FORMULA 1 - 2010

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Sir Frank wants more than sixth spot

Sir Frank Williams admits he was not happy with his team's performance this season, insisting they should be achieving greater things.

It has been many years since Williams' glory days in which World titles and race wins were regular occurrences, with the team slipping into mid-table. It was here that Williams finished in 2010, staving off a charge from Force India to finish in sixth spot on the Constructor's table.

Williams readily admits that he does not see beating Force India to the position as anything to boast about.

"I wouldn't say I'm satisfied [with sixth] and that's not where we want to be," Williams told ESPNF1.

"We didn't provide ourselves with a competitive enough racing car and when you do that, you pay the price. Most drivers get the maximum out of the car, almost without exception, and if your car's not up the field it usually means it's not good enough to a certain extent.

"The reason for this lies mainly with the chassis because we're all on the same tyres. We have a very competitive Cosworth engine that is capable of mixing it with the best. The chassis was a step forward from the previous year's car and better in one or two smallish areas but not sufficiently quicker."

Williams have yet to confirm their driver line-up for the 2011 season, with Nico Hulkenberg told his services are no longer required, leaving Rubens Barrichello as the team's only confirmed driver.

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Daimler: Schumi hasn't disappointed us

Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche, the head of Mercedes-Benz, insists the low-key return of Michael Schumacher has not been a disappointment for Mercedes GP.

Schumacher, 41, finished ninth in the 2010 Drivers' Championship while compatriot Sebastian Vettel, from Red Bull, was crowned the youngest World Champion.

Schumacher's Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg finished seventh with 142 points, nearly double Schumacher's tally of 72.

But Zetsche has insisted the former Champion's return to Formula One racing has not disappointed the boss of the German car manufacturers.

"He has not disappointed us," the 57-year-old Zetsche told German daily Bild.

"We need to provide him with the car that will allow him to show his capabilities."

Having ended his three-year retirement to return to Formula One with Mercedes GP, Schumacher finished fourth on three occasions this past season.

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Sauber confirm 2011 launch date

Sauber have announced that they will launch their 2011 Formula One challenger in Spain on January 31st.

The Swiss team, who finished eighth in the 2010 Constructors' Championship with 44 points, will unveil their new car, the C30, at the Valencia circuit.

The team will also introduce Sergio Perez to the world's media as the Mexican gears up for his first season in F1. Perez will partner Kamui Kobayashi next year.

Sauber's launch date means the team will have their new car on hand at the very first pre-season test, which kicks off at Valencia on February 1st.

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Zetsche: Merc won't walk away from F1

Daimler's CEO Dieter Zetsche is adamant Mercedes-Benz have a long-term commitment to Formula One.

Mercedes bought the 2009 Championship-winning Brawn GP team at the end of last season, signing seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg as the Silver Arrows returned to F1 as a fully-fledged constructor.

However, the year did not go according to plan.

The team failed to challenge for race wins, never mind the World title, and eventually finished down in fourth place with less than half the points scored by Constructors' Champions Red Bull Racing.

But despite not achieving their goals for the season, Zetsche insists Mercedes will not walk away from Formula One.

"We have been in F1 for some time and we're staying there for the longer term," he told the DPA news agency.

"We don't want to be deciding each year whether we are in or out, and we didn't sign a one-year contract with Michael Schumacher, we signed for three years.

"On the one hand, we can't have expected more as a newly-formed team. We would not have complained if we had won the Championship, of course, but it wasn't a realistic expectation."

Zetsche, though, did add that the pressure is on for Mercedes GP to produce the results that both their parent company and their fans expect of them.

"It is clear that the public, and also ourselves, expect us to be looking better than this year.

"We want to demonstrate our leadership in this industry to be the best. It's not arrogance, it is what is expected of us and what we are measured against.

"Of course this means that if we don't meet this standard, we are criticised. We have to bear that. But this is also evidence that we are trusted to deliver."

