Lewis Hamilton wins - Valtteri Bottas doesn't

2018 Russian Grand Prix, Sunday - Wolfgang Wilhelm

So what is all the fuss about? Faux-fairness is screaming out of every newspaper headline and media outlet this morning.

The fact is that team orders have been a part of Formula One since its beginning in 1950, so yesterday's team orders for Valtteri to let Lewis into the lead of the Russian Grand Prix was not unique, it was not even uncommon, and is the reality of the business of F1.

As fans we all get excited about the Drivers' Championship, and, yes Lewis will probably now win it, BUT, for the teams, the Constructors' Championship, and the prize money and kudos it brings with it, is far more important. 

Ask Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Honda, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin. All are in the business of selling themselves, their brand, their cars. For all of them the Drivers' Championship is of secondary importance, despite paying the drivers millions of dollars.

Yesterday, Mercedes' was not the only example of team orders, it was simply the most evident ... and influential on the race result. 

Toto clearly took the decision reluctantly, and was contrite afterwards, but he simply had to make the correct "team boss" decision.

Valtteri could have won the race with Lewis second, but Lewis, as the major contributor to the constructor's tally all season, with eight wins so far, could have failed to finish the race if he had become entangled with Vettel, then a close third.

It became an essential strategy call that Valtteri let him through and then keep Vettel at bay so that Mercedes could maximise its points haul... its Constructors' points haul.

2018 Russian Grand Prix, Sunday - Steve Etherington

Was it a popular decision? NO. Even Lewis was uncomfortable with it! Notice the conversations off mic in parc ferme, and on the podium between the team mates?

Ask Coulthard, Webber, any of Michael Schumacher's team mates ... ask Stirling Moss ... ask ALL the other drivers with team order clauses in their contracts!

Even when the FIA banned team orders it still happened, a coded message was all it took. "Fernando is faster than you" ring any bells?

It sticks in the craw, BUT each understood the importance of their role within the team.

It's simply business. We don't have to like it, we just have to understand why it happens.

Graham Benge

Tyred & Emotional - Part 2 - "The Reckoning"

And so it was dear reader that I found myself limping my temporarily-undershod steed in the direction of the local tyre fitting outfit having just been given the brush-off by the big-name service centre... To catch up, read Part One !

Now, the reason I had originally opted to visit said larger outlet was the belief that they'd be more-likely to have a matching tyre in stock to replace the Hankook item I'd seemingly-lunched earlier that morning.

However, as it turned out (again, see part 1 - ed) they weren't in the mood to supply anything short of a dismissive shrug, so it was with a degree less optimism that I turned into the somewhat less palatial premises of the nearby independent..

Tucked into a small yard adjacent to the local railway station, the facilities consist of traditional elongated sheds with a couple of fitting bays - a far more low-key outfit than the opposition but one in which I was to put my faith as I emerged into the still monsoon-like downpour and made a bee-line for the warm glow emanating from the office.

Once under cover, I was buoyed by the friendly nature of the welcome which was markedly-different to that I'd just experienced at tyre retailer no 1. As per my previous encounter, the chap manning the desk was also on the phone, fielding what sounded like a call from someone in a similar situation to myself, but that was where the two experiences began to differ and from my point of view, very much for the better.

You see, as I walked into the office, glasses steamed up from the warmth emanating from the welcome fan heater on the floor, my soon to be new best friend on the phone cupped his hand over the mouthpiece, smiled at me and told me he wouldn't be long on the call.

Now that, as they say is how you do that.

True to his word, he finished the call and I was in business. Explaining the situation and relating my recent less than ideal encounter with the big boys down the road to a rolling of eyes and knowing grin from my oppo, I asked whether he might be able to help me out with a replacement Hankook.

Without even a glance at his old-skool (is that what the kids call it?) CRT box on the desk he told me that not only did he have one on the shelf, if I could hang on 20 minutes whilst the Transit currently occupying one of the bays was sorted out he'd be able to get it fitted & have me on my way ASAP.

So, handing over the keys and the alloy locknut remover, I settled in by the fan heater, demisted my glasses and set about the stack of well-thumbed copies of Auto Express pending the re-shoeing of my wounded steed..

As I idly scanned an article on the forthcoming Tesla 3, I looked up to see that my car was now up on the ramp with the wheel off and a couple of minutes later my presence was requested the other side of the glass.

