Nico Rosberg Retires From Formula 1

NICO ROSBERG ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM F1

    Nico Rosberg has announced his retirement from Formula One only a week after winning the World Drivers Championship for the first time.

    Rosberg thanked everybody who “supported me to make that dream happen” after announcing he would be leaving the series, despite having already signed a contract to stay at Mercedes for the 2017 season.

    “This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough. I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fueled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before,” Rosberg said. “And, of course, that had an impact on the ones I love too – it was a whole family effort of sacrifice, putting everything behind our target.”

     Rosberg told few people about his intentions to retire, making the announcement a shock to most of the motorsports world.

     “When I won the race in Suzuka, from the moment when the destiny of the title was in my own hands, the big pressure started and I bag to think about ending my racing career if I became World Champion,” he said. “On Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, I knew that it could be my last race and that feeling cleared my head before the start. I wanted to enjoy every part of the experience, knowing it might be the last time."

    Rosberg said he decided on Monday evening, the day after securing the title.

     Team boss Toto Wolff has said the team will start looking for a replacement on Monday. Mercedes junior driver Pascal Wehrlein is thought to be a favourite, but Fernando Alonso is one of a number of drivers also rumoured to be heading to the team.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - RACE

    As the 2016 season came to a close, one thing was on everyone's minds. Rosberg or Hamilton? Who would take home the 2016 Championship Title? It had come down to the final race, under the lights of Yas Marina Circuit and the crowds were filled with emotions and nerves.

    Lewis Hamilton was on Pole Position, but knew it would take more than just winning the race to grab the title. Rosberg knew all he had to do was finish on the podium if Hamilton won the race. With Rosberg starting 2nd, his chances were high.

    It was a fairly clean lap one apart from a few mishaps at the back of the pack. Kevin Magnussen was the first to retire from the race with a steering issue after damage to his car. Not the way he'd wanted to finish the season. The Dane heads to Haas next year, bidding farewell to the Renault Sport team.

    Ricciardo, who had started from 3rd, found himself being pushed back as other drivers passed by, including Vettel and Raikkonen. Raikkonen quickly moved towards both Mercedes drivers and even challenged Rosberg for a moment. 

    Valtteri Bottas was the next driver to end the season on a low, retiring with suspension damage from a bump on the surface of the circuit that he'd hit. Team-mate, Felipe Massa, who leaves F1, finished the race in 9th, grabbing his final 2 Championship points in the sport. Jenson Button, who is also leaving F1, retired with suspension damage as well while his team-mate, Alonso, finished in 10th to take the final point.

    Max Verstappen, who was spun early on in the opening laps, was making his way back towards the front, doing what he could to find enough speed to look for a spot on the podium to end his first season with Red Bull on a high. 

    Both Toro Rosso drivers retired from the race with gearbox problems. Kvyat easily pulled his limping car over to the side of the circuit before hopping out while Sainz's retirement came later after Palmer crashed into the back of him and sent him into a spin. Sainz managed one more lap before he realized the car wasn't going to make it any further.

    It was a quiet race for Force India with both Perez and Hulkenberg easily making their way around the circuit and staying in the top 10. The team finished 4th in the constructors, 35 points ahead of Williams. Perez finished the race in 8th and Hulkenberg in 7th, bringing them a final helping of 10 points.

    While neither Sauber or Manor scored any points, it was Sauber who secured 10th in the standings after Felipe Nasr scored 2 points for the team at his home grand prix in Brazil. Nasr does not yet have a seat for 2017, while team-mate, Ericsson has been confirmed to stay with the Swiss team. 

    American team Haas, saw both drivers finish outside of the points but finish 8th in the constructors with a total of 29 points, all scored by Romain Grosjean, who will remain with the team in 2017. Gutierrez, who had multiple mechanical failures and near-point finishes, has not yet announced his plans for next year.

    Up at the front, Hamilton was still leading the way, while Rosberg charged after him. Hamilton began to try other tactics, even slowing down to push Rosberg closer to Vettel and Verstappen, who were trying to pass the Championship contender. Hamilton went as far as ignoring team orders at an attempt to get the title, but in the end, Rosberg managed to steer clear of both the Ferrari and the Red Bull and finished 2nd, taking his first F1 Championship. Hamilton won the race while Sebastian Vettel grabbed the final podium spot, in 3rd.

    Rosberg was ecstastic over the radio, cheering and yelling as his team and wife, Vivian, congratulated him. Rosberg and his father, Keke, are now only the second father-son duo to have F1 Championship titles after the Hills.

    With the 2016 season now over, many changes will be seen in 2017, including new rules, wider tyres and a group of new, young drivers ready to break onto the scene and try for a chance at points, podiums and wins. 

RESULTS:

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

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

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

4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 12 Points

5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 10 Points

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 8 Points

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

8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 2 Points

10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 1 Point

11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France 

12. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

13. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

14. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

17. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / Gearbox

RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / Gearbox

RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Suspension Failure

RETIRED - Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / Suspension Failure

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / Steering Damage

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Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “Obviously, the result in Brazil wasn't the one I was going for. But Lewis did a great job and second place wasn't a disaster in the end. I'm looking forward now to Abu Dhabi. It feels great to be in the World Championship battle with Lewis for a third year in a row. I will give it everything to end the season with a win. I've had a great week, relaxing and catching up with my family and friends, so I feel like I'm in a good place. In Brazil, after the race, I was joking that I would still be taking things one race at a time. But, the more I think about it, the more that's actually not as crazy as it sounds. I have to treat this like any other race. Doing a good job on a Grand Prix weekend is always a challenge. Nothing in this sport is easy, so this won't be any different and I still have to go all out for a good result. I have great memories from winning at this track last year and it's somewhere I've usually been strong in the past, so I have every reason to feel confident. The closer it gets, the more I'm feeling excited. It will be a big battle and hopefully the fans will get a great show to end the year.”

