to and is “A truly well deserving champion in this sport and I am really pleased for him.”
Ms Williams thinks that it is remarkable the how Rosberg emerged from his fathers shadows. She said “Any child of someone famous has had those kinds of achievements in their life, it’s not easy to step out of their shadow and I think Nico has done everything that he has needed to do to prove that he is a worthy individual in his own right.”
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