Malaysia Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Let's twist again

By Morio (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

A little belated (and to some extent overtaken by events) but here's my review of the Malaysia GP for Motor Verso - a weekend wherein F1 said 'let's twist again...like we did last summer...'

You can have a read via this link: http://www.motorverso.com/malaysia-gp-2017-report-lets-twist-again/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Why Microphones To Enhance F1 Engines Sounds Is A Good Idea

Is Formula 1 going too artificial by thinking of introducing ceramic microphones to enhance the sounds of the F1 engines? Or is it an acceptable solution from a sports broadcast point of view? Unlike the DRS, this is one solution that we don't mind supporting the sport for.

In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, we wonder if the race organisers of the Malaysian Grand Prix blurted out the absolute truth about the sport, while also claiming that they wouldn't play host to Formula 1 even if it was offered for free! Ouch!

We discuss Paul Hembrey's idea of introducing 'mini cups' along side the World Championship to make the longer seasons more interesting and Graham Keilloh's novel idea of crowning the driver with the maximum race laps led as that season's Drivers' Champion.

And then of course, we have our usual McLaren-Honda section, along with a much-needed one for Daniel Ricciardo. As we look forward to Suzuka, let's hope Ferrari's engines don't hit Honda mode yet again.

(Season 2017, Episode 33)

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

Malaysia GP Report - Max power

Rarely can an F1 weekend have contained so many twists. There were planety on Friday and Saturday. And the Malaysia Grand Prix's Sunday had plenty more.

Max Verstappen reminded us of his star
quality with a crushing win
Photo: Octane Photography

And quickly. The first was before the race even started, as Ferrari sank further into its recent quagmire. Kimi Raikkonen reported a power loss on the way to the dummy grid, which proved terminal. He didn't start.

But in another twist this did not give us a Lewis Hamilton benefit run. Mercedes's worries about lacking race pace were founded. Max Verstappen's Red Bull hounded leader Lewis from the off, sailed down the inside of the first turn after four laps, then left him.

On lap 12 he was five seconds up the road; on lap 18 it was nine. Almost like he was driving a Mercedes. He was never seen again.

"I think in the beginning, straight away the car felt good," said Verstappen later.

Sepang Qualifying - Taking advantage of your fortune

Lewis Hamilton bagging pole position hardly seems a surprise. This was his 70th ever, as well as his fourth in a row here. But, boy, did we have a journey getting there.

Lewis Hamilton took brought the Malaysia
weekend full circle by taking pole
Photo: Octane Photography

After his and Mercedes's dash from jail in Singapore, leaving with a 28 point championship lead, the consensus was that was that. Yet once cars started to circulate the Sepang track this weekend no one was quite as sure.

There were reasons to think in advance that Malaysia would not be a Merc cakewalk, but it was off the pace to an extent that shocked. There wasn't an obvious explanation either - nothing peculiar to short runs or to the tyres, or a lack of balance. It just lacked grip.

And Merc and Lewis's direct title rivals Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel stepped into the breach. Suddenly it threatened to be a lot like Singapore's build up - them on top and Red Bull in the mix. The third row looking possible/probable for Merc. And with it a healthy points swing was on for Seb.

Malaysia GP Betting Preview - Battle of the big three?

It's not just due to geography that the Malaysia Grand Prix this weekend feels a short hop from the previous round in Singapore. They share sapping heat, and it will be if anything more intense this time given it's run in the day time. We've seen plenty - including in Singapore - that Mercedes struggles relatively when the temperature rises.

Will the Malaysian round be a close
battle of the big three teams?
By Morio (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/
by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

And as a partial consequence this race feels a close call between the 'big three' teams.

Here two years ago Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari flat beat Lewis Hamilton Merc on tyre longevity in the tough conditions. Plus the Scuderia has an updated engine this weekend. With all this the 13/5 for Seb to win looks better value than the evens for Lewis.

Like in Singapore too Red Bull will look to this one with optimism. It looked strong in Hungary on the supersoft tyre in hot conditions and this is what it'll get here. The team of course scored a 1-2 in this race last season, albeit aided by a late engine failure for Lewis. But even so its showing was strong.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Did The Success Of The Singapore GP Cause Malaysia's F1 Exit?