Lewis Hamilton - “To finally win in Brazil was a moment I'll never forget. It had been a long time coming. I'm in a good place right now. I'm feeling super strong in this amazing car that everyone at the factories has worked so hard to give us. I've had 31 wins in four years with this team so far, which is just crazy. I'm so thankful for the great opportunity these guys have given me. We're continuing to make history together. It's not been a perfect season and I'm faced with pretty impossible odds no matter what I do this weekend. But I can't and won't give up. You never know what might happen - however unlikely it may seem. I'll be proud of myself and what I've achieved as long as I feel I've given my all and performed at my best. And, whatever happens, I'm proud of everyone who's been a part of the success we've shared over the past few years. I'm approaching this weekend the same as I do every race. I want to win and I'll give it everything to finish the season on a high.”

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Brazilian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    The title fight will go down to the wire as Lewis Hamilton took his first win in Brazil after a stop-start race at Interlagos. Teammate and championship rival Nico Rosberg came home second and more than eleven seconds behind Hamilton.

    Right from the start, the weather was causing trouble, the stewards deciding to delay the start of the race by ten minutes to give the rain a chance to ease. On the out lap to the grid, Romain Grosjean showed why, losing the rear end of his Haas under acceleration and crashing into the wall.

    The rain didn’t ease up, and the race started behind a safety car so drivers could get a feel of the track conditions. After seven laps of follow the leader, the green flag was brought out and the race started proper. Hamilton immediately got off to a fantastic start, building up a gap to Roseberg. Behind them, Kimi Raikkonen was caught sleeping as Max Verstappen sped past him up the inside. In a matter of moments, the young Red Bull was on the back of Rosberg’s Mercedes. Verstappen swept across the track, finding the best grip on the still wet tarmac.

    Already, drivers were beginning to pit for Intermediate tyres. Renault’s Kevin Magnussen was the first, but Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa, Daniil Kvyat, Jolyon Palmer, and Marcus Ericsson were all quick to follow. Not the Mercedes drivers, though. Both drivers were adamant it was too soon for the green walled tyres.

    Sebastian Vettel proved them right. Still on wet tyres, the Ferrari driver was sent into a spin when he dropped a tyre onto the slippery white line, falling back through the field. Still, Vettel followed the flow of the competition and pitted for intermediate tyres.

    A few laps later, Ericsson also spun, but his spin ended in the wall at the entry of the pit lane. The safety car was brought out and the pit lane entry was closed, but not before Max Verstappen had dived in to put intermediates on. It was before Daniel Riccardo came into the pits though. The Australian was later given a five second penalty for entering the pit lane whilst the entrance was closed. Home hero Felipe Massa was also under investigation and later handed the same penalty for overtaking before the safety car line on the first race start.

    The safety car came into the pits on lap nineteen and almost immediately the chaos resumed. Kimi Raikkonen span at almost the exact same place as Ericsson, colliding with the pit wall and bouncing back onto the track, a Manor car narrowly avoiding the Ferrari. Meanwhile, Palmer crashed into the back of Kvyat, severely damaging his Renault. The red flags were brought out to clear the stricken Ferrari and, though Palmer was able to hobble back to the pits, he wouldn’t return to the track when the race resumed.

    The race resumed under safety car conditions, with everybody back on wet tyres. Hamilton and Verstappen were both eager to get racing but, after just a few laps behind the safety car, the race was red flagged again, with running water on the track causing concern for race control.

    After a lengthy delay, the race resumed again under the safety car. This time, the race would start again proper, and Verstappen was on the attack. It didn’t take long for the Red Bull to find a way past Roseberg, around the outside of turn three. Teammate Daniel Ricciardo was also on the move, slipping up the inside of Carlos Sainz to take fifth.

    Vettel, after his earlier spin and pit stop, was working his way up through the pack. The German soon made his way into the point, knocking Manor’s Pascal Wehrlein into eleventh.

    Verstappen tried to take the race to Hamilton, setting a fastest lap to attempt to close the gap to the championship contender, only for Hamilton to reply with a fastest lap of his own. Rosberg, however, was no where to be seen, unable to keep the pace in the wet conditions.

    A big slide for Verstappen had everybody’s hearts in their throats. The Dutchman spun after touching the white line, and was sent into a slide, but was just about able to keep his Red Bull out of the barriers. Rosberg saw his chance to regain second, coming alongside Verstappen, but Verstappen was able to keep second place.

    On lap forty, Ricciardo pitted for intermediate tyres, serving his five second penalty in the process. Meanwhile, Vettel was still pushing to move forwards. The Ferrari’s back-end was twitching as Vettel struggled to keep it under control, but that didn’t stop him trying to make a move on Alonso. The German managed to get past the McLaren car, but Alonso fought back. Vettel had the inside line, forcing Alonso off track as he kept the position, but both cars managed to keep going.

    Verstappen, still running in second, followed Ricciardo’s lead and pitted for intermediate tyres, coming out in fifth position. Ricciardo proved that the switch was working by setting a fastest lap. Button, also on intermediates, had other ideas, though. He’d already said that there was no difference in grip between the two tyres, but now he wanted to put wets back on his McLaren. The McLaren came in to pit for wets and it soon became clear that was the right choice.

    Felipe Massa crashed, bringing out the safety car and bringing an end to the Brazilian’s final home grand prix. It was an emotional scene as mechanics from Mercedes and Ferrari lined up to clap Massa on his way back to the pits. Massa sobbed as he was joined by his family, come to watch his final Grand Prix on the Interlagos circuit. Massa’s first home grand prix, way back at the start of his career, ended with a retirement, and so would his last.

    There was still a race to go though. Ricciardo and Verstappen both pitted for wet tyres, making it seem like a podium might be out of reach for either Red Bull driver, but the race wasn’t over yet. As soon as the safety car returned to the pits, Verstappen got back to what he did best: overtaking.
One by one, Verstappen picked off drivers: Bottas, then Ricciardo, then Kvyat, Ocon, Nasr, Hulkenberg. The Red Bull looked almost unstoppable as he cut through the field. Sebastian Vettel, who had managed to climb up all the way to fifth, looked to put a stop to that progress though. V

    Verstappen tried a move around the outside of the Ferrari, but Vettel closed the door on the youngster. Next, Verstappen tried the inside line, pushing Vettel onto the grass and speeding past the Ferrari. Another clean, decisive move brought Verstappen past former teammate Sainz, and then there was only Perez between him and the podium it seemed he was almost destined for. Verstappen looked at the outside line before trying to get past the Force India all the way around the outside. He briefly lost the back of the Red Bull, but kept in control to come side by side with Perez. Verstappen pushed past, into third.

