FORMULA 1 - 2015

[MIKA27]

Arrivabene satisfied with campaign

Scuderia Ferrari principal Maurizio Arrivabene is satisfied with the progress made by the team during the past season, despite finishing well behind Constructors' champions Mercedes.

Ferrari could only muster three wins throughout their campaign, one more than the initial target set by the team earlier this season and one short of what Arrivabene would have considered a highly successful campaign.

"When you are not winning the championship, you cannot say the mission is completed," Arrivabene told Motorsport.com.

"But we had at the beginning of the year a mission that was quite tough, and I think I am a mountain guy in the end," added the Ferrari boss, making reference to a bet he made if the team managed four wins for the season.

"I was more than happy to go up there. But it is okay, also, like this. As I said before, I need to thank all the guys [at Ferrari] because they were doing an amazing job," he said.

What this campaign has essentially meant is that Ferrari were the main challengers to the Mercedes throne this year and that is a platform Arrivabene is confident his team can build on.

"Since the first test, we have some good feeling. But the mountain to climb was really big," explained Arrivabene.

"And the overall theme, not only for the guys here, but the drivers, the guys in Maranello, is they accept this and they were climbing the mountain. But when we get to the top we discovered that somebody else got there before us."

[MIKA27]

Mercedes may consider changing drivers amid tensions

Mercedes could opt to dump either Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg or even both drivers if tension between the two becomes any worse next season, Toto Wolff has admitted.

Whilst the pair have only been team-mates for three seasons, their relationship has become increasingly strained with each passing race and has come to blows on a number of occasions.

That, according to Wolff, is beginning to have an impact on the team to such an extent that the Austrian highlighted their relationship as Mercedes' biggest weakness.

"We struggle sometimes in winning races on Sunday and having always one [driver] upset and this spills over into the team. It is something that needs to stop," he told Motorsport.com.

"[Our] biggest weakness is the dynamic of the relationship between the drivers – and sometimes between the drivers and the team."

Wolff went as far as to suggest they may be forced to change their driver line-up in future if things don't improve.

"Going forward, we will consider if it is the best set-up for the team," he added. "If we feel that it is not aligned with the general consensus, spirit and philosophy within the team, we might consider that when we take a decision, in terms of the driver line-up going forward.

"I think it is important to have talented and fast drivers in the car. But we want to work with nice guys."

[MIKA27]

Todt and Ecclestone granted greater F1 powers

FIA president Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone have been given the power to make recommendations and decisions on key issues within the sport, without the need to go through the F1 Strategy Group.

The sport is under increasing pressure to implement change, but the way in which decisions are made - with unanimous support often required - it makes putting said change into practice very difficult.

Therefore the World Motor Sport Council has granted Todt and Ecclestone power to implement change if necessary.

"The World Motor Sport Council approved, by a near unanimous number (just one vote against), a mandate for the FIA President, Jean Todt and the Representative of the Commercial Rights Holder, Bernie Ecclestone to make recommendations and decisions regarding a number of pressing issues in Formula One."

Those key issues include governance, power units and cost reduction.

The WMSC added that Todt and Ecclestone would present their "conclusions" by January 31, 2016.

[MIKA27]

FIA confirms new tyre rules and Virtual Safety Car changes

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has approved changes to F1’s rules regarding tyres and the Virtual Safety Car for 2016.

A major change to the tyre rules will see drivers given a choice from three different specifications of dry-weather tyre instead of two. However F1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli will still select two sets of tyres for the race, at least one of which must be used, and one set for use in Q3 only, which must be the softest available compound.

Drivers will still have to use two different types of dry-weather tyre in the race (if they do not use wets or intermediates) and one of these must be the type nominated by Pirelli.

The Visual Safety Car may now be deployed in practice sessions. When it is used DRS will be available to drivers immediately afterwards, instead of after a two-lap delay as is the case with regular Safety Car periods.

The FIA also announced Emerson Fittipaldi has stood down as president of the Drivers’ Commission, to be replaced by Tom Kristensen. The sport’s governing body will also establish a new Hall of Fame.

[MIKA27]

Williams' 2016 car will be 'significantly' different

Williams has dropped a hint that next year's car will be 'significantly' different to its 2015 Formula 1 challenger.

The team halted development of its current car several weeks ago, with its third place in the constructors' championship pretty much then a done deal.

And having elected to make a bold step with its new car, it has meant that few parts being prepared for 2016 were worth bringing forward to test at the end of this campaign.

Williams performance chief Rob Smedley said: "The car we have in the wind tunnel for 2016, and the 2015 car at the end of the season, are significantly different – so we could not do anything this year from an aerodynamic point of view.

"In terms of other parts of R&D, and mechanical design, yes we have been trialling things all the time, and you need a package of upgrades with the mechanical car to see if there is any lap time improvement.

