Summarised F1 news from across the internet
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Fernando Alonso’s ‘predictable’ Formula 1 comments fair – Bratches
Formula 1 commercial boss Sean Bratches says Fernando Alonso was right to say the championship has become too predictable, but insists the situation will change. When he announced his imminent departure, Alonso referred to F1 management having attempted to change his mind.
“Had I been his head of communications I would have advised him to use different words on his last lap so to speak,” said Bratches.
“But I think there is an opportunity for F1 to be less predictable, and it’s important that we get there.
“Since the 2015 season only three teams have won a grand prix, so it is pretty predictable.”
“If you look at the Premier League, since the 2014-15 season the bottom three teams have either beaten or tied the top six 29% of the time,” he said.
“So if you’re, let’s say, a Cardiff fan, unless you’re a crazy optimist – Leicester City aside – you might not think you’re going to win the Premier League, but when you play Chelsea or Manchester City you know that you can actually win the game, and it actually happens.
“I wish he was around for another 10 years to be part of that. He’s been such a phenomenal ambassador for the sport, such a hero, a legend, I hope that his brand stays around for many years to come.”
“I was disappointed from a business standpoint,” he said.
“He’s been around for a long time, at the highest peaks.
“I respect his decision to move on, and I hope we can engage him to be an ambassador of this great sport going forward.”
Force India co-owner, Vijay Mallya, leaves after an extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court, in central London, Britain June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Mazepin company challenges Stroll’s Force India rescue deal
A statement released on Tuesday by Dmitry Mazepin’s Uralkali company claimed “the process conducted by the administrator of Force India Formula One Team Limited may not be in the best interests of Force India creditors and stakeholders, and the sport in general.”
RaceFans understands that due to convoluted legal processes followed in India due to the legal predicaments faced by Mallya, no consent was received from the 13 Indian creditor banks who applied for freezing orders on Mallya’s assets banks, and therefore the sale of Force India by administrators FRP Advisory LLP as a “going concern” was impossible.
The company also claims its demand for a “transparent and fair process to ensure equal opportunities for each bidder” was not respected.
Lowe expects pain as Williams find ‘more and more problems’
“As you start digging, you find more and more problems. We have to make up a lot of ground,” Lowe tells Auto Motor und Sport this week.
“In the meantime, we have to endure the pain until there is a solution,” he said.
The current situation at Williams has been compared to a similar situation that Lowe faced when he grappled with a fundamentally flawed car at McLaren in 2009.
“It’s not directly comparable,” Lowe insisted. “But it shows that if everyone works purposefully, with discipline and while staying calm and united, you can pull out of it.
“In the end it’s a technical problem, and all technical problems are solvable,” he insisted.
READ TJ13’s TAKE ON WILLIAMS DISASTER EARLIER IN THE SEASON
Fernando Alonso: “I feel fresh, motivated and ready to attack”
“Even though Formula 1 has been on its summer shutdown, it feels like a lot has happened since Hungary!” said Alonso. “I’m pleased to finally confirm my decision for 2019, but that doesn’t in any way deter from what me or the team will be focusing on for the rest of the year.
“We still have a lot of work to do and I’m really looking forward to being back in the car from FP2. Although I’ve raced more recently that anyone else on the grid, at Silverstone in WEC last weekend, I still can’t wait to get behind the wheel at Spa.
“It’s one of the best circuits on the calendar and usually a lot of fun.”
“Spa is the longest track we race on and a lot of it is at full throttle, so it will be a challenging weekend for us,” said Alonso. “But, I feel fresh, motivated and ready to attack the weekend and the second half of the season.”
An amazing poster for the coming Spa race by Reddit user FredrikRottz
Update 15:00: New F1 series for Netflix to come?
Netflix has commissioned 10 episodes from the 2018 season, and the production team will film and reveal the intense fight for the heart, soul, and direction for the future of this multibillion-dollar business.
Ocon posted on his instagram ‘stories’ that he was being recorded for Netflix and Verstappen is expected to be film this weekend at Spa.
Update 16:00 – Force India name change imminent
It had been noticed that a couple of days ago, Force India removed ‘Sahara’ from their name on Facebook. Perhaps a new logo and design is imminent?
Seen today in Spa
