FORMULA 1 - 2015

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MCLAREN WOES CONTINUE ON OPENING DAY IN BARCELONA

The torrid preseason continued for McLaren-Honda when the team had to cut short the first day of the final stanza of preseason testing in Barcelona, on Thursday, due to a hydraulic leak.

The team summed up their opening day, with Jenson Button at the wheel of the MP4-39, at Circuit de Catalunya, “The day kicked off with Jenson conducting some aerodynamic tests, which meant he only completed a single timed lap.”

“After just seven laps, Jenson noted a vibration and brought the car back to the pits, where we discovered a hydraulic leak that required a full power-unit change. The time required to complete the change unfortunately meant that our running for the day was over before lunchtime.”

This comes in the wake of a myriad of sensor problems in Jerez earlier in the month and more recently a faulty MGU-K seal in Barcelona last time out.

Thus the nightmare continues for the new partnership between Honda and McLaren, exacerbated by Fernando Alonso’s high profile, and much discussed mysterious accident last week at the same venue.

A serious lack of mileage, with what is proving to be a troublesome power unit suggests, that the Woking team will travel to Melbourne for the season opening Australian Grand Prix well out of sorts and the prospect of yet another below par season is on the cards.

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RON DENNIS : NO REASON WHY ALONSO WON’T RACE IN AUSTRALIA

Fernando Alonso is “devoid of all injuries” from Sunday’s crash in testing and is expected to line up on the grid for the season-opening race in Australia next month, McLaren boss Ron Dennis said on Thursday.

According to Dennis the 33-year-old Alonso was knocked unconscious “for a few seconds” after hitting a wall in pre-season testing in Barcelona.

Two-time world champion Alonso, who was released from hospital on Wednesday, is not taking part in this week’s final test with reserve driver Kevin Magnussen partnering Jenson Button.

Dennis said Alonso is “completely fine” but added that a final decision on the Spaniard’s fitness would be taken by doctors.

“He is devoid of all injuries,” Dennis was quoted as saying by the BBC. “We can categorically say he has no injury. I’m not a doctor, but I can’t foresee any reason why [Alonso would not race in Australia] not.”

“There is a process of tests laid down by the FIA and I can’t see any reason why he won’t sail through it, but it’s not for me to determine. All he wants to do at the moment is to race and test.”

Dennis told reporters that Alonso “wanted to test” this week, “but doctors have told him he needs to rest”.

“They wanted to make sure everything was perfect before he was discharged. He’s pushing very hard to get in the car,” Dennis added. “Doctors are saying no. All he wants to do at the moment is race and test.”

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BUTTON: WE COULD HAVE A PRETTY MIXED UP FIELD IN AUSTRALIA

Jenson Button is predicting a grid packed with surprises at the 2015 Formula 1 season opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

As the final four-day test of the winter pre-season begins on Thursday in Barcelona, the McLaren-Honda driver said the pecking order has changed since last year.

“A year ago,” the Briton is quoted by Speed Week, “it was clear that Mercedes and Williams were ahead of the competition.

“But this time it’s really hard for me to see the pecking order. We could have a pretty mixed up field in Australia,” Button, 35, added.

Indeed, a mix of teams have often seemed competitive at recent tests, including the obviously improved Ferrari, the fastest-in-Barcelona Lotus, and the usual suspects Mercedes, Williams and Red Bull.

“It is really difficult to see who’s fast and who still has work to do,” Button agreed. “I think Mercedes is at the front.”

“But when you look at the long runs, Ferrari looks strong. Williams, it’s hard to tell, and Red Bull and Sauber are looking solid,” added the 2009 world champion.

As for his own McLaren-Honda camp, it has been a difficult and tumultuous period as the great names reunite for the complex challenge of the new V6 era.

“I’ve been through a few difficult winters,” Button said. “Here (at McLaren) in 2010, the exhaust kept falling apart.

“In most cases, you get your problems under control. I am convinced that we will see significant progress from some teams this year, and that makes it all pretty exciting.”

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RENAULT: OUR SITUATION IS UTTERLY DEPENDENT ON RED BULL

Engine supplier Renault has not ruled out making changes to its approach to Formula 1, amid rumours of continuing discord with its partner Red Bull, and following the loss of engine partners Lotus and Caterham.

Reports have emerged claiming the French manufacturer might be considering running a full Renault-branded works team again.

Official Cyril Abiteboul, however, played down suggestions Renault and Red Bull continue to fall out and head in separate directions.

“Our partnership with Red Bull has been strengthened,” he said, “and is going in the right direction, so overall the situation seems encouraging.”

But at the same time, amid reports Renault might choose to buy into a team like Toro Rosso and go it alone in F1 once again, Abiteboul did not rule out that prospect.

