FORMULA 1 - 2015

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How the 2016 Formula 1 tyre rules will work

For the 2016 Formula 1 season there is a new tyre compound - the ultra-soft - and new rules governing the use of manufacturer Pirelli's rubber.

The intention is to spice up grands prix by creating more strategic variety, but the regulations have even left some of the drivers confused.

Autosport drills down into the detail of what's new, and what is and is not allowed.

Is the total number of sets of tyres available over a weekend still the same?

Yes, this hasn't changed. There are still 13. In previous seasons there were seven sets of prime and six sets of option available over a weekend per driver.

Of the 13 sets now, two are chosen for the race by Pirelli - and could be of differing compounds (with three available per race, and not two). A set of the softest is also set aside for Q3.

Of the 10 remaining sets, teams/drivers choose what they would like from the three available compounds.

Of those 10 sets, are the ratios for each team/driver pre-determined?

No. The ratio depends on a team's strategy for the weekend. For example, if a team fails to send its choice to the FIA it receives a standard allocation of three sets of the harder compound, four of the middle, and three of the softer. It can play with any combination of the numbers dependent on set-up of the car, driver style etc.

Will teams still get an extra set of tyres for the first 30 minutes of first practice?

Previously one set of 'prime' only tyres was used for the opening half hour of FP1. This set came from the seven sets of primes available over a weekend. Now, one set of the 10 chosen by the team/driver can be used for the first 40 minutes. It means they have the option of running whichever of the three compounds available.

Can teams still use the softest compound available in Q1 and Q2?

Yes, providing they have chosen enough sets of the softest among their pre-selected 10 sets for the weekend.

Is the 'mandatory Q3 specification' effectively a qualifying tyre and can it be used in the race too?

It doesn't carry the name 'qualifying tyre', but as it is the softest of the trio of compounds available then it can effectively be viewed as such. And it can be used in the race too. Most likely top 10 cars will qualify in Q2 with this compound, therefore they have to start the race on it.

Does the stipulation that drivers have to start races on their Q2 tyres still apply?

Yes, as stated in the regulations, "at the start of the race each car which qualified for Q3 must be fitted with the tyres with which the driver set his fastest time during Q2".

We now know three tyre compounds will be made available for a race, but can all three be used in a race?

Quite simply, yes.

Do the same rules apply for the minimum use of a compound in each race?

The rules simply state "each driver must use at least two different specifications of dry-weather tyres during the race". So if it's one lap on a set of softs and 50-odd laps on a set of mediums, that's within the rules.

Does the 'mandatory race tyre specification' mean it's not really a free tyre choice?

There is a free choice because while Pirelli is selecting two sets of tyres for a race, there are still another 10 available for a team/driver to go as aggressive or as conservative as they wish.

Even if Pirelli nominates two different compounds for its mandatory race sets, teams still have a completely free choice from the three nominated compounds for their other tyres.

Do the early deadlines mean drivers are committing to tyre strategies months ahead of a race?

Effectively, yes, because with the new rules, teams/drivers must inform the FIA eight weeks before the start of a European event, and 14 weeks before a non-European race, the ratios of the three compounds they wish to use at that event, after being supplied with the options a week beforehand.

Will the super-soft, let's say, be the same compound everywhere, or are those names now generic to cover a range of options?

Pirelli has decided to retain the current names. They will always be associated with that particular compound.

In short, how will tyre strategy in an average 2016 grand prix be different to tyre strategy in an average 2015 grand prix?

Over the past two seasons Pirelli has slipped from its original mandate from when it entered F1 in 2011 of providing tyres that will ensure drivers have to pit at least twice in a grand prix.

Primarily that has been due to the introduction of the hybrid power unit, with the teams keen to focus on that rather than over-concern themselves on tyres, leading to Pirelli deliberatly designing tyres that had less impact on how races turned out.

It is hoped with the introduction of a new compound, to make five in total, and with teams able to use all three compounds available for a race, the possibility of different strategies will increase in an exponential way with two or three pitstops.

Are there any particular races that will be dramatically changed by this?

Pirelli believes all the races can potentially be very different compared to 2015, especially at the beginning of the season when all teams will likely struggle to apply the new rules, introducing a high level of uncertainty.

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MARCHIONNE: IMPORTANT WE WIN THE FIRST RACE OF 2016

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne says the Maranello team should start the 2016 Formula 1 season with an immediate win.

Marchionne declared to La Gazzetta dello Sport, “The balance sheet of Ferrari is good. What we need now is results on the track. It is important to win the first race of the season in Australia.”

“I know the work that has been done quietly by the team, without making a fuss. But now we win,” Marchionne said. “The real battle starts in 2016, but we can count on two drivers who have already been world champions and engineers who can take us back to the top.”

“This year, we would have have been happy with two wins, but we managed three, as well as a whole host of podium finishes. The most important thing is that, above all, we made the most of our in-house resources, without taking on too many outsiders,” added the team president.

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene, was ‘singing off the same hymn sheet’ and said that the Maranello outfit are targeting nothing but the best.

“If I’m completely honest,” Arrivabene also said at Ferrari’s Christmas party, “we do not want to be closer to Mercedes, but ahead of them. With all humility, just being close to Mercedes cannot be our goal.”

“Our aim for next year is to work with even more determination, to deserve this badge that we must wear with honour. A special thanks goes to our president, who has always supported us, putting himself in the front line. ‘We race’ is in our DNA,” concluded Arrivabene.

After a tumultuous 2014 campaign, the Italian outfit regrouped impressively this year, but Sebastian Vettel only won three times versus Mercedes’ combined 16.

“This, my first year with Ferrari, has been fantastic, with plenty of successes. Hearing the German and Italian national anthems on the podium was an indescribable feeling.”

“Thanks to all you men and women at Ferrari who, every year, put together this red miracle. Thanks for the affection you have shown me,” said Vettel.

