FORMULA 1 - 2015

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McLaren-Honda won't become another Red Bull-Renault, says Eric Boullier

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier insists the team's relationship with Honda will never disintegrate in the way Red Bull and Renault's has in 2015, regardless of how long the partnership continues to struggle.

The Italian Grand Prix showed the first signs of cracks in the McLaren-Honda partnership, with engine boss Yasuhisa Arai put under an intense grilling by journalists as the team's poor performances continued. Arai defended his position in the company and insisted Honda will be more competitive in 2016, but rumours in the paddock suggested McLaren has lost patience with him.

This season has also seen Red Bull and Renault's relationship break down to the point that it looks increasingly likely the Milton Keynes outfit will need another engine supplier in 2016. Boullier was at pains to point out McLaren and Honda are a works partnership and therefore go about their business in a completely different way.

"I think we have a different relationship to the one you are talking about," Boullier said. "[Red Bull] are maybe a privileged customer, but they are a customer. We are a works team so the relationship is very different. As long as Honda welcomes our recommendation or assumption, or whatever, we can help. As long as the timing will suit our strategy and driver wishes we will never reach that situation."

Responding to the rumours McLaren has grown unhappy with Arai and the Honda management, Boullier insisted this was not the case.

"To be transparent, I think the [Honda management] structure is a sort of matrix and it's worked well. We want to win, we have a timing issue maybe because we are starting from so far. We want to make sure we win as early as possible. This is where McLaren will always discuss with Honda management but we are happy so far with the structure."

When asked if everyone at Honda was in the correct job, Boullier replied: "I guess so."

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Kimi Raikkonen: Age hasn't made me slower

Kimi Raikkonen says he is still as quick as he was when he was winning races two years ago, but the sport has changed around him.

Raikkonen last won a race at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix with Lotus, but since returning to Ferrari last year has struggled for results. However, the 35-year-old does not think getting older has had a positive or negative effect on his driving.

"Has it changed me a lot? I don't think it has changed my driving at all. With age you get some experience, but does it count much in F1? I don't know. I don't feel that I have changed as a driver and how I do my stuff.

"Hopefully life goes on and things keep changing, but I don't see any difference in how I'm driving now and five years ago. Things have changed in the sport itself more than in me."

Raikkonen does not think experience in F1 counts for as much as it used to or helps as much as it does in other racing disciplines like rallying, which the Finn competed in during his two years away from F1.

"When I came into F1 it probably made more difference than these days. It has changed a lot because there is not as much testing, but there are a lot more things you can use to get yourself prepared.

"The easiest way to compare is if I compare this to rallying, because the experience in F1 doesn't really make much difference but in a rally it's the biggest thing that will help you and make you faster and finish the rally. If I just go by those things, experience in F1 counts for nothing compared to that."

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Lewis Hamilton: No-one can cost me title - not even myself

Lewis Hamilton says the only person who can stop him winning a third world championship this year is himself.

Hamilton leads Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg by 53 points, a gap so big he could retire from two races in a row and still lead the championship. Mercedes has suffered just one reliability issue this year - Rosberg's six-race old engine failing at the Italian Grand Prix - and Hamilton looks to be heavy favourite to win the title again having finished off the podium just once.

"I don't let anybody stand in my way, ever," Hamilton told the official F1 website when asked if anyone could stop him winning a third championship. "The only person who could get in my way is myself - and I won't allow that!"

Over the summer break Hamilton's activities away from the race track garnered a lot of attention, while he has recently confirmed a planned musical collaboration with rapper Drake. But the reigning world champion sees no problem with having a life away from the race track.

"Who said that you only should do one thing in life? That you are in one box and that is the only box for you? People tend to put people in that position - you are a Formula One driver only and that there is nothing else left and right.

"Like with Kanye West: you are a rapper and nothing else. But then people camp in front of the shop that sells his trainers! These shoes were gone in seconds. I love that concept - and I am inspired by that. It helps me being open to more opportunities - to be in more than one box. I want to be at least in two boxes!"

Though only 30 and at the peak of his career, Hamilton admits he already has one eye on life after Formula One.

"I am at a point in my life where I know that I have a certain amount of years left in Formula One and I am conscious of what will be beyond that. I look at people like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and David Beckham - sports stars who have continued to rise beyond their active careers and created businesses and futures for themselves beyond sport.

"Now I am in a phase where I am trying to build foundations to be able to do the same. In terms of winning this championship, I don't know what effect it would have on my future life. What I do know is that it's been my desire since I was a kid to emulate Ayrton Senna - to get these three world championships. That was always my target. If I get these three titles, that would be fantastic. If I think it over, it actually has to be at least three! That is what I am working on."

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Smedley: Safety still a concern with covered F1 cockpits

Williams technical guru Rob Smedley admits that, while the safety benefits of covered F1 cockpits cannot be denied, there is equal concern that fitting canopies will also have negative safety implications unless done correctly.

The enclosed cockpit debate has been in full swing since Justin Wilson succumbed to head injuries sustained when he was hit by a piece of Sage Karam's nosecone during an IndyCar Series race at Pocono last month and, coming so soon after F1 talent Jules Bianchi lost his battle with critical head injuries sustained in a collision with a recovery vehicle last October, there has been a noticeable upswing in support for the modifications amongst drivers in the top flight.

