Rosberg announces his retirement from F1 racing

On the day he is set to collect the trophy for winning his first drivers’ world championship, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg has announced that he is to retire from Formula One racing.

“Since 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my ‘one thing’ to become Formula One World Champion,” said Rosberg via social media. “Through the hard work, the pain, the sacrifices, this has been my target. And now I’ve made it.

“I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right. My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happen."

Rosberg, who won nine Grands Prix this year en route to the title, said he began contemplating his future at October’s Japanese round, and then made his decision within 24 hours of last weekend’s thrilling finale in Abu Dhabi, where he secured the podium finish he needed to become champion.

“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 began to think about ending my racing career if I became world champion,” he continued.

“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… and then the lights went out and I had the most intense 55 laps of my life.

“I took my decision on Monday evening. After reflecting for a day, the first people I told were (wife) Vivian and Georg (Nolte, from his management team), followed by (Mercedes-Benz Head of Motorsport) Toto (Wolff).”

Rosberg began his F1 career with Williams in 2006 before moving to Mercedes for the 2010 season. He won his first Grand Prix with the Silver Arrows in China 2012 and went on to take a total of 23 victories from 206 starts, twice finishing championship runner-up to team mate Lewis Hamilton before taking his maiden drivers’ crown.

“This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough,” confessed Rosberg, who admitted thoughts of his family had played a part in his decision. “I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fuelled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before. 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.

“I cannot find enough words to thank my wife Vivian; she has been incredible. She understood that this year was the big one, our opportunity to do it, and created the space for me to get full recovery between every race, looking after our daughter each night, taking over when things got tough and putting our championship first.”

Rosberg, whose father Keke won the F1 world championship in 1982, revealed the other concern in his decision had been his Mercedes team, who will now have to find another driver to partner Hamilton in 2017.

“The only thing that makes this decision in any way difficult for me is because I am putting my racing family into a tough situation,” he said “But Toto understood. He knew straight away that I was completely convinced and that reassured me. My proudest achievement in racing will always be to have won the world championship with this incredible team of people, the Silver Arrows.”

Rosberg announced his decision at a press conference in the Austrian capital of Vienna, where on Friday evening he and Mercedes will collect their 2016 championship trophies at the annual FIA Prize-Giving gala.

“Now, I’m just here to enjoy the moment,” concluded Rosberg, who ruled out any future F1 return. “There is time to savour the next weeks, to reflect on the season and to enjoy every experience that comes my way. After that, I will turn the next corner in my life and see what it has in store for me..."

via Formula 1.

Rosberg crowned champion as Hamilton wins Abu Dhabi thriller

Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg is the 2016 world champion, emulating his father Nico’s achievement after a tense 2016 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in which he finished a pig-in-the-middle second as winning team mate Lewis Hamilton attempted to back him up as much as possible into the clutches of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in an enforced but finely judged masterclass of race craft.

Less than two seconds covered the top four at the chequered flag as Hamilton ignored instructions from the Mercedes pit wall to up his pace in the closing laps. Daniel Ricciardo followed his Red Bull team mate home, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen taking sixth ahead of Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. Williams’ Felipe Massa and McLaren’s Fernando Alonso completed the top ten.

The start saw the two Mercedes lead off the line, with Hamilton heading Rosberg, as Raikkonen passed Ricciardo for third. Things got worse for Red Bull as Verstappen, in sixth, ran out of room exiting Turn 1 and spun after making light contact with Hulkenberg.

That forced the team to switch the Dutchman to a one-stop strategy as he fell to last place, and would have its effect later on.

Hamilton and Rosberg moved clear until their first pit stops, respectively on the seventh and eighth laps, after which Hamilton led again but with Verstappen having risen to second ahead of Rosberg.

The German was then content to follow him for the next 12 laps before finally slicing by the Red Bull, with a closely-fought but crucial pass. After that he got the throttle down, cutting a 5.8s gap to Hamilton to 3.1s by the time they stopped again, on laps 28 and 29.

That was when Hamilton was forced to try to back up his team mate, as he needed him to finish fourth or worse, and the gap came down to less than a second thereafter as the outgoing champion did all he could to let Ferrari and Red Bull catch up.

When Ferrari kept Vettel out until lap 37 before switching him to supersoft tyres, when everyone else was running softs, the German suddenly became the dangerman.

He passed team mate Raikkonen for fifth on the 41st lap, then set out after Ricciardo, who was having a subdued run in fourth. He passed the Red Bull on lap 47, and that set up the final showdown.

On his worn softs - he had pitted on lap 21 - Verstappen just wasn’t able to get closer than within three seconds of Rosberg as Hamilton continued to lap at a relatively slow pace despite being implored - and at times directly told - to speed up by his Mercedes bosses.

Vettel eventually out-dragged Verstappen’s Red Bull on the 51st lap, and Hamilton, Rosberg and he then circulated nose to tail. They were having kittens at Mercedes, especially as Hamilton told them quite trenchantly that if he was losing the world championship he didn’t particularly care if he lost the race as well.

In the end, of course, he was never going to do that. He did everything that he could, and crossed the finish line 0.4s ahead after 55 laps to score his 10th win of the season, the 53rd of his career - and to lose his world title.

Rosberg kept his cool despite the pressure from Vettel, but said it had been tough.

“That definitely wasn’t the most enjoyable race I’ve ever had!” he admitted. “With Max early on, and then with these guys coming at the end, it definitely wasn’t fun. I’m just really glad it’s over!”

For Vettel, third was a decent way to finish the season, with Verstappen taking fourth from his team mate and the distant Raikkonen.

Hulkenberg took a fine seventh for Force India, and with team mate Sergio Perez eighth Force India easily secured their fourth position in the constructors’ stakes. But Perez only just got home ahead of the fighting Williams of Felipe Massa, who signed off on his F1 career by maintaining his record of scoring points in each Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in which he has competed, and Fernando Alonso, who took the final point for McLaren.

Alonso’s team mate Jenson Button was in contention for points in his final Grand Prix, until a right-front suspension failure put him out after a heavy kerb contact. He was joined in retirement by the Toro Rossos of Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas and Renault’s Kevin Magnussen.

Outside of the points, Romain Grosjean led outgoing Haas team mate Esteban Gutierrez home in 11th and 12th after a race-long fight, as an equally intense intra-team fight between Esteban Ocon and Pascal Wehrlein ended in the Frenchman’s favour after they had a brief collision. Likewise, Marcus Ericsson narrowly led home Sauber partner Felipe Nasr in 15th and 16th, as Jolyon Palmer was the final finisher, penalised five seconds after a collision with Sainz.

Afterwards, Hamilton shook hands with the man who has taken his crown, and they hugged on the podium.

“Winning the championships is a great feeling, Hamilton said as he congratulated his team mate, “and I’m looking forward to fighting with him for it again next year.”

Rosberg, meanwhile, looked forward to celebrating with his father Keke and mother Sina, and did so in the moment with his wife Vivian, on the greatest day of his racing career. It would, he admitted, take some time before it really sank in.

- Formula 1

Hamilton takes pole ahead of rival Rosberg for Abu Dhabi GP

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Defending champion Lewis Hamilton dominated qualifying to clinch pole position Saturday for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and keep the pressure on title rival Nico Rosberg.

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo qualified in third behind Rosberg, and starts on the second row with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

With temperatures cooling and the sun setting on the Yas Marina circuit, Hamilton dominated all three qualifying sections and edged out Rosberg by .303 seconds to take pole.

