Apr.30 (GMM)  The extension of China’s formula one contract beyond 2010 may not be as simple as was recently suggested by Bernie Ecclestone.

The F1 chief executive had been asked in Shanghai about rumours that the race could now drop off the calendar, despite it being a crucial market for carmakers and sponsors.

“The contract is ongoing here.  We renew every five years.  It will go on,” said the Briton, blaming poor attendances on the local promoters but insisting that the government is “fully supportive”.

Earlier, a government official had warned that an “assessment” of whether China should renew its F1 deal was taking place.

And a Reuters media report on Friday predicted that contract negotiations will be “fierce”, after the event recorded “huge losses” over the last seven years.

But race promoter Juss Events’ Leon Sun sounded confident that a deal will be struck.

“It hasn’t been announced because there are still a few technical issues to be sorted out but we’re in good shape.

“It looks good at the moment,” he said.  “We’ve got until October this year to sort it out but I’m confident that we’ll have something before that.”

Apr.30 (GMM)  Red Bull will not have an F-duct on its 2010 car at next weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

While admitting the Milton Keynes-based team is working on the McLaren-pioneered downforce-stalling innovation, driver Mark Webber told the BBC that it is still in development.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said before leaving China amid the volcano-induced traffic chaos that the RB6 could be equipped with a F-duct in Barcelona “providing we make it back to Europe” quickly.

Ultimately, the ash cloud subsided and teams have not been overly delayed in preparation for the first European race of 2010.

But Australian Webber said on Friday: “As soon as possible would be nice, but it’s not going to be Barcelona, that’s for sure.

“We don’t know when we’re going to have it, but we are looking at something, as I’m sure all teams are,” he added.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Michael Schumacher’s age and family could be counting against him as he struggles back to full speed in formula one.

That is the assessment of Mika Hakkinen, who although the same age as Schumacher retired at the end of the 2001 season and returned only to race for a time in the German touring car series DTM.

The Finn thinks his former championship rival returned because he missed the sport’s thrill and challenge, but questions the German’s ability to now dedicate the same energy as F1′s current generation.

Asked to explain the German’s struggle so far in 2010, Hakkinen told Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper: “It’s about the new technology of the cars and the tyres.

“Another reason is he is up against young drivers who know nothing else in their lives other than the battle to win.  Their lives consist only of formula one in a sport that requires total concentration and attention.

“It is much more difficult when you’re older,” said Hakkinen.  “If you’re 41 then your life is about other things — family, for example.”

He does, however, think Schumacher will break through for a win in 2010, but recalls a sport that supplies “no mercy and no excuses”.

“I’m glad I don’t do it any more,” Hakkinen admitted.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Silverstone has admitted to stretching its financial abilities “further than ever before” to pay for its circuit changes.

The Northamptonshire venue’s new 760 metre ‘Arena’ section was launched on Thursday, and for the 2011 race the start-finish line and pit and paddock complex will be moved to the straight after Club corner.

It is believed the new facilities are a requirement of the new 17-year grand prix contract, and BRDC chairman Damon Hill admits the financial cost is a risk to the circuit owners.

Asked if Silverstone’s coffers are now stretched to the limit, the 1996 world champion answered: “Not to the absolute limit, but certainly stretching further than has been stretched before.

“I think it’s a necessary risk.  The alternative was very possibly that the British grand prix would have gone off the calendar.”

Hill talked up the talents of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton at Thursday’s event, admitting that Silverstone is now relying on Britain’s “tradition for producing world class drivers who will eventually drive people through the gate”.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Ferrari has rejected reports that it is running illegal subliminal advertising on the livery of its 2010 formula one car.

A report in the British newspaper The Times this week said the UK government has been urged by health experts to investigate the ‘barcode’ branding on the F10 that resembles the cigarette packaging of Ferrari’s sponsor Philip Morris.

In a statement issued by Ferrari, the Italian team insists there has been “no (Marlboro) logo or branding on the race cars since 2007, even in countries where local laws would still have permitted it”.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Drivers’ and constructors’ championship leaders McLaren are also winning the race as F1′s most reliable team.

