FORMULA 1 - 2014

[MIKA27]

Mercedes negotiating new contract with Hamilton

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff is keen to extend Lewis Hamilton's contract with the team for the long-term.

Hamilton is contracted until the end of 2015, but with Nico Rosberg signing a new contract through to 2016 with options for 2017, Wolff is hopeful of retaining both for much longer.

"We are already sitting together and negotiating with Lewis about a multi-year contract," he told the Kronen Zeitung newspaper.

"Lewis is a fixed part of the team, and I would hope for a long time to come."

The Austrian praised his drive from 20th to 3rd at the German Grand Prix despite some incidents which may have cost Hamilton a potential second place.

"It feels like a 1-2 because considering where Lewis was coming from in P20, it was a magical drive," he added.

"He had a misunderstanding with Jenson [button] that could have cost us the race. Personally I know he is a very competitive guy and he will never be satisfied with third but it felt like a very good performance from our side, with so much going on out on track and the need to convert his pit strategy."

[MIKA27]

Renault to evaluate Mercedes' split turbo Formula 1 engine concept

Renault is considering adopting the Mercedes split concept on its turbo for next season, as it works to overhaul its current Formula 1 engine.

The French car manufacturer fired up the first version of its 2015 power unit on its dyno facilities at Viry-Chatillon last week amid its push to make up for a difficult current F1 campaign.

While the architecture of its internal combustion engine is unlikely to have a radical overhaul - although improvements have been made - Renault has confirmed it will evaluate the split turbo idea pioneered by Mercedes.

One of the factors that is believed to have boosted Mercedes' form this year is a design in which its air compressor and turbine are on separate ends of the engine.

It is said to help reduce turbo lag for improved efficiency, as well as assist with the car's aerodynamic packaging.

Although Renault has previously played down the impact of the concept - insisting it is not a game-changer for the current engines - the idea is being considered for 2015.

Renault's head of track operations Remi Taffin said it would be wrong of his engineers to not investigate it if the concept can bring a benefit.

"For sure we are looking at a different solution," he said when asked about going down the split turbo concept. "We will explore all the solutions.

"If I knew [the answer now] it would be wrong, because I should not know now what we are doing. It's being developed."

Taffin has made it clear, however, that there will not be a radical overhaul of Renault's engine, although a lot of parts may be new.

"It's not very different," he said. "The basis is quite similar but we can change a lot of things.

"When we discussed the V8s in the past, we used to say the last engine was very similar to the one from six or seven years ago. But 90 per cent of the parts were different - although if you looked at them they were quite similar.

"It will be the same for us going into next year. You will see some difference for sure, but there are no dramatic changes for 2015."

[MIKA27]

RICCIARDO: FERRARI DREAM IS JUST A CLICHE

Although born and raised in Australia, his father is from Sicily, but Daniel Ricciardo insists he does not feel the famous lure of Maranello.

But when asked by the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport if driving for Ferrari is the ultimate dream, Ricciardo – who rose through the ranks of the energy drink Red Bull’s junior programme – gave a surprising answer.

“To be honest I think this is just a cliche,” said Ricciardo, whose family has always pronounced its Italian-sounding surname as ‘Ric-ardo’.

“For sure some drivers have this dream,” he admitted, “but I think it’s related to the fact that their parents loved Ferrari for its great history and cultural heritage.

“My Italian DNA definitely comes out in my eating,” Ricciardo grinned his customary grin. “I love Italian food, especially when I am training hard and can eat properly.”

So rather than dreaming of Ferrari, Ricciardo told the Italian news agency Adnkronos that he is more than enjoying his first year with Red Bull’s premier team.

“I was hoping for a year like this,” he said. “I knew that if I did everything right, it was possible to fight on equal terms with Sebastian. I think I’ve started the year very well, so the goal is just to keep doing what I’m doing.”

As for the ever-controversial format of today’s Formula 1, Ricciardo said that while some have been highly critical, he is enjoying 2014.

“You can’t please everyone,” he said. “If someone thinks it’s boring you have to understand that.

“But I think it’s a sport and really nice and exciting and I love to see the enthusiasm of the fans at the grands prix,” Ricciardo insisted.

[MIKA27]

LAUDA: I APOLOGISE TO FERRARI, LUCA AND ITALIAN FANS

Niki Lauda has made a swift about turn, after using an expletive to describe the Formula 1 cars fielded in 2014 by Mercedes’ grandee rivals McLaren and Ferrari.

“McLaren has the same engine as us and the car is sh*t,” Mercedes’ Formula 1 chairman had told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. “The same with Ferrari — another sh*t car.”

After the publication of his blunt assessment, Lauda has now apologised privately and publicly to Ferrari.

“I apologise to Ferrari, to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, and to the Italian fans. I should not have used that word,” the Austrian triple wold champion told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I was wrong and I do not make excuses. I called the president to explain my dismay,” Lauda added. “I have not seen the interview in the Spanish daily, but I was too heavy with my words — forgive me.”

