There are trips that one remembers for a long time to come. There are experiences that stay with us for lifetime. 13th May 2017 was one such date.

I was busy attending the Spanish Grand Prix with Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team when I got to meet Mr. Wright, the co-host in the Pirelli Suite. Mr. Wright, a very gracious man invited me to attend the McLaren F1 Team Gala Dinner happening at the Hilton Diagonal Mar in Barcelona, the hotel I was staying at!

I started watching F1 in 1998 and have been a fan of McLaren & Mika Hakkinen since. 2007 saw Kimi Raikkonen leave for Ferrari so my loyalties became divided but McLaren are a team I always want to see do well.

It was impossible to resist such an offer. I rushed to the Hotel, got ready & down I was ready to attend the event! Hilton, sponsors for McLaren definitely know how to host events.

The event was attended by Sponsors viz. Hilton, Logitech, Reuters, Chandon & open to Fans & Guests of the team.

Logitech also tied up with McLaren to announce the latter's entrance into the e-sports arena, announcing World’s Fastest Gamer – the world’s most intense and demanding competition for virtual racers. It’s a contest that will see the winner offered the best job in esports – a role with the Formula 1 team as one of its official simulator drivers!

Time to give you a quick tour of how McLaren hosted its guests for the evening :

The Pre-dinner meet :

Cocktails, Hors d'oeuvres, Paella, Conversations & more!

The Host for the evening welcoming us ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3Vo6Qni5Dg

The Host soon announced that we would be joined by a Former McLaren Driver & 2 Time World Champion MIKA HAKKINEN!

FAN MOMENT!

Mika Hakkinen Q&A ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGm5cta0aJo

Mika Hakkinen wished us well for the evening and he was soon followed by Fernando Alonso! The Evening just got better!

Fernando spoke at length about McLaren's chances for the weekend after his brilliant qualifying result which saw end up in P7 and also the preparations for Indy 500 which was to be held on the Monaco GP weekend. Fernando would head to the airport after the race to get onto a Private Jet to head to Indianapolis for the Practice Session.

Fernando Alonso Q&A ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HepeePy6VQU

I got the chance to get quick selfies with the McLaren Team Principal Mr. Eric Boullier & a rushing Fernando Alonso!

We were now invited into the Ball Room for dinner. The Ball Room in all its glory!

Dinner Service commences! Lip-smacking! One of the best Desserts I ever had!

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren joined us over dinner for a quick interview. The new boss has an elaborate plan to bring the team back to the sharp end of the grid and I like it!

Video Link of the Interview :

While we were enjoying our dinner, Mr. Pedro de la Rosa, Ex-McLaren Driver, Movistar TV Presenter & a thorough gentlemen entered the Ballroom to entertain the guests with his stories! What an amazing human being! He even handed out the latest gear of Logitech - G29 Gaming Wheel & Joystick to a lucky draw winner!

Video Links of his Interview ( Part 1 & 2 ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NhS32n94Ms

McLaren's hospitality didn't end with the Gala Dinner. The team were gracious enough to offer Signed Caps, Signed T Shirts & a Mega Prize of a 3 day 2 Night stay at any Hilton Property of the winner's choice! The audience were asked the questions, hands were raised & prizes won! I couldn't win any though :( :(

Mr. Stijn Bastiaens, Sr. Direction Loyalty Parternships for Hilton Hotels giving out the prizes :

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Stijn who was so happy to meet a Gold Member on HHonors!

Parting Shots from the night :

F1 starts a new chapter in 2017. The Ownership changes hands from Bernie Ecclestone to Liberty Media and Chase Carey, there is an overhaul of regulations and the winter break was full of speculations and theories about who would replace the Retiring Reigning World Champion Nico Rosberg.

The calendar is truncated to 20 Races after Germany hosts no race this year. Manor unfortunately won't feature on the grid after the team folded up and had to withdraw their official entry for the season. As always, there is a lot of excitement about the season. The F1 Faithful have a lot of expectations from the new owners be it Fan interactions, Fan Access, Ticket Pricing and Race Weekend Events but first there is a season to look forward to!

A Quick Look at the Regulation Changes for the season :

2) The engine token system will be scrapped from 2017 onwards and a boost pressure constraint will be introduced.

3) Any outfit who could not agree a power unit deal must be supplied by the manufacturer which supplies the least amount of teams, which is currently Honda, at a stipulated rate. Everyone have their suppliers locked down, so doesn't apply to anyone.

4) Tyres are around 25 percent wider than in 2016, with rear width up from 325mm to 405, and front width raised from 245 to 305. Tyre diameter has also increased very slightly, though wheel rim size remains unchanged at 13 inches. ( Source : www.formula1.com ). This would mean better grip levels, extra downforce translating to faster lap times.

5) In the event that a race is declared wet and must start behind the safety car, the grid will follow normal starting procedures and once conditions are declared satisfactory for racing, drivers will line up on the grid for a standing start once the safety car pulls into pit lane, although any laps completed behind the safety car will count towards the total race distance. Finally we can have a proper start in the wets. Just like the good old days!

6) From 2017, teams will only be able to use one new component over their quota per race, with any additional components incurring further penalties. This change will prevent teams from "stockpiling" spare power unit components. Quite an interesting move considering the fact that everyone - from Mercedes to Honda took advantage of serving a combined penalty of all components in a single race.

My understanding of the rule is this : The team can only replace one component on a weekend..should they choose multiple, the incurring penalties will have to be served in the following rounds. So the Teams have to choose what to replace and when.

I am pretty intrigued to see how the FIA is going to enforce this rule ( specifically near the business end of the season )

7)The minimum weight of the car including the driver being raised by 20 kg to 722 kg, with teams allowed to use 105 kg of fuel to account for the increase in minimum weight. More Fuel means less fuel saving periods and a greater chance for drivers to push at the races but knowing F1, most would take the cautious approach.

8) There are multiple changes to the looks, dimensions of the cars. We have also seen Shark Fins, T Fins, New Barge Board designs at the tests. I choose not to get into the technicalities of it, but for those who do, here is a table which explains the transformation of the cars from 2016. ( Source : www.skysports.com/f1 )

Proposed bodywork changes for 2017

Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Mercedes, the undisputed kings of the Turbo Era marched to another title in 2016. Nico Rosberg came out on top to win his maiden Drivers' World Championship only to shock the world with his decision to retire a week later. Rosberg stated that he had achieved his dream and it was time to move on to more important things in life. The decision led to a big contest to grab the best seat in the sport for 2017. Alonso, Wehrlein, Bottas, Ricciardo were the contenders. Alonso would have been an interesting choice. He is the best driver on the grid according to me and we all know what conspired in 2007 between Lewis and Nando. Did Lewis have a say in this? Maybe. Bottas, the experts' favourite got the job, his close association to Toto Wolff ( his manager ) giving him the edge. The Team had to part ways with Paddy Lowe who went to Williams F1, a fair trade for both parties. James Allison who left Ferrari midseason following the death of his wife joins Mercedes as their Technical Director for 2017, a fantastic addition to the squad. Mercedes remain favourites to retain the crown in 2017 although Testing suggests that Ferrari will make it a very close affair. The Team is known to mask their true pace so the competition should be wary.

Bottas is a very calm and composed racer under pressure. Lewis Hamilton will look to reclaim his lost crown and I believe his competition will come from another team. Bottas will be strong but not capable to fight Lewis for the title. Nonetheless both will have to be the top of their game to ensure competition is kept at bay.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ferrari have played second fiddle long enough. They have flattered to deceive in the Turbo Era. 2014 was a fiasco. 2015 saw some improvement. 2016 started off well only for Ferrari to lose the plot towards the end. 2017 Pre-season Tests portray an encouraging story - Ferrari are right up there with the best and might be able to beat the best in the business this year. Ferrari's pace at the Tests have been a revelation. Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel scorched the Circuit of Catalunya with record laptimes on supersofts which suggests the team has something in reserve. Kimi and Seb praised the efforts of the personnel at Maranello and both believe that the SF70H is much better than its predecessor. Neither chose to comment on the possibility of race wins but the initial vibes coming out of the camp are extremely positive. The Team looks ready and raring to go. Kimi Raikkonen beat Sebastian Vettel in the Qualifying faceoffs in 2016 and would look to better him in the Championship as well. Both the drivers will push each other to the limits and that will augur well for the team who know that the battle at the sharp end of the grid is no cakewalk. Ferrari did lose out on the services of James Allison but if this car brings about a change of fortunes, then they've done well without him.

