Norbert Haug has dismissed reports linking Lewis Hamilton with a switch to Mercedes for 2013.

With the 2008 world champion’s McLaren contract expiring, speculation had linked Briton Hamilton with the race seat currently occupied by Michael Schumacher.

“I can dismiss that speculation out of hand, as it was only ever conjured by putting two and two together,” the German marque’s Haug told Sport Bild.

“Lewis was and is a Mercedes man,” added the competition director, “but there are no agreements or conversations in that direction.

“At the moment we have one interest only — making our car as fast and reliable as possible, and then we’ll see where we stand.

“Only then will we talk to Michael about a possible extension,” said Haug.

Mercedes on Tuesday gave the strongest hint yet that Michael Schumacher is set to stay with the Brackley based team beyond 2012.
The seven time world champion returned from retirement with the German team in 2010, and has been widely criticised for failing to live up to the hype of his meteoric initial career.

But 2011 was undoubtedly a better season for the 43-year-old, moving team boss Ross Brawn to hint that Schumacher could receive a new deal for 2013.

“At the moment we aren’t talking to any other drivers,” he told Sport Bild magazine.

“I am also assuming that he is not talking to other teams.

“So if Michael is still enjoying what he’s doing while bringing in the results that we expect, then why not? He definitely has not said that he is toying with the idea of stopping,” added Brawn.

Mercedes’ competition director Norbert Haug added that the great German is “still one of the best race drivers in the field”.

Haug said Schumacher is often as fast or faster than his younger teammate Nico Rosberg, which is impressive “because Nico is undoubtedly among the five best drivers in F1″, he is quoted by FAZ newspaper.

Added Brawn: “It took a little longer than planned for Michael to be where he wanted to be — and even longer than I would have thought.

“The first year was difficult,” admitted Schumacher’s former Ferrari colleague. “I think he did an excellent job in the races in the second year, while Nico was slightly better than him in qualifying.

“I think that really frustrated him (Schumacher),” added Brawn.

According to Michael Schumacher, “the train has already left” when it comes to fighting for this year’s title.

But the seven time world champion also doubts Mercedes’ next car will be good enough to challenge the leaders.

“It would be presumptuous if one expects us to fight for the title next year. At the moment we are too far behind,” the 42-year-old German said at the weekend during the Mercedes event Stuttgarter Sternstunden.

The German marque’s competition director Norbert Haug made a similar admission.

“Under normal circumstances, you do not go from fourth to first in one jump,” he said.

Mercedes’ board, however, has the patience to wait, according to head of group research Thomas Weber.

“We will give (the team) the time that is necessary to get to the top,” he said.

Red Bull’s competition director Helmut Marko told the APA news agency that the development of Pirelli’s tyres this year will be crucial.

“There are going to be a lot more tyre pistops this year and when the safety car comes out at a bad time, the middle class teams could benefit,” he said.

The Austrian acknowledged that the teams and Bernie Ecclestone pushed for more tyre degradation to improve the show, but he said Pirelli has “not yet found the right balance”.

“From the middle of the season they will get it under control, so it should not be decisive for the entire year,” he added.

Fernando Alonso agrees that the Pirelli factor has perhaps been overstated recently.

“The best and fastest car will still win the title,” he is quoted by Autosprint.

“Strategy is going to be important, and a couple of times it will happen that maybe the fastest one has the wrong strategy.

“But over 19 races, the most important thing is to have a fast car,” added the Ferrari driver.

Mercedes has not ruled out extending its contract with Michael Schumacher.

Currently, despite his disappointing return to F1 last year, the seven time world champion’s deal is not set to expire until the end of next season.

But Norbert Haug, German marque Mercedes’ competition director, admitted to Bild am Sonntag newspaper that he can imagine teaming up with the famous 42-year-old in 2013 as well.

“If Michael wants it and we can agree on a right price — with pleasure,” said Haug.

After fitting a late and major upgrade for the W02 car, Mercedes had a strong end to the 2011 pre-season period.

“Michael looks really strong,” admitted team boss Ross Brawn.  “He could surprise some people this year.”

Before leaving Barcelona where the last winter test before the Australian season opener is held, Schumacher smiled as he admitted his best time was “not bad”.

