FORMULA 1 - 2014

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Haug tips Hamilton or Rosberg for 2014 title

Former long time boss of Mercedes Motorsport Norbert Haug believes that Mercedes is capable of dethroning Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull from the top step of the Formula 1 perch this year.

Haug told SID news agency, “It would not surprise me if the [Formula 1] title ends up in Stuttgart this year.”

The 61 year old revealed that “the plan from the outset” was to give Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg a realistic shot at the title this season.

“The Mercedes works team is now in its fifth year..Red Bull took five years to get their first victory.

“The new engine, which has been introduced in this season, has been a step-by-step work in progress for the past five years too,”

revealed Haug who now works for Paravan Technology Group, which specialises in vehicle mobility for disabled people.

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Tost: I would be happy for Toro Rosso to finish sixth in the Championship

Franz Tost is head of Red Bull’s nursery team Toro Rosso and thus does not have illusions of grandeur, claiming that he would be satisfied with sixth in the Formula 1 World Championship this year.

Speaking on the occasion of CEPSAs 2014 motorsport programme launch in Madrid, Tost said, “Of course I am hoping we get the best possible position. I would be happy with sixth in the Championship.”

It’s all change in Formula 1 this year with the new V6 turbo engines and some major changes to other technical aspects of the new cars which Tost believes will liven things up…

“I think 2014 will be an interesting year, especially thanks to the new rules. Hopefully the car [sTR9] goes well and we have taken a step forward, as far as performance of the new car goes,” Tost added.

Despite engine problems during the first test at Jerez late last month, the Austrian team boss seems content with the team’s new car, but did not elaborate on the issues that afflicted the Renault powered teams in Spain.

Toro Rosso ditched Ferrari power at the end of last year and opted for Renault engines in line with sister team Red Bull.

However Tost was more forthcoming regarding the team’s driver line-up of Russain teenager Daniil Kvyat and Frenchman Jean Eric Vergne, who starts his third season with the Faenza based outfit.

“Daniil is a good driver and I think he can perform well in F1,” predicted Tost. “I am convinced that he can do very well this season.”

The fact that Kvyat has made the big step from GP3 straight into Formula 1 does not concern Tost, “I don’t think this is a big problem. He is very methodical and will undergo many miles of pre-season testing. I am convinced that he will be ready for his first grand prix.”

Tost has high hopes and expectations of Vergne, “If we have a good car, I predict a very good season for him because he is very fast and skillful.”

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Alonso 'hungry for victories'

Despite having two Drivers' Championship titles to his name, Fernando Alonso insists that is "not enough".

Winning back-to-back titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 many expected Alonso would kick especially after joining Ferrari in 2010.

However, the Spaniard has fallen short of the mark three times, losing out to Sebastian Vettel in 2010, 2012 and again last year.

This year, though, the 32-year-old is determined to get back to winning ways.

"If you ask me this question in 10 years' time I will tell you less, because two Championships are more than I could dream," he told CNN.

"If you ask me right now and I am in a middle of a competition, I am hungry for victories; hungry for success - I will tell you that two Championships are not enough."

Alonso, though, will have more than just Vettel to overcome this season as Ferrari have brought in Kimi Raikkonen to spur on their challenge.

"I think he's very talented so that is a huge help and a huge motivation for myself first and also for the team, because the team knows it has to deliver a good car because Kimi will deliver a good result," Alonso said.

"I know I need to deliver my best, if not I cannot be in front of Kimi, so that is only good and positive news for Ferrari."

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Williams downplay customer concerns

Williams have downplayed concerns that being an engine customer and not a works team could hurt their chances this season.

This year with the new engine regulations there have been some suggestions that works teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari will have the advantage.

This appeared to be true in the opening pre-season test where Mercedes and Ferrari were able to cover the most miles with the least problems.

However, Williams, who swapped Renault power for Mercedes ahead of the new 1.6-litre V6 era, are confident in their relationship with their new engine supplier.

"We're very happy with the relationship we have with Mercedes," Williams chief test and support engineer Rod Nelson told Autosport.

"They want us to do well - the more miles we do, the happier they'll be so they're clearly helping us to fulfil our objectives.

"Historically [as a] customer team, the engine guys are one side of the office or the garage, the chassis guys are the other side and you tend to have fairly disparate contact with them.

"But nowadays you spend most of your time talking to your engine engineer or the control engineer or the engine performance engineer, or the KERS technician.

"We are still working out how it is going to work, but I don't think it is entirely obvious [being a customer team] will [hurt Williams]."

