Christopher Ward - F1 2013 Season Preview

CHRISTOPHER WARD EXCLUSIVE F1 2013 PREVIEW

Lotus exclusive Team Principle Eric Boullier reveals all

F1 2013 you r u lt i m at e gu i d e

season

preview SPECIAL 18 PAGE CHRISTOPHER WARD EXCLUSIVE • Top team analysis • Lotus interview • Australian/Malaysian circuit guides

Image is everything

by Peter J Fox

www.peterjfox.com

THE STORIES behind the picture

RED BULL

Image is everything

by Peter J Fox

Not quite the dominant force of 2011, but still unbeatable in 2012

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sergio pérez, jerez

pirelli tyre, jerez

lewis hamilton, jerez

felipe massa, jerez

“The light in Jerez this time of year is just perfect for photography, and a Formula 1 photographer is spoilt for choice as to where to go and take pictures.

“I decided to go to the end of the long back straight and try and catch the drivers locking up under braking for the Dry Sack corner – the place where Schumacher and Villeneuve collided in 1997. At this time of the day the sun is rising directly behind the cars and the light is so saturated with colour, and the McLaren looks wonderful as the silver and red come alive in this wonderful morning light.

“The cars normally lock a wheel at some point during the day here, as it is at the end of the long back straight which requires heavy braking due to the fact that it’s a third-gear corner. Sergio Pérez was the driver who gifted me this image.”

“This shot was taken at the end of the day on the Wednesday of the first test in Jerez – day two of getting to see 2013’s new cars. It is one of Nico Hülkenberg’s tyres.

“Here, the Pirelli technicians have removed the rubber that has been picked up by the tyre on the way back to the pits at the end of the session. A hot air burner is used to heat the tyre, then the ‘pick-up’ rubber is removed by scraping it off, leaving the used tyre underneath. You can see the smoke coming off the rubber here from the tyre as the technician has just removed all of the pickup rubber.

“Once this has been removed, the technician can gauge how much actual rubber from the tyre itself is left and therefore ascertain the tyre wear of that particular compound and car combination. It all illustrates the incredible level of detail the teams go to.”

“It’s pretty obvious what has happened here. Lewis, as ever, was giving it everything from the off. Again, this is at Dry Sack Corner and again a driver has locked up under braking.

“Apparently Lewis’s car suffered from a brake failure, with him losing rear brake pressure due to an issue with the hydraulic brake line connecting to the rear caliper. He managed to use the front brakes to slow down, but not enough to avoid going into the barrier. The front left corner of the car looked like it took a bit of a whack.

“Once the car had come to a complete standstill, it seemed to take Lewis a couple of minutes to get out of the car. He was probably just gathering his thoughts and checking that he was OK. Then he just got out of the car and simply looked at it as if to say either thanks – or sorry.

I’m not sure which…”

“Another one of those Jerez winter test shots! This picture of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in the eagerly awaited new F138 was taken right at the end of the day on the Wednesday of the first test, as he crested the summit of Sito Pons Corner .

“This is an uphill, fast righthander that leads on to the back straight and the blast down to Dry Sack Corner. It is important for drivers to get a good run out of this corner so that maximum momentum can be carried on to the straight. I really like this shot of Massa as he is using up all of the kerb on his final run going for a good time.

“There’s always a bit of anticipation seeing a new Ferrari. Obviously Massa had a few issues with the F2012 at the first test last year – the car wasn’t great and it seemed to really affect him. He seemed a lot happier with this one...”

POSITION: dry sack corner, jerez Time/date: 9.38am (local), 06/02/13 Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Lens: Canon EF 600mm F/4L IS Exposure: 1/250 sec at F7.1

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POSITION: pitlane, jerez Time/date: 4.08pm (local), 06/02/13 Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Lens: Canon EF 85MM F/1.2L II USM Exposure: 1/3200 sec at F2.0

RED BULL

POSITION: dry sack corner, jerez Time/date: 9.45am (local), 06/02/13 Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Lens: Canon EF 600mm F/4L IS USM Exposure: 1/400 sec at F4

POSITION: sito pons corner, jerez Time/date: 3.36pm (local), 06/02/13 Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Lens: Canon EF 600mm F/4L IS USM Exposure: 1/3200 sec at F4

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T

hree seasons, three drivers’ titles, three Constructors’ Championships. Red Bull are now only the third F1 team in history to have achieved a ‘triple-double’ of the greatest prizes in motorsport. Since 2009, the team have amassed an outstanding 46 pole positions, 34 grand prix victories and led 54 races. None of the other ten teams even come close over that same timeframe.

To some, Red Bull are a welcome burst of excitement in a sport where cautiousness is king. To others, the dominance of Red Bull in recent seasons, symbolised in the famous finger of their young German phenomenon, has lasted long enough. Whatever your opinion, the reality remains that they are staggeringly difficult to beat on the racetrack.