    Ahead, Hamilton had had a quiet race, speeding away whenever there wasn’t a red flag or a safety car, and took a comfortable win. The Brit has been trying for ten years to get a win at Interlagos and now, in the 44th race at the track, he’s got it. Rosberg finishing second brings the gap down to twelve points ahead of the final race at Abu Dhabi.

RESULTS: 

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 15 Points
4. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 12 Points
5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 10 Points
6. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / + 8 Points
7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points
8. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 4 Points
9. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / + 2 Points
10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland
12. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France
13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
14. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark
15. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
16. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

RETIRED - Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico / Engine Failure
RETIRED - Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / Collision
RETIRED - Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Collision
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Collision
RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / Collision

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Brazilian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “Mexico wasn’t ideal. I was going for the win as always but Lewis was just a little bit faster all weekend. Sometimes you just have to accept that and be satisfied with your work. I’m not going to change my approach. I need to keep doing what helps me perform at my best and that’s going for the win every time. There are still two races to go and anything can happen in this sport, so I need to focus my energy on the factors that I have in my control. I’ve got good form in Sao Paulo. It’s one of the real classic tracks, which usually produce some exciting races, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and having a big battle in front of those awesome Brazilian fans.”

Lewis Hamilton - “It’s a great feeling when you’re able to show the kind of pace I’ve shown at the past two races. Everyone has worked so hard and the car has really been faultless. The speed has been there all season - I just haven’t always had the opportunity to take advantage of it. In terms of the championship, it’s an unusual scenario to be in - fighting for something and not knowing for sure that what you do will guarantee you’re able to make it. One outcome would be painful and the other would be a great achievement. Regardless, I’m going to keep pushing. Since the beginning of my Formula One career I’ve seen that everything can change even at the very last moment, so you have to fight to the bitter end. I’ve never won in Brazil, so I go into this weekend focused on changing that.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “I came into Sunday with a good chance of winning but it didn’t work out. That’s the way it is, so I accept that and now it’s on to the next one in Mexico. My goal is to try and win there just as it has been at every race. Of course, to be in a championship battle at the end of the year is awesome and I’m excited about that. But my approach is to keep it simple. There are many things that can happen during a race weekend which are out of your control, so it’s best to just block all that out and focus on the job at hand. That’s what’s worked best for me and how I feel at my strongest. I’m excited to head back to Mexico City again. Driving the track feels like being back at a kart circuit with all the tight corners and the noise and the atmosphere in the stadium section is really phenomenal. Standing on that podium last year was one of the best moments of my career, so I hope I can get back up there and experience it again. We’ve got three races left to enjoy this awesome Silver Arrow, so I’m planning on making the most of every moment.”

Lewis Hamilton - “It was great to finally get that 50th win after a couple of tough weekends. I’ve just continued to keep a positive frame of mind, avoid dwelling on the past, work and train hard and I knew eventually the result would come. The moment you give up is the moment you lose. I’ve never been one to give up and I don’t plan on starting now. There are still plenty of points available and anything is possible. Next up it’s Mexico, which was a great experience last time out. It’s crazy how slippery the circuit is with the altitude giving you so little down force from the car. It’s a big challenge, so even though last year’s race was a bit frustrating for me, I actually had a lot of fun out there. I’m looking forward to giving it another go and hopefully going one better this time. On top of that, it has to be one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen. There are so many people with so much energy and excitement for the sport in Mexico. The stands were full even on Friday, which was really good to see. I saw a few Mexican flags with my name on them in Austin which was awesome, so hopefully those guys will be there to give me that extra lift this weekend too.”

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US GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “It was a great week, heading back to the UK with the constructors’ championship in the bag and celebrating with all our colleagues at Brackley and Brixworth. They’ve worked so hard and really deserve this moment. It’s job done in that battle for this year - but I know they’re already focused on 2017. We’ve got four more races left of this season for everyone to hopefully enjoy some great action on track - starting of course in Austin this weekend. It’s a great circuit, with some really challenging sections and a few good opportunities for overtaking. The city itself is awesome and I’m sure everyone in the paddock looks forward to this one. Last year this race obviously didn’t work out so great for me, so I’ m looking forward to getting back out there and doing my best to get it right this time. Hopefully we won’t have the same weather as last year - that was pretty crazy! Mostly I hope it stays dry for the fans: they were amazing waiting out in the rain last time, so they’re owed a nice dry weekend I think! They give us such great hospitality that they deserve an exciting show, so we’ll do our best to provide that.”

Lewis Hamilton - “Seeing all the guys and girls at the factory last week really brought home just what we’ve achieved together this year. They’ve worked so damned hard to give Nico and me this great car and you can see how much it means to them. We’ve got four races left to make the most of it and that’s exactly what I plan to do. It’s just about hitting every race weekend as hard as I can, going all out for every win and seeing what happens from there. I’ll be holding nothing back out there. First up, we’re back in the States - which is like a second home race for me these days. I love the country, the culture, the people and the track, so I can’t wait to get started. I’ve got some great memories from Austin, with three wins from four races and, of course, the title win last year. That was one of the highlights of my career, no doubt. It’s almost like the American fans have adopted me as their own, so I’ll try to channel all of that positive energy into this weekend.”

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Japanese GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

   

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX - RACE

    With only 5 races left, the points gap between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton continues to be extremely crucial in regards to the Drivers Championship. When the lights went out, Rosberg was quick to pull away from Hamilton, who found himself moving all the way back to 8th. Force India's Sergio Perez, moved from 5th to 3rd within the first two corners. Team-mate, Hulkenberg, went from 9th to 6th, making it a great start for the team. They currently stand 4th in the constructors, just ahead of Williams.

    All 22 cars crossed the line this time around and the race went without a single accident, apart from a spin from Gutierrez in the Ferrari-powered Haas. Gutierrez was able to get back on track and finish the race in 20th. Romain Grosjean finished just outside of the points in 11th.

