Force India sits out second practice

Force India will sit out second practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, as investigations into Sergio Perez’s accident in the morning continue.

Perez crashed heavily at Turn 11 of the Hungaroring circuit during opening practice, rolling his Force India.

A suspected right-rear suspension failure pitted Perez into a spin, and into the barriers on the right-hand side of the track.

Perez’s front-right wheel then became trapped up the car, forcing the Force India into a roll, where it came to rest upside down.

The Mexican was unhurt in the accident, but Force India will not run again on Friday as a precaution.

“Sahara Force India will not take part in this afternoon’s second practice session at the Hungaroring as the team continues to investigate a suspension problem, which caused Sergio Perez to crash this morning,” reads a team statement.

“Sergio’s car suffered significant damage to the bodywork, wings and floor, and repairs are ongoing.

“As a precaution, the team has chosen not to run Nico Hulkenberg this afternoon.

“The team will work hard to fully understand the cause of the failure and find a resolution in order to be ready for Saturday’s free practice session.”

This article first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Sahara Force India

Perez unhurt after heavy practice crash

Sergio Perez walked away unhurt from a heavy accident in opening practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Perez suffered a suspected right-rear suspension failure coming out of Turn 11, spinning across the track before hitting the barriers on the right-hand side of the circuit.

Perez’s right-front wheel then became trapped underneath the car, pitching the Force India into a roll, where it came to rest upside down.

As the Mexican clambered free of his broken car the session was immediately red flagged, with a medical car sent to the scene.

After a brief precautionary check at the circuit’s medical centre Perez returned to the pits, giving a wave to the onlooking crowd.

“It was a really bad accident, really unlucky,” he told Sky Sports F1.

“I went in at the wrong angle, which made the car roll over, but everything’s all right.

“It was a bit of a strange accident, I thought I was under control but I guess the Astroturf was very dirty and that’s why I went into the wall, but we have to check everything in detail.”

Perez’s accident comes just a week after the death of Jules Bianchi, who passed away on Friday from injuries sustained in a crash at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton topped the interrupted opening session of the weekend at the Hungaroring, lapping a tenth clear of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

This article first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Sahara Force India

Hamilton fastest as Perez rolls in opening practice

Lewis Hamilton set the pace during an incident packed opening practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, interrupted by a dramatic accident for Sergio Perez.

Perez prompted the first of two red flags after suffering a heavy accident at Turn 11.

A suspected failure of the right-rear suspension pitched the Force India into a spin, with the car rattling off the barriers before rolling over its trapped front-right tyre and ending up upside down.

The Mexican clambered out of his broken car and after a brief assessment at the circuit’s medical centre returned to the pits on foot.

With the debris cleared after a lengthy stoppage, Hamilton, who had gone fastest in the opening runs, improved with a 1m25.141s to end the session fastest for Mercedes, a tenth of a second clear of team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Kimi Raikkonen lapped third fastest, but suffered a bizarre failure in the final five minutes of the session as his front wing collapsed as he ran across the curbs at Turn 12, prompting a late stoppage.

Daniil Kvyat beat Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo to fourth, ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who spent the opening half of the 90-minute session confined to the garage.

Carlos Sainz was seventh quickest for Toro Rosso, as Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen rounded out the top 10.

The two McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were 11th and 12th, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, who was confined to the garage following Perez’s accident.

Felipe Massa was 14th in the second Williams, from the Sauber duo Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson.

Pastor Maldonado was 18th as Lotus completed limited running after Pirelli withheld the team’s tyres until late on Friday morning owing to a financial issue.

Will Stevens was the best of the Manor cars in 19th, ahead of reserve driver Fabio Leimer, who was 19th quickest on his maiden F1 practice run.

Jolyon Palmer, standing in for Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus E23, failed to complete a flying lap owing to the teams tyre delays.

This report first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Mercedes AMG PETRONAS

Force India’s B-spec car delayed until British GP

The updated ‘B-spec’ version of Force India’s VJM08 will be delayed until the British Grand Prix, according to Sergio Perez.

The team had originally hoped to bring its updated car to the Monaco Grand Prix, but the introduction of the ‘B-spec’ VJM08 will now have to wait until Force India’s home race at Silverstone.

“We obviously are pushing very hard back at the factory, trying to bring the package altogether,” he said.

