FORMULA 1 - 2014

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LAUDA SAYS FORMULA E IS NOT MOTORSPORT

Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda is the latest Formula 1 figure to slam the newly launched Formula E series.

The all-electric and nearly silent single seater series, promoted by Alejandro Agag and sanctioned by Formula 1’s governing FIA, kicked off recently on the streets of Beijing with a talented field and healthy grid.

But Lauda, the iconic Formula 1 champion and Mercedes team executive, has revealed he didn’t like what he saw.

“For me it was the worst thing I have seen for a long time,” the outspoken Austrian is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

“The cars look like toys, they creep around the track one after the other – for me, this is not motor sport,” Lauda insisted.

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BARRICHELLO LOBBIED FOR MERCEDES RESERVE ROLE IN SINGAPORE

Formula 1 veteran Rubens Barrichello offered his services to the sport’s dominant Mercedes team at the recent Singapore Grand Prix.

Just before Singapore, the championship leading team announced it had signed teenage DTM star Pascal Wehrlein to be the new Mercedes reserve.

Indeed, the young German was trackside in the Asian city-state, but Auto Motor und Sport reports that he did not have a mandatory Formula 1 super license in his pocket.

Enter Barrichello. He may be 42, retired from Formula 1 and now only at grands prix as a pundit for Brazilian television, but his experience is unsurpassed in Grand Prix history.

So, too, is his enthusiasm. He admits having told Toto Wolff in Singapore: “If you need a replacement, I’m ready and fit. Since I’ve been karting regularly again, I’ve lost weight.”

The popular former Ferrari and Williams driver competed for Brackley based Mercedes’ former guise, Brawn GP, in 2009.

MIKA: He'd do alot better than some of the younger guys on the grid.

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RUSSIAN GP PRESSES AHEAD DESPITE OPPOSITION

Just two weeks before Formula 1 action kicks off at Sochi, the sport’s decision to press ahead with the inaugural Russian Grand Prix remains highly controversial.

Despite the Ukraine crisis, the MH17 atrocity and high tension between Vladimir Putin and the West, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA are determined to staging round 16 of the 2014 world championship as scheduled.

Charlie Whiting has inspected and approved the newly-constructed Sochi Autodrom, and Formula 1’s official website now declares that it has been officially launched and opened.

“I am glad to report that the first ever Formula 1 race track in Russia has now officially opened and very soon our country will host the inaugural 2014 Russian Grand Prix at this amazing venue,” said race promoter Sergey Vorobyev.

For their part, the teams are bound contractually to follow the lead of Ecclestone and the FIA.

“We must rely on the governing body and the promoter to give us guidance,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Public opinion, however, may be another matter entirely.

The German news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst commissioned a poll that shows 71 per cent of those surveyed are opposed to Russia hosting Formula 1 on political grounds.

But the Russian deputy prime minister does not agree.

“Sport is outside politics and this principle must be observed,” Dmitry Kozak is quoted by the Itar Tass news agency.

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COSWORTH EYE F1 RETURN WITH AFFORDABLE PACKAGE

Cosworth could be eyeing a return to Formula 1, with the support of none other than F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Although the expensive new engine rules and a lack of customers sent the British company off the grid at the end of last year, Cosworth announced recently it is setting up a new manufacturing centre at its Northampton base.

The company confirmed that the facility, to “deliver the next generation of automotive internal combustion engines”, is bolstered by a British government grant.

And according to Speed Week, there may even be an Formula 1 component to Cosworth’s next plans.

Buying a turbo V6 from one of just three alternative suppliers – Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault – has rarely been as expensive for struggling customer teams as it is today.

Correspondent Mathias Brunner reports: “I have heard from England that Cosworth is working on a modern power unit for Formula 1, and behind the scenes is a certain Bernard Ecclestone. The market could certainly do with a not-so-expensive turbo V6.”

Brunner said Cosworth did not comment.

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Prost wants 'proper' Formula 1

Alain Prost has backed a study by F1's powers-that-be into how to make the cars more difficult to drive.

The current generations of cars may be technical beasts but according to the drivers are actually easy to drive.

And with F1 becoming easier over the years, that has opened the doors for teams to sign drivers such as Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman will be just 17 when he lines up on the Australian GP grid with Toro Rosso next season.

However, Verstappen's sign has raised eyebrows and has prompted a study into ways to make the cars more challenging.

