Kevin Ceccon is in talks with three teams about becoming a reserve and ‘Friday’ practice driver in 2012.
The 18-year-old Italian, who ran in GP2 this season, drove the Toro Rosso during last month’s young driver test in Abu Dhabi.

Specialist Italian magazine Autosprint reports that his talks about the 2012 season are with Red Bull’s Faenza based junior team as well as Caterham and HRT.

Vitaly Petrov’s plans for the 2012 season will be announced before the end of December.
That is the claim of his manager Oksana Kosachenko, following Lotus’ decision to replace the Russian – despite his 2012 contract – with new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean.

“First of all, I’d like to thank all our partners and fans for the support Vitaly received during those two seasons,” Kosachenko told sportbox.ru.

The Ria Novosti news agency claimed Kosachenko bemoaned the “testy relationship” between Petrov and the team in 2011.

“I stress that we have an excellent relationship with the Lotus Renault team,” she insisted, “and together with them we have now come up with another programme for Vitaly.

“We’ll announce it before the New Year. So it’s not the end of Petrov’s career, but his transition into a new phase.”

It is rumoured Petrov, 27, could switch to Marussia, the former Virgin team that from next season will be named after the Russian supercar marque.

That rumour has thrown into doubt the future of the team’s number one driver Timo Glock.

Kosachenko confirmed recent talks with two alternative F1 teams but would not name them.

Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper repeated a rumour that Lotus decided to oust Petrov because Kimi Raikkonen was nervous about being beaten by the Russian in 2012 due to his experience with the Pirelli tyres.

More likely is that Marussia needs the money promised by Petrov’s sponsors.

Citing the team’s latest financial documents, journalists Christian Sylt and Caroline Reid reported that Virgin made a huge $55 million loss in the 14 months to the end of 2010.

 A shakeup behind the scenes of the Valencia street circuit’s European grand prix has taken place within the last few days.
EFE news agency reports that the regional government, the Generalitat Valenciana, has taken over the running of the annual race from the existing promoter, Valmor Sport.

The report said the transfer involved a nominal fee, in light of Valmor’s debts.

Spain’s AS newspaper said a government spokesman confirmed the news, insisting that the shakeup will not affect the contract with formula one or the relationship with Bernie Ecclestone.

Plans are being made for Robert Kubica’s return to formula one — with Ferrari.
That is the claim of the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport correspondent Andrea Cremonesi, who raised the prospect of a test for the Pole in the Spring in the famous Italian team’s 2010 single seater.

Cremonesi’s report confirmed rumours that Kubica’s relationship with the Lotus team will end completely once his contract runs out in less than three weeks.

Well-known for being close to Ferrari sources, he wrote that Kubica is much more likely to return to the grid alongside Fernando Alonso in 2013.

He said Kubica, still recovering from his horror rallying crash, will test the 2010-specification F10 car at Mugello next Spring.

Spain’s AS newspaper said that, pending the last phase of his rehabilitation, Kubica may already have reached some sort of agreement with Ferrari regarding the 2013 season.

Romain Grosjean is not being marketed by Lotus as the latest substitute for injured team regular Robert Kubica.
Pole Kubica’s contract runs out in less than three weeks and, if he returns to formula one, he is being more strongly linked with Ferrari.

“The idea with Grosjean is to make him the number one (in formula one) in two or three years,” team boss Eric Boullier, who has also signed up 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen for 2012 and beyond, is quoted in the French press.

The Swiss-born Frenchman Grosjean, 25, agrees that he is no stop-gap solution for Lotus.

“I can’t wait to be there (in Australia in March), realising that I am in F1 for the whole season,” he told La Figaro newspaper.

“So it is even more extraordinary than the first time.”

He is referring, of course, to 2009 when – under Flavio Briatore’s management – he made his ill-fated debut at Renault alongside Fernando Alonso.

“There has been an evolution of maturity,” said Grosjean. “I think I needed a slap to make me bounce back. Everything had gone too well and now I understand it’s not like that.

“With another approach, the pleasure outweighs the pressure or the stress.”

As in 2009, he said he is happy to be racing alongside another world champion.

