High-profile sponsors are nervous, as formula one ploughs ahead with next week’s Bahrain grand prix.

Despite widespread trepidation felt within the paddock this weekend in Shanghai, the FIA has declared that there is no reason the Sakhir event cannot go ahead.

And after meeting with the teams on Friday, Bernie Ecclestone told reporters the race is “200 per cent” on.

But The Times reports that, amid the threat of violence, some sponsors have pulled the plug on providing hospitality for guests next weekend.

“When you have an environment like Bahrain then all the sponsors will be watching developments very, very closely and talking to each other,” a source said.

“It’s a case of ‘watch this space’ basically.”

However, the British newspaper said it is unlikely any major sponsors will pull their logos from the cars.

“(They) will effectively just have to follow the sport,” said Tim Bampton, of the motor sports marketing company Just Marketing.

“They will have to watch and wait to see what happens even though they could be caught in the vortex.”

But, at the same time, it is believed that sponsors’ contracts with the teams – such as Vodafone’s estimated $75m deal with McLaren – contain “brand damage” clauses.

An added complication for McLaren is that it is part owned by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, with Mumtalakat Holdings “on course to own half the business” according to writer Kevin Eason.

Also under heavy scrutiny is the conspicuously silent FIA president Jean Todt, whose son Nicolas shares ownership of his GP2 team with Bahrain’s controversial crown prince.

“We all know why it (the Bahrain saga) might have dragged a bit,” Mark Webber is quoted by the Telegraph.

“F1 is like that. There’s a lot of funding and finances that have come from Abu Dhabi and Bahrain and the Middle East.

“They’re very excited about F1 and they clearly want to give it another go. Let’s see if it works,” added the Red Bull driver.

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted F1 teams will breach their contracts if they do not race in Bahrain next weekend.

Earlier, as the controversy surrounding the sport’s continued plans to travel to the troubled island Kingdom deepens, an unnamed team boss admitted his peers would prefer if the event was called off.

The Times newspaper then quoted F1 chief executive Ecclestone as saying that “If the teams don’t want to go, then we cannot make them”.

“We’ve no way we can force people to go there,” he also told the PA Sport news agency on Tuesday.

But in actual fact, teams are contractually bound to race at each event on the F1 calendar, with breaches punishable by exclusion from the sport.

“We can’t say ‘you’ve got to go’ – although they would be in breach of their agreement with us if they didn’t go – but it doesn’t help,” the 81-year-old clarified.

“Commercially they have to go, but whether they decide to or not is up to them,” said Ecclestone.

“I’ve had no one say anything other than ‘we’re going to be racing in Bahrain’.”

He said the local race organisers, and the national sanctioning body, are the ones that could cancel the race.

F1′s governing body, meanwhile, is the FIA.

“I’ve spoken to (FIA president) Mr (Jean) Todt,” Ecclestone revealed, “we keep in close contact, and he’s going out there (to China), so we’ll have a chat then, and we always meet with the teams.”

It also emerged on Tuesday that Ecclestone has phoned Dr Ala’a Shehabi, a prominent Bahraini journalist and activist.

She revealed that Ecclestone wants Bahrain’s government opposition to “have a press conference” at the grand prix “in which opposition can get their message across”.

Shehabi said Ecclestone is “very concerned” about the situation in Bahrain, including the fate of human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, who amid his hunger strike in jail is said to be close to death.

Damon Hill has changed his mind yet again on the controversial issue of Bahrain’s return to formula one later this month.

Amid the debate about the island Kingdom’s return to the calendar in the wake of the cancelled 2011 event, the 1996 world champion said initially: “F1 must align itself with progression, not repression”.

But he changed his tune after travelling with FIA president Jean Todt to Bahrain, insisting the situation on the ground had changed since the 2011 protests.

“The grand prix is of huge economic importance to Bahrain. You’d almost be putting an economic sanction on Bahrain by pulling the race,” said Hill.

But the Briton has now changed his mind again, apparently after the latest reports of violence on the streets and the reaction in the international media.

Hill is quoted by the Guardian newspaper: “It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for formula one, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race.

“Looking at it today you’d have to say that (the race) could be creating more problems than it’s solving.”