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Aleshin: I will be in F1 next season

Russia could have two drivers in F1 next season with Mikhail Aleshin determined to follow in Vitaly Petrov's footsteps.

Aleshin, who tested for Renault in the post-season Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi as his prize for winning the 2010 World Series by Renault title, has been linked to Virgin Racing in recent weeks.

The rumours of his possible signing gathered momentum when Virgin sold a significant shareholding in the team to Moscow-based manufacturer, Marussia Motors.

However, as yet there has been no word on the Russian's future, although Aleshin is confident he will be in F1 next season.

"We are considering various options and there are some very interesting proposals," he told Russian news website gzt.ru, before adding that he is "not allowed to talk about it."

Asked when he expects to have a resolution, he said: "Good question. If I could answer that I would be very happen.

"Any contract can take a few weeks, there are a lot of different areas that need to be covered by all the interested parties."

Pressed again as to whether it was just a 'formality', he said: "In fact, the issue is resolved.

"But I cannot do anything because there is no guarantee - this is Formula 1."

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Hamilton takes Button's number '3'

Lewis Hamilton has been handed the number '3' for his car in the revised FIA entry list for next year's Championship.

Earlier this week, the FIA released the entry list for next year's Championship with McLaren slotting in behind Red Bull after finishing second in the Constructors' Championship.

The list saw 2009 World Champion Jenson Button feature above his team-mate Hamilton based on the fact that in 2010 Button took the number '1' after winning the World title.

However, a revised list released on Friday now has Hamilton ahead of Button as he finished in front of his team-mate in the 2010 Championship.

Pastor Maldonado has also secured his place on the list after being confirmed as Rubens Barrichello's Williams team-mate.

Revised List

Red Bull Racing

1 Sebastian Vettel

2 Mark Webber

McLaren

3 Lewis Hamilton

4 Jenson Button

Ferrari

5 Fernando Alonso

6 Felipe Massa

Mercedes GP

7 Michael Schumacher

8 Nico Rosberg

Renault

9 Robert Kubica

10 TBA

Williams

11 Rubens Barrichello

12 Pastor Maldonado

Force India

14 TBA

15 TBA

Sauber

16 Kamui Kobayashi

17 Sergio Perez

Toro Rosso

18 TBA

19 TBA

Team Lotus

20 Jarno Trulli

21 Heikki Kovalainen

Hispania

22 TBA

23 TBA

Virgin Racing

24 TBA

25 TBA

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Glock insists he's staying at Virgin

Timo Glock has revealed he will continue to drive for Virgin Racing in Formula One next season.

There have been reports that the 28-year-old German, who joined the new team from Toyota at the end of 2009, wanted to leave Virgin who finished their debut season in 12th and last place, without a single point.

But Glock told the team's website: "I am definitely driving for Virgin Racing.

"There has been a lot of speculation about me wanting to leave the team, but it is not about leaving a team, it is about wanting to do better and keep moving forward.

"It is not just 99.9 percent certain that I will stay, as has been reported - it is 100 percent certain that I am staying.

"I think with everything we have learned this year we can take a very good step up next season.

"This is a great team of people who have given blood, sweat and tears to our first season. Some people haven't seen that with their own eyes, like I have, so it's easy to criticise or be cynical."

Glock's team-mate this year was Brazilian Lucas di Grassi and the team are now considering their options for the second seat.

And although the German wasn't forthcoming with any names, he did reveal that an announcement could be made before the end of the year.

"I think it is right to take our time and make sure we have the best combination of youth and experience, plus make sure we have the best information going back into the team at testing and races to ensure we can develop as quickly as we want to and keep moving forward," he said.

"I don't think we will have to wait too much longer for that news - hopefully before Christmas!"

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Proton 'intent' on securing Renault stake

Proton's managing director has confirmed that the company is "close" to purchasing the remaining 25 percent of Renault not owned by Genii Capital.

