FORMULA 1 - 2014

[MIKA27]

Raikkonen: The F14 T seems to be a good car, but the track will tell who is quickest

There are now only a few days to go to the start of the 2014 Formula 1 season and this year, like never before, there is a great sense of anticipation to see the cars take to the track on Friday in Albert Park for the opening day of the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

For Kimi Raikkonen, there’s an extra reason why it will feel special, because he will be starting his second stint at Ferrari.

Most recently, the Finn won this race in 2013, but he also did it back in 2007, when he made his Ferrari debut, thus joining a select band who triumphed first time out for the Prancing Horse, drivers of the calibre of Juan Manuel Fangio, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell. Only one other driver managed it after Kimi and that is his current team-mate, Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen recalled, “I remember very well my first win with Ferrari,” Kimi told www.ferrari.com. “it couldn’t have been a better start to my seventh year in Formula 1, with a dominant win from pole. Winning always feels great for me.”

“Nothing could be better. Last year, we also managed to win, which certainly surprised people because unlike 2007, at Lotus we weren’t favourites. So, if I had to compare the two Australian wins, somehow, winning it last year for the second time felt even a little bit nicer after such a difficult pre-season testing period.”

“Australia is a great place to start the season, Melbourne is a wonderful city and, for us Europeans it always feels a bit special to be in this different part of the world. Only the weather is not always that nice,” added Raikkonen.

“I can remember only one GP here where there was sunshine all the time. Of course, I’d prefer dry and hot weekends, especially this year with a completely new car and so many technical aspects still to be understood completely.”

Raikkonen ran the Albert Park track programme on the simulator Wednesday, to try and anticipate unusual situations that could arise because of the characteristics of the 2014 car.

“The track is not that difficult and it’s a combination of a street circuit and a permanent race track and the event is very well organised. Sure, if your car is not well balanced then life can get difficult because you can lose a lot of time compared to those have got it right. If it rains, then the track is very, very slippery and the white lines can be really treacherous.”

The Iceman won’t be drawn into what could be the possible outcome of the race, “Making predictions has never been my habit and this year there is even more reason not to. We are heading Down Under with brand new cars and I reckon it is wide open and anything can happen.”

“In Maranello, we have worked hard and the F14 T seems to be a good car, but the track will tell who is quickest. When we start running to see where we are, we will at least have some data to give us a starting point.”

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No Indian GP return in 2015 as Baku street race set to happen

India’s return to Formula One will have to wait until at least 2016, by which time a new race in Azerbaijan could also be on the calendar, commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Wednesday.

Speaking to Reuters, the 83-year-old Briton dampened Indian hopes of the Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi hosting a race again next year after being dropped from the 2014 championship.

“At the moment, India won’t be on for next year for sure,” said Ecclestone.

“Probably 2016… they’re gradually getting over all the bureaucracy with the tax position inside the country and the general finance,” he added.

Ecclestone said in November that a deal had been done for the Indian Grand Prix to return in 2015 and for six years beyond that if tax problems with the country’s authorities could be overcome.

Problems over taxation, with Formula One classified as entertainment rather than a sport in India, as well as the considerable bureaucracy to be overcome in bringing equipment into the country have been seen as obstacles to the race returning.

South Korea was also dropped from this year’s calendar and Ecclestone said they too would have to wait for a comeback: “It’s never been for next year. We’ve been thinking about 2016 again for them.”

Russia, with a circuit threading through the Olympic Park in Sochi, is this year’s new addition and Ecclestone saw no reason why that race should not happen despite international tension over the situation between that country and Ukraine.

“Don’t cancel,” he said when asked his advice for anyone with flights already booked for the race in the Black Sea resort in October.

Azerbaijan, with a street race in the capital Baku, could soon be joining Sochi as Formula One plans to increase its presence in the region.

Ecclestone said he would be having discussions about that subject on Thursday, with details yet to be determined.

“It’s nice. Be ready, because you’ll have to go,” he said. “We’re having a look to see if we can get it done for next year. It’s not particularly straightforward but it will be a street circuit.”

While Austria will be making its return to the calendar this season, for the first time since 2003 with a race at the Red Bull-owned Spielberg circuit. Germany’s future is less assured despite the heavyweight presence of Mercedes in the championship.

The 2014 calendar lists 19 races after plans to include Mexico and New Jersey were put on hold.

Both remain on the cards for 2015, even if there is considerable scepticism within the sport about New Jersey happening, in what looks like an increasing fixture headache for Ecclestone.

[MIKA27]

Williams want 'strong points' Down Under

Pat Symonds says Williams will head to Australia with "some confidence" as he doubts rivals were sandbagging during pre-season testing.

Williams emerged as one of the strongest teams during the recent Bahrain tests which ended with Felipe Massa quickest off all by a slim 0.020s advantage.

Added to that, the team covered more miles than any of their rivals as the FW36 proved to be very reliable.

"We have done every bit of homework that we can do, and more, so we have to go there [Melbourne] with some confidence," Symonds, Williams chief technical officer, told Autosport.

"On top of which, we have done it at a reasonable pace so we have fully stretched everything.

"We had one gearbox go way beyond its mileage and we've been running a hard pace whether it be with a lot of fuel or a little bit of fuel.

"We have stretched the car at all times, we haven't really limped round so I really hope we have uncovered anything that might have been lurking there."

Pressed as to what his team expected to get out of the Australian GP, Symonds said the target is a solid top ten result.

