Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i AUTOSPORT

Lewis Hamilton, a three-time world champion, says he has no interest in spending the rest of his F1 days trying to emulate the stats record of Michael Schumacher, the sport’s most successful driver (seven titles, 91 wins). But as he takes stock of his achievements over the first nine seasons of a remarkable career, perhaps he’ll reflect that such matters may not be his to determine. Who would have thought, for example, that until the end of 2014 Hamilton would have won ‘only’ one world title, with that dying-moments finale at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix? Equally, who would have thought that his Mercedes chapter would produce such consummate domination, given the Red Bull/Seb Vettel stranglehold of the preceding seasons? That’s just what we’re experiencing, though: another era of team/driver…

Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel… and now Lewis Hamilton. Victory at October’s US GP enabled Hamilton to put the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship beyond the reach of any of his rivals, and in doing so he joined the select group of aces who have won the drivers’ title at least three times each. And this isn’t the only significant achievement Hamilton has notched up this season. Two weeks earlier, in Sochi, he passed a landmark that had personal resonance for him: having already matched his hero Ayrton Senna’s 41 GP wins, Hamilton made it 42 with victory at the Russian Grand Prix. Senna took his final win on his 158th start – the 1993 Australian…

RENAULT IN F1 Q1 Renault scored their first ever grand prix victory at which race in 1979? Q2 Which driver has scored the most wins using a Renault engine? Q3 A record 213 pole positions have been claimed using Renault engines. Which driver claimed the first of these at the 1979 South African Grand Prix? Q4 How many drivers’ championships have been claimed by a driver using a Renault engine? Q5 What was the nickname given to Renault’s first F1 car, the RS01? Q6 Renault quit as a constructor after 1985, supplying engines to which three teams in 1986? Q7 Who was the first racer to win a grand prix driving a Renault-powered Williams? Q8 In which year did Renault start supplying engines to Red Bull? Q9 Renault bought the…

CHRISTOPHER WARD C9 GT40 Inspired by the car that twice won Le Mans, this watch (£2,950) incorporates a laser-cut ‘wheel’ of aluminium from the wheel-spinner of the GT40 P-1075 within the backplate. This is a limited edition of only 40 timepieces. www.christopherward.co.uk INFINITI RED BULL RACING EDIFICE EQW-T1010RB This colourful limited-edition watch (£550) inspired by the four-time constructors’ champions, has a black ion-plated stainless steel case and strap, an ion-plated rainbow-effect bezel, radio-controlled time calibration and solar-powered battery. www.edifice-watches.eu/ SCUDERIA FERRARI RACE DAY 830077 This timepiece (£195) captures the thrill of race day, with a bold honeycomb texture inspired by the layered structure of a race car’s monocoque. It also features a 44mm black dial with ionic-plated black steel casting and a sturdy silicone strap. www.scuderiaferrariwatches.co.uk BULOVA PRECISIONIST CHRONOGRAPH With…

We hear all the time that F1 is about now and tomorrow. It does not tarry in the past. Like a high-fying aeroplane on a clear day it races towards its destination leaving only a streak of vapour to betray its place of origin. In another very obvious way, it goes nowhere, simply chasing its tale (!) from season to season with ever-increasing intensity and velocity, producing cars that return to the very place they started from, only to be regarded as instantly obsolete. Only in this respect is F1 unchanging. The participants and the players do change, but the essence is always the same; to be the first to tomorrow and the next race. It is curious then, that we talk of making history. Even in the moment of…

It’s all Max Verstappen’s fault: the way that spindly-but-brilliant rookie, 17 on his debut, has made F1 look so easy. Is it right that anyone so young is able to perform with such aplomb at motorsport’s highest level? Since the start of 2014, digital-age F1, with quieter, hybrid powerplants, may well have required both manual and mental dexterity, but does it demand enough resolve? Are the cars spectacular enough? Do they ask drivers to venture far enough into the unknown? Do they thrill? Are they breathtaking, or are they merely magnificent monuments to engineering excellence that have forgotten their mission to entertain in what is still, yes, a sport? Where now can a modern race fan experience, for example, the scary edge of Keke Rosberg’s 1985 British Grand Prix pole…

Twenty years after Nigel Mansell famously walked out of McLaren and quit F1 for good, he’s decided to share some of his life’s extraordinary events in a new autobiography. In the two decades since retiring, he has played and won golf tournaments, guided his sons through short-lived motorsport careers (his youngest, Greg, later switched to competitive cycling), has cycled across the country for the charity UK Youth, and has been inducted into the Magic Circle, the society of magicians that keeps its secrets closely guarded. So F1 Racing boarded a Q400 Dash 8 twin-engined turbo-prop plane for the shortest fight of the grand prix season: a 30-minute hop from Southampton to Jersey, the Channel Island that ‘Our Nige’ calls home. In the island’s capital of St Helier, Mansell’s eldest son…

