Latest F1 news in brief

Hulkenberg thinks Adrian Newey has once again designed the fastest car (Red Bull) in the F1 paddock, but its Renault engine makes nowhere near as much power as the Mercedes powered cars

Ferrari, Ecclestone want quick F1 rule changes
Caterham staff hospitalized after fire
Williams apologizes after Massa team order
Vettel rebuked by Todt in personal letter
Red Bull has best car in 2014 – Hulkenberg
Marko relieved to have 'fair' Australian at Red Bull
FIA clamps down on fuel sensor modification
F1 heading for EUR 150m budget cap – Todt
Hamilton 'unbeatable when focused' – Lauda
Drivers tackling 2014 races without a drink
Alonso says 2014 Formula 1 cars are too slow

Ferrari, Ecclestone want quick F1 rule changes
(GMM) In a rare media statement, Ferrari has declared that fans are "unhappy with the new formula one".

In the past days, the Italian team has polled 50,000 fans and "83 per cent are disappointed" with the new fuel-saving formula, the statement declared.

"In addition, the fans don't like the noise from the new engines and are confused by rules that are too complicated," the team added.

Ferrari's statement follows a meeting this week between president Luca di Montezemolo and Bernie Ecclestone in London, and the pair will now sit down with FIA president Jean Todt in Bahrain.

"I spoke to Luca and we have the same sort of feelings about what needs to be done," F1 chief executive Ecclestone told The Times in Bahrain.

The implication is that Montezemolo and Ecclestone want some rule changes to be implemented quickly.

Apparently at the top of the list is a reduction in the race distances, so that drivers can press the throttle harder with the new 100kg per race limit.

"We need a bit of support from the teams to get it done," said Ecclestone.

"The only team who might be reluctant are Mercedes because they are going so well but I am sure they won't stand in the way of what needs to be done because we all want the sport to be as good as possible."

However, Ecclestone might be mistaken in thinking Mercedes will play ball.

"I think di Montezemolo didn't say a thing when Michael (Schumacher) won those five world championships," Sepang winner Lewis Hamilton said in Bahrain.

"It's the same when McLaren won all their championships that they didn't say anything, and the same with Red Bull when they won, they weren't saying anything," he insisted.

Mercedes-powered Force India driver Sergio Perez, however, on Thursday denounced the 2014 spectacle as "boring".

But FIA president Todt on Thursday said there is currently "too much emotion" in the paddock, just two races into F1's technological revolution.

"So many things in these past days have been said and written without really thinking," the Frenchman told Auto Motor und Sport.

"And the new media very quickly spreads it all over the world," added Todt.

Even Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, while lamenting the fact that the cars are now almost ten seconds slower today than they were just a few years ago, thinks "more time" should pass before the new formula one is written off.

"There will be some exciting races and some boring ones," said the Spaniard.

"If you allow some more fuel in the cars that are fast, they will be even faster. And the cars that are slow will be a little bit less slow," he added.

For now, the fastest car by some margin is the Mercedes, whose engines will be "way quicker than us" on the long Bahrain straights, according to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

"The name of the game is to take the focus off yourself and put it on someone else," Hamilton responded.

"So I'll do the same — we're expecting them to be really quick this weekend, blah, blah, blah, blah."

Caterham staff hospitalized after fire
(GMM) Seven Caterham staff were hospitalized following a fire at the team's Leafield factory late on Thursday.

The team confirmed that it was extinguished "very quickly" but staff were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

"Six were released soon after and one kept in for observation, but he's ok," said Caterham.

"We know what caused it and steps have been taken to ensure we don't see a repeat. The machinery was operational again within hours," the team added.

Williams apologizes after Massa team order
(GMM) Williams has apologized to its drivers and its fans after the Malaysian team orders saga.

Deputy boss Claire Williams told reporters in Bahrain that the biggest regret was the way Felipe Massa was told to give way to teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Indeed, Massa on Thursday was quoted by Brazil's Globo as saying that when he was told 'Valtteri is faster than you', he immediately thought of Hockenheim 2010, when Ferrari moved him out of the way of Fernando Alonso.

"Of course I thought about it. When I heard that phrase it almost seemed like a joke," he said.

Claire Williams admitted: "Certainly the instruction given in the way it was given, considering (Massa's) history, wasn't the most advised."

But Massa insists that he ignored the order not because of the way it was given, but because moving aside in that scenario "was not right".

"Our fans expect us as a team to let our drivers race, and that's the overriding disappointment," Williams agreed.

"So to our fans we want to apologize because we didn't handle it in the best way.

"Of course, we've apologized to our drivers, which was the right thing to do at the end of the day," she added.

However, not everyone agrees with Massa and Williams.

Double world champion Mika Hakkinen thinks the Brazilian's emotions simply "boiled over" when he heard the Ferrari-like team order issued.

But "I believe it will be made clear to Massa that when instructions are made, they must be followed," the Finn said in a column for Hermes.

When asked if he would have moved over had Williams ordered him in the same way, Bottas said in Bahrain: "Yes, if they asked me to, I would.

