Latest F1 news in brief

A race in London was always Bernie's wet dream

London could join Silverstone in F1 – Brawn
Red Bull 'will look to Verstappen' in 2019 – Horner
Sauber still building staff numbers – Vasseur
Wolff questions F1's need for more manufacturers
Renault has found more power says Zak Brown

London could join Silverstone in F1 – Brawn

(GMM) Ross Brawn says a grand prix in the center of London would be "unacceptable".

But the F1 sporting chief thinks his bosses at Liberty Media are interested in a race "on the periphery" of the British capital.

Brawn's comments to the Evening Standard come amid reports Silverstone, the traditional host of the British grand prix, is making a new bid to stay on the calendar beyond 2019.

"I don't think Londoners really need to worry about us taking over the center of London for a week," he said.

"But there are things on the periphery that are being explored — not slap-bang in the center of London but Greater London."

London could be interested. A spokesman for mayor Sadiq Khan said "it should be possible to organize a race in London in the future".

However, Brawn played down fears Liberty Media is trying to replace Silverstone.

"We'd like to see London complement Silverstone, not replace it. We could see ways we could make it work both sides," he said.

Red Bull 'will look to Verstappen' in 2019 – Horner

Max Verstappen will lead Red Bull

(GMM) Max Verstappen will have a more significant role at Red Bull next year.

That is the view of Christian Horner, the energy drink owned team's boss.

Speaking to the Dutch publication Formule 1, Horner is referring to the fact that the more experienced Red Bull driver, Daniel Ricciardo, has left the team.

When asked if he understands why Ricciardo quit for the Renault works team, Horner said: "Not really.

"I'm still surprised, but I respect that he wanted something new."

Horner said he made every effort to change Ricciardo's mind, "as did Dietrich Mateschitz".

"But I think he'd already made his choice by then. Whether he would take the same decision now? I don't know.

"But he made his choice and we are very happy with Pierre (Gasly)."

Horner, however, said Frenchman Gasly is the "inexperienced guy" who will sit next to 21-year-old Dutchman Verstappen next year.

"Max is now the experienced one," Horner said. "So the team will be looking towards him more now.

"Pierre of course has the potential to develop and make life difficult for Max. Hopefully they'll push each other and help to get the best out of each other, just like Max and Daniel did," he added.

Sauber still building staff numbers – Vasseur

Frederic Vasseur still growing Sauber

(GMM) Sauber is still building up its staff numbers, boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed.

The Swiss team almost collapsed two years ago, but a buyout as well as a new alliance with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo now has Sauber feeling more confident about the future.

For 2019, the team will field Ferrari refugee Kimi Raikkonen, while boss Vasseur continues his mission to bolster the workforce after a difficult period.

"We did have around 320 people, but today there are 430," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

"We have employed more than 50 new engineers alone. For 2019 we still have 35 vacancies," Vasseur said.

"The Alfa Romeo name makes it easier to fill positions. We have become a very good address."

Also helpful, Vasseur admitted, is the arrival of popular driver and 2007 world champion Raikkonen.

"Kimi is a Godsend," he said. "We have a good understanding, there is no bulls**t, we clearly agree.

"Kimi can help us and comes to the factory more and more often. And Antonio (Giovinazzi) has learned a lot at Ferrari and this year is said to have done 75,000 kilometer's on the simulator."

Finally, with Ferrari and Force India already announcing mid-February launch dates for their 2019 cars, Vasseur confirmed that Sauber will follow suit.

"It will be mid-February," he confirmed. "Shortly before the test start in Barcelona. We are all excited and motivated."

Wolff questions F1's need for more manufacturers

Wolff says F1 is lucky to have four strong manufacturers and that is plenty

The sport's powers-that-be's hopes for a revolution in terms of the 2021 engine regulations have taken a battering that perhaps only Theresa May might understand as she continues to push her 'solution' to Brexit.
One-by-one the proposals were rejected, be it in terms of compromising the sport's DNA and costs, even the move to ditch the complex and expensive MGU-H has been dropped as the manufacturers insisted that such a move would increase spending at a time the sport is seeking the means to keep it down.

And while all this meant the current engine manufacturers could breathe a sigh of relief, it was the kiss of death in terms of attracting new manufacturers to F1.

However, Toto Wolff, whose Mercedes power units have won 74 of the 100 Grands Prix held since the hybrid formula was introduced in 2014, questions the need to introduce new engine manufacturers, wondering why the FIA and Liberty Media were so keen to attract 'fresh blood' in the first place.

"Where does that thinking come from? Is it greed?" he told ESPN. "You want more than four? What do you want five or six? We should be happy with four premium manufacturers committed to the sport, already in there for a long time, trying to make sure that, foremost, we seek compromise with the loyal partners in there.

"And then we look at the ones who might join in the future and listen to them. But that is only the second priority."

Asked if he regards the eventual climb down over the MGU-H as a victory, he insists: "No, it's a purely economic factor because we have demonstrated to Liberty and the FIA that redesigning an engine is going to spiral the costs out of control.

"Even this engine now, which has more revs, more fuel flow, more fuel allowance will result in enormous costs," he says of the tweaks for 2021 that have gone through. "Ideally, we would have liked to stay where we are, and not touch it.

"Engine performance is converging," he adds. "We see that already – and I am curious to see where Honda are next year – but the engines are not far away from each other. Every time the regulations change, you're going to have a wider spread between the best and the worst. So why do we change it?

"We wanted it to stay where we are and that is the compromise we've taken, but it's still going to be too expensive in my opinion."

Renault has found more power says Zak Brown

Zak Brown optimistic that McLaren won't be the slowest car in F1 again in 2019

Renault has found "a lot of kilowatts" in the development of its 2019 Formula 1 engine, McLaren boss Zak Brown says.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, McLaren CEO Zak Brown said "They are telling us that they are very pleased with their winter progress," said Brown.

"They have found a lot of kilowatts, and think they will be in the ballpark.

"It is not appropriate for me to quote the numbers they have given us, but I think they feel they are going to be very competitive next year."

But can McLaren fix it's inferior chassis, the slowest in F1?

"There is a lot of cautious optimism, but we clearly don't want to get ahead of ourselves," he said.

"We have done that before and we are not going to make the same mistake twice.

"So it is a very head down approach. Development is going well, and we are on track with what we are wanting to achieve.

"But ultimately we have no idea where the competition is, other than speculating.

"Everyone plants their different stories: they either want to under play it or over play it. I don't think we will obviously know until we get to Barcelona for pre-season testing.

"We are pleased with the progress we have made. We have done things differently, everyone is working well together, so it feels like a quiet confidence.

"But we are on our toes. We know this is an important year for us to show progress and that comes with some exciting nervous energy."