FORMULA 1 - 2015

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Half term report - The Big Four

Let's take a look at how Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren have fared in the opening ten rounds of 2015.

Mercedes (1st, 383 points)

Team: Little has changed for Mercedes since 2014. It is still the dominant force on the grid but went into the summer break having lost out on two races it may have won under different circumstances. It is 148 points ahead of Ferrari and looks to be in a strong position to win one championship at the very least this year. Ferrari's proximity to the front has perhaps been overstated at times - aside from the wins in Malaysia and Hungary, Mercedes has had a clear pace advantage when it has mattered. Sixth and eighth in Hungary was an anomaly which will remind the team once again the championship is theirs to lose.

Starts have been an issue and a tardy getaway in Hungary from both drivers handed victory to Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel on a silver platter. Other than that and Vettel's win in Malaysia, the only glaring negative on the season so far is the calamitous strategy call which cost Lewis Hamilton a routine victory in Monaco. It was a decision made in a matter of seconds and may not cost Mercedes or Hamilton their respective titles this season, but was one of the season's more memorable flashpoints. Despite the lingering threat of Ferrari things are still looking rosy for the world champions.

Drivers: At one stage this season it looked as though Hamilton was driving a different Mercedes to Nico Rosberg. Three wins from the first four races saw Hamilton take a commanding championship lead but Rosberg has since fought back well to at least make the championship look like something of a two-way fight.

But all in all, Hamilton's form before the break makes it difficult to back anyone else for the title. He's rediscovered his qualifying mojo, with a remarkable nine pole positions from ten races, and still looks to have crucial tenths in hand over Rosberg when it matters. The distractions of his personal life attract attention in some quarters but the reigning world champion seems to make it work for him - he has five wins to his team-mate 's three and has 21 points in hand heading to Spa. Anything less than a third championship this year will be a failure for Britain's most successful driver.

Red Bull (4th, 96 points)

Team: 2015 is proof that things can always get worse. Last year was terrible for Red Bull and Renault and this year has seen the relationship fall apart even more. A strong showing in Silverstone and a double podium in Hungary meant the team went into the summer on a high but it should not paper over the cracks of what has been a very disappointing campaign so far. Red Bull and Renault engaged in mud-slinging earlier this year and it seems both parties should bear responsibility for this year's failings. At the start of the year the RB11 appeared to have lost Red Bull's traditional prowess in the high-speed corners - something it put down to the new nose and floor regulations. However, both sides appear to be getting on top of their early issues and a much-improved second half of the season should be in store.

Drivers: After Hungary, Christian Horner assessed his drivers efforts so far this year as such: "I think [Daniel] Ricciardo's half term report is A+ to be honest with you and Daniil Kyvat needs to pay more attention to the rule book but he's getting there!" With such a troublesome power unit and a chassis Red Bull only just appears to have got to grips with, it would be harsh to criticise either driver too much for 2015. Ricciardo has shown glimpses of last year's brilliance, though overtaking has been harder to come by. However, A+ may be slightly over the top for Ricciardo as he trails Kvyat 4-3 in races this year. The young Russian started the season poorly and (quite ridiculously) even had to field questions in the winter about his seat being under threat before he'd even had a race. He's responded brilliantly to that pressure and second in Hungary was vindication of the trust Red Bull placed in him by promoting him to the big table for 2015.

Ferrari (2nd, 236 points)

Team: Easily the winners of the 'Most Improved' award for 2015, Ferrari's two wins this year have perhaps been the most memorable from the season. The period of change at the end of 2014 looked a bit like a great team imploding from within but new president Sergio Marchionne and team boss Maurizio Arrivabene have done a remarkable job in turning the fortunes of the team around. After Sebastian Vettel's win in Malaysia Arrivabene took to the radio to declare "Ferrari is back!" and it seemed like maybe they were. That win proved to be something of a false dawn and taking either championship in 2015 is a long shot with Mercedes still holding a significant advantage, but the fact Ferrari is in a position of strength bodes well for mounting a proper challenge in 2016. Credit must go to James Allison and his technical team for recovering from the disaster that was the F14-T with this year's model, while there have been clear gains on the engine side which should give optimism to the likes of Renault and Honda.

Drivers: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were the two high-profile strugglers of 2014 but only one has completely reversed his fortunes. While Vettel has been back to his pre-2014 best, with two wins and seven podiums moving him to within 42 points of the championship lead, Raikkonen has been off-colour again. We've seen flashes of the Iceman - a podium in Bahrain and a brilliant drive in Hungary which ended with reliability issues. But all in all, things keep going wrong for the Finn in qualifying and this carries over to Sunday. It says all you need to know about Raikkonen's performances that his future is once again the feature of speculation in the media. It will be sad if such a great career ends with this sort of whimper but the 2007 world champion appears to be running out of time.

McLaren (9th, 17 points)

Team: There is an immortal line in the excellent British comedy series Blackadder Goes Forth which almost sums up the first ten races of McLaren-Honda's renewed partnership: "Well, it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle, and the less said about the end the better ... but other than that, it was excellent."

After the Hungarian Grand Prix this is perhaps not entirely true - Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button finishing fifth and eighth respectively - but it is a fairly accurate description of how badly McLaren has fared since switching to Honda power this year. The talk last year was of taking the fight to Mercedes immediately with Honda but the gap to the front became painfully clear immediately during pre-season testing. Progress is being made slowly but the gap at power circuits is likely to remain for the rest of 2015. The lack of in-season testing has hurt Honda as it has not been able to make the steps forward it has needed to in the limited time available over race weekends. Both McLaren and Honda have the resources to believe that better things are on the horizon but will hope the first ten races of 2015 do not linger long in the memory.

Drivers: In truth, it's been difficult to judge Alonso or Button properly this season; there have only been two races where both men have seen the chequered flag. Credit where it is due to both drivers - neither has thrown toys out of the pram yet. Even Alonso, whose temperament has got the better of him before in his storied career, seems perfectly happy with the narrative this year (and maybe beyond) is a testing year. How long that stays the same will depend on the sort of shape McLaren is in come next season. Meanwhile Button's performances will come under scrutiny after the summer with no guarantees on a 2016 race seat and the talented duo of Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne waiting in the wings.

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Bottas says he'll be aggressive when F1 wins are on the line

Williams Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas has vowed to display a more aggressive driving style when grand prix victories are within realistic reach.

The Finn has been consistent this season, finishing in the top six in seven of the nine F1 races he has contested, and while he does not intend to change that approach, he thinks he has an extra gear.

"If you want to get some good points or if you want to win the race, first you need to finish the race," he told AUTOSPORT.

"If you take risks, it's better to take calculated risks then silly ones.

"I calculate things ahead quite a lot, considering if it's worth taking a risk or not.

"My style is always consistent, but I think that probably many people haven't seen that when it counts for the win.

"In fighting for the win, or with important positions, I can be aggressive so I think at some point we will see that."

Bottas concedes that Mercedes will be difficult to beat this season, but he remains hopeful that a maiden victory is still a possibility in 2015.

