FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

WILLIAMS: WE WON’T WAIT FOR BUTTON OR MCLAREN DECISION

Jenson Button has been told by Williams that they will not be “waiting around” for him to make up his mind on his future in Formula One.

Williams are keen to pursue a romantic move for Button, which would see the 2009 world champion return to the team with whom he started his grand prix career.

Button, 36, is out of contract with McLaren at the end of the season, but the British team have already announced they will not make a decision on their driver pairing for 2017 until September at the earliest.

Fernando Alonso has one more year to run on his current deal, while reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne is waiting in the wings should McLaren terminate their seven-season relationship with Button.

In such a scenario, it is understood that Williams would be prepared to prolong Button’s career into an 18th successive campaign.

But as Formula One heads for its summer shutdown, deputy team principal Claire Williams, speaking to Press Association Sport, said: “We will own our driver line-up decision, and I am not sitting here waiting for (McLaren chairman) Ron Dennis to make his decision or for Jenson to make his decision.

“It is not about what other people are doing. I am not going to be waiting around because that is just not the right mentality for a team like ours to have.

“It would be a great story, but he has to make the right choice for him, and we have to make the right choice for the team.”

Felipe Massa’s expected departure from Williams at the end of the season will free up some money, but doubts remain as to whether the Grove-based constructor will be able to afford Button. The Englishman currently earns around £12-million a year.

Button’s commercial appeal however, will also be seen as a huge attraction to Williams as they pursue sponsorship for 2017.

“He started his career here, but more importantly Jenson is a great driver, and he has still got a lot of fight left in him,” Williams added.

“He is a great talent in the car, but also outside of the car and we need a driver like him. That is not to say our focus is purely on Jenson.

“When I talk about the criteria that we are looking at, it is the talent in the cockpit, the intelligence to feed back to the engineers, and for us, as an independent team, the commercial factors are going to play a part in the decision-making process too. You can’t have an unknown driver in your car. It is just not going to work.”

A move back to Williams could see Button link up with Valtteri Bottas, who the British constructor are keen to retain for a fifth successive season.

But another driver mooted to join is Force India’s Sergio Perez. The Mexican, who has delivered a number of impressive displays this season, is also backed by Carlos Slim, one of the world’s richest men, and would bring a wealth of money to the British team.

“Sergio has done a great job this year, he is an intelligent driver, and of course he is going to be someone we are looking at,” Williams, who added that an announcement on their line-up for 2017 won’t be made until the latter part of the campaign, said.

“I have only met him briefly on the odd occasion. He is very charming. He is very eloquent, so commercially he would be strong for any team. Of course he is going to be someone you’d consider if he is available.”

[MIKA27]

FERRARI STARTS TESTING WIDER 2017 SPEC PIRELLI TYRES

Pirelli released the first photos of its wider 2017 tyres bolted on to the Ferrari’s SF15-T as Formula 1′ exclusive tyre supplier began extensive testing programme of the 2017 tyres.

Vettel drove a modified 2015 Ferrari at Fiorano test track in Italy on Monday, completing several laps on slick tyres in the morning.

He turned his attention to wet and intermediate tyres on an artificially dampened circuit in the afternoon.

Ferrari is one of three teams, along with Mercedes and Red Bull, to have provided Pirelli test cars to develop the bigger tyres.

Haas driver Esteban Gutierrez will take over from Vettel on day two of testing on Tuesday.

Red Bull will begin their testing on Wednesday and Thursday at Mugello, where former Toro Rosso driver and current Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi is set to test the slick tyres.

Pirelli is conducting 24 days of testing over the course of ten bespoke tests.

Though the three teams are likely to benefit from testing modified versions of their cars with the new rubber, they are also obliged to share all the information they gather with the remaining eight Formula 1 teams not taking part in the testing.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON SUED OVER $4.6M GRENADA VILLA

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is in a $4.6 million legal battle with an Italian property developer.

The Sun newspaper reports that Hamilton ordered a luxury villa be built in Grenada, where his father’s family emigrated from, including a custom recording studio, gym and private jetty.

But Hamilton reportedly pulled out of the deal when he split with his girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, prompting Italian developer Bernardo Bertucci to sue him.

“I really trusted him,” said Bertucci. “One day when the villa was half built I received an email from him saying that he didn’t want to go ahead. “I am pretty sure he knows he didn’t behave correctly with me.”