The fiery passion of Ferrari – with all their resources, money, political clout and the greatest driver in the world – was not enough to tame the Bulls in 2012, even after one of the most gutsy team performances in recent memory. Not even McLaren could produce the consistency necessary to prevent the Austrian outfit claiming both titles again.

So why should there be any reason to expect that F1’s dominant champions will not be able to make it four in a row in 2013?

This year, the Milton Keynes team have

stuck true to the magic formula with which they’ve secured every title available since 2010. Triple World Champion Sebastian Vettel and long-time Red Bull stalwart Mark Webber will lead the charge once more in the RB9 in what is likely to prove the final season for the partnership, while on the pitwall, Red Bull’s greatest asset is the man who is unquestionably the most powerful weapon in the sport today: Adrian Newey.

Since 2010, Newey’s cars have taken 70 per cent of all pole positions and have been victorious in just under half the races – a quite remarkable hit rate for a team that only a decade ago was struggling to score points as Jaguar. It all seems down to a robust, uncompromising design philosophy, where aerodynamic efficiency is the first, second and third priority.

If anything, last season’s triumph will have been the most shattering for Red Bull’s rivals.

Despite the fact that the RB8 was by no means the quickest car on the grid for the majority of 2012, the late-season surge that saw Vettel & Co take four victories in succession en route to securing both titles once again sent an ominous message to the rest of the paddock: even with the odds stacked against them, Red Bull Racing will still beat you. Somehow.

The question is, can they be stopped?

since 2010, red bull have been victorious in just under half the formula 1 races staged www.gpinternational.com

Infiniti Red Bull Racing Not since Schumacher and Ferrari have a team dominated Formula 1 like this…

WINS

POLES

2012

2012

2011

2011

2010 00

2010

05

10

15

20

00

05

10

15

20

36+64A70+30A62+38A Percentage of laps led

36%

70%

2012

62%

2011

2010

Total points

2012 460 2011 650 2010 498 00

100

200

300

400

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700

Debut: 2005 Australian Grand Prix Wins: 34 Poles: 46 Fastest laps: 29 Constructors’ Championships: 3 (2010, 2011, 2012) 2013 chassis: RB9 Team Principal: Christian Horner Chief Technical Officer: Adrian Newey Head of Aerodynamics: Peter Prodromou Chief Designer: Rob Marshall Website: redbullracing.com Twitter: @redbullracing

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FERRARI

FERRARI

mcLAREN

Can the sport’s most iconic team overcome Newey’s Red Bull?

O

nly a decade ago, Ferrari were the most dominant force that the sport had ever seen, holding a monopoly on both world championships for an unprecedented five successive seasons. Now, they face a tougher fight than ever to record their first Drivers’ Championship since 2007.

If Ferrari are to put an end to Red Bull’s current ownership of both world titles, it is essential that the new F138 chassis is fast from the moment it arrives in Melbourne.

Since last winning the constructors’ title in 2008, they have rarely begun a season without needing to overcome a substantial performance deficit to the front of the grid.

Over the last four years, only twice have Ferrari scored a victory in the first seven races of the season – that’s a woeful hit rate of two wins from 28 grands prix. Playing catchup to Red Bull is not advisable.

However, as 2012 proved on multiple occasions, Ferrari do not necessarily need to have the fastest package in order to win races.

That’s because they are blessed with the immeasurable talents of the most complete driver on the grid: Fernando Alonso. The double World Champion has shown time and again that with his relentless pace and metronomic consistency, he will continuously

make the podium and even win races with only the third-fastest package on the grid.

On the other side of the garage, Alonso’s brilliance is perfectly complimented in the form of F1’s ultimate team player, Felipe Massa. The Brazilian’s willingness to put his teammate’s interests before his own gives the Scuderia the luxury of rarely having two drivers taking points away from each other during a season – allowing one to mount a stronger championship challenge as a result.

At Korea last year, Alonso observed that while his championship rival’s Red Bull team had the quicker car, it was he who had the “better team”. It was a bold but accurate statement, for at the track, Ferrari do not make mistakes. Likeable Team Principal Stefano Domenicali has shown his killer instinct on occasion – notably taking the decision to sacrifice Massa’s grid position in Austin to benefit Alonso – and will be more determined than anyone to deliver the titles to Marenello. Alongside him, Technical Director Pat Fry will be desperate to ensure that the F138 has the outright pace to match his cars’ traditionally supreme reliability.

