Latest F1 news in brief

Horner's Red Bull pipeline rather devoid of real talent

Next Red Bull youngsters not ready for F1 – Horner
Andretti still prefers F1 over Formula E
Lauda hits out at Ecclestone's Rosberg comments
Bosses worry about latest F1 racing rule
Red Bull's Marko rejects wild Vettel rumor
Ricciardo hopeful of tire advantage at start
Raikkonen: Ferrari just not fast enough

Next Red Bull youngsters not ready for F1 – Horner
(GMM) The 2017 grid is continuing to take shape, as the driver 'silly season' edges more crucial steps forward at the scene of the US grand prix.

The latest piece of the puzzle to definitely slot into place for next year is Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso, after a long period of uncertainty over the young Russian's future.

But Toro Rosso is keeping him as well as Carlos Sainz, as the team issues a clear message to potential suitors including Renault and Force India with the press release header 'Hands off, they're ours!"

Asked if the 'hands off' was also a rejection of the Force India rumors, Kvyat said in Austin: "It's better to ask the people who wrote the press release."

What Kvyat would admit is that the contract certainty is a weight off his mind, after being axed from the senior Red Bull team earlier this year.

"In formula one, you can never be sure of anything," he said.

"Many factors play a role, but I knew that if I did a good job then Red Bull would keep me and that's what I did after the summer break."

However, Kvyat's new deal is a blow to Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly, but Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner argued that the Russian deserves to stay.

"We believe in him," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

"On the outside, he looks like a tough Russian but he's a sensitive guy, which his return to Toro Rosso showed. But the last races have shown that he is well on the way back to being the old Kvyat."

As for the next generation of Red Bull youngsters, Horner indicated that the energy drink camp is now looking further ahead.

"We are looking at the 13 and 14 year old's," he said, "because otherwise there's not much there."

Mario Andretti thinks silent race cars (Formula E) are boring and the wider tires and higher downforce in F1 are a bad move. Where did you hear that before?

Andretti still prefers F1 over Formula E
(GMM) Motor racing legend Mario Andretti says he still prefers F1 over the pinnacle of motor racing's most modern of alternatives.

Today, his son Michael – who also raced in F1 – runs a Formula E team, but 76-year-old Mario says he is no fan of the all-electric single seater series.

"Frankly it does not interest me," he told the Austrian newspaper Kurier.

"There is something about it that doesn't feel right. I hope it's not the future of motor sports," Andretti said.

Indeed, while many figures criticize today's F1, Andretti is still a fan.

But one critic is Luca Filippi, once a Honda test driver with a big touted future who now races in Indycar.

When asked about F1, the Italian told La Repubblica newspaper: "No, I have no regrets.

"Now that I am in America, I understand why they never appreciated formula one: too complicated rules, little public contact with the drivers, and too expensive tickets.

"And then the time zone and the fact that there is one race (in the US) only."

But Andretti, whose son Michael is also still involved in Indycar, says he is still fully engaged with F1.

"It's fun to watch the races," he said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't get up every time in the middle of the night to watch.

"I think we are witnessing one of the best generations of driver in the history of F1."

However, Andretti does wonder if F1 is heading in the right direction for 2017, with its downforce boost and bigger Pirelli slicks.

"I believe it's the wrong way," he said.

"More downforce and grip allows higher cornering speed, but if you are faster in a corner, you're more difficult to overtake. So I'm not sure why they're doing that and I doubt a single driver thinks it's a good idea."

Will biased Ecclestone rig it so Hamilton wins title?

Lauda hits out at Ecclestone's Rosberg comments
(GMM) Niki Lauda has hit out at F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, insisting his recent comments about Nico Rosberg are "very unfair".

As Rosberg closes on his first title, Ecclestone said he would prefer if Lewis Hamilton won a third consecutive crown because "there is nothing to write about" Mercedes' German driver.

But Lauda, an F1 legend who is Mercedes' team chairman, hit out at Ecclestone's comments in conversation with the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

"This criticism of the possible world champion Nico Rosberg is quite excessive," Lauda said.

"And especially at such a crucial stage of the world championship, I think it's very unfair," he added.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also backed Rosberg in the wake of Ecclestone's comments.

"I think the driver who should be champion is the one at the end of the season with the most points," he said in Austin.

"He deserves the title and should be fully appreciated," added Wolff.

Wolff not in favor of new 'Verstappen' rule

Bosses worry about latest F1 racing rule
(GMM) Two F1 team bosses are worried about further over-regulating how drivers do battle.

In the drivers' briefing in Austin, multiple experienced drivers hit out at Max Verstappen's aggression and asked for a rule prohibiting changes of direction under braking.