"Mercedes is so far ahead at this point that I think it could be possible if they were for some reason unlucky, but then we would also need to be in front of the Ferraris," said Bottas.

"I think if we could catch Ferrari then that dream might become closer.

"We've been on the podium in a couple of races this season so that's good - it's not bad, but obviously we want more.

"The most positive thing is that we've been able to score more points at the beginning of the season than what we did last year.

"As well as that, all the bits we put on the car always make the car quicker so that's a good thing.

"If we can continue that then we can be closer.

"Winning - I don't say it's impossible; it's tricky at the moment but of course we always try."

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HAAS F1 TEAM IN TALKS WITH ABOUT TEN DRIVERS

Haas F1 Team’s first Formula 1 driver line-up could be known within a few weeks, as the outfit ramps up talks with candidates to spearhead their new project at the pinnacle of the sport.

Team boss Gunther Steiner on Monday said he has drawn up a list of about 10 potential candidates for the new, Ferrari-linked American team.

“It was a good response when we contacted them,” he said. “No one said ‘Hey, this is new, I don’t want to go there’.”

Steiner said talks with the drivers are taking place now, “We are talking with about ten people. Some are higher up the list, some are lower. But we want to see who is out there.”

Recent reports have said Ferrari test drivers Esteban Gutierrez and Jean-Eric Vergne are high on the list, as is Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg.

Californian GP2 driver Alexander Rossi, and Indycar race winner Josef Newgarden have also been mentioned, as has out-of-work Adrian Sutil.

Steiner says experience is vital, “For sure it is very important. We are a new team — everything else is new, a lot of unknowns, so we need a known quantity. And if the experience is coming with speed, even better.”

“I think we can make a decision, or we would like to make a decision, by the end of summer. Then we can get prepared, the car needs to fit the driver, and we also need time to explain to our driver what we are doing,” he said.

“He needs to help us as well — ‘What do you want from us to get ready?’ So by September I hope we have the decision for at least one, if not two. Ideally it will be two.

“But we have got interesting candidates, which is very nice for us to have drivers with a good reputation who talk to us seriously. I hope we can pull some of them off,” added Steiner.

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HARTSTEIN: I BELIEVE THEY ARE LIABLE FOR BIANCHI’S DEATH

Former Formula 1 doctor Gary Hartstein has launched a scathing attack on officials of the sport’s governing body – the FIA – following the death of Jules Bianchi and even suggesting that the organisation is liable for what occurred on that tragic day at Suzuka.

His comments follow hot on the heels of those made by Felipe Massa, who said Bianchi’s death has united the drivers, and Felipe Nasr, who said F1 is still pushing to improve safety.

Hartstein, however, tagged both Massa and Nasr in a social media post on Twitter by saying the drivers should be focusing their attention elsewhere.

They “should start by demanding the firing of the medical delegate”, said Hartstein, whose relationship with the FIA has been acidic since his contract was not renewed at the end of 2012.

The FIA’s current medical delegate is Jean-Charles Piette (pictured below), but Hartstein said the medical commission’s chief Gerard Saillant is “even more clueless”.

Some of Hartstein’s tweets over the weekend were apparently deleted, but he insists that “Everything I said is factual and meant as such, not as insults”.

Nonetheless, he was scathing of Piette, insisting he is “responsible for the disastrous land-based evacuation of their [Massa and Nasr’s] late colleague.”

Hartstein said there should have been “no racing” occurring at Suzuka at the time of Bianchi’s crash as the helicopter was grounded and the estimated evacuation time to hospital was more than 30 minutes.

“And his [Piette’s] total lack of knowledge or experience in trauma care places them at risk every time they’re out” on track, Hartstein charged.

So until Hartstein’s concerns about the FIA medical team are addressed, he said Massa and Nasr’s “concern for their own safety rings a bit hollow. Start with the basics guys!”

Hartstein thinks the FIA could even be held liable for Bianchi’s death, “I expect that the Bianchis have been told that. I believe they [the FIA] are indeed liable.”

The New Yorker also aimed fire at the FIA president Jean Todt, quoting Hartstein saying, “The sport was not his agenda. He was his agenda. Even his road safety crap is all show, no meat.”

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SAUBER PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

After a two week summer break and factory shutdown, Formula One and, therefore, also the Sauber F1 Team returns to the legendary Ardennes race track in Spa-Francorchamps.

Drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr are looking forward to the Belgian Grand Prix, where the Sauber C34-Ferrari will have a new engine specification as well as wings that are specific to the track.

Marcus Ericsson: “I am really looking forward to driving at Spa-Francorchamps in general and Eau Rouge, Blanchimont and Pouhon in particular. This traditional grand prix weekend at this historic track is purely about racing, and the fans are really into our sport and passionate about it. The atmosphere is great there. In comparison to other circuits, the track is quite long with some interesting corners and long straights. Engine power is the crucial factor, which fits well with our engine update. It’s one of those tracks which is like an adventure, it goes up and downhill. Always an important aspect of Spa is the weather. You never know what is going to happen, one part of the track can be wet and the other can be dry. This is also what makes Spa so special.”

Felipe Nasr: “Spa is my favorite circuit on the calendar. The track is unique, having a lot of high-speed corners and a great corner combination. As a driver you get a nice flow going through these corner combinations. It is a track on which you need a stable car in the high-speed corners. I would say the combination of low downforce and traction is essential to be competitive. Going through Eau Rouge flat out will be tricky and, for sure, a challenge. It will be my first time driving this circuit in a Formula One car. We do have our engine update there, but, as we haven’t run it yet, we don’t know what it is going to be like. We are all looking forward to it and hope this will be a benefit for us.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Track Engineering: “The Belgian Grand Prix can be considered the opener of the second part of the season, in which the Sauber F1 team is looking forward to stronger performances thanks to a number of upgrades that will be progressively introduced. At Spa both C34 will be fitted with more powerful Ferrari power units and track specific wings. The track is an all-round favorite and demands high-speed cornering performance and straight-line speed, hence aerodynamic efficiency and power output. Traction and braking, although, as usual, important, are second to stability and reactiveness, therefore rather specific set-ups are being worked out. As for the tyre compounds, medium and soft are expected to fit the event well.”

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WILLIAMS PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one of Formula One’s most iconic and revered. The extreme climb through Eau Rouge with clouds of spray hanging between the trees of the Ardennes forest is one of the sport’s most memorable sights.

Spa is one of precious few circuits to retain the magic of its original form through a modernised and shortened layout, thanks to sweeping elevations around legendary sections of road at Eau Rouge, Pouhon and Blanchimont. The 7km lap is perhaps the most treasured of the season for the drivers. Williams has won three times at Spa with Nigel Mansell claiming the 1986 race, followed by Damon Hill in 1993 and 1994.

