FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo a step closer to Red Bull race seat after Silverstone test call up

Red Bull has announced its final driver line-up for the forthcoming Silverstone Young Driver Test set for 17-19 July, and race seat candidate Daniel Ricciardo has been called up to test for the team while his rival for the position, to be vacated by Mark Webber at the end of the year, Jean Eric Vergne will not feature during the three days.

This latest development will no doubt prompt speculation that Toro Rosso driver Ricciardo is in thelead to join the world champion team.

The team announced in a press release: “For the permitted tyre testing, Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo will drive in the afternoon of Day 1, Mark Webber will drive in the afternoon of Day 2 and Sebastian Vettel will drive in the afternoon of Day 3.”

The statement added, “Red Bull Junior Team driver António Félix da Costa will drive in the morning on Day 1 and Day 2 (17 and 18 July), while Carlos Sainz Junior will take over for the final morning, Day 3 (19 July).”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has made it known that Kimi Raikkonen is also a candidate for a race seat, and that a final decision will be made towards the end of summer.

[MIKA27]

Symonds appointed Williams chief technical officer as Coughlan departs

Pat Symonds, the former Renault F1 engineering head who was banned from Formula One in 2009 after the Singapore Grand Prix crash scandal, has joined Williams as chief technical officer.

Williams, the former champions who have yet to score a point in nine races this season, announced the move on Tuesday and said their current technical head Mike Coughlan had left the team with immediate effect.

Coughlan had also joined Williams after serving a ban, of two-years, imposed in 2007 for his role in a spying controversy that led to McLaren being handed a record £ 100 million ($ 151.05 million) fine.

The highly-rated Symonds, who has been working with back-markers Marussia as a technical consultant under the terms of the ban that expires this year, will start work at the Williams factory on Aug. 19.

“I’m delighted that Pat is joining the team,” founder Frank Williams said in a statement.

“His technical capabilities and sporting successes speak for themselves and I’m sure that his knowledge and leadership will contribute considerably to the success that all of us at Williams are working hard to achieve.”

Mike Coughlan departs Williams with immediate effect

Symonds said he was honoured “to be asked to play a role in returning the team to its rightful place at the pinnacle of F1″.

Williams has fallen on hard times since its years of dominance. Although they won in Spain with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in 2012, that was their first race victory in nearly eight years.

Symonds has been in F1 for 30 years and has a formidable reputation as an engineer and strategist, working with the young Ayrton Senna at Toleman in 1984 and then seven time champion Michael Schumacher at Benetton.

With Spaniard Fernando Alonso at Renault he added more success to his resume and can boast of playing a part in 32 race wins, four drivers’ titles and three constructors’ championships to date.

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was the win that stained his record, however, after the ‘Crashgate’ scandal broke a year later.

Symonds left Renault in 2009 along with flamboyant team boss Flavio Briatore after Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Jr told the governing FIA that he had been ordered to crash deliberately into a wall so that Alonso – (not implicated in the scandal) could win.

Pat Symonds’ role in the ‘crashgate’ scandal is a blemish on an otherwise immensely successful career in F1

“Mr Symonds, in the presence of Mr Briatore, asked me if I would be willing to sacrifice my race for the team by ‘causing a Safety Car’,” Piquet declared after being promised immunity from prosecution if he told the truth.

“Mr Symonds took me aside to a quiet corner and, using a map, pointed me to the exact corner of the track where I should crash,” Piquet added in his statement.

Renault did not dispute the allegations and Symonds, who ran the race strategy and was Briatore’s deputy, was banned initially for five years although that was later overturned.

Symonds, who had declared his “eternal regret and shame” at what happened in a letter to the FIA, agreed not to work in F1 other than as a consultant until 2013.

“Williams’ sporting and engineering heritage dictates that we secure the finest talent available,” said Williams chief executive Mike O’Driscoll.

“Pat brings unrivalled technical and managerial skills in addition to a proven ability to deliver on track results. Our commitment to return Williams to winning ways is absolute and this appointment is yet more evidence of our collective desire to return the team to the position it deserves.”

Pat Symonds (right) with Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher as part of the Benetton team in 1993

Williams Statement:

The Williams F1 Team is pleased to announce the appointment of Pat Symonds as Chief Technical Officer. Effective 19th August, Symonds joins Williams from the Marussia F1 Team where he held the position of Technical Consultant.

