Racing wIth Scuderia Toro Rosso by eroomcreative.com

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ACRONIS PRODUCTS PROVIDE EASY, COMPLETE, AND SAFE SOLUTIONS FOR DATA HANDLING ACROSS LOCAL, REMOTE, CLOUD, AND MOBILE DEVICES. NEW GENERATION DATA PROTECTION 33

Y L N O Y P O C F PROO This is an Acronis GmbH publication This edition published in 2018 Acronis International GmbH Euro Haus Rheinweg 9 8200 Schauffhausen Switzerland formula@Acronis.com

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C E L E B R A T I N G

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Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO A YEAR IN FORMULA 1 WITH ACRONIS

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WELCOME

First class support Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Acronis International GmbH ACRONIS LOVES FORMULA 1. To be successful in this most demanding of pursuits requires mastery and innovation of technological design, split-second decision-making and above all, speed. That is why for us, no sport on earth more perfectly showcases our suite of data management assets and why we were thrilled to partner with such an inspiring team as Scuderia Toro Rosso through 2017. Our technology provides world-class reliability, efficiency, and ease of use and thrives in environments that encapsulate industrial logistics, operations, manufacturing, and engineering. While Acronis has been the preferred choice for data management by automakers and manufacturers for 15 years, F1’s ultra-competitive, data-driven nature makes it a perfect proving ground for our solutions. There is perhaps no other sport as data-driven as Formula 1 and certainly none where information management is at the very core of winning. Team data streams are combined between operations at the track and engineering and manufacturing bases at their headquarters. The quantity of engineering data is barely comprehensible, while their need to constantly develop cars means that they are not only constantly required to analyze but store it. While all that data breeds success, any loss is not only expensive but often catastrophic; lost money, lost time and lost track position. For today’s teams, selecting the right solution to store, share, and protect that data is as critical as choosing the right tyres. Operations and manufacturing need to ensure there is zero downtime, so up files, recovering a production system, or want to share a file securely, they require data protection solutions that are reliable, efficient, and easy. At the same time, the volume of data being used by engineering means they need to protect the data, reliably, and with greater cost efficiencies. Acronis solutions meet those needs.

Finally, there is a spirit of innovation that is shared by Formula 1 and Acronis. The race track has birthed countless inventions that are now included in everyday vehicles, such as lightweight carbon fiber, traction control technology, and multi-functioning steering wheels. Even the chemistry behind the grip and durability of modern tyres was developed in F1. Acronis is also pioneering new technologies that are becoming a necessary part of everyday data protection – from artificial intelligence-based anti-ransomware protection to certification and verification of files using blockchain technology.

NO OTHER “ THERE SPORT ISASPERHAPS DATA-DRIVEN AS FORMULA 1 AND CERTAINLY NONE WHERE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IS AT THE VERY CORE OF WINNING

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F1 tests Acronis’ ground-breaking innovations, pushing them to the limit in a high-pressure environment. We were proud to launch a number of new products during the season, including Acronis Access Advanced, Acronis Backup 12.5 and Acronis True Image. Along with our partners, we are striving for every point in this intoxicating drive for competitiveness. We are learning and developing. We aren’t merely a supplier, we are a world leader. By partnering with a team just as visionary and ambitious, we are proving our solutions a perfect fit for the pinnacle of motorsport and we know they will be the best for the world’s most demanding customers.

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CONTENTS

04 WELCOME

Serguei Beloussov, Acronis Founder & CEO

08 INTRODUCTION

Franz Tost, Scuderia Toro Rosso Team Principal

10 SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO

From humble beginnings to a top flight team

12 GENESIS OF THE STR12 ay hello to 2017's best S looking car on the grid

14 FACTORY TO RACETRACK From Faenza in Italy to the world tracks of Formula 1

16 THE BIG PICTURE #1

arlos Sainz shows a clean pair C of heels in Melbourne

18 CARLOS SAINZ

panish maestro a future S champion in the making

26 ACRONIS IN ACTION

The adventure of a sponsors' first year in Formula 1

30 THE BIG PICTURE #2 Scuderia Toro Rosso dazzles under the Singapore lights

20 DANIIL KVYAT The story behind the talented

32 2017 RACE SEASON

22 BRENDON HARTLEY The Le Mans winner

34 AUSTRALIA

Russian's fourth year in F1

promises big things for 2018

24 PIERRE GASLY

eet the Frenchman who is set M to light up the F1 grid

After months of development and miles of testing it's on!

26 March, 2017 Albert Park, Melbourne

40 CHINA 9 April, 2017 Shanghai International Circuit

46 BAHRAIN

16 April, 2017 Bahrain International Circuit

52 RUSSIA

30 April, 2017 Sochi Autodrom, Sochi

58 SPAIN

14 May, 2017 Circuit de Catalunya

64 MONACO

28 May, 2017 Circuit de Monaco

70 CANADA

11 June, 2017 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

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CONTENTS

76 AZERBAIJAN

23 June, 2017 Baku City Circuit

82 AUSTRIA

9 July, 2017 Red Bull Ring, Spielberg

88 BRITAIN

106 ITALY

3 September, 2017 Autodromo Nazionale Monza

112 SINGAPORE

16 July, 2017 Silverstone

94 HUNGARY

100 BELGIUM

27 August, 2017 Spa-Francorchamps

17 September, 2017 Marina Bay Circuit

30 July, 2017 Hungaroring, Budapest

118 MALAYSIA

1 October, 2017 Sepang

124 JAPAN

148 ABU DHABI

8 October 2017 Suzuka

26 November 2017 Yas Marina Circuit

130 USA

154 THE BIG PICTURE #3 eeping cool during the most K

22 October, 2017 COTA, Austin, Texas

136 MEXICO

29 October, 2017 Mexico City

142 BRAZIL

12 November, 2017 Interlagos, Sao Paulo

demanding of races

156 THE SEASON IN NUMBERS he stats behind Toro Rosso's T 2017 F1 season

158 THE FINISH LINE With thanks to a memorable season in Formula 1

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INTRODUCTION

The future's very bright Franz Tost, Scuderia Toro Rosso Team Principal WHEN THE 2017 SEASON drew to a close, Formula 1 again lived up to its reputation of being one of the world's most international sports. We travelled to 20 different countries spanning five continents and while it’s a challenge, it’s what makes our sport unique. There were many changes for F1 2017 to help improve the show, most notably the design of the cars. This year’s breed of Formula 1 racers were designed to be significantly faster than in previous years. By increasing the size of the front and rear wings, more downforce was generated through corners and F1 achieved its goal of reducing lap times by three to five seconds at certain circuits. This was a big hit with fans as it improved the show dramatically. Not only did the cars look much more aggressive, but it was entertaining to watch the drivers fight a more challenging piece of machinery. The changes made by the sport’s new owners Liberty Media were quickly evident, as the doors were opened and fans were given a whole new insight into F1 and more of a show. At Scuderia Toro Rosso, we enjoyed a strong start to the season with a double-points finish in Australia, and continued a positive run of form into the summer break in sixth position with 39 points. We were on target to reach our goal we set pre-season of fifth position in the Constructors’ Championship, sitting two points behind Williams at the halfway mark. The second half of the season proved more difficult for the team, as reliability issues hampered our progress to challenge at the ‘pointy end’ of the midfield. While reliability became an issue for us, from an operational perspective we were exceptional during the season, which was largely helped by all of our

partners, one of them being backup specialists Acronis. With a sport as data driven as F1, we feel secure and in full control of our data, because we can track the information path and even remote-wipe a laptop, tablet or mobile device. This is also performance on and off the track. The highlight of 2017 came in Singapore, when Carlos held on to fourth position – a career-best. Singapore was an eventful race for us, as we announced we would partner with Honda for the 2018 season. This is an important milestone for the team as we have never been the sole recipient from an engine manufacturer. Since we will be the only focus of Honda’s attention, we will benefit from tailor-made engine packaging for our new car and enjoy more resources than previously. As a result of the new Honda partnership, we had to release Carlos as compensation for ending our existing Renault agreement. His departure presented us with an opportunity to evaluate drivers for the 2018 season and allowed us to give a deserving Red Bull junior driver Pierre Gasly the chance to step up into F1 after he won the GP2 championship in 2016. As it became clear Daniil wouldn’t be a part of the Red Bull programme, we welcomed Brendon Hartley to the team for the final four races. Brendon was a standout candidate to partner Pierre having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year with Porsche, along with having two World Endurance Championship titles under his belt. 2018 will be a year of new beginnings. With two exciting new drivers in Brendon and Pierre and a fresh partnership with Honda, we are confident we have all the tools at our disposal to move up the order in the Constructors’ Championship.

Y L N O Y P O C F PROO A SPORT AS DATA “ WITH DRIVEN AS F1, WE FEEL

SECURE AND IN FULL CONTROL OF OUR DATA

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SHOWING A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS CARLOS SAINZ ENJOYED a stellar season and had many drivers trailing in his wake in 2017. Here, the Spaniard rests up on the Albert Park pit wall during free practice for the Australian Grand Prix. Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images

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THE TEAM

From humble beginnings After 10 years the Scuderia Toro Rosso team is now an independent force

cuderia Toro Rosso has been competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship since 2006 and over the past decade has established itself as one of the most popular teams on the grid. With sister team Red Bull Racing firmly ensconced among the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;big fourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outfits in F1, Scuderia Toro Rosso was born out of a need to find extra opportunities at the highest level for the consistent flow of young stars coming through the ranks of its very successful Red Bull Junior Driver Programme. Red Bull had initially dabbled in motorsport sponsorship with Austrian F1 great Gerhard Berger, who was the first athlete supported by the energy drinks company. However, Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz wanted to aim even higher and, after a spell as title sponsor of the Sauber team, he bought out the

Jaguar Racing F1 operation in 2004. The team, based in Milton Keynes, was immediately rebranded as Red Bull Racing. The question now was what to do with the talented youngsters on the burgeoning Red Bull books? The answer was to acquire the Italian-based Minardi team in 2005, which then began racing under the Scuderia Toro Rosso banner a year later. Minardi had a rich racing heritage. Having been founded by Giancarlo Minardi way back in 1979 as an independent Formula 2 chassis builder, it moved up to F1 in 1985. From its debut race in Brazil onwards, the team earned a reputation as an earnest, hard-working and friendly outfit. As it grew more experienced, it became known for punching well above its weight, equipped as it was with a tiny budget compared to its rivals. It has also garnered a reputation for discovering

THE TEAM

The Faenza base has the state-ofthe-art facilties that are needed to be successful in Formula 1. Clinically clean, and with a nod back in history, it is an inspriring home to work from

talented drivers; including Fernando Alonso, Alex Zanardi, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli and Mark Webber to name but a few. When it became Scuderia Toro Rosso, the team initially operated as a satellite to Red Bull Racing, running a car designed mainly by Red Bull Technology. However, since 2010, Scuderia Toro Rosso has raced as a completely independent entity. All of its car design and manufacturing work is done in-house at its Faenza base, which is approximately 360km to the north of the Italian capital Rome. This work has necessitated a major factory expansion programme in recent years, with a brand new purpose-built facility coming on stream in 2015. The team currently employs around 400 people who work around the clock to bring together each new

racing car, and with the recent investment in facilities, the team is now considered a major constructor in its own right. The original Minardi facility consisted of two floors. Management, HR and finance were on the first floor, with reception, race engineering and car workshop all on the ground. Since 2015, however, most departments have been working under one roof of a new building The factory has three other buildings that house everything you would expect to see in a large F1 team, with the exception of the wind tunnel which it shares with Red Bull Racing in Bicester, England. Team Principal Franz Tost has been running the team since its inception as Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2005, while the technical side is managed by Technical Director James Key who joined from Sauber in 2012. 13

THE CAR

From tech challenge to F1 charger The Renault-powered STR12 is one sweet-looking machine

THE CAR

ust as in all great endeavours, the hard work begins long before the action takes place; and so it is with the creation of a Formula 1 car. A grand prix season lasts almost a year, but whilst today’s challenger is speeding around a circuit, development for its replacement will have already begun. When Scuderia Toro Rosso unveiled its striking new STR12 to the world in Barcelona, before the first official test session of the 2017 Formula 1 season in February, it was the product of more than 15 months gestation. From original concept and drafts, through development, wind-tunnel and crash testing to its final build, the car was the result of tens of thousands of man hours. The progeny of a genius hive mentality that every F1 team cultivates, engendered through the spirit of razor-sharp competition. With a radical raft of chassis rule changes introduced for 2017, STR12 required a new design with different dimensions, carrying a completely refreshed engine concept. It was one of the most challenging tasks everyone involved at the Faenza factory had faced. Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Deputy Technical Director, Ben Waterhouse, has been involved with the STR12 project right from its inception. Here he describes the process of turning a new car concept into a reality… “The STR12 Project was kicked off very early in November 2015. We set out to make it the bestengineered Scuderia Toro Rosso car to date. We adopted a back-to-basics approach so that we could apply our existing knowledge of what makes a fast race car to a new set of regulations and constraints. We also recognized that with these major changes, we had to ensure that by the time the season started we were as prepared as possible, meaning all rig testing and component sign-offs were completed in advance. This was integrated into our plan from the start. At the end of 2015, before predecessor STR11 was even completed, we were in a situation where the 2017 regulations were not clear and there were many unknowns. However, we knew the chassis would

be wider, the mechanical grip from the tyres would increase and that the cars would have significantly more downforce and drag. At this early stage then the focus was with our aero and vehicle performance groups to understand the sensitivities of these factors. We began by preparing best estimates of the extra grip/downforce/drag that the new regulations would bring and started estimating the performance envelope of the new cars using our simulation tools. As there were many unknowns, we intentionally scanned a wide range of any individual parameters to derive a number of permutations and "what if" scenarios. These were fed into other groups to define their processes, as well as going back into the aero and vehicle performance groups to refine their own work. In parallel to these initial studies, the first car concept schemes were laid out by the concept group. Some of this work was independent of the revised rules, but factors such as the additional weight and aero preferences had a very strong influence. Other design factors, such as load cases, also had major implications on the car's structural requirements. As a consequence, the process is iterative and the output of the simulation work very much feeds the design concept. For example, the increased performance leads to increased loads, which must then be considered in the concept we adopt for the gearbox or suspension design. Similarly, the lap simulations determine an optimum aerodynamic efficiency for each circuit and for the season as a whole, which can shift the aero development targets and likewise for the tyres. As more understanding was obtained and our knowledge increased, so the targets were refined and as a team we were then working towards a more focused goal. This process evolved; each iteration a refinement and closer to what we have on track now, as more information became available or was better understood. Possibly the biggest unknown of the

SET OUT TO MAKE “ WE IT THE BEST-ENGINEERED SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO CAR TO DATE

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THE CAR

entire regulation change concerned the tyres. The tyre information we use has gradually matured from our own initial estimates of how a wider version of the 2016 tyre would behave, through to a final set of data measured by Pirelli on a 2017 race spec tyre in December of 2016. With each iteration of simulation, we moved a step closer in terms of accuracy of the aero performance, mechanical behaviour and tyre performance, so that by the time we start testing in Barcelona we are reasonably confident we can predict how the car will respond.

STR12 SPECS n CHASSIS:

In the initial stages the design of STR12 was prepared by the concept group, trying to optimize the layout of the car to maximize performance. By the summer break of 2016, we had a well-defined view of the car layout, however this still required significant engineering work and it was around this time that the design office switched from performing individual studies on the new car, to really delving into the detail to ensure the car concept was realised as effectively as possible. Of course, we had to leave time for everything

Composite monocoque structure

Gearbox maincase: Scuderia Toro Rosso, one-piece carbon fibre. Eight-speed sequential â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hydraulically operated. Supplied by Red Bull Technology. Pirelli n FRONT SUSPENSION: Upper and lower carbon wishbones, pushrod, torsion bar springs, anti-roll bars n REAR SUSPENSION: Upper and lower carbon wishbones, pullrod, torsion bar springs, anti-roll bars n BRAKES: Brembo. Scuderia Toro Rosso brake by wire n ENGINE: Renault - 2017 n TRANSMISSION:

n TYRES: n GEARS:

THE CAR

to be manufactured. We now have an excellent production capability in-house. From a planning perspective, we knew what our lead times were. Chassis release, for instance, was some time in the autumn, while final components were not to be released until the middle of February. Everything comes together very, very quickly towards the end of the process. With only eight days of winter testing, we wanted to ensure we’d done as much homework as possible before the first test. The STR12 had a very intense sort of test period

A TOUGH PROJECT “ IT TOWAS UNDERTAKE, BUT THE

DEVELOPMENT WAR IS INTENSE

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with the car being fully utilized for the last three weeks prior to the first test. We ran an intense validation period prior to this, looking at the power unit installation, the kinematics and compliances of the car, working on the seven post rig which tests ride performance and then finally, we had our filming day to get a final validation ready for the track testing. The enormous change in regulation required us to take a very thorough approach to understanding what drives the performance of these cars. We have faced some significant challenges, which forced us to take a more engineering-led approach to the design. Now the real challenge began on the development side. Our expectation was that the grid would spread out because of the rule changes. Certainly some teams get the car more "right" than others. However regardless of this, the rate of development with new regulations is very steep. As a consequence, we don't expect to see the same pecking order at the end of the season as at the start and that's dictated by the development war. We planned a very aggressive programme for this season. It was a tough project to undertake, but the development war is intense and that is when the real battle will take place back in the teams’ factories.”

With a radical raft of chassis rule changes introduced for 2017, STR12 required a new design with different dimensions

THE DRIVERS

CARLOS SAINZ Spanish star surely a world champion in the making WIDELY TOUTED AS a future world champion, you might say that Carlos Sainz is a chip off the old block. His father is an FIA World Rally Championship legend and a two-time world champion. Now Carlos has his sights set on emulating his famous father’s achievements, only at the pinnacle of open wheel racing instead of on the dust and dirt. It was therefore with a heavy heart that Scuderia Toro Rosso bade farewell to Carlos at the Japanese Grand Prix. The popular Spaniard was central to the Faenza-based team’s 2017 campaign and played a crucial role in its seventh position finish in the constructors’ standings, finishing in the points no less than nine times, including a stand-out fourth place at the Singapore Grand Prix. Carlos’s path to Formula 1 was forged at an early age. He began driving karts when he was seven and started racing three years later. From 2006 to 2009, he won several karting titles, including the KF3 Asia Pacific, West Europe and the Monaco Kart Cup. In 2010, he was selected to become a member of the Red Bull Junior Team and raced in Formula BMW Pacific and Europe and won the Europe Rookie Cup. His breakthrough year came in 2011 when the Spaniard won the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, paving the way for F3 where he raced

in both the British and European championships in 2012. The following year, he raced successfully in GP3 with MW Arden, achieving two podium finishes. In 2014, Carlos secured his most important result to date by winning the Formula Renault 3.5 World Series title in true style, a stellar year including seven victories, seven poles and six fastest laps, earmarking him as one of the fastest young talents in motorsport.

POPULAR SPANIARD WAS “ THE CENTRAL TO THE FAENZA-

BASED TEAM’S 2017 CAMPAIGN AND PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ITS SEVENTH POSITION FINISH IN THE CONSTRUCTORS’ STANDINGS

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It was inevitable that he would complete his graduation to F1 with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015 alongside Max Verstappen. His potential as a star driver was elevated to even greater heights in 2017 – as his raw qualifying pace, courage in the wet and mature racecraft allowed him to stand out as one of the major finds of the season. He joined Renault from the United States Grand Prix onwards, but Red Bull made clear he was ‘on loan’ and in the years to come, we may yet see two more graduates from the successful Scuderia Toro Rosso stable battling one another for the ultimate prize. And perhaps even as part of the Red Bull family.

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THE DRIVERS

DANIIL KVYAT Second youngest F1 points scorer a loyal servant to Scuderia Toro Rosso IT SEEMED SOMEHOW inevitable that the highlytalented Russian would make his way to the pinnacle of motorsport when, aged nine, he saw a local go-kart track on the way home from school and begged his parents to let him have a go. After all, many world champions have trodden precisely the same path. Bitten by the racing bug, he was soon competing seriously in Russia, but when the time came to step up to the next level, there were few top-line options in his home country. So, in 2007, the entire Kvyat family moved to Rome, in Italy, to be nearer to the heart of European karting.

MADE HIS F1 DEBUT “ DANIIL IN THE 2014 AUSTRALIAN

he returned to Europe and Formula Renault 2.0, which he raced full seasons in both the Eurocup and North European Cup competitions. Daniil came third in the Eurocup and second in the NEC and opted to stick with Formula Renault 2.0 for 2012. This time he finished as runner-up in the Eurocup series, but won the category's Alps series title, taking seven wins along the way. With a title in the bag, Daniil's next challenge was to take on the 2013 GP3 series. The performance in his debut season was enough to fast track him to Formula 1 and soon after his GP3 triumph he was named as Scuderia Toro Rosso's 2014 replacement for the Red Bull Racing-bound Australian, Daniel Ricciardo. Aged only 19, Daniil made his F1 debut in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. He finished an impressive ninth, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record to become F1’s youngest points-scorer. More impressive points scoring finishes in Malaysia, China, Britain and Belgium hinted at great things to come and he was rewarded with promotion to Red Bull Racing, where he stayed up until the start of the 2016 European races, when he switched back to Scuderia Toro Rosso. Always a favourite with the team, sponsors and fans alike, Daniil also played his part in 2017, scoring points in Australia, Spain and USA.