"But all our significant lap time improvement is back in the wind tunnel in Grove."

Progress relative

Although the data coming out of the Williams wind tunnel is encouraging, Smedley is equally well aware that unless the team does better than its rivals it will not make any progress.

"It is all relative," he said. "We could have a stellar development, but Ferrari and Red Bull have an even more stellar one.

"Everything that we are seeing at the minute is good. We are hitting targets, we are always looking not just at headline numbers but other areas of aero development, significant areas of aero development.

"So it is process of getting us back towards the front. At the minute we are reasonably happy with what we are seeing."

[MIKA27]

U.S. Grand Prix marked as provisional on 2016 calendar

The U.S. Grand Prix has been included on the confirmed 2016 Formula One calendar as "subject to agreement" amidst growing concerns about the future of the race.

Following this week's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) the confirmed calendar has been released. The maximum number of races allowed has risen from 20 to 21 to accommodate Germany's return alongside the arrival of Azerbaijan.

The most notable change is the asterix alongside the U.S. Grand Prix, stating the event is "subject to agreement with the promoter and the ASN". After this year's grand prix at Austin, Circuit of the Americas (COTA) chief Bobby Epstein said the event had been "financially devastating".

The only date change is the Mexican Grand Prix, which has been brought forward a week to October 30 in order to go back-to-back with the U.S Grand Prix if it goes ahead. The inaugural 'European Grand Prix' in Baku remains on June 19 despite clashing with the Le Mans 24 Hours, though the race start has been scheduled to avoid a conflict with the conclusion of the famous endurance event.

Confirmed 2016 Formula One world championship calendar:

March 20 - Australian Grand Prix

April 3 - Bahrain Grand Prix

April 17 - Chinese Grand Prix

May 1 - Russian Grand Prix

May 15 - Spanish Grand Prix

May 29 - Monaco Grand Prix

June 12 - Canadian Grand Prix

June 19 - European Grand Prix (Azerbaijan) *

July 3 - Austrian Grand Prix

July 10 - British Grand Prix

July 24 - Hungarian Grand Prix

July 31 - German Grand Prix

August 28 - Belgian Grand Prix

September 4 - Italian Grand Prix

September 18 - Singapore Grand Prix

October 2 - Malaysian Grand Prix

October 9 - Japanese Grand Prix

October 23 - United States Grand Prix **

October 30 - Mexican Grand Prix

November 13 - Brazilian Grand Prix

November 27 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

*race start to be scheduled to avoid conflict with the conclusion of Le Mans 24 Hours

** subject to agreement with the promoter and the ASN

[MIKA27]

Vettel ‘100 per cent’ certain Mercedes can be beaten

Sebastian Vettel says he is absolutely sure Ferrari has the ability to catch and surpass Mercedes following if it can once again make a substantial step forward over the winter.

With three wins and 13 podiums, Vettel proved a thorn in the side of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in his first season as a Ferrari driver, the German repeatedly getting amongst the 'Silver Arrows' as Ferrari enjoyed an impressive return to form in 2015.

Though his push to beat Rosberg to the runners-up spot in the closing stages of the season was scuppered by his countryman's improved run of form in the final three races, Vettel still ended the year with nearly double the points his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

Indeed, Vettel describes Ferrari's return to form as 'a miracle', the step forward made in the twelve months giving him hope that another improvement over the winter could see him challenging Hamilton and Rosberg more often

“It is a miracle where we started off in the winter, setting fastest times, but [then] knowing in Australia and getting the confirmation we are a long way behind,” he said. “Then I haven't seen any other team making that much progress throughout the season.

“Obviously we had upgrades on our engine and we upgraded our car and naturally that brought us closer. Not close enough yet to really fight them and put them under pressure - but I 100 per cent believe that they are beatable, especially when you put pressure on them.

Indeed, Vettel feels Ferrari must now focus on its own efforts, rather than measure itself against Mercedes, in an effort to get on terms with its rival in 2016.

“I think our strategy has to be to focus on ourselves, like we did the whole season, work on ourselves. We had a lot of smiles this year and if we can increase the number of smiles [in 2016], it is also good news for the result next year.”

[MIKA27]

Kvyat unmoved by beating team-mate

Daniil Kvyat says that he will take little pleasure in beating Red Bull Racing team-mate Daniel Ricciardo to seventh in the overall F1 standings after an inconsistent 2015 season.

The Russian, who moved over from sister team Toro Rosso to replace the Ferrari-bound Sebastian Vettel this season, managed to do what Ricciardo had achieved the previous year by beating his more experienced colleague, but insists that, even with the Australian as his only real marker in a campaign dogged by engine problems and lack of parity with the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, there was little joy to be had from coming out on top.

