FORMULA 1 - 2012

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Vettel 'well prepared' despite issues

Sebastian Vettel is confident Friday's water leak will not blight his US GP weekend as he looks to consolidate his lead in the Championship.

The Red Bull racer was the driver to beat around the Circuit of the Americas on Friday as he blitzed his rivals in first practice. Vettel put in a late charge to shoot to the top of the timesheets by 1.4s.

It was more of the same in the afternoon's session where, despite a water leak, he clocked a 1:37.718 to pull seven-tenths clear of his team-mate Mark Webber and 0.765s ahead of his Championship rival Fernando Alonso.

And although the reigning Champion completed just 17 laps - less than half the number his rivals amassed - he reckons he covered what was needed.

"This afternoon we had a little bit of a problem," Vettel said.

"We couldn't run as much as we would like to but nevertheless we got two good runs - one with less fuel, one with more fuel - so we are well prepared for tomorrow."

"It was important to have two good runs this afternoon on the soft tyre - or the medium tyre - the softer compound, so I think that was very valuable."

The German, though, downplayed Red Bull's 1-2 on Friday afternoon, saying the track will change over the course of the weekend.

"I think Friday you need to be careful, also the fact that it's very slippery can make a big difference; a bigger difference than you think.

"I think there were more than one or two surprises today in terms of pace and people so we'll see what happens tomorrow. The track will constantly improve and we'll go from there.

"For us it's most important that we are amongst the guys at the top and obviously we try to improve the car for tomorrow to make sure that we stay there."

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Webber turned down 2013 Ferrari approach

Mark Webber has confirmed that Ferrari approached him about replacing Felipe Massa for 2013, but turned the Italians down to remain with Red Bull.

The Australian has been linked with the Ferrari team for a handful of seasons now as the team look for a consistent second driver to partner Fernando Alonso.

Webber believes he made the right choice by staying with Red Bull, despite knowing that the team's advisor, Helmut Marko, favours Sebastian Vettel.

"Ferrari approached us first," Webber revealed to CNN. "Things happen for a reason and it feels I'm staying here for the right reason.

"We made the decision just before Silverstone when both teams seemed pretty interested [in my services]. I'm happy with the decision," he added.

"Everyone can see where Helmut’s allegiance lies. He's very, very powerful and that's something that will always be the case. But there are two cars and I have the opportunity to drive one of them."

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US GP: Drivers fear overtaking will be difficult at Austin

Leading Formula 1 drivers fear there could be little overtaking in Austin's first United States Grand Prix.

Although the Circuit of the Americas layout has received great praise from the Formula 1 fraternity during its maiden GP weekend so far, with the high-speed sweeps of first sector particularly lauded, many have also voiced concerns about its passing potential.

McLaren's Jenson Button thinks the configuration precludes cars following each other closely.

"I don't think overtaking's going to be easy," he said.

"I think we need to find a mid-speed corner onto a long straight, not such slow speed corners, as it's very tricky to stay with the car in front.

"It's fun to drive and I hope that we can race well here and put on a good show.

"[but] I'm sorry to say that with the way the tyres are with low degradation, I don't think there's going to be a lot of overtaking."

Red Bull driver Mark Webber thinks the lack of off-line grip will be the main impediment to passing.

Asked how he rated Austin's overtaking potential, Webber replied: "Not the easiest track. Off-line it is very slippery. But it is a good circuit and we will see what the racing is like."

Button's team-mate Lewis Hamilton thinks the back straight DRS zone will see the majority of overtaking.

"The best point is going to be the back straight, simply because it's nice and long and has the DRS zone," he said. "Otherwise it's going to be pretty difficult to follow [rivals], particularly through the fast Turn 4/5/6/7."

But Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne argued that there were plenty of passing opportunities.

"It is very challenging with a lot of places where you can overtake," he said. "Even without DRS I can see some corners where you can pass, which will be good for the show."

Some also believe the dramatic rise into the tight and blind Turn 1 could cause first-lap trouble.

"I think first of all the left hand side of the grid will be a joke. You want to be on the right hand side if you can - pole, third or fifth. That will be the first thing," said Webber.

"Then I think the first corner is a bit like La Source at Spa so we all know about that..."

