FORMULA 1 - 2012

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Disappointed doesn't come close for Marussia

The Marussia F1 Team came close to securing 10th place in the Constructors' Championship, but in the end they left Brazil devastated after losing out to Caterham.

The outfit held the positon following Timo Glock's 12th place at the Singapore Grand Prix and therefore looked likely to grab the additional prize money - in the region of £10 million - for finishing in the top ten.

However it wasn't meant to be as Caterham's Vitaly Petrov made the best of a chaotic race to ****** 11th and the much sought after WCC position which left Marussia team principal John Booth with a bitter pill to swallow.

"Today is an emotional day for everyone involved with the Marussia F1 Team. 10th place has eluded us after such a long fight and, naturally, 'disappointed' doesn’t even come close," he said.

"We made all the right calls and our strategy worked out perfectly, but in the end we lost out due to factors beyond our control."

Looking at the big picture though, and Booth says he's happy with the team has achieved since the Australian GP back in March.

"Much has been made of closing the gap to Caterham, but at the same time we have reduced the delta to the mid-field and the front of the field. For example, in Australia the gap between our own fastest lap and the winner’s fastest lap was 4.5%, whilst in the closing stages of the season we have reduced that to 2.5% - again, without KERS. So if we reflect on our big picture, it is even more encouraging than may have been apparent.

"I would like to thank the whole team back at base and trackside, including our engine supplier Cosworth, for a huge push. The same must be said of our drivers Timo and Charles; Charles of course we say goodbye to today. Our sincere appreciation also to our Partners, Investors and Suppliers for sharing the journey this season. Here’s to 2013, the advantage of KERS and some very encouraging signs that things can only get better for us."

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Infiniti to become title sponsor of Red Bull F1 team

Red Bull Racing is pleased to confirm today that it has agreed a four-year extension of its partnership which first began in 2011 with Infiniti, the premium automotive brand from Japan.

The increased agreement will see Infiniti become title partner from 2013, meaning that Red Bull Racing’s team name will become Infiniti Red Bull Racing from the start of next season.

As part of the expanded partnership, Infiniti’s involvement with the team will evolve from being purely commercial to a relationship that is more technologically focused, as the two companies will join together on a number of engineering and development projects.

Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti said: “While our first 24-months have been very beneficial to both parties, our new increased relationship will bring increased advantages to Infiniti and Red Bull Racing. As title sponsor, Infiniti Red Bull Racing will help us garner even more worldwide exposure for our brand, products and technology.”

Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal Christian Horner added: “Red Bull Racing and Infiniti have been working on a number of initiatives since the start of our relationship in 2011. During that time, Infiniti has demonstrated significant technical prowess and I’ve been impressed by the depth of the wider engineering capabilities of the Nissan Motor Company. In terms of marketing, Infiniti has leveraged their involvement with Red Bull Racing and Formula One extremely effectively to become much better known in a short space of time. These two attributes make Infiniti the ideal title and technical partner for Red Bull Racing.”

Adrian Newey, Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer commented: “F1 presents immense design and engineering challenges on a daily basis. Having a committed technical partner like Infiniti gives us a great platform for working together on technical projects, such as the Energy Recovery Systems for the 2014 season.”

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MICHAEL SCHUMACHER: MODERN F1 PERSONIFIED

Each Formula One fan will have his own opinions on Michael Schumacher, such is the mans polarising nature. However, you’ll be hard pressed to find any other Motorsport personality that has resonated with so many millions outside the sports vacuumed bubble.

There are “binders full of” records and achievements that one can tout of Schumacher. His era with Ferrari from 2000-04 saw a win percentage of 56% and a podium percentage of 77% He won more than every other race and was only off the podium less than once every 4 races. The majority will remember Schumacher as the Red Baron who ruled the pinnacle of Motorsport. Yet, in my view, that was not Schumacher at his very best.

Schumacher’s greatest achievement was his influence on the very sport itself. He was the purveyor of a tectonic shift gone under-appreciated in the undercurrents of his exuberance. The vast majority of the generation of young Formula One fans (which at the age of 20 I consider myself part of) simply haven’t been exposed to what I consider to be greatest display of sustained driving excellence in the sport’s history. Think an amalgamation of Vettel’s supreme excellence in 2011 and Alonso’s remarkable relentlessness in 2012. That was Michael Schumacher of the 1990s, especially in his early Ferrari days.

Formula One was a very different sport in the early ’90s. There existed this belief that a race weekend was compromised very much of two halves: the first qualifying where a driver would give it everything for one spectacular lap. The second the race, where a driver would sustain a paced, tactical battle of attrition with his competitors. One couldn’t possibly drive 60 laps akin to the fervent intensity of qualifying! Niki Lauda famously said “The secret is to win going as slowly as possible.” The exert minimum strain to best sustain your mental and physical abilities for the trials of a world championship.

Schumacher took that established norm and simply blew it out of the water. He brought an intensity to the sport never seen of before that took it by storm. Physically, he was a relative Arnold Schwarzenegger for the current grid of driver, who simply couldn’t respond. Damon Hill & Nigel Mansell recall incidences in their own career where towards the end of a race, their tiring muscles and dwindling concentration where no match for a rampaging Schumacher who would be driving each lap as if it was his last. He made it seem remarkably easy and wouldn’t even appear to break sweat at the end of some races. Asked about his early ascension on a SkyF1 program he simply noted:

“Some people naturally talented. You need to beat them, by simply working hard. Harder than anyone else.”

Today’s Formula One drivers train at altitudes, run triathalons and excessively manage their food and fluid intake. They’re all built like pro-altheles. That is a direct result of Schumacher’s influence of our very sport sport. He raised the bar and brought an off track component of fitness and training to maxmise on track benefits. Formula One today is a better, even more competive sport thanks to his contribution.

A Tale of Two Races – Brilliance Distilled

As is often the case with great sport stories, the circumstances in place viewed retrospectively suit the protagonist. Shumacher’s notion of racing flat out was a perfect match for low fuel sprint racing of the time. He was a famous critic of the Pirelli tyres on his comeback, since he had to lend more effort into managing tyre life instead of pushing the limits of the car itself. The best demonstration of Schumacher’s speed and determination was shown at Hungary 1998.

Battling the quicker McLarens of Haikkenen and Coulthard, Schumacher was relegated to a third and effectively championship challenge ending position. The Ferrari pit crew, lead by Ross Brawn gambled on Schumacher’s racing finesse and opted for a three stop strategy asking for a tall order: making up around 25 seconds in 18 laps. Schumacher delivered. And then some. Each following sector was faster than the last, leaving a trail of purple on the timesheet. He lapping constantly 1.5 seconds faster than the whole field, even faster than his qualifying pace.

