Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2016 i AUTOSPORT

It’s not hard to imagine the reaction of dear old Alan Henry to the qualifying imbroglio that threatened to engulf the Australian Grand Prix: “You’d have thought they could have bloody well sorted this out before putting us on a plane to fly twelve-thousand miles to watch this bloody shambles.” Then he’d have grinned with relish at what he was about to write, popped open his slightly careworn laptop, and set forth to pen a rigorous skewering of those he deemed responsible for messing up the sport, about which he wrote with such care and conviction for more than four decades. AH, who died last month after a long and debilitating illness, was a towering figure among the F1 press pack and an inspiration to many lured by the romance…

EUROPE Q1 When and where was the last officially titled European GP held? Q2 How many times did Michael Schumacher win the European GP? Q3 Who was Nigel Mansell’s teammate when he won his first GP, the 1985 European GP at Brands Hatch? Q4 Where on the grid did Johnny Herbert start from when he claimed Stewart GP’s only win, at the 1999 European Grand Prix? Q5 How many different countries have held the European GP? Q6 Which German recorded the fastest lap in the 2009 race? Q7 How many pitstops did Alain Prost famously make in the 1993 European GP at Donington? Q8 Marcus Winkelhock led the 2007 race at the Nurburgring but who went on to win the GP? Q9 The European Grand Prix in Baku will be…

THE 2016 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX is one of the highlights of the F1 calendar. Home to the first night race, it is gruelling for the drivers and delivers spectacular racing. UNIQUE CHALLENGE This challenging race in high humidity is the most demanding of them all. Drivers must tame the bumpy anticlockwise track under floodlights, with unforgiving tight corners and tough braking zones. Uniquely for a race on another continent, the drivers must stay on European time, meticulously monitoring their eating and sleeping to remain in peak condition. RACING FEAST Singapore has delivered a host of fantastic races since joining the calendar in 2008, including last year when Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel put on a masterclass. Support races complement the F1 action. LET US ENTERTAIN YOU Off-track, the…

Alan Henry once missed a grand prix because he fell off a horse. The contradictions implicit in each part of that statement are like saying Bernie Ecclestone was absent because of an injury sustained in a tractor-pulling contest. Alan, or ‘AH’ as he was fondly known, was such an integral part of the F1 scene that it was a surprise to find the grand prix starting without him. He was a big man, and the thought of his mounting a hapless steed (we never did get to the bottom of that escapade in 1976) seemed as unlikely as his non-appearance at an F1 race. His was an unmistakable presence, in a physical as well as a practical sense. For many of us on the fringes of the sport in the…

“These days there are no big-buck sponsors around, yet still F1 overspends” Volkswagen Group have again come out strongly against participation in F1. Still vying to be the world’s biggest car-maker, despite the emission scandal that has engulfed them, they have historically kept their enthusiasm for F1 well in check. Besides, such is the gravity of ‘Dieselgate’, which not only battered VW’s reputation as a purveyor of technically advanced, ethical products filling all market niches, but which also threatens to cost £40bn in trans-Atlantic fines (or roughly three times their annual R&D budget), that any other board decision would have been absolutely untenable. The decision means that, of the world’s top six motor manufacturers – Toyota, Volkswagen Group, General Motors, Renault-Nissan, Hyundai-Kia and Ford – only one, Renault, are…

A history of Paul Ricard 1969 Track is built by French industrialist Paul Louis Ricard, the man behind the eponymous pastis drink ‘Paul Ricard’. 1970 The circuit opens on 9 April 1970. 1971 Hosts the French Grand Prix for the first time. The race is won by Jackie Stewart. 1986 Brabham’s Elio de Angelis is killed here in a testing accident. 1990 Ferrari’s Alain Prost wins his home race for the fourth time at the track’s final GP. 1999 Bernie Ecclestone invests in the circuit and appoints former promoter Philippe Gurdjian to renovate the facility. 2001 Pit buildings are modernised and multiple layouts created to make Paul Ricard one of the best tracks in the world for testing. 2006 The circuit is homologated by the FIA for racing to return.…

