Triple world champion Niki Lauda has hailed Sebastian Vettel for refusing to follow his example.
Writing in the Swiss newspaper Blick, the red-capped Austrian great revealed that with Vettel’s 100-point lead at Monza recently, he would not have driven so attacking a race.

Referring to the German’s overtaking pass on Fernando Alonso en route to victory, Lauda said: “Any other driver would have tackled this race strategically with the championship standings constantly in mind.

“‘Many points without risk’ — that is the all-too-logical motto that I have used in similar situations,” added the 62-year-old.

“But, no, Vettel has proved with his killer instinct and aggressiveness that he is a true racer, not a points-hoarder.”

Whether Vettel can or is prepared to go wheel-to-wheel with his rivals has been, for some, the final question mark over the Red Bull driver’s talents.

The team’s Helmut Marko insists Monza was a “masterpiece” and that Vettel is prepared to keep attacking in 2011 rather than cruise and collect.

And the same is true of Red Bull, he added. “Driving safe races is not our philosophy. We are always on full attack and new parts are already going out to Singapore,” Marko told F1′s official website.

A German newspaper has contradicted Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel’s claims that they are not planning to celebrate the world championship this weekend.
Most of the 24-year-old’s rivals think Vettel is heading to a certain title victory, and it could theoretically happen as soon as the chequered flag in Singapore.

But the German driver insists: “I think it’s wrong to plan before something happens. First you have to win the lottery and then you worry about what to do with the winnings.”

Red Bull chiefs Christian Horner and Dr Helmut Marko have also denied there are any celebrations being planned for Singapore.

But the Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag said Red Bull has arranged for 80 special ’2011 world champion’ caps – one for every member of the travelling team – to be shipped to the Asian city-state in case Vettel wraps up the title.

And the team’s marketing department is reportedly ready to unleash a spontaneous championship-winning party at the Swisshotel Stamford late on Sunday night.

Nearly half of all German sports fans think Michael Schumacher should return to retirement, according to a survey.
Citing the German market research company Promit, SID news agency said 47.2 per cent of respondents would advise the seven time world champion against signing a new agreement to stay in formula one beyond his 2012 contract.

In contrast, just 32.2 per cent said the Mercedes driver should stay in 2013, with 8.5 per cent advising a move to the German touring car series DTM to reunite with his brother Ralf.

As for the 42-year-old German himself, Schumacher insists he has not decided what to do.

“I will definitely be here (in F1) next year,” the German is quoted by the Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

“Then we will see what happens.”

Meanwhile, 62.7 per cent of those surveyed tipped Sebastian Vettel to wrap up the 2011 title before the last grand prix of the season in November.

Bahrain paid its race sanctioning fee for 2011 despite not hosting a grand prix this year.
Amid the island Kingdom’s troubles earlier this year, Bernie Ecclestone revealed that he would not charge the government the reportedly more than $40 million fee.

“The fee that is normally being paid for the event is not being paid,” the F1 chief executive said at the time. “I am not charging them for a race they are not getting.”

But according to The Independent, Ecclestone said the fact Bahrain ultimately paid the 2011 fee means that the sport’s revenue and profit will not reverse this year.

“I don’t think turnover will be down this year. I think it will be flat because we were paid for Bahrain. I said we will give them the money back and they said don’t bother,” said the 80-year-old.

Bahrain is scheduled to return to the F1 calendar next late April.

“I spoke to the Bahrainis yesterday and they said everything is going to be fine. I hope they are right for their sake, not ours,” said Ecclestone.

If Bahrain does not come back, the diminutive Briton already has plans for F1′s likely next destinations.

“After Russia I would like to go to South Africa and Mexico. Both countries are trying to do something,” said Ecclestone. “Greece are also trying to do a formula one race.”

On Greece’s economic problems, he quipped: “The Germans will lend them some money”.

The reason Jenson Button’s 2012 McLaren contract has not yet been announced is “simple”, according to a veteran correspondent.

At Monza recently, the paddock openly wondered why October is nearing without the British team having announced already that it is taking up the option on the highly-regarded driver’s existing deal.

Asked by the BBC if the delay over 2012 is because Button, 31, is pushing for fewer corporate appearance days, team boss Martin Whitmarsh answered: “It’s not all about that.”

Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio, writing in the Jornal da Tarde daily on Monday, said Button simply wants McLaren to confirm him for 2012 so that he is available on the market for the season after.

“The answer is simple: Button is interested in Ferrari. And Ferrari is interested in him,” wrote Oricchio.

Indeed, during the course of 2012, Ferrari will consider whether to extend Felipe Massa’s contract or seek a new teammate for clear number one Fernando Alonso.