“We are here for marketing,” he is quoted by the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial. “So if from the perspective of marketing we need to do some things differently, we are open to it.

“There is no ego, the only priority is to launch the marketing messages that we want to achieve in the sport in the most efficient way in terms of cost.

“If you look at 2014,” Abiteboul added, “it was very expensive for us. We had four customers, including very good teams like Lotus and two teams both under the ownership and control of Red Bull.”

Since then, Red Bull has adopted full works Renault status, Caterham has collapsed and dissatisfied customer Lotus switched to Mercedes power.

“This means that we actually have only one customer now,” said Abiteboul, “but the situation is utterly dependent on Red Bull.

“Is it sustainable for Renault? That is the question. I’m not saying yes, I’m not saying no,” he added.

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LADY RACER JORDÁ GETS LOTUS F1 DEVELOPMENT DRIVER ROLE

Carmen Jordá today joined Lotus F1 Team as a Development Driver for the 2015 season. Carmen will attend Grands Prix and Formula 1 tests throughout 2015 for Lotus F1 Team as well as undergoing a significant simulator programme at the team’s base in Enstone. Carmen will drive the E23 Hybrid on track during the course of 2015.

Carmen, daughter of former racer José Miguel Jordá, has a distinguished racing career having participated in the European Open Formula 3 Championship – where she achieved three podiums – the American Indy Lights Championship and most recently the GP3 Series.

Matthew Carter, CEO, Lotus F1 Team: “We are happy to announce Carmen Jordá as a Development Driver for Lotus F1 Team and we are looking forward to working with her over the course of the season and ultimately seeing her behind the wheel of the car. Carmen will bring a fresh perspective to the team. We have a strong programme for her attending Grands Prix as well as extensive time in our sophisticated simulation facility at Enstone. She is a unique addition to the team and we are looking forward to helping her progress her goals as well as receiving the benefit of her insights and contributions to the development of the E23 Hybrid.”

Carmen Jordá: “It feels like a dream come true to join Lotus F1 Team. I’ve been racing since I was ten years old so it was my dream to drive a Formula 1 car since I was very young. Joining Lotus F1 Team is a big step towards my goal. I will be working to improve myself as a driver as well as helping the team to develop the car by testing new developments in the simulator; it’s such a fantastic opportunity. I know this is just the beginning and the biggest challenge is yet to come but already being part of a team with such a history is a real honour. This is a great achievement, but an even greater opportunity which will lead to bigger and better things.”

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MCLAREN AND FERRARI HELPING MANOR SURVIVE

McLaren has joined forces with fellow creditor Ferrari in assisting the former Marussia team to survive and carry on in Formula 1.

Ferrari, owed millions by the struggling backmarker, has agreed to keep supplying its 2014-spec turbo V6 engine to the team reborn as ‘Manor’ for 2015. McLaren, a separate technology partner, is also owed millions by Manor.

But the struggling team has come out of administration in the past days according to a Company Voluntary Agreement, under which creditors agree to be repaid over a longer period of time.

One of those creditors is McLaren, who like Ferrari will continue to support Manor.

“We have agreed to restructure our contract with the Manor team so that it may continue to benefit from affordable support, in keeping with contractual obligations,” a McLaren spokesman told GMM.

The spokesman, however, played down speculation McLaren’s grander plan may be to forge close ties in the Manor outfit, along the lines of Ferrari’s new ‘B-team’-like alliance with Haas.

“We are assisting the team (Manor)’s efforts to try to continue competing in formula one,” the McLaren official said, “but we have no plans to acquire any equity in the team or to increase our involvement with it in any way.”

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Hamilton downplays missed mileage

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes will "be fine" despite missing half a day of testing due to a MGU-K failure on Thursday.

The reigning World Champion set the pace in Thursday morning's session at Barcelona but failed to take to the track in the afternoon.

Mercedes revealed late in the day that they had diagnosed a "MGU-K failure" with the hybrid system which meant their day was done.

Although it was not the best way to begin the final pre-season test, Hamilton has downplayed the impact the lost time will have on preparations.

He told Sky Sports News HQ: "I don't think it's dented anything. Testing is difficult.

"Of course, if you can have the whole day and it's sunny and the tyres are working every time you can go out and do tons and tons of changes and learn things about where you want to put the car. So, naturally, that is what we are missing.

"So I've got one more day to hopefully have a clean day and if we can get 150 laps it'll be great.

"But doing lots of changes and really trying to pinpoint where I want to put the car for the first race [is the priority] just to have all that knowledge in the bank, so when you get to the first few races you know the answer to the problems you may face.

