Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i AUTOSPORT

Anger of course. Frustration, too. But most of all, relief. These have been the feelings shared between F1 Racing friends and family as news of Fernando Alonso’s departure from F1 sank in. The anger and frustration are easy enough to understand: as both Peter Windsor (p24) and Andrew Benson (p36) eloquently describe this month, a driver so richly skilled and aggressively competitive should surely have more to his account than two world titles and 32 grand prix victories. This is not to demean these considerable achievements, for Alonso’s place in the record books alongside fellow two-time champs Alberto Ascari, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mika Häkkinen is secure and estimable. Yet those three second-place title finishes for Ferrari in 2010, 2012 and 2013 with the ‘joint-points second’ (with…

01 ICEMAN COOL IN RED-HOT DRIVER MARKET Two big questions hang over the remainder of the driver market as Formula 1 prepares for the closing long-haul leg of the 2018 championship: will Ferrari keep Kimi Räikkönen and, since McLaren announced just after the Italian Grand Prix that they have opted to partner Carlos Sainz with their protégé Lando Norris, how do Mercedes solve the problem that is Esteban Ocon? Three months ago, Ferrari had decided to replace Räikkönen with Charles Leclerc, after the Monegasque’s stunning debut with Sauber this year. Then came the death of president Sergio Marchionne, and with it uncertainty over much more at Ferrari than just the driver line-up. Marchionne’s responsibilities at Fiat and Ferrari were split between three different people and the new chief executive officer…

KEEP THE BEST NAMES IN THE GAME Although Fernando might say that he made his decision to quit F1 “months ago”, I’ll bet my autographed copy of Jim Clark at the Wheel that he made up his mind only when Renault told him they weren’t interested. In other words, the second-biggest name in F1 would be racing in 2019 if only some of the power-brokers had found the time to stop munching their lunches in dark-windowed motorhomes and for once done something useful. I note that Fernando has thanked Chase Carey of Liberty for trying to persuade him not to leave F1. I don’t doubt that Carey used his best endeavours – but trying to convince Fernando to spend another year in the midfield with McLaren is very different from…

2016-present Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Petronas Lubricants International 2014-2016 Managing Director and Chairman of European Region of Petronas Lubricants International 2012-2014 General Manager Italy and European Leader, Wayne Business Unit, GE Oil and Gas 2011-2012 General Manager Italy, Dresser Wayne Business Unit, GE Oil and Gas 2007-2011 General Manager Retail, Shell Italy 2002-2007 North Europe B2B Fuel Cards Business Manager, Shell 1999-2002 Senior Strategy Consultant, Shell 1996 Joins Shell 1989-1994 University of Milan/ Warwick University, International Law & Politics…

Who are they? Estrella Galicia is a premium Spanish beer which translates as the ‘Star of Galicia’ the autonomous community of north west Spain, situated north of Portugal. The Estrella Galicia brewery was founded in 1906 and is still a family-owned company. Annual production of the pale lager is approximately 200 million litres. Where are they? As the beer is a personal sponsor of Carlos Sainz their logo can be found on the side of the car (above), the right arm of his overalls and on the front of his helmet.…

WHEN GIANCARLO BAGHETTI SPUN OFF in the 1961 British Grand Prix, a spell was broken, for this, the fourth Formula 1 race of his career, was the first he hadn’t won. A fortnight earlier he had taken his Ferrari to victory at Reims, thus becoming the first – and only – man to win a grand prix at the first attempt. Prior to that, he had won non-championship races at Naples and – on his F1 debut – Syracuse. Six years earlier another rookie triumphed in the Syracuse Grand Prix, but whereas Baghetti fizzled as quickly as he had flared, the victory of Tony Brooks heralded the beginning of a great career. Before travelling to Sicily, he had never so much as sat in an F1 car. Come to that,…

Call it a fiery riposte to that sweltering Silverstone Sunday when Ferrari mugged Mercedes on home turf. Here at Monza, as the onset of meteorological autumn began to tug gently at the leaves of the whispering trees, Brackley’s finest snatched certain victory from Ferrari’s plate under the disbelieving eyes of the tifosi. QUALIFYING Singing – football-style tribal chanting – greeted Kimi’s Räikkönen’s pole position in Monza and where else but the hallowed Autodromo could deliver such a moment of F1 theatre? His 1m 19.119s tour, for his 18th career pole – the fastest lap in F1 history – at the head of Ferrari’s 60th front-row lock-out, was a high-speed honey that owed as much to the straight-line performance of the SF71H and a slipstream from Seb Vettel, as it did…

