FORMULA 1 - 2016

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ECCLESTONE: I NEED TO BE THE DICTATOR AGAIN

Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday said he would like to become F1’s “dictator” once again.

Speculation in recent days has suggested the sport’s major carmakers including Ferrari may be moving against the F1 supremo, in a bid to see his long reign ended.

Ecclestone, 85, confirmed to the Russian sports newspaper Sovetsky Sport that he is not happy with the status quo.

“I have often complained and now I complain again — our structure is wrong,” said the Briton.

“We have allowed Ferrari and Mercedes to run us. How? They supply engines to most of the teams and they (the engines) are very important to those teams.

“When we try to come up with something new, we need cooperation from the participants in the championship. This is what is wrong,” Ecclestone said.

“This is what happens when democracy does not work. We need to go back to the good old days, when we built formula one into what it is today. When I was in a much stronger position. When I was a dictator!” he added.

“But with the current democracy, we have people manipulating the sport in their own interests,” said Ecclestone.

Another problem, he explained, is that Mercedes is totally dominating in the current ‘power unit’ era, which is affecting F1’s popularity.

“I hope that Ferrari will have a strong year,” said Ecclestone, “and if they get a good engine Red Bull will also be better.

“Competition is necessary for everyone, most importantly the fans,” he added.

“I can understand that Mercedes doesn’t want to change anything, as they have invested a lot of work and money into their engines and don’t want to lose that advantage. But there is nothing worse than the dominance of one team.

“Eventually, people begin to suspect that the competition is not on a level playing field,” said Ecclestone.

“People complain to me now that they have lost that feeling of looking forward to the race on Sunday, because everyone knows that Mercedes will win again.

“Believe me, I don’t care who wins the next grand prix,” Ecclestone said ahead of the Russian grand prix. “If Lewis (Hamilton) wins his fourth title this year — great!

“I just want him to do it in the last corner of the last race, not with seven races to go in the season.”

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HAMILTON NEEDS SOME LOVE IN RUSSIA

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton is the only Formula 1 driver to have won the Russian Grand Prix and, with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg on a red-hot winning streak, needs to keep it that way on Sunday.

The Briton will be toiling flat out on May Day, the international workers’ holiday, to deny his German rival a seventh successive win and fourth of the sport’s longest ever season.

Hamilton won the inaugural race around the 2014 Winter Olympic Park and returned last October to repeat the feat after Rosberg had secured pole position but then retired with a throttle failure.

While that victory set Hamilton up for the title, which he took in Texas two weeks later, Sunday’s race has been moved to the Russian national holiday slot with the 2016 championship still in its infancy.

Hamilton is already 36 points behind Rosberg and while he is unlikely to be sending out any Mayday distress signals the Briton is in definite need of a track turnaround.

“There was plenty going through my head after China, as you’d expect,” he said after starting that third race of the season at the back of the grid and finishing seventh.

“But, after all these years, experience has taught me to stay calm and keep pushing forwards when I get knocked back. I’ve been here before a few times now.

“Adversity is part of the journey,” he added. “There are lots of positives to carry into the next battle. If nothing else, I know after these first few races that I can still overtake.”

Rosberg has not had to do much of that recently, leading from pole in Shanghai and also enjoying comfortable wins in Australia and Bahrain.

Hamilton was also on for a hat-trick of wins in Bahrain and China, having won both races there in 2014 and 2015, and Rosberg denied him both.

But the German remains wary of what might happen, “I would never have expected the first three weekends to go the way they have.”

“I’ve made the most of my opportunities and I have a bit of an advantage in the points right now – but we are only three races down and it would just take one bad weekend for that gap to disappear.

“I was looking good all weekend last year until a technical problem put me out of the race and I had great fun fighting from the back the year before, so I know I’m competitive at this track.”

Both Mercedes drivers can expect to be pushed hard by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen but they also need to worry about Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo and local hero Daniil Kvyat.

With impeccable timing, Kvyat finished third in China for his second career podium appearance after Ricciardo had qualified on the front row.

Conditions are expected to be fine all weekend, with temperatures of around 18 degrees Celsius.

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ARRIVABENE: NOTHING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR SOCHI

Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene has played down reports a major engine upgrade is set to give the Maranello team a big boost in Russia this weekend.

We reported last week that with Sebastian Vettel a full 42 points behind the leading Mercedes in the drivers’ championship, the German will get a key engine upgrade in Sochi that will cost Ferrari three of its upgrade ‘tokens’.

But boss Arrivabene suggests it is mainly race incidents and reliability problems that have cost Ferrari so far in 2016.

“We are lacking only one tenth of a second to Mercedes,” he is quoted as saying by the veteran correspondent Roger Benoit, writing in Blick newspaper.

As for the reports of the engine upgrade, Arrivabene is quoted by Brazil’s UOL as playing down the significance of the step Ferrari will take in Russia.

“We will have something for Sochi, but nothing of great importance,” said the Italian. “We decided long ago that the philosophy would be of gradual development.”

“When you start a season with a totally new design, it makes no sense to come up with revolutionary (upgrade) packages.”

“For the development of the engine we chose the same philosophy – of course we will use some tokens for performance, but it will be gradual,” Arrivabene revealed.

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HAKKINEN: ROSBERG IS READY FOR THE WORLD TITLE

Mika Hakkinen says 2016 Formula 1 world championship leader Nico Rosberg might finally be ready to win his first F1 title this year.

Speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend Hakkinen, the two-time world champion of 1998 and 1999, told Spox in an interview that he has known Rosberg since the Mercedes driver was just a boy.

“I remember him walking around as a four or five year old with a small helmet in his hand saying: Goodbye, I’m going to drive my go-kart,” said Hakkinen, who was once managed by Rosberg’s Finnish father Keke. “When I see him now, I’m very proud of him.”

Rosberg, 30, was beaten to the crown both in 2014 and 2015 by his teammate Lewis Hamilton, but the German is now on a run of six consecutive victories and is leading the 2016 standings by 36 points.

“The talent was always there,” Hakkinen said. “But now he has the goal clearly in mind that says with conviction ‘Yes, I want to be world champion!'”

Coincidentally, there are parallels between their respective careers, as it took both drivers six years to win a grand prix, while Hakkinen was 30 – like Rosberg is now – when he broke through for his first world championship.