The former Williams driver is scheduled to attend this month’s Bahrain grand prix as a television analyst, but Hill brushed aside any thoughts about his lucrative contract with the British broadcaster Sky.

“Some things are more important than contracts.”

He also expressed misgivings about a recent media briefing in London, in which Bernie Ecclestone and team bosses stood with the Bahrain organisers and insisted the race is going ahead despite the continuing controversy.

Damon said that event was “troubling insofar as it tried to represent the rioting in Bahrain as the result of bad press reporting and as a ‘youth’ issue.

“I hope the FIA are considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing molotov cocktails, because that’s a gross simplification.”

Writing in O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio admitted he thinks it would be “almost reckless” for F1 to travel to Bahrain this month.

“At Sepang,” he wrote, “many team members were very concerned. They said their insurance companies had expressed concern about going to an Arab country in a belligerent state.

“Personally, I don’t think we will be attacked, but it is the goal of the protesters to do anything so that the grand prix is not run.

“The Arab Spring is very much alive in this small country in the Persian Gulf,” he admitted.

And the Times of London’s Kevin Eason wrote on Twitter: “I have been thinking F1 should give Bahrain a chance but I am not convinced now that safety can be guaranteed.”

Kimi Raikkonen has argued he is back in the mood for F1 by revealing he would have kept racing in 2010.
“I was never planning to leave the sport in the first place,” the 2007 world champion told the Times of India. “I had a contract for 2010 anyway.”

Indeed, at the end of 2009, Ferrari bought out the Finn’s deal so that Fernando Alonso could arrive early with the backing of the Spanish bank Santander.

Raikkonen headed off for two years of world rallying but is back with Lotus in 2012, fending off all the old questions about his motivation.

“Since I started in F1, I have always preferred the time we spend in the car from anything else happening in the paddock. It’s still the same,” the 32-year-old insists.

Even now, he would prefer to split his F1 racing with more rallying, but has agreed to abide his team’s wishes that he stay off the gravel.

“Ah, it’s normal with formula one they try to ban everything,” he told London’s Telegraph. “Unfortunately with what happened to Robert (Kubica) last year … but even before that it was written into contracts.

“Maybe in the future if you can do some good results you can get a release or something. I still love it,” said Raikkonen.

“If I could do it this year at the same time as formula one I would. I think it’s good practice and it’s good fun.”

German bank and former F1 shareholder BayernLB contemplated dismissing Bernie Ecclestone six years ago, it emerged during Gerhard Gribkowsky’s corruption trial this week.
The trial, with Briton Ecclestone set to appear as a witness next month, surrounds the F1 chief executive’s suspect payment of millions to Gribkowsky, who was then in charge of BayernLB’s F1 share.

An employee testified on Wednesday that Ecclestone heard during bank meetings several times in 2005 that F1 “could do without him”, the Reuters news agency reports.

Ecclestone, turning 81 on Friday, told the German newspaper Die Welt this week that formula one would survive without him.

“It would,” he said, “but things would be very different if I’m not there.

“I have a very great and strong support from many people, with a lot of mutual trust.

“If the leadership was to change, nothing would be affected seriously but it would be more complicated and difficult because that trust might not be there any more.

“People would probably want to read the contracts ten times more than if I was there,” added Ecclestone.

 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.”

Stefano Domenicali on Tuesday said he can imagine Fernando Alonso working alongside F1′s new double world champion Sebastian Vettel.
“Would Alonso accept it? I think so, I think it could work. Fernando’s strength is that he is not afraid of anyone, a force that comes from his maturity,” the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

But it’s not a minor detail that Vettel is contracted to Red Bull until 2014, and tipped to extend his stay for a further two years.

For Ferrari team boss Domenicali, the seat to fill is currently occupied by Felipe Massa, whose deal ends next season.

“He will do everything to prove what he has to Ferrari, and the other drivers with contracts expiring will want to prove that they are ready to come,” he said. “Among those, probably, is Hamilton.

“But it’s early,” said Domenicali, referring to McLaren’s 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose deal expires in unison with Massa’s next season.

“Felipe had a good weekend (at Suzuka), until the contact with Hamilton. It was a shame it happened in a very positive weekend for him,” he added.

Ferrari’s first priority is to have a better car for 2012, and Domenicali revealed that only minor “details” of the current Italia 150 car will be saved.

