Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2017 i AUTOSPORT

Power and grip: the dual properties upon which Formula 1 is built – in more ways than one. The threads of their influence can be traced through every issue of F1 Racing, and certainly at every grand prix. In Melbourne, their visceral qualities were palpable both out on the circuit and, in a very different sense, in the paddock. On Friday morning, as a new era of F1 dawned, it was immediately and abundantly clear that the critical balance between power and grip is just where it should be for this fresh generation of grand prix car. The fatter Pirellis and wider-track chassis culminated in machines that looked not only potent and in proportion for the first time in years, but, most importantly, properly quick. Watching from the rapid left-right…

Q1 When was the last time, prior to the 2017 Australian Grand Prix, that Sebastian Vettel led the world championship? Q2 What did Daniil Kvyat do in Australia this year for the first time since 2014? Q3 The current contract for the Australian Grand Prix runs until when? Q4 How many starts had Toro Rosso’s drivers made between them post-Australian GP: 99, 100 or 101? Q5 Which actress and star of the movie Australia attended this year’s Australian GP? Q6 Which driver scored his first ever world championship points in Australia? Q7 Despite his difficult debut, Lance Stroll managed to top at least one table during the Australian GP weekend. Which one was it? Q8 There were 20 pitstops this year in Australia. In 2015, only one race other than…

Winter testing is a perverse activity. Engineering prowess and driver skill, the very attributes that are so lauded during the rest of the season, are carefully disguised through surreptitious throttle lifts at critical times or abnormal fuel loads and engine settings. Design features of the cars are literally kept under wraps, since rules that prohibit screens and covers are not applicable during testing. So why do teams put so much effort into disguising true performance? And equally, why do they then spend countless hours trying to determine their rivals’ true pace? I don’t believe that any team who find themselves lower down the pecking order ups their game as a result of this analysis. They can’t. They are already working to the best of their abilities. Equally, those who feel…

William Priest William won the original edition of the INFINITI Engineering Academy in 2014. He currently works for INFINITI Motor Company, developing new technologies for its automotive vehicles at the INFINITI European Technical Centre in Cranfield, UK. “The INFINITI Engineering Academy popped up while I was studying. I thought it was too good to be true – they can’t be offering me a car, a house, six months at a Formula One™ team and six months at an automotive manufacturer! Really, the whole process is so interesting – even if you are not a winner. Just the opportunity to do it is amazing.” Daniel Sanham Daniel is a 2015 winner of the INFINITI Engineering Academy. He is currently finishing his university studies, but has a contract to start work with…

Retirement He’ll be 36 this year and while he’s still in his prime, it’s possible, after another season of uncompetitive travail, he might cry ”Enough!” and disappear into the sunset. Such is his rage to win, though, this seems unlikely, so… Mercedes With Valtteri Bottas on a one-year contract with Mercedes, there’s a chance of a seat alongside Hamilton for 2018. But would Mercedes risk destabilising a complementary pairing, built around a sometimes tempestuous superstar? Alonso-Hamilton was explosive at McLaren; Merc are unlikely to go there, however much fans would love to see it. Ferrari A red return seems unthinkable after five often brilliant but ultimately fruitless seasons with the Scuderia from 2010-14. But Räikkönen is out of contract at the end of 2017 so, in theory, there’s a vacancy.…

While F1 Racing – and the rest of the world’s media – can move from motorhome to motorhome, freely accessing each team as and when required, for drivers it’s a different story. At circuits they tend to stick to their own well-trodden route between team hospitality, engineering trucks and the back of the garage. For Nico Hülkenberg, that walk takes place in new surroundings this year, following his switch from Force India to Renault. If his short trip to the yellow-and-black trucks for his photoshoot at a sun-kissed Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is anything to go by, it has brought with it increased interest as he pauses for numerous photos and autographs. On the way back to the hospitality unit, Hülkenberg is untroubled by those same fans,…

