Latest F1 news in brief

The aero details on the new Mercedes are phenomenal

F1 to simplify aero rules for 2019
No extra test day in freezing Barcelona
Snow delays start of Wednesday running at Barcelona
Force India racing ban over now
Kubica wants media to move on from 'limitations'
Martini not put off by young drivers – Williams
Renault imposes May deadline on Red Bull
F1 Launches TV Streaming Product That Puts Fans In Control
Video: The Renault R.S.18 on track for the first time!

F1 to simplify aero rules for 2019
(GMM) F1 is looking to simplify the aerodynamic profile of the cars for 2019.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that increasing complexity in the detail around the sidepods and rear wing endplates in particular is making it hard for teams to place legible sponsor logos.

So it seems the teams, the FIA and Liberty are working on a new plan for 2019.

The now familiar aerodynamic 'slots' will be banned, bargeboards will be made smaller, and other ideas are being studied.

"A vote will be taken on which proposal to adopt at a strategy meeting in April," correspondent Michael Schmidt said.

No extra test day in freezing Barcelona

Snow Wednesday in Barcelona

(GMM) F1's first winter test in freezing conditions is going ahead as originally planned.

On Monday, teams began to discuss whether Wednesday's running in forecast snow should be cancelled, with the test extended into Friday instead.

The talks came as cold temperatures as low as 2-3 degrees made getting temperature into the tires almost impossible on Tuesday.

"That was not driving," Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel said.

Carlos Sainz added: "I've never seen yellow flags because of snow before. You can't really speak of a real test day."

"This was the coldest weather I've ever driven in," said Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas.

But with rare unanimity required for the rescheduling of the test, it seems that at least two teams objected.

One of them was Williams, who had booked the Barcelona circuit for Friday for filming purposes.

"We rented the track and this is an important day for us," said Claire Williams.

"Having said that I don't think everyone else supports the extension of the test," she added.

Indeed, it is believed Force India also said 'no'.

Williams added: "If there is an unanimous decision, perhaps we can find a compromise and do an extra day next week. So far no decision has been taken.

"I suppose it's one of the risks we take by testing in Barcelona. This isn't Bahrain!

"If it's a concern, then we need to discuss at the strategy group where we should hold the tests next year."

Snow delays start of Wednesday running at Barcelona

It's snowing in Barcelona, but should turn to rain later

The start of day three of 2018 Formula 1 testing has been delayed as snow blanketed Barcelona.

After cold and wet conditions limited F1 teams' running on Monday and Tuesday, forecast snow hit overnight ahead of day three.

Circuit officials cleared the track, but snow continued to fall and appeared to be getting heavier as the morning went on.

Temperatures were just below freezing when running was scheduled to start but are expected to improve as the day goes on, with the snow forecast to turn to rain after lunch.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier is mostly frustrated and feels now is the time for rescheduled for later in the week and suggests pre-season testing should move to Bahrain in future.
“The current governance, testing is organized and suggested by the teams and handled by the FIA," Boullier told Sky Sports.

“To change testing dates, we would have required unanimity by the teams to be in agreement to change the dates. It appears two teams did not want to change the dates yesterday.
“It’s obviously wasted money," he continued.

“We tried to save costs and only go for eight days of testing. We need these eight days to offer a decent show on track from race one and covering reliability issues and other things we need to cover.

“We spend the money to be here and the track is booked for two weeks anyway so we had the possibility to move this day to another one later – we know the forecast is better on Sunday – so it is purely wasting money for selfish interests.

“On the other hand, it is true you can never guess the weather months before – going to Bahrain is obviously guaranteed to have good weather and was suggested again months ago. For economic reasons it has been rejected by some team’s but I think we need to seriously consider going back to Bahrain. It is on our way to Australia so logistically there is maybe some mechanisms we could use all together to save money to compensate the travel.

“We will try to run the car, even if it is in heavy wet conditions. It is still snowing so the helicopter is not here and there is no medical service and security so we are not allowed to go out of the garage."

Force India racing ban over now


Can Ocon and Perez behave?

(GMM) Tensions have thawed in the Force India garage.

Last year, the thorny relationship between Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon spilled over following some clashes, and the team banned wheel-to-wheel racing between the pair.

But sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer is quoted by France's L'Equipe as saying that ban is now over.

"We will start the season as we finished the last," he said. "As with every team, we've been through a period of conflict but it's a thing of the past."

Frenchman Ocon confirmed: "We had a difficult time, but our relations and the atmosphere is fine now.

"I want to beat him of course," he added. "I have more experience now and it should be a close fight, but that's what I want.

"We have the right to fight against each other, but the policy is the same: no contact. That's normal. We do not want to lose points that way."

Kubica wants media to move on from 'limitations'

Robert Kubica in Barcelona

(GMM) Robert Kubica has urged the media to move on from the story about his physical "limitations".

After seven years out of F1 following his horror rallying crash, the Pole is up and running in his new test and Friday practice role with Williams in Barcelona.

But he expressed irritation with reporters' constant questions about his physical limitations.

"I've always been comfortable," he is quoted by Brazil's Globo.

