Big four not taking over
Berine Ecclestone has dismissed fears of Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley and Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn that power in the sport remains with the big four teams.
Fernley fears the customer car addenda is part of a wider plan to gain “total control from a power and financial point of view” he told Autosport. The fears comes after a meeting of the ‘big four teams’ which has only fuelled suspicions.
However, F1 boss Berine Ecclestone told the magazine “This has happened in the past and it’s nothing new, although it’s new to them because they’re all new kids on the block. I’ve been there and done it. So far nobody has threatened to do anything.”
Renault may quit – Horner
Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the team’s engine supplier may quit F1 if the sport does not allow in-season engine development next year. Renault has admitted earlier this season that it cannot catch Mercedes and Ferrari this year.
This season they have been allowed limited in-season development but it will be closed again next season. Horner says that if they fail to allow development next season it will “almost waving goodbye to” the French manufacturer. But this was only after Ferrari found a loophole that meant limited development has been allowed this season.
Renault is currently considering it option to buy a team, remain with Red Bull as its works partner, or pull out all together.
Manor may abandon 2015 car
Manor may decide to abandon their plans to introduce their 2015 car. The team’s car was delayed following the collapse of the Marussia last year and there wasn’t time to build a full 2015 spec car.
They have been using a b spec 2014 car to compete this season which has been keeping them on track. There are growing suggestions that they may be better off sticking with the b spec for the rest of the year so it can focus better its efforts on a big step for 2016.
Sporting director Graeme Lowdon says they are conduct an evaluation study over the next few weeks to work out if the costs of introducing an updated car this season.
Telling motorsport.com “The landscape is getting a bit clearer now, in terms of who we are competing against and what we need to do.”
Risk paid off
Valtteri Bottas has praised Williams after they ditched boring tactics and opting for a riskier strategy which gave him his first podium of the season in Canada. He took third place after Kimi Raikkonen spun at the hairpin.
Last week Rob Smedly told Autosport that their low risk strategy is paying off. The team normally take a cautious approach to racing but in Canada changed from a planned two-stop strategy to a one-stop and did not react when the Ferrari pitted for a second time.
“We had an opportunity to get third and we took it” Bottas told Autosport. “We knew it could be a risk but the team knew what to do and we were right.”
