FORMULA 1 - 2014

[MIKA27]

No points no problem for Pastor

Pastor Maldonado remains confident that he will soon score his first points for Lotus after disappointing for the Enstone team so far.

The Venezuelan has only finished four races so far this year - none higher than 14th - and has been involved in a number of incidents which saw him notch up four penalty points against him.

Despite his struggles at Lotus so far, the 29-year-old remains confident that his fortunes will soon be reversed.

"I am very motivated," he told ESPN.

"I think we have some good weekends ahead of us and there are still so many races to go. The European part of the season is very important for us, so let's push hard, do our best and for sure we will be in the points soon.

"We all know what we have to do and we are all pushing hard. Yes, we can all get frustrated, but ultimately we all want to achieve success so we remain positive. We can see how much improvement there has been with pace from the car and once we have all the reliability issues sorted we'll be regularly fighting for points.

"Once we're there, the next target is to fight for more points and then podiums. We've seen that the Mercedes are not perfect and can be beaten. Even they had reliability issues in Canada."

"I still keep pushing and it's still possible to achieve good things this year. We have had a third of the season which has been a challenge - a big challenge - but we still have two thirds of the year to go with many circuits which should suit our car.

"You arrive at every track with the target of having the best weekend possible and finding as much performance from the car and yourself. This does not change if you've had a difficult last weekend in the car."

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Magnussen plays down inexperienced tag

McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen has dismissed suggestions that his inexperience is at the heart of the Woking team's struggles so far this season.

Magnussen finished in second place in his Formula One debut at the season opener in Australia, but since then has struggled to finish in the points as McLaren continue to struggle with downforce issues on the 2014 car.

Earlier, Magnussen's team-mate Jenson Button hinted that they would prefer to have two experienced drivers helping each other understand the MP4-29, rather than a veteran paired with a rookie.

Speaking to Autosport ahead of this weekend's race in Austria, Magnussen admitted that the feedback he gives the McLaren engineers differs from that of Button, but that the information he relays still has some worth.

"We are different and we feel different things from the car. This is good because you get different ideas," Magnussen told Autosport.

"I don't feel like I'm holding this team back in the development of the car.

"I feel I'm contributing with good feedback and I'm saying what I feel and what I feel is right.

"I try not to hold back and be shy, I try to open my mouth. As young kid coming into Formula 1 you need to be brave enough to do that, whether it's right or wrong I'll let the team figure out."

The Dane added that the feedback he has received from McLaren supports the feeling he has of contributing to the team.

"The best way to learn is to be open and say what you think," Magnussen continued.

"The engineers understand I have very limited experience so they tell me what they think is right and wrong, but they listen a lot as well, which I'm proud of.

"They use my feedback, even though I'm so inexperienced, and that gives me confidence."

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Changing tracks: Red Bull Ring

The circuit originally known as the Osterreiching was the first F1 track to be overhauled by Hermann Tilke, whose designs have become almost ubiquitous since.

It was renamed the A1 Ring when Tilke’s new version was used for the first time in 1997. It’s back on the calendar once more – and now it’s called the Red Bull Ring.

Today’s track is markedly different to its original incarnation. Here’s how the Osterreichring got a facelift.

Osterreiching: 1970

Length: 5.911km

Austria’s first world championship event was held in 1964 at Zeltwet. But the bumpy, four-turn circuit was not well-liked, and so a new circuit was built a short distance away.

Taking advantage of the rolling Austrian countryside, the Osterreichring blended gradient with fast, open corners to produce one of the fastest layouts in use at the time. And after the additions of chicanes to Monza and Silvestone, the daunting Osterreiching gained the distinction of being F1′s fastest track – even after it too had a chicane installed at the first corner.

It remained on the calendar until 1987, by which time some of its shortcomings were becoming apparent. Particularly the narrow start/finish area, where two crashes during that final meeting meant it took three attempts to get the race started.

McLaren driver Stefan Johansson also criticised the organisers after he struck a deer at over 150mph during practice. The organisers had allowed the session to continue despite the animal being spotted in the vicinity of the track long before Johansson hit it, causing huge damage to his car and giving the driver a nasty shock.

Red Bull Ring: 2014

Length: 4.326km

Ten years later F1 returned to a track where little had been left as it was, including the name: Austrian Telecommunications company A1 had rebranded it.

The shortened circuit and its slower corners may have had little in common with its predecessor, but it met the FIA’s ever-increasing safety requirements. And, thanks in part to its simple layout and many straights, it tended to produce exciting races.

It did, however, exhibit one of the problems which other modern circuits have been afflicted by. Its run-off areas were so wide and so forgiving that drivers could often run far off the track to gain an advantage – particularly at the first corner.

The A1-Ring held its last F1 race in 2003. In the intervening period, Red Bull purchased the circuit and it began holding major races again, including a round of the DTM.

No changes have been made to the track layout since F1 last raced on it 11 years ago. It is the third-shortest track on this year’s calendar, just 17 metres longer than Interlagos.

