April 3, 1977 Mario Andretti's historic performance in the "race that saved the race" saw him win the Grand Prix of Long Beach F1 race for the first of four times in his career. His popular win catapulted the race to national and international recognition.
Formula 1 Hot News

Latest F1 news in brief – Thursday (Update)

Brian Carroccio

UPDATE Updates shown in red below.

11/06/14

  • AR1 response to Mercedes: Unless you have an American hero like Mario Andretti in a top F1 ride where they are winning races and competing for the F1 title, F1 in America will remain but a blemish on NASCAR's posterior

    Sauber signs Nasr and sponsor for second seat

  • Caterham preparing for Abu Dhabi return
  • Brazil moves tractor after Bianchi crash
  • McLaren gives Alonso deadline for 2015 decision
  • Lotus hoping for Grosjean announcement 'soon'
  • Vergne 'not worried' about losing F1 seat
  • Rosberg missing aggression for 2014 'combat' – pundits
  • Caterham, Marussia re-named for 2015
  • Can Formula 1 ever catch on in NASCAR's America? Mercedes says yes, AR1.com says no
  • Gutierrez looking at several alternatives, but IndyCar may be his best option
  • Changes at Interlagos New
  • Sauber criticizes Ferrari's attitude New
  • Forza Rossa gets green light from the FIA New

Sauber signs Nasr and sponsor for second seat
(GMM) Sauber has locked Adrian Sutil, Esteban Gutierrez and Giedo van der Garde out of formula one for now.

The Swiss team has instead signed Williams reserve Felipe Nasr, and his sponsor Banco do Brasil, to be Caterham refugee Marcus Ericsson's teammate in 2015.

It leaves not only Sauber's existing drivers Sutil and Gutierrez looking for seats, but also the well-sponsored Dutchman van der Garde, who may be surprised to have missed out on his return to F1 with the team next season.

Sauber's reserve, van der Garde, had said this week that despite Ericsson's confirmation for 2015, his prospects were "looking good".

"I think we will have clarity within the next two or three weeks," he had told Dutch television Sport1 mere hours ago.

Caterham preparing for Abu Dhabi return
(GMM) Caterham is preparing to return to formula one for F1's 2014 finale in Abu Dhabi next month.

As it was put into administration following founder Tony Fernandes' ill-fated sale to Colin Kolles-managed investors, the team as well as backmarker Marussia sat out Austin and will again be absent in rainy Brazil this weekend.

But it then emerged on Wednesday that Caterham's administrators, led by Finbarr O'Connell, have lodged an official team entry for the 2015 season.

Marussia, now renamed to the operating company Manor, is also on the provisional FIA entry list.

But reports that Caterham and Marussia have paid the $500,000 entry fee already are wide of the mark. That fee is not due until late in November.

O'Connell, however, who now runs Caterham, said it was imperative to lodge a 2015 entry so that the team is saleable.

"It's absolutely essential," he said. "We're hoping the new owner will then pick up things like the fees and finalizing the 2015 design."

It would also make Caterham's life much easier if it could appear and race in Abu Dhabi, as Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA only agreed a two-race dispensation for the backmarker teams to sort their financial problems.

O'Connell said: "I think I've got enough confidence now to say I'd be very surprised if we were not racing in Abu Dhabi."

A headline at Brazil's Globo Esporte suggested Rubens Barrichello could make a "surprise return" to F1 as Caterham looks to get back up and running.

"There are a number of parties involved," said O'Connell, "but because the financial commitments are so huge it is difficult for people to commit. But we are making arrangements to go to there (Abu Dhabi) as we speak."

Marussia, now Manor, has been much quieter following its slump into administration, but boss Graeme Lowdon was in Austin last weekend for meetings.

In Austin, of course, the next three endangered privateer teams Lotus, Sauber and Force India threatened to boycott the race if the sport's owners CVC do not release more revenue.

It is reported those teams, plus Caterham and Marussia, could share a $160 million bonanza if Lotus owner Gerard Lopez's direct negotiations with CVC chairman Donald Mackenzie are successful in the coming hours.

"Talks are progressing well," the Guardian quoted Lopez as saying, "but I don't expect any news before Friday."

According to departed boss Cyril Abiteboul, however, life at the back of the grid for a team of Caterham's scale is not viable.

(Editor's note: of course, life at the back of the grid is not viable. For more see Brian Carroccio's article on the AR1 Home Page, which details the fundamental source of the economic crisis in Formula One.

