FORMULA 1 - 2015

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FORCE INDIA CONFIRM NEW CAR TO APPEAR AT FINAL TEST

Force India’s 2015 Formula 1 car will not make its track debut until the third and final pre-season test in Barcelona some two weeks before the first race in Australia, the team said on Friday.

“The plan is to introduce it at the final test,” said a spokesman.

The season starts in Melbourne on March 15, with the final test ending on 1 March.

Force India will take part in next week’s second test in Barcelona with their 2014 car, which is on its way to the circuit.

The team, with Mexican Sergio Perez and Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg as drivers, skipped the opening test of the year in Jerez, southern Spain, amid speculation about their finances although they rejected that.

Force India’s two major co-owners are Indian drinks tycoon Vijay Mallya and jailed Sahara Group chairman Subrata Roy.

Both have hit trouble in India, with a consortium of largely state-run Indian banks seeking repayment of more than $1 billion of loans from Mallya’s failed Kingfisher Airlines, which has not flown since 2012.

Roy has been held in a New Delhi jail since last March, and needs to post bail of $1.6 billion to get out, following a court order for Sahara Group to refund billions of dollars invested in outlawed bonds.

Sources familiar with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the market regulator, have said government officials could seize and sell Sahara assets, including hotels and properties, to raise cash.

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Lotus: Renault focused solely on Red Bull

Although Gerard Lopez has hit out at Renault for focusing solely on Red Bull in 2014, he admits the engine wasn't Lotus' only problem.

Lotus, along with Renault's other runners, made a dismal start to last year's Championship, the first in the new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 era.

But while others, namely Red Bull Racing, got it right at the season progressed, Lotus' struggles continued.

The team finished the campaign with just ten points having managed just three top-ten finishes.

And Lopez puts part of the blame for that on Renault.

"It would have been useful for them not to focus their efforts on one team," Motorsport-Total reports him as having told French publication Auto Hebdo.

He did, however, concede that "Renault was not solely to blame for the disastrous 2014 season."

He added: "Even though we continuously tried to improve the E22, our season effectively ended with eight or nine races to go to the end."

The team has subsequently changed engine suppliers, swapping to Mercedes who Lopez hopes will "make the difference" this season.

Added to that, Lotus have also taken a more cautious approach to their new E23.

"It's a less aggressive approach," said the Lotus team principal.

"This is not only because we went too far with the E22 but we shot out ourselves by pushing developments aimed at increasing top speed, an own goal."

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Grosjean: Continuity is key

Entering his fourth season with Lotus, Romain Grosjean maintains that continuity will be "key" to a good start to the season.

Last year the Frenchman managed just eight points through two top-ten results in what was a disastrous final season under Renault power.

This season Lotus have swapped to Mercedes engines, which the team hopes will play a pivotal role in them regaining lost form.

That, though, is the only major change at the team.

Both Grosjean and his team-mate Pastor Maldonado have remained with Lotus while Nick Chester has retained his role as technical director with Gerard Lopez the team boss.

"Continuity in Formula One is a key part of starting a season well," Grosjean told F1i.com.

"It's my fourth year with the team, I know Enstone very well, I know all the engineers, the mechanics, the people working here and when everyone knows the needs and the way things are working it just makes it much easier to go ahead.

"I know how Enstone is motivated and they know how much I am. Sometimes I am getting a bit frustrated because I really want to do my best, but we know each other and we know what we want to do and we know what we can achieve.

"Putting all that in the same basket, it should be nice."

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'Illien part of Renault road map'

Renault are hoping their chances of closing the gap to Mercedes will be boosted by new consultant Mario Illien.

Illien as Ilmor Engineering first entered F1 back in 1989 before going on to form a partnership with Mercedes-Benz.

That partnership teamed up with McLaren, winning grands prix and World titles.

Illien's engine company is now back in Formula 1 helping Renault in their bid to claw back Mercedes' engine advantage.

"Mario is an opportunity to benchmark what we are doing," Renault F1's managing director Cyril Abiteboul told Autosport.