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GRAND PRIX. HE FINISHED AN IMPRESSIVE NINTH, BREAKING SEBASTIAN VETTEL'S RECORD AS F1’S YOUNGEST POINTS-SCORER

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In 2008 he finished third in the KF3 European series and was runner-up in WSK international. He eventually made the switch to single-seaters in 2010, with support from the Red Bull Junior Team programme, which found him a berth in Formula BMW in Europe and in the Pacific series. Over the following winter he honed his skills in the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and then, in 2011,

THE DRIVERS

BRENDON HARTLEY Kiwi driver promises great things for 2018 NOT SINCE DENNY HULME captured the world drivers’ title back in 1967 has New Zealand had a driver to get this excited about in Formula 1 racing. When he made his F1 debut in the 2017 United States Grand Prix, Brendon Hartley became only the ninth New Zealander to take part in racing’s top tier, following in the esteemed footsteps of Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon and Hulme himself. Brendon started racing in karts at the age of six, treading a much established path to the pinnacle of the sport. There was a certain degree of inevitability about his progress, with his father a keen amateur racer and Brendon's elder brother, named after triple F1 world champion Nelson Piquet, racing too. As he moved in to single-seaters, Hartley began racking up wins in Formula Ford. But if you want to make a career of racing, you have to come to Europe, and just as his forefathers did, Brendon made the trip overseas. However, instead of taking the more conventional route to the UK’s thriving junior scene or possibly Italy, the 16-year-old Hartley found himself in East Germany; a massive culture shock for a youngster from Palmerston North in New Zealand. With backing from the Red Bull Junior programme, he stuck at it, racing in the German and European Renault 2-litre championship. The first big win came when he was crowned champion in the 2007 World Series By Renault. The Macau GP for Formula 3 cars is regarded as an accurate litmus test of a driver's talent

and in 2008, Hartley finished third from 20th on the grid and set the race fastest lap. That led to a phone call from Red Bull Racing asking him to stand in for an injured Mark Webber at a Formula 1 test. He impressed, and quickly became a regular test driver in F1, which included two days in a Toro Rosso at Jerez in 2009. But with no regular race drives coming his way, he put single-seaters to one side, and stepped out of the Red Bull programme. Brendon turned his hand to a variety of different categories, culminating in an impressive career in endurance racing. In 2014, he was called up by the factory Porsche team, partnering another former Red Bull driver, Mark Webber. The following year, along with

HARTLEY BECAME “ BRENDON ONLY THE NINTH NEW

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ZEALANDER TO TAKE PART IN MOTOR RACING’S TOP TIER team-mate Timo Bernhard, they finished second at the Le Mans 24 Hours and were crowned FIA World Endurance Champions at the end of the season. In 2017 Brendon added another prestigious victory to his personal palmarès, by winning the Le Mans race. Having not driven a F1 car since he tested for Toro Rosso in 2009, he was called back into the Red Bull fold in the late summer of 2017 to take over from Carlos Sainz. Brendon proved his unquestionable talent by finishing 13th on his debut at the Circuit of the Americas and rounded off the season with another strong finish in Abu Dhabi. If he is to keep up this level of progress in such a short period of time, New Zealand may not have to wait too much longer to toast its next champion.

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THE DRIVERS

PIERRE GASLY 2018 season could prove the making of this talented Frenchman FRENCHMAN PIERRE GASLY has been knocking on the door of Formula 1 ever since winning the 2016 GP2 series in dramatic fashion, taking the title at the final round in Abu Dhabi. But you could say the dye was cast from the age of two, when he first attended kart tracks to watch his elder brothers race. The talented 21-year-old has petrol in his veins, given that his grandfather used to kart and his father tried his hand at a variety of motorsport disciplines. Gasly hails from the city of Rouen, famous for a race track that used to host the French Grand Prix a long time ago.

PRODUCED IMPRESSIVE “ GASLY QUALIFYING PERFORMANCES FROM THE OFFSET WHILST ALSO HAVING TO JUGGLE HIS JAPANESE SUPER FORMULA CHAMPIONSHIP DUTIES

in 2014. He was runner-up behind another well-known Red Bull Junior driver Carlos Sainz. That year, he also got his first taste of GP2 before tackling the whole 2015 season in the F1 feeder championship, with mixed results. However, last year, it all came good when he joined the Prema Power team, bringing home the champion's trophy at the end of a thrilling season. Since 2015, Gasly has combined racing with being on duty as the reserve driver for Red Bull Racing. However, with no F1 seats available at the end of 2016, he was given the chance to broaden his experience by racing in the hypercompetitive Japanese Super Formula Championship. Before joining Scuderia Toro Rosso for his F1 debut in the 2017 Malaysian GP, Pierre had already impressed in Japan, taking several wins in his maiden season. Pierre already knew Scuderia Toro Rosso well, having tested for the team at Barcelona in 2015 and 2016. So when the time came for him to be called up, the team’s faith in this undoubted talent was immediately rewarded. Gasly produced impressive qualifying performances from the offset whilst also having to juggle his Japanese Super Formula championship duties. The fact that he finished each of his five grand prix starts in 2017 was a measure of his maturing talent and a sign he deserves his place at the top table.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO ” Like all his peers, Gasly's racing began in karts, in which he competed from 2006 to 2010. Pierre's first taste of single-seater racing came in the competitive French F4 Championship in 2011, where he finished third in the series before moving up to the 2-litre Formula Renaults the following year. He came third that season before taking the title in 2013. By this time, his speed and determination had caught the eye of the Red Bull talent scouts and he joined the Junior Programme, moving up to the 3.5 Renault Series

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Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO KEEPING YOUR COOL SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO mechanics once again proved unflappable under pressure during a challenging season. Keeping the engines at optimum working temperature is of vital importance during one of the hottest grands prix on the calendar in Singapore. Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images

ACRONIS

Calling for back-up Acronis in modern business and F1– breaking new ground in data storage and protection

odern business, just like Formula 1, fully depends on data. Without it, business can’t survive or have competitive advantage. Data is so valuable that it’s become a target of constant ransomware attacks, forcing companies to rethink their data protection strategies or prepare to part with thousands of dollars hoping to get their data backup. Dealing with large volumes of data has also became an issue. That’s where Scuderia Toro Rosso sponsor Acronis comes into play. Businesses create more data today than ever before and Formula 1 even more than most. The amount of new data generated at the Toro Rosso factory in Faenza increases by approximately 50 percent every year, and it is indicative of the global corporate marketplace. There is more data to protect and it holds more value than ever. To address this need for easy, fast, and reliable data protection, Acronis released a series of innovative product updates in 2017, making powerful technology within reach of every user. The new solutions, based on a new hybrid cloud architecture, simplified the data management tasks to such a degree that data protection became manageable for every user, even without prior experience of running backups.

At the end of May, after the Monaco Grand Prix, Acronis released Acronis Backup 12.5, the world’s most innovative backup solution offering unprecedented levels of protection for all sizes of infrastructure. The new edition has unmatched reliability, speed, and touchfriendly interface offering complete protection for more than 20 platforms and workloads in one package. In addition, it comes with a built-in active protection against ransomware and blockchain-based data certification. Acronis's new Backup 12.5 also gives businesses more flexibility on where to store and how to restore the protected data. It has quickly become the backup solution of choice for businesses and teams in the automotive industry worldwide. Last, but not least, Acronis Backup 12.5 introduced pit wall style dashboards with real time monitoring of every protected device. Just as pit wall telemetry graphs provide a clear picture of the car performance on the track, Acronis Backup 12.5 dashboards give users a quick insight into the status of the infrastructure being protected. IT engineers or everyday individual software users can quickly access backup status, adjust the strategy and address any faults. One device or a thousand, the status of each backed up device is no more than just a few clicks away.

BACKUP 12.5 “ ACRONIS INTRODUCED PIT WALL

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO STYLE DASHBOARDS WITH REAL TIME MONITORING OF EVERY PROTECTED DEVICE

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ACRONIS

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The mind-boggling amount of data being produced by the team at every race needs to be backed up securely to prevent loss and theft â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Acronis does the job!

ACRONIS

Advanced in Azerbaijan Acronis Access Advanced

Critical data is being produced and analysed all the time – it needs to be kept safe and secure at all times

MIDWAY THROUGH THE season and launched in Azerbaijan, Scuderia Toro Rosso began using Acronis Access Advanced, an enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) solution providing an easy way to share sensitive information with remote devices without compromising security. Toro Rosso conducts data-driven R&D, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling, and manufacturing in its Faenza factory, processing and generating large amounts of data every day. Every decision the team makes is based on data, and all information is archived to comply with the strictest data retention policies imposed by the motorsport governing body, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Data security and availability is critical for the company’s performance and competitive advantage on and off the track. Scuderia Toro Rosso needed a solution that would allow the team to share some of this data with remote engineers and third party contractors without compromising security. Acronis Access Advanced addressed that need. It provided an easy and secure way to share data while giving Scuderia Toro Rosso’s IT complete control over

the shared content. It also freed up time that was previously spent on manual management of file sharing tasks and in turn, increased productivity. The new solution allowed Scuderia Toro Rosso to define different security policies for different users and even ensured that shared data is only accessible for a specified period of time. It also enabled IT to track the information path and even remote-wipe a laptop, tablet or mobile device if it is lost or stolen, to prevent a competitor from accessing the data.

“ ACRONIS SCUDERIAHELPED TORO

ROSSO TO DESIGN A SYSTEM WITH PERFORMANCE IN MIND

”

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO “From a user perspective, we want to focus on data and not on how to manage it. We operate in an extremely competitive environment where every minute counts. If Acronis Access Advanced helps us save a few hours every month while providing a high level of security, it’s a bit of a win for us,” said Raffaele Boschetti, Scuderia Toro Rosso Head of IT. Acronis helped Scuderia Toro Rosso to design a system with performance in mind. It is capable of handling hundreds of users and an unlimited number of files while maintaining exceptional levels of security, which is of primary importance in Formula 1. “At the end, it is part of the game,” adds Raffaele. “If another user or engineer gets hold of our sensitive data, our performance may suffer. “With Acronis Access Advanced, we’re in full control of our data. We can track the information path and even remote-wipe a laptop, tablet or mobile device if it is lost or stolen to prevent a competitor from accessing the data.” Guennadi Moukine

ACRONIS

Acronis has hosted a wide range of fun corporate events. Carlos and Pierre were asked to paint the circuit in Malaysia; Daniil and Carlos were entertained by a robot in Singapore; and the F1 PlayStation installation is always popular – we all want to be racing drivers!

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO Backing up in Belgium Acronis launches True Image 2018 JUST AS FORMULA 1 cars improve performance by introducing new technology throughout the season, so does Acronis with its new software updates. And just like Formula 1 teams use innovation to address specific performance areas, the new software addresses specific threats, making data protection easier and more relevant to current needs. Acronis True Image, the world’s most popular consumer backup software, received a major update just before the Belgian Grand Prix in August. It brought active disk cloning, automated WinPE boot media creation, Instagram backup, and addressed the biggest threat against the data today – ransomware. In what was a world’s first, Acronis True Image 2018

supplemented backup with the AI-based Acronis Active Protection, designed to actively protect user computers against damaging cyber-attacks. At the heart of Acronis Active Protection is its ability to recognize unusual patterns of file access. It does this using machine learning (ML) models that are generated in Acronis’s dedicated Cloud AI infrastructure. This AI-based technology is not only extremely effective in preventing ransomware from affecting original data files, its unique self-defense also ensures that backup files remain untouched. This innovative technology is now available across the entire range of Acronis data protection solutions, including Acronis Backup 12.5 and Acronis Backup Cloud. Guennadi Moukine 31

Let battle commence! After months of painstaking research, design and development in the Faenza factory and countless thousands of miles churned out during pre-season testing, it was time to see if all the hard work and effort had been worth it as the team descended on Melbourne with the STR12 fit and fettled. A Formula 1 season is a veritable marathon, a rollercoaster of highs and lows. What follows is the story of a memorable 2017 season for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, sponsors and fans alike. We hope that you enjoy the ride! 32

RND #01 2 6 • 0 3•17

AUSTRALIA Albert Park, Melbourne

Making magic in Melbourne Toro Rosso double-up on points in season opener

hen the Formula 1 season fires into life in Melbourne, it’s always with a sense of heightened anticipation. And that’s not just because it’s a new championship, with the opportunity to reset the balance. Albert Park is a demanding and unforgiving wall-lined ribbon of temporary race track built around a lake, in a beautiful southern district of the city not far from Port Phillip Bay. And it often throws up safety car periods as the 20 race-starved drivers go at it toe-to-toe following a winter of inactivity. For all those teams not at the front of the grid, the chaotic nature of this race, combined with the fact that everyone is fine-tuning their new bespoke machinery means there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of an early-season points haul.

CHAOTIC NATURE “ THE OF THIS RACE MEANS

THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE AN EARLY-SEASON POINTS HAUL

”

RND #01 2 6 • 0 3•17

AUSTRALIA Albert Park, Melbourne

And of course, one is never certain of the season's new competitive order until the racing starts. Toro Rosso had shown promise in Barcelona’s pre-season tests, but missed a chunk of time as it worked through new car glitches. Free practice and qualifying therefore represented a relative step into the unknown. So when Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat lined up eighth and ninth on the grid respectively on race day it represented a huge fillip for the team. Not only did the new STR12 – complete with a shiny newfor-2017 colour scheme – look like the best in show on the grid, it was now evident the car was as fast as it was attractive. In F1, drama is never far away, even when the cars are stationary! For Daniil, there’s a problem on the

grid with one of the in-car extinguishers going off. It’s fixed just in time for the formation lap, and when the lights finally went out to signal the start of a new era for the sport, the boys behind the wheel kept up their end of the bargain. His problem fixed, Daniil pulled off the longest opening stint of any car in the field on his supersoft Pirelli tyres, running a strong sixth place. Only a need to top up the air system during the final laps denied him the opportunity of mounting an attack on Sergio Perez’s Force India for seventh position, and he finished the race behind team-mate Carlos, in ninth. “What a good race! It was just a shame that we had to make an extra stop during the final laps,” Daniil said afterwards. “If it hadn’t been for that, P7 was definitely

“ DANIIL PULLED OFF THE LONGEST

OPENING STINT OF ANY CAR IN THE FIELD ON HIS SUPERSOFT PIRELLI TYRES, RUNNING A STRONG SIXTH

”

Vital race-preparation ahead of the opening grand prix is thrown a curve ball as Daniil Kvyat's in-car extinguisher goes off on the grid

A double-points haul was the perfect way to begin the 2017 season after a challenging testing phase; here was proof the STR12 was fast

on the table and we were fighting for it well!” Daniil’s loss was Carlos’s gain, and despite suffering a drop in tyre pressure when he let the leaders, and Daniil past, the Spaniard was right under Perez’s gearbox before he ran out of laps to find a way past the Mexican. “Towards the end of the race I was closing fast and catching the Force India, and I got quite close to overtaking him – if only there had been a few more laps, I could’ve given it a try,” admitted Carlos. “This race weekend was definitely a confidence boost for the whole team – to get both cars into Q3 yesterday and end with a double-points finish today is a really good start. Now we need to make sure we keep on going.” For Scuderia Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost, the double points finish demonstrated that all the late nights and double shifts through the winter had been worth the effort. He also paid tribute to the winner of the Australian Grand Prix; Scuderia Toro Rosso old boy Sebastian Vettel. “This shows that our complete package is very competitive and this is encouraging. In today’s race, both drivers did a good start and defended their positions well. Generally speaking, the car showed good performance and our pit stops worked very well. The race itself was also interesting, as it was Ferrari who won, with Mercedes finishing close behind. I think this will become a very interesting fight throughout the whole year. I’d like to congratulate our ex-driver Sebastian for the win today, he really deserved it!” 38

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS WITH JAMES KEY

Starting on the right foot BY FAILING TO prepare you are preparing to fail, or so goes the famous quote. In Formula 1, teams work tirelessly to ensure every minuscule aspect of the thousands of components in the car work perfectly, and that should the worst happen there is a redundancy in place. Nowhere is preparation more important than at the start of the race. When the lights go out, an F1 car will have covered around 45 metres in three seconds; with the car reaching 100mph from a standstill in less time still. And yet the key to a great start happens not only in the minutes before the lights go out, but in the days before when the cars are unloaded into the garages and work begins on one of the most essential components in the car. A finely-tuned clutch is critical, and drivers bed in and calibrate it through practice on Friday. The team then carefully analyses all the data gathered, stored and backed up by Acronis. Some teams will use brand new clutches while others will opt for a

serviced one, but regardless of this preference, they still need to be properly conditioned which is done by automatically engaging it whilst the engine is running and the brakes are applied. The clutch slip then prepares its carbon surfaces. Just as you find the ‘bite point’ of your own road car clutch when pulling away, this procedure allows the bite point to be learned by the control system. After qualifying, other considerations need to be factored in by the race engineers, such as grid position and fuel load and whether the car has the advantage of starting on the clean side of the track (on the rubbered-in racing line) or the ‘dirtier’ side that has less grip and traction. By the time race day has arrived, the hard work of the previous two days will be tested even further. Seasoned F1 fans know that before the reconnaissance laps prior to the grid formation, drivers will practice even more race starts as they exit the pits. This is done in order for the driver to get accustomed to the conditions and fuel load before the start. Next comes the parade lap.

RND #01 2 6 • 0 3•17

“

DRIVERS PERFORM A TRICKY BALANCING ACT BETWEEN TYRE GRIP AND TORQUE WITH TWO CLUTCH PADDLES

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Again, this is a crucial part of race preparation as the drivers take the opportunity to make a practice start to ensure all settings are in order. After this it is a matter of getting the tyres up to temperature by weaving left and right and performing ‘burn outs’, accelerating hard as he approaches the grid. At this point the driver should manoeuvre his car into the correct grid position, but in Australia things didn’t go quite according to plan. A problem with former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull meant he had to start his home grand prix from the pit lane. He stopped on the way to the grid with his car stuck in sixth gear due to an electronic sensor issue. Far from ideal for him, but it also caused a problem for Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, who took up the wrong position on the grid, forcing the drivers to take another formation lap. But if all has gone according to plan, the driver now has his tyres at optimum temperature, he has adjusted his clutch settings to match the track conditions and will know

what to limit his pre-start revs to. Once all the cars are in their grid positions, he’ll shift from neutral to first gear on the steering wheelmounted selector, and now it’s all down to driver skill… As the five red starting lights illuminate, the driver sets his revs to around 11,000rpm as he waits for those lights to go out. Before 2004, race starts were controlled by automatic launch control, thereby minimising the driver’s input. But with that tech now outlawed, drivers must perform a tricky balancing act between tyre grip and torque with two clutch paddles. He modulates one to prevent excessive wheel spin while holding the other on bite point to ensure the engine doesn’t bog down. As the lights go out, he releases the first paddle and once the car has traction, he releases the second and rockets towards the first corner, reaching 100mph in around 4.2 seconds. But if he is late in reacting to the lights by as little as a tenth of a second, his rivals will accelerate past him as if he is standing still.

AUSTRALIA Albert Park, Melbourne

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

1 Cento Passi (One Hundred Steps)

 MUSIC

Believer – Imagine Dragons

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #01

Ferrari

Mercedes

Red Bull

Williams

Force India

Toro Rosso

Renault

Sauber

Haas

McLaren

0 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

RND #02 0 9 • 0 4•17

CHINA Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai

Gamble pays off for Carlos Super-slick Sainz springs a tyre surprise in Shanghai

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

W ONLY

Y P O C F PROO

e’ve all been familiar with that feeling of anticipation on a birthday, when you have given someone special a gift and you can’t wait for them to unwrap it because you know what's inside is totally unexpected. The surprise, and their subsequent reaction, well that is all part of the fun right? Sitting in 11th position on a damp, but ultimately drying grid slot, two places behind team-mate Daniil Kvyat, Carlos Sainz must have experienced a similar sensation. For he knew very well the thunderbolt he was to visit upon his more cautious rivals when his tyres were unmasked from their blankets - a gleaming set of fresh, red-banded supersoft Pirelli slicks.

KNEW THE THUNDERBOLT HE WAS “ HE ABOUT TO VISIT UPON HIS MORE CAUTIOUS RIVALS WHEN HIS TYRES WERE UNMASKED FROM UNDER THEIR BLANKET WARMERS

” 41

RND #02 0 9 • 0 4•17

CHINA Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS WITH JAMES KEY

Tyres and race strategy CARLOS’S DECISION TO bolt on supersoft tyres at the start of the Chinese Grand Prix when only one other driver (Jolyon Palmer) chose to go down the same route, proved to be inspired. But in 2017, all the teams faced the significant task of learning a completely new brace of tyres and compounds as well as the nuances of how to employ competitive strategies for them. Ahead of the season, the FIA – the sport’s governing body – introduced a raft of changes to Formula 1’s regulations, with the intent of bringing back some of the dramatic speed and performance to the world’s fastest racing cars. The size of Pirelli’s front

tyres was increased from 245mm to 305mm, while the rears the jumped from 325mm to 405mm. Tyre diameter was also increased by 10mm. All this gave the cars a dramatic look reminiscent of a more visceral and evocative period in the sport’s history. But what did all this mean for F1 in 2017? In a nutshell, the greatest effect was a significant improvement in overall performance. Revised aerodynamics producing greater downforce meant a performance gain of up to two seconds a lap, whilst another couple seconds came from the wider-track chassis and larger tyres. As the contact area increases, so does the grip leading to higher speeds through the corners, and the driver finds it easier to modulate power on to the road surface and gain better traction on exiting a corner. The wide tyres have been a

challenge for aerodynamics as tyre wakes increase in size. For vehicle dynamics this is also a significant challenge to get the best out for the tyre performance and longevity during racing. STR’s team of vehicle dynamicists, tyre specialists and simulation experts have been hard at work on the 2017 tyres right from late 2015 and have done a good job in developing our understanding of them.

greater consistency and driveability through corners to cope with the increase in lateral forces produced by this year’s increase in aerodynamic performance. In essence, they’re tougher, stronger and more durable. Of course, we take all of these considerations into effect when planning pit stops and, as in Shanghai, both cars started on different strategies with Carlos

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m 405m

20 17

m 305m

20 16 m 305m

20 16

m 245m

THE PERFORMANCE OF “ TO THEIMPROVE TYRES, PIRELLI NEEDED TO TAKE AN ENTIRELY FRESH APPROACH ” In order to improve the performance of the tyres, Pirelli needed to take an entirely fresh approach to its F1 concept. The Italian company introduced a new carcass structure to support the wider tread demanded by the sweeping 2017 rule changes and employed cutting edge construction technologies to maximise the distribution of forces in the bead area and footprint. This provided

gambling on the supersoft and Daniil starting the race on the intermediate tyre. Engineers keep an extremely close eye on all of the data to evaluate exactly when the optimum time is to pit the car before performance tails off. Carlos was able to stay out longer on the drying circuit than the other cars on intermediates and he made up a few places as a result, despite his early spin. Sometimes, teams will choose to bring in their car earlier than originally planned in order to get a boost in performance from a new tyre dependant on traffic conditions, or where the rivals are on the

While the pack battled around the first few laps on the slower intermediates, Carlos was flying on his Pirelli supersoft slicks

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circuit in order to get the jump on them in the pit lane. You will often hear television commentators talking about this earlier than planned move and this is known as ‘undercutting’. Data gathering and storage is a vital part of race strategy and therefore Acronis plays a key part in where we finish on race day. We are able to run a series of virtual races based on statistical information and this is known as a ‘Monte Carlo simulation’. Different parameters and pit stop laps are applied to all of the cars and the thousands of results are then analysed to determine the probability of a given outcome for a particular set of decisions. Of course, other teams are also do the same thing with their data, so we have to take into account that they will deviate from the optimum as is the case with the undercut and so modify our tactics accordingly. Data stored from previous years provides a good starting point to plan strategies, but with regulations changing so radically from year to year, data gathered

from long runs during this year’s Friday practice sessions is also extremely valuable. F1 is all about reacting to changing conditions such as rain and safety car periods. More simulations can be run to determine the outcome if we stop or don’t stop and we can then prepare for a ‘Safety Car window’. As far as changes in weather are concerned, engineers are constantly monitoring radar on the pit wall and looking at the banks of data analysing lap times and preparing when to move from wets to intermediates, for example, or vice versa. If a race starts dry and it rains or, as we saw in China, the race starts wet and dries out, the onus is on the driver to decide if he needs to change tyres and this is when the most complicated of all computers comes into play – the human brain! As we saw in Bahrain, Carlos’s decision to start on slicks raised more than a few eyebrows but his gamble ultimately paid off. He who dares, sometimes, wins and that was a good result for us so well done to him for rolling the dice.