The Sun said Hamilton actually won the Grenada Supreme Court case initially, but Bertucci is now appealing.

“I didn’t want to take legal action but it is very difficult to sell a personalised villa like this,” he added.

A spokesman for the Mercedes driver did not comment.

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HOCKENHEIM KEEN TO SECURE FUTURE OF GERMAN GRAND PRIX

In the wake of the grand prix weekend at Hockenhem, a cloud continues to hang over the future of the Formula 1 world championship race in Germany.

The Nurburgring’s woes meant there was no race in Germany last year, and it appears unlikely the track will be able to resume its alternation deal with the Hockenheim for 2017.

“2017 is the Norburgring’s turn,” track chief Georg Seiler told DPA news agency after Hockenheim staged Germany’s F1 return last weekend.

Seiler had targeted a crowd of at least 60,000 on Sunday to ensure Hockenheim breaks even, but the final figure was just short of that, at 57,000.

“On the positive side we sold more tickets than in 2014 so the trend is right,” he told Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper.

“We already have a contract for 2018 and will comply with it. Then we’ll see,” Seiler added. “A lot of water will flow down the Rhine before 2019.”

But what about 2017?

Seiler said “anything is possible”, but only if there is no “risk” that Hockenheim will left with a bill to pay. And he said that goes for 2019 and beyond, as well.

“Formula one should stay at Hockenheim, but the contract in the future must be that there is no risk,” Seiler told the German website motorsport-magazin.com.

“There are many people within the F1 supply train that make money,” he said. “It cannot be that we provide the playground only for others to make money.”

He said Mercedes has already supported the circuit by way of advertising and marketing.

“I would be happy if Mercedes wants to continue with us as a formula one partner. I am also thinking of all the suppliers and other companies that are also part of the overall business,” added Seiler.

[MIKA27]

MIXED REACTIONS TO ROSBERG PENALTY

The Italian media has backed Nico Rosberg after he was penalised for an overtaking move on Max Verstappen at Hockenheim, while his own team chairman believes that it was a fair sanction.

“Lewis (Hamilton) knows,” Dutch teen Verstappen smiled after the German grand prix, referring to what happened between the Mercedes teammates in Austria.

The stewards levied a penalty against German Rosberg at Hockenheim, ruling that he drove Verstappen off the track. Even Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda didn’t mind the penalty.

“I understand it’s a 50-50 decision because he (Rosberg) went too wide,” he said.

Ironically, it was the normally Ferrari-supporting Italian media who lashed out at the FIA’s reaction.

“Rosberg’s penalty was nonsense,” said Giorgio Terruzzi, writing for Corriere della Sera. “The fact is that Nico cheated Max, but this is a race.”

La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Umberto Zapelloni agreed: “We have too little overtaking anyway, so this should not be punished.”

And Autosprint editor Alberto Sabbatini said sarcastically: “I suggest to Charlie Whiting that, in future, cars instead drive one at a time against the clock like in downhill skiing.”

[MIKA27]

FERRARI: WE ARE NOT FAST ENOUGH AND ITS PAINFUL

Ferrari head into Formula One’s annual break facing a tall order to turn things around in time for the second half of a season that promised much but has so far delivered little.

Formula One’s most successful team went into the season with ambitions of challenging dominant Mercedes for race wins and the championship, after rebounding from their first winless campaign in more than two decades with three wins last year.

The Italian squad, revitalised by new management and the arrival of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, was the only team to break Mercedes’ stranglehold on the top of the podium in 2015.

But they head into the summer break, just past the halfway stage of a record 21-race season, still without a win and having dropped to third in the standings behind rivals Red Bull following Sunday’s German Grand Prix.

“I have to say that they improved quite well,” team principal Maurizio Arrivabene told reporters following the race in Hockenheim. “It doesn’t mean we are going to surrender. During this period we have to think and to react.”

Ferrari started the year strongly, challenging for the win in the season-opener in Australia. But a serious title-tilt never materialised and as the season has worn on even the podiums, of which Ferrari scored eight in the first nine races, have dried up.

The sudden departure of the team’s highly regarded technical director James Allison in the build up to Sunday’s race has only caused more upheaval and could deal their campaign a further blow.

Red Bull, meanwhile, have taken giant strides forward. The Milton Keynes-based outfit overturned what was a 37-point deficit into a 14-point advantage in the space of just four races with a double-podium on Sunday, when the best Ferrari could manage was a fifth and sixth.

