An increasingly desperate Felipe Massa has once again pleaded his case to remain with Williams in 2018, following tests for Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta at Silverstone earlier this week.

The Brazilian's future with the team is looking increasingly insecure as the British outfit weighs up their alternatives for next season. Though no word was given on Di Resta's outing, the interest around the potential comeback of Kubica led Williams to describe his run on Wednesday as "successful" when asked for comment.

However, for the 37-year-old Massa, he insists the dynamic he has forged with young teammate Lance Stroll is enough to warrant his retention warning of difficulties should they replace him.

"It's frustrating that the team is trying to go in a direction that can really be much worse than keeping the same," he claimed. "If you see Lance is growing a lot, so, to be honest, I'm really doing a great job with my driving.

"I think the team has a direction that can just be positive to keep the way it is. If the team changes something, they can pay more than it costs to keep me! The team knows 100% what I am able to do."

Speculation has arisen that Kubica, a former Grand Prix winner before his career-changing rally crash in early 2011, brings not only the talent he possessed in his first career but also significant financial backing from his native Poland.

Previously, the 2008 championship runner-up has claimed he has those "who know about motorsport" behind him at Williams but concedes the decision may not be purely based on skill.

"I really like Paddy, and Paddy knows what is better for the team," Massa said referring to Technical Director Paddy Lowe who joined from Mercedes earlier this year.

"Maybe it's not 100% his decision, and they have to make a decision related to some other stuff. Unfortunately money is part of this game, unfortunately not in the right way, for the professional drivers, for the professional teams.

"That's why I think if Williams keeps the direction they have now, they are behaving like a professional and top team. If not, they're thinking about different things.

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The situation is very different to 12 months ago when Massa was ready to step aside and retire from F1 only to come back in January to allow Valtteri Bottas to join Mercedes.

Explaining why the former Ferrari driver said: "I feel really comfortable driving this car. The car from this year for my driving style is a very good connection.

"The car from maybe the last three years, without the grip, just going sideways with the terrible tyres, is not a great pleasure and maybe for my driving style, I cannot give the best for different issues.

"Now I can, and maybe when you feel you are giving the best that you can give, then you are more motivated. So I still believe I can give, that's why I want to carry on."

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Former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has claimed Williams should offer Robert Kubica the chance at a much-anticipated return in 2018, believing the Pole could offer a lot to the midfield team.

Earlier this week, the former Grand Prix winner completed what was dubbed a "successful" test in the 2014 car at Silverstone in what was an evaluation of Kubica's abilities both in terms of performance and physically due to the limitations he still has in his right arm.

His link with the Grove-based team comes after earlier runs with Renault in the summer, before the French manufacturer opted to make a deal for Carlos Sainz next season rather than take a risk.

Nevertheless, Ecclestone, who now holds the position of Chairman Emeritus, believes the man many thought of as a future champion a decade ago still has the talent.

"I think he can come back even stronger than before," the Briton told Motorsport.com. "Mentally, I think probably he will be more aggressive: so I can only see good, good things for him."

Currently, Kubica is one of three men being considered to partner Lance Stroll next season, with current driver Felipe Massa wanting to stay on for one more year and reserve driver Paul di Resta earning a chance after an impressive stand-in for the Brazilian in Hungary. 

The decision also comes as Williams looks to re-invigorate themselves after a year that has seen them fall further behind Force India and come under threat from the likes of Renault and McLaren.

Technical director Paddy Lowe is working on starting that turnaround next year with Ecclestone also seeing a key place for Kubica in the effort.

"If I were Williams, I would definitely try to persuade him to join. Maybe they are going to lose Massa at the end of the year, I should think he has probably had enough, and if Robert is on board then he might wake up a lot of people there," he commented.

"The team hasn't been performing as well as it should have done, and whether it is because of drivers or the team in general, I don't know. Nobody knows. So it would be nice to get a guy who should be quick in the car to find out."

Formula 1 Motorsport Director Ross Brawn has expressed disappointment at Force India implementing team orders to prevent their drivers racing in order to secure fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

The Silverstone-based outfit has been dealing with increased tension between Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon since the Canadian Grand Prix in June which has seen the two teammates collide on several occasions, most notably in Baku and twice at Spa.

The race in Belgium marked a tipping point as orders were introduced with the last round in Japan the first time they were needed as Perez was told to hold station behind his younger French partner.

At a time when new F1 owners Liberty Media are looking to improve the show, to see a potential sub-story to the main championship neutered is clearly not what they hope for no matter how understandable the circumstances, particularly as it pits a rising star against an established name.

