Latest F1 news in brief

Hembery happy to talk tires with drivers

Pirelli 'delighted' to talk tires with F1 drivers
Manager, father not commenting on Magnussen reports
Ecclestone still unhappy with future engine rules
Rosberg could be double world champion – Berger
Alonso no longer best F1 driver – Berger
Vettel can benefit from Mercedes feud – Wolff

Pirelli 'delighted' to talk tires with F1 drivers
(GMM) F1 seems on track for faster tires in 2017, as Pirelli welcomes the opportunity to meet with disgruntled drivers next week.

Although earlier a supporter of the controversial era of 'show'-inspired high degradation, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone this week backed Alex Wurz, after the GPDA president said drivers are unanimously pushing for "maximum attack" tires.

Ecclestone told the BBC that drivers were free to attend a meeting at Pirelli's Milan headquarters early next week, to be chaired by the Italian marque's president Marco Tronchetti Provera.

In a statement, F1's official tire supplier said it is "delighted" to host the meeting.

"Pirelli sees this meeting as being of vital importance in order to further consolidate the close collaboration that got underway last year with the FIA, FOM, and the drivers," it added.

Pirelli cautioned, however, that it must be allowed to do more testing.

The statement added that "these are vital steps towards tire development that takes into account the future evolution of the cars and added performance, which will be particularly notable in 2017".

Kevin Magnussen hoping his check is big enough

Manager, father not commenting on Magnussen reports
(GMM) Kevin Magnussen's father as well as his manager are refusing to comment on widespread reports that the former McLaren reserve is now poised to return to the F1 grid.

Specialist publications say the 23-year-old Dane, who was unceremoniously dumped by McLaren late last year, is likely to replace Pastor Maldonado at the new Renault works team.

It is known that tense talks between the French carmaker and Maldonado's controversial and scandal-struck Venezuelan sponsor PDVSA have been taking place in recent weeks, and that Magnussen has visited the team's Enstone base.

Sources say it is likely Magnussen's deal, as well as that of new team boss Frederic Vasseur, will be confirmed by Renault next Wednesday in Paris.

TV2, a Danish broadcaster, said Magnussen's manager Dorte Riis Madsen would not comment.

And the Danish tabloid BT also tried unsuccessfully to contact his father and former F1 driver Jan Magnussen.

But former Danish racing driver John Nielsen said the Renault switch would be very good news for Magnussen.

"I think without a doubt he is faster than Jolyon Palmer," he said.

"It is so important for him to get into formula one now, as in 2017 there may be three or four seats available. And he only has a window of two or three years to establish himself before the next generation is coming up," Nielsen added.

"Renault is not going to win anything in 2016," he said, "but they will certainly be a strong team for 2017, so it's a good place to go to."

However, another former Danish racing driver, Jason Watt, warned that negotiations between Renault and PDVSA may simply be playing out via the media.

"It could be that Kevin is being used as bait (by Renault) to get Maldonado to pay up," he told the Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

Bernie Ecclestone still not happy with engines

Ecclestone still unhappy with future engine rules
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone sounds unconvinced after F1's engine manufacturers recently agreed a change of direction for the future.

The F1 supremo had warned that unless significant changes to the controversial current regulations were agreed, he would press ahead with his contentious earlier plans for 'parallel' engine rules.

What the manufacturers – Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda – reportedly came up with was a plan to standardize certain parts so that their asking price for customers came down to EUR 12 million per year.

But Ecclestone suggested to the BBC that he is still not happy.

"Until we get an engine that can be built at a lot less cost, yes, there will be trouble ahead," the 85-year-old Briton warned.

According to Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, the obvious solution is for the competitive marques like Mercedes and Ferrari to make important concessions for the good of the sport.

Recalling 1967, when the original Lotus team had exclusive use of the impressive Cosworth engine, Newey said: "Lotus agreed to waive its exclusivity to allow others to use it for the good of the sport.

"Unfortunately, that sort of attitude doesn't seem to exist anymore," he told The Hindu newspaper whilst in India to support his son Harrison at a race.

Newey is therefore expecting Red Bull to endure another painful season in 2016.

"Our hope for 2016 is to just maintain that gap (of 2015) but with Ferrari and Mercedes expected to step up, towards the end of the year we might be further behind than we were last year," he said.

He said that is because F1's new engine-dominated era is fundamentally different to when Red Bull ruled the sport with its aerodynamic superiority.

