Adam Cooper F1

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier has expressed his inevitable disappointment at Pirelli’s decision to change its tyres for the Canadian GP.

Boullier is adamant that his team has simply done a better job than others of adapting to the tyres as supplied for the opening races of the seasons.

“There aren’t many sports where there are such fundamental changes to an essential ingredient part-way through a season,” said Boullier today. “Just imagine for a moment that, because a football team can’t run as fast as its opponent, the dimensions of the pitch are changed at half time! That there are changes to come can be seen as somewhat frustrating, and I hope they are not too extreme.

“It’s clear that Pirelli have found themselves in a difficult situation and under pressure from different quarters. Last year, when we were designing our 2013 car, each team received information from Pirelli and everyone did the best job they could to develop a chassis which would make best use of the tyre characteristics. We even ran with some experimental 2013 tyres at the end of last season, to assist us in confirming our development paths.

“As with every season, some teams do a better job than others with their designs, and some drivers are more adaptable than others to the changes of both car and tyre. It is frustrating when you’ve developed a car from a set of tyre specifications which are available to everyone – for tyres that are the same for everyone – to then be told that they are being changed mid-season.

“That said, we have a team of talented designers and engineers who will be working twice as hard to ensure we adapt to these changes in the most competitive manner.”

Meanwhile regarding the suspension failure that stopped Romain Grosjean in Spain he said: “It was frustrating for Romain and frustrating for the whole team. A Formula 1 car is made of so many components, and despite all the checks every once in a while a failure happens. Our technical team has taken immediate action, identified where the problem was and redesigned a new part for Monaco onwards.”

Lotus F1 co-owner Gerard Lopez says he was encouraged by the team’s form in Spain, although he concedes that the Ferrari is currently the strongest car on the grid.

Although Raikkonen earned his fourth podium of the season in Barcelona ultimately there was some frustration that the Finn wasn’t able to challenge Fernando Alonso for victory, having lost valuable time early on. Meanwhile Romain Grosjean had a suspension failure.

“We thought there was a way to win it,” Lopez told this writer. “We lost the race right at the beginning when Fernando and Vettel were able to jump Hamilton and we got stuck a couple of times in traffic. That’s where we lost the race, and other than that, it was very good. The car is super consistent, and it was fast on both tyres.

“I was disappointed that Romain was out of the points, that was a big loss. It’s going to happen to everybody. Romain has a little bit of a lack of luck, and the times when he is lucky he needs to get maximum points. Things are going to come back to him.

“I was a bit surprised by the Red Bulls. Spain was an important race, everybody’s going to throw what they have at the car. I think Mercedes we expected to be fast on one lap. The Ferrari is probably the strongest car right now. Red Bull maybe a little bit below where we expected them, and I guess we were where we are.”

Regarding the next race in Monaco he said: “Everybody goes there hopeful, because you really don’t know what you need to win there or not. We’ll know after the first day of practice…”

Honda and McLaren announced their reunion at a press conference in Tokyo this morning. Here’s what was said, with Martin Whitmarsh appearing at 5m40s. Enjoy…

For Honda one of the bonuses of its reunion with McLaren is the presence of Jenson Button, who drove for the company in its previous incarnations with BAR and latterly under the Honda name.

Honda always had a lot of time for Jenson, and the thought of leaving him high and dry at the end of 2008 was one of the key reasons why the former works team was allowed to morph into Brawn GP.

He has become even more high profile (and popular) in Japan in recent years thanks to girlfriend Jessica Michibata. He spends a lot of time in the country, and even has a base just a few minutes away from Honda’s Tokyo head office.

It’s clearly important for Honda to have a driver who can make an impact in Japan, and while no one could rcreate the excitement that surrounded Ayrton Senna, Button will provide a huge PR boost at home.

“I know exactly how passionate Honda is about motorsport, and Formula 1 in particular,” said Button in the official statement. “The challenge set by Formula 1’s new technical regulations provides Honda with the perfect opportunity to return to the pinnacle of motorsport.

“Honda is one of the most experienced and accomplished builders of turbocharged engines anywhere in the world, has always treated Formula 1 as a platform for world-beating technical innovation, and will surely relish the opportunity once again to showcase on a global sporting stage its engine technicians’ unparalleled engineering prowess.

“Equally, I grew up watching McLaren-Honda Formula 1 cars racing and winning around the world – they wrote their own glorious chapter of Formula 1 history, in fact. Even now, picturing those unmistakable red-and-white cars evokes vivid memories of some of the most dramatic and exciting motor racing the world has ever seen.

“McLaren-Honda: I know how much passion, success and pride are encapsulated within just those two words. And that’s why I’m so thrilled and excited about what’s not only a fantastic opportunity for the team, but also a great development for Formula 1 fans and the sport as a whole.”

Honda says that advanced technologies of the new turbo era were central to the decision to return to F1 in 2015.

Company president Takanobu Ito also said that the ‘green’ environmental aspect of the new rules also appealed.

Intriguingly Ito was also keen to praise Bernie Ecclestone at a time when the F1 boss is still expressing his opposition to the turbo era.

“Ever since its establishment, Honda has been a company which grows by taking on challenges in racing,” said Ito. “Honda has a long history of advancing our technologies and nurturing our people by participating in the world’s most prestigious automobile racing series.

“The new F1 regulations with their significant environmental focus will inspire even greater development of our own advanced technologies and this is central to our participation in F1.

