1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Manor Marussia F1 Team

Manor Marussia F1 Team

 

Team Score: C

 

Roberto Merhi: C

Will Stevens: C

In the case of Manor Marussia, maybe they deserve a passing grade for just competing this season. The 'C' rating is in recognition for what is expected from an organization that was formed out of administration in February. The purchased remains of the Marussia F1 team, the Manor Marussia F1 Team's quickly prepared for the 2015 season with drivers Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi.

Showing up in Australia with Ferrari-powered MR03B race cars (2014 Marussia chassis with modifications for the 2015 season), there efforts were literally stalled by a computer software issue with their car. The computer software problem was the answer delivered by the team for not competing but some felt Manor Marussia had no intentions of competing but only appeared by a formality. As a penalty for not being in competitive form for the Formula 1 season opener, the team was forced to pay its freight to the event.

Returning for the Malaysian Grand Prix, both Manor Marussia race cars practiced and qualified but only Roberto Merhi was able to run. Stevens' car didn't start the race due to a fuel system problem. Running just one car, some accused the team of being up to the same shenanigans as suggested was done at the Australian Grand Prix. Races after Malaysia saw both vehicles regularly competing. Since the difficult start to 2015, Stevens and Merhi had each registered to have completed all-but one race a piece.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

Manor Marussia is the only team to have not scored points in the 2015 Formula 1 championship. Odds are slim that will change this season. One or two events with a massive retirement list could open the top-10 to the team by default.

Despite being at the back of the grid for the entire season so far, Manor Marussia has been building updates to their race car and his spoken optimistically about 2016.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: McLaren Honda

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McLaren Honda: D

 

Fernando Alonso: C+

Jenson Button: C

McLaren is a used to being a front-runner in Formula 1 competition. Winning eight constructors titles, the race team rekindled a relationship with an organization that together enjoyed a dynasty similar to what Mercedes AMG is currently forging. From 1988 to 1993, McLaren and Japanese automaker Honda claimed four constructors' titles as a partnership. In 2013, Honda's return to the sport with a new hybrid power unit came with the anticipation for the 2015 season.

When Honda chose to sit out 2014 season to work on their power unit, it seemed acceptable to believe they would have ironed out all the bugs as they readied for 2015. Unfortunately for the new McLaren Honda team, missteps they would have wanted to see in a lab is appearing on the race track.

The new Honda powerplant was been shown low on power and durability right from the start of the season. For the 2015 Australian Grand Prix season opener, the McLaren-Honda #20 of Kevin Magnussen suffered a power unit failure when before taking to the grid. On 11 occasions in the first 10 races of 2015 including two times competitors were not even able to start a race, the McLaren Honda team cars failed to make it to the finish line.

Though retirements reflect poorly for the McLaren Honda team in the first half of the 2015 season, there is some optimism. Despite the understandably pessimistic attitude surround the McLaren Honda team, the organization has scored points so-far this season (an almost bewildering outcome from some rather nightmarish circumstances). Two McLaren Honda drivers scored points in two races.

The performance-plagued McLaren race car has made it difficult to evaluate the two former world champions in the team's drivers' line-up. Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso are involved with the less-familiar position of running deeper in the Formula 1 grid. Fernando Alonso's season started in the worst possible manner with a crash in pre-season testing. Missing the Australian Grand Prix, Alonso returned to the track in Malaysia in a race that lasted just 20 laps for the Spaniard ending with a power unit failure. While finishing races has plagued Fernando Alonso so far in 2015, the two races prior to the summer break resulted in a tenth at Silverstone and a fifth in Hungary.

Jenson Button joined the team in 2010 as a teammate with Alonso. Bringing the Honda powerplant to the finish for its first event, Button also scored the first championship points for the new McLaren-Honda combination. Signs seem to indicate this could be his last season. Nothing is confirmed for 2016 by the team or driver and news is mostly pure speculation. 

 

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

When Bruce McLaren first competed with a chassis of his own constructor name in 1966, it wasn't until the McLaren's third season when the team claimed its first victory. The first win in 1968 occurred interestingly enough in the Belgian Grand Prix. In 2015, McLaren is thinking smaller heading into the Spa-Francorchamps track. Honda touts a revised power unit for the McLaren race car starting in Belgium said to have "updated the combustion characteristics" according the Honda R&D's Chief Officer of Motorsports Yasuhisa Arai. What this means for the upcoming grand prix and the remainder of the 2015 season is a mystery.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Sauber

Photo Credit: Sauber Motorsport AG

 

Sauber

 

Team Score: B

 

Felipe Nasr: B-

Marcus Ericsson: C+

If Formula 1 hands out a most improved award, the Sauber team would be in the running alongside Ferrari for the 2015 season. Ending the 2014 season scoreless in the constructors' points, a revamped car and a completely new driver line-up brought instant results for the Swiss-based team.