"We need to transform ourselves, and we need to be open also. We must not be afraid of what is outside.

"We are not perfect inside. We have to be open to a world that we do not necessarily have access to.

"I very much see Mario's company as an opportunity to bring additional knowledge.

"A wealth of knowledge, experience and to short cut, because we will have, in the next few weeks, to make important decisions not for 2015 but for 2016."

Abiteboul highlighted the importance of Renault getting it right in time for the 2016 campaign, which he says will be a "crucial" season for F1's engine manufacturers.

"If you look at 2016, it is absolutely a crucial year. Everything might yet explode in to something quite different, but according to the current regulations it is really the year where you need to have the right package.

"[if you do not] you are in a bad situation not just for one year but for many years.

"That is why the milestones we are about to get for 2016 are particularly important.

"And before that milestone we need to have as much intelligence as possible on what can be done. So this is very much a long-term plan.

"This [illien] is an external support; it is not an internal support. It is a company and it is a supplier and it is part of Renault's road map to progress."

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FORMULA 1 DRIVER COACHING OVER RADIO – WHAT IS AND IS NOT ALLOWED IN 2015

Drivers racing the 2015 season will still be subject to the same radio message restrictions imposed by the FIA last year, with the governing body adding that a “a few more” may be included before the start of the season.

Last year, in response to a belief that information being relayed to drivers by engineers concerning performance was against the spirit of article 20.1 of the Sporting Regulations, which state that “the driver must drive the car alone and unaided”, the FIA contemplated a blanket ban on radio traffic between teams and drivers concerning car and driver performance.

However, following consultation with teams, officials modified their position, saying, at the Singapore Grand Prix, that it would delay restricting car performance messages until this season due to the complexity of introducing the ban at short notice and the potential for differing effects among teams. The FIA issued a revised advisory specifying a range of messages that would no longer be permitted.

According to an FIA spokesman the F1 Strategy Group has now ruled that the current restrictions are sufficient and that race officials will expect teams to continue to respect the technical directive issued in Singapore.

“The Strategy Group, from whom the original request to limit what messages could be delivered to the drivers, now feel that the balance is right by only limiting messages that can be considered driver “coaching”,” said the FIA spokesman. “Therefore, the only messages we will not permit are those listed in TD/041-14 from last year.”

He added, however, that there is still scope for further message types to be prohibited.

“We may add a few to this before the start of the season and re-issue the TD,” he said.

The issue of driver coaching is of particular relevance this year to teams such as Toro Rosso, who are fielding two rookies, including F1’s youngest driver, 17-year-old Max Verstappen.

Toro Rosso’s Franz Tost was strong opponent of the coaching ban, with the team boss saying last September that the changes contained in the technical directive.

“The changes are absolutely not necessary,” he said during the FIA’s press conference in Singapore.

“All the information the drivers get is also entertainment for the people in front of the TV to hear,” he added.

“For us of course it’s a big disadvantage because the more un-experienced the driver is there’s more information you have to give him.

“For me it’s absolutely nonsense what we are discussing here because in all the other kinds of sports a coach gives some informations, instructions to a football player, for example, on the sideline or wherever.

“This does not mean that the sportsman is not able to do his job, he can do his job, he does do his job, but maybe he can do it in a better way, it’s just a performance improvement. Therefore I don’t understand it.”

Under FIA technical directive TD/041 messages concerning the following are not permitted (either by radio or pit board)

- Driving lines on the circuit.
- Contact with kerbs.
- Car set up parameters for specific corners.
- Comparative or absolute sector time detail of another driver.
- Speeds in corners compared to another driver.
- Gear selection compared with another driver.
- Gear selection in general.
- Braking points.
- Rate of braking compared to another driver.
- Rate of braking or application of brakes in general.
- Car stability under braking.
- Throttle application compared to another driver.
- Throttle application in general.
- Use of DRS compared with another driver.
- Use of any overtake button.
- Driving technique in general.

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Force India fights for its rights – and for survival

Battling against the ever-rising costs of competing in Formula One, beleaguered Force India enters a crucial phase in coming weeks.

