Teams are making preparations just in case the Bahrain grand prix is called off at the last minute.

That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that the teams could put their back-up plans into action even as late as the Sunday in China — mere days before they are expected to be at Sakhir.

In London this week, F1 chief executive and team bosses stood side by side with Bahrain circuit officials, insisting the race will go ahead despite defiant speculation to the contrary.

But Auto Motor und Sport reveals that the teams will also be ready if the plug is indeed pulled at the last minute — for example, their freight would go not from Shanghai to Bahrain, but back to Europe via Dubai.

And the report also said tickets have been reserved for the teams’ travelling staff, in the event they do not have to hop directly to the island Kingdom.

Michael Schumacher, however, insists he is not worried about going to Bahrain.

“I’m pretty relaxed, honestly,” said the seven time world champion.

“From our perspective, we’re going to be very well looked after, because they (the race organisers) might foresee whatever and be prepared.

“I’m pretty sure we’re going to be ok,” added Schumacher.

Although banned from working in formula one or even stepping into the paddock, Flavio Briatore is making his presence felt in Monte Carlo.

With a prominent mooring alongside Vijay Mallya’s Indian Empress and two other Force India-branded yachts, Briatore’s huge 63-metre boat ‘Force Blue’ is this weekend taking pride of place alongside the grand prix circuit.

Just days ago, the sacked Renault boss refused to rule out launching a return to the sport when his renegotiated FIA ban runs out at the end of 2012.

“When I stopped in 1998, I said I would never go back.  I went back in 2000.  Life is never say never,” he told Arabian Business while launching one of his ‘Billionaire’ fashion shops in Dubai last weekend.

Briatore, 60, recently ruled out returning to F1 as a team boss.

“I have open eyes.  I still have all my friends in formula one — my best friend is in (F1), Bernie.  I still have all my drivers and my management in formula one.  But I’m not looking for a job,” he insisted.

May 3 (GMM)  Robert Kubica has played down the latest reports linking him with the Ferrari team.

The Renault driver, a close friend of Fernando Alonso, was aboard the Italian team’s initial VIP flight out of Shanghai amid the volcanic ash air chaos.

The 24-year-old Pole was therefore in Italy in plenty of time to contest the 1000 Miglia rally in a Clio.

When asked if it is a sign he will be Alonso’s teammate in 2011, he tersely answered last week: “Sure, sure, sure.”

“I don’t see anything in the fact that my (travel) solution was because of the Scuderia,” Kubica wrote in his latest column for France’s Auto Hebdo.

In fact, also enjoying the exact same chartered Shanghai-Dubai-Nice route were the likes of Vitantonio Liuzzi and Jarno Trulli, as well as Ferrari’s Alonso, Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella, and others.

“It is rare that so many drivers are on the same plane, so it was pretty cool,” said Kubica.

Apr.20 (GMM) Two days after the chequered flag in Shanghai, the world of formula one is still clamouring to leave the venue of the Chinese grand prix.

Although there are signs the volcanic ash cloud above Europe might soon clear for a few days to allow its hordes of absent residents to return home, multitudes of F1′s travelling personnel are currently embarking on elaborate journeys to reunite with team bases and families.

Mark Webber flew from China to Dubai, then to Rome, and woke up in Nice on Tuesday morning after five hours of sleep with a mission to return to the UK.

Others have tackled even more bizarre routes back to Europe, including Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari who headed to Madrid via Shanghai, Beijing and New York.

Some, like Indian rookie Karun Chandhok who flew to Madras, were essentially unaffected; Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg went on vacation to Thailand, while Lewis Hamilton had a sponsor date in South Africa.

Peter Sauber went on business to Dubai and Japan.

But Nico Hulkenberg, like hundreds of others involved in the sport, are simply holed up in Shanghai with an hopeful eye on the air timetables. Sebastian Vettel is hoping for a direct flight to Switzerland on Tuesday.

Michael Schumacher proved that in F1 it’s all about who you know, as he has hitched a ride on Bernie Ecclestone’s private plane, but at last word they were still awaiting a green light to fly to Europe.

There are reports that Norbert Haug and Timo Glock found seats on Lufthansa flights to Europe on Monday night, while Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali and Aldo Costa also somehow managed to head straight for Europe.

Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso were aboard Ferrari’s first of several flights home, with subsequent flights also scheduled even though their destination is not entirely known.

A shared charter with fellow Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso and Sauber is plan-B.

Alonso’s friend Robert Kubica was also aboard Ferrari’s initial VIP flight, so as to be in Italy to drive a Renault Clio in this week’s Rally 1000 Miglia.

When asked by Spain’s AS correspondent if the Ferrari favour was the first sign that Alonso will have a new teammate in 2011, Kubica rolled his eyes and answered: “Sure, sure, sure.”

The Lotus team, owned by Malaysian aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes, was jetted to Kuala Lumpur to await an AirAsia charter back to Europe.

McLaren’s chartered jet, with buses waiting in Spain to then take team members on a long road trip back to the UK, is scheduled to leave Shanghai on Wednesday.

“We have said if it is a big enough plane, then anyone else can come on board,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

Williams’ aviation partner Cloud9 is also looking into a private team charter, while bosses Sam Michael and Adam Parr flew from Shanghai to Dubai but then found themselves unexpectedly diverted to Beirut.

It is rumoured that some teams are looking into moving their cars back to Europe while the FOM planes are stuck in Europe, but the idea of putting the containers on boats has been ruled out.

“You need a plane,” said Mercedes’ Haug. “By boat, we will run out of time before Barcelona.”

Apr.19 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed claims that next month’s Spanish grand prix could be cancelled.

It was confirmed on Monday that this weekend’s Japanese round of the MotoGP series has been called off due to the travel disruptions caused by the volcanic ash above Europe.

And football games on Thursday between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, and Hamburg and Fulham, could also be scratched, with UEFA to make a decision “in the coming days”.

Mercifully for F1, there is now a rare three-week break between Sunday’s Shanghai round and the opening of the European season in Spain.

But with the hundreds of tonnes of freight, including the cars, stranded at Shanghai airport – while F1′s six 747 jets are grounded in Europe – it is currently impossible to predict when the team factories will be reunited with their equipment.

“The main concern is getting the engines back because they have to be worked on,” F1 chief executive Ecclestone told the Times.

“But I am sure everything will be all right,” said the 79-year-old, who despite having a private plane in Shanghai is currently unable to return to Europe.

“We know there will be a Spanish grand prix, we just don’t know where yet,” he joked to another reporter in China, adding that his plan-B is “suicide”.

“There is no question of cancelling the Spanish grand prix,” he insisted. “Of course, it is causing everybody problems, but we will find a way to get everyone home.”

The movement of F1′s actual people is less problematic, albeit expensive: several teams – including Ferrari and McLaren – are organising private charters on Tuesday or Wednesday into Spain, where some major airports are still landing planes.

The personnel will then return to their respective team headquarters by bus.

Other F1 people have diverted to Dubai or even as far afield as the US, in the hope of finding another air route back to Europe.

As for the freight, the end of the air chaos could even be nigh, after British Airways, Air France and KLM tested planes in European skies without problems, and Niki Lauda’s airline conducted a test with an Airbus A320 from Vienna to Salzburg.

“The flight was the best ever, with blue skies. I don’t understand what all the fuss is about,” said the triple world champion.