“I don’t think there is necessarily an obligation to win,” said an astute Fernando Alonso in January. Maybe it’s not an obligation, but it’s certainly a burning desire.

if ferrari are to end red bull’s dominance, their car must be fast from melbourne GP INTERNATIONAL

After several mistakes in 2012, this season there can be no excuses…

I

Scuderia Ferrari Alonso can’t do it all on his own if he’s to take the fight to Red Bull once more…

WINS

00

POLES

2012

2012

2011

2011

2010

2010

05

10

15

20

00

05

10

15

20

18+82A6+94A14+86A Percentage of laps led

18%

6%

2012

14%

2011

2010

Total points

2012 400 2011 375 2010 396 00

100

200

mcLAREN

300

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700

Debut: 1950 Monaco Grand Prix Wins: 219 Poles: 207 Fastest laps: 227 Constructors’ Championships: 16 (1961, ’64, ’75, ’76, ’77, ’79, ’82, ’83, ’99, 2000-04,’07, ’08) 2013 chassis: F138 Team Principal: Stefano Domenicali Technical Director: Pat Fry Head of Production: Corrado Lanzone Chief Designer: Nikolas Tombazis Website: ferrari.com Twitter: @InsideFerrari www.gpinternational.com

f there is any team on the grid who will be even more desperate to win the World Championship in 2013 than Ferrari, it is McLaren. As the sport’s second-oldest marque celebrate 50 years since their founding by Bruce McLaren in 1963, they will be looking to commemorate this milestone season by winning their first World Championship double since 1998.

McLaren’s recent history is one of missed opportunities. Since the turn of the millennium, the team have won 59 grands prix, taken 52 pole positions, 63 fastest laps and led 3,522 laps – a quarter of all laps completed. But despite these impressive numbers, beaten only by Ferrari over the same time frame, McLaren have achieved just a single World Championship victory so far this century – a Drivers’ title for Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

It makes the departure of Hamilton all the more significant. Despite the sometimes tempestuous relationship, McLaren will surely miss Hamilton’s on-track brilliance – as demonstrated by his excellent 2012 form. To fill the void left by their former protégé, Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh has pulled off a significant coup by signing the man many believed would be the future of Ferrari – Sergio Pérez. Despite a shaky

end to 2012, the young Mexican has shown remarkably mature race craft throughout his first two years in F1, achieving a trio of podium appearances last season for Sauber.

If the nurturing environment of McLaren enables Pérez to reach his full potential, the 23-year-old could well blossom into a regular podium visitor, or even a race winner.

With the arrival of Pérez, Jenson Button must now lead McLaren in the post-Hamilton era. However, it’s a challenge that the former world champion will surely embrace.

Button’s cool head, easy-going nature and popularity both in the garage and at the factory make him perfectly suited to the task, although the Englishman will be hoping that the MP4-28 proves easier for him to set up than its predecessor did at times last season.

But no matter how fast their 2013 car is, McLaren must be more consistent. From reliability woes to pitstop faults and even basic errors like failing to fuel Hamilton’s car sufficiently for qualifying in Spain, the team could not capitalise on the raw performance of their car throughout 2012 and fight Ferrari and Red Bull for the titles that they really should have been in contention for.

McLaren have all the necessary resources to become world champions once more. The question is, will they be able to deliver?

no matter how fast mclaren’s 2013 car is, they must be more consistent at the track www.gpinternational.com

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Invariably very quick, but consistency over the course of a season is the Achilles heel...

WINS

POLES

2012

00

2012

2011

2011

2010

2010

05

10

15

20

00

05

10

15

20

70+30A79+21A7921A+ Percentage of laps led

30%

21%

2012

21%

2011

2010

Total points

2012 378 2011 497 2010 454 00

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Debut: 1966 Monaco Grand Prix Wins: 182 Poles: 155 Fastest laps: 151 Constructors’ Championships: 8 (1974, ’84, ’85, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’98) 2013 chassis: MP4-28 Team Principal: Martin Whitmarsh Technical Director: Paddy Lowe Director of Design: Neil Oatley Sporting Director: Sam Michael Website: mclaren.com Twitter: @TheFifthDriver GP INTERNATIONAL

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lotus

“I’m a big defender of trying to minimise the internal politics within Lotus to protect our racing culture. I think that fits with Kimi” Eric Boullier has quietly helped turn the team formerly known as Renault into winners again, with a little help from a popular Finn and a refreshingly unstuffy approach to Formula 1. Now, he tells GP International, the challenge is to catch the top three… words hans seeberg

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P HOTOGRA P HY P ETER J F O X

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lotus

know what I’m doing!” remonstrates Kimi Räikkönen to Hollywood actor Matt Le Blanc, who is persistently pressing the Finn for information about the new Lotus E21. It’s just the latest in a series of clips on YouTube featuring everyone’s favourite rock ’n’ roll driver and Lotus, all of which are disarmingly, amusingly and quite deliberately, well… un-F1.

You couldn’t see huge corporate organisations like the grid’s top three teams doing this kind of thing. It wouldn’t send the right message. The sponsors probably wouldn’t like it. And yet, free of their Renault straitjacket, Lotus are revelling in their new approach to Formula 1 – and it’s paying dividends.