With more than a degree of trepidation, I put aside Auto Express and with it thoughts of joining the brave new world of zero-emission motoring as I mentally prepared myself for the impending bad news of knackered lower arms or a squared-off alloy but no, for once the news was all good.

They'd had a good look at the wheel and remarkably it was still straight and true and even more remarkably, the tyre itself - despite absorbing the impact through its less than generous sidewall - was still intact, the only thing being broken being the seal with the alloy rim.

And that wasn't all - Skoda, it seems build things to last as they could see no deformation of the suspension nor any damage to either spring or shock-absorber.

They did advise that it might be sensible to get the tracking looked at at some point - something I was intending to do anyway - but other than that I had, seemingly, dodged a bit of a bullet.

Even so, I opted to have the tyre replaced as despite being legal the wear markers on the original item were getting ever more close to being level with the the tread and, well, better safe than sorry, eh?

A short while later, back in the office as I watched the last of the bolts being tightened back onto the freshly-clad (and still circular, thank heavens) alloy, my chum behind the desk asked me if it was a pothole that I'd hit.

Replying in the affirmative with a rueful smile I related the fact that I had only informed the county council of its presence less than 24 hours previously and judging from the number of graphical "!" symbols on the online reporting map it seemed that I wasn't the only one.

Tilting his head a little, he shot me an inquisitive glance:

"It wasn't down The Drive by any chance..?"

"Spot on." says I.

"Ah..figures - you're the fifth we've had in - you should submit a claim, the others have".

As I headed for the door, having said thanks and goodbye, I glanced again at the total at the foot of the invoice, turned back and said:

"You know what, I think I might just do that.."

And with that, I headed back out into the still biblically-damp elements and headed off to London, studiously avoiding The Drive and its lurking hazards and making a mental note to log onto the county council's online claim system once I'd made it to work..

To be continued.

Dave Wakefield

Tyred & Emotional - Part 1

It's unlikely to have escaped your attention unless you've been fortunate to spend Winter in more temperate climes, but over the last couple of months the UK has been subjected to some of the most inclement and Arctic-like weather it's experienced for quite some time.

With temperatures regularly reaching negative double figures and snow and ice bringing the usual chaos to the nation's daily grind, the 'Beast(s) from the East' - as the weather systems responsible were dubbed for headline-grabbing purposes - certainly made an impact as they plunged the nation into what felt at times like an unannounced Ice Age du nos jours..

So, you might be forgiven for feeling that now the snow has melted and icicles no longer cling to the underside of your bumper in the style of a frigid walrus 'tache that you might be permitted to relax, safe in the knowledge that you'd braved the Siberian conditions whilst keeping your automotive pride and joy intact.

Well, not so fast Speedy Gonzales, for of course, after the freeze comes the thaw, and if you were paying attention at school during double Geography all those years ago rather than idly attempting to outdo Pininfarina with fanciful sketches of the next Ferrari Testarossa you'll recall the principles of 'freeze-thaw' or 'frost-weathering' and the sort of damage it can do to solid rock.

And, if a bit of water coupled with sub-zero temperatures can fracture huge great lumps of granite in the mountains of Wales then it follows that the hastily-laid and many-times-patched sections of asphalt currently passing for road surfaces in the UK these days don't stand a chance..

Yes - once again, it's pothole season!

A time for Kwik-Fit shareholders and board members of alloy wheel manufacturers to rub their hands in glee whilst County Council insurance departments up and down the country brace themselves for a tidal wave of claim forms.

And guess who's large diameter, liquorice-wrapped alloy wheel recently encountered a prime example of such a carriageway crater?

Yep..

I wouldn't have minded (alright, actually I would - very much) but I'd only reported this particular bomb hole less than 24 hours previously using Surrey County Council's online system where - I discovered - I was far from the first to do so.

In my defence, it was dark and wet when I dropped my wheel into the hole in question and it was disguised by being full to the brim with water but that didn't lessen the sheer frustration and physical shock that accompanied the filling-loosening crash.

Pulling over further down the lane I emerged into the Stygian gloom and relentless downpour to study the offending appendage by the light of a torch and I was encouraged to see from a cursory glance that the rim didn't appear to be bent. However, the tyre had certainly lost a bit of air so with great care I turned the car around and set off the 500 metres or so back home at a slow and watchful pace, trying to remain positive about the fact that I had only a short distance in which to nurse the car back to the driveway.