According to Autosport, the FIA is looking into the matter and could introduce new regulations in 2016.

One person who backs that decision is four-time World Champion Prost.

"I don't know what's going to happen with Max Verstappen, but it's true that he's going to be able to drive the car no problem," he told Autosport.

"This was absolutely not possible in our time - the cars were so difficult to drive.

"Every year we were testing in Portugal, we were stopping sometimes for a month testing.

"But the first time we went to Portugal it was not possible to make a complete day of testing at all, no way!

"It was physically really difficult, which is not the case today.

"That doesn't mean you absolutely want to go back to the way it was, but I think the speed of the cars during the races and the grip is not very good. It's quite slow, so you need to have a proper Formula 1."

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Mallya taking on the 'great McLaren'

Force India will, for the first time ever, continue to develop their VJM07 up to the last race as they take on the 'great McLaren' in the Championship.

Last time out in Singapore, Force India retook fifth in the Championship from McLaren as Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg scored eight points compared to McLaren's one.

As a result, the team now has six points ahead of McLaren in a battle that could continue through to the final race of the Championship.

"I refer to McLaren as the 'great McLaren' and I truly believe that that's a World Championship team, so I'm not going to take them for granted," stated Mallya.

"I'm going to throw everything I have at it and fight like hell and, at the end of the day, we'll see [what happens].

"But, for a team like Force India to be engaged in such a competitive battle with a team like the great McLaren says a lot about us and I feel quite proud about it."

The Indian businessman also revealed that given some stability in the regulations from this year to next, Force India will continue to develop their car until the very last race of this season.

"McLaren cannot be taken for granted," he told Crash.net. "They're going to fight, so we have to continue the fight to the last race. We have a few updates coming and I'm sure they have too.

"The only reason I am approving this development up to the last race, which I never did before in previous seasons, is because, whatever we are doing now in terms of development, can be carried forward into next year's car.

"If it was full stop at the end of this season, and start again for next year, I may not have bothered to do what I am doing. But, because all the development that's happening as we speak can actually carry forward until 2015, it's also an investment in next year's car, which is why we're continuing the development."

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'Foreign substance' caused Rosberg DNF

Mercedes have revealed that a "foreign substance" in Nico Rosberg's steering column electronics caused a short circuit that led to his Singapore DNF.

Minutes before the start of Sunday's Singapore GP, Mercedes rushed to change Rosberg's steering wheel after the German encountered problems.

That, however, did not fix the problem and Rosberg was unable to get going off the grid forcing him to start the grand prix from the pit lane.

And although the Championship hopeful joined the race, he retired while down in 20th place.

As a result, Rosberg lost the lead in the Drivers' Championship to team-mate Lewis Hamilton who now leads by three points having won the race.

Explaining what went wrong for Rosberg, Mercedes tweeted: "Forensic analysis has revealed that the steering column electronic circuits were contaminated with a foreign substance.

"The contamination was not visible and did not manifest itself until Sunday as Nico went to the grid.

"The result was an intermittent short circuit in the electronic circuits meaning @nico_rosberg could not command clutch or engine settings.

"Fresh parts will be used at the forthcoming races. Our hard work on reliability processes will continue at the same intensive level.

"To clarify, the contaminant was a substance used in normal pre-event servicing of the component."

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Gastaldi downplays Grosjean rant

Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi says Romain Grosjean's frustrations in Singapore were understandable and nothing to be concerned about.

Grosjean let loose in the wake of Saturday's qualifying at the Marina Bay circuit as the Frenchman qualified a disappointing 16th due to yet more engine issues.

"I cannot believe it, bloody engine, bloody engine," he ranted. "We break our balls for this? I don't care, I don't care, it's too much."

A day later, he finished the grand prix in 13th place, his 12th race outside the points and the eighth in a row in which he has failed to score.

Gastaldi, though, is not at all concerned about Grosjean's outburst as it was just the Frenchman's frustrations boiling over.

"Well, in the heat of the moment passions can boil over," he said. "Sometimes they can do so when things are not going your way and this is exactly what happened.

"After all, sometimes people say the drivers are too boring or don't have opinions or show their human side. It happens sometimes under extreme circumstances and this is what happened last Saturday.

"We were all tremendously disappointed but of course Romain was the one who got hit by the disappointment first and he reacted. Sometimes it is difficult to stop human emotion coming to the surface.

