Formula 1 teams will have to deal with a major overhaul in tyre design and regulations for 2021 as part of the wider effort to improve the racing.

On Friday, the FIA opened the tender for possible suppliers from 2020-2023 with current provider Pirelli previously stating they would be willing to continue and radically change the tyres thanks to developments in technology.

Laying out the conditions of the tender, the governing body appeared to match many of the things the Italian company has suggested previously, including confirming a switch to 18-inch rims from 13, something Pirelli demonstrated back in 2014.

The front tyres will also be narrowed from the current 305mm to 270mm with the rears remaining the current 405mm in width that was introduced at the start of 2017.

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Also mentioned is a long-standing idea of banning tyre blankets, which teams currently use to pre-heat the compounds to around the operating temperature, thus making it easier for drivers when they leave the pits.

The tender document read: “Tyres should provide safe performance when leaving the pits cold and the glass transition temperature must be chosen so that the tyres are never in a ‘glassy state’ when either the ambient or the track temperature is above 10 degrees centigrade.

“For winter testing a specific low-temperature tyre will be required. This will form the bulk of supply to the teams for European winter testing with a limited number of race compounds available.

"Wet and intermediate tyres should also be capable of running without the need for pre-heating."

Three compounds will continue to be made available at each race, carrying the names of Soft, Medium and Hard, and the FIA wants a supplier that can provide a product that can "create the maximum number of race strategies yielding race times such that multi-stop strategies provide just enough potential of a beneficial outcome to encourage the greatest variety in the racing spectacle.”

Lewis Hamilton has revealed he was approached by one of the other top three teams prior to re-signing with Mercedes for a further two years, with that announcement coming on Thursday.

Though in the final year of his contract, the world champion was widely expected to remain with the German manufacturer for 2019 and beyond with only the length of time it took to put pen to paper really causing somewhat of a stir.

Perhaps that is why then, the 33-year-old was offered the chance to leave Mercedes and join another of the top three teams.

"One did," he said, without saying who.

The likelihood is that it would have been Red Bull as Daniel Ricciardo is himself yet to commit for 2019 and the Milton Keynes outfit would probably be more willing to risk a Hamilton/Verstappen partnership than Ferrari would consider a Hamilton/Vettel one.

It means very little anyway as the likelihood is now the four-time champion, who has won three with Mercedes since joining in 2013, will end his career with the team and perhaps his comments about why the deal was only two years indicated that this will be his last.

"We were talking about doing three [years] but Formula 1 is in quite a…" he began, referring to the ongoing efforts by owners Liberty Media to overhaul the regulations both sporting and commercial.

"The shapes are shifting a little bit, obviously F1 is not committed to all the teams moving forwards beyond 2021 just yet and I’m interested to see how that all plays out.

"So it didn’t make sense for me to commit into the unknown even though it’s easy for me to imagine just being with Mercedes so that’s not the issue.

"It’s impossible to say where I’m going to be in two years, what I’m going to feel like in two years’ time," he added

"All I can tell you is I still feel pretty great. I wasn’t expecting to be as excited as I am now in this signing to extend. I’m also very conscious of how long it is beyond that time."

The FIA has confirmed Daniel Ricciardo will take at least a 20-place grid penalty for this weekend's German Grand Prix after taking on new engine components.

The Australian has been on the cusp for a while with thoughts a new unit may have been as far back as Canada, following the MGU-K problem which threatened to end his victory chances in Monaco.

Instead, Red Bull has managed to make the engine last through the triple-header and now at Hockenheim, where overtaking is very possible particularly at Turn 6, the decision has been taken to take the hit.

A new MGU-K, control electronics and energy store are the three components which have tipped Ricciardo over the edge, with a 10-place grid penalty for the first and five for the others, and potentially more should a new turbo or ICE be installed.

In the build-up, the 29-year-old admitted the back-of-the-grid start was "likely" but was still hopeful for a strong race at a circuit where he finished second at two years ago.

