Latest F1 news in brief

Ross Brawn to reveal budget caps and more

Brawn to reveal Liberty plans in first half of 2018
Honda 'perfect' at Toro Rosso so far – Hartley
Boullier wants McLaren win in 2018
Steiner plays down hopes for Bahrain testing
Bottas not planning Hamilton 'mind games'
Australian Grand Prix hoping for earlier start

Brawn to reveal Liberty plans in first half of 2018
(GMM) F1 teams can survive and thrive with half of their current budgets.

That is the claim of F1 sporting boss Ross Brawn, who according to Auto Motor und Sport is planning to present the teams with Liberty Media's plans for the future within the first half of this season.

"We could have a fascinating sport with highly complex cars for less than half the money spent today at the top. And no one would notice," he said.

Some argue that it could mean F1 teams run less 'perfect' operations, but Brawn thinks this would actually be a good thing.

"Perfection and predictability kill the entertainment and the sport suffers," he said.

"The fact that hardly any cars retire during a race is a great technical feat," Brawn added, "but unfortunately it does not tell any stories.

"What a heartbreaking scene it used to be when a car stopped in the final laps."

It is believed Liberty is hoping to introduce a budget cap.

Brawn said: "We have a number in mind, but I cannot tell you. It would be unfair because we're still in discussions with the teams."

Those discussions so far have caused Ferrari to issue a direct F1 quit threat.

And ousted F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne should be taken seriously.

"Sergio does not do things unless he is serious," he said.

And so the next explosive step in the story could be set to happen, with Brawn planning to reveal Liberty's post-2020 plans in "the first half of this year".

"We want the races to be more entertaining and formula one to be economically viable for all ten to 12 healthy teams.

"And we need cars with which the driver can show his talent. The majority of the fans are fascinated above all else by the drivers," he said.

Honda 'perfect' at Toro Rosso so far – Hartley

Brendon Hartley elated with Honda so far

(GMM) Brendon Hartley says there is no sign of the sort of three-year horror that McLaren endured with Honda so far in 2018.

With McLaren and Honda divorcing, the Japanese supplier has now switched to Toro Rosso, and everything so far is apparently hunky dory.

Team boss Franz Tost told Speed Week: "First of all, Honda was not as bad as everyone said last year.

"On top of that, they worked very hard over the winter."

New Zealand driver Hartley agrees: "Everything has been perfect.

"We're very happy to have Honda's support," he told El Mundo Deportivo.

"Performance has been very good so far. We are very optimistic about the engine and the reliability.

"There are still some updates on the way, but above all we are focused on reliability and until now everything is fine," he added.

In fact, it is McLaren – having switched to Renault – that has struggled so far for mileage in Barcelona.

Hartley said: "The engine we have is better than the one we had from Renault last year.

"Being the only team getting engines straight from a manufacturer is a great opportunity for Toro Rosso," he explained.

Finally, Hartley – a two-time world sports car champion – was asked about Fernando Alonso's foray into the world of Le Mans.

"I think he has a great chance to win," he said.

"Although to tell you the truth, there are several LMP1 teams now and they're all growing very quickly, so everything could be very close."

Boullier wants McLaren win in 2018

Eric Boullier

(GMM) Eric Boullier says he would not be satisfied if McLaren merely returns to the podium in 2018.

2015-2017 was a Honda-powered nightmare for the British team, but hopes are higher following the switch to customer Renault engines.

However, McLaren has had early troubles in Barcelona testing, and Renault has begun the new year saying reliability rather than performance is the priority.

"Well I can understand Renault," team boss Boullier told AS newspaper.

"They had a difficult end of the year last year, so they had to work on reliability maybe more than Ferrari or Mercedes."

However, the Frenchman said McLaren is "happy" with Renault so far, especially in contrast to the working relationship with Honda.

"Yes, it's more linear, more agile, more collaborative," he said.

"We are as prepared as we can be. That is why we are here testing, to try to clarify the last details. We have a couple of things to correct, modify and change, but it's the same for everyone," he added.

As for targeting race wins, however, Boullier said he would "not comment" on whether that's the internal goal.

"We do not know yet. We have to wait a bit," he said.

"It's too early. Look at what we have with the weather here," he said amid the freezing Barcelona snow.

"When we know more about where we are, then we can start to think about who we are going to race against, but of course as we have the same engine, our reference is in some ways Red Bull."

So when asked if a podium or two will make him happy at the end of the year, Boullier answered: "No."

