FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

Horner and Ricciardo deny Webber remarks on 2014 seat

Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo have denied Mark Webber’s affirmation that the decision about his 2014 successor has already been made by the Red Bull camp.

Obviously referring to his young compatriot Ricciardo, Le Mans-bound Webber said just before Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix that the news is “good for him and good for Australia”.

Red Bull team boss Horner, however, hit back: “I have never known a driver [to] sign another driver.

“We have not yet made a decision,” he insisted, according to Express newspaper.

The British broadcaster Sky said at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, however, that Ricciardo has indeed been signed, with the news to be announced within days. Horner also denied that.

“We will take a couple of weeks to think things over,” he insisted. “It’s not a football transfer window, so no rush,” he told the BBC.

24-year-old Ricciardo also denied Webber’s news.

“He really said that?” the Toro Rosso driver was quoted on Sunday by Russia’s Formula 1news.ru. ”We all know Mark – he likes to make predictions, sometimes they are right, sometimes they’re not. It’s nice that he supports me, so I take his words as a compliment.

“But I’m sure if I had a contract, I would know about it. I don’t think we’re going to have to wait long for the team, but I still haven’t heard anything,” added Ricciardo.

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New engine deal for Sauber to be announced at Monza

A new engine deal for Sauber is set to be announced at the Italian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time, according to Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

“As you know, we want to continue to supply our engines to Sauber,” he is quoted by Russia’s Formula 1news.ru, “so I hope that very soon we will settle all the formalities.”

Reports in recent weeks have indicated the relationship between the financially-struggling Swiss team and Ferrari is on the rocks, over unpaid bills for the current V8 engine.

But it does appear that the first money from Sauber’s new Russian rescue deal has now started to flow.

Asked whether a 2014 engine deal for Sauber could be announced at Monza, Domenicali answered: “I hope so.”

Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn agreed: “Yes. There are no problems with the talks, and we hope that in the very near future we come to an agreement.”

Asked if there is a chance an announcement will be made at Monza, she answered: “Of course.

“We have never considered any other options [than Ferrari], and do not plan to either.”

Kaltenborn also hinted that the Sauber-Ferrari relationship could actually be strengthened for 2014 and beyond, as the new turbo V6 era begins.

“Let’s see if it makes sense,” she said.

“We have worked very closely before, and I think both sides are ready for it. We know each other well and cooperate perfectly, so we’ll see how things develop.”

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Mexican GP set for 2014 return says Ecclestone

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is poised to put Mexico back on the Formula 1 calendar.

Having said that New Jersey is unlikely to make its scheduled 2014 debut, the sport’s chief executive has now revealed that a decision about Mexico is due “within a couple of weeks”.

“I’m going to try to make it happen,” Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, according to Autoweek.

The race would be held at the rejuvenated former grand prix track in Mexico City, involving figures including Austin GP mastermind Tavo Hellmund, and Carlos Slim Domit.

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FIA could slap a fine on Spa orgaisers for anti-Shell protests

Formula 1′s governing body, the FIA, could penalise organisers of the Belgian Grand Prix, after the headline grabbing Greenpeace protests at Spa-Francorchamps.

Hitting out at race sponsor Shell’s apparent plans for Arctic oil drilling, the environmental activists took to the skies with banners, scaled Spa-Francorchamps’ main grandstand and interrupted the post-race podium procedure.

“It’s a worry,” Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko told Bild newspaper. ”Imagine if it was an organisation that didn’t want to unfurl banners, but wanted to set off bombs.”

The German newspaper said that the FIA could penalise the race organisers for not having adequate security measures in place.

Swiss newspaper Blick said that the penalty could run into the millions.

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Alonso: Title race is still open

Fernando Alonso is refusing to give up on this year's title race, adamant he's back in the hunt after finishing second in Belgium.

The double World Champion fought back from a dismal qualifying in the rain on Saturday where he managed only ninth to secure second place at Spa.

It was an impressive showing from the Ferrari driver and a return to form after struggling with race-pace at the previous events in Germany and Hungary.

In fact such was Alonso's Hungarian slump that the Spaniard jokingly said he wanted "someone else's car" for his birthday.

That commented sparked a spat at Ferrari as president Luca di Montezemolo was unhappy and let Alonso - and the media - know his feelings.

However, it was all consigned to the past on Sunday when the 32-year-old returned to the podium.