Hamilton also beat his Mercedes teammate in all three practice runs this weekend, although Rosberg entered the race with the odds stacked in his favor and not needing to push for pole.

Rosberg, who took pole here the two previous years, guarantees his first title by finishing third, even if Hamilton wins the race.

Rosberg wins in Japan as Mercedes seal constructors’ crown

Nico Rosberg extended his championship lead to 33 points with victory in Sunday’s 2016 Formula 1 Emirates Japanese Grand Prix, as Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton recovered from a nightmare start to finish third, just behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The result gives Mercedes an unassailable lead in the constructors' championship, effectively securing them a third straight crown.

Sebastian Vettel was Ferrari’s lead runner on a frustrating afternoon for the Scuderia, the German taking fourth place ahead of team mate Kimi Raikkonen. Also disappointed was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo in sixth, the Australian having started the race in front of both the scarlet cars.

The Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg were seventh and eighth, beating arch rivals Williams, who saw Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas complete the top ten, as all 22 drivers finished the race.

Polesitter Rosberg effectively had things won the moment Hamilton made a mistake and lagged so badly at the start that he plunged from second to eighth place.

Thereafter, the German drove a controlled race well out in front to win for the first time here and score his ninth victory of a season that looks increasingly like going his way, comfortably clear of Verstappen’s Red Bull and the recovered Hamilton.

As Rosberg quickly eased away at the start, Verstappen jumped to second but Ricciardo in the second Red Bull lost momentum diving past the tardy Hamilton and was overtaken by Perez’s Force India and fast-starting Vettel’s Ferrari. Further back, Hulkenberg took sixth ahead of Raikkonen, who got a late five-place grid drop because of a gearbox change, and Hamilton.

Vettel made swift work of deposing Perez, and Raikkonen passed the other Force India on the sixth lap, Hamilton on the seventh. But the really key moment for the reigning world champion came with his first pit stop on the 13th lap; he jumped past both Raikkonen and Perez as they were held up trying to pass Jolyon Palmer’s Renault.

That freed the Englishman to chase after Rosberg, Verstappen and Vettel, and he steadily cut down the Ferrari driver’s advantage, from 12.9s on lap 26 to 4.2 when he pitted for the second time on the 33rd lap. Ferrari immediately brought Vettel in on lap 34, but the Mercedes got the undercut to claim the final podium slot.

It was a bad-tempered race as far as traffic was concerned, with Verstappen, Vettel and Raikkonen in particular complaining bitterly about their perceived lack of blue flags, or else drivers ignoring them. As Rosberg controlled things without taking much out of his detuned engine, Hamilton moved ever closer to the Red Bull in second place. But Verstappen had better traction out of the chicane and stayed ahead.

At the end of the penultimate lap, 52, Hamilton had a look down the inside going into the chicane, but had to pull left dramatically - and veer down the escape road - as Verstappen jinked right to slam the door. Mercedes initially protested the Dutchman's tactics, but with Hamilton himself saying he did not wish to force the matter, the complaint was withdrawn.

The Dutchman, who earned the fans' Driver of the Day nod, eventually claimed second, 4.9s behind Rosberg, and 0.7s ahead of Hamilton. 

Rosberg now has 313 points to his team mate’s 280, meaning he needs only three seconds and a third to clinch his first title over the remaining four races - even if Hamilton wins all of them.

Vettel and Ferrari gambled on fitting a set of soft Pirelli tyres for his final stint as all the other leaders went for another set of hards, and the yellow tyres soon faded, leaving the German 14.4s seconds behind the second Mercedes but well ahead of Raikkonen’s sister car. Ricciardo drove a very subdued race to sixth, as Perez led Hulkenberg home on another strong day for Force India.

The final points went to the battling Williams drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, who were separated by 0.5s at the flag and were only 0.9s ahead of Romain Grosjean’s Haas.

Palmer took 12th, from Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, Renault team mate Kevin Magnussen and Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson, as McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz battled throughout to finish 0.8s apart.

Jenson Button, who started from the back after changing Honda engine components on his McLaren, took 18th ahead of Sauber’s Felipe Nasr, Haas’ Esteban Gutierrez - who spun in the chicane while fighting Sainz early on - and Esteban Ocon who comfortably beat Manor team mate Pascal Wehrlein.

via F1.

Qualifying - Rosberg edges Hamilton in Suzuka thriller

Nico Rosberg will start the 2016 Formula 1 Emirates Japanese Grand Prix from pole position after beating Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by just 0.013s in qualifying at Suzuka on Saturday. Ferrari and Red Bull were breathing down their necks, with the Scuderia winning that battle as Kimi Raikkonen took third and Sebastian Vettel - carrying a three-place grid penalty for his collision in Malaysia - fourth.

Max Verstappen out-qualified Red Bull team mate Daniel Ricciardo in fifth and sixth, with Sergio Perez next up for Force India. Haas were the surprise of the hour, with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez eighth and tenth respectively, split by the second Force India of Nico Hulkenberg.

Hamilton has never started from pole position here, and once again he was denied - Rosberg’s thirteen-thousandths of a second advantage equating to 82 centimetres on track - despite having taken the initiative earlier in Q3.

The Ferraris set the pace in Q1, with Vettel just acing Raikkonen, 1m 31.659s to 1m 31.684s. Rosberg was third on 1m 31.858, with a baulked Hamilton in fourth on 1m 32.218s. But where the red cars had used the soft Pirelli tyres, the silver ones had done their times on mediums.

Hulkenberg was fifth on softs with the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Ricciardo sixth and seventh on mediums.

The big mover was Renault’s Jolyon Palmer, who vaulted late into Q2 with 1m 32.796s, while Fernando Alonso just made it with 1m 32.819s, fractions ahead of team mate Jenson Button, whose 1m 32.851s left him 0.032s down in 17th for McLaren. He, of course, was using the Honda-powered squad’s older-specification powertrain.

Kevin Magnussen could not emulate Renault partner Palmer’s time, and was 18th on 1m 33.023s ahead of the Saubers of Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr on 1m 33.222s and 1m 33.332s, while Esteban Ocon and Pascal Wehrlein - carrying a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change - were on their tails in 21st and 22nd for Manor on 1m 33.353s and 1m 33.561s.

Rosberg lowered his time to 1m 30.714s on softs in Q2; Hamilton matched him in S1 and S3, but lost four-tenths sliding wide in the Degners on his way to 1m 31.129s, which left him just ahead of the Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen as fifth-placed Verstappen rued traffic while matching the Finn.

The surprise was Gutierrez in seventh and Grosjean in eighth for Haas, as late improvements kept the Force Indias in Q3.

Out were the Williams duo, with Valtteri Bottas heading Felipe Massa, with 1m 32.315s to 1m 32.380s. Daniil Kvyat out-qualified Toro Rosso team-mate Carlos Sainz, as the latter spun in Turn 13 on his second run. The Russian did 1m 32.623s, the Spaniard 1m 32.685s. Right behind Sainz was Alonso on 1m 32.689s, as Palmer’s 1m 32.807s left him 16th.

So, as ever, it all came down to Q3. Did Hamilton have an answer to Rosberg? Could Red Bull get back ahead of Ferrari?

