Latest F1 news in brief

Alonso will likely be replaced by Vettel at Ferrari in 2015

Ferrari on verge of agreeing Alonso split
Ecclestone denied return to F1 board
Raikkonen counts himself out of contract turmoil
F1 eyes earlier Japan GP to dodge typhoon
Vettel's chief mechanic leaves Red Bull
Driver pays thousands for Marussia practice runs
Max Verstappen 'not even close to limit'
Hamilton: More time to come after error
Vettel hopeful of Red Bull podium challenge

Ferrari on verge of agreeing Alonso split
(GMM) Fernando Alonso and Ferrari are on the cusp of announcing the Spaniard's split, despite his contract for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

The Spanish publication Cope said the parties have now agreed to terminate the deal, amid speculation of an enormous EUR 50 million per year standing offer from McLaren.

"At this moment, in Japan, Alonso is discussing his future at Ferrari," Luca di Montezemolo, still Ferrari's president until Sergio Marchionne takes over later this month, said at the Paris Motor Show.

"I am sure we will find the best solution for him and for Ferrari, whatever that may be," Montezemolo added.

Authoritative media sources say the situation has progressed to the point that Alonso and his closest colleagues at the fabled Italian team are now beginning to say their goodbyes.

"I must thank Alonso," Montezemolo continued, "because whether he stays or doesn't stay, he has done a lot for Ferrari.

"We have a contract and in the next few days we are going to take a final decision with a lot of respect for one another.

"If he says he will stay, we will be happy. If we decide together to end our collaboration, it will be in the best manner possible," he added.

Also speaking in Paris, Marchionne also suggested that Ferrari's marriage to Alonso is nearing an end.

"Ferrari is more important than any partner," he said. "Our priorities are well defined: the company, the brand and above all the people."

Ecclestone denied return to F1 board
(GMM) Fresh doubt is being cast over Bernie Ecclestone's F1 reign.

News is circulating around the Suzuka paddock on Friday that the sport's 'supremo' has been denied his planned return to the executive board.

Although he always remained chief executive, the 83-year-old had stepped down from the parent company Delta Topco amid his recent corruption trial in Germany.

When he controversially settled that case recently, Ecclestone said he expected to return to the board.

"I stood down for obvious reasons, but I'll be back on again now," he had said.

But the British newspapers the Telegraph and the Daily Mail report that the board has turned down the opportunity to reinstate Ecclestone.

The Telegraph explained that "during the last board meeting, he (Ecclestone) did not meet certain 'conditions' required for him to be reinstated".

The Daily Mail added: "The wildest, but not necessarily ill-informed rumors suggest that Ecclestone could be discarded within a fortnight."

Raikkonen counts himself out of contract turmoil
(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has denied the contract talks behind closed doors at Ferrari could also affect his place at the Maranello team.

The talk of the Suzuka paddock is Fernando Alonso's future, amid speculation the Spaniard and Ferrari have already agreed to terminate their partnership.

At the same time, Raikkonen has struggled in 2014 and paddock rumors suggest Ferrari could also be planning to oust the Finn and rebuild for the future with an all-new lineup of Sebastian Vettel alongside Jules Bianchi in 2015.

When asked about the Alonso rumors, Raikkonen told the Finnish broadcaster MTV3: "You should ask him. It's not my thing or my concern.

"I have no interest, really."

Asked if his own contract situation has changed, Raikkonen insisted: "It has not."

Raikkonen told reporters at Suzuka that, despite struggling this season, he has begun to feel much more comfortable at recent races.

"Once you get that, everything gets much easier and hopefully we keep going in this direction," he said.

"I believe 100 per cent in the people at Ferrari and the fact that we can turn it around and put the team where it should be, at the front of the field.

"As for myself, I have a contract and therefore no worries about my future," Raikkonen added.

F1 eyes earlier Japan GP to dodge typhoon
(GMM) An approaching typhoon is threatening to drive the Japanese grand prix off track.

Fernando Alonso's future may be the talk of the Suzuka paddock, but every eye is on the ominous skies above the fabled circuit.

"The whole of F1 is watching the weather," Lotus' Romain Grosjean told France's RMC from Japan.

"The typhoon (Phanfone) is not far away, and if you believe the current forecast, I think a race at 3pm will be difficult," he added.

Indeed, given the late-afternoon race start time and the fact that F1 needs to be set up in Russia within mere days, a delayed race on Monday is not an option.

So in the team managers' meeting at Suzuka, the FIA's Charlie Whiting – reportedly coordinating with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone – discussed the possibility of the race being held on Sunday morning.

A combined qualifying-race Saturday is believed also to have been discussed.

At the centre of the talks is Clemens Teutsch, the F1 meteorologist working on site with the specialist weather service UBIMET.

He told Germany's Welt newspaper that Suzuka will be "dangerously close" to Phanfone by Sunday.

"I think race management will assess the situation also in terms of safety for drivers and the public," said Teutsch.

"The next race in Sochi is just seven days afterwards, so bringing forward the race start (in Japan) would be a possible solution.

"The rain cannot be completely avoided on Sunday, but it (an earlier start) would at least buy a little more time. But it is not my decision," he insisted.

Vettel's chief mechanic leaves Red Bull
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel's chief mechanic has left Red Bull.

Already this year, it was announced that the reigning quadruple world champion's well-known race engineer, Guillaume 'Rocky' Rocquelin, is being promoted for 2015.

Vettel's new engineer is scheduled to be Gianpiero Lambiase, currently at Force India.

Now, Germany's Bild newspaper reports that Kenny Handkammer, Vettel's chief mechanic, has left Red Bull.

