FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

that was one crazy race. webber cant catch a break though

Indeed. I wasn't looking forward to the Korean GP, it's quite a lackluster event but yesterdays race was one of the best thus far and more so because of the scrap for P4 through to P8.

Webber had real bad luck, a huge shame as he did well from P13 to P3 before the shunt.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

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Kimiya Sato will be Sauber reserve in Japan

Japanese driver Kimiya Sato will be Sauber’s reserve at his home grand prix at Suzuka next weekend, the Swiss Formula One team said on Sunday.

The 24-year-old will also carry out a straight line aerodynamic test for them on Oct. 18 at the Vairano track in Italy.

Sato has already driven the Sauber, taking part in a young driver test at Silverstone in July. The team have a number of Japanese partners, including NEC.

Japan has no Formula One race drivers at present with the highly popular Kamui Kobayashi, who was dropped by Sauber at the end of last season, the last to compete at Suzuka and finishing third there in 2012.

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Sauber put an end to Rubens rumours

Rubens Barrichello will not be returning to F1 with Sauber next season after Monisha Kaltenborn revealed that they have "never discussed a seat."

Last month reports emerged claiming that Barrichello was plotting a return to Formula One next season with the Sauber team.

And although Kaltenborn initially played along, the Sauber team boss has now categorically ruled out signing the former Ferrari driver.

Asked whether the Barrichello rumours were serious, Kaltenborn told PA Sport: "No.

"I have a lot of respect for Rubens, and I don't think it is right I abruptly say 'no, we are not going to talk'. I have to be respectful to such a driver.

"I fully understand he wants to drive and he is trying his best.

"I talk a lot with him when he is here, we discuss young drivers and so on, but we have never discussed a seat. That's reality.

"It's a bit unfair towards him because it doesn't look good for him. So, just to be very clear on it, we have not discussed a seat for next year and also no drive for Brazil."

She added: "I am ruling out he will drive for us. Maybe it is better one is that clear about it.

"I just felt it would be a bit rude to do that. I was trying to be nice on it."

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Lotus says Romain Grosjean accepts team order refusal

Lotus says Romain Grosjean fully accepts the decision not to impose team orders and ask Kimi Raikkonen to swap positions in the Korean Grand Prix.

Grosjean was disappointed in the closing stages of the race when, feeling he was quicker than Raikkonen, the team resisted his call to have second place given back, having lost it to his team-mate following a mistake.

This came despite other occasions earlier this year - most notably in Britain and Germany - where Grosjean was ordered to let Raikkonen through because he was faster.

Well aware that emotions were raised by the situation, Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane spoke to Grosjean after the chequered flag to tell him to 'smile' on the podium and that matters would be sorted out in the team offices.

Speaking following Sunday's night debrief, Permane said that Grosjean had fully understood the situation and that a line was now drawn under the matter.

"He was annoyed – and justifiably," Permane said. "We have let Kimi past him a couple of times this year, and those have been with good reason when we have had a shot of overtaking.

"We did it at the Nurburgring where we thought Kimi had a shot of beating [sebastian] Vettel, and we did it at Silverstone midway through the race when Kimi was much quicker.

"But there wasn't a realistic chance of beating Vettel today and that is why they were racing to the end.

"Romain was probably frustrated with himself, and that is why I put a little message out at the end to calm him down.

"And he is absolutely fine. We could have had some hysterics back here [in the debrief] but there was nothing. He said: 'I know I made a mistake and I will learn from it'."

Permane praised the job that Grosjean had done in Korea – qualifying in the top three and looking set to finish second only to Vettel before Raikkonen was helped by the safety car phase.

"Kimi got lucky, but Kimi puts himself in a position to make the use of that luck. So good for him as well," said Permane.

"For the team it really doesn't matter. We made a big haul of points on Mercedes and Ferrari today, which is great."

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Mercedes denies that Brawn leaving to join Honda F1 project

Ross Brawn will hand over the reigns as Mercedes team boss to Paddy Lowe at the end of this season, if the claim by Sport Bild is to be believed, reporting that 58-year-old Briton Brawn will possibly join 2015 McLaren engine supplier Honda, however, but Niki Lauda has denied the report.

“I don’t know where this story is coming from,” Mercedes team chairman Lauda told SID news agency. ”Nothing has changed.”

Lauda did, however, admit that negotiations are currently taking place, but a decision will “definitely not” be made within the current season. He said thatMercedes wants to keep Brawn on board, “but of course it’s his decision”.

Brawn was the boss of Honda’s Brackley based works team until the Japanese manufacturer pulled out of Formula 1 at the end of 2008.

He led a management buyout, winning the title with Jenson Button as Brawn GP in 2009 and sold the team to Mercedes at the end of the season.

Brawn GP was bought out by Mercedes-Benz in November 2009 in a deal reported to be worth $ 176-million. Brawn, the majority shareholder, remained as team principal.

He and Nick Fry kept a 24.9% share in the new team, which was then sold to Mercedes in early 2011.

Correspondents Ralf Bach and Bianca Garloff said that Brawn told Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda of his decision to leave the team, in Korea at the weekend.

Sport Bild said that Lowe’s arrival this season from McLaren was a trigger for Brawn’s decision, as well as that he did not fully support the change of structure involving Lauda and Toto Wolff.

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Hamilton: Vettel has already won the championship and I feel for the fans

Lewis Hamilton fears that Sebastian Vettel’s winning streak and dominance is becoming as much of a television turnoff for Formula 1 fans as Michael Schumacher’s relentless success was a decade ago.

Red Bull’s Vettel is on the brink of a fourth successive title after winning Sunday’s Korean Grand Prix from pole position.

His fourth victory in a row gave the 26-year old German a lead of 77 points over Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, with five races remaining. If Vettel wins in Japan on Sunday, and the Spaniard is ninth or lower, it is game over.

