Winter Testing Day 3 - Line-Up / Barcelona

WINTER TEST - DAY 3 - LINE-UP:

Mercedes: Nico Rosberg (AM) / Lewis Hamilton (PM)
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull: Daniil Kvyat
McLaren: Jenson Button
Force India: Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber: Felipe Nasr
Williams: Felipe Massa
Toro Rosso: Carlos Sainz
Manor: Rio Haryanto
Haas: Romain Grosjean
Renault: Kevin Magnussen

(Subject to change)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Winter Testing Day 2 - Re-Cap & Times / Barcelona

Day 2 of testing saw Vettel at the top of the time sheets again, with Ricciardo and Perez rounding up the top 3.

    There was a slight delay from Haas due to the team having to wait for their new front wing to be shipped in after Grosjean had a mishap and lost the wing during the first day of testing. However, later on, they were able to get to running with a new front wing secured. Esteban Gutierrez completed 79 laps total and finished in 6th.

    During the AM part of the session, Max Verstappen abruptly stopped on track. Many thought it was a car issue and some type of failure. However, Max was later interviewed and explained it was just a "Precaution" to stop the car and have it be brought back to the garage.

    Renault had another troublesome day with Palmer's running ending in the mid-afternoon due to an engine failure.

    Toro Rosso will be bringing new car parts to the second round of testing next week. The drivers are already looking forward to this & know there's much more to see from the now-Ferrari-powered team.

Here are the results from Day 2

TIMES/LAPS:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:22.820 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 126 Laps
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:23.525 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / 112 Laps
3. Sergio Perez - 1:23.650 / Force India-Mercedes / 101 Laps
4. Nico Rosberg - 1:24.867 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 172 Laps
5. Marcus Ericsson - 1:25.237 / Sauber-Ferrari* / 108 Laps
6. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:25.524 / Haas-Ferrari / 79 Laps
7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:25.648 / Williams-Mercedes / 134 Laps
8. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:25.925 / Manor-Mercedes / 71 Laps
9. Fernando Alonso - 1:26.082 / McLaren-Honda / 119 Laps
10. Jolyon Palmer - 1:26.189 / Renault-Renault / 42 Laps
11. Max Verstappen - 1:26.539 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / 121 Laps

* - Notes using 2015 car

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended

Feature: Star Drivers Of The Russian GP

Amy Hawk - "My driver of the weekend is Lewis Hamilton. He's fighting every bit of the way to stay in the lead for the drivers Championship. His weekend in Russia was nothing less from phenomenal. 

He was quick to take the lead when Rosberg had the lock-up and he stayed ahead even when Rosberg caught up from 20th. Not only did he grab the win, but he's now got a good points gap between himself and Nico, so going into the next race weekend I think he'll be feeling more confident."

Frances Fry - "My driver of this previous GP has to be Nico Rosberg. If his previous track record for the season isn't already enough to be impressed by, his amazing progress through the places this weekend certainly should be! 

On corner 1, Rosberg locked up after attempting to overtake his teammate Lewis Hamilton. The lock up resulted in extreme bald patches on his tyres, which due to low friction were meant to last him to around lap 35. The tyres weren't suitable for racing on and so, at the end of lap 1, Rosberg pitted. 

The Mercedes driver came out in 21st place, with Massa behind him. 

The German driver began making his way up the places, making incredible progress. Williams driver Massa followed him through until they reached Perez where Massa got caught, leaving Rosberg to make yet more progress. 

Nico made it to the end of the race on the set of tyres he switched to after his lock up. If this wasn't impressive enough, he finished in second place, giving Mercedes yet another 1/2 finish."

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#ForzaJules

Silly Season?

Did someone say 'Silly Season'?

What is it? It's that time of the year where fans, journalists, and media gabble about potential next-season team driver-pairings.

We've been keeping an eye on all the talk, so lets go through the teams and see what could be next year.

Starting off with Red Bull, latest rumours are that Sebastian Vettel could very likely end up on McLaren-Honda. Why? McLaren could very possibly end up being #1 in F1 again with the new Honda partnership. As for Ricciardo? He probably won't be leaving Red Bull for at least another year. He just joined the team, why leave so soon? 

Mercedes is a different story. Due to highs and lows, ups and downs and constant battles between the duo of Lewis Hanilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes has admitted it could can one of the drivers at the end of this season, even though Rosberg already extended his contract with the German team. Hamilton however has been linked to, (you guessed it), McLaren.

