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From GMM

Niki Lauda has scolded Lewis Hamilton for not congratulating teammate Nico Rosberg after his second consecutive Monaco win on Sunday.

As their clash for the 2014 title exploded in dramatic style in the Principality, 2008 world champion declared his friendship with German Rosberg is over.

But it seems the breakdown is over more than just Rosberg's qualifying 'mistake' that cost Hamilton a shot at pole position on Saturday.

It emerges that Hamilton used a higher 'engine mode' - that Mercedes specifically told him not to use - en route to victory in Barcelona two weeks ago.

"We were told that we had to stay in a certain mode. Nico did it in Bahrain and I did it in Barcelona," Hamilton confirmed on Sunday.

Team chairman Niki Lauda said the matter is now closed, because Hamilton apologised after Barcelona.

"In the last couple of races we had some little fouls left and right. This is not happening ever again," said team boss Toto Wolff.

There is no doubt that Hamilton is most upset about qualifying in Monaco, even though the stewards looked at the data and did not find that Rosberg made his mistake on purpose.

"I wish you could have seen the data. I saw something late last night, and all I could do was smile," the fuming Hamilton told reporters in Monaco.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG, in Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

The big risk within the Brackley camp is that the rivalry will now spiral out of control, perhaps in an explosion of carbon fibre pieces.

Niki Lauda vowed to sort it out before the next race.

"I will go there in Montreal or before, and meet them or Lewis in this case and say 'what is the problem'," the great Austrian said.

Lauda said Hamilton is clearly a "very emotional" character in general, but he said treating Rosberg disrespectfully was not appropriate on Sunday.

"That Lewis did not shake his hand is not in order," he told Germany's Sport Bild.

"He should congratulate Nico, because Nico always did it to him, even hugged him in Bahrain where they were both really fighting each other," Niki Lauda added.

At the same time, Lauda said Hamilton does not need to be a 'nice guy'.

In fact, "You have to be a bastard if you want to win in formula one, no question. Tell me one nice guy out there -- do we start with Fernando Alonso?

"The tension is building up, no question, but we have to make sure that the team doesn't get out of hand. So if they don't say hello in the morning any more, it's out of hand," Lauda continued.

Without a doubt, Lewis Hamilton is no longer saying hello. But Niki Lauda thinks the Briton's mood will change soon.

"Hopefully he will make a good party with (girlfriend) Nicole, I will speak to him tomorrow and I guarantee you it will be fixed. We are going to work it out."

Almost certainly, Niki Lauda knows he is under pressure from fellow team chiefs Paddy Lowe and Toto Wolff to sort it out before a range of 'team orders' are strictly imposed in order to control the driver duo.

Toto Wolff admitted: "The moment it goes in the direction where we believe it is not in the spirit of Mercedes-Benz, we will act accordingly.

"We are racers. We want our drivers to race. But there are certain limits to which they must adhere," he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the Monaco podium. (Photo: WRi2)

Lauda knows exactly what 'hating' a teammate feels like.

"I had nothing against (Alain) Prost personally -- he was complicated but a nice guy. Nevertheless, I hated him and kept all the information from him. I told my engineers not to say anything to him."

Toto Wolff likened an inter-team championship battle to two men fighting over "the same woman".

"In that situation there's no friendship," he is quoted by Bild newspaper.

Dieter Zetsche, the chairman of Mercedes parent Daimler, agreed that Hamilton and Rosberg should be free to wage their battles, even though imposing 'team orders' would mean less 'grey hairs' for the management.

"This is exactly what the viewers want to see," he said. "The worst thing would be nice team orders with one behind the other.

"Ultimately, we have to be honest -- the people are interested in the brands but they care more about the people. They want to see them fight each other.

"Now we have these two young men against each other in a great car, and this is the most beautiful thing that racing can provide," added Zetsche.

San Franciso, CA -- The Volkswagen GTI slots itself in performance automotive history alongside the Porsche 911, the BMW 3 Series, and the Chevrolet Corvette to name a few. I'm not being facetious. The 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI spawned a segment that quickly gained a cult following.

Every version of the GTI, starting from the MK2 introduced in 1985, set standards that many manufacturers attempted to emulate over the decades.