“We will change everything; even the steering wheel,” he said.

Mark Webber has vowed to improve despite now sharing a team garage with F1′s youngest ever double world champion.

Less than a year ago, the Australian arrived at the season finale as a favourite for the championship, amid rumours he might be snapped up by Ferrari.

But ten days into October of 2011, his teammate Sebastian Vettel is the back-to-back title winner.

“We have had some problems but, ultimately, the problem is that I have not been fast enough or consistent enough to fight for wins with Sebastian,” admitted the 35-year-old.

Webber said he has struggled to adapt to the Pirelli tyres and make good race starts but “It’s true that I have struggled with Seb”, he told the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

“He has not had any problems with the tyres, with getting up and running at a good pace without destroying them. I have to improve,” said Webber.

El Pais also reminded Webber that, last year amid the Silverstone front wing saga, he said that if he knew he was subordinate to his teammate, he would not sign a new deal.

“What has changed to make you sign for another season?” asked the newspaper.

Webber answered: “I re-signed because I had no choice.”

But he denied that his single year deal is making him nervous, with drivers like Fernando Alonso and now Jenson Button locked into contracts for the long term.

“They are younger than me, but it doesn’t worry me too much,” insisted Webber. “You can sign for two or three years but I am sure that Jenson and Fernando have clauses to opt out if they don’t have competitive cars.”

And he insists he is not necessarily now Vettel’s ‘number 2′.

“Well, both this year and last year we started on equal terms but it ended well for Sebastian. This time I have just been fighting to win races.

“I have to be prepared because, maybe, he’s not going to like the new car or is not comfortable with it,” said Webber.

But he acknowledged that Vettel is likely to remain up to speed because the RB8 “is going to be very similar to what we have now”.

Despite earlier worrying about teaming up with arguably F1′s greatest ever driver, Nico Rosberg now insists he is happy to be Michael Schumacher’s teammate. The pair have been together at Mercedes since last year and all the signs are pointing towards a future beyond their 2012 contracts. And Rosberg, who is 16 years younger than seven time world champion Schumacher, is happy. “I cannot hide that beating Michael with the frequency I have done is very good for my career,” said the German, who is yet to notch up his maiden race victory. On the other hand, the 26-year-old admitted, sharing a team with Schumacher “is not easy”. “With Michael you don’t really become close friends and he is very picky about everything,” Rosberg told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper in Singapore. “You notice why he is a seven time champion, paying attention to every detail. I learn from Michael and he learns from me too.” One area in which Rosberg insists he is better is in braking for the slow corners. “That is mainly where I am ahead. I’m more efficient than him and it’s what the telemetry shows,” he revealed.

Vitaly Petrov has lashed back at suggestions he will not be racing with the Renault team in 2012.

With a contract already in his pocket, the rumours began to swirl in Monza two weeks ago but the Russian insisted: “My contract is safe for next year.”

But in the last few days, new speculation has suggested team boss Eric Boullier could be planning to keep Bruno Senna for 2012 and pair him with GP2 champion Romain Grosjean.

As for 27-year-old Petrov’s signed deal, Boullier said: “You have contracts, but there are some exit clauses for every party.”

In Singapore, Petrov once again insisted he feels secure for next season.

“I think everything’s fine, it’s just bullsh*t in the newspapers,” he told reporters.

“As I said at the beginning of the season, we signed for two years and I don’t see the reason I need to be worried.”

Petrov said it was not unusual for his boss Boullier to talk about the possibility of breaking a contract.

“I think it’s everywhere in the world that a contract can be finished not just because of a bad season or I did less points.

“The contract can finish by another thing like money or things like this. So this is why he said it.

“But if you ask him a different question maybe he can answer you differently also,” added Petrov.

Banned former F1 chief Flavio Briatore has been named as being also involved in the Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery affair.
The Italian, a friend and business partner of Bernie Ecclestone, was reportedly involved in the F1 chief executive’s payment of millions to jailed German banker Gribkowsky.

The Seddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said Briatore, as well as a Swiss lawyer, helped Ecclestone get the money to Gribkowsky via a web of shell companies and fake consultancy contracts.

And the report said four of Ecclestone’s lawyers – three in Geneva and one in London – have been subject to searches by prosecutors.

