Ralf Schumacher has ruled out following his older brother Michael back into formula one.

At the weekend, 36-year-old Ralf kicked off his fifth consecutive season driving a Mercedes in the German touring car series DTM.

He was a respected winner of 6 grands prix, driving most recently for Toyota in 2007, but despite his famous brother’s return to F1 with Mercedes, Ralf told Germany’s Der Westen that his own grand prix career “is over”.

“Formula one is exciting and beautiful, but the DTM is much more friendly, we don’t have to travel all around the world, everything is familiar.

“I like that,” the German said.

Just after backing his friend and countryman to bounce back, Rubens Barrichello has refused to rule out returning to formula one to replace the struggling Felipe Massa.

After 19 consecutive seasons in F1, 39-year-old Barrichello had to switch to the Indycar series for 2012 after losing his race seat at Williams.

Speaking to Brazilian television Sportv this week, however, the Brazilian said he cannot rule out returning to the grid — even with Ferrari.

After a six-year tenure, Barrichello left Ferrari at the end of 2005 and – until now – has not looked back overly fondly on his treatment alongside the famous Italian team’s former number one Michael Schumacher.

But in the wake of Massa’s recent performance struggles, Barrichello was voted in an Italian poll as the ideal replacement for the diminutive 30-year-old.

When asked about Ferrari, Barrichello said this week: “I want the fans to understand that I don’t have any hard feelings.

“If they called me today to go drive for them I would go. It was the best team I’ve ever driven for in terms of support, of creativity. But there were definitely some spicy episodes,” he added.

With the backing of sponsors, Barrichello has signed on with the KV team in Indycar for 2012, but he insists he is “completely open” about returning to F1.

“It would be something to think about,” he said in the televised interview on Wednesday.

“I think anything can happen. I’m not saying it will happen, but I have to be ready.”

Barrichello, the longest-serving driver in F1 history, revealed that he still enjoys the backing of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s influential chief executive.

“He asked me if I was really going to race in Indycar and I told him ‘Yeah, because you didn’t find me a place in F1′,” he joked.

“He said he will see what he can do about it. Really, you just have to see what happens, you have to stay open about it,” added Barrichello.

HRT refugee Vitantonio Liuzzi has re-emerged on the grid of the Italian-based touring car series Superstars.
Despite having a 2012 contract, the 30-year-old Italian lost his race seat at the struggling Spanish team HRT for this year to the well-backed Indian Narain Karthikeyan.

So, in 2012, he will race a Mercedes C63 AMG – which he tested last week at Monza – in the Maurizio Flammini-organised Superstars series.

Also on the grid will be former F1 drivers Christian Fittipaldi, Mika Salo, Gianni Morbidelli and Johnny Herbert.

“I’m persuaded that Superstars is a great choice to open yourself to other categories than F1,” said Liuzzi.

The season begins in April at Monza, then moving on to Imola, Donington, Mugello, the Hungaroring, Spa, Portimao, Vallelunga and Sentul (Indonesia).

Since 2005, Liuzzi also raced in F1 with Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Force India.

 Rubens Barrichello has finally confirmed reports he will race in America’s premier open wheeler Indycar series in 2012.
After 19 consecutive seasons in formula one, the 39-year-old Brazilian makes the switch with the backing of the sponsor BMC Brasil Maquinas.

AP news agency said Barrichello, a winner of 11 grands prix with Ferrari and Brawn, has signed a one-year contract with the KV team.

“I’m loving the idea I’m going to be a rookie,” he said. “That makes me young, and I’m loving that,” he said.

Barrichello, meanwhile, explained the apparent contradiction of heading into the Indy 500 and other similar events this year having earlier promised his wife he would never race at high speed on dangerous ovals.

“What happened is we were watching an oval race and there was a crash and she looked at me and said ‘You are never going to do that, right?’

“And I told her at the time, ‘Of course not, don’t worry’.”

He said he ultimately won Silvana’s backing, having initially considered skipping the five oval races.

But “I wouldn’t feel comfortable sitting at home and watching someone else driving my car,” explained Barrichello.

