Formula 1's Latest Rumours, Talk: Sebastian Vettel Contract, Sergio Perez, More
At the circuit where their love story began in 2015, Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari had yet another day to forget in Formula One's Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The four-time world champion's first-lap collision with Nico Rosberg was the latest in a long line of incidents that have left the Prancing Horse quietly questioning just how good Vettel is compared to team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.
But as difficult as this year has been, Ferrari are still very much smitten with Seb, with the team reportedly offering Vettel a new contract.
Should he accept, Vettel will compete in the sacred scarlet-red colours of Ferrari until the end of 2019, by which time he may be partnered by Sergio Perez.
His future has been one of the long-running themes of 2016, with the Mexican linked to Ferrari, Renault, Williams and even Haas at various points this year, but Perezโwith an eye on the Prancing Horse's saddleโhas finally confirmed he will remain with Force India for a fourth season.
Another of 2016's major storylines has been Lewis Hamilton's crippling reliability problems, which have harmed his pursuit of a fourth world championship.
His engine failure while leading in Malaysia was a potentially fatal blow to his title hopes, and an emotional Hamilton later seemed to join the conspiracy theorists convinced Mercedes are actively working against him.
But fellow three-time title winner Niki Lauda has dismissed accusations that the team are sabotaging his car.
Hamilton's retirement allowed Rosberg to move one step closer to a first world title, with the German admitting he, too, feared the worst after being spun by Vettel at Turn 1.
Closing our post-Sepang roundup is the race winner, Daniel Ricciardo, who has explained why his first victory in more than two years has righted the wrongs of 2016.
Ferrari Offer Sebastian Vettel New 2-Year Contract
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Ferrari have offered Vettel a two-year contract extension that will see the four-time world champion remain with the team until the end of the 2019 season, it has been reported.
Vettel has established himself as the Prancing Horse's lead driver since arriving from Red Bull at the beginning of 2015, when he enjoyed the most successful debut season of any Ferrari driver by claiming 13 podium finishes, including three victories in Malaysia, Hungary and Singapore.
His strong debut campaign led to suggestions that Vettel and Ferrari could challenge Mercedes for the world championship in 2016, but the team remain without a win with just five races of this season remaining.
According to a print edition F1 Racing magazine, Ferrari have been concerned by Vettel's failure to dominate team-mate Raikkonen this year, with the team unsure whether the former has "slipped back a little" or the latter has genuinely "upped his game" since earning a new deal of his own.
In any case, the team "are still committed to Vettel and want him to stay," with "sources close to Ferrari" suggesting team and driver "are in the early phases of negotiations" over a new two-year deal, which may take some time to finalise.
The same source noted Vettel's willingness to stay could depend on "how strongly he believes in Ferrari's ability" to recover from a disappointing 2016, which saw the team replace technical director James Allison with Mattia Binotto ahead of July's German GP as part of a midseason reshuffle.
However, a lack of alternative options could leave Vettel with "no choice but to remain at Ferrari."
Hamilton and Rosberg are contracted to Mercedes until the end of 2018, while Red Bullโwith a commitment to discovering young talentโ"would not be interested in taking Vettel back again."
That leaves McLaren-Honda as Vettel's only "realistic" non-Ferrari option, with doubts remaining over the future of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who has warned he could quit F1 at the end of 2017, per ESPN F1's Laurence Edmondson.
Sergio Perez to Stay with Force India for 2017
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Perez has ended months of speculation over his future by confirming he will remain with Force India for the 2017 season.
As reported by Autosport (h/t Eurosport), Perez signed a contract extension with the team earlier in 2016, but commercial considerations meant it was far from certain he would remain with Force India, with his Mexican sponsors holding discussions with Renault and Williams.
Ahead of the Malaysian GP weekend, Motorsport.com's Roberto Chinchero and Jonathan Noble reported the Ferrari-affiliated Haas outfit had emerged as a "serious option" for Perez, who is "determined to be in the best possible position" to join Ferrari in 2018.
But the 26-year-oldโthe most successful driver in Force India's history having claimed four podiums in less than three seasons, including two top-three finishes in Monaco and Azerbaijan in 2016โhas finally confirmed he will remain with the Silverstone-based outfit for next year.
Via an open letter on his official Twitter account, he said:
"As you well know, over the last few months there has been a lot of speculation around my future, and who better than me to tell you where am I going next season.
I'm going to continue with Sahara Force India. I'm really happy and proud of being part of this great team. I'm very grateful with the team that gives me the opportunity to continue my career with them, and with all my Mexican sponsors: without a doubt, it's an honour to represent the best Mexican brands around the world.
I also want to thank all of the teams that showed an interest in me as a driver, it flatters me incredibly and it pushes me to be strong and continue besting myself as a driver.
"
Perez told the team's official website he has "a good feeling for the future" with Force India given the "progress" they have made since 2014, insisting they "have the potential to achieve even more going forward."
He also stressed the importance of having "stability" ahead of the major regulation changes in 2017.
Mercedes Reject Lewis Hamilton's Sabotage Claim After Malaysia GP Retirement
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Lauda has dismissed the notion Mercedes are intentionally sabotaging Hamilton's car after his retirement from the Malaysian GP.
Having set a comfortable pole position on Saturday, the three-time world champion was leading at Sepang when his engine failed at the beginning of Lap 41.
After suffering a number of reliability issues in the first half of 2016, Hamiltonโwho has fallen 23 points behind world championship leader Rosberg with just five races remainingโappeared to suggest Mercedes are actively working against him.
