FORMULA 1 - 2015

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Lotus: Hungary will reveal true performance level

Lotus thinks the Hungarian Grand Prix will deliver the answer as to whether its form in Formula 1 has been hurt by development steps made by its rivals.

After a disappointing British Grand Prix weekend, which was capped when both drivers were forced out following a first lap collision, the Enstone-based outfit has been looking for answers as to why it was not more competitive.

Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi is hoping that what happened at Silverstone was down more to tyre compounds, wind and high-speed track characteristics than a long-term trend.

Reflecting on the British GP weekend, Gastaldi said: “Looking at the weekend as a whole, we weren’t able to show the pace we’ve seen at most venues this season.

"Budapest should highlight if this was just a characteristic of the Silverstone circuit or if our rivals have stolen a march on us.”

Better but more to come

Although Lotus is back to scoring regular points, Gastaldi believes there is still room for improvement before the outfit can feel satisfied with the job it is doing.

“In terms of performance, when you look at where we were last year it’s clear we’ve taken a big step forward,” he said.

“When you look at where we were two or three years ago, it’s clear we have potential for further improvement.

"With the car we can make some progress in the areas of speed and reliability, but that is always the case; you always want the car to be faster and to never break down or have any issue.”

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Piercarlo Ghinzani to auction his collection of old Formula 1 cars

A collection of cars belonging to former grand prix driver Piercarlo Ghinzani, including two Formula 1 Osellas and a Toleman, will be auctioned at Silverstone ahead of the Classic meeting.

Seven cars owned by the Italian, who contested 76 grands prix between 1981 and '89, are part of a competition car-only sale to be staged by Silverstone Auctions on July 23.

Ghinzani, 63, told AUTOSPORT: "I'm selling them because I don't really know what to do with them - I certainly don't have time to run them.

"Life changes and I am getting old!"

He explained that he had created his collection after he stopped racing and that the two Osellas and the two Formula 3 Marches that he raced in period are all runners.

The FA1E is the chassis that Ghinzani used at five grands prix over the first half of the 1983 season, yielding a single qualification in Detroit, rather than the subsequent Tony Southgate-designed car of the same nomenclature used from the British GP on.

A second Osella going under the hammer is a 1986-vintage FA1H powered by an Alfa Romeo V8.

It is unclear if Ghinzani raced this chassis on his return to Osella in '86: AUTOSPORT chassis records suggest it was driven by both Christian Danner and Allen Berg over the course of a season in which Osella ran cars badged as both the FA1G and the FA1H.

The third F1 car a Toleman TG185, chassis #1, in which Ghinzani was entered in the final seven grands prix of 1985. This cars comes without its period Hart four-cylinder turbo engine.

The two Marches are the cars in which Ghinzani respectively won the 1977 European F3 Championship and the 1979 Italian F3 title with the Euroracing team.

Both the March 773 and the 793 are runners and fitted with Toyota/Novamotor engines, although the later car ran with Alfa Romeo power in period.

Also part of the auction are a Formula 3000 Lola T96/50, which Ghinzani's team ran in Italian F3000, and a Corbari Engineering BB01-06 prototype, which are both being sold as rolling chassis.

The auction, which will take place in the Silverstone Wing, is open to the public on purchase of a catalogue.

The sale begins at 7:30pm, with viewing for one hour beforehand, on the eve of the three-day Silverstone Classic event.

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Jenson Button believes F1 summer break will help McLaren-Honda

Jenson Button says the upcoming four-week break between grands prix will prove useful for McLaren-Honda as it bids to turn its Formula 1 fortunes around.

Poor reliability has hampered the alliance's rate of development while the loss of track time and high penalty count for exceeding its power unit allocation has contributed to the team scoring only five points so far.

But Button is hopeful McLaren can use the time after the Hungarian Grand Prix, of which includes a two-week mandatory factory shutdown, to analyse data gathered on its recent chassis upgrade among other things.

"Most of the correlation from the windtunnel to CFD and reality is good so it's not a problem that we won't be racing," Button told AUTOSPORT.

"It is actually useful having that time with everyone back at factory as we will have a lot of information from the races before that which is useful to go through.

"We have a two-week break in August where we can't do anything, but there is still a lot of time for us to look at the new package and analyse it.

"I hope it's the correct direction and we can keep adding that."

Button admits that this season has been a difficult one, with some "really crappy days" but he refused to be downbeat about the team's current plight.

"We all fight to keep the smile," he said. "It's a difficult position for all of us.

