Valtteri Bottas Archives

Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN unveils C42 racing car with new drivers for 2022

Alfa Romeo is one of the older names in Formula 1, having been in Grand Prix races even before the championship began in 1950. Unlike Ferrari, its presence has not been constant although whenever it has been present, it has been enthusiastically supported by fans. Its longest presence as a team was in the 1980s when it participated for 6 years and ceased after the 1950 season. Then in 2019, the name returned when Sauber was rebranded as Alfa Romeo marking the factory’s return to the sport as a constructor. They contracted Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi as drivers until 2021.

In 2022, they will have 10-times race winner, Valtteri Bottas, coming from the successful Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team as well as GuanYu Zhou, the first F1 driver from China and the only rookie on the grid this year. Robert Kubica will be the reserve driver for the team.

*The drivers for 2022 will be Valtteri Bottas (centre) and newcomer Zhou Guanyu (left), with Robert Kubica as reserve driver (right).*

The team has maintained the Sauber convention for its racing car designations, starting with C38 in 2019 car so for 2022, three years later, the new car is designated the C42. The official team name will be the same as before – Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN – with the title sponsor again being the Polish petroleum company.

The C42 has eye-catching livery, a stunning yet subtle nod to the past, recalling historical designs of years past and the heritage of Alfa Romeo and Sauber Motorsport. It is the 30^th year of F1 for the Sauber Motorsport team which is based in Hinwil, Switzerland.

Created by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, the new livery gives the car a powerful, recognisable identity. The paintwork is a perfect blend of the two dominant colours, red and white. The engine area is painted red, with a diagonal cross-section that conveys the dynamism of the car’s body. The historic Alfa Romeo lettering fits into the diagonal as a reference to the early 20th century, having made its debut on the brand’s racing cars in the 1920s.

‘Tonale’ can be seen below, the name of a new SUV model that has recently been unveiled. The Quadrifoglio symbol of sportiness can be found in the upper section, alongside the diagonal dividing line between red and white. The Italian flag is included on the back of the spoiler, proudly featuring the wording ‘Alfa Romeo’.

As with all the other F1 cars for 2022, the C42 has been developed and built under the budget cap regulations and for the new era of F1 which sees significantly new technical regulations. These regulations, which cover aerodynamic aspects, have required the design to be a radical departure from the past.

It embraces the possibilities dictated by the new ground-effect floor, updated aerodynamic package and larger 18-inch, low profile tyres. The C42 is powered by a new and improved Ferrari engine, and has been designed for the closer racing and competitive fighting which the new regulations are expected to create.

“The 2022 championship promises to be the most compelling one in recent years. The new regulations, the new driver line-up and a brand-new car represent a veritable revolution for F1 and especially for the team. At Alfa Romeo, we are intent on grasping all the opportunities that will arise. Also for Alfa Romeo, 2022 represents a year of ‘metamorfosi’. With Tonale, the brand looks ahead into the era of electrification and connectivity, remaining true to its DNA of noble Italian sportsmanship dating back to 1910. That’s why we were clear about putting the ‘Tonale’ name on the single-seater. We can’t wait to see the red light go out to kick off an exciting F1 championship,” said Jean Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo.

Guanyu Zhou – first Chinese driver in F1, to race with Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team in 2022

F1: Valtteri Bottas wins Sprint Race to get pole position in Sao Paolo GP

It was another Sprint Race win for Valtteri Bottas again in the Sao Paolo Grand Prix as he got off to a good start ahead of Max Verstappen who had moved into pole position after Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying times were disqualified. The Mercedes-AMG driver’s car was found to have a technical infringement in the rear wing and without a qualifying time, he was placed at the back of the grid.

Nevertheless, Hamilton worked hard for the short 24-lap race around the old-school Interlagos circuit to finish fifth. While the starting order for the main race is determined by the finishing order of the Sprint Race, Hamilton already knew he would have to add 5 grid positions – the penalty for changing an engine – to whatever position he finished in, so he had to work hard for the highest position.

