FORMULA 1 - 2015

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HOSTS RULE OUT FORMULA 1 NIGHT RACES IN 2015

Two Formula 1 hosts have ruled out switching to a night race format for 2015,to accommodate European timezones.

Malaysia has been under consistent pressure in recent years from Bernie Ecclestone to switch to a floodlit format, to emulate the Singapore-like spectacle and provide a better television timeslot for the global audience.

“In the past he was pushing,” Sepang chief Razlan Razali admitted to Reuters, “but now I think it’s the first time where he actually listened to us as a promoter (about) what we want.”

What will probably change for Malaysia in 2015, however, is a race time change from 4 to 3pm, as a consequence of Jules Bianchi’s horror crash in fading light at Suzuka last year.

“For us it’s good,” Razali said. “It’s a safer time bracket. So now people can come in for lunch, watch the race and about five o’clock they can go back (home).”

Another race slated to shift to a night format for 2015 was Russia, after the Sochi event debuted last year at 3pm.

But race organisers have in fact confirmed that this year’s edition will kick off an hour earlier than in 2014, at 2pm local.

“Many fans of motor sport already arrange their trip for the Russian race,” promoter Sergey Vorobyov told local media, “so for them it is a good opportunity already to plan the weekend.”

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NURBURGRING NOT GIVING UP ON 2015 GRAND PRIX

The Nurburgring is not giving up on hanging onto the German grand prix,despite the announcement by Bernie Ecclestone that, amid the venue’s ownership uncertainties, its return to the calendar this year is now off.

The F1 supremo is now negotiating with Hockenheim to take the place on this year’s schedule.

“We have a contract with Mr Ecclestone for the race in 2016 and 2018,” a Hockenheim spokesman told the Kolner Express, “but at the moment there is nothing for this year. If there is a specific offer, we will look at it.”

And Hockenheim track boss Georg Seiler told Germany’s Sport Bild: “Already since the race last year there were talks, but we agreed confidentiality.

“If all the parameters fit, I see the opportunities at 100 per cent that formula one can be at the Hockenheim again this year,” he added.

The Nurburgring, on the other hand, is also not officially confirming Ecclestone’s comments about the 2015 race being definitely off.

“We note what Mr Ecclestone said,” a spokesman for the track operator Capricorn told SID news agency, “but we do not comment.

“We would be delighted if this year there was a formula one race again at the Nurburgring,” he added, “but it also must be affordable for the operator.”

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VETTEL GETS ACQUAINTED WITH MARANELLO

At the request of Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene, Sebastian Vettel came to Maranello to visit the Gestione Sportiva.

The purpose of the tour was to allow the four times World Champion to visit all the departments and to get better acquainted with everyone he will be working with this season.

On the same day launched their range of 2015 Formula 1 team merchandise, “Everything from T-shirts to polo shirts, sweatshirts, dress shirts, jackets, baseball hats – all ready for a truly passion-fuelled new Formula 1 season.”

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Honda free to develop engine in 2015

McLaren's hopes for this season have been boosted after the FIA ruled that Honda could continue to develop their engine during the 2015 campaign.

Earlier this month it was revealed that all three 2014 engine manufacturers would be permitted to develop their engines throughout the 2015 season as a poorly worded regulation failed to set an exact date to stop post-season upgrades.

The rule, though, did not include Honda as they are only returning to F1 this season.

The Japanese manufacturer expressed its unhappiness at what it called an unfair situation and approached the FIA regarding it.

Motorsport's governing body has clearly agreed with Honda.

McLaren's engine supplier has now been granted permission to develop the average number of unused 'tokens' by Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault at the time when the 2015 season begins in Australia.

'Tokens' have been assigned to parts of the engine based on their influence on performance of which Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari can modify 32 of the 66.

According to the Reuters, a letter from FIA race director Charlie Whiting states: "As each of the four 2015 manufacturers will have an homologated power unit at the start of the season, we believe it would be fair to ensure that each of them enjoys equal opportunities for upgrades during the season.

"We will therefore allow the new manufacturer to use the same number of tokens that the other three manufacturers have available to them, taken as an average of the three.

