Vijay Mallya appears increasingly unlikely to choose an Indian driver for his formula one team any time soon.
Three months ahead of the inaugural grand prix in Delhi, the Force India chief has engaged in a public spat with the populous country’s only two Indian grand prix drivers.

“I can only feel very sorry for them,” said Mallya, referring to Karun Chandhok, Team Lotus’ reserve and Friday driver, and Narain Karthikeyan, who has lost his race seat at Hispania.

“They are getting drives by the teams who clearly can’t compete,” he added.

“If that’s what they want to do, drive a formula one car for the sake of driving a formula one car and winding up at the back, I can’t do anything about it.”

Mallya is running a search for a new Indian star, insisting that “There has got to be good, raw talent in India and I am determined to go find it”.

The criticism earned a pointed rebuke by Chandhok, whose father Vicky is a leading Indian motor racing official.

“I think it’s a bit sad that in one breath the chairman of our Indian ASN (Mallya) is talking about how much he has done for Indian drivers and then in the next breath he is criticising India’s only two formula one drivers,” Chandhok is quoted by Reuters.

“If you are going to criticise people, at least do it with some facts,” he added. “Having never tested either Narain or myself in one of his cars, he doesn’t have the facts.”

Chandhok also slammed Mallya’s driver search programme, insisting that “You are not going to find the next Indian star by running events in single-engined four-stroke rental karts on 400 metre tracks made out of concrete”.

Hugo Boss is getting some of the best value for money as a formula one sponsor, a leading sponsorship consultancy firm has found.

The evaluation by Cologne based Sport Und Markt compared brand awareness versus the amount spent by F1 sponsors in 2010.

The result showed that fashion brand Hugo Boss, a long-time McLaren sponsor, had among the most efficient investments in F1, reaching 4.9 million people for its $3.1 million annual spend.

The very best however was Hewlett-Packard, reaching 6.6 million people by spending just $1.5 million for its minor Renault branding.

Allianz comes in at 11th place, Puma 14th and Mercedes-Benz far behind in 23rd, because each person reached cost the German marque a considerable $4.78.

Also struggling for sponsorship efficiency is DHL, one of F1′s official partners, ranking 32nd with its $10 million annually buying recognition among only 300,000 people.

A spokeswoman insisted to German business newspaper Handelsblatt: “This long-term partnership is for us one of the most powerful marketing platforms.”

Ferrari will evaluate Sergio Perez during a test with the Italian team’s 2009 car later this year.

Mexican rookie Perez, backed strongly by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, is making his formula one debut in 2011 for the Ferrari powered Swiss team Sauber.

The 21-year-old, like French GP2 driver and Ferrari reserve Jules Bianchi, is also a leading member of Ferrari’s driver development academy.

The pair are tipped as possible long-term replacements for Felipe Massa.

Driver academy director Luca Baldisserri announced this week that Perez and Bianchi will be testing at Mugello or Fiorano in September.

“I think they will both be very motivated and for us it will be the perfect opportunity to assess both drivers,” he said.

Red Bull team figures were out in force on Wednesday, playing down links with Kimi Raikkonen and suggesting Mark Webber will be staying in 2012.

It has been reported that the energy drink owned team had targeted world rally and NASCAR driver Raikkonen, F1′s 2007 world champion and a former race winner for McLaren and Ferrari, for next year after Australian Webber openly ignored team orders during the British grand prix on Sunday.

But team owner Dietrich Mateschitz is quoted by the German news agency SID: “There is still no doubt about Mark’s contract extension.

“He feels comfortable with us and within the team is very popular,” he told the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten.

“He can not get a better car, and we can not get a better driver from the market,” added Mateschitz.

Team boss Christian Horner was reportedly furious with Webber’s insubordination at Silverstone, but Mateschitz seems less bothered.

“I understand that he wanted to come further forward; he would be a bad racer if he did not try,” said the billionaire.

As for the Raikkonen rumours, Mateschitz’s F1 right-hand man Dr Helmut Marko told TZ: “Kimi Raikkonen is not and will not be an issue for us. He definitely will not drive at Red Bull.

“These rumours are far-fetched and total nonsense,” added the Austrian.

Marko added that when Red Bull is ready to replace Webber, it will be with a driver from the company’s own talent pool.

Eric Boullier has dismissed speculation that Robert Kubica will not return to the Renault lineup this year even if the Pole is fully recovered.
It has been rumoured that, presumably in the interest of continuity, the Enstone based team plans to definitely conclude the 2011 season with substitute Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of the R31.

“The situation is very clear,” team boss Boullier told the Polish publication Sport.

“We have an agreement with Robert and Nick is well aware that if Robert is recovered and able to come back, he will come back. End of story,” said the Frenchman.

“There is no other possibility,” he insisted. “I should know as I am the man who signed the contract!

