Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Honda and More
Formula One is heading to new territory this weekend as the Azerbaijani capital of Baku hosts the European Grand Prix for the first time, but Lewis Hamilton is not exactly enthusiastic about the challenge.
The three-time world champion has generally excelled at street circuits throughout his F1 career, but after sampling the Baku City Circuit in the Mercedes simulator, Hamilton has likened the track to a motorway.
And he has questioned why city-based tracks are not made like Monaco, where he claimed his first win of 2016 less than a month ago.
With the European GP set to be the second in a series of six races in the space of eight weeks, F1 is quickly heading toward its midseason stage, and teams will soon begin to think about finalising their 2017 driver lineups.
But racing director Eric Boullier has revealed McLaren-Honda will make no decisions until September at the earliest, amid suggestions that Stoffel Vandoorne will replace Jenson Button as Fernando Alonso's team-mate next season.
McLaren harshly dropped Sergio Perez at the end of 2013, but he has since rebuilt his career at Force India and registered his third podium finish in as many seasons in Monaco.
That result has led to speculation that the Mexican could replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2017, but deputy team principal Bob Fernley has explained why Force India are hopeful of retaining Perez and Nico Hulkenberg.
Another contender to become Sebastian Vettel's new team-mate is Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz Jr., who, with three consecutive points finishes, is enjoying the best run of form of his F1 career.
Sainz has suggested his improvement is directly linked to Max Verstappen's promotion to Red Bull, with the Spaniard enjoying a calmer, more productive atmosphere alongside Daniil Kvyat.
With the news that the hugely popular Brazilian Grand Prix could be dropped from the calendar at the end of 2016, here's our latest roundup.
Lewis Hamilton Underwhelmed by Baku Circuit Layout
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Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is unimpressed by the layout of the new Baku City Circuit, likening the venue to a motorway.
Four years after the last European Grand Prix was held at the unpopular Valencia street circuit, the event has returned to the calendar for 2016, with the capital of Azerbaijan set to stage an F1 race for the first time this weekend.
While the circuit features the tightest section in F1 at Turns 8, 9, 10 and 11, a long pit straight and a high-speed third sector is expected to make Baku the fastest street track in the world.
But after driving the track for the first time in the Mercedes simulator, Hamilton—who has won the last two races in Monaco and Canada—is underwhelmed by the challenge of Baku, bemoaning the state of modern street circuits.
He told Motorsport.com's Adam Cooper:
"I don't really know what to say about it. It's just another new track.
There's one very tight spot on it. It's got a very long straight...I don't really have a lot to say about it.
Monaco is the street circuit. And they don't make them like that. I don't why they don't, but why don't they just make street circuits like they used to? I don't understand.
It's super wide in some places, as wide as a motorway almost in some places!
But hopefully it will be fun. I heard the weather will be good, and hopefully they'll have a good turn out there.
"
Per the same source, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel suggested it would be unfair "to judge the track" before the race weekend begins but added "some parts of the track" are "fairly exciting" while others are "more straightforward."
Meanwhile, Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz Jr. told the team's official website of his hope that Baku can become F1's answer to the Macau street circuit, the venue of the iconic Formula Three race.
McLaren-Honda to Make 2017 Driver Decision in September, Says Eric Boullier
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Eric Boullier, the McLaren-Honda racing director, has revealed the team will wait until September to finalise their 2017 driver lineup.
While two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is almost certain to represent McLaren next season, having signed a three-year contract at the beginning of 2015, the future of Jenson Button is likely to come under threat once again this year.
Although the 2009 title winner has performed well in the early months of 2016, scoring points in three of the opening seven races, McLaren are under pressure to promote reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne to a full-time seat after the Belgian's impressive F1 debut in April's Bahrain GP.
As reported by Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble, McLaren have "an option" on Vandoorne until September, with the 2015 GP2 champion potentially free to join a rival outfit if the team decide to retain Button, who may postpone his retirement by rejoining Williams, per Sky Sports' David Croft.
Per BBC Sport's Andrew Benson, McLaren chairman Ron Dennis recently insisted Vandoorne is "not for sale," referring to the Belgian as "an integral part of McLaren-Honda's future."
And Boullier—who recently admitted McLaren are yet to begin discussions regarding their 2017 drivers, per ESPN F1's Nate Saunders—has confirmed no decision will be made before September.
He told Noble:
"Because we don't want to destroy this year, we don't want to talk before September.
If we start to speak before then, it is going to make the drivers' head go wrong.
It depends which stage you are in with your restructuring of the team and the path to win.
You need experience, but you also need youth because it means new blood, and also pushing as well the experienced driver [team-mate] to not be in a comfortable zone.
It is not a problem. Not a problem at all...I have the best possibilities in my life, two world champions and the most promising young driver.
"
Alonso has urged McLaren to refrain from stopping the development of their 2016 car ahead of next year's major regulation changes.
Per Autosport (h/t Eurosport), the Spaniard suggested McLaren, despite trailing Williams by 57 points after the Canadian GP, can still secure fourth place in the 2016 constructors' standings without compromising their 2017 program.
Meanwhile, new McLaren chief executive officer Jost Capito has admitted he may not officially begin work with the team until he has overseen Volkswagen's fourth consecutive World Rally Championship triumph, per Autosport (h/t Eurosport).
Volkswagen have a 70-point advantage over Hyundai in the manufacturers' standings after the opening six rounds, with Sebastien Ogier enjoying a 64-point lead in the drivers' championship despite failing to win any of the last four rallies.