The latest MK7 2015 Volkswagen GTI is the most powerful production GTI ever, and it drives extremely well. This extremely competent car has now become something for everyone to enjoy, especially when the optional DSG transmission is selected.


What is a Volkswagen GTI?
A game-changer; at least it was nearly 40 years ago. The GTI was nothing more than an in-house covert experiment that turned out to be a brilliant idea.

Each new GTI brings with it the promise of heightened performance and a lifetime membership to the Cool Euro Car Club. The GTI is the hot hatch and as long as VW makes it so, it will remain the compact performance benchmark.

2015 Volkswagen GTI Price and Specs
The 2015 Volkswagen GTI will swoop in to your driveway for a cool $27,995 for a 3-door with a 6-speed manual transmission. A 6-speed dual-clutch DSG is an excellent option for an extra $1,400. The $4,000 Autobahn package includes 18" wheels, xenon headlights, Fender audio, rear-view camera, keyless entry, and rain-sensing wipers, etc.

The 5-door GTI starts at $32,895 and features the Autobahn group as standard. With the DSG, leather and technology packages, the grand total is $36,085. This is the top GTI. In fact, there will be an available Performance Pack early next year that will throw in 10 extra horsepower, larger brakes, and a limited slip differential.

The Performance Pack piles in on top of the GTI's 210 horsepower and 258 torques (!) turbocharged 2.0L TSI 4-cylinder engine. Stock brakes maintain the red calipers and an XDS or electronic differential lock that prevents wheel spin when a wheel is unloaded.

New Direct Steering varies ratios and assistance to maximize steering feel. The GTI's ESC now has a Sport Mode, but still cannot be completely deactivated.

Driving the 2015 Volkswagen GTI
I was given the opportunity to drive previous generation GTIs. The best way I can sum up the MK1, MK2 and MK3? They were mechanically honest. What you felt was what you got. Sometime around the arrival of the MK4, the precious man-and-machine connection was diluted. Volkswagen's been hard at work bringing it back with the help of today's technologies.

The 2015 Volkswagen GTI's steering is the first element I noticed. The weight felt true -- the effort required to turn the wheel somewhat reminded me of the power-less steering of the MK1...

Once underway, the GTI immediately shows how strong it's become. Off the line, the 2.0L TSI engine pushes and pulls relentlessly, which should be good, but if you're looking for an event behind the wheel of the GTI, you'll be disappointed. You see, max torque romps in at 1,600 rpm and holds on until 4,200 rpm at which point max hp blows in at 4,300 and stays on until 6,200 rpm. There is literally no flat spot in the GTI's power delivery. Acceleration is so linear that it almost feels boring...

But it isn't. The 2015 GTI boogies impressively when pushed hard. The newfound torque allows the lazy driver to forgo a downshift even in 6th. For those in tune with heel-toe-ing and rev-matching, the 6-speed GTI is a blast. The gates are tight and the shifter glides smartly to and fro. The pedals are perfectly positioned for maximum feet play.

The GTI made short work of the trickiest and sharpest corners. It features the same track as the MK6, but somehow displayed a level of grip that felt more tenacious. Squat, surefooted and solid, the GTI will only release the surface below its rubbers if the driver does something really stupid.

The non-fully-deactivate-able ESC plays a role in the prevention of disasters, which, in turn, will hamper total balls-out tracking of the GTI. I take issue with that but understand why.

Inside and Out of the 2015 Volkswagen GTI
Like the new MK7 Golf, the 2015 Volkswagen GTI has once more grown up and is now a man-racer's car as opposed to a boy-racer's dream. The GTI features distinct front and rear fasciae that are beefier than the Golf's. Wheel arches are slightly flared and specific GTI badges find their way on the rear part of the front fenders.

Red painted callipers make a comeback, as do unique wheel designs and blacked-out exterior trim. The 2015 Volkswagen GTI looks far more serious than playful and I like it like that.

I also like the car's cabin. It has also matured. The gauges are loud and clear, the centre stack is well arranged, ergonomic, and pleasant. Fit and finish are impressive.

Specific to the GTI are the superb seats, which should only be covered with the plaid cloth as opposed to leather, and red contrast stitching. The steering wheel is meaty with great feel. A proper driving position can be found quickly where all controls fall perfectly in hand. A true driver's car, this is.