Kimi Raikkonen disagreed, though, suggesting Austin was no more or less likely to trigger first-lap shunts then any other venue.

"We have corners that are worse than this," he said. "We know that it's going to be tricky at the start and very slippery off the line.

"If everybody is smart enough then there's no issue, but if one guy tries to make a move then something can happen on any circuit."

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Raikkonen convinced Lotus will be quick when grip improves

Kimi Raikkonen is sure Lotus will be competitive in the United States Grand Prix once the Austin track's grip level improves.

The whole Formula 1 field struggled with the dusty surface of the brand new Circuit of the Americas in Friday practice, but Lotus proved particularly severely affected.

Abu Dhabi winner Raikkonen, who was 11th fastest, pointed out that his team invariably has to wait until circuits rubber-in before finding form on grand prix weekends.

"At every race we have been suffering on Friday when it's not very grippy and then once the grip starts to build up, we get quicker," he said.

"Probably we don't have enough downforce yet. Let's just hope that we can get faster tomorrow."

Raikkonen had complained over the radio about a lack of grip during the session, but reckoned trying set-up changes would be counter-productive if the Lotus was likely to come to life on Saturday as circuit grip increased.

"We know our car and we can keep changing it but 95 per cent of the time we end up in the same place," he said.

"We know that it's more the circuit and the tyres that are not working well for us.

"We just have to be patient and wait and I think it will come to us. If we keep changing the car, then we just keep moving the issue."

Asked if he felt Lotus would be competitive by qualifying, Raikkonen replied: "I'm sure if the grip improves on the circuit then our car will start working and we should be OK.

"We'll do some changes but we know more or less where it works.

"There's not some magic big thing that we can suddenly find and we'll be one second faster. That's not going to happen. It's more the circuit."

[MIKA27]

Alonso calm about Red Bull's pace advantage

Fernando Alonso expects an all-Red Bull front row for the United States Grand Prix - but does not believe that would be a death knell for his 2012 Formula 1 title hopes.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber appear to be in a class of their own at Austin, with the duo topping the times in second free practice.

Although that has left Alonso resigned to starting behind the Red Bulls on the grid, he still has faith that Ferrari's race strengths can help him overcome the speed deficit he is battling against.

"There are no surprises for us," he explained. "They [Red Bull] are the quickest out there, they have the fastest package, they do one-two in all the practice [sessions], one-two in all the qualifying [sessions] and, if everything goes normally, one-two in the race.

"But in the race not everything goes normally and we put more pressure on them on Sundays."

Alonso thinks a combination of Ferrari's teamwork, reliability and consistency is still enough for him to overhaul the 10-point advantage that Vettel has in the drivers' championship.

"We will take our opportunities, we will fight every lap in the race and we know the strong point of them, we keep repeating it every race," he said.

"It is the speed of the package. They are very quick and our strong points are the united team, a very strong team and the reliability of our car. We try to use each of our strong points.

"I think the important thing is to score 11 points more than them in these two races, and we are still convinced that we can do it."

Alonso added that he was encouraged by the updates that Ferrari had brought to the car this weekend, which included revised wings and a new diffuser.

"The updates, they seem to work," he said. "We are still analysing all the data from today but the first impression is that it is all going good, so I am happy.

"But obviously if we introduce a little step every race, the others are doing the same, so we keep more or less the gap consistent."

[MIKA27]

Rosberg sure Mercedes can end points drought in Austin

Nico Rosberg is certain Mercedes has a good chance of ending its points drought in the United States Grand Prix after being buoyed by his car's form in Friday practice at Austin.

Mercedes' last points finish came with Rosberg's fifth place in Singapore nearly two months ago.

Having taken seventh place in Friday practice, Rosberg reckoned his team had regained a little ground.

"For us it has been a relatively good start," he told reporters in the Austin paddock. "We're looking better than normal compared to the front."

Asked to assess Mercedes' race prospects, Rosberg replied: "Better than usual. It will be possible to score some good points here."

But Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug was more pessimistic, suggesting there was no reason to anticipate any upturn.

"Whilst our laptimes looked consistent during our long runs at the end of the second session, we do not think that our competitiveness is different compared to the last races," he said.