THE MAIN EVENT The first outpost in Formula 1’s eastward expansion, Japan is home to some of the sport’s keenest fans – and they have to be, for Suzuka, the Japanese GP’s traditional home, is some way off the beaten track, though only 40 miles south of the city of Nagoya. Suzuka makes the most of a narrow and undulating piece of real estate, even folding in on itself. It’s the only circuit on the calendar with a figure-of-eight layout. The area’s sharply bumpy topography has made it difficult to update the circuit to modern standards, so the track itself is narrow and the run-off areas not especially generous. Drivers are prepared to forgive Suzuka this, though, for in a properly set-up car it is an absolute delight to string…

ANDREW BENSON BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson gives his expert opinion of Fernando Alonso’s decision to quit Formula 1. Read his analysis on page 36 ALISTER THORPE Strict rules at the RAC Club in Pall Mall dictate that ties must be worn at all times, including for our photographer who shot John Barnard, p78 PAT SYMONDS On page 26, the former Renault and Williams chief technical officier presents his views on the proposed wheel size changes in F1 STUART CODLING Designer John Barnard was interviewed by our executive editor ‘Codders’, who you can see also obeyed the strict tie rule...…

14.08.18 Fernando Alonso announces his departure from Formula 1 16.08.18 McLaren sign Carlos Sainz as Alonso’s replacement for 2019 20.08.18 Red Bull promotes Pierre Gasly to fill Daniel Ricciardo vacancy 23.08.18 New Racing Point Force India team granted F1 entry 24.08.18 Pirelli confirm simplified tyre naming system for 2019 season 25.08.18 Losing Force India bidders Uralkali threaten legal action 31.08.18 Michelin rule out immediate return as F1 tyre supplier 31.08.18 Liberty reveal provisional 21-race 2019 F1 calendar 02.09.18 Romain Grosjean excluded from Italian GP over illegal floor…

IT’S TIME FOR A FEW TYRE CHANGES In late July the FIA released the tender document for the supply of Formula 1 tyres from 2020. It may seem like dry reading but it is probably one of the most significant pointers to the future of F1 we have seen for a long time. Beyond the somewhat mundane legalities of the tendering process, the document reveals two major changes to the formula. Firstly it confirms at last the switch from 13” wheels to 18” in 2021, and secondly it requires that these larger-diameter tyres be used without tyre blankets. Furthermore the document has an appendix that reveals detailed technical targets of performance and characteristics that the supplier is asked to use their best endeavours to achieve. Let’s examine some of these…

From sponsoring a midfield team more than 20 years ago, to underpinning the most successful hybrid powertrain in Formula 1, Petronas is a textbook example of how an ambitious partner can push beyond the traditional model of sponsorship – given an increasing committment, a desire to find the extra performance advantage and, crucially, the right investment to allow this to happen F1 Racing : How has the involvement of Petronas changed since you came in as a sponsor of Sauber in the 1990s? Giuseppe D’Arrigo: The history of our involvement has been increasing commitment. It’s not a matter of branding or commercial success but one of technology – finding the extra decimal point that provides the performance advantage. When we started with Sauber, 20 years ago, the main objective was…

“IT IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE THAT F1 CANNOT GIVE AN ACE SUCH AS FERNANDO A COMPETITIVE CAR. HE IS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS. AND BECAUSE HE CAN’T GET INTO ONE OF THE ONLY SIX CARS THAT CAN EVER WIN A RACE UNDER THE CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL, THEN HE MUST LEAVE. THIS IS A SIGN, IF WE EVER NEEDED ONE, THAT F1 IS COMPLETELY BROKEN.”PADDY LOWE HE WANTS TO RACE SOMEWHERE HE CAN WIN After all these years, even though he hasn’t driven a front-running car for some time, Fernando Alonso remains at the epicentre of Formula 1. Not just as a gold standard, and one of only two drivers by which all the others are judged, but also as the sport’s most charismatic and fascinating character – notwithstanding Lewis…

“Here, take a rock,” says Valtteri Bottas, inviting F1 Racing to perch on a boulder at the edge of this tranquil Finnish lake. We’ve travelled a long way north to track down the Mercedes man, who is recuperating from the sturm und drang of the first half of the season, at his idyllic summer hideaway. With the lake shimmering in the foreground, the backdrop is a forest of pine and spruce trees – a calming vista that’s a world away from the city lights, bustling airport terminal corridors and the intense spotlight of a Formula 1 weekend. This is where Valtteri comes to relax; it’s his childhood home. We’ve here on the third and final free weekend of F1’s summer break, a much-needed respite for teams and drivers after the…

Look at Sergio Pérez and see everything currently wrong with F1. This is not, we hasten to add, a slight on Pérez; he is, as he says further on, a driver who makes the most of the tools at his disposal – but now, at 28 and in the prime of his career, those tools are a little blunt. In an earlier incarnation of F1, there would be a seat in a race-winning team for a driver of his prowess; today, there isn’t. The first Mexican in F1 since Héctor Rebaque has scored eight podiums but never raced for a team that finished higher than fourth in the constructors’ standings. His shot at the big time came in the year McLaren fell off the perch. Now, despite being one of…

