FORMULA 1 - 2014

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'F1 is completely unsustainable'

Former F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan believes the sport has become "completely unsustainable" for the smaller teams.

Just 18 cars will line-up on the grid next Sunday in Austin after both Caterham and Marussia ran into financial troubles.

While Caterham has been placed under administration and is seeking a new buyer, Marussia are in need of an urgent cash injection if they hope to continue.

The demise of the two backmarker outfits has once again highlighted the most serious obstacle facing many of the teams; the cost of competing in the sport.

According to former F1 driver Karthikeyan, who last raced for the defunct HRT team back in 2012, costs have spiralled out of control.

"F1 is just too expensive and completely unsustainable for minnows," he Tweeted. "First HRT, now Caterham/Marussia has been waiting to happen ever since 2010."

However, as the Indian racer pointed out, most fans won't miss either team as aside from Jules Bianchi's P9 in Monaco, neither Marussia nor Caterham have made any major impact on the sport.

He added: "18 cars in Austin for next GP but sadly no one will miss the absentees, once the opening lap is completed without incidents. That's the truth."

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Vettel: Austin track the perfect mix

Sebastian Vettel has billed the Circuit of the Americas as the perfect combination of other track's famous corners.

Formula 1 headed to Austin for the first time in 2012, a race won by Lewis Hamilton. However, a year later it was Vettel who was on the top step of the podium.

The Red Bull driver raced from pole position to the chequered flag to continue his impressive form at a track where he also holds the lap record.

As to be expected, Vettel is a fan of the circuit, which mimics many of the corners found at other famous venues.

He said: "The Circuit of the Americas is a track I like a lot; it has 20 corners and we drive it anti-clockwise. The start/finish straight has a steep incline up to the first corner and is the trademark of the track. For us that means the braking starts uphill, which is not easy and locking the front tyres could be a problem.

"A lot of the corner combinations remind me of other famous circuits on the race calendar. For example the fast combination during the first part of the track feels like Silverstone and Suzuka.

"The famous Maggotts and Becketts passages were used as a model for this part of the track and the drivers enjoy the extremely fast turns, when the car is balanced right.

"Also corners 12 and 15, this section was taken from the Motodrom in Hockenheim. It is a slower part of the track, and is designed to create more of a stadium atmosphere. The long bend also reminds of the famous turn 8 in Istanbul."

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Eighteen cars in Austin Formula 1 Grand Prix?

The word from Bernie Ecclestone is that neither Caterham nor Marussia will be in Austin this weekend, which means that the field will be reduced to just 18 cars. There is no time to cobble together any third car options, as it is believed that these require a minimum of 60 days to be actioned. That being the case, this season will be over before third cars are required to appear.

The crazy thing about the current situation is that the rules regarding third cars are not public and the people who know the answers are bound not to reveal the details by strict confidentiality agreements, so no-one outside the signatories know how they work and anyone revealing the details (including Ecclestone and the FIA) can get into trouble by doing so. In the modern day and age it is astonishing that a sport can have secret rules and one wonders how the International Olympic Committee and other international bodies that recognise the FIA agreed to allow the federation to be a member of their organisations when such things are still the case. One can understand the desire of some to keep the money out of the public domain, although if everyone is paying their taxes there really is no reason to hide this stuff and indeed prize money can be used as a promotional tool, as often happens in US racing.

In the meantime, the best that we can do is to surmise the method by which the teams are chosen (with a little guidance perhaps) but without being able to read the full texts of the most recent agreements. It is believed that there is some kind of a ballot included in the rules, but there are no details of how this can and would be done. It is entirely possible that there are actually no rules regarding that. Whatever the case, these things cannot be changed without unanimous agreement. As I understand it, the third car rule is far less simple than some imagine. Teams cannot just turn up and run extra cars at all the races. In order to be fair (in a fashion) the teams should be given the same opportunities to run third cars because there will always be a strategic element in any additional car running. This means that the choice of these third cars has to be random. As we understand it, each ballot will exclude the team that ran a third car in the last race.

We do not know whether or not the third cars have to be run in the same livery as the two normal entries, or whether the space can be sold to different sponsors. That might help teams pay for these otherwise useless cars, but there may be rules that stop this happening, although there is nothing in the public domain that suggests that this is the case. The Sporting Regulations state that “both cars entered by a competitor must be presented in substantially the same livery at each event”, which does not really help as “both” does not take into account a third car.

The real question is not who turns up in Austin but rather whether there are sufficient cars for next season, or whether teams will be required to run third cars to make up the numbers. This is a disastrous situation for all concerned because it is clear that third cars do not score points (and therefore do not create prize money) but they do deprive others of income because their results are declared void and the others who finish behind them in a race do not move up the order. If, for example, a dominant team is running a third car, the team can score 43 points (for first and second) but the best a rival team can hope for is 22 points because third place will also likely go to the third car of the fastest team, leaving only fourth and fifth places (12 and 10 points) available. If the third car was not there, the second best team can score 27 points. Thus the midfield teams will be forced back in the F1 pecking order and will become less able to make money.

The FIA should get a good idea within a few days as to whether there will be 18 cars or 22 in 2015, as teams entering the World Championship have to lodge an entry by November 1. An entry fee is required. This is $516,128, plus $5,161 per point for the 2015 season.

