Latest F1 news in brief

What is Lewis Hamilton smoking? He thinks because the Red Bull RB10 looks nice it must be fast.

'Right decision' to stay for final test – Vettel
Massa joins Hamilton as Melbourne favorite
New F1 deal for Melbourne 'will happen' – Ecclestone
F1 wants to bid for return to Long Beach
Pirelli to sponsor two grands prix in 2014
Bahrain names corner after Schumacher
Lauda confirms no freeze delay for Renault
What is Hamilton smoking? New

'Right decision' to stay for final test – Vettel
(GMM) World champion Sebastian Vettel has hinted crisis-struck Red Bull might have achieved more simply by staying at its factory last week.

Instead, the troubled reigning champions tested alongside F1's other ten teams in Bahrain, just two weeks before the revolutionary 2014 season kicks off.

"In England we could respond more quickly," Vettel admitted to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, as the team continued to struggle with the RB10.

Some insiders think Red Bull will struggle to get out of the initial 'Q1' segment in Melbourne later this month.

Vettel hinted Red Bull remained committed to the final pre-season test only to help engine supplier Renault more generally get up to speed.

"I think it was absolutely the right decision to come here," he said before leaving Bahrain. "It is down to us that we have not done enough."

The Austrian team, boss Christian Horner and now the German himself have denied reports Vettel recently threw a "hissy fit" when he realized the scale of Red Bull's crisis.

"I'm annoyed of course that I cannot drive," he admitted.

"I think it's worse for the mechanics, crawling around all day on the floor putting the car together for the umpteenth time.

"But I don't see anybody getting upset, even if it is a hard time at the moment of course," added Vettel.

And at the end of the day, it might not be all bad for Red Bull — insiders at Mercedes claim that GPS data has proved that when the Adrian Newey-penned car is running properly, it is fast in the corners.

"Of the few laps we have had, the feeling was pretty good," Vettel confirmed. "But I can't tell you more."

Massa joins Hamilton as Melbourne favorite
(GMM) No one in the paddock doubts that Mercedes is significantly ahead of the game as the 2014 season opener looms.

But when told he is an absolute favorite, works driver Lewis Hamilton clearly does not want the label to stick, furrowing his brow as he answered: "Why do you believe that?"

At the very least, the Briton admits the German squad has produced the very best new V6 engine, compared to rival suppliers Ferrari and troubled Renault.

"You have Williams, who look like they could be a competitive team, and you have Force India who could be much further ahead," Hamilton is quoted by F1's official website.

"Maybe Felipe Massa will take the Williams to the front!"

Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman, confirms that estimation of the pecking order, with Ferrari "a little bit behind" and Renault "far away" from the pace.

Ferrari chief Stefano Domenicali also thinks the Mercedes-powered works team and its customer Williams are "better prepared" than Ferrari for Melbourne.

"I see us behind those two," the Italian is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, "but our car has a lot of development potential."

Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, watching trackside in Bahrain, hailed the progress made over the winter by Williams.

"They have stopped the downward trend," he said.

"They made the right decision to go to the Mercedes engine and with Massa and (Valtteri) Bottas they have a good mix of experience and youth, and a strong technical guy at the top with Pat Symonds.

"Their performance in testing is no accident," Berger insisted.

However, he thinks Williams' superiority might not last.

"In the long term I see McLaren and Ferrari more in the challenging role to Mercedes," said Berger.

But what about Red Bull, the reigning champions, and the similarly Renault-powered Lotus?

"You cannot rule out teams like that," Williams' Massa is quoted by Totalrace, "because when they solve their problems, they know how to win races.

"It's nice to think Red Bull is going to be fighting with Caterham, but forget it," said the Brazilian. "They have a problem to solve and when they solve it, they will be there."

At the moment, however, it is Massa who is 'there' as a genuine podium favorite in Melbourne.

"As of now, our biggest enemy is from our own (Mercedes-powered) house," said Lauda.

Massa admitted: "I'm really happy with how the tests have been with our speed and reliability, but I see the Mercedes works team as slightly ahead of us."

New F1 deal for Melbourne 'will happen' – Ecclestone
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he is confident Melbourne is staying on the F1 calendar beyond its 2015 contract.

"Yes," he told the Herald Sun newspaper. "Sure, sure, sure."

The F1 chief executive said a new contract will be signed "as soon as we get the lawyers sorted".

Ecclestone's comments follow reports from within the state government that race organizers are pushing hard for a better financial deal.

But the 83-year-old Briton insisted: "It will happen, don't worry about it."

Ecclestone said the government is no longer arguing with F1 over money.

"I think that's all been sorted," he said. "It's just the bits and pieces. It will happen."

F1 wants to bid for return to Long Beach
(GMM) New reports suggesting Long Beach could return to F1's annual calendar have emerged.

