A lack of official information has triggered speculation about Ross Brawn’s health.

And another rumour is that his absence in Barcelona could be connected with Mercedes’ billion-dollar dispute with Bernie Ecclestone over the next Concorde Agreement.

The German squad announced on Thursday that Bob Bell is leading the team in Barcelona because regular boss Brawn is back in Britain on doctor’s orders.

Bild newspaper said the 57-year-old was given the advice in hospital earlier this week, following a dizzy spell at his home in England.

“It’s more than the flu,” chief executive Nick Fry is quoted as saying, “but I can assure you that it’s nothing life threatening.”

Indeed, a spokeswoman told us on Thursday that Brawn will be back to work at Monaco in a fortnight.

For Spain, Brawn will watch the action on television.

“We will still keep in touch,” Michael Schumacher revealed. “Ross cannot be replaced. That’s simply impossible.”

Another theory about Force India’s absence from a practice session in Bahrain last weekend has emerged.

Word has it the Silverstone based team sat out the second session on Friday because staff were spooked by a Molotov cocktail incident and didn’t want to be returning to their hotels in darkness.

Officially, Force India said the decision to skip a practice session was for “logistical reasons”.

“None of the other teams seem to have a problem,” said Bernie Ecclestone last weekend. “Maybe (it’s) nothing to do with being in this country, maybe it’s something else.”

An event summary by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said: “There are rumours that Force India wanted to save its engines because they are short on cash.”

The team’s Bahrain crisis was handled by deputy chief Bob Fernley, in the absence of owner and principal Vijay Mallya.

Indeed, Indian Mallya does seem to have bigger problems, with the latest reports indicating he is considering selling 26 per cent of his flagship spirits company in order to rescue his dying airline Kingfisher.

A spokesman for JM Financial, representing Mallya, dismissed the suggestion as “factually incorrect and speculative”.

Jean Alesi would like to see the pressure eased on the shoulders of France’s new F1 hope.

Until Sunday, Alesi was the last French driver to have stood on a formula one podium, after taking his Sauber to third at Spa in 1998.

Romain Grosjean therefore ended a 14-year podium drought for France, tasting top-three spoils in just his eleventh race in formula one.

“(Grosjean as) My successor?” Alesi told RMC Sport. “I don’t see it that way.

“It’s promising but we need to leave him alone now,” the 47-year-old veteran of 202 grands prix over 13 seasons insisted.

Alesi is referring to the media hype about Grosjean after the first two races, when he failed to get his Lotus around even the first lap in Australia and Malaysia.

He then scored his first ever points in China and seven days later was on the podium, triggering press speculation in France that the tones of ‘La Marseillaise’ are next.

But there remains other pressures on Grosjean; exalted as France’s new hope, and at the same time accused of preventing Kimi Raikkonen from winning in Bahrain by not letting his faster teammate through in the absence of team orders.

“I know what I’m talking about,” said Alesi. “Since the beginning of the season there have been all sorts of comments about him.

“That isn’t right.

“He needs to have calm and take the time that he needs to get on top of everything.

“When it’s a podium, we’re all happy but when it’s a bad performance, we all have to be behind him too,” he added.

 Vitaly Petrov has hit out again at his ‘pay-driver’ label, insisting even the highest paid driver on the grid has a similar arrangement with his team.
“I see no difference between myself and Alonso,” said the Russian, who has moved his lucrative backing from Renault (now Lotus) to the Caterham team for 2012.

His new appointment is controversial, given he has ousted the experienced veteran and former Monaco winner Jarno Trulli, who was the last Italian in F1.

Comparing himself with Alonso, Petrov told La Stampa newspaper: “Everyone knows that he is funded by the money from (Ferrari sponsor) Banco Santander.

“Anyway, you only get to F1 because of talent.”

And Petrov, 27, insists he does not feel sorry for Trulli.

“Life is hard,” the Italian newspaper quotes him as saying.

He admitted that having friends in F1 is impossible, whilst making some comments that will also not endear him to the sport’s Italian followers.

Asked to explain the rare absence of Italians on the grid, Petrov criticised the country’s junior categories and added: “Your drivers lack the passion.”

And as for Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo’s complaints about the dramatic role being played by aerodynamics in F1 at present, he answered: “When you’re not winning, it’s easy to complain.”

Petrov, however, lived in Italy in his past, revealing that his favourite elements of Italian life are “the food and the girls”.

But on the latter, he does not expect to be wheel-to-wheel with the opposite sex any time soon.

“They do not have the physical ability and also are not prepared for the high speeds. But everything in life is possible,” said Petrov.

