Latest F1 news in brief

Liberty laughs at how little NBC Sports pays for the USA TV rights

Liberty scoffs at F1 TV deal in US
Former F1 driver Sala doubts Alonso will quit
Massa defends teenage Stroll after crashes
Massa unsure when Lowe to join Williams
Wehrlein gets green light for Sauber return
Rosberg trainer starts work with billionaire's son
Red Bull could pass Mercedes, Ferrari – Sirotkin
Toro Rosso still open to engine name change

Liberty scoffs at F1 TV deal in US
(GMM) Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei has scoffed at the amount paid for F1's television rights by the American broadcaster NBC.

Headed by US media tycoon John Malone, Liberty has talked about expanding F1 within America and borrowing from the successes of popular US sports events like the Super Bowl.

But chief executive Maffei scoffed at the reported $3 million paid by NBC to televise the races.

"The US is, you know, it's a popcorn fart," Maffei is quoted in Forbes by F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.

"The opportunity is good, certainly in percentage terms, not in absolute dollar terms. It is very low."

Sylt said NBC's contract runs out at the end of 2017, with Maffei admitting there is scope to see the value of the deal increase.

"We are going to do far better on those renewals to the degree a couple of things happen. First, we have passion, viewership etc and two, the extent there's competition," he said.

Alonso won't quit until a teammate beats him

Former F1 driver Sala doubts Alonso will quit
(GMM) Former F1 driver Luis Perez Sala doubts Fernando Alonso will quit the sport at the end of this year.

Currently languishing at the uncompetitive McLaren-Honda project, Spaniard Alonso, 35, has indicated that unless the much faster cars this year deliver more fun for the drivers, he may switch to Le Mans for 2018.

Even McLaren boss Eric Boullier admitted this week that he is not sure if Alonso will stay beyond 2017.

But Sala, a Minardi driver at the end of the 80s, said: "I'm sure this will not be his last year.

"I think the races will be good and we'll see what happens as he comes out of contract with McLaren and what opportunities there are," the 57-year-old, who was also a boss at the now-defunct HRT team, is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo.

Some are worried that, at the age of 35, a third consecutive year with the uncompetitive McLaren-Honda project could signal the end of Alonso's hopes of ever winning a third title.

But fellow Spaniard Sala insisted: "He still has time. He still has a long way to go in formula one and I am convinced he can win the title again.

"His team is not highlighting his talent for now and it's frustrating, but he wears it with great dignity whilst trying not to damage McLaren's image."

Massa defends teenage Stroll after crashes

Lance 'crash' Stroll - his father has plenty of money to pay for his crash damage

Lance Stroll – his father has plenty of money to pay for his crash damage

(GMM) Felipe Massa has jumped to the defense of his new young F1 teammate, teenager Lance Stroll.

Canadian Stroll, 18, made not one but three significant mistakes in Barcelona last week, the last crash damaging the chassis and ending Williams' run a day early.

But even though Stroll has denied that Massa, 35, is effectively his "mentor", the Brazilian veteran defended the youngster amid criticism.

"It would be worse if we were not running because of problems with our car," Massa told Globo as he sat out the end of last week's test due to Stroll's crash.

He said Stroll crashing due to inexperience is "absolutely part of the game".

"Everyone should calm down, as this was his first experience of the car. The boy is only 18 years old. I've also been 18, I've been through it," he said.

Massa actually made his F1 debut at the age of 21, as at the age of 18 he was still in Brazil's Formula Chevrolet category.

Almost two decades later, Massa is an elder statesman in F1, and assessing the potential pecking order of the 2017 season.

"At the moment, the impression I have is that after Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull we are there, although Renault has grown a lot," he said.

Massa said Ferrari's closeness to Mercedes is a "positive surprise", and agreed with those who think Red Bull was clearly the third force last week.

"I did not see anything very different in their car, as we had imagined, but it's early of course. Let's see what they bring now," he added.

As for McLaren-Honda's situation, Massa said he sympathizes with his former Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso.

"Again they have started with difficulties," he said. "I can imagine how Fernando is feeling, it's not easy — I know him well."

Massa unsure when Lowe to join Williams

Felipe Massa

(GMM) Felipe Massa has admitted that former Mercedes chief Paddy Lowe is heading to Williams.

Actually, Lowe's move is an open paddock secret, but it has not been officially announced by the team amid reports his actual role and potential team shareholding has not been fully agreed.

Williams driver Massa told Brazil's Globo: "I don't know when he will start work. I thought it would be March 1, but I haven't seen him yet.

"What I can say is that he will be very important for the team," he added.

Wehrlein gets green light for Sauber return

Pascal Wehrlein

(GMM) Pascal Wehrlein has been given the green light to return to action with Sauber this week.

Having switched to the Swiss team from Manor, the Mercedes junior had to sit out the first test in Barcelona last week with a back injury sustained at the race of champions event.

