New Motor Verso article: F1 Is Right To Ask The Fans, But Needs To Keep A Few Things In Mind

Photo: Octane Photography

As you've probably noticed that F1 has suddenly discovered the fan's survey it seems, not least with the high profile one from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association released during the Monaco weekend.

In my latest article for Motor Verso I look at this shift and outline that while it's welcome, the sport needs to be wary of a few things too.

To an extent it was a perfect storm for me given that as well as my F1 knowledge (ho ho) I also have experience of working professionally in survey research. So hopefully I have something to offer...

You can have a read here: http://www.motorverso.com/f1-right-ask-fans-needs-keep-things-mind/

On Motor Verso you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out weeklong test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - A Strategy Of Errors

A special extra midweek episode of the Inside Line F1 podcast has landed. This time Kunal and Rishi discuss the various (surprising) proposals from the latest Strategy Group meeting, such as the reintroduction of refuelling, wider tyres and customer cars. It's entertaining listening as always, you can have a listen below.



Kunal has been writing on F1 for eight seasons, you can visit Kunal's website at: http://www.kunalsf1blog.com/ and you also can follow him on Twitter here.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Here's the latest Inside Line F1 podcast. This time Kunal and Rishi look back on the astonishing Monaco Grand Prix, including some chat about the young phenomenon that is Max Verstappen, Jenson Button and McLaren's first points of the year and that pit call. You can have a listen below.



Kunal has been writing on F1 for eight seasons, you can visit Kunal's website at: http://www.kunalsf1blog.com/ and you also can follow him on Twitter here.

Monaco Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - The Two Sides of Monaco

Here's a nudge in the direction of my Monaco Grand Prix review for the Motor Verso site.

We all know the things that are associated with Grands Prix at Monaco - processions, brilliant dominance and the possibility for twists. What made this one stand is that it included just about all of them in a single afternoon.

You can have a read of my review here: http://www.motorverso.com/monaco-grand-prix-two-sides-monaco/

As mentioned these race reviews will be a permanent feature from me on Motor Verso this season, so do keep an eye out for them. Do check out the site too: on Motor Verso you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out weeklong test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Maldonado baiting hits a new low

Forgive me for returning to a familiar subject of mine, that of Pastor Maldonado.

But I feel compelled as in Monaco last weekend he achieved something new, that surpassed even what had gone before. We know that by now Pastor gets no benefit of the doubt and is assumed to be at fault for every incident he's involved in. Well in Monaco we found out that Pastor gets no benefit of the doubt and is assumed to be at fault for incidents he's not involved in too. He doesn't even need to be anywhere near the incident in question it seems.

Sounds strange I know. But, stay with me, it happened.

On lap one of the Monaco race Felipe Massa reported car damage on his team radio (and this was relayed to us watching on via the world TV feed) and he indeed pitted at the end of that tour with a right-front puncture. The incident that caused this was never shown but somehow word got to the media that it was the result of a first corner collision with...Pastor Maldonado. David Croft in his Sky commentary said this for one, as did other media outlets.

Massa and Maldonado clashed at the first corner. Massa is in the pits and is already one lap down #F1onNBC

— F1® Racing on NBC (@F1onNBCSports) May 24, 2015

And of course with this 'news' some didn't need additional encouragement to dust down their trusty jibes.

Latest episode of A Racer's Experience - the Monaco Grand Prix

Here is the latest A Racer's Experience episode, in which I talk to Matt Nicholas about last Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix as well as look ahead to the Canada Grand Prix in a fortnight as well as at the revised F1 for 2017 proposed by the Strategy Group.

Our discussion starts at around 4m and 15 seconds below.



Also in this episode Matt talks to Conor Daly about his brief Indy 500 and to Adam Alexander about NASCAR.

You can also check out the other A Racer's Experience episodes here.