"Having said that, we still have room for improvement which we will try to use tomorrow."

Rosberg's team-mate Michael Schumacher felt unable to properly evaluate his car's outright potential as his practice day was disrupted by tyre issues.

"We had a bit of difficulty because we lost basically both sets of tyres," said the seven-time Formula 1 champion.

"One delaminated and one got a puncture, so we only got tyres that we ran this morning and that compromised our session."

[MIKA27]

Perez reprimanded for blocking Glock during practice

Sergio Perez has been handed a reprimand for having blocked Timo Glock during opening practice for the United States Grand Prix.

The Mexican was deemed by the race stewards to have 'made several weaving manoeuvres' in front of Glock on the entry to Turn 20 towards the end of FP1.

After being summoned to see the stewards following the end of the first session, and having admitted that he made a mistake, Perez was given a reprimand.

It is the second reprimand of the season that Perez has got, having been punished in Abu Dhabi for impeding Bruno Senna during qualifying.

If drivers get three reprimands in a season, of which at least two are for driving infringements, then the driver will be handed a 10-place grid penalty.

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Formula 1 to finally use HD on-board cameras

Formula 1 may finally feature high-definition (HD) on board cameras in the near future, according to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.

A few days ago, Sylt – having seen a copy of the F1 floatation prospectus – revealed that Bernie Ecclestone is considering a GP2-GP3 series for the American market.

” [The prospectus] also says that some of the TV innovations which are being developed include an HD on-board camera, a multi-channel format with different views of the track and an interactive 3D replay function,” Sylt told us.

He said that HD on-board cameras for F1 is “interesting and long-overdue” news.

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Ecclestone: For sure there will be a 2013 German GP

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has played down reports that Germany could fall off next year’s Formula One calendar altogether.

With the Nurburgring’s financial problems well documented, Hockenheim officials this week have said that it “certainly will beproblematic” to step in at short notice for 2013.

But Ecclestone said: “For sure we will be in Germany in 2013.

“We do not want [to] and will not lose the race in Germany, for sure,” the Briton told the SID news agency.

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Kovalainen admits uncertain future and F1 exit possible

Caterham driver Heikki Kovalainen has admitted that it is possible that he will walk away from Formula One at the end of the season.

Although highly rated, the Finn could be dropped by Caterham for 2013, due to the team dropping outside the lucrative top ten places in the constructors’ championship.

It is believed that the Tony Fernandes-led team is considering replacing him with the well sponsored Dutch driver, Giedo van der Garde.

Kovalainen, 31, ruled out keeping his F1 dream alive by turning to a test driver position.

“If I am not a racing driver, I will do something totally different,” he is quoted by rtl.nl.

“I have a few ideas but I haven’t really thought about it,” admitted Kovalainen.

“Apart from F1, there is little that interests me, not even sports cars.

“DTM? No. America? No. Rally is really the only thing that interests me, but we have seen how difficult that is,” he said.

Rtl.nl claims that if Kovalainen finishes outside the top ten in both Austin and Brazil, he will beat Italian Piercarlo Ghinzani’s record for the most consecutive grands prix without scoring a point.

“Of course I would prefer the record for the most number of points consecutively, but it is what it is,” said Kovalainen.

[MIKA27]

New ten year Canadian GP deal looking likely

Montreal offcials are confident that they will secure a new ten-year deal to keep hosting the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

La Presse reports that negotiations between the Quebec government and Formula One officials are proceeding well.

“Nothing is settled,” tourism minister Pascal Berube said, “but it is going well and we trust that we can sign for ten years.”

It was reported earlier this year that F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was threatening to axe the race if the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is not upgraded.

[MIKA27]

Ecclestone now targets Los Angeles for F1 race

After Texas and New York, Bernie F1 chief executive Ecclestone’s has targeted Los Angeles as a possible venue for another race on American soil.

Ecclestone said this week that, because the United States is about the same size as Europe and a huge market for the sport, there should be more American races on the calendar.

Formula one is this weekend finally ending a five-year American hiatus by reviving the US grand prix at the brand new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

New Jersey was set to join the schedule next year, but the street race amid the Manhattan skyline will probably only happen in 2014.

