Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m21.168s 17 2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.469s + 0.301s 13 3. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m21.639s + 0.471s 14 4. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m21.645s + 0.477s 18 5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m22.002s + 0.834s 14 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.534s + 1.366s 22 7. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m22.667s + 1.499s 14 8. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m23.037s + 1.869s 19 9. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m23.175s + 2.007s 19 10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m23.276s + 2.108s 18 11. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m23.281s + 2.113s 13 12. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.375s + 2.207s 18 13. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.626s + 2.458s 25 14. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m23.663s + 2.495s 17 15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m23.894s + 2.726s 17 16. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m23.966s + 2.798s 18 17. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m23.998s + 2.830s 15 18. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.061s + 3.893s 19 19. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m25.141s + 3.973s 20 20. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m25.501s + 4.333s 20 21. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m26.955s + 5.787s 20 22. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m26.991s + 5.823s 19 23. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m27.174s + 6.006s 16 24. Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m27.713s + 6.545s 20
Formula 1's delivery of thrilling grands prix in 2011 may owe much to the new rules introduced this year, but detailed mid-season analysis of exactly what has boosted overtaking has revealed that it is not DRS that has been the sole reason for more spectacular racing.
The sport's leading figures took a bold step this year in introducing a series of changes to spice up the action – with overtaking being a key area where improvements were sought.
Alongside the return of Pirelli, which arrived with an aggressive intention to make races better via their tire compound choice, F1 also embraced the return of KERS and the introduction of the radical adjustable rear wing. While the rules have been a step into the unknown, the initial impression is that DRS has been a huge success, with Nico Rosberg telling AUTOCAR earlier this year it was probably the best idea in F1 history. On the other hand, some, like 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, have argued that the changes make F1 artificial and therefore a turn-off.
So, how successful have they really been? Statistics released by Mercedes-Benz ahead of the midway point of the season have now offered some insight into just what factors have made the biggest impact in improving the show.
In the first nine races of this season, there have been 623 overtaking moves in total – a figure which takes into account passes by the fastest cars on the slowest three teams, but discounts moves on the first lap or those due to damage.
Discounting the moves by the fastest teams on the slowest, DRS has accounted for 29 percent of passing maneuvers in 2011. DRS moves have outnumbered "normal" passes on four occasions: Shanghai, Istanbul, Barcelona and Valencia.
Significantly, DRS's impact has varied from circuit to circuit, and in direct correlation with its positioning on each circuit. At Monaco and Silverstone, where the DRS was on the short pit and Wellington straights, respectively, it accounted for just eight passes in total.
At Istanbul, a track notoriously difficult to pass on, the DRS zone was located on the long back straight on the run down to Turn 12 – and it consequently led to 50 passes, the most of any single circuit.
The figures therefore tend to suggest that while DRS has aided overtaking in general, it has not had an overbearing influence. Silverstone, for example, witnessed just six DRS moves but produced a fraught and ever-changing race right up until the checkered flag. Istanbul meanwhile produced 50 DRS-assisted overtakes, but was no more memorable.
Analysis of the new Pirelli rubber provides similar conclusions. While much has been vaunted about the importance of fresh rubber, on average 54 percent of overtaking has been done when the tire ages had a difference of less than five laps – DRS-assisted or not.
At high-wear circuits like Barcelona, the figure is slightly skewed as "old" tires – with more than five laps difference – accounted for 69 percent of maneuvers. In Montreal and Silverstone, however, tire wear – directly at least – had a much diminished impact.
The statistics therefore suggest that while DRS and the new Pirelli rubber may have contributed to overtaking, they have not become too important, or too decisive. Normal passes are not just still possible, but actually more frequent.
The data also suggests that each circuit's individual characteristics can have a heavy influence on the action. Turkey and China, with their long straights, produced a glut of overtaking, while the narrow confines of Monaco dented such ambitions.
At troublesome circuits like Valencia, yet to produce a truly gripping race, the new F1 initiatives have helped the show. But they have not artificially altered the game beyond recognition – Canada still produces great overtaking opportunities and great races, Valencia does not.
That variation is key to the sport's future, and suggests that – for now at least – the powers that be have got the new rules entirely correct.
It is believed that the BBC will pay around £18 million per season for the F1 broadcast rights in the new era, half what they are paying now (the £200 million five-year deal that started in 2009 was famously over-the-odds).
It is thought there is an escalator fee built in, however, so that £18 million figure may rise. Production costs, currently around £10 million annually, will of course decrease dramatically.
It is unclear as yet how large the BBC’s production team will be. It also remains to be seen whether the BBC can sustain their current viewing figures, which average around three to five million per race, in direct competition with Sky.