New for the 2015 GTI are the MIB touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and SiriusXM satellite radio: all standard.

Comparing the 2015 Volkswagen GTI
The 2015 Volkswagen GTI lands squarely in one of my personal-favourite segments, the compact performance category ($25k-$30k range), which holds some of my most treasured driving cars, namely the Subaru WRX, Ford Focus ST, Ford Fiesta ST, Honda Civic Si, Kia Forte Koup, and many more are likely to be added in the future.

Of the lot, as I've said, the GTI is the most “mature” and sophisticated and for these reasons will likely remain a popular choice.

After Kamui Kobayashi lost a place to Marussia rival Jules Bianchi during the Monaco Grand Prix, Caterham owner Tony Fernandes reportedly put the team up for sale for £350 million.

The Japanese blamed Bianchi for damaging his Caterham-Renault car and knocking him out of the points in Sunday's race.

Kobayashi said he felt sure to have delivered a points finish if the Marussia man had not hit him during the 78-lap race before going on to score his team's first points finish.

Caterham team owner, Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes clearly said at the launch of the 2014 car that this would be a "pivotal year" for his involvement in F1.

Caterham's factory. (Photo: Caterham F1 Team)

The Kobayashi/Bianchi incident appears to have put an end his patience with Bloomberg claiming a price of £350 million ($589 million) has been set for the F1 team and car company.

"There comes a point where coming last all the time you don't really want to do that so this is a very pivotal year," Fernandes warned ahead of the new season.

Monday May 26, citing a person it didn't identify the Edge Malaysia reports that Fernandes has put to sale the Caterham group of automotive and engineering companies, including U.K. sports car manufacturer Caterham Cars Ltd. and the Caterham Formula 1 Team.

Volkswagen has released the first technical details and sketches of the all-new, 8th-generation Passat, which will make its global debut in July before a public premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.

The future Passat will be 85 kilograms lighter and 20% more fuel-efficient than the outgoing model. It will also offer extra legroom and headroom, not to mention a larger trunk.

A highlight of the Passat's new range of engines is a high-performance, 2.0L, 4-cylinder twin-turbo diesel producing 237 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque from 1,750 rpm. This engine will be available only with a new 7-speed DSG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid model will also be offered, with potential to travel 50 kilometres on battery power alone, and around 965 kilometres combined.

A fully configurable and interactive 12.3'' TFT display, head-up display technology, the latest Modular Infotainment System, a 360-degree Area View function, and the latest generation of Park Assist are just some of the available features on the new Volkswagen Passat.

Deliveries will begin in early 2015.

Photo: Volkswagen

From press release

Canadian Luke Chudleigh enjoyed his best showing of the season at the weekend, 24th-25th May, competing in Round 3 of the 2014 Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS Series at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The 19-year-old collected a fifth place finish on Saturday followed by ninth at the checkered on Sunday competing for Tech1 Racing.

The Milton racer was fast out of the box during Friday's practice sessions and carried his form over into qualifying for the opening race. Taking fifth on the grid, he then ensured he maintained his level of speed throughout the 16-lap race around the 4.3km Austrian circuit.

Luke Chedleigh (Photo: Luke Chudleigh Racing)

On pace with the top-three and successfully defending from a pack all fighting for fifth, Luke held off his challengers to score fifth at the checkered, improving on his previous best of eighth place two weeks ago at Pau.

Sunday's outing had Luke starting from seventh but another trademark fast getaway had him up to fifth by the first turn at the start. Questionable racing from Italy's Ignazio D'Agosto, notably cutting the track in an effort to try and pass Chudleigh, saw the Canadian flat-spot his tires while defending.

While D'Agosto would later be penalized for his actions, Luke's pace was compromised and he wound up ninth at the checkered, still a solid result but less than was expected given his earlier form.

From GMM

Marussia crowned its hero Jules Bianchi in Monaco, after the French driver on Sunday delivered the backmarker team its first-ever F1 points.

Maintaining the spot in the constructors' chase ahead of Caterham and even Sauber would now be worth dozens of millions of dollars in F1 prize money to the struggling team.

