Lewis Hamilton is rethinking McLaren’s scheduled approach to the rare and crucial in-season test at Mugello next week.

The British team announced last week that both Hamilton and his teammate Jenson Button would sit out Mugello, so that testers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey can run over the three-day session instead.

But that was before Bahrain, where McLaren’s early-season upper hand vanished, leaving the drivers and team members scratching their heads over the way the MP4-27 ate rapidly through the Pirelli tyres.

“It (the Mugello schedule) might change,” British newspapers report Hamilton as saying.

“I need to get back in the car. We need to figure out why the tyres are going off.

“If there are other things to test or ways to figure it out, I will be the one to do it, not let someone else do it,” said the 2008 world champion.

A McLaren source indicated that if Hamilton wants to test in Italy, the programme will be altered to accommodate him.

Button, however, appears unavailable to test, as he is scheduled to attend a promotional team event in Budapest early next week.

Sebastian Vettel should not be worried about his 2011 championship running off track.
That is the view of the Red Bull driver’s rivals as well as pundits and journalists despite a third consecutive defeat for Vettel in Hungary last weekend.

German newsmagazine Focus observed that while Budapest winner Jenson Button “laughed” on the podium, it was the sullen Vettel who had “scored” by actually pulling out his championship lead to a huge 85 points.

“It is really beginning to look like it is a case of when, and not if, he will seal his second world title,” former driver Johnny Herbert wrote in his latest column for The National.

Some pundits believe Vettel needs to worry, however, given that McLaren and also Ferrari look to have caught up with his previously-dominant RB7 car.

“But,” Herbert insisted, “Vettel’s lead is so vast that just finishing in the top four or five regularly should be enough to see him home.”

Also pessimistic is Marc Gene, Ferrari’s test driver who writes a column for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

“Our resurgence has been outstanding,” he said, “but unfortunately the championship situation is not changing much.”

Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport said the remaining races this season will be closely contested by Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari, but likened the actual championship battle to a runaway leader in the Giro d’Italia bike race.

“It’s too late for the championship as the pink jersey is far ahead,” said the sports newspaper.

“Vettel no longer has a performance advantage but now he can use his head more than his foot, while behind him the protagonists take points off each other.”

Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore told Onda Cero radio on Monday that the world championship “is over” unless “something tragic happens”.

Agreed Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, who called the Hungarian grand prix with German Sky television: “That (Vettel’s second place) is how he will become world champion.”

For instance, Button – then with Brawn GP – won the title in 2009 with a smaller mid-season points advantage, a smaller and less financially-powerful team, and more pressure given that he was charging for his first title.

“If I had the lead he’s got, I wouldn’t be feeling any pressure at all,” the Briton told The Independent.

Button headed to Hawaii this week to begin F1′s summer break, and Bild newspaper reports that Vettel is Mallorca-bound.

“I need a bit of energy from the sun,” the 24-year-old German is quoted by Die Welt.

Said Italy’s Tuttosport: “Vettel can enjoy his holiday in peace.”

It is Red Bull’s “intention” to promote Daniel Ricciardo through the energy drink company’s F1 ranks.

That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, the outfit’s driver manager who in Hungary revealed that Mark Webber will “probably” retire and be replaced by “one of our juniors” beyond 2012.

The other candidates are Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, amid reports Ricciardo travelled recently to Faenza for a seat fitting.

Asked by Australian broadcaster One if HRT newcomer Ricciardo is a candidate for one of the seats next year, Marko admitted: “If he is doing well, the intention is there, yes.”

Budapest was 22-year-old Ricciardo’s third grand prix, and he was closer to the pace of his teammate, the formerly Red Bull-backed Vitantonio Liuzzi.

“I hope there is a bit more to come because I’m close to Tonio on raw pace in qualifying but still not close enough, and definitely not a bit ahead, which of course is where I’d like to be,” he said.

Before HRT could release an official statement, Daniel Ricciardo confirmed reports he will be making his formula one race debut next Sunday.

It is now widely reported that the Australian, who turns 22 on Friday, will replace Spanish team Hispania’s Indian regular Narain Karthikeyan from Silverstone.

“It’s pretty, pretty exciting,” he told the Herald Sun newspaper at Heathrow airport, where he was departing for Budapest for his next Formula Renault 3.5 race.

