Paul di Resta has played down media speculation linking him with a high-profile switch to Ferrari.

The reports suggested the famous Italian marque has been impressed with the Scot’s one and a half seasons with Force India and sees him as a potential replacement for the struggling Felipe Massa.

“I have not heard anything about it,” the 26-year-old, who is managed by Anthony Hamilton, said in Barcelona.

“I am just concentrating on the job I have to do for Force India. That is my only focus,” he is quoted by the Scottish Sun newspaper.

However, di Resta is widely regarded as having outshone his highly-rated teammate Nico Hulkenberg so far in 2012.

But he denies he is the number one driver.

“(There is) equal opportunity and everybody seizing his chances,” di Resta told F1′s official website.

As for his dominant position over Hulkenberg, he insisted: “That would be for Nico to answer.”

Hulkenberg said on Thursday: “The first four races have been quite tough but I’m looking forward — I’m bedding in well with the team.”

Lewis Hamilton’s split with pop star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger will make him a better man and driver.
That is the claim of the 2008 world champion’s father, following the news that Pussycat Dolls singer Scherzinger and Hamilton, 26, have parted after a four-year relationship.

The split would explain Hamilton’s foul mood in Korea just over a week ago, towards the end of arguably the Briton’s worst ever season in his professional career.

But Anthony Hamilton, despite no longer managing his son’s career, indicated the McLaren driver is now steering onto the right track.

“He’s turned a corner in everything he’s done, his life, his loves and his love of motor sport. Next year is going to be interesting,” he is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

“You’ve only seen a young Lewis Hamilton. Now Lewis Hamilton the man is coming,” added Hamilton Snr.

Anthony Hamilton has tempered his recent criticism of his son’s management team.
After Lewis Hamilton returned to the headlines for the wrong reasons after Singapore, his former manager and father said F1 drivers need a proper “driver-manager” rather than “people from a company”.

It was a jibe directed at Hamilton’s entertainment agent Simon Fuller, whose XIX company also handles the careers of Spice Girls Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham, and singer and actor Jennifer Lopez.

Anthony Hamilton has now justified his criticism by admitting he is still “very passionate” about his son’s career even though he is no longer professionally involved.

“I spoke with Lewis during the week after the (Singapore) race,” he is quoted by the Independent.

“He told me that he’s happy with the job that his management and Simon Fuller are doing — and as long as Lewis is happy, then I’m happy.”

Hamilton now manages Force India driver Paul di Resta, as well as the reigning kart world champion Nyck de Vries.

Formula one drivers have asked to discuss Lewis Hamilton’s recent driving during a meeting ahead of the Japanese grand prix at Suzuka.
That is the claim of Italian specialist magazine Autosprint after the McLaren driver’s latest run-in last weekend in Singapore, where Felipe Massa physically confronted the Briton.

Ferrari’s Massa sarcastically suggested 26-year-old Hamilton should call upon his father for help, while Anthony Hamilton blamed a failure of support by his son’s new management led by entertainment agent Simon Fuller.

Former driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, meanwhile, has suggested Hamilton needs a “therapist”, while David Coulthard thinks he needs a wise manager like Martin Brundle.

“It doesn’t have to be a manager necessarily,” the Scot wrote in the Telegraph, “but you need someone to be able to sit down and talk to you with complete honesty. To tell you you’re being an idiot.”

Autosprint claims Hamilton’s rivals have asked FIA race director Charlie Whiting to allow a conversation about his overly aggressive driving style during the Suzuka briefing.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh acknowledged 2011 has “not been a good season for Lewis Hamilton” but said the tone of the latest criticism “is wrong”.

“Lewis is still a young guy, he is learning and he will learn from all of this. He will win races and I am sure he is going to win more championships,” he added.

Anthony Hamilton has criticised his son’s management team as the 2008 world champion returned to the headlines for the wrong reasons.

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton clashed twice with his 2008 title nemesis Felipe Massa in Singapore, and afterwards almost came to blows with the diminutive Brazilian.

“We’re all pretty hot here,” said his boss Martin Whitmarsh smiled and shrugged.

“Felipe grabbed Lewis slightly aggressively but I think Lewis acted with restraint and walked away from any potential confrontation.”

Briton Hamilton, 26, was heard to shout “Don’t touch me, man” to Ferrari’s Massa and then left the circuit in his sweaty overalls without completing his media duties.

“I called to him two times, but he didn’t listen to me, he went past me. He didn’t even look to me,” said Massa.

“I said ‘like that you will win many championships’. Maybe his father can do something about it,” Massa said sarcastically.

According to Bild newspaper, triple world champion Niki Lauda sided with Massa: “I don’t understand how a guy with Hamilton’s talent can be always so stupid.”

Indeed, Hamilton Snr – who split professionally with his son before last season – pointed at a failure of management. Lewis’ career is now handled by celebrity manager Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment.

“You look up and down the pitlane and every driver, except for Lewis, has a driver-manager in his life, not people from a company,” said Hamilton, in Singapore to be with his new charge, Force India’s Paul di Resta.

