Latest F1 news in brief

Leclerc in Baku

Baku will boost Leclerc's confidence – boss
Rosberg says 2019 car changes 'important'
Another crash will mean team orders – Marko
Le Mans will make Alonso 'tired' – Hartley

Baku will boost Leclerc's confidence – boss

Leclerc

(GMM) Frederic Vasseur has hailed the performance of Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc in Baku.

After a difficult start to 2018, the much feted Ferrari junior and reigning Formula 2 champion finally broke through with an impressive run to sixth place.

Asked if the performance surprised him, Sauber boss Vasseur told Auto Hebdo: "No.

"On Saturday he excelled in qualifying and felt confident about the race. He also showed good pace on Friday and knew that he had good prospects."

Vasseur said the 20-year-old Monaco born driver's performance came at a good moment.

"Yes, this result will allow him to feel confident after an unsuccessful start to the season," said the Frenchman.

"It's the same for the team. It's good for the confidence and motivation of everyone, even if we have to keep moving gradually," Vasseur added.

But he warned that it could be a different story at the next circuit, Barcelona.

"Baku suited our car because of the low drag, favoring a very powerful engine with not much downforce. But the next weekend in Barcelona will be different.

"We must wait for Canada, as that is a track more suitable for our car again."

Rosberg says 2019 car changes 'important'

Nico Rosberg

(GMM) Nico Rosberg and Ross Brawn have hailed the news emerging from Paris.

The FIA announced that, after a World Motor Sport Council fax vote, stakeholders including the F1 teams voted to approve car changes for 2019 designed to improve overtaking.

The new changes are in addition to an extra allowance in fuel for the races in 2019.

Also next year, the cars will feature simplified brake ducts and front and rear wings, with the governing body saying the likelihood of better racing is "strong".

Ross Brawn, F1 owner Liberty Media's sporting boss, called the 2019 tweaks "an important step".

"It's important to note that the decision was taken after an intense period of research into the FIA's proposals, which were made with the support of formula one and conducted by a majority of the teams," he added.

2016 world champion Nico Rosberg agreed with Brawn that the aerodynamic changes for next year are "a very important move".

Another crash will mean team orders – Marko

"He zig-zagged," Niki Lauda told Bild newspaper. "That's completely pointless. He [Verstappen] does not learn."

(GMM) Red Bull may consider imposing team orders if Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collide again.

After Baku, bosses Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko were furious, but said they remained committed for now to always letting the team's drivers race.

But Marko now tells Sport Bild: "At the next collision, we will have to do a team order, although we are actually against it."

Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda put the blame on Verstappen at 70 per cent.

"He zig-zagged," the F1 legend told Bild newspaper. "That's completely pointless. He does not learn."

But Marko insisted Red Bull has no regrets about signing Dutchman Verstappen, notwithstanding his troubles in 2018.

"We got Max because of his speed and his aggressiveness. Then you have to live with the fact that sometimes sparks fly," he said.

As for whether his relationship with teammate Daniel Ricciardo might be broken, Verstappen said no.

"No, no," he told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV. "We talked immediately after the crash and I cannot imagine it will change our good relationship.

"It was not the first time we have fought, and with one exception everything always went smoothly. Our fight before the accident was tough but always fair," Verstappen added.

And so he said he is "staying positive" ahead of the Spanish grand prix.

"We're getting numerous improvements to the car for Spain so I'm assuming we'll be very competitive there," he said.

Meanwhile, Germany's Suddeutsche newspaper reports that at Baku, official talks between Red Bull and Honda kicked off.

"It was positive," Honda's Masahi Yamamoto is quoted as saying. "This is the beginning of a potential future."

Le Mans will make Alonso 'tired' – Hartley

Alonso during Toyota interview

(GMM) Brendon Hartley is expecting Fernando Alonso to be "pretty tired" as his split duties between F1 and Le Mans racing kick off.

Spaniard Alonso is already at Spa Francorchamps, where at the weekend he will begin his adventure racing for Toyota in the world endurance championship.

Last year, now Toro Rosso driver Hartley did a similar thing, getting the call-up to race in F1 while completing his sports car duties for Porsche.

"It will be something different for him," the New Zealander told Spain's El Mundo Deportivo.

"I did a similar thing to him at the end of last year. It's exciting but he'll be pretty tired when everything's over.

"I don't know how many consecutive weeks he has, but I would say that Le Mans is a very exhausting race. It's not just a weekend, it's a full week, there's a lot of preparation, very short nights.

"But I think he'll love it," Hartley added.