Latest F1 news in brief

Ecclestone tells minnow teams to stop building their own cars and buy one as it's less expensive

Off-track civil war erupts in F1
Caterham and even Marussia's Abu Dhabi hopes still alive
Rosberg looks to Massa for title finale help
Alonso plays down chance of Abu Dhabi announcement
Horner admits 2015 'unfreeze' unlikely now
Marchionne worried, Tombazis now in doubt – report
Wolff: Rosberg would be worthy
Hamilton: Everything to play for in Abu Dhabi
Video: Hamilton spins at Interlagos
Hybrid engines ruining F1
Fewer than 2,500 Tickets remaining for the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP
Ecclestone: Hamilton would be the better champion for F1

Off-track civil war erupts in F1
(GMM) On track in Brazil, a thrilling and intense battle for the drivers' world championship that will now go down to the wire continued to play out.

But at Interlagos, the real drama was being fought furiously behind the scenes.

With Marussia and Caterham already gone, the next independent teams are arguing loudly for help.

Two newspaper reports have now quoted Force India's auditors as suggesting there is "no evidence" the holding company can sustain the team "as a going concern".

Sauber and Lotus have also joined the exasperated plea, even reportedly threatening boycott as recently as the US grand prix just over a week ago.

Then, Bernie Ecclestone sounded sympathetic to the claim that his income distribution system is skewed unfairly, and F1 owner CVC was said to be in talks with the small teams about a $160 million 'fighting fund'.

But F1 supremo Ecclestone changed his tune dramatically in Brazil on Sunday, calling the talks "a waste of time" and telling the sport's minnows to either get their affairs in order or race out of the paddock gates.

He even said touted talks with CVC's Donald Mackenzie next week are off.

"It's not their position to decide who I speak to," said Ecclestone.

Bob Fernley, the angry deputy boss at Force India, confirmed that any earlier talk of financial help has now ended.

"We were given a clear direction there is no money on the table," he said.

He suggests a "very clear agenda" is in play, with Ecclestone, CVC and the big teams in cahoots to replace the minnows with customer teams.

"Three cars (per team) will be the interim," said Fernley.

The Times reports that a high-level email has been distributed that shows Red Bull and Ferrari have agreed to add third cars to their garages next year.

A Red Bull spokesperson immediately denied that, but angry Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said: "They are trying to drive teams out because they don't suit them anymore."

It appears the only concession Ecclestone is willing to make to the struggling teams is to advise them to follow the path expected to be taken by newcomer Haas in 2016 — buy a full chassis from a big team and survive that way.

The 84-year-old Briton was even quoted as calling the complaining teams "idiots".

"You know what the teams said to me in that meeting? 'We are constructors,' they said. I told them they can't afford to be constructors," said Ecclestone.

"Maybe it's an idea to have another championship in addition to the constructors'," Ecclestone is quoted by Germany's Sport1.

He means one world championship for the 'constructors' – Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Williams – and another for the smaller teams who possibly run year-old customer cars and older engine specifications.

Lotus owner Gerard Lopez confirmed: "The fact is we are talking about third cars, dividing the series into two categories, so forth.

"At the same time no one is talking about finding a real solution to the problem. Everyone is just talking about crazy things."

He predicted third cars would be "the death" of the sport.

"Looking at the proposals which have been made, we have to believe there is some agenda here," Kaltenborn told reporters on Sunday.

"The more these ideas are coming up, the more we three (teams) get the feeling that maybe some people don't want us to be around and maybe the sport is supposed to be changed in a very different way."

But Ecclestone insists that his plan is in fact the most sustainable way to run a small team in the sport's next era.

"You and I could start a team under those conditions for $30 million a year and for tenth in the championship you would get $48 million. What's the problem with that?" he said.

Caterham and even Marussia's Abu Dhabi hopes still alive
(GMM) As plans for three-car and customer teams emerge, F1 may in fact have a full grid for 2015.

It was reported from Brazil on Sunday that Red Bull and Ferrari may already have agreed to add another car to their garages next year, to plug the holes left by Caterham, Marussia and possibly others.

But a Red Bull spokesperson insisted: "Our preference would be a full grid of two-car teams."

Bernie Ecclestone also said nothing is certain regarding third cars, and that could be because Marussia and Caterham – albeit absent in Austin and Brazil – could arise from the ashes.

The F1 supremo has been fiercely critical of Caterham's crowdfunding scheme, but the fact is that in mere days, and with the rest of this week still to go, the team's administrators have already raised almost half of the $3.7m they need to race in Abu Dhabi.

Ecclestone smirked on Sunday: "If they go to Abu Dhabi, will they have enough money to get back home?"

