FORMULA 1 - 2015

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TIME RUNNING OUT FOR LOTUS AS ADMINISTRATION LOOMS

Embattled Lotus’ recent troubles are not over yet, as they face mounting claims including a high court date with regard to unpaid tax bills.

With the Charles Pic saga that resulted in the seizure of the black and gold cars at Spa now reportedly resolved, deputy team boss Federico Gastaldi said ahead of Singapore that “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, more trouble is now brewing for the Enstone team, who are also on the cusp of being sold to Renault.

Indeed, it is believed representatives of the French carmaker helped to bail out Lotus recently when the team appeared before the high court in London over unpaid tax bills.

Now, the case will resume on Friday, when track action is set to begin on the other side of the world in Singapore.

The report said the London court will again hear HM Revenue and Customs’ application to have Lotus’ put into administration.

“No one wants that to happen,” team CEO Matthew Carter is quoted as saying. “We just need to ensure that everyone is paid.”

And so the urgency of Lotus’ talks with Renault is abundantly clear.

“Certainly we would relish any opportunity to be a works team and welcome them back,” said Gastaldi. “It would be fantastic for the sport and a mega-positive note for Enstone to see their return, but until any deal is signed, sealed and delivered we keep focused on our current tasks.”

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ECCLESTONE: JEAN TODT DOESN’T WANT TO UPSET PEOPLE

More than a year after avoiding jail over a corruption scandal, Bernie Ecclestone says his path is clear to keep running Formula 1.

“I don’t want to walk away from something that I have been involved in all these years,” the Briton, who turns 85 next month, told the New York Times. “At the moment, with our shareholders, zero problem, and I more or less run things as if it was my company. So it’s good.”

What the F1 chief executive is not happy about, however, is the decision-making governance of the sport, presided over by the democratic processes involving the Strategy Group, and Jean Todt.

Unlike Todt’s predecessor, the much more confrontational and dictatorial Max Mosley, Ecclestone and the current FIA president do not always see eye-to-eye.

Ecclestone admits that he would like to change many of F1’s rules fundamentally, but is hamstrung by an FIA president who likes to keep a low profile.

“Jean and myself, if he would, we could say ‘These are the rules, forget the teams, forget anybody. These are the rules, if you want to be in the world championship, these are the rules’, but Jean doesn’t want to upset people. He wants everyone to be happy and everyone to agree.”

So the Ecclestone-Mosley dictatorship of the past is now gone, replaced by democracy, which the 84-year-old admits he is no fan of in any context, “We have allowed this to creep into things, which we should never have done.”

So if he has a regret, it might be that F1 lost Mosley, Ecclestone admitted, “I suppose I regret we lost Max. It’s nothing wrong with Mr Todt. Because in fairness he doesn’t do anything in Formula 1, doesn’t interfere. So he’s not causing trouble.”

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BOULLIER: WE WILL BE CHAMPIONS AGAIN WITH HONDA

Eric Boullier insists McLaren is not seeking an alternative to its current works arrangement with Honda, and believes that the partnership will return to the glory days which they enjoyed 25 years ago despite a painful reunification.

Deep into the first McLaren-Honda season, the Spanish daily El Mundo summarised the Woking team’s predicament with the headline “No speed, no results, no sponsors”.

Some reports say the Honda power unit is 200hp down, while the Japanese carmaker refuses to sack Yasuhisa Arai, who insists that engineers will not be hired from outside the company.

An insider told Auto Motor und Sport: “If you don’t hire from outside, you don’t get the solutions to problems others have already solved. You do it all yourself from the beginning. And that takes time.”

Time, however, is something a F1 team does not have when sponsors are assessing form every two weeks and the other major chunk of annual income is based on results.

Red Bull, for instance, has decided to split with Renault after two years with the French marque’s under-powered turbo V6, notwithstanding the collaboration’s huge success in the former normally-aspirated era.

But Boullier said the same thoughts are not going through the heads of McLaren’s upper management, “No. It is up to us to put the right pressure on Honda.”

“If you want to beat Mercedes you have to be a works team,” the Frenchman told CNN. “We believe that Honda is the only serious engine manufacturer who can allow us to achieve that.

“We have a works team status. We have to go through some pain currently but we will be champions again with Honda one day.”

So, instead, all efforts are being put into solving the current problems, with work on the 2016 car already well advanced.

“We are in a smooth transition now between this and next year’s car,” said Boullier. “The things you can’t see behind the scenes is that the team has changed drastically in the last 15 months.

“The atmosphere in the team is good. The correlation from design and manufacture to the track in terms of bringing performance is very, very good. The people in the team are committed,” he insisted.

In 1988 McLaren and Honda united for the first time in Formula 1, and what followed was total domination similar (if not greater) to how Mercedes are dominating the sport currently.

The partenrship won three four Formula 1 drivers’ world titles in a row from 1988 to 1992 with Ayrton Senna claiming three titles and Alain Prost one, and the team bagging four consecutive constructors’ world titles in the process.

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MERHI REVEALS OPTIONS TO STAY AT MANOR IN 2016

Roberto Merhi admits there is no guarantee he will be back on the Formula 1 grid with the Manor team next year.

Last week, it emerged that the Spanish rookie will no longer split his time this year between F1 and his other race seat in the Formula Renault 3.5 series.

