Ricciardo: Red Bull F1 battle with Vettel now a straight fight

Daniel Ricciardo believes the remaining 2014 grands prix will prove whether he is actually faster than Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel, now Formula 1's reigning champion is back on form.
Ricciardo has taken Red Bull's only wins of the season, and is 57 points ahead of his team-mate in the F1 drivers' standings.
Although Vettel's form suffered amid early-season car woes, Ricciardo is adamant that the German is now performing at his peak and how they fare from now on is a proper indication of their pace.
"He has got to grips with it better [recently]," said Ricciardo, who has beaten to second by Vettel in the last race in Singapore.
"On Sundays my race performance has been the surprising one that has been really good, and what I have had going for me is tyre management. I have been able to look after the tyres better.
"But in terms of pure speed, he is up to speed with everything and he has pushed me down in the last few qualifyings.
"So from now until the end of the year there should not be any question marks: whoever is in front, is in front."

Ricciardo suggested that arriving at Red Bull from a less competitive team meant the reduction in downforce this year was not such a shock for him.
"It was maybe easier to come from Toro Rosso to Red Bull," said the Australian.
"My Toro Rosso had less grip than his Red Bull, so the grip loss was less from me. Adapting to that was a bigger task for him than it was for me."
VETTEL EXPECTED TOUGH TIME
Vettel said he has not been surprised by Ricciardo's form, and that his team-mate deserves praise regardless of the factors that have hampered his own season.
"I think he has achieved a lot this year," Vettel said.
"It is good he gets a lot of attention because he is doing a good job.
"He is giving me a hard time but I didn't expect anything less.
"If I look at myself my season didn't go as hoped or as I was planning, but it doesn't matter when you talk about Daniel."

Fernando Alonso: Ferrari will beat Williams in 2014 F1 standings

Fernando Alonso is confident the Ferrari Formula 1 team will overhaul rival Williams for third place in the constructors' championship before the 2014 season ends.
The Scuderia is locked in a see-saw battle with a resurgent Williams team this year.
Although Ferrari fell behind its rival with its poor Italian Grand Prix, it closed the gap back down to nine points with a stronger performance in the last race in Singapore.
"We are Ferrari, we are much more than a normal team," said Alonso during the Singapore GP weekend.
"So we just have to keep working hard and whatever is the performance of the car, whatever our advantage or disadvantage over Williams we will fight until the last lap of the last race because there are a lot of points in the table.
"There is Abu Dhabi with double points and there is a lot of opportunities that we will have to close that gap.
"I'm confident that at the end of the championship we will beat Williams."
Alonso believes Ferrari got its weakest point of the season out of the way with Spa and Monza, where its power deficit to Williams and the other Mercedes-engined teams was more evident.
"We passed Spa and Monza, which were difficult tracks for us - we knew that," he said.
"Williams managed to maximise those points and they did a good job."

Japan preview quotes - Pirelli, McLaren, Mercedes & more

After a tense race in Singapore threw the 2014 world championship fight wide open, the teams and drivers head to Japan and one of the most celebrated and iconic circuits on the calendar - Suzuka. Those involved in the 2014 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix discuss their prospects…

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 3rd
“Suzuka is probably my favourite track in the world and for many, many reasons. Of course last year holds a great memory as I led the race for a while. Also, my engineer (Ayao Komatsu) is Japanese, so it is nice for him to be in his home country. But mainly I love it so much because the track is a massive challenge and also the spectators are so passionate about F1. There is not a single corner on the track that is not a big challenge. When you finish a lap at Suzuka you really appreciate it because you know both the car and you have been really tested. You can be proud if you have got the maximum from everything.

“It is the kind of track that you find time and improvements, however small, all of the time. It is a very special race track in this respect. Sector one is unbelievable and after you have finished it you can breathe a little bit…but not for long. There is no margin for error with very little run-off area and the track is quite narrow, especially at the top of the hill. I love it. Every metre of the Suzuka track is special and every metre a challenge. The Spoon Curve is especially fantastic, a real thrill to drive in an F1 car.

“There are a few good areas [for overtaking] like the first corner, but only if you get a good exit from the last chicane. But probably the best one is in to the chicane itself, after the long back straight and 130R. If you get a tow here you can get inside under braking. There is also a small chance at the hairpin and maybe in to Spoon Curve too, but you have to be brave and usually rely on the guy in front to co-operate. Suzuka is quite a narrow track so it is not that easy to overtake, but it is a great challenge and very satisfying when you manage to execute one.”

Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 16th
“It is always nice to know you are going to be challenged by a circuit. If everything gets hooked-up then Suzuka is a pleasure. I really hope we can have a good weekend because at Suzuka it makes it even more of a pleasure to get it right. I think that for a driver it is at least comparable with Spa, maybe even better on some corners. I just love racing at Suzuka and indeed in Japan as a whole.

“The start of the lap is incredible with the sweeps up the hill, right-left-right-left. It is really fast and you need a very good and nimble car to change direction quickly. They are really challenging corners where you need maximum concentration and bravery. The run-off is quite small, so it is really satisfying to get them right. When I first drove this track in 2011 it was a big deal for me because I knew that I could find a lot more time in the car. The corners are like this because you never get them 100 percent right the first time, you learn and learn which is what a great race track should be like I think. Then you have the Spoon Curve which is magnificent and 130R which is still challenging despite being flat-out now. All in all a great, great circuit and with some really steep gradients too. Almost a perfect track!”

Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
“There is a huge appetite for motorsport in Japan. This is both in the sporting and technical context. Everyone knows that the fans in Japan are among the most special in terms of their knowledge and devotion to the sport. So it is very important for us to be racing here and also to have a good weekend on the track. The whole nation of Japan gets tuned in to the F1 groove and it is good for the country and for F1. Suzuka is also a great challenge for the drivers and they will be hungry to deliver. Like Spa, Monaco and Silverstone, I don’t think anyone dislikes going to Suzuka. It has everything that makes F1 great; an incredible track, great fans and somewhere that the drivers and engineers really learn a lot about the car.”

Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
“The challenges are the high speed corners. You can’t run maximum downforce in Suzuka - as you will end up a little too slow on the straights - so you need to give the driver sufficient downforce to give confidence in the fast twisty bits whilst not clipping their wings down the straights. This is part of the reason why Suzuka is such a driver favourite, as drivers can be absolutely on the limit without the car totally stuck to the ground through maximum downforce. It’s not just having sufficient downforce, it’s ensuring that this is delivered in a balanced nature. Getting the suspension set-up spot on is essential here too. You need to extract all the grip that’s possible from the car. Looking at the E22, we think that it should be reasonably matched to all of these challenges especially as we’re generally quite good in high speed turns.”

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 1st
"Suzuka has been a very positive place for me in the past, I've won the race three times and I also won the World Championship there in 2011 which was a fantastic experience. Suzuka as a whole is a fantastic circuit, probably the only circuit you can compare it to on the calendar is Spa. It is a very challenging circuit, especially the first sector where there is a lot of high speed corners. I really enjoy those, but later on you also have the spoon corner, which is very technical and a big challenge, as well as 130R. The fans are very special and the atmosphere is incredible, the crowds really appreciate what people in F1 do, so it is great to see that."

Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - 13th
"Suzuka is all good, but for me the first sector is just a delight. It's a dream. You have those fast changes of directions through the Esses, hard around the Dunlop Curve and then, arguably the best bit, turns Eight and Nine: Degner. Through Eight you're hanging on, it's so narrow and there's no room for error but you want to push as hard as you can. Then just as you straighten up the car, you're on the brakes, throwing it into this cambered right-hander and hoping you've got it right because if you haven't then it's all over. Getting to do that 53 times in a row is a pretty good way to earn a living. What you maybe don't see on TV is that it's a real rollercoaster, dropping into valleys and climbing up again, so that you're rarely on a level surface."

Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 7th
"The track in Suzuka is one of my favourites. I actually have many tracks that I like a lot, but this one is really unique. The layout of the circuit is very different to other ones, so the set-up of the car is also special. The track has many fast corners which can be challenging from an aerodynamic point of view, but there are also some medium speed ones. The first sector is simply amazing, it is a sequence of left-right corners, and it is fantastic driving through it. Also the very fast left corner, called 130R, is a very nice one. I have good memories from Suzuka, as last year, I scored my first points in Formula One there. The fan base in Japan is great, and I am impressed with how enthusiastic and passionate the people are about racing. Once we drivers arrive there, the fans make us feel special, and they appreciate what we are doing. This is a good motivation for us."

Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 17th, 2013 Race - 14th
"The Japanese Grand Prix is a nice event with many great fans at the track. For me it is a very special Grand Prix, as in the past I lived in Japan for a year. Due to the fact that I won the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 2006, I have great memories, and it is always a special feeling to come back. The track in Suzuka is with its many fast corners one of my favourites. The first sector especially is tricky, as it has a sequence of left-right-corners which can be driven very fast. From a technical point of view, this part of the track is quite challenging, so we need to have a stable car with a lot of downforce, and a front that responds quickly while turning in. The last sector is good for overtaking due to the DRS zone. In general the track is narrower compared to the more modern ones, and the run-off areas have gravel and grass, which does not allow room for mistakes. Moreover, I believe it will be difficult to go flat out through the very fast 130R left corner due to the reduced downforce of this year's cars. All in all, I would say this track is challenging and fascinating."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"The Suzuka circuit is another one of those drivers‘ and engineers‘ favourites, due to the diversification of the challenges faced throughout a lap. After a flowing and high-speed biased sector one in which the aerodynamic performance dominates, sector two demands stability and traction. Sector three at the end of the lap is dominated by the straight, in which the drivers negotiate the ultra-high speed 130R corner, and the very-low speed chicane. Due to the abrasiveness of the tarmac and the high lateral energy through the high speed corners, Pirelli has allocated the hard and the medium compounds. In the last few years, the Sauber F1 Team has produced some of its best races at Suzuka. This is a source of pride, and keeps us motivated in working hard for results that so far this season we haven't been able to achieve."

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 6th
"Suzuka is one of the best circuits of the year. I think it's quite similar to Spa in terms of the feeling you get inside the car. It's just a great place to experience a Formula One car and it's a lot of fun. There are some big corners, especially the ‘S' curves, which are very technical. Finding the right balance is very important for being quick in these long, sweeping corners. The last couple of years I've scored good points in Japan so I want to add some more this year.

"It's also a fun weekend outside of the car: the fans really show their love for the teams and drivers, and they're very sweet and respectful. When we travel from the hotel to the track they are always there standing on the side of the road waving at us with both hands. I'm also a big fan of Japanese food, so it's a good chance to enjoy the local food, especially the teppanyaki."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - 15th
"Suzuka is such an exciting circuit. It's a classic full of great corners in every sector. It's a track where confidence with your car is especially important because you need to find the flow of the lap, especially in the first sector from turns two to seven where you have to be totally committed. The key is to be precise, but it's very technical and not easy to hit every apex. Because there are so many high-speed corners, it's not easy to follow cars closely and overtaking is very difficult. It's possible, though, and I remember having a good battle with Lewis [Hamilton] two years ago.

"We meet great fans during the season wherever we go, but I would rate the fans in Japan as some of the best. They have a lot of love for Formula One and they have always been very kind to me. It is always fantastic to come back to this country because they help make this race a special one."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"We haven't had the best of results in Suzuka over the years, but hopefully with this car and these two drivers we can come away with some points. We brought an aero update to Singapore and, in terms of race pace, it worked well. Suzuka will give us another chance to evaluate those parts because it's a track that is dominated by medium-speed corners. There are also a few more bits and pieces coming before the end of the year, so we're continuing to push hard and not giving up."

McLaren
Jenson Button
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 9th
"Coming to Suzuka feels like a second home race for me. Japan is such a special place and my win here in 2011 really stands out as a personal highlight. The fans there really set it apart and there's an incredible atmosphere about the whole place all weekend.

"It's also one of the best circuits we come to; a real challenge and incredibly unforgiving, which makes it all the more rewarding when you get it right. For me the Esses are the best section of corners in the world – totally unique to Suzuka, which makes racing here so exciting. Being such a tricky, high-speed track you need good downforce, rhythm and total focus to get the most out of a lap. Despite not getting to the finish in Singapore, we're definitely on an upward curve in terms of developing the car. Suzuka will be a tricky one for us, but I'm still really looking forward to it."

Kevin Magnussen
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"Suzuka is one of those legendary circuits - I can't wait to get out there! I'm really looking forward to driving onto the track for the first time and tackling the famous corners you always hear about – the Esses, the Degners, then Spoon and 130R. After Singapore, I'm hoping the conditions in Japan won't be quite so difficult to manage! It was a really tough race and we deserved more than we came home with, but I'm confident that we can begin the weekend in good form and build on the improvements we've already seen in the past few races.

"Suzuka looks like a really challenging circuit, very fast with some really tricky corners to get right, which makes overtaking a bit more difficult than at other tracks. I can't wait to get to the track and start working with my engineers to get the best set-up. After the difficult race we had last time out, I'm going to give it my absolute all to get the best possible result here for the team."

Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"Although on paper our results from Singapore were very disappointing, the team has quickly refocused and we've taken many positives from the weekend which we aim to carry into Suzuka. More than anything, our performance proved our total determination to succeed and fight right until the last moment. Despite coming home with just one point, our lap times and race pace compared to the front-runners is certainly more promising than earlier in the year, so this is what we must focus on at Suzuka to keep up this momentum.

"For McLaren, Suzuka is a very special race. The Japanese people are so welcoming from the moment we step off the plane, and the whole team enjoys coming back to Japan each year. It's a circuit that the fans and drivers love, and its traditional slot towards the end of the season means we usually see some incredibly tense on-track battles. Suzuka is an interesting challenge in terms of set-up - getting the car's balance right will be the key to success. Our engineers are working hard to make sure we get the most out of our car this weekend, and our aim is to build on our improvements in Singapore and come away with a result that is more representative of our recent progress."

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - DNF
"Singapore was a good weekend for me. It's the first time in quite a few races that I've not had to fight through the pack to get a result which made life a lot easier. In the final stint, I had to clear Sebastian quickly after making the extra stop. But the car just felt fantastic and I could push whenever I needed to throughout the race. Of course, it was disappointing for the team to have another retirement but I know they have made this a priority moving forwards. It's levelled things up in the Drivers' Championship, so hopefully we'll now have a straight battle right to the flag in Abu Dhabi. Suzuka is one of the races on the calendar that drivers love the most - and arguably one of the greatest tracks in the world. There's so much history and there have been so many defining moments there - like those unforgettable battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. I've never won at this circuit and have only made the podium once, on my first visit way back in 2009. I've had a couple of chances and last season was probably the best of those. This year, though, we have an exceptional car and I'm really hoping I'll finally have my shot at the top step. All the greats of Formula One have won at Suzuka since the sport first came there in the 1980s and I'm determined to add my name to that list this weekend."

Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 6th, 2013 Race - 8th
"I said at the time that Sunday in Singapore was probably the toughest moment of my year so far and, looking back on it, I still think that is true. To have the chance for a top result basically taken away before you even reach the grid is hard to swallow and, of course, it was a lot of points lost in the Championship battle. I can't fault the effort of the team, though. I go to the factory and I see how hard everyone is working, so it's clear that they want the results just as much as us drivers do. I have faith in my colleagues to improve our reliability and I know they will get it right. Next up we have the Japanese Grand Prix - which really is one of the special races in motorsport. There's so much history at this race - especially at Suzuka. It's definitely one of the best tracks in the world. The fans, too, are just unbelievable. They go absolutely crazy for Formula One and it's so nice to see their enthusiasm for the sport. They show us so much support - the teams and all of us drivers individually - so we all really enjoy going there and seeing them all. I'm looking forward to this weekend - particularly with the car we have at the moment which should give us a good chance to get a great result."

