FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

Lotus not bitter about Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari F1 switch

Lotus insists it is not bitter about Kimi Raikkonen's decision to leave for Ferrari.

Raikkonen ended months of speculation about his future when it was announced on Wednesday that he had signed a two-year deal to rejoin Ferrari.

The Finn had been ready to commit to a fresh contract at Lotus if he could get certain financial and technical guarantees, but these were not forthcoming in time.

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier admitted that he is disappointed that his star driver chose to leave, but says he cannot begrudge Raikkonen's decision.

"Not at all," he told the Lotus team's website. "Two years ago, when we decided to sign him, quite a few people thought we were crazy. And what happened in the end?

"We've been working with an amazing racer, who scored points for the team 27 times in a row, won two races, put motivation at a very high level at Enstone, and got on very well with his team-mate.

"Now, it's time to think about the future. You know, we remain a medium-sized team and there are some areas in which we're not in a position to fight against the other top teams just yet.

"We've had [Michael] Schumacher, [Fernando] Alonso, Raikkonen. New champions will join the list here soon I'm sure."

Boullier admitted that Lotus wanted to keep Raikkonen after the success they had enjoyed together.

But he reckons that his Enstone staff should be proud of the work they have done to produce a competitive car for the former world champion over the past two seasons.

"Of course this is a disappointment to all of us, and we're sure you will agree that Kimi has been nothing but brilliant since he joined us," he said.

"In the same breath, Enstone has once again proven its pedigree; providing him with two great cars and making his return to Formula 1 a success.

"It's been a win-win situation right from the beginning."

NO RUSH TO SIGN REPLACEMENT

Lotus has been most strongly linked with slotting in Nico Hulkenberg as its replacement for Raikkonen, but Boullier says the team can afford to take its time with the decision.

With most of the leading drives now settled for 2014, Lotus's position of having a competitive seat available means it has the luxury of being able to wait so it can pick the best driver.

"We are currently in discussion with a few people and will make a decision shortly," Boullier said.

"We are in the privileged position of being the most desirable team on the grid with a seat available, so we are therefore in no rush to announce anyone without establishing what will be the best for our team and the future."

[MIKA27]

Bizarre reaction from Lotus to Raikkonen news, as they now decide on replacement

Lotus can take time to announce a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen because they are now the Formula One team with the most sought after driver vacancy, team principal Eric Boullier said on Wednesday after conceding the Finn’s departure in bizarre fashion.

Lotus had hoped to retain Raikkonen and greeted Ferrari’s announcement with a Twitter posting declaring “So #Kimi is off to #Ferrari for 2014; it hurts a little bit…” along with a photograph of two rabbits mating.

Champions Red Bull and their main rivals Mercedes and Ferrari have now finalised their 2014 lineups, with the latter team announcing Raikkonen had signed a two-year deal to replace Brazilian Felipe Massa.

Lotus are the fourth most competitive outfit this season.

What were Lotus thinking when they released they posted this on their Facebook page after Kimi’s announcement?

“We are currently in discussion with a few people and will make a decision shortly,” Boullier told the team website.

“We are in the privileged position of being the most desirable team on the grid with a seat available, so we are therefore in no rush to announce anyone without establishing what will be the best for our team and the future.”

Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg, the Sauber driver who had been tipped to join Ferrari when it seemed Raikkonen could be headed for Red Bull, looks an early front-runner but Massa could be another option.

Boullier said there was no bitterness about the Finn’s decision to join Ferrari, the team with which he won the 2007 championship, alongside double world champion Fernando Alonso.

“Two years ago, when we decided to sign him, quite a few people thought we were crazy,” said the Frenchman of a racer who had spent 2010 and 2011 competing in the world rally championship and NASCAR.

“And what happened in the end? We’ve been working with an amazing racer, who scored points for the team 27 times in a row, won two races, put motivation at a very high level at Enstone, and got on very well with his team mate.

“Now, it’s time to think about the future. We remain a medium-sized team and there are some areas in which we’re not in a position to fight against the other top teams just yet.”

[MIKA27]

No Infiniti V6 Turbo engine for Red Bull in 2014 say Renault

Renault has ruled out speculation that Red Bull’s V6 turbo engines could be rebranded Infiniti in 2014.

It has been suggested that world champions Red Bull’s ever-closer ties to title sponsor Infiniti, the luxury Nissan division, could be at the expense of engine supplier Renault’s exposure.

Indeed, it has also been rumoured that Renault could react to the Red Bull-Infiniti ties by moving closer to Lotus in 2014 and beyond. Based at Enstone, Lotus was formerly the works Renault outfit.

But Jean-Michel Jalinier, president of Renault Sport Formula 1, told the Italian publication Quattroruote that speculation Red Bull will run Infiniti-branded V6 engines next year is wide of the mark.