The other key question that we do not know the answer to is what is in the 100-year agreement between the FIA and FOM regarding the number of entries that must appear at each race, and what allowances are made for breaches. If there are 18 cars only in Austin this could in theory be a breach of the 100-year deal, but we do not know. If it is a breach the FIA could cancel the agreement and claim the commercial rights as its own once again. That is probably not the the case, but as all of this is secret we can only guess.

One can hope that one or both of the teams will be able to revive in the weeks ahead but in both cases the problems lie with the owners. Caterham is a mess and is being led by an Administrator who knows next to nothing about the sport. His actions will largely depend on who gives him advice and he is barely qualified to choose who is the best consultant. It is going to be very much a question of luck. His efforts thus far have been described to me as “blundering”.

Marussia has a buyer waiting in the wings but the Russian owner, who cannot afford to pay for the team, appears to be asking for way too much money for the team to be taken seriously. Missing Austin may drive this point home to him: his team is worth nothing as long as there are 11 teams. If there are 10 it has a little more value, depending on the debts.

There is no official confirmation from Marussia that the team will not be in Austin and, to be honest, it is strange for the Commercial Rights Holder to have announced such a thing before the team has made any statement to that effect. It is dreadful publicity for Formula 1 and thus one must assume that either Ecclestone has done this deliberately, or he does not realise the impact that such a remark. Whatever the case, this brings down the sale value of the Formula One group. The current agreements that bind the FIA and FOM cover the period from 2013 to 2020 and an agreement to renew until 2030 on substantially the same terms, so it is a long-term problem.

No doubt, we will find answers to these questions in the weeks ahead.

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Teams agreed to supply rivals with spare cars - Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone claims that contracts signed by the larger teams in Formula 1 could result in them supplying cars to rival outfits in order to keep the grid from shrinking further.

Whilst the idea of third cars is widely known, Ecclestone has revealed that the third cars would be run by rivals, rather than the team which has designed it. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, the 83-year-old gave an example of how it might work.

"They would supply a third car to someone else so if, for example, Sauber disappeared, a team could do a deal with Sauber. Ferrari could say, 'we will give you a car, all that goes with it, and we want you to put this sponsor on it. You have your own sponsors but we want you to include this one as well and we want you to take this driver'.

"The team wouldn't have to go under then would they? If Red Bull decided they would give a car to Caterham for example that could solve their problem."

It's believed 16 cars must race at any event before contracts are broken with race organisers, therefore this weekend's United States Grand Prix should go ahead with 18 cars present.

However Ecclestone's contracts with the teams states that should the grid fall below 20 cars - giving him a slight buffer - then third cars would be activated, but only once a team has missed more than two races. Therefore third cars would likely not happen until 2015 if both Caterham and Marussia fail to survive as seems likely with both having now appointed administrators.

"We don't have to introduce a third car at this stage because they can miss a couple of races. They lose any money they would have got for those races but they don't lose their position in the championship. I have no idea if Marussia are going to make it in the long run. It's better if they didn't have to go into administration," he added.

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The F1 Circus is fast becoming a Joke!

or is it that the Joke that is F1 is becoming a Circus?

You are correct for BOTH

[Mayday]

Ferrari Days istanbul 26 october 2014

[Mayday]

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FERRARI VIEW: FORMULA 1 LANDS IN AMERICA

Sunday’s United States Grand Prix is the 36th to be held under this name. However, there have actually been 64 Formula 1 races held in the United States, including 11 Indianapolis 500s and a further 18 Grands Prix. Two of those were actually held in the Caesars Palace, Las Vegas car park. Scuderia Ferrari has won twelve of them, equivalent to a 19% hit rate.

Indianapolis then Sebring

One American race was included on the very first Formula 1 calendar: it was the Indianapolis 500 Miles, which was a fixture until 1960, in an attempt to unite the European and American racing scenes and in that respect, it never really came off. Scuderia Ferrari tried its hand at winning on Memorial Day, in 1952 with Alberto Ascari, but the Italian posted a retirement. The first real United States Grand Prix took place in 1959 at Sebring and was won by Bruce McLaren in a Cooper, with Tony Brooks third on the podium for Ferrari. The following year, the race was held at Riverside, but the Scuderia did not take part.

Niki Lauda scorted pole position and a flag-t- flag victory at the 1975 United States Grand Prix

The long wait

To witness a first Ferrari win in the United States one had to wait until 1975: Niki Lauda, with the title already in the bag, won in style at Watkins Glen, on the outskirts of New York, a track which hosted 20 editions of this race. The following year, Clay Regazzoni got the party started. The Italian won at Long Beach, which for eight years hosted the second of two races held annually in the States. At the end of the 70s came two fantastic clean sweeps in America: in 1978 Carlos Reutemann won in Watkins Glen and Long Beach, a feat repeated the following year by Gilles Villeneuve.

Back to Indy

Throughout the 80s the United States was a fixture on the calendar: as mentioned there were two races in Las Vegas, one in Dallas, seven in Detroit and three in Phoenix from 1989 to 1991. After that, The USA dropped off the Formula 1 radar, to return in 2000. Using part of the famous Indianapolis oval, a track was built also featuring a new infield section linking up to the first corner on the oval and it was used for eight Grands Prix. The new venue was inaugurated in the best possible way for Ferrari, with Michael Schumacher winning, to lay the groundwork for that year’s world title.