Jenson Button admitted that Wilson's death was the turning point in his opinion, while Daniel Ricciardo insisted at Monza that covering the cockpit was the 'last piece of the [safety] puzzle'. Smedley, however, points out that, while he accepts the drivers' view, fitting a canopy to an open-wheel racer has its own design and safety implications.

“One of the main considerations for a closed canopy is that we must not lose sight of what we're doing it for, which is safety," he noted, "First and foremost, it's driver's safety and one of the aspects of a closed cockpit is that the driver still has to be able to exit from the car in all cases. That probably is the biggest engineering challenge.

"Putting a closed cockpit on the car itself doesn't pose a particular headache from an engineering point of view. Where the more lateral thinking comes in is that the driver still has to be able to escape, he still has to be able to get out of the car - and that includes when the car rolls over. You have to make sure that, in that situation, the driver can still exit, that there is still some mechanism that you can still get out of the car.

"Equally, [we have to ensure that] the medical team can still get inside a cockpit, that they're still able to access a driver very, very quickly. So [covering the cockpit] will throw up engineering and technical questions which will need innovative and lateral thinking.

"But that shouldn't stop us doing it.”

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Williams braced for 2017 Formula 1 revamp costs fight

Williams has vowed to put up a fight should Monday's latest Strategy Group meeting reveal Formula 1's 2017 revamp will cause costs to rise.

Other than an increase in front-and-rear-tyre width, specific technical details have yet to be released with regard to the build of cars whose stated aim is to be five-to-six-seconds-per-lap quicker than at present.

The understanding among the teams is there will be no significant rise in costs at a time when F1 has long been trying to reduce financial overheads.

The financial impact of 2017 is due to be aired on Monday, with Williams ready to push against potential increases.

Deputy team principal Claire Williams said: "We haven't had a Strategy Group meeting for a while, but the next one will be the point where we know the costs involved in those revised regulations.

"One of the changes around the regs is that it doesn't incur a significant cost increase. That was one of the objectives.

"I don't anticipate - and I hope - there isn't a huge increase, and if there is then we would have to fight against it."

Williams recognises, though, her team's voice at such meetings as it speaks up for the independents is often drowned out by those who possess greater financial clout.

"When we're in the Strategy Group we always push hard for cost control, but as you know everyone has different agendas," added Williams.

"We've been one of the biggest contributors to the cost-control conversation, but nothing is ever agreed upon in the meetings on costs because the group around the table don't necessarily need to worry as much as the teams we're trying to benefit.

"We try and do our bit, but unfortunately it's a bit of a stalemate."

Although the team announced respectable half-year financial results just before the Italian Grand Prix, as an independent Williams believes the costs of competing in F1 are unsustainable and need to be addressed.

"I'm not sure the costs are sustainable, but we're doing our best to manage the costs we are faced with at the moment," she said.

"Of course we'd like those costs to come down, but they have to come down a considerable amount.

"For the majority of teams who are going to benefit you have to reduce the costs by £20-30million.

"If you try and look at the areas to achieve those cuts it's very difficult to get rid of £20-30million from your business unless you look at a wholesale change or restructure.

"If you're looking at your costs and the greatest expenditure is wages then it's a reduction in headcount across the board, and nobody really wants to do that.

"Inevitably, if you reduce head count then you have to outsource, so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, and we don't seem to be able to find what that magic bullet is."

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MCLAREN SEEKING SEATS FOR MAGNUSSEN AND VANDOORNE

McLaren claim that they will work hard to ensure their junior drivers Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne are on the Formula 1 grid next year.

It appears likely that the Woking based team, enduring its high-profile struggle this year with Honda power, will retain the champion line-up of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button in 2016.

Current reserve Magnussen, however, has said he is determined to either step up to a McLaren race seat, switch to a rival team or leave F1 to race elsewhere.

And Belgian Vandoorne, 23, is having one of the most impressive GP2 campaigns in recent memory, and will almost certainly wrap up the title soon.

“It’s a luxury problem to have four good drivers,” said McLaren team boss Eric Boullier. “Kevin and Stoffel are very good drivers, we expect both of them to race formula one but if we can’t fit or accommodate them at home we will do our best to make sure they can race next year.”

According to the paddock grapevine, even if McLaren wants to keep Button, there is an outside chance the now 35-year-old will call time on his long F1 career at the end of the season.

Mark Webber, who made the mid-30s switch from F1 two years ago, said Le Mans would also be a smart move for the popular Briton.

“Everything becomes more difficult as you get older,” the Australian is quoted by Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, “even in the world of a driver.

“Look at Jenson, he’s 35 and fighting against young, aggressive guys. He had a good career but at his age he has to figure out what is the best time to stop in style.

“In sport, there seem to be only two cases of athletes who do not feel the weight of age and they are Valentino Rossi and Roger Federer,” Webber added.

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SMOG AND UNHEALTHY AIR HOVER OVER SINGAPORE

Hazy skies and smog are once again hanging over the Singapore as Formula 1 jets in for the grand priw weekend.

In the days before last year’s popular night race in the city-state, the local environmental agency said air pollution had reached “unhealthy” levels due to fires in nearby Indonesia.

The very same problem has now returned for 2015, except this time the level has risen to “very unhealthy”, one step below the maximum category “hazardous”.

Some sports events in Singapore have already been cancelled, including the University Games and a football match.

