New weekend schedule includes later race starts for 2018

Formula 1, together with the FIA, has revealed the starting times for the 21 Grands Prix of the 2018 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

There are two main changes to 2017’s structure. The first is that on Sunday the race will start at ten minutes past the hour. Some broadcasters usually go on air precisely on the hour, hence missing the tension and emotion that characterize the minutes before the start of each Grand Prix. Thanks to this change, television viewers will be brought closer to the teams and the drivers and fully enjoy the spectacle offered just before the red lights go out.

The second change is to the European and Brazilian race weekends. Research has indicated that a wider TV audience is reachable later in the afternoons, especially in the summer months. Consequently, it has been decided to move the schedule of every session back by one hour across the whole weekend for each of the above-mentioned Grands Prix.

Other minor adjustments have been made in order to avoid clashes with other major sports events like the FIFA World Cup, to allow for differing sunset times, and to attract a wider attendance to promoters’ events. 

The full schedule is as follows:

Grand Prix	Friday		Saturday		Sunday
	FP1	FP2	FP3	Qualifying	Race	Sunset
Australia	12:00-13:30	16:00-17:30	14:00-15:00	17:00-18:00	16:10	19:24
Bahrain	14:00-15:30	18:00-19:30	15:00-16-00	18:00-19:00	18:10	17:57
China	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	11:00-12:00	14:00-15:00	14:10	18:22
Azerbaijan	13:00-14:30	17:00-18:30	14:00-15:00	17:00-18:00	16:10	19:33
Spain	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	21:01
Monaco*	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	21:00
Canada	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	11:00-12:00	14:00-15:00	14:10	20:42
France	12:00-13:30	16:00-17:30	13:00-14:00	16:00-17:00	16:10	21:22
Austria	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	20:57
Great Britain	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	11:00-12:00	14:00-15:00	14:10	21:24
Germany	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	20:19
Hungary	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	20:22
Belgium	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	20:35
Italy	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	19:59
Singapore	16:30-18:00	20:30-22:00	18:00-19:00	21:00-22:00	20:10	19:03
Russia	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	14:10	18:04
Japan	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	14:10	17:30
United States	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	13:00-14:00	16:00-17:00	13:10	18:53
Mexico	10:00-11:30	14:00-15:30	10:00-11:00	13:00-14:00	13:10	18:04
Brazil	11:00-12:30	15:00-16:30	12:00-13:00	15:00-16:00	15:10	19:26
Abu Dhabi	13:00-14:30	17:00-18:30	14:00-15:00	17:00-18:00	17:10	17:33

* Free Practice on Thursday

JACK & JONES Joins Haas F1 Team

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina – Menswear brand JACK & JONES will be seen on Haas F1 Team personnel and its racecars during the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship as part of a new partnership with the only American team in Formula One.

JACK & JONES lifestyle apparel will be provided to Haas F1 Team members. At the track, the iconic JACK & JONES brand will be seen on the back of the rear wing of Haas F1 Team’s racecars and on the firesuits of drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen. The partnership highlights JACK & JONES’ signature denim line which anchored the company’s founding 27 years ago.

“At JACK & JONES, we’re as dedicated to denim as a Formula One driver is to their racing, and that’s why our new partnership with Haas F1 Team makes so much sense for our brand,” said Henning Nielsen, head of e-commerce and marketing, JACK & JONES. “Just as Haas F1 Team pushes its cars, drivers and crewmen to extract maximum performance, we do the same with our denim to ensure quality and comfort.”  

JACK & JONES is not new to Formula One as the menswear brand’s longstanding commitment to Magnussen and previous team sponsorships attest. The partnership with Haas F1 Team is a natural continuation of JACK & JONES’ strong company history within motorsports and Formula One in particular.

“The dedication and professionalism it takes to be in Formula One aligns with the values we apply in our everyday approach to denim and menswear,” Nielsen added. “We strive to be the best, just like Haas F1 Team. That’s why we have supported Kevin Magnussen throughout his career and why we have decided to join Haas F1 Team this season.”

Denim is the backbone of JACK & JONES, created with meticulous craftsmanship and preparation. A pair of JACK & JONES jeans goes through 50 pairs of hands before it reaches the end consumer in the store.

“We’re very proud to announce our new partnership with JACK & JONES. It’s a brand built on hard work and attention to detail that has grown very quickly and delivers a quality product,” said Guenther Steiner, team principal, Haas F1 Team. “While we are still relatively new in Formula One, our objectives and work ethic are very similar to JACK & JONES. The recognition JACK & JONES has in its marketplace is what we strive for in Formula One.”

