#f1hype

The Championship might be wrapped up, but the battle is far from over! It was @MercedesAMGF1​ VS. @ScuderiaFerrari​ again at the #BrazilGP, with #Vettel coming out on top. Get the low down from @InterlagosTrack with #F1Hype | #BrazilGP #F1 #BrasilGP #Motorsport #Massa #Senna​ #LH44 #VB77 #Ham #Bo77as #SilverArrows #HoneyBadger #Seb5 #Kimi7 #PrancingHorse

The #AustrianGP this weekend brings a fresh start following the drama and fall-out from Azerbaijan – and there can be no better place for it than the calm and beautiful setting of the Red Bull Ring, near the Austrian town of Spielberg. We can't wait, read more #F1Hype via: www.yasmarinacircuit.tumblr.com | #F1 #AustrianGP #Motorsports #GutenTag #Servus #LH44 #Seb5 #SilverArrows #ForzaFerrari

‘Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee.’ @LewisHamilton adopting #MohammadAli's mantra for the #CanadianGP win. A reference to how Hamilton had felt while on his way to a second win in succession. ‘The car felt beautiful today,’ said the World Champion. ‘Towards the end, I felt like I was floating. And every time Sebastian [#Vettel] went faster, I was able to reply – and sting like a bee!’. Get your #F1Hype via: yasmarinacircuit.tumblr.com

Written by Maurice Hamilton Don’t be fooled by the result of the first race in Australia two weeks ago. With Mercedes scoring another one-two and a Ferrari finishing third, it may seem that nothing has changed since we had the same result in the Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of 2015. But the truth is that neither Mercedes nor Ferrari have a clue who might win this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix. We do know that the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen led in Melbourne and could possibly have won it but for a mistake in choosing the wrong tyres later in the race. The winner, Nico Rosberg, said as much when he admitted Ferrari were much stronger this year and Mercedes have a fight on their hands. “We've stepped up our game once again with a fantastic car,” said Rosberg. “But Ferrari were a real threat all weekend in Melbourne and it's clear that we've got a big battle on our hands, so we have to keep pushing very hard.” The circuit at Bahrain is very different to Melbourne. With four long straights, overtaking will be much easier that it was in Australia. So, even if a team makes a mistake with strategy this time, there is a better chance of putting it right. There’s other variables, too. Like Abu Dhabi, the Bahrain Grand Prix starts at dusk with the majority of the race being run under floodlights. Apart from being a magical atmosphere, racing at night also means the track temperature drops throughout the race and this can have a major effect on tyre performance. The teams will try and take this into account during practice but, being early in the season, lessons continue to be learned. Added to which, each driver has the choice of three different types of Pirelli tyre (as opposed to two in 2015). This means another roll of the dice. “The new tyre regulations for 2016 proved to be a big success in Melbourne,” says Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director. “It means there many different strategy options for each driver. Bahrain is a very different type of circuit and there is also a big drop in tyre performance by the fall in temperature as the race goes on. This provides a completely different set of challenges and it’s a matter of seeing who has learned the most from Australia in order to take best advantage of another new situation.” “Bahrain is a track which always seems to provide entertainment for me,” says Rosberg, who finished on the podium in 2014 and 2015. “I've had some great battles here in the last two years with [team-mate] Lewis [Hamilton] and also the Ferraris, so I'm expecting more of the same this time and very much looking forward to that. It was great to win the first race - but the aim is to come out on top at every step of the way this season, starting this weekend.” Maurice Hamilton has attended over 500 Grands Prix. An award-winning writer for leading British newspapers and magazines, he is a former commentator for BBC Radio and editor of Autocourse, the authoritative Grand Prix annual. The author of more than 20 books, Maurice contributes regularly to F1 Racing magazine and as F1 editorial consultant to Yas Marina Circuit. Follow Maurice on Twitter: @MauriceHamilton