One spectator with a ticket for the F1 action told the Singapore publication Today: “My main concern is that it might get uncomfortable in the stands, especially if people around me aren’t feeling well.”

Another added: “I’ll try to bring a mask along with me, even though it will be quite cumbersome.”

There are also concerns for the drivers, with authorities already advising against strenuous outdoor exercise.

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FERRARI BOSS CONFIRMS ALLISON HAS LONG TERM DEAL

Ferrari confirmed reports its Formula 1 technical boss James Allison is staying put at Maranello for the long-term.

In the days before the Italian grand prix, Ferrari media insider Leo Turrini claimed that contrary to mid-season speculation, Briton Allison recently signed a new deal through 2018.

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed: “I already confirmed that in Belgium. Yeah, he’s got a long-term contract with us.”

Allison, 47, joined Ferrari from Lotus in mid 2013. Ferrari and its oil partner Shell are also staying together, having announced a further five-year contract extension.

“Signing this contract is a further step forward in terms of stability,” said Arrivabene.

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NASR WON’T CHANGE HOW HE WORKS TO BEAT ERICSSON

Sauber driver Felipe Nasr sounds determined to hit back at his teammate Marcus Ericsson who appears to have gained the upper hand within the team.

After a strong start for Brazilian rookie Nasr, it is Ericsson who has wrestled back the upper-hand at the Swiss team Sauber at recent races.

The Swede has credited mental coaching, changing his overall approach to the weekend and working more meticulously with his engineers on car setup. But Nasr insists he does not similarly need to turn a radical corner.

“I will continue to do the job I have been doing all year,” the 23-year-old, who has complained about persistent braking issues, is quoted by UOL. “It is a coincidence that these things are happening. I will not change anything in how I work.”

Singapore this weekend could be the perfect opportunity for Nasr to hit back, with Sauber planning to introduce a rare car upgrade on the city streets.

“It’s good that another race is always coming, so in Singapore I’m looking forward to finally getting rid of this shadow,” he said.

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WEBBER PREDICTS RED BULL CAN WIN WITH FERRARI ENGINE

Ex-Red Bull driver Mark Webber believes that the switch to Ferrari power will be good for his former team and could return them to their winning ways.

It is yet to be formalised or announced, but it is now expected that, after the Mercedes deal fell over, the former quadruple world champions will switch from Renault to Ferrari customer power for 2016.

Sport Bild quoted Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche as ruling out the deal due to Mercedes attaching “great important to long-term cooperation that could not be guaranteed at Red Bull.”

The German magazine said Red Bull and sister team Toro Rosso are now expected to use up-to-date Ferrari engines next year, after officials met with Sergio Marchionne at Monza recently.

“Renault and Red Bull will separate,” predicted former team driver Mark Webber, “and now Ferrari appears to be the best possible option for them.

“With those engines they could be winning right now. Remember (Sebastian) Vettel with his Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso?” the Australian is quoted by Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Current Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat agrees with that assessment, predicting that even with an underpowered Renault power unit this weekend, the team should be in good shape at tight and twisty Singapore.

“The car is going well now,” the Russian said on a sponsor visit to Moscow at the weekend. “In theory, Singapore looks good for our car.”

Teammate Daniel Ricciardo agreed: “We expect to be very competitive in Singapore. We can really fight for a podium there.”

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F1 TO TEST NEW FIA CAMERA DURING SINGAPORE PRACTICE

A bespoke high-speed camera that will help Formula 1 in its fight against head injuries will be tested during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

Developed by Magneti Marelli, the FIA intends to mandate the fitting of the USB stick-sized camera and data device to the front of the cockpit – looking back at the driver – for 2016.

The camera will record at 400 frames per second, which is 16 times better than standard technology already in use today.

It will feed valuable information about crashes and their effects back to the governing body in its quest for better safety.

“We’ve had onboard footage of crashes for a long time which has been useful, but of course it’s all low speed and it doesn’t really show what happened to the driver during the milliseconds of that impact event,” said Andy Mellor, the FIA Institute’s technical advisor.

Magneti Marelli, an Italian high technology company, has been working on the F1 camera – much smaller and lighter than regular high-speed cameras – for a year.

And the new unit, about half the size of an iPhone and to be crucial in understanding incidents such as Fernando Alonso’s during pre-season testing, also writes data into the cars’ ‘black box’ in real time.

“We’ve been investigating the concept of high-speed cameras for many years but, until now, the technology wasn’t developed enough for this application,” Mellor said.

It is believed the FIA has approved the camera to be tested in a free practice session before the end of the current season.

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HAKKINEN DEFENDS BOTTAS IN WAKE OF FERRARI SAGA

Double F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has defended his protege Valtteri Bottas, after the younger Finn missed out on a touted move to Ferrari for 2016.

Despite weeks of speculation linking him with a high-profile move from Williams, the British team ultimately announced that both Bottas and teammate Felipe Massa are staying put.

Some believe the Ferrari move was spoiled for Bottas by the impressive recent form of teammate Massa, who drove for the Maranello team for eight years until 2013.

“I think last year I was very competitive with my teammate as well,” Massa insists. “The only thing is that the results of the races are a lot more consistent this year.”

And Hakkinen, the former double world champion who is now part of Bottas’ management team, said the Finn staying at Williams next year should not be viewed negatively.