    Both McLaren drivers found themselves having a less-than-perfect race, despite the upgraded Honda power units. Button had a complete PU change before the race but struggled to pass any cars in the first half of the race and finished just ahead of Sauber's Felipe Nasr, in 18th. Fernando Alonso was unable to get his McLaren into the points either, but finished ahead of Button in 16th. It was a race to forget for the Woking-based team.

    It was a case of the blues for Vettel, Verstappen and Raikkonen, who all came over their radios multiple times, reporting traffic and lapped cars getting in the way and refusing to move. Vettel called the situation 'Ridiculous' and Ferrari was quick to agree.

    Sebastian Vettel came within a second of Lewis Hamilton numerous times within the final 10 laps, hoping to pass him and get on the podium, but he found himself moving farther back on the main straight and eventually 3rd place was out of reach.

    With Nico Rosberg taking the win and Hamilton securing 3rd, Mercedes was able to finally clinch the Constructors Championship title. However, the battle between Ferrari and Red Bull is still hot and with Verstappen finishing the race in 2nd, Red Bull has plenty to he excited about.

    While Perez and Hulkenberg had been running as high as 3rd and 6th, things didn't quite turn out that way after multiple pit-stops and being just off of Ferrari's pace. Despite the disappointment of no podium celebration for the team, they still extended their points lead ahead of Williams with Perez finishing in 7th and Hulkenberg in 8th.

    Sauber, Renault, Manor and Toro Rosso all finished outside of the points, but with 4 races left, there is still plenty of chances for things to change within the Drivers Championship.

RESULTS:

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

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 18 Points

3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points

4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 12 Points

5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 10 Points

6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 8 Points

7. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 6 Points

8. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / 4 Points

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 2 Points

10. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 1 Point

11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

12. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

14. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

17. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

18. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain 

19. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

20. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

21. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

22. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “Sunday was not great for us, unfortunately. My race was almost over before it even began and I feel for Lewis, as I've been there myself and it sucks big time to have all those points taken away from you just like that. For the guys too, seeing all their hard work destroyed in a couple of moments must be pretty brutal - especially right at the end of such a physically demanding weekend. But you cannot underestimate how strong this team is. We'll hit back even harder. Of course, the result in Malaysia went in my favour in the title battle. That's a fact and I cannot pretend otherwise. But I haven't been thinking about the points situation all season and I'm not going to start now. I'm here to win races and that's the aim every time. Suzuka is the next opportunity and I'd love to stand on top of the podium there. It's one of the truly great, classic race tracks, where all the legends have won, so it would be an honour to add my name to that list. I need to improve on my last performances there, where it hasn't ever really come together. But I think I've shown this season that I've learned a lot from the past two years, so I'm confident I can get on top of this challenge. Hopefully it will be a great weekend and a good close battle for those awesome Japanese fans.”

Lewis Hamilton - “Of course, last weekend was a massive disappointment. Not just for me personally but for the whole team. But there's no use dwelling on these things. That's just negative energy. All we can do is focus on the next race, taking things one step at a time and doing the best job we can. There's no substitute for hard work and I've never been afraid of that. The guys are hurting from what happened too and I know they'll be working just as hard to get things right next time. It's not the lowest point I've had. There have been lower moments for sure. Regardless, I will find strength from within to fight back over these next five race weekends. If I can perform like I did last weekend and the car holds together, then good things can still come my way. I love the Suzuka circuit and I've been quick there for the past two years, so hopefully that trend will continue. I know I'll have some fantastic support in the grandstands to lift me up and give me that extra boost. The energy from the fans in Malaysia was the best I've ever seen there and now we're going to Japan, where they just seem to find another level every year. It's insane how crazy they go for the sport and I get a real buzz out of that. Fingers crossed I can make it happen to pay them back for all the love and strength they send my way.”

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Malaysian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    Daniel Ricciardo lead a Red Bull one-two in the Malaysia GP, with an incredibly recovery drive from Nico Rosberg ending with the Germany third in the podium. Rosberg leads the championship ahead of the Japanese GP next weekend.

    Everything seemed to be over for Rosberg after the first corner. Sebastian Vettel, starting fifth, shot down the inside of Max Verstappen going into the tight hair pin. Vettel managed to get past, but couldn’t turn his car fast enough and hit Rosberg.

    Rosberg was sent spinning to the back of the pack, Vettel out of the race. Verstappen managed to get away with minimal damage, but had still lost a handful of places.

    Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was in a race of his own, once again. He’d managed to get a clean get away from the grid, and had left Ricciardo far behind him.

    The virtual safety car was virtually brought out, pausing the race whilst the debris from the collision was cleared.

    Further back, Daniil Kvyat had hit the back of Kevin Magnussen’s car and the Russian dived into the pits to replace his damaged front wing.

    As soon as the green flags returned to the track, Verstappen was on the move. The Dutch driver made quick work of Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez ahead of him, moving back up to third.

    Further back in the field, Fernando Alonso was on the move. After starting twenty second on the grid after taking an engine penalty, the Spaniard was set for a strong recovery drive. Alonso was already up into the points by the time the virtual safety car was deployed, and he wasn’t about to stop there.

    The McLaren driver moved up into ninth, then stuck to the back of Valtteri Bottas’ car. His attack would have to be put on hold though, when the virtual safety car was deployed again.

    A big puff of smoke signalled a problem with Romain Grosjean’s left rear break and the Frenchman was sent hard into the gravel track.

    Verstappen took the opportunity to head to the pits, putting soft tyres onto his Red Bull machine. The virtual safety car meant he would head out only sixteen seconds behind Hamilton.

    By this point, everybody had guessed Rosberg’s race was over, but the German was still on track, and he wasn’t about to give up without a fight. As the virtual safety car ended, the German was pushing against Nico Hulkenberg for thirteenth. It didn’t take long for Rosberg to pick of Hulkenberg, then Felipe Nasr.

    The opening lap damage wasn’t over yet. Magnussen was struggling in his Renault, the down force levels not where they were supposed to be. Seventeen laps into the race, the Danish driver was told to come into the pits, retiring his car.