After 19 illustrious years, Formula 1 will bid adieu to the Malaysian Grand Prix (and the Sepang International Circuit) this Sunday. While the gesture to release a full-race edit of the 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix is a good one, did the success of the Singapore Grand Prix cost Formula 1 (and us!) the Malaysian Grand Prix? Or have the Motorsport fans in Malaysia chosen MotoGP over Formula 1?

In this week's episode, we talk about the Red Bull Racing-Aston Martin partnership - will James Bond make an appearance in Formula 1? Will Red Bull or Formula 1 use 007 to promote the sport? We were the first ones to suggest this! (Do check our previous episode 'James Bond in Formula 1?' below)

Will the Strolls have a say in selecting the lead Williams driver in 2018? Are McLaren already jumping the gun with Renault? And finally, who will jump on the top step of the podium in Sepang while the FIA have tightened the rule for jump-starters! All this and more in the Inside Line F1 Podcast.

Do subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour. 

Tune in!

(Season 2017, Episode 32)

Sepang Preview: The days of future past

Sepang was the future once. When it arrived in 1999 it was the great leap forward. Bernie Ecclestone hailed the venue for the Malaysian Grand Prix immediately as "the best in the world".

The future once - the Sepang venue makes its F1 curtain call
By Morio (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/
by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It was a template too. The built-from-scratch all-mod-cons Hermann Tilke typology is now familiar. This was the first.

The template stretches to the circuit layout - a long straight book-ended by tight corners (this track has at least two of them indeed) intended to provide overtaking, with a variety of types of turn elsewhere including a high speed esses section.

Even its motivation was as would become grimly samey - the Malaysian Prime Minister wanted to promote the country as an industrial and business destination and bankrolled the event to this end.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Have Ferrari Forgotten Team Orders?

After the incredible Chinese Grand Prix, we wondered what most Ferrari fans would've wondered - why did Ferrari not ask Kimi Raikkonen to move over and let Sebastian Vettel pass? Could this strategic move have altered the race result? Did this 'no team order' strategy blunder cost Ferrari more than their tyre strategy for Vettel?

Frankly, we're happy that Ferrari let their drivers race. Yes, it's unusual, but it is something that Mercedes and Red Bull Racing have been doing since ages. Thank you, Ferrari. And since we're thanking people, thank you Max Verstappen for a fantastic charge up the grid.

The Chinese Grand Prix also confirmed two things: First, we're about to witness a closely contested season after many many many years! It'll be a Ferrari vs. Mercedes to start with and we're praying Red Bull Racing join the action too. Second, it'll be Vettel vs. Hamilton battle for the Drivers' Championship and Bottas vs. Raikkonen for the Constructors' Championship.

In this week's episode, our hosts look forward to the first double header racing weekend of the season. Yes, we'll be racing in Bahrain in a few days. Should Bernie Ecclestone buy Interlagos just to have some fun with the new boys running Formula 1? Could Fernando Alonso deflect to Williams in 2018? Bye-Bye Sepang and hello Nurburgring or Hockenheim? Okay, can we have both? Tune in!

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

(Season 2017, Episode 14)

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Malaysia Grand Prix Review and Japanese Grand Prix Preview

The latest Lights to Flag podcast has landed, and Ewan Marshall and I were delighted to be joined by Jack Amey to look back at the Malaysia Grand Prix and ahead to the Japanese Grand Prix.

And what a dramatic race it was in Sepang - Lewis Hamilton dominated but was reminded that in this game it's never over until it's over. With big implications for the championship fight. Red Bull, with the popular Danile Ricciardo ahead, took full advantage. You can listen to the podcast via the player below.

As ever too you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Will The FIA Ban The Shoey?

Nico Rosberg is lucky that Mercedes built him a tank that went through the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix undamaged. Rosberg was lucky on multiple other counts too, including that he had a clean getaway (the Mercedes cars can't take that for granted anymore) and the two VSC periods that helped him climb back up the order.

Daniel Ricciardo had a great result to win the race. Will drivers not want to be on the podium with Ricciardo though, given his love for the 'shoey' (gross!)? Mark Webber was smart, he threw away Ricciardo's shoe - the other podium victims need to learn from him. Given how much the FIA loves clamping down on everything that's fun in F1, maybe they will ban the shoey on the podium too? A BIG thank you to Red Bull Racing for allowing Ricciardo and Verstappen to race fair and square. Ricciardo managed to do what not a lot of drivers have done this season - he kept Verstappen behind on-track (he claims to have learnt this from Verstappen himself!)