JACK & JONES is the largest business unit within the BESTSELLER group and one of the biggest men’s fashion retailers in Europe with more than a thousand stores in 38 countries.

FP1 - Bottas leads Hamilton as Red Bull and Ferrari keep pace up their sleeves

Valtteri Bottas edged out Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes booked a 1-2 in first practice on Friday morning in Mexico City - although Red Bull and Ferrari shadowed the Silver Arrows despite using a harder tyre compound for their respective fastest runs.

That provided particularly good news for Red Bull - both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo finished within 0.6s of Bottas, which is less than the estimated delta between the ultrasofts used by Mercedes and the supersofts that both Red Bull and Ferrari elected to stay on.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel wound up fifth, a few tenths ahead of team mate Kimi Raikkonen. Both men had minor offs - as did Hamilton - while Verstappen experienced an early end to his session due to a fundamental set-up change.

There was worse fortune down at Force India: Mexican Alfonso Celis, standing in for Esteban Ocon, hit the wall exiting Turn 16, damaging the rear of his car and triggering a brief red flag period. He too was unable to rejoin, winding up 19th overall - just ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne, whose McLaren was struck by early engine gremlins that limited him to just three laps. Bottas in contrast was the morning's busiest runner with 41, with his benchmark time the fastest ever recorded on the current layout of the Mexico City circuit.

Home hero Sergio Perez upheld his countrymen’s hopes with seventh fastest time of 1m 19.240s for Force India, using the supersofts. He headed four ultrasoft runners: Fernando Alonso’s McLaren, Felipe Massa’s Williams, and the tightly matched Renaults of Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz, who were split by just 0.02s.

In what was a very exploratory session, Antonio Giovinazzi was the leading ‘substitute’ driver, taking Romain Grosjean’s Haas to the 15th fastest time, ahead of Charles Leclerc in Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber and Sean Gelael, who briefly spun Pierre Gasly’s Toro Rosso.

Toro Rosso’s other runner, Brendon Hartley, competing in his second ever event, met with troubles that momentarily stopped him at Turn 4 halfway through. He managed to get going again but spent the rest of the session in the garage.

Hamilton takes pole at Belgian GP to equal Schumacher record

By JEROME PUGMIRE
Associated Press

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Lewis Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher’s Formula One record of 68 pole positions in style, leading qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix from start to finish on Saturday.

The three-time F1 champion was already ahead when he went even faster with a blistering final lap for Mercedes, but Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel limited the damage with a fine lap of his own to join Hamilton on the front row. Valtteri Bottas was third and Kimi Raikonnen fourth.

Hamilton, who races his 200th GP on Sunday and trails Vettel by 14 points overall this season, was quick to praise Schumacher.

“It’s very surreal and very much a humbling experience, knowing Michael’s such a legend,” Hamilton said. “I have always admired him. I am honored to be there with him now on pole positions, but he will still be one of the greatest of all time.”

Hamilton was met on track by Ross Brawn, the F1 managing director of motorsports, who delivered a special message of praise to Hamilton from Schumacher’s family.

“Schumacher always said records are there to be beaten and they want to say a special ‘thanks,’” Brawn told Hamilton.

The current condition of the 48-year-old Schumacher’s health remains closely guarded among family and close associates.

It was while skiing with his teenage son Mick on a family holiday that Schumacher sustained severe head injuries in France on Dec. 29, 2013. He has been cared for at his home in Switzerland since September 2014. Schumacher hit the right side of his head on a rock, cracking his helmet. Doctors operated to remove blood clots from his brain, but some were left because they were too deeply embedded.

“I pray for Michael and his family all the time,” said Hamilton, who made his debut at the Australian GP 10 years ago.

Schumacher’s pole record was achieved in a little more than 300 races. But while Hamilton is second all-time with 57 GP wins, he remains far behind Schumacher’s whopping 91.

Schumacher won the last of his record seven F1 titles in 2004. Hamilton’s titles came with McLaren in 2008 and with Mercedes in ’14 and ’15.

Hamilton celebrated his latest pole by tapping the nose of his car and clenching both fists.

“I’ve only got two pole positions, so there’s some way to go,” Bottas joked, comparing himself with teammate Hamilton. “Lewis has been really on it, but I’m slightly confused why I’ve not been able to get close enough. Still need to find some answers.”

Vettel, who grew up with Schumacher as his racing idol, walked over briskly to shake Hamilton’s hand.

He also thanked Raikkonen.

“I had a little bit of help from a friend,” Vettel said. “Kimi had to abort his lap on the last sector and gave me a nice tow — that got me about two tenths (of a second).”