MIKA: Well, Williams can't do any worse than what they already have done these past years. Once a dominant team, now, almost back-markers. A true shame really.

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Lowe: New noses a boost for driver safety

Contrary to claims that the lower noses on the 2014 Formula One cars could cause them to 'submarine', Mercedes chief Paddy Lowe believes the new designs will increase driver safety.

Previously, Red Bull technical boss Adrian Newey suggested that the low noses could lead to situations where drivers are forced underneath a car during impact.

"If you hit the back of the car square on, then you go underneath it and end up under the rear crash structure, which I think is a much worse scenario," Newey said ahead of last week's pre-season test om Jerez.

Lowe, however, doesn't share Newey's fears and believes that the reduced chance of the cars being launched in the air far outweighs the disadvantages of the designs.

"It's something that has been discussed and studied a lot by the TWG [Technical Working Group] over the years, but mainly by the guidance of the FIA Institute who do a lot of research in this area," Lowe explained.

"So they are the ones that have come up with the recommendation that the low nose is the best solution, the best compromise for the range of different types of accident that a car can experience.

"There is no one perfect solution to every single type of impact, but we need to consider impacts of all kinds of directions around other cars, particularly with an impact into a rear tyre as we saw with Mark Webber in Valencia where the launch is the real risk.

"That is particularly one where the low nose is very helpful. So the analysis and research has been that this is the best compromise and I respect that, with something that has been worked through thoroughly by the TWG."

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Why A Formula 1 Cost Cap Might Work This Time Around:

The priority for Formula 1 this year is to get costs under control and there are signs that the first steps towards achieving that may be within reach.

It was announced by the FIA at Christmas time that a budget cap would be brought in for 2015 and behind the scenes in recent weeks there have been extensive discussions which have proved more fruitful than in the past. The main stakeholders are all engaged: the teams, the FIA and the commercial rights holder.

Formula 1 almost destroyed itself in 2009 when then FIA president Max Mosley tried for force a budget cap of €60 million on the teams and Ferrari led a rebellion which led to the teams announcing in July 2009 that they would leave F1 to start their own series.

This time around things are different; the bar is being set much higher, the object is to find consensus among the teams and there is a stronger desire to control costs. Although the teams share around $700 million a year between them in TV and prize money, it is not evenly distributed with the top teams taking the lions’s share and everyone far too dependent on sponsorship, which is elusive.

So we have several teams close to the edge financially, unless they have a rich shareholder willing to write cheques to make up the shortfall.

The problem with Mosley’s approach to budget capping was that it was too confrontational and that it set the bar too low at the outset for the top teams. There was no way that Ferrari, Red Bull and the well funded teams would accept cutting their budgets by three quarters in one hit. In more recent times, Red Bull has become the team out on a limb, not wanting to give up its superiority which has been built on huge resources, which in turn buys the best people.

The way to achieve a budget cap is to start out by setting the ceiling at an acceptable level to the top teams and then set a gradual glide-path downward over a number of years to a level that works for the sport.

Although this doesn’t help the medium sized teams in the short term, what it will do is start the process, embed the principle of budget caps in the FIA Sporting Regulations and then gradually move the cap down to the right level whereby the teams can become self sufficient and can even turn a profit if they are well run.

It will also mean that the medium sized and smaller teams benefit more from assistance and collaborations from the top teams. We are seeing that already with the reduction in wind tunnel time to 30 hours per week. This allows the top teams to rent out tunnel time to the smaller teams. Also, for example, a team like Force India might get an engine, gearbox and whole back end, including suspension from Mercedes, or Sauber might do a similar deal with Ferrari. This would reduce costs for the smaller teams and also alleviate the pressure for customer cars, which some powerful figures would like, but which a strong majority is against.

Bernie Ecclestone has said today that he will offer €1 million to any whistleblower who informs the governing body if a team is cheating the budget cap. This is an inspired idea, as it’s a significant enough amount of money for someone employed at a team in the finance department or in the factory to consider risking their job for.

“The plan under consideration is to give €1 million to any whistleblower whose knowledge is proved to be accurate,” he told the Express.

“We will then say to the team that the following year you will lose three of the maximum points you have scored. Then let’s see if they want to cheat.

“We have approved the budget cap. It is going to happen. Everyone agreed to $200 million. What hasn’t been agreed is what is in the $200 million.

“Unless we include everything, I am sure people will find ways around it. It’s going to be difficult.”

