Latest F1 news in brief

Vettel denies getting Kvyat sacked

Vettel denies link to Kvyat demotion
Rivals' budgets hurting Williams – Symonds
Verstappen will miss ousted engineer Pujolar
DTM drivers do not miss F1 careers
Replacing Ecclestone not easy – Lauda
Verstappen excited by Renault B-spec
Ricciardo hopes to be 'close to podium'
Hamilton has no doubts over pace
Webber not surprised by Red Bull swap
Force India updates 'comprehensive'

Vettel denies link to Kvyat demotion
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel has expressed some sympathy for the plight of Daniil Kvyat, following the Russian's sudden demotion from Red Bull Racing.

22-year-old Kvyat, who actually replaced Vettel at the energy drink company's premier F1 team in 2015, will spend the rest of the season with Toro Rosso.

The demotion follows two consecutive run-ins with Ferrari's Vettel: the first in China in the form of a pre-podium argument, and again in Russia when Kvyat punted the German out of the race on the first lap.

Asked what the furious Vettel told Red Bull officials on the Sochi pitwall, Dr Helmut Marko admitted: "We need to have a serious word with Kvyat, and he's right."

But Vettel does not think his run-ins with Kvyat are the reason he subsequently lost his seat.

"I don't think it has something to do with what happened in the last two races," the quadruple world champion told Germany's Auto Bild, "but for sure it's not so nice for him."

Vettel said he has no hard feelings.

"I'm absolutely fine with him," he insisted. "He is a nice guy but for sure the situation is not pleasant or easy for him."

Pat Symonds: No money = no speed

Rivals' budgets hurting Williams – Symonds
(GMM) Williams chief Pat Symonds admits the British team is no longer F1's third force.

In 2014 and again last year, Williams finished the constructors' championship in third place, behind Red Bull in 2014 and Ferrari last year as engine supplier Mercedes dominated in the new 'power unit' era.

"Either one of them (Red Bull or Ferrari) was in front of us or the other," said technical boss Symonds, "but at the moment it's both.

"When you've already come up with lots of clever things, it is incredibly difficult with our budget to keep up with teams that spend twice as much," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

According to Felipe Massa, the main difference in 2016 is the step forward taken by Red Bull.

"In the corners they've always been good but now they also have a good top speed," said the Brazilian.

And he told Brazil's Band News FM that he is expecting Red Bull to be even stronger in Barcelona this weekend.

"We know it's a track where they will be better than in Russia, so we need to keep improving to be in the fight with them," said Massa.

It was hoped a recent update, including an ultra-short front nose, would give Williams a boost but Massa said the team is still working on perfecting it.

"The aerodynamic engineers claim the parts are better, but we need to learn how to put down on the track what the wind tunnel promises," he said.

The good news for Williams is that the Grove based team has proved the fastest of all so far this year when it comes to pitstops.

While a good stop last year might have taken the crew 3.3 seconds, Massa smiled: "Now we are talking about a bad stop if it takes 3.1 seconds.

"In Melbourne I even lost a bit of time because I was surprised that the guys had finished so soon, now I'm used to it," he added.

Xevi Pujolar (R) with Verstappen

Verstappen will miss ousted engineer Pujolar
(GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted he will miss working with his ousted Toro Rosso engineer Xevi Pujolar.

Not only is the experienced Pujolar not accompanying the young Dutchman to Red Bull, he has been ousted from formula one altogether.

Ilta Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper, reports that Pujolar and Verstappen's data engineer Olivier Helvig have both left the Faenza team after a row with boss Franz Tost in Russia.

The report said there are rumors the engineers defied team management's directions with regards to the choice of tires.

"I had a good working relationship with Xevi, which is important to perform well," Verstappen told the Dutch broadcaster RTL.

"But at Red Bull, they also have very good engineers. So it's a pity that Xevi is not joining me but on the other hand it's good to embrace a new adventure and you need to learn to adapt as well," he said.

It is believed that from Barcelona Verstappen will simply work with Daniil Kvyat's former engineering team, headed by Gianpiero Lambiase.

He admitted it will be a challenge to immediately face off against his new and on-form teammate Daniel Ricciardo, but smiled: "What pressure?"

"I have a teammate that has proven to be very fast," Verstappen, 18, told the Ziggo Sport broadcaster.

"I will try to learn as much as possible because I'm getting into a new car in the middle of the season. But I have engineers to help me with that — we hope that we can have it sorted in a few weekends."

Juncadella says F1 is boring because Mercedes is guaranteed to win

DTM drivers do not miss F1 careers
(GMM) Two former F1 drivers insist they do not miss the pinnacle of motor racing.