“We would love to have the package for Barcelona, which didn’t happen.

“I think Silverstone will be the first time we have a new package.”

Despite the delay in the launch of Force India’s 2015 car, which only debuted at the final pre-season test, Perez praised the effort of the team in the opening part of the campaign.

“I think the first four races have been better than expected,” he added. “To be 10 or 12 points behind Red Bull, is a massive effort for us coming out of the first four races, so I think we need to be optimistic.

“Obviously, we’ve been lacking a lot of pace, so I think the effort that has been done in the first four races has been pretty special considering what the basic pace of the car is.

“We’re going to have another race similar to the first four. I think this one is going to be a particularly difficult one for us considering Barcelona, how hot is the track and the level of downforce is what we’re lacking the most.

“I expect to have a difficult one, but on the other hand, not any more difficult than other weekends. So yeah, optimistic, but difficult when you don’t have any upgrades. I think some of the teams are bringing some upgrades, so let’s see what we can do.”

Image courtesy of Sahara Force India

2015 Bahrain Grand Prix Driver Ratings

There were inspired performances up and down the field during the Bahrain Grand Prix, but just how well did each driver do? Here are Richland F1’s driver ratings from under the lights in Sakhir.

Lewis Hamilton – 10/10

The reigning champion took his fourth pole position on the bounce and in the race cruised to an easy win – even if his late brake-by-wire failure betrayed the fact he had led comfortably throughout. Hamilton must be content with three wins from four races and a 27 point lead at the head of the standings. He has barely put a foot wrong so far in 2015.

Nico Rosberg – 9/10

Rosberg set the pace on Friday, but then went missing when it mattered in qualifying, lining up just third on the grid. He dropped to fourth off the start, but fought back with a gutsy drive, passing Vettel three times during the race thanks to Ferrari’s superior use of the undercut. Lost out to a late attack by Kimi Raikkonen as his brakes faded, but it was Rosberg’s most impressive race of the campaign by some margin.

Daniel Ricciardo – 8/10

Sixth at the flag, ahead of Felipe Massa after the Brazilian’s early problems is about all Ricciardo can have hoped for from the race, given Red Bull’s current form. His spectacular engine failure as he crossed the line means he is onto his fourth power unit of the season already – penalties will undoubtedly follow.

Daniil Kvyat – 6/10

Dropping out in Q1 was a tough hit, but the Russian drove well in the race to come from 17th to finish ninth, collecting two points. It is hardly a headline grabbing drive, but a solid result given his tough start to life with Red Bull Racing. Kyat must deliver once the European season kicks off if he is not to become a forgotten man.

Felipe Massa – 7/10

A sensor problem on the way to the grid meant he was forced to start from the pitlane  and his task was not made any easier after he was tagged by Pastor Maldonado in the early stages – damaging the floor of the Williams. Despite the early setback, Massa made steady progress on an aggressive strategy, but ultimately struggled to make the medium tyres last on a mammoth final stint, dropping to tenth by the chequered flag.

Valtteri Bottas – 9/10

As had been the case in China, Bottas seemed set for another lonely race, only for Sebastian Vettel to re-join behind him after his unscheduled stop for a new nose. The Finn defended beautifully in the closing stages to see off the challenge of the faster Ferrari racer, and score his best finish of the campaign so far.

Sebastian Vettel – 4/10

Did well to split the two Mercedes cars on the grid, but Vettel’s run to a potential fourth podium on the bounce was spoilt by a series of uncharacteristic mistakes. He was passed by Rosberg three times, and run wide at the final corner, breaking his front-wing which dropped him behind Bottas. His failed attempt to pass the Finn in the closing stages, which nearly ended with him rear-ending the Williams summed up a race to forget.

Kimi Raikkonen – 9/10

Starting fourth, the Finn took the fight to Mercedes with an aggressive strategy, running the hard tyres during the middle stint before switching to the soft rubber for the run to the flag. His pace on the harder Pirellis kept him in the hunt, and he flew in the closing stages after switching to the faster compound, reeling in Rosberg, who gifted him second after running straight on at Turn 1. Could have won with a few more laps.

