Latest F1 news in brief

Lauda says Hamilton deserves big salary

Grosjean to keep sitting out Fridays
Hamilton 'deserves' his millions – Lauda
Hinchcliffe injuries unlikely in F1 – report
F1 recalls Bianchi 'miracle' on Monaco return
Rosberg surprised by Hamilton qualifying choice
Red Bull admitting own car problems now – Ricciardo
Ferrari to try again with Barcelona upgrade
Pirelli not sure F1 needs 'tire war'
Alonso says 'slow' F1 took a wrong turn
Too soon for Ferrari 'silly season' – Bottas
Formula 1 Success Boding Well For Ferrari Ahead Of IPO, Split From Fiat Chrysler

Grosjean to keep sitting out Fridays
(GMM) Romain Grosjean will continue to give up his cockpit in Friday practice sessions in 2015.

Recently, tension was clearly brewing between the Frenchman and his Lotus teammate Pastor Maldonado, as the heavily-sponsored Venezuelan is contracted to drive in every session at every race.

So it is Grosjean who has been sitting out practice sessions so that another sponsored driver, reserve and reigning GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer, can get track time.

Last week, Briton Palmer said he is expecting to appear in the black and gold E23 at about half of all the Fridays in 2015.

Grosjean admits that directly affects him.

"It does affect you quite a lot in terms of preparation for the weekend," he said in Monaco. "I believe that's why not everyone is doing it."

Alongside Palmer, another controversial role at Lotus this year is being filled by 'development driver' Carmen Jorda, the female Spaniard and former GP3 driver.

She admits that, unlike Palmer, she will not be driving on a Friday this year, triggering new suggestions that Jorda's role is more like a publicity stunt.

"On the one hand," team owner Gerard Lopez said, "we have a woman who refreshes the image of formula one, and brands tell us it is good that she is there.

"And then you have people who tell you that it is only publicity," he told El Confidencial newspaper. "But the whole car is only publicity!"

Hamilton 'deserves' his millions – Lauda
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton deserves what he will earn under the terms of his new Mercedes contract.

That is the opinion of Niki Lauda, who was closely involved in the long negotiations that finally ended on Wednesday with news of a new three-year deal.

Respected media sources say the deal will earn 30-year-old Hamilton at least $100 million, plus more as he has negotiated clauses whereby he can manipulate his own image.

Jenson Button on Wednesday described the figures doing the rounds as "amazing".

But F1 legend Lauda told Auto Motor und Sport: "The world champions like Vettel, Alonso and Lewis all deserve roughly the same."

He said the deal took so long to finalize because Hamilton handled the talks himself.

"The main contract was not the problem," said Lauda. "More difficult were the details about PR appearances, sponsor events, whether he can keep his car at the end of the year."

Hamilton on Wednesday insisted he did not celebrate with "champagne", but the New York Post says the Briton has been looking into buying a $30 million penthouse in Lower Manhattan.

And he arrived in Monaco wearing a gold watch and sunglasses.

"I'm not going to go out screaming and yelling like I just got a jump shot from the halfway line," said Hamilton.

But "I've got no fear about justifying the new deal," he insisted.

Hinchcliffe injuries unlikely in F1 – report
(GMM) A horror crash like the one suffered by Indycar star James Hinchcliffe is unlikely in formula one.

That is the claim of FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer.

On Monday, Hinchcliffe sustained horrific injuries during practice for the Indy 500, when a suspension arm pierced the car, went straight through his right thigh and into his left upper thigh and pelvis, cutting a major artery.

It is expected that the Canadian will recover.

As for whether a similar injury could be sustained in F1 today, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims that is unlikely.

First, F1 suspension arms are made of carbon fiber, not steel as in Indycar.

And, crucially, F1 cars are reinforced specifically for anti-penetration with a super-strong material called Zylon.

"We have Zylon over the entire length of the cockpit," said Bauer, "which prevents parts from penetrating from outside."

Zylon is also used in Indycar, but in F1 it protects the entire chassis, so it is possible Hinchcliffe's broken suspension damaged the reinforced areas.

And also in F1, the mounting points of the suspension are further reinforced with steel. "Indycar is still catching up in this area," claims Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt.

This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Jules Bianchi's points-finishing run at Monaco

F1 recalls Bianchi 'miracle' on Monaco return
(GMM) The entire world of F1 is thinking of Jules Bianchi this weekend.

Just 30 minutes from the glitz and glamour of the world's most famous street race, the Frenchman lies in a coma in Nice.

But one year ago, the then 24-year-old defied the odds by scoring points for the backmarker Marussia, which went on to became Manor and race into 2015 thanks to the subsequent millions in official F1 prize-money.

"When you sit in a car that is not competitive and you do that," friend Fernando Alonso recalled on Wednesday, "it's almost a miracle.

"Coming back here and not having him here with us is very sad," the McLaren driver added.

"We think about him each race weekend," Alonso said. "But here, it is a bit harder to understand what happened."

A year after Bianchi's Monaco feat, Manor has marked the occasion with red wristbands bearing 'JB17'.

Half an hour away, Bianchi is still fighting.