Michael Schumacher won the US GP at Indianapolis four times in a row

The Golden Years

The new Indianapolis circuit was a happy hunting ground for Ferrari and in 2002, the two cars finished in formation at the front of the field, just as the Prancing Horse had done at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours. The unusual aspect on that day was the fact that Rubens Barrichello just nudged the throttle at the line, which meant that, intentionally or not, the Brazilian crossed the line ahead of team-mate Schumacher by just 11 thousandths of a second. After that the German won four times in a row from 2003 to 2006, the penultimate year of racing at Indy.

In Texas

The United States Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2012 with a brand new venue, the Circuit of the Americas, a spectacular Tilke-designed track, following the Texan contours. As for the current Scuderia Ferrari drivers, neither has ever won the United States Grand Prix, their best being a second place, in 2007 for Fernando and in 2003 for Kimi. At the current venue, the best result for both of them came in 2012, when Fernando finished third and Kimi sixth.

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WILL FORCE INDIA BE THE NEXT F1 TEAM TO FOLD?

Force India has avoided becoming the next Formula 1 team to drop out of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, with insiders reporting that the team is also in a struggle for survival.

Now in administration, backmarkers Caterham and Marussia will miss not only Austin but also the penultimate round of the 2014 world championship a week later in Brazil.

Former FIA president Max Mosley, who for years has warned that smaller teams were in danger of collapse, predicted on Monday that Caterham and Marussia “may not be the last” struggling privateers to go out of business.

Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley has also declared this week that he is worried, as only the biggest five teams are in the decision-making Strategy Group, he warned, “We’ll lose more teams if we carry on like this.”

Fernley’s warning came amid reports the Silverstone based team needed to make an urgent engine payment to supplier Mercedes on Monday or risk joining Caterham and Marussia on the sidelines in Austin.

But Auto Motor und Sport now reports that Force India – owned by beleaguered Indian business tycoon Vijay Mallya – has “removed its neck from the noose” by paying the final engine instalment to the German marque, which means the team remains in the battle to catch McLaren for fifth in the constructors’ world championship.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the fifth-placed team will receive $62 million in official prize money from Bernie Ecclestone, rather than $59-million for sixth.

Meanwhile, because Formula 1 has shed almost 20 per cent of its grid in the space of mere weeks, the FIA looks set to tweak the knockout qualifying format for Austin and Brazil.

“It is thought that the FIA … will have to reorder the three-session qualifying because of there not being enough cars – just 17 with [sebastian] Vettel missing – to go through the usual knockout sequence,” said Kevin Eason, the correspondent for the Times newspaper.

Red Bull‘s Vettel is expected to sit out qualifying as he takes a penalty for using his unscheduled sixth Renault engine of the 2014 season.

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LOTUS SPONSOR: FERNANDO WILL LOOK GOOD IN BLACK & GOLD

A major sponsor of the Lotus team has stirring up Formula 1 silly season natter and compounding the already confusing speculation about Fernando Alonso’s next move.

Most insiders believe the Spaniard and Ferrari have already dissolved their contract, paving the way for Sebastian Vettel to join Kimi Raikkonen at the Italian team in 2015.

Alonso’s future, however, remains unclear, amid claims he will either switch to McLaren-Honda for a year before bidding for a Mercedes seat in 2016, or simply take a sabbatical.

But it may not be as simple as that. Marca claims the delay in an official announcement by Ferrari is because the only way Maranello can clear Alonso’s seat for Vettel is by paying the Spaniard $50 million to compensate for the remainder of his deal.

The latest reports are that, with Stefano Domenicali already headed to Ingolstadt, Audi could be set to quit Le Mans and start up a Formula 1 team centred around Alonso in 2015.

Fernando Alonso has history with Enstone

France’s Auto Hebdo quoted a spokesman for the VW-owned marque as playing down the reports.

“These reports have been around for several years,” the spokesman said. “It is still only pure speculation without any foundation. We are engaged in the WEC, DTM and GT, and we will add the Audi Sport TT Cup to our programme in 2015.”

Meanwhile, although Lotus says it on the verge of re-signing Romain Grosjean for 2015, the Enstone team’s Coca Cola-owned energy drink sponsor Burn is now getting mischievously involved in the Alonso speculation.

“We think Alonso could look great in black and gold, don’t you?” Burn said on Twitter, having photoshopped an image of Alonso wearing Lotus Formula 1 overalls.

Notably Alonso’s career has been intrinsically linked with Enstone, where Lotus are based, as he won the 2005 and 2006 Formula 1 world titles when the current team’s ancestors – Renault – were still in Formula 1 in a works capacity.

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SAINZ: IF VERSTAPPEN DESERVES F1 THEN I DESERVE IT EVEN MORE

Carlos Sainz junior is convinced he should be handed his Formula 1 debut by his backer Red Bull, and has based his claim on stating boldly that he is better and more deserving than Max Verstappen who has been confirmed to drive for Toro Rosso in 2015.

The 20-year-old is the newly crowned champion of the highly rated Formula Renault 3.5 series, but he was overlooked by Red Bull for a guaranteed seat at the junior team Toro Rosso for 2015.

Red Bull decided instead to fast-track the Formula 1 promotion of teenage F3 sensation Max Verstappen.

