Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “I think it’s pretty much the hardest race of the year. Singapore is a slower track with slower corners, whereas Malaysia has high speed with high loads. Again, it’s a great challenge, a great track, and when you have a good car, it’s an amazing experience.

    I’ve always loved the track. It’s been my favourite track for a very long time. I just love the layout. There’s no one particular race that I remember significantly, except maybe Alonso’s race when he won and couldn’t stand on the podium because he was completely dehydrated. For me, I just love the track.

    I remember GP2 Asia in 2008. I had the pole position in Sepang by around a second or something like that. It was a very fast time. I stalled on the grid, came back from last and almost climbed back up to first, but I was pushed out by a backmarker. I finished ninth, while the top-eight were then reversed on the grid for the second race. I started the second race from ninth and finished second. It was a weekend where I should’ve won both races but, unfortunately, didn’t. I love the track though.”

Kevin Magnussen - “It’s pretty hot there. What makes it easier is that you’ve got longer straights to help you recover and get some wind on your body. In Singapore, everything is very low-speed and you’re constantly working on the steering wheel, braking, then getting back on power. You work a lot harder in Singapore than you do in Malaysia. The temperature is worse in Malaysia but, somehow, the race is a little bit easier. I don’t really do anything particular for mental preparation. It’s physical training, then your mental performance improves accordingly.

    I’ve always enjoyed the track. It’s not a bad circuit. It’s got some high-speed corners and that’s always what drivers enjoy. I’m a little bit sad to see it go as it’s been on the calendar for so long. Turns 5 and 6 (are my favourite parts), as they’re quite quick, and then 7 and 8, the double right-hander as well. Any high-speed corner in a Formula One car is always exciting. Into Turn 1 is a good (overtaking opportunity). The hairpin after the double right-hander is another one. The last corner as well, but usually it’s into Turn 1.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - “It’s one of the hottest Grands Prix of the year and we are tested and pushed to the limits. We have to drink a lot of fluids because we lose so much during the race. The track is challenging with lots of high speed corners and fast combinations. I enjoy going to Malaysia. The weather is always different to Europe and takes a bit of getting used to. When you fly there you can see the rainforest which is cool. Rhythm is important around Sepang and it’s a nice feeling when it goes right.

    Turn 1 goes on forever, it’s quite tricky to get right. It’s important to find a good flow and keep a good rhythm. The final sector is slightly slower and a bit more technical with long, sweeping corners. This year’s cars will mean some of these bends will be very, very quick. It’s always hard to find the right balance and tyre degradation is usually quite high. You need to be early on the throttle for both the back straight and then the start and finish straight.”

Jolyon Palmer - “It’s always nice and warm there and I tend to do well in these humid races; Malaysia last year, Singapore this year so I’m looking forward to it. It’s a cool track with a good atmosphere to match. It’s a flowing circuit with some long straights, fast corners and hard braking zones. We have a bit of confidence going there. The car keeps getting better, I’m certainly improving too so we’ll aim to get another good result.

    I raced in Sepang twice when I was in GP2 but for various reasons at the time I didn’t have any memorable finishes, although one year I came up to ninth from the back of the grid. Last year I got my first Formula 1 point; there are plenty of overtaking opportunities on the track so I’ll be looking to make the most of it and add some more points.

    Kuala Lumpur is a really cool city to explore and downtown you can visit the very modern areas with the big famous towers and then you have the more traditional areas and the markets. The city’s got a great vibe.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “After Singapore, I’m already eager to get back into the car and hopefully make it further than the first corner in Malaysia! Of course, what happened was disappointing and it’s difficult to hide your frustration when you’re the victim of someone else’s incident. I felt we had the potential to be really competitive – one of our only opportunities of the year – and it’s a shame we couldn’t bring home the points to prove it, but these things happen.

    The conditions in Malaysia will be very similar to Singapore – hot, humid and challenging for the drivers and the car. The configuration will work less in our favour, but of course we will still fight for everything. There are six races left and we are still putting all our energy in finishing every race in the best possible position we can.

    Sepang will be more difficult for us in terms of set-up since the straights require good straight-line speed and power, but this track is a mixture of a lot of different characteristics, so we’ll see how much we can make up on the slower-speed corners. The 2018 cars will definitely be faster through there, which will surely be fun to experience, and I hope we can avoid any drama and have a solid race.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “After Singapore, I’m looking forward to heading to Malaysia on the back of a positive weekend on my side of the garage. I felt strong all weekend and we were able to put in consistent performances in every session. It’s a shame we couldn’t score points with both cars as we all felt it was really deserved; Fernando was very unlucky, but we head to Kuala Lumpur with a bit more confidence and the objective of keeping this momentum going.

