Felipe Massa’s chances of securing another Ferrari contract beyond 2012 appear to have taken a hit.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali told reporters during the summer media event in the Italian Dolomites that Fernando Alonso’s next teammate should be a “talented youngster on the way up”.

The early frontrunners for the seat are Jules Bianchi and Sergio Perez.

Domenicali was responding to a question about whether Lewis Hamilton might switch from McLaren to pair with his former teammate Alonso.

“I don’t think the question will arise,” he answered, “neither in the short nor in the long term.

“For the Ferrari of the future, I believe the right combination is to have one well established driver with great experience, alongside a talented youngster on the way up.”

Spaniard Alonso’s new contract will see him at Ferrari at least until the end of 2016.

He said: “I am very happy to have Felipe as a teammate and we work very well together. If the day arrives when someone else was to come here, that would not be a problem for me, even if it was Hamilton.”

Domenicali said Brazilian Massa, 30, has upped his game in 2011 and is “a very quick driver over a single lap”.

“(But) maybe he needs to improve a bit in terms of his consistency in the races. For us, it is vital for Felipe to be on top of his game, given that for at least another year and a half, he is one of our drivers.”

Pirelli’s hardest compound tyres may never again be seen at grands prix, motor sport director Paul Hembery has admitted.
French website autohebdo.fr quotes the Briton as saying the silver-sidewalled Pirellis have proved “probably too hard” in 2011.

“We will probably not see the hard tyres (again),” said Hembery. “They are probably too hard and the mediums have proved strong enough for the tracks that lie ahead.”

As for 2012, he said “It is likely that the medium compound will replace the hard next season”, adding that a new compound between the current medium and soft would then be introduced.

Adrian Newey is a “genius” but his contribution to a team’s success is overrated, according to Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso.
As technical boss, Briton Newey has also won titles with Williams and McLaren and is credited as a core reason for Red Bull’s current success.

But Alonso told Spain’s Marca sports newspaper at the Ferrari summer media event in the Italian Dolomites: “In F1, there is no magic, no genius who can do everything but still everyone talks about Newey.

“He really is very good and he has made a great car, but he was the same genius for the first five years and their cars were no so good.

“To have success you need many things, including a group of intelligent people, budget — without just the right mix it is not possible.

“Newey would not go to Virgin and win the world championship without the right structure,” added Alonso.

Bahrain has played down claims it asked for a later race slot on next year’s calendar due to continuing civil uncertainty in the troubled island Kingdom.
The 2011 grand prix was cancelled altogether due to the protests and the government’s reaction, but Bernie Ecclestone duly scheduled Bahrain’s return next year at the head of the 2012 calendar.

The updated provisional calendar circulated in the Hungaroring paddock last weekend, however, showed Bahrain shuffled down the order to November.

A report in the Financial Times on Thursday said the government “asked for more time to calm the country’s troubled political situation”.

“They didn’t want it up the front so I’ve had to screw the whole calendar up,” said F1 chief executive Ecclestone.

A spokesman for the Bahrain International Circuit, however, played down the link between the later race date and the political situation.

“We are extremely happy to host the grand prix in November. Due to high temperatures in our summer, either early or late in the season is better. November is the best month for us,” he said.

But the revised calendar has upset the teams, who are concerned that seven races on four separate continents have been scheduled within an arduous ten-week period at the end of next season.

Ecclestone slammed the suggestion he is under pressure to tweak the order but admitted the US/Brazil back-to-back is “a bit of a ball-breaker because there are no flights that go direct from Austin to Sao Paolo”.

However, that pairing may be in doubt due to the fact government funding for the Texas event can only be distributed a year in advance — meaning that construction of the Austin circuit might have to be delayed for now.

A spokesman for the Texas comptroller dodged the question when asked by the local Austin American Statesman.

“While we have heard rumours on the date change, among others, we really aren’t going to speculate on the course of action for each possible situation,” he said.

Bernie Ecclestone has revealed the formula one calendar could expand beyond 20 races.

Originally, the 2012 schedule featured an unprecedented 21 dates, but FIA president Jean Todt insisted the number would ultimately drop to 20 as agreed with the teams.

Indeed, the latest version circulated in the Hungaroring paddock last weekend featured 20 races, with Turkey dropped.

The teams, fearing staff burnout, are keen for the calendar to remain capped at 20 races per season.

But Williams chairman Adam Parr told Reuters this week that the schedule “can increase a little bit” in conjunction with a change to the event format.

“We could have 21 (races),” F1 chief executive Ecclestone, the author of the annual calendar, told the Daily Express.

He suggested the teams will agree to an extra race on the grounds that the one it would need to replace might be Monaco or another favourite.

“If we say we have got to get rid of Monaco, they would say we would rather not,” predicted Ecclestone.