Lewis Hamilton made the race interesting - not sure if it was thanks to his engine failure, post-race comments (or both!). Hamilton believes that 'something or someone doesn't want him to win this year' - and he's right. We tell you who this person in the Mercedes garage is, who has been mercilessly trying to keep Hamilton from winning.

Nico Rosberg's penalty was strange. It seems that the FIA does not want drivers to overtake on track at all! Rosberg has notched up so many penalties this season that he's halfway to a race ban. Clearly, 'someone or something' is conspiring against him to get him so many penalties!

Hamilton's bad luck was Mercedes' bad luck - they lost their second attempt at equalling the record for the most consecutive wins in Formula 1. Speaking of records, Jenson Button notched up 300 Grand Prix starts - and McLaren celebrated this by turning their paddock into an English pub (luckily no shoeys on offer there).

Ferrari's race was like how their whole season has been - all talk. Surprisingly, Raikkonen is outperforming Vettel. Perhaps Vettel go the Alonso way if Ferrari are unable to deliver a winning package in 2017! Is McLaren now part of the midfield teams with Williams and Force India? If so, they're still at the bottom of that midfield.

BMW recently announced their motorsport program and it doesn't feature F1, but does include Formula E and the WEC. We guess they've been listening to Fernando Alonso's criticism of the sport and decided to stay out!

Here's the big question: Can Hamilton still win the World Drivers' Championship? Of course! Five races, 125 points to go. Let's hope a clutch, an engine or swapping of teams doesn't decide this year's champion.

Suzuka is up this weekend, and it promises to be a real cracker. Will it be a Mercedes 1-2 again, or can Red Bull Racing challenge them?

Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 32)

Malaysia Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - A Tale of Two Engines

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Photo: Octane Photography

Yes Charles Dickens references are to the fore after an astonishing Malaysia Grand Prix. It pivoted on something that makes motorsport unique, but the accompanying injustice can be crushing. And with it the title race pivoted too.

But also with it we got rather a popular and overdue race victor. That one about the best and worst of times again... A tale of two teams. And two engines.

I give my take on all of this in my latest Motor Verso race review, which you can read here: http://www.motorverso.com/malaysia-gp-2016-review-tale-two-engines/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Sepang Qualifying - Twist and shout

We should have known really. It was absolutely in keeping with the season. With the title race. And with Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton hit back in the finest style with a
stunning pace for pole position
Photo: Octane Photography

Following the much-documented momentum against him in recent weeks, in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix today he hit back today in the most devastating style, showing the astonishing pace and joie de vivre that he delivers at his best. His team mate and title antagonist Nico Rosberg was left rather breathless, and was reminded not for the first time that no matter the purple patch Lewis has reserves - accessed when all is right with the world for him - that Nico can't live with probably. If it's any sort of comfort almost no one else can either. This is a title race full of twists and turns. And this was the latest.

This twist felt like one of the knife though. Sepang is the happiest of hunting grounds for Lewis, especially on a Saturday. No one in the same car has bettered him in qualifying here for six years, and that was a crazy rainstorm-jumbled session. And he never looked like being beaten today by anyone in the same car or not. He was quickest for much of practice, and it remained that way in each part of qualifying.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Singapore Grand Prix Review and Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

The latest episode of the Lights to Flag podcast is here. There's no me on it this time due to some connectivity problems, but we were delighted that Ewan was joined by Luke Smith from NBC Sports and many more things besides!

Ewan and Luke to look back at a rather stunning - in more ways than one - Singapore Grand Prix, as well as look ahead to the Malaysian Grand Prix. You can listen by clicking play below.

As ever you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Tim Cook To Replace Ron Dennis At McLaren?

Yes, another one of those titles where we urge you to judge our podcast by the title, or not. Disclaimer: we're only having fun and we hope you do so too. In the Apple-McLaren story, we wonder if Tim Cook could be the man to turn McLaren around. And how is it that despite attracting iconic brands such as Honda, Fernando Alonso and now Apple (possibly), McLaren isn't able to repeat its iconic performances.

However, if Apple do get involved, let's hope that their creative team comes up with something better than iMcLaren - eek! Also, is Apple's main interest Fernando Alonso's radio messages being available for download via iTunes? And just by the way, we're already on iTunes, so here's where you can subscribe: http://bit.ly/insidelinef1podcast

Fernando Alonso - is he penning an autobiography? We love the Alonso 2.0 at McLaren and let's hope he publishes his funny radio messages, if nothing. And, our love for him shot through the roof after he declared that he wouldn't be interested in Pokemon GO!

