FORMULA 1 - 2010

[MIKA27]

Flavio plots possible F1 return

Disgraced former team boss Flavio Briatore could return to Formula One, although never again as a team boss.

Briatore left F1 when his Renault team was accused of fixing the result at the 2008 Singapore GP by deliberately ordering Nelson Piquet Jr to crash, handing his team-mate Fernando Alonso a strategic advantage and, ultimately, the race win.

Renault were subsequently handed a two-year suspended banned while Briatore was banned from Formula One for life.

The Italian, though, took his case to the Parisian High Court, who overturned Briatore's ban based on technical grounds.

And even though the FIA are still looking for a way to keep Briatore out of F1, the 59-year-old says he may yet be back.

"I was thrown out as though a criminal," crash.net reports him as having told Italy's Sky Sport 24. "I will never come back to Formula 1 as team manager, but perhaps after 2012 in another role."

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Spa to re-open next week

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is set to re-open next week following repairs to a tunnel which collapsed in March.

The six meter high tunnel - situated under the famous Blanchimont corner - partially collapsed, causing cracks in the track and the areas beside it.

According to the Belgian newspaper DeMorgan, the track will open its doors once more next week, nearly a month after the incident.

The 2010 Belgian Grand Prix will be held on the 29th of August at Spa.

MIKA: My favourite track!

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Williams preview the Chinese GP

Rubens Barrichello:

Shanghai is a really interesting circuit. It has a good combination of corners and that really long straight at the end of the lap which is perfect for overtaking. To hook up a quick lap, the car requires more aero strength, rather than mechanical, but an exact blend of the two which is always quite difficult to achieve. Together with the fact that the lap is also quite long with lots of different variables, setting up the car perfectly is hard work. I won the first race at Shanghai which is very special for me. I will always remember that win as it makes me think I can always do it again.

Nico Hülkenberg:

Like Malaysia, I’ve previously raced in China; two seasons ago in A1 GP. It’s good to go to a Grand Prix with experience of the track. You can do as much training in the simulator as you want, but it doesn’t beat real, on track experience. The circuit isn’t one of my favourites, it’s very impersonal, but it does have a very long back straight which will be a good place for overtaking. Keep an eye out for that during the race as there should be some good action round that part of the lap. I am flying out to China on Monday, there’s no need to go out to this race early to acclimatise, but I do want to check out some of the sights as the city is quite cool. I’ll definitely be taking a trip to the Bund and the Oriental Pearl tower in nearby Pudong Park.

Sam Michael, Technical Director:

After the issues we faced in Malaysia, we’re heading to China with a clear target of improving our performance. There are several key areas which we obviously need to concentrate on. Firstly, we need to ensure that both drivers make it into the top ten again in qualifying in order to give them the best possible chance of scoring some needed points in the race. We also need to work on our starts. We have resolved the problem that Rubens had on the grid, and we will be carrying out a series of starts practices during the Friday sessions. In terms of car developments, we have been working hard on producing some aero improvements for the front and rear wings for Shanghai.

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McLaren preview the Chinese GP

Jenson Button:

"Last year, they moved the race from the end of the season to the start, and the weekend was quite a bit colder and wetter than it had been before. The weather forecast doesn't currently suggest this year's event will be any different - but I'm optimistic that we'll have a dry weekend and a more straightforward race than we did last year.

"Nonetheless, it's a track I enjoy: it's a typical modern circuit – it has a real mix of corners, but it manages to combine some quite precise and technical sections with some faster corners and long straights. It's a good drivers' circuit while also being a place that benefits from a well-balanced car.

"I think I've made some real progress in that area, though. I wasn't completely happy with the balance of the car in Malaysia, so I spent a day back at the McLaren Technology Centre looking at how we could have done things differently in Sepang while also looking ahead to Shanghai.

"Along with my engineers, I think we've developed an even better understanding of the MP4-25. We know how to fine-tune the car's balance and how to develop it over a race weekend. Of course, it's a continuous process, but the overall feeling is that we're moving forwards – which, again, is always a positive."

Lewis Hamilton:

"It's hard to believe that we're heading into the fourth race of the year – the races have gone by so quickly. After Malaysia, I had a little bit of time to reflect on the year so far, and I'm pleased with the results that Jenson and I have been able to achieve in some challenging circumstances. And I'm really looking forward to an uninterrupted weekend in China so we can focus on racing and competing with the other leading teams in the championship.

"I really enjoy driving here – I drove one of my best races here in 2008, winning from pole position. After three races, we've been satisfied with our race pace, and we feel comfortable that we'll be up at the front. Overtaking is possible at this circuit, particularly at the end of the long back straight, so I'm pretty confident we'll have another competitive weekend.

"Finally, of all the places we visit around the world, I think the Chinese fans are some of the most passionate and dedicated. They've really supported me over the years and I look forward to meeting them again when I arrive in the city."

Martin Whitmarsh, Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes:

"By our own very high standards, we've not fully met our very high expectations in the first three races, despite having what we feel is the necessary race pace to compete at the front and despite having won the Australian Grand Prix. That might sound overly self-critical, given that we are second in the Constructors' Championship, and given that Jenson and Lewis are both close to the top of the drivers' championship, but that's merely a reflection of the fact that we at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes aim to excel at all times.

"So I regard that objective as a positive: it's our desire to improve and to eliminate mistakes from the operation that will make us stronger championship contenders. There's no denying that our successes – Jenson's integration into the team, his win in Melbourne, and some of the greatest drives of Lewis's career – have given us a great early-season boost. Now we are looking to establish ourselves as consistent challengers at the front, and to pick up the maximum available points on a regular basis.

"One of the greatest qualities of this team is its considerable strength in depth. After establishing a strong and solid start to the season, we're confident that we'll become an even more formidable contender as we head into China and then the start of the European season."

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Mercedes preview the Chinese GP

Nico Rosberg:

"Shanghai is a good track which is an enjoyable challenge for the drivers. The two long straights provide some decent overtaking opportunities and there's a great mix of corners, particularly the high-speed sections. The weather will be colder in Shanghai than at the previous three races and can be quite unpredictable so it should be an interesting weekend. The fans in China are so enthusiastic and Shanghai itself is a great city so I always enjoy our annual visit. Achieving my first podium with the team in Malaysia at the last race was fantastic and I'm looking forward to continuing our consistent run of good results in China next weekend."