In the opening round of the 2015 Formula 1 schedule, Sauber debuted a new blue paint scheme on cars piloted by former Caterham F1 driver Marcus Ericsson and rookie Felipe Nasr. For the first time in his career in the Australian Grand Prix, Ericsson recorded a top-10 points result in Formula 1 finishing eighth. An impressive debut for the team, the Swedish driver was upstaged by his Brazilian teammate. Felipe Nasr started his Formula 1 career was a stunning fifth-place finish at Albert Park in Australia.

With only two non-finishes in 2015 after 10 races, the Sauber C34 chassis accompanied by Ferrari power has been a reliable vehicle. With exception to a gearbox problem that prevented the Brazilian from completing a single lap at the British Grand Prix, Nasr has registered the admirable rookie feat of finishing every grand prix so far in 2015. Marcus Ericsson's only retirement for 2015 occurred at the Malaysian Grand Prix caused by a spin out early in the event.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

The improvements made by the Sauber F1 team has provided the extra positions they needed to be an occasional top-10 finishing team. Coming close to some decent finishes last year in the races during second part of the season, Sauber could prevail in adding to their points tally for 2015. Sauber's reliability might also come in handy in races through the second part of 2015.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Scuderia Toro Rosso

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Scuderia Toro Rosso

 

Team Score: B-

 

Max Verstappen: B-

Carlos Sainz Jr: C

Considered a farm team for Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Toro Rosso had recently been the source of both Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat. For 2015, the team's development team roster consists of a pair of young drivers with recognizable motorsport surnames. In car #55 is Carlos Sainz Jr. (son of two-time World Rally Championship title winner Carlos Sainz). Car #33 for Toro Rosso was filled by 17-year-old Max Verstappen. Considered to be a hot future talent at such a young age, the Dutch son of former Formula 1 competitor Jos Verstappen has been watched carefully this season.

Wheeling Toro Rosso cars powered by Renault, Sainz Jr. and Verstappen quickly earned points on the Formula 1 tour. Max Verstappen scored a ninth in his debut in Australia while Carlos Sainz Jr. took his first championship points in seventh spot. While both talented, incidents have reminded observers we are watching rookie drivers. At the Monaco Grand Prix, Max Verstappen's collided with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean. Despite Verstappen claim of innocence on his part, the consensus among other drivers as well as the Formula 1 sanctioning body led to a five grid position penalty for the following race in Canada. Four races after Monaco, the Hungarian Grand Prix was the site where Max Verstappen recovered a great deal of spotlight scoring a monumental fourth-place. 
  
For the most part, Toro Rosso's STR10 race car has given the rookie driving pair to show off their abilities. In some Formula 1 events, the Toro Rosso cars has actually appeared better than their Red Bull Racing parent team's machines. Dramatically displayed at the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying, appearances showed up on the time sheet. Regretfully, the STR10 race cars have also retired eight times with vehicle faults contributors on most occasions.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

Scuderia Toro Rosso actually appears to have a steady package heading into the second-half of the 2015 Formula 1 season. Occasional mechanical and electrical bugs with the STR10 seem to be more of performance challenge than the rookie drivers.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Lotus F1 Team

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Lotus F1 Team

 

Team Score: C+

 

Romain Grosjean: C

Pastor Maldonado: C-

In 2014, Lotus F1 Team finished in the points on only three occasions over the course of the entire season. For the first 10 races of the 2015 Formula 1 tour, the two cars of Lotus have grabbed positions in the points seven times.

Maintaining the same driver line-up of Frenchman Romain Grosjean and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, the credited reason for the team's increased appearance in the top-10 has been with a power unit change. Powered by Renault for 2014, Lotus has shifted to Mercedes-Benz powerplants for 2015. Performance gains were noticeable through grand prix qualifying while top-10 contending race speed and reliability has led to a more fruitful season.

Lotus F1 Team's driver pairing on two of the most checkered veterans in current Formula 1 competition. Romain Grosjean's early career was marked with some many incidents that the sanctioning body parked him for a race. Having a pole and win to his credit for the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, Pastor Maldonado also has a reputation for making costly mistakes. Both drivers have been involved with high-profile on-track incidents that have added penalty points to their Super License (Both drivers have an active total of six points assessed to them with twelve points equating to a one-race ban). Whether trying to gain any advantage possible to outwit competitors or simply making mistakes, Grosjean and Maldonado can be an unpredictable duo.

