Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Red Bull-Mercedes, Jenson Button and More
With Red Bull and Renault seemingly heading for divorce, the four-time world champions will soon begin the hunt for a new technical partner as they attempt to return to the summit of Formula One.
Ferrari offered a helping hand to Red Bull at the latter's home race in Austria, and Mercedes have now shown a willingness to help the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
But while Toto Wolff, the Mercedes chief, would welcome the PR advantages of a deal with Red Bull, he is less eager to see the team re-emerge as a major force in F1.
Meanwhile, Jenson Button has expressed his excitement over the proposed regulation changes set to be introduced in time for the 2017 season but claims the new rules must be embraced by the drivers to ensure F1 rediscovers the feel-good factor and appeals to spectators.
One driver who already appeals to the fans, however, is Max Verstappen. Despite his tender age, the 17-year-old has been a revelation in 2015.
The Dutchman has produced a number of memorable performances, particularly in the Chinese and Hungarian grands prix, and Verstappen's father, Jos, a former F1 driver himself, has described his pride over his son's rookie season.
Verstappen replaced Jean-Eric Vergne at Scuderia Toro Rosso at the end of 2014, but the Frenchman has been plotting his route back to Formula One and remains convinced he is still on course for a return to the sport next season despite making other plans.
Finally, the organisers of the Russian Grand Prix are hoping the race will remain in its new spot on the calendar after a provisional 2016 schedule was released.
Here's our B/R's latest F1 roundup.
Mercedes Unsure over Red Bull Engine Deal
1 of 5
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes' motorsport activities, has revealed he is uncertain whether the German manufacturer would want to supply engines to Red Bull Racing in the future.
After winning four consecutive world championships between 2010 and 2013, Red Bull have tumbled down Formula One's competitive order since the introduction of the V6 turbo regulations, with their engine partner, Renault, struggling to master the new engines.
The relationship between team and engine partner, after a long period of deterioration, is seemingly beyond repair, with Red Bull and Renault almost certain to split when their current deal expires at the end of 2016, according to Motorsport.com.
That, however, would leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit searching for a new technical partner.
Per Sky Sports' Pete Gill, Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne claimed the Prancing Horse would be "more than glad" to join forces with the team at June's Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull's home race.
Meanwhile, ahead of July's British Grand Prix, Autocar's Jim Holder reported Red Bull were in discussions to run Aston Martin-branded Mercedes engines as early as next season.
Mercedes High Performance Powertrains have led the way in terms of engine design since 2014, but effectively offering Red Bull power parity would represent a huge gamble and threaten the Silver Arrows' current dominance of F1.
And while Wolff has dropped the biggest hint yet that Mercedes may be open to a deal with Red Bull, he is adamant the company must weigh up the potential marketing benefits against the sporting risks, telling Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Motorsport.com):
"There is an agreement in place [between Red Bull and Renault] and we do not want to interfere in legal matters between the parties.
However, if I wear the hat of Mercedes-Benz motorsport and I speak on behalf of Formula 1, I must say that it is an attractive option because it would tie a brand that has appeal among young people with one that is winning.
But of course, as head of the team, it's not really ideal to strengthen a competitor who knows how to build winning cars.
"
Mercedes currently supply engines to Williams, Force India and Lotus, and Renault's proposed takeover of the latter would give the German team the freedom to add Red Bull to their list of customers.
Jenson Button Insists Drivers Must Encourage Fans to Love Formula 1
2 of 5
Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, believes his fellow drivers must play an active role in increasing the popularity of Formula One.
In recent years, particularly since the V6 turbo regulations were introduced at the beginning of 2014, F1 has been shrouded in self-pity, with many questioning the direction and the sustainability of grand prix racing, as well as its ability to remain relevant in the modern world of limited attention spans.
Much of the criticism has come from within, with Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's ringmaster, frequently criticising the new-spec engines and the drivers airing their frustrations over changes to the cars and the format of modern-day F1.
Per CNN's Amanda Davies, Michael Schumacher, the most successful man in F1 history, claimed the delicate Pirelli tyres left drivers feeling as though they were driving "on raw eggs," complaining how their fast-degrading nature forced them to drive within the limits of the cars and themselves.
As reported by the Guardian, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was rebuked by FIA president Jean Todt in April 2014 after referring to the sound of the V6 engines as "s--t."
And as recently as July's Hungarian Grand Prix, two-time title winner Fernando Alonso, Button's McLaren-Honda team-mate, told Motorsport.com's Pablo Elizalde how he was eager to experiment with other forms of motorsport because of the restrictive nature of F1.
In an effort to overhaul the sport, the Formula One Strategy Group released a series of proposals due to be introduced in time for the 2017 season, with changes to the design of the cars the most intriguing aspect.
And Button has revealed his wishlist for 2017, telling Autosport's Lawrence Barretto and Ian Parkes how the introduction of "more mechanical grip, more downforce produced by the floor [and] less emphasis on the wings" would represent "a good starting point."
However, the 35-year-old warned that any changes will not be successful unless the drivers encourage fans to embrace them, telling the same source: "It's, for myself first of all, enjoyment of driving because that's a massive part of the sport.
"When you see [the drivers] loving it more, I think the fans will love it more, too."
Button's opinion is likely to resonate with spectators after the 15-time race winner was voted the third-most popular driver in F1, according to a fans' survey produced by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
Max Verstappen 'Good' for Formula 1, Says Father
3 of 5
The father of Max Verstappen has claimed his son's exploits over the course of his rookie season have provided a boost for Formula One.