    Rosberg had managed to get up into the points and was running up in sixth before the leaders dived into the points. Verstappen’s early stop guaranteed him the lead of the race, with Hamilton, Ricciardo, and Raikkonen behind him. When Raikkonen came out of the pits, he found the familiar silver car of Rosberg right behind him.

    The alternative strategy Red Bull had put Verstappen on didn’t seem to be working quite the way they planned. Hamilton was catching the teenager, setting the fastest lap of the race.

    Verstappen was told he could push, but the soft tyres were beginning to run out and he dived into the pits. With hard tyres on, he came out only just ahead of Raikkonen, behind his team mate.

    It was expected the leaders were going to try and keep their hard tyres until the end of the race, but that just wasn’t going to work for Rosberg. The German pitted, putting more hard tyres on and coming out behind Perez. Ferrari moved to cover the stop, pitting Raikkonen for hard tyres and coming out ahead of the German.

    Alonso was still on his recovery drive, though. The Spaniard was swarming over the back of Carlos Sainz’s car, trying to find a way past the Toro Rosso car. With a purple first sector, Alonso passed his fellow Spaniard.

    Rosberg was close to the back of Raikkonen’s car, sending the Finn into as much of a panic as you can send Raikkonen into. He could be heard complaining on the radio, saying he needed as much power as he could get with the Mercedes within DRS range.

    The German headed up the inside of Raikkonen, but it wasn’t clean. The two came together, Raikkonen hitting the side pod of Rosberg’s car. Both managed to keep going, though, Rosberg ahead, but it was a move Rosberg would be investigated for.

    Ricciardo was now having to defend against Verstappen, Red Bull long ago learning not to tell your drivers not to race in Malaysia. The Dutchman got up alongside his more experienced team mate and it looked like Verstappen might get ahead, but Ricciardo fought hard and managed to keep the teenager at pay.

    Hamilton had been on fire earlier in the race, setting fastest laps to get a good run on Verstappen when he was in second. Now he was actually on fire, smoke and flames pouring from the engine.

    The virtual safety car was deployed as the stricken Mercedes was cleared from the track. Both Red Bulls, Raikkonen, and Rosberg pitted for new tyres, but all came out in the same order.

    Esteban Gutierrez’s tyre was also seeing some action, but not in the pits. His first left tyre had come away from the car, and the Haas driver pulled to the side of the track, the second Haas to retire from the race.

    Just as the virtual safety car was cleared, Rosberg was handed a ten second penalty. That dropped him to a net fourth place, with Raikkonen not too far behind him. There weren’t too many laps left, and he would have to get a move on if he wanted to get the podium.

    With only six laps to go, Raikkonen slipped just out of the top ten, meaning there would once again be a Mercedes on the podium.

    Verstappen was beginning to fall away from Ricciardo a bit and this time there was no need for team orders in the Red Bull camp for their Australian driver to take the race win.

RESULTS:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 25 Points

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 18 Points

3. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 15 Points

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points

5. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points

6. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 8 Points

7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 6 Points

8. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 4 Points

9. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / + 2 Points

10. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / + 1 Point

11. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

12. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

13. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

14. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

15. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

16. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

RETIRED - Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / Break-By-Wire

RETIRED - Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / Engine Fire

RETIRED - Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico / Mechanical Failure

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / Break Failure

RETIRED - Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / Collision

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “Singapore was a perfect weekend for me. I felt great in the car, had a fantastic qualifying, made a strong start and then came out on top after a really intense battle with Daniel (Ricciardo) at the end of the race, which made the win all the more fulfilling. The team did such an impressive job understanding what went wrong last year and turning it around. I’m massively proud of everyone for that. It’s an incredible position to be in as a driver, knowing you have a shot at winning every weekend. I won’t take it for granted. I’ve had a good run lately and I’m enjoying the moment. But as far as the next race goes, or the next one after that and so on… it’s anyone’s game. Red Bull and Ferrari are both pushing us really hard, so there will be some tough weekends ahead. It’s exciting for the fans and pushes us even harder to keep improving, so that’s a great thing. Malaysia didn’t work out perfectly for us last year, so if we can win it this time against such tough opposition that would be really awesome. I can’t wait to see all the guys from Petronas who work so hard to give us that extra competitive advantage and hopefully give them something to cheer about at their home race.”

Lewis Hamilton - “Singapore was a difficult weekend for me, so to come away with a podium in the circumstances was pretty good damage limitation. Ultimately, Nico did an exceptional job and I didn’t have my best weekend. But that’s the way it goes. We’re both fiercely competitive. Some weekends he does great, some weekends I do great. It’s a combination of things that all come together to make a strong weekend and every one is different. I have no idea if the momentum will swing back to me or when it might. But we still have six races left, so I just have to keep giving it my all and hope for the best. That’s all you can do as a sportsman. It’s going to take some good results to get back in front and stay there - but I’ve had plenty of those in the past, so there’s no reason to think they won’t come back to me again. Sepang is my first shot at it and I’m really looking forward to getting out there. It’s a track I usually go pretty well at - plus we have some really fantastic support from the Malaysian people, including all the guys and girls from Petronas. It should be a great weekend, so if we can get a result to match that would be awesome. Let’s see how it goes."

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Singapore GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - RACE

    Nico Rosberg took a well deserved victory at Singapore in what may be the most exciting race of the season. It’s rare in Formula One that there’s much of a battle at the front of the field, let alone one that lasts until the very last lap, but a mixed up strategy in the night race made for a battle that kept fans and team personnel alike on the edge of their seats.

    There’s always a safety car at Singapore. This one came right at the beginning of the race, after a collision between Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz.

    Fourth place started Max Verstappen had a slow start, falling back through the pack. Sainz, starting directly behind him, tried to avoid his ex-team mate, but tangled with Hulkenberg.

    The Toro Rosso driver was able to keep going, but was forced to pit a few laps after the green flags returned when the meatball flags were brought out for some damage to the front of his car.

    Verstappen’s slow start promoted Raikkonen to fourth but the Finn wasn’t going to stay there for long. Raikkonen caught up with Hamilton and was in DRS range within twenty six laps, but it took another seven or so laps to make the move.