“He has won already,” Hamilton, who was fifth for Mercedes at Yeongam on Sunday, told British reporters. “Unless he doesn’t finish the rest of the races, and even if he doesn’t he has probably still won it.

“Personally I feel for the fans because I remember the period of time when Michael Schumacher was winning,” added the Briton.

Michael Schumacher during the height of his F1 winning streak

“I remember waking up in the morning to watch the start of the race and then going to sleep, and then waking up when it ended because I already knew what would happen. I am pretty sure a lot of people were doing that today.”

Hamilton, the 2008 champion, has won once this season, in Hungary, but Vettel has taken eight of the 14 races and is on course for his most dominant season since 2011.

That year he also triumphed in Suzuka with four races to spare and went on to end the season with 11 victories, a number only Schumacher, with 13 in 2004, has exceeded.

Seven-time champion Schumacher, who won fives titles in a row for Ferrari between 2000 and 2004, also won 11 times in 2002 and racked up seven successive wins in 2004.

While fans in Germany and Italy always wanted Schumacher and Ferrari to win, there were many others who craved for more excitement and an end to what some sections of the media referred to as ‘Formula Yawn’.

The race in Korea was deceptive, starting off with all the hallmarks of yet another familiar Vettel pole-to-flag victory parade but then exploding into something much more entertaining for the neutrals.

Peeling tyres, two Safety Car periods and the bizarre sight of a fire vehicle leading the field after Mark Webber’s Red Bull went up in flames made it something worth setting the alarm for.

Suzuka next will be another early start for European fans, with the added thrill of it being a potential title decider.

Vettel won in Japan last year, as well as the following round in India. The only one of the remaining races that he has not previously won is the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which made its debut last year with Hamilton winning for McLaren.

A record run of wins could be on the cards but Vettel said, as ever, that he was taking nothing for granted and focusing on one race at a time.

“I’m trying not to think about it, to be honest,” he said when asked about a fourth title. “Even though it looks very good, it’s still not over so we shouldn’t feel too comfortable.

“Japan is one of the highlights in the year but regarding the championship, I think our target is to win the championship and not to win it in one place in particular.”

MIKA: Love or hate any driver, isn't that what any sport is about...Winning?

I'd love to see Hamiltons opinion change if it were he who was on the cusp of winning a 4th WDC. Yes, sure it can get tiring watching the same driver win, but I think the Korean GP was a great example of F1 fans enjoying the battles such was the acse with Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Alonso etc. I really enjoyed the Korean GP and I normally loathe it.

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Hembery: We need to have the ability to test and help drivers and teams

Pirelli has urged Formula 1 teams to give them the tools to do their job rather than complaining that their tyres are not good enough.

The Italian company was again in the line of fire at the weekend’s Korean Grand Prix, with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Webber complaining about how quickly the tyres wore out.

McLaren’s Sergio Perez suffered an explosive delamination of his front right tyre during the race at Yeongam which left debris strewn across the track and brought out the Safety Car.

The incident was reminiscent, in terms of drama, of the spate of blowouts earlier in the season that triggered safety fears and forced Pirelli to return to last year’s structure with 2013 compounds.

Pirelli motorsport head Paul Hembery told reporters after the Korean race that there were no worries about the Perez incident but there was real concern about how the tyres would behave next year when the rules change significantly and a new V6 turbocharged engine is introduced.

A planned tyre test with McLaren in Austin, Texas, before next month’s U.S. Grand Prix was cancelled after objections that it could favour the former champions, who are fighting Force India for fifth place overall.

Pirelli have done several tests, including a controversial ‘secret’ one with Mercedes in May, with teams providing older cars, but have repeatedly complained that they need to use more representative machinery.

“We’re running around in a 2010 car, developing tyres for the 2014 car, which nobody really knows what it’s going to look like,” said Hembery. “Yet every time we even ask to test with a 2011 car we come up against opposition.

“Going forward, to do what we need to do, we need to have the ability to test and help everybody – drivers and teams,” added the Briton.

“Whilst nobody wants to think they’re going to get an advantage in testing, you can’t carry on going round in circles and decide to do nothing. Something has to change.”

Hembery said that Pirelli wanted to reduce the amount of ‘marbles’ – small chunks of tyre rubber – that litter the track and increase the mechanical strength of the compound.

To do that, they need to test at certain tracks with suitable conditions and also need the teams to help them.

Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit could offer one such opportunity after the season-ender there in November.

Another option would be for Pirelli to test in Bahrain in January before two more scheduled pre-season tests there with all the teams in late February and early March.

“Ideally at the end of the season we’d like to see some use of these [2013] cars because they’re the best and the quickest we’ve got at the moment,” said Hembery.

“It would make sense to use them because for the majority of the teams they’ll be of little relevance anyway.”

The race at Yeongam was marked by high degradation and heavy stress on the front rights, with drivers talking afterwards about how their tyres were effectively ‘dead’.

Asked whether Formula 1, which will allow some limited in-season testing next year after banning it previously to save money, was getting what it deserved, Hembery smiled wearily.

“To an extent, yes,” he replied. “We’re still talking about trying to sort testing out and we’re in October. I just hope the engine manufacturers for next year have been able to do their work, and as they desire.

“Otherwise the conversations we’ll be having might be with them next year – I hope not, for their sake.”

Hembery said the new engine formula was likely to bring about a dramatic change in the application and delivery of power.

Yet there were no plans to test tyres in wet conditions with the new cars before the start of the 2014 season, despite the regular risk of a tropical deluge at the second race in Malaysia.

“There are things, as a sport, [that] we need to improve on, which is something that is starting to be recognised. A number of the team principals have said [that] we need to do something differently, and we obviously agree with that,” said Hembery.