Ferrari needs to return to that winning mentality again. The aggression is there, the talent is there. They only need to plan and execute it well. They need to have confidence in their tactics and not react to what others around them are doing. As a Fan, I want to see Kimi Raikkonen have an exceptional season. 

Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull one of the most successful teams in F1 made a strong resurgence in 2016 and snapped up 2 wins and P2 in the Constructors' Championship. They were pretty close to Mercedes AMG F1 at the end of the season. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen made for a fantastic pairing and retaining them for 2017 was absolutely paramount for the team. Ricciardo had the temptation of switching to Mercedes but the Australian chose to stick with the boys from Milton Keynes. Max and Dan are the best pairing in F1 according to me and their positive approach at the races will definitely throw up many surprises in 2017. Red Bull might not be at the level of Mercedes or Ferrari based on whats been seen at the Tests but wasn't the start of 2016 the same? I really believe they are hiding their true pace and even if they aren't, they have all the resources and the personnel to upgrade and field an aerodynamically efficient and quick RB13 at the races. Would they be able to beat Mercedes while keeping Ferrari at bay? I highly doubt it. One thing is for certain though..P3 is the least that Red Bull should manage at the Constructors.

Williams Martini Racing F1 Team :

Williams had a poor 2016. Massa retired at the end of the season only to return for another year after Valtteri Bottas moved up to Mercedes AMG F1 to replace Rosberg. Lance Stroll, the 18 year old F3 Champion joins Massa making him the newest entrant into the world of F1. Williams finished P5 in 2016 and they lost their way in their battle against Force India. However with the New Regulations and Changes in place, its status quo for everyone but will Williams be able to mount a strong challenge? There is a lot of uncertainty about them from the pre-season tests. I quote Formula1.com "The FW40 shouted ‘hidden potential’ to many seasoned observers. The big question is whether their testing pace was for real, and if so, will it put them at the head of the midfield pack or make them true podium contenders? Only Melbourne will tell."

Massa's experience will be invaluable in the fight this year. Stroll has been raking up the miles but his inexperience could be the weak-link this year. Williams boast of a glorious history in F1 and their personnel are capable of turning things around. Financially, they are secure too. I would like to see them fighting at the sharp end of the grid in 2017.

Paddy Lowe joins Williams F1 for 2017 as Chief Technical Director, a move that was on the cards if the Bottas switch to Mercedes came through. Williams will be more than happy to have a man with Paddy Lowe's experience. He has all the expertise of improving the car and if the drivers can deliver the expected results, then they are back in contention.

Force India F1 Team :

Force India were a revelation in 2016. Finishing P4 in the Championship the team underlined the fact if one works hard, then the sky is the limit. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg delivered consistently strong finishes to keep competitors at bay. Esteban Ocon is the new member of the team replacing Hulkenberg who switched to Renault. Force India also sport a new livery..some like it, some don't. Its a Strawberry coloured VJM10 for 2017 and I am sure its gonna stand out amongst the field. Initial impressions show that the car is fairly quick and most importantly reliable. Perez will go from strength to strength..maybe auditioning for a seat higher up. Ocon showed a lot of promise in Manor. This is his "Baptism by Fire". His finishes will be pivotal in deciding Force India's fortunes for 2017.

Force India will find it hard to better what they achieved in 2016. The likes of Renault, Williams will be vying for P4 so its going to be an uphill battle for the Silverstone based outfit. Lets hope they handle the pressure with aplomb. 

McLaren Honda F1 Team :

McLaren and Honda...Prost and Senna...the Golden era..The Partnership was renewed in 2016 and the alliance has been a massive embarrassment. Honda's powertrains have been highly unreliable and the story might not change if one looks towards the pre-season tests. The MCL32 struggled to post a decent mileage..both drivers drove out of the pits only to stop at random times of their runs. Alonso, assessing the situation has reiterated that this might be the only chance that Honda has to turn things around..maybe hinting at greener pastures in WEC with Porsche ( an option hes been eyeing for sometime ). Stoeffel Vandoorne finally got a drive after Jenson Button left the sport ( to take on the role of a "mentor" for McLaren). Mika Hakkinen also joined them as an ambassador but would they be influential in bringing in more sponsorship for a team that is bound to struggle on the field? Tough ask this. Vandoorne and Alonso seem to have a long and arduous season ahead of them. Alonso will eek out every bit of performance. Vandoorne must follow suit.

McLaren will be fortunate to finish in the points at Australia but a team of their stature have to turn things around asap. Honda claims that all their troubles will be addressed before the start of the full season. Applaud their optimism but lets hope they silence a critic like me. The latest news coming out of the UK is that McLaren are considering their "options" with Honda. Could a shock switch to another engine supplier be on the cards? Time will tell..

Renault Sport F1 Team :

Renault, in its 2nd year as a Works Team would look to improve their performances and results from last year. The team ( after a lot of debate ) persisted with Jolyon Palmer while Kevin Magnussen was released to join Haas F1. The team bagged the services of Nico Hulkenberg from Force India and both will look to benefit from the other - Hulkenberg being with a works team and Renault having the luxury of a consistent finisher / performer in their ranks. For Jolyon Palmer, its a make or break year. His performances must improve to justify the team's decision to retain him..else it won't be difficult to find a replacement. Hulkenberg would be hoping for a reliably fast car for 2017 and if they do manage this for the first half, a podium finish shouldn't be a long shot.

The Team aims to finish P5 in this championship ( based on the "roadmap to success" charted out by Renault ). Testing results suggest a positive outcome for the season. Issues remain to be resolved but the team can gain confidence from all that they learned from testing. I do hope to see them return to success and hopefully to the top step..after all I consider them as family!

Haas F1 Team :

Haas F1 had a decent debut year. Romain Grosjean scored all the points for the team while Gutierrez had a torrid return to F1. He was close to scoring points on a few occasions but his performances didn't warrant him a place in 2017. Subsequently he switched to Formula E while Kevin Magnussen took up his vacant seat. Haas has a capable driver in Romain Grosjean, his experience being helpful in the development and improvement of the car. Magnussen is a quick driver but will need time to settle.

Pre-season tests show that the car is fairly quick and should be a regularly feature in the midfield battle. Haas' close association with Ferrari might turn out to be helpful. Their main challenge will be sporting a balanced chassis for the varied demands of races over the season. P7 seems like the best bet for Haas F1.

Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Toro Rosso renew their partnership with Renault for 2017. I must say they have the best livery for 2017. It should be a lot easier to differentiate between the A Team and the B Team. Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr. keep their seats for 2017. However Kvyat must perform as the extremely talented Pierre Gasly is waiting in the wings. Carlos had a strong 2016 but I believe he should leave Red Bull's Driver Program for 2018 if he wishes to move up the grid. Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo might not leave the A Team if they have a successful 2017. Toro Rosso return to Renault power for 2017 and the initial impressions are a bit mixed. Reliability was an issue but the team seemed to find some pace near the end of the Pre-Season Tests.

Toro Rosso, under the leadership of Mr. Franz Tost will continue to be a strong midfield team in 2017 and it won't be surprising if they spring up a few surprise results at certain tracks. Lets hope they have a good outing..

Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber finished 9th in the Constructors' thanks to an eventful Brazilian Grand Prix. The cash-strapped team had been pushing for a takeover over the business end of last year and the winter. However with nothing concrete coming their way, the best way forward was to have drivers with strong financial backing. Felipe Nasr was relieved of his services while Mercedes bagged the seat for Pascal Wehrlein. This was quite an interesting move since Sauber run the Ferrari powertrains...but then Sauber operate independent of Ferrari. It will be interesting to see how the new team-mates pair up. My money is on Wehrlein. The German through his performances at Manor proved there was little to stop him from coming out on top. Ericsson has a long season ahead of him. The time is ticking for him too.