The answer to both questions was affirmative after the first runs. Ricciardo went fastest with 1m 31.240s, but that was beaten by Verstappen’s 1m 31.229s despite the latter’s talk of a loss of gear sync, then Raikkonen with 1m 31.184s before Rosberg went fastest again with 1m 0.953s. But then Hamilton went quicker still, with 1m 30.758s, as Vettel’s 1m 31.225s left him fourth. However you sliced it, the times were close…

They were closer still in the second runs, when Rosberg grabbed the advantage back from Hamilton by thirteen-thousandths of a second… Their respective laps were 1m 30.647s and 1m 30.660s, as Raikkonen kept Ferrari ahead of Red Bull with 1m 30.949s and Vettel also pushed ahead of them on time - but not on the grid because of his three-place drop from Sepang - with 1m 31.028s. Verstappen had to be content with 1m 31.178s, as Ricciardo went sixth with 1m 31.240s.

Further back, Perez claimed seventh for Force India with 1m 31.961s, a time later matched by Haas’ Grosjean, as team mate Gutierrez made it a fine day for the American team with 1m 32.547s for 10th. Between them, Hulkenberg was ninth in the second Force India on 1m 32.142s.

With grid drops for Vettel and Wehrlein taken into the account, the provisional grid thus lines up: Rosberg, Hamilton; Raikkonen, Verstappen; Ricciardo, Perez; Vettel, Grosjean; Hulkenberg, Gutierrez; Bottas, Massa; Kvyat, Sainz; Alonso, Palmer; Button, Magnussen; Ericsson, Nasr; Ocon, Wehrlein.

via F1.

FP3 - Rosberg tops Ricciardo in wet-dry session

Saturday morning’s final practice at Suzuka began in damp and dreary conditions, but it ended in the same way as Friday’s sessions had: with championship leader Nico Rosberg topping the timesheet.

The hour-long session began with drivers venturing out on wet and intermediate tyres, but despite dark clouds overhead, conditions continually improved with all of the quick times coming right at the very end when the drivers switched to soft tyres.

Rosberg’s best lap of 1m 32.092s on the yellow-marked rubber was the fastest of the weekend thus far, but the fact that Daniel Ricciardo was within three tenths of a second with 1m 32.394s bears out Red Bull’s belief that they can be very competitive here on a track that favours excellent handling as much as horsepower.

Sebastian Vettel was again Ferrari’s faster runner with 1m 32.731s, but the German was disappointed that the team had lost ground to Mercedes since FP2. Max Verstappen was also unhappy in fourth, struggling to 1m 32.784s in a car that he said didn’t handle the way he wanted it to.

Kimi Raikkonen hit traffic on his best lap and ended up fifth, 0.9s back from Rosberg’s marker, with Felipe Massa taking sixth for Williams ahead of the second Silver Arrow of Lewis Hamilton, who spoiled his best effort with a mistake at Degner.

There were big smiles at Renault, where Jolyon Palmer had his best run of the season together with team mate Kevin Magnussen; they were eighth and ninth with exactly the same lap time: 1m 33.639s.

Rounding out the top 10 was Nico Hulkenberg on 1m 33.646s for Force India.

Esteban Gutierrez, 12th for Haas behind Fernando Alonso’s McLaren, provided the most spectacular moment of the session when he spun early on at Turn 5, while mechanical problems left Carlos Sainz’s Toro Rosso down in 22nd place.

The scene appears set for one of the closest qualifying sessions of the season, with both Red Bull drivers fancying their chances of getting up there with the Mercedes duo, provided the set-up of the RB12s can be honed a little further.

via F1.

Rosberg beats Ricciardo in Singapore to retake title lead

A superb drive saw Nico Rosberg win Sunday’s 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix after holding off a late charge from Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo by just 0.4s. With Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton finishing third, Rosberg now heads his team mate in the standings by eight points.

Kimi Raikkonen narrowly missed out on a podium for Ferrari, while team mate Sebastian Vettel - voted Driver of the Day by fans - followed him home a strong fifth after starting from the back of the grid. Max Verstappen was sixth for Red Bull, ahead of McLaren's Fernando Alonso, with Force India’s Sergio Perez, Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat and Renault’s Kevin Magnussen completing the top ten.

It was a race book-ended by drama.

As Rosberg headed Ricciardo, Hamilton and Raikkonen into the first corner, Max Verstappen made a very slow start. And as Carlos Sainz took his Toro Rosso to the right of the Red Bull, he came into contact with Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India which was spun across the Dutchman’s bows and hard into the pit wall.

The safety car was immediately deployed and caught some on their back foot when it went in after the second lap. Rosberg easily maintained an advantage over Ricciardo, to whom Hamilton could offer no challenge as he struggled throughout with brake temperatures. The leader had a similar problem, but was able to manage it more easily in his cleaner air.

Stalemate briefly set in until Raikkonen snuck past Hamilton on the 33rd lap; the Finn was running Pirelli’s supersoft tyres, the Englishman softs, but the latter admitted he had made mistake over the bumps.

Hamilton led only briefly on the 34th lap, as the three drivers ahead of him pitted, but then made his own stop. He was told he could use full power as he took another set of soft Pirelli tyres and began to move in on Raikkonen, who had taken the same rubber, but then Mercedes switched their second car to Plan B, which entailed a final stop for supersofts on the 45th lap. Ferrari covered that by bringing Raikkonen in for ultrasofts a lap later, but Hamilton crucially got the undercut to snatch back the final podium slot. Red Bull emulated their strategies and ignited the race as Ricciardo came in for supersofts on the 47th lap.

Rosberg held a 25.8s lead by the 48th lap and seemed to be home and dry, but when he ran into traffic Mercedes missed the chance to bring him in. By lap 49 Ricciardo had already hacked nearly four seconds off his advantage and suddenly a final stop for Rosberg would have dropped him to fourth.

Thus began a tense battle as Ricciardo sliced the gap down, sometimes by as much as three seconds a lap. Behind the two leaders, Raikkonen kept the pressure on Hamilton, who had come alive again before he found himself having to manage his brakes once more and losing pace. Soon, all eyes were on the lead battle, and the fight for third became secondary.

Ricciardo had the gap down to 11.8s by lap 53 and the maths was working for the Australian, who was as desperate to avenge his Monaco defeat as Rosberg was to celebrate his landmark 200th Grand Prix with a 21st victory.

Lap 56, and 5.2s; Lap 58, and 4.6s; Lap 60, and only 2.0s.

Rosberg, meanwhile, was also managing soft tyres that were nearly 28 laps old, and his brake temperatures. And he was coming up on Magnussen’s Renault which was on the back of a heady fight between Perez and Kvyat. All round that final lap, Ricciardo was closing, closing. But there was no dramatic last-corner denouement, as Rosberg held it together and crossed the line those four crucial tenths of a second ahead.

His eighth victory of the season makes him the first non-champion to win in Singapore and puts him on 273 points, to Hamilton’s 265. The reigning champion was 7.5s behind Ricciardo, but crucially 2.1s ahead of Raikkonen, whose ultrasofts were fading.

An excellent run (effectively a two-stopper) saw Sebastian Vettel climb from last to fifth and deservedly secure the Driver of the Day vote from fans, as Verstappen drove another typically feisty race, with plentiful overtaking, as he fought back from eighth place on the opening lap to take sixth.

Fernando Alonso brought his McLaren home seventh, having at one stage run as high as fifth, as Perez just held off Kvyat by four-tenths for eighth. The Mexican recovered well from his penalised 17th starting position, while the Russian had his most convincing performance since China, when he was still a Red Bull driver.