“Despite the many rumours, our engine will not be rebranded Infiniti,” he insisted.

“Currently, we have contracts signed with Red Bull and Toro Rosso, and we are also in negotiations with other teams, because the optimal solution for us is to supply four teams.”

Apart from Lotus, the other Renault-powered team in 2014 is expected to be Caterham. Williams is moving to Mercedes power.

Responding to reports Formula 1 is becoming too expensive for many of its recognised players, Jalinier said Renault remains committed.

“In 2009, when the crisis began all over the world, we reasoned that we did not want to get out of Formula 1 altogether and so we stayed as a supplier.

“With Europe still in trouble,” he added, “at the moment this is the best strategy.

“Being in Formula 1 also helps us to sell a Sandero (road car) in northern Brazil,” Jalinier smiled.

[MIKA27]

Marko tried to steal Horner’s thunder over Ricciardo announcement

German media reports have said that on the Wednesday before the Italian Grand Prix weekend, the day on which Daniel Ricciardo was named Red Bull’s 2014 driver, team principal Christian Horner was caught by surprise by the timing of the announcement.

While attending the premiere of the movie ‘Rush’ on the day, Horner received a telephone call to inform him that Red Bull’s driver consultant Helmut Marko had begun an appearance on Austrian television to announce Ricciardo’s 2014 signing.

A mere 13 minutes later, Horner had arranged the distribution of an official press release – with quotes attributed only to himself and the team’s design guru Adrian Newey, thus avoiding any red faces.

It is not known if Marko was trying to steal Horner’s thunder by not collaborating with the Briton with regards to the announcement.

[MIKA27]

Merc 'took a wrong turn'

Mercedes are determined to get back on track in Singapore after getting things wrong in the last two races.

After winning at Silverstone and Budapest, the Brackley-squad were touted as possible title contenders for the remainder of the season, but they took a couple of backward steps at Spa and Monza.

Not only did Championship leader Sebastian Vettel extend his lead with victories at both races, but Lewis Hamilton has now also dropped behind Fernando Alonso in the standings after the Ferrari driver claimed two P2s.

Mercedes motor sport director Toto Wolff, though, is confident they will feel "comfortable" at the next race as the Marina Bay Street Circuit should suit their car.

"At the last two races, let's say low-downforce races, I'd say Ferrari are also now ahead of us. This is what the results have shown us," he is quoted as saying by Press Association Sport.

"The reason is we just didn't get it right from the Friday. Now it's a matter of getting it right from Singapore onwards.

"Looking back, when we headed to Budapest we were expecting a really difficult weekend - very hot conditions, very twisty circuit and our problems with the tyres, but it turned out we were very competitive.

"When we discussed Spa and Monza we knew we had an efficient car and we were expecting solid results.

"But somewhere along the way we took a wrong turn, so now it's about going back, looking at that turn and improving.

"Singapore is more comparable to Hungary than anything else, so we should be feeling comfortable."

Mercedes are third in the Constructors' Championship behind Red Bull and Ferrari, but it has been a good season as Hamilton and Rosberg have won three races between them while the team have also secured eight pole positions.

Wolff added: "After so many pole positions and podiums, and with three wins, it's still a fantastic improvement on last year.

"You can't expect to be up there all the time. It's a learning process.

"We know what we've done wrong over the last two weekends, and it's a matter of improving.

"Overall, I'm still very satisfied, although there has still been some pain on a Sunday afternoon lately.

"But we saw at Monza the pace of the car was really good, with much less degradation than some of the cars running in front of us.

"We've some new parts for Singapore and Korea, so we'll keep pushing, and trying to do better."

[MIKA27]

Ferrari said no to Hulkenberg via SMS text message

Nico Hulkenberg’s manager has expressed disappointment with how Ferrari broke the bad news to the German driver this week, after it emerged that he was seriously considered by the Maranello based team as the replacement for Felipe Massa.

But when Ferrari ultimately signed Raikkonen, the Italian squad let Hulkenberg know in the form of a mere text message, the German driver’s manager Werner Heinz has revealed.

“After two months of negotiations, I expected at least a phone call,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Werner said that five lawyers worked for eight weeks on the Ferrari contract, where ultimately the only missing link was president Luca di Montezemolo’s signature.

“The contracts went back and forth and in the end only had to be signed,” Heinz told the German newspaper Bild. ”Domenicali sent us a SMS at 22.50 on Tuesday.”

Heinz continued: “Now Ferrari has signed Kimi we are talking again with Lotus. It looks like they are set for 2014.”

Switzerland’s Blick newspaper said a return to Force India is Hulkenberg’s ‘plan B’. Lotus team boss Eric Boullier confirmed that Hulkenberg is in the running.

“Of course,” he told RMC Sport, “as are all the drivers that are available.”