Sauber must score points whenever the opportunity arises. It would be difficult for them to keep upgrading the car throughout the season but they must ensure that they don't finish last in the Constructors' to keep their F1 legacy alive.

The Demise of Manor :

2017 began with some grim news. Manor F1 Team went into administration after they failed to get an investor. Eventually the team had to shut down and withdraw their name from the 2017 Official Entry List. This explains the logic of moving both Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon to Sauber and Force India respectively; as I had mentioned earlier, Mercedes knew about this well before time and ensured that their protegees don't go without a drive in 2017.

2016 was the longest F1 Season with 21 Races on the Calendar. Baku became the European Grand Prix and the Season also saw the arrival of a new customer team in Haas F1 powered by Ferrari. Red Bull became Red Bull - Tag Heuer ( Renault engines branded as Tag Heuer ), Renault became a works team hiring the Services of Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer, Romain Grosjean joined Esteban Gutierrez in Haas F1 while Pascal Wehrlein & Rio Haryanto got drives in Manor ( formerly Marussia ) Racing F1 Team.

I had the privilege of attending the Spanish GP and the Hungarian GP this year and both were amazing venues to watch a race. Spain was special since Ferrari achieved a double podium with Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.

Experts predicted a close fight for supremacy in 2016. Lets do a quick recap of how it all unfolded in 2016.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

The Undisputed Kings of the new Turbo era continued their dominance winning 19 races in the season. Nico Rosberg continued where he left off in 2015, winning the first 4 races until a coming together in Spain ( with Lewis ). Lewis Hamilton rose up to the challenge after Spain winning the next 6 out of 7 races. Austria witnessed another incident between the two. Belgium, Italy, Singapore - Rosberg reigned supreme. The Big Twist in the tale came in Malaysia when Hamilton was comfortably leading only to see his engine blow up and hand the lead to Rosberg. The difference stood at 23 points now! Rosberg won in Japan and the difference rose to 30 points. The victory meant that he had to only finish 2nd in the final 4 races ( should Hamilton win each of them ). Easier said than done. Lewis won in US & Mexico, Nico was 2nd. The Big Test came in Brazil. Hamilton was the master of Racing in Rain and was virtually untouched. Max Verstappen got the measure of Rosberg and passed him into P2. There were multiple stoppages, multiple crashes, treacherous conditions yet the Mercedes' strategists pulled off a master stroke to help Rosberg achieve P2. Then came the final round in Abu Dhabi! Lewis Hamilton pulled away from pole with Nico P2. Max pointed the wrong way at T1 but made up to P3 with a long stint on Medium Tyres. Nico was P4 after his pit stop and needed to pass Max to keep his championship hopes alive. The pass was 'critical'. Sebastian Vettel who led the race for a long time made up places in his final stint and was P3 with 6 laps left. Lewis, who regained the lead, went against team instructions and slowed down to back Nico into Vettel and Verstappen. He tried his best and by the time the race ended, the top 4 were separated by less than a second! Nico had done it. He was the 2016 F1 World Champion! Nico had been the more consistent of the two ( one retirement vs two of Lewis' ) although Lewis had won one more race. However the outgoing Champion can be proud of his season. One might say his tactics in the final race were unsporting but he did everything he could ( in his capacity ) to win the championship and its not easy to back anyone up into a chasing pack. It requires a lot of skill. Credit where credit is due, Hamilton is a born racer and there are very few like him in F1. There were a lot of conspiracy theories doing the rounds that Lewis' car was sabotaged to help Nico win the championship - a German champ for a German team. Its unfortunate to have mechanical issues which rob you of victories or precious points at pivotal moments in the championship. Kimi Raikkonen was robbed like this in 2003 and 2005 but that is how motorsport is. It can be pretty unforgiving.

Mercedes will have a strong package and a strong pairing in 2017. Pace is not an issue, reliability still is and that will be focused upon in the 2017 development. What Mercedes would not want is to see Reliability dictate who wins and who loses. 

It will be difficult to beat them to the title!

Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull parted ways with Renault at the end of 2015 but continued to use their power units, albeit with Tag Heuer branding. Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat started the season together and the latter bagged 3rd place in China. However a mistake in Russia caused a crash and costed Kvyat his seat for the rest of the season. There was a lot of furore but experts believed that the Russian was already on borrowed time. Max Verstappen got promoted to the A team in Spain and won the race on debut for his new team! He also became the youngest F1 Race Winner silencing all critics and justifying Red Bull's decision. Ricciardo stepped up his performances too and a shambolic pit stop costed him victory at Monaco. He finally won in Malaysia, making it 2 wins in the season for the team, a marked improvement from their previous year. Red Bull brought in a lot of aero upgrades throughout the season and they eventually overtook Ferrari. Daniel Ricciardo finished P3 in the standings with 256 points with 1 win & 7 podiums. Max Verstappen finished in P5 with 204 points with 1 win and 6 podiums, an incredible achievement considering that he raced for Toro Rosso in first 4 races. Max proved his worth again with a stellar drive in treacherous and rainy conditions in Brazil finishing P3 behind Lewis and Nico.

Red Bull should be extremely pleased with their season. They can gain a lot of encouragement from the fact that they have 2 young but incredibly talented drivers in a potent car for 2017. The added downforce might tip the advantage in their favour in the Constructors' battle. They will definitely have a more enjoyable winter compared to 2015. Onwards and Upwards for the team!

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ferrari flattered to deceive, that is how I sum up their season. They had a strong start to the season but the challenge petered out over the course of the year. Strategic howlers robbed them of potential podiums and the car struggled to stay in touch with the top even after liberally using the upgrade tokens throughout the season. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were delegated with the task of keeping the tifosi happy and they did it to the best of their abilities. Kimi Raikkonen outqualified his team-mate ( 11-10 ) over the course of the season which was a pleasant surprise. The Iceman also managed to get 4 podiums finishing 6th in the Championship with 186 points. Sebastian achieved 6 podiums and P4 in the standings with 212 points.

The team failed to win a race this year, their main target at the start of 2016. Overall its been a disappointing performance. The Power Deficit couple with Aerodynamic deficiency hampered progress. The car was also slow in getting the tyres upto temperature. They also need to have more faith in their strategies and not react to what others are doing during a race.

The Result? Red Bull eventually caught up and overtook them, outscoring Ferrari by 70 points.

Kimi had a decent year but it could have been a lot better if Ferrari had not made strategic errors in a few races. He could have achieved some more podiums. Kimi should be strong in 2017.

Ferrari need a major overhaul if they need to challenge for the title in 2017. The learning curve is going to be steep but with the Financial Resources they have, progress should be faster.

Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Force India ended 2016 as the strongest Mercedes Customer Team. The team went from strength to strength each year and they are reaping the fruits of their hard work now. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg produced the goods again as the team clinched 4th place in the Constructors enabling them a strong base to start from in 2017.

Sergio Perez achieved 2 podiums in Monaco and Canada and finished in the points on 14 occasions. Hulkenberg's best finish came in Belgium ( 4th ) with 14 points finishes as well. Perez finished the season on 101 points with Hulkenberg scoring 72.

Force India should be proud of what they have achieved this year with the limited resources they had. The Drivers were consistent in bringing home results and although P3 will be a tough ask, finishing P4 again is achievable.

Williams Martini Racing F1 Team :

Williams had a strong 2014 and 2015. However 2016 saw a sharp drop in performances and results. Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas teamed up for 2016. Bottas got a podium ( 3rd ) finish in Canada while Massa's best finish was 5th in Australia & Russia.

Bottas amassed 85 points while Massa finished 11th in the standings with 53 points. The team was overshadowed by Force India though. The Silverstone based outfit prevailed against them in a hard fought battle.

Felipe Massa announced his retirement from the sport and was given a fitting farewell by one and all in F1.

