FORMULA 1 - 2014

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: I WILL DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF FERRARI

Fernando Alonso has refused to categorically rule out leaving current team Ferrari as soon as next season for either former outfit McLaren or reigning champions Red Bull.

“This is a very difficult question to answer… I will do the best for Ferrari,” Alonso told reporters ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, when asked to clearly state that he would not be driving a Red Bull or a McLaren next season or in 2016.

“You question, I answer. You cannot do the question and answer for me,” the Spaniard, when pressed further on the matter, jokingly added.

Alonso’s contract with Ferrari runs until the end of the 2016 season, but the 33-year-old’s future has been a regular topic of paddock discussion.

The Spaniard, currently driving in his fifth season with Ferrari, has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of success for the sport’s glamour team which hasn’t won a race in over a year and faces the prospect of recording its first winless season since 1993.

Speculation surrounding his future has been rife this year, a season that has seen a number of key management changes at Ferrari, with long-serving president Luca di Montezemolo the latest to announce his departure.

Fernando Alonso and Ferrari last won at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix

Talk that Alonso’s future lies away from Maranello has only grown louder in recent weeks and though refusing to rule out the possibility, the Spaniard on Thursday did say that the interests of Ferrari – locked in a battle for third in the constructors’ championship – took priority over his future.

“As I said in Singapore, we are in the middle of a fight with Williams in the constructors’ championship and I would like to help Ferrari to the maximum,” said Alonso, who a fortnight ago in Singapore had expressed his displeasure over the rumours which he said were damaging team unity.

“This is the first priority for me, on the track side to help the team, and my second priority will be my future if there is anything to talk about.”

Alonso has most strongly been linked with a move to either Red Bull or McLaren.

McLaren are set to switch to Honda engines from next season and the Japanese marque is understood to be particularly keen on getting their hands on a driver of Alonso’s calibre.

Both the team’s current drivers, 2009 world champion Jenson Button and rookie Kevin Magnussen, are out of contract at the end of the season and neither have been confirmed by McLaren for next season so far.

When quizzed about his chances of staying with McLaren next season, Button was coy. “I… I don’t know,” the Briton, who has been with McLaren since 2010, said.

“As you know I can’t discuss anything to do with the contract,” he said, before adding that McLaren was his “best option” for staying in Formula One.

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, yet to win in what has been a difficult title-defence year for the German, also played down rumours of a seat-swap with Alonso.

“Well, I think there has always been rumours over the last couple of years, especially around this time of the season,” the 27-year-old said.

“It’s not really in my head. As I said, coming from the back at Singapore we made some progress and I hope that we can carry that momentum into this race and that’s really where the focus lies.”

[MIKA27]

MASSA: IT WILL BE TOUGH BUT WE CAN BEAT FERRARI

Felipe Massa is relishing the chance to steer Williams to a strong performance in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix to consolidate their grip on third place in the team championship.

The 33-year-old Brazilian told reporters on Thursday that he felt Williams performance at the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks ago was a success, achieved on “the worst track for us.”

“I hope we can finish in front. Ferrari is a big team and it won’t be easy to fight them, but I think we can do it,” Massa said.

“We have everything to show we can do it. The last track was a good race for them and we managed to score good points.

“Definitely we can do it because it was the worst track for us and we managed to get some good points. I hope from now on we can be stronger than we were in Singapore.”

Williams has made upgrades for their car this weekend.

“I hope the car can be more competitive. It’s nice that we get to the end of the season and we have upgrades in the car and new pieces,” Massa said.

“I don’t think you see that at many teams, which are looking at next year. We are also looking at next year, but we still have pieces that are coming and that’s positive.

“We will keep fighting and I hope that these new pieces will help us to finish the season in a good way,” said Massa, who is ninth in the drivers’ standings.

[MIKA27]

MATTIACCI: UNFREEZE ENGINE RULES FOR GOOD OF F1

Ferrari are continuing to argue for a relaxation of the so-called V6 turbo engine freeze to level the playing field in Formula 1 and bolster the show.

With Mercedes utterly dominating in the new turbo era, Formula 1’s engine makers will get a chance to upgrade up to 48 per cent of their ‘power units’ ahead of 2015.

But Ferrari in particular has argued that the freeze should be further relaxed, for example by allowing at least one mid-season performance step.

