FORMULA 1 - 2015

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MINARDI SAYS FERRARI HAS NOT CLOSED GAP TO MERCEDES

Former F1 team boss and owner Gian Carlo Minardi says he would give Ferrari just 6 out of 10 for its 2015 campaign so far.

That is despite the fact the likes of Maurizio Arrivabene and Sebastian Vettel have been hailed for breathing new life into the apparently resurgent team.

Minardi insists: “The start of the season was misleading. In fact, the gap to Mercedes has not diminished.

“I compliment Arrivabene for the podiums, but it is not enough. The problem is performance,” he told the Ferrari insider Leo Turrini, on Quotidiano.

“And remember that in February 2016, these engines will be frozen once again. You want to know the truth? Ferrari has benefitted from the collapse of Red Bull and McLaren,” said Minardi.

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F1 DRIVERS TOO BUSY TO BE CHARACTERS SAYS VETTEL

Formula 1 drivers have little time to be themselves in public according to Sebastian Vettel, who has recently been criticised by Bernie Ecclestone for epitomising the ‘character-less’ modern grand prix driver.

While the F1 supremo hailed the public extrovert Lewis Hamilton, he said the likes of Vettel and Nico Rosberg are “bad for business” by being too private.

But Vettel thinks the problem is that drivers today are too busy, “In the past, the drivers could be open because they had less to do. I’m not saying they were lazy, they just had less responsibilities.”

“Gone are the days when you get out of the car, light a cigarette, tell your mechanics ‘Make the car faster’ and then meet a couple of nice girls in the hotel,” explained the Ferrari driver.

“The drivers almost have no time to be more open. We barely have time to relax and reflect. But I don’t see this as a specific problem of formula one, but of other sports nowadays too,” Vettel added.

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HAAS SAYS GUTIERREZ IS POSSIBLE CANDIDATE FOR NEW TEAM

Gene Haas has hinted that the first candidate for the all new American F1 team in 2016 could be Esteban Gutierrez.

Haas was speaking in Gutierrez’s native Mexico, where the FIA’s Sport Conference is taking place this week.

The Californian told ESPN: “I met Gutierrez who is a good guy and talented and already at Ferrari at a high level.”

Asked specifically if Gutierrez, 23, is a candidate to race for Haas next year, Haas answered: “At this point, anything is possible.”

Haas F1 Team is entering F1 next year, in close collaboration with Ferrari. Gutierrez is a former Ferrari-powered Sauber driver who is now Ferrari’s reserve.

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes boss, thinks Haas could be a genuine threat in 2016, “New teams are outside the aerodynamic testing regulations so they are completely free and that gives a big advantage. Haas will come in with a big advantage in comparison to all the others.”

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MARKO SAYS KVYAT HAS RECOVERED FROM SHAKY START

Daniil Kvyat appears to have put his Formula 1 career back on track after a torrid start to his first season as a fully fledged Red Bull driver.

Earlier in 2015, the young Russian’s meteoric rise from GP3, Toro Rosso and then Red Bull appeared to have dramatically stalled as he obviously struggled alongside Daniel Ricciardo.

It looked possible the notorious brutality of Red Bull’s driver programme could strike Kvyat at the tender age of 21, as Helmut Marko hailed the “two exceptional young drivers” Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz at Toro Rosso this year.

But after Kvyat’s better run continued at Silverstone last weekend, Marko has now been quoted by Spain’s El Confidencial: “Daniil Kvyat had a difficult start at Red Bull, mainly due to technical problems.

“But he has recovered now. We can only make the most of what we have and it’s difficult to keep a driver motivated if he has these disadvantages with the power,” he added.

Marko, a highly outspoken figure, was referring to the Renault engine problems suffered this year by Red Bull.

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CANADIAN BILLIONAIRE STROLL EYES WILLIAMS STAKE

Autosprint is reporting that Lawrence Stroll has a €120 million cheque to spend on a Formula 1 team.

Days ago, it was rumoured that the Canadian billionaire’s 16-year-old son Lance, already a Ferrari academy driver, is lining up a Williams contract for 2017.

Undoubtedly, his father’s wealth and influence is helping. Autosprint said Lawrence Stroll, a fashion mogul, was earlier interested in buying Sauber but has now turned his attention to Grove based Williams.

The billionaire has also been linked with buying into F1’s commercial rights. But Bernie Ecclestone, who runs the sport for its current owner CVC, says not just anyone will be handed the keys to F1.

“I will tell you how much trouble F1 is in,” the 85-year-old Briton told the Sunday Times. “Right now we have three parties who are seriously interested in buying.”

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JORDA STILL DREAMING OF F1 TEST CHANCE

Carmen Jorda says she is still on course to make her Formula 1 driving debut at some point in the future.

The 27-year-old former GP3 racer and Spaniard is now a regular at grands prix in 2015, as she works as a ‘development driver’ for Lotus. But so far, she has not actually driven the car.

Jorda, however, wrote in a column for Spain’s El Mundo newspaper: “I have a few days off in Valencia now before returning to work in the simulator next week.

“I must also keep training for my first test in a formula one car, which is moving closer with every day. I cannot tell you the date yet, but hopefully I can give you some news soon.”

Jorda also had words of encouragement for F1’s two Spanish rookies this year, including the Manor driver Roberto Merhi.