Sky Sports Early reports suggest Sky are paying around $60 million (£36 million) per season for their F1 deal although again there is believed to be an escalator fee built in.
The big question mark is over how many extra subscribers Sky can attract with their Formula One coverage and how many of their current subscribers will watch the races.
It is thought there is very little crossover with their football demographic.
Around 10 million homes in the UK have satellite with another three million accessing the channels via cable. Subscription packages vary but you are likely to be paying north of £50 per month to access Sky Sports.
The teams
The teams seemed completely taken aback by Friday's events.
Apparently they were not consulted in the process. Having insisted all along that they needed free-to-air coverage for their business models, mild panic reigned for a period.
After a mid-afternoon meeting with Bernie Ecclestone, however, they were all toeing the party line.
“Faced with the prospect of losing Formula One entirely from the BBC, this is hopefully the most sensible solution,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
Interestingly, they all seemed very sketchy on the details, giving the impression that this is all being done on the hoof.
The fans
Fans without Sky are the big losers and they vented their fury in no
uncertain terms on Friday. Twitter positively exploded.
Many say they cannot and will not subscribe to Sky Sports and will also boycott the BBC coverage in protest.
Ecclestone has gambled that enough of them will, despite their rhetoric, pay for the privilege — and that keeping the sport on the BBC, even in a reduced format, will appease the teams and sponsors whose business models are predicated on large viewing figures.
Fans, as ever, will vote with their remote controls and at the moment they are extremely unhappy.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m21.018s 29 2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.259s + 0.241 40 3. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m21.322s + 0.304 34 4. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m21.508s + 0.490 35 5. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m21.549s + 0.531 31 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m22.099s + 1.081 40 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m22.121s + 1.103 36 8. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m22.440s + 1.422 36 9. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m22.835s + 1.817 40 10. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m22.981s + 1.963 37 11. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.030s + 2.012 34 12. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m23.399s + 2.381 37 13. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m23.679s + 2.661 34 14. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m23.861s + 2.843 28 15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m24.181s + 3.163 39 16. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.182s + 3.164 26 17. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m24.546s + 3.528 21 18. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.878s + 3.860 35 19. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m24.994s + 3.976 38 20. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m25.447s + 4.429 39 21. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m26.823s + 5.805 33 22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m27.261s + 6.243 28 23. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m27.730s + 6.712 31 24. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m28.255s + 7.237 25
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.350s 19 2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m23.564s + 0.214 24 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m23.642s + 0.292 29 4. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m23.666s + 0.316 12 5. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m23.772s + 0.422 20 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m24.115s + 0.765 25 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m24.250s + 0.900 22 8. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m24.369s + 1.019 20 9. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m24.620s + 1.270 24 10. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m25.093s + 1.743 22 11. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.113s + 1.763 21 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m25.336s + 1.986 22 13. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1m25.357s + 2.007 17 14. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m25.836s + 2.486 24 15. Bruno Senna Renault 1m25.855s + 2.505 25 16. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.890s + 2.540 28 17. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m26.099s + 2.749 36 18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m26.124s + 2.774 25 19. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m26.878s + 3.528 26 20. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m27.352s + 4.002 21 21. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m28.533s + 5.183 30 22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m28.903s + 5.553 22 23. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m29.059s + 5.709 24 24. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m29.904s + 6.554 26
Classified:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1h37:30.334
2. Alonso Ferrari + 3.980
3. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 9.788
4. Vettel Red Bull-Renault + 47.921
5. Massa Ferrari + 52.252
6. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1:26.208
7. Rosberg Mercedes + 1 lap
8. Schumacher Mercedes + 1 lap
9. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari + 1 lap
10. Petrov Renault + 1 lap
11. Perez Sauber-Ferrari + 1 lap
12. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1 lap
13. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 1 lap
14. Maldonado Williams-Cosworth + 1 lap
15. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1 lap
16. Kovalainen Lotus-Renault + 2 laps
17. Glock Virgin-Cosworth + 3 laps
18. D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth + 3 laps
19. Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth + 3 laps
20. Chandhok Lotus-Renault + 4 laps
Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:34.587
Not classified:
Driver Team On lap
Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 44
Button McLaren-Mercedes 42
Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 23
Heidfeld Renault 10
World Championship standings, round 10:
Drivers: Constructors:
1. Vettel 216 1. Red Bull-Renault 355
2. Webber 139 2. McLaren-Mercedes 243
3. Hamilton 134 3. Ferrari 192
4. Alonso 130 4. Mercedes 78
5. Button 109 5. Renault 66
6. Massa 62 6. Sauber-Ferrari 35
7. Rosberg 46 7. Force India-Mercedes 20
8. Heidfeld 34 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 17
9. Schumacher 32 9. Williams-Cosworth 4
10. Petrov 32
11. Kobayashi 27
12. Sutil 18
13. Alguersuari 9
14. Perez 8
15. Buemi 8
16. Barrichello 4
17. Di Resta 2
