Michael Schumacher was the best, but Mercedes should now be looking for a faster driver.
That is the view of the German’s former Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine, who always said openly that Schumacher is simply better than him and his peers.

But, with Schumacher now 42 and struggling even for a podium in his comeback, Ulsterman Irvine said his former colleague is now being simply outclassed.

“There’s no point either for him or for his team,” he told Germany’s Auto Bild.

“His curve is downwards, so Mercedes is investing in falling stock,” added Irvine.

“Michael was an absolutely super driver. Everyone said he is a leader, the best developer, blah, blah blah — bullshit. He just had the most talent, incredible car control, incredible speed,” said the 45-year-old.

Schumacher admitted to Germany’s Sport Bild this week that he is no longer as good as he was when he won five consecutive titles at Ferrari.

“Am I as good, as perfect as I was during this time? Probably not,” he said. “I am after all 42.

“But am I still good enough? I would say definitely yes.”

Jenson Button might not be the only McLaren driver on the move.

Although set to stay at the British team next season, in recent days the 2009 world champion has been linked with a move to Ferrari for 2013.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, has hinted that – with Mark Webber only confirmed for 2012 – he might be interested in Button or his teammate Lewis Hamilton for the future.

“Both (Button and Hamilton) are out of contract at the end of next year, but they are McLaren drivers so it’s not for us to get involved,” The Sun quotes Horner as saying.

“But both are phenomenal drivers.”

Horner acknowledged that it is Button, 31, who is in better form at present.

“It has been a poor spell for Lewis,” he said, “but … for Jenson Button you can see a driver at ease with himself — and his driving reflects that.”

Adrian Sutil on Thursday denied reports he recently visited Williams’ Oxfordshire headquarters.
The reports had triggered rumours the 28-year-old, backed by personal sponsors Medion and Capri-Sonne, might switch to the British team next year to replace veteran Rubens Barrichello.

“I didn’t go there and there are no contacts,” the Force India driver told reporters in Singapore.

Sutil’s manager this week said the German’s focus is to stay at the Silverstone based team in 2012.

Jenson Button is the “best number 2″ in formula one, and his laid-back style is because he is happy to retire without adding a second world championship.

That is the typically outspoken claim of former Ferrari and Jaguar driver Eddie Irvine.

“Jenson is doing nothing special. He just does a reasonable job,” the Ulsterman told Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport amid suggestions the 2009 world champion has got the upper hand on his McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton this season.

Irvine said of Button: “He knows he will never again be world champion and he drives accordingly. Lewis on the other hand absolutely wants to be champion again and so he’s too aggressive.

“He fights not only against the others but against himself; in some races he has been simply stupid,” said the 45-year-old Ulsterman.

Irvine said he would like to see Hamilton switch to Red Bull.

“Then we will see how good (Sebastian) Vettel is,” he insisted. “And we really would, because one thing we already know is that Hamilton has beaten Alonso in the same team.”

Irvine said German Vettel, 24, is clearly “very, very good, but many drivers have taken a title in Newey’s car. And, for me, his teammate Webber is not a top driver”.

Red Bull’s 2011 car was perfectly legal at Monza despite some suggestions to the contrary.

That is the finding of a Spanish sports daily in the wake of rumours after the Italian grand prix that the underside of the RB7 seemed to be hiding a suspicious secret.

When Mark Webber’s crashed car was removed from the circuit, photographs and videos of the highly-secreted floor were leaked onto the internet amid suggestions a ‘hole’ could reignite a double diffuser-type debate.

But a report in Spain’s Marca insists the Monza-spec floor of the Red Bull was legal.

“What is evident is the thoroughness of the work Red Bull is doing for each race,” wrote journalist Marco Canseco, “with a nearly always bespoke solution for each circuit.”

A separate report in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said Red Bull’s development success in 2011 has astonished teams like McLaren and Ferrari in the context of the resource restriction agreement.

“Nearly everything we bring to the race track, works,” said the team’s Dr Helmut Marko. “Our success rate is close to 100 per cent.”

Sebastian Vettel was sworn at by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso after winning the Italian grand prix at Monza two weeks ago.

That is the unconfirmed claim of the German daily Bild-Zeitung, who said Spaniard Alonso whispered in the ear of championship Vettel before the Monza podium: “F*ck you, my boy”.

Earlier, to the passionate Tifosi’s chagrin, Vettel had passed Alonso to lead the race, a move the Red Bull driver described as “very hard but fair”.

Afterwards, the team’s outspoken Dr Helmut Marko said it was “good to show Alonso how the wind blows”.

Double world champion Alonso however denies Bild’s claim that he insulted Vettel.

“We chatted briefly but it was quite normal and friendly,” said the Spaniard.

Bild said Vettel would not comment.

But in an interview with the German broadcaster RTL, he talked about having the respect of his rivals.

“It’s important to me that I can feel it,” said the 24-year-old, “even if you have had an extremely tough race.”

