FORMULA 1 - 2014

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Sutil: Sauber deserved Q3 berth

Progressing to Q3 for the first time this season, Adrian Sutil believes his P10 will be "crucial for the motivation" as the team chases their first points.

This season has been a trying one for Sauber who, with three races remaining, are down in tenth place in the Championship.

The team is one of only two, the other being Caterham, who has yet to score a single World Championship point.

Sutil, though, is hoping to put that right this Sunday having qualified his C33 inside the top ten.

"It was a great qualifying," said the German driver.

"In the morning we had a good free practice, and I felt comfortable with the car. The air and track temperatures went up a little in comparison to the morning, but the balance of the car was still good.

"We put in a great performance today, and we deserved to make it into Q3 for the first time this year. The entire team did a great job.

"I am pleased for everyone within the team as, especially in our current situation, this is an important result which is crucial for the motivation."

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HAMILTON TAKES BIG STEP TOWARDS TITLE WITH TEN IN TEXAS

Lewis Hamilton took a big step towards a second Formula One world championship on Sunday with his 10th win of the season in a U.S. Grand Prix that saw Mercedes equal the record for one-two finishes.

The Briton stretched his lead over team mate Nico Rosberg to 24 points with two races and a maximum of 75 points remaining, a gap that guarantees the title chase will go down to the final round in Abu Dhabi whatever happens in Brazil.

“It’s been an incredible run. This whole season has been incredible really,” said Hamilton after his fifth win in succession.

Rosberg led from pole position but Hamilton saw his chance and grabbed it when the German went wide into turn 12 on the 24th of 56 laps.

Hamilton went through on the inside, forcing his team mate onto the runoff on the exit in an emphatic move that left no room for reply and summed up the confidence and momentum he carried into the race.

“I was quite a bit back but I felt very confident, there was a big headwind into 12, and I just felt like I was waiting for the moment really, to just be just close enough to throw it up the inside,” said Hamilton. “And that’s what I did.”

A dejected Rosberg told former champion Mario Andretti in a podium interview, with a sea of fans spilling onto the track below in the Texas sunshine, that losing again to his team mate “kind of sucks”.

“It took too long for me to find my rhythm. Once Lewis got by I found my rhythm but it was too late,” he said.

The pair finished 4.3 seconds apart to equal McLaren‘s 1988 record, set by Alain Prost and the late Ayrton Senna, of 10 one-two finishes in a season — even if there were fewer races back in those days.

Hamilton is only the third driver and first non-German, after Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, to win 10 races in a single season. He is the third Briton, after Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell, to win five in a row and is now also his country’s most successful in terms of wins with 32.

“It is such a privilege to represent my country and to be top of the drivers’ standings. The car was great today,” said the race winner.

Hamilton’s second victory in Austin came six years to the day since he won his first world title in Brazil in 2008 but he will have to wait until Nov. 23 now to know if he is to be champion again thanks to the novelty of double points for the final race.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished third for Red Bull in a result that mathematically ruled him out of a title battle that is now a straight duel between the Mercedes drivers and guarantees their team both titles. Hamilton has 316 points to Rosberg’s 292.

Behind the top three, Williams pulled further away from Ferrari in the constructors’ championship already won by Mercedes with fourth and fifth places for Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finland’s Valtteri Bottas respectively.

Without a slow pitstop, that allowed Ricciardo to get ahead, Massa might have been on the podium.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso was sixth and Red Bull’s Vettel, the quadruple champion and last year’s winner who started from the pit lane due to an engine penalty, took seventh after making up seven places in the last seven laps. McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen was eighth.

Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne finished ninth for Toro Rosso but was demoted to 10th after a five second penalty was applied for forcing Lotus’s Romain Grosjean off the road. That elevated Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado to ninth for Lotus, his first points of the season.

Sauber’s hopes of a first point of a nightmare season, after Adrian Sutil had qualified 10th, disappeared when the German was shunted out on the first lap by Force India’s Sergio Perez, who also hit Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari.

The incident, with the wrecked Sauber left stranded and thousands of Mexican fans disappointed to see Perez retire, brought out the safety car for two laps as marshals cleared debris strewn across the track.

It was also an ironic outcome for both, given that much of the build-up had been overshadowed by talk of a possible boycott by Sauber and Force India as a protest against the unequal division of revenues and lack of support.

Only nine teams took part in the race, the lowest number since 2005, due to Caterham and Marussia going into administration.

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Ricciardo: Cool to be able to 'see the Mercs'

Daniel Ricciardo left Austin with plenty of positives as he not only beat Williams to the final podium spot, but also managed not to fall too far off the Mercedes cars.

The Red Bull driver started the United States GP fifth on the grid, behind both Mercedes cars and the Williams drivers of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, but he finished on the podium alongside the Merc duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

And for once he wasn't blown away by the pace of the Brackley-based squad.

"I'm happy with that. I could see the Mercedes for the first part of the race which was really cool, I don't know if they were just chilling, but we seemed to have good pace," the Australian said.

The undercut worked like a charm for Ricciardo at the Circuit of the Americas as he pitted before Bottas and then moved ahead while the Finn was on his outlap, and the trick worked a second time as well as he was ahead of Massa by the time the Brazilian made his way out of the pits for his second stop.

"It was great to get ahead of the Williams and to get onto the podium. The start wasn't very good, I have to put my hand up to that one, but the recovery was good so we didn't really lose out. The pit stops were really good, Red Bull is known for being awesome in the pits and they showed it today."

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Perez blames Sutil for Austin shunt

Sergio Perez believes Adrian Sutil "closed the door" on him, resulting in their coming together at the United States GP.

Fighting for position on lap 2 of Sunday's 56-lap grand prix, Perez tried to pass Sutil by sliding up the inside of the Sauber.

However, instead of making the move stick, he made contract with Kimi Raikkonen, who was ahead on the track, and also with Sutil.

