Latest F1 news in brief

You can go to the Singapore GP, just don't breathe

Singapore declares air quality 'very unhealthy'
Red Bull can win with Ferrari power – Webber
Manor eyes talks with potential investors – report
Williams may not use latest Mercedes spec
McLaren wants race seats for Magnussen, Vandoorne
Force India, Lotus want to keep drivers for 2016
Hakkinen defends Bottas after Ferrari rumors
Ferrari says Allison staying 'long term'
Nasr won't copy Ericsson in changing approach
F1 to test new FIA camera in practice session

Singapore declares air quality 'very unhealthy'
(GMM) Hazy skies are once again hanging over the Singapore grand prix.

In the days before last year's popular night race in the city-state, the local environmental agency said air pollution had reached "unhealthy" levels due to fires in nearby Indonesia.

The very same problem has now returned for 2015, except this time the level has risen to "very unhealthy", one step below the maximum category "hazardous".

Some sports events in Singapore have already been cancelled, including the University Games and a football match.

One spectator with a ticket for the F1 action told the Singapore publication Today: "My main concern is that it might get uncomfortable in the stands, especially if people around me aren't feeling well."

Another added: "I'll try to bring a mask along with me, even though it will be quite cumbersome."

There are also concerns for the drivers, with authorities already advising against strenuous outdoor exercise.

Mark Webber

Red Bull can win with Ferrari power – Webber
(GMM) Mark Webber thinks the switch to Ferrari power will be good for his former team Red Bull.

It is yet to be formalized or announced, but it is now expected that, after the Mercedes deal fell over, the former quadruple world champions will switch from Renault to Ferrari customer power for 2016.

Sport Bild quoted Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche as ruling out the deal due to Mercedes attaching "great important to long-term cooperation".

"That could not be guaranteed at Red Bull," he reportedly said.

The German magazine said Red Bull and sister team Toro Rosso are now expected to use up-to-date Ferrari engines next year, after officials met with Sergio Marchionne at Monza recently.

"Renault and Red Bull will separate," predicted former team driver Mark Webber, "and now Ferrari appears to be the best possible option for them.

"With those engines they could be winning right now. Remember (Sebastian) Vettel with his Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso?" the Australian is quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Current Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat agrees with that assessment, predicting that even with an underpowered Renault power unit this weekend, the team should be in good shape at tight and twisty Singapore.

"The car is going well now," the Russian said on a sponsor visit to Moscow at the weekend.

"In theory, Singapore looks good for our car," he added.

Teammate Daniel Ricciardo agreed: "We expect to be very competitive in Singapore. We can really fight for a podium there."

Manor hopes for a rescue

Manor eyes talks with potential investors
(GMM) Manor has recruited a British investment bank to hold talks with potential team investors.

That is the news of F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.

Also writing in the Telegraph in June, Sylt said the latest accounts showed that Manor is "wholly reliant" on funding from Stephen Fitzpatrick, who rescued the team after its near collapse last winter.

He added that Fitzpatrick only committed to "enabling Manor to continue as a going concern for at least 12 months".

Citing sources, Sylt now reports that investment bank Rothschild has been appointed to hold talks with possible investors, after Manor already received "bids for minority stakes".

Team founder and boss John Booth said he is sure Manor will be back on the grid in 2016.

"Yes," he told Russia's Championat recently. "I believe we have implemented a good business plan. We will not spend more than we have — which as it happens is quite unusual in formula one!"

He also said in the days before Monza that the team will not now debut a new car until next season.

"The new Ferrari engine is simply impossible to get into this car," Booth said. "We explored options in terms of significantly restructuring the car, but decided instead to concentrate on the car for 2016 — and we believe that was the right choice."

Williams may not use latest Mercedes spec
(GMM) Williams is not sure it will get its hands on the latest specification of Mercedes' field-leading engine.

Red Bull's Christian Horner described the performance of the latest Mercedes engine – introduced by the works team at Monza – as "scary".

