Latest F1 news in brief – Thursday (Update)
03/27/14
-
Laureus award for Vettel: "one of the greatest drivers of all time" Schu manager dismisses F1 doctor Hartstein's pessimism
- Mercedes switch no fluke for Williams – boss
- No engine to power Stefanovich's F1 bid
- Panis no fan of 'green' F1
- Fuel 'arguments' could return in Malaysia – Horner
- Alonso trying to 'destroy' Raikkonen – Villeneuve
- 'Great' Vettel finally wins Laureus award
- Raikkonen: Issues greater than brake-by-wire New
Schu manager dismisses F1 doctor Hartstein's pessimism
(GMM) Michael Schumacher's manager has hit back at claims 'really bad news' about the F1 legend is now just around the corner.
Former F1 doctor Gary Hartstein claimed that, more than 12 weeks into the great German's coma, it is "less and less likely" Schumacher will recover.
He thinks "really bad news" about the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver's prospects might be issued soon, due to the "terribly dismal prognosis".
Citing sources, Hartstein was also critical of Schumacher's early treatment following his skiing fall on the French ski alps, and predicted doctors at the Grenoble hospital will eventually move the 45-year-old out of his bed if a patient with better prospects needs it.
In the wake of Hartstein's comments, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm said: "What I said in my last statement is still true.
"We remain confident that Michael will pull through and wake up, and we are fighting for that together with a team of doctors that we trust," she told Bild newspaper.
The German newspaper report questioned Hartstein's claims that his comments were based on the information of "usually impeccable sources".
"Bild knows that, during his time in formula one, Hartstein was never close to Michael Schumacher.
"He has not had contact with Schumacher's family or the doctors," the report added.
Mercedes switch no fluke for Williams – boss
(GMM) Claire Williams has denied the British team simply lucked into being powered by the best F1 engine for the sport's new turbo V6 era.
Having struggled to just ninth in the 2013 standings with Renault power, Grove based Williams is now working with the field-leading Mercedes.
And the FW36 is regarded as probably the best 2014 car behind the works Mercedes.
Some think Williams simply lucked into the best engine for the revolutionary new era, but deputy boss Claire Williams insists that is not so.
"We were in our second year with Renault after a long history with them," she is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace.
"But we did a huge amount of research into understanding how Renault and the other manufacturers would go with the rule changes.
"It was obvious early last year where some of the manufacturers were in the developmental stage," Williams explained.
"We talked with Renault and Mercedes about it, and we decided to go with Mercedes. It was a very conscious decision," she added.
Williams admitted that the team's close ties to Mercedes' Toto Wolff – still a co-owner and also husband of test driver Susie – helped the talks along.
"We were able to exchange information with him," she revealed.
No engine to power Stefanovich's F1 bid
(GMM) Zoran Stefanovich has admitted he had to withdraw his bid to enter formula one in 2015 because he could not agree an engine deal.
Alongside Gene Haas and Colin Kolles' separate bids, Serbian Stefanovich – who also tried and failed to enter F1 with departed Toyota's assets in 2010 – recently renewed his push to join the sport.
F1's governing body has delayed making a decision about the twelfth team for 2015, but Stefanovich has confirmed reports he is no longer in the running.
The biggest problem, he told Italy's Omnicorse, was that he was unable to agree terms with either Mercedes, Ferrari or Renault for a customer turbo V6.
"Our view is that everyone should play the game on the same field," he said, "but we were not able to close a contract for the supply of an engine with one of the existing manufacturers, and we talked for a long time with all of them.
"Since we did not reach an agreement on the power unit, our participation was compromised and we were forced to stop in the middle of the selection process," said Stefanovich.
"There was no equality of treatment," he complained, "but we do have a future in F1."
Indeed, it is rumored that Stefanovich has been in talks with Marussia.
When asked about those contacts, he answered: "I have had contact with several teams for several years, which is a known fact.
"I don't think I need to go into the details of any ongoing negotiations at this time."
Panis no fan of 'green' F1
(GMM) F1 veteran Olivier Panis has admitted he is no fan of the 'new' F1.
"Honestly, yes," he answered when asked by France's sport365 if the 2014 opener in Melbourne left him feeling frustrated.
Panis, now 47, raced through the heart of the 'old' F1 era, when mammoth budgets and screaming V10s echoed around the circuits of the world.
The Frenchman said he was "shocked" when he heard the comparatively meek sound of the turbo V6s.
"I think the sound is part of formula one, because it allows you feel the power of these machines," Panis said. "Now it's not there."
He also dislikes the idea that, instead of being flat-out, cars and drivers are now nursing a limited amount of fuel to the checkered flag.
"Formula one has ceased to be what it was before," said Panis. "The races were sprints, not marathons. F1 has evolved into endurance racing."
