Wet Weather Tyre Test - Re-Cap & Times

Pirelli are to get set analysing the results of the two days of wet tyre testing held this week.

Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all took to the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France to test the prototype tyres.

The test wasn’t perfect, with temperatures consistently low throughout both days, but the circuit’s sophisticated sprinkler system allowed Pirelli to mimic a wide range of wet conditions.

A number of different wet tyre prototypes were tested as Pirelli work on a combination of different compounds, tread depths, and configurations.

It was a “blind test”, meaning the walls of the tyres didn’t carry any colour markings and the teams didn’t know which specifications they were testing.

Pirelli will continue to work on the development of the tyres off track, but say they are sure they have a good compound for extreme wet conditions.

Further conclusions will be released once proper analysis has been conducted.

Criticism from Kimi Raikkonen, one of the five drivers that took part in the test, did not worry Pirelli, as the Finn was testing different prototypes in full wet conditions.

Speed was not an important factor in the test, but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was fastest over the two day test. The German completed 134 laps overall.

Stoffel Vandoorne, who was driving for McLaren on both days, had his testing cut short on the first day, due to an engine failure, unsurprising given the test was completed using the unaltered 2015 specifications for the car.

The next outing for Pirelli will be the first pre-season test in Barcelona on February 22-25.

Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 

Abu Dhabi: Race - Re-Cap & Results

The last race of the season was indeed spectacular and while Lewis Hamilton won the 2015 F1 world championship, he was unable to win the race.

    Nico Rosberg stunned at Yas Marina, taking home the last win of the season. Hamilton came in Second and Raikkonen finished off the Podium in Third. 

    Pastor Maldonado was the only retirement of the race after suffering car damage after the start of the race when Alonso tagged the Lotus. Alonso was given a Drive-Through-Penalty later on in the race. 

    McLaren was able to secure a double finish with Button in 12th and Alonso in 17th. Not exactly what the team was hoping for in the last race, but a decent result after the troubled season they'd had. Button was also involved in some Pit-Lane drama with Bottas. Bottas had an unsafe release as Button was going through the Pit-Lane and Bottas hit the back of the McLaren. Bottas ended up with wing damage and also received a 5-Second-Time-Penalty.

The rest of the race results are below.

RACE RESULTS: 

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

5. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

8. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

9. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Renault / France

10. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia

11. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

14. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

16. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands

17. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

18. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain

19. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain 

RETIRED - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Renault / Venezuela / Accident Damage

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78

Abu Dhabi GP: Qualifying - Results

RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

4. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

6. Valtteri Bottas / Wiliams-Williams / Finland

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

8. Felipe Massa / Williams-Williams / Brazil

9. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

11. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Renault / Venezuela

14. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

15. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

16. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

18. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Renault / France*

19. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain**

20. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain

* = 5-Place-Grid-Penalty

** = 5-Place-Grid-Penalty

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

A missed session for Daniil Kvyat due to electrical issues. The young Red Bull driver was unable to take part in final practice, but it wasn't all bad for the team as Kvyat's team-mate, Ricciardo, finished the session in 6th.

    It was another Mercedes 1-2 session, despite a huge spin from Lewis Hamilton. It was also a productive session for both Force India drivers with Perez in 4th and Hulkenberg in 7th.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:41.856 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:42.137 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:42.185 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Sergio Perez - 1:42.448 / Force India-Mercedes
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.627 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:42.726 / Red Bull-Renault
7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.859 / Force India-Mercedes
8. Felipe Massa - 1:43.173 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.239 / Williams-Mercedes
10. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.429 / Toro Rosso-Renault
11. Jenson Button - 1:43.508 / McLaren-Honda
12. Pastor Maldonado - 1:43.680 / Lotus-Mercedes
13. Felipe Nasr - 1:43.718 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Max Verstappen - 1:43.826 / Toro Rosso-Renault
15. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.928 / Lotus-Mercedes
16. Fernando Alonso - 1:44.014 / McLaren-Honda
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:44.325 / Sauber-Ferrari
18. Will Stevens - 1:47.283 / Manor-Ferrari
19. Roberto Merhi - 1:47.520 / Manor-Ferrari 
20. Daniil Kvyat - No Time Set / Toro Rosso-Renault

----
Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78

Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

It was another good day for Mercedes with both drivers finishing in the top two with Rosberg up in front. The third spot in the session belonged to Sergio Perez, who had previously finished third on the podium in the Russian GP.

