In the round-up: Sebastian Vettel will race against a host of top international karting talent at the Lonato circuit in Italy this weekend before F1 testing begins in Spain.
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Scoop dernière minute: Vettel engagé à la Winter Cup! (Kart mag - French)
Rumor Mill: Sebastian Vettel to Race 21st Winter Cup (Kart360)
"It is reported that (Nicklas) Nielsen is heading to an Audi test and Vettel will be stepping in to 'replace' him. If that is the word you would like to use."
Red Bull’s Christian Horner hopes Renault reconciliation can revive team (The Guardian)
"It’s very difficult to make predictions but Renault have focused on what appears to be the right areas over the winter. There’s a confidence from them we haven’t seen for some time."
Renault engine progress is 'very, very good' (F1i)
"We have some good stuff in the pipeline, which will take some time to get implemented and seen and visible on track, but we have very, very good stuff now."
Analysis: Sahara's Force India stake looks a hard sell (Reuters)
"Bernie Ecclestone, the 85-year-old Formula One supremo who has known Mallya for decades, told Reuters he was 'quite sure the last thing Vijay wants to do is to quit'."
Complicated F1 tyre rules should deliver variety, says Key (Motorsport)
"You can take a few risks maybe. It will certainly add a bit of variety to the season, and actually having three tyre choices at some tracks makes quite a big difference as to how you go through the strategy."
Alonso the best in the world? Five arguments for and against (AS)
"His contract with McLaren is the most lucrative in the history of the sport, and in the world of Formula 1 nothing is given out for free. You have to reason that he's considered the best within the sport, and therefore is paid the most money."
Singaporean makes it into F1 team (The New Paper)
"In my department, we run over 1,000 computer simulations a week on average and the results of each simulation is analysed to help drive design and developmental work."
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Comment of the day
Red Bull’s new livery got a mixed to positive response. This was one of the more appreciative:
It looks simpler than last year’s and better as a result. They had been getting more and more clutter on it every year and simplifying it and adding red highlights improved the appearance of it by a good bit. It will probably look better on track.
All in all, I think it is a good livery considering that they are almost locked into their livery format from a marketing point of view.
Adam Blocker (@Blockwall2)
From the forum
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to _Ben_ and Mike!
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is via the contact form or adding to the list here.
Adam Blocker (@blockwall2)
18th February 2016, 0:18
@keithcollantine Thanks for giving my third COTD!
@HoHum (@hohum)
18th February 2016, 0:37
Congratulations Adam, it is sign of how desperate we are that a subtle variation on a teams paint job garners 3 pages of comments. How much more interesting will it be if STRs delayed paint job features a giant Alfa Romeo logo rather than a leaping bull.
mantresx (@mantresx)
18th February 2016, 1:42
Congrats on your 3rd! Anyway I also liked the new livery but let’s be honest is not a classic, it looks better than it really is just because we’ve seen the same over and over again for the past ten years. But yeah having said that, it’s the best so far.
@HoHum (@hohum)
18th February 2016, 0:20
Complicated tyre strategies? Not likely, the computers will all give the same answer, the variety, if any, will come from backmarker teams trying to attract attention by running ahead of their race finishing pace for awhile before plummeting down the order and finishing so far behind that the cameras will be looking elsewhere.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th February 2016, 7:44
I am sure there will be a couple of races at the start of the season where everyone is still gauging the new compounds and trying what works before it settles into a more or less steady regime from Barcelona or so onward @hohum
MattDS (@mattds)
18th February 2016, 7:57
@hohum because all cars treat their tyres the same way? Right. :)
JackySteeg (@jackysteeg)
18th February 2016, 0:21
An F1 driver competing in a kart race? I expect the Australian Grand Prix will conveniently clash with it next year…
ColdFly F1 (@)
18th February 2016, 6:26
Good one! – If only it were a Caption Competition.
Simon
18th February 2016, 13:56
I would love to see a current F1 driver kart race, do it under the guise of charity.
@HoHum (@hohum)
18th February 2016, 0:31
I was a little bored last night so I decided to design an F1 engine, the results were very, very good .
Thedonz
18th February 2016, 6:32
Of course you won’t really see the performance from it until later in the season when the upgrades in the pipeline arrive
Johannes (@johanness)
18th February 2016, 6:35
^^^lol. My thoughts exactly
Todfod (@todfod)
18th February 2016, 6:37
Get in touch with Horner for 2017
Jason Miller (@flatdarkmars)
18th February 2016, 0:59
That audio clip tweeted by Haas F1 Team… what is it, their transporter truck? ;)
Todfod (@todfod)
18th February 2016, 6:12
I like how Horner is playing nice now that he is at the mercy of Renault :P
Honestly, I haven’t heard Horner be that supportive of Renault even during their glory years.
I’m hoping Renault and Honda close the gap this year. F1 would become a 3 tier racing category if they don’t.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
18th February 2016, 6:17
So nice to hear that some of last year’s teams and PU manufacturers are feeling much more confident. They’re hardly likely to say they’re not at this point in time.
Wonder whether they will be in a week’s time after they’ve actually put a wheel on track? I suppose actually doing laps will be considered a massive improvement by some.
Todfod (@todfod)
18th February 2016, 6:30
Honestly, I’m a little irritated by them reducing the test weekends from 3 to 2. This could have been very valuable time to both Renault and Honda in getting their act together.
If I had to bet, I’d say that the Honda PU will fail 3 times in the first 3 days. They will only get their act together for the second test, where again they won’t be able to put enough mileage on the car. The 3rd test would have been really beneficial to them, but unfortunately, they will have to play ‘test’ for the opening couple of rounds again.