The Frenchman, having returned to Renault, told Auto Hebdo: "In their (Caterham's) situation to be in formula one, it was simply impossible.

"You only have to analyze their situation and the economic model of F1 to realize that the adventure was doomed to failure," said Abiteboul.

Brazil moves tractor after Bianchi crash
(GMM) Organizers of the Brazilian grand prix have tweaked safety measures in light of Jules Bianchi's life-threatening Suzuka crash a month ago.

Globo reports that the tractor destined to be on duty in the famous 'Senna-S' has been relocated.

"The Bianchi accident certainly made us think," said Luis Ernesto Morales, the chief engineer at Interlagos.

"One of the changes we have made was the adoption of a new post at the new run-off area at the Senna-S, so that there will not be a tractor entering there.

"Undoubtedly, the changes have improved the safety procedures," he added.

During the wet Brazilian grand prix in 2003, Michael Schumacher spun off and narrowly missed a tractor that was removing Juan Pablo Montoya's stricken Williams.

Fernando Alonso has been given a deadline, our sources say he is already signed with McLaren

McLaren gives Alonso deadline for 2015 decision
(GMM) McLaren has warned Fernando Alonso he is running out of time to commit to the British team for the 2015 season.

Media reports in the last days have suggested the Spaniard, whose five-year stint at Ferrari appears definitely over, has now decided to re-join McLaren to spearhead the team's new works Honda era.

Italy's Tuttosport said the contract is for two years with a total value of EUR 70 million.

On a visit this week to Mexico City's rejuvenating F1 venue for 2015, however, Alonso denied the reports.

"There is nothing new," he insisted. "I have decided nothing for next year — nothing is definite yet.

"With Ferrari I am seeing what is the best decision for next year, whether I continue or not, but I will try to choose what is best for my future.

"I have something in my head, but every week for the past two months there have been these rumors, always with a different team.

"I respect Ferrari greatly," Alonso said. "It is a team that I love. For Ferrari it has been a difficult year, and for me it has been five difficult years."

On the face of it, it seems Alonso's only choice is McLaren or a sabbatical, leaving Jenson Button increasingly nervous about the likely end of his F1 career.

In his latest interview with Hermes, former McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen agrees: "Jenson's behavior lately reflects a certain loss of confidence.

"I think when you are striving for success in the long-term, your behavior looks different."

McLaren acknowledges that it has put Button and Kevin Magnussen in an awkward position as the Alonso talks drag on.

Team boss Eric Boullier may now be losing patience.

"We want to have Fernando's decision between Brazil and Abu Dhabi," the Frenchman is quoted as declaring clearly to the German newspaper Bild.

"We have had good conversations with him, he would fit well with us and he has signaled that he wants the job.

"However, we want a long-term solution – three years – not just a contract for one."

Honda is making no secret that it wants a driver of Alonso's top caliber for 2015. The BBC has reported Alonso is on the verge of agreeing a two-year contract plus a further option for 2017.

"We cannot comment on the drivers as it is a subject for McLaren and Honda," said the Japanese marque's F1 chief Yasuhisa Arai, according to Spain's Marca.

"But Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton are very strong drivers and all the teams want them. Any one of them has a chance of being in the team in 2015," Arai added.

The big favorite is clearly Alonso.

"There are simply moments in your career when you know that you have to change teams," McLaren legend Emerson Fittipaldi said. "Fernando has arrived at such a moment."

As AR1 told you, Romain Grosjean's 2015 plans would be determined when Fernando Alonso determined his.

Lotus hoping for Grosjean announcement 'soon'
(GMM) Romain Grosjean is edging close to a deal to remain with Lotus for 2015.

Spain's Marca reported this week that talks about a possible switch to McLaren-Honda, where the Frenchman may have been under consideration as an alternative to Fernando Alonso, have now ended.

Grosjean, obviously frustrated this year, said recently that Lotus' impending switch from Renault to Mercedes power will give the Enstone team an obvious boost for 2015.

And he has insisted the arrival of Petronas fuels, apparently contradicting his strong alliance with existing partner Total, will not affect his potential future at Lotus.

But in Austin last week, he did not hide his desire to move to a "top team".

"I have a contract with the (Lotus) team," said Grosjean, 28, "(but) I have the option to leave if I want to."

Speed Week now quotes deputy team boss Federico Gastaldi as saying: "We are still in the process of finalizing things.

"As I have already said, Romain is a very important member of our family at Enstone and we want to keep it that way.

