GETTY F1 news featuring Robert Kubica, Lewis Hamilton and the return of the French Grand Prix in 2018
Robert Kubica had looked set to replace Felipe Massa at Williams for 2018 but it has emerged that he will have to convince the team to turn down a massive sponsorship package that is backing Sergey Sirotkin. The Russian, currently a Renault reserve driver, has been allowed the chance to test for Williams in the hope of beating Kubica to the seat. The Pole is seeking a miraculous comeback, nearly seven years after a horrific rallying crash left him with massive injuries to his hand, forearm, elbow, shoulder and leg.
But he has since made a near-full recovery and was the quickest Williams driver in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi. However, Canadian newspaper Le Journal de Montreal has revealed that Sirotkin will bring a sponsorship deal worth £11.2million to the team, which could be too good for Williams to turn down. The money appears to stem from Russian sources, who are desperate to avoid a grid without a native driver after Daniil Kyat was dropped by Red Bull and then Toro Rosso. ***
F1 2018 driver line-up Sun, December 3, 2017 Express Sport brings you the full F1 2018 driver line-up Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton (44) and Valtteri Bottas (77)
Lewis Hamilton has enjoyed a far more friendly relationship with new team-mate Valtteri Bottas than he did at the end of his time driving with Nico Rosberg, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he would not be averse to the two battling against each other. “I don't think we need to avoid a stressful situation," Wolff told Motorsport.com. "We need to acknowledge that, if two team-mates can fight for race wins and a championship, that this will be a rivalry.
GETTY Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas appear to have made great friends at Mercedes this year
"And we need to be conscious and acknowledge that that is the case. "We are not trying to build a new family here, we want to be the most effective racing team, and an effective racing team needs stress, needs tension, needs disruption as much as it needs calmness and a positive attitude and mindset. "But like everywhere in life you want to have the mix of both, probably the recipe for success.” ***
The FIA have agreed the final calendar for the 2018 F1 season at the final meeting of the year of the World Motor Sport Council. It confirms the return of the French Grand Prix for the first time since 2008 at the Circuit Paul Ricard, which has been used by some teams for testing in recent years. The race will slot in at the end of June, between the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix, with Azerbaijan moving up to April to accommodate it. The German Grand Prix is the other new addition, returning after a one-year absence from the calendar. March 25, Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne April 8, Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir April 15, Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai April 29, Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku May 13, Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona May 27, Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
F1 calendar 2018: Every confirmed race, location and date next season Fri, December 8, 2017 Express Sport brings you the confirmed F1 calendar for 2018 Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 21 25th March: Melbourne, Australian Grand Prix