The decision to take the 5-grid penalty was made with the hope that, for the main race, Hamilton will stand a stronger chance (or not having engine failures) of winning with a new engine. However, starting from 10^th place for the race today means he will have to contend with traffic in the early stages before he can challenge his Red Bull rival.

The top three finishers of the Sprint Race were awarded extra points with 3 going to Bottas, 2 to Verstappen and 1 for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who finished third. The 2 points for Verstappen move him slightly further to a 21-point lead over Hamilton in the Drivers Championship. While the 3 points that Bottas collected could be added to the Mercedes-AMG team’s lead in the Constructors Championship, the gap is only 2 points.

While the technical infringement on Hamilton’s car lost him his qualifying time, Verstappen’s case of having broken the rules of the Sporting Code by inspecting and even touching his own car and that of Hamilton’s right after the qualifying session resulted in a 50,000 euro (about RM238,000) fine imposed by the Stewards.

The action was not deliberate, as Red Bull’s Christian Horner argued, and it is likely that Verstappen did it without realising the actions broke rules. It’s like if there was a rule that forbade drivers from coming into physical contact (as in hugging) after a race and they still do it because they forgot the rule at the moment of jubilation. But rules are rules and a penalty has to be imposed to remind everyone that they cannot break rules and get away with it.

Incidentally, the Mercedes-AMG team won’t be making an appeal regarding the action taken for the technical infringement which had been brought about after Red Bull had made a complaint with the FIA about the rear wing on the car. After inspection, there was evidence that the gap for the wing was greater than the maximum permissible even though the design met the regulations. The team suggested to the Stewards that there might have been some fault and while they accepted this point, they still felt that a penalty was necessary and that was to just disqualify the pole-capturing time that Hamilton achieved in Qualifying.

Race starts at 2:00 pm in Brazil/1:00 am in Malaysia (Monday)

F1/Round 19: Preview & Provisional Sprint Race Starting Grid For 2021 Sao Paolo Grand Prix

F1/Round 18: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix

Race starts at 1 pm in Mexico/3 am (Monday) in Malaysia

While the racing teams are on the west side of the Atlantic Ocean, they have 3 races in the hemisphere – after the US Grand Prix in Texas, this weekend sees the second one in Mexico City. The event has been known as the Mexican Grand Prix for the 20 times in has been held since 1963 (last year, it was cancelled due to the pandemic) but this year, it will become known as the Mexico City Grand Prix.

An event special to Honda
The Mexican Grand Prix has been held at the same circuit which was originally named the Magdalena Mixiuhca Circuit but renamed to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in honour of the country’s racing drivers, Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez. This circuit in particular is special to Honda because it was the first Japanese team to win a Formula 1 race in the 1965 event. While it did not participate as a factory team later on, it was an engine supplier and contributed to the victories of Williams (1987) and McLaren (1988-1989) in the Mexican rounds of the championship.

*Honda RA272 winning the 1965 Mexican GP – the first F1 win by a team from Japan.*

5 times higher than Petronas Twin Towers
The 4.3-km circuit set within a sports park has always presented a unique challenge for the engineers. At 2,385 metres above sea level, it is situated at the highest altitude of any circuit and that’s 5 times higher than the height of the Petronas Twin Towers. This means the air is thinner (by about 25%) so the operating conditions are unlike other tracks. This is where forced induction is vital to avoid the loss that naturally-aspirated engines suffer due to less air being available.

There are also has implications on aerodynamics and the racing cars will be set up with maximum downforce. But because the air is thin, resistance is less so the cars will be able to hit very high speeds of around 350 km/h too.

The drivers will have to be alert for cooling problems with the brakes and the turbochargers will also have to work harder, so there is a risk of the Power Unit failing. Cooling the car appropriately is probably the biggest challenge in Mexico. For the Power Unit, the lack of mass flow of air limits the cooling potential, which requires careful management to ensure reliability.