Symonds’ 30 year Formula One career has seen him achieve success with some of the sport’s most accomplished teams and drivers. Having started his career at Toleman, it was with Benetton and subsequently Renault that he achieved extraordinary success. His partnerships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso produced 32 race wins, four Drivers’ World Championships and three Constructors’ World Championships. Since 2009, he has run his own high technology and motorsports consultancy in addition to acting as a Technical Consultant to the Marussia F1 Team.

Speaking about the appointment, Williams F1 Team Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said; “I’m delighted that Pat is joining the team. His technical capabilities and sporting successes speak for themselves and I’m sure that his knowledge and leadership will contribute considerably to the success that all of us at Williams are working hard to achieve.”

Mike O’Driscoll, Group Chief Executive Officer said; “Williams’ sporting and engineering heritage dictates that we secure the finest talent available. Pat brings unrivalled technical and managerial skills in addition to a proven ability to deliver on track results. Our commitment to return Williams to winning ways is absolute and this appointment is yet more evidence of our collective desire to return the team to the position it deserves.”

Pat Symonds said; “Williams is a team steeped in success and engineering excellence and I’m honoured to be asked to play a role in returning the team to its rightful place at the pinnacle of Formula One. Sir Frank, Mike and Claire have put in place the foundations for success and I’m immensely excited to begin this new challenge.”

The team added in a separate press release: “The Williams F1 Team has announced that Mike Coughlan has stepped down from his position as Technical Director and will leave the team with immediate effect. The team thanks him for the significant contribution he has made since 2011 and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”

[MIKA27]

Vettel: In the end it doesn’t matter who my teammate will be

Triple F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is adamant that it does not matter who is selected by Red Bull to replace departing Mark Webber in 2014.

The German has previously admitted that he would like to call friend and badminton partner Kimi Raikkonen his new teammate.

After competing in a ‘Super Mario’ costume for a Red Bull-sponsored soapbox racer event in Germany, Vettel admitted again: “I know [Raikkonen] very well, and get on with him well”.

But others, like the Red Bull-backed Toro Rosso duo Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, have also been linked with the 2014 vacancy.

“Whoever it is,” Vettel is quoted by SID news agency, “in the end it doesn’t matter.

“If you are trying to beat everyone, then it doesn’t matter if they’re in your own team or another one.”

At the halfway point of the season, the 26-year-old German was also asked about his 34 point lead in the 2013 championship, and his good chances of winning a fourth consecutive title.

“I try to ignore the score,” Vettel insisted. ”There are still a lot of races to go. A long, long way.”

“We are trying to be on the attack. It doesn’t take a genius to know that you get more points than the others when you win races.”

“So if we do this more often than the competition, it looks good for the championship,” he added.

Despite his 30 career victories, Vettel has never won at the Hungaroring, the scene of the forthcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.

[MIKA27]

Rigon and Massa on test duty at Silverstone for Ferrari

Getting behind the wheel of the F138 at the Silverstone test will be Davide Rigon and Felipe Massa: the Italian driver, who has been on the books at the Scuderia since 2011, will take to the track on all three days, vacating the cockpit for Massa only on Friday morning, when the Brazilian will be able to assess the new Pirelli compounds.

The team has taken this decision so that Davide will be able to work on the technical development of the car, while also giving useful cockpit time to Felipe, who is keen to get back on track after his rather short German GP.

Race drivers have been given a dispensation by the FIA to drive at this test, as a result of the tyre problems that occurred at Silverstone during the Grand Prix back on 30th June.

The work programme has been established solely by Pirelli and approved by the FIA, with a fixed number of sets available.

[MIKA27]

Marussia announces Ferrari engine supply for new F1 turbo era

Marussia has agreed a long-term technical partnership with Ferrari to use their engines and full powertrain from 2014, the Anglo-Russian Formula 1 team said on Tuesday.

The move had been widely expected, with Marussia’s existing supplier Cosworth set to leave the sport and the team appointing Frenchman Jules Bianchi – a Ferrari reserve – to their race line-up at the start of this year.

Marussia said in a statement that the deal provided further confirmation of the team’s commitment to Formula 1 and “determination to maintain our progression towards our long-term ambitions”.

The British-based team operates with the smallest budget in the sport and has yet to score a point since its debut in 2010 as Virgin Racing.

However, it is currently ahead of Malaysian-owned rivals Caterham, after nine races.

The F1 regulations are changing significantly next year with a new turbo-charged 1.6 litre V6 engine with energy recovery systems being introduced to replace the current 2.4 litre V8.

Mercedes and Renault are expected to power four teams each with Ferrari, the most successful and oldest team in the championship, supplying the remaining three.

