FORMULA 1 - 2012

[MIKA27]

Red Bull invoices Lotus for 'fire services'

Red Bull once again proved they're a funny bunch of people after they sent Lotus an invoice for 'outsourced fire services' following the teams Malaysian GP hospitality blaze.

The fire tore though the teams hospitality unit during the early hours of the morning following an electrical fault with the teams refrigerator.

Red Bull team members helped to put the fire under control, but nothing comes free in Formula 1. An invoice landed in Lotus's inbox from the double championship winning team, demanding payment for the sum of $4,910 to cover labour, laundry and an overseas roaming charge among others.

Of course the invoice was meant in jest, and Lotus took it for what it was, with a statement on the teams website summing it up perfectly: "As a lighter twist on things we would particularly like to thank Red Bull for the following letter, which we think sums up the atmosphere amongst the teams perfectly."

Here is a copy of the invoice sent to Lotus:

[MIKA27]

RED BULL DUO COLLECT AWARDS, AS VETEL STICKS TO HIS GUNS:

Adrian Newey, Formula 1's foremost designer of the past two decades, was recognised on a national scale this week when he collected his OBE from the Queen at Windsor Castle.

Red Bull Racing's chief technical officer was recognised for his services to motorsport during a career that has seen him design multiple championship-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and now his current team. Newey had been honoured in the same New Years Honours List as Nigel Mansell who took the designer's Williams FW14B to the 1992 drivers' title the 31-time grand prix winner having received a CBE for his role as president of the young people's charity UK Youth. The 58-year-old joined current F1 team owners Ron Dennis, Tony Fernandes and Sir Frank Williams in having received that particular honour.

Newey hasn't been the only key Red Bull figure picking up an award, however, as world champion Sebastian Vettel was in Paris to collect a prestigious prize from the French Academy of Sports for the most outstanding sporting achievement of 2011. Awards to the best sports people in France and beyond have been handed out by the body since 1911 and past F1 winners have included Juan Manuel Fangio (1957), Jim Clark (1965), Jackie Stewart (1973), Niki Lauda (1977), Alain Prost (1989) and Michael Schumacher (2001). FIA president Jean Todt was also in attendance at Monday's ceremony

During his appearance in France, Vettel also spoke for the first time in public since his outburst against Narain Karthikeyan at Sepang in the aftermath of the puncture that dropped him out of fourth place late on. Although his use of the word 'idiot' in relation to the HRT driver in his post-race interview with the BBC prompted a wave of headlines, which were followed by ones for Karthikeyan's forthright response, Vettel believes he has nothing to regret.

"To lose a solid fourth place in the points, that is naturally disappointing," he was quoted as saying by Sport Bild. "Sometimes you let the emotion show and I don't think someone should be ashamed about that. This is part of the sport." Vettel's outburst was unsurprisingly played down by his team principal Christian Horner in recent days, with the world champion team's overrding concern in the break between races undoubtedly working out how to get more performance out of the RB8 for China, particularly in the team's previous stronghold of qualifying.

[MIKA27]

Vergne keen to improve further

After claiming his first points in only his second F1 race, Jean-Eric Vergne can't wait to get to China to "have another go".

Having narrowly missed out on a point in his debut grand prix in Australia after finishing P11, the French rookie was faultless during torrid conditions at the Malaysian Grand Prix a week later and finished P8.

The 21-year-old Vergne is eager to head to Shanghai in a fortnight so that he can improve even further.

"Getting my first points in F1 feels great," he told the official Toro Rosso website.

"I'm eager to go to Shanghai and have another go. I think I've made a couple of mistakes in the first two races, so I'm keen to get to China and be stronger."

Vergne's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo opened his F1 account in Australia with a P9 and the Frenchman believes it proves that the Faenza-based squad's STR7 is a good car.

"We've done two races now and scored some points," he said.

"I think what we come away with from those first two flyaways is a belief that the car is good. As the season goes on everyone will have a programme of development but it's good to have a solid basis on which to work. I'm confident we can have more good results and get even stronger."

[MIKA27]

Seb determined to bounce back

Sebastian Vettel is determined to come back stronger at the next two races, saying Red Bull "should be in good shape".

Unlike in 2011 when he started the season with two pole positions and two race wins, the German has found life much tougher so far this campaign as he is yet to make it onto the second row of the grid, let alone the front.

Although he finished P2 in Australia he was well off the pace of winner Jenson Button while in Malaysia he finished P11 after a collision with HRT's Narain Karthikeyan during the latter stages of the race.

Red Bull, though, are determined to bounce back at the next two races in China and Bahrain and Vettel is upbeat about their chances.

"I'm confident for the next two races," the two-time World Champion is quoted as saying by AFP.

"We had a good race in Australia and in Malaysia it was a bit chaotic.

"It's a shame I didn't get a point in Malaysia."

He added: "There are a lot of races to come and we should be in good shape.

"Today I had a couple of hours in our simulator in order to prepare for China and Bahrain. However, we have to prove it on the circuits themselves."

[MIKA27]

Q&A with Romain Grosjean

Romain Grosjean reflects on his two DNFs in Australia and Malaysia and looks ahead to the upgrades to the E20.

Q. After some time to pause and reflect, how do you feel things are going now we're two races in to the season?

RG: "We can certainly say that we have good performance from the car. We've got through to Q3 at both races so the car is performing very well. We were able to fight for the front row in qualifying and the pace in the race is very good. In China I hope we can have a more standard race with everything in order with regards to the start, the race - and not a crazy amount of water on track as we did at Sepang - and we can finally achieve the good result which we are capable of."

Q. Two short races - is this now an issue for you?

RG: "When you make mistakes you have to admit it and not repeat that mistake. When it's not your fault - well it's not your fault. The first two races were tough and we didn't get a result. On the other hand I know that we can do some great things in the future races. My season starts properly in China."

Q. What do you think of the Shanghai circuit?

RG: "It will be my first time driving the circuit. I've been watching some on-board videos and it looks pretty nice. I hope it will suit the E20. We have a new package which will hopefully be beneficial. I'm looking forward to discovering another new circuit. There are plenty of good, interesting corners by the looks of it. If we get a good result I'm sure it will become a track that I love."