Typically Raikkonen’s message was more concise, “This year did not get off to a very good start for me, but it ended on an upbeat. We must continue working together and then I’m sure the results will come. Because now, we are really a team and actually, I’m sure we will be a great team.”

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WOLFF: LEWIS AND NICO KNOW WHAT I MEANT BY THE WARNING

Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff thinks the Formula 1 world champion team’s two drivers have heard his warning about the intensity of their feud.

As the 2015 season ended recently with the silver camp sweeping 16 of the 19 wins, Wolff nonetheless warned that if Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s bickering spills into the overall “team spirit”, Mercedes would have to make a change.

“The drivers know what I meant,” Wolff said at the weekend at Mercedes’ end-of-year ‘Stars and Cars’ event in Stuttgart, when asked about his recent comments. “The spirit of the team is essential — it is one of the qualities that makes us what we are now.”

Nico Rosberg, however, said he thinks that spirit is intact, adding: “I have to thank Toto for his great management. If he has a few extra grey hairs, I guess that is our fault!”

La Gazzetta dello Sport also quoted world champion Lewis Hamilton as adding: “I very much agree with Nico — I don’t think there was anything negative about our competition this year.”

“We will continue to communicate and correct ourselves if there are problems – but there isn’t a problem,” said the Briton.

Wolff, meanwhile, continued: “We do not want this to be understood in any way as us limiting the duel between Lewis in Nico. Our philosophy was clear that we wanted to have two top drivers in the team in order to win the world championship.

“But although we are very competitive, it is important to know how to contain the situation and prevent damage to the team,” he added.

Finally, Hamilton spoke about his mysterious end-of-year form slump, in which Rosberg rounded out the season with a hat-trick of dominant wins from pole.

“Actually I look at it as a blessing in disguise,” he is quoted as saying. “If I had won them, I would have had so many wins in the season and I might have approached next one with less of a buzz.”

Trying to explain the reason for the slump, meanwhile, he added: “I’m sure it was a combination of things.

“First there is the great job done by Nico, then I believe he adapted very well to the changes to the car, and once I won the championship – although I was still pushing – maybe subconsciously I was a bit more relaxed,” he said.

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VETTEL: VERSTAPPEN TOO YOUNG FOR FERRARI SEAT RIGHT NOW

Sebastian Vettel is not sure Formula 1 teen sensation Max Verstappen is ready just yet for a Ferrari seat.

Showered with praise and awards at the end of his exciting and impressive rookie season, 18-year-old Dutchman Verstappen has also been linked with a move to a top team.

Max will stay at Toro Rosso next year, but his father Jos has is keeping the door wide open for a change of scene for 2017, even though Red Bull says he has a long-term contract.

But although they get on well, Raikkonen’s Ferrari teammate Vettel is not sure he agrees with the assessment that Verstappen is ready for a top drive.

“Next year Kimi is clearly here (at Ferrari) and then I don’t know, but I hope he stays,” the German told the Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

Told that Verstappen reminds many experts, insiders and pundits of a young Schumacher, or even a young Vettel, Sebastian answered: “I don’t know. There are many drivers coming up, some younger than others.

“All I know is that he is much younger than Michael or even myself were when we started in F1. I think it is always difficult to compare.

“You can try to (compare) with numbers, but people are always different. Max has been brilliant in many races and deserves congratulations, but he is also very young and still has a very long way to go,” Vettel added.

Speaking of contracts, Kimi Raikkonen’s deal at Ferrari will end next year and the 36-year-old Finn has said speculation about Verstappen is to be expected.

“It wouldn’t have been normal if there wasn’t talk,” he said. “There was a lot of talk that he was too young but he has done a good job and you can have a lot of experience even when you’re young — these days they start young.”

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PROST: SPA 2014 CHANGED ROSBERG

Formula 1 legend Alain Prost does not think Nico Rosberg needs to leave Mercedes in order to take his next step and tackle the world championship, but does point to the infamous Spa collision with teammate Lewis Hamilton as the turning point of the power struggle between the two.

Prost ventured, “Nico’s problem is that Lewis is not easy to calculate. He is a real racer and knows instinctively when he does and does not need to be aggressive. He also knows all the games, inside the cockpit and out.”

“But it is said that Nico is not at Lewis’ level, and I don’t see it that way. For me he just wasn’t aggressive enough. Spa 2014 I think changed him when they collided, and he is no longer as aggressive as he should be.”

The bright side, however, could be that Ferrari looks set to join the title battle in 2016, which could mean Rosberg’s aggression automatically rises a notch.

“Depending on how much pressure Ferrari can put on Mercedes, even the duel between Nico and Lewis could change. I think it might make it easier for Nico,” said Prost.

“For years he has been focused on the fight with Lewis, but now there could be someone else,” he added, referring to Sebastian Vettel.

For now Prost believes Rosberg should stick with Mercedes, even if some pundits are suggesting he might now think about moving on.

“At the moment no [he should not move]. At least not in his current situation. If the gap widens, then he should think about it,” the famous Frenchman said.

Finally, Prost said he thinks F1 needs to do more to attract younger fans, arguing that the sport is not doing enough to embrace the new age.

“My daughter is 19 and Abu Dhabi was her first F1 race,” he said. “Can I imagine her watching the race for two hours non-stop? Of course not. She has her mobile phone, her computer…

“On one hand it wasn’t a good year for formula one, because so much was discussed off the track and so much of it is not easy for the fans and spectators to understand.

“Then there is the total domination of Mercedes. But there was the great duel between Nico and Lewis, the drama with Honda and their engine. But the show can be better. There are a few things I would change,” said Prost.

In recent days, Mercedes’ lineup has been the subject of speculation, with boss Toto Wolff saying the bitterness of the feud between Rosberg and Hamilton needs to stop.