So why don't we jump to McLaren then? Button and Magnussen. Champion and Rookie. With Ron Dennis back, the team is recovering from last year's tough to drive MP4-28. with a podium score from Magnussen and impressive points scoring from Button, the team seems well off retaining both right? Well, wait.. Hold on. Accordin to multiple media reports, the Woking-based team is talking with multiple drivers. Some say it's Alonso and Vettel, others say it will be Magnussen and Vandoorne? What about Button and Vandoorne? What about their development driver, Oliver Turvey? He's been with the team for years. This one could remain unconfirmed for weeks.

Which team is next? Ferrari. Well, Marco Mattiaci has said he wants to keep both Alonso and Raikkonen for next year, so that toned down the driver rumours, but.. Earlier this year after Bianchi's points score for Marussia in Monaco, people went wild, saying he'd get a drive for Ferrari in 2015. It could happen. We won't count it out. Another driver linked to the Italian Team is Nico Hulkenberg.

Moving on to Force India, here's where things get intetesting. The team currently has a great line-up consisting of Hulkenberg and Perez. But, rumours are swirling that with the arrival of the Mexico GP next year, Force India possibly want to have both Mexican drivers on the team. That would mean Hulkenberg would need somewhere to go and Gutierrez would partner up with Perez. But Gutierrez isn't the only one being linked to the Indian team. Other names have included: Giedo Van der Garde, Jules Bianchi and their own test driver, Daniel Juncadella.

Williams? Well, Williams has confirmed they're keeping Bottas and Massa for 2015 (See recent article for more details) - Now, while possibility of another team buying one of them out of their contract could happen, it is very unlikely that it will. Same things goes for Toro Rosso who confirmed Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen. 

So, on to Sauber. Indeed they have had a tough year and they stand 10th in the Constructors. But, both drivers are very talented. Both Gutierrez and Sutil have been giving their all this season, trying to score points for the Swiss team. Rumours that Sutil was being dropped and replaced by reserve driver, Giedo Van der Garde, surfaced right before the German Grand Prix. We won't rule this out. Van der Garde has had over 5 Free Practice outings this season alone and has participated in some of the in-season testing sessions. There's also a possibility that Russian teenager, Sergey Sirotkin could be handed his F1 debut with the team in 2015.

Lotus is next on the rumour list. They've confirmed Pastor Maldonado for 2015, but remain coy on if Romain Grosjean will be sticking around past this season. Lotus needs funding, a driver with good sponsership and good racing talent. Grosjean has both of those, but sources say he's looking to head to a different team. So, if he does leave, who could potentially take his place? Names being linked to Lotus include: Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Gutierrez and Jean-Eric Vergne, who was recently let go by Toro Rosso for next season.

Caterham is the next team on the list of silly rumours. During the season there's been a lot of talk about them switching out one of their drivers before 2015. They switched out Kamui Kobayashi for one race and brought in Le Mans winner, Andre Lotterer. Marcus Ericsson brings in most of the funding and it seems he'll stick around for another season. As for Kamui, he may not. While nothing is confirmed, it could be that Carlos Sains Jr is about to get handed his F1 debut on the Green Team next year.

As for Marussia, there was a lot of drama surrounding the team earlier this season when Alexander Rossi was given the chance to race due to Chilton stepping away for the weekend due to funding issues. However, after FP1, Max stepped back in, denying the chance for Rossi to be the first American F1 driver in over 12 years. Marussia has said they are happy with their current line-up, however, Bianchi may be offered other options. It's been said he's in contact with both Ferrari and Force India.

So, whether you're rooting for Vettel to McLaren or Button to Mercedes, one thing is for sure, you're playing Silly Season with the rest of the F1 world. Let us know your dream team line-ups!

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

No copyright infringement intended.

Toro Rosso Confirms Max Verstappen for 2015

Today, the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team has confirmed their 2015 Driver-Line-Up, consisting of their current driver, Russian rookie, Daniil Kvyat and newly introduced into the Red Bull Junior Team, Dutch FIA Formula 3 driver, 16-year-old Max Verstappen. 

Max will be the breaking the record of youngest F1 driver when he takes over the current seat of driver Jean-Eric Vergne, who will not be continuing on with the team. For JEV, it seems his F1 seat hunting has begun early. Max has also only competed in this year's Formula 3 championship. He has not completed a year with GP3 or GP2, which are both crucial championships that most drivers go through before their step-up into an F1 car.