 For Carlos Sainz, it wasn't the best session. He ended in 14th and had to park his car with only 30 minutes left in the session due to technical issues with his Toro Rosso. Team-Mate, Max Verstappen finished just ahead of him in 13th.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:41.983 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:42.121 / Mercedes-Mercdes
3. Sergio Perez - 1:42.610 / Force India-Mercedes
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:42.647 / Red Bull-Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:42.717 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Daniil Kvyat - 1:42:798 / Toro Rosso-Renault
7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.849 / Ferrari-Ferrari
8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.928 / Force India-Mercedes
9. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.955 / McLaren-Honda
10. Pastor Maldonado - 1:43.431 / Lotus-Mercedes
11. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.441 / Williams-Mercedes
12. Felipe Masssa - 1:43.506 / Williams-Mercedes
13. Max Verstappen - 1:43.662 / Toro Rosso-Renault
14. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.854 / Toro Rosso-Renault
15. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.929 / Lotus-Mercedes
16. Jenson Button - 1:44.050 / McLaren-Honda
17. Felipe Nasr - 1:44.116 / Sauber-Ferrari
18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.245 / Sauber-Ferrari
19. Will Stevens - 1:46.450 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - 1:47.022 / Manor-Ferrari

----
Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78

Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

In the first practice session of the last race of the year, Kimi Raikkonen got off to an unlucky start when he encountered problems with his MGU-K. However, things did get turned around and he finished the session in third behind the two Mercedes drivers.

Roberto Merhi got back to Manor for the last race after Alexander Rossi had previously raced in Brazil.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:43.754 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:43.895 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:44.500 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Daniil Kvyat - 1:44.702 / Red Bull-Renault

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:44.742 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:44.751 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.893 / Red Bull-Renault

8. Sergio Perez - 1:44.934 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Pastor Maldonado - 1:45.314 / Lotus-Mercedes

10. Felipe Massa - 1:45.433 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Valtteri Bottas - 1:45.603 / Williams-Mercedes

12. Max Verstappen - 1:45.718 / Toro Rosso-Renault

13. Jenson Button - 1:45.773 / McLaren-Honda

14. Fernando Alonso - 1:45.865 / McLaren-Honda

15. Felipe Nasr - 1:46.115 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Carlos Sainz - 1:46.220 / Toro Rosso-Renault

17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:46.407 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Jolyon Palmer* - 1:46.501 / Lotus-Mercedes

19. Will Stevens - 1:48.836 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:49.888 / Manor-Ferrari

----

Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 

Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

Preview Quotes - Manor/Marussia


Will Stevens - "I'm really looking forward to this weekend. It was here 12 months ago that I made my F1 debut, so this track has happy memories for me and it's one I really enjoy racing at. I had a really strong race in Brazil, so I'd really like to replicate that performance on Sunday and I plan to approach the weekend in a similar fashion, focusing much more on the race than my single lap pace. Beating my team-mate is a moving target once again, with Roberto back in the car rather than Alex, but my aim is still to be the lead Manor driver going into the race, and the first to cross the line at the end of it."

Roberto Merhi - "I'm so excited to be back in the car this weekend for the season finale. As any reserve driver will tell you, I really missed the racing; it will be a long time yet before I'm ready to hang up my racing gloves for a full-time career in TV commentary! I've kept a close eye on everything the team has been doing over the past five races, so I don't think it will be too difficult to get back up to speed on Friday and see how I stand versus Will. I've missed the competitive spirit between us. The most important thing is to do the best job possible for the team on Sunday, and ensure we have a result to celebrate. It has been a long, hard season, so I want to say thank you for this opportunity and I hope I can deliver another strong performance to reward the faith the team has shown in me."