When the topic arose two weeks ago in Singapore, Mercedes understandably argued that it should be voted down on the basis that it will only drive up costs. But Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci on Thursday hit back at the counter-arguments.

“It would not cost more money,” he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, “because the scale of the development remains the same.”

Customer teams have also argued that even if the extra development is allowed, any cost increases should not be passed onto the already high price of their ‘power units’.

Mattiacci said: “If you are a customer and you have to stay with the same engine from the end of February, then you have little chance to improve yourself. At the end that can cost you even more money.”

The Italian insists Ferrari made the proposal not for the benefit of Maranello or fellow engine straggler Renault, but for Formula 1 as a whole.

“We stand by it because it is good for the sport,” said Mattiacci. “For Ferrari it is an opportunity but also a risk. Maybe Mercedes will develop their engine even better. It is not a unilateral advantage for us.”

“At the moment the work of the engineers and suppliers is focused on the winter months. But Formula 1 should be about constant innovation.”

Mattiacci said the freeze is also bad for the fans, with a static balance of power affecting the “entertainment on the track”.

[MIKA27]

CATERHAM FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AS BAILIFFS SEIZE ITEMS

The Caterham Formula 1 team say they are going ahead with preparations to race in Japan this weekend despite bailiffs seizing items from their factory in central England on Wednesday.

The troubled team issued a statement ahead of the race at Suzuka that condemned “unfounded and unsubstantiated rumours concerning actions against 1MRT, the entrant and owner of CaterhamF1″.

“An action was threatened yesterday (Wednesday) against a supplier company to 1MRT. This company is not owned by 1MRT and it has no influence over the entry of CaterhamF1 or the entrant,” it added.

“Contrary to uncontrolled rumours, all operations are currently in place at Leafield and the race team is doing its preparation in Japan.”

A senior source close to the team confirmed to Reuters by telephone that bailiffs had visited the Leafield factory but said it was not the first time and denied reports that the facility or computer servers had been closed down.

“All this nonsense is nothing to do with the Formula One team…it is 100 percent not related to the F1 team or any company or subsidiary of the F1 team,” added the source, who did not want to be identified.

A list of seized items to be sold at a public auction, likely in mid-October, appeared later on the bailiffs’ website . They included a 2013 Caterham F1 ‘test car’, steering wheels, drilling and machining equipment, wheels and assorted pit lane items such as jacks and starters.

Car parts ‘due for Japan 2014′ were also listed, although the race cars and main items of freight would normally have arrived in Japan some time ago with teams already setting up their garages in the paddock on Wednesday.

Caterham changed ownership in July when Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes sold the struggling team to an unidentified “consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors”.

Since then the new owners have been embroiled in legal action with some 40 former employees who accuse them of unfair dismissal. There have also been issues to resolve with suppliers.

Manfredi Ravetto in the hotseat

Caterham, who are last in the championship standings and have never scored a point, said in a statement in July that the staff in question were employed by a supplier rather than the Formula One team itself.

The team’s Leafield site was previously used by Super Aguri and Arrows, two now-defunct teams that collapsed due to financial problems.

Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson are Caterham’s current drivers, with Spaniard Roberto Merhi due to take part in Friday first practice at Suzuka.

Team principal Manfredi Ravetto had been quoted only this week as saying Caterham planned to take a new front wing to Suzuka that they hoped would make their cars far more competitive.

He also told media that work on the 2015 car was proceeding in the Toyota wind tunnel in Cologne, despite the team having to contend with ‘surprises’ inherited from the previous ownership.

“In this team, the surprises never end,” he said. “If we keep having 10 surprises per day then we have to keep doing 10 miracles per day. So my concern is what happens when we run out of miracles.”

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN RUBBISH BERGER REPORTS

McLaren has slammed reports that former F1 driver and team owner Gerhard Berger could be set to join the British team.

Earlier, Germany’s Auto Bild said supremo Ron Dennis is coming under increasing pressure from the struggling Woking based team’s major Bahraini shareholders.

“Auto Bild has learned that the favoured candidate as partner and team boss is the former McLaren driver Gerhard Berger,” said correspondents Ralf Bach and Bianca Garloff.

The well-known Austrian Berger, also a former Formula 1 boss for BMW and ex-Toro Rosso co-owner, said: “I have nothing on the table.”

