Acropolis Rally: Evgeny Novikov pulls away on Friday night

Evgeny Novikov extended his Acropolis Rally lead to half a minute by the end of Friday night.
Having emerged on top following the mayhem of SS1, the Russian driver kept his edge through the darkness of SS2 Kineta.
Novikov beat Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala to the fastest time by 2.8 seconds, putting his M-Sport Ford 30.3s clear of Dani Sordo's Citroen in the overall standings.
Sordo and Latvala are split by 8.8s, as the Finn closed the gap to the Spaniard by 6.9s on Kineta. Latvala also established some breathing space over Novikov's fourth-placed team-mate Thierry Neuville, who had been right on his tail.
Mikko Hirvonen and Mads Ostberg are back up to speed after their SS1 problems, albeit several minutes behind the leaders.
World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Ogier will not rejoin until Saturday morning following his SS1 retirement with what was diagnosed as fuel feed problems on his VW.
Robert Kubica has already built a WRC 2 lead of nearly 40s and runs 10th overall.

Leading positions after SS2:

Pos  Driver              Team/Car        Time/Gap
 1.  Evgeny Novikov      M-Sport Ford    50m59.3s
 2.  Dani Sordo          Citroen          + 30.3s
 3.  Jari-Matti Latvala  VW               + 39.1s
 4.  Thierry Neuville    M-Sport Ford     + 51.1s
 5.  Andreas Mikkelsen   VW             + 1m14.6s
 6.  Nasser Al-Attiyah   M-Sport Ford   + 1m32.9s
 7.  Martin Prokop       Czech Ford     + 2m34.3s
 8.  Khalid Al-Qassimi   Citroen        + 3m22.4s
 9.  Mads Ostberg        M-Sport Ford   + 3m30.1s
10.  Robert Kubica       PH Citroen    + 4m17.3s*

* WRC2

WRC Acropolis, Day 1: Ogier out. Hirvonen and Ostberg in trouble

 

WRC front-runners Sebastien Ogier, Mikko Hirvonen and Mads Ostberg have all hit trouble on a dramatic opening stage of the Acropolis Rally.

Championship leader Ogier has retired 22km into the marathon 47-kilometre stage due to a technical problem with his Volkswagen Polo R.
Ostberg lost more than three minutes when his Ford Fiesta RS lost a wheel.
Citroen DS3 driver Hirvonen dropped almost six minutes with a steering problem.

Mercedes tyre test row: Pirelli insists it did not act improperly

Pirelli has insisted that the tyre test Mercedes carried out at Barcelona was focused on 2014 developments, did not favour Mercedes, and that the use of a 2013 car was not at the tyre firm's request.
The FIA's new international tribunal is set to consider protests against Mercedes and Pirelli's three-day session following the Spanish Grand Prix, after it emerged in Monaco that the team's race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had done 1000km of tyre testing using the 2013 Mercedes.
Formula 1 regulations allow for teams to assist Pirelli with development work, but ban in-season test running with current cars.
Pirelli issued a statement on Friday arguing that Mercedes - which had been suffering worse than most rivals with high tyre degradation in the opening grands prix of 2013 - could not have benefited from the test as the tyres used were not relevant to current rubber.
The firm said only one of the 12 tyres tried featured the structural change being assessed as a method of preventing delamination, and that most of the mileage was focused on 2014.
"Pirelli, in development testing with teams carried out in 2013, has not favoured any teams and, as always, acted professionally, with transparency and in absolute good faith," said the statement.
"The tyres used were not from the current championship but belonged to a range of products still being developed in view of an eventual renewal of the supply contract.
"Further, none of the tests were carried for the purpose of enhancing specific cars, but only to test tyre solutions for future championships.
"The use of the car utilised by Mercedes, in particular, was the result of direct communication between the FIA and the team itself. Pirelli did not ask in any way that a 2013 car be used: not of Mercedes nor the FIA nor the teams which, during the year, were offered the opportunity of participating in tests for the development of tyres for 2014.
"The tyres that will be tested by the teams in free practice at the Montreal grand prix have never been used by the teams before."
THE FULL STATEMENT FROM PIRELLI
Pirelli, in development testing with teams carried out in 2013, has not favoured any teams and, as always, acted professionally, with transparency and in absolute good faith. The tyres used were not from the current championship but belonged to a range of products still being developed in view of an eventual renewal of the supply contract. Further, none of the tests were carried for the purpose of enhancing specific cars, but only to test tyre solutions for future championships.
The use of the car utilised by Mercedes, in particular, was the result of direct communication between FIA and the team itself. Pirelli did not ask in any way that a 2013 car be used: not of Mercedes nor FIA nor the teams which, during the year, were offered the opportunity of participating in tests for the development of tyres for 2014.
The tyres that will be tested by the teams in the free practice at the Montreal Grand Prix have never been used by the teams before. With regard to the new tyres, the problem of delamination has been solved by Pirelli's technicians exclusively through laboratory testing. Delamination, which only occurred on four occasions and always because of on-track detritus, has never put the drivers' safety at risk, but does risk harming Pirelli's image. This is why the company decided to intervene.
With regard to the rules which govern its conduct, the company has always respected the contractual limits which bind it to the FIA, teams and championship's organisers, and has always respected the principles of sporting loyalty.
Pirelli, however, feels the need to reaffirm the indisputable need to carry out tests for the development of tyres which are adequate and regulated by rules which are clear and shared by all the interested parties. The company confirms its availability, as communicated to the teams many times in the past, to organise tests for the development of tyres for 2014 with all the teams in the championship.
PIRELLI'S ANSWERS TO FIA
With regard to requests for information received from FIA, Pirelli promptly provided the answers needed to clarify what happened at the tests, as far as its own responsibilities went.
DEVELOPMENT TESTS FOR 2014 TYRES WERE OFFERED TO ALL: NO FAVOURTISM
The tests were conducted in observance of the contract between Pirelli and FIA, which gives the supplier the possibility of carrying out tests for the development of tyres with each team of up to 1,000 kilometres, without specifying the type of car to be used, nor sanctioning the simultaneous presence of all the teams for the running of the tests.
In this regard, Pirelli has since 2010 made it clear that it is neither possible nor useful to carry out this type of test with all the teams simultaneously. In fact, this type of testing aimed at technological development and researching new solutions, involves many tyres of different types which must be tested with a single car at a time.
Testing for championship specifications is different, as occurs in winter testing which require the participation of all the teams, so as to find the most satisfying solutions for all the cars in the competition. For this reason, Pirelli insists on the need for winter testing under conditions which are truly representative of the situations which will be met during the championship.
Already in March 2012, Pirelli sent an email to all the teams, FIA and FOM, inviting the teams to indicate their availability for testing for the development of tyres for 2013. Further, the company explained that it was necessary to conduct the tests with the teams' cars because it did not have a suitable one of its own (Pirelli has the use of an adapted 2010 Renault and, before that, a 2009 Toyota).
The invitation was subsequently repeated in various official contexts and repeated to some teams last March for the development of tyres for 2014.
THE TEST CONDUCTED IN BARCELONA WAS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TYRES FOR 2014 AND NOT FOR THE MODIFICATION OF 2013 SPECIFICATIONS
This test, as always, carried out with a single compound never used in a championship, regarded structures not in use in the current season and not destined to be used later during the 2013 season. The tyre tests were conducted "in the dark", which means that the teams had no information on which specifications were being tested or about the goal of the testing; nor did they receive any type of information afterwards.
Further, the tests did not regard delamination in any way, as that problem was dealt with and resolved by Pirelli's technicians through laboratory tests, with the support of data gathered during the first races of the season.
Pirelli always asked for representative cars, that is, with performances comparable to those of the cars being used in the championship underway, without ever referring to those effectively used in the 2013 races.
The '2013 MERCEDES' AT BARCELONA WAS THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TEAM AND FIA. PIRELLI MADE NO REQUESTS AND HAD NO WAY OF KNOWIING IF RULES WERE BEING VIOLATED
The Barcelona test was conducted in cooperation with Mercedes between May 15 and May 17, 2013. The teams made available one car and two first tier drivers, who alternated at the wheel on different days.
The trials were done with a base compound, not in use this year, and 12 different structures which had never been used in 2013, only one of which with kevlar.
The team did not obtain any advantage with regard to knowledge of the behaviour of the tyres in use in the current championship.
The type of car used during the tests was the subject of direct discussions between Mercedes and FIA, as shown in the exchange of emails between the team and Pirelli. In particular, Mercedes informed Pirelli that its 2011 car could not be used and that it had already contacted FIA regarding the use of the 2013 car. There is no doubt that the questions relating to the vehicle were the exclusive domain of the team and that Pirelli was excluded from these questions (notwithstanding Pirelli's need, from a technical point of view, to have a representative car in terms of impact on the performance of the tyres).
To confirm that this was an ordinary development test and not aimed at specific interventions, Pirelli made no specific requests about the drivers or about the type of Mercedes staff that would be present during the tests and had fielded its normal team for development testing.
EXPERIMENTAL TYRES FOR THE CANADA GP NEVER USED BEFORE
The tyres with the new structures in kevlar which will be given to the teams during the free practice at the Montreal Grand Prix will for the first time be track tested, following laboratory development. The new tyres have overcome the problem of delamination. This phenomenon in no manner compromises the drivers' safety but risks damaging the company's image. At the Canada tests, the teams will have the opportunity to express their opinions and make observations.
NO CHANGE TO THE 'DURATION' OF THE TYRES
Pirelli, ready as it is to make changes at any moment, has made no modifications that effect the duration of the tyres and, consequently, on the number of pitstops during the race because of a lack of unanimity of the part of the teams.