    When he did, it was a clean overtake for the Ferrari driver. Hamilton locked up his front right tyre at turn seven, allowing Raikkonen to get closer. At turn ten, the Finn dived down the inside to pass Hamilton.

    Further back, there was a battle for the bottom spaces of the top ten. It was a battle of Red Bull past and (possibly) future, as Sebastian Vettel tried to get past Sainz. Vettel started from the very back of the grid, but was on a charge.

    Esteban Gutierrez was following behind Vettel, hoping to follow the Ferrari through when Vettel inevitably got past the Toro Rosso driver. The trio came three abreast for a number of corners, but Vettel eventually got through. Sainz defended heavily, managing to keep Gutierrez behind him.

    Back at the front of the pack, the leading four pitted and, despite Hamilton hoping the team could do something different to get him back ahead of Raikkonen, there was no change of order. The gaps between the top four rose and fell like a spring, but there was no movement.

    Mercedes told Hamilton to switch to plan B. The race was reignited.

    “We need to pull Raikkonen in,” Hamilton was told. The Brit responded by setting the fastest lap of the race at that point, a Singapore race lap record.

    Raikkonen was told to keep squeezing Ricciardo, who was happily running in second, whilst Hamilton caught up with him. With less than two seconds between Hamilton and Raikkonen, the Mercedes driver dived into the pit, losing time but no positions.

    Ferrari panicked. When Raikkonen asked his engineer if they were going to respond, the answer he got was “we’ll let you know”. They did, pitting Raikkonen to put faster tyres on his Ferrari, but he left the pits behind Mercedes. Plan B had worked.

    Ricciardo decided now was a good time for him to pit too. It was a free stop with Hamilton so far behind him. Mercedes almost fell for the same trick they’d pulled on Ferrari, telling Rosberg to pit, only ordering him to abort that moments later.

    Ricciardo was catching him though, taking three seconds out of Rosberg’s lead in the first lap out of the pits. The Australian was told he would catch Rosberg with four laps to go and, as the clock ticked down, Rosberg’s lead grew smaller and smaller.

   There weren’t enough laps though. With the backmarker traffic and Rosberg finding extra pace from his car, the race ended with Ricciardo right under the Mercedes rear wing.

    It was another win for Rosberg that puts him back in the lead of the championship.

    Elsewhere, Vettel recovered all the way to fifth and was followed over the line by a recovering Verstappen.

 RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 10 Points
6. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 8 Points
7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 6 Points
8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points
9. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / + 2 Points
10. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / + 1 Point
11. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico
12. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
13. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
14. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain
15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
RETIRED - Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland /
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / Collision

DNS - Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - “Monza didn’t quite go to plan. But when you look at how far we’ve come as a team this season, from the position we were in, then I realise I’m in a phenomenal position. We’re still leading both World Championships and there are still so many great things to achieve together, even before this season is through. Next up it’s Singapore, which is always a great event. The race is a challenge with the heat and humidity – but it’s a street circuit, which I love. We didn’t have the greatest weekend there last year, so hopefully we’re on top of that now. I guess we’ll find out in a few days’ time! Either way, it’s not going to be an easy breezy drive. Even when we won there back in 2014, it wasn’t straightforward. Ferrari and Red Bull will be on it I’m sure, so we’ve got a big fight on our hands if we are up at the front. I love a battle, so I’ m excited to see how it plays out.”

Nico Rosberg - “Standing on top of that Monza podium was an awesome experience. I’ll definitely remember that one for a long time! But now my focus is on Singapore - a race that’s been up and down for me. I got my second ever podium there way back in 2008 but haven’t been up there again since, so the target is to change that on Sunday. Of course, it won’t be easy. This is a Red Bull track and we weren’t so strong there last year. But I have faith in the team and my belief in myself is as high as ever. I approach each weekend aiming to win the race. The points gap has gone up and down but I’ve taken it one race at a time - and that’s the best way for me, as you can see by how the gap is now. Singapore is a cool city and a great place for Formula One. The track looks spectacular under the lights and it’s always buzzing in town around the race weekend, so I’m really looking forward to getting out there.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Italian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    The gap at the front of the championship is now down to only two points as Nico Rosberg took his second win in a row. The German finished ahead of team mate Lewis Hamilton, who fell back to sixth at the start of the race.

    It was expected to be a walk in the park for Hamilton. The championship leader started on pole with Rosberg alongside him. A mistake cost the Brit greatly, though, as car after car sped past him at the lights. He eventually slipped in behind Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo whilst Rosberg defended against the home favourites Ferrari to take the lead of the race.

    Rosberg and Hamilton were the only drivers at the front of the field on the harder compound tyre. It may have been the slower tyre, but it would have given them a tactical advantage when it came to pit stops. Ricciardo and the rest of the drivers separating Hamilton and his team mate would have to pit earlier, meaning Hamilton wouldn’t really have to be racing against them in the first stint.

    Tell that to Hamilton. As the Brit struggled to find a way past the Red Bull and then the Williams of Valtteri Bottas, Rosberg was building up a gap to the Ferraris. A gap Hamilton would have to close when he got into second to have any chance of winning the race.

    Hamilton eventually got up into fourth, behind Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari, and was promoted to third on lap sixteen when the Ferrari pitted. A lap later, Sebastian Vettel pitted too and Hamilton could finally get back to the real race, but Rosberg was already over ten seconds up the road, and we hadn’t really even seen the full power of the Mercedes yet.

    Rosberg pitted first, coming out behind Hamilton only for the Brit to pit the following lap. Hamilton came out behind the Ferraris again and, despite the fact they would have to pit again, it still put the Mercedes at a disadvantage.

    By the time Hamilton had gotten past the Ferrari duo again, there was no catching his team mate. Rosberg, in a relatively quiet race, took his seventh win of the season and his first win at Monza, whilst Hamilton would have to settle for second.

    Ferrari did get one driver on the podium at their home race, with Sebastian Vettel taking third just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.

    As usual for Formula One, there was more interesting battles further back in the field.