Heavy damage to both the Force India and the Sauber forced both drivers to retire.

But while Sutil said "Perez just kicked me off the circuit", the Mexican racer believes the German was to blame.

He told the BBC: "I was trying to do the move into 15 and then Adrian closed the door. I tried to brake late but I couldn't avoid Kimi.

"It is a shame.

"We were looking forward to the points and it is one of those races when you really didn't want anything to happen but unfortunately it happened in the most important race for me."

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Vergne loses ninth to Maldonado with Grosjean clash penalty

Jean-Eric Vergne has lost his ninth-placed finish in the US Grand Prix after being penalised for colliding with Formula 1 rival Romain Grosjean.

Toro Rosso F1 racer Vergne made contact with Grosjean's Lotus in the closing stages of Sunday's race at Austin, after locking up his brakes while trying to overtake into Turn 1.

Officials subsequently hit Vergne with a five-second penalty for forcing Grosjean's Lotus off the circuit in the collision.

The penalty means Vergne switches places with Grosjean's 10th-placed Lotus team-mate Pastor Maldonado in the final results.

Grosjean ultimately finished 11th, but felt Vergne's aggressive move cost him a potential points finish.

"Jean-Eric came into Turn 1 and bumped into me, broke my front wing and my floor and I couldn't really recover," Grosjean told NBC Sports.

"I was on the radio saying 'guys, that's not fair, he [should] get something', because I could have got P8.

"I may not get my points and position but it's good that Pastor scored and we were finally able to fight with Ferrari and Toro Rosso."

Vergne said he felt he had to take a risk in trying to pass Grosjean when he did.

"I had to do something, I was not going to stay sitting behind waiting," Vergne explained.

"I saw the opportunity and I went for it. He closed the door but it was too late."

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ERS error cost Nico Rosberg in battle with Lewis Hamilton

Nico Rosberg has revealed that an ERS error was key to allowing Formula 1 title rival Lewis Hamilton to overtake him for victory at the United States Grand Prix.

The German led the early stages of the race from pole position, but he was unable to hold on to the front spot after Hamilton pulled off a move at the end of the back straight on lap 24.

Following a post race debrief, Rosberg discovered that he had been left without extra ERS power to defend the position after requesting the boost via a switch change rather than using a button.

"I made a mistake because I used the wrong thing to get more KERS," said Rosberg, when asked by AUTOSPORT about the move.

"When I saw him coming I decided to go for extra boost but I never got it.

"I thought I was using the right thing, but there was a delay in that one.

"If I did it with a button it would be immediate, but with a switch there is a delay, so I never got the extra KERS.

"I had a big drop off, which is why in the last metres he got a good jump on me.

"So, that was a mistake that I didn't know about."

Although Rosberg accepts he could have been more aggressive in defending the inside line against Hamilton, he thinks it ultimately would have made little difference.

"I am sure I could have done better, but it is a judgement thing," he said.

"If I defended a lot he would brake late on the outside and get me on the next one.

"I thought indicating I am closing the door would have been enough to stop him from trying, but it wasn't.

"Because I was part way over already, I thought that was enough for him to think he should not try, but it wasn't."

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Sergio Perez punished for 'reckless' crash with Adrian Sutil

Sergio Perez will take a seven-place grid penalty for the next Formula 1 race in Brazil, after the FIA found him guilty of reckless driving in the US Grand Prix.

Force India F1 racer Perez collided with the Sauber of Adrian Sutil on the opening lap of Sunday's race at Austin, putting both out of the event and causing a safety car period.

The stewards have slapped Perez with a seven-place grid penalty and two penalty points on his licence for causing the collision.

An FIA statement read: "The driver of car #11 [Perez] could not reasonably have expected to complete the manoeuvre. His collision with car #99 [sutil] was reckless."

Perez described the incident, in which he also made lighter contact with Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari, as "unfortunate".

"I made a move on Adrian at Turn 15 when he left the door open, so I went up the inside, then Adrian started to close the door and I had to try and brake later than him," Perez explained.

"By doing so I was unable to avoid contact with Kimi, which caused me to make contact with Adrian also.

"I just didn't expect Kimi to be in that position."

Sutil started a season's best ninth for the race, and was frustrated to miss out on a chance of scoring Sauber's first points of the season.

"It was such a shame and so disappointing and so unnecessary," Sutil said.

"We were hoping for a great result today and because of a silly action like this we missed everything.

"It is very disappointing that we missed our biggest chance of points because of this move."

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Kimi Raikkonen says he hates current Ferrari situation

Kimi Raikkonen says he hates the situation he finds himself in with the handling of his Ferrari Formula 1 car at the moment, following a disappointing US Grand Prix.

The 2007 world champion came home 13th and one lap down on race winner Lewis Hamilton at Austin on Sunday, as his race was marred by front-end problems that plagued him all weekend.

"Here was again one of the most difficult weekends," Raikkonen told reporters after the race.

"Japan was similar - we fight with understeer the whole weekend and whatever we do we can't seem to get rid of it.

"Then you can expect in the race to destroy the front tyres.

"Obviously I hate the situation the way it is and the way things are going, and I cannot solve it by myself."

Raikkonen added that the main frustration with his problems was that he and Ferrari have been unable to pinpoint what is causing them.

"To try to drive slowly in certain places didn't make any difference [to the life of the front tyres] so I don't understand it really," he said.

"Wherever we finished it's pretty disappointing. Not being able to solve certain issues is frustrating.

"Hopefully something comes up and we find what the issues are.

"I appreciate some help and obviously we try to help each other to fix these issues, but if we knew the issue it would be easier to solve."

The Finn said that team-mate Fernando Alonso - who finished sixth - is not as sensitive to the front-end difficulties with the 2014 Ferrari.

"In certain places, yes, it's the same issue, but I think he doesn't mind too much when the front is sliding," he said.