“We look forward to working with Scuderia Ferrari during this exciting new era of F1 competition,” said Marussia chief executive Andy Webb.

Marussia press release:

The Marussia F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari are pleased to announce the agreement of a new technical partnership which will see the Anglo-Russian team benefiting from a full Ferrari powertrain with effect from the 2014 season.

As a Scuderia Ferrari customer team and within the terms of the 2014 regulations, the Marussia F1 Team will receive the supply of an Internal Combustion Engine and Energy Recovery System, full transmission and all related ancillary systems.

Andy Webb, CEO, Marussia F1 Team: “The Marussia F1 Team is delighted to be entering into a technical partnership with Scuderia Ferrari for the supply of a full powertrain from 2014. The importance of this development to our team cannot be overstated. Not only will we benefit from a customer supply from the most successful engine manufacturer in F1’s history, but this also provides further confirmation, if it were needed, of our commitment to the sport and determination to maintain our progression towards our long-term ambitions. The new powertrain regulations being introduced next year represent the most substantial engine development within the sport since the introduction of the V8 formula and are all the more significant for the increased contribution of the Energy Recovery System. We look forward to working with Scuderia Ferrari during this exciting new era of F1 competition. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Cosworth, with whom we have partnered since our debut season in 2010. We have shared an important part of our team’s journey together and Cosworth has been an integral part of our clear progression. We will continue to work together during the latter half of the season to ensure we all achieve our combined objectives before Cosworth leave the sport.”

[MIKA27]

Force India confirm Calado, Di Resta and Sutil for Silverstone test

James Calado

Sahara Force India Formula One Team will run up and coming British GP2 racer, James Calado, at this week’s Silverstone young driver test session.

James has already driven the VJM06 during straight-line aero testing, but the Silverstone test will allow the 24 year-old to complete further mileage in a Formula One car.

James will share driving duties with the team’s race drivers, Paul Di Resta and Adrian Sutil, across the three days.

The driving schedule will be confirmed each morning.

Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “We are pleased to give James the opportunity to test with us at Silverstone.

As a graduate of the Racing Steps Foundation, his talent and determination have brought him to our attention and this is the ideal occasion to evaluate him further. The priority this week is to give the team a better understanding of the new Pirelli tyres due to be introduced next week in Budapest.”

[MIKA27]

Button and Perez to skip test

Jenson Button and Sergio Perez will both miss this week's Young Driver Test with McLaren opting to use non-race drivers.

Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg from Sauber and Williams' Pastor Maldonado will sample the new Pirelli tyres following the FIA's decision to open up the test to experienced races.

However, McLaren have decided against using Button and Perez for the Silverstone test and they will use a different driver on each of day.

Kevin Magnussen will take part on Wednesday, Oliver Turvey will take over on Thursday and Gary Paffett will be behind the wheel on the final day.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has admitted that their main focus this week will be to get to the bottom of the problems with the MP4-28.

"The Silverstone young driver test will be an extremely useful opportunity for us to conduct further investigative work into the effects of aerodynamic and mechanical changes to the car," he is quoted as saying.

"Just as importantly, it'll be a proper opportunity for our test and development drivers to further develop their knowledge and understanding of modern Formula 1 machinery, while simultaneously allowing them to help us refine the correlation between the track and the simulator."

[MIKA27]

Mercedes to receive Pirelli tyre data from F1 Silverstone test

Mercedes will receive data on Pirelli's findings about its new tyres at the young driver test this week, despite being banned from taking part in it.

Although the Brackley-based outfit is not allowed to run at Silverstone this week as punishment for its illegal use of a 2013 car during a Pirelli test after the Spanish Grand Prix, it will still have access to some data from the three days.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has told AUTOSPORT that his company will continue its policy of sharing all tyre test data with each team.

"The teams will have a very clear tyre test programme," said Hembery. "They have to run what we are telling them to run.

"Mercedes do have a lot of data from the tyre from last year in terms of the way it will affect aero and set-up.

"I think they would have benefited from being able to run.

"However, we give all the teams the same feedback [after the test]. We look at the same data, so they have all the same information."

As well as Pirelli's data from the Silverstone test, Mercedes reckons that its experience of back-to-back tests with the 2012 and 2013 rubber at last year's Brazilian Grand Prix will help it minimise any disadvantage.

Team boss Ross Brawn said: "We are looking at our experiences. We did some comparisons in Brazil between 2012 and 2013 tyres, so we are looking at all that data.