And it is likely to have one of the shortest lap times. The lap record set during the 2003 event by Michael Schumacher was 1’08.337 (refuelling was still permitted) and the fastest lap of the entire weekend was Schumacher’s 1’07.908.

MIKA: I miss seeing both Schumachers on the screen along with the cars of that era. That was racing.

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Bottas says Williams F1 team not making the same mistakes

Valtteri Bottas says the Williams Formula 1 team is not repeating mistakes, despite failing to make the most of a quick car this season.

The Grove-based team has been a podium contender at several races this year with the FW36, but has yet to finish higher than fifth in a grand prix.

Bottas could have finished second in Australia but for clouting the wall and puncturing a rear tyre, while rear tyre degradation problems prevented either Bottas or team-mate Felipe Massa finishing on the podium in Bahrain.

Massa's Chinese GP was compromised by a wheel mix-up at his first pitstop, while a wheelgun failure cost him a genuine shot at winning the recent Canadian GP before his last-lap crash with Sergio Perez.

Bottas' own race in Canada was compromised by ERS and braking issues, but both drivers remain confident Williams will get another chance to convert its pace into a bigger points haul.

"It's always been different things - we haven't been repeating the same kind of mistakes," said Bottas, when asked by AUTOSPORT why Williams continues to underachieve in races.

"For my car in Canada, the conclusion after the race was that we could have done a better job with the strategy, but in the end - with the failure we had with the ERS - there was nothing we could have done."

Bottas reckons May's Spanish GP, where he finished fifth on a circuit that was not expected to suit Williams, should give the team hope of a strong showing in the forthcoming Austrian GP.

"Initial thoughts are that it should be a medium track for us - not the best but not the worst," Bottas said.

"In Barcelona we had a strong race and it was not meant to be the best track for us, so we just need to aim for better results and more points."

Massa added: "It was a big opportunity [to win in Canada], but we have a very good car so I hope we can be competitive again."

[MIKA27]

Germany dedicate 4-0 win to Schumacher

Lukas Podolski dedicated Germany’s 4-0 World Cup thrashing of Portugal to countryman Michael Schumacher, after the news emerged that the Formula 1 legend has emerged from a five and a half month medically induced coma.

Substitute striker Podolski declared after the match, “He’s a good friend, a good guy and he’s also crazy about football. Maybe he watched the game or he knew about the result.”

Schumacher had been in a coma after a skiing accident in the French Alps on 29 December, the 45 year old being treated in ICU at Grenoble Hospital..

The seven-time world champion is now at a Swiss hospital in Lausanne, closer to his family’s home and out of the coma.

BBC reports that F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, world champion in 2008 and the German’s replacement in the Mercedes team, said it was “amazing” to hear of Schumacher’s progress.

“Everywhere I go people ask about him,” said the Englishman, who drives for Mercedes, the last team Schumacher drove for before retiring. “I could be at a petrol station in the States and people would ask about him.”

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg with the German football team in 2012

He added: “It’s really positive to hear there is some progress. To hear he is now really in that wake-up phase is really, really encouraging.”

A number of other sports stars from around the world took to Twitter to welcome the news of Schumacher’s improvement.

“Good start of the week with the news of Michael!” wrote Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, world champion in 2005 and 2006. “So happy this is going in the good direction.”

Jenson Button, another ex-world champion, added: “Great to hear some positive news about Michael’s condition.”

Niki Lauda told German television RTL: “I’m extremely happy. I always believed this news would come. Now I wish he gets through the rehab as quickly as possible and is back with us in Formula 1.”

World heavyweight boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko urged Schumacher to “keep on fighting”, while former England footballer Rio Ferdinand tweeted that Schumacher was an “inspiration”.

NBA star Pau Gasol of Spain said, “Very glad to hear the news about Michael Schumacher! Keep strong #Schumi, I wish you all the best in your recovery!”

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Magnussen 'probably most experienced at the Ring'

Kevin Magnussen might well be a rookie this season, but he believes he might have a slight upper hand when it comes to the Red Bull Ring.

With the circuit having changed slightly since it was last used in 2003 and only a few of the current drivers having ever driven it in a Formula 1 car, Magnussen has the advantage of having driven the new layout last year.

"It's strange to be able to say it, but, of all the drivers on the F1 grid, I've probably got the most recent experience of racing at the Red Bull Ring, because two rounds of the World Series by Renault were held there last summer."

The Danish driver is looking forward to returning to what he describes as a "physical" circuit which requires "constant concentration" despite it featuring just nine turns.

"It's a very cool place – it's a circuit where you never really get to rest in the cockpit because the track is always going somewhere; there's only really one 'straight' straight, along the start/finish line, but it's book-ended by fast corners so the opportunity you get to relax is pretty minimal.

"But that’s what makes it so enjoyable – every lap is a real adrenaline rush because the corners never stop coming. You need to really be on top of the car around here, you want it to be doing exactly what you ask of it, simply because the lap is so physical, the driver is actually doing a lot of work, so he needs his car to take as much of that burden as possible.

"I think this'll be a great new addition to the calendar – the circuit is a hardcore racetrack, the fans are passionate and the venue is spectacular."