The 80-year-old has said he was effectively blackmailed by Gribkowsky and argued that the amount paid to the former BayernLB risk manager was much less than $44m.

APA news agency said the prosecutors have declined to comment on the latest reports.

Hispania team owner Jose Ramon Carabante has been sentenced to three months in jail.
But the 59-year-old Spaniard will not actually serve time, according to reports including in the Marca sports newspaper.

He was, however, convicted of fraud surrounding the sale of land on which the promised construction of homes in 1997 and 1998 was not carried out.

The court in Cadiz, in southwestern Spain, also sentenced some other defendants whilst acquitting others.

At the time in question, Carabante was a director of the land developer, signing the contracts and managing the money.

Today, he is the major shareholder of his struggling formula one team HRT, which is targeting tenth in the 2011 world championship and a step forward for its third season on the grid next year.

Team boss Colin Kolles revealed on Friday that an aerodynamic programme in one of Mercedes’ wind tunnels will begin in July.

“We will switch very soon to the 2012 car,” he said.

Ross Brawn has played down reports Michael Schumacher is set to extend his return to formula one beyond next season.
Based on the seven time world champion’s claim in Canada that driving a team to success typically takes about “five years”, German media claimed it was a strong hint the 42-year-old was set to renew his contract through 2014.

But when asked on German television RTL if this is the right interpretation to make of Schumacher’s comments, Mercedes team boss Brawn answered: “No.

“There was absolutely no reason to drive that speculation. The situation has not changed.”

The Briton also told German Sky television that the issue of Schumacher’s renewal has “not been discussed”.

“I am very happy with our two drivers — they are not the reason we are not winning races,” Brawn insisted.

“Both our drivers have contracts at the moment and our priority is to make the car better. We definitely have another year with Michael and if with next year’s car we can get the results we want, then I see no reason why we shouldn’t go on.

“But at the moment there are no talks,” he added.

Also asked about the rumours of a contract extension, Schumacher said in Montreal: “At the right time we will talk about it, but right now would make no sense.”

The famous German has had a difficult time since returning to F1 from retirement last season, but in Canada came close to securing the first podium of his comeback.

One foreign newspaper said the Montreal performance showed Schumacher “has some talent left” in the wake of his record-setting previous career tallying 91 wins.

It is likely a Toro Rosso driver will step up if Mark Webber does not stay at Red Bull beyond 2011, the energy drink company’s motor racing chief Helmut Marko has admitted.
While most key players including teammate Sebastian Vettel, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey recently had their contracts extended, Red Bull Racing is holding off re-signing Webber until his ongoing performance and motivation is gauged.

Already fighting for survival at the junior team Toro Rosso, Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi are therefore also dicing for arguably the most coveted seat in F1 at present.

“This is by design,” Marko, the manager of Red Bull’s driver development programme, told the Italian magazine Autosprint.

“We will try to do what we did three years ago with Sebastian Vettel, when David Coulthard retired,” he said.

“Of course, this will not be automatic,” insisted Austrian Marko. “If a driver does not meet all of the professional requirements, we will not offer him the opportunity to drive at Red Bull.”

As in Canada this weekend, there will also be two ‘DRS’ overtaking zones for Valencia’s grand prix later in June.
The news was confirmed by European grand prix organiser Valmor Sports’ Jorge Martinez Aspar in the Spanish port city on Tuesday.

Valencia’s street circuit has usually not hosted the most spectacular formula one races but the adjustable rear wing innovation could change that, Aspar said in Spanish reports.

“Hopefully it will be a great show,” he told El Mundo newspaper.

The organisers have reduced ticket prices for 2011 by 12 per cent with the goal of attracting 80,000 race-day spectators and breaking even financially.

“We have a contract until 2014, with the option to renew for five more years until 2019, and we believe that we will meet the deadline,” he is quoted by Europa Press, playing down rumours one of F1′s two Spanish hosts might make way to reduce the size of the sport’s swelling calendar.

Spanish motor racing federation president Carlos Gracia said the situation could be helped by the Barcelona and Valencia races having more space between them on the schedule.

But he insisted: “The two Spanish races have contracts in force and I know they are current in their payments and want to fulfil their contracts.

“We might have to change the date so they are not so close together but two grands prix in Spain can live together perfectly well.”