"We know the 2012 tyres from last year pretty well, and there are still 2012 wind tunnel tyres around.

"We are looking at it all to try to anticipate any effect [the new tyres] have.

"We don't expect the changes to be dramatic, but I think the construction changes are the ones that are going to be most significant.

"It doesn't help [missing the test] as we won't be trying the 2012 tyre on the [2013] car until we get to Hungary.

"It would have been nice to have an insight, but that is what we have to live with."

[MIKA27]

Sauber says big step ahead is close now after difficult start to 2013

Sauber thinks it could be on the verge of an upswing in form over the second half of the season.

After an encouraging performance in the German Grand Prix, where Nico Hulkenberg delivered a second consecutive point-scoring finish, Sauber thinks it is finally getting to the bottom of the car problems that dogged its start to the campaign.

Sauber also suspects that the switch back to the 2012 construction of tyres from the Hungarian Grand Prix will be a boost to its speed, and team principal Monisha Kaltenborn sees reason for encouragement about its potential.

She told AUTOSPORT: "It is important to know that we are now in a position where we can fight with other cars, we can keep up with them and overtake them.

"That is what we need to take forward - because that gives us the confidence that we have understood the issues, and we have implemented small steps.

"Of course the recent results were small but they are there, but now we want to implement bigger steps to move us in the right direction."

Sauber suspects that one of the biggest factors in its early-season struggles with the C32 was that it failed to get a proper understanding of the aerodynamic influence of the 2013 tyres in its windtunnel modelling.

That is why Kaltenborn is encouraged by the fact that Pirelli is reverting to last year's construction, which the team handled better.

When asked if she hoped that the tyre change would have a knock-on benefit in windtunnel terms, she said: "I do - but on the other hand I have to say it couldn't get much worse than it was before! Anything coming in can only be better.

"But it is still something that we need to understand better. We have to see what the combination of that [2012] construction and this year's compounds is like.

"We have to see how it finally works out, but definitely it is more in to a direction we know."

[MIKA27]

Van der Garde says Caterham focusing on 2014 season

Caterham is already focusing on 2014, their current rookie driver Giedo van der Garde has revealed.

According to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the Dutchman is scheduled to test Pirelli’s new Hungary-spec tyres at the Silverstone test late this week.

But the 28-year-old rookie revealed; “The team has been focusing on next season.”

Van der Garde said that the focus at Silverstone, then, will be for the race drivers to try Pirelli’s new tyres.

“For my teammate Charles Pic and me it is important to see how the tyres feel. Probably they will have harder compounds that we can use for longer.”

Caterham has had a difficult 2013 campaign, faltering initially with an overly conservative car and pushing to catch up with rival Marussia.

“For this season,” van der Garde admitted, “there is not much more to gain. We should focus on the fight with Marussia, as we are not going to be able to close the gap to the others.”

[MIKA27]

Sainz looks forward to Silverstone but admits that he will miss Alonso

Rising Spanish star Carlos Sainz jr has expressed disappointment that he will not share a Formula 1 circuit with his hero Fernando Alonso this week at Silverstone.

Sainz, the 18-year-old son of the world rally legend and namesake, has been called up to test at Silverstone not only by Toro Rosso, but also the senior Red Bull team.

Ferrari’s Alonso, however, has turned down the opportunity to test, because race drivers will be limited to testing only Pirelli’s new Hungary-spec tyre.

“I’m not testing, because I’m not allowed to test [car developments!" he is quoted by Italy's La Repubblica. "Instead, I have important work to do on the simulator."

The Brazilian correspondent for O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Livio Oricchio, said that Alonso has "shown who is boss" at the Maranello based team.

Indeed, Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa will be in action this week, as will championship leader Sebastian Vettel, Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen and others.

McLaren, on the other hand, will not field race drivers Jenson Button or Sergio Perez. Nonetheless, Sainz jr is disappointed that Alonso will not be at the British Grand Prix venue.

"Yeah, I would have loved that," he told EFE news agency. "So instead of being 110 per cent happy, now it's just 100," he joked.

Sainz jr played down suggestions that his tests for both of Red Bull's Formula 1 teams is a clear sign he will be on the grid next year.

Indeed, it is thought that if Red Bull calls up one of Toro Rosso's current race drivers to replace Mark Webber, the other will stay put at Faenza next year and be joined by Antonio Felix da Costa.

Sainz jr agreed: "Being [at Silverstone] doesn’t guarantee anything. I want to make clear that my goal is to do well in GP3, then try to be in the [Renault] World Series. I think there are still a few years until the time [for F1 comes.”

