FORMULA 1 - 2013

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Mallya: Simply not good enough in Italy

Although Vijay Mallya concedes Force India have struggled on the new Pirellis, he says the tyres aren't solely to blame for the team's poor run.

Having made a flying start to the Championship, Force India have netted just two points in the last four races and only ten since the new tyres were introduced at Silverstone.

The team's woes were compounded at Monza when Paul di Resta retired on the first lap while Adrian Sutil wasn't even knocking on the door of the top-ten, down in 16th place.

Mallya, however, says not all Force India's troubles in Italy, which also saw them suffer their worst qualifying performance of the season, were down to the tyres.

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

"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."

The team owner, however, does believe that part of Force India's recent troubles are down to Pirelli's changes.

"The car is different to last year. 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."

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DC: Ferrari battle will be fascinating

David Coulthard has warned Ferrari's rivals to expect an even better Fernando Alonso next season as Kimi Raikkonen will force him to raise his game.

On Wednesday, Ferrari confirmed that Raikkonen would be rejoining Ferrari to partner Alonso in next year's Championship.

While the move has been applauded by some, others have raised concerns that two 'number one' drivers could prove to be more than Ferrari can handle.

"In years to come will Ferrari's rehiring of Kimi Raikkonen be remembered as a triumph, a bold move that heralded a return to former glories?" Coulthard asked in his column for theDaily Telegraph.

"Or will it be remembered as a disaster, a relationship that ended in tears for a second time in the space of a few seasons? I cannot say for certain but it is going to be fascinating finding out."

In fact, the former driver reckons Ferrari's rivals should be wary because he believes having Raikkonen at the team will push Alonso to another level.

"In my opinion," he added, "Fernando is the complete driver and will raise his game with Kimi there for the next two seasons, which is a worry for everyone else."

As for either driver throwing their toys should they be beaten by their team-mate, the Scot feels both Raikkonen and Alonso will handle the challenge thrown at them.

"One thing I do know, having worked with Kimi, is that what you see is very much what you get. He is cool, unflappable and completely apolitical. He just does not get involved in all of the paddock conspiracy stuff.

"Like Felipe Massa at the moment, Kimi will get on with the job at hand and not rock the boat. He did not rock the boat in 2008 and 2009 when Felipe started to get on top of him.

"The question is will Fernando Alonso rock the boat if Kimi starts to push him close, or even beat him? I don't think so.

"A lot of people refer back to Fernando's time at McLaren in 2007, and cite that season as proof that he is liable to throw his toys out of the pram if he does not get his way.

"I disagree. I believe Fernando lost his cool because he felt destabilised and betrayed by the fact that McLaren did not deliver on promises made, rather than because a rookie Lewis Hamilton was challenging him."

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'Kimi will keep pushing to the end'

Eric Boullier has no worries about Kimi Raikkonen switching focus until the end of this season, confident his driver will keep pushing for Lotus.

On Wednesday, the announcement finally came confirming that Raikkonen would be leaving Lotus at the end of this season and returning to Ferrari.

And although disappointed to lose his star driver, Boullier believes the Finn will continue to give Lotus his all until the final lap of the season-ending Brazilian GP.

"Obviously, it was no secret we wanted to keep him, so it's a disappointment that he won't be driving with us in 2014," said the team boss.

"Despite this, we know Kimi will be pushing hard for the remainder of this season to secure the very best results he can for himself and the team, and his fighting drive in Monza shows just how well he can push.

"In the same breath, Enstone has once again proven its pedigree; providing Kimi with two great cars and making his return to Formula 1 a success. It's been a win-win situation right from the beginning."

The Frenchman reiterated that Lotus already had plans in place should Raikkonen opt to leave and that he expects to "soon" sign a future star as the team has done in the past.

"Naturally, we have made preparations in case he decided not to continue driving with the team that brought him back to Formula 1, and I'm confident that we will have a very strong driver line-up next year.

"We've had Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen; new Champions will join the list here soon I'm sure."

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Lotus signs Ferrari chief aerodynamicist Nicolas Hennel

Lotus has moved to boost its technical department in the wake of recent departures by signing Ferrari's chief aerodynamicist Nicolas Hennel.

Amid of spate of personnel moves from Lotus to Ferrari - with James Allison, Kimi Raikkonen and Dirk de Beer all moving to Maranello - Lotus has convinced Hennel to move in the opposite direction.

Hennel had been at Ferrari for just over a year, having had previous spells at McLaren and Renault.

Lotus has not officially announced the signing of Hennel, but sources have said that he will start work there next month so as to be able to focus straightaway on the 2014 car.

Hennel is not the only senior member of Ferrari technical staff set to move, with Felipe Massa's race engineer Rob Smedley expected to join Williams for 2014.

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Ferrari signs Lotus' head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer

Ferrari has further boosted its technical structure with the signing of Lotus' head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer.

As part of a concerted effort by the Maranello outfit to push itself forward so it can capture its first title since 2007, it has convinced de Beer to join.

Although there has been no official announcement about Ferrari's plans, it is expected that de Beer will work alongside the team's current head of aero Loic Bigois when his current contract with Lotus runs out at the end of this year.

Ferrari showed how serious it is in its efforts to ramp up its organisation when it signed Lotus' former technical director James Allison earlier this year.