“‘Teto’ is doing a great job in formula one,” she said. “Under the pressure of facing each race without knowing if it is his last, he is doing a very solid year despite the lack of resources of his team.”

“I’m sure many teams will be taking note,” added Jorda. “As for Carlos Sainz, for me he is the revelation of the year, as he almost always beats his teammate (Max Verstappen).”

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F1 2015 GAME: SPA IN THE RAIN WITH HAMILTON

The release of Codemaster’s F1 2015 is now just one day away and as the title is almost out on the shelves, plenty of preview footage has been surfacing on the web.

Using a new version of Codemasters’ EGO engine, F1 2015 will feature not only improved visuals but also come with an improved tire model & force feedback system that will hopefully result in a more realistic driving experience.

Using the Playstation 4’s & Xbox One’s voice-recognition technology, players will also be able to directly talk to their race engineer, requesting information and asking for changes.

F1 2015 will now be available starting July 10 in the UK, Europe and Australia and July 21 in the United States.

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FERRARI DRIVERS HOPING FOR BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR HUNGARY

Both Ferrari’s drivers have acknowledged the need to improve after a poor showing for the team at the British Grand Prix.

Earlier knocking on the door of dominant Mercedes’ pace, the Maranello marque was clearly outpaced at Silverstone also by Williams.

“It depends mainly on the circuit and the conditions,” said Kimi Raikkonen, referring to high-speed tracks like Silverstone and Ferrari’s struggle on the harder tyres.

“I hope it’s a different story in Hungary,” the Finn is quoted by Globo, “but we need to be better at any type of circuit and with any tyre.”

Sebastian Vettel, who only leapfrogged the Williams because of the rain on Sunday, agreed: “Obviously it was not a very good weekend for us.

“I think we were surprised by the pace of Williams, but it was not a good weekend for us because the gap to the top was also larger than at previous events.

“I don’t think we did a step back. I think we just couldn’t find the right direction.” Raikkonen added,”We are hoping for a much better weekend next time.”

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Max Mosley: Formula 1 must set a cost cap

Former president of the FIA Max Mosley has once again called on Formula 1 to establish a cost cap in order to improve the sport.

Mosley, speaking on Sky Sport’s F1 Midweek Report, believes that although the sport has a massive following worldwide, fans want to see competitive racing.

Once costs are under control, Moseley feels that everything needed to help make the sport more competitive, will fall into place.

“We know that Formula 1 has a great brand and it has a great following. But certain things are necessary, one of which is that it is competitive and you have racing which is not predictable. To get that, you must keep the costs under control and then all the rest follows," he said.

Moseley also wants to see changes to the current regulations that govern the sport.

He believes that much of the current cost is generated by the large emphasis placed on both aerodynamic and engine performance.

“That’s the fault of the regulations which put too much emphasis on aerodynamic performance and then if you put too much emphasis on engine performance they spend a fortune on engines,” said Mosley.

“In the end the only way to stop that is to draw a line and say ‘this is what you can spend’."

The Briton also believes that those in control of Formula 1 have to stand their ground and make these changes. Some teams, he feels, will resist however.

“Someone from the top has to impose the show," he added.

“I know it can be enforced. What’s more difficult is to make the team which has mega money agree. If you have mega money, you have an interest in keeping the status quo."

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Free running - A unique look at Red Bull's factory

Red Bull's world champion free runner, Ryan Doyle, defied gravity at the Red Bull Racing F1 factory in Milton Keynes on a recent visit. Sit back and check out how the factory becomes the ultimate free running F1 playground!

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Arai insists he's the right man to lead Honda in F1

Honda motorsport chief Yasuhisa Arai says he is the man to lead Honda's Formula 1 programme, despite a disappointing start to the season which has seen McLaren score just five points in nice races.

The Japanese manufacturer is struggling with both reliability and power, and although it is beginning to get on top of the former, the latter remains a massive hurdle.

Arai insists whilst the pressure on him is mounting, he sees no reason to step aside and let someone else lead the project.

"I always feel a big pressure because McLaren-Honda is a historical legend," he said. "We had big results and many fans of our team are pushing hard for us.

"It's a big pressure but it is comfortable. I'm very comfortable. It's comfortable for both the team and Honda."

When asked specifically if he is the right man for the job, he said: "Yes. I want to lead my programme by myself. I promise it's a long-term project for Honda.

"We must make the step we are able to take in place each year. It's a long-term project."

Meanwhile Arai admitted they've yet to decide on how to spend their seven remaining development tokens, but says performance will now take priority.

"After [silverstone], we haven't decided yet when to use the remaining tokens," he explained.

"We have many new items to apply to get more power and more reliability using the tokens.

"We are going to focus more on performance now, reliability is always something we look at, but performance is the focus.

"We will look to make a step in the second half of the season."

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Bernie Ecclestone still a force to be reckoned with in F1’s engine room

Source: The Guardian

My high noon appointment with Bernie Ecclestone was precisely one hour before the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Formula One’s old ringmaster had summoned me to his offices in the paddock. He was clearly unhappy. Along with everyone else in Austria for the previous race I had quoted an agency report and said that Ecclestone had described F1 as “crap”.

Not so, he wanted to tell me. In discussion with engineers on the topic of the new(ish) hybrid engines he told them that they had given him “a shitty product to sell”.