"So the effect is not so big then. It's a bit of a different story."

ALONSO BATTLES VIBRATIONS

Alonso only just held onto sixth at the end of the race, beating Sebastian Vettel to the line by half a second after his car developed a serious vibration in the closing stages.

"I had huge vibrations on the tyres for the last two laps," said Alonso. "I could not even see the track, basically.

"I tried to control the pace. I was asking for the gap from behind to cross the line just in front of them.

"But then Vettel overtook [Kevin] Magnussen and there was no time to save any more so on the last lap I was flat out with huge vibrations."

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REPORTS INDICATE ALONSO-MCLAREN DEAL IS SIGNED AND SEALED

After a long period of mystery and speculation, the course of Fernando Alonso’s future in Formula 1 is now beginning to clear.

Multiple authoritative sources are reporting that the Spaniard is definitely headed to McLaren-Honda, on an initial two-year deal to be Danish youngster Kevin Magnussen’s teammate.

“Could be,” team boss Eric Boullier told Antena 3 when asked about Alonso’s future in connection with McLaren, where he drove with Mercedes power in 2007.

“He is one of the drivers we have spoken to,” the Frenchman admitted. “He is one of the options. I hope that we have decided before Abu Dhabi, I want it to be done by then, but until now we have not decided.”

If the Alonso reports are true, the news is expected to end Jenson Button’s Formula 1 career, amid suggestions he could be headed to Le Mans with Porsche.

Boullier continued: “One of the reasons it is taking us so long is that we have to make the right decision with someone who fits the team’s strategy for the coming years. I apologise to the fans, but it is something very important. Undoubtedly the most important decision in a long time.”

Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi, a former champion for McLaren, thinks Alonso and the British team are the right fit for 2015, “Honda will want to return with guarantees and Fernando is one of the best drivers to develop a new project. I think it can be very successful.”

The Swiss newspaper Blick believes Alonso and McLaren actually agreed terms a few weeks ago in Russia, but for now the news remains unofficial.

“It looks like he is going there (to McLaren),” said another Formula 1 legend, Mario Andretti, “but it’s not clear. I spoke (in Austin) with Ron Dennis about it but he quickly changed the subject.”

Also waiting is Ferrari, but the Italian team undoubtedly has its announcement of Sebastian Vettel’s impending arrival all ready to publish.

Boullier, meanwhile, dismissed speculation Honda will make its return to Formula 1 next year only after a troubled period of development.

“It is curious that all the reports about the engine being wrong or not being on time are coming from Italy,” he said. “Don’t worry. We will be ready.”

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SANTANDER MEETS MCLAREN AS ALONSO PLAYS HARDBALL

Evidence is building by the day that Fernando Alonso is definitely McLaren-Honda bound come the end of the 2014 Formula 1 season, but the Spaniard has played hardball in his contract dealings.

Writing in Blick, well connected veteran correspondent Roger Benoit claims the deal was actually all but finalised a few weeks ago in Sochi, Russia.

It appears a two-year term with an option for 2017 has been agreed, but perhaps with the minute details still being discussed.

“Alonso has played it very hard,” a McLaren insider is quoted as saying by the Spanish daily Marca.

The newspaper’s correspondent Marco Canseco claims all the evidence points in favour of the Spanish driver switching from Ferrari to McLaren-Honda for 2015.

Another piece of the puzzle, he said, were “several meetings” in Austin last Sunday morning when “Santander marketing representatives” sat down with their McLaren counterparts ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

Although the Spanish banking group is signed up to stay with Ferrari as a major sponsor, Santander – closely and personally aligned with Alonso – has worked with McLaren since 2007, with branding still prominent on the drivers’ chests.

Marca also published a photo of Alonso taking a close look at Jenson Button’s 2014 McLaren in parc ferme immediately after the US Grand Prix.

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ADMINISTRATOR EXPECTS CATERHAM TO RACE IN ABU DHABI

Caterham administrators expect the Formula 1 team to be in a position to race in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after missing races in Texas and Brazil.

“We are now extremely hopeful that we will be going to Abu Dhabi,” Finbarr O’Connell told Reuters ahead of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the championship.

“I think I’ve got enough confidence now to say I’d be very surprised if we were not racing in Abu Dhabi,” he added in a telephone conversation. “I’m now really hopeful for the future of the team.”

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, for which double points are on offer, is on 23 November Caterham and Manor F1, who raced as Marussia this year and are also in administration, were both named on a provisional 2015 championship entry list published on Wednesday despite their problems.

The International Automobile Federation’s (FIA) Twitter feed listed all the 11 teams that started the current season with an asterisk against Manor Grand Prix Racing as subject to confirmation. Caterham’s entry was under the name of 1Malaysian Racing Team, whose ownership is currently unclear.

O’Connell said the entry had been lodged without a fee being paid, with plenty of time before a 30 November deadline, “We’re trying to sell a racing team and clearly a new owner will want to be racing next season.”

Under the sporting regulations, the FIA requests that applications to compete in the Championship be submitted between 21 October and 1 November. Later applications depend on a place being available and incur a late entry fee. Caterham went into administration on 24 October while Marussia followed on 27 October.

O’Connell said he had been struck by the commitment of employees who had continued working at the Leafield factory without pay to ensure they were ready to race: “This is a phenomenal team of people.”

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RAIKKONEN: I HATE THE SITUATION THE WAY IT IS

The pressure on Kimi Raikkonen has openly admitted that he hates the situation he finds himself with the woeful Ferrari F14T, but despite below par performances Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci insists that the team will be positive as the Finn raises his game.

It is a near-certainty that disgruntled Fernando Alonso is leaving the Maranello team, but also with a solid 2015 contract is his Finnish teammate.

Any speculation Raikkonen might also depart Ferrari, however, has been mild at best, even though Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport is questioning whether the 2007 world champion should be kept in red.

