Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Jenson Button, Renault Engine and More
After signing a contract extension with McLaren-Honda at the beginning of October, Jenson Button will embark upon his 17th season in Formula One in 2016.
The announcement of his new deal came just days after Button appeared ready to walk away from F1, and the 2009 world champion has explained why he just couldn't leave the sport behind just yet, while revealing his excitement for next season.
As it awaits the confirmation of its takeover of Lotus, Renault is also excited about the future, and the next step toward its full-time return to F1 should be taken this weekend.
After an extended wait, its revised V6 turbo power unit will be made available at this weekend's United States Grand Prix.
Although it is unclear whether its current customers, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, will compete with the new engine, the French manufacturer has revealed the changes that it hopes will signal the end of its struggles.
As the first American driver to race on home soil since 2007, Alexander Rossi will also be a major attraction at this weekend's race.
But Manor are hoping the hype surrounding Rossi will have a positive effect on Will Stevens, who is in desperate need of a strong performance at the Circuit of the Americas.
Felipe Nasr, meanwhile, produced his strongest performance for some time at the recent Russian GP and has urged tyre supplier Pirelli to allow racing drivers to drive like racing drivers once again.
Closing our latest roundup is Gunther Steiner, the team principal of F1's American team, who has effectively confirmed Esteban Gutierrez will partner Romain Grosjean at Haas in 2016.
Jenson Button Still Has Much to Achieve in Formula 1 After New McLaren Deal
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Sunday, October 18, 2015, marked six years since Jenson Button won the 2009 world championship with a fifth-place finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
No matter what he went on to achieve, it was thought that sunny afternoon in Sao Paulo would remain the peak of his career. And even if he never won another race or a second title, he would always have that magical year with Brawn GP to look back on, knowing he took his one and only chance to become a champion.
But anyone who assumed Button would be more than happy with just the one title to his name appears to be wide of the mark, with the 35-year-old insisting he still has so much more to achieve in F1.
Button's career appeared to be coming to a close a month ago, when the Telegraph's Daniel Johnson claimed he was preparing to announce his retirement at the Japanese GP.
Just days after the Suzuka race, however, Button's contract extension at McLaren-Honda was confirmed after the driver won a "high-stakes game of contract poker" with chairman Ron Dennis, per Sky Sports' Mark Hughes.
And Button has explained why he decided to continue in F1 when—having scored just eight points in 2015—it would have been easier to walk away, telling Autosport's Lawrence Barretto:
"There's so much that I want to achieve still in Formula 1.
As Ron said to me "we definitely have unfinished business" and we definitely do in Formula 1.
This year has been such a tough year for the whole team and to see how well everyone has worked together and how everyone has pulled together in such a difficult situation—that also helps you make the decision.
It makes you realise this team will give everything they can to achieve in the future. I'm very excited about that.
I have no fear of retiring. I have so many things in life that I want to achieve but it's not the right the time for me to leave Formula 1.
"
Button added that Honda—who has made a limp return to F1 with an underpowered, unreliable engine—will make "big progress" in 2016, claiming McLaren are "looking good for next year."
Renault Reveal Engine Improvements Ahead of United States Grand Prix
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Renault has confirmed its upgraded V6 turbo power unit will be available at this weekend's United States Grand Prix, but it accepts Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso may not be prepared to use it.
While its three rival manufacturers—Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda—have all taken advantage of the in-season development loophole to improve their powertrains throughout 2015, Renault had not spent any of its engine tokens until this point.
In deciding to make one, large advancement rather than taking small, incremental steps forward—according to Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble, the French manufacturer will spend 11 of a possible 12 tokens—Renault could make a big impression at the Circuit of the Americas.
But with Red Bull still in contention for third place in the constructors' standings, and Toro Rosso just 21 points adrift of sixth-placed Lotus, the new engine may not appear this weekend as both teams would incur grid penalties at a venue where both should be competitive.
With updated engines often resulting in reliability and teething troubles—Mercedes, for example, have suffered several reliability problems since the introduction of their 2016-spec power unit in Italy—the negatives may outweigh the positives for Red Bull and Toro Rosso.
And though Renault director of operations Remi Taffin is hopeful the upgrades, which have placed a large emphasis on the internal-combustion engine, will succeed, he admits the French manufacturer's customers could not use the new unit at this stage.
He told Renault's official website:
"We will have our new specification of power unit available to use in Austin. The principal changes involve the internals of the ICE to give improved power and efficiency. We know that introducing the new PU will incur a grid penalty so the decision to use will be made in full consultation with the teams. At this point of the season obviously points are crucial so if circumstances allow then we will use on track.
Whatever spec we do use, we are looking forward to Austin. Our reliability has been good in the last three races and performance more in line with our expectations; both our teams just need a clean weekend to show the improved potential of both packages.