With their seemingly carefree approach to racing packaged in the classic black and gold livery, their popularity is soaring. This has been helped by their capture of Kimi Räikkönen, everyone’s favourite anti-establishment driver. Yet their handling of Kimi, with the self-deprecating sending up of his monosyllabic approach, is the management masterstroke that neither McLaren nor Ferrari could allow themselves to pull off. Lotus is a relaxed atmosphere, but full of serious – and proven – racers and winners. It’s the perfect environment for a fast driver who simply wants to register victories but have some fun while he’s at it.

And as GP International discovers during a chat with Team Principal Eric Boullier, they are ready to get even better in 2013…

Eric, do you think the teams who finished above you in the championship last season will be a bit more scared of Lotus in 2013?

Ha ha! Well, if they start to be scared of us that means we’ve gained some respect, so I’d be happy with that.

If you were the team boss of Red Bull, McLaren or Ferrari, how seriously would you be taking the threat of Lotus in 2013?

Well, I’m sure they believe in what we’re doing. I think you need a couple of years before you can show true credibility, and that you can perform enough over a period of time to be viewed as a serious contender. I’m sure anyone in the paddock from the other teams who’s watching carefully will look at us as a threat, if I can say that.

Kimi’s comeback has been a great success.

He seemed to struggle with certain aspects of being at McLaren and Ferrari, but at Lotus he seems the happiest he’s ever been. How have you succeeded where McLaren and Ferrari didn’t in finding the key to managing Kimi Räikkönen?

I think I’ve been lucky in that I picked Kimi when he was more experienced, because he’d had more time in life to go and do other things like rallying. He’s a guy who clearly knows what he wants, but I’d say another factor in his happiness at Enstone is the racing spirit we have in this company. I’m a big defender of trying to minimise the

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amount of internal politics inside the company to protect this racing culture, and I think that fits with Kimi. The last point in our favour is that I guess we don’t have so many marketing and PR obligations for drivers, in the way that big machines like McLaren and Ferrari do. It’s easier to protect Kimi from this kind of thing, which makes him feel much better.

With all those YouTube videos you’ve done with him, it seems that part of the secret seems to be to let him do his own thing and not be too serious. Do you think this is important for someone like Kimi?

I don’t know if it’s important for Kimi, but it’s definitely important for us. The manufacturer era in F1 is finished now, but when it was here it had a very clear communication, which was promoting a brand like Renault to sell more cars. Today most of the team is private; we have our own story to tell, and it’s very important that everyone develops their own personality.

Using the character of our drivers is definitely part of it. I’m pleased Kimi is playing the game, because he looks quite amused doing it…

It’s quite a refreshing approach for a modern Formula 1 team isn’t it, because these days the sport is very serious and corporate…

I suppose that when you look back into Formula 1 history, the ’90s was a different time with different management, let’s say, while the 2000s was the car manufacturer era and obviously very corporate. I think that today, we can afford to be a little bit different. We also need to cope with modern times. Social media is so important these days, and in our communications we use any ‘assets’ we can – including the drivers – to try and help us develop a big fan base.

You got a lot of credit in your handling of the Grosjean situation last year. How much pressure did you come under from within the team and in the paddock about him?

Unfortunately I have to say the maximum. It was obviously a difficult year for him; he put so much faith in his comeback to Formula 1 that at the end it was not easy for him to suffer blame and obviously the race ban – even if there was no excuse for that. I think he was lucky enough and good enough to be able to handle all this and get through it. In the end I’m happy that we kept the faith with him. He did a lot of work with himself, and was also able to convince us that he understood what he could fix so that he could deliver what we expect him to.

Romain obviously made some mistakes last year but he had a lot of positive performances. Do you think he was unfairly treated by some sections of the media?

It’s difficult to judge… it’s a debate that I think it’s time to close. The consequences of some incidents could have been very dramatic, so obviously you can be scared about what could have happened. There’s an emotional judgement to be made as well. I just think it’s up to him now to prove that he deserves his place. End of story. www.gpinternational.com

Is Formula 1 the kind of environment where other team bosses or leading figures come up to you in the paddock and say, ‘What are you doing still keeping faith with this guy, Eric?’

Yes. A lot of people are obviously questioning you… but at the same time I had a lot of people coming up to me saying, ‘Don’t let him down, this guy is a rare talent.’ He is very fast, and I just thought we should try to make something out of him, you know?

Have you spoken to him about the coming season? What are your expectations for him for this year?

Of course. We’ve talked a lot. He knows exactly what he has to do.

So what are your expectations for him?

I’m not going to tell you any details, but it’s easy to understand that I expect him to finish the race. I think he should qualify well and get some good results.

Did 2012 teach you anything new about man management?

(Laughs) Oh yes, a lot! I think you get more experienced all the time. Obviously I make mistakes like everyone, but you learn from them. You definitely have new experiences and situations at every race. I think it’s what you call a steep learning curve…

Do you find it strange that when there were only days to go before testing, the 2013 calendar had not even been confirmed? Was that disruptive to your plans?

