Daniel Ricciardo is not relaxed about his future in formula one.
Recently seen as the natural successor to his countryman Mark Webber at Red Bull, the 22-year-old Australian has struggled to get up to speed with Vitantonio Liuzzi after replacing Narain Karthikeyan at HRT earlier this year.

The move was funded by his backers Red Bull but Ricciardo is contracted to the energy drinks company only to the end of 2011.

With Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari and Jean-Eric Vergne all also in the running for Red Bull’s junior seats at Toro Rosso, the West Australian newspaper concludes that Ricciardo’s future is clouded.

“I’ve got the next few races,” said the upbeat Ricciardo on Saturday, when it was announced his teammate Liuzzi will sit out India next weekend to make way for Karthikeyan’s one-off return.

“They (the last three races) still play a part for next year, so for me it’s important to stay focused on those and not watch what the other guys are doing and what I’m doing too much off the track.

“I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t have a place next year, but it’s one of those things,” he continued.

“There’s only limited space. I think obviously having Red Bull and hopefully impressing them enough this year, they’ll continue and put me in somewhere.”

Dietrich Mateschitz has ruled out relocating his pacesetting formula one team Red Bull Racing to Austria.
The energy drinks mogul and Austrian billionaire reopened the former A1-Ring, rechristened as the Red Bull Ring, at the weekend.

F1′s most famous figure Bernie Ecclestone was even present, kindling rumours he might seriously be considering reviving the Austrian grand prix.

“This track is ready for formula one,” Mark Webber told Kleine Zeitung newspaper after a few hot laps, and Sebastian Vettel agreed that a grand prix could be held now at the Red Bull Ring “theoretically and practically”.

But Mateschitz insisted: “We will not get a formula one or a MotoGP race here.”

More realistic, perhaps, is that Red Bull Racing is relocated from Milton Keynes (UK) to the facility.

“I’ve thought about it, but no,” Mateschitz answered. “You can build whatever you want, but in Styria you cannot get 300 of the best people in formula one.”

Dr Helmut Marko is defiantly confident after the first two test days in the life of Red Bull’s 2011 car.
Wearing the number 1 on the nose for world champion Sebastian Vettel, the RB7 has been impressive so far at the Ricardo Tormo track near Valencia, Spain.

Wednesday’s action was watched on by the team’s owner Dietrich Mateschitz, but it was his right-hand man Marko who gushed the loudest.

“If a race were held now, we would lap everybody,” the Austrian told Bild newspaper. “How our car goes through the corners is amazing.”

Even the usually-reserved Mateschitz sounded very confident.

“This will be our third strong year in a row,” the billionaire energy drinks magnate predicted.

Said 23-year-old driver Vettel: “I cannot complain as I’m satisfied so far, but all the cars will still change considerably. Whether we’re ahead or not is hard to say.”

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug said: “I don’t think they’re looking too bad.”

And seven time world champion Michael Schumacher jokingly agreed. “The new Red Bull?” said the German. “Looks good. The colour, I mean …”

Daniel Ricciardo has this week staked a claim on a full-time role in formula one with an impressive test at the wheel of the title-winning Red Bull.

The energy drinks company’s most promising development talent and Australian was well clear of the field over the two days of the young driver test session in Abu Dhabi, smashing Sebastian Vettel’s pole position time for good measure.

In the Ferrari, Jules Bianchi explained that the Yas Marina layout has simply become faster since the grand prix.

“The grip of the asphalt is more now, giving many tenths of a second benefit, and we are also more aggressive over the curbs due to the fixed cones being removed,” the Frenchman explained in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Even so, 21-year-old Ricciardo’s performance stood out, amid reports Dr Helmut Marko has not decided where to place the Perth native in 2011.

“I’m not sure what this means for next year, but I know even more now that this is where I want to be,” he is quoted by the Australian news agency AAP.

“Whether I might be in F1 next year or the following, I will do everything to make sure it happens — and I think this test has probably helped me,” added Ricciardo, who in 2010 was Red Bull’s F1 reserve driver.

Even in the team’s post-test press release, Ricciardo was quoted as saying “it would be fantastic to get the chance to drive in formula one full-time”.

However, Red Bull’s two F1 teams have already completed their 2011 lineups.

Austrian newspapers Kleine Zeitung and Salzburger Nachrichten are reporting that Lotus, set to use Red Bull gearboxes next year, could be an option for Ricciardo.

And La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed Australian Ricciardo as “an Italian” after the impressive Abu Dhabi outing, due his family’s ancestry.

FIA official Charlie Whiting has inspected the reconstructed A1-Ring and approved it for events up to formula one standard.

That is the news of the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung, reporting that the former venue of the Austrian grand prix has been renamed ‘Red Bull Ring’.

The track in Zeltweg was demolished after its final F1 race in 2003 and was recently rebuilt by Dietrich Mateschitz’s energy drinks company.

It is set to be reopened in mid 2011 and is slated to host a range of motor racing categories including DTM, F3 and Formula 2.

