Latest F1 news in brief

David Coulthard is delusional thinking Rosberg can beat Hamilton

Takeover could 'make things happen' in F1
F1 grid 'still has characters' – Wolff
Williams, Bottas quiet amid Ferrari rumors
2015 struggle might hurt 2016 'soon' – Boullier
Rosberg can beat Hamilton to title – Coulthard
No more 'fake pace' from Ferrari

Takeover could 'make things happen' in F1
(GMM) Amid an intense period of turmoil and introspection in F1, the debate this week has turned to whether an American billionaire can save the sport.

The latest alarming quote has come from Martin Whitmarsh, the former long-time McLaren chief who thinks the pinnacle of motor sport will "crash and burn".

But Mario Andretti, the 1978 world champion, thinks America is coming to the rescue.

"In America we have the mindset to make things happen," he said, hot on the heels of news Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is looking to take over the sport from Bernie Ecclestone and CVC.

Reportedly also involved in the $8 billion deal is Qatar's sports investment arm, with Andretti telling the Guardian: "I can't see any negatives. A solid investment would spell stability for the sport."

Andretti said the move could be an answer for many of F1's problems, including technical rules that are confusing and turning off a dwindling audience.

The teams, however, are currently in the dark, as the news has been leaked to several media outlets but not officially confirmed.

"It all sounds very speculative at the moment," an unnamed team boss said. "Who will be in charge?"

F1 supremo Ecclestone has admitted the deal would see him sell his stake, but his former sparring partner Max Mosley insists the 84-year-old Briton's role "won't change".

"There is nobody else who does the job as well," the former FIA president told BBC radio.

F1 grid 'still has characters' – Wolff
(GMM) As F1 chiefs ponder the sport's biggest problems, Toto Wolff has admitted the issue of 'characters' is a recurring one.

Some would argue that – recalling legends like Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Gerhard Berger and countless others – none of the current crop of drivers even come close.

"When I was younger, I was a fan," said Mercedes chief Wolff, who is 43.

"When I walked in the paddock and Herr (Jacques) Laffite came past, I was thrilled," he is quoted by Speed Week.

"Has that changed now because the drivers are younger? Or because today in the world we all have sensory overload? It's hard to say.

"But I am convinced that we still have characters in formula one," Wolff added.

The Austrian thinks one of the reasons is the current media cycle, where drivers are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

"If someone like Lewis Hamilton arrives at the circuit with his dogs, or he is interested in music, then he is accused of something.

"But if Sebastian Vettel protects his private life then he is accused of not being interesting enough. It would seem, whatever you do, you're wrong," he said.

Williams, Bottas quiet amid Ferrari rumors
(GMM) Williams and Valtteri Bottas are quiet in the face of mounting speculation about the Finn's future.

Germany's Bild newspaper reported this week that Ferrari is offering Williams EUR 4 million to buy Bottas out of his 2016 contract with the British team.

Contacted by Brazil's Globo, Grove based Williams said it "never" comments on the contractual situation of its drivers, and therefore will not comment on the Bild story.

And Bottas himself told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat as he tested in Austria on Wednesday: "There are always a lot of rumors in F1.

"Nothing has changed for me. I am concentrating on this season, which is the best thing for me and the team.

"We will know later on what will happen," the 25-year-old added.

The speculation has ramped up amid the difficulties faced by Kimi Raikkonen, the current occupant of the second Ferrari seat.

Even Esteban Gutierrez, the Italian team's test driver, admitted he would like to fill the struggling Finn's place.

"That would be great. That's all I can say!" the Mexican said whilst testing the Ferrari on Wednesday.

Mika Hakkinen, involved in Bottas' management, emphasized the difficult situation currently facing Raikkonen.

"Once things begin to not work out for you," he said, "then the situation can often keep getting worse.

"I have personally experienced similar situations in my formula one career where for some reason nothing seemed to work," Hakkinen said in his latest interview with Hermes.

But according to Pino Allievi, a veteran and authoritative writer for Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, Raikkonen still has a slim chance of staying in 2016.

But "The team is insisting on results now," he said. "It has been waiting for almost two years, Ferrari has offered loyalty, help and everything Kimi needs, but I think the situation is still the same as it was last year when he was with Fernando Alonso.

"What is certain is that with results such as in Austria, it is impossible that Kimi stays next year with Ferrari. But at the moment, the team is just waiting.