"We recovered some of the optimism we lost. It was a good weekend in terms of feeling and points," Alonso said.

But while Alonso raked in 18 points, he still lost seven to Sebastian Vettel as the Red Bull racer claimed his fifth victory of the season to extend his advantage in the Championship to 46 points over the Alonso.

The Spaniard, however, is not fazed as last year he was on the receiving end when Vettel overturned his 39-point lead to take his third title.

"It is still open. The best example is last year," Alonso said.

"It can change very quickly. We just need to keep trying to improve our performance and try to turn it around."

He added: "You cannot forget that in the first five races we were a very competitive team, we won two of the five races, and we were in a position to fight for the podium all the time.

"We went backwards in terms of the step in the car, we lost some direction, [but] we analysed everything and it seems now the things we are bringing to the team are delivering what we expect.

"This gives us the possibility to go forward. We still have to recover some of the gap and go for pole positions. The Championship is very long.

"If you have a competitive car and win six consecutive races you can recover very quickly - and we will find out if we are in a position to do that."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton: Tough to overhaul Vettel

Lewis Hamilton concedes it won't be easy wrestling the title away from Sebastian Vettel but that doesn't mean he's not going to try.

Despite finishing on the podium in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver lost more ground to Vettel.

While the Red Bull racer claimed the victory and the 25 points, Hamilton was third which means he is now 58 points behind the German.

But with eight grands prix and a total of 200 points still to play for, the Brit says he's not out of the race.

"It's going to be very, very tough undoubtedly," Hamilton said.

"He's just had a phenomenal car for a long, long time and it's still phenomenally quick - and he does the job. It's a perfect package.

"But we've had some really strong races and we've been there or thereabouts competing with him, and we have finished ahead of him in the past. So it doesn't mean we can't do that onward in these next races.

"But it's getting closer and closer to the point where we really need to be finishing ahead every single time to close that gap."

[MIKA27]

Lotus suspect visor tear-off to blame

Lotus believe a loose visor tear-off is to blame for Kimi Raikkonen's Belgian GP retirement as it got stuck in his E21's brake cooling duct.

For the first time since returning to Formula One with Lotus last season, Raikkonen failed to reach the chequered flag at Spa.

Battling for what would have been his 28th consecutive finish inside the points, the Finn was forced to park his car on lap 26 with brake issues.

It was later revealed that a tear-off visor had become stuck in Raikkonen's left front brake duct, causing his brakes to overheat.

"We know that we have two options on cooling here: one was nearly too cool, one was on the top of the range," team boss Eric Boullier told Autosport.

"If the failure had happened on both discs then you would think that the cooling was wrong, but it was only on one disc."

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'Sutil aggressively crossed my line'

Pastor Maldonado stopped short of blaming Adrian Sutil for his collision with Paul di Resta but has stated that the German "crossed my line in a very aggressive way."

Battling with Esteban Gutierrez for position, Maldonado ran wide at the Bus Stop chicane and tagged Sutil as he rejoined.

The impact resulted in the Williams driver colliding with di Resta who retired while Maldonado was handed a ten-second stop-go penalty for the accident.

"I was touched by Adrain before [hitting di Resta] and the car jumped and I lost control," Maldonado said.

"We crossed lines because I let go of the steering wheel - it was quite hard, the impact with Adrian. I was disappointed for the penalty because I think it was caused by the first touch with Sutil. I'm disappointed and I'm disappointed for di Resta.

"I ran wide because Gutierrez pulled me a bit wider. I was trying to recover the line and Sutil, as soon we were between the corners in the middle of the chicane, was crossing my line going from the outside to the inside.

"He touched my front wing, part of the front wing went under the car and I lost traction from the front of the car so there was nothing I could do. It was nothing to do with di Resta, I was completely compromised by Sutil."

Pressed as to whether he blamed Sutil, the Venezuelan driver said: "It's hard to say, this corner is very difficult because they come one after another.

"He crossed my line in a very aggressive way. I didn't defend, I didn't do anything, I was crossed by him. "

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Michelin 'ready' to talk

Michelin are "ready" to enter talks about a possible return to F1 amidst reports that the FIA is set to put out a tender.

Michelin left Formula One at the end of the 2006 season and ruled out a return in 2011 as the French company did not want to be a sole supplier.

