FORMULA 1 - 2015

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Button sorry to see the Peraltada go from Mexico’s F1 track

Jenson Button is disappointed the Mexican Grand Prix circuit no longer features the famous Peraltada corner.

The 180-degree final corner at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is being bypassed on the new version of the track which will host the country’s first race for 23 years this weekend.

“The circuit itself looks really interesting,” said Button, “I remember as a kid watching some incredible battles there and the drivers hanging onto their cars around Peraltada, which looked mega, if a bit scary.”

“It’s a shame that corner hasn’t been included in the new layout, but from what I’ve seen of the track and heard from others that have visited, it looks like it’ll be a fun challenge.”

As there is no room to add extra run-off on the outside of the corner, and a baseball field on the inside of it prevents it from being moved inwards, a combination of slower bends will be used instead. The new track rejoins the old halfway around the Peraltada, and the new corner has been renamed the Nigel Mansell turn in honour of his famous pass on the old corner in 1990.

The circuit owners have said there was “no way” to keep the track’s signature corner for F1 racing.

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Wolff: F1 warned against 'Back to the Future' engine move

Formula 1 has been warned against going 'Back to the Future' with engine technology, amid the push to find a cheaper standard engine for customer teams.

The FIA has now confirmed that it will begin talks with the sport's stakeholders soon to lay out plans for an independent supplier of power units.

One proposal is for it to be a 2.2-litre twin turbo V6 engine – which would be tuned to ensure that it had performance parity with manufacturers' current 1.6-litre hybrid versions.

But Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff is not in favour of the plans, and thinks F1 could be making a mistake in thinking it best to go back to simpler technology to help secure the future.

While accepting that there may be little he can do to do to stop the rules coming in to force, Wolff urged caution about embracing an alternative engine.

“There is a governance structure in place and obviously the majority wants the rules to change, and that is going to happen,” Wolff told Motorsport.com. “But we are going to make our standpoint.

“The hybrid is important, and it is what is happening on the roads today. But if you want to go 'Back to the Future', that is not what we believe should be the philosophy.

“Let's see how the governing body and everybody involved is going to decide.”

Nightmare rules

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier believes if an alternative engine does come in to play, then F1 could face big trouble in trying to balance out performance of the different power units.

“It will be very, very difficult to balance the performance between two different technologies like this,” he explained.

“We still believe it is better to help Renault and Honda to catch up, than diversify already.

“Although it is too early to have a clear position, it will be a nightmare to balance in terms of regulations and it will not be necessarily fair to have a cheaper engine delivering better performance than a top engine.”

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Tost: Safety cars cost Verstappen podium chance

Max Verstappen was robbed of the chance to deliver his maiden Formula 1 podium by the late-race safety cars at the United States Grand Prix, reckons his team boss.

The Dutchman eventually finished fourth at Austin, but Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost thinks there was a chance of doing even better if Mercedes had not been helped out by incidents.

Like Sebastian Vettel, Verstappen had stopped for tyres at the first safety car when Marcus Ericsson came to a halt on track – and it appeared to have handed both men a good opportunity to beat Mercedes.

But when the virtual safety car for Nico Hulkenberg's crash and the full safety car for Daniil Kvyat's crash were called out, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton got their stops out of the way without losing much time.

Speaking to Motorsport.com about what would have happened if the race had panned out without those safety cars, Tost said: “If it would have been a non-safety car, I am convinced that Vettel would have won the race.

“I could not believe that Mercedes did not stop [at the first safety car] as they had to come in once more. And if it had continued, I don't think they could have caught Vettel any more.

“And, it could have been that Max would have finished on the podium. This was what I was calculating. But unfortunately there was once more a safety car which helped Mercedes.

“Nevertheless it was a real good performance and a real good result and I am more than happy with the team and the drivers.”

Verstappen getting better

Tost said that Verstappen's run to fourth once again highlighted his speed as a driver – and showed evidence that he was getting stronger over the season.

“Of course he is getting better,” said Tost. “He has a very steep learning curve and gradient, and Max did a fantastic job this weekend.

“And I can tell you why: on Friday he could not run in P1, no timed laps because of technical problems, and he came today in to qualifying without knowing the track very well, and he qualified in Q3.

“The race itself was also a very strong performance from his side from the beginning onwards because he was always in the front part of the group.

“At the end, he controlled the race and he knew exactly how fast he had to drive, how to be careful with the tyres and graining, and how to operate in the car.

"He had everything under control, and it was really impressive – a fantastic job.”

Sainz impressive

Tost also believed that Carlos Sainz deserved praise for his fighting spirit, having recovered from a qualifying crash.

“Carlos also did a real good job because he had this accident in the morning [qualifying]. He had a good start, coming back from 11th position on the first lap, and it showed how aggressive he was without touching anyone and without running into trouble.

“His last stint was also very, very exciting. Just look at how many cars he overtook. He was showing also that he has a lot of potential. Our drivers, both of them, are showing a very, very good performance.”

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Mexican GP - A thrilling debut

“The circuit is very technical” tells Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver, the Mexican Esteban Gutiérrez”. “The three sectors are very different from each other but very technical at the same time. It means drivers who work out the best line will be the first to set quick lap times. I don’t expect it to be very hot, so even getting the tyres up to temperature will not be easy. Only once the cars are out on track will we understand how suited is our car to these various characteristics”.

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Watch Lewis' preview for the Mexican GP

“This is our first time to Mexico so it will be my first time to Mexico, so I'm massively excited.” The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Driver Lewis Hamilton is really curious about the new circuit in Mexico and excited to visit this spectacular Country for the first time. “I'm looking forward to getting out there and really experiencing a bit of the culture but also driving a new circuit is always a challenge and it's something that a racing driver always wants to be the first at dominating and overcoming.

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Kevin Magnussen to get Porsche LMP1 test

Former McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen has been handed the opportunity to test for Porsche's LMP1 World Endurance Championship team next month.

Magnussen, recently dropped from McLaren's driver programme, will join Mitch Evans and Oliver Turvey at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on November 10-11, and will also take part in the WEC rookie test in Bahrain later that month. McLaren CEO Ron Dennis has said Magnussen deserves a career in Formula One but a full-time drive in 2016 looks unlikely.

After beating Stoffel Vandoorne to the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5 title, Magnussen was promoted to Formula One by McLaren to partner Jenson Button. Despite scoring a podium on his debut in Melbourne he endured a mixed rookie season and was eventually dropped to a reserve driver role as McLaren decided to keep Button alongside Fernando Alonso for 2015.

He deputised for the injured Spaniard in Melbourne, which scuppered his chances of driving in IndyCar, but has sat on the sidelines for the remainder of the current season. He was recently linked with a drive at Lotus as it moves towards a takeover by Renault, but the Enstone team has now confirmed Jolyon Palmer alongside Pastor Maldonado for 2016.

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Sainz: Toro Rosso setting sights on top five

Carlos Sainz has full faith Toro Rosso can step up to become a top five team in the Formula 1 constructors' championship after its impressive showing in the United States Grand Prix.