“Button has the right profile of a Ferrari driver,” Oricchio explained. “Fast, capable of living with Fernando Alonso and regularly among the fastest ones. He also has Alonso’s backing.”

That would explain McLaren’s eagerness to tie up Button beyond 2012, even though the 31-year-old insists he would be happy to retire having never raced a Ferrari.

“When I was growing up I was excited about the three big teams; Williams, McLaren and Ferrari,” said Button.

“It doesn’t mean you need to drive for Ferrari to fulfil your childhood dreams because as you grow up things change. I’m happy and if I can win a championship here I’d be even happier.”

Said Whitmarsh: “We’re just talking about it. I think the right thing is that we discuss it quietly.

“I’m sure we’re going to find a way to work together for many years to come, that’s certainly my wish and I hope it’s Jenson’s.”

According to Giedo van der Garde, success in feeder category GP2 is no guide as to whether a driver will succeed in formula one.
The management of the 26-year-old Dutchman, who reportedly has sponsorship in tow, recently revealed talks about 2012 with three F1 teams.

Van der Garde has, however, finished just fifth in this year’s GP2 championship after a poor final two rounds in Belgium and Italy.

He wrote in his formule1.nl column that he will not be returning to the series in 2012.

“What now? That’s the big question. It will not be another season in GP2, I am now 26 and need to be realistic. It is formula one or nothing,” said van der Garde.

“My results in GP2 do not say anything about my skills as a driver. Look at Kobayashi and d’Ambrosio, two drivers who are doing well in formula one, but in GP2 they were nowhere.

“I am ready for formula one and would love the chance to show what I can do in those cars. They are much better for me than GP2,” said van der Garde, who has been a F1 test driver with Spyker.

“These (GP2 cars) are sometimes like a rally car, with F1 cars requiring a much more refined style. That’s my style and I hope I can prove it,” he added.

Narain Karthikeyan will warm up with a Friday practice session in Singapore before racing in his native India next month, HRT announced on Saturday.
It was already expected that the 34-year-old, despite losing his full time race seat to Daniel Ricciardo earlier this season, would return to the cockpit for the inaugural Delhi grand prix.

And he will re-acclimatise with the initial practice session in Singapore, the Spanish team said.

“It is great to have Narain back in the car as it will give him critical seat time before he drives at the Indian GP,” said team boss Colin Kolles.

Karthikeyan confirmed: “The team had assured me that I’d be driving (in India) when I stepped out of my seat after the European GP.”

Meanwhile, Force India’s regular Friday driver Nico Hulkenberg has revealed he will not be in action in Singapore next weekend.

“The team wants to give Adrian (Sutil) and Paul (di Resta) more track time and I understand and accept the decision,” he said on Twitter.

The rumour mill is rumbling on Friday with the news Kimi Raikkonen made a visit to F1 team Williams’ Oxfordshire factory.

The sport10.at (Austria) and plaza.fi (Finland) websites said the famous British team had confirmed the 2007 world champion was given a tour.

Reports said it was Adam Parr who showed world rally driver and former Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari driver Raikkonen, 31, around the Grove facility.

The Finnish broadcaster MTV3 also reported the news and said Williams had confirmed Raikkonen’s visit indeed took place last week.

The reports said Raikkonen’s visit was for “personal reasons”, but speculation that he might one day return to formula one has been circulating ever since he left the sport at the end of 2009.

Williams’ Pastor Maldonado is regarded as having a solid seat but the Venezuelan rookie’s teammate Rubens Barrichello is still seeking a deal for 2012.

“We are talking day by day so we just need to see,” Brazilian veteran Barrichello told The Sun newspaper at Monza.

“I wish we had done a deal already but it’s taking a little longer. The team is taking everything into account and they know what I can offer,” he said.

He doesn’t do it often, but Niki Lauda insists he is happy to doff his iconic red cap to Michael Schumacher after the past two grands prix.
Despite recently calling on the 42-year-old German to hang up his helmet, triple world champion Lauda said: “I take my cap off to his performances of the last two races.

“His Mercedes has been good on the high speed tracks and so Michael has been able to show that he is still on it,” the famous Austrian told Germany’s Auto Bild.

Lauda, 62, has been one of the seven time world champion’s staunchest critics as Schumacher struggled for results in the second year of his return to formula one.

“Nevertheless,” Lauda said after praising the winner of 91 grands prix after better showings at Spa and Monza, “I stand by it — if he goes badly, I must criticise him.”

He had accused Schumacher mere weeks ago of driving “for fun, not formula one”.

Geoff Willis has not left the HRT team yet, a spokeswoman for the Spanish team insisted on Friday.

It has been reported in recent days that Briton Willis – the former Red Bull, Williams and Honda technical chief – was leaving due to not being happy about the plans for the 2012 budget and car.