And now McLaren has also denied the story, telling us on Thursday: “This is complete and utter nonsense.”

[MIKA27]

BIANCHI SAYS HE IS READY TO REPLACE ALONSO AT FERRARI

On the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend the matter of the 2015 driver’silly season’ continued to brew with the big player being Ferrari‘s Fernando Alonso, and now the Maranello team’s protege Jules Bianchi – currently placed at Marussia – put his hand up to potentially replace the Spaniard should he depart.

“It [moving to Ferrari] looks like the logical step for me if something like this [Alonso's departure] happens,” said the Frenchman.

Also linked with replacing the frustrated Alonso at Ferrari is Red Bull‘s Sebastian Vettel, but he opted to divert attention to another big name on Thursday.

“I think [it's a question] probably more for Jenson [button]. He already has 17 teammates for next year,” the German said with a smile.

McLaren‘s Button, however, is also waiting on Alonso, who according to speculation is considering a sensational switch to lead the British team’s new Honda era. That could leave 2009 world champion Button, or his rookie teammate Kevin Magnussen, out in the cold.

“I don’t know,” Button replied when asked about the situation ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. “As you know I can’t discuss anything to do with the contract.”

He admitted only that staying at McLaren remained his “best option” for the future.

[MIKA27]

LOOMING TYPHOON A THREAT TO JAPANESE GP

Mother nature is threatening to interfere with this weekend’s running of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Already this week, reports had emerged that ash and smoke from the nearby Ontake volcano eruption was affecting air traffic as the Formula 1 world jets into Japan. Now, a typhoon alert has been issued.

According to German language reports, the weather service UBIMET warned that a typhoon by the name of Phanfone could reach the Japanese mainland by the weekend and pose a “potential threat to the Grand Prix of Japan”.

Another weather organisation, MeteoGroup, confirmed that the typhoon is likely to bring adverse conditions to the Suzuka area.

“Weather conditions won’t be too great for Saturday,” a spokesperson told the Mirror.

“The closer we get to it, the weather will start to deteriorate.”

[MIKA27]

Vettel unfazed by latest rumours

Sebastian Vettel is refusing to let constant speculation about his future distract him, saying it is just that time of the year.

Despite having a contract with Red Bull and insisting on several occasions that he is happy where he is, rumours about the four-time World Champion's future have persisted.

With the latest whispers linking Fernando Alonso to a return to McLaren - with 2015 engine supplier Honda buying him out of his Ferrari deal - Vettel to Ferrari rumours are once again circulating.

The German has downplayed it, saying it is to be expected as are rumours about Jenson Button and his "17 team-mates".

"I think there has always been rumours in the last couple of years, especially in this part of the season," the Red Bull driver said at Suzuka on Thursday.

"It [the driver market situation] is probably more for Jenson [button]. He has 17 team-mates for next year - I was one a couple of weeks ago and maybe I will be next week again!

"It is not in my head."

He added: "In Singapore we made some progress and I hope to carry that momentum in to this weekend, and that is where the focus lies."

[MIKA27]

Raikkonen says he has no worries about his F1 future with Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen says he has no worries about his Formula 1 future at Ferrari, despite the uncertainty surrounding team-mate Fernando Alonso.

While Alonso and Ferrari are set for intense discussions to decide whether or not they should continue their partnership, Raikkonen says he is thinking only of a more successful 2015 campaign at Maranello.

The Finn believes that changes that have begun to be implemented under new team boss Marco Mattiacci are working, and have left him convinced that Ferrari is the right place for him.

When asked if, after a recent restructuring at Ferrari, he felt safe, Raikkonen said: "I think they have the right people.

"There have been quite a lot of changes and knowing how they do things, it is different at the factory.

"I think the changes with [James] Allison, and with all the people around him and all the guys at the factory, we have a good group of people.

"They have changed certain things to make sure that the mistakes that have happened in the past years will not happen anymore.

"Obviously it takes a while, but I 100 per cent believe in people and that at Ferrari we can turn it around and put the team where it should be. That should be in the front.

"For myself I have a contract and I have no worries."

[MIKA27]

Williams F1 team replaces steering assembly on Bottas' car

The Williams Formula 1 team has elected to change the steering assembly on Valtteri Bottas' car for the Japanese Grand Prix, following the problems that compromised him in Singapore.