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Boullier: I think Grosjean can be even better next year

In the wake of a good showing at the Korean Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean will almost certainly keep his place at Lotus beyond this season, with team principal Eric Boullier predicting that the Frenchman will only get better.

Grosjean, however, had to be reminded to show his always-present smile on the podium in Korea, after a team orders dispute with his bosses.

Grosjean, who has struggled at times in the last two seasons, had outclassed his highly-rated teammate Kimi Raikkonen in Korea, and was set to finish second behind Sebastian Vettel.

But he made a mistake at the Safety Car restart, handing second place to the Ferrari-bound Finn.

Team boss Eric Boullier revealed Grosjean “begged for some team orders” to be handed the place back, but was not given the answer he was hoping for.

However, although it was Raikkonen who ultimately delivered the higher finishing place, Boullier told France’s RMC: “I want to especially acknowledge Romain, who [had] an outstanding weekend.”

Despite events in Korea, he insisted that Raikkonen is not receiving preferential treatment, even though the Finn is mathematically still in the hunt for the drivers’ title.

“There is no number one and number two,” Boullier said. “Romain is free to race.”

Told that Grosjean appears to have calmed down in recent months and is on a run of good form, Boullier agreed: “He is very serene.”

“It has been six races in a row now that he is on the same level as his teammate, so he really is there,” said the Frenchman, who also doubles as Grosjean’s manager.

Asked if Grosjean still needs to prove himself in order to secure his seat for 2014, Boullier answered: “Obviously, if he continues like this, there is nothing [for him to prove]. I think he can be even better next year,” he added.

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Di Resta admits future at Force India and even in F1 uncertain

Paul di Resta has admitted that his future in Formula 1 is uncertain, after a series of bad results and the issue of driver weight looming next season.

Since debuting for Force India in 2011, the 27-year-old Scot has been pushing for a move to a bigger team.

But he may now be facing a challenge simply to stay on the grid, a goal not helped by crashing out of Sunday’s Korean Grand Prix.

It was the latest in a sequence of driver errors for di Resta, who has struggled particularly after Pirelli’s mid-season tyre construction change.

“I’ll hold my hands up, it’s me who has made the mistake. I apologise to the team,” he told reporters in Korea.

Not only that, but with the move to heavier engines in 2014, tall drivers like di Resta are suddenly even less attractive to teams trying to field cars under the minimum weight.

“It is a concern for a driver like me,” said di Resta.

Asked about his chance of simply staying at Force India next year, he admitted: “It’s a bit of a waiting game.”

Deputy team boss Bob Fernley told Speed Week: “The driver question is not in my hands.

“It’s up to Vijay Mallya and the shareholders. We will sit down in peace after the Indian Grand Prix and talk about the drivers for 2014,” he added.

Meanwhile, di Resta’s famous U.S. based cousin Dario Franchitti broke two vertebrae, and an ankle and suffered a concussion in a huge Indycar crash in Houston on Sunday.

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Perez: One day something will happen with the tyres so we will regret it

McLaren driver Sergio Perez has added yet another dissenting voice to the debate about Formula 1′s controversial and apparently dangerous Pirelli tyres.

Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber in Korea slammed Pirelli for providing poor quality, heavily degrading products, but it was McLaren’s Perez who actually suffered a scary accident in the race when his tyre exploded.

“Pirelli will put the puncture of Perez down to a lock-up but the reason the drivers are locking up is because there’s no tread left,” Mark Webber had said.

As predicted, Pirelli chief Paul Hembery did blame the Perez incident on a bad lock-up, but he said that Webber was wrong to point the finger.

“There are two issues here that Mark is conflating. [Perez's failure] was nothing to do with the delaminations earlier in the season,” Hembery told the Telegraph.

“The other issue about degradation is the same old story. We are only doing what we were asked to do, which is to create two to three stops per race.”

Perez, however, was making the link between Pirelli and compromised safety.

“At the end of the day nothing happened,” the Mexican is quoted by the AAP news agency, referring to injuries. “But one day something will happen.

“Nothing happened so after today nobody will comment on the situation, but one day something will happen so we will regret it,” said Perez.

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Horner: Vettel has got to be right up there with F1′s greatest drivers

Sebastian Vettel’s imminent fourth consecutive Formula 1 Drivers, World title will rank him among the sport’s greatest champions, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said after the race in Korea.

The 26-year-old’s Korean Grand Prix victory, his eighth in 14 races, left him potentially one week away from clinching the title – the next race is in Japan on Sunday – but Horner still preferred to talk of if, rather than when.

As far as the sport is concerned, the title is done and dusted.

Only two other drivers – Germany’s Michael Schumacher and the late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio – have ever won four successive titles and Horner said people would have to put Vettel on a par with them.

“Should he achieve [winning four titles in a row], I think they will have to,” he told reporters. “He has got to be right up there. He has got to be,” added the Briton.

“The kind of level that he is performing at is unbelievable in many respects…what has been really impressive is that he has continued to develop, continued to grow as he has gained more experience.

“To have won the ratio of races that he has is quite remarkable.”

Having claimed a clutch of records including the youngest race winner, youngest champion and triple champion, the German would also be the youngest ever quadruple champion.

Vettel has 34 race wins to his credit, from 115 starts, and has dominated the last four, from Belgium to Italy, Singapore and now the southern tip of South Korea.

He won in Japan last year and rates it as his favourite circuit.

Despite the charge to the title, with a 77 point lead over Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso with five races remaining, Vettel and the British-based team have taken it one race at a time and stayed rigorously focused.

Horner recognised however that winning four successive crowns would be a massive achievement.

“To win it in the first place was special and to defend it was remarkable,” he said. “And we never thought we could surpass the triple. If we get a fourth it would be something the whole team would be blown away by. It would be phenomenal.”

