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 for Pedro de la Rosa to return to the grid next year could be announced officially next week.

After being ousted by Sauber, the 39-year-old Spaniard was recruited as Pirelli’s main test driver but said he would be interested in driving for HRT in 2011 if its “sporting project is interesting and ambitious”.

“I am in contact with the (team owner) Carabantes,” he revealed last month.

Citing the information of a member of the Spanish team, the Brazilian publication Terra said “almost everything is done” to secure de la Rosa’s services for 2011.

And after HRT sealed its deal for a Williams transmission, the report said the team will base its next car on the unraced 2010 Toyota.

The El Confidencial publication said de la Rosa has “increased, not decreased” his personal sponsorship since leaving Sauber, and that he is HRT’s “first choice” for the 2011 season.

The report said another Spanish publication believes an agreement has already been reached between the two parties, with an official announcement due “in the coming days”.

According to Europa Press, de la Rosa will be in Madrid on Thursday due to his involvement in the first 3D advertisement in Spain with the department store El Corte Ingles.

Among his other sponsors are Banco Santander, Diageo and the watch brand Certina.

After the initial news we published a few hours ago on Ferrari ‘F281′ that Fernando Alonso will drive this season 2010, Banco Santander has given a press conference with the first high quality image of the Italian car.

The information disclosed by the Director General of the Communication Division of Banco Santander, Juan Manuel Cendoya, said: “We want to be the trademark of Formula 1″, making clear that the entity is present in the Grand Prix of Germany, Italy and United Kingdom’s first sponsor and Brazil and the two tests in Spain, Valencia and Montmelo, as the second.

The global launch of the 2010 design will not leave Ferrari fans unmoved Ferraro, white addiction can not be taken very well by tifossi although not the first time the Ferrari car parts is blank. In fact, in 1975 the ‘cockpit’ It was white and was the year that the Austrian Niki Lauda won his first world championship. However, the aerial view is far from what we’re used to seeing red bullets.

Cendoya said he “supported the decision” to sign Ferrari Fernando Alonso, who signed a five-year contract with Ferrari, but this was unique to the ‘Scuderia’. “We have supported much the firm, we were three years behind it, although Ferrari had the last word,” said head of communications.

While acknowledging that sports sponsorship is “a major risk factor than conventional advertising,” considers that the bank’s presence in the ‘great circle’ will be a “major emotional link” with some sectors of its customer base, especially young , and “a global reputation.”

Imminently, Banco Santander will launch the campaign ‘Red Passion’ in Spain. “We are delighted to swing much of the advertising of 2010 in Fernando (Alonso),” said

The F281, the new car of Ferrari for the 2010 season will be two colors, red, the color characteristic of the ‘Prancing Horse’, and white, for the sponsorship of Banco Santander. The rear wing and front will be white with red letters.

As if this were not enough change for the first time in history, next to the logo of the team (the ‘Prancing Horse’), it is the name of the bank, whose logo will also be painted in white on the mirrors.

The world premiere of this design was made today at the Ciudad Financiera del Banco Santander in Madrid town of Boadilla del Monte at a meeting of Juan Manuel Cendoya, CEO of Communications Division of the entity, with specialized areas.