It means Spaniard Sainz is now clinging to hope he will be picked to be fellow rookie Verstappen’s teammate next year, even though keeping the experienced Jean-Eric Vergne for another season now appears the safer bet.

Sainz, whose father and namesake is the world rally legend, sounds increasingly impatient as he waits for Red Bull’s decision.

Carlos Sainz with Frans Tost

“I think I deserve the seat,” the young driver told the Spanish daily Marca, “and anything other than a seat at that level would bother me a bit.

“Max was third in his championship (European F3), which was won by another rookie,” said Sainz.

He is referring to 18-year-old Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who according to Lotus performed “exceptionally” during his Formula 1 test debut at Valencia last week.

“I’m at the level above that,” Sainz, the new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, insisted. “I’m the youngest in history and I’ve won it with record wins and fastest laps. If Verstappen deserves that (Toro Rosso) seat then I deserve it even more,”

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FORCE INDIA AND ACCELERATE ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

Sahara Force India Formula 1 Team is delighted to announce a new partnership with Accelerate, a brand of the Crash Media Group, a leading motorsport editorial group with an involvement in Formula One dating back to 1999.

The partnership will see Accelerate become the team’s official Digital Partner and spearhead the development of the team’s new, cutting-edge website for the 2015 season onwards, while the Accelerate logo will be featured on team assets such as garage interiors and the media wall.

Accelerate’s vision for the new Sahara Force India home on the web will bring a revolution to the team’s digital offering. The new site, integrating the team’s social media presence with a thriving and growing community of fans, is to become a hub of online activity aiming to bridge the gap between the team and its supporters.

William Miller, Managing Director of Crash Media Group: “Crash has had a long relationship with Sahara Force India and I’m now very happy to be strengthening this relationship to becoming an official partner of the team. Sahara Force India is one of the teams in F1 that is moving in the right direction towards the top of the championship and we are very happy to be able to aid them in that fight. Accelerate, as part of Crash Media Group, has had the pleasure of being involved in a number of different projects with some amazing clients in terms of the creation of digital assets and this project with Sahara Force India ranks right at the top of all of those. To say we are very excited to be going on this journey with the team is an understatement.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer of Sahara Force India: “We are delighted to welcome Accelerate and Crash Media Group as our new Digital Partner. They are established in the motorsport digital world and they are committed to the same values of excellence to which we subscribe. We are excited about the innovations and features they will bring to all our supporters as they renovate our digital presence over the next few seasons.”

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ERICSSON TALKS TO THREE TEAMS FOR 2015 SEAT

Marcus Ericsson’s manager says he is in talks with three alternative Formula 1 teams after Caterham went bust leaving the rookie in the lurch with three races to go.

With the Leafield based team in administration and set to miss the forthcoming Austin-Brazil double header, Swedish rookie Ericsson’s teammate Kamui Kobayashi admitted he is not sure the green team will be back in action for the Abu Dhabi finale next month.

“For the moment we don’t know about Abu Dhabi. Maybe we can (race), we’ll have to see within the next two or three weeks. I’m just waiting for the answer,” the Japanese driver told his fans in a video message posted on Facebook. “At the same time I need to use this time to try to stay in Formula 1.”

Of Caterham’s 2014 race drivers, 28-year-old Kobayashi’s situation appears the most grim, as Ericsson is believed to carry around $18 million per year in personal sponsorship backing.

Departed team boss Manfredi Ravetto revealed recently he had already opened talks with Ericsson’s management “and to his financial backers” about the 2015 season.

But according to Ericsson’s manager Eje Elgh, the fact the 24-year-old rookie is sitting out Austin and Brazil will have “no bearing on his future in Formula 1″.

Nonetheless, Elgh told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he hopes Caterham will be back on track in Abu Dhabi, “[bernie] Ecclestone has given them an ultimatum that they must be in Abu Dhabi to get the license for next year.”

“Without the license, the bankruptcy trustee cannot sell the team because it will be worthless. I am guessing that the team will be at the season finale and that Marcus will be asked to race,” Elgh said.

He also said Ericsson, despite the absence of his team, will be in the paddock in Austin and Brazil because “in this business you never know what’s going to happen”.

But as for 2015, Elgh insisted that Caterham’s woes do not affect Ericsson, “I can’t say when something will be done for next year. Whether you’re 99.9 per cent sure or 80 per cent sure, you’re still not sure. It will take some more time.”

Elgh admitted that, until Caterham’s collapse, he had been in talks with four teams regarding the 2015 season, “The only thing different now, is that there is now greater competition for the places there are. We had a list of four teams, but Caterham was already at the bottom of the list.”

Aftonbladet reported that Ericsson could not be reached for comment.

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MARUSSIA ENTERS ADMINISTRATION

The struggling Marussia Formula 1 team have followed back of the grid rivals Caterham into administration and will miss this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, administrators FRP Advisory LLP said in a statement on Monday.

The move will leave just nine teams and 18 cars on the starting grid for the race in Austin, Texas, which is followed immediately by the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. Caterham went into admnistration last week, with their factory closed and the staff told to stay away until further notice.

“With the existing shareholder unable to provide the required level of funding, the (Marussia) senior management team has worked tirelessly to bring new investment to the team to secure its long term future, but regrettably has been unable to do so within the time available,” said FRP’s joint administrator Geoff Rowley.

“Therefore, they have been left with no alternative but to place the Company into administration.”