----
Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Quotes belong to Drivers 

Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

Preview Quotes - Sauber


Marcus Ericsson - "Abu Dhabi, the last race of the season - it is unbelievable how time flies. It is very exciting to come back to Abu Dhabi, and I am looking forward to enjoying the race weekend there. This Grand Prix in the middle east is always a great event attended by lots of fans from many countries. It is a race in the desert with the start at sunset. The track itself is in perfect condition, it is very modern and has some run-off areas. As the circuit has a few long straights, engine power will be crucial. On the other hand, there are also hairpins and some slow speed corners. I am quite familiar with that track from my time in the GP2 series, and I also drove there for my first test for the Sauber F1 Team in November last year. Certainly, we will again do our best to score points - for a successful completion to the season."

Felipe Nasr - "The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is another great event, and I will enjoy driving on this track with our car for the first time. So far, I have driven there as a GP2 driver and I have also had an F1 test with Williams. I can also say, because of my family's Lebanese roots, I always receive a warm welcome and a lot of support both in the UAE and the whole of the Middle East. They make me feel I am also at home. I like the people, their traditions, their cultures and, of course, the food. On the track it will be important again to find the right set-up, and this is where we need to concentrate our focus the most on Friday. The track in the desert sands is quite spectacular with unique surroundings. All in all, the atmosphere is special. The race starts late in the afternoon, which makes it even more interesting, because of the floodlit-style à la Singapore. We will keep on with our fight for a good result."

----

Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Quotes belong to Drivers 

Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso


Carlos Sainz - "It's unbelievable how quickly my first season in Formula 1 has gone by! I still remember this time last year as if it was yesterday...It was a very special moment in my career too as, after the 2014 Abu Dhabi test with our friends at Infiniti Red Bull Racing, I was confirmed as a Scuderia Toro Rosso driver. It will now be good to go back there and race...

I have some very good memories (of the season): scoring my first ever F1 points in my first race in Australia; qualifying in P5 in front of my home crowd in Barcelona; racing from pits to points in Monaco. Okay, then there's been a bit of an unlucky streak, but we were able to overcome that and I've had some more good races lately, like Austin. I've learned so, so much this year that I can be sure I've become a better driver and I can use this experience to grow even more. This year was all about gaining experience, and that's what we've done!"

Max Verstappen - "It's a shame that it's already the last race of the season, it would be good to keep on racing for another few weeks! At least I have my simulator at home, I can race on that until the season starts again! I'm very happy with my first year in Formula 1. It's been a steep learning curve. We've scored some really good results, ending up very close to the podium thanks to our two P4's in Hungary and Austin! I've also had a lot of fun out on track - hopefully I can have some more this week.

Even though (The Yas Marina Circuit) has long straights, there are also plenty of corners, which is good. The atmosphere is also special, with the harbour so close, and it will be interesting to race starting in the daylight and finishing at night. It's the perfect setting for our last day at school. If we could finish the season sixth, that would be great - so let's go for it! We will all push together, that's for sure."

----
Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Quotes belong to Drivers 

Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India


Sergio Perez - “The 2015 season has gone by so quickly, but I have lots of great memories and I’m very proud of what we have achieved. I think it’s probably been my best season in Formula One in terms of results and also the most enjoyable. We have grown a lot during the course of the year and we have had some special days, with a highlight being my podium in Russia and my home race in Mexico.

I think Abu Dhabi is the perfect place to end the season, especially with a race under the lights. The whole venue is impressive and the track is quite a challenge from a set-up point of view. You need a car that works through the fast corners in the first sector, as well as through the slow final sector, which feels more like a twisty street circuit. I think we have the potential for a big result in Abu Dhabi. Things didn’t work out for me in Brazil so I’m determined to get back in the points this weekend and finish this great season on a positive note."

Nico Hulkenberg - “The final race of the season is always important because you want to finish the season well and carry the momentum into the winter months. We have already secured fifth in the championship but I want to make sure I end the season in the top ten of the drivers’ championship so there is still a lot to play for.

Abu Dhabi is a fun place for the season finale: the venue is great and the twilight racing helps create a special atmosphere. As a track, it's not easy to get a good lap as the layout is very technical, especially in the final sector. It's quite easy to come into a corner too hot and make a mistake, and finding a good flow is a big challenge. Brazil was a very enjoyable weekend for me: the car felt great and we maximised every session to come away with a well-deserved result. I think we can realistically aim for a similar performance this weekend. It's been a great year for everyone in the team and we deserve to finish on a high.”


----
Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Quotes belong to Drivers