Q. How excited are you about a new aerodynamic package coming for the E20?

RG: "It's great to see how much the factory is behind us and working very hard to give us updates. We've had a promising start to the season and we all want to get the best in every area, so a new aerodynamic package is quite exciting; I can't wait to see how it looks and then experience how it feels on track. Then, most importantly, I want to see the lap time gain."

Q. Now you've had some decent track time at two Grands Prix, how comfortable are you feeling with the car and how close are you to delivering 100% from the interaction between you and the E20?

RG: "The E20 gives me a great feeling. We have seen some interesting things in Malaysia and we are always learning more about how it reacts. We gained a very good impression at Australia and Malaysia. We have a few areas where we know what to do and a few areas where we know what not to do in terms of set-up. I'm sure for Shanghai we will be able to find the best set-up quicker than at the first two races. I think there is still scope for me to feel more comfortable and confident with the E20, but it's a very nice car to drive and with the new aero package it should be even better; then with all subsequent packages better and better...

Q. How intense did you find the first two races with your return as a Formula 1 race driver and the back-to-back nature of the two Grands Prix?

RG: "A race weekend takes a lot of time and a lot of energy. But when you are in the car, the adrenalin takes over and you never feel tired. When you get back home, you normally need a bit of a rest. You relax and it's then that you feel tired. Over the race weekend there's so much happening that you don't have time to feel tired."

Q. Compared to last year, where do you think we are in the relative order?

RG: "We're definitely a step forwards, we just need to be able to show this in a normal race. We've seen that we are looking good in qualifying where we've been either the second or third fastest team which is very good. There are a few areas we need to improve in the race but we are definitely on course this season."

[MIKA27]

Sauber looking for qualifying boost

Determined to "push on" after their success in Malaysia, Sauber have set their sights on improving their qualifying pace at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The Hinwil squad are on a high after Sergio Perez stormed form ninth on the grid to finish second behind Fernando Alonso at Sepang last weekend.

The team, though, don't want their race-day success to paper over the cracks over their qualifying problems.

Kamui Kobayashia and Perez qualified 13th and 22nd respectively in Australia while in Malaysia the Mexican just about made it into Q3 while his team-mate was down in 17th place.

Sauber's chief designer Matt Morris admits they are not where they want to be in terms of qualifying pace at the moment.

"I think we have a better balance between qualifying and the race, but we still need to find more performance in qualifying because we are not qualifying where the pace of the car is," he told Autosport.

"That is something that we accept and are concentrating on now."

He added: "There are lots of things you can do in terms of set-up. There are also some parts that we will bring to Shanghai to test, as it will be a lot cooler there than it was in Malaysia.

"Clearly we have a competitive car, and we have to keep the momentum up now. We need to push on and score some more points - because to have what we have already got after the first two races is a dream start for us."

[MIKA27]

Miffed RBR send manager to backmarkers

Red Bull's advisor Helmut Marko says the team have sent their manager to Marussia and HRT after Sebastian Vettel's run-in with Narain Karthikeyan in Malaysia.

World Champion Vettel's frustrations got the better of him at Sepang after he finished P11 following a collision with the HRT driver.

The German showed his middle finger to Karthikeyan shortly after the incident and then called him a "cucumber" during an interview, adding "just like on the normal roads you have some idiots driving around, it seems like there is also one driving here".

The Indian driver was punished by the stewards for causing the collision, but that clearly wasn't enough for Red Bull as they asked their team manager to have a word with HRT and Marussia.

"We have told our team manager to talk to both Marussia and HRT about getting their drivers to pay more attention," Marko told Austria's Servus TV.

He added: "They drive in a different league, they are six or eight seconds slower, and so they need to watch out more.

"The 12 points which Vettel lost could be crucial in the World Championship."

MIKA: RBR seriously need to get over it (Considering Vettel caused his own demise if you look at replay footage) rather than continue complaining about it..

[MIKA27]

Jense loving life at 'passionate' McLaren

Jenson Button admits he is enjoying life at McLaren, saying he is not thinking about quitting and will stay at the Woking squad for the "next few years".

With a Formula One World Championship already in the bag following his success at Brawn GP in 2009, the 32-year-old could be forgiven for thinking about retirement.

The thought of calling it a day has not crossed his mind though - and who can blame him as everything is falling into place at McLaren.

"Driving a good car always helps," Button, who won the season opening race in Australia, is quoted as saying by PA Sport.

"And when you're able to fight for victories it makes a massive difference, in particular after you've been racing for 12 to 13 years in the sport. Because I'm racing for McLaren, it's a team that has achieved so much in its career in Formula One.

"Even if we have an uncompetitive car, you still believe in the future you will get a competitive car. You don't immediately think 'well, I've had some great times, it is time to leave'.

"You still feel strongly about building up the team and fighting for a World Championship again. If we get a bad car over the next couple of years it's not going to make me think 'it's time to give up now'.

"I'll still have fight in me and I'll want to get back to winning ways. But right now, I can't see a time when I might stop."

Button, who signed a new long-term contract with the Woking squad last year, says he is in for the long haul at a "passionate" McLaren team.

"I do feel very good here," he said.

"We've a great atmosphere, everyone thinks it's a very cold, very grey team. I was expecting that a little bit when I arrived, but at that point I knew they normally build good cars and their history is very exciting.

"But there is a great passion here. People talk about Ferrari and them being very passionate, and they are. But I don't think most people realise how passionate this team is, and how much they want to achieve.

"So I'm very happy here, and you never know what's going to happen in the future. I'm not going to sign my life away, but I'll stay here for the next few years, definitely. I'm going to be here."

[MIKA27]

On the front line: Pit stops with Marc Priestley:

Pit stops can mean the difference between winning a race and finishing last. The men and women behind the drivers are often quickly forgotten, but their role is just as important.

Former McLaren race mechanic Marc Priestley takes a look at the highly pressurised moment a driver careers into a box no bigger than his car at 100km/h, in the hope of being there for just three seconds.

Although far from the 'god like' hero worshipped status current Formula One drivers enjoy, it's easy to forget about the important role each team's pit stop crew play in each grand prix. The mechanics, truckies, data engineers, electricians and support staff can all have a direct effect on the outcome of a race with their individual and collective performances during a stop. They're as much competitors as the drivers are and can often gain or lose significant amounts of time between lights out and the chequered flag for a team.

Aside from the obviously crucial jobs each of these faceless people perform in the build up to, during and post each grand prix in preparing and maintaining the garages, cars and the infrastructure required to run them, they all come together for a couple of brief, but seamlessly choreographed moments in the middle of each race, competing directly against their counterparts and friends in the same positions at rival teams.

