F1 2016: six things you need to know about the German GP
No halo in 2017 and radio rules are relaxed: all the news ahead of this weekend’s race
F1 Strategy Group rejects the halo for 2017
The big news from Germany is that Formula One will not adopt the halo head protection device next season after the Strategy Group agreed that the design needed more testing.
The decision is at odds with the vast majority of drivers, with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel saying that “90-95 per cent” of them were in favour of it and that nothing “justifies death”.
However, Red Bull boss Christian Horner argued that a handful of installation laps had not given teams enough time assess the titanium frame, and that more trials were needed to make sure that reduced visibility didn’t add a new element of danger to the sport.
Instead, the FIA will work towards introducing cockpit protection in 2018, with Red Bull’s aeroscreen also under consideration once more now that there is more time for developments to be made.
Advertisement - Page continues belowRadio rules have been changed again
Following incidents involving Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button at Silverstone and the Hungaroring this month, the FIA has decided to take “a more liberal approach” to the rule which states that drivers must perform ‘alone and unaided’.
There are now no restrictions at all on the information that teams can give to their drivers, with the exception of the formation lap when no communications will be allowed.
It means that drivers will receive no help with their pre-race setup procedures, but can be assisted with complex settings and mechanical problems during the grand prix itself.
Last week McLaren were penalised for telling Jenson Button how to prevent his brake pedal from sticking on the opening lap in Hungary, while Nico Rosberg was handed a ten-second penalty the week before in Britain after Mercedes instructed him to shift through seventh gear to prevent gearbox failure.
While unpopular ‘coaching’ will now be allowed again, F1’s bosses believe radio messages will be more entertaining for the fans now that the limitations have been removed. Agree?
Track limit rules are being discussed too
Nope, we’re still not done talking about rule changes.
Another topic that the Strategy Group covered during their meeting yesterday was the issue of track limits. The teams are reportedly in favour of scrapping penalties for driving off circuit on the basis that it’s hard to show whether or not an advantage has been gained.
The FIA has trialled numerous systems to enforce track boundaries recently: new kerbs in Austria were thought to be responsible for several suspension failures over the course of the grand prix weekend, while electronic sensors were trialled last week in Hungary.
The latter method was praised by some of the drivers, although others prefer a physical deterrent such as grass or gravel.
But according to Charlie Whiting, relaxing the rules completely would be “inappropriate” as it would increase speeds whilst reducing the amount of available run-off area. So there.
Advertisement - Page continues belowVerstappen defends his defending
Teenage sensation Max Verstappen has come under fire from several angles this week following his battle with Kimi Raikkonen at the last race in Hungary.
The Dutchman drew the ire of the ‘Iceman’ last time out after a couple of controversial moves under braking which the Finn believed were dangerous and illegal.
Race control took no action as Verstappen came home in fifth, although Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez all believe that he overstepped the mark by changing direction in the braking zones at Turn 1 and Turn 2.
But Max disagreed, telling Autosport: “I don't think it's that dramatic - you know it's hard to overtake on that track.
“You are fighting - we are not on a Sunday drive. That's how I approach it, we are here to fight and there to score points. Senna and Prost would have liked it as well.”
F1 stars play in charity football match
Not for the first time this year, several drivers from the F1 grid switched sports for a good cause by playing in the ‘Champions for Charity’ match at the Coface Arena in Mainz.
It was held in honour of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher who suffered serious head injuries after a skiing accident in 2013, but money was also raised for other charitable causes.
Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, Pascal Wehrlein and Mika Hakkinen were among many F1 names who took part, as did Schumacher’s 17-year-old son Mick.
Daniel Ricciardo also played, although he later said that he’d been more use off the pitch than on it...
James Allison leaves Ferrari post
Ferrari’s tumultuous season took another turn for the worse earlier this week after it was announced that highly rated technical director James Allison was leaving his position after three years with the team.
Allison was previously head of aerodynamics at Ferrari at the start of the millennium when Michael Schumacher won five consecutive world titles, and he was deputy technical director at Renault when Fernando Alonso won his back-to-back championship crowns.
Ferrari had hoped that appointing Allison would return them to winning ways, although progress this season appears to have stalled with only a handful of podiums to show for their efforts.
Far from being a case of a lack of results though, reports suggest that Allison’s personal circumstances are behind the decision after the 48-year-old lost his wife to meningitis earlier in the year.
TG wishes him the very best for the future.
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