As Mark Webber prepares to commit to Red Bull for 2012, team consultant Dr Helmut Marko has given the strongest sign yet that his successor will be another Australian.
Marko reinvigorated the speculation about Webber’s future in Hungary by saying that the 34-year-old is likely to retire after racing one more season.

“Mark Webber will continue with us for another year, and then he will decide what to do in his career,” the outspoken Austrian is quoted by Italian publications including Tuttosport and Corriere dello Sport.

Marko reportedly added that “Red Bull will decide who takes his place, although it is likely it will be (Daniel) Ricciardo”.

He is referring to the 22-year-old Australian who recently made his grand prix debut at HRT with Red Bull backing.

“I thank the guys at Red Bull for the nice words, but it’s still too early to talk about the future,” said Ricciardo.

“I hope there is a chance to race with them, but first I need to beat my teammate Liuzzi, who is a few tenths ahead of me.”

As for Webber’s 2012 deal, he said he is on the verge of making his decision.

“I’ll decide about my future at Spa,” said Webber, referring to the forthcoming Belgian grand prix.

Asked if it is his decision alone, Webber simply answered “yes”, adding that the only thing he is weighing up is “purely my own motivation for racing”.

And as for Ricciardo, Webber told Austria’s laola1: “I think he has a great future ahead of him.”

After McLaren and Ferrari fielded cars with winning pace in July, Red Bull could be challenged even more once this month’s summer break ends.
That is the view of Mercedes’ Ross Brawn, who thinks the championship is likely to heat up at Spa-Francorchamps and beyond.

“It’s impossible to predict what will happen from Spa,” he is quoted by Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo, “but I think that as we saw Ferrari and McLaren managing to make their cars faster over the last three races, they are likely to improve even more.”

Agreed Renault’s sporting director Steve Nielsen: “Because Ferrari and McLaren are developing the aerodynamic exhaust later than Red Bull, they have more potential to improve it.”

Toro Rosso’s veteran technical chief Giorgio Ascanelli, however, disagrees, and HRT’s Geoff Willis explains: “I know Adrian (Newey) well from Williams and how he works when the opposition gets tougher.

“I predict they (Red Bull) will come back to dominating the races, although not like early in the season because the competitors have come to understand some of their solutions.”

While McLaren’s drivers won the last two grands prix, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso would have won the championship by three points over Sebastian Vettel if the season consisted only of Valencia, Silverstone, the Nurburgring and Hungary.

Red Bull, meanwhile, might struggle on the high speed sections at Spa and then Monza.

“That’s right, those two tracks are not exactly our best ones,” Mark Webber told laola1.at in Austria this week.

“So we need to limit the damage and then attack again when we can,” added the Australian.

Heikki Kovalainen has admitted he is no longer so keen on rallying. Before signing with Team Lotus last year after two seasons with McLaren, the Finn insisted he would “make sure that as well as formula one I am allowed to drive rallies”. The 29-year-old has contested several minor rallies in the past, but he told motorline.cc that F1 rival Robert Kubica’s horror crash in February had dimmed his enthusiasm. “I like to watch the rallies on TV,” he said, “but right now I definitely don’t have the time to pursue it actively myself. “We all saw what happened to Robert, and for this reason the rally driving is not in my plans at the moment,” added Kovalainen.

Paul Hembery has played down any lingering suspicions that the teams can influence the selection of tyre compounds for grands prix.
Although Ferrari was disappointed with the selection of the hard tyre at Silverstone, Pirelli has selected softer compounds to take to all of the forthcoming Belgian, Italian and Singapore grands prix.

Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio said the selection is a “surprise” given the high speed nature of Spa and Monza. “It’s good news for Ferrari,” he added.

Asked however if Pirelli feels pressure from teams like Ferrari, motor sport director Hembery insisted: “No. I read what is in the press at the end of the work day, but nothing more than that.

“There are some compounds that suit some people better in general, in other cases it depends on the track or the weather. It’s very difficult to generalise,” he told Spanish sports newspaper AS.

As for Pirelli’s contribution to the ‘show’ in 2011, Hembery said the fact there has been more overtaking this season is “70 per cent (due to) the tyres and 30pc the DRS”.

He confirmed that the Italian tyre supplier accepted Bernie Ecclestone’s challenge of deliberately producing heavily-degrading tyres for this year.

Told that F1 is the only corner of the tyre industry where high degradation is a positive, he laughed: “Very good!

“You could say that, but only to some extent. We need to tread carefully and show our tyres and contribute to the show, but not by taking too many (safety) risks.”

Pirelli would like some tyre tests to take place with the teams’ involvement, Paul Hembery has confirmed.

This week, the Italian marque’s official tester Lucas di Grassi is conducting Pirelli’s latest private tyre test at Monza.

But motor sport director Hembery admitted to Spain’s AS sports newspaper that Pirelli would also like some more relevant data for its future development from the current crop of cars.

“We’re working on it, but at the moment there’s nothing to say. We’re asking for help, because the Toyota 2009 car is different from those in the (current) world championship.