“Probably not everything is explained by chance,” said Hakkinen. “In everything, but especially in formula one, it takes time before you are ready to win. Put it this way: even if your own head says you want to be world champion, it doesn’t mean that you are really ready for that.”

“This step is made not just like that, but with all your conviction and every fibre of your body, and is more challenging than most people believe,” added the former McLaren driver and winner of 20 grands prix. “So my answer is yes, he is ready for the world title.”

Finally, when asked about F1’s main problems as a sport at present, Hakkinen said it is the rules that are “too complicated and change too often”.

Hakkinen said F1 must work to recapture the days when drivers “got out of their cars dripping with sweat. Because when the drivers feel that again, the same passion will be felt by the fans”.

“I do not understand why it is no longer possible to go flat out all the time,” he added.

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NO NEW SAUBER CHASSIS IN RUSSIA FOR STRUGGLING NASR

Felipe Nasr will not be able to end his early season struggles by switching to a new Sauber chassis this weekend in Russia.

After complaining about the handling of his chassis in all three race weekends so far and suspecting a flaw, it had been reported Nasr would get an all-new version of the C35 for Russia.

“I am 100 per cent sure the car is not right,” Nasr was quoted by Brazil’s UOL after China. “I’m struggling all the time but he (teammate Marcus Ericsson)’s happy with the car from the start. I drove that (Ericsson’s) car in Barcelona and I was happy too.”

But spokesman Robert Hopoltseder told Brazil’s Globo that while the Swiss team is working on a third chassis at present, they are not sure it will be completed in time for Nasr to use it at Sochi.

Correspondent Livio Oricchio added: “Sauber’s head of communications did not say it, but the reality that everyone in the paddock knows is that the assembly of the third C35 depends on having the resources to pay suppliers, which as of today is not the case.”

Amid those financial troubles and Nasr’s predicament, teammate Ericsson said after the Chinese grand prix that he is willing to swap chassis with Nasr in Russia.

“Why not? I’m willing,” said the Swede. “I wouldn’t mind. I will make this proposal and see what he says.”

Ericsson suspects that he is simply out-performing Nasr on merit.

“I was already stronger at the end of last year,” he said. “I have worked very hard in the preseason to be even stronger this year and I have confidence in the team and the car.”

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Bottas aiming for strong showing in Russia

Bottas has not been at his best thus far as he started off the 2016 Formula 1 season by finishing eighth in Australia before going on to come ninth in Bahrain and 10th in the most recent event in China.

While the 26-year-old will be disappointed with his start to the season, he is confident he can turn his fortunes around in Sochi as he came third at the inaugural edition of the event in 2014. However, he failed to replicate his success at the Russian Grand Prix last year as he crashed on the last lap, but was still classified to have finished 12th.

“Russia is my neighbouring country, being Finnish. Sochi is a very technical track and I find it really interesting to drive. I’ve always had pretty good results there,” he told reporters. “Last year it didn’t end up the way I wanted, but normally I’m pretty quick and we are competitive there as a team.

“One challenge in Sochi is that the asphalt is quite smooth, so in qualifying it’s not easy to get the tyres to work quickly enough for the timed lap. That has been a challenge in previous years, but hopefully we have fixed it and I’m sure we’re going to have a good weekend in Russia.”

Meanwhile, Bottas’ team-mate Felipe Massa is hoping to build on his encouraging start to the season, which has seen him finish fifth in Australia, eighth in Bahrain and sixth in China.

“Sochi is a nice track to drive. It’s a mix between a city circuit and a normal circuit. It’s a race I enjoy and one we have traditionally done well at,” he said. “I don’t know Russia very much, as we stay in a small town and spend most of our time at the hotel or the track. I like racing there and I hope the event gets bigger every year.

“From what I know of the track, I’m hopeful it will suit this year’s car, but it’s too early to say for sure.”

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Verstappen: I hope for another good race in Sochi

As the Russian Grand Prix draws closer, Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen is hoping to continue his fine form of earning points for his team.

So far, the Dutch teenager has managed to score points at every Grands Prix this season, placing 10th in Melbourne, sixth in Bahrain and eighth in Shanghai.

Reminiscing on last year's Grand Prix, the 18-year-old claims that Russia is a happy hunting ground for him as he earned a point at his first outing at the Sochi Autodrom.

"The first thing I remember from Russia is my good qualifying," he said.

"It's always good to start the race from the highest spot possible and starting P9 in Russia meant already being in the points positions.

"Even though we unfortunately didn't have a good start in the race: I arrived to Turn 1 and [Nico] Hülkenberg spun in front of me, we collided in Turn 2 and I had a puncture.

"It wasn't great, as I had damage on the car and it all got very tricky but I still tried to do my best.

"After a strong race in China, I hope for another good result in Sochi."

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Russian Grand Prix Preview: F1's ugly duckling

There's always one, isn't there? That one F1 round people find particularly hard to love. For a while it was Valencia. Then it was the Mokpo venue in Korea. Now dear reader I give you Sochi in Russia.

But even by the time that the race finally was penned in to debut in 2014, at that year's Winter Olympics venue of Sochi, plenty thought nevertheless we could wait a little longer. Its very existence was controversial from several months out with unrest in Ukraine and Russia's alleged contribution to it dominating many headlines. Some thought too resultant sanctions would mean the race's money would run out.And it has this ugly duckling status for a number of reasons it seems. The race was in many eyes tainted at source, even though Bernie Ecclestone's attempts to get this round onto the F1 calendar stretched back literally decades.

A Grand Prix in the Soviet Union to be held on the streets of Moscow appeared on the provisional F1 calendar as long ago as 1983 indeed.

A year on too for the second F1 visit as well as Ukraine matters being far from resolved there also was the uneasy background noise of Russia's activity in Syria, including that some of the missiles fired therein weren't landing all that far from the Sochi venue.

In both there were concerns more generally about Russia's human rights record and particularly its legislation prohibiting any 'positive mention of homosexuality' in the presence of minors. That Russian President Vladimir Putin has associated himself closely with both F1 visits hardly helped de-couple it all from the event in the minds of onlookers.

Happen the races did though, as they were always going to given we know it takes a lot for Bernie or the FIA to halt these things. Perhaps tanks rolling in through the circuit gate...