Asked by the Associated Press if LA could be next, Ecclestone said: “Maybe we can do something [there] in the future.”

Tavo Hellmund, the original mastermind of this weekend’s US grand prix, has admitted that he is now pushing to revive the Mexican Grand Prix at the old Mexico City track.

“The Americas are probably big enough to have five or six grands prix,” he told the Austin American Stateman newspaper.

[MIKA27]

Sensitive fans should stop watching F1 advises Vettel

Sebastian Vettel has advised sensitive Formula One fans to switch over to children’s programming, in the aftermath of bad language used during the podium ceremony at Yas Marina Circuit.

Last week, the reigning world champion apologised for using the ‘F’-word during his podium interview with David Coulthard recently in Abu Dhabi.

The apology followed the FIA’s letter to teams, warning that the use of foul language should not be tolerated.

“I think,” Vettel said in Austin on Thursday, “if you’re sensitive you should watch – I don’t know – some kids programme. You have the remote control in your hand, so you can chose.”

“I think it’s a bit unnecessary to create such a big fuss but anyway, if I said some things that weren’t appropriate then I apologise but I think there’s not a lot I have to do differently to succeed in that regard,” the Red Bull driver added.

Vettel’s powerful friend Bernie Ecclestone, F1′s chief executive, insisted that he is also not too concerned about drivers’ language, even though Kimi Raikkonen also swore on the Abu Dhabi podium.

“The language [that] drivers use is passive compared to what you hear on TV or in general,” he told the Associated Press.

[MIKA27]

Schumacher buys horse ranch in Texas

Retiring seven time world champion Michael Schumacher has bought a 200-hectare ranch in Texas, according to the German newspaper Bild.

The report said that the seven time world champion’s equestrian-loving wife Corinna has already started breeding riding horses at the property, where they have been staying in the past few days.

The ranch has stables for 36 horses, Bild added, but quoted Schumacher as insisting: “No, no, we’re going to keep living in Switzerland.

“But we will also be here and plan to spend more time here,” said the Mercedes driver in Austin, Texas, ahead of the US Grand Prix.

Schumacher, 43, is returning to retirement after next weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

[MIKA27]

De la Rosa denies HRT car is unsafe

Pedro De la Rosa denied reports on Thursday that his cash-strapped Formula One team HRT was putting him in danger by sending the Spanish driver out in an unsafe car for this weekend’s U.S. Grand Prix.

The Spanish-based Formula One backmarkers are up for sale and talks are ongoing with a number of groups interested in buying the team, owners Thesan Capital said earlier this week.

With HRT’s future up in the air, Spanish media reported the team does not have enough spare parts to see it through the final two races of the season, the U.S. Grand Prix at the newly constructed Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, and the Nov. 25 season finale in Brazil.

“We might be modest, we are small, we are what we are but we are a professional Formula One team and for sure when we go running it is because the car is safe,” De la Rosa told reporters.

“I would never jump into an unsafe car because of parts being too old. The car is slow but it is safe.”

The team, who have yet to score a point in three years, have De la Rosa and Indian Narain Karthikeyan as their two current drivers.

Thesan Capital took over HRT in July last year, with former grand prix driver Luis Perez-Sala becoming the team principal and the headquarters moving to Madrid.

HRT have developed links with China this year with Shanghai-born Ma Qing Hua driving their car in some Friday practice sessions and enlisted in their young driver development programme.

The team held an event in Shanghai last week to recognise Ma Qing Hua’s achievement in becoming the first Chinese-born driver to take part in a grand prix weekend.

De la Rosa could shed no light on the team’s future beyond plans to run the final two events on the calendar.

“There is not much I can say, it is a corporate decision [in] which I am not involved,” said De la Rosa.

“All I can say is, we are here, there are two more grands prix to go and no matter what is going on in the background we will give 100 percent like we have always done.

“No matter who we fight against we will do a professional job. We are here to do that.”

[MIKA27]

Toro Rosso and Force India to change engines for 2014?

Toro Rosso is likely to switch to Renault power, while Force India looks set to bolt in Ferrari engines for the start of Formula 1′s new V6 turbo engine era in 2014.

