Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - "It's a funny place to race being in the middle of the mountains. The circuit is very short. The lap time is almost like Monaco. There are some overtaking opportunities. The track, in general, has two very different parts. I quite like the middle sector. There are medium- to high-speed corners. You've got turn one and turn two, which are very similar. Both are 90-degree turns with big braking and long, straight lines. You've then got the second part which is more flowing.

You start with big braking into turn one, a 90-degree corner. It's very important to go early on the power. There's then a long straight line going up to turn two where you brake very late into the corner, and there's a change of camber. You go flat again after that to turn three. Again, tricky braking there as you're going downhill. Then you've got a double-left corner, medium- to high-speed turns. The last couple of turns are the same as you go up the hill and then down again. It can be pretty tricky, but if you get the grip under the car and a good balance, it can be a lot of fun to drive.

It was a shame about the race in Baku that we had to have the extra pit stop. I think we could have scored points. We were looking pretty good up until that point. Some of the races we're now going to should be better for us. We still need to work on getting the best out of the tires when it's cold. We have some graining issues as well, but we're still a brand new team and we haven't had many options to try different things. We're going in a good direction even though we haven't scored points in a while."

Esteban Gutierrez - "It's quite unique because it's a little bit old school and has a lot of fast corners, which I enjoy a lot. It's a pretty short circuit – not many corners – so the times are pretty tight, and very competitive in qualifying. It's an extra challenge to make everything as perfect as possible, or as close to perfect as possible.

I love the two fast corners to the left on the infield, which makes it very interesting, and also the last part when you enter into a very high-speed corner after the back-straight, followed by a banked corner. It's pretty nice to go through there. The wind makes some effects because you have the trees, which are pretty high, so the wind is flowing in some parts of the circuit in a different way than in others, so it makes it a bit more challenging in that way."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “I am really looking forward to the next two races in Spielberg and Silverstone. Both of them are at my favourite venues. The Austrian Grand Prix is always a great experience. I like the atmosphere and the track a lot, as it is a fast circuit which I enjoy more and more. After this race we head directly to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. With its technical demand, historical heritage and passionate crowds, the so called home of British motor racing is one of the most traditional circuits where we race Formula One cars.”

Felipe Nasr - “The race calendar is still keeping us very busy with the next back-to-back events. Spielberg has really nice green scenery and its track is quite a fast one. The last two corners before the start and finish line are my favourites, as they are very quick and you have to drive them very precisely. Directly following that is the British Grand Prix. Silverstone is a circuit which I enjoy driving on. It’s one of my favourite tracks. Not only, because I have been living in England for more than five years, but also because it’s always nice to come back to where motorsport and its great fans are at home.”

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Valtteri Bottas - "Austria is where I got my first podium in Formula One, so it's always nice to go back. I like the landscape and the beautiful countryside that surrounds the track because it's similar to my home in Finland. As a place to visit, I really enjoy it. The track itself is always fun to drive. It has a nice flow to it with some big elevation changes and plenty of high-speed corners. It's also pretty good for our car, so it should be an interesting weekend."

Felipe Massa - "Austria is a very small but nice track to drive. I've had some great races there over the previous two years. Last year I was on the podium in third. The year before, we had a pole position and second on the grid. Valtteri finished on the podium and I finished fourth. That shows it's a good track for our car and we are normally very competitive. I hope we have another year like that! There are some good straights for the power unit, mixed with some high-speed corners. As a place, it's somewhere I really enjoy visiting. We normally stay in a hotel which is like an old castle, so that's interesting and different to normal. The people are always really enthusiastic about Formula One, so it's always nice to come here."


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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “After the unique demands of the Baku City Circuit, we return to a more conventional racetrack in Austria. It’s a much shorter track than Baku, but it’s still very challenging because you cannot afford to make any mistakes. A lap takes less than 70s, which squeezes the grid closer together and there are only a few tenths of a second between rows. To be fast you need good traction and efficient aero, which we have. For that reason, I hope we can be more competitive than we were in Baku - and I hope to have a longer race than I did last year, which was over on the opening lap! I enjoy the atmosphere at the Red Bull Ring because the fans are passionate and very knowledgeable. They seem to love anything with an engine and the air displays and motorcycle demonstrations over the weekend are all well received.

There have been some great Austrian drivers to whet people’s appetites, one of whom - Niki Lauda - won a world championship with McLaren. Another former McLaren driver, Gerhard Berger, is a good friend of mine.

The track isn’t the most technical on the calendar, but it’s still quite demanding because there are some fast corners and you have to be very careful not to make a single mistake for 71 laps. We come prepared and I hope we can have a good weekend.”

Jenson Button - “In many ways, racing in Austria reminds me of my early F1 career. I finished fourth at the track in 2003, and, even then, it had the feeling of a classic Grand Prix circuit. After an 11-year gap when the race wasn’t on the calendar, we returned there in 2014 and it’s thrown up some exciting races. There are only nine corners, which means that every input from within the cockpit needs to be extremely precise, as even the slightest mistake can cost a lot of time. There are a couple of overtaking points, so the racing is always close. I’m looking forward to it.

