| Friday, January 30th 2015, 12:05 GMT |
Sebastian Vettel thinks his relationship with Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari will be more "straightforward" than most Formula 1 team-mate partnerships
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 30th 2015, 12:21 GMT |
Ferrari believes there will be a better balance between its Formula 1 qualifying and race performance in 2015 due the major design overhaul for the SF15-T
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 30th 2015, 14:27 GMT |
Ferrari technical director James Allison is confident that the team's 2015 Formula 1 car will suit Kimi Raikkonen better than last year's
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 30th 2015, 11:06 GMT |
Ferrari has unveiled the new SF15-T 2015 Formula 1 car that it hopes will get it back in the hunt for victories with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen this season
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 30th 2015, 09:05 GMT |
Sauber has become the latest team to unveil its 2015 Formula 1 car, after publishing images of its new C34 on Friday
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 30th 2015, 11:44 GMT |
Ferrari says its target for 2015 is to win two Formula 1 races, after unveiling its new SF15-T on Friday
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 14:55 GMT |
Daniel Ricciardo has no doubts Formula 1 drivers would back a move to 1000 horsepower engines in 2017, and thinks it will help the top stars better show their talent
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 11:24 GMT |
Force India has now decided to skip entirely the first pre-season Formula 1 test at Jerez
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 17:24 GMT |
The stuttering start of McLaren and Honda's first public Formula 1 test last year has not stopped Thursday's 2015 car launch being the winter's most anticipated
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 08:42 GMT |
Renault has completed a "fundamental" overhaul of its Formula 1 engine for the 2015 season in a bid to help Red Bull close the gap to Mercedes
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| By Matt Beer | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 10:04 GMT |
GP3 champion Alex Lynn has joined the Williams Formula 1 team as a development driver for 2015
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 28th 2015, 11:24 GMT |
Force India has now decided to skip entirely the first pre-season Formula 1 test at Jerez
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| By Jonathan Noble and James Roberts | Monday, January 26th 2015, 16:28 GMT |
Mercedes' rivals have been warned to brace themselves for a step forward from Formula 1's benchmark engine supplier this year
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, January 26th 2015, 14:08 GMT |
Lotus has the budget it needs to achieve its target of challenging Williams in Formula 1 this year, claims its CEO Matthew Carter
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| By Craig Scarborough | Monday, January 26th 2015, 16:41 GMT |
The digital renders released by Lotus of its 2015 E23 Formula 1 car allow us to already make some observations about the new challenger
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 18:12 GMT |
Former Formula 1 driver Philippe Streiff has apologised to FIA president Jean Todt and medical chief Gerard Saillant over comments he made on French radio
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, January 26th 2015, 11:32 GMT |
Ferrari has announced that its new Formula 1 car will be called the SF15-T.
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| By Craig Scarborough | Monday, January 26th 2015, 11:33 GMT |
With Formula 1's 2015 cars set to hit the track at Jerez this weekend, attention will soon be on the critical details of these new challengers
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| By James Roberts and Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 15:37 GMT |
Formula 1's smaller outfits are hopeful that progress on much-needed cost cuts will happen before the start of the 2015 season
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 17:53 GMT |
Ferrari's new team boss Maurizio Arrivabene believes rule changes planned for 2017 must be a revolution for Formula 1 if the sport is not going to lose more fans
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 18:12 GMT |
Former Formula 1 driver Philippe Streiff has apologised to FIA president Jean Todt and medical chief Gerard Saillant over comments he made on French radio
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 17:53 GMT |
Ferrari's new team boss Maurizio Arrivabene believes rule changes planned for 2017 must be a revolution for Formula 1 if the sport is not going to lose more fans
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| By James Roberts and Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 15:37 GMT |
Formula 1's smaller outfits are hopeful that progress on much-needed cost cuts will happen before the start of the 2015 season
You have viewed over 15 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.
| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 18:12 GMT |
Former Formula 1 driver Philippe Streiff has apologised to FIA president Jean Todt and medical chief Gerard Saillant over comments he made on French radio
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| By Gerhard Kuntschik and Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 22nd 2015, 12:51 GMT |
Mercedes expects Red Bull to re-emerge as a serious threat in the 2015 Formula 1 season, although it may take time for its title potential to become clear
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| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 22nd 2015, 17:10 GMT |
FIA president Jean Todt and medical chief Gerard Saillant are planning legal action against former Formula 1 driver Philippe Streiff over comments relating to the Jules Bianchi crash investigation
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 23rd 2015, 11:55 GMT |
The 2015 Formula 1 cars could start the season up to three seconds per lap quicker than last year's pace, reckons Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 21st 2015, 16:29 GMT |
Force India believes the true pace of its new VJM08 Formula 1 car will not be clear until the Spanish Grand Prix, when a major upgrade is scheduled for introduction
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| By Craig Scarborough | Wednesday, January 21st 2015, 18:12 GMT |
Williams's release of computer renderings of its 2015 Formula 1 car, the FW37, provided a first chance to see a nose designed to the new regulations
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| By Gerhard Kuntschik and Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 22nd 2015, 10:43 GMT |
Formula 1 teams must persist with their push to get 1000bhp cars on the grid for 2017, reckons three-time world champion Niki Lauda.
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, January 19th 2015, 13:13 GMT |
The FIA's decision to open up in-season engine development may feel like a victory for Mercedes' Formula 1 rivals, but it could yet prove a boost to the German manufacturer
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, January 19th 2015, 15:24 GMT |
Marussia's bosses have been given a late boost in their hopes of saving the Formula 1 team, after administrators agreed to stop an auction of its final assets
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| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, January 20th 2015, 11:11 GMT |
Formula 1 chiefs have shifted the start times of five grands prix for 2015 as a result of the lessons learned from Jules Bianchi's Japanese Grand Prix crash last year
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 16:25 GMT |
Russian Grand Prix officials have confirmed that their event will not be a night race in 2015, despite hopes it could switch to a twilight fixture
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| By Jonathan Noble | Saturday, January 17th 2015, 12:43 GMT |
Honda has succeeded in its bid to convince the FIA to allow it some engine development during the 2015 Formula 1 season
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| By Ben Anderson and Matt Beer | Monday, January 19th 2015, 10:22 GMT |
Max Verstappen will score points on his Formula 1 debut if the Toro Rosso is competitive, believes his team boss Franz Tost
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 16:25 GMT |
Russian Grand Prix officials have confirmed that their event will not be a night race in 2015, despite hopes it could switch to a twilight fixture
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 11:25 GMT |
Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 comeback in 2010 could still have happened under the new stricter superlicence criteria, the FIA has revealed
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| By Jonathan Noble | Saturday, January 17th 2015, 12:43 GMT |
Honda has succeeded in its bid to convince the FIA to allow it some engine development during the 2015 Formula 1 season
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 11:25 GMT |
Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 comeback in 2010 could still have happened under the new stricter superlicence criteria, the FIA has revealed
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 11:02 GMT |
The FIA says it is open to tweaking the new Formula 1 superlicence system in the future if it feels that the weighting of junior championships needs adjusting
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 16th 2015, 16:25 GMT |
Russian Grand Prix officials have confirmed that their event will not be a night race in 2015, despite hopes it could switch to a twilight fixture
You have viewed over 15 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.
| By Jonathan Noble and Edd Straw | Tuesday, January 13th 2015, 11:48 GMT |
The push to rid Formula 1 of ugly noses in 2015 may have been done for simple aesthetics, but it has caused complications for design teams
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| By Edd Straw and Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, January 13th 2015, 14:54 GMT |
Romain Grosjean says he is approaching the 2015 season with a revamped driving style to help boost his form, as Lotus also reshuffles his engineering team
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 14th 2015, 10:58 GMT |
After such a dominant campaign in Formula 1 last year, it is no surprise that Mercedes is clear favourite to storm to more title success in 2015
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| By Edd Straw | Sunday, January 11th 2015, 15:07 GMT |
Thirteen-time grand prix winner David Coulthard believes that there has to be room for flexibility within the new Formula 1 superlicence regulations to accommodate exceptional rising stars
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| By Jonathan Noble and Edd Straw | Monday, January 12th 2015, 11:05 GMT |