The Team dropped to 5th in the Constructors' standing as against 3rd last year. They never looked like challenging the works team in the 2nd half of the season. The team would be very displeased to lose another position to Force India, a team operating with a smaller budget than theirs. The saving grace for them was the power advantage of their Mercedes unit, else P5 would be a tough ask too.

Williams have work to do for 2017.

McLaren Honda F1 Team :

McLaren continued with Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button for 2016. Alonso suffered a bad accident with Gutierrez in Australia and had to skip Bahrain GP. Stoffel Vandoorne, the reserve driver, finished 10th in Bahrain grabbing the first point of the season for McLaren. Alonso won the team-mate battle finishing 10th in the overall standings with 54 points. His best finish was 5th in Monaco and USA. Jenson Button who announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the season finished 15th with Austria yielding his best race finish ( 6th ).

McLaren improved considerably in their 2nd year with the Honda engine. They managed to put in a fair number of miles throughout the season. Results improved considerably but still they are nowhere near the performance levels that they should be. 2017 will be an interesting year. Hopefully Honda can concentrate on power rather than reliability over the winter break.

Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Toro Rosso had a torrid time with Renault powered engines in 2015 and reverted to Ferrari powertrains, albeit the 2015 one. Toro Rosso continued with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen for 2016 but the lineup changed post Russia after Kvyat caused a collision and was demoted to Toro Rosso, Verstappen moving up the order. Many questioned this move mid-season but Red Bull reiterated that this was necessary to help Kvyat develop into a better racer.

Toro Rosso had a very capable chassis and produced strong results throughout the season - 63 Points and 7th in the Constructors' Championship. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished 8th in the Drivers' Championship with 46 points, Max scored in 3 races ( till Russia ) while Kvyat managed to score in only 3 races after his demotion. Sainz showcased his class again with 6th place finishes in 3 races and being consistent throughout the season. One has to feel for Kvyat, first the demotion, then the struggles and problems he faced during the season. He has another year to make things right but with Gasly breathing down his neck, I have my reservations.

Toro Rosso can take pride in the fact that they have given F1 world class drivers and Max ensured the tradition continues. Carlos too is waiting in the wings. Red Bull have their hands full.

Haas F1 Team :

Haas, the new boys in F1 garnered a lot of attention both in pre-season and through the season. Romain Grosjean left Lotus to join Haas with the plan of eventually stepping up into the Ferrari Works team ( should an opportunity arise ) while Esteban Gutierrez landed the 2nd seat, courtesy of Ferrari, the engine suppliers for the team. Gene Haas always had a presence in F1 but coming in as a full fledged team would pose a different challenge altogether.

Romain Grosjean scored all the points for the team. The Frenchman amassed 29 points which helped Haas finish 8th in the standings. His best finish was 5th in Bahrain. Esteban Gutierrez drew a blank but missed out on points on a few occasions. It was quite evident that having a more experienced driver helped the team considerably. Romain was retained for 2017 while Gutierrez has lost his seat to Magnussen. One does feel sympathy for Esteban but he was so comprehensively beaten by his team-mate that there would be very few people who would justify giving him another year.

It was a fantastic maiden year for Haas F1. Very few would predict an 8th place finish, one ahead of a works team. They have a strong platform to build from for 2017. I believe the teething issues of their maiden year will be addressed and Haas will be a force to contend with.

Renault Sport F1 Team :

Renault broke off from Red Bull and purchased Lotus F1 to become a full-time Works Team in F1. It was a tough ask to turn it all around in 2016. Lotus had a better outing in 2015, even grabbing a podium but one must not forget that it was a Mercedes powered chassis. As informed to me by my friend, the 2016 Challenger was essentially a 2015 car with a lot of upgrades. The Delay in the takeover left little time in developing a new car. Renault however was here to stay and a roadmap to supremacy was laid up. Renault hired the services of Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen after Grosjean left for Haas and Maldonado was relieved of his duties.

Progress, as expected was tough and Renault had to address issues throughout the season. Nevertheless, Kevin Magnussen managed to fetch 7 points for the team, finishing in the Points in Russia and Singapore. Jolyon Palmer on the other hand had a poor debut season with a solitary point in Malaysia. However he was also the victim of reliability issues and unfortunate incidents. His performances did improve in the latter half of the season which was enough to warrant him a seat for 2017. Renault finished the season in 9th with 8 points.

Renault will be working over the winter break. They were finding their feet in 2016. 2017 must produce a big step up in terms of results.

Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber had a horrid 2014, 2015 and 2016 was destined to be the same until Nasr clinched 9th place in Brazil. These 2 points elevated them to 10th place in the Constructors' Standings, the final place in receiving a financial bonus. Marcus Ericsson finished the season pointless, his best finish 11th in Mexico. The Chassis has been the main challenge for the team. The 2015 Ferrari powered unit was strong enough but poor chassis design and lack of aerodynamics hampered progress.

Sauber is a cash strapped team and one can empathize with where they are now. Hopefully they have a more decent outing next year and with a potential take-over doing the rounds, money might pour in to help them stay afloat and develop a stronger car.

Manor Racing F1 Team :

Manor, formerly Marussia hired the services of Rio Haryanto & Mercedes Protegee Pascal Wehrlein for 2016. However Haryanto lost his race seat ( after Germany ) after the sponsors failed to meet the financial obligations to the team. His best finish was 15th in Monaco.

The European Leg of the 2016 F1 Season came to an end last weekend. The 7 "Fly-Aways" remain.

We are entering into a pivotal part of the season, both on and off the track. A lot of changes happened and are going to happen in the world of F1. 2017 is going to be an intriguing year, be it for the new Regulations, Fatter Tyres and the new owners of F1.

This time of the year is also important for those who still are unawares of their drives next year. There are a lot of things that are going to play a big part in deciding their fate for 2017. So who is certain and who is not for 2017? Are there any new rookies joining the fray?

Time to take a quick peek into the "Driver Markets" World!

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are locked down for 2017. The Decision is a no-brainer for both the team and the drivers. Who would want to leave the fastest team on the grid! Could 2017 bring some parity? We shall know next year.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen continue their partnership next year. There was some chatter about Perez getting Kimi's seat for 2017 but Ferrari squashed all rumours by announcing their lineup a lot earlier than usual. Kimi has been a lot closer and beating Vettel in many races. The Iceman's performances drastically improved and letting go of such an asset would be very unwise. Staying with the tried and tested also brings stability in the team, specially for Ferrari who are playing catch-up for sometime now. This pairing has it in them to bring back the years of the "Prancing Horse". I am overjoyed about Kimi's contract renewal. ALL HAIL THE ICEMAN!

Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen have been fantastic in 2016 ( so far ) and the team sees no reason to change its line-up. Max who replaced Kvyat after the Russian GP has been a revelation- winning on his race debut ( youngest driver ), podiums and strong points finishes. True his recent performances and lack of respect for co-drivers leave much to be desired but the youngster's ability cannot be doubted. Ricciardo, the Honey Badger, he is an absolute hit amongst the fans. His demeanour, his character is perfect fit for a team like Red Bull. Performances are never a cause for contention and not persisting with the Australian would be suicidal.

Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Force India improved considerably in the new turbo era and one can say that they are contenders for podium finishes in certain races. Perez bagged his fair share of podiums while Hulkenberg prides in finishing consistently in points. The Latter didn't ruffle many feathers in the paddock but is going about his job in a professional way. He continues with the team. Perez on the other hand was on the lookout for a better drive, a replacement for Kimi was also doing the rounds. Some suggested approach by another works team in Renault. The latest developments suggest that he has re-signed with Force India, probably playing a waiting game before a seat in the top runners opens up in 2018. Wise Decision.

McLaren Honda F1 Team :

Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, 2 Former Champions drove for McLaren since 2015. McLaren are clearly struggling in their new partnership with Honda. Progress is slow and both drivers have been losing patience with the car. Stoffel Vandoorne, the 2015 GP2 Champion is waiting in the wings and putting him in one of the seats would be a great option for the team. The Path was cleared when Jenson Button announced that he was taking a 'sabbatical' in 2017 and would aid in the development of the 2017 challenger. He would have the option to race in 2018 should Alonso choose to retire. This is quite an interesting decision to be honest. Taking a 'sabbatical' could turn out to be a master stroke, as was the case with Alain Prost who won his 4th Championship with Williams on his return to F1 or it could also turn to retirement should the team find someone capable enough to race in 2018 or even persist with Alonso. What conspires over the course of next year no one knows. I personally think McLaren covered themselves against Williams who were vying for the Brit's signature in 2017. Williams is placed well above McLaren for now but 2017 could turn out to be a great leveller.

Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Carlos Sainz Jr. is confirmed for 2017. Max Verstappen moved upto the A Team from the Spanish GP while Daniil Kvyat got demoted. Kvyat struggled since then and his performances in the final 7 races would be pivotal in deciding his fate in F1. Red Bull seem to be diplomatic in its answers about the Toro Rosso lineup for 2017. Pierre Gasly driving in GP2 has gained a fair amount of experience in a F1 car. A drive in F1 is long overdue for the Frenchman. I feel its a matter of when rather than whether and internally it seems that the answer for when will be given well before the season ends. Kvyat's management should be exploring and contacting other teams. The Red Bull program looks done and dusted for him.

Williams F1 Team :

Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, a strong pairing will not feature together in 2017. Felipe Massa announced his retirement at the Italian GP bringing to an end an unbelievable career in F1. He will be completing 250 Races at the end of the season and who can forget the narrow miss of the Drivers' Championship in 2008! Valtteri Bottas has expressed his desire to stay at Williams for 2017 but the team don't seem to be in a hurry to finalize their lineup. Frankly, there aren't many options and the team should renew his contract. Bottas has a fantastic management handling his career so this shouldn't be an issue.

Button who was tipped to replace Massa according to some tabloids opted for a sabbatical so the second seat is up for grabs. Perez has an outside chance but would not want to jeopardize his chances of switching to Ferrari in 2018. I believe GP2 driver Alex Lynn will get promoted from his Development Driver Status. Lance Stroll, F3 Driver is also in the reckoning. Many tabloids suggest he is ready for the big leap. He has the skills, just hope he has the maturity to race at this level. One cannot write off someone like Kvyat if he opts to leave Red Bull's program but then again, every race result would be important for him.

Haas F1 Team :

Haas F1, the debutants of 2016 have both seats available for 2017. Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez would be keen to renew, the former being more successful for the team. Grosjean left Renault in 2015 with the sole intention of joining Ferrari in a couple of years and his "audition" at Haas has been decent. Gutierrez's return to full time racing has been marred with problems.  Ferrari will have a big say in the decision making and would encourage the team to hire somebody from their Ferrari program - Raffaele Marciello from GP2, Charles LeClerc and Antonio Fuoco from GP3 the contenders. LeClerc for me is the best bet. Persisting with Grosjean would be logical decision. Sadly, Gutierrez might have to return to being a Reserve Driver for Ferrari.

I hope I am proved wrong!

Renault Sport F1 Team :

Jolyon Palmer, the 2014 GP2 Champion and ex-McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen were the challengers representing the Renault Sport F1 Team for 2016. Neither have a contract for 2017. An insider known to me had hinted about Palmer being in the team for only one year and the team would have to be convinced to continue with him for 2017. The decision had been made even before the season began it seems! Magnussen is young and still maturing in F1. The Team needs someone with experience, someone who would help develop their car and help them move up the field. They are a works team, so the onus of being a front runner is big, for whoever they sign. Grosjean is the only one that comes to mind but the Frenchman spent many years in Oxfordshire. To think of a reunion would be downright absurd. The team has next to zero options when it comes to hiring experience. Bottas is available but would he be willing to move down the grid and help the team move up? Illogical. Kvyat could get the drive and maybe Magnussen a contract extension. Esteban Ocon, their reserve driver up until the Belgian GP is also an intriguing case. He has been sponsored by Genii ( former owners of the team ) and is also a part of the unofficial "Mercedes Driver Program". His career path is chosen so his chances seem bleak. Antonio Giovinazzi is one independent driver in GP2 that comes to mind and is extremely talented. Carmen Jorda? Well it would be a proud moment to have women racing in F1.

Renault is a works team and have their work cut out for the upcoming season. Spending money on hiring will not be a challenge but getting a mix of experience and youth will be. One must not forget the learning curve is steep so it won't be smooth sailing. Patience is key.

Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber, a team riddled with financial issues are searching for a potential buyer. A takeover is on the cards and if it does come to fruition, Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr's could be up for the taking. Both are pay drivers and helped the team to stay above board this year. No disrespect to either but I feel they were hired a season too early. There were more mature drivers in the feeder series but the fatter sponsorship got the job done for the duo. The situation today is the same in the feeder series. If the team were to decide on making only one seat available, Ericsson will get the boot ( according to me ). Sergey Sirotkin got a taste of F1 in the past and would be eyeing a promotion. Ferrari will have a say too ( not as much as in Haas' case ) and hiring one of their academy drivers would bring in benefits for the team. It will be an interesting to see who is onboard for 2017. I believe Nasr and Marciello would be in the Blue Overalls for 2017.

Sauber are the slowest team on the grid and its sad to see them struggle like this. The team that had the knack of springing surprises must return to scoring points again. Peter Sauber earned the reputation of hiring quality in F1, a known fact amongst the paddock and the fans. I hope that their financial issues are resolved and the team is back at doing what it does best - bringing the best to F1!

Manor Racing F1 Team :

Manor, cash-strapped and essentially a testing ground for the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team had a brilliant 2015 ( under the old name Marussia ) and an even better 2016 ( so far ). Pascal Wehrlein is a revelation. Rio Haryanto not so much. The Latter too was a pay driver and rushed into the sport earlier than he should have been. His inability to deliver on the sponsorship side sadly saw him lose his seat to Esteban Ocon who immediately warmed up to the task and looks set for delivering strong finishes for the team in 2016. Re-signing both is the way forward. True they have limited resources and funds to live with but their drivers are punching well above their weight. The sky is the limit.

2017 promises to be a challenging year for all the teams. New Regulations might bring more parity. There is still a lot that 2016 has to offer and the next few weeks should clear the air about who ends up where.

Till then, fasten your seat-belts and enjoy the ride!

God Bless!

2014 & 2015 saw Mercedes AMG F1 flatten all opposition that came in their way of winning both the Drivers' and the Constructors' Titles.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have dominated with race victories, the former winning 2 World Championships.

2016, the 3rd year of the Turbo Era boasts of being the longest season in F1 with 21 Races. Baku, Azerbaijan is the New European GP. Haas F1 Team is the new entrant and hired the services of Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez. Lotus F1 became Renault Sport F1 ( Works Team ), Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer joined their ranks. Marussia became Manor Racing, DTM Champion Pascal Wehrlein and GP2 Driver Rio Haryanto joining them.

A Lot is new in F1 this season but is there a new force to reckon with in the sport? we have completed 11 races of the season and its time to take a quick peek into how the season has unfolded.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Its no secret that Mercedes spent a lot of time developing the cars for the new turbo era. Experts tipped them as favourites for 2016 and the team has not disappointed again. They have dominated both in Qualifying and in the Races. Barring one race ( Spain ) where both the drivers took each other out, the team has won every Grand Prix up until now. Lewis Hamilton suffered with reliability issues and he might have to take a 10 place penalty in the near future. Rosberg had strong start to the season but his challenge has faltered somewhat since Spain. 3 Podiums in 7 races meant losing the Championship lead to Hamilton going into the mid season break. Hamilton on the other hand was riddled with reliability issues but rose among them. 6 Race Victories to 5 of Rosberg's mean he leads the Championship by 19 points. Hamilton looks in ominous form. However he is playing down his chances for the Championship cause of Penalties coming his way. Its hard to catch Hamilton when he gets into such a rhythm and how Rosberg approaches the upcoming races would be intriguing to watch.

Mercedes have enough in reserve and can easily extend the gap when they need to against their opposition. Frankly, I don't see anyone challenging them for the 2016 Crown. Again!

