Alonso Out Of Bahrain GP

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso has been ruled out of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Following the spectacular crash during the opening round of the 2016 season, Alonso reported to the medical centre ahead of the race, to see if he was fit for the job. After a chest CT scan, doctors decided it was best to not allow the Spaniard to race.

Two sets of scans were compared which showed it would be unsafe to allow Alonso to complete.

Now the McLaren driver competing in next month’s Chinese Grand Prix is coming into question too, as a repeat scan has been requested before the third round of the championship.

Reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne will make his Formula One debut replacing Alonso.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - "Melbourne was amazing. Nothing can prepare you for the feeling of lining up on the grid for the first time and taking the chequered flag at the end of your first Grand Prix. They are special memories for sure. As a team we learned a lot in Melbourne. Qualifying didn't work out well for us and as we have the same format here in Bahrain we need to put those lessons into practice. We still have a way to go with optimising the set-up to counter the tyre degradation problems we experienced in the second half of the race. It was a good start, but there's a lot of room for improvement in every area, including me. My first F1 night race will be fun and it's really cool to have that experience so early in my F1 career. I'm sure the circuit will feel spectacular to drive under the lights. I can't wait."

Rio Haryanto - "My debut was an incredible experience and one I'd waited a long time for, so I tried not to dwell too heavily on retiring. There were too many positives to take away from the weekend so that's what I did. On a personal level I was quite happy with my pace and how I translated everything I'd learned at the tests into a race weekend context. I know the team were disappointed with the problem that ended my race but it's all about looking forward and there's so much more to come. My first night race will be pretty special! Generally though, I think the weekend here will be a lot smoother and I've got some really good experience to draw on in every area. Most of all, I can't wait to see the chequered flag!"

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “Bahrain is not a circuit that looks very technical from a paper point of view, but I love driving it every year. It’s a big straight into turn one. Big braking and a tricky exit to turn two, and then you head up the hill approaching turn four. It’s got tricky braking with long lateral g’s and acceleration going into the high speed section of (turns) five, six and seven. The wind can have a big influence at those corners. Then you have the hairpin down the hill, going up against (turns) nine and 10 where you can easily have some front-locking because there’s a lot of g’s there under braking. Then the back straight takes you to turn 11, an uphill corner, then turn 12 where it can be flat out if you’ve got a really good car. Tricky braking into turn 13 because you’re coming from a high-speed corner. You really want to go early on the power to go down to turn 14, which is the last corner, again big braking before accelerating to cross the Start/Finish line.

We need to get more running. We need to get more mileage and further our understanding of the car. We have a long list of things we want to try and do, and things to improve. It’s a lot of work but, on the other hand, it means we can improve the car by a big chunk. I always like to keep things positive. If we can do a lot of that in Bahrain, the car will improve and that means we can keep working on better results.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “I think, in general, we can go to Bahrain making our next step forward as a team. In both organization and communication there has not been much time for the team to breath because of the hard work in building the car and testing in Barcelona and then the first Grand Prix. Hopefully, we can consolidate things and get everything done and try to make the best of our potential. It’s quite impressive that even though we have not been able to experiment a lot, we have a very good base line. So, I’m really looking forward to get to know more of the car to experiment more and really work on the best direction for our setup. Bahrain will help us a lot to get more consistent running, more laps in practice and hopefully a smooth weekend.”

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Carlos Sainz - “Turn 1 is very tight at the start, meaning that a lot of cars need to fit in a small space. I remember having a tough moment through Turns 1 and 2 at the start last year, with a lot of cars bunching up. The race takes place at night, so your braking points change during the weekend and you take your references from FP2. I remember Turn 6 being difficult all weekend, suffering a lot from understeer because of the wind always changing the balance of the car.

Turns 9 and 10 are the most difficult corners, not only of this track but also of the season, because it’s a double apex and you brake through the whole area, making it easy to front-lock a lot. You will always be able to see the marks of the tyres in that braking zone. I also remember Turn 12 being a challenge because it’s always on the limit – you can go flat there one lap if the wind is okay, but then you try to do the same the following lap and it’s impossible because of the wind. It’s tricky, but it gives the driver a lot of pleasure when you manage to do it well!

Finally, at the last corner you have to make sure you get a good exit. Last year we struggled a bit with top speed, so it was all about getting a lot of traction out of there – I remember this straight being a bit too long for us… Maybe no longer that much this year!”

Max Verstappen - “The Bahrain circuit has a very long straight – too long last year! – and they overtook me quite a few times there in 2015… It's not a nice feeling and inside your head you're talking to yourself and saying “C'mon, c'mon!”; it's frustrating, but there's not much more you can do when another car is quicker than you. I also remember a lot of national flags on the left after the first three turns. I first saw them during the track walk, but then I sometimes also had time to see them while driving. Turns 5, 6 and 7 were a bit tough to get right when it was dark as the braking points change, but it's still a nice part of the track as I always enjoy the fast corners.