Last year, Renault sold a 75 percent stake in their Formula One team to Gérard Lopez's Genii Capital organisation. However, the French carmaker could yet relinquishing the final shares to Proton, as the Malaysian manufacturer looks to enter F1 as more than just a sponsor.

"That's the intent," Proton's managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir told Malaysian newspaper The Star. "A decision will be made soon.

"It will be made for the betterment of the Lotus brand. We, as a shareholder, have to make sure it (the Lotus brand) survives."

He added: "We're close, just wait for a few days. (Whether it's) 25 percent is something that we are discussing.

"It's still too premature to disclose the exact percentage but it has to be a position where we can control our brand."

Proton's desire to purchase Renault's 25 percent stake is the sticking point in Tony Fernandes's battle to race under the 'Team Lotus' name in 2011.

While Fernandes is adamant he has the rights to the name, having bought them from David Hunt, who required the rights in 1994 when the team went under, Proton want to race under the 'Group Lotus' brand.

And that would cause confusion with two Lotus teams on the grid.

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Lotus won't start 2011 with KERS

Chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne has revealed that Lotus will not start next year's Championship with the KERS system.

KERS, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, will return to Formula One next season after the teams agreed to included it in the regulations, having dropped it for this year's Championship.

However, not all teams will be starting the season with the device, which stores energy from braking to help boost acceleration later in a lap.

"We will have the adjustable rear wing but not KERS for the start of the season - it's in development - really because of engineering resource," Gascoyne told the Norwich Evening News newspaper.

"Over one lap, it's still not a big plus for its effort, involvement and negatives. Strategically off the start and in races, then yes.

"But at the start of the year, KERS is not going to be the thing that gives us the step up.

"It's all the other things, and we've taken the choice to concentrate on all those because if we don't get them right, KERS isn't going to make a difference."

However, Lotus could use it later in the season as the team has signed a deal with Renault to use their engines and could also take their KERS.

"Renault are very keen on green technologies and KERS, so it's something we will be pushing," he added.

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Buemi: STR6 definitely looks impressive

Sebastien Buemi believes his 2011 challenger is on track to be a "good" car because it "definitely looks impressive."

Although Buemi's name did not appear under Toro Rosso when the FIA released the 2011 entry list, it's believed to be only a matter of time before the team confirms him for next year's Championship.

Already the Swiss driver, who scored eight points this season, is preparing for 2011, his third year in Formula One, visiting the Milton Keynes's factory earlier this week.

"I went to the simulator in Milton Keynes" he told the team's website. "It was a useful session, even if it was not the usual routine of preparing for the next race, as Bahrain 2011 is still a long way off!

"But it was good to be back behind the wheel, even a "virtual" one, because there will be quite a few new tasks in the cockpit next year, with the re-introduction of KERS and the use of an adjustable rear wing.

"I took the opportunity to see where we are in terms of next year's car and, even if I am not going to tell you anything about the STR6, let's just say it definitely looks impressive!

"There's a saying about race cars that if it looks good it usually is good, so I came away from the factory in a positive frame of mind."

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Schumi wanted 'explanations' for car woes

Michael Schumacher has blamed technical problems for his poor return to F1 after his three-year hiatus and admitted he was surprised team-mate Nico Rosberg did not suffer the same car trouble.

Having won seven World titles before retiring in 2006, Schumacher was lured back to race for Mercedes GP this season, but finished a disappointing ninth while team-mate Rosberg finished seventh.

Schumacher, 41, says his Formula One car did not always handle the same as Rosberg's and blamed technical and tyre problems for his lack of success, having finished no higher than fourth all season.

"The fastest driver is a reference for the other one," explained Schumacher in a German motorsport magazine.

"You see the data of how he drives, but it didn't work quite so well in the other car. Looking back, there were a few things (wrong) with my car.

"The exhaust got so hot that sometimes the underside of the car burnt or the F-Duct (a system to help the airflow) was triggered in parts of the track where it shouldn't have been."