"It's all down to one day now, but I think we'll be fine."

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Toro Rosso test 'almost new' STR10

Toro Rosso have arrived at Barcelona for the final pre-season test with an "almost completely brand new" STR10.

The team returned to the Spanish track on Thursdaywith Carlos Sainz Jr putting in the laps and it was immediately apparent that the STR10 had undergone changes.

The most notable of these is to the nose, which is more in line with the Williams design, while there have also been other changes to the car's aerodynamics.

In fact Toro Rosso technical director James Key says the car is "almost completely" brand new.

"The car itself is radically different here, so we have to start again [in terms of set-up]," he told Autosport.

"It's almost completely brand new: Aero, cooling, suspension and the nose is new, it's a Williams direction.

"We always knew this was the way to go - the only reason we did the long one was because this [new nose] is technically more difficult with the impact test, and we wanted to give ourselves a banker.

"We got the long one neutral in terms of aero performance, but that's all it was. It basically means you can run without having the stress of squeezing through a difficult impact test, but this one has passed pretty well.

"This and the rest of the car is actually the 'real' racecar. Everything before that was [built] months ago in terms of aero."

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Video: Fan video shows moments after Alonso crash

Whilst a video of the crash itself is yet to surface, besides official circuit CCTV, a fan caught the immediate moments after the incident which appear to show Fernando Alonso motionless in his McLaren, which ties up with claims he was unconscious - a fact now confirmed by the team

Marshals immediately signal for an ambulance and medical assistance. The video ends before the extrication process begins, but according to witnesses, Alonso was laid on the ground before being transferred to the waiting ambulance.

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US INVESTOR CONSIDERING A LARGER STAKE IN WILLIAMS F1 TEAM

Brad Hollinger, who has become a 10% shareholder in the Williams F1 team after acquiring shares from Toto Wolff, has said that he may consider buying up more shares in the team that finished third in last year’s F1 championship.

The American, who runs the Vibra Healthcare business in the US, a network of private hospitals, bought 5% off Wolff soon after the Austrian became head of Mercedes Benz motorsport. He exercised his option to buy a further 5% recently, taking Wolff down to just below 5%, which he intends to retain.

However speaking to selected media in Oxford this week, this website asked Hollinger whether he would be interested in buying more shares in the company,

“Yes. I would not preclude adding to my investment,” he said.

“This (investment) gives me the chance to be part of a successful team and the return on investment will be substantial over time. We are determined to make it a profit centre.

“I have had a passion for F1 since the 1960s. I went to see the cars at Watkins Glen and was hooked. I’m in business to make money and there is an opportunity to make money in F1. We are on the cusp of a huge explosion of growth in this sport, the social media side for example is untapped, it’s a huge opportunity. I like what’s happening in this organisation, the culture is fantastic and the opportunity with Williams Advanced Engineering (spinning off F1 technologies into other businesses) are huge.

“F1 has been successful despite not taking off in the USA, ” Hollinger added.

The American has no plans to put his Vibra Healthcare logo on the Williams car, but does plan to effect business connections between multinational companies with whom he deals in the medical sector and Williams and also to look for opportunities and applications for Williams Advanced Engineering technologies in the medical field. McLaren does something similar repurposing the standard F1 Electronic Control Unit, which it designs and manufactures for the FIA for use in children’s heart hospitals.

Williams has many shareholders including some institutions, that bought some of the 20% floated in the Frankfurt Stick Exchange.

These were some of former technical director Patrick Head’s shares. Head still retains 9% which is where Hollinger may well look next.

Sir Frank Williams, who had a bout of illness last season but is back at work and in good spirits, has the controlling interest with 52%, Wolff has 5%, Hollinger 10%, Head 9%, 20% is listed on the Frankfurt Exchange and the remainder is in an employee trust scheme.

Williams announced a half year loss in 2014, due to increased costs of competing due to hybrid turbo engines, but also significant investment in people and infrastructure to regain competitiveness. There has been a subsequent windfall of prize money and fresh sponsorship from brands like Unilever and Avenade, but CEO Mike O’Driscoll indicated that the full year report was likely to show a loss for the last accounting year.

At a time of significant negativity around F1 on many levels, this investment from a US businessman must be considered a positive, as is the imminent entry of Haas F1 team, backed by American Gene Haas, which will be essentially a Ferrari B team.

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BARCELONA DAY 4: BOTTAS ON TOP AS MERCEDES KEEP LOW PROFILE

Formula One’s winter test programme came to a close in Barcelona Sunday, with Williams’ Valtteri Bottas topping the timesheet ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Sauber’s Felipe Nasr.

