FORMULA 1 - 2015

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Ferrari considering engine upgrade for United States GP

Ferrari are weighing up the benefits and drawbacks of bringing an upgraded power unit to the United States Grand Prix in just under a fortnight.

The Italian team are currently Mercedes closest rival having significantly closed the gap to the Brackley outfit. The team hope they can close it further and have four development tokens left to spend before the end of the year

Whilst they're no longer in contention for the Constructors' Championship - with Mercedes wrapping that up in Russia - Sebastian Vettel remains a distant second in the race for the Drivers' title.

Introducing a more powerful engine in the hope Vettel can challenge Lewis Hamilton at the next four races is what Ferrari hope will happen, however with both Vettel and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen already using a fourth unit each, they would incur grid penalties as a result.

Therefore Ferrari need to weigh up the potential benefit against the loss of ten places on the grid - a significant blow to Vettel's already slim chances.

Sources suggest Ferrari will run the upgraded engine in Raikkonen's car, along with a new streamlined gearbox and rear aerodynamic package, to assess how well it performs in real-world conditions.

If the data shows a significant jump in performance, the team will likely introduce the upgrades to Vettel's car at the next race in Mexico, taking a penalty in the process.

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Analysis - how exhaust blowing could return in 2016

Teams may currently run just a single exhaust pipe from their engines, with its location and dimensions - and those of bodywork around it - strictly controlled by the regulations in a bid to prevent engineers using exhaust gases for aerodynamic gain. That could, however, change in 2016...

The drawing above shows us two things: one, that Honda are set to retain their unique engine layout next season, with their small MGU-H positioned within the upper-rear portion of the engine block (left inset) between the compressor (in blue) and the turbo (in red); and two, that next season their power unit - and all others - will feature two exhausts rather than one (right inset).

This follows a change in the regulations for 2016 which requires all cars to have a separate exhaust wastegate tailpipe - it may even be a twin pipe - through which all and only wastegate exhaust gases must pass. This measure has been undertaken to increase the noise of the cars and will not have any significant effect on power or emissions.

What it could do, however, is open the door to the return of some exhaust-blowing effect into the car’s rear aerodynamic structures, since unlike with the current single exhaust pipe, there are no limitations on the positioning of the wastegate pipe.

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Hulkenberg believes Sochi pace can be repeated in Austin

Force India's Nico Hulkenberg thinks he can finish the Formula 1 season on a high, despite the disappointment of the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi when he threw away a top-six start with a first-lap crash.

The proliferation of long straights in the remaining races should play to the strengths of the Mercedes-powered Force India, as proved by teammate Sergio Perez's impressive podium finish in Russia.

“I think Austin should be positive again,” Hulkenberg told Motorsport.com. “Similar characteristics to this track, very flowing medium/high speed corners dominate, and recently the car has performed quite well there. So should be more points and more positive stuff.

“For me personally I look for four strong races to the end of the season, obviously I want to get this one out of the system, and then finish the season on a high note.”

“A passenger” in first-corner crash

Hulkenberg says he was “a passenger” when he started to spin in front of the pack at the start of the Russian GP. He lost control of his Force India at Turn 2, was clipped by the Toro Rosso of Max Verstappen and then hit hard by Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber.

“It was more or less the entry where I just lost the back end,” he said. “I had quite a bit or rear locking on the brakes, and that set me off with oversteer straight away and then I lost the back end completely.

“Obviously not a good thing in the first corner with the entire field behind you if you're facing the wrong direction, and unfortunately they couldn't all get around me.

“It was just a combination of a bit of cold tyres, brake balance probably a bit too far rearwards, and maybe a little bit too late on the brakes.

“It was not just a small oversteer, once it went it went completely, and I was sideways in the middle of the corner. At that point I was a passenger, so the damage was done a bit before that.”

Hulkenberg says he was not too worried, despite his exposure to oncoming traffic: “It was not very scary. It's a shitty situation, uncomfortable, but it's low speed in that corner, so not too worrying.

"If that was high speed, then different story.”

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Panis says ART’s Vasseur would “do the job” for Renault F1

Former Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis has backed ART Grand Prix team chief Frederic Vasseur as the right man to mastermind Renault’s planned return as a works team to Formula 1.

Vasseur – who not only runs the multiple GP2, GP3 and Formula 3-winning giant ART Grand Prix, but also the Spark Racing Technology company that supplies all Formula E cars – has been tipped for a team manager role with Renault F1.

He could work in tandem with marque figurehead Alain Prost, who has also been strongly linked to its return to F1 as a manufacturer.

Panis claims Vasseur would be the perfect candidate to steer Renault on the right path, having guided the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Romain Grosjean, Nico Hulkenberg and Jules Bianchi to junior single-seater titles.

"Frederic Vasseur would be a good manager,” Panis told Motorsport.com. “In French motorsport, most people talk about the super drivers and the super teams, but there are also super team managers such as him, Jean-Paul Driot, Simon Abadie, Hugues de Chaunac…

“These people have managed racing teams for a long time and have won several titles. I don’t know what would be Vasseur’s position in the team, but it would be extraordinary for French motorsport. He can do the job."

Renault return “would be fantastic”

Panis – who started 157 Grand Prix for Ligier, Prost, BAR and Toyota – is hopeful that the takeover of the Lotus team goes ahead as planned.

He believes that short-term success must be an attainable target for that to happen, however.

"Renault’s return in Formula 1 would be fantastic for motor racing in France,” he said. “But they have to come back in F1 as front-runners.

“I think this is their job today, to be in a position to fight for the world title in the next two or three years.”