“We were just not fast enough,” said Kimi Raikkonen, who won Ferrari’s last world championship in 2007. “Everybody can see where we finished and it’s obviously a bit painful for all of us. But this is how it is right now and we just have to work hard and improve.”

Ferrari’s hopes are now pinned on a return to form in the second half. Arrivabene identified the team’s struggle to add crucial aerodynamic downforce to their car since May’s Spanish Grand Prix as the reason for their slide.

But even though the team knows what to fix, according to the Italian, they face the challenge of balancing development of this year’s car with shifting focus onto their challenger for 2017 when the sport is set for sweeping rule changes.

“I think the last couple of races have been harsh and tough for us but very, very useful,” Vettel said. “It’s not that easy to change overnight but there is a plan and I think the second half should be stronger in that regard.”

MIKA: Ferrari is a mess this season and I can't help but feel that the issue isn't so much the car versus internal meddling by Marchionne placing a great deal more pressure on everyone in the team from the factory to the car. Axing Allison (They claim otherwise) was a seriously bad move and I wonder if Arrivabene will also go? I hope not.

[MIKA27]

McLaren taking legal action against Mercedes over employee

McLaren has launched legal action against rival team Mercedes over a member of their technical staff, that McLaren claim signed a legally binding contract to leave Brackley for Woking.

Motorsport reports that Mercedes' head of vehicle dynamics, Loic Serra, had agreed to join McLaren as the team looks to bolster its engineering department as it seeks to return to the front of the grid.

However it's reported that Serra reneged on the binding deal to instead remain at Mercedes, prompting McLaren to launch legal action, with the team suspecting that Mercedes offered Serra incentives to stay put.

A spokesperson didn't want to comment on the action, simply confirming it is pursuing the matter through the courts: "The matter is subject to legal proceedings and we do not wish to comment until that process is complete."

Serra has been with Mercedes since 2010, having previously worked for BMW Sauber as their head of vehicle performance.

It's not the first time McLaren have launched action against a team over an employee. In 2014, the team took action against Red Bull over aerodynamicist Dan Fallows.

Fallows had agreed to join McLaren alongside Peter Prodromou, but chose to remain with the Milton Keynes team. The matter didn't reach court however, with Ron Dennis and Christian Horner coming to an agreement following private discussions.

[MIKA27]

Lewis Hamilton expects to take grid penalty at Spa or Monza

Lewis Hamilton says he will only feel ahead in the championship when he's at least a victory clear of team-mate Nico Rosberg, as he will be forced to take an engine penalty at either the Belgian or Italian grands prix.

The Mercedes driver currently has a 19-point lead after winning six of the last seven races, helping to reverse a 43-point deficit to Rosberg, but despite that advantage, Hamilton still feels as though he's the hunter, rather than the hunted.

"Do I feel like I'm ahead [in the championship]? No, as I'm not a race win ahead yet," he said.

"It's [a 19-point lead] definitely feels different to being six points ahead," he explained. "It's crazy, being 43 points behind, and now it's gone the other way, so I'm very, very happy, but there will be one race where I'm further behind and I don't know how much I'm going to regain."

Hamilton is referencing the fact he is already on his fifth and final turbo-charger and MGU-H thanks to early season reliability troubles, whilst Rosberg is on his third of all elements.

Should he take a sixth - which is somewhat of a certainty with nine races remaining - he will be hit with a ten-place grid penalty, therefore choosing which races to take those penalties at could prove crucial to his championship.

Hamilton reckons the team will opt to take the hit at either Spa or Monza, with a double-penalty likely to give the three-time champion a pool or components to use throughout the season.

"It will either be Spa or Monza, because I'm going to run out of engines soon," he said.

"Nico will most likely be up [in the lead] enjoying a Sunday drive, and then I'll be battling through... Red Bull have picked their pace up and it might be hard to even get into the top five."

[MIKA27]

Ecclestone’s pilot held for kidnapping

After Aparecida Schunk, mother of Bernie Ecclestone's wife Fabian Flosi, was freed from her kidnappers, three people were arrested, including the F1 supremo’s helicopter pilot.

Schunk was abducted from her home on July 22 and her abductors demanded a fee of $36.5 (£28m) for her release.

The pilot, named Jorge Eurico da Silva Faria, is said to be the mastermind of the whole ordeal in Sao Paulo and was found out after police monitored phone calls between the trio and Schunk’s family.