"For example, if the three 2014 manufacturers have eight, seven and five unused tokens respectively at the start of the season, then the new manufacturer will be allowed to use six during the season."

The BBC, meanwhile, reports that the FIA's decision "takes into account the opinions of Honda's rivals that it had an advantage inherent in entering a year late in that it knew a target to aim for, because it was aware of the performance of the rival engines in 2014."

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Honda veto Alonso's Le Mans drive

Fernando Alonso won't be racing the Le Mans 24 Hours this year after Honda said no.

Although Alonso will be racing for McLaren-Honda this season, the double World Champion had reportedly hoped to try his hand at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Closing in on a seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg in a Porsche 919 Hybrid, Alonso's talks came to an end when Honda said no.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, "Porsche had been close to signing Fernando Alonso" only for Honda to "veto at the last second."

The report added that talks of former Sauber driver Adrian Sutil competing in the endurance race had also not resulted in a deal being done.

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Gutierrez wants quick start at Ferrari

New Ferrari test driver Esteban Gutierrez is hoping his time with the Sauber will allow him to ease his way into life at Ferrari.

After two seasons with Sauber, Gutierrez was dropped following a disappointing season that ended without a single point for the team.

The Mexican racer was soon snapped up by Ferrari, who signed the 23-year-old to their test driver roaster.

Earlier this week, he met the team personnel and had the necessary seat fittings.

"Now, the important thing for me is to adapt and to settle in to this new environment as quickly as possible," he said.

"I need to get to know the people I will be working with and I hope that my experience with the Ferrari engine will mean I can contribute to the development of the new power unit."

He added that joining Ferrari is an "an honour, because this is a place where history is made."

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Remembering Gilles Villeneuve

Yesterday was Gilles Villeneuve's birthday, and in honour of one of the best Formula 1 pilots to grace a race car, we look back over that final weekend

Regarded by many as the fastest driver ever to grace the world of Formula One, the legend that is Gilles Villeneuve still lives on. It had been a tough fortnight for the French-Canadian as he began preparations for the 1982 Belgian GP, and he fought to contain the resentment he held towards his Ferrari team mate Didier Pironi following their titanic battle at Imola in the previous round.

It wasn't supposed to end the way it did. Villeneuve was the No.1 and believed team orders were in force as the scarlet duo began the final few laps. For the audience, what followed was an edge of the seat dice for the lead as the scarlet duo repeatedly passed one another to the flag. While the enthusiasts praised both drivers for their mesmerising display of grit determination, Villeneuve's face told a different story.

Enraged by the antics of his team mate -- who had been instructed to shadow the No.27 car to the flag -- Villeneuve informed reporters that with immediate effect, he and the Frenchman would no longer be on speaking terms except for de-briefs in the garage. He would additionally ensure he beat Pironi in every session, and every race for the remainder of the season.

Having struggled to match the pace of his teammate going into the final few minutes of Saturday's qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix, Villeneuve entered his car for the final time. Lowering his visor, those intense blue eyes focused on the task ahead, the French-Canadian left the pits and re-joined the racetrack.

Worst possible news

Minutes later the red flags were out. As is always the case when such a situation arises, folk knew there had been a serious accident and subconsciously, many knew it was Villeneuve.

The accident had been one of huge magnitude and the pictures broadcast from the local television station did little to swing opinions that the driver could not survive. Hours later the announcement came that everyone expected and feared. Formula One had lost Gilles Villeneuve.

It says much about the former Ferrari star that even though his career was brief, contemporary grand prix enthusiasts regard him as one of the most talented to have ever graced the cockpit of an F1 car. Abiding memories of his wheel-banging, no-holds barred battles with his competitors have gone into legend as some of the most dramatic ever witnessed.

"People say I drive like a madman, on and off the track," he said before his death. "They say I'm insane because I smile when faced with danger. Maybe I am a little crazy, but let me tell you something else -- I'll die a happy man because doing what I do makes me feel alive."

Gilles Villeneuve was a poet of a racing driver who was adamant that a driver should negotiate every turn on every circuit as fast as possible, then deal with potential hazards. Though this belief undoubtedly contributed to his death twenty-two years ago, it was a philosophy that endeared him to millions, then, as now.