That is the claim of the authoritative German specialist publication Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that the Red Bull-owned team will end its long association with supplier Ferrari after the V8 era concludes late next year.

Red Bull Racing, the energy drink’s premier F1 team, is Renault’s ‘works’ partner, running major branding of Renault partner Nissan’s luxury arm Infiniti.

And also according to AM&S, “there are rumours that Force India will in 2014 change from Mercedes to Ferrari engines”.

The report by journalist Michael Schmidt said that the Silverstone based team’s denials so far have “not been energetic enough to make you believe them”.

Reportedly, the reason for Toro Rosso and Force India’s decisions could be price, with engine costs rising from about

€ 8 million at present to in some cases, over € 20 million in 2014.

But in Toro Rosso’s case, there are probably more practical considerations, with parent team Red Bull then able to supply its Faenza based satellite with Renault-compatible gearboxes, KERS and hydraulics from 2014.

[MIKA27]

Mercedes boss denies approving F1 budget boost

Chairman of Mercedes parent Daimler, Dieter Zetsche has denied reports that he has approved an increase in the F1 team’s budget for 2013, ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival next year.

Reportedly on new recruit Niki Lauda’s recommendation, it emerged recently that Mercedes-Benz is prepared to boost the Brackley based team’s coffers to the tune of many millions.

Bild newspaper had said that Mercedes’ fattened budget would bring its 2013 spend up to € 200 million, making it comparable to what is buying success at top three grandees Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

But Zetsche told German weeky Die Zeit: “We do not intend to increase our budget.”

However, he did admit that Mercedes needs to up its game.

“The Mercedes engine is considered the best in F1,” he said, thereby confirming that the reasons for Mercedes GP’s lack of performance is “other parts of the car”.

“Certainly we need to become better, and soon,” added Zetsche.

[MIKA27]

Wurz: Schumacher comeback was good for F1

His three-year return to Formula One has been bad for Michael Schumacher’s legacy, but the episode was good for F1.

That is the claim of Alex Wurz, who at the height of the seven time world champion’s powers in the late 90s once famously went wheel-to-wheel with the great German and emerged from the Monaco tunnel with his car in pieces.

A still highly competitive Schumacher retired from F1 in late 2006 but then returned with Mercedes three years later, but – now in his 40s – only managed to add a mere podium to his giddy tally of 91 victories.

Now, after Austin and Brazil in the next two weekends, Schumacher is retiring again.

“He was not able to do what he expected,” Wurz told Sportwoche.

“At the end it is a sign of the times that everything in F1 is so fast-paced, and hard as nails,” he said.

Wurz, however, said he thinks that Schumacher’s comeback was not a total failure.

“The fact that someone who dominated so much was not able to dominate again after [just] a three-year break is a compliment to the drivers who dominate now,” he said.

“It shows that they are the best in the world today,” added Wurz.

For that reason, 2010, 2011 and 2012 will be remembered as “bad for Schumacher, good for F1″, he concluded.

[MIKA27]

Mastermind of US GP now pushing to revive Mexican GP

The mastermind of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, Tavo Hellmund, now has his sights fixed on returning Formula One to Mexico.

Hellmund fell out spectacularly with the eventual Circuit of the Americas management, but he will be at the track this weekend and has some key meetings planned.

“The sky is the limit,” he told the Austin American Statesman newspaper. “It could potentially break every grand prix attendance record.”

Hellmund is talking about Mexico, even though his friend Bernie Ecclestone recently ruled out the old grand prix circuit in Mexico City.

“That’s the problem,” said the F1 chief executive. “It’s the old one. It just needs sorting out a bit.”

Hellmund plans to raise between $60-75 million for the upgrade job.

“The track needs a facelift, but so many of the right components are in place,” he said.

“I think it’s totally the right time,” Hellmund said. “No one wants to waste the opportunity of having these [Mexican F1] drivers.”

Indeed, Mexican Sergio Perez is set to switch to the high-profile F1 grandee McLaren, while countryman Esteban Gutierrez is tipped to replace him at Sauber.

Perez said on Thursday: “If he comes [to F1] it will be good to have two Mexican drivers after so much time without a driver. Now we are finally going to have two on the grid.”

