Latest F1 news in brief

Berger says F1 rules are insane

Rules to blame for F1 problems – Berger
Renault not taking V6 era 'seriously' – Berger
Red Bull set for Renault divorce talks in Singapore
New engine deal 'first step' to Red Bull future
Mental coaching helped Ericsson beat Nasr
Briatore says Monza future '99.9pc' safe
Hamilton has 'hands on 2015 title' – Alesi
Raikkonen emerging from 'number 2' status – Hakkinen
Hamilton doubts McLaren will be successful in 2016
Rivals unhappy with Ferrari-Haas alliance – report

Rules to blame for F1 problems – Berger
(GMM) Gerhard Berger says one of F1's biggest problems today are the rules.

The F1 legend and former ten-time grand prix winner says he now watches on television but finds the races hard to follow due to complicated regulations.

"We are all so fond of a four-way battle for victory," Berger told Austrian Servus TV, "not an endless discussion the next day about a stupid tire issue."

Berger is referring, of course, to the long post-Monza stewards enquiry about tire pressures that almost cost Lewis Hamilton victory.

The great Austrian blames the rules, not Mercedes.

"The error was due to the precise execution and a precise definition of the regulations," said Berger, who until recently served as a single seater commissioner for F1's governing FIA.

"But when a tire should be measured and under what circumstances should not be the main theme of a race weekend," he insisted.

"The rules are so complex," Berger continued, "and there are specialists in the teams who are occupied only with finding grey areas.

"My criticism does not apply to Mercedes," he added, "but to the FIA, who write the rules, which should instead be as accurate as possible so that the teams cannot find these gaps.

"I personally know all the people who write the rules, and they are good people," said Berger. "But it seems to me that sometimes they no longer see the forest for the trees.

"They are constantly trying to facilitate the racing, for example with this adjustable rear wing, but then they wanted these contemporary regulations with all the hybrid systems and then said that you (the teams) can't develop them.

"For me, it seems that everything doesn't fit together," he added.

The 'lemon' Renault power unit. Why is it so hard to build a competitive F1 engine? Even Honda is struggling. For what? The fans hate the engine and could care less about the engine technology. It has ruined the sport.

Renault not taking V6 era 'seriously' – Berger
(GMM) Red Bull split with its long-time engine partner because Renault did not spend enough.

That is the view of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, who said he is not surprised his friend Dietrich Mateschitz has decided on a new path for his two teams.

It is expected that, after Mercedes closed the door, Red Bull will now tie the knot with Ferrari, and Austrian Berger said his former employer based at Maranello would be a good choice.

"This separation with Renault was to be expected," Berger told Austrian Servus TV.

"Red Bull and Renault had clearly drifted apart in recent months, and I understand that Red Bull was very unhappy over the last two years particularly.

"Renault had a chance to show that it takes it seriously, and only had to take the money into their hands and invest in resources to fight against the strength of Mercedes.

"We never really saw that, and on the contrary they went sideways or even backwards, while Mercedes went on with its premium technology and huge budget.

"Ferrari is now trying everything to catch up," Berger continued. "They do a very good job and have unquestionably become the second best engine, although still with quite a big gap.

"But the Ferrari engine is certainly a lot better than Renault's. In fact it seems that Renault have done almost nothing to improve, even though it is always said that everything is clear and good."

Red Bull set for Renault divorce talks in Singapore
(GMM) Red Bull and Renault are obviously now spiraling towards official divorce.

It is said that even Carlos Ghosn, the Renault CEO, has accepted Red Bull's move to end the contract, even though it will cost the energy drink stable EUR 88 million per year in Infiniti and Total sponsorship.

"We can say more in Singapore," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Speed Week, "or in Singapore there will be a meeting with Renault in which all these things are discussed and a solution is made."

One of the topics to be discussed is how to handle the remainder of the 2015 season.

Horner can't wait to get Ferrari engines

Renault has been working on a 'Sochi' upgrade for its current turbo V6 power unit, but the French carmaker has subsequently delayed it until Austin.

Now, it is not clear if the unit will ever see the light of day.

According to Red Bull chiefs, they want to weigh up whether the performance gains are worth more grid penalties.

But it is also rumored that Renault will simply withhold the specification, so as not to feed Red Bull and Toro Rosso information that could be passed onto their new engine supplier, which will almost certainly be Ferrari.

"Naturally, it depends on what we do in the future," Renault's Cyril Abiteboul admitted. "If Renault decides to leave formula one, then we don't need to bring an improved engine."

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo would obviously be disappointed to forego the update, likening it to looking forward to a birthday present that never comes.

However, the Australian said he is keeping up his motivation for now, even though watching the Red Bull-Renault divorce play out from the inside has been frustrating.

"It is difficult for a driver with these issues that do not relate directly to the racing, as there is not much you can do," Ricciardo told Italy's Motorionline.