The British outfit, whose Jenson Button leads the drivers’ table by 10 points over Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, completed every single lap with both MP4-25 cars at the initial Bahrain, Australian, Malaysian and Chinese grands prix.

In second place, a 100 per cent record for Ferrari was tarnished only by Fernando Alonso’s engine failure in the closing stages in Malaysia.

Red Bull is third with a 92.4 per cent finishing record in 2010, despite the RB6 appearing to have suffered from several reliability glitches so far.

In fact, Sebastian Vettel’s wheel nut problem in Melbourne was the team’s only DNF, while teammate Mark Webber has completed all four races within the top 9.

Similarly, only one Mercedes car – Michael Schumacher’s in China – has failed to reach the chequered flag, but the German team is fourth in the list with a 89.2 per cent record due the stoppage occurring early in the race.

Williams’ single DNF culminates in a 86 per cent reliability record because Nico Hulkenberg was taken out on the first lap in Australia.

Renault is sixth of the ten teams with 75.1 per cent, for while Robert Kubica has finished every race with the R30, rookie Vitaly Petrov’s first race finish was in China.

In Bahrain the Russian damaged the suspension by hitting a kerb too hard, in Melbourne he spun into the gravel, and in Malaysia he had to stop with a gearbox problem.

Impressively, the new team Lotus also has a 75 per cent finishing record, even though Jarno Trulli was not actually a classified finisher at Sepang because he was ten laps behind.

And in Melbourne, the Italian’s T127 was not even on the grid due to a pre-race hydraulics problem.

Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari has finished all the races, but teammate Sebastien Buemi was taken out on the first lap in both Australia and China — first by Kamui Kobayashi and then Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Force India is now increasingly mentioned as a serious F1 competitor, but its reliability record so far in 2010 is just 65.9 per cent.

Liuzzi crashed in China and had a throttle problem in Malaysia, while Adrian Sutil had a Ferrari engine problem in Melbourne.

HRT’s F1 career started badly with only one car crossing the line in the opening two races.

But the Dallara-built cars of Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok both finished in Malaysia and China, giving the Spanish team a 65.2pc finishing record.

Virgin and Sauber are at the bottom of the pile, with Virgin achieving a mere 33.8pc reliability record with only Lucas di Grassi able to cross the line in Malaysia by aggressively saving fuel.

Sauber is last, with only Pedro de la Rosa recording a race finish in Melbourne for a reliability record of just 25.5 per cent.

“We’ve suffered too many reliability issues on both the chassis side and with our engines,” team founder Peter Sauber said on Thursday.

“That’s very unusual — we’ve always been one of the best teams in this respect over the years.

“We’ve closely analysed all the chassis-related problems and already put measures into effect.  Our engine partner Ferrari is doing the same,” he added.

Apr.30 (GMM)  The logo of team boss Tony Fernandes’ AirAsia airline could soon feature on the 2010 Lotus car.

We reported last month that because the logos are already seen prominently on Williams’ FW32, Fernandes was instead content to advertise his investment firm Tune Group on the green T127.

But according to a report in Finland’s leading newspaper Turun Sanomat, the situation might be different when the heavily updated cars emerge from the pits in Barcelona next week.

The report said the AirAsia logo “will be displayed” on the Lotus in Spain.

Meanwhile, we also reported in March that the logos of the Brazilian oil company Petrobras might be added to the T127′s livery in Barcelona.

But Turun Sanomat said the deal has not been done in time to debut at the Spanish grand prix.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Rumours have intensified this week that Mika Hakkinen could soon become Lewis Hamilton’s manager.

In the wake of the McLaren driver’s professional split with his father Anthony, 25-year-old Briton Hamilton has been perusing offers from potential managers.

1998 and 199 world champion Hakkinen, 41, already works with a young F3 driver at his own manager Didier Coton’s Monaco based Aces Group, and said last Sunday: “Perhaps I will come back to F1 as a manager.”