[MIKA27]

Perez: I feel very emotional about this weekend

Sauber’s Sergio Perez has admitted that racing in the United States Grand Prix, at the brand new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, so close to his native Mexico will be an emotional experience.

The Guadalajara-born racer will have his whole family in attendance at the Circuit of the Americas and he admitted that the Austin race does feel like a home event.

“It’s the closest one I have ever raced in the last eight, nine years in my life, so I expect to have a lot of support here,” he said “There are many Mexicans coming because it’s quite close to Mexico.

“I will have all my family [here] – even my grandmother is coming here, my friends, all the people who never saw me racing live, they will be here, plus lot of Mexican fans, so it’s great. I feel very emotional about this weekend.

Perez added that the US race will feel like a homecoming as he had to leave Mexico at a young age to progress his racing career.

“I feel very happy to be so close to home as I left Mexico at a very young age,” he said. “All these [other F1 drivers], they always do a race or two during the year in their own countries and they have done all their careers in their countries. I had to move to their countries to do my own career, which means that I left Mexico at a very young age.”

It has been a similar story for Perez’s compatriot Esteban Gutierrez, the young Monterrey native tipped to take the second seat at Sauber following Perez’s move to McLaren for 2013. Perez admitted that he would like to have a fellow Mexican on the grid next year.

“It will be good for the country, for us. I think he’s a good driver,” he said. “There have been a lot of rumours that he will be the driver taking my place at Sauber but at the moment I have no idea … who is going to come.

“If he comes, it will be good to have two Mexican drivers after so much time without a driver; now we are finally going to have two on the grid. If it happens I think it’s great.”

[MIKA27]

Webber gets decathlon tips from world champion in Austin

Mark Webber spent Wednesday in Austin, ahead of the United States Grand Prix weekend at Circuit of the Americas, grabbing decathlon tips from World Champion Trey Hardee.

The only thing Mark Webber enjoys more than practicing a new sport is practicing several new sports, so it wasn’t very surprising to see him Wednesday afternoon on the University sports fields in Austin. Mark was being put through his paces by Decathlon World Champion and Olympic silver medallist Trey Hardee.

Austin local Trey gave Mark a few pointers with his discus technique and then had him practicing sprint starts out of the blocks.

Based on his performance, Mark isn’t planning a change in discipline any time soon.

“It was great to catch up with Trey this morning – but I think he’s safe: his career won’t be threatened by me,” said the famously modest Australian. “As usual with any sport, the good guys make it look very simple, but when you try it yourself that really isn’t the case. It’s always nice to have the best in the business offer to help you out though. I improved a little bit but not, as we say, enough to trouble the scorers.”

“The fact [that] he says it was hard makes me feel better about my own discus performance, because he did an outstanding job,” said a magnanimous Hardee. “We have young athletes come here who don’t throw the discuss half as far as Mark did on his first day – I guess that goes to show what kind of athletes F1 drivers truly are.”

Trey, who will be a guest of Red Bull Racing this weekend, said he’s excited at the prospect of seeing F1 cars up close and personal. “I’m pumped [that] they’re here. It’s going to be my first F1 race, which is very exciting. Growing up you race them all the time in computer games; seeing them live is going to be great.”

“It’s been a lot of fun today but pretty useful too,” concluded Mark. I guess Formula One and Decathlon are about as polar opposite as sports can be but – so it’s been really interesting to have a chat and find out that, in terms of preparation, recovery and planning for a full season, we actually do very similar things.”

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Valencia government scuppers Ferrari World plans

Negotiations to develop an Abu Dhabi-style Ferrari World theme park in Valencia in Spain have reportedly broken down.

The EFE news agency reports that the Valencian government was unable to receive a guarantee that the privately-backed ‘Ferrari World’ would not require state money either now or in the future.

“It’s a good investment, a very interesting investment, but what we will not do is have it at a cost [to] the Valencian government or community,” said regional vice president Jose Ciscar.

“We are uncompromising on what must be the basis of the negotiations, which is that it must not cost Valencia a single euro,” he added.

