Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest news regarding Formula 1 on Thursday, February 11.

Thursday morning's Formula 1 news roundup

Ferrari to make 'life difficult for Mercedes' - Rossi

Ferrari needs to join Red Bull in making "life difficult for Mercedes" in 2021.

That is the view of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who made headlines in Formula 1 recently as more details of his near-F1 debut over a decade ago came to light.

"I did a series of tests for Ferrari and we then sat down with the team management who had drawn up a very comprehensive plan to prepare me for a career in Formula 1," Rossi, now 41, tells Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"However, that plan said I had to drive a slower car first, and that initially I should be a test driver. That's why I decided to decline the offer."

The Italian also commented on Ferrari's recovery this season following its 2020 performance slump, amid reports the team is preparing a significant engine evolution.

"I like Ferrari and I like Charles Leclerc. I think Charles is one of the strongest drivers on the grid," Rossi said.

"Ferrari has the people it needs to win races, now all they need to do in Maranello is build a car to get the job done.

"Putting the world champions, Mercedes, in danger is a challenge for all of the others. Like Red Bull, Ferrari must position itself to make life difficult for them," he insisted.

F1 'still debating' 2025 engine format - Brown

F1's engine regulations for the future remain completely up in the air, according to McLaren supremo Zak Brown.

His comments come as Formula 1 announced that it is "creating a clear path towards sustainably fuelled hybrid engines, something that will be of significant importance to not only the sport but the automotive sector".

However, Brown says even the fundamentals of the new engine rules for 2025 and beyond remain unclear.

"I think everyone is still debating (that)," he told the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

"Is it electric? Is it some form of hybrid? Is it even hydrogen? What I'm comfortable in is that F1 will continue to develop in whichever way the world goes," Brown added.

"I'm not worried about whether F1 will be out of date in ten years. F1 always moves with the times."

As for McLaren, Brown said he expects 2021 to be similar to 2020 - an intense midfield fight for third place behind the fastest two teams Mercedes and Red Bull.

"We could find ourselves closer to Mercedes, which is what we hope to accomplish, but also slipping to fifth in the championship, so it's going to be too close to call," he said.

Despite the lack of pre-season testing, McLaren is pushing ahead with its move from Renault to Mercedes power for 2021.

"Any time you're making a substantial change, you run the risk of reliability and installation (issues), and just understanding the transition," Brown said.

"Compounding that with the reduction in testing, we are excited but also nervous that we're going into the season with the least amount of time we're allowed to prepare on track. It's not ideal, but I feel we're well prepared."

More news from Formula 1:

Formula One teams to vote on whether sprint races should be introduced
Bosses have put forward the idea of holding a shorter race on Saturday. Read more.

Report - No more pre-race 'kneeling' in 2021?
The rainbow signage, the 'End Racism' messaging, and the pre-race kneeling look set to all be a thing of the past once F1 gets up and racing in 2021. Read more.

Hamilton to 'explore options' in 2021 - Albers
Lewis Hamilton's farcically-delayed contract negotiations were all about money. Read more.

Montreal 'open' to Saturday sprint race idea
Canadian GP promoter Francois Dumontier is "open" to Formula 1's plan to trial a new Saturday sprint race format this season. Read more.

Spanish GP fans want 'return to normalcy'
Barcelona circuit boss Josep Lluis Santamaria is hoping to welcome spectators to the Spanish GP on 9 May. Read more.

Vettel to get car handling he needs to shine - boss
Aston Martin will do "everything we can" to give Sebastian Vettel a car that handles to his liking, according to team boss Otmar Szafnauer. Read more.

2021 last shot at Formula 1 seat - Lundgaard
Renault junior Christian Lundgaard admits 2021 may be his final chance to prove he deserves to step up to Formula 1. Read more.