On a greasy asphalt surface that had been spattered with rain only moments before, the Spaniard was one of only two drivers brave enough to take a gamble on dry tyres; all the others had opted for the green-striped intermediate tyre compound which is the norm for a slippery but not entirely wet track. Carlos rolled the dice in the hope that the circuit was, in fact, drying quickly. His wager with fate was about to pay handsome dividends. Now it was purely down to backing his instincts and putting to the test his manifest driving skill. Initially though, it looked as though Carlos was like one of those kids on Christmas day who’d opened a present he didn’t like, as he spun through the opening sequence of corners with his tyres demanding too much from the limited adhesion available. He was lucky not to impact with the barrier as he slithered across the grass. "On the grid everyone thought I was completely mad to want to start the race on slicks!” reflected Carlos afterwards. “It sounds funny now, but when everyone took the blankets off the tyres and my race engineer told me that we were the only ones with the supersoft tyres, I doubted my decision. When you're on the grid, about to start a race, and you take a tough decision like that, there's a lot of weight on your shoulders, knowing that you might have blown away a good result for the team. But I then said to myself, ‘C'mon trust yourself, it's the right thing to do.’ “I knew the start and the first four corners were going to be very tricky. But from Turn 6 onwards the track was fully dry and I felt confident. The gamble 43

RND #02 0 9 • 0 4•17

CHINA Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai

Carlos finished a fighting seventh while Daniil battled the might of Valtteri Bottas's Mercedes until his hydraulics failed

definitely paid off! But today's result isn't just down to this decision; it's also the pace we showed in the damp.” Having wrestled his car back onto the track, Carlos caught the field rapidly as their tyres overheated. Soon, unbelievably, he had Mercedes and Ferrari in his sights, closing to within 3.9s of championship leader Sebastian Vettel before stopping for a new set of softs on lap 31. Carlos also engaged in a fierce tussle with another titan, the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, which ended when the McLaren broke a halfshaft. And, despite losing a place to the recovering Valtteri Bottas, seventh represented a superb effort and justification for having the courage of his conviction. “It was just an incredible race,” said Carlos afterwards. “I felt so comfortable in the car and to finally cross the line in P7 is a great result!" When the lights went out, given Carlos’s tyre choice, Daniil might be forgiven for thinking that he who would be challenging for the lion’s share of the team’s points, starting as he was on the more conventional choice of intermediate tyre. The Russian once again pushed his STR12 into the top ten in qualifying and rose to sixth position before pitting for soft slicks of his own. But he'd hardly used them before he was forced to retire with a hydraulic failure after 20 laps. Still, with a further six points safely in the bag, Toro Rosso had jumped to fourth in the constructors’ standings with only two races gone.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

 MOVIE

Law Abiding Citizen

 MUSIC

Sex On Fire – Kings of Leon

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

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Mercedes

Ferrari

Red Bull

Toro Rosso

Force India

Williams

Renault

Sauber

Haas

McLaren

0 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

WRESTLED “ HAVING HIS CAR BACK ONTO THE TRACK, CARLOS CAUGHT THE FIELD RAPIDLY AS THEIR TYRES OVERHEATED

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BAHRAIN

RND #03 16 • 0 4•17

Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir

Night race nightmare No stroll in the desert as racing incidents cost team

‘M

y mama told me there’ll be days like this’, are lyrics by the famous Van Morrison. Following successive points finishes in Australia and China came Carlos Sainz’s first DNF of the season, and with Daniil Kvyat finishing just out of the points, it seemed Bahrain was one of those days. The bad vibes began for Carlos during Friday afternoon’s free practice session, when critical track time was lost over a broken exhaust system. In the world of F1, where data gathering is of such vital importance, the lack of laps had a direct impact on his qualifying preparation. Carlos was then hampered further by an engine issue which prevented him from progressing through the first part of qualifying. In the end he could only manage P16, and with a lot of work to do.

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FOR A SPLIT SECOND THERE APPEARED TO BE ENOUGH “ SPACE TO EXECUTE THE MOVE, BUT THE CANADIAN TEENAGE ROOKIE STUCK TO HIS RACING LINE AND THE TWO COLLIDED ”

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Pit crews awaited their moment to change the destiny of the race but Daniil's valiant tussle with Fernando Alonso provided no points

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RND #03 16 • 0 4•17

BAHRAIN Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir

Now in his third season at the top, the Spaniard has established himself as one of the most sought after talents on the grid, thanks to his daring racecraft and exceptional pace. From his lowly starting position, the Bahrain Grand Prix looked like it was quickly developing into a trademark Sainz drive as he recovered to ninth position – and well within the points. Having exited the pits after his first stop for fresh supersoft Pirelli rubber, Sainz saw an opportunity to gain a position as Lance Stroll’s Williams charged down into the first corner. Carlos being Carlos, the chance was too good to resist. For a split second there appeared to be enough space to execute the move, but the Canadian teenage rookie stuck to his line and the two collided. It was race over for both parties. This is F1, where just as there are no excuses tolerated, so it is also often difficult to apportion blame. But on this occasion, the race stewards deemed that Carlos was at

Y P O C PROOF

HAVING A “ WE VERYWERE GOOD RACE, WE

OVERTOOK FIVE CARS IN ONE LAP AND ON COURSE TO FIGHT FOR A TOP TEN FINISH BUT THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN

”

fault and slapped him with a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Russia. “I was exiting the box and suddenly I saw Lance taking a very wide line,” said Carlos. “I thought obviously he was taking that line because he was leaving me some space and suddenly he came to the inside like I wasn’t there. I think he simply didn’t see me or expect me there. If not, he would have left car space. “We were having a very good race, we overtook five cars in one lap and on course to fight for a top ten finish but these things can happen once or twice a year.” It was a tough pill for Carlos to swallow as he looked set for a third successive points finish. For the team it could have been even better had similar misfortune not befallen Daniil. From his starting position of 11th 49

RND #03 16 • 0 4•17

BAHRAIN Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

In season testing IN THE immediate aftermath of the Bahrain Grand Prix the teams stayed behind to conduct two days of testing. It tried out various new components for Russia, but it was also a chance to give an aspiring young driver not yet competing in F1 the invaluable experience of getting to grips with the highest level of motorsport. For junior drivers making their way in the sport, days like these are gold dust; an opportunity to learn and develop their craft in the best possible environment. On Tuesday it was the turn of 20-year-old Indonesian Formula 2 driver Sean Gelael (pictured) to cut his teeth behind the wheel of the STR12. He did not disappoint, completing 78 laps of the circuit

and setting a quickest time of 1:33.885s. Not bad at all for a first attempt and naturally a moment that he would never forget. “It was an amazing experience for me to drive a Formula 1 car; a kid from Jakarta finally getting this experience is obviously an amazing achievement,” he said afterwards.

the day and we definitely made progress. I was able to complete plenty of laps and get used to the car quickly. The power and overall grip is amazing and, compared to the F2 car I drive, the grip under braking and the kerb riding are two of the biggest differences I felt. “Honestly, it's really fun to drive!"

YEAR'S CAR IS A BEAST, IT'S SO “ THIS QUICK! I SETTLED IN NICELY AND WE DEFINITELY MADE PROGRESS” "Today is a day I will never forget – to finally drive a grand prix car is something every driver dreams of, and to do it with Scuderia Toro Rosso makes it even more special. What an amazing feeling! “This year's car is a beast, it's so quick! I settled in nicely throughout

The two in-season young driver tests aren’t just about assessing future talent. Re-introduced a couple of years back as a way to contain budgets, testing allows teams to affirm their development and provides a further opportunity to break the competitive order

outside of the regulated confines of a race weekend. Although all cars must have passed mandatory FIA crash tests, testing essentially falls outside the championship boundaries and therefore there is no obligation to comply exactly to the technical regulations. This is why weirdlooking contraptions such as wake measuring rakes can sometimes be seen on the cars; something that certainly would not comply to bodywork regulations! The teams are allowed to undertake 15,000km of testing with their current car or previous year’s car in a single season at FIA approved sites. In 2017, there were tests in Bahrain and Hungary and although two days must be given over to young driver training, experimentation is vital to every team’s campaign.

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While the pack battled around the first few laps on the tractor-like wet tyres, Carlos was literally flying around on his slicks

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

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TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

on the grid, the Russian gained a place before coming off worst in a three-way tussle with Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, running wide into turn 12 under braking and leaving the circuit before rejoining the race in 18th position. From that point onwards it was a case of fighting for scraps and despite a typically combative drive, that included a peach of a pass on Marcus Eriksson’s Sauber and a dice with Renault's Jolyon Palmer and McLaren's Fernando Alonso, Daniil gallantly fought his way back up to tenth before pitting his STR12 a second time for a set of pre-used supersoft Pirellis. That proved a hurdle too far to overcome though, and the Russian was forced to settle for 12th. "The Bahrain event turned out to be quite a difficult weekend for us,” reflected team boss Franz Tost after. “The broken exhaust on Carlos' car meant

we had to change all the wiring looms and the complete environment of the exhaust system. On Saturday, during his very fast qualifying lap, he also had to stop the car on track because of a power unit issue. In the race, Carlos's start was good and he was able to overtake a few cars. Unfortunately, he had a collision with the Williams of Stroll, which meant that he could not finish the race. “Daniil lost many positions on the first lap. After that, he drove a solid race, taking part in some good fights, but unfortunately he couldn't finish in the points. We now have to prepare in the best possible way for Sochi in order to fight back." Meanwhile, former Toro Rosso grand prix winner Sebastian Vettel took the lead in the driver’s championship as he defeated Lewis Hamilton to take his second win of the year.

Ex Machina

 MUSIC

Jungle – X Ambassadors

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #03

Ferrari

102

Mercedes

Red Bull

Force India

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

McLaren

Sauber

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RND #04 3 0 • 0 4•17

RUSSIA Sochi Autodrom, Sochi

From Russia with love Team makes a point and plenty of new racing fans in Sochi

he final statistics tell that Scuderia Toro Rosso came away from the 2017 Russian Grand Prix with just a single point, but following a strong start to the season it proved to be a valuable learning weekend and a good experience for the team in many other ways. Since the inaugural race at Sochi Autodrom in 2014, Russia has taken F1 to its heart, and in particular one driver; Scuderia Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat. As befits its place as one of sport’s truly global platforms, F1 is a billion-dollar revenue generator. Reaching into fresh territories and tapping new audiences such as those in Russia is critical to continuing growth and this was always a key objective of former supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Now F1’s newly installed CEO, Chase Carey of rights holder Liberty Media, also recognises the importance of Russia. And in Sochi the Scuderia Toro Rosso team was very much in the spotlight. Daniil began his home grand prix weekend by playing another sport that is already a national pastime, participating in a curling match with the Russian women’s Olympic team before being introduced to Dmitry Kozak, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, and Nikolai Rastorguev from the band Lube Music. On track, both Daniil and Carlos Sainz found the 52

Daniil tries his hand at curling with the Russian Women's Olympic team. This one's for the cameras – but it looks like he's a natural

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

DANIIL AND CARLOS FOUND THE “ BOTH NATURE OF THE SOCHI AUTODROM ASPHALT TOUGH TO MASTER, AS THEY STRUGGLED TO GET THE PIRELLI TYRES INTO A POTENT OPERATING RANGE

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RUSSIA Sochi Autodrom, Sochi

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

CLOCKWISE: Meeting with the Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Kozak; an

amazing loction for a circuit; battling it out for a hard-earned point

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Pulp Fiction

 MUSIC

Luis Fonsi – Despacito

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #04

Mercedes

136

Ferrari

135

Red Bull

Force India

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

Sauber

THE “ AMOUNT JUDGING BY OF SCUDERIA

TORO ROSSO FLAGS WAVING AROUND THE CIRCUIT, THE TEAM ALSO LEFT SOCHI WITH EVEN MORE FANS THAN WHEN THEY ROLLED INTO TOWN

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nature of the Sochi Autodrom asphalt tough to master, as they struggled to get the Pirelli tyres into a potent operating range on the slippery surface during free practice. Saturday proved equally tough and both drivers ran into problems again in FP3. Carlos persisted with his set-up tweaking though, and by qualifying he was eventually satisfied. The Spaniard only just missed out on a spot in Q3 by a couple of tenths. Daniil also went into qualifying with a set-up correction that allowed him to virtually match his team-mate’s time. They qualified 11th and 13th, but Carlos would take a three-place penalty for his crash in Bahrain, and would therefore start 14th on the grid. From those positions it was never likely that either driver would be on the podium to receive a trophy from Vladimir Putin. But the president may well have been impressed by a couple of the flamboyant overtakes Daniil executed during his final stint. Sadly for the home support, blue flags and a slightly misjudged early pit stop ultimately cost their hero any chance of points. But Carlos at least ensured that the team didn’t leave empty-handed, overcoming his grid penalty with a fabulous start to bag the final point for tenth position after a strong race. Yet this was a weekend that proved that F1 is not always about just what happens on the track. Judging by the amount of Scuderia Toro Rosso flags waving around the track, the team also left Sochi with even more fans than when they rolled into town.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO McLaren

Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

RND #04 3 0 • 0 4•17

RUSSIA Sochi Autodrom, Sochi

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Red Bull Energy Station Logistics DURING A GRAND prix weekend the Formula 1 paddock is truly a sight to behold. It’s not just a temporary engineering shop for the teams, communications headquarters for the world’s media and a place to be seen for VIP guests and celebrities, it’s also a business hub where contracts are discussed and multimillion-dollar deals are conceived. Client entertaining is a vital aspect of modern global sport, just as sponsorship is the essential lifeblood that infuses the extensive operating budgets required to deliver the performance behind the world’s most sophisticated racing cars. For sponsors then, F1 offers a global platform to expose brands to fresh markets and an opportunity to resonate through positive association with one of the world’s most iconic sports. The area behind the pits therefore does not merely take on the rarefied atmosphere that comes from being in the midst of a money-can’t-buy, behind the scenes world of F1, but buzzes as a glamorous and exclusive live working zone, much like the backstage of an A-list concert tour. For all ten teams on the grid, hospitality units must become media centre, gourmet kitchen, executive apartment and nightclub rolled into one. At Monaco, Red Bull even boasts a swimming pool in its aptly named ‘Energy Station’; the scene of Mark Webber’s back flips as he celebrated winning the grand prix. It’s little wonder then, that setting up the F1 paddock for the extended weekend is a breath-taking feat

of logistical planning. After all, the huge structures that populate this mini-metropolis must be erected and taken down within a couple of days, either side of the event. The 30-strong crew that builds the 2800-metre square Energy Station shared by Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing, typically arrive nine days before the race and begin the installation of the three-storey facility on the Saturday morning. The team works around the clock to get the job done in 48 hours with around 500

For flyaway races, the team arrives on the Monday before the race, departing the Monday afterwards. Depending on the geographical locations of races, transportation is done by air, sea freight or land by way of truck transportation. Scuderia Toro Rosso has one set of airfreight that weighs 32 tonnes and goes to all the flyway races, and additionally five sets of sea-freight that travel the world. A sea-freight set is three shipping containers-worth, and all five sets are identical. For the

STRUCTURE WEIGHS “ THE 2500ENTIRE TONNES, 30 OF WHICH MAKE UP THAT SWIMMING POOL ON THE TOP FLOOR!

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different items to install, including 16km of cables. For the Monaco Grand Prix, which takes place around the Monte Carlo harbour, the Energy Station is mounted on two floating barges and is built over a five-week period in Port Imperia on the Italian Riviera. It’s then sailed for six hours to the grand prix site. The entire structure weights 2500 tonnes, 30 of which make up that swimming pool on the top floor! Team personnel responsible for the set-up (coordinators, IT and mechanics) usually arrive at the circuit on Monday and Tuesday. Race engineers, marketing and the drivers will arrive on location on Wednesday to ready the cars for free practice and the rest of the weekend.

European races, transportation used is still mainly truck-orientated because most of the races can be reached by road and it's also a much more cost effective option. And when Daniil and Carlos take the flag on grand prix Sunday, hopefully with more points in the bag, the whole process of packing begins again. In anywhere between six to eight hours after the end of the race, you would barely know anyone had been there. With back-to-back races and depending on the layout of the paddock, the job can be done quicker. From China to Bahrain, the flight leaves at 06:00 the following morning so the turnaround is quick, as with so much in the amazing sport of F1!

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RND #05 14â&#x20AC;˘ 0 5â&#x20AC;˘17

SPAIN Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona

Home heroics for king Carlos Sainz sambas to seventh in double points finish

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Both drivers made impressive advances in the race but the home fans flocked to their Spanish hero Carlos Sainz

he Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, situated 12 miles to the north east of the vibrant city of Barcelona, is a fantastic motorsport venue. Not only is the sun almost always shining but the local fans serve to make the atmosphere special; Spain after all holds her sporting heroes in high reverence, be they footballers, tennis players, golfers or Formula 1 racers. Little wonder then that every time Carlos Sainz left the Scuderia Toro Rosso garage during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, he could see an ocean of national and team flags fluttering in equal measure in the adjacent grandstand that towers over the startline. Now the endless PR events, the interviews and the various razzmatazz associated with being the local boy in his home event were complete, and it was time get tightly strapped into the cockpit of his Renault-powered STR12. There was just the matter of backing up all the talking with action on the circuit. He had to deliver a result those fans could be proud of. Qualifying proved tricky. Carlos could only manage 12th on the grid despite displaying top ten pace throughout the weekend, and up until Q2 – when it mattered most. But his maladies were light when compared to Daniil Kvyat, who lined up a mystified and disappointed 20th in the updated Scuderia Toro Rosso. Clever race strategy would now be key to producing a strong finish and that’s exactly what the team delivered. Daniil pitted early (lap two!), bolted on a set

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO CARLOS LEFT THE “ EVERY PITS HETIME COULD SEE AN OCEAN OF

NATIONAL AND FLAGS WAVING IN THE ADJACENT GRANDSTAND

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RND #05 14â&#x20AC;˘ 0 5â&#x20AC;˘17

SPAIN Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona

Carlos and race engineer Marco Matassa make lastminute strategy changes; Daniil gets pushed out wide on the opening lap

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“

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

Y L N O Y P O ” C F O O R P

WE WERE DOING A VERY GOOD RACE, WE OVERTOOK FIVE CARS IN ONE LAP AND ON COURSE TO FIGHT FOR A TOP TEN FINISH BUT THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN

of soft compound Pirelli tyres and delivered a stunning 30-lap stint to climb through the field to ninth – a remarkable effort from the back of the grid. But it was Carlos who received the biggest cheer of the afternoon. From the start, he made up three places on his grid position, jumping to ninth. Then he passed the two Haas cars of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen during the second round of pit stops as he switched to the harder medium compound rubber. Perhaps it was the balance of the car on these tyres, or perhaps it was the nature of the bigger aerodynamic forces at work with the 2017 regulations, but from that point on he was made to work hard as he chased Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber down for seventh position. Indeed he only moved ahead of the German when the latter received a five-second penalty served on the final lap. Afterwards, Carlos was understandably delighted.

“To finish P7 after starting P12 is a great result!” he said. “I enjoyed it because we were always faster than the car in front and I never had to look in the mirrors. “It was also amazing to have such big support from the fans – I was feeling it! I was pushing the whole time, going for the cars I had in front, trying different ways of attacking both on track and in the pit-lane and we managed to do a very complete race weekend. “During my in-lap at the end of the race I looked up to the grandstand and it was amazing to see them all so pumped up and cheering me on.” Up at the front, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel resumed his season-long duel with Lewis Hamilton as he lost out in a breathtaking wheel-to-wheel dice with the Mercedes. This time he had to accept second place, but with five races down, the German led the championship by six points.