Red Bull Racing or Mercedes-AMG?
Going into the final quarter of the championship, the battles for the Drivers and Constructors titles are still tight. The lead has alternated between Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and Red Bull Racing and after the US Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has a lead of just 12 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton 275.5 points. Running in third is Valtteri Bottas with 185 points and he will be starting from pole position for the race after a surprise qualifying run to beat his teammate by 0.145 second. 35 points behind him is Sergio Perez who will be in fourth place on the grid, alongside his teammate, Verstappen.

Historically, the Mexican Grand Prix has been one of the races where the Drivers championship has been decided but in those years when Hamilton was confirmed champion (2017 and 2018), the event was the 19th round of a 20-race calendar.

In the Constructors championship, the positions are reversed and it is the German team that is ahead of Red Bull Racing by 23 points. The fight for the title will be confined to these two teams, while third will be fought by McLaren and Scuderia Ferrari which are just 3.5 points apart with 5 rounds remaining.

F1: Australian GP to be replaced by Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix in November

F1/Round 16: Highlights & Provisional Results For 2021 Turkish Grand Prix

Rain was falling as the cars lined up, Valtteri Bottas in front with Max Verstappen alongside and the fastest driver in qualifying – Lewis Hamilton – down in 11th spot as he had to take a grid penalty for the engine component change. The wet conditions were expected to remain throughout the race.

The Mercedes-AMG driver got off to a good start, and Verstappen slotted behind in his spray. Not surprisingly, there was some drama as Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, Williams Racing Nicholas Latifi and Haas F1’s Mick Schumacher went into spins on the wet track. But Hamilton was quick to slice through traffic within the first few corners and started the second lap to positions higher. He was then held at ninth place for 6 laps as Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda proved difficult to get past.

In third was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez was shadowing him and waiting for an opportunity to get forward to cover Verstappen. Track temperatures were low due to the rain and as the drivers tried to get the tyres warmer, the racing was still a bit tricky.

On lap 9, the first penalty of the race was imposed on Pierre Gasly. It was a 5-second time penalty for having bumped Alonso in a spin at the start. However, Alonso also got a 5-second penalty as well as he had later bumped in Schumacher.

Within 15 laps, Hamilton had moved from eleventh at the start to fifth and the difficult part would start – ahead were Perez and Leclerc. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who had started from the back due to an engine change penalty, had moved up to ninth place after 18 laps. McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo was less successful and stuck at sixteenth place for some time. He would be the first driver to pit on lap 24.

At the halfway point of the race, it was still Bottas leading Verstappen and the gap was around 4 seconds. Leclerc was about 3 seconds behind the Dutchman but Perez was still some distance away with a gap of over 10 seconds. The prospect of more rain was mentioned in the pits.

Lap 36 saw Hamilton close in on the Red Bull driver and for a few corners, the two drivers were doing close-up duels. As with Tsunoda, Hamilton’s attempts to overtake keep being frustrated by the Mexican driver. And then Perez headed for the pits on lap 37, letting Hamilton through to start chasing Verstappen. Bottas also came in at around the same time, his lead taken by Leclerc. The Mercedes-AMG driver was able to return to the race just ahead of Verstappen.

On lap 42, Hamilton was asked to come in but he was reluctant to do so, and remained on the track. Leclerc too was thinking that he might trey to stay with the tyres all the way till the end of the race. Aston Martin COGNIZANT’s Sebastian Vettel had come in and taken the chance on intermediates which proved to be a very bad decision, dropping him totally out of contention.

Bottas started to close in on Leclerc while Verstappen was facing steering problems. With 10 laps remaining, the Mercedes-AMG finally regained the lead. Leclerc was displaced to fourth as Hamilton zipped past him but there was still a 6-second gap with Verstappen. The pressure was on the Red Bull driver who was aiming for the Finn ahead but also having to keep an eye on his team mate in the mirror.

To be on the safe side, Hamilton decided to come in to change tyres with 7 laps remaining. His quick stop allowed him to return behind Perez and Leclerc. He had fresh tyres and could put in maximum effort all the way to the finish so the 5-second gap was nothing. But even as Hamilton closed in on Perez, he put in a spurt and overtook Leclerc, which was not what the Mercedes-AMG driver was expecting. It didn’t help that Scuderia Alphatauri’s Pierre Gasly had also closed in and was watching for an opening past. Only 3 laps remained.