"It was quite ironic that radio communications was the hot topic in Singapore for the things that were not meant to be said and then they become the headlines for something else that is said under difficult circumstances!"

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Kvyat honoured with Sochi grandstand

When Daniil Kvyat heads to Sochi for his home grand prix, F1's only Russian driver will race in front of fans seated in the 'Daniil Kvyat Stand.'

Next month, Formula 1 will visit Kyvat's home country for the first time with the Sochi Autodrom playing host to the inaugural Russian Grand Prix.

The new 5.853km track features 18 corners of which Turn 4 has a grandstand named after the Toro Rosso rookie.

"I was amazed to learn there will be a grandstand bearing my name at the Sochi Autodrom," he said. "Usually, this is an honour reserved for drivers who have retired, so it is both surprising and a great privilege.

"I am very excited to race in Russia when I will finally get to perform in front of my home crowd, so that makes it a very important weekend.

"I'm sure feeling all that extra support will be a big boost when I'm on track. It's definitely a historic moment and I hope everyone will enjoy the grand prix."

As for his thoughts on the track layout, Kyvat says while it looks interesting, he won't really know until he has driven it.

"It is still a bit early to talk about the details and the track layout because I haven't actually been there yet," he said.

"It does look like an interesting track with its long straights and numerous corners and I can't wait to get there and see everything for myself."

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Mercedes expect larger gap to rivals in Japan

Mercedes are expecting a larger advantage over their rivals at the next few races after the gap seemed to close in Singapore.

With the top nine in qualifying covered by just over half a second and the top five within a quarter of a second of Lewis Hamilton's pole position, Red Bull and Ferrari declared they'd made progress. Mercedes however believe it was a track specific issue, partly down to it not being a power circuit and partly because they believe they were wearing through their tyres quicker.

"Singapore is a unique track and the overheating of the tyres was at its highest, maybe compared to all the other tracks with the supersoft tyre," explained Nico Rosberg.

The German, who retired from the race, expects a return to 'business as usual' at the remaining five races.

"Definitely the others were close, but if we remember Austria, for example, the Williams were quicker than us in qualifying and then after that different tracks came and we were looking really strong again," he added.

"We need to wait and see how it is the next couple of races [before we panic].

"I still think we're looking good, and hopefully the next tracks will suit our car better and we can pull away again."

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Next year's Lotus will be 'significantly different '

Lotus are promising major changes to their car for the 2015 season which will see them almost starting from scratch rather than improving upon the E22.

The team have failed to come close to repeating their 2013 success which saw them score 315 points. At present they have just eight to their name after 14 races.

Technical director Nick Chester is therefore looking forward to a fresh start next season and says the E23 will see major changes both above and below the bodywork.

"There are rule changes to the front of the chassis and the nose, so all the cars will look different next year," he explained.

"On top of that, our engine installation and cooling layout will change quite a lot meaning that the car will be significantly different under the bodywork. It will be quite different."

The team are believed to have agreed a deal to use Mercedes power next season instead of the under-performing Renault unit. That and the progress back at their Enstone factory is encouraging for Pastor Maldonado.

"I am confident we can finish the season off in a good way which will give us some great momentum for the new season in 2015," said the Venezuelan.

"From what I see and learn the 2015 car looks like being a very good package. There is a lot to look forward to for sure."

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VERSTAPPEN: I’M NOT GOING TO SUZUKA TO BREAK ANY RECORDS

Max Verstappen will become the youngest driver to take part in a Formula One weekend when he drives a Toro Rosso in Friday practice at the Japanese Grand Prix only three days after his 17th birthday.

The current record is held by Germany’s quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, who took part in free practice for BMW Sauber in Turkey in 2006 at the age of 19 years and 53 days.

Toro Rosso said on Monday that the Dutch youngster had been granted the mandatory superlicence by the governing FIA after completing 300km in his first test in a Formula One car in Italy earlier in September.

Verstappen, son of former F1 racer Jos, will drive the car of Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne in the first practice session at Suzuka ahead of Sunday’s grand prix.

“It is good preparation for next year, even if it’s not something I could have imagined a few months ago,” said Verstappen, who has already signed to replace Vergne in the team’s race line-up next season.

“To already be participating in a practice session is of course a dream come true.”

Max Verstappen will do FP1 duty for Toro Rosso at Suzuka

The teenager has been to Suzuka before, to take part in a go-kart race on the track next to the demanding figure-of-eight circuit, and was mindful of his father’s advice about how to handle it.

