Renault team owner Gerard Lopez has admitted he is disappointed with Nick Heidfeld.

“We expected more from him,” the Genii Capital chief is quoted as saying by Brazil’s Globo Esporte.

German veteran Heidfeld, 34, was signed by the Enstone based team at short notice this year to replace injured regular Robert Kubica.

There is now speculation that Renault is considering replacing him with Bruno Senna or Romain Grosjean.

“I have mixed feelings about Nick,” Lopez explained. “We have to recognise the great contribution he made at the beginning of the season.

“He helped us to develop the new exhaust system which was not easy to understand. It gave us a clear direction in the development of the car.

“Now, in terms of results, there is no doubt that we expected more from him and (we) are disappointed.”

Globo Esporte reported that the Renault team, whose owner Genii is collaborating on a $10 billion investment with Brazilian company WWI, is considering running Senna in November’s season finale at Interlagos.

Fernando Alonso has some fond memories of his single season alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2007.

The duo’s championship scrap at McLaren was billed as a highly tumultuous one, but Spaniard Alonso – now at Ferrari – insists that his only argument was with the British team’s then management led by Ron Dennis.

“If we were teammates at another team it would be a much cleaner struggle, and a real one,” said Alonso, who finished the season equal with Hamilton and a single point shy of Kimi Raikkonen’s title.

Recalling 2007, he explained to Spanish sports newspaper Marca: “You always learn lessons in tough times.

“That year was good overall, both Lewis and I learned many things. When you share a team with a top driver you learn to grow together.

“You improve in terms of preparing for a race and even from his driving style, because you share telemetry, so it was a great experience,” added Alonso.

As for 2011, Ferrari is now switching its focus to 2012, with Alonso admitting chasing down Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel will be almost impossible.

“Ferrari can not go to races not thinking about winning, but we are realists and know how difficult it is. We need Vettel to have failures,” he said.

The Spaniard is therefore much more confident about 2012.

“Of course we can catch them (Red Bull),” insisted Alonso. “The rules have changed, the blown diffusers will be forbidden, so the philosophy in the development and in the wind tunnel has to change.”

He said Ferrari’s recent structural changes have already made a difference.

“I have noticed more desire and general optimism, more speed in decision-making, more courage in the development. Yes, we have improved the structure and how we work.”

A female driver conducted a secret formula one test with Renault two weeks ago, according to international publications.
Spain’s Marca and Italy’s Italiaracing report that 31-year-old Spaniard Maria de Villota, the daughter of former F1 driver Emilio de Villota, was at the wheel of a two-year old Renault R29.

The test took place at the Bernie Ecclestone-linked Paul Ricard circuit, and was reportedly attended by formula one’s 80-year-old chief executive.

De Villota currently races in the open wheel category Superleague, but she has also contested the Euroseries 3000, Spanish GT and F3, and World Touring Cars.

The test took place before Renault’s mandatory two-week August factory shutdown commenced, and in line with F1 test ban guidelines that allow some limited running with dated F1 cars.

Italiaracing said Ecclestone was “probably the instigator of the operation”, in line with his desire to “bring a woman into F1″.

De Villota was early last year linked with a seat at HRT, when the Spanish team was known as Hispania and headed by Adrian Campos.

Karun Chandhok has denied saying he definitely will not contest India’s inaugural formula one race in October.
The Team Lotus reserve driver stepped in for Jarno Trulli at the Nurburgring recently and has consistently refused to rule out getting another one-off chance to race this season in his native India.

On Twitter, however, the 27-year-old described a quote attributed to him by a website as “fake … I didn’t say that”, insisted Chandhok.

It is believed he was referring to a quote that originally appeared in India’s Financial Chronicle.

Chandhok reportedly said: “It is embarrassing when you don’t drive for your country when your country is hosting the grand prix.”

The Gerhard Gribkowsky saga has gone from bad to worse for F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.
Already under investigation by German prosecutors, the 80-year-old now faces a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by the sport’s former 50 per cent shareholder Constantin Medien.

The German company, formerly known as EM.TV, has filed legal action in London’s High Court, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.

Also being sued is Ecclestone’s holding company Bambino, business partner Stephen Mullens and the jailed Gribkowsky, who is accused of receiving millions from the F1 chief executive surrounding the sale of the rights to current owner CVC.

Constantin claims the manipulation of the sale to CVC cost it more than $100 million in missing profit proceeds.

Constantin, Ecclestone and CVC all declined to comment.

David Coulthard will not be driving a formula one car on the streets of 2012 US grand prix host city Austin this weekend.

The 13-time F1 race winner was slated to drive the Red Bull show car pending the approval of a city filming permit.

“Due to feasibility, a formal formula one show car demonstration that is open to the public will not be executed this week,” the energy drink company said in a statement.

