FORMULA 1 - 2015

[Bartolomeo]

looking forward to USGP

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Recent reliability woes 'not up to our standards' - Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff says Mercedes will cover "every little detail" of its recent reliability problems to prevent a repeat in the final races of 2015.

Mercedes' once-immaculate reliability record has been shattered since the summer break, with three retirements since the Italian Grand Prix. Two of those have been in the last three races, with the most recent for Nico Rosberg in Russia all but ending his hopes of challenging team-mate Lewis Hamilton for the drivers' championship.

Though Mercedes secured the constructors' championship in Sochi team boss Wolff is not happy with the team's recent run, especially as Rosberg has now dropped behind Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in the championship.

"It's been a proud week for everybody in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart," Wolff said. "We can talk about chassis and power units winning titles. But really it's about people - and every one of those men and women is a deserved World Champion. We now have four races left to make sure our 2015 objectives are complete, with the drivers' title still on the line. Lewis is now within touching distance - but I know that his focus is only on winning the next race.

"For Nico, bad luck has played a big part this year and it would be a huge mountain to climb. But he is a fighter and we have seen many times that he will keep pushing until the very end. Of course, there is still a third party in the mix and we, as a team, must make absolutely sure that our drivers have everything they need to make sure it's a Silver Arrow that comes out on top. Two retirements from the last three races is not up to our standards and we must ensure that every little detail is covered to give them that opportunity."

Hamilton will secure a second straight drivers title at the United States Grand Prix if he leads a Mercedes one-two for the second year in a row.

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Vijay Mallya wants Force India to build on Sochi podium momentum

Force India boss Vijay Mallya thinks there is every reason to believe the team can build on the momentum gained from its Sochi podium at the United States Grand Prix.

Force India has only finished out of the points once since the introduction of its B-spec car at the British Grand Prix, with its good momentum culminating in a brilliant third place in Russia by Sergio Perez. It was the team's third podium since its debut season in 2008 and Mallya is excited about the team's prospects at the remaining races this season.

"We travel to Austin full of energy and optimism following Checo's fantastic podium in Sochi," Mallya said. "The car was strong, our strategy was good, and Checo didn't put a wheel wrong. You could see from our post-race celebrations just how much the result meant to everyone in the team and it's a welcome reward for everybody's hard work this year. It's very satisfying to get some more silverware for our trophy cabinet at Silverstone.

"Over the winter I said that the target was to achieve podiums in 2015. That may have seemed like an over-optimistic objective, but ever since the introduction of the B-spec car I knew that we had the potential to do something special. We may have had a little good fortune in Sochi, but I believe you make your own luck and we worked hard to seize the opportunity and bring the result home."

Mallya thinks the team is benefitting from the healthy competition between Perez and team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

"There is a lot of positive energy in the team at the moment. We've confirmed both Nico and Sergio for next year and that continuity is important for us. They are very closely matched and they push each other hard. I believe that having healthy competition within the team is a good thing and will help drive the team even further forward.

"The next race in Austin is one of my favourites. They always put on a great event and the fans show lots of enthusiasm for our sport. Luck wasn't on our side there last year, but there is every reason to believe we can be competitive this year and build on the momentum from Sochi."

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Renault makes upgraded F1 engine available for United States GP

Red Bull will have Renault's upgraded engine available for this weekend's United States Grand Prix should the four-time world champion team choose to use it, Autosport has learned.

Renault had yet to dip into its allocation of 12 engine development tokens so far this season, but it is understood Renault has now used a "significant" amount of tokens, close to its full allowance.

The decision on whether or not to use the latest spec will be made jointly with Red Bull at Austin.

Any change will incur a grid penalty as Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat have already exceeded their engine allocations.

Renault will make the previous spec, used in Russia, available should Red Bull decide against using the upgraded engine.

It is understood Renault's other customer Toro Rosso, which is close to a deal to use 2015-spec Ferrari engines next year, will not run the Renault upgrade at Austin.

The Renault updates are focused on the internal combustion engine (ICE), with some changes made to the turbo, all of which form part of the French manufacturer's preparations for 2016.

It is understood the Austin update has been validated, having completed a full cycle on the dyno to sign it off for reliability.

Renault will have a few tokens left following this update, however it is unlikely the French manufacturer will use the remainder of its allocation given only three races remain after Austin.

Regardless of whether Red Bull uses the new engine or not, Renault is pushing on with its development plans for next season as it looks to close the deficit to Mercedes and Ferrari.

It remains unclear whether Red Bull will use Renault power next season, with the two parties involved in talks as the former is currently without an engine supply for 2016.

Meanwhile, Renault is locked in talks with Lotus to make the Enstone-based team its works outfit next term.

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PETITION TARGETS 50 MILLION F1 FANS TO SUPPORT RETURN TO V10 ERA

An ambitious petition entitled “Bring back V10’s now!” has been launched urging Formula 1 fans to support a petition to have the sport ditch the current turbo hybrid power unit era and have the sport return to V10 engine which ended in 2013.

The petition here>>> was started by Ray Mitchell is “demanding the return of high-revving V10 engines from the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season onward.”

