Paul di Resta has emerged as the latest candidate to possibly succeed struggling Felipe Massa at Ferrari.

Britain’s Mirror newspaper said the famous Maranello based team has “made enquiries” about the 26-year-old Scot’s current contract with Force India.

The speculation follows Red Bull’s closing down of rumours linking Mark Webber with the switch, as Christian Horner and Dietrich Mateschitz suggested the Australian is set to continue beyond his 2012 contract.

Ferrari chiefs “are known to be impressed” with di Resta since he moved as the reigning DTM champion to formula one at the end of 2010, the Mirror’s F1 correspondent Byrton Young wrote.

“Paul di Resta would be a very good target for Ferrari because (Fernando) Alonso probably has the best toolkit of knowledge and physically is one the best drivers in the world,” triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart is quoted by the Daily Mail.

“Alonso is almost at his peak and to have a young driver such as di Resta be an understudy to Alonso is something I’d consider if I was at Ferrari,” he added.

Michael Schumacher’s brother has tipped the seven time world champion to keep racing beyond his 44th birthday.

Schumacher’s Mercedes deal runs out this year, but talks about a new contract for 2013 are yet to be discussed.

Ralf Schumacher, also a grand prix winner and six years younger than his more famous sibling, was asked by Bild am Sonntag newspaper about Michael’s recent anti-Pirelli outburst.

Asked if it was an overreaction to the fact his teammate Nico Rosberg was the first Mercedes driver to win in 2012, Ralf answered: “It has nothing to do with it.

“But for sure Michael came back to celebrate successes with Mercedes. And until he succeeds, he will not give up.

“I still see a lot of fire in Michael,” said Ralf Schumacher, now a DTM driver with Mercedes.

“He is pushing hard, as we saw as recently as Mugello last week.”

Ralf said Mercedes’ 2012 F1 car, the W03, is well built.

“I think we will see Michael on the podium soon,” he insisted.

“At some point, there surely comes a point when the body can’t do it any more. But when I look at Michael, that’s still a few years away.

“I certainly won’t be racing as long as he has,” he laughed.

Ralf Schumacher has ruled out following his older brother Michael back into formula one.

At the weekend, 36-year-old Ralf kicked off his fifth consecutive season driving a Mercedes in the German touring car series DTM.

He was a respected winner of 6 grands prix, driving most recently for Toyota in 2007, but despite his famous brother’s return to F1 with Mercedes, Ralf told Germany’s Der Westen that his own grand prix career “is over”.

“Formula one is exciting and beautiful, but the DTM is much more friendly, we don’t have to travel all around the world, everything is familiar.

“I like that,” the German said.

 Gary Paffett is next in line for a Force India race seat this weekend in Australia.
The Silverstone based team’s new regular Friday and reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, is unavailable this week as he tests ahead of the Renault World Series.

Force India has therefore asked McLaren, its technical partner, for help.

With Pedro de la Rosa now at HRT, Briton Paffett is the famous British team’s new official reserve driver.

He has already been in action this weekend, demonstrating McLaren’s 2011 car to the crowds at Albert Park on Thursday.

And Paffett, 30, will step into Force India’s car during the race weekend, should bad fortune befall the team’s regular drivers Nico Hulkenberg or Paul di Resta.

“I’m happy to be available for Force India for this weekend,” said the DTM driver.

He will not participate in Friday morning practice.

“Of course, it’s unlikely that I will be called up and hopefully it won’t happen, but it’s nice to know that the team thought of me,” said Paffett.

The rookie lineup for next month’s young driver test in Abu Dhabi is taking shape.
Some brand new names are in the mix, according to Italy’s Autosprint magazine.

One is the 22-year-old Monegasque driver Stefano Coletti, who has reportedly secured one of the seats that according to speculation has been sold by Toro Rosso.

Team boss Franz Tost is reportedly also in talks with Italian teenager Kevin Ceccon.

Another teenager, 18-year-old Estonian Kevin Korjus, will apparently run with Renault, as will the German DTM driver Christian Vietoris.

It was believed Frenchman Charles Pic was in talks with Toro Rosso, but the GP2 star will reportedly run at Yas Marina with Force India.