A deal to see Barcelona and Valencia alternate a single annual Spanish grand prix is not quite across the finish line.
F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone announced last week that a deal has been struck in principle between the sport’s two current Spanish hosts.

But Vicenc Aguilera, the Circuit de Catalunya president, told Mundo Deportivo newspaper: “We (Barcelona and Valencia) have two completely different business models, making the negotiations quite complex.

“We need to find the balance between the interests of Mr Ecclestone, Valencia and ourselves,” he added.

He said that in the absence of a deal, Barcelona has the annual Spanish grand prix hosting rights through 2016.

But he acknowledged that alternating would be a “good solution” for all parties, “so I hope that in a couple of months we can make an announcement”.

 They are famously close on a personal level, but for the sake of his sport Bernie Ecclestone wants to see Sebastian Vettel suffer in 2012.
The Red Bull driver has won the past two championships on the trot, including last season when the title battle was over long before the finale.

“It wasn’t good. The only person that would say no to that would be Sebastian, but I think everybody else would agree with it,” F1 chief executive Ecclestone told reporters on Thursday.

He had just announced a new connectivity deal for F1 with Indian multinational Tata’s communications subsidiary.

The aim is to modernise F1 in that area because, as the 81-year-old puts it, he is “getting old” and was “asleep” to the world’s new digital era.

But more immediately important to Ecclestone is a better show in 2012.

“I’m surprised we survived with (the TV ratings) we got right at the end,” said the Briton, referring again to Vettel’s dominance. “We need to see everybody else wake up.”

Another element he hopes is in place this year is a fully-firing Lewis Hamilton, but Ecclestone admitted the 2008 world champion might have to farewell McLaren.

“I think if he doesn’t perform this year, he’ll be looking maybe to move on, and the team may also be looking for him to move on,” he said.

And yet another golden egg for Ecclestone would be a winning Michael Schumacher, but he admitted the seven time world champion might need to sit at the wheel of a Red Bull for that to happen.

“I don’t think Sebastian would mind,” he said.

“I’m not saying I don’t want Mark (Webber) around, I’m just saying it would be nice to see him (Schumacher) in the car where you know that if he doesn’t win it’s his fault, not the car.”

Less important, Ecclestone argues, is the rare absence in F1 of a single Italian driver.

“If Ferrari is winning,” he insisted, “it doesn’t make any difference.”

Indeed, there are bigger fish on the F1 supremo’s plate: the thorny issue of Bahrain’s return in 2012, and a looming fight with the teams over the next Concorde Agreement.

On Bahrain, he joked: “Pity I’m not going to be there myself but don’t worry. No, I shall be there, don’t worry.”

As for the teams wanting a bigger share of F1′s revenue pie, Ecclestone answered: “I think they are right. If they don’t ask they are not going to get (it), are they?”

But when asked to rate their chances of success, the Briton replied typically: “Slim to none.”

Red Bull’s championship spoils are worth tens of millions of euros, according to a report.
Germany’s Sport1 claims the 2011 constructors’ champions will earn EUR 60 million for the feat, even though the detail of the sport’s income distribution system is protected by the confidential Concorde Agreement.

But “The difference between first and second places is around ten million euros,” the team’s consultant Dr Helmut Marko is quoted as revealing.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais claims the world championship is worth as much as EUR 72 million to Red Bull in official F1 income.

The report said second place gets EUR 50 million, and third 36m, with the amounts then dropping proportionately by several million dollars for the lower placings down to tenth.

“For the small teams, a higher place in the constructors’ championship is very important because it means a lot of money,” said Spanish engineer Toni Cuquerella.

As for Red Bull’s millions, a lot of that money is already assigned to the development of next year’s single seater, demonstrated by designer Adrian Newey’s absence in Korea.

“He’s in the UK and focused on the RB8,” revealed team boss Christian Horner last weekend.

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.

After a cold and damp week at the Nurburgring, some of F1′s travelling circus are already reporting rain in Hungary.
British commentator and former driver Martin Brundle travelled straight from Sunday’s German grand prix to the Hungarian capital, scene of the eleventh round of the world championship at the Hungaroring this weekend.

“Pouring with rain,” he wrote on his Twitter channel. “Looks set to stay that way until mid week.”

International weather reports say the outlook for the weekend is indeed better, but with a continuing risk of rain and the absence of Hungary’s usually scorching conditions.

“It is raining a lot here and it’s not so warm!” Team Lotus’ Brazilian test driver Luiz Razia said.

The BBC warned Bernie Ecclestone about “facing problems”, the F1 chief executive has admitted.