Bottas’ best time came must the midway point of the morning session. After having claimed top spot with an outing on the soft compound Pirelli tyres, the Finn bolted on supersofts to record a lap of a lap of 1:23.063. Just before the lunch break Vettel then also took on the supersoft tyre to post his day’s best time of 1:23.469, four tenths of a second off the Finn’s pace.

Mercedes, who had run fastest on the middle two days of this final test using the soft tyre and who would have been expected to top the benchmark set by Bottas, eschewed any kind of performance runs.

Instead, Nico Rosberg focused on work with the hard and medium tyres – likely to be compounds used at the Curcuit de Catalunya for May’s Spanish Grand Prix – and the German worked steadily through the team’s programme for an eventual lap total of 148.

Felipe Nasr was third quickest for Sauber, with the Brazilian posting his quickest lap in the morning on supersoft tyres. As had become the pattern over the final test, Nasr switched to long runs in the afternoon and eventually racked up the day’s biggest distance, the Brazilian completing 159 tours of the Circuit de Catalunya.

Fourth place went to Max Verstappen. The teenager’s running was interrupted midway through the afternoon by an engine issue though his Toro Rosso mechanics managed to get him out again before the chequered flag and he posted his best time in the final moments of the session.

Fifth on the timesheet was Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo, though his best time was set in the afternoon after a compromised morning programme led the team to run a compressed programme in the second half of the day.

Ricciardo’s day began positively enough with the Australian completing 10 laps but just after an hour into the session his RB11 ground to a halt at the end of the pit lane. After he had been wheeled back to the garage an ERS issue was diagnosed and any further morning running was off the agenda.

He returned to the track half an hour into the afternoon and soon after took on the soft tyre. His third run on the compound netted his best time of the day, a 1:24.638, which put 1.5s off Bottas supersoft time.

Behind Ricciardo was Force India’s Sergio Perez. The Silverstone-based team had another trouble-free run with the new VJM08, the Mexican driver getting through 130 laps for a best time of 1:25.113, which put him ahead of Rosberg.

McLaren’s troubled winter test programme ended with another tricky day. Jenson Button was back at the wheel but he only completed two laps in the morning as a sensor issue restricted the MP4-30 to the garage. The Briton took the track again in the afternoon and made it through 30 laps of the circuit.

The final place on the timesheet was occupied by Pastor Maldonado. The Lotus driver crashed out at Turn Four just after the start of the afternoon session and took no further part in running.

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ARRIVABENE SENDS CHEEKY SIGNAL TO ECCLESTONE OVER PADDOCK ACCESS

Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene has taken a provocative stance, before the Formula 1 season has even started, in response to rumours about a clampdown on access passes for teams.

Arrivabene, a marketing man who was appointed in November, sat with Ferrari’s Mexican reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez and sporting director Massimo Rivola among spectators during testing in Barcelona.

“I heard that in Australia there will be more restrictions in terms of passes and I think this is not acceptable,” he told reporters on Sunday, the final day of testing before the racing starts in Melbourne on March 15.

“So I said to the guys ‘OK, if we are going to have a situation where the paddock is going to be empty, it’s better if we start training to go to the people and we sit in the grandstands’.”

“I have to say it was a good experience because the people were very well-educated, we were with our headphones following the test. They were respectful, asking for pictures. It was a good experience and I hope to have others like this.”

The paddock, where teams have their lavish hospitality units and race engineers pore over data while journalists rub shoulders with mechanics and VIPs, is the sport’s closely-guarded inner sanctum.

Access to the fenced-off enclosure is by electronic pass, issued by commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula 1 Management.

“It was a kind of provocation but I love to do this kind of provocation,” said Arrivabene. “I said we need to take Formula 1 close to the people. We were sitting in the middle of the people. And I don’t like to see now and in the future the paddock empty, it’s not the right way.”

Arrivabene, whose team have one of the biggest budgets in the sport, said he had wanted to make a statement.

“Nothing is decided yet but we have certain communication that the number of passes is going to be reduced. Normally when you have certain rumours in Formula 1, they become reality. So I sit in the stands before it is becoming reality,” he declared.

“Exclusivity doesn’t mean having an empty paddock. This is my clear statement.

“I don’t play golf but I watch it on television sometimes and it’s one of the most exclusive sports. But when they play, you have thousands of people following the players. And this is not working against exclusivity of the sport.”

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HAMILTON: I’M AS READY AS I CAN BE

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton wrapped up his pre-season testing with another fastest lap for Mercedes on Saturday.

The Briton, still feeling the lingering effects of a bug that laid him low in last week’s second test, produced a best time of one minute 23.022 seconds on the soft tyres at the Circuit de Catalunya.