Nearly half of all German sports fans think Michael Schumacher should return to retirement, according to a survey.
Citing the German market research company Promit, SID news agency said 47.2 per cent of respondents would advise the seven time world champion against signing a new agreement to stay in formula one beyond his 2012 contract.

In contrast, just 32.2 per cent said the Mercedes driver should stay in 2013, with 8.5 per cent advising a move to the German touring car series DTM to reunite with his brother Ralf.

As for the 42-year-old German himself, Schumacher insists he has not decided what to do.

“I will definitely be here (in F1) next year,” the German is quoted by the Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

“Then we will see what happens.”

Meanwhile, 62.7 per cent of those surveyed tipped Sebastian Vettel to wrap up the 2011 title before the last grand prix of the season in November.

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he would like to see Michael Schumacher on the pitwall when he hangs up his helmet once again.
Throughout F1′s August break, the seven time world champion and his management had to fend off the latest round of speculation suggesting Schumacher, 42, could or should quit at the end of this season.

“I can not see Michael leaving formula one until he believes that the team is not competitive and he really thinks it’s time to go,” DPA news agency quotes F1 chief executive Ecclestone as saying on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Schumacher’s 1991 debut.

When that time eventually comes, Ecclestone thinks the great German would make an ideal team boss.

“He should run a team,” the 80-year-old Briton continued. “With his experience and his talent, he would be first class.”

Mercedes chief Ross Brawn, however, said Schumacher is not ready to hang up his helmet.

“Michael is a great driver, but what is not seen and what also made him a multiple world champion is his work with the team behind the scenes.

“If we can give him a car with the potential to fight for the championship, then I have no doubt that he will be in a position to win his eighth title,” added Brawn.

Along with Ecclestone’s team boss speculation however is Norbert Haug’s admission this week that a move at some point to the German touring car series DTM cannot be ruled out for Schumacher.

“It’s quite possible that Schumacher is being offered a ‘voluntary’ departure so that he can save face,” said Austria’s Sportwoche magazine.

But with 20 years now on the F1 odometer, might Schumacher also celebrate a quarter-century at the pinnacle of motor racing in a few years’ time?

“With Michael, you can never say never,” said his manager Sabine Kehm.

Gary Paffett insists he is not “bitter” despite sitting on the sidelines while his 2010 rival is now hot property in formula one.
The Briton, under long term contract to Mercedes in the German touring car series DTM, is also a test and reserve driver at top F1 team McLaren.

Last year in DTM, 30-year-old Paffett finished second to Paul di Resta, the rookie Scot who now drives for Force India and is tipped as a future driver for Mercedes’ works team.

“I find it hard to say that formula one is only the secondary thing for me, but it is a fact that I’m there, I’m a part of a big team and my job is to help them to win races,” he told Germany’s spox.com.

Paffett insists he has not given up on his F1 dream.

“No, definitely not,” he said. “The longer I’m there, the more experienced I am.

“I don’t see why a 30-year-old is no longer suitable for a regular seat in formula one. That’s still my goal and if an offer comes, I will definitely think seriously about it.”

At the same time, he insists he has been happy to see di Resta impress in 2011.

“I’m happy for him because he’s a good friend. If I was bitter about some of the opportunities my rivals have had that I have not then I would not survive.

“Motor sport is a difficult business that is not just about how fast you can drive.”

Paul di Resta has revealed he is racing to catch up with his contemporaries and F1 champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
The rookie Scot has impressed the F1 paddock with his Force India debut this season after rising to the top of the German touring car series DTM.

In an interview with Autosprint, he revealed how his career took a turn after beating Vettel to the F3 Euroseries, when Mercedes offered to pay him to race in DTM.

But Vettel, of course, had already started his F1 career with BMW-Sauber, while reigning F3 champion Hamilton was dominating the GP2 championship that would lead to his sensational McLaren debut.

“I took some time to think about it (Mercedes’ offer),” said di Resta, “because I really wanted to stay in single seaters.

“But I also had a significant problem. I did a test in a GP2 car and it was simply too small for me. I changed seats three times but it was a nightmare.

