Latest F1 news in brief

Ecclestone working a Hockenheim renewal

Hockenheim chief in Spain for Ecclestone talks
Next circuits better for Ferrari – Vettel
Ricciardo says contractual situation 'open'
McLaren on track for clash with FIA over engines
Customers happy with Ferrari engine upgrade
Rosberg aims to avoid first lap drama
Verstappen says Toro Rosso engineer exits 'strange'
Raikkonen not too old for 2017 seat – Arrivabene
Haas drivers unhappy in Spain
Pirelli unsure about Palmer blowout cause
Verstappen must be on Ricciardo's pace – Marko

Hockenheim chief in Spain for Ecclestone talks
(GMM) Hockenheim chief Georg Seiler has admitted he is in talks with Bernie Ecclestone about the future of the German grand prix.

After the country's absence from the F1 calendar last year, Seiler and a German delegation are in the Barcelona paddock to whip up interest in July's Hockenheim race.

German F1 drivers posed with a large 'hashtag' prop reading "F1 Ist Zurueck" (F1 is back), but Hockenheim in fact only has a deal for 2016 and then again in 2018.

F1 supremo Ecclestone has said the Nurburgring is not in a position to host next year's race, so Seiler said he is in Barcelona for talks with his "longtime friend".

"He (Ecclestone) has his ideas, we have our constraints, and somewhere in the middle we have to meet," Seiler is quoted by SID news agency.

Next circuits better for Ferrari says Vettel. Does that mean they will only be 10 seconds behind the Mercedes at the finish instead of 30?

Next circuits better for Ferrari – Vettel
(GMM) Amid rising pressure, Ferrari is still upbeat about 2016.

President Sergio Marchionne is piling on the expectations of victory, and rumors are swirling around the future of team boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

But Sebastian Vettel actually thinks Ferrari, already looking fast in Barcelona, has a real chance this weekend.

"On paper yes but unfortunately we don't drive on paper, we drive on asphalt," he told German television RTL.

Vettel said the last three results – Bahrain, China and Russia – should not be interpreted as a sure sign of how the rest of the season will go.

"They were Mercedes tracks," he said.

"The tracks that are coming now will be better."

Championship leader Nico Rosberg does not disagree, telling Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that while Mercedes' car is good at every circuit, "the Red Bull Ring could be difficult for us".

Former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, however, is not so sure Ferrari is ready for its breakthrough, even though the red cars looked fast on Friday.

"Let's see," he told Marca sports newspaper. "Ferrari are usually fast on a Friday."

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo also thinks Mercedes is strolling to the 2016 title.

"I'm afraid it's true," he told Italy's Corriere dello Sport. "It will be between Nico and Lewis, as it was in 2014 and 2015."

Daniel Ricciardo a free agent after this year

Ricciardo says contractual situation 'open'
(GMM) Daniel Ricciardo is not completely ruling himself out of the 2017 'silly season'.

Last year, the Australian put forward his name as a contender to switch to Ferrari, but Red Bull officials are once again insisting that Ricciardo is firmly under contract.

It is noteworthy, however, that those same officials have seldom been more gushing about Ricciardo's talents, boss Christian Horner saying in Spain that the new lineup with Max Verstappen is perhaps "the strongest pairing for future years in F1".

But when asked by Italy's Corriere della Sera about his contractual situation at present, Ricciardo answered: "It's open.

"It all depends on Red Bull. If they stay in F1, I think they will propose a multi-year extension."

As for those constant Ferrari rumors, meanwhile, the 26-year-old said: "It will depend on the results and the proposals that I receive and if another team says to me 'We want to try to win the championship with you'."

According to Corriere, Ricciardo's boss Horner has also been linked with a shock switch to Ferrari.

Ricciardo said: "Really? I don't believe that, but I can't speak for him."

Ron Dennis gets a good laugh over the FIA's demands he share the Honda engine

McLaren on track for clash with FIA over engines
(GMM) McLaren-Honda could be shaping up to clash with F1's governing body over the new engine regulations.

