Latest F1 news in brief – Monday
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The F1 logo looks like a trademark infringement Trademark trouble over F1's new logo
- 'Fireworks' expected at F1 meeting
- Bottas expects 2018 car to suit him better
- No place at Ferrari for Lauda – Marchionne
- Sauber to become Alfa Romeo works team – Vasseur
- American drivers slam Haas boss comments
- Briatore tips 'return to podium' for Alonso
- Horner happy to have engine 'options' for 2019
Trademark trouble over F1's new logo
(GMM) F1 is heading for trademark trouble after launching its new official logo.
Some fans were dismayed late last season when Liberty Media revealed that it is replacing the sport's iconic 'flying F' logo of the Bernie Ecclestone era.
But also dismayed is the stationary company 3M, according to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.
He wrote in the Telegraph that the new F1 logo "bears a striking resemblance" to an existing 'F' logo already registered by 3M for a brand of compression tights.
A 3M spokesman said: "We have not had any discussions about the logo with the other party. We are looking into this matter further."
'Fireworks' expected at F1 meeting
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| Zak Brown slammed for created a motorsports media monopoly. His company has gobbled up just about every motorsports media company out there using a Russian billionaires money |
(GMM) An F1 team boss is expecting "fireworks" at a forthcoming meeting.
Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick, said the 2021 engine rules and income distribution will be discussed at the Thursday meeting.
"I expect fireworks," McLaren boss Zak Brown is quoted as saying.
Benoit also said grid rows made up of potentially three or four cars will be discussed, as will be the addition of a digital 'ticker' on the Halo.
Meanwhile, Benoit – who has attended and covered grands prix for decades – also expressed concerns about the direction of the sport's media.
He said the FIA has set up a media working group "to make coverage better".
But Benoit wondered: "How is that going to happen when Zak Brown and his billion-dollar partners on the internet hunt all sorts of motor sport sites and agencies to buy?"
He added that an effective media monopoly is "politically very dangerous" for F1. "The FIA should speak a word of power and not sit idly by," he suggested.
Bottas expects 2018 car to suit him better
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| Will the new Mercedes better suit Bottas? |
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he expects this year's Mercedes car to suit him better.
The Finn arrived at the German team unexpectedly early in 2017, after new world champion Nico Rosberg suddenly quit.
"Although very fast, the car was rarely perfect for me," Bottas now tells Finland's Turun Sanomat.
"But from what I've seen of the new car, I think everything will be in a better direction."
He confirmed that "there are differences" between his and world champion Lewis Hamilton's driving styles.
"I believe that everything I learned in the past season will help me in the future," Bottas said.
No place at Ferrari for Lauda – Marchionne
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| Ferrari says Wolff (L) can keep Lauda (R) |
(GMM) Sergio Marchionne says there is no place at the Italian team for former Ferrari champion Niki Lauda.
Lauda achieved great success for Maranello as a driver and later worked as a Ferrari consultant.
But the Austrian legend is now a shareholder and team chairman at Mercedes, with his existing contract running until 2020.
"Niki Lauda is fundamental to Mercedes," Ferrari president Marchionne told Autosprint.
"He always understands what happens in the mind of the driver, which is a great value and he rarely makes mistakes in evaluating what a driver does.
"However, in our team there is no space for a prophet like him," Marchionne insisted.
He said team boss Maurizio Arrivabene is doing a "great job" with Ferrari's "two complex drivers" Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.
Sauber to become Alfa Romeo works team – Vasseur
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| Vasseur would be happy to be the works Alfa Romeo team manager |
(GMM) Sauber could eventually become a full works Alfa Romeo team.
That is the vision of the Swiss team's boss Frederic Vasseur, when asked by France's Auto Hebdo about the new Alfa title sponsorship brokered by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.
"The company's executives want to see a fully-fledged Alfa Romeo team," Sauber team principal Vasseur said.
"At this time we use Ferrari engines, but our goal is not to be a subsidiary but the main Alfa Romeo team.
"However, there will still be a bridge between these two brands in the form of the driver composition and the testing base," said Vasseur.
Former Renault boss Vasseur's comments are surprising, as just days ago Sauber founder Peter Sauber insisted that the Hinwil based team remains a F1 privateer.
Vasseur said: "Personally, I do not see how in the end a private team can survive in formula one.
"Private teams can have a couple of great seasons, like Force India at the moment. But with the slightest hint of a crisis, the whole illusion can collapse.
"Thanks to the cooperation with Alfa Romeo, our team is on a stable course," Vasseur added.
American drivers slam Haas boss comments
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| American driver hater Guenther Steiner |
(GMM) Well-known American drivers have hit back at Haas team boss Gunther Steiner.
Days ago, Steiner said the small Ferrari-linked American team does not have an American driver because there are none on the market that are ready for F1.
"Complete BS," said IndyCar driver Graham Rahal.
"If Haas really believes that, why don't you call some of us and give it a shot?
"American drivers are damn good. There's lots of talent here," he said on Twitter, insisting that IndyCar is "far more competitive anyways".
Another IndyCar driver, Conor Daly, agrees: "How can you possibly call yourselves an 'American' team and totally berate your entire 'home' nationality of drivers?
"There hasn't even been a hint of consideration of any well-established American drivers over here," he added.
Nascar legend Jeff Gordon said: "F1 teams will never truly embrace an American driver unless they establish them and train them in Europe themselves from age 9 or 10.
"There's plenty of great talent in America that given the right opportunity and quality equipment could be successful but I don't see it happening any time soon."
Finally, 1978 world champion Mario Andretti called Steiner's comments "wrong and arrogant".
Briatore tips 'return to podium' for Alonso
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| Flavio Briatore |
(GMM) Flavio Briatore said he hopes Fernando Alonso can "return to the podium" in 2018.
As Alonso's management impresario, the former Renault boss was among those who helped broker the Spaniard's ill-fated move to McLaren-Honda.
Now, McLaren is dumping Honda and Briatore backs Alonso's decision to stay with the British team for a fourth consecutive year and its new customer Renault engine era.
"Fernando's extra time at McLaren is testament to his great loyalty to the team," the Italian told France's Auto Hebdo.
"Fernando never expected to encounter so many reliability problems with the Honda engine. For three years, the team also suffered from a lack of performance, but Fernando has decided to stay.
"He knows the Renault people very well and what to expect from the engine. I hope he can return to the podium this year," Briatore said.
Horner happy to have engine 'options' for 2019
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| Will Red Bull also switch to Honda in 2019? |
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes it is a "great thing" that the team can assess their options when choosing their next engine supplier.
Both Red Bull and Renault have both refused to commit to each other after the end of the upcoming season, while Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso have started a new partnership with Honda.
Red Bull are no rush to clarify the situation, though, and Horner is happy to play the waiting game.
"The great thing for us is that we have options, which is a situation we haven't been in previously," Horner told RACER.
"We'll take our time to evaluate those options and then try and make the best informed decision we can during the course of the coming year."
On Toro Rosso's deal with Honda, Horner said he would be keeping a very close eye on their relationship.
"It's a great deal for Toro Rosso," he said. "Honda have a great legacy in Formula 1. They have desire and ambition.
"As a sister team we'll be keeping an interested eye on their progress during the first half of the year."