"A strong points finish, yes I'd certainly hope for that, and really challenging for a respectable position.

"We have run a very genuine winter test programme - what you see is what you get and I suspect that is true for most people.

"Over the last few years, there has been a lot of sandbagging but this year people really needed to see what they are doing.

"And it's not as if anyone has a fuel tank that can run significantly more than proper fuel for a race distance.

"I think people stretched things a bit in qualifying as well, so there might be a few kilograms difference in weights, but not too much."

[MIKA27]

Sutil downplays 'boring' concerns

Adrian Sutil has rubbished concerns that this season could be boring despite drivers at times having to embark on "endurance racing".

This year's Championship sees a swap to 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engines with ERS while fuel has also been limited.

Drivers may now use no more than 100kgs of fuel to reach the chequered flag on a Sunday afternoon, roughly 60kgs less than in 2013.

The fuel limit, coupled with reliability concerns about the new engines, has sparked fears that F1 could be in for a boring season.

Sutil, however, reckons it will be anything but.

"I don't know why there is such a negative mood in the paddock," the Sauber driver toldESPN. "It's a new challenge, it's boring if everything is the same.

"There's new regulations, we have much more work, it's good. It's a challenge to make something better. We had V8 here for a long time which we knew how to work those, but now it's the next one.

"I don't think it's boring at all.

"Sometimes [the new engines] are a bit like endurance racing. You are driving around and waiting for a call to go faster. It's a big challenge actually; you need to look for different things than previous years."

As for the slower cornering speeds, the German added: "Well the cars are just a bit slower at the moment, so the g-forces are not quite so high, and the neck doesn't hurt so much. It's still very difficult to drive these cars, it's far away from being easy.

"I don't think anyone has to worry. It's high-performance racing, it's Formula One and it's the pinnacle of racing.

"We'll sort this out - the cars will be quick enough in the future and we don't need to worry about it."

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Alonso hopes new rules are here to stay

Fernando Alonso wants Formula One to keep its new rules unchanged for several years while fans adjust to a new style of racing.

“The new Formula One rules are very different to what we were used to,” he told Ferrari’s website.

“I think the concept of what constitutes a grand prix will actually change this year, with Saturday and Sunday being very different from one another.

“In qualifying, one will be able to get everything out of the car, pushing the new power unit to the limit, trying to get the absolutely best result. But in the race you won’t get anywhere near that level.

“Last year, towards the end of the races, on new tyres, you could do very quick lap times, whereas in the closing stages this year, you will have to bear in mind how much fuel you have left, the state of the batteries and that of the tyres.

“You will need to be very clever to manage these parameters and the new race strategies could see drivers being unable to go flat out to the end.”

“As drivers, we will get used to it quickly and so I hope these rules aren’t immediately overturned and that they stay unchanged for a few years,” he added. “Otherwise the spectators could lose confident in this new Formula 1 which is very complex, even for the viewer.”

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Jordan to sell 191 and race-winning 198 for charity

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has put two of his most famous cars on sale to raise money for charity.

The first Jordan F1 car, the 191, and their first-race-winning car are to go on sale. The proceeds will go to cancer charity CLIC Sargent and youth charity the Amber Foundation.

“These two F1 cars were kept because of their history, the good memories and what they meant to the team,” said Jordan.

“But it’s time to let them go and the money will be used to good effect helping young people and their families cope with cancer, and getting young adults back on the straight and narrow.”

Michael Schumacher started his first grand prix in a 191 and included in the sale are the signed helmet Schumacher gave to Jordan to thank him for the opportunity.

Jordan - 191

The cars are being sold privately through Cars International who can provide the buyers with an engineering team to service and maintenance the vehicles should the new owner wish to run them at events.

Jordan - 198

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Hamilton could return to McLaren - Dennis

Ron Dennis hasn't ruled out the possibility of luring Lewis Hamilton back to the outfit in the future once they've returned to their winning ways.

Hamilton split with the team at the end of 2012, ending a long-relationship between the two, but the 29-year-old insisted he could return to his "home team" if his situation were to change. Dennis says that's a possibility, but they need to prove they're competitive following one of their worst ever seasons.

"I think money played a role in it [Hamilton's departure], but it wasn't a deciding factor," he told Sky Sports News.

"The fact is that for him it was possibly time to move on - there had been commitments made from both sides - and I appreciated and knew what the turning point was.

"I know Lewis's character and he was bitterly disappointed to not win the Singapore Grand Prix. Strangely enough it wasn't the failure of a McLaren component that forced him to stop in that race, but nevertheless he was vulnerable and the right offer at the right time was made to him and so he jumped. "But who knows?

As and when - and I can assure you it will be sooner rather than later - that we return to the level of competiveness that we have enjoyed in the past, he could well be one of the drivers that could be attracted back to us and he will be better for having experienced life in a different team environment."

[nikonNUT]

Time to check the piggy bank and see if I can swing that 198. Not! Finally got to give the new 1.6's a listen. Kind outboard-ish at (comparatively) low RPMs but I'm digging the full whack sounds. Most interesting thing to me was listening to a Ferrari F14 T shutting down. Like a jet engine cutting off.

[MIKA27]

2014 F1 Preview: New engines, new rules and new sounds

Formula 1 will look and sound different when the season starts in Melbourne on March 16, with new regulations and the introduction of a turbocharged V6 engine with energy recovery systems.

