Triple world champion Niki Lauda aims to return to the Formula 1 paddock for next year's season opener in Australia, as he continues his recovery from a lung transplant.

The Austrian, who currently sits as Mercedes' non-executive chairman, returned to Vienna for surgery after falling severely ill during a holiday in Ibiza mid-summer and was given just days to live at one point, according to some reports.

Known as a great fighter after he came back to F1 three races after his famous Nurburgring crash in 1976, however, Lauda came through again and revealed that despite it all, he still remained fully in touch with everything going on, on track.

“I didn’t miss a single Grand Prix, even though I was in the company of so many IV [intravenous therapy],” he said in his first interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I watched all the races, called the pits on the weekends, and they always told me what was going on.

“It was like being on the edge of the track with the others. I have to say that I, once again, discovered the warmth of the people I’ve been working with for years.”

One such example was a hand-written letter Lauda received from Sebastian Vettel soon after his surgery.

"It was a great pleasure for me, full of fine words and affectionate considerations,” he recalled. “I didn’t expect it, usually drivers don’t do these things, they just drive. But he’s a good person."

While reflecting on his most recent scare though, Niki had only one goal in mind, looking forward.

“I knew it would be hard, very hard,” he said. “In such conditions, I could only do one thing: fight and I did it for every moment, I’m still doing it.

“In a month, they told me, I should be fully fit and ready to start again. I’ll follow the Grands Prix as before. Why not?”

The prospect of a Formula 1 race in London has risen after getting some backing from current mayor Sadiq Khan.

Owners Liberty Media are continuing to push for a street race in the UK capital as talks with Silverstone over the future of the British Grand Prix remain inconclusive.

It follows the first demonstration event to take place since 2004 in London last year when cars paraded around a route incorporating Trafalgar Square.

"London is always open to hosting the world's biggest and best sports events - from the final of UEFA Euro 2020 to the NFL, and the Cricket World Cup to Major League Baseball," a spokesman for Khan told Autosport.

"The mayor believes that it should be possible to organise a race in London in the future and has asked his team to explore options with F1."

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• Silverstone 'the only place' that can host the British GP
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The major hurdle to a race is the severe disruption it would cause to the capital, with Formula E's races in London in 2015 and 2016 taking place within the confines of Battersea Park.

Previous plans for a street circuit had been focused around famous landmarks like Pall Mall, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, while the 2012 Olympic Park was also suggested.

Commenting on a possible venue though, F1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn concedes the outskirts of the city are more likely.

"I think because F1 is a week-long activity minimum, the disruption it would cause in the centre of London would be unacceptable," he said.

"I don't think Londoners really need to worry about us taking over the centre of London for a week but there are things on the periphery that are being explored - not slap-bang in the centre of London but Greater London."

Brawn also emphasised that if a Grand Prix was to be agreed in the city, it wouldn't have to come at the expense of Silverstone.

"We'd like to see London complement Silverstone, not replace it," he stated. "We could see ways we could make it work both sides.

"London is an iconic city with a massive history in the sport and there's huge enthusiasm here."

Fernando Alonso has expressed interest in helping McLaren develop their 2019 Formula 1 car, CEO Zak Brown has revealed.

Despite retiring from the grid at the end of this past season, the Spaniard was never expected to be far away from the British team next year, particularly as he'll compete in a McLaren entry at the Indianapolis 500.

Also, as McLaren try to bounce back from one of the toughest periods in their history and an all-new driver line-up, it makes sense for them to continue a working relationship with Alonso.

“I have spoken to Fernando about it. He is very open to it,” Brown told Crash.net on the prospect of him testing the MCL34.

“These F1 world champions, whether it’s Michael Schumacher or Mika Hakkinen, who came close to a comeback, don’t want to be too far from the F1 pit lane.

“There’s a lot he can contribute experience-wise. Carlos [Sainz] and Lando [Norris] are open to any ideas that will bring us experience.

“Fernando knows the team very well, Lando doesn’t have that experience, and Carlos doesn’t have that experience with us. It’s something I’ll be talking to him about.