Justin Hynes Beyond F1, a talented muso; writes with perfect pitch When not writing about rising superstars, such as Daniil Kvyat (p66) Justin is often found coaxing sweet sounds from friends Mr Fender and Mr Gibson Antonio ‘Piccolo’ Peacock Survived a 50-foot cliff fall at Rally Corsica. Yes, really Multi-lingual and multi-talented, Anthony used his skills as a native Italian speaker to interview cult Formula 1 hero Alessandro Nannini (p72) Marco van Overbeeke Formula 1-loving artist-illustrator extraordinaire Marco asked us to direct you to his website (www.marcovanoverbeeke.nl) and after he’d done such a great job on our cover, how could we refuse? Steven Tee Approaching 550 GPs and showing no signs of tiring The indefatigability of our principal photographer is legendary. More impressive is his undimmed zeal for shooting a…

11.10.15 Pirelli secure F1 tyre contract for 2017-19 14.10.15 FIA approves changes to F1 exhausts for 2016 in a drive to boost noise 16.10.15 McLaren confirms Kevin Magnussen will be replaced as test and reserve driver by GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne 20.10.15 FIA race director Charlie Whiting makes his final inspection of the redeveloped Mexican GP circuit in Mexico City 23.10.2015 Jolyon Palmer, the 2014 GP2 champion, is confirmed as Pastor Maldonado’s team-mate at Lotus for 2016, replacing Haas-bound Romain Grosjean 25.10.15 The FIA announces the forthcoming test of three different solutions that are aimed at improving F1 cockpit safety 31.10.15 Force India linked to Aston Martin in naming rights deal…

Name Baseball cap Age About 150 years Appearance Peaked, ubiquitous, and somewhat déclassé So, we’re mixing sartorial nous with sociology now, are we? Not in the slightest. I merely allude both to the frequency with which sportspersons bedeck their bonces with this item of garb, and to its well-known property of halving the wearer’s IQ instantly when worn backwards. Ye Gods! I did not know that. So it sucks the brain juice right out of you, yes? How does it hinder the process of ratiocination – signals from outer space? No need to adopt that mocking tone. Exhibit A: the post-US GP tomfoolery in the ‘green room’ at the Circuit of The Americas. To borrow a phrase from Craig David, you’re going to have to fill me in. I tend…

What is the purpose of a Safety Car? The physical Safety Car was introduced in 1993 as a means of controlling the field in the event of an incident that would previously have either caused a race to be stopped, or exposed marshals and competitors to a dangerous situation. Over the years, the rules governing the Safety Car have evolved and improved, but it always suffered from two hard-to-overcome flaws: the time taken to deploy it and for the drivers to react to it. In 2015, and in response to Jules Bianchi’s tragic accident at the 2014 Japanese GP, a new system was introduced as a supplement to the Safety Car: the Virtual Safety Car or VSC. The increasing sophistication of the cars’ electronic systems, and the communication between the…

When historians come to record the definitive story of Formula 1 they will surely wrestle long and hard with this decade’s defining conundrum. How did F1, a showcase for cutting-edge automotive technology and a trailblazer for sporting sponsorship, manage so carelessly and systematically to rid itself of the most crucial link in its supply chain: namely, its array of engine partners? In 2009, this sport was powered by Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Toyota and BMW, and was about to welcome back Cosworth. Significantly, most supplied at least two teams at a price of less than £8m per annum for a two-car team, despite the season including 24 test days. Fast forward six years. As things stand, just four brands will grace the 2016 grid – if, that is, Renault do purchase…

1. MAKING THE TYRE COMPOUND Raw materials, including mica, carbon black, silica, sulphur, oils and resins are weighed and fed into a Banbury mixer, where they are combined, heated and cooled. The finished product is extruded and run off in large sheets to form the various rubber parts of the tyre. 2. FORMING THE TYRES The rubber strips are combined with a composite bead to form the tyre carcass and a tread belt is then added. Steel tread belts were briefly used in 2013, but they’re now made from the same, tough aramid fibre used in bulletproof vests. 3. BAKING THE TYRES Up to a dozen curing moulds are used to bake the tyres to around 150°C under high pressure for half an hour, using steam bladders to ensure they’re…