That was 0.240 of a second quicker than Felipe Massa in the Williams, although the Brazilian set his lap on faster supersoft tyres, but still slower than Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg’s 1.22.792 on Friday.

Hamilton will make his next appearance in the car in Friday practice for the March 15 Melbourne season-opener, a race he failed to finish last year.

“It’s been generally quite good,” he said when asked to sum up his winter testing programme. “Great job done by the team and everyone at the factory to get all the components here. Reliability has been strong.”

The 30-year-old double champion said every winter was different and felt he was heading for Australia “as good as we can be.”

“I should be fine,” he told reporters as night fell on the circuit. “The bug’s been around…my mum, my sister, my nephew, several of my engineers have it so it’s just some nasty bug that’s going around.

“I’m kind of on the end of having that bug but it’s not really affected preparations.”

Hamilton managed 76 laps, less than anyone apart from McLaren stand-in Kevin Magnussen who did only 39 for the misfiring Honda-powered team and was halted by an oil leak.

“I put the lap together but the track today was quite slow compared to the first day,” said Hamilton, who now hands over to Rosberg for the final day.

“We think the tyres and the circuit are behaving a little bit differently in these last two days.

“The track has probably been at least half a second to seven tenths slower than the first day.”

Nico Hulkenberg did the most laps, 157 for Force India, as that Mercedes-powered team played catch-up after giving their new car its debut on Friday.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen also managed 141 laps and was third fastest, with most drivers carrying out race simulations in the afternoon.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was slowest but was the only driver not to use the soft tyres with his time set on the mediums.

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RICCIARDO: MERCEDES ARE IN ANOTHER DIMENSION

Daniel Ricciardo is planning a full title tilt for 2015, but after the last couple of days of testing in Barcelona the big smiling Australian has some concerns.

“The two Mercedes will on the front row in Melbourne,” the Red Bull driver said confidently in Barcelona.

He was speaking on Saturday, on the eve of the final day of winter testing. In the paddock, word went around that Adrian Newey will attend on Sunday.

That must mean Red Bull is set to run its final Melbourne-spec configuration of the RB11, although Ricciardo admits it will at least initially not be a Mercedes-beater.

“They [Mercedes] are in another dimension,” said the 25-year-old, who was the only non silver-clad driver to win grands prix in 2014.

Ricciardo says the 2015 Red Bull is better than its predecessor, and the recent driveability issue with the more powerful Renault engine has been improved, “But we need to keep working on it.”

So for now, he predicts Mercedes to run around at the front, followed by “Ferrari, Williams or us”.

Nico Rosberg’s test pace on Friday utterly stunned the paddock, and teammate Lewis Hamilton kept the new Mercedes at the top of the times on Saturday.

“Like most,” admitted Williams’ technical boss Pat Symonds, “I was surprised by the laptime on Friday. I think we have an idea of how good the Mercedes is. It was impressive.”

“Behind them are ourselves, Ferrari and Red Bull, and in terms of performance we are very close to each other I think,” added Symonds.

Who finishes second best in Melbourne is one question that will be answered in just two weeks. The other is how big the gap to Mercedes is.

“The problem is not knowing what Mercedes has done,” said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, according to the Finnish broadcaster MTV3. I am sure they have not been sitting still over the winter.”

He warned: “If they have gained 50 horse power more in Melbourne, then we are all in trouble.”

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BOULLIER: WE WON’T BE AS READY AS WE WOULD LIKE

McLaren recognised on Saturday in Barcelona that it is likely to take them months to produce a competitive car for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.

“We won’t be as ready as we would like but we will do our best,” racing director Eric Boullier told reporters after the penultimate day of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya was marred by further mechanical problems.

“Reliability is still a concern clearly and I don’t know how long it is going to take,” added the Frenchman, whose British-based team are starting a new partnership with Honda after decades with Mercedes.

“We have some plans in place now, which have been drastically improved in both our organisations working together, and I think it is going to take a few races but we should be at least maybe by Europe ready to be more competitive.”

The first race of the European season is Alonso’s home Spanish Grand Prix on May 10, the fifth round of the championship. The season opener is in Melbourne on March 15.

Danish reserve driver Kevin Magnussen (above) was able to complete only 39 laps for McLaren on Saturday before an oil leak halted his progress, with the team deciding to stop and strip the engine.

Button had managed 100 laps on Friday, after just one timed effort on Thursday.

Magnussen, who raced for the team last year and is standing in for Alonso at the test after the Spaniard crashed last Sunday, sounded surprisingly upbeat after his first laps of 2015.

“It is very consistent, very predictable, very smooth in a way and just drivable, whereas last year’s car probably had more downforce, but it was much more sharp and on the limit and unpredictable,” he said.