“I am good friends with Toto and Niki Lauda,” Prost told Bild newspaper, “It’s correct that they asked me for advice last season, but I think they have this difficult situation well under control. Although it must not get out of control.”

Prost, whose relationship with Ayrton Senna famously exploded in the late nineties, added, “But Mercedes is a giant corporation, with the CEO to the mechanics all passionate about motor sport. They know what they’re doing.”

But even though Rosberg lost a second consecutive title battle to his British teammate this year, F1 legend Prost was nonetheless impressed with the German.

“What he showed at the end of the season was extraordinarily good,” the quadruple world champion, reportedly set to return to F1 next year with a prominent management role at the new Renault works team, told Bild newspaper.

“If you lose the title that can really mess you up, so that he came back so strongly and so quickly was impressive,” Prost added.

One possibility, however, is that the instinctively-driven Hamilton may simply have lost the last few per cent of motivation once he wrapped up the title.

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MERCEDES WILL BE HARD TO CATCH SAY VETTEL AND RICCIARDO

Sebastian Vettel believes that Mercedes’ level of dominance currently in Formula 1 is perhaps unprecedented and greater even than his run of four consecutive titles at Red Bull between 2010-2013.

“Honestly, we never had that level of domination,” the German told the Spanish sports daily Marca.

“The first year I won by a few points only to Fernando, Mark and Lewis. And then in 2012, the first seven races had seven different winners. That’s very different to what we have now.”

“The rules are not changing much for next year and it is likely that Mercedes will be very strong again,” said Vettel.

F1 legend Alain Prost has a simiar view in an interview with Bild newspaper, “Mercedes will continue to be strong next year. Ferrari will move closer again, but I see Mercedes in front of them, and then Red Bull.”

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo agrees that Mercedes may be too big a challenge for its main rivals in 2016, telling Perth Now that he thinks the German camp actually “increased the gap this year”.

“I don’t want to get too excited,” said the Australian. “Obviously I probably set too high expectations at the start of the year, so I think the next goal is to play it down and see what happens.”

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F1’S DOWNFORCE PLAN NOT A GOOD IDEA SAYS PROST

Alain Prost has backed Lewis Hamilton in worrying about proposed Formula 1 plans for the future.

With the sport acknowledging the need to speed up, world champion Hamilton nonetheless blasted an apparent plan to slash laptimes simply by adding downforce to the cars.

“That’s the worst idea and just shows people don’t know what they are trying to solve,” said the Briton, who thinks the biggest problem with F1 is how difficult it is to follow and pass a rival.

And F1 legend and quadruple world champion Prost, to be involved with the new Renault works team for 2016, has obviously heard similar plans about 2017 and beyond.

When asked by the German newspaper Bild about the regulations of today, the 60-year-old admitted: “The show could be better. There are a few things I would change.

“I would like to see the cars with more power and more mechanical grip. The tyres should be wide and the aerodynamics not playing a major role. Actually, the exact opposite of what they are planning now!” the Frenchman declared.

Asked what else should change, Prost continued: “The driver should not get as much help as he is, so the communication with the pits should be restricted.

“The big problem with formula one is that they are messing about with certain issues (rules), when actually the whole thing should be dealt with as a whole.”

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WOLFF SAYS MANOR TALKS ABOUT WEHRLEIN ONGOING

It will be “weeks” before Manor is ready to announce its drivers for 2016, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who is privy to the British backmarker’s apparent timescale because of his negotiations over the future of Pascal Wehrlein.

German Wehrlein, 21, is waiting patiently for news but says he is also open to defending his title in DTM or even switching to GP2, following a recent test in Abu Dhabi.

“Of course it would be nice if I could drive in F1,” the 2015 Mercedes reserve is quoted by Sueddeutsche newspaper, “but it is not in my hands.”

Manor is now the last F1 team whose driver plans for 2016 are completely unclear, with Will Stevens, Alexander Rossi and Indonesian GP2 driver Rio Haryanto all also in the running.

“In four or five weeks we should have clarity,” Wolff is quoted by SID news agency.

“The situation is that we want to have the right cockpit for him. Pascal has what it takes to succeed in formula one, but everything needs to be right as well.”

He is referring to what he calls the “financial reality” of the talks, with Manor understood to be charging as much as EUR 15 million per Mercedes-powered seat for 2016.

“If it doesn’t work out and Pascal stays in DTM, then we would give him many kilometres in our formula one cars,” Wolff promised.

Wehrlein added: “If it does not work for next year, then I’m very happy to go back to DTM and try again for 2017.”

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Red Bull's engine demands "offensive" to Ferrari

Red Bull's demands that it was entitled to land a competitive Formula 1 engine have been labelled as 'offensive' by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.

In the wake of its breakdown in relations with Renault, Red Bull tried to sort out deals with Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda, but was rebuffed each time.

Speaking at Ferrari's traditional pre-Christmas press conference on Monday, Marchionne said Ferrari declined the chance to team up with Red Bull because it felt the team would be too 'dangerous'.

And he also said he was unhappy that the Milton Keynes-based outfit said rivals were duty bound to give it the best engines.

"Red Bull is an incomplete team," said Marchionne. "Because if you have an excellent chassis, but you lack the engine then you are not complete.

"With the power unit you can have a great chassis, but you will not become world champion: you will remain in the garage. So you have to do a deal with a manufacturer.

"But what I find really offensive in this whole affair was the claim that someone had to give them an engine to strengthen what is already a very competitive position for them."

When pushed more on why the talks with Red Bull collapsed, Marchionne said: "The reason that the deal with Red Bull was not successful was that, in light of the recovery that we did in 2015, to give our own power unit to a team that has the technical capabilities of Red Bull would have been dangerous.

"My commitment is to protect Ferrari. The possibility of going to beat Mercedes along with Red Bull, I don't care much for that. What interests me is to win with Ferrari."

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Marchionne still pushing for Alfa Romeo return to racing

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne says he is still pushing hard to bring the Alfa Romeo name back to top-level motor racing.