The Spanish driver had been forced to start from the very back of the grid in Austin after suffering an unfortunate crash during qualifying in the slippery conditions, but blasted through the field during the opening laps to rise back into the top ten.

As the track began to dry Sainz gambled slightly too early switching to dry tyres which pushed him back through the pack but the Spanish rookie gallantly fought off Jenson Button for sixth at the chequered flag.

However, a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane dropped him behind the McLaren driver in the final classification but Sainz left Austin in a buoyant mood.

“I knew it was going to a chaotic race and anything could happen so we did a very good first lap and quickly in the points, up to tenth in two or three laps, but then the problems started appearing,” Sainz said. “We had a pit stop which we lost 10 or 15 seconds in and then we made the mistake to put the prime tyre on when it was clearly not the tyre of the race. Then we had another pit stop and the pit limiter didn't work when I left the pits. The brakes we also had to save because I was running out of them.

“So many things that even with that and to arrive P6 but with a penalty back to P7 it was a great achievement by all of us.”

Sainz also felt if he had avoided some of the costly pitstops and the time penalty he could have finished much higher and been in range of his team-mate Max Verstappen who claimed fourth place.

“It was good fun because at the end it was about throwing the car in and closing the eyes and it worked,” he said. “With everything to finish P6 is good but I feel a lot more could have been achieved today if we hadn't lost all those seconds during the race. To finish P6 and have the best race of the season despite starting last shows that we are on the right path.”

The former Formula Renault 3.5 champion is confident if Toro Rosso can rub out some mistakes it has the drivers and the package to challenge for the top five in the teams' standings against the likes of Force India and Lotus.

“It is a fantastic day for us and congratulations to Max on picking up important points for the team which we needed. Now we need to assess the small issues that we are having and if we solve them we can become a top five team in the championship because we definitely have the car, the people and the drivers. When we put it all together I believe we will be top five.”

With three rounds remaining starting this weekend in Mexico, Toro Rosso sits seventh in the manufacturers' championship, seven points off of Lotus and 39 behind Force India in fifth.

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Rossi: This is the start of great things

Alexander Rossi says he sees his 12th place at his home debut Formula 1 Grand Prix as 'the start of great things' and is thrilled after vying for the points-paying positions in Austin.

The American driver grabbed Manor's equal-best result of the season in P12 – matching Roberto Merhi's result at Silverstone – in a race which started badly but ended in a positive crescendo.

Heading into the first corner melee, Rossi was forced to run wide by the spinning Williams of Felipe Massa and ran into his team-mate Will Stevens which ultimately ruled the British driver out of the race.

Rossi's Manor wasn't badly damaged enabling him to charge forward and due to multiple collisions and safety car periods he became within reach of the points, a feat not achieved by the team since Jules Bianchi's ninth place in Monaco last year, but was eventually bumped down the order into P12 at the chequered flag.

The American driver says he is delighted by the result after a tricky home debut at the Circuit of the Americas and is looking to carry the performance into this weekend's race in Mexico.

“It's been a truly amazing week and to finish in 12th place today is incredibly exciting for me and the team,” Rossi said. 2I'm so proud to race well here in front of my home crowd and to equal the team's best performance of the season in only my third Grand Prix.

“The race did get off to a tricky start, which was a shame. There was a Williams driver in the mix, who had picked up some damage, and avoiding him put Will and me on the same piece of racetrack. Unfortunately we hit and I'm sorry for Will that the resulting damage ended his race.

“As for the positives, I had a good battle with Felipe Nasr for quite a few laps and then with the rate of attrition we were seeing, I think everyone perhaps started to feel that we were getting in touch with a points-scoring position.

“In the end, it wasn't to be, but that doesn't detract from what has been a fantastic day for me and I'm now looking to carry that momentum forward to Mexico, where we race in just a week's time. I'd like to thank the Team and everyone who continues to support me in my career. I hope this is just the start of great things in Formula 1 for me.”

Rossi has adapted to life with Manor in F1 remarkably well after finishing an impressive 14th place maiden race in Singapore, followed by a solid but unspectacular 18th in Japan.

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Maldonado secures maiden hat-trick points finishes

Pastor Maldonado is in his strongest vein of form since joining the Formula 1 paddock in 2011 with a third consecutive points finish – the first time the Venezuelan has achieved the feat.

The Lotus driver was able to keep himself out of trouble while staying on the slippery ribbon of track in Austin to grab eighth place in the United States Grand Prix.

Combining it with his eighth in Japan and seventh in Russia, Maldonado is arguably in his most consistent form and he says he is happy to do a team job heading into the final three races of 2015.

“We are in the points once again which is the main positive thing for the team,” Maldonado said. “It was quite a busy race with a lot of fighting around me, and even some fighting with the car as it didn't quite perform as expected.”

The Lotus driver says the conditions impacted the E23 Hybrid's performance and feels his team were able to manage the drying circuit better than its rivals which was the key to his fifth points finish of the season.

“It was a little bit strange because we are normally quite strong in the races; better than in qualifying in fact,” he said. “My crew were great all day with qualifying and the race. We hope to continue scoring strong points in the remaining races.”

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FIA FACE OFF AGAINST FERRARI IN CUT-PRICE FORMULA 1 ENGINE BATTLE

The champagne bottles lie upturned in the bins, the voices of those who partied into Sunday night at Pete’s Piano Bar in Austin are still hoarse and now with a world championship celebrated and consigned to history it’s time for another F1 political battle.

We wrote some months ago that it was becoming clear that the unintended consequence of the 2014 F1 rule change to hybrid turbo engines in F1 was to make the two main engine manufacturers, Ferrari and Mercedes, too powerful. This has been illustrated by the Red Bull engine crisis and an even bigger tsunami is now approaching.

The FIA last night issued a statement (in full below), confirming what was reported last week about the fall-out from the engine manufacturers’ and F1 Strategy Group meetings: the FIA wants a ceiling on engine costs of €12m for new engines and €8m for year old units. They managed to get a majority vote in favour of this in the F1 Strategy Group.

But Ferrari has used the ‘nuclear option’ of invoking its right of veto over the regulations and blocked it. It is a unique situation, negotiated into Ferrari’s contract with F1, that as longest standing team it has the right to veto any rule it doesn’t like. It uses this veto very sparingly. The last time we nearly went down this road was in 2009 when then FIA president Max Mosley tried to impose a budget cap on F1 teams to allow three new teams to enter at £50m a year fixed budgets.

In response to Ferrari’s stance the FIA, backed by Bernie Ecclestone, has decided to raise the bar by suggesting that it might initiate a ‘tender process’ for a customer F1 engine from 2017 onwards.

In and of itself this is no major threat to Ferrari and Mercedes, the two dominant engine builders. If you consider that Honda’s hybrid turbo engine is as uncompetitive as it is after almost three years of work already, then a customer engine rushed through for the start of the 2017 season, with limited development budget, appointed after a tender process that has yet take place, is not much of a threat.

But the FIA are not stupid and the technical details of the engine that is being tendered for have not yet become clear. It will be possible to specify an engine which is much simpler than the current hybrid turbo and possibly based on something already existing, with around 850hp, which will be cheaper but also competitive with the top teams, possibly by working with the minimum weight of the two classes of cars. One suggestion is a 2.2 litre twin turbo.

