Ferrari’s heavily upgraded F2012 has caught the eye of reigning world champion and last-start winner Sebastian Vettel.

The famous Italian team and its lead driver Fernando Alonso have tried to play down the improvements made to the recently struggling red car.

“It was good acting,” said Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo’s correspondent Livio Oricchio on Friday.

“The truth is that Ferrari have debuted a new car. Almost everything is different.”

Red Bull’s Vettel has spotted the same thing.

“If you ask me, Ferrari are dangerous,” Bild newspaper quotes the German as saying on Friday.

The ‘B’ Ferrari features new front and rear wings, floor, sidepods, engine cover, exhaust and brake ducts.

“A total reconstruction for a million euros,” said the newspaper.

Alonso was quickest on Friday morning in Barcelona but then a long way down the order in P2. He played down his victory chances.

But Vettel’s boss Dr Helmut Marko insists: “They (Ferrari) have become really fast.”

McLaren tested a higher front nose at the Mugello test last week.

Backmarker Marussia aside, the famous British team is the only team in 2012 to have resisted the temptation of running a high ‘step’ nose, in the wake of new safety regulations.

McLaren was the early frontrunner this season with its MP4-27 car, but Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton struggled notably last time out in Bahrain.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said the team quietly tested the significant nose development on the final day of Mugello testing last Thursday, with test driver Oliver Turvey at the wheel.

The report also speculated that McLaren experimented with an adjustable brake duct system at Mugello, which might be used to regulate tyre temperature for the finicky 2012 Pirellis.

The system would have to be adjusted by the mechanics during a pitstop.

Dr Helmut Marko has denied reports Sebastian Vettel was summoned to Red Bull’s headquarters this week to explain his behaviour at the recent Malaysian grand prix.

The Narain Karthikeyan-saga aside, reports suggested the German deliberately ignored his bosses’ instruction that he retire his RB8 – ostensibly due to a brake issue – so that he could fit a new gearbox without penalty in China.

The reports suggested Vettel had confessed immediately after the race that he heard the instruction but chose to ignore it.

“That is all nonsense,” Red Bull’s motor racing consultant Marko told Sport Bild.

“Sebastian did nothing – absolutely nothing – that was against our wishes.”

Marko said Vettel’s visit to Milton Keynes this week was scheduled long ago, adding that he will be working inside the driver simulator amongst other things.

He also hit back at claims the 24-year-old could be penalised by the FIA for breaching the code of conduct when he showed the ‘middle finger’ to Karthikeyan.

“The matter was resolved during the meeting with the stewards (in Malaysia). For me, the case is closed.”

Speaking to Kolner Express newspaper, however, an FIA spokesman confirmed that the code of conduct forbids superlicense holders from insulting their rivals.

But he added: “I imagine the application of this paragraph was considered by the stewards in Malaysia.”

And Sebastian Vettel’s spokeswoman said: “We know of no investigation.”

Red Bull has hit back at claims the team lied about a technical problem in Malaysia in order to gain a tactical advantage for the forthcoming races.

Near the end of the Sepang race, Sebastian Vettel’s engineer repeatedly instructed the back-to-back world champion to retire his RB8 car.

Team boss Christian Horner said the brake temperatures had risen to a dangerous level, but Vettel nonetheless raced to the chequered flag and finished eleventh, one position out of the points.

Horner explained Vettel did not hear the radio calls due to a “lightening strike”, but photos prove that the German driver was also repeatedly shown pit boards with the same messages.

And the 24-year-old revealed after the race: “Of course you can save the car, but I wanted to see the chequered flag. I think that’s how it should be.”

Moreover, the authoritative Auto Motor und Sport quotes Vettel as confirming: “I heard the command.”

Red Bull has been accused in some media reports of feigning the brake problem in order to retire the car for tactical reasons and therefore install a fresh gearbox for China next month without penalty.

Dr Helmut Marko told Bild newspaper: “After the crash (with Narain Karthikeyan), the temperature of the brakes rose far above the allowed level.

“We called him in purely because the car was no longer safe. It was not a tactical decision,” the Austrian insisted.

It is reported that Vettel will sit with his team bosses this week in Milton-Keynes to discuss the apparently ignored team order.

German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck said: “Another driver would be fired, but Vettel has the confidence of being a double world champion.”

According to Welt newspaper, Swiss commentator Marc Surer added: “It was the right decision by Vettel, as the team needs to be careful with commands like that.”

Sebastien Buemi, Red Bull’s reserve driver in 2012, spent time watching Wednesday’s Barcelona test action from a trackside vantage point.

“I like the Red Bull and the Force India the best,” said the Swiss, after Nico Hulkenberg set the surprise pace.

“(McLaren’s Lewis) Hamilton and Hulkenberg can brake late and get back on the gas early.

“You can tell that the Red Bull has fuel on board, but still the (RB8) is very good. But you can see that the tyres are old,” explained Buemi.

He was most surprised, however, by Hulkenberg’s Force India, congratulating the Silverstone based team: “They have made a very good car.”