Bottas lost a likely top six finish in the closing stages of F1's recent Marina Bay race, when a problem with the self-aligning torque of his FW36's steering contributed to him wearing out his tyres faster than rivals.

Williams has been unable to determine the cause of the problem, so has elected to change Bottas' steering assembly for this weekend's Suzuka round as a precaution against a repeat.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if Williams had got to the bottom of the steering issue, Bottas said: "No, not yet. We've been struggling to make the exact conditions; it must have been something to do with the temperature.

"Everything has been tested as normal with normal temperatures, so we need to find a way to create hotter conditions for the power steering to see if it was something related to that.

"In normal checks there was nothing, but I'm sure there was something wrong, so we need to make sure we get the test done in the same conditions [as Singapore], understand what it is and make sure it doesn't happen again."

ENCOURAGED BY SINGAPORE SPEED

Williams will trial a major aerodynamic upgrade during tomorrow's free practice sessions and Bottas said Williams' Singapore form - on the sort of twisty circuit that hasn't suited the FW36 this year - gave him added confidence Williams will be strong for the remainder of the campaign.

"It was nice to see how well we performed in qualifying at Singapore and that we were closer to pole position than we expected," Bottas added.

"That gives me confidence for the rest of the year.

"We can do well at any track. We have some updates to try tomorrow, and if they work that will benefit all races for the rest of the year."

[MIKA27]

Montezemolo to Marchionne: 'He'll be asking me to come back in a few months'

Ferrari execs go passive-aggressive at Paris motor show.

Outgoing Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo took part in his final motor show with the company Thursday, doing so with his successor Sergio Marchionne in Paris.

He was showing off the Ferrari 458 Speciale A and also took questions from attending journalists, who were treated with some commedia dell'arte from both Montezemolo to Marchionne.

The body language between the two could only be described as awkward elegance as they talked about the Ferrari F1 struggles in front of one another. There was some playful bashing and indirect shots fired at the other during the Q&A.

Discussing Ferrari's troublesome F1 season

Marchionne spoke first and discussed the lack of performance from the Ferraris in 2014, saying "When I go to Monza and I see the first six cars on the grid are not Ferrari, my blood pressure pops. Non-winning Ferraris on a race track is not just bad luck ... We’ve got to kick some ass on the track and we’ve got to do it quickly.”

Montezemolo took a friendly jab at Marchionne, saying "Between now and February, Marchionne will realize he already has too much to do and will call me to come back. I’m happy to have a few months off between now and then.” Marchionne did not smile.

In response to why the man hand-picked by Enzo is walking away, Montezemolo told reports, "I could explain, but after 23 years, when you are confronted with a new era, It is time to leave." Marchionne called some of rumors circulating as 'bull****.'

Marchionne not amused

There was an awkward moment when Montezemolo accidentally misspoke and said 'Ferrari Chrysler,' confusing what he meant to say with the new name Fiat will take on later this month (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). He laughed off the error, adding "maybe that’s what it will be in 40 years.” Marchionne was less than amused at the blunder.

The Ferrari torch is being passed, but I would not make the erroneous mistake of identifying these two as mentor and prodigy ... Or even friendly at that.

[ptrthgr8]

Vettel is leaving Red Bull? What the deuce?!?!?!?

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

Vettel: It's time to start a new chapter

Sebastian Vettel says his decision to leave Red Bull is motivated by the fact that he feels it is time to "do something new and something different".

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner announced on Saturday morning that Vettel has "advised" the team that he plans to quit at the end of the 2014 season and he all but confirmed that the German will be off to Ferrari, saying the Italian team "made him a very attractive offer".

Vettel, though, is still unable to reveal where he will drive next season, saying: "I cannot confirm where I will go, but I think I will be able to announce very soon."

Asked about his decision to leave Red Bull where he won four consecutive Drivers' Championships, he told reporters: "Well you can imagine obviously a very tough one. It's not that I am unhappy. I obviously enjoyed every race I had there and we had an incredible run the last five or six years. Obviously this year wasn't the way we were hoping for, but still it's part of racing, part of life.

"I'm leaving a very, very happy place and that's why it's always difficult. But at some point in your life you feel that you want to do something new and something different. That always kept growing and let me to decide to leave Red Bull and go and start a new chapter."

After four titles in a row, this campaign has been a poor one for Vettel as he has been overshadowed by team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, but the German insists it didn't play a role in his decision to leave.