A couple of hours later and I'd got the temporary spare on, having removed the alloy which by now was clad in a completely-deflated tyre. Taking a closer look at the rim in the daylight it seemed that fortunately my initial inspection at the side of the road had proven accurate as there didn't seem to be any obvious damage - which was a relief given how easy it is to bend wide, large diameter alloy wheels with their attendant offset. And so, having checked the opening times of the nearby big-name tyre and exhaust place I rocked up as they opened the doors, optimistically (as it turned out) looking forward to getting a replacement tyre fitted and somewhat belatedly getting on my way to work.

And so I stood, waiting for the chap sitting behind his computer terminal to finish his call whilst his four tyre fitter colleagues lounged around behind him, all studiously avoiding making eye contact with me lest they acknowledge my existence until finally the phone call ended and I evidently became visible to the assembled throng - the conversation unfolding thus:

Man behind counter: Yes, can I help? (this being uttered in the sort of tone that seemed to indicate that he dearly wished he couldn't)

Me: I hope so, yes, is there any chance you could fit a tyre for me quickly if I wait, please?

Man behind counter: Sorry, the earliest I can do is next Tuesday. (today is Wednesday)

Me: (looking around at the 4 empty fitting bays, the 4 tea-drinking tyre fitters and the 4 empty job sheets on the desk as well as the empty waiting room)

Really?

Man behind counter: Yeah, it's the Easter weekend - we're fully-booked out I'm afraid.

Me: (looking around once more at the 4 empty fitting bays, the 4 tea-drinking tyre fitters and the 4 empty job sheets on the desk as well as the still very empty waiting room)

Oh, ok..

Man behind counter: You could try (name of local, independent tyre company) down the road - they might be able to help.

Me: OK..thanks, I guess I'll have to. Bye then..

And with this, I exited the empty waiting room, walked past the empty fitting bays and drove off in the direction of the independent tyre company down the road suggested by my oh so helpful chum..

To be continued.. See Part Two

Dave Wakefield

An electric future dawns in Geneva

It’s a funny one.... For those of us out there who deem ourselves to be true petrolheads, electric cars have always been a pub-banter punch line. Milk floats, mobility scooters and short range wheezy abominations like the God-awful G-Wiz.

Truth is though, times, they are a-changing and it’s not just the sock-and-sandal, vegan bearded types with an aversion to soap that Electric appeals to. Actually; so my ten year old neighbour tells me, there is nothing cooler than a Tesla. It’s not just because we are constantly beating environmental ideals into the youth of today, and rightly so, but more what they can do. 

In terms of looks, the Model S isn’t exactly radical, lost between Jaguars on the motorway, but the Model X with its gull wing doors, and flat faced front end, is a different matter entirely.

At home amongst the legion of SUV crossovers and MPVs it’s different enough to be obvious but too bulky to be sexy.

None of this is important though really. It’s what it can do that counts.

Tech, of course, is important. Buyers choose cars based on phone connectivity, and the likes of Tesla deliver. The iPad-esque centre stack is smart and uncluttered if not the best for eyes-on-road motoring; assuming you aren’t letting autopilot do its thing.

Tesla’s ace card though is its speed. It’s not quick by electric car standards.... It’s quick by supercar standards!

The combustion engine suddenly looks rather old fashioned, and here’s the rub. I love the sound and feel of an engine. The buzz you get with crackles and pops on lift off, the sonorous growl of a V8, the baleful shriek of a V12 or the whine of a Supercharger. I’m going to miss it. 

The silence by comparison is eerie, but the instant wave of power and perception of speed is somehow amplified, a slingshot of torque pushing you in the back as you silently disappear into the distance. An electric motor punches from standstill and assuming you can get the power down, and the juice to supply it...and now we can... the possibilities for electric propose that the fast petrol-engined cars of today could end up looking like the lawnmowers of tomorrow; built as a novelty rather than a serious proposition. Once again, it’s speed that’s made the car sexy. 

For all my nostalgia though, I don’t begrudge the electric car. Yes, it’s taken a while to get there, but despite a rough start, tech has meant that even entire race series are a viable proposition and it’s no wonder there’s so many here at Geneva rocking Duracell. 

My twenty year old self would be shocked to hear me say it, but it is hybrid that gives me the biggest buzz. I’m not talking Prius, I’m talking P1; I’m thinking the use of electric motors cascading into hot hatches, torque vectoring and KERS-like boost, unlimited range and reasonable economy, but still with some noise. In the wake of diesel-gate it offers real world possibilities and that’s no joke.