That is because he has had a poor return to Ferrari this year, scoring fewer than 1 point in every 4 towards the team’s total tally as Alonso utterly dominated the battle between teammates in red.

Raikkonen has openly admitted he has struggled with the car, and in Austin it was the same story, “Here was again one of the most difficult weekends. Japan was similar – we fight with understeer the whole weekend and whatever we do we can’t seem to get rid of it. Then you can expect in the race to destroy the front tyres.”

“Obviously I hate the situation the way it is and the way things are going, and I cannot solve it by myself. To try to drive slowly in certain places didn’t make any difference [to the life of the front tyres] so I don’t understand it really,” he said.

“Wherever we finished it’s pretty disappointing. Not being able to solve certain issues is frustrating. Hopefully something comes up and we find what the issues are. I appreciate some help and obviously we try to help each other to fix these issues, but if we knew the issue it would be easier to solve,” he added.

Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa were Ferrari teammates

Felipe Massa, who until last year was Alonso’s Ferrari teammate, suggested recently that Raikkonen is obviously struggling mentally alongside the Spaniard.

“Maybe I am going mad,” Raikkonen sarcastically hit back in Austin. “Losing my mind. He can say what he wants, but I know the true story.”

But that doesn’t mean he knows the solution. So with the quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel coming on board for 2015, intense pressure might now be building on Raikkonen’s shoulders to quickly improve.

“Positive pressure,” insisted boss Mattiacci, according to the Spanish daily Marca. “It is important when you have pressure to always approach it positively.”

“We know we have a problem and we have to keep working on it,” added the Ferrari team principal.

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HAMILTON ALREADY THINKING BEYOND F1 CAREER

Lewis Hamilton is already planning for a life after Formula 1 even as he zooms in on a second Formula 1 world championship title.

The 29-year-old Briton, who has 10 wins this season and leads Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg by 24 points with two races remaining, has a year left on his current contract and a long racing future ahead of him.

However, Hamilton told British reporters after winning the United States Grand Prix that he had started thinking more about what he wanted to do when he eventually hangs up his helmet. He gave few clues but indicated he would want to do something different.

“A lot of the drivers come back and do reporting and commentary. I would personally have different plans and aspirations,” he said, speaking at a race where at least five former world champions were involved in some sort of media or promotional work.

“It’s positioning myself so that when I stop, I have something to continue on with. There’s going to be an undeniable urge to want to get back in the car,” he acknowledged. “I’ve been racing since I was eight years old so that’s going to be natural as it was for Michael (Schumacher), as it was for every driver.”

Schumacher retired from Ferrari as a seven times world champion in 2006 but returned with Mercedes in 2010 for a disappointing three-year comeback in which the German failed to win a race. Ferrari’s 2009 world champion Kimi Raikkonen also returned after taking two years out.

“Mika (Hakkinen) tried to come back because it’s just like a drug, you can’t get away from it,” said Hamilton. “At some stage when I retire … I’ll have something that I’m also really interested in that is a substitute. So that’s kind of what I want to start working on and building on.”

The 2008 world champion has ended a management arrangement with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment, although he said they were still close, and may not need a replacement.

“I feel quite comfortable to do it myself,” he said when asked who would be negotiating any new contract with Mercedes. “Nico did his himself, Sebastian (Vettel) did his himself and there’s no reason why I couldn’t do it. Whether or not I will, I haven’t decided.

“I hope to see a long future with this team, as hopefully they do as well. Nothing really needs to be changed too much,” added Hamilton, who ruled out his father Anthony returning as manager.

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EDDIE JORDAN: I AM SICK OF THE WAY F1 IS BEING RUN AT THE MOMENT

Formula 1 has failed its smaller teams and should be ashamed at the way some of them have been driven out of business, according to former owner Eddie Jordan.

“I am absolutely sick of the way Formula One is being run at the moment,” the Irishman, whose small Jordan team gave Michael Schumacher his F1 debut in 1991, told Reuters after Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix.

“It is completely unfair…this business is about competition and it needs to be fair and seen to be fair. It is not any of those things. Without the small teams you lose the very fabric of the make-up of Formula One,” continued Jordan, in Austin as a BBC television pundit. “It is disgraceful the way they are being treated.”

Jordan was speaking after a weekend dominated by debate about the skewed division of the sports revenues, with the bigger teams receiving bonus payments on top of a substantial slice of the revenues, and talk of boycotts by teams fearing for their futures.

A report in the latest edition of Autosport magazine claimed that Ferrari received an estimated $166 million in 2013 while Marussia were paid just $10 million and Caterham $31 million. Both Marussia and Caterham went into administration before Austin and did not compete, with their futures in doubt.

Eddie Jordan gave (at a price) Michael Schumacher his F1 debut back in 1991

An administrator for Caterham said last Friday that the team may have to be wound up in the next two weeks while Marussia’s 200-strong staff were paid until the end of October only.

Both teams have foundered in a sea of debt, with the cost of paying for this season’s new and far more expensive engines an additional burden. They entered the sport in 2010 with the promise of a cost cap that never materialised.

Jordan railed at the system of bonus payments to top teams on the basis of their historical contribution to the sport and said it was “completely wrong”.

“They (the small teams) have been lied to and misled because the budget (cap) they had been promised…was never adhered to. No-one gave it a slightest bit of attention,” he said.

“On top of that how can you run a business when the principal of the business comes out and says: Maybe I’ll run three cars each team.”

If any of those smaller teams were talking to a sponsor, the sponsor would be gone like a shot because they’d say not much chance of Bernie (Ecclestone) wanting them to be around.

Eddie Jordan is often the MC at F1 podium ceremonies these days

“The writing is on the wall and they are not here and it’s a disgrace. The blood of these people’s teams is on a lot of people’s hands and they should be accountable for it. It is disgraceful the way we’ve treated our colleagues.”