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Singapore was a bittersweet event for the team, with both of our drivers producing strong performances throughout the weekend but only one leaving with the result he deserved on Sunday. Whilst it was good to see the pace of our car used to full effect by Lewis in the race, Nico's problems left us under no illusions that our reliability must improve. With five races to go and three points separating Lewis and Nico, it is now a straight fight between the two of them and each will be looking to gain the first advantage in Suzuka, one of the best driver's circuits in the sport. We are also now entering arguably the most intense phase of the racing season: the final quarter. Inside the team, motivation is stronger now than at any point so far this year. Every single one of us wants to finish 2014 in style."

Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"We left Singapore with mixed emotions. Lewis produced a fantastic drive in difficult circumstances with the safety car to take a great victory. Credit must go to the team in terms of the strategy - which was bold but absolutely the right call. It demanded a lot from Lewis in terms of his performance in the final phase of the race - but as always he delivered faultlessly. On the other side of the garage, it was very disappointing to have lost Nico's car in Singapore. This was down to the failure of a part which we have been running faultlessly since its introduction six years ago and so demonstrates the challenge of ensuring reliability in a modern Formula One car. Clearly, this is an area in which we need to perform a lot better in the future. Reliability is something we have been working on intensively over the past 12 months and we will redouble our efforts moving forwards. Now, we look ahead to Suzuka. It's a fantastic track - unique in its figure-of-eight configuration with some spectacular corners, and a very well-liked circuit amongst the drivers. It demands the utmost skill from the driver in order to get the right lines - particularly through the 'S' Curves - and good all-round performance from the car in terms of power, braking and cornering. We hope that will play to our advantage and that we can bring home another good result. The Japanese fans are some of the very best on the planet - we particularly look forward to seeing what interesting costumes they produce each year. Their enthusiasm for the sport is second to none and we hope to reward them with a good show."

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
2013 Qualifying - 18th, 2013 Race - 12th
"Suzuka is one of the best tracks on the calendar. The fans really make it something special, with an unbelievable atmosphere. A combination of that and the track itself, makes this one of the best Grands Prix of the year. I'm looking forward to it. I don't expect this year's new technical regulations to require much of a change in terms of how we approach it. I am not sure how it will suit our car. If I have to pick one part of the circuit I like best, it would be the high speed esses that start the lap and, with having less downforce this year, the 130R might be more of a challenge than in the past."

Daniil Kvyat
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"I've never even been to Japan before, so this week will be a very interesting experience for me. From what I hear the other drivers say, Suzuka is a very exciting track, so I'm looking forward to discovering it for myself. Certainly, from the simulator, I'd say it's going to be very enjoyable to drive and extremely challenging. It has a lot of fast corners, which is what I like best, so hopefully it will be a good race weekend for me. I like Japanese food and I am looking forward to experiencing it in its home environment. I've also read a bit about Japanese culture, which has made me curious to see the country for myself."

Max Verstappen
"I am very much looking forward to taking part in a Free Practice session at a Grand Prix for the first time. It is good preparation for next year, even if it's not something I could have imagined a few months ago. To already be participating in a practice session is of course a dream come true. I have actually been to Suzuka before, to take part in a go-kart race on the track that is located next to the main circuit's back straight. My dad has raced at Suzuka many times and he told me it's not an easy track to start on. For me it will be a very valuable experience, spending some time in the car and also getting used to working with everyone in the team, to prepare myself for next year. I am not going there to break any records, I just want to gain experience. I have spent one day driving this track on the simulator, which helps a bit, but it's no substitute for driving it for real. My first impression is that it's not an easy track and for example it looks hard to get the combination right in the first esses. I have one and a half hours to drive there and I'm looking forward to doing a good job, for myself and for the team."

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
"Japan is one of the highlights of the year, not just for ourselves but for the whole of Formula One. The fans are absolutely brilliant, with huge enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport, which is almost unparalleled anywhere in the world. Suzuka is a real drivers' circuit, and because of that it is a considerable challenge for the tyres, with some of the biggest lateral energy loads of the year. As a result, it would probably be realistic to look at between two to three pit stops, with tyre management forming a key part of the race. However, we'll obviously know more about that after free practice. It's a track where several forces are often acting on the tyre at once, and the increased torque but decreased downforce of this year's cars will only place more demands on mechanical grip. If a tyre can perform well in Suzuka, it can perform well almost everywhere."

Jenson Button: Suzuka will show 2014 McLaren F1 car's weak spots

Jenson Button says McLaren is bracing itself for a 'tricky' time at the Japanese Grand Prix, with the Suzuka circuit's high-speed swoops not ideal for its 2014 Formula 1 car.
One of the weaknesses of the MP4-29 is that it is too unsettled when there are high-speed direction changes - a feature that is prevalent at Suzuka.
With McLaren likely to be in the spotlight at Suzuka ahead of its 2015 switch to track owner Honda, Button concedes that the situation is not ideal.
"I think circuits that have a high-speed nature but not a big change of direction will be fine, like Brazil, but Suzuka could be tricky for us," explained the 2011 Japanese GP winner.
"It is a shame, especially for the future of this team, that it could be a really tricky race for the team. But we have a few little things that could help us."
Button believes that the weakness in high-speed corners is symptomatic of the lack of downforce McLaren has had all season.
"Traction has been a big issue, and also when the car is unsettled it is very difficult," he said.
"In gradual high-speed corners we are reasonably good, but on corners with a sharp turn-in we are nowhere.

"We have no initial turn-in, we don't get it in, and then the rear falls over. The change of direction in high speed is the same.
"For the first part we are good, but as soon as you change direction and go over the central part of the steering wheel we lose speed.
"It has been a weakness, and something that has improved over the year.
"I think it is just a lack of downforce. We started the year knowing we had a lack of downforce but wanting a driveable car - which it is.
"But the problem is we needed to start pushing it to make it more edgy - and we've done that!
"But it's all great planning for next year."
When asked if he felt recent progress on the car would allow McLaren to end the year with a podium finish, Button said: "Seeing a podium finish this year is going to be tricky.
"I don't think we will be quick enough to get a podium. We could get close enough for it if people in front make a mistake, but I don't think we will get it [on pure pace]."

Mercedes unruffled by F1 rivals' pace in the Singapore GP

Mercedes admits Formula 1 rivals Red Bull and Ferrari got closer on raw pace than it expected at the Singapore Grand Prix but expects to pull away again elsewhere.
Marina Bay F1 race winner Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg scored Mercedes' seventh front-row lockout of the season in Singapore, but the grid was closer that at any other race in 2014.
Just 0.569 seconds covered the first nine places in qualifying, as the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo - plus Fernando Alonso's Ferrari - all qualified within a quarter of a second of Hamilton's pole mark.
Hamilton suggested the fact Mercedes did not bring an upgrade package to Singapore might have made the difference, while Rosberg reckoned the high temperatures and particulars of the track layout closed up the field.
"Singapore is a unique track and the overheating of the tyres was at its highest, maybe compared to all the other tracks with the supersoft tyre," Rosberg explained.
"And the fact you have so many sequences of corners; on the straights you always cool them down, but here you have one corner, the next corner, and short straights and that is just compounding overheating.
"If you then have a car that causes a little bit less of that overheating you can all of a sudden see very big differences, so that could be one reason.
"Maybe we were heating the tyres a bit more. I don't know."
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff reckoned several circumstances combined to produce the closet qualifying session of the year.
"Singapore generally is different and the gaps tend to be closer, [but] it was closer than we expected," Wolff said.
"Is it because it's not a power circuit? Or you need to be gentle with the tyres because tyres overheating is the issue?
"I think you cannot put it down to one single factor.
"The end result was much closer than we expected; we got used to the less stressful qualifying sessions."
NORMAL SERVICE SHOULD RESUME
Rosberg suggested Singapore might have simply been a blip on the radar, and said Mercedes hoped to re-assert its authority at the upcoming races.
"Definitely the others were close, but if we remember Austria, for example, the Williams were quicker than us in qualifying and then after that different tracks came and we were looking really strong again," he added.
"We need to wait and see how it is the next couple of races.
"I still think we're looking good, and hopefully the next tracks will suit our car better and we can pull away again."

