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.”

Red Bull reserve Sebastien Buemi has added Le Mans to his 2012 calendar, it was confirmed officially on Friday.

It was expected the former Toro Rosso driver, who has been signed as Red Bull’s full time reserve for this season, would also join Toyota’s new Le Mans sports car project.

Also to drive the Japanese giant’s new hybrid will be former F1 driver Anthony Davidson, Toyota said.

“This is an exciting driver lineup for our additional car,” said team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita.

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.

Paul di Resta has his “fingers crossed” for a formula one race debut with Force India in 2011.

He is currently the team’s reserve driver, and at Silverstone will make another track appearance during Friday morning practice.

Mercedes-backed di Resta, who also races with the German marque in the DTM series, is managed by Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony.

The 24-year-old is quoted by the PA news agency as remaining focused on his 2010 duties.

“It’s taking one step at a time because it is a big task this year, and hopefully I’m impressing the team enough that I can build a future,” said di Resta, whose cousin is the successful Indycar driver Dario Franchitti.

Although Force India’s current race drivers are Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi, di Resta admitted he would like a seat next season.

“It’s certainly a great team to be part of. I’d love to be driving one of their cars next year, so fingers crossed.”

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)

Plans for adjustable ‘proximity’ rear wings next year are not set in stone, according to FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh.

The idea, giving chasing drivers the ability to reduce drag and therefore better mount overtaking moves, was championed by the teams association and recently rubber-stamped by the FIA.

But there has been some opposition since the announcement; primarily by those who think it is an unnecessary and artificial ploy, and also those who are concerned about safety.

“We will see whether people are convinced by it or not,” said Whitmarsh, also the McLaren team boss.

The Briton admitted the proximity wing was developed due to “fan-based pressure” to improve the spectacle of overtaking, but said it is not certain the innovation will actually debut.

“I think we have got to do a little bit more work on deployment and the sporting regulations that accompany it, and if we get that right we’ll give it a go,” said Whitmarsh.

He confirmed that if “it detracts, isn’t right, it’s easy to take it off”.

“But let’s have a look at it; it’s a bit of an experiment.”

Former grand prix driver Anthony Davidson is not confident the wings will ever be seen in action.

“I think teams just like to see what people like us think about it before it actually gets put forward,” said the BBC radio commentator.

(GMM)

Note from the Editor: There were two titles for this piece, “Schumacher’s Karma catches up with him” or “Have FIA bungled with Schumacher penalty?” Either would have been appropriate, we chose the one we did because in the end it is perhaps more apt…

Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was overshadowed by an incident involving old sparring partners Michael Schumacher, and Fernando Alonso.

Due to the spectacular crash between Karun Chandhok and Jarno Trulli at Rascasse corner, the Safety Car was called upon 3 laps from the end. The flash point came when the German veteran slid up the inside of Alonso at the final Anthony Noghes corner after the Safety Car had peeled into the pitlane for the last time.

The Formula One paddock now finds itself in the situation where Schumacher has been given a retrospective 20 second penalty and dropped to 12th position in the final classification. Fernando Alonso was reinstated to his 6th position, and we head to Turkey with the Spaniard still in touch with the seemingly untouchable Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

However, the justification for this penalisation is hard to distinguish. It is true that Article 40.13 states: “If the race ends while the Safety Car is deployed, it will enter the pitlane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking”. The clarity of this rule is not in question.

There have been previous examples of this rule being enforced. The Australian Grand Prix of 2009 being one such example, where the Brawn cars of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello led the field across the line after the Safety Car had pitted following an accident between Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. In this case, the job of the trackside marshals was to signal to the drivers that there was to be no overtaking and that they were to stay in formation. This was signified by the continued use of yellow flags and Safety Car boards at each marshal post until the Start/Finish line.

Fast forward a year and five races, and we find ourselves in a similar situation. What seems incomprehensible is that following the end of the Safety Car period, green flags were waved and a green light was shown on the overhead light gantry of the last corner. Such a contradiction in actions seems confusing to say the least.

Under FIA Sporting Regulations, a green flag signifies “that any previous danger has been attended to. The track is now clear, and drivers may proceed at racing speed and may again overtake”. Why was this signal given? The green flag completely contradicted Article 40.13, and Schumacher acted accordingly.

Based on principle alone, a driver that sees a green flag or a green light is perfectly entitled to proceed at racing speed and make an attempt at an overtaking manoevre. It is worth noting that the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg also attempted an overtake after Alonso slid on the kerbs of the final corner, but was unable to.