    Once Hamilton had passed the pair of them, Bottas and Ricciardo began a race long fight. The pair were on different strategies and Ricciardo, who spent most of the race chasing Bottas, had other cars to pass on a few occasions, but the battle went right down to the end of the race.

    In the closing stages of the race, the Australian got up alongside Bottas at one of Monza’s many chicanes, sending Bottas onto the curb in defence. Bottas couldn’t close the door quick enough on Ricciardo, and the Australian moved up into fifth. Bottas couldn’t find the pace to challenge Ricciardo back, and would have to settle for sixth.

    Still, it was ahead of both Force India drivers. Williams lost out in the constructors’ championship to the team last time out, and were looking for revenge. Though Felipe Massa could only finish ninth, behind Sergio Perez, he finished ahead of Nico Hulkenberg. Together with Bottas’ sixth, Williams managed to take fourth in the constructors’ championship back from Force India, now a whole three points ahead.

    Elsewhere, there were four retirements from the race. Felipe Nasr and Jolyon Palmer came together on the opening lap and, though both cars were able to continue, they both eventually retired, leaving a mess in their wake. Luckily, nobody’s tyres were damaged on the scraps of carbon fibre, and the pair’s retirement went by fairly unnoticed.

    Retirement three came from Pascal Wehrlein. Dramatic radio messages came through to the Manor driver to stop the car immediately and switch it off. He did on lap twenty eight, but stayed out of the way of everybody. There was no need for anything more than a few yellow flags.

    Daniil Kvyat was the fourth and final retirement. After being handed a five second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, the Russian returned to the pits to retire.

RESULTS:

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

RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / Battery
RETIRED - Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany / Oil Leak
RETIRED - Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / Collison Damage
RETIRED - Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain / Collision Damage

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

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    It was another Mercedes 1-2 in the final practice session of the Italian GP weekend. Hamilton finished in 1st with a 1:22.008, just ahead of Rosberg who finished 2nd. Vettel, Raikkonen and Bottas completed the top 5.

    Romain Grosjean had a spin in the beginning of the session and ended up in the gravel, which issued yellow flags and the virtual safety car. While Grosjean was uninjured, his session was over early. His team-mate, Gutierrez finished in 10th with a 1:24.036. Grosjean now faces a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for a gearbox change.

    Both Williams drivers finished within the top 10 with Bottas in 5th and Massa in 6th. Massa will be looking to make the best out of these last races before he retires at the end of the season.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:22.008 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:22.401 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:22.946 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:23.149 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:23.500 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Felipe Massa - 1:23.647 / Williams-Mercedes

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:23.709 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Max Verstappen - 1:23.740 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER 

9. Sergio Perez - 1:23.917 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:24.036 / Haas-Ferrari

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:24.041 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Jenson Button - 1:24.104 / McLaren-Honda

13. Carlos Sainz - 1:24.240 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

14. Romain Grosjean - 1:24.463 / Haas-Ferrari

15. Jolyon Palmer - 1:24.533 / Renault-Renault

16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:24.542 / Sauber-Ferrari

17. Fernando Alonso - 1:24.658 / McLaren-Honda

18. Felipe Nasr - 1:24.715 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:24.793 / Renault-Renault 

20. Daniil Kvyat - 1:24.845 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

21. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:24.893 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Esteban Ocon - 1:24.938 / Manor-Mercedes

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - "Spa was about as good as damage limitation can get, I think! It was a fantastic result for me and for the team. The guys deserved it so much after all that hard work, so I was massively pleased for them and proud of what we achieved together. Now we go to Monza - a track I know well from so many racing categories throughout my career and one it's impossible not to love. The speed, the history, the atmosphere... it's just so iconic in every way. Standing on that amazing podium, looking out over a sea of fans on the straight, has to be up there as one of the most incredible experiences a sportsman can have. I had a perfect weekend on track there last year. If I can repeat that it would be amazing but we'll see how we look when we get there. It's game on for me now with the penalties out of the way and fresh engines ready to use. I can't wait to get back out there."

Nico Rosberg - "It's great to add a classic circuit like Spa to the list of wins. It wasn't a straightforward weekend for us - but everybody did a fantastic job and the car kept improving with every session, so hopefully that puts us on a good curve as we head to another legendary track in Monza. This is a race I really enjoy and one I'd really love to master. The Tifosi create such an incredible atmosphere every single time, no matter who wins the race. Last year obviously didn't end so well for me there, so I'm hoping for a bit more luck and a little less fire this time... I'm really enjoying the battle out there right now. We've got several cars in the mix now which is exciting for us and also the fans. For me, I'm taking every race like a cup final. It's great to know you have the team and the car to just go out there and lay it on the line. I can't wait to make our Silver Arrow fly at Monza."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Belgian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    With Nico Rosberg on Pole Position, the German driver knew he had to win this to close the points gap between himself and team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, who leads the drivers championship by 19 points.

    When the lights went out, it was Verstappen who tried to take the lead from Rosberg as quick as possible. Both Force India drivers were quick to try and get to the front as well. Things turned bad quickly though when the drivers approached the first corner. Vettel took the outside line too tightly and collided with Raikkonen, which caused Raikkonen's car to hit Verstappen. Vettel ended up spinning, causing Perez and Button to have to drive off track to avoid the sitting Ferrari.

    Both Ferrari's sustained damage as well as Verstappen's Red Bull. Both Verstappen and Raikkonen had to pit early for a front wing/nose change. Raikkonen's car also suffered a minor fire during the pit-stop.

    Jenson Button and Pascal Wehrlein were also victims of an early on collision when Wehrlein tagged the back of Button's car, causing the McLaren to sustain rear suspension damage. Both drivers retired soon after the accident.

    On lap 2, Carlos Sainz had a tyre failure and his car ran off track before spinning back on track. He then ended up in the grass before attempting to get back to the pits. However, the tyre damage had caused the back wing set up of the Toro Rosso to collapse. He ended up heading back off track and stopping the race. It was day over for him.

    By lap 4, Lewis Hamilton had already made it up to 12th after starting all the way back in 21st. Alonso had caught up as well, from 22nd and was running in 10th. 