Ironically, however, Frenchman Bianchi's feat could also cost Marussia the talented, Ferrari-backed driver.

"It felt like a victory to me," the 24-year-old said on Sunday. "Even if it does not mean so much for others, for us this ninth place is like a win," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Team Marussia celebrating the ninth position of Jules Bianchi in Monaco. (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

But Jules Bianchi also admitted that Monaco 2014 could be the turning point in his career.

"It can only help," he said, "but as for the future, we will have to see as the season progresses. I do feel ready for a top team."

Bianchi's result earned praise even from arguably the very best driver on the grid, Fernando Alonso.

"He is not only a Ferrari junior driver, but also a friend," said the Spaniard.

"We spend a lot of time together at Maranello," Fernando Alonso is quoted by Speed Week. "We play football and basketball and also travel together a lot. I am so pleased for him.

"I have no doubt that he will have a very good career and so I hope that this result helps him to find a competitive cockpit for next season," he added.

The task now for Bianchi's manager, Nicolas Todt, is obvious.

"It is often said that Monaco is a driver circuit," said the Frenchman, the son of FIA president Jean Todt and also Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado's manager.

"Yes, he benefitted from what happened in the race but when you see his lap times, he had the pace. My job now is to try to ride this little wave," Nicolas Todt is quoted by BFMTV, "as they do not come along every day."

Renault is stepping up efforts to grow market share in Southeast Asia by starting local assembly of the Fluence compact sedan in Malaysia.

Four years ago, Toyota was fighting the same kind of safety battle General Motors is waging today. Toyota boss Jim Lentz reflected on the lessons his company learned. Some may help GM.

With its seventh-generation Golf and Golf GTI, now made for the United States in Puebla, Mexico, VW had a chance to drive down costs and lower sticker prices in pursuit of market share.

From press release

Frenchman Jules Bianchi scored Marussia's first points during this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old from Nice started the race in 21st position after a gearbox penalty dropped him to the back of the grid. He made a very good start, gaining five places to be 16th by the end of the first lap.

Shortly after the start, Bianchi and his teammate Max Chilton were handed a five-second penalties, having been out of position on the grid. Bianchi served his penalty during his his first and only pit stop, on lap 29.

He continued to make progress through the race, eventually finishing 8th.

Photo: Marussia

Having served his penalty under the safety car, Bianchi was also handed another five-second penalty after the race, which relegated him to 9th.

"Wow. What a race and what a result for the whole team", said Bianchi. "I am just incredibly happy, but first of all I have to pay credit to everyone at the Marussia F1 Team for making this possible.

"Nobody knows just how much work and determination goes into our races, so today I am thrilled that I have helped them to achieve their long-held target of our first (two) points."

From press release

2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor will be driving full-time in the Sprint Cup next year, with Roush Fenway Racing.

Bayne, who has started 50 Sprint Cup race over the last five years, will be behind the wheel of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion in 2015, bringing back an iconic number to the top NASCAR championship.

"I'm both excited and humbled to be a part of bringing the No. 6 back to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Bayne. "I know the history of the No. 6 and what it means to Jack (Roush) and the entire Roush Fenway organization and our goal is to continue to add to its rich legacy in the sport."

Trevoy Bayne, Roush Fenway Racing (Photo: TrevorBayne.com)

Mark Martin, the former Roush Fenway driver who helped make the No. 6 so special, is proud to see it come back: "It's the number we used when Jack and I first went racing in 1988," he said.

"There is so much history associated with that number and with the trials and successes that we went through as we helped build RFR into a premiere NASCAR team.

"I'm happy to see it return with Jack, Trevor and AdvoCare next season."

From press release

Three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti was forced to retire from IndyCar racing last November for medical reasons, but he is making the most of his new situation.

He says not being able to take part in the race this year is not so bad.

"Because my job was always to block out whatever was going on and to focus on the race, this year I'm going to be able to soak it all in and I'm really looking forward to that actually," he said.

Watching from the sidelines even made him realize he was ready for retirement.

"I'm fairly at peace with the fact I'm not in the car. I also realize that I'm not sure I would have the commitment level anymore to do what's required here, or any track. It's a certain mind-set you've got to have," he added.

