FORMULA 1 - 2014

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Bernie Ecclestone: Formula 1 doesn't need young fans

Formula 1 should not be chasing a younger generation of fans as they are the wrong target for the sport's sponsors, claims F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

After a year when F1 has been asking itself why television audiences are in decline, Ecclestone has suggested that a push to embrace a younger fanbase via social media would be wasted.

In an fascinating interview with AUTOSPORT's sister publication Campaign Asia-Pacific, Ecclestone says youngsters are of no value to F1.

"I'm not interested in tweeting, Facebook and whatever this nonsense is," said Ecclestone in the interview, where he talks about F1's financial problems and the future direction of the sport.

"I tried to find out but in any case I'm too old-fashioned. I couldn't see any value in it. And, I don't know what the so-called 'young generation' of today really wants. What is it?"

Asked if he believed there was no value in attracting a young audience, Ecclestone said: "If you have a brand that you want to put in front of a few hundred million people, I can do that easily for you on television.

"Now, you're telling me I need to find a channel to get this 15-year-old to watch Formula 1 because somebody wants to put out a new brand in front of them? They are not going to be interested in the slightest bit.

"Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it. Or our other sponsor, UBS — these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway.

"That's what I think. I don't know why people want to get to the so-called 'young generation'. Why do they want to do that? Is it to sell them something? Most of these kids haven't got any money.

"I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash. So, there's no point trying to reach these kids because they won't buy any of the products here and if marketers are aiming at this audience, then maybe they should advertise with Disney."

F1 'WON'T MISS' CATERHAM/MARUSSIA

Elsewhere in the interview, Ecclestone likens the controversy over Marussia and Caterham's demise to the way the Oscar Pistorius case in South Africa grabbed headlines.

"Nobody will miss the two teams because they're not frontrunning teams; they've only got a name that people would know because of the problem they're in," he said.

"If you want to get recognised you've got to do something.

"This poor guy in South Africa [Oscar Pistorius], for instance, has got more interest because of what happened with him than when he was winning gold medals. He won medals and afterwards nobody thought about him."

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MCLAREN-HONDA BREAKS COVER AT SILVERSTONE

The first version of the new era McLaren-Honda has broken cover, when photos of an interim version of the McLaren MP4-29 powered by a Honda V6 turbo engine were tweeted by the Japanese manufacturer.

On Friday the McLaren-Honda with Oliver Turvey in the cockpit completed a private filming day at Silverstone which was held behind closed doors.

It is expected that the McLaren-Honda, designated the MP4-29H, will run again a few days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, at a post-season test session at the Yas Marina Circuit. This has yet to be confirmed.

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CATERHAM HEADING TO ABU DHABI FOR SEASON FINALE

Caterham have announced that despite their financial plight they are heading to Abu Dhabi for the season ending grand prix.

The team released the following statement: “The Caterham F1 Team is delighted to announce that it will be racing at the final Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi next week thanks to the support of the fans, who have helped the team raise enough money to make it possible through Crowdcube, the world’s leading investment crowdfunding platform.”

Finbarr O’Connell of Smith & Williamson, joint administrator of Caterham Sports Limited: “We set ourselves a major challenge, but it’s definitely been worth it! In only a week the fans have made the impossible, possible.”

“We knew that the best way to keep this team alive and attract possible buyers was to show that it’s still a racing team and be in Abu Dhabi for the finale, and there aren’t enough words to say how grateful we are to all the fans that have made this possible.”

“We now head to Abu Dhabi ready to show what a hard-working and positive group of people this is and to hopefully secure a future for the team. ”

“During the past few days the interest of many potential buyers has increased massively and by racing in Abu Dhabi the team will be showcasing itself as a live and functioning team that deserves to continue into 2015 and beyond. ”

“It has hard-working people, team spirit and experience and now it only needs a secure financial future which I’m very hopeful we can achieve. Once again, I’d like to reiterate that we are racing in Abu Dhabi thanks to all the fans out there – an achievement that will go down in F1 history and one that we can all be very proud of.”

“We still need to raise a bit more cash so please do keep an eye on the Crowdcube website. Let’s go racing!” declared O’Connell.

Formula 1 has had just nine teams at the last two races after Marussia, who also went into administration last month, ceased trading.

The sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone gave Marussia and Caterham a dispensation to miss the US and Brazilian rounds but has said they must compete in Abu Dhabi to stay in the championship.

The Briton has spoken out against Caterham’s fundraising, saying it is bad for the sport for teams to go around with ‘begging bowls’.

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Horner: Vettel's move down to

Christian Horner believes it is timing rather than Red Bull's trying season that has led to Sebastian Vettel leaving for, presumably, Ferrari.

Vettel's fourth season defending his World title has been a difficult one for the German and his Red Bull team.

Undone by the pace and performance of the Mercedes and its superior engine, Vettel has managed just three podium finishes of which none were a victory.

And unless he wins the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he will be the first Champion since Jacques Villenvue to fail to a win race during his title defense.

Horner, though, does not believe it was Red Bull's fall down the order that prompted the 27-year-old's departure.

"I think in life everything comes down to timing," he told the official F1 website.

"It's been a tough season for Sebastian and a window of opportunity presented itself at Ferrari. Maybe that opportunity wouldn't be there in 12 months' time! So the timing was right for him."

However, with Vettel refusing to publicly reveal whether Ferrari is definitely his destination, Horner added: "I mean, we are all assuming that it will be Ferrari. Seb was always a big fan of what Michael Schumacher did."

Pressed as to whether a better performance from Red Bull in 2014 would have persuaded Vettel to stay on, the team boss said: "I don't know. You have to ask him.

"We can just thank him for the fantastic years together, wish him all the best for the future and hope that he sees a lot of our rear wing."

