After a dreadful Brazilian F1 race with atrocious weather, Palmer crashed out & Magnussen finished in P14 from a p18 start.

Kevin started the race from P18 with a new set of Pirelli’s full wet tyres. He stopped on lap 7 for a new set of intermediate tyres, fitted new wets during the first red flag on lap 20, used wets during the second red flag on lap 28 and pitted on lap 41 for a new set of intermediate tyres.

Jolyon started the race in P16 on new wet tyres. He stopped on lap 9 for a new set of intermediate tyres and on lap 17 for a new set of wet tyres.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P18, finished P14

“The conditions today were definitely testing, especially turn 12 which isn’t actually a corner in the dry but became a real corner in the wet! 

There was clear aquaplaning there, and even if there hadn’t been, it was still on the limit. I do wish we could have driven more today though. 

Of course you should have red flags to clear a crash and safety should always be the priority, but after that, I feel we were too careful with driving in the wet. At the end of the day, it’s up to us drivers to slow down enough to get around it. 

We just need to drive to the conditions and not go over the limit, which is exactly what we do in the dry.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-05: Started P16, DNF

“The conditions this afternoon were very difficult and unfortunately we had to retire following contact with Kvyat. 

I had some more grip at that point on full wet tyres and I was faster than cars in front on intermediates. I wanted to make up some places. In the end the visibility was so bad that I couldn’t even see past my steering wheel. 

I didn’t see where the corner went, I knew that there was the pitwall and pitlane somewhere; I just couldn’t see anything. Kvyat in front of me was slower and I hit him. 

Around the lap, the visibility wasn’t too bad and there were some places where you aquaplaned but coming up the hill you had no traction and couldn’t see if you were behind anyone else. 

You had to guess where you were going, there was water on track and rivers of water running across. It was really tricky.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“It was a tough afternoon for the team and a tricky race in wet weather conditions for everyone. The biggest issue we encountered was the performance of our car with the full wet tyres. 

We weren’t able to perform over long stints with these sets of tyres and had to switch to intermediate tyres whenever it was possible but in the end it wasn’t enough for us to get into the points with Kevin. 

Unfortunately Jolyon sustained front suspension damage when he hit Kvyat and we had to retire him. We are now looking forward to the ultimate race of the season in Abu Dhabi where I hope we can have a race in better conditions.”

Renault F1 is starting to perform better as the end of the season nears its climax, but it looks like Palmer is on his way out.

• Renault Sport Formula One Team’s Kevin Magnussen made a late charge to take P11 on track and thus finished just shy of the points in today’s United States Grand Prix. Kevin started from P18 on a planned one-stop strategy but as the race played out this was adapted to a two and finally a three-stop.
• Post-race Kevin was given a five-second penalty, meaning he was placed twelfth in the final classification.
• Jolyon Palmer finished in P13 using a two-stop strategy.

Kevin started the race from P18 with new set of Pirelli’s soft compound tyres. He stopped on lap 13 for another new set of soft tyres, switched to new medium compound tyres on lap 27 and then new super soft tyres on lap 43.

Jolyon started the race in P15 on new soft tyres. He stopped on lap 15 for a new set of soft compound tyres and on lap 26 for a final set of new medium tyres.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P18, finished P11, P12 after penalty:

“We started with the plan for a one-stop strategy but we quickly realised that it wasn’t the best option so we swapped to a two and finally a three-stop strategy. It was tougher on tyre wear than we predicted but that did mean I was able to have some fun at the end of the race on the super soft tyres – it was the most fun I’ve had in the car all season being able to push hard to the chequered flag. It was a pretty decent race considering our qualifying position. The penalty is frustrating, but that’s racing sometimes.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-05: Started P15, finished P13:

“I had a slow start and unfortunately lost a few places that allowed Kevin to pass me, which then meant I was on his gearbox for a good two-thirds of the race. We were really struggling to follow other cars and although I was quicker, I couldn’t get close enough to pass which was so frustrating. I could have tried to lunge but that’s not a clever thing to do between team-mates. In the end, I overheated my tyres trying to overtake and fell back a little bit.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal:

“I’m in two minds about today’s Grand Prix. I’m happy we were able to adapt our strategy well as the race evolved, however at times our race pace was not as consistent as we’d like. In our first stint we didn’t seem to make progress yet at times we did see both cars deliver very good lap times considering their respective tyre conditions. We will be very vigilant in our post-race analysis to understand where we can better maximise our opportunities in the future. We finished just shy of the points today, but in the points is where we want to be.”