Qatar has given the green light for ambitious plans to hold a Formula 1 grand prix on a new street circuit in the city of Lusail, AUTOSPORT has learned
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| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, January 12th 2015, 11:36 GMT |
Formula 1 teams have been urged to follow up on the recommendations of the Jules Bianchi accident panel and support Pirelli in its desire for a bespoke wet tyre test
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| By Glenn Freeman | Friday, January 9th 2015, 16:05 GMT |
Renault has contacted the FIA regarding the new Formula 1 superlicence criteria that the governing body revealed earlier this week
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| By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer | Friday, January 9th 2015, 16:44 GMT |
Daniel Ricciardo is convinced that Red Bull will be closer to Mercedes in the 2015 Formula 1 season because the champion team will have reached a point of diminishing returns
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| By Edd Straw | Saturday, January 10th 2015, 16:48 GMT |
Formula 1 racer turned pundit Allan McNish has backed plans for grand prix racing to introduce 1000bhp cars in 2017
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 9th 2015, 14:48 GMT |
Ferrari will launch its new Formula 1 car on the Friday before the first pre-season test
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| By Glenn Freeman | Friday, January 9th 2015, 16:05 GMT |
Renault has contacted the FIA regarding the new Formula 1 superlicence criteria that the governing body revealed earlier this week
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| By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer | Friday, January 9th 2015, 16:44 GMT |
Daniel Ricciardo is convinced that Red Bull will be closer to Mercedes in the 2015 Formula 1 season because the champion team will have reached a point of diminishing returns
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| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 8th 2015, 17:03 GMT |
The procedure for Formula 1's new virtual safety car (VSC) system has been confirmed by the FIA, after the publication of its 2015 rules
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 9th 2015, 10:15 GMT |
Spain and Austria will hold the only in-season Formula 1 tests this year, as part of a reduction in running agreed by teams
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| By Jonathan Noble | Friday, January 9th 2015, 10:32 GMT |
McLaren has become the first Formula 1 team to officially confirm its 2015 launch date, with its new Honda-powered MP4/30 to be unveiled on January 29
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| Wednesday, January 7th 2015, 19:20 GMT |
Silverstone has a new management team after the British Racing Drivers Club completed a major personnel restructure at the Formula 1 venue
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| By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 7th 2015, 18:30 GMT |
Formula 1 has moved a step closer to the return of 1000 horsepower turbo cars, following a meeting in Geneva this week by key figures to discuss future rules
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| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 8th 2015, 11:45 GMT |
Williams faces a more difficult challenge in improving on its stellar 2014 campaign than it had in moving clear of the Formula 1 tailenders, reckons chief technical officer Pat Symonds
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| By Jonathan Noble | Thursday, January 1st 2015, 15:45 GMT |
Fernando Alonso has been singled out as Mercedes' main target for 2016 if the Formula 1 team cannot agree a new deal with Lewis Hamilton.
Talks between Hamilton and Mercedes to thrash out a fresh deal were put on hold until after last season, so that the discussions would not get in the way of the title battle between the Briton and his team-mate Nico Rosberg.
AUTOSPORT revealed last October that Alonso was on Mercedes' radar and although renewal talks began with Hamilton last November, with both parties seeing no reason why a fresh contract cannot be sorted out, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has suggested that Alonso is a fall back option in the event that talks break down.
"There's no hurry, we'll discuss it during the year," he told Gazzetta dello Sport, with Hamilton's current deal running out at the end of 2015.
When asked what would happen if a contract could not be sorted, he said: "I'm optimistic, the priority is to carry on with these drivers. Should it be impossible, then Alonso represents the top alternative, followed by [Valtteri] Bottas."
Wolff believes that Alonso remains one of the best drivers on the grid, despite the recent disappointing streak at Ferrari that prompted his decision to leave Maranello.
"He is a dangerous rival with any car," he explained "If he is at the wheel of a car that can finish sixth, he will take it to third place."
Alonso has rejoined McLaren for 2015, with the team suggesting that the Spaniard has a multi-year deal.
However, there are likely to be performance clauses in the contract that could allow him to leave in the event that the Woking-based team does not deliver.
WILLIAMS MAIN 2015 RIVAL
Wolff also believes that Williams will be Mercedes' main rival in 2015 - although would not be surprised if Red Bull returned to form after a disappointing campaign last year.
"I put Williams at the top of the list," he said when asked where he thought the biggest threat would come from this year, "but I also fear a lot Red Bull: they have won four consecutive titles and will field every resource in order to fight again for the title."
He also did not dismiss the possibility of Ferrari, and new signing Sebastian Vettel, delivering more than some expect.
"Never underestimate them," he said. "It's an icon and it's important for it to be able to win again as soon as possible. I'm convinced it will soon be competitive again, maybe in 2015 already."