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, racing in front of a huge contingent of traveling Dutch fans, qualified fifth ahead of teammate Daniel Ricciardo

Five drivers are eliminated from Q1 and Q2, leaving the top 10 fighting it out in Q3.

Hamilton topped Q1 ahead of Vettel and led Q2 from Bottas.

Earlier, Raikkonen and Vettel boosted Ferrari with the top two times in final practice.

Moments after it ended, Ferrari announced that the 30-year-old German driver has signed a new contract for another three years.

Meanwhile, Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne is having a stressful weekend so far at his home race.

He was hit with a whopping 65-place grid penalty for making two engine changes and a gearbox change on his McLaren.

Teams are only allowed to make four specification changes on the power unit per season, with further engine changes incurring penalties. McLaren has easily exceeded that number.

With only 20 drivers on the grid, the 65-place penalty is essentially irrelevant because it does not carry over to the next race.

It has not been a smooth Spa ride for Brazilian Felipe Massa, either.

He missed all of the second practice after crashing in P1, and was given a five-place grid penalty on Saturday after failing to slow down for the yellow flag following an incident involving Daniiel Kvyat’s stranded Toro Rosso.

Massa skipped the Hungarian GP last month after complaining of dizzy spells, but said he had fully recovered for Belgium.

FP1 - Hamilton edges Verstappen in opening Austria session

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the fastest time as practice got underway in Austria on Friday morning. Using the soft tyre - the hardest of the three compounds available - Hamilton clocked the fastest time ever seen on the current iteration of the Spielberg track to go 0.190s clear of Verstappen, whose best time came on supersofts.

However Verstappen, who tagged the barriers early in the session after an off at Turn 7, was on course to pip Hamilton late in the session before a spin at Turn 3. Valtteri Bottas finished third in the second Silver Arrow, just ahead of the lead Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, who was one of several drivers to spin in the session.

Kimi Raikkonen also rotated his Ferrari, eventually finishing sixth behind the Red Bull of Baku winner Daniel Ricciardo.

McLaren enjoyed an encouraging session with Stoffel Vandoorne and Fernando Alonso making the most of their upgraded Honda power units to finish seventh and ninth, sandwiching Daniil Kvyat’s Toro Rosso. Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten for Force India.

Hamilton did 1m 06.526s on the utrasofts early on, before team mate Bottas improved that to 1m 06.345s on supersofts. Hamilton then ran a set of softs and cut his time to 1m 05.975s, which remained the fastest.

Having spent a lot of time in the garage as his car was checked over after he brushed his right rear wheel against the wall, initial pacesetter Verstappen returned later on and kept trimming his times until he got down to 1m 06.165s on supersofts. He had just taken the first sector best time away from Hamilton when he spun.

Bottas’s time held up for third, while Ferrari’s session had an interesting start. Raikkonen spun early in Turn 1, and later, running the same supersoft rubber, Vettel took a bit too much of the inside kerb and spun on the exit there.

The German eventually set the fourth best time on 1m 06.424s, and the Finn was sixth on 1m 06.848s, both on supersofts. Ricciardo separated them with 1m 06.620s on the same compound in his Red Bull. It will be interesting to see whether Ferrari can get on terms with Mercedes, or are destined to continue fighting with Red Bull in their wake.

There were several incidents on the green track besides the Ferraris and Verstappen. Lance Stroll spun his Williams in Turn 9, where Renault’s Jolyon Palmer, Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz (twice), Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein, Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Williams’ Felipe Massa also ran wide. Bottas ran wide in Turn 1 and later spun in Turn 3, both corners where Hamilton also had momentary offs as his soft tyres wore out. Daniil Kvyat spun his Toro Rosso twice in Turn 4, and also went off in Turn 8, while team mate Sainz was another Turn 1 spinner. Esteban Ocon had a big wobble in Turn 3.

Test driver Sergey Sirotkin stood in for Nico Hulkenberg at Renault, while Force India counterpart Alfonso Celis handled Sergio Perez’s car. They were 17th and 18th respectively.

Button's Monaco GP comeback ends with rebuke from Wehrlein

By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

MONACO (AP) -- Jenson Button's Formula One comeback ended with a crash at Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix and a rebuke from the driver he ploughed into.

Returning as a one-off favor to McLaren, the British driver got a bit too close to German driver Pascal Wehrlein near the end of the race.

As they turned to head into the tunnel, the nose of Button's McLaren scooped up Wehrlein's Sauber and dumped it on its side. Wehrlein was able to walk away from the crash, but it was a scary moment for him considering he has only recently returned from a serious back injury.

