Team bosses attempting to remain calm

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is preparing for frayed nerves as he fears this season's battle for the World title will boil down to the last lap

Earlier this season Horner suggested the fight would go to the final race, and has obviously been proven right as the showdown takes place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

A degree of tension has eased given Red Bull won the Constructors' Championship last Sunday, remarkably doing so in six short years after the team was built from the wreckage of Jaguar's failure.

The focus, however, is now firmly on the drivers, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, who find themselves eight and 15 points adrift of Championship leader Fernando Alonso.

The permutations as to what might unfold are many, which is why no-one can call just what will transpire at the Yas Marina circuit for what is undeniably one of the most exciting conclusions to a season in F1 history.

Attempting to manage those tensions that are likely to build within the team as a whole, and on both sides of the garage in particular, is not an easy task.

Taking the situation in his stride, Horner said: "My role, not just with the drivers, but also the engineers, the guys in the garage, throughout the team, is to stay incredibly focused.

"We had an unbelievable weekend last weekend in Brazil. Winning the Constructors' was a huge thing for the whole team.

"It's quite nice to have got that out of the way so there is not the distraction of thinking about that.

"Now there is pure focus on giving the drivers the best possible support we can going into Sunday's race.

"Obviously it's a different situation for us, compared to Ferrari and McLaren, because we've two guys competing against each other for the biggest prize in motor sport.

"To be honest, I've not seen any difference in them so far. They are focused on the job in hand, they both know to beat Fernando (to the title) they have to finish, and to finish ahead of him.

"So they're going about the weekend, as they have the previous 18, and they're pretty focused on getting the most of themselves, out of the car, and then we'll see how things pan out.

"But looking at what has happened this season, this Championship will go down to the last lap, which is a fascinating prospect."

For Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali, the goal is simple - one driver, one title on the line, with the sole aim of ensuring he finishes in the top two.

Such a scenario will ensure Fernando Alonso becomes only the ninth driver in F1 history to win three titles, and the youngest ever to achieve that feat.

For Domenicali, it comes down several factors as he said: "You need to be lucky, to keep a cool head and to keep that head up.

"We've seen in the past if you react emotionally at the wrong time and in the wrong way during a race because something has happened, then you make mistakes and it is finished.

"So we have to be very concentrated. We need to do the things we normally do in a weekend and not try to make too many calculations because if you do that then you get lost.

"We need to be focused on giving our best. Clearly we are trying to control the emotion we have inside, but so far everything is okay.''

Let us not forget Lewis Hamilton, 24 points adrift of Alonso and having to win to stand any chance, but who was quickest at the end of today's practice, followed by Vettel, Alonso and Webber.

Of all the drivers he arguably faces the easiest task, as explained by team principal Martin Whitmarsh.

"Lewis has to focus on winning the race, and thereafter if he wins the Championship then it's in the hands of others," said Whitmarsh.

"If you're trying to defend a position, to control the points you get, or the points your rivals get it, becomes more complicated.

"Right now Lewis is relaxed and focused. He wants to win it, but whether he can, we'll start to understand tomorrow afternoon."

Source: Planet-F1

Bernie critical of 'selfish, stupid' team bosses

Bernie Ecclestone is refusing to name his possible successor, although given his opinion on F1's team bosses it's unlikely to be one of them

Ecclestone has ruled the world of Formula One since the late 1970s, turning the sport into a multi-million dollar industry.

However, at 79 years of age, his time in charge is coming to an end, although in the past he has insisted that he'll hold the reigns until the day he dies.

But while there may be no signs of Ecclestone slowing down, there is always speculation over who will replace him when the time comes.

"I have no idea," he told the official F1 website when asked to name names. "They (the team bosses) should probably look out for another used car dealer!"

As for those team bosses it's unlikely that Ecclestone would choose one of them as he believes they are largely a selfish bunch who are only on the look-out for what they can get.

"They should probably all see that they run their own businesses properly and not worry about others'," he said.

"What is good for Formula One is good for everybody involved - teams and companies. Too many people only think about what is good for them. It's the same with the rules - they only think about what can make them win."

Asked if that it was a case of 'ego', Ecclestone said: "I wouldn't call it ego but stupidity. They should think about the whole global side of it.

"All the teams are very competitive and want to win, which I support completely, but they need to want to win on level terms and not try to get a big advantage. If they get an advantage because somebody designs a better car or they have a better driver or strategy, then super.

"But they should not try to devise things so that they can go in knowing that they have an advantage. Lots of them would like to go in and have a little bit of a bigger engine than the others, which is not really the way to go."

Source: Planet-F1