From where I’m stood though the future seems to be both autonomous and electric, although there’s plenty of exotica on display here and more than one vision of the future.

Icona Nucleus

Perhaps one of the boldest is the Icona Nucleus, more living room than car. It’s a beauty this, designed to be focused around the occupants rather than just designed to seat them; looking more like the inside of a high end yacht. Its roomy too, really roomy – you could practically wonder around in the space, but it is the seating arrangement, all facing inwards that define the car. There are no controls, a shuttle to take you from A to B and onwards without the bother of driving.

A “self-driving living room, a luxury car, made more affordable by being able to do more for more people”, Samuel Chuffart, Icona’s Design Director, told us. With the need for a traditional cockpit absent, the car can pick-up the kids from school, let you work or sleep whilst commuting and also allow you to connect with each other whilst doing so.

Icona's Samuel Chuffart

The outside, bold as it is with its incredible clam door, somehow finds itself as a secondary concern, plucked as it is from Sci-Fi futurism (See Demolition Man, I Robot and so on). It should be quick though, with motors powering each wheel pushing nearly 150bhp each and travelling over 700 miles between charges/refuels thanks to a trick hybrid hydrogen/electric system – assuming the road network and other cars can deal with this new-found power, we could well find ourselves getting to where we need to be faster and with as much convenience as your personal chauffeur driven pods can provide.

As much as I love the concept, and I do, there will undoubtedly be times when you find yourself wanting to take the wheel. Let’s face it, the boring motorway commute hardly stimulates the senses in the same way as threading your way through the Swiss mountains.

This poses another question for cars of the future.

Considering we could conceivably find ourselves within the next decade the weak-link in an otherwise precisely calculated computer-powered chain, what happens when analogue, lead footed chunks of meat want to take the wheel for old times’ sake?

Toyota's Concept-i

Toyota, presenting a range of futuristic tech seem to have the answer, “Manual Mode” appearing on the front of the AI empowered ‘Concept I’.

Although we’ve become accustomed to the vast range of accessible Toyota hybrids (thankfully in regular looking cars as well as Prius), other manufacturers seem slow in coming to the party. So, with a trio of cars it’s Volkswagen that raised more than a few eye-brows at Geneva.

I.D. Buzz

I.D. Vizzion

Showcasing the ‘I.D.’ range, again electric and autonomous – with an anticipated launch date of 2022 the VAG platform uses a common chassis/battery/drivetrain architecture allowing a range of flexible body styles alongside 400+ mile range. Whilst the majority of the automotive press clambered over the newly revealed ID Vizzion, it was the Buzz that caught my eye; rocking a thoroughly retro Camper Bus style that added it to my ever-growing ‘want’ list.

VW Golf GTI in race spec

Standing on the VW stand, suddenly the juxtaposition of other more ‘traditional’ cars seemed remarkably old fashioned, such as the sublime Golf GTI. Somehow, despite being real they seemed to be less relevant. Yes, we need better infrastructure, and, yes, the tech is only in its infancy, but standing there looking across the exhibition I felt like a man clinging on to my Walkman at the dawn of the iPod age.

For now though at least there is room for a grinning, lump of human hanging on to a steering wheel behind a bellowing V8, but make no mistake Electric is now right in the rear-view mirror and it won’t be long before it’s pushing for an overtake.

Michael Gates

The UK’s ongoing headache with potholes

The RAC have released new data that suggests that drivers in Britain are still having recurring issues with potholes and this is causing a lot of problems. Used Volkswagen provider Inchcape Volkswagen, who offer thorough aftersales services, MOTs and repairs to solve issues such as wheel misalignment and suspension damage, explores…

Between January and March of 2017, the RAC had dealt with almost 7,000 breakdowns that were likely caused by poor road conditions. The last time that so many pothole-related breakdowns were recorded in a three-month period was in the first quarter of 2015 (almost 6,900 breakdowns were recorded then). However, in the early months of 2015, the country was subjected to more days of frost and rainfall when compared to the first three months of 2017, when the nation experienced mild and moderately dry conditions.

“Our figures sadly show a surprising and unwelcome first quarter rise in the number of breakdowns where the poor quality of the road surface was a major factor. We had expected a figure no worse than that recorded in the first quarter of 2016 (4,026) and it is very concerning that the roads, strangely, appear to have deteriorated in a mild, comparatively dry winter.” Commented David Bizley, a chief engineer at the RAC.