STEVEN TEE The boss of LAT Images is also our man in the McLaren garage (see p50). He hasn’t missed a grand prix in three decades JUSTIN HYNES Justin had the privilege of interviewing the late, great John Surtees, who died in March. Find out what was said on page 82 ROB WHITROW Faced with the unenviable task of photographing a hole in the ground, Rob drove to Enstone (p70) and got creative CHRIS MEDLAND Known to those on social media as ‘MEDLAND’, Chris pitched your questions to Nico Hülkenberg this month (p76)…

“ IN MELBOURNE, THINGS FELT SUPERFICIALLY ‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’, BUT BENEATH THE VENEER WAS A SWIRLING UNDERCURRENT OF RESTLESS CHANGE” 01 A LIFTING OF THE FOG Well, one thing’s for certain: this is going to be one hell of an F1 year. We’ve got cars that move like ground-level rocket-ships, a tantalising Vettel-vs-Hamilton (Ferrari-vs-Mercedes) title fight in prospect and potentially the mother of all power struggles between NEWFOM (aka Liberty, FOG), the FIA and the leading teams, as they shape up for a period of turf warfare over who really runs the sport (ie Who Gets What). That little lot was enough to shake off any residual jet lag as F1 rocked up in Melbourne, 11,000 miles from home (for most), yet simultaneously just down the road. There’s something agreeably…

Force India boss Vijay Mallya always was a flash kind of guy, what with his ring-bedecked fingers, monster diamond-studded ear baubles and aerodynamic hairstyles. Yet, at the turn of this year, not even his wildest sense of glitz-glam could have foreseen a striking pink car bearing his initials contesting the F1 world championship (even if his partner is known, happily, as ‘Pinky’). F1-watchers steeled themselves for the most unexpected pre-season livery change since BAR were forced to run ‘zipper’ war paint to appease their joint Lucky Strike/555 sponsors, after the FIA enforced a ban on teams running cars in different colours. Once the shock had receded, the pressing question was: “Why didn’t Force India reveal the sponsorship at their 2017 launch two weeks earlier?” The answer is simple: negotiations between…

Formula 1 in early 2017 suddenly looks very different – off the track as well as on it. While the faster, wider cars pound around the race circuits of the world at incredible speeds not seen for years, the political landscape has also changed dramatically. Bernie Ecclestone held sway at the top for nearly 40 years, and anyone who wanted to push in a different direction had to be sure they knew what they were doing, and that they had the leverage to see it through. But now Ecclestone has gone, shunted off to a chairman emeritus role, and effectively been told not to speak unless spoken to. The past has gone. To be replaced by… what, exactly? F1 is now owned by a media company, not a private equity…

CV ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI Born 14 December 1993 From Martina Franca, Italy 2017 Test for Ferrari and Sauber in pre-season; makes F1 debut with Sauber in Australia after replacing unfit Pascal Wehrlein 2016 Second in GP2 with five wins; two races in World Endurance; one in European Le Mans; third in Asian Le Mans 2015 Second in FIA F3 European Championship (Carlin) with six wins; first in Masters of F3; fourth in Macau Grand Prix; two races in DTM 2014 Sixth in European F3 with two wins 2013 Second in British F3 (Double R) with two wins; 17th in FIA F3 European Championship 2012 First in Formula Pilota China with six wins; one round of European Formula Abarth 2010 One event in Formula Abarth (Euronova Racing) 2006-11 Karting Far from the…

06.03.17 Honda part company with engine consultant Gilles Simon 08.03.17 FIA President Jean Todt says a return to larger V10 or V12 engines “would not be tolerated by society” 14.03.17 Williams’ first F1 driver Patrick Nève dies, aged 67 14.03.17 Force India unveil new pink BWT-sponsored livery 17.03.17 Manor F1 team assets put up for auction 23.03.17 Pascal Wehrlein declared fit to race in Australia after Race of Champions injury 23.03.17 Sergio Pérez admits to crash diet ahead of Australian GP 25.03.17 Wehrlein withdraws from Australian GP and is replaced by Antonio Giovinazzi 25.03.17 Honda confirm engine talks with with other teams…