THE GRID 1. HAMILTON MERCEDES 1min 23.837secs Q3 2. ROSBERG MERCEDES 1min 24.197secs Q3 3. VETTEL FERRARI 1min 24.675secs Q3 4. RÄIKKÖNEN FERRARI 1min 25.033secs Q3 5. VERSTAPPEN TORO ROSSO 1min 25.434secs Q3 6. MASSA WILLIAMS 1min 25.458secs Q3 7. SAINZ TORO ROSSO 1min 25.582secs Q3 8. RICCIARDO RED BULL 1min 25.589secs Q3 9. PÉREZ FORCE INDIA 1min 25.753secs Q2 10. HÜLKENBERG FORCE INDIA 1min 25.865secs Q2 11. ALONSO MCLAREN 1min 26.125secs Q2 12. BUTTON MCLAREN 1min 26.304secs Q2 13. PALMER RENAULT 1min 27.601secs Q2 14. MAGNUSSEN RENAULT 1min 27.742secs Q2 15. ERICSSON SAUBER 1min 27.435secs Q1 16. BOTTAS* WILLIAMS 1min 25.961secs Q2 17. NASR SAUBER 1min 27.958secs Q1 18. KVYAT** RED BULL 1min 28.006secs Q1 19. GROSJEAN HAAS 1min 28.322secs Q1 20. GUTIÉRREZ HAAS 1min 29.606secs Q1 21. WEHRLEIN…

Maurice Hamilton Veteran journalist who has been following F1 since ‘77 This month Maurice has the unenviable task of paying tribute to his late friend and colleague Alan Henry. Read his memories of AH on page 30 Max Peef Ace lensman with a flair for the extraordinary You could say that northern Italy has become Max Peef’s personal fiefdom. He’s been busy, in Imola (p64), Pessione (p74) and Livigno (p58) Pino Allievi Doyen of the Italian F1 media since the 1970s Who better to comment on the current situation at the Scuderia than the best F1 scribe in Italy? On page 52 Pino gives us his expert view of Ferrari Stuart Codling Take note of our executive editor’s words of wisdom ‘Codders’ has returned from the Italian Alps (p58) to…

20.2.16 Honda protégé Nobuharu Matsushita awarded McLaren test and development driver role 21.2.16 Mercedes announces all customers will get latest-spec power units 22.2.16 Haas suffers front-wing failure on first day of testing 23.2.16 Honda announces management reshuffle, with Yoshiyuki Matsumoto taking charge of the F1 engine project 27.2.16 Bernie Ecclestone claims IT issues will delay debut of elimination qualifying system 3.3.16 Raikkonen trials new ‘halo’ safety concept at Barcelona test 4.3.16 FIA confirms new elimination qualifying format will be in place from Australia 9.3.16 Sauber pays overdue salaries 17.3.16 Red Bull announces Aston Martin partnership 29.3.16 Honda confirms new engine required for Fernando Alonso…

RED BULL PLANNED OWN ENGINE Red Bull Racing evaluated the possibility of building their own engine in 2014, when it became clear that Renault’s unit was down on both power and reliability. “We were looking at it, investigating it,” said the energy drinks company’s advisor Helmut Marko. “But we very quickly found out it wasn't for Red Bull… the costs are enormous.” FAMILY TRAGEDY FOR TECH BOSS F1 Racing is saddened to report the sudden death of Rebecca Allison, wife of Ferrari technical director James Allison, at the age of 48. “We at Ferrari are united with him and his family during this period of profound sorrow,” said a team statement. PIRELLI HAILS COMPOUND INTEREST Adding a third compound to the menu of tyre choices has had a beneficial effect…

“I don’t understand this constant push-pull with technology we’re not allowed to touch” As crass as the new qualifying regulations are (or were); and as complicated as it is to select untried tyres in advance of their being tested, you can’t help feeling that instead of using a sledge hammer to have their way, the rule-makers might have found a nice, adjustable Dowidat spanner. I guess that’s what happens when no one’s really in charge – when Mr E doesn’t have the power he used to, and the FIA, and the dreaded Strategy Group, scurry around trying to patch up the leaks. I may be a purist in the sense that I’ve never been unhappy to watch the fastest driver win in the fastest car, regardless of the quality of…

Beaten hands-down by Maserati in Formula 1 in 1957, Enzo Ferrari resorted to upscaling his decently competitive V6-engined Formula 2 car for the following season. Over the winter, events played into Ferrari’s hands, for not only did Maserati run out of money and shut down their factory team, but the FIA mandated shorter races and banned alcohol fuel mixes (see part four of our History of F1, p90). Enzo’s eldest son, Dino, had died in 1956 at the age of 24, but not before he’d selected the V6 format for the F2 car and started its development, which was largely completed by ex-Lancia man Vittorio Jano. Even after being enlarged to 2.4 litres for F1 use, the V6 tolerated Avgas and provided good power, while rivals such as Vanwall had…