But do we actually know how bad these pot holes are in Britain? 

Where are the potholes?

The table below is based on the number of road hazards which were reported to them with research carried out by FillThatHole.org.uk:

Position	Authority	Region	Total reports	Open reports	Fixed reports	% fixed
1	Surrey	SE Eng	7,657	6,473	1,149	15%
2	Hampshire	SE Eng	4,133	3,241	849	21%
3	Essex	SE Eng	3,804	2,912	878	23%
4	Hertfordshire	SE Eng	3,557	3,004	530	15%
5	Kent	SE Eng	3,478	3,105	364	10%
6	Lancashire	NW Eng	3,301	2,484	792	24%
7	Oxfordshire	SE Eng	3,245	2,225	985	31%
8	Glasgow	Scotland	3,059	2,444	601	20%
9	Cheshire East	NW Eng	2,980	2,110	787	27%
10	West Sussex	SE Eng	2,845	2,034	783	28%

... Surrey having almost twice as many reports as the next county, Hampshire.

How many potholes are being filled?

We can see that across England 13,468 potholes were filled throughout 2016/17 by local authorities – in the Asphalt Local Authority Maintenance Survey 2017 - A small percentage of the total number being reported and causing damage (and compensation costs!).

Some local authorities are able to claim that more than 90% of the reported potholes are subsequently fixed... Well done to them!

However, from the table above, it is clear that there are still many places where only 10-15% are being dealt with.

In the past year, in London and South East England, more than 1.6M drivers reported damage to their vehicles. A costly problem.

With the cost of road repairs averaging £163 per pothole in Eastern England, and £124 in London and the South East, you can see why struggling authorities appear to be burying their heads in the sand.

UKMT comments:

My recent drive across several neighbouring nations has convinced me that Britain is now the  pothole capital of Europe.

Travelling mostly on secondary category roads, the equivalent of our A and B roads, I have found French and Spanish roads to be in considerably better condition than ours. 

Ah you say, they have toll roads. Indeed they do, but the toll network of motorways is entirely self financing and in both countries the A and B roads are financed from local taxes and fuel duties.

In our case most of the finances raised by the treasury from road tax, fuel duties, motor insurance levy, vat etc etc does not get spent on the roads. The ring roads are not ring fenced, nor indeed are any of the others!

The government returns a steadily diminishing amount of the taxation to local authorities to keep local roads in good order. Desperately cash strapped councils then divert some of this money to other equally underfunded areas of their responsibility. 

The result is a pathetically small amount of money left for road repairs and, just as bad, no inspectors to check the few works that are done. The inspectors have mostly been made redundant.

I live in Sussex but drive all over, so am certain this sad state of affairs operates throughout most of the UK. 

Every minor road I travel is littered with holes and those few repairs that are carried out are usually of poor quality and often only last a few months. 

We have become a third world country in terms of our roads despite inventing the tarmacadam process ... or at least the Scots did... Thank you Scotland.

According to a recent survey most local authorities now spend more on settling motoring insurance claims for pothole related damage than on repairing the potholes. 

How on earth did we allow successive governments to get us into such a mess? 

Graham Benge

Sources:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/pothole-related-breakdowns-up-despite-mild-weather/

*RAC data reported on at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/15/pothole-damage-cars-soars-two-thirds-despite-dry-mild-winter/

http://www.asphaltuk.org/wp-content/uploads/ALARM-2017.pdf 

https://www.fillthathole.org.uk/league-table?sort=desc&order=Total+Reports 

Are UK new car sales dramatically on the decline?

A balloon can collapse in 2 ways... Either with a dramatically loud explosion, or slowly with a gradual release of air and a humerous noise.

Both ways however result in a flat balloon or whoopee cushion.

Why do I make this zen like analogy?

The SMMT has this morning released the latest car sales figures, and it is becoming increasingly clear to observers that the new car sales market is deflating .... rapidly.

Four straight months of decline clearly show new car sales peaked in 2016, a record year, and a severe decline is now in progress.

The evidence on any motorway journey is there are huge numbers of new cars out there.

Of the 35 million or so cars on the UK's roads, probably a higher proportion than ever are less than three years old.

A sales boom in 2015 and 2016, fueled by cheap credit deals, was simply not sustainable, and has, as a by-product, severely damaged the used car market.

With increasing fears over the end residual values of these cheaply 'bought' cars, the prospects for car dealers, especially the larger groups, look comparatively bleak over the next few years.

