Pirelli will soon name its formula one test driver.

Reports have linked Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld with the role of helping the Italian marque to prepare for the 2011 season.

It is believed Pirelli will conduct six tests before all the teams try the tyres for the first time in Abu Dhabi in mid November.

A spokesman for Pirelli’s F1 programme said this pre-Abu Dhabi testing, reportedly with a 2009 Toyota car, will not begin until “about September”.

“At the moment, we have produced the first scale models of the tyres, at 50 per cent size, for the purposes of wind tunnel testing,” he said.

“The four compounds are currently being worked upon, with the prototypes scheduled to come out next month.

“There was a test that took place at Paul Ricard in France recently, but that was for GP2 tyres.  There, we completed more than 120 laps with no problems.”

As for a driver for the F1 tests, the spokesman said an announcement can be expected “either next week or the week after”.

He said “two permanent test drivers” will be appointed, “one for F1 and one for GP2″.

“Details of the F1 car we will be testing with” will also be provided, the Pirelli spokesman added.

Virgin might introduce a so-called ‘blown diffuser’ to its 2010 car later this season.

Previously, the new British team ruled out diverting resources for the development of an F-duct.

But driver Timo Glock told Auto Motor und Sport: “The (blown) diffuser is a possibility.”

He explained that not working on the F-duct, which has been banned for 2011, is a “financial issue”.

“It is not worth doing it for just a few races,” Glock told the German publication.

Blown diffusers, the Red Bull-pioneered concept that was subsequently copied by other top teams, is now being seen even on the cars of smaller teams.

Williams debuted its version at Silverstone, Sauber at Hockenheim, and Force India’s version will be tested on Friday at the Hungaroring.

“We will analyse the findings and any data will be fed back into the programme for the second half of the year,” said team boss Vijay Mallya.

The diffuser is credited for Ferrari’s improved pace in Germany, while McLaren is still getting the most from its version.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that the team is waiting on a supply of special anti-heat material to arrive from France.

“Only at Spa can we use our diffuser’s full potential,” boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted as saying.

Both Red Bull drivers had engine problems last weekend at Hockenheim, according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

For Sebastian Vettel, his problem came between the Friday practice sessions, when his Renault V8 with high mileage was replaced after an oil sample was tested.

Mark Webber, meanwhile, had to reduce his speed in the second half of the race because the supply of oil from an auxiliary tank was not working.

“I was happy to just get to the finish,” said the Australian, who finished sixth.

He believes Red Bull’s raft of reliability problems are due to the team’s unique winter strategy.

“It was our strategy to only show our final package on the very last day of testing.  So we were down on kilometres to guard against all those sorts of issues,” said Webber.

Another problem has been the difficulty to convert pole positions to good race starts.

Vettel squeezed Fernando Alonso against the pitwall at the start at Hockenheim, only to be also beaten to the first corner by Felipe Massa’s sister Ferrari.

“They were definitely not the best starts,” admitted team boss Christian Horner, also referring to Webber’s start in Germany.

“It has happened to us several times this season,” he added.

Comments by Felipe Massa’s father suggest the Brazilian driver’s camp is unimpressed with the events of last weekend’s German grand prix.

After standing miserably on the Hockenheim podium, the 29-year-old insisted it was his decision to pull over and let his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso win.

But Luiz Antonio Massa, who a year ago was sitting at his son’s bedside in a Budapest hospital, has declared that Felipe did in fact obey a team order.

The comments follow a period of criticism in the Brazilian press, with writers saying Massa showed a lack of courage.

“It is regrettable and unfortunate that Ferrari took this decision,” Massa Snr is quoted in Italian language reports, including the Libero newspaper.

The reports said the comments originated on Brazilian television CATV.

“It is clear to everyone that this was a team order,” added Massa’s father.

“Like any good employee, Felipe must obey the boss; there is a hierarchy and he followed orders showing loyalty.”

Massa Snr indicated that he agrees in principle with team orders, but not when the driver in question is still fighting for the world championship.

“It is a good choice when only one of the two drivers has no mathematical chance, but this was not the case.  Both still had a chance to win,” he said.

Derek Warwick will return to F1 stewarding duties at the Hungaroring this weekend.

In May in Barcelona, the former F1 racer made his debut as the driver representative on the FIA officials’ panel.