Allison joined the team at the beginning of this month and is likely to have targeted the key individuals that he thinks can help make a difference at Ferrari.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali revealed earlier this week that it was Allison's input in to the progress that Kimi Raikkonen had made on the technical front that helped convince the team to swoop for him as replacement for Felipe Massa.

De Beer's departure from Lotus will be another blow to the team, which had already lost Allison and Raikkonen to Ferrari.

The Enstone-based team still has hopes that an investment deal with partners Infinity Racing can help deliver the financial backing that will allow it to push forward with an improved infrastructure.

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Fiat may sponsor Alonso’s cycling team

Fiat, the Ferrari-linked Italian car manufacturer, could step in to sponsor Fernando Alonso’s new cycling team project.

It emerged early this month that Ferrari’s current lead driver has bought the ailing world tour Spanish cycling outfit Euskatel-Euskadi.

And according to the Catalan daily El Periodico, “Fiat could become the title sponsor”.

France’s L’Equipe reports that the Canadian bicycle maker Cervelo, and the British multinational Vodafone, have also expressed interest.

Meanwhile, a cyclist with an F1-sounding name has also been linked with Alonso’s new team — American Chris Horner.

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Valencia mayor rejected grand prix saving deal

The mayor of Valencia rejected a proposal that might have saved the European grand prix which had previously been held in the Spanish city.

When it became clear the race on the streets of the Spanish port city was no longer financially viable, the regional president Alberto Fabra made a proposal to the Valencia mayor, Rita Barbera.

“He spoke of the possibility of involvement, but he spoke to me about Cheste, and I have an urban circuit,” Barbera is quoted by El Pais newspaper.

“The budget of Valencia is for Valencians,” she insisted.

The permanent Ricardo Tormo circuit, located 26 kilometres from Valencia in Cheste, hosts a MotoGP race. It has also been a popular circuit for F1 testing.

Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone has cast doubt on India’s hopes of returning to the calendar in 2015, after it emerged that Delhi will not host a race next year.

Race organisers had claimed the only issue affecting next year’s Indian grand prix was Ecclestone’s scheduling headaches.

But the F1 chief executive told Sportbusiness International: “The trouble in India is a simple one. The rupee has devalued an enormous amount so it is all very political.

“We won’t be there next year but after that I hope we will go back,” added Ecclestone.

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Solberg: Rally experience made Raikkonen better F1 driver

Kimi Raikkonen’s rallying foray made him a better Formula 1 driver, claims 2003 world rally champion Petter Solberg, who got to know the ‘Iceman’ during his two-year Formula 1 sabbatical in 2010 and 2011.

Finn Raikkonen returned to Formula 1 with Lotus last season, impressing the grand prix world yet again after his career had flat-lined in his final two years at Ferrari.

“I know Kimi and I believe that the rally [experience] made him a better Formula 1 driver,” Solberg told the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG).

Like many observers, Solberg thinks Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari next year, where he will become current ‘number 1′ Fernando Alonso’s teammate, will be interesting to watch.

“Alonso will certainly not like it,” Solberg said of Raikkonen’s impending move.

“But Kimi is cool,” he added. “He drives the car, and that’s it.”

Former Ferrari boss Cesare Fiorio said last week that he would not have signed Raikkonen.

“I admire his talent, but not his lifestyle or his technical work,” he is quoted by Italy’s Tuttosport.

But another former Ferrari boss, the current FIA president Jean Todt, backed the decision taken by the Maranello team’s current chiefs.

“Ferrari is a Formula 1 institution, and very strong,” he told the Italpress agency, “and I am absolutely certain they will also be at the highest level in the coming years.”

As for signing Raikkonen, “Ferrari has always known how to make the right decisions,” Todt insisted.

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Perez predicts final phase of season to be tougher

McLaren driver Sergio Perez has admitted that getting good results will be tougher for him as the 2013 season enters its final phase.

The second most successful team in F1, has had a disappointing championship campaign with the uncompetitive MP4-28.

According to McLaren newcomer, Mexican Perez, the prospect of a breakthrough 2013 podium will dwindle even more as the season enters its final, ‘flyaway’ phase.

McLaren is just fifth in the constructors’ championship; narrowly ahead of Force India but a massive 125 points behind Lotus.

“Obviously, the fight at the sharp end of the championship means that the top three or four teams are still pushing hard to develop their current cars, whereas some of the others are looking more towards 2014,” said Perez.

“That means that it’s getting slightly harder to score good points in the remaining races.”

He revealed that “most” of the forthcoming developments for the MP4-28 will be “with an eye to next year”.

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Brazil may be without F1 driver for first time in 40 years

For the first time in more than 40 years, Formula 1 could be without a Brazilian driver on the grid, in 2014.

Felipe Massa has lost his seat at Ferrari, but his manager Nicolas Todt is hoping Lotus will sign him as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement.

Meanwhile, it had been reported young Brazilian Felipe Nasr was close to breaking into F1, but Dr Helmut Marko has now dismissed speculation linking him with Toro Rosso.

All this means that F1 is facing the prospect of a grid without a single Brazilian in 2014. According toO Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, the last time F1 was without a Brazilian was 1970, prior to Emerson Fittipaldi’s debut.