The news was expected, with Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone telling Reuters on Saturday that neither team would be going to Austin.

There has been no comment from Marussia, who are ninth in the championship, since last week. Their entry is held officially by Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited with Russian Andrei Cheglakov the majority shareholder.

Reports have for some time indicated that Cheglakov, whose Marussia sportscar company closed in April, was not prepared to put any more money into the team and was seeking an exit if no buyer was forthcoming.

The Ferrari-powered team were already reeling from the life-threatening injury suffered by their French driver Jules Bianchi in JAPAN three weeks ago and entered only one car at what was nominally a home race in Russia.

Bianchi, 25, remains in a critical condition in hospital in Japan with serious brain trauma after crashing into a recovery tractor at Suzuka. Malaysian-registered Caterham are 11th in the championship and have yet to score a point.

The absence of the two struggling British-based teams from Texas means none of the three newcomers that entered the sport in 2010 remains on track. The third, Spanish-based HRT, folded at the end of 2012.

Rowley said that the administrators had assessed that it was not viable for Marussia, given their current financial circumstances, to take part in the next race.

“The Company will continue to operate while the joint administrators assess the longer term viability of the Company in its present form,” he added.

Marussia’s participation in Brazil and Abu Dhabi remained in doubt and will depend on the outcome of the administration process and any related negotiations with interested parties.

However, Rowley recognised there was “a very limited window of opportunity”, revealing that no redundancies had been made and all of the nearly 200-strong staff at the Banbury-based team had been paid in full to the end of October.

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MERCEDES PREVIEW UNITED STATES GP

Round 17 of the 2014 Formula One World Championship brings us to Austin for the United States Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas.

Lewis Hamilton: “Crossing the line on Sunday in Sochi was a really amazing moment. To win the very first Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix and help the team achieve the first Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes-Benz with a one-two finish – it couldn’t have got much better. When I went to the factories in Brackley and Brixworth the week afterwards, the atmosphere was just awesome. Everybody has worked so hard to achieve this title and they all deserve to savour the moment. Of course, we still have three races left to decide the Drivers’ Championship – starting in Austin, which is one of the best weekends of the year. A lot of the American side of my family come to the race, plus I won the first ever Formula One Grand Prix at the circuit back in 2012, so it’s a special one for me. I really enjoy going there and I’m looking forward to another great race – hopefully ending up with another Stetson hat on the top step of the podium!”

Nico Rosberg: “What a week we had after Russia. Being back at Brackley and Brixworth with a Constructors’ Championship title for Mercedes-Benz – the first one ever, of course – and celebrating with all the people I’ve watched working flat-out, day and night for nearly five years to achieve this goal – it was just fantastic. I’m really proud to be a part of this team along with all the great people within it, so it’s great to see them get such a reward for all their efforts. Now, of course, we target a big finish to the season in the final three races. It’s still all to play for in the battle for the Drivers’ Championship and I won’t be giving up the fight until the flag drops in Abu Dhabi. Hopefully we can keep the entertainment going right to the end for the fans out there enjoying the contest. The first step comes in Austin, which is a really cool city and a great race track. I haven’t had the best races there so far, but I’m determined to change that this year.

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “We were immensely proud to have sealed the first ever Formula One World Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes-Benz at the first ever Russian Grand Prix a fortnight ago. The atmosphere since has been fantastic – and rightly so after the years of hard work that everybody has put into this achievement. What is particularly impressive, however, is that among the celebrations there has remained a strong sense of grounding and focus. Not just for the remainder of this season – but for the years to come. Success in Formula One does not come easily and we are determined to ensure that our performance this year is not a one-off but the first of many. For now, though, our priority is to give both drivers the best possible platform for an unhindered fight to the flag in Abu Dhabi. The first step, of course, is Austin – a weekend the whole paddock looks forward to and an important event in terms of bringing Formula One to the United States. The U.S. is the biggest consumer market in the world and the largest global market for Mercedes-Benz; thanks to the race in Austin, we can see that the US is playing a bigger role in our sport, too, with greater interest and investment at many levels. F1 has a passionate fan-base in the USA, which we can see growing all the time: the crowds at the first two races in Austin were absolutely mega, which is very encouraging for the future.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “It was fantastic to secure the Constructors’ Championship at the very first Russian Grand Prix – and a great honour for me personally to be able to collect the race trophy on behalf of the team after such an amazing achievement. This is the result of many years of hard work from everybody involved at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart and it was particularly satisfying to see the title clinched with a one-two finish. Lewis produced a flawless drive and Nico a fantastic recovery from the back of the pack, so it was a proud day all round. There have been plenty of celebrations at the factories, which is great to see. When you’re so focused on competing in a World Championship battle it can be difficult to take a step back and appreciate what has been achieved. Of course, with three races still to go it’s been straight back to business. The Drivers’ Championship has yet to be settled and it is still all to play for with the standings so close. We have the prospect of a dramatic finale with the double-points race in Abu Dhabi and it is unlikely to be decided before that point. Our focus has been very much on providing the drivers with the equipment to compete on equal terms so that the best man may win. Looking first to Austin, it’s only the third time we’ve been there as a sport and it’s an event the whole team enjoys. It’s an interesting city and we see fantastic support from the American fans. It’s also a great racetrack – a good all-round circuit which is demanding of all aspects of the car.

