Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Marussia Hope, Vandoorne, Start Times, More
Marussia may be set for a shock return in 2015 after it emerged the team were in talks over a last-minute rescue deal. A planned auction of their remaining assets, due to take place on January 21, has been postponed while discussions continue.
Two of the top young talents in the business have also been in the news. Stoffel Vandoorne hopes he could leap ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the queue for a seat at McLaren if he wins the GP2 series title, while Mercedes' Pascal Wehrlein appears to have his sights set on a third driver role for the season ahead.
This would invariably be at one of the German manufacturer's customer teams—Williams, Lotus or Force India.
Elsewhere, five races have moved their start times forward by one hour in response to recommendations made in the wake of Jules Bianchi's accident at Suzuka and the organisers of the Italian Grand Prix are standing up to Bernie Ecclestone's financial demands.
Who'll crack first?
Read on for a full roundup of the top stories from the last few days.
Marussia/Manor in Talks to Continue in 2015
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Marussia could be in line for a shock return to the grid in 2015 after boss John Booth revealed the team are in talks with a potential saviour.
He told BBC Sport the discussions were "at a fairly advanced stage with a new investor—a credible investor." He added his confidence that a deal could be done was "pretty high."
Some of the team's assets were sold at auction in December, while their Banbury headquarters was, per Racecar Engineering, acquired by Gene Haas to be used as a UK base for his own team when it debuts in 2016.
A second auction of more important items was due to take place on January 21. Had these items been sold any return would have been all but impossible, but it has now been postponed.
Administrators FRP Advisory said in a statement (h/t Autosport), "A planned auction of the Company's remaining assets due to commence on Wednesday 21 January 2015 has been halted to allow for discussions to continue with a third party."
If a deal is reached, Marussia—renamed Manor in the provisional entry list—would have to use their 2014 car in the coming season as there would not be time to build a new one. Rival teams agreed in November that this would be permitted, but BBC Sport says final approval would be needed from the FIA World Council.
The buyer would be required to come to some form of arrangement with Marussia's many creditors, but the prize money from finishing ninth in last season's constructors' championship may prove sufficient to clear most of the debt.
They would then need to find new staff, drivers, facilities and sort out transport arrangements for the first race of the year.
Not a job for the faint-hearted.
Stoffel Vandoorne Aiming to Leapfrog Kevin Magnussen
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McLaren-backed youngster Stoffel Vandoorne is aiming to win the GP2 title in 2015—and hopes doing so will bump him ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the team's mind.
Speaking to Belgian newspaper L'Avenir (h/t ESPN for the English translation), Vandoorne said:
"It does not change much for me. It's Magnussen [who] makes a step back to third driver. Who knows, this may be a chance for me because everyone knows that if you do not drive for a season, you will disappear from the shelf and it is very difficult to return. If I win GP2 I'll have the momentum.
I think I'll spend as much time in the simulator to help the Formula One team, in which I remain very involved and a full member. I believe in myself but it's so difficult to know about 2016, Formula One is a very complicated world.
The GP2 title is not a guarantee [of a Formula One seat], just a key. But it is clear in my head: Formula One, I want more than a third driver role. Honda will maybe equip other teams and it could be a solution if Alonso and Button are [staying].
"
Vandoorne was arguably the standout driver of the 2014 GP2 season, taking the runner-up spot in the championship in his rookie year. The only man to beat him was Jolyon Palmer, in his fourth season in the series.
The Belgian has an impressive junior record in which he has always got up to speed quickly when stepping up to new formulae. It's usually only the truly exceptional drivers who have this ability, and barring a major upset Vandoorne will definitely be an F1 driver in the future.
The only questions are when and with whom.
5 Races Move Their Start Times Forward by an Hour
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Five races will have earlier start times in 2015 following recommendations made in the aftermath of Jules Bianchi's accident in Japan.
The FIA Accident Panel, set up to examine the incident and to advise on possible changes which could reduce the chance of it happening again.
The crash had nothing directly to do with fading light, but the panel still advised all races should start at least four hours before local sunset. This would allow greater flexibility if a delay in getting under way occurred, and give sufficient time for the maximum time limit for a race (four hours) to be reached.
Sky Sports reports the Australian, Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian Grands Prix will all start one hour earlier than they did in 2014.
