Latest F1 news in brief

Alonso ready to call his F1 career over?

Hulkenberg says Le Mans deal not done yet
Alonso joins Button in re-thinking F1 career
Red Bull threats no threat to Verstappen – father
Button hints McLaren-Honda success could take too long
Prost sure Vettel to beat career victory tally
Renault to make announcement next week – Lotus
Lauda tells Dennis to 'pay Button the money!'
McLaren plays down Dennis' Suzuka absence

Nico Hulkenberg still hopes to do LeMans

Hulkenberg says Le Mans deal not done yet
(GMM) Nico Hulkenberg says his return to defend his Le Mans title next year is not set in stone.

Rumored to be quitting F1, Jenson Button has said that although he may be interested in a future at Le Mans, he would not try to 'do a Hulkenberg' and combine the two series.

"I think with a 21 race calendar you're going to be very limited on weekends," said the Briton, "and sometimes it's nice to have a weekend off from motor racing."

Force India's Hulkenberg, who won Le Mans at his first attempt in a Porsche prototype in June, was asked about Button's comments and agreed: "So far nothing has been decided (for 2016).

"The calendar for next year will be more stressful, there are new races. On the Le Mans side nothing is decided, but if I have the opportunity to take part, I will use it."

The reason Hulkenberg is not committing for now is that the 2016 calendar, while release provisionally, is not yet set in stone, as teams push to reinstate the summer break but recoil at the prospect of 'triple headers' or races in December.

Hulkenberg agreed: "The first thing is to wait for confirmation of the calendar, as it is important that Le Mans doesn't interfere with formula one, otherwise there is no chance."

Fired by Ferrari, Alonso's F1 career pretty much over

Alonso joins Button in re-thinking F1 career
(GMM) Fernando Alonso has not ruled out quitting formula one in order to chase his dream of winning more championships.

Still involved in the Spaniard's management, Flavio Briatore said this week that "no one imagined" the new McLaren-Honda project would be the "disaster" it has been in 2015.

But the flamboyant Italian is sure: "In 2016 they will be fighting for podiums."

If not, and Alonso "cannot get a winning car in formula one, he will find it somewhere else", Briatore warned.

Fascinatingly, as teammate and fellow former champion Jenson Button is also contemplating his future, Alonso has now repeated Briatore's view that quitting F1 could be a possibility.

"I hope I can be world champion again," Alonso is quoted by El Confidencial newspaper, having pointed out that a decade has now passed since he won his first of two F1 titles.

"It seems that more years than that have passed — it feels like 20 years," he insisted. "So if I cannot do it here, there are other categories to be world champion as well," said Alonso, who has admitted his desire to race at Le Mans.

"I still have a few years in front of me," he added.

When asked about 34-year-old Alonso's predicament as one of the most talented drivers in F1 but stuck in a sluggish car for now, Button told Spain's AS newspaper at Suzuka: "He's in a similar position to me.

"He has some time to go on his contract, like me, but I think there comes a time when a driver must choose whether he thinks it will happen or not at his team.

"I can see that he still believes it will happen in his time in this sport," Button added, "and I hope he gets it. He deserves it," added Button.

Max Verstappen a hot property

Red Bull threats no threat to Verstappen – father
(GMM) Red Bull chiefs were having more meetings with their Ferrari counterparts on Saturday.

The talks at Suzuka are amid the very real threat that the energy drink company could pull both of its teams – Red Bull and Toro Rosso – out of the sport after November's Abu Dhabi grand prix.

With Mercedes now out of the question, Red Bull is demanding that it must now conclude a deal with the other competitive engine supplier for a full 'A' spec of Ferrari's power unit.

One of those in Saturday's Ferrari meetings was the Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko, who told Germany's Sport Bild: "We are waiting for a proper piece of paper on which we are offered a competitive engine for 2016.

"Otherwise, formula one loses four cars."

Perhaps to sweeten the deal, Red Bull has hinted that as the Ferrari works team tries to chase down Mercedes for the title, it may be able to help in Japan.

"If Vettel is on top again and Mercedes is again weaker, we could get between the Ferrari and the Mercedes and save Sebastian (Vettel) a few points in his fightback," said Marko.

But if Red Bull does quit, the sport stands to lose exciting names like Daniel Ricciardo and the teen sensation Max Verstappen.

The latter Dutchman, however, is now regarded as perhaps the hottest property in F1, and so if he is without a drive, other teams will presumably try to snap him up.

Max's father Jos told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: "Max will be in formula one next season. 100 per cent."

Button has no faith in McLaren-Honda team

Button hints McLaren-Honda success could take too long
(GMM) The time needed for McLaren-Honda to recover and succeed could be the reason Jenson Button has apparently decided to quit formula one.

Although the Briton has delayed the announcement for now, it is widely believed that Button is set to call time on his 16-year F1 career.

Asked by the Spanish sports daily AS when his fans might expect his decision to become public, Button admitted it will take place before the season finale.

"Yes, yes, in the next few (race) weekends," he revealed.

As his decision is not yet official, the reasons are obviously also not properly explained, but Button has hinted that the "joy" of F1 has faded amid McLaren-Honda's painful struggle for performance in 2015.

And the crucial factor could be that Button no longer believes that the Anglo-Japanese collaboration can correct the situation by the time the 35-year-old's time in F1 definitely expires.

"I think we can make a good step forward for next year," he said.

Button insisted that he "believes" in not only McLaren but also Honda, but admitted: "Whether they become champions or not, I don't know. Nobody knows.

"That's the thrill of a challenge and competition, but they do have the talent and the resources to do it."

Again, however, Button hinted that the time McLaren-Honda will need for success is the sticking point amid his deliberations about the future.

