The calamitous Bahrain grand prix saga has not jeopardised the island Kingdom’s future on the F1 calendar.

That is the strident claim of Bernie Ecclestone, after the F1 chief executive and FIA president Jean Todt displayed rare unity as they insisted the country’s civil and political problems would not affect the grand prix.

But amid the bubbling Bahrain saga, Ecclestone had suggested that Bahrain might face trouble when it comes to negotiating a new contract, with the existing agreement only set to extend for three more years.

However, when asked by Reuters if F1 is going to keep returning to Bahrain despite this year’s troubles, Ecclestone insisted on Sunday before leaving the Persian Gulf: “Absolutely. Forever. No problem.”

Like Todt, he even played down the damage done to F1′s reputation this weekend.

“I think it’s good because people talk about things, you know. You know what they say — there is no such thing as bad publicity,” said Ecclestone.

In truth, reputation damage has undoubtedly been done. But Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick, admitted he is dismayed with how politics interfered with sport so strikingly this weekend.

“On all continents, somewhere, all hell is breaking loose. And as a formula one reporter, you’re flying around this globe two or three times a year,” he wrote.

“We go to countries that are politically explosive. Where human rights are violated, where poverty reigns.

“But we hardly talk about it — not in China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore or Brazil. In 2014, we’re going to Russia.

“Years ago, our circus happily danced around in apartheid South Africa, and the military dictatorship of Argentina.

“Formula one is pure entertainment. Detached from the problems of the world. But here, in Bahrain, every reporter entered the political field, whether he liked to or not,” wrote Benoit.

So that is why Ecclestone is unapologetic, after championing the Bahrain grand prix.

“Because, basically, the problems they have in Bahrain have nothing to do with F1,” the 81-year-old told El Pais newspaper.

“The relevant agencies gave the nod as far as security was concerned, and I think it is clear that they were not wrong.”

He also sees no problem with F1 being used as a political tool.

“Governments want to have an F1 race for the same reason as they want the Olympics. We come to agreements with the promoters and, if that’s good for the country, fine,” said Ecclestone.

 The debate about Mercedes’ controversial new ‘F-duct’ solution looks set to speed across the Indian Ocean.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, and particularly his Lotus counterpart Eric Boullier, had warned in Melbourne at the weekend that they might protest the qualifying and race results.

They are arguing that Mercedes’ technical innovation is not legal, but ultimately the 2012 season opener was run without a protest being filed.

But the threat is merely on the back-burner, as Boullier and Horner seek urgent talks with the FIA and Mercedes’ Ross Brawn.

“We want to sit together at a table with Mercedes and the FIA and find a solution,” Frenchman Boullier is quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Separately, Horner agreed: “We are expecting some pretty heated discussions in the next five days.” By then, the F1 circus will be firmly based at the Sepang circuit, for the second round of the season at Sepang.

McLaren, the dominant winner of Sunday’s season opening Australian grand prix, is staying out of the debate about the Mercedes concept.

“I think the system is legal,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

Auto Motor und Sport writer Tobias Gruner explained: “The reason for (Whitmarsh’s) opinion is simple — his engineers at Woking have been hard at work on a copy for some time.”

 Romain Grosjean will be happy if this week’s weather forecast for Melbourne proves right.
Although Wednesday will be warm and sunny in the Victorian capital, the clouds will begin to gather on Thursday, when the F1 circus congregates in the nearby Albert Park paddock for media and scrutineering activities.

Then, when practice signals the official start of the 2012 season on Friday afternoon, rain and isolated thunderstorms are predicted.

And isolated showers are forecast for the qualifying and race days.

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean has not tested his new E20 mount on a wet track, and the last time he saw rain from the cockpit of any F1 car was in Brazil 2009.

“It feels like a long time ago!” the Frenchman confirmed.

“I’m ready if the (Melbourne) track is more slippery, and I’ll try to make the best of it.

“I like racing in the wet, so maybe it will be a bit of an advantage for me,” added the reigning GP2 champion.

Sunday will be his eighth career grand prix, following 7 races with the Enstone based team – then known as Renault – in 2009.

Fernando Alonso will be doing the driving when Ferrari’s new car for 2011 makes its track debut early next month.

That is the claim of the Spanish sports newspaper Marca, adding that the single seater will be launched on a day between January 25 to 29 at the team’s Maranello headquarters.

When pre-season testing then kicks off at Valencia’s Cheste circuit a few days later, 2010 championship runner-up Alonso will be at the wheel on February 1 and 2, Spanish radio Cadena COPE also reported.