It will reportedly form the basis of the 2016 unit, but the power unit ran into some reliability trouble on debut at Monza.

So when asked when customers like Williams will get their hands on it, the Grove team's technical boss Pat Symonds said: "To be honest I don't know.

"There is obviously some risk analysis to be undertaken to know whether to use the new power unit or not," he told the British broadcaster Sky.

"We are competitive people and we always want the next best thing, but I think we will be guided by the works team by how they get on. Remember they have only done one race with one car with that power unit and there will be a lot of inspection going on," Symonds added.

If Boullier (L) wants a ride for Vandoorne (R) McLaren will have to pay for it

McLaren wants race seats for Magnussen, Vandoorne
(GMM) McLaren says it will work hard to ensure team juniors Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne are on the F1 grid next year.

It appears likely that the Woking based team, enduring its high-profile struggle this year with Honda power, will retain the champion line-up of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button in 2016.

Current reserve Magnussen, however, has said he is determined to either step up to a McLaren race seat, switch to a rival team or leave F1 to race elsewhere.

And Belgian Vandoorne, 23, is having one of the most impressive GP2 campaigns in recent memory, and will almost certainly wrap up the title soon.

"It's a luxury problem to have four good drivers," said McLaren team boss Eric Boullier.

"Kevin and Stoffel are very good drivers, we expect both of them to race formula one but if we can't fit or accommodate them at home we will do our best to make sure they can race next year," he added.

According to the paddock grapevine, even if McLaren wants to keep Button, there is an outside chance the now 35-year-old will call time on his long F1 career at the end of the season.

Mark Webber, who made the mid-30s switch from F1 two years ago, said Le Mans would also be a smart move for the popular Briton.

"Everything becomes more difficult as you get older," the Australian is quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, "even in the world of a driver.

"Look at Jenson, he's 35 and fighting against young, aggressive guys. He had a good career but at his age he has to figure out what is the best time to stop in style.

"In sport, there seem to be only two cases of athletes who do not feel the weight of age and they are Valentino Rossi and Roger Federer," Webber added.

Pastor Maldonado

Sergio Perez

Their checks were big enough

Force India, Lotus want to keep drivers for 2016
(GMM) Force India is shaping up to extend Sergio Perez's contract.

Already signed and sealed is teammate Nico Hulkenberg's new deal, while Mexican Perez and his backers have been linked with a potential switch to Renault.

That could be because, if the Lotus buyout is completed, current team driver Pastor Maldonado's PDVSA backing does not fit with Renault's Total branding.

And Maldonado would be a good alternative for Force India, with his sponsorship said to be the most lucrative on the F1 driver market.

Perez, however, said at Monza that his 2016 deal to stay at the Silverstone based team is in fact almost done.

And Force India agrees that an announcement could be made this weekend in Singapore.

"I think it's very important for us to try to keep stability and I expect we'll do that," said deputy boss Bob Fernley.

"I think you're always looking for stability and if you have drivers that are performing well, you want to retain them.

"With the continuity and the stability of rules into 2016 hopefully we can carry the performance through," he added.

"Vijay (Mallya) is working very hard now to finish off the second contract with Checo (Perez) and hopefully we'll get some news on that for Singapore," said Fernley.

Similarly, Lotus CEO Matthew Carter said the Enstone team also favors continuity, with the driver question only remaining open for now due to the Renault talks.

"We have two drivers under contract (for 2016)," he said, referring to Romain Grosjean and Maldonado.

"The only reason we haven't announced our drivers for next year is that we're waiting to see what pans out in the next few weeks or so.

"So there's absolutely no reason to change, both drivers are under contract but I think there's probably wider issues to play at Lotus at the moment," admitted Carter.

Hakkinen defends Bottas after Ferrari rumors
(GMM) Mika Hakkinen has defended his protege Valtteri Bottas, after the younger Finn missed out on a touted move to Ferrari for 2016.