It wasn’t disruptive at all. Everything is planned a long time in advance and anything can be changed at the last minute. There can always be a few unexpected situations in F1.

The E21 appears to be very similar to last year’s chassis. Does this mean we can expect the team to be a lot stronger on Sunday than in qualifying?

Ha ha! I don’t know yet. The car obviously looks quite similar to last year’s but there are a lot of details that have been developed on it.

The car has kept its trends from last year, but I think we can develop some of its weaknesses for this season.

The team have announced that Davide Valsecchi is the team’s ‘third driver’, Jérôme D’Ambrosio is the ‘reserve driver’ while Nicolas Prost is a ‘development’ driver. With no in-season testing this year, why do Lotus need five drivers on their books?

Because we are using drivers for demos, simulator work, plus there’s the 2014 car.

We are also a sister company for developing drivers, and it’s also a way for us to promote them. We have invested in the simulator, so we need drivers for that.

“We have our own story to tell at Lotus, and I’m pleased Kimi is playing the game. He looks quite amused doing it…”

Give us an insight into what it’s like working with a character like Kimi…

In some ways he’s completely the opposite of the image that people sometimes get of him. He’s a very easy guy to deal with, very approachable. He’s also very dedicated and committed – he knows what he wants.

Communication is very easy with him.

Are racing drivers complex individuals to deal with?

Yes they are. They are different from normal people. Their ego is different. There is a little bit of the artist in them… it’s a different profile.

Perhaps my view is not straightforward because I’m a racing guy, but this is a very passionate industry. Racing is a passionate job.

A lot of people talk about the amount of internal politics in Formula 1. How have you found the politics since you came into the sport? Obviously you might be able to minimise it in your team but you can’t do that in the sport, can you?

Exactly… as you say though, we have to deal with it. There’s nothing new in that. I understand the reality of politics in the sport.

Sometimes it’s maybe a bit too much, but we have to cope and make sure we’re following our plan – even if there’s some politics to deal with along the way.

Would you like to see in-season testing come back into the sport?

Yes and no. Obviously it’s a cost and it’s complicated, but I know that some other teams are pushing hard to bring it back. We’ll see.

With the team looking to be genuine championship contenders this season, how critical is it to have the championshipwinning experience of people like James Allison and Alan Permane in the technical side of the team?

It’s obviously important to have key people in your organisation who know what it’s like to win, but we don’t just rely on Alan and James.

There are a lot of key technical people in the team with a less public profile, and we’re all part of building a winning machine – if we have one. But any experience is a benefit.

In 2009, Ferrari and McLaren struggled after fighting for the title in 2008 and compromising 2009 development. If Lotus compete for the title in 2013, do you worry the team may lose in 2014?

I don’t know yet. I certainly don’t want to compromise the design of a new era. It’s a bit early to answer, but if we’re fighting for the championship in 2013 it will be a nice problem to have during the season. I’ll be happy to speak to you later in the season about it!

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lotus

LOTUS

Improve in qualifying and they could well challenge the top three…

was during his best years at McLaren and Ferrari. After a series of highly publicised on-track incidents – most notably that crash in Spa – teammate Romain Grosjean will be desperate to put behind him the stigma of being the first F1 driver in almost two decades to be banned from a grand prix and deliver on the undoubted pace and potential he showed at times in 2012.

Despite the departure of Renault, resulting in the Enstone outfit losing their works status, Team Principal Eric Boullier has calmly and effectively led the team through their transition into Lotus. The world championship winning pedigree of Technical Director James Allison and Trackside Operations Director Alan Permane mean that Lotus certainly have the personnel and experience required to find themselves on the top step of the podium much more frequently during the coming season.

So can Lotus realistically look to fight for a top-three finish or even for the titles this year? With Mercedes’ focus almost certainly fixed on 2014 and beyond and many of this season’s cars likely to be evolutions of their predecessors, the E21 could well turn out to be one very fast car indeed. Lotus are a team that neither Red Bull, Ferrari or McLaren can afford to underestimate.

lotus are a team that neither red bull, ferrari or mclaren should underestimate www.gpinternational.com

Lotus F1 Team A huge improvement in 2012 means Lotus will have high expectations this year CHAMPionship POSition

PODIUMS

2012

2012

2011

2011

2010 00

05

2010 10

15

20

00

05

10

15

20

80+20A79+21A76+24A Classified Finishes

80%

79%

2012

76%

2011

2010

Total points

2012 303 2011 73 2010 163 00

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Debut: 1981 San Marino Grand Prix Wins: 48 Poles: 36 Fastest laps: 54 Constructors’ Championships: 3 (1995, 2005, ’06) 2013 chassis: E21 Team Principal: Eric Boullier Technical Director: James Allison Trackside Operations Director: Alan Permane Chief Designer: Martin Tolliday Website: lotusf1team.com Twitter: @Lotus_F1Team GP INTERNATIONAL

(Stats reflect Lotus’s previous identities as Toleman, Benetton and Renault)

I

t’s a rare achievement for an F1 team to win multiple world championships, it’s even rarer for a team to take multiple titles under different guises. But for the constructors who were once Toleman, Benetton and Renault, could 2013 be the year that Lotus fight for their fifth world title under a third different identity?

