The promoters of the Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom are considering tweaks to the circuit to promote better racing.

Since joining the schedule in 2014, the event, which takes place around the Olympic Park on the Black Sea coast, has become known for processional races with the Formula 1 cars struggling to follow closely through the technical sections prior to the DRS straights.

Also, a very smooth surface has meant tyre degradation is minimal which, as managing director of motorsport Ross Brawn has previously stated means "there are no performance differentials created".

The former Mercedes team boss is currently heading research into the different circuit designs to see how certain characteristics either help or hinder the drivers from going wheel-to-wheel.

"Fans know that because of the layout of the Sochi Autodrom, it is a bit short on overtaking," Alexey Titov, CEO of Rosgonki who now organise the GP told Motorsport.com.

"We are working with [F1 race director] Charlie Whiting, the FIA and FOM very closely and we want to try to change the situation by making some small technical tweaks."

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With space for alterations to the circuit layout limited, Titov admitted much of the focus would be on other areas.

"You won't necessarily see these from the grandstands or on the television, but we hope these tweaks will improve the sporting side of the races and we will have more overtaking," he explained.

"Theoretically it could be anything from widening or narrowing some parts of the track, to changing the asphalt which will affect the tyres differently. This can force teams to use different tactics."

This year, tyre supplier Pirelli has also tried to address the problem by introducing a new Hypersoft compound designed for low degradation and low grip tracks such as Sochi.

And though the Russian race has moved back to the end of September for 2018, it is likely that will be the only chance of improving the action with promoters admitting any work would have to wait until next year. 

Renault has become the fifth team to launch their car ahead of the new Formula 1 season, unveiling the R.S.18 on Tuesday.

The French manufacturer enjoyed a much stronger second year back as a works team in 2017, moving up from the back of the grid to regularly challenging Force India as the top midfield team.

Struggles for Jolyon Palmer and poor reliability, however, meant the Enstone-based team only just beat Toro Rosso to sixth in the constructors' championship at the finale in Abu Dhabi and ensuring a competitive engine is the main aim for this season.

Gallrery: Renault R.S.18 launch

Managing director Cyril Abiteboul has continually played down expectations for 2018, considering it as the final year of rebuilding before they can regularly challenge the top three teams for wins.

This year, Renault also faces the prospect of being the least competitive of the three teams using their engine, with Red Bull still a step or two ahead but also now McLaren hoping a switch from Honda can vault them back into contention.

Late last year, Carlos Sainz was drafted in alongside the always dependable Nico Hulkenberg with the Spaniard on loan from the Red Bull program. Together the two drivers form a very strong line-up which will look to take on the likes of Force India and Williams for top midfield honours.

Brazilian oil company Petrobras is to return to Formula 1 in 2019 in a technical partnership with McLaren, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

The tie-up had been expected with rumours of a deal going around and will see Petrobras supply the British team with their fuel, oil and lubricants as well as the sharing of new technologies between the two parties.

Commenting on what executive director Zak Brown hopes to be the first of many new sponsors and partners in the coming year, he spoke of the historical link between F1, McLaren and the South American country.

"Brazil’s passion for F1 is legendary and the country has produced some of the most iconic names in F1 history," he claimed. "We are delighted to deepen our relationship with Brazilian F1 fans through our partnership with Petrobras, a flagship brand for the nation.

"Petrobras is an ambitious organisation and we look forward to McLaren being an accelerator and enhancer in their brand-building efforts."

The partnership comes at a key moment for McLaren, who are anticipating a significant jump in competitiveness in 2018 thanks to a switch to Renault engines after splitting with Honda.

In recent years, the development of fuels and lubricants has become very important to extract optimum performance from the hybrid power units and that has made F1 an attractive option for Petrobras once again.

"The technologies developed for F1 will be transferred to the products we offer our customers and being at the forefront of fuel and lubricant development is of value to our company, its shareholders and customers," CEO Pedro Parente stated.

While it may have all looked serene on social media, reports claim Daniel Ricciardo was unable to complete the full shakedown of the new Red Bull RB14 after a minor crash at Silverstone on Monday.