In the final two laps, Bottas had a comfortable 10-second lead over Verstappen, enough for him to concentrate on picking up an extra point by going for the fastest lap just before he took the chequered flag to win the Turkish Grand Prix. It was his tenth win on Formula 1. Strange how, having been confirmed that he will leave the team at the end of this season, his fortunes are getting better.

F1/Round 14: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Italian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3 pm in Italy | 9 pm in Malaysia

Round 14 of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship is the Italian Grand Prix, which takes place at the Monza Circuit north of Milan. This is the most frequented track in Formula 1 and Monza is running a round for the 71^st time. The only time Monza did not host a round was in 1980, when the Italian GP was held at Imola.

The 5.739-km circuit is therefore familiar to the teams who know how different it is from the tight, maximum downforce Zandvoort Circuit last weekend. Nicknamed ‘The Temple of Speed’ and in existence for 99 years, Monza is all about pace, and some of the highest speeds of each season are reached on the long straights. In fact, 85% of the lap distance will be taken at full throttle, the highest of any F1 track.

The teams will therefore be giving attention to downforce and use packages designed for the high-speed straights. Monza has the lowest downforce level of the year, requiring a special rear wing for the event. This is a talking point every year at the Italian Grand Prix, but there would still be enough downforce to – in theory – drive a car upside down.

The lower downforce levels at Monza, combined with the long straights, decreases the temperature of the tyres, resulting in more frequent wheel lock-ups than at other tracks. This also impacts brake stability as it makes the car more nervous and unpredictable under braking, increasing the possibility of a lock-up. A lot of time can be found in these slow-speed chicanes and big braking zones, but the run-off areas can be unforgiving if you make a mistake.

According to the technicians at Brembo, which supplies the brake systems for the F1 cars, the Monza Circuit is a very demanding circuit for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it is rated 4 on the difficulty index, the same as Sochi where the GP will be held at the end of the month. The low aerodynamic load used to take advantage of the really long straights means highly violent throttle-off moments on the three chicanes. making them particularly demanding for the driver.

Each team can choose from 6 different Brembo front discs, depending on the temperatures expected during the race and the specific race strategy. There is the medium cooling option with 800 holes, high cooling with 1,250 holes and very high cooling with 1,480 holes. Each of these then offers a sub-option with a process on the outer diameter – the so-called groove.

In the case of very high cooling, the holes are arranged in 7 different rows, in the intermediate case in 6 rows and the other case in 4 rows. They measure 2.5 mm in diameter each and are precision-machined individually. It takes 12 – 14 hours to punch all the holes on a single disc. The mechanical component tolerance is only four hundredths.

As for the tyres, Pirelli is providing 3 compounds in the middle of the range: the most popular selection of the season. The P Zero White hard is the C2, P Zero Yellow medium is C3, and P Zero Red is the C4. The same compounds were selected for the last 2 years, offering a good balance for all the different demands of the circuit.

The Italian GP is the second race this year that will have the new Sprint qualifying format. First run at the British Grand Prix in July, it proved to be popular with the drivers as well as the spectators. The Sprint Qualifying Race is 100 kms long which is 18 laps of Monza. No pit stops are required so the drivers will be going flat out from start to finish.

The start of the Sprint race saw Hamilton fumble and while his team mater got off well, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo also got past the Mercedes-AMG driver and Land Norris as well! But collisions further back, starting with Pierre Gasly and a McLaren brought out the Safety Car. But it was only our till the third lap and racing resumed – by which time, Hamilton had dropped to fifth place.

The Scuderia AlphaTauri team had a bad day as Gasly (last year’s Italian GP winner) was out and Yuki Tusnoda had also sustained damage. Gasly’s retirement enabled Charles Leclerc to move up, while Lance Stroll had to work hard to prevent Sergio Perez from taking over his position.