“Yes, I'm pleased with that but I was just trying to do my best every race to be honest and, from that point of view, I'm not so happy as there were too many ups and downs,” he pointed out.

Kvyat eventually beat Ricciardo by just three points after the Australian claimed sixth on the road at Yas Marina and the Russian limped to a hobbled tenth. A maiden podium in Hungary remains Kvyat's best performance of the season, but there were too many DNFs and lowly finishes for the youngster's liking, and he now turns his attention to 2016.

“It was good that we managed to finish and I was happy with my pace in the first half of the race,” he said of the final round, “Up until about midway, it looked as though we could have had a really strong race, as I was controlling [Felipe] Massa and attacking [Nico] Hulkenberg, but then we had electronic issues and we had to give up the fight as we were losing a lot of time on the straight. Almost every lap we had to do something about our electronic issues so, under the circumstances, we did absolutely the best job we could and I'm happy about that.

“Our focus from now is 2016 and, if we can make some steps forward over the winter, we will be happy.”

After much wrangling and doubt, Red Bull is expected to announce its 2016 engine partner 'in the next few days' as it seeks clarity on its future.

[MIKA27]

RON DENNIS: “MCLAREN SHOULD HAVE REVERTED TO 2012 CAR AT THE START OF 2013 FORMULA 1 SEASON”

Ron Dennis believes McLaren should have reverted to its 2012 car immediately after the first race of 2013, at the beginning of the team’s longest gap between Grand Prix victories its Formula 1 history.

McLaren has not won a race since the Brazilian Grand Prix at the end of 2012 and has only secured two podium finishes in the 57 races since then, both of which came in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. This year the team finished ninth in the constructors’ championship, its worst performance since 1980.

Speaking at last weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Dennis explained that as the team ended 2012 with arguably the quickest car in F1, it should not have introduced a completely new design for the following year and when the new machine’s weaknesses became known, the decision to revert to the previous year’s car should have been taken.

He said: “The level of our performance this year is understood, last year sometimes your compass heading just gets completely off and you go down the wrong aero path and you’re toast.

“When you make a car and built into it is a fundamental weakness, it’s extremely hard to develop out of it. When we left what was a dominant season in 2012 we were by far the quickest car.

“There was no regulation change [for 2013]. It was not the right decision to make a new car and it was not the right decision not to immediately revert to that car after the first Grand Prix. That was a real point at which the company made a mistake.

“We should have reverted to [the 2012] car and we should have developed that car and then we would have not lost, instead of constantly pursuing something that, with the benefit of hindsight, was fundamentally flawed.”

When asked where his team’s recent problems had started, Dennis explained that there were a range of factors that affected an F1 team’s performance, from its chassis and engine to personnel changes and their levels of motivation.

He said: “When you look at Formula 1 overall, there is no question that teams go up and down in their performance. We don’t live in the past; we try to learn from it.

“We can analyse each year and you can say, especially retrospectively, where did we go wrong and that leaves out of the equation the technician, the designers, who in themselves become a bit of a commodity that move around the teams.

“They not only move around the teams but their own motivation goes up and down and you see that as having an influence as well. And of course, people mature and they lose some of their naked hunger to succeed.

“If you look at the patterns you realise that it’s a combination of everything and not about one thing. The fact that McLaren hasn’t had a particularly successful season either this year or last, you quickly forget the level of dominance that we’ve enjoyed.”

McLaren’s poor run of results coincided with Vodaphone stopping its title sponsorship of the team and Dennis pointed out that the situation had occurred as a result of changes at the British company and he was not worried about a lack of title sponsor affecting his team’s finances.

He said: “Things are rarely as they appear to be. The simple fact is we didn’t lose Vodafone, they chose to stop. There is a big difference because big corporations have senior management changes [and] it is inevitable when you have senior management changes that they have a different perspective and it is opportunistic for the CMOs to lobby for different directions. We were just caught up in these changes.

“Do I lose sleep over it? No, I don’t, and we are very strong financially. The equity value of our organisation is now well over £1bn and all of our businesses are profitable.”

Despite the problems McLaren has encountered with its Honda power unit in 2015, Dennis described the team’s efforts to improve next season and reiterated his belief that the partnership would be successful.

He said: “We have to dig deep, take the criticism and work that bit harder, but it is most definitely going in the right direction. Not so much here at the circuit, but on our test beds in Japan and in the windtunnels [in Woking]. We’re very focused, but intend to under promise and over deliver.”

“Our objective is to be as competitive as possible to win races [and] putting aside that, we’re absolutely here to win world championships, and that requires the best of the best, whatever that represents. It’s certainly not going to be achievable with the second of the best.”

[MIKA27]

DOES MERCEDES REALLY NEED HAMILTON AND RAIKKONEN?

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are not the only drivers who could win grands prix at the wheel of their Mercedes.

