F1 gossip: Alonso, Mercedes, McLaren, Bottas, Hamilton, Ricciardo

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said that a recent dinner with Fernando Alonso's manager Flavio Briatore had no connection with any possible move to the team for the Spaniard. (Fox Sports), external

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has described the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the most painful weekend he has experienced in motorsport. (Autosport), external

Valtteri Bottas identified an inability to find grip from his tyres to the same degree as Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who finished on pole in qualifying. (The Checkered Flag), external

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo quipped that he did not blame the wall with which he collided at turn six midway through the final part of qualifying. (PlanetF1), external

Three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, 32, believes he can continue racing until he is 40. (Daily Telegraph), external

Valtteri Bottas says Red Bull appear "surprisingly strong" at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where, along with his Mercedes outfit and rivals Ferrari, they could make it "a three-team fight" for honours. (Autosport), external

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso may be struggling with an unreliable car but says he is "definitely at my best" in terms of his form. (ESPN), external

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul says driver Jolyon Palmer has been given "no ultimatum" about his future and that the team is "completely committed to helping him get through the period, which is a tough period". (Reuters), external

Sauber should be in a position to announce a new team principal "soon" in the wake of Monisha Kaltenborn's exit, according to team manager Beat Zehnder. (gpupdate.com), external

Qualifying for October's US Grand Prix will be put back two hours so that it occurs shortly before a Justin Timberlake performance at the Circuit of the Americas. (Autosport), external

Driver Pascal Wehrlein says it is "a shame" boss Monisha Kaltenborn was ousted from the Sauber team. (Grandprix.com), external

Sergio Perez says Force India will not resort to enforcing team orders in future races, following the controversy surrounding its decision not to swap its drivers at the Canadian Grand Prix. (ESPN), external

The Haas F1 team will employ a member of the team to study the track during qualifying to avoid traffic congestion from this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. (Crash.net), external

Mercedes is hoping this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix will show the team has resolved inconsistency issues, following Lewis Hamilton's win in Canada two weeks ago. Boss Toto Wolff says it is all about "maintaining the momentum". (AP), external

Fernando Alonso turned down the chance to drive for Brawn GP in 2009, instead sticking with Renault. Former Brawn GP and Mercedes CEO Nick Fry says the Spaniard said no to the move before the team went on to win the championship double with Jenson Button claiming his only drivers' title. (Planet F1), external

F1 fans could be closer to being able to take on their heroes on the track in a virtual race. Tata Communications F1 boss Mehul Kapadia says the sport's digital development is gaining pace. (Reuters), external

Jean Todt says there could be a new team - or teams - on the horizon. The FIA president would not reveal more about interested parties but says the future plan is to take the number of teams up from 10 to 12. (Autosport), external

F1 boss Chase Carey claims "this sport has been underserved by a perpetual, short-term, deal of the day focus" under its previous stewardship.(Pitpass) , external

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says he does not want to "interfere" in the relationship between McLaren and their engine supplier Honda, who he hopes can "stay in the sport" despite their current troubles. (Crash.net), external

Wolff acknowledges Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas is in an "uncomfortable situation" and "with quite some pressure" because of his short-term one-season contract with the team. (Autosport) , external

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is struggling to challenge at the top end of the grid in the McLaren but Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo would like to see the Spaniard "fighting at the front". (Fox Sports), external

Alonso expects another grid penalty at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend after suffering reliability issues at the last race in Canada. (ESPN), external

McLaren are weighing up their engine options for next season, after it was widely reported they will ditch Honda. Mercedes look the likely partner for 2018, but other names in the frame include Alfa Romeo. (Autosport), external

Race director Charlie Whiting has given his approval for Imola to return to the future F1 calendar. (Gazzetta dello Sport), external

Kevin Magnussen believes Stoffel Vandoorne is "not in his happy place" at McLaren. (motorsport.com), external

Bernie Ecclestone will be honoured at this year's Goodwood Festival, in the form of a giant sculpture. (thejudge13.com), external

The 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg says "I know what Toto really thinks about me, so I don't care what an English newspaper writes" after Mercedes chief Toto Wolff accused him of being 'the vicious one' during his battles with Lewis Hamilton. (DPA news agency via F1i.com), external

Hamilton believes Mercedes can be more consistent for the rest of the 2017 season after developing more of an understanding of the Pirelli tyres. (ESPN), external

Honda chief Yusuke Hasegawa still hopes to make the engine supply relationship with McLaren work, despite the team's continued poor performances this season. (Planet F1) , external

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn believes Formula 1 has become too technical and difficult to understand. (Autosport), external