Mokpo Mk II?

Yet the event's unpopularity wasn't all about politics. Plenty of 'typical Tilke' comments have been made about the Sochi track, as have unflattering comparisons with the previous pariah Valencia. Kate Walker moreover during the first visit immediately declared Sochi a "Mokpo Mk II" as well as a "future white elephant", on the grounds variously that it's a long way from Moscow (a three hour flight or if you prefer a 24 hour car journey away) and the local town of Adler wasn't very exciting. And her sentiments were far from atypical, as during the venue's freshman weekend Twitter feeds were filled with F1's fourth estate making similar comments, mainly via sneering at the local eateries.

The 2015 race was better, aided by safety car appearances not only heading off the fuel saving but one being tantalisingly timed so to split the field apart on strategy, meaning the varying approaches came together at the the end to give us a madcap finish. But there were still grumbles, not least a number of large accidents throughout the weekend and some, erm, courageous examples of marshalling. While in what surely is a Sochi special a Friday practice session was wiped out by a heavy diesel spillage. From a track-cleaning vehicle...The debut race too was soporific, Adam Cooper explaining that "there was a perfect storm of bulletproof tyres, no safety cars and extreme fuel saving, which together turned the inaugural Russian GP into one of the dullest races of 2014". This was despite two examples in the layout of the trademark Tilke long straight ended by a tight turn, intended to provide overtaking opportunities.

For the sport's folks it all still seems more uneasy truce with Sochi than warm embrace, with Martin Brundle adding last year that "I can't pretend it's a venue I relish going to". Yet the race lives on into year three and the worst predictions about the Russian round - such as tiny crowds - have yet to come to pass. This year too with local hero Daniil Kvyat with perfect timing having bagged a podium in China, this one might even have something like a charmed existence.

Not everything about the first two rounds here will change this time though, as of all of the races on the calendar this is one among those in which strategy is least likely to vary. It's all a matter of bitumen, with an incredibly smooth surface big on the stuff making even Pirelli's gumball super-soft rather long-lasting. Tyre degradation rates at Sochi are minimal, last year it was estimated at a hundredth of second per lap for the soft and two hundredths for the super-soft. This has meant races here are rather like those from the Bridgestone days, with one-stop strategies a no-brainer (that the pit stop loss time is one of the biggest of the year further pushes strategists that way). Reflecting all of this, everyone's piled high on the super-softs in their tyre selection this time and only the Manors have requested an extra set of mediums.

But drivers still might not be able to push throughout as the layout, one of heavy braking and accelerating, means in contrast to its effect on the tyres it's one of the most taxing on the fuel limit. This as intimated particularly manifested itself in the 2014 race where there was no safety car to help out and for most therefore the race was an economy run, summed up by the words of Kevin Magnussen afterwards.Also like the Bridgestone era drivers in Sochi races are able to push tyres to the maximum throughout, and have appreciated this characteristic, with Lewis Hamilton noting last year that "I much prefer this way of racing". But the flip side as noted is little strategy variation or frolics associated with tyres degrading.

"It was almost like a chilled-out Sunday drive" he said, "because I was easing off the power 200 metres before the corners in an effort to save fuel. I was really surprised that no-one was able to catch me, in fact; I guess the guys behind me must have been experiencing the same problem." The length of some of the support races had to be reduced for this very reason too.

The track characteristics will likely have an impact on qualifying too, with getting heat into the front tyres for your flying lap tricky while still ensuring the rears don't overheat. Last year some went for more than one warm up lap before their flier, while others went for more than one flier in a single run with an ers-charging lap in between. It's ironic that the late and maligned elimination qualifying format probably would have stood its best chance of working here.

A third-Hamilton victory?

In both Sochi visits Lewis Hamilton has won, and at a canter. And in both he was aided by something impeding his Mercedes stable mate Nico Rosberg. In the first visit Nico tried to outbrake Lewis into the opening turn, and got it very wrong - the plumes of smoke coming from his front wheels being rather the visual image of the late championship swing against him that campaign. While last year it was not Nico's fault, him taking pole by a distance (with Lewis actually having an off-track moment trying to beat him) and then leading the race only to be forced out early with a throttle problem.

More broadly even though this is round four of the campaign it still feels, as an acquaintance pointed out to me, rather like we remain in pre-season. None of the races so far have been a straight measure of who's hot and who's not, either in Nico versus Lewis or indeed in Mercedes versus its presumptive challenger Ferrari.

A bigger gap between Mercedes and Ferrari?

A few things seem in Merc's favour this time too. One is that with race strategy options limited and pace within the race unlikely to vary much qualifying becomes even more important than usual, and here Merc tends to have its biggest advantage over Ferrari.

You can add to this that tyre warm up will likely be something to contend with in qualifying, and the Ferrari generally doesn't 'switch on' the tyres as quickly as the Mercedes. Plus come the race with degradation low Ferrari's ace card of better tyre longevity may not be in its hand this time. Intriguingly too Ferrari's chosen fewer sets of super-softs than all others aside from Manor.

But this is not the whole story. Reports suggest that the Scuderia will spend some tokens to bring an engine upgrade to Sochi. Plus there were hints in China that a red car might have been on the pole without driver errors, or at least very close to it. While as Rosberg and others keep pointing out, we haven't begun to see what Ferrari can really do this season.

As for the rest, Red Bull has looked a clear best of them so far, Daniel Ricciardo is in fine form (plus drove very well here last year) while as mentioned Kvyat has a home gig on the back of his podium run in China.

Of the others Williams has tended to go well here in the past, indeed Valtteri Bottas might have got the pole in 2014, and after a slightly underwhelming first few rounds the Grove team could do with a better time of it in this one. Same goes for Force India for whom Sergio Perez bagged third place here last time. Its chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer has insisted its own tepid results in 2016 have been a reflection of poor luck more than anything else.

And in this game even notorious F1 ugly ducklings can turn into very fine swans indeed. Heck, even Valencia gave us a classic eventually. Don't write off Sochi yet.

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Hamilton: I want to end career as successful as Rossi

Lewis Hamilton hopes he has the luxury of seeing out his career at the top of his game like Valentino Rossi, after admitting he has put a time frame on how long he plans to stick around in Formula 1.

