In the round-up: Racing Point CEO Otmar Szafnauer says he isn’t surprised by the difficulties the team had during 2019 because the development of its car was compromised.
What they say
Szafnauer was asked how well the team had developed its car throughout 2019:Not as well as we usually do this year. It was very tight in the midfield.
[It’s] understandable, last year when we started developing the car we had big financial problems. That always manifests itself into performance the following year, six to 12 to 18 months down the line.
So I’m not overall surprised, but looking forward very encouraged and also encouraged by the fact that we learned a lot this year. And in trying years, tough years like this one, sometimes you learn more than in ones where it all comes to you.
I think our drivers have learned a lot to and the engineering team I think will be much stronger next year.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
F1 Việt Nam Grand Prix’s remaining tickets go on sale (Vietnam News)
"The Việt Nam Grand Prix Company will launch today sales for tickets for the two last stands and 'Paddock Club' tickets for the Formula 1 VinFast Việt Nam Grand Prix, which is slated to begin on April 3, 2020 in Hà Nội."
Buemi’s tribute to 'inspirational' Driot (Eracing365)
"I’ve never been as close to a team chief as I’ve been with him. For me, it was a big loss, a big change, because we were so close, and all of a sudden, when things like that stop, you have to get over that."
Verstappen: F1 stewards like football referees (Autosport)
"Sometimes you can get away with a yellow card and then the other ref gives you a red, and you're like 'what was going on?'. It's exactly the same, I think, in Formula 1."
Investors Chronicle: Chemring, Aston Martin, FirstGroup (FT - subscription required)
"Aston Martin has confirmed that it is reviewing its funding position and engaged in talks with potential investors, following a sharp share price drop."
The expert verdicts - Damon Hill (Motorsport magazine)
"What are your thoughts on Formula 1's new owners? 'They are doing a good job. But we miss Bernie (Ecclestone).' "
Ex-Ferrari man Luca Baldisserri takes role with Jensen Global Advisors (Formula Scout)
"After working as one of Stroll’s race engineers once he was promoted to a Williams F1 seat, Baldisserri has now committed to being technical director for Jensen, which races in F3 Americas and United States Formula 4."
Hamilton - Global figure with massive influence beyond track (The Telegraph)
"Even in their own country, Rosberg and Vettel are such faint blips on the sporting radar that the German Grand Prix has been cancelled from next season. This leaves Hamilton as the one figure propping up the entire show, the one star whose retirement F1’s power brokers hardly dare contemplate."
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Comment of the day
We’re just over a year away from a budget cap being introduced, and some are still sceptical whether it can actually be enforced:
Call me a sceptic, well because I am one, but I cannot see how this can be policed.
In the case of Red Bull Racing, will Red Bull Technologies be subject to the FIA’s auditors? Ferrari? Mercedes?
F1 teams with large parent corporations, like Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and possibly Renault, it will be so easy to slip a 10 million here and there. Have you ever known anyone in F1 not to exploit a loophole?
@JayMenon10
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Cristiano Ferreira
28th December 2019, 1:44
One way to police how much the teams will spend their money is if FIA or Liberty or whatever creates a fund that belongs to each team.
Lets say for example the McLaren Fund, where McLaren deposits in advance (for all the season) the quantity allowed by the budget cap. Someone from FIA or Liberty would be responsible for that fund to ensure that not a penny can be deposited further.
With that in mind the teams must plan their upgrades according to their fund. I think if something like that needs to be implemented to prevent cheating.
Thats my 2 cents
Ronald (@mosquito)
28th December 2019, 9:13
The actual cash spending can be quiet easily policed through “normal” auditing. You don’t need a specific fund for that. The biggest challenge will be transfer pricing between the team and associated (visibly or not) companies. They have taken this into account in the rules, but I am very curious on how they are going to police that. We’ll see.
@HoHum (@hohum)
28th December 2019, 22:02
Mercedes now have a road car powered by a version of the F1 PU, I imagine they can spend whatever they like developing the engine for the road car, and further I suspect that any great improvements to the performance/reliability of the road engine will simultaneously appear in a dream had by the chief race engine developer. How do you price a dream/inspired guess.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
28th December 2019, 2:31
I Suspect Racing Points driver line up may be exposed even more if they deliver a better car in 2020.