“It’s awesome, just awesome,” added Ricciardo, the Red Bull-backed youngster who in 2011 has been the Friday driver at the energy drink company’s junior Toro Rosso team.

The Herald Sun said Ricciardo is being loaned by Red Bull to HRT.

“To make the first one at Silverstone, it’s great,” Ricciardo said. “It’s a circuit I know well and it’s just up the road from my second home in Britain.”

McLaren team figures believe the recent flexible bodywork saga will have taken the shine off Red Bull’s earlier dominance.

At F1′s last outings in Spa and Monza, where new FIA compliance tests came into effect, the RB6 was no longer the stand-out dominant package it had been at earlier events.

But Red Bull already expected to struggle at those high speed circuits, due to its less powerful Renault engines.

In light of the team’s dominance on twisty tracks like Monaco and Hungary, therefore, this weekend’s racing on the Singapore street circuit might be seen as a litmus test of the true effects of the FIA’s flexibility clampdown.

“I think a lot has changed since that race in Budapest — not least, some quite hefty revisions to the rulebook regarding bodywork flexibility,” said Jenson Button.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh agreed: “Singapore is likely to give us a much clearer idea of the respective pace of the leading teams after two less-representative events in Belgium and Italy.”

Chief race engineer Phil Prew is also hoping Red Bull will be closer to the rest of the field in Singapore this weekend.

“The legality clarification and changes that we’ve all made in response to that could well influence it (the pecking order),” he said during Wednesday’s Vodafone phone media conference.

“We’re optimistic that the gap, which was massive by formula one standards, should well have reduced,” added Prew.

He said he now feels all the teams are racing on a level playing field.

“The advantage that was felt to be gained by Red Bull and Ferrari in Hungary will be harder to exploit,” confirmed Prew.

Ex-Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher Tiago Monteiro criticism, takes the comeback superstar but also in protecting “human error”.

The century-comeback of Michael Schumacher remained far below expectations: no victory and no podium, but five clear rounds in the first 14 races. Since the Monza Mercedes driver also has no mathematical chance this year to an eighth time World Champion.

Rounding out the rather negative review of several controversial incidents, such as the overtaking under safety car conditions in Monte Carlo or the bedrock duel with Rubens Barrichello in Budapest. “I think Schumacher is currently operating a bit desperate,” is therefore the former Formula 1 driver Tiago Monteiro. “He seems to have lost his coolness. But this is perfectly understandable.”

“No matter how good you once were or how good you are, you’re still a man – and now we are even occasional errors, especially under pressure,” the WTCC driver stated to ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ and says of the near-collision in Budapest: “At his maneuvers against Rubens he just overshot the target. This was not a very great idea. He probably just overreacted.”

“When you think of what position he was out and what it was, he simply screwed up. Davor are themselves world champions are not immune, as we have seen. Everyone is prone to error,” said Monteiro, who can understand that Schumacher initially did not want to take the blame upon himself: “Sometimes the one directly behind not so clear because you are still in racing mode, and since any such situations on the track a little different.”

His good result from the Hungaroring and the innovations of James Key let Pedro de la Rosa’s growing self-confidence
Just like Michael Schumacher was also returning to Pedro de la Rosa race break after three years at first some difficulty with the formula first But during the seven-time world champion more still further behind, shows the shape of the curve Sauber veteran apparently sharply upward.

De la Rosa at Silverstone for the first time secured a one-digit start position (9) repeated this feat in Budapest and went there even for the first time in seventh in the points. This is of course the one hand, because the C29, directed by technical director James Key (“Our progress is also his merit”) was developed, but the Spaniard is indicated that even after getting better.
“I do not know,” he answers to the question of ‘Autosport’, why it works better for him than for Schumacher, “but I feel better with every race. The failure at Silverstone to accept struck me hard, because we were very competitive, but in Hungary we moved back in Q3 and collected points for the team. I think I’m getting better with every race. To other drivers, I’m not thinking, but still can slow a very good level. ”

Fast curves were for the C29 anyway “never a problem,” said de la Rosa. That, however, he was just as competitive on the narrow Hungaroring, was a surprise, “because our biggest problem was always low speeds – and Hungary is just as slow as Monaco”. But the new features introduced since Valencia appear to be exactly as desired auszuwirken.