The Italian sports daily Tuttosport now reports that the formalisation of a deal between Aces/Hakkinen and Hamilton could be made in the very near future.

Hamilton’s career is currently handled by McLaren, but team boss Martin Whitmarsh is pushing his driver to appoint a “dispassionate, independent” manager.

Hakkinen won his two world championships with McLaren and retired in 2001.

Apr.29 (GMM)  Pirelli has definitely joined the race to supply tyres to formula one teams next year.

We reported last week that, after a shareholder’s meeting of the Italian company, chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli might be interested in entering F1 if certain conditions are met.

He said that if the permitted diameter of F1 tyres is increased, and providing the arrangement makes financial sense, Pirelli would “look into this (F1) world with greater attention”.

But in the wake of his comments, the F1 teams alliance FOTA met on Wednesday of this week, and Williams’ Sam Michael emerged confirming that the bulk of the conversation centred on a choice between Michelin and Avon.

However, Pirelli said in a statement on Thursday that it will now “present … an offer for the supply of tyres to all the teams in the F1 championship”.

The marque said the presentation will take place in Barcelona ahead of next weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

Apr.29 (GMM) Charlie Whiting has green-lighted Silverstone’s new ‘Arena’ section for use at the 2010 British grand prix in July.

The FIA’s race director, official starter and safety and technical delegate toured the 760 metre section – featuring six new corners – earlier this week.

The layout was then launched officially for dignitaries and the media on Thursday.

“Charlie Whiting was here yesterday,” confirmed the track’s managing director Richard Phillips, “and we walked the circuit and we’ve got our Grade A licence for the next three years.”

With MotoGP being held at Silverstone this year, it was decided that a new layout was necessary for safety reasons — particularly the proximity of the famous bridge at the now-bypassed Bridge corner.

The renovation has cost 5m pounds sterling, with riders and drivers to turn right instead of left at the old Abbey chicane entry before embarking on a section incorporating the old National straight, renamed Wellington.

The new layout rejoins the old circuit with a faster entry to the ‘Brooklands’ corner near the end of the lap.

Apr.29 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve says he is happy for his former teammate Jenson Button, as the reigning world champion continues to lead the world of formula one.

The pair had an initially acrimonious relationship as BAR teammates in 2003, but Villeneuve has since declared his admiration for the Briton’s talents.

French Canadian Villeneuve, 39, said he has been particularly impressed this year with Button’s driving in the wet, including wins in Australia and China that have given him the world championship lead.

“Jenson was always quick in the rain but now he’s becoming increasingly recognised as the best in the field,” he told Canada’s Rue Frontenac.

“Michael always had that reputation in the past but I think Jenson has passed him now in the minds of observers,” added Villeneuve.

“But I also don’t forget about Alonso, who did an exceptional race on the wet track of Shanghai,” he said.

Villeneuve said Button’s “really great start” to 2010 with McLaren proves his world championship was well deserved.

“To change teams and stay among the best shows that it was no fluke,” said the winner of 11 grands prix. “I am really happy for him.”

As for his former nemesis Schumacher, Villeneuve thinks the seven time world champion’s comeback so far has been “disappointing”.

“This is his first big disappointment. He did well at first for a guy who has not raced for three years, but then the results were disappointing.”

But he still thinks Mercedes was right to entice the 41-year-old German out of retirement.

“Michael is useful even if he’s not winning, and nobody can take away his seven titles or that he is one of the best in history.

“And when Rosberg beats him with the same equipment, it cements Nico’s reputation much more than if he were beating someone else,” added Villeneuve.

Apr.29 (GMM) Formula one’s tyre situation for 2011 is unlikely to be resolved by the forthcoming Spanish grand prix.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, and McLaren and FOTA chief Martin Whitmarsh, said last week that with Bridgestone departing at the end of the year, the issue of tyres for 2011 should be agreed by Barcelona.

“I think we will know something more, I would say 100 per cent, by Barcelona” next weekend, Domenicali said before departing Shanghai.

