Bleacher Report - Articles by Sriraag Subramonian

Formula 1 Tobacco Liveris - 1990's

Sriraag Subramonian — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:09:19 -0400

During the 1990's Tobacco Sponsorship was an integral part of marketing in Formula 1 and this resulted in producing some of the best liveries. In the 21st Century anti-smoking legislation began to tighten in many parts of the world. F1 now became an even more important opportunity to promote cigarette sponsorship. However due to a stringent ban on advertising in Europe, teams started breaking their contracts with tobacco companies. In 2000, WilliamsF1 became the first major team to run without tobacco sponsorship. AT&T is their current title sponsor. McLaren have replaced the West brand with Vodafone and no longer have any tobacco sponsors. Renault ended the deal with Mild Seven after the 2006 season and now are contracted to the banking giant ING. Ferrari on the other hand renewed their arrangements with Philip Morris in 2005 . At the 2007 Bahrain, Monaco and Chinese Grands Prix, Altria Group's Marlboro brand was prominently on display on the Ferrari cars of Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen, on their jumpsuits and also those of the pit crew. Ferrari was the only team that was still promoting a cigarette brand in the 2007 Formula One season. The 2008 season onwards Ferrari have not carried the Marlboro logos at any of the races Here were turn back the clock and look at some of the liveries which will always be of Formula 1 history.

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Heartbreak for Adrian Sutil and Force India!

Sriraag Subramonian — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:56:51 -0400

I'm sure everybody remembers Monaco GP'08 when Kimi lost control of the Ferrari and crashed into the back of the Force India of Adrian Sutil, when Adrian was running in the points!

I might not be a fan of the Force India team or the flamboyant Vijay Mallya but was absolutely gutted to see that happen to Adrian. It was a cruel end to a brilliant drive by Adrian in an under performing Force India.

While watching today's race I assumed it was all about the RedBull's and the Brawn's until I realised that Adrian Sutil was running in eighth.

My first thoughts were that probably Adrian still had a pit stop to make and that would push him further back in the field. With seven laps remaining I realised that Adrian was in seventh and still in the running for points.

Had Force India got their strategy right? Was it finally time for them to score their well deserved points?

With Heidfeld, Glock and Buemi right behind Adrian it seemed like a tough proposition to stay in seventh. Heidfeld struggled to get his BMW around the track and that held up Glock and Buemi.

Adrian now had a nice and comfortable gap back to Heidfeld and was almost definitely going to score the maiden points for Force India.Hamilton's spin helped Adrian leapfrog to sixth.

Was this going to be Force India's dream result?

All Adrian needed to do was to keep it on track for the last five laps of the race. Well that is certainly easier said than done.

What I saw next was a wheel bouncing across the track. I was hoping that it wasn't the Force India that had crashed. Then came reality.

Adrian had lost control of the car and had a huge impact with the barriers which left the front end of the car completely wrecked. My first concern was to see that he was unhurt. It was good to see him get out of the car and jog to safety.

Replays showed that the car snapped out of his control in these difficult conditions. Rotten luck perhaps!

Was he pushing too hard? Should he have just let Lewis past and pocketed the two points?

Well anyways, it was a great drive by young Adrian and a brilliant strategic call from the team. Vijay Mallya and Force India can be proud of Adrian for producing an awesome drive in appalling conditions.

For a small team like Force India, a point would have done a great deal to motivate its team members!

I am hopeful that they can get their well-deserved point in the near future!

Stormy Weather Ahead for McLaren and Lewis Hamilton?

Sriraag Subramonian — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:42:40 -0400

Just when you think McLaren and Lewis Hamilton are never going to repeat their blunders, another one crops up.

I can't think of any other team that has demanded so much media attention in such a short span of time. They are definitely becoming the media's favourite team.

When Ron Dennis stepped down from the helm, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The fans believed McLaren could put their past off-track troubles behind them and make a new beginning under a new trusted leader, Martin Whitmarsh.

Things did not get off to a great start in 2009 when the McLarens consistently brought up the bottom of the timesheets in pre-season testing.

The media sensed there was certainly something that was not right with the new MP4-24. Unlike BMW or other teams, McLaren is not a team that is known to sandbag.

The media constantly hounded McLaren with questions regarding their pre-season testing form. This led to key personnel like Martin Whitmarsh and Norbert Haug admit that their 'elegant car,' as Hamilton described it at the launch, was lacking the punch.

This proved to be right in the Australian GP with McLarens struggling in qualifying and Lewis finishing the race in third (well...fourth) oh, disqualified!

Just when things couldn't get worse, the 'lie-gate' scandal trotted in. The FIA are clearly displeased with McLaren and the massive media attention gained by this scandal.

For the second time McLaren is running into major trouble, at least in recent times, with the FIA.

Lying is a serious offense in the corporate world. Not that nobody lies in the paddock or in the corporate world. It is considered an offense only if it comes to light.