"
In September, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Crash.net that his team would not bother using the updated Renault powertrain when it did arrive.
But with both Mercedes and Ferrari refusing to supply the four-time world champions for 2016, it may be in Red Bull's interests to field the new Renault engine as they look to safeguard their F1 future.
Manor's Will Stevens Eager to Ruin Alexander Rossi's Homecoming
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John Booth, the Manor Marussia team principal, believes Will Stevens will be determined to beat Alexander Rossi at this weekend's United States Grand Prix.
On Sunday, Rossi—who will compete in three of the remaining four events of 2015—will become the first American driver in eight years to race on home soil, with his presence set to generate much interest in the action at the rear of the field.
Despite his status as Manor's lead driver, Stevens is currently experiencing the most testing period of his young career having been beaten by Rossi in Singapore and Japan before finishing behind Roberto Merhi in Russia.
And Booth expects the British driver to respond to the challenge of racing in Rossi's own backyard at the Circuit of the Americas, telling Manor's official website:
"We have been treated to a fascinating battle between team-mates over the past few races and we are sure that, in the nicest possible way—in as much as fiercely competitive drivers can afford—Will is going be keen to spoil Alexander’s party this weekend. That spirit of racing is what we are all about as a team, and although there is a championship being decided at the front of the grid, we’ll have our own intense battle going on, I’m sure.
"
While admitting his team-mate, who won the GP2 feature race in Russia, will be the centre of attention, Stevens has refused to give Rossi an easy ride in Austin.
He told the same source: "It’s good to welcome Alex back to the team, and clearly this is a big weekend for him. As you’d expect though, my objective, as always, is to beat my team-mate!"
Despite his lack of track time compared to Stevens, Rossi may have the edge at the Circuit of the Americas, where he participated in free practice for the now-defunct Caterham team in 2013.
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Felipe Nasr Wants Harder Tyres for 2017 After Enjoyable Russian GP
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Felipe Nasr secured his best result since March in the recent Russian Grand Prix, qualifying 10th and finishing sixth.
And the Brazilian wants to experience more races like that, both in terms of the process and the eventual finishing position.
For the second season in succession, the Sochi Autodrom event was a one-stop race for most runners, with drivers offered the rare opportunity to push their cars to the maximum in an era when tyre conservation is key.
As reported by Sky Sports' James Galloway, Pirelli agreed a deal to remain as F1's sole tyre supplier until 2019 at the Russian GP, and the nature of the race was at odds with the Italian manufacturer's philosophy, which has produced grands prix featuring two or three pit stops per car since 2011.
After having a glimpse of what F1 used to be, and what it could still be, Nasr has pleaded for Pirelli to give drivers more freedom to attack—and to use Russia as a template—when the next round of regulation changes are introduced in 2017, telling Autosport's Ian Parkes and Ben Anderson:
"Russia was different to other tracks. It was intense. You were pushing from lap one to the end. There was no tyre saving.
That's why you saw more cases of wear in the whole car—brakes, engine—the drivers just putting it to the limit. I enjoyed that. It was really good fun.
So I would be in favour of more grip and having quicker pace throughout the race so you could push.
If there is degradation in the race then it requires a bit more intelligence, but to be able to push more, then I would like it to go in that direction.
Of course the idea of managing tyres a little is a good thing, it's nice to have.
"
Nasr's wish, however, is unlikely to come true, with Pirelli motorsport chief Paul Hembery telling Crash.net of the manufacturer's willingness to be more aggressive in 2017.
Esteban Gutierrez Closing in on Haas 2016 Seat
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Esteban Gutierrez is almost certain to drive for the new Haas team in 2016, with team principal Gunther Steiner effectively describing the Mexican as his ideal candidate.
Gutierrez has been the overwhelming favourite to join Haas for some time due to the American outfit's technical partnership with Ferrari, where the former Sauber racer has held a reserve-driver role this season.
It was surprising when, in September, Gutierrez was absent from Haas' driver announcement, where the team confirmed the signing of Romain Grosjean from Lotus. But rather than indicating that their deal with Gutierrez had stalled or broken down, it merely delayed the inevitable.
When asked about the type of driver he would like to partner Grosjean, Steiner explained the value of recent F1 experience and commercial aspects, both in terms of sponsorship funds and nationality.
He told F1i's Phillip van Osten: "Someone who has driven an F1 car, of the current generation, money is always important because it costs a lot of money, and North America is a nice place for a driver to come from."
As the team's home race, this weekend's United States Grand Prix seems like an ideal time to announce the signing of Gutierrez.
Should the Austin race come and go with no news, however, next weekend's event at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez—the venue of the first Mexican GP in over two decades—should see official confirmation of the worst-kept secret in F1.
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