"The only priority at the moment is the car, and catching up with Mercedes as soon as possible.

"If Kimi gets back to the level we know he is capable of, then he will stay alongside (Sebastian) Vettel. But as we all know, Ferrari requires results from both of its drivers," Allievi added.

2015 struggle might hurt 2016 'soon' – Boullier
(GMM) McLaren-Honda's continuing struggles might soon begin to also affect the 2016 campaign.

That is the blunt admission of Eric Boullier, following yet another disastrous weekend for the new Anglo-Japanese collaboration in Austria.

"I would not say that our difficulties have already impacted the coming season," he is quoted in international media reports including Speed Week (Germany) and Marca (Spain).

"But sooner or later that may be the case. We are lacking mileage, not only in the winter testing but also in the race weekends," the McLaren team boss added.

McLaren has, however, had a more positive outing in the post-Austrian grand prix test this weekend, with Fernando Alonso putting crucial laps on the new 'short nose' package.

It is often said the Spaniard must be getting close to letting his frustration show, but he continues to insist he is looking into the future with optimism.

That is despite the fact he is expecting to serve "more penalties" in the next few grands prix, having already run through his season allocation of engines.

"Then from Singapore, it should be better for us," he is quoted by France's Le Figaro.

"We want to try to score points and get closer to the podium before the end of the season," said Alonso, "because next year we want to fight for the championship.

"It's probably a bit too optimistic a goal but the level of our dream must be high."

He insists he has no regrets about leaving Ferrari to join McLaren-Honda for the future.

"If you want to win the championship and beat Mercedes, you have to do something different," said Alonso. "And I felt that McLaren-Honda saw things differently and was the best chance for me.

"It will take time, but we will be the only ones who can stop Mercedes," he insisted.

Rosberg can beat Hamilton to title – Coulthard
(GMM) Nico Rosberg is right back in the running for the 2015 title.

That is the view of former F1 driver turned broadcaster David Coulthard, following the German driver's emphatic win in Austria.

"I did not doubt for one second that Nico can beat Lewis (Hamilton)," he told Sport Bild.

Hamilton, the reigning world champion, earlier looked to have established a clear hierarchy at Mercedes this year, but Coulthard insisted of Rosberg: "He is not a number two and will not be.

"I can tell, because I was in a similar situation," the Scot said, referring to his days alongside Mika Hakkinen at McLaren.

Coulthard said that while Rosberg is "super-fast and extremely professional", often people simply take more notice of Hamilton because he is more controversial and brash, wearing diamond earrings and "gold chains".

The differences between the pair, however, is mere "details", Coulthard added.

Team boss Toto Wolff agrees that Rosberg is definitely world championship material, and in 2015 is "In a good mood, positive, balanced, calm — like someone who has been waiting for his chance.

"When Nico has a perfect day, he is hard to beat," he said, explaining that Hamilton has often had the edge in 2015 because Rosberg does not enjoy the car's tendency to "oversteer".

And, with just ten points separating them after eight races, Wolff promises that Mercedes will not "intervene" in their title battle.

"The (Mercedes) brand would suffer from that, and formula one too," he said.

No more 'fake pace' from Ferrari
If team principal Maurizio Arrivabene gets his way, then Ferrari will be running Friday practice sessions on full tanks in future.

Mercedes remain the pacesetters in Formula 1, but Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen often appear to be a lot closer during the first two practice sessions, often topping the timesheets.

However, they usually fall away both in qualifying and on race day with the Merc drivers taking all eight pole positions so far this season and winning seven races.

Arrivabene believes his Scuderia outfit would be better off showing their true pace on Fridays.

"My analysis is that it depends on how much fuel Mercedes have compared to us," he is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"I said to the engineers that it's better to go on Friday with a full tank so we can see a correct comparison instead of seeing a fake one."

Although Merc completed yet another 1-2 finish in Austria with Nico Rosberg leading Lewis Hamilton home, Arrivabene insists the team are not "that far away".

"As soon as the tires went into [the right] temperature we were more or less two tenths slower than [Lewis] Hamilton," he said. "The gap from [Nico] Rosberg was bigger but it depends on a lot of factors.

"We were not that far away in the race.

"It's the downforce, it's the traction, they are all issues we are working on to be solved.

"I don't want to use an excuse – it's a challenge on us to work better and make sure we are very very good." PlanetF1