His team Pons explained that it was due to “clashing commitments” with Merhi’s F1 campaign, but some interpreted the news as a sign that the 24-year-old may have secured a longer-term future with Manor.

However, he tells El Confidencial newspaper that there are only “options to continue with Manor” next year.

Explaining the end of his F.Renault campaign, Merhi said: “If I had kept doing both (series) I would not have had any free weekends and there was no chance in the (F.Renault) championship, so there was no point.”

Merhi has had a difficult campaign with Manor, but in recent races he has at least compared favourably alongside his teammate Will Stevens.

Not widely known is that, as Manor regroups this season, Merhi did not have equal equipment earlier in 2015, and the Spaniard admits that “there are still differences” between his car and Stevens’.

“Each time it has gotten better and in Monza I could not have given more because of the engine, but both personally and generally it is going very well, also for learning,” he said.

As an amateur runner and triathlete, what Merhi is not worried about is the physical challenge of this weekend’s traditionally arduous Singapore grand prix.

“No, honestly the world series car is more tiring,” he said. “The only race that made me tired was Malaysia, but I had not had many laps in the car then so it was normal.”

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MASSA: THINGS CHANGED WHEN ALONSO CAME TO FERRARI

Long time Ferrari driver Felipe Massa says he has no regrets about being ousted by the Maranello outfit.

At Maranello, the Brazilian was competitive alongside the great Michael Schumacher and almost won the world championship whilst Kimi Raikkonen’s teammate in 2008.

Some believe it was Massa’s near-fatal crash in 2009 that subsequently hurt his form, but now fully back up to speed with Williams, the 34-year-old has another explanation.

“Let’s just say I did the right thing at the right time,” Massa, referring to his departure after an eight-year Ferrari career in 2013, told La Repubblica. “It was time to change.”

Now, Massa is back on song even with the highly-rated Valtteri Bottas as his teammate, with some believing the diminutive Brazilian’s pace is ultimately the reason Ferrari decided against signing the Finn for 2016.

“My story with Ferrari was beautiful, intense, honest, like the applause I got [on the podium] at Monza showed. But it was time to feel important again.”

Massa says his status at Ferrari slipped suddenly when Fernando Alonso was signed in 2010, “At first, yes . Then things changed when Alonso came. I looked around and saw that suddenly I had no power over things, over the details. And our sport is made of the details.”

“And you can change them only if you have the power. It’s all about power, and I had lost it. The most obvious symptom was that I did not feel important anymore,” Massa explained. “It was enough to see it just by making eye-contact with the people around me. It was impossible to be happy.”

Massa said he thinks Ferrari’s approach to the Alonso era was “wrong”, but admits he also questioned himself during that period.

“So many times I thought I should be less kind. Harder and selfish. But then you look at yourself and take stock. Many things have happened to me.I was friends with a legend like Schumacher and a golden boy like Bianchi.”

“I went through two or three eras of the sport, I saw injustice and the worst time of my life when I was forced to let my teammate past me, but I also won a lot and above all I enjoyed.”

“I fell often, but every time I got up. No, I would not change anything. I have always been myself, Felipe, and if that caused me some difficulty then my strength allowed me to overcome and become a man and a better father,” said Massa.

Asked if he has a message to his harshest former critics, he answered: “No, because before and after they wrote nice things. Consistency is their problem.

“If I was going to say something bad to all those who have changed their mind, I would have no time to drive!” Massa smiled.

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Merc determined to iron out glitches

They had some glitches in the system last time out so it's no surprise that Mercedes are determined to be at their best in Singapore this weekend.

The Brackley-based squad suffered their first retirement of the 2015 campaign at the Italian Grand Prix as Nico Rosberg was forced to retire close to the end due to an engine problem. His DNF came just a day after the team were forced to use an older engine in the German's car following a problem in practice.

While Rosberg had a weekend to forget, team-mate Lewis Hamilton was at his best as he secured his 11th pole of the season and went on to claim race win number seven of 2015.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says his outfit learned valuable lessons at Monza and will make sure they don't repeat those mistakes at one of the toughest circuits on the calendar.

"Monza was not an easy weekend. Both drivers produced very strong performances – but unfortunately only one got the result he deserved," he said. "When you are in a position like we currently enjoy, expectations are extremely high – and none more so than among our own people.

"This was our first retirement of the season which shows how far we have come but also that we are not invincible. Every detail matters and we are trying to take care of all of them.

"So, we take lessons from our failures and look to get back on top with both cars in Singapore. This won’t be easy, however, at a circuit which provides one of the toughest tests of man and machine on the calendar. We must be at our best here – and at each race that follows – to make sure the job is done."

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Nasr: Precision is key

As Felipe Nasr prepares to tackle the Marina Bay Circuit for the first time in F1, the Sauber rookie says precision driving will be key.

Following two high-speed circuits, the Formula 1 drivers now face the challenge of the 23-corner Marina Bay Circuit.

Having to contend with high heat and humidity and racing at night, the task is compounded by the fact that it all takes place on a street circuit.

"Racing there is a physical challenge, because of the high temperature as well as the high humidity," Nasr said.

"Managing to put in the perfect laps during the night race will also be challenging.

"You need to drive very precisely through every one of the 23 corners on each lap, especially the tight ones."

Nasr also revealed that Sauber will race an upgraded aero package at the Singapore GP.