He revealed that even the arguments about F1 needing to race into a 'green' future are not convincing.
"They say that electric cars are the transport of the future, but I am not sure about that," said Panis, who won the 1996 Monaco grand prix and last raced for Toyota in 2004.
"Electric cars create new problems, such as the disposal of batteries. I do not believe that electricity is the 'new fuel' for motor vehicles.
And "formula one has never been 'green'," Panis insisted. "Formula one is performance, and that's what the fans love."
Fuel 'arguments' could return in Malaysia – Horner
(GMM) Team boss Christian Horner is not ruling out more fuel-flow controversy for the next two race weekends in Malaysia and Bahrain.
Red Bull's appeal against the Daniel Ricciardo disqualification in Melbourne will not be heard by the FIA until after the forthcoming double-header.
Until then, Horner said on Wednesday that the reigning world champions are convinced they did nothing wrong in Australia by ignoring Charlie Whiting's advice and following the actual technical regulations to the letter.
The Telegraph also quoted him as questioning the behavior of other teams, who are buying "hundreds" of the FIA-approved fuel sensors and choosing only to use the ones that allow the best performance.
"Whether there will be further arguments over the course of the next two weekends in Malaysia and Bahrain, ahead of the appeal hearing, remains to be seen," Horner told the British broadcaster Sky.
"Hopefully we'll have a sensor that works … that there isn't a discrepancy.
"If there is a variance then it's something we will probably have to discuss with the FIA, and we probably won't be alone in that position," he added.
Alonso trying to 'destroy' Raikkonen – Villeneuve
(GMM) Fernando Alonso is working hard to "destroy" his new teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
That is the view of F1's outspoken 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve, who acknowledged that the predictions of outright war between the two world champions have not yet been proved right.
But the psychological war, according to Villeneuve, has most certainly begun.
"Fernando's plan is obvious — he wants to beat Kimi at all costs," said the French Canadian.
"In the tests it was all calm, but in Melbourne Fernando showed his true potential."
Indeed, Finn Raikkonen struggled with the handling of his 2014 Ferrari throughout the Melbourne weekend, while Spaniard Alonso comfortably beat him in qualifying and the race.
"In the first three races Fernando is trying to destroy Kimi psychologically and get the team to rally around him," Villeneuve said.
But Villeneuve tips Raikkonen to fight back.
"Kimi is not an 'iceman'," he insisted. "He has created this image to isolate himself, but like any driver, he doesn't like bad results.
"But I don't think Kimi fans should worry — he also had problems with the handling in 2007 but he still became world champion.
"I think the rule changes will even play into his hands," Villeneuve told Germany's Sport Bild.
"In qualifying, Alonso will be faster, but this year that's not so important."
'Great' Vettel finally wins Laureus award
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel has finally won the coveted Laureus world sportsman of the year award.
It was the Red Bull driver's fifth nomination since he began to dominate formula one with Red Bull several years ago.
But, according to an official Laureus statement issued after Wednesday's gala ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, only his 2013 triumph saw him "join motor racing legends Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost" in winning four titles, "but he did it more quickly than them".
"To be nominated for the award is a great honor for me and to win the award is truly very special," Vettel said after receiving the award in Malaysia.
"It is totally a very special moment for me as I can sit among the great sporting legends," he told a press conference.
The Laureus statement said Vettel, 26, is now "one of the greatest drivers of all time".
Vettel beat fellow nominees Usain Bolt and Mo Farah, both athletes, as well as basketball's Lebron James, tennis' Rafael Nadal and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Raikkonen: Issues greater than brake-by-wire
Kimi Raikkonen says his problems with Ferrari's new F14 T chassis are greater than simply a brake-by-wire issue, as had been suggested by the team after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Raikkonen struggled to get to grips with his new machine in Melbourne, crashing out of the second qualifying phase before taking a lonely seventh place finish, 20 seconds adrift of team-mate Fernando Alonso.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's Malaysian event, Raikkonen made clear that his early-season struggles are not restricted to the new-for-2014 braking system, with the Finn eyeing a general front-end improvement.
"I don't know where that came from – that is not the issue," explained Raikkonen at Sepang on Thursday.
"There is nothing wrong with the system. Somebody asked after the race if there was an issue, but it is not true.
"It is mainly set-up, to get the car how I like it to run it. I am sure that when we make some stuff for it – hopefully once we get those – it will be a bit easier and I will get a bit more feeling in the front-end."
Raikkonen is optimistic that Ferrari can cut the gap on the Mercedes-powered teams as the season develops.
"After all the difficulties [in Australia], at least we got something out of it," Raikkonen commented. "There are plenty of good people working flat-out. We still have things to do but I am sure we can keep progressing."