Lauda also told the German newspaper Bild: “I explained to him (Montezemolo) and he understood. We have known each other for so long. I was asked a question about the difference between Mercedes and McLaren and Ferrari.”

“I explained that Mercedes is simply the best combination of good car with the best engine, that McLaren also has the best engine but the car is not so good. And Ferrari has weaknesses on both sides,” added Lauda who won two world titles as a Ferrari driver.

But Lauda made a point of saying Mercedes continues to regard Ferrari as a worthy opponent, particularly ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

“I am even worried about the Ferraris in Budapest,” he said, “because they have come much closer to us in the last races.”

“Also Red Bull, who have a perfect car and only problems with the engine. But at the right moment also Ferrari can catch us on the wrong foot, as they are more dangerous than we thought before,” Lauda insisted.

Also in the pages of La Gazzetta, Lauda made clear he actually does not regard Ferrari as having produced merely a “sh*t car”.

“I have noticed at Hockenheim a Ferrari in progress,” he said, “and I’m amused to see Fernando Alonso in the duels he has been in. I hope Kimi Raikkonen can recover, as he is a champion in a position that he does not belong.”

As for Mercedes, Lauda sees the outcome of the 2014 championship as a straight fight between teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

“Lewis was unlucky at Hockenheim but drove a great race anyway, while Nico had obviously an easier time and won.

“The championship will be decided by the alternating fortunes and misfortunes of our two drivers. But the others are approaching and I understand that Ferrari will soon be very dangerous for everyone, starting with us,” he added.

[MIKA27]

GERMANY COULD HOST TWO GRANDS PRIX PER YEAR

Future Formula 1 calendars could once again host two grands prix in Germany within a single season.

Recently, as it emerged the Nurburgring was close to a new deal with Bernie Ecclestone, it was said Hockenheim’s Formula 1 foray could end altogether.

Currently, the two German hosts alternate a single annual calendar spot.

Hockenheim reacted to the news of an annual Nurburgring deal with outrage, insisting it has a watertight contract for the alternating scheme through 2018.

Robertino Wild, chief of the Nurburgring’s new owners Capricorn, has now responded by suggesting that Hockenheim’s alternating scheme may need to be respected.

“Bernie Ecclestone and I want to complete the deal in the next few months which confirms Formula 1 for the long-term at the Nurburgring,” he told Auto Bild.

“This will be done taking into account the existing obligations, including with regard to the Hockenheimring,” Wild added.

[MIKA27]

LOTUS GIVE HINT OF INTENT TO KEEP GROSJEAN

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean could still be looking at a future with the team beyond the 2014 season.

At Hockenheim, the Enstone based team confirmed that Pastor Maldonado, backed by the powerful Venezuelan sponsor PDVSA, is staying put next year.

Frenchman Grosjean’s prospects, however, looked less sure, as his manager Eric Boullier is now the boss at McLaren, and his backers Renault and Total could make way at Lotus for a new Mercedes partnership for 2015.

But Lotus deputy chief Federico Gastaldi said Grosjean, 28, might still be staying in black and gold for 2015.

“Let’s be honest,” he said. “Romain as a top, top driver is not happy with the 2014 season and this is mirrored by everyone at the team of course. We cannot confirm anything just yet as the timing will be right when we are both comfortable to announce something.”

“All I can say is that it’s certainly the intention for Romain to stay at Enstone and continue what has been a great partnership and working relationship,” Gastaldi added.

[MIKA27]

MEXICO SIGNS FIVE YEAR GRAND PRIX DEAL STARTING 2015

Mexican live events company CIE said on Tuesday it has signed a five-year contract to host Formula One races in Mexico starting in 2015.

CIE said in a filing with the Mexican stock exchange that the deal was still subject to final negotiations. It did not provide terms of the deal.

Races will be held at the Rodriguez Brothers race track in Mexico City, which last hosted a Formula One race in 1992. The 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track can seat 32,000 spectators, according to its website.

The race, masterminded by former Austin Formula 1 chief Tavo Hellmund and also involving billionaire Carlos Slim Domit.

Bernie Ecclestone confirmed to Forbes: “We have got Mexico past the post.”

Formula 1 business journalist Christian Sylt said the news will be made official in a press briefing in Mexico on Wednesday morning.

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE SAYS RUSSIAN GP WILL GO AHEAD

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has moved to dismiss doubts that this year’s inaugural Russian Grand Prix will take place.

In the wake of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 atrocity, pressure is falling on Formula 1 to cancel its scheduled event at Sochi in October.

The Daily Mail said Mercedes, whose Malaysian sponsor Petronas has set up a fund for the families of the 298 victims, is privately ‘uneasy’ about attending an event so closely associated with Vladimir Putin.

But Bernie Ecclestone, who earlier this year revealed his “great admiration” for the controversial Russian president, insists: “I don’t see any problem with going.

“We are not involved in politics. We have a contract with them. We’ll respect it 100 per cent and so will Mr Putin, I’m sure. He’s been very supportive,” the Formula 1 chief executive added.