Fernando Alonso – 8/10

While Jenson Button spent the best part of the weekend cursing his luck, Alonso delivered McLaren’s best relative performance of the year. He hauled the MP4-30 into Q2 for the first time in 2015 and narrowly missed out on the team’s first points of the campaign by three seconds in 11th.

Jenson Button – N/A

Button’s weekend was blighted by setbacks, with an engine cutout causing a spin in the opening minutes of running on Friday, while he was later forced to stop on track in the evening session. He hit more of the same problems in qualifying, with the MP4-30 grinding to a halt in Q1, leaving him last on the grid. McLaren encountered another technical issue on race day and he failed to take the start.

Nico Hulkenberg – 6/10

Starred on route to eighth on the grid in the still underdeveloped Force India, but he struggled to make the tyres work during the race, forcing a third stop which saw him tumble out of the points to 13th.

Sergio Perez – 8/10

He was unable to replicate his team-mates fine showing in qualifying, but the Mexican made up for it during the race as he perfected a two stop strategy – which his team said would not work – to climb into the points. Four points was a just reward after a fine drive to eighth.

Max Verstappen – 5/10

The star of the Chinese Grand Prix, Bahrain was an altogether tougher weekend for the Dutch rookie. Appalling understeer in qualifying left him just 15th on the grid, and he was all-but anonymous on Sunday before an electrical issue forced him out for the third time in four races.

Carlos Sainz Jr. – 7/10

Pulled out a fine lap to haul the Toro Rosso to ninth in qualifying, but like team-mate Verstappen he failed to finish the race after he was forced to stop with a loose wheel after his opening stop.

Romain Grosjean – 8/10

Continued his 100 per cent record of progressing to Q3 this year, even if he was disappointed with ‘just tenth’. The Frenchman jumped Hulkenberg and Sainz on the opening lap but could not keep in touch with Ricciardo, and eventually came home a lonely seventh to repeat his finish of a week ago in China.

Pastor Maldonado – 6/10

Maldonado looked the faster of the two Lotus cars during practice, only to tumble out in Q1 with another brake problem. He managed to line up in the wrong slot on the grid – earning a five-second time penalty – but made decent progress on the soft tyres before an engine problem caused a lengthy final stop, costing him a shot at points.

Will Stevens – 8/10

Given his equipment, it was another decent performance from Stevens, who despite being compromised by Maldonado’s grid mix-up comfortably went on to beat his Manor team-mate Roberto Merhi by 44 seconds.

Roberto Merhi – 5/10

Merhi was unable to match his team-mate throughout the weekend and was a second adrift of Stevens in qualifying. He got the drop on the Englishman off the start but ruined his own tyres in a futile attempt to keep Stevens at bay.

Marcus Ericsson – 6/10

The Swede started well to run inside the points but a problem with his front-left tyre in the pits dropped him well out of contention.

Felipe Nasr – 8/10

The Brazilian was sluggish away off the start, dropping behind his team-mate in the opening stages. He fought valiantly in the midfield, clocking up a tonne of TV time, but dropped back after encountering a power unit problem that saw him lagging behind on the straights.

This feature first appeared on Richland F1 – Images courtesy of of Daimler, Red Bull Content Pool, Scuderia Ferrari, Sahara Force India, Lotus F1 Team, Sauber Motorsports AG

Vettel apologises for Perez practice clash

Sebastian Vettel has apologised to Sergio Perez after his collision with the Mexican in the closing stages of second practice in Bahrain.

Vettel was leaving the pits when he suffered a brake problem, causing him to tag the rear of Perez’s Force India into Turn 1, breaking the front wing of the Ferrari and prompting caused a brief red flag period.

The pair were investigated after the session but were cleared of any wrongdoing by the stewards.

“I came out of the garage and had a problem,” Vettel said. “I hit the brakes but suddenly there was a blow and I couldn’t brake properly.

“Therefore I hit Sergio Perez in the corner. Of course I’m sorry, but I couldn’t do anything else in that moment. I was looking for Sergio to say sorry, but he was still sitting in the car.”

Vettel ended the opening day of running in Sakhir fourth on the timesheets, but had been set for a quicker time when he ran wide at the final corner on his flying lap.

“My fast lap was not perfect, but everything in the car feels good,” he explained. “Of course tonight it was quite different from this afternoon, as it was much colder.

“It’s hard to say if we got closer to Mercedes, everybody seemed to be closer to them but I’m sure they didn’t show everything today.”