Since 2010, Force India has been a solid fixture of Formula One’s midfield. It has flip-flopped between sixth and seventh in the constructors’ standings, and came within less than 30 points of embarrassing the far-better-funded McLaren using the same Mercedes engine last year – indeed, it was a point ahead with four races remaining but suffered a poor run-in.

Impressive stuff from a team that inherited Lotus’s mantle as the year’s overachiever, and with McLaren ditching its Mercedes engines for new Hondas, surely a top-five finish is on the cards for 2015?

But how times can quickly change in the fickle world of Formula 1…

So what is the problem?

Not since its pointless 2008 has the former Jordan team looked in such troubles as it is right now. Without being an expert in Indian law or politics, I’ll let you Google its billionaire team owner Vijay Mallya’s current issues, as the ‘King of Good Times’ has had a few tricky ones with his airline recently.

But those pale in comparison with chairman and co-owner Subrata Roy, the Sahara supremo, who is currently in jail.

Against that backdrop, you can understand why there might have been a few cash flow issues when you’re trying to run a Formula One team. If you’re in any doubt about how much that costs, we are talking about an operation that easily consumes northwards of a million dollars a week, especially during the build process of new chassis.

Having already missed the first test completely, admitting to cash flow issues and citing a time-consuming move to using Toyota’s wind tunnel, Force India will attend this week’s Barcelona test with last year’s car. Hardly ideal with the season fast approaching.

As Motorsport.com revealed last week, the new VJM08 won’t make its track debut until the final test, so that’s just four days to shake-out any bugs, which is certainly a handicap and will lean heavily on the structures and processes that have been put in place.

Fortunately, there is continuity in the driver line-up in Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg, and it has undoubted strength in depth, with some great backroom staff. But, let's be clear, this is a team that needs all the help it can get.

A PR own goal or self preservation?

Much was made recently about Force India vetoing Marussia (or Manor, as it will become if it remains on the grid) from using its 2014 car this year, which sparked much anger amongst fans who saw this as one team predating (in the animalistic sense) another. As usual, there are two sides to this story.

In Force India's defense, it saw the injustice of being forced to spend millions on a new car as a rival team – a fellow ‘struggler’ – saved that money by reusing its old cars. It had the first vote on the matter, and surely wouldn’t have been the only team to vote this way.

Formula One is ‘The Piranha Club’ after all, and Marussia’s prize money – should it get divvied out to the struggling teams – would help keep them in business.

In the wider sense, however, a cynic might argue that Force India’s actions could consign it to the back of the grid, and remove one of the few teams it was actually guaranteed of beating…

Banking on Mercedes power

The ace up its sleeve is the Mercedes engine. Without that, Force India would be in far deeper trouble from a performance point of view. But with Lotus also getting that power unit and hybrid system, Force India will need to move forwards to avoid becoming mired in the lower reaches of the dwindling grid, especially if Sauber makes a performance jump with a stronger Ferrari unit, and Renault gets its act together with the Red Bull teams.

Don’t forget, the back of the grid is where Force India was for much of its first season in this guise in 2008, quickly replacing tail-ender Super Aguri after it was forced out of business on financial grounds…

An F1 team can only be as strong as the financial base it is built upon, and don’t think for a moment that Force India is the only team in this leaky boat.

But it’s surrounded by piranhas. And if it starts to sink, it won’t be pretty.

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What the fuss over 1000bhp Formula One cars is all about

The drive towards a dramatic increase in engine power is gaining traction as the F1 Commission vote for future direction looms.

It's an intoxicating premise: a 1000bhp Formula One car. It reminds you of the mid-1980s turbo cars, those flame-spitting monsters driven by heroes like Senna, Mansell, Piquet and Prost.

And yet, I recall some mind-numbingly dull races during that period. I remember too that when they reverted to normally-aspirated engines – in 1989 – I rejoiced. Less power on tap, of course, but what a fantastic noise! Those turbo engines always did sound flat, worse even than today's V6 hybrids.