There are suggestions that the starting figure might be £200 million rather than dollars, but if they can get this across the line – and it seems from talking to the teams as though there may be a chance of consensus this time – then it will be a major breakthrough and the start of an important process.

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‘Most races will be fuel-limited’ – Newey

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Caterham: Kovalainen's Lotus form hurt his chances of securing 2014 seat

Caterham team owner Tony Fernandes has admitted that Heikki Kovalainen's performance at Lotus, when he stood in for Kimi Raikkonen at the final two races of the 2013 season, played a part in his decision to choose Kamui Kobayashi over the Finn.

Kovalainen had been expected to land a seat with the team after they made up following a falling out in 2012 which led to him taking part in a couple of practice sessions. However his under-performance in America and Brazil, where he finished 14th both times compared to Romain Grosjean's second place in Austin and a retirement in Brazil - but he had been running eighth at the time - left Fernandes with the feeling that they could find someone better.

"Obviously we would be lying if we said that it didn't play a part [in our decision]," said the Malaysian businessman.

"It was a whole mixture of a lot of things but in any decision there are pros and cons," he added.

"I am egalitarian, I put it out to various team members - there were those pro Heikki and those pro Kamui and I had to make a choice.

" The team chose Kobayashi alongside rookie Marcus Ericsson. Fernandes admits it was tough to let go of Kovalainen who had been with them since the start, but added that it was necessary. "We have to move on, we have to be a little bit cold, if we want to be successful," he concluded.

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Mercedes and Lotus provide a laugh

Formula 1 drivers certainly aren't comedians and, from past experience, they struggle to act, but both Mercedes and Lotus have released a great video each on Friday which may dispel both those theories.

Mercedes - Lewis and Nico: Uncut and Off the Record

Lotus - Back to School with Grosjean and Maldonado

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Lotus break the spirit of Formula 1 sporting regulations as new E22 flops at Jerez

Mixed reports are emerging from the past weekend’s Lotus ‘promotional event’ at Jerez – which broke the spirit of the 2014 Formula 1 regulations – with the Enstone outfit claiming all went well and according to plan. However, an eye witness claims that little went on, and what did happen on track was not at racing speed.

A Lotus spokesperson released information to select media claiming: “Both the chassis and the new Renault Power Unit ran without any major problems.”

This statement is in itself a breach of the spirit of the 2014 Formula 1 sporting regulations which state: “A PE (Promotional Event) shall be defined as an event in which a competitor participates purely for marketing or promotional purposes.”

The Lotus spokesperson added: “Pastor [Maldonado] settled in very quickly and is already fitting into the team nicely. The car went together well and the design and build quality is another step up on the successful E21 of 2013.”

Romain Grosjean had troubles during testing last year

“We are looking forward to a full testing programme in Bahrain next week where we will start to see the potential of the new package.”

However a source, who works at Jerez and was present at the two day event, revealed that on the first day [Friday] the E22 “hardly ran at all and only emerged from the pit garage late in the day.”

On Saturday the E22 “did do around 20 laps” with either Maldonado or Romain Grosjean in the cockpit. But according to the source the E22 was “not running at testing or racing speeds [and was] actually very slow at times” on the second day, and “runs were limited to a few lap” stints at a time.

Furthermore the source claims they saw no evidence of cameras or TV crews normally present at such promotional events.

In fact, a cordon of tight security was placed around the former grand prix venue throughout the two days, with several photographers being ushered away during proceedings.

Lotus have now exhausted their two day quota of promotional events, and along with Renault, who bankrolled the episode, have effectively gone against the spirit of the rules if not having actually broken them.

Article 21.1 of the 2014 F1 Sporting Regulations issued by the FIA states: ”Each competitor will also be permitted to carry out two Promotional Events (PE) with the cars [built in order to comply with the 2013, 2014 or 2015 Formula One Technical Regulations] which will not be considered TCC [Testing of Current Cars].

A PE shall be defined as an event in which a competitor participates purely for marketing or promotional purposes. No such test may exceed 100 km in length and only tyres manufactured specifically for this purpose by the appointed supplier may be used.”

Apparently the Jerez escapade for Lotus, and Renault, was not “purely for marketing or promotional purposes” as the rules specify.

Article 22.1 adds: “In order that an FIA observer may be appointed, competitors must inform the FIA of any planned TCC or PE at least 72 hours before it is due to commence, the following information should be provided.”

It is not known if the FIA sent on observer to ensure that the ‘promotional event’ did not turn into an engine test in the wake of Renault’s debacle at the first pre-season test.

