Tag: Rhea Morar

The Renault team head to the American leg of the F1 calendar on a high after announcing the signing of Nico Hulkenberg for the 2017 season. The move further underlines the team’s focus on the 2017 season to produce better results. There are still 4 races left however in 2016, and the team and its current line- up look to the US Grand Prix and points.

The tarmac at the Circuit of the Americas or COTA will experience the supersofts tyre for the first time, which will make the practice sessions very important to all teams, a fact that has not been lost on Renault.

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN

The popular Danish driver is no stranger to contract waiting periods and with the 2017 news this season, he hopes to hear from the team by the time this weekend’s race rolls on. If he is nervous, he certainly isn’t showing it, as he previews the American spectacular:

“The start-finish with the big climb at the end is pretty notable then there’s a fast and flowing section that follows – and that’s pretty fun. It’s a good layout that has quite a few different challenges and we have seen some decent racing there. Overtaking is possible and there can be a variety of tyre strategies too, so I think we could have a fun race”

JOLYON PALMER

The British driver has seen resurgence in form in recent times, but will be equally nervous about the 2017 decision which could see him out of his racing seat at the French team.

Not having driven there in a full F1 race, Palmer has had to rely on simulator data. Much like Magnussen, Palmer exudes a calmness and humour as he previews the Austin flyaway:

“My problem with the US is the food; there are too many temptations! This is tough as I have to watch my weight so closely. I’d love to be tucking into ribs and burgers all the time! Aside from trying to keep away from the food, it really is a nice place to go racing. It’s something different, especially to be in Texas, there’s a great atmosphere there. Last year we had huge downpours, which was a shame so I’m hoping for some good weather this year and a big crowd”

Renault are bringing a new floor for Magnussen’s car to COTA, which they hope will provide more stability to the overall performance of the car. The track is considered a successful modern layout which will be a challenge to the comparatively slower Renault. Rumours (which we will not repeat until made official) suggest big changes to the driver lineup might still be in the works, at least insofar as Hulkenberg’s teammate is concerned.

* Rhea Morar

(Image Courtesy of Pirelli F1 media)

After their best ever qualifying, Renault were hopeful of a double points finish at Spa, but a high speed crash involving their popular Danish driver, Kevin Magnussen overshadowed race day and left the team in a race to rebuild his car before Monza.

“Good start”

Both drivers got off to a good start, with an in form Jolyon Palmer fighting his way into 7th place followed by Magnussen in 8th. However the good form was not to last too long as Magnussen bottomed out at the exit of Eau Rouge and suffered a crash that caused his headrest to fly off. The crash, which had many worrying for the safety of the driver, brought out a safety car and eventually a red flag to repair the damaged barrier. Magnussen, meanwhile, limped to the medical car and had been taken to hospital by the time to restart took place.

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN – DNF

It is common cause that the Danish driver was lucky to suffer just cut to his ankle after the high G impact at the exit of one of F1’s most spectacular corners. The image of his displaced headrest will raise concerns regarding the safety aspect of the open cockpit vs covered yet again, which of course, is likely to be the last thing on Magnussen’s mind as he looks to be fit to race at Monza.

JOLYON PALMER- Started 13th Finished 15th

The British driver has been somewhat of a tour de force recently and the initial stages of Sunday afternoon saw him continue the form. However tyre degradation in the high temperatures saw him lose grip and he slipped back down the field.

“We had our best qualifying here. Both cars had a great start and ran in the top ten for a while. We could have had a strong race but the safety car pulled a lot of people back into play. It’s a shame not to get better results in the end but this weekend has been better than we expected overall. I saw Kevin crash in my rear mirrors. It’s not nice to see because it’s a really, really fast part of the track. I’m glad he’s ok.”

Renault will look to the high speeds of Monza to maximise the full package that has seemingly found its sweet spot in the last few races. The concern is the fitness of Magnussen and the question of the car which looked to have suffered total damage in the crash. If Renault are able to tap into the right downforce balance, they are likely to be in with the bigger teams in race day.

Rhea Morar @RheaMorar

The nature of back to back races often leave teams with very little time to fix the issues arising from the previous weekend. The Sauber F1 team are hopeful to overcome the issues that hindered the start of the second season at Spa Francorchamps before they head off to the “Cathedral of Speed” Monza.

