F.1 – Minardi: “Titles are not won by chance. Well done Hamilton and Vettel!”

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Leitmotif of the British Grand Prix that took place in the temple of Motorsport at Silverstone, is once again Mercedes, which wanted to play “cat and mouse” with opponents. With regard to starts, I am convinced that, in view of the problems accused by Hamilton in Austria and Rosberg during the test sessions, the men of Toto Wolff have used a more conservative mapping of the Power-unit (low speed) than the two Williams and Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India, authors of a flying start.

They left the two Williams “quiet” at the start, until the first stop. By then, Hamilton was perfect, as well as when he decided to open the dances. The icing on the cake came in the final stages, with the entrance to the pits to switch the intermediate compounds in the most propitious moment. In these circumstances, the drivers have the best view of the race and these are decisions that make the difference between a champion and a good driver. The same goes for Sebastian Vettel. The two most titled World Champions have guessed the exact moment to change their tyres; one won and the other gave a podium so far unexpected. This is the proof that the titles are not won by chance.

Two things left me puzzled: the lack of incisiveness of Nico Rosberg – an explanation could be found in Williams’ aerodynamics. Having a low downforce, perhaps it disturbs mainly those who follow it.

F.1 – British Gp: DRIVERS' SCORECARDS

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Let’s give votes to the protagonists of an exciting race thanks to the amazing start of Williams and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and rain, that has reshuffled the cards on the final.

Lewis Hamilton – 10 Despite having by his hands a spaceship, none can deny him full votes this weekend. He was flawless throughout the weekend, unlike his teammate.

Felipe Massa – 9 He was the protagonist of the British weekend. He was the only one to improve in the second stint of Q3 and the author of a stunning start that launched him straight in the lead. Unfortunately, the strategy and a car were not competitive on the wet, denying him the satisfaction of the podium.

Sebastian Vettel – 8.5 Thanks to the rain, he straightened a weekend that was closing far from the first positions, giving an unexpected podium at Red team. He was great to exploit the strategy and to sense the necessity of changing his tyres at the best time, unlike Raikkonen.

Daniil Kvyat – 8 He continues to drive constantly kilometers with a car that suffers, obscuring the star, Ricciardo. Good his final sixth position, for him and Red Bull.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8 Although his not competitive car, he proved to be a driver so far underestimated. Beautiful even his departure. Without the rain, he could also attack Vettel for the fifth place finish.

Carlos Sainz – 7 He was the author of a solid performance until the time of retirement. Once again, Red Bull was forced to give up the points because of the transalpine power-unit.

Nico Rosberg – 7 With the car he drives, he has to do more, especially for Qualifying and for the first part of the race. He grabbed a second place thanks to the strategy of his box and for the errors of Williams. I did not see him such “hunger” as he should be under these circumstances. In wet conditions he was recovering very well for Hamilton, who, however, has correctly predicted the exact moment to enter the pits.

Fernando Alonso – 7 of encouragement because he fought tooth and nail to grab this small point despite a dangerously uncompetitive car.

Valtteri Bottas – 6 He suffered throughout the weekend the “old man”. Whereas he is a possible candidate for Raikkonen’s place at Ferrari, this performance should make him reflect. Too compliant, also against Hamilton. That being the case, I do not see he as a Ferrari driver.

Now we have three weeks of relaxation, where everyone will be called to work overtime.

 

F.1 – British Gp: THE POINT… BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI

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The race started changing the cards on the table, with the two Williams who get immediately the lead in front of Hamilton and Rosberg, authors of a bad start, as well as at Ferrari and that was able to until to keep up with Mercedes right from the first pit-stop.

With tyres changing,Lewis cleared his supremacy up, going to lead the group. With the arrival of rain in the final stages of the race, Williams missed the podium, in favor of Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari. Ferrari guessed the strategy, even if the work to do is a lot, considering the gap accused in Qualifying. A third very important place them back on the podium, but they will have to beware of Williams, which is growing steadily.

Lewis Hamilton showed on track all his British experience, guessing the exact moment to switch to Intermediate compounds, while in this race Nico was not 100% perfect. Very good Felipe Massa, author of an excellent time lap in Qualifying and of a solid race, closed in front of Bottas. Until the pit-stop, he had led the race, and then “give up” to Mercedes and to the rain, in favor of Maranello. It was positive the sixth and seventh positions of Kvyat and Hulkenberg, who led the Red Bull (orphan Ricciardo forced to retire) and Force India to the top. Force India completed the Gran Prix with the ninth position of Perez, behind the SF-15T of Kimi Raikkonen. A small point went to Fernando Alonso, who ended the British weekend of McLaren with the tenth position, after a difficult start, because of Jenson Button’s difficult retirement.