Lotus promise substantial changes for 2015 car

Lotus's technical director Nick Chester says the team's 2015 Formula One car will feature significant changes compared to the current E22, which has underwhelmed and left the team struggling for points in 2014.

Lotus have endured reliability and performance issues with the Renault-powered E22, and the Enstone-based squad have only broken into the top ten on two occasions - in Spain and Monaco - over the opening 14 Grands Prix of the season.

"There are rule changes to the front of the chassis and the nose, so all the cars will look different next year," Chester said of next year's car, the power unit supplier of which has yet to be announced.

"On top of that, our engine installation and cooling layout will change quite a lot meaning that the car will be significantly different under the bodywork. It will be quite different."

Pastor Maldonado, who joined the team ahead of the 2014 campaign, said he has been encouraged by early signs of progress with next year's car.

"I am confident we can finish the season off in a good way which will give us some great momentum for the new season in 2015," he said.

"From what I see and learn the 2015 car looks like being a very good package. There is a lot to look forward to for sure.

"Obviously it has been a difficult year but the important thing is that we are still united as a team and emerge stronger. The team at Enstone are more determined than ever to succeed and I can say 100 percent that I have the same outlook."

Lotus chairman Gerard Lopez told in a recent interview that he is confident fixes will be made ahead of the 2015 season, saying that a "design mistake" had contributed to the team's plight this year.

Lotus lie eighth in the 2014 constructors' championship with eight points - six ahead of Marussia and 19 behind Toro Rosso. At this stage in 2013 they were fourth overall, and had claimed one victory and 11 podiums over the season’s first 14 races.

Servicing substance halted Nico Rosberg's F1 Mercedes in Singapore

Nico Rosberg's retirement from the Singapore Grand Prix was caused by a freak substance contamination creating an electronics short circuit in his Mercedes Formula 1 car.
Following the problems that forced the 2014 F1 title contender out of the Marina Bay race, Mercedes flew the faulty steering column parts back to its Brackley factory for detailed analysis this week.
That intense forensic investigation revealed that the steering column electronics were contaminated with an unspecified foreign substance that is used during pre-event servicing procedures.
The presence of the substance went undetected throughout the Singapore GP weekend and there had been no hint of any problems prior to Rosberg sitting in the car shortly before the start of the race.
However, once the problem struck it produced an intermittent short circuit that meant Rosberg could not control the clutch or change engine settings.
The lack of controls - and specifically having no clutch for his pitstop - meant he had to retire from the race.
The circumstances surrounding Rosberg's failure are particularly mystifying because Mercedes has used the same steering column electronics design - and same pre-event servicing procedures - since 2008 without a single problem before.
Mercedes is taking no risks from now on, however, and has elected to use completely fresh parts for the final five races of the season.
Team boss Toto Wolff made it clear after the Singapore race that it was surprising Mercedes continued to suffer reliability problems despite ramping up its efforts in this area.
"We have a great reliability team," he said. "This is a group of people who are really dedicated to reliability and I am really proud of them.
"So it is even more astonishing we keep having those issues. They need to get a grip, but this takes time."

Japan preview quotes - Red Bull and Lotus on Suzuka

After a tense race in Singapore threw the 2014 world championship fight wide open, the teams and drivers head to Japan and one of the most celebrated and iconic circuits on the calendar - Suzuka. Those involved in the 2014 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix discuss their prospects…

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 3rd
“Suzuka is probably my favourite track in the world and for many, many reasons. Of course last year holds a great memory as I led the race for a while. Also, my engineer (Ayao Komatsu) is Japanese, so it is nice for him to be in his home country. But mainly I love it so much because the track is a massive challenge and also the spectators are so passionate about F1. There is not a single corner on the track that is not a big challenge. When you finish a lap at Suzuka you really appreciate it because you know both the car and you have been really tested. You can be proud if you have got the maximum from everything.

“It is the kind of track that you find time and improvements, however small, all of the time. It is a very special race track in this respect. Sector one is unbelievable and after you have finished it you can breathe a little bit…but not for long. There is no margin for error with very little run-off area and the track is quite narrow, especially at the top of the hill. I love it. Every metre of the Suzuka track is special and every metre a challenge. The Spoon Curve is especially fantastic, a real thrill to drive in an F1 car.

“There are a few good areas [for overtaking] like the first corner, but only if you get a good exit from the last chicane. But probably the best one is in to the chicane itself, after the long back straight and 130R. If you get a tow here you can get inside under braking. There is also a small chance at the hairpin and maybe in to Spoon Curve too, but you have to be brave and usually rely on the guy in front to co-operate. Suzuka is quite a narrow track so it is not that easy to overtake, but it is a great challenge and very satisfying when you manage to execute one.”

Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 16th
“It is always nice to know you are going to be challenged by a circuit. If everything gets hooked-up then Suzuka is a pleasure. I really hope we can have a good weekend because at Suzuka it makes it even more of a pleasure to get it right. I think that for a driver it is at least comparable with Spa, maybe even better on some corners. I just love racing at Suzuka and indeed in Japan as a whole.

“The start of the lap is incredible with the sweeps up the hill, right-left-right-left. It is really fast and you need a very good and nimble car to change direction quickly. They are really challenging corners where you need maximum concentration and bravery. The run-off is quite small, so it is really satisfying to get them right. When I first drove this track in 2011 it was a big deal for me because I knew that I could find a lot more time in the car. The corners are like this because you never get them 100 percent right the first time, you learn and learn which is what a great race track should be like I think. Then you have the Spoon Curve which is magnificent and 130R which is still challenging despite being flat-out now. All in all a great, great circuit and with some really steep gradients too. Almost a perfect track!”

Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
“There is a huge appetite for motorsport in Japan. This is both in the sporting and technical context. Everyone knows that the fans in Japan are among the most special in terms of their knowledge and devotion to the sport. So it is very important for us to be racing here and also to have a good weekend on the track. The whole nation of Japan gets tuned in to the F1 groove and it is good for the country and for F1. Suzuka is also a great challenge for the drivers and they will be hungry to deliver. Like Spa, Monaco and Silverstone, I don’t think anyone dislikes going to Suzuka. It has everything that makes F1 great; an incredible track, great fans and somewhere that the drivers and engineers really learn a lot about the car.”

Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
“The challenges are the high speed corners. You can’t run maximum downforce in Suzuka - as you will end up a little too slow on the straights - so you need to give the driver sufficient downforce to give confidence in the fast twisty bits whilst not clipping their wings down the straights. This is part of the reason why Suzuka is such a driver favourite, as drivers can be absolutely on the limit without the car totally stuck to the ground through maximum downforce. It’s not just having sufficient downforce, it’s ensuring that this is delivered in a balanced nature. Getting the suspension set-up spot on is essential here too. You need to extract all the grip that’s possible from the car. Looking at the E22, we think that it should be reasonably matched to all of these challenges especially as we’re generally quite good in high speed turns.”

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 1st
"Suzuka has been a very positive place for me in the past, I've won the race three times and I also won the World Championship there in 2011 which was a fantastic experience. Suzuka as a whole is a fantastic circuit, probably the only circuit you can compare it to on the calendar is Spa. It is a very challenging circuit, especially the first sector where there is a lot of high speed corners. I really enjoy those, but later on you also have the spoon corner, which is very technical and a big challenge, as well as 130R. The fans are very special and the atmosphere is incredible, the crowds really appreciate what people in F1 do, so it is great to see that."

Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - 13th
"Suzuka is all good, but for me the first sector is just a delight. It's a dream. You have those fast changes of directions through the Esses, hard around the Dunlop Curve and then, arguably the best bit, turns Eight and Nine: Degner. Through Eight you're hanging on, it's so narrow and there's no room for error but you want to push as hard as you can. Then just as you straighten up the car, you're on the brakes, throwing it into this cambered right-hander and hoping you've got it right because if you haven't then it's all over. Getting to do that 53 times in a row is a pretty good way to earn a living. What you maybe don't see on TV is that it's a real rollercoaster, dropping into valleys and climbing up again, so that you're rarely on a level surface."

Mattiacci: Too early to predict Ferrari reshuffle's effect on F1

Ferrari team principal Marco Mattiacci says it is too early to know how recent management changes at the top of the company will affect his Formula 1 team.
Luca di Montezemolo stepped down as Ferrari president following the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month, replaced by the CEO of the Scuderia's parent company Fiat, Sergio Marchionne.
Mattiacci, who himself was the first of several senior management changes at Ferrari earlier this season, said he would work closely with his new boss to bring Ferrari back to the front of the F1 grid.
"It's still too early to say how it will work," Mattiacci said.
"From my point of view, I have been extremely lucky because I've been working with an amazing, iconic manager in Montezemolo, and now with Mr Marchionne.
"It's important to learn, important to discuss important topics.
"Everybody is aiming to bring Ferrari back to the top."
Mattiacci said Ferrari's improved qualifying form during last weekend's Singapore GP, where Fernando Alonso managed to get within a quarter of a second of Lewis Hamilton's polesitting Mercedes, suggested Ferrari was making progress with the development of the F14 T.
"We have seen quite a big improvement from the car," Mattiacci added.
"We were almost on the same pace as Red Bull.
"However, the goal is to win, not to catch up with the others."
RAIKKONEN BACKS CHANGES
Alonso backed the recent management changes at Ferrari ahead of the Singapore GP, and his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen echoed Alonso's hopes that Marchionne would boost the team's fortunes.
Raikkonen said: "Ferrari is not an easy place to be when the results are not good, but I think we have a great group of people and we've been improving a lot this year and for coming years, making sure things are in the right place to keep progressing to where we should be.
"I think they're good changes and they will pay off in the future."

F1 chiefs looking to make cars more challenging to drive

Formula 1 chiefs have begun a study to look at ways of making grand prix cars more challenging to drive in the future.
As part of ongoing discussions about making F1 more popular, teams believe that one element that has turned off spectators is the perception that modern grand prix cars are too easy to race.
This has been fuelled by driver complaints that they are no longer as hard to take to the limit - plus the implication that Toro Rosso's decision to promote 16-year-old Max Verstappen to F1 showed how easy the category now was.
Following discussions in recent Strategy Group meetings, the FIA will evaluate potential rule changes that could make the cars tougher to drive.
The investigation, which will include input from teams, will be completed over the next few months and it is possible changes could be implemented as early as 2016.
It is understood that the main areas that will be investigated are tyre grip, car dimension, and aerodynamic performance.
DRIVERS WELCOME BIGGER CHALLENGE
Daniel Ricciardo admitted recently that although the current generation of cars were technically complex, they were not as hard to drive as in previous years.
"Physically, it's not a walk in the park, but it's easier than it was a couple of years ago at least," he said.
"If the cars are quicker they'll be physically harder to drive. But what we don't want is to make the cars fast like it was 10 years ago so that you can't even follow another car because of the dirty air.
"I think right now is not a bad compromise but it's probably a few tweaks that could be made."
Former world champion Alain Prost reckons that the time had come for cars to become harder to drive - so that a 'proper' F1 returned.
"I don't know what's going to happen with Max Verstappen, but it's true that he's going to be able to drive the car no problem."
"This was absolutely not possible in our time - the cars were so difficult to drive.
"Every year we were testing in Portugal, we were stopping sometimes for a month testing.
"But the first time we went to Portugal it was not possible to make a complete day of testing at all, no way!
"It was physically really difficult, which is not the case today.
"That doesn't mean you absolutely want to go back to the way it was, but I think the speed of the cars during the races and the grip is not very good. It's quite slow, so you need to have a proper Formula 1."

Perfect harmony impossible for Mercedes - Boullier

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's increasingly tense fight for the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship will make it impossible for Mercedes to maintain harmony within the team over the final five Grands Prix of the season. That is the opinion of McLaren racing director Eric Boullier.

While there have already been several flashpoints between the two title hopefuls, Boullier believes it is inevitable team personnel will also become polarised in their support of one driver - a dynamic he says is exacerbated by the Silver Arrows' current dominance.

"It is an impossible task," he told a McLaren Mercedes phone-in when asked about the difficulties Mercedes face in keeping everyone in the team happy over the remaining 2014 races.

"When you are in the position of Mercedes, both drivers can win the championship - and that grows more true race by race. There is only one winner - and one loser. Nobody wants to be the loser, and this is why it is impossible to get this harmony within the team.

"To keep people happy is also very complicated. There is clearly a very strong fight between them [Hamilton and Rosberg], and obviously it is very difficult to keep the team in harmony because everyone has their own favourite, which is a human feeling."

Boullier, who managed Kimi Raikkonen in his role as team principal at Lotus before joining McLaren, added: "I am not in this situation so far, so it is okay so far for me."

McLaren are locked in a fight with Force India for fifth place in the 2014 constructors' championship.

Ferrari and Shell debut natural-gas derived oil

Last weekend’s 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix saw Ferrari running a new, higher performing oil from suppliers Shell for the first time. The Shell Helix Ultra race formulation is notable for using natural gas instead of crude oil as its base, providing enhanced cleansing and engine protection, resulting in greater efficiency.

“The engine of the (Ferrari) F14 T produces in excess of 600 horsepower, and the turbocharger, which rotates at up to 2000 revs per second, can be operating at up to 1,000 degrees Celsius,” said Ian Albiston, Shell’s trackside manager for Ferrari.

“The new oil has to cope with these conditions, while also achieving the level of protection to reach the 4,000-kilometre engine life required with only five engines per driver allowed for the season. In the high temperature, high stress environment of an F1 engine, the right motor oil can provide a crucial advantage.”

The technology used to produce the oil is a revolutionary gas-to-liquid (GTL) process, developed over 40 years of research, that converts natural gas into a crystal-clear base oil with virtually none of the impurities found in crude oil. Base oil is a key component of finished lubricants and this one is produced at the Pearl GTL plant in Qatar, a partnership between Shell and Qatar Petroleum, and currently the world’s largest source of GTL products.

Through the integration of the gas value chain in Qatar and Shell’s global lubricants supply chain, Shell’s GTL technology is already being made available to motorists in countries all over the world. And now, after three years of intensive testing, the new Shell Helix Ultra race formulation is also available for use in Ferrari’s latest V6 F1 engine.

Dave Salters, the Ferrari team’s head of engine development, said: “There has been a dedicated and successful development programme to develop an F1 oil based on Shell PurePlus Technology that has provided a good step in engine efficiency whilst maintaining the protection necessary in this type of very highly loaded Formula One engine.

“With Shell’s development team we are working together very aggressively to develop and introduce new technologies in both the oil and fuel to improve the efficiency and fuel consumption of the power unit. The current regulation and engine architecture reward these types of efficiency gains that have been developed with this advanced oil technology.”

Combining the pure base oil made from natural gas with a selection of high performing additives results in a higher quality motor oil race formulation. It cleans and lubricates the engine, which helps to minimise frictional losses and ensure that the maximum amount of fuel energy reaches the wheels throughout the race. It also helps to deliver improved fuel economy - which has become even more important with the limitation on fuel (100 kg per race) enforced by the 2014 technical regulations.