“In my opinion, Valtteri’s potential is yet to be properly recognised in Finland,” he said in his latest interview with Hermes.

“It cannot be forgotten that Williams has very strict criteria for the selection of drivers, and it is due to performance alone that Valtteri will drive his fourth season in a very traditional and good team next year.”

However, with Hakkinen’s own wait for his very first victory having taken seven years, some might now surmise that wins are similarly far away for Bottas.

“I know well that you just have to get the most out of your situation and score points for the team,” said the former long-time McLaren driver.

“It is the same for Valtteri at the moment. The day will come when he has a winning car, and then the Finns will definitely be proud of him,” Hakkinen added.

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MANOR EYES TALKS WITH POTENTIAL INVESTORS

According to the F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, Manor has recruited a British investment bank to hold talks with potential investors to keep the backmarker Formula 1 team in the sport.

Also writing in the Telegraph in June, Sylt said the latest accounts showed that Manor is “wholly reliant” on funding from Stephen Fitzpatrick, who rescued the team after its near collapse last winter.

He added that Fitzpatrick only committed to “enabling Manor to continue as a going concern for at least 12 months”.

Citing sources, Sylt now reports that investment bank Rothschild has been appointed to hold talks with possible investors, after Manor already received “bids for minority stakes”.

Team founder and boss John Booth said he is sure Manor will be back on the grid in 2016.

“Yes,” he told Russia’s Championat recently. “I believe we have implemented a good business plan. We will not spend more than we have — which as it happens is quite unusual in formula one!”

He also said in the days before Monza that the team will not now debut a new car until next season.

“The new Ferrari engine is simply impossible to get into this car,” Booth said. “We explored options in terms of significantly restructuring the car, but decided instead to concentrate on the car for 2016 — and we believe that was the right choice.”

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McLaren drivers expect stronger showing in Singapore

McLaren's Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso are hopeful of a stronger showing at the Singapore Grand Prix due to the characteristics of the circuit better suiting their car.

The duo have suffered a difficult season so far, with just four points finishes between them in 12 races.

However Singapore has been talked up as their best opportunity to score 'big points', and that's something both Button and Alonso are hoping for.

"There's always a lot of anticipation in the build-up to this race, and for us it's no different," said the Briton. "We've had a couple of really challenging races, but we've said for a while that some of the circuits we go to towards the end of the season should be a bit better-suited to the stronger elements of our package."

Whilst Button was quick to talk down their chances, he remains confident of a "positive weekend".

"There's no denying it'll be hard work, and we aren't expecting miracles overnight," he added. "But, Singapore is a fantastic circuit, it's one of the longest races of the season in terms of time, and we quite often we see a Safety Car there. So, anything can happen.

"We're hoping to learn a lot about how our car works in this configuration, and take as many positives from the weekend as we can."

His Spanish team-mate agreed: "I've won twice in Singapore and I love racing there, so with my engineers we’ll be focussing on setting up the car as best we can for this circuit as soon as we arrive.

"It'll be interesting to see how our car responds to the high-downforce setup there and I hope we can have a more positive weekend."

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Mercedes investigation a “misunderstanding” – Pirelli

Pirelli has described Mercedes’ post-race investigation at Monza as a “misunderstanding” and will meet with the FIA this weekend to prevent similar incidents in future.

Lewis Hamilton’s Italian Grand Prix victory appeared to be under threat when FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported one of his tyres had been 0.3psi below the minimum starting pressure. Pirelli issued revised pressure limits at Monza following the high-speed tyre blow-outs seen at Spa.

“During these days, we will also be defining, together with the FIA, a clearer procedure enabling the teams to more easily follow the rules regarding tyre usage,” said Pirelli ahead of this weekend’s race in Singapore.

“This is important to avoid any misunderstandings, by giving the teams more precise indications to comply with, thus avoiding what happened to Mercedes in Monza.”

Hamilton’s victory was upheld after the stewards ruled Hamilton’s tyres had been at the correct pressure when they were fitted to the car.

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Eurocup supporting F1 at Monaco? Expect carnage

Formula One will have a new support race at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix, but recent crashes have called into question driving standards in the junior category.

Formula Renault 3.5 has been part of the Sunday race-morning build-up at Monaco since Renault took over the championship ten years ago. But with the French manufacturer pulling its backing for that championship next year, its junior Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup category has been announced in its place on the Monaco Grand Prix support bill.

The Eurocup is open to drivers as young as 16, some of whom are competing in their first season out of karts. With the Monaco event taking place so early in the season, some could have very little prior experience of racing the 2.0-litre Formula Renault cars before taking part on the event at one of F1’s most demanding tracks.

While series for more experienced drivers in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 have run for years at Monaco, incorporating younger championships has been problematic. GP3 made a one-off appearance at the track in 2012, but hasn’t returned following Conor Daly’s aerial crash when he was launched off the back of Dmitry Suranovich’s car.

The Formula Renault Eurocup has seen four cars launched in the air over the past two weeks. Jehan Daruvala landed upside-down on a barrier at Silverstone and moments later Ferdinand Habsburg was flipped high when he hit team mate Ben Barnicoat as the field slowed when the Safety Car came out. The same weekend Harrison Scott flipped his car – again in contact with Barnicoat – and at the Nurburgirng yesterday Anton De Pasquale flipped his car over following a post-race collision. All of these incidents would have been far more dangerous and more likely to happen in the first place on a circuit as confined as Monaco.