After she was freed, the 67-year-old mother told Brazilian media: "I only ask for these bandits to be jailed so they can't abduct anyone else in Sao Paulo."

It is also worth noting that none of the demanded ransom money was paid.

[MIKA27]

Whiting: Active cockpit safety system "impractical"

F1 race director Charlie Whiting thinks the idea of an "active" cockpit protection system in grand prix racing is "impractical", as he prefers current plans for a Halo or canopy.

Amid discussions by teams at the F1 Strategy Group in Geneva on Thursday about delaying the Halo, it emerged that teams have come up with the idea of trying to develop an active debris-deflection device.

The idea is that it would use detection technology to trigger a fin or similar car part in front of the cockpit to pop out of the car in the event of an incident to prevent drivers getting hurt.

Although Whiting is aware of the concept, he said ahead of the German Grand Prix that he did not think it would be suitable for F1.

"I've seen it – someone has sent me one of these designs - but I think it would be wholly impractical to be honest," he said. "I cannot see how you can deploy it in the right amount of time.

"I think the inventor, if we can call it that, misunderstands – a driver is not going to see something coming and think 'oh my goodness, I better push that button'. Honestly I don't think that is feasible."

   

Halo plans

Whiting remains convinced that work on the Halo – including extensive testing of it during full practice sessions later this year – will ultimately come up with the perfect standard solution.

"As you know we have tested extensively with the Halo and, to a lesser extent, with the Aeroscreen," he said. "We are subjecting those things to a worst case scenario, so I think it is the best thing to continue down that path."

Whiting confirmed that he wanted all drivers to run the Halo at some point this season to better understand how much it affects visibility.

"We asked all teams yesterday to look at the possibility of running a car at Spa and Monza, but that was before the decision was taken to defer it to 2018," he said.

"Now I think we should look towards a structured plan; that all teams run it at all tracks. My aim would be to get every driver to try it."

[MIKA27]

FAREWELL TO CHRIS AMON

Former Ferrari driver Chris Amon, often described as one of the best in Formula One never to have won a race, has died at the age of 73 after a battle with cancer, family of the New Zealand motorsport great said on Wednesday.

Amon was part of a well-known trio of New Zealand drivers competing in Formula One in the 1960s and early 70s alongside Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, who both enjoyed more successful careers in the sport’s premier series.

Bad luck was often cited as the key reason for his lack of Formula One success, with former world champion Mario Andretti once famously saying: “If he became an undertaker, people would stop dying.”

Like McLaren, with whom he won the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race in a Ford GT40 50 years ago, he founded his own team but Chris Amon Racing failed to achieve much success.

Amon finished on the podium 11 times, also driving for March and Matra among 13 teams in a career that spanned 14 seasons.

McLaren chairman Ron Dennis praised Amon as he paid tribute to the driver.

“It was with profound sadness that I heard the news this morning that Chris Amon had passed away,” Dennis said in a statement.

“He nearly won a fair few, but always it seemed that his luck would run out before he saw the chequered flag,” Dennis recalled, terming Amon as “one of the fastest racing drivers”.

Williams also paid tribute to Amon who finished on the podium 11 times, also driving for March and Matra among 13 teams in a career that spanned 14 seasons.

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MARCHIONNE: WE CANNOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME

Ferrari big boss Sergio Marchionne has this week suggested the Italian team will stay the course, despite admitting that the legendary Formula 1 marque has disappointed in the opening half of the 2016 season.

Both in the influential Italian press and beyond, the perception is that Ferrari is now in ‘crisis’, having failed to deliver president Marchionne’s pre-season targets and now having lost technical boss James Allison.

Ferrari has promoted from within – Mattia Binotto – to replace Allison, and Marchionne seems happy with that decision.

“We took the decision to develop the cars in 2016 and 2017 with our internal expertise,” he said, “because we have phenomenal talent.

“For us it is important to utilise our know-how and that is what we are doing,” he is quoted by the Italian media, including Tuttosport.

“To say that we need a transfusion of technical intelligence is excessive,” Marchionne insisted. “I’d be lying if I said that I was satisfied, though, so we hope that the second half will be better.”

If that sounds a little like than ultimatum to Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene, Marchionne insists that he continues to support him.

