Vitaly Petrov has a solid contract with Renault for 2012, but the Russian’s manager says she is already negotiating with other teams.
Oksana Kosaczenko told f1news.ru that there is no danger 26-year-old Petrov will not see out his Renault contract, even in the event of Robert Kubica’s return to formula one.

“We are talking with sponsors and negotiating with teams,” she said. “Life does not end after the 2012 season.”

Kosaczenko would not divulge the names of the teams she has spoken to, but said Petrov is developing well at Renault despite the team’s “shortcomings”.

A return to formula one by Robert Kubica would be proceeded by a series of private track tests, according to F1news.ru.
The report quoted Renault team boss Eric Boullier as saying the tests could take place as soon as “the end of the summer”, after Pole Kubica hinted last week that he might be fit to race at the Brazil season finale.

“I like to have a goal when it’s a reasonable one,” he said. “We’ll see how the next few months go in terms of the rehabilitation process evolution and then we’ll take a decision in due time.”

And Boullier is quoted as saying: “We often talk with Robert. He feels good, but the recovery from damaged nerves always takes time.

“I think at the end of the summer the final phase of recovery will begin. Then it will become clearer when he can return.”

As for the private track tests, the Frenchman added: “We have something planned for the fall.”

Luca di Montezemolo has slammed F1′s constantly changing rules.

The Ferrari president was referring to the recent British grand prix, at which the saga surrounding the evolving blown exhaust regulations was denounced as the “biggest farce ever” by outspoken Niki Lauda.

“Unfortunately we have to deal with a carousel of changes to the regulations, which does not help us,” Montezemolo told Sky Italia this week as he insisted the famous Maranello team will push ahead with its 2011 car project.

“Once, the rules were changed after every year, then it was every six months, now they change within a weekend,” he added.

Montezemolo said Ferrari contributed to the solution of the blown exhaust saga at Silverstone even though it disadvantaged the famous team.

“The situation was paradoxical,” he is quoted by La Stampa, “but sometimes you have to put aside your personal interests. We want what is good for formula one.”

But he is quoted by Turun Sanomat newspaper: “This must definitely end. Rules should be made to last. Ferrari will definitely take up this issue with the rule makers.”

Meanwhile, Montezemolo confirmed once again that Felipe Massa’s 2012 contract will be honoured.

“Are the rumours about Felipe false? Absolutely. This is the period for these stories but the (Ferrari) drivers will be the same next year,” he said.

HRT’s new owner is already making changes at the struggling Spanish team.
The sports daily AS reports that the team’s former owner is no longer involved in any way, contrary to earlier speculation that Jose Ramon Carabante’s son Jose would be installed in a senior management role.

The newspaper also said new owner Thesan Capital, a Madrid-based investment company, has dispensed with the team’s media boss Alba Saiz.

And the team name Hispania will no longer be deployed by Thesan in formula one, as a new silver logo bearing the words ‘HRT Formula One Team’ is debuted.

AS said the immediate changes are the result of an analysis carried out by Thesan since early July, involving the visit to Silverstone of former Minardi driver Luis Perez Sala.

The report also said Thesan was upset with the way its takeover was announced by Hispania, such as the claim that the “current team and directors” would be retained.

More changes and the team’s new image are expected to become clearer at the Nurburgring this weekend, AS added.

The Nurburgring aims to stay on the formula one calendar beyond 2011 by renegotiating the financial terms of its contract.
With the Rhineland-Palatinate state now run by a SPD/Green coalition, minister Eveline Lemke on Monday said that despite the contract running through 2016, this weekend’s race will be the last one supported financially by the government.

“The conditions at the moment generate high and no longer acceptable losses,” DPA news agency quotes circuit operator Jorg Lindner as saying.

“So there will only be a continuation of the great and legendary tradition of formula one at the Nurburgring if a future contract includes economically and politically acceptable conditions,” he added.

And minister Lemke is quoted by the Financial Times Deutschland: “Whether this weekend’s race will be the last depends on the demands of Bernie Ecclestone.”