Three years later, though, they are considering doing just that.

As reports that the FIA could put out a tender gather momentum, Michelin's competition unit director Pascal Couasnon has confirmed the company's interest.

Our position is now known. If they are willing to talk... we are ready to do so," Couasnon toldReuters.

However, should Michelin take over from Pirelli as F1's sole supplier, the company not only wants tyres that last longer but also 18 inch rims compared to this year's 13 inchs.

Pirelli's Paul Hembery has called talk of the FIA putting out a tender "farcical" given that it is almost September.

[MIKA27]

Webber bemoans poor race day

Another race weekend, another frustrating weekend for Mark Webber with the Red Bull driver finishing fifth at Spa.

The Australian started third on the grid behind Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, but he was already struggling before the lights even went out as he had a problem with his clutch.

Things didn't go much better at the start as he dropped to sixth place after the opening lap. Although he managed to recover he found himself stuck behind Nico Rosberg in fourth place and was unable to push for the podium place.

"We were worried before the start of the race," said the Australian. "The preparation was poor. We were on the back foot. We tried our best, but we had top gear to race in clear air.

"The two practice starts we did were diabolical. The clutch was like tractor. That's where we were. It turned out to be not great. In the end, you murder the tyres trying to recover and it just snowballs. The win would have been difficult, but we had pace for the podium."

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Whitmarsh: Last year we had talks with Kimi, I’m a big fan and completely open

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh has admitted that his team has considered luring Kimi Raikkonen back to the team and he is completely open to entering into negotiations with their former driver amid all the speculation regarding the Finn’s future.

Speaking to the official F1 website Whitmarsh was asked if he had considered having Raikkonen back in a McLaren. he answered, “Yes, we have. Kimi has always been great and I am a big fan of him. There is a lot of speculation out there at the moment, so let’s see what happens.”

“I’m completely open – last year we had talks with him, but for various reasons it didn’t happen. This year we’ve had no talks – yet,” said Whitmarsh.

“Obviously Kimi is determined to go somewhere else and I sense that he will not succeed in that goal, so let’s see how he gets on there,” added the team boss.

Raikkonen won nine grands prix as a McLaren driver and was twice runner-up in the F1 world championship in their cars.

McLaren have Jenson Button and Sergio Perez on their books currently, and Whitmarsh is a supporter of both drivers.

Of Button and Perez, Whitmarsh said, “Bear in mind that Checo is still very young – he is ten years younger [than Button].”

“I have to say is that we haven’t given our drivers the car we should have done this year. But they’ve been fantastic ambassadors and I think they deserve another go with us next year,” conceded the McLaren boss.

Button is out of contract, but reportedly on the verge of signing a new three year deal with the Woking outfit.

The Times reports that the team marks 50 years in Formula 1 next week and an announcement that Button’s € 14 million-a-year contract has been renewed could coincide with the celebrations. The deal is likely to be for three years, taking Button to his 36th birthday.

Recently Button told the media, “I feel good here, and I still feel we can achieve so much together. I’ll be here for my future in Formula 1.”

[MIKA27]

Alonso: We need to win three or four races and have someone run over him at the start

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso has admitted his world championship hopes would get a major boost if Sebastian Vettel crashes at the start of a grand prix, particularly if the world champion suffered a fate similar to the incident that the Spaniard endured last year at Spa.

Many see Vettel’s dominance in Belgium as a sure sign the Red Bull driver will now canter to his fourth consecutive drivers’ title.

“Vettel has the world title in the bag,” said Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport after the race at Spa-Francorchamps.

Corriere dello Sport agreed: “Vettel remains out of reach; invincible in his Red Bull with which no one can find fault. He is on track to break all of Michael Schumacher’s records.”

Ferrari, however, showed signs of recovery at Spa after a miserable July, but Alonso acknowledged that he needs to see Vettel to run into trouble.

“I left Monza last year with 41 points more than Vettel,” he is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace. “It shows how quickly things can change.

“But for this, we need to win three or four races in a row and have someone run over him at the start, as happened to me, or [for him to have] technical problems.”

Alonso is undoubtedly referring to his Belgian Grand Prix of a year ago, when Romain Grosjean’s flying Lotus ended his race in a shower of carbon fibre debris.

“It happened to me last year and it could happen again,” added Alonso. But with just eight races left in 2013, some of Vettel’s rivals are beginning to be written off.