Hosted on ipetition.com it adds: “While we as fans embrace the the extreme importance of green technology, and we certainly appreciate the hybrid technology currently deployed in F1 power units, we simply do not like how the current power units have robbed F1 of its signature song. Not even the previous generation V8 engines captivated F1 fans to the same extent as the V10 engines did.”

“We are not asking engine manufacturers to abandon their outstanding hybrid technologies. We are asking the engine (power unit) manufacturers to please reinstate the V10 layout, keep the ultra-high revving aspect, make the engines as loud as possible and, incorporate the current F1 hybrid technologies into the overall power unit design.”

“While we the fans prefer the original 3.0 liter displacement, perhaps a further compromise could be reducing that to a 2.4 liter displacement.”

“As fans, we wholeheartedly understand the importance of F1 being a testing ground for new road car technologies and, we understand and appreciate the importance of the ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ aspect of manufacturer involvement in the sport.”

“What we wish to convey in this petition is that we want a compromise. We are the fans are who the manufacturers want to sell their products to. So, having said that, we the fans also ask that you deliver a F1 that we enjoy, and a F1 that once again enchants us, enthralls us, and delivers excellent racing.”

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ECCLESTONE AND MOSLEY CALL FOR INDEPENDENT ENGINE SUPPLIER IN F1

German broadcaster ZDF has published a joint interview involving Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and his old sparring partner and one time ally Max Mosley in which the pair give their views regarding the engine situation in the sport right now.

It has reignited speculation as to what the pair might be up to, especially as one source believes Mosley, although long since succeeded by Jean Todt as FIA presidand Mosley call for Cosworth styent, plans to visit a grand prix in the near future.

In the interview, Ecclestone and Mosley railed against the current regulations, advocated a budget cap and said the need to wrestle back control of the sport from engine makers like Mercedes and Ferrari is “acute”.

“F1 was built on people like Frank Williams,” said Mosley, “who (decades ago) had an independent engine supplier in Cosworth and then Ferrari came and raced with them, sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully.

“But I think the one factor that built formula one into what it is now, apart from Bernie’s effort, is the Cosworth engine,” ventured Mosley.

And in yet another interview, with the Independent newspaper, Ecclestone suggested that Ferrari and Mercedes – for instance by refusing to work with Red Bull – are in effect holding the sport to ransom.

“That’s exactly what the situation is,” he told the F1 business journalist Christian Sylt. “We need an independent engine supplier. I’ve been on about this now for a year and a half.”

The problem, however, is that F1’s current rules are protecting Mercedes and Ferrari’s dominance, while Ecclestone’s stance is not being backed by Todt.

“Jean is a bit different to Max,” Bernie told ZDF. “He’s very worried about upsetting people, and we know that it is impossible for everybody to be happy.”

“When Max wanted to get something done, if one or two people were unhappy, that’s how it was,” he explained.

Mosley, sitting next to Ecclestone, agreed that the status quo has put F1 “in the hands of the manufacturers”, who are running the sport at “board level”.

“(Mercedes’) Mr Zetsche can talk to (Ferrari’s) Mr Marchionne or (Renault’s) Mr Ghosn — then they control formula one,” said Mosley. “You don’t control formula one. At that point, the need for an independent engine supplier becomes acute.”

Ecclestone wants to go one step further, resurrecting the old V8 engine formula — even though that plan was voted down by the engine manufacturers in the Geneva meeting last week.

But the F1 supremo told Sylt: “I don’t think we should get consent from the teams. I think we should just do it and say to them ‘If you don’t like it you can go to arbitration’.”

That sort of behaviour would upset the grandee teams, who in the past have threatened to quit the sport or even set up a rival world championship.

Mosley, however, said F1 must stare down those threats and “be prepared to call their bluff and tell them ‘If you want to go, don’t slam the door behind you’.”

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F1 WORLD HAS LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR RED BULL ENGINE CRISIS

Red Bull’s rivals, and even Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, have admitted their sympathy for the former champions is low amid the engine supply crisis that the former world champion team is currently enduring.

Having terminated the deal with Renault prematurely, the energy drink company is saying it will pull both of its teams out of the sport if manufacturers Mercedes or Ferrari do not bail them out.

However, Red Bull committed contractually to stay in F1 until at least 2020, resulting in extra payments and places on the F1 board and rule-making strategy group. So if they do go, Ecclestone says he could sue.

“Red Bull would stand up in court and say: Yes, we have a commitment, but we haven’t got an engine,” Ecclestone told the Independent newspaper.

“My argument would be: You signed the contract to compete. You should have made sure when you signed the contract that you had an engine,” Ecclestone was quoted by F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.

Indeed, while it is Renault’s performance that might have precipitated the split, it is Red Bull’s months and years of carping that burned the bridges of a potential reconciliation. Red Bull’s relationship with rival teams is also strained.

“We have had a long history with them because we got them into the sport and had 10 years cooperation,” Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn told British television Sky.

“But if you look at the last few years, they have really been getting away with so much, which is not in agreement with the others.

“They have changed a lot, maybe success has made them change that much, but I would say communication is not that high,” she added.

“To answer the question, they have to live with what they get now. We’ve done that for so many years so why can’t they now?” said Kaltenborn.