“Formula one drivers need people personally involved in the driver’s lives because it is a big pressure,” he insisted.

“You sign up a formula one driver, so come and do your job. No disrespect to anybody but that’s how this business is.

“I have seen Lewis and he is fine. It is hard right now but he will come back, there is no doubt about that.”

Paul di Resta’s manager has hinted Mercedes could be interested in signing the rookie Scot for 2012.

The comments by Anthony Hamilton on Tuesday follow Michael Schumacher’s reported admission in the Italian press this week that he is not sure “if my mindset is right for this team”.

“At some point we will evaluate whether I continue or stop,” said the seven time world champion.

Should the German return to retirement, di Resta – impressive on his F1 race debut with Mercedes-powered Force India this year – is considered the favourite for the seat.

He won the DTM championship with Mercedes last year and remains close to the German carmaker.

Said di Resta’s manager Hamilton, the father of 2008 world champion Lewis: “I’d like to think that there is an interest — Paul is a Mercedes protege.

“I’m proud of him. He will make a great replacement for someone at a top team.”

Lewis Hamilton’s estranged manager, father Anthony Hamilton, has advised the 2008 world champion to committ his future to McLaren.
26-year-old Hamilton’s career is now handled by pop star manager Simon Fuller, who instructed the Briton to hand over a business card to Red Bull’s Christian Horner a few weeks ago in Canada.

Amid the ensuing speculation and all the talk about Hamilton’s current focus and criticism, his father Anthony – who now manages promising Force India rookie Paul di Resta – said he would advise his son to stick with McLaren.

“It’s just something is missing and they’ll find it,” he told the BBC Sportsweek programme.

“They’re going through a little bit of turmoil like you do in any relationship, but it is going to be a happy marriage, I believe, if he stays.

“As a formula one driver, Lewis has an opportunity to bring everybody together rather than let them fall apart.”

F1 legend Sir Stirling Moss has urged Lewis Hamilton to reunite with his father.
Although the pair have patched up their personal relationship, McLaren driver Hamilton – guided into F1 and through his championship year by his father – is no longer managed by Anthony Hamilton.

Moss, 81, said he is concerned with Hamilton’s current behaviour.

“I am very concerned about him because I think he is an enormous talent,” he told the Daily Mail.

“It would appear to me that his persona has changed since he moved away from being with his dad,” added Moss, referring to Anthony, who now manages Force India rookie Paul di Resta.

Hamilton has been under fire in 2011 for on-track driving incidents and the way he has reacted to that criticism.

“I quite understand it is the bravado of youth and all that, but it is pretty dumb and he is not dumb,” Moss insisted. “You can’t be a world champion if you are stupid.”

Hamilton’s teammate Jenson Button declined to weigh in on the 2008 world champion’s situation.

“He will always be quick. It is about whether he is happy within himself and that’s for him. I see him when we do events and when we are at the circuit (but) I don’t sit down with him as friends,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton is still in the fight for the 2011 world championship.
That is the insistence of his father Anthony Hamilton, who after splitting with the McLaren driver as manager now handles the career of Force India rookie Paul di Resta.

Even before crashing out of the recent Canadian grand prix, 26-year-old Hamilton said of Sebastian Vettel’s runaway points lead: “He’s gone, he’s on his way.”

Then, in the Montreal race, Hamilton’s retirement dropped him behind his teammate Jenson Button and also Mark Webber in the drivers’ standings, a full 76 points shy of Vettel’s lead.

“For me, Valencia will be a weekend of consolidation after two disappointing results in Monaco and Canada,” said the Briton.

But Hamilton’s father thinks a merely solid result is an underestimation of his son’s true potential, tipping him to take the chequered flag by the time of the season finale in late November.

“If I were a gambling man, I’d put some money on Lewis winning the championship this year,” Hamilton snr told the Daily Mail. “You’ll get some great odds. He can do it.”

At present, 2008 world champion Hamilton is about 14/1 to win his second title in 2011, while Red Bull’s Vettel is the overwhelming odds-on favourite.

Said Lewis Hamilton: “We’ve arguably had the fastest race car in the last three races, and that’s really encouraging because I know that, when it’s put to best use, I should be able to finish at the front.”

Red Bull on Monday confirmed reports world champion Sebastian Vettel has signed up with the team through 2014.

Also announced on Monday was that Lewis Hamilton will be managed by Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment company.

XIX also handles the famous British footballer David Beckham and his Spice Girl wife Victoria.

McLaren driver Hamilton sacked his former manager, father Anthony Hamilton, early last year.

In a statement, 26-year-old Hamilton said Fuller “shared my ambitions for the longer term”.

Lewis Hamilton had a sharp-eyed return to formula one on Wednesday after a long winter break.
The McLaren driver was in action at the Valencia test at the wheel of the team’s 2010 car, with the MP4-26 only to be unveiled in Berlin on Friday.

As well as adapting to the new Pirelli tyres, Briton Hamilton admitted to casting an eye over his rivals’ new cars at the Ricardo Tormo track.