Schumacher had particular problems with his car's F-Duct at both the Belgian and Japanese grands prix.

"But I have not spoken publicly about them, I preferred to discuss it internally."

The German admitted there have been raised voices behind closed doors at Mercedes and he has vented his frustrations at team principal Ross Brawn and the team's motorsport chief Norbert Haug.

"I had no problems with Nico, but I told Norbert and Ross that it was time to find explanations," said Schumacher.

Schumacher says that he will put the problems behind him and aims to win his first Drivers' Championship since 2004 next year.

"We are clearly improving thanks to the enormous commitment of Mercedes," he said. "We're making a huge step forward and, if all goes well, we will win races."

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FIA set to confirm new turbo-engine for 2013

The FIA is expected to confirm a new 'green' engine formula for Formula One next week which will come into effect for the 2013 season.

Presently the sport uses 2.4 litre V8's but, in an attempt to mirror the shift in fuel efficient engines seen on the roads, the sport will adopt 1.6 litre, four-cylinder turbo engines which will feature a more powerful energy recovery system similar to the current KERS.

Two key engine suppliers, Ferrari and Mercedes, had expressed some concern over the new power unit, describing it as an unnecessary cost, but a spokesman for the Italian team told the BBC: "An agreement is there, and when there is an agreement you work accordingly."

The move is expected to increase fuel efficiency by 50% whilst the power output will remain the same, at 750bhp.

The built-in-KERS system will produce an extra 120kw, compared to next seasons 60kw, and the time restriction will likely be increased accordingly.

It's understood several checks and balances will be written into the engine regulations to ensure no single manufacturer gains a march in terms of performance.

Meanwhile it is also understood Volkswagen have been involved in the negotiations, hinting that the German giant will enter the sport as an engine supplier in 2013 as the units will benefit their road-side development.

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Alonso says gap to Massa makes him happy

Fernando Alonso says the gap between himself and his team-mate, Felipe Massa, has made him very happy.

The Spaniard beat Massa by 108 points during his first season with Ferrari. He also managed to out-qualify the Brazilian on all but four occasions and, was clearly given the number one status thanks to his performances.

"It is probably the biggest gap that I have had to a team-mate and this makes me very happy because of the results that I've had over the past few years," Alonso said in an interview with Onda Cero radio.

The 29-year-old believes he's driving better than ever and is keen to continue his good form through to 2011.

"My level of driving is better than ever and I hope I can keep it up next year," he added.

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Santander to end McLaren sponsorship

Santander will end its four-year sponsorship deal with McLaren Mercedes in 2011, completing a sponsorship transition to Ferrari.

The Spanish banking giant joined McLaren in 2007 to tie-up with Fernando Alonso moving to the British team however, a difficult season for the Spaniard saw him return to Renault, whilst Santander remained with McLaren.

Alonso then moved to Ferrari in a move part-funded by the bank which also saw significant branding on the Italian car as part of a five-year deal.

"We have had a transition with McLaren and who knows if in the future we will keep on having a relationship with them and their drivers," spokesman Juan Manuel Cendoya told the Spanish media.

The deal with McLaren in 2010 was to aid the brand expansion in the UK as the bank rebranded its Abbey National subsidiary.

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Sauber: Telmex hasn't bought into team

Peter Sauber has confirmed that Mexican firm Telmex has only joined his team in a sponsorship capacity and that he retains full control of the squad – adding that he will only sell it on when he is happy it is fully stabilised again.

The veteran Swiss came out of Formula 1 retirement to step in and rescue the Hinwil-based outfit he founded from potential closure after BMW, who he sold the team to at the end of 2005, unexpectedly withdrew from Formula 1.

Sauber’s first year back at the helm proved to be a challenging one as the team struggled to attract big-name sponsors but he landed a coup last month when it secured backing from telecommunications giant Telmex – which is owned by Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man – in conjunction with the signing of Mexican hotshot Sergio Perez to drive alongside Kamui Kobayashi next season.