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America's Haas will have a UK and US base

Gene Haas has revealed that his Formula 1 team - which is set to join the grid in 2016 - will in fact have a UK base as well as one in the US.

The American businessman initially planned to base the entire operation out of a newly constructed extension to his North Carolina factory which currently serves his NASCAR outfit. However as the scope of the project begins to dawn on Haas, a number of changes have been made, one of which includes a base somewhere within the UK's 'motorsport valley' which he says will employ around 250 people.

"I think initially we are going to be hiring around 200, maybe a little bit more than that at 250," he told the Telegraph.

Haas is keen to stress that the team's heart will remain in the US with "American smarts" giving their European counterparts a run for their money.

"We really are going to be an American team. We are going to be different," he added.

"There is no doubt about it in my mind because this is how we do things.

"We are going to learn what F1 is all about but I think we have got American smarts as far as racing and we are going to apply that to F1 in our own way."

[Skyfall]

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NURBURGRING WANTS TO HOST ANNUAL F1 RACE

Nurburgring is set to ramp up its presence on the Formula 1 calendar, and host an annual grand prix

Currently, the fabled circuit and Hockenheim, annually alternate a single spot on the sport’s schedule.

But earlier this year, the insolvent Nurburgring secured its future when it was sold to Dusseldorf automotive group Capricorn.

Boss Robertino Wild said at the time that the Nurburgring would “basically go as it was before”.

But a report in the German newspaper Rhein Zeitung claims that the Nurburgring has in fact agreed a new contract with Formula 1, where the circuit will host a grand prix each year until at least 2019.

The new deal with Bernie Ecclestone could even entail a “long-term strategic partnership beyond the next five years”, the report added.

The news could endanger the future of the Hockenheim race, as Formula 1 is unlikely to continue with two German grands prix on a single annual calendar.

DPA news agency said that a spokesman for Capricorn declined to comment.

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Hockenheim boss angry with Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone could terminate Hockenheim’s grand prix contract, as he looks to secure the long-term future of Formula 1 in Germany at the Nurburgring.

Currently, Hockenheim – due to host the German Grand Prix next month – annually alternates the race with the country’s other Formula 1 venue, the fabled Nurburgring.

But it emerged this week that, following the formerly insolvent Nurburgring’s sale to a Dusseldorf group called Capricorn, the new owners are close to agreeing a contract to stage the German Grand Prix every year between 2015 and 2019. A press release to that effect was issued by Capricorn on Tuesday.

“It is outrageous that this press release was issued,” Hockenheim boss Georg Seiler told the German news agency SID. “In Formula 1 there is an unwritten law that says ‘No press releases while you are negotiating’. This is scandalous.”

After hosting July’s 2014 race, the remainder of Hockenheim’s current contract is for grands prix in 2016 and 2018.

Referring to Formula 1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone, Seiler said: “He cannot and will not terminate.”

And DPA news agency also quoted him as saying: “I know Mr Ecclestone as a fair and good partner. The fact is that I was surprised by this news.”

Ecclestone, however, told Auto Motor und Sport that the new annual Nurburgring deal would result in Hockenheim’s contract being terminated.

“I met with the people from Capricorn,” he confirmed. “The problem is that they need to find revenues on the level of other European races.”

“Since the Nurburgring is close to Spa, I offered them the same deal that Belgium has,” added Ecclestone, referring to an arrangement where Spa gives up ticket revenues in exchange for a low race fee.

“I have nothing against Hockenheim,” he explained, “but it seems that they are not able to meet our requirements. To help them, we had to enter into an agreement with special conditions. But it can’t stay like that forever.”

“If we sign a long-term agreement with the Nurburgring, it’s best to end the existing contract and begin the new one as early as 2015.”

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McLaren count on Austria experience

Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen heads into this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix as two of the only drivers on the grid that has raced at the Spielberg venue before.

Of the current drivers, only Button and Ferrari pair Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have prior experience of a Formula One race there, while Magnussen raced at the venue during the World Series by Renault last year.

Although Jean-Eric Vergne carried out a demonstration run for Toro Rosso during the same event in 2013, McLaren have an enviable record at the Red Bull Arena, as it is called now, and have won more races there than any other team.

Significant changes have been made to the infrastructure since the previous race there in 2003, but the layout remains the same as when Michael Schumacher won from pole position 11 years ago.

"I think it's great that we're going back to Austria," Button said ahead of this weekend's race.

"Obviously, the Austrian Grand Prix has such a lot of history, the country has had some great drivers and champions in the past, and it's also currently got a world-class grand prix team, so it makes a lot of sense for us to be racing there again.

"I think [the Red Bull Ring is] a great venue, a fantastic location for a grand prix. From my previous visits, I remember the clear mountain air, the cool morning temperatures before the sun hit the paddock, and the fast, sweeping corners that still largely exist, and which give this circuit a great feel from the cockpit. I remember the racing line for turn one would lead us far out over the exit kerbs and onto the tarmac run-off - it was crazy, and it'll be interesting to see what has changed in the intervening ten years. I hear that the track has been left largely unchanged, but that the pits and paddock have been renovated. I think that's a good call - the track is simple but great. A mini-classic."