Last year, bosses of the iconic US street race denied reports F1 figures had expressed interest in snapping up a deal when IndyCar's contract expires in 2015.

Race president Jim Michaelian said then: "The race isn't for sale and there's been no contact between anyone and (owner) Kevin (Kalkhoven) about a sale."

But the Long Beach Press Telegram is now reporting that, at a meeting on Tuesday, the city council will discuss the issue of the race lease, claiming F1 bosses "want the city to open up the bidding process".

"We just want a fair process where qualified people can bid on it," confirmed Chris Pook, F1's original Long Beach pioneer who is now working closely with Bernie Ecclestone.

"We would like to be one of those entities," he confirmed.

The Long Beach Press Telegram revealed that, in a letter to mayor Bob Foster last May, Ecclestone expressed interest in taking F1 back to the streets.

"If you and the city council so determine, the opportunity to operate an automobile race through the city streets of Long Beach can be put out to open bid," he wrote.

"Please be advised that formula one is interested in returning to your city, and we will consider the appropriate entity to make such a bid if you decide to permit such a process," Ecclestone added.

Pirelli to sponsor two grands prix in 2014
(GMM) Pirelli will become the naming sponsor of two grands prix in 2014.

The Italian company has been F1's often-controversial sole supplier of tires since 2011, but this season will be the first time grands prix are actually named after Pirelli.

It emerges that the Spanish grand prix in May will officially be called 'formula 1 gran premio de Espana Pirelli', while the Budapest race in July will be 'formula 1 Pirelli Magyar Nagydij'.

Pirelli's motor sport boss Paul Hembery told reporters as the Bahrain test concluded on Sunday that the news will soon be announced officially.

Bahrain names corner after Schumacher
(GMM) Bahrain has named the first corner of its grand prix circuit after injured F1 legend Michael Schumacher.

Track boss Zayed al Zayani said the tribute was made in agreement with the seven time world champion's family.

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm thanked the circuit for the gesture.

"We take it as a recognition for his passion for motor sport," she said.

"I am convinced Michael will love the idea and feel very honored about having a corner named after him."

There are, however, growing concerns about the health of the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver, who has been in a coma for nine weeks despite recent efforts to wake him.

"It does not bode well," neurosurgeon Dr Tipu Aziz, professor at Oxford University, is quoted by London's Evening Standard.

"The fact that he hasn't woken up implies that the injury has been extremely severe and that a full recovery is improbable."

The German newspaper Bild reports that Sunday was the birthday of Schumacher's wife Corinna, who is now also 45.

Lauda confirms no freeze delay for Renault
(GMM) Niki Lauda has confirmed that Renault's F1 rivals opposed a move to delay the 2014 engine performance 'freeze'.

Although denied by the embattled French marque, it was reported last week that Renault made the request that was subsequently discussed during the meeting last Friday of the F1 strategy group.

It was there, Mercedes team chairman Lauda confirmed, that a postponement of the mandatory homologation of the new turbo V6 engines was ruled out.

Asked by Osterreich newspaper if he was opposed to Renault's request, former triple world champion Lauda answered: "Exactly.

"There are rules and everyone must follow them."

And Bild quotes the Austrian legend as confirming that the strategy group made "absolutely the right decision" in ruling out a freeze delay.

Mercedes is obviously happy to see rivals Ferrari and Renault have to freeze the performance components of their 'power units', given the clear advantage enjoyed by the German outfit and its customer teams at present.

But Lauda insists the full "truth" of the 2014 pecking order is not known yet.

"That will emerge only in Melbourne," he said, "and even then, every race after that will bring new surprises.

"But of course, the world title must be our goal."

What is Hamilton smoking?
Hamilton believes that once Red Bull have resolved their issues the RB10 will be "very hard" to beat.

Although Red Bull go into this season as the reigning Champions having won the last four titles, the team is very much on the back foot.

They encountered several problems in pre-season testing that have limited their running with Sebastian Vettel's 77 laps from Sunday the most the RB10 has covered on a single day.

Red Bull, though, have shown glimpses of pace with Daniel Ricciardo's 1:35.743 third quickest on Friday although it was only good enough for tenth overall for the week.

But despite the team's woes, Mercedes driver Hamilton reckons once Red Bull have put aside their troubles they will be the ones to beat.

"They look like they have a stunning car, and usually the more beautiful it is the faster it is so I'm sure they've got a pretty quick car this year," Hamilton told Autosport.

"Once they get the engine sorted, or the systems that they might be struggling with, I think they'll – as always – be very hard to beat.

"Sebastian [Vettel] is the reigning world champion so he's the target for everyone.

"But I know my team is strong so hopefully we'll be able to fight with them."