Mercedes could be “the big surprise” of the 2011 season, according to Andy Soucek.

Speaking to Marca in Spain, the former F2 champion and 2010 Virgin tester was asked to give his verdict about the looming world championship.

“I see it between the two Red Bulls and Alonso, but watch out for Mercedes, who seem likely to be the big surprise,” he said.

The Brackley based team apparently made a huge leap forwards with the W02′s upgrade package at the final Barcelona test, with Michael Schumacher clocking the fastest time of the week.

“I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races,” said Schumacher on Wednesday.

McLaren was the least reliable team of the 2011 pre-season.

An analysis by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport shows that, excluding HRT who did not run a new car at all during the winter tests, Ferrari’s 150 Italia did the most mileage.

And at the bottom of the ranking, behind Force India, Lotus and Virgin, is McLaren, having done almost half of Ferrari’s nearly 7000 kilometres.

“I’m not going to lie. It’s not the best way to go into the season,” admitted Jenson Button.

The MP4-26 was launched late after skipping the opening Valencia test, but it has since been plagued with exhaust, hydraulic and aerodynamic problems.

800 kilometres behind Ferrari on the mileage list is Red Bull, whose Christian Horner said the team has “never been so well prepared” for a new season.

Button insisted: “We are a long way down on it (mileage) but there is no point getting negative about it and down at this point of the season.”

Third best was Sauber, ahead of Mercedes, Toro Rosso, Renault and Williams.

Red Bull’s competition director Helmut Marko told the APA news agency that the development of Pirelli’s tyres this year will be crucial.

“There are going to be a lot more tyre pistops this year and when the safety car comes out at a bad time, the middle class teams could benefit,” he said.

The Austrian acknowledged that the teams and Bernie Ecclestone pushed for more tyre degradation to improve the show, but he said Pirelli has “not yet found the right balance”.

“From the middle of the season they will get it under control, so it should not be decisive for the entire year,” he added.

Fernando Alonso agrees that the Pirelli factor has perhaps been overstated recently.

“The best and fastest car will still win the title,” he is quoted by Autosprint.

“Strategy is going to be important, and a couple of times it will happen that maybe the fastest one has the wrong strategy.

“But over 19 races, the most important thing is to have a fast car,” added the Ferrari driver.

Pirelli wants to use the services of Pedro de la Rosa for one last time.

The veteran Spaniard, who was the Italian tyre marque’s main tester for the development of this year’s tyres, has now returned to his former role as McLaren reserve driver for 2011.

But Pirelli has vowed to continue to make improvements to the current generation of tyres and wants de la Rosa to be on duty one last time.

“Our first test is in April and it would be ideal for Pedro to do it before he leaves,” Pirelli’s Paul Hembery is quoted in Spanish by the as.com website.

“We have made some modifications to the (2009) Toyota and as Pedro has driven it I would like him to compare (the changes),” he added.

Bernie Ecclestone has continued to argue that ten teams is a better number for formula one.

The F1 chief executive was a staunch critic of the sport’s three new stragglers last year, but he has since said Team Lotus is a worthy competitor.

“I’m very happy that they are back,” Ecclestone told the BBC. “They will get on their feet and then sponsors will be attracted to them and we’ll see them grow.

“Frank Williams was like that years ago,” added the 80-year-old.

As for Virgin and HRT, however, he told Reuters late last season that “one or two of them (the new teams) shouldn’t be there perhaps … it’s a bit rich for their blood”.

When asked how the 2011 season will be for them, he answered simply: “Difficult.

“Twelve teams is too many. Ten is enough,” added Ecclestone.

A report in Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo said the Briton actually wants to drop the limit for the maximum number of teams from 13 to 10 for the new 2013 Concorde agreement.

The report said Ecclestone thinks ten is a better number to financially look after the teams and ensure there are enough good sponsors to go around.

Technical boss Mike Gascoyne said he is determined to move Team Lotus forward this year.

“Formula one is about competition, it’s the peak of motor sport, you shouldn’t be there as a spare part,” he said.

Virgin has also vowed to raise its game but had the slowest 2011 car in recent testing, while HRT will only run its new car for the first time in Melbourne next Friday.

Referring to 2010, Virgin boss John Booth said: “We thought F1 was achievable the way we were doing it, and we thought it was a wonderful thing. But you soon get the wake-up call, don’t you?”

F1′s governing body is seeking to solve a visa problem ahead of the Chinese grand prix next month.

The Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat reports that the visa documentation for many of the sport’s travelling personnel is late.

After the FIA’s head of communications Matteo Bonciani wrote to Shanghai race organiser Juss Event this week, the reply admitted that the visa application process for 2011 “will be a little time-consuming”.