There have been times, particularly in the not too distant past, where the format of F1 has produced some pretty tedious and processional racing with the only realistic opportunity for overtaking being during the pitstop fazes of each GP. There's an awful lot of pressure on the 'ordinary' people waiting, poised in pit lane for their car to arrive to carry out their respective tasks quickly and yet faultlessly while the world watches. The truth is, pitstops are rarely talked about as being responsible for winning races, but they can very easily be pin pointed as the reason it all went wrong!

During my near decade as a grand prix mechanic at McLaren, I was involved in close to a thousand 'live' pit stops, not to mention the practice ones totaling many thousands more. By the time I left the race team, I'd covered most positions around the car at one time or another and the whole process was instinctive and like second nature. However, I'll never ever forget the very first time I was called into the pit stop crew at the Australian Grand Prix some years ago.

Being fairly new to the team, I was given the job of fitting the new nose cone in a pit stop when the original one needed replacing due to damage. An unlikely event, I thought, and although I'd practiced endlessly in preparation, I was still terrified at that first race. The relatively simple task of popping the new nose and front wing assembly onto the front of the chassis, whilst four other people do up the fixings, seems impossible to mess up, but in reality it doesn't take much to throw the whole process out of sync, adding seconds to the time.

I remember running back from the grid at the race start to get kitted up with balaclavas, helmets and gloves etc, but thinking it was so unlikely that I would actually be needed as my job wasn't part of a standard stop.

Upon reaching the sanctity of our garage and gathering my breath and composure, the dreaded call came over the radio that David Coulthard had been in a collision and to stand by for a nose change! My world stopped. My heart pounded so hard and fast, I could hear it above the screaming V10's outside. Only half ready, I abandoned my helmet and gloves, dragged the balaclava over my head and followed everyone else out into the pit lane. Trying desperately to breath and stop shaking, I took up my position with the new nose, checking over and over that I had the right one for DC's car. The wait in the pit lane seemed to last forever, I recall thinking "Why hasn't someone come and checked I'm ok and ready", but of course everyone else has their own, equally important jobs to do and it was assumed that after all of the practice and preparation for this very instance, we were all ok and ready.

The process of a nose change involved a group of guys lifting the front of the car onto a low stand, the fixings being released, someone taking the old nose away, me coming in, without hitting anyone or the delicate components fixed to the front of the chassis and smoothly lining up the 4 pins on the new nose, while the fixings are done up. I then get out of the way, whilst the front jack goes between my legs ready to lift the car back down onto the ground once everyone's done. Whilst all this is going on, all four wheels are being changed and possibly fuel going in too (pre-2010).

Fortunately, that first stop did go well for me. It took ages for my heart rate to come down. I remember being aware that there was a cameraman just over my shoulder during the stop and that there would have been millions of people watching. Being a lone stop early in the race for one of the front runners, I knew the cameras would be on and the commentators would all be analysing it. I knew my family and friends would be watching back home, they all knew what my role was. Once it was all over, I was just glad it had gone well and no-one would be talking about it.

After that very first pit stop, each one became a little easier to deal with and in the end nerves rarely even played a part. The key is in the preparation, combined with individual experience, in ensuring each pitstop is as smooth as it can be.

Teams nowadays put extraordinary resources into pitstops. The millions spent on squeezing an extra couple of tenths a lap out of the car each year, can of course be negated very easily if pitstops are taking a second longer than they should do. Video analysis, laser positioning devices, intricate traffic light systems and space aged looking equipment, all help to ensure that every single person involved has the best tools, guidance and training for their jobs. I'm told that Mercedes have spent somewhere in the region of €400,000 on their swivel front jacks alone for 2012!

All of these devices, systems and tools aim to minimise reaction times and operating times, but all increase the pressure on the individual to perform faultlessly and to within a fraction of a second of the perfect stop. At the end of the day, no matter what technology is employed in F1, there is still a very 'human' element, not only in the drivers, but the hundreds of other people up and down the the pit lane taking part in the race.

Here's to the men and women of Formula One who don't get paid the millions and yet are equally as deserving of a place on the podium, spraying champagne and the accolades that go hand in hand with competing and winning in F1 races.

[rckymtn22]

Miffed RBR send manager to backmarkers

MIKA:[/b] RBR seriously need to get over it (Considering Vettel caused his own demise if you look at replay footage) rather than continue complaining about it..

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I agree with you Mika, Vettel chopped him off. Not sure why Karthikeyan got penalized. FIA got it all wrong on that one.

[MIKA27]

F1: Formula One - On And Off Track Week 14

Bahrain Grand Prix - is it all about money?

Riots and the death of a 22-year old protester last Saturday in the Kingdom of Bahrain have again led to calls from human rights organizations to cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix. There were even rumors the FIA was preparing a statement to cancel the race, but FOM CEO Bernie Ecclestone has rubbished the rumors. "Of course the race is going to happen," Ecclestone said. "No worries at all. What I don't understand are the negative statements being made, people catching them and continuing them. They're saying things they don't understand."

He also denied money had anything to do with the decision to put the race back on the calendar after it had been cancelled last year. "Forget the financial side, it's nothing to do with that at all," said Ecclestone. "These people were brave enough at the beginning to start an event in that part of the world. That's it. We'll be there as long as they want us."

Well, contrary to what Ecclestone wants us to believe, it does have something to do with money, and not just a little bit of money, but a lot of money. Not only Bahrain and the Formula One Management (FOM) will lose money, also the teams will lose money if the race is cancelled again. So, what is at stake? Formula Money, who is an expert in Formula One finances, has published some interesting figures concerning the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The first Bahrain Grand Prix was staged in 2004, but in 2009 and 2010 the event was already so successful it generated more exposure for Formula One teams and trackside sponsors than the five oldest races on the Formula One calendar: Monaco, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Italy.

Over the next five years Formula Money expects the event will generate $560.2 million worth of broadcast exposure for brands in Formula One. This is $437.8 million of brand exposure for "on car coverage" (sponsors, engine manufacturers and team owners), and $122.4 million of exposure for trackside advertisers. Canceling the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix did cost $95.3 million worth of exposure, canceling the event until the contract ends in 2016, will mean a loss of $655.5 million of brand exposure, and that is a lot of money.