Verstappen tailed Bottas who was about 2 seconds in the lead. The Dutchman didn’t have to try too hard and just keep his second position since the Finn would have to start from the back even if he won the race. The only thing that Verstappen would miss out on was just 1 point.

For Hamilton, things were just not working out, even with DRS and Norris remained in his sights ahead. The thing is, it was just an 18-lap race so there was not a lot of time and every second counted. In the end, he had to settle for fifth place, while Bottas took the chequered flag. The additional points don’t do anything to the rankings as they were on 3-2-1, so tomorrow will see the reigning World Champion having to work very hard to regain the lead.

F1 (Round 13): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Race starts at 1:10 pm in Italy | 8:10 pm in Malaysia

Round 13 of the 2020 Formula World Championship is another new event – the Formula 1 Emirates Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. It is the third race on Italian soil this year, after races at Monza and Mugello.

This weekend, it is held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, more popularly referred to as the Imola Circuit as it is near the city of Imola. The last time the circuit had a F1 race was 14 years, when the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix was run.

The circuit had its name associated with the famous Italian carmaker in 1970 to honour Ferrari and mark the importance of the links with the circuit. It was initially after Enzo Ferrari’s son Dino; when Enzo himself passed away in 1988, the decision was taken to add the father’s name to that of his son.

*The last time a F1 race was held at Imola was the 2006 San Marino GP.*

A 2-day weekend format is being tried out for the first time, an approach which could allow additional races to be added to the calendar without spending too many days travelling far from home.

The shortened schedule means less track time – and only one driver has actually done a F1 race at Imola. He is Kimi Raikkonen, who raced at the circuit 5 times in total. For the rest, there’s only one 90-minute session in the morning available to get to know the layout before qualifying in the afternoon.

There are no lap times to aim for, partly because Formula 1 has not been here for several years and even for Raikkonen, the layout has been changed somewhat from what he knew.

Until very recently, it had been hoped that spectators would be allowed to attend in limited numbers, but the worsening of the COVID-19 situation in Italy forced a new decision to be made this week to hold the race without spectators. Furthermore, the race must start right after lunchtime to ensure there is sufficient daylight in the 4-hour window available.

The Imola circuit is a highly technical one, with a wide range of corners. The 67-year old circuit (which has changed over the years) is narrow and bumpy, as the older tracks tend to be. This is quite a change from what the drivers experienced in Portugal just recently.

“With very little time available to analyse the data from free practice, we have reorganised our priorities, allocating resources in a different way both at the track and back in Maranello. We will also manage components, engines and gearboxes for example or the incorporation of components that have already been tested, so as to cut down time spent and to try and reduce the risks as much as possible,” said Matteo Togninalli, Scuderia Ferrari’s Chief Race Engineer.

“The fact that the track has not had a F1 race in 14 years is indeed an additional and significant variable. It means that preparation prior to the event is even more important to try and perform as well as possible. Without any data to work from, as is the case with Imola, the level of fine tuning is reduced and one has to look at the bigger picture,” he explained.

He added that the simulator helps the driver to quickly familiarise himself with the track, not just its layout, but also other features that can impact performance, such as bumpy sections, where to ride the kerbs, the right lines and braking points. “It’s true the drivers learn a new track incredibly quickly and are soon on the limit, but it’s also true that when you go to a new track, the lap times tumble much more quickly than usual. It’s important therefore to do as many laps as possible to get to the optimum level as soon as possible,” Togninalli said.

F1 (Round 11): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

Race starts at 2:10 pm in Germany/8:10 pm in Malaysia

Round 11 of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship sees yet another different name for the event that will run at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit. It’s called the Eifel Grand Prix this time, which makes it the fourth name, having previously hosted the German, European and Luxembourg Grands Prix. The circuit has not had a F1 race since the German Grand Prix of 2013.

