The F1 Pit Box

Formula One. From the outside, looking in and ignoring the spin.

A Look Back at F1 Hungary 2006.

By Team Principal on Wed July 22 2009

With the fast approach of Hungary 2009, where Jenson Button's World Championship challenge could potentially begin to unravel, let's take a look back at his first Grand Prix win, where although Formula One was a very different beast, Jenson appeared to be the same man he is today.

It's best to set the scene first. Formula One, Hungary, 2006. Michelin tyres shod Jenson's Honda, Mark Webber was in a Williams, Kimi Raikkonen was in a McLaren, Ralf Schumacher was in a Toyota, Michael Schumacher was in a Ferrari, Fisichella was in a Renault and a V10 could be found in the rear of every car. Aside from Ralf, de la Rosa, Scott Speed, Klien and Liuzzi are drivers we no longer see lining up on the grid, along with the Super Aguri team.

An engine blow-up saw Button's Honda fill the 14th slot on the grid, with Kimi on Pole. The rain started in earnest a few laps into the race, but Button had progressed to an impressive 4th position after 15 laps, however his pit stop a few laps later dropped him to 6th. The wet track was proving a challenge, and everyone from Michael Schumacher downwards slipped off the track, however it was Kimi in his McLaren who changed the race when he drove into the back of Liuzzi.

As carbon fibre fell on the track with the raindrops, a safety car was introduced, and Button's assured driving had put him second behind race leader Alonso. The safety car disappeared and with 29 laps to go, Button began to hunt down Alonso. His pit stop sees a twist of wing, a tank of fuel, but no tyres. He returns to the track.

Alonso's stop doesn't go quite to plan, as a faulty wheel nut on his freshly dry-tyred Renault halts his progress a few corners after exiting the pits, and Jenson Button finds himself half a second ahead of the rest of the field, on a drying track, with a pit stop to go.

You know the rest. Button's elation is clear as he dares to punch the air in celebration the corner before he crosses the finishing line, this was a race he drove better than any other driver; he didn't slide off the road, he didn't hit another car and he overtook Michael Schumacher in a straight fight. It was Button's day.

In the post race interview, he says the win is the 'first of many' and he was right, but did he really think he would have to wait another two whole seasons for it to happen again? Just like Mark Webber's maiden win was a popular one, Jenson Button taking the 2009 Driver's World Championship would be too, but to achieve it, he has to reaffirm Brawn's dominance this weekend. Drive it like 2006, Jenson, and you'll be fine.

Jaime Alguersuari to Replace Sebastien Bourdais.

By Team Principal on Mon July 20 2009

In a wholly unsurprising move, Toro Rosso have announced the replacement of Sebastien Bourdais with Jaime Alguersuari, making him the youngest ever F1-driver at just 19-years old. ?Hailing from Spain, he holds the British F3 title and currently drives in the World Series by Renault for Carlin Motorsport.

It's tough enough entering F1 for the first time, but even tougher in the middle of a season and against a team mate who has driven the guy you're replacing out of a job! ?It will be very interesting to see how he performs at his debut race in Hungary.

To see a look at Jaime's career so far, including a stunt which would greatly upset the FIA, watch the video below.

BBC Need to Get Behind F1 2009

By Team Principal on Wed February 4 2009

I started to watch F1 seriously after ITV won the contract to broadcast races in the UK, so I've never known any different, thus the sports return to the BBC for this season hasn't struck a chord with me as it has with many other fans.  It's seven weeks until the beginning of the season and news is starting to hot up, teams are testing, rules are being examined and in the case of Honda, questions are being asked about their sale - making this a prime time to engage fans and snare new ones.

For a company who have lost the F1 contract, ITV's F1 website is still very much a good source of information.  It looks modern too, with its recent overhaul producing one of the best looking F1 news sites out there, plus there are plenty of pictures from the recent test in Portugal.  Pop over to the BBC's F1 website and it's a very different story.  It's not as well laid out as the ITV site, contains less information and the information it does contain is harder to find.  Also, if I ever see that picture of Lewis Hamilton giving the victory sign again when I check the page, I'll need therapy.

Why the BBC have not started to use the website to promote their F1 coverage is a little strange, and why they haven't bothered to make is something special is even stranger.  Perhaps they feel it's too early and in a way I hope they do, as it indicates they at least plan to do something!