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ALONSO DITCHED CYCLING TEAM PROJECT AMID CAREER TURMOIL

Fernando Alonso shelved his plans to set up a professional cycling team during the souring of relations with Ferrari and amid the turmoil of his switch from the Maranello team to McLaren.

That is the claim of Paolo Bettini, a former cyclist who left his job as head coach of Italy’s national team in order to help Alonso set up a team for cycling’s top World Tour.

But during the course of last year, it became clear Alonso’s plans were fading and eventually the Spaniard met with Bettini to apologise.

“We sat down in December,” Bettini told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “It was a frank meeting, we looked each other in the eye and he apologised.”

That is because Bettini, currently without a job, gambled everything on Alonso’s dream, which for now has been put on the shelf.

“If he needs help again and calls me then we can see if I’m still free and if we can find the right agreement. Would I be wary? Inevitably, yes,” he admitted.

Bettini said the main problem for Alonso’s cycling plans was the timing, as turmoil began to build at Ferrari last year and his negotiations for a return to McLaren intensified.

“It all started in the wrong year for Fernando,” he explained. “His job is a formula one driver, so then the changes in Ferrari that everyone is now aware of began and he began to try to change teams.”

“It was a crucial year for his career and he had to focus on that,” Bettini said. “There was no room for another challenging project, fascinating as it was.”

He said he has no intention of suing Alonso, even though his two-year contract to be the new cycling team’s director was technically breached, “There is no legal aftermath. We are on stand-by. Fernando sees this team for the future.

“I know that may not seem credible, because there was also the attempt to buy Euskaltel, but we have talked so many times and I assure you that he is competent and passionate. He is also proud and does not want the story to end this way.”

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MERCEDES TO LAUNCH 2015 CAR ON FIRST DAY OF JEREZ TEST

Mercedes has confirmed reports it will reveal Formula 1 world championship title-defending 2015 car, the W06, on the first day of official winter testing.

We reported earlier in January that unlike McLaren and Ferrari, who are staging launch events prior to Jerez, several teams including Mercedes and Red Bull will simply roll their new cars onto the Spanish asphalt for the world’s press.

Indeed, Mercedes announced on Monday that the W06 will be “revealed before running commences on the opening day of winter testing in Jerez” on 1 February.

The Brackley team said the world’s media will gather for the unveiling while fans will be kept up to speed with live coverage via social media.

Nico Rosberg will then debut the car, before world champion Lewis Hamilton makes his bow on day two. Team boss Toto Wolff said: “This is an exciting time of year as our collective efforts all come together in the new car.”

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FERRARI HAS SET MODEST GOAL FOR MELBOURNE SEASON OPENER

Ferrari has set a modest target for the 2015 Formula 1 world championship season opening Australian Grand Prix, according to Leo Turrini the respected expert on the Maranello outfit.

Turrini, famously close to the main protagonists in red, wrote in his Quotidiano blog that the “minimum goal for Ferrari in Melbourne is to get both cars into Q3 on Saturday”.

New president Sergio Marchionne has already warned that, after a tumultuous period for Ferrari and a difficult 2014, fans of the team should brace for another difficult season.

“The maximum target, and quite frankly it is unlikely, is the podium [in Australia],” Turrini added.

He quoted Marchionne as having said in Detroit last week that, “If in the last phase of the 2015 season we are still far behind, then we will have no excuses”.

On the driver front, Ferrari newcomers Sebastian Vettel, Esteban Gutierrez and Jean-Eric Vergne have already begun their 2015 campaigns with visits to Maranello.

Now, Turrini reports that Kimi Raikkonen, Vettel’s 2015 teammate, will make his first 2015 visit to the Ferrari headquarters this week.

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Toro Rosso 'convinced' Max will shine

Such is Toro Rosso's faith in Max Verstappen that team boss Franz Tost is backing the teenager to score points on his debut.

In just two months, Verstappen will make his grand prix debut with Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix.