The following looks at the main changes for 2014, with the sport going through its most significant technical overhaul in at least two decades.

Power Unit

Put simply, what used to be called an engine has become something a lot more complicated.

The old 2.4 litre V8 engines, with kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS), that revved at up to 18,000 rpm have been consigned to history and replaced by a power unit - 1.6 litre turbocharged engines limited to 15,000 rpm with two energy recovery systems (ERS).

The sport last saw turbo engines in 1988.

Teams are allowed five power units – each made up of six elements – per driver per season, compared to an allocation of eight engines last year.

A driver will have to start from the pitlane if he uses more than five entire units while each additional element above the allocation will incur a 10 place grid penalty.

Energy Recovers System (ERS)

The old-style KERS delivered a boost of around 80bhp for six seconds per lap at the push of a button.

The new ERS – two electrical motor generator units that harvest kinetic and heat energy from the brakes and single exhaust – does not require the driver to push anything and delivers an extra 160 bhp for up to 33.33 seconds per lap.

Whereas a KERS failure during a race would have put a driver at a manageable disadvantage, an ERS failure will have a far more dramatic impact.

As a result of ERS, cars will also produce more torque at lower revs than in the past which puts more stress on the rear tyres and calls for more sensitive throttle control.

Exhaust System

Cars now have one centrally-positioned exhaust compared to the previous twin outlets.

This change means the end of ‘blown diffusers’, where hot exhaust gases were directed over the rear diffuser to generate more downforce. Some teams, such as champions Red Bull who used the technology to particularly good effect, have been hit harder than others.

Fuel Economy

The new units will use some 35 percent less fuel than the previous engines, as part of a ‘green revolution’ in the sport. Each car has an allocation of 100 kg of fuel to complete the race without refuelling, compared with around 150-160 kg last year.

There is a also a fuel flow limiter. Fuel saving will become a feature of races, with the electrical power generated by ERS coming into play. Driving styles and tactics will have to adapt to the level of fuel consumption.

McLaren expect races to boil down initially into three key segments: “An opening charge to establish position; a consolidatory middle-stint as engines, fuel levels and temperatures are managed; and a final burst as drivers with the machinery and confidence to push, press on to the finish.”

Gearboxes

The rules now specify eight-speed fixed-ratio gearboxes, one more speed than in 2013. In the past teams could pick and choose from 30 gear ratios but now they must use the same specs all season, with one change allowed. Any further changes incur penalties.

Each gearbox must now last six consecutive races, instead of five previously.

Aerodynamics

Front wings have become 150 mm narrower, a move aimed at reducing the number of rear punctures caused by cars clipping those in front, and there is no longer a lower beam wing at the rear while the upper part is smaller.

The height of the chassis and nose (415 mm lower) has been reduced for safety reasons, chiefly to prevent cars being launched into the air in the event of a front to rear collision and to reduce the risk to drivers from side impacts.

This has led to a variety of highly distinctive noses on the 2014 cars, ranging from the two-pronged Lotus to ‘anteater’ style fronts on others.

Weight

Minimum car weights have increased from 642 kg to 691 kg to compensate for the heavier power units. Taller and heavier drivers, such as Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, say the increase is not enough and they are at a disadvantage compared to much smaller rivals such as Williams’ Felipe Massa.

With every extra kilo impacting on performance, expect some drivers to look much leaner than in the past.

Noise

The new power units make a different, softer noise to the screaming V8s, which were introduced in 2006, just as the V8s were distinct to the previous V10s and V12s. While the engines rev at 15,000 rpm, the turbo will make its own distinct noise as it spins at 125,000 rpm.

“The car will still accelerate and decelerate rapidly, with instant gearshifts. The engines remain high revving, ultra high output competition engines. Fundamentally the engine noise will still be loud,” says Renault’s Rob White.

“It will wake you from sleep, and circuit neighbours will still complain. The sound of the new generation power units is just different. It’s like asking whether you like Motorhead or AC/DC. Ultimately it is a matter of personal taste. Both in concert are still pretty loud.”

Double Points

The top 10 finishers in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi will score double points, with the winner taking 50 points instead of the usual 25. This controversial move is aimed at ensuring that the title battle stays open as long as possible.

Critics have accused it of being an artificial and unncessary gimmick.

Penalty Points

Any driver collecting 12 penalty points in a calendar year faces an automatic one race suspension.

Driver Numbers

Drivers have also been allowed to choose their racing numbers, which they will keep for their entire careers in Formula One.

Previously their numbers changed from year to year, according to the constructors’ championship standings.

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2014 F1 Preview: Vettel’s reign threatened by Formula 1 turbo revolution

If the tough get going when the going gets tough, then the Formula 1 season starting in Australia this coming week should offer Sebastian Vettel ample opportunity to roll up his sleeves and play the paddock hard man.

On the evidence of pre-season testing, the quadruple champion and his Red Bull team are up against it as the sport braces for an unpredictable new hybrid turbo era in Melbourne.

“Right now it is not an easy situation, but there is no reason to hang the head,” said the 26-year-old German, who is bidding to become only the second driver after compatriot Michael Schumacher to win five titles in a row, as Red Bull wrapped up a troubled final test in Bahrain.

“When I listen to some media we are right in the middle of a huge disaster…but we will fight through it. Everybody in the team – including me – is ready to fight,” Vettel told the formula1.com website.