“Once we get the notice from the Shanghai foreign affair office, we will immediately inform the applicants,” the letter added.

The letter also said visa invitation letters have been sent to Chinese embassies and consulates “as far as I know”.

The immediate future of the Belgian grand prix seemed secure on Thursday.

It was announced that Shell, the Dutch global oil giant and Ferrari sponsor, has inked a “multi-year” deal to be the title sponsor of the popular Spa-Francorchamps race.

The historic event in the Belgian Ardennes was said to have been endangered for financial reasons.

“The formula one Shell Belgian grand prix is a cornerstone of the world championship calendar,” said Shell Retail executive vice president John Bullock.

Shell also recently renewed its long-standing partnership with Ferrari until 2015.

German prosecutors are likely to seek an interview with Bernie Ecclestone as they investigate F1′s 2006 takeover.

It is the latest development following the jailing in Munich of banker Gerhard Gribkowsky surrounding his mysterious receipt of $50 million, with German media suspecting it may have been paid by F1 chief executive Ecclestone.

British sources including Sky, the Telegraph and the Times report that Ecclestone, 80, is expected to be questioned.

The Briton, who has denied making the payment but is understood to have retained a team of German lawyers, was not available for comment.

It is also not known when the questioning will take place or whether it will be in the UK or Germany, but if it is the latter, Ecclestone is likely to seek assurances that he will not also be detained.

The Telegraph said Ecclestone has not yet been contacted but will be “happy to assist with the investigation”.

F1′s owner CVC, who have also denied involvement in the Gribkowsky payment, recently commissioned a separate investigation into the takeover which reportedly cleared it of wrongdoing.

CVC declined to comment.

The Sauber F1 Team and Mitsubishi Electric have not simply extended their six-year partnership, they have expanded it. Mitsubishi Electric will be Technical Partner with immediate effect. In the course of this cooperation, Mitsubishi Electric will continue to equip the Swiss team with die-sinking and wire-cutting eroding machines. More recently, it has also been supplying robots for laminating carbon components. The Mitsubishi logo appears on the transporters, press releases and pit screens.

Team Principal Peter Sauber comments: “Mitsubishi Electric has been a key partner for the past six years. Mitsubishi Electric has already made an important technological contribution by supplying the team with eroding machines, and this cooperation will now be extended to laminating robots. As far as I’m concerned, it is particularly valuable that this long-standing partnership has stood the test of time even during this period, which has been difficult for us.”

“We are very pleased that after six years as a partner of the Sauber F1 Team, our cooperation for the future will be even more intensive,” says Hans-Jürgen Pelzers, Sales Department Manager Mechatronics EDM/Laser. “In addition to supplying the team with eroding machines, we will be using advanced engineering to expand production with industrial robots and thereby become fit for the future. Mitsubishi Electric is a leading world-class company in all technical areas and this is an extremely good fit with our Formula 1 commitment. The fact that Kamui Kobayashi is on board as a Japanese driver is an additional incentive.”

The eroding systems of the world market leader Mitsubishi Electric are employed in conventional tool and mould-making, as well as in medical engineering and aerospace.

Mitsubishi Electric is a market leader for factory automation in Asia and a leading global player. They are first choice for premium quality, high speed and precision. System components, robots, PLCs, drive systems, HMI, switch gear or software – Mitsubishi Electric offers innovative solutions for all industrial applications from a single source.

Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. is a fully-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation headquartered in Tokyo with a total workforce of more than 109,565 employees in more than 30 countries. Sales for fiscal 2010 exceeded US$ 29 billion.

Jaime Alguersuari has admitted to wanting to move to Red Bull next year after Mark Webber’s contract expires.

On Monday, Red Bull announced it has signed up Sebastian Vettel, Adrian Newey and 50 other crucial team figures through 2014, but not Australian Webber whose deal runs out at the end of this season.

Meanwhile at Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso, drivers Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi are set to fight for both survival and stardom in 2011, with one expected to get the call to replace Webber and the other to be replaced by hotshoe Daniel Ricciardo.

Asked if the currently vacant 2012 seat at Red Bull is his goal, Alguersuari told El Mundo: “Of course that’s the first target.

“That is clear, very clear. Having a great car is the most important thing and Red Bull’s is the best,” he added.

Monday’s Red Bull news created the impression that Webber’s tenure is racing towards an end, and the Australian hinted recently that he covets a move to Ferrari.

“Driving those red cars has always held that romantic attraction,” Webber is quoted by the Herald Sun.

Lewis Hamilton’s decision about his new manager is not just about formula one, the 2008 world champion has admitted.
The McLaren driver on Monday said signing up with XIX Entertainment is because its chief Simon Fuller “shared my ambitions for the longer term”.