There were 35 cars entered for last weekend’s Eurocup round at the Nurburgring. Monaco will not be able to accommodate as many as that, but following these recent crashes perhaps the question should be asked if it is appropriate for the Eurocup’s inexperienced drivers to race there at all.

Jehan Daruvala and Ferdinand Habsburg crashes

Anton de Pasquale crash

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Haas Formula 1 team "will surprise people"

Gene Haas says that time is still the biggest challenge that his new F1 team faces as it gets ready for its debut in 2016, but he still expects to "surprise people" from the start of next season.

Haas was originally granted an entry for 2015, but it was never a realistic possibility, and the team soon formally deferred until next year.

"Everything takes a lot of time," Haas told Motorsport.com. "As much as people think you can put together a team in a few months and go down to the local race hardware store and buy all your parts, it's really not possible.

"Everything has to be purchased, it has to be engineered, all that takes a surprising amount of time. Everything's taken a lot longer than we expected. But now that we've had enough time to do it we'll probably be in better shape than a lot of other start-up teams.

"I think that's what hurt a lot of other teams – this licence becomes available in July, and they had to be testing six months later. That's impossible, you can't do that unless you already had a team available that you could draw from.

"We're starting fresh, but we have a good technical relationship with Ferrari.

"We're learning things at what almost feels like a snail's pace, but it gives us time to put together what we want to do. When we go testing in Spain, we'll surprise people. We'll be ready."

Haas, whose team will use Ferrari engines, says he has been encouraged by the performance both of Ferrari in general this year, and the upgraded engine seen at Monza.

However, despite the strong starting point provided by Maranello, he insists that his own team still has plenty of work to do on its 2016 contender.

"I don't think people really understand the complexities of these cars. I don't think it's just an engine issue, it's also a balance issue between drag and downforce.

"I think the Mercedes car is just much more efficient at putting that together. If the Ferrari engines had more horsepower I don't think they would be faster.

"The main point is that we're starting with a known quantity. We know that the suspension is not going to be fragile or break, we know that the transmissions will be durable.

"That's the biggest problem with most start-ups, just the reliability issues. If we can figure how to torque nuts and blots down we should be very, very reliable."

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How Nasr helped coach Kvyat and Sainz towards F1 stardom

It seems bizarre to think of one Formula 1 driver coaching another, let alone two! But Sauber's Felipe Nasr once played teacher to Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr.

Antonio Fеrrari, who would wind up playing a crucial part in Red Bull taking on Kvyat and Sainz, enjoyed a very good 2009 in Formula BMW Europe as head of Eurointernational. His squad dominated the series with Felipe Nasr and Dani Juncadella.

The Brazilian, who back then raced in Red Bull colours, finished lower than second in only two of the 16 races and ended up easing to the title. His Spanish teammate popped up a Eurointernational 1-2 in the standings, beating Robin Frijns – who would then go on a three-year streak of consecutive titles.

For the 2010 title defense, Fеrrari wanted full support of the Austrian company and two young drivers to boot. Advised by his brother Alessandro, who works as a race director for major karting championships, he set his sights on Sainz and Kvyat.

Nyck de Vries, who was the duo's regular rival in karting, would end up at McLaren instead.

Fеrrari says: "I told Dr. Marko: 'These are two guys I'd like to go with'. De Vries wasn't considered, I thought he had an advantage [career] in karting, because he was very short, very small, and he was on a go-kart every day.

"And I had a special feeling these two guys would make it. The same feeling I had when I chose Nasr."

Marko was on board, but Fеrrari opted to test the duo before he made a final decision.

Eurointernational already had a contract with Red Bull and all it now needed was to fill in the blanks with the names of its chosen drivers...

Varano – where it all began

"After another successful kart race – I think it was the European Championship – I got a call from Antonio," Kvyat recalls as he sat

behind the table in Red Bull Racing's F1 motorhome six years on.

"He told me that they were doing a test at Varano, that they wanted me there and that it was a test Dr. Marko would be well aware of. So I went to Varano, as did Carlos."

Autodromo Riccardo Paletti at Varano, the namesake of which perished during a startline shunt the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix, was and still is owned by Eurointernational. It is where almost all of the team's young drivers did their first tests.

"It's great because it gives us all the references from the drivers we took there," Fеrrari says. "[Alexander] Rossi, Daniel Juncadella, [stefano] Coletti. All my drivers."

On their first day, Kvyat and Sainz weren't the only two drivers at Varano. They were joined – and coached – by none other than Nasr, who they now both regularly battle on Formula 1 tracks.

"Yeah, I remember that day," says Nasr. "Fеrrari told me: 'There are two kids, very talented, from karting, we're going to test them at Varano.' And he asked me if I could go and give them both some tips because it was going to be the first time they drove a single-seater.

"No surprises, it was Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz. And now we're all in F1 together, which makes me feel a bit old!

"I was the one teaching them a little bit from my experience at the time, but it was clear they were both very talented. I'm happy they both made it."

"They put a cushion in his seat"

"I remember, when we first lapped the track, we were starting really far off of Felipe's pace," says Sainz. "I still remember his laptime. He was so fast and, arriving, we were two seconds slower. 'Oh my God, I'm so bad!' I thought.