Ogier opts for back of the pack

Acropolis Rally qualifying stage winner Sebastien Ogier has decided to start as far down the order as possible in this evening's opening leg.

The Frenchman opted to start last of the 11 top priority drivers to take advantage of what he hopes will be the best road conditions in the rock-strewn hills east of the rally base of Loutraki.
Ogier’s choice was predictable. The early starters will have the unenviable task of sweeping loose stones from the road surface to leave a cleaner and faster line for those behind.
Tonight’s second stage will be in darkness and Ogier’s only doubt would have been the possibility of dust hanging in the calm evening air, ensuring only the first starter would enjoy a clear run. However, gusts of up to 50kph in the service park suggest dust will not be a problem.
Ogier was fastest by 1.1sec in qualifying at the wheel of his Volkswagen Polo R from Dani Sordo’s Citroen DS3 and Evgeny Novikov’s Ford Fiesta RS. They followed Ogier’s strategy and opted to start tenth and ninth respectively.
All the remaining drivers opted for the lowest slot available, with the exception of Andreas Mikkelsen.
The Norwegian was sixth fastest in his Polo R, but opted to run third on the road. This allowed Volkswagen colleague Jari-Matti Latvala, who was only ninth fastest after making several mistakes, to start behind him.
The start order is:
1. Khalid Al Qassimi
2. Martin Prokop
3. Andreas Mikkelsen
4. Jari-Matti Latvala
5. Mikko Hirvonen
6. Nasser Al-Attiyah
7. Mads Ostberg
8. Thierry Neuville
9. Evgeny Novikov
10. Dani Sordo
11 Sebastien Ogier

Maldonado still in pain from Monaco Grand Prix crash

Pastor Maldonado has admitted that he is still in pain from his crash that brought out the red flags in the Monaco Grand Prix.
The race was stopped on lap 46 on Sunday when Maldonado suffered a 9g impact with the barriers at Tabac after colliding with Max Chilton's Marussia.
The crash damaged the barriers, but Maldonado was able to walk away with only bruising and a small cut on his arm.
Speaking on this week's episode of The Racer's Edge, Maldonado revealed that he is still feeling the effects of the crash, but he is not concerned about any long-lasting damage.
"My body still hurts but it's not a problem," said the Williams driver. "As soon as I knew I was OK I was thinking already of Montreal."
Chilton received a drive-through penalty for his part in the incident, and the Briton offered an apology afterwards.
"He said I was coming across on him," said Chilton. "I said if I did, I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional."
Maldonado's chassis was too badly damaged in the crash to be repaired in time to be shipped out for next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, so he will run a new chassis there.

Ogier tops Acropolis Qualifying

 

Sebastien Ogier has set the fastest time on the Qualifying Stage to earn the right to select his starting position first for the opening day of the Acropolis Rally.

Driving a Volkswagen Polo R, Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia completed the 3.10-kilometre test near Loutraki in a time of 2min 14.5sec.
Weather conditions for the session were dry and sunny, with a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius and strong winds, gusting to 50kph, in the Service Park.
“Today was very important and I was very motivated to do this,” said Ogier. “Normally in qualifying I prefer to be safe, because it’s better to be second or third than make a mistake and finish at the bottom. 
“But start position here is going to be very important and I wanted to be first to have first choice [of road position] so I really pushed.
“The stage was quite rough I hope the rest of the weekend is not going to be as bad as that. There’s quite a strong wind at the moment and everybody hopes that will stay so that there are no problems with the dust tonight.”
Citroen DS3 WRC driver Dani Sordo was second quickest, 1.1sec slower than Ogier. “The car was feeling fine, so I’m happy with this first test,” he said.
“I was surprised by Sebastien’s time because it was really, really fast. But okay, it’s a long rally, and if we are in the same position once the rally starts it will be fantastic.” 
Qatar M-Sport driver Evgeny Novikov was third quickest, 1.2sec off Ogier’s time, with Thierry Neuville, also in a Fiesta RS, third, 0.4sec further back.
Ford Fiesta RS driver Mads Ostberg rounded off the top five times.
The WRC crews will select their starting positions at 1215hrs local time.
Here are the full Qualifying Stage times: 
Sebastien Ogier: 2m14.563s
Dani Sordo: +1.104
Evgeny Novikov: +1.263
Thierry Neuville: +1.688
Mads Ostberg: +2.030
Andreas Mikkelsen: +2.415
Nasser Al-Attiyah: +2.742
Mikko Hirvonen: +2.770
Jari-Matti Latvala: +3.414
Martin Prokop: +4.829
Khalid Al-Qassimi: +5.749

Volkswagen confident handbrake problem is now fixed

Volkswagen is confident the handbrake problems which Sebastien Ogier reckons cost him victory in Argentina earlier this month have been fixed.
The Polo R WRC has suffered from problems with the handbrake since the car's debut in Monte Carlo.
The issues with the pneumatic system, which were more pronounced in changeable conditions, have been sorted by introducing a hydraulic system to the car.
Andreas Mikkelsen's third factory VW ran with the new system in South America.
Ogier went off the road and out of the lead on Rally Argentina when the handbrake did not work at a crucial point. He eventually finished second to Sebastien Loeb.
Ogier's team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala said: "The handbrake is sorted. We will all have the hydraulic handbrake and this is a step forward.
"Citroen has been using the hydraulic handbrake, so for me it should be the best one."

Acropolis roads: the lowdown

 

Thursday afternoon and the drivers have almost completed the pre-event recce of the Acropolis Rally stages.

Here at wrc.com we have the lowdown on the roads, courtesy of WRC television’s location director, Steve Turvey, who has driven the entire route to seek out the best camera positions.
Turvey is a former co-driver and was an integral part of Richard Burns’ championship-winning team in 2001 as one half of the Briton’s gravel crew.
Wrc.com asked him for his thoughts on this year’s conditions and what we should look out for over the three days of competition.
Q. Steve, How are the stages looking?
ST: “The organisers have done a great job of grading the roads, but the ground here tends to be soft, so they do cut up. It doesn’t bake hard like you might expect. It’s sand on top of rock in many places.”
Q: The rally kicks off on Friday evening with the 47km Kineta-Pissia followed by a 26km stage run in darkness.  What can the drivers expect?   
ST: "It’s going to be a rough start because the surface for the first two stages is so soft. Even after the recce the road was damaged and there were lots of rocks everywhere [pictured].  Friday’s second stage [Kineta] is essentially a repeat of the opening 26km of SS1, and I think it will be in a real mess by the time the cars get there. Expect lots of big stones uncovered, ruts forming and rocks littered off the racing line.
“If there is little or no wind on the night stage, I expect hanging dust will cause visibility problems. The cars will start this one at four-minute intervals – up from the normal two minutes – but this might not be enough. The problem with the dust is that it accumulates, getting worse and worse with each passing car.”
Q: So, first on the road is the best place to be to avoid the dust? 
“Yes, but it’s also the worst place to be for grip on the loose gravel. Road position is going to be very interesting here. If it’s not windy, do you risk going first on the road for the first stage and get the least dust on the second, or do you drop back a bit and get the cleaner road but risk the dust in the darkness? That’s going to make qualifying interesting. In hanging dust even one place in the start order will make a big difference.”
Q. Saturday’s four stages are based in a different area, west of Loutraki. How do they differ to Friday’s?   
“They are more mountainous, with lots of hairpin corners, but they are also extremely quick. The surface is generally harder that Friday’s and features plenty of bedrock and loose stones. Most of the stages have a smooth part and a rough part. The rough part tends to be uphill when the cars are scrabbling for grip. Dust shouldn’t be a problem because it tends to be windy in the mountains. The altitude - up to 1,600 metres on SS6 and SS10 - should bring some cooler temperatures too.”
Q. Is there one stage on Saturday that stands out?
ST: “Ziria is the one to watch. It’s used twice as SS6 and SS10 and is so fast the cars are going to leave our camera helicopter behind. It starts off with a climb up a mountain, levels off and then goes flat out. It’s not the roughest stage, although there are still lots of loose stones about. Organisers have put in a couple of man-made chicanes in an effort to slow things down a bit.” 
Q: And how about Sunday’s stages?
ST: “More soft roads and rutted conditions. Especially on the Loutraki stage, which is run twice as SS12 and the event closing Power Stage. This road uses sections of the Kineta-Pissia test from Friday, so expect these sections to be very rutted.”
Q. How are the tyres going to cope?
ST: "The amount of sharp bedrock and flinty stones mean that punctures will inevitably be an issue. One of the biggest problems is the ruts which can squeeze sharp stones onto the tyre wall. Punctures aside, tyre wear should be okay but most crews will plan to fit two fresh tyres after the Ghymno test on Saturday.”