“We have the greatest respect for the FIA’s decision to introduce these new regulations that are both highly challenging but also attractive to manufacturers that pursue environmental technologies and to Formula One Group, which has developed F1 into a high value, top car racing category supported by enthusiastic fans.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr Jean Todt, the President of FIA and to Mr Bernie Ecclestone, the CEO of Formula One Group who showed great understanding and cooperation to help realize our participation in F1 racing.

“The corporate slogan of Honda is “The Power of Dreams”. This slogan represents our strong desire to pursue and realise our dreams together with our customers and fans.

“Together with McLaren, one of the most distinguished F1 constructors, Honda will mark a new beginning in our challenges in F1.”

As predicted here yesterday McLaren has confirmed that it has formed “a new multi-year Formula 1 technology partnership with Honda.”

McLaren will use Honda engines from 2015, after a single season with the Mercedes turbo.

“It’s fantastic news for everyone who loves Formula 1 to be able to welcome Honda back to Formula 1,” said Martin Whitmarsh. “Together, we’re about to embark on a new and extremely exciting chapter in McLaren’s history.

“Like McLaren, Honda is a company with motor racing woven into the fabric of its heritage. We’re proud and thrilled to be joining forces once more to take on the world in Formula 1.

“Whilst both companies are fully aware that we’re embarking on a very demanding journey together, we’re hugely committed to the success of the partnership, and we’ll spend the next 18 months working together to ensure that we’re fully established and competitive ahead of our first grand prix together in 2015.

“The names of McLaren and Honda are synonymous with success in Formula 1, and, for everyone who works for both companies, the weight of our past achievements together lies heavily on our shoulders. But it’s a mark of the ambition and resolve we both share that we want once again to take McLaren-Honda to the very pinnacle of Formula 1 success. Together we have a great legacy – and we’re utterly committed to maintaining it.

“Honda has built a reputation as a worldwide engineering giant, but its roots, its specialism and its passion lie in the advancement of the internal combustion engine. Throughout its history, Honda has pioneered engine technology in road cars, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. Indeed, its experience as a manufacturer of turbocharged engines is unequalled by any other car manufacturer currently competing in Formula 1.

“McLaren and Honda share an unswerving commitment to high-technology, to innovation and to performance. Together we’ll form a lasting partnership that will deliver success on the track, backed up by world-leading R&D and engineering intelligence.

“Finally, it’s appropriate to recognise that until the end of 2014 we’ll maintain a full commitment to our existing and long-standing partner, Mercedes-Benz, for which we retain the utmost respect and with whom we intend to continue to work diligently and professionally. McLaren-Mercedes has so far won an incredible 78 grands prix and four world championships. We aim to cap our long-standing partnership with the same ambition and resolve with which we began it: namely, to keep winning.”

The Mercedes was fast in Monaco last year. Photo: AC

Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are expecting to have a competitive car in Monaco next week, especially given the team’s form there last year.

In 2012 Michael Schumacher qualified on pole while Rosberg finished second in the race. Further evidence of the team’s potential on the street track was arguably provided in qualifying in Spain, where the silver cars were quickest in the twisty third sector.

“Monaco I always look forward to,” said Rosberg when asked about his hopes by this blog. “I really like the track and I’ve always gone well there. Finally getting a good result too last year, after many years of coming close in a way. And Mercedes, we really did a good car there last year – we had the best car there last year, so there’s no reason why we can’t be good there again, definitely.

“But it is such a special, unique place that you need to go there with not too high expectations, because you don’t really know what other people have done for that specific track, which is so different to anything else.”

Hamilton confirmed that the 2012 form had given him some encouragement.

“I was back home in Monaco just the other day and they’d almost prepared the track fully,” he said. “I was running round and thinking Michael put it on pole, so it must have been pretty good. So I’m hoping that’s the same this year.”

However Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was a little more cautious: “It’s a drivers’ track, we have two quick drivers, it’s low grip, not very high energy [put into the tyres], so we could be looking competitive. But do I know? No.”

Leading Japanese business newspaper Nikkei says that Honda’s return to F1 will be confirmed by the company president Takanobu Ito “some time soon.”

Other reports from Japan say the announcement could be as early as this week.

Nikkei says that as has been widely expected the manufacturer will be back with McLaren in 2015, leaving the team with a single year with the Mercedes turbo.

While Honda’s plans have been an open secret apparent confirmation from the sources of a respected Japanese media outlet is nevertheless an interesting development.

Martin Whitmarsh refused to confirm in Spain that McLaren has not taken up its option to continue with Mercedes into 2015.

While a one-year delay would seem to give Honda plenty of time to see what Renault, Mercedes and Ferrari have done one rival manufacturer told this blog that if Honda does race in 2015 it would still have to fix many key parameters before other engines appear in public in January 2014.

Pirelli has now formally confirmed that it will change the construction of its tyres in time for the Canadian GP.

Motor sport boss Paul Hembery had said after Spain that changes could come for the British GP, but the schedule has been moved forward by one race.

“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,” said Hembery. “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.”

Intriguingly in mentioning the one previous Pirelli win on four stops Hembery was referring to Turkey 2011 – forgetting that Spain that year was also won on four, with a near identical schedule to this year’s.

“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 confirmed that Pirelli had also stepped in to reduce the instances of delaminations caused by track debris. He’s repeated the assertion that he made last weekend that Pirelli would rather see a tyre come apart than have it delaminate – even though the latter case could allow a driver to get safely back to the pits.

“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. These delaminations were due to damage from debris that overheated the tread.”

He added: “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.”