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Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Sunday, October 16, 2016
2016 American Grand Prix preview
Did you know that 10 different circuits in the United States have staged an F1 world championship round - but only six of those have hosted a US Grand Prix? Or that seven drivers in the current field have led at least one lap on American soil, but only two - Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel - have actually won? Here are some more facts about the Grand Prix:
Circuit: Circuit of The Americas
Circuit length: 5.513 km
Number of corners: 20 (9 right, 11 left)
DRS zones: 2
Race laps: 56
Race distance: 308.405 km
Circuit lap record: 1m 39.347s - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2012
First world championship US Grand Prix: 1959, Sebring (won by Bruce McLaren, Cooper-Climax)
Number of US Grands Prix: 36 (Watkins Glen - 20; Indianapolis - 8; Phoenix - 3; Austin - 4;
Sebring, Riverside - 1)
Additional Formula One Grands Prix in the US:* 18 (Long Beach - 8; Detroit - 7; Las Vegas - 2; Dallas - 1)
*Not including the Indianapolis 500, which was officially a world championship round between 1950 and 1960.
Longest US Grand Prix: 1960 Riverside (2h 28m 52.2s)
Shortest US Grand Prix: 2005 Indianapolis (1h 29m 43.181s)
Last year's podium: 1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3 - Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Most US Grand Prix appearances (current field): 11 - Jenson Button; 10 - Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen; 8 - Felipe Massa; 6 - Nico Rosberg; 5 - Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel
Most US Grand Prix wins (driver): 5 - Michael Schumacher; 4 - Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Jim Clark, Graham Hill; 2 - Jackie Stewart, Carlos Reutemann, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna; 1 - Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Francois Cevert, Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve, Alan Jones, Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel
Most US Grand Prix wins (constructor): 9 - Ferrari; 8 - Lotus, McLaren; 3 - BRM; 2 - Tyrrell, Mercedes; 1 - Cooper, Matra, Brabham, Williams, Red Bull
Most US Grand Prix wins (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 9 - Ferrari; 5 - Mercedes; 4 - Climax, BRM; 3 - Honda; 1 - Renault
Most US Grand Prix pole positions (driver): 4 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Graham Hill; 2 - Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg; 1 - Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx, Ronnie Peterson, Carlos Reutemann, Niki Lauda, Alan Jones, Bruno Giacomelli, Gerhard Berger, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli, Lewis Hamilton
Most US Grand Prix pole positions (constructor): 8 - Lotus; 7 - Ferrari, McLaren; 2 - Cooper, BRM, Brabham, Tyrrell, Red Bull, Mercedes; 1 - Williams, Alfa Romeo, Toyota
Most US Grand Prix pole positions (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 7 - Ferrari; 5 - Climax; 4 - Mercedes, Honda; 2 - BRM, Renault; 1 - Repco, Alfa Romeo, Toyota
Number of US GP wins from pole: 16 from 36; one from four in Austin
Lowest US GP winning grid position: 10th (Bruce McLaren, Cooper/Climax, at Sebring in 1959)
Most US GP podium places (current field): 4 - Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Sebastian Vettel; 2 - Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg; 1 - Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjean, Daniel Ricciardo
Number of American drivers to have started at least one Grand Prix: 40
Best F1 finish by an American driver: 1st (by five different drivers - Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Peter Revson, Richie Ginther)
Best finish by an American driver on US soil: 1st (Mario Andretti, in the USA West Grand Prix at Long Beach, 1977)
Fascinating fact: Bruce McLaren, Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi are among a number of well-known drivers to have claimed their breakthrough F1 wins in United States Grands Prix. Of the current grid, though eight different drivers have led at least one lap, only Lewis Hamilton (2007, 2012, 2014-2015) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have triumphed on US soil.
Now let's see my predictions:
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Race:
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Surprise: Keep an eye on Nico Hulkenberg. He has been pretty good in Austin with Sauber and Force India.
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Race:
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
- Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Surprise: Keep an eye on Nico Hulkenberg. He has been pretty good in Austin with Sauber and Force India.
Post your own predictions to our F1-4-LIFE PREDICTORS LEAGUE!
The rules:
POINTS: 1st - 3 2nd - 5 3rd - 10
HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. If you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points same if you get 1 correct. eg. 2nd you get 5 points. If a driver wins the race and you said he would come 2nd or 3rd no points would be awarded. Same if he came in another position, and you predicted that wrong. A table will be posted up every race weekend. The point scoring system will change once the cars become more competitive. Everyone will say a merc 1,2 so it won't be close or fun.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick! like the Mercedes.
THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side AE, JT, MW, MH, JI and PM. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway. We may also come up with some other prize if it helps.
That's it for today and if you want to send me feedback then email me: f14lifeblog@gmail.com
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
Hulkenberg joins Renault from Force India
Nico Hulkenberg will switch from Force India to Renault in 2017 after signing a 'multi-year' deal with the French manufacturer.
Hulkenberg has spent four of the last five years with Force India, but will contest his final Grand Prix with the team in 2016's Abu Dhabi season finale. Force India had an option to keep the German on for 2017, but confirmed they would not stand in his way of joining a factory team.
"I’m very happy to join Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2017," Hulkenberg said. "Renault has always been a big player in the motorsport world that brings up incredible memories: in his stint with Renault [in their former guise as Benetton], Michael Schumacher not only helped make Germany an F1 nation, he also sparked my enthusiasm and fire for racing. As a part of the Renault family, I want to develop the car and write new success stories.
