Friday, October 11, 2013

Practice 1 results - 2013 F1 Japanese Grand Prix


Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes on top in Friday opening free practice for Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull duo Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber set second and third fastest lap-time in that order ahead of Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.





#

Driver

Team

Time

Gap

Laps
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:34.157 19
2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:34.487 0.330 19
3 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:34.768 0.611 24
4 Mark Webber Red Bull 1:34.787 0.630 20
5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:35.126 0.969 14
6 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:35.154 0.997 16
7 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:35.179 1.022 15
8 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:35.364 1.207 17
9 Sergio Perez McLaren 1:35.450 1.293 27
10 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:35.635 1.478 19
11 Jenson Button McLaren 1:35.868 1.711 22
12 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1:35.900 1.743 18
13 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:36.066 1.909 20
14 Adrian Sutil Force India 1:36.165 2.008 19
15 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:36.178 2.021 12
16 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:36.340 2.183 23
17 Paul di Resta Force India 1:36.399 2.242 18
18 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:36.760 2.603 22
19 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1:37.595 3.438 22
20 Jules Bianchi Marussia 1:37.629 3.472 8
21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1:38.025 3.868 15
22 Max Chilton Marussia 1:38.763 4.606 18

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Thursday press conference - 2013 Japanese Grand Prix


Drivers - Charles Pic (Caterham), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing), Jenson Button (McLaren)

Q: Sebastian, just a few days ago you described coming here as coming to the best track in the world. Can you explain why it is the best track in the world? I’ll ask everyone else the same question, so prepare your answers.
Sebastian Vettel:
I think generally we race on the best tracks in the world and, as I said, I think Suzuka is one of the best, if not the best, in my point of view. As a driver, just going through the first sector is fantastic, with the high-speed corners. It’s a track where we really get to challenge ourselves, get to push the cars to their limits and obviously it’s much more intense feeling the car at the limit in a high-speed corner rather than in medium or low-speed (corners). There are quite many around here. It’s a very tricky track, very challenging. Another great corner, I think, is Spoon, which is off-camber on the way out and therefore it’s quite tricky to keep the car on the right line. So, all in all, it’s a place where we love to race. On top of that there is a fantastic atmosphere, crazy Japanese fans. They are very passionate about us coming here and I think all the drivers we do get a lot of respect when we come here but equally a lot of support.

Q: Jenson, an extraordinary record here - you’ve finished all 11 of your races here, plus the two in Fuji as well. Your thoughts on Suzuka?
Jenson Button:
Yeah, I’m not sure that’s really the best record to have around Suzuka but, yeah, it’s great to be back. I love this circuit. I think most of us do. It’s a very unforgiving circuit. Very fast and flowing, especially from one up until, well, actually, after the second Degner. It’s a really good section up there. So, very enjoyable. It’s a tricky circuit to overtake on, but I think the DRS zone is hopefully going to help a little bit with that. But it’s always a flat-out race, with hardly any rest. We’ve got the hard and the medium tyres here, so it’s going to be pushing all the way, which is what we love as racing drivers, especially around a circuit like Suzuka. So, hoping for a good weekend.

Q: Charles, just one race here so far.
Charles Pic:
Yeah, last year. It was my first time last year and it’s not the easiest track to learn, especially the first sector because it’s very fast. But definitely it’s one of my favourites. I think it’s one of the tracks, with Spa, where you get the most sensation out of the car. I like it very much.

Q: Pastor, you finished eighth here last year?
Pastor Maldonado:
Yeah, this is my third time here. Very nice track. I agree with all of them - it’s one of the best of the season. I think all the drivers are very happy to be here. The fans’ community is very big. It’s a special weekend. I hope to do my best to be in the points again this year.

Q: Jean-Eric, 13th last year, what are your thoughts on the circuit?
Jean-Eric Vergne:
It‘s a track that I love. Obviously all the drivers love it. It’s a great atmosphere. You can really feel the whole history here. Obviously, as Spa, it’s a track where you can, in a way, stretch the legs of the car, which is a really nice feeling.