Schumacher’s first victory for Ferrari is perhaps his very finest. Rain. The perennial equaliser of machinery and appraiser of inherent talent. The 1996 Spanish Grand Prix saw Schumacher lapping a whole three seconds faster in a car which was over a second slower in the dry. In conditions which led to just 6 cars finishing the car. It was a performance best described as ’Senna-esque’ which earned him the title “Regenmeister”.

The Schumacher-Ferrari era

Schumacher’s utter dominance in the early 2000s doesn’t sit well with passionate Formula One fans. Some have always highlighted the above advantages and doubted Schumacher. They feel a sense of pride being “in the know” of the real in-depth aspects of Formula One. The ones who’d tell their mates down in the pub in 2004 “He’s not as good as he looks you know”. It’s simply true: Schumacher held signficant advantages during that tenture at Ferrari: Bespoke, custom built, durable Bridgestone tyres; a private test team and test track (Fiorano) to endlessly test new parts; a clear ‘second driver’ and of course, the colossal budget of the prancing horse.

However, just as true were the significant disadvantages Ferrari had in 1996. “Truck”, “pig”, and “accident waiting to happen” here the labels conjugated to the uncompetitive Ferrari’s of the early nineties by Alain prost. The poor performance of the Ferrari pit crews was a running joke amonst mechanics.

Schumacher became a beconing leader for Ferrari, a figure with the gravitas of consecutive world championships looked up in admiration by every engineer at Maranello. A true team player, along with Jean Todt and Ross Brawn Schumacher simply brought about one of the most remarkable transitions in F1 history. You don’t simply “chance into” a good team – you galvanise and build it piece by piece. Hamilton’s remarking on his own voyage with Mercedes, hoping the replicate the same efforts.

Let his dominant machinery not detract from the talent and efforts of a remarkable individual who had more than proven his credentials well before he bored many into irrational anger towards him. Eddie Jordan recalls a young Schumacher testing an F1 car for the very first time at Silverstone and within the space of an hour lapping faster than Jordan’s race drivers.

Legacy

307 races, competing and beating Senna, Prost, Mansell, Haikkenen, Raikkonen and Alonso. Attaining a collosal seven world titles – the amount of Senna and Prost combined.

Some have questioned whether he’s tarnished his legacy by competiting with Mercedes from 2010. There have certainly been dissapointments in the comeback. It’s obvious to see the appeal of Mercedes for Schumacher. An automotive goliath, deeply ingrained in German culture that enabled his entry into the sport he dominated giving him the opportunity to compete against what was hailed as the best grid of drivers? You can see how Ross Brawn appealed to Schumacher’s inner competitive soul.

Still, it takes some skill for a 43 year old to drag a below-par car onto pole position at the hardest circuit and beating drivers half his age. His luck and reliability this year have been nothing short of atrocious – 5 retirements in the first 7 races where the Mercedes was even slightly competitive.

I was always a Schumacher & Hakkinen fan. I vivdly remember cheering in disbelief

. The Finn’s lighthearted character clashed with the German’s steely nature.

Thanks to his comeback and onset of maturity at the solem age of 40, you saw a more human Schumacher in his comeback. Not a charecterised part-driving machine where breakneck competition was the only was forward. There no incidents like Jerez 1997 or Monaco 2006. He’d always have a charming smile on his face on good or bad days, referring to “his boys” and the work they were putting in at the factory.

Others may not be a fan of him, but any Formula 1 fan can appreciate incredible showcases of driving masterclass when you see them.

Schumacher-the-driver’s legacy will always remain untarnishied. The present can’t change the past and won’t erode on scaresly believeable performance such as Spain 1996. In his comeback, Schumacher-the-human rose to the top.

This long article (thank you for reading this far) is a homage to the man who defines and personifies modern Formula One: the good, the bad and the ugly. The dominance, the struggles and the controversies. The likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hulkenburg credit Schumacher’s achievements as their key inspiration for the sport. He took Formula One in Germany from a fringe sport to the nation with the most drivers currently on the grid and third on the all time list of championships. His influence on the sport in simply unquestionable.

In an interview with Top Gear whilst masquerading as the legend Stig, when asked why the retired at the end of 2006 he said he had simply nothing more left in the tank to give. He also joked “I missed curry too much” referred to his strict diet during his driving.

Michael Schumacher,

. From your loyal fans worldwide.

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BRAZILIAN GP - WHO WAS YOUR DRIVER OF THE DAY?

Intermittent rain showers created a thrilling title decider which had everything at Brazil’s Interlagos track.

Sebastian Vettel had the worst possible start, spinning to the back of the field before fighting back to win the title. Fernando Alonso fought bravely to keep his title hopes alive before missing out, while Jenson Button mastered the conditions at the front to take victory.

Nico Hulkenberg drove one of the races of his life, barring one misjudgment while Felipe Massa drove strongly in front of his home fans – but who was your Driver of the Day?

Jenson Button

Set himself up for the race nicely after a strong qualifying which saw him finish just 0.055 seconds behind McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton to start second. Made a decent start, but lost a place to a fast-starting Felipe Massa. Regained second later in the lap and then overtook Hamilton down the back straight for the lead. Lost the lead to Hamilton on the same lap, but regained it the next time around. Passed by Nico Hulkenberg, but was comfortably second as he decided not to pit for inters in the slippery conditions. Saw that cushion disappear as the safety car came out. Lost second to Hamilton, but took the lead when Hulkenberg collidesdwith Hamilton at Turn One. Controlled the race from there to take his third win of the season.

Fernando Alonso

Fought bravely but just missed out on the title. Inherited seventh on the grid when Pastor Maldonado got a 10-place grid penalty for picking up his third reprimand and capitalised by making up two places at the start. Passed both Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa and Red Bull’s Mark Webber on lap two down the inside at Turn one. Lost a place to Hulkenberg and Massa when he went off track. Repassed Massa and then gained a place as a result of Hamilton’s retirement before he moved in second when Hulkenberg took his drive-through penalty. Couldn’t make up the deficit of 20 seconds to leader Button and settled for second – his 13th podium of the finish – but missed out on the championship.