Briton Warwick, 55 and a veteran of 162 grands prix between 1981 and 1993, did not win a race during his tenures with Toleman, Renault, Brabham, Arrows, Lotus and Footwork.

F1 is moving to reduce the risk posed by flying wheels.

Last year, GP2 driver Henry Surtees died when a stray wheel from a crashed car struck him on the head.

There was a similar incident during the final practice session at Hockenheim last weekend, with Timo Glock narrowly avoiding a bouncing wheel after Vitantonio Liuzzi’s crash.

“I was lucky that I left a bit of room behind Liuzzi in the Motodrom to warm up my brakes.  Otherwise I would have been right behind him,” the German told Auto Motor und Sport.

A tether on Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari broke in his Monaco crash this year.

F1 introduced wheel tethers in 1998, connecting the wheels to the chassis.  They are made of a special polymer called polybenzoaoxide or Zylon.

But flying wheels continue to pose a risk to drivers as well as to spectators, as seen in Melbourne in 2001 with the death of a marshal behind the spectator fencing, and in 2000 when a marshal was killed at Monza.

“Tethers are of great concern to us,” said McLaren’s engineering director Paddy Lowe.

“We discussed the issue at the Technical Working Group and we have agreed for next year to introduce a second tether on every corner,” he revealed to reporters during a teleconference.

Lucas di Grassi has survived an uncomfortable gaffe within the Virgin team.

After the Hockenheim race, the team’s press officer Tracy Novak reportedly presented both the Brazilian rookie and his teammate Timo Glock with proposed official quotes for the media release.

The normal practice in the team is for the drivers to make proposed changes in writing, before reporters receive the release by email.

Motorsport-total.com reveals that although it was probably a prank, di Grassi, 25, amended German Glock’s official comment.

The quote received by the media read: “It was a difficult start to the race as Lucas overtook me in a brilliant move”.

Glock said: “When I read it I was very surprised — I can guarantee I didn’t say it.”

The German report indicates that Virgin did not see the funny side either, particularly after di Grassi retired from the race due to hitting a kerb too hard.

The future of the Monaco grand prix is assured for the next ten years.

Bernie Ecclestone said recently that formula one could “do without” its famous annual round on the streets of the Principality.

Former driver Patrick Tambay surmised it was a ploy to drive the organisers’ fees “upwards”, and the Automobile Club de Monaco confirmed it is in “negotiations” with the F1 chief executive.

With a brief statement on Wednesday, Ecclestone’s Formula One Administration announced that a new contract has been agreed after a meeting in London with Michel Boeri, the Monaco club’s president.

“The next Monaco grand prix will take place on May 29, 2011,” the statement added.

A wet weekend of weather is forecast for the 2010 Hungarian grand prix.

After rain intervened on many occasions during last weekend’s Hockenheim event, forecasters now expect the same sort of weather to feature at the Hungaroring, the twisty venue near Budapest that is set to stage its 25th consecutive formula one race.

An official report by Ferrari on Wednesday indicated that rain is forecast for Friday, thunderstorms on Saturday and perhaps a drier day for the race.

Another weather report backed the Italian team’s forecast, predicting a 50-50 probability of a dry race.

The weather in the Hungarian capital is already rainy, and it is not expected to improve on Thursday, when the circus is due to hurriedly recongregate in the paddock just three clear days after the German grand prix.

The Hungarian grand prix, staged in Mogyorod about 20 kilometres north of Budapest, is usually hot and dry.

The FIA reports that no changes to the circuit have been made since 2009 “other than routine maintenance”.

Renault’s health is “fine” despite Bernie Ecclestone confirming the Enstone based team requested the early payment of its 2010 commercial revenues.
Team boss Eric Boullier revealed at Hockenheim that even though he asked the F1 chief executive for the loan, the other teams did not agree to the release of the monies.

“All that was was the fact that one of the (Renault) shareholders didn’t want to take money from another one of his companies because that would have meant convening a board meeting,” Ecclestone said in an interview with the Telegraph.

“But I never gave them the money. And they got over the crisis so everything is fine,” added the 79-year-old Briton.

Jenson Button has accepted a portion of the responsibility for Michael Schumacher’s lacklustre return to formula one this season.

The reigning world champion said Brawn GP, now Mercedes GP, developed the Brackley based team’s 2010 car according to his preference for understeer.