"It has always been my dream to work for a manufacturer team. F1’s new regulations will change the game and give our team a good opportunity. In the years to come, Renault will play a challenger role, which fits my approach to racing 100 percent. I can’t wait to become part of the family.
"For the remaining races this year, I will give my best for Force India to reach fourth place in the constructors' championship. This would be a great achievement for the whole Force India team, the biggest success in its history and a great end to a fantastic time there.
“I am grateful that Force India has given me the chance to take up this new opportunity.”
Renault Sport Racing chairman Jerome Stoll said Hulkenberg would help drive the team on to the next level.
"2017 will be the second season of Groupe Renault’s return as a manufacturer entry in Formula 1 and the next step in our journey," Stoll commented. "This season has been about putting the foundations in place for future success.
"For our next step we required an experienced driver who is still hungry for podiums. Nico Hülkenberg fulfils this role perfectly and is an excellent complement to what we want to achieve. He is a highly talented, dedicated and motivated driver. Nico will enable us to harness all the hard work completed this season and translate it to improved results on track in 2017 and beyond. We look forward to seeing him in our new car for 2017."
Force India team principal and managing director Vijay Mallya said the team would miss a driver of Hulkenberg's calibre, adding: "Everybody at Sahara Force India wishes Nico well as he embarks upon a different path in Formula One.
"Having spent five years with us, Nico has become a great friend and contributed a huge amount to the team’s success. He’s an outstanding driver, who has scored more points for this team than anybody else. While it’s true we will miss Nico, we respect his decision to explore fresh opportunities and it would be wrong to stand in his way.”
Having first broken into F1 with Williams in 2010, Hulkenberg is now one of the most experienced drivers on the grid - indeed only five drivers will have started more Grands Prix than him when the 2017 season gets underway.
He has finished in the points in more than half of the 111 races he has contested, and has also claimed one pole and led three races - although his wait for a first Grand Prix podium continues, with fourth - achieved on three different occasions - his best result.
Last year he won the Le Mans 24 Hours at his first attempt with Porsche.
Hulkenberg's move opens up a seat at Force India alongside Sergio Perez - with Manor's Pascal Wehrlein among those linked to the newly-available drive. At Renault, meanwhile, the likes of Esteban Ocon, Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer are believed to be in contention to partner Hulkenberg.
Hulkenberg has spent four of the last five years with Force India, but will contest his final Grand Prix with the team in 2016's Abu Dhabi season finale. Force India had an option to keep the German on for 2017, but confirmed they would not stand in his way of joining a factory team.
"I’m very happy to join Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2017," Hulkenberg said. "Renault has always been a big player in the motorsport world that brings up incredible memories: in his stint with Renault [in their former guise as Benetton], Michael Schumacher not only helped make Germany an F1 nation, he also sparked my enthusiasm and fire for racing. As a part of the Renault family, I want to develop the car and write new success stories.
"It has always been my dream to work for a manufacturer team. F1’s new regulations will change the game and give our team a good opportunity. In the years to come, Renault will play a challenger role, which fits my approach to racing 100 percent. I can’t wait to become part of the family.
"For the remaining races this year, I will give my best for Force India to reach fourth place in the constructors' championship. This would be a great achievement for the whole Force India team, the biggest success in its history and a great end to a fantastic time there.
“I am grateful that Force India has given me the chance to take up this new opportunity.”
Renault Sport Racing chairman Jerome Stoll said Hulkenberg would help drive the team on to the next level.
"2017 will be the second season of Groupe Renault’s return as a manufacturer entry in Formula 1 and the next step in our journey," Stoll commented. "This season has been about putting the foundations in place for future success.
"For our next step we required an experienced driver who is still hungry for podiums. Nico Hülkenberg fulfils this role perfectly and is an excellent complement to what we want to achieve. He is a highly talented, dedicated and motivated driver. Nico will enable us to harness all the hard work completed this season and translate it to improved results on track in 2017 and beyond. We look forward to seeing him in our new car for 2017."
Force India team principal and managing director Vijay Mallya said the team would miss a driver of Hulkenberg's calibre, adding: "Everybody at Sahara Force India wishes Nico well as he embarks upon a different path in Formula One.
"Having spent five years with us, Nico has become a great friend and contributed a huge amount to the team’s success. He’s an outstanding driver, who has scored more points for this team than anybody else. While it’s true we will miss Nico, we respect his decision to explore fresh opportunities and it would be wrong to stand in his way.”
Having first broken into F1 with Williams in 2010, Hulkenberg is now one of the most experienced drivers on the grid - indeed only five drivers will have started more Grands Prix than him when the 2017 season gets underway.
He has finished in the points in more than half of the 111 races he has contested, and has also claimed one pole and led three races - although his wait for a first Grand Prix podium continues, with fourth - achieved on three different occasions - his best result.
Last year he won the Le Mans 24 Hours at his first attempt with Porsche.
Hulkenberg's move opens up a seat at Force India alongside Sergio Perez - with Manor's Pascal Wehrlein among those linked to the newly-available drive. At Renault, meanwhile, the likes of Esteban Ocon, Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer are believed to be in contention to partner Hulkenberg.
(source: f1.com)
Thursday, October 13, 2016
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