On Saturday, when pressed for comment by GP247 regarding the two day ‘promotional event’ a Lotus spokesperson said: “You’re on the list when we issue any further info.”

This did not transpire, but selected media appeared to get comment instead, while Renault have ignored a request for feedback from the event.

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Horner: These cars are so complicated that even small problems can cause big failures

Red Bull are not in panic mode despite a woeful debut for the Adrian Newey designed RB10. The World Champions endured an appalling four days of testing at Jerez late last month.

Team Principal Christian Horner, who has led the team to four consecutive Formula 1 World titles, told Sky Sport, “There’s a few things we needed to tighten up on our side but nothing major and obviously Renault have some issues that they are tidying up as well. But these cars are so complicated that even small problems can cause big failures.”

It is no secret that the RB10 was afflicted by overheating, as the trademark Newey tight packaging could not cope with the temperatures generated by the all new V6 turbo power unite. This coupled to a serious flaw in the Renault engine has done little to inspire confidence ahead of their title defence.

Thus Newey made a hasty retreat from Jerez back to Milton Keynes where he and the team set to work on a heavily revised RB10 which will break cover in Bahrain.

Horner admitted, “Obviously there’s quite a bit to do but there’s still a fair bit of time before the first race. The Bahrain test next week is an important test and we are working very hard at both Renault and Milton Keynes.”

“We don’t want another test like Jerez but that’s what testing is for – you sort your problems out so as not to have them at the races,” explained the Red Bull team boss.

Meanwhile Renault engineers, have been clocking overtime in an effort to sort out the issues that marginalised their teams during the four day test in southern Spain.

Sources who had access to the Lotus ‘promotional event’ at Jerez last weekend, where the E22 ran for the first time, which Renault used to gauge the effects of tweaks to their troublesome Power Unit, claim that “there was very litle fast running of the E22″ during the two days where Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grsojean got their first taste of the new car on track.

Ominously, and prompting negative speculation, is the fact informtion emanating from Jerez has been scarce from both Lotus, Renault and the French manufacturer’s F1 engine partners (Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Caterham) who were invited as observers to the test.

When pressed for comment by GP247 regarding the two day ‘promotional event’ a Lotus spokesperson wrote: “You’re on the list when we issue any further info.”

Renault has not answered email requests for feedback or information from the event.

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Williams: Massa is a great motivator and it is exciting for everyone in the team

All signs are that Williams will be enjoying a renaissance this year, helped by the change over to Mercedes power and the arrival of Felipe Massa, which deputy Team Principal Claire Williams reveals has “energised” the team.

Speaking to Sky Sport Williams said of Massa’s impact on the team since his arrival from Ferrari, “He’s such a great guy, he’s a lovely guy and I think for him this is a new challenge, which is exciting for him. But it’s exciting for everyone in the team and he’s a really great motivator as well.”

Williams enjoyed a productive four days at the first Formula 1 pre-season tests with their all blue FW36 late last month, where they were experiencing Mercedes power for the first time ever.

The Grove based outfit fortuitously ditched Renault engines and swapped to Mercedes for this season onward and will be thankful that they made the call when they did, because Renault affiliated teams were hampered with severe problems throughout the test in southern Spain.

All three teams powered by the new Renault V6 turbo could only manage 151 laps collectively, while the Mercedes brigade racked up 875, of which Williams contributed 175 laps.

Massa also ended the final day of the test fastest of all in the FW36.

But Williams is not getting too excited about how things panned out, “It’s the first test and it is a really difficult year, or [at least a] different year, for everybody with the regulations.”

“We did have a good test in Jerez which is obviously great for the team, it’s a really good boost. But it’s a really long season as everybody knows.”

Sir Frank Williams reportedly went to the Mercedes motor home at the end of the penultimate day of the test to personally thank Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff.

Daughter Claire told Sky, “Mercedes [is] a fantastic partner, they’ve been really good for us over the past six months of development work for them. So we’re really looking forward to continuing that work for the rest of the year.”

Williams have contested 611 grands prix, winning the Formula 1 Constructor’s World Championship nine times and the Drivers’ World Championship seven times, with 114 race victories along the way.

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James Hunt’s iconic Hesketh 308 to be auctioned in Monaco

The works Hesketh 308, chassis number 308-1, which was extensively driven by James Hunt throughout the 1974 season will be up for auction at RM’s exclusive biennial sale which takes place on 9–10 May 2014 during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend at the principality.