 Rubens Barrichello is set to decide next week whether he will switch from formula one to the Indycar series for 2012.
F1′s longest-serving veteran has been left without a race seat this season, but he recently enjoyed an Indy test with the KV team, in which his close friend Tony Kanaan is involved.

“There is a lot going on, we have spoken with many people and there are things to be resolved, including the family aspect,” the 39-year-old told radio Bandeirantes on Tuesday.

“There is great anticipation and if everything goes well I think we can make the announcement of the decision early next week,” added Barrichello.

“I’m sure anyone who knows me can see in my eyes what I want. The first race is March 25 and there is no time to waste.

“If we want to be in a competitive way, everything has to be right and that means sponsorship, team, family — everything.”

Barrichello’s first F1 team boss, however – Eddie Jordan – has urged the likeable Brazilian to forego the Indycar opportunity.

“I love Rubens — our story began when he was only 19,” the Irishman is quoted by Globo.

“I love his family, his parents, and I think he should retire with dignity.”

Barrichello’s contemporary David Coulthard, however, said: “I wish him luck in the United States. We had a great relationship throughout my career and I know how passionate he is about racing.”

But fellow Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi warned of the dangers of American oval racing.

“Today, Indy is different to when I drove — the risk is higher but it is a risk that he knows he will need to take.

“Still, I think he can have fun doing what he likes,” said the former series, F1 and Indy 500 winner.

As Sebastian Vettel drinks in his unprecedented success, two of his German countrymen are hoping simply for a place on the 2012 grid.

Adrian Sutil has been with Force India since the Silverstone based team’s Spyker days, but speculation is mounting that Vijay Mallya is planning to pair Paul di Resta with Nico Hulkenberg next year.

“I still have no contract (for 2012),” the German newsmagazine Focus quotes the 28-year-old as saying this week.

“For sure we’ll have a meeting soon,” Sutil, referring to his boss Mallya, told the BBC last weekend at Suzuka. “I’ll ask his opinion about next year and hopefully he’ll give me a sign.”

Mallya said he will not make a decision until December, but Sutil said the end of the year “is a little late because normally all the other seats are taken”.

Already absent from the grid in 2011 is Nick Heidfeld, who recently lost his Renault race seat to Bruno Senna.

Reports have linked the veteran of 183 grands prix with a BMW reunion in the German touring car series for 2012.

“I am in contact with the DTM teams,” the 34-year-old confirmed, “but my focus at the moment stays in formula one.”

BMW’s motor sport boss has refused to comment on speculation Nick Heidfeld could move from formula one to the DTM series next year.

German Heidfeld, 34, was appointed as injured Robert Kubica’s replacement for 2011, but Renault has now dumped him in favour of Bruno Senna.

It is being reported that talks between Heidfeld and his former employer BMW, no longer in F1 but to tackle the German touring car series DTM next year, have already begun.

With Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus already confirmed for 2012, there are still four official BMW M3 cockpits to fill.

“We have always said we would look first at the drivers from our own programme,” Jens Marquardt, who has replaced Mario Theissen as BMW’s motor sport director, told the German news agency SID.

When asked if Heidfeld is a candidate, he answered: “We do not comment on rumours.

“I am confident that we will have a competitive driver lineup in 2012,” he is also quoted by sport1.de, denying that BMW will look specifically for a German driver.

Gary Paffett insists he is not “bitter” despite sitting on the sidelines while his 2010 rival is now hot property in formula one.
The Briton, under long term contract to Mercedes in the German touring car series DTM, is also a test and reserve driver at top F1 team McLaren.

Last year in DTM, 30-year-old Paffett finished second to Paul di Resta, the rookie Scot who now drives for Force India and is tipped as a future driver for Mercedes’ works team.

“I find it hard to say that formula one is only the secondary thing for me, but it is a fact that I’m there, I’m a part of a big team and my job is to help them to win races,” he told Germany’s spox.com.

Paffett insists he has not given up on his F1 dream.

“No, definitely not,” he said. “The longer I’m there, the more experienced I am.

“I don’t see why a 30-year-old is no longer suitable for a regular seat in formula one. That’s still my goal and if an offer comes, I will definitely think seriously about it.”

At the same time, he insists he has been happy to see di Resta impress in 2011.