"The problem was that I hit the tec-pro barrier with my helmet," the German is quoted by Bild newspaper.

But Wehrlein was able to continue a modified fitness program as he was replaced in Barcelona by the Ferrari junior Antonio Giovinazzi.

However, it is believed that if Wehrlein's convalescence had continued, Sauber may need to have turned to Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc for a longer-term solution, with Giovinazzi needed by the works team as Ferrari reserve.

But on Monday, 22-year-old Wehrlein announced on Twitter: "Green light for tomorrow! Can't wait to be on track!"

Sauber confirmed the news, saying its new team driver will be in action in the Ferrari-powered car as the final Barcelona test begins on Tuesday.

Rosberg trainer starts work with billionaire's son

Stroll gets new trainer

(GMM) Retired world champion Nico Rosberg's trainer has found a new driver to work with.

After Rosberg's shock decision to quit F1, Daniel Schlosser admitted he was not sure what his next move would be.

But Bild newspaper now reports that the 40-year-old is linking up with Nikita Mazepin, an 18-year-old Russian junior driver and Force India tester.

"I am looking forward to the new task," Schlosser said.

"Nikita is also a test driver at Force India, but I don't know yet whether he will get practice sessions this year and whether I will be back in the paddock."

Explaining how the deal came about, Schlosser said: "I was contacted by his management as they want to professionalize the environment around him this year and saw that the coach of the current world champion was available.

"They made me an offer that was interesting to me," he added.

Bild said Mazepin's father Dmitri Mazepin heads a chemical company and is a billionaire.

Red Bull could pass Mercedes, Ferrari – Sirotkin

Sergey Sirotkin

(GMM) Red Bull cannot be written off after just one test.

That is the view of Renault reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin, who was summarizing the potential 2017 pecking-order in conversation with Russia's Championat.

"We don't know the details, but from the first test Ferrari looked to be in equal first place with Mercedes, which for me was very surprising," he said.

"The Red Bull had difficulties, some technical issues, but I think in any case they will be right behind the two leaders and then maybe catch up and even pass them," the Russian added.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso agrees, saying that Red Bull showed "nothing" in terms of great performance in Barcelona last week.

"But it's always like that," he is quoted by the Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport Totaal. "I think they will bring a car to Australia that looks nothing like what they have now."

And even Red Bull's own Daniel Ricciardo said F1 should expect a step forward for the energy drink-owned team this week in Barcelona.

"We were working on reliability and the tires. The times were simply not representative," he was quoted by the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

"In the coming week we will get a clearer picture as the teams will all have developments on the cars. And I think the (engine) power will also be turned up a bit," the Australian smiled.

Meanwhile, Sirotkin said he thinks Renault will take a big step forward in 2017, having not performed strongly last year.

"It is 100 per cent that Renault has made a step forward," he said. "Last year it was unreal to talk about fighting against Force India and Williams, but we are now in the same group.

"We will see how things really are in Melbourne," Sirotkin added.

Toro Rosso still open to engine name change
(GMM) Toro Rosso is still open to the idea of changing the official name of its engine before the start of the 2017 season.

After the acrimonious semi-works relationship between Red Bull and Renault ended, Red Bull stayed with the French supplier for 2016 but sold the naming rights of the power unit to watch sponsor Tag-Heuer.

Now, as the junior team Toro Rosso also switches to Renault power, the Italian outfit is looking to follow suit with a similar rebranding deal.

On the final 2017 entry list released by the FIA, every detail was confirmed except the engine name for Toro Rosso, whose Renault power unit was listed as 'TBC' (to be confirmed).

"Some companies are interested in buying the name," team boss Franz Tost is quoted by Speed Week.

"As soon as we conclude a contract, we will change the name."

There are reports Toro Rosso suffered multiple reliability problems last week, mainly with the new 2017-spec Renault power unit.

But Tost said: "The car is good and both drivers gave positive comments about the car."

Apparently even happier in the power unit department, however, is Gunther Steiner, boss of the small American outfit Haas.

As Sauber is using the 2016 Ferrari engine this year, Haas is the only team apart from the works Maranello outfit to be using Ferrari's latest power unit in 2017.

Steiner said: "If I look at the others, they have quite a few problems. But compared to last year, Ferrari has made big steps, which is very good."

Today's driver lineup in Barcelona
Formula 1 testing resumes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday, the first day of the second group session.

Running will take place from 09:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00 (all times CET).

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton (AM), Valtteri Bottas (PM)

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo

Ferrari
Sebastian Vettel

Force India
Esteban Ocon

Williams
Felipe Massa

McLaren
Stoffel Vandoorne

Toro Rosso
Daniil Kvyat

Haas
Kevin Magnussen

Renault
Jolyon Palmer (AM), Nico Hulkenberg (PM)

Sauber
Pascal Wehrlein