In 2013 and 2014, Dani Juncadella tested for the Williams and Force India teams, but now the 25-year-old Spaniard races for Mercedes' premier DTM outfit.

Asked if he misses F1, he told El Confidencial: "No, because for the long-term it is not positive to just be in formula one at any price and with any team.

"Before I saw F1 from the inside it looked like a dream. Then you realize there are seven or eight very lucky drivers but most are struggling to just survive.

"It takes a bit of fun out of it and it is what is different about DTM — all of the drivers know that at some point, we can demonstrate our potential," he added.

Timo Glock, an experienced F1 driver who is now established in DTM with BMW, thinks the German touring car series is arguably a tougher challenge than F1.

"Many F1 drivers have a hard time when they come into DTM," he told Germany's Welt newspaper. "Here, every tenth really counts, so one detail can be the difference between first and 15th.

"It's not like that in F1. Sebastian Vettel lost half his front wing in China but he was still fast enough to easily finish on the podium," the former Toyota and Marussia driver said.

Juncadella said he is not even a big fan of watching the grands prix.

"From the point of view of a fan, I do not like the racing now as it is too predictable," he said.

"Yes there are entertaining races but you always know that the two Mercedes are going to escape."

Lauda knows it will take 3 people to replace Ecclestone, see Red Bull wind screen getting adopted

Replacing Ecclestone not easy – Lauda
(GMM) Niki Lauda has played down mounting speculation he is in pole position to succeed Bernie Ecclestone.

It is claimed that Ferrari's Sergio Marchionne, backed by Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, is advocating that a group of three should take over from the 85-year-old F1 'supremo'.

"When I think about the sporting side, then for me Niki Lauda is one of the hottest candidates," Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko told Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper.

F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda, however, is not racing away with the job.

"If some people here believe that it is easy to replace him (Ecclestone), they are mistaken," the 67-year-old former triple world champion told Auto Motor und Sport.

"Bernie still has 15 per cent of the business and only he was able to get our engine parts through customs that fast in Russia," Lauda added.

Still, there is much discontent with the political situation in F1 at present but at least key chassis and engine rule changes have now been passed for 2017.

Fellow Mercedes chief Wolff argued against the change, but Lauda says it would have been wrong to delay the decision yet again.

"If we had postponed the decision again we would not have got a better outcome. It's a compromise," he insisted.

"Whether it fulfils expectations remains to be seen. You can never be satisfied with compromises but in the current balance of power, with everyone thinking only of themselves, it is the only possibility.

"So in these circumstances, it is the best possible solution. The cars will definitely be faster and more aggressive, and with the engine we have gained time with the hybrid technology.

"This is definitely better than going back to the old eight cylinders," Lauda said.

Lauda also backed the drivers' union GPDA that he once led, insisting those who actually sit in the cars have the right to a say.

"They are the main characters of the sport to it would be wrong to stop them from talking and having an opinion.

"Their last action," said Lauda, referring to the drivers' highly controversial letter, "should simply be seen as part of the show."

Finally, while he said he is no fan of covering the cockpits, Lauda accepts it is now inevitable that either the 'halo' or 'aeroscreen' concepts are on their way into F1.

"We can no longer explain this issue away," said Lauda. "It is true that the DNA of formula one is being disturbed, but we have seen accidents that would probably have been less serious if we had this protection.

"Now we need to find the best solution. I don't like the halo so the solution proposed by Red Bull looks like it is better," he added.

Max Verstappen

Verstappen excited by Renault B-spec
Max Verstappen says Red Bull's outlook will be "much more positive" when engine supplier Renault introduces its B-spec engine later in the season.

Renault is set to trial the upgrade at the post-Spanish Grand Prix test next week, with a view to giving it its full debut at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Verstappen will make the step up from Toro Rosso – powered by year-old Ferrari engines – to Red Bull in Barcelona, taking the place of Daniil Kvyat.

"The last couple of days were quite busy, but that was already the case, so I am used to it," Verstappen told De Telegraaf after his visit to the Red Bull factory.

"At the factory I did a lot of work in the simulator, we of course needed to do a seat feat, and I spoke a lot with the engineers as well, as this is all new for me.

"We did a lot preparation work, but there is still work to do."

Asked if he feels a podium finish could be possible on his debut for Red Bull, Verstappen replied: "That is difficult to say, as Mercedes and Ferrari are stronger than us.

"But in a couple of races time, with the engine upgrade, things will look much more positive."

Daniel Ricciardo hopes to be on podium in Barcelona

Ricciardo hopes to be 'close to podium'
Daniel Ricciardo hopes that Red Bull will be "close to the podium" at the Spanish Grand Prix, given the high downforce nature of the Barcelona circuit and its impact on tire wear.