But, it transpired, Ecclestone just wanted to have a natter about the sport he has presided over for four decades. And it is clear that the sport’s chief executive, who will be 85 in October but has not suffered any decline in his mischievousness, wanted to make known his views about the whole vroom vroom (sotto) business. And engines clearly preoccupy his attention.

The 1.6-litre V6 hybrid power units introduced last year have never really been to Ecclestone’s liking. They have always been too quiet for him, for one thing. “If I had a clean sheet piece of paper the first thing I would do is make an engine that is not as complicated as the current one is,” he told me. “We need another Cosworth to supply teams.” Cosworth, funded by Ford, powered F1 cars to 176 victories – making it second only to Ferrari – between 1963 and 2003 and as recently as 2010 supplied four teams, Williams, Lotus, HRT and Virgin.

“If we had a simpler engine it would allow other people who wanted to make engines to come in. Look at Toyota, who I know – maybe – would be interested in coming back into Formula One. But no way would they come back with this power unit. They know that they would be in trouble before they start. If Ferrari are in trouble what chance have they got?”

The Mercedes power unit has dominated F1 this season as it did in 2014. But Ecclestone has misgivings. “Mercedes have got a super team, a super engine which is an incredible piece of engineering. But if you and I and go the grandstand and ask a spectator ‘How many cylinders has that engine got?’ one or two might get it right. And then you ask them what capacity it is. They don’t know, and they don’t care. They couldn’t care less.

“They want to see Williams winning, Ferrari winning, Red Bull winning – they want everybody to have a chance of winning. At the moment people like Vijay [Mallya] at Force India spend an awful lot of money and have got zero chance of winning. And it’s not on. Let’s tear the bloody rule book up and start again.”

Ecclestone is also worried that the drivers are not enjoying it as much as they once did. “I speak closely to most of the guys and they say the same thing: ‘It ain’t any fun any more.’ Because they’re on the limit but they’re not on their limit, if you know what I mean.

“When you get in a car and you’re on it and somebody says ‘be careful, you’re going to run out of fuel!’ We’re not a sport for saving fuel.

“Somebody said to me the other day that the way we’re going anyone will be able to drive these cars. A kid will be able to drive it, or anyone who has mucked around with PlayStation and can listen to instructions.”

It is also clear that Ecclestone and the other little big man of Formula One, the rather too consensual FIA president Jean Todt, will never see eye to eye.

“The trouble is we have an FIA president who wants everyone to agree. And that’s not possible. We don’t want to have to have a committee before you do something. That’s what we’ve got, and you’re never going to do anything that way. We need someone who will turn the lights on and off, whoever that is. But it’s going to happen. We’re going to make it happen.”

The problem for Ecclestone is that he cannot be the dictator he once was. The sport’s majority shareholders these days are CVC Capital Partners, for whom Ecclestone works. The leading teams also have more control than they did. The teams are calling the shots, when it comes to rules and regulations, and that cannot be the best way forward.

Most people are agreed: the best thing that could happen to Formula One is for it to be sold by CVC, who bought it for £1bn in 2006 and have made five times that much since, while failing to reinvest their huge profits in the sport.

So will F1 be sold, I asked Ecclestone? “There are genuinely people who want to buy,” he told me. “And CVC’s job is buying and selling companies. Donald Mackenzie is the major shareholder and he doesn’t want to sell. He loves the business and he loves Formula One. But he’s very good. He wants to get the sport in the right hands. He won’t sell it for a lousy price, but the people who are interested aren’t offering a lousy price.”

The Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen Ross, is one of the potential buyers. “That would help us in America for sure,” said Ecclestone. “The guy involved is already in that business.” At Silverstone on Sunday, though, Ecclestone did not give me the impression that he was about to go anywhere.

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New F1 start procedure and radio clampdown revealed by FIA

Formula 1 teams have been informed of the new race start procedures that will be in place from the Belgian Grand Prix onwards, Motorsport.com can reveal.

As part of a clampdown on driver aids in F1, the FIA has agreed to impose strict limits on car start systems to ensure that drivers have more influence on their getaway from the grid.

The FIA has written to teams to make it clear that Article 20.1 of the F1 Sporting Regulations – which states that “the driver must drive the car alone and unaided” – is respected.

In a note sent to teams, a copy of which has been seen by Motorsport.com, F1 race director Charlie Whiting said that the regulation will be enforced more rigorously with “the aim of ensuring that drivers will be solely responsible for preparing for starts.”

New technical directive

Technical directive TD/017-15 – titled “Start Practice and Start Procedures” – reveals that the FIA will address the matter of clutch bite points from both a technical perspective, and via the expected clampdown on radio traffic.

From now on, the clutch bite point may not be changed from the time the car leaves the garage for the first time after the pit lane is open ahead of the race, until after the start lockout period that commences following the beginning of the grand prix.

In addition to this, the FIA wants to limit the ability of the teams to help drivers find the right bite point for the clutch.

From Spa, bite point finder activation by the driver has to be inhibited by disabling any driver button or switch associated with that function.

The FIA adds that the “bite point update from the bite point finder should be disabled by setting BBitePointFinderUsed to zero.”

Fresh radio clampdown

The FIA has also clarified the first indications of the radio clampdown that is being introduced to ensure drivers do not receive as much coaching from the pit wall.

