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From GMM

Caterham and Manor (known as Marussia) have both entered the 2015 world championship.

The backmarkers, in administration amid financial problems, sat out the US grand prix and will again be absent in Brazil, where the F1 world began on arrive early on Wednesday amid heavy rain.

Also on Wednesday, a provisional FIA entry list for the 2015 season emerged.

It features a full complement of 11 teams.

Each team reportedly needed to lodge its official entry, including a fee of $500,000, by the first of November.

That was last Saturday, where in Austin the boycott threat of fellow privateer teams Lotus, Sahara Force India and Sauber was well underway.

It appears that threat is now easing, as Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez negotiates directly with Donald Mackenzie, the chairman of F1's major shareholder CVC.

"We have left the negotiations to Gerard," a source confirmed to the Telegraph. "Gerard and Donald speak the same language."

It is suggested the small teams could benefit to the tune of a $160 million boost if the negotiations are successful.

Caterham and Marussia at Sochi, Russia. (Photo: WRi2)

Marussia, entered for 2015 as 'Manor F1 Team' following the withdrawal of Russian backer Andrey Cheglakov, is reportedly in advanced negotiations with an Indian buyer.

And also on the FIA's provisional list is Caterham, now referred to officially as CF1 Caterham F1 Team.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport on Wednesday explained that the validity of the two teams' entries depends on whether they can return in Abu Dhabi later this month, as they have only been given dispensation to sit out two races.

"One bad sign," said correspondent Michael Schmidt, "is that the two teams have cancelled all crash tests for their 2015 cars."

Entry list:

RED BULL RACING LIMITED (AUT)
Team name: Infiniti Red Bull Racing
Chassis: Red Bull Racing
Engine: Renault

MERCEDES-BENZ GRAND PRIX LIMITED (DEU)
Team name: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team
Chassis: Mercedes
Engine: Mercedes

FERRARI SpA (ITA)
Team name: Scuderia Ferrari
Chassis: Ferrari
Engine: Ferrari

LOTUS F1 TEAM LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: Lotus F1 Team
Chassis: Lotus
Engine: Mercedes

McLAREN RACING LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: McLaren Honda
Chassis: McLaren
Engine: Honda

FORCE INDIA FORMULA 1 TEAM LIMITED (IND)
Team name: Sahara Force India F1 Team
Chassis: Force India
Engine: Mercedes

SAUBER MOTORSPORT AG (CHE)
Team name: Sauber F1 Team
Chassis: Sauber
Engine: Ferrari

SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO SPA (ITA)
Team name: Scuderia Toro Rosso
Chassis: STR
Engine: Renault

WILLIAMS GRAND PRIX ENGINEERING LIMITED (GBR)
Team name: Williams Martini Racing
Chassis: Williams
Engine: Mercedes

MANOR GRAND PRIX RACING LTD (GBR)*
Team name: Manor F1 Team
Chassis: MNR
Engine: Ferrari

1MALAYSIA RACING TEAM SDN BHD (MAL)
Team name: CF1 Caterham F1 Team
Chassis: Caterham
Engine: Renault

*Subject to confirmation

From GMM

Gerhard Berger has played down persistent speculation his next move could be a return to the F1 paddock.

The F1 legend recently stepped down from the FIA after presiding over the governing body's junior single seater categories.

It triggered speculation that earlier reports he might be preparing to join McLaren-Honda, although dismissed at the time as "utter nonsense", are actually true.

And then it emerged that 55-year-old former McLaren and Ferrari driver Berger, absent from F1 since selling his Toro Rosso shares in 2008, might even be drafted in by Ferrari to advise the Maranello team's new boss Marco Mattiacci.

But Berger told the Austrian news agency APA that just because he is stepping down at the FIA doesn't mean he is about to return to formula one.

"I wanted to do (FIA president) Jean Todt a favour for one year only, but it became three," he said.

"Now I've given enough time to it and I want to expand my own business further. Also, I have become a father again," Berger explained.

"Of course I know that my name has been connected with different teams again and again," he added, "but I really have enough to do already."

He said the recent McLaren and Ferrari reports were based entirely on "speculation".

"There's nothing to it," said Berger. "I haven't spoken either to Ferrari or McLaren on that topic."

Although he said he still loves the sport, the veteran of 210 races and a former BMW motor sport director played down the likelihood he will return to the F1 lifestyle.

"Formula one means you live like a gypsy all year, and spend your other weekends and holidays in the office. So you can only do it if you want to give up 120 per cent of your time.

"It would definitely be an incredibly difficult decision for me, but as a principle you should never say never," he added.

Start of the US Grand Prix, last Sunday. (Photo: WRi2)

Finally, Berger appeared to agree that F1's smallest teams are going out of business because the sport's income distribution model is wrong.

"CVC is certainly not in crisis -- they are still making good money," he said.

"I think if in the end it was just Mercedes and Ferrari and Red Bull (in F1), it would not be an interesting championship anymore. In my view, the show depends on all of the teams," added Gerhard Berger.

