Latest F1 news in brief

Vettel hoping Michelin gets next F1 tire contract

Vettel wrong to attack Pirelli – Jordan
FIA to back Pirelli after tire blowout saga
Lotus cars finally leave Belgium
'No desire' for F1 switch – Danica Patrick
Chilton on Haas shortlist for 2016
Chilton predicts closed cockpits in 5 to 10 years

Vettel wrong to attack Pirelli – Jordan
(GMM) Eddie Jordan has hit out at Sebastian Vettel for his fierce criticism of Pirelli in the wake of his Spa-Francorchamps tire blowout.

The Ferrari driver launched an expletive-filled attack on Pirelli after Spa, and he followed it up this week with a written statement that made clear he continues to blame the Italian company.

But Jordan, a former team boss and owner and now pundit for British television, said: "Sebastian needs to think before he publicly attacks a global company like Pirelli."

Jordan said he thinks the venom of Vettel's attack was fueled by his disappointment at blowing his outside shot at the 2015 world championship.

"Vettel wanted to stay in the title fight at any cost," he told Germany's Sport Bild. "That's why with Ferrari he took such a big risk.

"And that's why Sebastian was so disappointed. At 67 points behind, he can now forget about the title," added Jordan.

FIA to back Pirelli after tire blowout saga
(GMM) Four days on, the high-speed blowouts suffered by Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel are still causing high consternation in the F1 world.

None of his colleagues echoed Vettel's Spa-Francorchamps rant with the same ferocity, but it is clear that – as the sport now heads to the ultra-fast Monza layout – concerns about the quality of Pirelli's tires are widespread.

Pirelli, however, said Rosberg's failure on Friday was caused by a cut to the tire.

And the German newspaper Bild claims that Pirelli has identified an unusually high number of other cuts – 60 – on the tires that were used throughout the field in Belgium last weekend.

"In the ten races before Spa, the total was just 85 (cuts)," Bild said.

As for Vettel's failure, Pirelli reportedly continues to believe that the problem was excessive tire wear, as Ferrari went it alone with its one-stop strategy.

But Alex Wurz, president of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), has indicated that explanation is not good enough.

"As drivers, we strongly believe the end of a tire’s performance window can and should not be a tire delamination in the form of an explosion," he told the BBC.

In the short term, it is believed the FIA is set to support Pirelli in introducing some immediate changes, including mandating a maximum tire life per set.

"We are working closely with Pirelli and Ferrari to draw lessons from what happened and to make appropriate changes," an FIA spokesperson is quoted by France's Canal Plus.

Lotus cars finally leave Belgium
(GMM) Four days after the Belgian grand prix, Lotus and its black and gold cars have finally left Spa-Francorchamps.

All of the Enstone team's transporters and race equipment had been barred from returning to its UK headquarters by court bailiffs, following action taken by disgruntled former reserve driver Charles Pic.

Frenchman Pic was demanding an $800,000 settlement for breach of contract, but it is believed he is not the only creditor. Toyota, the Cologne-based motor sport arm, is understood to also be owed money.

Nonetheless, Lotus has now been allowed to leave Spa, a French broadcaster reports.

"Although the dispute between Lotus and Pic is not fully resolved, progress has been made," said Canal Plus.

It could be that the 'progress' is movement in the negotiations between Lotus and the French carmaker Renault, who are believed to have made a concrete offer to take over the Enstone team.

The French magazine Auto Hebdo claims Renault is offering EUR 7.5 million now, and a further EUR 50m to be paid to Lotus' current owners over the next ten years.

Renault would then own 60 per cent of the team, with quadruple world champion and F1 legend Alain Prost coming on board with 10 per cent in a deal similar to that between Niki Lauda and Mercedes.

Gerard Lopez would reportedly then retain 30 per cent, including a post as consultant.

At Lotus' Enstone base, fingers are crossed that a deal can be signed quickly.