Kimi Raikkonen, for example, lost his runner-up place in the drivers’ standings at Spa, when he retired with brake failure.

“You would probably have to say that the three (Vettel, Alonso, Lewis Hamilton) who finished on the podium in Belgium are likely to be the major rivals to the end of the year,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

Marc Surer, a former driver turned pundit, sees another problem for Raikkonen’s Lotus.

“If you lack the money to try everything you can think of,” he told Der Spiegel, “you have no chance.”

Questions about Mercedes are also being asked.

“Do they still have reserves in their development to catch Red Bull in this season?” former driver Patrick Tambay told France’s RMC Sport.

“In Belgium they were clearly beaten.”

So perhaps the final question is to wonder if anyone can beat Vettel now. “Probably, only himself,” acknowledged Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn.

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F1 organisers tried to injure me claims Greenpeace protestor

The Greenpeace activist who disrupted the podium ceremony at Spa on Sunday has accused race officials of trying to hurt her, before kicking her in the face.

Identified only as 23-year-old ‘Julia F’ by the German newspaper Bild, the activist was abseiling onto the podium after the Belgian Grand Prix while David Coulthard was interviewing winner Sebastian Vettel.

“We are a bit confused down here because the crowd is booing and cheering and booing and we don’t understand why,” Vettel told Coulthard.

Coulthard responded: “We’re not going to highlight why that is at the moment.”

Some had expected the FIA to launch an investigation or possibly penalise the race organiser, but so far the Jean Todt-led governing body has been silent.

‘Julia’, however, has accused race organisers of heavy-handed tactics.

“They tried to cut my rope,” Bild, revealing that Julia is from Switzerland, quoted her as saying.

“I would have fallen five metres. And in my arrest, they put a boot to my face,” she added.

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Vettel: It’s not my decision, but it would make sense to sign Ricciardo

World champion Sebastian Vettel has admitted that “t would “make sense” if Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo becomes his new teammate at Red Bull.

Having earlier revealed his disappointment that Kimi Raikkonen seems out of the frame, Vettel was asked about Mark Webber’s claim on Sunday that fellow Australian Ricciardo had been selected by Red Bull to succeed him in 2014.

Red Bull bosses denied Webber’s claim. But Vettel said the appointment of Toro Rosso driver Ricciardo would “make sense”.

“The last few weeks have been very tumultuous in this sense,” the German is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace, “but [Ricciardo's signing] would make sense.”

“He has been with us for a long time. Some people may doubt that Daniel is ready, but you could also ask if I was ready when I arrived at Red Bull. How can you know beforehand?” he asked rhetorically.

“It’s not my decision, but I get along with him well,” Vettel added.

He also denied that Ricciardo’s appointment would leave him – in all probabability a quadruple world champion at the beginning of 2014 – with clear number 1 status at Red Bull.

“It’s a shame,” Vettel started, “that some people on the outside sometimes have the wrong idea about certain drivers and certain teams.

“In the end, we will give everything to have a good performance, and someone will always prevail. Mark had the strength to beat me and I do the same to him. That’s life,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Jenson Button has finally counted himself out of the running for the Red Bull seat.

He told the Telegraph: “I am very happy here [at McLaren]. I will be here. I am definitely not going to Red Bull.”

“I feel that Ricciardo will go to Red Bull, Kimi Raikkonen will stay at Lotus and Massa will stay at Ferrari for another year,” the Briton added.

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Van der Garde management considering F1 options for 2014

Giedo van der Garde, although tipped by some to be axed from Formula 1 after a single season, could keep his career on the grid in 2014.

The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf said that the 28-year-old Caterham driver’s managers Jan Paul ten Hoopen and Jeroen Schothorst are working hard on the Dutchman’s alternatives for next year.

The report, naming Sauber, Williams and Force India as among van der Garde’s options, said ten Hoopen will be at Monza next weekend for “talking and listening”.

The driver has had an often-difficult rookie campaign, but De Telegraaf said that van der Garde remains strongly backed by McGregor, a Dutch fashion label.

Van der Garde, however, is quiet for now, ”It makes no sense for me to already be thinking about next season. There are still eight races to go.”

Meanwhile, De Telegraaf said that the chances of another Dutch driver, Robin Frijns, are not as bright.