Turns 9 and 10 were quite difficult for the front-locking and it's easy to flat-spot your tyres there – something you don't want to do during a race! In general, it's special to race in the evening, while it's getting dark. Hopefully this year we will score some points there, because Toro Rosso has never scored any in Bahrain! So this is definitely a good target that I will be looking to achieve.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Bahrain Grand Prix is the first night race of the season. I especially enjoy the surroundings under the floodlights, which looks pretty nice on TV. I know the track well from my previous two seasons in Formula 1, but also from GP2, as I have been there many times. Last year I put in a good performance as well as having a strong race. I was going for points, which did not work out in the end due to other circumstances. However, I will take that positive feeling from last year’s race weekend with me.”


Felipe Nasr - “The Bahrain Grand Prix is a special race weekend for me. Having Lebanese roots from my grandfather, I have always liked being in the Middle East. For me as a driver it is nice to not only get huge support from Brazil, but also from where we are. The track itself is great fun to drive and to race at night makes the event even more special.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Bahrain is definitely a place I really enjoy racing. I’ve won twice there and I’ve had many other good results. I always enjoy going there, including many times for testing. I like the people as well as the place in general and I look forward to having a good race there. It’s the second race of the season now and I really hope we can have another fantastic result in a place I enjoy.”

Valtteri Bottas - “The Bahrain evening race is a really nice one. I prefer it much more as an evening race. The track looks good and is just as nice to drive. It’s a good track for racing and I got a decent result last year. It’s quite a different kind of track to Melbourne, so it’s going to be interesting to see where we are compared to the others; because it’s more like a standard race track rather than the Melbourne street circuit. It will still only be the second race of the season, so I’m looking forward to it.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - “Next up is Bahrain, which is a special place. As a circuit, it's very different to Melbourne: it's not bumpy at all; it's very smooth and it's full of slow corners. There are a several overtaking spots and the whole track, with long straights and big braking zones, makes for some great wheel-to-wheel racing. It's a track that rewards attacking, so hopefully we will see lots of action in the race. And of course, it's a night race so the atmosphere of the whole event is very different!

One of my favourite things about Bahrain is the paddock. It looks like it’s straight out of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, with the lights and buildings all adding to the atmosphere. It's one of my favourite events of the season. We will arrive there in a good place and we have the potential to get another strong result.”

Sergio Perez - “Australia didn't bring the result I was hoping for so I am targeting a better outcome from Bahrain. Getting a bad start really compromised my race last time out because I got stuck in the middle of cars on different strategies and I couldn't recover. However, it’s a long season and I have an opportunity to get back in the points in Bahrain.

The racing is never boring in Bahrain so fans should enjoy some good entertainment. There are long straights and sharp braking zones so it's great for overtaking, but the big tractions zones make this a tough track for the rear tyres. I think tyre degradation will be a key factor in the outcome of this race. The track evolves a lot as the race goes on, as the cars sweep away all the sand and dust that the wind has blown onto the track.

I have some very good memories from Bahrain - the race in 2014 was just fantastic when I celebrated my first podium with the team. I am confident we can be strong again this year and get back all the points I missed in Australia. Even in Melbourne, there were lots of positives we can build on, such as our strong qualifying speed and race pace. The team is doing a great job back at the factory and we should have some interesting new bits on the car, too, so I am feeling confident.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA 1 TEAM

Jolyon Palmer - “I raced there in GP2 and it’s a track I have been successful on in the past. I won the last race I did there, then I also had a podium. I also drove in practice last year. The track is OK. There are a lot of straights so plenty of overtaking opportunities, so we will find out more about the car in this trim. There is a lot of track evolution as it is very sandy at the start of weekend, and then the track gets more and more rubber down, so conditions change a lot. The weather is almost always sunny, but it can be quite windy, which can blow sand onto the track. The fact it’s a night race is pretty interesting as it’s still very dry. In terms of set up, practice 1 and 3 are hard as they are a lot hotter than the race but there is a lot we can do in procedural terms, such as aero tests. I will be more relaxed now I have one race under my belt, particularly as I finished all 58 laps. I feel much more comfortable after pre-season testing and am looking forward to going to a track I know and have won at before.”

Kevin Magnussen - “It’s not the most exciting track, to be honest! The heat is a major challenge and it is tough on the rear tyres so having a car that looks after them will be an advantage. There are also four long straights so it is a power orientated track. I will enjoy getting out there and if you ask me if the race could be tomorrow I’d be there, no questions asked!”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “Firstly, I’m very pleased to be heading to Bahrain after the crash in Australia. I’ve spent some time resting and I can’t wait to get back in the car. Although on paper Melbourne wasn’t a great race for us, before the crash I’d been having some good battles and the car felt pretty promising, so I hope in Bahrain we can experience more of the same.

