Latest F1 news in brief

Paddy Lowe (back-right) brought Mercedes secrets to Williams

Massa hails Lowe's impact at Williams
Alonso to 'represent' F1 drivers well – Sainz
Long wheelbase to hurt in Monaco – Mercedes
Alonso 'not on Mercedes wish list' – Lauda
Vettel, Hamilton's rivals 'can't keep up' – Lauda
Button eager for 'slightly surreal' comeback
Monaco 'all about mental strength' – Hamilton

Massa hails Lowe's impact at Williams
(GMM) Felipe Massa has hailed Paddy Lowe for a noticeable turnaround inside the Williams team.

Brazilian Massa has driven for the famous British team since leaving Ferrari, but he says the immediate impact of the arrival of former Mercedes chief Lowe this year was palpable.

"What he has done is unite the different departments," he told UOL Grande Premio.

"Before, one area would fight with another because a part was taking time to be ready, for example. That has changed. Now the areas are united in the right way, just like a big team," Massa added.

But the 36-year-old said Williams is still lagging behind the really big teams in other ways.

"I think we cannot compare on the financial side, as there are a lot of things that make the difference between a big team and a middle team," said Massa.

Alonso to 'represent' F1 drivers well – Sainz Jr.

Will the IndyCar regulars be looking at the back of Alonso's Honda at the finish of the Indy 500

(GMM) Carlos Sainz Jr. says he is sure Fernando Alonso will "represent" current F1 drivers well at the Indy 500 on Sunday.

While Alonso's usual competitors are contesting the prestigious Monaco grand prix this weekend, the Spaniard will be in Indianapolis preparing for the famous high speed oval race.

And Sainz, a Spaniard and friend of Alonso's, said he will be keeping his eye on Alonso's exploits.

"I watched qualifying and was not surprised how well he did. I knew he would," the 22-year-old told the Spanish daily Marca.

"The race is another story, very long and with so much that can happen, but I'm sure he will also do well.

"I'm sure all of us formula one drivers in Monaco will be watching and encouraging him, hoping he does well and that he represents us well," Sainz added.

Long wheelbase to hurt in Monaco – Mercedes

The Mercedes will fly in Monaco

(GMM) Mercedes is concerned Ferrari could have the upper hand this weekend in Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton actually returned to the top step of the podium in Barcelona, but that circuit particularly suited the specifications of Mercedes' 2017 car.

Monaco, the tight and twisty street circuit, could be a different matter.

"A car with the longest wheelbase on a track with so many slow corners … we could be slower than them," Valtteri Bottas, referring to Mercedes' battle with Ferrari this year, is quoted by Brazil's Globo.

And Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "At the moment, Ferrari has certain advantages there (at Monaco).

"We will have our problems with our longest wheelbase through the tight corners," predicted the F1 legend. "It will be even worse than in Singapore."

Alonso 'not on Mercedes wish list' – Lauda

The negotiating tactics begin

(GMM) Niki Lauda has dealt a blow to Fernando Alonso's chances of switching to Mercedes next year.

Earlier, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said the Spaniard could not be ruled out for 2018, but pointed to Alonso's historically problematic character and past run-ins with Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso, 35, has said he might be on the move at the end of the year, as his three-year contract with struggling McLaren-Honda finally runs out.

But Mercedes team chairman Lauda told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "He (Alonso) is certainly not on our wish list.

"We are fully satisfied with Hamilton and Bottas. But as my partner Toto Wolff has said: never say never," the great Austrian added.

Vettel, Hamilton's rivals 'can't keep up' – Lauda

Vettel hounds Hamilton in Melbourne

(GMM) Niki Lauda has hailed the Ferrari versus Mercedes duel for the 2017 world championship.

So far this year, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have each won two grands prix, and are separated in the standings by just 6 points.

That duel culminated in the recent Spanish grand prix, which Lauda said he enjoyed watching.

"It was racing at the highest level," said the Mercedes team chairman. "It does not get any better. Pure fascination.

"A four time world champion and a three-time world champion fighting for Ferrari and Mercedes in the two best cars in the world. There is no better advertising for the sport," Lauda, the F1 legend, told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

And Lauda said he thinks that battle will continue all the way through the year.

"Sure — the rest cannot keep up. It's as simple as that," said the Austrian.

And so he thinks Vettel and Hamilton's respective Finnish teammates, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas, will play important supportive roles.

"Raikkonen and Bottas will probably play a decisive role for Ferrari or Mercedes winning the constructors' world championship," said Lauda.

"I would say Bottas is now as good as Rosberg was. And maybe a bit better than Raikkonen," he added.

In that way, he hopes it is the drivers rather than the cars that determine who is crowned champion in the end.

"Reliability is important in every world championship," said Lauda. "The turbo problem Bottas had in Barcelona hurts us. Now our well-known English-German quality control will have to improve.

"We do not want a world championship of technical failures," he added.

Button eager for 'slightly surreal' comeback

Button back in Monaco

McLaren-Honda's Jenson Button has described his Monaco Grand Prix comeback as "slightly surreal" as he prepares for his one-off event this weekend.

Button retired from Formula 1 at the end of last season, bringing down the curtain on a 17-year career which yielded 15 wins and the 2009 title.

Button remained contracted to McLaren as back-up to Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, and was drafted in to compete in Monaco, with Alonso participating in the Indianapolis 500.

"It feels slightly surreal to be back in the cockpit for the Monaco Grand Prix," said Button, who triumphed at the event in his championship year.

"When the call came from Eric [Boullier] there was no hesitation – it's a totally unique situation and a great opportunity.

"I'm looking forward to stepping back behind the wheel for one of the most crazy, unpredictable and exciting races of the year."

Button insists he feels "well prepared" for the event, despite declining the opportunity to conduct testing in the Honda-powered MCL32 in Bahrain last month.

"Although I haven't turned a wheel on track yet in the MCL32, I feel well prepared," he said.

"I know the track well, of course, and I've done quite a bit of work in the McLaren simulator already.

"I'm still fit, and I've been training probably more than ever, because I've had the time to focus on my triathlon preparation and competitions."

Monaco 'all about mental strength' – Hamilton

One mistake, touch the barriers, and your race is done

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton says the Monaco Grand Prix is "all about mental strength" as he bids for a third Formula 1 victory in the Principality.

Hamilton won wet/dry Monaco races in 2008 and 2016, and also controlled proceedings in 2015, before an erroneous late pit-stop dropped him to third.

Hamilton is wary of the need to build up pace over the course of the weekend – with track action commencing on Thursday morning – and hopes experience will aid his progress.

"The most important thing is that you have to learn to walk before you run," Hamilton commented.

"You have to build up to the pace so that, by the time you work up to that second run in Q3, you're at 100 per cent.

"It's a circuit which is all about mental strength, you need to be sharp and clear.

"Experience counts here too – that helps massively in setting the car up.

"We have new cars this weekend which are wider and faster, so that's going to be a massive challenge.

"In trying to push the car as close as you can to the limit, it'll be a real test of your awareness of where the car is. I'm sure there will be some brushing of the barriers."

Hamilton's team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, yet to score a point at the Monaco Grand Prix, described the event as "mentally exhausting".

"It's one of those weekends when you really need to be on the top of your game," he said.

"You need to be so focused on what is a mentally exhausting weekend.

"You need to be focused on every single car of every single lap, because one mistake will cost you."

Mercedes holds an eight-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors' standings, while Hamilton trails Sebastian Vettel by six points in the Drivers' battle.