Vettel has enjoyed the best car on the grid, making the most of acclaimed designer Adrian Newey’s creations, but Horner said the youngster was also reaping the rewards for putting in the hard yards.

“He is only just 26 years of age but he works so hard at it,” he said. “What you guys don’t see is behind the scenes how much effort he puts into his preparation, his training.

“He is hugely self-critical. He is always looking at areas where he can improve, where he can be better.

“He’ll look at this race and look at things that he could be stronger in. It is that inward-looking that he has that keeps propelling and driving him forward. I think he has got the balance about right.”

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Rosberg admits sparks were scary

Nico Rosberg admitted he feared for his safety when sparks began firing from his Mercedes during the Korean Grand Prix on Sunday.

The German finished seventh but was competing for a podium place when sparks began dancing from the underside of his Silver Arrow as he overtook team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

"That was another very tough race for me," said Rosberg. "I couldn't believe what happened with the wing.

"I was on course for a podium finish after overtaking Lewis and two seconds later, the front wing just broke.

"It was pretty scary because that could have been a dangerous situation but the engineers told me over the radio that it was under control and I could carry some speed back to the pits.

"It's a shame because the car felt great today and I found a good balance and how to get the most out of the car, which I hadn't managed until this point of the weekend."

Ross Brawn, the Mercedes team principal, said Rosberg "suffered a structural failure on the front wing assembly which forced him to make an immediate pit stop".

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Alonso praises 'superb' Hulkenberg after Korean GP performance

Fernando Alonso has described Nico Hulkenberg's drive to fourth place in the Korean Grand Prix as "superb".

The Ferrari driver spent the first part of the race behind the Sauber and could not overtake him.

Later in the race, Alonso was behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who also failed to pass Hulkenberg.

"What Nico is doing is superb," said Alonso when asked about the German's performance.

"He is driving very, very well and he deserved to be in front of us because he did a fantastic race.

"They [sauber] were very good this weekend and they are doing a very good job.

"They were in the top three in qualifying at Monza as well, so they are on a high at the moment."

The Spaniard believes that the change in Pirelli's control tyres has played a part in Sauber's upturn in form.

Alonso said after the Singapore GP that the change in tyres was to blame for Ferrari's championship chances fading, but other teams have benefitted.

While Sauber's improvement is also down in part to a step forward made with a development package introduced at the Hungarian GP, its upturn in form has coincided with the change in rubber.

"When we changed to the 2012 tyres, there were some teams that had a penalty," he said.

"We can see very clearly that Force India now are fighting to take some points.

"Sauber was out of Q1 before and now it has both cars in Q3, so this is a benefit."

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Pastor Maldonado: staying 'at home' preferable to 2013 F1 repeat

Pastor Maldonado claims he would prefer to stay at home rather than fight at the back of the field again in Formula 1 next year.

Maldonado won the Spanish Grand Prix for Williams in 2012, but the team is enduring one of its worst seasons to date, having scored just one point in 13 races.

After another disappointing weekend in the Korean Grand Prix, Maldonado stressed the importance of getting a good car in the future.

"I really need a good car to enjoy it, and this year I'm not enjoying it," Maldonado said.

"I'm living a really bad moment and I need some motivation to keep doing my best. I want something more. I'm here for something more.

"I don't want to just be in Formula 1, to be honest. It's better to stay at home, if it's like that.

"I don't care about being a Formula 1 driver, I'm here to win and I need to do whatever it takes to be there."

The Williams driver insisted he has no doubts about his ability to perform when he has a competitive car.

"I'm looking forward to having a better car next year, I need it," he said.

"I showed that every time I had a good car I've been fighting for victories and championships. It's very disappointing to see myself here fighting for Q2.

"I'm not here to fight with [Valtteri] Bottas. He's a good driver but he is not my objective. I want to fight with the big people here.

"At Barcelona [in 2012] when I had the chance to fight for a race I won that race, so I've been 100 per cent ready to win."

Maldonado admitted he is unsure about his future, especially after the death of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA has been supporting Maldonado in F1 since he entered the sport in 2011.

"I hope I will be on the grid, but you never know," he said.

"It could depend on the [financial] support or not, you never know. Formula 1 is like that.

"Last year I was winning races, today I'm nowhere.

"This year I'm here, next year I don't know where I will be."

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Jean Todt launches FIA election campaign

FIA president Jean Todt hopes the forthcoming debate about the future of motor racing's governing body ahead of December's election is conducted in a 'constructive' manner.

After launching his official campaign website, Todt has made it clear that he hopes the election battle with rival David Ward outlines a positive path for the FIA.

"This site is dedicated to discussion and debate about the future of the FIA, a process that I hope will be conducted in a constructive manner, respectful of both the federation and individuals alike," said Todt.

His comments come after criticisms made of his use of support letters ahead of the election battle, something that will be subject to a hearing of the FIA Ethics committee soon.

Todt has not yet offered a detailed manifesto of his plans for the future, but has suggested he will continue the efforts he has made since being elected in 2009 to reform the FIA.

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Vettel: No interest in sharing on Twitter or Facebook everything I do in my life

Triple Formula 1 world champion, who is on track to clinch his fourth title, Sebastian Vettel says he will not try to boost his popularity by jumping on the social media bandwagon in similar fashion to rivals Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

It is has been suggested the almost four-time world champion’s unpopularity among the fans is worsened because he refuses to connect with them via Twitter or Facebook.

Indeed, among his Formula 1 racing rivals, only the odd and aloof Kimi Raikkonen similarly stays away from the hugely popular social media sites.

But Vettel is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace: “I have no interest in sharing everything I do in my life. Maybe I am too boring,” the German joked.