My next BBC disappointment is the decision not to show Grand Prix in HD during 2009.  Yes it's expensive to do and would mean lots of behind the scenes changes and I understand there are others involved in the decision, but really, wouldn't it be financially worthwhile?  It would certainly be subscription or pay-per-view, so where is the problem?  Surely Bernie's agreement would come at the sound of the cash register?  Instead it's another missed opportunity to push HD content in Europe.  Perhaps a way to make us forget about the lack of HD is to retain The Chain as the F1 title theme.  Take a look at this enterprising YouTube video for a modern example of a possible BBC intro!

So far, the BBC have only given the impression they are behind F1 this season with their proposed choice of presenters.  DC and Martin Brundle are perfect, but as for the others, not being in the UK means I've not really seen them do anything, so judgement must be deferred.  However it's disappointing the coverage looks to be studio based.  Does that mean no more grid walks?  

High hopes for the BBC's F1 coverage?  Me too, let's just hope they're met and improve on what we're seeing at the moment.

Cursing KERS.

By Team Principal on Mon February 2 2009

An extra 80 horsepower for a burst of 6.7 seconds will be produced, it has a certain amount of 'green' thinking behind it and it showcases the break-through technology for which Formula One should be known.  It also delivers a DC current in the hundreds of volts and the tens of amps, weighs between 25 and 40 kilos, requires cooling and costs plenty to research, test and produce.  KERS stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System and it could be the most controversial rule change in 2009 F1.

You'd think all the teams would welcome the opportunity to bless their cars with some more power, however few teams seem to be singing the praises of KERS as yet.  Toyota are saying the device may have a detrimental effect on performance around certain tracks thanks to changes in weight distribution and braking issues, Ferrari can't seem to decide where to put the thing inside their cars, Williams have gone for a different system to everyone else and even BMW, who champion the device and had the first working system, haven't decided whether they'll run it in Australia!

Then there's the safety aspect.  BMW had a 'man down' during early testing thanks to an electric shock and there is the fear the cars may become electrically charged and be a danger to marshals around the track, who must handle the body in order to recover it.  This is before the thought of such a thing happening during refueling or any battery-related issues.  However, Charlie Whiting has assured us that KERS will be safe and there will be plenty of warning systems in place for handling the car.

To me, it's not the safety aspect - as there's no way it would be considered for use by the FIA if it was unsafe - or the issues with performance gains which makes it controversial, but the fact it won't be law to use it in 2009.  Toyota have said they won't be taking a KERS-equipped car to Melbourne and have yet to say when they will introduce it (although the start of the European season would seem like a safe bet),and Williams, Ferrari and BMW have yet to commit too. 

While I appreciate there will be ballast for the cars without KERS, ballast tends not to go wrong but also doesn't directly aid overtaking or increase straight line speed, and if KERS does prove to be highly effective and not everyone has one on their car, there won't be much 'increased overtaking' going on.  When testing is restricted and budgets are tightened, the introduction of expensive new technology is hardly the best plan, and neither is 50% of the field running it and the other 50% trailing behind, restricted in this case by issues essentially out of their control.

Ultimately, the decision not to make KERS mandatory in 2009 was the mistake.  It's either used or not, by everyone or no-one.  This is why the FIA are there, make the rules and tell them KERS has to be used in 2009 and it would have been sorted out by now, tell them 2010 and it would be ready by then.  Leaving them swinging in the wind with this 'if you like' attitude makes it difficult for the teams to know where to focus, difficult for the spectator to know who is or isn't running the system and could potentially skew the racing in what was supposed to be a 'reset' season.  Surely this is no different to letting the teams choose between grooved or slick tyres?  

Clear rules make for clear understanding, which is what should have been realised from the start.

Lewis Minus Dennis Equals Reduced Performance?

By Team Principal on Wed January 28 2009

 

Ron Dennis and Lewis Hamilton

Ron Dennis and Lewis Hamilton

Ron Dennis announced earlier on in the month he would not be continuing as Team Principal of McLaren F1 in the 2009 season and that Martin Whitmarsh would be taking over this role.  We heard how it was 100% his decision, that Whitmarsh was more than ready for the challenge and that he would still be Executive Chairman and involved with the team.  Whilst there is bound to be some impact on the team in 2009, Whitmarsh in my mind is a worthy successor, but the one person who will feel the change the most, is the one the team will want to be fully focussed - Lewis Hamilton.

So far, Lewis's comments have centered around rightfully singing Ron's praises, welcoming Whitmarsh and confirming the pair are still great friends, however, will this change affect Lewis more than he lets on?  As has been clear from the TV coverage, there are two main people in Lewis's F1 life, his father and Ron Dennis.  If we removed his father and replaced him with Lewis's best friend's father, they would obviously have a relationship, would likely get on well and trust each other's decisions, but something would be missing - this could be the same when it's Martin Whitmarsh instead of Ron doing the business-side of winning a race.

