Latest F1 news in brief – Monday
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Ferrari protege Marciello to test F1 car in Abu Dhabi Former Spanish King says Alonso 'going to McLaren'
- Mallya slams Red Bull as F1 'cheats'
- Mattiacci focused on Ferrari top job 'at the moment'
- New deal with champ Hamilton may take time – Wolff
- Rosberg gracious in title defeat
- 'Not possible' to name Schu recovery date – manager
- Stevens to test with Caterham team in Abu Dhabi
- Wolff says Mercedes let Rosberg down
- Marciello to make F1 test debut with Ferrari
- Ecclestone apologizes for describing small Formula One teams as 'beggars'
Former Spanish King says Alonso 'going to McLaren'
(GMM) Fernando Alonso completed his Ferrari career on Sunday still refusing to confirm widespread speculation his next move is to McLaren-Honda.
But he is now giving big hints.
"It will not be a surprise," the Spaniard said in Abu Dhabi. "You are very close," he grinned to television reporters who told him it is obvious he is returning to Woking.
The former King of Spain Juan Carlos was a guest of Alonso's at the 2014 season finale, and he told Spanish television Antena 3 what everyone in the world of F1 already suspects.
"I'm here to support Fernando in his last race (for Ferrari)," said the 76-year-old. "He told me he is going to join McLaren and that he's very happy."
Alonso initially appeared uncomfortable when told that the former King had let the cat out of the bag, insisting "I'll leave it to you (reporters) to talk about".
But Speed Week quotes him as adding: "I cannot disagree with the King. He is always right."
According to insiders, the only possible alternative to McLaren within F1 for Alonso next year is a shock switch to dominant Mercedes.
But on Sunday, the German squad was busily hailing its unchanging 2015 lineup featuring new champion Lewis Hamilton.
And even Alonso was admitting he is not heading to Brackley.
"We have seen this year that Mercedes has a great advantage," he said, "and they may have it next year too.
"I'm going to start a project that is aimed not only for the next year," revealed Alonso.
"It is a long-term partnership and a project that hopefully can challenge Mercedes soon and that is why I have taken this step," he added.
Alonso also hinted that returning to McLaren, where he clashed so spectacularly with supremo Ron Dennis back in 2007, will be no obstacle.
"I went from Renault to McLaren and then back to Renault," he said.
"From what I read, I'm not the most pleasant person to work with, but the bottom line is that I can usually go back to a team where I worked before. That's a good sign," said the 33-year-old.
"I miss being on the podium to celebrate with champagne and winning races and world titles. My new project is aimed at getting back to that goal, maybe not in the first year, but I have no doubt that it will be like that in the future again."
All the signs are that Alonso's 2015 teammate will be the in-house McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen, even though the veteran Jenson Button has not yet been told definitively that his 15-year formula one career is now over.
"I talked to Ron after the race, like I do after every race," Button told reporters on Sunday. "But still no news. We'll see in a few days.
"When I walked into the garage before the race it was tough because all the mechanics were ready for the man-hugs. It was really tough and you could see it in their faces."
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| Vijay Mallya: "Red Bull gives you flexible wings" |
Mallya slams Red Bull as F1 'cheats'
(GMM) Rival F1 team Force India has blasted outgoing world champions Red Bull as the "cheats" of the sport.
"Red Bull gives you flexible wings," team supremo and co-owner Vijay Mallya said on Twitter on Sunday.
The former Indian billionaire's attack on the energy drink-owned team follows not just the latest flexible wing saga, but also team boss Christian Horner supposedly enraging his counterparts in a recent meeting.
Not only Mallya, but also Lotus owner Gerard Lopez have intimated to members of the F1 media that it was Horner who openly laughed at the demise of backmarkers Caterham and Marussia.
The next most endangered teams – Lotus, Force India and Sauber – have been arguing ferociously in recent weeks that the sport should more fairly distribute its almost $1 billion in annual income among the teams.
But Horner is quoted by the Times as "categorically" denying that he scoffed at their plight.
"I would never decry other teams," he said. "They have my respect.
"For example, we have helped Caterham get into the paddock. They got gearboxes from us (in Abu Dhabi) even though we are owed money."