Should Vettel extend his huge lead by another 13 points in Singapore, he will be crowned champion with five races still to run in 2011.

An analysis by Financial Times Deutschland said that with 27 per cent of the calendar to go, Vettel’s achievement will rank among the best in F1 history.

But Jim Clark (1963 and 1965), Jackie Stewart (1969 and 1971) and Nigel Mansell (1992) actually secured those championships in an even more rapid manner.

And the record is held by Michael Schumacher, who won the title with more than 35 per cent of the 2002 calendar still to run.

At least Red Bull figures are now starting to admit the inevitability of Vettel’s 2011 triumph.

“In many ways it’s more of a challenge to defend a title,” said Vettel’s boss Christian Horner. “It’s one thing to win a title, another to stay up there,” he told Die Welt newspaper.

“Sebastian just gets stronger and stronger.”

Kimi Raikkonen’s plans for 2012 do not include formula one, according to the Finnish evening daily Ilta-Sanomat.
The report follows speculation the 2007 world champion – who left the sport at the end of 2009 to begin his forays in world rallying, NASCAR and Le Mans sportscars – recently visited the headquarters of famous British team Williams.

“Yes, Kimi Raikkonen visited the Williams factory”, Ilta-Sanomat confirmed, “but that (a return to F1) is not the way forward” for the 31-year-old Finn.

The report said 18-time grand prix winner Raikkonen, who between 2002 and 2009 drove for frontrunners McLaren and Ferrari, is “convinced that his time at the pinnacle of motor sport came to an end when he left Ferrari”.

Ilta-Sanomat said Raikkonen “wants to be in world rally, the legendary Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500, and the 24 hours of Le Mans” next year.

New photos reportedly depict an “alarming situation” at India’s Buddh circuit just over a month before the inaugural Indian grand prix is scheduled to be held.
Spain’s Marca sports newspaper published the photos that were reportedly taken days ago by a fan by the name of Parth Doshi.

The report said “the circuit is not only not complete but very far from it”, with the situation “reminiscent of the one that occurred last year in Korea”.

The photos show things like mounds of dirt sitting in the pitlane, unfinished main grandstands, un-asphalted sections of the pitlane and land around the circuit buildings, paddock and track verges that appear completely undeveloped.

Nevertheless, the FIA’s Charlie Whiting visited the Delhi venue earlier this month and expressed “confidence that the inaugural Indian grand prix will be a huge success”.

An audit by a company called Capgemini has found “discrepancies” in relation to Red Bull’s budget in the context of last year’s resource restriction agreement.
That is the claim of Italian magazine Autosprint, as Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel travels to Singapore where he can wrap up his second consecutive championship this weekend.

Earlier this year, boss Christian Horner denied claims the team flouted the FOTA-governed cost savings agreement by as much as EUR 60 million in 2010.

Autosprint said the suspicion is that Red Bull broke the agreement by filing contentious information about its structure and workforce.

The magazine cited “sources” in claiming Red Bull figures have attempted to stop the Capgemini audit because it is an “invasion of privacy” requiring the release of “sensitive data”.

The report said the teams association FOTA, headed by McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh, wants a “clarification” at a meeting this week even though “at the moment there is no mention of any penalties”.

Autosprint also questioned the timing of the emergence of the Capgemini story, given that Red Bull is on the cusp of securing both the drivers’ and constructors’ world championships for the second season running.

Red Bull insists the champagne is not yet on ice, but the team’s owner has already decided what present he will be giving Sebastian Vettel for winning the 2011 world championship.
“The same as last year,” Dietrich Mateschitz said in an interview this week with the German news agency DPA. “His championship-winning car.”

In 2010, when German Vettel became F1′s youngest ever title winner, Mateschitz delivered the Adrian Newey-inked RB6 to his home in Switzerland.

Red Bull’s team management are coy over the 24-year-old’s chances of wrapping up a second consecutive championship in Singapore this weekend, but billionaire Mateschitz is more honest.

“We anticipate that, once again, we will achieve both of the titles this year”, said the famously low-profile Austrian, 67.

He has high praise for Vettel, who enters this weekend’s Singapore night race with a lead so big that his only championship rivals have already given up the fight.

“The fact that Sebastian is highly capable, we knew,” said Mateschitz. “That he would be able to deliver it so consistently over a long time has surprised many people.”

Bild newspaper said Vettel’s championship present, the RB7 chassis that he has unofficially dubbed ‘Kinky Kylie’ – but minus a EUR 200,000 Renault engine – is worth almost a million euros.

“Slowly, his garage in Switzerland is becoming too small,” confirmed Red Bull driver manager Dr Helmut Marko.

So what does Vettel think about his championship present?

“I am not thinking about that because I haven’t won anything yet,” said the driver at Zurich airport before boarding a flight to Singapore.

Vettel told the German-language Eurosport that he is not counting on celebrating his second title this weekend.

“When it happens does not matter. As long as we are still first after the final race, that will be ok,” he said.