"It was a silly move. It was just scary," Wehrlein said. "I couldn't get out of the car, the only thing I wanted to do was get out of the car."

After a few moments, the 22-year-old Wehrlein jumped out. He did not appear to sustain any serious injury, but will need precautionary checks after bumping his head.

Wehrlein missed the first two races of the season after injuring his back in a crash at the Race of Champions in Miami in January. He sustained hairline cracks in vertebrae and compressed some of his intervertebral discs.

"I touched again (my) head on the barrier, so I will have to do another scan next week for my back," he said. "Obviously with the injury I had, I'm not too sure."

Button has competed in more than 300 races and won the F1 title in 2009.

He put the incident down to an accident. However, he had not done any actual test driving with this season's heavier and wider cars before racing in Monaco.

"I looked across and saw that he hadn't seen me, so I tried to back out, but obviously it was too late by then," Button said. "I gave it a go and thought it was a fair enough judgment, but it didn't work out. You never like seeing a car tip over because you don't know if his head's going to hit anything, but the most important thing is that Pascal is OK."

Button was persuaded out of retirement to replace Fernando Alonso. The two-time F1 champion was given permission to skip Monaco so he could race at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

Alonso will be back in two weeks' time for the Canadian GP in Montreal, and it will be a familiar scenario when he returns.

After six races, McLaren remains the only team not to score a point. Stoffel Vandoorne also crashed late in Sunday's race.

Not all smiles at Ferrari as Raikkonen unhappy with team

By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

MONACO (AP) -- Even by his standards, Kimi Raikkonen was stony-faced after Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver rarely says much, yet the quietest man in Formula One felt the need to speak up after being on the receiving end of what seemed like clear team orders favoring his teammate Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel won the race, while Raikkonen finished second after securing his first pole position in nine years.

"It doesn't feel awful good," Raikkonen said.

The incident he was unhappy about was being asked to pit five laps earlier than Vettel, who took advantage of a much more favorable strategy. It allowed Vettel to stay out longer and pick up speed with no traffic in front of him and then, with his extra speed gained, come out of the pits ahead of Raikkonen and cruise to a 45th career victory.

Although Vettel denied it was a pre-arranged team plan, Raikkonen wasn't convinced.

"I got the bad end of the story today," said Raikkonen, whose last win was the season-opening Australian GP in 2013. "It's still second place but it doesn't count a lot in my books."

While Vettel spoke enthusiastically in the post-race news conference, Raikkonen seemed in a daze.

The Finnish driver either stared ahead or straight down at his feet, only raising his head to answer several questions aimed at getting him to say he'd been hindered by his own team.

"We can always say `If' as much as we want but it doesn't change things," Raikkonen said, shrugging his shoulders. "I have no idea. Obviously they have reasons for whatever they do."

Raikkonen's dry humor can be piercing when the mood takes him. Although he stopped short of directly criticizing Ferrari, "The Ice Man" clearly had a point to make.

"Obviously I can stop the car if I want," he joked, asking if he could have refused the instruction to pit earlier than Vettel even though he was leading the race.

"But if you don't believe what you have been told and how it will work, it will become very complicated at some point," Raikkonen said. "For myself it could have been better. We've just finished the race and who knows? There's some reason for everything that happens in life."

That he is making such cryptic comments just six races into the 20-race season may not bode well for Ferrari as it tries to end three straight years of total Mercedes domination.

The Prancing Horse team is 17 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors' championship and Vettel leads Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton by 25.

With so long to go, the last thing Ferrari needs is Raikkonen feeling let down.

"We get along well and I can understand Kimi's not totally happy today. I can understand why he's upset," Vettel said. "Obviously it's a bad surprise when somebody comes out ahead. I would feel 100 percent the same. But there were no team orders."

Others thought there clearly had been.

Three-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who was embroiled in several difficult moments with his former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in the last three years, is certain Ferrari has made Vettel their priority.

"It's clear to me that Ferrari have chosen their No. 1 driver so they will be pushing everything to make sure Sebastian will maximize all of his weekends," Hamilton said. "It's very hard for the leading car (Raikkonen) to get jumped by the second car (Vettel) unless the team decides to favor the other car (Vettel)."

Even Rosberg, who has retired from F1 and was conducting the interviews immediately after the race, offered his sympathy.

"I know how it feels," Rosberg said to Raikkonen. "It's not a good feeling."

Raikkonen has two weeks to either stew on his misfortune or put it behind him at the Canadian GP in Montreal.