“The targeted all aimed at slow corners,” said de la Rosa. “So I had to Hungary so excited, because Hungary would indicate to us whether it is in the right direction or not. Without testing, it is now difficult, but we have definitely made the right changes in the way. Now we can say, that We compete not only in ultra-fast circuits like Silverstone. “

Formula one factories began to re-open this week after serving mandatory closures.

Within the one-month gap between the Hungarian and Belgian grands prix, teams agreed to close their doors for two full weeks as a cost-cutting measure.

The first teams to shut down at the stroke of midnight after the Hungaroring race were McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Sauber, so those teams were eligible to re-open on Monday.

McLaren test driver Gary Paffett marked the end of the shutdown by working in the Woking based team’s simulator, and he will be back in action on Tuesday.

And Williams said the first tasks when its Grove headquarters got back up and running was stripping the Budapest-spec cars “in prep for Spa”.

Cosworth’s F1 division re-opens on Tuesday, and HRT on Wednesday.

Ferrari and Toro Rosso will remain closed until next Monday, and a day later Red Bull, Renault and Force India will re-open.

“We will be on holiday, but that does not mean our brains will stop working,” said Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali recently.

“Maybe one can even find fresh inspiration when outside the normal working environment and I expect this time to be a fertile one for ideas, which when all is said and done, are what make the difference,” he added.

For Jaime Alguersuari Formula 1′s summer break, now in the harder phase: Fitness Camp in Austria, Italy in Karting
While many other Formula 1 driver still occupies a bed in a dream beach, Jaime Alguersuari goes back to work. The young Toro Rosso driver will enter on Monday back to the intensive fitness training to prepare for the rest of the season. “I will be with Sebastien Buemi in the Red Bull Performance Center in Fuschl and there for three days at the gym work,” the 20-year-old said on his homepage.

“We will be working on our physical condition, to be prepared for the rest of the season. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I’ll be in the gym, there are medical checks,” said Alguersuari. “We will also probably take hundreds of miles by bicycle uncoil and other outdoor activities.”
After three days in the Austrian Fuschl an unofficial competition of some Formula 1 drivers on the program. “On Thursday and Friday I meet with Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and several other Formula 1 drivers at the kart circuit in Lonato. Where we test some new KZ1-karts for the World Cup,” said the Toro Rosso Youngster who has a contract with Intrepid kart.

The young Spaniard then remains the same in Italy, to the team in preparing for the next Grand Prix in Belgium to help. For Alguersuari obviously many appointments with the Toro Rosso engineers at the factory in Faenza on the program. “I want the team to be as close as possible.” The goal for the rest of the season is to get on the basis of our technical possibilities always the maximum in the Grand Prix. ”
“I feel better, stronger and more balanced than ever before,” is pleased Alguersuari before returning to his Formula 1 work. The passionate DJ used the summer break and to hang up in some top clubs in Europe. “Now the music has only one break to the end of the season,” said the 20-year-old. “I’m going home to perhaps work on my private studio. But always only when I have finished my five-hour fitness program per day.”

“In my life all happened so fast,” says the pilot from Barcelona, who could well earn his money as a DJ. “Formula 1 fans might wonder if I can really be a good DJ. The music fans ask the same if I actually a good racer am. But the fact is that I am at two things for many, many years of work. I I sat with eight years in karting since I was 13, I’m going international races. ”
“Even though I enjoy the status as the youngest Formula 1 driver, it must be said, however, that I have eleven years working very hard towards this goal. And the music was similar. If one has put in thousands of clubs plates, then it is already not a hobby, “says Alguersuari. “I’ve been practicing 13 years ago in real high-tech devices. But still: Formula 1 is my passion, music is more of a side job.”

Among other things, showed Alguersuari his skills as a DJ in the club last icon in Budapest in Formula 1 after show. This was followed by short performances in Barcelona, London and Ibiza. “Nevertheless, I am recovering well. I had had with my parents a little sailing, visiting with them and my aunts a mountain village in the Spanish Pyrenees. Also, I’ve been to Formentera and Ibiza, and am a bit jet-ski driven. This holiday were among the most beautiful I have ever experienced. “

Formula 1 is in its summer break down each team must be between the last race in Budapest and the next Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps for a total of two weeks to work in his factory. Ferrari has in common with his engineers and Fernando Alonso last week still used to prepare in Maranello on the remaining races of the 2010 season and the coming year.