The glamour world of grand prix racing is in the throes of a revolution, one that will be televised around the world, and Vettel is a young king whose throne is most definitely threatened in what could be a rollercoaster year.

Success-starved rivals can sense that their time has come, spurred on by rare signs of weakness from the once dominant team.

The technical change is the biggest that most of the sport’s engineers and mechanics have ever seen thanks to the introduction of a new turbocharged V6 engine with energy recovery systems.

In this brave new world, Red Bull’s preparations have been little short of shocking with neither Vettel – who won the last nine races of 2013 and has not been beaten since July – nor his new and ever-smiling Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo completing a race simulation.

All the Renault-powered teams have struggled to log as much mileage as their Mercedes and Ferrari rivals – Cosworth having now disappeared as an engine supplier – after experiencing problems bedding in the new power unit.

Reliability is a key concern for all teams, and the early races could be full of surprises, with fuel economy coming to the fore, and drivers playing a game of hare and tortoise to get to the finish.

The big question is how quickly Red Bull will be able to overcome their problems and whether testing is an accurate reflection of what will come when the lights go out in Melbourne.

Lewis Hamilton, whose Mercedes team are already the early favourites, expects Red Bull to be firing on all cylinders sooner than might be expected.

“They look like they have a stunning car, and usually the more beautiful it is the faster it is so I’m sure they’ve got a pretty quick car this year,” said the Briton who won his 2008 title with McLaren.

“Once they get the engine sorted, or the systems that they might be struggling with, I think they’ll – as always – be very hard to beat.”

Mercedes-powered Williams – who have signed a rejuvenated Brazilian Felipe Massa from Ferrari to replace Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado – have also looked strong in testing after scoring just five points in a dismal 2013.

Ferrari, reunited with 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen in a lineup of champions with Fernando Alonso, have kept their cards close to their chest but the engine has looked reliable.

Expect sparks between those two fire and ice characters, the first champions Ferrari has paired since 1954, if the car proves to be a championship contender.

The same applies to Mercedes, where Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s friendship could be sorely tested.

Nothing, however, can be taken for granted.

“We have seen cars struggle to do a race distance in pre-season testing but then finish the first race on the podium. We have seen it countless times and it can happen again,” Mercedes Engine Chief Andy Cowell told members of the media.

“Melbourne is a very exciting step into this new world of hybrid F1. I really don’t know how it is going to unfold.”

The sport will have three young rookies making their debuts – Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen at McLaren, 19-year-old Russian Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson at Caterham – while others have said farewell.

Australian Mark Webber has left Red Bull to race sportscars for Porsche while Britain’s Paul di Resta has returned to the German Touring Car championship (DTM) after being dropped by Force India and failing to find a seat.

Lowly Caterham have shed Frenchman Charles Pic and Dutchman Giedo van der Garde and delighted Japanese fans by bringing back the crowd-pleasing Kamui Kobayashi.

On the management side, three of the 11 principals have changed since the end of last season while even commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s future is clouded by an impending trial in Germany, on bribery charges.

Ross Brawn has left Mercedes, where Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe now share his responsibilities, while Martin Whitmarsh has been ousted by returning predecessor Ron Dennis at McLaren after a 2013 season without a podium finish.

Frenchman Eric Boullier has switched from Lotus to McLaren, where he will effectively run the team at races.

The 19-race calendar has a new look and, controversially, the novelty of double points on offer for the finale in Abu Dhabi in a bid to prevent the title being wrapped up too early.

India and South Korea have been dropped while Russia makes its debut with a race in Winter Olympic host city Sochi and Austria returns after a 13-year absence.

That race at the bucolic Spielberg track in June will be a home one for Red Bull. Whether Vettel will be in a position to win it remains to be seen.

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Grosjean secures Richard Mille contract

Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean has become a brand ambassador for luxury watchmaker Richard Mille.

The Frenchman, who currently drives for Lotus, joins fellow Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa as a Richard Mille ambassador, as well as tennis star Rafael Nadal, sprinter Yohan Blake and golfer Bubba Watson.

Grosjean’s watch of choice will be the RM 011, a watch with a strap so strong Richard Mille says it will be able ‘to resist being torn off at the high speeds imposed by’ Formula 1.

Grosjean will be seen sporting the watch, to be branded in Lotus colours, when he arrives in Australia for the opening race of the F1 season, on 16th March.

Richard Mille entered the F1 market last May when it signed a two-year deal to become the official timing partner of Grosjean’s Lotus team.

[MIKA27]

Schumacher now breathing without respirator

Michael Schumacher is now breathing without the aid of a respirator, according to a report in the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport.

It is a significant possible development in the seven time world champion’s situation, more than nine weeks into his coma following a skiing fall in late December.

The Formula 1 legend’s manager Sabine Kehm issued an official statement on Friday, warning that any unofficial information about Schumacher’s condition is “not valid”.

“Michael is still in the wake up phase,” the official statement added. “The situation has not changed.”

But the Gazzetta article was penned by the highly respected correspondent Pino Allievi, and at the Geneva motor show, Kehm indicated that Schumacher’s overall situation has improved.

“Michael is out of danger,” she reportedly said, “but the condition is still serious and so it is difficult to say all the risks are gone.

“But it is clear that his condition is no longer as sensitive as at first.”

Allievi, meanwhile, wrote that while Schumacher’s children have now returned to school, Schumacher’s close friends such as Jean Todt and Ross Brawn are alternating at his bedside and speaking to the great German in English, as they did during their ultra-successful Ferrari days.

