Hamilton: If I lose this year it won’t be as painful as 2007

<

>

Lewis Hamilton accepts he is more likely to lose the Formula One title than win it, even if he is giving it his best shot, but failure will hurt less than in 2007 when he missed out by a single point.

The triple world champion’s victory in Mexico on Sunday was the 51st of his career, putting him second equal on the all-time lists with France’s Alain Prost.

“I am not focused on the championship now, I am focused on trying to win these races, performing at my best,” said the Mercedes driver, 19 points behind team mate Nico Rosberg with two rounds remaining.

Rosberg will be champion for the first time if the German triumphs in Brazil, a race he has dominated from pole position for the past two years and that Hamilton has yet to win, next week.

Asked whether he was prepared to lose, Hamilton said he had been there before.

“I lost in 2007 and I know it won’t be as painful as then,” he said, referring to his rookie season with McLaren when he was pipped in the final race in Brazil by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

“I have lost many races and championships in my career so it is not like I haven’t experienced it. I am in a scenario now where there is more of a chance I will lose it than win it. It is hard to swallow but it is what it is.

“Life will move on, I will move on. I still have three (titles). I really hope next year I don’t have reliability problems.”

Rosberg finished second on Sunday and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said there was now less pressure on the German.

“I think for Nico it’s maybe beneficial now because all this talking (about how) ‘you need to finish second in order to make it to the end’ is finished now,” Wolff told reporters.

“He has it in his hands. If he wins the race in Brazil, he’s winning the championship early.

“I think this is maybe a bit easier in terms of tackling the situation with a little bit less pressure because he still has another go in Abu Dhabi.”

Rosberg, the bookmakers’ favourite, has adopted the mantra of one race at a time and said that would remain the same.

“I’m not going to change my approach,” he said. “I’m going for the win in

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247

Mexico organisers blown away by crowd numbers

<

>

Mexican Grand Prix organisers say that this years race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez attracted an even bigger crowd than in 2015, bucking a trend of lower attendances in an event’s second year after the novelty has worn off.

“Once again we are blown away by the support of the Mexican people and the international motorsport fans who travelled from all over the world to attend our race,” said Alejandro Soberon, president of promoters CIE.

Figures released by the organisers put the total overall attendance at 339,967 compared to last year’s 336,174.

The race day crowd was 135,026, compared to the previous 134,845, and the figures on Friday and Saturday were also higher.

Mexico’s race at the capital’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez returned to the Formula One calendar last year after a 23-year absence, and has been paired with the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

It has become a firm favourite with drivers, even if Sunday’s race, won by triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, offered little drama on the track.

“It’s just really amazing to see that Mexico has now become one of the top grands prix on the calendar, usually it takes some time for a country to really grow as being one of the best,” Hamilton told reporters.

“In terms of the audience it’s one of the biggest ones we have, it’s really phenomenal that it’s only in the second year, and that’s just going to keep growing and this is going to be in the top three of grands prix in terms of attendance and atmosphere.

“And maybe the races will get better moving forward to the future.”

Next year’s race is provisionally scheduled for Nov. 5, ahead of Brazil on Nov. 12 but Soberon told Reuters that pairing could still change.

“We still don’t have the final version of the calendar, we’re still studying it and are in conversations with Formula One,” he said. “But whatever comes, it’s going to be fine.”

He said more than half of the crowd was coming from outside of Mexico City, and that was expected to grow, and the race could also stand on its own if need be.

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247

Inside Line: Oh yeah, Hamilton was first and Rosberg second

<

>

Despite so much being at stake at the Mexican Grand Prix, it seemed to feel like your average weekend: a big build-up of hype, drivers talked about in the market etc. It was poised to be spectacular and well, let’s just say I am anxiously awaiting Brazil with a wet towel to slap across my face when I fall asleep!

Okay. Let’s not be too critical. The race had it’s moments at the hectic start to the Grand Prix and that amazing finale when three drivers were awarded third place at some point. Coming to Vettel first.

What has happened to him. Is he crumbling under the pressure of expectations at Ferrari? It certainly seemed so because Vettel didn’t have a poor race. He had a meltdown. Of course, we had the usual complaints about traffic, but his ‘Verstappen-styled’ defensive maneuver drew question marks and his antics on the radio were somewhat amusing, in the aspect of how ridiculous his comments were.

Verstappen will be disappointed that his podium position was taken away from him, first losing it to Vettel and then his team-mate. The Dutchman too vented his frustration with Vettel and the two were spotted exchanging hand gestures crossing the finish line. Not a great day for either of them while in the background, someone else stole their limelight.

Daniel Ricciardo is one of the top drivers in Formula One and his Mexico performance displayed that. His strategy of pitting early onto the mediums worked as he, (rather luckily) got onto the podium.

Regardless of the luck, he drove well and kept a cool head when tapping wheels with Vettel. A real fan favourite is Daniel Ricciardo, and a very strong driver.

