Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: McLaren Decision, 2015 Calendar and More
It's decision time at McLaren.
Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen have waited far longer than is reasonable to find out if they have a place on the Formula One grid in 2015, but that wait appears to be almost over. McLaren look set to decide on Thursday which of the two will partner Fernando Alonso next year.
Elsewhere, the World Motor Sport Council met in Qatar on Wednesday. Many things were discussed and decided, including the final removal of double points, the abandonment of standing starts after safety car periods and a new age limit for Super Licence applicants.
A new, expanded 21-race calendar for 2015 was also published—but one of the races looks highly unlikely to occur.
The Accident Panel report into Jules Bianchi's crash at Suzuka was also released, with some blame being placed on how quickly he was going. The panel made several recommendations which should minimise the risk of such a dreadful accident ever happening again.
And Bernie Ecclestone makes the news too, but not in the way he might like. A new chairman is being lined up for the Formula One Group, and it could mean trouble ahead for the sport's chief executive.
Read on for a full roundup of the week's top F1 news.
D-Day for Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen
1 of 5
Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen could learn their fates on Thursday.
The Press Association (h/t the Daily Mail) reports a decision on which of the two drivers will partner Fernando Alonso in 2015 is likely to be made at a McLaren board meeting.
McLaren chief executive Ron Dennis is quoted by the publication, speaking after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, saying:
"I've not made up my mind yet, but (the decision on the driver lineup) is not mine alone, and anyway, it wouldn't be appropriate.
Any decision has to be supported by the shareholders and the board.
It's pretty understandable we're looking at two people, and there's a broader choice than Kevin and Jenson, but nevertheless whatever the decision, it won't be taken until (the board meeting).
"
The team have done themselves no favours by dragging out and delaying the decision until now, leaving both drivers facing an uncertain future.
Button, the most experienced driver on the grid, would undoubtedly be considered the more reliable and capable of the pair. He has a proven track record of getting the job done, but will be 35 by the time the season kicks off next year.
With McLaren embarking on a new, long-term partnership with Honda, the team may feel Magnussen is the better option.
The Dane has not really set the world on fire in his debut season but showed enough flashes of his talent to remain in contention for a second year. He would be a choice for the future, and is sure to improve; but McLaren have another youngster coming through, who looks even better.
Stoffel Vandoorne finished second in his first season in the GP2 series. He took pole for the final four rounds, scored more points than anyone in the second half of the year and is probably ready to step up to F1 now. In 2016, he definitely will be.
So perhaps Button for 2015, with an eye to promoting Vandoorne in 2016, is a choice which may appeal.
Decisions, decisions...
21-Race Calendar Published for 2015
2 of 5
A revised calendar for 2015 has been published by the FIA, featuring a record 21 races.
The 19 grands prix held in 2014 retain their places and are joined by the returning Mexican and Korean Grands Prix.
The Mexican round slots in to form a late-season North American double-header with the United States Grand Prix at Austin. It will be held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which last featured in F1 back in 1992.
That one seems almost certain to actually happen; Korea, listed as "to be confirmed" on the calendar, may not.
After arriving on the calendar in 2010, the Korean Grand Prix was dropped for 2014 after four years of financial difficulties. In 2012, the race, held at the isolated Korea International Circuit, lost £23 million.
There has been talk of F1 returning to the country, but not at that venue.
NBCSports reported in September that South Korea was looking at a 2016 night race at a street circuit in the capital, Seoul.
The race has been given a TBC slot in early May, as a slightly absurd back-to-back pairing with 10,000 kilometre-distant Spain. It's inconceivable a new street circuit in a city like Seoul could be planned and put together before then, and a return to the unpopular, loss-making white elephant in Yeongam is unlikely.
BBC Sport's Andrew Benson suggests it has been added because having more than 20 races on the original calendar entitles the teams to use an extra power unit during the season (five, instead of the four planned for 2015). The limit of five remains even if one later drops out.
So there's at least half a chance Korea will vanish before the start of the season—and Nico Hulkenberg will certainly be hoping it does.
His Le Mans debut deal with Porsche also included a drive at the World Endurance Championship round at Spa. On previous calendars that date had been free of a grand prix; now, it clashes with Korea.
The full calendar is as follows:
| 15 March | Australia |
| 29 March | Malaysia |
| 12 April | China |
| 19 April | Bahrain |
| 3 May | Korea (TBC) |
| 10 May | Spain |
| 24 May | Monaco |
| 7 June | Canada |
| 21 June | Austria |
| 5 July | Britain |
| 19 July | Germany |
| 26 July | Hungary |
| 23 August | Belgium |
| 6 September | Italy |
| 20 September | Singapore |
| 27 September | Japan |
| 11 October | Russia |
| 25 October | United States |
| 1 November | Mexico |
| 15 November | Brazil |
| 29 November | Abu Dhabi |
Major Decisions Made and Confirmed at Meeting
3 of 5
Several important decisions were made at the World Motor Sport Council. The most notable was the confirmation that double points for the final race (or any race) will definitely not feature in 2015.
Also confirmed as not happening are standing starts following safety car periods. This idea was placed in the 2015 regulations in June, but has now been axed after some teams raised safety concerns.
No mention was made of the fans who voiced gimmickry concerns.