“Felipe Massa is also available, so he is inevitably on the list. These are drivers whose management approached us,” added Boullier.

[MIKA27]

Lotus admits Massa on the list to replace Raikkonen

Felipe Massa is one of several contenders to replace the Ferrari-bound Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus.

Both the Brazilian’s manager Nicolas Todt, and Lotus team boss Eric Boullier, have revealed that 32-year-old Massa is in the running for what Todt describes as “the best seat” still ‘open’ on the 2014 grid.

“What is certain is that other teams are interested in Felipe,” Todt, speaking after Wednesday’s news that Raikkonen will replace Massa at Ferrari next year, told Canal Plus.

“Felipe will never play second fiddle in a small team, so what we need to do is find him a car that allows him to play a leading role in Formula 1.

“For sure, the best team today, the most interesting seat, is the one left behind by Raikkonen.

“After that, is it the only interesting seat? We’ll see,” added Todt. “It will be important to pay attention and be responsive in the coming weeks.”

However, until now, the favourite to replace Raikkonen at Lotus has been Nico Hulkenberg, who was also in contention for the Ferrari seat.

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier told RMC Sport: “Felipe Massa is also available, so he is … on the list.

“But let’s not go too fast in activating the ‘plan B’,” said Boullier. “We are the only team left with a good seat available, and … this will affect many people.”

It seems obvious that, in the interests of continuity, Raikkonen’s departure has strengthened the case for Romain Grosjean to keep the other seat.

“[Raikkonen's departure] can be good for him [Grosjean],” Boullier said, “because after growing for two years next to a world champion, he can unite the team and build it around him and prove [that] he can be the leader. It can be an opportunity for him. but he must finish the championship well.”

As for Massa, countryman Rubens Barrichello said that he was sad to hear that his friend had lost his Ferrari seat.

“But there is life after Ferrari, and I’m proof of that,” he is quoted by Globo. “To race for Ferrari is the most sensational thing there is, but afterwards there is a release, a little less pressure.

“There is a moment of pain, but then life afterwards, and even things in life that are better,” Barrichello added.

Another former Brazilian F1 driver, Luciano Burti, also commented: “I know that Sauber would be interested in having him back, but it would not be a high-end car. It depends on what Felipe wants.”

[MIKA27]

Only a red race suit will stop Vettel boos at Monza says Schumacher

The only way Sebastian Vettel can stop Italian fans from booing him at Monza is by joining Ferrari

That is the claim of Michael Schumacher, who on the one hand was the beloved hero of the Italian ‘tifosi’, delivering five consecutive titles until 2004.

On the other hand, Schumacher is the friend and former mentor of German countryman Vettel, whose reception on the Monza podium last Sunday displeased even Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.

“Thanks to the fans who are fantastic,” Montezemolo said at the Frankfurt motor show earlier this week, “but we could have done without the booing of Vettel.”

Schumacher, however, doubts even Montezemolo’s disapproval will stop the tifosi.

“They didn’t love me at first,” the now-retired seven time world champion, who won the Italian Grand Prix five times (but only while wearing red) told Bild newspaper.

“For that, you have to be wearing a red suit,” said Schumacher.

“They respect Sebastian’s achievement, but they are not always able to react differently from an emotional side,” he explained.

[MIKA27]

FIA warns F1 teams it is ready to get tough on needed cost cuts

The FIA has warned Formula 1 teams that it is ready to get tough on much-needed cost cuts.

With F1's budgets set for an increase next year because of new regulations, and several outfits facing financial struggles, there have been concerns that the sport is heading for trouble unless spending is brought under control.

Teams have tried frequently to agree on a way forward, but their efforts have been in vain.

A push towards a stricter Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) met with resistance from some quarters.

Last year, all but two teams were in favour of the FIA policing a chassis RRA, but the governing body did not want to implement it without unanimous support.

FIA president Jean Todt has so far chosen not to take a confrontational approach to the teams and force rule changes through.

But ahead of a restructuring of the way that F1 is governed under the new Concorde Agreement, Todt has hinted that the FIA is now ready to push forward with its ambitions.

Speaking about his plans, Todt said that the FIA will use its presence at the new F1 Strategy Group think-tank to vote for changes.

The new 18-man body will be made up of six votes from the FIA, six from the commercial rights holder and six from the teams.

Todt has made it clear that the FIA will use its block vote to push for cuts, and support from Bernie Ecclestone and a minority of teams could ensure outfits like Red Bull that have resisted tougher restrictions in the past will not be able to block rule changes.

Speaking to selected media, Todt made it clear that the first task when the Strategy Group meets will be for cost cuts to be pushed through.

"I have been reading a lot of things about cost-cutting and it is something that you cannot address with the teams," explained Todt.

"There have been a lot of discussions with the teams to talk about RRA and all that, and the teams said we have never had a strong and clear approach about the proposal of cost cutting.