Japanese F1 Renault finish with both drivers, with each gaining places on their starting grid line ups.

• Renault Sport Formula One Team team-mates Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen drove a measured Emirates Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka today.
• The team opted for a one-stop tyre strategy for the 53-lap race, with both Jolyon and Kevin fighting in the middle of the pack throughout and taking the chequered flag in P12 and P14 respectively.
• Jolyon gained four and Kevin three places from their starting positions.

Kevin started the race from P17 with new set of Pirelli’s hard compound tyres. He stopped on lap 25 for a new set of medium tyres.

Jolyon started the race in P16 on new medium tyres. He stopped on lap 25 for a new set of hard tyres.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P17, finished P14

“I started the race on hard tyres against others around me on the softs and mediums – it was always going to be tough today. We can’t be completely satisfied with today’s race after scoring points in the last two races but we will work hard to get back into point-scoring position in the coming races. The next round is in the USA and it’s a pretty cool track to drive so I look forward to being there next.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-05: Started P16, finished P12

“Tenth last week, twelfth this week, but this week everyone finished the race! We had a lot of luck last week and I think today was actually a stronger performance. We beat everyone that we could this afternoon. I’m pleased with how we went, the strategy, the pace, performance… Everything was good.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“It was a good weekend for us in terms of performance, with our best Free Practice 3 to date where we were in the top ten. Qualifying, however, was a bit disappointing. Of course Jolyon got into Q2, but I think that we could have done better overall on Saturday afternoon. Our race pace was similar again to what we had seen in FP3; we fought with Williams in terms of pace until the end of the race and we were in front of McLaren and Toro Rosso. Today’s race confirmed that we have gone a step forward in pure performance, despite a tricky qualifying session on Saturday. Overall the weekend has been encouraging and both drivers did a solid job in the race with a strategy that worked well for the team.”

Palmer finishes the latest F1 round with 1 point, his first, as Magnussen fails to finish the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix

• Renault Sport Formula One Team’s Jolyon Palmer scored his first FIA Formula One World Championship point in today’s hot and fast-paced Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix. Jolyon put his disappointment from yesterday’s qualifying behind him to deliver in emphatic fashion his tenth-placed finish from P19 on the grid, thanks to a one-stop tyre strategy.
• Kevin Magnussen was unable to translate Saturday’s qualifying form into a race result as contact back and front on the first lap damaged a brake cooling drum fence. Kevin’s brakes subsequently became unsustainably hot, which meant retirement from the race was the only option.

Kevin started the race from P14 with new set of Pirelli’s medium compound tyres. He stopped at the end of the first lap to replace a damaged front wing and change to a new set of Pirelli’s hard compound tyres. He retired on lap 17 due to overheating brakes.

Jolyon started the race in P19 on new hard tyres. He stopped on lap 31 for a new set of soft tyres.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P14, DNF

“I was the filling in the sandwich as everyone reacted to the Vettel / Rosberg incident at the start. Everyone braked and went for the inside of the corner which isn’t great if you’re already at the inside of the corner and have contact from behind pushing you forward. 

That’s motor racing sometimes. We changed the front wing and kept pushing, however the brake cooling was damaged, and the brake temperature kept climbing, so we had to retire. 

Nevertheless it’s been a promising weekend. We continue to extract more pace from the car and we’ll be pushing to keep this level of performance. I scored last time out; Jo scored today. Points are what we all want to see.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-05: Started P19, finished P10

“Point-scorer: It feels good! I’m really happy, I think the whole week has been really positive. The race was really smooth – I wish it was always so straightforward! 

I was really disappointed with how qualifying went especially as I’d been feeling strong all weekend, so I’m glad the race went really well and we could make up for it today. The car gave me everything I needed, we handled the tyres well and the team did a great job with strategy and pit stops. 

We got a little bit of a break as well; finally everything came together and we got it home to P10!”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“Congratulations to Jo for scoring his first point in Formula One. After a disappointing qualifying yesterday he got his head down and delivered a very good race. 

We ran to an aggressive strategy and Jo did everything required to make this work so a great effort from him and the team today. Kevin was unfortunate to be caught out as the result of an incident ahead on the first lap. 

Thanks to his strong qualifying, he was well placed for a decent points-scoring position, but there was nothing he could do. Today we saw once more that everyone in the team is pushing in the same direction and we will continue to fight for every point possible for the remaining five races this season.”