Williams’ technical boss Pat Symonds commented: “I pretty much agree. It is a difficult situation for them and maybe they haven’t handled it as well as they might have done and I’m sure that is what is antagonising some fans.”

“I remember my father used to say: When you lose say nothing and when you win say even less, and maybe that is a motto we should all abide by,” added Symonds.

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TODT: F1 ENGINE MANUFACTURERS NOT INTERESTED IN REDUCING COSTS

Amid a growing crisis within the sport FIA president Jean Todt believes the only real problem with today’s Formula 1 engine regulations is the cost, and it appears engine builders are not prepared to help reduce these costs.

In a joint interview with German broadcaster ZDF, however, Bernie Ecclestone and Todt’s predecessor Max Mosley painted a very different picture.

There are rumours that a parallel bi-turbo V6 formula could soon arrive, and F1 supremo Ecclestone is even talking about reviving the old screaming V8s. But Todt is totally unconvinced that the current regulations are broken.

“It is true that one of the teams (Mercedes) has done a better job with the new power units,” he told Finnish journalists this week.

“But another manufacturer (Ferrari) is now quite close, and I believe the others will catch up as well. It is only a matter of time,” the Finnish broadcaster MTV quoted Todt as saying during a visit to Helsinki.

“I think at the moment the main problem is the price of the engines for customer teams. It is too expensive,” argues the Frenchman.

“I have asked the manufacturers to consider reducing the price, but they do not seem very interested in considering the matter,” revealed Todt. “But we need to come up with other solutions that work better.”

Former F1 race winner Juan Pablo Montoya agrees with Todt that, eventually, manufacturers like Renault and Honda will catch up with their faster rivals.

“I think with a little time and patience, Honda will come back and do a good job,” he told the German broadcaster RTL.

“You can’t expect that they are going to be good straight away when the others have been there for years,” Montoya added. “This is only their (Honda’s) first year.”

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WILLIAMS PREVIEW THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

Williams preview the United States Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit of the Americas.

Formula One has made several attempts in the past two decades to regain a successful foothold in the United States, and seems to have finally struck gold with the Circuit of the Americas. The sport is steeped in history in the USA, with the likes of Watkins Glen and Long Beach helping to define that era, but after transitions through Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix it struggled to find a permanent home.

The short-lived stay in Indianapolis was followed by a five-year absence, but since 2012, the universally popular Texas venue has carried Formula One back with a bang. Williams has scored victories at five US circuits, with Alan Jones at Watkins Glen in 1980, Long Beach and Las Vegas in 1981 (it was common to have multiple races in the US), and with Keke Rosberg at Dallas in 1984 and Detroit in 1985.

Rob Smedley: “We head to Austin after not getting all of the points we should have done in Russia, despite having a really good car with great pace. We are in a positive frame of mind and the circuit suits our car so we should have a good race. We need to keep pulling open a gap on Red Bull and the team must keep on fighting to get as many points as possible. Both drivers are coming off the back of really good drives in the last Grand Prix so we should be able to score some decent points.”

Valtteri Bottas: “Austin is the place where I scored my first points so it will always be special to me. It’s also one of my favourite circuits to drive, with fast sweeping corners. Austin as a city is a fantastic place, accompanied by great weather. For me it’s one of the best locations on the calendar.”

Felipe Massa: “Austin is a beautiful place with a great circuit which has fantastic infrastructure. The circuit is very fun to drive with many fast corners. The first sector is incredible leading into a long straight with the opportunity for overtaking. The first corner is special – the elevation change is incredible and the space available means it’s a great place to pass and it’s hard to defend. The fans really enjoy Formula One and the drivers like to go there.”

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

Circuit of The Americas is one of the most demanding racetracks on the 2015 Formula 1 calendar. It has more fast corners than Spa-Francorchamps and more slow corners than the Hungaroring, the combination of which makes the 5.513km/3.426-mile circuit a very complex engineering challenge.

The track is the 10th grand prix venue in the United States, but it’s F1’s first purpose-built circuit. It runs in an anti-clockwise direction and has an elevation change of 41 metres (135 feet), making it a roller-coaster ride for the drivers. The highest point on the lap is the apex of Turn One, which has a steep uphill approach and a blind entry, requiring the drivers to be very precise.

Each of the circuit’s three sectors provides a different challenge. Sector One is characterised by five fast sweeping corners, through which the cars need good front-end grip as they flick from apex-to-apex at speeds in excess of 250km/h (155mph); Sector Two contains a 1km (0.62-mile) straight along which straight-line speed is at a premium, and Sector Three has a mix of slow corners and a multi-apex right-hander through which the drivers are exposed to forces of 4g for a period of 5s.

As was the case at Sochi two weeks ago, the asphalt is relatively new and very smooth at COTA. This allows Pirelli to take relatively soft tyres to the race; the nominated compounds are soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) – a combination that was used last year as well.

McLaren has a good record at the United States Grand Prix. It was here, at Sebring in 1959, that the team’s founder Bruce McLaren scored his first grand prix victory and the team has enjoyed many victories as well, the most recent coming at Circuit of The Americas in 2012.

Did you know?

COTA is the 10th Formula One venue in the United States. The others: Sebring, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Caesars Palace, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and Indianapolis.