Such a baffling decision decreases the credibility of the FIA stewarding panel, which had proved itself to be more than capable with a string of sound decisions so far in 2010. The accusation that Damon Hill was central to the decision-making procedure does not work, as his responsibility was to ensure a fair conclusion to any racing incidents. This was a decision based on the law of the FIA.

Neither is the common misconception that the stewards could have put Schumacher back into 7th position, as under Article 16.3 of the Sporting Regulations, only three possible sanctions are legally allowed; a drive-through penalty, a grid drop for the following race, or a ten-second stop and go penalty.

It appears that Schumacher has been penalised for a communication mix-up, which is why Mercedes have attempted to appeal the decision.
Based on the precedent set by the Lewis Hamilton decision at Spa in 2008, time penalties cannot be appealed. The only conceivable outcome for Mercedes is that they can lodge a protest of the result to the FIA. A 2,000 Euro fee is attached to this and is the only option that resembles an appeal procedure in this instance.

The two underlying themes are that the large reaction to this incident reflects more on the bland nature of the race itself, and that the nonsensical decisions taken by those working in this arm of the FIA are still commonplace. Perhaps if there was no need to interpret so widely the rules that are put forth by the FIA, decisions like this would not cause such debate. With the spectacle provided by the racing being put on the backburner, the spectacle of events off track have reared their ugly head once again.

Those who believe in Karma, your time has come.

(James Rossi)

Fernando Alonso has psychologically “destroyed” his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.

That is the belief of former Super Aguri driver Anthony Davidson, who now attends grands prix as a commentator for British radio BBC.

Ferrari incumbent Massa, 29, has struggled to match team newcomer Alonso so far this season, but the Brazilian has put the situation down to the F10 car and the tyres.

But Davidson has a different theory. “I can sum up Massa’s problem in two words — Fernando Alonso,” said the Briton.

“He has destroyed him mentally. Already. And I think that started at turn one in Bahrain,” said the 31-year-old, referring to the Spaniard’s pass on Massa on the outside of the first corner of the championship.

Alonso’s controversial pit entry pass in China recently was also widely interpreted as another psychological victory for the feisty double world champion.

Davidson added: “Every time he (Massa) goes out there, Alonso’s gone faster. He is driving hard, but in the back of his mind he will be thinking ‘yeah, but I bet Fernando has gone faster’.

“And you get back to the pits and he has. It does get you down,” he said.

Jenson Button was critical of Felipe Massa after qualifying for the Monaco grand prix.

With Fernando Alonso already out of the session due to his practice crash, the other Ferrari could also now be penalised by the stewards for the incident that occurred in the final ‘Q3′ shootout for the top ten grid placings.

McLaren’s Button, the world championship leader, had to abandon his first timed lap when he encountered a slow-moving Massa in the final Anthony Noghes corner.

“I don’t know what he was doing,” the Briton told the BBC.

“There were only ten drivers on the track so it should have been easy (to get out of the way),” said Button, adding that the Brazilian “blatantly slowed me down”.

During qualifying, former grand prix driver Anthony Davidson spotted Button also being held up by Sauber’s Pedro de la Rosa.

“I would be furious if I was Jenson Button — he totally held him up,” said the British radio commentator.

(GMM)

Rookies Karun Chandhok and Kamui Kobayashi fell afoul the notorious Monaco walls as the Principality came alive on Thursday morning.

Under sunny skies in the Principality, Sauber driver Kobayashi’s was the biggest incident, occurring at the end of the 90-minute session.

The Japanese lost control in the famous Swimming Pool section, hitting the raised kerbs and then the barrier on the exit, but he managed to nurse the C29 back to the pits minus a front wing.

HRT’s Chandhok, meanwhile, earlier managed just 6 laps of the circuit before spinning at Massenet and brushing the outside wall.

Fernando Alonso was the fastest runner, but at one point he pitted to replace a front wing, and was earlier seen almost clouting his left rear against in the final Anthony Noghes corner.

Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica were all within a tenth of the leading Ferrari’s best time, followed by Barcelona winner Mark Webber.

(GMM)

(GMM)  Lewis Hamilton has played down rumours Mika Hakkinen will shortly be unveiled as his new personal manager.

The McLaren driver admitted exaggeratingly that he has fielded “millions” of calls from potential candidates after announcing his professional split with father Anthony.

