Australian GP 2014 Team news&Quotes

[Rob]

Operation Melbourne underway.

Maranello, 8 March – Scuderia Ferrari’s Melbourne operation is underway. The two F14 Ts are on the way to Albert Park with Friday’s Australian GP free practice just six days away. The two cars for Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will get to the track on Tuesday, where they will be handed over to the team led by Diego Ioverno, Head of Track Operations and Car Assembly. By Thursday they will be ready for the usual FIA scrutineering. There’s a lot of interest in the start of the 2014 season, most of it surrounding the many new aerodynamic regulations, but causing the biggest stir are the new engines. Ferrari’s first ever hybrid F1 engine is known as the 059/3. The power unit as it’s called consists of a 1.6 litre V6 turbo internal combustion engine, with turbos making an F1 comeback after an absence of a quarter of a century, combined with two energy recovery systems, providing around a quarter of the total power output.
We can expect a different type of racing compared to the past, with greater performance gaps between qualifying, when all the car’s potential can be used and the race, when fuel and energy management will be key, whereas up to 2013, tyres were the only main variable.
The new power unit can use no more than 100 kg of fuel over the course of the race, which requires the power unit to operate at maximum efficiency and in Australia, the engineers will face the challenge of combining the use of the internal combustion turbo engine with the electrical power accumulated in the batteries on each lap. Drivers will have to pay more attention than usual to instructions from the pit wall if they don’t want to end up having to coast round for the final laps in order to see the flag. Clearly, all this new technology means reliability will be key and the pundits are predicting a very high retirement rate in Australia. In six days time we should have a better idea of what to expect.

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/ope....KmWEcRdk.dpuf

[Rob]

Kimi: “It’s wide open in Australia”

Maranello, March 5 – There are now only a few days to go to the start of the 2014 Formula 1 season and this year, like never before, there is a great sense of anticipation to see the cars take to the track on Friday in Albert Park. For Kimi Raikkonen, there’s an extra reason why it will feel special, because he will be starting his second stint at Ferrari. Most recently, the Finn won this race in 2013, but he also did it back in 2007, when he made his Ferrari debut, thus joining a select band who triumphed first time out for the Prancing Horse, drivers of the calibre of Juan Manuel Fangio, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell. Only one other driver managed it after Kimi and that was his current team-mate, Fernando Alonso.

“I remember very well my first win with Ferrari,” Kimi told www.ferrari.com. “it couldn’t have been a better start to my seventh year in Formula 1, with a dominant win from pole. Winning always feels great for me. Nothing could be better. Last year, we also managed to win, which certainly surprised people because unlike 2007, at Lotus we weren’t favourites. So, if I had to compare the two Australian wins, somehow, winning it last year for the second time felt even a little bit nicer after such a difficult pre-season testing period.

“Australia is a great place to start the season, Melbourne is a wonderful city and, for us Europeans it always feels a bit special to be in this different part of the world. Only the weather is not always that nice,” added Raikkonen. “I can remember only one GP here where there was sunshine all the time. Of course, I’d prefer dry and hot weekends, especially this year with a completely new car and so many technical aspects still to be understood completely.”

Kimi ran the Albert Park track programme on the simulator today, to try and anticipate unusual situations that could arise because of the characteristics of the 2014 car. “The track is not that difficult and it’s a combination of a street circuit and a permanent race track and the event is very well organised. Sure, if your car is not well balanced then life can get difficult because you can lose a lot of time compared to those have got it right. If it rains, then the track is very, very slippery and the white lines can be really treacherous.”

The Espoo man won’t be drawn into what could be the possible outcome of the race: “Making predictions has never been my habit and this year there is even more reason not to. We are heading Down Under with brand new cars and I reckon it is wide open and anything can happen. In Maranello, we have worked hard and the F14 T seems to be a good car, but the track will tell who is quickest. When we start running to see where we are, we will at least have some data to give us a starting point.”

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/kim....YVfoWLOr.dpuf

[Rob]

Alonso: “A lot to test on Friday in Melbourne”

Maranello, 6 March –With a week to go until free practice gets underway in Albert Park, Alonso is training hard to be as well prepared as possible when the Ferrari F14 T makes its race weekend debut. Fernando has tackled an all-encompassing training regime including running, cycling, karting and even football, which is a particular passion of the Maranello driver. One of these sessions was filmed by Prancing Horse sponsor Santander, and a clip can be seen in the attached video.

However, his mental focus is already on the Melbourne track and all the unknown factors that involves. “We come to the start of this championship with the team having had twelve days of testing, while as a driver I’ve had six. A few more days would have been useful given how much has changed for this season. With every lap of testing we learned something and improved pretty much constantly. I think that will still be the case in Australia, especially on the first day and then actually in the first few races.”