"I have really crappy days, like all of us, and moments I'm not happy - and after qualifying at Silverstone was one of them.

"There's no point being down now, because that's not going to help us improve.

"So it's about giving good feedback and trying to make the most of every situation.

"Smiling's better than frowning!"

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DOMENICALI: WE WERE CULTIVATING JULES TO DRIVE FOR FERRARI

The late Jules Bianchi was destined for a future race seat at Ferrari according to the Maranello team’s former boss Stefano Domenicali, as the F1 world mourns the talented 25-year-old Frenchman’s tragic death.

Bianchi, who was 25 when his Marussia struck a recovery vehicle in Japan last year, died in his native Nice last Friday following a nine month coma.

“Jules was always at Maranello to grow and cultivate his dream of driving for Ferrari,” said Italian Domenicali, who was team boss at the team while Bianchi was the cream of Ferrari’s driver development academy.

“Our idea was that, after Marussia, he would go to another team to grow and become ready for the big jump [to Ferrari]. This is what we planned a few years ago, but unfortunately fate has taken it away,” he told Sky Italia.

Domenicali continued: “These have been very sad months. Jules was the first driver of the Ferrari academy, and over the years I was always met by a smiling Jules, always positive.”

“We were convinced that a great future was waiting for him. He deserved a different fate,” he concluded.

The Ferrari connection started in August 2009, when Bianchi was linked to the second Ferrari seat occupied by Luca Badoer during Felipe Massa’s absence due to injury sustained in qualifying in Hungary.

Although the move to Ferrari that year did not transpire, Bianchi was nevertheless was called up by Ferrari to the young drivers test at Jerez for two in December 2009.

Bianchi’s impressive performance during the test led to him becoming the first recruit of the Ferrari Driver Academy and signing up to a long-term deal to remain at the team’s disposal.

He was confirmed by Ferrari as the team’s test and reserve driver for the 2011 season, replacing Luca Badoer, Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gené. He also tested for the team during the young driver test in Abu Dhabi in November 2011.

It is well known that Bianchi’s placement at Marussia was funded by Ferrari, with a view to him gaining experience and eventually being promoted to a race seat with Ferrari, and in all likelihood he would have been hot favourite to replace Kimi Raikkonen in 2016 at Maranello.

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PROST: NOT DEPLOYING THE SAFETY CAR AT SUZUKA WAS A MISTAKE

Formula 1 is pressing ahead with safety advances as the sport mourns the death of former Marussia driver Jules Bianchi, but some believe that mistakes were made on the day at Suzuka which had dire consequences.

The 25-year-old Frenchman’s death, following a nine month coma in the wake of his crash during the Japanese grand prix last year, is the first for a race driver since Ayrton Senna in 1994.

It is a stark reminder of the danger of motor racing, even though some believe F1 in particular has lost some of its spark because it is now ‘too safe’.

“In this sad moment,” said F1 legend Niki Lauda told Bild am Sonntag, “we must not forget the most important thing. It’s a miracle – and I stress, a miracle – that in the last 21 years nothing like this has happened.”

“You can see how much was done for safety, but in the end there are 20 cars driving around at speeds of up to 340kph,” Lauda added.

Crucially, before they began to mourn the loss of Bianchi, it was known that the talented Frenchman’s family was critical of the circumstances surrounding the crash, and not ruling out legal action.

Another F1 legend, Alain Prost, told French digital television I-Tele that the sport has key lessons to learn as a result of what happened at Suzuka last October.

“I say now what I said then after the accident, as I have not changed my opinion,” the quadruple world champion said. “I think it is necessary to speak only about a few small miscalculations of the situation, with consequences that we pay for dearly.”

“We are talking about an accident in pouring rain and with very poor visibility. It was necessary to release the safety car to neutralise the race before allowing this truck onto the track.

“That was a mistake. I know the investigation of the FIA found something else,” added Prost, referring to the official finding that Bianchi was driving too fast for the yellow flags.

But Prost insisted: “So much has been done for safety on the race tracks, which we can see in that we have had no fatal crashes in the last 21 years.”

Another former F1 driver and Frenchman, Patrick Tambay, told RMC: “These questions about the circumstances of the accident should reappear once the emotions are past.

“But F1 is like this, with drivers doing their races as quickly as possible, as it is in their genes. The timing was unfavourable and some mistakes were made. But it is useless to argue about it now. Today I want to remember him and think only about this loss,” Tambay added.