“I don’t believe we (Brazil) will have no drivers in F1 next year,” Fittipaldi, now 66 and a two-time world champion, said. ”I think Massa will sign with another team.”

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, the longest-serving F1 driver until his exit in 2011, blames the situation on a disconnect between the junior categories in Brazil and Europe.

“There is a big difference between the racing here and the racing over there,” said the winner of 11 grands prix, who lives in his native Sao Paulo. ”Today, just having talent is not enough.”

The issue could have implications for F1′s passionate Brazilian fans.

“In the short term, it has no effect at all,” said Oscar Ulisses, who has been a part of broadcaster Globo’s coverage of F1 for decades, ”Long-term, yes. And just having a Brazilian on the grid means nothing – it’s important to have a driver who is doing well.

Having someone at Marussia solves nothing.”

According to Italy’s Autosprint, another option for Massa beyond 2014 is Williams. It is already rumoured that his well-known Ferrari race engineer, Rob Smedley, could be about to return to Britain.

Autosprint floated the theory of Pastor Maldonado taking his PDVSA backing to Lotus, opening the door for Massa at Williams, perhaps with the support of the former F1 and Williams sponsor Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company.

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Andretti interested in F1 if customer cars allowed

Michael Andretti would get involved in Formula 1 as a team owner if the sport allowed teams to field customer cars.

That is the claim of former McLaren driver Andretti’s famous father Mario, the 1978 world champion.

He told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper that allowing teams to sell chassis to one another would help those teams that are struggling financially.

“I have already spoken with Bernie Ecclestone about it,” said the 73-year-old.

“It would also be a way for new teams to be a part of F1, even if they don’t have their own racing car factories,” added Andretti.

“My son (Michael) would be one of the first who would come in, if he could buy a car from one of the top manufacturers.”

Mario Andretti dismissed the claim that customer cars would devalue the sport.

“I find the idea of a blue Ferrari overtaking a red Ferrari very interesting,” he said. “It would give formula one a whole new appeal.”

Michael Andretti, whose F1 career as Ayrton Senna’s teammate at McLaren in 1993 was brief, is now a team owner in various series including Indycar.

‘Andretti Autosport’ will also contest the FIA’s new Formula E series for electric single seaters in 2014.

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Lotus confirm Grosjean and deciding between Massa or Hulkenberg

Lotus is weighing up between Nico Hulkenberg and Felipe Massa to complete its 2014 Formula 1 driver lineup.

Asked recently if – in the interests of continuity – Romain Grosjean will definitely be retained next year if Kimi Raikkonen departs, team boss Eric Boullier answered simply: “Yes.”

So that leaves only the cockpit currently occupied by the Ferrari-bound Finn Raikkonen to fill.

The candidates are Hulkenberg – the impressive German who after moving from Force India last year is now seeking to jump from struggling Sauber – and the experienced Ferrari refugee Massa.

Brazilian Massa, 32, might have the edge.

According to O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Frenchman Boullier said recently that, “In 2014, experience will be more important than speed”.

He is referring to the move from the current engine rules to next year’s regulations surrounding the turbo V6s, which according to most of the sport’s technical insiders is perhaps the biggest shift in the history of Formula 1.

That is why, on the face of it, while the younger but hugely promising Hulkenberg perhaps should be the favourite, Massa’s vast wealth of experience might have him in pole position for the seat.

A source close to Boullier told Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio: “The chances are 50 per cent apiece for Hulkenberg and Massa.”

Oricchio said the prize on offer is a two-year contract with options.

And there may be another factor counting in Massa’s favour — money.

While definitely not a traditional ‘pay driver’, Massa would bring some weighty support to Lotus in the form of his well-connected manager, Nicolas Todt.

The son of FIA president Jean Todt, Nicolas has – according to Italy’s Autosprint – already brought a sponsor to Lotus in the form of Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.

Massa’s continuity in Formula 1 is also backed strongly by Bernie Ecclestone, who fears the absence of a single Brazilian on the grid could affect the success of the crucial Brazilian market, and the popular Brazilian Grand Prix.

“It would be surprising if (Ecclestone) has not talked to Boullier and (Gerard) Lopez about his preference regarding the choice between Hulkenberg and Massa,” said Oricchio.

Massa told Brazil’s O Globo broadcaster this week: “We are negotiating (with Lotus).

“The Lotus is a very competitive car, which is what I want. It’s a team that has a very important story with Brazil as well.

“They’ve had a hard time financially, so we are having many conversations to try to find a way not only for me to have a good car, but for Lotus as well.”

Meanwhile, when asked about Massa’s claim there has also been contact with McLaren, a spokesman for the British team told us:

“We don’t comment on media speculation with regard to rumoured driver movements.”

MIKA: I hope they select Hulkenberg. Better off for the long term.

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Webber: Motivation began to wane

Mark Webber admits he has struggled for motivation in recent years but still feels he may be leaving a year "too soon."

The Aussie announced earlier this year that he would walk away from F1 at the end of this season, his 12th in the sport.

Speaking about his reasons for leaving, Webber confessed to F1 Racing magazine that his motivation had been waning over the last few years.