“On the favourites list, they are now climbing to the top,” admitted Red Bull’s reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Referring to the final Barcelona test, former triple world champion and commentator Niki Lauda said: “It was a big step forward.  The times were great.”

Norbert Haug has revealed he is not in favour of allowing teams to field three cars per grand prix.
Ferrari, whose president Luca di Montezemolo is highly critical of the uncompetitive small teams, is pushing hard for the rule change.

But Haug, Mercedes’ competition director, is quoted by f1today.nl at the Valencia test: “Three cars per team is not something we support.

“It would be disastrous for the small teams so we see the current situation as much healthier.

“If we can avoid having three cars per team, we certainly will do so,” added the German.

Mercedes is reportedly losing money in the area of trackside merchandise sales in 2010.

The Cologne tabloid Express reports that Red Bull is selling the most merchandise at grands prix this year, followed by Ferrari.

The report said Allsport charges teams more than EUR20,000 for merchandise booth rental at races, which in addition to hiring staff and buying the merchandise adds up to about a EUR50,000 spend per race for the top teams.

Mercedes is reporteding selling between EUR90-100,000 of merchandise per race, followed by 70-80,000 sold by Ferrari.

In addition to Michael Schumacher’s multi million euro retainer this year, it might be said that Mercedes should look again at its expenditures.

But competition director Norbert Haug is quoted as saying: “The media value is a hundred times the numbers you are talking about.

“But I generally don’t comment on figures,” added the German.

Norbert Haug has admitted that Mercedes might line up on the 2011 grid with some new employees.

“In 2011 we will make a step forward.  So we need to have the best possible staff, which may include some new people,” he is quoted by the Cologne newspaper Express.

But amid rumours it might be Ross Brawn or Michael Schumacher who depart, the Mercedes competition director insisted the famous duo are actually going nowhere.

“In 2011 the drivers are Michael and Nico Rosberg,” Haug announced.

“And we believe in Ross and his team,” added the German, amid rumours of tension between Brackley in the UK and Mercedes GP’s German side.

“We just know what victory feels like, so perhaps we are sometimes a bit grumpy,” said Haug, explaining the apparent tension in the paddock at present.

One answer might be to plough more money into the team, or make a big offer for a high profile signing like Adrian Newey.

“Of course we could put another 10 million euros into F1, but we don’t want to,” said Haug.

Mercedes may soon have to turn its attention to making some personnel changes within its British based F1 team.

That is the warning of the German marque’s competition director Norbert Haug, amid reports the Brackley outfit is now working almost exclusively on its 2011 car.

“We hope to return to success,” he is quoted by Autosprint.

“However, if we fail to achieve the goals we have set, we may have to change some people,” added Haug.

He is definitely not referring to Nico Rosberg, Mercedes’ most consistently competitive driver this season, or seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, who is firmly under contract for 2011 and keen to win an eighth title.

But former GP winner Gerhard Berger admits he has been increasingly disappointed with the 41-year-old German over the last few races.

“He has been taking more steps back than forward,” the Austrian is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

“He has tried several strange tricks to gain points, and they have all come to nothing. Maybe he is putting himself under too much pressure,” added Berger.

Norbert Haug has played down the latest criticisms of Michael Schumacher’s performance in 2010.

Eddie Jordan, the seven time world champion’s first F1 employer back in 1991, this week described the German’s decision to return to the sport as a “huge personal error”.

“To pitch yourself against young men 20 years younger than you is simply against the laws of physics and medicine,” the Irishman told Germany’s Sport Bild.

Mercedes’ competition director Haug hit back: “He (Schumacher) deserves our support, he fits with our team, he still has the speed.

“We believe in him, and so do his fans,” he added.

Schumacher, 41, has written off his chances of winning the current championship, but he thinks his performance hasn’t been too bad in 2010.

“I’m pretty happy with myself,” said the German.

“We have made a few mistakes and there are some things we can improve, but all in all … I don’t think there are many who can return after a three year break at the age of 41,” added Schumacher.

Mercedes competition director Norbert Haug recently travelled to Kimi Raikkonen’s home in Switzerland.

