HRT has survived a close call in Melbourne, after crucial parts of Pedro de la Rosa’s chassis did not arrive in time for scrutineering.
The back-of-the-grid Spanish team had to apply to the FIA for an exemption to Thursday’s scrutineering deadline, because pieces of the suspension for the second car had yet to arrive from Europe.

And even when de la Rosa’s car was ultimately cleared to enter the Albert Park circuit shortly before first practice, the mechanics were still hard at work ‘dressing’ it for action.

Ultimately the late start was of little consequence, when the sporadic rain around the Victorian capital made a wet deposit just before practice, ensuring that early action was scarce.

But de la Rosa did not even appear later in the session.

More showers are possible later in the day and also on Saturday, but Sunday’s season-opening race should be dry.

Bahrain has ordered an early end to its state of emergency that could pave the way for F1′s return to the island Kingdom.
State television on Sunday said a royal decree ordered the end of the ‘state of national safety’ on June 1 — two weeks earlier than originally planned.

“The state of national safety is to be lifted by June 1 across the kingdom of Bahrain,” King Hamad confirmed, according to BNA state news agency.

That would be conveniently in time for the extended June 3 deadline for the FIA to rubber-stamp a rescheduled 2011 race date at its Barcelona meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

A wire report by the Associated Press said the decision was a move by Bahrain to show it is “able to host international events like the formula one race”.

FIA president Jean Todt on Sunday admitted that conditions in Bahrain “had improved” and said the governing body had ordered a review be conducted ahead of the new deadline.

“I think if you are in a difficult situation, you need support. That is our responsibility. We need to give some support and it will penalise nobody to have a final answer by June 3,” he said in Turkey.

2011 is Michael Schumacher’s last chance to prove to Mercedes he is still competitive enough to be in formula one.

That is the claim of Europe’s best selling newspaper, the tabloid-style Bild Zeitung.

German Schumacher, 41, agreed a three-year deal with Mercedes GP before returning from retirement to formula one in 2010.

Despite intense media pressure due to his disappointing season so far, the seven time world champion insists he will be back in the silver car in 2011.

“Bild knows: there is a deadline for Schumi,” the newspaper report said.

“If he is still behind in 2011, then his Mercedes time is up — three year contract or not.”

Team boss Ross Brawn is quoted as saying: “With Nico (Rosberg), I’m happy.  Now we expect progress from Michael, who is not yet at his best.”

Bild pointed out that at the 15 grands prix of Schumacher’s 2010 comeback so far, Rosberg has outqualified his famous teammate 12 times.

And Rosberg, 25, has 122 points, compared with Schumacher’s 46.

“I would prefer if they regularly beat one another.  It is not good when one driver is usually behind the other,” added Brawn.

Brackley based Mercedes GP is already fully focused on the disappointing W01′s 2011 successor.

“I am confident that our basic package will be much better,” said Brawn.

Renault has proposed a deal that would see Robert Kubica stay at Renault in 2011, according to a French publication.

Auto Hebdo said the matter could be finalised shortly after this weekend’s British grand prix due to the imposition of a mid-July deadline.

And Italy’s Autosprint believes Kubica could even stay with Renault beyond 2012, but the 25-year-old reportedly “wants guarantees” about the Enstone based team’s funding.

“We are determined to have Robert with us,” team boss Eric Boullier is quoted as saying.  “He knows our ambitions and our potential.”

(GMM)

That is the claim of the Enstone based team’s boss Eric Boullier, amid a growing sense that the 25-year-old Pole is set to sign an extension of his current deal for 2011.

Kubica said in Valencia that he will make a decision about next year “very soon”, amid reports there is a 2011 option in his current contract that must be triggered by July 15.

But Boullier played down suggestions there is a time limit on the talks.

“Robert’s current contract expires at the end of this year,” he is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat.  “We want to keep him, but there are no deadlines.

“Therefore, the decision may arise at any point,” added Boullier.

(GMM)

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.

No less than 15 teams have applied for the final place on the 2011 formula one grid.

Italian website 422race.com reports that the governing FIA has now written to all those who expressed interest in the place made vacant by the demise of USF1.

June 21 has been set as the deadline for the teams’ actual application and dossier, at which time EUR12,750 must be paid.

The frontrunners must be successful GP2 team ART, headed by FIA president Jean Todt’s son Nicolas, and the Spanish Le Mans competitor Epsilon Euskadi.

422race.com claims that more than one team may be selected by the FIA, in case HRT or Sauber run further into financial trouble.

On January and being at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center north of Charlotte, Brian France became annoyed at the implication that he has not been a good leader in his more than six years as NASCAR’s chief executive.  Truth is, many of the stakeholders in the sport feel much the same way about the CEO wondering if he wants to do the job, and why he did not adjust his managerial approach to leading the sport sooner as NASCAR began to have economic difficulties.  This problems included drops in attendance and TV ratings, both of which were falling before the recession hit.

Brain France has only been NASCAR’s leader since 2003, but many changes have taken place since then.  ”I’ve known Brian a long time, and I know he can do it.  But he’s got to stand up and say, ‘I’m in charge, we’re doing this. We’re on the same page, and we’re going to get this done,’” said Ray Evernham, former crew chief for Jeff Gordon.

In a brief interview -just before he ran from one meeting to another, talking to NASCAR owners and drivers, crew chiefs and marketers, track presidents and TV executives, as the start of a new season was just around the corner-,  France stated, “I have to lead in a way that fits my style and approach.  Not everybody is going to agree with that.”

The thing is he has been compared to his father, Bill Jr. and to his grandfather, Big Bill.  “If you’re going to compare me to somebody else, my father or whoever, I’m not going to be somebody else,” said a Brian, who has never been more active than in the months following the end of last season.  France’s offseason mission: meet with every track operator, broadcast partner and team by his self-imposed deadline of this week’s Daytona 500.