As we saw in Russia, a new – or relatively new – track surface can give unpredictable results in terms of tyre performance, so we’ll be doing our best to prepare for all eventualities and produce another strong result.”

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MCLAREN PREVIEW UNITED STATES GP

Following a three-week break, the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship bursts back into action this weekend in Austin, Texas. The United States Grand Prix is a hugely popular event; the Circuit of the Americas is a challenging racetrack and the vibrant city of Austin provides plenty of entertainment away from the main event.

Jenson Button has long had good memories of racing in the USA – it was at Indianapolis in 2003 that he led a Grand Prix for the first time. He also has a good record at the Circuit of the Americas, having finished in the points for the past two years. Kevin Magnussen will be driving at the track for the first time.

Jenson Button: “It’ll be good to get to Austin after the three-week break. I really enjoy this circuit; a great mix of a high-speed straight and really fast, technical sections to get your teeth into. It’s also one of the few circuits that run anti-clockwise, which makes it a little bit more of a challenge. Although this is only our third grand prix in Austin, it feels like we’ve been going there a lot longer. It’s testament to the fans, who are fantastic and always provide a great welcome, and it’s already a very popular track amongst the drivers. I’ve had positive results there over the past two years, and our performance in recent races has shown that our pace is improving as we move towards the end of the season, so I’m looking forward to this weekend. Perhaps this track won’t suit us quite as well as Sochi did, but it’s a similar circuit in terms of set-up so I’m hopeful we can take the fight to our closest rivals. As usual, we’ll be pushing to get the maximum out of our car and secure a strong finish for the team in front of the passionate US fans.”

Kevin Magnussen: “I’m really intrigued by this circuit; it’s already become one of the drivers’ favourites and the mix of high-speed corners and elevation changes makes it a really exciting challenge. Although this will be my first time driving on the track here in Austin, I’ve driven it in the simulator and many of the corners have similarities to corners on other great circuits. Turns Three, Four and Five are very like the fast Maggotts-Becketts section at Silverstone, for example, which I know well, so I’m really looking forward to getting out on track in the car. The track has a very long, fast back straight but also lots of complex, high-speed corners, so this weekend the focus will be on finding the best balance and set-up compromise with my engineers as soon as we get started. I’ve also heard a lot about the famous ‘Austinite’ welcome – the fans in the US are always really enthusiastic so there should be a great atmosphere. In Russia we battled hard and came away with a positive result, so despite the three-week break I’m determined to carry that momentum into Austin and hit the ground running, so that we can secure another decent performance for the team.”

Eric Boullier, racing director: “Off the back of our improved pace in Russia, the whole team is looking forward to returning to Austin after a three-week break. It’s a very popular track that’s already made its mark on the Formula 1 calendar, and the drivers and team personnel alike really enjoy going there. The organisation of the event and the facilities at Austin are very impressive, and both races since its opening have been a success. As we move closer to the end of the season we’re continuing the development of our car, working flat-out to extract the maximum performance from our package as each race goes by. Our result in Sochi gave us increased confidence, and we come to Austin with the firm intention of building on this recent form with a strong finish for the team and boosting our points buffer over Force India in the Constructors’ standings. Of course, though, it goes without saying that, despite everything, our thoughts and prayers are firmly with Jules Bianchi and his family as we await news on his condition.”

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW UNITED STATES GP

Force India preview the United States Grand Prix, Round 17 of the 2014 Formula 1 world championship, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Vijay Mallya sums up the mood ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

Let’s look back on the race in Russia – what did you think of the event?

VM: “It’s a very nice track. It looked very impressive on television and the drivers seemed to like it. I think the organisers did a fantastic job and I would rate it as one of the best new tracks we’ve seen. Turn Three, in particular, stands out as one of the great corners in Formula One.”

The team is now sixth in the championship with three races to go…

VM: “It’s been a ding-dong battle all season. Fifth place is not that far ahead so it’s certainly not out of reach. As I said before Russia, we’re not giving up, whether it’s Austin, Sao Paulo, or Abu Dhabi we’ll give it everything we have! The final races of the season traditionally can deliver surprises and we must be ready to take any opportunity that comes up.”

Do you enjoy the race in Austin?

VM: “It’s a lovely race in a fantastic city. The USA has a long history in Formula One and it seems Austin as a city has continued the tradition of embracing the United States Grand Prix. The grandstands are full, the supporters are passionate and knowledgeable, and there is a party atmosphere in town for the whole week. It’s one of my favourite events in the calendar.”

Driver’s View:

Nico Hülkenberg: “I remember that as soon as I drove in Austin my first thought was that it was an amazing circuit. It’s fun to drive, with lots of different kinds of corners, and it’s one of the best tracks from the new generation of circuits. It’s very easy to find a rhythm and the tarmac is very smooth, which makes it very nice to drive. Away from the track, Austin is a venue everybody enjoys visiting. It’s not the biggest city, but there is a good atmosphere and they love Formula One. I’ve had good results in Austin [P8 in 2012 and P6 in 2013] so I am feeling upbeat about this weekend. It’s clear that some teams ahead of us have made a step forward recently, but we know that we can race well. I think it’s realistic to target points again this weekend and try to close the gap to fifth place.”