“Shell Helix Ultra for Scuderia Ferrari is designed and developed to improve the power and efficiency of the engine by reducing the losses inside it,” said Mark Wakem, F1 engine-oil development leader for Shell. "Wherever the lubricant is protecting and keeping surfaces apart, the more you reduce that friction, the more power is left from the fuel to get out to the wheels for optimum performance.”

Sebastian Vettel: 2014 Red Bull F1 car just doesn't suit me

Sebastian Vettel now has no doubt that his driving style simply does not suit the characteristics of the 2014 Red Bull Formula 1 car.
The German has made good progress in recent weeks with understanding the RB10, and achieved his best result of the season with second place at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Having changed chassis repeatedly in recent months to rule out other factors, Vettel is convinced his style is just incompatible with this year's design.
"Every time I want to push or make something happen, it just doesn't," said Vettel, who is 57 points adrift of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in the standings.
"I think it is a characteristic of this year's car in combination with the downforce we have, with the tyres. It just maybe doesn't give me yet what I want in a certain area of the corner.
"That is not an excuse, because in the end I have to get the best out of the car. We've done a lot of progress but there is a lot we can do better."
Vettel's problems are partly to do with the way the car rotates on corner entry, but he has also lost some advantage he had from recent years in exploiting the blown diffuser concept - which produced more downforce at the rear of the car.

The need to make up more time in corners due to Renault's power deficit and increased tyre wear caused by his discomfort with the car's handling exacerbate his difficulties.
Asked if these problems were forcing him to drive under the limit at times, Vettel replied: "Yes. Obviously you drive the way you think is quickest, whether that means you have to hold back or you have to push, it depends on the situation.
"It is not that straightforward this year and it is not always consistent, so that is the tricky bit."
Vettel admitted it may not be until Red Bull's 2015 car is out that he is able to get back to his best.
Pushed on whether he expected to overcome his issues imminently, Vettel said: "Short term for sure not, because we would have fixed it already.
"I think ultimately as a driver you would love to go faster but obviously it is different this year.
"I think we got in a lot better shape in the last couple of races but there are still some things where we are a little bit too much on the edge."

Exclusive Helmut Marko Q&A - Anything is still possible!

Reigning world champions Red Bull may have struggled to match the pace of Mercedes for much of the season, but with five races to go - including the double points finale in Abu Dhabi - Daniel Ricciardo is just 60 points off the championship lead. In a wide-ranging interview, Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko explains why the Milton Keynes-based squad haven’t given up on the title just yet, and why they should be much more competitive in 2015…

Q: Helmut, you had a long and intensive talk with Red Bull’s chief designer Rob Marshall in Singapore. Was the conversation about further 2014 improvements, or was it focused on 2015?
Helmut Marko: It was mainly about our development for 2015. The topic was the better integration of the power unit into the chassis and hence the need to get an even better cooperation with Renault for next season…

Q: …that brings us to meeting number two: between Renault and the Renault-powered teams (Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Lotus and Caterham). What was the topic there?
HM: How we can enhance the power unit in 2015. How to enhance the reliability and how to enhance the service and handling at the track.

Q: Very recently Lotus’s Gerard Lopez said that it was always a hidden fact that Red Bull was the number one team for Renault and that this season it has been very obvious…
HM: That was never the case. For many years we’ve been a customer team for them like all the others and it’s only our success that has made us move closer together - under such conditions Lotus was, for a long time, the secret darling of Renault. That has only changed very recently. What followed was the announcement that Red Bull is the official works team of Renault.

Q: So what you’re saying is that in the past both teams - Red Bull and Lotus - were treated equally but since this season the ‘sympathy’ has shifted towards Red Bull?
HM: That was also very visible in the results: last season Lotus with (Kimi) Raikkonen and (Romain) Grosjean were one of our fiercest competitors. This year the situation is very different if you look at where they are. In times where the power unit is key to success you have to focus on the most promising option. Remember: this season we had four different engine adaptions for the chassis. Next season there will only be one - the one that Red Bull Racing is creating with Renault - and the others have to take it one-to-one. That is the most efficient solution. Mercedes is proving that model very successfully - they only have one power unit version and the same goes for Ferrari.

Q: You just said that Red Bull now is the Renault works team. Is that a long-term commitment or something that is only valid for 2015?
HM: We are right now in the process of strengthening the technical cooperation to race at eye level with Mercedes in 2015. In the long term there are current discussions of how to cooperate on a broader level over a longer period.

Q: Singapore was a nice exception to the rule, but compared to the four previous years Sebastian Vettel's bad luck this season has been enormous. How are you going about solving that?
HM: We try to optimise all controls to eliminate these issues. But if you think of his engine failure on Friday in Singapore: something like this has not happened before - and it always happens to Seb! Lotus has problems - as do Caterham and Toro Rosso - but there it happens to both drivers. In our case it is always Seb!

Q: So what can you promise him for 2015?
HM: That we will have a better test season and that we will have more power. There was a technical meeting where technical upgrades to the power unit were discussed and should be completely implemented by July 2015. So by the start of the European rounds we should have a really competitive power unit.

Q: That sounds like the first four flyaway races of 2015 are already write-offs…
HM: We have proven this season that even with a striking power deficit we can compete successfully, and it shouldn’t be all that bad next year, also not at the first flyaway races.

Q: Sebastian’s name is frequently connected with a team change. He is laughing these rumours away, but what is the reality?
HM: Right now I am not sure to what team he is linked to - that varies from day to day. It’s really hard to keep up with all the rumours! (laughs)

Q: Let’s be honest, without Daniel Ricciardo's results the season would look rather dull for Red Bull…
HM: I would slightly disagree with that. Think of Canada: both had the chance to win. Budapest was in the same mould: the safety car played against Seb. (These were) both races where the two had the same speed, but due to matters outside of our control both races ended to Seb’s disadvantage.

Q: There were four years of Vettel-mania at Red Bull. How do you all cope with the situation now that the star is not sparkling quite as brightly at the moment?
HM: That is nothing that we make a big fuss about - it’s only the media. It was sometimes harrowing what rubbish was written. Of course Sebastian has had a bit of a hard time - especially as everything worked so much smoother on the other side of the garage.

Q: You’ve been the driving force behind Max Verstappen’s signing with Toro Rosso for next season. What do you expect from someone so young?
HM: He is an exceptional talent that comes along only once in decades…

Q: Can you compare him to anyone?
HM: Most likely Ayrton Senna. And in such a case you must not look at his age. He has been talking with people who are experts when it comes to the development of youngsters and they all say that (in terms of) his mind he is more like 22 than 16. And regarding his skills behind the steering wheel, he has been racing since he was four years old - professionally. So we expect him to be competitive from the first race. We are not playing the lottery - we know what we are doing. And success proves us right.

Q: How will you work with him? Might he need a lot more attention than somebody slightly older?
HM: As I said: mentally he is past 20 years old! And yes, we work with him intensively. He will do some Friday runs. Not long ago he did a 400 km test in Italy, he’s in the simulator whenever possible and he’s working on his physique and psychology with top experts. Yes, some things became visible that we will have to address for the 2015 season. Having said that, he is getting the perfect ‘schooling’ before he gets on the grid.

Q: Turning back to 2014, what’s still possible this season?
HM: We had a good race in Singapore. Of course, on tracks with lots of straights the Mercedes are still much faster, but when there are lots of corners - on tracks where the chassis matters more - we are again in the picture. We want to defend our P2 in the constructors’ championship and of course Williams and Ferrari are catching up. Williams are clearly the more dangerous. And believe it or not we haven’t given up on the drivers' championship yet. With the double points in Abu Dhabi anything is still possible!