As Motorsport.com revealed in March, Marchionne is eager to resurrect the Alfa Romeo name in junior categories – potentially through an LMP2 programme or the badging of a future Formula 2 engine – to complement its planned TCR entry in 2016 with the Giulietta touring car.

It also emerged last month too that during brief discussions with Red Bull about an engine tie-up in F1, the idea of the power units being rebadged as Alfa Romeo was briefly discussed before the deal fell apart.

Speaking at Maranello on Monday, Marchionne said: “Alfa Romeo is still in peoples' hearts, so we are thinking of a comeback in motorsport.

"It is important that Alfa comes back, and they will be one more competitor.”

Marchionne also explained that Ferrari has looked seriously at the idea of rebadged engines with Red Bull, before the deal ultimately fell apart.

"The target was to create an engine coherent with the actual F1 rules,” said Marchionne of the rebranding plan.

“I don't know if the performance should be equivalent with the one that we use in the races, but we pushed ourselves hard to do it.”

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Ferrari: Make F1 like NASCAR and we will walk

Ferrari says it will not accept racing in a Formula 1 that features dumbed-down engine technology, as the Italian outfit hit out at Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt's plans for an independent power unit.

Speaking in Maranello on Monday, at Ferrari's traditional pre-Christmas press briefing, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne said the Italian outfit would rather walk away from grand prix racing than face rules it did not like.

"Ferrari would find other ways to express its ability to race and to win," said Marchionne.

"It would be a huge shame [if Ferrari left], but Ferrari cannot be put in a corner on its knees and say nothing.

"Now, the rules are written in a way that serves lawyers, who interpret them.

"In November 2014, it was clear that it would be possible to use tokens for power unit development – and this was something that, in a sense, saved Ferrari's season.

"But we need to simplify the rules and create more manageable regulations – where we should not be supported by lawyers, but by engineers, as it was a few years ago."

FIA mandate wrong

Marchionne said he was particularly upset by the FIA's move to hand Ecclestone and Todt a mandate for change, in their bid to overhaul F1.

"It's a choice that we obviously do not share, because we believe that the development of the regulations should be done in a coordinated manner," he said.

"This view is also shared by the Mercedes and Renault. Here we spend hundreds of millions of Euros, so we are talking about decisions that should not be taken lightly.

"The problem is that in trying to create a power unit that is more affordable for smaller teams, we are in a way taking away from those organisations that are able to develop. And that is the reason why we go racing.

"We go to the track to prove to ourselves and to everyone our ability to manage the power unit. If we begin to undermine this advantage, Ferrari has no intention of racing.

"If we make Formula 1 like NASCAR, we would lose the advantage of experience in track solutions, which can then have an impact on production.

"I understand very well the difficulties that smaller teams face, but this is something that FOM has to solve; it is not something Ferrari has to solve."

Veto right

Marchionne also insisted that Ferrari had no choice but to block a plan by the FIA to impose a cost cap on engine prices.

Speaking about Ferrari's long-held rules veto, he said: "I think that in the past it has never been used, but we used it recently because the proposal was out of place.

"The problem of this sport is that the regulator can not impose conditions on the economic management of the team.

"When we are told that we must make the engine and then sell it for two pounds, from the economic point of view, this argument does not stand – because it is going to change the dynamic business that we are managing.

"The economic conditions by which the Ferrari engine is provided to a customer cannot be established by the F1 Commission."

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The story of Formula 1's first winning Wolf

Walter Wolf's short-lived eponymous Formula 1 team came close to overcoming the odds and taking title glory in its first year. Rene Fagnan sits down with the man behind a team that punched well above its weight.

Walter Wolf ran his own, personally-financed Formula 1 team in the late 1970s, Walter Wolf Racing, which came very close to winning the world championship in its maiden season in F1.

Born in Graz in 1939 from an Austrian father and a Slovenian mother, Wolf emigrated to Canada in 1958 and became a self-made entrepreneur, making his fortune in the 1970s as an oil-drilling equipment supplier.

Fascinated by motorsport and fast cars, Wolf – now at the head of a business empire - wanted to race at the pinnacle of motor racing, in Formula 1.

"I've always been interested in cars," Wolf tells Motorsport.com. "I was involved with Lamborghini. I wanted to go racing with the Italian company.

"Gianpaolo Dallara was the technical director of Lamborghini. He was also very instrumental for me to go in Formula 1. I wanted to get Lamborghini into F1. That was my original plan.

"But they striked against me. They didn't want to go racing after all. So I bought the assets from Frank Williams and started Walter Wolf Racing F1 Team."

Frank Williams and Walter Wolf ran Cosworth-powered, modified Hesketh 308Cs, rebadged Wolf-Williams FW05s at the time. At the end of a very disappointing 1976 season, Wolf removed Williams from his managing position.

"I created my own company, Walter Wolf Engineering, and we opened a racing team," he adds. "Dallara was a big help and he was also working with Harvey Postlethwaite, Patrick Head and Adrian Newey on the development of the Wolf car that was so successful.

"We made history because we won the first grand prix that we entered - a private team with no sponsors!"

Jody Scheckter

Wolf managed to convince South African Jody Scheckter to drive for his new team in 1977.

"When I contacted Peter Warr, Harvey Postlethwaite and those guys, they said they'd come to me under the conditions that I would hire one of the four or five drivers they had on their list," Wolf says.

"The first one was Niki Lauda, the second one was Jody Scheckter, and there was also Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson.

"When I asked Niki, he had a contract with Ferrari and he was not confident that we would build a winning car. So I went to Jody and made him an offer, which was lucrative financially and he accepted to drive for me."

Wolf continues: "Don't forget: if you want to win, you have to take people who have already won. Peter Warr, the director of the team, won a lot of races when he worked for Colin Chapman at Lotus.