Red Bull, whose F1 show car is already in the US, added that it is “excited about the upcoming US grand prix … and eager to drive awareness of the race and the sport in general to a broad audience”.

Reigning champion and 2011 title leader Sebastian Vettel has this week been holidaying with Bernie Ecclestone.
Bild newspaper published a photograph of the 24-year-old Red Bull driver waterskiing off the coast of Croatia, near F1 chief executive Ecclestone’s yacht ‘Petara’.

The amateur photographer said: “I had no idea who I was photographing — I was just trying out a new lens.”

Vettel will return to work on Monday, when he drives in Red Bull’s F1 simulator in Milton Keynes (UK).

Last year at Laguna Seca, a courtesy visit to the Rizla Suzuki garage, Elena Myers was able to wrest a promise from Paul Denning: try a few months later in Valencia MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R. For contractual reasons, there was this occasion, but the 17 year old biker California will be able to realize this dream Thursday, August 25 “at home”, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he will run a few laps just riding the Suzuki GSV-R top class.

The announcement came the same day directly from American Suzuki Motor Corporation: Helen Myers, the star of the AMA Supersport (class reserved for young talents under 21 of the motorcycle-American), Thursday 25 August at 12:45 o’clock to take to the track Indianapolis MotoGP with Suzuki.

” Words can not describe my feelings right now , “admits Helen Myers. ” We had already talked about this possibility last year, but in the end there was a problem.

Now I will have the opportunity to finally try the GSV-R and I thank all the people that made ​​this project possible. When I climbed aboard the Suzuki MotoGP bike really seemed tailor-made for me, so I can not wait to walk a few laps at Indianapolis! “.

For those unfamiliar with Elena Myers, is simply the most talented American rider and. CV! After successes in the various brand made ​​in USA, last year made ​​his debut in ‘ AMA Supersport finishing in 2 nd place in the “West Division”, but above all, winning Race 1 at Infineon Raceway at Sears Point in Sonoma, the first rider in history to win an outright victory in a race AMA Pro Road Racing license plate.

Franz Tost has named three drivers he considers “suitable” for Toro Rosso to target.

The Austrian admitted that his premier choices – Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso and Rosberg – are “unlikely” to want to drive for Red Bull’s secondary team.

“So when thinking of suitable guys I would pick three, if I may,” the Toro Rosso team principal told F1′s official website.

Tost mentioned Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg, and also Romain Grosjean, the former Renault driver who is on the cusp of winning the GP2 title and reportedly in talks with up to three teams for the 2012 season.

“Renault burned Grosjean when they teamed him up with Alonso (in 2009), but I still believe he’s got huge potential,” he said.

Tost acknowledged however that it is Toro Rosso’s owner that selects the drivers for his team.

“Well, Red Bull are choosing the drivers from their pool. But that was always the intention and the reason for this team to exist,” he said.

Jean Todt insists he is happy with the safety of Brazil’s formula one circuit at Interlagos.
Following recent stock car fatalities at the Sao Paulo venue’s high speed Cafe corner, organisers vowed to make significant changes that will involve demolishing a grandstand.

But the work will only be done after November’s 2011 season finale, and it recently emerged that a temporary chicane in place for recent stock car races will not be used by the formula one cars.

FIA president Todt, however, insists he is not worried.

“We are aware of the incidents that occurred at Interlagos in another category,” the Frenchman is quoted as saying by Agencia Estado.

“We made detailed inquiries about the cars (involved in the crashes), not the track. Everyone can rest assured that all measures will be taken to avoid repetition of such accidents,” added Todt.

He insisted that, in general, the level of safety in F1 is “excellent”.

“For 17 years there have been no deaths in formula one. We know it is a dangerous sport, but the FIA works constantly to avoid problems like accidents and to reduce the risks.”

Red Bull is the only team in formula one with a perfect reliability record so far in 2011.
An analysis by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport shows that the team is not only dominating the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, but its two cars were the only ones in the field to complete the maximum 1,362 laps.

“Over the years it has been said that Adrian Newey’s cars were always fast but not always reliable. Those days are over,” read the analysis.

Team boss Christian Horner is quoted as saying: “We are now better at knowing how to deal with Adrian’s extreme cars.”

If Red Bull can maintain its perfect reliability through to November’s Brazilian finale, it will be the first team in formula one history to do so.

In a surprising second place – with 96 per cent of the total laps complete – is Force India, who source technology from McLaren and race with a Mercedes engine.

Ferrari is third, with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa completing 89 fewer racing laps than the leading Red Bulls, closely followed by the works McLaren.

Matching McLaren’s 92.6 per cent reliability record is Toro Rosso, followed by Renault, Sauber, Mercedes and Virgin.

Williams’ tenth place represents a reliability record of just 84.2 per cent so far, or 215 fewer laps than Red Bull as Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado failed to finish a combined 7 races.