Q: So now finally you have embraced the double-points finale?
HM: Yes, right now we do appreciate it very much! Though should we get ‘exiled’ from P2 in the constructors’ championship then we will curse it! (laughs)

Analysis: Fernando Alonso and Ferrari F1 team at a critical point

Ferrari is accustomed to batting away rampant speculation about Fernando Alonso's Formula 1 future, but its relationship with the Spaniard has reached a defining moment.
The tensions that emerged in Singapore - as Alonso spoke of factions trying to damage him and Ferrari by fuelling rumours of his departure - point towards a change of mood inside the team after months of insisting all was united.
Where once Alonso was destined to end his career at Maranello, the situation is now less clear cut.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE PRANCING HORSE
With stalwarts Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo departing during 2014, Ferrari's political situation is very different.
The arrival of new team principal Marco Mattiacci, allied to fresh impetus from new Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne, has manifested itself in a steely determination to get back to the front of F1.
This leaves no room for sentimentality, no reason to keep doing things because that is how they were done in the past, and certainly no time for passengers who are not fully committed to the cause.

That commitment aspect has emerged as a key factor.
In Alonso, Ferrari knows it has one of best F1 drivers there is, perhaps the best. But Ferrari needs more than just his brilliance right now.
Amid the changes, there is a sense that Ferrari needs convincing Alonso's heart is in pushing for long-term success together - not simply treading water until he has a winning car or a better offer comes up elsewhere.
Marchionne himself made clear, in reference to di Montezemolo, that nobody at Ferrari was indispensable, and his words now ring true of Alonso too.
"When the company changes its mind, or at least when objectives aren't shared anymore, things change," he said.
There is talk of unease about excessive demands from Alonso amid contract extension talks.
Suggestions too of irritation that Alonso has been evaluating what else is on offer at a time of renewed Ferrari efforts.
UNDERACHIEVING ON TRACK
Ferrari and Alonso do want the same thing: to win together.
Yet there is understandable frustration from the Spaniard that Ferrari's on-track performance has let him down again in 2014.
His manager Flavio Briatore, who says Alonso is now "used" to Ferrari's struggles, admitted at the Italian Grand Prix that the time had come for the team to step up.
Asked whether there was interest in accepting an offer from McLaren, Briatore said: "I believe he was already at McLaren... I don't think it was a perfect combination. But you never know, people can change.
"Fernando wants to win and wants to have a competitive car.
"Ferrari have everything to win. Di Montezemolo has done so much to boost the finances of the team, now the people inside the team need to get their act together."
PARTNERSHIP NOT DOOMED
Frustration on both sides does not automatically mean their relationship is doomed.
Yet there is a sense that the time is fast approaching for a mutual decision to be taken: renew their commitment to each other or agree to go their separate ways.

There is no automatic way out for Alonso. Several sources with good knowledge of the situation have made it clear that his contract is watertight, with no performance clauses that would allow him to walk.
But it is also unlikely that he would be forced to see out his contract if both parties decided they would be better off apart.
The situation is especially critical because Alonso's current deal runs until the end of 2016, while Sebastian Vettel - who many suggest is Ferrari's number one target - could be available after '15.
DECISION TIME
Not even Alonso and Ferrari bosses currently know what the outcome of the next few weeks' critical talks will be.
A new deal beyond 2016 and a renewed enthusiasm to make Maranello great again together is not impossible.
Equally there could come an acceptance that it is time to part, leaving Alonso to move to a rival in 2015 or '16, or perhaps forced to take a sabbatical.
Even Briatore, the man who has guided Alonso's entire career in F1 and knows well how paddock politics work, admitted it was impossible to predict what is going to happen.
"I don't have the crystal ball," he said. "I just see now - and Mercedes are up there."

Mercedes: Poor reliability must not decide the title

Mercedes have to tackle the reliability issues which have blighted their otherwise dominant Formula One campaign, says head of Mercedes-Benz motorsport Toto Wolff, who does not want to see a car failure determine who wins the 2014 drivers’ crown.

On Sunday in Singapore Nico Rosberg ceded the lead of the championship to victorious team mate Lewis Hamilton after his race hopes were ended by a broken wiring loom. Hamilton - who has also been beset by various technical woes during the season - now heads Rosberg by just three points at the top of the standings.

"It would not be satisfying at all to have the championship decided because one car let the driver down,” Wolff told the Mercedes team's website. “We need to refocus, get our heads down and keep concentrating on preventing these reliability problems reoccurring.

"It's something we need to get on top of - we have a missile of a car but, in terms of reliability, we are having issues. We have a great group of people in our reliability team who are dedicated to quality. We're very proud of the structures they are putting into place - and that's what makes it even more astonishing that we keep having these issues.

"These things take time to get a grip on - but we will not stop until we stop suffering these DNFs. If we could do anything more to prevent further retirements we would be doing it - I would break my arm again to make it happen!"

Wolff, who recently broke his arm in a cycling accident, praised Rosberg's attitude in the wake of his retirement at Marina Bay, with the German remaining philosophical despite the 'agony' of his exit.

"I said sorry to Nico for having let him down,” added Wolff. “As a driver it's a bitter blow having lost so many valuable points, so it doesn't really help them what you say in that moment - but as a team you need to apologise when you have messed up.

"Nico was very professional, very calm, and that's something I'm very proud of. One of his strengths is even when disaster strikes he is able to hold his head up high and support the team during the race."

With five rounds of the season remaining, Rosberg has 238 points to Hamilton’s 241, while Mercedes lead the constructors' championship on 479 points, 174 clear of nearest rivals Red Bull.

Singapore analysis - Rosberg undone as Hamilton triumphs

As Lewis Hamilton secured a superb victory in Singapore, Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg could only watch from the sidelines, his championship lead snatched away by cruel luck. A broken wiring loom was the innocuous cause of his agony, and conversely a contributing factor in Hamilton's joy. The Briton now leads the world championship for only the second time this season, and has momentum on his side after two consecutive Grand Prix hat-tricks (pole position, fastest lap, race win). The Red Bulls were once again the main threat, although they in turn came under pressure from a resurgent Ferrari, led once again by Fernando Alonso. We take a team-by-team look back through a tense 60 laps at Marina Bay...

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton, P1
Nico Rosberg, retired lap 14, broken wiring loom
Things went wrong for Mercedes even before the start when Rosberg's car refused to answer to all the commands he made with the steering wheel, leaving him with only gearshift and radio functions but not control of the various hybrid units. A change of steering wheel before the grid formed, and another after he had been left behind on the formation lap, failed to effect a cure - he lacked DRS, hybrid power, and had to contend with the gearbox skipping gears - and after struggling for 13 laps his car was withdrawn when he was unable to engage first gear following his first stop.

Hamilton, starting from pole, led into the first corner and seemed to have the race in the bag - at least until the safety-car deployment on the 31st lap. While his main rivals quickly switched to two-stop strategies, he was forced to make a three-stopper work, which meant a 27-second lead was required for him to pit and retain his lead. That didn't quite work out, but having slotted back into second - just ahead of Ricciardo - he quickly repassed Vettel for the lead and romped home to his seventh victory of the season, 13.5s clear. That combined with Rosberg's exit to put him back in the lead of the world championship for the first time since Spain in May.

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel, P2
Daniel Ricciardo, P3
Red Bull were a force throughout, and kept Ferrari at bay after working their strategy change from three to two stops to perfection. By the end of the race neither Vettel nor Ricciardo had sufficient tyre performance left to deny Hamilton victory, but they kept Alonso's Ferrari's under containment. Ricciardo had problems with a battery which refused to discharge and created power surges, but still made the podium on an evening when Red Bull garnered another 33 points.

Ferrari
Fernando Alonso, P4
Kimi Raikkonen, P8
Alonso made a great start to pass the two Red Bulls and run second to Hamilton, but it was a little too good as he ran across the run-off area at Turn 1 and had to hand a place back to Vettel. Ricciardo later got the drop on him in the pit stops, as Alonso came in under the safety car, but fourth place confirmed that the Marina Bay track suited the F14 T better than many expected. Raikkonen had a frustrating afternoon, chasing Massa initially, then Bottas, and struggling with increased tyre degradation as a result.