That is the claim of former double world champion Mika Hakkinen, as Mercedes chief Toto Wolff issued an alarming warning that the dominant German camp might have to re-think the current shape of its driver lineup.

Between them, back-to-back champion Hamilton and his German teammate Rosberg utterly dominated in 2015, winning a record-equalling 16 of the 19 grands prix.

But, as in 2014, their battle has ended in personal acrimony, with the pair exchanging barbs at the season-ending Abu Dhabi grand prix last weekend.

“Let’s skip that part,” Rosberg said when asked if he might celebrate Mercedes’ season over dinner with Hamilton.

As for whether Christmas cards or presents might be exchanged, Hamilton added: “I don’t think we’ve ever done either so there’s no reason to change.”

But Wolff has told a website this week that the ill-feeling is not only taking place publicly, but also behind the scenes at Mercedes.

So as for whether Mercedes could continue to thrive without Hamilton or Rosberg at the wheel, retired F1 veteran Hakkinen answered: “Good question.

“Mercedes has a dominant car, so there are certainly a number of other drivers who could win the championship with it,” he told his sponsor Hermes in an interview.

“But the list is not very long because the team also needs the skills of the driver to develop the car. And experience also plays a significant role,” the Finn added.

But Hamilton is quoted by the British newspaper The Sun as saying “fierce competition” between himself and teammate Rosberg is normal.

“Look at Serena Williams,” he said. “When she is fighting for titles, I’m sure whoever she is competing against is not her best friend.

“But in F1 you are teammates, with the priority to win the constructors’ championship, and we work collectively.

“When Nico wins a race I need to back him up, and vice versa, and what we do together – in terms of pushing the car and team forward – is hopefully inspiring them, motivating the guys. That’s our goal,” added Hamilton.

[MIKA27]

FIA CONFIRM ENGINE TOKENS TO REMAIN AT 32 IN 2016

The FIA has announced that a similar level of in-season engine development would be allowed in 2016 through the current system of ‘tokens’, which had been due to go down to 25 but would remain at 32.

The allowance will then drop to 25 in 2017 and 20 in 2018. The decision will help McLaren’s partners Honda who returned to the sport this year but struggled with poor performance and a lack of reliability.

The World Motor Sport Council also approved, with just one vote against, a mandate for the FIA president Jean Todt and the commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone to make recommendations and decisions “regarding a number of pressing issues”.

They included governance of the sport, power units and reducing costs.

“Mr Todt and Mr Ecclestone expressed their intention to establish conclusions on these matters by 31 January, 2016,” the statement said.

[MIKA27]

FERRARI GET GREEN LIGHT TO SUPPLY ENGINES TO TORO ROSSO

Formula 1’s governing body has agreed a rule change to allow Ferrari to supply the Toro Rosso team with year-old engines next season.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Wednesday that power units homologated (approved for use) in previous seasons could now be re-homologated for 2016.

“Previously no manufacturer could supply more than one specification of power unit,” the FIA said.

“The World Motor Sport Council was also advised that the FIA had agreed for Ferrari to supply a fourth customer team with a 2015-specification Power Unit in 2016.”

A formal deal has yet to be announced, but Ferrari are already scheduled to supply Sauber and the new U.S.-based Haas team as well as their own works entry.

Toro Rosso, who used Ferrari engines from 2007-13 and took current Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel to his first Formula One victory at Monza in 2008, need a change after owners Red Bull fell out with under-performing Renault.

Red Bull are expected to continue using an engine provided by Renault for one more season after other manufacturers rejected approaches.

[MIKA27]

MANOR SEATS A HOT TICKET TO F1 GRID IN 2016

Manor has yet to confirm their 2016 driver line-up and with most teams having signed their drivers for next season, a seat with the backmarker outfit is a much desired ticket to the F1 grid.

Although Roberto Merhi returned to the car for the 2015 finale in Abu Dhabi, he was only filling in for new regular Alexander Rossi as the American completed his GP2 campaign.

“I think I’ve shown I am capable of being in F1 and I’m confident of keeping the seat,” Rossi said in Abu Dhabi.

The other cockpit has been occupied all year by Briton Will Stevens, and he admitted: “I think everything is looking good for next year.

“I’m pretty comfortable with where I am and where we are with the team,” he added.

It is believed Manor has ramped up its asking price for the cockpits for 2016, given the move from 2014-spec Ferrari power to up-to-date Mercedes engines for 2016.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that the price per seat for 2016 is $10 million.

“As the competitiveness of the team should go up, so does the price,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff admitted in Abu Dhabi.

Wolff was commenting on the price of a Manor seat because he has been trying to find a place for Pascal Wehrlein, the 2015 Mercedes reserve and DTM champion. But he suggested that $10 million is too big a price to pay.

“We have a driver budget, but not on this scale,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.