After Valencia, more F1 group tests are scheduled in February at the Jerez and Barcelona circuits, before the circus moves to Bahrain in March for the final test and the 2011 season opener.

The mayor of Sao Paulo has played down fears poor circuit facilities will see the Interlagos venue fall off the annual formula one schedule.

Mayor Gilberto Kassab was at the scene of next weekend’s Brazilian grand prix at the weekend, as the circuit performed safety checks for the forthcoming race.

Asked if he is worried that many in the F1 circus – including the sport’s chief executive Bernie Ecclestone – believe Interlagos features arguably the worst facilities on the calendar, he answered: “I am not.

“The city of Sao Paulo has a great interest in staying on the schedule and has invested a lot for it.

“The organisers of F1 also have an interest in having the race here,” he is quoted by Agencia Estado news agency.

“After all, Sao Paulo is one of the major cities of the world, and there’s no reason for Brazil to not be in the loop,” added Kassab.

For the 2010 event, new ‘softwall’ barriers, anti-slip paint, synthetic grass and better drainage have been installed around the circuit.

More comprehensive upgrades to the ageing facilities have not been done yet, but the mayor said a ‘Master Plan’ will be drafted at the end of the year.

Kassab is also quoted by Globo Esporte: “There are some things missing, but I like what I see. I am very calm. Every year we improve the autodromo, which is one of the best in the world.

“If not the largest, F1 is one of the major events of the world. It generates jobs and income for the city. That is why we invest so much in it,” he added.

On the other end of the scale is Abu Dhabi’s impressive Yas Marina circuit, which is set to host the 2010 season finale one week after Brazil.

Ecclestone told Gulf News: “If only all the venues were as superb as Abu Dhabi, I would be a happy man.

“How long is their arrangement to hold a grand prix? For ever. For as long as they want it,” added the Briton, who turns 80 this week.

F1′s travelling circus is arriving in South Korea, and the first reports are mixed.

BBC television anchor Jake Humphrey summed up the Yeongam venue as satisfactory but “far from finished”.

“Things look pretty ready to go,” said Virgin driver Lucas di Grassi, “with some beauty work still to be finished but the main structure is ready.”

Others talked about their long journeys from the huge Seoul airport to Mokpo, the closest city to Yeongam, in the impressive high-speed KTX train with free wi-fi.

Photographer Darren Heath was less impressed with the journey, tackled by many in buses.  “F1 in Seoul?  Nah, let’s have it in the middle of nowhere 100s of miles from anywhere,” he wrote on Twitter.

Veteran Swiss correspondent Roger Benoit, writing in Blick newspaper, said the F1 track itself is an “enormous construction site”, and his hotel room one of the ones usually rented by the hour.

“No joke,” he said.

Reportedly so unimpressed was Williams with the local accommodation on offer that the British team has committed to a 3 hour round trip every day in order to stay in a nicer hotel.

“Dominating the venue are the excavators, debris and waste,” wrote Benoit, who said a bridge over the front straight is still littered with scaffolding and hard-hatted workers.

Sauber’s team manager Beat Zehnder complained about the cost of the team buildings, with the rent costing $40,000.

“Whoever wants to use the upper floor must pay another 20,000,” he said, “but everyone has decided to just use the ground floor!”

Said Benoit: “I’m already looking forward to the final races in Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi!”

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said rolling machines are still working on the recently-laid top surface of asphalt, with the paint for the starting grid yet to be sprayed.

“Only on Friday will we know whether the surface will withstand the stresses of formula one cars,” read the report.

“Everything on the sandy site is under construction.  Next to the pitlane is a large pile of sand.  Whoever didn’t know that F1 is running here in a few days would think it’s not happening until next year,” it added.

German Sky television pundit Marc Surer reports in Speed Week that the seating in some grandstands is not complete.

“Much remains to be done, but as for the track itself, I am surprised that it is ready,” he said.

“Whether it can withstand hours of practice and racing, however, is another question.”

Organisers of this weekend’s inaugural Korean grand prix have scattered cement dust in places around the new Yeongam layout, as the newly-laid asphalt surface continues to seep oil as it cures.

But Karun Chandhok – the only man to have completed a lap of the 5.62km layout in a formula one car – insists the circuit will be safe enough to host the race.

“I don’t think for one second that it will be disastrous,” the Indian driver told the Telegraph.  “A lot of the rumours have been inaccurate.”

In its official event preview, the Italian team Toro Rosso also urged the F1 world not to “panic” as it makes the long trek from Europe to the Jeollanam-do province.