Jordan won four races as a constructor, finishing third overall in the 1999 season when they had 1996 champion Damon Hill and Germany’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen as their drivers.

The Irishman subsequently sold out, after being helped by commercial supremo Ecclestone who is still running the sport, with the team mutating through various guises before being renamed Force India.

Jordan, who has been close to Ecclestone, said when he had needed a ‘leg up’, he got it and pointed out that most of the champions of the last 25 years had started out with smaller teams as had boffins like Adrian Newey and Ross Brawn.

“What has happened to Formula One that they cannot look after their own? What has happened to our sport that allows two teams not to make it to the end of the season when they were already owed some prize money or whatever?,” he said.

“Surely there was a mechanism in place that they could have avoided the embarrassment for Formula One, the empty garages and empty pits with two races to go. Surely to heavens it was possible to give them a bit of help now?”

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LOPEZ: SURVIVAL OF SMALL F1 TEAMS REQUIRES GOOD WILL

Formula 1’s smaller teams look set to be offered a ‘base payment’ to ensure their survival after a United States Grand Prix weekend overshadowed by talk of crisis and the threat of a boycott.

Lotus principal Gerard Lopez indicated after Sunday’s race at the Circuit of the Americas that a solution was within reach, possibly by the next race in Sao Paulo at the weekend.

“I really think there is a way to solve this in the next coming days, probably even to get to a proposal before Brazil, in which case I don’t see the point in doing anything drastic which would damage the sport,” he told Reuters.

Asked for more details, with teams like his seeking a fairer division of the sport’s revenues to ensure they had a basic budget to compete, Lopez indicated the commercial rights holder was willing to step in.

“It can take various forms,” he said. “I know CVC and Bernie [Ecclestone] have been looking at this but it’s going to be a base payment that is given to the smaller teams, let’s call them the racers, which is essentially going to make it possible for a normal budget to be pretty much close every year.”

Bernie Ecclestone with Donald Mackenzie

Privately-owned Sauber, Force India and Lotus have called for a more equal distribution of the revenues in a sport that has more than $1.5 billion in annual turnover and hands in excess of $800 million back to the teams.

Private equity fund CVC Capital Partners, who have contemplated a flotation of Formula One, are the largest shareholder with a stake of around 35 percent.

There is a huge range of payments to teams, with Ferrari‘s slice of the cake as much as an estimated $160 million while tail-enders Marussia were handed only $10 million.

Marussia and Caterham both went into administration last month, leaving only nine teams to compete in Austin and question marks hanging over some of them.

Lopez said ensuring the racer teams had a basic budget to survive in a sport where an engine deal costs at least $20 million, was “really not a complicated thing to do.

“It just requires a bit of good will,” he added. “There are some more financial intricacies to be built in but I think there is a way to build a proposal in the next couple of days.”

Paddock sources said CVC were believed to have stepped in to prevent further damage to the sport that might deter potential investors in any future initial public offering.

Lopez said the big teams still had to play their part but was confident they would, “If we’re keeping the same pot, even though I’ve heard that CVC is willing to help out but not alone, if it requires everybody to participate then it will require everybody to agree on how to participate.”

“Even the people who have a strong opinion on the subject are not stupid and they know a bit of an effort is going to help everybody including themselves.”

Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff and Red Bull principal Christian Horner said it was up to the commercial rights holder to lead the way.

“It is a matter for the teams to discuss it with Bernie, it is his call and if the so-called bigger teams can do something then I think we should…discuss it,” said Wolff.

Horner said any extra money must come from the commercial rights holder’s profits but suggested there was a strong business reason for doing so.

“There are still very healthy margins in F1. The flotation, if it was going to happen, would be a significant amount of money but it would be devalued if there were fewer players involved,” he said.

“If the commercial rights holders want to put in place more money to the smaller teams then that is their choice and their responsibility. Teams are here to compete, not sponsor each other.”

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BERGER DENIES TALKS WITH MCLAREN AND FERRARI

Gerhard Berger has played down persistent speculation his next move could be a return to the Formula 1 paddock in a senior position with a top team.

The Formula 1 legend recently stepped down from the FIA after presiding over the governing body’s junior single seater categories.

It triggered speculation that earlier reports he might be preparing to join McLaren-Honda, although dismissed at the time as “utter nonsense”, are actually true.

And then it emerged that 55-year-old former McLaren and Ferrari driver Berger, absent from Formula 1 since selling his Toro Rosso shares in 2008, might even be drafted in by Ferrari to advise the Maranello team’s new boss Marco Mattiacci.

But Berger told the Austrian news agency APA that just because he is stepping down at the FIA doesn’t mean he is about to return to Formula 1.

“I wanted to do Jean Todt a favour for one year only, but it became three,” he said. “Now I’ve given enough time to it and I want to expand my own business further. Also, I have become a father again.”

“Of course I know that my name has been connected with different teams again and again,” he added, “but I really have enough to do already.”

He said the recent McLaren and Ferrari reports were based entirely on speculation, “There’s nothing to it. I haven’t spoken either to Ferrari or McLaren on that topic.”

Although he said he still loves the sport, the veteran of 210 races and a former BMW motor sport director played down the likelihood he will return to the Formula 1 lifestyle.

“Formula 1 means you live like a gypsy all year, and spend your other weekends and holidays in the office. So you can only do it if you want to give up 120 per cent of your time.

“It would definitely be an incredibly difficult decision for me, but as a principle you should never say never,” he added.

Finally, Berger appeared to agree that Formula 1’s smallest teams are going out of business because the sport’s income distribution model is wrong.

“CVC is certainly not in crisis — they are still making good money,” he said. “I think if in the end it was just Mercedes and Ferrari and Red Bull, it would not be an interesting championship anymore. In my view, the show depends on all of the teams.”

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MALLYA ALL BUT CONFIRMS PEREZ FOR 2015

With Nico Hulkenberg already signed up for 2015 Formula 1 season, and now all indications are that Sergio Perez will remain with the team beyond 2014.

