F1 Today – Bahrain Prixview – 17/03/2022
F1 “doesn’t need to heal” – Verstappen
Max Verstappen says that the sport “does not need to heal” following last year’s controversial championship decider in Abu Dhabi rather it needs more teams fighting at the front. The Dutchman took his first title after race director Michael Masi not to follow procedures around restarting the race.
Verstappen won the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi after overtaking title rival Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on the final lap, following a decision by Masi to restart the race early after a safety car. Masi has been removed from his role as race director after an inquiry concluded that he influenced the outcome of a championship.
He told BBC News, “The sport doesn’t need to heal, there are these dramatic moments which are part of the sport as well. F1 is a very tough world. I think Lewis can feel the pain a bit less if you already have seven [drivers’ titles].”
The Dutchman added that Formula 1 needs “more teams at the front, fighting for wins”. Looking ahead to the start of the season as well as a technical overhaul which is designed to create closer and more exciting racing, he says Red Bull are slowly getting used to then and believes more drivers will be fighting for the championship.
Verstappen has refused to take part in the latest series of Netflix’s Drive to Survive which he accused “faking rivalries”, being the only driver who has refused to take part. Saying, “I watched two episodes, but I was not very impressed. It’s just not my thing, faking rivalries.”
One of the storylines in the latest series is the struggles of McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo as he watches British team-mate Lando Norris thrive in a car he cannot get up to speed. He says episode two ‘Ace in the Hole,’ makes them look like they’re not very friendly which he believes is not correct.
Verstappen believes the series which has been credited with boosting the sport’s popularity, particularly in the United States, Verstappen believes its approach doesn’t accurately reflect what unfolds.
Speaking about the new contract with Red Bull signed earlier in the months, he says Red Bull and him, “really click” and share the “same mentality”.
Verstappen was also the first driver to react to the sacking of Nikita Mazepin by Haas, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mazepin’s father Dimitry is a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, and his sponsorship of Haas was terminated following the invasion, which the Kremlin calls a special military operation.
He says, “You always have to feel sympathy for Nikita himself – everyone, regardless of background, they work very hard from a very young age to be a Formula 1 driver. You need to be competitive and we definitely was that.”
“At the moment it’s very complicated for him, but yeah let’s see hopefully in general the world can be at peace again.”
Verstappen to feel less pressure – Alonso
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso believes that Max Verstappen will race with less pressure after claiming his first title last season. The Dutchman controversially took the title after a long and hard fought season long battle with Lewis Hamilton, in his fifth full season with Red Bull.
Alonso was asked if Verstappen’s first season as a reigning champion would increase the pressure on him, the Spaniard suggested the opposite would be the case. the Alpine driver said, “I don’t think so, if anything you will have less pressure as you have accomplished one of your dreams.”
“So, from now on it is like more fun when you go into the races knowing you are world champion already once. You can always try to fight for more championships and add number two to that, but if anything, he should have less pressure.”
Sebastian Vettel, who took the first of four consecutive titles in 2010 with Red Bull, agrees that a first title takes “a lot of weight off your shoulders”.
The German said, “It’s a long time ago for me. What I remember, I think it’s a boost. It takes a lot of weight in a way off your shoulders. It’s a great feeling to start the season as world champion. You have the number one on your car, so it’s a privilege. I think we would all like to be in that position. There can only be one of us.”
Red Bull are the favourites – Leclerc
Charles Leclerc says Red Bull are the favourites going into this weekend’s season opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite him believing that his Ferrari team were “still a bit behind Red Bull,” he is optimistic they can be closer to Mercedes and Red Bull following two difficult seasons.
Leclerc said that there was “a lot more to come from Mercedes”, even though the constructors’ champions appeared to be struggling in pre-season testing and Lewis Hamilton has said the team will not be able to compete for wins at the start of the season.
He told BBC News, “I don’t think we are speaking about being a second (behind) like it was last year. It’s going to be closer. This is already a good sign.”
The Monacan emphasised his belief that Mercedes hadn’t tried their car at the full potential in testing, explaining Mercedes had “done a few laps here and there that were good once they were putting everything together. But they didn’t really put anything together to be honest. I think they (and Red Bull) will still be the two teams to beat this year.”
This season the sport has brought in new regulations in an attempt to create closer racing and this means there is more uncertainty going into qualifying on Saturday, when the teams will unleash for the first time properly their true performance levels. In testing, Ferrari were the most consistent teams going near the top most days.
However, they have taken a different approach to their rivals Red Bull and Mercedes, both of whom introduced major upgrades on their cars in the course of the final pre-season test, while Ferrari’s has been more or less in the same specification since it launched.
Leclerc said this had given the Ferrari drivers an advantage because they knew the car well, but he admitted it might have some drawbacks. While it may give Ferrari the knowledge, it could leave them vulnerable to not only Mercedes and Red Bull but if they remain where they were last season could also see McLaren challenge them.