Fabrice Lom, the FIA's engine chief, said in Barcelona that the rules now say teams potentially left without an engine next year will be supplied by the manufacturer with the fewest number of customers.

As the only Hondas on the grid are in the works McLaren cars, that would put the Japanese carmaker in the hot seat.

"Of course, this is not only about McLaren, it is relevant to everyone," Lom said.

"I think everyone will be happy to implement this agreement."

However, McLaren supremo Ron Dennis is insisting that he has a watertight contract with Honda guaranteeing him an exclusive supply of Japanese power.

Team boss Eric Boullier confirmed to La Derniere Heure newspaper: "No regulations oblige us on this matter.

"I think Ron has told the FIA that we can do it only when we are world champions," he added.

So it appears that the FIA is headed towards potential conflict with McLaren, with the regulations on one hand and the team's Honda contract on the other.

"Honestly, I don't think I can answer that question. I'm sorry," said Lom when asked for clarity.

When asked by Spain's AS newspaper if F1 might see the first Honda engine customer in 2017, Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa answered: "At the moment, we don't know.

"The 2017 regulations on the power units has already been fixed, but we need to wait and see. In principle, Honda is and has always been open to supplying customer teams," he added.

Steiner says latest Ferrari engine good.

Customers happy with Ferrari engine upgrade
(GMM) Ferrari's 2016-spec engine customers have given the thumbs up to the new 'power unit' specification released by the Maranello marque for Spain.

The works team debuted the update in Russia, but it is now up and running at the customer teams Sauber and Haas as well.

"It's a track on which we have a good reference," Sauber's Felipe Nasr, referring to Barcelona, told UOL.

"The improvement in the engine is noticeable, although it's a small step focused mostly on energy recovery. But it's better than nothing," he added.

Indeed, the engine is struggling Sauber's only upgrade this weekend.

As for the new American team Haas, drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez are struggling with the car but happy with the engine update.

"The drivers are very happy with it," team boss Gunther Steiner is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

"It is a small development step but performance, drivability and energy management are all better."

Rosberg aims to be so far ahead no one can take him out

Rosberg aims to avoid first lap drama
(GMM) Championship leader Nico Rosberg said he will wary at the start of Sunday's Spanish grand prix, following a spate of first-corner crashes in 2016.

While the German has serenely won all four races so far this season and escaped the chaos, it is believed the issue of his rivals – notably Daniil Kvyat – making contact behind him was raised in the FIA driver briefing in Barcelona.

"I will put a bit more focus than usual on the start," Rosberg told DPA news agency in Spain.

Fellow German Nico Hulkenberg added: "There have been a few heated laps.

"But I think it was always like that. It's just hard racing."

Tost cleaned house

Verstappen says Toro Rosso engineer exits 'strange'
(GMM) Following Max Verstappen's switch to Red Bull, it is increasingly clear there is little love lost between the Dutchman and Toro Rosso.

The energy drink company undoubtedly promoted the 18-year-old to keep him out of the clutches of Ferrari and Mercedes, but it is also believed it ended a period of tension between Verstappen and another faction at the junior team.

Tension between Verstappen and former teammate Carlos Sainz was obvious, but at the very same time as Max departed, so too did his two main engineers Xevi Pujolar and Olivier Helvig.

"Whether it was a warm farewell … I think for him (Pujolar) it was more of a surprising goodbye," Verstappen told De Telegraaf newspaper in Spain.

"I am very happy that I am now at Red Bull."

Max continued: "For me there was nothing personal going on at Toro Rosso, but it is strange that after my departure two engineers were immediately dismissed.

"It's a huge loss for Toro Rosso — they were the best engineers they had," Verstappen added.

Maurizio Arrivabene

Raikkonen not too old for 2017 seat – Arrivabene
(GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has indicated Kimi Raikkonen stands a strong chance of keeping his seat at Ferrari for 2017.