Another prediction -> Mercedes will put in the most number of testing laps, followed by Ferrari, who will put in approximately 90% of Mercedes’ laps. Red Bull will also put in approximately 85% of Mercedes’ laps. Mclaren will put in approximately 60% of Mercedes’ laps.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
18th February 2016, 8:12
I suspect you’re being generous about the laps.
Agree about the lack of testing – it really doesn’t give either Honda or Renault much chance, especially given that last year they barely got their cars on track for the first test and a fair chunk of the second.
I suspect we’ll see much the same this year at the first test if (and there’s a fair amount of doubt) they both bring majorly upgraded PU’s.
Todfod (@todfod)
18th February 2016, 8:34
If they don’t, they’re going nowhere for another season.
ColdFly F1 (@)
18th February 2016, 11:24
On your 2nd prediction @todfod, I expect it to be Toro Rosso.
They always seem to go for maximum test laps, and now with the benefit of a proven PU.
ColdFly F1 (@)
18th February 2016, 6:31
I’m one of the few on here who don’t comment on paint jobs, but it seems to hurt me in the COTD race.
Until now!
I like the simplicity of FA’s helmet design, and hope that Button has the same with a red top!.
PS – congratulations @blockwall2 with your COTD
ResultantAsteroid
18th February 2016, 6:49
Ohhhh… Seb, this is gonna make one Bernie veryyyy angry. And the fact that he will start to understand now that he is actually helpless and couldnot arrange the calendar to block F1 drivers from competing in EVERY single motor sport in the world will make him even angrier. Kudos ;-)
pcxmac (@xsavior)
18th February 2016, 6:57
one of the reasons why you don’t let the F1 drivers compete in lower rank classes is because if they lose, they could ‘tarnish’ the brand image of F1. You need to keep the guys in the top class, looking like top shelf, otherwise people start questioning F1 and it being the ‘pinnacle’ of motorsports, and this has a negative effect on the ROI for the sponsors, owners, etc..
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
18th February 2016, 22:47
Let him race, and let some kid beat him. It will not ruin Sebs carrer but might begin kids carrer.
Anthony Vertue
18th February 2016, 6:52
What race was this journalist watching?
Asanator (@asanator)
18th February 2016, 12:16
Clearly not the Aus GP where KMag parked it on the out lap to the grid.
lockup (@)
18th February 2016, 8:49
I wish Vijay would sell the team. It’s a good team and a likeable team, but I’ve always found that nationalist name a bit alienating.
Johannes (@johanness)
19th February 2016, 1:17
Maybe you’d prefer Force Murica?
BerndMaylander (@berndmaylander)
18th February 2016, 8:52
Is it just me or does Fernando’s new helmet design look like a toilet seat?
pH (@ph)
18th February 2016, 9:22
@berndmaylander Didn’t think of it. But now I took a second look and yes, I see it.
Todfod (@todfod)
18th February 2016, 10:00
Hahaha +1
He’s preprared have a lot of cr *p races
AntoineDeParis (@antoine-de-paris)
18th February 2016, 10:11
lmao!
man you just killed it . +1
RBAlonso (@rbalonso)
18th February 2016, 12:59
The AS article on Alonso is quite interesting. It questions whether Alonso is still the best driver on the grid. Since Alonso became World Champion he has consistently been regarded as one of the grid’s top 3 drivers. That list usually included Hamilton, Vettel, Schumacher, Raikkonen or Kubica. Personally I have never truly rated Webber, Massa or Button. That is obviously by the toughest measure of greatness and legendary status and I think most agree on that. But, I think that Alonso has still got it and will win again.
The sport should make more effort to ensure the 2017 cars showcase the driver’s ability more. Either by being able to race each other properly, or by being super fast and hard to drive. If that was the case then maybe we will be able to see the new talent pushed to their limits. Alonso did not make my top 3 drivers for 2015 but the shine was very slightly taken off Ricciardo this year who still be mega over the next decade. But if aero solutions are to be as planned and not what was originally proposed then the difference in cars will further pollute our view of who is the best driver.
Woody (@woodyd91)
18th February 2016, 15:58
I think that very much depends on whether RB can find a new engine in 2017 or he manages to find himself a seat elsewhere in a championship winning team, Mercedes seems unlikely given Hamilton will be there more than likely until he retires and Rosberg seats will probably go to a Max V. Ferrari is the same story with Vettel being there for the long haul, I think Dani Ric has put himself in a losing camp and there is very little way out, and by time there is he will have been passed up for some other younger more impressive talent. I fear he may have missed his moment in F1, in any meaningful way that is. I’m sure he put in some great performances but last season he was quite forgettable which is a shame.
Robbie (@robbie)
18th February 2016, 14:30
Should be very interesting to see what RBR does. If the Renault unit is improved they may not want to start fresh with someone else, and who would that someone else even be? Seems like the VW group thing is not happening, but even if it was, RBR would have to start the marriage with them by the summer, and they may still be sussing out Renault’s new potential at that point. Starting to look like they should stick with the devil they know, unless of course they are just a customer to Renault now that Renault are now a works team. Imho RBR should try to stick with the stability of
Renault and help them along the way rather than suffer this year and then at least a couple of more of growing pains with a new entity.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
18th February 2016, 22:42
Only decent alternative for RBR engine is Honda. That is… If they are somewhat better than Rena…i mean TAG.
Also Vettel racing a kart… This id like to see. Will there be some awezome videos? Maybe even on Youtube? Or FOM owns karting aswell?
Dxbrs3
19th February 2016, 11:00
Alonso has made a habit of stopping by the dubai kartdrome. It is nothing short of impressive to see him get in a leisure kart that all the other drivers have a whole season of training on and done thousands of laps, and get circuit record. His pace is undeniable.
sport360.com/article/uae/45919/fernando-alonso-visits-dubai-kartdrome-sws-sprint-series