Latest F1 news in brief

Mick Schumacher

Schumacher tipped to sign Ferrari deal
Arrivabene exit no surprise – Audetto
Haas to continue Ferrari collaboration – Steiner
McLaren to race 'very different car' in 2019
F1 Reveals That Over Two-Thirds Of Fans Didn't Care About Its New Logo

Schumacher tipped to sign Ferrari deal

(GMM) Mick Schumacher could be about to sign up with Ferrari's driver development 'academy'.

International publications including La Repubblica, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Autosprint and RTL claim the son of F1's most successful driver could sign the deal in the coming days.

Schumacher, 19, won the European F3 title this year and is tipped to follow in the footsteps of his father Michael with a career in formula one.

As part of the Ferrari deal, Mick could take part in the post-grand prix young driver tests in Bahrain and Spain this year, the media reports claim.

The last two high profile products of the Ferrari academy are Antonio Giovinazzi, who will race for Sauber this year, and new Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc.

Schumacher already has a super license, which is the mandatory credential to race in F1.

Arrivabene exit no surprise – Audetto

Arrivabene

(GMM) A former Ferrari team manager says he is not surprised the Maranello team ousted Maurizio Arrivabene.

"If you don't win, after four years it's difficult to remain in a leading position," said Daniele Audetto, an experienced former F1 manager who was most recently involved with Super Aguri and HRT.

"At a team like that, which is born to win, when you don't win, the manager automatically changes," he said. "It's the hard law of F1, which for Ferrari applies in an even more special and exclusive way.

"It's a shame for Maurizio as he is a friend, but he also paid for not having a purely racing pedigree. On the other hand it's a great result to have stayed in that position for as long as he did," the Italian told Autosprint.

Succeeding Arrivabene as the Ferrari team boss is Mattia Binotto, who is also still technical director.

"I do not know him well enough to say much, but I know he is a good engineer. I also know that at Ferrari it is very, very difficult to be the team principal or even the sporting director.

"I hope and wish that he has the personality, charisma and experience to manage the complex things he is about to face," Audetto added.

He said life as Ferrari's team boss is even harder these days without a figure like former president Luca di Montezemolo at the helm.

"It is true that Arrivabene made a good impression compared to the first days of Jean Todt," said Audetto.

"Jean was always supported and defended by a great media man like di Montezemolo. For years and years he shielded his men, including Schumacher who for the first four years did not win the title.

"Right now there is not a Montezemolo to defend everyone and enchant the media," he added.

Haas to continue Ferrari collaboration – Steiner

If you cannot beat them, copy them. Gunther Steiner happy to have zero chance to win

(GMM) Gunther Steiner says Haas will continue to benefit from its close collaboration with Ferrari.

Last year, the small American team finished fifth overall, amid complaints that it effectively uses a Ferrari 'clone' single seater.

But boss Steiner says the team has proved it does nothing wrong.

"We've invited everyone to come and take a look," he is quoted by Speed Week. "We've also passed every FIA test and are still open should anyone else want to check us out.

"So far no one has come because people just try to scare us. But you cannot scare someone if they are not supposed to be scared. That's why we said 'Be our guests'."

Steiner said Haas will therefore continue to align closely with Ferrari, involving using as many Ferrari-designed components as the regulations allow.

"It will continue exactly as it did before," he confirmed.

"We have a very good cooperation. Everything runs very smoothly, so there's no reason to change."

McLaren to race 'very different car' in 2019

McLaren totally revamped for 2019

(GMM) McLaren will head into the 2019 season with a "very different car".

That is the claim of team boss Zak Brown, who indicated that the once-great British team's recent struggles may now be coming to an end.

"It will be a very different car compared to 2018," he is quoted by Italy's Autosprint.

"We need good feedback from our drivers, because as the team progresses we need both cars in the points. They know it and it's the team's goal," Brown added.

Despite losing Fernando Alonso, McLaren has Carlos Sainz to replace him. The Spaniard said he feels good now that his long collaboration with Red Bull has ended.

"My independence has come with a two year contract with McLaren," he is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo.

"McLaren has a very clear plan," Sainz added. "Hopefully, it will make McLaren what it used to be — a winning team. But it is a long term plan," he warned.

Boss Brown, however, said he expects that McLaren has put together a "good car" for Sainz and rookie teammate Lando Norris to drive this season.

"Winter development went according to plan, although you don't know what the competition has done, and competition is tough.

"Andreas (Seidl) will be responsible for the management of the F1 team," said Brown. "My role is to give McLaren a competitive platform in whatever form of motor sport we decide to race in.

"F1 is our priority, and I have to make sure there are the right people in the right places with the right resources. With Andreas (Seidl) and James Key and Pat Fry, I'm really happy with the team we have put together," he added.

F1 Reveals That Over Two-Thirds Of Fans Didn't Care About Its New Logo

Formula One’s global research director has revealed that more than two-thirds of its fans were indifferent about its controversial decision to change its logo last year.

The previous logo cleverly created the silhouette of a number one between a slanted letter ‘F’ and the speed lines opposite it. In contrast, the new one is much simpler and is formed from a curved stripe with a white line running through the middle followed by a straight line. It made its debut at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2017 and was used throughout last year.

It was met with criticism from fans and industry figures alike. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel said “I liked the old one better" and reigning champion Lewis Hamilton added “I don’t think the new one is as iconic." Fans likened it to everything from a headless bull to a kitchen tap but the majority of them actually didn’t care according to F1’s global research director Matt Roberts.

In a wide-ranging Q&A on discussion website Reddit, Roberts said, “from social media, you would have assumed that everybody hated the logo. However research amongst 8,000 representative global sports fans showed that over 2/3s of F1 fans (avid + casual) didn’t really have an opinion either way with the remainder slightly more positive than negative about the new branding."