Mercedes has also signed another tester, Esteban Ocon, for 2016, with Wolff saying last week: “It could mean both of them ending up in a testing role, in a reserve role and in a DTM role, so it’s not done yet.”

Auto Motor und Sport also claims that the new development role at Williams for Lance Stroll, the son of Canadian billionaire Lawrence, is costing no less than $6 million.

[MIKA27]

COULTHARD CALLS FOR F1 TO BE KEPT ON FREE-TO-AIR TV

Formula 1 would not be wise to allow free-to-air television coverage to stop in Britain, David Coulthard has warned.

Last weekend in Abu Dhabi, the BBC’s formula one coverage team including the former McLaren and Red Bull driver and Eddie Jordan signed off by saying they “hope” to be back in 2016.

It follows reports last month that Bernie Ecclestone was unmoved by the British broadcaster’s push to cut costs by renegotiating the price of its deal.

In Britain, where 7 of the 10 teams are based, the F1 coverage is split between a comprehensive pay service on Sky and a limited amount of free-to-air coverage by the BBC.

Coulthard, a former F1 driver and now a BBC commentator, urged Ecclestone to allow the broadcaster to “make savings” but still keep the sport on TV in Britain.

“My personal view is that if F1 allows itself to lose free-to-air television coverage in the UK, it will not only affect the popularity of the sport, and by extension the teams’ ability to raise money to compete, but it will also reduce its exposure to the next generations of engineers and mechanics,” he said.

“F1 has inspired people to enter a workforce that numbers tens of thousands of people — the drivers are just the lucky ones at the end of the rainbow,” the former McLaren and Red Bull driver continued.

“I am proud to work for the BBC. I don’t think I would have made it out of my home village of Twynholm if I had not been able to watch F1 on the BBC,” said the Scot.

“Without it, there was no outlet for me to see Canada and Monaco and places like that. Of course, the world has changed since then, but free-to-air television still reaches many more people than subscription and without it we would be moving into previously uncharted waters as far as F1 in the UK is concerned,” Coulthard concluded.

[MIKA27]

SILVERSTONE SAYS NO OFFER ON TABLE FROM JAGUAR LAND ROVER

Silverstone said on Thursday it had received no formal offer from Indian-owned luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover amid media reports of a planned bid for the British Grand Prix circuit.

The British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) that owns the central English track and surrounding land said in a statement that it received a number of confidential approaches and considered them on their merits.

“Should an attractive offer be received from any party, the BRDC Board would seek a mandate from Club members before progressing it,” it added.

A Silverstone Circuit spokeswoman added that “there has been no formal offer received from JLR”. There was no immediate comment from the carmaker.

The Financial Times and other media reported that JLR, owned by Tata Motors, had prepared a bid after asking property consultant Cushman&Wakefield in July to value the site.

It said that, under the terms being considered, Silverstone would become JLR’s home with a ‘heritage centre’ to show off the company’s cars, offices, a hotel and visitor centre.

The market value of the circuit, industrial units and land for potential development was put at 22.7 million pounds ($33.87 million).

Jaguar, at the time owned by Ford, had their own Formula One team between 2000 and 2004 before selling to Red Bull. They also have a long tradition in sportscar racing at Le Mans.

Silverstone, the site of a former World War Two airfield, hosted the first Formula One championship grand prix in 1950 and has a long-term contract for the British round.

JLR, which has been rapidly expanding its model line-up and volumes with newproduction planned in continental Europe and South America, recorded a pre-tax loss of 157 million pounds in the three months to the end of September.

The company’s Chief Executive Ralf Speth told Reuters in an interview last month that he did not expect his company to match the 2.61 billion pound pre-tax profit it made in 2014/15.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton tells Rosberg to toughen up

Lewis Hamilton has accused fellow Mercedes AMG Petronas driver of “complaining” too much during the 2015 season.

The teammates had some heated battles during the season and eventually went on to finish in first and second place respectively on the driver's championship.

"You've seen he complains about a lot of things. But you kind of let it go over your head because that's just the way he is,” Hamilton told the BBC.

The 30-year-old Englishman says that the pair's difference could come from the contrasting childhood's, with Hamilton having grown up on a council estate and Rosberg spending his childhood in Monaco as the son of 1982 Formula 1 champion Keke Rosberg.

One of Rosberg main complaints this season was that Hamilton was too aggressive in passing, in reference to incidents at the Japanese and US Grands Prix.

Rosberg was forced off the track in both cases, but Hamilton insists this is part of the sport.

“On the racing side of things you have to be tough. You can't be nice out there, and go: 'Hey, here's some space.' I mean business,” he said.

"I'm not here to make friends, to finish the race and say: 'Hey, that was a lovely race, chap, you were so friendly with me, you let me win.'

