Latest F1 news in brief

Bad year for Fernandes

Schu friends hit back at Streiff comments
Loyal backers sticking with Schumacher
Enzo Ferrari's son backs Maranello revolution
'Worst year' for F1 entrepreneur Fernandes
Korea removed from latest 2015 calendar
Hamilton wins European sportsman award

Schu friends hit back at Streiff comments
(GMM) On the one-year anniversary of his skiing crash, Michael Schumacher's inner circle has hit back at the latest claims about the seven time world champion.

Former F1 driver Philippe Streiff, who was paralyzed in a 1989 crash, told Le Parisien newspaper on Sunday that while the great German is still not able to speak, he is "starting to recognize those close to him".

As for Schumacher's future, Streiff added that "long term, he could hope one day to walk with crutches".

Streiff said he had heard the news from Schumacher's wife Corinna and the FIA-linked doctor Gerard Saillant.

But speaking to the French-language news agency AFP, Saillant hit back at Streiff's claims.

"For a year, I have had no verbal, written or physical contact with Philippe Streiff," he said through a FIA spokesman.

And Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm was quoted by the German newspaper Bild as also rejecting the report based on Streiff's comments.

"I can only wonder about these statements of Philippe Streiff," she said. "He certainly has no contact with Professor Saillant or with Corinna.

"Between Mr. Streiff and Michael, there has also never been a friendship," added Kehm.

As for Streiff's comments suggesting Schumacher, 45, is making progress one year after his skiing accident, Kehm said: "We need a long time.

"It's going to be a long time and a hard fight," she told Reuters.

"He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation."

Loyal backers sticking with Schumacher
(GMM) A year after his skiing accident, Michael Schumacher has retained the loyal backing of most of his personal sponsors.

It was reported earlier that, after the German mineral water company Rosbacher deal ended, Schumacher also lost the backing of the fashion brands Navyboot and Jet Set.

However, the DPA news agency insists that Rosbacher in fact remains committed to the great 45-year-old, as does the luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet.

And Robert Peil, representing Schumacher's long-time cap sponsor Deutsche Vermogensberatung, insisted: "It is obvious to us that we stand together (with him) even in bad times."

Also still supporting Schumacher is his last F1 employer Mercedes-Benz, the doors and gates brand Hormann, and the helmet manufacturer Schuberth.

His manager Sabine Kehm insisted: "Our concept has always been cooperation based on partnership and friendship on a personal basis. This connectedness pays off today.

"Almost all of the partnerships are still there," she added.

Enzo Ferrari's son backs Maranello revolution
(GMM) Enzo Ferrari's only living son Piero has backed the revolution at Maranello led by new president Sergio Marchionne.

Having faltered at the start of the new turbo V6 era, Ferrari has undergone a radical shakeup involving an almost total clean-sweep of the top roles in red.

Leading the charge now is Fiat Chrysler chief Marchionne, who in the past days has been involved in a war of words with Ferrari's ousted long-time boss Luca di Montezemolo.

But Piero Ferrari is backing Maranello's new chief, even though Marchionne has already attracted attention as a result of his combative start.

"I saw him speaking clearly and honestly, without subterfuge or like a politician," he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I am excited by the generational change that is underway. Companies evolve, but formula one forces you to renew yourself," said Ferrari.

"Do not forget that at the end of 1961, my father fired the seven top executives and started again, putting the young Mauro Forghieri at the head of everything.

"My father would have understood him (Marchionne) at a glance."

Ferrari added: "Marchionne is a person who hates delays. He works hard, recognizing and solving problems instantly. He has many qualities."

As for a comparison between Ferrari's new boss and Montezemolo, Ferrari insisted: "That is impossible as they come from different worlds, with different paths, different characters and a different way of working."

Ferrari also backed the arrival of Sebastian Vettel to replace Fernando Alonso, saying the German can "lead the team on the right track".

"I appreciate that he does not have a manager, and lives with his feet on the ground without frills. And he is very fast — you don't win four world championships by chance."

As for Vettel's 2015 teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who struggled notably this year, Ferrari answered: "He is able to express himself with the right machine, which in 2014 he did not have.

"I don't think he has lost any of his talent."

Ferrari said he is "prudently optimistic" about the 2015 season, acknowledging that "there are no miracles in F1".

'Worst year' for F1 entrepreneur Fernandes
(GMM) Tony Fernandes' already bad 2014 turned black at the weekend.

This year, the Malaysian entrepreneur sold his ailing backmarker F1 team Caterham, his London football club Queens Park Rangers has disappointed, and now a flight operated by his airline AirAsia has gone missing en route to Singapore.

The flight had 155 passengers and 7 crew on board.

"My heart bleeds for all the relatives of my crew and our passengers," he wrote on Twitter. "Nothing is more important to us."

The German newspaper Die Welt said 2014 was the "worst year of Fernandes' career".

Korea removed from latest 2015 calendar
(GMM) Korea has been removed from the latest 2015 calendar issued by F1's governing body.

Insiders were initially stunned early in December when next year's schedule featured an unprecedented 21 grand prix dates and the return of a race in unpopular South Korea.

Korean organizers played down the inclusion and even Bernie Ecclestone admitted it was unlikely, as experts explained it was probably a mere 'trick' to trigger a loophole in the long-life engine use rules for 2015.

But at the latest Strategy Group meeting, the engine rule loophole was closed, and in the hours before Christmas the FIA issued a definitive 2015 calendar on which Korea does not feature.

However, the final 2015 calendar does declare that next year's world championship will be played out over "21 competitions", even though only 20 races are subsequently listed.

Hamilton wins European sportsman award
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton has taken home yet another plaudit after winning his second drivers' title in 2014.

A coveted award in Europe is the Polish press agency's Sportsman of the Year, in which 18 similar sports news services cast their votes.

In 2014, it is Mercedes driver and Briton Hamilton who secured the prize with 82 points, in front of German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's 81 and tennis' Novak Djokovic coming in with 74 points.

In fourth place was Cristiano Ronaldo, with 72 points.

Alex Zanardi, the former F1 driver who has inspired millions with his feats in the wake of his 2001 crash and injuries, said F1 crowned the deserving champion in 2014.

"I am not talking about the car, I'm talking about the driver," he told the Ferrari insider Leo Turrini's Quotidiano blog.

"In my opinion, Hamilton is the best of anyone who drives a car at the moment. Perhaps the only one who comes close to him in absolute terms is Alonso," said Zanardi.

As for Sebastian Vettel, the now former four-time world champion and Ferrari's new driver, Zanardi is less convinced.

"I think Vettel is a great driver," he said, "but maybe not at the level of Hamilton or Alonso. However, we are talking about a very, very competitive driver who is going to Maranello with the right spirit.

"Apart from the car, which of course is important, it will be interesting to see how Vettel and Raikkonen will go in 2015 in reaction to their latest experiences.

"In 2014, Seb was beaten by Ricciardo, and it was the same with Kimi compared with Fernando. How will the new Ferrari couple do with a car that we are told will not be on top?

"It will be very interesting to see their performance," Zanardi concluded.