There’s also been a massive effort from the teams in Woking and Sakura, who have been flat-out manufacturing parts for this race to ensure we can get back up to speed after the chassis was damaged, and I’m hugely impressed with how quickly they’ve managed to turn it around. We’re still pushing to bring upgrades to each race, so providing we can get everything to the car in time we’ll be aiming to get as much track time as possible with the new chassis from the start of free practice.

Living in Dubai, I’m used to the climate in the Middle East, and racing in different temperatures over the weekend, as well as managing the car’s performance over a long race distance in tough conditions, brings another level to the challenge for the drivers. I’m looking forward to seeing what our package is capable of at what has previously been a pretty challenging circuit for us. I really enjoy racing in Bahrain. It’s been a good circuit for me in the past – I’ve had three victories there – and there are quite a few good opportunities to overtake. There are lots of variables to think about and it’s one of the longest races, which usually produces some kind of drama. Hopefully we can enjoy some close racing and keep ourselves out of trouble.”

Jenson Button - “Bahrain is a fun track to drive on and very different from Albert Park in its configuration. It’s tough on brakes and fuel, and good balance is key to putting together a lap, as you need down-force on the long, fast straights and then stability and traction through the lower-speed corners. It’s a more extreme version of Australia in many ways, with the track starting off very dirty and rubbering in over the weekend. While that makes the track faster, we also have to juggle the rapidly cooling temperatures on race day after the sun sets.

I’m really keen to get back behind the wheel, as, although it didn’t show in our results from Australia, our package felt very good to drive and the team worked really hard to bring a step forward in driveability from testing to the first race. Bahrain is definitely a tricky track for us as it’s high-speed, but we have a solid platform and improved deployment, so there are some positives to look forward to. We made a couple of misjudgements on the strategy side in Melbourne, but it’s all part of the learning curve with the new tyre compound rules. Together with the engineers we’ve studied the data and hopefully we can make some good calls in Bahrain, pull together the various stages of the race and achieve a more representative result.

The landscape of racing in the desert after sunset is always really special and brings a new dimension to the spectacle. Everything in Bahrain is always very slick and it’s an impressive place to be. My win there in 2009 is still a great memory and the wide track and run-off areas mean it’s a fun circuit on which to battle. I hope we can mix it with the midfield pack – it’s a very competitive area of the field – so we’ll be pushing hard to get the maximum from our package as soon as we can.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Daniil Kvyat - “I like the weather in Bahrain and the track is good. It might look like a simple, modern track but actually it’s very challenging to put a strong lap together. I like that Bahrain is a night race, it gives it some passion! And night racing feels like you are going into space!

The races in Bahrain are good, there is a long main straight and good overtaking opportunity after Turn 1. Then there is the tow again to Turn 4, so there are good opportunities to race. This is where most of the racing happens in Turn 1, Turn 2, and Turn 4 and maybe Turn 8 as well sometimes. To me, this track has been OK, last year there were a few issues, but in the race it was fine. I had an OK race there when I was at STR (Scuderia Toro Rosso) as well. There is a long straight which was our weakness last year but this year we are looking to find some improvements so it could turn out to be quite a competitive track for us. If we can grab a few good points for both cars, that would be great.”

Daniel Ricciardo - “I think the track’s always been pretty fun to race on, I feel I’ve always had good results at this track, and there are good places for overtaking. Since it’s been a night race it’s become a lot more exciting. The tyres last a bit longer and you can push a bit harder throughout the race so it’s been a good challenge the last few years and a place I’ve always enjoyed. There’s not really one standout corner that’s like "Woah" but it’s all pretty cool and the middle sector is quite fun. Night races are fun, for whatever reason it feels like you go a bit faster at night, so it’s exciting. If every race was a night race it wouldn’t have that same atmosphere so it’s cool that we have a few across the year.

The track is good for overtaking, the last corner flows quite well and if you can get close for DRS you can get a good run into Turn 1. If you don’t get it into Turn 1, then there’s Turn 4 or the middle sectors where it’s easy to make mistakes. There’s probably four places you can pass on the track which is pretty good. The track does suit us, the last couple of years we’ve had a pretty good result, so hopefully we can continue that this year as well.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - I'm excited at the thought of more races like Melbourne. There are going to be weekends where we're a few seconds up the road from Ferrari, races where it's wheel to wheel and races where they might be ahead. We really don't know - and that's exciting. I have a good feeling about my pace. I was ahead all weekend until the race start last time out, so I'm confident heading to Bahrain. It's been entertaining on track for the past two seasons there, so more of the same would be great! There's been a lot of talk about the rules and whether the drivers should be more involved in decision making. It's not our job to come up with ideas and we all have different opinions anyway. But personally, I think we need more mechanical grip and less aero wake coming off the back of the cars so we can get close and overtake. Give us five seconds' worth of lap time from aero and nothing will change - we'll just be driving faster. I speak as somebody who loves this sport and loves racing. I don't have all the answers - but I know that the changes we're making won't deliver better racing."