“There is a way to go yet with this car, but it is a completely new design and a new idea and I think it is a very good base. I think it is going to be a very good car, but maybe later in the season.”

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SAINZ: I FEEL READY AND I’M VERY EXCITED

Carlos Sainz was back at the wheel of the car for his second and final day of winter testing in Barcelona this week, before he jumps into the Toro Rosso in Melbourne for his first ever F1 Grand Prix in only two weeks’ time and the Spaniard is confident he is ready for the big weekend in Australia.

Speaking after his final day of preseason testing in the cockpit of the STR10, Sainz said, “Two weeks from [sunday] I will take part in my first Grand Prix. I am looking forward to it and I feel ready, especially after this test. Clearly, I’m very excited that it’s all about to start.”

The rookie summed up his final day of winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya, ‘It was the sort of day we needed and it went really well. It means we can go to Melbourne with a boost to our confidence.”

“The afternoon was particularly productive, after we had a couple of minor difficulties in the morning. The race simulation went well and overall we did a high mileage, which is obviously the most important thing.”

“I’d like to thank the team for all their efforts during this pre-season period, as they helped me learn a lot every time I jumped in the car, ” added Sainz.

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MERCEDES TO HELP SAVE GERMAN GP SAYS WOLFF

Concerns are growing that the German Grand Prix will really will be dropped from the 2015 calendar.

Officially, the country is still set to host a Formula 1 race in July, but neither the Nurburgring or Hockenheim are actually yet to agree a concrete race deal with Bernie Ecclestone.

Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda admits the chances of that happening are no better than “50-50″.

Lauda’s colleague Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes motor sport, said at the Barcelona test on Saturday that while the problem is mainly financial, the German marque could have some involvement in the talks.

“It is not our area to intervene in the talks between promoter and rights holder,” he said, “but as far as we are able to, we will try to help.

“It is an important grand prix for us,” added Wolff.

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MANOR RACING TO BE READY FOR MELBOURNE SAYS BOOTH

Team founder John Booth is confident the former Marussia team will make it to Melbourne.

Having fought to secure new investment and convince its creditors to exit administration, the team has secured a place on the 2015 entry list against all odds.

But the race is not won yet.

Having initially sought to field its 2014 car this year, the team – now called Manor Marussia – has now been cautioned by the FIA that it will only be allowed to race in Australia if in “full compliance with the 2015 technical regulations”.

That will be an uphill battle, after creditor auctions saw key equipment sold, the Banbury facility handed over to 2016 entrant Haas, and staff laid off.

Manor – effectively dormant for much of the winter – is now based at Booth’s original F3 facility in Dinnington, against the ticking clock of crash tests booked in for March 5, and the air freight deadline for Melbourne looming just one day later.

Booth, however, is confident.

“We are very close to getting to Melbourne, everyone’s working round the clock to make it,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“The cars are coming together well and we are working out of several centres, so I’m confident we will get there.

“We are back at Dinnington and we’re also using a base at Silverstone,” Booth revealed. “The aim is to get everything ready by the end of next week.”

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Bottas pleased with competitive FW37

Valtteri Bottas finished the final day of pre-season testing on top and then declared Williams will take a "very competitive" car to Melbourne.

The Finn posted the fastest time of 1:23.063 in the morning session and he completed 89 laps before the Grove squad decided to end their running early on day four at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Williams have been solid throughout winter testing and many believe they will start the season as second favourites behind Mercedes, and it is hard to disagree going by Sunday's result.

"It was a really good day and a great way to finish the test. One of the main points we have learnt is that the FW37 is very reliable," he said. "The car we are taking to Melbourne is very competitive and should make for an interesting start to the season."

Bottas and team-mate Felipe Massa completed 384 laps between them over the four days in Barcelona.

"We have made the most out of our time testing and I need to say a really big thanks to the team, not only trackside but also everyone back at the factory as they have produced a really quick and reliable car," he added.

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Maldonado 'fine' after crash

Lotus have revealed that a braking problem was to blame for Pastor Maldonado's accident on Sunday, but the Venezuelan is okay.

After completing 35 laps in the morning session of the final pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Maldonado managed only one more after lunch as he made contact with the wall after Turn 4.

Although the team initially hoped he would return to action later in the day, it wasn't to be as there was too much damage to the front wing and front suspension.

"My braking was compromised coming into turn four, meaning I went off the track and hit the barriers," Maldonado explained. "I was able to brake and slow, just not as much as the maximum otherwise possible. The car was not too badly damaged and I am fine."

Although disappointed not have been able to clock a few more laps in the afternoon, 29-year-old feels Lotus are heading in the right direction.