While Verstappen has a huge amount of talent to prove, it's refreshing to see another young driver get the chance of a lifetime. There is no doubt he's been showcasing his talent, and the Toro Rosso team obviously can see he has a lot to show on their team. This signing will also make Toro Rosso the team with the youngest drivers on the 2015 grid so-far.

We send our congratulations to Max and wish him the best of luck for next year!

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

 

Sir Jack Brabham passes away at age 88

Today, world champion, Sir Jack Brabham passed away at home at the age of 88 due to a battle with liver disease.

Brabham won 3 F1 world championships in his career in the years 1959, 1960 and 1966. He then retired in 1970.

He is survived by family, friends and past race team-mates.

RIP 1926 - 2014

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringment intended.

Alexander Rossi to drive in Canada and USA Practice Sessions

                                                 (Image from Flickr.com - I do not own this photo.)

California native, Alexander Rossi will drive in Free Practice 1 during the Canadian and US Grand Prix Weekends, for Caterham, his current team where he is a reserve/test driver. Rossi is one of the few drivers who are being talked about for the newly signed Haas F1 Team.

Rossi has 3 Championship titles, (Formula BMW World, Formula BMW America and Skip Barber Western Regional), and is looking to race for Formula 1 as part of a main-line up soon.


Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No copyright infringement intended.
 

Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Redbull

First preview quotes for the Spanish GP come from Redbull!

Sebastian Vettel - “Formula One returns to Europe with the Spanish GP. A nice side aspect of that is that we are back in the Energy Station, which provides a lot of space for us and the team - it will become a little bit like home over the next few weeks! The Circuit de Catalunya is varied with 180 degree bends, fast, sweeping corners and elevation changes. There isn’t much opportunity to overtake, so getting a good start position in qualifying will be crucial. The long, fast curves of Montmelo mean that it will suit a car with highly efficient aerodynamics. The track is very challenging on the tyres because of the same very fast corners, so lots of pit stops are likely in the race.”

Daniel Ricciardo - “I’ve always enjoyed the Circuit de Catalunya and think it’s a great track. It’s a ‘bit of everything’ circuit - which is why it’s proved so popular as a testing venue. The first sector is really nice, with the corners all flowing together and the second sector, while a bit more technical, is also really interesting. The final sector is less good but you can understand why they changed it; I assume the old layout was more exciting. It’s a good track to defend on, but one that demands a lot of concentration and the right set-up. The trade-off is that you need fairly low downforce on the long main straight but that compromises the rest of your lap and makes the car difficult to control. Finding the right balance isn’t simple.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

No copyright infrongement intended.

Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Next quotes are from the drivers of the Marussia F1 Team!

Max Chilton - “There has literally been no let-up over the past couple of months and here we are again, heading off to the next race in China, just a few days after returning from Bahrain. I really enjoyed my first taste of the Shanghai International Circuit last year; it’s a nice challenge and the weather often throws up a few opportunities, particularly in the race. I left Bahrain on a real high and I hope we can enjoy a similarly strong race this weekend and maintain what feels like a bit of an advantage over our nearest competitors at the moment.”

Jules Bianchi - “I am hoping all my bad luck is behind me now and that China will mark a turning point for a better rest of the season. If we look at the positives, there have been good signs that we have been able to raise our performance level and have a few interesting battles in the races; I hope we can enjoy a few more in Shanghai this weekend. The test ran smoothly in Bahrain last week and I think this will help us with our preparations this week as we are finding out lots of new things about the package and getting strong all the time. I like the track and I am looking forward to the final long haul race before we get back to Europe.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.  

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Next quotes are from Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team!

Nico Rosberg - “Even though the last race was a bit disappointing from my perspective in terms of the result, it's been great to see all the positive comments that came afterwards. We've demonstrated already that we're pushing harder than ever to stay ahead of the pack. It will only get more difficult as the season goes on but I've got confidence in the team. Every day and in every area you can see that determination to win. This gives you a big boost as a driver: to know the people around you want it just as badly as you do. I've got good memories from China after taking my first pole position and race win in Formula One at this circuit in 2012. The layout seems to suit my driving style, it's a track I enjoy racing at and I want to be back on that top step of the podium this weekend. The Chinese fans are great too: really enthusiastic. It's nice to see how much they like our sport and how they cheer us on during the race weekend. It's a very different culture and getting to know it is always fun, so hopefully we can keep them as entertained on track as they do off it!”