The 24-year-old brings key Mexican backing to the Silverstone based team, but he has scored less than 40 per cent of Force India’s points so far this season.

It is now more than two weeks since the team announced German Hulkenberg is staying on board for 2015, leaving a cloud above Perez’s future.

“You have to speak to Vijay. He is the man to know,” Perez said in Austin when asked about his prospects.

He is referring to team supremo Vijay Mallya, who has now told the Indian news agency PTI that Force India will “absolutely” line up with unchanged drivers in 2015.

“I have said many times before during the year when I have been asked that I am very happy with the drivers that we have at the moment,” said Mallya.

He admitted a key to the deal is Mexico’s return to the Formula 1 calendar next year, “We already have a Mexican driver and top class Mexican companies as our sponsors.

“I spent the last week in Mexico, we have signed three additional Mexican sponsors as there is going to be a race there next year,” he added.

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MERCEDES SET TO AGREE TO RELAX F1 ENGINE FREEZE

Talks over a touted Formula 1 engine ‘unfreeze’ for the 2015 season appear to have taken a dramatic turn, as media reports in Italy suggested Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault may have pulled off a political masterstroke over the United States GP weekend by convincing Formula 1’s dominant force Mercedes to agree to the relaxing of the engine homologation rules.

That is despite Mercedes chiefs Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda respectively describing the proposals as “nonsense” and “irrational”, as it drives up costs and unfairly attacks the German squad for performing best under the new rules.

But now La Repubblica is also reporting that Mercedes “has agreed to a compromise” over the engine freeze, which currently dictates that manufacturers may modify 48 per cent of the engine but have it re-frozen before the start of the 2015 season.

“Finally,” read the report, “thanks to pressure from (Bernie) Ecclestone and the FIA, the Germans gave in.”

La Repubblica cautioned that the compromise, while agreed by the Brackley team, will now have to be approved by Mercedes’ paymasters in Stuttgart.

Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci said: “At the meeting on Saturday, Mercedes said it was willing to compromise. But I do not feel like saying the matter is closed now, because Mercedes had already declared its willingness before and then changed its mind.”

However, Mattiacci thanked Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda for at least “putting everyone around a table to discuss” the issue. Other reports suggest the ‘unfreeze’ will now mean that manufacturers’ 2015 designs will not be locked in until July next year.

Christian Horner, the boss of Renault’s works team Red Bull, confirmed: “Mercedes have accepted that they need to provide a window of opportunity to the others to introduce competition.

“They participated in a discussion, so they haven’t actually agreed to anything as yet, but there was a very constructive discussion which hopefully will see a solution in place in the very near future,” he added.

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Grosjean: Good potential at Interlagos

Romain Grosjean believes Lotus have every reason to be positive ahead of the Brazilian GP, but the team's technical director warns Interlagos will be challenging.

After 10 races without a top 10 finish, the Enstone squad returned to the points at the United States GP last weekend with Pastor Maldonado finishing ninth.

Grosjean was also thereabouts as he was 11th when the chequered flag came out, but the general view was that Lotus have made progress and the Frenchman hopes to take the momentum to Brazil.

"The E22 is getting more enjoyable to drive and the soft and medium Pirelli tyres - particularly the softs - seemed to work well for us in Texas so there's good potential," he said.

"It's a fantastic challenge of a track which never seems to have a part where you relax. Even the main start-finish 'straight' isn't boring as it starts uphill with some interesting camber, then gradually turns before finishing at the downhill turn one, where it's so easy to out-brake yourself. "

However, technical director Nick Chester feels things won't be quite so easy at Interlagos.

"Overall, I don't think that it will suit us as well as Austin but we won't know for sure until we're there and we have some laps under our belt, " he said. "We have found a bit more in the car but Interlagos might be trickier for us than it has been in the United States. The high altitude might have an impact on the power unit's performance, although this will be different than in previous years due to the changed aspiration of the engine.

"It is a tricky circuit to find the right set-up. The middle sector is very twisty with a lot of low speed turns and then the final sector is essentially one corner on to a very long straight. The compromise on how to run on downforce is therefore quite challenging. You want to take downforce off for the last sector but then want it on for the other sectors. We tend to rely on where the simulation suggests will be the best compromise and then adapt through the weekend dependent on our speed and sector performance."

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Nico: Double points won't devalue title

Nico Rosberg insists he "doesn't really care" if he wins the 2014 Drivers' crown due to the double-points rule, as long as he wins it.

Lewis Hamilton won his fifth consecutive race and 10th of the season at the United States GP in Austin over the weekend to increase his lead in the standings by 24 points with only two races to go.

Wwith 50 points on offer in Abu Dhabi there is a real possibility that this year's Championship could be decided by the new regulation even if Hamilton wins in Brazil this weekend and Rosberg retires.

Hamilton has admitted that it would "suck" to lose out due to the double points while Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff warns it could overshadow the 2014 season.

Rosberg, though, says he wouldn't care if he wins the title because of the rule.

"It is what it is, I don't really care," he is quoted as saying by ESPNF1. "As long as I have one point more at the chequered flag at Abu Dhabi I don't care why or how. It's the same for everybody... It's a childhood dream, isn't it, to be F1 World Champion? It would be very special."

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'We're not here to sponsor each other'

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has fired another salvo in the F1 financial crisis row, saying it's not up to the big teams help out the cash-strapped outfits.

There were only 18 cars on the United States GP grid over the weekend after Caterham and Marussia went into administration. Force India, Lotus and Sauber then threatened to boycott the race if something drastic isn't done.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone admitted that he "knows what's wrong, but don't know how to fix it" as the "regulations have tied us up".

However, Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez believes they are moving closer to a solution with CVC Capital Partners as the commercial rights holder is reportedly ready to pay an extra £100m to help out the smaller teams.