"I've been on the edge with F1, motivation-wise, for the past couple of years," he said in an exclusive interview with the magazine.

"You have to be driven. You turn yourself around each winter and the fire in the belly is not quite what it was when you were 24.

"I remember hearing something about sportsmen and women years ago. They were saying that as long as they could keep their motivation, they would keep going.

"I could never work out what that meant. How could you lose your motivation? But questions keep coming to me more and more often that were never there in the past.

"It's not about driving or racing, it's about keeping my own F1 programme going for 11 months of the year. And it's just got to the point where it's like, well, I've achieved a lot of things."

The 37-year-old, though, reckons he may be leaving a year too soon but given the massive changes the sport will undergo next season, he says the time is still right.

He added: "I still enjoy being belted in the car and driving down the pit lane, which is a bit disappointing, but I've spoken to some really good sportsmen and women who have been at the crossroads where making the call was not easy and they messed it up.

"I'm probably leaving F1 a year too soon but with the [regulation] changes next season [the introduction of turbo engines with a fuel limit] and the opportunity to join Porsche, it's the best move for me."

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Montezemolo: Fernando was always in the picture regarding choice of Raikkonen

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo gave a wide ranging interview to Gazzetta dello Sport, which included the thinking behind the hiring Kimi Raikkonen to replace Felipe Massa and partner Fernando Alonso at Ferrari starting in 2014 – claiming that the Spaniard is happy with the decision.

Montezemolo said, “Today, Raikkonen is one of the best, along with Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton and Alonso is the first to be happy that he is coming here.”

The Ferrari boss pointed out, “Raikkonen’s situation is identical to the one we had with Lauda. At one point, even Niki had had enough. I spoke about having his twin brother because the guy racing for us was not the one we had employed. The break did him good and he returned in great form, he won and finished a lot of races.”

“In a nutshell, I wanted a driver who would not make me regret Massa. What I ask of Raikkonen is wins, a consistent performance level and podiums and Alonso will be the first to benefit. I am pleased he is back with us and the Ferrari staff greeted the news enthusiastically, as they had good memories of him.”

“We are not masochistic enough to take on a driver without informing Alonso. Fernando was always in the picture regarding the choice of Raikkonen, taken partly because the alternative, that of employing a youngster, in what will be a complex 2014 season, did not inspire confidence.”

Word is that Alonso has questioned Raikkonen’s PR skills, a problem Montezemolo appears to acknowledge, “I am the first to understand [Alonso's] discontent. Let’s say his dissatisfaction is like the anger of a footballer who is called to the bench and tells the manager to get stuffed. But I’d rather deal with someone like that than a wuss!”

“The PR business is ever more mediatised. I hope that [Raikkonen's] public relations will consist of wins, as well as a contribution to the team and a diligent presence in Maranello. Alonso cannot take all the work on his shoulders alone.”

“Going back to Lauda, when he returned with a different energy level, he won the title, beating Prost,” recalled Montezemolo who was team principal at the Maranello squad during thier heyday in the seventies.

Massa was always regarded as one of the family by Ferrari and Montezemolo spoke fondly of the Brazilian, “He’s an exceptional guy and a wonderful person. He needed results and so did we. He did get some, but he was inconsistent, having some good races but not on a regular basis.”

“In 2012, we felt the lack of his points in the Constructors’ Championship. It will be good for him to have a change of scenery.”

The interview also focussed on the team’s current campaign which Montezemolo is refusing to give up on.

He revealed, “I am expecting updates that will bring improvements. We should bear in mind that there’s only one Red Bull getting the results. The team will support Alonso until the very last metre and on top of that.”

“I am also expecting Massa to have a great end to the season. Felipe is an exceptional guy and a wonderful person. They say he won’t help Fernando? Please! He will definitely do so, giving us a hand for the Constructors’ and Alonso for the Drivers’

Championship.”

“Looking to 2014, I would say however that we can no longer afford to be the contender beaten in a photo-finish. I can’t wait to be winning again. The time is now, believe me…”

Italian media have in the past questioned the ability of current team principal, Stefano Domenicali to lead the team.

But Montezemolo remains adamant that the option to replace Domenicali’s was not an option, “Never, he would be missed. He was the first to advocate the choice of Kimi. He has worked well, preparing for the future and now I expect to see results in the present.

But, over the past three years, we have lost two World titles at the last race and it was not his fault.”

“I’ve been around a long time, from the point eleven years on from Surtees’ title. Then as President, with Schumacher and the Todt-Brawn-Byrne triumvirate, we created a golden era and now the team is ready to start winning again. The void since the Schumacher era was caused by delays on the simulation front and with the aerodynamics.”

“However, in all but three years, Ferrari has always been in the title fight right to the last race. I am counting a lot on James Allison. With him came the head of aerodynamics from Lotus and other new faces.”

“Finally, we will have the creativity we were lacking. Allison knows the team and the men and he speaks Italian. Others wanted him, but he preferred us and his arrival will also bring a change in working methods in many areas. Pat Fry will concentrate on improving our on-track operations, our methodology and the simulator.”