"Only the media says I was not comfortable. If I can jump in the car and do my job, I think that's enough.

"The problem is that I was very honest, and then people kept asking the same questions. And if I get in the car, you're going to keep saying I have limitations.

"Of course I have limitations, but I never hid that from anyone. We should stop talking about it," said the former BMW and Renault driver.

Martini not put off by young drivers – Williams

Williams Martini Logo

(GMM) Claire Williams has denied that the British team's youthful driver lineup could explain Martini's decision to depart as sponsor.

Martini, the alcohol brand, has announced that it will stop being Williams' title sponsor at the end of the season.

It follows rumors the company wanted Williams to sign at least one older driver for 2018, such as Felipe Massa or Robert Kubica.

But Williams ultimately signed 22-year-old Sergey Sirotkin to be 19-year-old Lance Stroll's teammate this year.

"We told Martini that we were looking at Sergey and they were very open to that possibility," Williams said in Barcelona.

"The end of the contract has nothing to do with the age of our two race drivers," she is quoted by Le Journal de Montreal.

"Martini and Williams had a successful cooperation and they achieved their goals. They're not only leaving Williams but also formula one as a whole," Williams explained.

Martini's departure will nonetheless leave a hole in Williams' budget for 2019.

Claire Williams played down the impact.

"As an independent team, we have an active commercial department that is always looking for new partners," she said.

"I don't want to say now that we're looking for a title sponsor, because we're looking for a budget to go racing. Let's see how the situation develops this year."

Renault imposes May deadline on Red Bull

The Honda in sister team Toro Rosso is running great and Red Bull is eyeing it

(GMM) Renault wants Red Bull to decide by May which engine it will use in 2019.

Red Bull is making no secret that it could follow its junior team Toro Rosso in switching to Honda power at the end of the season.

Boss Christian Horner has already expressed some concerns that Renault is prioritizing reliability over performance for 2018, at least early in the season.

Renault's Cyril Abiteboul said that is only understandable, given the changes to the long-life engine rules this year.

"In such a situation, the ordering of priorities is obvious," he said in Barcelona.

"It is important to understand that that reliability gives more options for increasing efficiency. When you increase reliability, you can use more and more power.

"The situation (in 2018) will be comparable to the end of last season in Abu Dhabi, when we were able to use the maximum potential of the engine."

Red Bull will therefore assess which option – Renault or Honda – will give them more power for 2019 and beyond.

Abiteboul warned: "We cannot wait forever.

"I know that Christian has said he has options, and he is absolutely right. Like him, I know and read contracts.

"But we have obligations to help formula one, not Red Bull, and it is obvious that we must plan our work.

"The deadline is spelled out in the sporting regulations, because as far as I know, there should be clarity as to which engine supplier each team will have for the following year by the end of May.

"As far as I can tell, this is our deadline. By this time, we want to know whether the cooperation will continue," Abiteboul added.

F1 Launches TV Streaming Product That Puts Fans In Control

Formula 1 is launching a new TV streaming product that it said "will put fans in control of their race viewing experience, letting them watch from their favorite driver's perspective or tracking battles for position," according to Douglas Busvine of REUTERS.

F1 TV, which was launched on Tuesday at the Mobile World Congress, will give access to cameras mounted on the cars of 20 drivers as well as the traditional broadcast feed, with viewers able to "split the screens of their mobile device or smart TV."

F1 Head of Digital Frank Arthofer said, "You can go head-to-head with Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel as they battle for second place — and actually go side-by-side and look at the view from each of their cars."

F1 will offer the service live in countries including Mexico, France, Germany, the U.S., Turkey, Belgium, Hungary and Austria — starting with the opening grand prix next month in Melbourne REUTERS

THE DRUM's John McCarthy reported the services will cost "around $8-$12 a month." It will "keep existing audiences hooked and attract new fans to the world of F1 too," according to Mehul Kapadia, a managing director at Tata Communications, which will help deliver the service. The service will be available over desktop, web and mobile and TV apps, with the live experience bundled with real-time data feeds, radio commentary, highlights and archive footage.

A less expensive offering will be bundled without the live broadcast. Practice, qualifying, races, press conferences, pre- and post-race interviews and more will be featured, "supplemented with the FIA Formula 2 Championship, GP3 Series and Porsche Supercup" THE DRUM

MOTORSPORT's Jonathan Noble reported with former Fox Sports President David Hill "having been drafted in late last year to oversee a change to the way F1 is broadcast," Liberty believes that there will be a "very different look and feel to the way fans watching the sport will experience it."

F1 Managing Dir, Commercial Operations Sean Bratches said, "We will totally revitalize the way F1 is produced. We are going to close the apertures, focus intently on the racing, and lower the [positioning of the] cameras — because the lower the camera the higher the realism of the speed is" MOTORSPORT

Video: The Renault R.S.18 on track for the first time!
It’s time. The whole is more than the sum of its parts according to someone who didn’t have an instagram account, and an F1 car has many many parts. It has a team too. Two factories’ worth in our case. And a racing spirit recognised throughout the paddock for over 40 years. It’s time. Let’s see what the R.S.18 can do