The Australian was behind the wheel of the 2018 car, featuring a one-off camo livery, on a typically cold and wet February day at the British circuit but would go off in the tricky conditions damaging the floor and front wing, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

While nothing significant it is a small setback for the Milton Keynes outfit who are hoping to get a head start before pre-season testing begins in Barcelona, with slow starts in recent years hampering competitiveness.

Prior to the launch of the RB14, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko played down the team's title hopes, believing Mercedes' new engine for this season could give them an even bigger advantage, team boss Christian Horner, however, was more optimistic.

"If we've learned the lessons of last year, and if reliability improves, then I see no reason why we shouldn't be on par," the Briton was quoted by F1i.com.

Adding on to his earlier comments Marko has since gone on to suggest a deal with Honda for engines in 2019 could be signed within six months.

"So far we're positively surprised by Honda, also in terms of their dedication and enthusiasm," the Austrian said. "According to the test stands, the engine is reliable. I think it will be possible for the engine to catch up to Renault level by midseason.

"The regulations have changed so that you have to announce what engine you want to compete with the following year by the summer," he added. "We will analyse thoroughly and then make a decision."

While results on track have continually improved, off it Force India's situation is less certain with a report claiming talks are being held over a potential takeover.

The Silverstone-based team is yet to confirm a launch date for its VJM11 with testing less than a week away but have confirmed they will be in Barcelona with development driver Nikita Mazepin behind the wheel on Monday.

This comes amid talks of a name change for 2018 and as founder and team boss Vijay Mallya continues his ongoing legal battle with the Indian government who seek his extradition from the UK, where he has been forced to stay for over a year.

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The future of Force India has never been doubted amid the ongoing off-track situation but Mallya is believed to be wanting to sell with British energy drinks firm Rich Energy now interested, according to the Daily Mail.

A figure of around £200m is being mentioned for the team with Rich Energy having ties in football, the hotel industry and in F1 thanks to a partnership with the Monaco Grand Prix.

Always known as one of the smaller budgeted outfits on the grid, despite finishing fourth in the constructors' championship the last two seasons, it will be interesting to see if there is any impact on their competitiveness this year. 

Sauber has become the fourth team to reveal their 2018 car, the C37, featuring an all-new livery as part of their new partnership with Alfa Romeo.

The Swiss team endured a difficult season last year, slipping to the bottom of the constructors' championship and scoring just five points but, with the Hinwil operation gathering speed after recent problems and the latest Ferrari engine, expectations are high for a much improved year ahead.

Gallery:  Alfa Romeo Sauber C37

Alfa's return to Formula 1 for the first time in 33 years as title sponsor and technical partner is part of the enhanced relationship with Ferrari, with both brands coming under the Fiat umbrella, as is the arrival of F2 champion Charles Leclerc alongside Marcus Ericsson.

Team principal Fred Vasseur suggested last year that very little of last year's design would be carried over to 2018 and certainly, the C37 does look a step forward from last year, although compared to the other cars seen so far, the Sauber is the most basic.

Toro Rosso has published the first official photo of its new STR13 after completing a filming day at Misano on Wednesday.

Not scheduled to be launched until Monday, an earlier image of Pierre Gasly behind the wheel was leaked by RaceSport with the junior Red Bull team later tweeting the photo above.

The 2018 car is the first Toro Rosso to be powered by a Honda engine, after agreeing to take on the Japanese manufacturer following McLaren's decision to switch to Renault after three difficult years.

Strong progress by Honda in the second half of last season and a continued development of the same engine philosophy mean expectations are high that the problems from 2017 have been resolved.

Also Read:

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The Italian team is continuing with the same line-up which ended last year with former GP2 champion Gasly alongside Brendon Hartley, who was given a second chance in the Red Bull program after replacing Carlos Sainz.

Toro Rosso dropped to seventh in the constructors' championship at the season finale in Abu Dhabi last November but, as the works team for Honda, are confident they can surprise many and challenge at the front of the midfield.

Valtteri Bottas has revealed he successfully completed a full race-style scenario in the Mercedes simulator without any problems caused by the Halo.