“THE BRM TURNED A WHEEL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 50 YEARS WHEN HALL SHOOK IT DOWN AT BLYTON” One of the few surviving examples of BRM’s first rear-engined Formula 1 car, the P48 from 1960, has returned to action this summer after a lengthy restoration by marque experts Hall and Hall. Having spent nearly half a century in storage, the ex-Dan Gurney P48 returned to the track at the Silverstone Classic in late July. The freshly finished car was entrusted to versatile young racer Ben Mitchell, who qualified an excellent seventh in a 50-car field for the pair of HGPCA races. Unfortunately, gearbox issues then left it unable to start. BRM’s first rear-engined F1 design was a rushed development of the front-engined P25 for the 1960 season and…

Consistent inconsistency The problem of having different stewards at races needs to be addressed since, in my view, there is no balance in the process, as has been proved by recent races. In France, Sebastian Vettel nerfs Valtteri Bottas out of contention, is judged to have caused an avoidable collision, and gets a five-second penalty. Then in Hungary Bottas understeers into Ricciardo while defending his position on worn tyres and with a damaged front wing. Ricciardo picks up damage but passes Bottas, who is judged to have caused an avoidable collision and gets a 10-second penalty and two points on his licence! You could argue that Vettel’s misdemeanour in France was far more serious because it cost Ferrari’s main rivals points, plus he wasn’t defending his position in that he…

THE MAIN EVENT One of the most welcome additions to the calendar during the latter years of Bernie Ecclestone’s reign, Singapore’s night race is a pioneering event that others have rushed to imitate. Yes, it’s a street race, so overtaking is theoretically difficult, but this venue has delivered drama in huge quantities during its 10-year tenure. The event is physically and mentally gruelling, since even at night the atmosphere is hot and humid. The F1 circus attempts to keep to ‘European time’, which is a challenge in itself as the city resolutely sticks to its own daily rhythms. In tandem with the sultry atmosphere, Singapore’s weather conditions can be unpredictable. When the rain arrives it is generally biblical, though only once has it rained during the race itself. The oppressive…

YOUR GUIDE TO SINGAPORE The Marina Bay Circuit, located close to the island’s southern tip, has played host to the Singapore Grand Prix since F1 first headed to the city-state in 2008 – the calendar’s inaugural night race. The tight street circuit encounter has been an eventful affair ever since, with 15 Safety Car deployments over the ten races. Since becoming its own sovereign nation in 1965, Singapore has grown into one of the world’s most developed countries, ranking high in everything from economic strength and healthcare to technology and education. It has also received a ‘world’s smartest city’ accolade, with its airport proclaimed the world’s best. The densely populated city-state has a heavy emphasis on maintaining its precious green spaces, and ten per cent of the island’s land is…

CERTINA DS PODIUM CHRONOGRAPH 1/100 SEC Price £715 certina.com There are ten different models of this new Certina DS Podium watch, with stainless steel case. The chronographs are equipped with an accurate ‘Precidrive’ quartz movement and have functions, including a lap timer, especially tailored for motor sport timing. The display, which shows 1/100th seconds in real time, allows for precise time measurements, and in order to maintain the watch’s energy reserves the coloured 1/100th second hand stops after one minute. LEWIS HAMILTON RACE SUIT Price £24,000 mementoexclusives.com This limited-edition race suit is a genuine article worn by Lewis Hamilton during his first year with Mercedes in 2013, when he was driving the W04. Memento Exclusives specialize in items from Formula 1 teams, be they car parts or articles of clothing…

My helmet for this season is completely different from previous years because we had a competition for a fan to design it. But I wanted to try something new anyway. There were a lot of entries and it wasn’t easy to choose, but this was the winner, submitted by Andy Werner. It looks even better in real life than it did on paper because of the paint treatment. There’s a nice contrast between the gloss blue and the matt white and black, and the shapes and colours are different on each side, which is pretty cool. It’s got my logo and the number 77 on the back and top, and on the lip at the top there’s the coat of arms of Nastola, the area of Finland where I’m from.…

Q1 Tyrrell’s 14 Formula 1 poles were achieved by Jackie Stewart and which two other drivers? Q2 How many times did Stirling Moss finish second in the world championship and in which years? Q3 Who was the last driver to be disqualified from a race at the Brazilian GP in 2015? Q4 Four drivers began their Formula 1 careers under the age of 21 and subsequently went on to win a world championship. Who are they? Q5 What took Max Verstappen 23 F1 races that his father Jos managed in only six? Q6 True or false: 1999 was the last time the championship consisted of 16 races or fewer? Q7 At which circuit has Fernando Alonso managed the most podiums without winning: Interlagos, Istanbul or Spa-Francorchamps? Q8 Who was older…

