Nico Rosberg has hinted strongly that he intends to stay at Mercedes GP beyond the expiry of his current contract.
The German’s current deal reportedly runs to the end of next season, but boss Norbert Haug has revealed he intends to keep the current team together beyond 2012.

Asked if the talks are already taking place, Rosberg told Germany’s T-Online: “Yes, they are.

“We have talked about a long-term commitment as I feel very comfortable in the team. It is a great project. I don’t want to go into more detail than that.”

When asked if he is also “actively” looking for possible opportunities with other teams, Rosberg insisted: “Actively, no.”

Rosberg was also asked about his countryman and new back to back world champion Sebastian Vettel’s 2011 season, with the interviewer describing it as “flawless”.

“Flawless? I’ve had a season like that, too,” said the German. “I have made very, very few mistakes.

“The same as last year. I have driven very consistently but it’s not so obvious because we are driving further behind.”

He is also expecting Red Bull to be ahead of the pack in 2012.

“They have a head-start, obviously,” said Rosberg. “We need to catch up and that will take some time.”

Finally, he denied that the constant questions about his teammate Michael Schumacher are “annoying”.

“That’s not the right word. It’s just that I have to talk about it all the time. They (the questions) always used to be about my father, now they’re about Michael Schumacher.

“I’m used to it now,” smiled Rosberg.

Nico Rosberg has revealed he would be happy to have Michael Schumacher as his teammate beyond the 2012 season.
The German’s comments are a clear indication that he intends to sign a new deal beyond the expiry of his own contract.

And Rosberg thinks seven time world champion should do the same.

“Definitely,” he is quoted by the German news agency SID. “Of course it’s up to him to decide if he’s still enjoying it but for the team it would be a good thing.”

Schumacher, 42, was asked in Singapore at the weekend if he will still be racing in 2013. “Next year I’ll decide,” he answered simply.

His boss, Mercedes’ motor racing vice president Norbert Haug, joined Rosberg in hoping Schumacher will stay on board.

“We are very satisfied with the drivers we have,” he said. “We want to climb up the ladder with the combination that we have.”

Mark Webber is looking to resurrect his outdoor adventure challenge.

The Australian’s last multi-discipline charity event in Tasmania, comprising cycling, trekking and kayaking in harsh terrain, took place after the 2008 season.

Webber badly broke his leg in a mountain bike stage, which derailed his winter testing programme and threatened his entire career, amid rumours it was Red Bull Racing who ordered the event be cancelled for subsequent years.

But the 34-year-old said at the time that it was actually the global financial crisis that caused the event to lapse, due to the expiry of major sponsorship contracts.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper indicated that the next Mark Webber Challenge could be held in late 2011 — after his current contract with Red Bull runs out.

When asked last week what he plans for his retirement, Webber answered: “We’re looking at reintroducing my Tasmania challenge — in fact, we’re in the throes of finalising a deal which will hopefully see it return at the end of 2011.”

7 million euros will be missing from the budget of F1′s governing FIA in 2011.

A report in the British Express newspaper claims the shortfall is due to the expiry of a fourteen-year run of annual fees paid by Formula One Management, headed by chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

The deal, in which the sport’s commercial rights were handed over to Ecclestone, was signed in 1997.

The report said the 7 million loss represents 15 per cent of the FIA’s 48m annual budget, while the commercial rights generate almost a billion euros every year for FOM.

Experts said the FIA might have to revert to raising fees such as those paid by F1 drivers for their super licenses.

But a spokesman for the Paris-based Federation said: “I can’t give you the detail but it is not the case (that there is a hole in the budget).”

The FIA raised nearly 12,000 euros during the British grand prix weekend, mainly by imposing fines on F1 drivers for speeding.

Pedro de la Rosa’s 4,200 fine was the biggest for speeding, while Toro Rosso was fined $5000 for unsafely releasing Jaime Alguersuari into the pitlane.