Costs of competing in Formula 1 at the highest level continue to be a hot topic, and Montezemolo is adamant that costs have not been reduced, “No, they’ve not been reduced. The rate of increase has reduced, but the level is still too high. We would have to return to the less sophisticated F1 of the mid-Nineties, resuming testing to give youngsters a run, because today, GP2 is a laughing-stock with no value. And the few tests we do have, well naturally the race drivers do them.”

He also dispelled speculation that car giant Fiat contributed financially to the team, Zero! We get no financial contribution from them and Ferrari survives on its sponsorship, prize money and the cars it sells.”

Finally his thoughts on Formula 1 without Bernie Ecclestone at the helm: We will need to rethink everything, with a structure that provides for a head of administration and finance, a commercial director and a number one for technical matters. The work can no longer be centralised around just one man.”

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Red Bull rejects Sauber proposal to cut testing and save money

World champion team Red Bull has rejected a cost cutting proposal that might have leveled the playing field for Formula 1′s struggling teams.

Next year, in-season testing will once again be allowed, but midfield teams Sauber and Force India admitted during a recent team managers’ meeting that they probably cannot afford to attend every test day.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Sauber proposed that, instead, they be allowed to substitute a test day for a day of wind tunnel testing with the actual race car.

“This was flatly rejected by Red Bull,” said correspondent Michael Schmidt.

“The argument (made by Red Bull) is that they (Sauber) could learn more than on the track, and so they (Red Bull) would be forced to build a 1:1 model. Additionally, Red Bull does not have a suitable wind tunnel.”

Schmidt insisted, however, that Red Bull is not the only powerful team that is strenuously resisting the push for major cost cutting in Formula 1.

“The big teams protest so loudly that it’s reminiscent of the orchestra that kept playing on the Titanic as it sunk,” he said.

Finally, having resisted pressure to get on board until now, FIA president Jean Todt has reportedly signaled has intention to get to work on cost cutting.

“It seems the presidential election campaign also has its positive side effects,” said Schmidt.

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Vettel: Webber and I pushed each other very hard and I will miss that

Triple world champion Sebastian Vettel has admitted that he will miss his teammate Mark Webber despite a fragile existence between the two within the Red Bull squad.

The pair, teamed together at Red Bull since 2009, have had an often fraught relationship that arguably broke down completely after this year’s ‘multi-21′ affair.

“You can say what you want about our relationship,” triple world champion Vettel told the Austrian magazine Sportwoche, “but in the end we pushed each other very hard.

“I will miss that,” said the German, referring to Australian Webber’s impending departure for Le Mans-style prototype racing with Porsche.

Webber admitted to the latest edition of Formula 1 Racing magazine that he decided to call time on his grand prix career due to flagging motivation.

“I’ve been on the edge with F1, motivation-wise, for the past couple of years,” he said.

Indeed, since they went head-to-head for the title in 2010, this season Vettel has clearly had the edge on 37-year-old Webber, who is now almost 100 points behind the championship leader.

But Vettel insists that Webber still pushes him hard.

“There have always been two or three corners where Mark has me biting my lip,” he said. “You try to figure out what he is doing, which keeps you busy enough.”

The pair have often clashed in the personality stakes, but Vettel insists that “Even if it is perceived differently from the outside, it was important that I was always hungry”.

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Pirelli confirms tyres until India

Pirelli have confirmed their compound selection for the three races following this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

Unlike last year when soft and supersoft tyres were used at the Korean Grand Prix, teams will make use of the red-marked supersoft tyre and the white-banded mediums this time around.

The Italian company feels that "the supersoft is capable of generating the highest possible levels of traction on the slippery surface" at the Korea Internatioal Circuit while the mediums will help at the "wide variety of corners and some heavy braking areas".

The mediums will also be used at the Japanese GP, but instead of the soft tyres that were used last year, the orange-marked hard rubber will also be handed to the teams.

Meanwhile the Indian Grand Prix will have the yellow-striped soft compounds on display along with the mediums as the combination "provides the best possible compromise between performance and durability at the Buddh International circuit, which is well-known for its big elevation changes and technically demanding corners".

2013 tyre choices

Australia - Supersoft, Medium

Malaysia - Medium, Hard

China - Soft, Medium

Bahrain - Medium, Hard

Spain - Medium, Hard

Monaco - Supersoft, Soft

Canada - Supersoft, Medium

Great Britain - Medium, Hard

Germany - Soft, Medium

Hungary - Soft, Medium

Belgium - Medium, Hard

Italy - Medium, Hard

Singapore - Supersoft, Medium

Korea - Supersoft, Medium

Japan - Medium, Hard

India - Soft, Medium.

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Red Bull Ring boss departs as Austrian GP looms

Red Bull Ring boss Walter Kafitz has parted company with the circuit which is scheduled to host the Austrian Grand Prix in 2014.

The former Nurburgring chief came on board early last year, and was believed instrumental in the rebuilt and now Red Bull-owned circuit’s return to the Formula 1 calendar for 2014.

But Kleine Zeitung newspaper reports that Kafitz, 62, has left “with immediate effect”. The news was reportedly confirmed by the company.

The Austrian report insisted, however, that “Preparations for the Formula 1 race are not affected”.

Kafitz was earlier caught up in the Nurburgring’s calamitous financial situation, but Kleine Zeitung said that this is not the reason for his departure in Austria.