"The crazy things that you saw the guys do on the Fast Nine (Shootout) last Sunday (in qualifications) is normal for drivers. And it doesn't feel normal for me anymore; therefore I shouldn't be a driver anymore."

Dario Franchitti, Chevrolet Camara Z28 (Photo: IndyCar.com)

As a retiree, Franchitti got to drive the pace car today, leading the field to the green flag of the Indianapolis 500. 24 hours before the start, he had the chance to take his parents around the track in the pace car, a Chevrolet Camaro Z28.

"(My mom) was having a great time," he said.

"I think my dad was a little -- I think it was close to his threshold of what he wanted to experience on the second lap. He was quite happy. So that was great. It was really so much fun, too, anytime you get to drive around here."

From press release

NASCAR's 2012 Sprint Cup champion admitted recently in his blog that he would have pursued a career in the military if racing had not worked out so well.

Keselowski, a 30-year-old Michigan native, comes from a family were many have served. His sister, his grandfathers, his uncle and several cousins all followed that career path.

"I was fascinated with the discipline, the mental strength that it takes to be a member of the military and the code of self-sacrifice and (honour) that goes with it," Keselowski wrote. "And I was also impressed by people who were really looking to make something of their lives and took that route."

Keselowski thinks racing and military communities have a lot in common because of the history of NASCAR.

"It's no coincidence that that the biggest racing weekend of the year is on Memorial Day," he says. "NASCAR was created in 1948, three years after World War II had ended. It was created by a lot of war veterans, and a lot of the garage is populated with former military because the lifestyle is so similar.

"You need to have a lot of discipline and be able to follow orders, or somebody could get hurt, potentially fatally. Because of that, there's a real affinity between the racing community and the military world that doesn't exist in any other sport, as far as I can tell."

Keselowski enjoys working with veterans (Photo: bradracing.com)

So last year, through his Checkered Flag Foundation, Keselowski started offering veterans the opportunity to ride with him on the track.

"On days after races, we started hosting injured veterans, taking them on rides in a specially built car with its own safety setup," Keselowski explains.

"I decided that if I was going to it, I was going to do it full out, and that meant having a car that went full speed -- 180, 190, 200 mph. I didn't want to take an injured vet, who had made all the sacrifices he made, to a racetrack and have him experience 150 mph.

"I wanted to take him out and have him say, 'Hey, this is the real deal here.'"

As a reward, Keselowski hopes his efforts will help racing and military people stay close: "I can play some small part in perpetuating (the affinity), I would be very proud," he concludes.

From press release

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg took the lead in the Formula One drivers' championship back from his teammate Lewis Hamilton, Sunday, with a win in Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo stand on the podium of the Monaco Grand Prix (Photo: WRi2)

It was the German's second consecutive win in the Principality, and also his first since de the season-opener in Melbourne, last March. Rosberg, who lives in Monaco, therefore leads the championship by four points over Hamilton.

"It was a tough race out there today but I am absolutely delighted to have won my second Monaco Grand Prix in succession," said the winner. "It's an amazing feeling and I'm proud to have done it at home, in front of my family and friends who were all here this afternoon.

Nico Rosberg leads the field into turn one at the start (Photo: WRi2)

"It was important for me to break Lewis' momentum of winning the last four races this weekend. That worked out very well, but it was a really tough weekend. I'm so happy for the team that we had another one-two finish and look forward to the party tonight!"

The race was also Mercedes' fifth consecutive 1-2, despite Hamilton falling back in the last few laps with dirt in his eyes.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T (Photo: WRi2)

"I was following Nico as close as I could and had great pace but I just couldn't get past," commented the 2008 world champion.

"Towards the end, I got some dirt in my eye through the visor which made it very tough for a few laps but thankfully it cleared up and I was able to hold off Daniel (Ricciardo) and keep second place.

Adrian Sutil, Sauber C33 (Photo: WRi2)

"This hasn't been the greatest of weekends but I'll go into the next race with even more energy and determination."