    Like Singapore, Malaysia will be a first for me as I’ve never raced there before. It’s a shame it’ll be the last time we’ll be racing there for a while, but that’s all the more reason to make the most of it. It looks to be a pretty cool track – challenging and similar conditions to Singapore – but hopefully potential to show what our car can do.

    It definitely won’t suit us as much as the Singapore track did, so we still need to be cautious about what’s possible, but having watched races there in the past, there’s always some kind of drama and the risk of a shower or two, so we’ll have our fingers crossed for an opportunity for us to mix it with cars a little bit further up the field.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Carlos Sainz - “I'm still buzzing from our P4 finish in Singapore last time out and it will give me a big boost in Malaysia, for sure! It was an amazing feeling to achieve my best F1 result up until now with the team, we worked very hard and we definitely deserved it! I've seen many videos on social media this past week reminding me about it and my favourite is the one where I cross the line and celebrate it over the radio with my race engineer… Boomshakalaka! And now I'm ready for Malaysia. I have good memories, especially of the 2015 race weekend as I performed my first comeback in F1 – I started from P15 and finished P8… The weather conditions in Sepang are always special. The rain showers are always close and it's not strange for the sun to be out one minute and then, all of a sudden, it starts to pour down with rain, especially in the afternoons! Having said that, it's never rained for me yet when racing there, maybe I will experience it this year?!”

Pierre Gasly (Driving in place of Kvyat during the full Malaysian GP Weekend) - “I am not worried, I am excited about making my debut in Sepang this weekend. I have worked hard to prepare for this and to get to F1. I am very happy to have this opportunity. I know it will be different to anything I've done before and the other drivers have been racing all season, so I will have a lot of things to get used to and learn about. It's a super challenge and I can't wait for it to start. I have raced in Sepang. It was last year, when I took pole position for the GP2 race, so clearly it's a track I like. It is very tough with the high level of humidity but I am well prepared physically.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “Malaysia is a place that means a lot to me. It’s where I got my first ever podium in Formula One, in 2012. After Singapore, it’s another very hot race. I think last year’s was the hottest race I’ve ever experienced during my whole career, so I expect to sweat a lot on Sunday!

    The weather is so unpredictable, you can have a big storm all of a sudden and then it can dry up again in five minutes, because it’s so warm and humid. Every year, Malaysia has been a special race because of the heat and the characteristics of the track. I’ll be really sad to see Sepang disappear from the calendar. I hope to see all the Malaysian fans at some other race and I hope they keep following us online.”

Esteban Ocon - “Sepang is such a beautiful track. I really love it. I enjoy chicanes and there are quite a few in Malaysia, with some nice combinations of fast and medium-speed corners. When you have a good car in qualifying, you can just feel the grip; it’s very enjoyable. On the other hand, it’s a very tough race because of the heat and humidity. The rain can play a big part – at least I am told! Last year everyone kept telling me that, but it was just mega sunny and warm all weekend. It’s sad we will be racing here for the last time because it’s such a cool track. I am going to miss it.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Another tough race ahead of us, with very hot and humid conditions in Malaysia. The track is a challenging one – it has both fast and slow corners, so it will be critical for us to get the tyres to work properly. I used the past week to recharge, and will do my best to come back stronger at the Malaysian Grand Prix. As for Japan – it is a very special race for me, as I lived and raced there in 2009. I have great memories of my time there and the atmosphere is always great. I feel like I am in my second home.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I look forward to the Malaysian Grand Prix. Like Singapore, the temperatures as well as the humidity are quite high, so it will be challenging both physically, in terms of enduring the heat in the car, and technically in terms of managing the tyres. Another special aspect of this race weekend is the unpredictable weather. After Malaysia we are heading to Japan – I am excited to go back there. The fans at Suzuka are real racing enthusiasts, so that makes it even more fun to race there.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “The race in Malaysia is another one held in very hot and humid conditions, but for this we go back to racing in the daylight. Without doubt it will be very difficult physically and us drivers will lose a lot of fluids. It is a shame that this will be our last F1 race there, as I like racing there and have some friends who live around Kuala Lumpur. I really hope we can enjoy this and it is a great last race for the fans.”

