Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost has identified a simple solution for Formula 1's current lack of on-track action, a big reduction in downforce.

In 2017, the sport moved away from the cleaner aerodynamic designs first introduced in 2009 and returned to big tyres and big aero with the aim of reducing lap times by around five seconds per lap.

While that worked, with last year's cars the fastest F1 has ever seen, it had a detrimental impact on overtaking around most circuits and particularly those where DRS isn't as effective.

"We have so much downforce," Tost bemoaned to Autosport. "This means high corner speeds, no one can follow because of the dirty air behind and we have hardly braking zones. How should you overtake?

"That means the FIA, FOM – and there are the experienced people over there, like [F1 motorsport director] Ross Brawn, like Pat Symonds – they know exactly what you should do: to come down with aero side, with the downforce.

"I would cut minimum 40-50% of the current downforce, to make the car much more unstable in the corners, then people see that drivers have to fight with the car," the Austrian recommended.

"Cars will be much faster on the straight, you have chances to overtake someone because of [increased] braking zones and you can follow in the corners.

"This regulation could be easy to be realised. They just have to want it."

IndyCar made a similar move with their new chassis' for 2018 cutting downforce to increase the challenge for drivers.

However, after complaints that the previous generation of F1 cars were too slow, Brawn is attempting to cure the problem with smaller changes such as the simpler wings coming for 2019 ahead of another overhaul in design expected for 2021.

Also Read:

• Brawn: Simulations producing 'tangible' improvements from 2019 changes
• Verstappen bemoans 'less fun' F1 cars since 2017
• Ricciardo: Slower F1 would be acceptable if racing is better

Development of those cars is continuing with the help of the teams, but in Tost's opinion, that is a bad idea given the nature of the sport's politics.

"The teams! Never ask the teams," he proclaimed. "[The rule makers need to] come with the regulations, [say] 'accept or go', but instead they ask the teams.

"They come to the Technical Working Group. Who is in the Technical Working Group? Engineers. Never ask the engineers!"

Sebastian Vettel played down the exit of both Antonio Giovinazzi and Daniil Kvyat from development driver roles at Ferrari after 2018.

Both the Italian and the Russian will return to the Formula 1 with Sauber and Toro Rosso respectively, but their absence leaves a significant gap behind the scenes at Maranello.

Robert Kubica was offered to replace one of the outgoing pair but he declined to join Williams and confirm his comeback after nine years off the grid.

“Personally, I’m not a fan of the simulator because it’s just not fun,” Vettel commented. “But you get the point, it is very important, it is an important tool. Based on our findings, we change the car, it is better and we were happier.

“We’re extremely thankful for the guys, taking in the time because it’s not the nicest job on Friday night, especially when you’re young, but it’s important, it all adds up.

“Everybody plays his part and in the end, we have the honour to have the steering wheel in our hands and drive the machine that we all try to create and reach out with performance.

“For 2019, it’s true, we take a step but I think we will find people that fit in very well and very quickly so I’m confident we will have a strong team on that front as well.”

Since then, two drivers have emerged as likely options with former Mercedes junior and Mahindra Formula E racer Pascal Wehrlein reportedly seen at Ferrari's factory on Monday.

No official news has yet been released, however.

Brendon Hartley has also been linked after his departure from Toro Rosso at the end of 2018, his father denied the claim though telling Newshub: "It's just rumours."

The doctor treating Niki Lauda has confirmed pneumonia is not the cause for the continued stay in a hospital in Vienna.

On Wednesday, two Austrian media outlets reported the three-time Formula 1 champion's condition had worsened upon being re-admitted last weekend with a bout of the flu.

Concerns were then raised after it emerged Lauda would be remaining under observation for longer than initially expected and his specialist physician Walter Klepetko has admitted his patient is suffering from "more than a cold".

However, he reassured his illness hadn't worsened to pneumonia and also revealed Lauda was breathing without ventilation.

"Because of the [lung] transplant [Niki had last summer], the situation is more complex than with a healthy person," Klepetko noted.

The doctor also remains positive about Lauda's chances of recovery adding: "Niki was looking after his health and doing everything right. In his situation, certain risks are inevitable."

The Mercedes non-executive chairman is still expected to be released from hospital in the coming days and is almost certainly still targeting a return to the F1 paddock in Australia in March.

Let's hope that's the case!

Charles Leclerc has responded to Lewis Hamilton's claim that he along with Max Verstappen pose genuine threats for the Formula 1 title in 2019.

The 21-year-old is making a highly-anticipated jump to Ferrari alongside Sebastian Vettel after a strong rookie season and has caught the attention of the Mercedes driver.

Considered one of the top member's of F1's new generation, Hamilton said this about Leclerc late last year.

“You have to dig deep because you have these young kids that are coming," he said.

“Leclerc at Ferrari will be hungry to prove a point and you’ve got Max who is still hungry to prove a point, so I have to make sure I am still there [competing for the championship].”

Also Read:

• Barrichello: Leclerc must show mental strength to succeed at Ferrari
• Leclerc will be 'less accommodating' as Vettel's teammate than Kimi
• Verstappen & Leclerc will be F1's new Hamilton & Vettel

The Monegasque, who has set himself the target of a couple of wins for his first year with the Scuderia, admitted his pride at being singled out by Hamilton.