Translation by Michele Lostia
| By Ben Anderson and Scott Mitchell | Thursday, January 1st 2015, 10:23 GMT |
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes what Formula 1 rival Mercedes achieved in 2014 was "truly incredible".
The run of four straight drivers' and constructors' titles for Horner's squad was ended in emphatic fashion by Mercedes last season, with world champion Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg winning a record 16 races between them.
Horner believes Mercedes deserves credit for leading from the front in F1's new era of hybrid turbocharged V6 engines, though it admitted it was braced for its own engine supplier Renault to lag behind the Silver Arrows.
"I think the difference to Mercedes was far bigger than we expected it would be," he said. "We feared that there was going to be a deficit, but nowhere near the scale we saw.
"I think first we need to congratulate Mercedes, who have done a truly incredible job with their power unit.
"I think we were in the worst of all situations with Renault in that we were uncompetitive with an unreliable engine. But credit to them for sorting the reliability out on the engine.
"It's now the performance deficit that we really need to focus on."
Red Bull bounced back from a calamitous pre-season testing programme to win three races in 2014, though all came from new driver Daniel Ricciardo as quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel suffered his first winless campaign since his F1 debut half-season in 2007.
Though Vettel has now left for Ferrari, Horner believes Renault's restructuring and Red Bull's new works team status means the engine battle should be closer this year.
"I think Mercedes invested more strategically than Renault," he added.
"It was something we were aware of and something we pushed Renault on, but unfortunately their management changes came too late to make an impact into this year, but hopefully they will make a big influence in the next few seasons.
"I think the philosophy to embrace Red Bull as the works team and to work as a partner as opposed to a customer was what needed changing, because the power unit needs to be fully integrated."
| By Ben Anderson | Friday, January 2nd 2015, 10:37 GMT |
Deputy team principal Claire Williams says star driver Valtteri Bottas is "100 per cent committed" to Williams, which is ready to fend off potential interest from rival Formula 1 teams.
Bottas enjoyed a breakout season in F1 in 2014, scoring six podiums and finishing fourth in the drivers' championship as Williams returned to the front of the grid.
The Finn will be out of contract at the end of 2015, and his consistently excellent 2014 performances have naturally attracted interest from bigger outfits, with Mercedes citing him as its second fallback option after Fernando Alonso should talks with Lewis Hamilton break down.
But Williams said Bottas would have no reason to look for a seat elsewhere while the Grove squad remains so competitive.
"I'm sure people are looking at Valtteri, and why wouldn't they? He's one of the brightest stars in the paddock at the moment," Williams told AUTOSPORT.
"But Valtteri started his career with Williams and when you talk to him you know that he's 100 per cent committed to Williams.
"We're committed with him on this future path for our team, and we're committed to doing that together.
"For me, that loyalty is important and I think Valtteri feels that as well.
"Of course the name of Ferrari, for example, may be tempting, but he fits in well here, and I think for someone like Valtteri that fit is as important as anything else.
"And why would he want to leave when we have a competitive car [and] he knows the plans we have for the future success he can achieve with Williams?
"It's not like we're fifth or sixth in the championship. Why would he go to another team when we're able to provide him with the car he needs in order to win? Why would he go elsewhere?"
CURRENT PAIRING WORKS WELL
Williams confirmed she would not hold Bottas back if relations with the team broke down for any reason, but reiterated the combination of Bottas and ex-Ferrari racer Felipe Massa on the driving strength had played a big part in the team's vastly improved form.
"You never know what the future holds - if Valtteri suddenly ended up being desperately miserable at Williams, because we hadn't provided him with the equipment that we promised him we would, then we would never want to stop him," Williams added.
"You never know in Formula 1, but right at this moment Valtteri has a contract and we both have a commitment to each other to work together.
"We're so lucky with our driver line-up. We've got one of the best driver pairings on the grid, I'd suggest.
"They both work so hard for the team - they're two drivers whose egos don't get in the way of what we need to achieve as a group, and that's so important for a team like ours.
"They are fully committed and do their bit to help the team move forward. They've really helped turn this around."
Valtteri Bottas is the cover star of this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, which features an interview with the Finn, plus an analysis of what he must do to ensure he becomes the new Raikkonen not the new Kovalainen and more from senior Williams personnel
| By Ben Anderson | Wednesday, December 31st 2014, 15:11 GMT |
Daniel Ricciardo says he is mentally prepared for when his stunning 2014 Formula 1 form takes an inevitable dip in the future.