"They'll have to spend two years probably," he said, "maybe it will be five, I don't know.

"Maybe in the eyes of some people I am not the youngest any more, even though I still feel young and fast, but it's true that you should think about what you can do in the time you still have left in F1.

"Is that your question?" Button smiled.

"The truth is that if I am in F1 next year I want to be competitive, and of course no one has that guarantee. So it depends on the feeling that I have inside of me.

"It's a very difficult decision," he added, "but you can be sure that I will be happy."

Asked if he might be 'happy' in another category outside of F1, Button admitted: "Yes. If I am not in an F1 car I will be racing somewhere else, although perhaps not next year. Sometimes you need a little rest.

"We'll see. There are many decisions I need to make very soon," Button added.

Vettel has proven he can win in an inferior car

Prost sure Hamilton and Vettel to beat career victory tally
(GMM) Fellow quadruple world champion Alain Prost has admitted he expects Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton to soon trouble another of his impressive personal records.

In Singapore last weekend, Ferrari's Vettel won his 42nd career victory, moving clear of the late and great Ayrton Senna's tally of 41.

The next target is therefore Frenchman Prost, whose 51 career victories were surpassed only by Michael Schumacher, who later went on to win an incredible 91 times.

For Prost, however, it is now Vettel who is closing on his runner-up spot behind Schumacher.

"I am used to Germans in Ferraris passing me!" Prost enthused to Germany's Sport Bild magazine. "I am sure he will do it.

"When Michael beat my record, it did hurt a little bit, because he pushed me off the top of the podium. But I would just be happy for Sebastian, because I don't care if I am second or third," the 60-year-old added.

Prost, whose intense rivalry with the great Senna is legendary, admitted he is a big fan of Vettel.

"Sebastian has a big share in the resurrection of Ferrari," said the Renault ambassador, who is tipped for a spot on the pitwall should the French carmaker take over Lotus.

"The fact that he has brought the team (Ferrari) back to winning ways so quickly is something that nobody could have expected. But even more important is that he is now showing everyone that he can win in an inferior car," Prost added.

And Lewis Hamilton, who cannot win unless he has a superior car, will pass Prost as well since he wins just about every race with a car that can't be beat.

Maldonado will be driving for the Renault team in 2016

Renault to make announcement next week – Lotus
(GMM) The long wait for clarity over the future of Renault and Lotus in F1 appears to be almost over.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who is not in Japan, told the Reuters news agency from London on Friday that Renault is "apparently" going to buy the embattled Lotus team.

But he also admitted: "It's strange that a company as large as Renault are taking such a long time to make a decision, to be honest with you."

D-Day, however, is now fast approaching. On Monday, cash-dry Lotus will face a London judge who has warned that he will no longer adjourn the matter of placing the Enstone team into administration.

But rumors at Suzuka on Saturday suggested that Renault is finally going to end that uncertainty.

And Lotus CEO Matthew Carter told the BBC in Japan: "Things are looking very positive. There is going to be a press release from Renault next week.

"We are confident Monday will go in our favor and things are looking very positive going forward, much more than in the last few weeks," he added.

The positive news is timely, given Lotus' embarrassing display for the pinnacle of motor sport this weekend at Suzuka, where the team has been locked out of its hospitality unit.

Carter explained: "There was an interest shown in the team by Renault and as that decision got closer, we had to make financial decisions and Renault asked us not to sign contracts.

"That was back in May, June and it has dragged on."

Lauda calls out Dennis

Lauda tells Dennis to 'pay Button the money!'
(GMM) F1 legend Niki Lauda suggests the uncertainty about Jenson Button's future is all about money.

Until now, it has been rumored the 35-year-old veteran's deliberations have been about his lost "joy" amid McLaren-Honda's struggles, and the realization that the team's recovery might take too long.

But earlier, a story circulated that McLaren and Button are simply arguing over a scheduled $4 million pay-rise in his existing deal.

Lauda, a former McLaren driver and now Mercedes' team chairman, told the British broadcaster BBC at Suzuka: "I said to Jenson yesterday 'Fight your fight with Ron Dennis over money, because it is always the same'.

"'But then stay, because if you go, one of the last quick guys has gone'," Lauda added. "So I say to Ron, 'Pay him the money!'"

Lauda said that as struggling McLaren-Honda builds for the future, it is obvious it should do everything to keep Button alongside Fernando Alonso.

"What is the best combination to make the car go fast and develop the engine? It is those two guys," he insisted. "Put a young guy in the car and the engine does not go faster.

"In the end, Jenson and Ron are clever enough to get it together. Jenson said to me yesterday he wants to drive there and he doesn't want to retire," Lauda concluded.

Miserable Ron Dennis

McLaren plays down Dennis' Suzuka absence
(GMM) McLaren insists there is nothing controversial about Ron Dennis' absence from Suzuka so far this weekend.

Amid reports of 'crisis talks' having been held at Honda's Sakura headquarters earlier this week, rumors are now swirling not only about Jenson Button's future at the struggling team, but also Fernando Alonso's.

"Ron Dennis is in Japan but not at the track," former long-time McLaren driver David Coulthard revealed on Saturday.

"What is going on at McLaren?"

A McLaren spokesman has at least laid to rest the rumors about Dennis' odd absence from Suzuka, explaining that the 68-year-old team supremo is simply unwell.

"Ron has a virus," the spokesman told us, "and has been confined to bed in a Tokyo hotel room for the past two days, but he intends to come to the circuit on race day."

As for Button's future at McLaren, Coulthard – who is known to be close to the fellow Briton – suggested he thinks rumors the 35-year-old has definitely decided to quit are wrong.

"I don't know the intimate details of his contract and all the options," the Scot told the Telegraph newspaper, "but all that can be worked out if both parties are willing."