At just 17 years of age he will become the youngest driver ever to race in a F1 grand prix, a record he will hold for years to come as the rules have changed introducing a minimum age of 18.

And although there are many questions about the young Dutchman's ability, not only on the track but when it comes down to pressure, his team boss is backing him to excel.

"I saw [Verstappen] two years ago in the karting world championship and I was quite impressed by his speed and his car control," Tost told Autosport.

"I'm really convinced that if we provide him with a good car that he will immediately score points. It will be a similar story to Daniil.

"I don't expect any problems for him. He will be well prepared for Melbourne."

As for all those questioning Verstappen's age and lack of experience, Tost believes his driver is prepared for the big stage.

"Last year at this stage I got the same questions about Kvyat," he said.

"Max comes into Formula 1 with, I would say, 10 years' experience [including karting], and if you go back 20 years or whatever it was a completely different scenario.

"You can now drive a formula car at 15 years old. The FIA regulations allow this, and now it's possible for a 16- or 17-year-old to come into Formula 1.

"Times have changed. It's not the age [that counts], it's the performance the driver shows.

"I know a lot of drivers who are 24 but they are simply too slow to do F1.

"And then there are very young drivers who are very fast and they will show a good performance.

"I'm convinced Max will do this if we provide him with a proper car."

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No fifth power unit for drivers in 2015

Formula One drivers will only be allowed to use four power units during the 2015 season, a reduction from the five permitted last year.

The rules for this year specified a decrease from five power units to four but noted “this number will be increased to five if the number of events in the championship, as originally scheduled, exceeds 20″.

A calendar approved by the FIA in 2015 featured 21 rounds after an extra race was added in South Korea. The event was then removed from a calendar issued by the FIA earlier this month.

This was suspected by some to have been done in order to satisfy the rule which would allow teams to use five power units this season.

However an FIA representative confirmed to F1 Fanatic that as the calendar is now fully confirmed as having 20 events, driver will only be permitted to use four power units during the season.

As last year, drivers will receive grid penalties if they use more than the permitted number of power unit penalties. However a change to the rules for this year means if those penalties cannot be applied in full they will not carry over to the next race, and the driver will receive a race penalty instead.

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Marussia auction cancelled as rescue deal emerges

A Marussia auction scheduled to take place on Wednesday has been cancelled, amid a potential rescue deal emerging which could see the team make the first race of the season.

The outfit entered administration in October which saw it miss the final three races of the 2014 season.

Much of its equipment was sold off in December by administators FRP Advisory in an attempt to recover some of the teams £31 million debts.

However, the equipment necessary to operate the team remains at their factory - which is now owned by Gene Haas - and was set to be auctioned off on Wednesday. That has now been postponed indefinitely whilst rescue talks are underway.

"[We're] at a fairly advanced stage with a new investor - a credible investor," Marussia boss John Booth told BBC Sport on Monday.

He said the auction had been postponed "to allow for discussions to continue with a third party, [which] gives us a bit more time to explore [the deal]."

When asked how confident he was of a deal happening, he replied: "Pretty high," but added, "time is of the essence."

Should the team come to an agreement with the investor, then it would require special dispensation from the FIA to run their 2014 car as time to construct and develop their 2015 chassis would be an impossibility.

During a Strategy Group meeting last year, it was agreed that both Marussia and Caterham would be allowed to use their old cars, but it would still require a World Motor Sport Council fax vote.

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WILLIAMS FIRST TO REVEAL THEIR 2015 FORMULA 1 CAR

Williams claimed a first by revealing their 2015 car before any of their Formula 1 rivals had taken the wraps off theirs.

With Force India due to show off their new livery at a presentation in Mexico City later, Williams released images of the Mercedes-powered FW37 through their website and the cover of F1 Racing magazine.

Last year’s car lifted Williams out of the doldrums to third in the championship and the 2015 version has been reshaped to meet new nose regulations designed to rid the sport of the previous ‘ugly’ solutions.

Williams chief technical officer Pat Symonds recognised that had posed a ‘slight headache’ for the designers, with the Williams featuring a shorter nose.