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DRS to be banned during practice and qualifying in 2013

Reports have emerged that the use of the movable rear wing innovation DRS will be disallowed in practice and qualifying, starting in 2013.

The ban follows complaints from the drivers themselves, who argued that the innovation – to make overtaking easier during races – had also made driving more dangerous.

“The request to Charlie Whiting was practically unanimous,” Australian driver Mark Webber told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Webber said that in the quest for faster laptimes, drivers were often opening their rear wings in the middle of very fast corners.

“We believe there have been a number of incidents and drivers have told me it is becoming increasingly prevalent,” Whiting is quoted by the BBC.

Whiting said that the FIA had only ever allowed the use of DRS in practice and qualifying because he feared that drivers would otherwise sacrifice the DRS’ overtaking benefits when setting up the cars.

“But we see that [the teams] have taken a different approach,” Whiting is quoted by AM&S.

“So we are going to change the rule for 2013.”

The use of DRS in the specific overtaking zones will still be allowed during practice and qualifying in 2013, he added.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON WINS IN AUSTIN WHILE THE TITLE BATTLE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE

Lewis Hamilton continued his strong record in North America by winning an exciting race in Austin, Texas.

Although Red Bull clinched the Constructors’ Championship, the result forced the Drivers’ Championship battle to roll on to the final race of the season in Brazil, as Sebastian Vettel was beaten into second place while his title rival Fernando Alonso completed the podium, from seventh on the grid.

Losing the extra seven points a win would have given, the result sees Vettel increase his Championship lead over Alonso by just three points, to thirteen, whilst Red Bull have become the first Formula One team to win their first three Constructor’s Championships in consecutive years.

After a race long battle, played out in front of a crowd of 117,000 fans, Hamilton piled relentless pressure on Vettel and eventually made his way past on lap 42 to claim his fifth victory in North America. Vettel had lead the Grand Prix throughout but after losing time in Sector 1 on the decisive lap behind Narain Karthikeyan, he could not keep the McLaren driver behind in the long DRS zone.

Although he came back at Hamilton in the final 14 laps, the German was unable to get close enough to attack him.

“When Seb was delayed by a backmarker, I knew I had to grab my chance,” said Hamilton. “So I turned the engine up to maximum revs and pushed like crazy. Along the back-straight I went to the to the outside, but Seb closed the door, so I moved to the inside, and he came back towards me. I was very lucky. It was very close.

“What made the difference today between Seb and me? I wanted it more, that’s what!

It had looked from an early stage that Alonso would secure the points required to take the fight to Brazil, as the Ferrari driver made his way from seventh to fourth at the first corner, no doubt aided by his ability to start from the clean side of the grid. This came about as a result of the gearbox penalty, which Ferrari forced on Felipe Massa. The Brazilian had out qualified Alonso, but by taking a five place grid drop it promoted Alonso to seventh and allowed him to start on the clean side of the race track.

This turned out to be a significant benefit as he was able to move up to fourth on the opening lap.

Alonso’s challenge was further strengthened when Mark Webber retired on lap seventeen with an alternator problem, from third position. This meant another three points for Alonso moving up from fourth to third.

This is Hamilton’s fifth Grand Prix win in North America and the fourth victory of 2012, making a total of twenty-one in his career.

Amazingly, it is also the first time that these three champions have found themselves together on the podium.

All three drivers were candidates for Driver of the Day in their own individual ways. Leading up to the stops Hamilton closed to within half a second of the race lead, having a slim chance of a manoeuvre in the DRS zone. But Vettel responded well and built a three second gap prior to the tyre change. We have seen from Vettel during this final stage of the season that he tends to romp away in the opening laps, only to be caught slightly and then re-open that gap in the five laps leading to his stop. This way of drawing the second placed car in saves his tyres whilst ruining those of the car behind, allowing him to put the hammer down at the end of the tyre life and rebuild his lead.

But Vettel was unable to pull a sufficient lead and Hamilton showed McLaren’s long run pace from practice to set up an epic title decider next weekend.

Hamilton drove what his father Anthony described as his finest Grand Prix, using his experience to ensure he had a strong first sector and allow himself a chance in the DRS-zone. In what could be his last victory for McLaren he gave the Woking team a reminder of the speed they will be missing in 2013.