Meanwhile, the publications Bild and Auto Motor und Sport report that another legacy of Bianchi’s death will be a new high-speed camera, to be installed to F1 cars in the near future.

Half the size of an iPhone, the reports say the technology is being developed by Magneti-Marelli and will record in unprecedented slow-motion detail how the drivers’ heads are subjected to impacts.

As for the official footage of Bianchi’s crash, that will remain “forever under wraps” by the FIA, the German newspaper Die Welt claims.

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HULKENBERG: I AM KNOCKING ON THE FERRARI DOOR

Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg may still be in the running to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari next year, despite reports to the contrary.

Late last week, a report in Italy’s Corriere dello Sport fired up the ‘silly season’ as it appeared Valtteri Bottas had been snapped up by the Maranello team.

But the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Williams is actually demanding from Ferrari a whopping €18.5 million to relinquish the firm 2016 ‘option’ on Finn Bottas’ services, and now it emerges that a deal may not yet be done.

“As far as I know, Valtteri does not have a contract with Ferrari,” insists Oskari Saari, a well-placed insider reporting for Finland’s MTV3. “Although an agreement could arise, the Italian report was at the very least premature. There may be negotiations behind the scenes, but also with other drivers.”

Ferrari and Williams declined to comment, and so too did Sauber’s Monisha Kaltenborn, amid suggestions it is the Swiss team’s Felipe Nasr who would replace Bottas at Williams.

And one of Bottas’ managers, Toto Wolff, said: “The chance that there will be an agreement (with Ferrari) is 50 per cent.”

Another obvious candidate for the potential vacancy at Ferrari is Hulkenberg, the impressive and experienced German and new reigning Le Mans winner.

He told the German broadcaster ZDF: “I think in the next few weeks everything will become clear.

“Naturally there are some options that interest me, and no one would say no to Ferrari. And I am knocking on the door as well,” Hulkenberg admitted.

It has been suggested that the major hurdle to a Ferrari deal for Hulkenberg is his nationality, as German Sebastian Vettel already drives for the fabled team.

“The nationality factor is not really in my favour,” Hulkenberg admitted, “but whether it is a knock-out factor or not, I don’t know. In any case, there are other options.

“There are a few other teams who show an interest in me. Let’s see,” said the Force India driver. “It depends how the events unfold. What happens with Kimi? What does Bottas do? “As soon as the first things happen, there will be a domino effect.”

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RICCIARDO TO MAKE RACE OF CHAMPIONS DEBUT

Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo will make his Race Of Champions debut in London on November 20-21, partnering motorbike legend Mick Doohan for Team Australia at the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – the iconic home of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Ricciardo set the motor racing world alight last year with three victories – in Canada, Hungary and Belgium – following his move to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team. The impressive performances took him to third place in the drivers’ world championship. In doing so he also saw off the challenge of his illustrious team-mate, four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel has now moved to Scuderia Ferrari but he has already signed up for the 2015 Race Of Champions too, so he and Ricciardo could even meet again on the London track. Ricciardo will also have the chance to race for the glory of his country as he partners motorbike legend Mick Doohan for Team Australia in the ROC Nations Cup.

Ricciardo said: “It’s an honour to be invited to the Race Of Champions and I’m really looking forward to racing inside the tight confines of the former Olympic Stadium in London. It will be very different to what I’m used to in Formula 1 but I can’t wait to try out ROC’s wide range of cars in quick succession. It looks like a serious challenge but I’m ready for anything.

“It’s also very special to be able to represent my country, especially as team-mate to someone like Mick Doohan. The word ‘legend’ is overused in sport but Mick is one of the few who genuinely deserve it. What he’s achieved is incredible and I’ve seen he’s a mean competitor on four wheels too. Now we need as many Europe-based Aussies as possible to come to London to cheer us on, then let’s see what we can do.”

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LOTUS HAVE ALMOST $1MILLION IN UNPAID BILLS

Lotus is behind in 27 bills adding up to almost $1 million in debt, according to a report in Sunday Express.

Earlier, it emerged that the Enstone team, now linked with a buyout by the French carmaker Renault, is facing a winding-up petition brought by a disgruntled transmission supplier called Xtrac.

But F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said the unpaid bill to Xtrac is just one of 27 “unsatisfied judgements”, according to court documents.

Elsewhere in the pitlane, it is reported that the backmarker Manor could be set for an investment injection.

Roger Benoit, the highly experienced correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick, said the interested parties are Americans James Carney and the well-known Tavo Hellmund.