HRT and Lotus bring up the rear.

The time for Sebastien Buemi’s evaluation as a future Red Bull driver will be up at the end of the season.

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost told F1′s official website that drivers should get a “maximum (of) three years” to show they have the potential to follow Sebastian Vettel in readiness for a top seat.

“Or let’s put it this way: if you are not sure after three years whether he’s going to make it, I would bluntly say forget him, period,” said Tost.

Swiss Buemi, 22, made his F1 debut at the start of 2009 and is now considered the most likely Toro Rosso driver to make way for Red Bull’s latest protege Daniel Ricciardo.

“I expect him (Ricciardo) to best (HRT teammate) Liuzzi after not more than three or four races,” said Tost.

He admitted that both Buemi and his current teammate Jaime Alguersuari are “still deep in” the self-discovery phase.

“They are moving forward … so let’s wait and see how the second half of the season works out. Then at the end of the year we will sit together with Red Bull to discuss who will sit in our cars in 2012.”

Tost said he is looking forward to working with Red Bull’s next youngsters including Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne.

“Red Bull bought this team with the intention to give youngsters a chance to prove themselves and eventually rise to a seat with Red Bull Racing,” he said.

Paul di Resta has revealed he is racing to catch up with his contemporaries and F1 champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
The rookie Scot has impressed the F1 paddock with his Force India debut this season after rising to the top of the German touring car series DTM.

In an interview with Autosprint, he revealed how his career took a turn after beating Vettel to the F3 Euroseries, when Mercedes offered to pay him to race in DTM.

But Vettel, of course, had already started his F1 career with BMW-Sauber, while reigning F3 champion Hamilton was dominating the GP2 championship that would lead to his sensational McLaren debut.

“I took some time to think about it (Mercedes’ offer),” said di Resta, “because I really wanted to stay in single seaters.

“But I also had a significant problem. I did a test in a GP2 car and it was simply too small for me. I changed seats three times but it was a nightmare.

“I decided that the chance to do DTM was the best choice, but I never stopped thinking I would get to formula one some day. But I knew it was vital to keep myself visible, so I had to win.”

With a good first half to his debut F1 season now behind him, 25-year-old di Resta’s immediate future is secure and he is being linked with a move at some point to Mercedes GP.

But does he rue the success already achieved by his defeated F3 rival Vettel?

“In my F3 team there were four of us: me, Vettel, Kobayashi and van der Garde. I have to say that when he got to F1, Sebastian did an incredible job, capitalising on what he had in the best way.

“Perhaps he would have done the same thing if he had been in my place in DTM, maybe not. It’s also true that I can’t say what I would have done if I had had his chances.

“The same thing happened with Hamilton, he was a good driver in the minor categories, and when he arrived with a great (F1) team straight away it was natural that he did a good job.

“Sebastian and Lewis were able to get what I’m trying to get now,” added di Resta.

A veteran journalist has linked GP2 driver Jules Bianchi with the Williams seat currently occupied by Rubens Barrichello for the 2012 season.

Brazilian Barrichello, the most experienced driver in formula one history, is waiting to have his contract renewed by the famous British team.

But his countryman Livio Oricchio, who writes for the O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, has said this week that the 39-year-old’s seat is in doubt because “Frank Williams needs money”.

He said Williams’ main revenue streams are Pastor Maldonado’s sponsor PDVSA, F1 television income, and minor backers like Randstad, Reuters, ATT and Oris.

Altogether, struggling Williams’ budget is about $100 million, with Barrichello costing the team about $5m.

“And there are young drivers on the market with a similar amount of money ($5m) to spend to make their formula one debut, like the Monegasque Stefano Coletti, Italian Davide Valsecchi, Briton Sam Bird and Frenchman Jules Bianchi”, said Oricchio.

“Bianchi is in the Ferrari school but he needs to show what he can do before he can dream to compete for the Maranello team. Williams would be a good entry point,” he added.

Bianchi, 22 and handled by Felipe Massa’s manager Nicholas Todt, has had a difficult GP2 season but is still highly regarded by Ferrari.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Speed Week reports that Force India driver Adrian Sutil’s key sponsor Medion has suffered a sharp decline in revenue in the first half of 2011.

Michael Schumacher has invited members of the formula one paddock to a party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his grand prix debut.

When the seven time world champion arrives at Spa-Francorchamps in less than ten days, it will be two decades since he made his debut at the same famous circuit for Jordan in 1991.

We reported last month that Schumacher, now 42 and the record holder of seven titles and 91 wins, will mark the occasion with a special black and gold cap.

And the German revealed to reporters at Mercedes’ Stuttgarter Sternstunden event at the weekend that he has organised a party.

“It will be a special moment for me,” Cologne newspaper Express quotes him as saying. “I will invite the whole paddock for a drink on Saturday evening.”