Renault manages to finish the latest F1 GP in Singapore with both drivers, Palmer outside the points with Magnussen 10th.

• Renault Sport Formula One Team’s Kevin Magnussen enjoyed his and the team’s second highest finish of the season with tenth position in the Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix. Kevin took advantage of a stellar start and ran for most of the race inside the top ten.
• Jolyon Palmer was not so lucky today, with a suspected slow puncture from debris at the start of the race forcing an earlier than planned first pit stop. Running thereafter out of sequence, Jolyon finished in fifteenth.

Kevin started the race from P15 with new set of Pirelli’s purple ultra soft compound tyres.

Jolyon started the race in P18 on new super soft tyres. With a suspected slow puncture he pitted on lap 11 for a set of new super softs. He made a second stop on lap 34 for a set of new softs.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P15, finished P10

“I’m very happy for the whole team as this must be a boost for all of us. It’s been a very demanding season as we all want to score points at every race, but that’s not been possible. Nevertheless we all keep fighting and a result like today shows why we fight and why we never give up. The team nailed it with the strategy, with the start and with the balance of the car. To drive a race like this and not to win it; it feels strange because for me it felt perfect.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-05: Started P18, finished P15

“That was a tough race and we didn’t have any breaks come our way. I lost out with the shenanigans at the start and probably collected some debris as I had an early slow puncture too. We pitted pretty early and this meant we had to run for longer subsequent stints which meant nursing the tyres more than if we’d run the more balanced stint length planned. I lost a lot of time behind the Manors but it wasn’t possible to pass them on this track. The positive from today is we’ve seen that there’s still scope to get points if everything goes your way; that’s what I’m gunning for in Sepang.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“A strong and measured race from Kevin with some great strategy and exceptional pit stop work meant we scored for the second time this season. Jolyon kept pushing despite a frustrating race for him with a slow puncture early on. We can see how everyone at Enstone and Viry, whether at the track or back at base, keeps on pushing and we will continue to do this no matter how difficult the challenge.”

Barn Find Series III jaguar E-Type V12 to go under the hammer at the end of the month.

• A 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series III V12 Roadster in ‘barn find’ condition will be offered by Classic Car Auctions on 24^th September
• Owned by one family for 40 years and left undriven in a barn for two decades
• Expected to sell for between £35,000 and £40,000 at auction

A highly collectible, family owned 1972 Jaguar E-Type ‘barn find’ will be offered for sale at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) September Sale on 24^th September at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre.

The iconic Series III V12 Roadster, finished in yellow with a black leather interior, has been sitting dormant in a barn for 20 years having been passed down through the generations of one Carlisle family.

The car was first registered on 3^rd November 1972 and bought by a Carlisle based chemist in 1976. 

As a self-confessed Jaguar fanatic with other cars already in his personal collection, he used the Series III E-Type to enjoy the summer months driving with the top down, sporting his very own personalised number plate, FW V12.

It was later passed on to his wife in 1982 before it was gifted to their son on his 30^th birthday in February 2007. With fond memories of childhood family trips to the Lake District, the car was carefully tucked away under plastic sheeting in a dry barn.

Now set to emerge from the barn where it has been stored for two decades, with twenty year old air still in the tyres, the much loved E-Type is expected to sell for between £35,000 and £40,000 at auction.

“My dad loved cars and race days. It will be sad to see the car go but now it can be brought back to life and enjoyed, as it should be,” comments the E-Type’s current owner.

The E-Type remains complete with all parts of the engine, body work, interior and original features present, with the interior in surprisingly good condition with no obvious signs of wear, and an odometer reading of 43,285 miles.

“Jaguar E-Types are among the most sought after and collectible classic cars on the market today, and the Series III represents excellent value,” comments Guy Lees-Milne, auction manager at CCA. “Naturally, a barn find like this is in need of some attention, but it will make a very exciting project and we expect bidders to be out in force for a chance at an opportunity like this one.”

The car features a 5.3 L Jaguar V12 engine, manual transmission, uprated brakes, standard power steering, and air conditioning, as well as the distinctive large cross-slatted front grille, flared wheel arches, four exhaust tips and V12 badge on the rear.

Renault had a two prong race at Monza with Palmer being punted off and Magnussen finishing higher than his start position.