Red Bull did benefit the most of the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix, they gained brand exposure from the logos on the Red Bull and Toro Rosso cars worth $22.4 million, number two was race title sponsor Gulf Air with $12.3 million and number three was Ferrari sponsor Santander with $9.4 million worth of brand exposure.

But now the "real" money, the money the teams themselves could lose. The prize money for the Bahrain Grand Prix is $44.7 million, Formula Money found that the total 2012 prize money is $894.5 million (to be divided by the top ten teams), and the winner takes home $126 million. But if the Bahrain Grand Prix would be cancelled, the Constructors' Championship winner would lose $6.3 million while the 10th placed team would see its prize money reduced by $2.6 million.

But according to Formula Money, not just the teams and sponsors would lose money, the race is also worth some $220 million to the local economy, which is twice as much as the average Grand Prix generates. And that is not all, there is of course the race fee, estimated to be 40 million Euro, which goes to the FOM. According to Ecclestone, the 2012 fee has already been paid and it is like last year very unlikely Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa will get it back if the race is cancelled, as it is believed that part of the deal is that Bahrain should be safe for Formula One and it is up to the King and Crown Prince of Bahrain to make sure that it is indeed safe.

"They will pay if there is no race, the money is in the bank already," Ecclestone confirmed. And he repeated, "So we're not going because we're going to get paid. That has nothing to do with it. We have a contract with them and we're respecting the contract." And about the negative publicity he simply said, "Seriously, the press should just be quiet and deal with the facts rather than make up stories."

Well, this is a fact: F1 Racing magazine carried out a survey amongst 10,000 international Formula One fans, 60 percent said it was 'not right' to go to Bahrain, and only 24 percent were in favor.

Mercedes - the McLaren F-Duct revisited

In 2010 McLaren surprised the Formula One world with the F-Duct, a device that gave another 10 to 15 km more straight-line speed. It 'stalled' the rear wing by blowing extra air through a slot on the rear wing flap, disrupting the airflow, which caused the wing to stall, meaning it generated less downforce. In fact, this was one of the most ingenious, but also one of the simplest ideas of the past twenty years of Formula One.

The air intake, or duct, was positioned just ahead of the cockpit and the driver activated the device by closing a hole in the cockpit with his elbow, thus allowing the air from the duct to flow to the rear wing. Because it was operated by the driver's body, it was not a 'moveable' nor a 'mechanical aerodynamic device' as it was at the time referred to in the FIA technical regulations, and therefore it was legal.

Teams protested but the FIA maintained it was legal and not much later all teams had developed their version of the F-Duct which was operated by the driver's hand, elbow, arm or knee. Nevertheless, the FIA banned the device at the end of 2010 but Mercedes now have a new version of the device, they have developed an F-Duct for the front wing which is actually activated by the rear wing.

Well, at least that is the theory, as it is still unclear how the device precisely works. Of course the FIA and the FIA technical scrutineers are not allowed to speak about how the device works, and Mercedes have done a great job in hiding the crucial parts of the system when the car was in the pit lane or parked in the garage.

But when Michael Schumacher during the final free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne went off and parked his car in the gravel, a smart photographer managed to make a snap-shot of the underside of the front wing when the car was hoisted on a truck to bring it back to the garage. The snap-shot revealed there were two slots at the bottom of the front wing flaps and this spurred on a discussion about how the Mercedes F-Duct works.

There are two theories, one says that Mercedes has a separate F-Duct for the front and for the rear wing. The rear wing F-Duct works when the DRS (Drag Reduction System) is activated, a small hole in both wing endplates is exposed when the upper flap of the rear wing is moved into its flat position to reduce drag, it then lets air through channels which stalls the rear wing. The front wing F-Duct only works at high speeds, air flows through a hole in the nose cone to the slots at the bottom of the wing flaps and also stalls the wing which results in more straight line speed.

The second theory, which is more plausible, is that Mercedes uses the DRS and the two holes in the rear wing endplates to activate the front wing F-Duct, meaning the air goes though the holes in the rear wing endplates when DRS is activated and then flows through channels all the way to the front wing where the air exits through the small slots that have been cut in the front wing flaps. The extra air stalls the front wing and the air that is sucked away from the rear wing stalls the rear wing -- thus killing two birds with one stone. According to insiders the system can deliver an extra 0.5 seconds during qualifying, and that is a lot in Formula One.

Mercedes believe their system is legal as it is a passive system because it is not directly operated by the driver, nor is it controlled mechanically, which would be illegal. According to other teams, it is not acceptable that DRS, which is actually operated by the driver as he has to push a button to activate it, has a secondary function, in this case exposing the air intakes in the rear wing endplates.

Mercedes' rivals, in particular Red Bull and Lotus, have questioned the legality of the system, and have been lobbying the FIA to prohibit the system, because they have of course seen that the Mercedes has been a lot faster so far this season. They refer to article 3.15 of the Technical Regulations that states: "With the exception of the parts necessary for the adjustment described in Article 3.18 [which describes the DRS system] any car system, device or procedure which uses driver involvement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited."

They also argue that when the driver activates DRS by pressing the button, the F-Duct is not the device the regulations refer to, the regulations refer to the rear wing upper flap that is moved to reduce drag, if it also activates other devices it is illegal. But Mercedes built the system after they got the all-clear from the FIA, and Team Principal Ross Brawn is confident it is legal, "Obviously we kept the FIA informed about what we were doing. They physically checked the system -- they were completely happy about it."

Mercedes also believes their system is legal, as it falls within the exemption of the DRS regulations, and Brawn stated Mercedes thinks their F-Duct is actually part of DRS and therefore it is legal, "We call it the DRS, because that's all it is. The purpose of the DRS is to improve overtaking and that's what we're trying to do."

Another argument is that the holes in the rear wing endplates are already partially exposed when DRS is still closed, only when the DRS flap is opened the holes are fully exposed. And yet another argument is that teams now build their rear wing in such a way that they achieve maximum advantage when DRS is opened, some teams have added all kinds of extra flaps to also stall the lower part of the wing and the diffuser and thus reduce drag as well.

But Red Bull and Lotus have not given up and FIA delegate Charlie Whiting will reassess the system again this week and will also take a closer look at the arguments of both parties. It is expected the FIA will come with a definitive stance before the Chinese Grand Prix next week, if the system would be deemed illegal, Mercedes already announced they will protest the legality of the Red Bull exhaust layout, and the engine mode of their Renault engine, as they suspect they are cutting more than four cylinders [in corners] as is allowed by the rules.