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WILLIAMS EXTENDS MASSA CONTRACT FOR 2016 SEASON

Williams has reportedly taken up its contract option on Brazilian veteran Felipe Massa for the 2016 Formula 1 season.

That is the claim of Diario Motorsport, a specialist Portuguese publication that in 2013 also correctly reported that the Brazilian driver was set to switch to the Grove team from Ferrari.

Now, hot on the heels of speculation Massa’s current teammate Valtteri Bottas is heading to Ferrari next year, it is reported that Massa is definitely staying at Williams.

Earlier in July, 34-year-old Massa said he was hoping to stay at the British team, “I like to work here,. The team has treated me with great respect, we have performed well. I have not been talking to anyone else. Why change something?”

Just before the latest Bottas rumours exploded, the Finn had said Williams is going through “difficult times” as the much bigger-budgeted Mercedes and Ferrari aggressively develop their cars.

But Massa told UOL Esporte: “I think the pace we had at Silverstone shows that we know how to work, how to develop the car and we are on track to keep improving and be stronger than Ferrari at every race. We are still in the fight.”

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DRIVERS DEFEND F1 AS PINNACLE OF THE SPORT

Two Formula 1 drivers have hit back at suggestions the world championship is no longer the pinnacle of motor sport.

As the category’s stakeholders consider what changes to make to rekindle interest, Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat shakes his head at claims driving the modern cars is no longer a serious challenge.

“The challenge is huge, no matter what they (the critics) say,” said the young Russian. “I hear all this criticism, but I believe those who do it (complain) are not aware of what us drivers are really having to do.

“I’d like to see them sitting in one of these cars and see what they are capable of,” Kvyat told Brazil’s Globo.

With a similar attitude is Nico Hulkenberg, who clarified that he did not decide to take on the challenge of Le Mans this year because F1 is no longer exciting.

“I’m not one of the great critics of formula one,” he insisted to the German broadcaster ZDF. “For me, formula one is still the premier class, so the fastest and the best cars you can drive today. It’s still a lot of fun.”

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SAINZ DEFENDS ALONSO DECISION MAKING

Toro Rosso rookie Carlos Sainz has defended his countryman and mentor Fernando Alonso, amid claims bad decisions have marred the Spaniard’s F1 career.

Like many of his peers, rookie Sainz considers Alonso the very best driver on the grid.

“With Fernando, you know he will do a perfect qualifying, a perfect start, a perfect first lap, every lap of a grand prix within a tenth. From Fernando you can learn everything and then some,” the Toro Rosso driver is quoted by UOL Esporte.

However, some believe that notwithstanding 33-year-old Alonso’s talent, he has made some poor careers choices since winning his only two titles with Renault.

Indeed, his first move to McLaren was ill-fated, he returned to Renault amid the French marque’s demise and then failed to win a title over five years with Ferrari.

And Alonso is now struggling at the back of the field with McLaren-Honda.

“I’m surprised he can be as happy as he is,” Nico Rosberg told the Spanish daily AS. “Whenever I see him he is happy.

“Good for him, but it seems quite strange because he has always been fighting and now he cannot even score points,” the Mercedes driver added.

Sainz, however, said it would be wrong for anyone to suggest Alonso is guilty of making poor career choices.

“I think it is impossible to say of someone with two titles and three runner-up years with Ferrari that they make bad decisions,” the Toro Rosso driver said.

“There are simply times when you are not at the right place at the right time. I think if anything he was unlucky,” Sainz insisted.

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MICHELIN STILL IN RUNNING FOR 2017 DEAL

Michelin is still in the running to become Formula 1’s new tyre supplier in 2017, but face stiff competition from Pirelli.

Although some had questioned the French marque’s push to ensure the sport moves to a lower-profile wheel rim size, it is believed Michelin has satisfied the FIA that it is technically competent to be considered for the 2017-2019 contract.

Pirelli, F1’s existing sole supplier, is also still in the running, but there is speculation FIA president Jean Todt, a Frenchman, may be keen to see Michelin secure the deal.

“I have no fear of us being pushed out,” Italian supplier Pirelli’s F1 chief Paul Hembery told the German newspaper Bild. “We are fighting as we’d be happy to stay.”

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Force India pay tribute to Bianchi

Vijay Mallya, team principal at Force India, paid a glowing tribute to Jules Bianchi, describing the Frenchman as 'a tremendous talent' as well as 'a friend'.

Bianchi was a reserve driver for the Silverstone based outfit during the 2012 season. He participated in nine Friday free practice sessions at various race weekends during the course that year.