The Daily Mail quoted a FIA spokesman as saying that while the Paris federation is “awake to the situation”, it did not want to “mix politics and sport”.

[MIKA27]

THE BIG PREVIEW: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

Budapest welcomes Formula 1 this week as the teams assemble at the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix – the 12th round of the 2014 F1 World Championship. For many in the F1 paddock it has been a hectic few days. Back-to-back with the German Grand Prix, Hungary represents a huge logistics effort for teams, pushed to their limits to transfer cars, garage equipment and motorhomes the 800 km between the two circuits.

The twisting Hungaroring is similar in characteristic to a street circuit – lacking the walls but retaining the tight radius corners, bumpy surface and low grip. It has something of a mixed reputation among drivers; common consensus claims it to be a wonderful track for a Qualifying lap but a difficult place to race, given the paucity of overtaking opportunities. In close battles, good strategy has frequently been the decisive factor, more so than at other permanent circuits.

Pirelli are bringing the Medium and Soft compounds this weekend. Weather forecasts suggest that high track temperatures will again be a factor – albeit with the risk of storms increasing as the weekend progresses. Teams run their maximum downforce packages in Hungary to cope with the many slow corners. The issue that will occupy the minds of engineers during the practice sessions is the need to maximise traction to get the best return from the many low-gear acceleration points.

In the compelling battle for the Drivers’ World Championship title, the pendulum swung back in favour of Nico Rosberg at Hockenheim with the German driver extending his lead to 14 points with an authoritative victory. Team-mate Lewis Hamilton will not be too despondent, however. Battling back from a Qualifying-session brake failure that left him starting near the back of the field, he limited his losses with a charge to third place. With four pole positions and four victories at the Hungaroring he will be confident of reducing the deficit this weekend.

2013 Hungarian Grand Prix podium

Hungaroring Circuit Data

• Length of lap 4.381 km
• Lap record 1:19.071 (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)
• Start line/finish line offset 400 m
• Total number of race laps 70
• Total race distance 306.630 km
• Pitlane speed limits 80 km/h in Practice, Qualifying and the Race

Circuit Notes

• The guardrail to the left of the run-off area at Turn Three has been re-aligned to better protect the recovery vehicle and to allow space for a car that has been recovered.
• Speed bumps 50 mm high have been installed two metres from the track edge in the run-off area at Turns Six/Seven.
• New debris fencing has been installed close to the guardrail on the left between Turns 11 and 12 and around the outside of Turn 14.
• There will be two DRS zones sharing a detection point 5 m before Turn 14. Activation points are 130 m after the apex of Turn 14 and 6 m after the apex of Turn One.

Michael Schumacher has won the Hungarian Grand Prix four times

Hungarian Grand Prix Fast Facts

• The Hungarian Grand Prix made its Formula One World Championship debut in 1986 at the newly-constructed Hungaroring. It has been held at this venue every year since. Monza and Monte Carlo are the only circuits with a longer run of consecutive races.
• The race has been held 28 times. Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are the most successful drivers in the history of the Hungarian Grand Prix with four wins each. McLaren are the most successful team with 11 victories at this circuit, including six of the last nine Hungarian Grands Prix.
• In the battle for dominance between engine suppliers, Mercedes lead the way with nine victories. Renault have seven, Honda six, Ferrari five and Ford (Cosworth) one. Honda and Ferrari, however, share the distinction of having a victory in each decade of the race’s operation.
• In the last 10 outings, the Hungarian Grand Prix has provided debut victories for Fernando Alonso (2003), Jenson Button (2006) and Heikki Kovalainen (2008).
• Sebastian Vettel has a blind spot when it comes to the Hungarian Grand Prix, never having won it. Prior to 2014, during his first five seasons as a Red Bull Racing driver, he took at least one victory in every other country to host a grand prix.
• The 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix holds the distinction of being the race with the most pit stops. 88 in total.
• Both Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Michael Schumacher in 2001 won the Drivers’ World Championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In Mansell’s case it was the 11th race of a 16-race season, for Schumacher it was the 13th of 17. Schumacher holds the record for the earliest conclusion to the Championship, taking the title in 2002 at the French Grand Prix with six races remaining.
• Williams secured the 1996 Constructors’ World Championship in Hungary with a one-two formation finish – Jacques Villeneuve leading Damon Hill over the line. Ferrari repeated both the one-two finish and securing the Championship in 2001, 2002 and 2004.
• The 1992 grand prix was memorable for more than Mansell claiming the Drivers’ crown. It was the last F1 grand prix to feature pre-qualifying and also the final race for the Brabham. Damon Hill qualified 25th and finished 11th (last).
• Hamilton made a small piece of history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix by becoming the first driver to win a grand prix in a hybrid car. The McLaren MP4/24 powered by a KERS-equipped Mercedes FO 108W engine would win again in Singapore. Kimi Räikkönen, in Belgium, took a solitary victory for Ferrari’s KERS-equipped Ferrari F60. The rest of the season was dominated by the conventional Mercedes and Renault engines powering the Brawn BGP001 and Red Bull Racing RB5 respectively.