"An announcement will follow shortly," he revealed.

"The discussions are very open and progressive, and we hope that we are soon in the position to go public."

Vergne 'not worried' about losing F1 seat
(GMM) Jean-Eric Vergne is suddenly sounding very confident about his future in F1.

Just a month ago, prior to Sebastian Vettel's shock decision to switch from Red Bull to Ferrari for 2015, Frenchman Vergne looked set to lose his place on the grid.

That was because the 2015 lineup at Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso was already set — Daniil Kvyat alongside the rookie sensation Max Verstappen.

The Vettel situation changed everything. Suddenly, Russian Kvyat got the call to replace the champion German, and a new place at Toro Rosso was open.

Carlos Sainz Jr, the Red Bull-backed new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, was an obvious favorite, but there was also a reluctance to create an all-rookie and extremely young pairing of the Spanish rookie alongside teenager Verstappen.

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost said he "personally" wants to keep Vergne, while Dutchman Verstappen thinks the experience of Vergne would be "better" at his side than another rookie.

And even Red Bull supremo Dietrich Mateschitz conceded recently: "There are some very good arguments in favor of having an experienced driver alongside a very young rookie (at Toro Rosso)."

Suddenly, 24-year-old Vergne is sounding very hopeful.

"Nothing is done yet," he is quoted by the French daily Le Figaro, "but I'm not too worried. I'll be in F1 in 2015."

Vergne admitted that staying at Toro Rosso is his "number one option".

Rosberg missing aggression for 2014 'combat' – pundits
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton has produced championship-winning performance alongside former title favorite Nico Rosberg in the latter stages of 2014.

That is the claim of former F1 stars turned pundits including the outspoken 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who said Mercedes' British driver deserves his title 'check mate' following five straight wins.

In contrast, Hamilton's teammate Rosberg, once the runaway leader in 2014, has fallen 24 points off the pace with just Brazil and then the 'double points' finale in Abu Dhabi still to go.

"In the crucial moments, Hamilton has just been more aggressive," French Canadian Villeneuve told the German magazine Sport Bild.

"And that's the only way you win a world championship."

Indeed, in the wake of his latest triumph in Austin, an increasingly bullish and relaxed Hamilton said he found a new gear after Spa in August, when he and Rosberg famously collided.

"Spa was like 'I'm going to turn this up. This means war!', that kind of feeling," Hamilton said.

Another pundit, David Coulthard, agrees with his contemporary Villeneuve that Rosberg might be missing the final piece of the title-winning puzzle.

"I am almost embarrassed to criticize Nico," said the former McLaren and Red Bull driver, "because he is 95 per cent the perfect driver.

"He is much better than I ever was technically, and he has the speed too," Coulthard declared.

"But what he has not yet proven is that he has the necessary hardness in combat. He needs to change that urgently in the last races of the season — not only because of the championship, but because of his reputation."

Caterham, Marussia re-named for 2015
Caterham and Marussia have both been included on next year's entry list for the Formula One world championship despite recently going into administration.

Both teams are in danger of losing their F1 status after being given special dispensation to miss last weekend's U.S. Grand Prix and this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Last week, Marussia team's moved into bankruptcy protection, four days after Caterham did the same, leaving only 18 cars on the grid in Austin, Texas, the smallest in nearly a decade.

Caterham has re-entered under its company name of 1 Malaysia Racing Sdn Bhd, which owns the team's F1 rights. Marussia has re-branded and will be known as Manor Grand Prix if it returns to the grid next season, although unlike Caterham its entry is subject to confirmation. Japan News/AP

AR1 response: Unless you have an American hero like Mario Andretti in a top F1 ride where they are winning races and competing for the F1 title, F1 in America will remain but a blemish on NASCAR's posterior

Can Formula 1 ever catch on in NASCAR's America? Mercedes says yes, AR1.com says no
Formula 1 doesn't garner close to the attention among Americans that NASCAR does — but the chief of this year's champion F1 team thinks that's all about to change.

Toto Wolff, the head of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team, says the planned 2016 launch of an American F1 race team from North Carolina could help push the series toward the other steps that would build its American fan base — more races and an American-born driver.

The world's most popular racing series hasn't had an American team running a car since 1986, and no American drivers since 2007. Gene Haas, owner of Haas Automation and the co-owner of NASCAR's Stewart-Haas racing, has already begun building offices and reached an agreement with Ferrari for F1 engines and technical help.

