Latest F1 news in brief – Monday

• Not making much money with Red Bull, Ricciardo had to leave for Renault's huge paycheck and the chance to eventually retire financially secure

  Ricciardo's Renault move 'a concern' – Webber

• 'Emotional' Alonso riding out F1 career
• Vettel to win Ferrari title 'sooner or later' – Arrivabene
• Todt visits Schumacher 'twice a month'
• Next step for F3 champion Schumacher in 'coming weeks'
• Kvyat 'more measured' for 2019 return – Tost
• F1 'must end complex rules' – Aguri Suzuki
• Ricciardo had to leave Red Bull – Valsecchi
• Raikkonen fined after hitting parked car
• 'Very easy' to make Vettel-like mistakes – Alesi
• Russia hopes for grid girls return in 2019
• Current tire rules 'absurd' – Prost

Ricciardo's Renault move 'a concern' – Webber
(GMM) Mark Webber admits fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo's move to Renault is a "concern".

Also a former Red Bull driver, Webber says Ricciardo's decision to leave the energy drink team for the French works outfit could be "an inspired decision".

"We'll all have to sit back and watch, but the move is under a little bit of heat. It has to work for him," Webber told Fairfax Media.

"He knows in the short term it's going to be (a step back). He'll be behind Red Bull next year. He's banking on the long term there. That's the concern."

However, Webber acknowledges that in formula one, sometimes it's necessary to take a risk.

"That's what you've got to do sometimes, you've got to be one step back, two steps forward," he said.

"He's got a lot of time left but we all would like to see him in a more competitive situation than he's going to be in over the next two years," added Webber.

'Emotional' Alonso riding out F1 career

It will be sad for Alonso to leave behind the huge crowds and a sport flush with money (i.e. F1) for sponsor poor IndyCar and WEC

(GMM) Fernando Alonso says he is leaving formula one because he misses the winning feeling.

Last year, the Spaniard vied for victory at the Indy 500, and earlier in 2018 he won Le Mans.

Having burned some bridges in F1, Alonso has been stuck at the steadily declining McLaren team since 2015 but he thinks the British team will fight back.

"I still believe that McLaren is one of the best teams in history of the sport, and they will get better eventually in a couple of years’ time," he told CNN.

But he explained that he misses "winning. I miss being on the podium".

So while some think the 37-year-old is simply tired of F1, Alonso says he is actually feeling emotional as he rides out the last races of his career.

"I've found myself recording the parade laps in the last couple of races with my phone," the double world champion said. "I've never done that in my life, but now it's like I want to record everything.

"From August, when I decided to announce the retirement, every single race has been a little more emotional than normal," he added.

But Alonso thinks it's the "right time" to call it quits in F1, because "My idea is to win all the iconic motor sport races in the world".

What his actual 2019 calendar will look like will be announced soon.

"I am a guy that normally wants to program everything in advance, so I don't want to wait too long until I know the plans," he said.

Vettel to win Ferrari title 'sooner or later' – Arrivabene

If Arrivabene cannot steal Aldo Costa back from Mercedes Vettel will never win a title for Ferrari

(GMM) As criticism surrounds Sebastian Vettel's in-tatters 2018 title campaign, Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene backed the German's place at Ferrari.

Some believe the Vettel-Ferrari combination needs review, as a firestorm of errors now makes a fifth drivers' world title basically impossible for Vettel in 2018.

"Sebastian looks a lot like Michael Schumacher in talent and determination," Arrivabene told La Repubblica. "When I hear him on the radio it's like talking to Michael."

The Italian says he therefore still shares Vettel's dream of winning the title in red.

"From an early age he would come to Maranello with his father and I am sure that sooner or later he will bring the title back here," said Arrivabene.

But he also said he does not blame the press for criticizing Ferrari and Vettel.

"We do not need to talk about pressure because Ferrari is always at the center of everything, so we have to thank the media and the public for pressing us to get back to winning," he said.

"This year it has become a mission impossible, but it's not over and we say very clearly that we are not beaten in Austin yet."

Todt visits Schumacher 'twice a month'
(GMM) FIA president Jean Todt admits he visits his friend Michael Schumacher "twice a month".