The report said that Swiss team Sauber decided not to take up the option on the unsponsored 22-year-old’s current contract. In 2013, Frijns has been the reserve driver.

He commented: “I have no idea. I have heard nothing, I know nothing.”

Former Toro Rosso driver and current Pirelli tester Jaime Alguersuari, on the other hand, has called time on his Formula 1 career for now.

Recent reports linked the young Spaniard with a move for 2014 to the premier US open-wheeler series Indycar.

“I’m having a great time working for Pirelli,” he told his 160 000 followers on Twitter, “but I don’t think you guys will see me back in Formula 1 at least for the early future.”

[MIKA27]

New Jersey race still possible as preparations are on course

The fate of the inaugural 2014 New Jersey Grand Prix is still uncertain, despite Bernie Ecclestone saying just days ago that it’s “not on the cards”.

The F1 chief executive told CNN that organisers of the street race “haven’t got any money”, but a race spokesman hit back by insisting preparations are “on track”.

Ecclestone has now muddied the picture even further by answering “no, no” when asked if he is ruling out adding New Jersey to the 2014 calendar.

“They have a contract,” he told Reuters, “so if they comply with the contract the race will take place.

“We would be very, very happy if it does,” Ecclestone added.

An unnamed team boss suggested that Ecclestone is playing his typical political games.

“It’s not the first time we’ve heard words like these,” the boss is quoted by Speed Week. ”I would not write off the race in New Jersey.”

[MIKA27]

Massa: I have the pace

Felipe Massa feels he has proved that he has the pace to keep his Ferrari seat, but concedes he needs the results to go his way.

The Brazilian was once again unable to match his team-mate Fernando Alonso at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix as he finished seventh compared to the Spaniard's second place.

With Ferrari yet to confirm him for next season, Massa is starting to run out of time to convince his bosses at Maranello that he deserves to remain with the team.

Asked if the Italian stable had communicated with him over his seat for 2014, he replied: "I just need to concentrate on the next race and concentrate on the results.

"The pace today was positive and I think I showed that I have the pace. If we do everything right in the race, I'm sure we can be competitive at every race. That's important and many races we've had a problem and we didn't finish in the right position but we've had the pace."

After a poor display in Hungary before the summer break, Ferrari bounced back at Spa with Alonso keeping his Championship hopes alive with a podium while they are also expected to do well at the home race at Monza in a fortnight's time.

"We need to put new parts on the car for the next race to be more competitive," Massa added. "We missed some opportunities with pieces that were not working and for sure we lost a little bit of time because of that.

"In Belgium everything we brought we were using, so that means they were working. I hope we can carry on in this direction and if we do that the car will be better from now until the last race and we can be more competitive than in the first part of the season."

[MIKA27]

Lauda trying to convince Brawn to stay

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda has given the strongest indication yet that Ross Brawn won't be with the team next year, but he says he is trying to get him to change his mind.

Paddy Lowe's arrival from McLaren earlier this year was initially rumoured to spell the end of Brawn, but he remains in charge with the former given the title of executive director (technical).

Mercedes, though, have admitted that Lowe will take over as team principal in the long term, but no definite date has been set.

However, Lauda has admitted that Brawn wants to step down at the end of the season, but he is trying to convince him otherwise.

"I talked to Ross on Tuesday and tried to convince him to be there [at the team next year]," he told BBC Sport. "I can't force him. It's his decision but I think I'm making good progress."

Mercedes lost more ground on Red Bull in the race for the Championship this weekend after Sebastian Vettel put in another dominant display and Lauda admits they are now battling for second place.

"We are still fighting, we are continuing to develop the car but I think in the end it will be Vettel and Red Bull. We will try to be second," he said.

"I have to say Ross Brawn and his team have made sensational changes, we were nowhere last year but now have driver and technician changes and we now have eight poles and three wins. We've done a great job from where we came from."

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Vettel: Hamilton and Rosberg are the ideal driver pairing this year

Mercedes has the very best driver pairing in Formula 1, according the German team’s arch rival and champion ‘elect’, Sebastian Vettel.

The reigning world champion, and runaway 2013 points leader, was asked by Bild to consider this year’s field and name the ideal driver duo.

“Hamilton and Rosberg,” he told the German newspaper.

“They push as well as harmonise [with] one another very well,” added the Red Bull driver.