[MIKA27]

Senna looking to further his career in America

Bruno Senna’s next career move could see him racing in the United States.

After stints in Formula 1 with HRT, Renault and Williams between 2010 and last year, the nephew of grand prix legend Ayrton Senna switched to Le Mans with Aston Martin for 2013.

But the 29-year-old has now told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that his options for 2014 are open.

“Continuing with Aston Martin is one of the best options I have,” said Senna. ”But I also want to see if I can test in NASCAR. It was already supposed to happen at the beginning of the year.”

“I am going to have some meetings to see what is the best way forward. I also have options for Indy,Stock and NASCAR. What is not lacking is open doors,” he added.

Senna said he has enjoyed sports cars this year, revealing the “atmosphere is much more relaxed and friendly. In F1 everyone wants to kill everyone else”.

But he admitted to having some safety concerns, particularly after his teammate Allan Simonsen crashed and died in the recent Le Mans 24 hours.

“The category is dangerous,” said Senna, “but we all know the risks we are taking.”

He said that Le Mans is particularly dangerous, ”The track is very quick, because of the characteristics, like the run-off. Racing there is one of the biggest risks you can take.”

[MIKA27]

Secret taped phone call could land Wolff in hot water

It has emerged that an explosive conversation with Mercedes director and Williams co-owner Toto Wolff was secretly recorded recently by an Ex Formula 1 team boss.

That is the claim of Bild correspondent Nicola Pohl who reports that the phone call was then transcribed and threatened to be used against the 41-year-old Austrian.

She said the story is the latest chapter in a ‘war’ that has broken out in the paddock, following Mercedes’ ascendance to the very top of the F1 pecking order, and the ‘test-gate’ scandal.

In the taped conversation, Wolff is thought to have spoken negatively about not only his F1 boss, Ross Brawn, but also the Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche.

He also reportedly spoke about the details of his Williams shareholding and his clashing duties at Mercedes, and his ‘complicated’ cooperation with Niki Lauda.

[MIKA27]

Formula 1 boss Ecclestone indicted by German prosecutors

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has been served an indictment from a German judge investigating allegations of bribery, the F1 chief executive confirmed today.

Ecclestone told the Financial Times: “I have just spoken to my lawyers and they have received an indictment. It’s being translated into English.”

Asked how he responded to the indictment, Ecclestone said: “We are defending it properly. It will be an interesting case, it’s a pity it’s happened.”

It was also reported that Ecclestone’s lawyers confirmed receiving the indictment from Munich prosecutors, which specifies claims of the aiding and abetting breach of trust and of bribery.

The lawyers added that the allegations mainly depended on statements made by Gerhard Gribkowsky and that Ecclestone planned to dispute these.

[MIKA27]

Kimi out of Silverstone test

Kimi Raikkonen won't take part in the Young Driver Test after all, with Lotus confirming he will not run at Silverstone.

The Finn was initially schedule to sample the new Pirelli tyres on Friday, but the Enstone squad have decided to give Nicolas Prost another go.

Prost tested the E21 on Wednesday while Davide Valsecchi will take over on Thursday.

"Once details of what race drivers were allowed to do here became apparent, we would have only been able to conduct a very limited programme with Kimi," trackside operations director Alan Permane said.

"If we were to run him, it would compromise the other development work we want to do with the car here.

"By running Nico again we'll be able to build on the work already carried out and hopefully be in the best position to develop the E21 ahead of Budapest, whilst also conducting the necessary tyre testing for Pirelli."

[MIKA27]

Silverstone Test Day 1: Magnussen tops for McLaren

McLaren’s regular drivers may be having a torrid season in their below par MP4-28, but that did not stop Kevin Magnussen from tearing up the form book and end day one of the Young Drivers Test at Silverstone fastest of all.

The Dane, son of ex-F1 driver Jan Magnussen, was on the bottom end of the timing screens midway through the opening day, but during the afternoon made solid progress before topping the timing sheets with a hot lap of 1:33.602, around 20 minutes before the chequered flag waved to bring the first day’s proceedings to an end.

He racked up 100 laps which was more than any other driver on the day and set his best time on a set of medium compound Pirelli tyres.

Magnussen, a McLaren development driver, summed up his day: “Always nice to see yourself in P1, but in a Formula 1 test we don’t know what fuel other people are running. It’s hard to compare yourself to people. We have a pretty good idea of whether it was a good a day or not and we feel it was a good day.