He added: "We also have our aero-update there, which is important and encourages everyone in the team."

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Grosjean: E23 inspires confidence

Romain Grosjean is convinced Lotus can secure points at the Singapore GP as the E23 is a car that "seems to go well everywhere."

Although Grosjean's best result of this season, a podium finish, came at the high-speed Spa circuit, the Lotus driver is feeling confident heading to Singapore.

The track is the latest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar and takes place at night in hot and humid conditions.

But despite the massive contrast to Spa, Grosjean believes a good result could be on the cards.

"Even though we haven't been able to throw upgrades at the car like other teams can do, the E23 is a pretty balanced car in its qualities; it seems to go well everywhere," said the Frenchman.

"This means we go in with the opportunity of scoring points at tracks with very different characteristics.

"Every time I get in the car I think 'let's see what she can do', so I'm positive heading to Singapore, Suzuka and all the rest of the circuits ahead."

Pressed specifically on the 23-corner Marina Bay circuit, Grosjean says confidence will be key and that is one thing he definitely has in his E23.

He said: "The track is really impressive with some technical parts and some classic street circuit 'ninety degree' turns. There are a few decent straights but it is mainly busy, busy, busy for us, with corner after corner.

"Going over landmarks like the (Anderson) Bridge and down the Raffles Boulevard make for a fantastic sight from both the cockpit and also for the TV viewers.

"This year will be interesting with the E23 as it is a car that does inspire confidence, and confidence is king when you're on a street course.

"The biggest challenge will be if it's wet at any time – then we really have to work hard!"

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Our days as an engine supplier are over - Renault CEO

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has, for the first time, officially admitted that his company will no longer solely be an engine supplier in Formula 1, narrowing its future options.

The French manufacturer currently supplies Red Bull and sister team Toro Rosso, with the former granted 'priority' status. However the relationship began to turn sour last season as it became apparent that Renault's power unit was off the pace.

A spate of reliability troubles mixed with a performance deficit this season is a step too far for Red Bull, which has reportedly written to Renault, demanding its contract be annulled a year early 'for performance reasons'.

The negative press has led Renault to reconsider its future in the sport, with three options open to it; continue as an engine supplier, return to constructor status or quit altogether.

With Ghosn admitting they won't continue with the status quo, their options have now narrowed.

"We said very clearly, it's finished," the Mexican told Autosport during the Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday.

"We already alerted the Formula 1 authorities [saying] 'Don't count on us as a provider of an engine. It's over'.

"We will honour our contracts, no problem, but the occasion of Renault as a developer and supplier of engines stops."

Whether Renault will supply Red Bull in 2016 before calling it quits is unclear, with Ghosn saying that terms are being negotiated.

"I think we are today renegotiating the contracts, so it's too early to say what's going to be the conclusion of the contract," he added.

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Magnussen fractures left-hand in training accident

Kevin Magnussen won't be able to fulfil his reserve driver role at the Singapore or Japanese Grands Prix after fracturing his left-hand following a cycling accident.

The Danish driver is required to stand in for Fernando Alonso or Jenson Button should they be unable to race and therefore attends every race with McLaren as part of his reserve duties.

However during training, the 22-year-old fell of his bike and fractured his hand, ruling him out of any driving duties for roughly three weeks according to a McLaren spokesperson.

"Kevin has been training extensively on his bicycle over the past few weeks and months, but unfortunately he fell off it the other day," the spokesman said.

"He has sustained a small fracture in his left hand, but is expected to make a full recovery within the next three weeks or so."

The former McLaren driver is currently vying for a seat on the 2016 grid, with the new Haas F1 Team his best chance of returning to a full-time race seat.

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Mexican GP corner named after last winner Mansell

Organisers of the Mexican Grand Prix have honoured 1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell by naming the final corner after the Briton.

Mansell was the last person to win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City with Williams, but with the circuit having been renovated and modified for its return this year, race organisers wanted to honour Mansell.

Turn 17, the final corner on the circuit, will be known as the Nigel Mansell Turn.

"I have extremely fond memories of racing in Mexico City, the people, the energy and the track itself were all highlights of the F1 calendar back then for me," Mansell said following the announcement.

"When I found out about the turn naming of course I was delighted. Flattered, proud and delighted in equal measure.

"The news instantly brought to mind my unexpected overtaking manoeuvre on Gerhard Berger actually on the old Peraltada section to come in second behind my Ferrari team-mate Alain Prost back in 1990 - I can't believe that was 25 years ago and that it's been 23 years since my last win at the track.

"I've carefully observed what the organisers have been doing and I'm really looking forward to seeing it for myself a little later this year."

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Magnussen: 'I would love to race for Haas in 2016'

Former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen has admitted he would "love to race for Haas" in 2016, if no seat is available for him at McLaren, which looks increasingly likely.

The 22-year-old replaced Sergio Perez at McLaren for the 2014 season and went on to score a podium finish on his debut. He was later dropped in favour of the current line-up of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.

After recently stating that he wouldn't settle for sitting on the sidelines in 2016, the Danish driver has begun talking with other teams as it looks likely that McLaren will take up an option on Button.

"I'm not going to name the teams I'm in contact with," he told Autosport.

"All I'll say is this - it's been widely reported I'm in Haas's thoughts. In fact Gene [Haas] has admitted that in recent interviews.