Magnussen's experience at the venue came more than a decade after that of Button and McLaren hope to be able to use some of the data the youngster collected in the simulator as part of their preparation.

"It's strange to be able to say it, but, of all the drivers on the F1 grid, I've probably got the most recent experience of racing at the Red Bull Ring," 21-year-old Magnussen added.

"It's a very cool place - a circuit where you never really get to rest in the cockpit because the track is always going somewhere. There's only really one 'straight' straight, along the start/finish line, but it's book-ended by fast corners so the opportunity to relax is pretty minimal.

"But that's what makes it so enjoyable - every lap is a real adrenaline rush because the corners never stop coming. You need to really be on top of the car around here, you want it to be doing exactly what you ask of it, simply because the lap is so physical, the driver is actually doing a lot of work, so he needs his car to take as much of that burden as possible.

"I think this'll be a great new addition to the calendar - the circuit is a hardcore racetrack!"

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Mallya confident of continued success

Force India owner Vijay Mallya insists his team will continue to try their best to upset the Formula One favourites throughout the year.

Force India have been the surprise package of the season so far and are in fourth place in the Constructors' Championship after seven races.

Sergio Perez claimed their first podium since 2009 when he finished in third place in Bahrain, and has scored points in each of the other six races.

His team-mate Nico Hulkenberg has only finished outside the top six on one occasion this year and has four fifth-place results to his name.

"I am very proud of what the team has achieved so far, but by no means are we going to ease off at this point," Mallya told crash.net ahead of this week's Austrian Grand Prix.

"The development race is not going to stop, so we are working hard to bring updates to the car and give our drivers an even better chance to score big results. Of course, we have shown a good level of consistency, being able to score in every race so far, and we want to continue to be able to ruffle a few feathers in the top spots.

"Let's not forget that Nico drove a brilliant race to score another ten points but, up until the last lap, it looked like being an even sweeter result with both cars very well placed.

"Sadly it was not meant to be, but the car, the team and the drivers performed admirably throughout the whole weekend.

"The VJM07 was very competitive; we got all the strategy calls right and we were on course for one of our best ever results. The accident for Sergio on the last lap took that away from us, but we should not forget the positives: our tyre management was excellent and we were able to race at the front and challenge for the win. It was one of our strongest races."

While this week's race at the Red Bull Arena outside Spielberg will be a new experience for Force India, Mallya is confident that his drivers will once again be near the front of the grid come Sunday.

"The last time F1 raced there, the cars were very different from what they are now so it is difficult to predict how the pecking order will be," he continued.

"We don't expect massive surprises, however - cars that have been competitive so far will retain their advantage. The track layout seems likely to be favourable to the characteristics of the VJM07, but the competitive order is very tight and we will need to be performing at our best to come away with a good result."

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Kvyat: My kind of track

With Austria having last featured on the F1 calendar a decade ago, Daniil Kvyat is one of a few young drivers who have experienced the Red Bull Ring.

Previously known as the A1-Ring, the track in Spielberg last hosted a F1 race back in 2003.

Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen are the only drivers still in the sport who contested that grand prix, which was won by Michael Schumacher.

However, several of the younger drivers on this year's grid have had a taste of the renamed and revamped Red Bull Ring, having contested races in younger series.

One such driver is Kvyat, whose past results at the track speak of his love of it.

"This is one of my favourite circuits," said the Toro Rosso driver. "I raced here in Formula Renault Alps and had two wins there in 2012. I had a great weekend and really loved the track.

"Last year I went back to the Red Bull Ring with Formula 3 this time and again I had great memories taking three poles out of three, followed by three second places in the races.

"It's my kind of track, with heavy braking points and it is quite a technical track. It has some fast and medium speed corners which I really enjoy."

But while the driver knows he can do well at the track, F1's 10-year hiatus means the teams won't really know until Friday's practices.

"Hopefully the STR9 will go well there," he added.

"It's going to be a big weekend for the Red Bull family, but I will be concentrating on the usual jobs of getting everything sorted and finding the right set-up from first free practice, having the right approach and seeing how it goes.

"You need to find a good balance there as there are some reasonably long straights. But it's mainly about high speed corners which is where you find most of the lap time."

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FORMULA 1 RETURNS TO AUSTRIA AFTER 11 YEAR BREAK: HOW WILL THE ENGINES COPE?

Austria overview:

Rémi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations:

It’s a pleasure to return to Austria for the first time since 2003. It’s a beautiful, flowing track that may look simple but there are a number of challenging points for the Power Units that will push us to the limits.

The circuit consists of four long straights, meaning the ICE runs at full throttle for a high percentage of the lap. From our simulations, we estimate approximately 50% of the lap will be taken at wide open throttle, comparable with Montreal and Silverstone.

These long periods of open throttle will not only put the ICE under a lot of pressure, but also the MGU-H that will need to recover and deliver lots of energy to the MGU-K to minimize lap time. In this respect, Austria and Canada have very similar characteristics.