This article first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Scuderia Ferrari

Vettel/Perez cleared after practice clash

Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez have both been cleared by the stewards after their clash during second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Vettel trimmed the rear of Perez’s car at Turn 1 in the closing stages of Friday’s second practice session.

The German, who was leaving the pits, suffered damage to his front wing which prompted a brief red flag as the debris was cleared.

Following an investigation into the incident the stewards cleared both drivers of any wrongdoing.

“As no driver was determined to be wholly or predominantly to blame, the stewards decide that no further action should be taken,” read a statement from the stewards.

This article first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Scuderia Ferrari 

Rosberg tops second practice, as Vettel and Perez tangle

Nico Rosberg was fastest for Mercedes in second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Rosberg posted a lap of 1:34.647 on the soft tyre during an early qualifying simulation to top the 90-minute session, beating his team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just a tenth of a second.

The reigning champion set the early pace on the medium tyres, but had to settle for second on the timesheets after a lock-up at Turn 7 on his flying lap on the softer compound rubber.

Kimi Raikkonen, the fastest man in opening practice, was third overall for Ferrari, half a second shy of Rosberg’s session topping time, but ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who ran wide at the final corner on his flying lap.

The German caused a brief red flag in the closing stages after he tagged Sergio Perez as he exited the pitlane at Turn 1, damaging the front wing on the Ferrari.

Valtteri Bottas was fifth for Williams – three-thousandths of a second shy of Vettel – ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Pastor Maldonado in the Lotus.

Felipe Nasr ended the day eight fastest for Sauber, while Daniil Kvyat and Felipe Massa rounded out the top ten for Red Bull and Williams respectively.

Marcus Ericsson was 11th in the second Sauber, with Fernando Alonso 12th in a mixed session for McLaren-Honda, after Jenson Button stopped on track early on.

The 2009 champion, who failed to set a time in the opening session after a spin at Turn 1, managed just a single flying lap in the evening before he was forced to park the McLaren on the back straight.

While he did manage to return to the track late on, his earlier issues seemingly resolved, he failed to improve on his earlier time.

Romain Grosjean returned for Lotus after making way for Jolyon Palmer in the opening session and was 13th fastest, ahead of Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India.

Max Verstappen placed 16th in the second of the Toro Rossos, with Perez 17th after his clash with Vettel.

The two Manors of Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi were split in 18th and 20th by McLaren’s Jenson Button.

This report first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Mercedes AMG PETRONAS

Perez ‘frustrated’ waiting for B-spec Force India

Sergio Perez admits it is frustrating waiting for Force India’s B-spec car, as the team struggles for points in the early part of the season.

Force India was forced to delay the launch of its 2015 car until mid-way through the final pre-season test in Barcelona following a series of disputes with suppliers.

A B-specification version of the car is scheduled to be ready in time for the Austrian Grand Prix in June, but Perez is expecting a tough run of races until then.

“It is really frustrating not being able to have a competitive car that can bring you into the points with pure pace,” he told reporters in China. “That makes things really hard.

“But it doesn’t really change anything as the driver, you have to give your best possible shot weekend after weekend.

“Obviously you are in a position where it is very easy to make mistakes, to lose the car as the car is very difficult with degradation. We are going to have hard races, but it is what it is at the moment.

“It is really hard to keep motivated. Going into a race and knowing it is going to be very hard without any advantage is not the easiest as a driver, but you have to be professional and do the job as if you were going to win the race.”

This article first appeared on Richland F1 – Image courtesy of Sahara Force India

Hulkenberg, Perez and Maldonado handed penalty points

Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez and Pastor Maldonado have all been handed penalty points following the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Force India team-mates were both slapped with two penalty points each after separate incidents with Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean for which they served 10 second stop-go penalties during Sunday’s race at Sepang.

The points are Hulkenberg’s first, while Perez is now on four, in addition to the two points he picked up after crashing with Adrian Sutil during last year’s United States Grand Prix.

Maldonado picked up three points – as well as a time penalty – for failing to stay above the minimum time set by the FIA ECU behind the safety car.

The Lotus racer has now earned eight points in the last 12 months.

A driver will be forced to sit out a race if they exceed more than 12 points in a single year.

Image courtesy of Sahara Force India