But something has obviously enraged Mallya, who launched a tirade of anti-Red Bull sentiment on his official Twitter page ahead of Sunday's 2014 finale in Abu Dhabi.
"Arrogance and a superiority complex on the part of those who are paid to be in F1 should not dilute or color those who pay to be in F1," he said.
"A big F1 team that says we small outfits should not come with bananas to a gun fight, grabs maximum money and cheats on the regulations," Mallya added.
A BBC report that revealed a concealed spring was specifically designed to allow the wing to illegally bend was also 'retweeted' by Mallya.
Former Caterham technical boss Mike Gascoyne also attacked the Red Bull chief on Sunday, tweeting before the race: "Wonder if Christian Halliwell will visit the back of the grid? Will remind him of his first few years in Red Bull."
He signed off with the hashtag: "Whatgoesaroundcomesaround".
Mattiacci focused on Ferrari top job 'at the moment'
(GMM) Marco Mattiacci has done little to reject rumors he is set to depart as Ferrari's team boss.
Reports throughout the Abu Dhabi weekend suggested the Roman and former Ferrari North America chief, who arrived at Maranello in April to replace the suddenly-ousted Stefano Domenicali, is on the verge of himself being replaced.
The rumors say Marlboro executive and F1 Commission member Maurizio Arrivabene, or perhaps even Ross Brawn, are set to succeed Mattiacci.
When asked if Abu Dhabi was his last race, Mattiacci said on Sunday: "At the moment I am very focused on my job just as I was when I started in April."
It is obvious, however, that more changes may be afoot at Maranello.
Piero Ferrari, the great Enzo Ferrari's only living son, was trackside in Abu Dhabi and he answered "I don't know" as to whether Brawn is set to return.
But when asked if the team's former technical director parted on good terms a decade ago, however, Ferrari insisted: "Yes."
New deal with champ Hamilton may take time – Wolff
(GMM) With Lewis Hamilton now a double world champion, Mercedes has vowed to waste no time in signing him up for the future.
Officials for the German team on Sunday insisted that, with the British driver and Nico Rosberg finishing first and second in 2014, their rivalry will be back on track in silver cars next season.
Beyond 2015, however, is less clear, even though German Rosberg is already signed up.
Hamilton only has a deal until the end of 2015, meaning the former McLaren driver may be looking for yet another challenge in 2016 and beyond.
"I definitely don't feel that I'm looking for a new challenge," he insisted after winning his second drivers' title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
"I feel like this is just the beginning."
Before the final race weekend of the season, team boss Toto Wolff has been saying he and chairman Niki Lauda will sit down with Hamilton to discuss the terms of a 2016 contract as soon as Monday or Tuesday this week.
Indeed, Wolff joked late on Sunday that those talks may kick off while Hamilton is still suffering from Sunday's "hangover".
Hamilton himself, however, appears in less of a hurry.
"We still have another year to go," he said, "so there's no particular rush but this is my home. I feel very happy here."
It appears obvious that Hamilton and Mercedes want to stick together beyond 2015. "We will clarify this in the next few weeks," team chairman Niki Lauda told German television on Sunday.
"He is happy, we are happy — I don't see any problems."
Agreement on the actual terms of the contract, however, may be more difficult, particularly as the new two-time world champion is now being hailed as one of F1's all-time greats.
"Lewis feels at home with the team," said Wolff, "and we have the fastest car on the grid. So we have some pretty important arguments on our side!
"But of course there is no guarantee that we will come quickly to an agreement. We would definitely love to keep Lewis, as he is an important part of this story."
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| Lewis Hamilton beat Nico Rosberg to turn 1 Sunday and that was all she wrote |
Rosberg gracious in title defeat
(GMM) As their fierce rivalry this year came to its zenith on Sunday, Nico Rosberg was notably gracious in defeat.
The bullish German had spent the Abu Dhabi weekend firing psychological barbs at Lewis Hamilton, but on Sunday he was beaten off the line by the Briton before technical problems began to strike.
Rosberg and Hamilton, old friends and boyhood karting teammates, have clashed memorably in 2014 as their in-house title battle intensified.