There are only nine corners at the Red Bull Ring, which will not give the MGU-K many opportunities to recover significant energy under braking. That said, we will need the MGU-K to feed the ICE with extra power, so making efficient use of the little energy recovered will be extremely important.

One other challenges of Austria is the high altitude, which will cause the turbo to spin at a much higher rate to compensate for the low ambient pressure – very close to the hardware limit.

We have recreated some of these climatic conditions on the dyno and feel confident we have a good handle on the preparations. The win in Canada has certainly given us a boost and confirmation that we are going in the right direction but we still have a long way to go before we can expect to challenge on a regular basis.

News from Total

Technical regulations in place since 2008 have dictated that fuel should include compounds of a non-fossil origin, otherwise known as biofuels. One of the fundamentals of the ‘F1 recipe’ is the requirement to incorporate 5.75% (in mass) of compounds from renewable sources. ‘Non-fossil’ molecules may contain oxygen, such as ethanol, but also hydrocarbons obtained from the decomposition of plant waste removed from the food chain. These are renewable fuels or second generation biofuels. Some alcohols offer a high octane, which can help to contain the ‘knocking’ phenomenon that can affect the turbo.

Renault Energy F1-2014 Fast Facts:

The track is around 700m above sea level, comparable to Interlagos. Normally aspirated engines, which rely on oxygen content in the air, would be around 7% down on power at this altitude since power decreases by approx. 1% for every 100m in height as there is less oxygen to burn at a higher altitude. A turbocharged engine does not have this power drop off. It instead always pressures the ambient air to the same level inside the turbocharger and then compressor, ensuring there is always the same amount of oxygen content in the air inside the engine.

F1 fans may remember the days when turbocharged engines struggled to start at high altitude races such as Austria and South Africa. Improvements in starter motors, turbochargers and ICEs should mean this is no longer a problem.

Preparing for a new race takes double the amount of man hours for the team at Viry due to increased simulation and test time.

Approx. 100 man hours have gone into preparation for the Austrian GP, not including all the standard race mapping work undertaken by the engine track teams.

Fuel consumption will not be a major concern here due to the short lap and quick lap time. The few corners also mean that the engine will not frequently accelerate and brake over the lap, which greatly increases consumption.

Renault has won the Austrian GP three times. Jean-Pierre Jabouille took victory in 1980 with the RS01 while Alain Prost triumphed in the mighty RE40 in 1983. Jacques Villeneuve won for Williams in 1997 en route to his world championship crown.

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Grand Prix Preview: Austrian GP

Formula 1 returns to Austria for the first time in 11 years, for round eight of the 2014 season.

The event first appeared on the F1 calendar in 1964 at the Zeltweg Airfield, although one non-championship round had taken place the year before. The Österreichring was the home of the Austrian Grand Prix between 1970 and 1987, before safety concerns caused the event to be taken off the schedule.

The circuit was rebuilt with a new and much safer layout, returning for the 1997 F1 season. The A1-Ring (as it was then called) hosted its last race in 2003 and then fell into disrepair, failing to host any motorsport events for several years.

It was then purchased and refurbished by Red Bull, officially reopening in 2011. It held DTM and Formula 2 races before it was announced that F1 would be returning to the Styrian hills in 2014.The 2.688 mile layout is the third shortest on the calendar, behind Interlagos and Monaco, and features just nine corners.

A lap kicks off on the long pit straight, which climbs uphill to the first corner. The undulating nature of the track means the difference between the lowest point and the highest (turn two) is 60 metres.

Turn one is a sharp right-hander than will be taken in second gear. It is a strong overtaking opportunity, as the heavy braking zone follows the first DRS zone. Getting a good exit is crucial for the long run to the second corner, with an even steeper climb. It is the best overtaking place on the relatively short circuit and features the trickiest braking zone.

The second sector kicks off just prior to the right-hand hairpin, which is the slowest of the nine corners, and is then followed by another long straight. This is where the second DRS zone will be positioned, making it another strong opportunity to make a move.

The track heads downhill on the run to the third corner, which is named Rauch. It will be taken in first gear at around 103kph (64mph). Turn four is a sweeping right-hander before the tricky left of the fifth corner, which was previously named after three-time champion Niki Lauda but is now called Pirelli.

The run to turn six is where the third sector starts. It used to be called the Gerhard Berger Kurve but was renamed Wurth for Austria’s return to the F1 calendar, after the German tool company. Turn seven is a fast right-hander that leads onto another flat-out section of the circuit, which briefly heads uphill. The track heads downhill once again for the fastest corner on the circuit, the tricky fourth-gear right-hander of the eighth corner.

It is named after Jochen Rindt, who won the 1970 F1 title posthumously after tragically losing his life in a crash in a crash during practice for the Italian Grand Prix. A short straight follows before the final turn, which is a medium-speed right. The pit lane entry cuts inside the last corner, with cars re-joining to the right on the exit of the first turn.

Red Bull Racing heads to its own circuit off the back of Daniel Ricciardo’s dramatic victory in Canada. However, the Mercedes drivers look set to dominate once again on raw pace. Either Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg will take the win, unless their cars suffer reliability issues once again.

