Latest F1 news in brief

UPDATE Updates shown in red below.

07/28/15

Sochi promoter hoping to avoid a financial bloodbath

Russia GP promoter buoyed by Kvyat podium
Mercedes worried about bad race starts
Force India denies trading safety for speed
Italian PM invited to fight for Monza
Mercedes 'still strongest' despite Vettel win – Ferrari
Sainz plays down favoritism 'controversy'
Singapore makes changes to circuit layout New
Arrivabene pleased to prove critics wrong New
Wolff: Rushed stop cost Rosberg victory New

Russia GP promoter buoyed by Kvyat podium
(GMM) The promoter of the Russian grand prix is hoping Daniil Kvyat can challenge for victory at Sochi later this year.

Earlier in July, reports circulated that the Sochi race this year could collapse as organizers hold out for a 64 million euro government bailout amid a deep economic crisis.

But race promoter Sergey Vorobyev does not sound concerned, especially after Red Bull's Russian driver Kvyat scored his first podium finish last Sunday in Hungary.

"Daniil is a driver with very great potential," he told the Russian news agency Tass. "It is good that we are now starting to see it.

"I hope that in Sochi he will be able to fight for the victory," Vorobyev added.

Mercedes gets beat to turn 1 by Ferrari

Mercedes worried about bad race starts
(GMM) Mercedes is worried a developing problem with its race starts could begin to dent the team's cruise to the 2015 world championships.

At Silverstone, a poor getaway for the German team allowed Williams to fight for victory, and now in Hungary the issue resurfaced and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel went on to win.

Team chairman and F1 legend Niki Lauda warns against complacency.

"We were spoiled by victories and our superiority in the last year and a half," he told Bild. "We now have a list of errors that we need to analyze and process."

At the top of the list is the race starts.

"I am very concerned," said team boss Toto Wolff.

He said Ferrari taking the early lead in Hungary "triggered the whole mess" of Mercedes' disastrous race. "It's not acceptable and needs to be analyzed why it happens."

Worse still, the next race is in Belgium, where the FIA's new clampdown on 'driver coaching' when it comes to preparing the drivers for their starts on formation laps takes effect.

So after the grid was shuffled in Hungary, Lewis Hamilton thinks that effect is likely to be magnified from Spa-Francorchamps on.

"With the unpredictable starts I imagine it is going to get worse," he said.

"I think they (the FIA) might underestimate how much they (the starts) influence the races. They might need to make changes to it."

Force India denies trading safety for speed
(GMM) Force India has denied compromising safety in the close fight for fifth in this year's constructors' world championship.

At present, the Silverstone team holds the coveted fifth place, but only by mere points ahead of Lotus and Toro Rosso.

Force India introduced a more competitive 'B spec' car at Silverstone recently, but in Hungary it suffered two structural failures — both with spectacular and dangerous results.

A suspension problem in practice pitched Sergio Perez into a roll, while teammate Nico Hulkenberg speared into the barriers in the race when his front wing folded underneath the car.

Germany's Bild newspaper asked Otmar Szafnauer, the team's sporting director, if Force India has let its safety standards slip in the crucial championship battle.

"We do not play with safety," he insisted. "We showed that on Friday, when we didn't let Hulkenberg out until we knew exactly what was the reason for Perez's crash.

"This must not happen again," Szafnauer added.

Italian PM invited to fight for Monza
(GMM) The Italian prime minister could add more muscle to Monza's fight to retain its historic formula one race.

With Bernie Ecclestone and race organizers at a stalemate in their negotiations for a new contract, it has emerged that the local Confidustria (industry group) and the Lombardy region are campaigning for Monza.

And now Giovanni Malago, the Italian Olympic chief, says he will do what he can when he plans to attend this year's grand prix at the fabled Autodromo Nazionale.

"Ferrari is Italy," he is quoted by Tuttosport, "as even in moments of tension that has been respected by all.

"I will go (to Monza), as a demonstration of what I think is sacred and necessary to support the continuation of F1 at Monza, and also I officially invite the prime minister (Matteo) Renzi," Malago declared.

Vettel would not have won if it was a horespower track where Mercedes could make use of their 100 HP advantage

Mercedes 'still strongest' despite Vettel win – Ferrari
(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen may have moved a step closer to keeping his Ferrari race seat for 2016.

Corriere dello Sport, however, stands by its earlier report that Ferrari's contract buyout deal with Williams to secure Valtteri Bottas' services is already done.

For his part, Finn Bottas is glad the summer break has arrived.

"I think I will hide for a while in the Finnish forests," he smiled after another weekend of high speculation in Hungary.

Raikkonen might also be happy with the lull, especially as he performed well in Hungary following a series of disappointing results in recent races.

Pino Allievi, the veteran and influential correspondent for La Gazzetta dello Sport, said technical trouble marred the actual result but "This is a Kimi that Ferrari and the Tifosi wants".

Former F1 driver and fellow Finn Mika Salo agrees that Raikkonen was competitive throughout the Hungaroring weekend, concluding to the broadcaster MTV3: "It makes me believe that Kimi could stay with Ferrari."