Mercedes have made an audio tape to prove this, the advantage of cutting more than four cylinders is clear: the car needs less fuel for a race, cutting more cylinders can be used as a crude form of traction control exiting corners, and it can be used to control the flow of exhaust gases which is prohibited after the FIA banned last year's off throttle exhaust blown diffusers. To be continued …

World Champion Vettel and his finger

After two poor performances double World Champion Sebastian Vettel is now in sixth place of the Drivers' Championship, and it hasn't gone unnoticed the German especially during the Malaysian Grand Prix, completely 'lost' it, and not just from a World Championship point of view, he also lost his cool after his showdown with Narain Karthikeyan. Vettel overtook the HRT driver but was a bit too enthusiastic when he moved back to the race line and cut his rear tyre on the front wing of the HRT and fell back to finish the race in 11th place.

Vettel branded the Indian as an 'idiot' and a 'gherkin', a typical German expression for idiots in traffic, while the HRT driver replied and branded Vettel as a cry baby, not the kind of conversation we are used to in Formula One these days, well, at least not since Eddie Irvine overtook Ayrton Senna during the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix. Senna wasn't happy with that and after the race walked to the Jordan motorhome and after a very heated discussion punched Irvine in the face, something Irvine later claimed to be his most memorable moment in Formula One.

So it has become clear Vettel is human after all, and this season he has already made more mistakes than in his whole Formula One career together. Not only that, onboard images revealed the German gave the Indian his middle finger twice after the incident, risking a penalty, which he didn't get as the FIA first pretended they were not aware of it and later pointed the finger at the local marshals and said penalizing giving another driver the middle finger is not the task of the FIA.

"It's completely unprofessional to blame me for the incident. The derogatory remark only goes to show him in bad light," Karthikeyan very politely said to the media. And very carefully choosing his words added, "I have won races in all the previous single-seater championships I have participated in so I don't need a certificate from Vettel. For a driver who has achieved so much to take out his frustrations on me just because he is having a difficult year is really sad. One does not expect a professional sportsman to be such a cry baby."

Nevertheless Karthikeyan got his fingers slapped by the stewards and was penalized for his action with a post-race drive-through penalty, which didn't even involve any fingers, but a twenty second time penalty, and he told the Hindustan Times, "They [the stewards] didn't care about what I had to say because Mr. Vettel told them god knows what when he went and talked to them."

Others felt Vettel had breached the FIA code of conduct, introduced by FIA President Jean Todt, who is worried our young children who watch a Grand Prix on a Sunday afternoon might mistakenly think giving the middle finger is the international gesture of friendship.

And since Formula One is a family sport, Todt, and also Ecclestone (although Motorsport has caught the now 81-year old Formula One boss doing the same, see photo), don't want to see middle fingers being waved to anyone for that matter, not to mention the fact that it is generally not a good idea to pilot a Formula One car at 300 km per hour with just one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand in midair.

Not just Karthikeyan doesn't like Vettel's finger, Jenson Button has recently also complained about Vettel's finger, this time it was about the 'crooked' finger we always see when the 24-year old driver has won a race again. Button and others think the crooked finger is an annoying gesture, as he only shows it after he won a race, and that's why they are hoping not to see many crooked fingers this season. "He keeps doing that," an irritated Button complained. "It would be alright if it was straight. I'm sure we will sometimes see the crooked finger but hopefully not very often this year," Button conceded.

[MIKA27]

F1: Updated Ferrari to take cues from Sauber - report

Ferrari is planning to follow Sauber's lead when the first major development of the disappointing F2012 car is unveiled soon.

"No doubt about it," Fernando Alonso said after winning the Malaysian grand prix, "they (Sauber) were quicker than us."

The Italian magazine Autosprint have mischievously christened the updated Ferrari a 'Ferrauber', explaining that the rear of the 'B' F2012 will be very similar to Sauber's impressive C31.

Right at the end of the pre-season test period, Red Bull rolled out a Sauber-esque solution at the rear of Adrian Newey's 2012 car, the RB8.

In the wake of the blown diffuser clampdown, the Sauber exhaust layout reportedly flies close to breaching the spirit of the 2012 rules, but the FIA has declared it legal.

"We are not in a position to be able to say exactly how much aerodynamic influence each individual system has," said the governing body's technical delegate Charlie Whiting.

"Hence, it's impossible for us to say 'That's too much, or that's ok'. The aim of the new regulation was to ensure that we don't have to do that," he explained.

So, Ferrari looks to be the next in line to copy Sauber's rear solution, particularly as the small Swiss team already uses Ferrari's engine and gearbox.

It is believed the new 2012 Ferrari gearbox is narrower than last year's unit.

Autosprint reports that the F2012 'Ferrauber' will also be similar to the Sauber in the area of the sidepods.

[mikec]

I agree with you Mika, Vettel chopped him off. Not sure why Karthikeyan got penalized. FIA got it all wrong on that one.

Boy did Vettell's true colors come out with this incident. It could get very ugly before it gets better with the young lad. I'm sure Red Bull will prevail with Adrians newest updates, but it could take a few races. I have to admit I'm quite enjoying watching the boy wonder squirm with a less than perfect car under him. Now only if Merecedes can get their act together before it's too late, it won't help if that big suck Horner gets his way and Merc lose their trick wing after China. I think the powers to be will allow Mercedes to keep the wing as they (Merc) are already threating to pul out of F1 if Bernie doesn't make the payouts a bit more fair. How the politics are playing out is a wonder to behold.

[MIKA27]

Boy did Vettell's true colors come out with this incident. It could get very ugly before it gets better with the young lad. I'm sure Red Bull will prevail with Adrians newest updates, but it could take a few races. I have to admit I'm quite enjoying watching the boy wonder squirm with a less than perfect car under him. Now only if Merecedes can get their act together before it's too late, it won't help if that big suck Horner gets his way and Merc lose their trick wing after China. I think the powers to be will allow Mercedes to keep the wing as they (Merc) are already threating to pul out of F1 if Bernie doesn't make the payouts a bit more fair. How the politics are playing out is a wonder to behold.

Hi Mike.

Thanks for posting, always good to hear from you.