Leclerc added that there was a positive feeling at Ferrari before the new season. Saying “It’s a good sign if people expect us to be fighting at the front. It means that we’ve been doing something right and what we’ve shown with testing – even though it’s only testing – was enough to make people think that we are in front.”
But he warned that Ferrari could not get carried away.
His teammate Carlos Sainz said he was trying to avoid putting any expectations on Ferrari’s performance before the weekend. Adding “You still don’t want to believe it completely. In your mind, you want to come in here ready to fight for a win because as a driver you want to be ready – but also not trying to believe too much the hype around us and whatever we think we are.”
Ferrari optimistic they have closed the gap
Ferrari is optimistic they have slashed the 25bph engine deficit to Mercedes and Honda, thinking there could even be a chance they could be ahead. The Italian manufacturer has been tipped for a strong start to the season following consistently good performances throughout the two pre-season tests.
As well as confidence in the F1-75 team principal Mattia Binotto has suggested that analysis of the power unit has delivered encouraging feedback on performance as well. The final conclusion on this will however become clear in qualifying as teams tend to hide their performance in testing, but, Binotto says his team’s feedback from testing data was positive.
Speaking about the new engine for 2022, Binotto told Motorsport.com, “Knowing that from this year the engines will be frozen for the next four seasons, it was obviously important to start with a power unit that had no performance gap to the competition. At the end of last season, we had a gap of 20-25 horsepower, so the first goal was to cancel this margin.”
“At the moment we are not yet able to understand what the values on track are, as the measurements that we take using the GPS system have a certain accuracy, but they are not super precise. They are also influenced by the weight of the car, and without this data the estimate is difficult.”
The Italian says in qualifying and at the start of the race that will be when Ferrari will know how they stack up against their rivals, which wasn’t available in the test. Also, the teams tend to wait until the start of May to understand the performances, when more accurate data is available.
As well as being more upbeat about its engine, Ferrari’s new F1-75 appears to be delivering consistent and quick lap times as well. Going into this weekend the team are remaining cautious about prospects, although Binotto said that Ferrari should be competitive.
Adding “Red Bull seemed very strong to me, certainly Max. So maybe one (Red Bull) will be in front of us and one behind us, I don’t know. But I think we will be at a level where we can compete, and if there is a difference, it will not be insurmountable.”
Domenicali says FIA must be transparent with Abu Dhabi findings
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali thinks it is important the FIA is transparent and releases the findings and lessons learned from the mistakes made at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
On Saturday, the World Motorsport Council is due to meet in Bahrain to finalise the outcome and response to last year’s controversial championship decider. With the Italian suggesting that it is an important moment for the governing body. But it was not a moment to pour over the way then race director Michael Masi implemented the rules on the restart, rather the sport’s response going forward.
Domenicali told Sky Sports, “In the next days, the FIA will formally discuss that at the World Motor Sport Council, because I think what we need to avoid is a personal discussion. We are all human beings, you may say that you are performing well as a driver, as a team, as a referee, but this is not relevant to the credibility of the sport, if the sport will take all the lessons in order to improve that.
“The credibility is passing through this kind of action, and this is what we’re expecting the FIA to take on board in their preparation of next year.”
Asked if the full FIA report into the events of Abu Dhabi should be released, Domenicali said: “I will attend the World Council next Saturday, and we will see. That is the aim, to have a step forward to move forward from Abu Dhabi. We are already in Bahrain. So there is no need to talk about a different approach other than to say what we learned as regulator from that last race.”
Though the conclusion from the first findings concluded that Masi failed to implement the rules properly and wasn’t supported enough, leading to a new structure of race control and the implementation of a VAR style system to review incidents.
But Domenicali, a former team principal, stressed it was important the race director is given the full authority to make decisions by themselves without too many people being involved.
Domenicali says going to Saudi Arabia shines a spotlight
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport’s decision to race in Saudi Arabia can help shine a “spotlight” on the country’s human rights record. The 2022 season starts with a double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia which often attracts criticisms from human rights groups.
Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has been put in the spotlight again after executing eighty-one men, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian, for terrorism and other offences including holding “deviant beliefs” in the kingdom’s biggest mass execution in decades.
Meanwhile, Bahraini authorities continue to clamp down on dissent following the 2011 Arab Spring. Following the announcement of a new contract for Bahrain to 2036, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy accused the sport of ‘double standards’ following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It questioned, the failure to set up an inquiry investigating the race’s impact on human rights abuse and requested it uses its platform and influence with Bahrain to secure redress for victims of abuses. The organisation cites the state’s “heavy repression” last year and how it has “sustained its violent campaign of persecution against political dissidents, and escalated its targeting of children.”