There are the usual unknowns because the cars are still new, but there are also those linked to the rule changes. “The new Formula 1 rules are very different to what we were used to. I think the concept of what constitutes a Grand Prix will actually change this year, with Saturday and Sunday being very different from one another. In qualifying, one will be able to get everything out of the car, pushing the new power unit to the limit, trying to get the absolutely best result. But in the race you won’t get anywhere near that level. Last year, towards the end of the races, on new tyres, you could do very quick lap times, whereas in the closing stages this year, you will have to bear in mind how much fuel you have left, the state of the batteries and that of the tyres. You will need to be very clever to manage these parameters and the new race strategies could see drivers being unable to go flat out to the end.”

Alonso also had a thought for those watching the races at home. “As drivers, we will get used to it quickly and so I hope these rules aren’t immediately overturned and that they stay unchanged for a few years. Otherwise the spectators could lose confident in this new Formula 1 which is very complex, even for the viewer.”

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/alo....gDkLJe3A.dpuf

[Rob]

Australia preview quotes - Sauber, Mercedes, Marussia & more07 Mar 2014..

Jules Bianchi, Marussia
2013 Qualifying - 19th, 2013 Race - 15th
“I am very excited to be starting the new season finally. It has been a very interesting winter preparing for this and I can’t wait to see where we stand versus the competition. The car feels good to drive and, especially in Bahrain last week, we saw a little more of its true potential. There is a lot of work still to do to start getting the most from it, but I feel quite optimistic about our chances to improve this year. It has not been easy for a small team like ours as we do not have the same resources as the bigger teams, but I think we can be proud of the job that we have done in comparison and now I am looking forward to delivering some reward for that hard work. Our first objective for Melbourne is to enjoy a reliable race but I hope we can create some opportunity for ourselves along the way.”

Max Chilton, Marussia
2013 Qualifying - 20th, 2013 Race - 17th
“I didn’t think much could come close to the feeling I had making my Grand Prix debut last season, but I’m every bit as excited one year on as we head to Australia for the first round of the championship. There have been some very positive signs in testing, which lead us to believe that we can have a good season. Until we get though the first race it’s difficult to expand on that, but the performance is there and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. Of course, it would be great if we could match last year’s fantastic reliability record, but that is likely to be a much bigger task this season. Personally, I’m ready to get my teeth into the races. I’m entering my second season so I have my own goals as a driver, but what matters most is working together as a team to rise to the challenge as this will be a tough but exciting year.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“Although we did not meet our mileage target in pre-season testing, the positive work we did achieve, particularly last week in Bahrain, has been extremely valuable in terms of validating our calculations for the MR03 and finalising our specification for Melbourne. We are in good shape, both in terms of the car and as a maturing racing operation, and we head to Australia with cautious optimism. The opening round in particular, but also the season per se, is such an unknown quantity that it would be futile to try to predict an outcome, so our focus will be solely on getting the most out of our package on its racing debut. We have had some positive indications for reliability, but the acid test will be our first full race, which is the primary target for next Sunday. The first few races are the ones where opportunity is likely to knock, so we will also be looking to ensure we are prepared for every eventuality. We are fortunate to have two very talented and motivated drivers, and we know they will be helping us to push every step of the way. In a season so full of unknowns, perhaps the only real certainty for the opening round is that the Australian Grand Prix always delivers spectacular racing and this year we are likely to see that taken to another level.”

Mattia Binotto, Ferrari engine and electronics deputy director
“The 2014 season has presented some incredibly demanding and fascinating challenges, with the introduction of a completely new power unit. Scuderia Ferrari has also had to deal with the extra responsibility of welcoming the Marussia F1 Team as a new addition to our customer teams. We like challenges and we are happy with the way the partnership has begun. We have found a team that is keen to grow and to prove that, with the new Ferrari power unit, is capable of making a substantial step forward in terms of its level of competitiveness. I feel the indications that came out of pre-season testing have been positive in this regard and I was pleased to see a sense of satisfaction in the Marussia garage at the performance they produced on the final day of Bahrain testing. It’s definitely a good omen for Melbourne, when things start to get serious.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - DNF
“It’s been three races in Melbourne and I’ve still not completed a racing lap! They say bad luck comes in groups of three so hopefully attempt number four will work out better! The car has come a long way since Jerez. We made steps at each test and I think we made very good use of the time we had available. We signed off a lot of things during testing and I don’t think we’re in bad shape. There is always more you can do, but we’re pretty well prepared. I feel comfortable (in the car), but I think this feeling will grow stronger during the season. The cars are different compared to last year: the corner speeds are lower because there is less downforce and the engine behaviour is quite different. So it’s a new challenge and it’s difficult to tell just from testing how it will feel during a race weekend. It’s not easy (to set expectations). Testing only tells you so much, but I think we still have some performance in our pocket. I just hope we are competitive and can race for good points.”