As for Honda, they've expanded operations to supply to a second team in Formula 1 in the near future. Is this the real reason behind their expansion? Well, our investigative reports indicate otherwise. Oh and they also say that they're ahead of Toro Rosso. While this claim may defy some logic, we try to prove their point.

A decade since Lewis Hamilton's first ever Formula 1 test. We talk about his legendary career and hope that we don't lose his talent to Hollywood or Music! A Hamilton vs. Vettel vs. Alonso vs. Raikkonen vs. Verstappen battle would be stuff that dreams are made of. Would Liberty Media have the liberty to engineer such duels in the near future?

We also bring focus to Anthony Hamilton's views on Motorsport and how expensive Motorsport already is, how a draft selection policy would be good for Formula 1 but could be too cool for Formula 1 to implement. But, if drivers had performance targets, Kimi Raikkonen would've been shown the door this year. Yes, we talk serious stuff too, here's proof!

Formula 1 plans to exploit their gaming and gambling potential. We tell you who their Chief Gaming Officer could be, but no points for guessing the one man most worthy of the Chief Gambling Officer for the sport.

Have you seen Daniel Ricciardo smile all by himself in pre-podium ceremony? We tell you the secret of his laughs. Shockingly and boldly enough, Ricciardo has rallied his support behind Nico Rosberg for the Drivers' Championship title. We've a short piece of advice for the Honey Badger - beware of the trolls this week!

Is Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the Pastor Maldonado of Grand Prix circuits? With Malaysia coming up this weekend, will Rosberg's 'FOMO' drive him to yet another 'first ever' win? But before you pick your winner, remember: Hamilton has always finished ahead of Rosberg at Sepang, will it be any different this Sunday?

(Season 2016, Episode 31)

Sepang Preview: After the watershed

Sepang was the future once. When the then-gleaming new venue from the pen of architect of choice Hermann Tilke arrived on the calendar in 1999 the great leap forward, leaving all existing hosts breathless, was conspicuous. Bernie Ecclestone quickly hailed the facility for the inaugural (in the F1 World Championship at least) Malaysian Grand Prix as "the best in the world".

The distinctive Sepang venue represented a great leap forward
By Eriang87 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creative
commons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

And any F1 venue history will need to have this one as its fork in the road. Much of what is here became the template for the new Tilke-dromes that have popped up almost inexorably since. Not merely that it was Tilke's creation. Not merely either that it was built from scratch on a greenfield site it that familiar way. Nor that the architecture was giant, innovative and distinctive - here indeed the grandstand roofs are shaped like Hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower, something that even now still attracts many a camera lens.

There also is a clear fingerprint with the circuit layout - a long straight book-ended by tight corners intended to provide overtaking opportunities (this track has at least two of them indeed), as well as a fair variety of types of turn including a high speed esses section.

Even the motivation was the same as what was to become grimly familiar - the Malaysian Prime Minister of the time wanting to promote the country as an industrial and business destination and deciding to bankroll the round to this end.

Why we should lay off 'radio-ranting' drivers

If you watched the Malaysian Grand Prix just passed on television then you likely would have heard a few examples of something outrageous. Perhaps shocking.

Yes, during the race Lewis Hamilton expressed exasperation over his team radio.

Lewis Hamilton's in-race comments cased apoplexy
Photo: Octane Photography

'This is the wrong tyre man...' he said after his final stop, a comment that was broadcast on the world feed. As if that was that not enough he added: 'I can hear you. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Paddy says I might be doing another stop.'

And just as we all covered the delicate ears of any impressionable children present he added his coup de grace: 'Hey man don't talk to me through the corners! I nearly just went off!'

Aptly, many spoke of their horror and apoplexy at it all. The Sun the next day led with screeching of 'team radio fury' while the Daily Mail was similarly strident on 'radio rants'. Social media too was big not only on outrage but also on armchair psychology - 'typical Lewis spitting the dummy', 'Lewis can't handle being beaten' being the gist. John Watson on the TV last week reminded us too that 'Lewis has form on this'.

New Grand Prix Times article: Reflections on Malaysia - Mercedes toppled by Ferrari

Photo: Octane Photography

In my latest article for Grand Prix Times I give my reflections on the astounding Malaysian Grand Prix, which ended with F1 in 2015 looking very different compared with the when the red light went out an hour and 41 minutes earlier.