The 308-1 was the winning chassis at the 1974 Silverstone International Trophy, and the car which contested the Brand Hatch Race of Champions and both the British and South African Grand Prix that year. In 1975 the car was campaigned by Alan Jones.

Hesketh Racing was formed in 1972 by the British Peer, Lord Alexander Hesketh, who was a keen motorsport enthusiast with a desire to compete in the sport at the highest level.

After two seasons of racing in lower formula, Hesketh commissioned well-known racing car engineer Harvey Postlethwaite to design and construct an all-new, bespoke car in which Hesketh’s lead driver, James Hunt, could contest the 1974 Formula 1 World Championship. And so was born the Hesketh 308.

Lord Alexander Hesketh with James Hunt

With its aluminium monocoque body, the new 308 certainly looked the part, and with power coming courtesy of Ford’s powerful and reliable Cosworth DFV, the car had all the credentials to be successful.

However, with the might of such highly funded, established teams as Ferrari, Lotus, and McLaren to compete against, few people gave the fledgling and unsponsored Hesketh team any real chance of turning out to be competitive.

This view was to quickly change when Hunt took to the track at the start of the season.

Only four Hesketh 308 chassis were built, of which the car being offered for sale, chassis no. 308-1, is both the first and, arguably, the most significant.

Chassis 308-01 made its debut appearance at the 1974 Brands Hatch Race of Champions, where Hunt staggered the paddock by placing the car on pole position; but the race itself ended up proving less successful, as Hunt spun off and retired on lap four.

Two weeks later, 308-01 started its first grand prix in South Africa, where Hunt ran in 5th position for much of the race, until he retired with a mechanical failure. Hunt again took the chassis to pole position at the International Trophy race at Silverstone, where, after a slow start, he clawed his way up the field until he finally passed the great Ronnie Peterson’s Lotus down the inside and into the Woodcote corner; this is now regarded as a landmark, classic moment in racing history, and one that resulted in Hesketh’s first ever Formula 1 victory.

The chassis was taken to most Championship rounds during the 1974 season, serving as either the race car or the team’s spare T-car. Chassis 308-01 is also the car in which Hunt started the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, before spinning out on the second lap of the race.

Alan Jones drives the Hesketh 308 during the 1975 Swedish GP

Chassis 308-01 remained in service with the team into the 1975 season, during which the young Alan Jones and Harald Ertl took it to three top 10 finishes.

Sadly, the 1975 season proved to be less promising than expected for Hesketh Racing and at the end of that year, the financially stretched Lord Hesketh pulled the plug on his F1 ambitions.

Famously, Hunt left the team to join McLaren, where he went on to win one of the hardest fought World Championships of all time, beating the brave and badly injured Nikki Lauda to the top step of the podium.

Most recently, this story has been told to cinema goers around the world in the blockbuster movie Rush. The car is estimated to fetch bewteen €400,000 and €650,000 at RM Auction’s 2014 Monaco sale.

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Schumacher not responding to stimuli as awakening continues

Two weeks have passed since doctors started the process to wake Michael Schumacher, but the Formula 1 legend remains in a coma.

Bild-Zeitung reports that while the seven time world champion has often presented reflex twitches since the anaesthetic was reduced, Schumacher is still not responding to deliberate stimuli.

However, Bild said thatthe former Mercedes and Ferrari driver’s wife Corinna – who is at his bedside on a daily basis – is following the doctors’ advice by continually talking to the 45-year-old, as there is evidence that this practise can help a patient in Schumacher’s condition.

The report also claimed that the newly-retired Ross Brawn, who worked closely with Schumacher during the German’s Benetton years and ultra-successful Ferrari era, visited the seven time World Champion’s bedside, slipping in almost unnoticed by the media last Thursday, through the staff entrance.

Meanwhile, it is believed that French investigators into the skiing accident are preparing to reveal their findings, with Bild citing ‘legal sources’ in believing that the file will simply be closed.

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Oliver Quesnel In Pole Position To Take Over As Lotus Formula 1 Boss; But is He To Old?

Over the weekend it emerged in the French media that former Citroen and Peugeot motorsport boss Olivier Quesnel is in pole position to take over from Eric Boullier as team principal of Lotus F1 team

The role is currently filled on an interim basis by team owner Gerard Lopez, who told L’Equipe newspaper on Saturday that Quesnel is the first choice, but that “The decision is not yet made.”