"I see Jules regularly," his grandfather Mauro Bianchi, a former Formula 2 driver, told RMC. "We are waiting and hoping. The doctors do not comment.

"But in such cases, the families see the little things — the movements he makes. Sometimes we are told they are reflexes that do not mean much. We know that injuries like the one he suffered require considerable time.

"This is the problem," Mr. Bianchi added. "Is he coming back? How will he be? That is what hurts us the most."

One of Bianchi's very best friends, the GP2 driver Norman Nato, said: "All this support, I find it great.

"We must continue to support him and not forget, as I remain convinced that, even if it takes time, I will see him again one day, even if it is not in competition.

"He will remain my best friend and I will see him again, I hope soon."

Rosberg surprised by Hamilton qualifying choice
(GMM) Nico Rosberg furrowed his brow on Wednesday when told about teammate Lewis Hamilton's Monaco strategy.

A year ago in the Principality, Hamilton accused his silver stablemate of deliberately ruining a qualifying lap and therefore the Briton's shot at pole.

This time, Hamilton has reportedly declared that the decision has been made and sanctioned for him to run first in 'Q3' on Saturday.

"I do have the choice this year which is good," the world champion confirmed on Wednesday.

"I'm confident that last year's episode will not re-occur and so I don't feel pressured either way," Hamilton added.

But when told that Hamilton is in charge of the qualifying strategy, Rosberg furrowed his brow: "Really?

"That's interesting," the German is quoted by Speed Week. "In light of what happened last year, I can understand the decision."

But can Rosberg also understand Mercedes' decision to reportedly pay Hamilton a figure for 2016 and beyond that dwarfs his own annual retainer?

"I'm very happy with my contract," he insisted.

"I have read the numbers that are in the media, but from personal experience I know that those numbers are very often far from the reality."

Rosberg says he is also confident that, in light of Hamilton's huge new deal, he will not now be slipped into 'number 2' status.

"The team will always treat us equally," he said. "Otherwise it wouldn't work. The team works very hard that we always get the same opportunities."

Rosberg has won the last two Monaco grands prix.

The now reflective Daniel Ricciardo admits that Red Bull's problems go beyond Renault

Red Bull admitting own car problems now – Ricciardo
(GMM) Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull can no longer complain only about its struggling 'power unit'.

Earlier in 2015, officials of the energy drink-owned team were pointing the finger angrily at Renault, bemoaning a lack of power, drivability and reliability.

But Australian Ricciardo, Red Bull's lead driver, said on Wednesday it is now abundantly clear that the problem with the RB11 car is "not only the engine".

"I think now everyone's obviously aware of that and putting their hand up, saying 'Yeah we know — it's not where it should be'," he said in Monaco.

Ricciardo, 25, said times have changed since Red Bull could boast about having clearly the most downforce in F1.

"Probably the last four or five years with Red Bull, one stand-out was the downforce. This year, we're not better than anyone in high speed corners, and if anything I think we're even slower than the top guys," said Ricciardo.

At the end of last year, Adrian Newey – arguably the most renowned aerodynamicist in the sport's history – took a step back from the sport.

Ricciardo said: "I don't want to sound too critical but I don't think there's one outstanding excuse. For whatever reason, the puzzle hasn't quite come together yet and therefore the car's not working as well as it should be.

"I'm not content with coming seventh or eighth but equally the team isn't as well," he added.

Ferrari to try again with Barcelona upgrade
(GMM) Ferrari is persevering with a major car upgrade that did not work last time out in Barcelona.

The Maranello team's 2015 resurgence came to a halt at the Spanish grand prix, when a big package of 'improvements' for the 2015 car actually resulted in a widening of the gap between it and pacesetter Mercedes.

Kimi Raikkonen even reverted to the 'old' car in Barcelona.

But after the post-race test, Ferrari was said to have been relieved to have resolved most of the issues with the SF15-T's upgrade.

"Obviously we think that they are good parts," Raikkonen said on Wednesday, "otherwise they would not be on the car."

Indeed, both the Finn and teammate Sebastian Vettel will be racing the upgraded car in Monaco this weekend.

"We are confident this is the right way to go," said the German driver, "so we have decided to keep the new parts in the car."

Vettel, however, said that given the step backwards in Barcelona, any talk of Ferrari taking on Mercedes for the world championship is premature.

"If the gap is as big as it was then it becomes difficult to talk about being in the fight for the championship," he said on Wednesday.

But Vettel admitted to looking forward to using Pirelli's 'super soft' tire for the first time this weekend, given the characteristics of the 2015 car.

Asked how he is expecting to go on the super-softs, he grinned: "I hope super-good!"

Pirelli not sure F1 needs 'tire war'
(GMM) Pirelli is not sure a 'tire war' is the solution to F1's problems.

In the past days and weeks, the fact the driving 'heroes' are often doing little more than keep their tires alive at GP2-like pace has been a big topic of conversation.

Indeed, the Strategy Group declared last week that a package of changes for the future must be introduced to slash up to 6 seconds from current laptimes.

But Fernando Alonso thinks bringing another tire supplier, such as Michelin, back into F1 is another good idea.