Vettel’s comments might be interpreted as just the latest sign that he does not get along well with his own teammate, the departing Mark Webber.

But the 26-year-old insists that “people on the outside” have always had the wrong impression about Red Bull’s current lineup.

“Our relationship is completely professional,” said Vettel.

As for all the media hype about Webber’s successor, the German said the eventual choice won’t make much of a difference to him.

“As a fan, perhaps I’m interested,” he said.

“But in the end I will always want to get to the finish before the others – whether they’re in a red or a black or even the same-coloured car,” Vettel smiled.

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Nasr in contention for Toro Rosso seat in 2014

A young, highly rated Brazilian driver has leapt to the front of the queue to become the next Toro Rosso driver.

It was thought that, should Daniel Ricciardo move to Red Bull’s premier team in 2014, the next energy drink-backed youngster in line was Antonio Felix da Costa.

But Michael Schmidt, the highly respected correspondent for Auto Motor und Sport magazine, says the 21-year-old Portuguese is actually suffering a “dip in form” in the Formula Renault 3.5 series.

“Voices from Brazil say that GP2 star Felipe Nasr is knocking on the door at Toro Rosso with money from Banco do Brasil and Sky Brasil,” he said on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, amid the uncertainty about Felipe Massa’s continuing career, Bernie Ecclestone vowed to help Nasr’s burgeoning Formula 1 hopes.

“I need a Brazilian driver,” said the Formula 1 chief executive.

If Massa does not have his Ferrari contract extended beyond 2013, he is being linked with a possible return to Sauber.

But O Estado de S.Paulo correspondent Livio Oricchio admitted this week: “If Ferrari does not extend his contract, I would be surprised if Felipe stays in Formula 1.”

The highest-profile driver linked with Massa’s seat for 2014 is Kimi Raikkonen, but team boss Stefano Domenicali on Wednesday measured his words carefully.

“Kimi is a very fast driver and everybody knows how I rate him,” he told Formula 1′s official website.

“But if I make a comment now it will be taken as a direct answer. As I said, there is no rush and we will make the right decision in the right moment.”

[MIKA27]

Force India stops development of 2013 car to focus on 2014

Force India has “stopped developing and updating its 2013 Formula 1 car”, according to driver Adrian Sutil.

The team was surprised this season to find itself in a battle for fifth in the constructors’ championship with struggling grandee McLaren.

But the switch from Pirelli’s steel to Kevlar-belted tyres has worked very much against Force India, while McLaren has made progress with its uncompetitive MP4-28.

“Maybe we can find a way to solve the problems,” Sutil told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport on Tuesday.

At their Silverstone factory, however, Force India is now fully concentrated on the huge challenge of the radical new 2014 rules.

“There is nothing new planned for this year,” Sutil said.

“But sometimes you can gain just by optimising the package you have,” he said. “You can find a lot of time when all you can do is make better use of what you have.”

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Ferrari wants to place Bianchi in a midfield team for 2014

The manager of impressive rookie Jules Bianchi’s says that Ferrari is pushing for the Frenchman to leave Marussia and join a team in the sport’s midfield.

The report by the French-language Formula 1i said the Swiss team Sauber, tipped to renew or possibly deepen its deal with Ferrari in 2014, could field Bianchi alongside young rookie Sergey Sirotkin next year.

Bianchi’s manager Nicolas Todt said that the 24-year-old has made an impression in 2013 despite racing for the back-of-the-grid Marussia team.

“Despite the fact that he is with a small team,” he said, “it would be fair to say that Jules has already made a name for himself in F1.

“Others have rarely managed to achieve this,” said Todt.

“Ferrari is closely watching the results as they want him to pursue his career in one of the teams in the middle group, before joining the Scuderia one day,” he added.

Nicolas Todt, whose father is the FIA president Jean Todt, and a former Ferrari top man, also manages Felipe Massa.

The Swiss newspaper Blick said that the experienced Brazilian could also be in the running to return to Sauber next year, if Ferrari does not extend his contract.

Veteran correspondent Roger Benoit said that taking on a Ferrari-linked driver could be a way for Sauber to receive a discount on its new 2014 turbo engine bill.

According to Speed Week, Nicolas Todt was spotted in conversation with Sauber chiefs at Spa-Francorchamps at the weekend, no doubt triggering the latest rumours.