Sergio Perez, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 11th
“It’s the first race of the year so I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. I hope we can have a great start of the season. The new rules are interesting and the cars are quite challenging. There is less downforce now, but there is a lot of torque from the engine so it’s quite a different feeling. You also have to think about managing the fuel load and we know that Melbourne is a circuit with high fuel consumption. There are more things to do in terms of managing the systems on the car so it’s more complicated than last year. The pre-season testing has given us enough time to get to know the new systems so I don't foresee any issue come the first race. I think we are feeling well prepared going into Melbourne. Testing has had its ups and downs, as always, but we ended the second Bahrain test in a good position. There are still areas we need to improve, but I think we have made a good start and we can build on that. It's always a good feeling to start with a new team. I had a full winter to get to know everyone and I’m feeling ready now. The team is very hungry and I hope we can achieve some great things this year.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“It’s never easy to make predictions and this year there are so many more unknowns than usual. I think we can arrive in Melbourne feeling happy about the work we’ve done over the winter. How that will translate to a race weekend is hard to say, but I think it’s important that an element of unpredictability has returned. There is plenty of interest around Formula One at the moment and that’s a good thing.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 5th
“The Australian Grand Prix is always an exciting race and the fans are fantastic. They love their motorsport, so it's an event that every driver looks forward to. I'm excited about the new season not just as a driver but as a fan. As a fan, you want to see overtaking throughout the field, you want to see different race winners, you want to see the championship go down to the wire... I hope that the changes for this year will make that happen. This is the year you need to watch Formula One! I think we're as ready as we can be for Melbourne and I'm more fired up than ever. With all the changes within the sport and the hard work that's been going on within the team, I believe this can be our year to really show what we're capable of. That's not to take anything away from our opposition, who will be incredibly tough to beat as always, but I feel like I'm equipped with the tools I need to succeed. I can't wait to get started.”

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2013 Qualifying - 6th, 2013 Race - DNF
“I always look forward to the season opener. Melbourne is a fantastic city and Australia is an exciting country all round. It's a great place to start the year and you can always have lots of fun here. The fans are incredibly friendly and laid-back but they are also very enthusiastic and mad about sport. The food is pretty great too! I always fly in a week in advance to get over the jet lag. This year, after completing the final test in Bahrain, I returned to the factory at Brackley for final preparations in the simulator and went straight on to Melbourne from there. Overall, I think our winter testing programme went better than expected. Having said that, the first Grand Prix is the first real opportunity to judge how well we have done against our competition. Pre-season doesn't tell the full story, especially this year with the new regulations. I'm really looking forward to getting the season underway and can't wait to be back in the car again.”

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“The new regulations have been a massive challenge for everybody involved, and the team has been pushing flat out to get the car to where it is now as we approach the first race in Melbourne. While it is true that the quickest car with the quickest drivers will win, reliability will be a key factor. We want to bring both cars to the flag in the best possible position. We now face the ultimate reality check in the first race of this new era for Formula One. The feeling within the team is not one of nerves, however. It is more a sense of relief to finally be unleashing our cars in race conditions. Everybody now just wants to get out there and see where we stand. Expectations are high, both internally and externally. Although we're not quite where we want to be right now in terms of a complete package, I'm optimistic in that we've done everything possible to prepare for the challenges ahead. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised by the new cars: the noise, the speeds and ultimately the lap times. This is cutting-edge technology - and that's exactly what Formula One stands for.”

Adrian Sutil, Sauber
2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - 7th
“Melbourne is always a great place for the first race of the season. I am looking forward to it. The city is beautiful and the track always good for a surprise. The weather plays a role there as well, as a bit of rain is likely. In addition, we have the new cars, which are still at a very early development stage. Everything is new. Driving in qualifying will be very different to the race, because the cars will have more power than in the race. Less downforce and more power will be a challenge for us drivers. Higher top speed and less grip on a street circuit like Melbourne will be exciting. Also the 100 kg of fuel will see nervous faces on the pit walls. We were able to gain experience regarding the fuel management during testing, but over a race distance everything has to come together flawlessly. It will be a lottery as to who will finish the race in front, and the excitement will be extremely high.”

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
2013 Qualifying - 18th, 2013 Race - 13th
“It’s quite special to be back in Melbourne, as this is where I had my Formula One debut last year. Now we are returning to Albert Park, and it’s a new era for Formula One. This is an opportunity for everyone, and it’s my role to extract the most out of the tools I’m given by the team. It has been challenging to adapt to the new cars and rules, but now we come to the first race and everything has to settle down. The track is a bit bumpy, because it’s a street circuit, but I like the layout and enjoy driving there a lot. I like Australia, it’s a nice place, and I usually arrive a few days earlier to enjoy the city. The fans are also very enthusiastic every year - it’s a great event.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
“Barely two months ago we started into a new era of Formula One. After 12 days of intense and challenging testing we come to the first race in Melbourne. On one side the team has done a very good job in terms of reliability and operations, on the other we are not yet happy about our performance level, and particularly with what we have achieved with our straight line speed. Our best efforts are in place to give our drivers the possibility to race where they deserve to be. On the strategy side, the power unit management is going to influence the tyre strategies, making it all more interesting. However, pre-season testing suggested that the tyre compounds will still play a major role when defining the strategy. For the first race Pirelli has allocated the medium and the soft compounds, and this appears to be a rather conservative approach.”