“I’m getting used to it — two chances in F1, two world champions,” he laughs. I think there will be plenty to learn from Kimi and I think that after ten laps it will be forgotten that he has not driven for two years.”

 If he’d been at the wheel of a Red Bull in 2011, Paul di Resta is sure he would be world champion now.
The Scot made an impressive grand prix debut with Force India this season and is expected to stay with the Silverstone based team in 2012, with an announcement due this week.

As teammates in 2006, di Resta – who is actually older than Sebastian Vettel – beat the 24-year-old German to the F3 Euroseries title.

“We had the same car, same engine, same tyres and I beat him,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I don’t want to diminish Vettel’s achievement (in 2011), but he won the championship because he had the best car. He did his job, but another driver in the same car would probably have achieved the same results.

“I hope one day to have the same opportunity.”

Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber, of course, did have that opportunity in 2011.

The Australian has been retained for 2012 and he told the Daily Mail last week that he hopes Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko decides to prolong his tenure “a bit longer” beyond next year.

“I think not winning the championship last year knocked him about a little bit,” Webber’s father Alan told the Tasmanian newspaper The Mercury.

Vettel, however, sounds more worried about his rivals at McLaren.

“McLaren were very strong at the end of the year. It will not be a walk in the park next season,” he is quoted by The Sun.

Red Bull has not ruled out patching up its off-track quarrel with rival formula one teams.
The reigning and back-to-back world champions have pulled out of the F1 teams’ alliance FOTA, essentially over the debate about the gentleman’s cost-limiting ‘resource restriction agreement’.

Subsequent meetings have taken place in the absence of Red Bull and fellow new non-FOTA members Ferrari, Ferrari-powered Sauber and Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso, indicating a worrying political split ahead of the crucial negotiations for the next Concorde Agreement.

But team boss Christian Horner has revealed that Red Bull officials will meet with key FOTA members on Monday.

“Nothing’s ever set in stone but for the time being we feel it’s right to step out of FOTA,” he is quoted by the Associated Press.

It has been rumoured that Red Bull baulked at moves to further limit the scope of aerodynamic development, whilst rival carmaker-linked teams remain less limited on engines.

“There has to be a willingness to recognise this and then progress can be made,” Horner, speaking at Red Bull’s title celebratory event in Milton-Keynes, is quoted by the Guardian.

He said Ferrari and Red Bull’s withdrawal from FOTA “has stimulated discussion and that can lead to something positive. There is a way back for all of us”.

Team boss Eric Boullier shrugged his shoulders and answered “I don’t know” when asked if Robert Kubica has a future with Lotus.
The team, together with the Polish driver last year when known as Renault, have been waiting throughout 2011 for Kubica to recover from serious injuries sustained in a pre-season rally crash.

But there have been rumours of ructions between the team and the driver’s management camps — the latest quarrel being the wording of a statement announcing that Kubica is not ready to immediately return in 2012.

The BBC quotes Boullier as describing the status of the relationship as at “point zero”.

In the meantime, Lotus has signed new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean to be 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen’s full-time teammate next season.

“We have been waiting for Robert to understand his plans,” said Boullier. “If we can help him get in back in F1 we will, but we have signed our drivers for next year and we want to stick with them.”

The Frenchman also indicated that Lotus will only release test cars and make available the team’s simulator for Kubica if the 27-year-old – who has been linked with Red Bull and Ferrari – commits for the “long term”.

Another former Renault/Lotus driver with an uncertain future after the Grosjean signing is Bruno Senna. One possibility for him is a return to his early 2011 role as reserve driver.

Asked about his plans for 2012, the Brazilian told the Norfolk Advertiser: “I don’t know yet — I’m still working on next season, but I think it’s looking much better than last season at this same time and let’s hope we can have good news.”

Kimi Raikkonen has hurt his wrist during a snowmobile racing crash in Austria.
After a two-year hiatus, the 2007 world champion is returning to formula one next year with Lotus, the former Renault team whose original regular driver Robert Kubica was seriously hurt in a pre-season rallying crash in February.