“We didn’t run in qualifying trim and I am sure no one did. But you don’t know who ran 60 kilos, who ran 40 kilos, we don’t know where everyone is. You get an idea if a time is good or not and we’re happy with the whole day.”

Early on, Paul di Resta, one of only two regular race drivers on duty on day one, had set the pace in the Force India. He ended the day second quickest, while Briton James Collado who did the morning stanza for the Silverstone based team was fourth fastest in his Formula 1 test debut.

Antonio Felix da Costa was on duty for world champions Red Bull. The Portuguese driver clocked the third fastest lap of the day, with 82 laps to his credit.

Williams gave Spain’s Daniel Juncadella a run in the FW35, the Brazilian ending the day fifth fastest, ahead of Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto in the Toro Rosso and Dutchman Robin Frijns in the Sauber.

One of the not so young drivers in action was 31 year old Nicolas Prost, son of French F1 legend Alain Prost, who ended his day in the Lotus eighth on the timing screens.

Italian David Rigon was ninth in the Ferrari, ahead of Caterham’s Alexander Rossi in tenth.

At the foot of the timing sheets were the Marussia pair of young Cypriot Tio Ellinaas and the team’s regular driver Max Chilton.

A mere 12 days earlier, in FP1 of the British Grand Prix at the same venue, Lewis Hamilton circulated in a time of 1:31.754 in the Mercedes. On this occasion the Silver Arrows were absent due to punishment meted out by the FIA in the wake of the ‘test-gate’ saga.

[MIKA27]

Horner: We’re very keen to have a look at Daniel as a prospect for next year

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has hinted that Daniel Ricciardo’s test this week is an audition for 2014, as the world champions look to replace the departing Mark Webber.

The news is a blow for Ricciardo’s 23-year-old Toro Rosso teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, who earlier was also considered in the running for the top seat alongside Sebastian Vettel.

Unlike Ricciardo, Frenchman Vergne has not been called up to test the championship-leading RB9 at the Silverstone test.

“We’re very keen to have a look at Daniel as a prospect for next year,” Horner told British broadcaster Sky on Wednesday. ”It’s a great opportunity for him.”

Horner also confirmed that 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen is in the running for the seat.

Asked if it is now a two-horse race between the Finn, who currently drives for Lotus, and Ricciardo, Horner admitted: “Essentially, probably.”

Ricciardo made his Formula 1 track debut when he tested for Red Bull Racing at the Young Drivers Test at Circuito de Jerez over three days in early December 2009. On the final day of testing he clocked the fastest time of the test by over a second.

Ricciardo made his grand prix debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with HRT and completed the second half of the year with the now defunct team. Red Bull picked up the tab for the Australian.

In 2012 he was promoted to the Toro Rosso team and as of now has started 40 grands prix. With Webber vacating his seat at the world champion team, Ricciardo become a candidate. His cause has been helped by a series of strong showings in recent races.

[MIKA27]

Ex-F1 team boss Kolles tried to blackmail Wolff for money

It has emerged that former HRT boss Colin Kolles tried to blackmail Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff earlier this year.

We reported earlier that a conversation between Wolff and a then-unnamed former Formula 1 team boss was “secretly recorded” and then threatened to be used against him.

Bild newspaper had said Wolff spoke negatively about his own boss, Ross Brawn, colleague Niki Lauda, and also Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche, whilst divulging details of his clashing co-ownership of the Williams team.

A subsequent report by the magazine Sport Bild said that Wolff had been taped in mid February this year by former HRT and Force India boss Kolles, in Barcelona.

That report said that Kolles then threatened to release the details of their explosive conversation unless Wolff paid a sum of money.

Reportedly, Wolff and Kolles have settled their dispute with the intervention of Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, while Mercedes has obtained a court order preventing the publication of the details of the conversation.

Sport1 said that Kolles would not comment, and that Mercedes also declined to comment. The German news agency SID said that Wolff could not be reached.

[MIKA27]

Juncadella: I’m really happy with the chance the team gave me

Daniel Juncadella was on duty for Williams on the opening day of the Formula 1 Young Drivers Test at Silverstone. Here is the team report:

• Chassis / engine: FW35-04 / RS27-5329/3
  
• Location: Silverstone International Circuit, 5.891 km/ 3.66 miles
  
• Objectives: Aero evaluations, tyre testing and driver evaluation
  
• Weather: Dry and sunny
  
• Air & track temps: 20-28 ºC / 28-46 ºC
  

Xevi Pujolar, Chief Engineer: We are really pleased with Dani today. He adapted to the team and the car very quickly, and was straight up to speed with all the procedures. In terms of consistency, Dani drove clean laps and made no mistakes so we’re really happy with him. We were doing some aero development work this morning running lots of sensors on the car but we had a few problems getting everything to work together which meant we didn’t complete all the runs we wanted to. We now plan to do some more laps with him tomorrow afternoon to complete the programme including some longer runs to see how he can adapt.