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Interstellar

 MUSIC

Jungle – Busy Earnin'

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #05

Mercedes

161

Ferrari

153

Red Bull

Force India

Toro Rosso

Williams

Renault

Haas

Sauber

McLaren

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RND #05 14• 0 5•17

SPAIN Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS WITH JONATHAN EDDOLLS

Setting up a Formula 1 car FOR MORE THAN two decades the racetrack on the outskirts of Barcelona has provided the bedrock for development as Formula 1 outfits hone and refine their chariots in preparation for the season to come. Close enough to the various team headquarters in Italy, Switzerland and the UK so as to be central, and warm enough in February and March to give a sensible reading on how cars are likely to perform in race conditions, the circuit (which made its debut in 1991) has become F1’s ‘baseline’ venue. In 2017, ten teams and 41 drivers completed more than 35,500 kilometres combined on the track before the season had begun! Because teams and drivers know the layout and characteristics of the circuit so intuitively, nowhere is car set-up more important in finding an advantage over the opposition. The Spanish Grand Prix therefore, is often when the first major aerodynamic and engineering updates are introduced to the evolving chassis, now that the initial flyway races have been completed. While Barcelona forms the first natural break point in the season for new developments, Austria through to Hungary is often a good time for a second step if an aero “package” approach is being used, rather than a rolling development of smaller items at each race. For Scuderia Toro Rosso, both the seasonal upgrade packages provided additional downforce to our car, while the introduction

of new mechanical systems for our suspension helped generate additional mechanical grip. But though we achieved the results we expected from these packages, as is the case every year, development continued late into the season. So what is involved in setting up a car for optimum performance and how is this achieved from circuit to circuit? In essence, the set-up of the car can refer to a wide range of changeable settings, from the electronic configuration such as brake-by-wire and differential mappings to the power unit and torque mapping, brake cooling and the tyre-heating regime used. Then there are the more visual aerodynamic configurations such as the rear wing options and downforce levels. But when most people refer to the set-up of the car they are typically referring to the mechanical configuration such as the roll stiffness, the heave stiffness, mechanical balance, aero balance, weight distribution and ride heights. These are the fundamental set-up factors that define the car’s balance. The compromises we have to make in order to react to circumstance are not always the same but are often similar. Take for example the trade-off of ride performance versus aerodynamic performance. The ride team will always ask you to run the car as soft as possible to maximise the mechanical grip over the bumps around the track, but the aerodynamic team will ask you to

run the car as stiff as possible to keep the ride heights of the car as close as possible to the peak of the aerodynamic performance. It’s then up to the engineering team at the track to define what they believe is the best compromise. Taking the ride versus aero compromise for example, a track with a lot of high speed corners and very few low speed corners such as Japan, will push the set-up towards a very stiff car to maximise the aero gain since the mechanical loss will be small. But there are tracks, such as Mexico, where there are so many low-speed corners and so few high-speed that the optimum

Although we now have sophisticated simulation tools, it’s still difficult to get the set-up right first time but we can at least start with one that is very close to what ends up being optimum. There are many factors that you just can’t simulate before the event – you don’t know what the track temperature will be, the wind strength or direction. And the main problem with simulation is the difficulty in modelling tyre behaviour. We can model pretty much everything else extremely accurately, but the interaction of the tyre with the circuit is extremely difficult to predict and we still don’t

2017, TEN TEAMS AND 41 DRIVERS “ IN COMPLETED MORE THAN 35,500KM COMBINED ON THE CIRCUIT BEFORE THE SEASON HAD EVEN BEGUN!

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compromise is to run the car soft to maximise mechanical grip at the expense of aero optimisation. The main aspects of car set-up that vary from circuit-to-circuit are aero balance, mechanical balance, weight distribution, heave stiffness, tyre presentation (cambers and toes) and downforce level. Each circuit presents its own challenges depending on many characteristics such as their average power limited and grip limited speeds, average turn angle, braking requirements, cooling requirements and track temperature – we then tune the setup to suit the circuit characteristics.

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have a perfect model – no team on the grid does! What we are able to change during the set-up process is exhaustive. The springs, roll bars, damper settings, ride heights, cambers, toes, brake configuration, brake cooling, front wing flap angle, rear wing, bodywork level, tyre pressures, tyre heating, tyre blanket settings, brake by wire maps, brake balance, differential maps, torque maps… the list is nearly endless! Obviously the main focus of a weekend is to optimise the car’s performance in qualifying and race

conditions, but there are other things that we look to achieve during practice sessions. We often run extra instrumentation to learn about various aspects of car performance such as aerodynamic rakes, test items for the next year’s design and we also use the session to sign-off reliability or performance upgrades. Of course, the driver plays an instrumental part in the entire process – he is by far the most expensive sensor we have on the car! He can feel its total grip and balance and whether it is suffering oversteer or understeer, for example. When the lights do go out on Sunday, we are very adaptable. Most of the strategy options will have already been discussed prior to the race, such as it could be a one or a two-stop race. We will have a decision matrix to follow during the race to help drive the tactical decision based on the live data and driver feedback. A lot of these decisions are already planned prior to the race. For example, we have very good weather information, including radar, so we can predict quite accurately when rain will come or go and we can adapt our strategy to suit. Also with safety car periods we define ‘windows’ before the race so we clearly know what we should do if one occurs. But sometimes things don’t happen quite according to plan and you have to make the best decisions. That is when experience counts!

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO F1 puts on a show in Barcelona THE OPENING RACE weekend of the European season also witnessed the first significant signs of F1's desire to improve the "show". Several initiatives, such as lucky fans getting to ride around the track on a flatbed truck at the same time as the Drivers’ Parade and a bar in the paddock organised by one of F1's main sponsors. There were also hot-laps for celebs and paying public around the track in spectacular two-seater F1 cars, heralding what Liberty Media hoped would be a new, more fan-friendly grand prix experience. For Scuderia Toro Rosso, this also meant being entertained pre-race by a giant robot stamping his way down the paddock and stopping in front of the team’s hospitality suite!

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MONACO Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo

Majestic in Monte Carlo Sainz sparkles at Formula 1’s ‘jewel in the crown’

ovie stars and fast cars. Harbour lights and party nights. The glitz of Monaco defines all that is glamorous about this most exclusive of sports. Most famous of all grands prix, and on the calendar since 1929, Monaco was once dubbed the ‘Jewel in the F1 Crown’ by one of its greatest kings, three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, thrice a winner in the Principality. For the drivers and teams alike, the twisty confines of the narrow street circuit present a welcome challenge like nowhere else for the best drivers on Earth. And while the average lap time around the 2.07-mile track may only be 103mph, making it by far the slowest on the 20-race calendar, because of the proximity of the guardrail and the legendary corners it encloses such as Ste Devote, Casino Square and the high-velocity, fifthgear Swimming Pool entry left-right; it is the race that every driver dreams of winning. And, due to the extremely scarce opportunities to pass for position during the race, more than anywhere else during the season, a strong practice and qualifying build-up are key factors to a successful race. At Monaco, grid position is vital. For the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, that is exactly what happened as everything fell into place. A dazzling display during Thursday’s free practice saw Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz fourth and fifth fastest respectively, proving the STR12 was a match for the sport’s biggest

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

HAT A RESULT, WHAT “ W A PERFECT WEEKEND! WE NEED TO ENJOY THIS MOMENT CARLOS SAINZ

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Y P O C PROOF

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MONACO Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

Both Toro Rosso drivers had a spell fending off Hamilton; Carlos was delighted with sixth place

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR hitters on a circuit that rewards mechanical grip and downforce far more than which engine may be bolted into the back of the car. This competitive pace carried into qualifying. Carlos was a stunning sixth on the grid (only once has he qualified higher; when he was fifth on home soil in 2015). Daniil meanwhile, was 11th after being scuppered by a yellow flag during the closing moments of Q2. But his starting position was revised to P9 after both the McLarens took grid penalties. Unfortunately for the Russian, his chances of a points finish were dashed during the race when Force India’s Sergio Perez punted his Russian rival into retirement in a wildly optimistic overtake. It was twice in as many races that he had fallen victim to the over-exuberance of others. For Carlos, however, the weekend finished as it had begun, the Spaniard driving strongly having also had a tap from Perez in the early stages off the race. To complete 78 laps of Monaco, error-free is one of the

most difficult challenges in world motorsport, so to do it while holding off three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton on an identical one-stop strategy is even harder. Sainz eventually finished a brilliant sixth behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen (a former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver). "What a result, what a perfect weekend!” said Carlos afterwards. “We need to enjoy this moment, because it's not usual to achieve a faultless grand prix on the streets of Monaco – and this time we did! We put in good laps in practice, in yesterday's qualifying session and, in today's race, we were able to keep a world champion in a faster car behind and finish P6 – it definitely feels so good!” There was also good news for Sebastian Vettel, who won the race for the second time in his career as he and Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkönen took an emphatic one-two, moving the German 25 points ahead of title-rival Hamilton.

 MOVIE

Braveheart

 MUSIC

Snow on the Sahara – Anggun

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #06

Ferrari

196

Mercedes

179

Red Bull

Force India

Toro Rosso

Williams

Renault

Haas

Sauber

McLaren

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Y L N O Y P O C F O RO the gears Monaco Pthrough ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

THREE TIMES FORMULA 1 world champion Nelson Piquet once famously likened racing on the streets of Monaco to riding around your living room on a bicycle. Okay, so some people’s living rooms are larger than others, but the point the Brazilian was trying to make was that of all the circuits on the calendar, Monaco is the tightest, most twisty, and mentally demanding of the lot. The slightest lapse in concentration can end with a car in the barriers. The race is so special it is regarded 68

as part of motorsport’s unofficial ‘triple crown’, along with the Indianapolis 500 in the US and the 24 hours of Le Mans in France. But whereas the Indy 500 – won by former Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato in 2017 only hours after Sebastian Vettel took the chequered flag at Monte Carlo – takes place on a 2.5-mile oval, and consists of one or two gear changes a lap, there is more activity in the cockpit at Monaco than anywhere else. The challenge couldn’t be more different. The Monaco Grand Prix is conducted

over 78 laps, covering 161.879 miles. During this distance, drivers will make approximately 62 gear changes a lap, that’s more than 4800 during the course of a race. It’s not only an extreme examination of driver skill and concentration; it’s also a severe test of one of the most important parts of F1 tech – the gearbox. An F1 car can accelerate from 0-100kph in a little over two seconds and brake back to a standstill in half that time, and this stop-start versatility

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is vital to cope with the nature of the Monaco circuit. It’s made possible because of the ‘seamless’ eight-speed hydraulic gearbox built by Red Bull Technologies in co-operation with engine supplier Renault. In a conventional manual gearbox, such as the one in your road car, the drive is briefly diengaged when the driver selects a new gear when depressing the clutch. With an F1 gearbox, because it is crucial that none of this drive energy is lost, intricate mechanisms ensure that when an upshift is made, drive is taken up on the next gear at the exact moment that the previous gear is disengaged. It means there is no loss of drive torque and precisely why the gearboxes in an F1 car are referred to as ‘seamless’. Unlike in your own car, unless you happen to be lucky enough to own a supercar, the F1 gears and clutch mechanisms are operated by the driver by way of a paddle shift system behind the steering wheel. Introduced at the

end of the 1980s, the system was a godsend for drivers, who regularly ended races with hands bleeding from burst blisters. Nowadays, when the driver flicks the gear paddle, it sends a signal to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which tells it that a gearshift is needed. The unit knows whether an

MONACO Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo

and production of the eight gearboxes the teams are allowed to use for its two cars during the course of a season (rules state that each driver is allocated four boxes per season), and that’s assuming of course that extra ones aren’t required to finish the year. Additional gearboxes can cost as much as €265,000 each,

WILL MAKE APPROXIMATELY 62 “ DRIVERS GEAR CHANGES A LAP, THAT’S MORE THAN 4800 DURING THE COURSE OF A RACE”

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO upshift or downshift is required and what gear the driver is currently in. The right paddle shifts up, the left down. And with electronic control, a clutch is not needed to assist the process, which can be completed in as little as 0.007s per change – faster than the blink of an eye. Like everything in F1, gearboxes don’t come cheap. Teams can spend as much as €4.65 million on the development

and of course a five-place grid penalty if a change is required within six races. For us mere mortals, the closest we’re going to get to experiencing the unparalleled levels of acceleration and braking of an F1 car around Monaco’s tight confines is via the onboard cameras on television or by playing a realistic video game. Alternatively, you could simply have a go at riding a bicycle around your own living room...

FAR LEFT: The Grand Hotel

Hairpin is one corner that places a demand on the gearbox; BELOW LEFT: Paddle-shift has made life easier; BELOW RIGHT: Monaco is tough on the cars everywhere

RND #07 11• 0 6 •17

CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

Chaos in Canada From the highs of Monaco to unexpected lows in Montreal

here are few venues on the calendar that provide dramatic, unpredictable and exciting contests as consistently as Canada. Perhaps it’s a combination of the high-speed straights, sweeping corners and stand-on-the-brakes hairpin sections at either of the end of the venue. Or maybe it’s the proximity of the retaining walls, including the ‘Wall of Champions’ that outlines the exit of the final corner, that invokes caution and inspires daring in the drivers. And then there is also the law of chaos, which for some reason in Montreal, seems to trigger frequent safety car periods that neutralise races and give rise to racing opportunities on restarts. Chaos of course gives license to the unexpected. Where else in the sporting world, for example, would you be able to witness the bizarre sight of a groundhog risking its life to scuttle across a 5-metre wide strip of asphalt in front of a Formula 1 car travelling at 200mph? Because 30% of Canada consists of forest, it’s not entirely surprising to see wildlife on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, located on the manmade ‘Ile Notre Dame’ island that consists of 15 million tonnes of excavated rock. This particular cohabitation does not always end well for the groundhog. Just ask former Honda driver Anthony Davidson… Groundhogs were not the only rarity in the first half of 2017. Until Montreal, the Scuderia Toro Rosso team had seen at least one car finish every race, but after the jubilation of Carlos Sainz’s sixth place in Monaco a

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

Montreal often produces a crazy race, so pit crews stand ready to go

The Canadian F1 fans are among the most enthusiastic in the world, but all the support couldn't stop Carlos from crashing out on lap one

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

RND #07 11• 0 6 •17

CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

Pit lane fiasco – Daniil's race was ruined by stop and go penalties

fortnight earlier, came frustration, disappointment and a double retirement. Things began badly with Carlos missing the Friday morning practice session when his car developed a hydraulic problem. But at least the pace was there as Daniil Kvyat proved, setting top ten times in both sessions. In qualifying, Daniil just missed out on the top ten, while Carlos still making up for the lost time was behind him in 13th on the grid. Another points finish certainly seemed on the cards. On race day though, instead of the team benefitting from that unpredictable drama that makes the Canadian Grand Prix such a great race to watch, Carlos and Daniil would be caught up in the chaos. A clutch problem caused Daniil’s engine to stall on the formation lap. Drivers have until the first sector of the

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

F1's brake buster THE CIRCUIT GILLES Villeneuve is regarded as a supreme test of a car’s brakes with its mixture of long straights and tight hairpins. There are seven extreme braking areas over a single lap, with the brakes applied for approximately 10% of the lap. Decelerating from 200mph to 60mph in two seconds at the hairpin puts serious stress on the brakes and is enough to take the moisture from a driver’s eyes and splash tears onto his visor. Scuderia Toro Rosso supplier Brembo has been the largest provider of brakes to F1 teams since its foundation in 1951 but is not alone in the industry. Rival manufacturers Hitco and Carbone Industrie are also big hitters in this field. Yet the principle remains the same; to stop a car as energy

efficiently and quickly as possible. Before the driver applies the brakes, the carbon discs have cooled on the straights to 450 degrees centigrade, but once they’re used they heat to 1,200°C instantly. To put that into context, that’s an equivalent temperature to volcanic lava. Above 650C, the wear accelerates as the carbon oxidises, so it’s vital the brake ducts get force enough cooling air through them to keep wear in check. Brake ducts work by drawing air through the ducts, as the car travels forward. The air blows out over the brakes to regulate temperature. While their primary purpose is to cool the red-hot brakes, they are also used to cool the wheel bearings, which are also prone to overheating.

Slowing a spinning wheel down from 200mph to 60mph can create a lot of heat!

A brake duct takes in a huge amount of air, and the front brakes require more cooling. At 200mph, the front ducts swallow a massive 400 litres of air per second, and of this about a third passes through the disc and the rest is used for surface cooling. If we equate the same volume to water, it would require six fire engines pumping at maximum capacity for just a single brake duct! The demands placed on brakes differ from circuit to circuit and for an extreme braking venue such as

the balance between the front and rear brake effort is varied throughout the process to achieve optimum stopping power. Drivers will also tinker with front-and-rear brake balance from one corner to another and you often see the drivers adjusting the control in the cockpit before a corner – largely for handling requirement. The driver always uses his left foot for braking because the clutch is operated automatically for downchanges. As there is no servo to assist the driver, he will be applying 140kg

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

CARBON DISCS HAVE “ THE COOLED ON THE STRAIGHTS TO

450 DEGREES CENTIGRADE, BUT ONCE THEY’RE USED THEY HEAT TO 1,200°C INSTANTLY

”

Montreal, larger ducts are required than for a circuit such as Silverstone where the driver isn’t required to brake as hard at any point. But the bigger the brake duct the more downforce is lost. So race engineers will always try to run as small a duct as possible or look for little innovations in bodywork to counter the braking requirement. Unlike in your own road car,

to the pedal with his left leg – the equivalent to lifting around twice his own weight with one leg. So next time you’re pulling up to the traffic lights on your daily commute or weekend drive, spare a thought for the F1 drivers who put their bodies under such enormous stress as they experience similar g-forces under braking to those of a jet fighter pilot. 73

RND #07 11• 0 6 •17

CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

One highlight of the weekend was the impressive second place for the Toro Rosso team in the race across the St Lawrence river

lap to recover their grid position in the field or start from the pitlane. The Russian didn’t quite make it, but started from his grid position anyway. This resulted in a penalty. But poor Daniil was given the wrong penalty – a stop-and-go – and when the race stewards realised the error, he was also given a 10s penalty. Had he not been punished twice Daniil may well have finished in the points. Instead, a further problem during his pit stop forced the Russian into retirement. Things were much worse for Carlos, who touched Romain Grosjean’s Haas whilst challenging Fernando Alonso for position under braking for Turn 6, collecting Felipe Massa’s unfortunate Williams in the process, and making heavy contact with the barriers – triggering, you guessed it, a safety car. “I have to say I never saw the car there,” said Carlos afterwards. “It's simply a dead angle in my mirrors so I never knew he was there. If I had realized he was there, of course I would've been more careful and left some space. “Once we collided I was just a passenger, crashed into the wall and that was the end of my race unfortunately. I just couldn't do anything to avoid it.” On the positive side, the team did finish second to McLaren in the F1 raft race across the river, all of the equipment supplied by a local Red Bull market.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Back to the Future

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

 MUSIC

My Way – Frank Sinatra

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #07

Mercedes

222

Ferrari

214

Red Bull

112

Force India

Toro Rosso

Williams

Renault

Haas

Sauber

McLaren

0 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

WE COLLIDED I WAS JUST A PASSENGER, “ ONCE CRASHED INTO THE WALL AND THAT WAS THE END OF MY RACE” CARLOS SAINZ

RND #08 2 5• 0 6 •17

AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit, Baku

Carlos aces it in Baku bash Sainz navigates Azerbaijan carnage in F1's wacky race

hree safety cars, a sequence of crashes and a bizarre occurrence of world champion-related road rage ensured the European Grand Prix was one of the wackiest races the Formula 1 fraternity had witnessed in quite some time. When Formula 1 introduced the Azerbaijan republic, which borders Europe and Asia, to the calendar in 2016 much had been hoped for from the spectacularly beautiful, fast and challenging Baku street circuit. Instead, it produced a disappointingly drab and processional affair. But boy did it make up for that on its second attempt in 2017. In a breathless race that was finally won by former Scuderia Toro Rosso racer Daniel Ricciardo, driving for the team’s sister Red Bull Racing outfit, it was a case of grabbing every opportunity as each restart became a slip-streaming lottery and the brave and the foolhardy tried to make a name for himself into Turn 1.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

THE WACKIEST “ ONE RACESOFTHE FORMULA 1 FRATERNITY HAD WITNESSED IN QUITE SOME TIME

”

Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat all smiles ahead of the race, but only Scuderia Toro Rosso's Spanish maestro had anything to grin about by the end of the weekend

MAIN: The surreal combination of F1 technology and centuries-old architecture; RIGHT: First corner drama pushed Daniil wide and he nearly collected Carlos as he re-joined the track

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

RND #08 2 5• 0 6 •17

AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit, Baku

LEFT: The calm of the pitlane and the garage were the antithesis of the drama playing out on the circuit; FAR RIGHT: Carlos battled with the Force India cars until they took each other out

FOR DANIIL, “ UNFORTUNATELY HIS RACE ENDED WHEN HE PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE CIRCUIT WITH AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO ”

MAIN: The Baku circuit is a series of blind corners and super-fast straights

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO And the drama wasn’t just limited to the front of the field, as the much-publicised clash between title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel behind the safety car proved. Indeed such was the breadth of the chaos, that even Scuderia Toro Rosso could not escape being embroiled in the drama that encapsulated round eight of the championship. With Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz lining up 11th and 13th on the grid respectively, the Spaniard was almost immediately forced into an evasive spin to avoid his team-mate at the first corner. The Russian had taken Carlos by surprise as he rejoined the circuit in front of the Spaniard, following a lock-up under braking and running wide at Turn One. “I saw Daniil rejoining the track and I had to quickly avoid crashing into him, which would've been a disaster for the team!” said Carlos afterwards. “I spun, but it was a sacrifice I had to do.” Racing incidents are part and parcel of F1 and although a collision would have been a disaster for the team, little blame could be attributed to either driver, and even the race stewards concluded that no punitive

action was necessary. Unfortunately for Daniil, whose pace had been electric all weekend, his race ended shortly afterwards when he pulled off to the side of the circuit with an electrical failure. The avoidance though dropped Carlos to the back of the field with it all to do, but what came next proved just why he is one of the hottest of properties on the grid. He and the team played their safety car strategies to perfection, and by the time the race was red-flagged on lap 22 for a crash involving the two Force Indias, Sainz had already recovered to ninth position. He then bolted on a set super-soft compound Pirelli tyres so that once the race got going again he flew past Fernando Alonso's McLaren and was in eighth position, catching the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, before he ran out of laps. "What a crazy race,” reflected Carlos. “I kept calm, was very patient, and we recovered from last to eighth position without making any mistakes. I have to say it was difficult to keep focused with so many things happening: Safety Cars, the red flag... And I can say I'm satisfied with today's result in the end.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Midnight Express

 MUSIC

Highway to Hell – AC/DC

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #08

Mercedes

250

Ferrari

226

Red Bull

137

Force India

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

Sauber

McLaren

2 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO Virtually safe FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC death of rising French racing star Jules Bianchi in 2014, the FIA decided to adopt a new Virtual Safety Car procedure in order to warn drivers of impending dangers that may be lurking in the result of an accident, such as a truck towing away a stricken vehicle, and immediately slow down the field. Article 41 of the regulations now states that a VSC period will normally be implemented when "double waved yellow flags are needed on any section 80

of track and competitors or officials may be in danger, but the circumstances are not such as to warrant use of the safety car itself." Race control makes drivers and teams aware of such an instance by illuminating ‘VSC’ panels around the circuit and drivers will be allowed to enter the pits by sticking to the speed limit to change tyres – a tactic often used to gain an advantage during such a situation. The end of the VSC period happens when race control is satisfied the danger has passed.