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Pirelli considering more aggressive F1 tyres

Pirelli is considering a plan to deliver more varied action in Formula 1, with its new deal to be tyre supplier from 2017 now all but done.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone revealed on the starting grid ahead of the Russian Grand Prix that he had reached a commercial deal with Pirelli from 2017 to 2019. The contract now needs ratification by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.

Pirelli has faced a tough time in finding the right balance between tyres that degrade too much, and those that are too conservative like this year.

Motorsport director Paul Hembery said that the plan from 2017 was to be a bit more aggressive, but some thought was being given to tailoring the approach to individual races.

This would result in some events being flat-out blasts on low degrading tyres, while others could deliver higher wearing rubber to produce more pitstops.

"We are still being asked to do two or three stops, that is the idea," Hembery told Motorsport.com.

"They want us to try to come up with a degradation that is probably similar to what we have seen in the past.

"Maybe we can come up with a variety of situations, with some races we can do with tyres that you can push on with minimal degradation, which is what you would do in open competitive, and then something a bit more akin to what we saw in the early years.

"It is a strange situation because, if you talk to the fans, they all loved that initial racing, and the monumental increase in overtaking manoeuvres.

"And from a spectacle it was interesting, but for the drivers it was such a big change that it was something they found difficult to deal with.

"Now we are somewhere in the middle. We are not happy this season doing one-stop races, it is not in reality what we have been asked to do. It is something we recognise and it is something we need to change in the future."

Key answer

With Pirelli's approach to racing having divided opinions, Hembery believes that a split approach to test different concepts would perhaps allow F1 to find out exactly what sort of racing works best.

"Maybe we should try in 2017 to have some races in that approach," he said. "Let's see the proof out there on the track.

"So, some races where you have high degrading tyres, some races where you can push, and let's see what produces the best racing."

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Nico Rosberg sums up his Russian Grand Prix in Sochi

Nico sums up his race in Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix. After leading the opening laps, Nico’s car suffered from a throttle pedal failure that forced him to retire from the race early on.

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Lewis Hamilton hails 'real team player' Nico Rosberg

Lewis Hamilton has praised Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg's work ethic and backed the German to bounce back strongly in 2016 after all but dropping out of this year's title fight.

Last year the pair, who have been friends since their junior karting careers, engaged in a tense and at times bitter fight for the championship, from which Hamilton emerged victorious. The world champion is on the verge of repeating that triumph this year in a more routine fashion and could have the title wrapped up at the next race in Austin.

Despite seeing Rosberg retire early with throttle trouble, Hamilton's win in Sochi gave Mercedes its second straight constructors' championship and at the team's celebrations this week the English driver paid tribute to his team-mate.

"While we will all be getting straight back into the hard work, I hope everyone gets a chance to just take a step back for a moment and realise what we've achieved together," Hamilton said. "I know everyone at the factories will keep pushing to keep us at the front and myself and Nico will definitely be doing the same.

"I just want to mention too what a great team-mate Nico is. He's had a much tougher season so far than I have but has been a real team player throughout and I know he'll be fighting back through the many years to come in which we'll no doubt be competing hard against each other."

Hamilton is determined to continue Mercedes' title-winning success into 2016 and beyond.

"When I joined the team back in 2013, coming to a new place and a new environment was really daunting and I didn't know how it was going to play out. But I feel very much part of the family. When I heard we'd won the title I think I was yelling louder than anyone! Seeing how much effort goes into getting us to the front of the grid and having the success we've enjoyed together makes me so proud of each and every person involved.

"I've been racing with Mercedes-Benz since I was 13 and have actually never competed with another engine since Formula 3, so the star is in my blood and I'll keep pushing to put many more stars on that constructors' trophy."

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Carlos Sainz Jr thinks Toro Rosso's F1 future now looks more secure

Carlos Sainz Jr believes Toro Rosso's Formula 1 future - and his own place on the 2016 grid - is now close to being secured.

With Red Bull ending its teams' engine supply agreement with Renault at the end of this season, a year ahead of schedule, both Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing's prospects are uncertain.

But while the the situation looks bleak for Red Bull as Mercedes has said it will not provide a power unit and Ferrari is also understood to have declined, Toro Rosso is believed to be close to reverting to Ferrari power.

Asked by Autosport about the team's future, Sainz said: "It looks a bit better, like everything is falling into place, finally, especially for Toro Rosso.

"I'm positive. The situation looks to be improving.

"I really hope they come to an agreement soon and we can start preparing the car for next year.

"If the car is just an evolution of this year with a bit more power then I think we can have a very strong year with a very strong package.

"I'm a very positive guy. I want to think that next year we will have a competitive package and we will be a bit more up in the races, and that it can be a really good year.

"If we assess all the problems, and I learn a lot from this year, then next year can be a really good year."

Toro Roso was previously powered by Ferrari from 2007-13. Its 2016 deal is likely to involve this year's engines.

Asked for his view on that prospect, Sainz replied: "I still think it's not so bad if it's '15 spec, we will see."

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RAIKKONEN AND BOTTAS AT ODDS OVER SOCHI SHUNT

Fellow flying Finns Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen exchanged heated words in the wake of their controversial last-lap crash and both refuse to take the blame, and threatening to trigger a Finnish F1 civil war.

That is the claim of a third Finn, former double world champion Mika Hakkinen, who has weighed into the crash that cost Bottas a podium, Raikkonen a penalty and handed Mercedes an early constructors’ championship win.

As he was tagged by the Ferrari, the Williams driver exclaimed out over the radio: “What the f*ck did he do?”

Bottas was utterly furious after the impact, as amateur video emerged of him throwing first his cockpit collar onto the track, and then his gloves against the spectator fence.