The report said that during these visits, at which recordings of pit radio conversations and Formula 1 engine sounds are played in order to stimulate his memories, the expression on Schumacher’s face sometimes changes.

And when the doctors are in the room, Schumacher reportedly often grimaces, or his arms move.

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Williams to run 20th anniversary Ayrton Senna

Since the tragic death of Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Williams has placed the iconic Senna double S logo on its racing cars as a mark of respect.

To commemorate 20 years since his passing and to celebrate his legacy, the Williams Mercedes FW36 will be adorned with the new 20th anniversary Senna logo for the 2014 season.

Traditionally placed on the front wing struts of each Williams car, the new logo will be placed on the left hand side of the FW36′s nose cone and feature a picture of Ayrton alongside the words “Ayrton Senna Always”.

Designed by the Ayrton Senna Foundation, the logo will be present at a number of events organised by the Foundation this year to honour the life, legacy and values of the three times Formula One World Champion.

Speaking about the updated logo, Williams Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said: “I was very close to Ayrton and the iconic double S logo has been a mainstay on our cars since his death 20 years ago.

This new logo is our way of celebrating his achievements as a racing driver, and also the sterling work of his Foundation which is doing so much to promote educational opportunities in Brazil.”

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Hulkenberg out to break Melbourne jinx

While he may want points in Melbourne, Nico Hulkenberg says his first goal is to reach lap two of the grand prix.

The German has yet to reach the chequered flag in the Australian Grand Prix and last year did not even take his place on the grid due to an issue with his Sauber.

This season, back with Force India, he says the first target is to get his VJM07 safely onto lap two.

"It's been three races in Melbourne and I've still not completed a racing lap!" he said. "They say bad luck comes in groups of three so hopefully attempt number four will work out better!"

From there, though, Hulkenberg wants more, namely a strong points finish with which to begin his campaign.

"It's not easy to say. Testing only tells you so much, but I think we still have some performance in our pocket.

"I just hope we are competitive and can race for good points."

However, Hulkenberg, who raced for Force India in 2012 before spending a season with Sauber, reckons he is ready for the challenge ahead.

"I feel comfortable, but I think this feeling will grow stronger during the season.

"The cars are different compared to last year: the corner speeds are lower because there is less downforce and the engine behaviour is quite different.

"So it's a new challenge and it's difficult to tell just from testing how it will feel during a race weekend."

[OZCUBAN]

Schumacher now breathing without respirator

Michael Schumacher is now breathing without the aid of a respirator, according to a report in the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport.

It is a significant possible development in the seven time world champion’s situation, more than nine weeks into his coma following a skiing fall in late December.

The Formula 1 legend’s manager Sabine Kehm issued an official statement on Friday, warning that any unofficial information about Schumacher’s condition is “not valid”.

“Michael is still in the wake up phase,” the official statement added. “The situation has not changed.”

But the Gazzetta article was penned by the highly respected correspondent Pino Allievi, and at the Geneva motor show, Kehm indicated that Schumacher’s overall situation has improved.

“Michael is out of danger,” she reportedly said, “but the condition is still serious and so it is difficult to say all the risks are gone.

“But it is clear that his condition is no longer as sensitive as at first.”

Allievi, meanwhile, wrote that while Schumacher’s children have now returned to school, Schumacher’s close friends such as Jean Todt and Ross Brawn are alternating at his bedside and speaking to the great German in English, as they did during their ultra-successful Ferrari days.

The report said that during these visits, at which recordings of pit radio conversations and Formula 1 engine sounds are played in order to stimulate his memories, the exp<b></b>ression on Schumacher’s face sometimes changes.

And when the doctors are in the room, Schumacher reportedly often grimaces, or his arms move.

One can only hope the road ahead for Michael will be hard to say the least ,but this report from the Age this morning

Michael Schumacher: 'Only a miracle' can save him'

TONY PATERSON

Doctors treating Michael Schumacher and other medical experts have told his family that "only a miracle" can save him, sources have said.

The seven-time Formula One world champion suffered serious brain injuries after hitting a rock during a skiing accident in the French Alpine ski resort of Meribel in late December.

He is being treated in hospital in Grenoble, France, where he has been in an artificially induced coma for a total of69 days.

Sources close to his family say the 45-year-old driver's wife, Corinna, and his brother, Ralf, have been consulting brain specialists throughout Europe and have been told that his chances of recovery are minimal.

The family is said to be concerned that the French doctors treating Schumacher have little hope that he will recover and now assume that he will remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.

Experts point out that most artificial comas last for an average of three weeks. Schumacher's management team has insisted that doctors are gradually reducing drug levels to bring the driver out of his artificial coma and that he is currently in a "wake-up" phase.

In a statement released on Friday, the management team insisted there had been no change. "Michael is still in a wake-up phase, the situation has not altered," spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said.

At the management team's request, the Grenoble hospital treating Schumacher has kept news about his condition to a minimum. However sources close to his family say that the driver's prognosis is bleak. "The family has been told that only a miracle can bring him back now," a senior German journalist reporting on the Schumacher case said. " He is in a bad way but until the family issues a formal statement, we cannot publish anything," he added.

Another source said: "Doctors have given it to them straight. Miracles sometimes happen but there is little hope that he will come out of this."