Fuller is famous for creating American Idol and its spinoffs, managing the Spice Girls and coming up with Honda’s ‘earth car’ concept of 2007.

A report in Germany’s Bild newspaper said Hamilton “Wants to get away from having purely an athletic image”.

26-year-old Hamilton, whose girlfriend is Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, confirmed: “I’m open to music and film.”

Fernando Alonso does not think his former team McLaren is set to endure a season in the midfield in 2011.

When asked by El Pais newspaper about the British squad’s apparently uncompetitive MP4-26 car, the Ferrari driver answered: “They’re better than they look.

“Winter testing doesn’t explain anything. They say themselves that they are expecting a little more, so perhaps they will be at a similar level to the best (in Australia) and then go on ahead.

“When we get there, we’ll see. McLaren are not going to be fighting for tenth place, but rather (for) the podium,” added Alonso.

Meanwhile, when asked about F1 drivers’ complaints about the extreme degradation of the Pirelli tyres, Alonso said his main concern is the effect on braking.

“Before (with Bridgestone), you would come to the end of the straight and step on the brake with all your strength. Now if you do that, you block the wheels, especially the rears.

“The traction is also worse. Before you would step on the accelerator quickly out of a corner, but now it’s more measured. You have to be much more sensitive,” he explained.

Fernando Alonso has denied asking Ferrari to poach Pat Fry from McLaren.

Ferrari signed the former McLaren designer last year, while Alonso – who worked with Fry during his ill-fated single season with the British team in 2007 – was racing his first year with the famous Maranello based marque.

“When he arrived, he (Fry) brought new ideas, another way of working, fresh air,” Spaniard Alonso said during an interview with El Pais newspaper.

For 2011, Fry has taken over the chief engineering post formerly occupied by Chris Dyer, who took the blame for the championship-losing bungled strategy decision in Abu Dhabi.

Alonso said that, in contrast, “When making a decision, there was nothing that caught him (Fry) by surprise. It’s what we needed,” he insisted.

But when asked if he played a role in Fry’s recruitment, the two-time champion said: “No. I was told about it the day before it was announced.”

Norbert Haug has played down claims Mercedes would only retain Michael Schumacher beyond 2012 with a cut-price deal.

Haug was quoted in Germany last weekend that the marque will ink a new deal for 2013 “with pleasure” but only if the price is right.

“This was a reader’s question in a live chat that I gave last Saturday and the wink was not broadcast live,” Haug explained to the SID news agency.

Haug said the “wink” was a reference to the remark about price, not Mercedes’ willingness to discuss Schumacher’s future beyond 2012.

“We are very pleased with Michael and very proud of his skill and experience,” he insisted.

“And if he wants to carry on in formula one after 2012, we will very happily speak with him about it,” added Haug.

After the disappointment of Schumacher’s F1 return last year, he said there is “no doubt” the 42-year-old is still a top driver.

“Most drivers during the test in Barcelona practiced a qualifying lap,” said Haug when asked about Schumacher’s best time of the week in the updated W02.

“One or two in the field could probably have gone faster, but probably he (Schumacher) and Nico Rosberg could have as well,” he insisted.

“We have no doubt that Michael Schumacher is still absolutely competitive.”

The combined timesheet from the final test of the 2011 pre-season makes interesting reading just over a week before the season begins.

With Mercedes’ admittedly “basic” launch car finally fully updated, it was seven time world champion Michael Schumacher leading the charts.

“Whether we have done enough or not is difficult to say,” team boss Ross Brawn told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper.

The Briton admits he had felt “nervous” when the W02 was a second off the pace and so much was riding on the major Barcelona upgrade.

“It was hard to keep calm, and I was constantly reminding the team to stick to the plan. In situations like that, it’s tempting to react and waste resources,” said Brawn.

Schumacher told El Pais newspaper: “All I can say is that we finally found the right balance and the aerodynamic package works. As for whether we will be in front in Australia, I don’t know.”

With the second best lap of the Circuit de Catalunya last week was Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, ahead of Sergio Perez in the impressive Sauber.

The fastest Red Bull (5th) was Sebastian Vettel, with Mark Webber just eleventh best.

“Throughout my career,” said veteran Rubens Barrichello, “I have never seen a pre-season that is so difficult to interpret.

“What you can say is that Red Bull and Ferrari seem to be in front, while Williams has improved,” the Williams driver told O Estado de S.Paulo, “but I am sure there are some cards hidden up sleeves.”

Also with notably good laps in Barcelona were Renault and Toro Rosso, while the best McLaren driver was Lewis Hamilton in just fourteenth place.

Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus, meanwhile, was faster than either of the Force India drivers, while in the absence of Timo Glock, rookie Jerome d’Ambrosio brought up the timesheets in the sluggish new Virgin.