After three ‘city’ races in Monaco, Montreal and Baku, the Austrian Grand Prix has a very different backdrop. It’s located in a very rural part of Austria, in the heart of the Styrian mountains, with no big cities close by. That gives it an enjoyable, old-school feel. After a decent showing in Baku, I’ll be looking to start where I left off next weekend. Like everyone at McLaren-Honda, I’m hungry to score more points; our package is improving race-by-race and I look forward to getting the maximum from it in Austria.”


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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA 1 TEAM

Kevin Magnussen - “I’m particularly looking forward to it. Austria is more my type of country, with the fresh air and mountains. It’s great to be away from a city for a Grand Prix and the circuit itself is really good. It’s small, but it’s high speed. It has a really nice flow and there are good opportunities for overtaking - like into Turn 2. I like it. I had a decent race and qualifying there in 2014 so there’s nothing bad I can say about it. I’m headed there in a very positive frame of mind and I can’t wait to get out in action.”

Jolyon Palmer - “I’m looking forward to getting back into the European heartland. Unfortunately we were not that competitive in Baku but we should be more on it in Austria, which is a faster circuit and should suit our car a lot better. The Red Bull Ring is quite a simple track, with just seven corners. Putting a good lap together is very important as the lap times are very close and any mistake can really hurt. I like that though, as the driver can make more of a difference. There are some bumpy zones and some overtaking possibilities, such as turn one and turn two. There are some fast corners as well, including the second-last corner that is pretty quick. Then the last corner has a bit of camber and you need to carry the speed through. I raced there in 2014 in GP2 and I drove in FP1 last year. It’s a lot more fun in an F1 car as there are more straight lines and the tyre deg is very low so we can be flat out the whole race.”

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - "I am still smiling about the podium we scored in Baku. It was an amazing weekend for us. We got the calls right; we executed our race plan perfectly and we finished in the top three on merit. I feel very proud of my team and I think it was one of my most competitive races in Formula One. It wasn't a completely smooth weekend with the gearbox penalty pushing us backwards on the grid, but we were able to overcome the difficulties, which made it an even sweeter result.

I travel to Austria on a high and determined to deliver another strong result. This race is one of my favourites because the track is nice to drive and I enjoy the atmosphere with the fans camping around the circuit. There are lots of elevation changes and some challenging corners: you cannot make mistakes in any of them or it will cost you a lot of time on the straights. It's also a short lap so the gaps between the cars are always very small and that makes for a very tight grid. We've made a lot of progress with the car since Barcelona and I expect us to be competitive this weekend. There are a few decent overtaking opportunities, especially the big braking zone at turn two, so there should be some good action in the race."

Nico Hulkenberg - "I love racing in Spielberg and it's a great addition to the calendar. The backdrop to the track, with the Alps, is spectacular, and there is an old school vibe to the circuit, which I enjoy. The atmosphere is very relaxed and lots of German fans make the short trip over the border so it almost feels like a home race for me.

We look strong coming to Austria but we're not taking anything for granted. The track is fun and it has a very nice flow, but it can easily catch you out, especially the last few corners, which are quite technical. I had a great race in Austria last year and have a good feeling about this weekend. The car is working well and we've taken a big step forward since the start of the year so there is the potential for another good result."

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Daniel Ricciardo - "Spielberg always has a pretty awesome atmosphere, and the setting is pretty amazing - the Austrian backdrop and the countryside is quite beautiful. The circuit is quite short but is also fun. I would love a few more corners but it is a fun track for what it is, quite flowing and fast. We haven’t had the results we would like there in the past but I think we’re coming there with our best package yet so hopefully that can put us up into the top five. The Austrians are very hospitable and there’s plenty of free schnitzel!”

Max Verstappen - “In Austria you don’t have so many corners but the elevation changes makes it pretty special, and now driving for Red Bull you feel that even more as it’s our home GP so you feel very welcome by the fans. I think this year there are a few Dutch fans who are coming over so I’m looking forward to it. It might not be the most ideal circuit for our car in terms of performance but it’s still very enjoyable. Last year was actually a very good race - I qualified seventh and then eventually finished eighth so it wasn’t too bad. I’ve spent a lot of time in Austria since I was a kid, either skiing or there for go-karting, and I think it’s a very beautiful country in general, and somewhere I feel quite at home.”

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Austrian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - “Baku started out great but, clearly, it just wasn’t meant to be that weekend. It’s a shame I wasn’t really in the race - but there’s no point talking about ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. It’s one to put behind me, take the positives in terms points on the board and move on. We’ve got an old school track there in Spielberg. It’s fast, with a good flow to it. It’s tough to overtake but there are places you can try something different so that’s a good challenge. It’s definitely a big advantage starting up front there, though, so I need to get back on it in qualifying and do a better job than last time out. Austria is a beautiful country and I always enjoy my time there, so it would be great to get a win there and tick it off the list. That’s the aim, as always, so let’s see how it goes.”