The stewards agreed, handing Ferrari’s Raikkonen a post-race 30-second time penalty.

Raikkonen, however, argued: “I don’t think it was something completely stupid that I tried [to pass]. You never want to have accidents, but that’s racing and things happen.”

When told of Kimi’s attitude, Bottas said only: “Well I don’t agree. I can happily look in the mirror and say that it was not my fault.”

Hakkinen, as part of Bottas’ management team, told the Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat that he believes the 26-year-old and Raikkonen spoke privately after the race.

“I understand that a conversation did take place,” he said. “But it was not similar to when I went to see Ayrton Senna after our collision in Japan in 1994. At the next race I think Ayrton looked at me in a better light.”

“He appreciated the fact that I had admitted my mistake in front of all of the Williams people. Ayrton looked me straight in the eyes and put a hand on my shoulder. I think it’s better to admit your mistakes face to face.”

After the race, Ferrari chief Maurizio Arrivabene commented only that he admired Raikkonen’s fighting spirit, but not everyone was impressed with the Finn.

“Raikkonen tried as hard as he could and Sebastian (Vettel) blew him off in the end,” F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda said. And he blew himself off by hitting Bottas. I don’t think it was such a great drive.”

Hakkinen agreed: “In that situation, I think Kimi had some frustration that his teammate was once again ahead of him and heading for the podium.”

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VETTEL AND THE MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS OF HIS ONE FINGERED SALUTE

Sebastian Vettel’s one finger salute has been a major source of irritation for many Formula 1 fans but, love it or loathe it, it has become his trademark but the origin of the gesture has just become more confusing after his former Formula Renault boss Trevor Carlin tried to explain how it came about.

Carlin told Sky Sport, “He was massively fast and in his first season for us he decided to take Eau Rouge flat in a wet race. He had a massive accident and while he was trying to catch the accident his front wheel came off, flew over the car and caught the top of his finger – and took the top of his finger off.”

“The next day he turned up at the circuit with a big bandage on his finger – and still smiling despite not being able to race. But the top of his finger had broken off and they had to stitch it back on,” added Carlin.

But we have uncovered a photo of Vettel during his Formula BMW days dated April 2004 which clearly shows the braces wearing Vettel grinning and giving it the finger, thus casting doubt on Carlin’s theory.

Whatever the origins, Vettel’s one finger salute irked his rivals and certain fans, as it was a common sight in parc ferme during his dominant years between 2010 and 2013, with Red Bull, in which he racked up 38 wins, over 40 pole positions and four world titles – to celebrate each occasion up popped his finger.

Vettel himself became aware of the effect his salute had but was unrepentant and said in 2013, “We have had a little bit of a chat as some people for some reason seem to get offended. But I think the most important thing is you are who you are and stick to that.”

In 2014 Vettel endured a relatively unsuccessful season and the one finger salute was almost forgotten until it re-emerged when he took victory, his first as a Ferrari driver, in the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this year.

This season he also went on to win in Hungary and Singapore which of course again prompted the gesture, and with Mercedes so dominant in Formula 1 in recent years, many would now welcome more regular appearances of the famous one fingered salute on the podium.

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MARKO: IF RED BULL GOES SO DOES TORO ROSSO

More days have come and gone while Red Bull’s now urgent Formula engine crisis remains unsolved, and it appears that what if they lose their wings then they intend taking Toro Rosso down too..

Owner Dietrich Mateschitz’s end-of-October deadline is now looming large, with reports suggesting the Austrian billionaire has reverted to assuring the more than 1000 staff of the two teams that they will be given new jobs outside of F1.

“Maybe no news is good news,” Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner said.

But The Times newspaper said Mateschitz has admitted that “only the future of his staff in Britain and Italy has prevented him from pulling the plug on F1 quicker”.

However, while Red Bull Racing’s search for a new engine partner has been utterly fruitless, there are more positive signs from the junior outfit Toro Rosso, who seem ready to do a deal with Ferrari for a 2015-spec power unit.

But Helmut Marko has ruled that out, insisting that if Red Bull Racing is left empty-handed, Toro Rosso will also be pulled out of the sport.

“I am unaware of Herr (Franz) Tost’s ideas, but it is clear that there can be only one holistic solution for Red Bull and Toro Rosso,” the Austrian told Auto Motor und Sport.

Marko said he is not willing to estimate the chances that a solution can be found in percentage terms, revealing only: “We’ve been close a few times, but then nothing happened of it.”

As for Bernie Ecclestone’s confidant prediction that Red Bull and Toro Rosso will definitely line up on the 2016 grid, Marko presumed that was merely “Bernie’s words in God’s ear”.

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ABITEBOUL: WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING THE LOTUS AGREEMENT IN PLACE

The uncertainty about Lotus’ future in Formula 1 is likely to drag on beyond the end of the 2016 season, but Renault’s F1 chief Cyril Abiteboul says the process is happening.

Abiteboul confirmed, “Right now we are concentrating on getting the agreement with Lotus in place.”

Meanwhile the Enstone team’s deputy Federico Gastaldi, has revealed that despite the fact that Renault’s letter of intent to buy Lotus referred to “weeks” rather than months for the process to be completed.

It therefore becomes clearer why a top driver like Romain Grosjean, who is instead heading to the American startup Haas, would elect to leave the team rather than stake his claim on what could be a sought-after works Renault seat.

While it waits, Lotus is living hand to mouth, with Frenchman Grosjean admitting after his big Sochi crash that he hopes the team has the parts to fix the car in the two-week gap before Austin.

