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Teams are still planning for two in-season F1 tests next season, contrary to some suggestions in the paddock.

While the two-pre season tests in March at Barcelona have long been set in stone, the teams are still discussing the dates and venues of the in-season tests, with the matter having been complicated by the new calendar confirmed by the World Motor Sport Council.

The FIA Sporting Regulations explain the testing rules thus: “Two team tests of no more than two consecutive days duration carried out on circuits within Europe where an Event has just taken place, such tests commencing no less than 36 hours after the end of the relevant Events.”

While as this year the first test is expected to follow the Spanish GP, finding a date for second has proved difficult. A return to Austria is the favoured choice, but because the race is followed by the first trip to Baku – which is a flyaway race – the transport logistics will be challenging.

Silverstone, dropped this year largely because of the price quoted by the track was too high for the teams, is back-to-back with Austria, so it cannot be used.

Hungary would eat into the summer break and in any case is not regarded as a good test venue, while Spa and Monza are seen as ‘one-offs’ and also not useful for testing. However the Belgian track was used for a test in 2007, and could be an option.

The FIA has confirmed that Jules Bianchi’s number 17 will no longer be used in the F1 World Championship. The news comes ahead of the Frenchman’s funeral in Nice tomorrow.

Since last season drivers have chosen a number that lasts for the whole of their career in the category.

An FIA statement said: “Jean Todt, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, announced that the car number 17 will be retired from the FIA Formula One World Championship in honour of Jules Bianchi.

“As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi’s number 17.

“As a result, this number can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship.”

The Grand Prix Drivers Association has paid tribute to Jules Bianchi, and vowed to continue its push to improve safety in the sport.

The organisation said in a statement: “Formula 1 has lost a great talent, a great man and a great friend today. Twenty-one years after the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, we have now lost Jules, who has died as a direct consequence of an on track accident.

“It is at times like this that we are brutally reminded of how dangerous racing still remains. Despite considerable improvements, we, the Grand Prix drivers, owe it to the racing community, to the lost ones and to Jules, his family and friends, to never relent in improving safety.

“Our sincerest condolences go out to Jules’ family and friends.”

Manor F1 team boss John Booth has paid tribute to his former driver Jules Bianchi, who passed away last night.

Bianchi drove for the former Marussia team in 2013 and 2014, and was already well known to Manor when he was a competitor in his Euro F3 days.

In a statement Booth said: “Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules. He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward.

“Jules was a shining talent. He was destined for great things in our sport; success he so richly deserved. He was also a magnificent human being, making a lasting impression on countless people all over the world. They recognised, as did we, that at the same time as being a fiercely motivated racer, he was also an extremely warm, humble and intensely likeable person, who lit up our garage and our lives.

“We are incredibly grateful that we were able to provide Jules with the opportunity to show the world what he could do in a Formula 1 car. We knew we had a very special driver on our hands from the first time he drove our car in pre-season testing in 2013. It has been an honour to be able to consider him our race driver, our team-mate, and of course our friend.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the wonderful Bianchi family, who have remained so strong for Jules throughout the past nine months. In turn, Jules was an absolute credit to them.

“Finally, we would like to thank everyone who has supported Jules since his accident in Japan last October. Your kindness has been such a source of comfort to his family and to us, his team. We will rely on your continued support over the coming days and months as we race on for Jules.”

Jules Bianchi passed away last night at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Nice, his family has announced.

The Frenchman, who was 25, had been transferred to his home town after spending the first few weeks after his Japanese GP accident in Yokkaichi.

A statement from the family said: “Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end. The pain we feel is immense and indescribable. We wish to thank the medical staff at Nice’s CHU who looked after him with love and dedication. We also thank the staff of the General Medical Center in the Mie Prefecture (Japan) who looked after Jules immediately after the accident, as well as all the other doctors who have been involved with his care over the past months.

“Furthermore, we thank Jules’ colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times. Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world.

“We would like to ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time, while we try to come to terms with the loss of Jules.”

As expected the FIA World Motor Sport Council has addressed the issue of power ubit penlties, as mandated by the Strategy Group last week.

From Hungary onwards the maximum penalty a driver can receive for changing power unit elements is starting from the back of the grid, so time penalties, drive throughs and stop and go penalties have gone.

In addition a fifth extra engine has been granted for manufacturers in their first year, which will apply to Honda.

The World Council said: “The simplification of the power unit penalties, ensuring that the most a driver can be penalised is to be demoted to the rear of the grid – this will eliminate penalties during the race for these infractions.

“New power unit manufacturers to F1 will receive an extra power unit for each driver to use throughout Grands Prix for the season, bringing the total to five – one more than the existing power unit suppliers. This will be applied retrospectively to Honda. These changes to the sporting regulations will come into force with immediate effect.”

In addition the WMSC has looked at the new F1 Super Licence system, which is based upoj points accrued via success in various categories. The WMSC has approved the update of the Super Licence regulations with a view to:

“Increasing flexibility for drivers having qualified for a Super Licence, but do not have the opportunity to race in Formula One. These drivers will now keep this possibility for three years (eg. typical F1 test driver situation).

“Enlarging the list of Series included in the Super Licence point system following numerous requests from series for inclusion.

“Adjusting of points given to some series already included to better reflect the strength of series.

“Granting the champion of the FIA Formula E Championship with a Super Licence, although the Championship is not part of the points system.”

The FIA has confirmed a 21-race F1 schedule for 2016 – which will be the busiest in the sport’s history.

As expected the event in Baku, Azerbaijan has been added in July, while the German GP is back after missing this year.No venue is listed but it will be at Hockenheim.

The other major changes are that the Russian GP has moved from October to May, as the fourth race of the season, while Malaysia has moved to September, and is now twinned with Singapore.