Race results* - Monaco Grand Prix (round 6 of 19)
1 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 78 laps 1:49'27"661
2 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 9"210
3 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 9"614
4 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14-T) - 32"452
5 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1 lap
6 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1 lap
7 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1 lap
8 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1 lap
9 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1 lap
10 - Kevin Magnussen (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1 lap
11 - Marcus Ericsson (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1 lap
12 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14-T) - 1 lap
13 - Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 2 laps
15 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 3 laps

Fastest lap of the race: 1'18"479 by Kimi Raikkonen

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso STR9 (Photo: WRi2)

Retirements
Lap 59 - Esteban Gutierrez
Lap 55 - Valtteri Bottas
Lap 50 - Jean-Eric Vergne
Lap 23 - Adrian Sutil
Lap 10 - Daniil Kvyat
Lap 5 - Sebastian Vettel
Lap 1 - Pastor Maldonado
Lap 1 - Sergio Perez

Drivers' championship
1.Rosberg 122 points; 2.Hamilton 118; 3.Alonso 61; 4.Ricciardo 54; 5.Hulkenberg 47; 6.Vettel 45; 7.Bottas 34; 8.Button 31; 9.Magnussen 21; 10.Perez 20; 11.Massa 18; 12.Raikkonen 17; 13.Grosjean 8; 14.Vergne, Kvyat 4; 16.Bianchi 2.

Constructors' championship
1.Mercedes 240; 2.Red Bull 99; 3.Ferrari 78; 4.Force India 67; 5.McLaren, Williams 52; 7.Toro Rosso, Lotus 8; 8. 9.Marussia 2.

*Unofficial results

From GMM

The German press already has a word for the situation between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg -- 'Star Wars'.

After the qualifying controversy in Monaco, the furious Hamilton sat down with Rosberg in a mandatory meeting with Mercedes team bosses Paddy Lowe, Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.

When asked if the teammates are still talking, German Rosberg smiled: "Of course!"

Not according to Hamilton. The Briton, who lost his championship lead to Rosberg as his winning streak ended in the Principality, answered "no" when asked if he and Rosberg are on speaking terms.

Lauda confirmed that Hamilton did not exactly accept Rosberg's apology of Saturday.

"Well, we're not friends," the 2008 world champion, when asked if their falling out after a long friendship was a shame, told British television Sky. "We're colleagues."

After the calm and maturity of Hamilton's early-season form in 2014, he sounded upset not only with Rosberg on Sunday, but also the Mercedes team.

"I knew you wouldn't call me in," Hamilton fumed to his engineer, after suggesting he should have been invited for an earlier pit service on Sunday.

But the big fracture within Mercedes is between Hamilton and Rosberg.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg (Photo: WRi2)

"Fortunately I didn't make any mistakes," he said in the podium interview on Sunday, obviously referring to Rosberg's dubious 'mistake' twenty four hours ago.

Even Rosberg is now beginning to catch on to the chill. "I don't want to comment about Lewis in any way," he said after taking back the championship lead with his second consecutive Monaco win.

"'Friends' is a big word," he explained when probed about his relationship with the occupant of the sister silver and turquoise car. "We work well together."

But as recently as mere days ago, Rosberg happily revealed that when Monaco neighbour Hamilton's fridge is empty, the Briton will often knock and ask for a spare rissole.

When asked if Hamilton is still going to drop by, Rosberg told Germany's Sky on Sunday: "I doubt it."

Lauda, a triple world champion who has first-hand experience of tough title battles, vowed to keep the situation under control.

"They know what they have to do -- I made it clear to them this morning," he said. "I think I am earning my money as a mentor!"

At the same time, it emerged - and Lauda confirmed it - that Hamilton had to apologise for using a high engine setting against orders in Barcelona two weeks ago to keep Rosberg behind him.

Rosberg, who complied with orders and used the lower setting, reportedly accepted Hamilton's apology.

"Everything is perfect," Lauda insisted.

From GMM

According to swirling rumours in Monaco, McLaren could be looking to boost its fortunes ahead of the works Honda partnership in 2015 by making a swoop for Fernando Alonso.

"Fernando would be welcome back at McLaren," McLaren 'supremo' Ron Dennis, who clashed so infamously with the Spaniard back in 2007, reportedly told the Italian press.

"You're surprised that I'm talking about Fernando? I don't have any problem -- the most important thing is for us to win again.

"In 2015 we have the Honda engine and we need a great driver."