"I think he and Guenther [steiner, team principal] are both very smart guys, and the way they're going about launching their new F1 team is clever and innovative.

"So, yes, if there's no McLaren race drive available for me, then of course I'd love to race for Haas."

Magnussen believes he has the experience to lead a new team during their first season in the sport.

"Having spent six years with McLaren, learning from some of the best drivers and engineers in the business, and because of the unique opportunity I've had to increase my technical knowledge this year, I think I'm very well placed to play a leading role in helping set up a new F1 team."

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Singapore GP schedule unaltered despite haze threat

Singapore Grand Prix chiefs insist that there are no plans to amend or cancel this weekend's Formula 1 schedule, despite the local haze situation.

Pollution levels in Singapore were recorded at 130-161 PSI for the previous 24-hour period on Tuesday evening, which is the lower end of the 'unhealthy' region.

Some local sporting events have already been called off, but in a statement issued by the grand prix organisers on Tuesday it was made clear that there were no intention of altering the F1 schedule.

"Based on the current PSI levels, there are no plans to amend the published racing and entertainment programme," said the statement.

"The haze situation is highly changeable not only from day to day, but from hour to hour. Therefore, it is currently not possible to reliably predict what the PSI level might be over the race weekend.

"We will continue to work closely with all the relevant government authorities to receive the best possible forecasts when they are available."

More information

Race organisers have vowed to keep the public up to date with the latest pollution readings, with information being displayed on the track's website as well as on giant screens at the track.

Face masks will also be made available to all spectators.

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Williams says it can win without manufacturer budget

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams believes the British squad does not need a manufacturer's budget to return to winning ways in Formula 1.

The Grove-based team finished third in last year's constructors' championship behind Mercedes and Red Bull, and sits third again this season, having scored three podiums finishes in 12 races.

Although the team is operating on a much smaller budget compared to rivals like Mercedes or Ferrari, Williams sees no reason why it cannot win races again.

"I don't see why not," Williams, whose team last won a race in 2012, said.

"F1 is not just about the engine, ti is about your chassis, and it is about so many other components, that if you get that bit right then why cannot you beat your engine supplier team?

"F1 is cyclical, people have their time at the top and other people have their time at the top – so it has to be coming soon."

She added: "The budget is not the constraint for us. We have a healthy budget at Williams, we have always said that and we have always only spent according to the budget that we have.

"We do a great job. Running P3 in the championship at the moment and having secured P3 last year, we demonstrated as a team that you don't need to have the enormous budgets.

"We are working to the best of our abilities with the budget we have and the budget we have doesn't constrain us.

"We wouldn't say not to another 10, 20 or 30 million but we don't have at the moment, so we have to work with what we have got. As I said, I don't believe it is all about the people you have and the brainpower."

Still improving

Williams insists her team is still in an upward spiral after several difficult years, and she is convinced the best is yet to come.

"We are still a team that for 10 years at least was in the doldrums and was losing its grip around how we go racing and racing competitively," she said.

"You see a much improved Williams on the track but there are so many parts of the team that we still need to improve on, and to improve those processes that take you to being a frontrunning winning F1 team that we have to get right and fine tune.

"Those mistakes are there for the world to see every two weeks and the work that still needs to be done and work exposed when we make a mistake.

"This year is a consolidation job and for us to be fight where we are against teams with much bigger budgets that are behind us, the team has done a good job but I think we all know there is work to do."

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Jenson Button: McLaren can't expect 'miracles' in Singapore

Jenson Button says McLaren will not arrive in Singapore "expecting miracles overnight" despite the more favourable characteristics of the Marina Bay circuit.

McLaren endured two difficult races in Belgium and Italy, with cracks starting to appear in the relationship with engine supplier Honda at the latter. Button and McLaren have been pointing towards Singapore for a long time as the best chance for the team to return to the points because the street circuit places less emphasis on power than previous races.

Button recently told ESPN Singapore should be McLaren's "standout race" from 2015, but he is keeping expectations in check.

"There's no denying it'll be hard work, and we aren't expecting miracles overnight," Button said. "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."

Racing director Eric Boullier says McLaren is looking to move on from the disappointment of recent races and hopes Singapore triggers the start of a more favourable run for the team.

"There is no denying that Spa and Monza were incredibly tough races for McLaren-Honda," Boullier said. "We expected it, and it was no surprise when the results came, but it doesn't make it any easier to bear. Saying that, we are entering a phase of the season where the circuits rely less on pure power and more on balance, characteristics that tend to suit our package better.

"Together, McLaren and Honda are constantly striving to improve our package and we have faith in our collective abilities to analyse our weaker areas and continue pushing forward. We won't make any promises or predictions, but we love this circuit and hope to put on the best show possible under the incredible floodlights of Singapore. It is truly a spectacular location to host a grand prix and fully deserves its status as one of the flagship races on the Formula One calendar."

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F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Kvyat and Red Bull 'compromises' mark return to form

Daniil Kvyat feels he and Red Bull are getting back to their best after a difficult start to his maiden season with the team.

The Russian stepped up to Red Bull from Toro Rosso after Sebastian Vettel ended a six-year relationship with the Milton Keynes squad by switching to Ferrari last winter.