"We met in Maranello with a few teams, and a consensus was against this [RRA] proposal of cost cutting.

"So where are we now? We have been implementing, when the Concorde is settled, a new governance, where there will be a strategy group.

"It will be on the agenda, at the first meeting when we are involved, to bring in cost cutting.

"I can guarantee you the FIA will vote in favour of cost cutting. Then we will see."

Todt and Ecclestone are continuing work on the details of a new Concorde Agreement, which it is hoped can be finalised in the next few weeks.

[MIKA27]

Ex-Ferrari chief says Kimi Raikkonen not the right man for F1 team

Kimi Raikkonen is not the right man for Ferrari, reckons its former sporting director Cesare Fiorio.

With Ferrari having elected to rehire the Finn for next season as Felipe Massa's replacement, Fiorio thinks that the outfit may have been better off taking a youngster with more potential for the future.

"I'm not a fan of the new hiring," Fiorio said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I admire his talent, but I don't agree with his lifestyle and his technical approach. I wouldn't have gone for him.

"In my opinion it's a conservative choice. I would have gone for an emerging driver rather than one at the tail end of his career.

"He doesn't live like an athlete and to be champion in F1 talent is not enough.

"You need physical, technical and psychological effort and, from what I know and have seen, he's the type of guy who takes his bag and leaves shortly after the sessions.

"I don't know how much technical contribution he can bring."

Fiorio, who worked at Ferrari from 1989 to 1991, thinks that Raikkonen's arrival at the team will actually be of benefit to Fernando Alonso - because he is convinced the Spaniard will come out on top and enhance his reputation.

When asked if Alonso will suffer from Raikkonen's presence, Fiorio said: "Why should he? In my opinion Alonso is happy: his worth will grow by beating him [Raikkonen].

"I don't see any problem ahead. In any case, the new pairing will be the strongest in 2014: the Mercedes pairing is close, but [Nico] Rosberg is very inconsistent, he does exceptional things and then disappears.

"Kimi instead is a hammer in the races, a fighter, even though he's not an ace in qualifying."

POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS NO CONCERN

Although there have been suggestions that having Raikkonen and Alonso in the same team could cause political tension, Fiorio reckons the situation is easier to manage than having only one top-line driver.

"I think that it's better to have two champions and having to deal with a rivalry problem three or even ten times a year, in the knowledge that both are able to win races and championships, than having a useless number two race driver," he said.

When asked if he viewed Massa as useless, Fiorio said: "I'm just saying that in the last four years Massa has waned a lot.

"His only strength was the single lap, but he has no race quality, has no rhythm, and he often fades in the races."

[MIKA27]

Force India says it must find solution to tyre issues after slump

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya says his outfit cannot just sit back and blame Pirelli's switch of tyres for its recent struggles.

The Silverstone-based outfit had been on the verge of challenging for podium finishes over the first half of the campaign, but a change of tyre specifications after the British Grand Prix led to its form falling away.

Since the British GP, it has scored just two points and it has dropped behind McLaren in the fight for fifth place in the constructors' championship.

Although he has no doubts that moving back to last year's tyre construction has hurt the team, Mallya insists hit outfit must focus on finding a solution so it can get its season back on track.

"Right through the [italian Grand Prix] weekend we were struggling at a track that is supposed to be friendly for us," Mallya said.

"We have done well there in the past, but for some reason we just could not find the pace and could not optimise the tyre performance. We have never been so badly off in the recent past.

"We tried a few things differently in the race, which we didn't do in practice and qualifying, and we were pleasantly surprised when Adrian [sutil] got some pace - but that is no comfort. It is the end result that matters.

"We have to learn a lot more about the behaviour of these tyres, and hopefully we will get on top of it before Singapore, which is also a track that is friendly towards us.

"But we don't have any excuses for Italy - we were simply not good enough."

Force India spent much of last winter optimising its car for the 2013 specification of tyre that Pirelli started the campaign with. Its work appeared to have paid off, with Sutil and Paul di Resta regularly producing point-scoring finishes.

Mallya has no doubts that, with the tyres switching back to last year's specification, its 2013 car is no longer best-suited to its rubber.

"The car is different to last year," he said. "It was designed and constructed for 2013 with the tyres we had prior to Silverstone.

"We performed really well until then and after that we struggled when the tyres changed. It is a fact; not an excuse."

[MIKA27]

Maldonado hopes successful Mexican GP boosts Venezuela's hopes

Pastor Maldonado believes a successful Mexican Grand Prix in 2014 can boost the hopes of a Formula 1 race being staged in Venezuela.

The Williams driver expects next year's race in Mexico to boost interest in F1 in the region as his home country seeks investment for its own race after previously staging only demo events.

"It's very good because Mexico is a great market for the sport, there is a big fan community there and it's going to be a very successful GP," he said.