Ferrari sure Monaco Grand Prix slump was a one-off

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is confident his team will bounce back from a poor Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
Fernando Alonso could only finish seventh after being overtaken by both Adrian Sutil and Jenson Button during the race, while team-mate Felipe Massa started at the back after a practice crash kept him out of qualifying and hit the wall in the race due to a suspension failure.
Domenicali stressed that, while Ferrari won the previous race in Spain, its Monaco struggles do not represent a slump any more than its performance at Barcelona proved the team was dominant.
He also pointed out that Monaco has been a poor track for Ferrari and the team has endured over a decade of failure there since Michael Schumacher won in 2001.
"We didn't have the pace and we have to understand why, but we are used to reacting very quickly after a difficult weekend," said Domenicali.
"It's very difficult to say [why we struggled]
"I said to our guys that, as we say in Italy, were were not 'in the stars' at the end of the weekend in Barcelona and we are not in the dust after Monte Carlo.
"Unfortunately, there must be a reason why we have not won at this track since 2001, maybe it's the characteristics or the situations, I don't know."
Domenicali stressed that it is still early in the season and that the championship has yet to take shape properly.
Alonso lies third in the drivers' championship, 29 points behind Sebastian Vettel, while Ferrari holds second in the constructors' standings despite managing only six points in Monaco.
"From a sporting point of view, the only positive thing was that Kimi [Raikkonen] didn't get many points, but Vettel was second," said Domenicali.
"But we are just six [races into the season] out of 19.
"The championship is very long and even if we are second in the constructors' championship, Mercedes seems to be very strong and can come back.
"It will be a great challenge for everyone, a great championship, but we need to react and understand the reasons why we are not at the level that we wanted here."

Williams to use Mercedes engines from 2014 Formula 1 season

Williams has confirmed it will switch to Mercedes engines next season in what it describes as a "long-term" partnership.
The team has been powered by Renault since changing from Cosworth units at the start of the 2012 season, but has opted to do a deal with the German manufacturer for the new 1.6-litre V6 turbo era.
The announcement is the latest in a flurry of moves in the F1 engine market for 2014, with teams rushing to tie up supply deals.
As part of the deal, Mercedes will supply all associated energy recovery systems for the power unit, although Williams will continue to design and produce its own transmission.
"I'm delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 Formula 1 season and beyond," said team principal Frank Williams.
"Mercedes-Benz has been one of the sport's most successful engine suppliers and we believe that they will have an extremely competitive engine package.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Renault for their continued hard work since we renewed our engine partnership at the beginning of the 2012 season.
"We have enjoyed a strong relationship that has resulted in much success over the years, including powering us to winning ways once again last year at the Spanish Grand Prix."
Deputy team principal Claire Williams believes that the Mercedes engine deal is crucial for the future success of the team.
"The announcement of this partnership is exciting news for Williams," she said.
"Securing the right engine supply partnership is a key milestone in the implementation of our strategy for long-term success.
"We are also pleased to conclude this agreement early in the season and we very much look forward to working with Mercedes in developing our 2014 race car."
Renault has only confirmed two engine supply deals for next year, announcing in Monaco that Scuderia Toro Rosso would be switching from Ferrari.
It will also continue to supply Caterham, although an official announcement has yet to be made.
Speaking in Monaco, Renault president Carlos Ghosn confirmed that three partner teams is its minimum, although there could be more deals for next year with Lotus known to be in talks with it.
"We need three teams, this is the minimum," said Ghosn.
"We would not be surprised that a third one will come soon and we may have more, but we don't need more.
"We may have four, we may have up to five teams but this is more a question of opportunity than necessity."
WILLIAMS ENGINE HISTORY
Williams has chopped and changed its engine supplier more than any other team over the past decade.
BMW (2000-2005)
Anglo-German alliance yielded 10 victories and almost the 2003 world championship. Partnership came to an end when BMW wanted to get involved in team ownership, which was not possible with Williams, leading to it buying Sauber.
COSWORTH (2006)
Much was expected of the high-revving Cosworth powerplant at the start of the 2.4-litre V8 era, but the season was bitterly disappointing. Williams managed only 11 points and eighth in the constructors' championship.
TOYOTA (2007-2009)
There were moments of promise for the partnership, notably fourth place (after McLaren's exclusion) in the 2007 constructors' standings. But there were only three podiums, and no victories, in three years together.
COSWORTH (2010-2011)
Nico Hulkenberg's sensational pole position at Interlagos in 2010 was the high point for this renewed alliance, but the 2011 season was the worst since Williams Grand Prix Engineering's first season running March chassis in 1977.
RENAULT (2012-2013)
Renault power was widely hailed as one of the key reasons for Pastor Maldonado being able to end the team's win drought last year. But Williams has slumped this season and has yet to score a point in six races.

2014 WRC calendar set to be confirmed in June

The calendar for next year's World Rally Championship is expected to be confirmed at next month's June World Motor Sport Council meeting.
The final 2014 schedule of events was not available for discussion at the WRC Commission meeting in Geneva last week, because some of the events have yet to sign the agreement with the WRC promoter.
A fax vote will decide the calendar to be put forward for ratification by WMSC at Goodwood on June 28.
The calendar is expected to be the only firm news coming out of WMSC for the WRC, with the FIA and the WRC promoter working together on an action plan to implement a new 10-year strategy in the second half of the season.
One source told AUTOSPORT: "We have a lot of radical ideas to talk about here.
"It was not possible that we would find agreement immediately on all of these points.
"It is sensible that we follow a strategic plan - we were told there would be nothing from June [WMSC], but we will definitely see action from the August meeting of the WRC Commission and that's when we expect our questions will be answered."
Both Brazil and China will run candidate events this season, with one or possibly both expected to be included next year.

Ferrari confirm suspension failure caused Massa crash

Ferrari confirmed on Tuesday that the violent crash suffered by Felipe Massa on lap 29 of Sunday’s race in Monaco was caused by suspension failure.
Massa lost control of his car heading towards Ste Devote before colliding heavily with the barriers. The Brazilian made a precautionary visit to the medical centre following the accident but was subsequently released.
Having carried out an initial investigation into the cause of the crash based on telemetry data, the team studied components from Massa’s car back at their Maranello base on Monday before reaching their conclusion.
“The findings validated the first impressions of the engineers, confirming that the accident was caused by an element of the front left suspension breaking,” said a statement on the Scuderia’s official website.
Massa’s crash contributed to a disappointing weekend for Ferrari in which they were unable to rekindle the form that saw them score a double podium finish at the previous race in Spain.
Not only did Massa suffer two big accidents - the first of which, in FP3, prevented him from taking part in qualifying - but Fernando Alonso, a two-time winner in the Principality, could only manage seventh place on Sunday.
“This championship seems to be a real rollercoaster of emotions,” commented Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. “Following on from a good weekend comes a bad one. That was the case in the first four races outside Europe and nothing has changed now we are back on the Old Continent.
“I can confirm that we didn’t get carried away when we won, nor did we beat ourselves up when things did not go as well as expected. But from now on, it will be important to establish a consistent level of performance.
“The best news to come out of the Monaco weekend is that Felipe is fine. Two big accidents, just over twenty-four hours apart and all he has to show for it is a bit of muscle pain. Fortunately there were no other injuries.”
Ferrari will spend the rest of the week working on their cars before they are flown to Montreal over the weekend in preparation for the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada 2013, running from June 7-9 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Acropolis Rally

 
The Acropolis Rally is one of the longest-standing and most iconic events in the FIA World Rally Championship and was one of the original rounds of the series when it was established in 1973.
High ambient temperatures, rocks, dust and a combination of hard, fast sections and softer, winding tracks combine to make the Greek event one of the most punishing on the World Rally Championship calendar for both cars and crews.
Based in the coastal resort of Loutraki, 90km from Athens, this year's Acropolis itinerary is changed considerably from the 2012 edition. Rally organisers have shortened the distance of the stages by approximately 100 kilometres and taken a day off the itinerary, making it the shortest event contested so far this season.
Following the Qualifying Stage over a 6.05-kilometre course on Friday morning (31 May) to decide the running order for day one, crews head east to the capital Athens and the famous Zappion for the ceremonial start.
After that, the event proper begins with the marathon 47km Kineta-Pissa stage - the longest test of the rally - and then a late evening run of Kineta.
Saturday's itinerary consists of eight stages over a demanding 12-hour period. With service during the day restricted to just one 30-minute halt in Loutraki, the challenge is further increased due to the limited amount of repair work that can be undertaken.
Sunday is a slightly more tame affair with just four stages. The event concludes with the repeat of the 30km Loutraki test, which is this year's Acropolis Power Stage.

