Eric Boullier has confirmed reports that the Genii-owned formula one team, currently known as Renault, held recent talks with independent engine supplier Cosworth.
Seemingly confirming rumours that the Enstone based team will soon drop the Renault moniker in deference to main sponsor Group Lotus, the Frenchman told ITV that Cosworth power would be a “B plan”.

Currently, the team uses Renault engines, but it is Red Bull who are now considered the French carmaker’s works team.

Boss Boullier said the team is “very close” to inking a new engine supply deal with Renault Sport F1.

“You obviously always have to have a B plan and a C plan and, yes, we have been approached by Cosworth because they have lost customers and they are talking to everybody in the pitlane I guess, or nearly everybody,” he said.

“But there are no plans (to switch to Cosworth).”

Asked if Renault is very much the team’s A-plan, he insisted: “Of course. We have a historical package.

“We still have some very close technical relationship and there is (sponsor) Total mixed in the middle of this as well, so there is some commercial reason why we should stick with Renault,” added Boullier.

Bernie Ecclestone will be trackside on Sunday for the Belgian grand prix.

So far this weekend, the F1 chief executive has been in Rome where he has bankrolled his daughter Petra’s $2 million wedding, which took place on Saturday.

Ecclestone, 80, said the event has actually taken place over three days, but he intends to skip the final lunch instalment in deference to his commitments at Spa-Francorchamps.

“As I said to (new son-in-law) James (Stunt), I shall be there for the practice on Friday and the qualifying on Saturday,” he joked to the Express newspaper.

As the 2010 world championship battles heats up, so too is the competitive rivalry between Red Bull’s teammates.

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are openly not friends, but with just two races to go this season and 14 points between them, some believe Vettel should now be helping his Australian teammate to the title.

“I am not giving up,” 23-year-old German Vettel said on Thursday in an interview with the DPA press agency.

“It would be stupid to give up the belief in the title. I will continue to fight,” he promised.

Vettel was asked whether he has a cooperative “deal” in place with Webber as the season winds down.

“That is too far away,” he answered. “I must just concentrate on my performance.”

Earlier this week, Webber indicated Vettel is only regarded as the team’s “superstar” because of his young age.

Vettel’s apparent rejoinder is a barb about the pair’s exits from the recent Korean grand prix, with Webber crashing and Vettel retiring with an engine failure.

“Let’s put it this way: I would have been far more disappointed if I had thrown away the car over a personal fault,” said the German.

He said he is not worried about losing the support of his team in deference to Webber.

“I know that my team supports me and that I don’t have to be worried,” answered Vettel.

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.

Bernie Ecclestone has backed Karun Chandhok to return to the formula one grid next year with a “better car”.

When the Indian rookie signed up for his debut season with HRT this year, he thanked F1 chief executive Ecclestone for being “a superb pillar of support to me and my family”.

However, it is now expected that Chandhok, 26, will sit out the remainder of the season in deference to the Japanese pay-driver Sakon Yamamoto.

But crucially, one of Chandhok’s sponsors is Jaypee Sports, who are bringing formula one to India next year at the circuit currently under construction 40 kilometres southeast of New Delhi.

Ecclestone in 2010 described India as one of “the most important and powerful players in the world of business, culture and sport”.

The Briton is now quoted by the Times of India: “Having an Indian team (Force India) is obviously a big help. An Indian driver will be an even better deal.

“I definitely want to see Karun in a better car next year,” said the diminutive 79-year-old.

Ecclestone said of Chandhok, who now travels to the grands prix to commentate for British television: “He served his apprenticeship in a car that he could do nothing about.

“He really needs to be in a team where he can show his potential because I think he can be very, very good if he gets the right car,” added Ecclestone.

He said he plans to visit the site of next October’s inaugural Indian grand prix after the forthcoming race in Brazil.

“The rains would’ve stopped by then (November),” said Ecclestone. “Work has really suffered I heard.”

On a PR visit to India last weekend, Lewis Hamilton also backed Chandhok to shine at the wheel of a better car.

“Karun is a very good driver,” said the 2008 world champion. “He understands the nuances of the sport very well and if he is able to get a better car, he would be able to make a big difference.”

Bruno Senna at Monza said he is expecting to keep his race seat at HRT for the rest of the 2010 season.

The Brazilian sat out the British grand prix in July in deference to the highly-sponsored Sakon Yamamoto, but after returning at Hockenheim insisted he will finish the season with the struggling Spanish team.

But Yamamoto, now replacing earlier HRT regular Karun Chandhok, said recently that while he is staying put in 2010, he is not sure whether Senna or Chandhok will be in the sister car.