Lance Stroll - “The second of our three Asian races should be fun, as I like the look of the track in Malaysia and certainly seems a great one from a driver’s point of view. The area that looks like a lot of fun, especially in this year’s cars, is that S and a couple of high-speed corners, which are turns five/six or six/seven. The other thing I have noticed is it tends to rain a lot there, and it often comes down suddenly and heavily, so we are going to have to be prepared for everything. Also, as this is the last time we shall race there, I want to make the most of this opportunity.”

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Malaysian GP: Circuit Preview

MALAYSIAN GP - CIRCUIT PREVIEW + 2016 STATS

Name: Sepang International Circuit

Location: Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia

Opened: March 7th 1997

Length: 3.445 Miles

Capacity: 80,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 15

Race Laps: 56

2016 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Daniel Ricciardo

2nd Place: Max Verstappen

3rd Place: Nico Rosberg

Retirements: Sebastian Vettel (Collision), Romain Grosjean (Brakes), Kevin Magnussen (Power Loss), Esteban Gutierrez (Wheel), Lewis Hamilton (Engine) & Felipe Nasr (Brakes)

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Malaysian GP: Track Schedule

MALAYSIAN GP: TRACK SCHEDULE

September 28th / Thursday

12:00 - 12:30 - Petronas Taxi Ride - 12 People

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference

15:00 - 15:45 - Track Tour - Coach

15:45 - 16:45 - Pit-Lane Walk

17:30 - 18:00 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experiences) (F1 Experience Guests Only)

18:00 - 18:30 - Track Tour (F1 Experiences) (F1 Experience Guests Only)

September 29th / Friday

08:00 - 08:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:30 - Free Practice #1

13:30 - 14:00 - Truck Tour

13:30 - 14:30 - Pit-Lane Walk

15:00 - 16:30 - Free Practice #2

17:00 - 18:00 - Press Conference

September 30th / Saturday

11:00 - 11:30 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

12:00 - 13:00 - Drivers Fan Forum

12:30 - 13:30 - Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:00 - Free Practice #3

15:55 - 16:30 - Pit-Lane Walk

17:00 - 18:00 - Qualifying

19:10 - 19:40 - Truck Tour

October 1st / Sunday

10:35 - 11:20 - Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:00 - F1 Drivers Autograph Session (TBC)

13:05 - 14:10 - Pit-Lane Walk

13:15 - 13:45 - Truck Tour

13:30 - Drivers Track Parade

13:45 - 14:15 - Starting Grid Ceremony & Opening Ceremony

14:46 - National Anthem

15:00 - 17:00 - Race

(Subject to change)

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Aston Martin Confirmed As Title Sponsor For Red Bull Racing

RED BULL SECURES ASTON MARTIN AS TITLE SPONSOR

    Aston Martin hasn’t ruled out supplying engines to Formula 1 teams as it reveals it will be Red Bull’s title sponsor in 2018.

    The car manufacturer is stepping up its involvement with Red Bull Racing after starting an “Innovation Partnership” with the team in 2016. More than 100 Aston Martin staff will move to Milton Keynes to work on “innovative, new projects” but it’s understood it that won’t include becoming an engine supplier. Yet.

    “The power unit discussions [in F1] are of interest to us, but only if the circumstances are right,” said Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. “We are not about to enter an engine war with no restrictions in cost of dynamometer hours but we believe that if the FIA can create the right environment we would be interested in getting involved.”

    Rumours Red Bull is looking for a new engine supplier have spread after sister team Toro Rosso ended its contract with Renault early to move to Honda power.

    Aston Martin has no history in modern F1, but has taken success in the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Perez Confirmed At Force India For 2018

SERGIO PEREZ TO STAY WITH FORCE INDIA IN 2018

    Sergio Perez will continue alongside Esteban Ocon at Force India next season after signing a one-year extension with the team.

    Despite a difficult start to the season in which he came to blows with new team-mate Ocon, who signed a multiyear deal with Force India at the start of the year, Perez claimed staying with the team was an “easy decision.”

    “Staying with Sahara Force India was always my priority,” he said.

    “It’s a team that has allowed me to show my talents as a driver and I feel very happy here. I’m proud of everything we have already achieved together and I think there is more to come.

    The team has done an amazing job this year to develop the car and establish our position as the fourth best team in Formula 1. In the end, it was an easy decision to continue our journey together.”

    Force India is eager to promote stability within the team to continue its climb up through the constructors’ rankings.

