Latest F1 news in brief

Arrivabene says Ferrari will be slow at Silverstone

Ferrari could struggle at Silverstone – boss
Williams slow at every race – Stroll
Ricciardo reveals contract talks with Mateschitz
Wolff: Ferrari F1 team orders in Austrian GP would've been 'brutal'
Assen would be a nice track for F1 – Whiting

Ferrari could struggle at Silverstone – boss
(GMM) Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene has warned that Ferrari may struggle this weekend at Silverstone.

Thanks to Mercedes' double failure, Sebastian Vettel left Austria on Sunday with a 1 point lead in the world championship.

But as F1's first ever triple header ends in Britain this weekend, Ferrari's Arrivabene is not sure Vettel can keep the lead.

"On paper, Silverstone looks quite difficult for us. Aerodynamics are very important and it will be a difficult race for us, so we have to stay focused," Arrivabene told Sky Italia.

But he says a question mark about reliability at least now hangs over Mercedes, even though the German team was bullish about its big upgrade package in Austria.

"Sometimes you speak too loudly," said the Italian. "In formula one you can bring an interesting upgrade package but maybe it gets too warm and you stop."

Arrivabene also defended Ferrari's decision not to use 'team orders' in Austria, even though moving Kimi Raikkonen aside would have given Vettel a bigger points lead.

"We decided to let Kimi, who is a world champion, drive. They both fought the whole race," he said.

Vettel would have preferred to have done better simply by starting higher on the grid, but he was penalized three grid places for blocking Carlos Sainz in qualifying.

"Oh, I could talk about it for a long time," the German driver said.

"Even Sainz said it was nothing. Ok some complained, but complaining is not motor racing. We should let the drivers sort it out between us."

Vettel also said he was happy that Ferrari didn't issue team orders last Sunday.

"No, why?" he said when asked if he wanted Raikkonen to move.

"Kimi drove as fast as he could and so did I. Without the three lost (grid) places, we could have won," Vettel added.

"Our race speed is right, but in qualifying we are currently a bit behind. So we need to roll up our sleeves.

"At Silverstone, we are not usually the best, so Mercedes is the favorite there I think."

Williams slow at every race – Stroll

Paddy Lowe's Williams a real slug

(GMM) Lance Stroll says Williams' car problems equate to up to a 30 horse power deficit.

The British team is stuck in arguably its worst ever crisis, with the slowest car in formula one and boss Paddy Lowe admitting there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

"I don't expect a lot of progress at Silverstone," he admitted.

"We are counting on the next package."

Lowe is in charge of the technical side at Williams, but he said it is no simple thing to set up the sort of structure he put together at Mercedes.

"Not everything that worked well there can be moved here. We need time for that," he said.

Even Robert Kubica, the team's experienced test driver, is frustrated, particularly after his running on Friday in Austria.

"I did things that are not normally done and which should not be done by the driver," said the Pole.

"We must understand what is wrong with this car so that we don't just have the same thing next February," he added.

Stroll, Williams' highly funded Canadian race driver, sounds even more frustrated.

"Unfortunately we have no performance, and it's the same story at every race. We are too slow," Stroll said.

"It's like being 25 to 30 horse power down, so you can't do anything," he told La Presse.

Ricciardo reveals contract talks with Mateschitz

Ricciardo staying with Red Bull

(GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may be inching towards a new deal with Red Bull.

The Australian has been linked with moves to Ferrari, Mercedes or McLaren for 2019, but Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko said in Austria that Ricciardo is getting "closer" to inking a new contract.

Ricciardo says the Austrian grand prix, Red Bull's home race, was the scene of promising talks, especially as the energy drink company's magnate Dietrich Mateschitz was trackside for a rare visit.

"I spoke with the big boss, who I like a lot," the 28-year-old driver is quoted by Corriere dello Sport.

"It's a pity he doesn't run the team alone because everything is easier with him," Ricciardo smiled. "But there's still some time to understand what needs to be done.

"We'll see how things evolve," he added.

Wolff: Ferrari F1 team orders in Austrian GP would've been 'brutal'

If Vettel loses title by 3 points you know why

If Vettel loses title by 3 points or less you know why

Ferrari would have been "brutal" had it switched Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel's places with team orders in the Austrian Grand Prix, says Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff.

Ferrari elected not to ask Raikkonen to cede second place to give Vettel an extra three points, despite the Finn being out of realistic title contention, in a decision Wolff applauded.

"We wouldn't have and I'm not surprised that they didn't," he said.

"I think for the sake of the sport and the fans and the drivers, at that stage in the season, the beginning of July, switching drivers is quite a brutal call."

Vettel got within 1.6 seconds of Raikkonen, but made clear he never anticipated team help – saying "no, why?" when asked by Sky Sports F1 if he had expected a place swap.

"Kimi did everything he could [to catch Verstappen]," Vettel added.

"I was trying to hunt both of them down. Kimi was pushing as hard as he could and I was pushing as hard as I could. Both of us were closing but it wasn't enough."

Assen would be a nice track for F1 – Whiting

Assen

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting believes Assen “would be a nice track" for the sport but requires small changes to host F1.

Following comments from Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo urging Assen to ‘keep away from F1’, attention has returned on the potential comeback of the Dutch Grand Prix after a 33-year absence. Assen has never hosted F1, with all previous Dutch races held at Zandvoort, but last January the circuit was inspected by race director Whiting to assess its existing FIA circuit license.

According to the FIA’s official list of licensed circuits, last updated in October 2017, Assen has a Grade 2 license – the same standard as Brands Hatch and Donington Park – but would require a Grade 1 license to host F1.

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting believes Assen “would be a nice track" for the sport but requires small changes to host F1.