"You just try to look at the positives and adapt to the situation," he added. "In the end we (drivers) are still doing an amazing job, we're travelling the world and well paid, so even when things aren't great it's still not so bad."

Ricciardo and Marko are happy knowing Ferrari is in their future

New engine deal 'first step' to Red Bull future
(GMM) Red Bull is now all but admitting that its next engine partner will be Ferrari.

The energy drink stable, also comprising the Faenza based team Toro Rosso, has reportedly told Renault it is terminating the contracts, and strong rumors suggest even Carlos Ghosn has now accepted the split.

"I can say more after our meeting," Dr Helmut Marko, the Red Bull official closest to team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, told Speed Week, referring to a forthcoming meeting with Renault in Singapore.

The Ferrari option materialized quickly, amid reports Mercedes had decided against working with Red Bull, and Ferrari's Sergio Marchionne entered the fray with a new offer.

Marko confirmed: "The Mercedes discussion came to an end before it went into any depth. There were certain conditions that we never even came close to discussing in detail.

"Now let's see what engine we will go with," he added.

"Perhaps we will beat them anyway, which would be even more unpleasant for them than if it had happened with a Mercedes engine."

As Honda is struggling even more than Renault, there is almost no doubt now that Ferrari will power not only Red Bull next year but also Toro Rosso.

"That would certainly be the ideal solution," said Marko, referring to the "synergies" between Red Bull's two teams.

Asked, however, if Ferrari is only a 'temporary solution' while Red Bull works on a longer-term plan, Marko did not deny that.

Auto Motor und Sport has speculated that Red Bull has been toying with collaborations with AVL, Ilmor and the VW brands, even proposing to finance some of the development costs.

"We see this (the Ferrari deal) as a first step in order to regain a competitive engine," said Marko. "So that we are no longer hampered from the outset."

All that is pending now is the final signing-off by Ferrari and Red Bull, but Marko insisted that a further delay will not hurt preparations for 2016.

"No," he said, "because Red Bull Racing is very well placed technically. We are less pressed for time than Toro Rosso, because they are simply a smaller team.

"But quite clearly, the sooner a decision, the better."

Marcus Ericsson

Mental coaching helped Ericsson beat Nasr
(GMM) Marcus Ericsson says he has worked hard to become Sauber's most competitive driver.

Early in 2015, it was the Brazilian rookie Felipe Nasr with the firm upper hand at the Hinwil based team.

It caused Swede Ericsson, who moved to Sauber after debuting for the ill-fated Caterham team, to re-focus.

"The car was fast but I was not," the 25-year-old told Brazil's Globo. "It was a very difficult start to the year for me.

"Basically I changed my way at looking at the whole weekend," Ericsson explained, revealing how he turned the situation around and is now consistently outpacing Nasr.

He not only worked harder with his engineer, but also looked carefully at the 'non-driving' aspects of formula one, including fitness and also mental health.

"I count on professional help," said Ericsson. "I attend the Formula Medicine clinic in Italy, working on several areas."

Formula Medicine is run by Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli, who has been working with F1 drivers for years, including as Toyota's doctor.

"Marcus is now more mentally mature," Ceccarelli said. "Drivers are now very young and take on huge responsibilities."

For Nasr and Ericsson, the media spotlight may not be as bright as at the front of the grid, but the money brought to Sauber by their personal sponsors means they are central to the very survival of the team.

"Suddenly," said Ceccarelli, "they realize not only their future but that of the team is in their hands. And, I repeat, they are very young."

Better in all areas, Ericsson said he is happy to be ahead of his teammate for now.

"I am in front now but I cannot relax," he insisted. "He's trying, of course, to come back and beat me, so I have to keep working hard."

Did Bernie tell Briatore Monza is safe?

Briatore says Monza future '99.9pc' safe
(GMM) Flavio Briatore is now almost certain that Monza's future on the F1 calendar is secure.

Meetings between race officials, Bernie Ecclestone and even the Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi broke last weekend without a contract beyond 2016 being signed.

Still, former Renault chief and long-time Ecclestone confidante and business partner Briatore is confident.

The flamboyant Italian also attended the Monza race, and he said: "From what I know, the grand prix will be at Monza for many years.

"A solution will be found as there is goodwill on the part of (Italian automobile club) ACI and Bernie Ecclestone.

"If I had to bet," Briatore added at a Kenyan business forum in Milan, "I'd say it is 99.9 per cent that we will still have Monza for many years."

The 2015 F1 World Champion – in a snoozefest

Hamilton has 'hands on 2015 title' – Alesi
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton is racing to the 2015 title, former F1 driver Jean Alesi says.

That is despite the fact that the Frenchman's former team, Ferrari, is now steadily closing the technical gap to Mercedes.

"I see a much better Ferrari than in previous years," 51-year-old Alesi, who attended the Italian grand prix, told RTL 102.5 radio.