But after a FOTA meeting on Wednesday, Williams’ technical director Sam Michael said he felt a decision by Spain was now unlikely.

The teams alliance was earlier believed to have agreed in principle to be supplied by Michelin next year, but Avon has made a lower-cost proposal that is understood to be backed by Bernie Ecclestone and smaller teams.

The Italian marque Pirelli has also indicated interest in entering F1 next year, but the bulk of Wednesday’s FOTA conversation centred on a choice between Michelin and Avon.

“Avon’s a lot cheaper (than Michelin) but it’s a less proven product although they’ve done plenty of highly competitive tyres,” Michael is quoted as saying by the BBC.

“They (Avon) are a bigger unknown than Michelin because Michelin did it (F1) very recently. But there is a significant difference in cost and you are probably talking over three times the difference in cost to the teams,” he added.

Apr.29 (GMM) The possibility of bringing KERS back to the formula one grid in 2011 was discussed at a meeting of the FOTA alliance on Wednesday.

Williams’ technical director Sam Michael revealed that Ferrari and Renault have offered to make their existing KERS technology available to other teams for no more than 1 million euros.

“Renault will supply anyone who asks for it on the grid,” the Australian is quoted as saying by the BBC. “Ferrari will supply anyone who is running a Ferrari engine.”

Michael’s comments follow the Grove based team’s announcement that it has upped its stake in its own flywheel KERS company to 78 per cent.

It is believed that if KERS is given the green light to return next year, Williams intends to use its own system.

But Michael said both Ferrari and Renault want their 1 million euro KERS to be much more powerful than the units seen in 2009, otherwise “they are not prepared at this stage to commit”.

Less powerful KERS systems are already allowed by the technical regulations, but FOTA members voluntarily agreed last year not to fit the units in 2010.

Michael said the issue could be finalised by next weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

“I think that by Barcelona, the FOTA executive is due to try and make a decision on KERS for 2011. It’s all pretty split at the moment on that,” he revealed.

Apr.28 (GMM)  Jacques Villeneuve on Wednesday confirmed he is still in training for his formula one comeback.

The 1997 world champion came close to returning to the grid in 2010, but the hopeful Serbian outfit Stefan GP was not granted an official entry.

“I’m pushing on anyway,” said Villeneuve, who was among the 12 drivers confirmed as having been in talks with the outfit headed by Zoran Stefanovich.

Stefan GP has however reapplied for the vacant berth for next season, and 39-year-old Villeneuve on Wednesday told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport that he is working hard on staying race-fit.

The French-Canadian said he is also ready to replace a current driver in 2010, and is maintaining his fitness with the help of a bespoke EUR400,000 machine conceived by his famous trainer Erwin Gollner.

“Last year showed that teams change their drivers during a season,” he said.  “And the return of Schumacher and de la Rosa is a sign that experience is appreciated once again.”

Villeneuve also dismissed claims that Michael Schumacher’s age is his problem.

“Look at hockey,” he said.  “Guys in their late 30s are still at world-class level.  It’s because we’re all living much healthier and have gained ten years.”

Apr.28 (GMM)  While some have rushed to defend Michael Schumacher, formula one great Sir Stirling Moss is not among them.

After scoring just 10 points compared to his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg’s 50 so far in 2010, figures including Bernie Ecclestone, David Coulthard, Martin Brundle, Jacques Lafitte, Jochen Mass and others have argued the seven time world champion deserves more time before he is definitively judged.

But 80-year-old Briton Moss, credited as the best driver never to have won a title, told the Sun: “People are going to say he’s past it now, which he probably is.”

And he told metro.co.uk that he does not understand the 41-year-old German’s decision to end his three years of retirement.

“All he’s going to do is damage his achievements,” said Moss, whose first grand prix win was in 1955 in the famous Mercedes W196.

He said Rosberg is Schumacher’s first “comparable” teammate.

“Michael’s greatest contribution was bringing English engineers to Ferrari,” said Moss.