Rob Smedley: “Returning from the summer break we are all refreshed and absolutely raring to go; the team spirit and motivation at Williams is tangible as we look forward to challenging for podium positions in the second part of the year. Spa should be a circuit that suits the FW37 and we therefore have to capitalise on this. The long straights twinned with the long sweeping corners in sector 2 are definitely characteristics where we’ve seen this year’s car perform really well. The weather is an important factor in Spa and we therefore have to be ready for all circumstances. We have been doing a lot of homework in this area recently and the team has made excellent inroads. Belgium is such a fantastic Grand Prix for the teams and the fans alike. It encapsulates the purity of Formula One very well, which is simply about the best cars in the world racing around the best circuits, and we are lucky to visit here each year.+

Valtteri Bottas: “Spa is one of my favourite circuits. The feeling of Eau Rouge in a Formula One car is hard to explain and certainly unique, it’s just incredible. The layout is normally strongly suited to the characteristics of our car as well, so I head to this weekend looking for a strong result. I was on the podium last year, so we are looking to achieve a similar result. The weather always plays a part throughout the weekend so we have to be alert as it can change so fast.”

Felipe Massa: “Spa is the most enjoyable circuit for many of the drivers and it’s definitely my favourite. It’s always good to have a strong result at the circuits you enjoy driving. The weather can sometimes surprise us so we will need to be on the ball when it comes to strategic decision making. The layout suits the strengths of our car so we’re looking to start the second half of the season in a strong position.”

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship, at Spa-Francorchamps.

Daniel Ricciardo when did you first encounter the Beast of the Ardennes?

DR: When I was a kid I played the racing games quite a bit and Spa was always the track I played – it was my favourite – and when I got to drive there for real, every bit was as good as I thought it would be. My first race was in Formula Renault 2.0 and I can still picture the first lap, thinking ‘wow’ as I went through Eau Rouge. To win the grand prix last year was really, really cool.

The race behind you wasn’t bad either. Shame that you missed it…

DR: Don’t worry, I’ve seen the replay a few times since.

You had a comfortable lead for the second half of the race last year – but perhaps not the easiest car to drive – what was that like?

DR: It was pretty tough to drive. We ran really low downforce, pretty much Monza-spec. It made it tricky: tail-y but fun. Trying to keep up the rhythm when the car is moving around is not always easy – but I think it was the best package we had for the weekend.

You often talk about races you’d like to visit as a spectator – does Spa qualify?

DR: Yeah, it does – but I don’t like the cold. Rain’s the only thing that would put me off. When Spa’s sunny, it’s great. A proper old-school grand prix for the real racing enthusiast. Great atmosphere, great fans, great beer and definitely the place to come if you like the frites. Only drawback is that it’ll be 30°C with blue skies one minute and hosing down the next.

Daniil Kvyat you’ve had a few weeks off, you’re chilled, relaxed and calm and now that’s all about to change as you take on the ‘big one’ – Spa. Ready for it?

DK: Yeah, definitely. Spa is one of my favourite tracks of the year. I think that’s a bit of cliché but I think it’s a favourite for all the drivers. It’s really long, really challenging, there are some proper fast sections and some properly balls out corners. At Spa, more than anywhere, you feel that you’re really driving an F1 car.

The big balls corner at Spa seems to change depending on the cars being driven. What’s the turn that requires the biggest now?

DK: Eau Rouge once again. With these cars it’s back to being a bit of a ball out corner – especially in the wet. Pouhon is pretty much and Blanchimont still, but really only in the wet. It’s full of great, flowing, interesting sections.

Do you get the sense of history that permeates the place?

DK: Yeah, I love it. It’s a totally unique feeling. There’s great history there; the atmosphere is amazing. To be honest it’s quite hard to put into words. I like the weather. It always feels like one of the freshest weekends of the year, if that doesn’t sound strange, but it’s cold at night, and the mist and everything adds to the atmosphere.

So is it a special race for you?

DK: Yeah it’s a great circuit and I think it brings out the true fans and that’s quite special.

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PIRELLI PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

The second half of the 2015 Formula One season gets underway with arguably the most epic circuit on the calendar: Spa-Francorchamps, characterised by a long seven-kilometre lap, high speeds, sweeping changes of elevation, fast corners and variable weather.

To cope with this wide-ranging set of demands, the most versatile tyres in the range are called for, which is why Pirelli has nominated the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft: the most popular tyre combination of all the grands prix held so far this year. The Cinturato intermediate and wet tyres are also very likely to feature at some point during the Spa weekend, given the region’s microclimate.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director: “We have the same tyre nomination for Spa as we did for the Hungaroring – which turned out to be one of the most thrilling races of the season – but the two circuits present a very marked contrast. Whereas Hungary was tight and twisty, Spa is open and flat-out, making it a favourite among all the drivers. We’ve got plenty of high-energy loads going through the tyres in many directions due to all the different forces at work, but ambient temperatures still tend to be quite low, so the soft and medium tyres represent the best compromise between performance and durability. Spa is a race where anything can happen, with a high incidence of safety cars and changing weather, so tyre strategy is important, as well as each team’s ability to constantly read the race and react quickly to any opportunities that present themselves. The recent Spa 24 Hours – which is our biggest event of the year – featured more changes of lead than you could count, as well as a succession of incidents and safety cars in the first half of the race. That showcases just what a spectacular and unpredictable competition this amazing circuit can regularly provide.”

The biggest challenges for the tyres:

Managing the amount of energy going through the tyres is one of the keys to success at Spa. This consists of not only forces exerted through cornering, braking, and acceleration but also the loads generated by the huge changes in elevation, typified by the famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex (which subjects the tyre structure and shoulder to an unparalleled 1g compression).

The biggest difficulty with the variable weather in Spa is that many variations exist over the course of just a single lap, making it hard to identify the correct tyre when it rains. It’s possible for one part of the circuit to be completely soaked, but another part to be a hundred per cent dry. Drainage is an issue, meaning that it’s easy to be caught out by streams of water running across the track surface.

The medium tyre is a low working range compound, capable of achieving optimal performance even at a wide range of low temperatures – which is often the case at Spa. The soft tyre by contrast is a high working range compound, suitable for higher temperatures.

Last year’s strategy and how the race was won: Daniel Ricciardo won his second consecutive race for Red Bull (the third victory of his career) using a two-stop strategy for the 44-lap race from fifth on the grid. He did two stints on the soft tyre and a final stint on the medium tyre, stopping on laps 11 and 26. He set the fastest lap of the race on the final tour with the medium tyre, underlining the consistency of the compound even over a long stint.

Expected performance gap between the two compounds: 1.8 – 2.0 seconds per lap.

The Pirelli team choose their race numbers: #7, Anthony Peacock, press office

“As well as being Kimi Raikkonen’s race number it’s a number most people pick as being lucky or significant: James Bond was 007, there are seven seas, Snow White had seven dwarves and there are seven ancient wonders, as well as deadly sins. Also seven appears three times in my birth date.”

Who we’re following on Twitter this week: Red Bull Motorsports, @redbullmotors. As well as Formula One, there’s a whole range of stunning photographs and news from other motorsports here: including some you had probably never even thought of. For example, you get the view from the cockpit of a Red Bull air race plane, as well as gaming tips from video game champion turned GT racing driver Jann Mardenborough.