A fortnight ago, Germany's Focus magazine reported that complications had obliged doctors to halt Schumacher's wake-up process and that the driver had been put back into a coma. However Schumacher's management team denied the report.

Coma experts have stressed that the past week should have been crucial for Schumacher's wake-up process as doctors would have been hoping for a sign that he was gradually becoming aware of his surroundings.

However, last Sunday, the Schumacher family is reported to have spent Corinna Schumacher's 45th birthday gathered around the comatose driver's hospital bed praying in vain for him to acknowledge their presence.

Doctors say that the greatest risk facing the driver while he remains in a coma and unable to swallow properly is the possibility that he will contract pneumonia as a result of his lungs being filled with fluid.

Should Schumacher manage to emerge from his coma, there appears to be little likelihood that he would be able to live a normal, active life.

Gary Hartstein, a former Formula One doctor, told the German media last week: "The majority of patients who come out of a coma alive after this amount of time suffer severe disabilities."

Telegraph, London

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Vettel admits that Red Bull goes to Melbourne with the RB10 Plan-B car

Crisis-struck Red Bull is taking a vastly different car to Melbourne – the RB10 ‘Plan-B’ car – for the first race of the 2014 Formula 1 season.

That is the claim of reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, even though the German is not expecting to be competitive this weekend after a disastrous winter for the team and engine supplier Renault.

“Only in the comic book world do such processes (to improve) work that quickly and immediately,” he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

“But only in Melbourne will we know how far away from the competition we actually are.”

Renault’s Jean-Michel Jalinier has now admitted that Renault-powered cars will not be in a position to win in Melbourne, but he expects the picture to change significantly within “three to five races”.

Vettel also noted that Red Bull is working hard.

“The car we will use in Melbourne will only be the same as the one we tested in the winter on the outside,” he said.

“Inside, it will be different,” added Vettel. ”It’s hard to say where we are, but we are certainly not among the favourites to win.”

New teammate Daniel Ricciardo, already in his native Australia, said the first challenge will be getting the RB10 to the chequered flag.

“We don’t really know if it will last the distance,” he told Fairfax Media, “because we haven’t proven it [in testing].”

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Magneti Marelli: In Melbourne, it could happen that no cars see the finish line

It is possible that every single car will fail to finish Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne.

That is the claim of Roberto Dalla, the head of Formula 1 electronics supplier Magneti Marelli.

He told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport that the electronics of the cars have become much more complicated in 2014, without a corresponding increase in the amount of pre-season testing.

“Last year,” said Dalla, “there was a single unit made by McLaren that was the brain of every aspect.

Roberto Dalla with Remi Taffin

“But now it only has control of a portion, and the underlying challenge is to be able to operate like an orchestra the engine, the turbo, the recovery systems.

“To find the right solutions will take another two to three months,” he claimed.

“Doing it during three winter sessions with only 12 days in total was a real mission impossible.

“In Melbourne, it could happen that all the cars do not see the finish line, because every team experienced serious problems in testing,” Dalla added.

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Massa: To see Mercedes at work made an impression on me

Felipe Massa has admitted he has been impressed with Mercedes power after switching from Ferrari for the 2014 F1 World Championship.

It is the first time in his Formula 1 career the diminutive Brazilian has not been powered by a Ferrari engine.

The Mercedes team, and its customers McLaren, Force India and Massa’s new employer Williams, are tipped to lead in 2014 with a superior ‘power unit’ for the new turbo V6 regulations.

“I went to the [Mercedes] factory and I was impressed,” Massa is quoted by La Repubblica.

There are reports that Mercedes has come out so strong in 2014 because the German carmaker has invested four times more money than Ferrari.

“I don’t know whether it is four times, [as much]” Massa said, “but definitely to see them at work made an impression on me.”

However, he denied that he deliberately shopped for a Mercedes-powered team for 2014.

“No, but with a regulation change that is about the engines, you know that [Mercedes] know what they are doing.

“And from the moment I arrived at Williams I felt very wanted, which is a fantastic feeling.”

Massa’s last comment seems to confirm earlier speculation that he no longer felt loved at Ferrari.

“I will not speak badly of Ferrari,” he insisted. “I was there many years and I lived some beautiful moments. And some very bad ones as well.”

He does not hide that Hockenheim 2010, when he was told ‘Fernando [Alonso] is faster than you’, was the low point.

“They did not let me win a race that I deserved,” said Massa. “It was not just the team order that hurt me, but the fact that I had come back from a very bad accident. It would have been very important to me.”

Asked if he often behaved ‘too loyally’ to Ferrari, he admitted: “Yes, maybe I did. But now it’s the past and it doesn’t matter. I remember the wonderful years at Ferrari, and the friendships with many people.”

Massa, 32, said he thinks that Mercedes has the best 2014 car, and when asked ‘Hamilton or Rosberg’, he answered: “Rosberg.”

But when asked who he would put money on for the title, Massa grinned: “I don’t like talking about myself…”

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Renault: We still have a long-term agreement with Red Bull, there is no separation

Renault Formula 1 chief Jean-Michel Jalinier insists the struggling French supplier should not be written off in 2014, and claims that they have a “strong long term relationship” with world champions Red Bull.

Many believe Renault’s early-season problems with the all-new turbo V6 ‘power unit’ have made winning races and the title almost impossible for world champions Red Bull.

But a bullish Jalinier hit back even at claims that Renault is concerned because they have already had to ‘freeze’ the specification of their engine for 2014.