The other team absent and in administration is Marussia, now called Manor, and it was confirmed during the Interlagos weekend that the outfit has now ceased trading and made its staff redundant.

Still, president Graeme Lowdon is not giving up.

He told Britain's Sky: "I don't feel like there's no way back. We're very competitive people and we'll keep fighting until there's absolutely no chance at all."

Ecclestone confirmed in Brazil that if the absent teams do not return for the Abu Dhabi finale, they will be locked out of F1 for 2015 and beyond.

Both, therefore, are aiming for an imminent comeback.

Reports suggest Marussia's administrators are in talks with "serious" potential investors, and a group tasked with leading the talks said: "The team is fully open for investment negotiations and are ready to race in Abu Dhabi provided we find investors for a relatively small injection of funds."

So for the moment, with two weeks until 2014 closes Abu Dhabi, the sport is still clinging to a full grid.

"We hope all the teams will be there (in Abu Dhabi) and (we) support a full grid of two-car teams," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

"We want a healthy grid, healthy racing and competitive racing."

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, however, reports that just as Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz is looking to cut funding to his second team Toro Rosso, the Faenza outfit could be able to lose its major sponsor Cepsa to the Real Madrid football team.

Rosberg looks to Massa for title finale help
(GMM) With only the 'Abu Double' showdown to run, Nico Rosberg nibbled back into title rival Lewis Hamilton's now 17-point lead with victory in Brazil.

"Obviously I had a big mistake in the mid part of the race," said championship leader and favorite Hamilton, referring to his spin.

German Rosberg, however, who started from pole, insisted that he always felt in control of the Briton on Sunday afternoon.

Still, he looked slightly glum on the podium. "No, I am happy. Very happy," Rosberg insisted.

But he also acknowledged that, having failed to stop Hamilton's winning streak a week ago in Austin, the world championship is no longer under his control.

That's because if he wins again in Abu Dhabi, and Hamilton finishes second yet again, the controversial 'double points' outcome will hand the title to the Briton.

Felipe Massa is the best bet to spoil help Nico Rosberg beat Lewis Hamilton to the title in Abu Dhabi

Rosberg, then, is rooting for Williams' on-form Felipe Massa, who finished third in Brazil. If he splits the Mercedes on the podium in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg's title is back in his charge.

"He's the man," Rosberg grinned, pointing to Massa. "I need some Felipe Massa help."

Later, he explained: "Lewis must not finish second in Abu Dhabi. He has to finish no higher than P3.

"I need to motivate Felipe to relax well before Abu Dhabi and have a stunning weekend to finish second!" Rosberg smiled.

Hamilton, however, indicated that although he always pushes to win races, he knows how to tackle the decisive race of the 2014 season.

"The situation is quite different to my first title in 2008, but I know how to win," he is quoted by the German newspaper Bild.

"For sure I don't need to risk as much as before, so if I find myself in a situation where there is a lot of risk, hopefully my experience will come into it."

That doesn't sound like a 'win at all costs' approach to Abu Dhabi.

It could be because the highly controversial 'double points' situation threatens to eat up Hamilton's big lead with something like a mechanical breakdown.

Even the architect of the scheme, Bernie Ecclestone, admitted in Brazil that he never envisaged his double points plan "would come to this sort of situation".

Hamilton departed Brazil with the message that the system is "unfair".

Mercedes' Toto Wolff is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport: "If it (reliability) wipes one of them (Hamilton or Rosberg) out, it will put a big shadow over the championship.

"Nobody likes the double points. We should talk about it and maybe get rid of it for next year," the team chief added.

"Every part on the cars in Abu Dhabi will be double checked," Wolff promised. "We will use all low-mileage parts."

Wolff also admitted he remains worried Hamilton and Rosberg will collide in Abu Dhabi, even though the venom appears to have disappeared from their relationship in the past weeks.

Wolff disputes that.

It has emerged that Hamilton did not attend a team dinner on Saturday night while Rosberg did, but Wolff insists that both drivers still have full access to one another's technical information.

"The atmosphere in the team is intense," he revealed. "They didn't talk to each other here (in Brazil) but that's ok. The championship is in the decisive phase now and in the team we can really feel that."

That Fernando Alonso is one silly guy. And according to the Spaniard, the silliness could continue for a while

Alonso plays down chance of Abu Dhabi announcement
(GMM) Fernando Alonso has departed yet another F1 circuit at the tail end of the 2014 season giving little away about his next move.

Reporters are hanging on the Spaniard's every word for clues about his expected departure from Ferrari and lucrative move to McLaren-Honda for 2015.