The team released the following statement from Mallya on their Facebook page.

“The thoughts of everyone at Sahara Force India are with the friends and family of Jules Bianchi at this terrible moment. We had the pleasure of working with Jules during 2012 [as the team’s third driver] where he left a strong impression on everyone in the team.

"We came to know an outstanding young man and a tremendous talent who was destined for great things in Formula One. The world has lost a true racer and we have all lost a friend."

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Kvyat: Hungaroring a bit too narrow

The Hungaroring remains "pretty challenging" during races while you really need to "push to the limit" in qualifying, but Daniil Kvyat feels it's "a little bit too narrow for modern F1 cars".

The Budapest track, host of the Hungarian Grand Prix, has been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1986 and a lot of the drivers like the tight, twisty and bumpy nature of the circuit.

Although he relishes the challenges that the track provides, Kvyat admits overtaking opportunities are very limited there.

"I really used to enjoy it in Formula Renault 2.0 but it’s probably a little bit too narrow for modern Formula One cars," the Russian said. "But still, in qualifying it really makes you push to the limit.

"You’re right on the edge and you never get a rest during the lap. I think that’s the biggest characteristic of the circuit. I was on pole and won there in Formula Renault 2.0 in 2012 and was on the podium in GP3 in the feature race, so I’ve got pretty good memories of racing here.

"It is pretty challenging. You need to hit every apex right, don’t make any mistakes in your line selection, it’s quite a difficult one to get right but I do find it to be a lot of fun."

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'We'll be closer to the top guys soon' - Alonso

Fernando Alonso is confident McLaren and Honda will enjoy a much more competitive end to the 2015 season, with the gap to the front greatly reduced.

McLaren have made some big strides forward in their quest for performance, but are heavily reliant on engine partner Honda delivering reliability, more power and a consistent energy recovery system.

However the Spaniard is confident improvements are being made in all areas and a leap forward won't be too far away, starting with the next event in Hungary.

"I think the team is looking forward to this race: the track will offer us a reasonable opportunity to showcase our steady progress, and I'd like to think that, if everything runs smoothly, we could have a less difficult weekend," he explained.

Alonso believes the team will manage to close the significant gap to the front substantially over the next few races, ending the season on a high.

"I think the second part of the year will show a completely different McLaren, much more competitive," he told the official Formula 1 website. "The steps that are coming are quite big.

"This is not too difficult when you are at the back of the grid and two seconds off the pace - every step then is half a second or eight-tenths. When you are fighting for a podium you [only] gain 0.1s every two weeks. I think we will get much closer to the top guys in the second part of the championship."

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FIA to 'retire' Bianchi's car number out of respect

Car number 17 will be retired from use by Formula One drivers as a mark of respect for Jules Bianchi, this FIA has announced.

“Jean Todt, President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that the car number 17 will be retired from the FIA Formula One world championship in honour of Jules Bianchi,” said a statement released by the sport’s governing body.

“As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi’s number 17.”

“As a result, this number can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One world championship.”

Bianchi adopted number 17 in 2014 when drivers were first given the choice of which number they preferred to use. He used it for 15 races that year.

However 17 was not Bianchi’s first choice of race number. He originally expressed a preference for numbers 7, 27 or 77 but as these had already been chosen – by Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg and Valtteri Bottas respectively – he later selected number 17.

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Negotiations fall through in potential COTA deal

IHRA parent company IRG Sports + Entertainment the suitor, but potential deal won't go through.

A deal between Circuit of the Americas, the country’s only Formula 1 race track, and a potential buyer has fallen through due to an inability to come to terms, according to a source familiar with the weeks-long negotiations.

Motorsport.com understands the suitor was IRG Sports + Entertainment, a Jupiter, Florida-based company that owns multiple race tracks around the country, though if had the deal been consummated, COTA would have been by far the company’s highest-profile acquisition.

IRG Sports + Entertainment is best known as the parent company for the Ohio-based International Hot Rod Association, which is the second-largest drag racing sanctioning body behind the National Hot Rod Association.

The privately held IRG Sport + Entertainment has been quietly making smaller acquisitions and building its core business.

The company, which calls itself “a leading purveyor of sports and live entertainment experiences,” owns Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida, Memphis International Raceway, Southwestern International Raceway in Arizona, Cordova International Raceway in Illinois and Maryland International Raceway.

IRG bought the IHRA in January, 2013. The sanctioning body also controls the Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, the Sonic Rush Tour and Street Warriorz.