Formula 1 Is Cruel, by Kunal Shah

There was furore yesterday! Lewis Hamilton was robbed of a victory in the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix due to a 'miscalculation' by his World Champion team Mercedes – he finished third. A cruel joke on his motivational phrase – 'drive it like you stole it'! (Read: Drive It Like You Stole It)

A picture painted a thousand words on the Monaco podium
Photo: Octane Photography

Today, the furore continues on social media. Ardent Hamilton fans accused Mercedes and even cited that this was 'fixed' to let the local lad (Nico Rosberg) score his third successive home win. Blah! If Formula 1 is cruel, its fans can be even crueller on social media! (Read: Mercedes Wants A Blonde On Top)

Hamilton should've won, there's no denying that. Did he deserve to win? The answer to that depends on the how you interpret the word 'deserve'. He was the fastest driver in Monaco and did deserve to win. (Read: Did Bernie Call Mercedes…?)

But then there's Rosberg – the driver who makes the most of his luck, in Monaco and otherwise (all right, 2014 Abu Dhabi GP notwithstanding). But Formula 1 is cruel. What should've been a regulatory race to the finish turned sour when Hamilton and Mercedes over-thought their need for new tyres and reacted to it. (Read: Formula 1 Is Funny)

Monaco GP Report: All about Monaco...

When one says the word 'Monaco' to an F1 fan several things no doubt spring to mind. Even over and above the usual slightly wearing stuff about posers on yachts and ostentatious wealth. And in terms of what we associate on track with Grands Prix around the Principality we got just about all of them in a single afternoon today.

For much of the way Lewis Hamilton had the Monaco
Grand Prix in the palm of his hand
Photo: Octane Photography

First off, the stuff we know about. For much of the way we got the slightly tepid entertainment we've grown to expect here. And with it something else we've seen plenty of times through the famous circuit's confines of the guy out front looking masterful with the race at his mercy.

Today that man was Lewis Hamilton. Leading into the first turn here is thought to be about 95% of ensuring the win and for Lewis, who managed that after his fine pole yesterday, for much of the way it looked 100%. At least. Immediately he cleared off from team mate Nico Rosberg in P2 and Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari in P3, who ran as a pair throughout, and did so decisively. He was 0.8 seconds away at the end of the first tour, 2.4 after five. Around there it hovered for a while (Lewis apparently managing a brake problem for a time), then when they hit traffic Lewis made yet more hay, and come lap 25 his lead looked an unbeatable eight seconds plus. It stayed of that order after all made what we assumed was to be their only tyre stops.

Such is Monaco's way it looked all over bar the shouting. But Monaco has another way. A flip side. And everyone - especially one assumes Lewis - was sharply reminded of it before this Grand Prix was out.

Monaco Qualifying: Deja vu denied

So there were no repeats. He made sure of that.

Entering this Monaco Grand Prix weekend plenty it seemed were determined to talk about what happened 12 months ago. Nico Rosberg winning the oh-so important pole position here, aided at least in part by a trip down an escape road at the death while top of the times meaning no one - including most pointedly his team mate Lewis Hamilton - could improve. And oh how we heard about it afterwards.

Lewis Hamilton made sure that history didn't repeat
Photo: Octane Photography

And heading into the crunch part of today's qualifying session there was a creeping sense of deja vu. Just like last year Lewis started the weekend looking serene, but as Saturday went on Nico was showing signs of creeping ahead. In morning practice Nico was the quicker of the two silver cars and then in qualifying itself he topped everyone in Q1 and Q2 - Lewis periodically it seemed having reason to be dissatisfied with his tyre pressures. Just like last year too the pole battle turned out to be a private affair for the Mercedes.

Then as if to provide a flashing arrow for those who hadn't quite picked up on it all, at the end of Q2 Nico got his braking wrong at St Devote and had another exploration of one of the Principality's escape roads...

But Lewis wrenched the whole thing back when it really mattered. In the first runs of Q3 his time was 0.136 under that on his team mate. And then when they made their second efforts Nico in effect surrendered by again getting his braking wrong at the St Devote and abandoning his lap due to the time lost. The pole belonged to Lewis but he saw no harm in adding a coup de grace of taking another two tenths off his mark.

