Tag Archives: Formula One

Sir Lewis Hamilton

15/11/2020 By in Formula One Tags: , Leave a comment

An emotional Lewis Hamilton claimed the FIA Formula One Drivers’ Championship for the seventh time today – a record equalling total. It’s his 94th F1 career victory – his 10th of the 2020 season and his second at Istanbul.

“I know often we, or I say, it’s beyond my wildest dreams, but I think my whole life I secretly have dreamt as high as this. But it always felt so farfetched. I remember Michael winning those championships, and all of us drivers here are doing the best job we can, and just to get one, two or three is so hard to get. So, to get seven, is just unimaginable,” said Hamilton.

“But when you work with such a great group of people, and you communicate, and trust one another and listen to one another, there is just no end to what we can do together, this team and I together. And I’m so proud of what we’ve done. And them trusting me out there today like they did, that comes with experience.

“This year has been so tough… I haven’t gone out, I haven’t gone for dinner, I’ve just stayed in my bubble. Getting room service every day, and not really anything exciting and that’s naturally because I’ve got a championship to fight for. I think this year I’ve sacrificed more than ever before in my whole life. That’s made it quite difficult.

“Making memories like this, I want to wait until I can be around my family, be around all my friends, because I want to share it with them. I feel so proud of this race today.

“I was thinking about moments when it went wrong before, like China 2007 when I lost the championship on worn tyres in the pit lane. All these things I’ve learned along the way, I was able to apply today, and that’s why you saw the result and the gap you did today. At the same time, I feel like I’m only just getting started, it’s really weird. I feel physically in great shape, and mentally this year has been the hardest year for many people, for millions of people.

“I know things always look great on here, on the big stage, but it’s no different for us athletes. And it has been a challenge I didn’t know how to get through. But with the help of great people round me, with the help of my team, Team LH, I managed to keep my head above water and focused. I’m hopeful for a better year next year.

“And I’d love to stay, I feel like we’ve got a lot of work to do here. I am working to push to hold ourselves accountable as a sport, to realise we’ve got to face and not ignore the human rights issues that are around in the countries that we go to, and how can we engage with those countries, and how can we empower them to really change, not 10 or 20 years from now, but now.

“And I want to help Formula One, I want to help Mercedes in that journey to become more sustainable. I hope to be a part of that, at least the initial phase, for a little bit longer.”

Good man. Liz, get that gong sorted…

Monza preview: Williams

02/09/2015 By in Formula One Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Monza is home to some of the most passionate fans in Formula One. The Italian Grand Prix was first held during the inaugural Formula One season in 1950 and has been on the calendar ever since. Four times during a single lap the Williams FW37 will exceed 195mph due to the circuit’s layout. Monza’s history surrounds the circuit with corner names linking back to past greats and the original banking from the 1950s is ever-present. Monza hosts the last visit to Europe for the Formula One fraternity before it heads to sunnier climes. The Italian Grand Prix has had six Williams victors, with Felipe Massa securing an emotional podium in 2014 in front of the tifosi.

Rob Smedley:
“Monza is a specialist circuit and, like the rest of the teams, we will be taking a dedicated aero package. It’s a great circuit and a challenge for both engineers and drivers to get right. There are some very high speed straights with big braking zones with some fast and medium speed corners too. Ascari is a real challenge and Parabolica needs a good front end which fortunately the FW37 has. It’s a test for the drivers as they will have the lowest drag set-up of the year which takes time to get used to during the first Friday session. Last year we were on the podium so we look to replicate that performance and carry on outscoring our closest competitors. Italy is fantastic and the fans give the team a great reception, despite being a completely British team and of course the tifosi are some of the most passionate fans in sport.”

Felipe Massa:
“Monza is one of the best circuits to drive – the layout is quick with some very fast corners. The local area is fantastic with good weather, great food and fans who are very passionate about Formula One. There is a lot of history at the track and as a team we have had some good results there, including our podium last year. Standing on the Monza podium is very special and I’m lucky enough to have a lot of supporters in Italy. Our car should be suited well to the characteristics of the circuit but we will have to work hard to make sure that we leave Italy with a good result.”

Valtteri Bottas:
“I always look forward to racing in Monza. It’s an old school track with a lot of history and is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar which gives you a real buzz when driving. It requires a low downforce set-up from the car which should be good for us. The passionate fans also make the weekend a special one. We are aiming for a strong weekend here. We have learnt from our mistakes and will bounce back even stronger!”

The new F1 racing year

10/03/2014 By in Formula One Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

This year’s season-opener has the added excitement of being the first race for the brand new 1.6-litre power units.

It’s sure to be an unpredictable weekend at Albert Park and one wonders how many cars will make the finish line on Sunday evening; when Melbourne first hosted the Australian Grand Prix in 1996, only 11 cars reached the chequered flag.