The Shibuya Crossing, in the heart of Tokyo, is one of the world’s most famous intersections. As commuters, shoppers and tourists pour forth from Shibuya’s train station, which serves more than two million passengers a day, they gather patiently at the roadside, waiting for the traffic to stop. What follows, as the traffic lights surrounding the junction turn red, has become an iconic sight: up to a thousand people (at peak times) surge across the road like rival colonies of ants homing in on a jam sandwich. After a frenzy of crisscrossing, under a blaze of neon, the flow ebbs as the lights turn green and the road traffic impatiently stakes its claim to the territory once more. All the while the numbers on the sides of the road swell…

The Official Review of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship ™ The Official Review of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship™ is a masterful recapping of an eventful and exhilarating year of F1, from pre-season testing through to the final race at Abu Dhabi, by way of a third incredible world championship victory for Lewis Hamilton. Packed with superb race footage from every round, plus interviews, statistics, analysis and insightful commentary, this is quite simply the best F1 season review available. It’s released in mid-December and you can pre-order your copy on DVD (£14.99) or Blu-ray (£16.99) from Dukevideo.com/F1 www.DukeVideo.com/F1 or call +44 (0) 1624 640 000 Please note: final sleeve design will vary Linear Edge racetrack wall sculptures Linear Edge is the leading designer of innovative and…

THE GRID *20-place grid penalty for first-time use of fifth power-unit element **Ten-place and 25-place grid penalties for first-time use of tenth, and then tenth, ninth and seventh power unit elements ***Permitted to start by stewards and given 20-place grid penalty for first time seventh and sixth power unit used and change of gearbox THE RACE…

THE GRID *Ten-place grid penalty for additional power unit element used **Five-place grid penalty for replacement gearbox ***Ten-place grid penalty for additional power-unit element used ****20-place grid penalty for additional power unit elements used *****Outside 107% qualifying criteria but permitted to start by the stewards THE RACE…

PLUS FIVE RUNNER-UP PRIZES OF A SCUDERIA FERRARI GTB-C 0830232 WATCH WORTH £125 Scuderia Ferrari’s Formula Italia collection of limited edition timepieces captures the simplicity, colour palette and Italian craftsmanship of revered 1960s Ferrari racing cars. First prize in this competition is a Formula Italia Limited edition chronograph watch (pictured), which is made from ionic-plated black steel and features a black leather strap. We’re also offering five runner-up prizes of a Scuderia Ferrari GTB-C 0830232 watch, worth £125. The design inspiration for the GTB-C collection is the horizontally split, two-tone engine and oil pressure gauges found on one of the sleekest Ferrari cars of the 1950s. It features a stainless-steel case, a beige dial and a brown leather strap. http://www.scuderiaferrariwatches.co.uk/ HOW TO WIN For your chance to win this fantastic…

RACE NOTES: THE SEASON ENDS UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS Whether the championship is decided here or not, tensions will be running high as teams try to eke out their engine allocation Abu Dhabi is now established as the place where the Formula 1 season ends: this will be the fourth time (out of its seven runnings) that Yas Marina has hosted the finale. And thankfully, there are no double points to worry about this year. Even without extra points on offer, drivers always want to end the year on a high. And this is a tough place to make that happen: the track is smooth, but the multitude of corners makes car setup difficult and the high fuel consumption and temperatures put pressure on power units that will be nearing…

The potential Renault purchase of what had previously been, Toleman, Benetton, Renault and then Lotus is returning one of the great names of motorsport to the pinnacle. I have gigantic admiration and respect for Renault’s history and deep involvement with motorsport. As long ago as 1902, when open-road city-to-city races were the name of the game, Marcel Renault won the Paris to Vienna event in a self-named car, taking a mind-boggling 15 hours and 47 minutes to do so. The first ever grand prix in 1906 in France, was won by Hungarian Ferenc Szisz in a Renault. Renault pioneered the use of turbo engines in F1 and were the first manufacturer to win with them. They had their own multi-race-winning F1 team from 1977 to 1985, and from 2002 to…

No 7 Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos 1 THE SENNA S The corner is named, of course, after São Paulo native Ayrton Senna. He helped to design the curve, as part of works carried out in a bid to regain the Brazilian Grand Prix for 1990. 2 CURVA DO SOL Drivers were often blinded by the sun when turning in to this corner, but it’s no longer a problem: it was a right-hander, but since the 1990 revamp it is tackled in the opposite direction. 3 RETA OPOSTA Translating as ‘opposite straight’, this name predates the 1990 circuit, when it ran parallel to the (no longer used) back straight, but in the opposite direction. 4 CURVA DO LARANJINHA That’s ‘Little Orange’ in English. It reportedly gets its name because it…

