Latest F1 news in brief

After struggling early in his career, and making us doubt he had what it takes, Schumacher is now coming into his own

Schumacher now dominating F3
FIA to look into team alliances
Toro Rosso are moving more towards the Ferrari/Haas model with Red Bull
Williams Martini F1 Hires Delta Partners To Monetize Its Brand
Mercedes make most conservative tire choice for Singapore

Schumacher now dominating F3
(GMM) Mick Schumacher is well on his road to formula one.

That is the view of former F1 driver Mika Salo, who thinks it is possible the 19-year-old son of seven time world champion Michael Schumacher is good enough for the pinnacle of motor sport.

Recently, Schumacher leapt into contention for the prestigious European F3 title, after a clean sweep of victories at the Nurburgring round.

Asked why the young German has suddenly started dominating, Salo told Ilta Sanomat newspaper: "It's hard to say.

"It's his second year in the series, but something has happened because he is suddenly faster than the others. No one really knows why that is," he said.

Asked if an opportunity in F1 could present itself soon for young Schumacher, Salo answered: "Why not? If you can drive like that in the lower categories, then you are a good driver."

The more logical next step for Schumacher, however, would be Formula 2.

"I think he's mature enough for Formula 2," F1 legend Gerhard Berger agrees.

"If he does well there, he has a good chance for a formula one career," he said.

FIA to look into team alliances

Some teams may be taking alliances too far

(GMM) F1's governing body is keeping an eye on the emergence of alliances between the teams.

Haas entered the sport a few years ago in close alliance with Ferrari, and now Sauber is working closely with the Italian team as well.

And now, it is rumored that Force India or Williams could work much more closely with Mercedes.

"This is something we need to worry about and we will discuss it," FIA race director Charlie Whiting is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo.

"The relationship between Haas and Ferrari started the movement and we knew this was possible. This grey area has since been cleared up for new entrants and won't happen again.

"But we hear that there are alliances between the teams and I think we need to look into it closely," Whiting added.

Toro Rosso are moving more towards the Ferrari/Haas model with Red Bull

Franz Tost

Although they’re the Red Bull junior team on paper, Toro Rosso are very much their own entity. But with Honda power set to be used by both Red Bull and Toro Rosso in 2019, the Italian team are ramping up to increase their collaboration with the senior outfit for next year.

Toro Rosso announced in September of last year that they would move to Honda power for 2018, with Red Bull opting to take the same route for 2019 earlier this year. And while the two teams have used the same power units before – both running rebadged Renault items in 2017, for example – 2019 will see the Red Bull and Toro Rosso cars sharing an entire rear end, including a complete gearbox, as well as some front suspension parts.

“We will have a very close cooperation with Red Bull Technology next year because we will have the same rear part," said Toro Rosso Team Principal Franz Tost, “which means the power unit, gearbox and the suspension – everything within the regulations [that we’re allowed to use].

“The front suspension as well," he added, "the inner parts, not the outer parts. But that’s a lot, because the complete rear part means also the hydraulics, the electronics, all this kind of stuff."

The move will see Red Bull and Toro Rosso move closer to the Ferrari/Haas technical partnership model, whereby Haas benefit from using all the Ferrari parts that the Scuderia are legally allowed to make available for other teams, including power units, transmissions, suspension components, hydraulics and electronics.

It’s a model that’s clearly helped Haas, with the American team currently angling to overtake Renault’s fourth place in the constructors’ championship in only their third season in F1.

Toro Rosso, meanwhile, have never finished higher than sixth in the constructors’ race since their debut season in 2006. Could closer ties to Red Bull see that change? Formula1.com

Williams Martini F1 Hires Delta Partners To Monetize Its Brand
One of the "most enduring and storied names in motor racing," Williams Martini Formula 1, hired digital consultancy Delta Partners to "help it monetize that brand and its estimated global fan base of 21 million," according to Rodrigo Orihuela of BLOOMBERG.

Williams and Delta are "exploring new ways to generate revenue," including partnering with telecom carriers to offer video clips of training sessions and archive footage or live Q&As with drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin.

Showcasing the team's "collectible and historical cars when races are held from Australia to Brazil could also be a source of revenue," according to Sam Evans, a partner at Delta. Paid access to racing simulators is "among other options being considered."

Williams Head of Creative Services Steven English said that F1 is unique among major sports "in that it goes local in 20 markets."

English: "Formula 1 has not, historically, commercialized, at a team level, that option to engage with the global fanbase."

He claimed that is something Williams "wants to change with Delta."

Evans said that Williams and Delta are also considering live streaming and mobile games as "possible sources of revenue," which would fit into the team's strategy of moving into esports. BLOOMBERG

Mercedes make most conservative tire choice for Singapore
The Singapore Grand Prix marks the third appearance of the year for the P Zero Pink hypersoft tire (after Monaco and Canada) and it’s also the fourth race of the year where there’s a ‘step’ between the tire nominations.

The hypersoft and the ultrasoft will be seen at the Marina Bay circuit, but then there’s a jump to the soft (missing out the supersoft): the first time that this particular combination has been seen. The defining characteristic of Singapore it that it’s the championship’s only night race, which of course presents some unique challenges of its own – as well as a stunning spectacle.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas have a more conservative choice of tires for this weekend’s Formula 1 race in Singapore.

The sport’s official tire supplier Pirelli has nominated the hyper-soft tire for the third time this year. It is offered alongside the ultra-soft and, for the first time this season, the soft.

Each of the Mercedes and Red Bull drivers will have three sets of the latter, compared to just one for Ferrari duo Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. The scuderia’s drivers have chosen nine sets each of the hyper-softs, compared to seven each for the Red Bull pair and just six sets per Mercedes driver – the fewest of any team.

Haas and Force India have joined Ferrari in stocking up on the hyper-softs. Hamilton won last year’s race, which started on a damp track, running a set of intermediates for the first 29 laps then switching to ultra-softs for another 29-lap run to the flag.

Tire choices by driver for Singapore