Once the great German's boss at Ferrari, Frenchman Todt is now a close family friend and one of the only people now allowed inside the inner sanctum.

Schumacher's health condition following a skiing crash and brain injuries in 2013 is an almost complete mystery.

"I love Michael. I see his family," Todt told The Times. "I wish the situation would be different."

He says he is at Schumacher's home on the shores of Lake Geneva "a minimum of twice a month".

Next step for F3 champion Schumacher in 'coming weeks'

Mick Schumacher F2 likely bound for 2019

(GMM) New European F3 champion Mick Schumacher's next move towards formula one will be revealed soon.

A mid-season surge in form culminated in one of the most prestigious junior series title wins for Michael Schumacher's 19-year-old son at the Hockenheim finale last weekend.

"Now we can think about what the next adventure will be," Schumacher is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He has been linked with the seat at Toro Rosso for 2019 but Schumacher said: "Am I ready for formula one? I prefer to move forward gradually, step by step, preparing really well.

"So it's important to always make the right decision," Mick added. "We will decide in the coming weeks.

"Every driver has the goal of being in formula one. It's the premier class and to stand up to the best there is the optimum.

"We are talking to some teams and putting together the best strategy for next year," Schumacher, who is tipped to sign up for a year of Formula 2, said.

Gerhard Berger, who raced against F1 legend Michael Schumacher, praised the young German for his title win.

"Mick not only looks and stands and walks like his father, but I noticed today that he even has his father's arms," he smiled at Hockenheim.

"But more important is that he has his father's racing genes, especially in the final stage of this championship. If he continues with this performance, his career will take him to formula one," Berger predicted.

Kvyat 'more measured' for 2019 return – Tost

What Tost really meant to say but could not was, Kvyat's check was so big we had to take it.

(GMM) Daniil Kvyat should be a better driver when he returns to F1 and Toro Rosso in 2019.

That is the view of boss Franz Tost, who is preparing for what will be Kvyat's third separate stint with the junior Red Bull team.

"I was with Daniil in Sochi and we had a fantastic dinner together," he said.

"He's relaxed and I have the feeling he is much more measured than the year before," Tost added. "I expect a competitive Daniil Kvyat."

Kvyat, whose career hit the heights of a Red Bull seat but was ultimately left with no more than a Ferrari development role in 2019, is also "very positive" about his return.

"I'm very happy to be back," he said.

"But you cannot be happy forever. You have to recognize that there is a lot of work ahead, and I've worked hard on myself this year.

"It's very important to be in a good mental state and that is exactly what I was focusing on this year, even though very recently it was not certain that I would go back.

"Once I heard it, I was confident it would be very positive," Kvyat, 24, added.

F1 'must end complex rules' – Aguri Suzuki

Aguri Suzuki in 2005

(GMM) Former F1 driver and team owner Aguri Suzuki says the sport needs to simplify to improve.

"They must stop all these rules that complicate the show so extremely," said the Japanese, who took part in a parade of former F1 drivers at the Japanese grand prix.

"The fans do not understand what is happening on the track, and I suspect that a lot of professionals in the middle of it understand little either," Suzuki, whose last involvement in F1 was with his Super Aguri team, told France's Auto Hebdo.

The now-defunct Super Aguri team was backed by Honda, and now Suzuki is barracking for the Japanese manufacturer to succeed in today's F1.

"Their biggest mistake was to have stopped the F1 program at the end of 2008. They should have stayed, if only as an engine supplier," he said.

"But they stopped everything and then had to rebuild everything. If there had been continuity, they would not have had so many difficulties," added Suzuki.

Ricciardo had to leave Red Bull – Valsecchi

Davide Valsecchi

(GMM) Daniel Ricciardo had little choice other than to leave Red Bull.

That is the view of Davide Valsecchi, a former GP2 champion who is now a pundit for Italian TV.

He told the Dutch magazine Formule 1 that he thinks Australian Ricciardo decided to join the works Renault team for 2019 because of Max Verstappen.

"Daniel does not want to be the second driver at Red Bull," said Valsecchi.

He said it is "clear" that Verstappen is regarded as the "preferred" Red Bull driver.

