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New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley will be hoping an engine upgrade can help save his Formula 1 career as speculation mounts he will be axed by his Toro Rosso team.
Hartley finished out of the points again at the last stop in Singapore, finishing 17th and leaving him with just two points from 15 races this year.
He is under orders to ‘‘improve or else’’ though he’s had little help from an underpowered Honda engine.
‘‘We definitely need some upgrades,’’ Hartley said after last Sunday’s Singapore disappointment. It seems he’s about to get his wish.
Reports say Toro Rosso will rush those upgrades in for the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi on October 30 and take the grid penalties with an eye to being more competitive for Honda’s home grand prix in Japan the following week.
Toro Rosso haven’t upgraded since July and there are suggestions their engines are providing only 930hp, while Renault produce 950hp and Mercedes and Ferrari are over the 1000 mark.
‘‘We haven’t had an update for a long time, it seems like the other teams have improved a bit more than us,’’ Hartley said yesterday. ‘‘The last update we brought, which was Austria, didn’t bring us much performance. That was a long time ago, so we are craving another.’’
More speed can’t come fast enough for Hartley who has just six races left to prove his worth.
Sky Sport in the UK suggest Russian Daniil Kvyat, a development driver for Ferrari, could be heading back to Toro Rosso for a third spell as a replacement for the departing Pierre Gasly.
When it comes to the team’s No 2 seat for 2019, they report that ‘‘few in the paddock believe Brendon Hartley will be retained and the new favourite for the expected vacancy is Pascal Wehrlein, who was released from his association with Mercedes earlier this week’’. The All Blacks will respect Japanese culture by covering up tattoos as requested by Rugby World Cup 2019 directors and World Rugby.
Teams and supporters have been warned they need to cover tattoos in public to avoid causing offence to the Japanese.
Players have been asked by World Rugby to wear rash vests when they use public gyms or swimming pools, as tattoos are associated in Japan with Yakuza, the Japanese mafia.
New Zealand Rugby chief rugby officer Nigel Cass said the All Blacks always respect local customs and cultures when touring.
Several current All Blacks have tattoos; Sonny Bill Williams, TJ Perenara, Codie Taylor and Aaron Smith among therm.
Often tattoos are a cultural badge the players have chosen, whether Ma¯ori, Pacific Island or another culture.
However, players will cover up as requested, Cass said.
Teams have also been told they need to respect local culture by wearing different footwear indoors from outdoors.
Tournament director Alan Gilpin said teams had shown no objection when told about the need to cover tattoos.
Former All Black Elliot Dixon, who plays for Japanese club the Ricoh Black Lambs, told Stuff yesterday he had not encountered negative feedback about his Maori ta¯ moko tattoos.