Latest F1 news in brief

Palmer quickly realizes winning the GP2 title doesn't get you an F1 ride unless you buy it. Open wheel racing should be renamed to "Have money will drive racing"

Working in F1 'easier' than F3 – Verstappen
F1 'reality' frustrates GP2 champ Palmer
Nasr says Sauber a 'serious' F1 team
Todt eyes 'one or more' new teams if costs cut
Ferrari, Renault see 'loophole' in freeze rules
Newey to stay 'in the loop' in 2015
Diageo Calls F1 Participation 'Extraordinary Opportunity' To Promote Responsible Drinking

Working in F1 'easier' than F3 – Verstappen
(GMM) Max Verstappen says working with a modern formula one team is easy.

Since the 17-year-old was controversially signed by Toro Rosso for 2015, the sport's governing FIA has moved to clamp down on allowing such young and inexperienced drivers on the grid.

Dutchman Verstappen, however, said he has taken to F1 like a duck to water, having travelled with the Faenza based team at the tail end of 2014 and participating in several Friday morning practice sessions.

"I have had no major difficulties" since switching from F3 to formula one, he is quoted by Speed Week.

2014 was Verstappen's first season in single seaters since graduating from karts, and he finished the FIA European F3 championship in third place.

"I think working with a bigger team is easier than being in a small one," he explained.

"There are a lot of very skilled workers around the car, everyone knows exactly what he is doing," Verstappen added. "The roles are clearer than in a team in the lower categories.

"So far it's just been a matter of getting used to the driving and working with the team. The cars are very difficult to drive because the engine power is massive and the grip has reduced," he said.

F1 'reality' frustrates GP2 champ Palmer
(GMM) Jolyon Palmer has expressed frustration that his new GP2 title has not proved an instant ticket to formula one.

The son of former F1 driver Jonathan, 23-year-old Briton Palmer is in the running for a Force India reserve role, but Speed Week reports that he may still be required to raise some sponsorship funding.

On the other hand, the significant Banco do Brasil backing enjoyed by Felipe Nasr has earned the Brazilian driver his grand prix debut next year with Sauber.

That is despite the fact Nasr was beaten to the 2014 title not only by champion Palmer, but also the McLaren protege and runner-up Stoffel Vandoorne.

"It is disheartening to see drivers I have beaten on the track so easily get a seat in formula one," Palmer is quoted as saying.

"That's the reality of formula one at the moment but it sends the wrong message," he added. "It creates the impression that F1 doesn't need the best drivers."

The 2014 Sauber design failed to score a single World Championship point

Nasr says Sauber a 'serious' F1 team
(GMM) Felipe Nasr has played down suggestions he is kicking off his F1 career with an ailing team.

A constant and respected presence on the grid for over twenty years, Hinwil based Sauber sunk to its worst-ever result in 2014, failing to score even a single point.

Now, the fact the Swiss team has signed Brazilian Nasr and his sponsor Banco do Brasil, and the heavily-backed Caterham refugee Marcus Ericsson, has been interpreted as a sign of clear financial problems.

But Nasr, third in the GP2 standings this year, insists Sauber is not an ailing minnow.

"I didn't want to join a small team that is not competitive," he told Brazil's Globo Esporte.

"Sauber has a good structure, serious people. It has a Ferrari engine and Ferrari has been improving a lot. I expect a more competitive team next year.

"I am excited and optimistic for these first two seasons with Sauber," Nasr added.

Todt eyes 'one or more' new teams if costs cut
(GMM) Jean Todt has revealed his ambition to welcome "or or more" new teams to formula one.

Although Caterham returned in Abu Dhabi, the collapse of the least competitive backmarkers this year reduced the grid from 22 to just 18 cars.

It triggered speculation the top teams might be asked to boost numbers in 2015 by adding third cars to their garages.

That prospect has now dwindled, with FIA president Todt saying 18 cars is sufficient for now.

"We'll get a new team (Haas) in 2016," he is quoted by Speed Week.

"So in the worst case we will have 18 cars in 2015 and 20 in 2016. We could also make a new bid to attract one or more additional teams," said Todt.

"But for this to be successful, the costs must be cut," he insisted.

Nonetheless, Todt does not want to overstate the significance of the two backmarkers' survival struggles, insisting it is just "part of the sport".

Toto Wolff

"Of course I'm not happy about what happened to Caterham and Marussia," said the Frenchman. "But such things have always happened."

Toto Wolff, the boss of the new reigning champion team Mercedes, agrees that so long as F1 retains its 'core group' of teams, it will prosper.