“The new front bulkhead and nose geometry had much more of an impact than we had initially anticipated and the effect on the aero was profound,” he said in a statement.

“The team have worked hard on pulling back the deficit these regulations have made for us.”

Williams finished ahead of Ferrari and McLaren last season, the first year of the new V6 turbo hybrid era, and behind only dominant champions Mercedes and Red Bull.

With no major changes to the regulations this year, former champions Williams are hoping to challenge for wins and the title with Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finland’s Valtteri Bottas but recognised others could close the gap on them.

“The more rule stability there is, the closer the field gets. I hope as a team we are more capable of maintaining the forward momentum to catch Mercedes, than the teams behind us are of catching us,” said Symonds.

“It’s not just about stable regulations but also about the team and every individual that works here moving forward and improving.”

The team announced on Twitter that the Mercedes V6 turbo power unit installed in the back of the new FW37 was fired up for the first time this week.

The first Formula 1 testing of the 2015 season begins at Jerez, in southern Spain, on 1 February.

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FORCE INDIA REVEAL NEW LIVERY FOR 2015 SEASON

Sahara Force India launched its 2015 season, at a spectacular event at the Soumaya museum in Mexico City, offering fans and media a first impression of how the VJM08 will look when it makes its track debut next month.

Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg pulled back the covers to reveal the team’s fresh new look for the forthcoming Formula 1 world championship season.

The new car livery is guaranteed to get heads turning. The chassis features an elegant combination of silver and black with the team’s traditional colour of orange streaking from the nose cone to the rear of the car in two symmetrical curves.

Key to the new livery is the introduction of several commercial partners for 2015. Prominent NEC branding appears on the engine cover to signal the beginning of a relationship with the global ICT firm based in Tokyo, Japan. Also on the engine cover are the logos of telecommunications brands Claro and Telcel as America Movil begins its second season supporting the team.

Branding from world-famous tequila brand, Jose Cuervo, features on the car’s headrest, while logos from Latin America’s leading insurance broker, Inter, appear on the front wing end plates. Motor oil brand, Quaker State, also partners with the team placing its logos on the rear wing end plates.

The team is also delighted to extend its partnership with Smirnoff for a second season, in addition to the continuation of long-time partners United Spirits, Kingfisher and Royal Challenge.

Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya, was the first to praise the team’s new livery: “It’s another evolution of the contemporary look we introduced last year, which reflects the growth of the team and the global brands with which we are working. I love the addition of silver, which makes the car appear more sleek and aggressive and I’m sure it’s something that will appeal to the fans as well. Our traditional team colours remain integrated in the livery, but we’ve given it a very modern twist.”

With relatively stable technical regulations, the VJM08 has been designed with evolution rather than revolution in mind. The most significant changes from the outside will appear at the front of the car with the lowering of the front of the chassis and nose. “The front of the car looks very different from what we had developed previously,” explains Technical Director Andrew Green. “It is a redesign that involved a lot of work over the winter, as the new regulations caused a loss in terms of downforce and we’ve been working to claw back all that performance.”

The VJM08 will also feature several subtle changes, including modified sculpting of the sidepods and new cooling intakes. Underneath the skin there will be a completely new rear suspension layout with a new hydro-mechanical system replacing the original torsion springs. The VJM08 is expected to make its track testing debut in Barcelona next month with the VJM07 running at the first test in Jerez.

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IS THIS THE NEW LOOK MCLAREN-HONDA?

McLaren Honda kick off their second partnership in Formula 1 with the first test in Jerez starting on 1 February, ahead of the new season there is much speculation surrounding the new livery that the team will use on the all new MP4-30.

A CAD rendering of what the car may look like has appeared on the internet, supposedly depicting the new livery which is predominantly white and red with black trimmings.

No title sponsor appears on the car, although Mobil, SAP, Honda and McLaren do feature prominently in the rendering.

However the image, if genuine, clearly pre-dates the recent announcement that the team has entered into a partnership with CNN.

The Woking based team announced earlier in the week that they had concluded a deal with the global TV news broadcaster and announced that “for the 2015 season, the partnership sees CNN’s branding appear on the front-wing endplates of the new McLaren-Honda MP4-30 Formula 1 car.”