“We took on Arrivabene because he knows Formula 1, and we need a team boss like him who is able to work with the people and lead the team,” he is quoted by Corriere della Sera.

Marchionne also said Ferrari’s driver lineup is right, “Sebastian is a champion and we have rightly recognised the work Kimi has done with a new contract for next season.

“I want us to end this season with honour, decency, having given our all at every grand prix. But we cannot waste any more time.”

[MIKA27]

LAUDA: ROSBERG HAS TO BELIEVE IN HIMSELF AGAIN

Formula 1 world championship rivals and Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have got off to very different starts to their summer break.

A happy and relaxed world championship leader Hamilton headed to Barbados, where he took part in a raucous and scantily-clad street parade.

But Bild newspaper reports that German Rosberg, who suffered four consecutive race defeats to Hamilton in July and lost his long-held points lead, headed to Ibiza.

Although he lives in Monaco, Rosberg has a home in Ibiza where his wife Vivian owns an ice cream parlour, and Bild says they simply plan to relax with their daughter.

Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda recently travelled to Ibiza to catch up with Rosberg, and it seems another visit may now be on the cards.

“We will talk with him and discuss the problem,” said the F1 legend, referring to a lean run for Rosberg that culminated in an easy defeat at the hands of Hamilton at Hockenheim.

“He must again believe in himself, and then he will be a problem for Lewis once again,” Lauda told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

But Rosberg left for his summer break insisting that he can bounce back straight away, “Lewis has not only showed he is strong lately – he was always strong.”

“I’m disappointed with Hockenheim, as I did a great qualifying and on Friday I had good pace on the long runs. It’s just a shame everything went wrong in the race.

“But I have enough examples from the past that show I always get stronger after a setback — again and again. So there is no problem,” Rosberg added.

[MIKA27]

WOLFF URGES RENAULT TO SIGN OCON

Highly rated Esteban Ocon looks set to be the next teenage charger to make his mark in Formula 1.

Backed by Mercedes, the Frenchman is on loan to Renault this year as reserve and occasional Friday driver.

And international media sources claim Ocon is first in line to emerge after the summer break as the replacement at Manor for Rio Haryanto, giving Mercedes a direct comparison between him and fellow Mercedes junior Pascal Wehrlein.

Not only that, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is recommending to Renault that it promote Ocon for a full race seat at the French works team for 2017.

“Esteban has an impeccable personality — he really is a nice and intelligent young man. And his performance in the car is extraorrdinary.

“He did two sensational test days with us at Silverstone and we saw that he did the same time as (Kevin) Magnussen in Friday free practice, so he is someone who has a big future,” Wolff told the French broadcaster Canal Plus.

“I hope that my colleagues realise all of this, otherwise it will be us who will be taking him back!” the Austrian smiled.

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Red Bull debuts Pirelli's wider 2017 slick tyres in Mugello

Pirelli's second 2017 tyre development test got underway at Mugello on Wednesday with the Red Bull team debuting the wider slick tyres for the first time.

Earlier this week, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Gutierrez tested the Italian supplier's wet weather tyres at Fiorano, completing more than 280 laps.

Pirelli will conclude its second two-day test with Red Bull on Thursday as it collects extensive data on the new compounds which are 25 per cent wider than the current Pirelli range.

The front tyres will be 60mm wider (from 245 to 305mm) and the rears will increase 80mm (from 325 to 405mm).

Ferrari will be next to test the slick tyres before Mercedes gets involved in September. All data will be shared with every team on the grid to ensure no one team gains an unfair advantage.

[MIKA27]

Felipe Massa: In-season rule changes not good for F1

Another difficult weekend in Germany completed a disappointing month of July for Felipe Massa, who is now looking forward to the summer break and having a much more positive second half of the season.

The German Grand Prix did not deliver the weekend I had hoped for. Leaving Hockenheim with a DNF was not what I had anticipated on the eve of the race, and was especially disappointing after the good results that Williams Martini Racing had delivered in qualifying.

On Saturday, things had looked good as in Q3 there was just one tenth of a second separating us and the Force Indias, so there seemed to be a very good opportunity to score points that would be important for the championship standings.

But the race turned out to be a bit of a frustrating one. After the start I was running down to Turn 6 and, when I hit the brakes, everything was going well. But when I got ready to get back on the throttle at the exit of the hairpin, I felt a jolt in the back.

It was Jolyon Palmer, who had hit my right tyre, and from that moment on I immediately felt something strange as the car was not working as it should.