2016 F1 World Championship Calendar

The Lotus F1 team is facing a potential legal crisis in the wake of a winding-up petition from a group of creditors that includes gearbox component supplier Xtrac.

A hearing at Companies Court today was adjourned for two weeks in order to give the parties further time to talk.

If there is no resolution the case could lead to Lotus going into administration.

“The judge has adjourned the hearing for two weeks,” an Xtrac spokesman told this writer. “This is in order to allow further dialogue during which we will continue to discuss all the options for resolution with Lotus F1.

“Throughout the past 15 months, Xtrac has manufactured a significant quantity of parts in good faith to ensure the cars can keep running. We have enjoyed a long standing relationship with Lotus F1 and its management, and we hope to resume this once the now significant debt has been reduced and a positive outcome agreed.”

Lotus CEO Matthew Carter has downplayed the possible consequences, suggesting that the situation is simply related to suppliers being keen to get paid promptly after problems at other teams last year.

“We’ve talked about it a lot,” he told this writer. “The smaller teams have talked about it, and the issues at Marussia and Caterham haven’t helped. There’s a hearing – in fact I think the hearing’s been adjourned – but it’s just usual creditors, it’s part of the process, it’s just where we are, it’s life.”

Carter denied that the situation might be disconcerting for sponsors.

“We’re in a fairly good position in that we don’t owe – other than our suppliers which is normal run of the mill – we don’t actually owe a bank any money, we don’t have any loans outstanding or anything, everything that we owe is to to the shareholders.

“It’s not as if there’s anyone out there who’s going to do anything silly. As far as what we can portray to our sponsors, we’re fine, we are where we are.”

Bernie Ecclestone has hinted that he might be part of a consortium that could take over CVC’s 35% shareholding of the F1 business.

Ecclestone indicated that CVC has faced a deadline to sell its stake, and has extended it twice. The business is understood to be valued at around $9bn, making the CVC share worth approximately $3bn. 

“It’s like all hedge funds,” he told this writer. “They invest people’s money for a certain period. It doesn’t matter how good they do, they have to give it back. Maybe they re-invest again, maybe they don’t, I don’t know. They’re past their sell-off date. They have extended it a couple of times.”

He then suggested that even if CVC left the sport its chairman Donald Mackenzie could remain an investor in a personal capacity, in conjunction with Bernie himself and other investors – in what could be termed a management buyout.

“Donald Mackenzie doesn’t want to sell, as simple as that. He loves F1, he loves the business, he doesn’t want to sell. He may have to sell his shares. Whether he’ll invest himself, maybe with me, separately, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Asked if he was interested in buying F1 back, Bernie said: “We’re talking.”

Curiously Mackenzie himself said that there was no deadline for CVC as the original investment had been repaid, and thus “the pressure is off.” He added: “We don’t want to sell.”

Meanwhile Ecclestone has acknowledged that a joint venture involving Qatar and US firm RSE Ventures is among potential buyers of CVC’s share of the F1 business. He considers RSE’s billionaire boss Stephen Ross as a serious player.

“Lots of people have made approaches. He’s a proper guy, he’s a sporting guy, from a business point of view.”

Intriguingly the head of the Qatari motor sport federation said this week that he was close to finalising a deal to have a Grand Prix, despite Bahrain and Abu Dhabi having an agreement with Ecclestone that would prevent a third race being launched in the Middle East. Ecclestone acknowledge that the situation could change if Qatar invested in F1.

“I think if they own the company there’s a very good chance of that happening.”

He added: “Or get the people from Bahrain and Abu Dhabi to agree. Then they wouldn’t have to buy the company.”

Dieter Hahn of German sports marketing media group Constantin Medien, who was involved in an expensive legal fight with Ecclestone, has also been connected to the RSE/Qatar bid. Ecclestone doesn’t see their history as an issue.

“I can work with anybody. It doesn’t make any difference to me. He lost the case, so why should I be upset with him? If he was here now, we’d probably have dinner tonight.”

Pirelli has welcomed the F1 Strategy Group’s move to free up the tyre regulations from 2016.

While the details have yet to be finalised, a move is planned towards ‘wild cards’ – allowing teams to have some control over their choice of tyres at certain events.

The FIA would only say “increased freedom of choice for tyre compounds has been confirmed and the modalities are being finalised with Pirelli for 2016.”

However the intention is that at selected races teams will have a free choice of compounds, while at tracks where there is a question mark over safety – such as Monza – Pirelli will dictate the choice. For example the teams may have four wild cards to play at any four of 15 races where Pirelli allows a free choice. Those choices will be made well in advance, for logistical reasons. This particular idea was put forward by Red Bull Racing.

“It’s around that area,” Pirelli boss Paul Hembery told this writer. “The idea is to have certain wild card events and certain block-out events where it just wouldn’t be advisable due to safety reasons.

“I don’t think we’ve got the final situation yet, but we’re getting closer to a solution that the teams are looking for, gives the sport what it needs, and allows us to maintain a level of safety on the choices that are made.”

Hembery said different ideas are still in play: “There are a couple of proposals being refined. A lot of it has been chopped and changed and consolidated. We’ve got a bit of time yet, it probably needs to be September time before we refine it. A couple of new ideas have come out in the last 24 hours that are even more interesting.

“But it’s all going in the same direction, to give the idea of some choice, and to allow flexibility for the teams while giving a guarantee that the race can be run because they’ve got a product that can do the race distance.”

As part of the change Pirelli wants to have an extra tyre in the range, known variously as an ‘ultra soft’ or ‘super super soft.’

“One little step next year might be a super super soft,’ technically speaking a supersoft for the Monaco or possibly Singapore that goes one step further than what we have at the moment.”