The Brit also weighed in on his own future laughing off a rumour that he would head to McLaren in 2015.

"Ha, that is the first time that I've heard about that! That is very flattering, but my commitment is fully with Red Bull Racing. I have no desire to be anywhere else."

And as for three-car teams, Horner says Red Bull could run another car but would rather Marussia and Caterham found the money needed to continue in the sport.

"I hope that Marussia and Caterham get their act together. If not, and we had to run a third car, we would be in a position to. But we will need to know pretty quickly - it's already November. Logistically it would be painful, but if we are called upon to do it then yes, we would be able to support it."

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Fernando Alonso: Small teams vital for Formula 1

Fernando Alonso says the survival of smaller teams is "very important" for the vitality of Formula 1.

The Caterham and Marussia teams have fallen off the grid this season, although Caterham has announced that its crowdfunding scheme will bring it back into the field for the final race of 2014 in Abu Dhabi.

A battle to secure more of F1's commercial income by some of the remaining smaller teams raged on during last weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, though the sport's commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone has told Force India, Lotus and Sauber to rein back their operations if they cannot afford to compete.

Ferrari driver Alonso, who began his own F1 career with minnow Minardi in 2001, said smaller teams such as that were "very important" and vital to the health of the sport.

"I started with a small team, Minardi, all the drivers [should have] the same possibility to start with small teams," he said.

"We need everyone in the sport - more teams and more things happening around F1 will help.

"Hopefully we will find a solution. I don't exactly know what are the problems and what are the possible solutions, but I know that everyone has tried to meet to find a solution and I'm sure they will do the best for the sport, and we will support [them]."

There have been suggestions some of the bigger teams will be forced to run third cars next year, if the grid does not grow back beyond the 18-car fields seen at Austin and Interlagos.

Alonso said he was unsure whether this would be a good development for F1.

Asked how he felt about teams running third cars, Alonso replied: "I don't know, it's something that we've never had.

"If that happens it's because they think that is the best solution.

"But I don't really have a strong opinion on the third car [issue] because it will be quite new and I don't know if it's the best [solution] or not."

[NaFFe]

Bernie Ecclestone: Formula 1 doesn't need young fans

Formula 1 should not be chasing a younger generation of fans as they are the wrong target for the sport's sponsors, claims F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

After a year when F1 has been asking itself why television audiences are in decline, Ecclestone has suggested that a push to embrace a younger fanbase via social media would be wasted.

In an fascinating interview with AUTOSPORT's sister publication Campaign Asia-Pacific, Ecclestone says youngsters are of no value to F1.

"I'm not interested in tweeting, Facebook and whatever this nonsense is," said Ecclestone in the interview, where he talks about F1's financial problems and the future direction of the sport.

"I tried to find out but in any case I'm too old-fashioned. I couldn't see any value in it. And, I don't know what the so-called 'young generation' of today really wants. What is it?"

Asked if he believed there was no value in attracting a young audience, Ecclestone said: "If you have a brand that you want to put in front of a few hundred million people, I can do that easily for you on television.

"Now, you're telling me I need to find a channel to get this 15-year-old to watch Formula 1 because somebody wants to put out a new brand in front of them? They are not going to be interested in the slightest bit.

"Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it. Or our other sponsor, UBS — these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway.

"That's what I think. I don't know why people want to get to the so-called 'young generation'. Why do they want to do that? Is it to sell them something? Most of these kids haven't got any money.

"I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash. So, there's no point trying to reach these kids because they won't buy any of the products here and if marketers are aiming at this audience, then maybe they should advertise with Disney."

F1 'WON'T MISS' CATERHAM/MARUSSIA

Elsewhere in the interview, Ecclestone likens the controversy over Marussia and Caterham's demise to the way the Oscar Pistorius case in South Africa grabbed headlines.

"Nobody will miss the two teams because they're not frontrunning teams; they've only got a name that people would know because of the problem they're in," he said.

"If you want to get recognised you've got to do something.

"This poor guy in South Africa [Oscar Pistorius], for instance, has got more interest because of what happened with him than when he was winning gold medals. He won medals and afterwards nobody thought about him."

What an absolute tool.

That is all

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What an absolute tool.

That is all

...And quite well said!

I take my 6 year old son Ethan the past 2 years to F1 and he loves it. HE is the next generation of Formula 1 fan and quite frankly, this is how the next generation of Formula 1 driver starts out if they have the mindset.

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ALONSO VISITS BAHRAIN FOR WEC FINAL

The Ferrari customer teams tackling the Bahrain 6 Hours, the penultimate round of the WEC series, welcomed a special guest, as Fernando Alonso turned up at the Sahkir circuit ahead of the race.

Already in the area. Alonso, who has a home in Dubai, was already in the Middle East, which stages the final of the Formula 1 World Championship next weekend in Abu Dhabi.

He made the short trip to watch the endurance championship race and lend his support to Gimmi Bruni and Toni Vilander. He also took the opportunity to visit friend Mark Webber who was on driving duty for Porsche at Sakhir.

The Spaniard posed for a photo with all the Ferrari crews a few minutes before the start of the race and said he hoped his presence could deliver the same result as at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where he was the special guest starter.

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GROSJEAN: I’M AFTER A POSITIVE END TO A TOUGH SEASON

With double points on offer at the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lotus driver Romain Grosjean is hoping to put a difficult year behind him and head into the 2015 season off the back of a strong points finish.

Are you looking forward to tackling the Yas Marina circuit again?