"This is the one opportunity and you take it. That doesn't mean wiping someone out or cheating but you have to be fierce, strong and hard to as much of the limit as you can be. And you can ask every world champion, if you're on the outside, you have to back off."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton looks for extra half second

World champion Lewis Hamilton believes that the changes made to the set up of the Mercedes Petronas car have possibly contributed to the shrinking of the gap between him and teammate Nico Rosberg.

Rosberg won the final three races of the 2015 campaign, with Hamilton finishing second on all three occasions. However, the Formula One champion is of the opinion that it was after the retirement at the Singapore Grand Prix that things started to change for him.

He also thinks that the onus will now be on him to ensure that he is in the best position to remedy this, ahead of the 2016 season.

"I could pinpoint it [the problem], but I'm not going to say what it is. Let's just say the set up has changed a lot," Hamilton told Autosport.

"I know my race pace has generally been very good, but overall I reckon I've lost half a second, so I have to figure out how I get the car back to that area in which I'm able to exploit it more," added the Brit.

"Throughout the beginning of the season, and up until Singapore, the car was phenomenal, and I felt comfortable.

"It was really nicely set up, and it was really beneath me. But the team felt they had to make some changes, and after that it has not really been the same," added Hamilton.

"It wasn't in the sweet spot, and it has maybe suited Nico's driving style a little bit more."

"In these cars you have all these different tools and you can choose certain ones, but you don't always have the time to choose the right ones. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don't."

[MIKA27]

Hembery pleased with test outcomes

Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery said he was pleased with what was achieved during the 12-hour tyre test which took place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The official tyre supplier worked on the development of its 2016 compounds, including the new ultrasoft and it was the one opportunity Pirelli had to try and prepare for the next season. Hembery believes that the opportunity was well exploited.

"We had one shot when it came to testing tyres for next season, and we can be satisfied by what we've achieved in this test, even if we have to fully analyze the data," he told Formula1.com

"We've tested different versions of the new ultrasoft compound for 2016, which was one of the targets for this session," added the director.

Hembery created some clarity on what it was that his team wanted to achieve during the particular session.

"The ultrasoft's target for 2016 is to introduce a compound softer than the supersoft and mainly designed as aggressive choice for street circuits: with better performance than the latest version of the supersoft tyre and faster degradation, in order to allow the teams to take a more aggressive approach to race strategy," he said.

However, he did also emphasise that there was still a considerable amount to be done from a technical standpoint, adding that further analysis would still be conducted.

"Whether this will produce more pit stops, or any difference in strategies, it's too early to say for now. We will fully analyse our data and team telemetry once we get back to base. But it seems we are heading in the right direction: the ultrasoft is expected to offer more possibilities for certain races."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton responds to claims Mercedes could drop him

Lewis Hamilton has responded to Toto Wolff's comments, in which the Austrian said Mercedes could be forced to drop either Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg if they fail to get along in future.

The tension between the two drivers has grown with each passing race, which led Wolff to describe their relationship as Mercedes' biggest weakness.

However Hamilton denies their strained relationship is causing problems and believes his and the team's record breaking season is proof of that.

"It's blown out of proportion," he told BBC Radio 1. "We've had 16 one-two [finishes] so our relationship isn't exactly causing problems you know.

"It's not like he's been distracted and not finished high up and vice versa.

"I think ultimately it's easy for people to take things for granted and I think we have both done a great job and we've not caused any problems [in the team].

"The energy within the team is as high as its ever been. We're never going to be best friends but we somehow make it work. There are moments of tension but that's the same in any kind of sport.

"It's just a shame it's not like Hockey you know," joked Hamilton, referring to the common sight of fighting between rivals.

The 30-year-old also denied his party lifestyle - something Ron Dennis condemned Hamilton for - is to blame for his lack of pace in comparison to team-mate Rosberg in the final races of the year.

"To be honest, this is the first year that I've ever really done it and you know what, I'd be partying, I'd turn up, and I'd win the race.

"I think honestly up until this year, I would never really go out. I think last year I went out like three times, I was just so focussed. But it's too extreme."

He added: "It's been one of the most successful - the most successful year - in my whole career. It was just great that when people were writing all those stories, I'd turn up and I'd perform. So I'm going to continue."

The Briton also revealed that he's removed the 'sports clause' from his contract, which explains why he's often seen doing things other drivers aren't permitted to do.

"I do everything, I wake-board, I ski, I skydive. I kind of took the dangerous sports clause out of my contract, and try to do it with a nice balance," he said.

"I don't want to go through my whole F1 career only driving, but of course I don't want to be sitting watching someone else driving my car. So I am very, very cautious when I do things, but I am a bit crazy.

"I enjoy it, and you've got to enjoy your work, you work so hard and it's a long, long year, and you've got to make sure you work hard, play hard.""They shouldn't really call us team-mates as such. The problem is there's two championships. In football there's one. Individually we want to win. It's difficult.