Felipe Massa

Played the ideal support role to team-mate Alonso. Made an electric start from fifth on the grid to run second early on, before he lost a place to Button and then Alonso. Did a great job of riding shotgun for Alonso who struggled in the opening portion of the race. Dropped down the field when he pitted for slicks and then realised it was a mistake as the conditions didn’t improve and pitted again for inters. Clawed his way back up the field to run fifth and then inherited fourth when Hamilton retired and third when Hulkenberg took his penalty. Held on to score his second podium of the season.

Nico Hulkenberg

It’s not everyday a Force India passes a McLaren to lead a race. Showed good pace all weekend and started sixth. Made a good getaway to run fifth before putting a brave move on Mark Webber for fourth. Inherited third when Alonso went off the track and the set off in pursuit of the McLarens. Decided not to pit when the rain started to fall to climb up to second and then put a brilliant move on Button to take the lead. Looked super comfortable at the front and led the field away impressively after the restart following a safety car. But a mistake at Turn six saw him almost spin and that let Hamilton past. Tried an ambitious move on Hamilton later in the race, but misjudged his braking and hit Hamilton, taking the McLaren out and incurring a drive-through penalty for his sins. Rejoined in fifth where he finished the race.

Sebastian Vettel

Held his nerve after a horror start to win fight back and win the championship. Hit by Bruno Senna on the first lap after a poor start, damaging the rear of his car and spinning him to the back of the field. Kept his head to fight back through the field, rising as high as eighth before his charge is halted by Kamui Kobayashi. Didn’t take any risks and eventually got past. Pitted for slicks, but then came back in for inters. Benefitted from the safety car which closed the field up, but was the fastest car on the track for most of the latter part of the race, rose up to sixth, behind Hulkenberg where he stayed comfortably, finishing the race there under the safety car to become the youngest ever triple world champion and first to win his first three championships in a row.

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2012 FORMULA 1 SEASON WRAP-UP:

And so an exceptional year of F1 came to an end with an appropriately thrilling conclusion.

I said at the start of the 2012 season that with six world champions in the field whoever won the title would deserve it. That view was underlined after the first seven races were won by seven different drivers and the final round just confirmed it.

This season was a pleasure to cover; light(ish) on politics, strong on racing and on characters. I liked the ebb and flow of the year, the fact that different teams had a chance to shine, with Williams winning in Spain, Lotus in Abu Dhabi, Sauber challenging for the win in Malaysia and Force India leading in Brazil. It was a season, which showed that the cast of characters in F1 is deeper than just the leading two or three teams.

You had to feel for Fernando Alonso; he has given his all like a gladiator, but just one with a smaller sword than his opponent. Alonso was on a higher level this year than at any other time in his career. He slipped a little in qualifying later in the season, eclipsed by Felipe Massa and giving himself a lot of work to do on race day in the final few rounds.

But his starts and his race management were exceptional all year. It would be wrong to say that Ferrari didn’t develop their car, after all it was over a second off the pace in Melbourne. But they didn’t develop it enough and that began to tell in the final third of the season.

But that’s not the only reason why Alonso lost the title. He lost it because of his two non-finishes in Spa and Suzuka, where he tangled with a Lotus driver. One of these was not his fault, the other he risked a lot and lost out. Such are the fine margins.

Sebastian Vettel also had his non-finishes this year, but these were due more to reliability. Yes he had a tangle with a backmarker in Malaysia, which meant he didn’t score any points there, but his alternator failures robbed him of a win in Valencia and points in Monza, so it evens out in the end.

The Red Bull was the fastest car at times this season, notably the Asian races in October, but not the fastest car of the season. That honour goes to McLaren, it’s just that they were unable to exploit it. Lewis Hamilton should have won the 2012 world championship. His driving this year was of the highest standard, gone were the errors and anger of 2011, to be replaced by some sublime speed.

The McLaren was the fastest car at the start and end of the season and in the middle too. It was eclipsed by the Red Bull in early summer and in October, but apart from that it was the car of the year. However operational errors and reliability failings in the Autumn cost Hamilton over 100 points and his shot at the title.

Take nothing away from Sebastian Vettel’s success, he deserved it and put in several performances of which his detractors thought him incapable. I was particularly impressed with his drive in Brazil. After tangling with Bruno Senna on the opening lap (see photo at top), losing his radio and suffering confusions among his four pit stops, he still managed to hold his nerve and get the result he needed to win the title. It’s hard to overstate how tough that is mentally. He had a lot to lose on that final day of the season. It helped that Alonso didn’t have the pace to challenge for the win, but it was still a lot for Vettel to deal with and he proved himself a worthy champion.

Other talking points from the season were the crashes involving Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado. Grosjean was at it again in Brazil, trying to force his was past Pedro de la Rosa when both were on a hot lap in qualifying. Already on a final warning after his ban for the Spa pile up, he was fortunate not to be penalised by stewards for that.

He crashed on race day; a violent 9g impact, summing up his season. Kimi Raikkonen has carried the Lotus team, scoring in excess of 200 points and with a more consistent performer in the other car, Lotus might have been able to challenge Ferrari and Lotus for second and third places in the table.

Maldonado, like Grosjean, wowed us with his speed in qualifying at times this year but his race performances were also inconsistent. The Williams was one of the best cars of the year and for the team to end up down in eighth place in the standings with it is a bitter disappointment.

Perhaps in recognition of this, both Maldonado and Grosjean were still waiting for confirmation of their seats for 2013 as the F1 circus left Sao Paulo.

For 2013, with no major rule change from this year, I expect the McLarens to start and continue strongly, but I wonder if the drivers will be able to qualify strongly enough and consistently enough to mount a title challenge.

Red Bull must be favourites again with Vettel, but with the effort they put in takes a lot out of the race team, especially the mechanics, who were exhausted after another punishing year of late nights. Adrian Newey cars are very fast, but also complex to work on and the risk for Red Bull is motivation and fatigue. This is what Christian Horner and his management group must guard against.

Meanwhile Ferrari and Alonso should challenge again, but cannot afford to produce another car, which misses the mark. Motivation is high at Ferrari, but the inspiration is lacking and this will be a very high-pressure winter in the technical department at Maranello.

And what of Lotus and Mercedes? Lotus built a good car in 2012 and Kimi Raikkonen did a wonderful job with it, can they raise their game to win consistently? Team boss Eric Boullier signed off yesterday saying that Lotus goal in 2013 is “fighting for podiums”, nothing more.