I don't think Charlie Whiting will reneg on his decision in regard to the legality of Mercedes Wing as it would 'be-little' his role and show that the likes of RBR can get away with anything if they protest against 'The rule'.

I agree, Vettel is and has been spoilt with a great car the past couple seasons and this just shows how important a car is to even a very good driver. IMO, I don't believe Vettel is as good a racer as some think, he certainly knows how to drive a car that is fast and reliable but if he has the 'race craft' that's debatable. The likes of Alonso, Kimi, Schumacher, Button, Hamilton, Maldonado, DiResta are good examples of drivers who have racecraft, especially Maldonado and DiResta who are pretty new in F1, I can only imagine the next few seasons, they'll get even better.

It's not a good sign when a double world champ loses control on TV to an audience of Millions and whilst I must be truthful and say, I'm not a huge supporter of HRT being in this sport as they are wayyy back in comparison to even the midfield teams, nobody deserves to be abused on the track let alone in the media and all this after its confirmed Vettel was at fault during that particular incident. I'm surprised Narains penalty stands considering he wasn't at fault.

As for mercedes, my fingers are crossed they improve and get Schmacher and Rosberg on the podium. It is not impossible considering sauber and Lotus are capable as is Williams to be up there. Mercedes have all this technology on this seasons car which is giving them a huge chance at pole positions BUt during a race, their car whilst reliable, is missing a cylinder or two!?

[MIKA27]

F1: F1 comeback easy with 'good car' - Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen has a simple theory as to why his return to formula one was much smoother than fellow former champion Michael Schumacher's.

After two less competitive seasons in 2010 and 2011, seven time title winner Schumacher, 43, is finally back up to speed this year.

Finn Raikkonen is more than a decade younger than his German rival and he was off the grid for only two years, not three.

But he thinks there is a simpler explanation as to why he has returned immediately to the pace, while Schumacher took more than two full seasons.

"It's just about whether you have a good car or not. It has made life much easier for me," said Raikkonen, who has returned with Lotus.

"He (Schumacher) was not so lucky," the former McLaren and Ferrari driver told Germany's Sport Bild.

"The (Lotus) car is good," the 2007 world champion added, referring to his black and gold E20. "Whether it's good enough for victory or not, I don't know.

"At least we are not far away from the top."

Raikkonen insists not much has changed in F1 since he left for a world rallying foray at the end of 2009 -- not even his friendship with Sebastian Vettel.

"He has won two titles since then but it didn't change him," said Raikkonen.

"Sebastian is a great racing driver but he's also a really nice guy," he added.

As for himself, Raikkonen insists he is just the same.

"Maybe people see me as more relaxed, which I think is down to the (Lotus) team," he said.

"It's a different atmosphere to what I've experienced before."

[MIKA27]

Raikkonen to 'have his say' on 2013 Lotus design

Just two races into 2012, Kimi Raikkonen has already sat at the wheel of Lotus' car for 2013.

His race engineer Mark Slade revealed that the Finn was at Enstone on Wednesday to sit in "a basic mock-up" of the single seater for next season.

"There's some rethinking in terms of the driver position for 2013, and we wanted to test it out before committing any further to the concept," said Slade.

"It may seem early, but it's better to do these things sooner rather than later otherwise it can hold up the whole design process."

A report by the Finnish broadcaster MTV3 said that Lotus' 2012 car was essentially complete late last November, when Raikkonen joined the team.

So "Raikkonen can have his say on the car for next year", the report added.

[MIKA27]

Barrichello not ruling out Ferrari return

Just after backing his friend and countryman to bounce back, Rubens Barrichello has refused to rule out returning to formula one to replace the struggling Felipe Massa.

After 19 consecutive seasons in F1, 39-year-old Barrichello had to switch to the Indycar series for 2012 after losing his race seat at Williams.

Speaking to Brazilian television Sportv this week, however, the Brazilian said he cannot rule out returning to the grid -- even with Ferrari.

After a six-year tenure, Barrichello left Ferrari at the end of 2005 and - until now - has not looked back overly fondly on his treatment alongside the famous Italian team's former number one Michael Schumacher.

But in the wake of Massa's recent performance struggles, Barrichello was voted in an Italian poll as the ideal replacement for the diminutive 30-year-old.

When asked about Ferrari, Barrichello said this week: "I want the fans to understand that I don't have any hard feelings.

"If they called me today to go drive for them I would go. It was the best team I've ever driven for in terms of support, of creativity. But there were definitely some spicy episodes," he added.

With the backing of sponsors, Barrichello has signed on with the KV team in Indycar for 2012, but he insists he is "completely open" about returning to F1.

"It would be something to think about," he said in the televised interview on Wednesday.

"I think anything can happen. I'm not saying it will happen, but I have to be ready."

Barrichello, the longest-serving driver in F1 history, revealed that he still enjoys the backing of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's influential chief executive.

"He asked me if I was really going to race in Indycar and I told him 'Yeah, because you didn't find me a place in F1'," he joked.

"He said he will see what he can do about it. Really, you just have to see what happens, you have to stay open about it," added Barrichello.

[MIKA27]

HRT sign Chinese development driver

HRT have extended their fold, signing Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua to the Spanish team's young driver development programme.

As part of the collaboration, Qing Hua will have professional assessments by HRT, private tests with cars from different series and simulator tests. And if the Chinese driver's results are 'satisfactory', the team could put him in the F112 at the season-ending Young Driver test.

"I'm very honoured to form a part of the driver development programme at HRT Formula 1 Team since, with work and effort, it will allow me to become the first Chinese Formula 1 driver," Qing Hua said.

"It's a very special moment for me and it's hard to express how happy I am. I've dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small.

" And now finally my childhood dream has become true thanks to the opportunity that HRT has granted me to become an F1 driver. And even more so this year with all the drivers who are competing, with 6 world champions amongst them.

"Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I'm going to work hard to earn it.

"Thanks to HRT for offering me the chance to show what I'm capable of. And thanks to my family and everyone who has always supported me. This is only the beginning."

Team boss Luis Pérez-Sala added: "We are working so that one of the team's signs of identity is to serve as a platform to launch young drivers, both nationally and internationally.

"Ma Qing Hua is one those talents in which we believe and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1.

"We like his conditions and we want to take part in his formation by incorporating him to the team's Driver Development Programme so that he can participate in races and private tests, with the objective of him being able to take part in the Formula 1 tests reserved to young drivers."