McLaren's current lead driver, Jenson Button, was asked by Spain's AS newspaper if Alonso will be at McLaren next year.

"He has a Ferrari contract," the smiling Briton replied.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T (Photo: Ferrari)

"Yes it would be a great challenge to have him as a teammate."

According to two British F1 correspondents, there may be some truth to the Alonso rumours.

Jonathan McEvoy, of the Daily Mail, cited 'sources' as he reported that 'meetings' have already taken place.

And The Times' Kevin Eason agreed that "It is an open secret that McLaren have approached Alonso".

However, while Alonso has sounded frustrated with life at Ferrari recently, returning to struggling McLaren might not be at the top of his wish list.

"I'm happy," he told France's L'Equipe. "I have a great life, I'm a Ferrari driver -- it doesn't get much better.

"A third title would be the icing on the cake for my career. So many great drivers have won three titles."

Flavio Briatore, close to Alonso throughout his career, said in Monaco: "Fernando has a contract with Ferrari, so it's out of the question to go elsewhere unless something extraordinary happens.

"He, like everyone else, has difficult moments, and like every driver he wants a competitive car, and he can't solve the problems of an entire team by himself," the Italian is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

From GMM

Tony Fernandes is not responding to reports he plans to sell Caterham.

Ten days ago, we reported paddock rumours that the backmarker team, which may be behind in its engine and gearbox payments to suppliers Renault and Red Bull, could be losing the support of its founder.

Fernandes has scarcely been seen in an F1 paddock for months, and on Saturday he appeared to have found another source of "ecstasy" as he watched his London football club Queens Park Rangers move into the premier league.

Now, as the sun rises in the Monaco harbour for F1's premier race, Bloomberg and The Edge Malaysia report that Fernandes plans to sell the Caterham Group.

Kamui Kobayashi, Caterham CT05 (Photo: Caterham)

Citing a source and a memorandum circulated in the Middle East, The Edge said the Malaysian entrepreneur is seeking just under $600 million for the road car company and the F1 team.

Bloomberg said Fernandes did not respond to a phone call, text message and email about the matter.

But he warned in January: "If we're at the back (in 2014) I don't think I will carry on. This is it -- the final chance. I need to feel like we're going somewhere."

In March, Caterham's joint road car venture with Renault was scrapped, and the Malaysian Reserve newspaper reported on Friday that plans for a premium airline to be called Caterham Jet have also been scrapped.

From GMM

Toto Wolff has admitted he is "surprised" grandee teams like McLaren and Ferrari have struggled so much in 2014.

Mercedes has utterly dominated this year's world championship so far, but after a slow start for reigning world champions Red Bull, the Renault-powered team is now closing the gap.

"When you consider where we were pre-season to where we are now, that's a pretty long way in a couple of months," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner in Monaco.

"Hopefully if we can keep it up we'll be able to challenge Mercedes before too long in the future," he added.

However, it is a markedly different story for Mercedes' other big-budget rivals.

Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-29 (Photo: WRi2)

Customer McLaren has the same basic 'power unit' as the works Mercedes team, while Ferrari has the benefit of building its chassis and engine under the same Maranello roof.

Wolff admits he has been surprised in 2014.

"I'm surprised that McLaren have not pushed us more because they have the same power unit," he is quoted by the Guardian.

"They looked very strong in the first test in Jerez, but they haven't been able to deliver on track. Looking from where we are it looks as if they have gone backwards," said Wolff.

As for Ferrari, Wolff admitted he is even more surprised by the fabled Italian team's struggles.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T (Photo: Ferrari)

"It is bizarre their engine didn't perform in the way ours did," he said. "And they haven't been able to integrate the different parts of the car in the way that we did."

In truth, however, the struggles of McLaren and Ferrari are not new.

Indeed, in the last full calendar year, the only two F1 winners have been Red Bull and Mercedes.

"Ferrari and McLaren have no less a budget," said Horner.

"So it's down to the people, down to the skill and how you apply those budgets.

"It's the skill of a team, it's the skill of the drivers, it's the skill of a company how it's applying those resources to achieve the results," he added.

When Mexican production of the

Federal safety regulators said on Friday that it is likely that more than 13 people died in GM cars recalled earlier this year for defective ignition switches.