But as the non-alcoholic rose water flowed on the podium amid fireworks in the sky, the defeated Rosberg was gracious in defeat.
"He (Hamilton) did a little bit of a better job than me in the races this year. Tiny bits that I need to find," he said.
Earlier, although he finished the race just 14th, Rosberg even made his way into the pre-podium room to congratulate his rival, and the pair embraced and shared some of the first words they have uttered to one another for weeks.
"He just came into the room, very, very professional," said Hamilton, "and he just said 'fantastic'. He said 'you drove really well'.
"And the same to him — all year long he drove incredibly well, especially in qualifying, so hats off to him."
Rosberg also graciously attended Mercedes' post-race team party, even though he said watching the champagne flow for Hamilton was "a bit hard".
But the pair once again came face to face, with Rosberg explaining: "I said 'you deserve it'.
"He was the best driver on the grid this year, and it was a great battle between us. And I race for battles such as this."
Rosberg's disappointment will be compounded on Tuesday when he must return to the cockpit of his recently-malfunctioned car for the post-race Abu Dhabi test.
"Right now I have to say that I am not really in the mood for it," he admitted late on Sunday.
Hamilton admitted that their embraces and handshakes may "ease" some of the tension that has characterized their rivalry in 2014.
He said: "He was graceful enough to come up to me and see me after, which I really appreciated. It was really big of him to be able to do that.
"It's very, very tough, I know what it's like losing a championship so, for sure, we'll keep working at it."
Team boss Toto Wolff said he was also happy to see how gracious Rosberg was in defeat.
"The most emotional I felt today was when I saw Nico going up to congratulate him," he told German television.
"That's outstanding by Nico because I know the discussions we had after Spa, where the relationship was exactly the opposite. So I'm very happy for both of them because it needed Lewis to accept Nico's congratulations," he added.
"It probably would have been exactly the same the other way around," Wolff told the RTL broadcaster. "For us it is great that we have two such great sportsmen in the team."
'Not possible' to name Schu recovery date – manager
(GMM) Michael Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm says it is "not possible" to talk about how long it will take the F1 legend to recover.
Speaking with the German broadcaster RTL, however, she said she is happy that the earlier media storm surrounding the seriously injured former Mercedes and Ferrari driver has now calmed down.
"People have understood that this whole situation needs calmness and patience," said Kehm on Sunday.
"So many people also understand that privacy in this context is also very important."
Schumacher, 45, has now returned home in the wake of his skiing crash last December and long subsequent hospitalization, but little is known about the extent of his brain injury.
There is speculation the German cannot walk or talk but Kehm insisted that Schumacher is making "progress appropriate to the severity of his injuries".
As for an actual timeframe for full recovery, she said: "That's just not possible in this situation. It will be a difficult and long process."
Stevens to test with Caterham team in Abu Dhabi
The CaterhamF1 Team is pleased to announce that Will Stevens will drive on both days of the official Formula 1 test in Abu Dhabi this week to work with the Team and continue to gain experience together.
Will Stevens: "I am very pleased to have the opportunity to spend more time in the car this week after completing my first Formula 1 race yesterday here in Abu Dhabi. I'm keen to get as much mileage as possible under my belt in order to further my chance of securing a drive for next season."
Gianluca Pisanello, CaterhamF1 Team Head of Engineering Operations: "After a solid first race weekend, it's good for Will to have more time in the car this week here at the test in Abu Dhabi. He will be able to put all the experience he gained at the weekend to good use and continue to improve and understand the car. His feedback will be very valuable to us. We will also have the opportunity to test the 2015 Pirelli tires for the first time and gather plenty of data, which will give us valuable experience and is certainly a very useful way to end the season."
Finbarr O'Connell, CaterhamF1 Team Principal: "We have shown the world we are still a functioning F1 Team. We were delighted to have Will and Kamui driving for us. The F1 community have been so supportive of us both at the track and in the media. My discussions with potential purchasers are continuing and showcasing CaterhamF1 at Abu Dhabi has shown prospective purchasers the spirit and commitment of our race team which is the 'human engine' of the Team. I would once again like to thank our Race Partners – Renault, Red Bull Technology, Pirelli, Dell and Total and also Formula One Management, without all of whose support we would not have got there."