It feels like Formula One has chased its tail repeatedly to find utopia. The huge and worthy safety drive after the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994 reduced corner speeds drastically through strangled performance.

It resulted in stronger chassis, so the buffer of comfort returned over the past two decades. Only Jules Bianchi's awful accident last year, with an 'outside factor' in play, has blighted its impressive safety record.

But, if laptimes are again to be slashed with far more powerful engines, and perhaps less downforce to keep them under control, at what point does that start risking the safety side? At what point do you risk producing cars that are too tough to tame?

Let's not forget the consequences the ban on electronic driver aids had at the start of 1994 in making the cars more edgy to drive…

Where we are at right now:

The ethos of Formula One has been marked by a raft of cost-cutting measures in the last decade. And a great question to ask in these times of global austerity is: Who is going to pay for all this new 1000bhp development?

The four manufacturers involved have already invested many, many millions on the most-recent hybrid technology. That's a lot of money for just three years.

We're in a fiefdom of energy recovery and efficiency – but the trouble is that it's hardly sexy, is it?

F1 cars of 2015 do remarkable things with 100kg of fuel, an amount that would barely have got you past half distance in seasons of yore.

But does the casual observer really care? Or would they rather be hooked by that '1000bhp' lure?

Power is nothing without control:

My final question is this: what's the point of 1000bhp if it's applied through high-degradation tyres? If a driver knows he can't use all that power available, is there any point in actually having it?

So the onus would switch back to control-supplier Pirelli again, to be more aggressive with its compounds to keep up with the increased power. And recall how uncomfortable that experience was in 2013, when we came close to a total farce at Silverstone as tyre after tyre exploded under racing conditions.

I will leave you with one guaranteed bonus, however: It would make qualifying absolutely mega – just like it was in the 1980s. Imagine watching these cars through Massenet, Tabac or the Swimming Pool at Monaco? What an intoxicating thought.

The drivers would again be heroes, perhaps just for one day… Saturday.

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Watch Sebastian Vettel Take Ferraris $2.9M Supercar for a Spin

In December, Ferrari gave us the FXX K, a powered up version of its already outstanding LaFerrari supercar. The $2.9 million track-dedicated car delivers 1,036 brake horsepower and is such a rare commodity, Ferrari won’t actually let you take it anywhere. Instead, it will hold your FXX K at its factory, and will kindly deliver it to your track of choice whenever you want to play Formula 1 champ.

To give us a good idea of what that looks like, Ferrari put Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel of the FXX K on its private track at Fiorano. The 27-year-old German is already one of the best F1 competitors in history, and left Red Bull at the end of last year to sign up with the Italians. We won’t know how that goes until the Australian Grand Prix starts the 2015 season on March 14, but in this video of his time with the latest Prancing Horse, he seems to be enjoying himself. He’s even picked up some Italian.

[riazp]

Nice video. too bad they had to put this annoying generic guitar in the background instead of letting us enjoy the sound of that beautiful engine

[ptrthgr8]

I don't think it was a generic guitar as much as it was generic house music. But either way it would have been better sans soundtrack entirely. Aesthetically I prefer the Berlinetta F12 to this new one... but, yeah, I sure wouldn't complain if someone gave me one.

And I'm sure Vettel was tickled shitless to drive a car that actually made a racecar sound. LOL

Cheers,

Greg

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

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And I'm sure Vettel was tickled shitless to drive a car that actually made a racecar sound. LOL

You have a way with words!

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MERCEDES: OUR RIVALS CAN BUILD AN ENGINE AS GOOD AS OURS

Dominant 2014 Formula 1 world champion team Mercedes believe that their rivals can catch up this season.

Germany’s authoritative Auto Motor und Sport estimated that the Stuttgart marque’s advantage last year at as much as 60 horse power.

Many believe that is too great a gap to bridge in just one winter, but Renault has worked hard on its structure and engine, Ferrari set the test pace at Jerez and newcomer Honda is famous for having dominated F1 in the 80s.

Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell (below) agrees: “The rules of physics and chemistry are the same for us all. I see no reason why the competition cannot build an engine as good as ours.”