"When you come into this kind of racing, you need to understand what you do. Haas understands because he is in NASCAR and he has faced all the challenges you have when you set up a competitive race series. I think that he probably knows best what is needed at that stage," Wolff said at Austin's Circuit of the Americas, where his team scored another 1-2 finish on Sunday in the United States Grand Prix.

Part of the popularity of NASCAR also stems from pure drama, something that F1 has played down in the past. The well-known rivalry between winning Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and his counterpart Nico Rosberg has caused some dramatic instances both on the track and off this season. But F1 has seen nothing like the fistfight between NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski after Sunday's race that made national headlines.

"Competition continues to be intense between our two drivers," Wolff said. "These boys have been calibrated to win championships and this is the only thing they have ever worked for. Their biggest competitor and enemy is their teammate. There is no tension now, but we had some tensions and an incident in Spa but the situation now is much better than expected."

American drivers could also play a crucial role in helping F1 gain a greater foothold here, Wolff said.

"F1 is like running an enterprise — a midsize company — and you need to have a good face on it."

And drama isn't the only ingredient. A typical NASCAR race tends to draw about ten times more TV viewers in the United States than the F1 races that air at odd times over a weekend — but the F1 audiences on the NBC Sports Network have been growing strongly, while the NASCAR one has been flat to declining. And while NASCAR no longer releases live attendance figures, sports reporters in Texas said the 107,000-strong audience in Austin for the USGP on Sunday was greater than the crowd that showed up at the Texas Motor Speedway for NASCAR's AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup race.

"Austin is a great venue for the race. We are able to have big business meetings with U.S. firms and the city has great energy," Wolff said. "If we can get a second race into a fancy location like Las Vegas or New Jersey, it would be great."

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, whose win at Austin this weekend is his tenth this season, believes that having a second U.S. location is crucial to getting F1 in front of U.S. fans.

"NASCAR is on every week. We won't make a wave with one race. We need a couple of races here to really see F1 grow in popularity," Hamilton said.

Even without a home-grown team to cheer for, American F1 fans turned out in force Sunday. Kim Reimer, a Tallahassee fan, spends hundreds of hours working to create an exact scale replica of the Ferrari F1 car to wear as a hat to each race he can attend.

"I've been a racing fan for years. I brought my mother and my brother to this race and I've been coming for the last three years," he said. "It's great to have an F1 race in the U.S. and I'd love to see another location open up soon." Yahoo News

Gutierrez looking at several alternatives, but IndyCar may be his best option
Esteban Gutierrez says he is looking at "several alternatives" to remain in Formula 1 next season, after losing his place at Sauber.

Marcus Ericsson was confirmed as one of the team's drivers at the United States Grand Prix, with Felipe Nasr completing the line-up on Wednesday.

Although this casts doubt over Gutierrez's future in the top echelon, the 23-year-old Mexican is hopeful of finding a seat elsewhere.

"Unfortunately, after long talks and negotiations, we were not able to reach an agreement," said Gutierrez.

"At the same time we have and are still working on several alternatives with the intention to remain in Formula 1.

"I deeply thank all my work team, my sponsors and fans for their support throughout my career; we will continue working as a team to find the best way to go."

Gutierrez also thanked Sauber for the past two seasons of racing and the help the team provided as he was climbing the junior ladder.

"I'd like to thank each and every member of Sauber for all the time we worked together. I wish them the best of success," he explained.

Gutierrez's current team-mate, Adrian Sutil, is yet to respond to the news.

For both drivers, IndyCar may be their best alternative, but after racing on the glamorous F1 circuit, stepping down to Tony George's 'vision' of what IndyCar should be may not fly. They have one overseas race, at a complete dump of a track in Brasilia, but are otherwise a domestic series. If IndyCar still raced in Mexico City that would be one thing, but now F1 has taken that over. Somehow racing in the cornfields of Iowa just isn't the same as Monaco, Spa and Singapore.

Interlagos

Changes at Interlagos
A number of changes have been made at Interlagos, most notably the resurfacing of the entire track, including the pitlane.

The pitlane exit has been realigned further to the left to provide a run-off area around the outside of T2, while the pitlane entry has been realigned to the left in order to allow the pit wall start to be moved further away from the track.

Finally a low curb has been placed on the apex of T15 in order to prevent cars from cutting the corner.

There are two DRS zones. The first has a detection point at the apex of T2, with activation 20m after T3, while the second has its activation point 30m after T13, with an activation point 60m after T15.