The TD adds that all pit-to-car communications during any reconnaissance or formation laps will be limited to safety and sporting information, so in other words there can be no discussion of start procedures.

Whiting makes it clear that the only information that will be tolerated is on safety grounds – such as a critical problem with the car, a puncture warning or damage, or an indication of a problem with a competitor’s car.

Furthermore, he will allow an instruction to enter the pit lane in order to fix or retire the car, marshalling information (for example yellow flag, red flag, race start aborted or other similar instructions), information regarding a wet track, oil or debris in certain corners, or the need to swap position with other drivers.

The latter could happen if a driver is late away from the dummy grid.

The FIA says it regards any other message to be a breach of Article 20.1 of the Sporting Regulations – which could result in a penalty.

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How F1's safety crusade can save lives on the road today

What does driving flat-out on racetracks have to do with saving lives on the roads of our planet? Answer: A lot more than you think.

No less than 1.3million people die in road accidents every year. Think about that. Think how much you hear on the news about a plane crash, when perhaps 130 people sadly lose their lives. But then multiple that by 10,000… Every. Single. Year.

It's a problem that the FIA, not only motorsport's governing body but responsible for all global motoring matters through its international network of member clubs, is tackling.

In April, FIA president Jean Todt was appointed United Nations special envoy for road safety by secretary general Ban Ki-moon. It's a reflection on all Todt's hard work with his members on road safety campaigns, and he is ramping up efforts this week in a big event in Mexico City – in association with another high-profile road-safety advocate who is based there, Carlos Slim.

"We have developed safety in motor racing for decades, and a lot can be applied on a road car," says Todt. "Our organization has a very strong responsibility in assisting road safety around the world.

"Road accidents are one of the worst pandemics in society, like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV Aids or Ebola. All those have been properly assessed, even if we don't have total solutions.

"In terms of reducing road accidents, it's around education, it's around law enforcement, it's around road infrastructures – so we know what to do. We have the prescription of what to do. We needed to take bigger leadership."

Already the campaigns have involved Formula 1's leading lights, supporting the FIA's initiatives to raise awareness of road safety.

"Of course, the youth looks up to these racing driver heroes," adds Todt. "So if they say: 'don't drink if you drive' or 'put your safety belt on' or 'don't text when you drive' or 'obey the speed limits' – this is very helpful.

"So we have a world-wide preventative programme, with global ambassadors like racing drivers, football players, and tennis guys like Rafa Nadal."

Taking a leaf from F1's history

One of Todt's many campaigners is two-time Formula 1 world champion and Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi. He sees a lot of comparisons to his years in F1 – some of the most deadly times in the sport.

"We can use the same example of racing in the late 1960s and '70s – the worst years, in my opinion – before we improved the cars, the racetracks, the safety teams and drivers equipment," says Fittipaldi. "In parallel to racing, we can do a lot for a road-safety campaign for the streets.

"When you think about how we improved things back then, by raising the safety standards on the racetracks, and how it can help the FIA with road safety for the family cars, for instance the type of barriers we have on the motorways. What the FIA is doing globally, will pay off and be a big help."

Thinking globally, acting locally

One of the main issues the FIA has to address is the different needs of the various countries. With over 200 states recognized by the United Nations, that's a lot of roads to cover…

"We are working with all clubs and countries," says Todt. "Of course, the problems in France and the UK – which are well structured – are completely different to those in India, or Myanmar, or in Vietnam.

"In the UK, a developed country, the number of fatal accident has decreased by a factor of three. It's like time on a circuit. If the time you want is 1m20s, if you have 1m25s you have a lot to find but it's easier. If it's 1m20.2s, that last 0.2s is very hard to find, which is the situation in the UK now.

"In France there was 18,000 deaths each year and now it is just 3,000. I say 'just' – but that is still 3,000 lives, so still work to be done.

"But in developing countries, it's a different story: the numbers are much higher, there no education, there is no enforcement because there is corruption and no road infrastructure. Here, we need to help."

Making a difference in Mexico

One of the world's top businessmen, Carlos Slim, is another influential figure who is taking a key role in the campaign.

He believes motorsport is "a laboratory of great innovations that benefit all in the streets, especially innovations in road safety technology innovations and with the environment."

Slim's 'Drivers for Road Safety' programme in Mexico now includes more than 60 certified racing drivers, followed by more than 80,000 students and visits locations all around Mexico handing out flyers with important road-safety instructions.

"We have also worked intensively with such important organizations as the Mexican Red Cross, the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions, which has helped us to better understand the statistical data of accidents, and many other organizations as well. But the most unfortunate thing is that up to 90 per cent could have been avoided with accident-prevention schemes.

"Therefore, the FIA, established its golden rules – the rules are aimed at preventing accidents, rules we share in all the different structures that make up the organization globally."

Fittipaldi campaigns in Brazil

Fittipaldi, who will speak at the huge event in Mexico City on Friday, knows all about the problems in his native Brazil too.

"In Brazil, there are 40-45,000 people killed a year, close to 500,000 badly injured – probably more," he says. "We need more infrastructure, and I think we have to follow one of the best systems in the world, which is in Britain. There, you see the respect to other drivers and being disciplined in traffic.

"In Brazil, I would say many of the cars are small, the cheapest you can buy. They don't have airbags, they would never pass a crash test, and the manufacturers still sell them. And we are starting to change this.