Austria’s sport10.at reports that, during the race at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, 32-year-old Finn Raikkonen fell in a corner and was treated by paramedics.

“Our doctor examined Kimi’s left hand,” an event spokesman said. “He is wearing a small bandage.”

Raikkonen, whose snowmobile competitors included Force India reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg, took no part in any further races.

“We just spoke to Kimi,” Raikkonen’s F1 employer Lotus said on Twitter. “There’s nothing to worry about, he only has a sore wrist. He might have it checked again on Monday, but that’s all.”

Adrian Sutil has a firm eye on Williams as formula one’s driver lineup for 2012 takes more shape.
On Friday, one of the German’s potential options for next year – the vacant Lotus seat alongside Kimi Raikkonen – was filled by new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean.

Sutil is expected to lose his Force India seat to Nico Hulkenberg, so the team veteran is now hoping for a switch to Williams.

“Yes, certainly there has been talks with several teams for quite some time, but nothing is signed,” the 28-year-old was quoted as saying on Friday by Germany’s speed-magazin.de.

Sutil, with a few million euro in Medion sponsorship backing, finally confirmed his reported link with Williams, who are still contemplating replacing Rubens Barrichello.

“Williams is certainly one of the teams that have a seat. Unfortunately I can’t say anything about the discussions to date.

“But we hope that there is a decision by mid-December,” he said.

Specifically, December 15 has been the date officially earmarked by Force India boss Vijay Mallya, although it is believed Sutil has already been told that he is definitely on the market.

Recently, he has sounded frustrated that, despite struggling alongside rookie teammate Paul di Resta early in 2011, it has escaped the notice of many that he had a very good finish to the season.

“Yes, in the end I beat Paul in all areas, but it was hard work,” said Sutil. “He did a great job and challenged me throughout the year.

“Whether he is set (to stay at Force India) or not, I can not say — I don’t know about Paul’s contract,” he insisted.

As predicted by international publications ahead of the official announcement, Lotus on Friday confirmed Romain Grosjean as Kimi Raikkonen’s teammate for the 2012 season.
The Enstone based team, formerly known as Renault, said the announcement was made in conjunction with Total, the French multinational oil company and existing team sponsor.

“The two companies (Lotus and Total) are also pleased to confirm that they have renewed their sponsorship agreement for another year,” read a media statement.

Genii-managed and Total-backed Grosjean, 25 years old and the new GP2 champion, was the team’s reserve driver in 2011.

“Returning to Enstone as a race driver feels like coming home,” said the Swiss-born French driver, who made his troubled grand prix debut alongside Fernando Alonso amid the ‘crashgate’ scandal in 2009.

“Total is delighted to give the young talented French driver … the opportunity to fulfil his dream,” said Total’s senior vice president corporate communications Jacques-Emmanuel Saulnier.

The media statement also seemed to confirmed media reports’ claims earlier that Frenchman Eric Boullier is staying put as team boss.

“I would like to thank Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna for their contribution to the team’s performance this year and I wish them all the best for the future,” he is quoted as saying.

A replacement for Grosjean as reserve driver was not named.

Heikki Kovalainen has admitted a return to a “winning” team could be on the agenda for the not-too-distant future.
But the Finn has this week rejected recent speculation that, despite his 2012 contract, he might be set to immediately defect from Caterham to Lotus (nee Renault).

He credits Caterham, formerly known as Team Lotus, for helping him to resurrect his form and reputation after a difficult early career with bigger teams.

2008 Hungary winner Kovalainen, 30, insists is has not been too hard in 2010 and 2011 – after struggling alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren – to race without the prospect of even a single point.

“I have reset my goals,” he explained to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“Each race was an opportunity for me to show my potential as a driver.

“At the same time I want to show the paddock that the new Kovalainen is different from the one at Renault and McLaren. So that I’m ready for ‘day X’ on which a place becomes available at a top team.

“In some ways it would already interest me to see how I would have done (recently) in a winning car. I think some people would be surprised,” added Kovalainen.