Perย BBC Sport, the British driver called for the team to give him "some answers," questioning whyโof the eight Mercedes-powered drivers on the gridโhis engines keep failing, adding the "unacceptable" situation "doesn't sit right" with him.
He said: "Something or someone doesn't want me to win this year but I won't give up."
Perย his official Instagram profile, he later retracted his comments, however, confirming he has "100 per cent faith" in Mercedes, who "work so hard" both at the track and at the factory.
Non-executive chairman Lauda, a fellow three-time title winner, has insisted it is "ridiculous" to suggest Mercedes want him to fail.
Per Motorsport.com's Valentin Khorounzhiy and Noble, he said:
"I know Lewis very well and he will not accuse the team. This interpretation, I cannot accept it. Lewis knows we do everything possible to give him the best car and the best engine.
I really feel sorry for him, I apologised to him that the engine failed. This was a young engine, not an old one, so we do not know the cause. So if we do not know the cause, nobody can say we sabotaged it.
This is ridiculous. And if you speak to Lewis directly, I guess he will not say this.
We worked for him and for Nico in a perfect way. He's won two championships so far with us, we've finished the most races ever. What do you guys think, we suddenly start to sabotage? Why? It's completely ridiculous and stupid. ...
We work for both cars the same way, we let them race the same way, all these questions are ridiculous.
"
According toย Autosport (h/t Eurosport), Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff confirmed Hamilton has two spare enginesโ"one that has run three races and one that is brand new"โfor the remaining five races of 2016.
Per the same source, Hamilton admitted he would be willing to completely miss some practice sessions in order to ensure his remaining engines will complete the campaign.
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Nico Rosberg Felt 'Very Dark' After Opening-Lap Spin in Malaysian GP
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Rosberg has revealed he feared the worst after dropping to the rear of the field with a spin at the start of the Malaysian GP.
The German was outclassed by Mercedes team-mate Hamilton on Saturday at Sepang, where he was 0.414 seconds adrift of the three-time world champion, before being tagged by Vettel at the first corner.
Rosberg quickly fought back through the pack but went on to collide with Raikkonen at Turn 2, incurring a 10-second time penalty.
Hamilton's retirement on Lap 41 promoted the German to third, with Rosberg establishing a gap of more than 10 seconds to Raikkonen to extend his points lead from eight to 23 on a day he could so easily have lost the lead of the world championship.
With five races remaining, Rosberg is now the overwhelming favourite to claim the 2016 title, but the 31-year-old, who offered words of sympathy to his team-mate, has admitted he thought his race was over after the first-lap collision with Vettel.
Per ESPN F1's Edmondson, he explained:
"I understand very well how Lewis must feel now because I've been there in my career, like in 2014 at the end of the season when we were fighting the championship, I had two major failures [in Singapore and Abu Dhabi] and I know that it feels horrible, it's absolutely horrible. I'm sure he's extremely gutted especially when you deserve to win a race and the technology just lets go. ...
I came here with a will to win, that didn't work out so not great. After Turn 1 it was very dark because I thought that was it, and I didn't think I could continue so then [I was] pleased that I could continue.
I really put the knife between my teeth and went for it, fought my way through and gave it everything and had some great battles, some enjoying moments enjoying battles also. Very surprising and pleased to be back on the podium from last, of course points-wise it's in my favour the way going today.
"
According to Autosport (h/t Eurosport), Rosberg admitted he had no complaints over the penalty for his harsh pass on Raikkonen, stating: ""It was an aggressive move and they judged it to be a bit too aggressive."
However, Mercedes boss Wolff argued the punishment was "just complete nonsense" and "unfair."
Daniel Ricciardo 'Pretty Emotional' After Returning to Winning Ways in Malaysia
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Ricciardo has admitted he was overcome with emotion after ending his two-year wait for a grand prix victory in the Malaysian GP.
Ricciardo has enjoyed his strongest season to date in 2016, but strategic and pit-related errors by Red Bull cost him potential victories in Spain and Monaco.
After qualifying third at Sepang, Ricciardo was running second in the latter stages when he inherited the lead following Hamilton's engine failure on Lap 41, just two laps after he won a wheel-to-wheel battle with Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.
The Australian, who last won a race in August 2014, has revealed he was overwhelmed after his return to the top step of the podium.
And he dedicated his fourth career victory to the late Jules Bianchi, who lost his life after a crash in the 2014 Japanese GP.
Perย Motorsport.com'sย Jamie Klein, he said:
"What a day, itโs sinking in now. Itโs been a long time between drinks. It was only two weeks ago after the race I said weโd win one, and there you go, next race we won.
Since Monaco I kept the faith and believed we could win one this year, and we got it. Pretty emotional, I wonโt lie. Overwhelming, a lot of feelings right now. Iโm super grateful.
I want to dedicate this one to Jules as well. Iโve been waiting for a victory, waiting to dedicate this to him.
My life definitely changed since that incident. Iโm extremely grateful and appreciative of everything Iโve got. Iโll dedicate this to him. ...
I was determined to capitalise on the opportunity. Barcelona, Monaco, I felt like I did all I could to win and it slipped away.
I saw we had an opportunity, and I was very determined not to let it go.
It was fair and clean with Max, it was fun. That was the best part, I think we both enjoyed it.
Iโm sure he would love to be in this position, but heโs also honest and fair and I think today we can both hold our heads high.
"
Per Autosport (h/t Eurosport), team principal Christian Horner has denied Red Bull imposed team orders when Hamilton's retirement left the team on course for their first one-two finish since the 2013 Brazilian GP.
He said Ricciardo and Verstappen were "free to race" but reminded the drivers to respect the aspirations of the team, adding "there is a real respect between the two of them."
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