Nico Rosberg - "We've stepped up our game once again with a fantastic car. But Ferrari were a real threat all weekend in Melbourne and it's clear that we've got a big battle on our hands, so we have to keep pushing very hard. The new radio rules make things quite a big challenge. It's tough out there - and for me it's a good direction we've taken, giving the drivers more responsibility. The important thing is whether it's what the fans want to see, so we need to listen to them. It's Bahrain next - a track which always seems to provide entertainment for me! I've had some great battles there in the last two years with Lewis and also the Ferraris, so I'm expecting more of the same this time and very much looking forward to that. It was great to win the first race - but the aim is to come out on top at every step of the way this season, starting this weekend. There's a long way to go."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Bahrain GP: Circuit Preview

BAHRAIN GP 2016 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW & 2015 STATS

Name: Bahrain International Circuit

Location: Sakhir, Bahrain

Opened: March 17th 2004

Length: 3.363 Miles

Capacity: 70,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 15 

Race Laps: 57

2015 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place Kimi Raikkonen

3rd Place: Nico Rosberg

Retirements: Jenson Button (DNS - Power Unit), Carlos Sainz (Wheel hub) & Max Verstappen (Electrical)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Bahrain GP: Track Schedule

BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2016 - TRACK SCHEDULE

March 31st / Thursday

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

17:00 - 18:45 - 3-Day-Ticket-Holder (Walk Only)

April 1st / Friday

12:35 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #1

15:45 - 16:55 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

18:00 - 19:30 - Free Practice #2

20:00 - 21:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

April 2nd / Saturday

12:15 - 14:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:30 - 13:15 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

15:00 - 16:00 - Free Practice #3

16:15 - 17:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

18:00 - 19:00 - Qualifying

April 3rd / Sunday

15:30 - 17:10 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

16:30 - Drivers Track Parade

16:45 - 17:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

17:46 - National Anthem

18:00 - Race Start

(Times subject to change)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Renault's Revised Livery

Renault Formula 1 team have made a splash after launching their definitive colour scheme for the 2016 season.
Aiming to bring a bit of colour for the grid, Renault have chosen to keep their distinctive yellow-fold and black colours, but moving the emphasis onto the yellow, attracting comparisons to bananas from social media.

The team debuted its new colours at an event in Docklands, Melbourne, ahead of the start of the 2016 season.
To celebrate the new livery, the R.S.16 surfed the waves on a 7.5m long surfboard in a photoshoot with drivers Kevin Magnussen and 

Jolyon Palmer and pro surfer Ellie-Jean Coffey. 

For all those curious, it was just a show car. The team aren’t risking the start of their first championship in their return to Formula 1 going wrong because of a little water damage. 

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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Increased Radio Restrictions - What's Allowed?

With the new radio restrictions coming into play in Melbourne, drivers may have felt more alone than ever in the car. For some – the now iconic “leave me alone, I know what I’m doing” springs to mind – this might be a welcome relief, but a lot of people, both on and off track, fear the restrictions might have gone too far.

The driver must drive the car unaided, say the sporting regulations. Well, what does that actually mean?

There are now 31 things the drivers can be told from the pit wall whilst they’re in the car. And that’s pretty much it. Those are listed below.

The FIA brought in these restrictions to make sure the drivers get as little assistance as possible from their engineers back in the garage, following the technical advances that have been brought in over the years. They say this will make the driver more in control of his own race.

Whilst almost everyone wants drivers to be drivers and not puppets for the engineers – well, maybe not the engineers who stress over what the driver needs to be doing to win the race – a lot of people think the restrictions may have gone too far, with Red Bull’s Christian Horner saying the clamp down is bad for the fans and Mercedes Toto Wolff saying it will lead to more errors.

However, Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting told Autosport the restrictions is the only way to stop the “intolerable level” of coaching from the pit wall.

“The main point is the driver should be doing things. He should be driving the car and he should be doing the things a driver is normally expected to do.”

What can they say?

1. Indication of a critical problem with the car

2. Indication of a problem with a competitor’s car

3. Instructions as to when to pit

4. Marshaling information (flags, race start aborted, etc.)

5. Make the driver aware of wet track, oil, or debris in certain corners

6. Instructions on swapping places with other drivers (whether the driver wants to hear this or not is another matter…)

7. Acknowledgement that a driver’s message has been heard.

8. Lap or sector time information

9. Lap times of a competitor

10. Gaps to a competitor

11. “Push hard”

12. Warnings about traffic

13. Gaps between cars in qualifying to help them get into a better position for a clear lap

14. Tyre choices

15. Number of laps a competitor has done on a set of tyres

16. Tyre specification of a competitor

17. What a competitor’s likely race strategy is

18. Safety car window

19. Driving breaches by the driver or a competitor

20. Notification of DRS disabled or enabled

21. Dealing with a DRS system failure

22. Change of front wing position in the next pit stop

23. Oil transfer

24. When to enter the pits

25. Reminders to check for white lines, bollards, or weighbridge lights when entering or leaving the pits

26. Reminders about track limits

27. Passing on messages from race control

28. Information concerning damage to the car

29. Number of laps remaining

30. Test sequence information during practice sessions

31. Weather information

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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The "Halo" Concept

The “halo” concept has divided opinions both on and off track, with most drivers coming out in favour of safety over looks whilst others would rather race without the device. Ferrari tested the controversial wishbone design at the second preseason test, the first time the design has been out in public.