F1 will then look to head off down the avenue of a two-class system, which would not be a good thing.

Ferrari will have its finger on the veto trigger throughout the process and heaven knows where the rules might end up for 2017 if neither side backs down. Meanwhile the EU Competition Commissioner will be watching closely, wondering how one competitor can be allowed to decide the rules of a global sport and at the same time insist on financially crippling the smaller competitors.

Meanwhile the American investors RSE Ventures, who were present in Austin at the weekend with CVC’s Donald Mackenzie and still very keen to buy the commercial rights to the sport for $8.5 billion from CVC, are going to be left increasingly wondering whether this really is a business they want to get into, with all this uncertainty around. There’s nothing financiers hate more than uncertainty.

One leading paddock observer put it at the weekend that this deal was now looking ’50-50 at best’ to go through.

So what is the end game here? Clearly the ‘big two’ Ferrari and Mercedes are being pressured by the combined forces of the rest.

The priority for F1 has to be: 1) To close up the performance of the four engine makes in F1 as quickly as possible and 2) To reduce the cost of the engines to the smaller teams, significantly and 3) to have a functioning and competitive internal market for engines.

There is clearly a strong argument for F1 having a ‘default’ engine that teams could buy – like Cosworth’s DFV in the old days – to provide an alternative to the manufacturer units and to keep the manufacturers’ power over the sport in check. But these hybrid engines are so complex and expensive to develop that a like-for-like alternative is impossible to imagine. Hence this move.

It also has an agreeable side benefit as a defence move against the possible investigation by the EU Competition Commission into anti-competitive practices in F1. If Ferrari and Mercedes won’t sell to Red Bull, it shows that the internal market of F1 engines isn’t working properly.

Introducing a commercially available engine available to all, shows that the FIA is getting its house in order and encouraging competition.

Experience of these situations tells you that it is likely that a compromise towards both of the FIA and Ecclestone’s objectives will be found, rather than F1 becoming a two-tier championship in 2017.

Additionally the FIA has set great store by placing hybrid technology at the heart of its rules going forward (as with WEC). It cannot be ‘essential’ to do that one minute, then throw the baby out with the bath water the next.

As FIA president Jean Todt told the Financial Times last Friday, “F1 is the pinnacle of motor sport, and as such, it is something of a standard-bearer for the automotive industry – it must be in line with the concerns of its time.

“(In a world) where the UN is introducing policies such as ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ and the COP21 climate change event, it would be irresponsible for motor sport to ignore this issue. Therefore, significantly greater efficiency was a crucial requirement when devising the current engine specification – as it is for the development of all new engines today.”

That’s a lot to abandon for the sake of a few million euros on an engine bill to customers.

But this spat is likely to keep F1 in the papers well past the end of this (now decided) championship season. How long it takes to reach the obvious compromise – and whether RSE will wait around to see whether this sport can sort itself out or whether it should go and invest in another sport – we will have to wait and see.

The FIA’s statement in Full

The FIA has studied cost reduction measures for teams participating in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship which were not conclusive, including:

– a global cost ceiling,

– a reduction in costs via technical and sporting regulations,

– an increased standardisation for parts.

The FIA, in agreement with FOM, suggested the principle of setting a maximum price for engine and gear box for client teams at the last Strategy Group meeting.

These measures were put to the vote and adopted with a large majority.

However, Ferrari SpA decided to go against this and exercise the right of veto long recognised under agreements governing F1.

In the interest of the Championship, the FIA has decided not to legally challenge Ferrari SpA’s use of its right of veto.

Therefore the FIA will initiate a consultation with all stakeholders regarding the possible introduction of a client engine, which will be available as of 2017. Following this consultation a call for tenders for this client engine, the cost of which would be much lower than the current power unit, could be undertaken.

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I'm not a big fan of Lewis (because he's not winning with Ferrari), but I like the aggressive move in turn 1. While F1 is certainly a "team" sport of sorts, it's up to the individual to compete for the championship. If it wasn't Rosberg being pushed out of turn 1, rosberg would have applauded the move.

I recall Shumi never made many friends on the track as he was there to win. Mind you, I'm NOT comparing Lewis to Michael...!

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I recall Shumi never made many friends on the track as he was there to win. Mind you, I'm NOT comparing Lewis to Michael...!

There are many in the sport that say loads about those who have succeeded. Cheat, scoundrel, ruthless. I like to say Brilliant in Schumis case and for all the greats.

I'm not a Hamilton fan but he deserved the WDC IMO and whilst I am a Rosberg fan, he's attitude is embarrassing

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BACK TO THE FUTURE FOR F1’S NEW ERA MEXICAN WAVE

Formula 1 drivers never experience the pride and passion of racing in a home grand prix, their countries unlikely ever to appear on the calendar, but Mexican Sergio Perez will not be one of them after this weekend.

His country is making its return after a 23-year absence and Perez, the only Mexican on the current starting grid, cannot wait to tap into the energy of an expected 100,000-strong capacity crowd.

The excitement may not be in the same league as Lewis Hamilton’s elation at winning his third world championship in Texas last Sunday but it will still be a momentous occasion for the Mexican.

“Having the opportunity of driving in my home grand prix is something I never thought would happen,” says the 25-year-old, who has only ever raced go-karts in Mexico.

“It will be one of the highlights of my career and I have no doubt that this race will become a modern classic of Formula One.”

While the race comes on the ‘Day of the Dead’ national holiday, the fans should be among the liveliest of the year and Perez has been doing his bit to crank up the excitement further.

Third place in Russia was his Force India team’s best result of the season and he followed that up with fifth in Austin.

He has now finished in the points in five of the last six races and has every chance of becoming the first Mexican to score in his home race since the late Pedro Rodriguez was sixth in 1970.

Another podium at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez would send the fans into a frenzy and Perez was not ruling it out, even if he recognised it would take a big slice of luck.

“In normal conditions we are the fourth or fifth fastest team depending on the race weekend,” he told Reuters in Austin. “So in a normal race, there’s no chance.

“Russia was a one-off. Probably in my whole career in Formula One I never had two safety cars before lap 30 or so. So in normal conditions it’s going to be difficult but we aim to do the best we can for all the Mexican fans.”

Hamilton, inevitably, will again be the favourite for what would be his 11th win of the season but team mate Nico Rosberg will be no less determined after a late mistake cost him the victory in Austin.

“Whatever happens in the past doesn’t change me going forward. It’s always full attack, big push, that’s the way I am,” said the German, whose main aim now is to at least overhaul Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and finish second in the standings.

Hamilton, however, has far less pressure. Mercedes have won both titles for the second year running and as he said on Sunday night before heading for the team party: “now I can go and win for fun.”

There would be a symmetry in that, too, if he did. The last winner in Mexico was fellow-English champion Nigel Mansell in 1992, who now has the revamped last corner named after him.