RND #08 2 5• 0 6 •17

AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit, Baku

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Safety first THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND Prix featured three safety car periods, which is an unusual occurrence in the sport. The first came as a result of Daniil’s car needing to be taken away from an unsafe position on the track, the second to remove debris after a number of clashes and the third after an incident between Force India's drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. It all meant for a busy afternoon for Bernd Maylander, the driver of Formula 1’s safety car; a 4.0-litre V8 Mercedes-Benz AMG GTR. According to the regulations of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the safety car is deployed 'if competitors or officials are in immediate physical danger but the circumstances are not such as to necessitate stopping the race.' Simply put, as we saw in Azerbaijan,

this could be if a car has stopped in an unsafe area or if there is debris on the circuit that needs clearing after an accident. The decision to deploy the safety car is taken by FIA race director Charlie Whiting, who contacts Maylander from Race Control, he then enters the circuit via the pit lane, taking up position at the front of the field and leading the cars around the track at reduced speed until the situation is deemed safe enough for the race to restart. Drivers are made aware of a safety car situation not only by marshals at the side of the track, through a combination of yellow flags and ‘SC’ boards, but also from their teams via the car to pit radio and a warning light inside the cockpit that flashes on the dash until the period is over. The safety car is a marvellous piece of technological engineering in itself, connected to Race Control via two monitors and two cameras on the roof. And the specs of the AMG GTR are impressive. The 577bhp twin-turbo V8 reaches 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds and boasts a top speed of 198mph. All yours, for a cool on-the-road price of just €162,000! But that’s nothing compared to what an F1 car is capable of. According to Bernd in an interview with the official FIA website, a Formula 1 car is around 35-45 seconds faster than a safety car with every lap it completes, depending on the length of the track. It means that a Formula 1 car can overtake the safety car every three laps.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO 577BHP TWIN-TURBO V8 REACHES 0-62MPH IN JUST “ THE 3.6 SECONDS AND BOASTS A TOP SPEED OF 198MPH. AND ALL FOR A COOL PRICE OF JUST €162,000!” Soldiers of safety – Charlie Whiting (left) and safetycar driver Bernd Maylander – keeping the grid a safe place

RND #09 0 9 • 0 7•17

AUSTRIA Red Bull Ring, Spielberg

Home team disadvantage No points at Red Bull Ring as team suffers mountain blues Disaster came very early for Daniil as he collided with the McLaren of Fernando Alonso at Turn 1

he Scuderia Toro Rosso team arrived at Austria’s Red Bull Ring full of optimism. On a track that is effectively a home-from-home for the Italian-based outfit there was every reason to expect another points haul but the team ultimately came away empty handed following a frustrating weekend. Free practice and qualifying hinted at much more. Daniil Kvyat had spent the early sessions with enough impressive pace to keep him comfortably rooted in the top ten. Carlos Sainz, his car fitted with a new floor, also seemed happier with the balance than in recent races. He proved it too by going fourth fastest in Q1. And following two more outstanding laps in Q2 and Q3, Sainz found himself an encouraging tenth on the grid despite being hampered by yellow flags towards the end of the session.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

TWO “ FOLLOWING MORE OUTSTANDING

LAPS IN Q2 AND Q3, SAINZ FOUND HIMSELF AN ENCOURAGING TENTH ON THE GRID

”

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO MAIN: Promising qualifying performances from both drivers was quickly undone in a troublesome race. LEFT: Austria's Red Bull Ring is very much the Toro Rosso team's spiritual home race and the fans come out in force

LEFT: Even Franz Tost got dressed up for the home show; RIGHT: Daniil spent more time signing autographs than he did racing in Austria FAR RIGHT: Carlos held off the two Williams drivers before retiring

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

RND #09 0 9 • 0 7•17

Y P O C PROOF WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

RUSH

 MUSIC

You've Got The Love – Florence + the Machine

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #09

Mercedes

287

Ferrari

254

Red Bull

152

Force India

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

Sauber

McLaren

2 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

AUSTRIA Red Bull Ring, Spielberg

After his strong practice pace, Daniil was a little mystified to find himself struggling for grip and stability in the slow speed corners when it mattered, but 14th on the grid was by no means a disaster and with his racecraft, a points finish was certainly within his grasp. Away from the circuit, the fact that the venue is Red Bull’s home race meant extra PR duties for everyone in the team, including Carlos and Daniil. So, on the morning of race day, F1 was treated to a bit of national dress as team principal Franz Tost and both drivers raised plenty of laughs as they turned up resplendent in lederhosen. A traditional Austrian band was also on hand to entertain guests in the Toro Rosso hospitality suite. Yet just as in Sochi, sometimes things just don’t go your way and even the best prepared plans can go awry. And thus, once the serious business began, the smiles slowly disappeared.

“ DANIIL MADE AACTUALLY GOOD

START OFF THE LINE AND PASSED HIS TEAM-MATE

”

Daniil actually made a good start off the line and passed his teammate before an unfortunate collision with Fernando Alonso into Turn 1 led to the retirements of both cars. The stewards apportioned no blame for the incident, but nevertheless no points would come this day. Misfortune then followed misfortune, as Carlos reported a problem with a misfiring engine soon after, an issue that couldn’t be fixed. He persisted, but by lap 42 both cars, for only the second time this season, were out of the race. Elsewhere, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was all smiles after securing only his second career victory having fended off Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari. The German’s runner-up spot, ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, meant he extended his world championship points lead over Lewis Hamilton to 20 points. 85

RND #09 0 9 • 0 7•17

AUSTRIA Red Bull Ring, Spielberg

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

ECU: Mapping the entire landscape ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER Carlos Sainz dropped the clutch at the start of the Austrian Grand Prix he realised there was something wrong. A misfiring engine, even for the most inexperienced of road car drivers, is an instant giveaway. First you feel unusual vibrations and the engine cutting out. It can then reengage although you've lifted off the throttle. All these are telltale symptoms that the problem is serious and most probably terminal. For the mechanics looking at squiggly telemetry lines on monitors at the back of the pits or in the factory at Faenza, this would have also been instantly apparent. But just how does data from the car transfer to the pits and team factory, hundreds of miles away in Italy? It’s all to do with the Electronic Control Unit (ECU); the computer brain of a modern F1 car. The production vehicles that you drive on the road make use of sophisticated electronics which provide a more comfortable experience via systems such as power steering, ABS and traction control. But F1 cars are no longer allowed to use electronic systems to aid a driver’s ability to go faster. Launch control was banned in 2004 and traction control outlawed four years later. Thus eliminating the advantage of stamping on the accelerator and relying on a computer to control the amount of power going to the rear wheels by

eliminating wheel spin. Now, the sport’s governing body, the FIA, regulates the software in the car’s ECU, making this heavy reliance on electronics for benefit a thing of the past. The ECU is standardised across the grid and all teams use a unit manufactured by McLaren Electronic Systems. It is responsible for controlling not only the engine, but also the chassis. The ignition, fuel

Energy Resource System. But perhaps most important for the team is the ability to be able to monitor what the car is doing at different sectors of a lap. The system that maps performance can store up to a gigabyte of data, much of which is transmitted from the car back to the pits in real time through as many as 100 different sensors reporting on acceleration, braking, system temperatures, and of course speed. Every sensor is hooked up to the ECU via both a wireless and wired network at a cost of close to €115,000 for the entire loop. Anyone who has ever owned any kind of electrical appliance knows that simple failures can happen, and not even the state-of-the-art world of F1 is exempt. But the systems are clever enough to recognise a failure and alert the driver, while engineers constantly monitor the telemetry so they can react and tell the driver exactly how to recover from the problem. The ban on radio communications of a technical nature means that the onus is now on the driver to manage the systems themselves, and Carlos reported after the race that he spent a while playing with switches and trying to make the car work again. Much of the analysis on his engine problem carried out in the pits has to be presented to him in a way that allows him to make data-driven decisions, although a significant amount is still automated to allow him to focus on his most crucial job of driving the car.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

injection system and throttles are all electronically managed on the engine side and the gearbox is controlled by the ECU as it needs to be able to shift gear without any loss of power. The 2017 ECU is able to process an astonishing 4000 million instructions per second! Electronic systems are also vital to other less critical areas, such as powering the driver’s drink pump

(ECU) SYSTEM CAN STORE UP TO A GIGABYTE “ THE OF DATA WHICH IS TRANSMITTED FROM THE CAR

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO ”

BACK TO THE PITS IN REAL TIME THROUGH AS MANY AS 100 DIFFERENT SENSORS REPORTING ON ACCELERATION, BRAKING, SYSTEM TEMPERATURES, AND OF COURSE SPEED

RND #10 16 • 0 7•17

BRITAIN Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone

Breaking all the rules Team-mates collide as team misses out on British GP points

ven the happiest families encounter bumps in the road through time. After all, it’s all an important part of life as we learn to overcome obstacles and form stronger bonds for the future. Formula 1 teams are no different. For Scuderia Toro Rosso, the British Grand Prix represented one such occasion as the team’s drivers committed F1’s cardinal sin of colliding on the opening lap. This costly incident led to the immediate retirement of Carlos Sainz and compromised Daniil Kvyat’s race.

SCENARIO THAT CAN “ THE EVERWORST HAPPEN IS THE COLLISION BETWEEN TEAM-MATES ON THE FIRST LAP OF THE RACE

”

FRANZ TOST SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO TEAM BOSS

Y L N O Y P O C F PROO A promising start saw Daniil and Carlos vying for position with each other – but before long the #55 was getting a lift home on the back of a truck

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

RND #10 16 • 0 7•17

BRITAIN Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone

“

THE WEEKEND HAD ALREADY PROVED CHALLENGING, LONG BEFORE THE RACE BEGAN

”

The weekend had already proved challenging, long before the race began. Carlos’s preparations were compromised by a suspension failure in Q2 and he would line up two places behind his team-mate when the lights went out on Sunday. It may not have been enough to outrun Kvyat anyway, who had set the team’s pace through much of practice. Then came the incident. With Daniil just ahead of Carlos after the super-fast right-hand Copse Corner, taken in seventh gear at more than 170mph, the Russian appeared to run wide on the dirty side of the track as the pair negotiated the Becketts complex – a series of rapid sweeps. Kvyat momentarily lost

control, spun across the track and into the path of the luckless Sainz on the outside of the corner. It was a dramatic early end to Scuderia Toro Rosso’s challenge and, with a potential double-points finish lost, investigations began immediately as to who was at fault. As is often the case in such racing incidents, each driver offered an alternative opinion. But the race stewards decided it was Daniil who was at fault and awarded him with a drive-through penalty which further compromised his race. But by then the damage had already been done and there was no way of charging back in to a top ten position. Such collisions are hardly new to F1. Indeed the

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO sport’s rich history is littered with incidents of teammates clashing. Be it Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber or more recently Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg as they fought over the world championship for Mercedes. Such clashes provide vivid examples of the ferocious determination of the world’s best drivers when matched in equal machinery. For every driver on the grid, it is his or her team-mate that provides the sharpest measurement of performance. Scuderia Toro Rosso has always provided drivers with an open and level platform to express themselves to the best of their ability and the team is known as one of the best feeders for F1 talent. Since its previous incarnation as Minardi, the Faenza-based outfit has developed the racecraft of some of the greatest drivers in history – the likes of Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are just some of the many who have gone on to achieve even greater things. And not just in F1 either. In 2015/2016, Sebastien Buemi became the second FIA Formula E champion having scooped up the World

Endurance Championship crown with Toyota in 2014. Indeed another Scuderia Toro Rosso driver – Brendon Hartley – would do the same thing with Porsche in 2017. For team principal Franz Tost, while it was far from the ideal end to the weekend, he knows well that when things like this happen in sport, one can only learn and move on. Feuding families inevitably kiss, make-up and come back even stronger. “The worst scenario that can ever happen is the collision between team-mates on the first lap of the race,” he admitted. “This should not have happened today. From a performance point of view, the car would’ve been able to finish within the top ten. At the end we finished the race in P15, but all we can do is forget about it and prepare ourselves for Hungary.” On the positive side, Toro Rosso’s rivals for fifth spot in the constructors’ standings also endured a frustrating afternoon, Williams adding just a single point to its tally to move eight ahead. Lewis Hamilton meanwhile closed the gap to Sebastian Vettel at the top of the drivers’ table with a dominant fourth-consecutive British Grand Prix victory.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Rocky IV

 MUSIC

Iron Sky – Paulo Nutini

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #10

Mercedes

330

Ferrari

275

Red Bull

174

Force India

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

Sauber

McLaren

Avoid the worst crashes with an Acronis back-up

RND #10 16 • 0 7•17

BRITAIN Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Scrutineering and Parc Fermé MOST FORMULA 1 FANS are used to hearing terms like ‘parc fermé’ and ‘scrutineering’ from television commentators, though perhaps without giving too much thought to what they actually mean. But both play essential roles in ensuring that grands prix take place in a fair and equal manner. Like every sport, F1 is governed by a comprehensive framework of regulations. These are split into two parts; sporting and technical. And because arguably the biggest performance differentiator are the varied interpretations the teams take from these rules, the cars must be extensively examined to ensure their legality. So after every qualifying and race session the cars are placed into a secure area (parc fermé) and checked over by FIA-appointed scrutineers to ensure they comply with the technical regulations set out by the governing body. That’s an extremely simplified version. In fact the scrutineering process actually begins on the day before the first practice sessions of a grand prix (Wednesday in the case of Monaco, where practice takes place on Thursday) where a detailed inspection, including weight checks and a pre-event safety test are carried out on each of the cars. Each entry can then be subjected to further random checks through practice. F1 rules were originally written

in French and that’s why the term ‘parc fermé’ has been kept. Literally translated as ‘closed garage’, this area where the cars are secured is off-limits to anyone but team personnel, who are only allowed to make limited and supervised changes to their racers. In fact, from within 210 minutes after qualifying through until five hours before the start of the race, the teams must leave their cars in state. However parc fermé conditions begin from the moment qualifying starts, and after that point only a pre-set minor amount of performance or safety tweaks

During Thursday’s scrutineering process at Silverstone, damage was found to a wheel tether on Carlos Sainz’s car. The FIA deemed that it made the car unsafe and breached of Article 3.3 of the Sporting Regulations, which states that cars presented for scrutineering must be deemed to be “in an implicit statement of conformity and also Article 12.1.1.b of the FIA’s International Sporting Code”. As a result, Scuderia Toro Rosso undertook the necessary fixes and the stewards duly confirmed that the team had undertaken the repair and passed it through

Cars are kept covered and sealed while being scruntineered in parc fermé

EVERY QUALIFYING AND RACE “ AFTER SESSION THE CARS ARE PLACED INTO A

SECURE AREA (PARC FERMÉ) AND CHECKED OVER BY FIA-APPOINTED SCRUTINEERS

”Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

(such as to counter climactic changes) are permitted, which is why getting the set-up right during practice is so crucial. The cars are then kept covered and monitored and should a team need to make any changes postscrutineering, two FIA appointed observers question every action taken by the mechanics and write down notes. Teams are allowed to change a part that is broken but it must be identical in its form and function.

scrutineering. Fortunately, this was not a big issue for Scuderia Toro Rosso prior to free practice, as the team clarified everything to the FIA on the same day to ensure of its cars conformed to the regulations and were operating in a safe condition. Not only for Scuderia Toro but for every team on the grid it is of the utmost importance at the highest level of motorsport to treat all aspects of the operation of cars and their safety with the utmost gravity and respect.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

RND #11 3 0 â&#x20AC;˘ 0 7â&#x20AC;˘17

HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest

Hungary games Team holds mid-table position ahead of the summer break

he British Grand Prix had proved challenging for everyone. The team needed strength and unity to bounce back and the next race, at the Hungaroring near Budapest, provided just the tonic. The two Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat put their differences aside and worked together to bring the team back into the points-scoring habit. This was a welcome boost as it closed the gap to within two points of fifth-placed rivals Williams heading into the mid-season break.

Carlos took both McLarens on the outside of Turn 1, while race engineer Pierre Hamelin looks on intensely

RND #11 3 0 • 0 7•17

HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest

Quick pitstops weren't enough to keep Carlos in front of Fernando Alonso, but he still scored welcome points. Daniil finished 11th, just outside the points

“

THE SPANIARD MADE A FANTASTIC START, SWEEPING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF BOTH MCLARENS Having been the unwitting victim of a mistake from his team-mate on the opening lap at Silverstone, Carlos had the bit between his teeth from the beginning of the weekend in Hungary. By the end of Friday’s practice he was ninth fastest on the low-speed, high downforce twisty track. Yet again, the Spaniard then converted that pace in to a Q3 slot in qualifying. During the course of the season, Carlos’s consistently strong pace was one of the key storylines and, as is the case with nearly all those who rise to stardom in Formula 1, the drivers that really stand out are those who provide a persistent threat, no matter what the conditions or the variables. In contrast, Daniil suffered another frustrating qualifying session. The Russian was deemed to have blocked Williams driver Lance Stroll during a fast lap and the meeting officials slapped him with a threeplace grid penalty. On a track where overtaking is more difficult than anywhere other than perhaps Monaco, this almost certainly scuppered his chances of a points finish and he would eventually finish in 11th place. Carlos however, ensured the team would not go home empty-handed and produced yet another fine 96

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drive. The Spaniard made a fantastic start, sweeping around the outside of both McLarens into Turn 1, taking sixth position which he held until the pit stops. And despite losing a place on track to his compatriot and double world champion Fernando Alonso on virtuoso form, he would bring his car home sixth. This meant another six points gained in the battle for fifth in the constructors’ standings. “I can now go on holiday happy and very satisfied with my first half of the season,” commented Carlos afterwards. “I've ended up in the points in every race I've finished up until now, which is a good statistic to hold onto, and I'm enjoying this midfield battle.” Indeed. Just what would the second half of the season hold in store? The top step of the podium was occupied by former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Sebastian Vettel who won the race for Ferrari ahead of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. The victory ensured that he extended his drivers’ championship lead to 14 points over rival Lewis Hamilton, who honourably handed third place back to his team-mate Valtteri Bottas after the Finn had moved aside to allow the Briton to chase the Ferraris.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

The Fast and the Furious

 MUSIC

Someone Like You – Living Colour

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

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Mercedes

357

Ferrari

318

Red Bull

184

Force India

101

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

McLaren

Sauber

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RND #11 3 0 • 0 7•17

HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

FIA's protective halo to be mandatory DURING THE WEEK prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix, the sport’s governing body, the FIA, announced that it was to introduce a radical and controversial cockpit protection device known as the ‘Halo’ for the 2018 season onwards. The system, which looks like the top of a ‘flip flop’ shoe, acts as a form of canopy over the cockpit and is designed to protect drivers from head impacts due to accidental flying debris. The decision to make it mandatory in 2018 drew mixed reactions from drivers, teams and the wider Formula 1 world. Whilst nonsensical to argue against enhancing safety in an activity where danger is inherent, F1 is a sport full of tradition and history. Grand Prix racing has always been an open-cockpit formula and its

and a common reason is because of head injuries sustained in open cockpit racing cars. While it is arguable whether Jules Bianchi, the French Manor driver who died tragically following head injuries sustained in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, could have been saved by the halo, it is certainly the case that it may have protected drivers such as IndyCar star Justin Wilson and Formula 2 driver Henry Surtees from the airborne debris that ultimately claimed their lives. The halo, capable of supporting 15 times the static weight of a 2018 F1 car, came out on top of FIA tests over similarly-trialled devices such as the shield, a more traditional Perspex-windscreen. The shield was tested for one lap at the British Grand Prix by Sebastian

but within the time limits required for Scuderia Toro Rosso’s chassis design so we are comfortable with what needs to be done, although it is not an easy task,” admits the team’s technical director James Key. “We are good at reacting to change so halo has not made big differences for us. “It is right that safety is maintained in F1, particularly as car speeds increase and halo is a further step for driver safety,” he adds. “No doubt it will evolve over time, 2018 is just a starting point for new methods of driver head protection.” Carlos Sainz is also a fan of the device although he does expect ongoing improvements to be made both in terms of design aesthetics and usability for the driver: “I want to believe it's a system to prevent any kind of dangerous situation

IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT DRIVERS FROM “ THE HEADSYSTEM IMPACTS DUE TO ACCIDENTAL FLYING DEBRIS” heroes have been forged not only through their capricious speed, but also through courage in the face of danger. Moreover, the device is considered by some to be contrary to the ethos of grand prix racing. But the reality is that as safety innovation advances, so the risk of injury and death in high-speed accidents has reduced significantly – and the halo is another step in this direction. In spite of the strength of modern racing cars, infrequently drivers are still seriously injured and killed in top level motorsport, 98

Vettel in the Ferrari, before the four-time world champion complained of dizziness. The aesthetic of the ‘flip-flop’ design has been met with criticism, while it has been argued by some that it is an unnecessary safety measure and could actually make driver extrication more difficult in the event of a serious accident. For now though, and with so little testing done on shield-style devices, it appears that the halo is the only viable immediate solution. “Halo was a late call for 2018

and the best solution the FIA has up until now, which I think is good for them to apply the best safety device into F1. “I think it makes sense,’ he adds, “but it has been like that in F1 for many years now and really good, but I want to believe that either we will get used to it and we will forget about it, or it will be improved in terms of how it looks and it will get better and better with years. "I hope that with these two things combined the looks of an F1 car will improve with time.''