"With aero and chassis it is out on view, people can see designs, understand and copy," said Newey. "But with the engine formula you can't see your competitor's engine.

"Ferrari improved from 2014 to 2015 but it cost a lot and needed people (to move) from Mercedes."

Berger knows Mercedes will now give Rosberg the world title. The team decides

Rosberg could be double world champion – Berger
(GMM) F1 legend Gerhard Berger has backed Nico Rosberg to bounce back in 2016.

German Rosberg beat his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton late in 2015, but only after the now triple world champion had wrapped up the title.

Berger told Auto Motor und Sport: "I still believe that Rosberg is insanely good.

"His misfortune was that he scored Lewis Hamilton as teammate. Until then, he had all his teammates under control and even gave Michael Schumacher a headache.

"With another teammate, Rosberg would probably have won the last two world titles."

Berger also acknowledges that Hamilton will probably have corrected his late 2015 slump by the time the new season begins, meaning Rosberg will once again face a daunting challenge to win his first championship.

"Since Austin, Hamilton was thinking already about the next world championship," said the former McLaren and Ferrari driver.

"And in a duel like Rosberg versus Hamilton, it is the details that make the difference. I would not be surprised if Lewis is right back on it early in 2016," added the Austrian.

Berger said one piece of good news for Rosberg is Hamilton's personality, which is more 'up and down' than his more analytical teammate.

"I think Hamilton walks a very fine line," he said. "He is always very close to losing his nerve.

"Rosberg has a real chance if he has a strong first half of the season, because I think Hamilton would have more problems with Rosberg's success than vice versa."

Alonso getting too old – age slows reflexes

Alonso no longer best F1 driver – Berger
(GMM) A single season has transformed the images of two of F1's best drivers, according to legend Gerhard Berger.

As he switched from Ferrari to McLaren-Honda, Spaniard Fernando Alonso was still widely regarded as the best driver on the grid.

Sebastian Vettel, in contrast, ended the 2014 season having been beaten by his Red Bull teammate, as he moved over to replace Alonso in red.

"Three years ago, we all said 'Alonso is the best'. Today I wouldn't say it," Berger, himself a former Ferrari driver, told Auto Motor und Sport.

"He just hasn't been able to prove it and eventually you forget how good he once was," he added.

At the same time, hardly any pundit would argue that Vettel does not appear like the first worthy successor to the great Michael Schumacher, who won five consecutive world championships at Ferrari.

"Very clearly yes," agreed Berger.

"Vettel is very similar to Michael in his methods, and that fits very well at Ferrari.

"I experienced it somewhat in my time at Ferrari, but I had nowhere near the effect as a Lauda, Schumacher or Vettel. When they (Ferrari) have someone who leads them with their Italian temperament, then it can go very well," he insisted.

In retrospect, then, it might be said that Alonso was simply the wrong man for Ferrari.

"Not the wrong thing, but not the right thing either," Berger agreed. "Just because his working style is different."

Vettel can win if the Mercedes drivers take each other out

Vettel can benefit from Mercedes feud – Wolff
(GMM) Mercedes chiefs are heading into the 2016 season with their eyes fixed firmly on Ferrari.

"Ferrari has found its old strength," declared Niki Lauda, a former Ferrari champion who is now the team chairman at Mercedes.

Mercedes dominantly won the opening two world championships of the new 'power unit' era, but Ferrari is now closing the gap and aiming for the title in 2016.

"This is due above all else to Sebastian Vettel," Lauda told Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport.

"The fact that he can drive fast is something we need not discuss. The fact that he is hungry for success and is capable of driving a team is something else — Vettel is a dangerous opponent," he declared.

The fact that Vettel is tipped to be in the running this year is also giving pause to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who spent the last two seasons managing an escalating and often bitter duel between teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

That feud is now playing on Wolff's mind.

"We are concerned that Vettel and co could benefit from it," he admitted.

"With us, the driver pairing is more balanced that at Ferrari, where it is easier to define a number 1 and number 2. For us it's a competitive disadvantage."

Wolff continued: "It's a very interesting situation, because Nico was so dominant at the end of 2015. I really don't know what plays a bigger role for self-confidence: Lewis' title or Nico's recent winning streak."

At the conclusion of the season, Wolff warned that if the bitterness between Hamilton and Rosberg worsened, he would consider splitting up the duo.

Now, he says: "As long as it's not bad for Mercedes, I can live with it."