"They (teams) come and go," he told Maxim. "I think there is a core group that is really important, and that group has been there forever.

"That's important to remember," added Wolff.

Ferrari, Renault see 'loophole' in freeze rules
(GMM) Mercedes' F1 engine rivals are targeting a 'loophole' in the regulations, according to media reports.

Speed Week claims the 2015 season could kick off next March amid a dispute, as Ferrari and Renault reportedly sense a chance to swerve around the highly-contested engine 'freeze' rules.

Efforts this year to relax the homologation restrictions for 2015 were thwarted by Mercedes, the dominant force in 2014, as any change for next season required unanimity.

But correspondent Rob La Salle claims Ferrari and Renault believe they have uncovered a loophole in the 'freeze' rules that gives them more time to work on improving their turbo V6 engines.

It was originally thought that each manufacturer needed to 'homologate' its engine specification for the entire 2015 season by February 28.

As a newcomer, it is believed Honda must indeed adhere to this deadline. But the reports claim that no such date is actually set for existing engine suppliers.

Instead, the rules state only that Renault and Ferrari, as existing suppliers, may homologate only one new engine for the entire 2015 season.

That could be interpreted as a green light for them to start next season with their 2014 engines, giving them more time to improve the 2015-specifications before their race debut and 'freeze' at an unspecified later date.

Correspondent La Salle said the engine makers and the FIA are essentially arguing over the unfortunate wording of the rules.

"The FIA," he said, "would argue in a dispute that whatever you bring to Australia is your 'one engine' for the season.

"The governing body wants to resolve the matter within the coming weeks," he added.

Newey to stay 'in the loop' in 2015
(GMM) Red Bull is playing down the likely effect of Adrian Newey's diminished involvement.

Although the sport's best paid and most highly rated engineer is staying with Red Bull at Milton Keynes, he will be heading a new division that will focus on projects like Ben Ainslie's America's Cup bid.

So after Red Bull's defeat to Mercedes in 2014, and the loss of world champion Sebastian Vettel to Ferrari, team boss Christian Horner insists the team still has a "great lineup" for 2015.

"We've got strength in depth and some real talent," he told Sky.

"A lot of teams have been chasing after that talent but we've managed to hang onto it."

And Horner hit back even at suggestions Newey is 'taking a step back' from F1.

"Adrian being Adrian," he said at the Autosport awards, "a step back never seems to be that far!

"He's still very much involved. He's still very much involved in the design of next year's car and he's going to be around for sure," Horner added.

In light of the America's Cup news, however, Newey said that while he remains "part of the team", he will be "less hands on" in 2015.

But he told PA Sport news agency: "I'll be attending half a dozen races or so. I want to keep in the loop, so in the mentoring, advisory role I'm fresh enough that I'm able to keep on top of that.

"I'll certainly be in Melbourne and a few after that, the key ones, the ones that tend to pose the biggest engineering challenges," Newey added.

He also expressed confidence in his successors at Milton Keynes, saying Red Bull is being left in good hands.

"They're a very good bunch," said the 55-year-old.

"What is happening is well timed as they've been developing as a team very well and now it's time for them to really step up to the plate," added Newey.

Diageo Calls F1 Participation 'Extraordinary Opportunity' To Promote Responsible Drinking
Amidst calls by the Eurocare to ban alcohol sponsorship, Johnnie Walker's parent company insists it is an "extraordinary opportunity" to promote responsible drinking, according to PLANET F1. The European Alcohol Policy Alliance, known as Eurocare, recently wrote to FIA President Jean Todt claiming that "alcohol sponsorship in Formula 1 goes against EU law."

But David Gates, the head of Johnnie Walker's parent company Diageo, said that through sponsoring F1 his company has reached "half a billion" people to promote the "don't drink and drive" message.

Gates: "We've been involved in Formula One for over a decade, and in that time responsible drinking has been at the heart of our campaign."

He added that "events like Johnnie Walker's recent outing with McLaren in Edinburgh, which was attended by Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen and Mika Hakkinen, also catches the attention of the public, pushing the message of responsible drinking."

Gates: "People like Jenson, Kevin and Mika have influenced a certain demographic who are far more likely to listen to what they have to say." Planet F1

Neal Baker wrote Eurocare claimed the current arrangement “seems to contradict many official guidelines for the marketing of alcohol." Eurocare said, "It runs against the EU Directive which states that marketing for the consumption of alcohol should not be linked to driving." The Drinks Business