It was there, in 1990 on the old banked and bumpy Peraltada corner that has now been modified for a safety reasons, that Mansell pulled off a breathtakingly brave move in passing Austrian Gerhard Berger around the outside for second place.

Mexican Grand Prix Facts & Stats

• Lap distance: 4.304km. Total distance: 305.354km (71 laps).
• The circuit had been changed considerably since the last Mexican Grand Prix in 1992.
• Start time: 1900 GMT (1300 local)
• Tyres: Medium (white), Soft (yellow)
• Mercedes have retained both their titles, with the constructors’ crown secured in Russia and Lewis Hamilton taking his third championship in Texas last Sunday.
• He became the first British driver to win two titles in a row, and is only the second Briton to become a triple champion after Jackie Stewart.
• Hamilton is the 10th driver to have won three or more titles.
• Mercedes have had nine one-twos this season and won 13 of the 16 races.
• Hamilton (10) is the first driver to win 10 or more races in successive seasons. He won 11 last year.
• Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel has won three races for Ferrari this season. That is the same number that Michael Schumacher won in his first season at Ferrari in 1996.
• Hamilton has 43 career wins, putting him third in the all-time lists and pushing Vettel down to fourth with 42. Schumacher holds the record of 91, with Alain Prost on 51. Fernando Alonso has 32 wins, Kimi Raikkonen 20, Jenson Button 15 and Nico Rosberg 11.
• Ferrari have won 224 races, McLaren 182, Williams 114 and Red Bull 50. Mercedes have won 42.
• McLaren have not won for 54 races, a run that dates back to Brazil 2012 and surpasses the team’s previous worst barren run of 53 races without a win between the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix and 1981 British GP.
• Hamilton has been on pole in 11 of 16 races this season, Rosberg four. The Briton has 49 career poles, Rosberg 19. Vettel has 46 career poles.
• Only two drivers in F1 history have had 50 poles or more: Schumacher (68) and Senna (65).
• Rosberg has been on pole in the last three races, without winning any of them.
• Ten drivers from six teams have been on the podium in 2015: Hamilton, Rosberg (Mercedes), Vettel, Raikkonen (Ferrari), Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa (Williams), Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Romain Grosjean (Lotus) and Sergio Perez (Force India).
• Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel have shared the podium in eight races.
• Rosberg has been second on seven occasions this season.
• Vettel has had 12 podium finishes so far this year, more than in his title-winning 2010 and 2013 seasons.
• Sergio Perez will be only the third Mexican driver to start a Mexican Grand Prix. The other two were Pedro Rodriguez (1963-1970) and Moises Solana (1963-68).
• There was no Mexican Grand Prix when Hector Rebaque was racing in 1977-81 or when Esteban Gutierrez competed in 2013-14. Rodriguez’s brother Ricardo was killed on the first day of practice for the non-championship Mexican Grand Prix in 1962.
• This will be the 16th time Mexico has held a championship grand prix.
• The last Mexican Grand Prix winner was Britain’s Nigel Mansell in 1992. The final corner is now named after him.
• Honda’s first grand prix win was in Mexico with U.S. driver Richie Ginther in 1965. Michael Schumacher took his first F1 podium at the circuit in 1992.
• The circuit is the highest altitude of any on the calendar (2,200 metres above sea level) and the pit straight is one of the longest in Formula One. Cars could exceed speeds of around 330kph.
• Rosberg is now the driver to have had most poles and not won a world championship. He previously shared the record with Frenchman Rene Arnoux, who took his 18 between 1979 and 1983.

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INSIDE LINE: MCLAREN ADVENTURES IN MEXICO

Mexico’s return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2015 for the first time since 1992 has been achieved after an injection of both private and government money and the facilities have been comprehensively upgraded.

The Hermanos Rodriguez circuit had a reputation for being very bumpy, but the entire track has been resurfaced and changes have made to a number of corners including the famous Peraltada.

My first trip to Mexico was with McLaren in 1989 as a marketing person and I arrived with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, with strict advice to avoid ice or salad to try avoid Montezuma’s Revenge!

In those days there wasn’t quite the pressure to do so many sponsor activities and in the period leading up to the event there was some free time to go and explore.

It may not be a well known fact, but the third largest pyramid in the world is located some 40 kilometres north east of Mexico City. It is the most visited archaeological site in Mexico and was an opportunity not to be missed to explore, so in the company of McLaren’s directors Creighton Brown and Gordon Murray we set off on our adventure.

Pyramids have been built by civilisations in many parts of the world and the Pyramid of the Sun, at Teotihuacan was an ancient Mesoamerican city. The site covers a total surface area of 83 square kilometres and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city is thought to have been established around 100 BC and Teotihuacan was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, with a population estimated at 125,000 or more, making it at minimum the sixth largest city in the world during its time.

The challenge we couldn’t resist was to climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, which is some 75 metres (246 feet) high and with an angle of slope 32.494 degrees and had steps all the way to the summit. Having accomplished the exhausting feat of getting to the very top, when we reached the summit we were enthusiastically met by the hoards of young street vendors peddling the numerous varieties of cheap merchandise!

At the Marlboro pre-race press conference with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, there was the unique opportunity to observe the two McLaren world champions share the podium with five times world champion Juan Manual Fangio.

Fangio didn’t speak English, so his words were translated by a young interpreter. What made it fascinating was that if you closed your eyes and listened, not just to the voices, but also to the opinions and the way they were expressed, you would have thought that Fangio was the youngest!

I also remember that weekend going to a dinner with both drivers and the team management where Alain Prost bet Ron Dennis $1,000 to eat a whole bowl of hot chillies. Never one to turn down a bet, RD duly accepted.

Whilst he went a colour similar to the Marlboro red, drank numerous pints of water and went very quiet for a quite a long time, he duly demolished the whole bowl! I, having always liked hot food, would have duly done the bet for half the money!

On the track Ayrton Senna scored his 33rd career pole position, equalling the long standing record held by Jim Clark. However this was the time when his relationship with Alain Prost was continuing to free fall in a downward spiral.

For the race Ayrton chose medium compound tyres whilst Alain opted went for the softer compound in the hope of gaining a speed advantage. Despite the pole being on the “dirty” side of the track in Mexico, Ayrton made the better start and led into the first turn.

However, it all was to mean nothing as Stefano Modena spun his Brabham into Peraltada on the first lap and was tapped by the Ligier of Olivier Grouillard and finished against the tyre wall, which brought out the red flag to stop the race.

At the restart Ayrton again went into the lead, however Alain, with his softer tyres giving him better grip, soon moved onto the back of his team mates car.

It was in Mexico that Alain started to question the power of his Honda V10 compared to Ayrton’s. For a number of laps Alain was clearly faster through the final Peraltada curve coming onto the main straight, but he could not make an impression on Ayrton despite being in his aerodynamic tow on the 1.2 km long main straight.

In fact Ayrton was actually seen to be pulling away. However running so close to his team mate eventually had a detrimental effect on Alain’s tyres and he pitted for a change.