“Of course we do not stand still, but the higher you are in your development, the flatter the curve is to improve,” he told the German publication.

Cowell also said Mercedes’ rivals have the advantage of being able to see exactly where the German giant is strong.

“Thanks to GPS measurements, they know the areas they need to look at, so Ferrari and Renault just have to aim higher. That is their advantage.

“Honda is a bit of an unknown, but we should not underestimate them. We will take a big step forward, but I cannot guarantee that it will be enough to be better than the competition,” he said.

Finally, Cowell commented on Bernie Ecclestone’s desire for 1,000 horse power engines, even though the new turbo V6 era is only a single season old.

“I believe that with the current architecture, we can achieve that [1,000hp], and produce more sound, if we increase the fuel flow rate,” he said.

“However, we should not dilute the concept of energy efficiency. Technology transfer from motor sport to the road industry is important for formula one. It’s why Honda came back,” Cowell argued.

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'FIA keeping Manor entry open'

Manor remain in the frame to make it onto the 2015 grid with the FIA delaying publishing the official entry list until the team confirm its plans, according to a report.

The Banbury-based squad, who drove under the Marussia guise last season, lodged an entry for the 2015 Championship under Manor Grand Prix, but their hopes were dealt a blow when they were denied permission to race with an updated 2014 car.

The team, though, have been told they can make another bid and, although they are unlikely to make the season opener in Australia on 15 March, they have now set their sights on the flyaway races with a 2015 car.

With Manor's entry fee paid up, Autosport reports that the FIA have made it clear they "will keep the entry list open as long as possible".

The report adds that "final entry lists are normally published well ahead of the season, but the FIA has not yet finalised the current one yet - and is holding back until it knows what Manor is doing.

"Autosport has learned that since the strategy group vote, the FIA has been in discussions with Manor regarding how best to proceed as it seeks assurances that losing the hoped-for 2014 car concession has not destroyed its hopes of a return."

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Gerard Lopez hits out at 'archaic' F1 management

Lotus Formula One boss Gerard Lopez has labelled the sport's management as "archaic".

Lopez, who at the end of last season was leading the charge as angry midfield teams demanded a change to the way revenue is shared, remains highly critical of the situation.

"TV ratings are declining steeply whereas the show on track is exceptional," Lopez told French magazine Auto Hebdo.

"Why do these potential sponsors never make the leap when they are not really undaunted by the amounts requested in F1? What's holding them back?

"Is it because of the sport's archaic management and organisation?"

Lopez said F1 must reach out to younger fans via the internet and social media, and also hit out at the sport's lack of a "genuine marketing department".

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Grosjean targets Lotus wins – but not until 2016

Lotus takes a long-term view of getting back on the pace, despite Mercedes power for 2015.

Lotus star Romain Grosjean believes the British team can get back to winning ways, but thinks it will take until 2016 for that to happen.

After a disastrous 2014, when it slumped down the F1 pecking order with its asymmetrical, twin-nosed E22, Grosjean is eyeing a far brighter future.

"I hope to get back to a good period," Grosjean told France's Auto Hebdo, "showing what I am capable of in 2015 and having a winning car in 2016."

Turning around its fortunes

With an industry-leading Mercedes engine, Lotus has presented the more conventional-looking E23 for 2015 and is predicting a return to form.

But team owner Gerard Lopez agrees that Lotus's return to winning ways will take some time.

"Two years ago we claimed a win and 13 podiums," he said. "We were right up there with Red Bull and challenging Mercedes and Ferrari for a top-three finish in the constructors' championship, while beating McLaren, Force India and Williams."

"After such a tough season, I think it's wiser not to swagger about. Let's keep a low profile, stay humble in the face of the hardships we experienced, and remain careful not to hit the repeat button.

"First, let's work very hard to recover and return to our 2013 form. Only then can we talk about aiming higher.

"Let's reclaim our rightful place first and revise our targets next," he added.

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McLaren utilise filming day ahead of Barcelona test

McLaren completed a day of filming on Monday for 'promotional purposes' at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona ahead of the second pre-season test at the same circuit.