"We are trying to update Latin-America standards to the same as in Europe, but you need four or five years for the cars to improve, to be going in the stronger direction.

"The car industry, they don't like us, it's an expensive problem for them. It's just like racing, we are fighting just as we did in the '60s and '70s to make things safer. It will take cost, and some time, but we are doing it.

"I want to see Brazil, and the rest of Latin-America, do the same as MIRA in Britain. So we have an independent controller to make the cars safer, without any influence from car manufacturers."

Taking the fight forwards

Following the event in Mexico this week, a new road-safety initiative will be launched by the secretary general of the UN in New York later this month, in which Slim and fellow influential figures are involved.

"The FIA is a very global organization," states Todt. "One is motorsport, we are the regulator, and the other is our road-car side. We're a very unique organization. We needed to reinforce and build more synergy between both sides.

"Everyone with whom I speak on this subject are very supportive – ambassadors and experts alike. Education is a matter of time. Road safety affects every individual in the world."

Fittipaldi acknowledges: "It's a big problem, and there's a need to improve. In 15 years from now, in 2030, the world's car population will double. They are building 27 million cars in China alone, per year! The numbers are scary for the future.

"I think motorsport can help a lot road safety for the future, because we have all this experience."

Look out for a hard-hitting global television advert about road safety relating to children around the world that the FIA has produced with top film director Luc Besson.

It's a sobering thought for the next step on a long journey.

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One race in six weeks. Is F1's calendar all wrong?

The absence of the German GP has left Formula 1 with one race in six weeks, a situation that is not beneficial for the sport.

Designing the Formula 1 calendar is not a simple affair. Scheduling grands prix involves taking into account seasonal weather variations, ease of transit between host countries, possible conflicts with national holidays and other major sporting events, and much more besides.

But F1 is facing a fairly unique situation right now, for there is going to be a six-week spell where there is only one race. That could have a big impact on its profile against other sport.

To come up with a schedule that makes everybody happy is a labour worthy of Hercules, and it is no surprise that the release of each year's ratified calendar is met with moans and groans from some quarters.

But is there such a thing as a good or bad F1 calendar?

The 2015 schedule is one that has been subject to much criticism, as the distribution of the early fly-aways meant that members of the travelling circus had to decide between a long month being away from home, or multiple expensive flights from Europe to Australia, Malaysia, and China.

The end of the season presents a similar challenge.

Irregular scheduling

In the main, the European summer season has been untouched for years, and planning a summer of F1 attendance - or TV viewing - involved repeating familiar patterns.

But the inability of the Nurburgring to host its scheduled race in mid-July meant that the British Grand Prix is followed by a three-week gap to Budapest, which is itself followed by the three-week summer shutdown.

Where calendars of years gone by had races taking place regularly every fortnight, 2015 gives us a summer in which there are three races spread across the seven weeks between (and including) Silverstone and Spa.

Or, to put it another way, the six weeks after the British Grand Prix will have just a single race - the Hungarian GP.

While the extended gap is an aberration caused in this instance by the Nurburgring's financial failures, the (temporary?) loss of the German Grand Prix only serves to demonstrate that no event is safe.

The in-built annual escalators that form part of race hosting contracts make it increasingly difficult for European tracks to afford their races, and there is no guarantee that surprise gaps won't feature on future calendars.

New compressed calendar

Perhaps to safeguard against just such a possibility, the draft 2016 calendar that was doing the rounds in April has been compressed - 21 races in 34 weeks, 12 of which have been provisionally arranged as six back-to-backs.

From the perspective of the teams, it is a big ask. Those who travel to races will have a longer winter to spend at home (most likely in the factory working on cars, and not with their families), and they have lost the chance of a 'normal' summer holiday when schools are shut.

As a job, F1 is a demanding mistress, and the greater demands posed by the 2016 calendar are going to be as tough on families as a real mistress would be.

Psychologically, the loss of a full three-week summer shutdown will be difficult. The August break is the only time in which teams can fully relax in the knowledge that everyone else is relaxing too - those days spent by the pool aren't time lost in the championship fight, as every team is in the same position.

Employees will still be allowed to take leave, but the emails and phone calls will keep on coming and any break will be in name alone.

Where the provisional 2016 calendar is strong is in the potential fan appeal. The circuits visited might not all be classics - how many of the real classics remain these days? - but with either two or three races per month between April and November F1 will be a regular presence on radio and television.

That regularity, which has been sorely missed in recent years, makes the sport far easier to follow.

A first official provisional version of the calendar may well appear after the FIA's World Motor Sport Council meeting in Mexico this week, and it could be very different from the April draft.

But if it is to be a "good" calendar it needs to offer grands prix at regular intervals, both for ease of TV scheduling and to ensure that the watching fans don't have time to forget the narrative arc of the season to that point.

Formula 1 is a story we tell chapter by chapter, and no good narrator leaves months between cliffhangers.

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Button wants F1 car changes for 2016

Jenson Button says it would be a shame to wait until 2017 before introducing a raft of regulations aimed at making the cars faster and more aggressive looking.

The McLaren driver has been a relative supporter of the current regulations, compared with the likes of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, insisting the cars are still thrilling to drive despite the increasing levels of cockpit complexity since his debut in 2000.