Monaco analysis - Mercedes finally hit the jackpot

For just under two hours and 18 minutes on Sunday afternoon talk of protests and ‘secret’ tyre tests was forgotten, as the Monaco Grand Prix did what it does best - serve up drama, excitement, tension and emotion. And no one was more emotional at the end of it all than race winner and Monte Carlo resident Nico Rosberg, as Mercedes finally converted their supreme qualifying speed into unbeatable race pace. We take a team-by-team look at the form book in the Principality…
Rosberg never put a wheel wrong, and withstood attack from Hamilton initially, then Vettel and Webber, not to mention two safety-car interventions and a red flag. This victory, which emulated father Keke’s 30 years ago, made them the only father-son duo in history to win at Monaco, and it was a stylish victory that confirmed the young German’s claim to be a top-line driver.
Hamilton admitted that he didn’t get it right when he was told how close he needed to be to Rosberg when the circumstance of the lap 30 safety-car deployment because of Massa’s accident obliged Mercedes to pit both drivers at once. That crucially dropped him from second to fourth.
It remains to be seen whether Mercedes have truly got on top of their tyre degradation, or whether their participation in a post-Spanish Grand Prix test with Pirelli may yet come back to bite them.
Both Red Bull drivers made great starts, only to find themselves with nowhere to go by Ste Devote. They were thus condemned to chase the Mercedes until Hamilton’s snafu handed them each a place, but there was no way this day for them to beat Rosberg and Mercedes. Vettel, however, stretched his points lead even more, as did Red Bull in the constructors’ stakes.
Ferrari had their worst race of the year. The F138 lacked pace from the start and front wing damage from part of Perez’s car hampered Alonso later on, too. The best he could manage was seventh, as the gap to Vettel grew. Massa started from the back, then crashed heavily again at Ste Devote. This time the team believe that something went wrong at the front of the car. The Brazilian was badly banged about, but was later released from hospital after routine checks, complaining of nothing worse than a sore neck.
 Raikkonen was a strong contender for fifth place until he was struck by Perez in the chicane on the 69th lap. The Lotus came off worst, necessitating a pit stop, from which the angry Finn recovered to an eventual 10th place. Grosjean was fighting for 12th place when he ran into the back of Ricciardo’s Toro Rosso. Both cars retired, and the Frenchman was given a 10-place grid penalty for Canada.

First test for Hyundai's i20 WRC

 

Hyundai's new i20 World Rally Car has been driven in anger for the first time - covering 550 kilometres on a secret three-day test. 

After a shakedown session in mid-May, last week’s test was the first time the Hyundai Motorsport team could begin to evaluate the i20 WRC’s performance. 

It also marks the start of an intensive period of testing for the German-based squad, as it prepares to make its World Rally Championship debut on the 2014 Rallye Monte-Carlo.
While all key areas of the car were evaluated, there was a major focus on collecting feedback on the i20 WRC’s 1.6 litre turbocharged engine as part of the development programme for the powertrain.
Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Michel Nandan admitted the last few months had been extremely busy.
“After starting our operations from scratch at the Alzenau factory in early January, we have been developing the car and now we can put the theory into practice. The car is on the road and I have to admit it was quite an emotional moment to see the latest specification of the i20 WRC in action for the first time.
“The learning from the first tests for me is quite positive. I think we are starting from a good base that we can use to carry on working. This was crucial considering the tight schedule we have until the end of the year. We have now a lot of useful feedback to digest for the next steps of our preparation.
“We have an intensive testing schedule for the rest of 2013 which will take us to different venues across Europe, to evaluate the i20 WRC in different conditions and on different terrains which reflect the variety of circumstances we will encounter in the World Rally Championship next year. 
“We are not disclosing our specific test venues or the names of the various drivers we will have but we will ensure that every aspect of the car’s performance is put to the test and thoroughly evaluated without leaving anything to chance.”

Monaco GP: Nico Rosberg wins wild race for Mercedes

Nico Rosberg finally secured Mercedes' first Formula 1 win of the 2013 season as he maintained the lead throughout a Monaco Grand Prix interrupted by two safety cars and a red flag.
Mercedes was unable to repeat its qualifying one-two, as Lewis Hamilton fell to fourth behind the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.
Rosberg held his lead at the start and was able to maintain an advantage of around two seconds for the majority of the race, whether in tyre conservation mode or showing his true pace.
Hamilton lost ground when the safety car came out amid the first scheduled pitstops.
Felipe Massa repeated his qualifying crash at Sainte Devote, prompting the interruption and sending the Ferrari driver to hospital for checks.
As all those yet to pit immediately dived in to do so, Hamilton had to queue behind team-mate Rosberg and emerged behind the two Red Bulls.
Hamilton then spent the rest of the race mounting attack after attack on Webber for third, getting alongside through Rascasse at one point but never making it ahead.
Rosberg was not rattled by a mid-race stoppage, caused when contact between Max Chilton's Marussia and Pastor Maldonado's Williams sent the latter flying violently into the Tabac barriers.
Maldonado was unhurt in the incident, for which the stewards punished Chilton with a drive-through penalty.
While Rosberg cruised to victory ahead of the Vettel-Webber-Hamilton train, which only spread out in the final moments, the rest of the pack engaged in some spectacular and wild racing.
Force India's Adrian Sutil pulled off brave passes on Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso into Loews.
He then benefited when contact between Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez at the chicane late on left the Lotus with a puncture and caused damage that would ultimately force Perez to park.
Button came through to sixth, having earlier had a spat with his McLaren team-mate Perez when the Mexican cut the chicane to hold him off.
Perez was ordered to let Button past, but overtook him cleanly at the same spot later on.
He then had another chicane incident with Alonso, and this time it was the Ferrari asked to move aside having cut the corner.
Raikkonen was next on Perez's list, but on that occasion the chicane move ended in contact.
Alonso lost out to Button in the traffic jam behind Perez's wounded car and finished a subdued seventh.
Jean-Eric Vergne chased the Ferrari home in eighth.
Paul di Resta converted 17th on the grid to ninth place, thanks to pitting as early as lap nine and making his tyres last to the end.
Raikkonen's recovery drive ultimately earned him a point, as he overtook Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber on the final lap.
The other major incident came when Romain Grosjean ploughed into the back of Daniel Ricciardo at the chicane, causing the final safety car.
Jules Bianchi also crashed, slewing into the Sainte Devote barriers, having earlier sustained damage on debris from the Chilton/Maldonado crash.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS

The Monaco Grand Prix
Monte Carlo, Monaco;
78 laps (inc red flag); 260.520km;
Weather: Sunny.

Pos  Driver               Team/Car                  Time/Gap
 1.  Nico Rosberg         Mercedes              2h17m52.056s
 2.  Sebastian Vettel     Red Bull-Renault          + 3.888s
 3.  Mark Webber          Red Bull-Renault          + 6.314s
 4.  Lewis Hamilton       Mercedes                 + 13.894s
 5.  Adrian Sutil         Force India-Mercedes     + 21.477s
 6.  Jenson Button        McLaren-Mercedes         + 23.103s
 7.  Fernando Alonso      Ferrari                  + 26.734s
 8.  Jean-Eric Vergne     Toro Rosso-Ferrari       + 27.223s
 9.  Paul Di Resta        Force India-Mercedes     + 27.608s
10.  Kimi Raikkonen       Lotus-Renault            + 36.582s
11.  Nico Hulkenberg      Sauber-Ferrari           + 42.572s
12.  Valtteri Bottas      Williams-Renault         + 42.691s
13.  Esteban Gutierrez    Sauber-Ferrari           + 43.212s
14.  Max Chilton          Marussia-Cosworth        + 49.885s
15.  Giedo van der Garde  Caterham-Renault       + 1m02.590s

Retirements:

     Sergio Perez         McLaren-Mercedes           72 laps
     Romain Grosjean      Lotus-Renault              63 laps
     Daniel Ricciardo     Toro Rosso-Ferrari         61 laps
     Jules Bianchi        Marussia-Cosworth          58 laps
     Pastor Maldonado     Williams-Renault           44 laps
     Felipe Massa         Ferrari                    28 laps
     Charles Pic          Caterham-Renault            7 laps

World Championship standings, round 6:

Drivers:                    Constructors:             
 1.  Vettel        107        1.  Red Bull-Renault          164
 2.  Raikkonen      86        2.  Ferrari                   123
 3.  Alonso         78        3.  Lotus-Renault             112
 4.  Hamilton       62        4.  Mercedes                  109
 5.  Webber         57        5.  Force India-Mercedes       44
 6.  Rosberg        47        6.  McLaren-Mercedes           37
 7.  Massa          45        7.  Toro Rosso-Ferrari         12
 8.  Di Resta       28        8.  Sauber-Ferrari              5
 9.  Grosjean       26
10.  Button         25
11.  Sutil          16
12.  Perez          12
13.  Ricciardo       7
14.  Hulkenberg      5
15.  Vergne          5

Polo R gets brake upgrade for Greece

Volkswagen will roll out a new handbrake system for its Polo R World Rally Car on next week's Rally of Greece in a bid to cure a problem that Sebastien Ogier believes cost him the lead of Rally Argentina.