“I decided that the chance to do DTM was the best choice, but I never stopped thinking I would get to formula one some day. But I knew it was vital to keep myself visible, so I had to win.”

With a good first half to his debut F1 season now behind him, 25-year-old di Resta’s immediate future is secure and he is being linked with a move at some point to Mercedes GP.

But does he rue the success already achieved by his defeated F3 rival Vettel?

“In my F3 team there were four of us: me, Vettel, Kobayashi and van der Garde. I have to say that when he got to F1, Sebastian did an incredible job, capitalising on what he had in the best way.

“Perhaps he would have done the same thing if he had been in my place in DTM, maybe not. It’s also true that I can’t say what I would have done if I had had his chances.

“The same thing happened with Hamilton, he was a good driver in the minor categories, and when he arrived with a great (F1) team straight away it was natural that he did a good job.

“Sebastian and Lewis were able to get what I’m trying to get now,” added di Resta.

McLaren has extended its contract with Gary Paffett.

The Briton recently signed a new long-term deal with Mercedes-Benz to keep racing in the DTM, sparking reports the 30-year-old is now first in line to race for Mercedes GP should the Brackley team’s regulars be unable.

But although Pedro de la Rosa has the primary role, Paffett actually remains a test and reserve driver at McLaren, and that deal now extends into 2012, the British team announced on Tuesday.

The new deal “allows him to continue dovetailing his formula one test duties with his racing career”, read a media statement.

“Gary has become a vital part of our technical support and development team, both at the track and in the simulator,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

Paffett, managed by former McLaren driver Mark Blundell, joined the team in 2005.

Force India has scheduled a press conference at which the team’s 2011 driver lineup is expected to be announced.
The media has been summoned to the Glasgow headquarters of Scottish whiskey sponsor Whyte and Mackay, which is owned by team boss Vijay Mallya’s UB group.

It is therefore expected that the centrepiece of Wednesday’s announcement will be the promotion to the race seat of 2010 reserve driver and new DTM champion Paul di Resta.

The Scot’s hometown is less than 50 kilometres from Glasgow.

Paul di Resta is expected to sit down with Force India this week to discuss his role with the team for 2011.

The new DTM champion served as the Silverstone based outfit’s reserve and Friday driver in 2010, and is a contender for a race seat next year.

But also in the running is ousted Williams rookie Nico Hulkenberg, while Adrian Sutil is expected to be retained and Vitantonio Liuzzi has a firm contract for 2011.

Scot di Resta’s manager Anthony Hamilton is confident: “There hasn’t been one bit of negative information from the team about Paul.

“He has done a great job, the team love him,” Hamilton, father of McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, told the BBC. “He’s a champion and a leader.

“Nothing has changed; he is still a contender for a race seat. We are very positive,” he added.

It is believed Sutil will have one seat in 2011, while the other will be occupied by either di Resta or German Hulkenberg after Liuzzi’s contract is bought out.

Nick Heidfeld has admitted he might be interested in working with BMW once again.

Between 2006 and last year, the German raced with the Bavarian carmaker in formula one.

At 33, he is now struggling to find a full-time cockpit for 2011, having tested with Pirelli this year and then completed the season with Sauber.

BMW is no longer in F1, but the marque is set to enter the German touring car series DTM in 2012.

“I have not finished my career in formula one, but working in the long term with BMW when they return to the DTM would be interesting,” Heidfeld admitted to Auto Bild.

BMW’s departing motor sport director Dr Mario Theissen indicated that the DTM team is seeking a driver of Heidfeld’s calibre.

“It will be important that we have a good development driver,” he admitted.

BMW’s long-time motor racing and formula one boss Dr Mario Theissen is retiring.

The 58-year-old has held the post as BMW motorsport director for 12 years, preceding the German carmaker’s decision to enter F1 initially as an engine supplier to Williams in 2000.

Before that, he joined BMW as a development engineer in 1977.

Next year, he will hand on the baton to Jens Marquardt, a prominent manager at Cologne based Toyota Motorsport, formerly the Japanese marque’s formula one team.

43-year-old Marquardt will therefore lead BMW into the German touring car series DTM in 2012.