F1 : McLaren MP4-30 revealed

The McLaren MP4-30, the team’s first Honda-powered racing car since 1992, has been pictured for the first time ahead of the 2015 season.

The team are the only one on the grid to use Honda’s new RA615H power unit as the Japanese manufacturer returns to F1 for the first time since 2008.

Together McLaren and Honda won all four constructors’ championships and powered the four drivers’ champions between 1988 and 1991 – a success they intend to replicate.

“I was team principal all those years ago,” said group CEO Ron Dennis, “and while I don’t tend to like looking back to the past our previous record of sustained success was certainly instrumental in creating the confidence to make the decision to partner with Honda again”.

“Now, there’s real hunger to demonstrate the capabilities of the huge talent pool we share between us, and I’m totally committed to driving progress and achieving further success.”

Team principal Eric Boullier, who joined McLaren at the start of last season, said the team is “stronger than ever” following the restructuring which took place last year. “We acknowledge that our journey will require a huge amount of hard work, dedication and application from everyone involved, in both Woking and Sakura,” he said, “but we’re ready and committed to building on the foundations we’ve already established in order eventually to enjoy the results we crave”.

source: f1fanatic.co.uk

McLaren denies pre-jerez run for 2015 car

McLaren has denied reports it will run its Honda-powered 2015 Formula 1 car a few days before its launch and official test debut.

Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo claimed that, following news the MP4-30 will be launched on 29 January, the car will actually clock up some laps beforehand.

“A few days before [the launch], the car will run at Silverstone for a shakedown and to shoot a promotional film,” the report added. “It is hoped the software problems of the post-season test in Abu Dhabi have been solved.”

But a McLaren spokesman told us: “We are not planning to run the MP4-30 before the Jerez test.”

El Mundo also claimed McLaren is likely to enter a second consecutive season without a title sponsor, given that talks with the Spanish mobile operator Movistar are not promising.

Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Blick reports that Sauber is likely to launch its 2015 car in a simple pitlane unveiling ceremony ahead of the Jerez test.


*Source-grandprix247.com

McLaren-Honda to launch F1 car on 29th January

The Honda-powered 2015 F1 car will be launched on 29th January while Ferrari will launch their car on 30th January.

McLaren and Ferrari have both confirmed that they will launch their 2015 cars online prior to the start of winter testing at Jerez on February 1.

The two teams have respectively announced January 29 and January 30 as the dates of the unveils, although there is no confirmation as to whether the cars will be shaken down at filming days prior to the Jerez test.

Force India had already confirmed that it will launch its 2015 livery in Mexico City on January 21.

F1 : FIA admits loophole, allows in-season engine development

 It appears that rather than 2014, where the dates were set and power unit homologations locked in, there is room for development in-season. The FIA has, in a note sent by the FIA’s Charlie Whiting to teams, admitted a rules loophole that allows for this to occur.

Teams can perform in-season power unit developments as long as they stick to the 32 development token limit outlined in the rules and do not exceed the four-engine per car limit for the season. It’s not explicitly stated within the rules that no engine work can be done.

This should, in theory, come as a blow to Mercedes, which has held firm on the engine freeze aspect for what could be further dominance as was delivered in the entirety of the 2014 season.

Renault and Ferrari could now have a fighting chance, and it was Ferrari’s technical director, James Allison, who brought up the issue during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

Honda, however, is being treated as a new manufacturer and thus must have its 2015 unit homologated and locked in by February 28

Mercedes will target Alonso if Hamilton does not extend his contract

Hamilton's current contract is set to expire at the end of the year although both sides have expressed a desire to continue together in 2016.  Contract negotiations were put on hold during 2014 in order to allow Hamilton to concentrate on the championship.

In case Hamilton does not agree to extend his contract, Mercedes Team Boss Toto Wolff has identified Fernando Alonso as his main target to replace Lewis Hamilton for 2016 season.

Talking about Lewis Hamilton's contract negotiations to Gazetta Dello Sport, Wolff said "There's no hurry, it will be discussed during the year,".