Monaco Preview: Hey ho, silver

Once upon a time, Formula One fan and more general wit Clive James noted with typical dryness that "it is said these days with increasing frequency that Monaco makes a nice change from Grand Prix racing". And with but the latest visit upon us this weekend coming, it's hard to argue.

Despite everything, there's nothing quite like Monaco
Photo: Octane Photography

What is it with the fraternity's annual stop-off and its apparent 'jewel in the crown' status? There are so many reasons to dislike Grands Prix around the Principality. If you're to be critical the Monaco round is an anachronism. If you're to be very critical, it's an absurdity.

Narrow, bumpy, sinewy. Nelson Piquet once declared famously that its challenge is like trying to ride your bicycle around your living room. The cars never are allowed close to their full potential around its confines and that has been the way for decades. No-one can pass here, and that's been the case ever since the insertion of the 'swimming pool section' (apparently to give more room for grandstands...) in 1973. By now, had the Monaco Grand Prix never existed then suggesting to establish it would be an act considered something close to certifiable.

It doesn't get much better off the track either; all cramped and claustrophobic as well as that the event attracts various ostentatious posers who in all probability don't care much for the sport other than in that one weekend of the year.

But perhaps, conversely, what it is about Monaco lays within all of this somewhere.

New Grand Prix Times article: Formula 1 fails to learn from the past on refuelling

By Fabio Alessandro Locati (My self) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons.

The news from the latest Strategy Group meeting in the week that dominated headlines was of course the proposed, and surprise, return of refuelling for 2017.

In my latest piece for Grand Prix Times​ I explain why although F1 is big on nostalgia it is not learning from the past on this one.

You can have a read via this link: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/display/10254

Also, I've just noticed that I neglected to mention my previous article for Grand Prix Times from earlier this month. Again it's about politics and the future of the sport, and simple and small steps that we can unite behind that will go a long way to making the changes to F1 that are being called for. Here is the link: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/display/10192

Talking about F1's Graham Keilloh talks F1 on Radio Woking

Today I was a guest on Radio Woking to discuss the latest F1 news. This was of course dominated by the surprise proposed re-introduction of in-race refuelling for 2017.

Given it's Radio Woking we also discuss McLaren's 2015 woes and its prospects, as well as look ahead briefly to the forthcoming Monaco Grand Prix. You can have a listen via the player below:

Graham Keilloh on Radio Woking talking F1 by Radio Woking on Mixcloud

Give Everyone Mercedes Engines by Kunal Shah, plus the latest Inside Line F1 podcast

I wondered today, what would happen if every driver on the grid was given a Mercedes engine? Would that solve our current problems, or would it? (Read: What's Wrong With Formula One?)

What if all F1 cars had a Mercedes engine?
Photo: Octane Photography

Well, for starters, I am assuming that Mercedes would be able to manufacture 80 engines for the 2015 Formula 1 Season (4 per driver X 20 drivers; not yet accepting the 5th engine rule!). Given economies of scale, I would hope that the engine costs per team would reduce. From what I have heard, it is a whooping 25 millions euros! The V8s were around 8! And reduction in engine costs is why Formula 1 is now debating a dual engine formula. (Read: Racing First, Engineering Later)

I have two opposing views to the dual engine formula. First, it would add complexity to the sport and policing the engine output would always be difficult. It also takes away some much needed transparency. Second is for those wondering if a dual formula would be unfair to the teams. Here one could argue that the current engine performance is anyway unequal and has always been since many years. (Read: Engine No-ise)

Might Lewis Hamilton have won in Spain by shunning his third stop?