And can Mercedes produce a car for Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to get regular wins? All the pieces are in place now, but the worrying lack of progress on fundamental issues like tyre wear in 2012 raise doubts. The engineers know that with Hamilton in the car they will be shown up if they don’t come up with something special.

Winter is coming on, but Like Maranello, the technical department in Brackley will be feeling the heat.

* The season may be over but I will have a steady stream of great new content throughout the winter, to prevent you from getting withdrawal symptoms.

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Sebastian Vettel: No reason to want to leave

Sebastian Vettel refused to be drawn on whether his next challenge will be winning a title with another team after claiming his third with Red Bull.

The German finished sixth in Sunday's season finale in Brazil, wrapping up his third successive Drivers' Championship by three points ahead of Fernando Alonso.

But while the duo were rivals on the track, the rumours that they could one day be team-mates at Ferrari is refusing to die down.

Asked about whether his next step in Formula One would be to win a title with "another" team, Vettel said: "I want to enjoy now.

"I tried to explain to you that for the whole team the most important thing is the present, I don't want to get carried away with next year or next years, I want to have a good time tonight and let's see how long... Sometimes at some stage you have to charge your batteries, come back in shape next season.

"I am with the team, I have a contract until the end of 2014, I am very happy with what we have achieved so far and this story isn't over yet.

"I am very happy and extremely committed to give everything I have in the next years and at the moment I don't see any point about seeing another team or something else."

The 25-year-old, who has won five grands prix on his way to the title, admitted it had been "very tough" season for his team.

"I think it is always difficult because in the end you compare to something that happened in the past and it is not as present in our heads as this one.

"Nevertheless it was a very tough season for us, on track, off track. A season with ups and downs for everyone, but as I mentioned before we remained ourselves and kept doing it our way and that made the difference."

The German added that he was proud of the way in which both Red Bull and he tackled the challenges they faced in 2012 having previously mentioned the "dirty tricks" played by other unnamed teams.

"I think for us and me, it is being happy with what you see in the mirror and you are happy with yourself, why try and fake being someone else, being someone else you know if you're cheating and cheating yourself.

"It was tough as people tried everything inside the lines, outside the lines to beat us, the amount of questions we had to deal with, stuff we had to deal with during the season - the key was to remain ourselves and that made the difference.

"I am not holy, I have made mistakes like everyone else but the way I was brought up was to be honest if you do something wrong. In Q3 I was pushing too hard and overstepped the mark so that wasn't perfect and I have no problem to admit that.

"I was brought up that way and I also believe that is the reason why we succeeded in the end."

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'Schumi showed all of his skills'

Ross Brawn reckons all Michael Schumacher's skills were on display in Brazil on Sunday as he bid farewell to Formula One with a top-ten result.

Schumacher's swansong did not get off to the best of starts as the German suffered an early puncture, dropping him well down the order.

But by the time the 71 laps were complete, the seven-time World Champion had worked his way up to seventh place in the ever-changing and tricky conditions.

"Michael showed all of the skills that we know he has to salvage his race; considered overtaking, good decisions on tyre strategy, and he kept the car on the road to bring us home some points," said his team boss.

"It was a nice way to finish the season and his career with us."

And although Schumacher's second stint in Formula One was not even close to be as successful as his first, Brawn says it was a "real honour" to once again work alongside the German.

"In terms of results, his second spell in Formula One hasn't been as special but it has been so for all of us who have had the privilege of working with him.

"It has been a real honour for all of the boys and girls at our team, and working alongside Michael gives you a real understanding of why he is so special and has achieved seven World Championships.

"He will be missed and we all wish him the very best for the future."

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Di Montezemolo 'proud' of Ferrari

Despite a fourth season without a title, Luca di Montezemolo insists he's "proud" of his Ferrari team.

Ferrari ended their season on a high note as Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa secured the team's first double podium of the campaign.

That, though, was not enough to stop Red Bull from securing the Championship double.

With Sebastian Vettel bringing his car home in sixth place in Brazil, he won the World title by three points ahead of Alonso while Ferrari were second to Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.

"I am proud of my team," di Montezemolo told the team's website.

"We fought all the way to the bitter end, getting both our drivers onto the podium for the final race of the season.

"When you miss out on the title by the smallest of margins, naturally there is some regret.

"I want to congratulate Fernando on what he has done this year: his season has been simply fantastic.

"Felipe drove very well in the second half of the season and demonstrated once again that he is a real team player.

"I also want to thank Stefano Domenicali and all his colleagues for the work they have done, day after day, to produce a car that, in terms of reliability, was perfect and for what they achieved on track in terms of strategy and the work in the garage."

But with 2012 now a thing of the past, di Montezemolo says Ferrari must "immediately concentrate on next season, because, right from the start, we must have a car that is competitive at the highest level."

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Kimi: I knew what I was doing

Kimi Raikkonen says he knew where he was going when he took to an escape road at Interlagos - the only problem was the gate was closed.

Contending with the ever-changing conditions, Raikkonen ran off the track on lap 52 and attempted to return via an escape road.

The Lotus driver headed down, following the road only to find the gate was closed.

A quick U-turn sent him back the other way and onto the track where he raced to 10th place at the Brazilian GP.

"I went off at the last corner on lap fifty-two as I couldn't see well with my visor being dirty and fogged up," said Raikkonen.

"Where I went off you can get back on the track by going through the support race pit lane, but you have to go through a gate.

"I know this as I did the same thing in 2001 and the gate was open that year. Somebody closed it this time.

"Next year I'll make sure it's open again."

Raikkonen's P10 meant he was the only driver this season to finish every grand prix, 19 of which he scored in to secure third in the Drivers' Championship.

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No more Spanish team in F1 confirms De la Rosa

Pedro de la Rosa has admitted he left Brazil after Sunday’s 2012 finale with a real sadness, knowing that HRT’s owner Thesan Capital is no longer prepared to fund the Spanish backmarkers, making it likely Interlagos was the last race in the team’s three-year history.

“We have finished the season with so much uncertainty about what will happen now,” lead driver de la Rosa told Antena 3 television.

“Are we going to continue, are we changing the name … it makes me feel bad because when I talk to the mechanics I don’t know if it is the last time we work together.

“We started the project thinking it would be long term,” he said.

At the very least, de la Rosa acknowledged that formula one will no longer have a Spanish team.

“Whatever happens, for many reasons, the team will not be Spanish and that’s the biggest sadness I have,” he said.

“We will probably never see a Spanish team in formula one again.”

