F1 news in brief – Wednesday
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Nasr happier after his teammate's backers write a big check to buy team Nasr happier with Sauber after team buyout
- Doornbos tips Verstappen to shine in Singapore
- Driver decision not a priority for Renault – pundit
- British grand prix 'not super-safe' – Ecclestone
- Button hopes McLaren can challenge Ferrari
- Ericsson targets first points in Singapore
Nasr happier with Sauber after team buyout
(GMM) After almost collapsing earlier this year, Sauber is now noticeably back on track.
That is the news of team driver Felipe Nasr, who had earlier appeared to almost lose patience with the Swiss outfit's financial troubles.
With his significant backing by Banco do Brasil, the Brazilian is still tentatively linked with a move elsewhere for 2017.
But Nasr, 24, also seems happier with Sauber in the wake of the buyout by an investment group.
"It's very positive to see that people are coming onto the team now," he said, following reports of new staff joining Sauber, including the experienced engineer Xevi Pujolar.
"They are coming on important areas for the development of the car," Nasr told UOL Esporte. "Straight away, they could already see the positives and negatives of our car and our procedures, which have a direct impact.
"For next year, the team is looking to strengthen with even more people, especially on the technical side, where we are somewhat limited," Nasr continued.
"There are several key people who will join the team at the end of the year."
He welcomed Pujolar in particular, whose most recent role was engineering the F1 sensation Max Verstappen.
"I liked his work," Nasr said. "He is seeing how we work at the moment but I like the way he processes the information. He is very thorough and so far I have only seen very good things."
He said Singapore this weekend will be a good assessment of recent car changes at Sauber.
"It is the first circuit at which we will use all of the aerodynamics of the new package, assessing how much it is still worth working on this car or whether it is better now to focus on next year," said Nasr.
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| Will Verstappen strike in Singapore? |
Doornbos tips Verstappen to shine in Singapore
(GMM) Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos thinks his countryman Max Verstappen has a real chance of winning this weekend's Singapore grand prix.
Mercedes is still dominating in 2016, but a year ago the great German team mysteriously struggled under the city-state's glistening floodlights.
"We believe we now understand why," said team boss Toto Wolff, "but only performance on the racetrack can prove our conclusions right."
The Austrian also predicted Singapore will "suit the high downforce design philosophy" of the Red Bull team.
Not only that, Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull is taking car upgrades to Singapore.
Former F1 driver Doornbos, who like Red Bull driver Verstappen is Dutch, said: "Singapore is a good circuit for Red Bull.
"You need a lot of aerodynamic and mechanical grip there and that's what that car is good for. Engine power is also much less important than in Monza.
"Renault is introducing an engine update in Singapore," Doornbos also told Ziggo Sport Totaal, "which means an extra 15 horse power for Max and hopefully a few tenths of time per lap.
"Max loves street circuits and even though he made some mistakes in Monaco, last year in Singapore he drove a crazy race with the famous 'No!' on the radio. Hopefully this year it will be a 'Yes!' on the podium," he said.
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| Renault knows there are plenty of ride-buyers out there to drive its cars |
Driver decision not a priority for Renault – pundit
(GMM) Kevin Magnussen's chances of keeping his place at Renault dramatically drop after September ends, according to the Danish newspaper BT.
The report reveals that a 2017 'option' in the Danish driver's existing contract expires on 30 September, with this weekend's Singapore grand prix being the last race before then.
"If the option is not activated, Kevin Magnussen is free to negotiate elsewhere," BT claimed.
Jens Hansen, the F1 commentator for Danish broadcaster TV3, claimed drivers may be a third-order priority for the French works team at present.
"Mainly, Renault needs to take control of its organization," he said.
"They are having trouble finding new people for the factory in England, and secondly they need to prepare their car for next year, because if it's not good, it doesn't matter who's driving it.
"So the drivers are probably in third place now," Hansen added.
At the same time, he suggested that Magnussen may have missed a couple of opportunities to convince Renault that he should definitely be re-signed for 2017.
"I have no doubt that had Kevin delivered two or three more performances like the one he did in Sochi, he would have a contract already," said Hansen.
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| Bernie says Silverstone still lacking |
British grand prix 'not super-safe' – Ecclestone
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has hit out at European countries that don't spend more to safeguard their future on the F1 calendar.
The F1 supremo was asked by Top Gear which recently lost races he most regrets, and answered: "Two races we've lost which I'm genuinely upset about were India and Turkey."