Magnussen took the final point for Renault, followed home by Haas’s Esteban Gutierrez, Williams’ Felipe Massa, Sauber’s Felipe Nasr, the delayed Sainz, Renault’s Jolyon Palmer, Manor’s Pascal Wehrlein, who fended off Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson by four-tenths of a second, and the German’s Manor team mate Esteban Ocon, who incurred a five-second time penalty for overtaking under the safety car early on.

With Romain Grosjean non-starting because of brake troubles on his Haas, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Williams’ Valtteri Bottas - who had picked up a rear puncture and front wing damage respectively in the Lap 1 melee - joined Hulkenberg on the retirements list, both pulling into the pits midrace with mechanical issues.

Rosberg storms to Singapore pole, Vettel to start last

Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg will start Sunday’s 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix from pole position after dominating qualifying at Marina Bay and beating Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo by half a second, with team mate Lewis Hamilton third. At the other end of the grid will be four-time winner here, Sebastian Vettel, who finished last after a suspension problem on his Ferrari prevented him setting a competitive time.

Hamilton and Rosberg set the initial pace in Q1, with 1m 45.316s and 1m 45.167s respectively on the ultrasoft tyres that all the frontrunners ran, but it became clear they were just banker laps as Raikkonen bettered that with 1m 44.964s as Verstappen did 1m 45.036s for second. Then, as Vettel struggled to 22nd place with a suspected broken front anti-roll bar, Ricciardo banged in a 1m 44.255s to go fastest by seven-tenths.

Improvements by Perez, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Kvyat left Rosberg down in an eventual eighth, while further back a great late lap put Marcus Ericsson and Sauber into Q2 at Kevin Magnussen’s expense. The Dane’s 1m 46.825s improvement for Renault left him 17th, ahead of Felipe Nasr’s Sauber on 1m 46.860s, Jolyon Palmer’s Renault on 1m 46.960s, and the Manors of Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon on 1m 47.667s and 1m 48.296s respectively.

The big drama, however, was Ferrari’s failure to rectify Vettel’s problem in time. With 1m 37s remaining, the unhappy German pulled off his gloves and resigned himself to starting from the back row…

Mercedes really turned it on - or up - in Q2 as an excellent lap from Rosberg stopped the clocks in 1m 43.020s, to a watching Vettel’s astonishment. After setting the fastest first sector time Hamilton then lost three-tenths in the next two to finish four-tenths adrift, as Ricciardo’s 1m 43.993s put him third ahead of Verstappen on 1m 44.112s and Raikkonen on 1m 44.159s. Crucially, the Red Bull drivers both used supersoft tyres, meaning they will start the race on the more durable rubber.

Further back, Alonso improved to seventh and Kvyat to sixth, just as Button ran his left rear wheel down the wall in Turn 14 and stopped by Turn 16 with broken steering, and Romain Grosjean put his Haas sideways on into the barriers in a hard shunt in Turn 10.

Easing off for the resulting yellow flags, neither Williams got through, Valtteri Bottas recording 1m 44.740s for 11th ahead of team mate Felipe Massa on 1m 44.991s. Button was stranded on 1m 45.144s in 13th, with Esteban Gutierrez on 1m 45.593s for Haas and Grosjean failing to improve on 1m 45.723s. And Ericsson did not better 1m 47.827s after Sauber chose to save tyres for the race.

It remains to be seen whether there will be any actions after the stewards have investigated some improvements under the yellows, notably after Perez jumped to ninth after overtaking Gutierrez.

After a 10-minute delay while the plastic barriers in Turn 10 were fixed, Q3 saw Rosberg annihilate the opposition with a lap of 1m 42.584s which proved to be a massive 0.704s faster than Hamilton, who struggled to get his left front tyre up to temperature. Raikkonen jumped the Red Bulls with 1m 43.540s, as Ricciardo managed 1m 43.741s on ultrasofts and Verstappen bemoaned a “really bad lap,” of 1m 43.843s in which the brakes were locking at both ends.

Rosberg did not improve on his second run but was still fastest with 1m 42.661s. But Hamilton’s lap was compromised from the start when he ran too deep into Turn 2 and fell to third despite improving to 1m 43.288s as Ricciardo improved more, to 1m 43.115s. Verstappen improved to 1m 43.328s to take fourth as Rakkonen failed to go faster and fell to fifth. The Finn will share row three with the superb Sainz who took his Toro Rosso to 1m 44.197s ahead of relieved team mate Kvyat on 1m 44.469s. Hulkenberg was eighth on 1m 44.479s, as Alonso took ninth with 1m 44.553s and Perez 10th with 1m 44.582s.

Thus the provisional grid will line up: Rosberg, Ricciardo; Hamilton, Verstappen; Raikkonen, Sainz; Kvyat, Hulkenberg; Alonso, Perez; Bottas, Massa; Button, Gutierrez; Grosjean, Ericsson; Magnussen, Nasr; Palmer, Wehrlein; Ocon, Vettel.

via F1.

FP3 - Verstappen keeps the pressure on Rosberg

Saturday evening’s final practice for the 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix featured several offs, a red-flag period and even a giant lizard crossing the track. At the end of it all Mercedes’s Nico Rosberg was fastest, just 0.059s ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Kimi Raikkonen took third for Ferrari, half a second off the pace, separated from team mate Sebastian Vettel in the times by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. Nico Hulkenberg put Force India sixth, ahead of Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, while Lewis Hamilton - who failed to get in a proper ultrasoft-tyre run for Mercedes - was only eighth. Completing the top ten were Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz and Williams’ Valtteri Bottas.

Overnight Pirelli had lowered the rear tyre pressures from 17.5s psi to 16.5, with the mandated front pressure remaining at 20. And Renault had now equipped Daniel Ricciardo, Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen with the upgrade that Max Verstappen had used exclusively yesterday. It is believed that the three-token spend was centred around the ignition system in conjunction with a new Total fuel, which meant it was any easy retro-fit to their existing power units.

Pascal Wehrlein recorded the first time, a leisurely 2m 04.121s, before backing his Manor into the wall and bringing out the red flag after 10 minutes. A traffic-savvy local lizard chose that as the best time to cross the road, waiting patiently until an amused Verstappen had gone by.

Prior to the brief stoppage the Dutchman had gone fastest on 1m 47.038s on the soft Pirellis. But just after Sauber’s Felipe Nasr had gone into the escape road in Turn 13 after passing a tardy Esteban Gutierrez in his Haas, Raikkonen went fastest on ultrasofts with 1m 46.813s.

On his supersofts, Rosberg trumped that with 1m 45.544s, and after Vettel had briefly ultrasofted his way to second with 1m 46.073s, Hamilton on supersofts took the place away with 1m 25.806s, 0.262s off his team mate. Mercedes had admitted the previous evening that their speed and grip had confounded their cautious expectations after last year’s dramatic shortfall. That didn’t stop Hamilton spinning in Turn 7, however, as he eased by a slowing Rosberg. No damage was done.

Things hotted up as Mercedes and Red Bull switched to ultrasofts in the final 20 minutes, and it was bad news for Ferrari.

Rosberg lapped in 1m 44.352s to go fastest, but after setting a new best for the first sector Hamilton locked his left front and went up the Turn 7 escape road. Then Verstappen used the purple tyres to get within 0.059s of Rosberg, with 1m 44.441s. Raikkonen’s effort on the same tyre yielded 1m 44.860s, leaving Ferrari half a second off, as was Ricciardo’s 1m 44.903s. Vettel was still way behind, with 1m 45.104s which left him fifth, complaining of lack of rear-end grip. But Hamilton was in even worse trouble and never got a clean lap on the ultrasofts. He was left eighth with his supersoft time of 1m 45.806s and a load of work to do before qualifying.