"It's so great to be close to home, and why not in the future have a Venezuelan Grand Prix?

"Everything is possible; let's see how the Mexican GP goes and then we need to sit down and check if we can do that."

The idea of a race in Venezuela has been under discussion in the country since Maldonado graduated to F1 with Williams in 2011.

While no formal plan has been proposed, Maldonado is confident that it is a realistic possibility.

But to make a race happen, a new circuit to F1 standards would have to be built, requiring significant investment.

"We have some good plans to [build a track] but at the moment the plan is not concrete," said Maldonado.

"We need to wait for the Mexican GP to happen. If that goes in a good way, maybe Venezuela can enter the season."

There has been some criticism in Venezuela about the amount of money invested in motorsport, with Maldonado's Williams team heavily backed by government-owned PDVSA.

But Maldonado believes that the expense of staging a grand prix would be justified by the international attention it brings to his country.

"It is a lot of money, but we are looking to have many big sporting events in Venezuela," he said.

"In the past, we have had the Copa America football [in 2011], and the sports culture of Venezuela is getting bigger.

"They are investing a lot at the moment and we have had some international championships there."

[MIKA27]

Schumacher: Ferrari with Fernando and Kimi will be explosive but exciting to watch

Michael Schumacher last shared a podium with Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso at the 2012 European GP in Valencia

Ferrari has put together a potentially explosive driver lineup for 2014, according to their seven time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher who won the title five times for the Maranello squad – and he should know as he has battled them both on track.

The great German, who statistically the sport’s most successful driver, was referring to the appointment of Kimi Raikkonen to be Fernando Alonso’s new teammate.

Schumacher, who at the end of 2006 was pushed into his first retirement when Ferrari signed Raikkonen, said of the 2014 pairing: “For motor sport fans it will certainly be a blast, and make for a tough competition.

“It will be exciting to watch,” the 44-year-old told Bild newspaper.

“But Ferrari with Fernando and Kimi — it sounds like an explosive mixture,” added Schumacher.

Another former Ferrari driver, four time world champion Alain Prost, also described the combination of fiery Latin Alonso and unflappable and odd Finn Raikkonen as “a risky move” for the Italian team.

Historic rivalry: Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen on the podium at the 2006 Bahrain GP

“Speaking as a fan I would say it is good to have two number ones together,” Prost told a French television broadcast.

“I think it’s a choice born from a certain tension between Fernando and the Scuderia that has been clearly evident during the year.

“Now he will no longer be the undisputed number 1, at least not initially, and I’m not sure Stefano Domenicali has the ability of a Jean Todt or a Ross Brawn to handle a situation like this.

“In Italy the press applies a lot of pressure, so I presume that sooner or later there will be trouble,” added Prost.

Before Raikkonen’s Ferrari move was decided, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh refused to rule out making a bid to sign the Finn for 2014.

He told Finland’s Turun Sanomat he is not sure Alonso and Raikkonen is an ideal combination.

“I cannot imagine they will be happy together,” said Whitmarsh. ”Kimi generally doesn’t care about who is at the wheel of the other car, but Fernando will not deal with it well.”

“Of course, both of them are clearly among the best drivers in Formula 1, so Ferrari has an incredibly strong lineup, but it could also put the team in a difficult situation.”

The Italian press broadly agrees. La Gazzetta dello Sport, the influential daily, said Ferrari’s 2014 choice is “bold but dangerous”.

“They are two roosters in one henhouse, so they say, even if Kimi is not a rooster at the level of Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton.

“But it will no longer be a team at the feet of one driver,” the publication added.

[MIKA27]

Smedley may also follow Massa out of Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari could spell the end of race engineer Rob Smedley’s career with the Italian team.

As rumours of the Finn’s signing became clearer at Monza last weekend, some insiders could not hide their sniggering at the thought of Briton Smedley working hand-in-hand with Iceman Raikkonen.

“They would have to supply his (Smedley’s) headset without a microphone,” Auto Motor und Sport quotes one paddock wag as chuckling.

That’s because 39-year-old Smedley is famous for his close, and almost fatherly relationship with the departing Felipe Massa.

Indeed, Smedley is known for talking at length on the radio with Massa, often calling the Brazilian ‘Felipe-baby’ and issuing detailed driving and tactical instructions.

Italy’s Autosprint reports that Ferrari pairing Raikkonen – who last year earned cult status by telling his race engineer to ‘leave me alone, I know what I’m doing’ – with Smedley is highly unlikely.

In fact, Smedley has been linked with a return to Williams for 2014. Just before beginning his Formula 1 career with Jordan, Smedley worked for Williams’ touring car team.

Autosprint said Smedley would likely not be a mere race engineer at Williams, but rather will take on a role with greater technical or engineering responsibility.