The team struggled to put mileage on its MP4-30 during the first test in Jerez a fortnight ago, mainly because of technical issues with its Honda power unit.

Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso completed just 79 laps between them, compared to Mercedes which lapped the Spanish circuit 515 times.

The Japanese manufacturer has introduced a raft of engine upgrades ahead of the second test in an attempt to cure the issues which hampered their reliability.

The move is likely a strategic decision, with the team opting to use its filming day to get some early mileage on the MP4-30 ahead of the four-day test which kicks off on Thursday. It also gives them two days to resolve any new problems which may have arisen.

Button was behind the wheel for the days running where it's believed the car ran more reliably than in Jerez, though the team haven't confirmed the distance it completed.

Teams are limited to two filming days for promotional purposes and can only complete 100km on each of those days. They are also speed limited and must use Pirelli demonstration tyres.

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Problems a consequence of extreme design - McLaren

McLaren's pre-season troubles are an expected consequence of the extreme design philosophy used by designer Peter Prodromou according to Ron Dennis.

The MP4-30 has been described as the first "size-zero" car by Dennis, because the rear is tighly packaged around Honda's power unit and the cars cooling systems, giving it one of the most pronounced 'coke-bottle' designs on the grid.

Dennis has also described it as a "masterpiece" and has high expectations for the car once they and Honda have overcome the issues which plagued them in Jerez.

"In developing the MP4-30 we took a calculated risk," he told Corriere dello Sport. "But we know exactly what we have done and what we can achieve in the future.

"The layout of the car is extremely compact and first we have to deal with the consequences of that choice," he explained.

Fernando Alonso recently stated that he wouldn't set himself a target for the season until the third race of the year, because he simply doesn't know where they stand yet and it will take a few races to see the full potential of the new car.

Dennis agrees with his driver: "I think we will only fully understand the car after three races, but we are all optimistic and believe that we will be successful.

"But we have obtained a very high level with this car, and I have to thank Peter Prodromou for creating this masterpiece."

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FERRARI REVEAL THEIR RADICAL VISION OF FORMULA 1 FUTURE

Just as the Formula 1 Commission meets in Geneva, Ferrari has outlined its vision of the sport’s future by releasing concept designs of what F1 cars may look like if they have their way and ask fans to comment on the futuristic designs.

Earlier in February, the powerful Strategy Group met to discuss plans to spice up F1 with powerful and noisy engines, and more aggressive looking cars.

At that meeting, Red Bull and McLaren reportedly tabled aggressive-looking drawings outlining their vision to significantly improve the shape of the cars with dramatic rule changes in 2016 or 2017.

Now, as the F1 Commission meets on Tuesday to consider the very same matter, Ferrari made public its idea of what grand prix cars might look like in the not-too-distant future.

The computer-generated images, uploaded to a bespoke ‘F1 Concept’ section of the official Ferrari website, show a futuristic car with a double-decker front wing, a driver helmet integrated with the bodywork, and a sculpted rear wing curling around wide tyres on low-profile wheel rims.

Ferrari also created the social media #ferrarif1concept, prompting widespread feedback.

Have your say here>>>

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ARRIVABENE: VETTEL SEEMS LIKE A CARBON COPY OF SCHUMI!

The true Formula 1 pecking order ahead of the 2015 season will still not become apparent at this week’s Barcelona preseason test.

That is the view of new Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene, after the Italian team surprisingly topped the times at the first test of the winter at Jerez.

Now, the sport is setting up at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, where the final two tests before Melbourne will take place.

In the aftermath of a coup d’equipe and major revolution at Maranello, the Ferrari boss revealed that the atmosphere at Maranello is now totally different, due in part to the arrival of Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull.

“I was around during the Michael Schumacher era,” said Arrivabene, “and I confess that there are times when I look at Vettel and, in some ways, it really seems like a carbon copy of Schumi!

“There are impressive similarities,” he added, “for those who have known both. We all hope that the results are the same as well.”

“Obviously the most important test will be the last one,” Arrivabene told the blog of Ferrari insider Leo Turrini.