The battle to be best of rest will continue to be close. The track is demanding on the engines and brakes, requiring strong top speed. It has two distinct sections, with the first being made up of long straights and heavy braking zones. The second part of the circuit features medium-speed and more technical corners.

Alain Prost has won the Austrian Grand Prix three times, the most of any driver. Meanwhile, McLaren is the most successful constructor and has triumphed six times. Michael Schumacher was victorious at the last race in the country back in 2003. A brief fire at his first pit stop lost him the lead, but he soon reclaimed the top spot and controlled the race.

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Boullier: McLaren need fresh approach

McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier believes the team needs a fresh approach to Formula 1 in order to return to winning ways.

McLaren last secured a Championship back in 2008 when Lewis Hamilton triumphed in the Drivers' battle while the team has not won the Constructors' since 1998.

The team's lack of success recently led to a few changes at the top with Ron Dennis returning to the helm while Martin Whitmarsh was dropped as team boss, replaced by Racing Director Boullier.

The former Lotus team boss, though, says more changes need to be made, especially to McLaren's approach to Formula 1 racing.

"McLaren has been doing the same thing for a long time - and maybe too long," he told Autosport.

"Now it needs to refresh a little bit.

"I use the words of Ron [Dennis], who said it became an engineering team rather than a racing team. We lost some flexibility; we lost maybe [the ability] to look outside as well.

"It is a very competitive sport, so we should always monitor what the others are doing.

"And if someone is better than you, we need to try to understand why, rather than looking at our shoes and expect we are going to do better one day."

The Frenchman added: "There is a little bit of culture change. There has been drastic change in the aero department at McLaren, and I think there is a new strategy in place and new leadership in place to drive where we should be.

"And from that point, that will be the first step. And from there we will go to the next step which will be to try to go to winning, and a Championship-winning team."

Highlighting where it has gone wrong for McLaren in recent times, Boullier says while the team has the ability to recover, these days the sport's regulations don't permit the time on the track and in the wind tunnel that is needed to do so.

"McLaren has been and is still a big machine capable of recovering. The only difference is that the outside world has changed.

"We have no more testing, more and more restrictions in the wind tunnel, and more and more restrictions everywhere.

"So from a recovery point, we have less capacity - not in terms of inside the team but in terms of what we can do. And that is something that has maybe been forgotten or not well handled when they took some risk with concept cars.

"They obviously were expecting to recover, but we cannot recover as much as we were doing before.

"It is a change of strategy: the way you build new cars, the way you introduce new concepts, and everything has been reviewed. It won't be like before now, because we cannot afford to do this."

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Ferrari doing 'level best' to improve

James Allison feels Ferrari have "marginally" closed the gap to the front runners in recent races and will continue trying to do so.

With just one podium finish to their tally since the start of this season, the 2014 Championship is yet again proving a difficult one for Ferrari.

The Italian stable has fallen well short of the pace-setting Mercedes while also losing ground to the quickly-improving Red Bull outfit.

But despite their woes, Allison is confident Ferrari are making progress.

"Every season is dominated by the efforts back at the factory to try to improve the package," said the technical director.

"If you're in front you work to stay in front and if you're not, then your efforts are aimed at moving your way up the grid.

"Currently, we're doing our level best across every aspect of the car: mechanically, aerodynamically, electronically, every single component, set up wise, everything we can do to try to improve is being done.

"In recent races we have brought more upgrades than usual to the track and this has improved our position marginally. We just need to keep fighting the same fight, we have upgrade plans race by race.

"If we do a good job with all of those, it will start to tell and we will start to see Ferrari run more consistently relatively to the opposition.

"But it's not an easy fight, and it's a fight that never ends."

Looking ahead to the next race, the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring, the Brit believes getting the most out of the supersoft tyre in qualifying will be the key to success.

"We will have the soft and supersoft Pirellis, just as we did in the last two races," he said.

"We cannot be sure what to expect but, as at any of the tracks this year, management of the Option in qualifying will be extremely important.

"You need to ensure you get the tyre prepared for a hot lap in Q2, while being sure the tyre can then cope with the first stint of the race."

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Berger: Fingers crossed for Schumi

Gerhard Berger says it is "fantastic news" that Michael Schumacher has woken from his coma and moved to a rehab.

Earlier this week, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm announced that he is "not in a coma anymore" and had left the Grenoble hospital where he had been since suffering a severe head injury in a skiing accident in December.

The news has been welcomed by Formula 1 personalities with Schumacher's former rival Berger the latest to share his thoughts.

"This is fantastic news, fantastic for all of us especially in the motorsport world," he told Sky Sports News.

"We all hope that he is coming back to be one of us again. We are crossing fingers for him and for his family."

He added: "I have a lot of memories, I was fighting with him on the race track for wins, I was fighting with him on a personal point - which was normal being in a highly competitive world. And I was friends with him."

Not everyone, though, greeted the news with joy.

Former F1 doctor Gary Hartstein said Schumacher's people were playing on words when telling the world that he had woken from the coma.

He wrote on his blog: "We're told, with what appears to be a bit of a triumphal air, that Michael is no longer in a coma. THIS IS NOT NEWS.