Mercedes has, once again, proved its dominance in terms of Power-Unit, with six cars in the top-ten while Ferrari will have to watch its backs by Williams’ return.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Gian Carlo Minardi: “I would like to see again Formula 1 at Imola circuit”

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The days pass and the rumours around the future of the Italian Grand Prix are becoming more insistent. The latest initiative is named after the President of Lombardy Region, Roberto Maroni, who through the signature collection – called “Get on track with Lombardy. Sign for the GP in Monza” – is attempting to convince Bernie Ecclestone.

As we know, the contract between Monza circuit and FOA expires in 2016. Meanwhile, in recent weeks Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit has stepped forward, through a delegation headed by the Mayor of Imola Daniele Manca, that have met Bernie Ecclestone. “It can be done. There are good intentions and foundations as well. Imola was a good experience that could revive since 2017. I want that Italy remains at all costs in the calendar of Formula 1. But while Imola contacted me, I don’t know anything about Monza since one month. There is the desire to save the Italian Grand Prix, but money lack“.

One possible alternation with Monza is not bad even for Gian Carlo Minardi, who has commented on the website www.minardi.it: “In these days I’ve read that Imola would usurp the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. My reading key is different and I don’t see it as a negative aspect. Thanks to a new and solid company, Imola has proposed to Ecclestone, so that Italy doesn’t lose its world stage. The Italian Grand Prix is Monza, but if there were any problems, Imola could take over for hosting the Circus. The turnover could also be a viable solution”, the manager from Faenza concluded, “but here discussions of a political nature which go out of my league will open“.

F.1 – Road to Silverstone

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We enter the second part of a championship that now has little to tell in terms of World Champions. Mercedes holds the absolute leadership. There’s just open the internal fight between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. In the latest appointments, we saw Nico being on perfect form than the teammate, who was distracted and nervous. Last year the German driver was very fast, signing the pole position and leaving the victory to the teammate only for the gearbox failure.

It will be a Grand Prix to follow carefully, especially for Williams, which at Silverstone “opened the dances” to a great second part of the season, which gave it the third position among Constructors. The British team will be kept under control in particular by Ferrari that is the second force in field at the moment.

Silverstone is particularly abrasive circuit and for 52 laps Pirelli will bring Medium and Hard compounds. Be careful to the rain that has always been an important feature. Right now, England is crossed by high pressure that could remove the uncertainty of a wet track.

Behind the scenes, the Circus will also talk about drivers-market and I hope it can be taken into account even our young drivers, who are standing out in the preparatory categories, such as Marciello, Fuoco (who made their debut in the post-Austria test sessions), Ghiotto, the winner of GP3 and Giovinazzo that is fighting in the International F.3. Just about young drivers, last weekend I was present at Imola circuit for the ACI Racing weekend. It was interesting both for numbers and also quality, with 40 GT cars and 27 Formula 4 open-wheels, with a grid composed by16 F.4 cars, all close in just 9 dec. Who was sitting in the stands has seen hard-fought races with the drivers of the future in action. The FIA will have to take another step forward since, to date, the jump from F.4 to International F.3 is very wide and we see too often spectacular and dangerous crashes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F.1 – Gian Carlo Minardi: “These regulations have to be changed”

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The Austrian Grand Prix will be remembered not only for the double of Mercedes, but also for the penalties imposed to McLaren, Toro Rosso and Red Bull for exceeding the maximum number of Power Unit (four per season per car). Sum it all together they have touched a record of 70 penalty positions on the grid. Even Jenson Button would have to back 25 positions (in a line-up that counts on 20 cars maximum). It gets a little better his teammates.

