2017 F1: Wolff unsure Bottas can beat Hamilton

Toto Wolff has admitted it is possible Valtteri Bottas could be replaced at Mercedes by a bigger name for 2018. Some expressed surprise when it emerged that, despite being prised out of his Williams contract, Finn Bottas has signed only a one-year deal for 2017.

Mercedes-AMG confirms Valtteri Bottas for ’17 F1 seat

It’s official: Valtteri Bottas will take 2016 F1 Drivers Champion, Nico Rosberg ‘s seat in the Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s now-vacant seat for the 2017 season. The 27-year-old Finn joins the 2014, 2015 and 2016 F1 Constructors’ champion with nine podium finishes under his belt, though he is still on the hunt for his first F1 race win.

Valtteri Bottas’ future set to be clarified in coming week

Valtteri Bottas’ much-touted switch from Williams to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes appears set to be clarified over the next week. Claire Williams, deputy team principal of Bottas’ current marque, has confirmed an announcement is imminent on whether the Finn will be free to fill the seat at Mercedes vacated by Nico Rosberg, who unexpectedly announced his retirement soon after winning last year’s Formula One world title.

Will 4 engines be enough in 2017?

There’s nothing new about the notion of sandbagging during the first tests of 2017 because Formula 1 is a high-stakes endeavor and teams have always been keen to reserve their true pace for the first races of the season. “We really won’t know in Barcelona testing where the teams are as that’s a period where they won’t want to show their hand,” said Hembery at Autosport International.

Singapore: F1 fans want race to continue amid city’s plan to ditch sport, survey says

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel takes his victory lap and waves to his fans at the Singapore F1 Night Race on Sept 25, 2011 in Singapore, Southeast Asia. Image via Meister Photos / Shutterstock are keen for the race to remain there, despite negotiations between organisers and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone seemingly stalled, according to a survey conducted by British research firm YouGov. race expires this year and Ecclestone and organisers are still in negotiations about extending beyond 2017, though he suggested in an interview with a German autosport magazine last November that talks were not progressing well.

Driver Pascal Wehrlein scored a championship point for Manor in 2016

The team failed to secure fresh investment ahead of the 2017 season, which begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 26, putting hundreds of jobs and their future in the sport at risk. Geoff Rowley, joint administrator at FRP Advisory, acknowledged the team need significant ongoing investment if they are to continue competing in F1.

Sport24.co.za | Manor Racing enters administration

Formula One team Manor Racing has gone into administration and will collapse without fresh investment, administrators confirmed to AFP on Friday. Administrators FRP Advisory said there was “a very limited window of opportunity” to save the team before the 2017 season starts with the Australian Grand Prix on March 26. The administration process, which allows insolvent companies to continue running under special measures, affects Manor’s operating company, Just Racing Services Limited .

Chandhok Praises Tesla Model S After Electric GT Test

Donate Now! Help PaddockTalk.com go ad-free in 2017! Former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok was hugely impressed with the race-prepared Tesla Model S that will contest the new Electric GT Championship in 2017, after testing the car at Circuit Calafat last week. Chandhok has vast experience across a range of disciplines and in 2010 became only the second Indian driver ever to race in Formula 1, where he contested 11 Grand Prix with HRT and Caterham.

Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds to Leave Williams

Donate Now! Help PaddockTalk.com go ad-free in 2017! Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC today announces that Pat Symonds will be stepping down from the role of Chief Technical Officer of WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING at the end of 2016. Pat joined Williams towards the end of the 2013 Formula One season on a three-year contract, and in that time has helped oversee a strong turn around in the team’s performances on the race track, with 14 podiums secured over the past three seasons.