The time shifts will bring the races in Sepang and Shanghai into line with the recommendation, but Melbourne, Sochi and Suzuka will still fall short.
| Australian | 4 p.m. | 7:40 p.m. | 3 hours 40 minutes |
| Malaysian* | 3 p.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 4 hours 22 minutes |
| Chinese | 2 p.m. | 6:20 p.m. | 4 hours 20 minutes |
| Japanese | 2 p.m. | 5:44 p.m. | 3 hours 44 minutes |
| Russian | 2 p.m. | 5:46 p.m. | 3 hours 46 minutes |
* Time given for nearby Kuala Lumpur—Sepang itself will still have four hours-plus.
Late start times for races in Asia and Australia crept into being in order to push the races closer to an acceptable time for key European audiences. It was primarily for financial reasons—a more sociable start time equals more viewers for the broadcasters which equals more money for the commercial-rights holders.
But the result was sometimes races which ended in potentially dangerous low-light conditions. Hopefully these switches will be permanent, even if they do mean European fans losing a little bit of sleep.
Sunset times per timeanddate.com.
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Monza Organisers Defiant as Contract Nears Its End
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The organisers of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza have responded to speculation the race could depart, insisting the circuit would be fine without F1.
The current contract held by the circuit is one of the cheapest on the calendar. The race organisers pay, per CNN, a hosting fee of just $7 million per year to host the race; by contrast, Malaysia is reported to pay $67 million and the average is, per Christian Sylt at Forbes, at least $27 million.
But this deal is set to end after 2016 and isn't likely to be renewed at such a low rate. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport last summer, commercial rights chief Bernie Ecclestone said (h/t ESPN for the English translation), "I don't think we'll do another contract, the old one was a disaster for us from a commercial point of view. So it's bye bye after 2016."
Corriere della Sera (h/t motorsport.com for the English translation) claims Ecclestone is asking €20 million ($23.15 million) per year for a new deal.
However, the circuit boss has indicated he won't be forced into agreeing unacceptable terms. He is quoted in the Italian newspaper saying:
"2017 will arrive anyway, with or without Bernie Ecclestone.
If we do not extend the contract that expires next year, we have prepared a 'plan B' for the maintenance of the circuit, a number of competitions and the development of complementary activities.
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Maybe Monza could survive without F1—but would the sport be the same without Monza?
The circuit has hosted a race every year bar one since the first world championship back in 1950 and is part of F1's very heart and soul.
The proliferation of non-traditional host countries willing to pay over the odds to hold races, many with state backing, is pushing costs for classic venues into the unaffordable range.
One can only hope sense is seen and key circuits like Monza are retained—even if Bernie and Co. need to take a small financial hit to make it happen.
Pascal Wehrlein Aiming for on-Track Role with Mercedes Customer in 2015
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Mercedes-backed Pascal Wehrlein is hoping to take the next step towards his goal of F1 by taking a role with one of Mercedes' engine customers in 2015.
The 20-year-old German served as Mercedes' test and reserve driver in the latter part of 2014 after a successful DTM campaign in which he won his first race.
His most recent single-seater experience came in 2012, when he finished runner-up in his only year in the Formula Three Euroseries—ahead of current Ferrari hopeful Raffaele Marciello.
He then moved to DTM—but after two seasons in the German touring car championship, Wehrlein wants to return to open-wheel racing. Speaking to Schwabische Zeitung (h/t grandprix.com for the English translation), Wehrlein said:
"I want to be in F1 as soon as possible.
A team that has nothing to do with Mercedes is not an option. So if there is a way to gain experience with a customer team, that's great.
My plan for this year is not yet fixed, as for whether I do a double programme or whether the focus will be on one thing. I wouldn't like it if it was just DTM, but I think it's only a debate as to whether it is a double-programme or if I will just focus on Formula One.
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Wehrlein looks a highly capable driver but perhaps he should look to GP2 rather than going back for another crack at DTM. Recent and relevant single-seater experience may do more for his development than a third season in the tin-tops.
Mercedes also have to consider his super licence—or rather, his lack of one.
New rules from 2016 onward require new drivers to have scored at least 40 points in the previous three seasons by virtue of their results in various series (table here). Should Wehrlein do DTM again in 2015, a series for which no points are awarded, he would go into next season with zero points and seemingly no chance of being awarded the licence.
Even if he went to GP2, he would need to finish second or higher to accrue the necessary score.
That's a tall order for any driver in his first year; with Stoffel Vandoorne at ART and a pair of Red Bull juniors at leading team DAMS, it'll be even harder to achieve in 2015.
But unless Mercedes and the FIA know something we don't, it seems the only real chance he has.
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