Coupled with Sebastian Vettel's win, it was a strong showing all round for the Maranello team in Hungary, boosting hopes that a title challenge may still be possible.

Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore told the Italian source Adnkronos: "This season it (the title) seems impossible, but next year…"

Ferrari chief Maurizio Arrivabene apparently agrees, declaring that Vettel's win means the team has now achieved his pre-season target of two victories.

"At three we would be in paradise," he said. "We have two but we must keep our feet on the ground. Mercedes is still the strongest team."

Is Toro Rosso favoring Verstappen?

Sainz plays down favoritism 'controversy'
(GMM) Carlos Sainz has played down his anger with Toro Rosso, after making comments suggesting the team may be favoring Max Verstappen.

The Spanish rookie admitted he was "angry" with the Red Bull junior team after Hungary, as Verstappen was called in first for pitstop service even though it was Sainz who was ahead on track.

"It has not been explained to me why they didn't stop me first," he said in Spanish media reports. "Imagine the anger that I have.

"I stopped later than the others, Max did 'the undercut' and passed me in the pits. That's what I cannot understand."

But Sainz subsequently told the Spanish sports daily Marca that, after he sat down with the engineers, he calmed down.

"They wanted us both to pass the Williams and that seemed like the best way," he said.

"I do not want a controversy, I just do my best and hope to get a good result in the next races for Toro Rosso," Sainz added.

Verstappen, the youngest driver in F1 history, finished the Hungarian grand prix fourth with a performance described as "fantastic" by team boss Franz Tost.

Sainz retired with a technical failure.

Singapore makes changes to circuit layout
Organizers of the Singapore Grand Prix have announced that they will make minor changes to the layout of the Marina Bay Street Circuit ahead of this year's Formula 1 race.

The modifications run from Turn 11 to Turn 13; drivers will still turn right at Turn 11 but it will now kink left slightly on entry, with the track shifting to the left-hand side of Fullerton Road.
This will change the profile of Turn 12, as drivers will now use the other side of the Anderson Bridge, while the hairpin at Turn 13 has been widened by a meter in order to increase overtaking opportunities.

"It's a win-win situation that the development of the new arts, culture and lifestyle precinct will provide an upgraded experience, but also potentially make for closer racing at this year's race," said Colin Syn, Deputy Chairman of the event.

This year's Singapore Grand Prix takes place from September 18 to 20.

James Allison and Mauricio Arrivabene talk strategy during Hungarian GP

Arrivabene pleased to prove critics wrong
Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene says he was pleased to prove doubters wrong as Sebastian Vettel claimed the marque's second win of the season in Hungary.

Vettel and team-mate Kimi RÃ¤ikkÃ¶nen leapt ahead of the Mercedes drivers with lightning getaways at the Hungaroring, and controlled the early pace in clean air.

Although RÃ¤ikkÃ¶nen was forced to retired amid MGU-K trouble late on, Vettel resisted post-Safety Car pressure to add to the victory he achieved at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Arrivabene, who recently spoke out to defend the team's development strategy, says returning to the top step was particularly satisfying given the negativity from certain quarters.

"Over the past few weeks, we had comments from people who said we were in a slump, people who obviously can't or don't want to read the numbers," explained Arrivabene.

"As a matter of fact, we had anticipated long time ago that there could be ups and down in the course of the season, but that does not mean that we were stepping back.

"Both Seb and Kimi had a tremendous start and being able to drive in clean air surely made a difference in terms of tire management, as we knew the first two sets of Options would perform very well.

"I am very disappointed, though, that Kimi did not make it to the end, because he was having a great day; this is Formula 1 and we must accept the lack of reliability as another challenge for the future.

"We won today, but still keep our feet on the ground and remain humble and committed."

Rosberg pits and gets the wrong tires

Wolff: Rushed stop cost Rosberg victory
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reckons rushing Nico Rosberg's pit-stop under the Virtual Safety Car and putting on the slower tire cost him a shot at victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Rosberg swapped from Softs to Mediums at the first round of stops and was one of the first drivers to pit in response to Nico HÃ¼lkenberg's dramatic front wing failure.

But instead of returning to the faster yellow-marked tire, another set of Prime tires was bolted onto his car, allowing Sebastian Vettel to pull away and Daniel Ricciardo to close in.

Rosberg later clashed with Red Bull rival Ricciardo as the pair battled for second position, the German sustaining a left-rear puncture and slipping to eighth position.

"When the Virtual Safety Car came out, it was close for him to get into the pits – but he managed it," Wolff said of Rosberg's stop.

"However, the default set of tires was the Prime, as we still had around 30 laps to go in the race under normal conditions – and that was the only set we were able to fit to the car in time.

"In hindsight, the Option tire would have been ideal to attack Sebastian, who was forced to run the prime – but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

"He nevertheless did a great job to salvage P8 and score a few more points."

Rosberg's late demise saw team-mate Lewis Hamilton increase his title lead to 21 points.