In Argentina the Polo Rs of Ogier and his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala were fitted with the usual pneumatically operated handbrake system that was known to be slow at releasing drive to the front wheels when the handbrake was pulled.
Ogier’s frustration with the system came to a head on the second day when he understeered off the road after efforts to help his car around a tightening corner using the handbrake failed. “We had a problem with the handbrake, like we had for a long time,” he explained.
The Polo R of Volkswagen's third driver, Andreas Mikkelsen, however, was fitted with a newly developed hydraulic system that was faster but unproven in competition.
Today VW’s technical manager Francois-Xavier Demaison confirmed that all three cars will run the hydraulic handbrake in Greece.
“The handbrake system recently became an important issue, and we’ve spent a lot of time dealing with that in the run-up to Greece. When the handbrake was applied, it didn’t disengage the front axle as quickly as drivers like Sébastien Ogier would have liked. 
“We’ll be introducing a new hydraulic system in Greece which has undergone an extensive series of planned tests to be approved for use in competition.”
Demaison acknowledged that the new handbrake had been designed in a different way to its predecessor.
“This new system is all about performance rather than other considerations such as durability. In general, our competitors have a slight edge over us on this score.”

Monaco GP: Nico Rosberg takes third straight pole in Mercedes one-two

Nico Rosberg claimed his third Formula 1 pole position in a row in Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, as Mercedes fended off Red Bull's challenge to fill the front row again.
After practice sessions that had suggested a Mercedes versus Ferrari battle, Red Bull raised its game in a qualifying session that began damp and remained drizzly until the end.
Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were provisionally first and second following the first Q3 runs, and with the rain appearing set to increase, it looked like Red Bull might have the front row sealed.
But Mercedes found more pace in the last seconds, with Lewis Hamilton first leaping to the front on a 1m13.967s, and then Rosberg pipping him by 0.091 seconds.
Vettel was 0.013s down on Hamilton as he denied Webber third place.
Kimi Raikkonen took fifth for Lotus, while Ferrari had a tough session.
Fernando Alonso could only manage sixth, and his team-mate Felipe Massa did not take part at all as the damage from his practice three crash could not be repaired in time.
McLaren's Sergio Perez and Jenson Button were seventh and ninth, split by Adrian Sutil's Force India.
Jean-Eric Vergne completed the top 10 in a strong performance for Toro Rosso.
There was an element of lottery to getting into the top 10 as Q2 came to a frenetic end, with everyone diving for slicks in the final four minutes and then trying to get the best out of an ever-quicker track.
Romain Grosjean was among those to lose out. His 13th place was an anti-climax after a star Q1 performance, when he had shot to the front briefly on the single flying lap he had time for once Lotus had repaired his practice crash damage.
The other big story of Q2 was Giedo van der Garde's effort. The Dutchman got Caterham through Q1 for the first time in 2013 and was a top-10 factor when Q2 was at its most slippery.
He eventually ended up 15th, beating Q1 pacesetter Pastor Maldonado's Williams. Maldonado was two places behind team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Also out in Q2 were Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo, who share row six.
Paul di Resta was left enraged with Force India's tactics as he missed the Q1 cut and ended up 17th. Esteban Gutierrez also fell in the first segment, behind Charles Pic in 19th.
Jules Bianchi will join Massa on the back row, having parked on his out-lap with a fire in his Marussia's airbox.

Pos Driver                Team                  Time      Gap       
 1. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes              1m13.876s
 2. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes              1m13.967s + 0.091s
 3. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault      1m13.980s + 0.104s
 4. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault      1m14.181s + 0.305s
 5. Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault         1m14.822s + 0.946s
 6. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari               1m14.824s + 0.948s
 7. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes      1m15.138s + 1.262s
 8. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m15.383s + 1.507s
 9. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m15.647s + 1.771s
10. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m15.703s + 1.827s
Q2 cut-off time: 1m17.748s                               Gap ** 
11. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari        1m18.331s + 2.343s
12. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m18.344s + 2.356s
13. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault         1m18.603s + 2.615s
14. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault      1m19.077s + 3.089s
15. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault      1m19.408s + 3.420s
16. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault      1m21.688s + 5.700s
Q1 cut-off time: 1m26.095s                                Gap * 
17. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes  1m26.322s + 2.870s
18. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault      1m26.633s + 3.181s
19. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari        1m26.917s + 3.465s
20. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth     1m27.303s + 3.851s
21. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth
22. Felipe Massa          Ferrari

Practice One - Rosberg and Mercedes on top in Monaco

Monaco resident Nico Rosberg ruled Thursday morning's opening free practice session on the streets of Monte Carlo, pipping Ferrari's Fernando Alonso by just 0.087s as one second covered the first eight cars.
The German lapped his Mercedes in 1m 16.195s, which resisted the Spaniard's best effort of 1m 16.282s. Right at the end Romain Grosjean pushed himself up to third on 1m 16.380s for Lotus, deposing Ferrari's Felipe Massa (1m 16.394s) and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton (1m 16.469s).
Massa caused a minor stir when he cut into the pits across the bows of Marussia's Max Chilton, while Hamilton had a moment when he ran wide at Ste Devote. The biggest incident befell Adrian Sutil, however, who spun his Force India through 270 degrees at the same corner. His rear wing brushed a barrier but he made it back to the pits for checks.
Pastor Maldonado gave Williams' spirits a boost with the sixth-fastest time of 1m 16.993s on a track on which he always goes well, while 2010 and 2012 winner Mark Webber was Red Bull's leader on 1m 17.020s. His team mate, Sebastian Vettel, was only 10th, on 1m 17.380s. Between them were the modified McLarens of Jenson Button and Sergio Perez on 1m 17.129s and 1m 17.378s respectively.
Kimi Raikkonen was down in 11th place for Lotus on 1m 17.509s, chased by the Force India duo of Paul di Resta on 1m 17.548s and Sutil on 1m 17.625s.
Nico Hulkenberg failed to break into the 1m 17s for Sauber, having to be content with 1m 18.193s to head Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne on 1m 18.454s, team mate Esteban Gutierrez on 1m 18.754s, and Valtteri Bottas on 1m 18.830s in the second Williams.
At the back, Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo set his 1m 19.067s early on before settling down to long-run work, as Giedo van der Garde was again Caterham's leading runner on 1m 19.203s from team mate Charles Pic on 1m 19.438s. Jules Bianchi was 21st for Marussia on 1m 19.773s, after a visit to the escape road at Ste Devote, as team mate Chilton brought up the rear on 1m 20.225s.
Nobody ran Pirelli's supersoft tyres on Thursday morning, and that, combined with the fact that there will be extra rubber laid down during GP2 practice, means that the times should be significantly quicker this afternoon when the teams sample the softer compound.

Kimi Raikkonen says speculation will not hurry F1 future decision

Kimi Raikkonen says he is not at all surprised that his Formula 1 future is the subject of fervent speculation, but that will not make him hurry his decision over whether to stay at Lotus or move elsewhere.
The Finn is currently second in the world championship, and is one of the few top drivers out of contract at the end of the season.
Raikkonen has already been linked to the Red Bull seat currently occupied by Mark Webber.
"There are not many top, top drivers that have no contract [for 2014]," said Raikkonen.
"I am probably the only one of those and there are some contracts that will end next year. I don't have a contract, so it is normal [speculation] happens.
"Even if you have a contract the rumours will still go on and it is a very normal situation for F1.
"It is not me or my management that will create the stories, it comes from the other side of the table.
"I am not in a hurry. If I was desperate for a contract I would have already tried to sign it last year.
"I would rather do my work well and if I do well I am sure I will get the contract I want."
The 2007 world champion imagines that doing a deal with Lotus will be very straightforward if he opts to stay put.
"I am sure if we want to make a contract in the end together it will be very easy and not a painful way of doing it," Raikkonen said.
"It just involves certain details to get right and that is it.
"I don't really think we have to sit down every day and discuss it because it is not going to change, the decision has to come from me and I have not made any decision."
Raikkonen underlined that right now, everything from a team switch to leaving F1 again was an option, as he was a long way from securing any firm deal.
"I am sure there are some options. It is no secret," he said.
"But there is an option that I don't drive anything because right now I have no options, I don't have a contract. I have nothing.
"When I know what will happen I will tell and it is as simple as that, but I am sure it is not going to be the next race or the race after that.
"It will take time whatever the decision."