“The simple reason is that it is only then that teams must throw away their masks and show their cards for Melbourne,” he predicted. “Mercedes was hiding at Jerez and you must always expect positive surprises from Honda.”

The former Marlboro executive said not much can be read into Ferrari’s chart-topping Jerez pace, “No one can sell smoke, even if I have worked in tobacco for a living.”

“I have big dreams but also feet planted in the ground. I say to our fans to believe in the effort we are making, bearing in mind the situation in which we began.”

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RICCIARDO: WE’RE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUR FEET

Daniel Ricciardo, the only non-Mercedes driver to win races during the 2015 F1 world championship season, has admitted he might face additional pressure from beyond Mercedes and admits that Red Bull are finding their feet ahead of the forthcoming.

After the 2014 season, in which the Australian finished third overall and single-handedly prevented a 100 per cent winning record for Mercedes, the 25-year-old said he was eyeing a full title tilt for 2015.

“If we’re in with a crack we’ll have a good run at it and leave nothing on the table,” he said.

But then came the first test of the winter at Jerez, where the formerly dominant Mercedes put on a masterly display of reliability.

The real eye-opening form, however, belonged to Ferrari, following the fabled team’s difficult 2014 campaign marked by management calamity behind the scenes.

“Of course we’re aware of what Mercedes did, and the laptime Ferrari put down… it looked good,” Red Bull’s Ricciardo said this week.

“We expect nothing less of Mercedes to be honest, but Ferrari looked like they came out pretty strong.”

As ever, however, Ricciardo warned against reading too much into pre-season test form.

“For now they look good,” he said, “but it’s one of those things.

“It’s still early, and Jerez is a place that A, we don’t race at, and B, we never drive in conditions that are 5 to 8 degrees. And the track is really, really abrasive there; the tarmac is a lot more aggressive than any other track.”

Ricciardo admitted that the picture regarding Ferrari’s form will start to become clearer this week, when Barcelona hosts the second of three pre-Melbourne tests.

“So they look good, but are they going to be the same once we start racing?” he wondered. “I think Barcelona will get us a step closer to that, and then we’ll see where we are. But I’m not taking anything away from them; I think they’ve come out in good form.”

As for Red Bull, there have been reports of technical trouble for the former world champions, as the new RB11 struggled for laps and ultimate pace at Jerez.

“For us,” Ricciardo said, “it was a lot better than last year, but we’re still trying to find our feet. But we know we have time on our side, and we’re pretty quick at turning it around.”

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FIA STUDY SHOWS FORMULA 1 COSTS COULD BE HALVED

A study commissioned by the FIA, the sport’s governing body, reportedly shows that costs in Formula 1could be halved without hurting the socalled show.

With Caterham and Marussia ailing and even better-funded midfielders struggling financially, it emerged on Tuesday that New York-based McKinsey and Company, a multinational consulting firm, recently examined the finances of nine F1 teams at the behest of the governing body.

In its findings, revealed by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, McKinsey has proposed new cost-cutting measures that could help teams like Force India, Sauber and Lotus – with budgets in the range of $120-$200 million – to survive and thrive.

Focusing on a $120m per year team, McKinsey reportedly found that almost $30 million – a quarter – is spent on the engine alone, but that a 25 per cent cost reduction would be feasible.

The study also found that 35 per cent of the design and production process, 15 per cent of the grand prix activities and 20 per cent of testing costs could be slashed.

“Then teams like Sauber, Force India, Toro Rosso and Williams could be funded solely from the distributions from the commercial rights holder,” reported correspondent Michael Schmidt.

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FAILURE IN F1 HAS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FERRARI BRAND

On-track struggles in Formula 1 have hurt Ferrari’s legendary brand power, according to a study by asset valuation company Brand Finance.

Last year, Ferrari retained its post as the most powerful brand in the world, but a newly-published list shows that toy company Lego has made an overtaking move.

“Ferrari has been slipping since the end of the Schumacher era but it’s really fallen as the F1 team has done badly” in 2014, said branding expert Robert Haigh, according to the Telegraph.