[MIKA27]

Bottas not interested in Lotus vacancy preferring to stay with Williams

Highly rated rookie Valtteri Bottas has counted himself out of the running to replace his Finnish countryman Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus.

“For me it would be better to stay at Williams,” the Finnish rookie told the broadcaster MTV3 in his native tongue.

Bottas, 24, made his Grand Prix debut with the Grove based team in 2013, after serving as the test and reserve driver in the two previous seasons.

He added: “Although the season has been difficult, I know that our team has great potential.

“So at this stage I see no reason to part ways.”

On the other hand, Lotus’ newly-vacant 2014 seat is one of the only options for Ferrari refugee Felipe Massa.

But the Brazilian’s manager Nicolas Todt insisted: “It is not the only team, he will consider other options.

“But we do aim to sign a contract with Lotus, because at the moment it is the most interesting option,” Frenchman Todt told France’s Canal Plus.

“He will never drive for a small team, playing a minor role in Formula 1. In any case, I want to clarify the situation within the coming weeks,” added Todt.

Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, however, thinks it is possible Massa will not be on the grid at all next season.

The influential daily said Ferrari’s decision to replace him was “inevitable”, because the “trend of his results has been downwards”.

But La Gazzetta dello Sport said the Brazilian has been a “great number 2″ for Ferrari, ranking him “better than Irvine and Barrichello”.

[MIKA27]

Minor changes to Singapore layout

This year lap times at the Singapore circuit will be faster than ever before after changes were made to Turn 10.

Ahead of next weekend's night race, race organisers opted to make changes to the circuit by removing the chicane at Turn 10.

Instead a single-apex left-hand bend has been laid down, which means drivers could head in about 40 km/h faster than before.

Speaking about the change, Fernando Alonso Tweeted: "These days working in the simulator. New turn 10 in Singapore this year, without the chicane of before. The lap is around 1sec faster..."

Meanwhile, the official F1 website reports other changes in that track has been resurfaced at Turns 1 to 3 and also Turns 5, 8 and between 13 and 14. The pit lane has also been resurfaced.

[PaulP]

And Fernando wept....

[MIKA27]

Vettel: Marina Bay is a killer, there are many bumps and there is no room for mistakes

Sebastian Vettel knows his way around the tricky Marina Bay as he has won the Singapore GP at the floodlit venue for the past two years, but the runaway championship leader is wary of the bumpy nature of the street circuit that leaves no room for error.

Speaking ahead of the weekend in Singapore, Vettel said, “ It’s a very long race – the full two hours, so the race just seems to go on forever. The circuit itself is a killer because there are so many bumps, there’s no room for mistakes.”

Nevertheless it has been a happy hunting ground for the red Bull driver who won both the 2011 and 2012 editions of the race.

“My wins in 2011 and 2012 were the best because I think it’s one of the toughest races of the year to be honest, so to win is an amazing moment and you feel you deserve the champagne!” revealed Vettel.

The race starts at night (local time) but drivers tend to stay on central European timezone which is six hours behind.

Vettel explains the rational behind the late wake up calls during the course of the Singapore weekend, “It sounds unusual but because the race starts at 8:00 pm we have to try and stay on European time as much as possible, to make sure we’re alert later into the night.”

He gave insight into his timetable, “I get up at about lunchtime and have breakfast at about 2pm because that’s 8am in Switzerland.

It is a bit weird to have lunch in the evening and go to bed in the early hours of the morning. But we’ve done it for a few years now so it feels more normal than it did the first time.”

It appears that the 26 year old German is powering to a fourth consecutive title, as he leads the championship standings by 53 points. He has six wins to his credit thus far in the season including victory last time out at Monza – victory in Singapore will be huge blow to his rivals.

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Grosjean: I love street races and want to get back on the podium

After a solid if unspectacular end to the European season, Lotus driver Romain Grosjean is relishing the challenge of the Marina Bay Street Circuit as he aims to get right back in the podium mix at the Singapore Grand Prix.

What are your thoughts heading to Singapore?

Romain Grosjean: Singapore is a pretty fantastic place and the race is always a challenge. I love street races; there’s something about racing in the middle of a city. We race at night which means it looks amazing for the fans, but in the car there’s not so much of a difference for us as drivers as the lights make it seem like it’s daylight on track. Another thing I look forward to when visiting Singapore is the noodles!

What are the differences for you as a driver for this event?

RG: The difference for us is our schedule over the weekend, as we stay on European time and try not to adjust to the local time zone. To do this we arrive in Singapore a bit later than we would for other flyaway races, where we would normally arrive early in order to get our bodies working on the local time and avoid jetlag. This means we can get a good amount of sleep, including sleeping-in late (relative to the local time).

The race usually has the longest duration of the year; are there any particular preparations you have to make for this?