Sergio Perez: “Austin is a great race and because it’s so close to Mexico it feels like my ‘home’ race. There are usually a lot of Mexican fans and you feel a lot of support because the grandstands are full and there are always a lot of Mexican flags. I enjoy the track, especially the first sector and the uphill turn one, which is quite unusual. You can brake extremely late for this corner and it’s a good overtaking opportunity. From there you go into the quick corners: turns three, four and five, which are a lot of fun to drive. I arrive in Austin feeling positive. I’ve scored points in every race since the summer break – five races in a row – and I think we’ve maximised what we could get out of those races. We’ve been racing hard, taking some chances, and making some excellent decisions with the strategy so hopefully we can continue to do so in the next few races.”

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SAUBER PREVIEW UNITED STATES GP

The United States Grand Prix is another highlight of this year’s Formula One calendar, and both Esteban Gutiérrez and Adrian Sutil, as well as the rest of the Sauber F1 Team, are looking forward to travelling to Texas. From 31st October to 2nd November, the 17th of 19 rounds of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship will take place on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

Esteban Gutiérrez (car number 21): “I am looking forward to the United States Grand Prix; it is a great feeling coming to Austin. For me it is a special Grand Prix, because we will have a lot of support from Mexico, as it is currently the race which is closest to my home country. I am looking forward to having great support from our fans there, which gives me extra motivation. The race weekend is always busy, and it requires a lot of energy. The track in Austin is one of my favourites, I love driving there. I like the first sector with a sequence of fast corners, which is similar to a part of the track in Silverstone. As we are still facing a lack of straight line speed, the second part of the track could be a challenge, as it has a long straight. In the last sector there are some technical, slow-speed corners. All in all, it will be crucial to have a good set-up as well as efficient aerodynamics.”

Adrian Sutil (car number 99): “The United States Grand Prix is a great event in a country in which motorsport is hugely important. I have only been to Austin once. It is a very interesting track that offers a bit of everything. After the first slow corner, the track has a sequence of left-right combinations which remind me of the “Esses“ in Suzuka. It is a lot of fun driving there. Obviously, a high amount of downforce, as well as engine power, is needed to be fast there. During the race there are many fans, and the city of Austin is also very nice. Some of my friends from the US will come for a visit. For me it is a great event, and I am looking forward to it. We will certainly do our best to get the maximum out of our package.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Track Engineering: “After two race-free weekends the team is off to Austin with some extra energy, ready for the closing stages of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship. At this point in the season the cars aren’t being upgraded any longer, therefore it is important to keep concentrated and build upon what we’ve been gathering to date. The track offers some interesting features for the engineers’ work, from the winding sector one to the straight in sector two, followed by sector three, which requires good traction and a lot of grip. The tarmac isn’t very abrasive, and, despite Pirelli moving away from the harder options by offering medium and soft compounds, we don’t expect this to result in a massive amount of pit stops.”

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Andretti: F1 should loosen up a bit

Former World Champion Mario Andretti has called on Formula 1 bosses to "explore every angle" to "enhance and increase the interest" in the sport.

F1 is going through troubled times after two teams - Caterham and Marussia - went into administration in the space of a few days, taking the number of drivers on the grid for the US GP to just 18.

Many people believe that a budget cap is the way to go, but Andretti feels the powers that be should "look at some of the stranger rules" and get a bit more "creative".

"Formula One should loosen up a bit. I think they've gone slightly overboard with the technical side of the engine," Andretti, who is also the official ambassador for the US GP, told The Guardian. "And we saw in Sochi [the previous race in Russia], teams backing off for fuel reasons, just to make it to the end.

"I would love to see a team invite a third car for a special event. For the US Grand Prix, say, Mercedes could invite a third car, having groomed some well-known American driver in testing, to take part as a guest competitor. Can you imagine what that would do for the promotion of the event? Every newspaper in the country would write about it."

He added: "There are ways of using a little bit of creativity to enhance and increase the interest. It's all there for the taking. It's just a question of looking at some of the stranger rules they have in F1. Some people might laugh at that, but what I'm saying is very valid. And as time goes by they may have to look at things like this. F1 should explore every angle."

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Kobayashi to 'evaluate possibilities'

Kamui Kobayashi says he feels "very sorry for the fans" after Caterham confirmed they will skip the next two grands prix.

Following weeks of mudslinging between former owner Tony Fernandes and new Swiss-Middle Eastern backers, the Leafield squad went into administration last week and revealed it will miss this weekend's US GP and the one in Brazil.

The team are still hoping to return to the grid in Abu Dhabi, but Kobayashi is considering his options.

"Unfortunately, due to team's situation, I will not able to race in United States GP and Brazilian GP," he wrote on his personal website.

"I am very sorry for the fans looking forward those races. While I am carefully observing the situation, I will evaluate possibilities and make best choice for my future."

Meanwhile, rookie Marcus Ericsson is keeping his "spirit high" despite the difficult situation.

"Turbulent times. A lot of things going on at the moment," the Swede said via Twitter.

"But I'm pushing on as usual and keeping my spirit high. Thanks to all my amazing fans for all your support."

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Audi deny F1 interest

Audi insist rumours linking the company to F1 are "pure speculation" and are "without any foundation."

Recently reports claimed that Audi, winner of 13 of the past 16 24 Hours of Le Mans races, were considering moving in Formula 1.

The German manufacturer would reportedly enter the circus in 2016 and were chasing Fernando Alonso to head their line-up.