“I am convinced that we have designed a good package,” he is quoted by Omnicorse.

“We have to work on the software but that is outside the freezing. On the engine we worked until the last second to be sure we reached the right level of power and torque, and in this aspect we believe we are right.”

Jalinier suggested some of Red Bull’s problems have been exacerbated by the design of Adrian Newey’s RB10 car.

“Red Bull have always made very competitive cars and we have worked well together,” he said.

“Maybe theirs is a bit more extreme at the level of their project, but we are working closely together to make it competitive,” Jalinier added.

He denied reports suggesting Red Bull and Renault could be set to split, with Lotus to take over as the ‘premier’ Renault team.

“At the moment,” Jalinier insisted, “our team of reference is Red Bull and we have three other customers.

“Among them are Lotus, who have certainly proved to be a very competitive team, but our principal team remains Red Bull Racing.

“We still have a long-term agreement with the team in Milton Keynes…there is no separation,” Jalinier said.

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Kovalainen’s F1 career is over thinks Vilander

Toni Vilander believes that Heikki Kovalainen’s Formula 1 career is “over”.

Having lost his Caterham seat, Kovalainen looked to be putting his career back on track when he secured the Lotus seat for the last two races of 2013.

But Kovalainen struggled, and despite Caterham wanting an experienced non-pay driver at the wheel this year, that job went to Japanese Kamui Kobayashi.

“I think it’s quite a difficult situation for Heikki now,” Vilander, a Finnish sports car and former GP2 driver, told Finnish radio Nova.

“If I had to say yes or no, then I would say that Formula 1 is now in the past for him,” he added.

“The Lotus seat at the end of the season was not good PR for Heikki. We know that jumping into a new car at the end of a season is difficult, but he should at the minimum have scored points,” said Vilander.

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No fifth world title for Vettel in 2014 predicts Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve believes that Sebastian Vettel’s run of successive Formula 1 World Championship titles is “definitely over”.

“He’s not going to win this year for sure,” the French Canadian who was the 1997 F1 World Champion, who is set to return to the Indy 500 this year at the age of 42, is quoted by Italian publications including Autosprint and La Repubblica.

“To me, Renault seems completely lost and unable even to finish a grand prix.

“Even if Red Bull are making a new car for the European races it won’t change anything — maybe they’ll do 30 laps instead of 15. It’s not the car but the engine.

“I’m joking, but why bother going to Australia? They can’t do half a grand prix, and are slower than most.

“Williams now has the Mercedes power unit, and it’s only because of that they’re doing so well.

“It’s good for [Felipe] Massa, because he was finished, and for a few years didn’t even seem like an Formula 1 driver. I think that shows just how good his car is.

“We’ll have to see if they also have the money to develop the car.”

Beyond that, however – and Mercedes’ obvious advantage – the former Williams and Honda driver is not entirely sure what will happen in 2014, as Formula 1 undergoes its technological revolution.

“I don’t know if it will be a great championship. It could even be funny,” said Villeneuve, “because in Australia we could see a Marussia on the podium.”

He thinks that Kimi Raikkonen’s move from Lotus to Ferrari for this year, even though he will be partnered by the excellent Fernando Alonso, was a good one.

“For the first time, I see him working seriously. Maybe his year without pay was good for him,” said Villeneuve.

“Alonso is a fighter from the first lap and so he might use too much fuel,” he explained. “It also depends on the attitude that he has.

“The Alonso of 2012 could win this year, but not the Alonso of 2013.”

Villeneuve also predicted a tough season for confused spectators, and thinks that Formula 1 has missed some obvious opportunities to spice up the action.

“The fuel limit is a good idea,” he is quoted by La Repubblica, “but it should be the drivers saving fuel and not the electronics.”

Villeneuve admits thatMercedes is the obvious 2014 favourite, but said the Brackley squad’s weakness is the driver lineup.

“Hamilton and Rosberg are not friends,” he said, “but to me it seems entirely too flat, without a spark. It has to be tougher than that between teammates.”

And unlike Red Bull, Villeneuve says that Ferrari cannot be written off yet.

“At the moment it’s not the best car, but it’s not so far back,” said Villeneuve. “They can recover. We’ll know much more after five races.”

MIKA: What is it with "has beens' in F1 giving their opinion so often?

Between Jacques Villeneuve, Gerhard Berger and Mika salo, these guys are driving me nuts. Jacques more so than most as he often is such a pessimist and negative Nay sayer.

I think what Jacques is saying is a no brainer in that anyone can make those predictions as they are quite obvious to all regarding the reliability of this seasons cars. Far too early to preach who will or will not win the entire season let alone a single race.

Even if Red Bull have a horrid season, Vettel still has so many more years to come, he doesn't win the WDC this year, he WILL win again. I'm not a Vettel fan, I admire his talent, but in saying this, lets all respect a good driver when we see one.

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President Putin says Russian GP on track

Preparations for the first ever Grand Prix in Russia are on track, President Vladimir Putin told Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, this weekend, on the sidelines of the Winter Paralympics.

The 10 to 12 October F1 race weekend, the first on Russian soil, will take place at the Sochi Olympic Park in the Black Sea resort, where athletes this week began competing in the Paralympic Games.

Putin, under international pressure over the situation in neighbouring Ukraine, where thousands of pro-Russia troops have fanned out across the Crimean peninsula, told Ecclestone the race would be a good use of the specially-built Olympic venue.

