Motorsport Debrief: Kvyat benched, as Gasly gets Toro Rosso chance

Hi, this is Motorsport.com’s Global Editor-in-Chief Charles Bradley and I hope you’re well. Let’s take a high-speed look around the F1 world – starting with a driver change for this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, and a new face making his Grand Prix debut.

Toro Rosso has confirmed that Pierre Gasly will replace Daniil Kvyat at the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend.

Photo by: LAT Images

With the Faenza-based team eager to evaluate Gasly on a race weekend, the team has elected to rest Kvyat for the next few races. Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost said the decision to bench him came as the result of ongoing frustrations, which included a crash in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Tost said: "Scuderia Toro Rosso was established by Red Bull to bring youngsters from its Junior Programme into Formula 1 and that's what we are doing by giving Pierre this chance.

"He is the next in line at Red Bull for this opportunity and he has shown that he deserves it, having taken the 2016 GP2 title and this year being very competitive in the Super Formula series in Japan.

"He really has a valid chance of winning the title, as he is only half a point behind the leader. The driver switch gives us an opportunity to make a more informed decision regarding our 2018 driver choices.”

Zak Brown, Executive Director, McLaren, Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport F1 Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

McLaren open to compromise on special payment

McLaren would be open to compromising on receiving its special payment as part of an overhaul of Formula 1's revenue distribution, according to its executive director Zak Brown.

Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren agreed deals for constructors' championship bonus (CCB) payments from the commercial rights holder.

In 2017, McLaren's payment is around $30million, compared to $35m for Ferrari and $39m each for Red Bull and Mercedes.

Brown said McLaren backs the idea of a budget cap in order to level the playing field, even if that means it may have to give up its bonus payment: "Speaking for McLaren, we're a fan of budget caps," he said. "We think it's important. Most other sports have it and it will equal the playing field.

"And we recognise that means we're one of the four teams that get special payments, [and] that might mean some compromise – but we feel if the sport is healthier ultimately that will benefit all of us.”

FIA Safety Director Laurent Mekies and F1 Technical and Sporting Coordinator Marcin Budkowski.

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

FIA's F1 technical department boss Budkowski resigns

Marcin Budkowski, the head of the FIA's F1 technical department, has resigned with immediate effect.

Budkowski was regarded as a rising star in the FIA, and was a key part of the new generation who will eventually replace the likes of Charlie Whiting and Jo Bauer. He has now been placed on three months of gardening leave by the FIA, and it is not known what his immediate plans are.

His FIA role gave him extensive access to privileged technical information from teams and engine suppliers, including R&D ideas that are typically run past the FIA before being put into production. Budkowski has previously worked for both Ferrari and McLaren. 

Photo by: Sutton Images

Williams posts profit in first half of 2017

The Williams Formula 1 team made a profit of more than £10.4million during the first half of 2017, according to its latest financial results.

Williams took a hit financially to improve its competitive standing in F1 in 2014, the team finishing third in the constructors' championship that season and in 2015 to help the outfit return to profitability.

Despite finishing fifth in the constructors' championship last year, and subsequently taking a drop in prize money, Williams has been boosted by funding from Lance Stroll's billionaire father Lawrence and additional sponsors.

The team's interim financial results show a pre-tax (EBITDA) profit of £10.1million for the F1 side of the business over the first six months of the year, compared to £4.1million during the same period in 2016.

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That’s it for today’s Motorsport Debrief, we’ll be back again tomorrow.