Irrespective of what happens on the track, the F1 circus loves racing in Australia. The laid back vibe, the passionate and knowledgeable fans and the chance of some sunshine after the European winter all add to its appeal. As for Melbourne: what a city!

Williams last won this race in 1996 and the team hopes to kick off its new partnership with Mercedes-Benz HPP with another strong result. Says Rod Nelson, Williams’ Chief Test and Support Engineer:

“It’s a street track so we expect a large increase in grip through the weekend as the Pirelli rubber goes down, and as we often see at other temporary tracks it’s also quite bumpy.

“There’s a high probability of a safety car in the race – usually it’s about a 50 per cent chance around here.

“The weather can also be quite changeable as it’s the end of the Australian summer, and with the circuit being less than 1 km from the sea this can have a large effect. The race also starts late in the afternoon so visibility can become an issue for the drivers as the sun goes down.”

It’s been a very busy winter for Sahara Force India. Adds Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya:

“It’s been a massive challenge, especially for a smaller team like ours. That was why we put so many plans in place early last year to be ready for what has become a very different Formula One. All the hard work has paid off, but it has been a very steep learning curve and a huge undertaking to get where we are today.

“It’s the first time for many years that Formula One has been properly aligned with the automotive industry. The prospect of Formula One driving forward technical advances for road cars is a very exciting one.”

According to Renault Sport F1’s track support leader, Cedrik Staudohar, the main challenges of Albert Park will be focused on the power units:

“The high number of low speed turns will put the focus on low speed driveability through correct turbo response. Heavy braking will also need effective engine braking from the ICE to support the new brake-by-wire system. Short bursts of acceleration between the turns compound the challenge, while massively increasing fuel consumption.

“Heavy braking will also give an opportunity for the MGU-K to recover energy, particularly in turns three and four and the last complex through turns 14, 15 and 16 coming back onto the straight.

“Recovering as much energy as possible here is crucial to minimising lap time. Short straights don’t give huge chances for the MGU-H to recover from the exhaust, but there are several of them so it should be sufficient to keep the battery charged.

“It’s one of the tougher races. Fuel consumption is the second highest of the year, and the mechanical challenges add to the difficulty – Melbourne is in the upper half of the table.”

(The Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) which form an integral part of an F1 car’s power unit from 2014 take the concept of KERS to another level, combining twice the power with a performance effect around 10 times greater.

ERS comprise two energy recovery systems (Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU-K) and Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H]), plus an Energy Store (ES) and control electronics.)

Summary of new F1 regs for 2014

22/01/2014 By in Formula One Tags: , , Leave a comment

The 2014 season will feature the biggest change in regulations in a decade, providing an extra challenge and opportunity for the teams.

With new engines seeing the light and new aerodynamic restrictions, the 2014 cars will look very different from their predecessors – outside and inside their bodywork.

The new rules in a nutshell:

• New 1.6-litre, V6 power units with a single turbocharger are introduced. Kinetic energy from braking and heat from the exhausts are harvested, putting a greater emphasis on energy recovery.

• The minimum car weight increases from 642 kg to 690 kg to accommodate the new technologies.

• Exhausts are now exiting from the rear of the car, preventing exhaust gases from having an aerodynamic influence.

• Front wings are 100 mm narrower; rear wings are smaller, with the lower or beam rear wing now outlawed.

• Nose profiles are now lower to ensure they meet with anti-side intrusion panels during potential T-boning accidents and improve the nose to wheel anti-launch capability.

• The power units are deemed to comprise six separate elements – engine (ICE), motor generator unit – kinetic (MGU-K), motor generator unit – heat (MGU-H), energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE).

• Drivers will be allowed to use five power units throughout the season. Usage of additional ones will incur penalties, with the replacement of a complete unit warranting a pit lane start.

• Drivers will be required to use the same gearbox for six consecutive events (Saturday and Sunday sessions only). Replacements will cause a grid penalty.

• Fuel limits for the race have been set to 100 kg.

• The final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, will award double points in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

• A new trophy will be awarded to the driver recording the most pole positions in the season.

• Drivers will now carry their own personal race numbers for the entirety of their F1 careers. The numbers will be also appearing on their helmets.

• In-season testing returns, with four two-day tests held in the week after the Grand Prix at the same venue. Each team has to dedicate one of those test days to tyre testing on behalf of Pirelli.

• Stricter limits on the use of wind tunnels and CFD are introduced.

• A new penalty points system is introduced, forcing a driver amassing 12 points on his Super Licence to miss the following event.

• Drivers are allocated seven sets of prime tyres and five sets of option tyres for a race weekend. One set of primes is reserved for the first 30 minutes of Practice 1 before being returned to Pirelli.

• The Korean and Indian races depart from the Championship calendar. They are replaced by the returning Austrian Grand Prix and a new event in Russia.

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