But “Red Bull gave no information, nor on his succession,” said the report.

Kafitz did not comment.

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Button and McLaren set to confirm deal for 2014

As the Formula 1 grid for 2014 shapes up towards the end of a frantic ‘silly-season’, McLaren is yet to confirm its driver lineup for next year.

Boss Martin Whitmarsh has indicated that Jenson Button and Sergio Perez will be staying put, but at the same time rumours have linked drivers including Ferrari refugee Felipe Massa with the Woking based team.

A McLaren spokesman told us this week: “We don’t comment on media speculation with regard to rumoured driver movements.”

Lead driver and 2009 world champion Button has not played a leading role in the 2014 silly-season, but rumours tentatively connected him with both Red Bull and Ferrari prior to those teams announcing their actual lineups for next year.

Until very recently, it was reported McLaren was yet to take up the option on the 33-year-old’s contract.

Asked about his contractual situation on Wednesday, Button told the British broadcaster Sky: “It’s not an issue for either party. So [we're] just concentrating on racing and we’ll be racing together in 2014.”

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The Big Preview: Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Circuit

The bright lights of the Marina Bay circuit provide the welcome this week as F1 heads east for the Singapore Grand Prix, the 13th round of the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship. After the high-speed demands of Monza, the streets of Singapore offer a very different challenge.

With 23 corners, unforgiving walls and a lap time longer than at any other current grand prix, Marina Bay demands ultimate concentration from drivers – but Singapore does everything it can to shake that concentration. Between the abundant undulations of the city boulevards, the glare of the lights, the high temperatures and the humidity, Singapore presents perhaps the sternest challenge of the racing year.

Since joining the World Championship calendar in 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix has been won by just three drivers, who are also the three men leading the chase for the 2013 drivers’ title. Fernando Alonso won in 2008 and 2010, bracketing a win for Lewis Hamilton in 2009. The last two runnings of the race have seen Sebastian Vettel victorious.

In 2012, Singapore marked the start of a four-race winning sequence for Vettel that saw him steadily diminish Alonso’s lead in the drivers’ championship. Vettel comes to Singapore this year in much better shape, off the back of wins in Belgium and Italy, both executed in imperious fashion. In doing so the reigning World Champion has established a lead of 53 points over Alonso and 81 over Hamilton.

Vettel isn’t expected to have it quite so easy on the streets of Marina Bay. The strategic significance of track position, the ever-present threat of Safety Cars and forecast thunderstorms all contribute to make this grand prix potentially more complicated that those that have preceded it.

2012 Singapore GP podium

Marina Bay Circuit Data

• Length of lap: 5.073 km
  
• Lap record: 1:45.599 (Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 2008)
  
• Start/finish line offset: 0.137 km
  
• Total number of race laps: 61
  
• Total race distance: 309.316 km
  
• Pitlane speed limits: 60km/h throughout the entire event weekend
  

Changes to the circuit since 2012

• Various small sections of track have been resurfaced.
  
• The steel kerbs installed for 2012 now have additional rear sections, removing the need to back-fill with asphalt (except the apex of Turn 18).
  
• The kerb on the exit of Turn Seven has been extended by 10 m.
  
• Turn 10 has been re-aligned with the second and third apexes of the corner removed.
  
• The TecPro barrier on the exit of Turn 10 has been extended by 24 m.
  

DRS Zones

• There will be two DRS zones. The detection point of the first is 230m before Turn Five with an activation point 50m after the apex of Turn Five. The second detection point is 80 m before the apex of Turn 22 with activation 45 m after the apex of Turn 23.
  

Michael Schumacher crashed heavily into the back of Jean Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso during the 2012 Singapore GP

Singapore Grand Prix Fast Facts

• The Singapore Grand Prix has always ran close to the two-hour maximum race time. The shortest Singapore Grand Prix to date was the 2009 race, won by Lewis Hamilton for McLaren in a time of 1:56:06.337. Fernando Alonso’s victories in 2008 and 2010 were both completed in 1h57m and Sebastian Vettel’s triumph in 2011 pushed that out to 1h59m. The 2012 race was the slowest to date with Vettel’s winning time recorded as 2:00:26.144. Having gone beyond the two-hour cut-off point, the chequered flag was waved after 59 laps on this occasion instead of the scheduled 61. This was the first time since 2008 a grand prix had been completed by duration rather than distance.
  
• The above statistic paints a slightly false picture, as the Singapore Grand Prix has never been allowed to go the distance at racing speeds. The safety car has appeared every year to slow down proceedings. The proximity of barriers and the difficulty in accessing the circuit to clear wreckage make this circuit a high-probability candidate for a safety car deployment – something race strategists have to factor into their calculations.
  
• Despite being the grand prix that takes the longest to complete, Singapore has a higher average speed than Monaco. The disparity is explained by the Monaco Grand Prix running over a shorter distance than the rest of the calendar.
  
• In common with Monaco, Singapore is a maximum downforce circuit (and therefore sits at the opposite end of the scale to Monza). Other notable setup factors are necessitated by the uneven nature of the street surfaces and the need to attack kerbs through the tight right-angle street junctions. To address these issues, teams raise their ride-height and also set up with maximum suspension travel.
  