Former third driver Hulkenberg smiled: “I could have gone even faster.”

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Buemi is also impressed with the McLaren.

“It looks good, it has grip — not quite as much as the Red Bull, but close.”

But in trouble, according to former Toro Rosso racer Buemi, is Ferrari.

“Oh dear, that doesn’t look so good,” he commented after Fernando Alonso passed by. “He’s playing with the throttle because there’s no traction.”

Like Hulkenberg, Sauber’s Sergio Perez was also setting the pace on Wednesday, but Buemi reveals that the Mexican was running new soft tyres.

“That distorts the picture, just as the level of fuel does.

“For me, Red Bull is in front, then comes Force India and McLaren,” said Buemi. “They are not too far away.”

 Giedo van der Garde is set to return to the track with Caterham during the forthcoming Barcelona tests, reigniting speculation about Jarno Trulli’s future with the former Lotus team.
After the sponsor-backed Dutch GP2 driver was signed on as 2012 reserve driver, he was also drafted into the Jerez test lineup at short notice, bumping Italian veteran Trulli from Thursday’s running.

And France’s Auto Hebdo quotes the 26-year-old as revealing he expects to return to the wheel soon.

“It was not easy for me to fully exploit the new tyres and brakes, but it will be better at the next test.

“The team is happy with my performance. I hope to do another test before the season starts,” van der Garde said.

Also reportedly in the running at Caterham is the Renault refugee and Russian-backed Vitaly Petrov, with Sport Bild claiming Trulli’s 2012 place is “probably not safe”.

“For now I’m safe,” Trulli was quoted on Monday by the Italian website Stop and Go.

Also perhaps feeling nervous at present is Marussia’s new signing Charles Pic, who according to Dutch website f1today.nl is grappling with “sponsorship and payment problems”.

The former Virgin team denied the reports.

“I want to prove to everyone that I have the talent to succeed in F1,” he is quoted by French language RMC Sport.

“Timo (Glock) has a lot of experience and has been on the podium — my goal is to learn from him and try to beat him as soon as possible,” added Pic.

F1′s governing body has banned the 2012 innovation known commonly as ‘reactive ride height’.
The concept, pioneered by Lotus and first spotted in action at last November’s young driver test, was also reportedly being worked on by teams including Ferrari, Mercedes and Williams.

The system, until now deemed legal by the FIA, cleverly adjusts a car’s ride-height under braking via a passive method in the suspension.

But the BBC said the Paris federation changed its mind about the legality following “further investigations and representations from rival teams”.

Some team figures are believed to have said the intention is only to improve braking stability, but some rivals argued that the primary function is aerodynamic.

One F1 regulation says “any car system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited”.

An FIA spokesman told Reuters that Whiting sent the directive on Friday following “a number of technical enquiries from teams” about the legality of the Lotus-type concept.

Mercedes is the next team working on a copy of Lotus’ innovative ‘braking ride-height correction’ system ahead of the 2012 system.
Shortly after news broke that the former Renault team had devised a passive and therefore legal system to stabilise a car’s ride height under braking, reports emerged that Ferrari is “working on a similar system”.

The BBC said last week that it believed the Italian giant was “the only other team to have contacted the FIA” about the concept.

But Italian reports, including on the Italiaracing website and the daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, claim Mercedes GP is also working to “quickly copy” the Lotus idea.

Mercedes does not intend to take its new car, the W03, to the first official test at Jerez early next month, instead opting for additional factory time ahead of the second session at Barcelona.

It is also rumoured that Red Bull experimented with a Lotus-style braking system back in 2010 but abandoned it.

Ferrari has emerged as the first team ready to copy Lotus’ reportedly innovative braking ride height system.
The BBC claims Italian giant Ferrari “are working on a similar system”, which apparently has already been declared legal by F1′s governing body.

The BBC report said it believes the Lotus system, designed to improve handling stability, is operated by an hydraulic cylinder that adjusts the front suspension under braking to affect the car’s ride height.

“BBC Sport understands Ferrari are the only other team to have contacted the FIA on this issue and that they have plans for a similar system,” wrote journalist Andrew Benson.

Speaking at Ferrari’s pre-season winter media event on Thursday, Fernando Alonso played down the possibility that the system could make or break a team’s 2012 season.

“I don’t think there will be a big difference compared to the other cars, because the regulations are very clear, but there will definitely be some innovations and good technical ideas,” he said.

Bridgestone ready for Interlagos – The short but fast circuit with the winding inside the tires poses a special challenge
Interlagos is the penultimate disconnect for Bridgestone. For the route, which runs counter-clockwise to bring the Japanese with the mean and the super soft compound. The weather could also play a role, but the intermediates and the rain tires have recently done in South Korea a good job.

