Formula 1 gossip: Williams. Red Bull, Hulkenberg, Sauber, Marko

Formula 1's pecking order could change during 2017 amid a development race fuelled by the new regulations, Williams performance chief Rob Smedley believes. (Autosport), external

Red Bull should be on Ferrari's level in time for May's Spanish Grand Prix, says the team's motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko. (The Chequered Flag), external

Nico Hulkenberg says he does not see himself as Renault's team leader in 2017, despite being more experienced than team-mate Jolyon Palmer. (Racer.com), external

Sauber will release images of its 2017 car two days before its filming day later this month. (Autosport), external

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson hopes F1's new American owners will bring "excitement and a sense of theatre" back to the sport.(Drivetribe, via Fox Sports), external

New McLaren boss Zak Brown hopes his team "move up the grid" in 2017 but adds he does not expect them to win any races. (The Marshall Pruett podcast via Motorsport Week), external

New Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas is not concerned about comments from Lewis Hamilton's father that being team-mates with his son could be "a career killer".(F1i.com, external)

The staging fee for the 2017 Russian Grand Prix will be paid entirely by private investors and will not be subsidised by the country's government.(Paddock Talk), external

Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul says the team will not appoint a replacement for team principal Frederic Vasseur, with sporting director Alan Permane and chief race engineer Ciaron Pilbeam set to take on the Frenchman's duties .(Auto Motor und Sport - in German), external

Retired world champion Nico Rosberg believes a more aggressive approach helped him beat team-mate Lewis Hamilton to the 2016 world title because previously the Briton had "walked all over" him. (Daily Mail), external

Former Williams technical director Patrick Head says anyone expecting rule changes in 2017 to create a level playing field have "rocks in their heads". (Guardian), external

McLaren will change to BP and Castrol fuel and lubricants for the 2017 season after a deal with Exxon and Mobil ended last year.(McLaren), external

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen is to open a karaoke bar in Helsinki, the capital of his native Finland.(GrandPrix.com), external

Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz says he has increased his training regime over the winter to deal with the revamped cars in 2017.(Autosport), external

The countdown is on until Williams' new driver Lance Stroll makes his Formula 1 debut...

Former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya says most European drivers are "mentally weak" as "you can get in their head really easily". (F1.com), external

Leading figures in the sport say this season's cars will look good and insist there will be no repeat of the rule errors which opened the door for a spate of "horrible" noses. (Motorsport.com), external

Teams are still considering a set of standardised parts as a cost-cutting measure, says McLaren executive director Zak Brown. (Autosport), external

Former McLaren team manager Dave Redding, who confirmed on Wednesday he was joining rivals Williams, will initially work alongside sporting manager Steve Nielsen to ensure a smooth handover. (Autosport), external

Bernie Ecclestone's Formula 1 legacy may not survive after he was removed as chief executive by the sport's new owner, fears former FIA president Max Mosley. (Newsweek), external

Romain Grosjean joined up with the Haas F1 team for his seat fitting - and it was all smiles.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has revealed that the competition to design his helmet for the 2017 season has received more than 8,000 entries. Once Hamilton picks the winning design he must use it for the entire season. (Autosport), external

The Shanghai government has dropped a firm hint that this year's Chinese Grand Prix will not be the last one. The 2017 race, which is scheduled to take place on April 9, is the final event under the terms of China's current contract. (Motorsport.com), external

Drivers' conservative approach to last year's inaugural grand prix in Baku made for an unexciting race, says the event's promoter. (Eurosport), external

After chief executive Jost Capito, another senior member of McLaren has departed the Woking-based outfit, with team manager David Redding joining Williams. (F1,com), external

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul says the team are eyeing a firm midfield position in the 2017 season, adding that there will be no excuse for failing to achieve this. (F1 Today), external

Mark Webber thinks that engine performance will be critical in 2017, despite new regulations being introduced focusing on aerodynamics and mechanical grip. The former Red Bull driver, 40, believes teams will need a bigger engine than ever. (F1 Today), external

Analysis of the 2016 season shows constructor champions Mercedes also delivered the most value for money when points are compared to the budgets of each team. (GP Today), external

Lewis Hamilton's father hopes Valtteri Bottas is ready for the challenge of being team-mate to his son, warning "it could be a career-ending move when you go up against Lewis". (Sky Sports), external

Chairman Niki Lauda expects Bottas to adapt quickly to life at Mercedes and believes this year's regulation changes will work in his favour.(Auto Motor und Sport, via ESPN), external

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Hamilton has revealed that the competition to design his helmet for the 2017 season has received more than 8,000 entries. (Eurosport), external

Sauber's new technical director Jorg Zander wants his team to be able to spring surprises on its opposition this year and re-establish itself in the midfield. (ESPN), external

The Texas attorney general's office will keep secret how much money Formula 1 receives from organisers of the US Grand Prix to run the annual race. (USA Today), external

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Formula 1 could learn from Nascar when it comes to cutting costs.(Autoweek), external

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda says Pascal Wehrlein could have been as quick as new signing Valtteri Bottas, and that only a lack of experience cost him a chance. (Auto Bild, via f1today.net), external

Bottas, the man chosen by Mercedes to partner Lewis Hamilton, has been tipped by fellow Finn and former driver Mika Salo to overcome the "very difficult situation" of only being handed a one-year contract. (Motorsport.com), external

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo says he would beat three-time world champion Hamilton if they were in the same cars. (The Age, via Motorsport Week), external

Ricciardo already has the edge over team-mate Max Verstappen, according to former Red Bull driver Mark Webber.(Autosport), external

Finland is to examine the possibility of hosting a Grand Prix in the future. (Ilta Sanomat, via f1today.net), external

Former F1 driver Robert Kubica will make his Le Mans 24 Hours debut and drive in the World Endurance Championship with the ByKolles team in 2017. (ESPN), external