Latest F1 news in brief

Sepang definitely on 2017 schedule

Sepang will still host 2017 Malaysia GP
'Relaxed' Massa eyeing next seat after F1
'Fighter' Hamilton can still win title – Verstappen
Verstappen needs patience to win again – Marko
Generally good weather for Mexico weekend
Boullier says Austin showed chassis strengths

Sepang will still host 2017 Malaysia GP
(GMM) Race organizers have admitted that scrapping the Malaysian grand prix would have legal ramifications.

Government and Sepang circuit chiefs this week have flagged the possibility that the race will be scrapped due to the dwindling appeal of formula one.

Some reports hinted a decision was imminent, but Sepang chief Razlan Razali has now acknowledged that a "watertight" contract until 2018 is in force.

"It will involve legal issues if (Sepang) breach the contract which was signed last year and runs through 2018," he told the local Bernama news agency.

"(Sepang) will review the host's job when the contract expires in 2018 but the race will certainly be held next year," Razali added.

Felipe Massa afraid of IndyCars

'Relaxed' Massa eyeing next seat after F1
(GMM) Felipe Massa appears to have narrowed down his post-F1 options for 2017 to either a race seat in Formula E or the German touring car series DTM.

Earlier, the retiring Williams driver had indicated Le Mans was another option.

"Things are going the way I imagined and I'm happy with my decision," said 35-year-old Massa, who after 15 years in F1 and 11 grand prix wins will stop after next month's Abu Dhabi finale.

"I do not want to talk much about it, but it's all going the way I wanted," he revealed.

"It's the most relaxed time of my career and I'm in no hurry" to decide what to do next, Massa is quoted by Brazil's UOL.

The report said the former Ferrari driver is in talks with 'several' Formula E teams and is also interested in DTM, while WEC is less attractive because of the lack of competitive seats.

"The type of racing is the most important," Massa said. "DTM certainly has good races, and it's more competitive than WEC and Formula E.

"I'm in a position to choose where I'll have more fun and of course it's important to have a check to pay my bills."

Hamilton just needs the right keystrokes from the Mercedes engineers and he can win title

'Fighter' Hamilton can still win title – Verstappen
(GMM) Max Verstappen says it would be wrong to write off Lewis Hamilton's chances of winning the 2016 season.

Many observers think that with his 26 point advantage with just three races to go, Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg is an almost sure bet for the title.

Indeed, Rosberg will get his first championship 'match point' this weekend in Mexico, but young Dutchman Verstappen thinks Hamilton still has a chance.

"Even though the facts point to Nico, I just say: Lewis is extremely fast and a great fighter who never gives up. So I think it will still be very exciting until the last race," the Red Bull driver told Germany's Sport Bild.

When asked who he thinks the two best drivers in F1 are at the moment, Verstappen answered without hesitation that they are Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

"They are simply the best at the moment," he said.

Unsurprisingly, he therefore picks Hamilton as the Mercedes driver that he most identifies with.

"I'm Max Verstappen," he insisted. "But if I must answer the question, I'm more of the Lewis type. Although that doesn't mean that Nico isn't very fast."

But if he were to go wheel to wheel with Hamilton in a Mercedes, 19-year-old Verstappen thinks he would emerge with the biggest trophy.

"Absolutely. A driver needs this confidence," said Verstappen. "But I really believe it."

Max Verstappen needs to calm down

Verstappen needs patience to win again – Marko
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has continued his criticism of F1 sensation Max Verstappen in the wake of the US grand prix.

Although the 19-year-old was voted 'driver of the day' by the fans, he actually had a troubled race — including his inexplicable decision to make a pitstop without being called in.

It earned him a strong rebuke by Red Bull chiefs Christian Horner and Marko, the latter declaring: "We have 80 engineers and strategists, but it's all useless if a driver decides alone to come into the pits."

An unnamed figure from a rival team told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that Red Bull risks losing control of the talented Dutchman.

"Verstappen is incredibly quick, but I think he came to the box because he believed he would beat Ricciardo that way.

"With it he took away the chance for his team to be second. This is unacceptable. You have to play by the rules of your team," the voice said.

Now, Marko has criticized Verstappen for losing patience during the Austin race, when he was warned by Red Bull engineers to back off in his pursuit of Nico Rosberg.

"I'm not here to finish fourth!" Verstappen hit back.

But Marko says Verstappen was wrong.

"You can't demand too much of the tires. He must learn this," the tough Austrian said.

"If you don't, you don't win any races, any championships. He needs to find the right balance between attacking and patience," Marko insisted.

Marko said the perfect example is Verstappen's teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who finished third in Austin but had his charge damaged by the safety car period triggered by Verstappen.

"Compared to Daniel, he (Verstappen) has substantially higher tire wear. It doesn't make him faster."

An unnamed engineer agreed: "Verstappen showed again in the second stint that he pushes the tires too hard. When he was warned on the radio, he said he doesn't want to finish fourth but Ricciardo was wiser."

Generally good weather for Mexico weekend
As Mexico City heads into the dry season, rain showers are still possible throughout GP weekend.

According to UBIMET, the official provider of meteorological services to the FIA, Thursday in Mexico City will bring a mix of sun and clouds, but it is expected to remain dry.

A light breeze will continue out of the north-northwest, and it will be a touch cooler, with temperatures topping out between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius.
Heading into the race weekend, dry weather is expected to continue for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This is normal for this time of year, as the end of October is the beginning of the dry season in Mexico City that continues all the way through the winter months.

Each day will bring light winds with skies varying between partly to mostly cloudy. However, some showers could not be excluded during the afternoon and evening hours.

High temperatures will remain a few degrees below average, with highs between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius.

Day Temp Conditions Precip Wind Humidity
Thu 08 – 20Â°C Cloudy 20% 24mph NNE 53%
Fri 10 – 19Â°C Cloudy 10% 24mph NNE 56%
Sat 10 – 20Â°C Cloudy 20% 19mph NNE 57%
Sun 11 – 22Â°C Cloudy 20% 16mph NNE 56%

Eric Boullier happy fighting backmarkers like Toro Rosso and Williams

Boullier says Austin showed chassis strengths
McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier praised Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button's recovery drive at the United States Grand Prix, following a disappointing race in Japan.

Alonso and Button were only 16th and 18th at Suzuka, while in qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas Alonso was knocked out in Q2, with Button eliminated at the first hurdle.

Alonso nonetheless mounted a late charge to pass Felipe Massa and Carlos Sainz Jr. to collect fifth, while Button gained eight places on the opening lap en-route to ninth spot.

The haul of 12 points equaled McLaren's best result from a Grand Prix since it reunited with Honda at the start of 2015, and cemented sixth position in the Constructors' championship.

"Fernando drove a storming race from 12th on the grid to fifth at the flag, forcing his way through the field with a series of brilliant passing maneuvers," said Boullier.

"If he has a rival for the 'driver of the day' accolade, it can only be Jenson, who blasted his way from P19 at the start to P9 at the finish.

"I'm proud of both of them, as are all of us at McLaren-Honda.

"It was gratifying to see that, despite our disappointing qualifying form, our race pace was significantly more impressive, allowing our drivers to enjoy themselves enormously.

"You only had to look at the way our car changed direction to see how good its chassis is becoming."