Michael Schumacher:

"The enthusiasm for Mercedes-Benz and the support of the fans is very big in China so we have an attractive race ahead of us in Shanghai next weekend. I am confident that the fans will not leave the race disappointed. We looked quite reasonable in Malaysia at the last race and maybe things will play into our hands again in Shanghai. I am looking forward to the race and fully enjoying the competition again. Admittedly the last two races have not been very fortunate for me but I am very much aware of the reasons for it. I know how things go in F1 and if you look into the detail of the two races, I think everything is still going according to plan. You can only improve step-by-step and I am confident that we are achieving this."

Ross Brawn:

"Achieving our first podium of the season with Nico was very rewarding in Malaysia at the home race of our title partner PETRONAS and a timely boost for the team. Michael also had a strong weekend and is getting more up to speed with every race although circumstances beyond his control limited his race performance in Melbourne and Sepang. We hope to continue these signs of improvement in China and it would be particularly good for Michael to be able to have a clean race and show the progress that he has made since the start of the season. On an operational level, the team has performed very well over the three races and did a good job during Nico's race in Malaysia to record one of the quickest pit stops of the season. Our car has been reliable, with the exception of the wheel nut problem in Malaysia, and I am very pleased with the performance of our drivers. We've achieved a reasonable set of results which are in line with the car's current pace but we have to be realistic and acknowledge that we are not quick enough to compete right at the front at the moment. This is obviously not a situation that we are happy with and we are working as hard as possible to close the gap."

Norbert Haug:

"The Chinese Grand Prix has taken place since 2004 and is one of the most recognised events on the Formula One calendar. China is a very important market for Mercedes-Benz as, for example, we sell more S-class cars there than in any other country of the world. The circuit located outside of Shanghai features lots of challenges for the car, drivers and team. There are fast curves as well as tight corners and two hairpins, one close to the start and finish of the lap. For Shanghai, the long-term weather forecast doesn't predict a probability of rain as was the case for the last race in Malaysia. But one way or the other, we will try to achieve a good result and in addition to improve our technical package step by step for the next races."

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F1 ponders larger wheels for Michelin

Leading Formula 1 figures have hinted that the sport could make technical changes to help entice a new tyre manufacturer into the fray, amid rumours that Michelin would like to return, but using 18-inch wheel rims rather than the current 13-inch diameters.

F1 has a tyre supply void to fill for 2011, when Bridgestone is set to depart after 14 years in the sport, many of them as sole supplier.

Reports emerging during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend suggested that if Michelin was to come back, it would like to run wheels more in line with those featuring in its sportscar programmes.

Williams technical director Sam Michael believes 18-inch wheels would be a good move for F1.

"I personally think it’s a great idea; I’d love to do that," he said.

"I think it brings Formula 1 into the modern world if you like.

"The problem with having a 13-inch wheel rim at the moment – it’s a very specific tyre.

"And although tyre companies like Avon and Kumho and Michelin and Bridgestone and Goodyear make tyres like that, they are very specific to Formula 1-type racing.

"So if you went towards an 18-inch rim, I think it’s a good thing for the sport to protect itself for the future because tonnes of people make 18-inch tyres.

"They’re used on sports cars all the time, and they’re much closer to a road car tyre.

"So if someone sees the tyre on a Formula 1 car, whether it’s a slick tyre or even the wet tyres, they’ll say ‘actually, that just looks like the thing that’s on my M3’ or something like that."

Mercedes' Ross Brawn said it was important that F1 was willing to meet tyre companies' requests.

"I think for any tyre supplier coming into Formula 1, we need to respect their objectives and try to match them with the objectives of the teams," he said.

"Because if we sort of put our hand up and say ‘you can’t make any changes, this is the only thing we’ll accept’, we won’t be as attractive as we could be."

His concern about an 18-inch wheel move is that it could result in major design changes that would make life difficult for the smaller teams.

"What we just need to [ensure] is that we don’t instantly make redundant some of the cars of the smaller teams – we need to avoid that possibility," said Brawn.

"But I think it’s perfectly feasible to apply constraint in the regulations initially, but loosen them later to where you have to have suspension that would fit within a 13-inch wheel.

"You wouldn’t immediately massively disadvantage the small teams who maybe want to keep their survival cells and their pieces to carry on.

"We want to find a good solution that gives a challenge to Michelin, or whoever it is that wants to come into Formula 1, that they can see merit in coming in.

"And if that means an 18-inch wheel then I think Formula 1 is very open-minded about what’s needed."

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Key: Sauber still has its chin up

Sauber's new technical director James Key says the team remains in good spirits and determined to get back on the pace despite its awful start to the season.

Former Force India man Key has joined Sauber in place of the retiring Willy Rampf, the long-time head of the team's technical arm.

Sauber was tipped as this season's star underdog after drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi flew in winter testing, despite the team's preparations having been disrupted by BMW's pull-out and the abortive Qadbak buy-out, before Peter Sauber stepped in to rescue the team he founded.

But the car has remained in the midfield so far, and has also suffered from poor reliability, with Kobayashi retiring from every race and de la Rosa finishing just once.

Key makes his first appearance in the paddock with Sauber at Shanghai next weekend, having recently started work at the team's factory.

He said he had been encouraged by the attitude at Sauber even though the team is not where it wants to be on track.

"I arrived in Hinwil after the Easter weekend and met a lot of people," Key said.

"I got a very good impression of what’s going on.

"There is obviously work to be done, but the spirit within the team and the motivation are very high."

Key believes Sauber already knows how to rectify its problems.

"What is now beginning to emerge is the direction we need to go in," he said.

"Everyone is pushing very hard, and we are making plans at the moment on the direction we should go in the future to keep developing."

He expects the Chinese Grand Prix weekend to be a huge learning experience for him as he settles into his new squad.

"I’m looking forward to the first race with the team," said Key.

"I haven’t been to the track this year, so it’s going to be interesting to see how things are run, learn a bit about the tyres and talk to the drivers.

"It will be the first time I see the C29, so it will be good to have a close look at it along with Willy Rampf and go through it in detail."

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The 20 Pussiest Accidents in F1

During the commentary for the Australian GP in Melbourne, Martin Brundle commented that Kamui Kobayashi's accident was one of the three worst ones you could have in F1. Kobayasahi became a passenger when his Sauber's front wing got detached from under him and he skated on into the side of Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastien Buemi.

Brundle also cited barrel-rolling your car and travelling along upside down - something he's done in Australia - as one of the worst kind of accidents. So what about the best kind of accidents - the really stupid ones, the harmless ones, the brain-out-of-gear ones. We've compiled our own Top 20. (No F1 drivers were hurt in compiling this feature, though many egos took a battering)

1. Stopping at the end of the pitlane to observe the red light and have some arse come steaming up behind you and taking out your rear wing.

