The F1 world is continuing to adjust to its new surroundings in India.
Bruno Senna revealed to O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper that he is carrying around in his pocket a bottle of disinfectant.

“Each time I greet someone, I use it (on my hands),” said the Brazilian, referring to the risk of food poisoning.

Rubens Barrichello, meanwhile, laughed when he revealed that one of his rivals – believed to be Sebastian Vettel – is carrying around a bottle of whiskey.

“Someone told him to rinse out his mouth after eating anything,” said the Williams driver.

Felipe Massa is remembering his mother’s advice to think positively whenever he sees a cow. “They’re everywhere!” exclaimed the Ferrari star.

The smiling Barrichello added: “I heard a bell outside my hotel room and came out to the terrace — it was an elephant passing by.”

At the new Buddh circuit, the drivers think the layout will be exciting, but there are some off-track dramas.

A recurring one was clearly apparent during Thursday’s official driver press conference when a blackout struck mid-sentence.

“Listen, mate,” an unnamed engineer told the Guardian, “the place is chaos. The electricity doesn’t work, the gas doesn’t work and there are problems with the plumbing.”

Blick correspondent Roger Benoit revealed that a coffee machine exploded on Thursday due to faulty wiring.

Team Lotus driver Karun Chandhok told the Times of India: “These are only small issues and I am sure they will be sorted out soon.”

Brazilian Massa, also referring to the inescapable poverty suffered by residents just outside the circuit, told the Independent: “It reminds me very much of my country 20 or 30 years ago.

“Brazil has grown a lot since then, and so now, I believe, with events such as this, will India.”

Fernando Alonso’s rivals will need to be as “selfish” as the Spaniard to beat him to the 2010 title, according to Gerhard Berger.

Although the former grand prix winner – a close friend of Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz – believes Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are in the best car, Berger thinks Ferrari’s Alonso is the better driver.

“Only if they’re as selfish as Alonso will they be world champion this year,” the Austrian is quoted by Sport Bild.

“For me he’s the best driver at the moment overall; he has experience and is still young enough to be going flat out without fear,” added Berger.

Alonso, 29, can also count on the full support of the Ferrari team, whose other driver Felipe Massa has fallen into line behind him.

“Ferrari cannot do better than Alonso, and there is no better place for Alonso than Ferrari,” said Berger, backing the Italian team’s philosophy.

In a separate interview with APA news agency, Berger said Adrian Newey’s RB6 is in a “class of one” in 2010, and dismissed rivals complaints about its legality as “cheap politics”.

His former promoter, Gerhard Berger sees the Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel as a Formula 1 world champion 2010th In the opinion of his former bosses at Toro Rosso, the 23-year-old ahead of his teammate Mark Webber as the best chance of the title, although he is after twelve of the 19 World Championship races with ten points behind the leading Australians only in third place overall. “With Sebastian Webber and Red Bull has a great driver line. Both can win races and be world champion. I see Vettel at an advantage because he drives a constant,” says Berger the ‘Sport Bild’.

Vettel was recently in Budapest by its own fault as he let on restart after a safety car period, too much distance and it conceded a drive-through penalty, missed taking over the championship lead. “The current events are a learning phase, which does him good and make is even stronger,” says the former Formula 1 driver, was celebrated under his leadership in 2008 in Monza, Vettel Toro Rosso its first victory.
The Austrians see Vettel in extraordinary abilities: “Sebastian is incredibly intelligent and as precisely as Ayrton Senna. He is always very focused, but also constructive. This draws him even from a young age,” says Berger, but also Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg praises, claiming at the silver arrows against the returning world champion: “Michael Schumacher’s achievements are not bad, his problem is simply Nico Rosberg.” The 25-year-old Schumacher was for the “greatest teammate he ever had. Nico is young, intelligent, and highly concentrated toptrainiert. But unfortunately the car is far from winning.”

A good advice is Berger also yet to Ferrari driver Felipe Massa left that would have in the team orders affair of Hockenheim, as his colleague Fernando Alonso too easily overtook an unfortunate role was played: “As a driver I respond to Massa’s body differently. I would have referred openly to my race engineer on the radio that I could indeed pass by Alonso as team orders are banned, but then one must expect a punishment, “says Berger. “I am convinced that under such a radio message that everyone could hear, Massa would have never heard of his box.”

The French GP2 outfit ART Grand Prix has withdrawn its application to complete the formula one grid in 2011.

In a statement, the team said it worked on the project for “several months” and had “forged strong bonds with several technical and financial partners”.

“But with unfavourable economic conditions (the team) could not gather the necessary guarantees to ensure the stability of the project in the long term,” said ART.

The team said it has postponed the project to “a later date” and “remains completely focused and dedicated” on its other activities.

Headed by Nicolas Todt, the son of FIA president Jean Todt and manager of the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, ART also races in the F3 Euroseries and GP3.

The French GP2 outfit ART Grand Prix is bidding to become the thirteenth team on the 2011 formula one grid.

“Yes, we have applied to join the world championship in 2011,” Frederic Vasseur, co-founder, confirmed to France’s Auto Hebdo.

The team is also headed by Nicolas Todt, son of FIA president Jean Todt and manager of the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.

ART also races in F3 Euroseries and GP3.

Expressions of interest for the 13th place closed on April 15, and the FIA is said to be moving towards a final decision by July.

“We did not want to confirm our willingness to engage in formula one until now, to best prepare for this very complex issue and not compromise our current activities,” Vasseur added.

Vasseur also said the existing F1 teams have been informed “of our intentions”, adding that he has “good relationships with Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault”.

“The choice of engine is not yet defined,” he insisted.

Auto Hebdo said Epsilon Euskadi, Durango and Stefan GP are also bidding for the last place in the 2011 pitlane.

(GMM)