Kvyat suffered a tricky start to the season after failing to even make the start grid of the Australian Grand Prix and had been languishing in the middle order with an underperforming Renault power unit and a Red Bull chassis which was failing to live up to the highest expectations set by Adrian Newey and company.

However, since the beginning of the Europe stint of the season Kvyat has progressively climbed up the grid and grabbed his maiden Formula 1 podium with second place in Hungary, followed up by fourth place at the power-dependent Spa circuit.

Despite taking a multitude of grid penalties in Monza the Russian battled back to finish in the points and Kvyat now believes he and the team are returning to their best form as they prepare for the fly-away rounds.

“I think since the beginning of the season nothing has really changed massively but we started to do proper mileage on Friday and started to finish races and able to do what we want since Barcelona,” Kvyat said. "Since then it has gone upwards.

“I wasn't obviously that happy at the beginning of the season because it was an uncomfortable situation with all those things but the last few races, including Spa, have been very positive and we had strong race performances. We have to continue this way.”

Kvyat points to Red Bull finding 'compromises' with its underwhelming power unit, while he became more comfortable with the RB11, and now feels they can find gains much faster than at the start of the year.

“We were a little bit lost at the start of the season by not doing proper mileage throughout the weekend to develop,” he explained. “Now we understand the car better and know our weaknesses and try to cover them as much as we can. We are now finding a compromise better through the weekends even at such a power-demanding track like Spa.”

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Lowe admits Mercedes at fault for Rosberg's Monza failure

Mercedes technical director Paddy Lowe feels his team let Nico Rosberg down at Monza but says there is still a long way to go in the Formula 1 title race which means the German still has opportunities to hunt down team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

The German manufacturer suffered its first retirement of any kind when Rosberg's older power unit expired two laps from the end of the Italian Grand Prix. As a result, the 30-year-old trails his Mercedes team-mate by 53 points heading into the fly-away rounds and Lowe admits the team were to blame for Rosberg's misery.

“We came away from Monza with mixed feelings,” Lowe said. “It was a great performance and a fantastic victory from Lewis to achieve the Grand Chelem. But, on the other side of the garage, 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.”

Looking ahead to Singapore, Lowe also says Mercedes will seek a return to perfection and provide Rosberg with the tools for a fair fight with Hamilton.

Despite Rosberg's DNF in Italy Mercedes still holds a mammoth 181-point advantage over second-place Ferrari in the F1 World Constructors championship and look set to defend its title potentially within the next three races.

“Now, we re-group and move on to Singapore,” he added. “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. 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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Hulkenberg: Why I re-signed for Force India

When Nico Hulkenberg was announced as staying with Force India for the 2016 Formula 1 season, it not only scratched one of the bigger question marks looming over the provisional line-up for next year, but it established a clear outlook for a driver more accustomed to uncertainty.

Indeed, whilst he may be one of the more experienced drivers on the F1 grid now, never before has Nico basked in the 'luxury' of having his future assured so long before the following season. Not only that, it is the first time Nico has penned a multi-year deal that should see him remain in the sport right to the end of 2017 too.

Given nearly each of his F1 deals have been concluded during the off-season, it's no surprise Nico is smiling broadly as he discusses his future during the Italian Grand Prix weekend as a matter of fact, rather than in a non-committal code of ifs, buts and maybes.

Indeed, as a driver that has been linked to almost every team in paddock – and one that hasn't even arrived yet - since making his debut with Williams back in 2010, whilst few have considered a grid without Nico on it, getting that job security long before the final chequered flag has dropped has been a considerably tougher ask

“It's good and fortunately a luxurious position to be in,” he told Crash.net. “Being able to confirm it so early gives the team and I some stability. We can really now relax a bit and focus on the racing, the important stuff, so it just gets that out of your brain and you can just focus on the main things which is nice.

“It gives you stability and you can plan and look ahead in the long-term future. I think it is probably good for both sides. It takes the pressure off and then you know where you are for the next two years. I'm happy and excited to stay on.

McLaren in 2013, Lotus in 2014, Ferrari or Haas for 2016, Nico has been featured on his fair share of shortlists over the years, but whilst he hints that there were discussions with Haas in particular, he says it was always his decision to remain at Force India for what will be his fourth and fifth seasons.

“I don't get too distracted because I've known this now for a few years – there have been a few 'silly seasons'. I've been linked with Ferrari or whatever other team, but you have to be able to focus when it counts and perform; otherwise you're screwed. It's just normal, part of the job.

“I think the media was pushing Haas especially. As a driver I have responsibility over my career so you check the different options and speak to different people but I'm not really interested or keen to go into the details. At the end it was my decision.”

Firmly established as a leading privateer team in recent years, it is easy to forget that it took Force India almost two years to get off the mark in F1 after several similarly lean seasons in its previous Jordan/Midland/Spyker guises. Since then it has become a frequent point-scorer, two-time podium winner and finished no lower than seventh overall in the last five seasons.

However, this season sees the real possibility of Force India breaking into the top five overall for the first time, 14 years after the team – then known as Jordan - last achieved such a feat. The end result would be a far cry from Nico's more modest expectations pre-season following numerous delays of the new VJM08.

Nevertheless, Nico hints that intriguing – albeit not divulged – future developments were a big part of his reason to re-sign.

“Yes,” he responds with a knowing smile before telling me he doesn't want to elaborate on specific details.