Rossi is the oldest and most experienced rider on the MotoGP grid, but that has not resulted in any drop in form, having delivered pole position and victory in Jerez last weekend.

The Italian's ability to be so strong throughout the twilight years of his career has been noted by Hamilton, who has talked about wanting to find himself in a similarly peak position for years to come.

"Valentino is towards one of the older riders now, but he still has the ability to be at the top," said Hamilton, speaking ahead of last weekend's MotoGP event.

"He still has the ability to do so, and so I hope that I am in the similar position towards the end of my career."

Sticking around

Hamilton has shown no signs of being weary of F1 yet, but still thinks that he will call time on his career in the early 2020s.

When asked if he ever thinks about retirement, he said: "I do. Generally when I think about it, I have this three-year contract. I am hoping that I have another three or four years after that."

However, he is well aware of how hard it is to pick the right moment to walk away – and says that more success in the future would only likely encourage him to stay rather than provide the perfect opportunity to quit at the top.

"We all are greedy, we always want more," he said about the idea of quitting immediately after a world title. "You know that you have just won the championship, you still feel healthy, you still feel fit. Plus you know that next year is going to be the same year, it is just going to be good.

"So you don't want to stop and give it to the other guy. You want to stay in and get it again. So, I think it is a very hard thing to do and I am yet to know that I have the maturity and strength to walk away from something that I loved since five years old. Only time will tell."

No other role

Hamilton has made it clear that when he quits driving, there is unlikely to be any temptation to take another role within F1.

He does concede, however, that there may be some temptation to return to racing in another category – or even that when he hangs up his helmet he is never seen in racing circles again.

"I can only imagine that I will have withdrawal symptoms when I take a year off at the end and I will probably still want to race, but who knows?" he said. "It could be completely opposite. I might not, I might just disappear for life!

"I think the goal for any athlete that is on the top of the game…but it is hard to know…it is like gambling, you don't know when to leave the table.

"When you are up, you up and then just one more [roll] and then you are down and you leave, and it sucks. Leaving at the top would be exceptional. But you don't know when you have the opportunity to…I don't want to stop now when I am up."

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Analysis: How Williams have become Formula 1's pitstop kings

Williams may still have a fight on its hands to topple rivals on-track, but there is one area where the team is the class act in Formula 1 right now: pitstops.

For after what technical chief Pat Symonds called an 'embarrassing' failure in the tyre change department in recent years, the Williams crew has been the fastest in the pitlane at each race so far this season.

Its 2.35 seconds stop in Australia, and 2.32 seconds in Bahrain was improved to 2.10 seconds in China to deliver it a hat-trick of trophies for the DHL Fastest Pitstop Award.

While one brilliantly fast stop could be put down to luck, the fact that it has been consistently at the top shows that there has been a significant change that is now delivering hard results all the time.

And it is especially satisfying for the team, after the spate of problems that has marred its recent campaigns and left it throwing away good results through time lost in botched pitstops.

In fact, a slow stop at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix was cited by Felipe Massa as the reason he did not win that race.

Hidden progress

The dramatic transformation has not come from a new pitstop coach, a better fitness regime or a shuffling of staff: instead its down to a simple mechanical change on its car.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Symonds said: "If you remember, it was a real embarrassment last year.

"We had this problem with the sticking wheels, and actually we had to do a complete redesign of the hubs to get around it.

"And we took the opportunity to really analyse every part of it. It is really working well now."

Symonds claims that the issues with the sticking wheels last year actually disguised the progress the team had made in improving its pit crew.

"We had put up a lot of stuff in behind the scenes, we had our fitness trainer involved for example, so there were a lot of things going on that weren't showing because we had the mechanical problem with the cars. But now bang: we are hitting the low two-seconds."

Secret changes

Interestingly, Symonds will not reveal too much about what the key problem his team solved was, in case it helps rivals not go through the same learning pains.

But he dismisses the theory that it was down to the team using mismatched metal components that were expanding at a different rate – so did not fit as well when the car was 'hot' in races.

"No, it was something other than that," he said. "It was a design feature that could have been improved. It was quite subtle.

"And I'm really not going to say what it was because someone else will run in to it one day I think. I am sure they will in fact, because it was so subtle."

"But in solving the fundamental problem, we just put a broom through the whole thing. It is a very different design now with the whole hub, wheel nut, wheel. everything. Yes, it has really worked well."

Axle tweaks may hold answer

Williams, like the rest of the field, use a captive nut system. This means the nut remains within the wheel, rather than being a separate item that stays in the wheel gun between changes.

In the case of Williams, the nut engages with three threads on the axle. It is possible these threads may have had their roughness modified this year to reduce the chance of galling.

Williams identified the axle as one of the key areas where it can improve performance and, as such, the FW38's axle features several differences in shape, weight and material.

All of these are likely to have been examined to reduce thermal expansion – which is critical when you consider the temperatures the axle is exposed to by virtue of its

proximity to the braking system.

Although it turns out thermal expansion was not the root cause of Williams' sticking nut issues last season, it may well have been a subtlety that contributed to the situation.

Looking in detail at the design, the base of the axle is now more deeply tapered. This allows a suction gap between the axle and wheel during engagement and release.

Meanwhile, the end cap features several changes to both its shape and the number of crevices. This changes its aerodynamic profile, perhaps in keeping with any subtle tweaks made to the front wing aero structures and/or the design of the wheel.

It is worth noting that whilst over half the grid (Ferrari, Red Bull, Haas, Toro Rosso, Force India and McLaren) utilise a blown axle, Williams has opted not to – even though it did so in 2013.

The blown axle, which can be helpful in an aerodynamic respect, does make life more difficult in terms of handling the thermal aspects of the axle, upright and braking systems though.

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Ferrari fast-tracks new front wing for Russia

Ferrari has ramped up efforts to deliver a first Formula 1 victory of the season in Russia this weekend by bringing forward the introduction of a new front wing, alongside an upgraded engine.

With technical director James Allison back to work full-time following the death of his wife, the Maranello outfit is pushing hard to find the extra steps that can help it challenge Mercedes.

For this weekend in Russia, Motorsport.com has learned that Ferrari will introduce a new front wing for both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

It hopes that the step will help it fully exploit the potential of the SF-16H and allow it to make up for the world championship points it has lost through reliability problems.