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McLaren unveils futuristic MP4-X F1 concept car

McLaren's Applied Technologies department has unveiled a Formula 1 concept car it believes could be the future of the sport.

Called the McLaren MP4-X, it uses advanced technologies to takes F1 cars to the very edge, including moveable wings which use electronically controlled surfaces to switch between high and low downforce modes.

The concept also features a covered cockpit, something that is currently being considered for the sport following Jules Bianchi and Felipe Massa's incidents.

In an attempt to increase the ability to follow one another, the car makes use of ground effect by exploiting venturi tunnels along the floor - something that was previously outlawed in 1982.

The MP4-X would be powered by an all-electric hybrid motor, boosted by solar cells on the bodywork and induction loops placed under the tracks surface, allowing the car to easily complete an entire race distance without having to stop to be recharged.

Speaking about the concept, John Allert, group brand director for McLaren Technology Group said: "With the futuristic McLaren MP4-X concept race car, we wanted to peer into the future and imagine the art of the possible.

"We have combined a number of F1's key ingredients – speed, excitement and performance, with the sport’s emerging narratives - such as enclosed cockpits to enhance driver safety, and hybrid power technologies.

"Formula 1 is the ultimate gladiatorial sport, and the future we envisage will be a high tech, high performance showcase that excites fans like no other sport."

You can read more about the MP4-X concept here.

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Renault confirms Lotus takeover

Renault has ended months of speculation about its Formula 1 future by confirming it will be taking over the Lotus team to resurrect a works outfit in 2016.

The French car manufacturer has been evaluating its plans in F1 since the start of the campaign, and has spent the last few weeks trying to finalise its takeover of the Lotus outfit.

And, despite concerns last weekend in Abu Dhabi that the deal could be falling apart, Renault announced on Thursday night that the deal was done.

Renault chairman Carlos Ghosn said: “Renault had two options: to come back at 100 percent or leave. After a detailed study, I have decided that Renault will be in Formula 1, starting 2016.

"The final details supplied by F1’s main stakeholders gave us the confidence to accept this new challenge. Our ambition is to win - even if it will take some time.”

Details in January

Renault said that the final details of its takeover of Lotus were intended to be completed in the 'shortest timeframe possible' – with the principal contracts having been signed on Thursday.

A statement issued by Renault made it clear that the final decision to commit to F1 came about because of its belief that motor sport was good for the company's image.

“Renault’s decision to continue its involvement in Formula 1 is confirmation that it sees motorsport as an essential part of the brand’s identity,” it said.

“Formula 1 is the ultimate symbol of the passion for automobiles. Passion defines Renault as expressed by its brand signature, ‘Passion for Life’. In addition to attracting many customers, Formula 1 also fuels employee motivation.

“As the pinnacle of motor sport, Formula 1 demands technological and operational excellence. The championship serves as a showcase for the technological expertise that Renault dials into its products for the benefit of its customers.”

Renault added that the full details of Renault's future F1 operation would be revealed early next year.

“In January, we will provide more detailed information about Renault’s F1 programme ahead of the 2016 championship that begins next March,” added the statement.

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Red Bull dropping more TAG-engine branding hints

Red Bull Racing has dropped more than one hint that its yet-to-be-confirmed 2016 engine will wear branding from Swiss watchmaker TAG-Heuer next year.

The four-time title winning team has confirmed it has sourced an engine for 2016 after months of uncertainty and high profile rejections from Mercedes and Ferrari, with Red Bull now widely expected to retain its current Renault power unit now but take development in-house.

Significantly, with Red Bull unlikely to retain the 'Renault' branding, with the French firm focusing more on its much mooted – but also unconfirmed – Lotus takeover, speculation has been rife as to whether it will run a brand at all.

Though Infiniti, which is expected to stay as title sponsor despite its Renault-association through parent company Nissan, Red Bull has since dropped more than one hint at new sponsor signing TAG Heuer could lend its name instead.

The Swiss manufacturer has long been associated with F1 and was formerly recognised through branding of the Porsche engines supplied to McLaren in the 1980s, a partnership that yielded two constructors' and two drivers' world titles.

Having remained a prominent McLaren backer since then, it was recently confirmed that it will jump ship to Red Bull in a deal that could well see it name used to brand the engines, as first hinted by Christian Horner when speaking to the BBC and again by the playful ad below.

"Wait and see what it is called, it will be something quite good. I don't think Ron Dennis will be too happy, but then he has not been very happy recently."

Swiss Engineering to close the gap next season. @TAGHeuer #DontCrackUnderPressure

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Cool Verstappen brushes off overtaking praise

Max Verstappen says overtaking in F1 feels 'normal' to him as he brought a fine first season in Formula 1 to a close having cracked the top ten on ten occasions in 2015.