“It's good, as long as the performance is good on track. Obviously, if we were to now face a very difficult year, then it's not so good. Like I said, I don't expect that, I don't see that. I see the opposite if anything; therefore I commit.

“Recently we've had a very good and steep development curve and I believe the team can keep it up. With everything I know about the team, I see more potential from the team in future; so therefore I think my sporting future is in the best possible hands.”

Indeed, its Nico's trust in those hands that played a part in that decision, the camaraderie and dedication of the people directly around him that enticed him to stay where he is.

“It's a great environment. I know the people very well now and for a very long time. It's a great racing team and we have some really good people, not just in the racing team here but also back at the factory; real racers, people who just love racing and love beating others.

“Obviously it's not a manufacturer, like at Porsche, it's not Formula One but it's a manufacturer, which is also good but it's a different atmosphere. This is more like a private team, or private owned team, and therefore you have a very nice relationship with everybody in the team, with the management and it's something that makes a driver comfortable and which is also great to have.”

With the foundation of his future laid out, Nico is now setting about building upon it, beginning with claiming a long awaited first podium in F1 (remarkably, he is the only driver to have started an F1 race from pole position without standing on the podium*), or even go for a first win.

“We are strong enough, from our own strength to push ourselves on to the podium. A race win, if a really good day happens to us, luck is on our side, crazy weather or whatever, you know never say never. At the moment we are not there yet but we want to get close to that.”

He also wants to defend his Le Mans 24 Hours title with Porsche, a bonus he is unlikely to have enjoyed as part of the Ferrari-assisted Haas team.

“I think that should all be set again. I haven't really spoken to Porsche about it briefly. I think they're interested and keen to put a third car on the grid again. I'm keen to defend the title definitely. Now we need to speak and to come together.”

With change in F1 looming on the horizon, whilst it may have taken time for Nico to find stability, he nonetheless may have discovered it at the very right time…

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Verstappen targets top ten in rookie F1 season

Max Verstappen says he is aiming for a top ten finish in the drivers' championship in his rookie Formula 1 season.

The Toro Rosso driver, who turns 18 at the end of the month, made shockwaves when it was announced he was to become the youngest-ever Formula 1 driver in history last year.

Despite concerns Verstappen would be making the step up to F1 too soon, the son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen has silenced his critics with a series of strong performances and is currently the top-placed rookie in the F1 standings.

Verstappen Jnr says he's determined to finish the season on a high and is aiming for the top ten in the championship.

“It is very nice to see myself in the top ten of course but we will see as it is difficult to maintain it,” Verstappen said. “You have to be realistic and the Force India pair are very strong at the moment compared to us. The Lotus car is also performing quite well. We will keep pushing and hopefully by the end of the season we will be in the top ten.”

Heading to Singapore Verstappen, who sits 12th in the drivers' championship and four points of Nico Hulkenberg, believes the Marina Bay street circuit will act as Toro Rosso's best opportunity for another fight towards the front but has ruled out the chances of a podium in his rookie year after coming tantalisingly close in Hungary when he finished fourth.

“Singapore is our best chance of a strong result. Suzuka we can also do something different but for sure Singapore is our main target,” he confirmed. “I wouldn't say a podium is realistic. In Hungary I had some luck but I think it was a great example of having to be there when other people make mistakes so we will try to do the same in Singapore.”

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WHY SINGAPORE GP IS MAKE OR BREAK FOR MCLAREN, RED BULL AND TORO ROSSO

Most Formula 1 teams long ago came to the conclusion that they would not be competing for the championship this year, or even for wins and in most cases even for podiums. But racers are optimists at heart and there is always something to look forward to; for the majority this weekend is that opportunity.

But not everyone who has been targeting a season’s best result in Singapore can get it, so there will be some major disappointment come Sunday night and for some the season will effectively be over.

Such has been the domination of Mercedes in 2015 that only two race wins have got away from them – to Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari. After 12 rounds, Mercedes has scored 452 points out of a maximum of 516, which is 87% of the maximum available points, with seven 1-2 finishes, while pole for either Mercedes driver at Marina Bay will extend the team’s unbroken pole streak to 24 races, equalling the record of Williams during the 1992/93 active suspension era.

The signs in Monza were that the new Mercedes power unit is a big step up from the old one, perhaps half a second in pure performance, so there is no let up from the Stuttgart marque.

Consequently, there has been a lot of talk from teams blown away by this domination about Singapore representing a “great chance for a result”, as the power deficit is minimised there.

At the same time teams like Williams and Lotus may struggle a bit more than they have lately due to the track characteristics, creating some opportunities to get among the serious points positions.

Red Bull, Toro Rosso and McLaren in particular are all hoping to come away with something to show from the two hour marathon around the streets of Singapore.

They all took care to get any potential engine penalties out of the way in Monza, where the damage is minimised, so as not to have to take any pain in Singapore, where it would be impossible to recover.

Alonso has accumulated an impressive 90 places worth of grid penalties this season due to changing Honda engines.

Provided none of the drivers from these teams get more penalties from replacing parts of power units, then this is how we see their prospects.

McLaren

Yet to reach Q3 with either driver this season, McLaren will want to build on Fernando Alonso’s 5th place finish in Hungary, the last track on which their yawning deficit in deployment of the energy recovery system counted for little. McLaren will also be buoyed by the starts its drivers have made since the rules changed last month; Alonso and Button have both gained nine places in the two races since then.

