Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest news regarding Formula 1 on Wednesday, August 19.
Wednesday morning's Formula 1 news roundup:
Black suit not reason for hot Bottas - Wolff
© Reuters
Toto Wolff has played down Valtteri Bottas' comments about his black racing suit for 2020.
As the Finn admitted in Barcelona that his championship hopes are "drifting away", he complained that he lost 3kg during the Spanish GP because his overalls are "f*****g hot".
Mercedes switched its car livery and driver suits to black for 2020 in deference to Lewis Hamilton's support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
But team boss Wolff denied that the colour change is Bottas' problem.
"We just have a new material," he told motorsport-total.com.
"Maybe we have to look again to see if we can find a compromise on how we can get it a little thinner."
Indeed, Bottas confirmed that more than just the racing suit's colour has changed for this season.
"There's a new homologation this year for the overalls, so they are thicker, and the underwear is thicker, so I don't know how much effect that has," he said.
Ex-Red Bull driver says Albon has 'lost his way'
© Reuters
Alex Albon has "lost his way" at Red Bull, according to former team driver Robert Doornbos.
While the team is for now standing behind the struggling British-born Thai driver, it is clear that his shoulders have slumped in recent races.
"It's really tough for him," Doornbos, who briefly raced for the energy drink owned team's premier team in 2006, told Ziggo Sport.
"Albon has really lost his way. He's broken there," he said.
"I really hate that so many people have bad words for him because he's a really good racing driver," said Doornbos.
"But this is also just motorsport. If you get lost, it can take a long time to find your way again."
Another former F1 driver, JJ Lehto, thinks it is possible that Red Bull will sign its former quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel to replace Albon.
"Red Bull is certainly considering all options on how to make the team more competitive," he told Iltalehti.
"Max Verstappen makes it so hard for those who drive alongside him. Albon and Pierre Gasly are familiar options for them, but so is Vettel.
"The team knows what he can do when he's at his best."
Lehto said Vettel may also regard returning to Red Bull as his best option for 2021, as rumours swirl that the German may in fact not go to Aston Martin.
"Vettel will definitely be wondering what that team will be able to do next year," he said.
"Aston Martin is a car brand, yes, and it brings a certain value to the team - but what are they actually capable of?" Lehto wondered.
More news from Formula 1:
Danner slams Leclerc for driving without seatbelts
Charles Leclerc is coming under fire for completing two full laps of the Spanish GP after unbuckling his seatbelts. Read more.
FIA looking into legality of energy recovery systems
Formula 1 is looking into the legality of the engine manufacturers' 2020-spec energy recovery systems, according to Auto Motor und Sport. Read more.
Kubica admits slow DTM pace 'not normal'
Robert Kubica has admitted his pace since switching from Formula 1 to DTM for 2020 is "not normal". Read more.
Barcelona not a 'boring' race - Albers
Sunday's race in Barcelona was not "boring", according to former F1 driver Christijan Albers. Read more.
Enzo Ferrari would have treated Vettel better - Forghieri
Legendary Ferrari figure Mauro Forghieri has critiqued Mattia Binotto's management of the struggling Italian team's drivers. Read more.
Wolff warns F1 rivals over data sharing accusations
Toto Wolff has slammed as "complete nonsense" claims that Mercedes is in the wrong over the 'pink Mercedes' affair. Read more.
Wolff 'frustrated' by Concorde Agreement disunity
The first three teams have signed up for the 2021-2025 Concorde Agreement - but one of them is not Mercedes. Read more.
Red Bull has 'enough time' to catch Mercedes - boss
Red Bull bosses believe the team has enough time to challenge Mercedes for the 2020 world championship. Read more.
Renault CEO 'reassuring' about F1 future - Abiteboul
The French carmaker Renault's new group CEO had "reassuring messages" for the Formula 1 team when he visited the paddock in Barcelona last weekend. Read more.
All 10 Formula One teams sign up to new Concorde Agreement
The agreement aims to produce a more equitable split in prize money. Read more.