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WHEN STRATEGY GOES OUT THE WINDOW & REACTION IS EVERYTHING:

The Brazilian Grand Prix was a rollercoaster of a race, with positions and fortunes changing from lap to lap as intermittent rain caused chaos. Sebastian Vettel managed to survive a first lap collision, a broken radio and four pitstops to fight back from 17th place on lap one to sixth at the end to secure the points he needed to win the world championship for the third time.

Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, went from seventh on the grid to second at the end, but did not have the pace in the Ferrari to challenge Jenson Button for the win, which would have given him the points to clinch the title.

With conditions so hard to predict and so changeable this was a day when the strategists were reacting to events and working on instinct. For some, with nothing to lose, it was worth taking a gamble on a tyre choice. For the two title contenders it was all about being certain to be there at the chequered flag with as many points as possible.

The race fell into three distant phases. The early laps when it began to rain and a decision needed to be made whether to pit for intermediate tyres or stay out on dry tyres. A middle part of the race when everyone was on dry tyres, and then the final 20 laps in the rain, when everyone moved to intermediates.

Pre-race expectations

Rain had been forecast for race day all week. However, in the hours before the race the chance of rain was receding from 80% to 40%, as teams faced up to the possibility of a dry race and very different conditions from practice and qualifying.

The key factor was always going to be the temperature, it was cool on race day, but if the temperature kept rising it would mean more thermal degradation on the tyres and therefore more pit stops.

There were three cars out of position; Maldonado in 16th after his penalty for missing a weight check, Grosjean in 18th after hitting de la Rosa in qualifying and arguably Rosberg, who had overqualified in the Mercedes in 9th place and was set to fall back in the race.

Indications were that teams would go for a two stop strategy with the first stop around lap 20-25 with a middle stint on a new set of hard tyres and then review performance before deciding whether to switch to used mediums for the last stint or another set of new hards.

However the track conditions before the rain began were different from Friday practice where the track temperature was almost 50 degrees, compared to less than half that on race day. So even without rain, teams were set for a reactive strategy.

Once again Pirelli’s tyre choice had been conservative, the Italian firm opting for the hard and medium tyres because of several high energy corners. The hard tyre was well out of its optimum working range in the 50 degree track temperatures during Friday practice and there were signs of blistering. But on race day with lower temperatures, the hard tyres were better suited.

Going into the race, only Di Resta of the leading cars had a new set of mediums left, while Ferrari only had one new set of hard tyres, compared to the two new sets of Red Bull and McLaren. The Ferrari also had a deficit of around 0.3s to 0.4s in pure car pace to deal with. The team had split its long run tests on Friday, with Massa running the medium and Alonso the hard tyres, so they had plenty of data on which to base their strategy. It was clear that they favoured the medium tyre on race day as they and Lotus were the ones to move onto it in the dry.

Button and Hulkenberg take a chance

The conditions in the early part of the race were difficult, but the teams were ready to react as far as strategy decisions were concerned. The key strategy call was to stay out when rain started to fall in the early stages with the dry tyres, but few teams were able to do that, as they could not generate enough temperature in the tyres.

Several teams split the strategies at this point, around lap 10; putting one driver onto intermediates and leaving the other on slicks. Red Bull put Webber onto intermediates, for example and then switched Vettel onto them a lap later. For McLaren Hamilton went onto the intermediates, but Button resisted.

There was a brief moment in this phase when it looked like Button and Nico Hulkenberg were on the wrong tyre, with the slick. But then drivers who went onto the intermediate tyres too early suffered from graining. So it swung back Hulkenberg and Button’s way and when the drivers who had switched to intermediates were forced to pit again around lap 18-20, it left Button and Hulkenberg over 40 seconds clear of the field, having made no stops compared to the two made by the others.

It is worth noting that Force India has something of a track record on tricky wet days like this of copying what Button does, as he has an uncanny knack of being on the right tyre at the right time and there have been several occasions when Force India has matched his moves and got a strong result.

In this instance both Button and Hulkenberg were able to get sufficient temperature into the tyres to deal with the water on the track, although there was a thin dry line for most of the early stages of the race. This made overtaking difficult because off line there was no grip and several cars went straight on instead of out-braking their rivals.

It was only later that the track became fully wet, after lap 50, when the whole field went for intermediates.

The decisive moment of the race was the deployment of the safety car on lap 23 due to the debris on the track, which had led to a puncture for Nico Rosberg. This greatly helped Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel, Webber and others who had lost ground early on through pit stops and spins. It wiped out the lead of Button and Hulkenberg and brought Hamilton into their battle, which ultimately led to the collision between Hulkenberg and Hamilton.

The pair had no choice but to pit under the safety car and retain their lead, but with a bunched up field behind.

Incidentally, in phase two of the race, around laps 18-20, when everyone moved back onto dry tyres, Ferrari and Lotus went for the medium tyre while most went for the hard. For most, this was a hedge in case they needed to go to the finish on that set of tyres, with over 40 laps remaining.

Lotus were prepared to go to the end on the mediums, given their better tyre usage, but Ferrari would have struggled as they suffered obvious graining on the surface of the front tyres.

Most F1 strategists said after the race that it was relatively clear what was the right move to make at each phase of the race, but what prevented more of them from copying Button and Hulkenberg was confidence that they could generate the tyre temperature.

Button is a past master at these situations, but it was interesting to note, once again as in Brazil qualifying in 2010, that Hulkenberg has the knack too. It was regrettable that he lost control of the car trying to pass Hamilton later in the race – and took a drive through penalty as a result – as it overshadowed an otherwise exceptional performance and great strategic reaction.

TYRE STRATEGIES

N=new:U=used;M=Medium;H=Hard;Dt=drivethrough penalty

Button: MU HN (23) IN (57) 2 Stops

Alonso: MU IN (10) MU (18) IN (56) 3

Massa: MU IN (15) MU (19) IN (55) 3

Webber: MU IN (9) HU (19) IN (55) 3

Hülkenberg: MU HN (23) IN (57) DT (58) 3

Vettel: MU IN (10) HN (19) MU (52) IN (54) 4

Schumacher: HN HN (5) IN (8) HN (17) IN (54) 4

Vergne: MN IN (15) HN (20) HN (29) IN (56) 4

Kobayashi: HN IN (8) HN (18) IN (54) 3

Räikkönen: MU IN (5) MU (19) IN (53) 3

Petrov: MN IN (14) HN (19) IN (54) 3

Pic: MN IN (13) MU (20) IN (55) 3

Ricciardo: MN IN (9) HN (19) HN (51) IN (56) WN (61) 5

Kovalainen: MN IN (15) MU (19) HN (37) IN (56) WN (59) 5

Rosberg: MU IN (9) HN (18) HN (20) IN (50) 4

Glock: MN IN (14) MU (19) HN (31) IN (56) 4

De La Rosa: MU IN (14) MU (19) HN (50) IN (55) 4

Kartikeyan: MU IN (13) HN (20) HN (51) IN (55) 4

Di Resta: MN IN (10) HN (18) IN (57) 3

Hamilton: MU IN (10) HN (18) 2

Grosjean: HN 0 NC

Maldonado: MU 0 NC

Senna: MN 0 NC

Perez: MU 0 NC

RACE HISTORY, courtesy of Williams F1 Team

The dips in the middle and at the end of the graph are the safety car periods. This raises the average lap time of the race, hence why many of the dry racing laps are above the zero (average) line.