He has also spent a day driving the F1 layout on a simulator, “My dad has raced at Suzuka many times and he told me it’s not an easy track to start on. I’m not going there to break any records, I just want to gain experience.

“My first impression is that it’s not an easy track and for example it looks hard to get the combination right in the first esses.

“I have one and a half hours to drive there and I’m looking forward to doing a good job, for myself and for the team.”

Toro Rosso’s Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat, who made his debut this season as a 19-year-old and took Vettel’s record as the youngest ever points scorer, has not even been to Japan before let alone Suzuka.

“I like Japanese food and I am looking forward to experiencing it in it’s home environment,” he said. “I’ve also read a bit about Japanese culture, which has made me curious to see the country for myself.”

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ALONSO TO MCLAREN LOOKS A DONE DEAL

In terms of feverish speculation about his future in Formula 1, the past week has been arguably the most intense in Fernando Alonso’s entire career and all indications are that he is heading out of Maranello with Woking being his likely destination.

Throughout the world of respected, influential and authoritative Formula 1 media sources, there have been countless reports but one obvious conclusion: the Spaniard’s future at Ferrari is in serious doubt.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Alonso looks set to move to Honda-powered McLaren next year with a pay-rise, following a reported announcement this week at the Japanese marque’s very own Suzuka circuit.

Some, however, cannot believe the 33-year-old will actually reunite with Ron Dennis, where at Woking in 2007 the pair clashed spectacularly.

But even Alonso’s career-long mentor Flavio Briatore has now told Auto Bild: “At McLaren it was not a perfect combination. But you never know – people can change.”

Indeed, it appears McLaren’s attitude may already have changed. In the past few days, McLaren has added a driver to the ‘heritage’ section of its official website that has never been featured or even mentioned before: Alonso.

It reads: “When the history books are written, Alonso’s name will be writ large as one of the sport’s all-time greats.”

A McLaren spokesman explained: “We used not to include profiles of ex-McLaren drivers who are still driving in Formula 1 albeit for other teams, but, following requests from our fans that we alter that policy, we duly did so.”

It has also been reported that Alonso and his management have made enquiries at reigning world champions Red Bull and Formula 1’s dominant team Mercedes, but these options have been ruled out for now.

Another wild report doing the rounds at present is that Alonso could team up with the Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and buy into Lotus – the Enstone based team with which he won his two titles as Renault in 2005 and 2006.

The report has been repeated even by the respected veteran Swiss journalist Roger Benoit, who writes for Blick newspaper. Others, however, believe Alonso will stay at Ferrari, at least for one more season.

Cadena Ser, Spain’s premier radio network, claims Alonso went out with his mechanics in Singapore recently and “reassured them not to listen to all the unfounded reports”.

On the other hand, even Ferrari no longer denies that all the smoke of the past days is being produced by some real fire behind closed doors at Maranello.

Omnicorse reports that the relationship between Alonso and new team boss Marco Mattiacci turned spectacularly sour in Singapore, where the rookie team boss said, “We had the pace of Red Bull – it is clear that the car has improved.”

Tow which Alonso retorted, “My teammate was 45 seconds behind me.”

Meanwhile incoming president Sergio Marchionne is not intervening for now, despite acknowledging there is a problem, “At the problem I am not caring for it.”

“This issue is being dealt with by Mattiacci, and we will discuss it after October 13,” said Marchionne, referring to the date on which he will take command.

He also seemed to confirm that Ferrari is having to deal with an issue of driver selection, “I confirm this, but the decision also depends on the drivers and what they want.”

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FERRARI LOSES LEGAL BATTLE WITH ENGINEER

Ferrari has lost a legal battle with a disgruntled Formula 1 engineer Steve Clark who in 2012 joined the Maranello team from Mercedes, where he was a highly respected senior technical advisor.

It was reported at the time that Clark’s new role would be in charge of Ferrari’s race engineers.

But Autosprint and La Gazzetta dello Sport separately report that Clark was subsequently ‘demoted’ to a role in Ferrari’s non-Formula 1 projects, including working on the Italian olympic team’s bobsled design.

Clark reportedly sued the team in the local Modena courts, arguing that the demotion to a role outside of Formula 1 caused “serious harm to his career”.

The judge reportedly agreed, declaring that his ‘demotion’ was contrary to his contract.