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ALONSO WILL FIGHT FOR 2016 F1 TITLE CLAIMS MANAGER

Fernando Alonso will be a title contender in 2016, that is the confident prediction of the Spaniard’s manager Luis Garcia Abad, even though one notable figure does not expect Alonso to ever add a third title to his tally.

In a recent interview, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone answered “No” when asked if 34-year-old Alonso can bounce back from McLaren-Honda’s dire 2015 campaign to fight for another championship.

Alonso, however, remains highly rated, with Ecclestone even choosing him as one of his drivers in a ‘dream team’ feature running on F1’s official website.

And according to Abad, his client is still in the running to return to the sport’s top step for real.

“Fernando will be a candidate for the title in 2016, without a doubt,” Alonso’s manager told Cadena Ser.

“McLaren-Honda is a winning combination, the car is radical and they are taking the time to make everything work effectively together.

“The weaknesses of today will be the strengths of tomorrow,” Abad insisted. “There are obvious positive signs that indicate that in the future it will be really strong.”

While Alonso is definitely staying for 2016, the future of his current teammate Jenson Button is less clear.

But the 35-year-old Briton insists he is still motivated enough to stay put for another year.

“I have a teammate alongside me who’s regarded as one of the best in F1 history,” Button told F1 Racing magazine.

“With a teammate like that, it’s not just about trying to do the best job you can in your car against the rest of the field. You have your teammate to judge yourself against.

“It’s a great position be in and it’s exactly what I want at this stage. It keeps me massively motivated,” he added.

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MERCEDES AND RED BULL ENGINE DEAL EDGING CLOSER

Red Bull and Mercedes appear to be closing in on a Formula 1 power unit partnership deal.

Earlier, a collaboration between the arch-enemies appeared impossible, but Mercedes’ Toto Wolff is no longer ruling it out.

“If we think about the long term, we must discuss the pros and cons rather than just wipe the issue from the table,” he told the German newspaper Bild.

And he also told Auto Bild Motorsport: “We need to find a balance between pure egoism and the welfare of the sport.”

As Red Bull’s relationship with current engine partner Renault crumbles, Bernie Ecclestone has gone on the record to admit he hopes the French carmaker buys struggling Lotus.

Auto Bild newspaper reports that if that happens, Red Bull would no longer be the ‘premier’ Renault-powered team, and the 2016 contract could be voided.

Until then, however, Wolff said he is staying out of the Red Bull-Renault spat.

“We respect that agreement,” he insisted. “Therefore, there are no negotiations between Red Bull and us.”

The very latest development is that Mercedes’ board in Stuttgart has now reportedly given a green light in principle to a Red Bull collaboration.

And the influential Helmut Marko also appears to be on board.

“We no longer have an engine in formula one,” he said. “It is a power unit and in all of its complexity, Mercedes’ is simply the best.”

Marko said he can imagine a Red Bull-Mercedes collaboration working effectively, even though in the past it has been ruled out on all sides.

“Yes, they would help us to be a strong competitor, but in the end it would still be a Mercedes (engine) winning with Red Bull.

“Secondly, their victories would be even more valuable when they beat us and, thirdly, formula one would be a lot more exciting again,” Marko argued.

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BUTTON ADDS SPECIALIST SECURITY AFTER ROBBERY

Jenson Button has stepped up his personal security following a mystery robbery incident while on holiday in southern France recently.

The McLaren driver, his wife and three friends were asleep in a rented villa when two men reportedly broke in, perhaps after pumping anaesthetic gas into the air conditioning.

A spokesman for Button, 35, admitted the 2009 world champion was “shaken” by the incident, and now the Mirror reports that Button has reacted by stepping up his personal security.

“The whole incident has been a real shock, so they have taken sensible steps to increase their security precautions,” a source said.

“The new arrangements are discrete but involve specialist security staff keeping an eye on things and installing appropriate technology to make sure there is never an incident like this again.

“They don’t want to over-do it, but they’ve agreed it’s the sensible thing to do.”

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LOTUS PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

Lotus F1 Team Deputy Team Principal Federico Gastaldi returns from the summer shutdown galvanised for a strong second half to the season.

What makes the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa so special?

FG: Simple, the track. The atmosphere is unique as well, but ultimately Spa is all about the challenge that it presents to the drivers. Just watching them attack the classic corners like Eau Rouge and Pouhon is a thrill. It must be amazing to drive this rollercoaster in the forest; it’s like the track reflects the ups and downs of everything in F1. Spa also has a good feeling in the paddock too because everyone is refreshed from the summer break and there is a sense of renewed energy for the rest of the year. We’ve seen so many times over the years the epic races that have played out at Spa; Michael Schumacher making his debut there in 1991, then winning the Grand Prix with us as Benetton the following year, Damon Hill winning Jordan’s first race or our former driver Giancarlo Fisichella coming so very close to winning there in 2009. It’s a great place to be and always delivers a superb spectacle.

Formula 1 definitely seems to go to sleep for a couple of weeks with the summer shutdown: what happens?

FG: It might seems like it goes to sleep for the outside world, but for the personnel who work so many long hours over the season it’s a great concept and one which really helps people get their energy and inspiration levels up. Some people stay at home, but many go away and even party, just as our sport’s reigning champion demonstrated in the Caribbean. We all get our energy levels back up in different ways and it’s certain we’ll all be pushing hard once the factory doors are reopened and the second half of the season is underway. We’ve got nine races over the next three months so there’ll be plenty to keep us busy.

There’s been all manner of speculation about the team in 2015; what’s going on?

FG: This is always part of Formula 1, the rumour, intrigue and speculation. We can expect all kinds of waffle in the Spa paddock but there’s nothing to report from the team; we’re focusing on our racing and we’re hopeful of a strong result in Spa.

How important is it for F1 to race at circuits such as Spa?

FG: In my opinion it is vital. These tracks are the lifeblood of F1. There wouldn’t be a tennis season without Wimbledon or a golf season without the Masters at Augusta. These circuits need to be maintained in F1 because the fans identify with them so much and they nearly always create excitement. I think we have a good balance of tracks in F1. Some traditional like Spa, Silverstone and Monza, some great street circuits like Monaco and Singapore and then newer F1 markets like Russia, the Middle East and the US. F1 should be about variety in every context while at the same time being relevant to partners, fans and teams alike.

What did you say to the drivers before the break and what’s the battle plan looking forward?

FG: After the excitement of the Hungarian Grand Prix everyone was ready for a break! It’s very important for the drivers to have good, strong, positive mind sets for their racing no matter what’s gone on in the first half of the season. Drivers are very good at resetting themselves and getting on with the task of racing, but a longer break away from not just racing but also the factory and other demands helps that little bit more with this. I’m expecting two revitalised chaps to jump back into the cars at Spa and the plan is to push all the way, after all there are still a lot of points up for grabs.

Romain Grosjean bounces back from the summer shutdown ready for results on the splendid Spa Francorchamps circuit.

Spa-Francorchamps. What does this name make you think?