“The Ocon-Perez line-up is a potent combination and the intense level of competition between them is bringing out the best in both,” former team boss Brawn commented. “Also, it’s simply great fun watching the inevitable battle develop between them each weekend.

“The two teammates found themselves racing one another again, but unlike previous recent occasions when this happened, the sparks didn’t fly. Some [at Force India] might regret the excitement that (their past fights) had delivered, but I’m sure the team were glad of a quieter afternoon in Suzuka at least.”

What is doubly frustrating about Force India's stance is the fact they hold fourth place in the championship by 81 points over Williams with midfield teams rarely scoring better than a fifth or sixth place finish meaning that position is 99% guaranteed.

Therefore with the two drivers in their own battle to claim the honour of best midfield driver in seventh in the Drivers' standings why not let them battle it out fairly?

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Regardless, looking at their run of results this season, Brawn was nothing but impressed why what the team, now a decade old, has managed.

“Suzuka was the 13th race of this campaign in which the team has seen both drivers score points,” he said, "which is an impressive achievement. I must congratulate them because they have shown that good organisation and effective use of available resources can deliver impressive results.”

Sebastian Vettel will keep fighting for the Formula 1 world championship while he still has a chance, according to current champion Nico Rosberg and former Williams reserve and wife of Mercedes motorsport boss Toto, Susie Wolff.

The German dropped 59 points behind Lewis Hamilton after a stretch of two retirements in three races and the third interrupted by engine issues forcing him to start at the back of the grid. 

With just four races left, it means, in theory, a fourth world title can belong to the Briton as soon as the United States Grand Prix next weekend, but Rosberg expects one last stand from Vettel and his team. 

"Ferrari always comes back strong," the 32-year-old said. "[But] it's so difficult for Sebastian now, Lewis has such momentum, everything is going in his direction.

"Sebastian needs a miracle to come back but he's a fighter and he won't give up. It will remain interesting so let's see how far he can take it."

Last weekend, while beginning in a temporary role as a pundit for Sky Sports in the UK, Nico was asked to evaluate his fellow countryman's season, despite its recent slump.

“I think he has done a very good season and has come pretty close to maximising everything that he could,” he commented.

The former Mercedes driver would also offer his views on the respective strengths and weaknesses of the four-time world champion.

“I would say his strengths are race speed and consistency in general. He is always there, always there on Sunday and doesn’t have the big downs," he claimed. "He can be just too hot-headed and too self-confident which in the long run is a strength of his but in some moments it can be a weakness because it boils over."

Talking to Sky Sports Italy, Susie Wolff would echo many of Rosberg's thoughts on the championship and look ahead to the remaining four races.

"When you consider how far away Ferrari was last year, it's been a great turnaround," she said. "In my view, Vettel was just unlucky, Ferrari has a very fast car and I can imagine the title race remaining open until the end.

"It's going to be very interesting because a couple of the circuits [coming up] are not Mercedes circuits or will suit the Ferrari more," the former DTM racer and now advocate for women in motorsport added.

"It's not like last year where it's quite clear what is going to happen so I think we'll see a huge fight."

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to keep pushing for victories at every race despite only needing four podium finishes to secure his fourth Formula 1 world title this season.

The Mercedes driver moved 59 points clear of main rival Sebastian Vettel following the German's second retirement in three races in Japan last weekend and, as a result, it is possible Hamilton could claim the crown as early as next Sunday at the United States Grand Prix.

If he did it would be for the second time in three years after also taking his third championship in Austin in 2015 and, commenting on his approach, he insisted there's no thought of taking it easy and even took a dig at his former teammate in the process.

“I just want to win every weekend,” the Briton stated. “Somebody mentioned something about Nico [Rosberg] only wanting to finish second. He was qualifying to get pole, he wasn’t qualifying to get second position but people looked upon it as if he drove to finish second, but he couldn’t get by because I was gone.

“For me, the goal is to continue to win races even if I don’t have to win another Grand Prix through the rest of the year. That’s the best way because I am still hunting it, I am not defending it.

"I’m still hunting and chasing that championship and until that last flag and I’ve actually got it sewn up then that’s what you’ve got keep doing. Push as much and push forward.”

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Hamilton also claimed his approach to racing means he had no reason to be more conservative or settle for second despite having very little to gain.

“I feel like I have a perfect balance on race weekends,” the 32-year-old said, “I guess my experience allows me to know when I have to push and when I have to hold back a little bit, and as you saw in the last race that’s what I do.