1986 Hungarian Grand Prix podium (L to R) second placed Ayrton Senna, winner Nelson Piquet and third placed Nigel Mansell

Reuters Statistics:

• Mercedes have won all but one race so far this season. The exception was Canada, won by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.
• Red Bull’s quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel has 39 career wins, Fernando Alonso 32, Lewis Hamilton 27, Kimi Raikkonen 20 and Jenson Button 15. Championship leader Nico Rosberg has seven.
• Hamilton is level with triple champion Jackie Stewart in the all-time list of winners. The only British driver to have won more is 1992 champion Nigel Mansell (31).
• Ferrari have won 221 races, McLaren 182, Williams 114 and Red Bull 48. Mercedes have won 22 and one more would lift them level with now-defunct Tyrrell.
• McLaren have not won for 29 races, a run that dates back to Brazil 2012.
• Ferrari’s last victory was in Spain in May 2013 – the last time a team other than Mercedes or Red Bull won.
• Mercedes and Williams are the only teams to have started a race on pole position this year.
• Rosberg (Bahrain / Monaco / Canada / Britain / Germany) has had five poles this year to Hamilton’s four (Australia / Malaysia / China / Spain). Brazilian Felipe Massa was on pole for Williams in Austria.
• Vettel has 45 career poles. Hamilton has 35 – more than any other British driver in the history of Formula One.
• Ferrari’s last pole was in Germany with Alonso in 2012.
• Mercedes have scored more points in 10 races this year (366) than in all of 2013 (360).
• Caterham, who came into the sport in 2010, are the only team on the grid who have yet to score a point.
• Ferrari have finished a record 77 successive races with at least one car in the points, a run that dates back to the 2010 German Grand Prix.
• Only two drivers have scored points in every race this season – Alonso and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg.
• Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat is Formula One’s youngest point scorer aged 19 years and 324 days.
• Sauber have gone 10 races without scoring, their longest barren run since they entered the sport in 1993. They went nine in a row between October 1995 and May 1996, at a time when only the top six cars scored points.
• Ferrari’s Raikkonen is the only driver who has yet to beat his team mate this season.
• Hungary’s debut in 1986 made it the first F1 race in eastern Europe behind what was then the ‘Iron Curtain’. This weekend’s race is the 29th Hungarian GP.
• The track is the slowest permanent circuit on the calendar.
• Vettel has never won in Hungary.
• McLaren have won six of the last nine races there.
• Hamilton has won four times in Hungary (a record he shares with Schumacher) and is chasing his third in a row. Three of his wins were from pole. He is the only driver to win from pole in the last nine years at the Hungaroring.
• Button (2006) and Alonso (2003) took their first wins in Hungary. Button’s was from 14th on the grid, which remains the lowest winning start position for the race. The Briton’s 2011 win was also his 200th race.
• Zsolt Baumgartner is the only Hungarian driver to have competed in his home race (in 2003 and 2004). He scored a point in the 2004 U.S. Grand Prix with Minardi.
• Rosberg’s win in Germany was the first by a German driver in a German car in Germany since Rudolf Caracciola in 1939.
• Bottas’s second place in Germany was his Williams team’s 300 th in Formula One. He was the first Williams driver to stand on the podium in three successive races since Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in 2003.
• After Germany, Adrian Sutil is now the driver who has started most races (119) without ever standing on the podium. The previous record holder was Italian Pierluigi Martini.

Last year Lewis Hamilton dominated in Hungary

Hungarian Grand Prix Race Stewards:

• Paul Gutjahr started racing in the late 1960s with Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Lotus and Porsche, then March in Formula 3. In the early ‘70s he became President of the Automobile Club Berne and organised numerous events. He acted as President of the organising committee of the Swiss GP at Dijon between 1980-82. Between 1980-2005 he acted as President of the Commission Sportive Nationale de l’Automobile Club de Suisse and in 2005 he became President and board member of theAuto Sport Suisse motor sports club. Gutjahr is President of the Alliance of European Hill Climb Organisers and has been steward at various high-level international competitions. He was the Formula 3000 Sporting Commissioner and has been a Formula One steward since 1995.
• José Abed, an FIA Vice President since 2006, began competing in motor sport in 1961. In 1985, as a motor sport official, Abed founded the Mexican Organisation of International Motor Sport (OMDAI) which represents Mexico in the FIA. He sat as its Vice-President from 1985 to 1999, becoming President in 2003. In 1986, Abed began promoting truck racing events in Mexico and from 1986 to 1992, he was President of Mexican Grand Prix organising committee. In 1990 and 1991, he was President of the organising committee for the International Championship of Prototype Cars and from 1990 to 1995, Abed was designated Steward for various international grand prix events. Since 1990, Abed has been involved in manufacturing prototype chassis, electric cars, rally cars and kart chassis.
• During a motor sport career spanning almost 40 years, Emanuele Pirro has achieved a huge amount of success, most notably in sportscar racing, with five Le Mans wins, victory at the Daytona 24 Hours and two wins at the Sebring 12 Hours. In addition, the Italian driver has won the German and Italian Touring Car championships (the latter twice) and has twice been American Le Mans Series Champion. Pirro, enjoyed a three-season F1 career from 1989 to 1991, firstly with Benetton and then for Scuderia Italia. His debut as an FIA Steward came at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and he has returned regularly since.