(That'll be Lewis on Kimi in Canada)

2. Hitting the Armco barrier on the way into the pitlane while making a way-too-hasty pit-stop

(That'll be Coulthard in his Williams days, while he was leading the Australian GP. He blamed it on the throttle, and he was correct. Unfortunately it was his foot pushing the throttle that did it).

3. Making high-speed impact with the local wildlife.

(Anthony Davidson discovered it wasn't going to be Groundhog Day at the Isle Notre Dame in Canada after he hit one of the local residents - who definitely wasn't coming back the following day to the sound of Sonny and Cher).

4. Taking your hand off the wheel to celebrate wildly after winning a GP and then crashing the car because of the celebration.

(That will be the legendary Vittorio Brambilla at the 1975 Austrian GP)

5. Driving too fast down the pitlane entry on tyres that were down to the canvas and swerving timidly into a gravel trap about the size of you average nursery sandpit.

(That just has to be Lewis Hamilton getting a Shanghai Surprise)

6. Spinning your car to a halt on the racing line - after a major first lap collision - in the hope that the Race Director would red flag the race, then discovering the incident is going to be handled by yellow flags.

(Michael Schumacher in Austria)

7. Missing your braking point because you were too busy fiddling with the brake balance on your car and running smack into the car in front.

(That could be any number of people but it was also Ayrton Senna at Monza in 1993 when he ran into the back of Martin Brundle)

8. Getting so bored with being out in front by about a lap that your mind wanders off and you hit the barriers.

(Aytron at Portiers in Monaco)

9. Weaving around on your way to the grid and whacking your car into a Minardi that was trying to overtake and had no idea you were suddenly going to change direction.

(That'll be Michael Schumacher on the way to the Shanghai grid in 2005.)

10. Having a spanner shoot forward in the cockpit and jam underneath your brake pedal.

(That'll be Johnny Herbert when he was driving for Sauber at the Italian GP)

11. Getting side-swiped while lapping a backmarker that hasn't seen you coming when you're leading the race.

(Try Eliseo Salazar and Nelson Piquet at Hockenheim, or Jean-Louis Schlesser with Ayrton Senna at Monza. Piquet's was funnier because he went mental and tried to pick a fight with Salazar for deliberately crashing into him. As though anyone would deliberately crash.)

12. 'Losing control' of your car at one of the slowest corners in F1, a corner that you have driven through possibly 2000 times before and then blocking the racing line so that nobody could improve their time.

(That'll be Michael Schumacher's legendary qualifying spin/stall at the tormentingly difficult Rascasse hairpin in Monaco.)

13. Failing to notice that the car in front is braking behind the Safety Car.

(Juan-Pablo Montoya had a good old punt into Michael Schumacher in the tunnel in Monaco, while Jenson Button - during his first season at Williams - let his attention wander on the way down to Parabolica at the ItalianGP and ended up in the barriers by reacting too late to the cars in front).

14. Taking off from your pitbox before the refuelling rig has been removed.

(Many have done it but nobody has escaped down the pitlane quite so successfully, with so much equipment, as Felipe Massa in Singapore)

15. Converting your car into a three-wheeler by driving too fast in the rain

(Michael Schumacher on the day he became Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Belgian Grand Prix and sought retribution after ramming his Ferrari hastily into the rear of a dawdling DC).

16. Getting asked to do a series of straight-line demonstration runs against a variety of supercars at the Dubai race track, accelerating away with ease and them swerving straight into the barriers.

(That'll be Mohammed Bin Sulayem demonstrating how difficult straightline acceleration is in a Renault)

17. Turning in too early for Sainte Devote, bumping your inside wheel on the barrier and then going straight on into the barriers on the opposite side of the track.

(That'll be trademark Takuma Sato from Monaco in 2002)

18. Running too fast through a chicane and smashing into your team-mate, removing your own front wing and taking the rear wing off you team-mate's car. Special.

(More trademark Takuma from Malaysia in 2002) [/color

19. Thinking you've got pole and then touring around the track on the racing line (before the session ended) getting in the way of an angry driver who has to spin his car to avoid smashing into the back of you.

(Schumacher vs Berger at Monaco in 1996. Berger the aggrieved party.)

20. In your team's final race, to launch an over-ambitious move up the inside into Turn 1 at Interlagos taking yourself out and taking the front wing off your team-mate, thus ruining any chance either of you had of scoring a point in the finale.

(That might just be Mark Webber creaming into Christian Klein at the Brazilian GP 2004. Then spending the rest of the race behind the barriers because he couldn't face going back to the pits).

MIKA: Some all time classics!

[MIKA27]

'Dallara handed HRT a total mess'

The Hispania Racing team has once again blamed chassis builder Dallara for the dismal start to their F1 career.

Hispania's F1 career began under the Campos Meta banner with then-team owner Adrian Campos commissioning Dallara to build his team's F1 car.

However, financial woes meant that on one more than one occasion Dallara stopped work as they waited for Campos to pay their bill.

The team was eventually sold to Jose Ramon Carabante, who entered the team in this year's Championship under the Hispania banner.

Hispania's debut, though, has been anything but successful as the team has proven to be the slowest of the three newcomers. And they reckon the blame for that belongs to Dallara.

"Dallara delivered a total mess," the team's business affairs boss Manfredi Ravett told Formule 1.nl. "They built a Formula 1 car with quality that you no longer even see in Formula 3."

MIKA: Am I missing something here....?

Reading the article, it is clear why HRT have such a terrible vehicle and it's not Dallaras' fault.

Due to 'Compos' having financial difficulty, Dallara were forced to stop several times the development of the racer after Compos failed to pay their bills. As far as I am concerned Dallara did the correct thing as far as a business goes. Why would they put themselves out of pocket. Compos folded and could not pay for further development/building.

I would blame HRT for not looking carefully at what they were buying and should they believe it's not up to scratch, they should pay some cash and develop this lemon a little more. Just my two cents worth.

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Michelin won't return as sole supplier

Michelin have made it clear that should they return to Formula One it will only be if they have rival tyre manufacturers to compete against.

With Bridgestone set to quit Formula One at the end of this season, the sport is on the hunt for a new tyre supplier with Michelin being touted as the leading candidate.

However, the French manufacturer, who quit F1 in 2006 when the powers-that-be opted to switch to a single supplier, have made it clear that they won't return unless they have competition.

"We are interested in it but it must be right, who know what will happen," a senior company spokesman told Racecar Engineering.

"Certain things have to be done, we must have competition, we do not want to be the only supplier.

"Also we need to be able to use the opportunity of competition to improve our tyre technology. For example our new Pilot 3 road tyres had technology developed for Le Mans in them. We need this from Formula 1.