Lotus proved, quite literally, to be the dark horses of 2012, recovering from a disappointing 2011 to record ten podium finishes, a win in Abu Dhabi and an impressive fourth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship, way ahead of Mercedes. The team’s decision to start the season without a Coanda exhaust on the E20 did not hold them back, with the car’s strong race pace making it one of the most consistent point scorers of the season. With Lotus almost always making forward progress from their qualifying positions on Sundays in 2012, getting more out of Saturdays will likely be a key focus for this season.

The performances of Lotus’s two drivers will be one of the most interesting elements of 2013. Kimi Räikkönen proved throughout his comeback season that the gamble Lotus took to sign him after two years out of the sport was a smart one; the former world champion looked every bit as committed and fast as he

lotus

kimi räikkönen

Romain grosjean

Formula 1 fans the world over rejoice – the Iceman is well and truly back to his best. Now, what chance a second Drivers’ Championship in 2013?

‘First-lap nutcase’ or France’s next GP winner? After putting last year’s troubles firmly behind him, what can Romain Grosjean achieve this time?

Never, ever underestimate Kimi Räikkönen.

In his comeback season, the Iceman proved just how foolish it is for anyone to doubt his speed or commitment to Formula 1.

After a two-year reprieve from F1 spent crashing rally cars in some of the world’s nicest forests, the 2007 World Champion showed in 2012 that he had lost none of his incredible skills in the fastest single-seaters on earth. His superb race craft and pace saw him make seven trips to the podium throughout the season, including a hattrick of top three finishes between Germany and Belgium. After threatening to win in both Bahrain and Hungary, Kimi became a grand prix winner once more after a cool and controlled drive in Abu Dhabi – his first win since Belgium 2009 and Enstone’s first victory since 2008.

His relentless consistency was also outstanding. Räikkönen was the only driver to finish every grand prix in 2012 and fell GPINTERNATIONAL

only one race short of scoring points in all 20 races. In a year when consistency was especially hard to achieve, the Iceman’s form earned him 207 points and a third place finish in the Drivers’ Championship – although the man himself could not care less about runners-up prizes.

It’s fair to say that, in Lotus, Räikkönen has found as close to a perfect team for him as he could hope to find in this modern, corporate era. Infamous for his total disdain for all commercial and media obligations, it seems remarkable to look back at all those years Kimi spent in the notoriously corporate atmosphere of McLaren and then at the heavily political environment of Ferrari and wonder how he didn’t walk away from the sport earlier. Eric Boullier’s fiercely ambitious but much more relaxed Lotus team provide both the potential for success that Kimi wants and, crucially, the work-hard, play-hard culture he needs. From allowing him to race with a James Hunt tribute helmet design in Monaco to producing humorous little videos for YouTube that play on his quirky team radio catchphrases, Lotus fully embrace the personality of their star driver – not just tolerate it.

Despite such a strong comeback year, Kimi can’t afford to let up if he is to fight for a second world title – not least because of the challenge he must quell from the other side of the garage. Romain Grosjean may have faced heavy criticism for his many accidents

in 2012, but he also showed he could be more than a match for his more illustrious teammate on some occasions – even beating Kimi 10-9 in qualifying. As Grosjean will be keen to prove himself in 2013, it’s likely that Räikkönen will find himself facing far more competition from his teammate this season.

In Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus have a very powerful weapon in their quest to become championship contenders once more. Do not be surprised to see the Iceman on the top step of the podium far more often in 2013 – or even fighting for the world championship.

Kimi Räikkönen The stats Age: 33 Height: 1.78m / 5’ 10” F1 debut: 2001 Australian Grand Prix Wins: 19 Pole positions: 16 Fastest laps: 37 Points: 786 Grands prix entered: 175 Driver number: 7 Camera colour: Red

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S chumacher .

Montoya. Piquet.

Maldonado. There have been many controversial F1 drivers since 1994, but in all that time only one man has ever been given a race ban. Step forward, Romain Grosjean.

A new season means a fresh start – and no other driver will be looking forward to heading to Melbourne with a clean slate more than Grosjean. The 26-year-old’s first full season in Formula 1 was controversial to say the least. If there was a shunt or a collision at the start of a grand prix in 2012, you could be sure that Romain Grosjean was involved, somehow. First Maldonado in Melbourne, then Schumacher in Sepang, Pérez in Catalunya, Schumacher again in Monaco before they had even reached Sainte Dévote, and Di Resta in Silverstone.

Then at Spa it got serious. Grosjean triggered what could best be described as the most frightening moment in F1 since Mark Webber’s Valencia somersault in 2010 and www.gpinternational.com

took himself, Hamilton, Alonso and both Saubers out in a horrific first corner accident.

