With the pecking-order still not entirely clear after two races, it could be set to change all over again in the near future.

That is the view of Peter Sauber, the Hinwil based team’s owner and boss who witnessed his Mexican driver Sergio Perez display almost race-winning form at Sepang recently with the impressive new C31 car.

He argues that the real key to 2012 is ongoing car development.

“The decisive factor of course is how quickly can the teams develop their cars,” he wrote in his column for the Swiss newspaper Blick.

“Most will have small improvements in the next two races in China and Bahrain, before the major development stages are triggered for the start of the European season in Barcelona.

“Then, the balance of power could change,” said Sauber.

Currently fourth in the constructors’ championship, Sauber has after just two races in 2012 already scored almost 70 per cent of the final points tallies collected by the formerly BMW-owned team in the past two seasons.

But not only Sauber has been impressive, so too has almost the entire field of 2012.

“The quality in formula one has never been as great as it is today,” he said. “If you don’t get everything right in qualifying, you lose a number of positions.

“Also, the midfield has moved significantly closer to the front, which can mean an unusually mixed order on the grid,” said Sauber.

 After putting his tumultuous 2011 season behind him, Lewis Hamilton has kicked off this year’s world champion in downbeat mood.
The 2008 world champion had put his well-documented personal problems and on-track struggles behind him with a positive approach to his sixth season in F1.

But after his teammate Jenson Button beat him in the 2011 standings, Hamilton could not hide his disappointment on Sunday when the 2009 title winner also beat him to the first corner in Melbourne, before Button and reigning champion Sebastian Vettel filled the top two podium spots.

“I just struggled out there,” confused pole-sitter Hamilton said afterwards.

David Coulthard, the former long-time McLaren driver and now paddock analyst, expressed concern about Hamilton’s “striking” post-race body-language and “stony-faced” performance on the podium.

“Has it (Button’s win) knocked Lewis?” he wondered in his Telegraph column.

Many in F1 are astonished by how Button, described as having entered Hamilton’s “lion’s den” at McLaren two years ago, is now being described by the famous British team as its title-winning hope.

“People underestimate him,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh. “He’s such a calm, mature and easygoing fellow that people don’t realise necessarily the hunger that’s in him to compete and to win.

“He must now believe he’s in a good chance of a proper title run this year and providing we can continue to improve the car, not make mistakes, be reliable there’s no reason why he can’t do that,” he added.

On Hamilton’s side of the garage, meanwhile, is a downcast driver and an expiring contract.

“On his day, Lewis is unbeatable, and yet I suspect McLaren are wondering whether or not they want to keep him, because he brings so much baggage with him,” another former McLaren driver-turned commentator, Martin Brundle, told April’s Motor Sport magazine.

As for Whitmarsh, McLaren’s team principal insists there is no concern yet that Hamilton has already re-entered another spiral of despair so early in 2012.

Downplaying Hamilton’s post-race mood in Australia, he said: “When he starts getting happy with being third, or beaten by his teammate, then he won’t be the Lewis we all love and admire.”

Peter Sauber has admitted his Swiss team is flattered after Red Bull apparently copied the C31′s exhaust layout ahead of the 2012 season.
Red Bull ran at the initial Jerez and Barcelona tests – and then the two opening days of the final Barcelona test – with its own solution in the wake of the FIA’s blown exhaust clampdown.

“We had a nice surprise on the penultimate day (of winter testing),” Sauber team boss Peter Sauber wrote in his column for Sonntagsblick newspaper.

“Red Bull announced their plans to use a heavily modified car, as it will race in Melbourne.

“Compared to their first version it had a completely different rear, which differs significantly from most cars — but not ours.

“The Red Bull and our C31 have a very similar concept, concerning the management of the airflow at the rear.

“For our engineers, it was an extra confirmation that they have chosen the right development direction. They are convinced that this concept has the potential for further development,” added Sauber.

F1′s field of 2012 reminds one expert pundit of a supermodel without her best assets.
Former driver Hans-Joachim Stuck wrote in his German column for Eurosport that he dislikes the look of this year’s formula one cars.

“The tyres are too narrow, the rear wing too small and the front wing too big, and the nose is a complete failure,” he said.

“It’s like imagining Heidi Klum without her nice behind and bosom, and that’s unfortunately what they’ve done with the new cars.

“Let’s hope that they’re fast, at least.”

Tyre supplier Pirelli’s motor sport director Paul Hembery recently slammed the new cars for being “pig ugly”.

He told The Sun it could be a turn-off for potential new fans and sponsors.

“It is what a lot of people will say who are maybe not as intimately involved as we are,” said Hembery.

After the double diffusers, F-ducts and blown exhausts of the past few seasons, Peter Sauber is sure a “revolutionary invention” has not yet been seen in 2012.
The world of F1 watched the opening pre-season test of 2012 play out last week at Jerez, where clever solutions to the new exhaust clampdown and Mercedes’ innovative F-duct-style front wing circulated at speed.

“The big question,” agreed team boss Sauber, “is whether anyone has come up with another revolutionary invention after the banning of the adventurous engine control (of 2011).

