Latest F1 news in brief

Vettel doesn't understand that German fans are not going to buy tickets to a parade

Demise of F1 in Germany 'a mystery' – Vettel
Red Bull eyes last-ditch plans for 2016
Amid F1 crisis, Ricciardo eyes Nascar race
Booth compares Manor fight to Mercedes
Nasr eager for solution after brake failure
Wolff praises 'perfect' Rosberg drive
Alonso raced 'out of respect' for fans

Demise of F1 in Germany 'a mystery' – Vettel
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel says the declining interest in formula one of his home nation Germany is "a mystery".

His comments follow the popular return after more than two decades of the grand prix in Mexico City, where a more-than-capacity 134,000 exuberant fans turned the post-race podium celebrations on Sunday into an unprecedented spectacle.

"In terms of the organization and the fans, it's the best race I've ever seen," said F1 legend Niki Lauda.

Germany's Welt newspaper, meanwhile, cited race organizers in declaring that 300,000 tickets for the Mexican race could have been sold if the renovated track could accommodate them.

It is believed more grandstands will be built for 2016.

It is all in stark contrast to the beleaguered German grand prix, which fell off the calendar this year amid sharply declining local interest.

Hockenheim is returning next year, but the promoter is scrambling to merely break even, and the future is clouded.

"Maybe the fans are a little tired (of F1), or perhaps the tickets are too expensive," Germany's quadruple world champion and Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel said.

"Honestly I don't know what's wrong. It's a mystery."

High ticket prices is surely not the answer, as the Mexicans paid only slightly less than the Germans, despite Mexico's 46 per cent poverty rate.

Vettel added: "I think I saw more German flags in Mexico than I do in Germany.

"In the past the races in Germany were great, but not for the past few years," he told Bild newspaper.

"It's a pity to see fewer and fewer Germans come to the races, even though German drivers are fighting for victories. It doesn't get better than that!

"Other countries show us that people in general still have passion for this sport," said Vettel.

Horner being coy, he knows what engine the team will use next year

Red Bull eyes last-ditch plans for 2016
(GMM) Red Bull is reportedly working on a last-ditch plan to remain on the F1 grid for 2016.

Boss Christian Horner says the team might be interested in Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA's plan for a new supplier to enter the sport with a 2.2 liter twin-turbo engine.

"If we can't get a normal engine," he is quoted by Kleine Zeitung newspaper, "then we will need something else."

But even if that comes, it will be until 2017, and Horner has ruled out Red Bull taking a "sabbatical" next year.

Time, however, will eventually run out for Red Bull to complete the design of its RB12 around a so-far unknown 'power unit'.

"At the moment we are right on the limit to be at the first test next year," Horner admits. He agrees with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz that the crisis really does need to end within "the next couple of weeks".

So for now, Red Bull is simply getting on with the job.

"We have designed four versions of the car — so one engine should fit," Horner told F1's official website.

Indeed, Red Bull has at various times been in talks with Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda, whilst not even closing the door on patching up with Renault.

"So we wait until the music stops and see which chair we are sitting in — or even if we have a chair at all!" Horner added.

Some insiders believe Horner's earlier "something else" quote may not have only been a reference to the new FIA-backed 'client engine' idea.

Perhaps Red Bull is trying to buy a fleet of unbranded Renault engines to run independently of the French carmaker.

When asked if simply patching up the broken deal with Renault is an option for 2016, Horner answered: "I don't think you can discount anything right now. But it has to be a different relationship."

Another hope is that Honda – perhaps with Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt's help – will manage to convince Ron Dennis to drop his veto of a Red Bull deal.

"I've always said that we are always open," Honda's F1 chief Yasuhisa Arai told Speed Week correspondent Agnes Carlier in an interview. "So we are currently in talks.

"It is my responsibility to listen to these questions and respond to them. No matter what happens, it will not alter the fact that McLaren is the official Honda factory team," the Japanese added.

After being beaten on a regular basis by Kvyat this year, perhaps Ricciardo is lining up a future NASCAR career

Amid F1 crisis, Ricciardo eyes Nascar race
(GMM) Daniel Ricciardo may already be lining up an alternative in the event he is left without a car to race in formula one.

Red Bull has declared that if it can find an engine to use next year, Australian Ricciardo and his current teammate Daniil Kvyat "are under contract" for 2016.

"Ricciardo's contract is fixed and all the options are on our side with Kvyat," team boss Christian Horner said in Mexico, confirming that the Russian is definitely staying.

But Horner also hinted that Red Bull is now mere days from running out of time to get a car ready for the first winter test next February.

Amid the team's engine supply crisis, well-known Nascar star Dale Earnhardt Jr invited Ricciardo as well as MotoGP's Nicky Hayden to race one of his Xfinity cars "on a road course at any time".

Ricciardo replied on Twitter: "Ok, I'm looking at the 2016 calendar asap!"

And the 26-year-old told Auto Action correspondent Dan Knutson: "Unofficially I'd love to, let's see what happens.

"I'll sort out my immediate future with the (Red Bull) team and see where we are for next year first."

The most obvious opening for Ricciardo's debut would be the Watkins Glen race, coinciding with F1's summer break next August.

Also reportedly interested in a Nascar race is Romain Grosjean, the new Haas driver whose team founder Gene Haas also co-owns the Stewart-Haas outfit.

"That would be pretty good," Ricciardo said. "Party at the Glen — it sounds good."