Technical words of wisdom from Tim Goss, technical director: “COTA is a really interesting engineering challenge. It has a mix of fast corners, a long straight and a slow-speed section, and getting the compromise right between these different challenges is the key to maximising your performance.

“The first section is very fast and flowing, through which the car needs a very good front end. You end up putting the aero balance some way forward to help the driver through here. That’s all good and well, but immediately after these fast corners you have a heavy braking area and it’s absolutely essential to get that right. You need to maintain the DRS time delta to the car in front because what comes next is a 1km (0.62-mile) straight and a really good overtaking opportunity; so, even though you may have set up the car for the high-speed section, you need to make sure that it has the rear stability to allow the driver to attack the low-speed corners. It’s a classic compromise that’s difficult to get right.”

Our most memorable United States Grand Prix: 1983

The Michelin-shod McLarens of John Watson and Niki Lauda struggled during qualifying at Long Beach. They lined up 22nd and 23rd on the grid, behind the Goodyear runners, after failing to find a good balance on the MP4-1C around the bumpy street track.

However, warmer conditions on race day brought the Michelins into their correct operating window and the pair proved unstoppable. They scythed their way through the field, initially with Niki ahead of team-mate Wattie, and by lap 28 they were lying third and fourth.

On lap 33 Wattie overtook Niki, who was suffering from cramp, and he set about closing down Riccardo Patrese and Jacques Laffite ahead. On lap 45 Wattie took the lead, which he was never to lose, and he was 28s ahead of Niki at the flag.

Fernando Alonso: “It was obviously disappointing to lose out on 10th place in Sochi, but considering it was a circuit that we knew wouldn’t suit our package, we can’t be too disappointed with the result and the positive reliability of the car all weekend.

“Now we move to Austin which is a very different proposition. We know it’ll be difficult for us in some of the areas we’ve already seen this year, but we will definitely be working flat out to achieve more progress and another positive result. The track is a hybrid of corners from great circuits all around the world, which makes setting up the car tricky, but a precise, well-balanced car will definitely help you there, so we need to build on those strengths straight away.

“I really enjoy going to Austin – a fantastic atmosphere and a city that absolutely loves its racing. The circuit is really fun to drive because it’s so varied, so you have to keep your focus 100% all the way around a lap. I had some great battles with Jenson there last year and I’m hoping for more of the same against our competitors this weekend.”

Jenson Button: “Since Sochi I’ve been back at MTC for a couple of days, working hard with my engineers and prepping for the back-to-backs of Austin and Mexico. Although we were lucky on the last lap in Russia, we haven’t had much luck go our way this season so it was encouraging to come away with two points and get both cars to the finish with no issues.

“I’m looking forward to a fun weekend in Austin. The welcome is always incredible and there’s something really special about the city on a race weekend; it really has its own unique charm. The track, too, has firmly become one of the favourites among the drivers because it has a little bit of everything which makes it pretty demanding for us, but very exciting too.

“Last year we really struggled with tyre degradation on the relatively new asphalt, so we need to crack that as soon as we get out on track on Friday and see what we can do to combat it. Circuit of The Americas has long straights, heavy braking, fast corners and some twisty sections, but its flowing nature could play to our package’s strengths. In Russia we saw that anything is possible, so we’ll be pushing hard as usual to make sure we’re in with a fighting chance come the end of the race.”

Eric Boullier, Racing director, McLaren-Honda

“We can’t be too pleased with taking home two points at the last grand prix in Russia, but it does go some way to validating the relentless hard work being undertaken by every member of the McLaren-Honda team, and the constant strive for better reliability and trouble-free weekends. It also means we go to Austin on the back of an encouraging weekend and hungry for another more positive performance as we near the end of the season.

“Although this is only the fourth time that Formula 1 has visited Circuit of The Americas, it already feels like another friendly and familiar North American home alongside Montreal, and its popularity has quickly grown among drivers, fans and teams alike.

“Both Fernando and Jenson have made some great starts in the past few races, so it’ll be interesting to see how we fare there with the unique challenge of COTA’s uphill Turn One. Its power-hungry, fast straights and corners definitely won’t be easy on our package, but our car’s strengths lie in the twisty, precise infield sections, so we’ll focus on a set-up to make the most of what we have there. Combined with the warm ‘Austinite’ welcome from the fans and the excitement that always greets us there, we are hoping for more good luck and a solid performance where we can enjoy some battles with our nearest rivals.”

Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer – chief officer of motorsport: “We head to Circuit of The Americas with anticipation. It is a highly technical track that provides exciting racing, particularly the jostling for position around Turn One and the high speed esses that follow Turn Two.

Overall it provides us with a very atmospheric Grand Prix weekend with enthusiastic fans. COTA is also a challenging track for the power unit set-up as the 20 turns vary in character and are infused with undulation.

Our goal is to gather more data throughout the remaining races, especially from our new ICE introduced in Sochi two weeks ago. The team has confirmed that the development direction is good, so we will now work on fine tuning it for the remaining four races. It will be interesting to see how this will work together with the updated aero package this weekend.”