    “Sergio has played an important role in our success story over the last few years,” said team principal Vijay Mallya. “Since joining us in 2014, he has matured to become one of the quickest and most consistent drivers on the grid. His track record speaks for itself as the most successful Force India driver ever with four podiums."

    "Alongside Esteban, retaining Sergio gives us stability going into next season and one of the most exciting driver pairings in Formula 1.”

    2018 will be Perez’s eighth season in F1. The Mexican joined the championship in 2011 with a two-year stint at Sauber. In only his second year, Perez took two second place finishes and a third to finish 10th in the standings before switching to McLaren.

    After an unhappy year at McLaren, where his best finish was a fifth in India, Perez switched to Force India. In his four years at the team, Perez has taken four third place finishes and 100 points. He is currently seventh in the drivers’ championship.

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Singapore GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton extends his lead of the Formula 1 championship with a win in the Singapore Grand Prix whilst title rival Sebastian Vettel collided on the opening lap.

    Starting from pole, Vettel quickly moved to cover a fast starting Max Verstappen, not realizing team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was alongside Verstappen after an amazing start from the Finn. The trio collided, Verstappen pushed into McLaren’s Fernando Alonso who was sent airborne.

    Verstappen and Raikkonen retired on the spot. Vettel was able to limp on a little longer but eventually brought his Ferrari to a stop on track. Alonso pitted to retire a few laps later.

    Hamilton led Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg in drying conditions after the safety car period. After a tough Friday and Saturday for Mercedes, Hamilton had the pace to keep Ricciardo at bay, even when Ricciardo pitted for fresh intermediate tyres. He eventually finished four and a half seconds ahead of Ricciardo, who took his third Singapore second place in as many years.

    Poor pit stops from Renault promoted Valtteri Bottas to third ahead of Carlos Sainz and Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg moved into fourth after the pit stops for slick tyres, but couldn’t keep up with Bottas. The Renault driver retired late in the race after a long stop to solve a hydraulics problem.

    Sainz, who spent the second part of the race battling with Sergio Perez, was able to keep the Force India driver at bay to take fourth, his best F1 result to date.

    Jolyon Palmer managed a fantastic start after the first safety car to pass Valtteri Bottas. Less than a week after discovering he wouldn’t be racing for Renault next season, the Brit was briefly running second during the pit stop window, but a poor stop dropped him down the order. He finished sixth after battling with Stoffel Vandoorne to take his first points of the season.

    Vandoorne took seventh ahead of Lance Stroll and Romain Grosjean.

    Esteban Ocon took the final points paying position after a race long battle with Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen, in which Magnussen almost pushed Ocon into the barriers. Ocon and Massa did make contact, but both were able to continue, eventually finishing 10th and 11th. The same couldn’t be said for Magnussen, whose MGU-K died late in the race and he slowed to a stop.

    Pascal Wehrlein was the final finisher in 12th. His team-mate Marcus Ericsson lost the rear of his Sauber and hit the barrier late in the race. Daniil Kvyat also ran into the barriers and brought out the safety car after locking up on the end of the back straight not long after the first safety car.

    Hamilton leaves Singapore 28 points ahead of Vettel, whilst Bottas closes the gap to second to just 23 points.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / + 12 Points
5. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 10 Points
6. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / 8 Points
7. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium / 6 Points
8. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada / + 4 Points
9. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 2 Points
10. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France / + 1 Point
11. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
12. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / MGU-K
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Hydraulics
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Collision
RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia / Collision
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / Collision
RETIRED - Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / Collision
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Collision
RETIRED - Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / Collision

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Singapore GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel took Pole Position for the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix, while the Mercedes drivers were unable to find the pace and ended up finishing 5th and 6th. Marcus Ericsson was the only one to take a grid penalty due to an unscheduled gearbox change.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

6. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

8. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

9. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

11. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia

14. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

15. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

16. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

17. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

18. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

19. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

20. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden*

* - (Ericsson) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox change

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Singapore GP: Free Practice #3 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    It was Red Bull on top once again in the final practice session of the Singapore GP Weekend. While Ricciardo had topped the first two sessions, this time it was his younger Dutch team-mate, Verstappen who had the quickest time with a 1:41.829.

    Sebastian Vettel was close behind with a 1:41.901. Hamilton, Alonso and Vandoorne rounded up the top 5, making it another surprisingly good session for McLaren-Honda. While Vandoorne is confirmed at McLaren for 2018, when they switch to Renault engines, it is unsaid if Alonso will be re-signing with the Woking-based team.