Scuderia Toro Rosso took the sport by surprise when they confirmed Verstappen, then just 16 and in his very first year of car racing, would drive for the Red Bull B-team in the 2015 season.
Despite many expressing concerns over how an adolescent would fare in F1—the FIA made several revisions to the Super Licence criteria, raising the minimum age to 18 soon after—Verstappen almost instantly proved his doubters wrong by impressing with his maturity.
He became the youngest driver to participate in a grand prix weekend in free practice at the 2014 Japanese GP, just days after his 17th birthday, and he has since gone on to become the youngest driver to score a point in F1, finishing seventh in Malaysia just 24 hours after qualifying sixth on the grid in wet conditions at the challenging Sepang circuit.
Despite making the occasional rookie error—an unfortunate crash with Romain Grosjean in Monaco marred an impressive, typically feisty performance—Verstappen, who claimed a career-best fourth-place finish in July's Hungarian GP, has, in many ways, revolutionised the way we view F1 drivers.
And Jos Verstappen, who made 106 grand prix starts between 1994 and 2003, has spoken of his pride, explaining he always had faith in his son's ability to make a seamless transition to F1.
The 43-year-old told Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble:
"He was ready for it; and not every 17 year old is ready for that.
I can understand why they changed the [Super Licence] rules, but there is nothing I can do about that.
I am happy he is in F1, and he is doing well. Red Bull is happy with him, and I think F1 should be happy with a driver like Max.
He is quick, he is aggressive, and he is a guy who can overtake. These are the kinds of drivers that are always good for sport.
"
As early as Verstappen's third race, former grand prix driver Martin Brundle, per Sky Sports' James Galloway, was convinced F1 had unearthed "a megastar" and predicted he would be signed by "a world championship-winning team before he is 20."
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Jean-Eric Vergne Confident of Landing 2016 Haas Seat Despite Formula E Deal
4 of 5
Jean-Eric Vergne has revealed he is confident of securing a return to Formula One with Haas for 2016 despite signing a deal to race in the second season of the Formula E championship.
The Frenchman was dropped by Scuderia Toro Rosso at the end of the 2014 campaign and has since combined his Formula E exploits with the role of development driver at Ferrari, who last year signed a technical agreement with Haas, F1's newest team.
Haas' links to Ferrari are likely to see the American outfit receive help in their search for two drivers, with team owner Gene Haas telling Motorsport.com's Charles Bradley how the signing of Esteban Gutierrez, the Prancing Horse's 2015 reserve driver, would help "both parties."
In May, team principal Gunther Steiner told Motorsport-Total (h/t GPUpdate.net) of his unwillingness to see Haas regarded as a Ferrari B-team, hinting the race for one seat would come down to a straight fight between Vergne and Gutierrez.
But Vergne, who was recently confirmed as Sam Bird's team-mate at DS Virgin Racing for the 2015-16 Formula E season, is adamant his dream of returning to F1 is not yet over, suggesting he is competing with Nico Hulkenberg, the Force India driver, to partner Gutierrez at Haas.
The 25-year-old, who has admitted he is unsure whether he would persevere with Formula E should he land a Haas drive, told Bradley in a separate Motorsport.com article:
"There are three of us, for two seats. Let's say there is a rather good chance for me to end up with Haas. Then, as far as Formula E is concerned, that's too early to talk about it.
If F1 comes, there will be two clashes. It's way too early to say how that will go. I hope to have that kind of problem to sort out, that would be a good one to have!
But today, I am focused on Formula E, and very much as well on my work with Ferrari, which of course pays off to land in the Haas team.
"
Vergne added that his three years of experience in F1 and strong performances alongside Daniel Ricciardo at Toro Rosso between 2012 and 2013, as well as his current Ferrari ties, will be "an advantage" in his push for a Haas deal.
Russian Grand Prix Organisers Hope for Long-Term May Date
5 of 5
The organisers of the Russian Grand Prix are hoping the event will be held in May for many years to come after the release of the provisional calendar for the 2016 season.
The inaugural race at the Sochi Autodrom was given a mid-October date in 2014, with this year's race scheduled to take place on October 11.
However, Formula One's eagerness to have a more condensed schedule for 2016—the season-opening Australian GP will take place three weeks later than normal—has seen a number of events moved, with the Malaysian GP, for example, switched from March to September.
The Russian GP, meanwhile, is currently set be the fourth race of the season, occurring on May 1. The race's promoter, Sergey Vorobyev, is hoping the event can retain that spot on a long term-basis.
He told Autosport's Dieter Rencken and Ian Parkes:
"This new date is much better for us. We had actually been discussing an option to have the May date for this year.
Unfortunately it didn't work out, but we're glad it now has for 2016, and we hope it will stay as our date for years to come.
The main reason for this is the first of May is the start of a long nine, 10-day holiday season in Russia.
This is a period of the year when people typically have a four or five-day vacation or the full vacation, so it means they won't have to take time off to be in Sochi.
Also, until the middle of May, it is still the skiing season, so people will be able to combine visiting Formula 1 and skiing, which makes attending even more attractive.
"
While the Russian GP was among the most uneventful events of the 2014 season, the venue appeared to be popular among the drivers, with race winner Lewis Hamilton telling an FIA press conference of his plans to visit the city on holiday.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