Romain Grosjean: Definitely, I think it’s a good track with very nice paddock facilities which in my opinion are amongst the best on the calendar. It’s also a very special Grand Prix given that it starts in the day and finishes under lights, which makes it incredible for the fans as they can see through our visors and watch how hard we are concentrating. However, it is very difficult to work on car set-up in FP1 and FP3 as conditions are not representative of those you’ll find in qualifying and the race. Therefore, FP2 becomes even more important for both the engineers and myself, which makes it a rather pressurized session. It’s a circuit with low-speed corners – so it’s one we may have a few problems with – but I’m confident we can dial-in the car to achieve the maximum result possible. Pastor and I will be doing everything we can.

What difference do you think the soft and super soft tyres will make in Abu Dhabi?

RG: It could make quite a bit of difference. It’s quite a nice feeling to attack different races with different tyre strategies. When tyres play a bigger part in the race, it gives us a chance to get up amongst it, even if it is for limited periods. Perhaps we can use a different strategy that plays into our hands. The last time we used super soft tyres was in Singapore and I was really happy with the car then, so I’m hoping I’ll get a similar feeling from the car at Yas Marina. If you get that good feeling, it makes you so much more confident.

You ran a different strategy to most people at Interlagos and it seemed to be paying off until the engine problem; How was it from your point of view?

RG: Brazil was a tricky race weekend overall because the track temperature changed a lot throughout the event. On Friday it was very hot, on Saturday it was cool and Sunday was expected to be similar so that was how we planned our strategy. In the race we found it extremely hard to get heat into the tyres and get them working as we wanted. In the end, that meant we had to change to a three-stop race and that cost us. In general though, we’ll explore all strategy options because we currently don’t have the pace to fight it out at the sharp end. We need to be smarter in our approach.

How are you approaching the last race of the season?

RG: We’ve got a few upgrades coming which should give us a bit more power and with double points on offer, you never know! We are going to try our hardest to get the best result we can and create a positive mood over the winter for the team back in the factory. When things aren’t going right for you, it’s difficult on everyone so a bit of positivity will help the whole team. Pastor and I will be trying our upmost to bring back some strong points. Sometimes a bit of luck and some clever decisions is all you need to achieve great results, and that’s what we’ll be aiming for on Sunday.

What do you have planned after the season ends?

RG: For me, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and there will definitely be a holiday involved! I also have a little bit of fun planned at the Race of Champions which is in Barbados this year; it will be interesting to see if I can retain my crown! At the end of a season, wherever you finish in the standings you certainly need to get some rest and relaxation to recharge the batteries and help you focus on the following season. The F1 year starts in early February with winter testing and finishes in late November so you don’t get much rest mid-season. On top of that there is a lot of traveling which saps the energy even more. Even if you’re having a great season you still need some down time. The team back at the factory have been working really hard without getting the results they deserve, so they need a break too. Then we all can come back refreshed and raring to attack the new season. We’re all looking forward to that.

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MALDONADO: ABU DHABI TO BE ONE OF THE BEST RACES OF THE YEAR

After an encouraging result last time out during the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Lotus driver Pastor Maldonado is determined to end the season on a high at the season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Tell us about the Yas Marina Circuit; is it a track you enjoy driving?

Pastor Maldonado: It’s always a special event and with it being the final race on the calendar this year, it’s going to be even more exciting. Away from the track, the people are always really welcoming, the weather is great and the place is spectacular. The pit and paddock complex is also amongst the best there is with excellent facilities.

What about the circuit layout?

PM: The first sector at the circuit stands out with Turns 2, 3 and 4 being particularly enjoyable and the final sector is incredibly picturesque. Although it is a reasonably new track on the calendar, the team has built up a lot of data from the five previous races there and various post-season testing sessions, so we’re used to the challenging set-up dilemma it poses. It’s a twilight race so it’s all about finding a balance between the hot daytime conditions and cooler temperatures when the sun sets. I’m sure it’s going to be one of the best races of the year. It’s been fun driving there in the past so I’m hoping to have another good race at Yas Marina.

What is going to be the biggest challenge given the initial fast straight and slow-speed corners later in the lap?

PM: I think it’s going to be tough for us in general to be honest but it shouldn’t be too bad. I think it’s crucial that we try and improve our qualifying pace because as soon as we are in the top twelve, things should be on the up and we’ll be in a good position to fight for points. We’ve seen that our race pace is quite competitive so it’s all about starting from the highest grid position possible. We know this is an area we need to make big strides forwards and Romain and I are working closely with the engineers to improve our qualifying results.

Pirelli are bringing the soft and super soft tyre allocation to Abu Dhabi for the first time. Could that help?

PM: We’ll have to wait and see but I certainly hope so. We struggled a lot at the last race in Brazil with the soft compound but Interlagos is a short track and the weather conditions were pretty variable, whereas Abu Dhabi should be consistently hot. It’s difficult for me to say beforehand because there’s still a lot to discover with the car, so we’ll just have to hope for the best. Tyre wear is incredibly difficult to predict because it often relies heavily on the situation and how the car is handling. What is certain is that we will be aiming to score points, which would be great given that they will be doubled at this event. To round off a difficult year with a solid haul of points would provide that extra motivation for everyone back at Enstone.

Brazil was an entertaining race with plenty of action and stops. What did you make of it?

PM: It was a great race with plenty of action for the fans, who are so knowledgeable in Brazil. It wasn’t the best for us as we were expecting to be in the points, but we gave our maximum and came out with a result which wasn’t too bad. I think we got the best out of the car although it might have been possible to get P10 given a bit of luck. It was just those couple of mistakes which we ended up paying for. We’ll be aiming to learn from them and avoid repeating them here to maximise our results. It’s the last race of the season so we have nothing to lose and we’ll just be focusing hard on ironing out any issues with next year in mind.

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WOLFF: MAY THE BEST MAN WIN!