Nico Rosberg - “Baku was a good weekend for me. I really felt at one with the car, so that’s a big positive looking ahead to the next races. Now we go to Austria, which has been a real strength for us as a team in the past two years. It’ll be tough against the Williams cars in particular, as they’ve pushed us hard there before. But I think our Silver Arrow is still definitely the best package on the grid and I can’t wait to see what it can do in Spielberg. To have two wins from two races at any track is pretty special, so if I could make it three in three that would be awesome. It’s a short run to the first corner there and generally my starts and first corners have been strong this season, so if I can qualify well there’s a good chance of a top result. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

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Austrian GP: Circuit Preview

AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW & 2015 STATS

Name: Red Bull Ring

Location: Spielberg, Styria, Austria

Opened: 1969

Length: 2.688 Miles

Capacity: 40,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 9

Race Laps: 71

2015 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Nico Rosberg

2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton

3rd Place: Felipe Massa

Retirements: Fernando Alonso (Collision), Kimi Raikkonen (Collision), Will Stevens (Oil Leak), Jenson Button (Electronics), Carlos Sainz (Electronics) & Romain Grosjean (Gearbox)

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Austrian GP: Track Schedule

AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - TRACK SCHEDULE

June 30th / Thursday

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

15:05 - 18:30 - Pit-Lane Walk Only (3-Day-Ticket-Holders)

July 1st / Friday

08:45 - 09:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

12:50 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

July 2nd / Saturday

08:30 - 09:15 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

08:30 - 09:35 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:00 - Free Practice #3

13:00 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - Qualifying

July 3rd / Sunday

12:15 - 13:05 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:30 - Drivers Track Parade

12:45 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

13:46 - National Anthem

14:00 - 16:00 - Race

(Times subject to change)

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European GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX (AZERBAIJAN) - RACE

Nico Rosberg dominated the European grand prix whilst team mate and championship rival Lewis Hamilton struggled with the technology.

    Rosberg started at the front of a mixed up grid, with Hamilton starting tenth after crashing out in qualifying.

    With the narrow style of the fast street circuit, chaos was expected on the opening lap, but everybody managed to make it around the first lap unscathed.

    The first big battle came on lap four, when Valtteri Bottas closed in on Max Verstappen. The Williams managed to get past the Red Bull, only to give Verstappen a tow and allow the teenager to re-pass.

    Bottas was only able to make the move stick when Verstappen ran wide at turn one, allowing a recovering Hamilton past too and Romain Grosjean to close in. The teenager closed the door before the Frenchman could get past, but the Red Bull soon pitted for soft tyres.

    Ahead of him, team mate Daniel Ricciardo had lost sight of Rosberg. The Australian had started on the front row of the grid after Sergio Perez’s five place penalty, but the Red Bull didn’t have the pace on the fast street circuit. Third place starter Sebastian Vettel soon took advantage of that, moving into second on the fifth lap and immediately pulling away from his former team mate.

    Everybody was being careful around the beautiful streets of Baku, and the first retirement surprisingly wasn’t due to a crash. Daniil Kvyat came into the pits on the eighth lap with suspension problems. The Russian’s luck just keeps getting worse and worse, this is his second retirement of the season.

    Hamilton was slowly making his way through the field, picking off drivers one by one, when he began to complain about brake vibrations. It was a sign that the tyres were coming to the end of their lives, and he pitted on the next lap, coming out ahead of Verstappen. Once he’d pitted, Hamilton soon set the fastest lap of the race, closing in on Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa.

    By the time Rosberg came into the pits just before the half way mark, he’d built up enough of a lead to the second place driver that he managed to come out of the pits in first. It was one of the few points of the race for Rosberg, as he spent most of the race on his own.

    Kimi Raikkonen was running in second ahead of team mate Vettel by this point, with Vettel only pitting a few laps before. The Finn had a five second penalty for crossing the line at pit entry earlier in the race and he soon gave the second place up to his team mate, telling his engineer to make sure Vettel didn’t keep him up. He didn’t, quickly setting off to catch up with Rosberg, who was eighteen seconds ahead.

    Further back, Hamilton was having more problems, and this time a pit stop couldn’t stop him. The Mercedes was stuck in the wrong setting, meaning it couldn’t use the electrical power the way it should. It would have a simple fix but, unfortunately, Hamilton’s engineers couldn’t tell him what that fix was, the new radio rules banning them. The defending champion was left to fiddle with switches and struggle on his own.

    Hamilton wasn’t the only one having trouble, though Raikkonen’s was more conventional for racing drivers. Perez was catching up, the Mexican driver looking to match the best ever podium finishes for a Mexican in Formula One.

    Perez was, due to Raikkonen’s penalty, technically third already, but he wanted to make the place on the track, and the Mexican was putting pressure on the Ferrari driver. Raikkonen’s experience served him well, though, and he defended well against Perez.

    Sainz was the second retirement of the day, a problem with suspension sending him down an escape road in the first sector. Pascal Wehrlein in the Manor was doing amazingly. After staying out longer than anybody, the Manor driver was having a surprisingly interesting race, getting stuck into battles and not just looking out for blue flags. That came to a stop on the forty first lap, when he said over the radio that he had no brakes, and he was forced to retire.

    Fernando Alonso was the fourth and final retirement of the weekend. The McLaren driver had been stuck in fourth gear and, with the problem only getting worse, he pitted six laps before the end of the race to retire.