You cannot underestimate the profound effect Ron Dennis has had on Lewis's life and for him not to be right there could see Lewis lose some concentration over the first few Grand Prix of the coming season.  This however is looking at it from a negative viewpoint, it could be that Lewis will perform even better, refusing to let change make a difference to the way he drives and races, determined to prove any doubters still remaining that even something as major as this will not shake him.

You can bet other teams will be looking for a hole in Lewis's armour, but I have the feeling this will not be it.

No Buyer for Honda = 18 Cars for 2009.

By Team Principal on Mon January 26 2009

Surely 2009 has more or less been paid for by the teams, and was at the tail end of 2008?  Honda's huff has surely meant a fat pile of cash went down the toilet when they quit so suddenly, since we had been hearing about their 2009 efforts and ongoing KERS research prior to that point.  How much more money would it have taken to stay in for the 2009 season and simply put the team up for sale - therefore giving the sport the respect it deserves and more time to find a serious buyer - while perhaps improving the dismal reputation the team attracted thanks to it's lacklustre performance in 2008?

The deadline is supposed to be the end of January for a buyer to stump up the cash, which leaves a whole week for this to happen.  If noting happens - and it's going to need a miracle - we get 18 cars on the grid next year.  Super Aguri's demise should have been a warning sign, despite Honda's denial they had anything at all to do with it, and as nobody rescued that team in a more stable economic situation, what chance does Honda have now?  

Over the weekend, Bernie Ecclestone announced plans to secure long term commitment from the teams in return for better financial terms, in order to «prevent the kind of thing we have seen with Honda because we could sue the arse off them if they left».  We get the feeling he is equally annoyed by Honda's abandonment.  

It's a great shame Honda will be remembered not for their F1 achievements, but by this exit, which although backed by bad car sales and a tough economy, just looks like a tantrum following a less-than-spectacular performance.  If you don't want anyone thinking like this Honda, do the decent thing and give Nick Fry and Ross Brawn a couple of quid and let them take the 2009 season alone, whilst securing another buyer in the meantime.

Can Lewis Hamilton Be Stopped?

By Team Principal on Mon October 20 2008

It's only seven points and we all know last year he had an even bigger margin and still managed to lose the Championship, but can it really happen twice?  Let's look at the situation.  The first non-driver influence is McLaren, who have been aching for a new World Championship win and after last years issues, seem to be in far better shape.  The absence of hostility between the drivers must go some way to achieving this, however perhaps it's the opposite, with Heikki appearing not to be pulling his weight.  In fact, Heikki is rapidly becoming Rubens Barrichello to Lewis's Schumacher - too little luck and possibly too little team support.

So, we can be assured that McLaren are highly unlikely to leave anything to chance in Brazil, highlighted by the cool, calm post-race radio messages to Lewis, emphasizing how important it was to take it all nice and easy.  The first car concern is the engine in the back of Lewis's car.  Brazil will be its second race distance and although he presumably turned the engine down towards the flag at Shanghai, he was giving it plenty for the rest of the time.  Let's hope this doesn't put an end to the world title.

Lewis himself was the picture of relaxation last weekend, the opposite of his Fuji persona, so whatever he has been doing will be repeated until the next race, with only the escalating pressure to worry about.  However, with the lead cemented and increased, surely he will be feeling a little easier about everything?  Or will the creeping stress force unfortunate mistakes under the inevitable Ferrari onslaught.

This onslaught is the other problem for Lewis and McLaren.  Massa has to win at Brazil, regardless of the fact it's for the Championship, and Kimi has to come second.  If Alonso and Kubica (or Vettel) comes third and fourth, there is the chance Hamilton won't take the title, but it's a big, big ask.  Hamilton is going to want to win and snatch the Driver's all at the same time - to prove to the world he can do it all at once.  Which could also be his downfall.

So, on paper Hamilton has not won the 2008 Driver's Championship yet, but at this point it looks very likely he will do.

F1 Pit Box Given 24 Hour Penalty.

By Team Principal on Sun October 12 2008

In a shock move not by the FIA, the F1 Pit Box blog has been given a 24 hour penalty due to not posting for a few weeks.  F1 Pit Box's Team Principal replied to the decision saying 'we out-braked ourselves into the the last Grand Prix, leaving no room to post before other days of the week passed, then during the qualifying session at Fuji, our new high-tech lighting system, which tells our writer when to start writing, failed and ruined our afternoon.'