The head protection concept was designed by Mercedes: a halo shaped loop which would protect the driver from certain types of debris, held up with a single central strut which would deflect head on impacts.

One of the main concern many pundits have is over visibility. Whilst the binocular effect would make the central beam practically invisible if the driver were looking directly ahead, the wide range of twists and turns Formula One will run through might make the halo a bit more of a problem.

Another concern is whether the halo would make it more difficult to get a driver out of the car following an accident, which could make matters worse instead of safer.

Testing will continue and other devices are being trialled in an effort to increase safety following the deaths of Henry Surtees and Justin Wilson last year.

But, at the moment, who’s for and against?

Sebastian Vettel, who trailed the halo at testing, is very firmly for.

"It's not the picture you are used to seeing for F1," he admitted. "I agree it doesn't look very nice.

"But if it helps increase the safety and helps save lives, there would be at least two drivers who would still be around - Henry Surtees and Justin Wilson - if we had this type of system.

"It can be ugly but nothing justifies not having these two guys around any more."

Williams' chief technical officer Pat Symonds is also pro-halo: "I think it's quite good. I always support us trying to improve safety on the cars. I've never been afraid of things that are different - I don't hold any traditional views of open cockpits or anything like that. I'm perfectly happy with it.

"It doesn't cover everything, but it's certainly a step forward. Whether ultimately a closed cockpit is better, for sure it's going to save someone's life.”

Current world champion, Lewis Hamilton, is less enthusiastic about the device, and argued it should be optional if it is brought in.

"I hope that's not what they bring out, I really do," he said. "But if it is, ultimately it's the drivers' protection so we should have a choice individually - I should be able to decide whether to put that on my car.

"It wouldn't be something I'd choose.

"I like it the way it is now - when I get in the car I know there's a certain risk. Safety is a very important issue for sure, but there are risks that we take and you have to decide how much of a risk you are going to take. I'd rather drive without it and risk it."

Nico Hulkenberg also thought the device would have a negative impact on Formula One.

"Don't do it. It sends the wrong message. F1 is very safe at the moment. It looks horrible, I don't like it and it's just one of these little personal things that I wouldn't like to see it.

"Safety standards in F1 are pretty high and very good, I'd be happy to accept those risks and keep running as we are."

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

No copyright infringement intended - Photo rights belong to the owner

Revised Qualifying Explained

Qualifying got a shake up after a new format had been approved by the FIA. The controversial format is elimination style, and debuted at the opening Grand Prix in Australia just a few days ago.

The Format, which some see as complicated, retains the three sessions which will decide the grid in stages, but the layout of these sessions had changed

The first round of qualifying is sixteen minutes long. After the first seven minutes, the slowest driver is eliminated from the session. Every minute and a half from this point, the next slowest driver is eliminated until the chequered flag.

Fifteen drivers will progress to Q2.

The second round of qualifying, fifteen minutes long, follows the same format as the first, with the first driver being eliminated after six minutes.

Eight drivers will progress to Q3.

The third and final round of qualifying will be fourteen minutes long. After the first five minutes, the slowest driver is eliminated, with the next slowest driver being eliminated every minute and a half until, with only ninety sessions of qualifying left, only two drivers remain.

The FIA hoped the change would mix up the grid and make the races the following day more exciting and make the Saturday more interesting for the fans, but many of the personalities in Formula One, both on and off track, disliked the new format.

“I hope it stays simple, that’s important, and maybe is a bit more exciting during the qualifying,” Nico Rosberg told Autosport, ahead of the Australian GP Qualifying.

Carlos Sainz agreed with Rosberg’s concern.

“I read them very briefly and I didn’t understand them,” he said. “If it makes things more spectacular, then it’s welcome. I just hope that the fans that are not big fans of Formula 1 and just turn on their TV on Sunday understand it and they know what’s happening.”

There was also concerns that the new format wouldn’t be ready in time for the season opener on the 19th due to the software changes required.

However, they did run this revised version and after many complaints from teams, drivers, fans and media, the FIA decided to drop the revised version and Qualifying will return to its normal ways starting at the next race in Bahrain.
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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
Edited By: Amy Hawk
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Australian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    The first race of the 2016 season got off to a slightly dramatic start when the start was actually aborted. This was due to Daniil Kvyat not making it back to his grid-slot after the pre-race formation lap. The drivers then had to take another formation lap while the Red Bull crew helped get Kvyat's car off track and back to the garage.

    When the lights went out, it was Sebastian Vettel who stormed right by the two Mercedes drivers and his team-mate, Raikkonen, had no issue doing the same thing. Hamilton and Rosberg were quick to go after them, not wanting to waste any time.