“I’ll go to Daytona for Fernando’s Daytona testing and we’re going to chat to him further then.”

Also Read:

• Alonso at Ferrari in 2020? 'Why not', says Domenicali
• Alonso a 'more complete driver' because of IndyCar and WEC outings

Alonso won't be able to step in for every single test day during the year, however, with the rule that at least two of the four in-season dates must be given to drivers with less than two years F1 experience.

“[I’m] ultimately working with Gil [Ferran, sporting director] to decide what he thinks is the best driver testing programme for next year, as it’s not only Fernando, but we have rookie tests, we have tyre tests, and we have reserve drivers that we need to consider," the CEO continued.

“So Gil is putting together the ultimate driver-race-testing programme, and we’ll make a decision in early January.”

Currently, McLaren has F2 racers Nick de Vries and Sergio Sette Camara on their books that will meet that requirement.

Renault claims to have found a significant increase in performance from their new engine for 2019, McLaren says.

The French manufacturer revealed in October they would be developing an all-new power unit for next year having struggled to make major progress with the concept used this season.

Their biggest problem was in qualifying, with Renault reporting a 50 horsepower deficit to Mercedes and Ferrari and by the end of the year, Honda was even thought to be on a par if not ahead.

"They are telling us that they are very pleased with their winter progress," CEO Zak Brown told Autosport.

"They have found a lot of kilowatts [power], and think they will be in the ballpark."

Of course, for Renault, there is now the added motivation of proving Red Bull wrong for their decision to change to Honda from next season after four years of criticism during the hybrid era.

Also Read:

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• McLaren 'very happy' with Renault, expect boost as sole customer
• Ricciardo: Taking Renault to the 'next level' is 2019's main aim

Meanwhile, at McLaren, the focus is on rebuilding following a tough season which ended with the team battling with Williams at the back of the grid.

"There is a lot of cautious optimism, but we clearly don't want to get ahead of ourselves, we have done that before and we are not going to make the same mistake twice," Brown continued.

"So it is a very head down approach. Development is going well, and we are on track with what we are wanting to achieve.

"Ultimately we have no idea where the competition is, other than speculating. Everyone plants their different stories: they either want to underplay it or overplay it. I don't think we will obviously know until we get to Barcelona [for pre-season testing].

"We are pleased with the progress we have made. We have done things differently, everyone is working well together, so it feels like a quiet confidence.

"But we are on our toes. We know this is an important year for us to show progress and that comes with some exciting nervous energy."

Red Bull has finally admitted Max Verstappen will be their lead driver heading into the 2019 Formula 1 season.

The Dutchman's status has been gradually growing inside the team since joining in mid-2016, and his influence was one reason some pointed to for Daniel Ricciardo's decision to join Renault.

Initially, motorsport advisor Helmut Marko had claimed his replacement Pierre Gasly would enjoy equal treatment with Verstappen, however, team boss Christian Horner now suggests that won't totally be the case.

“Max is now the experienced one. So the team will be looking towards him more now,” Horner told Formule 1.

“Pierre, of course, has the potential to develop and make life difficult for Max and hopefully they’ll push each other and help to get the best out of each other, just like Max and Daniel did.”

Also Read:

• Verstappen to get first taste of 2019 Red Bull-Honda in simulator this week
• Verstappen could have been P2 in championship without early incidents
• Ricciardo admits Verstappen relationship was better than expected

Following Ricciardo's departure, which Horner still feels some surprise over, one story that circulated was whether Verstappen had any influence in the decision to promote Gasly over Carlos Sainz, who was widely considered first in line for a promotion.

Though there were denials, Max has now hinted otherwise.

“In the end, it’s not about me saying yes or no. That’s not my decision,” he said to the same Dutch publication.

“But I clearly told them what will work and what will not work. I am not going to mention names, but I am glad that Pierre Gasly is coming.

“He is very fast, but I am afraid of no one. I fear no one.”

The idea of Fernando Alonso rejoining Ferrari in 2020 shouldn't be ruled out, according to former team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Alonso called time on his Formula 1 career at the end of this past season but is expected to remain close to those at McLaren and the prospect of a return after a sabbatical remains on the table.