SINGAPORE’S BLAZING TRAIL The more you look at the way F1 is developing, especially the way that the owners Liberty Media approach race promotion, the more you realise what a great job the Singapore Grand Prix organisers have done over the past decade. In many ways they are the pioneers of the new F1 race experience – not only by hosting the first night race, but by introducing so many elements that make going to an F1 race a true ‘experience’. They have combined motorsport and music; not just a single well-known band, but essentially a mini music festival every year, as well as layers of other entertainment, food and other activities. Singapore is the blueprint for how Liberty would like F1 events to be in the future, stretching out…

32 F1 circuits raced on 2ND in the championship on three occasions: 2010, 2012 and 2013 14 Alonso’s race number, which he chose because he won the junior karting world championship with the same number on 14 July, aged 14 35 The number of times he has started in fifth: his most common grid position 95.46% his success rate in converting pole to a podium: retirement in Hungary in 2009 was the only time in 22 attempts that he didn’t manage it 311 The number of GPs he should have started by the end of 2018, putting him second behind Rubens Barrichello 15TH The lowest qualifying position from which Alonso has won a race – the infamous 2008 Singapore GP 23 CONSECUTIVE POINTS FINISHES from the 2011 European GP to…

Held in the forests near Nastola, the Valtteri Bottas Duathlon is now in its second year. There are two events: the family duathlon consists of a 1.5km run, followed by a 5km mountain bike ride and another 1.5km run; for serious athletes the distances are 5km/20km/3km. Last year the event raised €10,000 for the UK charity Starlight Children’s Foundation, which helps terminally ill children. Before this year’s event, sponsor Tunturi presented a Valtteri Bottas children’s bike – limited to 77 editions – to encourage youngsters to be more active. “I want to get people engaged in a sporting lifestyle, especially the young,” says Bottas. “I’ve seen many people either go into sports or they grab a bottle and a box of cigarettes. There are two choices, so I want to…

The name – FIA 8860-2018 – may not appear to offer much cause for excitement. A brief glance at the outside of the product itself might not suggest much of a change. And yet the toughest helmets in the world are about to get even tougher and, over the coming years, the technology will trickle down from F1 to other major championships. While current top-level helmets are already the safest availab;e, the new FIA 8860-2018 standard sets the bar even higher. From 2019, every helmet manufacturer supplying F1 must meet it. “The current standard is already very demanding in terms of energy absorption and resistance to penetration,” says Stephane Cohen, chairman of Bell Racing Helmets, a leading helmet manufacturer. “The new standard goes one step further to achieve something that…

THE 72-YEAR-OLD FRAME might be more venerable, but the grey-blue eyes possess the same intense stare you’ll recognise from countless photographs. As John Barnard strides purposefully into the Segrave Room in the Royal Automobile Club’s cloistered Pall Mall clubhouse and encloses your hand in a firm grip, you notice he has deviated somewhat from the dress code… and briefly wonder if the doorman braced to apprehend him for arriving without a tie was silenced by a look. “Unlike Scuds,” Barnard is said to have quipped when he learned that his Benetton colleagues likened him to a ballistic missile, “I always explode when I land.” That was then. This, indubitably, is now, and Barnard has been absent from F1 for almost two decades, principally occupying himself by sketching elegant bespoke furniture.…

Sebastian Vettel opened the second half of the season by blasting a hole in the points advantage of his championship rival Lewis Hamilton by winning in Belgium. Vettel’s Ferrari demonstrated a clear advantage on the majestic roads cutting through the Ardennes forest, leaving Hamilton and Mercedes reaching for quick fixes as the F1 season rushes towards the finishing line. “They [Ferrari] have continued to develop their car and add performance over the past four or five races,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. “We need to address the opportunities in our own car and concentrate on where we need to optimise.” Hamilton started from pole but Vettel led all 44 laps, giving Ferrari their first victory at Spa-Francorchamps since 2009. Perhaps more significantly this, the 52nd win of his career,…

What’s your favourite part of the track? It has to be Turn 7, as the cars head down the back straight before piling onto the brakes and hitting 5.1G, just ahead of the tight left-hander that follows. What about away from the track? Head to the Concert Fanzone at the Padang stage. Be aware though, it is first come first served for entry but if you can’t make it in, there are several other stages with live music being played throughout the complex. Any recommendations for local food or drink? The restaurants are incredible in Singapore. You’ll be able to find world-class cuisine from any culture in this city. Personally, there’s a pork broth-style dish I had a few times during my time in Singapore, so ask for Bak Kut…