Amid his current streak of domination, Vettel was booed when he won at Spa, Monza and Singapore. But there was no booing in Korea at the weekend.

Some cynics might say that’s because there were no spectators at remote and soulless Yeongam, but German-language commentator Marc Surer said: “In fact there was a surprising number of locals (on Sunday), and they were fair. Sebastian Vettel has a lot of fans.”

Lewis Hamilton insists that booing Vettel is wrong, but the Mercedes driver does admit the German’s recent domination reminds him of the Schumacher era, when the sight of a red car strolling into the distance would send him to sleep in front of the television.

The 2008 world champion told Bild newspaper: “He’s won this title already, unless he doesn’t go to the rest of the races. But he’d probably still win it even then.”

It may be interpreted that some of Hamilton’s recent comments indicate a lack of respect for Vettel.

But the Briton wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: “He (Vettel) is a great human being who is funny and humble. Deserves all the success he is having!”

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McLaren hope to find F1 race seats for Magnussen and Vandoorne

Young promising Danish driver Kevin Magnussen and equally highly rated Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne both deserve to be in Formula 1 and will get there eventually, according to McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh.

Both are in the McLaren young driver programme and are competing in the Formula Renault 3.5 series, which Magnussen leads ahead of the Belgian with one round remaining.

“I think both are really good guys and they both will get into Formula One and we’ve got a duty of care to get them there,”

Whitmarsh told reporters of the 21-year-olds. ”I think they are both pretty special.”

McLaren have had talks with Lotus, Force India and Marussia about giving an opportunity to Magnussen next season.

Lotus have a vacant seat to fill, with 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen leaving for Ferrari, although Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg is seen as a strong contender for that.

The other two teams both had technical partnerships with McLaren but Marussia have now aligned with Ferrari while Force India have strengthened ties with Mercedes.

“(Co-owner and principal) Vijay (Mallya) has always taken the best drivers that he could afford. And I don’t think he’ll change that philosophy,” said Force India’s deputy team principal Bob Fernley when asked about Magnussen’s chances.

“So when it comes to actually determining the drivers… we can put our recommendations in. And if Kevin is in that mix then so be it.

“I think we’ve got a situation coming up where there are going to be a number of very good drivers available,” added Fernley. “I think McLaren have to look at it themselves really. If Magnussen is a wonderful driver, why not take the chance?”

Magnussen, whose father Jan raced without success in F1 for McLaren and Stewart after standing out in the junior series, impressed in young driver tests with McLaren.

In last year’s test in Abu Dhabi, the Dane set a lap time that would have been good enough to secure sixth place on the grid for the Formula One race.

At Silverstone last July, he stepped into the McLaren at short notice after an agreement with Force India fell through.

“We hadn’t planned to run him but I felt you can’t let a lad down like that so we popped him in, he did 110 laps and was quickest and just didn’t put a foot wrong,” said Whitmarsh.

“One way or another we’ll find a way (to get them into Formula One),” said Whitmarsh, whose current racers are Britain’s Jenson Button and Mexican Sergio Perez.

“They both deserve it. They are both going to be Formula One drivers in the future. It’s a question of how quickly we get them there.

They are young enough, they don’t have to get there next year.”

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Ferrari concede defeat in title race

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes the 2013 title race is done and dusted and has congratulated Sebastian Vettel.

The Red Bull driver won his fourth race in a row and eighth of the season at Sunday's Korean Grand Prix to increase his lead over Fernando Alonso to 77 points with only five races left.

Vettel could wrap up his fourth consecutive World Championship if he wins in Japan this weekend and Alonso finish ninth or lower.

Domenicali admits they are unlikely to catch the German and also feels Red Bull deserve the glory after such an impressive run of races.

"We need to be realistic," the Italian conceded. "We know it is almost impossible to win the title, so congratulations to him (Vettel) and to what they (Red Bull) are doing because at the end of the day if they have that (the title) they deserve that.

"For now, it is an extra push and a motivation for our team to try to achieve the level of performance they were able to achieve."

It was a difficult weekend for the Scuderia at the Yeongam circuit with Alonso and Felipe Massa finishing sixth and ninth respectively, but Domenicali is refusing to be downbeat ahead of the race in Japan.

"It was not an easy weekend for us in Korea," he said. "We saw some sign that would be the case on Friday. It was not really a weekend where we were competitive in terms of our race pace, as we were in Belgium, Monza and Singapore.

"Unfortunately, it was really quite a painful Sunday, particularly when you are always in traffic, unable to overtake.

"As we saw, we were pacing with the same lap time as the Sauber (Nico Hulkenberg) with our engine, and with the Mercedes, but Vettel and Lotus were too strong. That's a fact.

"So I hope it will be less painful this weekend, and we need to be positive inside.

"We have always said we should be there to take the opportunity in case Sebastian has a problem, but that was not the case on Sunday.

"Maybe this Sunday the situation will be better, and maybe a situation - sportingly of course - will happen to Vettel instead of to poor Mark (Webber). Then we will be getting closer."

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Hamilton to attend final race of the DTM season

VIP visitor to final race of the DTM season at Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg will be Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton – a special guest of Mercedes-Benz on 20 October.

The Formula 1 driver will not only be fitting in a visit to the world’s most popular touring car series between F1 Grand Prix races in Japan and India but will also be performing chauffeuring duties. Hamilton will be driving passengers around the track in a Mercedes-Benz DTM ‘race taxi’, providing them with a unique experience of lapping the Hockenheimring in a DTM racing car.

One of those passengers will be the lucky winner of a competition organised by regional broadcaster SWR3. You can enter your name by visiting their website at www.swr3.de or their facebook page at www.facebook.com/SWR3 from Monday 14th October onwards.