    Sauber was once again at the bottom of the time-sheets as both drivers struggled to find pace around the narrow street circuit. Marcus Ericsson crashed during the session, bringing out the only Red Flags of the hour. Sauber remain one of few teams who have yet to announce their 2018 line-up.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:41.829 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:41.901 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:41.971 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
4. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.383 / McLaren-Honda / Spain
5. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:42.439 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:42.517 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia
7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.549 / Renault-Renault / Germany
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:42.592 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
9. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.708 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
10. Sergio Perez - 1:43.010 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
11. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.109 / Force India-Mercedes / France
12. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.356 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
13. Jolyon Palmer - 1:43.368 / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:43.574 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia
15. Felipe Massa - 1:43.724 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:44.041 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
17. Lance Stroll - 1:44.223 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
18. Romain Grosjean - 1:44.295 / Haas-Ferrari / France
19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:45.760 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany
20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:46.339 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Singapore GP: Free Practice #2 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Daniel Ricciardo was once again at the top of the time-sheets, this time with a 1:40.852. Finishing close behind was team-mate, Verstappen with a 1:41.408. Both Mercedes drivers, Hamilton and Bottas, as well as Renault's, Hulkenberg, completed the top 5.

    Carlos Sainz, freshly announced as heading to Renault for 2018, finished in 12th with a 1:43.236. Kvyat was just behind in 13th with a 1:43.608. It has not yet been announced who will partner Kvyat in 2018, if Kvyat is to keep his seat at the soon-to-be Honda-powered Italian team.

    While there were no major incidents in the session, there were plenty of drivers to 'tap' or 'brush' the walls along the narrow circuit. Singapore has been notorious for it's 100% chance of a safety car during the Sunday race.

    McLaren continued to show good pace, having an out-of-ordinary good start to their weekend, with little-to-no mechanical dramas. Stoffel Vandoorne finished the session up in 6th with a 1:42.501, while Alonso was close behind in 7th with a 1:42.788. 

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:40.852 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

2. Max Verstappen - 1:41.408 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:41.555 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:42.104 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.448 / Renault-Renault / Germany

6. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:42.501 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium

7. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.788 / McLaren-Honda / Spain

8. Sergio Perez - 1:42.826 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

9. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.835 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

10. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.054 / Force India-Mercedes / France

11. Sebastian Vettel - 1:43.104 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

12. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.236 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

13. Daniil Kvyat - 1:43.608 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia

14. Jolyon Palmer - 1:43.795 / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

15. Felipe Massa - 1:43.836 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

16. Lance Stroll - 1:44.301 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:44.417 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

18. Romain Grosjean - 1:44.928 / Haas-Ferrari / France

19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:45.673 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.721 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Singapore GP: Free Practice #1 - Re-Cap & Times

SINGAPORE GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Daniel Ricciardo beat Sebastien Vettel and team-mate Max Verstappen to the top of the times in the first practice ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Ricciardo set a time of 1m42.489s late in the session to go a tenth of a second quicker than Vettel.

    The Ferrari drivers had left it late to compete with Mercedes and Red Bull, who was testing new sidepods, but eventually finished second and seventh fastest.

    Verstappen spent most of the second half of the session top of the times after Lewis Hamilton set the pace early. He finished third fastest whilst Hamilton dropped down to fourth as the session progressed.

    Sergio Perez split the Mercedes drivers, a 1m43.423 putting him fifth, just a hundredth of a second faster than Bottas.

    Both Renault drivers found mechanical problems early in the session. Nico Hulkenberg was told to “urgently” switch to a fail mode, but managed to fix the problem and finished ninth fastest. Jolyon Palmer “lost” the brake pedal at one point. His problem was also resolved and he finished 12th.

    Lance Stroll had his session shortened by a gearbox problem that left his Williams crawling back to the pits. He finished 17th fastest after only 11 laps.

    Fernando Alonso didn’t run into problems, finishing eighth fastest, though he told his engineer they could have been P1.