"Felipe had probably done 200 laps or so there and he knew the BMW very well. But Dany and me, we were really pushing – and little by little, we were getting there."

One day was nowhere near enough for Sainz and Kvyat to overhaul Formula BMW Europe's finest driver. But it was more than enough to show off their potential to their future boss.

"I can only remember that they were both very very skinny," Nasr adds. "Like… I couldn't see them driving a-single seater, especially Daniil. He was like a 12-year-old kid!

"They put a cushion in his seat, because he couldn't see anything otherwise.

"And, of course, driving a go-kart is so different to driving a formula car and you get tired much quicker. But I remember they both adapted well and we saw the development."

Heat, calluses and pain

"I don't remember anything like that!" counters Kvyat of Nasr's seat-cushion allegation. "I was quite skinny, but it was a normal seat. I think [Felipe] is dreaming or something!

"But yeah, he was really helpful. Formula [cars] are so different to karting, so he was just explaining basic things, you know. How to downshift, how to brake, which Varano kerbs can be attacked, which kerbs shouldn't be attacked and so on.

"He helped quite a lot. So, if he needs any advice now, he can always come to me," he adds, laughing.

"I remember I was very tired that day. Physically it was very difficult and I had calloused hands because of the gearshift and the steering wheel.

"My body was in pain, but I felt really, really good, because at the end of the day they told me I've done a good job."

One minute and how many seconds?

"The first time we take a driver to Varano, he almost never goes below 1m13s," says Fеrrari. "The record was then held by Robert Wickens, who is now in DTM with Mercedes. He did a 1m07.47s.

"We once went with Sainz just to beat that record and to try to go under 1m07s. He ran and ran, he did 20 laps within one hundredth, we put on, like, eight sets of tires, just to go around. 1m07.26s was the best we could do.

"The first time though, our goal is – if you go under 1m12.5s, it's a very good time. If you come there for the first time, that's what you need to do at the end of the day.

"When Sainz and Kvyat did their first day, they both did 1m09s. Maybe Carlos was a little bit quicker, but Carlos has more running, he did more kilometres.

"So I made my report to Dr. Marko. I said: 'This is it. These two are special.' "

Marko himself was on the phone soon enough.

"Antonio told me he [Marko] was going to call and he did," Kvyat remembers. "He said: 'My friend. I think you're the right guy for us, we would like to sign a contract.' "

Kvyat's deal was signed at Valencia during the European GP. "He said: 'Here is the contract, think about it and, if it's OK, sign it.' But, to be honest, I didn't really have to think that much."

Sainz was on board as well, the two now committed to being teammates in what would prove to be the final year of Formula BMW Europe.

A few months after the deal was done, Kvyat would set a new Varano record at 1m07.13s.

That record has never been surpassed...

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Sauber wants upgraded Ferrari engine before end of season

Sauber says it is already in talks with Ferrari about trying to get hold of its upgraded engine before the end of the season.

Ferrari used three more of its development tokens ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in a bid to try to close the gap on Mercedes.

And while Ferrari-customer Sauber is currently on the previous specification of engine, having switched over at Spa-Francorchamps, the outfit is eager to get another performance boost before the end of the year.

Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn told Motorsport.com: "We are in discussion with Ferrari about exactly when we are to get the next step.

"For the end of the season, I think we will have another boost."

Aero upgrade first

Sauber has enjoyed a step forward in form thanks to its new Ferrari engine, and it is hoping that a major aerodynamic upgrade coming for Singapore will deliver more pace too.

But until the team knows what others are bringing, it is refusing to get carried away with its ambitions.

"It is too early to do that, too speculative," Kaltenborn said: "We know what we are bringing there, we don't know what others are going to bring there. So I guess we just have to wait and see."

However, Kaltenborn said that being back in the points at Monza was a positive – and well-timed considering the upgrade plans.

"In Italy we maximised the upgrade which we had on the engine, which was so important with the power. That shows us the actual potential of everything.

"The points gives the teams confidence, and the timing is good considering what we have planned for Singapore."

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Why Honda faces a 240bhp headache

The worst may well be behind the McLaren-Honda partnership with power tracks Spa and Monza done and dusted, but that does not mean it is plain-sailing in Formula 1 from now on.

Far from it, in fact, for the last few weeks have highlighted what a steep climb the renewed Anglo-Japanese partnership still faces.

Yes, there remains hope that this weekend's race in Singapore can provide some respite from recent troubles, but the need for a longer term transformation in form has never been more apparent.

And however much Honda has kept a brave face on its progress and internal combustion engine performance, it is now an open secret that there are times when Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso are having to live with a 240bhp deficit on their rivals.

Power games

There has been plenty of talk this season about where the Honda stacks up against the opposition, but it has only been in recent weeks that the focus on a lack of performance of its energy recovery systems (ERS) has become apparent.

That is because Spa and Monza have highlighted for everyone just where the Honda package is lacking.

On the long flat-out blasts at both tracks, both Button and Fernando Alonso find themselves without any ERS deployment for the final sections of straights, meaning their speeds often drop even before they get to the official speed traps.

That in effect means, for sections of the circuit, their their opposition have a 160bhp (120KW) advantage that they can use right until the braking zone – perfect for overtaking!