RG: What a fabulous race circuit! Spa as we all know is one of the best tracks we go to, if not the best of them all. As a driver it is like a dream circuit with elevation change, quick corners, medium speed technical corners and some good straights for overtaking. It’s a circuit with a soul. I always enjoy racing here, as do most of the drivers. What I find memorable about Spa is not only the track but also the beautiful surroundings in the Ardennes forest. From the cockpit you get a very real sense of being at a living, breathing track at Spa and the fans are really close to the action. You can almost smell the frites!

How much of a challenge is Spa-Francorchamps as a driver?

RG: It’s a great track as there’s so much to think about over a lap. That’s true if you’re on a qualifying lap trying to maximise your speed at every point, or in a race where you’re either defending or attacking, and maybe both over the course of a lap. It’s the type of place where the differences between cars can be highlighted and sometimes you see a car go really well here – let’s hope that’s our car this season!

What’s the key to a good result at Spa?

RG: You need good grunt from the engine and a well set-up and forgiving car. We can definitely deliver on both those counts so it’s going to be interesting to see how we fare against our rivals. You also need an element of luck sometimes as the weather in the Ardennes can present a challenge.

It’s almost a cliché to talk about the possibility of rain on one part of the track when it’s dry on another, but this can happen. If it happens during qualifying, it’s a massive challenge to make the right call with timing for your lap. If it happens during the race, then the call of when to pit and change your tyres for wet weather ones or back to slicks has a massive impact as it’s a long, long, long lap if you’re at Spa on the wrong rubber.

What memories do you have of the track?

RG: I won in the GP2 Series in 2008 which was a fabulous feeling and I’ve certainly missed the Spa podium since then. I’ve always had good pace but my best result in F1 so far there is P8. I don’t see why we can’t improve on that this year.

How have you been spending the summer shutdown?

RG: Mainly relaxing with my family. It’s great having the shutdown as it’s a valuable time in the season to allow us all to recharge our batteries. We’ve got just two European races left then we’re back to the long-haul and jet-lag so to get this time to relax mentally and physically is very beneficial. My son Sacha celebrated his second birthday and I’ve been able to have a great time with all of my family at the beach so I’m in very good condition heading to Spa.

Talk us through your Hungarian Grand Prix…

RG: The thing about the summer shutdown and the break we get is that when you come back, the last race seems so long ago, even if it was just a few weeks ago. Fortunately we did all our debriefs after the race otherwise I think I’d struggle! It was an interesting race and we worked so well as a team to score a strong result after a poor start and even a penalty. It was quite a memorable race!

Do you think Spa offers a good opportunity for you and the team?

RG: I think the circuit could well play to some of the strengths we have in the car and I’m certainly ready for more points. Me and the team will be doing everything we can to go well and get the strongest result possible, after all that’s what we’re here to do!

Pastor Maldonado reckons the Spa-Francorchamps circuit should give the opportunity for himself and Lotus F1 Team to shine.

Spa is a legendary motor racing location. What makes it so special for you the driver?

PM: Where do you start with Spa? It is an amazing circuit and for sure one of the best on the planet. The sensations a driver experiences at corners like the Eau Rouge / Radillon combination, Pouhon and Blanchimont are not like you feel anywhere else in the world. It is unique in every way and to think you are competing on parts of the track that were used back in the first Grand Prix season in 1950 makes it very special indeed.

Is the challenge any different from other race tracks?

PM: Every track has its own challenges. For Spa, it’s a long lap and this can present some set-up challenges. You want low drag for the straights but decent downforce for the corners. This is the same at any track, but with the longer lap at Spa the different requirements are highlighted. Sometimes the best set-up for the fastest lap is not necessarily the best in a race. It’s easier to overtake on the straights, so a car fast here, but maybe relatively slower in the corners could be the preferred race set-up. This year we have a car we know to be very quick in a straight line, so this could help us. Then, of course, you never know if you’re going to get rain at Spa, and when it comes, it can come very quickly. There’s always something to keep you on your toes at Spa.

What are your favourite memories of Spa?

PM: Spa is the type of track where you get great memories whenever or whatever you are racing. But of course the ones that really stick in the mind are the victories and I am lucky that I have won here a few times. I first raced at Spa in 2004 in Formula Renault. In 2006 I won in World Series by Renault at Spa, taking pole, fastest lap and the victory. Then in 2008 I won in the GP2 Series for the first time. Then I took another win in my championship year in 2010 which was a sweet moment. In Formula 1 I qualified sixth in 2012. So all in all I have great memories of the track and feel that I have a special relationship with it going back many years.

What can we say about the Hungarian Grand Prix?

PM: It was a difficult race and certainly not the best result I’ve had. There was so much going on and it was a tough race for many drivers. Like with any race, we had a debrief afterwards and that was productive. I always look ahead so my focus is Spa and the next races ahead.

How did you spend your summer break?

PM: Of course I spent as much time as possible with my family. It’s good to not have any pressure, events or factory visits for a couple of weeks so you can clear your head and prepare for the next nine races. I’ve been training and enjoying the good weather whilst preparing mentally and physically for the rest of the season. Whilst it’s great to have a bit of a break, I can’t wait to jump back into the car.

What’s possible in the second half of the season?

PM: I think we have some tracks coming up which suit our car so that’s a good positive. Certainly, Spa and Monza should be strong for us so good results there will be a great way to reboot our season before we head to all the flyaway races when anything is possible.

Fresh from the enforced summer shutdown, Technical Director Nick Chester profiles the Spa-Francorchamps circuit ahead of the Belgium Grand Prix.

Spa is one of the legendary tracks in the calendar, does it rate among one of your favourites?

NC: Absolutely, it’s a stunning track. It’s a great mixture of high-speed corners that are challenging for the drivers, as well as slower corners, elevation and some good straights as well. It’s a vast track and the unpredictable weather that comes with it often makes it a brilliant race.

What are the performance considerations for a circuit like Spa?

NC: There’s a significant variance between the first and third sectors – where it’s not beneficial to run high downforce thanks to the long straights – and the middle sector, which is a mix of high and medium speed corners where more downforce is needed. It’s a real balancing act between taking wing off to ensure we are quick on the straights and managing the car through the corners where it could easily feel too light due to a lack of downforce. It can make it a little bit difficult to get the best out of the car there but that’s the challenge for Spa and it always makes it interesting from a set-up point of view.

How do you determine how much wing to use?

NC: We tend to do a lot of pre-event studies in simulation to work that out and give ourselves as much of a head-start as possible. We try out varying wing levels and see which are likely to give us the best lap times.

It sounds like it presents a nice challenge from an engineer’s point of view?

NC: It does, it’s a circuit that has to be approached differently to other tracks, which is great. Aside from achieving the best compromise between downforce and straight-line speed, there are a few other aspects of the circuit that present a nice challenge. The famous Eau Rouge, for example, requires respect when setting ride heights for the car. You don’t want to get it wrong through there. It all keeps our engineers nicely busy.

Does the track’s greater length than other circuits have an impact on set-up, strategy and how you approach sessions and the race?