[MIKA27]

MERCEDES BOSS WOLFF INJURED IN CYCLING ACCIDENT

Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff plans to attend this weekend’s Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix despite breaking multiple bones in a cycling accident while out riding with team engineers in Vienna.

A team spokesman said the Austrian had broken his wrist, elbow, shoulder and collarbone in the fall on a cyclepath along the Danube and had been treated in hospital.

He was expected to be at the circuit on Friday for first practice.

Paddy Lowe, who jointly runs the sport’s dominant team with Wolff, was cycling in the group and also fell but escaped with no more than a few grazes.

Mercedes have won nine out of 10 races this season and are favourites to add to the tally at the Hungaroring, where Lewis Hamilton has triumphed for the past two years and four times in total.

The team are one-two in the drivers’ championship with Germany’s Nico Rosberg 14 points ahead of Hamilton.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton praises equality at Merc

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes are doing a "great job" to ensure that their drivers receive equal treatment.

With the Drivers' Championship set to go down to the wire between Hamilton and team-mate Rosberg, it is natural that the pressure and tension will increase.

Rosberg currently leads the standings by 14 points from his team-mate following yet more bad luck for Hamilton in Germany when his brakes failed during qualifying. The incident has led to some fans suggesting that Rosberg might be favoured, but the Briton is having none of it.

Asked directly if he was receiving equal treatment to Rosberg, Hamilton replied: "Yep. I feel really comfortable. The team is doing a great job.

"I've great engineers and the support from my guys on my car. I've never seen such a hungry group of guys passionate to win from their side. It's the same on Nico's side, they want to win so badly.

"You work on a car and it's your baby, and they want to help get the best result possible.

"I was recently speaking to one of my mechanics, and although we've been hit by a couple of DNFs (did not finish), we will just keep on ploughing through."

[MIKA27]

Bernie urged to cancel Russian GP

Bernie Ecclestone has come under pressure from senior British politicians to cancel the Russian Grand Prix.

Russia has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons over the past week after Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

The relationship between Vladimir Putin's government and the West has taken strain in recent days and politicians have now called on Formula 1 officials to cancel the race, which is scheduled for October 12.

Promoters have insisted that "all the preparations are on track and run according to the schedule" but Conservative MP David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, feels Ecclestone should pull the plug.

"If Russia continues as they have been doing, then the grand prix is one of many things that they should be denied," he told The Telegraph. "The morally proper thing to do is put the race on hold.

"F1 already had a problem in the past with Bahrain. Whilst I'm not particularly in favour of cancelling sports events at the drop of a hat, I think that Formula One should reflect the global outrage. It would be an important and appropriate response to cancel the race."

The FIA is keen to stay clear of any controversy with a spokesperson telling Daily Mail while they were "awake to the situation" they did not "want to mix politics and sport".

MIKA: I wouldn't be surprised if some teams protest this race...

[MIKA27]

Wisdom and Russia

I am trying to understand the wisdom of Formula 1 going to Russia this autumn. Yes, the Russian government has agreed to pay a rumored $60 million per year (with a 10 percent annual hike) to run a Grand Prix in Sochi. It is only money, but the folks at Formula One World Championship Ltd exist only to generate more revenues for the greedy private equity types who skulk in the shadows of the sport, sucking it dry. No chips are left on the table with these people. They do it for fun because they are all absurdly rich and have all the toys that anyone could wish for. It’s not the money that drives them, it is the game. Money is just a means of keeping score. So, ultimately, a wise man might say that once you have enough money to live well any further financial ambitions are simply ego, showing others that you are more able to make money than they are. Some would say that this is a sad state of affairs when one could be keeping busy with gentler pleasures or taking on different challenges: sharing one’s knowledge and money (a la Carnegie, Gates etc) with those less fortunate, going back to university, travelling the world, or more simple pleasures such as growing nice roses or vegetables, going fishing, having long lunches, playing with grandchildren, and generally doing relaxing things. Some do not have the imagination to look beyond what they know. Others are frightened of change.

Perhaps you cannot teach an old dog to do new tricks but F1 should at least try to behave decently and set a good example.

The problem with Russia (or most modern conflicts come to that) is that it is hard to know who to believe. We in the West are told that Ukrainian separatists with Russian missiles shot down the unfortunate Malaysian airliner. The other day I had a discussion with a Russian colleague who fervently believes that the plane was shot down by the CIA, which he believes now runs the Ukraine government, because America wants to get a war going in Europe to weaken its economic rivals. This is not a stupid man, nor one who has not seen the world. We went on to discuss whether it is really possible for either of us to know the truth. There is too much in history of governments doing bad stuff to get what they want. In the end, we shrugged and went our separate ways. I still tend to believe what I have read in the western press and I am sure he still believes what the Russian media is telling him.