Q: And Nico, seventh last year, I think.
Nico Hulkenberg:
Last year was a good race for us. Also one of my favourite circuits. I think everything else has been mentioned by these guys.

Q: An individual question for you all. Sebastian, also you mentioned last weekend that the car was very much on the edge. We see these extraordinary performances from you, almost weekend after weekend. How easy or how difficult is it to drive?
SV:
I think it’s never easy. Obviously I think the car, don’t get me wrong, it’s on another level when you compare for example with Charles’ car, there is a difference for sure. But no matter how quick the car, in the end, makes it around the track, you will always push the car to its edge and try to get the best out of the car. We obviously have been to Korea to a couple of times and we know the trend of the track, especially throughout the race - the front right is on the limit. So, therefore, you obviously try to set up your car to fight that sort of problem and, yeah, I think overall it’s never easy. We had to push a lot in the race. We were under pressure from behind with Lotus. Obviously we were strong enough to always have a little bit of a gap but yeah, you could not, unless maybe in the last two laps, I could not lean back and rest too much.

Q: Jenson, somebody very close to you a few years ago said you were becoming a Honda man through-and-through. That possibility emerges again in 2015 if you’re still with McLaren. What are the chances?
JB:
There’s a chance, yes. There’s definitely a chance. I think first of all it’s great that Formula One has another engine manufacturer that’s interested in coming back in. I think that’s very good for the sport and hopefully it will bring others back into the sport. Japan… it feels that Japan needs either a driver or a manufacturer in the sport. Obviously it’s been a little while since they’ve had a manufacturer and with no Japanese drivers on the grid now. It’s a country that really does love its motorsport, has true racing fans. The guys said there were hundreds of people out on Wednesday, on set-up day - yesterday - when it was chucking it down with rain and they were watching them set-up. That’s a true racing fan - none of this Monaco stuff! So, it shows it’s in their culture and in their blood. I think it’s very special for Japan to have a manufacturer in the sport - but obviously that’s not for another year and a half. We’ve got a long time before that and hopefully a very good year next year with Mercedes-Benz.

Q: Charles, you so nearly led the team to regain tenth place in the constructors’ championship last weekend in Korea. Do you think that can happen before the end of the year?
CP:
We hope so. It was very close in Korea. We need 13th place and finish 14th. So… yeah… we will keep pushing very hard to get this 13th place. It’s very important for us and also to prepare well next year. So we will do everything we can.

Q: Pastor, it hasn’t been a good season so far this year. What are your thoughts on staying with Williams? Your future with Williams?
PM:
For sure it was a hard beginning of the season and quite hard times for us as a team. We’ve been working very, very hard, 24 hours per day, trying to improve our performance and trying to do something different to improve the car performance and at the moment, we find some way but maybe it’s not enough to catch the teams who are quite close to us. For sure, it’s nothing to do. We need to keep trying, we need to keep doing until the last race I think. There are still five races to go. We’ve been quite close, even last weekend, to being in the points. We had some problem in the last part of the race but yeah, I’ll keep trying to get some more points before the end of the season and then… we will see for the next year. At the moment I have a contract and it’s looking quite good.

Q: Jean-Eric, I think you thought things were going to be better last weekend than they were. What was the problem? What actually happened?
J-EV:
First of all, we struggled the whole weekend to find a correct balance. In the end both cars retired because of brake-ducts being broken. It was probably the issue that we had in the weekend. So we changed many things for this weekend. Obviously Sauber has done a very good job to catch us back so now they are just in front in the championship with the same points. Now for us it is a five-race season. So, we’re pushing like crazy. I believe we’ve got a good car and if we put everything in together we will score some more points. That’s definitely our target.