You'd probably noticed by now that F1 Grands Prix at Barcelona tend not to be the biggest in the thrill stakes. Overtaking is not the work of a moment at the Montmelo track. Some of its related stats - such as pole-sitters becoming race victors - are more Monaco than Monaco. With this in mind that during and after last Sunday's race there was such a focus on pit strategy rather than places being resolved by wheel-to-wheel stuff should not be a surprise.

Might Lewis Hamilton have won out in Spain?
Photo: Octane Photography

Much of the related focus was on Sebastian Vettel and whether Ferrari should have 'covered off' the strategy of Lewis Hamilton who was behind him for the first half of the race. As it was just about everyone - including Seb it seemed - realised in hindsight that there would have been little point. The Mercedes simply were too quick to be defied from every available angle.

As for the Merc themselves, well not much to see there? After all by consensus the race between them for first was done in Nico Rosberg's favour at the opening few corners when Nico led and Lewis sank to third behind Vettel. Well perhaps not. Lewis's 'plan B' strategy to get him ahead of Vettel involved three stops to Nico's more standard two, and before his third and final stop the Englishman in fact led the pair, and given he was on the hard compound tyres and had previously used the medium, there was no necessity from a rules point of view to stop again. Might he have stayed out so to got to the end on that set and, perhaps, won the race by doing so?

Latest episode of A Racer's Experience - the Spanish Grand Prix

Here is the latest A Racer's Experience episode, in which I talk to presenter Matt Nicholas about last Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as well as look ahead to the Monaco Grand Prix in a fortnight and at the possibility of Audi joining F1 with Red Bull.

Our discussion starts at around 7m and 30 seconds below.


Also in this episode Matt talks to Bob Jenkins about the Indycar round at the Indianapolis road course.

You can also check out the other A Racer's Experience episodes here.

Spanish Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Rosberg's Revival

Photo: Octane Photography

My latest Grand Prix review for Motor Verso is now available for your reading pleasure, this time for the Spanish round just passed.

In it I look back at the race in Barcelona and its implications, including Nico Rosberg's revival, Ferrari's food for thought among other things.

You can have a read here: http://www.motorverso.com/spanish-grand-prix-rosbergs-revival/

As mentioned these race reviews will be a permanent feature from me on Motor Verso this season, so do keep an eye out for them. Do check out the site too: on Motor Verso you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out weeklong test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Spanish GP Report: It all adds up

Sometimes things just make sense. This is the Circuit de Cataluyna in Barcelona, where in Grands Prix pole sitters are rewarded even more consistently than at Monaco - only two of the previous 14 who started first had failed to still be there at the race's end. Nico Rosberg won pole yesterday, and indeed had finished every race exactly where he started in 2015 so far. Even more granularly, the last eight Grands Prix here had been won by eight different drivers - and Nico had never won here before.

This time Nico Rosberg was the one smiling
Photo: Octane Photography

And who won out in today's Spanish Grand Prix? I think you know that one.

Nico's win may strike at the broadest level as a surprise, but it again was something that added up. At the most broad level for all that it has been open season on Nico in 2015 so far really the only difference between his first four rounds and those of 2014 - at the start of a campaign wherein he took the title to the wire - was that then Lewis Hamilton had a technical failure in the first race, granting Nico a 25 point gain. On average he was finishing races closer behind his team mate too this time, while the Sunday in Bahrain last time out confirmed that whatever else was happening the claims that Nico had lost his fight were wide of the mark. He hadn't become a bad driver, and there was still plenty of time for things to change.

Barcelona Qualifying: That thing you do

Nico Rosberg definitely has a thing. A habit. Maybe even a party piece.

That thing is that just at the very moment we think he's down and out, that his stellar team mate Lewis Hamilton finally has consigned him to his box, he leaps right back into contention. And despite the regularity of this we still every time rather gullibly wander straight for the mental trap. We never learn. His bounce backs still come brim-full of surprise.

For once, Nico Rosberg was the one smiling
Photo: Octane Photography

And you know what? He did that thing he does once again today. Yes - Nico claimed the pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix tomorrow.