Alonso came through the field to minimise the points loss to his title rival, helped largely by a very good first corner. He struggled to match the pace of those ahead in the first phase of the race, but after the stops set a fastest lap which was only marginally beaten by the two ahead.

Behind the top three, Felipe Massa reacted to his forced penalty with great character and put in his strongest performance of the year thus far, making his way through a large group of cars from 11th during the first phase of the race, setting numerous fastest laps on the way to fourth and eventually finishing just six seconds behind Alonso.

He was followed home by Jenson Button, the Briton opting to start the race on the prime tyre from 12th on the grid and use a long first stint to bring himself back in to contention from his twelfth place start. This turned out to be the case and he was able to make use of his short run on the option tyre to find his way past the Lotus pairing. Had Button not dropped back in to a large group of cars at the beginning of the race he would have found himself with a fighting chance of a podium.

Kimi Raikkonen led home Romain Grosjean, the latter recovering from an early spin which forced an early stop due to a heavy flat-spot. They once again showed strong race pace and Raikkonen had an exhilarating battle with Button as the two ran side by side for much of a lap, before the Brit eventually took the position.

The top ten was completed by Nico Hulkenberg and the Williams pairing, headed by Pastor Maldonado. The trio had a very good race with Hulkenberg in particular running in fifth place during the early phases. The double points finish for Maldonado and Senna will be highly beneficial to their hopes of a race seat on 2013.

A notably strong drive came from Daniel Ricciardo, starting eighteenth and finishing in 12th. He ran as high as fifth during a very long first stint on the option tyre before his solitary stop.

At the other end of the spectrum is Mercedes. The Brackley based squad suffered their fifth consecutive race without scoring a point and were the only team forced in to making two stops solely down to tyre degradation.

Once he’s done celebrating this win, Hamilton will be aware that there is a huge job to do to make them competitive.

UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX, Austin, 56 laps

1. Hamilton McLaren 1h35:55.269

2. Vettel Red Bull + 0.675

3. Alonso Ferrari + 39.229

4. Massa Ferrari + 46.013

5. Button McLaren + 56.432

6. Raikkonen Lotus + 1:04.425

7. Grosjean Lotus + 1:10.313

8. Hulkenberg Force India + 1:13.792

9. Maldonado Williams + 1:14.525

10. Senna Williams + 1:15.133

11. Perez Sauber + 1:24.341

12. Ricciardo Toro Rosso + 1:24.871

13. Rosberg Mercedes + 1:25.510

14. Kobayashi Sauber + 1 lap

15. Di Resta Force India + 1 lap

16. Schumacher Mercedes + 1 lap

17. Petrov Caterham + 1 lap

18. Kovalainen Caterham + 1 lap

19. Glock Marussia + 1 lap

20. Pic Marussia + 2 laps

21. De la Rosa HRT + 2 laps

22. Karthikeyan HRT + 2 laps

[MIKA27]

Alonso 'proud' to still be in the title hunt

Fernando Alonso says he's proud to still be in with a shot at the title despite a difficult weekend in Austin for Ferrari.

The Italian team struggled during qualifying with Alonso only securing ninth, whilst team-mate Felipe Massa took seventh. Both were promoted a place with Romain Grosjean dropping places thanks to a gearbox penalty.

Massa was then 'sacrificed' by the team to move Alonso up another place and onto the clean side of the grid - which likely gained him a few places as he emerged fourth after turn one.

He says the podium finish was like a victory for the team.

"I think this podium, after all the difficulties we went through this weekend is like a victory for us," he said after the race. "Losing three points maybe was in no-one's thoughts I think yesterday night or Friday night after seeing the practice, so we are really happy again to have a very good Sunday and score again good points."

As the circus heads to Brazil for the title showdown, Alonso says he hopes to enjoy the race and no matter the outcome, is proud to have fought throughout the season.

"We will try to go to Brazil with the possibility to fight for the world championship which is something that we fight for all through the year and we arrived in that fantastic position," he added.

"Only Sebastian is in a better position than us but we should be proud of ourselves so try to enjoy the Brazil race and do our best, fight all the race and see what the outcome at the end is."