"It has nothing to do with the results we had this year. It has more to do with the fact that I felt ready and I felt the time is right to start something new," he said.

Ferrari are also struggling again this year and when quizzed about whether or not he will be able to make a difference at his new team, he answered: "Obviously you always want to make a difference and obviously I am hoping for the best. You wouldn't make such a tough decision to leave such a happy place, to leave people that you like and face such difficult consequences as telling them that you are leaving. Obviously I am full of hope and full of faith that no matter where I go I will succeed.

"It's definitely a very tough decision, after 15 years together with Red Bull I am moving out."

[MIKA27]

MARKO: VETTEL DID NOT BREAK CONTRACT HE HAD A GET OUT CLAUSE

Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko has revealed that despite the team having a contract with Sebastian Vettel until 2016, there was a get out clause which the world champion took advantage of to leave the team for a seat at Ferrari for 2015 and beyond.

Marko told media in the wake of the sensational news breaking at Suzuka, “He didn’t break his contract. There was a clause in his contract that he could go and recently he told us.”

Asked asked when Vettel made his decision to leave the team that took him to four consecutive world titles, Marko said, “It was in the last two weeks I’d say.”

Marko reflected on a highly successful association with Vettel, “It was a fantastic time. We at Red Bull knew him foir a very long time, when he was 12 years old, but life goes on and he was looking for a new challenge, for a new motivation and we have a very successful junior programme so for both sides it was the right decision.”

Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and Sebastian Vettel during happier times

“There is no bad feeling. We need drivers who are fully motivated and for him after a lot of success he was looking for a new challenge and we have a very, very promising young driver [Kvyat] which we are looking to see next year. So we try to repeat it with another young driver.”

“If he would have traded us with let’s say Mercedes [it would have been difficult], but Ferrari for each race driver it’s such a myth and fascination, I completely can understand it,” added Marko.

Meanwhile it has emerged that Vettel broke the news to team boss Christian Horner and Marko on Saturday at Suzuka.

“I spoke to Seb about 10 o’clock last night. He sat down with myself and Helmut and we spoke with Dietrich and he said he felt the time had come to take on a new challenge,” Horner revealed.

“Obviously it was an emotional moment for him and everyone really, he’s been with Red Bull for 15 years, achieved so much and obviously he’d taken quite a lot of time to consider his decision,” said the world champion team boss.

Notably Vettel is wearing a predominantly red helmet during the weekend in Japan…

[MIKA27]

ALONSO FUTURE UNCERTAIN MAY TAKE SABBATICAL

All eyes are on Ferrari and Fernando Alonso in the wake of Sebastian Vettel’s sensational news that he will depart Red Bullat the end of the season, with all indications being that he will be plying his trade at the Maranello team from 2015 and beyond.

Although some think Spaniard Alonso’s exit at Ferrari and move to McLaren-Honda is now obvious, others are not so convinced.

El Mundo Deportivo thinks a sabbatical for the 33-year-old is even a possibility, as his plans to set up a professional cycling team take shape.

“It is an option that he takes a break for a year,” agreed former team owner and serial Formula 1 prognosticator Eddie Jordan. “I don’t think Fernando is going to go to McLaren to struggle and build a team up. He will take a year off.”

Meanwhile Ferrari has confirmed in Japan that it is not currently planning to make a driver announcement this weekend, and with the news leaked that Vettel is heading to the team they maybe in an uncomfortable position of having three drivers on their books for 2015.

Alonso may use the premature announcement by Vettel and Red Bull, who have made no secret of the German’s next team, to force Ferrari to pay substantially for him to vacate the seat. Ironically, a situation reminiscent to Raikkonen making way for the Spaniard at the Italian team back in 2010.

But McLaren and Honda are obviously considering putting Alonso in a Woking-built car for 2015, reportedly after he and Ron Dennis recently sat down and put their horrendous 2007 collaboration in the past.

It is even reported Alonso arrived in Tokyo on Monday, where the Honda Motor Company is headquartered.

Asked about that, Alonso laughed and denied he had visited Honda. But Honda is obviously keen on having Formula 1’s best driver in a McLaren next year.

When asked if the carmaker and McLaren have already signed Alonso, Honda chief Yasuhisa Arai turned to his McLaren colleague Jonathan Neale on Friday and said: “Should I answer? Not only McLaren-Honda but also the other teams want to keep the good [best] driver.”.