Ricciardo is yet to climb onto the rostrum in 2016, but finished fourth in Australia, Bahrain and China, the latter a recovery drive after suffering a puncture while leading early on.

As the field arrives in Barcelona, Ricciardo is keen to change the statistic.

"Barcelona marks the start of the summer, the weather is starting to get better and we usually go pretty well at the Circuit de Catalunya so I'm looking forward to it," said Ricciardo.

"I know the track well as we spend quite a lot of time there [during testing] but there are always things to learn from the track though so I don't want to say I know it all.

"It's a relatively high downforce circuit so we can strap most of the things on the car that make it go faster.

"It's quite hard on tires so we are normally a bit stronger than some other teams in that area. It could provide a good opportunity for us to get close to the podium."

Ricciardo will be joined by Max Verstappen from this weekend's event, the Dutch teenager stepping up from Toro Rosso to replace Daniil Kvyat, who moves the other way.

Hamilton sure of himself

Hamilton has no doubts over pace
Lewis Hamilton says he has no doubts over his raw speed relative to Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg, stating that he simply needs to "exploit it" at upcoming race weekends.

Hamilton was edged wide at the start in Australia en route to second, and recovered from the fringes of the top 10 to third in Bahrain after contact on the opening lap.

His efforts at the Chinese and Russian Grands Prix were hindered by repeat power unit problems, but he salvaged seventh- and second-place finishes respectively.

Despite admitting that it will be difficult to overturn the 43-point deficit, the three-time World Champion is hopeful of turning the tables at the Spanish Grand Prix.

"Every weekend, we've got the car into a great place setup-wise, I just haven't been fully able to exploit it, so the glass is half full for me," Hamilton explained.

"It will be a big challenge, but there's a long way to go with 17 races left and, if the last four are anything to go by, there's a lot more still to come from us.

"The team has been on it 24/7 since returning from Russia so I'm confident they'll get to the bottom of the problems we've been having.

"I know I'm still quick. I've known that since day one in testing and, when I've had clean air and a damage-free car this season, I've shown it on track.

"I head to Spain confident of a good weekend."

Kvyat rammed Vettel one too many times

Webber not surprised by Red Bull swap
Ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Webber says Red Bull dropping Daniil Kvyat in favor of Max Verstappen is "harsh" but not surprising, given the decisions it has made in the past.

Dutch teenager Verstappen will step up from the junior Toro Rosso team to race for Red Bull from the Spanish Grand Prix, with Russian racer Kvyat moving in the other direction.

Webber, who raced for Red Bull from 2007-2013, reckons it was only a matter of time before Kvyat made way, following his own experiences with team consultant Helmut Marko.

"Yeah, it is harsh, [but] it's a big business, things move fast," Webber is quoted by The Telegraph.

"There's a bit of [Red Bull] getting ahead of the 2017 [driver] market a bit, getting everything ready. It will be a complete non-topic in three months as usual in Formula 1.

"In Formula 1 you have nowhere to hide. You're measured on your own performance."

Red Bull has been criticized for the rate at which it has promoted and axed promising young drivers, but Webber says this is of little concern to Marko, who "just wants performance".

Webber added: "He wants the fastest guys in the best scenario as quick as possible. I'm not surprised.

"It [the seat swap] was probably on the cards even before Russia. You could feel there was something brewing. [Kvyat's] had a year there and they don't believe that he's done enough.

"Normally they wait until the end of the year, but that doesn't happen sometimes, particularly with Red Bull.

"Let's see if Max can break Red Bull records again. Is he ready? He's got no choice. He has to be."

Vijay Mallya

Force India updates 'comprehensive'
Force India team boss Vijay Mallya has confirmed that the outfit will run a "pretty comprehensive" update package at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

Mallya, who alluded to aerodynamic and suspension upgrades at the end of last month, says the new parts will run on both Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez's cars.

"It's on schedule to be fitted to both cars ahead of Friday practice; it's pretty comprehensive and the car will look quite different," Mallya commented.

Mallya hopes the raft of updates will coincide with a smoother weekend in Barcelona, with the team logging just two points finishes over the first four rounds of the season.

"I hope we've used up all of our bad luck already!" Mallya added.

"We've yet to see how we perform in a clean, trouble-free race without safety cars, red flags or accidents.

"Despite not realizing our potential in Sochi, we took encouragement from our qualifying and race pace: the car is improving and we've got a good base on which to build.

"There are 17 races to go and I'm confident the best is yet to come. It's a marathon, not a sprint."