Discretion is the better part of valour and so if one can dodge a problem before it arrives that is surely a sensible thing. Politics and sport are ill-matched bedfellows and it is best to avoid such relationships.

Sport can be a means to heal rifts, but it can also be a propaganda tool.

German domination of Grand Prix racing in the 1930s, for example, was designed to show off the power of the country’s technology. The 1936 Olympic Games is often held up as an example of sport being used for propaganda purposes.

How does one decide?

In the end, one has to be pragmatic. Right now, most of F1′s revenues come from liberal nations. If there is the perception among these people that Russia is the bad guy, then it is wise not to risk damaging the sport by insisting on doing something that people think is wrong. Perception is reality whether the perception be true or not. F1 and the FIA ought to have learned that lesson over Bahrain. The situation there was nowhere near as bad as it was portrayed, but the world believed it was and so F1 damaged its reputation. Perhaps this is a contributory reason to the troubles teams are having these days raising money.

If one spots what looks like an iceberg in the water, it is wise not to continue full steam ahead.

[MIKA27]

DRS zone shortened at Hungaroring

One of the Hungaroring’s two DRS zones has been shortened ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The activation point for the DRS zone on the start/finish straight has been moved 60 metres away from the preceding corner, reducing the length of the zone.

As was the case last year a single detection point will be used on the approach to turn 14. Any driver within one second of a leading car at that point will be able to use DRS on the start/finish straight and from the exit of turn one.

The FIA has also confirmed speed bumps have been added to the run-off at the turn six and seven chicane.

[MIKA27]

Lotus already well into design of 2015 car

Lotus's 2015 car already looks "quite promising" according to technical director Nick Chester.

Whilst he says development of next year's car is progressing well, he insists they won't be giving up on the E22 just yet and more upgrades are planned for coming races.

"We will obviously have a good go at getting points in Hungary and then after the summer break the development of this car will still continue," he said.

"There will probably be one more sizeable package of new parts and then a series of smaller, simpler upgrades to bring fairly easy performance towards the end of the season.

"Looking further ahead, we are already well into the design of next year's car," he added.

"It looks quite promising with some very distinctly different features from this year's car."

[MIKA27]

Hungarian GP update to boost Williams F1 team

Williams's hopes of hunting down Red Bull in the Formula 1 constructors' championship will be boosted by a big update package coming for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Grove-based outfit has moved up to third place in the F1 title chase on the back of three consecutive podium finishes, and has now set its sights on beating Red Bull for runner-up spot behind Mercedes.

Although the high-downforce nature of the Hungaroring is not expected to be best suited to the Williams package, the team has worked on development steps to specifically address its weaknesses.

Rob Smedley, Williams's performance chief, said that the improvements should allow Williams to keep up its strong form ahead of the summer break.

"If you want to say what suits us or doesn't suit us, you could say Germany would not suit us, but we came out of there with a good car and a good result," he explained.

"We identified what sort of improvement we would need to make to keep it competitive in Budapest and up to now we have met all the development targets that we are going to get on the car.

"It will improve the car and will be very specific for Budapest, so I believe that we will go there and be able to maintain a decent pace in the car."

Williams is 67 points behind Red Bull in the championship, and its straightline speed advantage is likely to pay dividends at the tracks after the summer break such as Spa and Monza.

When asked if beating Red Bull was realistic, Smedley said: "I think that should be our target.

"With both cars, how good the car is at the minute, how quick it is, and the development we have got coming through which is mightily impressive, a good step coming for Budapest, going to Spa and Monza which are two circuits that will definitely suit the car, then why not? We don't have to stop.

"The ambition for this team is to win the world championship eventually and that means you have got to beat teams like Ferrari, you have to beat teams like Red Bull, you have to beat teams like Mercedes.

"They are all targets and we will be going after them all."

[MIKA27]

F1 drivers warned over safety after Raikkonen's British GP crash

Formula 1 drivers have been reminded to rejoin tracks safely in future, after Kimi Raikkonen was told he was lucky to escape a penalty for his British Grand Prix crash.

Raikkonen lost control of his Ferrari at Silverstone as he came back onto the circuit following an off-track excursion when he ran wide coming onto the Wellington Straight on the opening lap.

Although the FIA did not punish Raikkonen for the incident - because he had slowed down slightly and rejoined in a manner that other drivers would have been expected to do - it has emerged the matter was discussed in Germany last weekend.

AUTOSPORT has learned that Raikkonen's actions came up during the Hockenheim drivers' briefing, and F1 race director Charlie Whiting made it clear that the Finn was 'fortunate' to have not been reported to the stewards.

Whiting emphasised that the rules state that drivers have to rejoin in a safe manner, and what Raikkonen did was on the verge of not being acceptable.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT about the situation, and whether the FIA would get stricter on the matter, Whiting said: "There is no policy change, the standard policy is written in the rules, any driver having left the track may rejoin but must do so safely and without gaining any advantage.