Lewis Hamilton - “It's been good to have a bit of a break after such a long stint away but I'm already looking forward to getting back in the car. The last race in Bahrain was fantastic: not just for us as a team but for the sport and I'm sure it won't be the last time we see a great show this year. I'm in a really good place at the moment and walking around the garage too, you can see the positive energy within the team right now. Everyone is focused on getting the maximum from these early races and continuing to build beyond the strong start we've made to the season. I've had some ups and downs in China. On one side I've only finished outside of the podium places twice at this circuit. On the other, in my first season in Formula One I threw away a championship lead here by going into the gravel coming into the pits. Generally, though, I'm getting stronger every time I come to this track and it suits my driving style quite well. The aim, as always, is to win and if I could make it three in a row this weekend that would be incredible.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.  

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

 Next quotes come from the McLaren-Mercedes F1 Team!

Jenson Button - “After a disappointing race in Bahrain, I think we head to China with a bit of a point to prove - we need to get some points on the board, and get another race under our belts that demonstrates the pace that we feel this year’s car has. That won’t necessarily be straightforward - Bahrain showed that, the top two cars aside, the racing this year is fast, fraught and very evenly matched. The margins are so slim that it’ll require us to get everything right: a focused practice, problem-free qualifying sessions and a clean race to try and establish ourselves at the forefront of that chasing pack. But I’ve always enjoyed racing in China - I won here in 2010, and I’ve always had good results here for McLaren. While it’s not necessarily a track that perfectly suits our package, I think we can pull everything together and have a stronger weekend.”

Kevin Magnussen - “I came away from the last race feeling like I didn’t get the maximum from either myself or the car, so the couple of days’ testing in Bahrain, and my preparations for this race, will hopefully allow me to rediscover my comfort zone with MP4-29. I’m looking forward to this race - it’s a track I’ve only seen on the TV, but it looks to have a real variety of corners. The first turn looks like a real challenge, but, most interestingly, I think we’ve going to see some spectacular speeds, and a lot of overtaking along the back straight, which is one of the longest in Formula 1. The first three races have seen different cars and drivers emerge as the closest challengers to the Mercedes drivers. I still think it’s a bit early to be able to see a competitive order emerge among all the teams battling for points, but our aim this weekend will be to try and consolidate our position at the forefront of that chasing pack.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

More quotes, and these ones are from the Williams F1 Team!

Felipe Massa - "There is a very long straight in China which will be good for overtaking, especially for our car as we have a good top speed. There are also low speed corners where good downforce is needed, so we hope we can make improvements on these sections. We hope to have a few new parts which should help with grip and other areas that we need to improve. We still need to improve the car in the wet, so we are hoping the weekend will be dry, I also prefer the dry, but there is hard work going on to improve the car."
 
Valtteri Bottas - "So far the season has been positive and we are looking forward to China. We still need to make a step forward in performance, especially as this track is quite different to Bahrain. The long straight will be our strong point as we can overtake, but we need to be good through the corners to be close enough to take advantage. We are hoping to improve our downforce for the slower sections of the track. Once we improve this, it should improve our overall running in all conditions so it is an area we are focusing on. The weather can be variable in China but at this point we are looking for a dry race."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 
Quotes made by Drivers. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Next quotes come from Toro Rosso.

Jean-Eric Vergne - "A very interesting circuit with a wide variety of corners and a really long straight that provides great opportunities for overtaking. Doing a qualifying lap here is great fun, dealing with challenges like turn 1, which you approach flat, before the corner just goes on and on. It means it is also demanding on tyres and from a driver’s point of view, it is one of the better ones to drive. However, it’s a shame the circuit is so far away from the city, because we never really get any time to visit what is a fascinating place. So it’s a case of just getting to the track, doing the race and going home."

Daniil Kvyat - "I’ve never been to China, so I am interested to discover something about this country and also the circuit. I’ve watched lots of Shanghai Formula One races on TV to get an idea of the track and after Bahrain I was also able to drive it on the simulator. I was disappointed to finish just outside the points at the last race and, after learning a lot about the car at the post-Bahrain test, I hope we can aim for another top ten finish this weekend, on what looks like a really challenging track. Away from the circuit, I’ve heard the Chinese fans are very welcoming. I will be interested to try Chinese food too!"

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
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Quotes made by Drivers. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Next preview quotes for the Chinese GP are from Sahara Force India!