As Jenson Button remarked after the Italian Grand Prix when he slipped down the order, it was why he was left a sitting duck.

"I was just waiting for them to come by – they are overtaking you in places that you didn't think were possible - you are looking in your mirrors on entry to every corners," he said.

"We are not deploying out of Turn 5 until the exit of Turn 7 – so we are 160bhp down on other people, plus the less we have on the ICE."

So if you add that 160bhp deficit on to where the ICE is lacking compared to Mercedes (which is widely believed to be around 80bhp) that leaves Honda facing up to a scenario where it needs to find 240bhp if it going to match the best.

The engine/chassis battle

Honda has been at pains all season to defend the performance of its engine, and suggests that a lot of the laptime deficit is down to deficiencies in the chassis.

Fernando Alonso pointedly had a few remarks suggesting otherwise at Monza when, after qualifying, he said that power was the key problem.

"It's a track with six corners – on the GPS we lose two or three tenths in those six corners," he explained.

"The rest of the three seconds, we lose on the straights. We are on full-throttle with the steering wheel straight."

While getting access to McLaren's GPS data is impossible – meaning we cannot prove or disprove Alonso's remarks – one rival team did offer Motorsport.com some insight about where it thinks its Woking rival stacks up.

According to its data from the Belgian GP, it appears that the McLaren could be as good as the fourth quickest chassis overall through corners, beaten only by the Mercedes, Red Bull and Toro Rosso.

Having crunched the numbers and compared the McLaren to a Mercedes on a quick practice lap, some interesting figures emerged too.

Up to the exit of La Source for example, the Mercedes was just 0.2 seconds ahead. By the time the cars got to Les Combes, the Mercedes had gained a further one second.

However, from that point on, until the exit of Paul Frere Corner, the Mercedes only pulled another 0.4 seconds ahead.

A further 0.6 seconds was lost between that point and the chicane, and more again accelerating out of it.

Overall, the GPS data suggested that McLaren was losing more that 2.3 seconds per lap on the straights, and only around half a second on the corners.

Compared to the other manufacturers, McLaren was said to be around two seconds adrift of Ferrari on the straights, and 1.1 seconds to Red Bull.

Sorting the problem

While the Honda ICE has improved a bit this year, it is clear that much work is needed on its ERS.

Work on that area has already begun, with Honda at Spa relocating an ERS water cooler away from the top of the air box.

Its new position helps the cars aerodynamics – with slimmed down engine cover and side pods – and will have a knock-on impact in terms of overall centre-of-gravity too.

Sources suggest that one key area of focus is the compressor, which can only be changed this winter because of the limits imposed by the current engine homologation rules.

But do the changes that Honda needs extend beyond just technical?

Change of strategy

Honda's motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai has already talked about a new concept for next year, but whether it will be enough to recover that 240bhp target remains to be seen.

One thing Honda does not have though is much time, for the pressure is mounting quickly on it to make dramatic gains.

So far, Honda has resisted trying to fast-track its progress by recruiting high fliers from Mercedes or Ferrari: but the acceptance now on the ERS issues could force a change of heart.

No war of words

So far, at least, the relationship between McLaren and Honda has not hit the depths of Red Bull and Renault's war of words at least.

Racing director Eric Boullier said: "We have a different relationship. We are a works team.

"The relationship is very different and as long as Honda welcomes whatever we can bring or help and as long as the timing suits our strategy and driver wishes, we will never reach that situation.

"The structure is a matrix structure and it works well. We want to win, we have a timing issue, maybe because we are starting from so far. we want to make sure we want to win as early as possible.

"We discuss the matter with the Honda management but we are happy so far with the structure."

McLaren is publicly keeping a brave face on the situation, even though a potential ninth place finish in the constructors' championship and potential loss of sponsors because of current performance levels is going to start hurting it financially.

For now, though, it is doing all it can to keep things progressing. Standing still this winter is simply not an option.

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'There's nothing to lose' - Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg says he has nothing left to lose as he attempts to close a 53-point deficit in the title race to Lewis Hamilton in the final seven races of the season.

Rosberg saw the points gap to his Mercedes team-mate nearly double when he retired from the Italian Grand Prix a week ago with an engine failure. However, he has vowed to fight back and believes he has the pace to win this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

"Obviously, Monza didn't go to plan," Rosberg said. "It was gutting to miss out on a good result so close to the end but now I approach the final seven races with the attitude that there's nothing to lose. It's maximum attack and I won't be giving up the fight, no way.

"Singapore is one of my favourite races, so that's a good place to start. It's so tough on everyone - physically and mentally - and I love that challenge. I was only a few thousandths off pole last year and feeling good for the race until a problem with the steering wheel ended my weekend.

"I know I've got the pace to win there, so I'm hoping for a clean weekend and a chance to unleash this silver beast under the lights."

Mercedes technical boss Paddy Lowe apologised to Rosberg for the Monza retirement, which was a result of having to run a five-race old engine when his fresh power unit was contaminated by a leak in the cooling system during Saturday morning practice.

"We let Nico down on two occasions with a pair of mechanical failures which unfortunately nullified a great recovery drive that should have brought at least a third-place finish," Lowe said. "Now, we re-group and move on to Singapore. The season is far from over and things can change very quickly - so the target is a strong result with both cars there.