And while Sauber, who recently turned 67, has made no secret of the fact he intends to pass the team back on in the medium term, he insists the Telmex agreement isn’t the first step towards a sale.

“I own 100 percent of the team and there are at present no plans to sell the team or any part of it,” he said.

“Our partnership with Telmex, which will come into force on 1st January 2011, does not include any kind of stakeholding and is purely a sponsoring agreement.”

Sauber says he still plans to retire again before he reaches his 70th birthday, but promises he won’t be walking away from the squad before it is back on a strong financial footing from which it can make progress.

“A year ago I said that I didn’t want to remain on the pit wall when I turned 70. That’s still the case, and I’m now 67,” he said.

“The critical thing for me is to ensure that we bring even greater stability to the team and that we have a financial basis on which to move forward from a sporting point of view.

“When that is in place, the time will have come for me to take a step back.”

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Kobayashi voted 'Rookie of the Year'

Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi was declared the 'Rookie of the Year' at the Autosport Awards on Sunday night.

The Japanese driver, who finished the 2010 season 12th in the standings on 32 points, was voted the best rookie by motorsport fans.

He beat fellow F1 newcomers Vitaly Petrov and Nico Hulkenberg as well as GP2's Jules Bianchi and Sam Bird and former F1 World Champ turned World Rally rookie Kimi Raikkonen to the title.

"I think there's always a chance of overtaking," said Kobayashi, whose best result of the season was a sixth-placed finish in the British GP. "For me this is quite normal.

"Racing should be exciting, so when you overtake, it's more exciting. It's not easy to overtake, and in an F1 machine it's really difficult."

Asked which one of his overtaking moves of the season was his most memorable, he said: "Taking Alonso in Valencia was very good."

Meanwhile, Rubens Barrichello, the most experienced driver in Formula One, was presented with a 'Gregor Grant Award' and said he was proud of his long association with the British motorsport, which included winning the 1991 British Formula 3 title.

"I had a terrific time in England," said the Williams driver. "I lived here for a long time. I did Formula Vauxhall lotus and F3 too. It's like a second home.

"I'm so proud to get this trophy. It's been a long time and involved a lot of passion and a lot of speed."

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Williams: 'Alonso is brilliant but I'm no fan'

Sir Frank Williams has admitted he's no fan of Fernando Alonso, describing the Spaniard as 'sullen' and 'uncommunicative'.

Nonetheless, the 68-year-old did acknowledge the Ferrari drivers raw talent.

"I'm not really a big fan of Fernando Alonso. He often looks a bit sullen, rarely acknowledges anybody and seems very uncommunicative," he told ESPN.

"He's brilliant at racing cars but seems to have no animation about him. Perhaps it's his own way of going about his business on a race weekend," he added.

The remarks come after Williams shared some personal insight into who he rates on the grid, identifying current world champion Sebastian Vettel, 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton and Renault's Robert Kubica as drivers he thinks could go on to secure many titles.

"I'm not saying it just because he's the world champion but I've always rated Vettel very highly indeed.

"He could win many titles and I think him, Lewis Hamilton and perhaps Robert Kubica in the right car might surprise everybody."

The Williams team manager concluded with F1-veteran Rubens Barrichello, whom currently drives for the team and is set to partner Pastor Maldonado in 2011.

"Rubens Barrichello is a very charming man, very mature and super quick, especially in the wet. We are delighted with him."

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Rosberg upbeat about Merc future

Nico Rosberg is confident that Merc GP can challenge for race wins next season despite having spent 2010 fighting it out behind the frontrunners.

Despite the team only picking up three podium positions during the season (all of which were third-placed finishes), Rosberg believes that the team have the right people and processes in place to ensure that the 2011 season is a successful one.

"The expertise is there, but we just need a little time to get everything going in the right direction," Rosberg told Auto Bild magazine.