Wolff says Mercedes let Rosberg down
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff feels the team let Nico Rosberg down "a little bit" in Abu Dhabi after technical issues blighted his race.
Rosberg went into the season finale 17 points adrift of team-mate Lewis Hamilton and he immediately lost out at the start.
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| Nico Rosberg struggled with ERS issues Sunday |
However, when his ERS failed midway through, the German dropped right out of contention, eventually crawling home in 14th, while Hamilton came through to win and secure the 2014 world title.
"The bitter part is that we worked so hard to make the car reliable and to enable the boys to fight it out," Wolff said.
"That we had the problem on Nico's car is something that gives us a bitter taste. I feel that we let him down a little bit.
"With hindsight, you can say that it was already difficult for him to make it after he had a not perfect start, but Nico not finishing for us is a personal drama because we are expected to give them two cars that will make it to the finish.
"Lewis not finishing – being in the lead in the championship and being in the lead in the race – would be an even bigger drama.
"However, it does not make it any more good to have seen Nico's car break down."
Marciello to make F1 test debut with Ferrari
Raffaele Marciello will make his Formula 1 test debut with Ferrari during this week's post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Marciello, 19, is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and competed in GP2 this season with Racing Engineering, finishing eighth in the championship and taking four podiums, including a win in Belgium.
The Italian, who won the FIA European Formula 3 Championship in 2013, will be joined at the test by Kimi Raikkonen.
Sebastian Vettel, Raikkonen's new teammate for 2015, had hoped to run, but remains under contract with Red Bull until the end of the season and was denied permission to test for the Scuderia.
Ecclestone apologizes for describing small Formula One teams as 'beggars'
Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One's supremo, has apologized to the sport's three smallest teams for describing them as "beggars" and "idiots", as hopes of a financial settlement grew on Saturday evening.
In a meeting with Force India, Lotus and Sauber, Ecclestone said he was receptive to their concerns. The minnows were buoyed by the presence of Donald Mackenzie, the chairman of CVC Capital Partners, the sport's majority shareholders, who appears to be taking charge of the situation after Ecclestone's wildly contrasting statements on the subject.
It is expected that Ecclestone and Mackenzie will on Sunday meet with the owner of Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz, and Sergio Marchionne, the boss of Ferrari, to see if they are prepared to negotiate a deal which sees them enjoy a huge proportion of the sport's $900 million (£550 million) prize money. So far they have been unreceptive, but the potential for a European Union investigation into the sport may concentrate minds.
Gerard Lopez, the Lotus owner and team principal, said: "We brought it up and there was a retraction. They understand you can call a beggar a beggar if he is doing nothing for his money. That is not the case for us. They heard and saw loud and clear or arguments."
Vijay Mallya, the Force India boss, added: "I made the point very clearly that any such unparliamentary language did not do good for Formula One and all the stakeholders, particularly the sponsors. If someone holding a rather important position in Formula One makes a disparaging remark, it has to have consequences."
The small teams have been left incensed after the demise of Marussia and Caterham. Lopez decided to speak out after he heard a fellow team principal – thought to be Red Bull's Christian Horner – laughing about the minnows' struggles.
"One of the team principals in a big team joked about Caterham and Marussia and that got me quite angry," Lopez added. "I hit the limiter on that one. It was a complete lack of respect and from someone paid to be here rather than paying to be here." He said that the "penny has dropped" for the sport's rulers but insisted there was no "implicit threat" in their actions. They will all meet again next Tuesday in Geneva.
Marchionne, the Ferrari president, will have more on his mind than costs, however. It is widely expected that Marco Mattiacci, the current team principal, will soon be jettisoned after just eight months in his post.
With Mattiacci will return to a job elsewhere in the company, there had been speculation that Ross Brawn will make a remarkable return. However, sources indicated last night that Ferrari have not done enough to woo the man credited with Mercedes current domination. The former Marlboro manager Maurizio Arrivabene seems more a likely choice. A flurry of signings in the engineering department are expected to follow. The Telegraph