Quesnel, who has a glittering career of success in rally and sportscars, was on the list of candidates four years ago when Lopez hired Boullier for the role and he was the first thought this time. But there are thought to be two factors which are giving shareholders pause for thought.

One is his age: Quesnel is 64 years old, quite an age to make a debut in the Piranha Club of Formula 1. Mercedes’ boss Toto Wolff is 42, Boullier, now team boss at McLaren is 41, Christian Horner is 40 and even Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali is a veteran of 48 years old.

If he were to get the job, Quesnel would be the second oldest team principal after Sir Frank Williams (see table below)

Another is his command of English, the language of Formula 1 communication in press conferences and all stakeholder meetings with FIA and FOM.

Quesnel is currently active in motorsport via JN Holding Group and its Oak Racing team in sportscars, for whom Alex Brundle (son of Martin) drives.

Lopez is understood to have spoken to former McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, but it is thought unlikely that he would move into the role at Lotus. Sources in France have not been able to name any other notable candidates under consideration.

However it has emerged recently that former Midland F1 boss Colin Kolles is floating around in the background of the Enstone operation, albeit without any specific executive position.

It seems that Lopez and his company Genii are keen to move forward with the appointment of a new team principal, with the start of the new season just five weeks away, so a decision may come sooner rather than later.

Quesnel worked closely with Jean Todt in establishing the Peugeot Sport department which went on to be so successful in rallying, Rally Raid and World Sportscars.

He was most recently the boss of Citroen’s all-conquering world rally team.

* Lotus confirmed on Monday that it’s car ran for the maximum allowable 100km for a shakedown test in Jerez on Saturday, having managed only one lap on Friday. It will now join the other F1 cars at the Bahrain test starting on Wednesday February 19th.

Asked about how its power train performed, Renault Sport F1 confirmed that “The latest power unit configuration was deployed without any reliability problems, allowing Lotus to complete the maximum amount of kilometres permitted on a filming day. Updates developed in the dyno at Viry (Renault Sport’s base in Paris) during and post-Jerez test were run. Updates included minor hardware changes, software bug fixes and calibration improvements

Renault is playing catch up after a troubled Jerez test. The FIA Sporting Regulations forbid development work in shakedown tests, so Renault was at pains to point out that “upgrades trialed in the dyno in Viry were validated” but insisted that “no development was pursued during the filming day.”

OLIVIER QUESNEL’S MOTORSPORT RECORD

World rally champions (Citroen): 2008,09,10,11 – 36 WRC victories

Le Mans 24 Hours winner: 2009

CURRENT AGES OF F1 TEAM PRINCIPALS

Sir Frank Williams (Williams) 71

John Booth (Marussia) 59

Vijay Mallya (Force India) 58

Franz Tost (Toro Rosso) 58

Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari) 48

Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber) 42

Toto Wolff (Mercedes) 42

Eric Boullier (McLaren) 41

Christian Horner (Red Bull) 40

Cyril Abiteboul (Caterham) 36

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McLaren legend Tyler Alexander hospitalised

McLaren legend Tyler Alexander, one of the founding members of the team, is being treated in hospital for an illness.

The American, who originally joined as a mechanic before rising through the ranks, was taken unwell last week.

A McLaren spokesman said: "We can confirm that Tyler has been taken ill.

"He was admitted to hospital last week, is undergoing tests, and is receiving the best possible care."

Although Alexander retired from McLaren in 2009, he has kept in close contact with the team and recently published a photographic book, 'Inside McLaren', about his experiences.

McLaren expressed its hope that he makes a quick recovery.

The team tweeted: "Best wishes to McLaren legend Tyler Alexander, who's in hospital at the moment. #GetWellSoonBuddy"

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Mercedes warns McLaren relationship will change in 2014 F1 season

Mercedes has warned McLaren that it faces being treated as a full-on competitor rather than engine partner this year, ahead of the Woking-based team's switch to Honda power in 2015.

Although Jenson Button recently called on all the Mercedes-powered Formula 1 teams to continue working together to boost their title prospects, it now looks certain that relations will be different once the season is underway.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes' executive director, has made it clear that at the moment Mercedes will co-operate with McLaren for the greater good - but dropped a firm hint that this stance will change.

"I think certainly them heading off to one of our competitors is not an ideal situation," Wolff told AUTOSPORT.

"But in these early days of the season we have a short-term target which is common - in making the power unit reliable and performing.

"It is welcome that we are all having an exchange and all sharing the same short term target, and this is to make the power unit last and be quick.

"How that is going to pan out during the season, that daily management of the relationship, could change obviously."