As speculation surrounding the identity of Kimi Raikkonen’s 2012 teammate goes into overdrive, clarity may now be just around the next bend.
International media reports claim the former Renault team, to be known as Lotus F1 Team from next season, is ready to make an official announcement on Friday that will complete its next driver lineup.

There have been plenty of reported candidates, ranging from the team’s 2011 lineup Bruno Senna and Vitaly Petrov, refugees from other teams like Adrian Sutil and Rubens Barrichello, and even drivers under contract like Caterham’s Heikki Kovalainen and Virgin’s Timo Glock.

Indeed, with Virgin assuming the identity of the Russian supercar marque Marussia from 2012, it is reported that Lotus might swap Vitaly Petrov – who has a contract – with the similarly 2012-contracted Timo Glock.

“The owner of the (Lotus) team Gerard Lopez has said that the driver alongside Raikkonen will be experienced,” reported Italy’s Tuttosport.

“Glock might be just the name the team is looking for.”

An even wilder rumour is that Kamui Kobayashi’s contracted place at Sauber could now be in doubt, even though Blick newspaper insists that the speculation has “surprised” officials at the Hinwil based team.

Indeed, the talk about Glock and Kobayashi appears wildly wide of the mark, with the authoritative Auto Hebdo (France) and Speed Week (Germany) reporting that Lotus has actually decided to promote the Genii-managed new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean.

Autohebdo.fr claims that a board meeting has been held at Enstone this week, confirming that Eric Boullier is staying as team boss, with his French countryman Grosjean arriving as race driver.

An announcement could be made “in the coming hours”.

Speed Week writer Peter Hesseler agreed: “We hear from Enstone that Lotus will on Friday confirm Grosjean as the second race driver for 2012 alongside Kimi Raikkonen.”

 With up to five of F1′s twelve teams no longer members, the future of the FOTA alliance is on shaky ground.
HRT pulled out at the start of the year, with team boss Colin Kolles chiding the Geneva-based association for being “just a name and not really existing in the real world”.

But it was the exits of F1′s biggest budget Red Bull and Ferrari that have rocked the foundations of the body, which was set up amid the teams’ political battles with Bernie Ecclestone and former FIA president Max Mosley.

“FOTA fulfilled its purpose in the crisis period,” Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko said this week, with team boss Christian Horner adding: “In the last 12 months it hasn’t quite been clear what was the purpose of FOTA.”

Indeed, the group has been at loggerheads over the resource restriction agreement, with accusations Red Bull breached the non-FIA pact and risked being sued by its rivals.

Ferrari is also unhappy with the direction of the cost-cutting, insisting in its explanatory note last Friday that F1 “cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training”.

Ferrari-powered Sauber confirmed its departure this week, and Toro Rosso – using the same Italian engine – has refused to comment so far.

The BBC reports that FOTA may actually have barred the Faenza based team’s officials from attending the most recent meetings, ostensibly due to its obvious links with Red Bull and Ferrari.

Those emergency FOTA talks in the last few days have been about the future of the alliance, with Mercedes’ Norbert Haug insisting on Tuesday that the association “is absolutely vital”.

But it is unclear if some other teams will follow the moves of the newly-confirmed non-FOTA members, with a Lotus spokesman telling the BBC: “A lot of talks are going on but, so far, our team is still a member of FOTA.”

A Force India spokesman added: “There are ongoing meetings, so it is premature to comment at this stage.”

The specifics of the recent speculation were wide of the mark, but Gerhard Berger has returned to an active role in premier motor sport.
The 52-year-old Austrian denied recent reports he was set to replace Eric Boullier as Lotus team boss, or head the GP2 team Super Nova.

But F1′s governing body has appointed the former ten-time grand prix winner, BMW motor sport director and Toro Rosso co-owner as the new president of the federation’s single-seater commission.

The FIA said Austrian Berger’s predecessor, Barry Bland, stepped down for “personal reasons”.

The Paris body lists Gilles Simon, Ferrari’s former engine boss, as the commission’s existing secretary.

Meanwhile, the BBC reports that former long-time F1 doctor Professor Sid Watkins, 83 and a close friend of the late Ayrton Senna, has retired as president of the FIA Institute, but will continue in an honorary role.