• The Formula One race is the second iteration of the Singapore Grand Prix. Its predecessor is a Formula Libre race which, having previously been called the Malaysian Grand Prix, became the Singapore Grand Prix after the city-state gained independence. The original incarnation of the Singapore Grand Prix ran from 1966-1973.
  
• Over the five-race history of the modern Singapore Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are the only drivers to have completed every lap of every race.
  
• Despite the ever-present threat of rain in the tropics, and the frequent showers and thunderstorms that have preceded and followed the race, the Singapore Grand Prix has, to date, always been a dry race.
  
• Pirelli is bringing its Supersoft and Medium compounds to Singapore. This combination has been used in 2013 at the Australian and Canadian Grands Prix. As was the case in Montreal, Singapore is nominally going a step harder this year, Pirelli having allocated the Supersoft and Soft compounds in 2012 and 2011.
  

Fernando Alonso has been on the Singapore podium four times

Singapore Grand Prix Statistics by Reuters

• Four different teams have won the 12 races so far this year(Lotus, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes).
  
• Red Bull’s triple champion Sebastian Vettel has six wins in 2013. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Mercedes’s Nico Rosberg have won two races each. Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen and Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton have each won one.
  
• Alonso and Vettel have 32 career wins, Hamilton 22, Raikkonen 20 and McLaren’s Jenson Button 15.
  
• Ferrari have won 221 races since the championship started in 1950, McLaren 182, Williams 114 and Red Bull 40.
  
• Mercedes have been on pole eight times in 12 races. Vettel has taken the other four.
  
• Vettel has 40 poles to his credit and is third in the all-time list (Michael Schumacher had 68 and Ayrton Senna 65). Hamilton has 31 and Alonso 22.
  
• Vettel’s Monza pole ended a run of four in a row for Hamilton.
  
• Mercedes have locked out the front row in qualifying three times this year.
  
• Alonso has not been on the front row in the last 22 races, with his last appearance being his pole in Germany in July 2012. He has not been on pole in a dry qualifying since 2010.
  
• Caterham and Marussia have yet to score a point after three seasons in Formula One.
  
• None of the five 2013 rookies has scored points so far.
  
• The only race held entirely at night, the floodlit Marina Bay circuit has 23 corners and is the second slowest of the season after Monaco.
  
• Last year’s race ended two laps early when the two-hour limit was reached. The previous four races in Singapore were all close to the two-hour mark.
  
• Only champions have won in Singapore so far (Alonso in 2008 and 2010, Hamilton in 2009 and Vettel in 2011 and 2012).
  
• Alonso has finished on the Singapore podium four times.
  
• The driver on pole has won three of the five races.
  
• The Safety Car has been deployed at least once in every Singapore Grand Prix to date. There have been a total of eight interventions so far.
  

Singapore is F1′s only full night race

Singapore Grand Prix Race Stewards Biographies

• Paul Gutjahr started racing in the late 1960s with Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Lotus and Porsche, then March in Formula 3. In the early ‘70s he became President of the Automobile Club Berne and organised numerous events. He acted as President of the organising committee of the Swiss GP at Dijon between 1980-82. Between 1980-2005 he acted as President of the Commission Sportive Nationale de l’Automobile Club de Suisse and in 2005 he became President and board member of the Auto Sport Suisse motor sports club. Gutjahr is President of the Alliance of European Hill Climb Organisers and has been steward at various high-level international competitions. He was the Formula 3000 Sporting Commissioner and has been a Formula One steward since 1995.
  
• Italian-born Vincenzo Spano grew up in Venezuela, where he went on to study at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, becoming an attorney-at-law. Spano has wide-ranging experience in motor sport, from national to international level. He has worked for the Touring y Automóvil Club de Venezuela since 1991, and served as President of the Sporting Commission since 2001. He was president for two terms and now sits as a member of the Board of the Nacam-FIA zone. Since 1995 Spano has been a licenced steward and obtained his FIA steward superlicence in 2003.Spano has been involved with the FIA and FIA Institute in various roles since 2001: a member of the World Motor Sport Council, the FIA Committee, and the executive committee of the FIA Institute.
  
• Derek Warwick raced in 146 grands prix from 1981 to 1993, appearing for Toleman, Renault, Brabham, Arrows and Lotus. He scored 71 points and achieved four podium finishes, with two fastest laps. He was World Sportscar Champion in 1992, driving for Peugeot. He also won Le Mans in the same year. He raced Jaguar sportscars in 1986 and 1991 and competed in the British Touring Car Championship between 1995 and 1998, as well as a futher appearance at the Le Mans in 1996, driving for the Courage Competition team. Warwick is a frequent FIA driver steward and is President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.
  

[MIKA27]

Hamilton happy not to be a player in the F1 silly season this year

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has admitted that not featuring in this year’s driver Formula 1 silly season has been a big weight off his shoulders.

A year ago, the 2008 world champion was a leading player in Formula 1′s high-stakes game of annual musical chairs, as he weighed up between staying at McLaren or moving to another team.

Now happily at Mercedes and on a three-year contract, the Briton said he has every intention of staying with the German team for that entire period and “hopefully even longer”.

Hamilton also admitted he has enjoyed being a mere spectator, as the ‘silly season’ played out instead with Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and others in the main roles.