"But we are on the right track. Ross Brawn has got the team structure right and, sooner or later, it will happen. It is only a question of whether we manage to achieve it in time for the beginning of the [2011] season because we must not forget that the gap [to the frontrunners] is already quite large."

Much has been made of the young German finishing ahead of his illustrious team-mate - seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher - this year and Rosberg admits it is something he is very proud of.

"He is a very high-profile team-mate and I'm obviously very happy that I ended [the season] in front of him," said Rosberg.

"I would never have imagined myself in such a position. It is something to remember as he is a seven-time world champion who is considered one of the best drivers of all time. You can scrape off as much paint as you like, his success will always remain, so I do not feel at all guilty about enjoying this moment."

The 25-year-old believes that a possible reason for him consistently out pacing Schumacher was his ability to fit in with the car's set-up in a more effective manner than that of his countryman.

"I don't know, but it seems like I got along with the set-up, the whole package, better [than Schumacher did]," he explained.

While much was made in the media about a rivalry between the two, Rosberg reveals that he has thoroughly enjoyed working with Schumacher.

"We have learned from each other this year and, for me, it was very interesting working with him. I think the public has a false image of Michael. Of course, he tries to gain advantages, but this is quite normal and I'd do the same," he added.

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Report: Merc GP pit crew tops

An analysis of all the pit stops that took place during the 2010 has shown that the Mercedes GP pit crew were the most efficient.

In a study conducted by Auto Motor und Sport revealed that the Brackley-based outfit managed to get Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher out of the pits and back on the track consistently quicker than any other team.

The Merc pit crew recorded the quickest pit stop on eight occasions, three times with Nico Rosberg (in Malaysia, Turkey and Germany) and five times with Michael Schuamcher (in China, Spain, Monaco, Britain and Belgium).

While Mercedes had consistent speed, Red Bull managed the fastest stop of the season, releasing Sebastian Vettel in just 2.9 seconds in Monza.

Red Bull were second on the overall table, managing the fastest stops in Bahrain, Australia, Hungary, Italy and Abu Dhabi.

Third was Ferrari with three fastest stops, followed by Sauber with two and McLaren with just one.

The Lotus crew were the slowest of the lot, with five of the slowest race stops, followed by Hispania and Renault with four apiece.

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Bahar: The more Lotus cars the merrier

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar sees no problem with two teams carrying the Lotus name in F1 next season.

Speaking after Group Lotus' announcement that they have become a major shareholder and title sponsor in the Renault team, the Swiss national insisted that there was no reason why Tony Fernandes' Team Lotus couldn't continue to make use of the Lotus name despite the presence of the new Lotus Renault team.

"Not [a problem] at all - for me, four are better than two," Bahar told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"The controversy, that is something that has mainly been pushed up by media I would say, has been dealt with directly by our shareholders in Malaysia and with the owners of the 1Malaysia racing team [Team Lotus' parent company], and doesn't really touch us.

"However, my personal opinion is that four Lotus brands out there is better than two. I have nothing against that."

"We have never claimed to be Team Lotus," he later told the Daily Telegraph. "We never want to be Team Lotus. That was a successful era of the company but it is an era which we should leave it in the past.

"We have no confusion on our side at all. We have built Lotus cars for many years. We have an ambitious racing programme and we have decided to team up with one of the top five teams."

Bahar explained that the reasoning behind Group Lotus' decision to throw their support behind the Renault team rather than Team Lotus was that the group felt that it was more important for the brand to be seen at the front of the field as should be the case with the Renault team, than making their way up from the back.

"I think that's just a strategy decision, whether you want to build a team from scratch, which is a much, much more costly exercise," he said.

"Maybe there is more satisfaction [with a brand new team] for some individuals, but I think the time you consume and the money you spend in building a team from scratch into a winning team, we can just not afford that exercise.

"And I believe that our brand should be participating in all motor racing activities not for the sake of participating, but for the sake of winning. And that's why we decided to go with one of the top five teams because we believe there is the potential to go back to where they were when they were winning world championship titles," Bahar added.