“I’m happy for him because he’s a good friend. If I was bitter about some of the opportunities my rivals have had that I have not then I would not survive.

“Motor sport is a difficult business that is not just about how fast you can drive.”

Paul di Resta has revealed he is racing to catch up with his contemporaries and F1 champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
The rookie Scot has impressed the F1 paddock with his Force India debut this season after rising to the top of the German touring car series DTM.

In an interview with Autosprint, he revealed how his career took a turn after beating Vettel to the F3 Euroseries, when Mercedes offered to pay him to race in DTM.

But Vettel, of course, had already started his F1 career with BMW-Sauber, while reigning F3 champion Hamilton was dominating the GP2 championship that would lead to his sensational McLaren debut.

“I took some time to think about it (Mercedes’ offer),” said di Resta, “because I really wanted to stay in single seaters.

“But I also had a significant problem. I did a test in a GP2 car and it was simply too small for me. I changed seats three times but it was a nightmare.

“I decided that the chance to do DTM was the best choice, but I never stopped thinking I would get to formula one some day. But I knew it was vital to keep myself visible, so I had to win.”

With a good first half to his debut F1 season now behind him, 25-year-old di Resta’s immediate future is secure and he is being linked with a move at some point to Mercedes GP.

But does he rue the success already achieved by his defeated F3 rival Vettel?

“In my F3 team there were four of us: me, Vettel, Kobayashi and van der Garde. I have to say that when he got to F1, Sebastian did an incredible job, capitalising on what he had in the best way.

“Perhaps he would have done the same thing if he had been in my place in DTM, maybe not. It’s also true that I can’t say what I would have done if I had had his chances.

“The same thing happened with Hamilton, he was a good driver in the minor categories, and when he arrived with a great (F1) team straight away it was natural that he did a good job.

“Sebastian and Lewis were able to get what I’m trying to get now,” added di Resta.

Two Spanish drivers and a new headquarters could be among HRT’s plans after it emerged Thesan Capital has taken over the Spanish team.
In its first two seasons, Hispania has been effectively based at Colin Kolles’ Greding headquarters in Germany, with no Spanish drivers on the roster.

But it was announced on Monday that the buyout will involve the “search for opportunities to optimise and improve the performance of the team” as well as “progressively making the team more Spanish and definitively settling … in Spain”.

According to the Spanish sports daily AS, Thesan is already developing some ideas along these lines for 2012.

One name mentioned is 23-year-old Spaniard and former GP2 driver Javier Villa, who this year is contesting the World Touring Car series.

And a “longer term” plan may involve 16-year-old Carlos Sainz Jr, the Red Bull-backed son of the famous former world rally champion who has begun a very promising single seater career.

AS said Thesan has “clear ideas” about a Spanish base for HRT, such as the state-of-the-art Epsilon Euskadi facility in Basque Country, amid the Joan Villadelprat-led operation’s current financial difficulties.

“Another of (Thesan’s) priorities will be to have the greatest possible number of Spanish personnel, both technically and logistically,” added the report.

Although he will not be on the Bahrain grid, Nico Hulkenberg will not be sitting idle in 2011.

The ousted Williams driver is set to drive Force India’s new car on every Friday morning practice this year, and according to Auto Motor und Sport he will also have other duties.

The German publication said the 23-year-old might contest a few rounds of the European Le Mans sports car series, as well as commentating on F1 with the German pay-broadcaster Sky.

Replaced at Williams by pay-driver Pastor Maldonado, Hulkenberg ended his disappointing winter by sampling Force India’s 2010 car at Valencia last week.

But he then had to revert to a spectator’s role that he must now get used to.

“Watching hurts,” confirmed the German. “But the main thing is that I am still here, and hope dies last.”

Hulkenberg’s manager thinks the Force India role was a case of damage limitation.

“It was the best solution possible, after waiting for Williams for so long,” he said.

There had been rumours of a similar reserve driver role with Mercedes.

“There was no contact between Mercedes and me,” clarifies Hulkenberg. “If I’d gone there it would have been harder for me to draw attention to myself as Mercedes already has two very good drivers.”