Most headed into the weekend expecting the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton to prevail. Before today Nico had yet to start or finish as the first of the Merc pair. Plenty including Paddy Lowe (who should know) spoke of the wonderful virtuous place Lewis had got his driving into. By contrast - and perhaps consequently - many reckoned Nico's challenge was by now broken.

But even ahead of today there were clues around of Nico's resurgence if you knew where to look. The Bahrain race last time out at least suggested that his efforts maintained not just a pulse but some spirit too. Niki Lauda for one stated after that round that "Nico is back".

Barcelona Preview: Same as it ever was?

Some venues have a reputation for unpredictability. For the dishing out the wild card. For the strange to occur.

Sadly though the Circuit de Cataluyna near Barcelona which hosts this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix is not one of them. The Montmelo track whatever its virtues is arguably the single one on the itinerary least associated with the unpredictable and wacky.

Barcelona's Circuit de Cataluyna is known for showing
the cars' technical pecking order
Photo: Octane Photography

It has its uses though. Grands Prix at this circuit are viewed as the sport's bellwether - in other words if you go well here then the likelihood is you'll go well most places. And demonstrating as much 17 of the 24 pole-sitters at this track have gone on to be that year's world champion. Ignore the astonishing shock of Pastor Maldonado's win in 2012, it was entirely out of character (if you're being cruel, in more ways than one).

Why is this? Well as is usually the case it can be attributed to a few things coming together.

The track features a few long medium-speed corners which require good aerodynamic performance and therefore it isn't a circuit on which an under-performing car can readily be hauled around ahead of itself. If your machine isn't working you have little choice but to sit and wait on it. Underlining as much grids here often have a Noah's Ark two-by-two look. The track more generally has a 'bit of everything' quality about it - to the point that the final sector is now considered a good indicator for Monaco pace - which again ensures that cars that perform well in the universal sense are rewarded.

New Motor Verso article: F1 One Year on - Matters of Perspective

As well as writing a race review for every Grand Prix for Motor Verso I also hope to do some more general writing about F1 on the site.

Photo: Octane Photography

And in the first of these I have compared the current F1 championship tables now after four rounds of the season, with the tables at this point a year ago, in 2014.

Much is similar as you'd imagine, but there are a few surprises about how much has changed in the meantime. There also are lessons in there, as well as reasons for optimism still for some such as Nico Rosberg and the Williams team who are reckoned to be struggling now.

Do check it out here: http://www.motorverso.com/f1-one-year-matters-perspective/

On Motor Verso you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out weeklong test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

As you were... Thoughts on F1 in 2015

For F1 in the still relatively fledgling 2015 campaign it's almost like none of us have been away since last year. And not just because seasons finish later than they almost ever have, meaning downtime between the end of the final race and everyone turning up bright as buttons for first pre-season testing can seem close to non-existent.

From the first day of testing Mercedes
showed no sign of slackening
Photo: Octane Photography

Generally much of the 2015 season has been mere continuation of what was on view in 2014. A case of 'as you were'. Not least that Mercedes of course remains on top; not surprising given its chasm of an advantage over the rest last season and that regulation changes between years were modest.

Like this point last season too Lewis Hamilton has won three rounds from the first four and the perception is that he's driving as well as ever. Indeed, even on the first day of testing the team was giving serious notice of intent with a record number of laps - 80 laps on the first morning when all others combined managed only slightly more in 96. It was like they were, in Christian Horner's words, "taking the mickey".

The first race in Melbourne looked like more of the same from last campaign also, as Mercedes prevailed by a country mile. But there has been one grand shift from last season that has emerged since. And it came from the red corner, as in Australia both Ferraris' true pace was concealed by both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen spending much of race day in traffic. Since then we've seen what this year's red cars really are made of, and indeed Ferrari has done enough so far to demonstrate that the Mercs won't have it all their own way out front. The Scuderia's even won a race and might even have one another with the odd additional card tilting their way.