• Jolyon Palmer made up a number of positions after a spirited start however contact with Felipe Nasr – for which the Sauber driver was subsequently penalised – led to retirement on safety grounds. Kevin Magnussen also made a strong start and finished in seventeenth position.
• Kevin started the race from P21 with a new set of Pirelli’s red super soft tyres. He changed to new yellow softs on lap 14 then new super soft tyres on lap 30.
• Jolyon started the race in P20 on new soft tyres. After contact with Sauber’s Felipe Nasr at turn two on the first lap, he pitted for a new front wing, safety check and a set of new medium compound tyres at the end of the second lap. He returned to the pits to retire at the end of his seventh lap.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-04: Started P21, finished P17

“My start was okay but there were incidents everywhere… I had a better start than the Saubers ahead of me, which meant going around them, then another car on the grid. After that, I was able to build-up the momentum into turn two but had to avoid a spinning car by going on the grass. 

From then on, it was a quiet race with just a bit of early action with one of the Manors. It’s a shame that we didn’t get a good result today but we still learn more about the car every weekend and this race was no exception.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-02: Started P20, DNF

“I had a really good start and made a lot of positions. I was alongside Nasr through turn one with no problem then he decided to run me off the road in turn two. I can’t explain why he did that or imagine what he was thinking. 

I went as far off the track as I could without risking a spin from the gravel and he still made contact with me. There was no racing room and both our races ended way too early. For me I feel I’m driving better than ever and I’m hopeful that will show in Singapore.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“After the promise of Spa, Monza proved to be our toughest challenge of the year. Jolyon made a fantastic start but was robbed of the potential to improve further by the actions of Felipe Nasr, who was punished for the incident. 

Kevin did what he could in a car which was clearly not suited to Monza. We knew this season would be tough and this weekend was particularly so. The positives are not easily seen on track but rather lie in all the hard work going on behind the scenes in Enstone and Viry and we know that in 2017 we will be far stronger. Our immediate focus is now on Singapore where we should show better performance than here.”

Renault continues to have a dire season with a double retirement at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Renault Sport Formula One Team’s British Grand Prix came to a frustrating end with a double retirement. Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen stopped on lap 38 and 50 respectively both with suspected gearbox problems. 

The mixed track conditions presented scant opportunity for advancement from their P18 and P16 starting positions, with both Jolyon and Kevin caught in traffic before their retirements.

The race got underway behind the safety car following heavy rain on the grid. Kevin started the race from sixteenth on full wet tyres and stopped for Pirelli intermediate tyres on lap five. 

He held station behind his team-mate and Romain Grosjean’s Haas before a second stop to the medium compound slicks tyres on lap 17 while in sixteenth. He made a third stop to the soft tyres on lap 40 but retired 10 laps later with a suspected gearbox problem. He was running in sixteenth at the time.

Jolyon started on full wets from P18 and gained one position when the safety car was withdrawn. The Brit stopped on lap six for the intermediate tyres and closed the gap to Grosjean on the drying track. 

A second stop on lap 16 for medium tyres brought frustration, however, as he was released with only three of the four wheels. The resulting delay and penalty dropped him to the rear of the field. A retirement on lap 38 capped a disappointing day.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-01: Started P16, DNF

“In the first part of the race the track was very slippery and the balance was difficult as it was wet in places. You have to push from the beginning though and try to stay on track. We tried our best but unfortunately we were just not quick enough today. 

We suspected something might be wrong with the gearbox towards the end of the race so retired the car as a precaution. It’s just not been our day, but we’ll look through everything and come back stronger in Hungary.”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-02: Started P18, DNF

“Today wasn’t the result I wanted for my home race. It was going reasonably well on the wet tyres at the beginning of the race and then we did a good stop for the intermediate tyres. 

Things were looking up: I got ahead of Kevin and I was catching Romain Grosjean. When I pitted for slick tyres, I had a green light to go but the rear right wasn’t finished and I’d already started to leave the box. 

From then on I lost about a minute and then received a 10 second penalty for unsafe release. What happened was unfortunate but it could happen to anyone up and down the pitlane. We retired the car as there was a strange feeling with the gearbox, more as a precaution as at that stage we were two laps down. 

We’ll now investigate the problem thoroughly. I’m looking forward to the test this week and focussing on the next race weekend.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

“Not the best Grand Prix in our history. It was a difficult race for us and we will be looking into what caused a double retirement. Both Kevin and Jolyon had been driving well until then, but our pace was not strong enough today.