Recently introduced scrappage schemes don't seem to have (yet) halted the decline, for that is entirely what they were intended to do. They were never about saving the planet but were all about an increasingly cynical ploy to grab market share.

The initial schemes had some merit but those that came to the market later were often highly selective enhanced trade-in schemes.

Add into this mix the uncertainty over the future of diesel cars - it's taken nearly 30 years for me to be able to say I told you so! - and there seems little chance of an upturn in the mainstream market until some of those 2 or 3 year PCPs come up for renewal.

The Bank of England has already expressed its concerns about cheap car loans and their effect.

A decade ago it was cheap loans on houses that got us all into a global meltdown... 10 years later will the effects of cheap car loans be just as bad? ..... Or is my glass just less than half full this morning??

Graham Benge

An all-round view of F1

If you're a fan of F1 then you'll almost certainly have spotted the name and branding of TATA Communications strategically-located in and around the circuits.

As well as being a technical partner of the all-conquering Mercedes team the telecommunications arm of the vast Indian conglomerate is also - and I'll quote this verbatim given the degree to which Formula1 and its various corporate acolytes like to exercise control over these things - the 'Official Connectivity Provider' in addition to being the "Official Web Hosting And Content Delivery Network Provider Of Formula1.com".

So there.

Anyway, being pretty cutting-edge, the clever boys and girls at TATA have been working with their counterparts at Formula 1 on enhancing the 'show' for the viewer and their latest wheeze has seen them experimenting with 360 degree live video feeds from a race - specifically the recent high-value stock-car smashup that was the Singapore Grand Prix - good timing..

Now, whilst 360 degree video is a relatively new technology it has been available in a number of forms for a few years now - most recognisably in videos available on Youtube where the viewer can pan and tilt the camera either in their browser or Youtube app or alternatively by donning one of the ever-increasing number of virtual-reality headsets whose complexity ranges from a cardboard affair into which one slips their smartphone, right up to the high-end, high-definition devices which imbue the wearer with a sense that he or she has just stepped off the set of the latest Star Wars epic..

Either way, the technology is starting to mature and this hasn't gone unnoticed by - amongst others - the aforementioned  Formula 1/TATA partnership & whilst other sporting events have dallied with this emerging applied science, their output has been limited - for technical reasons - to a delayed feed, (typically by 30 seconds) which isn't really ideal if you're wanting to convey an immersive, live atmosphere to those who weren't able to make it to the event being relayed.

So, the boffins at TATA got their collective thinking caps on and managed through some form of electronic witchcraft to live stream the recent carbon fibre-strewn proceedings in real time through a pair of 360 degree cameras; one being located in the paddock and the other trackside, so, conceivably you could have followed the fractious relationship between Sebastian Vettel and his team mate from 'racing incident' to recriminations and huffiness back at the team motorhome..

At the moment, this experiment in all-round visuals is being treated very much as a proof of concept and we're probably a few years away from being able to take control of the camera angles from the comfort of our own sofas, but rest-assured - this is a technology which will come into its own within the next decade as the infrastructure and demand for it become ever more pervasive. As mentioned above, Formula 1 is keen to improve the spectacle of the events it stages, not least in the face of increasingly lower audience share and it will undoubtedly see this toe-in-the-water-exercise as a step towards offering the service - perhaps as an additional cost package - in the not-too-distant future.

In this era of video on demand and timeshift recording capability, the consumer is becoming ever more used to deciding what he and she..consumes..and for the die-hard F1 fan, the ability to be able to call the shots is one which I feel will be pretty attractive.

Even with the drop off in viewing figures in recent years, subscription viewing numbers remain fairly healthy and if a value-added service such as TATA and F1 have just trialled is rolled out for a relatively cost-effective fee I wouldn't be willing to bet against it becoming a popular option for those who want a bit more from their F1 involvement.

Watch this (3D) space I guess..

Dave Wakefield

All Change!! - F1's musical chairs

Over this last weekend, Singapore appeared to be turning into a glittering high rise rail terminus so common were the cries of "all change" in a veritable waterfall of announcements from the majority of F1 teams.

So, continuing my watery analogy, let's try to fathom out the extent of the flood.

Starting with unpicking the driver moves, as ever there are far too many talents for too few seats.

Mercedes have re-signed Bottas but only for 1 year which gives both parties options for 2019.

This especially apt as Kimi has also done a 1 year deal with Ferrari for what will probably be his last season in F1, leaving a very desirable seat that many will look towards.

