Struggling McLaren are free to fit new engines for both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button without any penalty at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The two former world champion drivers have suffered massive grid penalties in recent races after needing to have replacement Honda power units put in their cars, but a regulation change at a meeting of Formula One’s World Motor Sport Council this month has permitted new manufacturers to take one new unit for each driver without any sanction.
Alonso and Button had been penalised since exceeding their original allocation of four engines when they took a fifth in Austria. The tight and technical Hungaroring circuit is expected to give the McLaren team an opportunity to secure an improved result because it is not a track that demands outright power.
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas has dismissed suggestions that he has already agreed to join Ferrari next season.
A report published in Italy last week suggested that Bottas would replace Kimi Raikkonen at the Italian constructor next term, but the Williams driver, who lies fourth in the drivers’ standings and one point ahead of Raikkonen, denied that such a deal was in place.
“There is nothing new to tell you since I was asked last time, although obviously there are a lot of rumours,” Bottas said.
The story claimed Ferrari had struck a deal with Williams – thought to be in the region of £8 milllion (Dh45.6m) – to release Bottas from his contract.
Asked if he expected to remain with the British team next season, Bottas said: “Nothing is confirmed, so we will have to wait and see. As a driver you want (your future sorted) as soon as possible, but sometimes you need to wait and that is life.
“We will tell you when there is something to tell about – I don’t know where the rumours have come from.”
Luca di Montezemolo, the former Ferrari president, has claimed the late Jules Bianchi, a member of the Ferrari driver academy since 2009, had already been “chosen” to take over from the 2007 world champion.
“It has been tough for everyone who knew Jules and I can’t even imagine for the family,” said Bottas, who was among several Formula One drivers to attend Bianchi’s funeral in Nice on Tuesday.
“It was not an easy day on Tuesday to let go. He was a nice guy that everyone likeds so it has not been easy. Being a teammate with him before in Formula 3, I knew him pretty well.
“But life goes on and now we are here to race and the best place is in the car with the helmet on.”
Bianchi, the French driver who succumbed last week to the devastating brain injuries he sustained at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, was buried Tuesday at Nice with Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and other drivers in attendance.
In other garage news, Sauber announced they had extended the contracts of drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr for the next season.
Team chief Monisha Kaltenborn said that the early extension of the contracts “shows that the drivers and the team are sure they are heading in the right direction.”
Kaltenborn said Sauber has “full confidence in the talents and skills of Marcus and Felipe.”
Nasr has 16 points in this year’s championship and is 11th in drivers’ standings, while Ericsson has five and is 16th.
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