"Unfortunately Kimi (Raikkonen) got a bad start otherwise we would have seen both cars on the podium.

"But you have to say that at the moment Mercedes is untouchable and it is no exaggeration that Hamilton has his hands on the title already," Alesi added.

"There are still many races to go, but Hamilton is always there, he has a super-winning car and as a driver he also makes a difference," the veteran of over 200 grands prix said.

Raikkonen emerging from 'number 2' status – Hakkinen
(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is beginning to emerge from his earlier role as de-facto 'number 2' at Ferrari, according to countryman Mika Hakkinen.

Last year the Finn was outclassed by Fernando Alonso, and initially this year new teammate and friend Sebastian Vettel also had the edge on Raikkonen.

But, more recently, the 35-year-old has upped his game and secured a new contract for 2016, even if team boss Maurizio Arrivabene admits that the harmony between Raikkonen and Vettel was a factor in that decision.

"Sebastian brought enthusiasm to Ferrari," the Italian said.

"Many times he has helped us to make sure we are all together and, most importantly, he is cooperating very well with his teammate," Arrivabene added.

"Seb is a great champion but also someone who is helping to stabilize the team with Kimi."

But at Monza, Raikkonen put in his best qualifying performance since returning to Ferrari last year, out-driving Vettel to take a front row grid spot.

"It was nice to see that Kimi was successful at last in qualifying," fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen, a former two-time champion, wrote in his latest Hermes blog.

"It's quite possible that Sebastian Vettel's attitude to Kimi will slowly change, as his (Raikkonen's) pace shows that he is not just a number 2 driver," he added.

Alonso in his hapless McLaren Honda

Hamilton doubts McLaren will be successful in 2016
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he does not expect McLaren-Honda to enjoy a return to form in 2016.

Before moving to Mercedes, the British driver made his debut for the once-great Woking team, winning the title in 2008 and finishing his McLaren career in late 2012 with pole position at the final race of the season.

Since then, McLaren has slid down the grid, finishing fifth overall in 2013 and 2014 with Mercedes power before utterly slumping this year as the Honda era began.

Now on the cusp of his second consecutive world championship for Mercedes, Hamilton said this week that he "feels sorry" for his old friends at McLaren when he looks now at the tail-end of the timing screens.

"It is a team that still has a big piece of my heart," the Spanish newspaper AS quoted Hamilton as saying at a Petronas sponsor event in Milan.

"Seeing them suffer like this, knowing how competitive and successful they are historically, it's not easy," he added. "When I see them at the bottom of the screens, with Manor, I just feel bad."

Hamilton, 30, said Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are two of "the best drivers" on the grid.

"They are two great drivers who I'm not fighting with, and I hope that changes soon," he said.

But when asked if he thinks McLaren's breakthrough will be in 2016, Hamilton admitted: "Man, you can never say never, but I don't think so."

Ferrari's alliance with Haas could be the future in F1

Rivals unhappy with Ferrari-Haas alliance – report
(GMM) Rival teams are reportedly unhappy with Ferrari's new alliance with the 2016 entrant Haas.

Ralf Bach, writing on his website f1-insider.com, says the two parties are working hard to skate as closely as possible to the current rules forbidding 'customer cars'.

For its part, the American outfit Haas, already a Ferrari sponsor through Gene Haas' machine tool company Haas Automation, is not hiding the extent of the collaboration.

"Of the teams that came into the sport in the last decade only one is left, so we thought it through and came up with some quite different ideas," team boss Gunther Steiner told F1's official website.

"You cannot do more of the same if the recent past has shown that more of the same doesn't work," he added.

Therefore, Haas is not only using a Ferrari power unit, but everything that can legally be bought from the Maranello team — including use of the wind tunnel.

That came under the scrutiny of the FIA recently, but ultimately got the green light.

Perhaps suspecting that 'customer car' teams are now possible through the back door, it is rumored that is why Mercedes is currently in talks with Manor about a tie-up for 2016.

And correspondent Bach reports that Red Bull also made a similar effort recently, but Christian Horner's GP2 team Arden was not given an entry by the FIA.

"One thing is clear," wrote Bach. "The competitors are furious with the Scuderia's move."

For instance, Bach claims that on 31 October, Haas will lay off 70 staff, all of whom will then return to work at Ferrari on 1 November.

Asked if Haas is effectively a Ferrari 'B team', Steiner said: "It is difficult to say percentage-wise, but it is going in that direction.

"But don't get me wrong, we still build our own chassis and bodywork."

He said the Haas-Ferrari relationship is a bit like industrial partnerships in the world of road cars, where separate marques share a platform but "keeps their own identity".

Steiner said: "Times have changed. Now nobody cares where you get your steering racks from or your brake pedals.

"But then I also agree that plain customer cars could be dangerous because you might end up with too many of the same cars — because everybody, of course, wants the best car," he added. "But if you do your aero development yourself it is a good compromise at the moment."