RG: Our regular fitness programme means that the race lasting longer than others should not be a problem, but something you have to prepare for in Singapore is ensuring you always keep well hydrated as the heat and humidity can easily dehydrate you.

How challenging is the circuit?

RG: It’s a fun layout to drive, with the last section being my favourite part of the track. It’s certainly a physical race, with lots of kerbs, some bumps on the track and frequent use of the brakes. It’s certainly not a circuit with a long straight where you can take a rest! The layout and the fact [that] it’s a street course don’t make it easy for a driver or the engineers. It can be difficult to find the amount of grip you want so we have to work hard to get the setup working well. There isn’t much margin for mistakes as the walls are very close, but this does mean that there’s a great feeling when you get a good lap as it’s very special to be driving at the limit around a street course.

Do you think this is a track that should suit both yourself and the car?

RG: I think so, yes. It’s a very high downforce track and that seems to suit us best as we saw in Budapest. In terms of the tyres I think we should be looking good too. Certainly, we should be able to perform stronger than at the last two races which haven’t always suited our car.

There’s a lot of talk and movement in the driver market at the moment; how does this affect you?

RG: I am keeping focused on this season by doing the best job I can for the team and showing my value on track.

Singapore marks the first of seven flyaway races to end the season; how do you want to end your year?

RG: We have some fantastic races ahead and it’s going to be a busy couple of months. I’ll be pushing to do the very best job I can and I know the race team and everyone at Enstone wants to finish this season with the strongest results possible, so naturally we want to get back on the podium as much as possible.

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Webber says Singapore will be hot and bumpy!

Speaking ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Red Bull driver Mark Webber is braced for the challenges of Formula 1′s only full night race.

Asked to describe the Singapore GP in three words, the straight talking Australian said, “Hot, night and bumpy!”

“The last sector is probably the toughest to get right, it’s a very demanding last sector and the rhythm is very important over the bumps and the curves. You need to get the last sector correct,” he added.

As for his best memories around the floodlit venue, Webber recalled, “I think being on the podium is my best moment, after a long and hot race it’s a pretty good reward. I finished on the podium in 2010 and 2011, so both of those were special moments for me.”

Webber has yet to win this year, he has never stood on the top step of the podium at the Marina Bay Circuit. He lies fifth in what is his final world championship title campaign.

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Claire Williams and Susie Wolff to take centre stage in Singapore

With the world of global motorsport about to be focused on Singapore for the 2013 edition of the grand prix at Marina Bay Circuit, UBS will support Women in Motorsport – Singapore initiative. A special event on the evening of Thursday 19 September, featuring two of F1‘s leading ladies to generate public awareness and promote interest in motorsport in Singapore for women.

Guest speakers from Formula 1 will include Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal of the Williams F1 team together with F1 Development Driver and Women In Motorsport Ambassador Susie Wolff, who will give a valued insight into how the disciplines within motorsport can be used as a positive motivational force, not only just in motorsport, but also in all aspects of professional life, education and business.

Motorsport is all about passion, excitement, adrenaline and competition, a powerful blend of sport, technology and business. To win in Formula 1 requires flawless execution and a constant desire to improve what is already excellent. Success in Motorsport is about the challenge and the triumph of being the best. It is a truly mixed sport, open to all, competing within the same rules and regulations in perfect equity.

With an increasing number of highly qualified women rising to the ultimate challenge, whether that be in driving, technology, engineering, business, management or as officials, the event is supported by the Singapore Motor Sport Association, who are the National Sporting Authority of the global governing body of motorsport, the FIA who created the Women in Motorsport Commission to encourage, support and promote the involvement of women at all levels of motorsport and to highlight where women are successful.

Women in Motorsport – Singapore is intended to give an insight into the exciting world of motorsport and to generate interest in motorsport in Singapore for women and demonstrate how to succeed in all areas of the sport.

“The Singapore Motor Sports Association is proud to be part of this event specially organised for women in motorsport in Singapore. We hope that it will inspire more women to follow their passion and pursue their interest in motorsport”, said Lynn Tan, FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, National Coordinator, Singapore and Chairperson, Women in Motorsport Commission, SMSA.

Women in Motorsport – Singapore, will take place on the evening of Thursday 19 September 2013 at 6.30pm to an audience of invited guests at the UBS Business University: Command House, Kheam Hock Road, Singapore 298791.

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Webber: Vettel will be Ferrari’s next signing

With the ink on Kimi Raikkonen’s 2014 Ferrari contract still drying, Red Bull’s Mark Webber is already making predictions about the next driver to make his way to Maranello.

Australian Webber, a close friend of Fernando Alonso, thinks that the Spaniard’s Ferrari contract will expire in unison with the team’s new signing, Finn Raikkonen.

“Two years for probably both of them actually I think,” the Australian Red Bull driver, who is departing Formula 1 for Le Mans sports car racing with Porsche at the end of the year, told the British broadcaster Sky.