"It was a shame to end the day early, but that was the only issue we’ve had like this during testing so we can look to the positive that we have a lot of information to take the car in the right direction," he said.

"It’s a shame we had this issue as we would have been looking at running the softer tyres in the afternoon and putting in some fast laps. I’m looking forward to getting back in the car in Melbourne as I think we have good potential this season."

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Magnussen won't jump at Manor drive

McLaren reserve driver Kevin Magnussen says he's not looking at Manor for a way onto this year's F1 grid.

With Manor expected to race this season, and having already signed Will Stevens, there is one available seat on the 2015 grid.

But one person who won't be chasing it is Magnussen.

Despite McLaren's links with the backmarker outfit, the 22-year-old says he has not spoken with the team.

"I think it would be wrong to say no completely, but it is not what I am looking at," the Dane revealed to Autosport.

"We haven't talked to them. It is not like we are jumping at it.

"We are thinking of everything, it's difficult to know what is the best thing for getting back to F1."

Magnussen remains in the sport on the fringes after McLaren opted to retain him as their reserve driver having dropped him from a race-seat in favour of signing Fernando Alonso.

The Dane, though, is keen to do some racing this season in another series but says nothing has been decided.

"I got the call quite late that I wasn't racing in F1, so a lot of things were closed already.

"The options are very limited, but I am also not really sure if racing something else is the right thing to do if you want to get back to F1.

"The best thing would be to drive race cars and do races and keep sharp. F1 is tricky these days with not much testing."

[MIKA27]

Renault sniffing around

The latest whisper is that Renault is pushing ahead with a project to buy an existing Formula 1, in order to get a better return on its investment in F1. Since the French manufacturer gave away its F1 team in 2009 and fled the sport, red-faced after being caught with its trousers around its ankles over the race-fixing disgrace the previous year, the Company has not enjoyed much publicity, despite its successful engines.

The success has been sucked up by Red Bull and Renault’s sister brand Infiniti and Renault barely gets a mention when a Red Bull wins a race. This makes no sense at all.

There was a plan a year or so ago to sell part of Renault Sport F1 to Nissan and share the engines and the technology but that was blocked, despite being very much in the style of Renault boss Carlos Ghosn’s management. The obvious choice would be to buy Red Bull Racing but there is no sign that this is for sale, although a deal for three years of free publicity for The Austrian firm might convince Dietrich Mateschitz to go along with the plan. In any case he has a second team in Scuderia Toro Rosso and could keep a presence that way, at a fraction of the cost.

Lotus is an option but that would require some serious rebuilding, while Force India and Sauber are not really seen as serious options. From what I hear Ghosn has given the go ahead for Renault to go shopping but we will have to see what comes back in the bag…

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Cash-flow crisis puts teams at risk for Melbourne

Force India, Sauber and Lotus all ask Bernie Ecclestone for help ahead of the 2015 season, as they risk not making the grid.

Two weeks before the 2015 season begins, the extact number of cars that will be on the starting grid remains unclear – and not just because Manor-Marussia's planned resurrection is not yet confirmed.

Force India has only just got its 2015 car up and running, after months of rumours of critical financial and supplier problems.

"We have had cash-flow issues, there is no question about that," deputy team boss Bob Fernley admitted to Sky. "It's tough for all the independent teams."

Rumours swirling in the Barcelona paddock this week suggest that only five or six teams can actually be relied upon to definitely make it to Melbourne and then stay alive for the whole of the season.

Amid that backdrop, Bernie Ecclestone met recently in London with bosses of the struggling Lotus, Force India and Sauber teams, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

They reportedly warned the F1 supremo that, as a worst case scenario, they might not make Melbourne due to a 'cash-flow crisis'.

Lotus owner Gerard Lopez explained: "The months of November, December and January are the worst, as during this phase of design and production you spend 43 per cent of your budget with nothing coming in from the outside."

That is precisely what happened to Force India, some of whose crucial suppliers suddenly began to demand upfront payments after both Caterham and Marussia went into administration owing them money.

For Force India, it wasn't easy, to say the least, and they didn't do it alone ... That's where EPM Technologies comes in.

The scramble to ensure the Force India VJM08 arrives at Barcelona Thursday and starts running Friday with Nico Hulkenberg at the wheel could not have been achieved without the incredible commitment and scheduling program undertaken by composites specialist – EPM Technologies.

Wednesday, at their new £6million - 50,000sq ft. facility in Derby, Motorsport.com spent a fascinating hour talking to their founder and managing director – Graham Mullholland, who despite the extreme late nights and early mornings over the last few months, looks remarkably fresh and bright eyed.

