McLaren on verge of top ten – Boullier
Eric Boullier says he convinced that McLaren is on the verge of having a car which is able to regularly compete in the top 10. The team has made a major step forward in winter testing.
Boullier believes improvements to the car will propel the team into the top half of the grid. Speaking to Autosport he said “The pace of the car is good, very encouraging, and we know we have something to fight with this year.”
“We know we have a few things coming in the pipeline which should make us a regular contender in Q3. If you are regularly in Q3 then it’s a different story. You can fight for points.” He says he believes that both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button could of scored points.
However Alonso crash and buttons poor tyre choice dropped them both out of contention. Bouiler admitted the team got it wrong on tyres but the team also had difficulties with radio transmission, although only due to technical issues, and not via the new clampdown on pit-to-car traffic.
He said “it was a bit of a headache. But we were lucky. We had a little break from the FIA.”
Tyre selections for Bahrain
Mercedes and Ferrari have chosen different tyres ahead of next weekends Bahrain Grand Prix.
Mercedes have opted for one set of the medium while Ferrari has opted for two with both selected three sets of the hardest compound available. Mercedes’ one set of mediums is mandatory.
Both Williams and Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen have chosen seven sets of one type of tyres, with Williams picking supersofts and Verstappen softs.
News – in – brief
Rebecca Allison – The wife of Ferrari’s technical boss Rebecca has died suddenly after what is believed to be a battel with Meningitis. The couple had three children and it’s not known if he will attend the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Haas needs to spend $1bn – Berine Ecclestone says that Haas needs to spend $1bn (£70.4 million) if the team us to be competitive. F1 prise money is based on performance and there is no money this season for the team.
Mercedes need to prioritise starts
Lewis Hamilton says that Mercedes have prioritised there race starts after being jumped by Sebastian Vettel at the start of the Australian Grand Prix,
Mercedes were jumped by both Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. There are suggestions that Hamilton was thrown by the need for a second formation lap. He was asked by ESPN if he had clutch problems at the start?
“No, I just got wheel spin. No particular real issues … Ferrari’s [starts] are very, very strong. My initial phase was just the same as Nico’s but the second part where you release the clutch fully I just had extra wheel spin” he replied.
Team boss Toto Wolff admits the team had been struggling with practice starts over the weekend.
“[On Saturday] our practice starts weren’t very good. To be honest I don’t know what happened at the start, we need to analyse what it could have been and we are looking to fix it.” Said wolff.
Senna would still be involved – Biographer
The biographer of Ayrton Senna Ernsto Rodrigues says the three times champion would still be involved in motorsport today had he lived – but not as an F1 team boss.
The F1 legend would of turned 56 yesterday if he survived the crash at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Senna’s birthday is still celebrated by his legion of fans, many of whom wonder what he would have gone on to achieve after his driving career.
Rodrigues, author of the book Ayrton: The Hero Revealed and the director of the documentary film Ayrton: Pictures and Memories told Motorsports.com “I couldn’t see Ayrton becoming a team owner or someone who became a director or executive of a team.
“His personality was defined like: ‘Oh, I’m getting out of here and people will miss me’ – unlike others who are still there, such as Niki Lauda for example”
No tensions – Sainz
Carlos Sainz insists there will be no lingering tensions with his team-mate Max Verstappen after some heated exchanges during the Australian Grand Prix.
Verstappen was furious
that the team ordered him to let his teammate pass leading to contact later which caused the Dutchman to spin, although he recovered to finish on Sainz’s tail, the pair in ninth and 10th respectively.
While Verstappen labelled the situation a ‘******* joke’ during the race, Sainz played down any talk of lasting friction with the Dutchman. Speaking to F1.com he said “I think it is a healthy rivalry. At least from my side I have absolutely no issues with anyone.”
Asked about Verstappen’s requests for Sainz to move aside, the Spaniard added: “There was not much radio communication, not a lot to understand. I just know I was behind Jolyon [Palmer], they told me to push and I overtook him.