The Lotus-Mercedes has been a fairly consistently quick car in qualifying. For the Canadian Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean qualified 5th while Pastor Maldonado started in sixth place. The effort resulted in the Lotus F1 Team's only double-point finish for 2015.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015: 

With 9 in-race retirements for 2015, the Lotus F1 Team has almost reached its 2014 total for DNFs. Insuring their vehicles can finish the remaining Formula 1 races with their quick but volatile drivers tamed could early lead to more top-10 race finishes for 2015.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Sahara Force India

Photo Credit: Sahara Force India F1 Team

Team Score: C

 

Sergio Perez: C

Nico Hulkenberg: C

Three of the mid-marker teams in the sport are separated by just 8 points after 10 races. Leading the tight collection of constructors is Sahara Force India. Since the team's entry into Formula 1 in 2008, Force India has maintained a holding pattern within the middle of the Formula 1 grid. Before the 2015 season started, the team had many advantages on paper. Mercedes-Benz power units, adequate sponsorship as well as a driver line-up consisting of two talented wheelmen Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg were aces found with front-running Formula 1 organizations. However, 2015 has done little to nothing to advance the team to the next level.

An equally matched driver line-up that was resigned for a second-consecutive year, Force India's Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg has each shown strength in Formula 1 in past seasons. The 2015 tour has proven challenging to a qualified driver's morale.

For Nico Hulkenberg, his strength as a professional superstar driver was demonstrated at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race with Porsche. A confidence boost for the German driver who only collected 24 points in the first 10 races of the 2015 Formula 1 season. In previous Formula 1 seasons with other teams, Hulkenberg made a name for himself by extracting great finishes from vehicles perceived to be weaker. Hulkenberg obtained the team's top finish in Austria with a sixth-place run and has a nine-point advantage on Perez in the drivers' standing. Sergio Perez's season in the #11 Force India-Mercedes has as the German driver topped by a seventh-place result at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Development for this season's Force India chassis has likely played a part in some lackluster efforts. The VJM08 race car was prepared later in pre-season Formula 1 testing due to changes in the way the team built the 2015 vehicle.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

Since the British Grand Prix, Sahara Force India has been competing with an updated VJM08B chassis. Launched successfully with a double-point finish at Silverstone, two retirements at the following event in Hungary resulted in only the second and third DNFs for the team in 2015. Discounting the Hungarian Grand Prix, early feedback about the refitted car is positive from the team and drivers. Faster circuits should provide Force India with an opportunity to utilize their Mercedes-Benz powerplants.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Red Bull Racing

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Red Bull Racing

 

Team Score: C

 

Daniel Ricciardo: B-

Daniil Kvyat: C+

After four consecutive championships from 2010 to 2013, a new engine package appeared to have rattled the near-invincible Red Bull-Renault. Scoring three wins in 2014 season by Daniel Ricciardo, the overall performance as well as a winless season for the team's reigning championship driver Sebastian Vettel left many to consider the season as lackluster. If 2014 was considered lousy, 2015 would, for the most part, be called a disaster.

From watching the Red Bull Racing organization in the first 10 races of 2015, they're a far-cry from the team was the most-feared outfit on the grand prix circuit. The instrumental driver to Red Bull's success, Sebastian Vettel, left the team after the 2014 season for Ferrari resulting in the promotion of Russian Daniil Kvyat to the team from satellite organization Scuderia Toro Rosso. Kvyat joined Daniel Ricciardo who completed the same path to his Red Bull-Renault just one year prior. The efforts of Kvyat and Ricciardo has been exhaustive just attempting to keep their cars in point-paying positions. For the most part, the drivers succeeded resulting in five double-point finishes in the ten races this season. At the final race before the summer break for Formula 1 in 2015, Daniil Kvyat finished in a runner-up position while Daniel Ricciardo grabbed third. For Kvyat, the result could have been the Russian's most important finish in Formula 1

Much of the blame for Red Bull Racing's struggles has been directed towards the team's engine supplier Renault. Since Formula 1 adopted the latest hybrid powerplant format in 2014, concerns mounted whether the French manufacturer could compete on the same level as Mercedes-Benz. As the Red Bull Racing has been approaching the midway point in the 2015 season, rumours revolve around the team switching to Mercedes-Benz power in the future.

So far this season, the only saving grave for the Red Bull Racing team has come with two of the slowest tracks in Formula 1 at Monaco and the Hungaroring.