[MIKA27]

BRAWN: MERCEDES TO SACRIFICE QUALIFYING PACE FOR RACE BENEFITS:

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn says that the team has understood why its qualifying and race performances have been so imbalanced this season and that he is willing to give up some qualifying pace to have stronger races.

Mercedes has scored just one point so far this season from a potential maximum of 86, and trails McLaren by 54 points already. This is despite qualifying one car in the top two rows of the grid at both races.

Mercedes issued a pre-race bulletin today with some findings from the first races, which showed that they were caught out by not getting the tyres into the operating temperature range for the race, despite hitting the sweet spot in qualifying both times.

In Australia the tyres got too hot in the race, in Malaysia the opposite. Speaking this afternoon in a followup conversation, Brawn said, “We have a situation where we have ultimate performance but it’s ‘peaky’. Perhaps we should move towards a broader base. We would not make compromises to work just for qualifying.

“In both races, our problems have been related to getting the tyres into the correct working window.

“However, at each race it was at different ends of the scale: in Melbourne, we overheated the tyres – it was under control on Friday, then we developed the set-up in a direction which did not prove helpful in the warmer conditions. In Malaysia, having done a lot of work in practice to make sure we didn’t suffer from the same problem, the cooler conditions on Sunday dropped us out of the window again.”

Brawn revealed that the tyres on the Mercedes have been running between 15 and 20 degrees outside the optimum temperature range and this is enough to knock them off the optimum performance. It seems that the new generation Pirelli tyres are quite ‘peaky’ themselves and getting them to work is proving tricky for other top teams too.

Interestingly this is an area where teams like Sauber and Williams appear to have done a good job so far this season, hence their strong showings.

Brawn reiterated that research has shown that the Mercedes DRS booster system- which shed drag from the front wing when the driver opens the DRS wing – is not the only differentiator between qualifying and race pace, although it is a contributor.

He also stated that he has confidence that the FIA will continue to withstand the lobbying from rival teams calling for the system to be banned and said that it was a low-cost item to copy, although a tough one to optimise if the chassis wasn’t desgned around it. “It’s just a couple of carbon pipes running down the car,”he revealed, “They cost thousands, not millions. But the opposition is so fierce because it’s difficult to do it if the car wasn’t designed that way from the beginning.”

[MIKA27]

Hill voices concerns about F1 visiting Bahrain

Damon Hill has voiced some concerns about Formula 1 visiting Bahrain later this month following intensified protests.

The 1996 world champion has previously supported a return to the country after visiting with FIA president Jean Todt in the Autumn last year. Despite this, he has now urged the governing body to consider the consquences the race might bring to the country.

"Things are different now," he told the Guardian newspaper. "The protests have not abated and may even have become more determined and calculated.

"It is a worrying state of affairs. What we must put above all else is what will be the penalty in terms of human cost if the race goes ahead," he said. "It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula One, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race. That is not what this sport should be about. Looking at it today you'd have to say that could be creating more problems than it's solving.

"The view I gave after returning from the visit last year was based on my understanding of several factors; the substantial economic significance of the GP for Bahrain; that the report on the April riots condemned the actions of the police and security forces, and that both sides were to take part in meaningful dialogue to resolve the problems peacefully. Under those conditions one could imagine the GP being a great fillip for a Bahrain on the road to recovery.

"However, with under three weeks to go, conditions do not seem to have improved, judging by the reports in our European newspapers, social media and on Al Jazeera TV."

Hill, who currently works with Sky Sports F1, will attend Bahrain if it goes ahead and isn't calling for the race to be cancelled, but for the FIA to analyse the facts and whether it's in the best interests of the country or the sport.

"I'm just saying we have to tread carefully. I hope the FIA are considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing Molotov cocktails, because that's a gross simplification. If they believe that, they ought be more wary. You don't get 100,000 people risking their lives in protest for nothing.

"If we go, we all go," added the 51-year-old. "But there is obviously still a great deal of pain, anger and tension in Bahrain. It would be better for F1 to make it clear that it properly understands this, and that it wants only the best for all Bahrain, or whatever country it visits. I think F1 is sailing very close to this limit.

"But there is an even more troubling thought, which is this: is F1 playing brinkmanship for purely financial reasons, while people are putting their lives in peril to protest against this event?"

[MIKA27]

Schumi: Luck may be about to turn

German hopeful Mercedes work on tyres is about to pay dividends

Michael Schumacher believes his largely underwhelming record at the Chinese Grand Prix could be about to change this year on the back of extensive work by Mercedes to improve their promising W03's performance in race conditions.

The Brackley-based outfit flattered to deceive in both Australia and Malaysia with strong qualifying performances giving way to slides down the order in the race as the W03 ate up its tyres more quickly in comparison to the cars of rival teams.

Mercedes had vowed to use the break between races to conduct a thorough investigation into the problems and Schumacher is optimistic the situation will be better for the team next weekend.

And although the last of his record 91 wins came at the Shanghai International Circuit in wet conditions in 2006, Schumacher is aware his record in China is otherwise disappointing - the German's low-lights include starting from the back of the grid at the inaugural event in 2004, spinning out of the race under the safety car the following year and delivering a dismal showing in the wet four races into his comeback there in 2010 - and is therefore targeting a more memorable result this time round.

"I've never had much luck in Shanghai, apart from my win in 2006; however that could change this year," he said.

"In the first two races of 2012, we didn't manage to maintain our qualifying pace in race conditions.

"We've been working intensively on this, so that we can offer our fans a strong performance in China."

Mercedes tyre problems meant they collected just a solitary point from the opening two rounds but Team Principal Ross Brawn is equally hopeful that the team will finally be able to deliver on the W03's undoubted potential in Shanghai.

"On track, we hope that the weekend will prove more successful than the first two races of the season where our race results did not match expectations after a positive start to both weekends," he said.

"A lot of hard work and analysis has taken place back at the factory since our return, and I hope to see these efforts pay dividends next Sunday in Shanghai with a performance which reflects the capabilities of the F1 W03."

Nico Rosberg has yet to get off the mark after two disappointing races and he admitted that in effect his season starts next weekend.

"I have good memories of the Chinese Grand Prix as I was on the podium there in 2010 and led the race last year," the German added.

"For me, China is really the start of the season as the first two races have not gone to plan."