Hulkenberg again looked strong for Force India with 1 45.316s, as Kvyat was Toro Rosso’s star this time in seventh on 1m 45.503s. Behind Hamilton, Sainz took his Toro Rosso round in 1m 45.879s, as Bottas rounded out the top 10 in his Williams with 1m 45.947s.

McLaren didn’t quite have the speed to stay in the top 10, while Wehrlein got going again at the end after his early error to beat team mate Esteban Ocon by three-tenths. Hamilton aside, the unhappiest man may have been Romain Grosjean; the Frenchman was 18th, describing his Haas as the worst race car he had driven in a long while.

via F1.

FP2 - Rosberg puts Mercedes ahead at Marina Bay

Despite talk that Mercedes could struggle again here this year, it was Nico Rosberg who led Friday evening’s second practice for the 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, finishing a quarter of a second ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and four-tenths up on Red Bull’s FP1 pacesetter, Max Verstappen.

In the second Silver Arrow, Lewis Hamilton ended up seventh after a technical problem forced him to sit out the latter part of the session. Ahead of him in the times were Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, while the Toro Rossos of Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat were eighth and tenth, split by the McLaren of Fernando Alonso.

Rosberg put Mercedes back on top at Marina Bay for the first time since 2014, but it was a difficult session for team mate Hamilton; after setting the fastest time on supersoft tyres, nine-tenths up on Raikkonen, the world champion failed to get a better time on the ultrasofts the others had used as he struggled under braking with a hydraulic issue which forced him to stop for attention with 27 minutes remaining.

After Esteban Gutierrez had set the initial pace for Haas with 1m 48.700s, Vettel took over with 1m 47.475s on soft rubber. That was soon supplanted by Raikkonen with 1m 46.167s on supersofts before Hamilton’s 1m 45.275s undercut it by 0.892s.

When the switch to ultrasofts came, Vettel went ahead with 1m 45.266s but the ante was immediately reset by Raikkonen on 1m 44.427s before Rosberg signalled a) that his FP1 crash had not upset his rhythm and b) that Mercedes look strong again here after their upset last year, by posting 1m 44.152s. That remained the fastest time, 0.275s faster than the Ferrari.

Verstappen made the best use of the latest Renault engine; the Dutchman had the sole upgraded version available after the French manufacturer spent three development tokens on unspecified modifications. As the Barcelona winner lapped in 1m 44.532s, Red Bull team mate Ricciardo was right on his tail with 1m 44.557s. The Australian clipped a wall and spun in Turn 11, but did no damage to his RB12.

Curiously, Vettel only improved with 1m 45.161s for fifth as Hulkenberg used ultrasofts to lap his Force India sixth fastest with 1m 45.182s. Hamilton’s soft-tyre time of 1m 45.275s left him an unhappy seventh, with Sainz again shining for Toro Rossi in eighth with 1m 45.507s ahead of the feisty Alonso on 1m 45.779s and Kvyat 10th on 1m 46.029s.

For the second time in the day Alonso shaved a wall, without doing lasting damage to his McLaren. Sainz and Manor’s Esteban Ocon also hit walls, the latter with his left rear and then the right rear on the same lap. But the French rookie was impressively only three-tenths off team mate Pascal Wehrlein.

Romain Grosjean was again in the wars; he complained of poor braking and an odd feeling at the rear of his Haas before backing it into the wall in Turn 23 and tearing off most of the rear wing.

via F1.

FP1 - Verstappen top as Red Bull set Singapore standard

Friday evening’s opening practice for the 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen lead the way, just 0.049s up on Red Bull team mate Daniel Ricciardo. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg - who crashed late in the session - were the only others to get within a second of the Dutchman.

Red Bull’s pace suggested that predictions of Mercedes struggling once again here seemed accurate, though it should be noted that unlike the top three, neither Silver Arrows driver used Pirelli’s quickest ultrasoft tyre compound to set their best time.

All the big guns went out to play straight away on the purple-marked ultrasoft rubber, and Rosberg set the pace with 1m 47.936s before Hamilton trimmed that with 1m 47.436s. Each them improved, to 1m 47.743s and 1m 47.369s respectively. So far so good for the world champions, but of course it was early days.

When Vettel did 1m 47.731s to split the Mercedes, eyebrows were raised, and as the hour approached we’d seen Verstappen (1m 47.335s on ultras), Rosberg (1m 46.513s on softs), Vettel (1m 46.287s on ultras, despite earlier scraping a wall and describing it to his crew as “just cosmetics”) and Ricciardo (1m 45.872s on ultras) and then Verstappen again (1m 45.823s on ultras) all take turns at the head of the timesheets before dusk fell. Interestingly, on softs Hamilton stayed ahead of Rosberg with 1m 46.426s as they were fourth and fifth.

With 12 minutes remaining, and everyone preparing for final runs, Rosberg got it wrong going into Turn 18. He locked up the front wheels and ran head on into the tyre wall, taking off his front wing before limping pitward with a front-left puncture.

Behind the sixth place Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen on 1m 47.185s, Carlos Sainz was an impressive seventh for Toro Rosso on 1m 46.936s, immediately ahead of team mate Daniil Kvyat, who lapped in 1m 47.683s. Felipe Massa’s Williams and Esteban Gutierrez’s Haas completed the Top 10.

Elsewhere, Jenson Button’s McLaren ground to a halt early on but was revived after being pushed back to the pits, but Romain Grosjean sat out most of the session playing cards after his Haas was hit with a suspected ERS problem.

It was a mixed session for McLaren, with Fernando Alonso clouting a wall partway through but taking 11th spot, and Button recovering for 16th.

via F1.

Haas F1 Team: Singapore Grand Prix Advance

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina – After competing in the quickest race in terms of duration, as the Sept. 4 Italian Grand Prix at the 5.793-kilometer (3.6-mile) Autodromo Nazionale Monza ended in a blistering 1 hour and 17 minutes, teams participating in the FIA Formula One World Championship head to the series’ longest race – the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday at the 5.065-kilometer (3.147-mile) Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Since joining the Formula One calendar in 2008, every Singapore Grand Prix has come to within four minutes of the series’ mandated two-hour time limit. Last year’s race was the longest, eclipsing the two-hour mark by 1 minute, 22 seconds. No one complains, however, as Singapore is a destination venue on the Formula One calendar. Its cutting-edge culture and incredible modernization have turned the tropical island located only one degree north of the equator into a global hub for business and tourism, with Formula One’s visit to the world’s only island city-state combining both in glorious fashion.

When Singapore came upon the Formula One scene, it was more than just a new venue in a stunning location. It was Formula One’s first night race and the first street circuit in Asia. The Singapore Grand Prix has grown in stature since, with drivers eagerly anticipating the 23-turn layout despite its challenging nature.

Powerful lighting illuminates the track in such luster that drivers say it is clearer than in daytime, as there is no glare. And with those lights shimmering off the cars’ sinewy shapes as they shoot down the straights at 320 kph (200 mph) while sparks shoot from their underbodies, fans are treated to a sensory assault that can only be found at Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Masking the awesomeness of 22 Formula One cars screaming around this elaborate track is the prowess drivers must possess to keep their cars in one piece. The walls surrounding Marina Bay Street Circuit are unforgiving, but in order for a driver to wring every ounce of speed from his racecar, he must dance with those walls while navigating the numerous bumps of the track’s surface.