"Warr was the manager of the Lotus team when Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi became world champions."

In comparison to Ferrari, the Wolf F1 team was a pretty small, closely-knit operation.

"I had 80 people, and the team was based in Reading, Great Britain. But it was a Canadian team. I had the Canadian flag on the car," recalls Wolf.

"I was very pleased because I was the only private man who financed the whole thing and who won the Monaco Grand Prix too.

"We won three races in 1977: Argentina, the first race we entered, Monaco and Canada. We took fourth place in the constructors' championship with just one car, and finished second in the drivers' championship with Jody.

"That was never done with a new team, and I doubt it will be done again."

Gilles Villeneuve

Around the same time, with the assistance of Dallara, the team developed the WD1 sports car for Can-Am racing. Chris Amon, and then a young Canadian named Gilles Villeneuve piloted the car that was a handful to drive, to say the least.

"In those days, I wanted Gilles to drive my F1 car," says Wolf. "I had a contract [with him]. Enzo Ferrari called me, and asked me if he could get Gilles. I called Gaston Parent, who was Gilles' manager at the time, and he went to Ferrari, and he got the contract with Ferrari.

"The biggest decal I had on the car was the Canadian flag. That's why I wanted this car to be driven by Gilles. If he has had as much brain as he had heart, he would have clinched titles like [Ayrton] Senna.

"For me, Gilles had the same talent as Senna. Gilles was too passionate and too aggressive. If you remember his battle against [Rene] Arnoux in Dijon, as they were banging wheels a few times, Gilles wanted to win so badly. He thought he was immortal, that he couldn't die."

James Hunt

After Scheckter left Wolf to join Ferrari at the end of 1978, Wolf put 1976 world champion James Hunt behind the wheel of the Wolf WR7 car.

"That was a mistake!" admits Wolf. "We were a democratic team, and Peter [Warr] and Harvey [Postlethwaite] had worked with James Hunt at Hesketh. They wanted James Hunt. He was a former world champion.

"So we took Hunt and that was a big mistake. Hunt left the team after Monaco, and got replaced by Keke Rosberg. But they were not in the league of Gilles [Villeneuve]. There was only one Gilles".

Wolf goes on: "Hunt felt that it was his fault that Ronnie Peterson died in Monza a year before. He was not the same anymore. He was a very good driver, but after Ronnie's accident, he lost his nerve."

At the end of 1979, Walter Wolf had seen enough of Formula 1. Fittipaldi Automotive bought the remains of Walter Wolf Racing, and that was the end of the road for the Canadian team.

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Ferrari boss expects 'phenomenal' Raikkonen in 2016

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has tipped a revitalised Kimi Raikkonen to deliver a 'phenomenal' season for the Maranello team in 2016, after praising the turnaround in the Finn's form.

Although the 2007 world champion was heavily outscored by teammate Sebastian Vettel this season, his bosses elected to take up an option in his contract to retain him for next year.

Speaking at Ferrari's traditional Christmas press conference at Maranello on Monday, Marchionne said he believes that Raikkonen is on course to deliver something special next year.

"If I can give you some encouraging information, it's that I have seen a huge change in Kimi during the season," said Marchionne.

"The second half was much better than the first, it was like watching a movie - where the second bit is better than the first," he said.

Family influence

Marchionne added: "We were talking with some of our colleagues over the past three or four days, and we are beginning to look at a different Kimi.

"The fact he is married with a kid - he showed me a picture because he is a proud father - is also reflective of the changes in his own life.

"He is becoming a lot more settled, which I think will be helpful in 2016. I think he will be the most engaged we have seen him the last little while.

"I am delighted he is part of the team. We have two drivers and they do compete.

"It happened to Seb, he has had a phenomenal year in his first year, and I am expecting that Kimi will rise up to the challenge and have a phenomenal season in 2016.

"I think he can. He is a good kid."

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Pirelli's Hembery touts three continental series in F1

Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery is set to hand Bernie Ecclestone an all-new plan to revitalise Formula 1 with a stressed effort to crack the highly-desired American market.

After a disappointing season with dwindling audience figures both at the tracks and on television, Hembery wants to put the action back into F1 by setting up three continental series to produce mini-championships which would lead towards the overall champion of that campaign.

The initial plan would be to start in Australia and Asia to make up the first continental series in Australasia before moving on to a European and Americas series, with the emphasis on a more competitive overreaching championship and a more reliable structure than the globe-hopping witnessed currently.

Hembery also hopes it would help to positively change the timing of certain events – with the Americas being forced to get up very early to watch a European-heavy season – which could strengthen the following of F1 in that part of the world.

“The market people all say the same thing, which is that the biggest problem in F1 is with the timings,” Hembery told The Guardian. “They are all for Europe, which means in America they have to get up ridiculously early to watch the racing.

“I will be talking to Bernie shortly about this. I haven't worked out the logistical problems. It's up to the teams to do that. But this is all about getting more interest in Formula One, and particularly in the Americas.”

The US market in particular represents the sport's biggest potential galvaniser which F1 has struggled to capture for years after 10 different US circuits have all hosted F1 Grand Prixs – the most of any country in the world.

With rising costs and attendance figures threatening to drag the Circuit of the Americas in Austin out of F1, Hembery feels it is vital to keep the event on the race calendar while he is also interested in a Californian Grand Prix.

“To lose Austin so soon after getting there, and it's a good circuit and a well organised show which the fans enjoy, would be phenomenally negative,” he said. “I also think it's important to have a race in California. With this regional idea we could create a concentrated interest in the sport and help build a real fanbase.

"If we carry on making Formula One for European television we will end up with a Europe-only audience.”

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VIDEO: HOW DID NICO ROSBERG BEAT LEWIS HAMILTON AT THE END OF THE 2015 FORMULA 1 SEASON?

For most of the 2015 F1 season, Lewis Hamilton dominated his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg. But at the end of the year it switched around.