[MIKA27]

Caterham optimistic over tyre progress

Team targeting step forward in qualifying pace for China

Caterham are hopeful they have taken steps since the last race in Malaysia to extract more performance from the tyres in time for next week's return to action in China.

Although the Norfolk-based team have been pleased to have again closed up on the back of the midfield teams over the winter, they felt they had yet to fully get the most out of the CT01 at either of the opening two rounds, with tyre performance pinpointed as a key area for improvement.

But with the three-week gap between rounds two and three allowing the team's engineers to focus on improving the situation for the Shanghai/Bahrain double-header, Caterham's Technical Director Mark Smith is confident progress has been made.

"As we head to Shanghai for the third race of 2012 we know that we still have some margin to work on to extract the best from the car and the tyres in both qualifying and the race itself," he said.

"We have been looking at this in detail since returning from Malaysia and have a number of plans in place to help us move forwards as soon as we get on track in Shanghai."

Team Principal Tony Fernandes says the CT01's performance in the opening two races was in line with expectations and now, in addition to the work on tyres, the team had to focus on continuing to improve the car's aerodynamics in order to bridge the remaining gap to the midfield as quickly as possible.

"Before the Australian and Malaysian races we had a pretty clear idea of where we would be relative to the other teams around us, and the performances we saw confirmed what we need to do to keep bridging the gap to the cars ahead," the Malaysian said.

"Over the race weekends we need to look at improving our qualifying pace, and it looks like we can work more efficiently on maximising tyre performance levels over the whole weekend.

"Back at the factory the main focus for us is on improving the aero performance of the cars. This is what will give us the chance to fight for the point we want to win, and the fact we can now head into the next two flyaway races with the sort of upgrades we could only dream of last year is a very encouraging sign, and one that shows how hard the whole team is working to help us achieve our goals."

[MIKA27]

Lotus F1 team committed to name despite end of title sponsor deal

Lotus has terminated its title sponsorship deal with sportscar manufacturer Group Lotus, AUTOSPORT can reveal, but remains wholly committed to keeping the famous name in Formula 1 for the future.

On the back of financial uncertainties for Group Lotus, which was recently sold by Proton to Malaysian automotive conglomerate DRB-Hicom, Lotus F1's team owner Genii Capital has ended its formal relationship with the marque.

AUTOSPORT understands that Genii owner Gerard Lopez recently agreed a deal for the title sponsorship deal, which was originally put together in 2010, to be cancelled, as well as an old option that Proton had to buy 50% of the team annulled.

Speaking about the situation, Lopez told AUTOSPORT: "The sponsorship agreement and the obligations of Lotus have been terminated. There is no option from Group Lotus to buy into F1 now - that option was taken over by us. There was one, but we have taken it over now."

Although the end of the Group Lotus sponsorship tie-up means a change of plans for the team, Lopez says that he remains committed to the Lotus name.

"We are happy to carry the Lotus name as we believe it is a good name for F1," he explained. "We funded the team last year and the year before for whatever delta was missing. We would prefer to have sponsors up to the full amount – but if we have to fund it then we will fund it.

"When we changed the name from Lotus Renault to Lotus [for this year], it opened up the door for a title sponsor. So if you take into account the fact we signed Unilever, probably the biggest sponsorship agreement this year in F1, and we signed Microsoft, which is huge news as it is a brand that has never been in F1 before, we have a wide space for sponsorship.

"If we sign a title sponsor now, we will end up with a better cash flow situation than this team ever had before."

Lopez has previously been linked with a potential takeover of Group Lotus, having held talks with Proton before it was recently sold, but he says the situation for him at present is unclear in light of the DRB-Hicom deal.

When asked if he would be interested in buying Group Lotus, Lopez said: "We don't know yet, because we really do not know what the new owner wants to do with it."

[MIKA27]

2013 Argentine GP deal to be finalised in May

A deal for Argentina to return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2013 is expected to be finalised in May, according to reports.

The news follows confirmation that talks between the country's President Cristina Fernandez and Bernie Ecclestone were underway for Mar de Plata to host a race.

"We are closing [the deal]," said Fernandez earlier this year. "For three years, in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the city of Mar del Plata.

"For us it will be very important because after football, racing is the second favourite sport for Argentineans. Getting Formula 1 back to Argentina is something we deserve in order to be able to show the things we have."

A three year deal will be finalised in May when Ecclestone meets the Minister of Tourism, Enrique Meyer, to finalise the contracts.

"The National Government accepts the challenge of organising the Grand Prix of Argentina to promote the image of our country in the world," said Meyer.

"In May, the three-year contract will be signed between all parties involved," he confirmed.

The 5km street circuit (a mock-up can be seen below), will be designed by renowned architect and F1 regular Hermann Tilke. It utilises an empty Naval base and extends out into the South Atlantic ocean.

With an ever expanding calendar, Autosprint reports that the Korean GP will be dropped in favour of the Argentine GP, whilst the European GP will lose its place in favour of New Jersey - Valencia and Barcelona will rotate annually to host the Spanish GP.

MIKA: The picture with Ferrari was during the very last Argentine GP held in 1998 where Michael Schumacher won it.

[MIKA27]

HRT complains to FIA over Caterham copying

HRT has stepped up the pressure on Caterham with an official complaint to the sports governing body, the FIA, following the outcome of a recent UK High Court case.

The complaint comes after Caterham (Lotus Racing at the time) and AeroLab were found to have copied several CAD files belonging to Force India, with intellectual property having been transferred from those files to the Lotus Racing T127.

A statement from the Spanish outfit confirmed it had made an enquiry with the FIA, following a similar move by Marussia.

"HRT has made an enquiry to the FIA to review the judgement in respect of the UK High Court civil case against Caterham," a spokesperson confirmed.

"HRT will take any measures that may be considered appropriate. If there have been any illicit moves that may have been beneficial for some and detrimental for our team, HRT will obviously take a stand against it."

HRT stands to claim the most from any ruling in favour of Force India. Having finished behind Caterham in 2010 and 2011, the outfit would be entitled to Caterham's column one status if the Tony Fernandes owned outfit were to be found guilty, which would likely result in their results being deemed null and void.

Column one status is awarded to any team which finishes in the top ten in the Constructors' in two consecutive years. This status entitles the outfit to a share of the sports prize money, amounting to £18 million ($30m).