"I cannot help but think that this is a highly cynical use of language, using the truth to convey an impression that is almost certainly false.

"I cannot but think that if Michael had emerged AT ALL from the minimally conscious state that Sabine so accurately described in April, we'd be told that Michael is leaving for rehab, that he is having problems expressing himself and will work hard to get better. Or that he's having to learn to walk, read, write, etc all over again.

"But no, we're told what we already know, and pretty much told to not ever expect further updates. Kinda like what I was thinking.

"This all leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. And a huge space of sadness for Michael's family, and for you, his fans."

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Stevens handed Caterham test

Caterham have announced that academy member Will Stevens will drive the team's CT05 at next month's Siverstone test.

Currently fourth in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Stevens has impressed with three podium finishes which included the victory at the opening race of the season in Monza.

The 22-year-old, who has worked extensively on developing Caterham's simulator, has already had a taste of Formula 1 having taken part in last year's Silverstone test.

"It'll be great to be back in an F1 car for the first time since the 2013 Silverstone test and with the amount of time I've already spent in the virtual car in the simulator, I can't wait to see how it compares to the real thing," he said.

"I'm sure we'll have a busy runplan set for the day and my focus will be on doing the best job I can for the team, building on the work I've been doing all year in the sim at Leafield."

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Ferrari F1 team needs more integration says chief Marco Mattiacci

The various strands of the Ferrari Formula 1 team still need to work more closely together, despite sharing a single Italian base, according to new team principal Marco Mattiacci.

The former CEO of Ferrari North America has conducted a thorough review of the Scuderia's working practices since taking over from Stefano Domenicali ahead of April's Chinese Grand Prix.

The high levels of cooperation between Mercedes' separate engine and chassis bases at Brackley and Brixworth are considered crucial to its success this season, suggesting a team like Ferrari - with a single base in Maranello - should also have had an advantage under this year's new rules.

But Mattiacci refuted this suggestion when quizzed by AUTOSPORT.

"What you say is counter intuitive; [that teams based] all in the same place should be faster than people that are [separate]. It is not necessarily [the case]," he said, when asked by AUTOSPORT why teams with separate chassis and engine bases, such as Mercedes and Red Bull, might be making faster decisions than Ferrari.

"It's not just the decision of process, it is the way people cooperate with each other.

"It is not because if you have different geographical areas that necessarily [you] should be slower than teams in the same building like we are.

"We are working very much on that area. We have to be more reactive, and we have to be more integrated."

MAKING PROGRESS

Four-time world champion and ex-Ferrari driver Alain Prost recently suggested traditional F1 teams like Ferrari needed to rethink their approach in order to return to the top of the sport.

Mattiacci addressed Ferrari staff at Maranello on Tuesday, outlining his plan to revamp the Scuderia by making it more innovative, and getting it to operate more efficiently and quickly.

Mattiacci reckons Ferrari is making progress, but that it will take time to turn the fortunes of such a big team around.

"When you take a company [the size of Ferrari] I don't think that if in one month you see progress that you need Marco Mattiacci," he told AUTOSPORT.

"There is much work to do but we are definitely moving in the right direction.

"There is a very strong dialogue with all my colleagues and I think there's a mutual understanding that we need to improve.

"Motivation is at a good level."

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Two DRS zones for F1′s return to Austria

Formula One’s policy of using two DRS zones per track where possible will continue at the Red Bull Ring, which is hosting Austria’s first round of the world championship since 2003.

While the basic configuration of the circuit has changed little since then, when it was called the A1-Ring, it has been brought up to date by the addition of two DRS zones, each with their own activation point.

Significantly the longest flat-out section of the circuit, which links turns one and two, will not have a DRS zone. It does feature the first of two detection points, and drivers can activate DRS shortly after leaving turn two.

The other activation zone is on the start/finish straight, with the detection point between the last two corners.

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Alonso: The show has not been good enough at some races

One of the hot topics ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix is the call for a re think on Formula 1 as it is today, which in some quarters has not been well received – in particular by Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo whose call for a summit to address the issue is supported by Fernando Alonso

Speaking in Austria the Spaniard said, “I think the President is right in a way. The show has not been good enough at some races this year and with one team dominating, the spectators want more excitement. It’s right that if the teams and fans have any ideas to have a better show then they should be welcome.”

The recent decision to reduce in-season testing again has good and bad points according to the Ferrari driver, “I know it is important to reduce costs, as it means that more teams can survive, but on the other hand, this is the only sport with no training and for young drivers especially, it is difficult if almost the first time in the car is in Free Practice 1: that is unique to this sport.”

As for Red Bull Ring where he last raced over a decade ago, Alonso claims to have no memories of his past races at the refurbished Austrian circuit and in fact, the major changes to the facilities, new pits, new grandstands, new media centre, mean there is not much except the actual track layout that has stayed the same.

“I do remember it as very short,” said the Scuderia Ferrari man in the FIA conference. “There are only five or six corners where you can make up time, so I expect lap times to be very close, with one or two tenths making a big difference. Therefore we must aim for a perfect lap on Saturday.”