Question marks over visibility and aesthetics are unpopular with some F1 purists â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but if the halo can save lives then it will soon gain fans

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BELGIUM Spa-Francorchamps

A taste of glory in Spa Scuderia Toro Rosso proves its worth at one of the great tracks

hree weeks can seem like an eternity in the world of Formula 1, particularly if you have to down tools during that time. After a well deserved break, where by accordance with the regulations the factories shut down for a mandatory period in August to allow team personnel time to rest and recover, Scuderia Toro Rosso arrived at the famously daunting Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the heart of the Ardennes raring to go. The Belgian Grand Prix marked not only the beginning of the second half of the 2017 F1 season, but also the start of the final European back-to-back leg of the campaign. So traditionally the Spa paddock is always one full of joviality, gossip and intrigue as the media re-spins its web of news, information and gossip as the sport reconnects with the threads of the season. In free practice the two Renault-powered STR12s seemed nicely hooked up around the ultra-fast 4.335mile circuit. Surrounded on all sides by forests that help form an unpredictable micro-climate, it’s a track that rewards drivers with high-levels of commitment and precision. From the flat-out blind crest of Eau Rouge to the 190mph double left-hander at Pouhon, there is nowhere else on Earth that so effectively demonstrates the astonishing downforce capabilities of a modern 950-bhp F1 car, or the courage required to extract excellence from it. So Carlos Sainz in seventh, with Daniil Kvyat ninth in FP1, was a clear indication of the potency of Scuderia Toro Rosso’s 2017 car. Indeed

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MAIN: The high-speed Spa track winds its way through the forests ; An engine change forced Daniil to start at the back of an uphill starting grid

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IS NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH “ THERE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE ASTONISHING

DOWNFORCE CAPABILITIES OF A MODERN 950-BHP FORMULA 1 CAR

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The practice sessions didn't go to plan for Daniil, and led to time spent studying the team's data

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MAIN: The run down to the challenging double-left hander at Pouhon; RIGHT: Carlos was in a battle with both Williams cars

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AFTER A RACE LONG BATTLE WITH THE WILLIAMS OF LANCE STROLL AND THE DUELLING FORCE INDIAS – HE (CARLOS) CAME HOME AN EXCELLENT TENTH

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at least one of the team’s cars would be in the top ten throughout the three practice sessions. But things didn’t go entirely to plan. Daniil encountered engine problems that ultimately necessitated a change of power unit and a subsequent 10-place grid penalty. Given his lack of track time, it was hardly surprising to see the Russian qualify 17th, which became 19th and a back row start. From this position, there would be a lot of work to do. Sainz was fast again in Q1, going ninth, but he couldn’t match that time in Q2 and would start the race from 14th. The grid in Belgium is set on an incline and Daniil was always facing an uphill battle, but a typically fighting drive saw him make up seven places to finish a commendable 12th. It could have been much better and was another reminder of the potential masked by a messy season of misfortune. Yet again, the Toro Rosso fans that had made the

trip and watched on their television screens were crossing their fingers for Carlos to deliver the goods. He delivered in spades. After a race long battle with the Williams of Lance Stroll and the duelling Force Indias, who helped the Spaniard by driving into each other twice, he came home an excellent tenth to grab another vital point. “We went for an alternative strategy after a difficult start – I lost a couple of places due to a bit of traffic into Turn 1 – and from then onwards we managed to make a good recovery,” Sainz explained. “There was a lot of action through the whole race and, as a team, we did the right things at the right time. “The point is a big reward – it tastes like glory!” Up at the front the atmosphere was tense, as Lewis Hamilton beat Sebastian Vettel by a matter of seconds and the Mercedes driver closed the gap to the German to seven points in the title race.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Casino Royal

 MUSIC

Nightfall – Blind Guardian

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

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Mercedes

392

Ferrari

348

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Haas

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Sauber

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Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO YOU TAKE AWAY EAU ROUGE, YOU TAKE “ IF AWAY THE REASON WHY I DO THIS...” AYRTON SENNA

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BELGIUM

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Spa-Francorchamps

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Overtaking made easier EAU ROUGE. It’s the most famous of all corners on the calendar. This fabled compression switchback that sweeps majestically through the Ardennes woodland sees cars reaching speeds approaching 200mph and taking this section flat out. Let alone attempting overtaking, the corner remains a massive test of driver skill, nerve and courage – even if modern aerodynamics have blunted its edge somewhat. "If you take away Eau Rouge,"the late, great Ayrton Senna once remarked, "you take away the reason why I do this..." And it was the scene of a hairraising incident between the two Force India drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon that helped Carlos Sainz to grab a vital tenth place and a point in the Belgian Grand Prix. Racing ahead of Carlos’s STR12 on the run down to Eau Rouge, Perez appeared to squeeze his team-mate close to the wall at around 185mph. The cars touched, breaking Ocon’s front wing and forcing Perez out of the race with a puncture. But had Perez waited until after Eau Rouge on the following lap, he would have gained access to the Drag Reduction System (DRS) and potentially have made it past Ocon cleanly. Introduced in 2011 to spice up the action, the presence of DRS in

F1 means overtaking is now much easier than it once was. But what is DRS and how does it work? At every circuit, the FIA decides on two ‘zones’ that are best suited to creating an overtaking opportunity, so that when a car is close enough to the one in front (less than a second behind at a given detection point) the system is enabled. When the driver is within DRS arming range he will hear a beep prompting him to press a button on the steering wheel, allowing him to open a rear wing flap thus reducing the amount of drag resistance the car is generating and therefore increasing its terminal velocity; sometimes by as much as 10mph more than a rival. If all goes to plan, he can utilise this extra speed to fly past the other car. If the driver presses the button again, the rear wing flap will close but this can also be done automatically into the approaching corner when the driver applies pressure to his brake pedal. The system is generally limited to two zones per circuit, other than Monaco where there is but one, and it is also freely permitted within these zones during qualifying. When Perez attempted his pass on Ocon, he had already passed the second DRS detection point but would not have been allowed to use DRS because the activation zone is positioned after Eau Rouge. Not that it prevented him from trying an extremely ambitious move.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO The DRS enabled wing opens up in designated parts of the track to reduce drag for the following car

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ITALY Monza

The cathedral of speed A rainy qualifying day in Monza dampens STR's home race

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Daniil leads the midfield pack into the congested Rettifilio chicane on the opening lap

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Torrential rain in qualifying changed the complexion of the weekend and preceded a number of grid penalties

onza is known as the ‘Cathedral of Speed’. With two famously long straights, three chicanes, two immensely high-speed corners and two super-challenging medium-speed right-handers, it is a fitting way to end the European season. In fact the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the oldest circuit of them all on the grand prix calendar, is unique in many ways. Like Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve earlier in the year, it requires teams to produce a bespoke low-downforce aero-kit, such is the high-speed nature of the venue nestled in the Royal Park in Monza. It is not uncommon for cars to exceed 220mph on the straights. Situated approximately ten miles to the north of Milan and less than 20 miles south of Lake Como, Monza represents a home from home for the Faenza-based Scuderia Toro Rosso, and for the 2017 race weekend it was attended by the biggest crowd ever at the track. During the days leading up to race weekend, both Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz would get up close and personal with those fans, putting them through their paces with a fun workout at Red Bull’s “Fit and Fly” special training at Virgin Active Cavour. The team then gave the local F1 lovers an opportunity to experience exactly what it’s like behind the wheel of the STR12 with a unique Virtual Reality Experience in Milan before the 107

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ITALY Monza

FAR LEFT: Working out turns into competition for the drivers. In case you weren't sure where you were, the Frecce Tricolori reminds you

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drivers took time out to launch Acronis’s True Image 2018, the world’s #1 Personal Backup Software. Having been just outside the top ten on pace during Friday’s free practice, all the aerodynamic tuning in the world couldn’t help the team on Saturday as heavy rain changed the complexion of the weekend – in fact in the final practice session, Carlos and Daniil were two of only seven drivers to record a lap time And so after a wet and hectic qualifying session, where on-track at least Daniil was 12th and Carlos an uncharacteristic 15th, a huge number of drivers including Carlos, took grid penalties for gearbox or engine changes. It meant that Kvyat would jump to eighth while Sainz would be mired deep in the midfield – and it was always going to be a tough ask from the lower end of the grid on race day. Power is of the essence at Monza, and therefore is

a circuit not ideally suited to the STR12’s strengths. Running less downforce in order to get more success on Monza’s high-speed straights, the cars had to sacrifice a modicum of grip in other areas and ultimately that cost the team, just, in the challenge for yet more points. Daniil would drop to 12th by the flag, while Carlos would rise to 14th. But the Spaniard was not too downcast. After all, he'd celebrated his 23rd birthday on the Friday and got to hold his favourite animal – a meercat – during some paddock downtime. And stars of his favourite Game of Thrones television series, actors Kit Harington and Liam Cunningham, also paid him a visit. In the overall standings, Mercedes moved clear of Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton stole a march in the title fight over Sebastian Vettel following a dominant win ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Moonstruck

 MUSIC

Pompeii – Bastille

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

Mercedes

435

Ferrari

373

Red Bull

212

Force India

113

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

McLaren

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HAD TO SACRIFICE GRIP IN OTHER “ AREAS THE CARS AND THAT COST THE TEAM THE CHANCE TO SCORE POINTS, JUST...

RND #13

Sauber

Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

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RND #13 0 3• 0 9 •17

ITALY Monza

RUBBER ON THE TREAD IS “ THE HEATED TO AROUND 120 DEGREES CENTIGRADE – HOT ENOUGH TO FRY AN EGG

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ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS WITH JAMES KEY

How hybrid engines tackle F1's fastest track WITH SPEEDS TOPPING 215mph, the high speed Curva Grande (like Belgium’s Eau Rouge and Suzuka’s 180R) is one of the ultimate tests of a Formula 1 car’s strength. High-speed corners put a huge amount of stress on the car’s tyres. The rubber on the tread is heated to around 120 degrees centigrade which is hot enough to fry an egg. The suspension is also given a rigorous test and needs to withstand a cornering load of approximately two and a half tonnes on the rear wishbones – around the weight of a Land Rover. Most of all, at circuits such as Monza, having a good and reliable engine is the key to success. With the old V8 engines, attrition rates were far higher than with the new Hybrid Power Units. Today drivers enjoy access to the same power levels as in 2013 with the older 2.4-litre engines, but now, thanks to the hybrids, they only use around two thirds of the fuel. The change to the hybrid unit came to promote F1 as more ‘ecofriendly’, reducing CO2 emissions by limiting fuel consumption. It means drivers sometimes have to kerb their natural aggression and go into fuel-saving mode to make it to the finish. I have been in F1 since 1998 as a data engineer with Jordan and the era of the hybrid power unit is a significant change. The complexity of the power units, how they operate and how they

are strongly interconnected (ERS) was the biggest change from with the architecture of the car the old V8. By harvesting heat is a far bigger influence than the energy from the exhaust and under V8 engines with kinetic energy braking that would previously recovery systems (KERS) we had have gone to waste, and then previously. So it has been a very redeploying it, provides a boost of significant change to our design 160bhp a lap – a whopping 10 times approach and performance targets. as much energy at twice the power I believe that it is correct for as the systems they replaced. the sport to have moved into The issue of cost is a fine hybrid solutions. F1 technology balancing act. Because the new development is incredibly fast and hybrid units are significantly more this allows us to look for increasing complex, housing a turbocharger, levels of battery technology, fuel injection system and recovery system and The compact power combustion engine unit packs a mass of efficiencies, which complex gadgetery have all developed rapidly in recent years. It is an approach in line with wider thinking and trends for the automotive industry. o Turb Where it has been -K difficult is the cost ER S and complexity. This is tricky for many e -H ngin ER S V6 E teams and there have been big performance and reliability tery Bat disparities between the manufacturers of the power units from the start electronics, production costs have of these regulations, which were in fact risen from around €250,000 not well addressed. Most teams to €620,000. But although engine are customers, and it has been a changes carry grid penalties, teams lottery as to how your performance will typically now get through only is affected by the power unit supply half the amount as before and thus – this was not the case in the past. it pretty much evens out. However, with our agreement with The ERS Unit now comprises Honda now in place, the future two recovery systems; the motor looks better for our team. generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K) The engine recovery system and the motor generator unit-heat

(MGU-H), plus an energy store (ES) and control electronics. Under the sporting regulations, “each driver is permitted to use only four of the six power unit elements during a single season. Should a driver use more than this, a grid penalty will be imposed. The six elements are the internal combustion engine (ICE), the MGU-K, the MGU-H, the energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE).” The first time a fifth of any of the elements is used, a ten-place grid penalty is imposed. A five-place grid penalty is then imposed the first time a fifth of any of the remaining elements is used. Likewise, the first time a sixth of any of the elements is used, a ten-place grid penalty will be imposed, and so on. Although it’s a marginally less complicated than the engine token format that preceded it, it can lead to complex and unrecognisable grid placing from a fan's perspective. Perhaps the most noticeable change to the engines from the old V8 is the reduction in sound. The very high rpm of the V8s produced a high frequency, but because the new engines run slower and have fewer cylinders, they fire at three quarters the rate. Turbochargers also play a role, the extraction of energy from exhaust gasses reduces the sound intensity. But with new regulations set to spice things up even further in 2019, the more traditional sound of engines more synonymous to F1 will have fans reaching for their ear plugs yet again.

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RND #014 17• 0 9 •17

SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit

Sainz shines under lights Team steals the spotlight on and off track with top result

ingapore has become an essential part of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar. As the first venue to host a night race in 2008, the Marina Bay circuit provides not only one of the most spectacular backdrops, but also one of the fiercest challenges the teams face all season. A combination of long straights and 90-degree corners encased in concrete walls obscuring apexes from the unwitting and distracted, the 3.147-mile 23turn circuit is as uncompromising as it is unforgiving. And even at 20:00 local time, when the race begins, oppressive humidity combined with frequent safety car periods ensure that the grand prix is a pure examination of endurance that nearly always runs close to the FIA-imposed two-hour race time limit. With Singapore providing one of the principal global commercial hubs between East and West, this race is fast becoming a rival to Monte Carlo as one of the places to be seen for sponsors, VIPs and celebrities. So if you’re planning a big announcement, there are few places on Earth more suitable in F1. The event provided the perfect backdrop then for Scuderia Toro Rosso to reveal the most important news in its history, confirming for the first time since its inception in 2006 that it would become a factory team by switching to Honda power for 2018. "Everyone in our team is looking forward to working with Honda,” said team principal Franz Tost. “Ever since its founder Soichiro Honda entered his motorcycles in

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What better way to mark a factory Honda deal than with a fourth place finish

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LEFT: Carlos gets a big hug from Marco Matassa; MAIN: Sparks fly as the pack chase down cool Carlos; FAR RIGHT: The flip side of the coin as Daniil walks away from his broken STR12

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SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit

Carlos was soon up to eighth place, brilliantly passing Esteban Ocon into Turn 7. Meanwhile behind him team-mate Daniil Kvyat made inroads, moving from 13th to tenth, after sweeping around Kevin Magnussen’s Haas into Turn 4. The Russian’s joy was short-lived, a misjudgment sending him into the barriers at Turn 7. So it was all down to Carlos and he barely put a wheel off line with his aggressive strategy. Making the most of his opportunities, he climbed into a brilliant fourth place as his future team-mate Nico Hulkenberg ran into problems. And, once there, Sainz then repelled the feisty Sergio Perez late on. The result put the team right back in the hunt WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Amici Miei

 MUSIC

Senza Pagare – Fedez

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #14

Mercedes

475

Ferrari

373

Red Bull

230

Force India

124

Williams

Toro Rosso

Renault

McLaren

Sauber

5 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

events, racing has always been a central part of the company's ethos. It's a very exciting challenge and I hope that both parties will gain a great deal from it as we develop together. “Honda has a long history in F1, dating back to 1964 when it first entered the sport with its own team. As an engine supplier it has taken five drivers' and six constructors’ titles. This heritage, together with the full confidence that we have in Honda's capabilities to succeed, make me strongly believe that we will achieve a fruitful future together.” As part of the deal, Carlos Sainz was to join Renault’s factory team from the US Grand Prix, on loan from the Red Bull family, but not before the Spaniard would deliver the perfect celebration and Scuderia Toro Rosso’s best result of 2017. In qualifying he delivered another stellar performance to break into Q3 and line-up tenth. And as he had done in China, Carlos then made an inspired tyre choice before the start. The heavens opened only moments before the lights went out, forcing teams to scramble for tyres more suited to the conditions. Sainz opted for intermediate Pirellis while three of the rivals immediately in front of him opted for wets. No one could be sure what to expect, for it had never rained before during a race in Singapore, and it was just the scenario many midfield teams hope to take advantage of. And so it would prove moments later as a spectacular first corner collision eliminated both Ferraris, Red Bull star Max Verstappen and, ultimately, Fernando Alonso’s McLaren.

IS PROBABLY “ THIS MY BEST DAY IN F1 SO FAR. IT WAS A RESULT WE REALLY EARNED CARLOS SAINZ

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for fifth in the constructors’ standings, once again hot on the tail of Williams. “This is probably my best day in F1 so far,” said an overjoyed Carlos afterwards. “It was a result we really earned, doing the right thing every time. “After a weekend with so much media attention, to put together a perfect weekend and finish the race in P4 is just amazing. To start the race on intermediate tyres, then switch to the super softs – where I struggled a bit during the first laps – and then make it to the end without losing positions is just the perfect way to celebrate a very busy weekend... It's one I will always remember!” It was certainly one everyone in Scuderia Toro Rosso will always remember. On the other hand, for one of the team’s former drivers Sebastian Vettel, it would be one to forget. His was one of those Ferraris eliminated at the start of the race. It would prove pivotal in his quest to challenge for championship glory as he could only watch from the sidelines as Lewis Hamilton marched serenely on to victory. 115

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SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS WITH PYRY SALMELA

The human element ON THE WEDNESDAY before the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, to celebrate the third anniversary of the opening of the Acronis Singapore office, both Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers were on hand to answer questions put to them by robots in front of the press. Yes, you read that correctly. Showcasing advanced robotics, as well as the latest in data protection and backup has obvious synergies with Formula 1’s advanced technology blueprint. It’s a key part of the important partnership between Acronis and Scuderia Toro Rosso in what is unquestionably the most technically advanced sport in the world. With so much technical wizardry on show, it’s simple to overlook that inside each of us exists the most sophisticated of computers and advanced cooling systems anywhere on the planet. The human body can process more and withstand extreme pressures far more efficiently than even the most advanced supercomputers. And nowhere in motorsport is the human body put through its paces in more extreme conditions than over 61 laps of the Marina Bay street circuit. Having already had to adapt to racing on European time but at night, in 30-degree heat and with 70% tropical humidity, drivers can expect to lose up to three kilos of fluid which represents five per cent of body weight during the race. It is the most gruelling on the calendar.

F1 drivers are considered among the most highly-conditioned athletes in sport, and human performance specialists Hintsa take the complexity of physical, nutritional and biomechanical preparations to new levels to unlock championshipwinning potential from the likes of Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Over the past four seasons, every single F1 race has been won by a Hintsa athlete, along with an incredible 95% of all podium finishes. “A modern F1 driver is an allaround athlete,” says Pyry Salmela, Hintsa’s senior performance coach at Scuderia Toro Rosso. “None of the physical qualities are extremely high-end level, apart from cognitive skills, which are exceptional. Having said that, the fittest drivers can run a marathon in three hours, which requires a high level of athletic cardio engine capacity. “Driver’s neck strength is also exceptional as the current cars are very physical to drive. For this we build extra work in around a neck and shoulder girdle in training to simulate the 6Gs of lateral and horizontal forces the car produces. Athletic lifestyle is an essential part of daily life, even though fitness doesn’t have a direct transfer effect on lap time.” Mental performance is vital during a race like Singapore. Not only must drivers negotiate 23 corners each lap with inch-perfect precision, they must also change gear 71 times for 61 laps. Moreover, they are racing other cars, in constant radio contact

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ALMOST EVERY ACTION IN THE BODY REQUIRES ENERGY AND TO BE ABLE TO DO IT REPEATEDLY REQUIRES FUEL

the lighter the better. As a result, a lot of chicken and oily fish will be consumed between races to aid weight loss. On race weekends, the onus is on carbohydrates such as brown rice and pasta which are great sources of slow-release energy and aid endurance in long races such as Singapore. Protein is also important, especially as it acts as a recovery source for muscle. And because drivers will sweat out so much fluid, they take on large quantities of water and drinks containing electrolytes and salts before, during and after the race. “It’s is a crucial factor in performance,” adds Pyry. “Almost every action in the body requires energy and to be able to do it repeatedly requires fuel. Recovery requires regeneration, and in this aspect, nutrition plays an essential role. At Hintsa we provide individually designed diet plans for our clients, done in collaboration with our nutritionist Helene Patounas. The basics are not rocket science; you need good quality carbs to fuel the engine because driving an F1 car is energy consuming. Good quality proteins for system regeneration and good fats and minerals for the body to function in an optimal manner.” As he crossed the line to take a fantastic fourth place, Carlos still had the energy to cry “Vamos! vamos! vamos! vamos! vamos! vamos! vamos!” over the radio. Exhausted as he was, there’s nothing quite like a burst of adrenaline to help you over those final few laps. The human body is a technological marvel.