"Kenny Handkammer has left the company with immediate effect," confirmed Dr Helmut Marko.

He is not at Suzuka, Marko revealed.

"We have found someone else for this position better suited in the course of the restructuring of the team," he announced.

Some might link the news about Handkammer with other rumors swirling around Vettel.

On Thursday, the German dodged rumors he might be a candidate to replace Fernando Alonso should a vacancy arise at Ferrari.

"Well, I think there has always been rumors over the last couple of years, especially around this time of the season," Vettel said.

On Thursday, Italy's Autosprint reported from Suzuka that a race engineer who once worked closely with Vettel at Toro Rosso – Riccardo Adami – is preparing to move from Faenza to Ferrari for 2015.

Driver pays thousands for Marussia practice runs
(GMM) A new recruit will reportedly inject much-needed funds at struggling Marussia.

The team announced at Suzuka that Briton Will Stevens, currently a Formula Renault 3.5 driver but having previously tested for Caterham, has signed up as a reserve driver.

It was expected he would make his Friday practice debut at Suzuka, but boss John Booth said a "paperwork" holdup in Germany had delayed those plans for now.

Marussia said he will instead "take part in a number of free practice 1 sessions" elsewhere in 2014.

It is believed Stevens, 23, is also a candidate for a race seat in 2015, possibly at the expense of fellow Briton Max Chilton, who almost missed the recent Belgian grand prix amid contractual problems.

Chilton, however, welcomed the news about Stevens at Suzuka.

"I know Will very well. He's a good friend of mine so I'm more than happy," he insisted.

British newspapers claim Stevens' job at Marussia has been facilitated by his backers.

The Times said he is paying "as much as 150,000 pounds ($243,000)" per Friday practice, while the Mirror estimated the cost at more like "around 200,000 pounds ($323,000)" per 90-minute session.

Meanwhile, fellow struggling backmarker Caterham may also be getting back on course, after Thursday's alarming news about bailiffs seizing equipment at the team's Leafield factory.

The High Court bailiffs now report that the auction of the equipment could be cancelled due to "fast moving developments", which could mean debt payments were made.

"At the moment, I think we can still communicate with the UK," driver Kamui Kobayashi said at Suzuka, "so I think it looks as if the company is ok but I don't know really."

Max Verstappen 'not even close to limit'
Soon to be the youngest driver to race in F1 history, 17-year old Dutch rookie Max Verstappen says he was "not even close to the limit" after making his Formula 1 free practice debut for Toro Rosso at the Japanese Grand Prix and set the 12th fastest time.

His running was cut short when his Renault engine spewed its guts all over the track, wound up only four tenths slower than teammate Daniil Kvyat, an impressive result.

"Of course I was not even close to the limit; I was just driving safely without doing any crazy stuff," said Verstappen, who previously tested a three-year old Toro Rosso to secure his superlicense.

"For me the main thing today was just to try to make a lot of laps.

"I was just making laps, getting used to the car, getting used to the track – because it's not an easy track. [But] when I saw the time on the screens I was happy.

"The biggest challenge was just getting used to the car really – it's a bit different to the 2012 car.

"All the systems, throttle application, and then you have to work with the whole team; [use] all the buttons on the steering wheel.

"That was new to me too, but I think it all went well."

As for concerns about his age – Verstappen will still only be 17 when lines up on the Aussie GP grid in 2015 – he insisted that age is just a number.

"I'm not focused on the age, it doesn't matter to me," he said.

"I think at the end, age doesn't make any difference – if you are ready for it and you have prepared well, age is just a number.

"Sebastian (Vettel) started when he was 19 and look at him now, some people can make it and some cannot."

Hamilton gaps a Caterham

Hamilton: More time to come after error
Lewis Hamilton says he was surprised by the gap Mercedes held over its rivals on the first day of practice at Suzuka, but reckons it could have been greater if he had enjoyed a smooth Medium tire run.

Hamilton caught a wild moment coming out of the second Degner curve during his first lap on Pirelli's softer rubber in the afternoon session, following which he backed off and completed another attempt.

Hamilton ended the day 0.240s clear of teammate Nico Rosberg, with the third-placed Williams of Valtteri Bottas over a second adrift.

"It was quite unusual, it nearly took me off. It went one way, I caught it and then it chucked me the other way and I nearly went into the barrier.

"On the second lap, the tires weren't the best so I imagine there were two or three tenths [to gain]."

On the subject of Mercedes' advantage, Hamilton added: "It changes from track to track, I don't really understand that. But this is one of the most demanding circuits for downforce so to be that competitive is fantastic.

"It's a great feeling coming here and knowing how competitive we are compared to everyone else."

Vettel hopeful of Red Bull podium challenge
Sebastian Vettel believes that Red Bull should be able to mount a podium challenge at the Japanese Grand Prix, although concedes that victory is likely to be out of reach.

Vettel has triumphed at Suzuka on four of the last five occasions and while he is sure he can progress from his fifth place in Friday's second practice session, he reckons Mercedes will be too far up the road.

"Obviously in the last couple of years we were in a bit better shape after Friday," he said.

"It's not yet where we want to be; the balance of the car we can improve, so we need to improve on that, especially on the short runs. We will have to wait and see what the weather does today and Saturday.

"I think we can definitely do better than fifth but probably hit the limiter at around third. I think we can improve, especially on the short run.

"It would be nice to fight Mercedes, obviously if it rains, but otherwise it's the usual suspects; Williams, Ferrari, and McLaren, who seem to be stronger here."