This turn of events has left the Pit Box team 'surprised and saddened', to the extent they fully expect another similar penalty for not accepting the first quietly enough.  Other F1 blogs are likely to avoid doing or saying anything for the remainder of the season to avoid penalties for simply being on the Internet.

Hamilton Takes Penalty, Passes Win to Massa at Spa.

By Team Principal on Mon September 8 2008

I'm glad I'm not a Formula One race steward, they must need better security than George Bush!  Following the tedium in Valencia, Spa was an exciting weekend's racing, culminating in one of the best final two laps of an Grand Prix I've ever seen; what a shame no one will remember it, thanks to a harsh penalty given out post-race which rendered the final laps irrelevant.

The incident in question is simply explained: Hamilton cut the chicane at the end of the lap, gained an advantage, didn't give enough back to Raikkonen and was punished.  Watching the replays this cannot be denied except by the most dogged F1 conspiracist.  The 25-second addition takes Hamilton back to third position and is about 20 seconds too many for the advantage he gained to be realistic, it's not even as if he made no attempt to back off.

I don't believe all this Ferrari influence rubbish, it's the murmurings of the immature for the most part, but McLaren certainly took their fair share of strict punishments at Spa, as Heikki's drive-through was equally over the top for his clumsy accident.  With Raikkonen receiving no penalty for his Monaco crash and Massa's fine for his Valencia pit problems, why similar couldn't have been done here I'm not sure.  

Regardless of whether it was case of using a sledgehammer when a push would've done, Hamilton needed some form of penalty for the incident, but this was too much.  All it has done is insight the hatred of Ferrari even more (even though they claim they never complained) and will again, decrease the worldwide respect of the sport.  A 2009 overhaul of the penalties would be wise, and the creation of a standard set so no-one can be surprised when the time comes makes sense too.  The only positive take is the championship is even more exciting now just two points separate Hamilton and Massa, who Ferrari simply must support.  

Otherwise, racing at Spa was as brilliant as usual, with Toro Rosso giving a brilliant performance all weekend.  Those final laps as the rain started to fall were something special though, and if anything, I wish Heidfeld and Alonso had swapped their boots for Intermediates a lap earlier, then we would have had a very different result altogether!  It's going to be chaos at Monza, have no doubt!

F1 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix Race Report.

By Team Principal on Sat August 9 2008

So, who's going to win in Hungary?  Unless something untoward happens, this will be Lewis Hamilton's race.

Ah well, sorry Lewis, that comment seemed to jinx your race didn't it!  It's all about the first corner at the Hungaroring and Felipe Massa staked his claim perfectly, Lewis was simply not expecting such an assault as he thought he had the race sewn up and had done since he secured pole on Saturday.  What is it they say about pride?

But to his credit, Massa's charge didn't throw him off balance completely as he never lost sight of the Ferrari until that puncture compounded the hurt he must have already been feeling.  This wasn't going to be a lucky puncture a la Monaco either, this one would need some serious driving and a little luck to bring his McLaren back in the points.  

In the closing stages, Massa was way out front and had to be thinking how great it would be to lead the championship before going off on his summer holiday.  His engine failure three laps from race end must have crushed him.  He drove an amazing race in a car no one expected to make such an impression - especially as in the hands of Kimi, it looked less competitive than the Toyota's throughout the race.  

Felipe's retirement handed the race win to Heikki Kovalainen, second to Timo Glock and third to Raikkonen, who was probably rather surprised to come away with a podium.  Glock's drive was also superb and showed not only that he had recovered from his crash two weeks previously, but how Toyota have improved too.  All this, plus a few pit stops and a spirited drive from Hamilton meant he finished fifth, salvaged some points and kept his dignity.

Heikki's maiden win may have been a bit of a gift, but there was no denying he kept his head throughout and really did what he should have.  Lewis was set for the win, Heikki was keeping position and was ready to bag as many points for the team as possible in the event of Lewis's problems.  It's no wonder he has been retained for foreseeable future.

Despite all this, Hungary should have been Massa's race.  He deserved to win and he deserved to lead the championship, instead he finds himself with even more work ahead.  Felipe Massa can be the 2008 World Champion, he just needs a little luck, some more drives like this and Kimi to remain in his odd slump.  A tall order?  Perhaps, but wouldn't it be great to see him do it!

← Previous 01 02 03 04 05 ... 15 Next →