Q: Nico, how come it’s coming good at this stage of the season? What’s changed - you or the car?
NH:
I haven’t changed! I certainly haven’t changed. I think the car. Of course we’ve put on some updates: a big one in Budapest - which we now understand better and better - and then some small bits and bobs. I think the tyres did the rest. And what we did in Korea I think was outstanding. I’m really happy and proud about that but we probably punched above our weight there and out-performed a few cars which we shouldn’t do. But there was this opportunity and we grabbed it. So that was very good.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paulo) Sebastian, you had a very fast car since the beginning of the season. Then from Spa, you’ve had four poles, four victories; the gap increased even more to your competitors. How do you personally explain that?
SV:
I wasn’t on pole in Spa. As you mentioned, I think it’s right to say that we had a very strong car from the beginning of the season, strong enough to always finish in a very, very strong position on Sunday afternoon. Lately, I think we’ve been very strong in qualifying as well whereas at the beginning of the year Mercedes definitely seemed to have the upper hand. I think there’s no real explanation from our side, there’s not one part that went on the car and all of a sudden it was that much quicker. I think we were able to improve the car so that arriving at Spa the car was better than it was in Hungary. Since then, we’ve just tried again to improve, there’s new bits coming every race weekend, even though sometimes it’s a very small package, but even so, we’re pushing very hard, trying to improve the car. I’m sure the others do the same but it seems that we’ve had lots of good parts coming lately and making the car quicker. Also, I think there’s a factor of you understanding the car more than at the beginning of the season so you are able to react quicker, change the set-up in the right manner. Obviously there’s not so much time available. If you look on Friday, you have one chance overnight to make a change and I think we got better as a team in that regard to get closer to one hundred percent on Saturday morning already and then benefit throughout the weekend.

Q: (Frederic Ferret - L’Equipe) Sebastian, if I’m correct, in 2008 you climbed Mount Fuji; can you tell us more about that? And can you tell us more about your helmet, last year with the Japanese flag? Where is it now and does it mean something special for you?
SV:
Yeah, climbed the... well, climbed is not really the... you don’t need a rope to go up there. We started very early, together with Alexander Wurz, it was a fun trip and we climbed or we walked up so we reached the summit as soon as the sun came up which was very special. There were a lot of people telling us off because it’s too cold and it’s too late in the year but actually it’s not a problem, so it was quite cold at night but not too bad. It was a very nice experience to be up there, it’s very high, close to 4000 meters above sea level, so it was a unique experience.
Regarding the helmet of last year, I’m not sure... I think it’s at home. Always in Japan, the last couple of years we came here with a special helmet design. I’m using an Arai helmet which is a Japanese manufacturer and obviously it’s their home Grand Prix, not just for my helmet but also for many other helmets. It’s nice to give a little bit back to them, but also to the fans, to come up with a special idea and I think also this year’s helmet looks very nice.

Q: (Abhishek Takle - Midday) Nico, you’ve given Lotus a deadline to agree a deal (for next year). Can you update us as to what’s going on there and if not Lotus, what are your other options?
NH:
I’ve not set a deadline. I think that was a misunderstanding and someone not laying it out correctly. What I’ve basically said is that I would like to have clarification or certainty by the end of October.

Q: (Abhishek Takle - Midday) Nico, Eric Boullier said that weight would not be an issue if he chose to give you the drive. Does that reassure you after all the talk about heavier drivers being marginalised, that at some point you might not find a seat next year?
NH:
To be honest, not, and there’s no one from the team who has personally told me that weight or height is an issue, but this whole discussion, for me, is not worth having because I am what I am and I can’t change it.

Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Sebastian, I was wondering whether you have read or heard about Lewis Hamilton’s comments following the race in Korea?
SV:
Yeah, I was told. Obviously it’s very nice to hear something like that. I think I can only give it back, I think. There is respect amongst the drivers, obviously there’s a lot of stuff that gets written and said but I think that the most important thing is when you go up to another driver, whether you feel respected or not and I think that is the case. I think Lewis is one of the best drivers currently in Formula One. I get along quite well with him lately so I can only say ‘thank you very much’ and give it back.

Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Can I just follow up on that? You obviously read about Lewis’s Tweets but I was referring to his immediate post-race comments?
SV:
Sorry, I didn’t hear (those).

Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) The post-race comments referred to the fact that your era now was as predictable as the Schumacher era, in that when you watched a race back then, you watched the start, fell asleep and then by the end of the race, you knew who had won.
SV:
Well, that’s a compliment, first of all. I think it’s very different. I think there’s probably one race which was a bit of an exception. If you take Singapore, the gaps we had and were able to build up were incredible, to lap two seconds quicker than the cars behind us, but obviously it depends on who was behind us at the time and which tyres (they had) and so on, but anyways, what I want to say is that if you take Korea which I think is more similar to Spa, the gap was something between three and six seconds for the whole race. If you look at ten years ago, it was more like 30 to 60 seconds which is a big difference. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice cushion to have in the car, when you see that you’re three seconds down the road, but equally you know that if you make one stupid mistake - in Korea, for example, a lock-up which was very likely and three seconds is nothing compared to 30 or 60.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

2013 Japanese GP timetable and Press conference Schedule


THURSDAY
Press Conference - 15.00

FRIDAY
Practice Session 1 - 10.00 -11.30
Practice Session 2 - 14.00-15.30
Press Conference - 16.00

SATURDAY
Practice Session 3 - 11.00 -12.00
Qualifying - 14.00-15.00
Followed by unilateral and press conference

SUNDAY
Drivers' Parade - 13.30
Race - 15.0
Followed by podium interviews and press conference.

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES QUALIFYING
All drivers eliminated in Q1 or Q2 are available for media interviews immediately after the end of each session, as are drivers who participated in Q3, but who are not required for the post-qualifying press conference. The TV pen interview area will be located in the paddock, adjacent to the entrance to the media centre.

RACE
Any driver retiring before the end of the race is available at the team’s garage/hospitality. In addition, during the race every team will make available at least one senior spokesperson for interview by officially accredited TV crews. A list of those nominated will be made available in the media centre.

Weight no matter for select 2014 driver - Lotus


Lotus team Principal Eric Boullier says that driver’s weight problems will not take any pressure for their next year driver selection.

2014 F1 regulation states that the weight of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 690kg at all times during the Event.

During Annual drivers meet in Korea, GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) is set for talks about driver weight issues; especially Sauber’s speedy Nico Hulkenberg has admitted that his higher weight, due to him having an above-average height for a racing driver, is a difficult for F1 car designers.

But Eric Boullier hints that Lotus will pick take a heavier driver for 2014 season for a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen.

“We’re more interested in the talent and potential of a driver rather than the difference of a few kilos,” Boullier said.

“We have confidence in our development team to be able to produce a car for the 2014 regulations which should be competitive in the hands of any driver we consider for next year.”

Hamilton to drive DTM car at Hockenheimring


Next weekend at Hockenheimring Lewis Hamilton will drive Mercedes DTM car, championship’s final race held at Hockenheimring.

Also the source explained that Hamilton will drive passengers around the circuit in Mercedes’ DTM ‘race taxi’ on the Sunday following the Japanese Grand Prix.

“I’m really looking forward to attending the DTM finale at Hockenheim and making a return to the DTM paddock,” said Hamilton.

“I’ve always been part of the Mercedes-Benz family right from the start of my career in motor racing. During my two years in the Formula Three Euro Series, I was really in my element on those DTM weekends.”

Monday, October 7, 2013

Vettel one of F1's greatest ever drivers - Horner


Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says that Sebastian Vettel one of F1's greatest ever drivers and kind of level he is performing at is unbelievable.

Vettel is on the edge of his fourth consecutive world championship, Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher was achieved only this position in Formula 1.

"He has got to be right up there, the kind of level he is performing at is unbelievable in many respects.” Horner said.

"We know that Mark [Webber] is a very talented, very quick racing driver and matching him against that, he has been hugely impressive.

"What has really impressed us is that he has continued to develop, and he has continued to grow as he has gained experience.

"That was his 115th grand prix and to have won the races he has [34] is remarkable."

When asked if, in the future, people will put Vettel in the same bracket as Schumacher and Fangio, Horner said: "Should he achieve it, I think they will have to."

Horner is also adamant that Vettel has not achieved success easily.