“It’s definitely an honour to hear that from Lewis,” Leclerc said. “He’s an incredible driver and I’ve watched him for quite a few years before arriving in Formula 1.

“I’ll just try to do the best I can next year, it’s definitely not going to be easy. He’s very experienced and an amazing driver, but it’s definitely good to hear that.”

Sauber team boss Fred Vasseur has identified a top six finish in the Constructors' Championship as their target for 2019.

The Swiss outfit was one of the most improved on the grid last season as a combination of a new partnership with Alfa Romeo, including closer Ferrari ties, and the arrival of Charles Leclerc saw them score their highest points total since 2015.

Now, the mission is to sustain and build on that build progress and Vasseur revealed the effort going on at Hinwil to achieve that.

“We pushed like hell on this year’s car,” he told Autosport. “We switched all resources of the company quite early.

“We have good expectations but when you have a change like this in the regulations it’s a drastic one. You never know.

“You can take the wrong direction and we will understand this perhaps [only at testing] in Barcelona because nobody knows exactly what the others are doing."

Also Read:

• Raikkonen not making any Sauber predictions ahead of 2019
• Giovinazzi focusing on himself, not emulating Leclerc at Sauber

Even so, the Frenchman has confidence in Sauber's ability adding: “My feeling is very positive, that we are still improving week after week and with the same purpose we had [in 2018].

“I don’t know if the others are doing a better job or not, but we are doing a good job.”

Such is the potential that Sauber has shown, it attracted Kimi Raikkonen to return to where his career began in 2001 after being replaced by Leclerc at Ferrari.

The 'Iceman' will team up with Antonio Giovinazzi, who also has a point to prove in a partnership that could be pretty strong in the midfield.

“I don’t want to say I don’t care but it won’t change my view on the season,” said Vasseur about making predictions for 2019.

“We were fighting towards the top 10, and in terms of teams between P4 and P6 [in the Constructors' Championship]. We have to do at least the same [in 2019]. It will be the target.”

Putting that into perspective, Sauber finished eighth in last year's standings.

Honda's performance figures combined with Red Bull's chassis is bringing the team "in the region" of Mercedes & Ferrari, according to Helmut Marko.

The Anglo-Austrian outfit is hoping a decision to team up with the Japanese manufacturer from 2019 can make the difference after five tough seasons with Renault in the hybrid era.

Just before Christmas, Max Verstappen got to test the 2019 car in the simulator, combining the chassis and engine package for the first time, and initial signs are looking strong.

"The figures make us really optimistic, also with regard to the increase in performance," Marko told Motorsport.com.

"The Honda engine is already slightly above the Renault engine and if you combine our GPS data with the data provided by Honda, we'll be in the Mercedes and Ferrari region."

Also Read:

• Honda expects great benefits from close Red Bull/Toro Rosso ties in 2019
• Renault: Honda still behind us and Red Bull 'hiding the facts'

Interestingly, however, that comparison is against last year's cars and Marko was reminded that both their rivals will make gains too for this year.

"Of course they're not sleeping either but they are already at such a high level that they can no longer make such jumps," he predicted.

"Even if we should be 10 or 15 kW behind, that was no different in our Renault era with the eight-cylinder engine. We can make up for that."

Red Bull can also look forward to a much-need boost in qualifying with Honda after Saturday's proved the team's main weakness last year.

"For the first time, we can also celebrate with a 'party mode'!" Marko declared.

This comes despite a report in Germany suggested Honda was having issues with their engine in development having split with consultants AVL and suffering vibrations with the Internal Combustion Engine on the dyno.

The Red Bull advisor confirmed the report but reassured: “Appropriate measures were taken to solve the problem.”

Haas F1 can continue "scaring" Renault but need to make key changes to the operation to do so, says driver Romain Grosjean.

The American outfit pushed the French manufacturer in the battle for 'best of the rest' in the Constructors' Championship but some notable results went against them late on.

Such was their rivalry, however, Renault went as far as successfully protesting Haas at the Italian Grand Prix, where Grosjean was excluded for a floor infringement.

“I don’t think it was a great sportsmanship move,” the Frenchman told Autosport about the events of Monza. “But yes, we were scaring them, which is good. They should be [scared] for the future.”

Also Read:

• Haas wary of 2019 rule changes but Williams doubt ability to find loopholes
• McLaren sure Liberty will address rise of 'B-teams' like Haas
• Grosjean believes Haas attitude could see them fight at the front in F1

One thing the former Lotus driver did admit, however, was Renault simply took advantage of a situation which Haas brought on themselves through their current structure.

"We don’t produce [our own] parts, so we need to manufacture them outside and sometimes it takes a bit too long," Grosjean explained.

“That is one example that I can give out of a few [things we need to improve]. When it would take three days [for them], for our team it maybe takes three weeks.

“Like the floor, we didn’t have the time to change it for Monza, that was the only thing.

“The performance gain is zero. Absolutely zero, but we just didn’t have the time to do it for Monza and Renault played on it.”