His comments follow reports this week that the British broadcaster’s highly respected free-to-air live television coverage of formula one might be dropped for 2013.

It has been feared that the only option for F1 in the BBC’s absence would be Rupert Murdoch’s pay network Sky, but the Daily Mail newspaper said ITV – the F1 broadcaster between 1997 to 2008 – might also be interested.

“We want formula one to stay free to viewers,” Ecclestone said. “That is 100 per cent.

“They (the BBC) did warn me that they were facing problems but, so far, nothing more has been said. I hope they want to keep us because it is such a success and I will do my best,” the 80-year-old added.

It has been suggested the reports might indicate the BBC’s desire to continue to broadcast F1 with improved contractual terms.

Red Bull will decide whether to use KERS for the rest of the Monaco grand prix weekend after Thursday’s practice sessions.
The technology has caused problems for the otherwise dominant team so far in 2011, and at Monaco its influence is questionable due to the many tight corners and absence of significant straights.

The energy-recovery unit in Sebastian Vettel’s car functioned only intermittently en route to a narrow victory over Lewis Hamilton in Spain last weekend.

“I was playing around with the buttons and the brake distribution so it wasn’t an easy race and obviously McLaren and Lewis especially gave us a very, very hard time,” he said.

His teammate Mark Webber told Auto Motor und Sport in Monaco: “We will test with it on Thursday.”

German Vettel admitted that removing KERS from the RB7s after practice is an option.

“If we have some problems again, we need to consider if it makes more sense to concentrate fully on the driving,” he said.

The 2011 season kicks off at the Abu Dhabi circuit, with Pirelli supplying tyres in a three-year agreement from 2011-2013.

On Friday and Saturday, the 12 teams will try out next year’s Pirelli tyres for the first time. Slick tyres in medium and soft compounds will be used, distinguished by a coloured stripe on the sidewall. Each team will have eight sets of tyres available to them for the two days of testing.

The test in the United Arab Emirates marks Pirelli’s return to F1 after a 19-year absence. The Italian tyre company has brought 384 tyres and 30 people to Abu Dhabi for its debut Pirelli’s Formula One team has now concluded the first phase of testing, following eight private tests and 7000 kilometres on challenging circuits all over Europe.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s motorsport director: “We come to these tests with plenty of confidence and satisfaction with our work carried out so far. The tests in Europe have given us all the data we needed at this current phase of development. Tomorrow, the second phase gets underway…”

An F-duct system will not be seen on Renault’s 2010 car until the Belgian grand prix late next month.

Robert Kubica said he is worried about Hockenheim this weekend, because the absence of the downforce-stalling concept means Renault is having to run less rear wing to keep up with the other cars.

“This could cost us in the corners,” said the Pole.

Team boss Eric Boullier admitted recently it is “very likely” the system will not be seen at a grand prix until after the back-to-back events in Germany and Hungary.

The authoritative Auto Hebdo publication now confirms the news, revealing that Renault’s F-duct will only be ready after the August break.

An email mistakenly sent to his boss could have led to Bruno Senna sitting out the British grand prix.

In the absence of an adequate alternative explanation, it had been thought the Brazilian was replaced due to sponsorship issues, with Sakon Yamamoto reporting wielding $5m in funding.

But after a series of meetings at Silverstone, HRT announced that Senna will be back in the car at Hockenheim and beyond; an indication that there is more to the story.

Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport suggests a simple email could be the reason.

The report said Senna, 26, composed an email that was highly critical of the struggling Spanish team’s boss Colin Kolles and his management style — and then accidentally sent it to the Romanian-born German.

The implication is that Senna was replaced for just a single race by Japanese Yamamoto as a disciplinary reaction to the insubordination.

Fascinatingly, Auto Bild suggested that it was originally Karun Chandhok who was closer to losing his race seat in Britain, due to late sponsor payments.

Sources at the HRT team have denied Bruno Senna was dropped due to considerations about money.

Well-funded Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto is in team regular Senna’s car at Silverstone, and on Friday morning was a full second slower than teammate Karun Chandhok.

Team boss Colin Kolles announced the driver change to reporters late on Thursday night, but said additional information will only be forthcoming with a statement on Friday morning.

At the time of writing at midday, that media statement has not been issued.

In the absence of an alternative theory, it was assumed that sponsorship problems for Senna was the issue.

But team sources on Friday morning denied that is the case.

Senna is in the paddock on Friday, but he has declined to speak to the press. His manager said in a BBC report that claims the 26-year-old Brazilian has been sacked are “absolutely ridiculous”.

To other news outlets, Senna’s manager Chris Goodwin refused to comment.