The visit triggered rumours, reported initially by the Finnish tabloid Iltalehti, that the 2007 world champion and current world rally championship driver might be negotiating his return to formula one.

Raikkonen’s spokesman Riku Kuvaja responded by saying the situation for the 30-year-old former McLaren and Ferrari driver is “the same as before”.

He would not confirm Haug’s Swiss visit.

But at Silverstone on Friday, Haug himself confirmed the news but insisted their meeting was not about Raikkonen’s future.

“I have been in contact with Kimi as a friend,” said the German, who worked alongside Raikkonen between 2002-2006 at McLaren and was even a guest at the Finn’s wedding.

As for Raikkonen’s future, Haug said he has not discussed it with the rally driver. “Kimi will make a decision for himself,” he said on Friday, according to MTV3.

“I do hope he comes back, because it would be a good thing for F1,” added Haug.

Pirelli has acknowledged it has a role to play in boosting formula one’s “show”.

The Italian brand is F1′s new exclusive supplier beginning next year, and some figures see it as an opportunity to create tyres that lead to entertaining races.

In Canada two weeks ago, Bridgestone’s crumbling tyres were credited for producing a spectacular race, and The Observer writer Oliver Owen said on Sunday he hoped “Pirelli were paying attention”.

“We want to create a show — as a fan I’d say it (Canada) was great fun, watching the strategy,” Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s competition director, told Reuters in the Valencia paddock on Sunday.

“Others would say that wasn’t very good for the tyre company,” he acknowledged.

“We can happily make a tyre that would last a whole race and not degrade, but we need to try and balance that with a good show.  I think we want to do the show route,” said Hembery.

Jun.16 (GMM)  Ross Brawn claims he was mistranslated in suggesting Mercedes should not supply engines to Red Bull next year.

The Italian magazine Autosprint quoted Brawn, Mercedes GP’s team principal, as saying the German marque should think “long and hard” before adding another customer team to its 2011 stable.

The comments were interpreted as Brawn not wanting the best engine in the field to be mated to Red Bull’s arguably best chassis.

“I was asked by an Italian journalist whether Mercedes could cope with a fourth team,” Brawn explained to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“I replied that Cosworth should supply any vacancies, because that’s the way it was planned by the FIA — that they (Cosworth) should be in business so that in an emergency there is not the reliance on the manufacturers.

“In the translation from Italian into English someone has added one and one together and come up with Red Bull.”

However, competition director Norbert Haug told German reporters in Turkey that it would be “definitely very difficult” for Mercedes to supply a fourth team with engines in 2011.

Jun.14 (GMM)  Pirelli has edged yet closer to becoming F1′s new official tyre supplier. The Milan based company’s only competition for the deal, Michelin, is close to falling out of the running.

“The development time for 2011 seems very compromised now,” managing partner Didier Miraton said at Le Mans, according to L’Equipe.

Spotted in Montreal on Sunday was Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s competition director, for talks with the teams association FOTA.

It is believed that, some days ago, contracts were drawn up and signed with the representative of F1′s commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone.

The final hurdle is the signing off by the FIA’s legal department.

Michelin’s Miraton indicated that the French company is essentially now out of the running.

“It is probably too late for the deadlines of next year,” he continued.  “We have intervened to help, modestly, but at the rate things are going, I’m pessimistic.”

Another stumbling block for Michelin has been the lack of widespread desire for a change of rules allowing more than one tyre supplier at a time.

“When there is only one manufacturer, there is no competition, no progress, no pleasure and the interest in the manufacturer is low,” said Miraton.

Jun.13 (GMM)  Norbert Haug has played down reports that Mercedes could be looking to add a fourth team to its F1 engine programme for 2011.

It emerged in recent days that the German marque’s board of directors met and discussed whether it should supply the powerful 2.4 litre V8 to another team.

Mercedes already powers its own Brackley based team as well as McLaren and Force India, but it is known that Red Bull is open to moving from the Renault stable.

But Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn was quoted earlier this week as suggesting a fourth engine customer might be too much.

“That is correct.  We also have KERS, possibly, again next year.

“It would be definitely very difficult for us to equip a fourth team, even if there is no decision taken yet,” said Mercedes’ competition director Haug.