His dangerous behaviour earned him F1’s first race ban in almost 20 years.

While it would be entirely unfair to blame the likeable Lotus driver for the majority of these incidents, the fact that Grosjean always seemed to be involved in Lap 1 carnage meant that he developed quite an unfortunate reputation for recklessness in the paddock.

Mark Webber infamously described the Frenchman as a “first lap nutcase” after being taken out in Suzuka and it was clear that Romain lost some confidence in himself after the heavy criticism he faced in the aftermath of Spa and beyond. But to his credit, he and the team have been working hard on addressing this particular area of concern and will head to Melbourne looking to the future, not back at the past.

Luckily for Romain, while many on the grid may doubt his race craft, his team do not. Eric Boullier and the Lotus management have shown remarkable faith in the abilities of their youngest driver by committing to him for 2013. Despite the controversy, it’s not hard to understand why. Grosjean has undeniable single-lap pace. He held his own on Saturdays against a world champion teammate to beat Kimi Räikkönen 10-9 in qualifying and made 16 appearances in Q3 – the same number as Räikkönen despite his one race ban. In the very handy E20, Grosjean also showed that he is more than capable of achieving strong

results on Sundays. Podiums in Bahrain, Canada and Hungary were signs of his talent and with Lotus looking for even more success in 2013, he will be expected to be top-three more frequently this season.

After admitting at the launch of the team’s new E21 that he found the challenge of being an F1 driver more difficult than he expected in 2012, the 26-year-old will be better prepared heading into this season. If he stays out of trouble and lives up to his potential, do not be surprised to see him fight for his first grand prix victory in 2013.

Romain Grosjean The stats Age: 26 Height: 1.80m / 5’ 10” F1 debut: 2009 European Grand Prix Wins: 0 Pole positions: 0 Fastest laps: 1 Points: 96 Grands prix entered: 26 Driver number: 8 Camera colour: Yellow

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AUSTRALIA

MA LAYSIA

Melbourne, 15–17 March

T6

CORNER INFORMATION

T1: T2: T3: T4: T5: T6: T7: T8: T9: T10: T11: T12: T13: T14: T15: T16:

Name Jones Brabham Piquet Turn 4 Turn 5 Turn 6 Turn 7 Turn 8 Clark Turn 10 Turn 11 Waite Turn 13 Turn 14 Turn 15 Prost

Kph 145 200 92 145 239 134 186 255 115 145 226 233 138 205 84 180

Gear 3 4 2 3 6 3 4 6 3 4 6 5 3 5 2 4

G-force 2.4 2.9 1.8 3.1 4.6 2.9 2.5 2.7 2.4 2.8 4.0 4.5 3.0 3.6 1.9 2.6

Kuala Lumpur, 22–24 March

Key

T8

SECTOR TWO

2012 DRS D etection Zone

T10

2012 DRS Activation

Zone

T4

T3

T12

T1: T2: T3: T4: T5: T6: T7: T8: T9: T10: T11: T12: T13: T14: T15:

Name Pangkor Laut Pangkor Laut Turn 3 Langkwai Curve Genting Curves Genting Curves KLIA Curve KLIA Curve Berjaya Tioman Turn 10 Kenyir Lake Turn 12 Turn 13 Sunway Lagoon Turn 15

Kph Gear G-force 76 2 2.2 70 2 2.0 242 5 2.5 110 7 2.9 252 6 4.0 248 6 3.9 191 4 3.0 203 4 3.5 71 2 2.2 183 4 2.6 152 3 2.6 251 6 1.6 269 6 4.0 122 2 2.4 84 2 2.5

2

T11

Key corner

SECTOR THREE

START / FINISH

Turns 11 & 12 – this tricky, super fast chicane requires commitment, with running wide a common occurrence.

T1 T15

T13

albert park street

T14

circuit // LAPS 58

1

TRACK LENGTH: 5.303KM (3.295MILES)

1

T16

Sector One Sector Two

T3

Sector Three

SECTOR TWO

2012 DRS D etection Zone

T2

2012 DRS Activation

Zone

T1 T5

SECTOR ONE

T14

START / FINISH

T6

T13

Turn 1, Turn 15

T2

RACING LINE

T4

Key overtaking zones

SECTOR ONE

Jones, Piquet

Grosjean and Maldonado collided at Turn 13 on Lap 2, forcing the Lotus driver to retire from his comeback race.

Sector Three

T9

T5

Key overtaking zones

In 2012

Sector One Sector Two

T7

Key

CORNER INFORMATION

RACING LINE

T12

Key corner

T9

Downforce is king through the Genting Curves. Understeer is a killer for lap times in these high-speed sweepers.

1

1

T15

SECTOR THREE

In 2012

“We need these points, Checo…” Could this have distracted Pérez at Sunway Lagoon, causing him to run wide in the pursuit of Alonso and his first victory?