If that’s not enough, Singapore in September is hot. Really hot. And for added measure, really humid. As much as the Singapore Grand Prix is run at night for aesthetic purposes, nighttime is the coolest time for drivers and spectators alike. Nonetheless, temperatures inside the racecar can reach 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).

Despite the tough track and equally tough environs, the Singapore Grand Prix is embraced by drivers. The electric atmosphere of the city and the beauty of Formula One at night, where exhaust flames and glowing brake discs provide a technicolor display that goes unnoticed in daylight hours, are appreciated by the drivers. It’s a modern-day Monaco.

The lights are bright at Marina Bay, and Haas F1 Team wants to shine. The American outfit comes into Round 15 of the 21-race Formula One schedule hungry for points despite recently harnessed speed that has been on display at the last two races in Belgium and Monza. Drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutiérrez have been among the top-10 in practice and in qualifying, highlighted by Gutiérrez breaking into the third and final round of knockout qualifying at Monza. That speed, however, has not translated into point-scoring results on Sunday. Haas F1 Team’s last point-paying finish came six races ago in Austria care of Grosjean’s seventh-place drive.

With a total of 28 points so far this season, Haas F1 Team is eighth in the constructor standings, 17 points behind seventh-place Toro Rosso and 22 points up on ninth-place Renault. Catching Toro Rosso is an attainable goal, as the taste of points Haas F1 Team enjoyed at the beginning of the year has made the first American Formula One team in 30 years hungry for more.

Singapore, home to numerous restaurants serving high-end cuisine that satisfy even the most discerning palate, can dish up points for the less discerning Haas F1 Team. Points are points, no matter how they’re served, and the table is set for Haas F1 Team.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

With Formula One’s slate of European races over, use of the team’s transporters and hospitality unit is also over. How helpful is it to have all that equipment at the track on a consistent basis, and how hard is it to transition back to flyaway races?

“It’s nice to have your own equipment with you. You know where you are going and don’t have to change every weekend, but then again, it’s just part of our job to always deal with what we are given. All of the supplies we take to flyaways we ship in sea containers, so it’s all of our stuff. It’s just in a different building and it needs to be set up. Our trucks and hospitality unit will be serviced and repaired and they’ll come back out in the springtime.”

Between the Spanish Grand Prix in mid-May and the Italian Grand Prix in early September, Haas F1 Team had five 11th-place finishes and only one point-paying finish – seventh by Grosjean in Austria. Is that frustrating, or considering this is Haas F1 Team’s debut season, cause for optimism that points can still be had in the season’s last seven races?

“The frustrating thing is finishing 11th five times. You’re almost there, but you’re not there. Eleventh is the first spot out of the points. Again, frustrating, but you know you are not far off and you are doing well. The 11th position has been earned by merit. We didn’t luck into it five times. We qualified once in the top-10 and made it to Q3 in Italy, so I think we are encouraged, but still disappointed that we don’t have more points.”

In the last two races at Spa and Monza, Haas F1 Team has been consistently quick through practice and qualifying, even breaking into Q3 with Gutiérrez at Monza. What can you attribute this to?

“I think we started making good steps in Hockenheim and then Spa and Monza. They are all special tracks and very fast, and they seemed to suit our car a little bit better. We learned a lot during the last five-six races about tire management, so I think that helped. We just get better the more experience we gain, and we hope to take that to Singapore.”

How does Haas F1 Team go about translating this speed into point-paying finishes?

“I think we’re at a good point in finding solutions and finding the balance of the car. We are bringing updates to the car in Singapore which, hopefully, will help us go faster. The midfield is so close and we are just at the end of it. I think it’s all about execution. Just a little bit more and we will get in the points. I would say we are the sixth- or seventh-best team. I think we opened up a gap to the people behind us in the competition speed-wise, but Force India and Williams are still going strong in front of us and we are battling with McLaren, so it’s just a very tight midfield.”

Haas F1 Team is bringing some updates to Singapore. What are they?

“Front wing, modifications to the floor and the brake ducts. We’re aiming to reduce corner sensitivity so the car is more consistent, and enhance aerodynamic performance and overall efficiency.”

Are these updates a good example of how Haas F1 Team is still working to improve this year’s car while simultaneously developing next year’s car?

“We finished developing this year’s car completely more than two months ago. These changes came from wind tunnel data and it took a little bit of time to develop the parts. We took our time so we are better prepared for next year. This is the last update for the 2016 car.”

Where is the team in regard to its 2017 car?

“We’ve been using a 60-percent scale model car in the wind tunnel since February, but from February to June we developed both cars (2016 and 2017) simultaneously. In the past two-and-a-half months, it’s been all hands on deck developing the 2017 car.”

Singapore has become a destination venue for Formula One. What makes it such a desirable event?

“It’s a race in a big city – a cool city – and it’s a night race. There are some cool elements for people to do when they go there. There’s lots of nightlife and you can stay in the city and walk to the racetrack.”

Singapore spurred more night races in Formula One just as Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway spurred more night races in NASCAR. You’ve been to both. Can you compare the two? Are there any similarities?

“I would say a night race is always exciting and I think if all the races were night races, it wouldn’t be as interesting. With NASCAR and Formula One night races, you have the whole day to build up to it. It’s just cool.

The schedule at Singapore seems to be very smartly laid out. Practice and qualifying is at roughly the same time as the race, providing consistent data for the teams. And fans across the globe get consistent TV times to watch all the coverage, as the times are the same as they’ve been for all of the European races. As a competitor but also as a stakeholder, can you describe how beneficial this is for Formula One?

“Consistent TV times are good because fans know when to tune in. That’s very difficult to do with a global sport, so this schedule is good from that perspective. It’s also a good thing for the teams because they will sleep during the day and work at night, and not be jet lagged.”

Can you describe the atmosphere generated by a night race? Is there a heightened sense of excitement and anticipation because the Singapore Grand Prix is so visually stimulating?

“The adrenaline is higher when the atmosphere around the track is cool. The spectators have the whole day to get ready and get excited, and for us it’s just cool.”

Romain Grosjean, Driver No. 8, Haas F1 Team 

Because the Singapore Grand Prix is at night, is there a heightened sense of speed?

“It’s actually easier at night because the lights never change. The luminosity is always the same. You stick with the same visor, and driving at those speeds in those conditions is absolutely fine.”

Can you describe the atmosphere generated by a night race? Is there a heightened sense of excitement and anticipation because the Singapore Grand Prix is so visually stimulating?

“It’s pretty cool. Everyone loves it, especially the VIPs, who then go partying after the race. It’s a special one, for sure. It’s a race everyone waits for. It’s a tricky track, and you’re racing at night downtown when it’s very hot and humid, so there are a lot of factors that make it exciting.”

Singapore’s layout forces drivers to run close to the track’s walls for the majority of a lap. While the margin for error is always low in Formula One, is it even lower at Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“Yes. You pretty much have to hold your breath and hope for the best, especially when you’re pushing in qualifying, as you run so close to the walls.”

Is it safe to say that recent discussions regarding track limits are unnecessary at Singapore?

“Yes and no. There are a few corners where you can actually run wide and go over the curbs. I think last year they removed some. So, yes, most of the time there are walls in close proximity, but there are a few occasions on the track when you can use a bit more of the width than was perhaps first designed.”