NC: It’s not a factor when setting up the car. It can have an effect on strategy; although the greater factor there tends to be the type of tyres we have for the Grand Prix. You do have to approach the sessions differently however, as the circuit’s 7.004km means you tend to run fewer laps so it makes it a bit more difficult to get setup work done. It’s the same for everyone though and we manage our programme carefully as always to ensure we can achieve as much as possible in the time that we have.

Does the Mercedes grunt and the E23’s low drag and speed trap prowess give us cause for optimism?

NC: I think so, it’s a strong power track and we have a strong power unit. We have fairly low drag on the E23 so I believe we should be in a reasonable position.

Can you talk us through what happens before, during and after a ‘summer shutdown’.

NC: We’re usually all flat out trying to get everything done before the shutdown begins. During, we can’t do anything technical – there is factory maintenance that can take place but nothing can happen on the technical side. And then afterwards, it’s the mad rush trying to get ready for Spa in just a few days. The ‘during’ part of the shutdown is very good though!

How do you dissect and analyse the performance considerations of a race like the Hungarian Grand Prix?

NC: Looking back, we were pretty happy with our race pace. We had a very mixed up race and could have come further up but in the end we had two undamaged cars and six points. Given how busy this race was, it could have been a lot worse! In terms of analysis, we look at all our lap times in qualifying and in the race and we pull apart how we were performing. We do that at every race, and this one is no different. Sometimes there are a lot of laps which can’t be used for analysis because you were in traffic – you just have to pick the clean laps and look at what you’re doing.

Anything which can be said about our drivers’ performances?

NC: They were both reasonably quick at different stages of the race. Pastor could have had a good finishing position if he hadn’t had the penalties. Romain did have a pretty good finishing position. His pit lane penalty was possibly a little bit harsh but he had a solid result nonetheless.

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Williams must admit cornering troubles

Rob Smedley says the first step Williams must take to fixing their FW37's problems is to admit there are some.

Second best in last year's Championship behind the Mercedes, this year's campaign has seen Williams pipped to that position by Ferrari.

Added to that, the team has found themselves floundering on the calendar's slower tracks.

There have been only two races this season where Williams have failed to score, Monaco and Hungary.

And that, Smedley says is a problem that must be addressed.

"One of the keys to solving a problem is admitting you have one and then working as a group of people to understand it," the Williams head of performance engineering told ESPN.

"We're on a constant quest to understand why we can't carry as much mid-corner speed in the low and medium speed corners as our principle competitors.

"As we understand a bit more we will work that into the design, not only for the 2016 car, but for this car as well.

"We are constantly trying to evolve that process of understanding.

"As soon as we understand something, we try to get to the car - and if not as a definite improvement it's as a way to understand the problem further."

He also revealed that Williams have had issues in the wet, most notably in Silverstone but hopes they will put lessons learned there to good use this weekend at Spa, where it almost always rains at some point.

"We said we had a real problem with it and even if we want to say that everything looks perfect from the mechanical side or the aero side or the tyre management side, that shouldn't be how we approach it.

"We should sit down as a group of people and do things as diligently and thoroughly as we can - almost forensically to a certain extent - and understand what we are doing in the wet.

"In Silverstone, although it was a very painful event in the wet, it did actually teach us a lot in terms of vehicle management during the damp and wet period. There were some very key points there we could pick out and concentrate on to give us the answer.

"It's not like Monaco where it was a really bleak overview and you have to go into it and look at every single bit, there were some real tell-tale signs for our analysts to have a look at. Silverstone was really good for us from that point of view and we learnt a lot.

"When we go to Spa the hope is that we can put into practice the stuff we learned from Silverstone. I'm not saying it will make up all the deficit, but it should help us."

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Lynn: Williams is the dream

Alex Lynn is dreaming of becoming a F1 World Champion with a British team and has billed Williams as his "ultimate" destination.

The British GP2 driver is already with the Williams team, have signed on as a test driver.

And with Valtteri Bottas linked to Ferrari for next year's Championship, Lynn is dreaming of a Williams promotion.

"The ultimate career path is to graduate into a race-seat with Williams, that is what I really want to do," he told Crash.net.

"It would be an amazing thing as a young British driver - that for me is what dreams are made of.

"You grow up watching Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, so it is a special thing and I want to emulate that.

"My goal is to be a World Champion and I want to be a World Champion in a British team, so Williams is the perfect place for that."

However, in order to stay in the frame at Williams, Lynn concedes he needs to continue proving himself in GP2 where he already has two wins.

He added: "There are loads of rumours. I just have to keep my head down and keep winning to the end of the year. That is my main focus at the moment.

"We have had talks about next year, but there are too many cogs to fit into place above me to even estimate what could happen to me."

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Honda targeting Ferrari with 'big' Belgian upgrade

Honda are hoping to match the power output of the Ferrari engine at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix when it debuts its upgraded power unit.

That is the claim of Honda motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai, who told Autosport that the 'Mk3' unit will feature changes to the combustion chamber, intake and exhaust layout.

Honda are expected to use the majority, if not all, of their remaining development tokens on the upgrade, before switching focus to next years engine, which he revealed is also in the early stages of development.

"Spa is the final upgrade for this year, with ancillaries to follow in the following race," said Arai.

"Mk3 [will debut] in Spa [and] we have already started development on next season's power unit.

"Mk4 will be on the same level as Mercedes, that is the target; Mk3 will be on a level similar to Ferrari, which is what we're aiming for. It's a big step."

Arai also believes the performance of their engine, which he claims is already "better than Renault", has been masked by McLaren's chassis problems.

"[The car has] not so good mechanical grip, or aero, compared with Red Bull there is still a big gap," he added.

"We have checked the GPS data; the chassis and aero package needs time and fine-tuning, such as wing angle, ride heights, suspension settings."

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Andretti backs underrated Vergne for Haas F1 seat

Former Formula 1 world champion Mario Andretti believes Ferrari reserve driver Jean-Eric Vergne would be the logical choice to take up one of the two seats at the Haas F1 Team.

It's believed the Frenchman is near the top of the list after rating his chances as "pretty good", whilst team owner Gene Haas recently admitted he and fellow Ferrari reserve Esteban Gutierrez are in the running.

Andretti feels Vergne was overlooked by Red Bull, who instead chose to promote Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat to the Toro Rosso sister team, whilst Vergne - who outscored Kvyat by 14 points last season - was forced to find a seat in Formula E.

"Jean-Eric is definitely a great talent, who was potentially overlooked [by Red Bull]," he told GPUpdate.

"He has experience in Formula 1, and he certainly showed his moments of brilliance at Toro Rosso, so for me he would be a logical pick.

"At this moment, of the drivers available, I don't think anybody is better than Jean-Eric."

Andretti is also excited to finally see an American outfit join the grid and believes it'll do wonders for the sport in the US.

"I think it will be huge with fan interest, TV ratings and so on," he added.

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Eau Rouge exciting again, claim F1 drivers

Eau Rouge is back to being one of Formula 1's best corners thanks to the current generation of grand prix cars, claim leading drivers.