The IHRA sanctions about 130 facilities in the U.S. and Canada and has more than 13,000 racers as members. IRG is also an equity owner of the Super Chevy Show Series, Fun Ford Series and Mega Mopar Action Series.

Add a strip?

During the construction phase of COTA, there was talk of adding a drag strip and some point, and it seems likely that IRG would have pursed that had a deal been made.

The IHRA’s highest-profile track in Texas is in San Antonio, but that track has suffered from business problems recently. The IHRA does not have a signature annual event like the NHRA’s U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, and Austin could have been a prime site for one.

The 1,500-acre Circuit of the Americas hosted its first F1 race in November 2012 on its 3.41-mile road course. This year, the track has is also hosting MotoGP, the FIA World Endurance Championship and Tudor United SportsCar Championship and the Pirelli World Challenge.

The track is also increasing its profile as an entertainment site, hosting the ESPN X-Games and multiple concerts in its Austin360 Amphitheater, the largest permanent outdoor amphitheater in Central Texas.

There has been no response to a request made to COTA for comment last Tuesday.

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TEARS FLOW AS JULES BIANCHI IS LAID TO REST

Formula One turned out in force on Tuesday to pay its last respects to Jules Bianchi at the 25-year-old French driver’s funeral in his hometown of Nice.

World champion Lewis Hamilton and many of Bianchi’s pitlane colleagues joined family and friends of the talented young Marussia driver who died in Nice on Friday, nine months after his devastating accident at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Two giant portraits of Bianchi in full racing gear adorned the walls either side of the cathedral’s main entrance.

His coffin, with his No 17 helmet resting on it, was carried from the hearse into the cathedral by a group of young drivers, described by Father Sylvain Brison as Bianchi’s “racing brothers”.

With The Eagles’ haunting 1970s anthem “Hotel California” playing in the background, the coffin was carried up the cathedral’s central aisle.

Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who had made the short trip from their homes in Monaco, as well as Jean Todt, head of F1’s governing body, the FIA, and the French Sports Minister Thierry Braillard, were in attendance for what Bianchi’s parents had requested was to be an intimate farewell to their son.

“Jules’ death is deeply unjust,” Father Brison told the mourners in the Sainte-Reparate Cathedral situated in Nice’s historic old town. He was happy, because he had turned his dream into reality.”

F1 “was his life, his vocation. He was a champion blessed with a rare talent, as well as being a young man whose stature was as high as the depth of his humility”.

He concluded the service by saying: “Jules never managed to make it on to the Formula One podium, and so I ask you to applaud him now,” which the emotional gathering, both inside and outside the cathedral, duly did for several minutes.

The service ended with the playing of the tender 1980s classic hit “Mistral Gagnant” by French singer Renaud.

Sebastian Vettel, the four-time former world champion, helped carry the coffin out of the cathedral in a poignant reminder that if fate had not cruelly intervened Bianchi would have joined the German as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement at Ferrari next season.

Bianchi was the first Formula One driver to die as a result of a racing accident since triple world champion Ayrton Senna in San Marino in 1994.

And Senna’s arch-rival, Alain Prost, was among the mourners saying goodbye to Bianchi as were Romain Grosjean, Felipe Massa and Olivier Panis.

Bianchi suffered a traumatic brain injury when his car careered off the rain-drenched Suzuka circuit during the Japanese Grand Prix on October 5 and smashed into a recovery truck at around 200 kilometres (125 miles) an hour.

He had been fighting for his life since under controlled medical conditions in a Nice hospital.

Born in Nice in 1989 to Italian parents, Bianchi had racing in his blood. His father Philippe was a go-kart specialist. His grandfather Mauro had been a well known Formula Three and endurance driver in the 1960s. His great-uncle Lucien competed in 17 Grands Prix before he was killed in a crash in 1969 at the age of 34.

After a spell at Ferrari’s drivers’ academy Bianchi joined Marussia in 2013 and competed in 34 Grands Prix, notching two world championship points – still the team’s best result.

Since the accident new measures have been introduced to force drivers to slow down for accidents, including a ‘virtual safety car’.

The FIA has announced that in Bianchi’s honour it had retired his number 17 car.

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ROSBERG: I CAN WIN THE F1 WORLD TITLE THIS YEAR

Nico Rosberg is sure he can keep pushing Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in the fight for the 2015 Formula 1 world title.

Last year, the Mercedes pair had a close duel for spoils, with Hamilton emerging with his second career title and a palpable boost in confidence.