Mercedes sources say they are already taking extra measures to ensure that there is no risk of in-depth technical knowledge being passed on to Honda.

This has included keeping McLaren engineers well away from sensitive work on the engines that they do not need to be privy to.

Wolff did not think, however, that relations would become too difficult - or that McLaren's hopes of success would be dented.

"At the end of the day we are still competitors on track," he said.

"There is still a fair amount of knowledge that you can share on developing the power unit, but then there is a fair amount of knowledge that you wouldn't want to exchange anyway because they are switching to Honda.

"But we expect them to be strong this year."

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Are Formula 1 cars Too Complicated?

If there was a recurring theme so far regarding the 2014 cars, it’s the word “complicated”. While some drivers have shared their view of the new 2014 Formula 1 cars, they’ve done so by claiming that the cars are slower in cornering speed but still challenging to drive due to the complexity of the car and the technology.

That narrative was continued by Red Bull Racing as they struggled during the first winter test in Jerez. The team was mired with technical problems along with their engine and ERS supplier, Renault Sport F1. While some were contemplating the paltry 21 laps the team ran in Jerez, others felt it was simply teething pains. For Red Bull boss, Christian Horner, the issues are not a big deal:

“There’s a few things we needed to tighten up on our side but nothing major and obviously Renault have some issues that they are tidying up as well,” Horner told Sky Sports News. “But these cars are so complicated that even small problems can cause big failures.”

Notice that Horner is also claiming a high level of complexity and it brings up a thought. We’ve all seen the complexity of last year’s car and when they compare the 2013 chassis with a car from 2000 or the 1990′s, it is striking how much has changed and how complex the machines really are. I wonder if this year’s 2014 regulations changes have made the car nearly too complicated. I always consider the act of driving and trying to change the radio and in a BMW with iDrive, that can be a challenge requiring you to take your eye off the road. I would imagine that at some point the buttons, switches and dials will become too great and perhaps this will foster new innovation in control systems within a F1 car.

Perhaps a heads-up display in the visor with eye tracking or voice activation…but the noise in a car is really loud so voice may not be an option unless you did very sophisticated noise canceling DSP. Formula 1 used to allow pit-to-car data transfer in which the team could issue commands for the car from the pit wall such as ride height or other engine mapping etc. It may become a topic to look at again if the series becomes too technical for a driver to manage while going 180mph and trying to negotiate corners. What other ways are there to control all of the elements involved in an F1 car?

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Lopez: Maybe our strategy to wait and work at the factory was the better one

Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez has played down suggestions that his Enstone squad is still plagued with financial problems which have been known to be affecting his team for some time.

The team’s problems of late last year, when Kimi Raikkonen went unpaid and crucial negotiations with the Quantum group faltered, are well known.

But Lopez said that the decision not to test the new car at the official pre-season test, at Jerez recently, is not because Lotus had no money.

“We said that there would be some (technical) trouble and it was actually the case,” Lopez, referring to the Red Bull-Renault crisis during the first pre-season test at Jerez, told Infosport Plus.

“I know we had a lot of criticism, that people said that we lack the budget but that is wrong because it cost us the same to go (to Jerez) a week later,” Lopez insisted.

Lotus gave its new E22 a successful rollout at Jerez on Saturday, a week after the other Renault powered teams, notably World Champions Red Bull, faltered so badly.

“Maybe we are better prepared,” said Lopez. “Maybe our strategy to wait and work at the factory was the better one.

“We will see in Bahrain. We will not mention the others, or at least not as much as they mention us.”

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Hakkinen believes Raikkonen will beat Alonso this year

Not everyone in Formula 1 believes Kimi Raikkonen will struggle to keep up with Fernando Alonso at Ferrari this season.

Despite the fact the returning Finn Raikkonen is the Italian marque’s last champion, departed Felipe Massa recently tipped Alonso to lead this year because he “combines talent with brains”.

Raikkonen’s countryman Mika Hakkinen, however, the 1998 and 1999 world champion with McLaren, thinks Ferrari will win with a Finn.

“I think Kimi’s driving style is really perfect for these turbo cars,” he is quoted by the Spanish daily Marca.

“Alonso pushes too hard, so I think Kimi will beat him.”

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Pujolar says Williams struggle to adapt to life in F1 midfield

A senior engineer who departed Williams recently, claims the team with an illustrious championship winning history have failed to accept that they are no longer world champions and struggle to adapt to the fact that they are now a midfielder outfit.