Nico Hulkenberg - "We’ve shown we have a good package and we have the hunger to keep fighting at the front. We’ve performed well at all the tracks so far and they all had very different characteristics. So we can feel positive that the car will perform quite well in China. We are going there after the test in Bahrain and hopefully we can bring some more performance too. So I think we can aim for another competitive weekend and come away with some more points."

Sergio Perez - "To get the podium in Bahrain was great - it’s a great result for this team and a big boost of confidence for me. The target is to move on, keep improving and target more podiums. Bahrain was the first real opportunity I had to develop the car through the weekend without any issues so it felt like my season really started there. Now we need to think about how we can do better in China. At the same time we must not get carried away because we know how competitive Formula One is and how things can change very quickly."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Redbull

Next preview quotes are from Redbull.

Sebastian Vettel -"The Grand Prix in China is still something special for me, because I won my first race there with Red Bull Racing in 2009. Due to its size, the circuit is unique. The wide stretches mean there are many possible places and opportunities to overtake. Also, the large run-off areas ensure the highest standard of safety. Even the usually narrow pit complex offers plenty of space in Shanghai. As far as the city of Shanghai goes, if I have time to go into the city I like to go to the Bund."

Daniel Ricciardo - "Shanghai is a very open, very wide circuit but it does flow nicely and the middle sector is a lot of fun. The back straight provides a good overtaking opportunity into the hairpin but it is quite long; I always think back to when I came here as a kid in Formula BMW – massive hair and lots of enthusiasm – and trust me, then, it was the sort of straight where I’d have definitely been reaching for a book if I’d had one! It’s a bit different driving it in an F1 car. The circuit has a decent mix of low- and high-speed corners and one of the key things is to have a set-up that gives you good traction out of the two tight ‘snail’ corners."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
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Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

These quotes come from the drivers of the Sauber F1 Team! Good to hear Esteban is recovered and will be racing in China!

Adrian Sutil - "I am positive about the next race in China. The Shanghai International Circuit is interesting. It is not my favourite track, but I still like driving there. The layout is special in comparison to the other ones. It consists of some fast corners, which get tighter towards the end of the corner. Besides that, the track has a long straight which is the longest on the race calendar. On this track a good balance for the car and a lot of grip on the front axle is needed. I believe the layout should be a good fit for the C33. I am positive about the weekend. We have to look forward, and every future race will move us furthermore up to the front. Shanghai is an interesting city, which is very modern and growing all the time. The city has a lot to offer, such as restaurants and also some spectacular buildings. I would like to visit the Great Wall of China, but so far I have not had the time.

Esteban Gutierrez -"I have nice memories of Shanghai from last year. It was probably one of the best race starts in my Formula 1 career. I had a tough qualifying, but after the start and during the opening laps, I was able to overtake a lot of cars. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish the race. Regarding the track, I really like it, especially the entry into Turn 1. Looking back to the last three races, my performance will help me to get the maximum out of the car, in both, qualifying and the race. With the updates on the car, I hope we can increase our level of competition so we can achieve better results. Talking about China, it is an interesting place to visit. I will travel to Shanghai early to adapt to the time difference and climate, and I will use this time to learn about the Chinese culture."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Next quotes come from Lotus.

Romain Grosjean - “Shanghai is not my favourite race of the year, but I will be spending my 28th birthday there so let’s make it good! It’s quite a particular circuit where it is not always easy to find the right setup and the temperature can also be cold. You never know what to expect, except that there will be a monster traffic jam to get to the circuit! I scored my first Formula One points at Shanghai in 2012 and scored points again last year when Kimi finished second for the team. So let’s hope that’s a good omen and we can add to the good memories next weekend. How will it suit the E22? I don’t know to be honest. It’ll be interesting and challenging for us but still the emphasis is on getting good track time so we can be as prepared as we can be for when our season really starts at Barcelona next month. There’s a very long back straight and some high-speed corners. There is a lot we need to do with the E22 and we certainly need some better power unit performance. Of course we’ll do our best to score our first points of the year. That is our goal, our target.”

Pastor Maldonado - “Shanghai is a very technical circuit with one of the longest straights of the season. It could be a bit tricky for us as we aren’t the quickest on long straights at the moment, so we will have to see how we can work on making gains in the corners. This will be the challenge for us. There is a mix of fast and medium speed corners where we need good downforce. It is a challenging track which I like so I’m looking forward to racing there. What will it be like to drive the latest generation F1 car at Shanghai? It will be like all the circuits we visit this year, it will be a new experience and we will learn and make improvements as the weekend progresses. Having finished the race in Bahrain, we have more experience and data to work with so we are better placed for a more progressive approach to the race weekend.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

First preview quotes for the Chinese GP come from the Caterham drivers!