"If I knew I could not race someone and he could, it would be fair.

"Sometimes team orders are just necessary to get the most points for the team," he is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace.

Massa, however, insists it is not him who should be apologizing after Malaysia.

"When I do something that is my mistake, I will be the first one to say sorry," he said. "And the team was the first one to say sorry" after Malaysia.

But that doesn't mean Williams won't issue team orders again in the future.

"There are some things which are quite confidential with the team's rules and how you play it," said Bottas. "There are different scenarios, and everything's sorted."

Vettel rebuked by Todt in personal letter
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel was rebuked in writing by FIA president Jean Todt for calling the sound of the new turbo V6 engines "shit".

Citing internal sources, Sport Bild and another German publication, Tagesspiegel, revealed that the reigning world champion received the personal letter mid-week from Todt alleging he risked bringing the sport into disrepute with the critical comments.

By Thursday in Bahrain, Vettel had tempered his view about the sound of F1's technological revolution.

"The fact that I criticize doesn't mean that I do not like formula one anymore," he is quoted by Auto Bild.

"We are still here with the best cars in the world competing against the best drivers.

"At the moment it might not sound that great, but formula one is still the pinnacle of motor sport," added Vettel.

"I realize that everyone thinks I don't like the sound because I have not won yet," said the reigning quadruple consecutive title winner, "but I don't care.

"I stand by what I said — I am a fan of the old F1," added Vettel.

He admitted his comments had created an "issue".

"I've always been of the opinion that if you have something to say, then say it. It would not be good if suddenly you start to pretend."

Vettel also welcomed the fact that Todt, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and Bernie Ecclestone will get together in Bahrain to discuss potential changes to the 2014 rules.

"If Mr. Todt is here, it makes sense to talk about a few things," he is quoted by SID news agency.

But that doesn't mean the controversial sound of the new turbo V6 engines will remain a hot topic in Bahrain.

A touted meeting led by the vociferous Ron Walker with his fellow race promoters has been called off, according to the Telegraph newspaper.

And correspondent Daniel Johnson added that F1 chief executive Ecclestone was also told in a meeting with team bosses on Friday to 'stop being so negative about the noise; that's enough for now'.

Red Bull has best car in 2014 – Hulkenberg
(GMM) Red Bull has the best car on the 2014 grid, according to Force India's Nico Hulkenberg.

"For me, Red Bull is in front with the chassis," said the German, acknowledging that, as an overall package, the powerful Mercedes is leading the pack.

But "No car steers so well or comes out of the corners like it (the Red Bull)," Hulkenberg is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport in Bahrain.

"Mercedes and Ferrari are not far behind," he added.

World champion Sebastian Vettel appeared to acknowledge that Red Bull's only problem is the underpowered Renault engine.

"If we do our homework well and set up the car perfectly, then it is possible I can make up some time to the others in the corners," he said.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, however, said the works Mercedes W05 is also a very good car.

"We know they have a power advantage," said the Spaniard. "But you only have to look at the gap to their customers' cars to see that the works team has a very good car."

Another very good car is the Mercedes-powered Williams, which is expected to be perhaps the quickest car overall on the long Bahrain straights.

It is also rumored that Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas started the race in Malaysia with only 90 kilograms of fuel each in their tanks — 10kg under the limit.

"They (Williams) have really good fuel consumption," agreed Hulkenberg, whose Force India team uses the same Mercedes engine.

Marko relieved to have 'fair' Australian at Red Bull
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has hailed the start of Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull tenure by slamming his predecessor, Mark Webber.

"Finally we have an Australian who starts (races) well and can put Sebastian (Vettel) under pressure with fair methods," Red Bull's always-outspoken director is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Actually, Ricciardo is yet to put a single point in his 2014 account, despite a strong drive to his later disqualified podium in Melbourne and a competitive yet horror race in Malaysia.

And for his Sepang troubles, featuring the botched pitstop, he will start Sunday's Bahrain grand prix ten places down the grid.

But Ricciardo insists: "I am pleased with my performance so far, but I do need to work on some areas. Seb has been faster than me in some places.

"Obviously I'd love to have points, but most of all I'm very happy with what I've done behind the wheel.

"I have showed the team that they made a good choice."

As for the botched pitstop at Sepang, Ricciardo said: "The team has assured me that it won't happen again.

"We are going to build in a bigger safety margin, because the punishment for mistakes is brutal," said Ricciardo.

FIA clamps down on fuel sensor modification
(GMM) The FIA has moved to end the problems with its new mandatory fuel flow sensor, supplied by a British company called Gill.

Red Bull, whose Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified over the matter in Melbourne, has been highly critical of the sensor, arguing it is not reliable.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims that '95 per cent' of all the problems with the sensor up and down pitlane in 2014 have been in Renault-powered cars.

It is suspected that after-market modifications made to the sensor to suit the installation of the Renault 'power unit' have been causing the problems.

So the German report said the FIA has reacted by instructing teams that, as from the Spanish grand prix in mid May, the sensors must be installed exactly as they are supplied by Gill.