The RB7′s designer Newey insisted that Vettel will not be playing a points-counting game under the Singapore lights.

“Seb doesn’t want to cruise to the world championship, he really wants to earn it,” the Briton told The Sun newspaper.

Force India is Nico Hulkenberg’s only chance to return to the formula one grid in 2012.

Last year’s impressive Williams rookie had to settle for the reserve role at Force India in 2011, including the opportunity to practice on most Friday mornings.

With current race lineup Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta also in the running for next season, team owner and boss Vijay Mallya has said he will not make a decision about 2012 until mid December.

German Hulkenberg, 24, therefore said on Twitter this week that he is “not sure yet” if he will be able to call himself a F1 race driver once again next year.

“I hope I can race with Force India but the team will decide not before December, so I must wait,” he added.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Hulkenberg must be hoping that his countryman Sutil cannot hold out until December and therefore decides to market his experience and personal sponsors Medion and Capri-Sonne elsewhere.

Mallya’s December deadline means that the options in his drivers’ contracts will by then have expired, but Sutil manager Manfred Zimmermann insisted recently: “We still have our destiny in our own hands”.

28-year-old Sutil has already visited Williams’ Grove headquarters but Zimmermann insisted on Monday that Force India is the first choice.

Auto Motor und Sport however said Sutil “has also been seen in the paddock in conversation with (Williams) team boss Adam Parr”.

For Hulkenberg, the only option is Silverstone based Force India.

He told the German magazine: “Everyone from Renault down wants to see money (from its drivers).”

He is referring not only to Renault and Williams but also F1′s newest teams including Virgin and HRT.

Adrian Sutil’s manager has rubbished reports the German driver is looking to switch to Williams for 2012.
It has emerged in recent days that Kimi Raikkonen as well as Force India’s Sutil recently made separate private visits to Williams’ Grove headquarters.

The famous British team on Monday refused to deny or confirm the rumours.

But the suggestion is that Sutil, 28, would make an ideal replacement for veteran Rubens Barrichello thanks to his backing by the German computer company Medion.

Sutil’s manager Manfred Zimmermann said the story is “nonsense”.

“Our first choice for 2012 is Force India,” he told the Daily Mail newspaper. “At this time there is no action talking to other teams.”

Zimmermann also rubbished the suggestion it is Sutil’s sponsorship that makes him a frontrunner for the Williams seat.

“There is no need to bring sponsors or money to a team for Adrian,” he insisted.

“Last year and this year, he is fighting for a top ten result in the world championship.

“Medion make their decision after we have signed a contract. If there is a nice offer they become a sponsor of the team, if not, they will not.”

A death inside dominant formula one team Red Bull added to the emotion of Sebastian Vettel’s win at Monza recently, it has emerged.
As he closed almost definitively on his second consecutive title, the 24-year-old German cried on the podium in Italy, the scene of his first ever win three years ago.

“Yeah, very emotional,” he admitted afterwards.

At the time, however, Vettel did not mention that team members at Red Bull were grieving the recent loss of accounts staffer Erin Pezzella, who according to Cologne newspaper Express lost her battle with cancer during the Monza race week.

Pezzella was 31.

“She was with the team for four years,” confirmed team boss Christian Horner. “She lost a very brave fight against cancer and we would like to dedicate this result in her memory.”

Enstone based F1 team Renault plans to have a new driver simulator up and running in time for the 2012 season.
The outfit announced on Monday that the local council has granted permission for the new facility to be situated next to the upgraded wind tunnel.

Renault, whose existing simulator was once derided by then team driver Fernando Alonso as no better than a Playstation, said “building work will begin imminently”.

“The confirmation that our simulator is on the way is further evidence of our continued investment for the future,” added team boss Eric Boullier.

Group Lotus-sponsored Renault has had a difficult 2011 season; trailing the top four teams, batting off speculation of financial troubles and experimenting first with Nick Heidfeld and now Bruno Senna due to Robert Kubica’s absence.

“Well, it has been challenging,” admitted Frenchman Boullier.

“I cannot say all the challenges were enjoyable – going through the difficulties we had after Robert’s crash was not easy – but overall I enjoy being tested with the issues that come my way, and tackling them in the best way I can for the team.

“Overseeing these challenges is part of my job. There’s certainly never a dull moment,” he smiled.

A prominent figure in international football has revealed he is more impressed with the fitness of formula one drivers.
Jurgen Klinsmann, formerly the German national coach and a player on the World Cup-winning team of 1990, is currently in charge of the American team.

But he admitted to Germany’s Bild newspaper that he is more impressed by F1 drivers like world champion Sebastian Vettel.

“It’s phenomenal when you look into the work of a formula one driver,” said Klinsmann. “The training regime compared to football does not compare.

“Football can learn something from their (F1 drivers’) intense discipline, incredible focus and concentration on the essentials.”

The report said a top driver like Vettel spends up to 35 hours per week in training, compared with about ten hours per week for professional footballers.