[MIKA27]

LEWIS HAMILTON VS JENSEN BUTTON: COMPARISON:

Lewis Hamilton’s final race for McLaren in Brazil represented a clear closing of an era for the Woking squad both in terms of its long-standing relationship with its one-time protégé and, after three season and 58 races in tandem, the team’s high-profile all-British world champion driver line-up.

While Hamilton’s hopes of saying farewell with an Interlagos victory were scuppered when Nico Hulkenberg slid into him at turn one, Jenson Button was able to pick up the pieces and lay down a marker for 2013 when he will inevitably assume additional responsibility and expectation at the team given the relative inexperience of the incoming Sergio Perez.

The other significant thing about Button’s win, and Hamilton’s no-score, was that it ensured that it was the elder Briton who ended the pair’s three years as team-mates with the higher overall points tally – 672 for Button compared with Hamilton’s 657 points.

While points alone certainly can’t reflect the whole picture of their time together at McLaren or act as conclusive evidence of which of the pair ‘won’ their team-mate battle, as the wider statistics we have gathered below will demonstrate, outscoring Hamilton over a three-year period certainly still reflects better on Button than many would have expected when he joined the team, Sir Jackie Stewart at the time famously remarking that the then newly-crowned world champion was entering the “lion’s den” in going up against Hamilton in the same machinery.

In terms of a per-season head-to-head tally, Hamilton finished with more points in two of their three years together (2010 and 2012) but in the middle season, when he finished as runner-up to Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings, Button outscored his countryman by a significantly bigger margin, 43 points, which in the end told in his final overall advantage.

Button’s win on Sunday was his eighth for McLaren in those three seasons but it’s Hamilton, with 10, who shades that particular head-to-head there, although Button claimed marginally more podium finishes, both in real terms and as a percentage of the races he finished (50% to Hamilton’s 48.9%), and top 10 results.

Interestingly however, in the races they both made the chequered flag (37) Hamilton finished in front 65% of the time with his advantage on Saturdays, unsurprisingly given the pair’s well-established relative strengths, even more pronounced.

Discounting grid penalties, Hamilton ended qualifying with the better lap time on 44 occasions compared with Button’s 14, giving the 2008 champion a 76% success rate. Indeed Button’s pole at Spa in the summer remains his only one for McLaren, while Hamilton has added nine more to his career tally since the start of 2010.

In terms of race retirements, Hamilton failed to finish more often (13 v 8 ) but the majority of that difference can be explained by accidents or incidents across the three years, rather than car-related or reliability issues, despite the fact the 27-year-old arguably lost three additional wins through failures this season alone.

The statistic that will of course most disappoint and frustrate McLaren is the lack of drivers’ or constructors’ world titles the partnership yielded despite the consistency which saw Hamilton and Button, between them, win nearly a third of their 58 races together and finish in the points at every grand prix – the latter being a new F1 record for a team.

Hamilton v Button stats compared (highest respective tally in bold)

Qualifying

Faster qualifying time: Hamilton 44 / Button 14

Poles: Hamilton 9 / Button 1

Front rows: Hamilton: 23 / Button 9

Races

Wins: Hamilton 10 / Button 8

Podiums: Hamilton 22 / Button 25

Points finishes: Hamilton 45 / Button 47

DNFs: Hamilton 13 / Button 8

Best race result (inc DNFs): Hamilton 32 / Button 26

Ahead in two-car finish: Hamilton 24 / Button 13

Championship

Overall points: Hamilton 657 / Button 672

Seasons finished higher in standings: Hamilton 2 / Button 1

Highest championship placing: Hamilton 4th (2010, 2012) / Button 2nd (2011)

[MIKA27]

Red Bull won't rest on their laurels

They have just won a hat-trick of Championships, but Red Bull have warned the rest of the grid that they "are never satisfied".

After wrapping up their third consecutive Constructors' Championship in Austin, the Milton Keynes squad picked up more silverware at the season finale in Brazil as Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' title for the third year in a row.

Team principal Christian Horner says the squad will learn from the mistakes they made this year and will improve in 2013.

"We've got such a strong group, we can always learn," he said.

"We've learned a lot of lessons this year and we'll look to apply them, and that's one of the strengths of this team.

"We are never satisfied. We're always looking inwards, whether that's the drivers, engineers, or technicians.

"It is in all the different departments. It is that spirit and desire that has kept us at the top for three years."

While Red Bull and Vettel dominated the 2011 season, things were a lot more difficult this campaign as they had a few mechanical problems while the likes of Ferrari and McLaren also put up a much better fight.

Horner rates their 2012 success as their best and also heaped praise on Vettel.

"This is by far our biggest achievement as a team ever," he said. "We were restrained last week [when winning the Constructors' Championship] as we thought the job was only half done.

"It's been a tough week, but everyone's kept their focus, kept their nerve.

"And what we were faced with here in the rain could not have been more stressful.

"It's not just about today though; it's about the season as whole - all 20 races.

"It's ebbed and flowed and we've fought our way back into it. Sebastian, in particular, has never given up.

"He really wanted this Championship. He's driven with great determination and it doesn't ever get any easier."

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Ferrari out to start 2013 with a bang

Ferrari are determined to start the 2013 season in better shape as they look to avoid repeating this year's mistakes.

It was another case of so close but yet so far for the Italian outfit and Fernando Alonso in 2012 as he lost the Drivers' Championship by three points to Sebastian Vettel.

Ferrari, though, will be the first to admit that they were not up to scratch in qualifying while they also had several other problems that they failed to iron out during the season.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali says they will learn from their mistakes.

"We are trying to correct the points that were not the best in terms of our car," he said.