The Australian stepped up to Red Bull from junior team Toro Rosso this year and beat his four-time F1 world champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the same car.
Ricciardo has received widespread praise within the paddock for his consistently excellent performances behind the wheel in 2014, but the three-time grand prix winner said it would be important to get ready for an eventual slump.
AUTOSPORT's writers vote Ricciardo the driver of the F1 year
When asked by AUTOSPORT how he would deal with a period of struggle such as that experienced by Vettel this year, Ricciardo replied: "I think that is an important one.
"I am riding a pretty big wave at the moment and I am sure, eventually, that will come down and then back up - but that's normal.
"I think controlling your bad days as best as possible, or the times when maybe the car is a complete box the whole weekend [is important].
"It is about controlling your emotions and not getting too frustrated with it - just finding ways to drive around it and accepting that, OK you are not going to win, but a fifth would still be better than a 10th, so try and get fifth."
Ricciardo said he would do his best to maintain the relaxed attitude that has served him so well in his career so far.
"It is always easier said than done," he added.
"Particularly now I have won a few races, if I am running around fifth or sixth I am not really happy with that.
"So, it's easy to get frustrated and want more, but that is where it gets tough and you sometimes have to take a step back and deal with what it is and never lose your confidence or belief.
"I have won a race this year, so in two years' time I shouldn't be a worse driver - I should be better.
"Maybe the opportunity wouldn't be the same, but you should never doubt your own ability."
| Wednesday, December 31st 2014, 09:27 GMT |
Ferrari protege Raffaele Marciello will be Sauber's test and reserve driver for the 2015 Formula 1 season.
Marciello, a long-time member of Ferrari's driver academy programme, made his F1 testing debut for the Maranello squad in Abu Dhabi last month.
The 20-year-old Italian will combine a second season of GP2, where he drove for Racing Engineering this year, with his Sauber commitments.
"I am really pleased to become a member of the Sauber F1 team, which has a long tradition of building up excellent drivers," said Marciello, who finished eighth in GP2 this season after winning last year's Formula 3 European Championship.
"I really think that this is the best choice for my future career.
"I am also happy to compete for one more season in the GP2 Series, which, together with my new F1 role, will give me a very busy 2015 season."
Team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said Marciello's deal with her Ferrari-powered squad included some appearances in grand prix practice sessions.
"He proved his great talent in junior formulas, and his season in the European Formula 3 Championship with 13 wins and the title victory was particularly impressive," she said.
"We will give Raffaele the opportunity to become familiar with Formula 1, which also includes him taking part in some free practice sessions on Fridays."
Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr form Sauber's race line-up for 2015.
| By Ben Anderson and Scott Mitchell | Thursday, January 1st 2015, 10:23 GMT |
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes what Formula 1 rival Mercedes achieved in 2014 was "truly incredible".
The run of four straight drivers' and constructors' titles for Horner's squad was ended in emphatic fashion by Mercedes last season, with world champion Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg winning a record 16 races between them.
Horner believes Mercedes deserves credit for leading from the front in F1's new era of hybrid turbocharged V6 engines, though it admitted it was braced for its own engine supplier Renault to lag behind the Silver Arrows.
"I think the difference to Mercedes was far bigger than we expected it would be," he said. "We feared that there was going to be a deficit, but nowhere near the scale we saw.
"I think first we need to congratulate Mercedes, who have done a truly incredible job with their power unit.
"I think we were in the worst of all situations with Renault in that we were uncompetitive with an unreliable engine. But credit to them for sorting the reliability out on the engine.
"It's now the performance deficit that we really need to focus on."
Red Bull bounced back from a calamitous pre-season testing programme to win three races in 2014, though all came from new driver Daniel Ricciardo as quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel suffered his first winless campaign since his F1 debut half-season in 2007.
Though Vettel has now left for Ferrari, Horner believes Renault's restructuring and Red Bull's new works team status means the engine battle should be closer this year.
"I think Mercedes invested more strategically than Renault," he added.
"It was something we were aware of and something we pushed Renault on, but unfortunately their management changes came too late to make an impact into this year, but hopefully they will make a big influence in the next few seasons.
"I think the philosophy to embrace Red Bull as the works team and to work as a partner as opposed to a customer was what needed changing, because the power unit needs to be fully integrated."