There have also been suggestions that the bigger outfits should do more, but Horner feels it's up to CVC.

"We have budget pressures, we have huge budget pressures but I have to operate within our budget," he told Crash.net. "And so again, it is not going to be the right scenario. The deals are in place until 2020. If the commercial rights holder wants to put in place more money to the smaller teams then that is their choice and their responsibility. Teams are here to compete, not sponsor each other."

Even though he has some sympathy for the smaller outfits, Horner insists it's up to the powers that be to come to their aid.

"Of course I do (have sympathy) because I have run a smaller team in other formulas, we have been a small team as Red Bull when we came in, we had a minutiae share of the revenue compared to even what the back of the grid have today but when you look at F1, it is down to the promoter to decide how he wants to distribute and how much he wants to pay the different teams."

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Andretti: Ban rebel teams for life

Former World Champion Mario Andretti has lashed out at the teams who threatened to boycott the United States GP over the weekend.

The Austin grid had only 18 cars on Sunday following the demise of Caterham and Marussia, but there was a real threat that Force India, Sauber and Lotus would also not take part in the race.

The trio of teams are outraged at the lack of financial help from the sport's majority stakeholder, CVC Capital Partners, as well as the wealthier teams like Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.

Their drivers made it to the grid but Andretti, the US GP's official ambassador, was unimpressed by their threats.

"These ugly rumours about a potential boycott were so devastating in so many ways," he told The Guardian. "These people don't realise that in the end they're hurting themselves. Who are you punishing? You're punishing the fans, who pay to come and see you, you're punishing the sponsors, who support the sport and keep it alive. You are punishing the core of what makes a sport exist.

"Only very small-minded people would think in these terms. I really have a problem with it. Look what Michelin did to F1 in Indy in 2005 [only six cars ran as those with Michelin tyres withdrew on safety grounds]. Teams or people who do this should be banned from the sport forever. There is no place for it. It's so destructive.

"There will always be lower teams. I remember in 1976, my first full-time season as a Formula One driver, and a young Frank Williams said to me: 'Mario, some day I'm going to be like Colin Chapman.'

"I've never forgotten that. I would like these small teams, instead of crying, say they would like to be like McLaren or Ferrari."

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Brazil loses its chance to decide the title – but this track can still thrill

Over the last ten years, Interlagos has staged some of the most incredible championship-deciding moments in F1 history.

But that won’t be the case this year. This is partly because it is no longer holding the season finale, and also because its replacement, Abu Dhabi, is worth double points.

While the consequences of this rules change were clear to many before the season began, others are only just beginning to appreciate the strange situations which could play out thanks to ‘double points’. For example, each driver could have one win and one retirement in the next two races, but depending when and where they happen either of them could win the championship.

However the Brazilian Grand Prix will simply determine which Mercedes driver will hold the advantage heading into the final race of the season. The year-long duel between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has become somewhat one-sided during this second half of the season, with Hamilton taking five consecutive victories. But at this stage of the season, just one incident or failure for either driver could well decide the destination of the drivers’ title.

As a regular host of the final round of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix has been the stage for some of the most spectacular and memorable races of the modern era. All of the current champions on the grid – Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Button and Vettel – have secured at least one title in Brazil, often in dramatic circumstances.

The fast, flowing layout and long straights of the Interlagos circuit coupled with the ever-present threat of rain means that races are rarely dull around this 4.3km circuit. There are plenty of overtaking opportunities around the track, but there is no such thing as an easy pass around here, especially into the deceptively tight first corner.

Formula One first raced at Interlagos in the early seventies on a daunting, near-8km layout. That was curtailed when F1 returned to the track in 1990, but this year the track has seen its greatest overhaul since then.

Happily, although the track has been resurfaced, its layout has been largely untouched. However the pit entrance – a significant danger spot and a focus of controversy last year – has been relocated further up the main straight in an attempt to lower the risk of drivers hitting the tyre wall that separates the track from the pit lane. A Tarmac escape road has also been added to the inside of Bico de Pato (turn ten).

As one of the few anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar, the Brazilian Grand Prix is often one of the most physically demanding races for drivers. But with the reduced downforce levels of the 2014 cars likely to reduce corner speeds, this year’s race could prove slightly less of a challenge.

Following criticism that their compound choice for this weekend was too conservative, Pirelli have instead opted to use the soft and medium tyres on the new Interlagos tarmac. But with early forecasts predicting rain at some point during the weekend, the dry weather compound choices may prove a moot point.

For the second consecutive weekend, only 18 cars will attempt to qualify for a grand prix with Caterham and Marussia both absent once more. After a rumoured boycott by some of the smaller teams in Austin did not materialise, politics and financial inequality are likely to dominate discussions in the paddock again in Sao Paulo.

Brazilian Grand Prix team-by-team preview

Red Bull

After a win-less season so far, Sebastian Vettel returns to the circuit where he claimed his most recent victory at the end of last year. With no grid penalties to concern him this weekend, a podium finish must be his target – team mate Daniel Ricciardo scored his eighth after leapfrogging both Williams drivers to third place in Austin.

Mercedes

After five consecutive victories, Hamilton arrives in Brazil knowing that only a retirement on Sunday and a win for his team mate would see him lose his 24-point championship lead heading into the final round.

While Hamilton can afford to settle for second place in both races knowing that the title would still be his, it’s unlikely that the championship leader will approach this weekend any differently. The Brazilian Grand Prix is one of only two events on the current calendar he has never won, and it’s a track he has a special fondness for as the home of his hero Ayrton Senna, and the place where he won the world championship in 2008.

Realistically, Rosberg is now relying on misfortune for his team mate to help him overcome a substantial championship deficit. A retirement for Rosberg on Sunday may not count him out of contention, but he knows he cannot afford any mistakes or setbacks if he is to retain any realistic chance of snatching this world title from Hamilton.