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MONTOYA SAYS HAMILTON’S SUCCESS DOWN TO GOOD TIMING

Lewis Hamilton’s looming back-to-back Formula 1 title triumph is more about good timing than sheer driving brilliance, according to F1 race winner and 2015 Indycar runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya.

“It is always the same thing in Formula 1,” said the Colombian.

But he admits that Briton Hamilton has done a “good job”, but said 2014 and 2015 has been more about the technical dominance of Mercedes.

“His (Hamilton’s) timing is really good,” Montoya told RTL. “He always seems to be in the right car at the right time and he benefits from that.”

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Hamilton and Mercedes’ current dominance is a big problem, as it has robbed the sport of its unpredictability.

“Now, we know who is going to win and be second, third and fourth,” he told the German broadcaster ZDF in a joint interview with former FIA president Max Mosley.

“It’s an engineers’ championship (now), more or less. I’m not saying that Lewis is not a super driver, but he is given a hell of a lot of help. I’d like to see him in a GP2 car,” Ecclestone added. “I’m not saying he wouldn’t win, but it would be interesting.”

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MONTOYA NO FAN OF COVERED F1 COCKPITS

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya says he is opposed to the idea of covering the cockpits of open-wheel racing cars.

Recent deaths in Formula 1 (Jules Bianchi) and Indycar (Justin Wilson) have ramped up calls for cockpit canopies, covers or cages.

Colombian Montoya is a race winner in both categories, and this year finished runner-up in the Indycar championship, where Wilson lost his life in August after being struck on the head from flying debris.

But Montoya told RTL that the idea of covering open-wheel cars is wrong, “If someone can’t handle the danger maybe you shouldn’t be racing.”

“Everybody out there knows that risk is always a part of it. It is just part of being a racing driver. No one wants to see someone get hurt, but that’s just part of reality,” Montoya added.

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EXTRA EXHAUSTS WILL IMPROVE F1 SOUND SAYS MERCEDES ENGINE BOSS

Mercedes’ F1 engine chief is confident changes to the regulations will turn up the volume for 2016.

The mild tones of the sport since the dawning of the new ‘power unit’ era has been highly controversial, with Bernie Ecclestone leading the criticism.

“It (the noise problem) was pointed out to me again by some Russian people,” the F1 supremo told German broadcaster ZDF in a joint interview with former FIA president Max Mosley this week. “We’ve lost that excitement.”

But also the drivers miss F1’s old sound.

“I recently drove an old BRM from 1970 in Mexico, and the sound went right through my body. Noise is part of the trademark of formula one,” argued Force India’s Sergio Perez.

So for 2016, the FIA has agreed to mandate an additional exhaust – the ‘wastegate’ – with teams able to choose between one extra pipe or two.

“It will raise the noise by a few decibels,” Mercedes’ Andy Cowell told Auto Motor und Sport, “and significantly improve the sound quality.”

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Bernie ready to ‘force’ teams to return to V8s

Formula 1 will return to V8 engines in 2016, if Bernie Ecclestone gets his way.

The sport switched to the greener 1.6-litre V6 turbo engines with extensive energy recovery systems ahead of the 2014 season, but drivers, stakeholders, fans and pundits have all been unimpressed by its lack of noise.

More importantly for those involved in the sport, Mercedes have dominated F1 since the introduction of the V6 engines with Ferrari and Renault unable to match them.

There have been calls for change and, while many believe it is too late to return to V8s ahead of 2016, Ecclestone is ready to force the issue.

“I don’t think we should get consent from the teams. I think we should just do it and say to them, ‘If you don’t like it you can go to arbitration’,” he told The Independent. “We could get the V8s back next year. People can build them in no time so we ought to do it.”

Despite being ready to switch back to the V8s, which were used from 2006 until 2013, Ecclestone feels the V6s engines were not a bad idea.

“This engine shouldn’t have been that complicated, to be honest with you,” he said. “It was only when the engineers got hold of it that it became complicated. The product is not fit for the purpose.”

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Red Bull told to ‘live with what they get’

Sauber's Monisha Kaltenborn has some harsh words for Red Bull, saying they should accept whatever engine they are offered for 2016 as "they have really been getting away with so much" in recent years.

It remains unclear whether or not Red Bull and Toro Rosso will be on the F1 grid next year after their billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz threatened to pull out both teams if they fail to secure a fast and reliable engine supplier.

Ferrari initially offered to supply Red Bull with 2015 engines, but the Milton Keynes-based squad saw it as a slap in the face as they want parity with the works team.

Red Bull's quest for the latest engines has since received a boost as the FIA has announced that the latest regulations stipulate that customer teams can't be given year-old engines.

However, Sauber team principal Kaltenborn doesn't have much sympathy for Red Bull.

"We have had a long history with them because we got them into the sport and had 10 years co-operation," she told Sky Sports.

"But if you look at the last few years, they have really been getting away with so much which is not in agreement with the others, to answer the question, I think they have to live with what they get now. We've done that for so many years so why can't they now?"

Sauber enjoyed a 10-year partnership with Red Bull from 1995 before the energy drinks company took over as title sponsors of the Milton Keynes-based squad, but their good working relationship continued for a few years.

However, Kaltenborn admits things have changed since Red Bull won their four World titles.