How do you handle the bumpy nature of Singapore’s layout, and are there specific sections of the track you have to remember to avoid?

“Especially between turns three and four, and on the long straight, it’s very bumpy. You really want to find the right line there. When you make an overtaking move there, you’ve really got to be sure you’ve got the car with you as it’s very tricky.”

There are 23 turns at Marina Bay Street Circuit, the most of any Formula One venue. Which ones are the most treacherous and why?

“To be honest, every corner is tricky. It’s difficult to just pick one.”

Between the bumps and the heat, how physically taxing is the Singapore Grand Prix?

“It can be very physical. All week we never see the sunlight, so that takes a bit of energy away. Then it’s humid, it’s hot and it’s always a long race. We usually reach the two-hour limit. It’s very, very demanding. I remember back in 2013, I lost four kilos (nine pounds) of water during the race, which is quite a lot.”

In addition to its physicality, is the Singapore Grand Prix mentally exhausting because of the close proximity of the walls, its multitude of turns and high safety-car frequency?

“Mentally it’s very difficult, as much as it is physical. It’s clearly one of the races where you need to be at your fittest in the season.”  

Despite the mental and physical nature of the Singapore Grand Prix, drivers love it. Why?

“Simple, we love a challenge. That’s why we race in Formula One and that’s why we drive these cars and race at over 300 kph (186 mph). We love it.”

Because of Singapore’s high heat and humidity, do you do anything special in advance of the race and during the race weekend to stay hydrated?

“I think as long as you’re fit as you can be, that’s the most important thing. I cope pretty well with the heat, normally. I just get myself ready, jump in and go for it.”

Where are the overtaking opportunities at Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“On the long straight after turn four, and then again when you come back after the bridge on the second longest straight into the braking zone.”

Prior to racing at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Formula One, did you have any experience at that track?

“No.”

Was your first Formula One race at Singapore in 2009 your first time racing under the lights? What did you think of the experience?

“It was pretty cool. The lights are perfect, so you don’t really feel like you’re racing at night. I didn’t get many laps first time out, but it was a great experience.”

What is your favorite part of the Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“Good question. I like turns one to three, the first complex, basically.”

Describe a lap around Marina Bay Street Circuit.

“Main straight going into turn one, heavy braking, easy to front lock. You want to carry through some speed there. You go into a tight hairpin with a tricky throttle application. Then turn four is a mid-speed corner going into the longest straight on the track, big braking at the end of that. Then a right-hand side, 20-degree turn followed by a left-hand side, 90-degree turn. Then you go to the left carrying some speed with a right chicane. It’s pretty tricky going under the bridge. There’s a bit of a bump, tricky braking at the end before that left hairpin. On the back straight it’s important to get good traction. Big braking to go into the next right-hand side, 90-degree turn. The next braking zone is a bit tricky, then the chicane at (turns) 18 and 19, having passed the stadium, where there’s no room for error. Last sequence – lot of inside curb through turn 21. We see a lot of cars touching the wall on exit there. The final corner is the second quickest on the track. It’s pretty cool. You carry top speed from there to the start.”

Esteban Gutiérrez, Driver No. 21, Haas F1 Team  

Because the Singapore Grand Prix is at night, is there a heightened sense of speed?

“It’s pretty similar, but it makes it very special because everything goes into a very different kind of mood. I really enjoy it and I love driving in the night in Singapore.”

Can you describe the atmosphere generated by a night race? Is there a heightened sense of excitement and anticipation because the Singapore Grand Prix is so visually stimulating?

“There are a lot of things going on, and the schedule is completely different. All the events are very alive and everything is right in the city, so it brings a very close atmosphere which creates a lot of excitement for many people. Singapore is a great city and a great place for Formula One.”

Singapore’s layout forces drivers to run close to the track’s walls for the majority of a lap. While the margin for error is always low in Formula One, is it even lower at Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“Yes, the margin for error is a bit low, but it’s still a street circuit and it’s one of my favorites. Running as close as possible to the walls, you go quicker and quicker. You try to optimize all the space there is available on track.”

Is it safe to say that recent discussions regarding track limits are unnecessary at Singapore?

“At Singapore there is the wall, so there is no need to talk about track limits.”

How do you handle the bumpy nature of Singapore’s layout, and are there specific sections of the track you have to remember to avoid?

“It’s quite bumpy on all the braking points and in some corners as well, but it’s not as bumpy as other place like Monaco. Singapore has very good streets, so the circuit is in very good shape every time we’re there.”

There are 23 turns at Marina Bay Street Circuit, the most of any Formula One venue. Which ones are the most treacherous and why?

“I like very much the first section – turns one, two, three and four. You arrive very quick from the straight, so it’s a sequence of corners which makes it very interesting. I also like the last part where you have a lot of chicanes where you can use the curbs. It’s a lot of corners in a very short period of time, so it’s very physical.” 

Between the bumps and the heat, how physically taxing is the Singapore Grand Prix?

“It’s not about the heat, it’s about the humidity. It’s really challenging when it comes down to physical conditioning because we’re not used to so much humidity, and that’s what make it very different for us. That’s why I’m going there ahead of time to do some training and get adapted to those conditions.” 

In addition to its physicality, is the Singapore Grand Prix mentally exhausting because of the close proximity of the walls, its multitude of turns and high safety-car frequency?

“Yes, it is very physical and very mental because it requires a lot of concentration and focus during the race as the margin for error is smaller than usual being a street circuit. It’s more of a challenge when you’re fighting on the limit with other people as the level of concentration has to be very accurate.”

Despite the mental and physical nature of the Singapore Grand Prix, drivers love it. Why?

“The track is amazing. It has so many corners. It’s quite an adventure and it brings a very nice atmosphere. The hotels are close by. You can walk every day to the track, so it feels very convenient.”

Because of Singapore’s high heat and humidity, do you do anything special in advance of the race and during the race weekend to stay hydrated?

“It’s all about getting hydrated and taking a lot of minerals. I’m going to go there ahead of time in order to adapt to the conditions.” 

Where are the overtaking opportunities at Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“The overtaking opportunities are on corner one, corner eight, which is after the long straight, then after the hairpin, as well. There are two or three places which are pretty good for overtaking, even though it’s a street circuit and usually street circuits are a bit more difficult for that.” 

Prior to racing at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Formula One, did you have any experience at that track?

“The first time I came there was in GP2 and I went straight into practice without knowing much about it. There used to be a very special corner, a triple chicane, which now has been changed, so that part and that section will be new to me. I’m looking forward to getting to know it.”

Was your first Formula One race at Singapore in 2013 your first time racing under the lights? What did you think of the experience?

“I think it’s an amazing experience, especially because of the weather conditions. It’s very hot, very humid, so to race during the day in Singapore was going to be a real challenge. It’s already a big challenge in the night, so I think it was a good decision to do it in the night and it allows all the people to enjoy the whole event in a very different atmosphere.”

What is your favorite part of the Marina Bay Street Circuit?

“I would say the last sector. There’s a sequences of corners with a lot of chicanes and a lot of curbs. Closing a perfect lap is a fantastic experience.” 

Describe a lap around Marina Bay Street Circuit.