“So far it doesn’t look like it,” he wrote in a column for Blick newspaper.

“At the rear of the cars there are different solutions for the guiding of the exhaust gases, but this was not unexpected,” added Sauber.

Another point of note at Jerez was the obvious visual difference between the radical ‘step’ noses and the much more conventional solution on the McLaren.

“It means nothing else than that they are using a less-high chassis,” Sauber reported. “This is interesting because of the apparent aerodynamic disadvantage.

“But equally clear is that McLaren would not have done it if they had not found another way to generate the corresponding downforce,” he insisted.

Michael Schumacher will have a new race engineer at Mercedes next year, according to reports.

The French-language Eurosport said the identity of the engineer is Mark Slade, who this year is working alongside Vitaly Petrov at Renault.

Slade moved to Renault this year from McLaren, where he worked with famous Finns Heikki Kovalainen, Kimi Raikkonen and Mika Hakkinen.

After 15 years with the British team, he left McLaren early this season due to a technical staffing reshuffle.

Schumacher’s engineer in 2010 is Andy Shovlin, who in 2009 worked at the Brackley based team – then Brawn GP – alongside world champion Jenson Button.

It is expected that Shovlin will have a more general engineering role next year.

Schumacher’s teammate Nico Rosberg will also have a new race engineer in 2011, having worked this year with Jock Clear. It is expected that Tony Ross, Rosberg’s former race engineer at Williams, is switching to Mercedes.

Meanwhile, French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet wrote in his latest Auto Plus column that Mercedes GP chiefs Ross Brawn and Norbert Haug will have more distinct roles in 2011.

Moncet said he believes team boss Brawn’s role will be partially factory-based.

Sebastian Vettel needs to accept the reality of a number 2 role for the good of Red Bull’s 2010 title chances.

That is the claim of former triple world champion and outspoken commentator Niki Lauda, following reports the young German is reluctant to give up the chase for his first title in deference to the team’s points leader Mark Webber.

The news also follows boss Christian Horner’s insistence that the team will “support both (drivers) equally” in Brazil and Abu Dhabi “in line with Red Bull’s credible sporting ethos”.

But with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso leading the championship and fully backed by his teammate Felipe Massa, Lauda said Red Bull’s policy is a road to failure.

“Red Bull needs to establish the team hierarchy now,” the great Austrian is quoted by Bild newspaper.

“If they don’t get behind Mark Webber, they may have to go without the title.”

Lauda’s only concern is that the exercising of team orders within Red Bull is done in a way that does not “cheat the spectators”.

Jos Verstappen, who in the mid-90s at Benetton was Michael Schumacher’s number 2, agrees that Vettel should be playing that role now.

“Purely mathematically, he has a chance to be champion. But as a team they really have to put everything behind Webber.

“He (Webber) has a better chance of winning the title,” the Dutchman wrote in his column for De Telegraaf newspaper.

“Of course it’s a difficult position for Red Bull, as the whole world knows who they would prefer to be in the best position.

“It’s unfortunate for Vettel, but with his engine failure in Korea his championship did literally go up in smoke,” added Verstappen.

But Horner sounds unlikely to have a change of heart, telling the BBC he finds it “frustrating” that 7 points of leader Alonso’s 11 point lead was due to inheriting the German grand prix win from his teammate Massa.

“It (losing the title to Alonso) would be frustrating because we’ve obviously worked under the auspices that team orders have been illegal,” he told BBC radio.

Gian Carlo Minardi criticized after the double failure in Korea Red Bull and Ferrari in Brazil see clearly again.
Gian Carlo Minardi is the firm conviction that the events in Korea, Red Bull should consider the move. “With a reasonable strategy Webber team would lead the championship is still at least not such a big gap to the top who” is aware of the Italians. He believes that Ferrari will assume the role as favorite in Brazil and Red Bull in Abu Dhabi. Minardi says: “. Mistakes and mishaps can happen anytime the beginning, it took Ferrari, Hamilton, and then last Sunday just meets Red Bull is all.”

This is not least because the engine, transmission and Co. are brought to their absolute limit. The last two races will show who was badly shattered better. Minardi review in his column on 422race.com: “That’s why I found the strategy of Red Bull crazy because they are forced to repair the damage of both drivers again.”
Escuchar
Leer fonéticamente

Sebastian Vettel sounds unlikely to voluntarily fall in line behind Mark Webber as Red Bull pushes for its first ever drivers’ world championship.

Although heading for the championship lead in Korea before his engine failure, Vettel is now 25 points off Fernando Alonso.

It means Ferrari’s Spanish driver is the favourite for the title, with Vettel’s Australian teammate Mark Webber the most likely challenger due to his 11 point deficit.

But Germany’s Bild newspaper said it sounds unlikely that Vettel is going to give up.

“Nothing is going to change in my approach to the final two rounds,” he is quoted as saying. “My (engine) failure makes everything more interesting and difficult. But it is still possible.

“I am going to fight until the end,” Vettel vowed.