Toto Wolff will have his hands full at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as his team’s drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battle it out for the 2014 Formula 1 title at the season finale, but the Mercedes boss is adamant that the team will be showing no preferences on the occasion and they are going all out to ensure the title is decided fair and square on track.

Wolff said ahead of the Yas Marina weekend, “It is now down to us to ensure that this fascinating year concludes in the right way by giving Lewis and Nico a platform to settle the title purely on the track. It is fantastic for the sport to have such a finale in what has been one of the great seasons of Formula 1. I for one cannot wait to watch the race in Abu Dhabi and I’m sure those at home feel the same. May the best man win!”

Ahead of what will surely be the most tense and intriguing weekend of all 18 thus far, Wolff pointed out, “When fatigue can so easily become a factor this late in the season, everyone has stepped up their game to ensure a record-breaking end to an incredible year. Of course, our drivers were no exception and Brazil provided another tense, exciting battle – once again demonstrating how evenly matched they are.”

Rosberg’s victory in Brazil set the scene for a dramatic finale, with him having the momentum heading to Yas Marina, while Hamilton leads the standings by 14 points – Rosberg must win to have a chance, and if he does Hamilton must finish at least second – you could not script a more thrilling conclusion.

“Nico controlled the [brazil] race in impressive fashion – particularly given the disappointment he felt after Austin – while Lewis proved his fighting spirit once again to recover from a spin and push his team-mate all the way. Now, they head to the final race with a World Championship on the line,” ruminated Wolff.

“When we look back through the season, each driver has had his share of ups and downs and both have shown great strength of character to recover from setbacks. As a team we are fortunate to have such a talented line-up and both are worthy champions in the eyes of everybody behind them at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart.”

“Of course, there will be bitter disappointment for one of them and great joy for the other. While it won’t be apparent to them at the time, both have long careers ahead of them and they have proven their credentials for the years to come. A top driver always has the ability to engineer another opportunity and both our boys have proven themselves to be just that: top drivers.”

“You only have to look back to such great battles as that of Lauda and Prost in 1984 to see what can be achieved. This was the last title for Niki, who won that year, and Prost was defeated in that battle. But he then went on to win four Championships before he retired,” reminisced Wolff.

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HAMILTON: I’M RELAXED, FEELING CONFIDENT AND I’M READY TO WIN

Lewis Hamilton has it all to lose at the season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where double points could scupper his plans to celebrate a second Formula 1 world title, but whatever the case the Briton is adamant his hunger to bag the most coveted prize in motorsport is undiminished and travels to the UAE relaxed and confident.

Speaking ahead of the season finale weekend at the seven-star Yas Marina Circuit, Hamilton said, “People talk about how long it’s been since I won the title – but I honestly feel like I’m fighting for my first World Championship all over again. Sure, I’m older and maybe a little bit wiser than I was back then.”

“I’ve learnt a lot in the years since 2008 – but I’m still the same driver. I still have the same hunger, the same will to win, and I’ve been giving it everything I’ve got from the word go this season. I’ve had ups and downs along the way – but I’ve never once given up,” mused the 2008 F1 world champion.

The scene is set for a final chapter showdown with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, but Hamilton is not fazed by what lies ahead, “I’ve managed to fight my way back from whatever has come my way and my approach doesn’t change for this race. I’ve got a good record at the Abu Dhabi circuit.”

Brazil provided the Silver Arrows with their eleventh one-two of the season, but from Hamilton’s perspective it did not go quite to plan because he was beaten by Rosberg in every session during the course of the weekend including the race.

Hamilton acknowledged, “Brazil was a great weekend for the team. Of course, it didn’t go exactly to plan for me but second place in the circumstances was a good recovery and it was a great moment to get a record-breaking one-two finish for all the people who have worked so hard to give us this amazing car.”

Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

“I really felt like I connected with the fans in São Paulo and their support was just incredible – I still can’t get over it now. That really inspires me heading into the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.”

As for the race at Yas Marina, where he won in 2011, Hamilton said, “Last year was actually the only time I’ve not started on the front row or finished on the podium. But I’ve also had some misfortune there over the years – particularly in 2012.”

“I’m hoping that bad luck won’t play a part this time around and I know that the team has been working flat out to make sure it doesn’t. I’m feeling relaxed, I’m feeling confident and I’m ready to win,” declared the Briton who will be targeting his 33rd grand prix victory on the night.

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ROSBERG: I GO TO ABU DHABI WITH NO FEAR BELIEVING THIS CAN BE MY TITLE

Nico Rosberg arrives in Abu Dhabi for the season finale at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit in with a chance of emulating his father Keke and bagging a Formula 1 world title, despite the odds against him doing so he is nevertheless in full attack mode as he takes on his Mercedes teammate for the biggest prize in motorsport.

Speaking ahead of the most important race of his career, Rosberg said, “It won’t be easy, but I’ll be full attack – just as I have been all season. Although this has been my first year fighting for a World Championship, I’ve never felt more comfortable than I have done this year.”

He has the momentum after winning in Brazil and acknowledges, “After the disappointment of Austin, Brazil was just the way to bounce back with a great weekend for both me and the team. I felt in control from the very beginning and it was a big positive to take the lessons from Texas and put them into action. Of course, it wasn’t enough to regain the lead in the Championship as Lewis drove a strong race to finish just behind me.”

The win at Interlagos reduced the gap at the top of the standings from 24 points to 17, “The gap is smaller than before and I absolutely believe I still have the chance to take the title in Abu Dhabi.”

Mercedes were simply the class of 2014, the best car and the best V6 turbo power unit, a fact that Rosberg is always keen to point out, “The team behind us have done an incredible job and it’s great that they’ve given both of us equal opportunity to compete with each other.

“There have been difficult moments just as there have been amazing moments – but this is what Formula One is all about and I hope that everyone watching at home has enjoyed the story of this battle as much as I have.”