Unfortunately there was a mix up and the team mistakenly gave Alain another set of soft tyres instead of the mediums he had come in for and he soon had to pit again for another tyre change. Despite being on far fresher tyres than his team mate, Alain still lost ground to Ayrton, fuelling his claims that his engines were down on power compared to Ayrton’s. After the race McLaren team boss Ron Dennis publicly apologised for the pit stop mishap.

Two years later in 1991 Ayrton arguably had the one of the most spectacular accidents of his career. While attempting to take fastest time from the Williams drivers in the final few minutes of Friday qualifying, Ayrton tried to take the steeply banked right hander Peraltada in 6th rather than 5th.

As the rear of the McLaren became loose midway through the 180 degree turn, he realised he was running to fast and backed off, snatching 5th gear in an effort to retrieve the situation. However it was too late and the car spun out of control and was flipped upside down after slamming backwards into the tyre barrier.

Thankfully Ayrton was able to crawl from beneath the car and luckily no serious harm was done. It was after this accident that gave Ayrton further momentum to urge McLaren to push the development of their semi automatic gearbox, as he felt that the steering mounted paddle shift would have helped avoid the accident by his being able to have both hands on the steering wheel.

In 1992 the race was moved further forward to March. In the weeks leading up to the race Mexico City’s air pollution had reached a record level and city officials imposed emergency measures banning half of government cars and equipment from the streets.

Mexico City proper has a population of over 8 million, whilst the Greater Mexico City population is in the region of 21 million, making it one of the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere. Therefore if you roughly estimate the potential number of cars on the road at the same time, then you can get an idea of the scale of the problem.

It could get so bad that cars with alternating number plates could only drive on alternating days. This was something we found to our cost after being stopped by a Policeman when unwittingly driving on the wrong day. After being fined and forced to park the hire car, a VW Beetle taxi miraculously appeared to take us to the circuit – what a coincidence!

And it is not hard to get lost either! I can remember it taking some three hours to get from the circuit back to the hotel through a whole series of wrong turns and when it goes wrong, it just seems to get worse. However I also remember getting a lift back the hotel once with Ayrton, who glided seamlessly through the traffic in less than 20 minutes, explaining that the key to Latin traffic was to blend and circumnavigate!

At the circuit extra safety measures had been implemented to the track, including the easing of the banking at Peraltada, making the corner a little slower. However for the second year running Ayrton had another bad accident, this time at the fast Esses.

In an effort to improve the handling of his McLaren, Ayrton was increasingly stiffening the suspension settings, however one of the severe bumps caught him out as he explored the limits during qualifying. The car broke away and slammed sideways into the barrier and Ayrton thought that he had broken both his legs, such was the violence of the impact as a lower wishbone speared its way through the monocoque.

In fact only the left leg was badly bruised around the calf muscle but it was bad enough to have Ayrton undergo hours of physiotherapy throughout the night by Josef Leberer, regularly massaging and applying ice. It was not the best way for Ayrton to celebrate his 32nd birthday!

The irony was that in order to take the pressure off hi leg and make the ride more sympathetic to his injury, the car’ settings were made softer, which actually allowed him to go quicker! However in the race he retired on lap 11 with transmission problems.

The race was dominated by the Williams’ teammates Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, with Michael Schumacher and Gerhard Berger, in the second McLaren, in third and forth respectively. After that, through a mixture of financial and weather pollution problems the race slipped from the Formula One calendar.

However no article on Mexico and McLaren is complete without mention of Jo Ramirez. Jo for many years was Team Co-ordinator responsible for the logistics which included the transportation of the cars, the equipment, the team and the hotels, effectively moving the army of the team around the world every other weekend.

Jo was also responsible for the distribution of the all important FOM passes and every race it was my role to collect those allocated to the sponsors. However to use the term ‘collect’ does not do justice to the negotiation that took place every race, where the demand of passes always outweighed the supply, which was somewhat reminiscent of a re-enactment of the biblical tale of the loaves and fishes!

Jo’s frequent response was a theatrical: “I don’t believe it!” A fine impersonation of Victor Meldrew (from the BBC comedy series of the time ‘One Foot in the Grave’), albeit with a Mexican accent!

Jo was a friend to both Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, as explained by Alain in the forward of Jo’s autobiography: “In the first year with Ayrton Senna, Jo always kept the balance between the two sides by cracking jokes in both corners and making the most of the humorous aspects.”

“During the second year, when the relations between Ayrton and I deteriorated, Jo who was close to Ayrton, as they could speak and wear in the same language, remained completely impartial. He never took sides, and even after I left to go to Ferrari he tried very hard to heal the rift between us – the sport needs men like Jo.”

No doubt Jo will be there in Mexico City!

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MERCEDES PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

The 2015 Formula One World Championship season continues with Round Seventeen, the Mexican Grand Prix, from Mexico City

Lewis Hamilton: “Sunday in Austin is all a bit of a blur. The race was so, so crazy and it wasn’t until a few moments after I crossed the line that I realised that I’d done it! To be honest, it still hasn’t quite settled in. To match Ayrton in winning three titles was always a big ambition of mine and it just doesn’t feel real. I can’t express how grateful I am to everyone who made it possible – from my family to the team at the track and everyone back at the factories. I couldn’t have done this without each and every one of them. Now, I’m even more pumped to get to Mexico. For many of us in the paddock – including the drivers – it’s a new Grand Prix venue, and experiencing a new city and a new track is always exciting. Formula One has been racing in South America at the Brazilian Grand Prix throughout my career and the atmosphere there is just insane – plus we see thousands of Mexican fans every year in Austin. If they’re anything to go by the crowds will be fantastic, so I’m really looking forward to seeing them all out there making plenty of noise. I can attack the final three races now with nothing to prove and nothing to lose, so the aim is absolutely to put my name down as the first Mexican Grand Prix winner of the modern era. After the Ushanka style hats we had on the podium in Russia and the Stetsons in America, I’m definitely hoping for a massive sombrero if I make it onto the podium!”

Nico Rosberg: “The Championship fight is over for me this year but I have three races left to make a big push, end this tough season on a high and make up for the disappointment of the past few races. My first chance is in Mexico and I’m sure everyone is really looking forward to the weekend. I love discovering new places and this one will definitely be a really interesting venue. If the Mexican fans we see in Austin are anything to go by, the atmosphere will be incredible! My father raced there once back in the 80’s so maybe he can give me a few tips… although the circuit is very different now and so are the cars, so maybe that’s not the best reference point! Data will be very important in Mexico, of course, as it’s a track none of the current grid have driven before. Some of the more experienced engineers might know it – but the circuit and the cars will have changed so much since the sport last went there that it’s basically like starting from zero. That’s a big challenge and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve driven the circuit in the simulator to be as prepared as I can be, so let’s see what we can do.