Amid criticism over the sport’s decision to continue to race there, Domenicali argued that it could have a positive effect. The Italian told Sky Sports, “When we hear this kind of news, it’s quite alarming. But I’m a true believer in the fact that sport has to make sure that human rights is at the centre of our agenda, together with the country where we are going.”
“I think if I take a step back, what we saw last year, we saw a lot of women, a lot of young people attending the race and enjoying for the first time that they’ve never had the chance to see live, is the right direction to take.”
Domenicali argued that going to these countries gives a spotlight on subjects which may not be in the news otherwise.
The discussion around racing in Saudi Arabia comes after F1 chiefs cancelled this year’s Russian Grand Prix following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, with action being taken after several drivers spoke out strongly
Vettel tests positive for Covid-19
Sebastian Vettel will miss this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after the four-time champion tested positive for coronavirus. The four-time champion is the second driver to test positive in a week after his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo missed the Sakhir test.
However, the Australian is fit for race weekend, which begins with practice on Friday, after returning a negative test.
Vettel will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg, who has been Racing Point/Aston Martin’s reserve driver since being dropped from a race seat in 2019. Hulkenberg has raced in three Grand Prix when Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll tested positive in 2020.
Drivers should race with Covid-19
Sergio Perez says that drivers should be able to race with Covid-19 so long as their symptoms are not severe. The Mexican was the first driver to test positive and miss races in August 2020, this weekend Sebastian Vettel will not race in Bahrain after testing positive.
The four-time champion who will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg at Aston Martin, is the second F1 driver in the last week to contract Covid, with Daniel Ricciardo having been forced out of the final test.
Perez told Sky Sports, “Going forward we should discuss whether we allow the drivers to race if the symptoms are mild. The drivers can obviously be the judge, but I think it makes sense to have a discussion.”
“There is only so much you can do… I think it’s just luck-dependent. It is difficult to not do anything. I’m just very sorry for Seb and for Daniel, but it can happen to anyone.”
This season restrictions have been formally relaxed by F1, however, the teams are continuing with their own testing programmes. Drivers as well are continuing with their own cautious steps.
Carlos Sainz, saying, “I’m trying to stay as disciplined as I was two years ago. But I’m not going to lie, it’s tiring and it’s tough after two years to do the same things. Some things I got used to, some things I still struggle [with].
Haas attracting “good interest” to fill Uralkali hole
Haas team principal Gunther Steiner says the team attracting “good interest” from possible sponsors to help fill the “big hole” left after the exit of former title sponsor Uralkali.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US-owned team removed all Uralkali branding from its car, which resembled the colours of the Russian flag. The agreement with the company was ultimately terminated, as was Russian driver Nikita Mazepin’s contract.
The Russian fertiliser company owned by Mazepin’s father Dimitry was the team sponsor which brought a significant financial boost to the American operation. But Haas has maintained it would be able to cope financially without Uralkali’s funding, allowing it to continue with its plans and preparations for the 2022 season.
Steiner admitted it was a “big hole” that had been left by Uralkali after its exit, but said there was already interest being shown by potential new sponsors. He told Motorsport.com, “There is good interest at the moment, I must say, and I don’t know what it has to do with. I’m not promising anything. I think with the sponsorship, we started a little bit late in actually trying to get some actively from the beginning.”
“That’s my opinion about it. But I think now we will make progress. I’m very confident. And also, again, showing people that now we want to come back and people know where we were. So I think we have got a good chance.”
One of the stories over the winter has been the number of American sponsors coming into the sport thanks partly due to the success of the Netflix series Drive To Survive. Haas is the only American team on the grid, but Steiner said it was difficult to secure backing from American brands.
Steiner said, “It is just difficult in America to get this big sponsorship in the moment. But it’s not only difficult in for Formula 1. If you look also in the racing series in the States, there is sponsorship, but not a really big one.”
The weekend ahead
A new era begins, and points are on offer for the first time this season, the feeling I think is that this could be a fight between Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. We know Mercedes have played down expectations, in my view they are not as strong as we have got used to since 2014 and may have even gone slightly backwards but unless we start seeing it on track in the next few races then we can believe them.
Ferrari you can see challenging this weekend, another team playing do expectation, but we don’t know anything yet. This circuit is a high speed and downforce circuit, we know that there can be surprises in the opening races as these cars have never run in race conditions. However, reliability looks to be there for most of the teams.
Bahrain like in testing last weekend we saw there be signs of closer racing, when cars were following each other, but the real test will be on Sunday. The drivers and teams will know this circuit very well having already completed hundreds of laps in Bahrain last week, but does that mean practice will be limited?
Teams and drivers will need to be careful as they don’t know the best way to set the cars up and they don’t want to go too far in one direction as that could cost them points. Being able to react quickly to events on track is often key in the opening race and you need to expect the unexpected.