    Back on track, Hamilton had solved the problem with his engine, and was soon making up for that with a fastest lap. He was running in fifth, far enough ahead of Bottas to not have to worry about the Williams but a little too far behind the battle between Perez and Raikkonen to challenge.

    The laps ticked down and, on the final Perez was still pushing hard against Raikkonen. The Mexican was now less than a second behind the Ferrari, well within the penalty range. On lap fifty one of fifty one, he managed to get past Raikkonen, into third. Raikkonen was far enough ahead of Hamilton to keep fourth place.

    Rosberg had a reasonably quiet race. Two backmarkers making contact right in front of him was the height of the German’s excitement, but the win and the extension of his lead at the top of the championship leaves him with nothing to complain about.

 RESULTS: 

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 10 Points
6. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 8 Points
7. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 6 Points
8. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 4 Points
9. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 2 Points
10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 1 Point
11. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
12. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
13. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark
15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico
17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia

RETIRED – Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / Gearbox
RETIRED – Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany / Brakes
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / Suspension
RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / Suspension

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European GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX (AZERBAIJAN) - QUALIFYING

It's Nico Rosberg on Pole Position, but it won't be Lewis Hamilton starting next to him due to a crash in Q3. Sergio Perez picked up a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty following a gearbox change after a crash in FP3. The Force India driver qualified in 2nd but will start 7th.

HOW IT WORKS:

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

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six 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. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

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

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

6. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

7. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico*

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

9. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

10. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

12. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

13. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

14. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

16. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia

17. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

18. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain**

19. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

20. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

21. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

PIT-LANE - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark***

* - (Perez) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for gearbox change

** - (Sainz) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for gearbox change

*** (Magnussen) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for gearbox change

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

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX (AZERBAIJAN) - FREE PRACTICE #3

The last practice session saw Mercedes leading the time sheets again, with Hamilton in 1st and Rosberg in 2nd. Nico Hulkenberg rounded up the top 3. 

    Valtteri Bottas missed the full session due to damage to his car after hitting a loose drain cover at the end of pit-lane. The team was unable to get him out for the session but managed to get the car ready in time for Qualifying.

    Sergio Perez was looking to have a strong time at the end of the session, but ended up crashing at turn 15, the same turn that took out Ricciardo in FP1. Perez ended up needing a gearbox change and will take a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for the race. He was able to make it out in time for Qualifying and finished 2nd. But with the penalty, Perez will instead start 7th.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:44.352 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:44.610 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.540 / Force India-Mercedes

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:45.620 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:45.630 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Sergio Perez - 1:45.735 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Max Verstappen - 1:45.901 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Jenson Button - 1:45.954 / McLaren-Honda

9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:45.981 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

10. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:46.024 / Ferrari-Ferrari

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.131 / McLaren-Honda

12. Carlos Sainz - 1:46.190 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

13. Romain Grosjean - 1:46.361 / Haas-Ferrari

14. Felipe Massa - 1:46.510 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:46.670 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.024 / Renault-Renault

17. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:47.100 / Manor-Mercedes

18. Jolyon Palmer - 1:47.158 / Renault-Renault

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:47.328 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Felipe Nasr - 1:47.379 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Rio Haryanto - 1:47.556 / Manor-Mercedes

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

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

EUROPEAN GRAND PPRIX (AZERBAIJAN) - FREE PRACTICE #2

The second practice session faced a possible cancelation after there was a concern about loose kerb covers. It was found that the covers had cut up about 90% of the tyres in FP1. GP2 Qualifying was canceled and moved to take place after the F1 FP2 session. The kerb problems were fixed and the session went ahead.

    Mercedes once again took the top spots, with Hamilton in 1st and Rosberg in 2nd, despite his session cut short due to a loss of power. Sergio Perez in the Force India completed the top 3. Force India has shown that they're not phased by the new track and feel quite comfortable with it already.

    Plenty more yellow flags waved during the session, due to multiple drivers using the run-off areas and having to safely rejoin the circuit. Turn 1 and 3 seem to be trickiest for the drivers, while Turn 15 is also proving to be quite hairy.

    Kimi Raikkonen stopped in one of the run-off areas with a mechanical issue and that was his session over. Near the end of the session, Vettel was then told to box as the team suspected a similar problem with his car.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:44.223 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:44.913 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sergio Perez - 1:45.336 / Force India-Mercedes

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:45.764 / Williams-Mercedes

5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.920 / Force India-Mercedes

6. Carlos Sainz - 1:46.027 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

7. Max Verstappen - 1:46.068 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Sebastian Vettel - 1:46.219 / Ferrari-Ferrari

9. Jenson Button - 1:46.234 / McLaren-Honda

10. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:46.293 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.498 / McLaren-Honda

12. Romain Grosjean - 1:46.681 / Haas-Ferrari

13. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:46.744 / Ferrari-Ferrari

14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:46.744 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:46.830 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Felipe Massa - 1:47.060 / Williams-Mercedes

17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.329 / Renault-Renault

18. Rio Haryanto - 1:47.487 / Manor-Mercedes

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:47.772 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Jolyon Palmer - 1:47.794 / Renault-Renault

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:48.018 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Felipe Nasr - 1:48.081 / Sauber-Ferrari

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

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX (AZERBAIJAN) - FREE PRACTICE #1

It was an interesting and exciting day as the drivers took to the brand new Baku City Circuit for the first time for the first practice session of the weekend. Nico Rosberg made history as the first driver to set a time on the circuit. Mercedes also managed to top the time sheets for the session, with Hamilton in 1st and Rosberg in 2nd.