Correspondent Michael Schmidt claims that if the problems persist beyond Barcelona, attention will turn to the fuel being used by the Renault-powered teams.

It is believed that, although sponsored by the Spanish fuel company Cepsa, Renault-powered Toro Rosso actually uses the same fuel as Red Bull and Lotus, supplied by Total.

F1 heading for EUR 150m budget cap – Todt
(GMM) F1 is heading towards a budget cap of EUR 150 million per team for the 2015 season and beyond.

FIA president Jean Todt said he is confident the controversial new regulation will be agreed by June of this year, as the governing body aims to urgently bring down costs and keep struggling teams in business.

"If the teams don't want it, we won't do it," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"We do not have the mandate to do something against the will of the majority.

"But from all of my discussions I conclude that the majority of the teams, the FIA and the rights owners do want this cost limitation," revealed Todt.

Asked to name the figure for the 2015 cap, he answered simply: "150 million euros."

That ties in with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone's recent claim that a figure of about 200 million dollars has indeed been broadly agreed.

"If the revenues are higher, the team makes a profit," Todt said. "That would be a healthy model.

"A team like Ferrari should make money through formula one, just as can be done with a Le Mans project."

Hamilton 'unbeatable when focused' – Lauda
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton will be hard to beat for the 2014 title, according to Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda.

Hamilton's former McLaren teammate, Jenson Button, this week said that while the 2008 world champion is "super fast", he is also "very up and down emotionally".

When Button's comments were put to Sepang winner Hamilton ahead of this weekend's Bahrain grand prix, he admitted: "I would say that is quite accurate."

Since debuting in 2007, the now 28-year-old Hamilton – amid other turmoil – has dumped his father as his manager, fallen out with another mentor Ron Dennis, and had a famously off and on-again relationship with his popstar girlfriend.

Hamilton told the Independent: "I've always talked about trying to put the right pieces in place to get through my year in a positive way without having those spikes, and I feel like I might have found it.

"But you never know!"

If Hamilton has found his happy place, it might be very timely, given the five-year gap since his sole title triumph and the current dominance of the Mercedes package.

Triple world champion Lauda told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "When Lewis is fully focused on his work, he is almost unbeatable."

Given the potential for title trouble between Hamilton and his Melbourne-winning teammate Nico Rosberg, Lauda's words could be explosive.

Hamilton and Rosberg's relationship dates all the way back to their karting days, but as the Briton insisted on Thursday, they are not friends.

"In formula one, we can count our friends on one hand," said Hamilton. "Nico does not come in the five friends I have and I don't come in his."

The relationship could be strained even further if German Rosberg has more races like the one in Sepang, where although he finished second, he was easily beaten by Hamilton.

Asked if the 2014 situation has affected their relationship, Rosberg said: "It has not changed at all. Yet."

But he admits that could be because the title battle still has so many races – 17 – to run.

Indeed, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was asked on Thursday if he sees Hamilton or Rosberg as the ultimate favorite.

"I think it's 50 per cent each way," he is quoted by the Spanish sports daily AS, "but there is also Kimi and myself and of course Vettel."

Drivers tackling 2014 races without a drink
(GMM) Adrian Sutil will go the entire Bahrain grand prix on Sunday without a sip of water.

The tall and therefore heavy German lost almost 4 kilograms over the winter and is now complaining that, given the heavier 2014 engines, the 692kg car-plus-driver minimum weight is unfair.

Sutil claims he is barely training in order to further shrink his muscles, and eating and drinking so little that – tapping his head – "you don't work well up here".

Not only that, Sauber's car and Ferrari engine are both overweight, so the Swiss team is cutting corners in every area — including taking away Sutil's half-kilo drinks bottle.

But Ferrari's super-fit cycling enthusiast Fernando Alonso has revealed that, even in stifling Malaysia, he raced comfortably without a drink.

"In the past, Malaysia required a specific training program," he said in Bahrain.

"But this year I told the team I didn't even need a drinks system. The cars are much less physically demanding."

Alonso says 2014 Formula 1 cars are too slow
Fernando Alonso says his biggest complaint about the new Formula 1 is that the cars are too slow.

"It is still exciting because at the end of the day you are competing against the others," he said.

"That is the DNA of the driver, the competition. If we drive go-karts, we enjoy so much and we are driving at 50km/h with very hard tires and sliding everywhere and we keep enjoying that race.

"So it is not a problem of excitement. It is just that the cars are too slow.

"The fastest lap in Malaysia was 1m34.8s with Vettel some years ago (his pole time in 2011), and Hamilton did a 1m43.0s [fastest race lap last weekend], so that's nine seconds.

"And behind the wheel, when you drive nine seconds slower, you don't enjoy as much as driving the fast car.

"As far as it is the same for everybody, and you compete against the others, you keep enjoying.

"But for drivers like me or Kimi [Raikkonen] or Jenson [Button] who drove another F1, it is not better or worse, but you will miss some of those cars."