Kamui Kobayashi - "The last of the four early season flyaway races is Shanghai, a track I’ve always had good support on and one that’s a really good challenge technically. The last time I raced there in 2012 I qualified fourth, the highest qualifying position of my career and my team at that point. I actually started third after Lewis had an issue but then the car had a problem with the launch and I lost a lot of places off the line. While I know we won’t be starting that high this year, it would still be good to have a better race in 2014, and the whole team is working as hard as possible to help us do that. The main set up focus is how you balance the need for downforce in the high speed turns against the low drag you want for one of the longest straights of the year. We saw in Malaysia that we have good straight line speed so we’ll have to make sure that works in our favour, and with Renault we’ll be working on energy management so we can maximise the advantage we have in those parts of the track. It’s also a circuit where windspeed and direction can have a big influence on how the car handles, so that’ll be another area for us to focus on in the three practice sessions. We obviously want to head back to Europe in a good position so everyone’s working flat out to help us do that. I We have a couple of new parts coming in China before the bigger package everyone brings to Spain, but we also have to make sure we play to our strengths - we have a small advantage in pure pace over our direct rivals which put us in a strong position for most of the Bahrain race, right up until the final stint which ended with a disappointing result. We have to use that performance on Sunday to help us get back to where we want to be, and to build on that at every race."

Marcus Ericsson - "China’s another new track for me, so obviously what will really help is having another good Friday and Saturday, like we had in Bahrain. Step by step, with each race I’m learning more about how to manage a full race weekend and, apart from Canada, China’s the last track before we get to Europe that I haven’t raced on so it’s even more important to have maximum mileage in FP1 and FP2 so we can really work on optimising the settings. Something I will be working on is tyre management, especially over the long runs - for rookies in F1 tyre management is one of the key areas you have to work on and improving that area of performance will definitely help make me stronger over the full race distance. It might be my first visit to Shanghai but I raced in Macau in 2008 and 2009 so I have raced in China before. I was on pole there in 2009 and finished fourth, so I have good memories of racing in China, and I also spent the week between Australia and Malaysia this year in Macau because my trainer Alex was living there and working as an FMX rider in Macau before he joined me in F1. It’s an amazing country and it’ll be a privilege to race there as an F1 driver - hopefully we can repeat the sort of performance we had in Malaysia and finish these flyaways positively." 

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Next quotes are from the Marussia F1 Team!

Jules Bianchi - "This has not been the best start to the season for me and I am hoping that Bahrain will be a case of ‘third time lucky’. Malaysia was disappointing for me but there is no point dwelling on what has passed because we need to have the focus on the next race, which is what I have been doing. We are perhaps better prepared here because of the work we did in pre-season testing, so we have to take that as a positive, and I am looking forward to the first night race to be held here. I really enjoy the flow of this track and I think its characteristics will help us at this early stage of the season when we are still learning a lot from the new package and how to get the best out of it."

Max Chilton - "On the one hand, this weekend is quite a quick turnaround for the Team, but at least we are returning to a track we visited only recently in pre-season testing, so we have a good engineering basis for the week ahead. I like Sakhir, so it will be interesting to race here in the different conditions presented by a night race; I do like a challenging race, but it would be good to achieve a better outcome this weekend. As ever, you learn a lot from the races that are most difficult, so I hope we can take the lessons from Malaysia and use them to improve here. They will be small steps but in the right direction."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.
 

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Next quotes come from the Williams F1 Team!

Felipe Massa - "Bahrain will be different from last season, normally it’s a very hot race but it’s not humid like Malaysia, it’s really dry which helps from a driver’s physical point of view. It will be a change this year as it’s a night race so we expect the temperatures to be cooler. We’ve been testing there in the winter so all the teams will have an idea about what set-up to use; we know what we have to focus on and where we can improve as well. Bahrain is a really nice place; I’ve won there twice in the past so I’m looking forward to getting back there."

Valtteri Bottas - "We have had a lot of testing in Bahrain so we have more of an idea about our set-up which makes things easier. Obviously the weather will be different as it will be night, but I think it’s going to be a great sight to see the cars under the lights, so I’m looking forward to that. We didn’t look too bad in testing in Bahrain, so we are looking to the race as a potential for some good points."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
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Quotes made by Drivers.