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will be forced to change again the engine in view of the Silverstone Grand Prix. Here come another 20 positions of relegation, to which further penalty will be added in the race (drive through or stop and go) whether they fail to succeed in paying them all on the grid. “At this rate McLaren will eventually serve it penalties in the next season. It’s definitely a crazy and too complicated regulation“, Gian Carlo Minardi says. “Fans can’t understand anything and this leads to a dangerous leaving. These regulations should be rewritten and revised. Look what happened to Maldonado. He lost control of his Lotus in the straight out of the wake“. Alain Prost was of the same opinion: “This aspect of the regulation should be changed. The driver has already been penalized because he could not finish the race or qualifying. And he has even to undergo an additional penalty”. Jean Alesi: “Who wrote these rules wants the ruin the Formula 1. Just need to talk to the fans in order to understand how much the public is moving away. To know the rules, it takes a degree in engineering … ” and Carlos Sainz following his son: “People no longer understands what are the criteria that determines the line-up. The rules of Formula 1 are too complicated”.

F.1 – Austrian Gp: DRIVERS’ SCORECARDS

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Nico Rosberg – 9 Like the team mate, in Qualifying he made a mistake, which probably cost him the pole position. He get back a lot in the race, overtaking against Hamilton at the start, flying to the victory by scoring the fastest lap of the race.

Lewis Hamilton – 7.5 Unfortunately the three errors (in Q3, at the start and exiting the pit) play against him, considering the technical potential available. Perhaps this supremacy of Mercedes is the cause of the distractions. It brings the two drivers to exceed and fall into errors. The championship will be played certainly between them and their respective mistakes.

Felipe Massa – 8.5 Good race for him, who successfully defended the third position thanks to his experience, eliminating the technical difference with the Ferrari that managed to close the gap.

Sebastian Vettel – 8.5 What happened in the pits is certainly not his fault. Author of a perfect weekend, he suffered a problem of construction that had already slowed Raikkonen early in the season. After recovering Massa, he failed to pass him, even because of Mercedes PU’s the supremacy.

Nico Hulkenberg – 7.5 Nice weekend and a good race for him, who ended with important points and the sixth place for Force India, which extends its lead over competitors.

Pastor Maldonado – 7.5 Once again he gave us a great show, losing control of his car on the straight, and then retrieve it. He prevailed over Verstappen.

Max Verstappen – 7 He lost the comparison with Maldonado, but he brought new points to Toro Rosso. His overtakings were exciting, without making mistakes. He is up to this F1 despite his young age.

Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo – 7 They have fought bringing home important points for their teams. Sergio Perez closed an important comeback with two points that complete the good weekend of Force India. Daniel Ricciardo was the last of the top-10, despite Red Bull in difficulty on the straights because of Renault.

Kimi Raikkonen – 4 Like in Canada, he lost control of the car, after being eliminated in Qualifying and starting from the back rows.

The situation at McLaren-Honda was very difficult. For the team, it will not be easy to convince new sponsors and I do not know how long Honda can economically support McLaren. To date, we haven’t seen improvements. On the opposite side, the team with Mercedes engine have resumed oxygen. In the top-10 we find seven teams with German PU and only one Ferrari, one Toro Rosso and one Red Bull.

F.1 – Legends Parade: Pierluigi Martini “Time is as it he had stopped”

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The Legends Parade is an appointment that is getting closer to the heart of all fans that experience the Austrian Grand Prix of Formula 1.

After the inaugural event last year, with the return of the Circus in the green heart of Styria, thanks to Red Bull and its owner, this year the event tied to the past has attracted the attention of fans, thanks to the presence of the turbo open-wheels of the ‘80s and the drivers that have made great this sport. Together with Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Lotus with the protagonists of that time (Niki Lauda, Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet, Riccardo Patrese, Gerhard Berger, Christian Danner and Jean Alesi), there could not miss the colours of the Minardi team.

Pierluigi Martini, at the wheel of the Minardi M186 of  the collector Mr. Frits Van Eerd, gave new life to the colors of the team founded by Gian Carlo Minardi and lasted for over 100 Gp. “It has been a fantastic event and I have immediately relived wonderful feeling. Once I get into in the cockpit, it was as if time had stopped. I felt young again“, Pierluigi Martini comments with enthusiasm.  “I have immediately felt at ease. What a pity not having been able to get the top speed, because after a few kilometres we gave a fireworks show with the explosion of our turbo engine “, Pierluigi says smiling. “It was really pleasant to laugh and joke with all the other drivers, recalling past events. Even the public response was fantastic. This is an experience to be repeated more often and these are the right initiatives that the public and the fans appreciate“.