Daniel Juncadella: From the first lap I could feel the speed of the car and it was a great experience today. I’m really happy with the chance the team gave me. In the end, we couldn’t complete our full programme but I think we had some good runs this afternoon. I was happy with the balance of the car and it was good to try the new tyres. Physically I feel good, it was just quite warm today but as I’m used to closed cars in DTM, I can’t complain really! I get on well with the engineers and team and we worked well together. The team has given me all the support I needed which has been really nice so I’m looking forward to getting another chance tomorrow.

The Williams F1 Team will be back on track tomorrow, Thursday 18 July, with Pastor Maldonado driving for the second day of the test and Daniel Juncadella also getting behind the wheel during the afternoon.

[MIKA27]

Prost: It was a very positive day

Nico Prost completed the first day of running at the Silverstone Young Driver Test by setting the eighth fastest time of the day in the team’s E21. Nico ran through a programme of aerodynamic assessments over the course of a glorious day of sunshine at the Northamptonshire circuit.

Davide Valsecchi will take over tomorrow with Nico returning to the car on Friday in a change to the original programme – which had seen Kimi Räikkönen set to take the wheel – made following clarification of FIA rules stipulating that race drivers would be unable to test anything other than tyres.

Fast Facts:

• Track: Silverstone, England, 5.9 km
  
• Chassis: E21-03
  
• Weather: Sunny, ambient 20-28°C, track 29-46 °C
  
• Programme: Aerodynamic data logging, upgrade assessment, latest tyre evaluation
  
• Laps Completed: 72
  
• Classification: P8, 1:34.810
  
• Interruptions: Minor delays in morning for niggle rectification
  

What’s Next? The Young Driver Test continues tomorrow with Davide Valsecchi in action.

Nico Prost: “It was a very positive day where we completed everything in the itinerary. We only ran with the hard tyres today; focusing on comparison assessments of the latest parts for the car as well as aero work which meant we didn’t make any setup changes. Considering this our pace was pretty good. I’m happy that I’ll be running again on Friday when hopefully we’ll be able to look for a bit more performance, but the important focus of this test is to complete a programme aimed at putting Kimi and Romain in the best position to be able to win the Hungarian Grand Prix.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director: “Nico got our programme off to a strong start with fast and consistent laps all day meaning we have plenty of data to analyse overnight. We had a few niggles to sort in the morning, but were soon in our stride running with large aero-logging rakes and other data gathering equipment. We’ve evaluated some new updates which are looking promising and we have a good initial impression of Pirelli’s latest tyres. Tomorrow is Davide’s turn on driving duties and we expect another strong day of running. Looking to Friday, in a change to our original plan, we will now run Nico again. Once the details of what race drivers were allowed to do here became apparent, we would have only been able to conduct a very limited programme with Kimi. By running Nico again we can build on the work already carried out and hopefully be in the best position to develop the E21 ahead of Budapest.”

[MIKA27]

Caterham uses F1 young driver test to trial 2014 parts with Rossi

Alexander Rossi hailed the impact of Caterham's developments after the team elected to trial systems intended for use on its 2014 car during Formula 1's Silverstone young driver test.

Rossi said a new method of balancing the car through high and low speed corners proved effective, especially as he was conducting Caterham's first trial of the new system.

The team elected to test 2014 ideas in a bid to gain practical experience ahead of the massive regulation changes that accompany the advent of the 1.6-litre V6 turbo engines next year.

"We were running a new mechanical system of balancing understeer and oversteer between high speed and low speed corners," he said.

"Its something we have never run before, this was the first time. We understand what it does, and tomorrow will offer another chance to tune it.

"The rule changes are so big that any idea you can get before the actual car comes to the track is going to be a benefit, so our focus was on the mechanical side of things, working a lot on trying things out for next year.

"It means going into next year we're not bolting something on that has never had track mileage; we've done that now.

"Every day I get to drive an F1 car is good anyway, but running quite a few new things, and genuinely helping the team, was great."