“Win or lose, double points or no double points, I feel proud of what I have achieved this year and especially proud to have been a part of this fantastic season for the Silver Arrows. I go into this race with no fear and with every belief that this can be my title. It’s not over until that flag drops!” declared the German who will be targeting his ninth F1 career win at the season finale.

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VETTEL: I SEE MYSELF GETTING ALONG WITH KIMI JUST FINE

Sebastian Vettel has apparently grown impatient of the extended wait to officially announce his switch to Ferrari, which is the worst kept secret in Formula 1.

The fact the outgoing world champion is leaving Red Bull is already confirmed, but his move to Ferrari is still awaiting the outcome of Fernando Alonso’s contractual impasse with the Maranello team.

However it has been widely reported that Vettel let the cat out of the bag last weekend in Brazil whilst filling out a fun questionnaire for the Italian broadcaster Sky.

Asked the question “Sebastian Vettel is”, the 27-year-old completed the sentence with the hand-written answer “A driver for Scuderia Ferrari”.

Sebastian Vettel vs Kimi Raikkonen vs Fernando Alonso at Hockenheim

Now, speaking to Bild am Sonntag, Vettel has openly talked about the apparent fact that existing Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen will be his teammate in 2015.

The Finn is known as the Iceman who can be uncommunicative with his teammates and colleagues, but Raikkonen and Vettel actually get along well, regularly meeting to socialise or play badminton.

“I see myself getting along with Kimi just fine,” Vettel said in the report. “He is always straight and direct, so on the human side I expect absolutely no problems in the future.”

Vettel had a well-documented tense relationship with his former Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, but the quadruple title winner is expecting none of the same issues in 2015.

“He [Raikkonen] has – thank god – zero interest in the politics within a team,” he insisted

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Hill: Pressure is on Hamilton

Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton is in a "curious position" as he doesn't have to win the season finale to secure the World title.

With a 17-point lead over Nico Rosberg in this year's Drivers' Championship, even a runner-up result in Abu Dhabi - no matter where Rosberg finished - would guarantee Hamilton the title.

However, holding the advantage, and therefore the favourite to win, means there is more pressure on the British drivers' shoulders.

"I don't care who you are or how cool you might think you are, between now and the Championship it's really difficult," Hill said in an interview with the Independent.

"I think it's always harder for the person who's leading. I think the guy who's hunting has kind of resigned themselves, partly, to the possibility of not winning, whereas the other one's got it all to lose.

"You see it in golf all the time. You try and hang on to a lead for the last four holes in a major, suddenly that makes you start thinking about what you're doing.

"If you can relax, terrific. If you can actually enjoy it, then you've got, I think, more chance of performing well.

"That's not to say you don't focus as hard as you've ever done in your life. That's a part of this too."

Neither driver, though, can ultimately control the reliability of their car.

A DNF for Hamilton is the mostly likely way for Rosberg to win the World title as all the races the Brit has finished this season, he has never been lower than third.

Asked how the duo would approach next weekend's finale, Hill added: "You reset the task. The task is to become World Champion.

"If either has a mechanical problem, there's nothing you can do about that. It happens.

"It would be tragic if Lewis didn't win the World Championship this year, because then he didn't win it because Mercedes let him down, to be honest. There's no question. So we're in a bit of an awkward situation, but there's no good getting cross or blaming anyone else. That's what it is.

"I think the right approach is to just look at it as a race to become World Champion. Win this and become World Champion. And he doesn't even have to win it, so he's in a curious position."

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Ricciardo relishing the attention

Daniel Ricciardo is enjoying life at Red Bull Racing, both the funny and the serious side of racing for a top team.

The Aussie, well known for his massive smile which never seems to dim, joined Red Bull Racing at the start of this season, getting the better of four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

With the German set to leave at the end of this season, Ricciardo has now been elevated to de facto lead driver.

As such he's the driver answering the questions for next season and giving his input.

Ricciardo told Crash.net: "I act like I like the attention sometimes, I'm a bit of a goof!

"Generally it's cool. I feel like I know the team well enough now to have those conversations and it feels nice to give my input.

"But of course if I didn't know anything then I would keep my mouth shut rather than steer them in a blind direction, but I feel like I've been able to help on a few things."

But it won't only be his influence as a driver that goes into next year's car as Vettel, despite leaving, has shared his knowledge over this season.

Revealing that there has been a "constant conversation" in order to improve the car, those talks will play a role in next year's challenger as the car will be an evolution of the RB10.

"It's probably a little bit trickier. Fortunately the rule changes for next year are not really big at all, so I think it's really everything we've learned from this year just put it in to next. Obviously Seb has been giving feedback from this year so they can still use that for the following.

"We've talked already a bit about next year obviously what we can try and improve - our biggest points of improvement - so that's a constant conversation we're having.

"Hopefully Dani [Kvyat] can get on board as soon as Abu Dhabi's over. The sooner he's on board the sooner he can start helping out as well."

[MIKA27]

CATERHAM STAFF MADE REDUNDANT

On the very day Caterham announced it will return to the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the beleaguered Formula 1 team’s entire staff was made redundant.

After a controversial crowdfunding scheme raised $3 million for the embattled backmarker, administrator Finbarr O’Connell announced that Caterham is heading to Abu Dhabi for the 2014 finale.

A statement said it was made possible “through Crowdcube, the world’s leading investment crowdfunding platform”.

Crucially, Crowdcube’s service accountancy and tax adviser is Smith and Williamson — the company Caterham administrator and interim team boss O’Connell works for.

So with O’Connell now faced with claims the crowdfunding project was at least in part a PR exercise, it now emerges that on the very same day it was declared a success, Caterham’s 230 race team was made redundant.

