Latest F1 news in brief – Thursday (Update)
01/14/16
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Felipe Massa Massa wants to stay in F1 after 2016
- Mercedes hard to beat in 2016 too – Ecclestone
- Gasly eyes Toro Rosso seat for 2017
- Abiteboul flies to Venezuela amid Maldonado reports
- Bottas 'still ready to win' in 2016
- F1 loses long-time podium champagne sponsor
- McLaren signs VW's Capito New
- Vandoorne eyes F1 chance for 2017 New
- Teams' 2016 tire choices 'interesting' – Hembery New
- Bottas uses false name for running race New
Massa wants to stay in F1 after 2016
(GMM) Felipe Massa has admitted there is no guarantee his F1 career will continue after the forthcoming 2016 season.
The Brazilian veteran's Williams contract ends this year, and while he has been competitive alongside the highly-rated Valtteri Bottas, Massa admitted that racing beyond 2016 is not certain.
"I'll definitely be looking to stay in formula one next season," the 34-year-old is quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper as saying ahead of a television appearance in Britain on Thursday.
"And in 2017, I would say this is a year that everything may change so I'm sure my experience will count a lot.
"After (2016), if I have a good year I'm sure there will be opportunities to continue in a strong team," Massa added.
The former Ferrari driver, who will this year contest his 13th consecutive season in F1, also commented on the controversial off-track lifestyle of reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.
"Maybe he's trying to enjoy his life and party, but I'm sure he's training as well," said Massa. "When he drives the car, he speaks for that. Everybody saw (last year) that he was terrific."
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| Ecclestone knows 2016 will be another boring Mercedes parade up front |
Mercedes hard to beat in 2016 too – Ecclestone
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone thinks Mercedes is set for a third consecutive year of dominating formula one in 2016.
Asked by Canadian radio TSN if the German team, having monopolized the titles in the new 'power unit' era, can be challenged this year, the F1 supremo said: "I wish I could say yes but I can't.
"I think the bottom line is they are a very good team, the engine is certainly better than anyone else and they've got obviously one of the best drivers. So it's going to be difficult for anyone to beat them," said Ecclestone.
The 85-year-old has been a fierce and consistent critic of the current engine regulations, arguing that the situation has given the top manufacturers but particularly Mercedes the ability to control the sport.
"Mercedes supply four (actually three) of these power units to the smaller teams and obviously they supply them with a lot less power than they have in their own cars. So you've got rid of four teams," he said.
"So all we've got really and truly is Mercedes and Ferrari – I hope – racing each other," Ecclestone added.
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| Pierre Gasly |
Gasly eyes Toro Rosso seat for 2017
(GMM) Pierre Gasly is hoping to break into formula one with Toro Rosso next year.
The 19-year-old is the new cream of Red Bull's famous driver development program, but Toro Rosso is all locked up for 2016 after Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz's impressive debut seasons.
On the other hand, Frenchman Gasly finished just eighth in GP2, admitting his campaign in the F1 feeder series was "frustrating".
So ahead of the forthcoming 2016 season, he told Ouest-France newspaper: "Nothing is signed yet, but the goal is to do a second season of GP2 and aim for the title. I know I have the ability to do it.
"This will be particularly important for 2017, if there are places to take at Toro Rosso," said Gasly.
Asked if he feels ready for F1, he answered: "If I was asked to drive tomorrow, I think so. GP2 prepares you very well for F1, especially in terms of tire management.
"I need to make further progress, and another season of GP2 will only make me better," said Gasly.
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| Cyril Abiteboul flies to see if Maldonado's sponsor can cough up enough money for him to keep his seat |
Abiteboul flies to Venezuela amid Maldonado reports
(GMM) Renault officials have flown to Caracas amid speculation Pastor Maldonado could lose his race seat for 2016.
Reports emerged on Wednesday that former McLaren reserve Kevin Magnussen is in the running for the Venezuelan's seat, having been shown around the Enstone factory.
Maldonado was signed up for 2016 by Renault's former owner Lotus, but his lucrative yet scandal-gripped backer PDVSA is reportedly late in its due payments.
Italy's Omnicorse reports that managing director Cyril Abiteboul on Wednesday flew to the capital Caracas for talks with officials of the Venezuelan state owned oil giant and representatives of Maldonado.
Rumors suggest Dane Magnussen has put together a sponsorship package valuing some EUR 7 million, and is highly rated by the expected new Renault team boss Frederic Vasseur.
And a few days ago, the 23-year-old posted on Instagram the view out of what is apparently a private jet, with the caption: "There is always sunshine behind the clouds."
BT, a Danish tabloid, claims the photo was taken inside a plane belonging to Magnussen's sponsor, the owner of Bestseller, a Danish fashion company.
"They flew together from Billund (Denmark) to England last week," it said.
A Renault spokesman told the newspaper: "There is nothing to say from the team. We are working hard with our preparations and will make an announcement about our new identity next month."
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| Valtteri Bottas |
Bottas 'still ready to win' in 2016
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas thinks Williams is on track to have a better season in 2016.