Having courted headlines and controversy in the run up to his maiden F1 campaign with Toro Rosso after being signed before his first season of car racing had even finished, Verstappen vindicated his reputation with several standout performances.

Scoring best results of fourth place in Hungary and United States, Verstappen's efforts were highlighted by a number of charging drives to negate the limitations of the underpowered Renault-powered package.

With aggressive passes in Monaco, Spa and Interlagos coming in for particular praise, Verstappen insists he isn't intentionally trying to make an impression with bolshie passes, saying the moves are simply 'normal' for him.

“For me it feels normal,” he said. “It's what I like to do! It is, of course, nice to hear [praise], but I just try to be myself and do what I always did.”

Ending the season 12th in the standings, just nine points shy of the top ten, having scored in nine of the final 12 races, the Dutchman admits it is a shame experience held him back initially.

“It has been a very eventful season. Maybe the first six or seven races could have been a bit better, but I've learned a lot and my experience grows race by race. I'm much more confident in the car and know what to do now when I jump in so, definitely, it's much more relaxing now."

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HAAS F1 TEAM FACE RUDE AWAKENING IN DEBUT SEASON

Formula 1 veterans have warned that Haas is facing a “rude awakening” when they make their debut at the pinnacle of motor racing.

The new American team has linked up as almost a Ferrari ‘B team’, but former Force India chief Colin Kolles said owner Gene Haas should still expect the sport to burn up his money.

“I think it will be very difficult for them,” the Romanian, last in F1 with the ill-fated HRT project, told the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV.

“In my time I have met many billionaires with a lot of interest in formula one. I said to every one of them ‘Take a million, throw it into the fire and watch how formula one will burn it if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Kolles added.

One example, he said, is Alex Shnaider, a Russian-born entrepreneur who took his Midland company into F1 with Kolles at the helm.

“After one and a half years, he understood what I had warned him about and decided to sell.

“One day – and this is just a matter of time – Mr Haas will ask ‘What happened?’ Just as Mr Cheglakov (Marussia) wondered what happened. Just as Mr Carabante (HRT) asked what happened with his money in the first six months. Nothing! That’s the problem,” Kolles added.

He said Haas will also find a very difficult sponsorship market in F1, “For two years they will get no FOM money. They then must be twice in the top ten of the world championship, so it means beating only Manor but that will be difficult enough.

“And the sponsorship situation, especially for teams at the back but also those further forward, has changed completely. It is nothing like how it was 10, 15 or twenty years ago,” said Kolles.

Former Mercedes motor sport chief Norbert Haug agreed that while it is good for F1 to have another name above the garages, Haas has many lessons to learn about the sport.

A big problem, he thinks, is that Haas is currently spread across the globe, with operations in America, England and Italy.

“I think sooner or later they will focus on being in England,” said Haug.

And David Richards, who ran teams for Benetton and BAR-Honda, also predicted that Haas will get a “rude awakening” once the 2016 season begins in March.

“It’s December now and the first test is at the end of February, but we haven’t seen anything yet,” he told the British broadcaster Sky.

“We haven’t seen the little snippet picture you normally see of a wind tunnel model. I haven’t really heard of a group of people behind it all either. It’s been a very quiet and they definitely have a rude awakening coming up about what F1 is,” Richards added.

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PERMANE: THE FIRST YEAR FOR RENAUT WILL NOT BE EASY

Lotus track chief Alan Permane thinks the Enstone team’s difficult 2015 will now be “quickly forgotten” after the Renault buyout.

He told Auto Motor und Sport on Friday that every area of the team’s operations have been compromised by Lotus’ recent financial struggles.

“It was also not ideal in terms of the development of next year’s car,” said Permane. “When it was not clear if we will be bought by Renault or not, we were limited. But when they come, the problems will be quickly forgotten.”

But that doesn’t mean that 2016 – even as Renault’s full works team – will be easy. ,” Permane admitted. “But in the end you work just as hard, whether you are Mercedes or you are Manor. Only the laptime on the track is different.

“For us the most important is that we now have a secure future,” he continued. “The worst part for us was the uncertainty of the recent months — people with families and children not knowing if they will still have a job.”

As for whether the team will make the first test of the 2016 pre-season, given the French carmaker’s long-delayed decision, Permane sounded confident.

“Yes, we’ll be there,” he said. “It’s no secret that we are running late. But we will do it — just as he always have.”

Renault pioneered the first turbo era when they made their Formula 1 debut in 1977, and since then won two drivers’ titles and two constructors’ titles.

Notable drivers that have raced for the team include Fernando Alonso who won their two world titles in 2005 and 2006, along with the likes of René Arnoux, Alain Prost, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli and Robert Kubica