Becoming Pirelli’s test driver was “not an option” for Adrian Sutil, the out-of-work F1 driver has admitted.

“Right now I’m waiting,” the former Force India driver told Eurosport Deutschland.

German Sutil, 29, was an established F1 driver until 2011, when he became embroiled in a legal battle with Lotus team executive Eric Lux over an assault.

He has been left without a seat for 2012, causing many to wonder why he – and not the less experienced Jaime Alguersuari – was not selected to test with F1′s official tyre supplier Pirelli.

“A collaboration with Pirelli didn’t work out, but I was never in contact with them directly,” Sutil said. “It wasn’t an option.”

He also didn’t find a test or reserve seat with a team.

“The fact that there is hardly any testing, of course, is not very helpful,” Sutil insisted.

He has been linked with struggling Felipe Massa’s Ferrari seat.

“I do have to hope,” admitted Sutil, “that either some drivers don’t do well, or a cockpit becomes available. That is my chance.

“That drivers are changed is just a part of formula one,” added Sutil.

“My plan is to wait and see if there is a possibility. If not, then of course you have to give serious thought about what to do in the future — in 2013.”

There are still some “gentlemen” in F1, team boss and owner Peter Sauber insists.

Amid the recent F-duct debate, it was suggested that Mercedes’ Ross Brawn had broken a teams’ ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that the technology should not be pursued.

“I think you need gentlemen in formula one for this” Sport Bild reporter Ralf Bach jibed sarcastically during a news conference recently.

But Sauber, arguably one of the few gentlemen in the paddock, told Sonntagsblick that he still has some peers.

Asked if he was privately congratulated after Sergio Perez’s second place in Malaysia recently, the Swiss said: “Martin Whitmarsh, of McLaren, offered me a very nice congratulation.

“Franz Tost (Toro Rosso) wrote me a lovely text. And then Domenicali and the people at Ferrari; we have a very friendly relationship,” added Sauber.

As for whether there are many other gentlemen in F1, he insisted: “In this business, you don’t really ask this question.

“I didn’t know Colin Chapman. Ken Tyrrell was someone who appealed to me greatly, but he didn’t take us (Sauber) seriously. It was the same with Frank Williams.”

Indeed, in the paddock, scepticism and cynicism are more widespread, which explains why Sauber’s 2012 car – although fast throughout winter testing – was not regarded as a serious threat until mere days ago.

“We knew our car was good after the tests in Jerez and Barcelona. But the others just thought that we were running light, which is common when a team from the midfield shows something,” said Sauber.

Also amusing, according to Peter Sauber, is the story of Sergio Perez.

“A year ago it was said he just paid for his cockpit. So it makes me chuckle now when I see them say he is going to Ferrari,” he smiled.

 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.

Spaniard Maria De Villota has become a Marussia F1 Team test driver.

Maria has raced in a variety of single-seater and sports car categories, including Spanish F3, the Daytona 24 Hours, the Euroseries 3000 and Superleague Formula Championship.

Maria has also experienced a Formula One cockpit previously, having received a test drive courtesy of the team formerly known as Lotus Renault F1 Team at Paul Ricard in August of last year, where she achieved 300kms of running.

As the daughter of former F1 driver and British Formula One Series Champion Emilio de Villota, Maria has always dreamed of following in his footsteps to reach the highest level of motorsport. Her integration into the Marussia F1 Team means she will have the opportunity to work with racing drivers operating at the pinnacle of the sport and, later in the year, the chance to drive the MR01.

John Booth, Team Principal, Marussia F1 Team, commented:

“We are pleased to welcome Maria to our test driver programme, which will enable her to be integrated into a Formula One team environment and gain a vast amount of experience that will be useful to her career progression. We will also provide Maria with the opportunity to sample F1 machinery later in the year, further adding to her racing credentials.”

Maria De Villota had this to say:

“I am very happy to be joining the Marussia F1 Team test driver programme. This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with a Formula One team and gain important experience to help me progress my career, including the chance to drive the new car later in the year at the Abu Dhabi test. I will be joining the team trackside so I’m looking forward to working alongside them at the first race next weekend and this can only help my future ambition to step up to Formula One racing.”

Buoyed by his impressive form in Abu Dhabi last week, Jean-Eric Vergne thinks he would do as good a job in formula one as Mark Webber.