“Red Bull’s world championships are the best advertisement for the race track in Spielberg,” said the Kleine Zeitung report.

A major hurdle for the Red Bull Ring, however, is the circuit’s noise quota, with an F1 race meaning few other events could be held to make the venue profitable.

Red Bull will have to keep delivering a top car to Sebastian Vettel, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz has admitted.

The 23-year-old, groomed through the ranks by the energy drinks company, became F1′s youngest ever world champion against the odds in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

“He will be a world champion a few times more,” said Austrian billionaire Mateschitz on Austrian television ORG, “provided he is sitting in the right car.

“We will do our best to give that car to him,” he added.

“If we are not able to, we will have to let him go somewhere where he can be champion again,” said Mateschitz.

Vettel’s current contract runs only to the end of next year, with an option for 2012, but Red Bull has expressed interest in extending the deal through 2015.

His next agreement will be worth much more money, Willi Weber has warned.

But he thinks Vettel has missed out on F1′s headiest days of driver earning power.

“I have a feeling that Michael (Schumacher) and I had the best time in F1, with which you can no longer compare,” the famous driver manager told SID news agency.

“Today there is less money available,” added Weber.

Daniel Ricciardo is not ruling out a move into formula one next season.

Red Bull’s F1 reserve driver finished the Renault World Series in second place in 2010, but Dr Helmut Marko said he is not sure what the Australian will be doing next year.

The 21-year-old will test the title-winning RB6 in Abu Dhabi next week, but the energy drinks company’s four F1 race seats appear locked out for 2011.

“I think I achieved enough in world series this year to move on so I guess it’s really GP2 or if something were to open up in F1 that would always be nice,” Ricciardo is quoted by AAP news agency.

Red Bull insists it has no plans to sell Toro Rosso.

The energy drinks company is pushing for the 2010 title with its main team Red Bull Racing, while its second team is a midfield runner at best.

“It is and remains our rookie team,” Red Bull mogul and Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz told Der Spiegel newspaper.

“We run our best young talents with this formula one team,” he added.

According to Mark Jenkins, a business strategy professor at Cranfield University in the UK, Red Bull should drop Faenza based Toro Rosso.

“It doesn’t make any sense with the current regulations for Red Bull to own two teams,” he is quoted by Bloomberg.

But the report also said Red Bull has confirmed it has no “concrete” plans to sell Toro Rosso.

The media research monitor Margaux Matrix found that, with its four Red Bull-branded F1 cars, Red Bull has got almost 267 minutes of TV airtime so far in 2010, compared with 52 minutes for Ferrari.

With only four races to run after Sunday’s Singapore grand prix, Red Bull appears no closer to making championship leader Mark Webber its number 1 bet for the world championship.

The Australian, 24 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel, has struggled relative to his front row-sitting teammate in Singapore, qualifying three paces behind the sister RB6.

“We have two drivers competing for the world championship and we will continue supporting them until for one of them it is not mathematically and practically possible for them to win the championship,” team boss Christian Horner said in Singapore.

But Webber, 34, answered “yes” after a long pause when asked by British television BBC if he would accept preferred status for the balance of the season.

“For me it’s an unique opportunity that I might never get again,” he also said in an interview with Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.

“But I can’t yet say ‘Hey Seb, let me have this opportunity because you might have the chance for another ten years or more’,” added Webber.

At the same time, he concedes that – despite some earlier ructions within the Austrian camp – Red Bull would be happy if he wins the title.

“It was rumoured that Helmut (Marko) would prefer Vettel, because they might have a closer relationship.  But he would be very happy if I won the world championship today,” the Australian insisted.

“If we did it, everyone would have a headache from the party, no matter which of us is champion.  The team situation is completely neutral,” added Webber.

He also played down rumours he is disaffected at Red Bull, revealing that when he decides to stop driving, he will probably continue to work with the energy drinks company.

“What Red Bull did when I broke my leg was impressive and I’ll never forget it,” he said.

“They backed me when I was totally in the shit.  Yes, maybe we can continue to do something together,” added Webber, who is under contract only until the end of 2011.

Sebastien Buemi has admitted he is happy to spend another season at Toro Rosso in order to convince Red Bull that he should be paired with Sebastian Vettel in 2012.

The 21-year-old Swiss will spend a third season with the energy drinks company’s Italian-based junior team next year, but is hoping Mark Webber will move on from Red Bull Racing once the Australian’s 2011 contract expires.

“My goal is to have a seat at Red Bull, to follow in the footsteps of Sebastian Vettel,” Buemi told the Swiss newspaper Le Nouvelliste.

“But first I have to convince the bosses.  First of all, it requires good results, because a car like that has to be deserved.

“Today, I am happy to drive a Toro Rosso, with the team that gave me my chance.”

He admitted that it is the cockpit currently occupied by championship contender Webber that is in his sights.

“Admittedly he has had a superb season,” said Buemi of the Australian.  “But it is a place that could be free for 2012.

“But first it is my task to prove myself,” he acknowledged.