    Daniil Kvyat completed the top 10.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:42.489 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:42.598 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
3. Max Verstappen - 1:42.610 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:42.904 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
5. Sergio Perez - 1:43.423 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.434 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
7. Kimi Raikkonen – 1:43.734 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
8. Fernando Alonso - 1:43.759 / McLaren-Honda / Spain
9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:44.101 / Renault-Renault / Germany
10. Daniil Kvyat - 1:44.220 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia
11. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:44.340 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
12. Jolyon Palmer - 1:44.961 / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
13. Esteban Ocon - 1:45.053 / Force India-Mercedes / France
14. Felipe Massa - 1:45.084 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
15. Romain Grosjean - 1:46.456 / Haas-Ferrari / France
16. Antonio Giovinazzi - 1:46.782 / Haas-Ferrari / Italy*
17. Lance Stroll - 1:47.190 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
18. Sean Galael - 1:47.570 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Indonesia*
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:47.699 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
20. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:47.886 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

* - Driving in FP1 only.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Renault Confirms Sainz For 2018

RENAULT CONFIRMS CARLOS SAINZ FOR 2018

    Carlos Sainz Jnr will replace Jolyon Palmer at Renault for the 2018 Formula 1 season.

    Sainz will switch from Toro Rosso, where he made his F1 debut in 2015, as part of the deal to allow the team to end its deal with Renault early.

    It’s understood Sainz has only been loaned to Renault, and could return to a Red Bull team in the future.

    “To be a Formula 1 driver for a manufacturer team is an honour and I hope to reward Renault’s faith in me with my very best performances on track,” Sainz said.

    “The trajectory of Renault Formula One Team is exciting and I’m proud to join at such an important time in their history.

    I am looking forward to working with everyone at Enstone and Viry, and driving alongside Nico Hulkenberg.

    I have worked very closely with Renault in Formula 1 and previously in motorsport, so I know their motivation and capabilities.”

    Before joining Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen in 2015, Sainz raced in the Formula Renault 3.5 series, taking the title in 2014 with seven victories.

    Since joining F1, Sainz has taken 100 points from 25 points finishes, with a best finish of sixth

    “Carlos Sainz is a very promising driver who has been on our radar for some time, especially after his successes in Renault junior formulae,” Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul said.

    “It is positive news for us to be able to confirm Carlos for 2018. This choice is well aligned with out mid-term strategic plans.

    We feel that Nico and Carlos will complement each other on and off track and the combination should help us push forwards on the grid.”

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Honda Engines For Toro Rosso, Renault Engines For McLaren

TORO ROSSO GRABS HONDA ENGINES FOR 2018 AS McLAREN SIGNS ON FOR RENAULT ENGINES

    Toro Rosso will use Honda power from 2018 after agreeing a multi-year deal with the Japanese manufacturer.

    The Red Bull junior ends its contract with Renault early and its understood the loan of Carlos Sainz to the works team was part of the negotiations.

    “Everyone in our team is very much looking forward to working with Honda,” said team principal Franz Tost.

    “Ever since its founder Soichiro Honda entered his motorcycles in events, racing has always been a central part of the company’s ethos.

    It’s a very exciting challenge and I hope that both parties will gain a great deal from it as we develop together,”

    “It will be a question of adaption of our plans rather than a wholesale change and we are in the process of re-planning our design and production activities in conjunction with Honda to ensure that we both hit all our important deadlines,” said technical director James Key.

    "There are some challenges to face given the time of year but Toro Rosso has faced many different tasks with timing in the past and has the flexibility to deal with it.

    We will be working hard not to only re-design the power unit installation but also to ensure that this has minimal or no effect on our ongoing development work for 2018 – that is our current target"

    It’s not the first time Toro Rosso has used different engines to sister team Red Bull - the team has only recently switched from Ferrari power – but it has only ever used old engines when using a different manufacturer to Red Bull. This time Toro Rosso will use the latest iteration of Honda engines.

    The news comes as McLaren confirms it has ended its relationship with Honda after three years of disappointing results.

    McLaren has signed a three-year deal with Toro Rosso’s current manufacturer Renault in the hope it can be competitive again in 2018.

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Ferrari Retains Sebastian Vettel

FERRARI RETAINS SEBASTIAN VETTEL FOR 2018

    Sebastian Vettel has secured his Formula 1 future with Ferrari after brief discussions with Mercedes.

    Vettel’s contract with the Italian team was due to end at the end of this season, but a three-year extension means he will remain at Ferrari until 2021.

    The German had been linked to a possible move to Mercedes but Niki Lauda confirmed they had stopped discussions when it became clear Vettel didn’t want to leave Ferrari.

    The deal means Ferrari will not change its driver line-up for a fourth consecutive season, with Vettel’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen already confirmed for 2018.

    Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015 and has so far taken seven wins for the Italian teams. This season he became the first Ferrari driver since Fernando Alonso in 2013 to lead a Formula 1 championship.

    He is currently second in the championship just three points behind points leader Lewis Hamilton.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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