There are concerns about the incomplete track facilities, food, hotels, access roads, organised crime in the local area and the proximity to the rogue North Korea.

“Our advice to you is don’t panic and make the most of the experience,” said the team.

But Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi is hoping the experience is not just enjoyed by F1.

“The key question will be if the people know enough about formula one to want to attend the race,” said the Swiss.

One piece of good news from the nearby port city Mokpo, about 400 kilometres south of the capital Seoul, is that three days of mostly dry weather is being forecast.

But the sport’s travelling circus is still bracing for a difficult event.  To start, Williams team manager Dickie Stanford has told his troops to be ready for a seven-hour bus ride from the capital to Yeongam.

“From a driver’s perspective the most important thing is that the tarmac lasts,” said Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld.

Nico Rosberg also said he hopes “the asphalt holds up”, and reigning world champion Jenson Button admitted he expects “a few unexpected issues” in Korea.

But 2010 points leader Mark Webber is sanguine.

“We all have to go there, see the track and get on with the job — it’s the same for everyone,” said the Australian.

It almost would have worked out today evening in Singapore with Michael Schumacher’s first fastest time since the third free practice session at Suzuka in 2006, but in the end, the Mercedes driver had to be content with second place. Because after the 90 minutes it championship leader Mark Webber just displaced from the top.

The Red Bull driver lapped the street circuit in 1:54.589 minutes, thus faster than Schumacher, 0.119 seconds, which was to always find the leaders, although he learn the new route for it first had to. However, be the strong results of the seven-time world champion exaggerate not, after it was damp at the start and the track dried out slowly. Therefore, de facto, included only the last ten minutes on slicks.
In which it was quite turbulent, to – again and again took the driver exit or cut off one of the chicanes. However, none provided a truly devastating mistake, so the session went without any major incidents to an end. Exciting it was only in the closing stages, as the big favorites spared in moist conditions at the beginning of their tires and engines from the box and watched.

Only shortly before the finish was so surprised man Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) from the top displaced and still passed through to twelfth place. The Japanese ended up 1.750 seconds behind Webber, but remained narrowly ahead of his teammate Nick Heidfeld (13 / 1.869), returning to Singapore in the Grand Prix circus. Accordingly, the German looks happy: “With the first session, I am very satisfied,” he notes.

“I had this at the beginning take it easy, for I am ever not ridden in the wet. Also at the end, when it was still a bit damp, it was important for me to shoot many rounds,” said Heidfeld. “When I saw then, that not much time, I’ve been a bit more gas. Of course, I’m with the settings of the car not quite satisfied. The basis should be good, but because you can fine-tune still a lot.”

The second comeback was less striking: Christian Klien (HRT / 8.835) was due after 20 minutes the first rider to set a time landed, but after 90 minutes only on rank 23 – well before Lotus tail light Fairuz Fauzy (11.105), but just as well behind his team-mate Bruno Senna (22 / 5.194). Another new name, Jérôme D’Ambrosio (Virgin / 4.686), was a good 21, just behind stable-mate Timo Glock (20 / 4.445).

Bernie Ecclestone is not happy that the formula one circus departed Turkey last weekend without resolving the issue of tyre supply for 2011.

The sport touched down at Istanbul Park amid strong speculation that Pirelli had been selected and would be confirmed as F1′s new supplier by the time the event was over.

But according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, it was FOTA’s powerful teams McLaren, Ferrari and Renault who invited Michelin’s Nick Shorrock to make a presentation to all the teams on Sunday.

Indeed, Shorrock indicated to Auto Hebdo in an interview that Michelin’s proposal had not substantially changed.

“We realised that it could be helpful to come and explain in more detail to all the teams the detail of our proposal,” he said.

“The goal of the meeting was simply to go into more detail,” added Shorrock.

Williams’ Adam Parr emerged from the 90 minute meeting and said: “It is taking a bit longer than we would have liked but it should be done in the next few days.”

F1 chief executive Ecclestone is unhappy it is taking this long.

“Why keep talking about it; everything has been discussed,” said the 79-year-old Briton.  “We should sign a contract now.”

It is believed Pirelli remains in pole position for the deal, given Michelin’s insistence that the rules be changed to allow the possibility of more than one tyre supplier entering the sport.

“This is more of a philosophical question for Michelin,” FOTA chairman and McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said.

“They would be happy to be alone for five years, but on paper they need for there to be the chance of having a competitor.”

(GMM)

The F1 circus will leave Turkey without a decision about the sport’s tyre supplier for 2011.