Frenchman Vergne, the latest cream of Red Bull’s development programme, tested Sebastian Vettel’s title-winning RB7 during the young driver test and was fastest in all six sessions over the course of the three days.

Already Toro Rosso’s Friday driver, the 21-year-old is scheduled to practice with Sebastien Buemi’s car in Brazil and is considered a hot contender to replace the Swiss full-time in 2012.

But he also thinks he would be ready to be Vettel’s teammate at the senior team.

“When I came back (from the test) I saw the comments of (engineering boss) Ian Morgan and they were very positive, I cannot hide it,” Vergne is quoted as saying by French newsmagazine Le Nouvel Observateur.

“I know that the top teams are cautious of young drivers; the only one (McLaren) that dared to go with a young guy recently was Hamilton, and it worked.

“We have had a similar preparation; I did three days of testing and physically had no problems.

“So I think if I was put in the Red Bull, I would do no worse than Webber. That’s my impression, anyway, after these tests.

“But I know that the road is still long and where I go next is Brazil. This is my last practice session with Toro Rosso before I know what I will be doing next season,” he added.

 Team Lotus will contest the Indian grand prix with its regular driver lineup, the BBC said on Tuesday.
Reserve driver and Indian native Karun Chandhok had been hoping to move into the race cockpit this weekend but had flagged issues relating to Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen’s 2011 contracts.

It is also believed the Tony Fernandes-led team does not want to jeopardise its lucrative tenth place in the constructors’ standings.

Chandhok told the Press Trust of India on Sunday: “You will definitely see me in Friday’s practice session and there I will definitely give my best.”

Narain Karthikeyan will get two more outings at the wheel of the HRT prior to his race return in his native India late this month.

After losing his full-time race seat to Daniel Ricciardo three months ago, the 34-year-old’s sponsors have secured a one-race return for the Indian to contest his country’s inaugural grand prix.

The Spanish team announced at the weekend that, after his run in Vitantonio Liuzzi’s car for initial Friday practice in Singapore recently, Karthikeyan will return to action on the first day of this weekend’s Japanese grand prix at Suzuka.

HRT said the outing, with Karthikeyan once again in Liuzzi’s car, is to “continue with his preparation” ahead of India on October 30.

Karthikeyan told the Times of India he is happy with his re-acclimatisation to the Cosworth-powered F111.

“I was just 1 tenth slower than Ricciardo during Friday practice (in Singapore),” he said. “That is great considering I was away from the cockpit for a while.

“I will again be doing Friday runs in Japan and Korea before racing in India and I am sure of getting enough track time to be ready for the big show,” added Karthikeyan.

Stefano Domenicali has refused to rule out finding a place at Ferrari for another driver in 2013.
Fernando Alonso is signed up long beyond next season, but his current teammate Felipe Massa will be out of contract at the end of 2012.

At the front of the queue are the two drivers heading up Ferrari’s so-called driver ‘academy’: French GP2 driver Jules Bianchi and 2011 Sauber rookie Sergio Perez.

Asked about Ferrari’s driver plans for Bianchi and Perez in 2013, Domenicali said in Singapore: “For 2013? Ah yes. Bianchi is a great talent and he had a positive season in GP2 but he needs to grow and gain experience next season.

“I cannot say now where he will be,” the Italian told Spanish sports daily Marca, “but for sure we want to invest because we believe in him.

“As for Sergio, he has a contract with Sauber and he also has to grow. It is best not to put any goals at this time. May both of them have a good 2012,” added Domenicali.

Meanwhile, the Italian was asked how much he worries about the rumours Flavio Briatore is waiting in the wings to be the next Ferrari team principal.

Making a circular motion with his fingers, he said: “Zero!”

Narain Karthikeyan has ruled out reviving his formula one career with a seat at Force India.

The Indian will reacclimatise to the cockpit of the HRT car this weekend in Singapore, almost three months after losing his race drive to Daniel Ricciardo.

Karthikeyan, 34, will be driving in the first Friday practice session before returning to the grid in his native India next month, but for 2012 his future is clouded.

He told The National newspaper in Singapore that he will not be creating an Indian dream-team with his countryman Vijay Mallya, owner and boss of Force India.

“I never even approached Mallya,” said Karthikeyan. “The vibes from the camp have been extremely negative and I want to make it clear that I am not interested in driving for Force India.”