After being asked if the two do not reach to an agreement, Wolff said "I am optimistic [of reaching a deal with Hamilton], the priority is to continue with these two drivers. But if it's not possible, Alonso is the first alternative. Then there is [Valtteri] Bottas". 

McLaren understand Honda engine problems

McLaren are confident that they have now understood the Honda engine woes suffered at their first public appearance in Abu Dhabi testing.

McLaren Racing Director, Eric Boullier, says that they have got to the root cause of the issues after the team engineers spent last few weeks working hard to fix the issues. 

"We changed a little bit the schedule and we sent Honda, McLaren people and the car itself back here [to Woking] for full investigations," the Frenchman said.

"They worked very hard for a week and they found out everything. A recovery plan is in place. Part of it has already been fixed, so there are now some further tests on dynos to validate."

Alonso to follow Hulkenberg to Le Mans?

Fernando Alonso could make a sensational debut at the fabled Le Mans 24 hours next year. 

Last week, Porsche announced that it has signed Force India's Hulkenberg to race at Le Mans and Spa six hours.

Italy's Autosprint reports that Alonso, who is close to having his full-time F1 seat with McLaren-Honda finally announced, it could be followed by a shock round of extra news.

"Porsche would not be an alternative to McLaren-Honda for Alonso," agreed Spain's El Mundo Deportivo, "but a complement."
The report said Alonso would join Hulkenberg in the third Porsche entry, along with another unknown driver.

"Despite their friendship," El Mundo Deportivo added, "Fernando would not race in the same car as Mark Webber."

The report said the biggest stumbling block to a Le Mans deal for Alonso is the fact that McLaren is a direct sports car-making rival of Porsche.

This is how the 2015 F1 Grid will look like...

Toro Rosso have confirmed on Thursday that Carlos Sainz Jr. will partner Max Verstappen in 2015 season. The decision came after Jean Eric Vergne announced that he would be leaving the team.

It means that Toro Rosso, who finished 7th in the constructors championship in 2014 with 30 points will field two debutants in 2015. Carlos Sainz Jr won this year's Formula Renault 3.5 Championship and drove a Red Bull at this week's Abu Dhabi test.

The future of Caterham and Marussia still looks uncertain, while McLaren are yet to confirm their line-up.

MERCEDES
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg

RED BULL
Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat

WILLIAMS
Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa

FERRARI
Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen

FORCE INDIA
Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez

TORO ROSSO
Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz

LOTUS
Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado

SAUBER
Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr

McLAREN
Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso

MANOR (MARUSSIA)
TBC

CATERHAM
TBC

F1 : Double points & standing starts to be dumped

The plan to have standing starts after safety car periods in 2015 has been abandoned after this week's meetings of the Strategy Group and F1 Commission.

After more research, concerns emerged regarding issues such as tyre temperatures and pressures, and the complex procedures required in the cockpit prior to any start it was decided to axe standing restarts from F1.

As has been expected for some time, double points for the final race have also gone after F1 insiders accepted that the public didn't like the idea. Fortunately they did not affect the outcome of this year's title battle, but they also did not contribute to extending it until the final race.

Teams have also provisionally agreed that the likes of Caterham and Marussia can use the 2014 spec engines, if they want to. Current rules allow manufacturers to homologate only one engine spec. 

Bottas sets the pace in Abu Dhabi Test

Williams' Valtteri Bottas set the pace on the opening day of the season's final Formula One test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Abu Dhabi Test - Day 1 final timesheet:

1) Bottas, Williams, 80 laps, 1:43.396
2) Raikkonen, Ferrari, 80 laps, 1:43.888
3) Rosberg, Mercedes, 114 laps, 1:44.512
4) Palmer, Force India, 36 laps, 1:44.516
5) Sainz, Red Bull, 99 laps, 1:45.339
6) Stevens, Caterham, 101 laps, 1:45.436
7) Pic, Lotus, 88 laps, 1:46.167
8) Ericsson, Caterham, 1:46.253
9) Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 55 laps, 1:47.194
10) Vandoorne, McLaren-Honda, 3 laps, no time set