In this latest video from JA on F1, James Allen and Dominic Harlow, former chief engineer at Williams and Force India, investigate what gave Nico Rosberg the speed to beat Hamilton in the final rounds and what it means for 2015.

Allen and Harlow pinpoint a couple of key areas where Hamilton lost and Rosberg gained, which turned the tables on the form book from earlier in the season.

It gives rise to the question – what will 2016 look like? Will the form book between the pair be like the start or end of 2015?

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MARCHIONNE: VETTEL MORE OF A FERRARISTA THAN ALONSO WAS IN FIVE YEARS

In assessing Sebastian Vettel’s first year at Ferrari, president Sergio Marchionne aimed criticism at their former driver Fernando Alonso.

Vettel replaced the McLaren-Honda bound Alonso at the fabled Maranello team this year, and Marchionne sounds more than happy with the move.

“Vettel is fantastic. Last Saturday here in Maranello he made a speech in front of our 1200 people, completely in Italian. It was unbelievable. In only one year, I can say he became more of a Ferrarista than Alonso did in five years,” Marchionne charged.

Alonso was with Ferrari from 2010 to 2014, first as teammate to Felipe Massa and later partnered with Kimi Raikkonen who returned to the team, ironically after being ousted from the Maranello squad to make way for the Spaniard at the end of 2009.

Initially Alonso was the darling of the Italian outfit and tifosi as he started his tenure with the team by winning the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix, his first race as a red.

He won 11 races for Ferrari and three times was runner-up in the F1 world championship standings, but after a Marchionne led revolution at Maranello, Alonso departed for McLaren at the end of 2014.

As for Vettel’s current teammate, Marchionne is happy with Kimi Raikkonen, even though the team considered not renewing his contract for 2016.

“I saw a huge change in Kimi during the season,” Marchionne said. “Now and then he shows me photos of his baby – I think he is becoming a lot more settled, which I think will be helpful in 2016.”

“I think he will be the most engaged we have seen him for the last little while. I am delighted he is part of the team,” he added.

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WILLIAMS TO RUN JAGUAR’S FORMULA E TEAM

F1 team Williams will run a new Formula E outfit for Jaguar Land Rover, the Indian-owned British carmaker.

Williams “will be responsible for the operational running of the Jaguar Formula E race team”, the Oxfordshire based team announced on Tuesday.

“We are delighted that they have chosen Williams Advanced Engineering as their technical partner in this new and high profile chapter in Jaguar’s racing history,” said Williams’ Craig Wilson.

Williams already supplies the all-important batteries to Formula E, the FIA’s electric single seater series.

Official Press Release:

Jaguar today announced its return to global motorsport with an entry for the third season of the FIA Formula E Championship, with Williams Advanced Engineering confirmed as technical partner.

Williams Advanced Engineering is a long term engineering partner of Jaguar, having worked together on projects such as the C-X75 hybrid supercar, and will be responsible for the operational running of the Jaguar Formula E race team. Williams Advanced Engineering will also be working in close collaboration with Jaguar on research and development. Craig Wilson, Managing Director of Williams Advanced Engineering, will take on the role of Race Director for the team.

Best known for its successes in Formula One over the past four decades, Williams also has a long standing history of supporting organisations in a range of motorsport series such as endurance racing, rallying and touring cars. Williams has extensive Formula E experience as the sole supplier of the batteries that power the cars in the Championship. This has included on event technical support to each team – a role that will now transfer to Spark Racing Technologies for season 3 onwards.

FIA Formula E offers a unique opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover to develop its own future EV powertrain including motor and battery technology on the track, which will be seen in the brand’s future range of passenger vehicles. The team entry has been granted by Formula E and approved by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

Craig Wilson, Managing Director of Williams Advanced Engineering, said; “There is a saying that racing improves the breed and Jaguar’s entry into Formula E will be a powerful way of honing a new generation of EV technologies for its products. We are delighted that they have chosen Williams Advanced Engineering as their technical partner in this new and high profile chapter in Jaguar’s racing history. Williams has extensive knowledge of EV technology, racing car design and the logistics of running a successful racing team so we are well set to support Jaguar in what promises to be an exciting new challenge for both parties.”

Nick Rogers, Group Engineering Director for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Jaguar is proud to announce its return to racing. We’re at the forefront of pioneering technology. Over the next five years we will see more changes in the automotive world than in the last three decades. The future is more about being connected, electrification and lightweight architectures. Formula E enables us to engineer and test advanced technologies under extreme conditions.

“Formula E will provide genuine live testing for future electric vehicle powertrain technology, which will appear in our new range of vehicles. We are working with a number of partners on the future of electrification including Warwick University, battery suppliers and of course our long-term partners Williams. We will have our engineers embedded with Williams from the start and our innovations will directly affect future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles.”

James Barclay, Jaguar Team Director, said: “We looked in detail at alternative ways of returning to motorsport. This was such an important decision for Jaguar and we wanted to get it right. With our future EV plans Formula E was the obvious choice and we believe that the benefits are enormous. The FIA and the promoter have exciting plans for the future of the championship and we are proud to be one of the first vehicle manufacturers to commit to the series with our own team. We have a lot of work to do ahead of the first race but it is a challenge we relish. We hope that we can welcome a new generation of fans to Jaguar through this exciting programme.”

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ECCLESTONE WRONG TO CALL F1 BORING SAYS HAMILTON

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has no reason to be “bored” by today’s formula one, back-to-back world champion Lewis Hamilton insists.

Ecclestone said recently that urgent rule changes are necessary due to Mercedes’ unprecedented dominance, which he alleges has been a turn-off for F1 fans.

But Hamilton told the Chinese news agency Xinhua: “Why should he be bored? I am definitely not bored at all. Ultimately he (Ecclestone) has to say something, but if he is bored now, then he has been bored for many years before as well.”