The Honda link-up with McLaren, the second most successful team in the sport after Ferrari in terms of race wins and drivers’ titles, revives one of the greatest Formula 1 team-manufacturer partnerships.

Although Honda had little success with their own teams, they nevertheless powered McLaren to multiple championships with triple champion Ayrton Senna and four times champion Alain Prost between 1988 and 1992.

The partnership in 1988 was the most dominant in Formula 1 history, with Senna and Prost winning 15 of the 16 races.

The new McLaren-Honda MP4-30 will be officially unveiled during an online launch on 29 January.

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MARCHIONNE: A FERRARI MUST BE BUILT IN ITALY ANYTHING ELSE IS BLASPHEMY

Ferrari big boss Sergio Marchionne has ruled out leaving their Maranello headquarters to build future Formula 1 contenders as it bids to end a seven-year world championship drought at the pinnacle of the sport.

Having faltered at the start of the new turbo V6 era, the Italian marque has undergone a radical shake-up ahead of what the team’s president Marchionne expects will be yet another difficult campaign in 2015.

In the late 80s, Ferrari made a bold bid for competitiveness by signing designer John Barnard and letting him work for the team from an English base.

More recently, the iconic team has struggled to similarly woo F1’s top designers like Adrian Newey, and so speculation of the return to having a UK base has re-emerged.

It would also allow Ferrari to benefit from F1’s so-called ‘Motorsport Valley’, where eight of the 11 teams that began the 2014 season are based.

But Marchionne has ruled it out, and told Speedweek, “Ferrari is Italy and this exclusivity will be untouched. A Ferrari must be built in Italy – anything else would be blasphemy.”

The 62-year-old Italian-Canadian is famous for having revived not only Fiat but also Chrysler, and now he is also heading Ferrari in its period of turmoil.

“I have already simplified my life because I have only three phones,” he laughed. “But it’s true — at the moment I live predominantly on planes.”

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ANTHONY HAMILTON WORKING TOWARDS F1 RETURN FOR AFRICA

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton’s father is involved in plans to revive the South African Grand Prix, with a race proposed for Cape Town in 2016.

Since splitting as Lewis’ manager, Anthony Hamilton has worked on other projects, including managing Paul di Resta and pioneering the so-called ‘Info wing’ that was tested by Force India at the end-of-season Abu Dhabi test.

Now, Press Association reports that Hamilton senior is working with Bernie Ecclestone on returning F1 to Africa, which has been without a grand prix since 1993.

“I’ve been looking to go back to South Africa for a long time,” said F1 supremo Ecclestone, “and now we have a good chance.”

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FERRARI APPOINTS EX-HRT MAN CUQUERELLA AS LEAD ENGINEER

In the wake of two Spaniards departing Ferrari, another has arrived at Maranello, namely Toni Cuquerella, who worked in F1 for Super Aguri, BMW and most recently with the now defunct HRT.

Tester Pedro de la Rosa and, of course, number 1 driver Fernando Alonso have departed the fabled Maranello marque amid its radical restructuring.

Since the HRT collapse, Cuquerella has worked for BMW in the German touring car series DTM.

But now, he is returning to F1 with the sport’s most famous team, reportedly in an overseeing role for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineers Ricciardi Adami and Dave Greenwood respectively.

Interestingly, Greenwood has arrived freshly from ailing backmarker Marussia, where he was chief engineer, to work with Raikkonen.

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FORCE INDIA TIES UP DEAL WITH JOSE CUERVO TEQUILA

Sahara Force India have announced the beginning of a partnership with world-famous tequila brand, Jose Cuervo. With a history dating back over 250 years, Jose Cuervo has established its position as the undisputed number one tequila brand in the world.

Jose Cuervo has a worldwide presence in over 90 countries, so Formula One represents the perfect marketing platform for the tequila brand to showcase its range of award-winning products, promote its heritage and support its responsible drinking campaign.

The famous logos will appear on the headrest of the VJM08, the drivers’ suits and all team clothing.