After a few laps I was already in crisis with my tyres and I could no longer keep the race pace that we had wanted. I dived into the pits hoping that the Renault hit had damaged the tyres, but when I started running with fresh rubber, the grip lasted pretty much as long as on the first set – so I was back in to the same difficult situation.

As I was lapping two to three seconds slower than what I should be doing, it did not make much sense to stay out on the track. So the team decided to call me in for the final time, which was a decision I shared.

Investigations are still ongoing to find out what happened, but I have no doubt that after the contact with Palmer something on the car had stopped working.

It was terrible luck, because unlike at Silverstone, where we had struggled because of the unforeseen weather conditions, at Hockenheim we had much better expectations and were expecting to be able to finish in front of the Force Indias.

 

The longest calendar

With 21 races this year marking the longest Formula 1 calendar, most people in the paddock have arrived at the summer break with the need to recharge the batteries.

But if I could choose between having this number of races, or testing more, I think I would always rather be going to a track to compete in a grand prix. I guess my opinion is shared by many drivers.

We love competition, and the race is the moment when you really feel all that adrenaline. Tests can be useful, but emotionally they are not the same thing.

Saying that, four races in one month is a lot, especially if you do not get the desired results.

In my case, the August break has come at the right time to help me recharge my batteries and think of a more positive second half of the championship.

I had a very good start to the season, but the month of July did not bring me much luck. In three of the last four races I suffered technical problems, and my position in the championship has suffered.

As a team, we have the goal of fourth place in the constructors' championship, and I think we have everything in our hands to be able to achieve it. We just have to keep working as we do, and I am sure that we will be able to return to the strong results we obtained earlier in the season.

   

Rule changes

Ahead of the Hockenheim weekend, F1 took some important decisions on the rules front. And, as happens quite often in this sport, there were pros and cons to what happened.

The scrapping of the limits on team radio communications between drivers and the teams helped improve things for fans. We returned to being able to talk freely, and those that watch the sport can follow what happened with greater transparency because there are no more limits on what we can talk about.

Before this change happened, there were often some very interesting race situations but the drivers could not speak freely, and that made things hard to understand.

But I am always sceptical when rules get changed in the middle of the season. And in my case what was decided ahead of the German Grand Prix did not make a big difference.

I got used to the radio silence before Hockenheim, and I started to talk without problems last weekend. But there were also some penalties imposed on drivers in the two races before Germany, so some doubts remain.

My view is it is not ideal to change the rules of a grand prix from one race to the next unless there are good safety grounds.

    

Enjoying the Olympics

After leaving the German GP, I made my way to Brazil where in a few days the Olympic Games will begin.

It will be an incredible event, and I will not miss the opportunity to breathe the air of this truly global occasion. This break of the Formula 1 world championship will allow me to enjoy the city of Rio, and I will try to feel my support to all Brazilian athletes.

Enjoy the summer, and I will see you all in Belgium.

 

[MIKA27]

Ferrari to adopt McLaren-style technical structure

Ferrari has no plans to sign a big-name star to replace James Allison as its technical chief, with team boss Maurizio Arrivabene hinting about a different approach to its technical structure instead.

The Maranello-based outfit has suffered a blow with the departure of Allison, and is under pressure to turn around its campaign after slipping behind Red Bull in the constructors' championship.

But although Allison's immediate successor Mattia Binotto does not have extensive experience of aerodynamics nor chassis development, Arrivabene has said that a new approach to its technical operation means he is the right man to lead things.

"He will work with the team to help improve the car," said Arrivabene. "All the technicians talk to each other, but the difference is very important: there will be no more of 'this is 'Mr X's' car'.

"There will be a car that will be the result of the co-operation between all the working groups involved in the project."

   

Looking within

While Ferrari had considered roles for Ross Brawn and Toro Rosso's James Key, neither have shown any interest in getting involved at Maranello.

Arrivabene has explained that the plan now is for a different way of doing things that will increase the input from all its engineers.

There will be a more horizontal structure, with the technical operation headed up by several key figures – similar to what McLaren has with Peter Prodromou, Tim Goss and Matt Morris.

"We are modifying our technical structure but we'll complete this operation only when we understand if we already have in the team engineers with untapped capacity," said Arrivabene, in reference to a push to see if there are junior staff members who can be promoted.