Hamilton is already familiar with the DTM paddock from the time before he made the step up to Formula 1. In the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the Mercedes AMG Petronas driver competed in the Formula 3 Euro Series which takes place as part of the DTM weekend. He won the 2005 title driving a Dallara Mercedes for the ASM team. In the 20 races that year, Hamilton had 17 podium finishes and 15 wins, all powered by a Mercedes-Benz Formula 3 engine.

Lewis Hamilton: “I’m really looking forward to attending the DTM finale at Hockenheim and making a return to the DTM paddock. I’ve always been part of the Mercedes-Benz family right from the start of my career in motor racing. During my two years in the Formula 3 Euro Series, I was really in my element on those DTM weekends. The DTM is a highly professional racing series that pulls in unbelievably enthusiastic crowds, which makes it the perfect environment for young drivers to take the first steps in their career. I have very fond memories of my time in the DTM environment and am curious to see how many faces I will recognise in the Hockenheim paddock.”

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Lotus: Hulkenberg is not overweight, he is at the limit, but not overweight

Nico Hulkenberg’s hope of moving to a front running team in 2014 received a boost, as he apparently has moved into pole position to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus despite reports that the new weight restrictions for 2014 will hamper the driver – popularly know as ‘The Hulk’.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner said recently that the German’s tall height would have been an issue had he been in contention for a race seat next year.

That’s because the new turbo engines are much heavier, which is marginalising drivers like Hulkenberg, who is about 10 kilograms above the ideal weight of a Formula 1 driver.

It is believed Hulkenberg’s weight has put him on the back burner at McLaren, where Sergio Perez has not been a star performer in 2013, but he is ten kilos lighter.

Lotus boss Eric Boullier, however – who has already named Hulkenberg as well as the diminutive Felipe Massa as leading candidates for the 2014 seat – insisted that weight will not the tip the scales of the decision.

“We’re more interested in the talent and potential of a driver rather than the difference of a few kilos,” he told Formula 1′s official website.

“We have confidence in our development team to be able to produce a car for the 2014 regulations which should be competitive in the hands of any driver we consider for next year,” added Boullier.

In a BBC report, however, the Frenchman admitted that issues of driver weight are “of course” taken into consideration.

But “for me he (Hulkenberg) is not overweight. He is at the limit, but not overweight,” said Boullier.

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F1 teams relaxed about 2014 Bahrain pre-season tests

Formula 1 teams say they have no qualms about scheduling crucial pre-season tests in Bahrain next February after the restive Gulf kingdom’s grand prix went ahead without incident this year.

The 2011 race had to be cancelled, due to civil unrest and the crushing of an anti-government uprising that cost at least 35 lives, and some rights activists have since urged teams and sponsors to stay away.

Teams have argued in their defence that Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone draws up the calendar and they are contractually obliged to race wherever he decides.

However, they do have a choice when it comes to testing venues and there were ready-made alternatives to Bahrain in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, whose team is half-owned by Bahrain’s Mumtalakat sovereign wealth fund, said attitudes had evolved since the height of the unrest.

“I think people are relaxed about going there based on their experience of this year,” he told Reuters.

Bahrain circuit authorities said last weekend, during the Korean Grand Prix, that the Sakhir track would host pre-season tests from February 19-22 and February 27-March 2 next year.

Next year will be the 10th anniversary of the first race in Bahrain and organisers are planning a floodlit day-to-night event like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 2012 race was seen as a public relations own-goal for Bahrain’s rulers, coming against the backdrop of security forces firing teargas in streets and villages while protesters hurled rocks and petrol bombs in images broadcast around the world.

This year’s grand prix in April passed largely without incident, despite opposition rallies and regular skirmishes out of sight of most Formula One visitors.

The state news agency BNA reported on Monday that nine Bahrainis had been jailed for life for forming a militant group, manufacturing explosives and plotting attacks aimed at destabilising the kingdom.

QUIET TIME

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said he was not aware of any contingency plan for the tests should unrest flare up again.

“Obviously we hope things are progressing there as well as they can. Quite frankly, it’s not been a major topic, it’s not been discussed, so hopefully we can have a quiet time there,” he told reporters.

“There have been assurances about the conditions there. It was part of the discussion that has gone on,” he added.

Teams and engine makers say they need to test in the Middle East to guarantee the hot conditions they will not find in Europe at that time of year.

With a radically new V6 turbocharged engine being introduced, the manufacturers cannot afford to lose any of the limited testing time available to the weather.

“From the purely technical perspective, Bahrain is a more representative circuit,” Brawn added. “We can test there, we prefer to test there. It’s the best, most suitable track at that time of the year.”

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn said the decision had been led by the engine makers – Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari – and smaller teams like her Swiss-based outfit had to fall in line.

“If the tests are mainly meant for the engine, to have the right conditions to test that engine, then you don’t have a choice,” she said.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton 'clarifies his Seb thoughts'

Lewis Hamilton has been forced to do a bit of face-saving following his apparent criticism of Sebastian Vettel after the Korean GP.

Vettel edged closer to a fourth consecutive World Championship on Sunday after he won his fourth race in a row and it left his rivals frustrated with Hamilton claiming fans are sleeping through races due to Red Bull's dominance.

"Personally I feel for the fans because I remember the period of time when Michael Schumacher was winning," Hamilton said.

"I remember waking up in the morning to watch the start of the race and then going to sleep, and then waking up when it ended because I already knew what would happen.

"I am pretty sure a lot of people are doing that."

The Mercedes driver, though, quickly took to Twitter to diffuse the situation and heaped praise on Vettel.

"Read some of the stories/reports of my comments on Seb," Hamilton wrote. "Feel the need to clarify my thoughts. Seb is great champion!!

"Not only that, he is a great human being who is funny and humble. Deserves all the success he is having! I admire his dedication and ability to consistently perform without mistakes. This is the mark of a true champion."