Massa, having already retired from Williams once before, will probably step aside at the end of 2017 in favour of a younger hotshoe.

The principal question is where does Alonso go? Will the engine change chez McLaren persuade the double World Champion to stay on for possibly another rebuilding year? Or will he be persuaded that the Renault engine is ready now? Fernando says he's waiting for more info before deciding. I believe he will want a chance at a 3rd Championship in a 'red car', so will wait a year before moving.

I am reminded of those motor sport historians who reckon Stirling Moss could have won several championships had his car and engine choices been better or luckier, whereas Fangio always seemed to sign for the right team, with the right car and engine, at the right time.

Luck or judgement?

Meanwhile, it looks like Jolyon Palmer is out of Renault to be replaced by Carlos Sainz. Will there be another slot for a talented driver with poor luck? Only his wily dad will know what irons are currently in the metaphorical fire.

Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool

It looks like the very patient Pierre Gasly will step up from years as Red Bull test driver to a Toro Rosso drive.

Perez has re-signed at Force India, but his team mate may yet change, and I expect some changes in the sponsorship arrangements. You can only sell so much beer to finance your team.

The merry-go-round has many revolutions yet to go before the 2018 grid is settled.

On the engine front, the biggest change is the (not entirely unexpected) split - by mutual consent - of McLaren and Honda. After 3 dire seasons where the once great team and engine supplier have both lost considerable face, it is certainly a more important loss to Honda than for the recently installed tough Executive Director of McLaren, Zak Brown.

Into McLaren comes Renault with an engine deal of promised parity with the Renault works team. An engine that looks like it should revive McLaren's fortunes. It is hoped that this will push the orange cars way up the grid, the Honda power unit being by far the weakest component in an otherwise strong McLaren this year.

Honda will go off to power Toro Rosso, but I think this will be a rebuilding year for a demoralised Honda before they do a long term deal with Red Bull.

Red Bull are also rumoured to be in talks with Porsche as an engine supplier, or perhaps the highly profitable sports car maker will even buy the whole team. It can afford to, and retain Horner and both drivers, perhaps in 2019..? This would allow Red Bull (the drinks company, not the team) to reduce its huge spend to that of a sponsor.

Ferrari had a lousy weekend, and there are clearly political machinations again. I suspect a change in senior management is imminent.

Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool

Aston Martin, which is currently closely linked with Red Bull, have been rumoured to want to either set up or buy a team. Their MD, while at first reluctant to comment, then offered in a grid interview with DC that they were looking closely at the 20/21 engine regulations and were confident they could produce a package. With a lot of Arabian money in the mix, we could well see Aston Martin on the grid in 2021. Let's hope they are more successful than the disastrous Jaguar entry of a decade ago.

So as the teams head to Malaysia, expect more team, driver and engine announcements to come. Just bear in mind, through all the speculation, that to be successful, any team needs to have available the mighty resources that brought Mercedes to the top. Even the smallest teams have budgets in excess of £100million.....

Graham Benge

"Was it Bill or was it Ben?" - F1's Singapore scrap

OK, so you have to be my age to understand the title reference, but Sunday's three-way tie for the Singaporean scrapyard will run on for the rest of the season and may well be the championship decider.

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

So who was to blame?

Given that the total bill for two scrapped Ferraris, and a scrapped Red Bull, is circa £10 million, if they were insured it would certainly NOT be regarded as a no fault accident!

Well, there seem to be several schools of thought...

• Was it a pure racing accident with no blame to attach?
• Did Kimi's rocket start cause it?
• Did Max's reluctance to be squeezed out and his failure to brake when squeezed make it inevitable?
• Did Seb's swerve to his left lead to the smash?

Actually, after several viewings it's probably (at least partially) 'yes' to all of the above! So, it's a racing accident...

BUT, that is not the first time a rather reckless swerve by Seb to protect a position has caused an accident.

There are parties in, or recently exiting, the pit lane who will suggest that perhaps Sebastian Vettel, a worthy four-time champion, has a little of the darker more ruthless elements of Michael Schumacher about him at times.

So, no penalty then for any of the drivers, but all three were called in to the stewards, and hopefully all were given a real warning about driving standards.

They all know accidents are many times more survivable in the latest F1 cars. A decade ago that accident could easily have led to two or even three deaths or life changing injuries.

Let's hope all three learn from Sunday's shambles.

Graham Benge