Xevi Pujolar, a long-serving engineer who has quit the team to join Toro Rosso.

“Last year,” he told El Confidencial, “the situation was quite difficult and Williams did not feel right. So I decided to change.

“When Pat Symonds arrived I was fine with it because he is someone with great experience, there were other factors as well. I had spoken several times with Toro Rosso and it looked like a growing team with great potential.”

Spaniard Pujolar, 40, said part of the problem at Williams was its difficulty in adapting from life at the very front of the grid.

“You have to accept that times are changing and make different plans,” he said. “And accept that you’re not world champion anymore. But now I think they are making many changes and will improve. Personally, I needed a change of scenery.”

Finally, Pujolar laughed when asked if he would change places with a Renault engineer at present, given the French marque’s current technical troubles.

“I think I’m fine where I am!” he said.

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Webber says Ricciardo versus Vettel will be 50-50 in qualifying

Mark Webber expects his replacement at world champion team Red Bull, fellow countryman Daniel Ricciardo, to put up a competitive challenge alongside Sebastian Vettel this year.

By the end of the tense Webber-Vettel pairing, the duo were barely on speaking terms while Vettel was at the top of his game, winning a fourth consecutive championship in dominant style.

Australian Webber, who has switched to Le Mans with Porsche, managed to outqualify Vettel only twice in 2013, but the 37-year-old thinks Ricciardo will put up a stout effort this season.

“He’ll go well,” Webber told the March issue of Motor Sport magazine. ”I think he’ll give Seb a real hard time in qualifying – it’ll be 50:50 in the first year, I reckon.”

He suggested that the bulk of Vettel’s advantage under the former regulations, his superiority in slow corners, was due to Adrian Newey’s famous ‘blown floor’ cars.

“I took a few off Seb last year – and the blown floor is gone now,” said Webber. ”I think Daniel will be fine, and it certainly won’t hurt him that he’s come through the Red Bull system. I just hope he gets better starts than I did!”

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Di Resta and Hamilton make peace and settle bitter dispute out of court

Paul di Resta and Anthony Hamilton have resolved a bitter legal dispute by agreeing to an out of court settlement.

Hamilton, father of 2008 Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, brought the claim after being dismissed as manager by former Force India driver Di Resta.

The dispute centred around a multi-million euro deal with Go Fast energy drinks company, and whether some money linked to the Di Resta’s image rights ended up in a Grenada-based account run by the Hamilton family, constituting a breach of contract.

Di Resta lost his Formula 1 drive with Force India and has returned to compete in DTM for Mercedes.

The Scot told the Daily Mail, “This has been a difficult year and I am just pleased to put it behind me and to concentrate on my racing. I am looking forward to racing in DTM for Mercedes this year and to the future ahead.”

Hamilton said of the out of court decision, “I am very sorry that Paul and I fell out to the extent we did, and I am pleased to put this matter to bed.”

He added, “Paul is a very talented driver and it is a real shame that he does not have the F1 seat in 2014 that he deserves. I am sure he will do fantastically well in DTM for Mercedes, and I wish Paul the very best for the future.”

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Mateschitz aims to deliver perfect Austrian GP for fans

Austria’s return to the Formula 1 calendar this year is on track according to Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, and he is promising a treat for fans who attend.

“We are striving for a perfect race weekend with sold out grandstands,” said the Austrian billionaire, who has rebuilt the former A1-Ring circuit.

There had been some minor doubts about the race’s return, as the Red Bull-Ring was initially limited to a small maximum crowd, while circuit upgrades were still in the planning.

“The construction is on schedule, even if it is tight, and the permits are all in place,” Mateschitz told the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.

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Mateschitz has questions about 2015 Formula 1 budget cap

With world champions Red Bull arguably the biggest spenders in pitlane, billionaire boss Dieter Mateschitz gave his views on plans for Formula 1 team budget caps starting in 2015 and this season’s Ferrari driver pairing.

“At the moment the question of what is excluded and what else the manufacturers can redeploy in other budgets is still open,” he said.

“On one hand, billions were spent on the development of the new engines, which is not questioned,” added Mateschitz.

Finally, he was asked about Ferrari’s explosive ‘fire and ice’ new driver pairing of Fernando Alonso alongside fellow champion Kimi Raikkonen.

“Even if there are frictions,” Mateschitz insisted, “it has to work.

“With us, the media spoke about the crisis between Vettel and Webber for the longest time, but it still worked.

“It doesn’t matter if Alonso and Raikkonen are blood brothers or not.”