A Red Bull-style blown exhaust and diffuser layout is “in the works”, according to Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Buemi.

Although still owned by the energy drinks maker, Faenza based Toro Rosso is now going it alone from a technical perspective, no longer receiving updates from Red Bull Technology in the UK.

Toro Rosso is the lowest ranked of the established teams in the constructors’ championship, and concerned about falling further off the pace.

With all F1 teams except the newcomers now running a blown floor, Buemi said the innovation is “in the works” for the Ferrari-powered STR5.

“We just want to do it thoroughly and properly before we use it at a race weekend,” the Swiss is quoted by German language Speed Week.

His teammate Jaime Alguersuari is confident the car might look stronger at the faster Spa-Francorchamps layout than at recent outings.

“If our closest rivals have tended to look stronger than us in medium to high downforce configuration, I am hoping that Spa might see us run more competitively,” said the Spaniard.

Jun.15 (GMM)  Sebastien Buemi is on course for a seat with Red Bull in 2012, according to the Swiss newspaper Blick.

The head of the energy drinks company’s driver programme, Dr Helmut Marko, was quoted last weekend suggesting that if the 21-year-old youngster does not up his game, he could lose his seat with the junior team Toro Rosso.

But Buemi then had an impressive weekend in Montreal, finishing in the points, overtaking Michael Schumacher and even leading a lap of the race.

Blick reports that the “plan” at Red Bull’s Salzburg headquarters is to field Buemi alongside Sebastian Vettel in 2012.

After Montreal, Marko said: “That is the Buemi that we want to see.  Aggressive, controlled and super-fast, even with a broken exhaust.”

And Buemi’s Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost added: “Buemi has his best times still ahead of him.  He knows that with us he is in good hands, with no unnecessary pressure.”

Jun.15 (GMM)  The Finn is currently driving full-time in the world rally championship, having ended his Ferrari contract one year early and failed to agree terms for a switch to McLaren.

A Red Bull seat for next year had been touted, but the energy drinks-owned company has instead secured its current lineup for 2011 of Sebastian Vettel alongside Mark Webber.

However, Italy’s Autosprint reports that Renault might be an option for 30-year-old Raikkonen.

The magazine says majority team owner Gerard Lopez wants to replace Vitaly Petrov with Raikkonen for 2011, to be the highly rated Pole Robert Kubica’s new teammate.

Fellow former Ferrari race winner Jean Alesi, however, is impressed with what Raikkonen has achieved so far in rallying.

“Imagine what it means for a driver to start anew in a discipline the exact opposite of what he has always done.

“For that, for his courage to challenge himself in such a way, I admire him,” added the Frenchman.

Autosprint also reports that Renault might have its eye on Adrian Sutil, the long time Force India driver who often admits he would like to finally step into a top team.

Jun.12 (GMM) Sebastien Buemi must up his game if he wants to secure his place in Red Bull’s formula one plans.

That was the warning issued in Canada by Dr Helmut Marko, the energy drinks company’s consultant and right-hand man of owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Swiss youngster Buemi, 21, impressed the F1 world throughout his formula one debut with Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso in 2009.

He saw off the challenges of his teammates Sebastien Bourdais and Jaime Alguersuari, but in 2010 the Spanish rookie Alguersuari has shown much better alongside Buemi.

“I must admit that, this year, it has not gone as well as I would have liked (for Buemi),” Marko told the French language Swiss daily Le Matin.

“During the races, Sebastien has been really unlucky so we cannot draw any conclusion. But in the sessions, he has not been as quick as last year in comparison with his teammate.

“It’s a little disappointing,” added Austrian Marko.

Buemi had been considered a shoo-in for a future role at Red Bull Racing, but the premier team has now locked in its 2011 lineup of Mark Webber alongside Sebastian Vettel.

Marko said of Buemi: “It’s time for him to prove his talent. If he does, this will ensure his place next year at Toro Rosso.

“It’s a very good team for a young driver to learn the trade, especially since they had to produce their own car this season, giving more importance to the role of the driver.”

Kimi Raikkonen’s manager has refused to rule out the prospect of the 2007 world champion returning to formula one.

When Ferrari ended its contract with the 30-year-old Finn one year early, Raikkonen signed up with Red Bull sponsorship to race a Citroen full-time in the 2010 world rally championship.

It had been rumoured that a return to F1 with Red Bull Racing in 2011 was a possibility, but the energy drinks-owned team is now expected to renew on-form Mark Webber’s contract for another season.

“Kimi has committed himself to rallying and he seems to be enjoying that environment,” team boss Christian Horner said in Turkey last weekend.

However, Finland’s Turun Sanomat reports that it was Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko most interested in replacing Australian Webber with Raikkonen.

Manager Steve Robertson said he is not sure what Raikkonen is going to do in 2011.

“We have not had any discussions in any direction for next season,” he said.

“There will be a time when Kimi will think about what he wants to do.”

When asked if Raikkonen’s F1 career is over, Robertson answered: “Never say never.”

(GMM)