    On lap 18, Esteban Gutierrez and Fernando Alonso were involved in a high-speed collision. Alonso clipped the back of the Haas, which spent Gutierrez spinning nearly 3 times before resting in the gravel. However, for Alonso, it was a lot more than just a spin. His McLaren got airborne and flipped twice before crashing in pieces into the barrier. Gutierrez was quick on the radio to ask if Alonso was OK. Both drivers are OK and Alonso was able to crawl out from under the wrecked McLaren. Both drivers were checked at the on-site Medical Centre and passed checks before being released.

    The race was red flagged for about 10-15 minutes while the track was cleaned up. Drivers got a chance to go into the pits, get out of their cars and change tyres if they wanted to. Rio Haryanto and Kimi Raikkonen were the next two cars to retire. Haryanto retired during the red flag period due to a driveline issue and Raikkonen due to his engine. Raikkonen had entered the pits later after the race had resumed and his airbox caught fire. He quickly jumped out but it was race over for him.

    Marcus Ericsson recieved a drive-through-penalty for his crew working on his car past the 15-second-signal. However, it didn't matter much as he retired later in the race due to what is believed to be either a suspension or brake issue. He had reported feeling "Vibrations" in his back tyres during the race.

    The Toro Rosso duo found themselves battling intensely with the renault of Jolyon Palmer and things got pretty heated. Verstappen had been running in a higher position earlier on, but the team had pitted Sainz first, despite him being further back. He then asked if the team would allow him to pass Sainz due to him being faster than his older team-mate, but he was denied this situation and the two ended up colliding just slightly. No major harm done, but tensions were running high.

    Vettel lost out on the win and it was mostly due to a troubled pit-stop. He ended up chasing Hamilton down to try for 2nd, but with two laps left, Vettel spun out and ended up off track for a moment before he was able to get back into the race. He did finished 3rd and got Ferrari their first podium of 2016. Nico Rosberg won the race, just ahead of Hamilton. A good start for Mercedes as well.

    Haas definitely had reason to celebrate. While Gutierrez was unable to finish the race, due to the collision, their other drivers, Romain Grosjean, was able to bring home 8 points by finishing in 6th place. A remarkable start for the new American team. And many more point finished to come undoubtedly. Also good news for Renault with both cars finishing the race. Although not in the points, they came very close.

RACE RESULTS: 

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 18 Points

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 12 Points

5. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 10 Points

6. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 8 Points

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 4 Points

9. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / + 2 Points

10. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Netherlands / + 1 Point

11. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

12. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

13. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

16. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Suspension/Brakes?

RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Engine

RETIRED - Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia / Driveline Issue

RETIRED - Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico / Collision

RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / Collision

DID NOT START - Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Russia / Electrical Issue

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Australian GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

The new revised version of Qualifying got underway yesterday and it proved to be a hit and miss with the teams and fans. It has recently been decided that this revised version will be dropped and will not be used in Bahrain and onward.

Q1 consists of 16 minutes on the clock. After the first 7 minutes, the slowest car is eliminated after 90 seconds and another car every 90 seconds until the clock runs out. A total of 7 cars are eliminated in Q1

Q1 RESULTS:

1st Eliminated: Pascal Wehrlein

2nd Eliminated: Rio Haryanto

3rd Eliminated: Esteban Gutierrez

4th Eliminated: Romain Grosjean

5th Eliminated: Daniil Kvyat

6th Eliminated: Felipe Nasr

7th Eliminated: Marcus Ericsson

Q2 consists of 15 minutes on the clock and after the first 6 minutes, the slowest car is eliminated after 90 seconds. A total of 7 cars are eliminated in this round as well.

Q2 RESULTS:

1st Eliminated: Kevin Magnussen

2nd Eliminated: Jolyon Palmer

3rd Eliminated: Jenson Button

4th Eliminated: Fernando Alonso

5th Eliminated: Valtteri Bottas

6th Eliminated: Nico Hulkenberg

7th Eliminated: Sergio Perez

Q3 consists of 14 minutes and after the first 5 minutes, the slowest car is eliminated after 90 seconds and 6 cars are eliminated until the final 2 cars battle it out for pole in the remaining minutes.

Q3 RESULTS:

1st Eliminated: Daniel Ricciardo

2nd Eliminated: Carlos Sainz

3rd Eliminated: Felipe Massa

4th Eliminated: Max Verstappen

5th Eliminated: Kimi Raikkonen

6th Eliminated: Sebastian Vettel

7th Eliminated: Nico Rosberg

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

---- Rio Haryanto was given a 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for hitting Romain Grosjean in FP3 and Valtteri Bottas has a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for a gearbox change

Here are the final results for the Australian GP Grid Line-Up

STARTING GRID:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Netherlands

6. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

7. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

8. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia

9. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

10. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

14. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

17. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

18. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Russia

19. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

20. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

21. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany 

22. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia

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Australian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    The weather showed a complete turn around for FP3 with the rain gone and the sun breaking through the clouds for near-perfect track conditions. However, not everyone got off to a perfect start.