    Marcus Ericsson was the next to retire but not due to a collision. It was a gearbox failure that ended his race early. Team-mate, Felipe Nasr also had a less-than perfect race and finished last.

    On lap 6, Renault driver, Kevin Magnussen suffered a heavy crash at the top of the hill at Eau Rouge. The Renault plowed into the tyre-barriers, causing the collar of the car to fly off. Magnussen was able to to get out of the car and walk away from the crash with help. He was limping slightly and taken to a local hospital, suffering only a small ankle injury.

    The race was red flagged due to the damage to the barriers at Eau Rouge and drivers had a chance to change tyres and make small legal adjustments to their cars. Some drivers even opted to get out of their cars and talk to their crew on the pit-walls. After 10-15 minutes, the race was restarted under a safety car.

    Rosberg continued to lead with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg close behind. Fernando Alonso was up to 4th but Hamilton was closing in on him and soon passed him just a lap later.

    Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen had a battle of their own back in 14th and 15th. Raikkonen passed the Red Bull, then made contact and ran off the track. The two continued to race wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen back ahead of Raikkonen and the younger driver had no plans of letting Raikkonen past.

    Lewis Hamilton made it up to 3rd by lap 18, by passing Hulkenberg, who ended up having a slightly hair raising pit-stop. He was on his way down pit-lane when McLaren released Fernando Alonso and the two nearly collided while making their way back on track.

    Nico Rosberg took the win with Daniel Ricciardo finishing close behind in 2nd. Lewis Hamilton managed to finish on the podium in 3rd despite starting the race all the way back in 21st. Unfortunately for Max Verstappen, it was a home race to forget as he finished just outside the points in 11th. 

    While Force India made an impressive double points finish with Hulkenberg in 4th and Perez in 5th, it was a less than perfect race for Hulkenberg, who narrowly missed out on his first podium.

    Esteban Ocon managed to make his F1 race debut count by finishing in 16th. He may not have scored points, but he finished the race and stayed out of the way of any collisions. He'll be looking forward to Monza, where F1 returns next weekend. 

RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 12 Points
5. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 10 Points
6. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 8 Points
7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 6 Points
8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 4 Points
9. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 2 Points
10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 1 Point
11. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands
12. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico
13. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France
17. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / Accident
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Gearbox 
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / Tyre Failure
RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany / Collision Damage

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM 

Lewis Hamilton - “It’s crazy how quickly this year is going by. It seems like a few weeks ago we were in Barcelona for winter testing and now we’re through the summer break, heading to Spa. The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us. There will be more up and downs to come, I’m sure. But the way myself and the team have performed so far gives me huge confidence. I’m feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to go after a fun few weeks off, so hopefully everyone else has had a good rest too and we’ll come out fighting. Spa is a great track - one that every driver enjoys. It was great to finally get back on the top step there last year, so fingers crossed I’ll be able to have another strong race this time around. It’s been such a proud few weeks for British sport, with the Olympics and then Cal Crutchlow becoming the first British MotoGP winner in more than 30 years. I’ll do my best to keep the flag flying this weekend. A big shout-out to the British fans heading out to this one. I’m sure they’ll be out in force as always!”

Nico Rosberg - “It’s been great to have a couple of weeks with the family to relax and recharge the batteries. I’ve loved every minute - but now it’s time to get back to work! For me, it’s like a clean slate at this stage. What’s happened so far this season is in the past. I can’t wait to get in that car, put my foot down and get everything I can from these next races. Belgium is a great place to kick start the year after the break. It’s such an awesome track, with so many challenges and usually some crazy weather just to mix things up even more. If you ask any driver they will tell you how much they love racing here. And, if you look back through the years, there have been some great moments too - that mega move from Mika Hakkinen on Michael Schumacher down the Kemmel straight, for example. All of that history just makes it even more special, so I’d love to add my name to the winner’s list. I’m feeling strong in myself, I know I’ll have the best car out there and I’m massively pumped to be back on track, so let’s see how it goes.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Quotes belong to Drivers 

Rosberg Extends Mercedes Contract

ROSBERG EXTENDS MERCEDES CONTRACT

    Nico Rosberg has extended his contract with Mercedes F1 team for two more years. The German was set to be out of contract at the end of the season, but the new contract will keep him at the championship team until the end of 2018.

    Mercedes said in a statement that he has played a crucial role in the team’s success since joining in 2010. In that time, Rosberg has finished second in the championship twice, helping the team to two teams’ championships and a second place.

    The move is no doubt a boost for Rosberg, who is battling against team mate Lewis Hamilton for the drivers’ title. Hamilton will also be at the team next year.

    The extension removes one more seat for silly season to speculate about, leaving few what can be considered “top” seats left for those drivers still looking to secure a 2017 drive.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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German GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - “Getting that win in Hungary after a less than straightforward weekend was a great feeling. If I can come out on top when things aren’t quite perfect, that can only be a good thing. Now it’s off to Germany and another one of the team’s home races after Silverstone. It’s great to be going back there. My last win in Hockenheim came way back in 2008, which seems like a lifetime ago, but I’ve got some great memories from the circuit and the country itself. I raced there a lot when in my early career in the junior racing formulae and, of course, I’ve been part of the Mercedes-Benz family since way back when. It would be great to get another win there for all our Mercedes employees and for the team, too, before the summer break. The last few races have been good for me, so if I can continue that form into this weekend I’ll be in good shape.”

Nico Rosberg - “It was disappointing to lose the race at the first corner in Hungary. But I was really happy with my pace all weekend, so that gives me good confidence moving forwards. I’m happy to have the chance to get back in the car again so soon – and especially happy that it’s at my second home race. I had a fantastic day at Hockenheim a few weeks ago driving Mika Häkkinen’s Championship-winning car. That really gave me a massive buzz to be back racing in Germany. Driving in through the circuit gates brought back so many great memories – from my childhood days at the DTM with my Dad right through to winning the Grand Prix for myself in 2014. Hopefully I can repeat that this year for the fans and for everybody at Mercedes. After this race it’s a well-earned break for the team, too. I’ll be pushing flat out to give them the result they deserve before they get some time to recharge their batteries.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Quotes belong to Drivers