Williams
Felipe Massa, P5
Valtteri Bottas, P11
Both drivers did great jobs to make a set of soft tyres last from the 22nd and 23rd laps respectively to the finish. Massa said he had to drive like a grandmother to achieve that, but his fifth place kept Williams ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' championship. Bottas did a beautiful job to fend off a train of cars right until the end, but a combination of power steering problems and tyre wear ultimately stymied him as, having been passed by Vergne and Perez, he locked up and slid wide on the final lap, dropping to 11th. He deserved better.

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne, P6
Daniil Kvyat, P14
Vergne was the hero here, taking a fighting sixth place despite two five-second penalties - one served as a stop and go, the other added to his race time - for exceeding track limits. By contrast, Kvyat had an uncharacteristically poor race, dehydrating because of problems with his drinks bottle.

Force India
Sergio Perez, P7
Nico Hulkenberg, P9
Perez was arguably partly to blame for the clash with Sutil which led to the safety car being deployed, but made amends with a resolute drive to seventh. Hulkenberg struggled with tyre degradation but took ninth, the combined tally of eight points hoisting Force India back ahead of McLaren in the constructors' table.

McLaren
Kevin Magnussen, P10
Jenson Button, Retired lap 53, power box failure
Button was strong all afternoon, the more so because McLaren opted to put him in the slower two-stop strategy from the start. But just as he was about to pounce on Bottas's sixth place on the 54th lap his car hiccoughed and cut out as its power control unit malfunctioned. Magnussen, meanwhile, served a five-second stop-and-go penalty for track limit infringements, and also suffered when an electrical problem started to overheat his seat. He took the final point after a brave performance.

Lotus
Pastor Maldonado, P12
Romain Grosjean, P13
Lotus agonisingly missed out on what would have been only their third points score of 2014, but they did at least get both Maldonado and Grosjean to the finish. While the pair diced cleanly on the track, there was drama in the garage as a mechanic was slightly injured during one of Maldonado's pit stops, when he was struck on his helmeted head by a hose.

Caterham
Marcus Ericsson, P15
Kamui Kobayashi, DNS, power loss/fire on formation lap
Caterham lost Kobayashi even before the race started when his CT05 rolled to a halt with power loss and a resultant fire on the formation lap. But Ericsson drove well to beat Marussia duo Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton, which was a much-needed fillip.

Marussia
Jules Bianchi, P16
Max Chilton, P17
Bianchi had brake wear problems which prevented him from challenging Ericsson, though they ran in very close proximity for a long time. Chilton's engine stalled as he was leaving the pits while the grid was forming, and later had a right-front puncture which compromised his strategy thereafter.

Sauber
Adrian Sutil, Retired lap 41, water leak
Esteban Gutierrez, Retired lap 18, electronics
Sauber had another unhappy day, with Gutierrez running well initially but being very disappointed when his C33 stopped with electronics problems. Sutil was involved in that clash with Perez, got a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, and subsequently retired with a water leak.

Sebastian Vettel Q&A: We have to be satisfied with second

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel cut a frustrated figure in the Singapore paddock on Saturday evening after feeling he’d blown his chance at pole position. But the reigning world champion was much more positive on Sunday evening after securing second place at Marina Bay - his best result of the season. After the race Vettel told reporters why he couldn’t have asked for anymore, despite a brief period in the lead…

Q: Sebastian, your first podium since Canada. How welcome is this?
Sebastian Vettel: I think after the bad Friday it was good to see that the pace is there - even though it is a bit weak in the defence. I think that the used tyres in the second stint ruined our strategy a bit, as it was a set of tyres that had already been used twice on Saturday and that caused us to lose ground to Fernando (Alonso). Probably we came in one lap too late - and in the end were really lucky that it all worked out so well for us. It also could have gone wrong, as I was the guy with the ‘oldest’ tyres out there.

Q: Today, were we seeing ‘Sebastian Vettel reloaded’ or was it only the ‘Singapore effect’?
SV: I think it was about time that things fell in our direction after all the races that have gone wrong.

Q: Daniel (Ricciardo) got pretty close over the final two or three laps. Did the chequered flag save you in the end?
SV: Yes, he came close, but I knew that I was able to come out of two corners well - and as overtaking is not such an easy thing here I focused on taking speed out of these two corners. This was not only in the last two laps.

Q: When you suddenly saw that on the formation lap the car in front of you was missing, was there a moment when you thought that perhaps the same glitches might overcome the second Mercedes?
SV: No, not really. I think we already knew before that Nico (Rosberg) had a problem and of course it did help to gain two places at the start and things looked pretty good in that phase, but towards the end of the race we ran into problems with tyre degradation so when looking at the result it was the most we could have asked. We should be pretty satisfied.

Q: Was there ever the idea to challenge Lewis (Hamilton) for the win when you had the lead?
SV: There was no point in fighting Lewis. Imagine you drive a Fiat Panda and there is a 911 (Porsche) behind you. You can try - but it’s a bit elusive. So there was no point in trying to hold him back. My tyres were getting difficult so I had to fully concentrate on them and didn’t waste a thought on getting involved in a fruitless battle.

Q: It was always clear that Singapore would represent a good chance for you to score a podium - but Suzuka will be a completely different ball-game. What do you expect in Japan?
SV: That our curve is going up further. We have seen here that there is no such thing as an invincible team and that the glitch demons can strike anywhere at any time - not only with us. It was good to see that we are competitive - probably more here than in Suzuka. But Suzuka is a wonderful high-speed track so driving there is a pleasure in itself.

Nico Rosberg Q&A: I'm in agony after retirement

Nico Rosberg headed into Singapore with a healthy 22-point lead in the world championship, but suffered disaster before the race even started and eventually retired to drop behind Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton in the title fight.

Having vented his agony and frustration in the cockpit, Rosberg insists he will not let the 'agony' of the result undermine his optimism - or derail his pursuit of the world championship crown...

Q: Nico, what a setback for your title hopes. When did the problems start?
Nico Rosberg: Already in the pits. Suddenly all the buttons and the radio stopped their function: I had no hybrid power, I had no DRS - only the gear paddles sort of worked, but what was kind of strange was I could only upshift two at a time, so I had no fourth gear and no sixth gear. Then it all sort of came back for a few laps, only to disband again. It was hopeless. And in the end there was nothing I nor the team could do. For security reasons they called me in.

Q: What explanation do you have for it? The car was fast and working all Saturday and was in parc ferme during the night...
NR: I do not have an explanation. We will have to analyse the situation but my feeling is that such a thing should be avoidable - it's probably a simple electronic module. It was an ugly feeling sitting there and being completely helpless, knowing that your whole race is going out the window. That is really heavy!

Q: Your race out the window, your team mate winning and now leading in the championship - how do you deal with that?
NR: It was the toughest day of the year for me and right now I only can say that I am in agony and desperately trying to come up with a logical explanation for all that.

Q: How long will it take you to overcome this frustration?
NR: I fumed in the cockpit, so I am already on the way to recovery now. I left most of the anger in the helmet!

Q: We all witnessed your fingers moving desperately from one button to the other, but nothing really seemed to ease the situation…
NR: I know that we tried everything - two steering wheels, for example - but that didn't help a bit as it was not the steering wheel itself but obviously something in the steering column that connects the steering wheel and car. As I just said in the end we will probably learn that it was a petty part that caused all that drama - but there was nothing we could have done more in that very moment. When I finally got into gear it was all but funny to start behind the Caterham.

Q: Could the cause be the team radio regulation changes, as they also meant changes to the dashboard?
NR: I indeed made changes to my dashboard but I doubt that this is the reason - but then who knows.

Q: What can you take out of this weekend? Can reliability cost you the title?
NR: That reliability is our weakness. We have to get to the bottom of things. Reliability will be a major factor in the title race, but thinking that it will cost me the title is very pessimistic - and I am optimistic!

Q: What do you demand from the team for Japan?
NR: I don't 'demand' anything different to what I hoped for in the past. The team is focusing a lot on reliability and we are all trying to improve together.