Monaco preview - no safe bets on Monte Carlo's streets

With its tight corners, chicanes, Armco barriers, bumps and white lines, it’s easy to see why Monaco is regarded as the toughest track on the calendar. And just as it was in 2012, it’s a circuit on which form is impossible to predict accurately.
Yes, it will suit Lotus, Red Bull and Ferrari, but it should also enable Mercedes to continue their front-row qualifying performance. And Force India and McLaren could also get in on the act.
Red Bull have to start as favourites, having won the race for the past three years with Mark Webber in 2012 and 2010, and Sebastian Vettel in 2011. The RB9 has more downforce than any other car - no surprise when it’s down to Adrian Newey to source it - and both drivers know how to use it. But Ferrari will also be strong; Fernando Alonso won the race twice, for Renault in 2006 and McLaren in 2007, and they come to the Principality on a high after their 1-3 in Spain.
Kimi Raikkonen is also a past winner, from 2005 with McLaren, and Romain Grosjean won here in GP2 in 2009. The Lotus E21 is a very strong race car, and the team are confident that they will have some tweaks which should make it a better qualifier, too.
That, of course, leads us to Mercedes who have taken pole for the past three races, but faded badly in some of them. Lewis Hamilton won in Monaco for McLaren in 2008, while Nico Rosberg was a GP2 winner in 2005.
“Whilst there hasn't been a lot of time since Barcelona, we've been working hard to put the disappointment there behind us and focus on the opportunities ahead,” Hamilton says.
“Monaco is one of my favourite races of the year and I love driving the streets. As a driver, you know that you have to perform on every single lap and it's a challenge that I really enjoy. It's a real experience to see the barriers flashing past at high speed and I love the fact that the fans can get so close to the track, making for a great atmosphere.
“Perhaps more than at many other tracks, qualifying and getting the best possible track position is crucial in Monaco, but we have to keep our focus on Sunday as well and keep working to improve our race pace.”
“Monaco is always a fantastic weekend and it's great to race in the city where I live,” says Rosberg. “Knowing that all my family and friends are watching makes it very special and I love being able to drive from home into the paddock on a scooter!
“The surroundings definitely make Monaco the coolest track on the calendar and the atmosphere over the weekend is great. I have good memories from the race last year after finishing in second place, and I hope we can get another good result this time around. At the moment we have a good car for qualifying which helps in Monaco as it's the most important qualifying session of the year as track position is so important.”
Jenson Button is the other Monaco Grand Prix winner on the grid, having triumphed on the streets for Brawn in 2009.
“Monaco is unlike any other racetrack in Formula One,” he says. “A qualifying lap around there is an exhilarating experience for a driver: you turn into corners on the limit and you kiss every barrier at the exit. To get pole position, as I did in 2009, is hugely satisfying and you need to be inch-perfect for 78 laps. It’s a great challenge.
“The average speed around Monaco is the slowest of the year, but it feels very quick. The track’s quite narrow in places and there are some fast sections. The run up the hill from Ste Devote to Casino Square involves some quick changes of direction, as does the Swimming Pool, and the Tunnel is fast, loud and dark.”
Button, however, makes it clear that McLaren are not expecting to be a contender for victory when he adds: “Everyone here has been working flat-out since the Spanish Grand Prix. We’re not yet where we want to be in terms of competitiveness, but I’m confident that we can make another small step forward in Monaco.
“We’ll continue to chip away at the performance of the MP4-28 until it’s capable of challenging at the front; there’s no other agenda for a winning team like McLaren. The aim for Monaco is to get both cars home in the points, as we did in Barcelona.”
At Force India, meanwhile, Paul di Resta aims to continue his latest run of excellent form, and says of his ‘home’ race: “We are fairly happy with the end result in Spain: with the limited time we had in the car and the DRS problems later in the race, seventh was a good position to come away with.
“As for Monaco, having more time to optimise the car with the upgrades should allow us to extract even more performance from it. Monaco was a rewarding race for us last year and we will try to go there and continue our run of points finishes.
“It’s really interesting to see how busy the place gets when the race is in town and the atmosphere builds up throughout the week. Racing close to home is really nice because I can go back to my place every night. I sleep in my bed and enjoy my own space. It’s also a chance for my family and friends to come and stay with me, and when the weather is nice, there’s nowhere better.
“Our strength has been our consistency - we have been performing well in each of the races so far, and we are now looking forward to Sundays with confidence.”
Tyre wear and degradation are less likely to be crucial factors this weekend, as Pirelli ambassador - and former Monaco podium-finisher - Jean Alesi points out: “Both are low in Monaco but it is still something you have to think about because the circuit gains massively in grip over the course of the weekend, perhaps more than anywhere else all year. You always use the soft tyres at Monaco so you can push hard, which is a great feeling.”
As has been the case for the last two years, Pirelli have brought their yellow-marked soft and red-marked supersoft compounds, the two softest in their range.
Monaco is the slowest and most tortuous circuit on the calendar, where overtaking is almost impossible, and that makes rapid warm-up and high levels of mechanical grip from the tyres essential to counter wheelspin and oversteer. But because wear and degradation are so low nobody is likely to make more than two pit stops compared to the four that the majority of runners had to make in Spain. Last year most made only one.
Monaco’s surface isn’t very abrasive, which means relatively low tyre wear, but it’s really heavy on brakes and that transmits heat through the wheels and into the tyres and stresses their structure. Entering Ste Devote, for example, the cars scrub off 160 km/h in just 100 metres. The tyres also have extremely big demands placed on them in the Swimming Pool complex, where they hit the kerbs at more than 200 km/h and experience lateral forces of 3.65g.
Drivers make more than 130 steering inputs every lap at Monaco, and change gear on average every 50 metres. That means an awful lot of work for the tyres, especially over the over the full 78 lap/260.520 kilometre race distance.
The hairpin is the slowest corner of the season, taken at around just 45 km/h, and that means that there isn’t any aerodynamic downforce being generated, so with full steering lock the front-right tyre is doing all the work when it comes to changing direction.
“In Monaco we’d expect an average of two pit stops per car, in complete contrast to the last race at Barcelona,” Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery says.
“This doesn’t make the race any less strategic however, as in the past we have seen drivers trying completely different strategies yet ending up very close to each other at the finish.
“The last race in Spain was won from lower down on the grid than it has ever been won before, so it will be interesting to see if this pattern can repeat itself in Monaco: a track that is renowned for being difficult to overtake on. Because of this, strategy will become even more important than usual, with teams trying to use tactics to improve on their starting positions.”
If drivers are to make-up places on-track rather than in the pit lane, the likely place they’ll do it is within the circuit’s only DRS zone on the pit straight. Other than that, the best place to pass is out of the dauntingly fast tunnel before the tight harbour-side chicane.
Things can become even trickier for the drivers if the weather takes a turn for the worse, but they’ll be pleased to hear that the forecast is for a largely dry and sunny weekend, with just a chance of rain on Saturday and temperatures in the range of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius.
There have been only minor changes to the circuit since 2012: the track has been resurfaced on the pit straight and between Turns 1 and 3; a number of improvements have been made to the left-side debris fencing on the approach to Turn 3 and on the left between Turns 8 and 10; a new 50cm wide kerb has been installed at the apex of Turn 5; and the kerb at the exit of Turn 19 has been widened by 20cm.
As is tradition in Monaco, the two opening free practice sessions take place on Thursday rather than Friday. Sunday’s race will start at 1400 hours local time, which is two hours ahead of GMT.