“Once again I have to congratulate Red Bull for the organization and for the success of this event which is entering by force in the hearts of fans“, Gian Carlo Minardi says, coming back from Austria. “I had the chance to relive wonderful moments of my past, reviewing some cars that have colored the ‘80s with their drivers, along with those people who have made the history of motor racing, such as Mrs. Brenda, Secretary of Mr. Enzo Ferrari, or Paul Roche, the “father” of the BMW engines. A special thanks to a friend and the collector Mr. Frits Van Eerd for having made available to all fans and to Piero his Minardi M186“, concludes the manager Faenza.

F.1 – Focus Ring

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With drivers’ press conference the spotlights on the Austrian Grand Prix switch on. Since last year the owner of Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz, strongly wanted to return the Circus in the region of Styria, Austria has once again become an important event for the World Championship.

The track of Spielberg is 4,326 meters long and presents significant differences in height 677 meters above sea level, being positioned on the hillside, in the green heart of Styria.

The Red Bull Ring has four zones where the engine is very important, with three slow corners and a good guided segment. It requires a medium/high downforce and the asphalt is little abrasive. Soft tyres are the best choice for maximum grip. Here’s the Pirelli, for the third consecutive Grand Prix, leading the Soft and Supersoft.

The most critical point is engine cooling, due to track altitude, together with brakes, because there are outdistance sections that put a strain on the system. Be careful to fuel consumption: on paper every 100 kg/h allowed by regulation (when the motor exceeds 10,500 rpm rotation) are needed.

THE NUMBERS OF THE RED BULL RING
Circuit: Red Bull Ring
Location: Spielberg
Laps: 71
Length: 4,326 meters
Altitude: 677-736 m above sea level

F.1 – Antonio Fuoco debuts on the SF-15T during the Austrian test sessions

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During the test session, which will take place on Spielberg circuit, the week after the Austrian Grand Prix, the Ferrari Driver Academy’s driver Antonio Fuoco will sign his debut at the wheel of the Ferrari SF-15T. For the 19-year-old Calabrian driver involved in GP3 with Carlin team, this will be the debut in an official test of Formula 1.

Antonio will get into the cockpit on Tuesday 23rd and then pass the wheel the next day to the third driver of Scuderia Ferrari, Esteban Gutiérrez. “I am very happy with this news. The FDA program is very ambitious. I am convinced that Vettel’s next team-mate will arrive exactly from the Academy”, Gian Carlo Minardi commented few weeks ago, during the interview for his website minardi.it. “It would be interesting to a lean young to grow, that does not require large investments, diverting the latter on the development of the complex technical”.

For some time the manager from Faenza hopes a return to test sessions open to young drivers, perhaps even on Fridays of Grand Prix races, just a few years ago. “Do not forget that from the free practice sessions on Friday morning open to rookies emerged drivers like Sebastian Vettel – four times world champion – and Robert Kubica, just to name two. This proves that when people who know F.1 environment propose rules, something good is done. This is why I insist that within the Federation competent technicians involved in the team should intervene. Formula 1 should be run by the FIA, for the drafting of technical and sporting regulations, and by the FOA, with regard to communication and promotion. But today we have a Strategy-Group consisting directly from F1 teams, where everyone rightly furthers his own cause.

F.1 – In Austria the Minardi M186 comes back to thunder with Pierluigi Martini

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We are getting closer to the Austrian Grand Prix and the Legends Parade, which takes place together with the eighth round of the season. Last year, the protagonists were the nine Austrian drivers with a past in the World Championship; among them, there was Patrick Friesacher, at the wheel of the Minardi PS04B of 2005. This year the main theme will be the open-wheels with turbo engines of the’80s and, once again, Minardi’s colours will be present on track both with a car and a driver.

Together with the ’84 and ’85 McLarens, the Ferrari F1-87/88C, the Renault RE50-03 and the Lotus 98T will parade also the Minardi M186 powered by Motori Moderni of Andrea de Cesaris and Alessandro Nannini. For the occasion, Pierluigi Martini that with the team of Gian Carlo Minardi has covered more than 100 Grand Prix in eight seasons (from 1985 to 1995) will be at the wheel of the car. “I am honoured that, once again, a car of the Minardi Team has been chosen for the parade and I have to thank my friend Frits Van Eerd, for having made available the car. It will also be amazing to see the double Minardi-Martini. To me, all drivers were important, because they helped write the story of the Minardi Team, but certainly “Piero” deserves a special place, having raced with me over 100 Gp“, Gian Carlo Minardi comments.