Audi, though, have denied the rumours.

"Audi in Formula 1?" Audi Sport wrote on its Facebook page. "These rumors keep appearing with regularity since years.

"It's pure speculation again this time and without any foundation.

"We are committed to the FIA WEC, DTM and GT racing. In 2015 we will add the Audi Sport TT Cup to our program."

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Brit duo 'close' to Marussia buy-out

Two Brits, Baljinder Sohi and Sonny Kaushal, are reportedly "very close" to purchasing Marussia, which has been put into administration.

On Saturday it emerged that Marussia would not take part in this coming weekend's United States GP as the team is in urgent need of a cash injection.

The situation took a turn for the worse on Monday with news that the team Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited are now under administration.

However, Marussia are still hoping that the team will be sold for an estimated £55million.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Andy Webb, Marussia's chief executive, approached Sohi and Kaushal to try broker deal. And although close to an agreement, the two parties are 'around £10 million apart in their valuations' of the team.

"We are very close to a deal," Sohi revealed to the newspaper. "But it has to be the right price.

"We have put in a serious offer and we will see what happens."

The Telegraph added that should the duo purchase the team, they will be taking on its debts which are about "£30 million".

Meanwhile, Marussia have confirmed that the team has officially been put into administration.

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Magnussen 'pretty happy' with debut

Kevin Magnussen reckons he has done a "decent job" in his first season in F1 and would be "happy" to partner Fernando Alonso at McLaren.

The Danish driver made his F1 debut this season in Australia and made an immediate impact with a podium result.

As the season continued, McLaren struggled to repeat that showing while Magnussen found he still had much to learn.

While it took nine races for the 22-year-old to double his points-haul since Australia, last time out in Sochi he achieved his best result since the season-opener as he brought his MP4-29 home in fifth place.

He said in an interview with RichlandF1.com: "You always look back and think you should have done this or that better, but I think all in all I'm pretty happy.

"I've done a decent job and I think I've learnt pretty quickly. I haven't won anything. That's what makes me happy, so in that way no, but I think I've done a good job."

He added: "On a couple of occasions I've had some penalties and I need to solve that. It's very marginal in what I need to do differently.

"There've been close calls all the time and it's annoying I've been getting the penalties each time, but it's good that I'm not in a position to be losing the championship because of that. That's positive in that I've got time to learn and make these mistakes. I'm learning all the time."

It remains to be seen, though, whether Magnussen will be given a second season to learn at McLaren.

The Woking team has yet to announce either driver for the 2015 Championship although Fernando Alonso is widely believed to be one of the drivers.

Asked for his thoughts on the double World Champion, Magnussen said: "He's certainly one of the most complete drivers, but it's difficult to know unless you've worked with him.

"Obviously he's a double World Champion, but there who've been World Champion more than twice... So are they better drivers? It's difficult to say."

Pressed as to whether he would like to work with Alonso, he concluded: "As long as I'm here I'm happy."

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Maldonado: Three races to break duck

Although Lotus are working hard towards 2015, Pastor Maldonado insists the team has not given up on this season.

With three races remaining in this year's Championship, Lotus are down in eighth place in the Constructors' Championship with just eight points.

All eight of those points have been scored by Romain Grosjean as Maldonado has yet to get off the mark with his new team.

The Venezuelan driver, though, is adamant he'll keep trying until the very end.

"Nineteen races seem to fly by, even when you're not having the season performance you want," he said.

"There have been so many changes for this year. Though the year has gone quickly, it still seems like Albert Park was such a long time ago!

"We have three races left to try to get some more points on the board.

"We know that won't be easy with the strength of the competition, but it's something we still try for. The final three races of 2014 are all great events so we really want to finish as strongly as we can."

As such, the driver says neither he nor the team has given up salvaging something from this season.

"We still have three races left in 2014 so that is our priority, but it's no secret that we are all looking to 2015 with a lot of excitement," he said.

"It will be my second season with Lotus F1 Team and we have worked well together in 2014. There will be a lot of changes to the car and the team is very positive about the potential of next year's chassis.

"At the end of the season I will get some quality time with my family then I'll return in 2015 fresh for the next challenge."

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Mercedes engine deal too good to pass on - Lotus

The opportunity to have a Mercedes engine in the back of their car next season was too good of a deal to pass on according to Lotus's Gerard Lopez.

The outfit will switch from Renault to rival unit Mercedes next year after inking a multi-year deal. The team will become the German marque's third customer, replacing McLaren which will switch to Honda power.

Speaking to Autosport, Lopez believes Mercedes will still be the best option next year, though he expects rivals including Renault to have caught up a little.

"Clearly Mercedes has the engine; we expect them to continue having it - they've just done a better job," he said.

"We were one of the rare independent teams that could have access to that engine," explained Lopez. "I think for the team it was the right choice."

Lopez highlighted Renault's focus on Red Bull and Toro Rosso as a good reason to jump ship as they have very little say in how the unit is developed and what areas are focused on.

"Renault has struggled clearly this season. I don't think they will struggle as much next year, but neither do I think they will catch up to Mercedes that fast, and so for us it was a pure performance decision.

"I think Renault has already been focusing quite a bit on one team, or at least two teams, in terms of rolling road testing and so on. "It's the way it is and for sure [the switch] is good for us."