Alonso at the weekend after a visit to Madonna di Campiglio for the presentation of Ercole Colombo’s book on the 20th had made birthday of the “Wrooom” events, the Spaniards now also occurs to a two-week vacation. can release mention the F1 events of the double world champion, however. “It will not be possible to switch off my thoughts in those two weeks complete,” Alonso is quoted on the official website of the team.
“Next I’ll try to relax a bit, do some sports at least once a day, perhaps for ten minutes, inevitably think about the next race in Belgium,” said Alonso. “I think this will all be the same and the timing of the break makes no difference.”

The Fifth World Cup is expected that Ferrari will catch up after the recent uptrend in the coming races even further to the top. “In Spain we will have some new parts and we hope that they bring us even further forward. The others will do the same, which means that we are better than they work and have to be faster in terms of development.”

Alonso builds on the strength of Ferraris. “We needed only two normal race to again be full in the title fight. It is true that we in the championship remains the rear, and it is always better to be ahead, but I am convinced that we, in the end, I mean the last two or three races, to be closer to their peak, as we are now. ”
It was important to stay calm and focused, so Alonso on. The Red Bull pilots he has in the fight for the world title but not on the bill. “It’s hard to say who my rival is worst – we are almost on par, perhaps Hamilton, Button and myself. We all have already won a title and will tackle the final sprint quiet, as we have already experienced something similar.” He gave himself while a fifty percent chance.

While fighting with McLaren and Red Bull have in each case both pilots at the World Cup crown, Alonso can support his team-mate Felipe Massa to be certain. “Here’s a great atmosphere. One that is better than any other team,” Alonso is secure. The pending decision of the FIA World Council regarding Ferraris stable government in Hockenheim dazzled by the Spaniards from as far as possible. “We have drivers and engineers the task of concentrating on the car and to continue our work.”

Ross Brawn takes the side of Michael Schumacher: The Rubens Barrichello was in Budapest not compromised by design, but only defending his position

Michael Schumacher for his maneuvers against Rubens Barrichello sharply criticized in Budapest, but now receives the backing of his Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn. “It may have looked dangerous at the end, but I am sure that Michael was not the intention,” Brawn is from Britain’s Telegraph quoted ‘. “Michael has defended his position and tried to persuade Rubens to try it around the outside. I had no second thoughts that he has seen Rubens and thought, ‘I am now the squeeze in the Wall’.”

The formula is now an even a “very tough business,” the British are considered. There would be riders who do not defend their position and drivers who do it even. “I have not thought for a moment that Michael has tried to push Rubens in the wall. But he wanted to prevent them to try it inside, because he knew that he is attacking here is easier. But he has enough space left. Though one might say that it was close, but it was just hard racing. ”
According to Brawn Schumacher was surprised also assume that Barrichello was so soon after the last corner beside him. See “Man, can that he is driven away by Rubens. I do not think he had expected that Rubens would be at this point where he was. For such a maneuver usually takes place on corner entry – not in the middle of the line . Rubens, with its fresh tires come out well from the last corner, “said the Briton. One could assess the maneuver from many perspectives, white Brawn, however: “All this happened within a split second.”

Brawn worked with Ferrari for six years along with two pilots. And he dismissed speculation back of the media that Schumacher Barrichello has laid against a harder line on the day, because their relationship is cooled in recent years. “No, because of Michael’s vision is surely not the way,” stressed Brawn. “Michael has not commented on. I know that Rubens has alluded to their common history, but Michael has not done at all. This is obviously something that Rubens intended ‘thinking …”

(TMS)

Michael Schumacher on Thursday proved that his on-track struggles this season have not dented his sense of humour.
At a team press conference in Hungary, the seven time world champion tried to answer a questioner but found that his microphone was not working.

Boss Norbert Haug leaned over and pressed a button, moving Schumacher to laugh: “If Norbert touches it, it works.

“Maybe he should touch my car, and it will work too!” added the 41-year-old.

Schumacher reinforced that he is staying calm in order to work on the technical deficiencies, in order to mount a championship challenge in 2011.

But in Hungary, organisers of the 25th formula one race in Budapest are not unhappy with Schumacher.

According to SID news agency, ticket sales are 10 per cent higher than in 2009, and “we have Michael Schumacher to thank for that,” confirmed Hungaroring vice president Tamas Frank.

A grandstand at the track is even named after the famous German.