Engine tweaks

As revealed last week, Ferrari has also decided to go ahead with combustion improvements to its engine – which will require it to spend three of its remaining development tokens.

The modifications should allow it to raise the compression ratio inside the cylinder – which will lead to increased exhaust gas flow that will help the turbo perform better.

The hope is that not only will the changes deliver an out-an-out improvement in horsepower, but they will also help improve the efficiency of the Energy Recovery System, which has been singled out as an area that needed to be made better.

The changes to the engine mean that while Raikkonen will move on to his second power unit, Vettel will be switched to the third of the five he is allowed to use this year.

While such a situation may seem extreme at only the fourth round of the season, Ferrari insiders are adamant that the rotation system means the team's form will not be compromised – as the older units will still perform well at venues like Monaco and Singapore where power is not so critical.

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Jenson Button's title-winning Brawn to return to action at Goodwood

The Brawn BGP 001 driven by Jenson Button to the world title in 2009 will return to action at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Chassis 002 was used by Button at every round of his title-winning campaign and has not turned a wheel since it was last used at the end of the season. The car is still owned by Button's team boss at the time, Ross Brawn, and will be driven up the Festival of Speed's famous hillclimb by Martin Brundle.

"I'm absolutely delighted that one of only three Brawn BGP 001s built is coming to the Festival of Speed," Ross Brawn said. "I've had chassis 002, which is the very car Jenson Button used throughout his world title-winning season in 2009, in my collection since that time and can't wait for it to turn a wheel under its own power for the first time since that incredible season.

"The car was stripped and rebuilt before I took it and has been rarely seen in public since then. Frazer Deane at D3 Racing Solutions is meticulously going over it in readiness for its run up the hill at the Festival and some of the mechanics who worked on the car in period are giving up their time to help run it at FoS.

"I can't think of a better place to show off the car than at Goodwood. The event is remarkable. I've been many times and love getting up close to such important competition cars. In F1 you get very close to your own car, but not to anyone else's! The public's enthusiasm for the history of motorsport is one of the reasons the event is such a success. It's superbly well run and a real history lesson."

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Red Bull F1 boss Horner: We can cause mischief to Ferrari

Christian Horner believes his Red Bull team is now right behind Formula 1 rival Ferrari and ready "to cause a bit of mischief" when it secures its engine upgrade.

Red Bull emerged as the surprise package of the last grand prix in China, with Daniil Kvyat third and Daniel Ricciardo qualifying second then leading before a tyre blowout - after which he recovered to fourth.

That has led rivals to tip Red Bull as a potential threat to champion team Mercedes.

"Mercedes - make no mistake - they're still a step ahead," said Horner.

"But we're snapping at the ankles of Ferrari.

"We know - hopefully - with what's in the pipeline, it should put us that bit closer."

Red Bull compromised its set-up in China to compensate for a straightline speed deficit in sector three, meaning its strong performance was achieved while light on downforce.

An upgrade for the team's TAG Heuer-badged Renault engines is due for the Canadian GP in June.

"Hopefully [in Canada] we can really start to cause a bit of mischief ahead of us," added Horner.

"Hopefully then we can run a more optimal set-up for the car, so there are some races that are going to suit us better than others.

"At a track like Shanghai we didn't expect to be competitive compared to the Williams, or certainly the Ferrari.

"But we turned up, qualified on the front row and came away with a podium after a really competitive race."

RICCIARDO HAPPIER WITH 2016 CAR

Ricciardo says this year's RB12 chassis is allowing him to attack again, having endured a lean 2015 following his breakthrough season and first three GP wins in '14.

"Our car this year compared to last year seems better, a bit better in traffic but also a better on the brakes," said Ricciardo.

"In 2014 it was good in traffic and on the brakes.

"I didn't think it was as good last year, at least the first part of the year.

"This year it seems like I can attack again. You can pick your line a little bit."

Asked if the car is good enough to win this year, the Australian said: "We are in a better position than in 2015 for that.

"The difference with '14 is that we were sort of a clear second for a majority of the time, but now we have got Ferrari in between us [and Mercedes].

"At this stage they are more likely to capitalise but we are much closer than last year.

"We are not quite in striking distance yet to capitalise, but probably come around Monaco/Montreal we should have a chance if something happens.

"There is a lot more potential in the car, definitely - we can race with it."

[MIKA27]

FERRARI BIG BOSS MARCHIONNE EARNS $170,000 PER DAY

The highest paid figure in the Formula 1 paddock is not a driver or even a team owner…

Publishing a list of Italy’s highest paid managers, La Repubblica reports that Sergio Marchionne, the Ferrari and Fiat president, made an incredible EUR 54.5 million in 2015 which amounts to over $60 million, or nearly $170,000 per day for his efforts.

Marchionne fills the official roles as CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and FCA Italy S.p.A, Chairman of Ferrari, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, Chairman of Fiat Industrial S.p.A, Chairman of CNH,

Chairman of Swiss-based Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS).

The report said the bulk of Marchionne’s income was not his salaries as CEO and presidents of the various concerns, but rather lucrative bonuses as rewards for strong budgetary outcomes at the various companies for whom he works.

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INDIA ASKS BRITAIN TO DEPORT MALLYA

Indian government said on it had asked Britain to deport Vijay Mallya – the self styled King of Good Times – and liquor tycoon who flew to London last month as bankers pressed him to repay about $1.4 billion owed by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The Ministry of External Affairs has written to the British High Commission seeking Mallya’s return so that “his presence can be secured for investigations against him” under India’s anti-moneylaundering law, spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters.

The liquor tycoon and Formula 1 boss has not disclosed his whereabouts since flying first class from Delhi to London on March 2, leaving the Indian government and bankers red faced as they try to crack down on high-profile defaulters.

The foreign ministry last Sunday revoked Mallya’s diplomatic passport that he carried as a member of parliament’s upper house. The move was a step towards launching a bid to bring home Mallya, who is the subject of a non-bailable warrant issued by a special judge in Mumbai.

The Enforcement Directorate, a government agency set up to fight financial crime, has accused Mallya’s UB Group of using 4.3 billion rupees ($64.5 million) of bank loans to Kingfisher to buy property overseas.