"In 2006 the tires from Bridgestone and Michelin were amazing because they pushed each other to the limits," said the Spaniard.

But when the 'tire war' era ended, tire manufacturers in F1 could "relax", Alonso said.

When the idea of going into competition with Michelin was raised with Paul Hembery, Pirelli's F1 chief sounded unconvinced.

"We should look very carefully at the rules," he told El Confidencial.

"But it seems that no one is looking forward to a tire war," added Hembery, "due to the current economic situation.

"In the end, formula one is a championship for teams and drivers. And as a manufacturer of tires, when there was competition it is difficult to know how much the contribution to winning was really recognized.

"So there would have to be a very strong case to reopen the tire war in F1," he added.

Alonso says 'slow' F1 took a wrong turn
(GMM) Last decade, F1 took a wrong turn.

That is the view of Fernando Alonso, as at Monaco on Wednesday the topic of whether 'the show' is delivering for the fans was front and center.

In 2015, a series like GP2 is now nipping the heels of its big brother in terms of laptime and driving challenge, and the 'junior' cars are definitely louder.

It was not always so, as Jenson Button recalled the heady days of the mid-2000s.

"We had V10 engines, three liter, 900 horse power, they revved to 21,000 rpm, we had a tire war. It was great," said the Briton. "But times change."

Times, however, may be changing yet again, as the Strategy Group has met and decided that laptimes need to be slashed by up to 6 seconds per lap for the future.

To do that, Alonso thinks F1 needs to bring back "some rules from seven or eight years ago".

"Which means that, in the last four or five years, we were going in the wrong direction," the Spaniard said in Monaco.

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), essentially an independent drivers' union, is launching a global fan survey in Monaco to understand F1's problems and how to fix them.

But as far as Alonso is concerned, the fans have already spoken.

"I think the grandstands tell us," he said. "We cannot run one second quicker than GP2 cars because the grandstands are empty."

Around the paddock on Wednesday, from Kimi Raikkonen to Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo to Romain Grosjean, the refrain was similar.

"Obviously something has to change for the future to make it more interesting, to make it more challenging for us also," Raikkonen, not normally outspoken on any issue, said.

Quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, a GPDA director, is not so sure there is a silver bullet, such as the proposed reintroduction of refuelling.

"A few years ago it was abolished and now we want it back, I don't know," he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But I think anything that makes us faster is welcome."

Too soon for Ferrari 'silly season' – Bottas
(GMM) Valtteri Bottas on Wednesday said the 'silly season' has come too soon.

There was an awkward moment between countrymen Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen on Wednesday, when the latter Finn was asked what he thought of rumors Ferrari is considering replacing him.

"Who knows?" said Raikkonen. "We are both Finns but we don't know each other so well.

"It seems to be every year or every team I am in I am being kicked out or a new contract or whatever," he added.

Bottas, however, told Brazil's Globo on Wednesday that he is not taking the rumors too seriously.

"I'm fortunate to have guys like Toto Wolff, Mika Hakkinen and Didier Coton working with me," he said in Monaco.

"Of course we have discussed what could be better for me, but we need to wait for the market to start moving to get an idea of what the options might be."

Coton, who heads Bottas' three-pronged management, agreed: "The 'silly season' is not open yet, so we are relaxed about it.

"I don't know where the Ferrari rumor came from. It's just a rumor," he insisted, "and I have no idea who started it."

And Bottas, 25, insisted he does not have his heart set on wearing red.

"Drivers always want to have the best car, the fastest car," said the Williams driver. "To win the races.

"I have always liked Williams, but also Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren. I don't have one that is my dream," Bottas insisted.

"I think Williams has everything it needs to build a fast car. We may be limited in the budget, but there are great people in the team and a great wind tunnel.

"As I said, I trust our engineers and this man here," he added, pointing in the direction of technical boss Pat Symonds.

Formula 1 Success Boding Well For Ferrari Ahead Of IPO, Split From Fiat Chrysler
Ferrari's "timely return to the front row of the Formula One grid bodes well for the luxury sportscar maker" as it prepares to list shares and split from parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, according to Baldwin & Flak of REUTERS.

After "years of under achievement, the world’s most successful motor racing team has been on the podium" in each of the first five grands prix this season. The turnaround gives FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne "a lift as he seeks to convince investors" that Ferrari merits a valuation of at least â‚¬10B ($11.1B) — at the top end or even above a range of â‚¬4B ($4.45B)-â‚¬10B floated by bankers for the "luxury carmaker and its prancing horse logo."

Manfredi Ricca, head of brand consulting group Interbrand's Italian office, said that F1 symbolizes "what Ferrari stands for." Ricca: "A successful Formula 1 team adds some incremental value to the Ferrari brand and the brand is going to be a key component of Ferrari's valuation in the IPO. It's the most effective advertising."

Marchionne said that he plans to sell around 10% of the firm in an initial public offering later this year. He recognizes the team's "importance to the brand's DNA." Marchionne: "Ferrari defines itself in terms of its racing ability. When it loses, the house doesn't feel good." Reuters