She added: "It used to be better earlier when we were partners and even when Red Bull initially became a known team. They have changed a lot, maybe success has made them change that much, but I would say communication is not that high."

Meanwhile, Williams' Pat Symonds also believes Red Bull have not handled the engine situation well.

"It is a difficult situation for them and maybe they haven't handled it was well as they might have done and I'm sure that is what is antagonising some fans," he said.

"I remember my father used to say 'when you lose say nothing and when you win say even less' and maybe that is a motto we should all abide by."

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Lowe: Hamilton at the peak of his game

Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe has heaped praise on Lewis Hamilton, saying he's a "very special driver" and is currently "better than he's ever been".

Hamilton is on the verge of securing his third Drivers' Championship as he only needs to finish nine points ahead of Sebastian Vettel from Ferrari at the United States GP and outscore Nico Rosberg by two points.

No one can deny that Hamilton has been the best driver on the grid this year as he has already secured the Pole Position Trophy with 11 poles while he has won nine of the 15 races.

Lowe, who was part of the McLaren team when Hamilton won his 2008 title and then joined his compatriot at Merc in 2013, admits the 30-year-old is hard to beat at the moment.

"Lewis is a fantastic driver. I've had the privilege to work with him through all his race wins actually, right from the beginning," Mercedes' technical chief told Sky Sports News HQ.

"He was always a special driver and I think we're seeing him now actually at the peak of his game. He's better than he's ever been and that's a very difficult driver to beat."

Although Rosberg is set to fall short again for the individual title, the German has chipped in with three race wins to help Mercedes to wrap up the Constructors' Championship in Russia last time out.

There has also been a lot less drama at Brackley this year compared to the 2014 season when Hamilton and Rosberg had several on-track clashes.

"They're both at the top of their game and that's tremendous for us. They are great assets to the team, great team players and have great respect for each other," Lowe said.

"We have made progress over the last two years in terms of how the drivers work together and maintaining at the same time that sporting element between them.

"We want to put on a great spectacle because that's why we're here and I think we're managing to do that without friction between the drivers."

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Grosjean latest to sign up for ROC

The number of Formula 1 drivers involved in this year's Race Of Champions (ROC) continues to grow with Romain Grosjean the latest to join the action.

Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel from Ferrari, Felipe Massa from Williams, Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull have also signed up for the event in London.

Grosjean, who won the 'Champion of Champions' title in 2012 after seeing off Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen from Denmark in the Grand Final, admits the big lure of being able to drive a wide range of machinery was too hard to turn down.

"I'm delighted to be coming back to the Race Of Champions," the 29-year-old said. "This is a great event and there are so many reasons that we all want to return every year. The main thing is that everyone involved just loves racing and driving different cars – so trying out such a wide range of machinery is driving heaven for all of us.

"Then there’s the fact that you meet different champions and people you don’t have the chance to meet during the year. So we all have a lot of fun off the track but when we get in the cars everyone races at 100 percent – and I’m no different. Rest assured I’ll do everything to win the 'Champion of Champions' crown back next month."

This year's event will take place at the former Olympic Stadium from November 20-21.

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The United States GP timetable

The United Grand Prix, which takes place at the Circuit of the Americas, marks the 16th round of the 2015 Formula 1 season.

All times are local (Austin is GMT -5)

Thursday 22 October

11:00 – 12:00: FIA press conference

Friday 23 October

10:00 – 11:30: First free practice

14:00 – 15:30: Second free practice

16:00 – 17:00: FIA press conference

Saturday 24 October

10:00 – 11:00: Third free practice

13:00 – 14:00: Qualifying

14:00: FIA post-qualifying press conference

Sunday 25 October

14:00 – 16:00: United States GP

16:00: FIA post-race press conference

United States GP Info

No of Laps: 56

Race Distance: 308.405

Lap Record: 1:39.347 Sebastian Vettel (2012)

2014 Winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

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Button eager to build on Sochi

Jenson Button has urged McLaren to build on their recent form from the Russian GP as F1 heads to Austin for the United States GP.

Although neither McLaren-Honda driver made it into Q3 at the Sochi circuit, both were inside the top ten when the chequered flag was waved.

Button crossed the line in ninth place while his team-mate Fernando Alonso was P10 before a post-race penalty for exceeding track limits dropped him outside the points.

Despite that disappointment it was still a good showing from McLaren-Honda, who displayed both reliability and pace.

Button is hoping McLaren can build on that showing this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas.

"We took a lot of positives from Sochi," he said, "The reliability of both cars was good and we made progress in terms of our pace relative to our closest rivals.

"We need to build on that in Austin, which is a very demanding track for every car.

"Let's hope we can put in another good performance."

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Renault uses 11 tokens ahead of US GP

Renault has used 11 of its remaining 12 engine tokens for an engine update that will be made available to Red Bull at the United States Grand Prix.

The French car manufacturer has been clear for several months that it wanted to unleash a major specification change in the latter stages of the campaign, rather than staggered through the season.

Although uncertain if the update would pass reliability criteria to be ready for Austin, it has now been given the all-clear by Viry-Chatillon engineers for use this weekend.

But despite being confident in the changes, a decision on whether or not the new specification engine will get used has not been made.