Group Lotus' entry into F1 forms part of a concerted effort to increase their presence in motorsports, with the company also making headway in IndyCar and Le Mans, as well as joining up with ART in the GP2 and GP3 divisions.

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Webber defends injury silence

Mark Webber maintains he had no reason to inform Red Bull that he had fractured his shoulder while mountain biking.

The Australian revealed in his new book, 'Up Front - 2010, A Season To Remember,' that he injured his shoulder four races from the end of the season but didn't notify team bosses, a decision that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has since labelled 'disappointing'.

Webber has now moved to quell the criticism he has received, insisting that he didn't inform his team because the injury did not impact his ability to drive.

"I came off a mountain bike while training between the races in Singapore and Japan, and an x-ray revealed a small fracture to my right shoulder. I was very confident it wouldn't affect my performance in the car, which is why I didn't tell anyone," Webber explained on his official website.

"There was no need [to tell the team]. The shoulder wasn't causing me a problem, so there was no need to talk about it to anyone.

"If I'd had any issues with it in the car, then of course I would have told the team. But that wasn't the case. I've never missed a Grand Prix but of course if I couldn't drive the car a) safely and on the limit, I would have notified the team."

The 34-year-old defended his decision to go public with the injury, insisting that while the injury saga had garnered a lot of attention despite its relative insignificance, he had decided to include it in the book simply because it was an incident that occurred during the season.

"It's what the book is all about," he explained.

"I wanted to give the readers in Australia a closer insight to a sport that's pretty hard for them to follow. I didn't sit down after the season had finished with hindsight goggles on and pick and choose what went into it. We did it at the time after each race. It (the injury) is something that happened to me, it was part of my journey this season, so that's why it's in there," he added.

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Mansell: Merc could surprise in 2011

Former World Champion Nigel Mansell believes that the 2011 season will be just as competitive as this year's and that Merc GP could be the surprise package.

After a dreary start in Bahrain, the 2010 season turned out to be one of the most exciting and hard fought in recent years, with four men in the hunt for the title heading into the final race.

As a result, the 2011 season has a lot to live up to and Nigel Mansell predicts it will do that and more.

"I really foresee an incredible 2011 developing," Mansell told ESPN.

"With four or five World Champions on the grid together you've got to go back to the early 80s where you had something similar when we had seven one year.

"...I think the great thing this year was that I don't think there was a team or driver that didn't make a mistake and I think what I foretell in 2011 is that teams and drivers will learn a lot of lessons and I think you'll see fewer mistakes in 2011 and you'll see another titanic Championship battle."

The Briton believes that McLaren will bounce back next year with a stronger challenger, but Mansell feels Merc GP could pull off a few shock results.

"The development over this winter has given Ross Brawn the time and the team to energize everything they need and they have had a couple of showings where the car has demonstrated a better turn of speed," explained Mansell.

"So they could be the joker in the pack next year and do something very special," he added.

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Hulkenberg eyes Force India seat

Nico Hulkenberg admits that Force India is the team he is most likely to land a race-seat with.

Having been let go by Williams, Hulkneberg is on the lookout for a new drive, and the young German spoke earlier in the week of his strong belief that he would be successful in his quest.

The 23-year-old now reveals that he is in talks with Force India about a contract, and hopes to have resolved the situation in the coming weeks.

"Right now as we talk I am not sure. I hope, and we are working very hard, to get a deal done but it is no secret that there are not many good race seats left," he told the official Formula One website.

"The hope is still there and I am not giving up. I hope I can give you a positive answer very soon. Hopefully before Christmas.

"Force India is our best shot, but it is also no secret that quite a few drivers are trying to land a seat there. We are talking to them and let's wait and see what develops."

Hulkenberg largely impressed during his debut season, with the highlight undoubtedly a pole position in Brazil, a feat he admits he had hoped would secure his place at Williams.