However, in the wake of new proposals being put in place to increase the spectacle of F1 with new race weekend formats and cars that will potentially look significantly different, Button – who is believed to be under pressure for his McLaren seat next season – says he would like to see it introduced straight away.

“I wish they were next year, instead of 2017, but I like the idea of making the cars lighter as they become more nimble, less lazy; more mechanical grip is always good for racing as it doesn't hurt overtaking. If you work with downforce it should come from the floor not the wings because you can race closer and you don't have as much dirty air from the big wings on the car. There are many things that can be done and many things that are being looked at for the future, which is great.

Indeed, Button says the sport should be wary of looking back on the perceived 'golden eras' of F1 to set an example for today's competition, saying there were criticism then too.

“A lot of the stuff being talked about already is good. There's always been criticism of F1 – I watched a grand prix from the '70s the other day and there was criticism about the sport even then, so… You've got to stay on top of it and it's good to have new ideas for the future of the sport.”

Touching upon the proposed race weekend format changes, Button flatly rejects the suggestion there could be a 'sprint' race in 2016.

“I don't think that's going to happen. It's not worth commenting on because it's not going to happen”

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Michelin convinced it can make Formula 1 more exciting

Michelin can inject excitement back into Formula 1 with a focus on performance rather than tyre management, according to motorsport director Pascal Couasnon.

The French manufacturer faces a head-to-head clash with Pirelli for F1's next tyre-supply contract that runs from 2017-19, and Couasnon is convinced Michelin can play its part in helping to spice up the show.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, Couasnon said: "We love competition, love automotive racing at its best, and like many people are sure Formula 1 can be very exciting.

"It's not my role to criticise or to talk about what's going on at the moment.

"We simply believe in giving an opportunity to the driver and the engineers of the cars to extract the maximum possibility from each component, and with the driver being a very noble component.

"To get there you need a very high performance tyre, phenomenal grip, and that's what excites us.

"When you see what is going on today in sportscar racing, the great battle we had at Le Mans, where it was pretty much a sprint for 24 hours.

"It was interesting to listen to Nico Hulkenberg say 'I was tired', that the race was a fight for 24 hours, and he could go to the maximum all the time.

"That makes us happy, and the reason why we develop tyres, so if we could do that in Formula 1 it would be great.

"Michelin has injected excitement into sportscar racing, so why should we not be able do it in Formula 1?"

As part of Michelin's technical proposal to the FIA, Couasnon has confirmed it wants to develop tyres on 18 or 19-inch rims.

If the FIA believes it is in the interests of F1 to remain at the current 13-inch, Couasnon concedes that will end Michelin's interest.

"We need more modern sizes with a smaller sidewall which would bring us closer to reality with high-performance or super high-performance cars," explained Couasnon.

"That means, yes, a minimum of 18. If it's 19, why not? On that we are flexible.

"Where we have a major issue, and it is a [deal] breaker, is if the sport decides to stay with 13 inch, with a big sidewall. We don't really see an interest."

Michelin, however, is ready to fall in line with F1's plans for a fatter rear tyre from 2017, with the width to expand from the current 375mm to 420mm.

"That's a discussion we can have later," Couasnon said. "It's important to first understand what and not how.

"If the 'what' is a faster car, then we know how to go three, four or five seconds faster right away.

"Our proposal is we want the driver to be tired at the end of a race, so we want to give them good mechanical grip, to be closer to reality so our investment in terms of technology can be useful and transfer from track to street.

"If it means a wider tyre at the rear, why not."

[avaldes]

I would love for F1 to go back to a design formula similar to 1993 with the "all singing and dancing" cars. Wide tires, large wings and scary fast! But more than anything I long for the sound of 20,000 rpms.

I had a lot of hope for the newest turbo era, but the nonsense about using only 4 engines per season is just a joke. This is F1, not LeMans! It is a sad day when we are looking at how to bring endurance racing technology over to F1!!

[MIKA27]

MAGNUSSEN: F1 ON A SIMULATOR IS LIKE WATCHING PORN – NOT THE REAL THING

As he pushes to return to the Formula 1 grid, Kevin Magnussen hopes McLaren supremo Ron Dennis’ effort pays off, but meanwhile laments that the simulator driving he is doing at Woking is not quite the real thing.

In May, Dennis travelled to Magussen’s native Denmark, where he made an appeal to local companies to sponsor the 22-year-old’s F1 comeback.

“We told them that it was not only for me that they needed to do it — it was for Denmark too, because if I can win in F1, it would put the country on the map,” Magnussen told the August issue of Motor Sport magazine.

Magnussen was sidelined by McLaren after just a single season at the end of 2014, and his alternate plans for this year were thwarted by Fernando Alonso’s pre-season crash.

He said he came close to signing up for Indycar, but because Alonso was sidelined, “I had to test at Barcelona, and then do the race in Australia, so it was just too late really.

“We only had a couple of weeks to find sponsorship, and we lost time when I was testing and racing the McLaren,” said Magnussen.

He admits it has been difficult to deal with his 2015 layoff and told the veteran F1 journalist Nigel Roebuck, “I just hated everything, you know. I didn’t give up, but I was very depressed and didn’t care about racing.