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ferrari had a lot of positivity about them going into 2016. They really believed the SF-16H had what was needed to dethrone the Mercedes from its perch. Sebastian Vettel had some blistering starts in the races. Kimi Raikkonen followed suit too. However both have suffered with Reliability issues ( Vettel more often ). Bad Strategic calls in some races added to the woes. The Team seemed to be the sole challenger but the challenge has somewhat fizzled out since the British Grand Prix. A Lot of updates and tokens have been used throughout the season but they have yielded mixed results.

Kimi Raikkonen, the more consistent of the two drivers, sits 4th in the Championship, 95 points adrift of Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel is 5th, a further 2 points away. Raikkonen's performances improved from those in 2014 and 2015 and suffered only 2 retirements up until now. Vettel suffered from 2 DNFs and one DNS ( Did not start ). However has 5 podiums to Raikkonen's 4 till now.

Ferrari sit in 3rd in the Championship standings, Red Bull having jumped above them with strong results in the last 3 races. There is a lot of work to do for the Maranello Based Outfit. Beating Mercedes for the Constructors seems like a far fetched idea. Their battle is with Red Bull now, to be the best of the rest. 

Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull sport a new name on their car in 2016. They formally broke their alliance with Renault at the end of 2015 but they sport a Tag Heuer branded Renault engine at the back of their car. Their lineup remained unchanged in Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat until the latter's mistake in Russia brought about a decision to demote him to Scuderia Toro Rosso ( Red Bull B Team effectively ) and promote the Young Max Verstappen up into the A Team.

What followed next is the stuff of dreams. Max Verstappen won the Spanish GP in his debut race for the team holding of the challenge of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. He also became the youngest driver to win a GP. Ricciardo on the other hand did what Ricciardo does best - Maximize results. It seemed that his time to win had arrived as well when he was leading in Monaco. However a botched pit stop handed victory to Hamilton and Ricciardo was distraught. He gathered himself and put in some really strong performances. Max Verstappen won a race and finished on the Podium thrice ( since his joining ) while Daniel Ricciardo has 3 podiums to his name and sits 3rd in the Championship.

Red Bull have got a measure of Ferrari now it seems. They have emerged as the primary contender to Mercedes for the 2nd half of the season. True, Renault's power deficit still needs to be address but the aerodynamic efficiency of the car is powering them ahead, maybe to more race victories.

It may be a little too late for Red Bull to fight for the Constructors' but the Milton Keyes based 4 time Constructors' Champions has made its presence felt!

Williams Martini Racing F1 Team :

Williams sit 4th in the Constructors, the deficit too big to cover to get into the top 3. They are looking nervously over the shoulder since Sahara Force India F1 is breathing down their necks. It is really intriguing to see how fortunes have changed for Williams. 2014 was a very strong year for Williams. 2015 saw a wane in form but in 2016 they seem to be totally off the pace. They still are the "Fastest Mercedes Customer" Team but this title might not last long with them.

Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa continue with the team in 2016, Bottas 7th and Mass 9th in the Championship. Bottas the more consistent of the duo bagged 3rd place in Canada, the best finish for the team till now. Massa's best finish is 5th ( twice ). The car is clearly struggling on multiple fronts. Should the team invest and try to improve this year or focus attention to 2017 and hope to stave off the challenge by other customer teams? I think they don't have enough in their arsenal to hold off the chasers and a certain amount of investment is needed this year to garner any hopes of being 4th in the Championship. Bottas is settled in the team but Massa seems a bit lost with the uncertainty of his driver contract for next year. Such issues need to be cleared asap so that the weightier matters can be addressed.

Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Force India had a strong 2015 after the B-Spec Car was launched. 2016 has been no different. They have carried the momentum and confidence into 2016 and I don't see any team stopping them from attaining 4th Place in the Constructors by the end of the year. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg continue racing for the Team in 2016. Perez finished on the podium twice this year while Hulkenberg's best finish is 6th. The team picked up the pace after the first 3 races and it will be interesting to see how their season pans out in the 2nd half.

Perez sits 8th in the Championship finishing in the points 5 times. Hulkenberg has 7 points finishes to his name and is 10th in the Championship. Its clear that it is a faceoff between the Williams and the Force India. My money is on the latter.

Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Toro Rosso with a Ferrari Engine powering them have had a mercurial season so far. Their strengths came to the fore in the rains but have work to do in the dry. They can be proud of the fact that they lead the McLaren Honda team by 3 points but the next 2 races would be pivotal in maintaining their hold on P6 in the Standings. The Extra Money coming their way ( should they finish in 6th ) will aid in the car development to a great extent. The Team has a talented set of people working for them and the days ahead promise a lot of joy and excitement.

Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen kicked off the 2016 season, the latter being promoted to Red Bull Racing from the Spanish GP. Daniil Kvyat took Verstappen's seat in Spain. Many people were unhappy with this premature decision. Some also questioned the reason behind choosing Verstappen over Sainz. Max outscored Sainz comfortably in the first 4 races and his performances for the A team have silenced all the critics. However one has to feel for Kvyat whose demotion initially left him distraught but the Russian has gathered himself and wants to prove his mettle in F1 again. Sainz leads the team-mate battle, having finished 8 times in the points and is placed 11th in the standings. Kvyat has a podium ( 3rd ) to his credit but that was with Red Bull, post that his performances dipped and he has only 3 other points finishes to his credit. Hopefully, the 4 week break has helped him sort out his problems and his results should improve from Belgium.

Toro Rosso is a great contributor to F1 and the fact that they boast such a young driver lineup, one can be rest assured that the future of F1 is in safe hands. All the Best to him for the second half of the season.

McLaren Honda F1 Team :

"Oh how the Mighty have Fallen". These are the words that come to mind when I think of McLaren. 2014 was a mediocre year. 2015 was rekindling an old partnership with Honda. What conspired after that was a nightmare. Everyone in the team hoped for a better outing in 2016. Honda made promises of addressing all the issues of their power units. McLaren sit 7th in the Constructors at the midpoint of the season, having scored one-tenth of what the Mercedes have scored. Honda is still finding its feet in the new era but this is nowhere near the standards set by the Woking based outfit in their yesteryears.

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button continue their partnership into 2016 and both are working hard to iron out issues in their cars. Alonso is ahead in the team-mate battle on 24 points to Button's 17. They are placed 13th and 15th in the Drivers' Standings respectively. Alonso finished thrice in the points, 5th place being his best finish, Button has 5, 6th place being his best. In the aftermath of a collision with Gutierrez in Australia, Alonso was unfit to race in Bahrain and Vandoorne raced in Bahrain bagging a point for the team.

McLaren have their work cut out. They need to finish the 2nd half of the season on a strong note so that the same momentum is maintained going into 2017. Developing the 2017 car simultaneously would also be a wise decision. There are technical changes coming in 2017 and with the financial prowess they possess, development shouldn't be a problem.

Haas F1 Team :

Haas, the new boys in town roped in the services of Romain Grosjean and Estebaan Gutierrez. Ferrari supplied the engines and the team works closely with the Prancing Horse. Haas can boast of a strong debut in F1. Their performances and results have impressed many in the Paddock. The gap to McLaren is not much but I don't think that they would be able to finish ahead of them at the end of the year. Nevertheless if they produce strong results in the 2nd half of the season, 8th in the Constructors' can easily be cemented.

Grosjean has been the sole points earner for the team with 4 Points finishes and 12th in the Championship with 28 on the board. Gutierrez's return to F1 has been riddled with mistakes, misfortune and reliability issues. He is yet to score this season. Gutierrez needs to get off the blocks soon since performances this year and the next could decide who drives for Ferrari in 2018 ( should Raikkonen call it a day ). Grosjean seems happier than he was at Lotus. I see this team going from strength to strength and they should be regularly featuring in the points in the 2nd half.

Renault Sport F1 Team :

Renault had been a works team with Red Bull. However the struggles of 2014 and 15 brought about a storm that led to the separation of the two. Renault acquired Lotus F1 Team again and fans dreamt of the glory years of 2005 and 2006. The Road ahead is pretty arduous though. The acquisition was announced not too long before the Pre-Season Tests and as a result Development was hampered big time. The 2016 challenger is essentially the 2015 car with a lot of upgrades. Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen became the new driver pairing. As expected, the team has struggled to perform well. Magnussen's best finish of 7th in Russia are the only points that the team has achieved till now. Palmer's best finish was 11th in the Season Opener in Australia.