“A disappointing start”

The team admitted that the race was disappointing, more especially given the upgrades, with just one of the cars finishing the race. Felipe Nasr had a blistering start running in 11th place until he had to pit with a puncture and other race limiting damage.

Marcus Ericsson however had a frustrating weekend after much promise in free practice. The Swedish driver started in pit lane due to cooling system issues and after initially catching the field, he had to retire with gearbox issues.

DRIVERS RACE REVIEW AND MONZA PREVIEW

Marcus Ericsson – Started in Pits, DNF

“It was a tough day. When I went out to the starting grid we identified issues with the cooling system, so we had to make some adjustments. This meant that I had to start the race from the pit lane. It was a good first lap, I was able to catch the group ahead, but then suddenly I lost sixth gear on lap three. That was the end of my race; I had to retire”

Looking to Monza, Ericsson acknowledges that the high speed nature of the fabled Italian track will cause the team to search for the perfect balance in respect of downforce, which would enable them to maximise the straight line speed needed at Monza.

Ericsson is looking to regain lost ground and a track like Monza, at which he had happy hunting in the past, may suit him perfectly.

Felipe Nasr – Finished P17

“A disappointing race. I had a good start and was able to make up some positions running temporarily in P11. Because of a lot of debris on track, I got a rear left tyre puncture, which was very unfortunate. I had to pit early, which compromised the whole race. The floor,as well as the diffusor, was also damaged by the debris. That surely had an influence on the lap times. Now we need to shift our focus onto the upcoming race weekend in Monza.”

The Brazilian driver has fond memories of Monza, given that he lived near-by when he first moved to Italy. He knows the track well, and given his resurgent form, he may cause a few headaches for those around him. Nasr has been an unfortunate victim of other driver incidents and is looking to have a clean start to make the most of the aero package.

Monza presents the need for the lowest possible downforce package, given the top speeds that are expected to be reached. Sauber have already identified the brake and traction areas are the priorities for the Italian race. Come Sunday, only points will do for the team that needs it right now.

Rhea Morar @RheaMorar

The word Spa, to an F1 fan at least, is almost the equivalent to a candle lit dinner under the moonlight/a drive in a supercar. In short the mere mention of the word triggers unparalleled emotions in most fans, none more so than the F1 teams themselves.

The Sauber F1 team, fresh from a spirit lifting new ownership transition, head to the track with the hope of scoring their first points in what has been a difficult, if not career building, 2016 season.

RACE PREVIEW

Spa, at 7.004km long per lap, is the longest track on the calendar which brings with it the reciprocal power and aerodynamic demands.

Sauber have identified the these areas along with braking stability as the key performance areas that they hope Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr will exploit come race day.

Both drivers will no doubt be buoyed by the news of a new aero package and their new head of track engineering, Xevi Pujolar, who has previously worked with Max Verstappen. The new package has been a long time coming and I thought to have put both drivers in a far more advantageous position at a track that they both rate very highly.

MARCUS ERICSSON

The Swede is looking to recapture the momentum that saw him fight his way into the drivers of the day rankings at a track which should suit his aggressive wheel to wheel style of racing. Ericsson remembers the top 10 finish last year fondly & will look at boost his team battle chances in Belgium:

“the track at Spa is quite long with some interesting corners and passages – Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, Pouhon and so on. Engine power is the crucial factor.”

FELIPE NASR

Nasr has been a regular at the Olympic games being held in his native Brazil, which has seemingly served to motivate him heading into the second half of the year. He loves Spa and has a through understanding of the nuances of the circuit, which we suspect may give him the edge he needs:

“Spa-Francorchamps is the opener of the second part of the season – and my favourite circuit on the calendar. The track is unique, having a lot of high-speed corners and a great corner combination. As a driver you get a nice flow going – up and down – through these corner combinations. From the technical side, the combination of low downforce and traction is essential to be competitive.”

It might be asking too much too soon to expect a points finish immediately at Spa for the Swiss team. That being said, F1 is a sport that throws up more spanners than a backyard mechanical shop. The realistic expectation is for both drivers to at least get into Q2 and fight closer to the top 10 which should lay down a marker for the back to back trip to Monza.

Rhea Morar @RheaMorar