Nico Hulkenberg has come alive since his Renault announcement. After a couple of years of being outshined by team-mate Sergio Perez, Hulkenberg has put in two noticeably stellar weekends. His qualifying performance on Saturday I would rate as high as his infamous pole position.

Ahead of the two Ferrari’s? I know they’re struggling but come on, the Force India definitely isn’t as quick on raw pace!
Another worthy mention is Marcus Ericsson, who just like Hulkenberg, put in two great weekends in succession. Getting out of Q1 again, and finishing the race in 11th was a good race for Ericsson and he is an unsung hero in 2016 in my opinion.

Pascal Wehrlein showed us again that he has great qualifying pace, getting his Manor out of Q1. The youngster is also the rumour of a promotion to Force India but we’ll wait and see.

Oh yeah, Lewis Hamilton was first and Nico Rosberg second. *yawn*

Inside Line Opinion by Fergal Walsh

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247

Brawn: I would never go back to a F1 team

<

>

In what will signal bad news for Ferrari, Ross Brawn has revealed that he has no interest in returning to Formula 1 in any role with a team, but has opened the door to a management position at the helm of the sport.

Brawn told the Telegraph in an interview, “I would never go back to a [F1] team. I did everything I can in a team, but I would be repeating myself.”

The 61 year old added, “For sure, trying to help F1 become a better F1 would be appealing. It would be the one thing that could be interesting.” Read that report here>>>

With word out that a climate of fear currently exists at Maranello, Brawn sees similarities to the time he began with the team two decades ago, “When I arrived it was a team that didn’t have enough confidence. We eliminated that. Operating in a climate of fear doesn’t work. There shouldn’t be demands made on the basis of what’s going to happen if you fail.”

The dominant Mercedes team of today, morphed from his own F1 world championship winning Brawn GP outfit. And though he did spend time with the new era Silver Arrows, he soon felt marginalised by the likes of Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda and he departed in 2013.

But Brawn is impressed with what the team and their management have achieved since then, “They’ve picked the ball up. I said this to Toto. You had a great opportunity and you took it and made it much stronger now. The team looks fabulous.”

As for the title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, two drivers Brawn has worked with and knows well, he said, “Nico will put in a more consistent performance over the year, but would never quite reach the highs that Lewis could. But then Lewis dips down a bit. He’s more emotional in his approach.”

“I think Nico has a few people close to him who he can rely on. With Lewis I’ve not seen any signs that he has that support. You don’t need those battles in the middle of a championship which is intense enough already. But sometimes people vent their spleen. That’s why if there were a mentor or confidante he could vent those frustrations out on them,” mused Brawn.

Interestingly the Englishman is rooting for the “tough little bugger” Rosberg wins the title, “He’s very resilient. He slips behind a bit, then he has a good talking to himself and comes back. A lot of drivers, having been punished by Lewis for a couple of years, would have gone away.”

“In many ways I would like him to win the world championship because he’s done a fabulous job of getting beaten and coming back,” said Brawn.

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247

Brawn: To help F1 become a better F1 would be appealing

<

>

Ross Brawn has emerged as a candidate for a top job at the helm of Formula 1 and he reportedly has a deal signed with the sport’s new owners Liberty Media, as well as a nod of approval from the FIA already in the bag.

This could spell the beginning of the end of Ecclestone’s long reign as F1 supremo. Liberty have made no secret that his position is most likely to be filled by a hand-picked triumvirate – accountable to chairman Chase Carey – and by all accounts Brawn is the first of the leadership trio to be appointed.

Although there is no confirmation emanating from any of the parties, Brawn made all the right noises in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph.

He told Formula 1 correspondent Daniel Johnson, “For sure, trying to help F1 become a better F1 would be appealing. It would be the one thing that could be interesting. If you ask me what F1 needs, it needs a plan; a three-year and a five-year plan. My view is we haven’t got the ideal structure for creating that plan and implementing it over time.”

As for Liberty, Brawn was reportedly coy when he said, “I think they’re finding their feet. They’re being very wise and taking their time. They’ve also got to build their relationship with Bernie [Ecclestone], because he’s not used to having an owner involved in that way.”

Ecclestone is said to have a three year deal in place with Liberty which will see him stay in charge as the new owners find their feet with the intricacies of the sport. But now Bild reports that Liberty might scrap the deal and fast-track their new management plan.

Even if the 86 year old stayed on for this would not stop Brawn taking up a technical role independent of Ecclestone’s commercial domain.

“I have no issues with Bernie,” said Brawn. “What we have today is primarily down to Bernie’s creation. I just got frustrated because my approach is methodical and structured and Bernie’s is chaotic and impulsive. If those two things ever came together it would be an interesting combination.”

“Sometimes I find those idiosyncrasies, those approaches, amusing. I get round them in that way. I just keep battering at the door until it opens,” added Brawn.

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247