Creditors, led by State Bank of India, have rejected an offer of partial repayment by Mallya, who had given a personal guarantee for the Kingfisher loan. They have demanded that the former billionaire attend a hearing in India’s Supreme Court.

Mallya, traced by Indian reporters to a country residence in Hertfordshire, has said he would comply with the law.

The British Home Office, which adjudicates in such cases, declined to comment. A spokesman said its policy was neither to confirm nor deny that extradition requests have been made.

MIKA: Why is corruption so prolific in India?

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SOCHI TRACK MODIFICATIONS AFTER SAINZ 2015 CRASH

Race organisers have made changes to the Sochi circuit in the wake of Carlos Sainz’s huge crash a year ago.

Recalling his 2015 practice crash in which the Spaniard’s Toro Rosso was buried deep beneath Tec-Pro barriers before he was airlifted to hospital, the 21-year-old said this week: “I’d say (it was) the biggest crash of my career so far.”

F1’s governing FIA has confirmed that, ahead of the 2016 Russian grand prix, the run-off just ahead of the Tec-Pro barriers at turn 13 “have been laid with asphalt”.

The FIA also said the “guardrail straight on at T13 has been replaced by wall blocks”.

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Red Bull fits its RB12 with a canopy for FP1 installation run

Red Bull will complete an installation lap on Friday with a canopy attached to its RB12, to give its driver Daniel Ricciardo a chance to see what visibility is like with the 'Halo' alternative.

As reported last week, the FIA gave Red Bull the green-light to trial the protoype solution as it seeks to introduce greater head protection for the 2017 season.

Currently the Mercedes designed 'Halo' is the leading design and was tested by Ferrari during pre-season testing. However it didn't garner much favour with fans and some drivers including reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton lauded it as "the worst modification ever".

Red Bull's design is much more aesthetically pleasing and resembles an open-top jet-fighter canopy. It underwent structural analysis last Friday with various tests conducted by the FIA to check its suitability.

MIKA: Looks better than the Halo yes but looking at Daniel, it seems like it's awfully difficult to get out of the car.

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European races will show McLaren's true pace - Jenson Button

Jenson Button is looking forward to the European leg of the season, believing it will give McLaren the opportunity to show its true pace and the improvement the team has made since the same point last year.

Whilst Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button finished in similar positions in China as they did in 2015 (12th and 14th respectively), four cars ahead of them retired during the race, whereas this year every car finished the race, which Button reckons masked their improvement.

"I think the last race, if you look at it – it’s very difficult for a driver, because you come home 12th and 13th and it’s not where you want to be – but if you look at it compared to last year, every car finished in China," he said on Thursday.

"So it’s a big step forward to last year in China. In terms of where I think we are, yeah, our qualifying pace has been reasonable but I still don’t think we have shown our true potential in qualifying either. We have been close to Q3."

With straight-line speed still an issue, Button is looking forward to racing at tracks which don't feature such long straights coupled with various upgrades which will arrive for the European races.

"Circuits like this [sochi] don’t really help us either, but I think when we get back to Europe it should be easier to show our pace in qualifying and hopefully in the race.

"We're moving forward but you always want more. Formula 1 is so competitive right now.

"For us I feel that having something new coming every race, aerodynamically and also with the power unit, it’s moving in the right direction, but we always want more."

[MIKA27]

Vettel: Ferrari not concerned by less than expected start to season

Sebastian Vettel admits he is feeling the pressure to deliver for Ferrari in 2016, but he and the team aren't overly concerned by their failure to win a race in the opening three races of the season.

The Italian team headed into the year full of confidence, proclaiming they would fight hard against Mercedes to deliver a much closer title battle, and although things looked up at the first race in Australia, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg has gone on to win all three races, opening up a 53-point lead between the two teams.

Despite that, Vettel remains confident, believing they have closed the gap and are in a better positions than 12 months ago.

"We didn’t have the first three races that we were looking for, but I think we are in a better position than last year," he said.

"Usually, when you finish second the year before in the Championship overall, you want to be the best team next year. We said many times we are happy with the car, we are on the right track. We are not overly concerned.

Vettel is looking for a cleaner, more straight-forward race weekend to prove just how close Ferrari are to Mercedes and to put the problems he's experienced in the opening races behind him.

"It is natural to have a sense of pressure, especially from myself. There have been races where I was very happy for what I’ve done and there have been occasions in which I know I didn’t do my best, but that’s how it is.

"I think it’s about putting things together and things coming together as well. For sure we are not sitting here waiting to have a lucky race. We are working very hard and we want to make progresses.

"The race is on Sunday and there’s always a chance. So, for now we have to focus on Friday and then go from there. Honestly, I think about how I feel with the car and our feeling is good. We look at ourselves and not too much at the others."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton: 'Half-arsed Red Bull canopy looks like a riot shield'

Lewis Hamilton has compared Red Bull's canopy - or aeroscreen - to a riot shield and believes it is a "half-arsed" attempt at head protection.

Red Bull debuted its alternative to the Halo on Thursday in the Sochi paddock and is set to trial it on-track for the first time on Friday. It believes its solution offers better protection than the proposed Halo and is more aesthetically pleasing too.

Hamilton doesn't agree and believes if the canopy is the preferred solution, then they should go with a fully-enclosed cockpit.

"I don't really have too many thoughts on it," he said when shown a picture, "I like the way it is.

"When I get in my car I know that there is a danger, that's been the same since I started when I was eight years old and that's the risk that I am willing to take and that's the risk that every single driver who has ever been in the car has been willing to take," he is quoted by ESPN.

"It [safety] has come along so far over the years which is amazing, we haven't really seen deaths and I mean, if they are going to do this, close the cockpit like a fighter jet, don't half-arse it. That screen looks like something from a, I mean jeez, it looks so bad. It looks like a bloody shield from the policeman, the riot shields, it's like a bloody riot shield."

Hamilton believes danger is part of the sport and says the cars must continue to look "sexy" because that's one of the reasons children start watching.

"You've got this cool, elegant, futuristic Formula 1 car and you've got a crappy riot shield sat on top of it, nah.

"It [safety] is a constant thing that always needs to be worked on but as long as it doesn't affect the aesthetics and the style and the coolness of F1, because the reason you look as a kid, you look at F1 [and think] 'wow, these guys, they are crazy. They could die at any moment.'"