"I like the track, it is fun, you can overtake so if we do have the penalties and I start towards the back… I’ll stay positive and know that there will be some good overtaking.

"There is a slight chance of rain on Saturday, that could change the grid a bit and the race will be all right, extra DRS zone now. So that should keep it closer.

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"I want a good race here. Even if I start towards the back I still want to go for it. I feel like the triple-header did not treat me that well," he added.

"So I’d at least like to make this double-header good for me. Both heads, not just one."

It is thought Red Bull chose Germany to take the pain, with expectations of fighting for another victory much higher when F1 heads to the twisty Hungaroring next weekend.

After months of speculation, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have confirmed a new two-year contract extension has been signed, keeping the world champion at the team until 2020.

Throughout the year it has been regularly maintained that a new deal was a matter of 'when' not 'if' and finally that has proven accurate with the announcement coming ahead of the team's home race in Germany this weekend.

The knowledge that Hamilton has ambitions beyond the F1 grid has often led to questions over a possible snap-retirement, however, now those have been answered with a salary of $40m a year reported.

Though those details were not revealed, Mercedes motorsport boss admits it is good to finally put an end to the matter.

"We have been aligned with Lewis ever since we first sat down to discuss the details of this contract after last season," said the Austrian.

"But there has understandably been a lot of interest and speculation around the whole process, so it's good to put all of that to rest and get this thing announced.

"We signed the final documents this week and didn't want to keep people waiting any longer!"

The two parties have won three world titles and 44 races together since Hamilton made the then surprising decision to leave McLaren and join the Brackley operation in 2013.

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Though the domination of recent years has ended, with Ferrari and Red Bull closing the gap, a fifth championship for the 33-year-old is very much still on this season as he sits just eight points behind leader Sebastian Vettel.

"I have been part of the Mercedes racing family for 20 years and I have never been happier inside a team than I am right now," Lewis commented.

"We are on the same wavelength both on and off track - and I am looking forward to winning more in the future and shining even more light on the three-pointed star.

"I'm very confident that Mercedes is the right place to be over the coming years."

What this news also does is bring the Briton in line with the German and Max Verstappen with all three drivers assessing how the future of F1 will look when an overhaul of the regulations is expected in 2021.

Despite confirmation of numerous engine penalties, Daniel Ricciardo began the German Grand Prix weekend by beating Lewis Hamilton to P1 in opening practice on Friday.

The Australian is likely to start last with a 20-place grid drop but would set the quickest time at Hockenheim with a 1m13.525s on the Ultrasoft tyre, just 0.004s ahead of the world champion in his Mercedes.

Interestingly, Ricciardo's best lap came on the second flying lap in the hot conditions but the Red Bull driver would complete two very slow laps between his initial effort and that which ultimately put him fastest.

Less surprising though was the RB14's strength in the final sector as the 29-year-old, along with teammate Max Verstappen, regularly set new fastest times through the Stadium section.

Hamilton will still feel more than comfortable in second ahead of the Dutchman in the second Red Bull in third, as the top three all used the faster Ultrasoft compound.

Sebastian Vettel was perhaps in the best position in fourth, however, three-tenths off the leading pace but on the Soft rubber, two steps harder than those ahead, and with Ferrari known not to run particularly aggressively in practice.

The two Finn's completed the top six as Valtteri Bottas, with a new Mercedes contract in hand, was fifth and Kimi Raikkonen sixth following some excursions through the high-speed Turn 1.

In the midfield, once again it was the two Haas cars leading the way in seventh and eighth with Romain Grosjean ahead of Kevin Magnussen. With Hockenheim sharing a lot of characteristics with the Red Bull Ring, it's not too surprising to see the American team look strong.

Charles Leclerc was ninth for Sauber but like Ferrari, only used the yellow-striped Soft compound, meaning there is more to come from the Monegasque.