"Finally it must have the possibility to improve the greeness, perhaps we would like something like the Green X Challenge in F1 something to help ecology."

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Maldonado denies Sauber rumours

GP2 driver Pastor Maldonado has rubbished rumours claiming he could replace Pedro de la Rosa at Sauber when the European season gets underway.

There is some speculation in the paddock that Sauber could part ways with de la Rosa after the former McLaren driver failed to impress in the opening three rounds of the Championship.

Rumours claim the Spaniard could be replaced by 25-year-old Maldonado from the Monaco Grand Prix onwards.

Maldonado, though, has denied the reports.

"For the moment, no," he told GPUpdate.net when asked if he was in talks with Sauber.

However, just because he isn't in talks with the team at present time that doesn't mean he wouldn't be interested if Sauber - or any other team - offered him a chance in the future.

"We are trying to move into Formula 1, for sure; it's not easy, I think nowadays it's difficult for every driver. You need a lot of money with the small teams.

"We will try to go into a middle or big team - that's better at the moment because finding the money for a larger team is nearly impossible."

MIKA: I don't know why they didn't pick Nick Heidfeld when he applied for a drive with Sauber to begin with. Pedro is a great test driver, but a race driver, no so much.

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Briatore and Symonds can return in 2013 - FIA

The FIA has revealed that it, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have reached an agreement which will see them unable to enter any sport governed by the body until 2012, and 2013 for F1.

In a press release on Monday, the FIA stated that both parties involved in the 'crash-gate' saga in Singapore, which saw Nelson Piquet crash on purpose to affect the race outcome, have both apologised and reached an agreement which allows them to participate in F1 from 2013 onwards.

The deal sees Briatore who was handed a lifetime ban, which was then overturned, and Symonds, who took a five-year ban, both drop their respective legal proceedings against the FIA, as well as the FIA dropping it's case against them.

"After discussions between their lawyers and those of the FIA, Mr Flavio Briatore and Mr Pat Symonds have each made a settlement offer to the FIA President with a view to putting an immediate end to the legal proceedings.

"Each of them recognising his share of responsibility for the deliberate crash involving the driver Nelson Piquet Junior at the 2008 Grand Prix of Singapore, as "Team Principal" of Renault F1 where Mr Flavio Briatore is concerned, they have expressed their regrets and presented their apologies to the FIA.

"They have undertaken to abstain from having any operational role in Formula One until 31 December 2012, as well as in all the other competitions registered on the FIA calendars until the end of the 2011 sporting season."

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Korean organisers say track ahead of schedule

The organisers of the Korean GP have denied reports that the circuit won't be ready in time to host it's inaugural grand prix on October 24th.

This comes after track designer and consultant to the construction, Hermann Tilke told Focus.de that he was afraid the track wouldn't be ready in time.

"For the first time I am afraid that a track is not going to be finished on time."

However, Korea Auto Valley Operation CEO, Cho Chung, told Autosport that the construction is in fact ahead of schedule.

"The construction progress for our circuit is well ahead of its schedule and we have absolutely no issues with completion.

"I understand that Mr. Ecclestone is quite happy with not only the progress of the track but the direction the Korean F1 race is headed and he has raised no questions and concerns," Chung added.

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Renault confident of jumping Mercedes

Renault's James Allison is confident that the Enstone based outfit can overtake Mercedes GP in China, in terms of race pace.

Renault are currently fifth in the constructors championship, 14 points adrift of the German marque. However, with a rookie driver, all of the point scoring has been left to Robert Kubica, whom managed a second placed finish in Australia.

When asked if they could leapfrog Mercedes, Allison replied: "I think we can because at the moment they’re only just ahead of us on qualifying pace, whereas we seemed to have the edge on race pace in Malaysia.

"We will have more updates in China, including a new floor and an alternative front wing."

Allison conceded this might not be enough, but hoped the improvements would close the gap to within a whisker.

"Although this might not be enough to get ahead of Mercedes in qualifying trim, it should move us closer to their tail. And if we can jump ahead of them at the start of a race, I’m confident we have the pace to stay ahead."

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USF1/Brawn trucks up for auction on eBay

The F1 transporter trucks bought from 2009 champions Brawn GP, by the USF1 team have now been posted on the auction site eBay after the demise of the American outfit continues.

The units were seized by the UK High Court in the hope they can be sold-off to pay some of USF1's creditors, although the transporters are unlikely to raise anywhere near the amount they are worth.

The trailers still carry the Brawn GP branding, with the name of the now McLaren driver Jenson Button adorned on the side of one unit.

"As a keen motorsport fan, it is certainly one of the more interesting seizures we've made," David Carter told pitpass.com.

"The trailers were recently bought from Brawn GP by the judgment debtor and really are something special. We've already had a lot of interest and are now selling them via eBay."

The auction can be viewed here: F1 Transporter trucks.

MIKA: I better get a Paypal account arranged!

[MIKA27]

Chinese Grand Prix preview

Three races into the 2010 season and we've had three different teams and drivers winning, and have seven drivers sat within nine points - now roughly equivalent to a fifth place finish - at the head of the championship.

There remains a fear that any totally dry grand prix weekend could turn into a Bahrain-style snooze, for what intrigue and wheel to wheel action there was in Malaysia was largely a consequence of the Saturday rain shaking the grid up, but at least enough has happened since Sakhir to allay any fears that Formula 1 2010 was doomed to be a tedious anti-climax throughout.

Another worry some have is that now his Malaysian Grand Prix win has thrust Sebastian Vettel into the title hunt again, he could run away and dominate.

That's a perfectly reasonable concern on paper - after all Vettel has comfortably led all three grands prix held so far in 2010 and looked assured of victory approaching half-distance.

In Bahrain and Australia, things broke on his Red Bull and it all went horribly wrong.

In Malaysia, it stayed together, so he won.

So if the only thing that can halt Vettel is poor Red Bull reliability, and Red Bull has rectified its issues, then what's to stop the young German storming away with another win in China - where he kickstarted his ultimately unsuccessful title bid last year - this weekend?

'Us', would be the reply from McLaren and Ferrari, and with good reason.

Having to battle through from the back after qualifying meant McLaren's Malaysian GP pace was somewhat hidden, with its drivers invariably in traffic and having to adopt the sort of strategies that recover places rather than allow drivers to control a race from the front.

The way Hamilton breezed through free practice at Sepang with a string of pace-setting times, and then came from 21st to sixth in the race, left McLaren confident that had Lewis started from the front, Vettel would've been hard-pressed to beat him.