Both drivers have done well in Singapore with Alonso a two times winner among five podium finishes there and Button twice second.

On the downside, Monza was a milestone McLaren hoped it would never cross, which was its 50th Grand Prix since its last win. No wonder the team has set its sights on Singapore as the last real chance this season – reliability permitting – to salvage some respectability from a miserable campaign.

Toro Rosso

If you put an F1 fan on the spot and ask how Toro Rosso is doing this season, chances are he will tell you that it’s going well. Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have been competitive in a wonderful chassis, with Sainz getting some impressive qualifying results with five Top 10 grid slots and a best of 5th, and Verstappen pulling off some overtaking masterpieces.

But a glance at the championship standings tells another story; the strong performances have not been backed up with results and reliability issues have clouded the campaign. Toro Rosso has just 35 points, 12 of which came with Verstappen’s breakthrough 4th place in Hungary. They lie a distant 7th in the constructors’ championship standing, which is no kind of return from what has been one of their best chassis for years.

Between them the drivers have retired seven times in 12 Grands Prix and Sainz’s last points came in Monaco.

The performance of the Renault power unit, particularly on race days, has been the handicap and especially on the power circuits F1 has visited lately. So Singapore is targeted as a track where both men should get solid top ten points scoring results from the nimble Toro Rosso chassis. The fact that the team tried out three different front wings in Monza, shows that the team are making a great effort, but also that they are getting desperate.

Red Bull

The other team with an underpowered engine, Red Bull scored a double podium in Hungary – the last time power didn’t count – and they will be looking to repeat in Singapore. Daniil Kvyat’s growing maturity has been one of the stories of the season; he and Daniel Ricciardo are capable of qualifying up the front and staying there this weekend against the Ferraris, just behind the Mercedes.

Red Bull has won Singapore three times, in the era when its Renault powered car with the exhaust blown diffuser was the ultimate weapon for the lower speed corners. Since Silverstone this year the chassis has improved a great deal and is giving little away now to the front runners, so there will be significant pressure to race at the front this weekend.

Behind the scenes the messy divorce from Renault continues, which is clearly a distraction and a drain on energy.

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RICCIARDO: WILL CUSTOMER ENGINES ALLOW US TO WIN?

Daniel Ricciardo is not convinced that reverting to engine customer status will be a guarantee of success for Red Bull as the end to their partnership with Renault looms.

In the new V6 turbo power unit era so far, the former quadruple world champions have struggled with Renault’s offering.

The French carmaker’s CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed on Tuesday that Renault will no longer merely supply engines in F1 beyond 2015, and so it is believed Red Bull will tie up with Ferrari power for next year.

However, also down on power this year is McLaren, but the Woking team insists that full works status is a prerequisite for championship success in F1.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner does not agree, declaring this week that although enjoying premier status, the energy drink owned team was in fact never the Renault factory outfit.

Amid the uncertainty, Ricciardo flirted with a switch to Ferrari’s works team, but ultimately is under contract and will stay with Red Bull for 2016.

As for the future, he is unconvinced and told F1 Racing magazine, “Any situation at the moment isn’t perfect. Now we’re down on power, but if we were to go with a customer engine, would that let us win? Do you actually have an opportunity to win in the next few years? That’s the big question.”

“Speaking to the big guys in the team, they’ve given me the confidence that I need to understand that they’re doing all they can,” Ricciardo added.

It appears that Red Bull will at least enjoy the A-specification of Ferrari’s engines next year, having earlier been offered a deal that would have put the team a step behind the works outfit.

Ricciardo, meanwhile, said he will drive whatever package he is given, “I’m putting a lot of my trust in the team.”

“I do that because I know they want to return to the success they had. When they say they’re doing all they can to be as competitive as possible for 2016, that’s all I need to hear for now,” added the Australian.

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WHY ARE MERCEDES KEEN TO DOWNPLAY NEW WUNDERMOTOR?

At Monza Mercedes unleashed an upgraded version of their all conquering F1 power unit, which was described as ‘scary’ by rivals and Nico Rosberg will be using the new power unit in Singapore.

The German will use the very same new-specification Mercedes engine that was removed from his car ahead of qualifying at Monza, and which powered teammate Lewis Hamilton to an easy victory in Italy.

That is the claim of Auto Motor und Sport, as new details about Mercedes’ upgraded ‘power unit’ now begin to emerge.

Meanwhile latest speculation suggests that Mercedes revealed too much, too soon at Monza, and subsequently “turned down the wick” substantially on Hamilton’s power unit for qualifying and the race.

Auto Bild describes the unit that cost Mercedes all remaining seven of its performance upgrade ‘tokens’ before Monza as a ‘Wundermotor’.

But Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff downplayed the team’s latest engine updgrade, “It brings not so much more horse power, but it works more efficiently. We wanted something to test in connection with a new fuel for 2016.”

The remarks by the Wolff do not reflect with what transpired at Monza in practice where at one point the Silver Arrows duo were two seconds better than the rest.

In the race Hamilton went on to win comfortably at Monza and some rivals were amazed by the potential of the new engine. Rosberg’s unit was removed before qualifying amid reliability concerns only for the older version to expire within sight of the finish line.