Even a favourite to replace Grosjean, the current Lotus reserve Jolyon Palmer, is nervous and told BBC, “I would absolutely love to confirm it (the seat) but I can’t. It’s no secret that I want it.”

But even Palmer is wary of Renault’s letter, “If it (the Renault takeover) doesn’t happen, maybe the current owners can dig deep and find something else for next year.”

Palmer is not alone in eyeing the Grosjean vacancy, as names including Kevin Magnussen, Stoffel Vandoorne and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne are all looking for a 2016 seat. The Renault situation, however, is a complication.

“It is no longer a decision that we can take alone,” Lotus’ Gastaldi told the Danish newspaper BT. “The entire acquisition is a long process which will probably end in December. I don’t think any decisions will be taken before then, unless Renault management suddenly decide otherwise.”

The driver question, then, is very much on the back burner.

“We were shocked that Romain decided to leave us, as he was the obvious man for the job,” said Gastaldi. “He has experience, he has been with us for years, he is French. So we were surprised when he decided to go to Haas.

“We were not preparing to have to find a new driver, and I can honestly say that at the moment we do not even have a list of potential names,” he added.

Being French, Ferrari tester Vergne seems an obvious candidate, but Gastaldi insisted: “My personal opinion is that nationality is not going to play a role. But, again, this is something the new owners will have to evaluate.”

“I’m always nervous of letters of intent in Formula 1,” former team owner and boss Eddie Jordan said. “Because they mean absolutely nothing – not even the paper they are written on.”

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RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX STRATEGY REPORT

Formula Legend Strategy Report – Russian Grand Prix 2015

Round 15 – 53 Laps – 5.848km per lap – 309.745km race distance – very low tyre wear

After last year’s dull inaugural F1 race in Russia, expectations weren’t particularly high for the 2015 event. However, the Sochi Autodrom sprung a surprise with an exciting, action-packed 15th round of the season.

Lewis Hamilton stormed to a dominant second Russian Grand Prix win, with Sebastian Vettel second and Sergio Perez third after a last lap clash between Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen. The latter picked up a penalty and that dropped him to eighth, giving Mercedes the constructors’ championship. Here are the main strategy points from the race:

One stop rules the day

The Sochi street track has an unusually smooth track surface. Temperatures were cool throughout the weekend and the wet weather on Friday, along with a diesel spill, meant conditions on the circuit remained rather green and low grip throughout.

Despite Pirelli opting to bring softer tyre compounds compared to 2014, nominating the super-soft and soft, degradation and wear rates were low during the race and this meant a one-stop strategy was used by many.

With a lack of running in all three practice sessions due to the diesel spill, rain and Carlos Sainz Jr’s huge FP3 crash, teams went into qualifying and the race with very little data and information. Early indications did suggest the tyres would hold up well, with the soft compound being slightly better suited to the race, but there were still a lot of unknowns.

Drivers complained during the dry running about getting their tyres up to temperature, with many struggling in the colder conditions and on the low grip surface. This proved to be tricky in qualifying and we saw most drivers in Q3 opting for two warm-up laps before going for a flier.

In the race, the low wear and degradation coupled with two Safety Car periods meant it was an easy one-stop Russian Grand Prix for many. Five drivers, including Hamilton and Vettel, who started on the super-soft compound went all the way until around lap 30 before stopping.

Safety Car stoppers make up ground

The first Safety Car was deployed at the end of lap one following a collision between Nico Hulkenberg, Max Verstappen (who was able to continue) and Marcus Ericsson. This helped drivers elongate their first stints, but the second appearance of the Mercedes GT AMG saw several dive into the pits.

Perez, Daniel Ricciardo, Sainz Jr and Jenson Button decided to stop and switch to the soft tyre. The teams were confident the drivers could make it to the end but preserving the prime compound would be crucial to reach the chequered flag.

It appeared to be working in the closing stages, with Perez and Ricciardo running third and fourth at one point, before Raikkonen and Bottas moved ahead of them both. Ricciardo retired, as did Sainz Jr, and cost both a chance of a top eight result.

However, Perez and Button continued and helped by the last lap contact finished third and ninth respectively, showing that 41 laps on the soft tyre could be done – although if the race had gone on any longer, both would have likely found the cliff.

The two drivers are both renowned for being kind on their tyres, so it was hardly surprising that with the conditions, they made the strategy work. As Ricciardo said after he had retired, it was a risk, but it paid off for them both. It would have been interesting to see how the Red Bull and Toro Rosso cars would have fitted into the scenario.

Starting on the soft

Pastor Maldonado, Felipe Massa, Ericsson and Fernando Alonso were the only drivers to start on the prime tyre and then switch to the option for the final stint. With both tyres lasting a long time and the super-soft giving consistently good lap times, three of the four drivers used it to make progress.

Ericsson was, of course, eliminated on lap one. Maldonado stopped on lap 30 and picked up places as others hit trouble, finishing eighth. Massa was caught out in qualifying by a mistake and traffic, so he was out of position.

As proved by Bottas, the pace of the Williams was probably equal to the Ferrari, so he was able to pass Maldonado, who was on the same strategy, and make up more ground compared to the Lotus. He also benefitted from the numerous incidents and finished a fine fourth.

Alonso was always going to struggle and the McLaren was a sitting duck on the straights, but he enjoyed some good battles and finished 10th. However, a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits dropped him to 11th. You also have to consider the fact that only 15 drivers were classified and two of them failed to reach the chequered flag.

Longest Stints

Supersoft: Alonso (40 laps)

Soft: Perez, Button (41 laps)

Most Stops

Stevens, Verstappen (2 – including drive-throughs)

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NEWLY PUBLISHED 2016 F1 RULES CAUSING A STIR

Formula 1’s newly-published rules for the 2016 world championship season are causing a stir.