Ferrari

After a tough race in Austin, it will take two very strong results for Ferrari to take back third place from Williams. That does not look likely after Fernando Alonso’s best efforts were not enough to beat the two Williams or Ricciardo home last weekend.

Kimi Raikkonen will be hoping that his weekend isn’t characterised by severe understeer problems like he experienced in the US that left him out of the points and a lap down.

Lotus

Austin provided some very valuable points for Lotus and Pastor Maldonado after a miserable season so far, despite receiving two five-second penalties during the race.

Romain Grosjean’s chance of a result was ruined by a forceful move from Jean-Eric Vergne in the latter stages. But he is optimistic the team can sustain its upswing in form.

“[interlagos] really suits my driving style so I’m really looking forward to it,” he saud. “Certainly, the E22 is getting more enjoyable to drive and the soft and medium Pirelli tyres – particularly the softs – seemed to work well for us in Texas so there’s good potential.”

McLaren

McLaren’s improved performance in the second half of the season has seen them jump Force India – and they even have Alonso concerned about the security of Ferrari’s fourth place. with the double points finale looming. But Jenson Button will be anxious to avoid further tyre wear troubles like those which ruined his race in Austin this weekend.

With neither of McLaren’s drivers confirmed for next season, Kevin Magnussen needs to deliver two strong performances to maximise his chances of retaining his seat for 2015. The Interlagos circuit is new to him, however.

Force India

Any slim chance Force India had of challenging McLaren for fifth place in the constructors’ championship almost certainly disappeared in Austin after Sergio Perez crashed into Adrain Sutil’s Sauber on lap one and Nico Hulkenberg was halted by power unit problems soon after.

Thanks to his first-lap antics, Perez will be hit with a seven-place grid penalty this weekend, which will likely see him start around the rear of the field.

Luckily for the team, Hulkenberg has an excellent record around Interlagos, having taken a shock pole position here in 2010 and led 30 laps during the dramatic 2012 race before tangling with Hamilton. The team will be looking for more good things from the German in Brazil after some difficult races.

Daniel Juncadella will receive his third first practice run of the season on Friday, in place of Perez.

Sauber

Sauber’s most promising weekend of the season so far in Austin went unrewarded after Adrian Sutil was forced out on the opening lap through no fault of his own. But despite the disappointment, Sutil is confident that the team might be able to challenge for that elusive first point this weekend.

“I think we can hope for points here,” says Sutil. “However, it will not be easy.”

Toro Rosso

Vergne continues to race aggressively as he seeks to secure a place on the 2015 grid, but his late move on Grosjean into turn one in Austin saw him pick up a five second post-race penalty.

In a troubling echo of Perez’s 2012 campaign after his move to McLaren was confirmed, Daniil Kvyat hasn’t scored a point since his Red Bull promtion was announced. However he has prior F1 experience at Interlagos, having made an appearance in Friday practice here last season.

Williams

Despite a strong performance by both drivers in the United States secured Williams their best points haul since Monza, the team were disappointed to lose out on another podium after being out raced by Ricciardo and Red Bull.

Felipe Massa’s first visit to Interlagos as a Williams driver is possibly his best chance of a home podium appearance since he won here in 2008. But Massa admits that the team must do more to maximise on their opportunities.

“We did a good job [in Austin], but not a perfect job,” says Massa. “And when you’re fighting with a top team you need to do a perfect job in whatever situation.”

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Top ten pictures from the 2014 United States GP

Ten of the best pictures which tell the story of the United States Grand Prix weekend.

Romain Grosjean

The shape of things to come? Lotus tested a new nose similar to the one it will use in 2015.

Max Verstappen

Something else we’ll get used to seeing next year: Max Verstappen in a Toro Rosso. The identity of his team mate is yet to be confirmed.

Nico Hulkenberg

The run-off areas at the Circuit of the Americas have always been decorated with suitably patriotic stars to go along with the stripes. But on F1’s previous visits to the track Formula One Management ordered the stars be removed, claiming they were a distraction from the advertising signage FOM sells around the track. Happily they seem to have changed their mind about it this year and the stars were back.

Adrian Sutil

Adrian Sutil donned a new helmet for qualifying on Saturday which seemed to inspire him to Sauber’s best qualifying performance of the season. Sadly it was all for naught – he was taken out of the race on the first lap by Sergio Perez.

Start, United States Grand Prix

With Marussia and Caterham having gone into administration following the last round, a depleted field of 18 cars took the start.

Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso

Daniel Ricciardo surprised Fernando Alonso at the restart and passed him for fifth place.

Felipe Massa

Felipe Massa led Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas home. With two races remaining Massa trails 6-7 in the race results scoreline.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg

The moment that decided the race: Lewis Hamilton squeezed past team mate Nico Rosberg to take the lead on lap 24.

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton clinched the win, his tenth of the year, and increased his advantage in the championship to 24 points.

Fans, Circuit of the Americas

F1 is still going strong in its third year at the Circuit of the Americas and attracted another healthy crowd.

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Sauber boss unhappy with Mattiacci's comments

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn has criticised Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci following comments he made about Formula 1's smaller teams.

The Italian commented that F1 doesn't need struggling outfits and that he had little sympathy for those that don't have viable business models which allow them to compete financially.

Kaltenborn dismissed the comments and believes Ferrari's business model would suffer if the smaller outfits were lost, particularly as Sauber pay Ferrari millions per season for engines.

"Wasn't it Marco who also said that he's getting questions on ROI [return on investment] from his partners? How does he plan to keep that going so well with the way things are going here?

"What if his partners - who are probably paying a lot - come and say 'What's my return on investment with results? What's my return on investment with viewers going down, with the show not being attractive?'

"So I wonder if his business model is going to work if he didn't have the backing of those kind of partners or a manufacturer," she said.

"Because I think if the manufacturer wouldn't put that money in there, you would have a business model that is defunct. And I know what I'm talking about."