 

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015: 

While Red Bull Racing's position of scoring points in almost every grand prix is envied by some Formula 1 outfits, the effort comes from a team that was regularly competing for podium results as early as last year. Some may consider the year for Red Bull Racing would be considered a disaster if the team cannot muster a single win before the end of the season. However, the 2015 season hasn't been an entire loss thanks to a solid driver line-up. Any possible performance improvements that could be obtained from the Renault powerplant would definitely be appreciated as Formula 1 approaches Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Williams Martini Racing

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Williams Martini Racing

 

Team Score: C

 

Felipe Massa: C+

Valtteri Bottas: B

The Williams Martini Racing's 2014 season was seen as a very positive year. Making the right move by choosing the Mercedes-Benz power unit last season, the team has enjoyed near-equal pace with the factory Mercedes AMG organization. Williams Martini Racing's effort biggest success was a pole for the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix. With many expecting a race victory for the team in 2014, 2015 has featured high hopes for Williams. Though a productive Formula 1 campaign in the first 10 races this season, it may not be unfair to say some were looking for bigger things from the Williams-Mercedes race cars in 2015. 

There seemed to be no fault in the decision to preserve the driver line-up after the 2014 season. Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas performed well last season and have continued to be consistent for 2015. Both Massa and Bottas have appeared on the podium with a third place finish Unfortunately, the 2015 Williams-Mercedes race car appeared is lacking the front-running pace that was presented with the 2014 vehicle.

Similar to last year, the Williams Martini Racing team's progression back to the victory lane has shown periods of weakness. Slow, handling-focused circuits such as Monaco and the Hungaroring concluded with no points being scored by either race car. In the British Grand Prix, Williams driver Massa snatched the lead from the Mercedes AMG race cars in the early stages but faded to fourth. In the second scenario, race conditions contributed to result but the finish left many within the team disappointed. Bad luck for the Williams Martini Racing also occurred at the opening round in Australia when Valtteri Bottas suffered a back injury that sidelined him for the round.

Still showing potential, the Williams-Mercedes has shown reliability and Felipe Massa has finished in the top-10 for all but two races this season. Last year by the tenth race, Massa had three DNFs. Despite missing a race, the young Bottas continues to impress currently in fourth place in the overall points standing. As a team, Williams is holding steady in third-place in the manufacturers' points.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

Last year, Williams Martini Racing's season enjoyed a very productive second-half of the schedule that resulted in six of nine podiums for 2014. With the strong Mercedes-Benz hybrid power unit and a Williams engineers that can provide a quick, well-engineered vehicle, there could be still be potential for the team to steal a win in 2015 figuring a little fortune finds the team.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Scuderia Ferrari

Photo Source: Ferrari S.p.A.,

 

Scuderia Ferrari

 

Team Score: B+

 

Sebastian Vettel: A

Kimi Raikkonen: C

The 2014 formula 1 campaign was largely a disaster for Ferrari. The Italian team appeared to have dealt with an unfavourable outcome related to their attempts to adjust to new powerplant regulations as well as balance problems with their car. The pains of struggle were compounded by the fact Ferrari had two proven championship drivers with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. 

In many respects, 2015 as being a rebuilding year for Ferrari. For a team that was used to winning, the SF15-T was the necessary improvement needed for the storied organization. Adopting a more conventional nose design than last year's F14 T, the SF15-T has attractively been seen as the second-best car on track.

Alonso left to the McLaren organization for 2015 while his vacated seat was filled by four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel. In the first Grand Prix in Australia, Ferrari appeared to be regaining its traditional podium-contending form. At the Malaysian Grand Prix (only the second race since Vettel and Scuderia Ferrari had paired), they overcame the Mercedes AMG team cars to win. A second win for Sebastian Vettel came recently in Hungary cementing the Prancing Horse as an effective spoiler to the Silver Arrows attempt to dominate the 2015 Formula 1 season. Third place in points following 10 races, Vettel has finished in the points for all of the races in 2015 during his debut season with Ferrari.

While Vettel's arrival with Ferrari has been marked by early success, Vettel's teammate and a 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen has still be trying to find contingency. Last year's return to the team he had won a world driving title has been largely disastrous for Raikkonen. Compared to 2014, 2015 has been a vast improvement for the Finnish driver topped by a runner-up position in the Bahrain Grand Prix. However, Kimi Raikkonen is well off course of some of his best Formula 1 drives. Mistakes may have cost him the potential of at least one other podium finish this season.   

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

Despite Ferrari's improvements, the team is still second-best to Mercedes AMG on track. Part of Formula 1 since its inception, Ferrari has demonstrated time and time again they can overcome struggles from previous seasons. A car capable of sizzling the race track, a new, hot driver and a warming veteran could ignite the fire in making Ferrari a viable challenger to Mercedes AMG.