But Auto Motor und Sport claims the replaced unit will now be used by the German driver in Singapore, after post-Monza investigations showed that the power unit itself was undamaged.

“It turns out it had nothing to do with the engine. It was a chassis component that we’ve had on the car for a long time. So with hindsight, it was perfectly ok to put the new engine in,” he added.

The report said Mercedes will now be preparing the engine specification for customers Williams, Lotus and Force India to use at subsequent races if they desire.

Auto Bild said the specification is fundamentally different from its predecessor, as it features an “innovative, fuel-efficient combustion process”.

So after a miserable weekend of reliability at Monza, Rosberg is hoping for smoother sailing this weekend and it remains to be seen if Mercedes keep the switch turned down on the latest version of their Wundermotor.

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DOES BUTTON WANT TO CONTINUE AT THE BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR?

Former McLaren driver John Watson has questioned whether Formula 1 veteran Jenson Button has the will-power to endure another year struggling at the wrong end of the grid with Honda power.

Speaking to Sky Sport ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend Watson said, “What Jenson has to rationalise in his own mind is: do I want to hang on to the bitter end? and maybe end up in a situation where he might be given a very reasonable fee but on a big performance-related bonus.

“He may feel that’s something that he doesn’t want to do,” added Watson clearly referring to the fact that the McLaren-Honda combination is way off the pace and unlikely to catch up between now and the 2016 season.

Watson also believes that McLaren’s woeful performances at the back of the F1 field will impact the team’s ability to attract much needed sponsorship and interest from potential backers.

“If your car’s winning and you’re in the public eye, you’re on television and you’re seen on the podium, that means your rate card can go up. Right now, I would think McLaren’s rate card is pretty struggling,” surmised Watson.

As for the future of the Woking outfit and their Honda partnership, Watson predicted, “In time it could come right. It’s whether it’s given the opportunity – and that’s speculation on my part. A team like McLaren is a team that needs to win, that needs to be getting podiums and victories it needs to raise its profile.”

Meanwhile, during the weekend at Monza, Button was vague when asked about his F1 future, “I think it’s always in your hands. Hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll decide, either way.”

The 2009 F1 world champion, who will be starting his 278th grand prix when he lines up on the grid in Singapore, has not been on the top step of the podium since his victory at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.

MIKA: Seriously? If Mercedes endured a few seasons of woeful results, Schumacher and Rosberg driving with a less than average car (They too were frustrated), then Jenson and Fernando can also. Now Mercedes are enjoying success and I am positive McLaren will be up there again... in a few seasons time

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GHOSN: RENAULT WILL EITHER EXIT OR RUN OUR OWN TEAM

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn on Tuesday all but confirmed speculation the French carmaker is set to split with F1 partners Red Bull and Toro Rosso.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show, he admitted Renault is “renegotiating” its deals with the two energy drink-owned teams, amid intense speculation the decision to split has already been made.

“We will either exit or run our own team,” confirmed Ghosn, although he did not comment specifically on the talks with the Enstone based team Lotus. “We are assessing in detail and still having talks.”

Ghosn told media, “We are analysing what to do. We have been clear in saying ‘don’t count on us as a provider of engines’. It is clear that if you provide engines you aren’t mentioned when you win and you are criticised when you have problems.”

“Our future is the subject of detailed analysis and renegotiating. We will either exit or run our own team. We don’t have a clear decision yet,” he said.

Asked if high profile criticism of Renault by Red Bull was fair, Ghosn replied, “It is not a question of fair, it is a question of sportsmanship. A team should win and lose together. What has been said is a question of sportsmanship. Again I say, you should win and lose together.”

Renault’s decision on future F1 engine supply will impact the sport sport, with Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda the only confirmed engine suppliers for the foreseeable future.

Renault have an illustrious history in F1, having pioneered the entry of turbo engine technology in the seventies, and have since powered a number of drivers to world championship titles including the likes of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.

The partnership with Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel reaped four consecutive titles from 2010 to 2013, thereafter – with the advent of the new F1 turbo era – the relationship between the two organisations soured to the point of breakdown.

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SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX OFFICIALS UNFAZED BY HAZE

Organisers of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix have played down concerns about the cloud of haze hanging over the city, saying it was not expected to impact on Sunday’s Formula One race.

The city-state has been blanketed by thick smog for the past week, a result of farmers in neighbouring Sumatra burning forests to clear their land for agriculture.

The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in Singapore has fluctuated well above 100, levels considered “unhealthy”, for the past few days, and reached as high as 249 on Monday night, putting it in “very unhealthy” territory.

Race officials said they were monitoring the situation and planned to place first-aid stations on standby to treat any possible haze-related conditions over the weekend, as well as selling face masks at cost price.

But the officials said there were no plans to change any of the scheduled events over the race weekend, including the pop concerts held each night at the Marina Bay street circuit.

“Based on the current PSI levels, there are no plans to amend the published racing and entertainment programme,” Singapore GP said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The haze situation is highly changeable not only from day to day, but from hour to hour. Therefore, it is currently not possible to reliably predict what the PSI level might be over the race weekend.

“We will continue to work closely with all the relevant government authorities to receive the best possible forecasts when they are available.”

The Singapore Grand Prix is the 13th race of the season and defending world champion and last year’s winner Lewis Hamilton will be a strong favourite to extend his championship lead, currently 53 points, with an eighth victory of the campaign.