Auto Motor und Sport said there had been some contact with McLaren, but for now Hulkenberg is satisifed with hopefully following in Paul di Resta’s footsteps by preceding a full race seat with a season of Friday driving with Force India.

“This is my chance and I have to use it,” he insisted.

Nick Heidfeld has admitted he might be interested in working with BMW once again.

Between 2006 and last year, the German raced with the Bavarian carmaker in formula one.

At 33, he is now struggling to find a full-time cockpit for 2011, having tested with Pirelli this year and then completed the season with Sauber.

BMW is no longer in F1, but the marque is set to enter the German touring car series DTM in 2012.

“I have not finished my career in formula one, but working in the long term with BMW when they return to the DTM would be interesting,” Heidfeld admitted to Auto Bild.

BMW’s departing motor sport director Dr Mario Theissen indicated that the DTM team is seeking a driver of Heidfeld’s calibre.

“It will be important that we have a good development driver,” he admitted.

Jarno Trulli’s place on the 2011 grid is secure, but the same is reportedly not true for Italian countryman Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Reporting on Italy’s dwindling presence in formula one, Autosprint magazine recalled 1989, when no fewer than 12 Italians lined up on the grid.

Now, there are just two, and the veteran Trulli is expected to re-sign with Lotus Racing for 2011.

But F1′s other Italian driver, Vitantonio Liuzzi – while possessing a contract for 2011 – must reportedly tremble as Force India considers its next lineup.

His 2010 teammate Adrian Sutil says he has agreed to stay next year, while two drivers – Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg – are strongly linked with the other seat.

Hulkenberg’s manager Willi Weber has revealed talks with the Vijay Mallya-headed team, and reserve driver di Resta upped his credentials at the weekend by wrapping up his first title in the German touring car series DTM.

“I’m certainly hoping I can get a seat there next year because I’d love to continue a long relationship with them,” di Resta is quoted as saying on Monday.

“My dream is to become formula one world champion, and that’s the next box in my book I’ve got to tick off. I’ll keep praying it happens,” he added.

Di Resta’s Scottish countryman and former Toyota racer Allan McNish also hopes the 24-year-old makes his F1 debut next March.

“If you look at the mistakes Sutil and Liuzzi have made in the past few races, you would have to say Paul has a good case to be out there,” he said recently.

“Unfortunately, there is a lot of politics in motor sport and F1 is at the very height of that so it is not just about a driver’s performance,” added McNish.

BMW’s long-time motor racing and formula one boss Dr Mario Theissen is retiring.

The 58-year-old has held the post as BMW motorsport director for 12 years, preceding the German carmaker’s decision to enter F1 initially as an engine supplier to Williams in 2000.

Before that, he joined BMW as a development engineer in 1977.

Next year, he will hand on the baton to Jens Marquardt, a prominent manager at Cologne based Toyota Motorsport, formerly the Japanese marque’s formula one team.

43-year-old Marquardt will therefore lead BMW into the German touring car series DTM in 2012.

Emanuele Pirro hit back on Friday amid criticisms of his appointment as a FIA steward for the 2010 championship finale.

Critics say the Roman-born former F1 driver and Ferrari fan is too closely aligned to the famous Italian team, whose Fernando Alonso is leading the championship with just this decisive race left to run.

The apparent conflict of interest was highlighted not only by Britain’s Daily Mail but also the largest-circulation European newspaper, Bild Zeitung.

“Even the third largest daily newspaper in Italy denounced that an Italian should be officiating the final race when Ferrari is fighting for the title,” 48-year-old Pirro told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

He added: “For me, this is a very responsible task, and even if I have my own favourite, I am able to be impartial.

“And if there is an Italian who has nothing at all to do with Ferrari, I am him,” said Pirro.

The report said Red Bull’s Helmut Marko had jokingly spoken to Pirro about his apparent links with championship rival Ferrari in Abu Dhabi.

Pirro replied: “Maybe you don’t know that when I was in the (German touring car series) DTM, Red Bull was my sponsor!”

He also insisted that he was invited to be the Abu Dhabi steward at the very beginning of 2010.

“I thought to myself at the time: it will be a nice quiet job with the world championship probably already decided,” said Pirro.