Senior aerodynamicist Jim McManus told The Observer newspaper: “It is dismaying to see the amount of publicity surrounding the success of the crowdfunding on the same day that the entire workforce was made redundant while owed seven weeks’ salary.”

“The cynic in me would suggest that the two are not unrelated, and the good news has served as a convenient opportunity to bury the bad news,” he added.

O’Connell, however, who is team boss for now but says his intention is to appoint an alternative, claims that staff actually wanted to be made redundant.

“It is a crazy situation but the most ironic thing is that the majority of the team were pressing me to make them redundant so their redundancy claim forms could be up and running while I try to sell the team,” he said. “If I sell the team they will be re-employed by the purchaser and those claim forms will effectively be ripped up.”

As for the timing of the Abu Dhabi announcement and the redundancy letters being received by staff, O’Connell added: “I could not issue redundancy letters until Friday because it was only then that I was appointed administrator to 1MRT”.

But McManus insists that some staff “actively indicated that they did not want to be made redundant”.

[MIKA27]

A voice from the real world

Here is a message I read on another source. A small section as edited that was considered to be libellous. However, I think that the rest of the information should be made public.

“I am a former (as of yesterday) employee with Caterham F1.

“It is dismaying to see the amount of publicity surrounding the success of the crowdfunding on the same day that there entire workforce was made redundant while owed seven weeks salary. The cynic in me would suggest that the two are not unrelated and the good news has served as a convenient opportunity to bury the bad news. If this is the case then it seems to have worked as there hasn’t been a peep anywhere (unlike Marussia the week before who owed their employees “only” one week of salary).

“The employees have been made redundant from 1MRT (a company still owned by Mr Fernandes). This should be more widely known and Mr Fernandes should be encouraged to do the honourable thing and fund the owed salaries instead of hiding behind 1MRT’s orchestrated lack of funds.

“The present situation is the inevitable (and foreseeable) consequence of the manner in which Mr Fernandes sold Caterham F1. It isn’t good enough to claim that there were no other buyers. In that event the proper thing to do would have been to wind up the company gracefully while ensuring that employees and suppliers were fairly dealt with. Undeniably this would have been the more expensive course of action for Mr Fernandes.

“It is not right that Mr Fernandes should be allowed to profit from evading his responsibilities and suffer no adverse publicity.”

I should add that I am hearing that there are legal actions being prepared elsewhere for massive damages against the former owners of the team and, I have even heard the suggestion that the Administrator may also be the subject of law suits.

A sorry mess.

[MIKA27]

Kobayashi will return with Caterham in Abu Dhabi

Caterham has confirmed Kamui Kobayashi as one of the two drivers who will race for them on their return to Formula One for next weekend’s season finale.

Kobayashi had driven all bar one of the races the team had participated in this season before they went into administration following the Russian Grand Prix.

“It hasn’t been an easy last few weeks so it will be nice to be back to in the car and work together with the Caterham F1 team members,” said Kobayashi.

“I would like to thank the fans for supporting the team like they have. This team is working hard and never gives up. We deserve to be racing in Abu Dhabi and I am very glad we can race again thanks to the crowdfunding project.

“Now it is our turn to show what we can do – we will all try our best during the weekend ahead and hopefully we can end the season with a positive result for the future of this team.”

The identity of Kobayashi’s team mate is yet to be confirmed, however Marcus Ericsson announced last week he had severed his ties with the team.

Among the possible contenders for the seat are Andre Lotterer, who drove in Kobayashi’s plane in Belgium, and Roberto Merhi, who made three appearances for the team during practice this year.

Finbarr O’Connell of the team’s administrators Smith and Williamson said “the team commented that Kamui is a highly talented racing driver and he should be in a race car – that’s where he belongs.”

[MIKA27]

RAIKKONEN: WHY SHOULDN’T I DRIVE FOR FERRARI IN 2016?

Kimi Raikkonen is even looking beyond the 2015 Formula 1 season as he aims to keep his Ferrari career alive for at least two more years.

In the past days, any doubts that the Finn will be ousted by the Maranello team after Sunday’s 2014 finale in Abu Dhabi have faded.

That is because Ferrari has confirmed that the 35-year-old – who already has a contract for 2015 – is collaborating with engineers on next year’s car and will shortly be working on the team’s pre-season preparations.

Not only that, Raikkonen’s next teammate Sebastian Vettel is now openly looking forward to working with his friend in 2015, because the Finn has “thank god, zero interest in the politics within a team”.

A month ago, when his future was less certain, Raikkonen told CNN he has a Ferrari contract “for next year and probably for one more year”.

Kimi Raikkonen last won for Ferrari at the 2009 Belgian GP

But his return to red overalls in 2014 has been difficult throughout, as he usually struggled to get close to the pace of his now-departing teammate Fernando Alonso.

After Brazil, however, team boss Marco Mattiacci hailed Raikkonen’s progress, insisting the Finn is finally getting to the bottom of his problems with the Formula 14-T car.

Raikkonen told Auto Motor und Sport: “The problems have come from the new tyre construction — last year, the front tyres were much better.”

Still, he is more confident about the future, “If you cannot win, it is a season to forget. But at least we have learned a lot for next year.”

And he insists that if 2015 goes well, he can even start to think about a third consecutive season wearing red.

“If I have good results next year,” Raikkonen is quoted by the German correspondent Michael Schmidt, “then why shouldn’t I drive for Ferrari in 2016?”

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE: I WILL QUIT WHEN THEY CARRY ME AWAY IN MY COFFIN

Buoyed by the end of his legal troubles, Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he is now determined to never step down as the sport’s chief executive.

Having turned 84 this year, the Briton admits 2014 was particularly difficult as he battled to fight off the Gerhard Gribkowsky scandal that nearly saw him not only nearly deposed, but potentially also in jail.

