- 14 Nov 12, 16:43#333901NEWS MODE:
McLaren insist they are not overly concerned about reliability going into this weekend’s 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, despite a car failure having robbed Lewis Hamilton of almost certain victory at the last round in Abu Dhabi.
Instead, the team’s priority will be adding more performance to the MP4-27 as they bid to win at the all-new Circuit of The Americas and hunt down Ferrari in the battle to secure second place in the 2012 constructors’ championship.
“The failure we had in Abu Dhabi was very painful,” admitted managing director Jonathan Neale in a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in, referring to Hamilton’s retirement on lap 20 at Yas Marina, the former champion having dominated the weekend to that point.
“Having said that, we’ve just done 1,500 trouble-free kilometres with the same car at the [young driver] test last week. So yes, we are very mindful of the constructors’ championship, but we are still taking performance upgrades to this Grand Prix. We are not taking an overtly cautious approach, but we are going to be very diligent.”
McLaren were the last team to win a United States Grand Prix, with Hamilton’s victory at Indianapolis back in 2007, and Neale believes the US race’s new Texan home - the country’s first venue purpose built for F1 competition - should prove to be something special again.
“It’s always lovely to go to a new circuit but this one in particular looks like it’s been really well thought out,” he commented. “I’ve seen the simulations and definitely the height change in the circuit and the way that some of the corners have been set up with some blind apexes is going to make for some really exciting racing.
“The tightening set of curves [Turns 3, 4 and 5] - corners very similar to the Japanese circuit of Suzuka - look a real technical challenge, so I think it’s going to be an interesting one for the drivers to have to learn on Friday - and for the teams to balance their programme with that.”
With two rounds of the 2012 season remaining, McLaren have no chance of overhauling Red Bull at the top of the team standings, but with second-placed Ferrari just 22 points ahead they will be chasing hard for the victory in Austin.
“I expect to see the usual suspects up the front,” added Neale. “Clearly it’s a very close-fought championship, and with some pretty tantalising battles up and down the grid, whether you’re in the midfield or at the rear and fighting for those very important Grand Prix places. But yes, we hope - and our desire is - to do really well and to win the race.”
When the news broke shortly after the Singapore Grand Prix that Lewis Hamilton had signed a three-year deal to drive for Mercedes, it shocked many in the F1 community.
McLaren had signed him up as an 11-year-old boy and nurtured him through his career, culminating in an unforgettable world drivers' title in 2008. But clearly all was not right in the world of Hamilton and he felt he needed a different and arguably bigger challenge.
"I wanted to do something different. I wanted a new challenge and have done for quite some time," Hamilton told F1 Racing magazine in a recent interview. "There were a lot of assumptions from people. I think Martin [Whitmarsh] assumed I would be staying, so when I made the call to him it was very tough and very emotional. Emotions were here... the mind thinking there. The heart was fighting the mind but I was in a comfortable place and just said: 'Let's do it.'"
Hamilton has endured an up and down sort of a season with McLaren to date, three race wins and three thirds balanced by five DNFs and some less than impressive results that currently see him fifth in the standings. Joining a team that have never really been front runners except for one season in their previous incarnation as Brawn GP is clearly a massive gamble. But Hamilton admits it is exactly that new challenge that motivates him.
"I can't lie that not winning is frustrating whether you're in this team or another team. I've had lots of experience of not winning and I've learned to deal with it in the past I believe we can eventually get those wins, but it's more long term. In 2014 the rules change massively with the new V6 turbo engines and the cars; everything starts from scratch again.
"I could take the easy route, stay with a great team with a great car making decent money. But I don't want to do that. I want to go and struggle and help a team that's struggling and help them frigging get to the top and start winning. That's going to be the most satisfying feeling if we do get there. And if we don't, I'll only be 31."
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A Grand Prix at the Nürburgring is becoming increasingly less likely, with local media reporting that the bankrupt circuit's tenants cannot agree terms with administrators.
The tenants were in talks with Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone about the planned race at the Nürburgring next year, but those negotiations have now come to a halt. A spokesperson has claimed that a race in the Eifel Mountains will no longer go ahead.
The German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring is still scheduled for July 14.
Sole Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli will be bringing an extra set of its Hard compound rubber for use in Friday practice at the Circuit of the Americas, aiding the drivers as they attempt to get to grips with the only new venue of the season.
Usually, eleven sets of dry weather tyres (six Prime and five Option) are available to each driver for a Grand Prix weekend. One set of Primes must be handed in after first practice, as well as a set of the Option tyres after second practice. However, in Texas, the teams will get seven sets of the Hard compound tyre to begin the event, with one set being given back to Pirelli after each 90-minute session. For Saturday and Sunday, the usual limit of four Prime and four Option sets will be in place.
The silver marked Hard tyre and the White marked Medium tyre will be used throughout the Austin weekend, the most conservative selection available to Pirelli.
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