The reports also said former BMW and Brawn designer Jorg Zander is set to join HRT.

The team’s communciations boss Maria Serrat said on Friday that Willis is officially “still rendering his services to HRT”.

It is understood, however, that the 51-year-old will definitely not be leading the 2012 car project.

Flavio Briatore has rubbished speculation he is eyeing a return to formula one management.

Recent rumours have linked the flamboyant former Renault boss, banned from F1 because of the 2009 ‘crashgate’ scandal, with a leading role at Ferrari.

But the Italian told Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport: “I do not intend to return to formula one as a team manager.

“Italy is the land of rumours,” said the 61-year-old millionaire. “That’s why I am always brought back in connection with Ferrari, but it’s nonsense.”

In the same interview, Briatore rubbished suggestions Sebastian Vettel might be an ideal next teammate at the Maranello based team for Fernando Alonso.

“I would never want them together,” insisted Briatore, who is still involved in the management of Spaniard Alonso’s career. “It would weaken the team by splitting it into two parts.”

Briatore admitted that he has been impressed with German Vettel, 24, in 2011.

“He is super strong with the right attitude and reminds me of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso in that once they had their first title in the bag they then got stronger and more confident.”

On the topic of Schumacher, Briatore continued: “I’d rather reminisce about the Michael of Benetton and Ferrari. Now, he has been out for too long and is fighting to be among the top ten.

“That’s something I find quite sad,” he added.

A major formula one sponsor has had a $2 billion hole blown into its books by a so-called rogue trader.
The Financial Times reports that a 31-year-old has been arrested in London as the Swiss group UBS, a ‘global partner’ of grand prix racing, saw its shares plunge almost 11 per cent.

On the alleged investment fraud, a spokesperson for Swiss banking regulator Finma said: “From the scale of this case, you can be sure that it’s the biggest we’ve ever seen for a Swiss bank.”

Reports suggest the scandal could single-handedly wipe out UBS’s forecasted profits for the quarter.

Qualifying tyres are not returning to formula one in 2012.

Pirelli’s F1 boss Paul Hembery revealed a month ago that ultra-fast and sticky qualifying tyres were among the official supplier’s ideas about how to maximise its involvement beyond this season.

“In the end for something like that the decision is with the teams. They might say no,” he said in August.

Asked by a Twitter follower on Thursday if the proposal was given the green light, Hembery said: “Not for 2012.”

Ferrari had high praise for Sergio Perez after the Mexican on Thursday tested one of the Italian team’s single seaters for the first time.
A race rookie with Sauber in 2011, 21-year-old Perez is also a leading member of Ferrari’s driver ‘academy’ and tipped as a possible future replacement for Felipe Massa.

He did 46 laps in Ferrari’s 2009 car at Fiorano.

“Sergio proved to be aggressive and quick right from the start and was able to adapt to the car in a very short space of time,” said academy chief Luca Baldisserri.

“He is very mature for his age, displaying an understanding that goes beyond the time he has spent driving single seaters.”

Perez’s best time, however, was eclipsed by the other academy member Jules Bianchi, a French GP2 driver and Ferrari’s official reserve in 2011.

Perez admitted his objective is to race for Ferrari one day.

“It’s impossible to say how things will go and my dream is to become world champion and it would be nice if it could happen with a team like this one,” he said.

Also with praise for Perez this week is Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

“I think he’s having a great season,” he is quoted by Spanish sports daily AS. “He will be a great race driver in formula one as he has started with a good approach and humility and he can grow a lot.”

Meanwhile, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit near Valencia, newly crowned GP2 champion and new team reserve driver Romain Grosjean has spent two days this week in the 2009 Renault.

The 25-year-old actually raced the R29 seven times in 2009 and is now tipped to return to F1 next season.

“The aim of the drive was to get me used to drive an F1 car again,” said Grosjean.

Mercedes is having to become a bigger team in order to win races as a constructor.

That is the claim of Nico Rosberg, who has been Michael Schumacher’s teammate for the past two years and will stay with the Brackley team in 2012.

Rosberg, 26, is also tipped to sign a much longer contract, in which he hopes to take the benefit of boss Ross Brawn’s efforts to improve the team structure.

Brawn radically downsized the team in the wake of former owner Honda’s departure from the sport at the end of 2008.

The British engineer admitted to F1′s official website this week that “possibly we have been a little bit too optimistic” in cutting staff numbers.

“We need to move up to the (staff) limitations that are allowed,” he revealed.

German driver Rosberg agrees: “The team has not been big enough to build a winning car, but we have recognised the situation and are strengthening the organisation.

“We are now developing rapidly and new faces are showing up all the time,” he told Italy’s Tuttosport. “It shows there is a great desire to improve.”