"We need to improve the pace in qualifying, and the situation with DRS is something that should theoretically help.

"That is why I am confident that we should be in a different position at the start of the season next year."

Ferrari made a sluggish start to the season as Alonso and Felipe Massa struggled to match the likes of Red Bull and McLaren, but the team moved up a few gears during the European leg.

However, they failed to build on that success and failed to keep up with the charging Vettel during the latter stages of the season.

Domenicali says they know where they went wrong and are already looking at ways to change that.

"Don't forget in the last four races we were the team that scored the most points," he said.

"And in racing we were, in my view, the best in terms of managing pitstops, managing strategy, and being best in reliability.

"We didn't have the fastest car at the beginning of the season, and maybe in the second half of the season we were not able to improve the car.

"This is something that we need to work harder on in order to improve it.

"Of course we have ideas as we know where we lacked. We also know we paid a big price in qualifying that hurt our performance in the race."

[MIKA27]

Martin Whitmarsh 'very sad' to see Lewis leave

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admits Lewis Hamilton's last race weekend for the squad was an emotional one.

The Brazilian GP was Hamilton's final one for McLaren as his association with the Woking team will come to an end on December 31 following his decision to sign with Mercedes.

Whitmarsh admits there was some sadness in the camp at Interlagos.

"I'm very sad about it because I've known him personally for over 15 years, and I've seen him through some great, great moments," he said.

"He's a great human being, a great asset for any team, so of course I'm disappointed he is going.

"It's emotional, but we're a tough team and we have to get on.

"We've the makings of a good car for next year and we'll go out there and do our best."

There have been suggestions that McLaren didn't do enough to keep hold of Hamilton, but Whitmarsh is refusing to dwell on it, insisting they offered him the best deal in F1.

"Like Lewis, I don't spend too much time on that," he said. "It is what it is.

"I know the offer we made was higher, in a fiscal sense, than any other driver - apart from himself - is enjoying in Formula 1. I suspect he was given a better one, but that's life.

"He's been a friend and a colleague for a long time. Next year he'll be a competitor and we'll try and beat him.

"I'm sure we'll continue to have a good relationship, we'll compete appropriately and we'll go out there and see how we get on."

[MIKA27]

Kamui hopes website can save F1 seat

Kamui Kobayashi is so determined to remain in Formula One that he has set up a website which he hopes will help raise funds to keep him on the grid.

The Japanese driver, who made his F1 debut in 2009 with Toyota, is without a race seat for the 2013 season after Sauber opted to replace him with Mexican Esteban Gutierrez.

Kobayashi, though, has not giving up hope of lining up on the grid next year as the likes of Force India, Caterham and Marussia still have seats available.

"I think still some seats that are available so we try to get a seat," he is quoted as saying by Reuters. "If we can find some sponsors I think it is easier."

He added: "This is Formula One. Everybody looks really worried but I don't really worry at the moment, I try to work hard to get sponsors and find out what's available for next year's seat."

The 26-year-old, who claimed his maiden F1 podium at his home race at Suzuka this year, has turned to the internet to raise some funds, hoping fans will use www.kamui-support.com to help his cause. Those who make donations will receive special wristbands.

"Suzuka had more than 100,000 people at the race... over the three days we had 200,000," he said.

"I think we have a lot of potential to get some money from the fans as well. It has been just two days but it's going to help my career for sure."

[MIKA27]

Michael Schumacher set for Mercedes discussions

Michael Schumacher's career as a Formula One driver may be over, but he could continue his relationship with MercedesAMG F1.

Three years after coming out of retirement to drive for the Brackley squad, the seven-time World Champion has decided to call it quits for a final time and he bowed out with a seventh-place finish at the Brazilian GP on Sunday.

Although Schumacher is determined to enjoy life away from F1, he has hinted he could take up a role at Merc.

"Obviously I will be in discussions with Mercedes to see what we're going to do together," he is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"There are good ideas and good options. I'm pretty sure my calendar will easily be filled up."

He added: "I've certainly been counting down the days to the life I have next to Formula 1, and I look forward to this life.

"I don't have concrete future plans. I obviously have partners I've been working with during the F1 time and I'll keep on working with them in the time after.

"Lots more time will be dedicated to the family, and if there is some time left over afterwards then we'll see."

[MIKA27]

Nico Hulkenberg proud of Brazil showing

He may have missed out on a podium finish at Interlagos, but Nico Hulkenberg left Brazil a very happy man.

The German finished his Force India career on a high as he finished in fifth place, but he will be the first to admit that things could have been much better as he was in the lead for several laps.

"I'm not too disappointed," he said. "Fifth place is still a good result. I think I've learned a lot in this race. My first kilometres leading a race and fighting with the top guys, so it was pretty eventful and a hell of a race.

"I'm proud of what we've done and my drive. It's not perfect but I'm still happy."

The 25-year-old, who will drive for Sauber next season, looked set to claim his first podium in Formula One, but he lost the back of his car and collided with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton while they were battling for the lead.

While Hamilton's race was ruined by the incident, Hulkenberg was able to rejoin the continue after initially sliding off the track.

"It was quite unfortunately, obviously," he added. "We were challenging and we had Timo (Glock) and Heikki (Kovalainen) into turn one as well.

"I think Lewis ran out of space with Heikki and was a bit irritated there. I obviously decided to make a move into turn one and was on the damp side of the track and lost the rear a little bit. Unfortunately we collided.

"Looking at the incident I think it's just one of those things in racing. I think he could've turned away a bit. But the way it worked wasn't good for either of us."

[MIKA27]

Ralf defends Michael for giving Vettel easy passage in Brazil

Ralf Schumacher has defended his brother, after Michael let the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel easily overtake during Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Seven time world champion Schumacher, 43, has received some criticism for letting his friend and countryman Vettel overtake without a fight as the latter raced for his third consecutive drivers’ world championship at Interlagos.

Vettel ultimately won the 2012 contest against Alonso – who was Schumacher’s last championship rival of 2006 – by a mere 3 points.

But former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher said his brother’s decision to just let Vettel go was “fair”.

“Sebastian was faster and he [Michael] didn’t want to get in the way and increase the risk for him,” Ralf told German television ZDF.

“That’s how fair sports people treat each other,” he added.

Jaime Alguersuari, meanwhile, said that the kind of help enjoyed by Vettel in Brazil is just part of F1.