    Romain Grosjean was heading out of pit-lane for his first run, when Rio Haryanto also exited and crashed into Grosjean, getting the nose of his Manor, stuck under the floor of the Haas. This resulted in the Haas team having to put Grosjean's car up on the jack and replace the floor of his car. Haryanto was reprimanded for the accident and also given 2 Penalty Points to his license and a 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for the race.

    Lewis Hamilton once again topped the time-sheets and Nico Rosberg was right behind him in 2nd, while Sebastian Vettel rounded up the top three. The other Ferrari, with Raikkonen behind the wheel, finished in 5th. Sainz finished 4th in the Toro Rosso, which is powered by Ferrari this year.

   Despite the great weather, some of the grass areas remained wet and slick, causing multiple cars to spin, including Sergio Perez & Fernando Alonso. Thankfully, no red flags had to be called out in the session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:25.624 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:25.800 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:25.852 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Carlos Sainz - 1:26.256 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:26.435 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Max Verstappen - 1:26.701 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:26.730 / Williams-Mercedes

8. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:26.768 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

9. Felipe Massa - 1:27.151 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Sergio Perez - 1:27.242 / Force India-Mercedes

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:27.263 / McLaren-Honda

12. Jenson Button - 1:27.341 / McLaren-Honda

13. Daniil Kvyat - 1:27.430 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

14. Marcus Ericsson - 1:27.659 / Sauber-Ferrari

15. Kevin Magnussen - 1:27.871 / Renault-Renault

16. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:27.988 / Force India-Mercedes

17. Jolyon Palmer - 1:28.117 / Renault-Renault

18. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:28.284 / Haas-Ferrari

19. Romain Grosjean - 1:28.292 / Haas-Ferrari

20. Felipe Nasr - 1:28.293 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:29.046 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Rio Haryanto - 1:29.272 / Manor-Mercedes

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Australian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

    Lewis Hamilton topped the second practice session on Friday afternoon while team-mate, Nico Rosberg, crashed his Mercedes into the wall while running the new nose-spec on the car. The nose had been avoided during the continuous rainy conditions, but Rosberg attempted to run it anyways and ended up with severe damage to his car. Rosberg was OK but missed the session.

    Force India had a good session with both cars in the top 10. Hulkenberg finishing high up in 2nd and Perez in 9th. McLaren also did well with Alonso in 6th and Button in 7th. While most teams ran in the rain, 7 cars did not set times, including both Saubers and both Williams.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:38.841 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:39.308 / Force India-Mercedes

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:39.486 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:39.535 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

5. Carlos Sainz - 1:39.786 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

6. Fernando Alonso - 1:39.895 / McLaren-Honda

7. Jenson Button - 1:40.008 / McLaren-Honda

8. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.761 / Ferrari-Ferrari

9. Sergio Perez - 1:41.256 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Daniil Kvyat - 1:42.411 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

11. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:42.891 / Haas-Ferrari

12. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:43.401 / Manor-Mercedes

13. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.731 / Haas-Ferrari

14. Rio Haryanto - 1:44.304 / Manor-Mercedes

15. Nico Rosberg - 1:47.356 / Mercedes-Mercedes

16. Kevin Magnussen - NO TIME SET / Renault-Renault

17. Jolyon Palmer - NO TIME SET / Renault-Renault

18. Felipe Massa - NO TIME SET / Williams-Mercedes

19. Valtteri Bottas - NO TIME SET / Williams-Mercedes

20. Marcus Ericsson - NO TIME SET / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Felipe Nasr - NO TIME SET / Sauber-Ferrari

22. Max Verstappen - NO TIME SET / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

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Australian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    The 2016 season started off with wet/windy conditions at Melbourne Grand Prix circuit at Albert Park. Usually we see much hotter weather and no rain puddles on the track. However, wet weather tyres were an option for both this session and in FP2.

    Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz were the only two drivers in this session not to set a time. Sainz had a technical failure with his Toro Rosso and missed most of the session. While there was no red flags this time around, yellows were called out at the end of the session when Ricciardo stopped in the gravel trap.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:29.725 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Daniil Kvyat - 1:30.146 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:30.875 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

4. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:31.325 / Force India-Mercedes

5. Max Verstappen - 1:31.720 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

6. Nico Rosberg - 1:31.814 / Mercedes-Mercedes

7. Fernando Alonso - 1:33.060 / McLaren-Honda

8. Jenson Button - 1:33.129 / McLaren-Honda

9. Sergio Perez - 1:33.370 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Kevin Magnussen - 1:34.060 / Renault-Renault