His face is etched with a few more creases than you remember – or perhaps it’s because he’s squinting into the light reflected from the snowcapped mountains all around. But he’s still very visibly Giancarlo Fisichella as he eases himself tentatively into the cockpit of a Formula 1 car he last drove in anger in 2009. “Can you still reach the pedals, Giancarlo?” He shoots F1 Racing a look in response to our well-intentioned heckle. The Ferrari F2009 cuts an incongruous sight, sitting under an awning in a snowy field, V8 engine plumbed in to a machine busily pre-warming its essential oleo-pneumatic fluids, a studded black Pirelli tyre marked, appropriately, Sotto Zero at each corner: the outside temperature is a little above this mark. We are a long way from…

CV Born 20 January 1956 in Trins, Austria 2006-present day Team principal, Scuderia Toro Rosso 2000-05 Race track operation manager, Williams-BMW 1995-00 Marketing manager, Weber Management 1993-95 Team manager at WTS Formula 3 team 1992-93 Deputy manager at Vienna Racing 1989-91 Team manager at Eufra Racing 1985-88 Director and instructor at Walter Lechner Racing School. Team manager at Walter Lechner Racing 1982-85 Master’s degree in Sports Management, University of Vienna 1979-85 Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula 3. Wins the Austrian FF1600 Championship in 1983 1978-82 Degree in Sports Sciences, University of Innsbruck File Franz Tost under ‘pragmatic’. Not for him the extrovert bling of a Vijay Mallya, or the bouffant pizzazz of a Flavio Briatore from years past. Entrepreneurial control-freakery as practised by Ron Dennis? No thanks. How…

1961 The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association is formed and roll-over hoops are made mandatory in F1. Innes Ireland takes the first win for the works Lotus team, but is replaced by Jim Clark for 1962. Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators are killed in an accident at Monza as team-mate Phil Hill wins the championship. 1962 The Lotus 25 introduces the monocoque chassis concept to F1 1963 A flag signalling code is introduced for marshals. Jim Clark wins his first drivers’ championship. 1966 Jack Brabham becomes the first driver to win a grand prix and the world championship in a car bearing his own name. Bruce McLaren’s own car makes its debut at Monaco. 1967 The Ford Cosworth DFV engine is introduced in the Lotus 49 at the Dutch Grand…

CHINESE GP RACE DATA Circuit name Shanghai International Circuit First GP 2004 F1 races held 12 Circuit length 3.387 miles Race distance 56 laps (189.559 miles) Direction Clockwise Winners from pole 7 TV TIMETABLE (UK TIME) Friday 15 April Practice 1 03:00-04:30 Practice 2 07:00-08:30 Saturday 16 April Practice 3 05:00-06:00 Qualifying 08:00-09:00 Sunday 17 April Race 07:00 Live coverage Sky Sports F1 Highlights Channel 4 PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE AT THIS TORTUOUS, TECHNICAL TRACK Lewis Hamilton’s rivals will have to be at the top of their game to topple him at this track. In China last year he joined the exclusive club of drivers who have scored five or more poles at a single track (the others being Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher). But his rivals…

Name Elimination Age About a month and a half Appearance Slightly battered around the edges There you go, piffling on about 80s music again. I don’t know what you mean. Yes you do – Eliminator , the seminal ZZ Top album featuring Legs , Gimme All Your Lovin’ , etc. That popular beat combo was the furthest thing from my mind, I assure you. Ah. What, then? That bit at the end of Gladiators where the contestants had to run up the ‘travelator’ and such? Well, something like that might have introduced an element of action and jeopardy missing from Formula 1’s new ‘elimination’ qualifying format. I’m going to stop you right there. Is this going to…

The Formula 1 drivers have taken the extraordinary step of demanding change at the top of the sport in an open letter criticising the current governance structure. The letter, written by Grand Prix Drivers’ Association directors Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz “on behalf of the drivers”, says F1’s decision-making process is “obsolete, ill-structured and prevents progress being made”. This, it says, “reflects negatively on our sport, prevents it being fit for the next generation of fans and compromises further global growth”. It adds: “Recent rule changes – on both the sporting and technical side, and including some business directions – are disruptive, do not address the bigger issues our sport is facing and in some cases could jeopardise its success”. The letter does not make specific reference to…

F1 is perceived as being a test bed for new engineering technologies. How has this been seen in material development? Perhaps the material that people most associate with having been developed in F1 is carbon fibre. Of course, it wasn’t invented by an F1 team. That honour goes to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, who patented the process by which structural carbon fibre was first produced in the early 1960s. Prior to that, carbon fibres were known about and, indeed, Thomas Edison had produced them for use as light filaments in 1879. But the breakthrough came from realising a method of producing a composite of the fibres themselves, with a polymeric resin to produce a usable engineering material. These days, the variety of carbon-fibre composite materials available on the…