More to follow.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin...4/3/15532.html

[Paulpg87]

Mercedes overconfident. Well they destroyed competition in tests, i would be too

[Forzi]

Oh it's that time of the year again

[stefa]

Finally!

[shamim179]

Can't believe we're already here. It wasn't that long ago that we had jerez then Bahrain then Bahrain again.

[FerrariF60]

Can't believe we're already here. It wasn't that long ago that we had jerez then Bahrain then Bahrain again.

time flies when you're having fun watching your favorite team test its new single seater

let's all hope we haven't shown our TRUE pace at all during these winter tests and come QUALI and RACE we show the competition, including Mercedes who's BOSS...

[Nero Horse]

Time flies indeed, and it flew even faster this year because the testing started earlier compared to previous years. Therefore we had less time to miss F1 and miss seeing our beloved Ferrari team in action, which is a good thing of course.

Only 5 days to go now...

[stefa]

Any one knows weather forecast for the forthcoming race weekend?

[F1NAC]

by accuweather rain is expected on Sunday

[ManFromMilan]

It is still way too long to wait for me

Come on Friday!

[Kiwi Nick]

We could see lots of cars drop out in Melbourne. Weather forecast calls for 30C (86F) degrees on Saturday and 33C (91F) degrees on Sunday. High humidity both days. Of course, Malaysia may well be hotter!

That should test the cooling systems!

[wisepie]

Fimally we'll get to see these cars in a race environment and I'm sure there'll be many of us tearing our hair out come Sunday evening. Maybe no cars will finish at all, maybe we can win, but hey, it's never been quite so unpredictable, even with Merc's apparent readiness.
Roll on Sunday, it should be fascinating.

[Nero Horse]

I'm sure there'll be many of us tearing our hair out come Sunday evening.

I'm afraid that for some people the hair tearing will start already on Friday, if Ferraris aren't 1st and 2nd in FP.

[blaney1977]

Going too be a long week until fp1! Is it still the feeling merc/Williams have made the early running with us just behind? With some issues too iron out or have we been hiding a bit of speed? Then there's reliability question marks!!!!!!!!!!! It does nt half make it exciting!!!!!!

[Cozza]

30c 1 hour outside of Melbourne today.

Weather might be good on the weekend. But being Melbourne in Autumn. Could change in an instant. So unpredictable.

[Aruba]

The agony of waiting is almost over. Can't wait for the new season. Good luck to Scuderia Ferrari. Go Alonso !!!!

[Hornet]

30c 1 hour outside of Melbourne today.

Weather might be good on the weekend. But being Melbourne in Autumn. Could change in an instant. So unpredictable.

Good to hear

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Was ok until now but with Monday here the real wait begins. Time just stops !!
Friday please hurry up already !!

[abbottcostello]

Forecast for St Kilda Harbour RMYS, about 1.3km from Albert Park. The temp for Sunday has gone up since I first checked, 2 days ago it was predicted as 15˚C (59˚F)

Friday 27˚C, partly cloudy
Sat. 28˚ partly cloudy
Sun. 24˚ cloudy w/80% chance of rain wind WNW 14kph

If it is a wet track, things should get very interesting

[1nfern0]

They just said 19 and showers for Sunday on the new.

[Kingdom Hearts]

Mika Salo thinks that we sandbagged in testing.

[ManFromMilan]

Mika Salo thinks that we sandbagged in testing.

I think we did not show our true potential, we may see a lot of updates on the car in Aus, more than it being sandbagging as such.

[Forzi]

Time.... passing.... tooo.... SLOOOOOW....

[F2002]

Any one knows weather forecast for the forthcoming race weekend?

Are you still bothering with weather forecasts, they were all inaccurate last year

[Cozza]

Are you still bothering with weather forecasts, they were all inaccurate last year

lovely unpredictable Melbourne.

I wanna see Malaysia. See which cars have got a good cooling system.

[Nova]

Mika Salo thinks that we sandbagged in testing.

I read that this morning. Not sure why he said it but Ive always liked him.
Pretty sure he ran Ferrari sportscars for awhile.

On a side note, If no cars finish, Bernie is going to wear a miniskirt and do da mambo on pit straight.
Go Ferrari.

[stefa]

Are you still bothering with weather forecasts, they were all inaccurate last year

Not bothering, just asking