11. Valtteri Bottas - 1:34.550 / Williams-Mercedes

12. Felipe Massa - 1:34.679 / Williams-Mercedes

13. Felipe Nasr - 1:34.796 / Sauber-Ferrari

14. Jolyon Palmer - 1:35.477 / Renault-Renault

15. Marcus Ericsson - 1:37.956 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:40.401 / Manor-Mercedes

17. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.754 / Ferrari-Ferrari

18. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:41.780 / Haas-Ferrari

19. Rio Haryanto - 1:43.372 / Manor-Mercedes

20. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.443 / Haas-Ferrari

21. Sebastian Vettel - NO TIME SET / Ferrari-Ferrari

22. Carlos Sainz - NO TIME SET / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Max Verstappen - "Last year's Australian GP was a very special weekend for me: I was so excited to be taking part in my first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix! The parts of the circuit that standout for me are Turn 1, where you arrive quite fast – or at least that was my feeling back then, as it was all very new to me! And it's bumpy in the braking area, so I remember that I found it a bit difficult to get the braking right for that turn. Other things I remember was halfway through the lap, when you arrive to Turn 10, I could see a lot of fans there, sitting on the grass – they are so passionate and it's so nice to see! At that same point I was also able to see part of the beautiful city. The last part of the track has some good combination of corners, even though it was a bit of a disappointing part last year, as it's the sector where I retired... To be racing in point's position in your first F1 race and have to retire is something hard to experience! But all in all, it's a fun, enjoyable track and I just can't wait to go back!"

Carlos Sainz - "I have very good memories from Australia, probably some of the best of 2015, as I ended up P8 in my first ever F1 qualifying session and then went on to score points in my debut race. Preparing for this race again definitely puts a smile on my face! I discovered this track for the first time last year and I can say I really enjoyed it. I remember that Turn 1 is quite bumpy and it's therefore easy to lock the front wheels. The second DRS zone is a tricky one, as we open it just as we exit Turn 2. What we need to be careful with is the entry of Turn 6, as it's quite easy to put a tyre on the grass! I also recall having to get very close to the wall at Turns 9 and 10, as this gives you lap time, and it reminds me a bit of Monaco. My favourite part of the track, and also the fastest, are Turns 11 and 12, driven in sixth gear. The last sector also includes another nice combination of corners that I enjoy very much, even though the final two turns are the trickiest, especially Turn 16, where you're fighting with the steering wheel to get a good exit. I definitely had good fun out there last year and I hope to say the same this time!"

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “It feels great to be going racing again. Winter has been long and I have been missing the atmosphere you get from a race weekend. Going to Melbourne is a great way to start the year and it’s one of my favourite races. Everyone is very friendly and relaxed and I always enjoy those races close to a big city.

I’m a big fan of street tracks and Albert Park is a real challenge. You can’t afford to be rusty because it’s a circuit that doesn’t forgive your mistakes. Getting a perfect lap together is quite difficult because it’s quite stop-start. You need to be good on your brakes and strong out of the traction zones. Overtaking is always difficult - even though there are some good spots like turns three and thirteen.

No matter how many laps you do in testing, you never really know where you are compared to the other teams. So I don’t want to say too much. As a team we feel quite happy with what we achieved in Barcelona and that’s the main thing. The car has been reliable and we’ve made a good step forward compared to last year. I think we can go to Melbourne knowing that points are achievable.”

Nico Hulkenberg - “Melbourne used to be my unlucky track, but I scored points in 2014 and 2015, so I think I’ve broken the curse! I don’t know of anybody in the paddock who doesn’t enjoy this event. After the long winter you arrive in Melbourne and everybody is pumped and ready to get the season started. The weather is great, the city is cool and you get a lot of energy and positivity from the crowd and the buzz in the paddock.

Sector two is my highlight of the lap: you go from a slow chicane to a straight and into a fast left-right combination that is tricky to get right. It's a high-speed corner where you can make or lose a lot of time and it can set you up for a good overtaking spot on the approach to turn 13.

To be quick at Albert Park you need a car that is well settled. It’s about braking late, using the kerbs and being precise. Tyre degradation is usually high so the new tyre rules could open up some different strategy options. The opening race of the season often throws up surprises: anything can happen and we need to put ourselves in a position to make the best of any opportunity that comes our way.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson  - “I cannot wait to finally kick off the 2016 Formula 1 season in Melbourne. The Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park is always special as the atmosphere is great - I enjoy being in Australia. I also have great memories from last year as I scored my first points in Formula One there. Looking back to the last few weeks, the preparations during the test days in Barcelona went well, and I felt comfortable with the C35. Now we have to see how things work out during a race weekend. I am confident the team has worked hard to be in a good shape for the season opener in Melbourne."

Felipe Nasr  - “The Australian Grand Prix reminds me of my fantastic result from last year. Finishing fifth in my first ever Formula One race is something I will probably never forget. It is nice to come back to Albert Park with these great memories. During testing in Barcelona I had some productive days collecting good mileage in the C35. I feel well prepared to start my second Formula One season. I am curious to see where we stand with the C35 in comparison to the other teams. Everyone within the factory in Hinwil has worked really hard, so we deserve a successful start to the 2016 Formula One season."

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