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Daniil and Carlos work extremely hard behind the scenes to achieve optimum race fitness

with pit crews, making miniscule adjustments to their brake balance, engine and clutch settings – and all at speeds above 180mph. To cope, some employ sports psychologists to help with concentration, lap visualisation, distraction and breathing regulation. “Drivers are super-busy during race weekends, so we try make their days as stress-free as possible. Confidence also plays an important factor in performance. An athlete constantly self-discovers how they perform at their best. If being hyperfit sets an athlete in a most confident mode and helps him to maximise the potential, then it’s the way to go. If specific diet is a boost and makes you stronger mentally, it’s worth following that path.” Diet is extremely important for keeping drivers at optimum weight;

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MALAYSIA Sepang International Circuit

Pierre has a gas on his debut F1 bids farewell to Sepang, and welcome to new boy Gasly

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Pierre was impressive when it rained in qualifying, on his debut, and it made him popular with fans

LOOKED LIKE AN F1 “ PIERRE VETERAN ON HIS DEBUT”

ver since its inaugural grand prix in 1999, the Malaysian Grand Prix has grown steadily in popularity with Formula 1’s teams. Located close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the Herman Tilke-designed 3.445-mile Sepang circuit layout is one of the few modern circuits that has been genuinely embraced by the drivers who relish its high speed aero-dependant fast switchbacks, as well as the two long straights born purely for overtaking. Given the temperate climate of the region, torrential tropical storms have sometimes thrown a joker into the pack, but even on its driest days Sepang has often provided for exciting grands prix. So, it was with genuine melancholy that the F1 paddock approached the 2017 race, full in the knowledge that this would be the last at the venue for the foreseeable future. Change may have been in the air, and so it was in the Scuderia Toro Rosso garage as the team rewarded Pierre Gasly with his grand prix debut. It had been announced after the Singapore Grand Prix that the 21-year-old, one of the Red Bull Junior Programme drivers and 2016 GP2 champion, would stand in for Russian Daniil Kvyat in Malaysia in order to assess the Frenchman’s future potential for the team. 119

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MALAYSIA Sepang International Circuit

“ THE HADWEEKEND ALREADY

PROVED CHALLENGING, LONG BEFORE THE RACE BEGAN

”

LEFT Thumbs up for Pierre from FIA delegate Jo Bauer; RIGHT Follow the master, Pierre hangs onto Carlos's coat tails; MAIN Mechanics work hard to ready Carlos for action

A contender in the Japanese Super Formula series, Pierre looked more like a Formula 1 veteran when he stepped into the cockpit during a tricky wet free practice, lapping quicker than his in-form team-mate Carlos Sainz during a truncated session. Particularly impressive given that he’d only before driven at Sepang in GP2 and had learned of the opportunity only three days prior to race weekend! As if to prove this was no fluke, Pierre again pushed Sainz close during qualifying, lapping quicker again in Q1 and finishing just 0.156s adrift to line up 15th, alongside his team-mate on the grid for his debut GP. A sprinkling of rain before the race fired a burst of adrenaline into his veins as the car slithered around the formation lap on cold Pirelli slicks; perhaps wary of those debutants who embarrassed themselves by dropping it on a slippery but drying circuit before the race had even begun. But when the lights went out, his racing instinct kicked into gear with a bold move on compatriot Romain Grosjean into Turn 1, which allowed him to stay in touch with Sainz. The Spaniard decided to run a long first stint on his Pirelli supersoft compound tyres in an effort to make progress through the field, as Pierre and others pitted. It worked, and Carlos found himself running a strong eighth, dicing with his regular Force India sparring partner Esteban Ocon before an electrical glitch put

paid to his chances of another points finish. For Pierre, there were other troubles to contend with, among other things a glitch with his drink: “It didn’t work properly, the water was going all over my face and not in my mouth… it felt like a long race”. With the air temperature outside the cockpit 30˚C, and considerably higher inside it, this was not ideal. His focus would have been further tested as he revealed afterwards that he suffered back pain due to an uncomfortable seating position, not uncommon in F1 when a new driver has to step in at short notice. So it was all the more testament that he was able to finish in a commendable 14th position in his first ever race. “With such a big adrenaline boost that I got, I just kept focusing until the end. I was quite close to [Kevin] Magnussen during the whole race, but it was quite difficult to close the gap,” added Pierre. “I needed a bit more experience regarding tyre management – I struggled at the end of the race. I also didn’t manage the blue flag situations perfectly and I lost a bit of time but this will come with a bit more practice, I’m sure!” In completing his debut grand prix for Scuderia Toro Rosso, young Pierre was following in the footsteps of race-winner Max Verstappen. And perhaps, as he looked on at the podium celebrations on one of the hospitality monitors, he thought of what may come to pass in the years ahead.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

The Devil Wears Prada

 MUSIC

What I Am – Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians

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Renault

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Sauber

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ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Command and control: F1 seats PIERRE GASLY’S MATURE race drive on his grand prix debut was made more impressive due to the little time he had to prepare. He only knew on the Tuesday of race week that he would be replacing Daniil Kvyat and despite having tested for Red Bull before, there would be much to learn in Friday’s practice. Firstly, he would have to adjust to a new cockpit, steering wheel and pedal position. Usually, his seat fitting would have been completed at the beginning of the season back in the factory. This is done by the driver sitting in the car’s carbon fibre chassis tub on plastic bags filled with expanding foam, which exactly models the contours of the driver and internal shape of the tub. This forms a foam buck that is scanned into 3D CAD software, and the data from that 3D model goes to the tooling block where the seat mould is cut and used to build a lightweight carbon fibre seat. A driver will often have more than one seat fitting so he has extra moulds perfectly contoured to the shape of his body. But Pierre would have to make do with one from his

previous Red Bull young driver test, hastily re-fitted to the Scuderia Toro Rosso STR12. While many F1 rules and regulations change radically on a yearly basis, the insides of the cockpit are quite tightly regulated, and the basic dimensions do not alter from year-to-year. Yet still he suffered in Malaysia, as he told Autosport magazine.

1 The driver sits on a mass of plastic bags filled with expanding foam

2 The foam 'buck' is then scanned into 3D CAD software

minimal travel and others with a softer, longer give for both brake and throttle. Then comes the steering wheel, which, to the casual viewer, may look more like the control panel of a jet fighter aircraft than a racing car. With all the dials and knobs combined, there are more than 20 system controls to get to grips with

A LOT FOR THE DRIVER TO “THERE'S THINK ABOUT WHILST DRIVING AROUND AT 180MPH AT SUZUKA” "I wasn’t supported enough by the seat. It's not ideal, but I didn't feel fully comfortable. I was moving around a lot from lap one, especially in the high speed places. I wasn't inside the seat, I'm moving a lot and it's not ideal for my back. It feels like it's quite painful so we have planned already to do a new one for Suzuka." Seat set-up is crucial in relation to the driver’s feel regarding his pedal travel and steering wheel. Some drivers prefer a stiffer set up with

– far more than that of any lower formula car a driver may have previously experienced as they climbed up the ladder to F1. From adjusting front and rear brake balance, fuel and load settings (to compensate for oversteer or understeer), to selecting tyre compounds and talking to the pits and even the sometimes tricky job of getting a drink, there’s a lot for the driver to think about whilst driving around a grand prix circuit at 180mph – especially at Suzuka.

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3 The lightweight carbon seat is created by the resulting tool

F1 cockpits are a squeeze, but even so the G-forces a driver experiences while driving mean he must be strapped in very tight

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RND #16 0 8•10 •17

JAPAN Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka

Sorry Sainz signs off Sparks fly as fearsome Suzuka wrecks Carlos’s farewell party

s fearsome challenges go, Suzuka, in Japan, is near the summit for a Formula 1 driver. Possessing one of the fastest corners in the world – the 130R, a flat-out left-hander approached at over 200mph – the 3.609-mile ‘figureof-eight’ is one of the legendary circuits. From the fast-entry at Turn 1, through the technical Esses section and unforgiving Degner and Spoon Curves, the place rewards skill like few others. But get it wrong at Suzuka, and it will bite you back quickly. This weekend was to provide a farewell for Carlos Sainz, who left Scuderia Toro Rosso for Renault at the next race in Austin. And the Spaniard, the latest in a long line of successful Red Bull Junior Team graduates was looking to go out on a high after nearly three years with a team that had become like his extended family.

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PLACE REWARDS “ THE SKILL, BUT GET IT

WRONG AT SUZUKA, AND IT WILL BITE YOU BACK QUICKLY

”

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MAIN: Young spark Pierre Gasly faces down Suzuka; LEFT: Local fans were enthusiastic the team's Honda deal RIGHT: A sad exit for Carlos as he left the team to join Renault

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JAPAN Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka

Yet the 23-year-old was to find out how quickly Suzuka can punish the ambitious as a tiny error early in practice but his weekend plans off-kilter. Friday’s practice was blighted by grey skies and rain showers that led to more action in the pitlane than out on the track. Team members even entertained themselves by floating paper boats along the rivers that submerged the asphalt. Unfortunately, when the cars did get out for some limited running, Carlos lost control of his STR12 on the exit of the hairpin and impacted heavily into the barriers. Thankfully, despite the frightening-looking nature of the impact, Carlos emerged completely unscathed from the accident. Although the same could not be said of his car. A change of power unit would mean a frustrating 20-place grid penalty for Sunday. Despite this, the mechanics did an incredible job to put the car back together and the laps he did get in before the accident, combined with Pierre Gasly’s morning running, provided enough data to build on for the weekend ahead. Each racing weekend, Scuderia Toro Rosso accumulates approximately a terabyte of telemetry data. That is subsequently used to adjust the car’s settings and also plan future races. Most of the data is processed in real time in the garage back-room and automatically sent back to the team’s Faenza headquarters. In addition, the team uses Acronis Access Advanced, which allows it to confidently share sensitive information with ultimate security. This

TEAM USES ACRONIS ACCESS “ THE ADVANCED, WHICH ALLOWS IT TO

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ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Crash recovery and repair ALTHOUGH CARLOS’S CRASH in free practice looked frightening, safety in Formula 1 has advanced a long way since the 1960s and ’70s, when driver fatality was a tragic but all-to-common occurrence. Of course, every racer accepts a significant risk when they step into the cockpit of a racing car; and they do so willingly in the pursuit of their passion. These days, even when there are huge impacts, such as Fernando Alonso’s frightening crash in Melbourne during the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, such are the giant strides made in safety technology drivers walk away unscathed more often than not. Prior to 1985, there were fewer safety regulations and no crash tests, but since then every team’s car must pass a series of stringent examinations to adhere to Ini the FIA’s tia

regulations. These are updated frequently as car design technology evolves and lessons are learned. Indeed, the tragic events of the San Marino Grand Prix weekend in 1994, where Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger were killed, as well as those in Italy in 2001 and Melbourne in 2002 where marshals lost their lives, all provided vital impetus into Formula 1’s safety movement. In modern grand prix racing, safety is the paramount concern for everyone involved, from car designers, engineers and drivers right through to race officials and medical teams. There are five dynamic tests comprising of two frontal impact, one side impact, one rear impact and one steering-column impact and a number of static tests to evaluate the ability of the chassis to support the massive forces experienced in a crash. For the frontal dynamic test, the chassis is mounted onto a trolley and fired at a solid wall. For the side and rear tests a heavy trolley is run into the chassis

at force and a crash test dummy is also used to measure what happens to a driver in extreme deceleration. The dummy’s chest must not exceed 60g for more than 3 milliseconds. The side of the cockpit is also subjected to a 30-tonne load which it must resist with no evidence of structural failure.

“ CARS BLACKCARRY BOXES

mill a new part on a small manual lathe in the garage. Composite technicians can also make remarkable repairs to carbon fibre components. Most of the time with a big accident, however, if the component is not available it will have to be flown out on the next flight. Cars also carry data recorders or 'black boxes' similar to those used in aircraft. After any serious accident, data is sent to the FIA institute for analysis and several improvements have come about as a result, including new crash tests and innovations such as wheel tethers, the HANS (head and neck support) device that helps support the neck and head from the G-force of a crash and, of course, the new halo, which will be introduced for the 2018 season. It’s very similar to computer system crash and data loss. With a reliable backup, data can be restored and systems brought back to life in time for when you need it. And it’s not just the car that has adapted in accordance for the need for improved safety in F1. Circuit designers such as Hermann Tilke must adhere to strict guidelines such as minimum criteria for the amount of run-off area and types of barriers that must be present. The newest TecPro barriers are now so efficient that they absorb the energy of the car upon impact and displace it along the length of the barrier. All crucial factors in protecting a driver piloting a fully fuelled car at speeds in excess of 190mph.

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO ”

lD ece ler ati on : 10

Sle

G( Ma x)

dS pe

ed : 15 m/ sec

SIMILAR TO THOSE THAT ARE USED IN AIRCRAFT

Fires in accidents used to be one of the biggest factors in driver fatalities, but the fuel tanks are now also subject to stringent load tests and the cell is made of the same rubberized penetration resistant Kevlar material that is used on armoured cars. Thanks to this, the potential of injury due to fire is now almost zero. Of course, crashes in every formula of racing are not uncommon. Following an accident, the car is ideally restored from new spare parts but it’s not unusual practice that a skilled Pe ak De mechanic cel era tio can n: 2 0G

No se Len gth : 10

50m m( mi n)

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MAIN: Pierre Gasly studies the data as he compares F1 to Super Formula LEFT: A farewell photo for Carlos and his team including traditionally dressed race engineer Marco Matassa

technology is cutting edge for F1 teams because of its speed and reliability. Starting from the back of the grid, Sainz decided not to run any new Pirelli tyres for Q2, thus stocking up fresh rubber for race day. Gasly, meanwhile would qualify 16th on the grid, having already gained useful experience of Suzuka in the Japanese Super Formula race here in the spring. Determined to make inroads on his final outing for Scuderia Toro Rosso, Carlos decided to go for it as only he knows how. But in a bold attempt to make up places around the outside of the field, he lost control of his car and his race ended in the gravel trap almost as quickly as it had begun. “I was trying to risk everything at the start and gain some positions, so I went around the outside at Turn 6 and I found a lot more dust on the track than I was expecting, and lost it; as simple as that,” said an apologetic Carlos afterwards. “It's a shame, because I was really looking forward to finishing on a high here in Suzuka with the team but I'm going to remain positive: these three years here have been absolutely amazing." It was left for Pierre to bring his STR12 home an encouraging 13th, just out of the points on only his second race for the team. And with Daniil Kvyat returning for Austin, Texas, there were reasons to be optimistic. Up on the podium, a victorious Lewis Hamilton took a step closer to an historic fourth world drivers’ title as his chief rival and another former Red Bull Junior Sebastian Vettel could only watch on in frustration. His race ended with a spark plug failure after just a couple of laps… And in a sign of improving form, the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo filled the remaining podium steps.

A LOT MORE DUST ON “ ITHE FOUND TRACK THAN I WAS EXPECTING AND LOST IT, SIMPLE AS THAT ” CARLOS SAINZ

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR

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 MOVIE

Victory

 MUSIC

Black – Pearl Jam

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

Ferrari

RND #16

540

Mercedes

395

Red Bull

303

Force India

147

Williams

Toro Rosso

Haas

Renault

McLaren

Sauber

5 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

RND #15 0 8•10 •17

JAPAN Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka

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RND #17 2 2•10 •17

U.S.A. Circuit of The Americas, Austin

New star earns first stripe Kvyat makes his point as new boy Hartley impresses

MAIN Daniil made a huge effort to grab a point; LEFT Brendon Hartley made a big entrance into F1 at the US GP; RIGHT Kvyat and race engineer Marco Matassa bonded for one final time in 2017

he US Grand Prix has been a massive hit with the Formula 1 paddock since its return to the calendar in 2012. Perhaps it is the engaging nature of the Circuit of The Americas layout, which combines the best of Suzuka, Silverstone, Monaco and Spa in one. Maybe it’s the welcoming nature of Austin’s locals and the way they go about their hospitality, complete with 10 gallon hats, alligator boots and porterhouse steaks. Or it could be simply that the Americans just know how to put on a show? Now, with F1 under new American ownership in the form of Liberty Media, certainly no opportunity was missed to sell grand prix racing to an audience that has grown used to a rich diet of NASCAR, NFL and Major League Baseball… The first grand prix in the US may have been way back in 1959, on the fabled Indianapolis Speedway, and visited iconic venues like Watkins Glen and Long Beach in the preceding years, but even now with a fantastic purpose-built facility and a fair wind, F1 is still working at cracking the US audience properly. In 2017 it tried harder than ever. There were opening and closing concerts featuring Justin Timberlake and Stevie Wonder, celebrity visits paid by Usain Bolt and President Bill Clinton, and there was even a NASCAR-style driver catwalk for the grandstand opposite the finish line. It worked too, because from free practice until the chequered flag on Sunday, there was a special buzz of excitement fuelled by the 300,000 fans who bought tickets over the weekend.

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U.S.A. Circuit of The Americas, Austin

VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE RESULT AND I DID “ I'M EVERYTHING I COULD TO BRING THE POINTS HOME” DANIIL KVYAT

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO THE MANDATORY JUMP TEST New boy Hartley gets put through the FIA's mandatory jump-out test. Drivers must be able to extricate themselves from an F1 cockpit, within five seconds wearing a helmet and full race kit; and also be able to put the steering wheel back in place within 10s

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MAIN COTA truly embodies the US GP; LEFT Daniil makes his last pit stop of 2017; RIGHT Brendon and Carlos swap notes on the Spaniard's old car

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WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

The Shawshank Redemption

 MUSIC

Other People – LP

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #17

Mercedes

575

Ferrari

428

Red Bull

315

Force India

159

Williams

Toro Rosso

Renault

Haas

McLaren

Sauber

5 Avoid the worst crashes with an Acronis back-up

For Scuderia Toro Rosso, there was also a huge sense of anticipation around the team as it announced that Porsche’s FIA World Endurance champion Brendon Hartley would partner the returning Daniil Kvyat at the team now that Carlos Sainz had switched to Renault, as Pierre Gasly continued with his Japanese Super Formula Championship duties. Pierre’s loss though (he would miss out on the Japanese title when the finale was cancelled because of a typhoon) was certainly Brendon’s gain, as the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours winner took to the wheel of a Scuderia Toro Rosso eight years after first testing for the team, back in 2009. And the New Zealander was immediately put to the test. Lapping in both wet and dry conditions and dealing with helmet issues, he posted competitive times on his return to single-seater racing for the first time since GP2 in 2012. Therefore, to finish 18th fastest after Saturday qualifying represented an impressive effort despite the millstone of a 25-place grid penalty for a power unit change inherited from Sainz. Unhindered by any grid penalties, Kvyat underlined his ability, setting the 12th fastest time in qualifying, which became 11th on the grid when Max Verstappen picked up a penalty. The Russian then delivered his “best race performance of the year”. Possessing pace throughout, he grabbed a valuable final point after an enthralling battle with former team-mate Sainz, the Force Indias

and Felipe Massa’s Williams, who passed him using DRS with only a few laps remaining. “I'm very happy about the result and I did everything I could to bring the points home,” said Kvyat. “I really enjoyed myself. We kept it together with limited running and we still managed to get into the points. It's a pity I couldn't defend from Massa, but I had less grip with my soft tyre and we had some energy deployment issues so my straight-line speed was down.” For Brendon, the emotions were equally raw after the Kiwi saw the chequered flag on his grand prix debut. Finishing 13th and importantly gaining valuable experience and track time in race conditions at the highest level of motorsport. In fact his performance sewed the seeds of a decision later in the season that would come to define his career. "It was tough out there, but it's been an awesome debut grand prix!” he said. “It's all starting to sink in now and it won't be until I go to bed tonight and put my eyes at rest that I'll start to process everything... I didn't do the best of standing starts, but it's been a long time since I did one of those! After that, I was in many battles and I'm satisfied with my race – the pace was pretty strong, especially at the end.” Massa’s late pass on Daniil, combined with Carlos playing a starring role in his new Renault, meant that only 20 points separated Williams, Toro Rosso and Renault with just three grands prix remaining. The battle in the midfield was going down to the wire. 133

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U.S.A. Circuit of The Americas, Austin

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Simulation makes perfect NOT EVERY TEAM is fortunate enough to be able to draw upon the resources of another. But with four different drivers racing for Scuderia Toro Rosso in the space of two grands prix, and two of them Formula 1 rookies, big brother Red Bull Racing played an important role in their preparation. While both Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley are products of the Red Bull driver development programme, and thus have the ideal apprenticeship towards a career as a fully-fledged F1 driver, neither had completed a racing lap in a grand prix car before their Scuderia Toro Rosso debuts. So while both had competed in high-powered racing machinery, Pierre in Japanese Super Formula and Brendon a Porsche LMP1 car, stepping up to combat the extreme forces generated by the STR12 in Friday practice was still not easy. Just as well that Red Bull’s stateof-the-art simulator in Milton Keynes gives every driver at Scuderia Toro Rosso the perfect learning tool with which to hone their skills. Simulators are invaluable for learning the vagaries of new circuits such as Austin and all employ real F1 car chassis and 180 degree panoramic screens using three projectors with laser-scanned track detail so the circuit is an exact replica of each venue to within millimetres of reality! Everything is set up to individual driver’s personal specifications, from the seating position, pedal

settings and the current model of steering wheel. Even weight distribution, gear ratios, wing settings, suspension stiffness and fuel levels are all adjustable. “In the sim we are doing many different things,” says Gasly. “Of course you have the development side, so we are testing many different technical things on the car and also for us it’s a great tool to

running of a new circuit in a real race car and drivers will already have a pretty good idea of the ideal racing line and braking points when they take to the circuit for the first time in anger. “Of course it’s still simulation but it’s so advanced in terms of technology,” adds Gasly. “I can really be accurate on my feedback when I am in the sim. We can test

SIMULATOR IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE “ THE TESTING IN F1 IS SO LIMITED, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO MAKE IT REALISTIC ” get used to the track. The simulator is also really important because testing is limited so we are doing a lot of development work on the simulator and spending quite a lot of money to make it realistic.” The hydraulic rig on which the car sits is called a hexapod, and precisely replicates the movement of the car on the circuit itself with accurate roll, pitch and yaw. It is so realistic that the drivers won’t even notice the rig moving so immersed are they with the sensation of driving an F1 car. Even though it is three metres off the ground in Red Bull’s case. And when the driver starts his first laps, the car will behave exactly as the real car on the track would do, taking time for the tyres and brakes to get up to optimum working temperature. It all means that the cars will lap within tenths of a second difference from the simulator to the first

a few things ahead of the race weekend in terms of car set up just to make sure we arrive with a good baseline there. And we can compare real data against simulator data so it’s really close to the real thing. It’s a simulator so it doesn’t move like a proper car but in terms of feeling it’s really close to those we get inside a real F1 car.” Sony PlayStation© it isn’t. When a driver leaves the cockpit of the simulator after a race distance simulation, he will have experienced exactly the same upper body workout as he would do in the real car proper. “I always felt pretty good in the simulator but I remember from the past years some of my teammates in the lower series really felt sick and almost threw up after a session,” admits Gasly. “So it really depends on the person and the feelings you have in the sim.”