Hamilton and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso have made no secret of the fact that they believe most of Vettel's dominance is down to his machinery, but the Briton concedes the three-time Champion is doing a great job.

"Regardless of what you and I may think about his car, at the end of the day he's doing the perfect job. I'm just grateful I get to drive in an era with so many great drivers like him."

[MIKA27]

McLaren preview the Japanese GP

Jenson Button has fond memories of the Suzuka with McLaren eyeing a trouble-free afternoon.

Jenson Button: "Suzuka feels a bit like a second home circuit to me. My win there back in 2011 remains one of my most emotional victories, because it was the first Japanese Grand Prix after the terrible tsunami that devastated the north of Japan - it was such an important event for the whole country.

"The thing I really like about Suzuka is that it's such an unforgiving track. On most circuits, if you run wide or out-brake yourself, you invariably end up just running onto the Tarmac run-off, so you can easily get back onto the track without any penalty. At Suzuka, if you run wide through the Esses, or go off the track at the exit of the Degners, you're going to find yourself in the gravel. And I like that - I think it rewards those who don't make mistakes, and it makes for better racing, because you have to stay honest and focused.

"Suzuka requires a car with a rock-solid balance and good downforce in order to go well. We're not quite there with our car, but Korea showed that we can race well and, even despite misfortune, can score points. I think the whole team is keyed up for another positive weekend."

Sergio Perez: "I love Suzuka - such a great circuit. I really enjoy driving at fast tracks, and this place just has so many great corners - the Esses, the Degners, Spoon, 130R.

"It's a place which has a fantastic flow - once you commit into Turn One, you're basically just modulating your speed all the way through until the track spits the car out over the brow at Turn Seven. The feeling through there when you nail it is incredible.

"The only drawback about Suzuka is that it's very difficult to overtake - most of the corners are very fast, and most of the heavy braking zones are preceded by quick turns, so it's very hard to get past another car. I tried and failed in equal measure last year, but I'm proud that I was able to have a go.

"I'll be pushing like crazy for a good result in Japan this weekend."

Martin Whitmarsh - team principal: "Our race in Korea once again demonstrated the extent of our ability and determination whenever we go racing. Despite suffering numerous setbacks throughout the race, nobody in the team let their head go down, and both drivers posted fantastic, determined comeback drives to get into the points.

"For Suzuka this weekend, our aim will be for a clean and trouble-free afternoon's racing in order to see if we can improve upon our results from last weekend.

"For everybody at McLaren, Suzuka is a place of many fantastic memories - I remember seeing Ayrton win his penultimate grand prix here, Mika's two world titles were sealed in Japan, Kimi drove one of his very finest races here, and we all fondly remember Jenson's beautifully measured victory back in 2011.

"This is a racetrack that ranks with the very greatest in the world, and while we are realistic enough to know that we will not add to the tally of successes this weekend, just being in Suzuka, the spiritual home of Japanese motorsport, will help inspire us to greater heights and many further victories in the future."

[MIKA27]

Lotus preview the Japanese GP

After impressing in Korea, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are hoping for more of the same at Suzuka.

Kimi Raikkonen

Q. Suzuka is up next; what are your thoughts on the circuit?

KR: "Normally it doesn't make too much difference to me where we race - as long as we have a good result then I'll enjoy it - but Suzuka is a track I look forward to every season. It's a proper circuit that's been around for a many years, and you can understand why as it's a challenge for the drivers and usually makes for some good racing too. It's fast, technical and there are some good places to overtake, which to me is what racing should be about."

Q. You describe it as a challenge; what is it that really pushes you in the cockpit here?

KR: "It's a bit of everything really. There are some corners where you are flat out - or very nearly flat out - but then there are others where you really have to balance the braking and throttle carefully to maintain the best speed. If you push too hard then you can easily be punished, as I found out in qualifying last year when I was on my best lap in the final session. Hopefully this time we'll get everything right and be fighting at the front; that's where you can have the most fun at a circuit like Suzuka."

Q. Would you say this is quite a special venue for you as a driver?

KR: "As a racing circuit it has unique characteristics and belongs in the top three in the world with Spa and Monaco. I enjoy winning races the most at the places like these. For me coming to Suzuka was never that enjoyable because of the long journey, but driving a Formula 1 car on the track has felt great every time. I had a good race at Fuji too. It was that wet race back in 2007 when I came from pretty far back to a podium finish, but Suzuka 2005 is my best memory from Japan. It's very difficult to say which is your best race - especially if you have won many - but coming from the last row of the grid to take victory at a place like this is one I remember very, very well."

Q. What do you like about Japan as a country?

KR: "I particularly like Tokyo and always have a good time when I visit there. It's a fun place, there is a lot going on, and I do enjoy sushi..."

Q. What do the Japanese fans mean to you?

KR: "Since my first ever visit to Japan back in 2001 with Sauber, I've always enjoyed the almost fanatic loyalty of the local fans. They really support you, no matter what position you are racing for. Maybe that Suzuka victory was the best memory for them too. Even last year - after being out of Formula 1 for two seasons - I still had a lot of Japanese fans all over the world. For sure, that feels nice! Whenever I race or go rallying, there are always some Japanese supporters around and I appreciate the support."

Q. It was another strong race result from you in Korea, with some close racing between you and Romain...

KR: "It was quite close I guess but we both came out of it okay. He basically gave me second place with a small mistake at the end of the lap after the restart and I already knew there were yellow flags into Turn 3, so I knew if I overtook him into Turn 1 he wouldn't be able to pass me back. It wasn't too difficult; he defended pretty hard but I managed to get through."