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1n30.079s 2. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1n30.134s + 0.055 3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1n30.216s + 0.137 4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1n30.442s + 0.363 5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1n30.910s + 0.831 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1n31.263s + 1.184 7. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1n31.288s + 1.209 8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1n32.010s + 1.931 9. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1n32.187s + 2.108 10. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1n32.482s + 2.403 Q2 cut-off time: 1m33.180s Gap ** 11. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m32.2152 + 1.217 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m32.5602 + 1.562 13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m32.6352 + 1.637 14. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m33.0432 + 2.045 15. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.1762 + 2.178 16. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.5462 + 2.548 17. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.6982 + 2.700 Q1 cut-off time: 1m33.664s Gap * 18. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.786s + 1.960 19. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m35.599s + 3.773 20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.400s + 4.574 21. Karun Chandhok Lotus-Renault 1m36.422s + 4.596 22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.641s + 4.815 23. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m37.011s + 5.185 24. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m37.036s + 5.210 107% time: 1m38.253s
* Gap to quickest in Q1
** Gap to quickest in Q2
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m30.916s 15 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m31.049s + 0.133 16 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m31.138s + 0.222 12 4. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.578s + 0.662 13 5. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.623s + 0.707 14 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m31.694s + 0.778 19 7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m32.144s + 1.228 13 8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m32.391s + 1.475 20 9. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m32.523s + 1.607 16 10. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m32.751s + 1.835 18 11. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m32.777s + 1.861 18 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m32.813s + 1.897 21 13. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m33.072s + 2.156 18 14. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m33.179s + 2.263 17 15. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.531s + 2.615 20 16. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.671s + 2.755 20 17. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.948s + 3.032 21 18. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m34.125s + 3.209 19 19. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m35.385s + 4.469 13 20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.724s + 5.808 21 21. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m36.804s + 5.888 23 22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.894s + 5.978 23 23. Karun Chandhok Lotus-Renault 1m36.959s + 6.043 18 24. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m37.554s + 6.638 22
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m31.711s 34 2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m31.879s + 0.168 38 3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m32.084s + 0.373 28 4. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m32.354s + 0.643 36 5. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m32.411s + 0.700 31 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m32.557s + 0.846 32 7. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m32.724s + 1.013 28 8. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m33.098s + 1.387 17 9. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m33.138s + 1.427 22 10. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m33.211s + 1.500 34 11. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m33.225s + 1.514 17 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m33.299s + 1.588 34 13. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m34.113s + 2.402 34 14. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m34.344s + 2.633 34 15. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m34.487s + 2.776 37 16. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m34.491s + 2.780 35 17. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m34.996s + 3.285 35 18. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m35.753s + 4.042 42 19. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.940s + 5.229 32 20. Karun Chandhok Lotus-Renault 1m37.248s + 5.537 33 21. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m37.313s + 5.602 33 22. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m38.145s + 6.434 31 23. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m40.737s + 9.026 5 24. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari No time 3
Bernard Ecclestone has admitted for the first time that he did pay money to banker Gerhard Gribkowsky - but says he only did so because he was 'threatened' over other financial matters.
Gribkowsky was charged this week for having allegedly accepted a $44 million bribe in relation to the sale of F1 by the Bayerische Landesbank.
Ecclestone has been investigated by German prosecutors over his role in the matter, and speaking to <>The Daily Telegraph he said that he did pay over money - but only because Gribkowsky threatened to expose some of his financial dealings to the Inland Revenue.
"The Inland Revenue obviously had to check everything," Ecclestone said. "It took five years going through that. I didn't deal with it. The trust had to show it was correct.
"The taxation people in England at the time were in the middle of settling everything with the trust and the last thing you need is for them to start thinking something different. He Gribkowsky was shaking me down and I didn't want to take a risk. Nothing was wrong with the trust. Nothing at all.
"He never said to me if you don't give me this I will say that. He left me with the fact that could he do it or not."
Although Ecclestone insists he had nothing to hide from the Inland Revenue, he elected to pay Gribkowsky because any investigations would have cost him money.
Ecclestone said he consulted his lawyers for advice on what to do.
"They said 'I tell you what would happen, the Revenue would assess you and you would have to defend it, because you could defend it, and you would be three years in court and it would cost you a fortune. Better pay'."
He added: "I never bribed anybody or paid any money to anybody in connection with the company. I got five per cent for the sale of the company. Bayerische Landesbank approved the sale and approved the commission, which was cheap.
"I should have got more because for that sort of deal a bank would have charged a lot more. There were no secrets."