"It was my view that Kimi did not rejoin very safely and should have taken more care.

"All the drivers were reminded that when rejoining across grass they must take care and cannot expect it to be manicured like a football pitch. It simply isn't feasible."

Raikkonen's crash at Silverstone was caused when he lost control on a bump in a grass area of run-off as he rejoined the circuit.

He speared off into the barriers before spinning back onto the track and colliding with Felipe Massa's Williams.

Raikkonen's impact with the barrier caused a red flag and delayed the restart for one hour while barrier repairs were made.

[MIKA27]

SMEDLEY: I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH A QUICK WILLIAMS REVIVAL

Last year Williams struggled, this year they are the revelation of the new season and the success this year coincides with Rob Smedley, following Felipe Massa from Ferrari, to the Grove based outfit as head of vehicle performance.

Asked ahead of the Hungarian grand Prix if he expected such a rapid turnaround in fortunes for the team, he said, “No, absolutely not. I think that when I first had contact with this team it was very clear it was a team that had enough resource and budget that we would get ourselves back to where we should be.”

In the last few races Williams have emerged as best of the rest behind the all-conquering Mercedes team. Granted the Williams FW36 does have the handy Mercedes power unit bolted on to its back, but so does the McLaren MP4-29

“I didn’t expect that it was going to be so quick but that’s a nice problem. I’d rather that problem than it taking three years too long. We are currently six months, maybe nine months, ahead of where I expected we would be. I expected we would get back to a good position with the people we have but not this quickly.”

Despite being the surprise package of the season, Smedley insists that Williams are not content to settle for third in the drivers’ championship.

“The ambition of this team is to win the world championship eventually and that means you have to beat teams like Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. They are all targets and we will be going after them all,” declared Smedley.

“If you’re looking at the progress we have made and are making, I’m happy with it and impressed with it coming from my old team – compared to that, I think that the development rate is impressive especially when you consider the resources we have,” he mused.

“I don’t think it’s an accident that we consistently have the second quickest car. I don’t think it’s an accident we are now third in the championship. Other people have dropped the ball in some areas but that’s Formula 1. You can’t mitigate against that, just do the best you can do with your equipment and your resources,” explained the Englishman whose radio conversations with Massa at Ferrari are a thing of legend.

Williams lie third in the constructors’ championship with three podiums in the last three races, one of which was their their 300th podium as a team, at the recent German Grand Prix.

[MIKA27]

VILLENEUVE: HAMILTON WILL NOT BE AT MERCEDES FOR LONG

Jacques Villeneuve is predicting that both Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel will leave their respective teams in the near future.

The 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, well known for his controversial opinions on the sport, said, “Lewis Hamilton will not be at Mercedes for long. Everyone in the German team wants a German to be world champion. Lewis was only brought in to make Nico [Rosberg] even better.”

Currently Rosberg leads the championship standings by fourteen points over Hamilton, although the latter has five wins to his credit he also has two DNFs which cost him points relative to his teammate who has four wins to his credit and only one DNF.

After four years of single-handed dominance at Red Bull, F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel has struggled this season against new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo.

The German trails the Australian by 24 points in the championship standings, and it is clear that he is not entirely comfortable with the new era V6 turbo cars and what they entail. He no longer enjoys the edge which he appeared to have during the last four years of the normally aspirated formula.

Villeneuve also has an opinion on the state of affairs within the Red Bull camp, “Sebastian has to leave Red Bull. The public is already changing its opinion of him, as, in a middle class car, he is starting to look like a middle-class driver.”

MIKA: What a bunch of BS... Who does Villeneauve think he is?

Why would a World Champion like Vettel leave a team like RBR just because they have had a bad year? I can undertsand if it were multiple years, fair enough but look at Alonso, he has good reason to leave, it's been years now with Ferrari.

And how would Vettel look in the eyes of the fans if he quit RBR after one bad year and a new team mate? It would look pretty bad in my opinion as if he were worried about Ricciardo. Daniels a great driver, but he is yet to win more than a couple races let alone a WDC. I do hope he wins sometime soon.

[MIKA27]

Massa hits out at stewards

Felipe Massa reckons the FIA needs to find better stewards if they really thought he was responsible for his German Grand Prix accident.

Battling for position at the start of the grand prix, Massa collided with McLaren's Kevin Magnussen, making a rather spectacular exit.

The Williams driver immediately blamed the rookie racer but the stewards took no action and it later emerged that they had investigated Massa, not Magnussen.

The Brazilian feels that is a sign that better stewards are needed.

"So you see there is a lot to improve, even in the FIA," he said on Thursday at the Hungaroring.

Put to him that he felt everybody is wrong except him, he said: "Okay, you think it was my fault?

"If the stewards are thinking like that, I don't know who they are taking to be stewards."

In fact Massa still believes Magnussen was in the wrong.

Asked if he still felt the same way, he said: "Yeah, I think so.

"He was a little bit too aggressive. There were two cars there and he didn't have the line to go into the corner so quick because he was on the inside.