Renault wants to sit down with Red Bull to decide if the power benefits outweigh the downside of a grid penalty that Daniil Kvyat or Daniel Ricciardo will have to take if they use it.

However, it may decide that taking a hit this weekend may be better for ambitions in the final three races of the season.

ICE focus

Motorsport.com understands the changes, which leave Renault with just one token remaining, are focused on improving the power and efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

The tweaks involve new internals that it hopes will help it close the gap on Mercedes and Ferrari.

Renault had to delay performance upgrades earlier this season because it had to focus on curing reliability problems.

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What's really behind Ecclestone's 'driver aid' ban call

Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley got back together this week for an interview on German television. Was there some sort of agenda behind their return to the public spotlight?

As a double act, when Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone were both at the peak of their power, ruling over Formula 1 with iron fists.

If they decided on a plan, wanted changes made, or even something controversial to remain, then together they would conjure up what was needed to get it done.

Rumour has it they sometimes even pre-wrote press releases detailing the outcome of rule change meetings with teams before the interested parties had sat down at the table.

Working as one, the governing body and the commercial rights holder took grand prix racing exactly where they wanted it to go.

Different times

Time has moved on, and a new regime and new approach from the FIA has opened up a different era of F1, one that has not left everyone involved completely happy.

Ongoing concerns about costs, criticisms of new hybrid regulations, the dangers of one of its most successful teams walking away, and worries about the robustness of its audience, have left many in the paddock uneasy.

So it was fascinating this week, that Mosley and Ecclestone returned so publicly to the spotlight together, arm-in-arm and eager to let the world know how unhappy they both are about the state of F1.

But was this simply two old friends causing mischief, or is there a bigger motivation behind what they did?

Total rethink

However the joint Mosley/Ecclestone interview with German channel ZDF came about, it's clear it made a pretty big impact.

A spate of news stories based on what they said, and numerous social media links to the 30-minute insight, made sure that their message was well circulated.

Consistent throughout, as Ecclestone and Mosley were probed on the state of F1, was that something had gone wrong with F1 somewhere along the line.

We have long known Ecclestone hates the current turbo hybrid engines, but their discontent went much further than that.

Both Ecclestone and Mosley talked about F1 not delivering in the entertainment stakes, it being too predictable and having become more of an 'engineering' challenge rather than one for 'drivers.' Costs were also deemed out of control.

They called for an urgent overhaul of the rules: to make the drivers heroes again – be it through all-new regulations or stricter enforcement of articles that prohibit driver aids.

It was time to make things more exciting exciting and make life harder for the drivers.

As Ecclestone said at one point: "We mustn't forget that we are in the entertainment business, so we ought to have rules that the public want.

"We should be asking the public – what do you not like about F1 today and what did you like about F1 before..."

Causing upset

Throughout the interview, both men were not afraid to criticise the other, as they did not agree fully on everything.

But both did agree on one thing: that the way current FIA president Jean Todt runs F1 is a world away from how Mosley did it in the past.

While Mosley, under F1's current woes, would likely have stood up, pulled off some mischievous stunt to impose a radical rules shake-up, and dealt with the consequence afterwards, Todt's presidency is all about consensus.

Be it cost control (look at the way the 'budget cap' was abandoned), engine rules or a bid to make the cars more exciting, Todt is not afraid to make big changes, but will only do so if everyone agrees that it is the right way to go.

Of course, in terms of an end result, keeping all of F1's participants happy with changes made to the sport makes perfect sense, but sometimes, aren't governments supposed to make unpopular decisions for the greater good?

Upsetting the apple cart

There were several references throughout the interview from both Ecclestone and Mosley about the need sometimes to cause upset to make things better. And both were open that Todt is a man who prefers to avoid such conflict.

Mosley's suggestion of a strict interpretation of F1's driving aids ban to instantly get rid of much of the input from engineers came with the counter that it would not be too popular.

Ecclestone too mentioned that there was scope within the current framework of the Strategy Group and F1 Commission to make changes longer term – but only if he and the FIA were in agreement about where things were headed and were not afraid to take on the teams.

And while upsetting teams has never caused any concerns for Ecclestone, it is not an approach that Todt has ever favoured.

Power games

Ultimately, the underlining message from the ZDF interview was clear: F1 is in dire need of some big changes, and someone needs to stand up and make them happen.

Without Todt's support, and a more defiant approach, Ecclestone knows that he is powerless to do much.

A search for consensus among teams that have vastly different agendas is unlikely to ever be fulfilled. That leaves F1 only with the prospect of having watered-down changes come in to force that never deliver as much as they could.

Perhaps Ecclestone's message is one of a call for help; that his view for the future is an F1 that many in the FIA would be happy with: faster, more challenging cars where the drivers are the stars and the mega racers can easily come out on top.

Achieving that aim is not going to happen if you go about asking the teams for their opinion and support, especially at a time when Mercedes and Ferrari are growing their power base in the paddock.

Perhaps he wants the governing body to get a bit more bite.

Double act returns

Back in Russia, as Ecclestone set about trying to help Red Bull overcome its engine supply problems, he again suggested that running F1 was a world away from how it was when Mosley was in power.