A quirk of 2011-style formula one is that Jaime Alguersuari is hoping to qualify poorly for the German grand prix.

At the first five grands prix of the season, the Toro Rosso driver was always in Q2 and even Q3 but failed to go on to score a single point.

But in Canada, Valencia and Silverstone, 21-year-old Spaniard consecutively failed to progress out of Q1 yet went on to score points on all three occasions.

“I wouldn’t mind not going into Q2 and qualifying eighteenth at the Nurburging,” he told Radio Nacional de Espana. “That way I keep a set of tyres.”

18th is the highest grid position possible without graduating into Q2 and having to use a further set of Pirelli tyres.

“I am sure about it because at first I did the opposite and it was very bad,” said Alguersuari. “I’d prefer not to qualify, have a good race car and finish in the points.”

Alguersuari, meanwhile, thinks Sebastian Vettel is right on course for the 2011 title.

“For me, the championship is decided already,” he said. “This year the Red Bulls don’t break down and, compared to us, are in a different galaxy.”

F1 teams have discussed the possibility of allowing some in-season circuit testing in 2012.
FIA president Jean Todt said recently that the current blanket ban is “stupid” and teams should be allowed to do a few tests during the season in 2012.

A report at France’s autohebdo.fr said the teams, who must agree to the rule change for next year, discussed relaxing the test ban during a meeting at Silverstone.

But the talks “have made little progress”, the report said.

Williams technical director Sam Michael is quoted as confirming: “There has not yet been a vote, just some ideas about having a test for young drivers during the season.

“It (testing) was on the table but we had many other things to deal with (at Silverstone),” added the Australian, referring to the V6 engine rules and the blown exhaust saga.

Williams has not been notified officially about the legal action filed by NASCAR team Michael Waltrip Racing. It was reported at the weekend that MWR is suing Grove-based Williams because it negotiated and hired new chief engineer Mike Coughlan while the Briton was already under contract. “We are aware that a complaint was filed by Michael Waltrip Racing against the team and Mike Coughlan,” the team is quoted as saying by France’s autohebdo.fr. “We were not notified of any pending court process,” added Williams.

The blown exhaust saga has been a political rather than a technical argument.
That is the view of Mario Illien, the former designer of Mercedes’ formula one engines who now as an outsider admitted to watching the Silverstone saga unfold.

During the British grand prix weekend, teams argued about the FIA’s clampdown on the grounds that limiting off-throttle blowing too much risked damaging the engines.

“That’s not an issue. It’s an argument, but it really is not an issue,” Illien is quoted by ennstal-classic.at. “These were political statements.”

He also played down continuing fears that, with F1 now having scrapped its plans for four-cylinder engines, the V6 turbos of 2014 will also not sound as good as the current V8s.

“I don’t think it’s an issue,” said Illien. “The noise of a V6 turbo is fine.”

He also refused to rule out following the footsteps of Craig Pollock’s PURE in designing a V6 engine for F1.

“I can’t say yet. If a manufacturer wants an engine from us, then I would definitely be interested in a long-term project.”

F1 figures have admitted they are not keen on proposals to put a roof above the heads of the sport’s drivers.

After the incidents involving Felipe Massa and the late Henry Surtees in 2009, technical chiefs started looking into the possibility of jet fighter-style canopies or polycarbonate screens for the cars’ cockpits.

The FIA has released a video (http://vimeo.com/26098946) showing a F1 wheel being fired at 225kph at a jet-fighter canopy and a proposed cockpit screen.

“Full scientific results of the firings … have now been presented to the formula one technical working group,” the video revealed.

1992 world champion and occasional F1 steward Nigel Mansell admitted: “I don’t know if I’d like to see that. It wouldn’t really be formula one,” he is quoted by ennstal-classic.at.

Another former driver Marc Surer agrees: “It would be very warm in there, and then the next problem is needing an air conditioner. And imagine if KERS fails and the vapours get into the cockpit.”