“He was bored when Ferrari was top, when Renault was leading, when McLaren was right at the top. We at Mercedes have only won twice in a row, it is not like we had four or five.

“I think we are far from being boring. And it is not the most positive thing for formula one to say things like that,” Hamilton added.

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FERRARI AND MERCEDES UNHAPPY WITH 21 RACE CALENDAR

Ferrari has backed Mercedes in worrying about next year’s unprecedentedly-long Formula 1 world championship race calendar.

The FIA recently approved an increase in the maximum number of races per season from 20 to 21, as Germany returns and Azerbaijan joins the calendar.

But Mercedes chief Toto Wolff thinks the new schedule pushes teams beyond what is “feasible” in terms of the workload for staff with families.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne, meanwhile, is worried about the financial aspect, “Bernie now has to come to the teams to ensure that all of them can come to the 21 races that he has put on the schedule.”

“The maximum number of grands prix has been increased, so Bernie knows what he has to do now,” Marchionne added. “He has to raise more money to ensure that all the teams are able to come to that many races.”

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene backed his fellow Italian, declaring that “It is clear that there will be some help from FOM, because the calendar is really crazy.”

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Button: 17 races are more than enough

McLaren Honda driver and 2009 world champion Jenson Button believes Formula One should never again increase the number of races in a season.

The calendar has been lengthened from 19 to 21 races in 2016, following the return of the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring and the addition of the Grand Prix of Europe at Azerbaijan's Baku City Circuit.

"For me it is fine because I love racing and I wish there was another race next weekend," Button told BT Sport.

"I fly in on a Thursday to the European races, and leave on a Sunday night whereas the mechanics work such long hours and they spend so much time away from home that 21 races is going to be tough.

"I think it is difficult for any mechanic or engineer to have a relationship right now, so having 21 races is very tough and for those guys it is not going to be easy. I just hope that it doesn't grow in terms of races for 2017 because I think it will be too much."

The Formula One calendar had just 17 races during Button’s first season in 2000. The 2016 season, Button’s 17th behind the wheel, will be the first time more than 20 take place.

During the 2000 season, only six of those races were staged outside of Europe. Next year 11 – not including those in Russia and Azerbaijan – will place on other continents.

"The first race next year starts later so it means there are a lot of back-to-backs and that is two weeks away from home for a lot of guys," Button added.

"It is tough. I think you will probably have people hanging around less in terms of their role on the race team. You are going to get new people coming in after one year, which is a shame because it is nice having that atmosphere with people that you know and have worked with for years."

The first race of the season will take place in Australia in March and six back to back races will have taken place by the time the final event of the season, in Abu Dhabi, rolls around in November.

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Costa: Teams forced to start 2017 car without design remit

Formula 1 teams are being forced to work towards a 2017 car despite not agreeing that the changes will boost entertainment, according to Mercedes engineering director Aldo Costa.

F1 chiefs are embroiled in discussions to enhance the show from 2017, with wider tyres and greater aerodynamics being put forward to make the cars five seconds faster.

However, with just over a year before the beginning of 2017 season, no regulations have been released and the teams, FIA and commercial rights holder are still not in agreement as to what is required to increase the sport’s popularity.

Despite having no official remit to work with, Costa revealed that F1 engineers have been forced to commence work on their 2017 contenders and believes it will test the resources of the entire grid.

"Combining the 2016 and 2017 programmes is going to be very difficult, and difficult for Formula 1 in general," Costa told Autosport.

"We have these new rules, but there are a lot of things in them that are wrong for the show in our opinion, and we need to say that.

"As engineers we feel we have done quite a lot for the car being able to overtake, with the previous rules and the current rules.

"By going to a car that has an enormous amount of downforce and a very complex aerodynamic shape, in our opinion it will make overtaking more difficult. That's our fear at this moment.

"We cannot demonstrate it, but [we] are expressing that in the technical meetings with the FIA and the engineers in the other teams.

"So that's the discussion. What's the best rule change for improving the overtaking, but meeting the target of having these faster cars?"

Mechanical Grip

World Champion Lewis Hamilton has also spoken out against the rule changes, stating that more mechanical grip was required from the cars rather than aerodynamic, enabling drivers to overcome the issue of turbulent air.

"Ultimately something does need to change because Formula 1, it has been the same for a long time," Hamilton said.

"But I know they're talking about giving us more aerodynamics which for me is like the worst idea. And it just shows for me that they don't really know what they're trying to solve.

"From a driver's point of view we want more grip from our tyres. We want less wake coming from the car in front so therefore we can get closer."

Former Ferrari engineer Costa agrees with Hamilton that mechanical grip is required to help drivers overtake, however stressed that discussions with the sport's hierarchy are on-going.

"We believe we should go towards improving mechanical grip, more than a pure aerodynamic exercise," Costa added.

"The discussion is still open with the FIA, still ongoing. There are possibilities to express opinions and discuss them."

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Aston Martin delays F1 decision until January

Aston Martin has postponed the final decision about its future involvement in Formula 1 until January, Motorsport.com has learned.

After a false start with Red Bull and further talks with Williams, Force India had emerged as the most likely partner if the car company decided it wanted to enter F1.

Force India team boss Vijay Mallya openly admitted that a deal with a premium brand like Aston Martin would be a huge boost to the team.

But despite lengthy negotiations, the matter had not got far enough to get the green light from the manufacturer.

In fact, sources with good knowledge of the situation had suggested earlier this week that the talks were actually losing momentum, having not got the necessary backing from senior management.

A report on Sky on Tuesday night furthermore claimed the board had not given the idea the support it needed at a meeting a few days ago.

Sky quoted a source as saying: "There is a definite inclination not to do it - in 2016, at least. But it could certainly be revisited in future."

Wider plan

However, the company's director of marketing and communications Simon Sproule has indicated that the matter is still under discussion.