The first apparent anomoly in the FIA’s new regulations is the stipulation that a “maximum” of 20 grands prix may be held, even though Bernie Ecclestone has put forward a 21-race schedule featuring Azerbaijan for the first time.

Another feature of the 2016 rules is that year-old engine specifications have been ruled out.

This year, Manor has been running a 2014 Ferrari unit, while it was rumoured that one solution for Red Bull and Toro Rosso for next year might be to use a 2015 ‘power unit’ next year.

Not only that, the in-season engine development loophole of 2015, in which manufacturers can deploy their ‘tokens’ during the current world championship, has been closed for 2016.

Only modifications for “the sole purposes of reliability, safety (and) cost-saving” will be permitted next year, the FIA declared.

However, a meeting is set to take place on Thursday in which potentially modifying the engine rules will be discussed.

Auto Motor und Sport claims that another radical idea on the table is to solve Red Bull’s engine crisis by allowing the teams to use an old V8 from 2013, with rules put in place to ensure equivalent performance with the rest of the V6-powered field.

The introduction of a second exhaust pipe for 2016 should mean the V6 ‘power units’ are louder next year, but the prospect of the return of F1’s screaming V8s might also be welcomed by the fans.

Welcoming the idea of a louder F1 next year, Sergio Perez said: “We definitely need it.”

“I still remember the first time I came to a race, and what really shocked me was the noise. We have the best cars in the world and we need to show that,” he argued.

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BUTTON SAYS MAGNUSSEN SHOULD GET 2016 F1 RACE SEAT

Jenson Button has tipped McLaren-Honda reserve Kevin Magnussen for a Formula 1 race seat in 2016.

The pair were partnered together at the Woking team last year, but McLaren-Honda is now charging ahead with an all-champion lineup of Button alongside Fernando Alonso.

It has left Magnussen champing at the bit as mere McLaren reserve in 2015, and warning that if he does not return to a race seat next year, he will look outside of F1.

“I am in contact with several interesting teams both inside and outside of formula one,” he told the Danish tabloid BT.

“Of course I hope to have something in place soon, but right now I just have to be patient,” added Magnussen, who has been recovering from a hand injury sustained in a cycling fall.

McLaren chiefs have said they are pushing to help Magnussen take his next steps, and now 2014 teammate Button says the 23-year-old deserves another shot at a race seat.

“Personally, I feel he’s a very talented and extremely quick driver, but as we know that isn’t enough at the top level of formula one,” said Button.

2009 world champion Button, however, says he watched Magnussen develop those necessary extra skills last year.

“I don’t know whether or not he’s got a chance of bagging any of the remaining vacant formula one seats,” he said, “but he’s clearly the best driver available and I’d therefore very much recommend him to any team that has a vacancy.

“He’s good enough not only to race in F1, but also to help a team succeed in formula one,” Button added.

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PIRELLI STILL WAIT FOR FIA TO RUBBER STAMP 2017 DEAL

Pirelli are now waiting for the FIA to formalise and rubber stamp the new deal to keep supplying tyres exclusively to Formula 1 teams beyond 2016.

As they symbolically shook hands on the Sochi grid last Sunday, Bernie Ecclestone and Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera revealed that they have agreed terms over a new three-year contract until 2019.

Curiously, however, the usual celebratory press announcements from both Formula One Management (FOM) and the Italian tyre company have been lacking, even though Pirelli’s F1 chief Paul Hembery said he was “delighted” with the deal.

But Pirelli warned: “The process to the formal FIA official nomination will follow with its procedure.”

Briton Hembery explained: “Bear in mind that it’s the commercial aspects (of the deal) that have been agreed.”

He is referring to the actual monetary value of the contract between the Ecclestone-led FOM and Pirelli, with official endorsement by the governing FIA yet to come.

“There is still a formal process to go through to the point of official recognition from the FIA,” Hembery added.

“I guess that will be the World Council in December. But they (the FIA) have already approved us technically to go on to the commercial agreement, so it should only be a matter of process,” he said.

Pirelli has made no secret of the fact that it is unhappy with the current testing limitations in F1, as it wants to introduce a new extra-soft compound in 2016 and then increase the size of the tyres for the technical revolution of 2017.

So far, the marque has faced constant road-blocks in making post-season testing arrangements, but the French broadcaster Canal Plus reports that Pirelli will get a single-day test immediately after the Abu Dhabi season finale.

“We need to test in good conditions for the development of the tyres for 2016 and the new tyre size for the rule change in 2017,” Hembery insisted.

“We will utilise the facilities in Abu Dhabi to maximise running by going into the evening with the lights, and possibly exploit the possibility of artificially wetting the track so that we can run rain tyres as well,” he added.

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How will F1 sound in 2016 with the new exhaust rules?

Noticeably different. Probably. But only at sporadic intervals and they won't exactly produce the screaming noise enjoyed during previous generations.

The new regulations stipulate that 2016 cars must have at least two exhaust pipes. The main tailpipe for the turbo's turbine and a smaller exit for the wastegate gasses, but can feature an optional third exit in the form of a second wastegate exhaust.

The problem with this 'solution' is that it's yet to be tested in real-world conditions and is therefore a theoretical - and quick - fix dreamt up by Formula 1's engine manufacturers.

It's hoped that a direct exit for the wastegate will boost the volume as at present the noise is lost in the main turbo exhaust.

However the problem is that F1's new turbo-hybrid engines use these gasses to spin the turbine and charge the battery through the ERS-H. Therefore the wastegate is only used when the pressure exceeds what is required to operate these components.