He won the day with a highly controversial $100 million settlement, and is now once again presiding fully over the Formula 1 kingdom he built almost from scratch.

So Ecclestone is no longer intimating his decades-long reign may be nearing an end. Asked by the correspondent for Gulf News, the diminutive Briton replied rhetorically: “When am I going to quit?

“Sure, it’s been a terrible year, one of the worst of my life but, as I have told you often enough before, and nothing has changed, I am staying put,” said Ecclestone.

“The only way my job in Formula 1 will come to an end, unless somebody with the power decrees it, is when they are carrying me away in my coffin. And then they’d better make sure the lid is nailed down,” he added.

As ever with a specific position taken by Ecclestone, however, he does caution that he might change his mind under some circumstances.

For instance, he told the BBC recently that while he would like to tweak Formula 1’s income distribution, as well as the sporting and technical regulations, “The big problem is that now we run a democracy”.

Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley plotted takeover of F1 decades ago

You know I’m against democracies, with anything,” said Ecclestone. “You have a democracy if you don’t want to do anything except start a working group. We have to be able to say : This is how it’s going to be.”

Now, he told Gulf News in London: “I have always run the business the way I thought it should be organised. And it has mostly worked. The minute I can’t do that, I will quit.

“I have often flown by the seat of my pants with nobody but myself to turn to. Sometimes I’ve got it wrong — but mostly I’ve got it right.

“And Formula 1, and the thousands of people in it, and the many millions of followers worldwide, have been the beneficiaries,” he added.

[MIKA27]

MERCEDES: WE’VE AGREED WITH HAMILTON TO START CONTRACT TALKS

Mercedes has scheduled urgent contractual talks with Formula 1 world championship leader Lewis Hamilton, as the team looks to keep its dominant pairing together beyond 2015.

Currently, the pair are set to race together once again next year, despite clashing on and off track at times as the intensity of their championship fight heated up.

Earlier this year, Mercedes extended its deal with Nico Rosberg, while teammate Hamilton’s contract is still currently set to expire at the end of 2015.

Asked why only Rosberg’s deal was extended, team boss Toto Wolff told the Austrian broadcaster ORF: “We didn’t want to be in a situation where in a year’s time there is the possibility we have to be filling not one but two places.

“Nico is an important part of the team, he fits in well and his performance is good so we wanted to extend at an early stage,” he said during the Sport am Sonntag programme.

“With Lewis,” Wolff continued, “the contract runs for another year anyway and in the summer we started to discuss (extending) it (beyond 2015).

“We have agreed that we want to continue and Lewis has said the same but at some point we decided that it was not the right time to do it. The duel was so intense so we thought it was a good idea to talk after Abu Dhabi.

“Now we have agreed that we get together on Monday in Abu Dhabi to talk about it,” said Wolff.

If confirmed, the news looks set to lock Fernando Alonso out of Mercedes for now, following speculation the Spaniard wanted to find a stop-gap solution for 2015 in order to target Hamilton’s place in silver for 2016.

But it appears Mercedes is happy with Hamilton and Rosberg, despite their run-ins this season. Wolff was asked if he even sees the “fire” between the team’s current pairing as essential to continue Mercedes’ dominance into 2015 and beyond.

“I don’t know if fire is important,” he said. “The only thing the two are interested in is that they have the fastest race car possible. So I would say at the moment that we have a good situation.

“Clearly there are many others who would like to have this cockpit, but I hope our two see it that way as well and we can go on with this driver combination,” added Wolff.

Before the future arrives, however, the eyes of the world will be on Hamilton and Rosberg this weekend in Abu Dhabi as their 2014 championship battle reaches its conclusion.

Asked who the favourite is, Wolff told ORF: “I have been asked this question time and time again in the past days.

“Mathematically, the numbers are on Lewis’ side, but we (Mercedes) want to behave neutrally. Lewis is in the lead and a second place will be enough to be world champion, so Nico has to hope for a third place or worse (for Hamilton).”

“If you look on the basis of the last few races, then everything points to another one-two,” he admitted.

[MIKA27]

TOP 10 FORMULA 1 TITLE DECIDING SHOWDOWNS

Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will decide the Formula One title, with Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fighting for the crown.

Since 1950, there have been 27 last race deciders. The following looks at 10 of the best in chronological order.

Juan Manuel Fangio with Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina in 1950

1950 – Italian Grand Prix, Monza

The seventh round of the season was a three-way title battle between Alfa Romeo team mates Juan Manuel Fangio, of Argentina, and Italians Luigi Fagioli and Nino Farina. Fangio had led the standings but suffered two retirements and failed to score, while Farina won the race and first F1 title.

Sir Jack Brabham pushes his car over the line to win the 1959 F1 world title

1959 – U.S. Grand Prix, Sebring (Florida)

Jack Brabham ran out of fuel and pushed his car across the line to finish fourth and become Australian’s first world champion. Three drivers started with a chance of taking the title: Brabham and Britons Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks. The race was won by New Zealander Bruce McLaren, his first.

John Surtees (#2) 1964 F1 world champion

1964 – Mexican Grand Prix

Another three-way battle, this time all-British and between motorcycle champion John Surtees, Jim Clark and Graham Hill. Hill had led the championship but his hopes disappeared in a collision, Clark retired with a seized engine and Surtees, let through by team mate Lorenzo Bandini, finished second to become the first man to win titles on two wheels and four.

James Hunt vs Niki Lauda in 1976 became a movie

1976 – Japanese Grand Prix, Fuji

One of the most famous showdowns. Ferrari‘s Niki Lauda led McLaren’s James Hunt by three points after an astonishingly brave comeback by the Austrian from a fiery near-fatal crash at the Nuerburgring. Torrential rain made conditions treacherous, with Lauda saying they were too dangerous and withdrawing on the second lap. Hunt finished third and took the title by a point.