Haas has been the focus of many teams ever since they arrived in 2016 for their outsourcing of parts and the close technical partnership with Ferrari which most point to as the reason for their rapid success.

Renault has a feeling of "obligation" to ensure Daniel Ricciardo's decision to join doesn't follow the same path as Fernando Alonso's spell at McLaren.

The Australian ended a 10-year association with Red Bull, including a five-year stint at their senior team, for what he calls a fresh challenge at Renault, a company keenly trying to rekindle their glory days.

While some still have questions over whether Ricciardo made the right call, team boss Abiteboul admits it was a huge boost to everyone at the French manufacturer.

“It was obviously a huge relief, fantastic news – and the way it was welcomed in the factories at Viry and Enstone was just amazing,” he told Motorsport.com.

“It was a fantastic moment, I have never seen a reaction like that in either of the two factories. It was reminding me of the titles with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006."

It is thought Ricciardo can be a vital part of the Renault puzzle going forward, but the seven-time Grand Prix winner has conceded success won't be immediate and Abiteboul admits that part of what he told the 29-year-old when making his pitch.

“I was clear to Daniel that if he was expecting a team that is a turn key organisation, where everything is ready and everything is prepared and his only contribution will be to drive to a fantastic level, he should look elsewhere," he explained.

“We are still in the making, we are still progressing and his contribution will be much more than to drive. We are expecting him to be an ambassador, a leader and to bring his experience and his expertise into the team.

“We have added a lot of ingredients into the team, a lot of assets, a lot of people but now we need that extra sparkle. I think he will like that challenge.”

Also Read:

• Hulkenberg: The key area Ricciardo can help Renault in 2019
• Renault seeing biggest ever winter gains in both engine and aero
• Red Bull admit Verstappen 'probably' a factor in Ricciardo's exit

The Renault boss also insists Ricciardo has brought a new level of motivation to the team, to rise to the challenge that his bold decision to move has brought.

“We have not won anything, but there is this feeling that now we are really on a trajectory to be able to win something. We really feel now this obligation to come up with an engine and a chassis that will be capable of giving what that guy deserves," he said.

“We feel more obliged towards our sponsors, our fans and towards the legacy of the Renault brand in motorsport because I don’t want to look at disappointment or frustration in his eyes over the next two years.

“I don’t want to feel what McLaren must have felt with Fernando over the past few years.”

American motorsport legend Mario Andretti admits he is unsure if 2019 is the "right moment" for Charles Leclerc to join Ferrari.

At 21, the Monegasque will become the youngest driver in over half a century to race for the Scuderia this season and the least experienced since Gilles Villeneuve moved from McLaren after just one race in Formula 1 in 1977.

While expectations are high for Leclerc to continue his meteoric rise, Andretti expressed caution believing Charles may end up playing a support role to his new teammate Sebastian Vettel.

"The Leclerc-Vettel pairing seems correct, the alternative would have been to continue with Kimi because he and Sebastian got along very well, but we will see," he told Sky Italia.

"Leclerc seems to be very good and being young means he has a good future ahead of him. It was [former chairman Sergio] Marchionne’s idea to promote him but I don’t know if this is the right moment for Leclerc.

"With two drivers in a team, there must be a number one and a number two, having two number ones never works."

The 1978 world champion would throw his support behind Vettel, however, despite the German being criticised for a number of errors that contributed to another failed championship bid last year.

"He is absolutely the right man for Ferrari," Andretti declared. "I remember in his first year with Red Bull, I asked him what were his ambitions for the future and he immediately replied: Drive for Ferrari!

"He is the right driver for the job. I think it’s hard to say who between [Lewis] Hamilton and Vettel is better because they drive different cars, but they’re both good guys."

Also Read:

• Leclerc responds to Hamilton naming him as potential 2019 title threat
• Barrichello: Leclerc must show mental strength to succeed at Ferrari
• Leclerc sets respectable target for first season with Ferrari

Finally, Andretti also backed the Italian team's decision to axe Maurizio Arrivabene as team boss on Monday, and replace him with technical director Mattia Binotto.

"It doesn’t surprise me so much because there has always been a policy there: if they don’t win, someone has to leave," he said.

"We saw what happened to Stefano Domenicali, who was great there… the team principal is always to blame.

"Ferrari must always be at the top because this serves to keep interest alive. Nobody works harder than Ferrari, because there you breathe and you live for Formula 1."

Ferrari has confirmed earlier reports in Italian media than Maurizio Arrivabene has left his post as team boss.

Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport broke the story on Monday morning, suggesting an announcement was likely as early as today.

That has proven to be the case with the Scuderia releasing a statement in the afternoon.

"After four years of untiring commitment and dedication, Maurizio Arrivabene is leaving the team," it read.

"The decision was taken together with the company's top management after lengthy discussions related to Maurizio's long-term personal interests as well as those of the team itself.

"Ferrari would like to thank Maurizio for his valuable contribution to the team's increasing competitiveness over the past few years, and wish him the best for his future endeavours."

Technical director Mattia Binotto has also been confirmed as his replacement, with the team stalwart also remaining the man of contact on all matters as a new man for his previous position is found.