Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest news regarding Formula 1 on Wednesday, August 12.
Wednesday morning's Formula 1 news roundup:
Hulkenberg travelling to Barcelona this week
© Reuters
Nico Hulkenberg is travelling to Barcelona this week.
The German became Sergio Perez's eleventh-hour replacement at Racing Point following the Mexican's positive coronavirus test.
But team boss Otmar Szafnauer is now "99 percent" sure that Perez will be virus-free for this weekend in Spain.
However, Hulkenberg told RTL: "I'll prepare for Barcelona in the simulator, and then go there on Wednesday or Thursday.
"Then I'll wait for good news - or for the end."
Former Renault driver Hulkenberg, who lost his full-time place in F1 at the end of last year, was hailed after qualifying third at Silverstone - but then he finished seventh.
"It wasn't the fairytale that everyone wanted in the end, but that was maybe a bit presumptuous when you see how strong Mercedes and Red Bull are.
"It was good," he insisted.
However, it might not be good enough to secure him a return to F1 next year.
"I fear that will be the case," Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
"On the one hand, in the past he didn't look so good against some teammates, like Daniel Ricciardo. And there are very strong young drivers coming up. Sebastian (Vettel) still exists too," said the former F1 driver.
"It could well be that someone will snatch a good place from him yet again," Schumacher said. "Haas will be interested, but then there's the question of whether he wants to go there."
Red Bull has 'solved' main problem with car - Marko
© Reuters
Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull must keep the pressure on Mercedes.
As the reigning champions struggled with excessive tyre wear at Silverstone, Max Verstappen said on the radio that he refuses to "drive like a grandma" and went on to beat both Mercedes cars against the odds.
"If you have the right strategy and the driver to execute that strategy, Mercedes has a big problem," 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve told Sky Italia.
"If you finish ten seconds behind the leader with the car they have, it means you've ruined it as a team."
Pirelli boss Mario Isola warned that teams will have to manage their tyres again this weekend in Barcelona.
"The current cars are faster than ever and the Spanish GP has never been held in August," he said.
"With that in mind, this could be the most demanding race for tyres that we have seen in Barcelona."
At the same time, Red Bull is vowing to keep the pressure on Mercedes.
"The car is still far from where we want it to be, but we are developing it," Marko told APA news agency.
"The data from the wind tunnel and CFD cannot be yet seen on the track. But we're getting there slowly.
"We have solved the main problem with the car, but there are still a few minor ones to fix," said the Austrian.
Marko agrees that the problem for Mercedes' otherwise dominant car at Silverstone was the pressure Red Bull was able to apply.
"Our basic speed was so good and that Mercedes was challenged to drive at the limit," he said. "Before, they were just cruising."
In qualifying, though, Mercedes is still clearly ahead.
"We still can't explain the qualifying times of Mercedes. They are a bit strange," Marko said.
A forecast of hot weather for Spain, however, is good news for Red Bull.
"We're happy about that," Marko said, "but now we have to find out why our car is so moody.
"But we're not giving up and we still see ourselves as the challengers."
More news from Formula 1:
Salo tips Raikkonen to quit F1
2020 will be Kimi Raikkonen's last season in Formula 1, according to Mika Salo. Read more.
As revenues collapse, F1 wants 22 races in 2021
Formula 1 is targeting a full and normal 22-race calendar for 2021, as the sport revealed an almost total collapse of revenue amid the corona crisis. Read more.
Hulkenberg reveals 2021 talks with 'two teams'
Nico Hulkenberg has revealed he is talking to "two teams" about his future in Formula 1. Read more.
Mercedes to re-commit to F1 for one year only
Mercedes will stay in Formula 1 next year - but not commit to the full five years of the proposed Concorde Agreement. Read more.
F1 journalists doubt Vettel will leave mid-season
Two highly respected Formula 1 correspondents do not think Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari will split before the end of the 2020 season. Read more.
Ferrari 'underestimated' impact of hybrid era - Montezemolo
Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says he deserves some of the blame for the Maranello team's horror 2020 season. Read more.
Montezemolo hopes Ferrari treating Vettel fairly
Ferrari's former president says he hopes the Maranello team is treating Sebastian Vettel fairly in 2020. Read more.
Wolff happy for 'pink Mercedes' affair to go to court
Toto Wolff says he is not worried about Mercedes' name being dragged through the mud over the Racing Point car copying affair. Read more.
Ferrari, Renault to pursue appeal against Racing Point punishment
The teams do not believe the FIA's sanction was harsh enough. Read more.