The wastegate tailpipe - the part they hope will make some extra noise to please the fans in the grandstand - will only operate at certain times, not constantly and at unregular times throughout a lap.

So yes, F1 will sound different - and hopefully louder - in 2016, but it certainly won't bring back the roar of the V8 engines we previously experienced and enjoyed.

But noise probably isn't the main reason the teams have pushed for a second (and third) tailpipe. The aerodynamic benefit, although small and sporadic, will be welcome at the rear following the loss of double and exhaust-blown diffusers.

The regulations are quite strict on tailpipe placement, but we wouldn't be surprised if one or more teams manage to find a way to use the additional gasses to find extra downforce, as they have done so with the current single tailpipe and monkey seats.

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Onboard lap of the new-look Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

New onboard footage gives the best impression yet of how the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will look when it hosts the first Mexican Grand Prix for 23 years next month.

Every corner on the Mexico City track has been revised to bring it up to modern safety standards. The track last held a round of the world championship in 1992.

The track is being revised for the second time since it was first used for F1 in 1963. The new version measures 4.438 kilometres, 17 metres longer than the previous version. Its long start/finish straight is expected to make it one of the fastest venues currently in use.

The video shows the track surface has been laid and work is continuing to complete the rest of the circuit’s makeover.

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Rosberg: Mercedes can keep edge over Ferrari

Nico Rosberg is confident that Mercedes has plenty of potential left to hold off the growing threat from Ferrari, despite the progress the Italian team has made.

Rosberg slipped to third place in the Formula 1 drivers' standings after the Russian Grand Prix, where Sebastian Vettel was once again Mercedes' main challenger as he shadowed Lewis Hamilton to take second place.

But with Ferrari preparing to get a head start with 2016 engine development by introducing an engine update later this season, the Maranello-based outfit is ramping up its challenge for next year's title.

Rosberg, however, believes that the progress Mercedes has made in staving off Ferrari so far has been impressive, and thinks it still has what it takes to keep Vettel behind.

"Ferrari are doing a great job and we respect their attack on us, and have a close eye on them," said Rosberg.

"But at the same time, we are confident because we have an awesome team, and even when they are coming at us this year, we have always pulled away again.

"We showed that after Singapore, where we had a disaster, while in Russia and Suzuka we were strong and back to where we were at the beginning of the season.

"So we are really showing that we can fight them in terms of development and everything."

Personal gains

Rosberg believes there are areas where he has improved himself over the course of the season, and knows the specifics of where he can do better too.

"What I need to dig into of course is understanding the qualifying from the first part of the year," said Rosberg, who was beaten to pole position more often than not by team-mate Hamilton.

"Now it has been coming good, but I don't know the exact reason for that. So that is what I need to dig in to to try to understand.

"It is important in the fight, to work on every area that has been a weak point really and that has cost me."

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Analysis: How Red Bull could deliver an F1 rival

With no solution in sight to find an engine to power its Formula 1 teams next year, Red Bull could be forced out of the sport. Cue the Red Bull Grand Prix World Championship. Could it happen?

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo going head-to-head in Adrian Newey-designed, screaming V8-powered cars in a new Red Bull Grand Prix World Championship that offered fans the best access and best television and Internet coverage in the world.

Be exciting, wouldn't it?

But is it the stuff of motor racing fantasies, or, as Red Bull's Formula 1 engine crisis continues, could such a vision actually become the most logical end game to the energy drinks problems?

For with no solution in sight to deliver the competitive engines for 2016 that Red Bull are demanding to stay in F1, the time is fast approaching where the company has to either back down and accept a compromise or go and do something bold.

And, with Dietrich Mateschitz feeling disillusioned with not only the treatment his team has had from Mercedes and Ferrari in getting rejected over engines, but that the sport's chiefs seem powerless to help him out, perhaps the time has come for him to show F1 what it is missing.

New activities

As the chatter over Red Bull pulling the plug on F1 continues, one factor that has been clear is that if the Doomsday scenario is played out and Red Bull quit, it would not be to simply sell the teams. It would be to get them out of F1 and shift the staff to work on something else.

Only last week, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said that an end to F1 would not be an end to the activities of Red Bull personnel.

"If we were to face a situation that we could not continue in grand prix racing, we would have to look for alternative activities, for sure," he said.

"At Milton Keynes we have a lot of very talented people. We would have to find a way to exploit their talents elsewhere. Of course, my staff is worrying about the future.

"But I keep telling them: 'Please continue working and don't worry about things you cannot control.' "

A bunch of racers

Some people have suggested that those projects could include an America's Yacht challenge, or a space project.

But the reality is that Milton Keynes is a crack racing organisation, filled with engineers and brains whose life and careers have been involved in getting racing cars going around race tracks as fast as possible.

You cannot simply pull the plug out on Formula 1 and then hope it can be put back in for a project in a totally different industry.

But what if Mateschitz is not thinking of switching his men across to different areas. What if there is a plan to keep them in motor racing? What if at the back of his mind is creating the ultimate world championship?

For if F1's bosses cannot do anything to help save Red Bull's ambitions in grand prix racing, then why can't Red Bull take the issue in to its own hands and create a racing series that delivers exactly what it wants?

The Red Bull Grand Prix World Championship.

Series ownership

Red Bull's involvement in F1 does not follow its normal marketing approach to championships, because the energy drinks company always has a preference for owning events it is involved in. That way, it maximises both the marketing benefits and the income.

There has been talk for several years that Red Bull could change it stance and go from team owner to sport owner in F1 – but nothing has ever happened on that front.

But if Mateschitz turns his back on F1, what is stopping him creating what is in effect a top-level rival series?