“It allows us to use the infrastructure more effectively once these big competitions come to an end,” he said.

Putin acknowledged that there remained work to be done ahead of the race, which was added to the calendar for this season as part of a revamp of the line-up.

But, he said, difficulties had been of a practical, rather than a conceptual nature.

“We will overcome them. It is very pleasing for me that the project is going to be a bright, beautiful addition to what was done in the preparations for the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games,” he said.

The Russian president did not give details of the problems, but reports have suggested a large number of stray dogs is a worry for organisers, while some of the facilities remain unfinished.

“We have been working on the project to bring Formula One to Sochi for a long time and it is moving to its full conclusion,” he said.

The 19 races of the 2014 Formula One season begin this week in Melbourne, Australia.

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Ricciardo won't roll over for Vettel

Daniel Ricciardo has made it clear that he won't be playing second fiddle to Sebastian Vettel this season.

Last season 'Multi-21' dominated the early part of the Championship when Vettel ignored that order from the Red Bull pit wall to stay behind then team-mate Mark Webber at the Malaysian GP.

This year, Vettel will have a different Australian driver flying the flag alongside him at Red Bull as Webber has retired with his compatriot Ricciardo taking his seat.

And the younger Aussie has made it clear he won't be rolling over for his four-time World Champion team-mate.

Asked by Fairfax Media what he would do if there was a repeat of Malaysia 2013, Ricciardo said: "Well, that would be good because that would mean I was in front. I'd be pretty pleased with that.

"And I'd make sure I stayed in front."

And staying at the front for a Red Bull driver means taking on some of the best names in the sport.

For the first time in his F1 career, Ricciardo faces the prospect of racing against the likes of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

The 24-year-old, though, insists that has not added to the pressure.

"Definitely even when I got close to Formula One I'd still look at all the drivers, the World Champions, and think, 'Wow, these guys are pretty cool. I wish I could be them one day.'

"But when you hang around it, you realise that everyone is human. No one is superhuman or has special powers. Obviously they've got unreal ability behind the wheel, but they're still human and they're still doing the same things.

"You just bring them back down to reality and realise they can be beaten. Until I do that on track, I can't really talk too much.

"I see Seb as a normal person. Obviously he works hard, he trains hard but he's not invincible."

However, this season getting to the front may not be an easy task for Red Bull as the team struggled in pre-season testing.

Red Bull completed just 183 laps in the final Bahrain test, 105 for Ricciardo and just 78 for Vettel, who was in action on the final two days.

"Then I passed it to Seb, thinking it was going to keep going, and then he did no laps the next day.

"We're still a little bit unsure how competitive, how reliable we're going to be. There's still a question mark unfortunately.

"I know the guys are putting in a lot of work now. Hopefully we can see the chequered flag, and get some points to start the year. [but] we don't really know if it'll last the distance because we haven't proven it."

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Dennis: Red Bull woes self-inflicted

As to be expected, Ron Dennis has little sympathy for Red Bull's pre-season plight, saying some of their troubles are "self-inflicted."

Despite winning four Championship doubles on the trot, the new 2014 regulations appear to have knocked Red Bull off their stride.

The team struggled to keep the car going in pre-season testing with the RB10 covering just 183 laps compared to Williams' 438.

They were also woefully off the pace with Daniel Ricciardo's 1:35.743 putting him tenth on the timesheets, 2.485s slower than the P1 time.

And although the bulk of their issues have been blamed on their Renault engines, Dennis reckons there is more to the story.

"Some of what Red Bull is experiencing is self-inflicted," the McLaren CEO told The Telegraph.

"Some of it is in any new regulations - if it involves engines, someone is going to be at the top, someone is going to be at the bottom.

"I'm sure Red Bull have their concerns, however, they have other issues too."

As for his own team's form, McLaren appear to be in the group behind Williams and Mercedes although won't know for sure until the Australian GP.

The one thing Dennis does know, though, is that McLaren need to return to winning ways after a dismal 2013 season where they went without a single top three result.

"We are McLaren, and there is nothing more certain than we will win," he said.

"How fast? How quickly? I can't predict. But we will win. We are a great Grand Prix team.

"The team has just lost its way. We're just off form as a team, but we haven't stopped being a great team."

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Boullier hails Magnussen's growth

Eric Boullier has given Kevin Magnussen his vote of confidence ahead of his debut, saying the McLaren driver is "very impressive."

This weekend Magnussen will make his Formula One debut when the Danish driver takes to the Albert Park circuit for the season-opening Australian GP.

But while his debut may come with a heap of pressure, McLaren racing director Boullier believes the 21-year-old is up to the task.

"Surprisingly, you can feel he is already very at home," Boullier told Autosport.

"He is still a bit shy maybe in terms of expressing his feedback, but it's going right.

"There are many [technical] parameters and he is doing it cleverly, not going too much into details now because he doesn't want to get lost in aero strategy or tyre management."

Boullier is especially impressed given that Magnussen comes into F1 from Formula Renault 3.5 and has had very little time in an F1 car.

"He is doing well. It's a different story from drivers in the past who had lots of miles under their belts.

"For a young driver who did only a couple of days in an F1 car, he is very impressive.

"He is consistent and obviously you have the usual problems with tyre management for a kid like him because they are used to a different world where they could push through the race.

"Here, you have to be a bit more careful with the tyres if you want them to last long enough during your stint.

"That is what he has to learn, but he is doing very well."