The MP4-25's innovative 'f-duct' system worked a treat on Sepang's long straights, and it's going to really pay dividends on the flat-out blast down Shanghai's endless backstretch too.

McLaren's main rivals are all investigating their own duct systems - but no one wants to rush the technology in before it is ready and end up costing their car pace rather than boosting it.

And all the while, McLaren is forging on with further development, and expects its package to be even faster in China.

Technical innovation could cause a flashpoint this weekend too, following the FIA's clarification that any trick system which adjusts a car's ride height between qualifying - when you want to run low for maximum speed - and the race, when you want to run higher to take the huge fuel load into account, would be illegal.

Rivals suspect Red Bull has found a clever way to raise and lower its car for optimum performance - but Red Bull is adamant that it has no such device, that the FIA has inspected its car and found nothing whatsoever amiss, and that if anyone else does turn up with a ride height system, it will protest against it.

Expect this issue to remain a talking point in China, regardless of whether anyone really is running anything of the sort...

Amid the focus on McLaren and Red Bull, it's easy to forget that it's actually Ferrari leading the championship.

Things have been far from smooth for the Italian squad since its Bahrain one-two, and after a weekend of technical problems and strategic misjudgements in Malaysia, team boss Stefano Domenicali admitted that Ferrari had to get a grip on itself to avoid losing ground in the title race.

Red Bull's wayward start to the year and McLaren's issues at Sepang meant Ferrari got away with its glitches last time out - it might not be so lucky again.

Domenicali also acknowledged that Ferrari might be a touch behind its two main rivals on pace now, but with the weather having turned everything inside out at the last two races, all attempts at establishing an accurate pecking order are just supposition, which is why McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said to withhold judgement till China - not that dry weather is exactly guaranteed at Shanghai based on recent years...

One thing that can be said with some certainty is that Mercedes isn't quite in the hunt for victories at the moment - although that won't make the spotlight on the team any less bright.

The huge excitement over Michael Schumacher's return has not yet turned to disappointment, with most fans accepting that returning after a three-year lay-off is not easy, especially now testing is so limited.

But equally with his comeback such a massive story, it's understandable that his lack of results to date is leading to a clamour for answers, which probably won't go away until he gets on the podium.

There is already feverish speculation about what will happen if Schumacher's results don't improve, and whether he and Mercedes will want to go through with their full three-year deal.

So we have a seven-way battle in the drivers' standings, at least two, maybe three, teams neck and neck at the front, a brewing controversy over a technical quirk that may or may not exist, and an F1 legend under massive pressure to live up to his own reputation.

Shanghai may not be the most evocative location on the calendar or the most spine-tingling circuit, but this should still be an intriguing weekend.

[MIKA27]

Renault tips Petrov for regular points

Renault technical director James Allison believes Vitaly Petrov will be able to deliver consistent points finishes for the team once it manages to provide him with a reliable car.

The Russian rookie has yet to see the chequered flag in his three grands prix to date, with suspension and gearbox problems ending promising races in Bahrain and Malaysia respectively.

Allison says he has been particularly impressed with the 25-year-old’s ability to handle pressure situations and admits it is now up to the team to ensure he is able to make the finish.

“I think his biggest strength is his mental toughness, especially at the key moments,” Allison said.

“His performance at the start of the races is a good example of that, and also his approach to qualifying where he copes well with the pressure.

“He has been unlucky not to finish the races, and we feel very sorry that we have let him down twice with car failures that have cost him strong finishes.

“Every weekend he is getting closer to Robert [Kubica] in terms of pace and I expect that to continue throughout the year.

“I am confident that when we give him a reliable platform, he will get the job done for us and bring the team points each weekend.”

Petrov, who finished as runner-up to Nico Hulkenberg in last year’s GP2 Series, admits that while his acclimatisation into the team has gone well, his run of retirements has been a source of frustration given he has yet to experience the complete challenge of a full race distance.

“I’m pleased with my relationship with the team, especially with the engineers who have really helped me adapt to Formula 1,” the Russian said.

“I’ve been spending as much time as I can with them talking about the systems on the car, the set-up and where we can improve.

“On the other hand, it has been frustrating not to finish the races, especially retiring so early in Bahrain and Australia, which has limited my experience.

“At the moment I only know what it feels like to complete half a race in terms of managing the tyres and adapting to the changing fuel load so that’s not ideal.”

A first grand prix finish is naturally his main target for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, while he has also identified his pace over a single qualifying lap as an area for further attention.

“The priority is to try and finish the race and get the experience of a race distance,” Petrov added.

“I also want to get closer to the top 10 and hopefully fight for points in the race. I also need to continue working hard on my qualifying performance so that I can make it through to Q2, and hopefully Q3.”

MIKA: I really like Petrovs driving style. He is quick and agressive when it counts. He sure gave Hamilton a scare at the Malaysian GP so much so, Hamilton had to continually weave (Illegal) in front of him to fend him off.

F1 needs more drivers like Petrov who I believe is a future points scorer and all-rounder.

[MIKA27]

'There is no reason why we can't finish fifth'

Force India chief Vijay Mallya remains confident that his team can claim fifth spot in the Constructor's standings, despite falling behind Renault after three races.

In the build up to the season, Mallya spoke at length of his desire to secure fifth place on the Constructor's table, and despite not making the perfect start to the season, he retains the same goal.

Force India have scored points in every race thus far this season, but find themselves in sixth place, 12 points behind Renault, with Robert Kubica's third and fourth place finishes propelling the French manufacturer into fifth spot.

"At the start of the season I said we wanted to be regular points finishers and here we are, three races in, with three points' finishes," explained Mallya.

"The grid is very tight as we saw in Malaysia and Australia and there's no clear delineation between the front and the midfield.

"The most important at this stage is that we are still up there fighting. Renault look very strong right now but there's still a lot more races to go this year and we have a clear direction about where we are going that will keep us with them, or hopefully leapfrog them.

"The drivers are confident and the team is working well so I think fifth is still realistic," he added.

MIKA: It's not impossible and Force India have become a fantastic team and example of what some of the other indipendant teams can achieve.

[MIKA27]

McLaren halt suspension development

McLaren have halted development on their own self-regulating suspension system to lower the cars through qualifying, to gain a significant downforce advantage.

Many people within the paddock suspected Red Bull of using a controversial system to lower their cars when they are carrying less fuel. McLaren then decided to develop their own system in the hope it would close the gap to the leaders.

However, with the recent clarification on suspension coming from the FIA last week, McLaren's Paddy Lowe confirmed the Woking based team has now halted development in this area.