In conversation - Bernie Ecclestone & Niki Lauda

In the late ‘70s Bernie Ecclestone and Niki Lauda were team boss and driver at Brabham. Thirty five years on their roles are very different - Formula One group CEO and non-executive chairman at the Mercedes team respectively - but their friendship remains the same. They recently got together to chat about Lauda’s return to team management, Mercedes’ improved form, the great 2013 tyre debate and more - and we were there to listen in…
Q: Bernie, would you have ever guessed that at his age Niki would take another shot at a Formula One career?
Niki Lauda: Wait a minute. What is this talk about my age?
Bernie Ecclestone: Can we come to an understanding? Age is a non-topic in this conversation! (laughs) I mean there is no reason why he shouldn’t do what he is doing. Niki is a very good business guy, he knows a little bit about Formula One, so he’s the right man.
Q: When did you hear about Niki’s new role?
BE: About a year ago.
NL: Let me make something clear. I have been in constant contact with Bernie most of my life - I drove for him, which was always intense - even when I was just doing my RTL television job. But sure, it intensified when I came in and helped Mercedes to get back on track. Basically this was the beginning of talks over whether I would like to be the chairman. It developed - and here I am!
Q: Can you still learn from each other?
BE: Ah, you learn something every day. I speak with Niki about something and you get new ideas - and I think that also goes for Niki.
NL: Let me say this: I have a clear relationship with my ex-boss Bernie Ecclestone. There are so many things going on in Formula One, but one thing has never changed: I come and look in his eyes, he looks in mine, and within five seconds we know which route to take. He is the master who knows what his concerns are, I can say what other people’s concerns are, and we had never an issue in finding a viable solution. I am straightforward and he was born like this. Therefore it is easy for me to deal with him.
Q: Bernie, how important is it for you to know you have someone like Niki with a partner as major as Mercedes?
BE: I fully supported Niki’s new role at Mercedes because he is the right person for this position. He has proved that.
Q: Bernie, the heated discussions about tyres seem to have occupied a huge part of the season so far - culminating in four pit stops for most drivers in Barcelona. Now, from Canada onwards, it seems the goal is to make tyres last longer. How could it come so far?
BE: I asked Pirelli to make tyres that would not complete 50 percent of a race - meaning we need pit stops. And that’s what they did. It is very, very difficult to predict and say these tyres will last 15 or 20 percent of the race because each circuit is different, we are facing very different temperatures, the cars are different, and last but not least each driver has a different driving style. In the times when Niki was racing his biggest concern was looking after the gearbox and the brakes - not the tyres. Then we got away from that and the drivers didn’t have to think about anything. Now they have to use their brains and start thinking about how to win races.
NL: As an ex-driver I can say that Pirelli’s goal was to have the first pit stop after 12 to 15 laps, but with the different factors that Bernie has just explained they sometimes last only four laps. Three pit stops maximum works. That’s it. If you have four stops - and some tyres only lasting four laps - that’s the wrong direction. Now we will have a change from Canada onwards.
BE: The easiest thing for Pirelli would be to produce tyres that you put on at the first race of the season and take off at the last. That would be easy, easy.
Q: Bernie, for the last three years Mercedes seemed to be the ‘sick patient’ among the big teams. Now after five races they have had three pole positions and two podium finishes, so the upward trend is obvious. Is this because of the new people?
BE: I would say so. The tyres are the same for everybody, the materials Mercedes uses are still the same. The only difference is the people who run the company - and that makes the difference.
Q: Did they wait too long to make that change?
BE: I think people always hope that it is going to be better the next year. Last year they made the decision because they’d waited long enough. Enough is enough!
Q: How about the economic climate for Formula One racing?
BE: If you look at the ticket sales at all major sports, they are all down. Today one could think of a million things to spend the money on…
NL: Bernie reacts very clearly. He looks for the markets. He helps tracks like Nurburgring. And he is looking for new venues.
BE: Many years ago when I was looking at a race in China everybody thought I was mad. Now China is the darling of every globally-acting company.
Q: Niki, coming back to the smaller world of the paddock, how important is it in your new role to have worked so closely in the past with such esteemed team managers as Luca di Montezemolo and Ron Dennis?
NL: The real advantage is that I can open doors myself and that I can come to decisions quicker. A simple yes or no. In that respect it helps to know them. I was trained as a racing driver, so it is black and white. Decisions are what I am trying to help Mercedes with - to take decisions, even if they are wrong. It is better to make a decision and if it is wrong to then correct it, than it is to stand still. This is my strength and I use it as much as I can.
BE: People who are dealing with Niki know that they’re dealing with Niki. It is not a ‘maybe’ or a ‘possible’ with him. It is yes or no.
NL: If you want to be at the top this is the only way to survive. Not everybody understands this here…
BE: …and not everybody likes it!
NL: Correct.
Q: Niki, Bernie, you both have young wives. How does that work when you’re still so deeply involved in your work?
NL: My wife Birgit’s star sign is Scorpio, so I have to be careful what I say.
Q: But if Scorpios are your nemesis, what about Bernie? He too is a Scorpio?
NL: Ha, I’ve been trained so well at home about how these people think and act - I can handle them all, but it’s tough! The good news is my star sign is Pisces - and I am slippery like a fish!
BE: Ha, the scorpions will always catch the fish.
NL: That’s what they think…

BMW rubbishes Formula 1 return talk

BMW has rubbished suggestions that it is considering a Formula 1 return.
In the wake of Honda announcing it is coming back to grand prix racing in 2015, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone tipped BMW to follow suit in the not too distant future.
However, BMW itself has distanced itself from such a scenario, and its motorsport boss Jens Marquardt made it clear on Monday that the company was happy focusing on its DTM and sportscar activities.
"I don't know with whom Bernie spoke," Marquardt said. "We are right on top of our current programme, namely DTM.
"In GT sports cars at the Nordschleife and in ALMS as well as customer sport programmes we are posting super results.
"We have absolutely no intention of looking at other categories. We made a conscious decision to withdraw from Formula 1.
"We orientated ourselves around that which our customers recognise as being BMW. There is no reason to alter this concept. It is currently running very well."
BMW last raced in F1 from 2000 until the end of 2009, when it pulled out against the backdrop of the worldwide financial crisis.
Although Honda has used the opportunity of a switch to V6 turbo engines in F1 as the ideal moment to return, Marquardt insisted that the new regulations do not attract his company.
"There are always good timing points at which to enter something. For example, we chose the right moment to make our entry into DTM because new regulations were on their way.
"Now F1 has new engine regulations. That suits Honda and has been noted. However, we have not reacted further."
Ecclestone, who has openly spoken out several times about the planned switch to new engines even though they have proved an attraction in luring new manufacturers back to F1, made his comments about BMW to the City A.M. newspaper.
He said: "I would be surprised if we don't see BMW again. I think they could come in. The amount of money they spent was not significant in the grand scheme of things. It makes sense for them to return."

Lowe to join Mercedes next month

Mercedes announced on Monday that they have reached agreement with McLaren for Paddy Lowe to join the team on June 3, 2013. Lowe, replaced by Tim Goss as McLaren’s technical director in February, had been expected to remain with the Woking squad until the end of the year.
He will now strengthen Mercedes’ line-up in the role of executive director (technical) and will work closely with team principal, Ross Brawn, executive director (business), Toto Wolff, and the team’s senior technical management. As team principal, Brawn will retain overall responsibility for technical and sporting matters.
“I am excited to become part of a highly talented and capable technical organisation,” said Lowe. “The team has already produced probably the fastest car of the 2013 season while the technical challenges of the new regulations for 2014 will give us the opportunity to maximise the synergies available to a works manufacturer. That is a challenge I am relishing. I have worked closely with Mercedes-Benz for almost 20 years and deeply admire the company’s phenomenal commitment to Formula One. I look forward to much success together in the years ahead.”
Brawn commented: “I am delighted to welcome Paddy to the team and to begin working together. He has an excellent record of success in the sport and would be an asset to any of our rivals in the pit lane. It is no secret that every team is facing a significant balancing act between this year and next. But it is perhaps less obvious that we will also see major changes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, as development progresses with the new generation of car design and power unit. To deliver in these circumstances, a successful team needs strength in depth. Paddy’s arrival will further strengthen our organisation and puts us in a strong position for the future.”
Mercedes are currently fourth in the 2013 constructors’ championship on 72 points, two places and 43 points ahead of McLaren.

Kimi Raikkonen Q&A: Monaco is a different challenge

After five races and four podiums, Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen heads to Monaco a tantalising four points off the drivers’ championship lead. As the ‘Iceman’ explains, the challenge of Monte Carlo is quite different from that of the circuits seen so far this season, but as one of six current drivers to have won there, he is better qualified than most to conquer it…
Q: You must be feeling pretty good with your championship position and the performance of the car this season?
Kimi Raikkonen: Well, we’re not in first place so we can’t be too happy. For sure it’s not a nightmare, but we’ve still got a lot of races yet to come and anything can happen in Formula One. Monaco’s a different challenge, so we’ll have to see what happens there this year.
Q: Last year’s Monaco Grand Prix was not one of the team’s better outings, so you’ll be hoping for better this year?
KR: We certainly won’t make the mistakes we made last time. There were a few things we didn’t do right over the weekend and we suffered because of that. Sometimes that’s the way it goes, but the important thing is not to make the same mistakes again.
Q: How do you define the Monaco Grand Prix?
KR: It’s useless to put races in different categories, because all of them are as important as each other if you want to win a championship. However, as a real special race there is nothing like Monaco; there is no better feeling than to get things going well there. To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else and it’s a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult - almost impossible in fact - to have a clean weekend down there.
Q: You won in Monaco in 2005; how did that feel?
KR: I’ve only managed to get it right once before and you really experience the greatest feeling you can get by winning it. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable, so to win it again would be just as special.
Q: What’s the challenge behind the wheel?
KR: It’s such a narrow, twisty track; you have to be extra sharp and focused through every single metre. It gives such a good feeling; a fast lap around Monaco. Overtaking is almost impossible, so to really enjoy racing there you have to be in the front.
Q: What about the atmosphere?
KR: Monaco is always special. It’s an interesting place to go to, with a lot of fans and a lot of parties going on; or so I’m told. It’s a completely different atmosphere from anywhere else.
Q: What’s your approach to the weekend?
KR: We have to focus on qualifying. It’s a difficult place to race as it’s so narrow and - as I said before - passing is nearly impossible. I was stuck behind Rubens [Barrichello] in 2009 and we had KERS then, but you just couldn’t get past. We’ll have to see how the tyres perform and if there are any good strategies to be made, but the most important thing is to qualify well. It’s difficult to know how good the car will be in Monaco as you can’t simulate its characteristics; certainly not at any of the circuits we’ve visited so far this year anyway. We can say the E21’s been fast everywhere else so let’s hope it’s also fast there.
Q: With qualifying so important, is it a worry that this doesn’t seem to be one of the E21’s strongest areas?
KR: We’ll do the best we can, but of course everyone will be trying to be on the front row. It’s not impossible for us, but we won’t know how good we are until we get there. We know that tyre changes have to be made so there are opportunities if you run a different strategy to your rivals, but it’s certainly more difficult here than anywhere else.