Few paddock dwellers are expecting a different outcome now, with Mercedes' door apparently locked and other Mercedes-powered teams like Williams and Lotus ruling out accommodating him.

"The truth is that we would love to have Fernando Alonso," Lotus' deputy boss Federico Gastaldi told Spain's AS newspaper, "but unfortunately I have to deny any possibility."

It means most paddock insiders are now simply waiting for the McLaren news to be officially unfurled.

After a conspicuous and uncomfortable delay by the Woking team, boss Eric Boullier wants it to finally happen in Abu Dhabi.

"I want it for the whole team, not just the mechanics working on the car directly but even in the factory that is already focused on 2015," he told Marca newspaper.

"If you expect it to happen after Abu Dhabi, it may take a week, two weeks, three weeks where nothing happens again and people maybe lose concentration."

Alonso, however, has bad news for the expectant Woking team.

"Australia 2015 is still several months away. I will do something by then," he smiled to television broadcasters after the Brazilian grand prix.

Asked specifically if an announcement can be expected at the Abu Dhabi finale, he answered: "I don't think so.

"We are still in this championship and scoring points now is the most important thing. That is the top priority," Alonso insisted.

His only hint was to tell Spanish reporters that he plans to race "at the best place possible" in 2015, which for now leaves question marks alongside the names of other drivers.

One of them is Romain Grosjean, who is obviously hoping a last-minute opportunity at a top team opens up.

"He still has this famous (exit) clause in his contract," Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez told France's RMC, "but for the moment, there is no change."

Could Jenson Button's recent form save his job at McLaren?

Also waiting is Jenson Button, who is expected to be ejected from F1 once the Alonso move is completed.

The Briton made a timely point to his McLaren paymasters on Sunday by finishing a strong fourth, but time may in fact have run out for the 34-year-old who told insiders that his next step could actually be into the world of professional triathlon.

After his solid result in Brazil, Button said: "I think I'm doing a pretty good job at the moment. I have nothing more to prove.

"I've been doing this job for 15 years, I was world champion, I always gave my best.

"The rest is not in my hands. When you're in my situation, there are good and bad days but on the track, I always try to stay positive."

Christian Horner suddenly doesn't like one team dominating Formula One

Horner admits 2015 'unfreeze' unlikely now
(GMM) Christian Horner has criticized Mercedes for continuing to block moves for an engine development 'unfreeze' for 2015.

He is the boss of Red Bull, the dominant world champions of the past four years whose run of success was stopped by the German team this season.

In Brazil, Red Bull mathematically secured second place in the constructors' world championship, with Horner arguing that it is the best possible outcome given the superiority of the Mercedes 'power unit'.

Red Bull's works supplier Renault and Ferrari are arguing vociferously that significant changes to the homologation or 'engine freeze' rules should be put in place in order to give Mercedes' rivals a chance beyond 2014.

Referring to Interlagos, where Sebastian Vettel finished fifth behind four Mercedes-powered cars, Horner said on Sunday: "We had no chance against the Mercedes engines."

In Brazil, talks between the engine makers broke down as Mercedes refused to agree to Renault and Ferrari's latest 'unfreeze' proposals.

"I doubt the engine freeze will even be extended until July now," said Horner.

"I understand Mercedes' position, but is it good for formula one when one team dominates and nobody can do anything about it?

"Yes, we also dominated, but it was a completely different situation," he argued.

"Everyone had the chance to develop their cars before each race, and much of what we did was immediately copied by our opponents," Horner added.

Marchionne worried, Tombazis now in doubt – report
(GMM) New Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has reportedly expressed concerns about the Italian team's 2015 project.

Recently, Italy's specialist Autosprint claimed wind tunnel figures of the project codenamed '666' showed that the 2015 car may be no better than the F14-T.

Now, the authoritative daily La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Marchionne, who recently took over from Luca di Montezemolo, reacted with alarm to the first concrete numbers emerging from the 2015 project.

And "Is it this year's car or next year's?" he reportedly asked when he was shown sketches.

The swords of Damocles have been falling all over Maranello in 2014, with Stefano Domenicali, Luca di Montezemolo, Luca Marmorini and now Fernando Alonso all departing.

There are claims chief designer Nikolas Tombazis could be the next, while a cloud has been over Pat Fry's job ever since James Allison assumed clear leadership in the technical realm.

When asked about the 2015 car rumors, Fry said in Brazil: "There's obviously a huge gap we need to catch up. I think things are progressing reasonably well."

And on the Tombazis rumor, a Ferrari spokesman told Spain's Marca sports daily: "Tombazis is chief designer at Ferrari today and there is nothing more to say."