“You arrive into turns one, two and three and it’s basically a sequence of corners. It’s a medium-speed corner entering into turn one, and at turn two it’s important to prepare the line for turn three. Turn three is more of a hairpin, so the exit is very important. You arrive down into turn five which then sends you onto a long straight which is flat out. You arrive into high braking which is around turn seven, fairly straight, 90-degree corner. You have the track closing in as the walls get very close. It’s important to keep the car in good traction, not to overheat the rear tires a lot. Then you have three corners before the hairpin where it becomes pretty challenging. You cannot lose the line. Everything is about getting the right sequence. Exit of the hairpin you have a long straight and you go downhill into another 90-degree corner. It’s pretty challenging because by this point the tires are getting a bit overheated. All the rest becomes sector three. You arrive into the first chicane and take all the curbs very aggressively, then you go left into the tunnel and into a very short chicane. On the last chicane, you use all the track on the outside, close to the wall. The last corner is a pretty fast corner. It’s important to make it right and then get going into a straight line for start/finish line."

- via True Speed Communication for HAAS F1 Team.

Rosberg wins Italian Grand Prix, beats Hamilton

MINZA, Italy -- Nico Rosberg beat Lewis Hamilton to the checkers to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday.

"Great to win here in Italy," Rosberg said over his team radio after he won, punching his fist into the air.

The win is Rosberg's first at Italy and his seventh win of the season.

Hamilton finished second, 15 seconds behind Rosberg followed by Sebastian Vettel, 5.9 seconds further back. Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo to round out the Top-5 finishers.

Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and Felipe Massa rounded out the Top-10.

Button not to race in 2017, but not retiring

MONZA, Italy -- Jenson Button announced on Sunday before the Italian Grand Prix that he won't be retiring from F1, but he should not be expected to race in 2017.

"I’m massively excited about my new role, which has come about as a result of a number of in-depth chats with Ron [Dennis, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Technology Group]," Button said on Saturday.

“Specifically, I’m looking forward to becoming even more deeply involved in the team’s efforts to bring about the success we’ve all been striving to deliver.

With over 280 Grand Prix starts behind him, Jenson Button is out on his own as F1 racing’s most experienced driver, and yet the 2009 world champion and multiple race winner retains the same speed and enthusiasm that marked him out as one to watch in 2000 when he burst onto the scene as a precociously talented 20-year-old.

Like many of his contemporaries, success came early for the Frome-born racer. As an eight year-old he had triumphed in his first karting race, despite starting from the back of the grid in wet conditions. Crowned the British Cadet kart champion aged 10, he took the same series with even greater ease the following year after winning all 34 races.

Quickly outgrowing his home competition, a string of international karting titles followed. Button became the youngest winner of the European Super A championship and the youngest runner-up in the Formula A world championship. He completed his karting career with victory in the 1997 Ayrton Senna Memorial Cup at Suzuka, before making the inevitable move to single-seaters.

In 1998 he won the highly competitive British Formula Ford championship at his first attempt with nine wins for Haywood Racing. He also took victory in the Formula Ford Festival, finished second in the European championship and landed the prestigious McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award. So rapid was his career progress that Button already seemed like a big fish in a small pond and he promptly moved up to British Formula Three for 1999.

Claiming three victories, seven podiums and third overall in his debut season, Button fully deserved his ‘Rookie of the Year’ honour and it wasn’t long before his successes were rewarded with a Formula One test. First for McLaren and then for Prost, Button wowed with his pace and ability, before Williams offered him a race drive for 2000.

Williams’ decision to sign Button - at 20, Great Britain’s youngest ever Grand Prix driver - resulted in unparalleled hype and expectation, but the scrutiny didn’t affect their new star’s performance. Indeed, a point in his second race, third on the grid at Spa and eighth in the championship meant the young Briton’s reputation as a smooth and unflappable driver remained firmly intact, even if he did score less than half the points of team mate Ralf Schumacher.

In spite of his apparent success, Button was farmed out by Williams to Benetton for the next two years. The time proved largely frustrating. His 2001 performances were hampered by a difficult car, while in 2002 he struggled to match team mate Jarno Trulli in qualifying and was left disappointed by a run of bad luck in races. He was replaced by Fernando Alonso for 2003, but would show his mettle once more following a move to BAR.

Button’s mature performances that year helped see the future Honda squad through a difficult season and he overshadowed veteran team mate Jacques Villeneuve in the process. The next year Villeneuve was replaced by Takuma Sato and, as such, Button became the team’s number one. With the Honda-BAR partnership at last finding its feet, he scored 10 podiums and finished an impressive third in the drivers’ championship, despite not winning a single race. The only sour note was the long-running dispute over who had the future rights to his services. Williams was ultimately the answer, though their protege would eventually remain with BAR/Honda, after successfully negotiating a release from his contract.

Over subsequent seasons, many questioned whether Button had made the right decision. After their runners-up position in 2004, BAR fell to sixth in the constructors’ championship the following year, and although a Honda takeover in 2006 helped bring Button a eserved and emotional first win at the Hungaroring, the team’s form subsequently declined, culminating in Honda’s withdrawal from Formula One racing at the end of 2008.

The left Button’s career in limbo for a few months, before a management buyout of the former Honda team put him back on the grid for 2009. Brawn GP proved to be a revelation, with Button winning six of the first seven races en route to finally securing his first drivers' title with one round of the season to spare. That was soon followed by the surprise news of a switch to McLaren to partner Lewis Hamilton for 2010.

As many predicted, Button struggled initially to match his compatriot for outright speed, but that didn’t stop him bringing his new team their first two wins of the season. But with McLaren ultimately outpaced by Red Bull and Ferrari, retaining his crown was never really on the cards and he finished the year fifth overall, one place behind Hamilton.

In 2011 though, Button’s abilities would come to the fore. Whilst Hamilton became embroiled in numerous tangles, Button largely kept out of trouble and produced some of the finest performances of his career. His last gasp victory in Canada - in which he recovered from the back of the field - was just one of several high points in a season which saw him score three wins and 270 points en route to second in the drivers’ championship, three places above Hamilton, the first time that the 2008 world champion had been beaten by a team mate.

2012 started in the best possible way for Button with victory in Australia, but a run of bad luck thereafter left him out of genuine title contention. He did manage to pick up four podiums in the second half of the season, including a classy lights-to-flag win in Belgium and a composed drive to victory in tricky conditions at the Brazilian Grand Prix, but he would have been far from content with fifth in the points.

That was nothing compared to the disappointment of 2013, when McLaren failed to score a podium for the first time since 1980, as a perhaps unnecessarily adventurous car design backfired on the team. Button nevertheless led them admirably through a difficult campaign in which his MP4-28 was never really on the pace. Feisty new team mate Sergio Perez was often his closest rival on track, but he comfortably outscored the Mexican over the course of the season, ending the year ninth in the table.

Button was pitted against another new team mate in 2014 - highly-rated youngster Kevin Magnussen. The Danish rookie stole the headlines with a podium finish in the Australian opener, but as McLaren struggled for form it was the experienced Button who surged ahead with some fine under-the-radar drives. The Briton finished the season a full 71 points ahead of Magnussen and was unsurprising retained by McLaren for 2015.

That season was to prove among the most testing of Button's career, as McLaren's revived partnership with Honda got off to a faltering start, dropping them to the rear of the grid. He scored just 16 points all year, though that was at least five more than new team mate Fernando Alonso. The team's struggles inevitably prompted talk of possible retirement for the F1 veteran, but ever the optimist, Button refused to give up hope and agreed terms to remain with the Woking squad for 2016.