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “The weekend in Austin was a very positive one for Formula One. On Saturday, we saw the paddock unite to put on a show for those fantastic fans who braved the weather to the very end. Sunday then produced arguably one of the most spectacular races of the modern era – not the easiest to manage on the pit wall, but incredible to watch as a spectator. A lot was said after the race about the relationship between our drivers and most of it was hot air. One of our boys won a world title on Sunday, and one lost it. If a few emotions boil over in that scenario, it’s completely understandable and human. Like always, we will do the analysis of what happened on track as a team – but we will do it behind closed doors. We now head into the remaining three rounds with an interesting dynamic in prospect. We have a newly crowned three-time World Champion in Lewis, who fully deserved to retain his title this year and will want to cap off an impressive season in style. At the same time, Nico is embroiled in a close battle for the runner-up spot and will be determined to prove his mettle in the final few races before knuckling down for a fresh title challenge in 2016. As a racing fan, like we all are at heart, I am excited to see what the final phase of the season has to offer and hoping for an entertaining battle. We start with Mexico, which is a new venue to most of us and an important market for Mercedes-Benz. It’s an exciting part of the world and we are all looking forward to our first taste of the country.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “Austin was a somewhat unorthodox but ultimately spectacular weekend. Now, the next race sees a famous venue returning to the calendar after a long absence. Mexico is sure to provide a great challenge as none of the drivers – and I imagine not too many team members in the paddock – will have prior experience there. The circuit layout is an interesting one, with long straights but almost exclusively low-apex-speed corners. Top speeds will be amongst the highest of the season – despite more downforce being required than at Monza, for example. This is aided by the altitude of Mexico City which, at over 2,000 metres, reduces drag effect. The rarefied air density will all make cooling a challenge, and also means the turbocharger compressor must work harder in order to deliver equivalent power output to sea level. With a freshly laid track surface also to consider, it will be interesting to see how the cars behave and how the order plays out. We’re all excited to be tackling the circuit and keen to leave our mark on another historic Grand Prix venue. I was actually working at the last Mexican Grand Prix in 1992 and one thing that stands out from my memories of previous races there is the enthusiasm of the spectators. This is a country with a great racing heritage, so fingers crossed we can put on another spectacular show!”

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

Formula 1 returns to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City after a 23-year absence. The 4.305km (2.675-mile) circuit has been heavily revised since it last hosted a grand prix, in 1992, but it remains on its original site in the Magdalena Mixhuca Park and it retains its name, in memory of the Rodríguez brothers.

The layout consists of seven left-handers and 10 right-handers, but the 1.314km (0.816-mile) pit straight has perhaps the biggest influence on car set-up. To achieve a predicted top speed of 328km/h (204mph), the cars will need to maximise a delicate trade-off between aerodynamic downforce and drag, and complicating matters further is the altitude.

Situated at 2,200 metres (7,218 feet), the Autódromo is considerably higher than any other venue in F1. There is only 78 per cent of the oxygen available at sea level, which changes the performance characteristics of the car and the power unit. The turbo has to spin faster to compensate for the lack of oxygen entering the ICE (internal combustion engine) and the thinner air means the car generates less aerodynamic downforce at any given wing level.

Many of the faster sections of track have been altered since the last race. The Esses have been modified in the name of safety and the notorious final corner, Peraltada, is no longer included in its entirety. The banked 180-degree right-hander is now preceded by a stadium section, from which the cars emerge in second gear halfway around Peraltada.

The asphalt is new, giving the surface an oily film which will be slippery to begin with. At least the teams will be using familiar tyre compounds because Pirelli is taking the same rubber to Mexico that has been used on seven previous occasions this year. The Soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) compounds will provide traction out of the slow corners, while providing resistance through some of the faster corners.

McLaren has a good record in Mexico, having won at the track on three previous occasions. However, the venue will be new to Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, both of whom were still karting when the last Mexican Grand Prix took place in 1992.

Technical words of wisdom from Matt Morris, engineering director: “Even with our sophisticated simulation tools, there are a few unknowns going into the Mexican Grand Prix. The asphalt at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is new and we won’t really know how that will affect the tyres until practice gets underway, and then there’s the altitude. At 2,200m (7,218 feet) above sea level, this track is much the highest that we race at and that will put the power unit under pressure. The turbo has to compensate for the lack of oxygen entering the ICE, which will put extra emphasis on reliability for all teams.”

Our most memorable Mexican Grand Prix: 1988

The long pit straight on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was perfectly-suited to the powerful and all-dominant Honda V6 Turbo. In qualifying trim the cars exceeded 200mph (322 km/h) along this stretch of track and, unsurprisingly, Honda-powered cars filled four of the top six positions on the grid. The McLaren-Hondas of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost locked out the front row of the grid, Ayrton 0.6s faster than Alain in qualifying.

The start of the race was aborted after Alessandro Nannini stalled his Benetton. Clutches then began to cook as the cars awaited the re-start and Ayrton ended up making a poor getaway, leaving Alain to sweep into the lead on the drag to Turn One. Nelson Piquet also passed Ayrton, leaving the younger of the two Brazilians with a lot of work to do.

Ayrton dived past Piquet under braking for Peraltada at the end of lap one, but Alain was already two seconds up the road and able to control the race from the front. When Ayrton tried to apply pressure towards the end of the race, the Frenchman set a new lap record and ended up crossing the line 7.0s ahead of his team-mate.

Fernando Alonso: “I really enjoyed the race in Austin and it was definitely one of the most exhilarating races for McLaren-Honda this year so far. It was a hard fight, but we didn’t give up. I hope we can repeat some of those battles in Mexico, but we’re expecting a tough fight on a circuit that on paper won’t suit our car.

“It’ll be interesting as we have no data from there so the conditions are unknown, which makes it pretty exciting. Going to a new grand prix at a venue that the current generation of F1 drivers hasn’t been to yet is going to be something special, especially as it already has a great reputation since the last time a race was held there.

“From what I’ve seen of the circuit, it looks like a great design with some interesting corners, and the combination of a high top speed and new asphalt will mean getting set-up right from the first possible moment will be very important to get the maximum downforce. It’s an exciting new chapter for Formula 1 and I’m looking forward to seeing where we are this weekend.”

Jenson Button: “Austin was an exciting race and the mixed conditions meant we were able to race on a more level playing field with our competitors until the track dried out towards the end. If the weather stays dry next weekend in Mexico, we know we’ll have a much more difficult grand prix on our hands, so we need to take the opportunity to gather as much data as we can and work on maximising our strategy for our car’s performance.

“The circuit itself looks really interesting – I remember as a kid watching some incredible battles there and the drivers hanging onto their cars around Peraltada, which looked mega, if a bit scary! It’s a shame that corner hasn’t been included in the new layout, but from what I’ve seen of the track and heard from others that have visited, it looks like it’ll be a fun challenge.

“The altitude is easily the highest we have to deal with at any grand prix on the calendar, so that in itself will be something new for all the teams to work with, and the fact this circuit has the second highest top speed after Monza will mean it won’t be easy for us. Saying that, having good balance and downforce in the car will be crucial so we’ll get stuck in with set-up and see how we fare on Friday morning. I’m really looking forward to going to a new grand prix venue and hopefully we can learn a lot this weekend and put on another good show.”

Eric Boullier, Racing director, McLaren-Honda: “We go to Mexico on the back of securing some valuable points after a dramatic weekend in Austin, and the Mexican Grand Prix promises a whole new set of unknowns as we get to know a new circuit layout at an altitude of 2,200 metres. It’s certainly an exciting prospect for the thousands of fans we’ll get to see over the course of the weekend.