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F1 has nothing to fear over 2017 rules - Alonso

Fernando Alonso says Formula 1 should have nothing to fear about overtaking being harder with 2017 cars, because history has shown that some of the greatest races were delivered when it was hard to pass.

With F1's 2017 aerodynamic regulations having been signed off without changes following the latest team meetings this week, several drivers have voiced concerns about the new cars.

They fear that the higher downforce machinery will make it harder to follow other cars, which will in turn making overtaking much more difficult.

But in a week when F1 has been reflecting on the thrilling 2005 and 2006 San Marino Grands Prix, Alonso believes that the sport should not view it as completely negative if overtaking is not easy.

When asked by Motorsport.com about his views on the 2017 regulations, Alonso said: "I think it is going in the right direction. We need to make the cars faster and the show better.

"We have been remembering for the last week the race in Imola 2005 with Michael [schumacher] and me, and then in 2006 with the opposite result. But they were very interesting races.

"There were three or four overtakings in the whole race and it was considered one of the best shows. So I don't think that we need to put that attention on the overtaking and following cars like that – before it was as difficult as it is now, or even more – and the races were great.

"We just need the fastest cars to produce a good show. We need to put some noise in the cars and we need to put some good battles, and the big names fighting for the championship. That will improve the show."

False passing

After a Chinese Grand Prix that witnessed around 150 overtaking moves, Alonso thinks the sport has to be careful in not making passing too easy.

"China is an extreme case because the race was very confused because of the strategies and the safety car, everything, it was mixed," he said.

"But definitely nowadays it is very possible that the car that is running 16th or 17th can overtake a Mercedes out of the pit lane with new tyres. You overtake them and you pull away. That is difficult to explain to the people in front of the television.

"The overtakings are not probably as real as they were before. You don't need to be inspired by something to do an overtaking or choose the right moment or the right place. If it is not this corner you wait another corner and you will pass because they are five seconds slower."

He added: "It is a constant need of creating news or changing F1 to improve and sometimes, as it is now, it is a little bit too artificial and too slow.

"We are running quite good lap times in qualifying for one lap, and obviously this year we are using the super soft tyres and the full battery available, and the cars are quite efficient now.

"But in the race we are running nine seconds slower because you put the fuel and the tyres are not anymore so grippy, and those timed laps are not acceptable for an F1 car."

Hamilton hopes he is wrong

But not all drivers share Alonso's views that the changes next year will be positive.

World champion Lewis Hamilton has said that his fears the new rules will make the racing worse have not changed, but said he hopes ultimately he is wrong.

"I have to be careful what I say, but it is not great," he said. "We will do the best job we can with it.

"I know my guys will do an exceptional job with the rule as it is, but we can't really change anything. If we change something but we know it is not going to make a difference….

"Let's hope that we are wrong those of us – the engineers who know what is going to happen, just like they knew with the rules of qualifying.

"I hope we prove them wrong – because we are stuck in that period for three years and for the fans it doesn't get any better. But those guys made the decision and we will live with it."

[MIKA27]

Magnussen shrugs off FP1 absence

Kevin Magnussen insists that he is not going to let missing Friday's FP1 session at the Russian Grand Prix become an issue, but maintains that he would rather have as much time in the cockpit as possible.

The Dane has been asked to make way for Russia's Sergey Sirotkin in the opening session of round four of the 2016 season, with the GP2 frontrunner getting to make his F1 debut in front of his home fans at Sochi Autodrom, but, after having to sit out much of day one in China because of mechanical problems, his absence is another blow to the development of the troubled RS16.

“I am not going to comment on the timing, or whether it is right or wrong,” Magnussen shrugged, “It is a step in the right direction if I get to practice, as it is more than I have had. I prefer to get maximum time in the car, but I don't think it is going to be too big of a problem.

“[The track] evolves a lot from FP1 to FP2, and even during FP1, so FP1 is always assessing and doing aerodynamic runs, and it is not that important. [Missing out] just puts more focus on FP2 and FP3 really, because P1 is more about setting up the car and doing aero runs and so on. So it is okay really, it does not make a massive difference. In FP2, I'm going to spend more laps trying to get back into the circuit than if I had had FP1, but we are not on the supersoft in FP1 anyway, and the supersoft is what we are going to qualify on, so it is okay.”

Team-mate Jolyon Palmer was a beneficiary of drivers missing sessions in 2015, as his reserve role mandated that, in the main, Romain Grosjean stepped aside on Friday mornings to give the Briton development time behind the wheel. Palmer has intimated that both Renault drivers will take turns to sit and watch as the team's various reserves a run this season.

“For the third driver, it is really good,” Magnussen agreed, “If the third driver thing is going to work, you have to give him seat time, time in the car, but, for myself, not driving at all last year, [getting] no laps is not ideal.”

Without a point on the board, Renault languishes alongside Manor and Sauber at the foot of the constructors' table, and Magnussen is keen to kick-start the season as soon as possible.

“I wouldn't say I am really desperate at the moment, and anyway it is not like we're fighting for wins or podiums at the moment, but it would be nice to score points,” he admitted, “It is not nice seeing a zero on the scoreboard, so it would be nice to have some points in front of Renault - and we will get it sooner or later.

“We knew it was going to be a tough start to the season, and it has been. We have been close to points into races, and then, in the last race, we were far from points. We just have to look forward to the stuff that is coming later on in the season, and also next year and the year after...”

[MIKA27]

Russian GP: Button: We’re not muppets...

Jenson Button reckons that this weekend's Russian Grand Prix can differ from previous versions following its date change, but admits that he is not expecting the amount of overtaking seen two weeks ago in China.

The first two races at Sochi Autodrom, both won by Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, were largely based around a single stop for tyres, but Button believes that the switch from October to April will have an impact on strategy – and that, in turn, could allow for more overtaking, albeit not on the same scale as the 150+ passes seen at Shanghai International Circuit a fortnight ago.

Six months ago, the Briton's McLaren team-mate, Fernando Alonso, managed to stretch a set of the Pirelli supersoft tyres to fully 40 of the race's 53 laps but, despite the red-ringed rubber again being on offer to driver this weekend, Button does not believe that will be a workable strategy.

