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From GMM

Mercedes is on course to launch its title-defending car on the eve of the first winter test, team boss Toto Wolff has revealed.

"We are on schedule and have a clear idea of where we are in terms of chassis and engine," he told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport whilst holidaying in the Austrian ski town Kitzbuhel.

Brackley based Mercedes utterly dominated the 2014 season, but Wolff says he doesn't mind "at all" that champion Lewis Hamilton has elected to keep his personal number 44 this year rather than carry the coveted number 1.

Instead, Wolff's mind is on ensuring Mercedes stays at the top of F1.

"The first goal is to assemble the car in time for mid January," he said, "when we plan a test at Silverstone. But only at Jerez will we have a picture of the balance of power with the opposition."

When asked if he knows when the W06 will be officially launched, Wolff answered: "No, but I do not exclude that it will happen right before the first test in Spain."

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W05. (Photo: WRi2)

He said there is no chance Mercedes will be entering the season more relaxed, given the team's level of dominance last year.

"When you begin to relax, you begin to lose," said Toto Wolff.

"Compared to last year, when the new formula came in, margins for improvement are smaller now and our opponents know our strengths and what they need to focus on to beat us."

Mercedes' rivals appear to have at least won an off-track battle, as the use of the 32 engine 'freeze' development tokens can now be deployed throughout 2015.

"Everything depends on the interpretation of the rules," Wolff confirmed, "the FIA offered its version and I do not see any problems.

"Certainly the freezing of engines in February is best for those who are at the front," he admitted, "but we are able to develop too."

From GMM

F1 newcomer Honda has been left out as rival engine suppliers prepare to develop their turbo V6 power units throughout the 2015 season.

It has emerged in recent days that, because the wording of the regulations is unclear, the sport's 2014 suppliers Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari do not in fact have to present in Melbourne an engine to be 'frozen' for this year's entire world championship.

"Everything depends on the interpretation of the rules," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week.

It is believed the loophole was discovered by Ferrari, and then backed in subsequent meetings by fellow engine straggler Renault.

"The FIA offered its version (of the rules interpretation)," Wolff added, "and I do not see any problems. Certainly the freezing of engines in February is best for those who are at the front," said the Mercedes chief, whose Brackley team utterly dominated last year, "but we are able to develop too."

McLaren powered by Honda. (Photo: McLaren)

Crucially, however, F1's engine newcomer Honda will not be able to develop throughout 2015.

That is because the rules make clear that, for new engine suppliers under the turbo V6 rules that were implemented in 2014, a clear start-of-season homologation date is set: 28 February.

No such homologation date exists, however, for engine suppliers' second year under the new rules.

It means Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault can deploy their 32 performance development 'tokens' throughout the entire 2015 season. Honda cannot.

Writing in Germany's authoritative Auto Motor und Sport, highly respected correspondent Michael Schmidt said: "Newcomers (like Honda) have no tokens in the first year.

"Until their engine is homologated at the end of February, they are completely free to develop, but after that they may only upgrade on grounds of reliability, cost or safety," he explained.

Schmidt continued: "McLaren boss Ron Dennis already expressed his concern at the recent Strategy Group meeting that the rules discriminate against his new engine partner."

From GMM

The meteoric return to form of his old title-winning team Williams last year surprised 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

In 2013, amid the Grove team's slump, the French Canadian told the Portuguese language magazine Revista Warmup that "When a team is reduced to hiring pay-drivers, it's over".

At the time, he was referring to Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas.

Maldonado has since switched to Lotus, but although Finn Bottas is backed by some sponsors and managed by team co-owner Toto Wolff, he emerged in 2014 as a true rising star of F1.

Indeed, Mercedes team boss Wolff has now named Bottas as next in line behind Fernando Alonso should a vacancy arise at the dominant works team.

And Bottas, 25, has also been linked with a future move to Ferrari.

"They (Ferrari) do not have a lot of options when the contract of Raikkonen expires," Wolff told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday. "From my side, there are certain conditions in the event that his (Bottas') future sits outside of Mercedes."