For Pierluigi Martini, it will be a return into the cockpit of an open-wheel, after the experienced that took place in 2006, during the Gp Masters. We like to remember that in the palmares of the driver from Romagna stands out the victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1999) at the wheel of the BMW V12 LMR. “I really do not know what to expect. It will be surely a wonderful experience, being able to be back at the wheel of those cars. I don’t drive an open-wheel since 2006. It will be the right opportunity to understand how much crazy I was to race in those years”, Pierluigi Martini says, smiling.

Pierluigi has promised that will tell us all the feelings he experienced after the event. Then, see you after the Austrian Grand Prix.

F.1 – Fall in sales for the Austrian Gp: "Tickets are too expensive"

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This is the week of the Austrian Grand Prix, the eighth appointment of F1 World Championship. This Grand Prix came back in the F1 calendar last year: in Styria Formula 1 experienced one of races with the best organization ever, rewarded with terraces and lawns crowded of public, thanks to the presence of nine Austrian drivers on track for the Legends Parade. This year the initiative will be repeated too, and the main theme will be the cars powered by Turbo engines of the ‘80s.

In the weeks before, however, Helmut Marko, the right arm of Mr. Red Bull, alarmed about on the sharp fall in ticket sales – despite the many initiatives put in place – because of the particularly difficult moment that Formula 1 is experiencing. “Besides the lack of the traditional sound of the engines, the cars are too easy to drive”, Marko declared, remarking those Power-Units that are creating many problems to Red Bull. “Everything has started with the introduction of the power-unit, which are not sustainable for this Formula 1 and are so complex that can’t be introduced in the mass-production cars”.

“I understand the difficulty of confirming the success of sales in 2014 because, apparently, Berni Ecclestone has imposed to maintain the same prices of other circuits“, Gian Carlo Minardi comments. “Frankly, I find it really absurd, because as organizer, I should decide how to organize the Grand Prix and estimate the loss amount, especially if I have paid the sum required for the race. Evidently, the imposed price increase of tickets is affecting the presale, considering also the current economic unlucky moment of Europe. Last year, the Austrian Gp was one of the best-organized Grand Prix, thanks to the many initiatives of background, such as the Legends Parade, which is confirmed also for this weekend. I hope that ticket sales will recover as closers we’re getting to the event“, the manager from Faenza, who will be in Spielberg, concludes.

This is a sign that something more has to change in this Formula 1, and also as soon as possible.

F.1 – Road To Austria

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The Formula 1 is ready to make his comeback in Styria, the green heart of Austria, for its second Grand Prix marked Red Bull Ring, after its return in the calendar.

We speak about a medium-fast track, which is not too aggressive for tyres; this is why Pirelli will bring Soft and Supersoft compounds for the third consecutive race. The number of stops will play an important role in the final result. Last year, most of the teams opted for three pit-stops, but for this year the winning move could gamble on the two pit-stops. Another big unknown element will be the weather, which is always very variable and rainy, shifting race’s ground.

With regard to the first row, I do not expect big news, with Mercedes ready to act a new family battle between Hamilton and Rosberg. The situation behind them is more uncertain: Ferrari and Williams get ready to fight. Last year here Williams colored the entire front row with Massa’s pole position – followed by his teammate, Bottas – thanks to a chronometric result that was really close to the record marked by Michael Schumacher, who could be beaten this year.

The Austrian track requires a good engine and it will not be easy to fight against Mercedes’ Power-Unit. I expect that Force India will be ready to battle for the top ten, thanks to Nico Hulkenberg, galvanized by his win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the 919 Hybrid Porsche. Compared to 2014, some scenarios have changed: Red Bull and McLaren are far away from the top zones, although the “rumours” speak about signs of growth. At Ferrari, the Finnish driver is called to a good weekend, to ward off the criticism and bring home those points necessary to Maranello to retain the second position in the Constructors’ Championship. Honestly, I do not agree with all these criticisms against him, even if he is certainly losing the comparison with his teammate.

As happened in 2014, even this year there will be the Legends Parade, whose theme is dedicated to the turbo cars of the ’80s. I am glad that on track there is also the Minardi M186-01 with Pierluigi Martini at the wheel, together with Niki Lauda and Alain Prost, respectively in 1984 and 1985’s McLarens, Gerhard Berger on the F1-87/88C, Jean Alesi with Renault RE50-03 of 1984 and Martin Brundle with Lotus 98T of 1986. In short, this is another reason to go and see the Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.

Gian Carlo Minardi