One of the precursors for that to happen, however, would be a competitive seat and while Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc are signed up, that doesn't stop Domenicali from dismissing the idea Ferrari might be an option.

“It would be a great story, but it is something that should not be forced but if in the future he makes that decision, why not?” the current CEO at Lamborghini told Auto Bild.

“Of course it depends on whether Fernando returns and to all the other people involved and I leave that decision to them.”

Also Read:

• Why 2018 was finally the year Alonso accepted defeat in bid for third F1 title
• Norris & Sainz open to Alonso testing 2019 McLaren
• Alonso leaving F1 akin to 'Real Madrid without Ronaldo'

Another stumbling block is the notion that Alonso is a tough driver to work with based on previous experiences, but having been in charge during his first stint at Maranello, Domenicali disagrees.

“To be honest, when you work with these types of personalities, with that much talent, you cannot say if it is difficult or not difficult,” he claimed.

“The only thing I can say is that Alonso was very strong, he was very motivated, and he wanted to achieve so much.

“Beyond that, if I am honest, saying that he is controversial is totally incorrect."

Charles Leclerc will be less "accommodating" than Kimi Raikkonen was to Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, Ross Brawn has predicted.

The Monegasque is tipped to make a big impact when he steps up to the Scuderia next season with the expectation being he will eventually lead the team into the next generation.

However, Formula 1's motorsport director does admit Leclerc will need to prove himself against his new teammate.

“Leclerc has been pretty impressive but he’s not had a tough reference yet and that will come in 2019," Brawn told Formula1.com.

“Being at Ferrari brings enormous pressure and he’ll have the pressure of racing against a world champion, a multi-world champion, so he’s going to have a pretty challenging year.

“But, from what I have seen so far, I expect him to do a very respectable job.”

As part of trying to assert his position at Ferrari, however, the former technical chief at Maranello believes Vettel can't expect as many favours from across the garage.

“I don’t imagine Charles Leclerc is going to be quite as accommodating as Kimi was on occasions,” Brawn continued.

“Kimi is his own man, don’t get me wrong, but I think Kimi knew what the lay of the land was in the team.”

Also Read:

• Leclerc sets respectable target for first season with Ferrari
• Vettel unsure if he'll enjoy same 'harmony' with Leclerc at Ferrari
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In the long-term, however, the Briton does think the 21-year-old will join Max Verstappen as one of the top names on the grid.

"We have lost Fernando Alonso, but we have Leclerc being put into Ferrari, Gasly in at Red Bull, and George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon stepping up," he noted.

"I think Leclerc is probably at the head of that generation.”

Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafnauer has explained the growing "friction" between midfield teams and Haas, which was seen numerous time in 2018.

Since joining the Formula 1 grid in 2016, the American squad has surprised many with how they have been able to be so competitive so quickly into their existence, particularly following the failure of the three teams that joined in 2010.

The reason most have pointed to is their close relationship with Ferrari, which sees Haas as much receive technical help as is allowed in the regulations but this year the striking similarities between their two cars couldn't be overlooked.

“When you design, make and build your own cars but then there’s one team that isn’t doing it, getting a lot of technology from a top team, you’re going to get that friction," Szafnauer told Autosport.

“I think that’s what it’s really about. It’s not about the competitiveness."

The FIA was actually asked to conduct an investigation into the Haas/Ferrari partnership at the start of the year before ruling it was legal, however, an incident later in the year caused more suspicion.

“It’s just a bit curious that only two teams had a front-floor that wasn’t in compliance with the regulation after the FIA pointed it out, it was Haas and Ferrari," the Racing Point chief pointed, with Romain Grosjean later being disqualified at Monza for that reason.

“It’s kind of like having two snowflakes that are the same and it’s tough for two totally independent designers to design an aerodynamic piece with exactly the same radius that isn’t compliant.”

Also Read:

• FIA to address Haas/Ferrari-style alliances amid rivals concerns
• Alonso: McLaren essentially racing against three Ferrari teams in F1
• Haas under fire from rival teams following Australian GP pace

Renault was the team that brought the protest which led to Grosjean exclusion in Italy, however, in Abu Dhabi, Haas put the then-Force India team in their spotlight by protesting their re-entry as a constructor following the mid-season takeover by Lawrence Stroll.