“It would also be good to do some testing immediately after a grand prix. We don’t know yet on what date or at what circuit.”

Asked if Monza is the most likely venue, Hembery insisted: “Really, nothing is clear yet.”

Mercedes has reportedly targeted ousted Ferrari technical director Aldo Costa.
In May, as Ferrari grappled with its new 150 Italia car, the famous Maranello based team said the Italian had stepped down.

It emerged a few days ago that Costa has left the carmaker completely but is on what is known in F1 as “gardening leave” until the end of the year.

The specialist Italian magazine Autosprint reports that Mercedes, headed by another former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn, has targeted Costa.

We reported recently that the Brackley based team is on a recruitment drive to boost its staff numbers to the height of big three teams Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

Autosprint said Brawn told Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche at the Nurburgring that Mercedes’ struggles in 2010 and 2011 have been due in part to the team’s comparatively small size.

“So he (Brawn) received the go-ahead for the recruitment campaign,” said the report.

Robert Kubica is making slow yet steady progress as he pushes to return to formula one.
Germany’s Die Welt reports that the Pole, horribly injured in a February rally crash, is now able to move his right hand, fingers and arm, despite initial fears the limb would have to be amputated.

The report said Kubica’s arm will “probably never recover entirely”, but dexterity has returned to most of the fingers even if the “middle finger still causes problems”.

“His thumb has recovered full movement,” said Welt writer Burkhard Nuppeney.

Renault team owner Gerard Lopez said recently that Kubica might be invited to drive in a Friday practice session later this year; an offer rejected vehemently by his manager Daniele Morelli.

“If Robert comes back,” he said, “he doesn’t want gifts or kindly-meant offers.”

Kubica’s friend Fernando Alonso understands.

“If you’ve been through so much and given as much as Robert has suffered to come back, you only want to come back for one reason — to have the same goals as before.”

The Spaniard is convinced that, also psychologically, Kubica will be able to put the chapter behind him.

“The accident was bad luck and a man of his calibre can shake it off, particularly as it had nothing to do with formula one,” said Alonso.

Michael Schumacher has admitted he is sporting a more “relaxed” attitude since returning to formula one.
In his first, ultra-successful career to 2006 spanning a record seven titles and 91 wins, the German was known for an intense and often frosty character.

“It is a fact that I am somewhat more relaxed than I was before,” the 42-year-old told Cologne tabloid Express, referring to his character since returning to F1 with Mercedes. “No question.”

But he denies he is any less serious.

“I just have much more experience and simply know what is necessary at what moment,” said Schumacher. “I know when I need to be concentrated and when I can ease up.”

Schumacher is yet to return to the podium in his 30 grands prix since 2010.

The names Adrian Sutil and Nico Hulkenberg are suddenly being linked with the F1 seat currently occupied by Rubens Barrichello.

With Williams happy with Pastor Maldonado and his links with important Venezuelan backer PDVSA, the Grove based team at present is refusing to say the 39-year-old veteran Barrichello will surely stay beyond 2011.

Increasingly, the Brazilian’s rhetoric is sounding impatient, and Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports he is calling a halt to the practice of using his car as a test mule for struggling Williams’ technical experiments.

“Never have I wanted to be a test driver,” he is quoted as saying.

The report said Barrichello, with a conventional setup, was finally back to his dominant self in comparison to Maldonado in Hungary.

But at the same time, rumours swirled in the paddock that Germans Sutil – the current Force India driver – and 2010 Williams rookie Hulkenberg are in the running to replace Barrichello next year.

And Barrichello, the most experienced driver in F1 history, sounds frustrated.

“Our car cooks the rear tyres,” he said. “The driveability of the engine is bad and in slippery conditions it’s even worse. No matter what we do, we can’t make the tyre problem go away.

“We are bringing too many new parts to the car and only confusing ourselves,” he added.

F1 teams will not police their rivals’ adherence to the August factory shutdown.
In the rare month-long gap between the Hungarian and Belgian grands prix, teams have agreed a mandatory two-week break period in which factories are strictly closed.

Staff are not even allowed to email one another, but Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn admitted that the shutdown is not really policed.

“We trust each other and are quite sure that everyone will abide by the agreements,” he is quoted by DPA news agency.

But Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio said he doubts the agreement will be strictly adhered to, arguing that it would make “no sense” in the midst of a F1 season.

Red Bull designer Adrian Newey however said he intends to take a break.

“I think you have to be able to stop working and thinking, otherwise it would be completely all-consuming and probably not healthy,” he said.

Another journalist, Stefano Mancini, wrote in La Stampa newspaper that “nobody in his right mind” thinks the likes of Newey will really “turn off the light in his office and says to his staff ‘See you in fifteen days’.

“The factories will stop but the brains will not,” he added.

Brawn agreed: “We can’t escape from it completely because that’s our nature, but of course it’s better to be reflecting on the beach than in the office!”