    Plenty use of the run-off areas and multiple yellow flags caused because of this. Lots of drivers trying to find the limits and learn the circuit the best they can before Sunday. The only red flag of the session was caused by Daniel Ricciardo, who clipped the barriers and then slid against the wall. Ricciardo emerged without injury, but his session was over. His team-mate, Max Verstappen, had his session cut short due to technical issues.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:46:435 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:46.812 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas - 1:47.096 / Williams-Mercedes
4. Fernando Alonso - 1:47.989 / McLaren-Honda
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:48.627 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Sergio Perez - 1:48.922 / Force India-Mercedes
7. Jenson Button - 1:49.019 / McLaren-Honda
8. Felipe Massa - 1:49.125 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Carlos Sainz - 1:49.267 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:49.301 / Force India-Mercedes
11. Romain Grosjean - 1:49.611 / Haas-Ferrari
12. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:49.635 / Ferrari-Ferrari
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:49.778 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
14. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:50.167 / Haas-Ferrari
15. Marcus Ericsson - 1:50.473 / Sauber-Ferrari
16. Max Verstappen - 1:50.485 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
17. Daniil Kvyat - 1:50.551 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari
18. Jolyon Palmer - 1:50.910 / Renault-Renault
19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:50.939 / Renault-Renault
20. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:51.219 / Manor-Mercedes
21. Felipe Nasr - 1:51.771 / Sauber-Ferrari
22. Rio Haryanto - 1:51.925 / Manor-Mercedes 

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Rio Haryanto - “(Baku is) awesome. I don’t really know what I was expecting but it has exceeded all my expectations. The diversity of the city is really striking; the mix of old and new makes it a pretty spectacular setting for a Grand Prix. I really like it here and I’m sure the fans will too. I think it’s going to be incredible to drive. It’s certainly one of the faster tracks on the calendar and in particular Turn 15 looks really exciting. The walls are so close yet the track is really narrow and fast there. It’s a bit like Monaco in that one little mistake could be punished quite severely.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “The great thing about Baku is that it’s new for everyone - all the teams and all the drivers - so it’s a case of mastering the circuit better than your competition. It’s a high-speed circuit so, much like Canada, will be well-suited to our package. There were some positive signs in Montreal but we missed some opportunities there, so I hope we can show more of our improvement here versus Sauber in particular.”


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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - "We had a (Baku) session on the simulator, and that’s about everything you can do. The simulators are getting better year after year, but it’s still not a real race car. There’s a lot you can do with a simulator, which is great, but nothing is as good as being in the car out on track. On the simulator, you can try a few different set-up ideas for direction. You can also try different philosophies and updates you’d like to try on the car later in the year and before you prepare them for actual racing.

The more experience you have as a team, the better prepared you are for new tracks and different layouts. On the other hand, no one knows what to expect from Baku, so that’s going to be interesting for us.

It’s certainly a circuit that’s very different from everything we’ve been used to. We’ll have to see how it goes in real life. There are very long, straight lines and a lot of 90 degree corners with low curves. There’s a very high section up to the castle and down again to the last corner, which will be quite interesting.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “The simulator has been very important (in preparing). It’s been quite an experience. Baku is a very challenging track and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to getting there in person. I feel that it will be a bit more [of a level playing field], but that doesn’t clear the fact that as a team we have a bit less experience overall. That makes it complicated to predict things, because when you have more information and more experience, you can make better predictions. It will be interesting to get to know Baku and its characteristics and see where we stand. No matter what, we’ll approach it in a positive way and try to extract the maximum amount from our car at this new circuit.

I cannot compare it to anything. From what I saw on the simulator, it’s a completely different racetrack. It’s really going to be quite a challenge, and I think that’s going to make things interesting for everybody. I liked it in the simulator, so I hope it’s going to be like that in reality. I didn’t know anything of Azerbaijan before the race was announced, but then I did a little bit of research to try and learn about the country and Baku. I’m looking forward to seeing it and enjoying the area.”

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “The last weekend in Canada was not one of the easiest for me, so to come away from it with a point was a good result. I have now been in the points for the last four races on a range of very different tracks: this builds our confidence and makes us believe we can challenge for a place in the top ten in every race.

To prepare for Baku I have watched the onboard video that was circulated and the first impression is that the track is going to be really challenging. There are a lot of tight sections, as you would expect from a street track, but it looks more high-speed than Monaco: it’s the kind of circuit I enjoy driving and it should make for a good show.

I’ve never been to Azerbaijan, so it feels like an adventure. It’s always interesting to explore a new place for the first time and take in the sights of a new city. It’s great that our sport keeps going to new countries and reaching out to new fans. Once we get to the track, though, it’s business as usual. It’s important to learn the circuit quickly, so the track walk with the engineers and the first practice session are crucial. You need to get up to speed within a handful of laps.”