Another safety car-related change was announced. In recent years, lapped cars have been allowed to unlap themselves and rejoin the rear of the train behind the safety car. This usually took several laps, needlessly extending safety car periods.
In the future they may still unlap themselves, but the safety car does not have to remain out until they have caught up. This should allow full-on racing to resume two to three laps sooner than under the old system.
And sticking with the safety theme, the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) has been approved for 2015.
The VSC, which imposes a reduced speed limit on the whole circuit while an incident is dealt with, will receive further trials during pre-season testing to ensure all drivers, teams and officials are familiar with how it works.
It will typically be used when any section of the course requires double waved yellow flags.
Additionally, the criteria for qualification for an FIA Super Licence will change. A minimum age of 18 will be introduced from 2016 onward, along with a requirement of at least two seasons in car racing. Applicants will also be assessed on their success at lower levels, not just on having completed the required 300 kilometres of running.
One struggles to find a bad word to say about any of these changes. All represent relatively small but important improvements to the sport and should please many fans.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
FIA Report Places Jules Bianchi Accident Blame on Multiple Factors
4 of 5
The FIA Accident Panel has published its report on the circumstances of Jules Bianchi's accident at the Japanese Grand Prix on 5 October.
The Marussia driver went off in the wet and collided with a tractor which was removing Adrian Sutil's Sauber, which had spun off at the same spot the lap before.
He suffered severe head injuries and remains in a critical condition in a French hospital, having been flown home from Japan in mid-November.
After a wait of several months to examine all available evidence, the 10-man panel appointed by the FIA has produced a 396-page report. A summary was shown on the FIA website, stating:
"The review of the events leading up to Bianchi’s accident indicate that a number of key issues occurred, which may have contributed to the accident, though none alone caused it:
"
"Sutil’s car was in the process of being recovered by mobile crane when Bianchi approached Sectors 7 and 8, which include the part of T 7 where the recovery was taking place. Sectors 7 and 8 were subject to double yellow flags."
"Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as Sutil."
"If drivers adhere to the requirements of double yellow flags, as set out in Appendix H, Art. 2.4.5.1.b, then neither competitors nor officials should be put in immediate or physical danger."
"The actions taken following Sutil’s accident were consistent with the regulations, and their interpretation following 384 incidents in the preceding eight years. Without the benefit of hindsight, there is no apparent reason why the Safety Car should have been deployed either before or after Sutil’s accident."
"During the two seconds Bianchi’s car was leaving the track and traversing the run-off area, he applied both throttle and brake together, using both feet. The FailSafe algorithm is designed to over-ride the throttle and cut the engine, but was inhibited by the Torque Coordinator, which controls the rear Brake-by-Wire system. Bianchi’s Marussia has a unique design of BBW, which proved to be incompatible with the FailSafe settings."
"The fact that the FailSafe did not disqualify the engine torque requested by the driver may have affected the impact velocity; it has not been possible to reliably quantify this. However, it may be that Bianchi was distracted by what was happening and the fact that his front wheels had locked, and been unable to steer the car such that it missed the crane."
The report adds that the rapid medical attention he received at the circuit "contributed significantly to the saving of Bianchi’s life." It further states that neither a closed cockpit on Bianchi's car or protective skirts around the tractor would have prevented the injuries from occurring.
Among the recommendations made by the panel were new speed limit rules for drivers when faced with double waved yellow flags. Per Autosport, race director Charlie Whiting said at the start of the season that slowing by 0.5 seconds through a double waved yellow zone was sufficient.
The Virtual Safety Car system should provide a greater and safer reduction in speed. Other recommendations include ensuring all races start at least four hours before sunset and, where possible, re-arranging the calendar so races are not held during local rainy seasons.
A review of relevant software, such as the brake-by-wire system mentioned in the report, is also called for.
New Formula 1 Chairman Could Threaten Bernie Ecclestone's Position of Power
5 of 5
The Formula One Group is set to appoint a new chairman, with one newspaper claiming it could spell the end of Bernie Ecclestone's reign over the sport.
Roger Blitz of the Financial Times (registration required) reports Paul Walsh, former chief executive of Diageo, is being lined up to replace current chairman Peter Brabeck.
Blitz adds:
"CVC Capital Partners, the private equity group which owns 35.5 per cent of F1, is thought to want Mr Walsh to take on some executive duties in addition to chairing the board.
Mr Ecclestone’s position as chief executive is not under immediate threat. But one person with knowledge of the situation said that if Mr Walsh is chosen to become a more hands-on F1 chairman, that could see Mr Ecclestone’s role as chief executive marginalised.
"
Ecclestone has had a difficult year. He faced bribery charges in Germany relating to the sale of shares in F1, and paid a £60 million ($100 million) dollar (an acceptable and legal move under German law) to have the case thrown out. He was not officially found innocent or guilty, and could continue running the sport.
But the very public recent debate over F1's finances—and the collapse of two teams—has left the 84-year-old under increasing pressure.
It's impossible to say whether F1 would be better or worse without Ecclestone at the helm, but if he did go it would certainly be a massive shock to the sport's system.
And he won't be shunted aside without a fight.
If CVC and the other shareholders do try to take power from his hands, it won't be pretty.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