Sauber criticizes Ferrari's attitude
Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci suggested after the United States Grand Prix that there was little sympathy for the plight of F1's minnows, as he felt grand prix racing only needed outfits with viable business models.

Those claims have riled Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn – who thinks Ferrari, which supplies Sauber's engines, should care about what is going on at the back of the grid.

She says that big manufacturers require a good return on the money they spend, and the moment that is not happening they will quit like BMW did when it owned Sauber at the end of 2009.

"Wasn't it Marco who also said that he's getting questions on ROI [return on investment] from his partners? How does he plan to keep that going so well with the way things are going here?" she said.

"What if his partners – who are probably paying a lot – come and say 'What's my return on investment with results? What's my return on investment with viewers going down, with the show not being attractive?'" she said.

"So I wonder if his business model is going to work if he didn't have the backing of those kind of partners or a manufacturer?

"Because I think if the manufacturer wouldn't put that money in there, you would have a business model that is defunct. And I know what I'm talking about."

FERRARI: FOCUS SHOULD BE ON GROWING REVENUE

Mattiacci's comments came after an Austin weekend where much of the focus in the F1 cost arguments was on the hefty bonus payments teams including Ferrari get.

He was adamant that the best way forward was not for big teams to sacrifice income for the smaller outfits but for F1 to grow its revenues.

"It's not to define medium teams, or small teams. F1 needs competitive teams," said Mattiacci.

"There are many corporations around the world, many big brands that should capitalize on a phenomenal motorsport platform like F1 is.

"At the same time as being a strong believer in F1, I think the focus needs to be how to increase the revenue.

"We're here in the United States where F1 is getting larger, so my focus as a company where 30 per cent of sales are in United States, I want to make sure we get more and more success in the United States.

"I want an extra race in the United States. I want three races in the United States. Because the American market is fundamental to generating revenue, to attract sponsors, so that's my problem." Yahoo Eurosport

Forza Rossa gets green light from the FIA
The FIA has given the green light to new Romanian team Forza Rossa joining the sport over the next two years according to an article in the Independent by Christian Sylt.

The news does not come directly from the FIA or F1's boss Bernie Ecclestone but the source is indisputable as it is a sworn witness statement given to London's High Court. The statement was released as part of the recent administration proceedings of Caterham and it also reveals at last the details of the team's much-rumored connection to Forza Rossa.

The new team is being led by former Romanian health minister Ion Bazac and although its entry into F1 has been speculated for many months it hasn't been confirmed until now.

The witness statement comes from Constantin Cojocar, a former professional footballer for Romanian Club Steaua Bucharest, whose entry into F1 came in September when he bought Caterham Sports, the company which designs and builds cars for Caterham. Last week Caterham Sports and the team's operating company 1Malaysia Racing Team (1MRT) were put into the hands of administrators and Cojocar's witness statement lifts the lid on Forza Rossa's plans.

"Early in 2014, a Romanian team called FRR Formula 1 Team (Forza Rossa) formed the intention of entering Formula 1. The project is led by a Mr. Ion Bazac, a former Romanian health minister. In June 2014, Forza Rossa received a letter of intent from the FIA (the governing body for Formula 1), allowing it to enter Formula 1 in the next two years. Forza Rossa hopes to race in the 2015 season, but time to prepare is running short."

It confirms reports earlier this year that the Romanian team has a "serious" plan in place. In June Joe Saward claimed that "to underline the serious nature of the Romanian bid, the country's Minister of Youth and Sport Nicolae Banicioiu led a delegation that attended a meeting in the FIA logistics facility in Valleiry, near Geneva, earlier this week at which the proposals were examined by FIA engineers led by the federation's Technical Director Bernard Niclot and Charlie Whiting." According to Cojocar, Caterham Sports was at the heart of this plan.

In his statement Cojocar says that he bought Caterham Sports with the intention of it designing and building cars for both Caterham and Forza Rossa. "I have been involved with a consortium of Romanian investors who saw an opportunity to purchase [Caterham Sports], clear its debts and sell racing services to the Forza Rossa team…The intention was to sell or lease to 1MRT those assets 1MRT requires, and to sell or lease the remaining assets to Forza Rossa."

Ironically, the collapse of Caterham Sports has presented Forza Rossa with a golden opportunity. This is because it now has a chance to buy the team's assets from the administrator who is looking to sell them to clear debts or broker a deal which keeps the wheels turning. PitPass