“We would rather not have the protest because it always causes uncertainty,” Szafnauer explained. “Like the Germans say, when you’re on high seas or in front of a judge you’re in God’s hands.

“So even though we’re 100% certain we were fine as a constructor it’s never nice.

“The good news is they did the process, everyone put their cards on the table and the stewards said, ‘Yep, you’re a constructor’.

“The irony is we designed a lot more parts than they did,” he concluded.

Mercedes believe Liberty Media had the wrong focus with their planned rule changes for Formula 1 in 2021.

The sport's owners want to introduce a sweeping overhaul of much of the current structure, both sporting and commercially, ranging from engines and car design to a budget cap and revenue distribution.

All of this was with the ambition of attracting more manufacturers back to the grid and hopefully having independent suppliers for teams such as Red Bull, McLaren etc. to be competitive against the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.

"We should be happy with four premium manufacturers committed to the sport," Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff argued to ESPN recently.

"[The ones that are] already in there for a long time and trying to make sure that, foremost, we seek compromise with the loyal partners in there [should come first].

"Then we look at the ones who might join in the future and listen to them but that is only the second priority."

Names like Aston Martin, Porsche and Cosworth were all linked with possible interest in the 2021 engine rules, which initially saw ideas for an additional turbo and the removal of the MGU-H part of the ERS in an effort to reduce costs and increase sound.

Since their interest waned though, the planned changes have been watered down but Wolff remains dismissive of Liberty's position adding: "You want more than four [manufacturers]? What do you want, five or six?" he asked. "Where does that thinking come from? Is it greed?"

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• Brawn reveals agreement to help new engine manufacturers enter F1
• Mercedes warns Liberty of a tough fight over F1's future financial structure
• Renault warn of manufacturer exit if engine costs aren't reduced

He also warned that the current ideas being proposed are still going to incur big expenses for the four current engine makers.

"We have demonstrated to Liberty and the FIA that redesigning an engine is going to spiral the costs out of control," Wolff explained.

"Even this [proposed 2021] engine now - which has more revs, more fuel flow, more fuel allowance - will result in enormous costs. Ideally, we would have liked to stay where we are, and not touch it.

"Engine performance is converging," he continued. "The engines are not far away from each other.

"[But] every time the regulations change, you're going to have a wider spread between the best and the worst. So why do we change it?"

Max Verstappen will get the first taste of his 2019 Red Bull-Honda as he completes simulator tests at Milton Keynes this week.

While development on the real RB15 continues ahead of a likely shakedown and pre-season testing next February, the virtual running allows the Dutchman to gain an understanding of the Honda engine's drivability and gain an initial feel for next year's car.

"I am going to sit there in the simulator, it will be the first time with Honda," Verstappen told Austria's Servus TV.

"Everything is going very smoothly and everyone is looking forward to the first year with Honda, at the factory I feel that everyone is even more motivated than before."

Expectations continue to be high for next year after opting to drop Renault at the end of this past season with plans still on course.

“So far, all their promises on the technical side have been kept," Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko continued.

“If this continues, we will then have a great chance to compete for the title in the coming season.”

Also Read:

• Verstappen could have been P2 in 2018 standings without early season incidents
• Red Bull insist Verstappen will not be favoured over Gasly in 2019
• Verstappen hints at 'Plan B' if Red Bull/Honda partnership fails

One man tipping Verstappen to join Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in the championship fight is Formula 1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn.

"What we are seeing with Max is a great maturing of his approach, losing none of his speed and aggression but just being a bit more tempered in terms of how he attacks things," he told Formula1.com. "2018 was another big step forward for Max.

"In the right car and right team, he's world champion material for sure and Max will be the known reference in the [Red Bull] team in 2019.

"That is always helpful in a team to have that continuity, if you have a troublesome car or you have some things to sort out, knowing the driver, knowing how to qualify what he says is very helpful. So I think it is great for the team."