The reports say Ferrari has been ordered to reinstate Clark in his contracted Formula 1 role or an equivalent, which could result in a departure settlement for the 48-year-old Briton.

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FORCE INDIA AND CATERHAM USING TOYOTA WIND TUNNEL

Force India is the latest Formula 1 team turning to Toyota’s state-of-the-art wind tunnel, while it emerged in Singapore recently that Caterham is developing its 2015 car in the Cologne tunnel.

Previously, Ferrari relied heavily on the Toyota facilities amid its troubles with its own tunnel at Maranello.

“We haven’t used the one in Cologne for really quite some time,” said technical boss James Allison recently.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport also reports that, with McLaren leasing wind tunnel time to Marussia, the Woking based team also uses the Toyota facility. And Force India is now beginning to turn to Toyota.

“Our wind tunnel was originally built for 30 per cent models,” said technical boss Andy Green, “so we don’t have enough room around the 50 per cent model.”

From next year, a new cost cutting measure is that each team can only use one wind tunnel per season, so Force India has nominated Cologne. The report said Toyota charges about €100,000 a week for the privilege.

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Magnussen: This is make-or- break

McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen concedes this could be his only season in Formula 1, either he is good enough or he's not.

McLaren's decision to put rookie racer Magnussen in this year's MP4-29 looked to be an ingenious one when he brought the car home in second place at the season-opening Australian GP.

The Dane, though, failed to repeat that feat in the ensuing 14 grands prix.

Instead his highest finishes have been back-to-back P7 leaving him sitting on 39 points, almost half of which he scored in Australia alone.

And although there have been a few mistakes - and penalties - along the way, Magnussen's woes have not always been his own doing.

He explained in an interview with Crash.net: "What happened is we had a great start in Melbourne because we were very well-prepared with all the systems in the car and very early we got to a high level of the car and used all of the potential of the car very early.

"Then all the other teams caught up, got their systems under control, got the maximum out of the car and we fell behind because we didn't have any more potential; we got there very early.

"Basically that's what happened. We're lacking downforce and we're trying to catch up. We're coming back to the top just very slowly."

And getting back to the top is what the 21-year-old needs as he concedes that this season could be his first, last and only in Formula 1 unless he proves to be McLaren that he has what it takes.

"The way I see it is I've always known that if I don't deliver this year then that's it," he said. "I've got one chance and I think I'm doing OK.

"It does put pressure on you because when the press starts talking about it because then it makes many people talk about it and you can feel a bit of negative energy coming from that.

"But you have to deal with it and it's not a massive problem because I knew when I pushed to get this seat that if I go for this seat it's my one opportunity and it's going to be make-or-break. I knew what I was going in to and I think I'm doing OK."

The Dane, the son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen, added that his goal in Formula 1 is to win races and World titles, not just to score points.

"With this opportunity that I have with McLaren, the way I look at it is if I can't succeed straightaway with McLaren now and be good enough for them then I won't ever be good enough.

"So there's no reason for me to go for a smaller team and work my way up because if I can't do it straight away then I'll never be world champion. I'm not here for anything other than world championships.

"I don't want to be here driving around and finishing races and scoring points. I only want to win and if I can't do that - if I can't see that I have a future with wins and championships - then I'm not up for Formula One, I'll do something else where I can win. I believe I can win, I've proved to myself that I know I can do this.

"It was a big change but at least I'm convinced, so I need to just keep doing hard work and show that I'm doing everything I can in every race."

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Grosjean: Every metre is a challenge

Heading to Suzuka for round 15, Romain Grosjean says he is relishing the challenge - even if for Lotus it looks set to be a big one.

With just eight points to his name in this year's Championship, 2014 has been a huge disappointment for Grosjean and Lotus.

The Frenchman heads to Japan on the back of a run of eight grands prix outside the points and although he enjoys the Suzuka circuit, the nature of the track could yield another point-less afternoon for Lotus.

"Suzuka is probably my favourite track in the world and for many, many reasons," he said. "Of course last year holds a great memory as I led the race for a while. Also, my engineer (Ayao Komatsu) is Japanese, so it is nice for him to be in his home country.

"But mainly I love it so much because the track is a massive challenge and also the spectators are so passionate about F1.

"There is not a single corner on the track that is not a big challenge. When you finish a lap at Suzuka you really appreciate it because you know both the car and you have been really tested. You can be proud if you have got the maximum from everything."