Team Principal and Managing Director, Vijay Mallya: “As we get set to launch our 2015 season, it’s the perfect time to welcome Jose Cuervo to the team. They are a true giant of the tequila industry and I’m delighted that we can work with them to deliver a far-reaching marketing campaign. It’s an exciting time to join the team off the back of our most successful season ever and we look forward to celebrating a memorable year of racing together.”

Juan Domingo Beckmann, CEO Jose Cuervo: “We are very proud to begin this partnership with Sahara Force India and to support Mexico’s Formula 1 star, Sergio Perez, and Nico Hulkenberg. Everyone at Jose Cuervo believes that 2015 is a year of great potential for this team and it‘s very exciting to be part of that journey, especially in the build up to the Mexican Grand Prix later this year. Formula One is one of the most prestigious sports in the world so it’s the perfect arena to showcase the world’s most distinguished tequila, Jose Cuervo.”

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TORO ROSSO STR10 TO BREAK COVER BEFORE JEREZ TEST

Toro Rosso will unveil their 2015 Formula 1 car in the Jerez pit lane on 31 January, the day before the first pre-season testing kicks off at the circuit in southern Spain.

The Renault-powered STR10 will be revealed at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), with the team’s rookie drivers Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz on hand to do the honours.

The following day the tea will begin their testing programme with Sainz on duty on day one and day three and Verstappen taking over the cockpit on the second and fourth days.

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McLaren sign deal with CNN

McLaren have signed a new sponsorship deal with American broadcaster CNN International for the 2015 Formula One season and beyond.

In accordance with the multi-year partnership, the new McLaren-Honda MP4-30 will sport CNN logos appear on its front-wing endplates.

"There is an inherent symmetry between McLaren and CNN that makes us perfectly attuned for partnership," McLaren CEO Ron Dennis said.

"Like McLaren, CNN is a tremendously powerful and influential global network, one that has spent decades pioneering the latest technologies and techniques in a relentless, unforgiving, fast-paced environment. I think we understand each other on many levels.

"Equally, we've each based a deep-rooted culture of success on our core values - our belief in the strength of teamwork and technology - yet our flexibility and dynamism permit us to move seamlessly and effortlessly in order further to push the boundaries of technology and exploration.

"The partnership between McLaren and CNN is unique in that it operates on a very broad scope. Our shared love of technology has united us and together we will pursue new opportunities far beyond the conventional scope of a Formula 1 partnership. I think the executives at CNN are as excited as we are about the potential of this relationship."

McLaren, however, remain without a title sponsor following Vodafone's departure at the end of 2013.

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Haas Formula 1 squad buys Marussia factory but not the team

The Haas Formula 1 team will use the former Marussia factory in Banbury as its European base for its grand prix entry in 2016.

With the American outfit pushing on with its plans to join the F1 grid next year, team chiefs have settled on the Banbury facility after concluding a deal with its former owner Andrei Cheglakov to buy it.

Haas hopes to begin preparing the facility once the assets of the Marussia team - which had been due to be auctioned this week and are still in the factory - are sold.

Although Haas intends much of the work on its new F1 challenger to be done at its high-tech facility in Charlotte, it has always intended to have a European base that can be used for preparing the cars during the campaign.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT last year, team owner Gene Haas said: "There will have to be some kind of European base at least for the cars to go to initially, because we've got to ship them out of either London or Germany.

"We'll probably have to have something where we can at least work on the cars. Primarily everything is going to be made in North Carolina.

"The engines and stuff will go there, and the finished cars will then be shipped to some location [in Europe] for transport to the races, or the European races.

The Haas Formula 1 team will use the former Marussia factory in Banbury as its European base for its grand prix entry in 2016.

With the American outfit pushing on with its plans to join the F1 grid next year, team chiefs have settled on the Banbury facility after concluding a deal with its former owner Andrei Cheglakov to buy it.

Haas hopes to begin preparing the facility once the assets of the Marussia team - which had been due to be auctioned this week and are still in the factory - are sold.

Although Haas intends much of the work on its new F1 challenger to be done at its high-tech facility in Charlotte, it has always intended to have a European base that can be used for preparing the cars during the campaign.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT last year, team owner Gene Haas said: "There will have to be some kind of European base at least for the cars to go to initially, because we've got to ship them out of either London or Germany.

