With Red Bull the latest to hold a trophy aloft this year, yet another potential 2012 champion has emerged.

In theory, back to back world champion Sebastian Vettel, the Bahrain grand prix winner, was always a contender for a third drivers’ crown this year.

But his RB8 was not a race winner until Sunday, after McLaren, Mercedes and even Ferrari had tasted the first victory spoils so far this season.

It was said that – amid the extraordinary field of 2012 – Adrian Newey’s latest creation was simply in the league of other midfielders including Lotus, Sauber, and perhaps even Williams and Toro Rosso.

But as Dr Helmut Marko remarked at the chequered flag: “Those pronounced dead live longest!”

“We never wrote them off,” McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh insisted to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, “because we knew that they had a good car and that they only needed to find the key.

“This season is really crazy; more exciting than we would like!” the Briton admitted. “And now we have to say Lotus are also contenders.”

German Vettel won in Bahrain from pole, but even he admitted that the weekend was a surprise.

“After Australia it seemed that McLaren had a supercar and it would be difficult to beat them, at least in the short term,” he is quoted by O Estado de S.Paulo.

So even the experts are at a loss after the initial ‘flyaway’ phase of the new world championship.

“We know that we know nothing,” beamed Vettel after his victory, referring to the oddly see-sawing balance of power in 2012, blamed mainly on the Pirelli tyres.

“It is almost impossible to predict in advance how the different tyre compounds are going to behave on race day,” he is quoted by Der Spiegel.

“You have an idea, but nothing more.”

Make no mistake, the era of Red Bull’s utter dominance is over.
After McLaren ruled over last weekend’s Malaysian grand prix, Friday in Malaysia indicated the British team will stay on top in the Sepang heat.

Over a single lap, world champion Sebastian Vettel admitted to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “McLaren is too strong for us.”

On long runs, Adrian Newey’s RB8 is closer.

“This is the positive aspect of the day,” said Dr Helmut Marko on Friday. “We have not managed to balance the car for one lap only.

“This applies to both tyre compounds — both drivers are having trouble setting up the car.

“Any setup change raises more questions, causing reactions that we do not expect. We are still answering the question of ‘what causes what?’”

Marko admitted plainly: “We have lost our supremacy in qualifying. McLaren is better for one lap, and even Mercedes thanks to its F-duct is very strong.

“The Mercedes is quick as a flash on the straight and also Alonso is eerily consistent and in the race could be a problem,” said the Austrian.

Red Bull also remains unhappy with Mercedes’ F-duct, but there should be no post-race protest in Malaysia — the FIA had instructed unhappy teams to file their protests before Friday practice, in the interests of the ‘show’.

Additionally, in Charlie Whiting’s words at Sepang: “There is nothing to complain about.”

 Tongues were wagging in the Barcelona paddock on Thursday when some drivers hit the Spanish circuit wearing odd-looking Pirelli tyres.
Some of the tyres, whose compounds are normally visibly differentiated with coloured branding, featured significantly different markings.

The big rumour was that, now just two weeks before the start of the season in Australia, teams had requested the blank tyres in order to hide their test programmes from their rivals.

According to France’s Auto Plus, motor sport director Paul Hembery cleared up the matter by explaining that the blank tyres were in fact “prototypes”.

They had been manufactured not at Pirelli’s usual F1 factory in Turkey, but elsewhere, in the event that a natural disaster forced the tyre supplier to change its plans at the last minute.

Hembery also answered the criticism that, after Pirelli’s initial 2011 tyres spiced up the racing early last year, the new generation might not be aggressive enough.

“We need data from the races to judge that,” he insisted. “It’s far too early.”

He also confirmed that Pirelli is close to announcing the identity of its 2010-specification test car, and a new test driver.

It is believed former Force India driver Adrian Sutil is a candidate.

 Pirelli is closer to finding a solution to its current lack of a F1 test car.
In the past two years, the sport’s Italian supplier has used the last car raced by defunct team Toyota to develop its tyres.

But Paul Hembery, Pirelli motor sport director, has said the 2009-spec TF109 is now too outdated and has been retired.

It is believed the marque initially intended to find an agreement to run a competitive 2011-spec car, but the new plan could be to acquire a single seater from the 2010 season.

“We do most of the work in the simulator,” Hembery told the El Pais newspaper, “but it’s more difficult to work on the compounds because it requires the interactivity with the asphalt.”

The Briton admitted that, so far, the teams have been unhelpful in terms of agreeing a solution for a new-specification car, because of the potential performance advantage that could be gained by the chosen team.

Hembery, however, used the example of the common electronic unit which is supplied to all teams by a McLaren subsidiary.

“They all have it and no one complains,” he said.

“But we have asked for help and they tell us that we should continue with the Toyota, and that’s nonsense,” added Hembery.

He said talks are still taking place.

“We have to find a car that was competitive in 2010, which was reliable and that allows us to incorporate all the systems that allow us to do our work.”