"We were aware over the last few months of a different approach to it [the suspension system]; an approach which historically we hadn't thought to be the typical interpretation, and we were reacting to that," Lowe told Autosport.

"Now that the FIA has taken a fresh view of it and drawn a different line - and one we think is nearer the historical line - we are reacting to that too, so we've had to change some of the things we're doing.

"Basically, we had a system we were working on, and we've now suspended that."

He also confirmed that the ruling won't affect their car in anyway, and the team will be running a number of aerodynamic upgrades in China.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari: No worries on engine situation

Ferrari is adamant there are no reasons to be worried about the reliability of its engines following an in-depth analysis on its failures in Malaysia.

Fernando Alonso was forced into retirement from the Sepang race after his power unit failed with two laps to go, on the same weekend that the Sauber team, also using Ferrari units, suffered engine problems.

The team had made precautionary engines changes in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, leading to fears about its engine allocation for the rest of the season.

Ferrari said on Tuesday, however, that the engines have no issues and they will be used again in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

And engine chief Luca Marmorini also revealed that the problems suffered by Alonso in Malaysia were probably related to the fact that he had to use it differently due to a problem with his gearbox.

"We have carried out an in-depth study into what happened and the two problems are not related to one another," Marmorini told Ferrari's website. "In Sepang, Fernando's engine suffered a structural failure, of a type we had never seen during the winter.

"We believe there was a role played by the unusual way in which the driver had to use the engine during the race, because of the gear selection problems he experienced right from the start. Additionally, there is no connection with the problem the Sauber team experienced on the engine front at the last race, which we believe was down to an issue with electronic sensors.

"Each car has eight engines it can use per driver over the season and we plan our useage strategy around this. As a precaution, we opted not to use the Bahrain race engines in Australia, but they will be used in China, having concluded that they are fit for purpose, despite what happened at the Sakhir circuit."

Marmorini, whose team is leading both championships ahead of the Shanghai race, says the Maranello outfit has reasons to be very pleased about its pace so far.

"I'm happy because I think the Ferrari package is quick, even if it could always be quicker of course," he added.

"Having said that, our pace in the race can give cause for satisfaction on the engine and car side, even if we still have much work to do on the engine front, getting even more out of it, working within the restrictions of the current regulations."

The engine boss also admitted it has been very hard to judge the unit's true performance so far given the unusual race conditions.

"Unfortunately, I would say that so far, it is impossible to have a clear picture of how this side of the package is working, as there has not been a single race weekend not affected by the weather," Marmorini said. "In wet conditions, fuel consumption is a bit harder to control and becomes a less important factor.

"It's fair to say we have done a good job so far, based on work carried out last winter, but we continue to work on this aspect of engine behaviour to improve still further. Once we have a race weekend that is completely dry, we will get a clearer picture of where we stand."

[MIKA27]

Symonds allowed to work as consultant

Pat Symonds will be allowed to work as a consultant for any Formula 1 team right away, the Briton has clarified, after reaching a settlement with the FIA over the race-fixing scandal.

The governing body said on Monday that both Symonds and Flavio Briatore would be allowed to work directly in grand prix after the end of 2012, after agreeing to put an end to their legal dispute.

The duo had previously received a ban that was later overturned by a French court.

However, according to Symonds, the agreement reached with the FIA means that he can already start working for any Formula 1 team as a consultant through his Neutrino Dynamics company.

On Tuesday, the former Renault chief of engineering, issued a statement saying that he will continue to contribute to Formula 1 in his role whenever possible.

"Under this agreement Pat Symonds acknowledges that it was his duty to prevent such an event occurring and, in not doing so, he must share in the responsibility attached to this incident," said Symonds in a statement.

"As such, and with the best interests of the sport in mind, he has agreed with the FIA that he will not take a direct operational role in Formula 1 until the end of 2012 nor will he take any similar role in any team involved in any other FIA series until the end of 2011.

"This agreement does not prevent him acting as a consultant to any team during this period and he will continue to contribute to the sport in this, and other, ways.

"In the light of this agreement, both he and the FIA consider the matter to be at an end."

[MIKA27]

Shanghai form card

With three races behind us now, the 2010 championship is starting to take shape – and what a wide open thriller it looks set to be, with three different teams winning the opening three rounds and a host of others snapping at their heels.

After a fortnight to catch breath following Melbourne and Sepang, the action resumes in China this weekend, so here's a run down all 24 drivers' form heading to round four.

1. Jenson Button (GB) - McLaren

Championship position: 4th, 35 points

Brilliant driving and brilliant judgement earned Button a shock Melbourne win, and although in a way it was back down to earth in Malaysia, significantly he was a match for Hamilton again in the race, at least until his tyres faded as Jenson's strategy proved over-ambitious. He's still McLaren's top man in the championship too. Just one ominous note: McLaren looked mighty in practice in Malaysia, but only with Hamilton as Button couldn't get a set-up that suited him. He'll want to ensure those problems continue to be dealt with in practice sessions.

Last five race results: 8th / 1st / 7th / 3rd / 5th

(most recent first)

2. Lewis Hamilton (GB) - McLaren

Championship position: 6th, 31 points

Few drivers mix genius and calamity like Hamilton does, as the last few weeks underlined again with some awe-inspiring race day charges and some messy incidents like his brush with the Melbourne traffic police and his qualifying under-performance in Australia. But when he's good, he's great - and it's always fun to watch him charge his way out of adversity. A straightforward win from the front this weekend would be no surprise.

Last five race results: 6th / 6th / 3rd / R / 3rd

3. Michael Schumacher (D) - Mercedes

Championship position: 10th, 9 points

It's not that Schumacher has been slow on his return - Rosberg's speed is under-rated so to be on his tail after a three-year lay-off and with relatively little testing is respectable. The concern is more that some very un-Schumacher-like things have been happening, like getting stuck behind a rookie for most of the Australian GP, or burning up his tyres too soon in Sepang Q3. It's taking time to shake the rust off his incredible racing instincts.

Last five race results: R / 10th / 6th / - / -

4. Nico Rosberg (D) - Mercedes

Championship position: 5th, 35 points

Is Rosberg driving out of his skin to put Schumacher in the shade, or has his legendary team-mate lost his edge? There was always the danger that if Rosberg did out-pace Schumacher, it would be seen as a failure for the latter not a triumph for the former. Either way, Rosberg is currently achieving something none of Schumacher's previous team-mates ever did - but his primary interest is in closing the slight gap between Mercedes and the winners.