Eric Boullier, McLaren boss, is now admitting Alonso is actively under consideration, “We are still trying and we will take our time not to make any mistakes.

“We have a good chance and we don’t want to lose it,” Boullier added. “We will take our time but the decision will anyway be soon – in a couple of weeks.”

[MIKA27]

Alonso: Race could be brought forward

Fernando Alonso has revealed that there is a chance that the Japanese GP could be brought forward due to the threat of Typhoon Phanfone.

The typhoon is expected to hit Suzuka on Sunday afternoon at about the same time when the race is set to get underway.

However, officials are considering whether or not to bring the traditional 3pm local starting time forward to avoid the chaos.

Alonso admits there is "a bit of tension" in the paddock due to the weather forecasts.

"Unfortunately, the typhoon expected tomorrow is creating a bit of tension, because over the past two days, we haven't done any wet running and having to do the opening lap of the race itself in the rain always complicates matters," he said.

"Currently, we don't know how much rain we can expect, so all we can do is prepare for a difficult race, because Suzuka is a circuit where, even in the dry, incidents can occur and it's easy to make mistakes. I think that later today, the race director might take a decision regarding this, with the possibility of bringing the race forward."

[MIKA27]

WURZ APPOINTED GPDA CHAIRMAN

Austrian ex-Formula One racer Alex Wurz was appointed chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers Association on Friday, replacing Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

The GPDA said in a statement that McLaren‘s Jenson Button and Red Bull‘s quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel would remain as directors of a body that represents the majority of F1 drivers.

“Alex will be a great GPDA Chairman. He is one of the most experienced drivers I know, full of positive new ideas, and he has seen so many different aspects of the sport throughout his career,” said Vettel.

Former Benetton, McLaren and Williams driver Wurz, who is currently competing for Toyota in the world endurance championship, hoped the GPDA could become “a more united voice for our sport”.

“We know our history, we know what heroes like Stirling (Moss), Niki (Lauda) and Jackie (Stewart), Michael (Schumacher)and Ayrton (Senna) have all helped create,” he added.

“With the support of (FIA head) Jean (Todt) and (Formula One supremo) Bernie (Ecclestone), the teams, the media and most importantly with the backing of our fans, the GPDA will now aim to become a more dynamic and positive influence for the future of our sport.”

[MIKA27]

SUZUKA QUALIFYING: ROSBERG NIPS IT FROM HAMILTON

Nico Rosberg seized pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of team mate and Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton, who completed a front-row lockout for Mercedes in qualifying on Saturday.

Rosberg, who relinquished the championship lead to Hamilton after retiring from the last race in Singapore, lapped the 5.8 km Suzuka Circuit in one minute 32.506 seconds to claim his first pole since the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August.

“I’m not thinking about Singapore at all,” Rosberg, who trails Hamilton by three points after a steering wheel failure led to an early retirement at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, told reporters.

“It was a great day today, it is only one step on the way — but really great. The car is so amazing to drive,” he added.

Hamilton, who had been fastest in the opening session of qualifying, failed to better Rosberg’s benchmark after locking up on his final attempt and missed out on scoring a hat-trick of pole positions by just under two tenths of a second.

“Not too much really,” Hamilton said when asked what went wrong on his lap. Nico was extremely quick today, I did the best I could.

“Just wasn’t really feeling it, don’t know why, but tomorrow is the day when you get the points,” added the Briton, whose car had to be hurriedly repaired after he crashed in Saturday morning’s practice session.

Despite his error, Hamilton’s time was quick enough to secure Mercedes an eighth front-row lockout of the season. The team have looked dominant all weekend and could leave Japan with the constructors’ title wrapped up if results go their way.

Valtteri Bottas took third for Williams ahead of team mate Felipe Massa, with the Grove-based squad taking over from Red Bull as the best of the rest on a circuit that suits their car.

The reigning world champions had scored a double podium behind Hamilton in Singapore but were unable to carry that form over to Japan.

Sebastian Vettel, set to leave the team at the end of the season for Ferrari, only managed a disappointing ninth fastest at a circuit where he has won four of the last five grands prix.

Issues with the car had curtailed his final practice session and the German continued to struggle throughout the qualifying hour.