Nico Hulkenberg survived a trip across the gravel at the Mobilkurve entering the Stadium to complete the top 10 for Renault.

The German's teammate Carlos Sainz lost much of the session to a water leak, leaving the Spaniard down in 14th as the French manufacturer tested a new front wing.

Sergio Perez was P11 for Force India with F2 driver Nicholas Latifi getting the chance to run in Practice 1 in place of Esteban Ocon. The Canadian would be some six-tenths off the pace in P17, which is actually a pretty solid performance in the circumstances.

McLaren focused predominantly on testing parts which may well be used at the high downforce Hungaroring next weekend, a circuit the British team considers as one of their strongest, that meant their drivers sat at the bottom of the timesheets for much of the session.

Fernando Alonso would improve late on to claim P12, however, while Stoffel Vandoorne spent much of the 90 minutes in the garage working on a setup change and would in fact end the session slowest overall.

Williams enjoyed a more competitive session with Lance Stroll 13th and Sergey Sirotkin 16th, with again all the focus on testing new parts that are aimed at solving the problems which have ruined their season.

Toro Rosso had a lowly session with Pierre Gasly 15th and Brendon Hartley 18th, while Sauber reserve Antonio Giovinazzi replaced Marcus Ericsson for the first practice and was 19th.

The full order can be seen below:

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has poured some water on the claim of team advisor Helmut Marko that Toro Rosso will become essentially a test team for Honda for the rest of 2018.

As the Austrian energy drinks giant looks to put itself in the best position to remain competitive with the Japanese manufacturer next season, Marko had suggested that any upgrades will be open to test in the back of the STR13's even if it incurs penalties for their drivers.

However, Horner insists that does not equate to simply giving up on Toro Rosso's season, despite sitting eighth in the Constructors' Championship and having failed to score since Monaco.

"I don't think we'll be pushing them [Honda] to sacrifice Toro Rosso," he told Motorsport.com.

"Obviously there are opportunities to learn for the benefit of the group, which ultimately Toro Rosso will benefit from as well.

"That's obviously something that remains open, but of course Toro Rosso has their own fight with the constructors they're competing with, that obviously has significant value to them."

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The recent lack of results and Pierre Gasly's acknowledgement that Honda is holding the junior team back against particularly their Ferrari-powered rivals at Sauber are causing some to wonder if Red Bull is making the right move.

"You can see that the performance of the engine is pretty close to where we currently are with our current supplier," Horner said, referring to Renault with claims of both units losing a second in performance at Silverstone.

"Of course, Toro Rosso have been running varying amounts of downforce at the past couple of venues."

For the Red Bull boss, it remains the potential of Honda that is justifying the team's decision.

"They seem to have the right goals and targets," he said. "We're looking forward to working with them in a much more collaborative manner as we move into this new relationship."

After Lewis Hamilton announced his contract extension on Thursday, now Valtteri Bottas has followed suit signing a new deal with Mercedes.

Again this was a largely expected move with motorsport boss Toto Wolff indicating his satisfaction with the Finn despite having seen bad luck intervene to cost him almost certain victories on several occasions this season.

The latest contract is believed to be for 2019 with the option of continuing in 2020, something that was important for Bottas, who has three wins to his name since joining at the start of 2017.

“It is great news that I will be racing for Mercedes in 2019 and it is nice to announce it here in Hockenheim – not just the home race for Mercedes but also the circuit where I took my first ever single-seater wins back in 2007," he said.

“This year, with a full winter of preparation, I have been able to make a good step forward – and I believe that there is still more to come. We have not been so lucky in the races this year but the team knows how I am performing, and this is a great sign of confidence in me and my driving.

“I enjoy working with the team, and also being teammates with Lewis – we have a good relationship, honest and straightforward, and always aiming to get the right results for Mercedes."

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With speculation over the future's of both drivers now resolved, the 28-year-old says the Brackley-based team can now fully focus on their tight battle with Ferrari for both championships, something he is keen to be a key contributor in.