“I’d loved racing the car and thought I was going to go on doing it, and in the beginning I just thought ‘F*ck it’ For so long you lived race by race, and then suddenly you’re not racing, and you don’t have anything to look forward to — I don’t have a contract for next year, I don’t have anything,” he revealed.

But now he is hoping that, with Dennis’ help, he could be back in 2015. It might be at McLaren, given the fact Jenson Button is not guaranteed the second year of his current contract.

But Magnussen’s fellow McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne is also pushing for the seat, as the Belgian is dominating GP2 and said this week, “I am pushing really hard for it. I really hope to be there next year.”

So does Magnussen and with reference again to his recent visit with Dennis to Copenhagen, he added, “We don’t know yet if we were successful, but it was definitely worthwhile.”

“Apart from anything else, Ron taking the time to travel to Denmark showed me that he still believes in me. McLaren don’t need this – they’ll do fine without me – but I need it, and Ron didn’t do it because he thinks I’m a nice guy; he did it because he thinks I can help him,” he added.

For now, Magnussen must be content with travelling to the races as reserve, and getting the odd day at the wheel — like this week, where he did a ‘filming’ outing at Silverstone, swapping between Button and Fernando Alonso’s helmet in the MP4-30. And he also works a lot in the simulator.

“I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating,” said Magnussen, “but of course it makes you wish you were driving the real car – you get a little bit of the same feeling, and it’s kind of nice, but not exciting. A bit like watching porn – not the real thing.”

[MIKA27]

MASSA SHOULD HAVE MOVED OVER FOR BOTTAS SAYS HAKKINEN

Valtteri Bottas should have been waved through to boost Williams’ victory hopes in the British grand prix, according to fellow Finn and retired two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen.

“Valtteri had clearly better pace than Felipe (Massa),” said Hamilton, referring to the controversial opening stages of the recent Silverstone race.

Brazilian Massa has hit back at those who think the team should have ordered him to give up the place, arguing that if Bottas was “so much faster, he would have passed me”.

But Hakkinen insists: “When you’re driving the same car with the same power, overtaking is so difficult. It would have been logical if the team had reacted immediately to Valtteri’s pace — and I know I am not alone in this opinion.”

However, Hakkinen’s view is also not surprising given that he is involved in Bottas’ management. And as Bottas pushes for the Ferrari seat, one strong argument against the move is that the 25-year-old has been pushed hard in 2015 by Massa — a driver dropped by the famous Italian team two years ago.

Hakkinen responded: “It’s true that you cannot lose against your teammate. However, you also have to consider the level at which Felipe drives. He is a very experienced driver. He spent eight seasons at Ferrari, and in 2008 only missed becoming world champion by a few seconds. He [Massa] is still very fast.”

[MIKA27]

HONDA ENGINE UPGRADE DEPENDS ON FIA GREEN LIGHT

Honda is waiting only on the FIA to deploy more of its in-season F1 power unit development ‘tokens’ according to a report in Auto Motor und Sport, as the pressure on McLaren’s struggling engine partner increases.

Asked if he thinks Honda is taking the right approach on its return to formula one, frustrated team driver Jenson Button answered: “Maybe you should ask them.

“Personally, I believe in them,” the Briton, who also raced with Honda power in the carmaker’s earlier works team project, told the French magazine Auto Hebdo. “Whenever we have a problem, we always manage to solve it. The only thing is that the more problems we solve, the more we find.”

But the 35-year-old has argued that Honda must now put its firm focus on performance rather than reliability, as the 2016 season will also be lost if the ‘power unit’ does not start to catch up.

Indeed, Marca now quotes Honda’s Yasuhisa Arai as saying: “Reliability is something we always look for, but the priority now is performance.”

And so, McLaren-Honda is looking ahead to Friday’s meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Mexico. It is there that the governing body should rubber-stamp the Strategy Group’s decision to give Honda an extra ‘power unit’ allocation for this year without penalty.

With the green light, a heavily token-upgraded step would therefore be deployed in Hungary later this month. It could take some of the pressure off not only Arai’s shoulders, but also those of the McLaren team boss Eric Boullier.

Asked if he still believes in the Frenchman, Button told Auto Hebdo: “I can say that Eric is highly respected by the team. This is a difficult period, but everyone is keeping the faith. It is extremely important to keep everyone’s motivation up in a difficult period, and Eric is doing a lot for the team.”

As for his own future, Button acknowledges that it is clouded but insists he also continues to believe in McLaren-Honda, “Do you think I would still be here if I didn’t? I’m thinking about the present, not the future and definitely not what I will be doing in 10 years. I’m completely immersed in my work.”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow so it’s pointless to speculate about it. We need to live in the present and, for us, try to change things — and as soon as possible,” said Button.

[MIKA27]

Drivers differ on sprint race idea

With the suggestion that a Saturday sprint race might be introduced into the sport, Formula 1 driver opinions on this idea vary greatly.

In a proposal put forward by the Formula 1 Strategy Group, drivers would participate in a sprint race on a Saturday afternoon. Former World Champion, Damon Hill has already rubbished the idea, saying that it would only cause confusion.

The opinion of drivers currently involved in the sport however, seem to be split.

Current World Champion, Lewis Hamilton would welcome a change in the race weekend format.

"I'd be very, very happy for it to change. It’s been the same weekend for nine years,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.

"Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday exactly the same so I'd be very, very happy for them to muddle it up in some way if we can make it more exciting.