Despite weeks of speculation linking him with a high-profile move from Williams, the British team ultimately announced that both Bottas and teammate Felipe Massa are staying put.

Some believe the Ferrari move was spoiled for Bottas by the impressive recent form of teammate Massa, who drove for the Maranello team for eight years until 2013.

"I think last year I was very competitive with my teammate as well," Massa insists. "The only thing is that the results of the races are a lot more consistent this year."

And Hakkinen, the former double world champion who is now part of Bottas' management team, said the Finn staying at Williams next year should not be viewed negatively.

"In my opinion, Valtteri's potential is yet to be properly recognized in Finland," he said in his latest interview with Hermes.

"It cannot be forgotten that Williams has very strict criteria for the selection of drivers, and it is due to performance alone that Valtteri will drive his fourth season in a very traditional and good team next year."

However, with Hakkinen's own wait for his very first victory having taken seven years, some might now surmise that wins are similarly far away for Bottas.

"I know well that you just have to get the most out of your situation and score points for the team," said the former long-time McLaren driver.

"It is the same for Valtteri at the moment. The day will come when he has a winning car, and then the Finns will definitely be proud of him," Hakkinen added.

James Allison as a long future at Ferrari

Ferrari says Allison staying 'long term'
(GMM) Ferrari confirmed reports its technical boss James Allison is staying put at Maranello.

In the days before the Italian grand prix, Ferrari media insider Leo Turrini claimed that contrary to mid-season speculation, Briton Allison recently signed a new deal through 2018.

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed: "I already confirmed that in Belgium. Yeah, he's got a long-term contract with us."

Allison, 47, joined Ferrari from Lotus in mid-2013.

Ferrari and its oil partner Shell are also staying together, having announced a further five-year contract extension.

"Signing this contract is a further step forward in terms of stability," said Arrivabene.

Nasr won't copy Ericsson in changing approach
(GMM) Felipe Nasr sounds determined to hit back at his teammate Marcus Ericsson.

After a strong start for Brazilian rookie Nasr, it is Ericsson who has wrestled back the upper-hand at the Swiss team Sauber at recent races.

The Swede has credited mental coaching, changing his overall approach to the weekend and working more meticulously with his engineers on car setup.

But Nasr insists he does not similarly need to turn a radical corner.

"I will continue to do the job I have been doing all year," the 23-year-old, who has complained about persistent braking issues, is quoted by UOL.

"It is a coincidence that these things are happening. I will not change anything in how I work," Nasr added.

Singapore this weekend could be the perfect opportunity for Nasr to hit back, with Sauber planning to introduce a rare car upgrade on the city streets.

"It's good that another race is always coming, so in Singapore I'm looking forward to finally getting rid of this shadow," he said.

F1 to test new camera looking back at driver

F1 to test new FIA camera in practice session
(GMM) The bespoke high-speed camera that will help F1 in its fight against head injuries has now emerged.

Developed by Magneti Marelli, the FIA intends to mandate the fitting of the USB stick-sized camera and data device to the front of the cockpit – looking back at the driver – for 2016.

The camera will record at 400 frames per second, which is 16 times better than standard technology already in use today.

It will feed valuable information about crashes and their effects back to the governing body in its quest for better safety.

"We've had onboard footage of crashes for a long time which has been useful, but of course it's all low speed and it doesn't really show what happened to the driver during the milliseconds of that impact event," said Andy Mellor, the FIA Institute's technical advisor.

Magneti Marelli, an Italian high technology company, has been working on the F1 camera – much smaller and lighter than regular high-speed cameras – for a year.

And the new unit, about half the size of an iPhone and to be crucial in understanding incidents such as Fernando Alonso's during pre-season testing, also writes data into the cars' 'black box' in real time.

"We've been investigating the concept of high-speed cameras for many years but, until now, the technology wasn't developed enough for this application," Mellor said.

It is believed the FIA has approved the camera to be tested in a free practice session before the end of the current season.