Speaking about the track, Grosjean admits a driver has to give it some "respect" as Suzuka is a challenge from start to finish.

"It is the kind of track that you find time and improvements, however small, all of the time. It is a very special race track in this respect. Sector one is unbelievable and after you have finished it you can breathe a little bit... but not for long.

"There is no margin for error with very little run-off area and the track is quite narrow, especially at the top of the hill. I love it.

"Every metre of the Suzuka track is special and every metre a challenge. The Spoon Curve is especially fantastic, a real thrill to drive in an F1 car."

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Button expects 'tricky' Suzuka

Jenson Button is confident McLaren are on an "upward curve" despite having a difficult Sunday last time out in Singapore.

The team scored just one World Championship point at the night race as Kevin Magnussen brought his MP4-29 home in tenth place. Button retired with an engine issue.

That meant McLaren were outscored by Force India and dropped back down to sixth in the Championship.

Button believes the team can bounce back this weekend in Japan.

"Despite not getting to the finish in Singapore, we're definitely on an upward curve in terms of developing the car," he said. "Suzuka will be a tricky one for us, but I'm still really looking forward to it.

"It's also one of the best circuits we come to; a real challenge and incredibly unforgiving, which makes it all the more rewarding when you get it right.

"For me the Esses are the best section of corners in the world - totally unique to Suzuka, which makes racing here so exciting. Being such a tricky, high-speed track you need good downforce, rhythm and total focus to get the most out of a lap."

Button considers the race to be a home event as the 2009 World Champion's fiancée Jessica hails for Japan.

"Coming to Suzuka feels like a second home race for me," he added.

"Japan is such a special place and my win here in 2011 really stands out as a personal highlight. The fans there really set it apart and there's an incredible atmosphere about the whole place all weekend."

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'Nothing being done to cut costs'

Monisha Kaltenborn believes the F1 teams have only themselves to blame should any outfit drop out as "nothing" is being done to reduce costs.

Whispers in the paddock suggest that at least three teams, including Sauber, are in a dire financial situation and could be forced out of Formula 1.

Should that happen and the grid drop below 20 cars, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is adamant the remaining teams will have to run three cars.

Kaltenborn, however, says whatever happens, the teams have brought it on themselves by refusing to take measures to cut costs.

"There's nothing being done and I think that some team principals, apart from myself, have said that something drastic needs to happen and then we'll react," she told ESPN.

"But it's very difficult to explain to the people out there why we need that much money and we do have this image of burning cash here. Nobody can really understand that.

"I think something will happen, but I don't hope for it to happen because it's not good for any team. Something will happen because you can't go on at this level and you don't know the next thing that is going to come up that will again mean more costs.

"It's actually very depressing to see that we can't all agree on the fact that we have to reduce our costs, and by a lot of money."

Pressed as to whether all 11 of the current teams would be back on the grid next season, the Sauber team boss said: "I'm not so sure if that is going to be the case."

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Ricciardo praises 'delightful' Suzuka

Daniel Ricciardo says racing around the Suzuka circuit in Japan is a good reason to love his job.

The 25-year-old is a huge fan of Suzuka, an 18-corner 5.807km-long circuit that crosses over itself in a figure of eight format.

Including the popular Spoon Curve and 130R, Dunlop Curve and Degnar, Ricciardo feels the Japanese circuit is a "dream" to drive.

The Red Bull racer said: "Suzuka is all good, but for me the first sector is just a delight. It's a dream.

"You have those fast changes of directions through the Esses, hard around the Dunlop Curve and then, arguably the best bit, turns Eight and Nine: Degner.

"Through Eight you're hanging on, it's so narrow and there's no room for error but you want to push as hard as you can.

"Then just as you straighten up the car, you're on the brakes, throwing it into this cambered right-hander and hoping you've got it right because if you haven't then it's all over.

"Getting to do that 53 times in a row is a pretty good way to earn a living.

"What you maybe don't see on TV is that it's a real rollercoaster, dropping into valleys and climbing up again, so that you're rarely on a level surface."

Ricciardo heads to Japan third in the Drivers' standings on 181 points, 60 behind Championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

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How teams are clawing back rear-end downforce

While much attention has inevitably been focused on the new hydrid engines F1 introduced this year, other changes in the 2014 rule book aimed to reduce the amount of downforce being generated at the rear of the car.