The Finn has often struggled since returning to Maranello alongside first Fernando Alonso and then Sebastian Vettel, but has appeared in better form so far in 2016.

Indeed, as he referred to Vettel and Raikkonen, Ferrari team boss Arrivabene told the Chinese agency LeSports in Barcelona: "I am happy with both drivers.

"They are both real fighters, both world champions.

"I think Kimi is even more mature than last season. I think his future is in his own hands.

"At the moment, his commitment to the team and his desire are at a very good level. His results so far this season have fully met our expectations.

"However, we have had only four races with 17 left so it is too early to start to talk about his future. But I can say that I am satisfied with his achievements," Arrivabene added.

2007 world champion Raikkonen, however, will turn 37 in October, but Italian Arrivabene insisted: "Age is not a problem.

"As long as a driver has commitment, always wants to do his best and is competitive, everything is in order.

"I think Nigel Mansell was three years older than Kimi when he won the world title," he added.

Haas cars out to lunch in Spain

Haas drivers unhappy in Spain
(GMM) Haas, F1's new American team, fielded two very unhappy race drivers in practice ahead of the Spanish grand prix.

Romain Grosjean, for one, swore on the radio about an "undriveable" car.

"Romain wants us to make progress," boss Gunther Steiner is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

"If he tells us only what we want to hear, we will not do that," he added.

Also furious in his post-Friday media rounds was teammate Esteban Gutierrez, who has had a much poorer run of car reliability than Grosjean so far in 2016.

"I do damn good work but those on the outside can't see it," he is quoted by Speed Week.

"I have been fast in every race car, why should that no longer be the case? My job is to drive, the job of the team is to solve the problems of the car," the Mexican added.

Steiner said Gutierrez has the right to be upset.

"I, too, would be upset, because when he is on the track, we can see that he has the speed," said the American team's chief.

Pirelli not sure why Palmer's tire blew

Pirelli unsure about Palmer blowout cause
(GMM) Renault and Pirelli are puzzled as to the cause of Jolyon Palmer's high-speed tire blowout in Friday practice.

In the morning session, it was youngster Esteban Ocon at the wheel of the yellow car, but his rear puncture is said to have been clearly caused by debris.

Later, however, the cause of Briton Palmer's 300kph rear failure in the same car proved more difficult to diagnose.

"The tire was completely destroyed," team boss Frederic Vasseur is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. "We don't know why it happened."

The report said Pirelli does not believe either debris or the high forces generated by the Barcelona circuit caused the incident as the tire was only 3 laps old.

Pirelli is reportedly investigating.

The pressure is on Verstappen

Verstappen must be on Ricciardo's pace – Marko
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says he expects Max Verstappen to be immediately close to new teammate Daniel Ricciardo's pace.

"He must not necessarily beat Ricciardo," said the Red Bull official, "but he has to be on the same level as him.

"As a team this is for us important," Marko told the Austrian broadcaster ORF.

Dr Marko is known for his toughness, seen most recently in his decision to relegate Daniil Kvyat to the junior team Toro Rosso to make room for Verstappen.

Asked if he is now putting undue pressure on 18-year-old Verstappen too early in his career, Marko insisted: "I still remember having to listen to everything that was said about bringing a 17-year-old to formula one.

"Then it was nothing but praise with three of four FIA awards going to Verstappen," he added.

"If we did not know exactly how mentally strong he is and what other qualities he has, we would never have done this exchange," the Austrian insisted.

"In the long term you have to withstand this pressure if you want to be world champion, which he does. Now he has the opportunity to show us how it's really possible for him," Marko added.

Interestingly, the early promotion for Verstappen is also backed by Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda.

"Now we will have to look how close Verstappen and Ricciardo are," said the F1 legend.

"If Verstappen lives up to all the promise, then I worry that Helmut has a similarly top driver lineup for 2017 as we do with Lewis and Nico," Lauda added.