Fernando Alonso, who Vettel is expected to replace at Ferrari next year, set the fifth fastest time on what is likely to be one of his final few Saturday appearances for the Maranello-based squad.

Daniel Ricciardo was sixth in the Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button in the McLarens. Kimi Raikkonen, who had also lost track time in final practice, rounded out the top-ten in the other Ferrari.

While Mercedes have topped the timesheets in every session this weekend, rain from Typhoon Phanfone could make things tricky for drivers on Sunday, even if the Silver Arrows remain the cars to beat.

The worst of the storm lurking off the coast of Japan is expected to be felt on Monday and qualifying took place under sunny skies.

However, Formula One’s official forecaster has warned that bands of rain from the typhoon are expected to drench the Suzuka circuit on race-day.

“Tomorrow we are expecting it to be wet,” Rosberg said. “The last experience we had in the wet was Spa where the car was really, really quick. If it rains it could be even better.”

[MIKA27]

Merc rule out Alonso; eye new Lewis deal

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda says Fernando Alonso is not on the team's radar and says they are eager to renew Lewis Hamilton's contract for "two or three years".

The F1 driver rumour mill is in full swing after it emerged that Fernando Alonso will quit Ferrari at the end of the season. Red Bull have already confirmed that Sebastian Vettel will leave and it's an open secret he will replace Alonso at Maranello.

However, two-time World Champion Alonso is yet to reveal where he will end up with many speculating he will move back to McLaren ahead of their link up with Honda.

Alonso, of course, gets linked with just about every Championship-winning team while some have even suggested he could sit out the 2015 season.

Asked by Sky Sports F1 if Alonso had ever been a consideration by Mercedes for 2015, Lauda replied: "No. Confirmed: we have Lewis and we have Nico. They are on the front-row of the grid [in Japan], why should we change anything?

"For us it's clear because we never even discussed with him [Alonso] because Lewis has a contract for next year and Nico has two more years."

Rosberg signed a new multi-year contract earlier this year while the team are also eager to renew Hamilton's contract.

He added: "With Lewis now we're negotiating to renew his contract after '15. 100%. For two or three years. We're just talking to him how long does he do. We're all positive, he's positive this is going to happen."

[MIKA27]

Kvyat thrilled to get Red Bull drive

Daniil Kvyat says it will be a "great opportunity and honour" for him to drive for Red Bull next year.

Fernando Alonso's impending Ferrari departure has triggered a merry-go-round in the Formula 1 driver line-up for 2015 with Sebastian Vettel confirming on Saturday that he will leave Red Bull at the end of the season.

Team principal Christian Horner didn't waste any time to announce Vettel's replacement at Red Bull next year with the honour going to Kvyat.

The Russian became the youngest points scorer in Formula 1 in his debut race in Australia at the start of the year and has generally impressed in his rookie season.

"It's been a very special Saturday here in Japan today, as I was told that I would be driving for Infiniti Red Bull Racing next year," he said.

"It's a fantastic feeling and a great opportunity and honour for me, so I want to thank Red Bull for trusting me."

[MIKA27]

More bad news for Vergne

The bad news continues to pile in for Jean-Eric Vergne with Toro Rosso confirming he will take an engine penalty at Suzuka.

Just a few weeks after it was confirmed that he will be replaced by Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso next year, Red Bull announced on Saturday that they had again overlooked Vergne for a 2015 race seat with Daniil Kvyat moving up to replace the departing Sebastian Vettel.

Vergne, though, still kept his head up and qualified 11th for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix despite numerous problems throughout practice.

However, he will drop 10 places after STR confirmed they changed his internal combustion engine ahead of qualifying, putting him on six for the season.

"Unfortunately Jev [Vergne] takes a ten place grid penalty because todays engine change meant fitting his sixth of the season," Toro Rosso deputy technical director Ben Waterhouse explained.

"The most important thing is that he managed to qualify above P12 and so he takes all his penalty here, with none of it carried over to Russia next weekend."

[MIKA27]

Bottas: We might struggle in the wet

Valtteri Bottas admits Williams will find life difficult if Sunday's Japanese GP is wet, but is still hopeful they will be able to fight for a podium.

While Mercedes once again claimed P1 and P2 in qualifying at Suzuka, Williams were again the best of the rest with Bottas and Felipe Massa locking out the second row of the grid.