The right ingredients

Money certainly is not a factor as Red Bull's huge profits would be enough to ensure the series is bankrolled with all it needs.

It could get FIA-backing as long as it followed the governing body's International Sporting Code and complied with safety and fairness demands.

Engines could come from Cosworth, and screaming V8s or V10s would delight fans who continue to moan about the noise of the current F1 turbo V6s.

The cars, much faster than current F1 and more aggressive looking, could be designed by Adrian Newey, and manufactured from Milton Keynes.

The first batch of drivers – Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz – would get the ball rolling and a big recruitment drive would deliver a good selection of other available names. Mark Webber? Sebastien Buemi? Dean Stoneman? Sebastien Loeb?

In terms of tracks, while F1 chiefs could make it hard for current venues to allow the Red Bull category to be held there, there are no shortage of circuits that would be willing and able because F1 is no longer there.

A series consisting of venues like Adelaide, Hockenheim, Magny-Cours, Brands Hatch, Estoril, Turkey, Zandvoort, Indianapolis – and perhaps soon Monza and Silverstone – would bring in the crowds.

And promotion wise is easy. Red Bull's huge global marketing infrastructure would spread its message far and wide; allowing the kind of television delights and Internet/social media presence that many in F1 can only dream of such are the stringent restrictions laid down right now.

A brave step

Hitting the nuclear button and pushing for its own top-level world championship series would be a very brave step for Red Bull, but recent months have shown that the energy drinks company is not afraid of speaking its mind and hitting out at rivals and partners to get what it wants.

Its feelings of rejection, its belief that it is being driven out of F1 by the fear of its rivals, has left it angry.

And when people get angry, revenge is often the next step.

And there would be no sweeter revenge than creating the biggest, best, loudest and most popular series in the world.

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Formula 1 customer engines must be same-spec in 2016

The FIA has confirmed that Formula 1 manufacturers will not be able to offer second-tier engines to its customer teams next season, unless all teams now agree to change the rules.

Red Bull is battling to secure a supply of power units for 2016 identical to the ones being used by the Ferrari team, but its efforts so far have not been successful.

There had been suggestions that Ferrari could offer 2015-specification engines, either to Red Bull or Toro Rosso, because it is now too late to ramp up production of the power unit that will be used by the works teams next year.

But in regulations published by the FIA on Wednesday, it is made clear that as things stand Ferrari will not be able to offer anything but identical engines to its customer teams.

Article 23.5 of F1's 2016 Sporting Regulations said: "Only power units which are identical to the power unit that has been homologated by the FIA in accordance with Appendix 4 of these regulations may be used at an Event during the 2016- 2020 Championship seasons."

Although this rule prevents different specifications of engines, it does not cut off the possibility of manufacturers using better software mapping or fuel products to ensure a competitive advantage over their customers.

Unanimous agreement

While that rule would appear to shut off any options of Red Bull being given second-tier engines, it is still possible that the regulations can be changed if all teams agree.

Article 1.2 of the rules says: "These Sporting Regulations were published on 30 September 2015 and may only be changed after this date with the unanimous agreement of all competitors entered in the 2016 Championship, save for changes made by the FIA for safety reasons which may come into effect without notice or delay."

With F1's engine manufacturers meeting the FIA for a rules summit on Thursday, it is possible that there could yet be an agreement that would allow some compromises, if it helped either of the Red Bull teams or Ferrari.

F1 teams have already expressed some support for a rule tweak to allow 2015 engines to be used next year, but this still needs discussion at the next F1 Commission meeting.

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F1 teams given triple exhaust option

Formula 1 teams will have the option of running a triple exhaust layout next season as the result of efforts to make cars louder.

Formula 1 teams will have the option of running a triple exhaust layout next season as the result of efforts to make cars louder.

It was revealed back at the Monaco Grand Prix that teams have been working on a solution to ramp up the noise following complaints from fans.

The plan was to make it mandatory for there to be two tailpipe exits, rather than the current single one that has resulted in a muffled sound.

The ideas were subsequently approved by all of F1's teams to be put in to the regulations, and were duly ratified by the FIA's recent World Motor Sport Council meeting.

The FIA has now published the specific regulations, which make clear that the exhaust exit from the turbine must be separate from that of the wastegate.

But interestingly, teams will be allowed to run two wastegate tailpipes if they want.

A new article 5.8.2 of F1's Technical Regulations states: "Engine exhaust systems must have only a single turbine tailpipe exit and either one or two wastegate tailpipe exits which must all be rearward facing and through which all exhaust gases must pass.

"All and only the turbine exit exhaust gases must pass through the turbine tailpipe and all and only the wastegate exhaust gases must pass through the wastegate tailpipe(s). None of the tailpipes may be contained within any of the other tailpipes."

The FIA has included regulations to specify where the exit of the exhausts can be on the car, in a bid to prevent the return of blown diffusers.

However, there is an increased likelihood that teams will now look in to ways of trying to help manage airflow from the exhausts on to other aerodynamic devices at the back of the car.

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David Hunt, brother of James, dies at 55

David Hunt, the brother of 1976 F1 world champion James Hunt and occasional racer himself, has died at the age of 55.

Hunt strived for almost 20 years to resurrect the Lotus F1 team after its collapse in 1994, but ultimately he failed to bring the name back in to F1 under the terms which he originally wanted.

The younger brother of James Hunt, David made a fortune in the early 1990s by selling his Amway water filters and marketing company.

From 1994 onward Hunt attempted to bring Team Lotus back to F1, even coming close to acquiring the Prost team in 2000/2001 in order to get a position on the F1 grid to resurrect the Lotus name.