Warwick Farm, Australia, 1963. We could see the grand prix cars away over there, beyond the grass and the white horse-track railings. “There! Over there by the Lola! John Surtees! Light blue overalls, white helmet with the blue stripe! He’s gesturing to his mechanic! Look! The mechanic’s pouring water or something all over his back!” “…give me those… By Jove, you’re right! Yes. He’s getting his mechanic to soak his overalls before he climbs into the car. It’s so hot! Can’t imagine how hot it’ll be for the drivers. Would you like a drink, old chap…” This was no time for water. I grabbed the binoculars again and trained them on Surtees. Now he was scuffing his boots on the Tarmac and clapping his gloved hands. The Lola, dark blue…

For how much longer will the great matador hold his patience, in the wake of such leaden disappointment? Honda’s woeful winter testing form signalled all too clearly that the two-time world champion and McLaren are seemingly consigned to yet another season of midfield mediocrity. This reborn and once-glorious partnership is in its third year. Alonso should be challenging for that grail of a third title by now. Instead, McLaren’s hierarchy are walking on eggshells in the hope they can persuade him to stay beyond 2017, the final year of his contract. At this rate he might not make the end of the season, never mind the next. He is a huge asset, still an F1 colossus at the age of 35, his winless streak dating back to 2013 an irrelevance…

“MY DAD ALWAYS TOLD ME: ‘YOU HAVE TO BE AS FAST AS YOU CAN STRAIGHT AWAY, WITHIN FIVE LAPS’… I THINK THAT HAS HELPED ME A LOT, PREPARING TO BE ON IT STRAIGHT AWAY” Last year you won your first race, the Spanish GP, but you had some other fantastic results – such as Brazil, where you finished third. Have you had any time to reflect on what you achieved? To be honest, I haven’t thought about it too much because I prefer to look forwards. But I was very happy with that race in Brazil – and the victory in Barcelona; that will always be something special. Yeah, I enjoyed it, and I learned a lot as well. I came into a new team in the middle of the…

520 The number of people who work on Renault’s F1 project 22 different drivers have set pole while driving Renault-powered cars 4 Renault are the fourth team that Nico Hülkenberg has driven for in F1, after Williams, Force India and Sauber TWENTY-ONE YEARS The amount of time Renault have been F1 constructors: 1977-1985, 2002-2011, 2016-2017 1899 The year Renault’s parent company was founded 3 British drivers have raced for Renault: Derek Warwick, Jenson Button and Jolyon Palmer 1865 Laps completed by Renault and Renault/Tag Heuer engines in pre-season testing 1 OUT OF 6 The number of victories Renault managed to score in 1982 from their front-row lockouts 24 Renault won the Le Mans 24 Hours once, in 1978, with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and future F1 driver, Didier Pironi 576 GPs have…

“THEY DIDN’T LIKE ME BEING QUICK” John Surtees: the only man to win world championships on two wheels and four. It’s a phrase so often used about one of motorsport’s greats that, as a descriptor, the words frequently cease to have any meaning. Perhaps it’s a function of longevity, the fact that in the decades since, no one has remotely come close to repeating so monumental an achievement. The statistics, though, have imperious weight. At the age of 22 Surtees won his first 500cc championship. Two years later he won both the 500cc and 350cc championships and then repeated the trick in the following two seasons. He made 49 grand prix motorcycling starts, winning 38 times. On only four occasions did the podium elude him. Jumping to Formula 1 cars…

THE CARLTON SPORTS GUIDE FORMULA ONE 2017 Author Bruce Jones Price £14.99 www.carltonbooks.co.uk This is the 21st edition of the annual guide to the F1 season, written by former Autosport editor Bruce Jones. Looking back over the key stories from the past season, this title also previews the new year. There’s a detailed overview of every driver, team and all 20 of the 2017 grand prix circuits. There isn’t anything new for a hardcore F1 fan to glean from this book, since it’s aimed more at those with a passing interest in the sport, and the driver profiles reflect their entire careers to date, rather than detailed insight into their 2017 form. But if you’re a stickler for collecting review and preview books on F1, then this is a must-have…