“This will be the first Mexican Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar since 1992, but many of our team members will remember at least one grand prix held there previously, and those who don’t will surely have heard about the circuit’s great legacy. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez holds special memories for both McLaren and Honda: Richie Ginther took Honda’s first-ever Formula 1 win there in 1965; Denny Hulme won for McLaren in 1969, and together McLaren-Honda dominated the Mexican Grand Prix in both 1988 and ’89, at the hands of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna respectively.

“Although we have enjoyed past successes in Mexico, the 23-year break makes it feel like a new grand prix location, which always makes for a special weekend and a unique atmosphere as the form book is an exciting unknown. The characteristics of this track are definitely challenging, and it’s important that we get on top of set-up and tyre wear on the new asphalt as soon as possible. There’s a lot for all the teams to learn in a relatively short period of time, but, as a racer, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the weekend unfolds and hope that we see some great racing on this legendary circuit.”

Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer – chief officer of motorsport: “It is an honour to be back racing at Autodrómo Hermanos Rodríguez, the track where Honda won its first F1 grand prix in 1965 with Richie Ginther behind the wheel.

“F1 technology, the circuit and Honda have all changed significantly since then, and this weekend’s race will be a big challenge for all of the teams in the paddock. The track layout is new and we will all be working with newly acquired data gained from the free practice sessions. Plus, the turbocharger must work harder to maintain its usual output due to the increase in altitude, to push more air to the engine. Energy management will also be difficult, as the track consists of long straights and tight corners.

“As weather predictions go, the rain will be following us from Austin to Mexico City, so we will have to efficiently use the no-doubt limited running times to our advantage in car set-up. McLaren-Honda will work as one to balance both the power unit and chassis performance to its maximum potential to be ready for the race.”

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

Force India preview the Mexican Grand Prix, Round 17 of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship, at Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit.

Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya, previews the first Mexican Grand Prix since 1992: “The race in Austin demonstrated the good level of form we are in at the moment. We have been competitive on every kind of circuit following the summer break and it was only some misfortune for Nico that prevented us from scoring well with both cars in Texas. Racing is often a game of maximising opportunities and we have been doing that only partially recently, but the next race is a good chance to realise our full potential.

“Mexico is, needless to say, a very important race for us. Checo enjoys a huge following in his home country and we have a large number of Mexican team partners, so we are determined to do well in front of them. When we visited the country for our team launch in January, I was delighted, but not surprised, by the support we received from the fans: we are proud to be welcomed as friends and will work hard to put on a fantastic show for everybody involved.

“We are now nearing the finishing straight of this season with our eyes firmly set on the objective of securing fifth in the constructors’ championship. Being a new circuit, Mexico will provide additional challenges as we find our way to set up the cars, but we expect to be in our usual competitive position with the minimum objective being a good helping of points for both cars.”

Sergio Perez will compete in his first ever home Grand Prix as Formula One returns to Mexico.

Sergio: “The races in Russia and the United States have been an ideal way to prepare me for the return of my home race. A podium finish and a strong fifth place have given me a lot of confidence ahead of the final part of the season. I think there is more to come from us and I’m really looking forward to the final few races.

“Having the opportunity of driving in my home Grand Prix is something I never thought would happen. It will be one of the highlights of my career and I have no doubt that this race will become a modern classic of Formula One. Mexico has a lot of history in motorsport: the fans know the sport; they have a lot of enthusiasm and have been waiting a long time for Formula One to come back. I think everyone will have a great time.

“Racing in Mexico is, of course, very special for me, but at the same time I should not let this distract me from the fact that it is another race in which I will need to give 100% to bring home a good result. I am incredibly motivated to work hard with my team to have another race to celebrate.

“I had the chance to drive a lap of the new track layout recently and it’s a fantastic circuit. There are quite a few changes compared to the old layout when Formula One last raced there, but I don’t think the circuit has lost any of its character. The new section in the stadium is spectacular and it will be such an incredible emotion to drive through there for the first time when it’s full of fans. There are a lot of fast sections, but at the same time you have a combination of fast, slow and medium-speed corners that make for a very varied lap.

“I am also happy to see the final corner has been named after Nigel Mansell. He is a hero to motorsport fans in Mexico and I admire all he has achieved. Nigel won the last race in Mexico in 1992 and produced one of the greatest overtakes of all times there, so it is right that he has been honoured in this way.”

Nico Hülkenberg looks forward to racing in Mexico City.

Nico: “When you have a bad result, the best way to bounce back is to get back in the saddle immediately. The race in Austin was frustrating as I felt it was a missed opportunity to score a lot of points, but that’s racing. I have to get it out of the system and at least I get to be back in the car after just a few days.

“This week should be one of the most exciting in the season for us with lots happening on and off the track. We have a lot of Mexican partners and I think there will be a lot of attention on us so the expectations will be high. When we visited Mexico in January for our team launch, the whole country was incredibly supportive and enthusiastic, and it was the same last week when I was there for a charity event. They have been waiting for a Grand Prix for a long time and I am sure the circuit will put on a great event. I have even been trying to learn a bit of Spanish ahead of the race – even though by Sunday night all I want to say to the local press is “una gran carrera!”

“I am really looking forward to exploring the new track. I have never really driven on it properly – I just did a handful of laps in a road car on what was the old layout back in January. I have seen the map and a few videos, and the circuit seems to have a nice flow. There are a lot of medium-speed corners which is something drivers enjoy and some big straights that should generate some overtaking opportunities.”

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WILLIAMS TO LOSE BOTTAS-LINKED FINNISH SPONSOR

One of Valtteri Bottas’ personal sponsors is pulling its sponsorship backing from the Williams team.

Although not regarded in the paddock as a typical ‘pay driver’, Finn did take a couple of Finnish sponsors to his F1 seat, including the welding company Kemppi.

The company’s logo is located on the front wing endplates of this year’s Mercedes-powered Williams. But Finnish reports including the broadcaster MTV and newspaper Ilta Sanomat claim Kemppi will no longer support Williams financially beyond 2015.

“There are a number of reasons,” confirmed CEO Anssi Rantasalo. “We feel that we achieved what we wanted from our agreement with Williams, which expires this year. ”

“We have been able to take advantage of it really well. Now we are at least taking a break, then we will look at a way forward after next season,” he added.

Rantasalo said Kemppi will nevertheless continue to support Bottas on a personal basis.

“We continue to be involved and keep our fingers crossed for Valtteri,” he said, referring to the 26-year-old Finnish driver who had been in talks to switch to Ferrari for 2016.

“This has been a huge journey so far, and it is not over yet,” he added. “We will continue to be involved with Valtteri in one way or another.”

Rantasalo also said Kemppi wants to retain its links with Williams, for instance through the continuation of a technical cooperation.

“I believe there are paths forward, even if this current form of sponsorship ends. But our other cooperation with them certainly does not stop here.”

It is believed Kemppi’s backing was worth some EUR 2 million per year to Williams, although Rantasalo would not comment on that.