Like McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh who is in a similar situation, Red Bull chief Christian Horner said before leaving Korea that team strategy will be discussed internally before the season’s penultimate event in Brazil.

Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi thinks Red Bull made a big mistake by not establishing a hierarchy some time ago.

“They needed to take advantage of the fact they had the best car,” the Frenchman told CNR Media. “It’s doubtful they will have the same advantage next year, so you have to say they have mismanaged this season.

“I think they’ve missed a great opportunity,” added Alesi.

Joan Villadelprat, a veteran F1 team manager who now operates his own Le Mans team Epsilon Euskadi, agrees.

“There has been a lack of solidarity at Red Bull, who have not been able to manage their superiority and are now giving the title away to Ferrari,” he wrote in his El Pais newspaper column.

“When a double world champion like Alonso takes the kind of advantage he has now, he does not fail,” the Spaniard added.

Christian Horner has warned Red Bull’s rivals that the exhaust system of the RB6 car is not a silver bullet.

At Valencia nearly two weeks ago, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault got so-called ‘blown rear diffusers’ up and running on their cars.

And this weekend at Silverstone, the concept is part of McLaren’s latest upgrade, with some estimating the laptime benefit at half a second or more.

But Red Bull team boss Horner has moved to play down those predictions.

“Our rivals overestimate the benefits of the blown diffuser,” he is quoted as saying by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“It’s only about two or three tenths,” added the Briton.

The team’s German driver Sebastian Vettel agrees.

“It gives us a bit, but only together with the whole package, and that includes our rear suspension.  That can’t be copied during the season,” he said.

The Auto Plus column of French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet reports that, as well as the blown diffuser, McLaren’s Silverstone upgrade includes new cooling, suspension and dampers.

Ferrari, on the other hand, is not expecting the fast Silverstone layout to suit the F10, even though the new Arena section features some new slow corners.

“The track seems reasonably similar to the way it was, with a lot of very fast corners, which will not suit us that much,” said Fernando Alonso.

(GMM)

Sauber must improve its qualifying pace, team boss Peter Sauber insists.

The two C29s qualified poorly at Valencia a week ago, but in the race Kamui Kobayashi featured strongly and his teammate Pedro de la Rosa also finished in the points.

“So the crucial question for our team is: why is the car fast in the race but too slow in qualifying?” Sauber wrote in a column for the Swiss Sunday newspaper Sonntagsblick.

“Our engineers as well as the drivers need to get to the bottom of this as fast as possible,” he added.

Sauber said the Ferrari-powered C29 has “much potential” that only works “within a very narrow window”.

A new aerodynamic package debuted in Valencia, and de la Rosa thinks the car will work even better at fast Silverstone this weekend.

“I’m very much looking forward to the British grand prix,” said the Spaniard.

(GMM)

In addition to Mark Webber’s spectacular crash, it was for many observers, the issue of the race weekend in Valencia: Lewis Hamilton obsolete in a safety car period, the medical car and it occupies just 13 laps later with a drive-through penalty.

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso then assumed the race, they have manipulated the Grand Prix of Europe, because Hamilton had in his view, by the late penalty to no disadvantage.

According to former racing driver Martin Brundle, however, these accusations without any basis. “Alonso’s emotions have common sense superimposed,” former McLaren driver writes in his’ BBC’ column. Hamilton was by his maneuvers Ferrari ultimately not harmed. Instead, the Italians might as well be upset with race winner Sebastian Vettel.
“Etc. It was just fate and chance, would come out when the safety car,” said Brund. It was just very difficult, the timing of driving out the safety car always right. Brundle already suspected other reasons for Alonso’s excitement: “It was certainly not conducive to his whim, as was the Ferrari-powered Kamui Kobayashi on fresh tires passed him on the penultimate lap.”

Joan Villadelprat has warned Fernando Alonso to put a lid on his overt criticisms of F1′s governing body.

Spaniard Villadelprat, bidding to bring his Le Mans team Epsilon Euskadi onto the F1 grid next year, was referring to Alonso’s accusation that a mild penalty for Lewis Hamilton in Valencia last week amounted to FIA manipulation.

In his column for the El Pais newspaper, he said countryman Alonso might be excused for mouthing off in the immediate aftermath of the race, but should now quieten his attack or risk official sanctions.

“I think Alonso was heated and just out of the car,” he said.  “I can understand their anger because Ferrari thought this race was a turning point in their championship.

“I also believe the stewards failed to react as they should.  But I cannot say that Lewis Hamilton deserved a more severe penalty because it happened exactly as is in the regulations.

“But the reaction should have been much faster — (the stewards’ decision) took about 14 laps!  I suppose they waited so long because they were analysing it before giving a verdict.

“In any case, Fernando needs to be very careful about what he says, because these types of attacks are of no benefit and could even cost a penalty.

“But even more, it’s because I don’t think he really believes the stewards acted intentionally for Hamilton and against his own interest.

“I know that in times like these it is difficult to keep your head and your tongue cool, but Alonso needs to concentrate on his work, on getting his car on pole position and on stemming the difference that still separates Ferrari from Red Bull and McLaren,” added Villadelprat.

(GMM)