"If this format is the same for the next seven years, I don't think I could take that!"

Sebastian Vettel believes the sport should continue to honour tradition.

The Ferrari driver also feels there are more important issues to solve in the world of Formula 1.

“I love racing, but I'm very traditional on some things so I'm not in favour of it," the German said.

"I think a grand prix should be a grand prix. I know that the talk’s only of a qualy race, but I think it would take some of the spectacle for Sunday. I think we have different issues to solve and think about rather than implementing a race on Saturday."

Nico Rosberg welcomed that fact that various scenarios were under consideration, but also warned against major changes that would not be in line with Formula 1’s long standing traditions.

He remained open to the idea however.

"DTM just did it and I think it was quite successful for them - it just gives more to the fans," the Mercedes driver said. "We're all here anyway, so it is something to look into I suppose. Why not?

"The only thing is I find it a big pity because it goes away from the Formula 1 tradition. That’s the biggest thing that would bother me.

"It's like doing all of a sudden seven Grand Slams in tennis. That would really bother people as tennis has been four Grand Slams for 50 years and it should stay like that. So that’s what we need to be a bit careful about," said Rosberg.

Fernando Alonso, one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, feels that drivers will adjust to whatever scenario is finally decided upon.

"I think we need to wait and see what is the final decision. At the moment, there's only rumours, so we’ll see what comes out of the decisions and we will adapt to anything,” said the Spaniard.

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo - No talks with Ferrari

Daniel Ricciardo has shrugged of persistent rumours linking him with a seat at Ferrari.

With Kimi Raikkonen’s future currently undecided, paddock talk has linked a number of drivers with the second seat at the Italian manufacturer for the 2016 season. Ricciardo, a former team-mate of current Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel, believes that the rumours are nothing but that.

“I don’t even know where the rumours started actually - it’s really exploded,” Ricciardo told Formula1.com

“Ferrari is probably the only top team potentially with a seat open, which is why I guess my name and a few others have been linked to that.”

Although been linked to such a prestigious seat is flattering, Ricciardo sees it all as a bit of fun at present.

“It’s a bit of a laugh. You know what, it’s fun - we talk about these things now, so it creates some variety in our conversations! Obviously it is nice to be regarded by a top team like that - it’s nice to know there is interest from other teams as well. But I am with a top team too.”

The Australian, who won sealed three race victories for Red Bull in 2014, confirmed that he had not spoken with Formula 1's oldest team at this point.

“I haven’t had any talks - we’ve had indirect talks through the media I guess!”

[MIKA27]

New fuel flow sensor available in F1

With the FIA approving another design, Formula 1 teams now have a second option when it comes to a fuel flow sensor.

Motosport.com reports that a new unit, designed by Sentronics Limited, will soon be available to all engine suppliers. To date, only sensors supplied by Gill Motorsport Systems could be used.

The new unit, which features a unique mechanical and electronic setup, differs vastly to its competitor. Sentronics believe that its unique flow-path makes it both extremely reliable and consistent.

It is thought that the unit will be thoroughly tested by Formula 1 engine suppliers in the near future.

Maximising fuel flow is an important factor in Formula 1, and many problems were first encountered when new engine regulations came into effect. Gill Motorsport Systems have also continued to make changes to their device as teams come to grips with these changes.

Neville Meech, managing director at Sentronics, said that the design of the unit took some time to complete and that it had undergone rigorous testing. This was to ensure that it met with all FIA requirements.

“The FIA's and competitors' experience of the technology in its first year understandably had an effect on the approach to homologation a second sensor.

"Practically speaking, this led to a much more rigorous set of validation criteria for homologation alongside the technical specification itself.

"Satisfying these requirements has been a challenging and lengthy process, but I can say our end product is all the stronger for it."

[MIKA27]

LAUDA SWAPPED F1 TROPHIES FOR FREE CAR WASHES

Triple world champion Niki Lauda agrees with Lewis Hamilton’s comments about ugly Formula 1 trophies but recalled that the silverware was so bad in his day that he swapped them for a lifetime of free car washes.

“I binned them all, you’re absolutely right, because in my time they were most of them ugly and for me useless,” said the Austrian, now non-executive chairman of Hamilton’s Mercedes team.

“On this point of view Lewis is right because the trophy should have a certain value when you look at them, that you like them,” Lauda told BBC radio at the British Grand Prix on Saturday.

Lauda, who took his titles with McLaren and Ferrari and won 25 grands prix from 1974, said he had given trophies to his local garage-man.

“I said: If you give me a free car wash for the rest of my life you can have all of them. And that is what I did,” said the 66-year-old.

“The guy died unfortunately and his son was running the petrol station but they were so demolished and terribly kept there, that a friend of mine took them away, polished them and then my kids took them and put them on eBay. Now I have to pay for the car wash!” he added.

In the buildup to the British Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton told reporters that he wanted to get his hands on a proper trophy if he won his home race, which he promptly did and was handed a chunky classic style trophy which ended his complaints.

“Last year [2014] they gave me this plastic thing and I’m like, ‘This is not the trophy, it’s like a GP2 trophy not the Formula 1 trophy’,” said the double world champion.

“The one in Austria was wooden, the whole thing was wooden. The base was like lead. I mean, what? It’s supposed to be silver,” added Hamilton.