The Briton appeared to carry that form into this season but Rosberg has also impressed, as he is currently within a single victory of the championship lead.

Asked if he can be the 2015 champion, Rosberg told Diario AS: “Definitely. I’m really enjoying the fight with Lewis and I am sure that I am capable of winning, so I keep believing in myself.”

Asked what changed in his approach as he ended an early-season dip in form, Rosberg answered: “Nothing. They are simply phases. Nothing has changed in the way I work.

“No, I really don’t think that,” he insisted when asked if there might be a technical or psychological explanation. “It’s like going to the casino and playing blackjack – sometimes you win seven times in a row and sometimes you are on the other side of that.”

Rosberg does not even admit that Hamilton has a big upper hand in qualifying, even though he has rarely been quicker than the Briton this year on Saturdays.

“He is very strong, undoubtedly,” said the German, “but it’s a matter of tenths. And you’re better off being stronger in the race anyway.”

Asked to predict which forthcoming circuits he might master better than Hamilton, Rosberg said: “We’re very close and every weekend I have a chance to win. No matter where we are, I know that if I do things right I have a chance of beating him.”

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TOST: RENAULT HAVE TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost is hoping Renault can now add much-needed performance to its 2015 Formula 1 power unit.

As the season reaches its mid-point, experts increasingly agree that the James Key-designed STR10, despite the team’s modest budget, is one of the very best chassis on the grid this year.

However, the Red Bull junior team is currently just eighth in the constructors’ championship, ahead only of the struggling McLaren-Honda and Manor.

“There are still ten races on the calendar,” said Tost, referring to Toro Rosso’s stated goal of finishing fifth in the end, presumably behind Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams and Red Bull.

“The STR10 is a very good chassis,” he told Speed Week, “both our drivers are extremely talented and doing an excellent job, and the team’s working methods are slowly coming up to Formula 1 standard.

“Lack of reliability is the cause of our currently-weak position,” Tost added. “When eight times out of nine races you don’t see the chequered flag, you cannot be in the top five of the world championship.

“This is the main reason, as well as accidents and errors of the team. But we need to solve this [reliability] vulnerability together with our partner as soon as possible.”

Toro Rosso’s ‘partner’ is Renault, the under-fire French supplier that is said to be close to changing tack and buying back Lotus to re-form a works team.

Tost acknowledges, however, that Renault has still been working hard on solving its problems in 2015.

“They have worked a lot on the reliability. I hope that is now under control, as the next thing that must be improved is the performance,” the Austrian said.

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ALLISON: NO EXCUSES FERRARI HAVE TO FIGHT FOR VICTORY

James Allison has hit back at suggestions he might be the reason of Ferrari’s new slump, and could become victim of the dreaded Maranello axe.

Last week, as the Italian press analysed the apparent dip in Ferrari’s 2015 resurgence, eyes began to shift to technical boss Allison’s unextended contract.

It was claimed the Briton’s deal runs out in less than a year, with La Gazzetta dello Sport wondering if his performance is “already under scrutiny”.

But Allison insists: “First, I have a contract that binds me to this company for several years. Second, I came back to this team to repeat the experience of winning, because it is an unique feeling. I experienced it as a young engineer, and it was amazing to win five world championships.

“And the prospect of being able to relive those moments in the role that I occupy today is something that I really wanted to do, as a matter of the heart,” he said in the latest edition Autosprint magazine.

“I want to stay here until I finish my work and if Ferrari feels the same then I will be very happy,” Allison added.

Now 47, Allison was in his early 30s when he first worked at Maranello, but he subsequently blossomed into one of the sport’s most respected technical figures at Lotus.

Now in the top job in red, he admits the pressure is high, “But I have always seen pressure as a good thing because it forces you to do your best, to keep improving.”

He says 2015 has been “positive” so far, explaining: “Obviously no one in this company will be happy until we win, but I can say that this group has grown so much from a starting point that was not the best. We have improved, but we still have much to do.”

So Allison is not surprised that the performance dip of the past few races has turned into the current speculation, “We are a team with very good drivers, a significant budget, cutting-edge tools — we have no excuses. We have to fight for victory.

“And when it does not work it is a disappointment for everyone. Those who work for Ferrari know that if you don’t win it is very likely that there will be problems.

“At Maranello everyone knows that — that when you decide to work for Ferrari, you take the responsibility of having to build a winning car. And I think that will always be so,” he added.