What about a win? "I don't know," he added. "I don't want to give any expectations. We don't know yet, so we wait.

"For sure I want to win. Nothing else. But if you want to win, you always have to give the right expectations that will lead you to build the right goals and not make mistakes.

"So I want to win, we want to win, McLaren needs to win. That's what we are. But first let's see where the others are. Our first goals are to try to fight Red Bull and Renault, and then we'll see."

Steiner plays down hopes for Bahrain testing

Gunther Steiner watching the snow in Barcelona

(GMM) Gunther Steiner has played down hopes F1 might head to Bahrain for winter testing next year.

With uncharacteristic snow falling in Barcelona, the ten teams failed to agree unanimously to extend this week's first test.

"It's hard to imagine two of us agreeing, let alone ten," said Steiner, the Haas team boss.

Many paddock figures think that trying to do all the winter testing in Europe is a mistake.

"Even in good weather it can be pointless," said Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost. "It's so difficult to bring these tires up to temperature.

"For years I've been trying to get us to test in Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, but unfortunately not everyone shares my opinion," he told Speed Week.

"Maybe they'll change their minds now."

The big hurdle to Bahrain testing seems to be costs, but Steiner said logistics are also an issue for the European-based teams.

"You have no idea how many new parts we get each day. It's unbelievable," he said.

"From England or Italy you put the parts in a van, drive eight hours and it's here. We have people driving back and forth all the time.

"If we go to Bahrain, only some teams can be organizing private flights to deliver the new parts," Steiner added.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner disagrees with the anti-American.

Horner, believed it was time lost they could ill afford. “Sitting here in the snow? Well, anywhere would be better," he said. “We came here for cost reasons. It’s cheaper than flying all the kit and people out to Bahrain but it actually ends up costing you money by not running in terms of the lack of development and opportunities to fix faults.

“If there is an opportunity to go to a warmer climate next year then we would take it. It’s a trade-off in terms of the lack of running we have had this week and therefore the ability to fix problems that might bite you in the arse come race one, two and three. There are only eight days – it is such a premium. Four days per driver and we are down to three and a half each now. There is no other sport where you would have so few days of practice before going into a major tournament."

Bottas not planning Hamilton 'mind games'

Nice guy Valtteri Bottas

(GMM) Valtteri Bottas says he will focus on his driving rather than "psychological games" in order to beat Lewis Hamilton in 2018.

The Finn joined Mercedes at the eleventh hour prior to last season, and although he secured a new deal for 2018, Bottas was clearly outpaced by champion Hamilton.

Now, his quest is to secure yet another new deal, for 2019.

"Mercedes has been the best team for years now," Bottas said in Barcelona. "Everyone wants my cockpit. I just have to make the most of every opportunity."

Team boss Toto Wolff has said he will not start to think about the occupant of the second car for 2019 until the summer, but Bottas said he is confident he can stake a claim.

"Last year, sometimes I had to drive setups that were not to my liking," he said.

"This year it's different and hopefully it will be easier for me to drive it.

"I've been able to get involved in the development of the new car and I know the team very well. That's why my goal is clear.

"I want to drive on a higher level, I want to have a say in the victory at every grand prix, I want to be world champion," Bottas added.

He acknowledges that it will involve going "wheel to wheel" with quadruple world champion Hamilton more often, just as Nico Rosberg had to do in 2016.

But Bottas insisted: "I do not have to change my approach in that way.

"I'm not a fan of psychological games. It's not my style. I do not want to pay much attention to what Lewis is doing and what his weaknesses may be. I want to focus on myself.

"And if I achieve everything that I expect from my myself, I will be strong."

Australian Grand Prix hoping for earlier start

Australian GP to probably move a week earlier in 2019

The Australian Grand Prix could be held a week earlier next year in a bid to avoid the opening of the AFL season.

This year's twilight Albert Park Grand Prix from March 22-25 will again clash with round one of the football season, with even a late afternoon blockbuster between Geelong and Melbourne at the MCG to be held on the Sunday the world's best race drivers open their campaign.

The AFL Women's grand final and even the Sheffield Shield final could also be held in Melbourne that weekend.

While there can be cross-over benefits with supporters in town for the AFL, Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) chief Andrew Westacott has revealed to Fairfax Media he has had discussions with Formula One to stage next year's season opener a week earlier.

He said Formula One chiefs, led by powerbroker Chase Carey, were "open" to the move to March 17 but there were other scheduling issues to be taken into consideration.