Williams FW36-Mercedes. (Photo: Williams Martini F1 Team)

Jacques Villeneuve, once outspoken about Bottas, agrees that the situation at Williams has now changed.

"Bottas is a young driver, not really a pay-driver," he told the latest edition of Revista Warmup. "Even with Felipe Massa they got some money from Brazil.

"But he is also a professional driver with a past, a career, and they (Williams) knew well how to use the money," said Villeneuve.

He admitted that Williams' customer Mercedes engine deal also helped the beleaguered Grove team to revolutionise its fortunes in 2014, as it powered to third place in the constructors' championship.

Toto Wolff is now singling out Williams as perhaps the 'most dangerous' rival to Mercedes for 2015.

"Williams does not have a big budget," said Villeneuve, "yet they managed to turn the tide. But it is not completed yet. This (2014) was the first season that they went well so we will have to see if it continues the same way."

The 43-year-old, who won seven grands prix for Williams en route to the 1997 title, said he expected Williams to put in an improved performance in 2014, "but not that good".

"I expected them to be better," said Villeneuve, "but they exceeded expectations."

From GMM

Lotus may be in no danger of dropping out of formula one.

On an updated official entry list for the 2015 season, the Enstone team was listed recently with a "subject to confirmation" asterisk alongside its name.

It sparked fears Lotus, whose Gerard Lopez led the angry complaints of midfield teams including Force India and Sauber late last season, could be the next to join Marussia and Caterham in serious difficulty.

But Italy's Omnicorse reports that those fears appear misguided, as the British-based team is busily "completing the construction of the first E23 chassis for next year".

"So what does the FIA's asterisk refer to? The answer is quite simple. Lotus has made a request to be able to make a change to its name," the report said.

Omnicorse referred to rumours that Lopez might be looking to exit F1 in the event he can recoup the investment of his company Genii Capital.

The report added: "But what is more likely is that the name change would only be the adding of a sponsor like PDVSA or Total, who are the main financiers of the two drivers Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean (respectively)."

From GMM

Jean-Eric Vergne insists his new Ferrari test role is better than a race seat at struggling backmarker Caterham.

The 24-year-old Frenchman was dropped by Red Bull after contesting the last three seasons for the energy drink company's second F1 team Toro Rosso.

Ferrari has signed him for 2015 to be primarily a simulator driver, as Mexican Esteban Gutierrez will be the official reserve.

"Of course it is a good way to stay in touch with the paddock," Vergne told the French sports daily L'Equipe.

"But my motivation is also to help Ferrari to win again. I will work for the most prestigious team and do my best to help them in the simulator," he added.

"That is great. I would rather sit with Ferrari on the bench than to race for a team like Caterham," Vergne insisted. "I'm still very young and there are still many years in formula one in front of me. I enjoyed Formula E, but Ferrari now has priority."

Jean-Eric Vergne, Andretti Autosport. (Photo: FIA Formula E)

New vehicle sales in Thailand declined by 21.6% to 73,068 units in November, compared with 93,123 units in the same month of 2013, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

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The Range Rover Evoque Convertible is set to enter production with similar looks to the 2012 concept car

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The French car market posted a larger than expected 6.8% year-on-year decline in December as it struggled against a weak domestic economy.

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MINI patent drawing hints at a new 2-seater roadster production car similar to MINI's Superleggera Vision concept

Ford is recalling 2015 Lincoln MKCsin North America to relocate keyless start pushbuttons because drivers are inadvertently shutting off the engine while driving.

Kia's UK unit claimed on Friday (2 January) the automaker was already ahead of the game as new EU regulations come into force requiring 95% of a vehicle to be recyclable at the end of its useful life.

General Motors has recalled another 92,000 vehicles worldwide over ignition switch concerns. Other automakers have also announced new recalls in the US.

Maruti Suzuki India sold 109,791 vehicles in December 2014, up from 90,924 in December 2013.

Hyundai Motor India achieved record sales and market share in 2014 of over 410,000 units and 21.6%.

With their factories running to capacity around the world, the Hyundai and Kia brands expect their slowest growth in 12 years with global sales growing just 2.5% in 2015.