"At the end of the day he lost points because of it, it was not just me. For sure I lost, and it was a big loss, but he also lost.

"Also, I was very cautious. I backed off for Valtteri to go in front, I turned and went, and in my car it was impossible to know anybody was there (on the inside). I couldn't see, and he was behind."

As for Magnussen's argument that he had nowhere to go, Massa said: "Okay, how many races has he caused problems at the first lap?

"Now I understand you need to drive not just for yourself, but also think about what others will do as well.

"But I will not live and keep what happened in the last race inside my brain. You will not learn anything like that.

"I don't think we need to live in the past, we need to live in the future and concentrate on doing a good job. That's all I care about."

MIKA: I like Felipe, nut it's these moments that I really dislike of him. He was clearly at fault yet he blames Magnussen. He seriously needs to focus on his driving and quit blaming others. It's racing.

[MIKA27]

Sutil rubbishes exit rumours

Adrian Sutil has denied reports that he is about to be dropped by Sauber, insisting his seat is safe.

In the midst of a trying season for the Hinwill team, Sutil has not exactly shone.

Neither the German nor his team-mate Esteban Gutierrez have scored a single point but while Gutierrez is safe thanks to Telmex sponsorship, rumours have surfaced about Sutil's place at the team.

According to whispers in the paddock, reserve driver Giedo van der Garde is in line to replace him as he brings with him €15million in sponsorship backing.

Sutil, however, says his seat is safe.

The 31-year-old said: "I think half of my career they said 'Adrian is out'. I'm still here; it's my 120th grand prix. Any more questions?.

"I'll be here for much longer so sorry, but you'll have to live with my face.

"This is not the truth. You can ask me - I'll give you the right answer. It's from some person out there which is bored or whatever.

"I don't know their problems but we are good here and the team is holding together in these times.

"This is no problem and we will try and get out of this difficult situation and then I'm sure you can also write some good stuff or whatever."

[MIKA27]

Grosjean undecided for 2015

Romain Grosjean is in no hurry to decide his future despite Lotus wanting him to commit to the team.

With Pastor Maldonado already confirmed for next season, Lotus have expressed a desire to hold onto both drivers.

"Romain has been part of the Lotus F1 Team family for many years, even since his GP2 days," Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi said.

"Let's be honest, Romain as a top, top driver is not happy with the 2014 season and this is mirrored by everyone at the team of course."

He added: "All I can say is that it's certainly the intention for Romain to stay at Enstone and continue what has been a great partnership and working relationship."

But while Lotus are ready to commit to the Frenchman, he is still looking at what may be available.

Asked by ESPN how long he plans to take before making a decision, Grosjean said. "As long as options are open!"

That, however, does not mean he is saying no to Lotus.

He added: "They don't really have to convince me, I know what they are capable of doing.

"I know they have made good cars in the past and I know the struggle we have now since we are in the process of understanding what is not working very well between the wind-tunnel and the car and where we can improve.

"I know they are capable of making a good car if they have a budget they can work with that and if they get a good engine, which I believe, hopefully, they will. From there you can assess what they are capable of doing.

"I know the team is not going to do a season like this year next year because they will react and get better. Even though it's not going to be as good a car as last year it's hopefully going to be a car capable of fighting for points much more often, it can still be a good team."

[Lotusguy]

Villeneuve being an idiot again, as usual

[PaulP]

Qualifying

01 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:22.715
02 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:23.201 +0.486
03 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:23.354 +0.639
04 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:23.391 +0.676
05 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:23.909 +1.194
06 Felipe Massa Williams 1:24.223 +1.508
07 Jenson Button McLaren 1:24.294 +1.579
08 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:24.720 +2.005
09 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:24.775 +2.060
10 Kevin Magnussen McLaren No time
11 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1:24.706
12 Adrian Sutil Sauber 1:25.136
13 Sergio Perez Force India 1:25.211
14 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:25.260
15 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:25.337
16 Jules Bianchi Marussia 1:27.419
17 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:26.792
18 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1:27.139
19 Max Chilton Marussia 1:27.819
20 Marcus Ericsson Caterham 1:28.643
21 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes No time
22 Pastor Maldonado Lotus No time

[PaulP]

Result
01 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1h53m05.058
02 Fernando Alonso Ferrari +5.2s
03 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +5.8s
04 Nico Rosberg Mercedes +6.3s
05 Felipe Massa Williams +29.8s
06 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +31.4s
07 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull +40.9s
08 Valtteri Bottas Williams +41.3s
09 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso +58.5s
10 Jenson Button McLaren +1m07.2s
11 Adrian Sutil Sauber +1m08.1s
12 Kevin Magnussen McLaren +1m18.4s
13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus +1m24.0s
14 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso -1 lap
15 Jules Bianchi Marussia -1 lap
16 Max Chilton Marussia -1 lap
Did Not Finish
17 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 33 laps
18 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 25 laps
19 Sergio Perez Force India 23 laps
20 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 15 laps
21 Romain Grosjean Lotus 11 laps
22 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 8 laps