T7

T8

T10 T11

sepang International circuit // LAPS 56 TRACK LENGTH: 5.543KM (3.444MILES)

DRIVER’S PERSPECTIVE

ENGINEER’S PERSPECTIVE

DRIVER’S PERSPECTIVE

ENGINEER’S PERSPECTIVE

McLAREN

CHIEF ENGINEER, CATERHAM F1

EX-CATERHAM F1

CHIEF ENGINEER, CATERHAM F1

Jenson Button

Gianluca Pisanello

Melbourne is a special race. You step off the plane after a long winter and it’s usually very sunny and the people are incredibly welcoming.

I think the circuit is a nice challenge too – it’s not a particularly technical track, but the surface is always rubbering in across the whole race weekend and it’s a place that encourages nip-and-tuck racing. For a street track, it’s got a really good flow and it’s got some fast corners too.

The new rules have definitely made it a more competitive place – it’s easier to pass here now than it ever was.

Finally, the walls around here are close enough to keep your mind focused. I can’t remember a race here that wasn’t eventful or surprising in some way, so it’s the perfect place to kick off the season.

Australia is usually the first race of the season. The circuit is not really used the rest of the year, with the exception of the Grand Prix, and that fact combined with a smooth surface and generally low grip – especially in the first few sessions – makes it quite challenging.

It’s a high average speed circuit and brakes are worked hard, which means they are being tested right from the first session of the season.

Even with double DRS zones, it’s still relatively difficult to overtake. At the start of the event it’s generally dusty and there are a lot of tree leaves that can get stuck in the radiator inlets. It’s the first real reliability test.

Since 2009 the start time has moved to 5pm local time, which presents some challenges to driver vision.

p o d i u m s at t h e l a s t f i v e Au s t r a l i a n g r a n d s p r i x 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

1st hamilton

1st button

1st button

1st vettel

1st button

2nd heidfeld

2nd barrichello

2nd kubica

2nd hamilton

2nd vettel

3rd rosberg

3rd trulli

3rd massa

3rd petrov

3rd hamilton

LAST YEAR’S RACE Tyre compounds Pérez has pitted only once in both Aus GPs

Additional stats & information Race distance: 307.57km (191.12miles) First grand prix: 1996 Number of turns: 16 GP INTERNATIONAL

Top speed: 305kph Lap record: 1:24.125 – Michael Schumacher – Ferrari (2004) Max lateral G-force: 4.6G (T5)

Max braking G-force: 5.9G (T13) Time per lap full throttle: 73% Time per lap spent braking: 11% Winners from pole: 8/17 (47%)

Soft

Medium

1:24.922 Pole position Lewis Hamilton Track temp: 22-30°C Retirements: 9 Typical strategy: Two-stop

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Heikki Kovalainen

Gianluca Pisanello

Sepang has a combination of all kinds of corners. The first few are very slow chicanes, then Turns 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are very fast and you need to have a really good balance there.

Towards the end of the lap there are two very difficult braking points, corners where you’re turning and braking into the corner – Turns 11 and 13, both right-handers. You can take a couple of deeper lines there.

Those are the main points. Getting your braking stability right in those corners is one of the key elements to making a good lap time in Sepang.

Physically it’s one of the toughest races, maybe together with Singapore which is also very difficult. It’s something we start preparing for immediately after Australia.

The signature of Sepang is the very high ambient temperature and humidity which obviously presents a lot of challenges for the car, because you have to increase cooling to the detriment of aerodynamics.

Driver fitness is very important for this kind of circuit, because the race is very tiring. The track has a normal grip evolution over the weekend and there are no major bumps since the resurfacing six years ago. There are two long straights and top speed can be achieved at either of these, depending on wind direction.

It’s also hard for all team personnel. The mechanics have to work in tough conditions – the garage gets really hot and humid. It’s a very challenging place, but very interesting.

p o d i u m s at t h e l a s t f i v e m a l ays i a n g r a n d s p r i x 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

1st Räikkönen

1st button

1st vettel

1st vettel

1st alonso

2nd kubica

2nd heidfeld

2nd webber

2nd button

2nd pérez

3rd kovalainen

3rd glock

3rd rosberg

3rd heidfeld

3rd hamilton

LAST YEAR’S RACE Tyre compounds First 2012 race where rain compounds used

Additional stats & information Race distance: 310.40 (192.76miles) First grand prix: 1999 Number of turns: 15 www.gpinternational.com

Top speed: 300kph Lap record: 1:34.223 – Juan Pablo Montoya – Williams-BMW (2004) Max lateral G-force: 4.0G (T12)

Max braking G-force: 5.2G (T15) Time per lap full throttle: 65% Time per lap spent braking: 14% Winners from pole: 7/14 (50%)

Medium

Hard

1:36.219 Pole position Lewis Hamilton Track temp: 24-29°C Retirements: 3 Typical strategy: Three-stop (wet race)

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