The FIA's Charlie Whiting duly responded, saying such driving could from now on be referred to the stewards.

"I think it's great that Charlie has understood the majority of the drivers' opinions," said world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Not surprisingly, Verstappen's team boss Christian Horner questioned the decision.

"It is important that there is clarity," the Red Bull chief is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

"But we should take care not to over regulate the sporting side. There are now four different rules for overtaking, which is clearly too much," Horner added.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Horner's Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff agrees.

"We can invent another 200 rules but the danger is that the racing just becomes more complicated.

"If the stewards will intervene only when a driver has to take evasive action, then what we will see in the future is many evasive maneuvers," he warned.

Helmut Marko

Red Bull's Marko rejects wild Vettel rumor
(GMM) A wild rumor about the future of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has been quickly shot down.

The German caused a stir among the rumor mongers in Austin when he was seen in deep paddock conversation with his old Red Bull chiefs, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.

The meeting comes at an interesting time, with the Italian press talking of a 'crisis' and after both Vettel and his boss Maurizio Arrivabene recently indicating the time is not right to discuss the German's future beyond 2017.

But Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko insists that Vettel, Horner and Red Bull designer Newey were not even talking about F1.

"Sebastian wants to buy one of the Aston Martins that Newey has helped to develop," he told Germany's Auto Bild.

"Sebastian has discussed with Adrian the special requests that he wants for his car," he added, referring to the rumored $3 million, 1000 horse power supercar.

Newey no longer attends all the races, so his presence in Austin could be a sign that the Briton is now returning to full engagement with F1 and the new 2017 rules.

But Horner explained: "His involvement is probably about the same.

"I mean, Adrian is splitting his time about 50-50 with this Aston Martin project we've taken on, and designing a formula one car for the other half of the week.

"He's here this weekend to keep up to speed with what's going on trackside, and it's always good to have him at an event," Horner added.

Ricciardo starting on softer tires, then the Mercedes will overwhelm him

Ricciardo hopeful of tire advantage at start
Daniel Ricciardo is hopeful that he will enjoy an advantage over his rivals at the start of the United States Grand Prix, given his tire choice.

Ricciardo, who qualified third, will be the only driver on the front two rows to start on the Super Soft tire, the softest available in Austin.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, will all start on the more durable Softs.

Asked if fears his direct competitors are on a stronger strategy for the race, given degradation levels, Ricciardo replied: "I'm not concerned.

"We expected it to go like this. Max wanted to try the Soft, and I was happy to go on the Super Soft. I was a bit more comfortable on that tire yesterday in the long runs.

"Hopefully it gives me a little bit of a better launch off the line as well, so we'll see."

Ricciardo was satisfied with Red Bull's efforts in qualifying.

"I think the day was pretty good," the Australian went on to comment.

"We're not really close to Mercedes, but we expected them to be very hard to beat. We've got good buffer over Ferrari. I think the car was working pretty well, so I think we've got a good chance."

Verstappen finished a couple of tenths down on Ricciardo and rued his last lap.

"My last lap was not fantastic, in the last corner there was a lot of oversteer," he said.

"I think from final practice onwards we had a good balance [with the car], otherwise we would not have been first in practice, but it just didn't work out in Q3, and sometimes that happens."

On Mercedes' advantage, he added: "They turned it up quite a bit in qualifying. I didn't expect that. I thought we were closer. I expect them to be pretty racy in race pace as well."

The Ferrari can't get out of its own way

Raikkonen: Ferrari just not fast enough
Kimi Raikkonen accepted that Ferrari is simply "not fast enough" after the team locked out the third row of the grid during qualifying for the United States Grand Prix.

Raikkonen was fifth quickest in Q3 at the Circuit of the Americas, two tenths of a second ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, but over a second behind pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton.

"I think you can always improve a little bit, but to be honest the balance, the feeling of the car has not been bad at all today, it's just that we're not fast enough around the lap," he said.

"We need more overall grip and speed to go faster.

"If you look at the previous race we were ahead and now it's opposite, so it keeps changing from circuit to circuit, how the layout is and how the conditions are.

"It's a bit confusing for everybody, but this is where we are today and we keep working as normal. It's not ideal, it's disappointing, but that's what it is."

Vettel reckons Ferrari's deficit to main rival Red Bull was accentuated by its failure to make a sizeable jump between the Q2 and Q3 phases.

"I think in all fairness qualifying didn't look too bad until Q3, where we were not able to make a big enough step," said the four-time World Champion.

"We're not happy with the gap, but as I said we're here to race, and the race is tomorrow. You never know… with a good start and a good strategy I think we can move forward."

Ferrari trails Red Bull by 50 points in the battle for second.