As usual some new parts will be fitted to the F14 Ts this weekend: “We will try them in Friday Free Practice and see which ones we can use on Saturday and which need more time. I hope we have some good ones!”

Finally, on Spain’s departure from the football World Cup. “I am surprised, but not disappointed,” maintained Alonso. “We have been winning for several years so sooner or later we had to lose. All we can do is say thanks to the team for everything they have given us over the last few years.”

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Mateschitz: There are always alternatives to Renault

Red Bull will decide after its home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend if it will continue with Renault engines into the future.

That is the claim of team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, in a wide-ranging interview with the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung ahead of the first Grand Prix at his very own Red Bull Ring.

Team figures recently played down speculation that Red Bull could dump struggling Renault and switch to another engine supplier, saying it is “100 per cent” certain the final Adrian Newey-penned RB11 will have a French-made V6. But billionaire Mateschitz seems to have a different view.

When asked about world champion Sebastian Vettel’s recent derogatory description of the current Renault-powered Red Bull, Mateschitz said on Friday: “When he said ‘cucumber’, he was talking about the engine or the entire power unit of our car.

“He has a point,” said the low-profile Austrian. “The car itself is excellent, and also strategically no mistakes are being made. Sebastian knows that too.”

Recently, Helmut Marko said that Red Bull’s upper management would sit down this weekend in Austria and make a ‘final report’ about the team’s progress in the wake of Renault’s disastrous early form in 2014 and subsequent recovery.

Mateschitz confirmed on Friday: “There will be this final report. And then we will decide if there is still potential development in the existing engine, or whether we need to consider a new development in order to reach Mercedes’ standard.”

Previously, however, Red Bull officials have played down the possibility of a Renault split, as Formula 1′s only other engine suppliers are arch rivals Mercedes and Ferrari.

But there have been reports linking Red Bull with Volkswagen, or a potential move to build a bespoke ‘Red Bull’ turbo engine – perhaps in the outfit’s forthcoming Newey-led ‘Advanced Technology Centre’.

When told there are no real alternatives to Renault, Mateschitz insisted: “There are always alternatives, of course. But I don’t see Red Bull using a customer Mercedes engine. Because Mercedes wants to be world champion not just this year but also in the next few years.”

Finally, Mateschitz gave his tip for the winner of the football world cup, and the Formula 1 World Championship, “When Messi is on top form, then it’s Argentina. And in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton.”

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Montezemolo: I never said that Ferrari would pull out of F1

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hit reverse gear, after he was widely quoted as having threatened to pull the Maranello team out of Formula 1.

Montezemolo made the clear warning last week to the respected Wall Street Journal, as he insisted that any Le Mans foray for Ferrari by 2020 would be at the expense of Formula 1.

Montezemolo has been highly critical of the new shape of the pinnacle of motor sport, and has reportedly written a letter to Bernie Ecclestone asking for a meeting with all the major stakeholders to discuss the future.

But it is believed that Ferrari’s highly critical stance was discussed at length during the Formula 1 Commission meeting on Wednesday, two days later and Montezemolo is tempering his earlier remarks.

“A letter to Ecclestone? I don’t need to write to him to arrange a meeting,” multiple Italian publications on Friday quoted Montezemolo, 66, as saying at a Maserati event in Modena.

“I never said that Ferrari would pull out, but I do think the time has come to make a reflection on our system. I think that Ferrari [have] the duty to seek improvements for the benefit of the teams, the fans, the media and the sponsors.

“And I think that, having been in Formula 1 for 64 years, Ferrari has the right to think about the future,” he added.

“Formula 1 is an extraordinary sport,” said Montezemolo, “but we need to do something to make it better.”

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Biggin Hill summit of F1 powers flops

Auto Motor und Sport reports that Formula 1 powers-that-be have failed to make significant cost-saving progress at a meeting on Wednesday at Biggin Hill.

Earlier, it was reported that the Formula 1 Commission – involving the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone, the teams and other key stakeholders – voted through the proposal to cut Friday morning practice from next year’s race weekend format. But German correspondent Michael Schmidt reveals otherwise.

“The shorter GP weekend failed,” he wrote on Friday, “due to opposition from the (race) organisers and the big teams that had earlier agreed.”

And that’s not the only proposal that hit the dust at Ecclestone’s Biggin Hill airport, Schmidt explained.

“With one exception,” he said, “every proposal was rejected by the 26-member panel.”

The proposed ban on tyre warmers was another victim of Wednesday’s meeting, but Pirelli has offered to pay teams that run its logo on the warmers next year €200,000 each.

So, the only cost-cutting done for 2015 and beyond was in the already tightly-restricted area of testing. All pre-season testing will now take place in Europe, as Bahrain was ruled too expensive a destination.

The eight days of in-season testing have been reduced to four in 2015, with two days reserved for young drivers. And in 2016, winter testing will shrink from twelve to just eight days, with a total in-season testing ban to once again be enforced.

A team insider is quoted as saying: “Once again we have failed to save [money], but at least the crazy idea of the shorter weekend is gone.”