Niki Lauda, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna on the podium after the 1984 Portuguese GP

1984 – Portuguese Grand Prix

The smallest winning margin in Formula One history, with Lauda beating McLaren team mate Alain Prost by half a point (the result of the Monaco Grand Prix being stopped early). The Frenchman won the race but Lauda, like Hamilton now, needed only to finish second, which he did. It was his third title.

Alain Prost leads as Nigel Mansell suffers a blowout during the 1986 Australian GP

1986 – Australian Grand Prix, Adelaide

Nigel Mansell was the favourite to win a three-way battle with McLaren’s Prost and Williams team mate Nelson Piquet. Mansell was on course for the title until a blown tyre ended his hopes spectacularly 19 laps from the end. Williams pitted Piquet as a precaution and Prost took his second title.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost collide at the 1990 Japanese GP

1990 – Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka

The race will always be remembered for the first corner collision between World Championship title rivals Ayrton Senna in a McLaren and Ferrari driver Alain Prost, the second consecutive year the two had collided at this race with heavy championship repercussions. It immediately put both cars out of the race and secured for Senna his second World Championship.

Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill collide at the 1994 Australian GP

1994 – Australian Grand Prix, Adelaide

Michael Schumacher won the first of his seven championships in hugely controversial style after turning into title rival Damon Hill as the Briton tried to pass. Both had to retire, handing Schumacher the title by a single point.

Michael Schumacher versus Jacques Villeneuve

1997 – European Grand Prix. Jerez

Another major controversy involving Schumacher, then with Ferrari, who was excluded from the championship classification after trying to take out Canadian Jacques Villeneuve while fighting for the lead. The German had led by a point but retired while his rival finished third to clinch the title.

The 2008 f1 world title was decided on the final day with Felipe Massa losing out to Lewis Hamilton

2008 – Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo

Hamilton clinched a dramatic first title by a single point after the then-McLaren driver secured fifth place in the race with an overtake at the last corner of the last lap just when all seemed lost. Brazilian Felipe Massa, race winner for Ferrari, missed out by a single point.

Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber could not get past Vitaly Petrov at the 2010 Abu Dhabi GP

2010 – Abu Dhabi

The first four-way finale, with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso leading Australian Mark Webber by eight points while Red Bull‘s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Hamilton were also in the reckoning. A strategy error cost Alonso the race while Vettel won to become the youngest champion at 23 years old.

[MIKA27]

VETTEL: BOTH LEWIS AND NICO DESERVE THE TITLE

Outgoing world champion Sebastian Vettel thinks it is possible Nico Rosberg will become his title-winning successor this weekend in Abu Dhabi, but believes both are worthy heirs to his Formula 1 world champion crown which he will relinquish on Sunday.

On paper, given his 17-point lead and run of form, Rosberg’s Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton is the overwhelming favourite to secure his second career drivers’ title.

But Vettel, who in Abu Dhabi will not only depart as reigning world champion but also race for Red Bull for the last time, insists Rosberg cannot be written off.

“Both deserve the title,” the German told Sport Bild. “Lewis won more races than Nico, but Nico has driven very consistently and cleverly. They are different kinds of drivers but both have done a very good job this year.”

Vettel compared Rosberg’s situation to his own first title in 2010, when both Fernando Alonso and his Red Bull teammate Mark Webber were better placed to win the championship at the season finale.

Sebastian Vettel in 2010 with the first of his four F1 world champion trophies

“Fortunately,” Vettel said, “the others failed to bring home the points they needed, “I was quite surprised, because the odds were that Fernando and Mark were much more likely statistically to be able to get the places they needed.

“So it’s a similarly difficult situation for Nico now as it was for me back then,” Vettel said. “I knew that my only chance was to win the (last) race, so I just tried to concentrate on what I had to do. I didn’t want to be updated during the race on the provisional results of the world championship for example.”

Meanwhile, Vettel a quadruple world champion admitted his last race for Red Bull this weekend will be a “strange and very emotional” experience. He is set to switch to Ferrari for 2015 and beyond, but thanked Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz for investing in him and bringing him to Formula 1 stardom.

“Dietrich believed in me and said ‘Give the boy a chance’,” recalled Vettel. “It was at a time that was very difficult for me, because very few people believed in me. I got the chance and thank god it seemed to all work out.”.

[MIKA27]

SEVERAL DRIVERS VYING FOR CATERHAM SEAT IN ABU DHABI

The list of potential Caterham teammates for confirmed driver Kamui Kobayashi at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is growing by the hour.

Names including Andre Lotterer, Roberto Merhi, Rubens Barrichello (I TOLD YOU! ), new GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer and Max Chilton have all been linked with the drive, after Swedish regular Marcus Ericsson terminated his contract last week.

However Lotterer appears to have pulled himself out of the equation, as he did earlier this year at Monza.

Now, Italiaracing reports that Lebanese driver Khalil Beschir is another candidate, perhaps given his high profile in Abu Dhabi as a television pundit and also a manager of up-and-coming Middle Eastern drivers.

In other Formula 1 driver news, although McLaren has denied reports he may be in the running for a Honda-powered role in 2015, Carlos Sainz jr’s road to Formula 1 remains on track.

The Spanish daily Marca reports that the energy drink company-backed 20-year-old will drive Red Bull‘s 2014 car in the post-race Abu Dhabi test next week.

Sainz, the new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, also remains in the running for a 2015 race seat at Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso.

MIKA: I still bet Rubens will be on the grid. Would be great to see him back BUT unsure what he or anyone can do in a caterham