“None of us are muppets here, we know what the race is going to throw at us!” he smiled, “It's not going to be like last year - with the time of the year and the circuit temperature, it's 20°C hotter than last year, so it's not going to be as easy to do a one stop, I don't think.

“It's going to mix it up, which is great. I don't think every race is going to be like Shanghai - I wish it was, but I don't think it will be, but I still think this race will be an interesting race.”

McLaren remains last of the teams to have scored in the three races so far this season – ironically, its single point came courtesy of Alonso replacement Stoffel Vandoorne in Bahrain – and Button admits that the Woking team, and engine partner Honda, still have work to do to catch up with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes.

“It's very difficult to know what 'nearly' means,” he confessed when it was put to him that Honda thinks its powerplant is 'nearly there', “I think we're very happy with the way the deployment is this year, compared to last year. We're a lot closer to the other manufacturers, which is great, but, in terms of outright power, I don't know. I don't think anyone really knows, but we know there is still a lot of work to do and that's the aim.

“I think the last race, [was] very difficult for a driver, because you come home twelfth and 13th and it's not where you want to be – but, if you look at it compared to last year, every car finished in China, so it's a big step forward to last year there.

“In terms of where I think we are, yeah, our qualifying pace has been reasonable, but I still don't think we have shown our true potential in qualifying either. We have been close to Q3, but circuits like this don't really help us either. I think, when we get back to Europe, it should be easier to show our pace in qualifying – and, hopefully, in the race.

“It's moving forward, but you always want more, you always want more [as] F1 is so competitive right now. For us, I feel that having something new coming every race - both aerodynamically and also with the power unit - it's moving in the right direction, but we always want more. I think when we start scoring points on a regular basis, we'll be a lot happier - but that hasn't happened.”

[MIKA27]

F1 AGREES CHEAPER POWER UNITS FOR 2017 AND BEYOND

Formula 1 announced a deal with the sport’s four engine manufacturers on Friday to reduce prices over three years from 2017, ensure all teams are supplied and reduce performance gaps.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that the agreement had been approved by its World Motor Sport Council and would now be written into the regulations.

As part of the agreement, thrashed out over months, the FIA committed to stable power unit regulations until 2020 — something the manufacturers needed to make the engines more affordable.

Research into “improving the sound”, which means cranking up the volume to appease fans yearning for the old ear-splitting V8 wail, was under way with the aim of implementation by 2018 at the latest.

The 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid power units, made up of six main parts including the internal combustion engine and energy recovery systems, were introduced in 2014.

While far more fuel efficient, and technologically relevant to road car production, than ageing V8 engines, the new units have also been considerably more expensive.

A customer supply can cost well in excess of 20 million euros ($22.89 million), depending on the manufacturer, whereas FIA president Jean Todt has said 12 million would be an acceptable amount.

The FIA had threatened to introduce an independent power unit supplier if a deal could not be reached.

It said the new agreement would reduce the cost by one million euros in 2017 compared to 2016 prices. From 2018, the price would drop by a further three million euros.

“Cost reduction on power units will be driven by changes to the sporting and technical regulations in 2017 and 2018, with a progressive reduction of the number of power unit elements per driver per season,” the FIA said.

Drivers are currently allowed five units per season, with penalties applied if they exceed their allocation.

The FIA said there would be an obligation to supply all teams, a bone of contention last year when Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda all ruled out providing engines to rivals Red Bull after that team fell out with Renault.

Red Bull are now using Renault units with TAG-Heuer branding.

Measures to reduce the performance gap, with Mercedes dominant since 2014 and newest arrivals Honda still some way off the pace, would include the removal of a system of ‘tokens’ limiting development during the season.

FIA Statement

The FIA is pleased to announce that, following extensive work done in conjunction with the four Power Unit manufacturers involved in the FIA Formula One World Championship, and with the support of the Commercial Rights Holder, a global agreement on power units has been reached for the 2017-2020 period

The agreement has been approved by all levels of the F1 governance structure, including the World Motor Sport Council, and will now be included as Technical and Sporting regulations for the 2017 and 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship.

The global agreement on power units covers four key areas relating to the cost and supply price, obligation to supply, performance convergence and the sound of the power units.

As part of the power unit agreement, adherence to the measures outlined below will see the FIA commit to supporting power unit regulations stability and the maintaining of the current Formula One governance structure for the 2017-2020 period.

Cost

• Agreement has been reached on a significant reduction in the price of power unit supply to customer teams and a reduction in cost to manufacturers over the coming years.
• In 2017 the power unit price for customer teams will be reduced by €1m per season compared to 2016.
• From 2018, the annual supply price will be reduced by a further €3m.
• Cost reduction on power units will be driven by changes to the Sporting and Technical regulations in 2017 and 2018, with a progressive reduction of the number of power unit elements per driver per season.

Supply

• Supply of power units to customer teams will be ensured, as the homologation procedure will include an “obligation to supply” that will be activated in the event of a team facing an absence of supply.

Performance Convergence

• The new agreement includes a package of measures aimed at achieving performance convergence.
• The token system is to be removed from 2017
• Additionally, constraints on power unit part weights, dimensions and materials, and on boost pressure will be introduced in 2017 and in 2018.

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VETTEL GETS FIVE-PLACE GRID PENALTY FOR GEARBOX CHANGE

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel will take a five-place grid penalty for the Russian Grand Prix after switching to a new gearbox for the remainder of the weekend.

Vettel’s grid penalty coincides with him stopping on track half-way through FP2 at Sochi Autodrom, however a Ferrari spokesman confirmed the gearbox was not damaged in the incident.

The gearbox change is a direct result of Vettel’s first-corner collision with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen at the last race in China.

As Vettel finished the race in Shanghai, but his gearbox had to be changed before the required six consecutive events. Thus he will be moved down five grid places from wherever he qualifies.

Speaking at the end of day one in Sochi, Vettel said, “Looks like we had an electric problem, but I am sure we can fix it. Still, it is a shame, because now we are lacking some laps, especially in the long runs on race trims, which would have allowed us to see how competitive we are.”

“I think the car was getting better though and I felt happier as the day continued, it’s true that for the race we are lacking a bit of information, but we will see [saturday] morning, when we have another practice session,” he added.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton also changes his gearbox, though he avoids a penalty as he replaced his unit for a spare in China and is thus permitted to take a new one.