“Robert is improving very quickly. After the last surgery he had to relax for some time but now he is pushing really hard. I haven’t seen him lately but I’ve spoken to him a bit.

“I am also in constant contact with his manager Daniele Morelli and Dr Ceccarelli, who says that the situation is better than expected,” said Boullier.

As for Morelli’s recent claim that Kubica might return in Brazil this year, Boullier replied: “I hope so. That’s all I can say.”

There have also been reports recently about tension between Kubica’s management and the bosses at Renault.

“I can tell you one thing. Soon the communication between Robert and the media will begin. It seems that after this race (Britain) we will organise something,” said Boullier.

As in 2010, Abu Dhabi is set to host a young drivers’ test later this year.
But unlike last year, the event – seeing inexperienced youngsters entrusted with F1 teams’ grand prix cars – will not take place immediately after the season finale, according to a report by Italiaracing.

Indeed, in 2011, Brazil is scheduled to host the last round of the championship in late November.

It means the young drivers’ test at Abu Dhabi will take place two weeks before the season concludes, after the Yas Marina event in the middle of 2011′s penultimate month.

Italian magazine Autosprint is linking Red Bull’s aerodynamics chief Peter Prodromou with a move to Mercedes GP.
The dominant RB7′s creator Adrian Newey is not interested in switching camps for now, but 42-year-old Prodromou also worked closely alongside the talented Briton at McLaren.

Also rumoured this week is that Ferrari’s new technical boss Pat Fry is working on moving two key engineers to the famous Italian team from his former employer McLaren.

Finland’s Turun Sanomat and other newspapers even named Fry’s apparent targets: senior aerodynamicist Rupad Darekar and CFD expert Ioannis Veloudis.

Sources at Ferrari neither confirmed nor denied the speculation.

Much of the credit for Fernando Alonso’s Silverstone win has been credited to recent aerodynamic improvements.

“Now with better aerodynamics and better understanding of the tyres, we will constantly improve,” Alonso’s race engineer Andrea Stella said.

Meanwhile, Italiaracing reports that Force India is in talks with Williams’ departing technical director Sam Michael.

A temporary chicane will not be added to the layout of the Brazilian grand prix circuit in November.
Following recent fatalities at Interlagos’ Cafe corner, circuit improvements – requiring the removal of a grandstand – will not be done until after F1′s 2011 finale.

In the next few weeks, stock car and other formative series will use a temporary chicane to ensure the safety of competitors at the Sao Paulo venue.

“F1 … will not use the chicane,” clarified a report in the local O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

Niki Lauda has slammed the “farce” of the Silverstone exhaust blown saga, questioning the motivation of the governing FIA.
Throughout the British grand prix weekend, the rules about off-throttle engine exhaust blowing changed several times, with many observers wondering if the dominance of the Red Bull team was being directly targeted.

“If that was so, it would be the greatest insolence. You can not punish someone just because he is better,” triple world champion Lauda told Germany’s N-TV, referring to world championship leader Sebastian Vettel.

As for the Silverstone scandal, the great Austrian said it was “the biggest farce ever”.

“Why change the rules in the middle of a season? The crucial thing is that absolutely no one was protesting; the practice (of exhaust blowing) was tacitly accepted by all the teams.

“Suddenly the FIA and Charlie Whiting had the idea to change the rules in the middle of the season. I personally don’t understand it.”

Lauda said he was relieved when, late on Sunday, it emerged that the FIA had accepted the teams’ unanimous request to return to the pre-clampdown rules of Valencia.

“I very much hope that this absurdity stops now and we and the audience know at the Nurburgring in two weeks exactly what the rules are,” he added.

Ross Brawn has revealed that Mercedes will consider its driver lineup for 2012 “later in the season”.

Michael Schumacher is under contract to stay alongside Nico Rosberg next year, but there has been speculation that the seven time world champion might call time on his mixed return to formula one at the end of 2011.

“He has a three year contract with Mercedes, and we are very happy with him,” team boss Brawn told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

“But if he feels that he doesn’t want to do it any more, then we need to talk about it. You can’t force somebody to do something.

“But we believe in him; he’s an important part of our team,” added the Briton.

Asked directly if Mercedes still wanted to work with Schumacher in 2012, Brawn insisted: “Yes, of course. We will get together later in the season.”

He said Rosberg is “definitely” the best teammate Schumacher has ever had.

“Sometimes it’s like the young Michael Schumacher is standing before me,” said Brawn. “He goes about his job with an incredible intensity, he has no emotional weaknesses and is incredibly talented.

“Perhaps the situation would be a little easier for Michael if he had a teammate who was not so incredibly strong. But both can learn many things from each other, and everyone is up to the challenge.”

Red Bull will make a decision about its 2012 driver lineup in late August, team boss Christian Horner has announced.

Before the British grand prix, it seemed near certain that Australian Mark Webber would be retained to race next season alongside Sebastian Vettel, who is under long-term contract.