“I am assuming I will be in the car until the last race,” Senna said.

“I have a firm place all the way to Abu Dhabi.”

But beyond that, he admitted his place for the 2011 season is not yet secure.

“I would like it to be in the bag, but that’s not the case,” said the 26-year-old. “Hopefully I can find a place soon.

“All I can do is my best, as I have done, and hope it’s good enough to continue in formula one,” added Senna.

He also said he is refusing to look on the negative side of HRT’s situation, with a lack of finances meaning the F110 is not being developed.

“It’s not really ideal but I’m making the best of it,” Senna explained. “That’s the only way to be in this situation.

“If I look at it negatively, I’ll lose motivation. I need to be doing my best for whoever will hire me (for 2011).”

Adrian Sutil had a big crash at the end of Friday’s opening practice session in Turkey.

The German driver went off the track at high speed on the exit of the Istanbul Park layout’s famous four-apex Turn 8 corner, incurring heavy damage to the Force India car.

“He said he had understeer and went off into the marbles, which then put him into the barriers,” the team said on its Twitter page once Sutil had returned to the garage.

It was otherwise a fairly quiet session under warm and blue skies and near-empty grandstands, amid rumours there is a chance of light rain for Sunday.

Bruno Senna had to sit out the initial 90 minutes of practice in deference to Friday test driver Sakon Yamamoto, who ended the session slowest of all.

Also making its 2010 debut was Red Bull’s first F-duct solution, fitted only to Sebastian Vettel’s car in order to provide a back-to-back comparison with Mark Webber’s RB6.

Vettel ended the session fifth, two tenths faster than Barcelona/Monaco winner Webber.

Lewis Hamilton topped the times in his McLaren, but he might now be reprimanded by the stewards for wearing newly-pierced earrings under his helmet.

The wearing of jewellery is prohibited according to article 2.2.1 appendix L of the sporting regulations.

Practice 1.1 -  Istanbul Park

.1º  	2  	 	Lewis Hamilton  	McLaren  	00:01'28''653
.2º 	1 		Jenson Button 		McLaren 	00:01'29''615 	00:00'00''962
.3º 	3 		Michael Schumacher 	MercedesGP 	00:01'29''750 	00:00'01''097
.4º 	4 		Nico Rosberg 		MercedesGP 	00:01'29''855 	00:00'01''202
.5º 	5 		Sebastian Vettel 	Red Bull 	00:01'29''867 	00:00'01''214
.6º 	11 		Robert Kubica 		Renault 	00:01'30''061 	00:00'01''408
.7º 	12 		Vitaly Petrov 		Renault 	00:01'30''065 	00:00'01''412
.8º 	6 		Mark Webber 		Red Bull 	00:01'30''097 	00:00'01''444
.9º 	8 		Fernando Alonso 	Ferrari 	00:01'30''294 	00:00'01''641
.10º 	14 		Adrian Sutil 		Force India 	00:01'30''501 	00:00'01''848
.11º 	23 		Kamui Kobayashi 	Sauber 	        00:01'30''615 	00:00'01''962
.12º 	15 		Vitantonio Liuzzi 	Force India 	00:01'30''853 	00:00'02''200
.13º 	7 		Felipe Massa 		Ferrari 	00:01'30''867 	00:00'02''214
.14º 	16 		Sebastian Buemi 	Toro Rosso 	00:01'31''011 	00:00'02''358
.15º 	22 		Pedro de la Rosa 	Sauber 	        00:01'31''238 	00:00'02''585
.16º 	10 		Nico Hulkenberg 	Williams 	00:01'31''355 	00:00'02''702
.17º 	9 		Rubens Barrichello 	Williams 	00:01'31''464 	00:00'02''811
.18º 	17 		Jaime Alguersuari 	Toro Rosso 	00:01'31''735 	00:00'03''082
.19º 	19 		Heikki Kovalainen 	Lotus Racing 	00:01'32''161 	00:00'03''508
.20º 	18 		Jarno Trulli 		Lotus Racing 	00:01'32''990 	00:00'04''337
.21º 	20 		Karun Chandhok 		HRT 	        00:01'34''876 	00:00'06''223
.22º 	25 		Lucas di Grassi 	Virgin Racing 	00:01'35''137 	00:00'06''484
.23º 	24 		Timo Glock 		Virgin Racing 	00:01'35''583 	00:00'06''930
.24º 	21 		Sakon Yamamoto 		HRT 	        00:01'36''137

(GMM)