"I think that we have some talent. The question I ask myself though is: why, if you have these skilled people, does their talent not come out? If you have good engineers but they spend time on [less important jobs] if it clear that we are losing important opportunities.

"Our role is to show the target, and to make sure that the objectives are to be achieved. If the concepts are clear, I think we don't need to look outside Maranello for new engineers. We are not looking for the mega-talent.

"When there is a figure like a mega-talent, it is normal for all the technical team to follow what he says. But we have not this kind of man. We are working on a new horizontal structure and the coordinator is Mattia Binotto."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton on Schumacher Jr – “He’s thinking I can beat them”

The fabled Schumacher name made its return to the F1 paddock during the German Grand Prix weekend as Mick – son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael – made an appearance at the Hockenheimring. 

The 17 year-old was present at his home grand prix and was spotted in both the Ferrari and Mercedes garages, where he was able to meet the likes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. 

Indeed, Hamilton says he was intrigued to meet the youngster, joking that he is already sizing up the opposition because 'he's a Schumacher'. 

“I went and introduced myself and said hi. It's special for anyone to see a grand prix … It's definitely an eye-opener, especially with what's going on back there as it's a lot bigger to what he's used to. 

“But he's a Schumacher so he probably takes it in his stride and is looking at us all thinking 'I can beat them', just like me when I was his age would have said the same about the drivers here.” 

Schumacher is currently competing in the German Formula 4 Championship with Prema Powerteam, where he is currently classified second in the standings with three wins to his name. 

Relatively little remains known about the current condition of his father Michael, who was seriously injured in a skiing accident in December 2013. 

In February 2016 Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm – who is also looking after Mick – – called for 'support and patience' at the opening of an exhibition celebrating his career in Hamburg.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[MIKA27]

Sauber F1 team set to introduce front wing from new concept at Spa

Sauber will finally have a new front wing on its car after Formula 1's summer break, as part of a concept it hopes will provide a boost in performance.

In the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sauber trialled a new rear wing that failed to perform as well as had been hoped, but delivered improved numbers one week later at Hockenheim following tweaks.

The rear wing, however, is part of an overall upgrade package for the C35 that includes the new front wing, a floor, and other peripheral parts.

Following the team's recent takeover by Longbow Finance, and subsequent injection of capital, the front wing that has long been in the pipeline will make its debut at the Belgian GP, along with potentially the floor.

"We knew the new rear wing was not really a standalone part that would give us massive performance, but it now has performed the way we expected it," team principal Monisha Kaltenborn told Autosport.

"But we knew that in itself it would not be a big step, that it has to be seen in combination with all of its bits and pieces - the rear wing is part of a whole concept.

"So we have a front wing coming up at Spa, some further bits and pieces coming, although I'm not sure about the floor, if that will be there at the next race.

"But looking at the entire package I hope more [performance] can come out because that is how the entire concept has been set up."

With Sauber failing to score a point in the first half of the season, and clearly the backmarker at present, the team needs the upgrade to work to try and finish in the top 10 in the constructors' championship.

Manor currently occupies that position, following Pascal Wehrlein's 10th-place finish in Austria.

The positive point for Kaltenborn is that Sauber is again in a position to develop a car, rather than simply racing with a virtually untouched package.

"We have to see how far it really is - it's not going to be a massive step, but it's a positive step, and that's important for the motivation," added Kaltenborn.

"It's important for the things that people have been working on to now be hitting the track and hopefully that it performs in the way you wanted it to.

"It's also important because it shows we can do this as it's something we have worked on and planned for.

"That is part of giving confidence again to the team, that we are implementing what we wanted to all this while.

"We can do it now, and then of course we are focusing on the new car."

MIKA: Sauber need more than just a new front wing... Maybe a new driver line-up?

[skalls]

Maybe it's because the their using 2016 cars, but those tired look really dorky and stupid.

[MIKA27]

Mercedes F1's Wolff missing having to fight Ferrari this season

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff hopes Ferrari rediscovers its form, admitting he has missed battling on-track with its Formula 1 rival this season.

After winning three grands prix in 2015, the expectation before the start of this campaign was that Ferrari would push Mercedes hard in the fight for both F1 titles.

But after failing to win any of the opening 12 grands prix, Ferrari heads into the summer break as the third-best team, overtaken by Red Bull, and seemingly struggling behind the scenes.