"We'll probably have to have something where we can at least work on the cars. Primarily everything is going to be made in North Carolina.

"The engines and stuff will go there, and the finished cars will then be shipped to some location [in Europe] for transport to the races, or the European races.

NO MARUSSIA TAKEOVER

Haas's takeover of the Banbury facility has prompted speculation that it could even be looking to buy the actual Marussia entry, and start racing with the team's old cars this season.

But AUTOSPORT understands that Haas has no intention of deviating from its original plan of starting racing from 2016, after agreeing a close technical partnership with Ferrari.

The cancellation of the Marussia auction this week is due to talks with a mysterious third party which is looking at buying the assets.

One possibility is that it could be a Ferrari-backed project to create some form of junior team.

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Formula 1 alters grand prix start times after Jules Bianchi crash

Formula 1 chiefs have shifted the start times of five grands prix for 2015 as a result of the lessons learned from Jules Bianchi's Japanese Grand Prix crash last year.

The investigation panel that looked into the circumstances surrounding Bianchi's Suzuka accident recommended that future daytime F1 races should not start when there is a risk of running in fading light conditions.

It stated: "It is proposed that a regulation or guideline be established such that the start time of an event shall not be less than four hours before either sunset or dusk, except in the case of night races."

Although no change to the rules was put in place - with the FIA comfortable that it would never allow races to continue when it felt it was too dark - there has still been a tweak to several start times to avoid the risk of trouble.

The times for Australia (now 4pm), Malaysia (3pm), China (2pm), Japan (2pm) and Russia (2pm) are all one hour earlier than they were in 2014.

All the events had previously run later because of a desire to ensure that they were broadcast at a time more suitable for European television audiences.

Bianchi remains in hospital in France as the result of the serious head injuries he sustained when he struck a recovery vehicle that was retrieving Adrian Sutil's Sauber.

The start times of all the 2015 races are:

15/03 Australia: 16:00 (UK: 05:00)

29/03 Malaysia: 15:00 (UK: 08:00)

12/04 China: 14:00 (UK: 07:00)

19/04 Bahrain: 18:00 (UK: 16:00)

10/05 Spain: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

24/05 Monaco: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

07/06 Canada: 14:00 (UK: 19:00)

21/06 Austria: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

05/07 Britain: 13:00

19/07 Germany: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

26/07 Hungary: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

23/08 Belgium: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

06/09 Italy: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)

20/09 Singapore: 20:00 (UK: 13:00)

27/09 Japan: 14:00 (UK: 06:00)

11/10 Russia: 14:00 (UK: 12:00)

25/10 United States: 14:00 (UK: 19:00)

01/11 Mexico: 13:00 (UK: 19:00)

15/11 Brazil: 14:00 (UK: 16:00)

29/11 Abu Dhabi: 17:00 (UK: 13:00)

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ALONSO TO TEST MP4-30 FIRST BUT NOT EXPECTING WINS IN 2015

McLaren has confirmed Fernando Alonso will be the first to drive the all new Honda powered MP4-30 at the first Formula 1 pre-season test in Jerez on 1 to 4 February.

Alonso is penned in to drive on the first and third days of the test, with team-mate Jenson Button in action on the second and fourth days.

The McLaren-Honda MP4-30 will be unveiled in the week leading up to the test, with an online launch on 20 January.

Meanwhile ahead of the new season Alonso, who made the switch from Ferrari where he spent five frustrating years that delivered no title to McLaren, is expecting a difficult 2015 season.

Alonso acknowledged to a follower of his social media pages: “It will be difficult to win races this year.”

And added that the goal in 2015 at McLaren is to “learn, help, be happy and, long term, to win.”

Honda powered McLaren to four F1 drivers’ championships with Ayrton Senna winning three of these and Alain Prost once between 1988 and 1991. The combination also scooped the F1 constructors’ titles in those four years.

The partnership in 1988 was the most dominant in Formula 1 history, with Senna and Prost winning 15 of the 16 races.