"He works so hard at it," he said. "What you guys don't see is behind the scenes, and how much effort he puts in, in his preparation, in his training, in the application that he has.

"He is hugely self-critical and he is always looking at areas where he can improve, or where he can be better.

"He will look at this race, and look at things he could be stronger in.

"It is that inward looking he has that keeps propelling and driving him forward."

Source: Autosport

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Vettel only one victory away from potentially clinching fourth F1 title


(Reuters) - Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel completed a hat-trick of Korean Grand Prix victories on Sunday to put himself only one week away from potentially clinching his fourth successive Formula One title.

The 26-year-old's third successive Korean win, and eighth triumph in 14 races, left him 77 points clear of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with five races - and a maximum 125 points -remaining.

If the German wins in Japan next weekend - as he did last year - and Alonso fails to finish in the top eight - as also happened last year - the championship will be over.

"That was a very, very disciplined drive. Well done," team principal Christian Horner told him over the radio after taking the chequered flag. Vettel, who now has 34 career wins, replied with his customary whoop of delight.

Alonso could manage only sixth place on an overcast afternoon that threatened rain without delivering the downpours that might have mixed up the field and given him more of a hope. The Spaniard now has 195 points to Vettel's 272.

"There's still a chance for Fernando, I think," said Vettel. "So we have to stay on top of our game. But to be honest...we're just having a good time.

"I look forward to Japan because it's one of the nicest tracks of the whole season."

BIZARRE MOMENT

In a race that exploded into action, with two safety car periods including one bizarre moment when a fire marshals' regular 4X4 drove on to the track and led the field before the official Mercedes pace car had been deployed, Vettel celebrated his fourth victory in a row.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen finished second, ahead of Lotus team mate Romain Grosjean, in a race running along familiar lines of Vettel domination before jolting the audience awake with a bang.

McLaren's Mexican Sergio Perez brought out the first safety car with the explosive delamination of his front right tyre, which had worn through after hard braking, that left a strip of tread lying in the middle of the track on lap 31 of 55.

When that safety car came in on lap 36, after the debris had been cleared, Vettel's Australian team mate Mark Webber was hit by Adrian Sutil's skidding Force India at the re-start.

The Australian pulled over with his car on fire, for the second race in a row.

With marshals struggling to put out the blaze with extinguishers, the 4x4 appeared on the track ahead of the field between turns one and two and with its hazard lights on while the official Mercedes SLS AMG safety car brought up the rear.

"It's not great getting stuck behind the safety car but I'm really pleased with the result and great by the team," said Vettel, whose podium appearance at the sparsely-attended Yeongam circuit met none of the booing that had marked the previous three races.

"Fortunately we had enough pace to get ahead after both safety cars but both Kimi and Romain were very competitive and did better with their tyres," he added.

CLEAN START

Vettel had made a clean start from pole, his third in a row, while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton - who ended up fifth at the finish - dropped to third when Grosjean passed him.

Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, whose reputation was burnished further with what he said had been one of the best races of his career, drove to fourth place for Sauber after starting in seventh place and overtaking Alonso.

The Spaniard skilfully avoided tangling with his Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa, who spun in the opening seconds and dropped to last.

Massa recovered to ninth place, behind Mercedes' Nico Rosberg - who paid the price for a long pit stop to replace a front wing that had been hitting the ground and sending up showers of sparks - in seventh place and Jenson Button eighth for McLaren. Perez took the final point.

Britain's Paul Di Resta was the first retirement, his sixth race without a point, when he spun his Force India and hit the barriers after 26 laps.

Raikkonen, who will be Alonso's team mate at Ferrari next year, passed Grosjean on lap 38 moments before the second safety car period.

The Pirelli tyres, much criticised earlier in the season following a spate of blowouts, again triggered a chorus of dissent after a race dictated by high levels of degradation.

"The tyres are wearing a lot and they also explode a bit - but that is for Pirelli to sort out," commented Webber.

"Pirelli will put the puncture of Perez down to a lock-up but the reason the drivers are locking up is because there's no tread left."