Classic stages return to Wales Rally GB

This year's Wales Rally GB will feature the return of some classic Welsh forest stages in Snowdonia, one of which hasn't been included since the 1960s.

Details of the new route were announced today, following last month’s confirmation that the event, the final round of this year’s championship, would move from Cardiff to a new base in Deeside, North Wales.
The 2013 itinerary features 24 competitive stages, more than half of which are either totally new or haven’t been featured in the World Championship since the Nineties.
The event will kick off on Thursday 14th November with a start ceremony in the town of Conwy on the North Wales coast. That evening, in darkness, crews will tackle three stages in Snowdonia and Denbighshire: Gwydyr, which was last used in the 1960s and Penmachno and Clocaenog which last formed part of the rally in 1996.
Friday’s itinerary takes crews south to a trio of modern Wales Rally GB stages. The roads of Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren were included in the 2012 event, but their format will be modified slightly this year. The day will feature a remote service at Newtown.
Saturday’s stages are a mix of the old and new, with Penllyn (last used in 1991) Dyfi (restored to full length for the first time since 1998), Gartheiniog (similar to 2011 but with small changes) and Dyfnant (similar to 2012). A new family-oriented Spectator Stage in mid Wales is also planned.  
Sunday’s action includes another Spectator Stage, this time in North Wales, and a repeat of Friday’s Gwydyr and Penmachno tests. The rally will reach its climax with a blast around the spectacular Great Orme [pictured] early on Sunday afternoon.
Andrew Coe of event organisers IMS said the new route had been designed with three objectives: “We wanted to breathe fresh life into what’s always been one of the World’s great rallies; to create a fitting finale to the FIA World Rally Championship and to offer fans what they wanted. I’m confident we have delivered on all three fronts.” 
“The new base in Deeside and North Wales has allowed us to put together what’s almost an entirely new event maximising some of the classic Welsh forest stages and introducing more family-friendly spectator stages.”
"The re-introduction of night stages and the Great Orme will add to the challenge and spectacle while our totally revised ticketing policy offers increased flexibility as well as real value for money," he added.

Honda confirms 2015 F1 return as McLaren engine supplier

Honda has confirmed that it will return to Formula 1 in 2015 as engine supplier to McLaren.
The Japanese manufacturer has not competed in F1 since shutting its works team at the end of 2008, but has decided to return as a result of the change to 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engines.
It has been known to have been in talks with McLaren for some time and has already made significant progress with design work on its new engine.
Honda previously supplied McLaren with engines from 1988-1992, winning both the drivers' and constructors' championship four times.
It has already begun development of its all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 Formula 1 engine, working out of its R&D facility in Tochigi, Japan.
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh hailed Honda's return, saying: "Together Honda and McLaren have a great legacy; we formed a uniquely successful partnership that took on and beat the world.
"Together, we created some of the greatest, most iconic Formula 1 moments of all time which are still being talked about today all around the world.
"McLaren and Honda are about to embark on a new and extremely exciting adventure together, so on behalf of everyone at McLaren and also everyone that loves F1, I am delighted to welcome Honda back to sport."
Whitmarsh admitted that the previous success of McLaren-Honda creates huge weight of expectation.
But he believes the Japanese manufacturer is the ideal partner for the team to ensure it is successful in the future.
"For everyone that works for the company, the weight of our past achievements lies heavily on our shoulders," he said.
"It's a partnership synonymous with success.
"Together during the 80s and the 90s, McLaren and Honda won 44 grands prix and eight world championships.
"Together in 1988 we created the most successful Formula 1 car of all time, the all-conquering McLaren-Honda MP4/4 which was driven to victory 15 times out of 16 by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
"Honda has an unrivalled pedigree as a manufacturer of turbocharged engines, making it the perfect engine partner for McLaren as we strive to deliver future success in F1.
"As we look to the future, Honda and McLaren are utterly committed to maintaining that legacy and to being successful once more."

Rally Australia changes revealed

 

The organisers of Coates hire Rally Australia have revealed sweeping changes to this year's event, which takes place in September.

The rally is round 10 of the 2013 World Rally Championship and was last included in the calendar in 2011 when it moved to a new home in Coffs Harbour, 500km north of Sydney on the New South Wales coast. 

This year’s rally will be based in Coffs Harbour once again, but will feature new stages, a new Service Park and a more compact rally route.
The biggest change is all-new ‘Rally Hub’ in Coffs Harbour city centre that will incorporate a new Super Special Stage and the central Service Park.
The Super Special Stage will run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening with two cars tackling the 1.8km circuit at once.
The course starts on a former velodrome oval before breaking out on to surrounding streets and the finish back in the oval. The surface will be a combination of tarmac and gravel.
The other Special Stages are all gravel on a combination of fast flowing public roads and tight and twisty forestry stages.  The total number of stages is 22, down from 26 in 2011.
After Thursday’s rally opening Super Special, Friday’s itinerary features a loop of three new stages that are repeated in the afternoon before the second visit to the Super Special.
Saturday’s action kicks off with the new 50km Nambucca test, created by linking two of the fast flowing open shire roads that proved popular with drivers in 2011. Day two also features the 14km Valla stage that returns unchanged from its 2011 format.
Sunday’s route includes shortened versions of the Bucca and Shipmans tests from 2011 and a new 22km stage called Wedding Bells. The event concludes on Sunday afternoon with the repeat of Shipmans, which counts as the bonus point Power Stage.
Shorter road sections link the stages to deliver one the most compact overall events in the WRC. The competitive stages are all within a radius of 55km from the Service Park with two legs within a radius of just 35km from the service park.
The event will commence on Thursday 12th September with the Qualifying stage, followed by a Rally Show, ceremonial start and then the Super Special Stage all in Coffs Harbour.
For more information visit: http://www.rallyaustralia.com.au
 

Pirelli to introduce revised tyres from Canada onwards

Formula One racing’s official tyre suppliers Pirelli have announced that they will be providing tyres with a revised construction from the Canadian Grand Prix onwards.
The Italian company said after last weekend’s race in Spain - in which several drivers made four tyre stops - that they would make changes ahead of the British Grand Prix, but they have now decided to introduce revised rubber a race earlier, in Montreal, to bring the number of stops into line with their stated aim of two to three stops per car, per race.
According to Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery, the new tyre range will combine elements from the 2012 and 2013 tyres to achieve both durability and performance.
“Our aim is to provide the teams with a new range which mixes the stability of the 2012 tyres and the performance of the current ones,” he said.
“As a company, we have always moved quickly to make improvements where we see them to be necessary. After evaluating data from the first few races this year, we’ve decided to introduce a further evolution as it became clear at the Spanish Grand Prix that the number of pit stops was too high.
“The Spanish Grand Prix was won with four pit stops, which has only happened once before in our history. These changes will also mean that the tyres are not worked quite as hard, reducing the number of pit stops.”
“With limited testing time, it’s clear now that our original 2013 tyre range was probably too performance-orientated for the current regulations. However, having identified this issue, we’re determined to rapidly resolve it.
“It’s worth underlining that the current regulations for winter tests limit the opportunity to test the tyres under the same conditions as the race season because of the lower temperature and restricted time.
“The Teams are of the same opinion as we are in wanting longer testing times and different locations for the next tests. We developed the 2013 tyres on the basis of careful simulations that were, however, not sufficient, taking into account the improved speed of cars (up to 3 seconds per lap).”
Hembery also confirmed that the changes would stop the recent spate of tyre delaminations caused by track debris: “It’s important to point out that these delaminations, which occur when the tread comes off, do not compromise the safety of the tyres as the core structure of the tyre is not affected in any way, helping drivers to complete the lap and to change the damaged tyres safely,” he explained.
“These delaminations were due to damage from debris that overheated the tread. We’d like to thank all the teams for their continued and extremely valued support as we worked with them to identify the correct compromise between the pure speed that makes us the world leader in the Ultra High Performance sector and a global spectacle that is easy for Formula One fans to follow.”