Meanwhile, amid the uncertain future of F1's Red Bull-owned teams, the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad said Max Verstappen is nonetheless relocating from his current home in Belgium to the tax haven of Monaco.

"He is waiting for a residence permit," said the report, "which is likely to be issued at the end of the year."

Rossi hounds Stevens and would eventually beat him by over 10 seconds

Booth compares Manor fight to Mercedes
Manor Marussia team boss John Booth compared his drivers' battle at the Mexican Grand Prix to the fight for the lead between Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Will Stevens led Alexander Rossi in the early stages of the race, but the American proved faster over the final two stints and ultimately overhauled his team-mate for 15th position.

It marked a 12th two-car finish for Manor from this season's 17 races.

"From my vantage point on the pit wall, our race was every bit as exciting as the one between Nico and Lewis," said Booth, reflecting on the fight between Rossi and Stevens.

"Will and Alexander had a fierce but fair battle. Alexander triumphed, but it could easily have been the other way around. It was thrilling right up until the last lap, when Alexander set his fastest lap."

Booth went on to praise all at Manor for their efforts over the course of the event.

"As a team we've performed well all weekend," he said, adding, "our pit work was particularly commendable as the crew managed the challenge of a double pit-stop under the Safety Car flawlessly."

It emerged during the Mexico City weekend that Booth and Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon are to leave the team at the end of the campaign, with both men refusing to comment.

Booth and Lowdon have run the team since its debut as Virgin Racing in 2010, and pushed hard to rescue it for 2015 after it fell into administration at the tail-end of last season.

Ovo Energy chief Stephen Fitzpatrick invested in Manor to enable its return.

Nasr eager for solution after brake failure
Felipe Nasr is eager to find a solution after he suffered a brake failure during the Mexican Grand Prix, forcing him into retirement for the first time in his Formula 1 career.

Sauber had been adrift of the midfield pack throughout the race as Nasr struggled with his brakes, before they eventually failed as he attempted to negotiate Turn 13.

Nasr has urged Sauber to discover a solution and expressed relief that the deteriorating brakes did not fail during the high-speed section of the circuit.

"I was telling them [the team] what I was feeling and I'm glad it happened in a slow speed corner as there was no more pedal," he said.

"It was not a good situation for me and the team, we don't look good out there so we have to find a solution.

"I was managing my brakes since Lap 1, it seems more critical in my car so we have to analyze and understand why it's happening."

Marcus Ericsson also encountered brake problems but was able to finish the race in 12th place.

"We were aiming for points, which did not work out," he said.

"However, I am satisfied with my performance and also with the strategy we chose.

"Throughout the whole race stint I had issues with the brakes, as they were overheating. It was a challenge to manage them, which compromised our performance."

Was it German Wolff who made the call on Hamilton's tires so German Rosberg would win?

Wolff praises 'perfect' Rosberg drive
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has heaped praise on Nico Rosberg for delivering a "perfect" drive to victory in Sunday afternoon's Mexican Grand Prix.

Rosberg covered off an attack from team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the start of the race and built up a comfortable advantage en route to his fourth win of the campaign.

"What a fantastic weekend in Mexico and an incredible atmosphere on the podium, probably the best I've ever seen, after a breathless race," commented Wolff.

"Our boys just always keep pushing each other to new achievements.

"If one of them gets written off, he bounces back even stronger the next weekend, and that's what Nico did.

"It was an unbelievable weekend: he had the fire in his belly after [finishing second to Hamilton in] Austin and, from the first lap of the race, he was right on it. He did a perfect job."

Wolff also spoke out to defend Mercedes' switch from a one- to two-stop strategy during the race, a move that Hamilton initially questioned over the radio.

"Of course, the main focus of interest was around the decision to convert our one-stop strategy to a two-stopper," Wolff went on to explain.

"From our side, it was a simple precaution: after the first stint on the option tire, we had seen higher than expected wear levels and one of Lewis' tires was even down to 0 per cent rubber.

"The stint we were trying to do with the prime was already on the limit, and with that information in hand and a pit-stop gap to spare to the next car, it was the low-risk option to stop both cars again.

"Lewis obviously had a few questions about that and that's totally normal – race drivers have emotions and if they didn't focus on winning every time, they wouldn't be the talents they are.

"But we have the overview on the pit wall and Lewis followed the instruction to pit."

Alonso knew the Honda wouldn't last a lap.

Alonso raced 'out of respect' for fans
Fernando Alonso says he and McLaren-Honda chose to take part in the Mexican Grand Prix "out of respect" for the spectators at the track, after spotting a significant technical problem on Saturday night.

An MGU-H rotation speed issue was picked up on Alonso's engine after qualifying and subsequently confirmed on Sunday morning, but mechanics did not have enough time to replace it before the race.

Alonso took the start, but returned to the pits at the end of the first lap with a loss of power.

"We were left with two options: to race or not to race," Alonso commented.

"We went for the first option, and tried to do as much as we could, out of respect for the amazing fans here in Mexico. I really wanted to go to the grid, take the start, and then just see what happened.

"It was only one lap, but, even so, I enjoyed it. At least we tried; it's always best to try than to give up.

"It's been a two long weeks away from home, with zero points scored. It's been hugely rewarding to witness the crowds here in Mexico City though – they've been one of the best crowds of the season, brilliant all weekend.

"Now, we need to put this experience behind us and look ahead to the final two races of the season."

Alonso's team-mate, Jenson Button, struggled for straight-line speed and finished 14th.