Paul Hembery has played down any lingering suspicions that the teams can influence the selection of tyre compounds for grands prix.
Although Ferrari was disappointed with the selection of the hard tyre at Silverstone, Pirelli has selected softer compounds to take to all of the forthcoming Belgian, Italian and Singapore grands prix.

Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio said the selection is a “surprise” given the high speed nature of Spa and Monza. “It’s good news for Ferrari,” he added.

Asked however if Pirelli feels pressure from teams like Ferrari, motor sport director Hembery insisted: “No. I read what is in the press at the end of the work day, but nothing more than that.

“There are some compounds that suit some people better in general, in other cases it depends on the track or the weather. It’s very difficult to generalise,” he told Spanish sports newspaper AS.

As for Pirelli’s contribution to the ‘show’ in 2011, Hembery said the fact there has been more overtaking this season is “70 per cent (due to) the tyres and 30pc the DRS”.

He confirmed that the Italian tyre supplier accepted Bernie Ecclestone’s challenge of deliberately producing heavily-degrading tyres for this year.

Told that F1 is the only corner of the tyre industry where high degradation is a positive, he laughed: “Very good!

“You could say that, but only to some extent. We need to tread carefully and show our tyres and contribute to the show, but not by taking too many (safety) risks.”

Felipe Massa has admitted he is worried Ferrari will struggle if the team has to use Pirelli’s hard tyres.
The Italian team, which in Valencia last weekend looked to have taken over from McLaren as Red Bull’s nearest challenger, has struggled on the hard compound at other races in 2011.

“If we have it (the hard tyre), it can be a problem,” Brazilian driver Massa is quoted by Globo Esporte. “Not only for us but also for others, possibly excluding Red Bull and McLaren.”

The Brazilian report said team boss Stefano Domenicali has also stated that Ferrari wants Pirelli to bring the soft and medium compounds to Silverstone, and that the tyre supplier is poised to make its decision.

Pirelli vowed to stay neutral.

“If it is very cold, you will not want to have the very hard compounds,” insisted motor sport director Paul Hembery. “It’s something to consider.”

Pirelli has many ideas about how to maximise its involvement in F1 as the sport’s official tyre supplier.
That is the claim of the Italian marque’s British motor sport director Paul Hembery, who spoke to Auto Motor und Sport at Valencia, the eighth race since Pirelli took over from the now departed Bridgestone.

He said the first idea is about the supply of wet-weather tyres.

“If the first two practice sessions are wet, then we need an additional set of intermediates for the rest of the weekend. We have agreed that this should come in to the regulations for next year,” said Hembery.

As for the basic construction and compounds, he said Pirelli is fairly happy even though the target is “two to three pitstops per car” rather than four as has been seen on occasion this season.

“We wanted to wait for the mid season. After Silverstone we will get together and show the teams a few things,” he said.

Hembery said the plan is then to make significantly faster tyres in 2013.

“The aerodynamics will be reduced so we want to give the teams a little boost on the laptime,” he revealed.

“There are many things. Maybe we will increase the number of different tyres; maybe we’ll bring three compounds to a race, maybe with a total of six to choose from.

“I don’t know yet. There are lots of ideas,” said Hembery.

Another idea is for a “super sticky” qualifying tyre that lasts for only one lap.

“In the end for something like that the decision is with the teams. They might say no,” he explained.

Pirelli will colour the entire sidewall of its ‘option’ tyres in Turkey.

The move follows complaints that the original coloration of the ‘Pirelli P Zero’ branding – and even the subsequent addition of thin lines on the outer tread – made it hard for spectators to visibly differentiate the compound types at the first three races of 2011.

Pirelli motor sport director Paul Hembery said the soft ‘option’ compounds will be “far more visible” from Istanbul onwards.

“The colours will be full colours on the sidewall and it will look much more significant the amount of colour we put in so the black can’t get in the way when it’s spinning,” he said.

The Italian marque’s F1 boss Paul Hembery has defended Pirelli after the first test of the 2011 pre-season at Valencia.

Several drivers have complained about the consistency but particularly the poor durability of the tyres supplied to teams at the first of four tests before the 2011 season opener.

Hembery said as the test began that the 2011 compounds are now in a “pretty definitive” specification for the first races.

But the subsequent feedback, at best, was mixed.

“Of the compounds available, some were more consistent than others,” Michael Schumacher told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“I had some awkward moments on the track when I was on tyres that I had not been on for long. It was like driving on ice,” admitted the seven time world champion.

Schumacher, who struggled with departed Bridgestone’s tyres last year, hopes Pirelli is still willing to make changes.

“I think they are still in the testing phase and that they will deal with the situation well,” he said.

Hembery responded to the driver feedback of this week by suggesting that the ambient conditions at Valencia were not ideal.

“The tyres don’t like it too cold,” he is quoted by Turun Sanomat, confirming that Pirelli will make some tweaks ahead of the next tests.