The Lotus name of a sort returned in 1995 as Pacific Team Lotus, but the season was a disaster with the uncompetitive PR02 driven by the likes of Andrea Montermini, Giovanni Lavaggi and Jean-Denis Deletraz.

The Lotus name did re-emerge in 2010 when Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne entered F1 and based the team close to the original factory in Norfolk.

Hunt had sold the naming rights he acquired from the receivers in 1994 to the Litespeed F3 entity, which was run by Nino Singh Judge and Steve Kenchington.

The rights, bought through Hunt’s Team Lotus Ventures Ltd company were then taken on by Malaysia 1, a government backed entity headed by Tony Fernandes.

Subsequently, Hunt became embroiled in a bitter dispute over the Lotus rights with Fernandes.

It was believed that Fernandes agreed with Hunt to buy the rights to the Team Lotus but back-tracked on the terms of an agreement. The matter ended in acrimony after a long and complex court battle, which Fernandes ultimately won, but was subsequently criticised by the judge for not disclosing his purchase of the Caterham name which then went on to become the name of his F1 team in 2012.

"What angers me is that I have, in good faith, worked extremely hard on the build-up to the hearing because I believed Tony would honour our January agreement," Hunt told the Daily Telegraph newspaper at the time.

"He's apparently 'changed his mind' at the 11th hour, by his own admission, now that I've done so much work on his company's behalf, and he's trying to renegotiate by offering new terms which are, frankly, ludicrous. If he doesn't honour our agreement then regrettably I don't see why I should continue to provide assistance and this trial won't be the last battle he's facing, even if he wins."

Hunt the racer

Hunt, who was a dozen years younger than his famous brother James, started his racing career in the early 1980s.

By 1983 Hunt was competing in the British F3 series but scored only two points. He also made sporadic international appearances for David Price Racing and Eddie Jordan Racing, competing in the Macau Grand Prix in ’83, ’84 and ’86.

After mediocre seasons in F3 again in ’84 and ’86, Hunt graduated to F3000 in 1988 but endured a disastrous campaign. Driving a Roger Cowman entered Lola T88/50 Hunt failed to qualify for the first three races, but did score a seventh place in the infamous Brands Hatch race where Johnny Herbert suffered a devastating accident.

A week later at the Birmingham Superprix, Hunt hit the headlines when his car got launched over another and in to a local shop wall at Sherlock Street, punching a foot-wide hole in the brick wall and destroying the Lola. Hunt somehow emerged unscathed.

His final race was at Dijon, before he decided to call it a day on racing career and concentrate on his largely successful business ventures, which in turn led him on personal crusade to return Lotus to F1.

Hunt died suddenly in his sleep on Sunday evening.

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Ferrari considering engine upgrade and team orders in Austin

Ferrari is considering introducing an engine upgrade at the US Grand Prix, but Sebastian Vettel's slim chances in the title race means it is not a straightforward decision.

Ferrari has introduced two performance upgrades to its engine this year but still has four performance tokens tokens left to spend. Both drivers have already used their maximum allocation of four power units for the season, meaning an upgrade would result in at least a 10-place grid penalty.

Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene says Vettel's position in the drivers' championship complicates the matter as he is now Lewis Hamilton's closest rival and needs to finish within seven points of the Mercedes driver in Austin to keep the title battle alive for another round. A grid penalty would most likely kill off his slim chances of challenging for the title and so Ferrari remains undecided on whether to introduce the upgrade.

"We are thinking about [an engine upgrade] and we will tell you in Austin what we are going to do," Arrivabene said. "Of course, the situation with Seb being second in the championship has changed things a bit, but we have to do our correlation and look at what we have at home before taking any final decision."

At the last round in Russia, Vettel went wheel to wheel with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen in a fight for position that nearly ended in a collision at Turn 2. Arrivabene said the Ferrari pit wall did not consider implementing team orders at the time, but may change its approach at future races.

"We were not considering the championship at that part of the race and they swapped the position by themselves so there was no need. The time may come, of course, where we will consider the situation differently, but in Russia there was no need."

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Tyres alone could make F1 cars three seconds faster in 2017 - Pirelli

Pirelli is aiming to lower lap times by two to three seconds per lap with its plans for wider, higher performance tyres in 2017.

Formula One is targeting lap times five seconds faster than they are today by 2017 in response to accusations the current formula is too slow. Although the future regulations have not yet been agreed, Pirelli is confirmed as F1's tyre supplier from 2017 to 2019 and is keen to get on board with F1's vision for more spectacular cars.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery believes the tyres can offer two to three seconds of performance per lap on their own, with the car and engine regulations making up the rest.

"It's certainly looking like wider tyres; the actual precise dimension has actually changed a bit," he said. "We're talking now a 300mm width front and a 400mm width rear, and that's staying with 13inch rims.

"There's simulation work, we need to provide some data and what that will provide, a grip model for the teams, so they can work out how much of performance they can get from the tyres.

"It's probably two, maybe three seconds from the tyre. Based on that they will modify the aero regs, and maybe the engine regs as well, to obtain the five seconds we're trying to achieve."

Hembery said Pirelli has the know-how to gain a quick improvement in performance if it is what the sport wants.

"In reality, even with the current tyre you could find a performance change if you were looking for performance. There is technologies you can apply that focus more on performance. Going to a wider tyre as well means a bigger footprint so of course that means you're going to get more performance."

However, F1 is keen to stick to with multiple pits stops after a series of dull one-stop races this year.

"The teams and the commercial rights holder want us certainly to two and three pit stops again, we've been far too close to one, this season in particular. Can we have two or three stops and can we get some of the performance so we can start breaking lap records again."