“But I arrive every race to win and I absolutely am not going to take silly risks. I’m sure you know I’m not one to take silly risks because I’m not often penalised for doing such things. I think it’s going to be fine.”

McLaren development driver and potential European Formula 3 champion, Lando Norris could be promoted the official reserve driver at the British team for 2018, should Jenson Button leave.

The 17-year-old thoroughly impressed on his first F1 outing with McLaren back in August when his pace was comparable to the current race drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne at the post-race test in Hungary.

That led to high praise from many pointing him out a future star and this weekend he is expected to follow current F1 drivers Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll in winning the European F3 title, sitting 72 points clear in the standings with just the three races left at Hockenheim.

Whether the position of McLaren reserve becomes available, however, depends on the 2009 world champion, who took the position after vacating his seat to Stoffel Vandoorne at the end of 2016. 

Button recently claimed he has no intention of returning to F1 but would like to race either in Japan's Super GT or in America full-time next year, meaning he would have to be relieved of the third driver role.

"He is an ambassador and we would be happy to keep working with him in a role that suits both parties but as far as racing is concerned we have nothing to offer to him," racing director Eric Boullier commented.

"If Jenson has no role here then, of course, we need a new [reserve] driver, we have to prepare. Lando could be one of them," he added. "If he wins Formula 3, which is very likely, then he will have enough points to get a superlicence."

Reserve driver duties for Norris would also sit in very well with the plan McLaren executive director Zak Brown has for the young Briton in 2018.

"Our current plan is to put him in Formula 2," he revealed. "I certainly think he's fast enough to be in Formula 1 but we don't want to rush things. He's definitely our star of the future and we won't put him in another Formula 1 team at this point."

Honda Formula 1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa has rubbished the notion limiting the number of engines allowed per season helps to reduce costs for both the teams and manufacturers.

This season, each driver could use four complete power units before incurring penalties, achieving that has been very difficult with only a handful yet to exceed their allocation and struggling to make them do so until the finale in Abu Dhabi. 

In 2018, that figure goes down again to just three engines and two ERS units to last what will be a 21-race calendar with the thinking being it is first good for sustainability to use less but also saves expenditure for customers buying them and the manufacturers on production.

Honda and their partner team McLaren have particularly struggled, earning penalties as soon as the third race in Bahrain and have used twice the number of permitted parts in most cases and the Japanese car giant insists the financial argument is flawed.

“Three engines is not making a cost reduction, so the teams are always encouraged to improve the performance of the three engines,” Hasegawa explained. “That’s why we have to put more budget for that. So if the FIA is aiming to reduce budget with the three engines it is completely the opposite side.”

He also denied thoughts his comments were based on the problems Honda have had, claiming next year's limit is possible to adhere by.

“Yes, [but] it is a very difficult challenge! Of course for Honda and some of the manufacturers, three engines is very difficult,” he claimed.

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Given the frustration at the number of engine penalties some teams have had to take and how many drivers have been impacted at each race, there have been calls for changes but McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier doubts it will.

“There is a rule in place now and it’s too late to change because we are obviously in October and this has been a known rule for a couple of years,” he said.

“Everyone has pushed very hard to make sure the engines are more reliable next year, doing more kilometres. So three engines, but I think two ERS pack, two MGU-K, that’s going to be very limiting. I think the rule is in place and we can’t change it now.”

On whether the penalties themselves could be altered, the Frenchman also doubts there will be action but revealed it is on the agenda.

“There is some consideration now to try to think of something different that is easier to understand, it could be financial, it could be something else or a mix between sporting and financial," he added.

“Debating now is too early, the discussion hasn’t even started yet, but it has been raised as a topic.”

Earlier speculation has been confirmed with Toro Rosso announcing former reserve driver Brendon Hartley will step in for Pierre Gasly at next weekend's United States Grand Prix. 

The Kiwi (pictured in the middle) was third driver for the energy drinks giant in 2009 and 2010 but was later dropped from the company stable, going on to become a test driver for Mercedes before eventually switching full time to the WEC, where he would become world champion alongside another former Red Bull driver Mark Webber and Timo Bernhard with Porsche in 2015.

The junior Red Bull team require another driver as Gasly, who only debuted back in Malaysia, will return to Suzuka to complete the Japanese Super Formula season and look to claim the title as he sits just half a point behind the championship leader Hiroaki Ishiura.

Also, Carlos Sainz ended his stint with the Toro Rosso team after the last race in Japan to move to Renault early after a loan deal was agreed as part of the McLaren engine swap, with Daniil Kvyat, whom Gasly replaced returning to take his seat.