In it I probe a few key matters that Sepang's race threw up, such as what caused the Ferrari upturn to topple the Mercedes? Is it real or a flash in the pan? What about Merc's race strategy? What next for Nico Rosberg?

You can read it here: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/display/10085

Game on, Ferrari - a guest post by Kunal Shah

When we (Rishi and I) recorded the pre-season episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast 'Ferrari vs. Mercedes, Really?' we were certain that we were kidding ourselves. We were certain that Ferrari were kidding us too (low fuel runs, we exclaimed!). We never imagined that a Mercedes would be beaten on raw pace and strategy in the 2015 Formula 1 Season and some of our fans would've been delighted to know that we even wondered if Lewis Hamilton could win every single race this season. (Read: Mercedes Is The New Red Bull Racing)

Sebastian Vettel has had plenty of success at Ferrari already
Photo: Octane Photography

Post the conclusion of the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, we were sure that our fears for the season could well come true. Hamilton was in a league of his own and Rosberg in his (that of making mistakes and playing cheeky!)! While Ferrari had caught up, they were yet far (and slow) enough to challenge for wins. Williams, as much as they’d like to believe so, have little chance of winning against a Mercedes with a Mercedes engine. Red Bull Racing seemed busy finding new excuses to blame Renault while McLaren were busy hunting for motivational quotes to give away during each media interaction! (Read: Someone Please Fight Back)

If someone would've told me (or any other Formula 1 fan in the world) that Sebastian Vettel would've not just challenged but won against Mercedes by the second round (2015 Malaysian Grand Prix) of the season, I would've saved my dime over a senseless bet and my time over wishful thinking. The only possibility of a non-Mercedes win this season (in my mind) was if the two Mercedes cars would've retired due to reliability reasons or taken each other out; with Rosberg racing, that's somewhat a possibility. (Read: A Nico and A Nico-le)

Malaysian GP Report: Red revival

It was supposed to take years. But it transpired that all it required was an hour and a half. Something thought in advance as good as impossible happened, in that the haughty Mercedes were faced down and beaten in a straight fight. And in today's Malaysian Grand Prix it was none other than Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari that did it.

Sebastian Vettel claimed a surprise win
Photo: Octane Photography

Even after Seb's stellar job in wet qualifying both driver and team were resolute that Merc's pace advantage of yore will not have disappeared. For it to have done so was simply is not the way of this game. Granted Seb speculated about a race victory, but that was (by my interpretation at least) said in the strictest context of the local notorious rainstorms shaking up the kaleidoscope, and being able to take advantage therein. But they didn't require anything like that. The red team might just have surprised even itself in Sepang's proceedings this time.

And make no mistake about it, today was different. Mercedes was beaten three times last campaign; but even Daniel Ricciardo who took advantage on those occasions would likely admit that each owed a great deal to the Mercs treading on their own tails. Seb was absolutely right to note that today he and his team 'won fair and square', and that was a first since the silver lot started its glorious run at the start of last season. As you'd imagine too the joy of driver and team afterwards was unconstrained.

Alonso, McLaren and 'inconsistencies' - is everyone actually telling the truth?

We start off confused and end up confused on a higher level.

So goes the scientific adage. And from hearing the words of Fernando Alonso in Malaysia's pre-race drivers' press conference, we can empathise.

Fernando Alonso - the centre of attention in Malaysia
Photo: Octane Photography

Therein it was the first we'd heard from Alonso directly since his pre-season testing accident in Barcelona, which had kept him out of both the final test and the opening round proper in Melbourne, on his view on what happened. It was a crash that already had elicited much mystery and no little speculation. To many it came with a certain whiff that there was a lot more to it than we knew.

Alonso's account given in the press conference was clear. But the problem was that it on the face of it seemed incompatible at various points with what his McLaren employers had claimed before.

Of course the response from some was predictable; presumably a few had been like a compressed spring desperate to be released. Some started from McLaren sympathy or from Alonso antagonism; there were a few commenting from the opposite predispositions too. The favourite hits of old were struck up - McLaren's lying again; Alonso's not a team player; that's him and Ron Dennis at loggerheads as predicted and ahead of schedule. One headline in Motorsport magazine's website - atypically shrill - stated that 'Alonso throws McLaren under the bus'. I even stumbled across a couple of predictions that Nando wouldn't last the season at Woking (I'll offer them evens that he will...).