Christian Danner said: “The visibility of the drivers will be affected by the reflection.”

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug told Bild am Sonntag newspaper: “We are always interested in the advancement of safety. It’s an interesting experiment but I feel that a single seater cockpit needs to be open.”

Nico Rosberg added: “It sounds good. Anything that increases safety is a step forward.”

Nico Hulkenberg has admitted it is crucial for him to return to the formula one grid in 2012.
After making a solid debut in 2010 with Williams, the 23-year-old German was replaced for this season by Pastor Maldonado.

“The timing of the decision was not perfect, because all of the other seats were already taken,” he said.

Hulkenberg rescued his career by moving to Force India with a deal that involves him driving during Friday morning practice at every grand prix in 2011.

“The test driving is not much and it’s frustrating, but it’s better than nothing,” he said in an interview with Dutch magazine Formule 1. “Luckily I can at least drive on Fridays.

“This one season is not fatal to my career, but next year I have to have a race seat. Otherwise it’s difficult for me,” insisted Hulkenberg.

Sebastien Buemi’s place at Toro Rosso appears safe for now.
After teammate Jaime Alguersuari put in a string of good results, reports suggested Swiss Buemi, 22, is now most in danger of losing his full-time seat to Daniel Ricciardo in 2012.

But Blick newspaper quotes Red Bull’s driver manager Dr Helmut Marko as saying: “Buemi is definitely better than his current results.”

The Swiss publication also quoted Buemi as expressing confidence in himself.

“I have confidence with the car, I’m fast — but luck is sometimes just not with you. Eventually it will come back to me,” he said.

Meanwhile, Buemi has celebrated with his grandfather Georges Gachnang, who has restored the Cooper Monaco in which he contested Le Mans in 1960.

“Without his passion, I would not have become a racing driver,” he said.

Peter Sauber has revealed he is happy with the performance of his Swiss formula one team so far in 2011.
After a difficult season in 2010 following BMW’s withdrawal, Sauber is currently sixth in the constructors’ championship behind Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault.

“We are well ahead of our direct rivals Toro Rosso, Force India and Williams,” the team owner and boss wrote in a column for Sonntagsblick newspaper.

“I am particularly pleased that at the last race at Silverstone we were clearly ahead of Renault and on a par with Mercedes. It has paid off for us to build a car that treats the tyres gently.”

Peter Sauber said the Hinwil based team is happy with its drivers Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi and hinted that both will be retained.

“Kamui has grown into a good leadership role and Sergio has shown that he is not only fast but can also race very consistently. For the future, in this respect, I am very much relaxed!” he wrote.

“Overall we have done a good job this year so far even if we have a lot of untapped potential in qualifying.

“Our team has stabilised significantly over the past year in every respect, which is the basis for us to continue to move towards the front,” said Sauber.

Nico Rosberg has admitted he is hoping for some of the Nurburgring’s famous weather to strike this weekend.
“So far we do not have a really top car but the weather could be a chance for us to do a bit better,” the Mercedes driver, during a visit to the DTM show event on Sunday at Munich’s Olympic Stadium, is quoted by SID news agency.

The early weather reports are indeed calling for more rain in the Eifel mountains throughout this week and into the German grand prix weekend.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton on Friday recalled his first Nurburgring race in 2007, when a huge downpour struck a few laps in.

“The weather (at the circuit) can turn in a matter of moments — you can have all the seasons in one afternoon,” he said.

Michael Schumacher insists his crashes this season are a mark of his push to the front of the grid rather than a sign he is no longer fully focused.

Some commentators have observed that the seven time world champion has been involved in more incidents since he returned to F1 last year as compared with his ultra-successful first career spanning a record 91 victories.

“Each of the collisions this season had a different reason,” the 42-year-old German responded to Auto Motor und Sport.

“I’m no different to before and certainly not unfocused. Believe me, I have found some unfortunate situations unnecessary and would gladly have avoided them.

“I am just fighting as hard as I can to get to the front, and for that I have to take some risks,” added Schumacher.