“And then what [Ferrari] do after that obviously [is to] pick Seb up off the back of Red Bull and then … keep moving from there.”

‘Seb’, of course, is Sebastian Vettel, Webber’s teammate of the past years who – in a supposedly identical Red Bull – has won three and is now close to four world titles compared to Webber’s 9 grand prix wins.

But the 37-year-old backed Ferrari’s next pairing, saying Alonso and Raikkonen is “a very short-term aggressive statement from Ferrari to put the team at the front”.

Webber thinks the move is justified on the basis that Alonso needs “to be pushed”.

“He needs to be squeezed on Saturday afternoon to get the car further up the grid,” he added.

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Maldonado 'frustrated' with Williams' woes

Although Pastor Maldonado is finding Williams' current form "frustrating", he insists the team will keep pushing while he tries to do his best.

Having secured his debut victory at last year's Spanish Grand Prix, the Venezuelan driver had hoped that would be a stepping to a better 2013 campaign. It was not.

Williams are in the midst of their worst season to date as they have scored just one point in 12 grands prix.

It has been a trying time for all concerned although Maldonado is adamant they won't throw in the towel.

"For sure it's frustrating," the 28-year-old told ESPNF1.

"To win a race last year - a couple of months ago - and this year to be fighting to even make it in to Q2 for sure is a big frustration.

"But we never back off, we are pushing very hard as a team, I am trying to do my best... but still we need to do some big changes in terms of performance in the car.

"Aero-wise we need to improve and soon we will improve with some new aero packages.

"We are still pushing with this year's car and maybe we can have maybe not the car to win all the races but have the car to put us in a good position to fight for points."

The Venezuelan driver is confident that Williams have what it takes to turn their fortunes around in time for next season.

"The only problem we have is maybe the most important which is the car, but if we work hard and put everything together I think we can solve the problems.

"We have a lot of experience, we have great people, a great factory as well. I think we have all the tools to make a strong car."

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Button: A wonder of modern sport

Despite taking podium finishes in the last two Singapore GPs with McLaren, Jenson Button is cautious about his chances this season.

Billing the night race as "one of the wonders of modern sport", Button is a massive fan of the event and has done well there in recent years.

The McLaren driver secured podium finishes in 2011 and 2012 to go with his three previous top-ten results.

However, this season is a very different story as McLaren continue to struggle to get the best out of their MP4-28.

And as such, Button says it will be "interesting" to see how McLaren perform on the street circuit next weekend.

"I remember the first time we raced at Singapore [in 2008]; it seemed incredible to think that we could hold a Formula 1 race at night," said the 33-year-old.

"I must say, the thrill and novelty of racing through spotlit streets is just as intense for me today as it was when we first raced there - it's a unique spectacle, and one that I think is brilliant for F1. In fact, the Singapore Grand Prix is one of the wonders of modern sport.

"I enjoy racing around the Marina Bay circuit. Although I've finished second there for the past two years, this year it'll be interesting to see how our car behaves on a bumpy, high-downforce circuit.

"This is also a race where good fitness preparation really pays off: the race is usually close to the two-hour limit, so it's the longest physical challenge on the calendar.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

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Singapore updates for Sauber

Tom McCullough expects Sauber to fight for points in Singapore but concedes the circuit is very different to Monza, where they brought in their biggest haul.

Last time out in Italy, Nico Hulkenberg qualified third on the grid and brought his C32 home in fifth place.

That earned the German and his team ten points towards their position in the Championship.

However, whether the team can produce a similar showing this weekend at Formula One's only night race remains to be seen as the nature of the street circuit is opposite to that of Monza's high-speed flowing layout.

"Singapore requires a totally different set-up philosophy compared to Monza," said McCullough. "The circuit efficiency sees a return to our maximum downforce level similar to Monaco.

"The track is dominated by tight, low-speed corners and this is the area that the mechanical and aero set-up is optimised around.

"Like Monza, the track is pretty bumpy in some areas, so placing an importance on ride quality. The stop-start nature of the circuit gives the brakes a hard time as there are not many opportunities per lap for them to cool down."

Sauber's Head of Track Engineering added that it is important for Hulkenberg and team-mate Esteban Gutierrez to put in a good showing during Saturday's qualifying while the team needs to factor in a Safety Car for Sunday's race.

"It is imperative to qualify strongly on Saturday evening, as overtaking on this track is difficult. The race tends to cross the two-hour mark and there is a high chance of a safety car at any time, which means this will keep the strategy engineers' attention throughout the whole race.

"The ambient conditions make it tough for the drivers and crew throughout the weekend. As in previous years, Pirelli has selected the supersoft compound as the option tyre, but the prime will be the medium compound, unlike last year when it was the soft compound.

"We will bring a further update package to Singapore that should help us to continue fighting for Championship points."