“Last year, I tried my best to avoid it, but of course it was hard to deal with all the questions and the fact that I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace.

“It was taking my energy away from me, but it’s not like that anymore. It’s a great feeling to be in this position,” said Hamilton. ”The difference is like night and day.”

[MIKA27]

Webber praisies new young talent against F1 pay-driver trend

Mark Webber has backed the appointment of Daniel Ricciardo as his Red Bull successor as a win against the trend of ‘pay drivers’ in Formula 1.

“Daniel deserves the job, which is the most important thing,” he said.

Webber, who arrived on the grid in 2002 with the struggling Minardi team, cannot hide his frustration with the growing influence of ‘pay-drivers’.

“It has become normal to see a driver getting a seat not because of his talent, but because he’s paying,” the plain-speaking Australian is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace. I don’t think that’s very good for Formula 1.”

Webber said that one exception has been the debut at Marussia of the strongly Ferrari-linked Jules Bianchi, who has been able to express his talent despite the lack of competitiveness of his car.

“It’s not easy when you have a slow car – I’ve been in that situation with Minardi,” said the 37-year-old, who at the end of a career spanning more than 200 races and 9 wins, is departing for Le Mans sports cars in 2014.

“I think [bianchi] has done a good job and deserves a chance with a top team in the future.”

Another example, said Webber, is the promising Williams newcomer Valtteri Bottas.

His teammate in 2013 has been Pastor Maldonado, who although the winner of last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, clearly falls into Webber’s ‘pay driver’ category.

“Bottas has not had an easy time at Williams,” said Webber.

“He did a great qualifying in Canada when I think he is basically alone in the team, because while Pastor has experience, I don’t think Bottas can learn a great deal from him,” he added.

[MIKA27]

Sutil slams 'joke' penalties

Adrian Sutil has hit out at the inconsistency in the penalties that have been meted out this season.

The German was handed a grid-slot penalty following qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix after stewards found him guilty of blocking Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

It didn't go down well with the Force India driver as he believes that those who dish out the penalties don't always apply the same rules for other incidents.

"I think they just wanted to make an example now to say 'we are consistent in penalties'," he said ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

"But I hope that for the next race, and all the other races there will be clear penalties for similar things.

"In Spa I had a situation where I had three cars in front of me that really impeded me and no penalty, not even an investigation. So, now it's me, I accept it no problem, if we are on the right way and the stewards are doing it every race.

"That's what the drivers all want. We don't understand sometimes - in one situation no penalty, in the same situation again you get a big penalty."

Sutil's team-mate Paul di Resta was the victim of an accident at Monza last time out after his race was brought to a premature end following a collision with Pastor Maldonado.

The Williams driver was handed a drive-through penalty for the incident, but Sutil says the punishment didn't fit the crime as the Venezuelan had already retired.

"I think the penalty for Maldonado was a joke," he said.

"He was out of the race anyway after this incident and he gets, what, a drive-through? He deserved a grid position penalty.

"We all want to have a better sport with clear decisions, and if someone does something wrong, then yes okay they deserve a penalty.

"The problem is that sometimes there are drivers that are kind of stupid. They have no intelligence, and for them we need all the rules."

Sutil is currently 11th in the Drivers' Championship with 25 points, but he will be looking to return to the top 10 this weekend after missing out on points at Monza

[MIKA27]

Wolff expecting shift in competitive order in Singapore

Mercedes director Toto Wolff has warned Red Bull not to expect to enjoy the same domination they did in Italy last time out, believing a shift in the competitive order is coming.

The Austrian is hoping Singapore's high downforce requirements will mark a return to form for Mercedes who have struggled at the last two events.

"This weekend's race in Singapore begins a gruelling series of seven races in ten weekends for the team and we are all focused on regaining some of the momentum we lost at the past two races," he said.

"We expect the return to maximum downforce configuration to suit our car and we may see another shift in the competitive order between the teams."

Wolff confirmed further upgrades would be coming for the race. "We will bring new developments to the car once again for this race and we are all focused on maximising the opportunities for both Lewis and Nico, in order to re-establish ourselves in second position in the constructors' standings."

[MIKA27]

Massa warns Alonso: 'No more playing number two'

Felipe Massa has warned team-mate Fernando Alonso that he will no longer support the Spaniard as a number two driver and says it's time he focused on himself.

The Brazilian will leave Ferrari at the end of the year when he will be replaced by Kimi Raikkonen. With seven races remaining until that happens, Massa says he'll be 'looking after himself' after spending the past few seasons playing second fiddle.

"I will not race for Alonso from now on," he told Brazilian broadcaster Galvao Bueno TV Globo.

"Right from Friday at Singapore I'll be working for myself.

"I will attack all the time, every lap. It's come the time to look after myself."

The 32-year-old has been forced to move aside for Alonso on several occasions, even missing out on what would have been his first win in 29 races at the 2010 German Grand Prix. Speaking about the new pairing at Ferrari, Massa believes tempers will flare between Alonso and Raikkonen.

"I know both Fernando and Kimi on and off the track and I rate them as excellent drivers, but I'm afraid they will collide when sharing the team. "I told the bosses to breathe as much as possible while they still can because it will be hard for them to breathe next season."