With major corporates like 'Santander/Abbey', 'Vodafone' and 'Johnnie Walker' partnering McLaren this scandal does not bode well either for the team or its partners.

The last thing that corporates like these needed in the economic downturn was their image to be tarnished by a Formula 1 team.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting's recent revelations that he sensed Hamilton lying to the stewards and also Hamilton's private apology to him, only aggravates McLaren's already existing troubles.

Bernie's warning that McLaren could face serious charges like being banned from races adds to the gloom.

It is almost certain that McLaren will face some sort of a punishment. It is just a matter of how harsh it can get.

Hopefully, McLaren and Lewis can keep things together and develop their car in these tough times and provide us with some great racing like they did last year!

Astute Nick Heidfeld Beats The Rain For BMW Sauber!

Sriraag Subramonian — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 08:31:49 -0400

Nick Heidfeld comes in at second place in the rain washed Malaysian GP ! Surprise Surprise?

Not really. In what is becoming increasingly predictable, Nick seems to be one of the better guys who can incline the appalling weather and deteriorating track conditions to his favour.

Many might call it luck, but luck doesn't always favour a person!

He did it in Silverstone and in Spa last year, taking bold decisions when strategists in various teams were pondering over complex calculations. I believe Nick was the only driver to have pitted once in the Malaysian GP, well...that really tells the story.

I would tend to say that these deserved results are purely down to his intuition and quick thinking, which is obviously aided by his racing experience.

In what has been a fairly disappointing season for BMW Sauber till yesterday, I am sure that Dr.Mario Thiessen would be gratified by the fact that Nick got onto the podium in Malaysia, which is home to one of their major sponsors 'Petronas'.

Ferrari's decision to shod Kimi's car with extreme wets was shocking! They should learn a few lessons from the BMW Sauber team and Nick.

Maybe he is called 'Quick Nick' not just because he is quick on track!

Honda's Demise is Brawn's Blessing !

Sriraag Subramonian — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 11:22:43 -0400

Sitting at home on a Sunday evening, I watched Oliver Panis win the enthralling '96 Monaco Grand Prix with a Mugen-Honda powered Ligier. I imagined that this win would be enough for the executives at Honda to sit up and take notice of the feat.

However I was wrong.

The automobile industry was booming and F1's popularity in Asia was slowly creeping up. It was arguably the perfect time for Honda to re-join the F1 Fraternity. Honda did not seize the opportunity and Mugen-Honda continued to supply engines the subsequent years.

It was when the Jordan F1 Team achieved the much renowned 1-2 finish at the '98 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa that the executives from Honda were enlightened. They realised that they were missing out on the fame and the technology associated with F1.

Honda decided to enter F1 as a Factory team but relented. They instead ended up supplying engines to BAR in 2000. But since their much-heralded return to F1 not everything went their way.The progress of the BAR team was plagued by sleazy politics within the top management of the team.

After six frustrating years with BAR, Honda had very little to show and were now desperate for success. Honda decided to obtain 100% ownership of BAR from British American Tobacco.

Unfortunately that failed to turn around the fortunes of the team. Despite having one of the biggest budgets in F1, the cars that rolled out from the factory lacked in performance which resulted in them languishing at the back of the pack.

Clearly the employees at Brackley were lacking stability and more importantly a leader to look up to for guidance and motivation. Over the winter Nick Fry the CEO orchestrated a deal with Ferrari F1 mastermind Ross Brawn which would see him take charge of designing, manufacturing and engineering the team’s Formula One operation.

Brawn immediately got down to work by imposing his influence on the team. He restructured the team personnel and accentuated his focus on the 2009 season.

After recognising the pitiful performance of the 2008 challenger he ceased channeling any of the teams efforts on it.

With the sweeping rule changes imminent in 2009, Honda was one of the few teams to kick start their preparations very early in the 2008 season.

They used some of the 2008 test mileage to validate the much awaited KERS. The team was now much more streamlined , motivated and raring to go under Brawn.All was set to catapult Honda to top in 2009.

And then the unprecedented happened.The dismal 2008 season clubbed with the uncertainty of the financial crisis led to Honda's withdrawal from the sport leaving the teams future in doubt.

Behind closed doors several negotiations were on. Eventually Ross Brawn along with the rest of the management team struck a deal to buy out the orphaned Honda F1 Team.

Recent testing times suggest that the car definitely has the speed to pose a threat to the top three.I have to admit that the BGP001 is the most beautiful car out there on track and I wish that this rejuvenated team manage to find sponsors to secure its long term future.

Ross Brawn's brainchild, BGP001, definitely looks on course to storm the F1 world on the 29th of March and provide us a fascinating season of racing!

BMW Sauber Wins the 2009 Formula One World Championship! Realistic?

Sriraag Subramonian — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:49:17 -0400

In 2006, Dr. Mario Theissen convinced the BMW Board of Directors to end BMW's partnership with the Williams F1 Team and to enter F1 as a manufacturer team, by buying out what was then Peter Sauber's Sauber Petronas.