And he made it clear that a decision would not just involve F1, as it revolved around its wider motor sport activities.

“We have not made any decision,” Sproule told Motorsport.com. “And we are not likely to make any final decision about either F1 or the broader motor sport strategy until the New Year.

“We also have to figure out what our path forward in sportscar racing is, and where we go with that. We are not looking at F1 in isolation.”

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Mercedes: Ferrari not involved in new 'spy' case

Mercedes has made it clear that it does not suspect Ferrari of gaining any knowledge of its Formula 1 engine technology, despite the recent case surrounding engineer Ben Hoyle.

The German car manufacturer has taken Hoyle to court over suspicions that he tried to take engine data with him ahead of an imminent departure from the team's power unit department.

Court documents lodged by Mercedes said that Hoyle had been expected to join Ferrari, but the Italian team has insisted that, while informal talks took place, no agreement was reached for him to join it.

In a bid to ensure that there was no suggestion of Ferrari doing anything untoward, Mercedes issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying that it views the matter as being strictly between itself and Hoyle.

"The investigation has shown no reason to believe that information has been transferred to Ferrari, nor have any of the court documents made any allegation regarding any inappropriate conduct by Ferrari," said the Mercedes statement.

"Mercedes will continue to protect its interests, including carrying on the legal proceedings against Mr. Hoyle, and continue to protect against potential inappropriate transfer of confidential information within the motorsport industry."

Investigation continues

Mercedes says it expects its investigation in to Hoyle's activities to continue for several months yet.

"There are on-going internal investigations, regarding confidential information being removed from Mercedes by Mr. Hoyle, in order to protect against potential damage to both Mercedes and any company which could potentially receive such information," he said.

"Mercedes will continue with these investigations until it can conclude that all the confidential information is recovered, which is anticipated to take a further 2-4 months."

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F1 considering three engines per season plan

Formula 1 drivers could be limited to just three engines per season as part of radical plans being considered by manufacturers to cut costs, Motorsport.com can reveal.

In a bid to stave off the threat of an independent engine from 2017, F1's car makers have begun talks to frame a series of regulations that will slash expenditure over the next few years.

The proposals have to be agreed by January 15 for a presentation to the FIA, after which a decision will be taken by the governing body on whether or not they do enough to ease F1's cost crisis.

Although the ideas being discussed between the manufacturers are at an early stage, high level sources have revealed that there are three main areas of focus for the manufacturers right now.

They are:

- Extending the life of the power units so there are just three per driver per season. Although this will cause short-term headaches and expenditure, having one engine for seven races will force the use of less sophisticated materials longer term to drastically cut costs.

- Freezing parts of the power units that manufacturers now believe have reached development 'maturity', so can no longer justify money being spent on.

- Define a list of standard parts which can be sourced from a single supplier – which could include the MGU-H and MGU-K, while still allowing total freedom in the management of other electrical motor systems.

The above steps are such that it may not be possible to introduce them as early as 2017, when the FIA is hoping that the engine situation in F1 has changed.

One key factor going forward, then, will be whether or not the FIA is willing to accept such a delay, or if it demands more is done in the shorter term to end its desire for the independent engine.

Honda resistance

The manufacturers' efforts to move forward have been made slightly more difficult by Honda's insistence on keeping certain hybrid elements of the power unit.

One suggestion agreed by Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault was to abolish the expensive MGU-H totally, but this idea was rejected at a recent meeting because Honda is adamant the component provides an important part of its reason for being involved in F1.

One source told Motorsport.com that Honda's motorsport chief Yasuhisa Arai made clear to his rivals that his company entered F1 to develop hybrid technology, and if it was taken away then it would no longer make sense for it to remain.

Retrograde step

Ferrari too, in the wake of the recent climate agreement reached in Paris, now thinks that manufacturers should continue pushing hybrid technology.

President Sergio Marchionne said at Maranello earlier this week: "After all that has been done with a view to reducing emissions, when we hear about a return to the aspirated engines with a less complex hybrid system, it is really offensive and it would be a retrograde step.

"The world with the choices they make in Paris has moved forward, and thus also Formula 1 must adapt."

The January 15 deadline for the manufacturers come against the backdrop of FIA president Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone having been given a mandate by the governing body to make changes to F1 to reduce costs and improve its governance structure.

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Ferrari says staff must be 'terrified' of failure next year

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has told his Formula 1 staff that they need to be 'terrified' at the prospect of not delivering a winning car at next year's Australian Grand Prix.

The Maranello-based outfit is preparing for a full-on assault on the world championship next year, having exceeded its targets this season with three victories.

And well aware of how tough it is going to be to overhaul favourites Mercedes, Marchionne says that only a supreme winter – fuelled by the fear of failure – will be enough for his squad.

"The world championship is decided in the winter when the car is prepared for the new season," said Marchionne in Maranello.

"When we get to Melbourne, we will understand if we have done a good job or if there was someone that was better.

"If I can give some advice to all those who work at Maranello – it is to be terrified by the arrival of spring. We must suffer the unknown of what Mercedes will do in these months, and then we will see on track in February."

He added: "Even during testing there won't be a definitive answer, but by March we will understand if the work we did on the engine and the new chassis has paid off.

"The next three months will not be at all easy, and we must not make the mistake of relaxing despite 13 podiums and three victories. Next season will be very hard.

"I remember the first few times I spoke to [Mercedes board member Dieter] Zetsche – who showed a certain arrogance towards Ferrari.

"Now, I think he has a little more respect, but not much because in the end they won the world championship. The only way we will get respect is whether we see something in Australia."

Positive force

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene hopes Marchionne's fighting talk will act as a positive force on his staff, as they work on the 2016 F1 challenger.

"I hope the terror can be positive – because people who are frightened run away before they hit problems," he said. "The positive terror gives us the strength to do things.

"That is what the president means when he speaks of terror in the next three months."