Last five race results: 3rd / 5th / 5th / 9th / R

5. Sebastian Vettel (D) - Red Bull

Championship position: 3rd, 37 points

Vettel is back in business. A dominant win like his Sepang performance was always going to come sooner or later, and it was highly fortunate for Red Bull that it coincided with Ferrari and McLaren being flummoxed by the Malaysian weather and barely scoring. So with the questions over Red Bull's fragility silenced, is Vettel set to streak away now? His driving definitely seems to have got even better in 2010.

Last five race results: 1st / R / 4th / 1st / 4th / 1st

6. Mark Webber (AUS) - Red Bull

Championship position: 8th, 24 points

It could so easily have been Webber who straightened Red Bull's course by winning in Malaysia. His qualifying performance was astounding and there was little to choose between him and Vettel on race pace. But it was Vettel who snuck ahead at the start and set himself up for victory, and that's the kind of tiny swing that decides which driver ends up with championship momentum.

Last five race results: 2nd / 9th / 8th / 2nd / 1st

7. Felipe Massa (BRA) - Ferrari

Championship position: 1st, 39 points

Massa's championship lead is part stealth and partly because no one has really taken charge of this season yet. He's been competitive at every race, but the amount of time team-mate Alonso has spent stuck behind him suggests that Massa isn't Ferrari's pace-setter at present. But while the jury's still out on the effectiveness of his 2010 performances, you can't argue with his championship position.

Last five race results: 7th / 3rd / 2nd / - / -

8. Fernando Alonso (ESP) - Ferrari

Championship position: 2nd, 37 points

Everything has got a bit messy for Alonso since his serene Bahrain win, though in between being pushed into spins, queuing behind a slower team-mate, qualifying miscues and technical glitches, he's been supremely quick and as hard a racer as ever. Now he needs some trouble-free weekends, especially with Red Bull getting reliable and McLaren gaining speed.

Last five race results: R / 4th / 1st / 14th / R

9. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) - Williams

Championship position: 12th, 5 points

Williams adores Barrichello and thinks his attitude, experience and technical nous is exactly what it has been pining for in recent years. Hopefully it is also what the team needs to move forwards. There hasn't been too much wrong with its 2010 performances, but there's quite a gulf between Williams and the podium at present.

Last five race results: 12th / 8th / 10th / 4th / 8th

10. Nico Hulkenberg (D) - Williams

Championship position: 14th, 1 point

Hulkenberg scored his first point in Malaysia, but that milestone couldn't mask the fact that his F1 debut has so far been far less spectacular than anticipated. A great qualifying performance in wet qualifying at Sepang was a hint of what he can really do, but fading in the race - and being muscled aside by Alguersuari - was a disappointment. He's capable of much more than this.

Last five race results: 10th / R / 14th / - / -

11. Robert Kubica (POL) - Renault

Championship position: 7th, 30 points

Renault isn't quite fast enough to win races, but it's not a million miles away either, and its lead driver has a great knack of grasping any slight chance that falls his way. Kubica already looks like he will be this year's star underdog, and might even win before the season is out. He's certainly helping Renault get back on its feet after the misery of recent years.

Last five race results: 4th / 2nd / 11th / 10th / 2nd

12. Vitaly Petrov (RUS) - Renault

Championship position: 23rd, 0 points

Petrov could do with finishing some grands prix, but overall there's not too much wrong with his rookie efforts so far. He hasn't made too many mistakes, hasn't been embarrassingly slower than Kubica, and has shown plenty of spark in the races. He will only get better with more mileage behind him - which is why it's important he starts seeing the chequered flag.

Last five race results: R / R / R / - / -

14. Adrian Sutil (D) - Force India

Championship position: 9th, 10 points

He's been very quick all year, and in Malaysia Sutil finally had something to show for that speed. Often guilty of failing to turn qualifying heroics into actual points, his consistent run to fifth at Sepang underlined both his growing maturity and that his Force India team is now a top 10 threat anywhere.

Last five race results: 5th / R / 12th / 17th / R

15. Tonio Liuzzi (I) - Force India

Championship position: 11th, 8 points

Having come through from the midfield to snaffle some points in the races in the first two rounds, it was ironic that when Liuzzi did crack qualifying and reach Q3 in Malaysia, his car let him down after only a few laps. That should be just a blip, for Liuzzi has now firmly re-established himself as a deserving F1 presence. Sutil is still the Force India driver you look to for fireworks, though.

Last five race results: R / 7th / 9th / 15th / 11th

16. Sebastien Buemi (CH) - Toro Rosso

Championship position: 15th, 0 points

Having been undisputed top dog at Toro Rosso since seeing off Sebastien Bourdais, Buemi's intra-team supremacy came under threat rather when Alguersuari suddenly blossomed into a swashbuckling racer in Malaysia. Nevertheless Buemi has been on the brink of points all season, and flew in the wet in China last year.

Last five race results: 11th / R / 16th / 8th / 7th

17. Jaime Alguersuari (ESP) - Toro Rosso

Championship position: 13th, 2 points

There was a furore about his inexperience when he arrived in F1, and some raised eyebrows when he kept crashing at Suzuka last year, but Alguersuari has rarely been in the headlines for his performance - until now. He couldn't quite hold back Schumacher for the whole Australian GP, but what he learned in battle with the legend in Melbourne he put to good use at Sepang, which incredible passes on fellow young guns Petrov and Hulkenberg on his way to his first points.

Last five race results: 9th / 11th / 13th / R / 14th

18. Jarno Trulli (I) - Lotus

Championship position: 21st, 0 points

Ever the perfectionist, Trulli has admitted that the Lotus in its current very early stage of development simply does not work with his driving style, which is somewhat limited, his potential for giant-killing heroics. Winning the battle of the newcomers remains the aim for now.

Last five race results: 17th / R / 17th / 7th / R

19. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) - Lotus

Championship position: 17th, 0 points

If there was an official class for the newcomers, Kovalainen would be leading it - and he has probably impressed most so far among all those struggling to get fledgling teams into contention. Whether a whole season of finishing around 15th in a car that should've been around 16th will be enough to get him back into a top team remains to be seen.

Last five race results: R / 13th / 15th / 11th / 12th

20. Karun Chandhok (IND) - Hispania

Championship position: 18th, 0 points

After getting next to no mileage in Bahrain, Chandhok has had a good chance to learn about F1 with two race finishes and some relatively straightforward practice and qualifying days recently. He's doing a sound job in trying circumstances, and had Senna on the back foot in Malaysia.

Last five race results: 15th / 14th / R / - / -

21. Bruno Senna (BRA) - Hispania

Championship position: 20th, 0 points

Senna managed his first race finish in Malaysia, but that weekend also marked the first time Chandhok had out-performed him in F1. With no sign that Hispania will be getting any quicker any time soon, the best thing for Senna's career prospects is to make sure he gets more from the tricky car than his friend across the garage.

