Formula 1 gossip: Mercedes, Jenson Button, Sergio Perez

Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are worried the team will still be affected by the pace problems they suffered in Singapore at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. (Telegraph) 

Formula 1 will be "a poorer place" if Jenson Button, 35, retires from the sport, says former McLaren driver John Watson. (Sky Sports) 
Red Bull have warned they will pull out of F1 at the end of this season if they do not have a competitive engine. (Fox Sports) 
Force India's Sergio Perez has been linked with a potentially vacant seat at the Lotus F1 team, following Romain Grosjean's rumoured move to the Haas F1 team for 2016. (Formula Spy) 
Audi are prepared to withdraw from the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2017 in order to enter Formula 1 in 2018. (Car Magazine) 

 

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo tries his luck at sumo wrestling

Red Bull post pictures on Twitter  as Daniel Ricciardo prepares for the Japanese Grand Prix by trying sumo wrestling.
Lotus driver Romain Grosjean also gets in the Japanese spirit by trying some local food, although he is not sure what is in front of him. He writes on Twitter:  "I've no idea what we have just eaten... Idea/Help? Let's call it full immersion into the city."

Tuesday, 22 September

McLaren driver Jenson Button, 35, smiled and said his "head knows, but my mouth and tongue don't know" when asked if he will retire after the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. (Times - subscription required) 
Button said the "joy" he got from racing was "about fighting at the front" and the "possibility of standing on top of the podium" in light of McLaren's declining fortunes. (Daily Mirror) 
Button is already "demob happy", according to former F1 world champion Damon Hill amid rumours he plans to quit the sport. (Guardian) 
 
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has played down speculation linking them to a potential buyout by the VW Group, but did not entirely deny the talk of a collaboration from 2018. (Crash.net) 

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean has arrived in Tokyo and is already looking forward to this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix

Formula 1 gossip
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says the constructor will not panic despite their slump in performance at the Singapore Grand Prix. (Crash.net) 
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has conceded that constructor could face a financial shortfall as it heads into 2016 and they are "working hard" to improve their sponsorship portfolio. (Fox Sports)