While he has been restricted to just one Friday outing for Caterham so far this year, Rossi said his experience in the 2012 car was enough to convince him the new system offered immediate gains.

"To be perfectly honest the 2012 and '13 car are not massively different and I do have a lot of experience in the 2012 car, so putting this on I was very easily able to determine what the pros and cons were," he said.

"This was the first time we've put it on the car and the initial impressions were very good.

"If the development continues, I think there will be a massive buzz in the factory because of it."

[MIKA27]

Van der Garde scoffs at Kovalainen rumours

Caterham rookie Giedo van der Garde has repeated his denial that Heikki Kovalainen is targeting replacing him in the team.

After a mediocre first half-season in Formula 1, the Dutchman recently dismissed rumours former Caterham racer Kovalainen was set to replace him later in 2013.

“I know where they (the rumours) are coming from, but I also know that I have a watertight contract for the rest of this season,” said van der Garde.

The rumours, however, did not go away, and so the Dutch driver told De Telegraaf newspaper on Wednesday: “I will finish the season.”

Further dismissing the rumours, he added: “I am busy enough with everything that I am doing and learning.”

Van der Garde said qualifying 15th at Monaco was a high point of his career.

“I didn’t expect to reach the second qualifying segment. That was great,” he said.

But the low point quickly followed, in Canada, where collisions and a penalty earned a harsh ‘pay driver’ rebuke from Mark Webber.

But van der Garde insisted: “Webber and I already settled everything after the race. He is respectful to everyone, even the rookies.”

[MIKA27]

Pirelli chairman sentenced to jail for industrial espionage

Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera has been sentenced to jail for twenty months.

The Financial Times reports that a Milan court found him guilty, but suspended his jail sentence, in an industrial espionage case involving Telecom Italia.

Provera, who denies the charges, was also ordered to pay EUR 900,000, ”I will appeal, convinced that the truth will emerge,” he said in a statement.

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail.

According to FT the trial was linked to a broader case of suspected industrial espionage and phone-tapping that led to the arrests in 2006 of 20 people, including Giuliano Tavaroli, a former head of security at Telecom Italia and Pirelli.

They were accused of operating a spy network that collected private information about many prominent Italians, including two prime ministers, Silvio Berlusconi and Romano Prodi.

[MIKA27]

CVC to monitor developments in Ecclestone bribery case

Bernie Ecclestone’s bosses have revealed that they will monitor ongoing developments in the German corruption affair involving the F1 supremo.

On Wednesday, it emerged that the Formula 1 chief executive has finally been served with bribery charges relating to the 82-year-old’s $44 million payment to jailed banker Gerhard Gribkowsky years ago.

The next step is for Ecclestone’s lawyers to formally respond to the indictment, before the court decides whether to push the case to trial.

“The board will continue to monitor developments in this situation accordingly,” the Formula 1 Group said in a statement.

It is obvious that the affair could end the diminutive Briton’s long reign over the sport, with Osterreich newspaper reporting that Ecclestone could be jailed for up to ten years.

But even the charges threaten Ecclestone’s job.

Asked, however, if he is thinking about voluntarily stepping down, he answered: “I don’t see why I should do that.

“I will do what I have always done: keep working and do my job,” Ecclestone told Bild newspaper.

“I won’t be doing anything else because of this.”

Typically unmoved even when besieged, Ecclestone said he would have no problem agreeing to appear at trial.

“If I need to be, sure, I’ll be there. Why not?” he insisted.

Ecclestone added that Wednesday’s developments had “not really affected” him.

But that doesn’t mean there is not pressure. Ferrari’s Luca di Montezemolo said late last year that even formal charges should move the Formula 1 supremo to “step back”.

And a spokesperson for Mercedes parent Daimler said on Wednesday: “Compliance is of central importance for Daimler.”

The spokesperson added that the company will discuss the Ecclestone case with Formula 1′s owners, teams and the governing FIA.

For now, Formula 1′s owners CVC are supporting Ecclestone, according to a report in City A.M.

A source told Formula Money editor Christian Sylt that CVC “could have asked Bernie to leave any time in the past three years but haven’t because we support him”.

[MIKA27]

Whiting impressed by 2014 Russian Grand Prix venue

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting has this week inspected progress at the site of the inaugural 2014 Russian Grand Prix.

Organisers of the race confirmed the FIA safety delegate was happy after visiting the site of the circuit in Sochi, where the city will also host the winter Olympics.

“I am impressed with the configuration of the track,” Whiting is quoted as saying. ”The scale of the project is also very impressive.”