The Finn reportedly almost signed last year to switch to Ferrari for 2016, but he will instead stay with the Grove based team.
Williams, as in 2014, finished third overall last year, but Bottas says he was slightly disappointed with his 2015-spec car.
"Yes," the 26-year-old told the Finnish broadcaster MTV, "the others clearly developed more than we were able to.
"We found improvements in areas that were weaknesses in the previous year, but it was just not enough," Bottas added. "Especially Ferrari made a big jump."
Asked, therefore, what he wants for 2016, he smiled: "Hopefully more power and grip.
"Everything I've heard about the new car is positive," Bottas revealed. "The development work has gone well and there have been no setbacks. It sounds good and looks good on paper, but have to see how the car works in practice and how much the others have gone forward."
A year ago, Bottas declared that after 2014, he was "ready to win" in 2015.
So now for 2016, he said: "I believe it (winning) is quite possible this year, as long as the car is better.
"Last year was pretty difficult — there were all sorts of little difficulties, but we learned a lot. If you want to write something, you can say that I am still ready to win," Bottas smiled.
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| Hamilton will be spraying Moet et Chandon in 2016? |
F1 loses long-time podium champagne sponsor
(GMM) Long-time podium champagne sponsor Mumm is leaving F1.
Owner Pernod Ricard is believed to pay EUR 5 million per year for the privilege of being sprayed on the podiums of the world, but the deal has been deemed "insufficient" by F1 management, according to thedrinksbusiness.com.
"In our mission to continually innovate, excite and push the boundaries, we have chosen to explore a new opportunity – Formula E, electric motor racing – as it is truly ground breaking, has a strong fit with our brand values and is a natural evolution in motor racing," Pernod Ricard confirmed.
It is believed Moet et Chandon will be F1's new champagne supplier.
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| Jost Capito |
McLaren signs VW's Capito
(GMM) McLaren has signed up Volkswagen's motor racing chief Jost Capito.
The Woking based team said on Thursday that German Capito, who has headed Volkswagen's racing programs since 2011, will be McLaren Racing's new CEO.
Eric Boullier's position of racing director "will remain unchanged", McLaren added.
"From a motor sport perspective he (Capito) has experience in not only the world rally championship but also sports cars, touring cars, motorcycle racing and formula one, about which he is hugely knowledgeable and infectiously passionate," said McLaren supremo Ron Dennis.
McLaren said the timing of Capito's arrival at McLaren will be made "in agreement" with VW.
A report on the world rally championship's official website said Capito will stay at Volkswagen "until his successor is appointed".
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported rumors that Volkswagen, rocked by last year's emissions scandal, could quit rallying.
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| Stoffel Vandoorne |
Vandoorne eyes F1 chance for 2017
(GMM) Stoffel Vandoorne says he is hoping to break into formula one in 2017.
The 23-year-old McLaren junior dominantly won the GP2 championship this year and therefore cannot return to the F1 feeder series in 2016.
It is expected he will split his time between acting as McLaren's official reserve this year and racing in the Japanese single seater series Super Formula with a Honda-linked team.
Asked if he understands McLaren's decision to keep Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso for 2016, Vandoorne said on Thursday: "In the current situation of the team, I understand that the main thing is experience.
"What we need to do is close the gap to the others," he told Belgian media. "But in formula one experience is not the only thing, so I will do everything I can to get a chance in 2017."
But when asked if he is worried the Kevin Magnussen story might now be repeated with him, Vandoorne answered: "I have to believe in myself and my talent rather than think about any possible failure.
"It's true that the longer you have to wait for your debut in formula one the more risk there is, as there are new young and talented drivers trying to come in every year. But I think that McLaren believe in me," he said.
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| Paul Hembery |
Teams' 2016 tire choices 'interesting' – Hembery
(GMM) Paul Hembery on Thursday said he is expecting formula one to enjoy an exciting start to the 2016 season.
For this year, the tire rules have been tweaked so that drivers can select from a range of three compounds brought by Pirelli to each grand prix.
For the first four races, the Italian marque is bringing the medium, soft and super soft, and Pirelli chief Hembery said he thinks the situation will spice up F1.
"I don't think at the start of the year you're going to see the same as normal," he was quoted by Britain's Sky.
"I'm quite sure – and rumor has it – that some of the decisions by the teams for the start of the year are going to be interesting. So that's quite exciting," said Hembery.
"But our view is that during the year there will probably be a lot of normalizing between the teams where the choices will become rather similar as the season goes on," he added.
Bottas uses false name for running race
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas used a false name in order to enjoy a recent running race, the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti reported on Thursday.
The report said an entrant called 'Valto Pikkarainen' finished the 10 kilometer race with a competitive time of 38 minutes and 54 seconds.
So as the secret now emerges, the Williams driver explained why he chose to enter with a false name.
"Just so there would be no journalists there. And there weren't!" said Bottas.
He said running is both a good activity for fitness, and enjoyable.
"I have always liked sport and running especially. I've done a little trail running and some triathlon," said Bottas.