But 34-year-old Webber then ignored team orders towards the end of the Silverstone race, prompting Horner to schedule private talks.

“He risked the second place of Sebastian, his third place and 33 points for the team,” Briton Horner said in an interview with Bild newspaper.

The team boss sounded angry about Webber’s behaviour.

“I understand that he’s racing, but he also absolutely unnecessarily risked a crash. If all 500 people in the team thought only of themselves, we could never achieve our goals,” he charged.

Asked directly if Webber has endangered his 2012 seat, Horner answered: “We will meet in late August and take a decision together.”

As for the requirements for Vettel’s teammate next year, Horner said: “He must bring harmony to the team.”

He then voluntarily referred to this week’s speculation about Kimi Raikkonen.

“I think his head is in a different place than formula one at the moment. So far I’ve seen no signs that he wants to come back.

“We don’t have a driver problem; everyone in the pitlane is already beating on our door, and we have time,” said Horner.

Organisers of the 2012 US grand prix are expected to receive permission to start constructing the pit and paddock buildings this week. It emerged earlier that although digging and tunnel work has begun at the Austin site, permission for actual building construction is yet to be granted for the Circuit of the Americas project. But a Travis County official told the Austin American Statesman that developers will imminently get permits “to work on the facility’s most complex buildings”. Track officials are also set to meet with the county. “I’m assuming this is a routine meeting with them. We’ve had the same types of meetings before,” said project attorney Richard Suttle. Next year’s inaugural US grand prix in Texas is provisionally scheduled to take place on June 17. “We hope to have the work done in time for all necessary inspection for having a race (in June), and right now we think we can,” added Suttle. “We’re under way. We’ve got a schedule, and we intend to stick to it.”

Mark Webber’s manager has refused to back the Australian’s stance against Red Bull’s imposition of team orders at Silverstone last weekend.
Britain’s Sun newspaper says Australian Webber, 34, “put his job at risk” by openly ignoring boss Christian Horner’s instruction to end his challenge on teammate Sebastian Vettel towards the end of the British grand prix.

“I wasn’t happy with that (order) because you should never give up in F1,” Webber said on Monday.

Although the winner of six grands prix effectively handles his own career with his partner Ann, former Renault boss Flavio Briatore is still involved as a manager.

He told Italy’s Sky Sport 24 that he thinks Red Bull was justified in asking Webber to hold station.

“Welcome to F1,” Briatore is quoted as saying. “I would have done the same.

“If you’re playing for a world championship, you have to take decisions and drivers need to understand that it’s not your car and it’s a team of hundreds of people. They (drivers) need to respect that,” he added.

Briatore’s other charge, Fernando Alonso, won the British grand prix but the flamboyant Italian does not believe Ferrari can chase down Vettel.

“He (Alonso) might be second or third in the end, but he has no chance of winning because the championship is over already.”

Lewis Hamilton has won his bid for a breather this week after complaining at Silverstone about his busy off-track schedule.

At the end of an arduous media and sponsor regime ahead of his home grand prix, the Briton had warned that McLaren “are going to be shocked” when they hear his demands for a new contract beyond 2012.

“I will be doing a lot less work. There is definitely a danger of burn-out,” said the 2008 world champion.

Hamilton then revealed on Monday that he refused to do two additional days of appearances early this week.

“I was supposed to be working today and tomorrow but I said ‘no way’ because I’ve been in England for the last week or so and it has been quite busy here.

“It’s great to get home and put my feet up and watch the telly,” he said.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh admits Hamilton is feeling overworked.

“I think Lewis has done too much coming into this grand prix,” he said.

“We’ve managed to organise a bit of a break for Lewis before Germany, which I know he wants,” added Whitmarsh, who said F1 drivers also get “a big break” during the factory shutdown in August.

It appears one of Hamilton’s cancelled appearances was a scheduled trip on Wednesday to India, with Calcutta’s Telegraph reporting that the Briton’s “visit is off”.

“I was supposed to be flying to India for a day on Wednesday, in and out within a day. Fortunately, for some reason, it got cancelled,” said Hamilton. “So that’s good.”

Clouds still linger above the health of the 2012 US grand prix project.
Progress at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin appeared brighter last week, when the state’s $25m annual subsidy was signed off by the council and a legal action brought by a group of disgruntled taxpayers was dropped.

But the local Austin American Statesman newspaper now reports that a meeting of the event’s quasi-governmental Local Organising Committee was on Monday mysteriously called off.

The vote of the committee is apparently required as the next step in race organisers receiving the state funds.

“As recently as late June, the local lawyer representing the F1 efforts told the city council the project’s finances could be imperilled if the committee met later than the July fourth weekend,” read the report.

And a freelance reporter has been quoted by KUT News as revealing that organisers do not yet have permission to build the circuit pits and other buildings.

Jacob Dirr said “All they can do is start pouring the track, build a couple of tunnels and keep pushing dirt around”.