Nico Hulkenberg - “Canada was a positive race as we were able to get the most out of a relatively straightforward weekend. To finish eighth in a race with such low attrition was a very good result and it showed we can fight for points everywhere. There is every reason to believe we can continue this run as we approach the summer break, and this obviously spurs us on.

I’m massively excited about the race in Baku, actually! New venues are cool; everything is fresh and everyone welcomes you. I have to admit I don’t know a lot about Azerbaijan, so it will be exciting to get to know this new place. I like to arrive in a place and get out to discover it: it’s one of the perks of our job, being able to see so much of the world.

Learning the track is crucial. I haven’t had a chance to try it in the simulator yet but I saw the video on YouTube earlier last week. In any case, it really is all about getting there, getting into the car and finding out about the track in those first few laps. The layout looks fast, especially for a street circuit: there is a massive straight, with just a few flat-out kinks, and some more twisty sections which will require a compromise in terms of set-up. I am a big fan of street circuits: they provide you with unique thrills, you drive close to the walls and it’s much more of a challenge to push your car and yourself to the limit.”

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Daniil Kvyat - “It's always interesting to go somewhere new. As it's a street circuit it will require plenty of work on the pedals and with the steering wheel and that's always exciting. You are looking for new ‘tricks’ in your driving style on a street circuit, because this type of track means the driver has more freedom in terms of how he approaches the corners, experimenting with different lines.

I've driven the track on the simulator, which can give you a rough idea of what to expect and it helps the engineers come up with a baseline set-up, but there is no substitute for driving it for real. From the sim, the first thing that stands out when you look at the Baku circuit layout is the long straight that goes from Turn 16 to Turn 1. The start of the lap consists of four 90-degree corners and after that it gets very exciting: we drive through the city's historic centre, which looks like being a very tight section, where we will need to be very precise.

There's another fast section through turns 13, 14 and 15 and I think the braking into Turn 15 will be quite tricky. We will see when we get there! After that you arrive at Turn 16, a medium-speed 90-degree turn, and you don't brake again until you reach the first corner. This track reminds me a bit of the Valencia street circuit. It will definitely be an interesting challenge that I'm ready for! I expect there will be a lot of Russian fans making the trip to Baku and I will have plenty of support from the crowd. It's going to be cool.”

Carlos Sainz  - “I'm really looking forward to this race even if, to be honest, I don't know what to expect! I've driven this track a few times on the sim, but experiencing a new circuit for the first time is always an exciting challenge.

The first four turns are all 90-degree corners. Then, from Turn 5 onwards, it starts to get very interesting. It reminds me a lot of the Macau circuit: the section from Turn 7 to 12 is very similar to its tight section, while the long straight that goes from the exit of Turn 16 all the way to Turn 1 is very like its straight.

The top speed here in Baku should be one of the highest of the season and it looks like you are flat out from the exit of Turn 16 all the way to the first corner! I think that the braking at Turn 15 will be tricky - at least it was on the sim! I can't say much more as I've never been there. I just hope it's actually as nice as Macau, which I've always regarded as the most iconic track and it would be great for Formula One to have a circuit like it.”


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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Valtteri Bottas - “I’ve never been to Azerbaijan, so it should be interesting. In general, it’s a bit of an unknown for me. The track, from what we have seen, looks nice and very quick. I like going to new places, discovering new cultures and seeing new cities. I’m looking forward to learning more about the country, the city and especially the race track.”

Felipe Massa - “It will be my first time in Azerbaijan so I don’t know what to expect from the country. I’m really looking forward to discovering a nice country, good people, and also a race track which will be in the middle of the town. I don’t know yet if it will be more like Monaco, or maybe a mix between Monaco and Singapore. We will wait and see. I’ve heard the straights will be longer, so maybe there will be more overtaking on this track compared to the other street tracks that we race on. I hope we come away from Azerbaijan for the first time with a good result.”

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “I’m already really looking forward to getting out on track for the first time in Baku on Friday. In my role as Baku Ambassador, I’m lucky enough to have already seen the plans in detail for the new circuit and watch the venue come together over the past few months. The track layout is a really impressive hybrid of the buzz of a street circuit, with its tight narrow streets and close racing, and a more traditional track, where there are high speeds and solid overtaking opportunities.

Having seen the development work in Baku as it’s neared completion over the past few months, it’s clear that the organisers have put a lot of planning and resources into the infrastructure around the circuit, and it promises to be a very significant event in the region. There are a lot of fans who’ve been excited about this Grand Prix for a long time now, so I’m looking forward to racing in front of them and putting on a good show in front of a new audience of fans that we’ve never reached before.

This circuit is a great mix of both worlds, and as the fastest of any previous street track, I’m excited for the challenge and to see what’s possible in these kinds of conditions, where everything is a little bit unknown. I’ve already driven the track on the simulator and there’s certainly a lot that makes it unique - medieval walls close to the edge of the newly-laid asphalt, anti-clockwise corners, minimal run-off - so it seems to have all of the ingredients to give us a bit of drama and the prospect of exciting racing.

The Canada race weekend started relatively well, but in the race we were outpaced by stronger teams. It was difficult to maintain heat in the tyres in cooler temperatures, which meant they didn’t perform as well, so we struggled to keep up with the guys in front. Some of Baku’s characteristics are similar, and despite being a street circuit will still be very demanding on power units and chassis. But, we’ll attack the weekend in our usual way, and keep pushing for more improvements in each session.”