The high top-speed and lower downforce characteristics of the latest turbo-powered F1 cars has put the challenge back in Spa-Francorchamps's most famous corner – after years when it was easily taken flat out.

Speaking about which corner needed the most bravery at Spa now, Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat said: "Eau Rouge once again.

"With these cars it's back to being a bit of a balls out corner – especially in the wet.

"Pouhon is pretty much and Blanchimont still, but really only in the wet. It's full of great, flowing, interesting sections."

Stomach churning

Lewis Hamilton agrees that Eau Rouge is the highlight of Spa, especially with the way that the gradient changes before the climb up to Raidillon.

Speaking about the lap on the Belgian Grand Prix preview edition of Inside GP Hamilton said Eau Rouge delivered a sensation like no other corner.

"Down the hill, flat out, Eau Rouge is always the most exciting part of the circuit," he said.

"When you attack it flat out, when you get to the bottom of it, your insides drop.

"And then when you get to the top they come back up and it feels like everything will come out of of your mouth – which is quite exciting when you are going 200mph!"

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Toro Rosso sure fifth place still possible

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz can help Toro Rosso deliver its pre-season target of a top five place in the Formula 1 championship this year if the team gets a better grip on reliability, says boss Franz Tost.

The Faenza-based outfit showed impressive speed in the first half of the campaign, but a high numbers of race retirements frustrated its efforts to score points.

But with the potential of the car clear for all to see, Tost thinks that if the outfit can get a handle on reliability, then it can end the campaign shadowing sister team Red Bull in the constructors' championships.

"In the last years I always said that normally in 2016, the team should be really in a position to fight for top five in the constructors' championship," Tost told Motorsport.com.

"At the beginning of this season I thought it could also be the case this year, because I saw the car testing and I knew the results from the wind tunnel.

"Therefore I was quite convinced that we could achieve this goal.

"I am still on the side to think that we can do it because our direct competitors are not so far away, but we must score points otherwise it is simply not possible."

Reliability focus

Although some of Toro Rosso's retirements have been down to Renault engine failures, Tost also makes clear his team has not been error-free.

The team has suffered nine non-finishes this season in 10 races, with spins, crashes, electrical faults and wheel issues costing it valuable points.

Tost added: "We have a very, very good car. We have two really high-skilled drivers who are doing a fantastic job. The team is improving and getting better, but our main problem is reliability.

"Not finishing these races means I cannot be satisfied or happy about this. That is very, very frustrating, especially when I review back where the cars did not finish the races.

"In Australia, where Max for me did one of the best races so far, unfortunately he did not get the fruits because he had a failure on the power unit. I am convinced he could have finished in sixth or seventh place.

"It was the same in China, when I think two laps or three laps to go we had another power unit failure.

"Nearly every race we had some issues, not only with power units, but also the team itself made some mistakes. There was one in Silverstone when an electric box was fixed by a wrong screw which caused the failure on Carlos' car.

"And as well as on Carlos' car in Bahrain, we had a problem caused by the team – which means there is a lot of work in front of us. I just hope in the second half of the season our cars will see more often the chequered flag."

Chassis good enough for podium

Tost has no doubts about the strength of the Toro Rosso chassis, which has shown on GPS data to be every match for the pace-setting Mercedes car in high-speed corners.

"The aerodynamics are working very well. In some high speed corners we are sometimes equal to Mercedes and not much slower than them; and from this side, the team did really a very good job."

When asked whether the team would be regular podium contenders if it had a Mercedes or Ferrari engine he said "We would for sure be close to the podium and sometimes fighting for the podium.

"But the reality is that currently we are far away from the podium. Nevertheless we continue to work very concentrated and the team is still very motivated because sooner or later we will get the good results."

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Lotus F1 driver Romain Grosjean 'needed help' after 2012 crashes

Lotus's Romain Grosjean admits he "needed help" after his 2012 crash streak and believes ongoing work with a psychologist plus fatherhood have helped him develop as a Formula 1 driver.

The Frenchman was involved in seven first-lap accidents during the 2012 season and received a ban from the Italian Grand Prix after causing a first-corner pile-up at the previous race in Belgium.

He subsequently improved to become a regular podium finisher in 2013 before Lotus's form declined.

Grosjean told AUTOSPORT: "I wanted to see my psychologist, I needed some help. I didn't understand what was going on.

"If you work in the right way you realise, you understand and you put it in action and then you see that it was better and then you take the next step and then you get more and more.

"It's like having a tool box containing only a screwdriver and you add another tool.

"When a situation comes there's always a tool in front of you and you can take the right one, whereas before you only had one and then you screw up."

Grosjean continues to speak to his psychologist, the two conversing via Skype when the Frenchman is at races, with the subjects discussed wide-ranging.

"We talk about anything," he said. "It can be childhood, it can be race starts, it can be rumours, it can be problems back home, it can be sleeping.

"You chat and whenever something comes out she sees if something is blocked so she can push me a little bit in that direction to help me fix and realise it.

"It's up to you to understand what's blocked, what's blocking you and then she helps you to fix what's blocking you and put it in action."

Two-and-a-half years after that troubled 2012 season, Grosjean believes the work his psychologist has made a big difference to him not only as a racing driver but also a person and a father.

"If you come to a racetrack with a problem in your mind from home, you get in the car and you explode," he said.

"If everything is clear and solved then you can take things more carefully and with better vision and you react better so it's all related.

"It has made me a better driver, a better dad, a better husband, hopefully, and just a better man in general."

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VETTEL: FORMULA 1 SHOULD BE ABOUT WHO CAN DRIVE A CAR THE FASTEST

Quadruple F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has admitted he is no fan of having to save fuel during grands prix.

The Ferrari driver, who counts himself among what are regarded as motor racing ‘purists’, told Germany’s Auto Bild that if it was up to him, the regulations would look different.

“I am a sportsman,” quadruple world champion Vettel said, “and in my opinion Formula 1 should be about who can drive a car the fastest, not who can save fuel the most.”

The fuel-saving technique has become known as ‘lift and coast’, but Vettel explains: “There is no trick, and it is also not very exciting from a driver’s perspective.

“Before the corner you have to come off the gas, let the car roll and then find your braking point. It is not easy, but not quite as much fun as standing on the gas until the last moment,” he added.

Curiously, however, the 28-year-old – who is among the new fathers on the F1 grid – said he has no problem driving to conserve fuel on the road, even though he is one of F1’s highest paid drivers.

“I just take my time and if the journey takes an extra five minutes, it’s not so bad,” he said. But that doesn’t mean he is a big fan of hybrid road cars.

“If I can choose,” explained Vettel, “then I wait until the batteries get better and rely on the combustion engine. And if it sounds better too, all the better.”

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DENNIS: AT SPA WE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE A STEP FORWARD

It is not clear how much progress McLaren-Honda will make in Belgium, as both their star drivers are playing down expectations while team boss Ron Dennis is bullish ahead of the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

While much of the F1 world enjoyed its summer break, struggling engine supplier Honda has been working hard on a much-needed update for its 2015 ‘power unit’.