Ferrari, however, is not commenting.

“In the next few races,” said team boss Stefano Domenicali, “we will try to improve the car to give Fernando the conditions to fight for the title, and also so that Felipe can deliver performances to help the team.

“These are our goals,” he is quoted by Brazil’s Globo. “The rest does not matter now.”

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Hamilton: F1 will never be boring

Lewis Hamilton insists F1 will never be boring even if Sebastian Vettel continues to dominate until the end of the season.

Three-time World Champion Vettel increased his lead at the top of the standings to 46 points after he claimed another impressive victory at Spa over the weekend.

What will be of concern to his rivals and F1 fans is the fact that he finished nearly 17 seconds ahead of Alonso while Hamilton was another 10.8s adrift.

There have been suggestions that fans could get boring if the Red Bull driver, runs away with the title, but Hamilton insists he is still excited about the sport.

"I don't know. I couldn't care less if people get bored with it, I am racing, enjoying and here to do a job I love doing," he is quoted as saying by The Guardian.

"That's the danger in all sports when people are being competitive and some people are winning quite a lot. People don't say that about the Williams sisters [in tennis] when they are winning."

Although his hopes of keeping up with Vettel in the race for the title suffered a setback in Belgium, Hamilton insists Mercedes should be proud of their achievements so far this season.

"I don't feel it is a kick in the balls. We finished third so there is no low," he said.

"Already this year has been a major success, third in Championship, second in Constructors' Championship. We can't be disappointed with where we are for the rest of year."

Hamilton and Mercedes are second favourites behind Red Bull to win the Italian GP and the Brit insists they will keep pushing hard.

He added: "But we're hungry to win.

"It's within arm's length so we just have to keep pushing and hope that when we get to those high downforce circuits we have more of a chance."

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Red Bull vow to sort out Webber woes

Red Bull have promised to address Mark Webber's start problems as a matter of urgency after it compromised yet another race for him.

The Australian qualified P3 at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, but his hopes of challenging for the race victory was over before the race even got underway as he had a problem with his clutch.

Team principal Christian Horner feels it is important that they sort out the issue once and for all if they want to stop throwing away points.

"We approach each race as they come, we try to get the best out of the car, we keep pushing in all areas - but there are things we need to improve," he is quoted as saying.

"We particularly need to address the start issue with Mark, and have to get on top of that. It has cost us too many points so far."

The Australian slipped to sixth place on the opening lap and, although he managed to regain one place after that, he found himself stuck behind Nico Rosberg of Mercedes for the rest of the race.

"The two practice starts we did were diabolical. The clutch was like tractor. That's where we were. It turned out to be not great. In the end, you murder the tyres trying to recover and it just snowballs," a disappointed Webber said after the race.

Horner echoed his comments and admitted that it was always going to be difficult for him to make up lost ground once they detected problems with his clutch.

"We had a clutch that under delivered and created a horrible start for Mark," explained Horner.

"We could see on the formation lap that the clutch did not appear to be performing as it should. Adjustments were made on the formation lap but the clutch has not delivered as it should have done at the start.

"That compromised him into the first turn and then you are on the back foot from there.

"Fernando [Alonso] got a run on the down hill into Eau Rouge and, after that point, the race became fairly static.

"It was only Fernando who made progress from that point onwards.

"We could close up, but we didn't have enough straightline speed at the end of the straight and we lost ground in the dirty air of the middle sector."

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Melbourne set for contract extension talks but only if it's 'good value for money'

Australian Grand Prix organiser Ron Walker is set to open dialogue with Bernie Ecclestone over the future of the event once their current deal expires in 2015.

Victoria tourism minister Louise Asher has given Walker the go ahead to begin "preliminary discussions" before a new deal is either agreed or rejected, with Asher insisting it must be "good value for money".

"I have asked the chairman of the Grand Prix Corporation, Mr Walker, to commence preliminary discussions with Mr Ecclestone over our future contract," she told Sportal.com.au.

"There's no rush on this, obviously, because there's still two events to go and the government will not be signing up anything if it does not represent good value for money for taxpayers.

"I don't think it's the right thing to do by either the Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Corporation, or anybody for me to start putting limits in a public sense on what the government would be prepared to subsidise.

"But generally the driver of all government activity on this will be we will only sign a new contract if it represents good value for money."