“Our car looks different to others and I hope it reflects on its performance,” he is quoted by BBC Sport. “Ferrari and Red Bull look more like an evolution of last year’s car.”

Another change for the 2008 world champion this year is that his father will be back in the grand prix paddocks.

Hamilton, 26, dumped his dad as manager last year but Anthony Hamilton will this season be in the Force India garage with his new charge Paul di Resta.

“He (Anthony) has done a fantastic job to get Paul in and clearly he’s very gifted at getting drivers to formula one,” admitted Lewis.

At the same time, he said he is close to appointing a new manager to work on his image and brand, particularly in new markets like the US.

“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I’ll be able to let you know what’s going on,” Hamilton told reporters.

It is believed that 19 Entertainment, IMG and Creative Artists Agency are the frontrunners to represent Hamilton.

Vitantonio Liuzzi’s manager has admitted he is not sure if the Italian will be on the 2011 grid.
Amid strong rumours that Force India has signed Paul di Resta to race alongside Adrian Sutil this year, 29-year-old Liuzzi has been staunchly insisting that he has a watertight contract for the 2011 season.

But the di Resta/Sutil stories have stepped up even more this week, after team boss Vijay Mallya said an imminent announcement is pending only “some legal loose ends”.

Liuzzi’s manager Peter Collins also hinted that negotiations about the contract are taking place with Force India.

Collins told BBC Sport: “Tonio will be in F1 this year. Will he be racing? I don’t know.”

A spokesperson for Force India declined to comment, and di Resta and his manager Anthony Hamilton were not available.

Collins continued: “I’ve no (further) comment to make at this stage and it would be wrong for me to do so.

“The position has been very clear for some time and it is best to let the team make any announcement,” Liuzzi’s manager added.

Paul di Resta is expected to sit down with Force India this week to discuss his role with the team for 2011.

The new DTM champion served as the Silverstone based outfit’s reserve and Friday driver in 2010, and is a contender for a race seat next year.

But also in the running is ousted Williams rookie Nico Hulkenberg, while Adrian Sutil is expected to be retained and Vitantonio Liuzzi has a firm contract for 2011.

Scot di Resta’s manager Anthony Hamilton is confident: “There hasn’t been one bit of negative information from the team about Paul.

“He has done a great job, the team love him,” Hamilton, father of McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, told the BBC. “He’s a champion and a leader.

“Nothing has changed; he is still a contender for a race seat. We are very positive,” he added.

It is believed Sutil will have one seat in 2011, while the other will be occupied by either di Resta or German Hulkenberg after Liuzzi’s contract is bought out.

Martin Whitmarsh has backed Lewis Hamilton’s decision earlier this year to tread a new path in his professional career.

The 2008 world champion’s split with his manager and father Anthony was reported as a significant disruption in his life, but team boss Whitmarsh indicated that it was not the only step taken by the 25-year-old for his future.

“Lewis was in bits at the start of the year,” he is quoted by the Telegraph.

“But it was always going to come about because he was suffocated to an extent by his dad and Ron (Dennis).”

Dennis, Whitmarsh’s predecessor and long-time McLaren chief, groomed and nurtured Hamilton from his first signature on a team contract as a boy.

“They (Anthony Hamilton and Dennis) would hate to think it, but they are quite similar characters,” said Whitmarsh. “They are controlling influences.”

But now on his own, Hamilton’s next step is the likely appointment of a global management giant to expand his image and marketability beyond the F1 paddock.

“There is concern (about that),” Whitmarsh admitted, adding that there are “vulnerabilities” in Hamilton’s makeup.

“When he establishes the management structure he wants – and I hope he does it during the winter as I do not want it to be a distraction – then I hope they keep it simple,” said the Briton.

“Lewis could rewrite the F1 record books. He could become the greatest ever,” claimed Whitmarsh.

Lewis Hamilton’s father has not yet accepted an invitation to attend his first race since their professional split.

Anthony Hamilton was the McLaren driver’s ever-present manager for his first three seasons in formula one, but 25-year-old Hamilton told his father he wanted to go it alone in 2010 and beyond.

Hamilton Snr has therefore stayed away from every race of this season, with Lewis recently revealing they are only now putting their personal relationship back together.

British newspapers reveal that Hamilton has invited his family, including his father, to Silverstone this weekend.

“I think he’s coming,” he is quoted as saying, confirming that their relationship is “not yet” back to 100 per cent.

“I have invited him.  I’ve invited all my family.  I think he’s going on Saturday night.

“I have got grandstand tickets so I said you can choose whether you want to be in the paddock or you can go in the grandstand.

“He should go into the paddock, but then he should go and experience something different because he has always watched it either from TV or in the paddock,” added Hamilton.

But the 2008 world champion said he does not regret seeking a new manager, because being without his father this year has allowed him to develop.

“It really has, it really has,” he confirmed.  “I’ve just grown.  I’m still learning so many things and I’m pretty much managing myself now — taking the reins and controlling things.

“I feel quite proud that I’ve not just rushed into this or that (new) management and that I’ve told people to be patient,” said Hamilton.

(GMM)