Formula 1 most experienced driver, Rubens Barrichello was set to drive for Caterham in the final three Grands Prix of the season.

The 42-year-old Brazilian has made no secret of the fact that he would like to race an F1 car again, and has always been frustrated that he did not have a proper farewell race at his home event at Interlagos.

British journalist Adam Cooper confirmed Wednesday that Caterham's Colin Kolles - with the support of the Brazilian GP promoter - had been working for several months to put together a deal that would have seen Rubens replacing Japanese Kamui Kobayashi for the last three races of 2014.

However, Barrichello's hopes have been dashed after Caterham went into administration in the preparation to the US Grand Prix in Austin.

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

“We would have run Barrichello in the last three races,” a team source told Cooper. “We had sponsorship for this, and everything was going the right way. It would have been fantastic for F1.”

Speaking exclusively about the plan, Rubens told Adam Cooper: “It would have been great to race in front of my people once again and say goodbye properly.”

German car manufacturer Porsche denied it was chasing McLaren Formula 1 driver Jenson Button to drive a 919 Hybrid in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 World Champion with Brawn Grand Prix, is still without a contract with McLaren-Honda F1 for next season.

Porsche's LMP1 vice-president Fritz Enzinger stated that there had been no approach from Jenson Button or his management about a contract for 2015.

"I know Jenson from my time at BMW [Button began his F1 career in a BMW-engined Williams in 2000] and he is a good guy, but at the moment there is no contact," Engzinger told Autosport magazine.

The German added that Porsche would not change its current driver line-up for next year.

"We are happy with our six drivers and the atmosphere we have in the team, so we have confirmed their contracts for next season already," Fritz Engzinger said.

He also indicated that should Porsche decide to run a third car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 24 next year, the search for additional drivers will begin with members of its GT squad, five of whom have already tested the 919 LMP1 Hybrid this fall.

From GMM

With Nico Hulkenberg already signed up for 2015, all eyes at Sahara Force India are now on Sergio Perez.

The 24-year-old brings key Mexican backing to the Silverstone based team, but he has scored less than 40 per cent of Force India's points so far this season.

It is now more than two weeks since the team announced German Hulkenberg is staying on board for 2015, leaving a cloud above Perez's future.

"You have to speak to Vijay. He is the man to know," Perez said in Austin when asked about his prospects.

He is referring to team supremo Vijay Mallya, who has now told the Indian news agency PTI that Force India will "absolutely" line up with unchanged drivers in 2015.

"I have said many times before during the year when I have been asked that I am very happy with the drivers that we have at the moment," said Mallya.

Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India. (Photo: WRi2)

He admitted a key to the deal is Mexico's return to the F1 calendar next year.

"We already have a Mexican driver," said Mallya, "and top class Mexican companies as our sponsors.

"I spent the last week in Mexico, we have signed three additional Mexican sponsors as there is going to be a race there next year," he added.

A merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Volkswagen would create a well-balanced global automaker that would be highly profitable, John Krafcik, president of auto-buying website TrueCar, said today.

General Motors is preparing to introduce Android-based infotainment systems -- the same Google platform used on more than 1 billion mobile devices, from smartphones and tablet computers to computerized wristwatches -- starting in late 2016,...

Automakers are showing off customized high-performance vehicles this week in Las Vegas at the Special Equipment Market Association's yearly show.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne made about 10.7 million euros ($13.4 million) from a surge in the automaker's share price after he announced a plan to spin off Ferrari.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne made about 10.7 million euros ($13.4 million) from a surge in the automaker's share price after he announced a plan to spin off Ferrari.

Audi has knocked down speculation that it plans to enter Formula One in 2016 after recruiting former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.

General Motors is dangling $25 gift cards to Starbucks, Bass Pro Shops and other retailers to persuade nearly 1 million owners of recalled cars with faulty ignition switches to get them fixed.

GM has discontinued the U.S. version of the Chevrolet Captiva Sport, ending a three-year run for the fleet-only small crossover.

Due to Dearborn Truck having been closed in the late summer in preparation to begin making the new F-150, the company's plants which build the F-Series range built just 63,002 trucks last month. This compares to 93,111 in October 2013.

GKN Land Systems says it is ramping up production of a new hybrid technology for buses that it claims will enable operators to save fuel, reduce fares and make some routes more viable.

Quality regulators in China have asked Volkswagen to provide technical documents following the company's recall of almost 600,000 vehicles - the first time the agency acted since a law mandating timely safety campaigns came into force.

AutoNation said its new-vehicle retail sales climbed 8 percent in October from the year-ago month, reaching 24,844 vehicles.

Ford said today it will call back 202,241 vehicles in five North American recalls covering several issues, including an incorrect repair in a previous recall.

Car sales in Germany rose 4 percent in October, extending the increase seen so far this year in Europe's largest auto market despite a weakening domestic economy.

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