Renault Sport F1 is a team very close to my heart and I know there are lots of challenges along the way. However I am confident that one day the team would be back at the top contending for the crown. They have to recruit the right personnel with the necessary expertise and experience.

Manor Racing F1 Team :

Manor, the new name of Marussia ( from last year ) came into 2016 as supposedly the "slowest team" on the grid. Rio Haryanto ( GP2 Driver ) and DTM Champion Pascal Wehrlein signed up for them. Pascal got the drive thanks to Mercedes being the engine supplier for the team. Pascal managed to finish 10th in Austria and bring home the solitary point of the team so far. Haryanto has come up second best and sadly due to sponsorship issues has lost his seat to DTM driver and Renault F1 Reserve Driver Esteban Ocon. It would be a great feat for Manor to finish 10th in the Championship. Onwards and Upwards from there if they can manage more finances.

Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber an old yet famous in F1 is responsible for bringing in some of the fastest racers in F1. All that remains now is a mere shadow of their past. Riddled with Debt and short on finances, the team soldiers on. There have been news of a takeover doing the rounds since some time and if it comes to pass, a lot of issues would be addressed for the team. Its sad to see them struggle and I don't see any improvements happening in the near future. Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson are yet to score a point this season and both need to move up a few gears in terms of performances. Frankly, their sponsorship backings are keeping them in F1..but for how long...the question remains..

The Big Day had arrived! Sunday the day that mattered. The day of the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix. A lot was at stake in the Championship and after a dismal Qualifying, Ferrari had its work cut out.

So how did it all pan out. Lets have a quick peek!

Enroute to the Circuit :

Shots from Hungaroring. Many F1 Personnel ready to fly back after the race :

The Morning Cappuccino & very few guests in the Suite in the morning :

GP2 Sprint Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

GP2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9fgA1h-hJs

Safety Car Period ( Video Link ) :

GP2 Sprint Race Restart ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIUN00xxclk

Shots from the GP2 Sprint Race :

The Sprint Race ended and we were soon joined by Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :

Selfie with Sebastian Vettel!

Sebastian Vettel Interview in Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy-z-urG6QA

Vettel left and Maurizio Arrivabene, Ferrari's Team Principal joined us in the Suite. It was a great interview and I am so impressed by the Man and his choice of words :

A Quick Selfie :

Maurizio Arrivabene Interview ( Video Link ) :

Paul Hembery, the Motorsports Director of Pirelli was the final visitor to the suite.

The clock was running down to the Big Race. Time for a quick lunch, Pit Lane Walk and then grab a place to watch the race.

Lunchtime!

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Shots from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Garage :

Romeo, Alberto and Emilia Ma'am, the Hosts of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Garage :

Got a chance to finally meet Minttu, Kimi's wife!

Johnny Herbert, Ex F1 Racer and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Paul Di Resta, Ex Sahara Force India F1 Driver and a co-presenter of Sky Sports F1 :

Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion and Presenter for Sky Sports Italia :

I ran back upstairs and got myself a good position to take photos from and watch the race start :

Marcus Ericsson making it to the grid.

Drivers gather for the National Anthem

The Clock running down to the Race Start :

Getting ready for the Race Start :

Formation Lap, 2016 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPhGoDuRW5E

Shots from the Race :

Some More Shots from the Race :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team flying in the Race :

Video Links from the Race :

Lap 1 of the 2016 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcJdmvJb8Y

Sebastian Vettel 1st Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsOGcJu9xFI

Kimi Raikkonen 1st Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1-9GJmpNTo

Lewis Hamilton Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niWOpWZEvPk

Kimi Raikkonen 2nd Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_d_HzrTIXo

Sebastian Vettel 2nd Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbBQeC71iXc

Nico Rosberg Pit Stop :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOvOJPrzG20

Chequered Flag and Lewis Hamilton takes victory :

Lewis Hamilton took victory from Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo. Sebastian Vettel took 4th. Kimi Raikkonen had a great battle with Max Verstappen but the latter's slightly unsporting moves meant he finished 6th in the race. As Mr. Maurizio Arrivabene said that they made a mistake with Kimi, I feel they missed out on a definite podium.

Drivers entering Parc Ferme :

Fans and F1 Personnel make it to the Podium for celebrations :

Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes after the race.

I was pleasantly surprised to see my tweets being featured in the Paddock Club Wall :

The mechanics packing up to ensure a quick transit to Germany, the venue of the next race.

Ted, busy with "the Notebook" while some media wait for Mercedes' Photo Session :

The Trucks enter the Pit Lane. Time to call it a day!

The Hosts in the Ferrari F1 Club from Ferrari and Pirelli Motorsport ( Pirelli shares the Suite at many races ) :

It was time to leave the circuit but I got the chance of seeing Mechanics cleaning the tyres :

I stood around the Paddock gate and got to meet some more people.

Rachel Brookes, Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Ted Kravitz of Sky Sports F1!

FERNANDO ALONSO of McLaren Honda and 2 Time World Champion! The Grid is complete. Have photos with each driver on the grid.

What a beautiful day at the Hungaroring.

Returning to the Hotel :

I was having dinner at the famous Lado Cafe and spotted Mr. Gene Haas, the owner of the Haas F1 Team! He obliged with a quick photo!

Saturdays on a Race Weekend are long and start early. The Morning Pit Lane Walk allows guests to witness teams practicing their Pit Stops for the race. It is then followed by Free Practice 3 in which the drivers run Qualifying Simulations culminating in the Qualifying Sessions that happen in the afternoon.

For the Hardcore followers, the action doesn't end with the F1 Qualifying. The GP2 Feature Race and the GP3 Race 1 follows shortly after.

A quick write up of how it all unfolded on the Saturday.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Shots of Hungaroring on Saturday Morning :

Saturday Morning Pit Lane Walks feature Pit Stop Practices by the teams :

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Shots of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Garage :

Scuderia Ferrari firing up before Free Practice 3 ( Video Link ) :

Manor Racing F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Links ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abr9oFxlQl4

Renault Sport F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Links ) :

Sahara Force India F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Links ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCZTK9E-iRg

GoPro Selfies from the Pit Lane Walk :

The Ferrari F1 Club on Saturday Morning :

Shots from Free Practice 3 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during Free Practice 3 :

Chequered Flag to end Free Practice 3 :

Nico Rosberg was fastest in FP3 again from Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. 

Marc Gene visited us in the Paddock Club for a quick interview after Free Practice 3. He also discussed the prospects of the team in Qualifying.

Marc Gene in the Ferrari F1 Club :

A quick selfie with Marc Gene :

Marc Gene in the Ferrari F1 Club on Saturday ( Video Link ) :

Marc Gene left and we were soon joined by Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Racing Manager. He spoke about the Tyre Choices of Pirelli for the weekend and the performance of the tyres so far.

Mario Isola Interview ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8kCc26x9v4

The Menu for Saturday :

Binging time!

I had a quick lunch and then ran downstairs for the Pit Lane Walk before Qualifying. The skies suddenly turned overcast and before we knew it, it started raining buckets on the circuit!

Thankfully I had the GoPro which works flawlessly in the rain and was able to capture some stills from the walk :

I also got to meet some famous people from the F1 Fraternity.

David Coulthard, ex McLaren Mercedes driver, currently associated with Red Bull Racing and a presenter for Channel 4 in F1.

Martin Brundle, ex F1 Racer and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Simon Lazenby of Sky Sports F1 :

Ayao Komatsu, Race Engineer for Romain Grosjean :

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal of the Haas F1 team :

Tanja Bauer of Sky Deutschland :

I returned to the Paddock Club and the rains didn't show any sign of relenting.

The Pit Walls were full of personnel and the start was delayed ( by 20 minutes ) in the hope that standing water would be drained off the circuit. The Drainage is pretty efficient at the circuit.