Wolff: Rosberg would be worthy
Toto Wolff says if Nico Rosberg comes from behind to snatch the title in Abu Dhabi, as the one with the most points he will be a "worthy" Champ.

With the 2014 title race going down to the wire, the Championship will be decided in Abu Dhabi where the controversial double points rule will be in effect.

With 50 points up for grabs for the win, Hamilton's lead of 17 points could easily be negated by Rosberg.

However, there is a great deal of debate over whether the rule artificially influencing the title.

Added in the fact that Hamilton has 10 race wins this season to Rosberg's five and the question over who is the more worthy is also raised. Wolff, diplomatically, reckons whoever finishes with the most points is the most worthy.

"I do hope that it is not decided by a mechanical DNF because that would cast a shadow over the championship," said the Mercedes motorsport boss.

"We all knew the rules at the start of the season, and if Rosberg has most points at the end of the season he will be a worthy Champion.

"You have to be pragmatic."

Hamilton: Everything to play for in Abu Dhabi
Lewis Hamilton admits the 2014 title battle remains wide open after Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg beat him to victory in Brazil.

Rosberg resisted late pressure to cut Hamilton's lead to 17 points, with double the reward at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton was left to rue a costly half spin on the exit of Turn 4 during his second stint, but says he enjoyed going head-to-head with Rosberg.

"I made a big mistake in the middle of the race but otherwise the car was superb and everyone did a great job," Hamilton explained.

"It was great to race Nico. There is now everything to play for in the final race in Abu Dhabi."

Rosberg was suitably delighted after converting his 10th pole of the season into victory.

"I am very happy with the whole weekend," said Rosberg, who missed out on the weekend grand slam after Hamilton lowered the fastest lap time.

"I was able to attack and control the gap to Lewis in the race. It all worked out so that is great."

Video: Hamilton spins at Interlagos

Hybrid engines ruining F1
In London, Roger Blitz wrote F1 teams' cost crises are "frequent and inevitable." Costs have been "significantly higher because F1 shifted from V8 engines to hybrid turbo engines," which eat up $20M a season. The "solution?" Legal adviser Withers Worldwide's Anthony Indaimo said it is to "control the technological arms race and revive the personalities behind the wheel." He said, "You have to look at the business fundamentals and consider increasing and reallocating the commercial revenue as well as a spending cap to create a level playing field." FT

Fewer than 2,500 Tickets remaining for the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP
The 2014 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX is less than two weeks away and there are fewer than 2,500 tickets remaining!

To avoid disappointment, buy your tickets now to this epic season finale event of a double points race!

Many areas including Abu Dhabi Hill and Paddock Club are already sold out but you can still purchase tickets to the North and South Grandstands.

North Grandstand
The North Grandstand provides a unique arena experience on the circuit’s tightest hairpin turn, leading into the long straight. This is also the closest grandstand to Yas Arena where F1 ticket holders can enjoy the after race concerts.

South Grandstand
The South Grandstand stretches alongside the braking zone at the end of the high speed straight that cuts through the pleasant surroundings of the Marina. You will be ideally placed to watch this key part of the circuit where spectacular overtakes are likely. You will see the field weave through the Turn 11 chicane before accelerating hard out of 14. You will then have a great view as they sweep around the Marina, before disappearing under the illuminated Yas Viceroy Hotel.

As a ticket holder, you'll also have invitations to attend the entertainment packed After Race concerts including, Tamer Hosny, Carole Samaha, Fayez AlSaeed, Mohammed Assaf, Armin van Burren, Pharrell and The Who.

Ecclestone: Hamilton would be the better champion for F1
Bernie Ecclestone has said that he thinks Lewis Hamilton would be the better champion for Formula 1 in 2014, but revealed that he thought the Briton's teammate, Nico Rosberg, would win the title at the beginning of the year.

In a candid interview with both Ecclestone and Hamilton on formula1.com, the F1 supremo said that the bigger profile Hamilton enjoyed around the world would make him a better champion for the sport.

"At the beginning of the year, I thought Nico would be champion," Ecclestone revealed. "I thought that would probably suit the team better, and in my position I thought it would be better for Formula 1 to have a world champion who can speak several languages.

"I thought that if there was going to be any help, which I am certain that there hasn't been, then maybe there would be a bit more support forthcoming from a German team for a German driver. So yes, I was sure that Nico would do it.

"Privately I thought that Lewis would be a good champion. He is more widely known around the world than Nico. Consequently, he would be the better champion for the sport.

"I'm sure that, for example, 80% of the people in America know Lewis, and it's probably the same for the rest of the world. Most people haven't heard of Nico.
"Therefore, Lewis would be the better champion as far as this sport is concerned."