Last season enabled them to mask Strolls performance with the excuse that the car wasn’t well developed. Let’s see how 2020 turns out and whether they’ll take any action if they find one driver is costing them several places in the mid field.
Jere (@jerejj)
28th December 2019, 7:38
“What are your thoughts on Formula 1’s new owners? ‘They are doing a good job. But we miss Bernie (Ecclestone).’ ”
– Except they aren’t ‘new’ anymore, but I agree partly in that I miss Bernie a bit as well.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
28th December 2019, 12:43
@jerejj I’m genuinely curious about what do you miss about him? I mean he can be fun at times but he was stuck in his own time and since then there are a number of exciting things going on. The biggest changes the sport has known in its history is ongoing thanks to Bernie having been put aside. It remains to be seen if all this will lead to a better sport but personally I don’t regret the change so far. Why do you regret him?
Jere (@jerejj)
28th December 2019, 17:30
@spoutnik The occasional funniness, as well as, straightforward-talking a bit like how Niki Lauda used to be. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely don’t truly miss, but there were also some good things about his time even if less of those than since.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
29th December 2019, 23:52
@jerejj I think I can miss him a bit in the sense that his life was F1 , he was really breathing F1 24/7 and was like the grandad which always has something to say. The closest we got now is Chase Carey I guess? Doesn’t exactly look like the pure petrolhead we’d like to see running this business I reckon. Also, the loss of Whiting may add to the impression that the sport is missing something which is true in some ways.
In the meantime Bernie ran a bit out of ideas and I think it was reasonnable for him to let it go? I’m really watching for Ross’ team though and what they prepared for 2021. Probably not as petulant as Bernie but his records shows he’s usually pretty serious and logical, which should lead hopefully to something interesting.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
29th December 2019, 23:54
Let’s also not forget Lauda!
Jere (@jerejj)
30th December 2019, 7:30
@spoutnik I guess so.
Ronald (@mosquito)
28th December 2019, 9:29
Regarding the Telegraph article: do Hamiltons actions outside racing really help F1? It surely helps him, as it gives him a lot of fun (I presume). In the Netherlands he is still only known as a F1 driver. People not interested in motorsport hardly know him, let alone start watching F1 because of his latest fashion show appearance. Is this different in the USA? The last time I saw an interview with Hamilton about this subject he told he loved the US because he could just do his thing without being recognized. Maybe this was an old interview, since it doesn’t support the point the article is making that he is of such a great ambassador for F1 for other reasons than being one of the best drivers ever.
Aapje (@aapje)
28th December 2019, 12:55
My impression is that he’s quite popular in Britain, but not so much abroad. Max seems to have much more appeal in different countries (and he also gets a lot of hate, which is also a kind of passion). I think that from the driver’s side, F1 is actually in a pretty good shape, with Verstappen and Leclerc having fought very exciting battles this year. As long as these two get cars that put them on the same piece of tarmac frequently and the cars allow for overtakes on merit, the show will be good.
Tango (@tango)
28th December 2019, 23:15
Hamilton is probably the only current F1 driver my French friends who are not into f1 might know.
KGN11
29th December 2019, 2:07
Mate stop it,
SteveR
29th December 2019, 16:49
As Hamilton himself has said, he’s not even a blip on the radar here in the States. That’s because F1 isn’t either.
Hemingway (@)
28th December 2019, 11:54
People don’t realise how shut out Hamilton is. Hamilton fans will be disappointed for many years to come if they’ve been hoping for him to be honoured.
Is he even British any more? Or is it like some Mercedes type setup.
anon
28th December 2019, 12:10
@theessence, what exactly do you mean by “Is he even British any more? Or is it like some Mercedes type setup.”?
Cristiano Ferreira
28th December 2019, 13:39
I think what he meant is if Hamilton is still capable of “be himself” most of the time or is he is just a product manipulated by Mercedes PR machine.
That’s what i understood @anon
Cristiano Ferreira
28th December 2019, 13:40
edit: to be himself
Dale
29th December 2019, 12:41
With a single F1 driver and a spoilt boy playing F1 driver, Racing Point will never be as competitive as they have been historically.