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MAIN The ultra precise simulator employed by Scuderia Toro Rosso to develop the STR12 and the skills of its drivers throughout the 2017 season

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MEXICO Mexico City

Day of the determined When points are not on offer motivation is its own reward

ometimes, even in the cut-throat world of Formula 1 where even a single point can make a huge difference at the end of a season, just taking part and gaining valuable experience can be of equal importance. In grand prix racing, winning is both a finite and relative term. While ultimately every team exists to win, each outfit will have its own realistic objectives and for those such as Scuderia Toro Rosso, locked in an ultra-competitive midfield battle for supremacy, scoring points will define its constructors’ standing and therefore its share of the commercial revenue at the season’s end. That, given the expensive nature of development in the world’s most technological sport, is progress. And for many teams that is an achievement that feels like winning. Equally, not all achievements are attained in storybook fashion. Take Lewis Hamilton for example. Having won the previous three races, instead of celebrating his historic fourth world drivers’ title with another visit to the top of the podium, he won the championship by scoring two points finishing ninth after an opening lap skirmish with rival and former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Sebastian Vettel. As far as he was concerned, it was still mission accomplished. And so it was for rookie Scuderia Toro Rosso driver 136

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO ULTIMATELY EVERY TEAM EXISTS “ TO WHILE WIN, EACH OUTFIT WILL HAVE ITS OWN REALISTIC OBJECTIVES”

MAIN: Into the spectacular stadium complex on the first lap. LEFT: Brendon chats with Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko on the grid

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CHARGED “ BRENDON TO THE PERIPHERY OF

THE TOP TEN BEFORE HIS ENGINE EXPIRED

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MEXICO Mexico City

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO

MAIN LEFT: As each race passed, Hartley gained in confidence with the STR12. LEFT: Pierre meets the enthusiastic Mexican fans. ABOVE: Brendon pressing on before his engine failure

duo Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley in Mexico, where the mission was to build-up track time. With Daniil Kvyat no longer part of the squad, experience was vital and the only way to gain this was by banking laps. After all, these two were being evaluated for the team’s 2018 driver line-up. Both would end up proud of their efforts against adversity in Mexico, and while it may not have grabbed many headlines, the box was ticked. Engine issues hampered both drivers’ running during Friday free practice, although thankfully Sean Gelael was able to get in some valuable seat time in the morning. This would indirectly leave Pierre just 12 laps to get his head around the Mexico City layout prior to qualifying however, for he would run into further technical issues in FP3. Another power unit problem struck Brendon just as he was hooking up what looked like a great lap in Q2, having already posted the 13th quickest time. Engine changes and grid penalties for both drivers meant that it would be an almost impossible task to collect points from the back of the grid, but even so, the pair rose to the challenge and produced mighty performances as they almost pulled off this unlikely feat come race day.

Brendon charged up to the periphery of the top ten before his Renault engine expired once again just before half distance. And so it was left to Pierre to bring home his STR12 in 13th, just behind the McLaren of Stoffel Vandoorne. “With all the penalties, we had to start from the back of the grid and from there it's very difficult to overtake and score points,” reflected team boss Franz Tost afterwards in the calm after a very hectic race. “Nevertheless, I must say that both Brendon and Pierre have done a good job – we have to take into consideration that they are new to the team and they were not able to complete as many laps as we had planned at the start of the weekend... They definitely made the best out of this situation!” Despite a weekend that yielded no further points, there is always a gain. In this case it was experience for the two rookies, who in spite of the adversity were able to demonstrate strength of spirit and the ability to perform under fire – both strong assets as the team looked ahead to a new engine partnership… It’s also a hallmark of the Red Bull Junior programme of which they, like the weekend’s race-winner Max Verstappen, are both graduates.

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

Limitless

 MUSIC

In the End – Linkin Park

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #18

Mercedes

595

Ferrari

455

Red Bull

340

Force India

175

Williams

Toro Rosso

Renault

Haas

McLaren

Sauber

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139

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO A collection of Jens Munser's favourite crash helmet designs, including Sebastian Vettel's LED-lit Singapore special (middle-left)

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RND #18 2 9 •10 •17

MEXICO Mexico City

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS Carlos SAINZ

The king of F1 helmet design WITHOUT DOUBT, the Mexican Grand Prix weekend represents the most colourful event on the Formula 1 calendar. Taking place during the ‘Dia de los Muertos’ (day of the dead) holiday period, colour invades every stand and fans dress to impress. It gives the event a carnival atmosphere like no other. Many eagle-eyed fans may have also noticed drivers adding a few unique touches to the most personal piece of Formula 1 equipment – the crash helmet. Former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo’s design for the weekend was arguably the most entertaining, featuring his trademark ‘Honey Badger’ wearing a Mexican sombrero. It was the work of the man known in F1 circles as the ‘king of helmet design’, Jens Munser. Best known for designing all of Sebastian Vettel’s myriad monikers over the years and also those of Michael Schumacher, Jens designs for eight current drivers including Carlos Sainz, Daniil Kvyat and Scuderia Toro Rosso test driver Sean Gelael. “I wasn’t always an arty person,” admits Jens. “I started with motorsport because I was riding motocross in America and saw a lot of riders with nice helmets, so I looked for someone in Europe to paint my helmet. I found nobody so I decided to do it for myself and this was 25 years ago! People liked what I did so I found myself designing for drivers in four wheel categories, where I could earn more.”

In stark contrast with car design, not much has changed in those 25 years since Jens started putting paint to helmet, although advances in computer technology, lightweight paint pigments and air guns help elevate the process to more precise levels. “It hasn’t changed too much with the process of pencil drawing but of course now we use stickers for logos, which at the beginning were all painted because no detailed print was available. The rest is pretty much the same as 25 years ago. We use the same paint, but we started to change the pigment for Michael and make the paint stronger, lighter and more flexible against stones.

take up to three days for the most complex designs. “Of course, the advance in computer technology makes the process easier now with plotting because you cannot cut a name by hand. In the beginning, it was only a name on the helmet, nothing more. The paint is a normal acrylic base and is flame proof. The helmet, of course, is fire resistant but nobody tested the paints, which we now have to do.” Under current F1 regulations, drivers are only permitted one helmet livery change per season and driver numbers must be clearly visible. Not that it doesn’t keep Jens busy, as drivers will take several helmets to every grand prix... And,

Daniil KVYAT

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO WASN'T ALWAYS AN ARTY “ I PERSON, I STARTED MOTORSPORT RIDING MOTOCROSS IN THE US” “In the beginning we had 80g of paint for Michael but he wanted less. I said your helmet may not look as pretty but he said that doesn’t matter at the end of the race, just as Enzo Ferrari said about his engines back in the day! “The important part of the process is to transfer the two dimensional graphic to the three dimensional helmet and that’s the most painstaking part. Here is where you need a good feeling for the lines. After this you fill in the field with colour, extra detail and then you’re ready. The process can

like every skilled artist, he is proud of his work. “Designing for Red Bull and Scuderia Toro Rosso is great. In a blue car you can pretty much do every sort of helmet. In a red or pink car such as the Force India, it is difficult. Not all colours match to the right car. “Sean Gelael’s helmets have been a lot of fun to design, they are more graffiti style and completely different to most of the other helmets you see in F1. There was a contest for the best helmet design in GP2 last year, and his helmet

Pierre GASLY

Brendon HARTLEY

won, which was great! “The helmet I’m perhaps remembered best for is the LED sparkles for Sebastian Vettel in Singapore. My background is in electronics, so it was a cool project for me. I was worried that some of the wiring may possibly come loose during the rigours of the race but it worked out fine and generated a lot of talk in newspapers and the internet. None of this is allowed now but it was cool at the time.” 141

RND #19 12•11•17

BRAZIL Autodrómo Carlos Pace, São Paulo

Against the will of the gods Bumps in the road leave a sour taste in São Paolo

he Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit, located within the sprawling metropolis of São Paulo, has a reputation for providing exciting and chaotic races. Not only is the mighty track – situated in Interlagos – renowned for being one of the bumpiest, it’s also one of the most physically challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers due to its uncommon anticlockwise layout. Moreover, its seasonal position on the world championship schedule

ensures that more often than not, the Aztec gods throw rain in to the mix just to spice things up even further. Unfortunately for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, it was hardly in need of many more challenges as it arrived in Brazil, and one could be forgiven for thinking that the gods were truly conspiring on this critical penultimate grand prix weekend of the year. The team knew it was facing engine penalties accrued during the preceding race in Mexico, coming

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TOP Brendon struggled with oil pressure issues during practice and picked up penalties RIGHT Both drivers started at the back because of engine penalties but made good progress early on

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PRESSURE WAS ON THE “ THE MECHANICS TO TURN AROUND BOTH CARS QUICKLY”

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Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO Springs/Dampers Wishbone (Upper) Rocker

Push Rod Wishbone (Lower) Track Rod (Steering)

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The STR12 employs pushrod suspension on the front of the chassis and pullrod on the rear, both mechanisms for transferring motion from the hub to the spring damper units

RND #19 12•11•17

BRAZIL Autodrómo Carlos Pace, São Paulol

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Ironing out bumps in the road BECAUSE INTERLAGOS WAS not built on flat terrain, but instead twists and flows through the contours of an undulating geographical location, it puts a great deal of pressure on one of the most vital components on every vehicle; the suspension. Whilst it’s true that the circuit used to be far bumpier than it is today – the asphalt was most recently replaced in time for the 2007 race – it also remains the case that suspension set-up still plays a crucial role, particularly in Brazil. Just as with a road car, the suspension connects the tyres to the chassis and is designed to absorb all of the bumps and undulations of the surface, so that the tyres are always planted firmly

to the road and work to the maximum of their capability. Unlike your road car however, an F1 car’s suspension is a highly complex, and instead of its primary role being to provide comfort to the user, its role is to improve performance. It needs to be extremely rigid to handle the cornering forces involved at high speed, so the wishbones (designed to be aero-efficient) connecting the tyre to the chassis do not flex and upset the geometry of the car. Suspension in F1 has changed quite radically through the years. Computer-controlled active suspension, such as in Nigel Mansell’s state-of-the-art dominant championship winning Williams FW14B, was banned at the end of

1993, whilst other teams such as Mercedes have pioneered front and rear inter-connected suspension. Nowadays, most teams use the same system utilising an interlinked setup whereby the front and rear suspension are connected by a hydraulic circuit with actuators built into the dampers. These actuators serve to transfer fluid from one end of the car to the other so that if the suspension compresses at either end, the fluid transfers to the other so as to offset movement and allow for a lower ride height to be run at high speed. The STR12 employs pushrod suspension on the front of the chassis and pullrod on the rear, both mechanisms for transferring motion from the hub to the spring damper units. Because racing drivers brake so late into corners, add a Brazilian bump into the equation and an F1 car’s suspension can be asked to cope with loads of up to 30 tonnes!

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO TO BE EXTREMELY RIGID “ IT TONEEDS HANDLE THE CORNERING

”

FORCES INVOLVED AT HIGH SPEED

Pierre gamely battled with the team's former driver Carlos Sainz

into this weekend. Yet things swiftly went from bad to worse as Pierre Gasly’s new Renault power unit failed early on in the first free practice session, requiring a complete change. Then, an issue with Brendon Hartley’s power unit meant an engine strip and rebuild, leading to further lost time and penalties. With Hartley’s only previous experience of the track in an LMP1 Porsche, and Gasly having only driven the track on the simulator, the pressure was on the Scuderia Toro Rosso mechanics to turn around both cars quickly. Their fantastic achievement ensured the drivers got back on track for a decent period of time on Friday afternoon. 145

RND #19 12•11•17

BRAZIL Autodrómo Carlos Pace, São Paulo

It was therefore an extremely impressive effort from Brendon to bully his STR12 into Q2, despite knowing that he would serve a 10-place grid penalty, and that neither he nor his French team-mate had concentrated on qualifying pace while working on set-up. "Not a bad day, I'm pretty happy to have got through to Q2 today,” said Brendon afterwards. “But we didn't go out to set a time in Q2 in order to save all the tyres and keep all the options available for tomorrow's race, so we just used the session to do a couple of practice starts.” The race itself represented another monumental effort from the team. The penalties ensured that Hartley would start 18th and Gasly 19th. Brendon made a fantastic getaway to rocket past Lance Stroll’s Williams and despite a loss of car-to-pit radio for ten laps, he was knocking on the door of the top ten, just out of the points, when an oil consumption issue forced him into retirement. Pierre also enjoyed a super start and made up a trio of places on the opening lap before displaying mature racecraft to avoid a melee involving Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne and then another that saw Esteban Ocon and Romain Grosjean collide. Following the resulting safety car period to allow the mess to be cleared up, Pierre remained close behind recently departed Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz and pushed him hard before backing off to manage his tyres and finish in an admirable 12th. "From the very beginning of the weekend we suffered a lot of problems as we missed the first practice session, and both of our cars had to start from the back of the grid on Sunday due to penalties,” lamented team principal Franz Tost. “But the race was quite positive for us as Pierre closed the gap to the cars in front and showed a good performance. “Unfortunately, we had to call in Brendon because of a high oil consumption which we need to investigate and which unfortunately didn't enable him to finish the race." The recent spate of retirements meant that Williams had slipped out of reach in the fight for fifth in the Constructors’ standings, but with a race to go Scuderia Toro Rosso was still in sixth. If it could just keep Renault at bay in the season finale, that would represent its best ever result.

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RACE ITSELF REPRESENTED “ THE ANOTHER MONUMENTAL EFFORT FROM THE TEAM”

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WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD?

TEAM TORO ROSSO STR  MOVIE

No Country For Old Men

 MUSIC

Rocket Queen – Guns 'n' Roses

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

MAIN: The Brazilian weekend involved more work in the pits than the team would have preferred; LEFT: The rookie drivers were settling in to their new class surroundings

RND #19

Mercedes

625

Ferrari

495

Red Bull

358

Force India

177

Williams

Toro Rosso

Renault

Haas

McLaren

Sauber

5 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

147

RND #20 2 6 •11•17

ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit, UAE

Pipped at the last

The season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix always produces plenty of fireworks and 2017 proved no exception

Season finale carries bitter taste for team Toro Rosso

n the end there was just four points in it. The difference between sixth and seventh in the FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship came down to the same amount of points earned for finishing a race in eighth place. As it was, Scuderia Toro Rosso’s big rival Renault, with driver Nico Hulkenberg, would place sixth in the season finale at Abu Dhabi. That, ultimately, would conclude the matter. For the team from Faenza it was galling to miss out on its highest ever season finishing position at the last hurdle. And Formula 1’s conspiracy theorists may have raised an eyebrow at how the timing of Scuderia Toro Rosso’s reliability issues benefitted the very company

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THE TEAM FROM FAENZA IT WAS GALLING “ FOR TO MISS OUT ON ITS HIGHEST EVER SEASON FINISHING POSITION AT THE LAST HURDLE” .

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RND #20 2 6 •11•17

ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit, UAE

ACRONIS TECH INSIGHTS

Making up time in the pits

Pierre Gasly streaks through the Yas Marina hotel complex – a spectacular venue to race in F1

that supplied its engines. But the truth is that F1 is won and lost in fine margins over a season not the last race and in defeat come the lessons for future success. Given the frustrations of what had gone before in Brazil and Mexico, the weekend didn’t start too badly for Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley as both drivers managed two trouble free practice sessions on Friday. And crucially, the team was able to carry out some aerodynamic tests to help with the development of the 2018 machine as Hartley tried out a new front wing. Yet struggles on the Pirelli ultrasoft tyres hampered the team’s performance and a lot of time spent on 150

IS THAT “THE F1 ISTRUTH WON AND LOST IN FINE MARGINS OVER A SEASON NOT THE LAST RACE

”

IN THE WAKE of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, not only was the talk of another exciting F1 season reaching its climax but also about complaints from drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, regarding the difficulty of overtaking on the Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina circuit. With so few overtaking opportunities afforded on track, it was down to race strategy and speed of pitstops to affect changes in the racing order. As with almost every aspect of F1 racing, minute attention to detail and rigorous practice is the key to executing the perfect stop. All of the important work to prepare for this is done earlier in the race weekend and the foundations are laid as early as free practice where drivers will practice tyre burnouts over the pit box area to lay down rubber on the slippery concrete surface; improving grip and traction. Now it’s time to practice a stop. The driver will follow four yellow marker arrows in his pit box leading up to the lollipop man and line up his front axle to stop in line with markers, being held by the two of the front mechanics. Once stationary, the car is jacked up and the mechanics can get to work, and there are three in place on each corner of the car. One operates the wheel gun, one detaches the old tyre and the other attaches the new one. When the new wheel is in place,

A perfectly smooth pitstop can be executed in an incredible two seconds flat

each mechanic will raise his arm to signal the job is done and when all four corner arms are up, the lollipop is lifted and away goes the driver. All in under two seconds if all goes according to plan. Of course, not every pitstop runs like clockwork, even for a team as polished as Scuderia Toro Rosso and behind each tyre crew is a back-up wheel gun and a spare wheel nut. Although now a rarity, stalling the car is also a possibility and for this reason

a further mechanic lies in wait behind the rear jack operator with an engine starter just in case. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such an important discipline that pit crews will practice pit stops up to 60 times a weekend with each driver having around 20 mechanics designated to him. And the pit stop practice continues at the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Faenza factory during the off season in order to perfect a process in which seconds can mean the difference between winning and losing.

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RND #20 2 6 •11•17

ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit, UAE

data analysis meant further changes for qualifying. The resultant 17th and 20th places on the grid for Pierre and Brendon respectively meaning that yet again, there would be plenty to do to salvage anything on race day on a circuit that, given the aerodynamic vagaries of the 2017 regulations, is virtually impossible to make a pass on. And so it transpired. Brendon was able to improve to 15th by the end of the day and Pierre 16th, but with Hulkenberg coming home in sixth place, Scuderia Toro Rosso would drop a place in the final constructors’ standings at the season finale. Despite the obvious disappointment of losing a place and the rewards that go with it in the final constructors’ standings, there were a couple of silver linings for the team in Abu Dhabi as it was announced that the exciting Gasly/Hartley partnership would be the team’s driver line-up for 2017. And there was also a double win for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team as it was awarded the honour of the most beautiful car on the grid for 2017 whilst another Brendon, Great Britain’s Brendon Leigh, became the first eSports World Champion driving his favoured STR12 after a thrilling gaming finale in Abu Dhabi..

WHAT’S BACKED UP ON THE TEAM iPAD? TEAM TORO ROSSO STR

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 MOVIE

Cars 3

 MUSIC

Enter Sandman – Metallica

CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

RND #20

Mercedes

668

Ferrari

522

Red Bull

368

Force India

187

Williams

Renault

Toro Rosso

Haas

McLaren

Sauber

5 Keep your data safe with Acronis back-up

“ THE TEAM

WAS ABLE TO CARRY OUT AERODYNAMIC TESTS TO HELP DEVELOP THE 2018 MACHINE

”

Y L N O Y P O C F O PRO MAIN: Heading off into the Abu Dhabi sunset for another year boosted by the award of 2017 Best Looking Car On The Grid, hence the celebrations for Franz and Brendon (TOP LEFT); RIGHT: Fans flocked in force to be snapped with new Toro Rosso star Pierre Gasly

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The final reckoning A good season that was nearly very good â&#x20AC;&#x201C; here are the stats

he final constructors' standings may prove that in the end, Scuderia Toro missed out on equalling its best ever season finish by a whisker. 2017 began with so much promise, a double points finish in Australia hinting at big things to come. Points flowed with regularity in a closely contested midfield battle before a tricky end to the season saw the team pipped to sixth place at the final hurdle. Yet the final standings of a Formula 1 year do not always reflect the full picture of what was a highly encouraging season in many ways. Other numbers hint at Carlos Sainz being made of champion material, stalwart Daniil Kvyat excelled in other areas and, most importantly, the team continues on an encouraging upwards trajectory since its inception in 2006 that proves the best is yet to come. Forza Toro Rosso!

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2017 SEASON STATS

ROLL OF HONOUR

nB EST FINISH Carlos Sainz 4th: Singapore GP Daniil Kvyat 9th: Australian GP & Spanish GP Best ever... Sebastian Vettel 1st: Italian GP (2008)

nM OST POINTS Carlos Sainz 112 from 56 races nH IGHEST CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION Sebastian Vettel 8th: (2008) nH IGHEST GRID POSITION Sebastian Vettel Pole: Italian GP (2008) nB EST FINISH: Sebastian Vettel 1st: Italian GP (2008) nM OST GRAND PRIX STARTS Jean-Éric Vergne 58

2011 Sébastien Buemi & Jaime Alguersuari 2012 Daniel Ricciardo & Jean-Éric Vergne 2013 Daniel Ricciardo & Jean-Éric Vergne 2014 Jean-Éric Vergne & Daniil Kvyat 2015 Carlos Sainz & Max Verstappen 2016 Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen & Daniil Kvyat 2017 Carlos Sainz, Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly & Brendon Hartley

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nF ASTEST PIT STOP Daniil Kvyat 2.36secs: Belgian GP

1st 2nd

3rd

33 30

4th

5th

6th

7th

13 08

8th

9th 10th

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2006

2007

P O I N T S

Both points hauls and constructors' standings show steady improvement from one of the grittiest teams on the grid. So close to sixth spot in 2017 and surely better to come.

P O S I T I O N

nM OST POSITIONS GAINED Daniil Kvyat 9: Spanish GP

C H A M P I O N S H I P

nM OST OVERTAKES Carlos Sainz 5: Belgian GP

CONSTRUCTORS’ STANDINGS

C H A M P I O N S H I P

nF ASTEST AVERAGE SPEED Daniil Kvyat 237.470 kph: Italian GP

2017

nB EST QUALIFYING Carlos Sainz 6th: Monaco GP Daniil Kvyat 8th: Italian GP Best Ever... Sebastian Vettel 1st: Italian GP (2008)

nD RIVER HISTORY 2006 Vitantonio Luizzi & Scott Speed 2007 Vitantonio Luizzi & Scott Speed 2008 Sebastian Vettel & Sébastien Bourdais 2009 Sébastien Buemi, Sébastien Bourdais & Jaime Alguersuari 2010 Sébastien Buemi & Jaime Alguersuari

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Y L N O Y P O C F PROO

SINGAPORE SMILES THE HIGHLIGHT OF the season for the Scuderia Toro Rosso team came with Carlos Sainz's excellent fourth place finish at the Yas Marina circuit, home of the SIngapore Grand Prix. It was a great way to cap off an exciting season for the team. Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images

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