Ilta Sanomat said Bottas’ other on-car Finnish sponsor, Wihuri, is likely to continue its backing of the British team beyond 2015.

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PEREZ VIRTUAL HOT LAP AROUND HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ CIRCUIT

Watch Force India driver Sergio Perez take to F1 2015 game for a sneak preview of the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit in Mexico.

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Force India requests early prize money payment

Force India has requested an advance on their championship payments due to an expected cash short-fall during the winter off-season.

Currently, the ten Formula 1 teams receive a monthly payout from Formula 1 Management (FOM) between the months of February and November.

The payment schedule creates a large deficit in cash flow between December and January for many of the midfield and back marker teams, with all outfits coming under additional pressure from external suppliers to settle outstanding balances.

With Caterham folding at the end of the 2014 season, and Manor’s near exit under the previous guise of Marussia last year, supplier have become less lenient with late payments to make up for the shortfall of cash.

With this, Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley has stated his team has approached Bernie Ecclestone for an earlier payment, which will still need to be agreed by the other nine teams.

"We start to lose payments as soon as a season finishes," Fernley told Autosport.

"So what we're trying to do is balance things better, get a better cash flow, because cash flow over the winter for us is the worst time.

"But this is not necessarily about us, it's about making our suppliers' lives a bit easier. They are under a lot of pressure, and can be stretched too far, especially when other teams are struggling as well.

"We're trying to get ahead of our programme, as opposed to last year when we were slightly behind it.

"We just have to be pragmatic because if we know now we're going to have to tighten up a bit then we have to act."

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F1 teams, Pirelli still at odds over planned Abu Dhabi test

Formula 1 teams are still locked in a heated debate with Pirelli over the proposed end-of-season tyre test in Abu Dhabi.

Pirelli wants to do some work on next year's tyres, and specifically the new fifth 'ultrasoft' compound, which will be introduced next year along with durable casings.

As things stand, the rules make no provision for the extra test. However, the World Motor Sport Council has apparently accepted that the rule change can be made on safety grounds, on the basis that Pirelli needs to do some R&D. Specifically, the ultrasoft will have to be tested if it is to be introduced next year.

Pirelli wants to do around 400km per team, and the plan is to have the Yas Marina track open for a full 12 hours from 9am to 9pm on the Tuesday after the final Grand Prix.

The Italian company has also insisted on using race drivers, or at least reserves who have extensive experience of this year's tyres.

However, most teams are vehemently against the idea of the test, in large part on cost grounds – even Ferrari has apparently cited that as a key issue.

Pirelli says it will pay for the track but the teams will have to pay for everything else. One team manager told Motorsport.com that the cost of running the session would be around $500,000.

Those teams who have a policy of selling test sessions to rookie drivers won't be able to do so, due to Pirelli's demand for race drivers.

In addition, all teams are running short of engine mileage. There are also complications related to flights having been booked and team members already committed to going on holiday straight after the race.

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Lewis Hamilton on F1 idol Ayrton Senna

Three-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton talks about his hero Ayrton Senna. Having equalled Ayrton's record of three F1 World Championships at the US Grand Prix 2015, do you think Lewis can go on to win more?

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Ferrari doesn't need to change anything for 2016 success - Maurizio Arrivabene

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene says his team does not need any big changes in 2016 in order to close the gap to Mercedes.

After a disappointing season in 2014, Ferrari made huge strides over the winter to move into a clear second place behind Mercedes. With three victories this year, the team has surpassed its pre-season target and Arrivabene says it will continue to make progress next year without major changes.

"I think the team this year in most races is really, really strong and it is fine," he said. "We now need to consolidate this team and not change anything while looking forward to do a good job next year. There is only one person that you all know is coming next year [ex-Mercedes engineer Jock Clear] but this person is not going to change the structure of the team, he comes inside the team as a new person."

Sebastian Vettel, who has scored all three of Ferrari's wins this year, said the team needs to be patient for results considering its starting point in 2014, but is confident the necessary motivation is there.

"Let's not forget the targets that we set out in the beginning, it's a new start for the entire team, with a lot of things changing," he said. "I think we've exceeded expectations this year by quite a lot so yeah, the target is to do better next year and to keep fighting until the end and be in a better position.

"Equally we have to be patient because it's a big project, there's a lot of effort that's going in in Maranello and the people are really hungry. The target is definitely to come back stronger next year and just to keep making progress. I think that's the best medicine that we need to prescribe to us."

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MCLAREN: WE BROUGHT HONDA INTO F1 AND WE DON’T WANT TO SHARE

McLaren has effectively confirmed reports it has vetoed the supply of customer Honda power units to Red Bull for next year.

With Mercedes and Ferrari already saying no to the embattled former quadruple world champions, Honda appeared to be the last resort after Red Bull terminated its contract with current supplier Renault.

“It would appear Honda is happy to give them an engine and Mr (Ron) Dennis thinks they shouldn’t,” Bernie Ecclestone told reporters in Austin recently.

The F1 supremo said Honda initially agreed to begin supplying customers from 2016, adding that the Japanese carmaker also gave McLaren chairman Dennis the power of veto, “He (Dennis) doesn’t want Red Bull. Ron has said ‘Definitely not’.”

Now, McLaren team principal Eric Boullier has confirmed Ecclestone’s news by declaring that the Woking team is happy with its current situation the way it is.

“The truth is, we wanted to work with Honda, Honda wanted to work with us as an official partnership because having an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) is the only way to be world champion,” he said.

“So this is a privilege obviously we found. We brought Honda into Formula 1 and we don’t want to share. That’s it,” Boullier added.

As a result Red Bull are very much in a quandary over what engine they will use beyond 2015 as their relationship with current supplier Renault is at an all time low, while Mercedes and Ferrari have reportedly ruled out a deal with the energy drinks outfit.

MIKA: No offence but the way McLaren Honda are going, Renault are a much better unit compared to them.,.

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RAIKKONEN: NEXT YEAR WE WILL TRY TO BEAT HAMILTON

Despite a mistake packed season where he has been comprehensively outshone by his Ferrari teammate, Kimi Raikkonen has nevertheless raised his hand as a potential challenger for the 2016 Formula 1 world championship.

Not only that, Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007, the year Raikkonen won the F1 title. Eight years on, Kimi still has only one title, and Hamilton has three.

“Lewis and his team have been strong,” Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat. “He deserves the championship one hundred per cent.

“But next year we will try to beat him,” he added. “We have gone constantly in the right direction this year and we will try to keep doing a good job now until the end of the season. Then hopefully next year, we will be ready.”

Although the 2007 title winner for Ferrari, the Finn’s return to Maranello has been more difficult, with teammate Sebastian Vettel now looking the more likely bet.

“It depends how strong Ferrari is next year,” former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya told Welt. “If they manage to catch Mercedes, Sebastian Vettel can make it a three-way battle. If not, I think next year will be between the two Mercedes drivers.”

Given the trend of the past two seasons, writing off Raikkonen is not unusual.

“The situation with Kimi looks quite negative,” countryman Mika Hakkinen told Ilta Sanomat newspaper, “mainly because his teammate is almost always in front.”