"Ten years ago things were a little bit different in general," he said.

Is he frustrated? Yes. Is he unsure of what he wants? No.

So letting the world know that he and Mosley remain close, that they may be up to something behind the scenes, would certainly act as a bit of a wake up call for those who think that Ecclestone is without the power he once had.

It is going to be fascinating to see how he plots his path from here and – with or without Todt's backing – sets about trying to get what he wants.

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Formula 1 plans 'live' tyre pressure policing in 2016

The FIA plans to introduce a system of live tyre pressure monitoring in Formula 1 next year as part of a move to ensure teams do not find ways around current limits, Motorsport.com can reveal.

In response to increased car performance, and issues that came up after the tyre failures at the Belgian Grand Prix, Pirelli has been stricter in asking the FIA to enforce minimum pressure limits.

This led to some controversy at the Italian Grand Prix when Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were investigated after the race when their tyres were found to be under the minimum pressure on the grid.

Tyres pressures are currently only measured manually shortly before they are fitted to the car, and that has prompted fears that teams could be finding ways of reducing the level between the checks and when the car gets out on track for better performance.

It also means there is no way of the FIA reacting quickly when problems are highlighted as cars will often be out on track before a problem with the pressures has come to light.

Live network

To alleviate this, the FIA and Pirelli have been working on a system of live network data that will ensure the governing body is aware of tyre pressures on the car at all times.

This would mean there was better policing of the situation, and put teams at risk of having cars called back to the pits immediately if the pressures were found to be too low.

It is hoped that the system will be advanced enough to be trialled later on this season prior to a full introduction in 2016.

Wider scope

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has welcomed the idea, and thinks it is one that could be used for other motor racing categories too.

"We think that it is a tremendous initiative and it is something we would like to find a solution for across many categories of motorsport," he told Motorsport.com.

"For any tyre maker it is an area you are concerned with, because people can do things in chasing performance and put you in a situation you don't want to be in.

"There will be applications for it across other forms of motorsport and it is one that makes a lot of sense because in roads cars there is now a requirement for tyre pressure monitoring."

No evidence of abuse

Although welcoming the efforts being made to introduce the system, Hembery said there was no proof that teams had been deliberately trying to break the current rules.

However, he said that having live data of what they were up to would get rid of all suspicion

"We don't have indications of anything that hasn't been done correctly but it takes away an area of grey," he said. "It means we know everybody is operating in the same way."

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Ecclestone suggests Red Bull could face legal action if it quits F1

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Red Bull would face legal action if the company carries out its threat to pull out if it does not have a competitive power unit for 2016.

Red Bull's teams are still without an engine for next year, with Mercedes and Ferrari having refused to supply the Milton Keynes-based team.

The team has suggested it would be open to continue with Renault after all, despite having agreed to part ways earlier this year after a disappointing season, but the French manufacturer has said the deal is unlikely.

Red Bull's two teams are contractually committed to the sport until 2020, but the energy drinks giant has insisted it might leave the sport if it fails to find a competitive engine.

Ecclestone has now suggested that Red Bull would not be able to leave F1 that easily.

"Red Bull would stand up in court and say: 'Yes, we have a commitment, we do, but we haven't got an engine'," Ecclestone told The Independent.

"My argument would be: 'You signed the contract to compete.

"You should have made sure when you signed the contract that you had an engine. Your team was supposed to do this.'"

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United States GP - The challenges of Austin

Scuderia Ferrari is getting ready to tackle back-to-back races in North America, with Texas the first port of call. Lorenzo Sassi, Chief Designer Power Unit, explains the most important aspects of the next race. “The Austin track has three interesting facets: the first is what’s known as the power effect, or the importance the output from the power unit has on lap time, which is very high at this track. The second is energy management, because the long straights mean we have to ensure good energy recovery in order to maintain performance on those straights. Last, but by no means least, is the fact the track features many sections that rise and fall, which makes managing oil pressure critical”.

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Jenson Button 'very excited' by 2017 F1 proposals

Jenson Button says he is excited by the proposed Formula One rule changes for 2017, even though he does not know if he will still be racing in the sport by then.

Button's recently-confirmed contract extension at McLaren ended long-running speculation about his future and will see his career continue for a 17th season in 2016. Part of the reason behind agreeing to stay was his faith in the McLaren-Honda partnership, which has struggled in its first year together in 2015.

The 2009 champion has pointed to the mooted changes for the 2017 season, with emphasis on making cars faster and more aggressive-looking, as another reason to be optimistic about F1 in the future.

"The future of the sport is also a lot more exciting than we thought it was maybe a year ago, with people understanding things need to change," Button said. "There's been a lot of criticism about the sport in general and it's nice to see people are taking notice and things are changing. The future, I don't know if I will be racing in '17, '18, whatever, but I think it looks very exciting and I think that's something the sport should be excited about, and the fans also."

Button says his current focus is on taking McLaren back to the front of the grid after its troublesome 2015 campaign.

"Obviously we are focusing on now, the future is something we can look forward to, concentrating on now is the only way we are going to be competitive now. There are lots of changes within the team and the power unit. This is still a very young partnership and I think you'll see a much more competitive team next year."