Narain Karthikeyan will warm up with a Friday practice session in Singapore before racing in his native India next month, HRT announced on Saturday.
It was already expected that the 34-year-old, despite losing his full time race seat to Daniel Ricciardo earlier this season, would return to the cockpit for the inaugural Delhi grand prix.

And he will re-acclimatise with the initial practice session in Singapore, the Spanish team said.

“It is great to have Narain back in the car as it will give him critical seat time before he drives at the Indian GP,” said team boss Colin Kolles.

Karthikeyan confirmed: “The team had assured me that I’d be driving (in India) when I stepped out of my seat after the European GP.”

Meanwhile, Force India’s regular Friday driver Nico Hulkenberg has revealed he will not be in action in Singapore next weekend.

“The team wants to give Adrian (Sutil) and Paul (di Resta) more track time and I understand and accept the decision,” he said on Twitter.

Jaime Alguersuari has admitted he was not happy when he learned that Mark Webber has secured a new contract with Red Bull for 2012.
Spaniard Alguersuari and his Toro Rosso teammate Sebastien Buemi were hoping they would be considered for the seat at the energy drink-owned company’s main team.

Instead, they are now regarded as being in a fight to secure the single race cockpit alongside likely Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo next season.

Asked by Spanish radio Cadena SER if he is upset about Red Bull’s decision to re-sign Webber, Alguersuari admitted flatly: “Absolutely.

“I want to be with a team that can win races. I am very happy with Toro Rosso and delighted that I got to go to formula one at (the age of) 19, but I want to win.”

In an apparent swipe at 35-year-old Australian Webber, Alguersuari added: “If I was constantly half a second behind my teammate, I would be out.”

The 21-year-old hailed his career-best run to seventh place at Monza as “one of my best races”, but offered only barbed praise for 2011 champion-elect Vettel’s victory.

“He has a car that allows him to do the poles and win all the races that he has,” said Alguersuari.

There could be a second Indian on the grid in Delhi next month, Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes admits.
It has already emerged that Narain Karthikeyan will be reunited with his HRT cockpit when India stages its inaugural formula one race.

And his countryman Chandhok, who has already replaced Jarno Trulli this year at the Nurburgring, could be a second Indian racing around the new Buddh circuit.

“I’d like him to. It’s up to the team to see,” Fernandes is quoted by Reuters.

The Malaysian entrepreneur admitted it will be Trulli to step aside should Chandhok, Team Lotus’ reserve and occasional Friday driver, be given the green light for India.

“Yes, I think Heikki (Kovalainen) is our number one driver, although Jarno’s outqualified him here,” Fernandes said at Monza.

Every time Sebastian Vettel wins in 2011, he adds another smile to his collection.
Germany’s Bild newspaper reports that there are seven small ‘smiley’ stickers aligned in a row inside the cockpit of the runaway championship leader’s Red Bull.

One was added to ‘Luscious Liz’ after each of his seven 2011 victories so far in Australia, Malaysia, Turkey, Barcelona, Monaco, Valencia and Spa two weeks ago.

The 24-year-old confirmed at Monza: “(Adding) the faces was my idea. It’s an old tradition.”

He is referring to 2004, when a large yellow smiley sticker was added to the exterior livery of his formula BMW car after every win.

“By the end of the year the nose was almost completely covered in them,” laughed Vettel, who as a seventeen year old won 18 of the 20 races.

Nick Heidfeld will not be racing this weekend in Belgium and is unlikely to return to the Renault cockpit.
That was the claim on Monday of the German’s 2004 team boss Eddie Jordan, who is now an expert pundit for British television the BBC’s television coverage.

Earlier this week, the Irishman said he considered the recent criticism of 34-year-old Heidfeld’s performances this year by Renault bosses as “bullying”.

He wrote in a BBC column on Monday that Heidfeld “has been dropped by the Renault team in favour of Brazilian Bruno Senna for this weekend’s Belgian grand prix”.

Jordan said the move will save Renault money because reserve driver Senna, who is also “expected to race for Renault in the eight remaining races this season, has “several million pounds of sponsorship”.

27-year-old Senna raced most recently in the Abu Dhabi finale last year, at the end of his rookie season with the struggling Hispania team.

He has been Renault’s reserve driver in 2011, and in Hungary last month replaced Heidfeld in Friday morning practice.