"Of course . This Brazilian pole position was something that Williams had not tasted in years, but then again, one lap does not change the course of history," he explained.

"There had been signs before that there was something brewing, because the team repeatedly delayed contract talks, putting it off to 'manana', so I was forewarned that something was going on. Nevertheless I would have liked to stay with them."

Hulkenberg's replacement at Williams, Pastor Maldonado, has secured the backing of a handful of sponsors, including the Venezuelan government, and Hulkenberg concedes that it is becoming near impossible to make it in F1 on talent alone.

"It has become much, much harder to open doors if your application does not come with a serious sponsor package and you really only rely on your talent as the sole 'sales argument'," he said.

"This is quite frustrating and somewhat sad - especially if you can show you have had a good season as a reference."

Asked where he would look next if a deal was not made with Force India, the 2009 GP series winner was defiant in his answer: "I don't want to think about a Plan B. My focus is 100 percent on finding a good race seat for 2011. That is where all my efforts are going right now."

[MIKA27]

Petrov urged to move to England

Renault, or Lotus Renault if you like, insist Vitaly Petrov remain their "preferred choice" for next season, but also believe the Russian should move to England if he wants to be more successful.

The Enstone-based outfit confirmed Robert Kubica for the 2011 season several months ago, but Petrov's with the team future remains uncertain following a mediocre debut campaign during which he picked up only 27 points.

Gerard Lopez, co-owner of the team, says team boss Eric Boullier and the engineers will first sit down with Petrov before they make a decision.

"Our preferred choice at this stage is to continue with Vitaly, but he has to sit down with us," Lopez told Autosport.

"Vitaly was having an operation last week, so he didn't have time to sit down with [team principal] Eric Boullier and the engineers.

"The situation is that we will make the decision based on that discussion with Vitaly and his understanding of what it means if he stays at the team.

"Our expectation is that he can do what he did in Hungary or Abu Dhabi more consistently. We know that he has got the speed, but we also know that he sometimes lacks the focus to deliver on a full weekend. If we stay with Vitaly, he has to be able to do that more consistently."

Besides consistency, Lopez also believes it will be important for Petrov to move to England.

"I have always said that my preferred choice would be to keep Vitaly in the car," Lopez told Reuters.

"I think the discussion to be had with Vitaly is not one about speed - our engineers tell us that he sure has the speed to compete.

"What he doesn't show in a consistent way is the capacity to focus on a complete weekend and deliver from first practice to the end of the race on Sunday. And that's what we have to discuss with him.

"Part of the discussion is that he needs to accept a certain change in life, he needs to accept to move to the UK and be close to the factory.

"He needs to accept to be in an English-speaking environment all the time and if he accepts those things, and if we believe that through those things he can deliver consistency, then there's no question about who is going to be our second driver."

[MIKA27]

VW 'delighted and welcome' 2013 engine news

Volkswagen look more than likely to become an engine supplier in 2013 after the FIA announced plans for 1.6 litre 'green' engine's.

The German marque has been hinting at joining the grid either as an engine supplier or manufacturer team if the governing body introduced a 'world engine' - which is exactly what was announced on Friday.

Volkswagen's motorsport advisor, Hans-Joachim Stuck, says he is delighted with the news and believes it will push all categories of motorsport in the right direction in terms of 'green racing'.

"We are delighted and welcome this decision," he told Motorsport-Total. "This is not just great for Formula 1, but for the whole of motorsport and will push it in right way."

Audi, a subsidiary of the VW Group, were also involved in the engine formula negotiations with the FIA via their head of engine technology, Ullrich Baretzky.

"For us, Ullrich Baretzky participated in joint discussions on the future Formula 1 engine format," confirmed Stuck.

Meanwhile, the former driver noted that VW would open up consultation within the company to discuss their plans for 2013, hinting that a decision could be made before the 2011 season kicks-off in March.

MIKA: Great news!