“Obviously, my goal is to keep performing at a high level – and to make it a no-brainer for the team when it comes to deciding their plans for 2020 as well,” he added.

Ferrari academy member and Sauber reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi will make his first outing for the Swiss team at a Grand Prix weekend, replacing Marcus Ericsson for Practice 1 at Hockenheim on Friday.

The Italian has had to endure yet another year on the sidelines after falling behind Charles Leclerc in the junior ranks at the Scuderia and Haas refusing to consider him, potentially after a difficult two races with Sauber at the beginning of 2017 replacing Pascal Wehrlein.

Still, as speculation continues that the Monegasque may get a Ferrari promotion for next season, that could offer an opportunity for the former GP2 champion to get another chance on the F1 grid.

Asked about handing over his Sauber over to Giovinazzi, Ericsson is unconcerned thanks to his prior knowledge of the German track.

"Hockenheim is a track that I have driven many times, in F1 as well as in GP2 and Formula 3 when I was younger," said the Swede.

"It is a nice track. The biggest challenge is the last sector which can make or break your lap. It is important to have good speed in the straights and work your way through the hairpins in the first half of the lap well."

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Though both drivers failed to finish last time out at Silverstone, at Sauber, expectations have been increased thanks to five top 10's in seven races by Leclerc and also Ericsson starting to produce some better results as well.

"Hopefully we can build on the progress we have made in the last few races, and keep fighting for points," Charles added.

"I really look forward to going back there. It is great to have the German Grand Prix back on the calendar."

Sebastian Vettel believes there should be "no rush" in promoting Charles Leclerc to Ferrari as soon as 2019.

A series of strong performances by the Monegasque, scoring points in five of the last seven races, has led to speculation the Scuderia is seriously considering jumping the rookie straight into the seat alongside the four-time world champion.

However, Vettel is thought to be one of the key people to give the green light to such a decision and the German doesn't seem as keen to have the 20-year-old as his teammate.

“I think Charles, one way or the other, will have a great career. He is a great guy, he is fast and has everything," he told reporters at Hockenheim on Thursday.

“He has no rush. He is young, but if you are young you are always in a rush with everything!

“I don’t know when or what and ultimately who [my teammate will be]. But…it doesn’t really matter to me," Sebastian added. 

“For me it is clear where I am next year but I think both of them would suit into the team.”

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Those final comments don't detract from the obvious point that Vettel is more than willing to maintain the relationship he has with his current partner, Kimi Raikkonen, for another year.

“I would be happy to continue like that but it is not for me to mention, or to decide," he claimed.

“I like Kimi. We get along, and we have never had any issues. Sometimes on track I remember I drove into him and crashed into him, but the way we handle things is very similar and very straightforward.”

As for Leclerc himself, he continues to remain uninterested in the speculation, at least publicly.

"I don’t think it’s any good to distract myself with what could possibly happen next year," said the current Sauber driver.

"I think it’s important I stay focused on the job I have to do now. Hopefully I keep doing a good job with the team. And then we’ll see."

Daniel Ricciardo does believe he'll be starting the German Grand Prix near the back of the grid as he finally takes an engine penalty he has arguably held off since Canada.

An MGU-K problem en route to his victory in Monaco had many believing the Australian would be needing new elements as soon as the following race in Montreal, however, despite an exhaust problem in Austria, he has managed to go through the triple-header unscathed.

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His performances have been somewhat muted, however, and with two more races before the summer break, Red Bull are likely to choose this weekend to finally take the fourth unit for one simple reason.

“In Hockenheim, you can overtake, so we will probably install the new engine there,” Ricciardo told Speedweek.

Indeed, the long run to the Turn 6 hairpin has become known as one of the most eventful corners in F1 for overtaking and with at least 14 positions needed to be made up, from P20 to P6, it's the perfect place for the 'Honey Badger' to show off his skills once again.