Perhaps the most significant of these concerned the positioning of the exhaust. In previous seasons teams have exploited exhaust gasses for aerodynamic gain, directing the hot air around the diffuser in such a way to make it perform better.

In 2014 this trick was effectively banned as the positioning of the exhaust is now tightly controlled. The 2014 technical regulations dictate that the exhaust exit but be between 170-185mm behind the rear axle line, 350-500mm above the floor and along the car centreline.

This has led some teams to get creative at the back of the car and exploit other means of generating downforce. The rear of the car is still hugely important aerodynamically and is responsible for about 40% of the downforce generated. The drawing below shows the back of the McLaren MP4-29.

The exhaust is positioned above the rear crash structure along the car centreline. Although the rules are clearly written to limit the extent to which teams can use their exhausts to generate downforce, what is learned is never forgotten, and designers have deployed aerodynamic structures around the exhaust exit to try to use the gasses for aerodynamic gain.

In the case of the MP4-29, a flap behind the exhaust serves this purpose. The high-speed exhaust gasses create a low pressure zone below the flap, which helps create downforce. In addition the plume is directed upwards where it will interact with the flow structure from the rear wing, again adding to downforce (although this interaction will be small as it occurs some way aft of the rear wing).

Another source of downforce at the back of an F1 car is the brake ducts. Ostensibly for brake cooling, in recent years the inner wheel area has seen a proliferation of carbon fibre in the name of grip.

The MP4-29′s has five distinct aerodynamic surfaces that are clearly not designed to help cool the brakes. One advantage of the brake ducts is that the downforce is generated on the unsprung part of the car so is transmitted straight to the rubber (as opposed to being transmitted through the suspension arms).

The final part of the downforce equation is the diffuser. The dimensions of the diffuser is tightly regulated but teams do have choices as to the shape. McLaren have opted to have rounded outer edges in an attempt to keep the airflow inside the diffuser attached, which helps with downforce – turbulent air in the diffuser kills downforce.

The MP4-29 also sports ‘fat’ suspension arms. The intent of the fat suspension is to block airflow above the diffuser. This creates a low pressure area above the diffuser thereby reducing the pressure gradient the diffuser has to work against. Air in the diffuser is more likely to stay attached and generate grip.

This comes at the cost of considerable drag from the suspension, and it appears the trade-off may not be worthwhile. No other teams have copied the McLaren design and the performance of the MP4-29 suggests the invention will not be retained for the 2015 campaign.

The last detail to note is the location of the cooling exit. With the advent of the turbocharger the thermal footprint of the 2014 formula has increased. Like many F1 teams McLaren vents hot air out of the rear of the car. This comes at the cost of having slightly expanded bodywork at the rear of the car, although the McLaren engineers have raise the vent to ensure a reasonably deep sidepod undercut.

With all the focus on engines, one of the unspoken successes of the 2014 regulations has been neutralisation of exhaust blown diffusers. Unlike the front wing and nose, which will change for 2015, there are few regulation changes at the rear of the car. That won’t necessarily stop some clever teams doing something inventive in an attempt to get an edge.

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Alonso confident Ferrari will beat Williams to third

Fernando Alonso says he's confident Ferrari will overhaul Williams in the Constructors' Championship standings to secure third position.

The Italian team is currently fourth, nine points behind the resurgent Williams squad, but closed the gap last time out in Singapore where Williams struggled.

The Spaniard says there are plenty more opportunities before the end of the season to close it further and eventually take surpass Williams.

"We are Ferrari, we are much more than a normal team," said the 33-year-old.

"So we just have to keep working hard and whatever is the performance of the car, whatever our advantage or disadvantage over Williams we will fight until the last lap of the last race because there are a lot of points on the table.

"There is Abu Dhabi with double points and there is a lot of opportunities that we will have to close that gap.

"I'm confident that at the end of the championship we will beat Williams."

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HONDA-MCLAREN PROJECT ALREADY ON THE BACK FOOT?

The high uncertainty surrounding Fernando Alonso’s future could be connected with reports emerging from the Honda camp which suggest that things may not be quite on schedule ahead of their return to Formula 1.

It is well known that the Japanese manufacturer, returning to Formula 1 with McLaren next year, has made an audacious bid to lure the highly rated and increasingly frustrated Spaniard from Ferrari.