A plethora of names have been suggested including another former Red Bull man Sebastien Buemi and even Robert Kubica, though that idea was quickly shot down, but Hartley is the man to get the nod.

“What an amazing feeling! This opportunity came as somewhat of a surprise, but I never did give up on my ambition and childhood dream to reach F1," the 27-year-old enthused.

"I have grown and learnt so much since the days when I was the Red Bull and Toro Rosso reserve driver, and the tough years I went through made me stronger and even more determined. I want to say a huge thanks to Red Bull for making this a reality, and to Porsche for allowing me to do this alongside the WEC.

"COTA is a track I really enjoy and one I have raced at recently. I'm trying not to put too many expectations on my F1 debut, but I feel ready for it.”

His championship positions in the WEC earn him the required points to have an F1 super-licence and if when he takes to the track he will become ninth driver from New Zealand to compete in F1 and the first since Mike Thackwell in 1984. 

It will only be a one-off appearance, however, with Gasly set to return in Mexico for the final three races. 

Three-time Formula 1 world champion and Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda has warned the sport could risk "destroying itself" if the push for safety is taken too far.

After decades of improvements to the cars and circuits, many people have drawn the line since it was announced Halo cockpit protection would be introduced from 2018, the first step towards ending open-wheel racing as we know it.

Though some argue the outrage at the decision back in June is temporary and eventually, Halo will be as accepted on an F1 car as a front or rear wing, many including Lauda believes this changes the fundamental DNA and that some risk has to remain.

“Don’t continue trying to make Formula 1 completely safe because people will lose interest in the end,” the Austrian told Graham Bensinger in a YouTube interview.

“These Formula 1 drivers should be the best drivers in the world, this is what people aim for. People do sometimes like to see accidents to see where the limits are, but as long they’re able to get out safe, I think this is what we have to achieve. If you go too far, I think F1 destroys itself.”

What makes Lauda's position on the matter more powerful is his own history. This was a man who cheated death in 1976 after a devastating crash on the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany, a crash that has left him scarred ever since.

Yet he sees the advances made in the decades since and acknowledges the sport of today would have been unimaginable during his 13-year career.

“The drivers of today, they come with their wife and kids, with the dog, and watch the race because there is no more danger,” he added. “We were always alone, we didn’t want our wife to come to the race and bring us home in a coffin.

“This was a different era and thank god F1 got much safer that this problem is reduced to nothing and I think it’s good for the sport."

Certainly, Niki would have been much happier if he had raced in 21st Century F1: "I would not have burned my ear, I would not have damaged myself at all and I would have 50 times more money. I would prefer to race today if I had the option, but I don’t have the option.” 

Former Ferrari technical chief and now motorsport director at the Formula One Group, Ross Brawn believes the Scuderia should remain "pleased" by the progress they have made in 2017 despite the problems of recent races.

It appeared as though the Italian team, thanks to Sebastian Vettel, would be able to maintain a year-long challenge to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after using this year's rule changes to emerge as a major threat to the recent domination of the German manufacturer. 

However, since the flyaways, their momentum has faltered with two retirements for Vettel in Singapore and Japan as well as engine problems blighting the last two races, giving the British driver a 59-point advantage with four races to go. 

"Having experienced reliability woes of this kind at first hand with various teams, I know how painful it can be to see the hard work of so many people undone in a moment," Brawn commented.

"I have some sympathy for Ferrari at this difficult time. The team comes under incredible pressure, especially at home, and it's easy for heads to drop but the key is to stay calm and focus on immediate goals."

Indeed, with the next big goal for the Maranello outfit to be to maintain their recent renaissance into 2018 and beyond, the Briton claims Ferrari should take heart from their performance this season as they look to end a decade-long wait for a title.

"However the season ends, Ferrari should be pleased with what it's achieved in 2017," Ross said. "For the first time in the hybrid era, Mercedes has come up against a rival capable of fighting for the title.

"It's been a long time since Ferrari have been as competitive and the problems of recent weeks haven't erased that fact."

That has also been the view of Vettel as, publicly at least, he has remained behind his team and backed them to continue moving forward.

More recently, he also played down the often outspoken words of the company President Sergio Marchionne, believing the reaction to them is overexaggerated.

"So I think whatever he says, he is usually very straightforward and he is right. There is always a reason for it, he is fair, but then people tend to make a little bit too much noise about it," the four-time champion said in an interview with Autosport.

"Whatever he says in the press, he is saying the same things inside the team and even more straightforward. So for people inside the team it's not a big news but for outside it always seems to be a big news, and then this can create a bit of unnecessary turbulences I would say."