The sport arrived in Istanbul earlier this week amid speculation Pirelli had been selected and would be unveiled as Bridgestone’s replacement before the event was out.

But it then emerged that Michelin’s Nick Shorrock had arrived in the city, and the French marque’s competition boss met for 90 minutes with team bosses on Sunday.

The meeting broke with team figures saying only that a decision has not been made and is not due for a few more days.

(GMM)

Rumours persist that this weekend’s grand prix will be the last in Turkey.

Since the Istanbul Park venue hosted its first race in 2005, the layout – featuring the now famous Turn 8 – has received widespread praise.

But spectator numbers have been conspicuously low.  “It’s an enormous market in Turkey.  Eventually they will get themselves sorted out,” F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said earlier this year.

But the German newspaper Die Welt now reports that the track, managed by Ecclestone, is too far from the city and on the wrong side of the Bosphorus strait, causing long and frustrating rides from hotels through thick traffic.

“The rumours are getting louder that the fastest circus in the world will no longer make the journey to Istanbul,” read the report.

(GMM)

A Singapore official has played down concerns the city-state will run out of time to prepare the floodlit street circuit for this year’s formula one race.

Singapore will host the Youth Olympic Games in the same Marina Bay area until the end of August — less than a month before the F1 circus arrives in town for round 15 of the 2010 world championship.

But Justin Chew, the Singapore Tourism Board’s executive director of F1 projects, told the state-owned MediaCorp: “We do have enough time.

“Based on the timeline set by the Youth Olympic Games organisers, they will take at least two to three weeks to vacate the circuit completely.

“But we have already ‘de-conflicted’ it and whatever time they need to move out and what we need to put in the area have been worked out,” he insisted.

The tight schedule means that fundamental structures for the street circuit such as lighting trusses are already being erected.

Romain Grosjean has revealed he will also be seen in the paddock at next weekend’s Monaco grand prix.

In the wake of his partial rookie season with Renault in 2009, the 24-year-old Swiss-Frenchman is in Barcelona this weekend.

“I came to see a few people, make some contacts and show that I’m still around,” said Grosjean, who replaced the sacked Nelson Piquet at Renault last year.

“I am not hiding that my number one goal is to return to F1,” he added after being spotted in conversation with Peter Sauber.

“I am aware that it is a matter of luck and opportunity and that it is not easy.  I am open to the idea that other categories could be a solution for me,” added Grosjean, who revealed that he will contest Le Mans next month.

He said he will follow F1′s travelling circus to Monaco after Spain.

“I will be in Monaco and definitely at some other European grands prix to continue negotiations,” said Grosjean.

(GMM)

May 6 (GMM)  The famous and unpronounceable Icelandic volcano could be set to once again disturb the travel plans of the formula one world.

European airports ground to a halt due to the dangerous ash cloud nearly three weeks ago, stranding the sport’s travelling circus in China.

On Wednesday and early on Thursday, it emerged that the ash is threatening to once again drift over the north of Europe, and multiple British airports have already had flights cancelled.

When contacted, the European air traffic agency Eurocontrol admitted that hundreds of other flights across Europe could also be affected.

The Civil Aviation Authority said main airports serving London have not yet been disrupted, but the Icelandic Met Office warns that the volcanic eruptions “will continue at full force in the next days”.

However, the situation is now far less severe for F1, in the wake of the initial ‘flyaway’ segment of the 2010 calendar.

The bulk of the equipment is transported by the teams to European venues by road, even if many of the personnel travel by plane for convenience.

May 5 (GMM)  Mark Webber has shifted into reverse gear after slamming F1 host state Victoria as a “bloody nanny state”.

The Australian, irritated at local overregulation such as the prevalence of speeding and parking fines, made the comment in the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s famous run-in with Melbourne police in March.

Then, when the formula one circus had moved on to Malaysia, Webber’s father Alan and manager/partner Ann Neal posed with a group of fans wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘Victoria The Nanny State!’

One newspaper reader wrote at the time: “So this is the message from Mark Webber to the families who have lost loved ones on the roads this Easter.  What a bloody disgrace.”

Another added: “Don’t come back Webbers.  You are not welcome in my state.”

The local Herald Sun newspaper said 33-year-old Webber’s management has now written a letter to the government offering to have the Red Bull driver front a road safety campaign.

“It’s something Mark is passionate about,” Neal said.  “It’s not a knee-jerk reaction to the press he’s had, it’s something he has always done.”

A government spokesman said Webber’s offer was being considered.