From 2006 onwards, Theissen and his team have been on a steady upward curve of progress. He has been instrumental in systematically and thoughtfully integrating the team in Hinwil, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany.

He left 'Sauber' on the team's name, which I think mattered a lot to the guys back in Hinwil who had been loyal to Peter Sauber since 1970. It gave them a feeling of being a part of the new team and not just an entity that was bought out.

Peter Sauber remained with the team as a consultant. This is something that stands out when compared to the way other team takeovers have happened in F1 like Spyker buying out Jordan; B.A.R. (now Honda) buying out Tyrell; and Jaguar buying out Stewart Grand Prix.

This has resulted in the smooth integration of the team in Hinwil and Munich, which has been the key to the success they enjoy now.

BMW took on board Nick Heidfeld as the lead driver and Jacques Villeneuve who had an existing contract with Sauber Petronas. Robert Kubica was signed in as the third driver.

Nick is one of the most underrated drivers with immense talent, and his not so outspoken character perfectly suited the team. Jacques was a clear mismatch, and that resulted in him being ousted from the team in Hungary.

A strong technical team headed by Willy Rampf has been one step ahead of the game. Instead of investing in multiple wind tunnels, he has been sensible and has gone ahead and invested in Albert 2, the fastest industrial supercomputer in Europe, to simulate CFD models. This has been another key to the team's progress.

Unlike other team principals in F1, Theissen had set very realistic and sensible targets for the team to achieve every year.

2006 - Integrate the team in Hinwil and Munich -> Achieved their first podium

2007 - Get on the podium regularly -> Second in the Constructors

2008 - Win a Grand Prix Race -> Kubica wins in Canada

They have quite comfortably hit their targets year after year. No other Formula 1 team has made quite as much progress as BMW Sauber have made in the past three years. Another point worth noting is that the team's budget has been under control, unlike extravagant spenders like Toyota, Honda, and Ferrari.

The team's driver lineup for 2009 hasn't been confirmed. There are speculations that Alonso might move to BMW, but I really don't think Alonso is a match for the team's character and is better off staying with Flavio and Renault.

BMW Sauber have set their sights on the Drivers and Constructors championship in 2009. Can they win it? Looking back at their achievements to date, they certainly look destined to win the championship next year.

Can the spate of rule changes for next year knock them off track? I think Theissen has got it covered...

However, only time can tell, so enjoy the competitive drivers championship this year!

Formula One: Looking to the Monaco GP, Can Ferrari Rule the Principality?

Sriraag Subramonian — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:42:34 -0400

Turkish GP certainly wasn't the most impressive performance by Ferrari as a team, as they ran into trouble with Raikkonen's machine early on Friday morning. Massa, however, made it clear that he was here to make it a hat trick of wins.

Massa seemed to be overly confident stating that the he 'owns the track.' On Sunday evening he proved to be right. Uncharacteristically of Massa he did 'talk the talk' and 'walk the walk.'

Hamilton looked impressive when he overtook Massa with the sheer speed of the McLaren in Turkey, but the three-stop strategy took a bit of shine off this overtaking manoeuvre.

Kovaleinen tangled with his compatriot in the first corner and both of them were lucky to carry on with the race. Kovalainen suffered a rear left puncture and Raikkonen had a part of his front wing chipped off. Kovaleinen had to pit on the very first lap which meant that his race was pretty much ruined, and Raikonnen decided to carry on with the defective front wing.

McLaren certainly did look strong in Turkey, but they are still a tad slower than Ferrari and certainly looked stronger than BMW—which must be satisfying for Ron Dennis and the rest of the team.

Looking back at the results from the Monaco GP over the past few years, it certainly hasn't been a Ferrari hunting ground. This can be attributed to the long wheelbase of the Ferrari, which isn't suited to high down-force circuits like Monaco. This year Massa and Raikonnen have stressed on the fact that Ferrari have put in a lot of effort to improve the car especially for circuits Monaco.

Since Monaco is a circuit where driver performance certainly dominates car performance, it could spring a few surprises. The Ferrari team are concerned about Renault and BMW going in for adventurous strategies to leap ahead of Ferrari and McLaren. That is certainly a possibility and should result in an interesting race. Alonso is as committed as ever, and has won the Grand Prix the past two years—and he is looking forward to show the true pace of the enhanced RB28.

Mario Theissen, on the other hand, is confident that BMW have a strong package for Monaco. Heidfeld has been mostly overshadowed by the performance of his teammate Robert Kubica, but I believe his smooth driving style should help him to turn this trend around in Monaco.

I would certainly place my bet on one of the Ferraris for the win—however, my heart tells me that BMW are going to take their first-ever Grand Prix in Monaco. It is going to be as unpredictable of a race as ever, and I am looking forward to it.

Enjoy the race!