Jenson Button - “After a disappointing end to what was a fairly positive weekend in Canada until I had to retire the car, I’m already relishing the prospect of the next race - and at a new track, too. From what I’ve seen of it, the Baku City Circuit looks pretty cool - especially as the city centre has so much history attached to it, yet we’ll be roaring over the cobbles there at over 300km/h (186mph) in the middle of the city walls.

I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ve transformed the area to accommodate a Grand Prix race. I’ve heard good things from Fernando about the layout too, with some really exciting narrow sections mixed in with wider areas that should be promising for overtaking. It’ll be tough on the car with its long, fast straight, strong loads on the ERS and high fuel consumption, so we need to buckle down and work hard to get our package set up as quickly as possible for the demands of this circuit.

In terms of things like strategy, tyres, temperatures, of course we have a lot of simulator data - a few of the guys in the team have visited and already have a pretty good handle on the conditions - but until we get there, it’s all a bit of unfamiliar. Having a new circuit on the calendar definitely does spice things up a bit and puts everyone back on a more level playing field, at least initially, so I’m looking forward to the challenge of a new track.

It’s imperative we bounce back quickly from the disappointment of Canada and the fact we go to a completely new Grand Prix means the focus will rapidly shift from one to the other - there’s definitely a heightened sense of anticipation and excitement for the next race. We’re working hard to keep improving race to race and despite the blip in Canada, hopefully we can continue seeing gains - however small - in the next few crazy weeks of back-to-back Grands Prix.”

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Ferrari

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA FERRARI F1 TEAM

Sebastian Vettel - "I don't know much about Azerbaijan. I'm really looking forward to getting there, as I've heard a lot of good things about it. I've heard that the track is very exciting, with parts leading through the whole town and narrow in places. So, I think it should be exciting. I am a big fan of street circuits. Usually, they are very tricky, bumpy, rough, very narrow places. So, hopefully Baku fulfills these expectations and goes in line with other street circuit classics."

Kimi Raikkonen - N/A

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European GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Daniel Ricciardo - "On to Baku. I'm excited because it's a new track so it's going to be a challenge for everyone, but the fact that it's a street circuit is really cool. I'm pretty optimistic that the city itself will be quite good fun. I've seen some pictures of the city and it looks cool – it sort of reminds me of Budapest a little bit, so let's see, I'm pretty excited to go there."

Max Verstappen - "Baku is new for everyone. You start from zero which I always like, and it's always good to discover new countries and new tracks. My dad has raced there back in 2012, and I've watched the races online and some parts of the track are pretty similar. He was pretty positive about the whole city in general saying it's a nice place to go so I'm looking forward to it. The track looks very interesting because it has such a long straight for a street circuit which will be difficult for the wing setting because on a street circuit you want lots of down force but with such a long straight you have to find a good compromise."

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European GP: Circuit Preview

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX 2016 (AZERBAIJAN) - CIRCUIT PREVIEW 

Name: Baku City Circuit

Location: Azadliq Square, Baku, Azerbaijan

Opened: 2016

Length: 3.730 Miles

Capacity: 18,500

Runs: Anti-Clockwise

Turns: 20

Race Laps: 51

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European GP: Track Schedule

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX 2016 (AZERBAIJAN) - TRACK SCHEDULE

June 16th / Thursday

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

18:30 - 20:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (3-Day-Ticket-Holders Only)

June 17th / Friday

12:00 - 12:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:00 - 14:30 - Free Practice #1

15:40 - 16:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

17:00 - 18:30 - Free Practice #2

19:00 - 20:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

June 18th / Saturday

10:00 - 11:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

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

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

15:05 - 16:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

17:00 - 18:00 - Qualifying

June 19th / Sunday

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

15:00 - 16:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:00 - Drivers Track Parade

15:45 - 16:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

16:46 - National Anthem

17:00 - 19:00 - Race

(Times subject to change)

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Bianchi's Parents Take Legal Action

Jules Bianchi’s family have had a traumatic few years. Following the Marussia driver’s accident in 2014, his family did everything possible to support him in his nine month battle for his life. A report from an FIA accident panel brought more pain, blaming Bianchi himself for the accident that later claimed his life.

Now, Bianchi’s family are seeking justice for him, launching legal action against Formula 1’s governing body the FIA, Marussia, and the Formula One Group.

Bianchi’s father, Phillipe, made a statement on behalf of the family: “We seek justice for Jules, and want to establish the truth about the decisions that led to our son’s crash at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014.

“As a family, we have so many unanswered questions and feel that Jules’ accident and death could have been avoided if a series of mistakes had not been made.”

The 2014 Japanese Grand Prix took place in extreme weather which had the field driving in heavy rain. The race had already been red flagged on lap two before the decision was made to resume the race twenty minutes later.

Adrian Sutil crashed at turn seven, where the semi-dry racing line narrowed. A recovery crane set out to recover the German’s car and, a lap later, Bianchi came off the track at the same place as Sutil. The Frenchman collided with the crane, suffering a diffuse axonal injury, and died nine months later.