But at the last minute, Button switched to McLaren, while Mercedes made plans to host Schumacher’s comeback at the wheel of the W01 — a car whose basic characteristics the seven time world champion dislikes.

“Michael likes a very pointy car,” the 30-year-old Briton is quoted by Germany’s Sport Bild.

“But the Mercedes understeers pretty strongly,” said Button. “I was always happy with it that way.”

But he is not overly apologetic, given that his McLaren move “made it possible for Michael to come back”.

Button thinks the F1 world should not write Schumacher off until his performance in the 2011 car can be seen.

“He will have more influence on the development of the next car. This year (the 2010 car) was quite late for him — the fundamental characteristics were in place long before his signature,” he said.

The FIA is still not ready to set a date for the hearing about the Ferrari team orders affair.
It has been reported this week that the team’s one-two finish at Hockenheim will be considered during the regular World Motor Sport Council meeting in Como, Italy, on September 10.

But that date clashes with Friday free practice at Monza.

“The relevant committees are consulting about it (a date for the Ferrari hearing),” a spokesman for the Paris based federation is quoted in the German press.

Luca di Montezemolo could be set to leave Ferrari.

It is reported that French broadcaster TF1 is predicting a change at the top of the Maranello based team.

Italian Montezemolo, 62, joined Fiat in the 70s and worked as Enzo Ferrari’s assistant before running the famous team.

He became Ferrari president in 1991, but for several recent years has been linked with a move into politics.

Tipped to be Montezemolo’s successor is 34-year-old Andrea Agnelli, part of the famous Agnelli family and currently president of the Juventus football club.

However, earlier in July, Fiat denied similar rumours that appeared in the Milan newspaper Libero.

It would not have been “logical” to change Toro Rosso’s driver lineup for 2011, according to team boss Franz Tost.
With Sebastien Buemi now in his second full season with the Faenza based team, and Jaime Alguersuari not always shining during his 19 races so far, it had been rumoured that owner Red Bull was keen to promote its next rising youngster.

Daniel Ricciardo is Red Bull’s highly rated F1 reserve driver in 2010, but Tost admits the Australian was not at the top of his list for next season.

“We always intended to keep our two current drivers, based on their current form: it was always part of the plan, as they come from the Red Bull young driver programme and doing anything else would not be logical,” said the Austrian.

“Both of them, Jaime in particular, are still lacking much formula one experience and therefore, in order to get a true picture of their abilities, it is normal that we should continue with them.

“I also expect them to improve their performance in the second half of the season,” added Tost.

However, both Buemi and Alguersuari have made comments recently that seemed to question whether Red Bull was singing from Tost’s songsheet.

Indeed, Swiss Buemi, 21, has now confirmed that his contract is with the energy drinks company.

“I have a contract with Red Bull, and Red Bull let me drive at Toro Rosso. If I do well here then hopefully one day I will jump into the ‘big’ team,” he said.

“Obviously I want to make that jump as soon as possible, this is pretty clear, but they are having a fantastic season and I was having a lot of bad luck at the beginning of the year when they took the decision to retain Mark (Webber),” added Buemi.

“However, I am very optimistic that Toro Rosso will improve next year.”

Nick Heidfeld fits the bill to spearhead new tyre supplier Pirelli’s formula one tyre testing.
That is the opinion of Paul Hembery, the Italian marque’s competition boss, after German Heidfeld earlier this year said he would be interested in becoming the Pirelli tyre tester.

Pirelli, F1′s new official tyre supplier beginning next year, recently started testing its 2011 prototypes, but only with a GP2 car.

It is believed the marque will use a 2009 Toyota formula one car for its real development testing in the forthcoming months.

“We need an extremely experienced but also very fit driver, who can do 500 miles a day and not collapse afterwards. Heidfeld fits this profile very well and would be an ideal candidate,” Pembery told Germany’s Auto Bild.

Previously, on the basis of fairness to all the other teams, it was believed Heidfeld had been ruled out due to his ongoing role as Mercedes’ reserve driver.

Pembery added: “Until the last race in Abu Dhabi, we will do six tests with an F1 car from 2009.”

He said the tests will be held at venues including Monza, Barcelona, Jerez and Paul Ricard.

Pembery explained that the focus of the tests would not be laptimes, but the development of “consistent and reliable tyres”.