"It's a challenging race - particularly on the brakes. The circuit sees a large number of braking events, with low average speed around the lap reducing cooling opportunities. It's also a very bumpy track, with heavy use of the kerbs making it tough on the car. The layout makes overtaking a difficult task - often resulting in action-packed races, with unsuccessful passing attempts leaving debris on the track and resulting in frequent safety car appearances."

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Raikkonen: Experience no longer a factor in F1 2015

Kimi Raikkonen believes that the latest wave of F1 talent has an easier time adapting to life in the top flight than those drivers from his era.

It is sometimes hard to accept that the fresh-faced Finn graduating directly to F1 from Formula Renault is now one of the sport's senior statesman, one who has taken time out to tackle the WRC before making a winning comeback with Lotus and cementing a return to Ferrari, where he expects to see out his career.

Asked whether he feels that age is becoming a factor in his results, which have yet to catch fire in 2015 despite team-mate Sebastian Vettel's two victories, Raikkonen was his usual dismissive self.

“Has it changed me a lot? I don't think it has changed my driving at all,” he claimed, “With age you get some experience, but does it count much in F1? I don't know. I don't feel that I have changed as a driver and how I do my stuff. Hopefully, life goes on and things keep changing, but I don't see any difference in how I'm driving now and five years ago. Things have changed in the sport itself more than in me.”

The exuberance of youth may have waned slightly in the past 15 years, but Raikkonen believes that it easier for rookies to come into F1 and make an impact now that it was in his day – an irony given from how far down the development ladder the Finn came in 2001…

“When I came into F1, [experience] probably made more difference than these days,” he noted, “It has changed a lot because there is not as much testing, but there are a lot more things you can use to get yourself prepared.

“The easiest way to [explain it] is if I compare this to rallying, because the experience in F1 doesn't really make much difference but, in a rally, it's the biggest thing that will help you and make you faster and finish the rally. If I just go by those things, experience in F1 counts for nothing compared to that!”

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WHY LEWIS HAMILTON HAS A DATE WITH F1 DESTINY AT THE 2015 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

This weekend could turn out to be a very special one for championship leader Lewis Hamilton. One could call it a date with destiny as he can equal Ayrton Senna’s Formula 1 record of 41 race victories in 161 starts at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Hamilton grew up idolising Senna and admits that the prospect of matching his hero is a “crazy dream.” He has also said he would like to go on and beat Senna’s record of 41 race wins and three world titles.

Hamilton said: “It just feels very surreal. I remember watching the races when I was five and remember the first time I drove in a go-kart and then watching Ayrton and wanting to one day be like him.

“I always said as a go-karter I wanted to do something similar to what he has done. To think that I am fighting for my third world championship, which he had and now I have the same amount of podiums as him. It’s almost like a crazy dream. What can I say, it’s bloody awesome man.”

Hamilton will make his 161st F1 start in Singapore and if he wins, he will equal Senna’s tally of race wins in exactly the same number of starts as his idol, who entered the sport in 1984 with Tolemen and died ten years later at the wheel of a Williams in the San Marino Grand Prix.

The British driver is currently on a two-race winning streak and if he wins in Singapore he will extend the longest winning streak of 2015 so far. Hamilton also leads his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg by 53 points, the largest gap between the pair since the double points final round of the 2014 championship in Abu Dhabi.

But Daimler and Mercedes boss, Dr Dieter Zetche, has warned Hamilton not to assume he has already won the title after Rosberg suffered a rare Mercedes engine failure in the Italian Grand Prix.

Speaking to Motorsport.com Zetsche said: “We saw with Nico [in Italy] how fast you can lose a significant amount of points which you already calculated in. It was the sixth race for his engine, and normally nobody’s running six races on an engine.

“Our engines are very, very reliable. He had to push to recover, and all the data showed that the engine was perfect until two laps before the end. [but] let’s wait until the mathematics tell us where we are.”

Sebastian Vettel matched Senna’s tally of 41 wins in just 149 starts. Michael Schumacher matched Senna’s record even sooner – in his 142nd race start at Monza in 2000. He was visibly emotional afterwards, bursting into tears in the press conference, although the death of a marshal early in the race and the relief of winning after huge pressure going into the weekend also contributed to his state.

[Orion21]

Exactly. Since when are F1 drivers supposed to be like golfers? Live it up Lewis! It goes too quickly to sit back and not have fun.

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Formula 1 considering cost cap for customer engine-supply deals

A cost cap for Formula 1 engine-supply deals to customer teams is being considered following a meeting of the Strategy Group, AUTOSPORT understands.

The FIA said earlier this year that it was an oversight not to ensure the money required to pay for a power unit supply was tackled when the 1.6-litre turbocharged V6s were introduced in 2014.

Teams are spending around £15m-£20m per season compared to £7m during the V8 era.

On Monday, the Strategy Group discussed capping the cost of a supply of both one-year-old engines and new-spec power units.

Further analysis of a cost cap will form part of a dossier which is to be presented to FIA president Jean Todt.

AUTOSPORT reported last week that the rules are set to be tweaked to allow different specification engines to be supplied during the season and known as "Current -1" to differentiate them from the latest iteration.

If the changes are permitted, it would allow Manor to acquire 2015-spec Mercedes power units for 2016 should talks come to fruition.

It would also mean Red Bull, which has cut ties with Renault from next season, could use Ferrari power without posing a major threat to the works team.