By Lawrence Barretto Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams believes those not in favour of Formula 1's new qualifying format should reserve judgement until after the Australian Grand Prix. Under the new system, which makes its debut in Melbourne, the slowest driver will be eliminated after a series of time intervals in a move instigated by F1's bosses to spice up the show for fans. The revamp met with a lukewarm response from drivers, with Sebastian Vettel saying: "I'm not a fan of the qualifying changes and speaking on behalf of all the drivers, no driver is." But Williams said: "Let's wait and see. It's too early to judge. I'd like to get to Melbourne and see how it plays out and then we will comment on it. "If it doesn't work then fine. We tried. All we are trying to do is make this sport more exciting, which is what everyone wants." When asked by Autosport if it is a concern that the majority of drivers are not in favour of it, Williams said: "Yes, because they are the ones who are the big players. "You want to come out with a new regulation and hope people look at it positively. "But we see in F1 people immediately focusing on the negative rather than saying hold on a minute, let's not criticise until we see it play out." Williams was among those who voted it through at a Strategy Group meeting last month before it was approved by the F1 Commission. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone then suggested there could be a delay in introducing it because software needed to be rewritten, but that problem has now been overcome. It then emerged there could be a slight change to the format with Q1 and Q2 adopting the knockout configuration while Q3 retained the previous system, before the World Motor Sport Council opted to go with the original full knockout set-up. When asked if the uncertainty and negative response had proved damaging to F1, Williams said: "It's not been a smooth ride but that is Formula 1. "It makes it more exciting for everybody. Bernie came out because there were some issues as to whether we could do it. "But it wasn't a case of 'we think the idea is not a good one so we are going to have a rethink'. "It was 'we're going to have to work out whether we can implement it in time for Melbourne'."

By Ian Parkes Mercedes protege Pascal Wehrlein is to drive for Manor in the 2016 Formula 1 season, Autosport understands. Reigning DTM champion Wehrlein has been linked with Manor for a number of months, but it is believed a deal has finally been struck that will bring the 21-year-old Mercedes reserve into F1, with confirmation of the move due shortly. The young German is highly rated and already has a proven pedigree, winning the 2011 ADAC Formel Masters before finishing runner-up the following year in the Formula 3 Euro Series and fourth in the parallel European F3 championship. In 2013 Wehrlein moved onto the DTM, becoming the youngest champion in the history of the series last year. Since September 2014 Wehrlein has combined his DTM role with that of understudy to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. Now Wehrlein will get his opportunity to compete against the duo in a revamped Manor team, with its cars this year powered by Mercedes, and with a Williams transmission. Wehrlein told German publication Auto Bild: "The discussions were led by Toto Wolff for me. He helps me a lot, for which I am very, very grateful." The second seat remains up for grabs. Established Manor drivers Will Stevens, Alexander Rossi and GP2 race winner Rio Haryanto are all vying to now become Wehrlein's team-mate. Wehrlein's F1 move will also allow Mercedes to finalise its 2016 DTM line-up. While rivals Audi and BMW confirmed unchanged driver rosters before Christmas, Mercedes' situation was complicated by the uncertainty over Wehrlein's status. His departure from the German series is likely to create an opening for Renault F1 reserve and GP3 champion Esteban Ocon. 2016 F1 DRIVER LINE-UP SO FAR Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen Williams-Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa Red Bull-TAG (Renault): Daniil Kvyat, Daniel Ricciardo Force India-Mercedes: Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg Renault: Kevin Magnussen, Jolyon Palmer Toro Rosso-Ferrari: Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz Jr Sauber-Ferrari: Felipe Nasr, Marcus Ericsson McLaren-Honda: Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button Manor-Mercedes: Pascal Wehrlein (subject to official confirmation), tba Haas-Ferrari: Romain Grosjean, Esteban Gutierrez

By Ian Parkes Fernando Alonso has warned there will be no significant progress from McLaren through to the end of the current Formula 1 season. McLaren's troubled first season back with Honda engines has been one to forget, with radio outbursts from Alonso during the Japanese firm's home race at Suzuka last time out drawing plenty of attention. Regarding the rest of the campaign, Alonso said: "It is going to be difficult to see big progress. "The limitations we have now are quite clear, and this requires a bit of time over the winter to make most of the progress. "But we are still using these remaining races for some set-up directions for next year, some aerodynamic improvements which might come to some races, and some more power unit experience. "We cannot forget that from now we will have the same mileage as the Mercedes team going to Australia for the first race [of 2015]. "Overall this year we are down on laps, we are down on mileage on the whole package, but every lap we do we are learning something, so I'm sure some very useful information for next year will come." Alonso's behaviour in the Japanese GP led to doubts being raised about his future with the team, and he avoided direct questioning on the subject post-race. He later clarified his remarks via his Twitter account, firmly stating he would see out his three-year contract, and his career in F1 would end with McLaren. "Right now we have to be patient and understand in the five remaining races there's not much you can do," he added. "There is not room to improve much. "All our hopes are for next year, but a lot of things have to change - the structure of the power unit and everything is a problem. "But I'm optimistic. The first results of next year seem OK, so let's wait and see." This article is provided by AUTOSPORT.com. Copyright 2015 AUTOSPORT.com