“Another thing we have to remember that all tyres wear out, which is something some people seem to have forgotten in the last few days,” he insisted.

Yet another consideration is that, in the interests of the spectacle, Pirelli was specifically asked by Bernie Ecclestone to produce aggressive tyres for 2011 that force multiple pitstops.

“Some teams here have had a new car, some last year’s car. It is very early to draw conclusions,” Hembery said.

He added: “You can’t make decisions based on one set of comments or data or because someone wants something different, you need to have a general understanding.”

Pedro de la Rosa looks likely to remain Pirelli’s primary test driver this year.
The Spaniard admitted this week that, contrary to reports, a return to McLaren as reserve driver is unlikely, having failed to compile enough sponsorship to return to the grid with HRT.

It was also reported that his back-up plan for 2011 was to stay with F1′s new tyre supplier Pirelli, even though the Italian marque has not decided how to replace the ageing 2009 Toyota.

“Yes,” answered Pirelli’s Paul Hembery when asked at Valencia if de la Rosa, 39, is staying on board for 2011.

“(He will stay) unless he gets a drive somewhere else in F1, which is not looking likely at the moment.

“He is a great test driver, we’re delighted with what he’s been doing with us,” added Hembery.

Hembery also denied that Pirelli has already decided to visibly distinguish the different compounds this year by using different coloured branding on the sidewalls.

“That is still under discussion with the marketing people,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, contrary to reports that Karun Chandhok has definitely signed to be a reserve driver with Team Lotus this year, the Indian clarified that he has in fact not yet reached a deal.

The former HRT driver was at Valencia wearing a Lotus jacket on Wednesday, but boss Tony Fernandes said he was just a “guest” of the team.

Pirelli has followed through with its pledge to produce tyres that require drivers to make multiple pitstops in 2011.
Having replaced long-time supplier Bridgestone, incoming sole tyre marque Pirelli announced last year it wanted to contribute to the ‘show’ by designing aggressive compounds.

According to a report in Autosprint, the Italian marque’s 2011 generation of tyres is designed to require two or three pitstops per driver per race.

The report said the request for aggressive tyres was made by FOTA’s technical division, with the harder compounds designed to last only 30 laps on average.

Pirelli’s 2009 Toyota test mule is back in action in Pedro de la Rosa’s hands this week in Abu Dhabi, where the action kicked off under lights on Monday on an artificially-watered track.

It is reportedly during this final private session that Pirelli will finalise its compound selections for 2011, even though the teams may ask for additional changes after the forthcoming group tests in February.

“These tests will provide us with useful information to finalise our tyre development process for formula one,” confirmed Pirelli’s F1 boss Paul Hembery at Yas Marina.

Pirelli’s 2011 tyres have improved since Romain Grosjean last tested them, the Swiss-born French driver has declared.

The former Renault race driver, who is 24, was in Bahrain last week until Sunday where the Italian marque continued its test programme with a 2009 Toyota.

The test programme at Sakhir was delayed by a sandstorm, meaning Grosjean had to call off his participation in the latest round of the Andros ice-racing series.

“The programme was quite diverse, including sequences of short and long runs, to understand the behaviour of the compounds,” he said.

Grosjean’s previous taste of F1′s 2011 tyres had been in Italy in September.

“(In Bahrain) I immediately felt an improvement over the tyres that I had used at Monza,” he is quoted in Italian by stopandgo.tv.

The 2011 season kicks off at the Abu Dhabi circuit, with Pirelli supplying tyres in a three-year agreement from 2011-2013.

On Friday and Saturday, the 12 teams will try out next year’s Pirelli tyres for the first time. Slick tyres in medium and soft compounds will be used, distinguished by a coloured stripe on the sidewall. Each team will have eight sets of tyres available to them for the two days of testing.

The test in the United Arab Emirates marks Pirelli’s return to F1 after a 19-year absence. The Italian tyre company has brought 384 tyres and 30 people to Abu Dhabi for its debut Pirelli’s Formula One team has now concluded the first phase of testing, following eight private tests and 7000 kilometres on challenging circuits all over Europe.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s motorsport director: “We come to these tests with plenty of confidence and satisfaction with our work carried out so far. The tests in Europe have given us all the data we needed at this current phase of development. Tomorrow, the second phase gets underway…”

Bridgestone will not be making any more Hockenheim-like extreme allocations of tyre compounds for the rest of the 2010 season.

For the German grand prix in July, and in the interests of the ‘show’, the Japanese supplier paired its hardest compound (hard) with the softest (super soft) in its range.

But Bridgestone has announced that, for the last four grands prix of the season between Japan and Abu Dhabi, only one compound step – rather than the extreme two steps at Hockenheim – will separate the selected tyre allocations.

“Due to the nature of the (four) tracks, there were no further opportunities for a hard/super soft allocation, although we did evaluate this after the lessons learnt (at Hockenheim),” the marque’s Hirohide Hamashima said.