But as his day-to-day affairs are currently handled by his Woking based employer, the 25-year-old suggested he wants a non-F1 expert to focus on developing Lewis Hamilton the “brand”.

Referring to conventional driver managers, the 2008 world champion told British newspapers in Barcelona: “I think what they can offer me is a bit limited — limited to F1.

“There are other ways you can go.”

It was reported that former McLaren champion Hakkinen was a frontrunner, but Hamilton insists there has been “no movement” in terms of a decision about his new manager.

“I’ve not spoken to anyone.  I’m not in any rush.  It’s not necessary to appoint anyone now.  The team are helping me.  They are providing the things I need.  It could be six months before I get anyone,” he said.

Hamilton also said he is patching up his relationship with his father, who has not attended a grand prix since Lewis decided to go it alone.

“Things are slowly progressing,” he said.  “We have been in contact recently.  He’s said he is supporting me and that’s all I’ve always wanted from my dad.

“More and more he’s coming to terms with it.  I’ll probably speak to him but we won’t decide together on my new manager.  I want to set the direction I’m going in,” said Hamilton.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Rumours have intensified this week that Mika Hakkinen could soon become Lewis Hamilton’s manager.

In the wake of the McLaren driver’s professional split with his father Anthony, 25-year-old Briton Hamilton has been perusing offers from potential managers.

1998 and 199 world champion Hakkinen, 41, already works with a young F3 driver at his own manager Didier Coton’s Monaco based Aces Group, and said last Sunday: “Perhaps I will come back to F1 as a manager.”

The Italian sports daily Tuttosport now reports that the formalisation of a deal between Aces/Hakkinen and Hamilton could be made in the very near future.

Hamilton’s career is currently handled by McLaren, but team boss Martin Whitmarsh is pushing his driver to appoint a “dispassionate, independent” manager.

Hakkinen won his two world championships with McLaren and retired in 2001.

Apr.26 (GMM)  Mika Hakkinen is considering a full-time return to premier motor racing — as a driver manager.

Whilst backing his former title rival Michael Schumacher to return to top form and win a race on his 2010 comeback, the similarly 41-year-old Hakkinen also admits he still feels the lure of the sport.

“I miss racing every day.  It’s very close to my heart,” said the double world champion, who raced in DTM between 2005 and 2007 after retiring from F1 at the end of 2001.

The Finn told Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper: “I’ll be back but I don’t know when or where.  I just know that I will do it again.

“Perhaps I will come back to F1 as a manager,” added Hakkinen.

Indeed, he is also part of his own manager Didier Coton’s Aces Group company, and has been linked with Lewis Hamilton in the wake of the McLaren driver’s professional split with his father Anthony.

Mar.24 (GMM – YF1) Lewis Hamilton has revealed he received “a lot” of applications to become his new manager.

It emerged before the 2010 season opener that the McLaren driver will no longer be handled professionally by his father Anthony.

Martin Brundle and Mika Hakkinen were both touted as potential replacements.

“Honestly, I have received a lot of applications but I’m not in a hurry to decide,” the 25-year-old Briton said on Wednesday in a joint interview with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

“I am with a fantastic team, with many competent people, so at the moment I have no need for a manager,” Hamilton told F1’s official website.

Ecclestone, 79, advised Hamilton to remain unrepresented.

“A driver doesn’t need a manager,” said the sport’s ’supremo’, who joked that he has offered to manage Hamilton.

“Gerhard Berger is the prime example of that. He managed himself and was making more money than anybody else at the time he was racing,” Ecclestone added.

McLaren announced he has signed a contract with the Dutch kart driver, Nyck de Vries for his program meant to develop young pilots.  14 year old, De Vries will be directed by Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony Hamilton.

“For a long time, McLaren has been committed with helping young talents.  We believe it’s part of the community’s responsibility to promote and encourage junior drivers, and we are committed with doing precisely that,” said Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh.


“Nyck seem to be a young talent and we’re looking to help his future starting with his career as junior driver, providing him the support and  training he needs to succeed.”

With regards to the contract, Anthony Hamilton said: “Nyck is a very promising young man. His father, Hendrik has been a remarkable support in his career, [...] we both believe that with the adequate support, we can take his career to the highest level.”
De Vries added: “My visit to the McLaren Technological Center has been a fantastic experience and I feel honored and thankful for McLaren’s support to develop my career. They have incredible resources, and I think they’ll be able to give the perfect structure to improve my knowledge, physical shape and experience in motor racing.”