"We would welcome them (Renault) with open arms," the Austrian news agency APA quotes Lotus engineer Alan Permane as saying.

"We have a great relationship with Mercedes, but to again be a factory team would be fantastic."

Sex symbol Danica Patrick

'No desire' for F1 switch – Danica Patrick
(GMM) Danica Patrick, the world's most famous female racing driver, has finally ruled herself out of the running for a switch to formula one.

The 33-year-old former IndyCar driver had been linked with a Haas seat for 2016, not only because she is American but because she already drives for Haas' Nascar outfit.

Last week, however, she signed up to stay at Stewart-Haas for 2016.

And now she has told CNN that she is unlikely to ever consider racing in F1.

"I'm getting too old to change careers again and again, and I don't really have a desire to do anything different than what I'm doing right now," said Patrick.

"(In Nascar) I'm around my friends and family, and I'm racing internationally — and F1 I don't think would really provide that.

"I lived in England for a few years and F1 was all I thought about doing, but to be honest when I came back home to the States I thought this is where I want to be," she added.

"You can never say never about anything — but at this point in time, I'm happy where I'm at."

Max Chilton

Chilton on Haas shortlist for 2016
(GMM) Max Chilton has counted himself among the drivers shortlisted to race for the new American outfit Haas in 2016.

However, the former Marussia driver has also admitted it's "probably not going to happen".

Briton Chilton, 24, raced for the F1 backmarker in 2013 and 2014 but this year had to settle for a seat in the IndyCar feeder series Indy Lights.

He told Sky this week that he is open to a return to Manor next year, and has also had "a few chats" with bosses of the new Haas outfit.

"I think they (Haas) came out and said they're talking to ten drivers, so I'm definitely one of those," said Chilton.

"I'd love the chance but I have a strong feeling it's going to be one (Ferrari) academy driver, as it's hugely a Ferrari project. And then I hear they want an experienced driver," he added.

"I'd like to think I'm experienced but if they want a really experienced driver, there's only a certain number of drivers on the grid they can ask so I think it could be (Nico) Hulkenberg," said Chilton.

"I can't see Jenson (Button) going there, but I also can't see many other experienced drivers who are free."

Also on the Haas shortlist is Ferrari tester Jean-Eric Vergne, but the former Toro Rosso driver said he also has other options to get back into F1 next year.

"I have some cards in my hand for F1," Vergne told the French magazine Auto Hebdo, "and it's not only Haas. We'll see what happens over the coming months."

The final design for closed cockpits is still evolving

Chilton predicts closed cockpits in 5 to 10 years
Former F1 driver Max Chilton said that he believes the sport "will have closed cockpits within the next five to 10 years," according to William Esler of SKY SPORTS.

The subject of exposed drivers "has once again returned to the forefront of the safety agenda" after Justin Wilson "lost his life after being struck by debris during an IndyCar race on Sunday."

Chilton believes the introduction of closed cockpits "is inevitable." He said, "That is the one weak area we have left in motorsport and that is the one bit we need to make a little bit more safe. There are dangers to having them, because if you are trapped you can't get out, but from what I have seen in the footage they are super strong."

Chilton believes that "in light of Wilson's fatal accident the push for closed cockpits will now gain extra momentum."

He added, "It was only last week that I was looking on YouTube of videos of the FIA testing jetfighter-style cockpit covers" SKY SPORTS.

The BBC reported the FIA has tested "a number of new designs, and is planning more — including the possible introduction of a protected, closed canopy cockpit."

FIA F1 Dir Charlie Whiting said, "We must make something. Even if it's not 100 percent in terms of protecting the driver under all circumstances. If it improves the situation, it has to be good. There must be a way."

Brazilian former F1 driver Lucas Di Grassi believes it is "only a matter of time before closed canopies are introduced."

He tweeted, "Canopies will be used in every single formula (open-wheel) series in the future. Not only for safety, but for aerodynamic improvement." BBC