Some reports suggest the revised unit is up to 50 horse power better, and Honda chief Yasuhisa Arai has been quoted as saying it is a “major step forward”.

“We hope to match Ferrari,” he is quoted by El Pais newspaper, “and next year we want to catch up with Mercedes. That is the objective.”

What is also obvious, however, is that cracks in the relationship between McLaren and Honda – although so successful in their earlier collaboration decades ago – are now appearing.

Eric Boullier, for instance, has urged Honda to speed up its progress by hiring from elsewhere in the paddock.

“We have a very different culture,” Arai is quoted by Germany’s Bild newspaper, “so it would be difficult if Ferrari or Mercedes engineers came to us. We also have completely different tools and simulations.”

But McLaren, led by its supremo Ron Dennis, is sounding increasingly distressed about the need for progress.

“This difficult period will either bring us together or move us apart,” he is quoted by Bild. “Our work will pay off in the second half of the season. At Spa we will definitely make a step forward.”

As the team travelled to Spa-Francorchamps, however, expectations were being played down, and not only because the upgraded engines will mean more grid penalties.

“Spa will be tricky for us,” said Fernando Alonso, “due to the configuration of a track that requires power, downforce and a big chunk of the lap spent at full throttle.”

Teammate Jenson Button agreed: “We can’t pretend that we’re expecting a huge jump forward in performance — especially at this circuit, as it doesn’t suit our car’s characteristics.”

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VERSTAPPEN: WE’LL SEE BIGGER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD STARTS

Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen has delivered a sobering message for those expecting drivers to have more control over their race starts with new rules coming into effect at Spa-Francorchamps.

The FIA’s clampdown on automated starts guided and perfected by engineers on the radio begins this weekend in Belgium.

“We now have to have all the settings for race day ready on Saturday as we are not allowed to change them on Sunday,” confirmed Toro Rosso rookie Verstappen.

“Before, we were able to change the clutch, its bite point and the torque on the starting grid, but that’s not allowed anymore,” the young Dutchman wrote on his website. “It means you’re more dependent on your team.”

“Only if you have the right setup will you be able to have a good start. It means we’ll see bigger differences between good and bad starts,” predicted Verstappen.

Spa-Francorchamps is effectively a home race for the 17-year-old, as while he has adopted the nationality of his famous father Jos, he was actually born in Belgium.

“Spa with its long straights will be a lot more challenging (for Toro Rosso) than the Hungaroring,” he said.

“Of course I’m going to give it my all and hopefully I can score a few points in front of my home crowd. It’s great to see all those Dutch and Belgian fans,” added Verstappen.

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MASSA ENJOYS HAVING YOUNG SON AT HIS SIDE

Veteran Felipe Massa says he enjoys having the support of his family during grand prix weekends.

Lately, the highest-profile youngster in the paddock – Max Verstappen aside – is five-year-old Felipinho.

He has thrilled television audiences by following the heels of his lookalike dad around the paddocks of the world, giving mini-interviews during race weekends not only in Portuguese but also Italian and English.

Massa said his entire family enjoys supporting him trackside — particularly little Felipinho.

“He’s always there, always playing,” he grinned to Brazil’s UOL. “While I’m in the car, he’s in the paddock playing ball.

“He is very playful, he loves to run, loves to follow me, loves playing football. I’ve always been very close to my family, so I think there’s no reason not to take them to the races so I am near them.

“It is what I always do, not only with Felipinho but also Raffaela, my parents, my brother. We try to organise the races during the year to always have someone from the family there,” Massa added.

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Ferrari not getting carried away

Ferrari are determined to stay grounded following their recent success with the team insisting they are not suddenly "brilliant" after their win in Hungary.

The Maranello-based squad are having a solid season with Sebastian Vettel winning the Malaysian and Hungarian Grands Prix, but they have also had their downs as they failed to shine at the British Grand Prix and only got a podium after a brilliant strategic call from the pitlane.

Although the team are on a high as Vettel won in Hungary last time out, head of communications for Scuderia Ferrari Alberto Antonini warns that they won't get carried away.

"The fact we won in Hungary doesn't change our approach to the next race," he told the official Ferrari website.

"We didn’t think we were going through a crisis after Silverstone and we don’t believe we are brilliant now.

"We are keeping our feet on the ground, as we know we are up against some very strong opposition, but we will give it our best shot as always."

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Aussie Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo has been snubbed by Red Bull boss

Franz Tost, the principal of the Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso Formula 1 team, was asked to rank the best drivers he has mentored in Formula 1 and his list suggests Ricciardo needs to watch his back.

Tost, who has been team supremo at the Red Bull development team since 2006 after six years at Williams, says Ricciardo is just the fifth best driver he has worked with in Formula 1.

While Ricciardo stunned the sport last year to finish third in the championship behind dominant Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, the 26-year-old is far from the most talented star in the Red Bull squad, according to Tost.

The Austrian official says current Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen are better drivers than Ricciardo.

To add insult to injury, Tost says Sebastian Vettel is the best driver he has ever worked with.

He says Vettel’s first grand prix for the team in 2008 is what first brought the team together.

“Not for nothing is he four times world champion,” Tost told f1-insider.com.

Tost says he has a lot of admiration for Ricciardo, but still considers Vettel, Sainz, Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Daniil Kvyat better.

“He’s incredibly sensitive when it comes to the car,” Tost said of Ricciardo.

“He is technically the most experienced driver, with whom I have ever worked with. He can suit every car perfectly to his riding style.”

The biggest concern for Ricciardo is that Tost considers Kvyat the second best driver he has ever worked with after the Russian rising star finished second, ahead of Ricciardo, at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month.

“He has a sensational car control and is just [like] Vettel — extremely focused with great assertiveness,” Tost said of Kvyat.

“He comes from Russia, not just a motorsport stronghold. As a child he moved to Italy alone. That makes what he has done so far, even more valuable.”

Of Verstappen, Tost said: “At 17, he already has a sensational overview and an amazing maturity.

“He has an insane speed and great understanding of technology — especially when it comes to tyres. That fascinated me already in his first test.”

Of Sainz, he said: “He is also technically well-versed and an extremely hard worker.

“It is also striking how he is focused and how fast he can learn. His good results are the sum of all these properties.”

Meanwhile, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has declared Ricciardo and Kvyat are the best partnership the team has ever had.

He says the two are very evenly matched on and off the track, but are able to focus on improving the team’s performance — unlike former driving partnerships like Vettel and Aussie driver Mark Webber.

“The drivers are very straightforward,” Horner said.

“The relationships we have with our drivers are very straightforward, the way they are working together as a team is the best we’ve ever had. Feedback is exceptional and I’m very, very happy with the current driver pairing that we have.”

Horner also reiterated Ricciardo won’t leave the team at the end of the season, despite reports linking him with a move to Ferrari.

FRANZ TOST’S BEST DRIVERS

1. Sebastian Vettel

2. Daniil Kvyat

3. Max Verstappen

4. Carlos Sainz

5. Daniel Ricciardo

6. Ralf Schumacher (Williams)