“We’re all about going racing and sharing that racing mentality with our customers,” says Mulholland. “I am not sure our old facility would have coped with what we have just experienced in helping get them (Force India) to the test this week. We have both been on the limit with 12-hour split shifts per day. It has been incredible to witness the commitment on both sides to get the job done.”

Who are EPM?

EPM Technologies are the UK’s leader in F1 commercial composites and has a current headcount of 120, which has already increased from the 75 which were walked in to the new purpose built HQ last September.

Motorsport.com understands that EPM supplies all bar three current F1 teams with composites structures and parts to varying degrees. 80% of their total business is F1.

The Force India work has tested the company to the limit in recent weeks after knock-on delays from the final design of the VMJ08, believed to be a combination of changes in R&D via the decision to use the Toyota wind tunnel in Stuttgart and commercial considerations.

“It has been a remarkable time this winter, I’ve never known anything like it,” says Mulholland. “Otmar (Szafnauer - Force India’s COO) and I have had some crazy phone calls this winter and it has been lively, but I say it again – we share the same spirit of getting things done and we do it.”

Manor F1 and EPM

Motorsport.com asked Mullholland about the newly named Manor Marussia squad which intends to be at Melbourne next month. While no comment was forthcoming it is known that the front bulkhead and nose cone modifications to the 2014 car to meet 2015 safety regulations are not being completed at EPM.

However, the company does remain ‘in a state of readiness’ to assist the team in its quest to go racing this season should it decide to build a complete new 2015 design for later this season.

Recent speculation regarding a possibly precarious commercial situation for some F1 teams is met with calm by Mullholland who has been nurturing F1 business since the turn of the millennia.

“You manage the risk best you can and in the last 12 months we have done that better and better,” says Mulholland. “We are going racing with racing people, that’s the way we like it.

"If I was here managing 120 people working on the mass production of something practical and dull for retail then our skill set and innovation would not drive our work. Whatever we do, we do it for the best and in a very challenging timeframe.

"If it is for automotive it is a mega concept car or if it is for train it will be for a bullet train. This is part of EPM’s soul.”

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RED BULL FROM BLACK & WHITE BACK TO COLOUR

Red Bull has dropped the RB11’s camouflage test livery which the team has been running in a novel black and white colour scheme designed to throw rival teams’ spy photographers and designers off track.

But the livery also proved highly popular among the fans, prompting calls for Red Bull to use it at the grands prix too.

“It’s not the first alternative livery we’ve used and doubtless it won’t be the last,” the team said on Monday.

“But we’ve made our mark in the last ten years in dark blue, and in dark blue we’ll remain,” Red Bull added, revealing photos on Twitter of the race-spec livery, along with the hashtag ‘Back in colour’.

“Those are the racing colours in which we’ve achieved great things,” the team said. “We’re not the most traditional of F1 teams, but like the rest of the sport, we value heritage.”

Although the final winter test ended on Sunday, Red Bull is running the newly-liveried RB11 at Barcelona on Monday, for filming purposes.

MIKA: What a bummer, I loved the camouflage, no doubt sponsors complained as their logos were probably not as visible...?

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ECCLESTONE RESPONDS TO AVERT F1 TEAMS CASH FLOW CRISIS

Amid alarming claims that multiple Formula 1 teams are gripped by a cash flow crisis, Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly responded in an effort to prevent a crisis ahead of the season opener in Australia.

It was reported on Sunday that, not including Manor’s quest to return in 2015, multiple other teams are scrambling to find the money simply to line up on the Melbourne grid next weekend.

“The months of November, December and January are the worst,” said Lotus owner Gerard Lopez, “as during this phase of design and production you spend 43 per cent of your budget with nothing coming in from the outside.”

I reported that F1 supremo Ecclestone duly met late last week not only with Lopez but also representatives of the similarly-struggling Force India and Sauber teams.

A voice at Force India told Auto Motor und Sport: “From April we have no problem, as money starts flowing again.”

So according to British newspapers, Ecclestone has responded by vowing to bring forward the scheduled release of $30 million in official prize-money to the troubled teams.

Kevin Eason, writing in The Times, said the fast-forwarded payments – to be wired to the troubled teams in the coming days – should ensure they are able to “board the transport planes due to leave for Melbourne next weekend”.

“Bernie has promised support for the teams,” Force India deputy Bob Fernley confirmed, “and if that support transpires, they will be able to do the first few races.

“We have made it clear to the commercial rights holder that we have problems, as have Lotus and Sauber. It is not isolated to one team.

“Bernie has been extremely understanding,” he added. “He’s a racer. I think he realises this is serious.”

In the Telegraph, correspondent Daniel Johnson said the advanced payments need to be approved by the other teams, “but this is not an obstacle as the sport’s minnows have not been promised any increase in prize money”.