Q. Was more possible had you qualified better?

KR: "Qualifying was pretty awful for me in Korea, but it's difficult to say whether a better grid position would have made the difference. Sebastian [Vettel] was faster than us at the end; not massively, but a little bit for sure and his tyres were fresher too so I think it would have been tough to catch him in any case. We were closer to the Red Bull in Korea than we have been in some races, but not close enough..."

Q. Do you think there's the potential to add to your win tally before the end of the season?

KR: "If we can improve our performance on Saturdays then there's always a chance, so we'll keep trying for sure and see what we can do."

Romain Grosjean

Q. What are your thoughts on Suzuka?

RG: "I know I won't be the first one to say this, but Suzuka is definitely my favourite circuit of the year. Every driver has races that are special to them for one reason or another - a home Grand Prix, or the venue for their first win maybe - but I think if you ask most racers they will tell you there's just something about this place that's a little bit different. This will be only my third time driving the track, but I've been looking forward to it ever since the flag dropped in Korea; it's simply fantastic."

Q. Why do you think it is that everyone raves about this circuit?

RG: "It's a track that really allows a driver to demonstrate their feel for the car. Not only is combination of corners pretty relentless - so you never really get a rest - but the way the layout flows together means that the smallest mistake can make a big difference to your time. Get it right, and the feeling is amazing. Get it wrong, and you just want to keep trying again and again until you have it nailed. Each sequence is challenging in its own way, and you have to find the perfect balance to put a good lap together. Every track has its challenges, but Suzuka is a continuous test of a drivers skills and I think that's what makes it so beautiful to drive."

Q. And Japan itself?

RG: "Suzuka itself it pretty far out from the busier parts of the country, but the people, the culture, and of course the food all really appeal to me, so it's somewhere I'd definitely like to explore a little more one day. You can't help but mention the Japanese fans as well; they really are in a league of their own! Everywhere you look there are people with shirts, flags, crazy hats, and so many other things they have made at home just to show their support for the drivers on one weekend of the year. I don't think any of us will forget the noise last year when [Kamui] Kobayashi got his first Formula 1 podium in front of his home crowd... my ears were ringing all the way to Korea; it was unbelievable!"

Q. Your Race Engineer Ayao Komatsu is Japanese; do you think some extra home knowledge could help you at Suzuka?

RG: "I will have to ask Ayao for some special tricks! Certainly I really like Suzuka, the car is looking very good at the moment and maybe Ayao has some local knowledge too. He certainly gets home support so maybe that will help me out on track too."

Q. The Korean Grand Prix was a pretty good showing for the team; you must be pretty happy with your performance?

RG: "It was a fantastic result. Of course, one step higher on the podium for me would have been better and two steps up would have been superb. Our battle with Lewis [Hamilton] was good, our pace was great but the safety cars stopped us in our fight for the win. After the restart I should have been in front of Kimi on the road, but it was my mistake which let him past so it was third place on the podium instead of second."

Q. How was it dicing with your team-mate on track, and do you expect more of the same for the rest of the year?

RG: "If we're fighting for the same piece of track and the same position then it means we're both getting the maximum out of the car, which is a positive thing whichever way you look at it. Obviously we're both competitive, but our racing has always been fair. I made a mistake in Korea which is why he got past, but this is not something I want to happen again. The team's philosophy is always to let us race unless we're on very different strategies where one driver could hold up the other, and this is the right approach. Let's hope we have some more battles for podium places and I'll be pushing to be the one ahead."

Q. You were looking good against Sebastian [Vettel]; do you think you were in the fight for the win?

RG: "Before the safety car we certainly had a strategy to push Sebastian, however we don't know how much he had in reserve.

Maybe the potential of getting my first win was quite close in Korea, but you can't set a time frame on these things; you never know when the win might come..."

[MIKA27]

Sauber preview the Japanese GP

Sauber head to Japan on a high after Nico Hulkenberg secured their best result of the campaign in Korea...

Nico Hülkenberg: "I really enjoy going to Suzuka, as it is always a cool weekend and special as both a Grand Prix and a circuit. Drivers like challenges and this is certainly a very challenging track. It is a classic track - a bit like Spa - and one that just puts a big smile on everyone's face. From the moment you get there the welcome is always really enthusiastic. The fans are polite and very cute. I especially love the way they wave with both hands, and I shall certainly try to learn this double wave as it looks great. Of course, the track has two amazing corners in the Esses and 130R. In a Formula One car it is a great track to drive on, and one where you can really use the downforce and certainly feel it. It is a very high G force track, which means it is quite physical, especially on the neck. Away from the track I also enjoy the food, especially the teppanyaki and sushi. It goes without saying I would like to have a good result there and, after finishing seventh last year, I am going in a very optimistic mood."

Esteban Gutiérrez: "Suzuka is a circuit I always wanted to drive on. I know it very well from all the onboard footage that I've watched, and I know the track from last year when I went with the team to the GP. It's an interesting track with a lot of fast corners and it's quite technical too. I can already say it will be one of my most favourites. I'm looking forward to going to Japan again. The fans are amazing, they know a lot about Formula One, and they even knew me last year when I was the reserve and test driver. It's a great atmosphere, there is a good energy, and seeing the fans so passionate about the sport motivates me too."

Tom McCullough, Head of Track Engineering: "Suzuka is one of the most technically challenging circuits for both drivers and engineers. Knowing the best places to compromise is very important, and this is the case particularly in the first sector, as one corner leads straight into the next with multiple changes of direction. It is important to give the driver confidence in the car so that he can get into a good rhythm. The majority of the corners are medium to high speed, with only two slow speed corners per lap. The fantastic circuit and enthusiasm of the local fans makes it one of the most enjoyable races of the season. The nature of the track makes it hard on the tyres so Pirelli is bringing its most durable compounds - the medium and hard. Overtaking is not easy, so again we will focus on a strong qualifying to give ourselves the best chance of scoring points."