Force India 'Pretty Confident' of Keeping Sergio Perez in 2017
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Deputy team principal Bob Fernley has expressed his belief that Sergio Perez will stay at Force India for the 2017 season.
Since being dropped by McLaren at the end of 2013, Perez has rebuilt his reputation at Force India alongside Nico Hulkenberg, playing an integral role in the team's fifth-place finish in the constructors' championship in 2015.
After claiming his sixth F1 podium in May's Monaco GP—his third in as many seasons for Force India—the Mexican suggested he is "ready" for another chance at a leading team, having become "a more complete driver," per Sky Sports' Matt Morlidge.
A former member of Ferrari's young-driver scheme, Perez could emerge as a contender to replace Kimi Raikkonen and partner four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at the Prancing Horse next season.
But Fernley is expecting Perez to partner Hulkenberg for a fourth consecutive season in 2017, telling Autosport (h/t Eurosport):
"It is a compliment to Checo, and the great job he has done, to get the interest across the board that is there.
I won't go into details on their contracts, but I'm confident we'll have the same two drivers next year, so I'm not worried.
The consistency we've had from Nico and Checo over the last two years has helped us enormously, and it would be good for us to have that same consistency with the new chassis next year.
As far as we're concerned we've two super drivers who work well together, who gel with the team, who've been successful, so why change?
You never know, outside influences can always play a part and you just have to wait for things to happen, but I'm pretty confident we'll be the same.
"
Per Crash.net's Ollie Barstow, Perez admitted he "really" hopes he will have a "great opportunity" to challenge for grand prix wins in a front-running car "in the near future," but insisted "the most important thing" is "to focus on the present."
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Carlos Sainz Jr. Feels Max Verstappen's Exit Has Been Positive for Toro Rosso
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Carlos Sainz Jr. believes Max Verstappen's move to Red Bull has had a positive effect on the atmosphere within Toro Rosso.
Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull in the aftermath of Daniil Kvyat's first-lap meltdown in May's Russian Grand Prix, with the latter rejoining Toro Rosso to partner Sainz from the Spanish GP.
At the time, Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko told German publication Motorsport-Total.com (h/t Eurosport) how the decision was made to ease the "considerable unrest" and resolve "several internal problems" between Verstappen and Sainz.
Since Verstappen's elevation to Red Bull, Sainz has embarked upon his best-ever run of form, scoring points in three consecutive races and claiming a career-best result of sixth in his home race in Spain.
After recovering from 20th on the grid to finish ninth in last weekend's Canadian GP, Sainz has hinted he is benefiting from a more open atmosphere at Toro Rosso.
Per Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble, he said:
"The situation has changed a bit for sure. Everything has reshuffled a bit and I think everyone in the team is working really well.
Myself [along] with Daniil, we are working towards the same direction, we are pushing the team forward.
If this is making myself look more relaxed, I don't know. But it could be also that I started having less bad luck in Barcelona.
I am relaxed because of that [Barcelona’s performance], I arrived into Russia [thinking] that everything is happening to me, [but] after Barcelona I am calm now because it’s OK.
I can tell you my approach hasn’t changed at all in terms of how I prepare for a race, how I come into a race, my mentality hasn’t changed.
"
Per the same source, Sainz suggested the team "is growing" following Verstappen's departure, citing the recruitment of former Manor team principal John Booth as a major factor.
His recent form has seen the Spaniard linked with a move to Ferrari to replace Kimi Raikkonen for 2017, but the Spaniard has reiterated his desire to remain loyal to Red Bull.
Sainz told Sky Sports' Matt Morlidge how winning the world championship with Red Bull would be his "ultimate goal" because "they've given [him] so much."
Brazilian Grand Prix Organisers Deny Interlagos Race Is Under Threat
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The organisers of the Brazilian Grand Prix have insisted the event will remain on the F1 schedule despite F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone's suggestion this year's race could be the last at Interlagos.
As reported by Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble, the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace—which has been a permanent fixture on the calendar since 1990, having first held an F1 race in 1972—is contracted to stage the Brazilian GP until 2020.
But "one of the conditions of the deal" was that the Sao Paulo-based would redevelop its pit-and-paddock complex, having been frequently criticised for the state of its facilities in the past.
That redevelopment was unfinished when F1 visited Brazil last November, and Noble has reported "it is understood that, in the wake of the country's financial difficulties, there have been discussions about a potential restructuring of the financial commitments that the city has previously promised to make."
Over the Canadian GP weekend, Ecclestone—who has encouraged television station Globo to "ramp up its coverage" of F1—warned the 2016 event "could be the last race there."
However, Brazilian GP promoter Interpub—which has agreed a deal with new F1 sponsor Heineken—has issued a statement dismissing the speculation surrounding the event's future.
According to another Noble piece, the statement read:
"The truth is there is no legal condition for breaking the contract with the event promoter company, Interpub, which runs until 2020.
The City of Sao Paulo is working on a track improvement project at Interlagos. This year the project is in the third phase.
For the race this year, the paddock area will be expanded, improving the work conditions for all the teams.
Interpub just made an exclusive agreement with Heineken for the beer supply in Interlagos. Brazil is one of the key growth markets for the brand.
"
After the announcement of a $150 million deal between F1 and Heineken at the Canadian GP, senior director Gianluca Di Tondo has revealed the beer brand intends to establish partnerships with two teams, per Autosport (h/t Eurosport), without having any visibility on the cars.
Red Bull are likely to be one of the teams involved, but the existing alcohol sponsorship agreements that Williams, Force India and McLaren-Honda hold are likely to see them ruled out.
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