An FIA accident panel investigated the crash and, in December, issued a 396 page report on their findings. Their conclusions found a series of problems, including that the Marussia’s unique design was incompatible with the FailSafe settings that could have saved Bianchi’s life.

Shockingly, they also blamed Bianchi.

“Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as Sutil.”

Bianchi’s family do not agree with the blame and part of their aim is to clear his name, as well as to improve safety in motorsport.

Stewarts Law partner Julian Chamberlayne is representing the Bianchi family, and said: “Jules Bianchi’s death was avoidable.

The FIA Panel Inquiry Report into this accident made numerous recommendations to improve safety in Formula 1 but failed to identify where errors had been made which led to Jules’ death.

It was surprising and distressing to the Bianchi family that the FIA panel in its conclusions, whilst noting a number of contributing factors, blamed Jules.

The Bianchi family are determined that this legal process should require those involved to provide answers and to take responsibility for any failings.

This is important if current and future drivers are to have confidence that safety in the sport will be put first.

“If this had been the case in Suzuka, Jules Bianchi would most likely still be alive and competing in the sport he loved today.”

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Canadian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

While it was Lewis Hamilton on Pole Position, it was Sebastian Vettel who had the better start, easily passing both Hamilton and Rosberg before the first lap was even over. Hamilton and Rosberg then made contact, but luckily the result was nothing like their collision in Spain, which ended the race for both of them.

    Only 9 laps in to the race, Jenson Button had a sudden problem with his car and pulled over, reporting that the engine was 'Gone'. With Button out of the race, it was up to Alonso to try and do what he could to get into the points. In the end however, he finished just outside of the points in 11th.

    Carlos Sainz, who had a crash during Qualifying and ended up with a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for a gearbox change, ended up starting from 20th. What started out a tough race ended in a reason to celebrate. The Toro Rosso driver scored 2 points for the team by finishing in 9th. His team-mate, a recently demoted Daniil Kvyat, finished 12th.

    Jolyon Palmer & Felipe Massa were both forced to retire due to car issues. Palmer with a water leak and Massa with an engine issue. Magnussen finished outside of the points while Bottas finished 3rd for Williams.

    Sebastian Vettel  had fought hard to stay in the lead throughout the race, but it was Hamilton that took his second win in a row. Vettel was still able to get up on to the podium by finishing in 2nd. Nico Rosberg nearly missed out on finishing the race after a mistake and a spin in the final laps.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points

2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 12 Points
5. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 10 Points
6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 8 Points
7. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 6 Points
8. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 4 Points
9. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / + 2 Points
10. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 1 Point
11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain
12. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
13. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber-Ferrari / Mexico
14. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
16. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark
17. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
18. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
19. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia

RETIRED - Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / Engine
RETIRED - Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / Water Leak
RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Engine

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Canadian GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

It was Lewis Hamilton who took Pole Position for the second race weekend in a row, with Rosberg finishing close behind. Sebastian Vettel rounded up the top 3, but Ricciardo and Verstappen weren't far off and hope to keep up with both Mercedes and Ferrari during Sunday's race.

    

Kevin Magnussen will start from pit-lane after a crash in FP3 left him unable to participate in Qualifying due to car damage. Renault confirmed Magnussen will race with his spare chassis. Carlos Sainz suffered a minor crash in Q2 but was still able to set a time and will start 16th.

HOW IT WORKS:

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

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six 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. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

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

5. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

8. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

9. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

11. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

14. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France 

15. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia*

16. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

17. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

18. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

19. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia

20. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain**

21. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden***

PIT-LANE - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark****

* - (Kvyat) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for causing a collision in Monaco

** - (Sainz) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for gearbox change

*** - (Ericsson) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for causing a collision in Monaco

**** - (Magnussen) Crashed in FP3

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

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    It was neither Mercedes at the top of the time sheets in this session. Instead, the fastest time belonged to Sebastian Vettel. Max Verstappen finished in 2nd and Rosberg rounded up the top 3.

    The session was cut short with 13 minutes remaining, due to Kevin Magnussen having a heavy crash. He escaped without injury but was forced to sit out Qualifying due to the damage to his car. He will need a chassis replacement for the race.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:13.919 / Ferrari-Ferrari

2. Max Verstappen - 1:14.158 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:14.316 / Mercedes-Mercedes

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:14.332 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Lewis Hamilton - 1:14.334 / Mercedes-Mercedes

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:14.487 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

7. Carlos Sainz - 1:14.655 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

8. Fernando Alonso - 1:14.801 / McLaren-Honda

9. Sergio Perez - 1:14.886 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Felipe Massa - 1:14.890 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:14.918 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Valtteri Bottas - 1:14.985 / Williams-Mercedes

13. Jenson Button - 1:15.023 / McLaren-Honda

14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:15.199 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:15.444 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Jolyon Palmer - 1:15.656 / Renault-Renault

17. Romain Grosjean - 1:15.704 / Haas-Ferrari

18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:16.085 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:16.085 / Renault-Renault

20. Felipe Nasr - 1:16.326 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:16.622 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Rio Haryanto - 1:16.901 / Manor-Mercedes

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