Wolff concedes he would have relished more of a challenge from Ferrari as he said: "Formula 1 lives because of the great battles between drivers and teams.

"Ferrari is a great brand with capable people, and it would have been good fun to fight it out on track.

"For whatever reason, in the most recent races they haven't been able to perform to their levels - to the levels they expect to perform and we expect them to perform.

"For me the battle with Ferrari would be great for Formula 1, and even if this sounds a little absurd, I was very much looking forward to it.

"I hope they find their strengths again and we fight it out on track."

Wolff expects Ferrari to regroup, in particular as he believes the team is now fully focused on next year's new regulations.

"I don't think you can write Ferrari off," added Wolff.

"They have clearly had a tough time recently, and I think they switched off very early for 2017.

"Never underestimate a team with so much resources and so much passion. That would be my view."

RED BULL WILL BE "IN FULL FORM" IN 2017

For now, Wolff feels Red Bull is Mercedes' closest rival and he fully anticipates Christian Horner's team to not only continue to push after the summer break, but build on its 2016 steps next year.

"There's no fright [from Red Bull]," said Wolff.

"We were expecting Hungary to be a very difficult one, with Red Bull performing well, and it was the opposite. We were actually very strong, as well as at Silverstone.

"Hockenheim should've been an easier one for us, and it happened not to be. So I don't think it's clear cut.

"They will be coming back in full form next year, even for the second half of the season, I have no doubt.

"What I keep saying is it's a pretty unusual situation a team is winning almost every race, and we have done that now for two-and-a-half years, but that's not going to last forever."

[MIKA27]

5 minutes ago, skalls said:

Maybe it's because the their using 2016 cars, but those tired look really dorky and stupid.

If you're referring to Sauber, sure, but even Manor are beating them. Seriously, this team used to be midfield.

Maybe an overhaul is in order, new driver line-up and invest in the team to bring them back to the better days. All this whining about money etc, s**ts me. I like indipendants in F1 but I feel if you can't afford to be in F1 then get out. Saying this, I am pleased Sauber have been bailed out because I like the team. Though Peter is now no longer affiliated with it. I think Erriksson has done better than Nasr this season.

[MIKA27]

MARKO PLAYS DOWN KVYAT AXE REPORTS

Red Bull F1 consultant Helmut Marko has moved to play down speculation that Daniil Kvyat is set to definitely lose backing from the energy drinks organisation.

A poor run of form for the young Russian following his demotion to the junior team Toro Rosso, coupled with reports in the Russian media, have led some to conclude that Kvyat’s F1 career could be ending at the age of just 22.

But Marko, the head of Red Bull’s infamous driver programme told Motorsport-Magazin, “Kvyat only needs one or two good races to get his self confidence back.

“But he does have confidence,” the Austrian clarified. “At the last race at Hockenheim, Toro Rosso was generally poorly unprepared with its new parts.”

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE MONETISE F1 TEAM-TO-DRIVER COMMUNICATIONS

Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly planning to monetise access team-to-driver radio communications.

At the recent strategy group meeting, the controversial restrictions on radio communications were dropped completely, with the FIA confirming that this was done “at the request of the teams and commercial rights holder”.

Part of the deal is that messages that were kept private by the teams even before the radio clampdown was ever implemented will now be out in the open. The FIA said this is to provide “improved content for fans and spectators”.

Auto Motor und Sport now reports that F1 supremo Ecclestone plans to “sell” this full access to all the communications between cars and the pitwall to the public.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was quoted as welcoming the moves to make all radio traffic available to the public, “We believe that it is a necessary part of entertaining the fans.”

[MIKA27]

RENAULT COULD GO FROM YELLOW TO BLUE FOR 2017

The works Renault team could be set to change colours to accommodate the corporate branding of new sponsors set to get on board for 2017, according to the latest international reports.

El Mundo Deportivo reports that the currently yellow cars could turn predominantly deep blue next year.

Renault is reportedly in talks with Movistar, a major Spanish mobile operator, and BBVA, a Spanish banking multinational. Both companies’ corporate images are mainly blue.

This has also fired up new speculation that Renault is interested in securing the services of Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, or the Spanish-speaking Mexican Sergio Perez.

However, Perez is backed by Carlos Slim, whose Telmex company is a direct competitor of Movistar.

The same speculation about Movistar and BBVA’s apparent talks with Renault were also reported by Auto Bild as well as France’s Auto Hebdo.