However, the sport has also lost France, Monza's race was in doubt for months and the future of the German grand prix is in doubt.
"It's the same as in England," Ecclestone insisted. "Silverstone is not, I'd say, super-safe — quite the opposite. These circuits don't need a lot of money to make them safe.
"It's disappointing to think that all these countries spend a lot of money trying to get the Olympics … and nobody makes any money out of. Yet, for the small amount of money they could (spend on) a formula one race, they don't want to do it," he added.
Ecclestone admitted another concern is that competitive situation in F1, with Mercedes dominating and Toto Wolff having refused to supply an engine to Red Bull.
Told that his relationship with the Mercedes team boss is strained, the 85-year-old denied it, and also played down reports Wolff is shaping up to oust him.
"I'm very happy for him to try. Or anybody else," said Ecclestone.
F1 pundit Eddie Jordan also alleges that Wolff is still 'close' to Ferrari, amid speculation Mercedes earlier helped the great Italian team to catch up in 2016.
"I think they (Mercedes) wanted to see Ferrari be a little bit more competitive … and Ferrari was happy to get the information it got. Because it got a lot of information from Mercedes," Ecclestone agreed.
The F1 chief executive also commented on global politics, admitting his support not only for controversial Russian president but also US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
"It would be good for the world if he (Trump) won," he said.
"Trump would want to cozy up to him (Putin) for sure, and he'd be right to do that," Ecclestone added. "Which would be good for the world."
And finally, he admitted that losing control of F1's commercial rights was among his biggest regrets.
"She (former wife Slavica) put it all in trust and the trust sold the shares. Would I turn the clock back if I could so I still owned the company completely? Probably yes.
"It probably wasn't a good decision, but it was the decision that had to be made. Was I happy that I made it? No," Ecclestone concluded.
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| Jenson Button hopes McLaren has caught hapless Ferrari |
Button hopes McLaren can challenge Ferrari
Jenson Button hopes that McLaren-Honda's next upgrade package will put the outfit in a position to challenge the likes of Ferrari in the closing stages of the 2016 campaign.
After a torrid reunion year, Honda has made steady reliability and performance gains this season, enabling McLaren to score 48 points so far, almost double its 2015 total.
Button, who will step aside for Stoffel Vandoorne in 2017, is optimistic of another step forward, with another Honda update and more favorable circuits approaching.
"You have to have aims in this sport," Button told Sky Sports.
"Last year we were in a very difficult situation; we weren't reliable and we didn't have the speed.
"We've made massive gains over the last 12 months and if you look at what we have coming, we should be able to fight towards the end of the year with teams that are above us – Ferrari would be one of them.
"If we could challenge them it would be an amazing way to end the year.
"With the engine upgrades, we always have a fuel upgrade, so it's good progress; we always want more, but the guys are doing a fantastic job of bringing those upgrades.
"In Malaysia when we get the new upgrade we'll see some good performance gains. I think with the car upgrading as well all the time, the aerodynamics, downforce levels are pretty good.
"We could be fighting with the red cars [later in the season]."
McLaren currently holds sixth position in the Constructors' Championship, below Force India and Williams, and 231 points behind Ferrari, prior to the final flyaway stint.
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| Marcus Ericsson |
Ericsson targets first points in Singapore
Marcus Ericsson has set his sights on recording Sauber's first points finish of the season at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, the first event in the late flyaway phase.
Sauber is the only outfit yet to claim a point so far in 2016, leaving it at the bottom of the Constructors' standings, behind Manor, which scored with Pascal Wehrlein in Austria.
However, it has stepped up car development and added a number of new technical signings following its takeover, and Ericsson is confident that off track efforts will soon show.
"Singapore is surely one of most exciting as well as challenging race weekends," said Ericsson.
"Thinking about last year's race, I was very close to the points by finishing in P11; as we saw positive results from the car package during recent race weekends, our aim is certainly to fight for points."
Ericsson's team-mate, Felipe Nasr, is also optimistic over Sauber's potential.
"I have good memories from last year's Grand Prix, as I was able to score one point," he added.
"Looking back to the [upgrade] tests during the previous race weekends, I have confidence in our car, as I felt that we made a step in the right direction, although we cannot see it in the results yet.
"In Singapore a lot can happen, so we need to take every opportunity that might come up."
Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn has admitted that finishing 11th "is no option".