Last five race results: 16th / R / R / - / -

22. Pedro de la Rosa (ESP) - Sauber

Championship position: 16th, 0 points

Sauber isn't very fast - especially compared to how it performed in winter testing - and it breaks down more than any other established team. That's meant a frustrating return to the grid for de la Rosa so far. Peter Sauber said he signed the Spaniard for his experience and the technical know-how he absorbed during his long McLaren testing stint. Now he needs to put those skills to good use as Sauber tries to rebuild.

Last five race results: R / 12th / R /- / -

23. Kamui Kobayashi (J) - Sauber

Championship position: 22nd, 0 points

It's definitely harder to impress across a full season when you've created high expectations, than it is when you get a one-off, nothing to lose, chance as an unknown. That's something Kobayashi is finding out as Sauber's problems drag him down.

Last five race results: R / R / R / 6th / 9th

24. Timo Glock (D) - Virgin

Championship position: 24th, 0 points

Glock is taking the battle to emerge on top among the newcomers very seriously, and it's been nip and tuck between him and Kovalainen on pace so far in 2010. The problem comes in the races, where Glock didn't even give his fragile car a chance to break down in Malaysia before crashing into Trulli.

Last five race results: R / R / R / - / -

25. Lucas di Grassi (BRA) - Virgin

Championship position: 19th, 0 points

Some sceptics were starting to wonder if Virgin would finish a grand prix at all this year, especially when its fuel tank size gaffe came to light. But it didn't only get to the flag (just!) in Malaysia, it beat all the other new teams too. And it was di Grassi - previously its slower and even more unlucky driver, who made the breakthrough happen.

Last five race results: 14th / R / R / - / -

MIKA: McLaren will be fast provided they qualify well, Renault and Ferrari will be up there in the mix also. If Mercedes GP do not make modifications soon enough to give them more speed, regardless of Rosbergs podium last race, the Silver arrows will have a huge problem on their hands and could be held up by the midfielders and challenged by the likes of Force India and Williams.

[MIKA27]

Massa: Red Bull are not unstoppable

Felipe Massa insists Red Bull are not unbeatable and also believes McLaren will have a big advantage in China due to their F-duct device.

Pace-wise Red Bull have looked in a class of their own so far this season, but sadly the same cannot be said of their reliability. Three races into the season and the Milton Keynes-based team already have three pole positions and one race victory to their name, but the bad news for them is they've had two retirements while out in front.

However, Massa says while Red Bull are no doubt quickest in qualifying, it's a different story when it comes to race pace.

"I heard people in Malaysia on Sunday saying that Red Bull was now by far the quickest car and it is true they were in the first two rows of the grid," he wrote in his Ferrari.com blog.

"But over a race distance, I believe the story is a bit different and you have to remember that in Sepang, they were racing pretty much on their own as the two teams who would have pushed them hardest, started from so far back. You need to keep that in mind when assessing the race. They are definitely not unstoppable, but we need to improve a bit to be in a better position to stop them."

Ferrari of course are coming off a disappointing outing in Malaysia where they collected just six points following a disastrous qualifying campaign. Massa

"There is no point avoiding the subject: our race was pretty much over by the end of the first part of qualifying on Saturday afternoon," he said. "In simple language, we made a big mistake, me and the team together. It was wrong to trust too much in the weather forecast, thinking it was going to get dryer, especially as it was already raining prior to the start of the session."

Looking ahead to the next race in China, the Brazilian says they will have to watch out for McLaren on the track's long straight due to their f-duct system.

"It's a nice circuit to drive and the extremely long straight leading into a tight corner means there is a real possibility to overtake," he said. "However, we will need to be careful on that straight this year, because we have seen that the McLaren in particular has a very high top speed, so in case of a close battle with them we will have to be careful and ready to defend position."

[MIKA27]

Dennis: Merc wanted control over McLaren

Ron Dennis insists McLaren's split from Mercedes-Benz at the end of last season was "completely and utterly amicable".

Up until late 2009, Mercedes were exclusively in partnership with McLaren, holding a 40 percent stake in the team. However, the carmaker is now a fully-fledged constructor after buying last year's Champions Brawn GP and rebranding them Mercedes GP.

McLaren have since bought back the majority of Merc's stake and former team boss Ron Dennis says the German carmaker always wanted what they couldn't have: control of McLaren.

"It was completely and utterly amicable," hed told Arabian Business magazine. "They continuously over the years wanted to have control of McLaren and we continuously told them we did not want them to have control of McLaren.

"The more they wanted it, the less we wanted to give it to them. Because you look at what happens... the influence they [car manufacturers] control is not always productive. CEOs change overnight. I have got 30-odd years of my life in this company, huge quantities of friends and people who have been through thick and thin with me, and I made it very clear to Mercedes-Benz, as did the other shareholders, that we are not for sale. They hankered always."

Dennis says the deal was a "win-win situation" for both parties.

"We initiated it, we wanted to be independent," he said. "This wasn't something which we weren't party to. I mean engine supply to Brawn in 2008 [for the 2009 season] required our consent.

"At the end of the day we were a fully integrated partner of Mercedes-Benz, and we still are. We are fiercely competitive on circuit, but off circuit we are still firm friends. I wouldn't call it a sweetheart deal, but it was a win-win situation."

[MIKA27]

Kubica: We must beware of Force India

Robert Kubica admits Renault are wary of Force India in the race for fifth place in the 2010 Constructors' Championship.

Renault are sitting pretty in the standings with 30 points following Kubica's second- and fourth-place finishes in Australia and Malaysia respectively.

Although he is delighted with their magnificent start to their season, the Pole admits they can't afford to let Force India out of their sight.

"Yes, we've had some luck both at Melbourne and at Sepang," he told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. "The two starts were decisive, and we made up for the problem we still have with qualifying. But we can't always count on our rivals' problems.

"Race after race, I count on being able to slot in a position in qualifying that I can maintain during the race. But we know that, besides chasing the four top teams, we must beware of Force India, especially in qualifying."

Kubica, who is in first season at Renault following a difficult 2009 at BMW, admits he is really enjoying himself this year.

"It's no secret that at times in past years I didn't feel as looked after as I would have liked," he said.

"I think that [the] feeling around you, the faith of the people you work with, is important in any activity. Today I feel that team has confidence in me, they accommodate me, and this allows me not to feel the fatigue of a workload that is even bigger than in previous seasons. I enjoy myself more, even though the car is not yet what we dream to have."