Asked if it might have been easier if Sebastian Vettel’s early-season breakthrough win had come a little later, Allison answered: “perhaps in the management of expectations, yes. But you cannot refuse success when it comes.”

As for Ferrari’s apparent mid-season dip, he added: “In the first part of the season updates came much faster than the competition and we reduced the gap. Then we saw that the Mercedes teams took a huge leap forward in Montreal, and the gap widened again.

“But if I had to bet on what will happen in the second half of the season, I think we will return to reducing the gap to Mercedes and staying ahead of Williams,” said Allison.

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Max excited about Hungary chances

Max Verstappen believes this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix could be one of Toro Rosso's "best races of the season".

Toro Rosso's STR10 have looked pretty fast in patches this campaign, but often they have failed to replicate their practice results on race day with the team slipping to eighth in the Constructors' standings.

The British Grand Prix was a case in point for their mixed performances as the Dutch youngster felt they were "second fastest" behind Mercedes during practice, but once qualifying came around they struggled while both Verstappen and team-mate Carlos Sainz retired on the Sunday.

The teams head to the Hungaroring, a track that's not known to favour overtaking, this week and the rookie Verstappen feels good points are on offer for the team.

"I’ve raced at the Hungaroring in Formula 3 and it’s a bit of a Mickey Mouse track," he said. "I’m looking forward to racing there with an F1 car; I think the circuit will suit our car and I’m optimistic we can fight for a good result. This could be one of our best races of the season.

"Qualifying will be a key part of the weekend as in Hungary it is very difficult to overtake during the race, but, as always, I will do my best and try to overtake every time the opportunity arises.

"After this race, we have our summer break, but I’m not really looking forward to it: I’d prefer to have another three races in the three weeks off!"

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Ferrari reveal special Bianchi fan tribute

Ferrari's garage at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix will be decorated by fan tributes to the late Jules Bianchi.

The 25-year-old Bianchi, who was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, passed away on Friday evening, nine months after he suffered severe head injuries during an accident at the Japanese GP.

Besides coming through the ranks at Ferrari, the Scuderia's former president Luca di Montezemolo revealed that the Frenchman had been lined up to take over from Kimi Raikkonen one day.

The FIA has also announced that a minute's silence will be held ahead of the Hungarian GP in memory of Bianchi while his number 17 will also be retired.

As part of its tribute to Bianchi, Ferrari urged its fans to tweet messages, which will be displayed at the Hungaroring.

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Hungarian GP timetable

The Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place at the Hungaroring in Budapest, marks the 10th round of the 2015 season and it's also the last race before the summer break.

All times are local (Budapest is GMT 2)

Thursday July 23

15:00: FIA press conference

Friday July 24

10:00 - 11:30: First free practice

14:00 - 15:30: Second free practice

16:00: FIA press conference

Saturday July 25

11:00 - 12:00: Third free practice

14:00 - 15:00: Qualifying

15:00: FIA post-qualifying press conference

Sunday July 26

14:00 - 16:00: Hungarian GP

16:00: FIA post-race press conference

Hungarian GP Info

No of Laps: 70

Race Distance: 306.63

Lap Record: 1:19.071 - M Schumacher (2004)

2014 Winner: D Ricciardo (Red Bull)

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McLaren look to 'shake off poor luck'

It has been a difficult couple of months for McLaren, but racing director Eric Boullier is hopeful they have turned the corner and will see some results in Hungary.

Although Fernando Alonso scored his first points of the campaign at Silverstone last time out, the Spaniard and Jenson Button have had eight DNFs between them in the last eight races.

Their frustrations were borne out of the issues they have with their Honda engines with the drivers suffering reliability problems and often forced to take grid penalties.

Both McLaren and Honda have had three weeks to work on some of the issues and Boullier is optimistic Alonso and Button will reap the rewards for their "fighting spirit and resilience".

"We head to Hungary keen to shake off the poor luck we’ve encountered in recent races," he said.

"It’s been a source of great frustration to see new components and upgrades destroyed before they’ve had the chance to be race-proven, through a series of first-lap accidents. However, the unshakeable belief and optimism of Fernando and Jenson has set the example for the whole team: they are remarkable assets, and their commitment during these times is incredibly valuable.

"Honda, too, has shown a commitment that remains admirably undiminished. Together, we are showing the fighting spirit and resilience that will see us continue to improve our performance and reliability as we move back to the front.

"I hope that our performance in Hungary will scratch the surface on the performance and potential that lies within our organisation - it would be great to go into the break feeling re-energised about the races ahead."