THE BERNIE AND MAX SHOW Be careful what you wish for. A couple of months ago, in the Monza media centre, conversation at F1 Racing’s desk turned to the absence in the modern era of F1’s big political beasts, who would traditionally use the Italian GP weekend as a platform for some kind of attention-grabbing stunt – think Max Mosley gripping Ron Dennis’s hand in faux amity in 2007, for example. Seems like you can’t keep a big beast down, for Max popped up again on the German TV station ZDF last month in a double-header interview with his old mucker Bernie Ecclestone. Mischief in stereo. Amid talk of ripping up F1’s rulebook and starting again, and greater fan consultation, there was a ‘soft launch’ for the low(er)-cost engine proposals…

MANOR MARUSSIA UNDER THREAT There is conflict between Manor Marussia’s management team of Graeme Lowdon and John Booth and owner Stephen Fitzpatrick, with Lowdon and Booth set to resign after the last race of 2015. Fitzpatrick, boss of OVO Energy, took over the ailing Marussia last winter and has spent the past few months seeking a buyer – without success – angering the team’s stalwarts in the process. F1 Racing understands Fitzpatrick has been offered a buyout deal from a North American consortium, but not at an acceptable price. LONDON SPORTS WRITING FESTIVAL Mark Webber and our own Maurice Hamilton will debate the world’s finest race circuits – among other F1 matters – at the London Sports Writing Festival on 13 November. Their segment will be chaired by sports writer…

Tit for tat is nothing new in F1, as Jim Clark discovered when he came up to lap Innes Ireland at Monza in 1963, but it’s time, I think, to draw the line. It’s one thing, if you’re Ferrari or McLaren, to suggest to the media, and to the FIA power-brokers, that Red Bull’s front-wing defection – or some such – is getting out of hand; it’s quite another when every furtive backstab results in another rainforest’s-worth of penalty-based regulatory small print. I don’t think there’s anybody who thinks that 25-place grid penalties are good for F1’s image. And yet here’s the thing: the teams alone are responsible for the recent, insane explosion of the rule book into the realms of farce and with it the penalties that ensue. They…

CV Yasuhisa Arai Born 19 February 1957 in Saitama, Japan 2013 Chief officer of Honda Motorsports 2010 Chief officer of environmental and technical strategy at Honda 2008 Director of fundamental technology research centre, with work including ASIMO Honda Robotics 2004 Vice-president at Honda R&D Americas 2000 Managed engine development, Tochigi 1997 Managed research at Honda R&D, Wako 1981 Joined Honda R&D. Involved in the first-generation CR-X engine, led the research on engine management systems and exhaust emission regulations in the US Parked outside a Suzuka hotel in the build-up to the Japanese GP is a CB1300 Honda motorbike. Painted in Honda’s red and white corporate colours, this powerful four-cylinder machine, capable of 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds with a top-speed of 143mph has had just one careful owner: Mr Yasuhisa Arai,…

Scott Speed (2005-07) Team: Toro Rosso Races started: 28 Best result: 9th Michael Andretti (1993) Team: McLaren Races started: 13 Best result: 3rd Eddie Cheever (1978-89) Teams: Theodore, Hesketh, Osella, Tyrrell, Ligier, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Lola, Arrows, Races started: 132 Best result: 2nd Danny Sullivan (1983) Team: Tyrrell Races started: 15 Best result: 5th Mario Andretti (1968-82) Teams: Lotus, March, Ferrrari, Parnelli, Alfa Romeo, Williams Races started: 128 Best result: 1st (12 times)…

RACE NOTES: THIS PENULTIMATE GP IS AN OLD-SCHOOL CLASSIC Interlagos has a little bit of everything: tricky sections, flat-out straights, a bumpy surface – and an incredible atmosphere Here’s a rare thing: a Formula 1 circuit on which neither Lewis Hamilton nor Fernando Alonso have won a race. But while Alonso isn’t likely to be challenging for victory at Interlagos this year, Hamilton will certainly want to get his revenge on Nico Rosberg after spinning in an attempt to overhaul his team-mate last season. What’s particularly surprising about the absence of Hamilton and Alonso on the list of Brazilian GP winners is that Interlagos is the sort of old-fashioned circuit – bumpy, with fat-out blasts and tricky technical sections – on which both thrive, especially given the frequency of rain.…