“They’ve also ended their cap on the amount of cars they produce so people don’t see it as being so exclusive anymore,” he added.

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ALONSO DESERVES RESPECT FOR LEAVING FERRARI

Ferrari’s top level management revolution forced the departure of number one driver Fernando Alonso from Maranello according to Adrian Campos, a former F1 driver who in 2010 founded the team that became known as Hispania.

The 54-year-old Spaniard now operates junior teams including a GP2 outfit, and spoke to the sports daily AS about Alonso’s controversial switch from Ferrari to McLaren, where he spectacularly clashed in 2007.

“Honestly,” Campos told the newspaper, “I think we all have to respect the decision taken by Fernando. Only he had all the information.

“The only thing I can say is that he lived through a bad time at a completely headless Ferrari team, with major problems for Montezemolo who eventually left and bosses who didn’t know racing and showed a great inability to form a group of people working in the same direction.

“Unfortunately, Fernando did not have a great boss like (Jean) Todt, or a greatly respected technical figure like Ross Brawn, as was the situation for Schumacher,” he explained.

Campos said he therefore understands Alonso’s decision to leave, but joins the rest of the F1 world in wondering if McLaren-Honda is the right move.

“The Ferrari-Alonso marriage was broken,” he insisted, “while Honda has won many titles although it was true the last project was disastrous.

“But the work Honda is planning now with McLaren, and the budget they will have, is information that is all in the hands of Fernando, and with that he will have made the right decision.

“Everyone else can say what he wants, but I think we should respect his decision and let’s see what happens,” Campos added.

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SCHUMACHER PROGRESS AND RECOVERY PAINFULLY SLOW

Nearly 14 months after his freak 2013 skiing accident in the Alps, little new is known about Michael Schumacher’s medical progress as a veil of secrecy surrounds the F1 legend’s recovery, but news is emerging that the process is painfully slow.

The 46-year-old is reportedly cared for by a private medical team numbering 15 professionals around the clock at his mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva.

But in a new report published by the UK newspaper Express, it is claimed the seven time world champion “remains mute with limited awareness of his environment”, and still “unable to walk”.

“Progress is painfully slow,” said an insider. “There is no miracle on the horizon.”

The report said Schumacher’s family has now imposed a total media blackout on news about the former Mercedes and Ferrari driver, while tents have been erected to stop paparazzi photographing the F1 star.

“What tortures the public is the same thing that tortures the family -– progress is slow, progress is uncertain,” Peter Hamlyn, a neurosurgeon and sports head injury expert, said.

“If you look at severe head injury victims who go on to make a good recovery – and I’m not saying all do – it will always be a story of years,” he added.

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MARUSSIA BECOMES MANOR AND PAYS 2015 F1 FEE

Manor, formerly known as Marussia, is plotting its course for a return to the 2015 Formula 1 grid.

Earlier, the backmarker appeared doomed, as administrators auctioned equipment and the 2016 entrant Haas moved into its Banbury headquarters. But last week, there were crucial signs of life.

‘Manor F1 Team’ emerged on the internet and with official social media profiles featuring the slogan ‘Get ready’, announcing it is preparing to exit administration.

Rival Force India, however, threw a spanner in the works when a bid for Manor to field the 2014 Marussia car this year was blocked.

The move was slammed by Gian Carlo Minardi, the former owner of a famous F1 backmarker, as “absurd and unsportsmanlike”, but Manor insists it is still working on its 2014 and 2015 cars, apparently now at a new base in Dinnington.

Autosprint, meanwhile, reports that Manor has paid its official entry fee to the FIA for the 2015 season.

“The FIA,” added the report, “is keeping the door open for the former Marussia team by not yet finalising the official entry list.

“According to reliable sources,” said Autosprint, “important discussions will be held this week, after which the Federation will decide on Manor’s admission.”

Team representative Graeme Lowdon said earlier this month, “We are doing everything possible to adhere to the process set out for us to return to the 2015 grid. This is a fantastic good news story for the whole sport and we just want to go racing.”