"As soon as Verstappen joined Red Bull, you could see his talent immediately, and it's bigger than my friend's," said the Italian, referring to Ricciardo.

"I knew Daniel would do this. Max is just better and I understand why his salary is double or triple that of Dan."

Valsecchi said of Verstappen: "He is extreme in everything. Extremely young, extremely good, extremely confident."

Raikkonen fined after hitting parked car
(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen must pay a fine of 350 Swiss francs after hitting a car outside his home in Baar, Switzerland.

ATS news agency, and the Luzerner Zeitung newspaper, report that the Ferrari driver struck a parked car in May.

The reports say Raikkonen was trying to avoid another car at the time and must now also pay a 450 Swiss francs administration fee.

'Very easy' to make Vettel-like mistakes – Alesi

Vettel was not going to beat the Aldo Costa designed and constantly improved Mercedes anyway

(GMM) Jean Alesi has backed his old team Ferrari, amid criticism of the Italian outfit and its top driver Sebastian Vettel.

Ferrari and Vettel are taking heat as their 2018 title charge falls apart, but Frenchman Alesi said mistakes are understandable.

"In the last races we were a bit surprised and angry about what happened," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But Vettel's mistakes do not happen because he's bad, but because under certain circumstances it's very easy to make the wrong choice.

"At this time he and the team need to rediscover a bit of their lost tranquility," Alesi added.

Ferrari's blunders look even worse in contrast to the recovery of the Mercedes team in the same period.

Liberty Media's F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn said: "I never thought I would be able to say it, but Hamilton really is the one who could beat Michael Schumacher's records.

"He's got everything under control. The quality that unites him with Michael and the great guys is that he knows how to win races that he should lose," the former Ferrari technical boss added.

However, Brawn acknowledges that F1 is at a crossroads as he tackles the need to improve the on-track 'show'.

"We want to remain the peak of motor sport, but still allow drivers to be able to fight each other and attract the fans' attention by reducing the gap between the teams," he said.

"Already in 2019 we will see some small changes, but we are thinking about really exciting things for 2020 and 2021."

Russia hopes for grid girls return in 2019

Chase Carey does not like grid 'girls'

(GMM) Organisers of the Russian grand prix negotiated with Liberty Media in order to dodge the F1 owners' new-in-2018 ban on 'grid girls'.

Spectators and viewers of the recent race at Sochi will have noticed that, notwithstanding the sweeping ban, grid girls were prominent in Russia.

"I think Liberty Media's decision was strange and a shock to many," Sochi race organizer Sergei Vorobyov told Russia's Sport-Express. "The auto industry has long been associated and is still associated with beautiful girls.

"From our side we immediately talked to Liberty Media. Firstly from a safety position we believe it is dangerous to have children on the starting grid. And second, Russian girls are beautiful and we want them at the Russian grand prix.

"We received support from other organisers and when the executives from Liberty Media flew to Sochi, negotiations began. After a number of meetings, we agreed.

"In the end, the girls on the grid would wear the same outfits as in the past, to show that we follow the traditions. The girls were very actively prominent in the broadcast and both we and the leadership of formula one were very happy that both the girls and children were the correct combination," he said.

As for the future, Vorobyov said he is hopeful Liberty Media will update its position regarding the sweeping grid girls ban for 2019.

"In January a general meeting with the promoters of all the races is held and I hope that we will hear some updates about Liberty Media's approach to the position of girls in the 2019 season," he said.

"If such changes occur, it will be largely due to the position of the race in Russia."

Current tire rules 'absurd' – Prost

Alain Prost criticizes F1 tires rules

(GMM) Alain Prost says the tire rules in formula one are "absurd".

The F1 legend and Renault team advisor told France's L'Equipe: "We must give more freedom to the teams.

"Let them try to play with each other by betting on their tires. Now everything is completely stereotypical," Prost, a quadruple world champion, said.

"Look at qualifying in Sochi. Some teams did not want to get into the third segment so they didn't have to start on the worst tires for the race. That's absurd," he insisted.

"The drivers just want to fight and do their best, but try explaining to viewers why eleventh is better than eighth. It's the wrong way."