The Finn was at Brackley driving a virtual W09 ahead of pre-season testing which begins in Barcelona in a week's time, with the car itself to be launched on Thursday.

During that session, Bottas would replicate a race start, with some concerned the cockpit device could obscure vision of starting lights and pit-stops, where Fernando Alonso suggested the procedures may need to be altered.

"I’ve done a race simulation already with the Halo, and I have to say during the race I never noticed it anymore,” the Mercedes driver told The Flying Lap. “Once you get used to it it’s there and you get used to it, I think that’s going to be the same for the spectators.

"Initially, it’s something new, it looks different – some people say it’s not nice at all but I think it’s only a matter of time everyone will get used to it, and if it can avoid even one injury it’s a good device."

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Following the launch of two cars late last week, Inside Racing conducted a poll via Facebook to ask if visual concerns due to Halo had been eased with the first designs with 68% voting 'no'.

One 2018 car revealed was the Williams and technical director Paddy Lowe admits he is frustrated that the argument over its look is overshadowing the main purpose.

“It’s all in a good direction and positive for the safety of the sport,” he told ESPN. “It’s been, for me, the remaining major risk in the sport and one that hopefully we’ve largely closed off.

“The only objection we’ve had is one of aesthetics, which frankly has been a bit frustrating. None of us would want to be in teams where there has been a casualty. I think this device will solve that problem.

“Therefore, while we may work in due course on the aesthetics, I don’t see there will be a great urgency to radically change what we have.”

Having seen the continuing progression of Renault in the off-season, Nico Hulkenberg is ready for "exciting times ahead" with the French manufacturer in 2018.

On Tuesday, the team became the fifth to reveal their latest car, the R.S.18, which they hope can continue the strong upward trend as part of their long-term goal to be challenging for wins and the championship.

Though those expectations may still be a year or two away, the German, who joined 12 months ago based on the potential of the Renault project, still has high hopes of building on the sixth place in last year's constructors' championship.

“When I have visited Enstone and seen everything going on with the development of the R.S.18, I’m very enthused about the season ahead,” he proclaimed.

“Add that to the news from Viry about the development of the power unit and everything looks and sounds good; it’s all positive and there are exciting times ahead."

The engine is the main topic of debate for many when considering the hopes of Renault and their customers this season, as they have remained unable to close the gap to their rivals at Mercedes and Ferrari and have struggled for reliability.

Also Read:

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The works team also faces the potential to be slower than both their customers, Red Bull and now McLaren, but for managing director Cyril Abiteboul his focus is elsewhere.

"We want to be able to showcase our progression in every regard; power unit, chassis, operations and drivers, everything must improve and we must continue to grow," he said.

"We want to demonstrate this in many different ways, from the teams we will be directly racing against, to the gap to the leaders, including also our fan base and the respect that our team will inspire in our way we behave on and off track.”

Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko remains worried an underperforming Renault engine will stop Red Bull challenging for the Formula 1 title in 2018.

The Anglo-Austrian team, who launched their new car on Monday, is under pressure to put up a stronger fight against Ferrari and Mercedes following another troubled start to last year which left both drivers frustrated at the lack of competitiveness.

As the car was developed and the gap closed, however, the power deficit and poor reliability from the French manufacturer's engine, branded as TAG Heuer, remained the main weakness, as it has throughout the V6 hybrid era.

"The Renault engine should be more reliable and powerful in 2018, and we'll be fighting with a competitive chassis at the outset," Marko claimed, talking to Auto Motor und Sport.

"But Mercedes is producing a new engine, so the question is whether they'll have an even bigger advantage. If the engine does what we're promised, then we should be a lot closer to Mercedes."

Also Read:

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Marko does see one positive, however, believing the need to treat both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen equally could work for Red Bull, while their rivals seemingly favouring one driver over the other.

"If you have two equally strong drivers, they both go for maximum performance and they push the technicians and the chassis to peak performance," he suggested. "But when you have only one driver that goes to the limit, you do not know where you really are."

Though hopeful of being in the mix for wins more regularly in 2018, the always blunt Austrian would conclude: "I don't think we're in a situation where we can already go for the world championship."