“Brazil is a beautiful country and South America is an important growth market. So it is important for Bridgestone to show presence in the form of the race,” said motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa. “. We have manufacturing facilities in Brazil and appreciate the support from our staff, we have worked in the past with many Brazilian drivers and enjoyed their feedback we are looking forward to the enthusiastic fans at the track.”
Interlagos is a short distance with a narrow core, but fast sections. The asphalt is very bumpy, leading to a compromise on the voting. “It is a beautiful but challenging course,” said Hirohide Hamashima, which is responsible for tire development. “Although it is the second shortest track on the calendar, it has an impressive line and exciting corners.”

“There are mainly medium-fast and slow corners. This means that the mechanical grip and stability are important on the rear axle. The weather can be a deciding factor because it can be very hot or very wet. To maximize performance, needs is a good balance through the turns before it goes uphill towards the finish. There is something reminiscent of an oval. ”
“The first corner is a good overtaking Elle, but you can barter for quick there a brake disks. Caution is called for,” says Hamashima. “In the last two races, we should show a strong performance, but mainly it comes to safe tires. Our engineers work closely with the teams so they can get the best.”

Christian Horner on Wednesday said it is “ridiculous” to suggest Mark Webber tried deliberately to take out his rivals after crashing in Sunday’s Korean grand prix.

Former grand prix winner Gerhard Berger said on Tuesday that the Australian “could have hit the brakes” after crashing out of second place during the rain-hit race in Yeongam.

“Yes, I think that’s very clear,” said the Austrian. “It’s very obvious, you can see his wheels are not locked up.”

Webber actually collected the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, but – according to Berger – he “would have preferred” to wipe title contenders Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton out of the race.

Red Bull team boss Horner responded: “As with every incident in formula one, opinions will always be made without all the facts.

“Just to be absolutely clear — Mark’s intention was not to take out another driver after his crash and it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise,” he told the Telegraph.

Horner admitted that Webber’s RB6 was “badly damaged” after his initial contact with the wall, but his attempt to keep the car going was a “natural and immediate instinct” to get back into the race.

“It’s absurd to suggest that Mark would ever deliberately take out another driver,” added Horner.

Gerhard Berger has accused Mark Webber of wanting to take out a championship rival after crashing in Sunday’s Korean grand prix.

Australian Webber, who at the time was leading the world championship by 14 points, spun on a wet kerb whilst running second at Yeongam and struck the wall.

But his Red Bull then rolled back across the circuit, collecting the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.

“I don’t understand why Webber didn’t hit the brakes,” said Rosberg. “It was crazy to roll back across the track like that.”

Former grand prix winner Berger said on Monday: “He could have hit the brakes and stopped the car at the wall.

“He took out Rosberg, but it was the wrong one. I think in his mind he would have preferred Alonso or Hamilton,” the former Ferrari and McLaren driver told Austrian Servus TV.

Asked to clarify whether he thinks Webber’s move was deliberate, Berger – a former co-owner of the second Red Bull team Toro Rosso – added: “Yes, I think that’s very clear.

“He goes off and he knows it’s over. In this moment you’re frustrated and a thousand thoughts go through your head.

“It’s very obvious, you can see his wheels are not locked up. Perhaps he had a brake problem, but I don’t think so.”

Sebastien Buemi has joined Robert Kubica in praising the racing skills of F1 rookie Kamui Kobayashi.

After retiring at Suzuka with a missing wheel, Renault’s Kubica watched the rest of the Japanese race on a monitor.

“What Kamui did with his car was super.  Because I had to watch on television, he saved my day,” he was quoted by the Swiss press.

Toro Rosso driver Buemi has admitted he too is a fan of Japanese Kobayashi’s ability to overtake his rivals.

“It’s unbelievable,” said the Swiss.  “No matter what his car is like, Kamui always gives everything.

“For many, he is a model with regards to the fighting spirit,” Buemi is quoted by Blick newspaper, “even if of course such overtaking moves don’t always go well.”

He admitted he is disappointed not to have been one of Kobayashi’s adversaries at Suzuka last Sunday.

“Unfortunately he came out from his pitstop just ahead of me.  It’s a shame, because I love a tough fight with a really strong driver.”

Asked what his secret is, Kobayashi smiled: “Put it this way, maybe I brake a bit later than my opponents!”

It was not an engine problem that slowed Sebastian Vettel and allowed teammate Mark Webber to pass him during the Italian grand prix.

The conspiracy theorists’ eyes widened during Sunday’s Monza race when the RB6 driven by Vettel, who is behind Webber in the world championship, temporarily slowed but then recovered pace after the Australian had passed him.

The young German was heard on the radio complaining of a loss of engine power, to which BBC pundit Eddie Jordan recommended him for a Bafta — a British acting prize.

Team boss Christian Horner later clarified that the problem was not caused by the Renault engine.

“At first we thought one of his visor tear-offs might have flown into the airbox, but it now looks as though his brakes were momentarily binding, probably as the result of hitting a kerb,” said the Briton.

The same conspiracy theorists were also pointing to an incident during Felipe Massa’s pitstop that put the Ferrari driver out of contention for the top two places at Monza, a race won by the Brazilian’s teammate Fernando Alonso.

“I don’t know what happened,” he said afterwards. “I just saw that they took a little bit of time to change the front right tyre.”