The Finn says the Grove squad are pleased that they achieved their goal on Saturday.

"Not too bad. They [Mercedes] looked really, really quick yesterday and even this morning," he said. "It was nice to get a little bit closer. There is still some margin and they are going to be really quick tomorrow as well.

"As a team we need to be happy. Third and fourth, and that was goal today."

Sunday's race could be a wet affair with some weather reports suggesting Typhoon Phanfone could hit in the afternoon and it is no secret that the FW36 doesn't perform well in cold conditions.

Bottas, though, feels they should still be able to challenge for a podium as they had a bit of a gap to the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren in qualifying.

"We know that we might struggle a little bit more in the wet, but there seems to be a bit of a margin behind us," he said. "Hopefully we can still fight for a podium if it's really wet, but like everyone, and for the fans, it would be really nice if we could have a good race."

[PaulP]

Vettel to Ferrari, Alonso to ?

[MIKA27]

Vettel to Ferrari, Alonso to ?

HONDA - NOT MCLAREN

[MIKA27]

BIANCHI ACCIDENT SHOCKS RACING WORLD

The world of motorsport reacted in shock and dismay to Jules Bianchi’s traumatic accident in the final stages of a rain soaked Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka – his father telling French media that his son “is undergoing surgery and the situation is very serious.”

The race was terminated several laps early so that rescue workers could treat Bianchi, unconscious in the Marussia cockpit, and so that an ambulance could transport the 25 year old Frenchman, to Mie University Hospital, because his condition was such that the emergency helicopter was deemed inappropriate as a means of transportation.

Bianchi suffered a severe head injury and underwent surgery upon arrival at the hospital.

First to react to the news was veteran Felipe Massa who said immediately after the race, “We need to understand what has happened with Jules. I’m very worried. I heard that he hit the truck at the end of the race.”

“I was already screaming on the radio five laps before the safety car that there was too much water on the track, but they took a bit too long and it was dangerous. So we saw that there were some crashes at the end,” added Massa.

Bianchi, a Ferrari protege, was being funded by the Italian team at Marussia and was earmarked to progress to the legendary team in the future. In May he stunned the F1 world when he defied the odds and fought his way to ninth at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari boss Marco Mattiacci and Massa left the Suzuka circuit to travel to the Mie Hospital to be close to the driver.

Adrian Sutil crashed at Dunlop Curve and was having his Sauber retrieved when Bianchi’s incident happened at the same corner, recalled, “It was the same thing that happened to me. The rain was increasing and daylight was going down. I was following Jules. I had a spin and ended up in the wall.

“I stood up and they tried to rescue the car. He was in the same area and lost the car. I have no more information. We are all aware of the situation. Hopefully he is in good hands,” added Sutil.

After a subdued podium ceremony at Suzuka race winner Lewis Hamilton said, “It’s not nice to hear one of our colleagues is seriously injured so that’s the main worry. You could see some commotion and the car was really badly damaged on the right. So we just hope he’s OK.”

Second placed Nico Rosberg said, “I’m not thinking about the race, I’m thinking about my colleague. I’ve been given some information and it seems very, very serious. I’m hoping for the best.”

Third placed Sebastian Vettel said, “We hope for the very best because we all know what the conditions were like. Knowing what we know at this stage is very unlucky circumstances. We wish him all the best and hope we get some good news soon.”

“Every thing that happened on track in terms of racing comes after one of us not being in good shape. We hope to have some good news,” added the quadruple F1 World Champion.

Jenson Button: “The most important thing is our thoughts are with Jules. You hope it is an incident that never happens in Formula 1, let’s just leave it at that.”

Eric Boullier: “More important than anything else, on behalf of everyone at McLaren I want to say how shocked and sorry we were to hear the news of Jules’ accident. Our hearts go out to him, of course, to his family, and to all at Marussia.”

Romain Grosjean: “All my thoughts are with Jules and his family. Keep fighting my friend.”

Toto Wolff: “The only important thing is that Jules Bianchi is OK and recovers; the sport is not as important as that now.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “Right now we’re all thinking about Bianchi and that’s the biggest concern for us. We heard he had a pretty big crash and it’s not nice when we don’t know if the driver is OK.”

Twitter was buzzing with goodwill messages as news of Bianchi’s condition overshadowed the outcome of the race.