“Michael could never have been Michael on his own. Like Ayrton Senna, he needed his Prost” One thing is baffling me. Actually, many things are baffing me, but this ‘one thing’ is particularly pertinent to F1. It is: why would life create myriad forms and then put them into competition with one another? It don’t make no sense. I mean, I could be wiped out by a tiny single-cell critter when, clearly, I am the superior being. And they call that evolution? We both want to live, but one could die, just to satisfy the other, and a possible outcome is that we both die and become just mud. I’m confused. And yet… If a human gets bored but has a eureka moment and suggests to the other, “I know!…

Genk karting circuit, 2002: a three-year-old lad called Stan Pex is whizzing his CRG Puffo kart around. His little friend, four-year-old Max Verstappen, is standing watching with his mum Sophie, while her husband, Jos, is away competing in a grand prix. Max wants a turn. “Max was not allowed to drive,” recalls Stan’s father, Richard Pex, a friend of Verstappen Sr’s since their own karting days together. “But he was one year older than Stan and he was getting angry. Jos had said he would have to wait until he was six or seven. Max’s mother called Jos and said Max really wanted to drive, so he said, ‘Okay, let him do a few laps.’ Jos had lost.” It’s not just the Verstappens and the Pexes who were immersed in…

1. It’s an island nation in the Indian Ocean, around 1,200 miles off the south-east coast of Africa 2. Its capital and largest city is Port Louis 3. After spells as a Dutch, French and then British colony, Mauritius became an independent state on 12 March 1968 and a republic on 12 March 1992 4. Mauritius has a total population of 1,276,244 It’s late and cold when F1 Racing sits down to interview Pascal Wehrlein – late, cold and distinctly unglamorous. The chill can be attributed to this being February in Spain; the tardy hour a result of the extensive post-test download Manor’s engineers are decoding from the Wehrlein memory bank. And the modest surroundings? Well, in old-school fashion, we’re meeting Pascal in the back of a team truck. Tyres,…

Racing record 1993-1994 Porsche Carrera Cup 1995-1996 DTM 1997-1998 FIA GT (GT1) 1999 Porsche Carrera Cup, Porsche Super Cup, Le Mans 24 Hours 2000 Porsche Super Cup2001-2004 DTM 2006 Porsche Carrera Cup Perhaps F1’s Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer was always destined for a lengthy alliance with Mercedes. He was, after all, born a stone’s throw from the company headquarters in Stuttgart and lives in the town of Schorndorf, the birthplace of one of the manufacturer’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler. Back in the mid-1990s, when Mayländer was competing in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) for Mercedes, he received a call, out of the blue, enquiring about the mileage on his company car – a C36 AMG. “When I said I’d done about 2,500 miles in it, they said ‘perfect’ and…

RUSSIAN GP RACE DATA Circuit name Sochi Autodrom First GP 2014 F1 races held 2 Circuit length 3.634 miles Race distance 53 laps (192.467 miles) Direction Clockwise Winners from pole 1 TV TIMETABLE (UK TIME) Friday 29 April Practice 1 08.00-09.30 Practice 2 12.00-13.30 Saturday 30 April Practice 3 10.00-11.00 Qualifying 13.00-14.00 Sunday 1 May Race 13.00 Live coverage Sky Sports F1 Highlights Channel 4 SOCHI GETS SET FOR A SPRING SLOT ON THE SCHEDULE Now in its third year, the Russian GP at the Sochi Autodrom switches from an autumn to a spring date in the F1 schedule. However, given the mild temperatures in Russia’s south (the resort of Sochi sits on the same latitude as Monaco), we’re not expecting to see a difference in the climate for this…

“It’s now 40 years since the unforgettable James Hunt won an amazing world championship” They broke the mould when they made James. There’d never been an outspoken and controversial champion who gripped the public imagination like he did, and it’s hard to imagine there’ll be another given that circumstances now require drivers to always toe the line. Attractive, immensely personable, a womaniser who smoked like a chimney, drank like a fish, cared nothing about the conventional niceties of how to dress, and who spoke his mind regardless of the consequences, James could be rude, dismissive, offensive and frighteningly short-fused. But he could also be utterly charming, cheerful, devastatingly accurate in his all-too-honest observations – and very likeable. The first time I met him was in dramatic circumstances. Angered by driver…