In the past few days, the extent of the disintegrating relations between Alonso and Ferrari have become clear, making it seem more and more likely that he will leave the fabled but crisis-struck Maranello camp.

It has stirred real fears that McLaren could dump its protege Kevin Magnussen after just a single season, with many regarding Alonso alongside fellow champion Jenson Button as an ideal pairing to steer the early direction of the works Honda project.

When asked about the Alonso-Honda reports, former McLaren champion Mika Hakkinen said: “You do have to wonder why they have not entered into any driver contracts for next season.

“This is obviously because McLaren is trying to put together the best possible package,” he said in his latest interview with sponsor Hermes.

“Drivers who have won a championship will always find teams that want to take them. It’s obvious that when you can get the highest expertise available, you should,” added Hakkinen.

But according to Corriere dello Sport, the spanner in the works of Alonso’s sensational switch to McLaren could be some alarming reports emerging from Japan.

The report claims Honda is about three months behind schedule in the development of its first turbo V6 power unit, having encountered problems even greater than those struck by Renault as the troubled French marque prepared for 2014.

The specialist Autosprint said Honda’s development V6 currently consumes too much fuel and produces too little power, “To try to recover. Honda is investing massively and mobilising people and businesses around Japan.”

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IS FORMULA 1 TOO EASY THESE DAYS?

Formula 1’s governing body has cleared the way for Max Verstappen to make history this week at Suzuka, under existing rules, a hopeful rookie can qualify for the mandatory ‘super license’ credential by testing for more than 300 kilometres under FIA supervision.

Verstappen, who turns 17 on Tuesday, did that recently at Adria in Italy, as Red Bull pushes Formula 1’s youngest ever driver into action at an unprecedented speed.

“He did 396 kilometres without any problem,” said Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost in Singapore. “People were really impressed with his performance and now it’s in the hands of the FIA.”

Indeed, the Faenza based team announced on Monday that the Dutchman has been granted a super license, and will therefore make his Friday practice debut at Suzuka in Jean-Eric Vergne’s place.

Even so, the Verstappen issue is a contentious one. Some believe it is ridiculous that a driver who does not even qualify for a road-driving license can leap almost directly from karting to motor racing’s highest category.

“His appearance (in Japan) will underline fears that the sport is simply too easy,” The Times correspondent Kevin Eason reports. “The FIA … is said to be examining ways of making Formula 1 cars harder to drive.”

Another measure under scrutiny is the ease with which drivers can obtain the super license, after the FIA recently vowed to “review the qualification and conditions” for the credential.

Nonetheless, Verstappen is unfazed by the controversy, “I don’t look at social media too much. There are many negative things written, but also many positive things as well. I just concentrate on what I’m doing.”

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HAMILTON: I AIM TO ADD MY NAME TO LIST OF GREATS AT SUZUKA

Lewis Hamilton arrives at Suzuka with two successive wins in his bag, and hunting a hat-trick at one of the most daunting venues on the Formula 1 calendar, a place where he is still seeking a victory and where his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg will be the man to beat.

Victory in Singapore for Hamilton was the definitive moment of his campaign thus far as he took command of the championship standings, while Rosberg suffered a costly DNF.

Hamilton is aware of his good fortune at Marina Bay Circuit, “Singapore was a good weekend for me. It’s the first time in quite a few races that I’ve not had to fight through the pack to get a result which made life a lot easier.”

“The car just felt fantastic and I could push whenever I needed to throughout the race. Of course, it was disappointing for the team to have another retirement but I know they have made this a priority moving forwards.”

Hamilton has never won at Suzuka, although in his remarkable rookie season he did win the 2007 edition of the race when it was held at Fuji.

Hamilton mused, “Suzuka is one of the races on the calendar that drivers love the most – and arguably one of the greatest tracks in the world. There’s so much history and there have been so many defining moments there – like those unforgettable battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.”

“I’ve never won at this circuit and have only made the podium once, on my first visit way back in 2009. I’ve had a couple of chances and last season was probably the best of those. This year, though, we have an exceptional car and I’m really hoping I’ll finally have my shot at the top step.”

“All the greats of Formula One have won at Suzuka since the sport first came there in the 1980s and I’m determined to add my name to that list this weekend.”

For the first time this season Hamilton tops the drivers’ standings and will be targeting his eighth win of the campaign, “It’s levelled things up in the Drivers’ Championship, so hopefully we’ll now have a straight battle right to the flag in Abu Dhabi.”