“A great idea,” laughed the chirpy Schumacher.

Not even at the press conference the technology currently makes what Michael Schumacher will. On the podium before the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend in Budapest, the world champion several times unsuccessfully pressed the button labeled, to be heard. But only as a Mercedes sports chief Norbert Haug intervened game was Schumacher’s lead free.

“If Norbert touches, works for you too,” Schumacher said, adding with a grin: “Maybe he should touch it my car, it would also work again.” His humor is not the seven-time world champion has lost also. In the 41-year-old experienced so far the most frustrating phase of his already so disappointing first year after the sensational comeback.
Of all the home race at Hockenheim on Sunday he had been lapped. Actually, a humiliation, especially since the Kerpener then even the “best result” spoke. The young team-mate Nico Rosberg drives more successful than he. And the race in Budapest for Schumacher can not be more than one test run under competition conditions.

“In that situation there is only one directive: to work more hard,” says Schumacher and assured: “We did not get nervous. We just have to attempt to understand the car better. We must remain calm, view all the details exactly and everything closely . Analyze Why Schumacher, at least outwardly so calm remains is obvious. This season he has accepted as a learning year. The title of 2010 he had checked weeks ago, but the 2011 quite briskly re-issued as a target.
Results, times and points this season are now secondary. That Schumacher forages possessed as of old values and data. Even now he is working on the project “World Cup title in 2011,” it comes to knowledge for the construction of the new car. A strategy to his team chief Ross Brawn as early as 2009, the year before to the end at the World Cup crown struggling competitors by surprise.

For the Formula 1 scene Schumacher is either way a gain. The TV ratings rise, ‘RTL recorded’ on average over a million viewers more than last year. And the ticket to many places. In Budapest, currently at almost ten percent compared to 2009. “We have to thank to Michael Schumacher,” said Vice President Tamas Frank Hungaroring.

The audience favorite in honor they even have an audience rank in “Michael Schumacher stands renamed. “A great idea,” says Schumacher. He has visited “his” stand still, “but I will pass this weekend so more times.”

Comments by Felipe Massa’s father suggest the Brazilian driver’s camp is unimpressed with the events of last weekend’s German grand prix.

After standing miserably on the Hockenheim podium, the 29-year-old insisted it was his decision to pull over and let his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso win.

But Luiz Antonio Massa, who a year ago was sitting at his son’s bedside in a Budapest hospital, has declared that Felipe did in fact obey a team order.

The comments follow a period of criticism in the Brazilian press, with writers saying Massa showed a lack of courage.

“It is regrettable and unfortunate that Ferrari took this decision,” Massa Snr is quoted in Italian language reports, including the Libero newspaper.

The reports said the comments originated on Brazilian television CATV.

“It is clear to everyone that this was a team order,” added Massa’s father.

“Like any good employee, Felipe must obey the boss; there is a hierarchy and he followed orders showing loyalty.”

Massa Snr indicated that he agrees in principle with team orders, but not when the driver in question is still fighting for the world championship.

“It is a good choice when only one of the two drivers has no mathematical chance, but this was not the case.  Both still had a chance to win,” he said.

In their blogs on the official Ferrari website, Felipe Massa said Hockenheim had been a “great team result”, while Fernando Alonso said victory was a “great feeling”.
They did not even mention the team orders scandal.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali summed up the internal mood – while the F1 world is alight with controversy – by saying he wants Ferrari to “remain focussed on our own work, starting in Budapest” this weekend.

But the headline in Brazil’s Globo summed up the attitude as ‘no remorse’, while the Jornal do Brasil published a cartoon of Paulista Massa as a puppet.

In Italy, however, Tuttosport backed Luca di Montezemolo’s claim about team order “hypocrisy”, accusing Martin Whitmarsh of having “amnesia” when he suggested there are no team orders at McLaren.

The article referred to Hockenheim 2008, when Heikki Kovalainen gave way to Lewis Hamilton.

Other reports have referred to the arguable ‘low fuel’ messages for Jenson Button and Hamilton recently, with Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport claiming the pair received a similar order last Sunday.

Indeed, in La Gazzetta dello Sport, writer Umberto Zapelloni appeared to praise Ferrari for applying its team orders “without subterfuge”.

“Massa was not told he was consuming too much fuel or his tyres were in crisis, but others have been (told those things) this season,” he wrote.