Scuderia Ferrari Mechanics drying the pit box before Q1 got underway :

Dave Greenwood, Kimi's Race Engineer signalling to the Number 1 Mechanic about the timing of Kimi Raikkonen's exit from the Garage :

Cars lining up at Pit Exit before the light turns green to start Q1 :

The Session got underway and then the rain came down with intensity again.

Red Flag!

Returning to the pits after the Red Flag :

The safety car left the pit lane to assess the conditions again :

Cars lining up again at the Pit Exit for the session restart :

Time to put in that flying lap :

Marcus Ericsson suffered a heavy shunt with 9 minutes on the clock remaining. The Red Flags were out again and we had a further stoppage of 10 minutes.

The Mechanics drying the Pit Box :

Green Lights and the Red Bulls with the Ferraris opted for Inters while the rest stuck with the Wet tyres. The Session had just restarted and then it was Felipe Massa who suffered a crash!

The Cars lining up at the Pit Exit for the 3rd time.

Times were set by all but the session would see its 4th Stoppage as Rio Haryanto suffered a crash with 2 minutes on the clock. This time Race Control decided to run down the session. 4 Stoppages and Q1 had lasted for 75 minutes!!

Q1 ended with Jolyon Palmer, Magnussen, Ericsson, Pascal Wehrlein and Haryanto being knocked out. Nico Rosberg was fastest in Q1. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen finishing 4th and 8th respectively.

Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Bottas, Palmer, Massa, Magnussen, Ericsson, Wehrlein and Haryanto failed to meet the 107% requirement, so raced at stewards' discretion. Haryanto was penalised 5 grid places for an unscheduled gearbox change and Ericsson started from the pit lane after a chassis change. There was a lot of debate over the legitimacy of the 107 % Rule but good sense prevailed and the rule was not upheld citing the changeable weather conditions in the session.

Q2 started and everyone headed out on Intermediates. Amazingly, the sun came out and the track started to dry very quickly. Bottas the first to opt for slicks set a good pace ( inspite of wet patches ) and everyone was convinced to switch to slicks. It was pretty clear that the last man to cross the line would set the fastest time. Raikkonen crossed the line supposedly taking P1 amidst great cheers from the crowds. However in the next 30 seconds, the times collapsed very quickly and Raikkonen ended up in P14 and out of Q2!! Another shock for Ferrari and another miscalculation on their part. They had just blown the chance of a potential podium. Kimi had looked stronger of the two and has been strong on this circuit.

Lewis Hamilton went into Q3 by the skin of his teeth as the time set by him was good enough for P10. A big scare for the Triple World Champion.

Grosjean, Kvyat, Perez, Gutierrez and Nasr were the others eliminated.

Max Verstappen was the fastest in Q2. Nico Rosberg P2 and Sebastian Vettel P6.

Shots from Q2 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Q2 :

Q3 would produce its own drama. Hamilton was going faster than everyone else on his final run but Alonso spun in Sector 2 and that brought out the yellow flags. Hamilton had to abort his lap. Rosberg a few corners behind lifted on seeing the yellow flags and yet went purple in sector 2 ( fastest time overall ) and crossed the line to beat Hamilton's provisional pole lap time set earlier to snatch pole. Hamilton was a bit flummoxed as to how that happened but the stewards ruled that Rosberg had lifted on his flying lap and the results stayed. Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel completed the top 5.

Shots from Q3 :

The Media gathering on Parc Ferme as the top 3 celebrate their Qualifying positions.

The Qualifying got over and we were soon to be joined by Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari F1 Club. Everyone wondered about the Iceman's mood but amazingly Kimi was quite chatty and very warm towards the guests!

Kimi Raikkonen Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1zHkN_Py3E

I finally had my moment with the man! He actually stopped, obliged me with a selfie and said "Thank you!!" My Weekend was made!

I returned and we had some time before the start of the GP2 Feature Race.

Miniatures of the Different Pirelli Compounds used in F1 Races :

GP2 Feature Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQdNwdIItvo

One of the Drivers stalled on the Grid and the Drivers had to go out for another Formation Lap.

GP2 Feature Race 2nd Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV5ZVQFg0Cs

GP2 Feature Race Start ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGQpxr_GAI

Lap 1 of the GP2 Feature Race ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35sEwL_nX0c

Shots from the GP2 Feature Race :

It was time to leave the club and I made my way back to the Transfer Point. The Delayed end to qualifying meant that we would be unable to watch the GP3 race from the Club.

The Paddock, almost empty with most of the guests gone.

On the way back from the circuit :

The latest post in the "Paddock Club Diaries" Series takes us to the Circuit of Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Circuit is a 45 minute drive from Budapest and I must say a lot of passionate fans attend the Race. The Race Weekend was from 22nd July to 25th July. I had the privilege of being a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team over the weekend and this post documents the Friday Experience.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Shots of Hungaroring :

I reached the Paddock Club and the Pit Lane Walk was going on :

The Latest Blog Post in "Gallery of Memories" is from the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix. The Race was the held from 22nd to the 24th of July. I had the privilege of being a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team.

A garage visit during Free Practice 1 on Friday and the guests had an opportunity to take selfies!

Dave Greenwood ( Kimi's Race Engineer ) :

Mark Arnall ( Kimi's Physical Instructor ) :

John Booth of Scuderia Toro Rosso :

Beat Zehnder, Sauber F1 Team Manager :

David Croft of Sky Sports F1 :

Marc Gene, Scuderia Ferrari Development Driver :

David Coulthard, Former F1 Racer and Channel 4 presenter :

Martin Brundle, Former F1 Racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter :

Simon Lazenby of Sky Sports F1 :

Ayao Komatsu, Romain Grosjean's Race Engineer :

Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :

Tanya Bauer, Sky Deutschland :

Kimi Raikkonen! The Man! So happy! My Weekend was made!

Sebastian Vettel! I missed him in Spain, not this time!!

Maurizio Arrivabene! Amazing Man! Charismatic Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Minttu Virtanen, Kimi's better half :

Romeo, Alberto & Emilia Ma'am, Ferrari's hosts for the Weekend :

Johnny Herbert, Former F1 Racer and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Paul Di Resta, Ex Sahara Force India F1 Team Driver and a guest of Sky Sports F1 over the weekend.

Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion and Sky Sports F1 Italia Co-Presenter :

The Hosts of Pirelli Motorsport and Scuderia Ferrari F1 in the Paddock Club :

Rachel Brookes, Sky Sports Presenter :

Ted Kravitz! A great guy and presenter for Sky Sports F1 :

Fernando Alonso!! Was quite hard to get his attention but he finally relented!

I went for dinner post the race and I bumped into the owner of the Haas F1 Team over dinner.

Gene Haas, Owner of Haas F1 Team :

It was an eventful weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

A Big Thank you to Edge Global F1 for all the necessary arrangements made for the weekend. Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for the hospitality showered upon me.

Paddock Club Diaries to follow soon! So watch this space!

The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix produced a great result for Ferrari. There was still work to be done and there was no better way to test some new upgrades then at the In-Season Tests in Montmelo after the Grand Prix. The Test was held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Scuderia Ferrari Club of Denver ( of which I am a member ) offered the chance to attend the sessions as a team guest and I decided to attend Day 1. Sebastian Vettel was testing for the team on day 1 and this is a small write-up of the experience.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Many of the Trucks had left for their next destination i.e. Monaco and the Paddock felt so silent on a Testing day. Security was still strict about access but the atmosphere was a lot more relaxed.

Paddock Walkthrough ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjlBWlcESo

Shots of the Pitlane from the Ferrari Garage :

Cars roll out for the First Half of the Tests :

Lynn and Ricciardo returning to pits ( Vieo Link ) :

Gasly, Ocon and Rosberg returning to the pits ( Video Link ) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdwhAS4_asg

Scuderia Ferari F1 in the Session :

Sebastian Vettel being interviewed before Lunch :

Start of the Post - Lunch Tests :

This was the Paddock Club on Sunday. Everything is dismantled and gone by Tuesday.

Shots from the Pit Lane Level :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 continuing the tests :

On the way back to the Hotel :