The ‘Eifel’ name refers to the mountains in the region (nothing to do with the Eiffel Tower in Paris) and in the 1930s when there was a race of that name, it saw the birth of the Silver Arrows legend. On June 3 1934, the newly developed Mercedes-Benz W25 won the Eifelrennen with an average speed of 122.5 km/h. Legend has it that the W25 was slightly above the weight limit for the 750-kg Formula in which it competed. And (allegedly) its white paint was scraped off before the race to meet the regulatory limits, exposing its shiny bodywork – hence the first Silver Arrow was born.

*The first of the Silver Arrows at the 1934 Eifel Grand Prix.*

Technical track
The layout of the Nurburgring’s GP Circuit draws some comparisons with Silverstone in that it features a technical, low-speed opening sector followed by faster corners later in the lap. It presents a good all-round test of a car’s performance because it includes a wide range of corner speed and profiles – from high-speed turns, to slow-speed hairpins and twisty chicanes.

While lacking the extreme high-speed turns of the British circuit, it is expected to demand similarly high levels of downforce. This means that the maximum speed anticipated for the W11 (316 km/h) is expected to be the lowest figure of this season.

The circuit’s undulations are one of its most striking features, with a large amount of elevation change. In fact, the difference between the highest point (the start/finish straight) and the lowest point at Turn 7 is around 55 metres.

One of the biggest unknowns for all of the teams this weekend is the track surface and how it has evolved over time. Getting the tyres to work and understanding the operating window will be crucial to unlocking performance out on track.

The tyres Pirelli will supply
Pirelli brings tyres from the middle of the range this weekend with a C2 Hard tyre, C3 Medium tyre and C4 Soft tyre provided. The circuit is not noted as being particularly tough on the rubber but the Italian manufacturer cites the heavy deceleration into the hairpin and its unusual camber as factors likely to push the front left tyre very hard.

While the GP Circuit made its F1 debut in an October race, it is unusual to be racing this far north, this late in the season. The reason is, of course, due to the suspension of activities in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a rescheduling of the rounds from July.

The forecast for the weekend indicates the potential for temperatures in single figures alongside the usual Eifel showers. It is something the teams will watch closely as it will present its own unique set of challenges for the tyres.

Victory and fastest lap for Valtteri Bottas in Russia last time out saw the Finn close the gap on his team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the top of the Drivers’ Championship table. Hamilton continues to lead with 205 points to Bottas’ 161. The tightest battle among the drivers is currently over fourth position, between Lando Norris, Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo.

Championship positions
Victory and third place in Sochi extended the Mercedes-AMG advantage in the Constructors’ Championship to 174 points. They now lead Red Bull Racing 366 to 192. Behind Red Bull, the battle for third has become intense after a poor showing in Sochi dragged McLaren back towards their rivals. With 106 points, they are two ahead of Racing Point, on 104, and seven ahead of Renault on 99.

F1 (Round 10): Results And Highlights Of 2020 Russian Grand Prix

♦ The first two retirements of the race were Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz, Jr. who crashed within the first few turns, bringing the Safety Car out for the first 5 laps.

♦ Pirelli said that early appearance of the Safety Car would help reduce tyre wear at a crucial point in the race with the cars on full fuel. It would also be advantageous for the soft tyre runners.

♦ As the race resumed with the departure of the Safety Car, news came that Lewis Hamilton had been given two 5-second penalties. The offence: doing practice starts in the wrong place.

♦ At that early point in the race, there were at least 6 cars within 10 seconds of Hamilton, who was in the lead, so he had to work very hard to stretch the gap. He served his penalty on the 17th lapas tyres were changed, rejoining the race in 10th position.

♦ At the halfway mark of the 53-lap race, it was Valtteri Bottas in the lead with a 10-second gap from Max Verstappen. A frustrated Hamilton was about 5 places back and contemplating whether to push harder or just manage the tyres and pick up as many points as possible by the end of the race.

♦ Daniel Ricciardo was another driver who got a penalty – 5 seconds for ‘failing to follow the race director’s instructions’. Accepting the bad news, the Aussie driver told his team that he would ‘drive faster’.

♦ With 10 laps remaining, Hamilton was up to third, behind Verstappen and Bottas. But the gaps were fairly big and by race end, the Red Bull driver was about 14 seconds ahead.