“I would have liked to drive a Mercedes in Sao Paulo and let Alonso pass to help with his third world title,” the former Toro Rosso driver, Pirelli tester and Spaniard told AS newspaper.

“I must remind you that F1 is also about engineering, political interests and money.

“Someday, Fernando can benefit from the same circumstances that benefitted Vettel,” he added.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton to work with Mercedes before McLaren deal ends

McLaren will allow departing Lewis Hamilton to consult with engineers of his new Mercedes team even before his 2012 contract expires at the end of the year.

It is believed that Hamilton’s deal with McLaren actually runs until December 31, but British newspapers including the Sun and Express say the 27-year-old will actually talk with Mercedes engineers before the new year begins.

“I won’t be doing much technical work with them but Martin [Whitmarsh] says I’m allowed to talk to people,” Hamilton confirmed.

“I’m expecting to see a great group of people who are determined as anything to win because they’ve not been winning.”

Hamilton insisted he has “a lot of work to do” before actually arriving in Melbourne to race next March, but one reporter suggested that a driver’s actual role is really confined to the cockpit.

“I guarantee you that is not the case,” he responded.

“I don’t need to blow smoke up my own arse. I know what I am capable of, although it won’t take a major effect until halfway through next season, although more so with the car for 2014.”

Hamilton admitted, however, that he will immediately enjoy the contractual terms of his new Mercedes deal.

“I look forward to having, like, a third of the PR events that I have here (at McLaren),” he said. “Maybe even a quarter.

“[i'm looking forward] to having a bit more time in my life to be able to train and prepare.”

[MIKA27]

Red Bull staff to get big bonus for winning title again

World champion team Red Bull will pay a $ 16 000 bonus to every staff member, after winning the Formula One Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships for a third, consecutive time in 2012, the Telegraph reports.

The gesture will cost the energy drink-owned squad millions, but not as much as the financial windfall of winning the title as spelled out in the Concorde Agreement brings them.

Indeed, failing to leapfrog Ferrari for second place in the constructors’ standings in Brazil has cost McLaren about $12 million, Telegraph journalist Tom Cary has claimed.

[MIKA27]

Felipe Massa: I was crying more because of the difficulties than the joys

Felipe Massa has revealed that during his tumultuous 2012 season, he thought about quitting and as a result of the pressure, as the Brazilian mounted the podium of his home race, on Sunday, he openly cried.

Following a dire start to his 2012 campaign, and indeed a fallow few seasons since his almost fatal injuries of 2009, the 31-year-old has managed to recover his form more recently.

Former F1 driver Marc Surer told Speed Week: “I think the reason [for the turnaround] is twofold.

“First, even a rock like Alonso is not endlessly resilient. The title fight against Vettel, usually with a slower car, has exhausted him.

“I also believe that a number of improvements to the Ferrari have matched Massa’s style of driving more than Alonso’s,” he added.

Whatever the reasons, the fact Massa pulled his career from the brink to secure a new deal for 2013 culminated in his tears on the Interlagos podium.

First of all I was on the podium, which is a great emotion,” Massa told Sportv’s Bem Amigos programme.

“But I think I was crying more because of the difficulties than the joys,” he admitted.

“I have taken a lot of punches, and even thought for a moment ‘do I want to do this?’ I had started to think above my head, which had gone into space.

“From there I started to think the way I had always thought again. Behind the podium, I was normal – I was congratulating Vettel, enjoying the moment.

“But the minute I looked at all the stands screaming my name, my wife, my family, my friends, all my mechanics, my team…then I fell (into crying).”

[MIKA27]

Luiz Razia in talks with Force India, Caterham and Marussia

Luiz Razia, the 2012 GP2 Series runner-up, is reportedly in talks over a 2013 Formula One race seat with Force India, Caterham and Marussia.

“I am negotiating with all three,” the Brazilian told Agencia Estado. “Before, it was all the teams, now only these three.”

The 23-year-old admitted that his preference is Force India.

“There is still a chance to close [a deal] with them,” said Razia, referring to the vacancy alongside Paul di Resta for 2013, even though Adrian Sutil is regarded as the favourite.

“But I can’t afford to be choosy,” he admitted. “I’m still not an F1 driver, just a wannabe.”

Razia said he is confident that his talks will bear fruit.

“Fortunately, I have good relationships,” he said. “Here [in F1], it’s not so much about what you deserve, but what you can get.

“I’d like to have something by early December, so I can relax more for Christmas. Maybe next week we will have something.”

[MIKA27]

Jamie Alguersuari’s 2013 plans may be on hold until January

Sidelined Formula One driver and Pirelli tester Jaime Alguersuari continues to wait on his future, admitting that it might be January before he knows what he will be doing in 2013.

“Not yet,” the former Toro Rosso driver, and 2012 Pirelli tester, told the AS newspaper when asked if he is now ready to announce the news.

“We may not be able to communicate about 2013 until January. It’s also possible that it will be in the coming days.”

Alguersuari admitted to a certain frustration about the current situation in F1, with many talented and experienced drivers fighting against so-called ‘pay drivers’ for seats.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, F1 is not MotoGP. If Stoner is injured, there is no substitute who can match Pedrosa or Lorenzo.

“But in F1 there are ten applicants for a single seat. Merit, talent, past performance and experience are only part of what is needed,” he said.

[MIKA27]

Lotus: The kind of speed Grosjean has does not grow on trees

Despite actually getting to keep his seat for 2013, Romain Grosjean is being made to wait for confirmation from Lotus as the team rates the Frenchman’s raw speed very highly, despite a tumultuous, incident packed season. In the Brazilian season-ender, he crashed both in the qualifying session and the race.

“At the moment we are having a few days or a few weeks of consideration,” team boss Eric Boullier is quoted by RMC Sport.

“This season, there were not terrible things and not great things. But we’re not going to bury the kid, he did three podiums.”

And team owner Gerard Lopez told Speed Week: “The chance that he races with us in 2013 is great.”

Grosjean, 26, admitted in Brazil that after the ups and downs of his return to F1 this year, he is exhausted.

“It is time to stop and take two months off,” he said. “I hope I’ll be there next year.”

Lopez told L’Equipe: “Romain is one of the fastest drivers in F1.

“He understands the car, he can get the most from it, but he has not done everything we asked of him, especially in terms of consistency.

“But the kind of speed he has does not grow on trees.

“The reason he is not yet confirmed for 2013 is because we have not yet had time to sit down and discuss it together with the engineers. Then we’ll see.

“My desire is to see Romain in the car, but it depends more on him than me.”