Sahara Force India looks ahead to the third round of the 2012 season in Shanghai, China. To download the full PDF preview or the media schedule for the weekend, please click on the links below.

Vijay’s Vision

After two races the 2012 season appears to have all the ingredients needed to serve up a spectacular year of racing. Already the fans have enjoyed two thrilling races and the intensity of the competition across the grid is sure to capture everybody’s attention.

I said last year that the competition in the midfield was close, but this year it seems to be even more so with the majority of the grid capable of fighting for points. It’s a good situation for Formula One, but it also means points are harder to come by. It’s encouraging that we have scored points in both races and that will be our aim once again in China.

I have to congratulate Paul and Nico on their excellent drives in Malaysia. They are only in their second full seasons of Formula One, but they both showed their maturity in the difficult conditions. At times Paul was one of the fastest cars on the circuit, excelling in the conditions, and it’s clear that we can expect another strong season from him. I was also delighted to see Nico pick up his first points with us after such a strong showing.

In terms of car development, the factory at Silverstone continues to work at full capacity to improve our performance. The first two races have given us a great deal of information to work with and we will put it to good use in the coming races.

Dr. Vijay Mallya

Paul on Shanghai
Following points finishes in the first couple of races, Paul Di Resta sets his sights on more of the same in Shanghai this weekend.

Paul, you must be pretty happy with your start to the season…
I think the whole team is pleased to have nine points on the board after two races and it was important that we picked up some good points on such an unpredictable day in Malaysia. We’ve seen how close all the teams are this year and getting points isn’t easy, so it feels good to start as we mean to continue.

Do you enjoy visiting China and experiencing the different culture?
China is a great place and Shanghai is a city I enjoy visiting. It’s such a big place, there is a lot to see and I enjoy it even more each time I go there.

Tell us about the track…
It has some unusual features. Turn one is very long and feels like it goes on forever. The key to getting it right is how much entry speed you can carry into the corner. You also have to look out for one of the biggest bumps of the year at the corner entry, which makes it difficult.

And what about the overtaking opportunities?
The best chance is turn one or into the very tight hairpin of turn 14, which widens on the entry and makes it difficult to defend. We also saw the effectiveness of DRS last year, which helped produce some good racing and it should be the same this year.

Nico on Shanghai
Nico Hulkenberg looks ahead to racing in Shanghai following his points finish in Malaysia.

Nico, after the disappointment of Melbourne, you finally got some racing miles under your belt in Sepang…
Yes, I’m happy with the race we had in Malaysia, which was basically the first proper race I have done since the end of 2010. It wasn’t an easy race and I was never in any clean air, but it was good to pick up a couple of points – my first points for the team.

Did you learn much about the car given that the conditions were so changeable in Sepang?
You always learn something and a race distance is always valuable for your knowledge of the car, even racing in the wet. The most difficult part of the race was just after the restart when I struggled for balance on the wets and intermediates, but when I switched to slicks the performance was pretty good.

Does the team have a better idea of the pecking order yet?
We’re only at the start of the season – we’ve only had two race weekends, so we still need to wait and see. Because the midfield is so compact nobody can afford to relax. We all need to push hard to improve performance and with 18 races still to go there’s plenty of time to do that.

What are your thoughts ahead of this weekend’s race in China?
It’s not my favourite race of the year, but they’ve done a good job to build a really impressive facility and it’s a fun track to drive. It’s difficult to predict how well we will do there, but given how close the grid is at the moment I think it should be a good show for everyone who is watching.

HRT Formula 1 Team announces the incorporation of Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua to the Spanish team’s young driver development programme.

The formation programme designed by HRT F1 Team for Ma Qing Hua includes professional assessment in his career as a driver, private tests with cars from different categories and simulator tests. If the results of the partnership are satisfactory, Qing Hua could take to the wheel of the F112 at the Formula 1 Young Driver test.

Ma Qing Hua will perform his first official act with HRT Formula 1 Team on Thursday the 12th of April at a press conference previous to the Chinese Grand Prix (13th to 15th of April), which takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit. The details of the press conference will be announced shortly.

The incorporation of Ma Qing Hua to HRT Formula 1 Team’s driver development programme is part of the Spanish team’s strategy in order to serve as a platform for the formation of professionals in the pinnacle of world motorsport. The driver born in Shanghai has been competing in different categories of national and international motorsport for many years. His incorporation to HRT F1 Team’s Driver Development Programme takes place after some simulator tests and a testing session in Cheste (Valencia) at the wheel of a World Series car. The qualities and attitude of Qing Hua convinced Luis Pérez-Sala of his potential to incorporate him to the programme which Dani Clos, HRT F1 Team test driver, is also a part of.

Ma Qing Hua: “I’m very honoured to form a part of the driver development programme at HRT Formula 1 Team since, with work and effort, it will allow me to become the first Chinese Formula 1 driver. It’s a very special moment for me and it’s hard to express how happy I am. I’ve dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small. I started in the karting world when I was 8 years old and I worked really hard to learn and become quicker every time. After competing in categories such as Formula campus, Formula Renault and F3, I learned a lot about car set-up, technique on circuits and team work to become more professional every time. And now finally my childhood dream has become true thanks to the opportunity that HRT has granted me to become an F1 driver. And even more so this year with all the drivers who are competing, with 6 world champions amongst them. Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I’m going to work hard to earn it. Thanks to HRT for offering me the chance to show what I’m capable of. And thanks to my family and everyone who has always supported me. This is only the beginning”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We are working so that one of the team’s signs of identity is to serve as a platform to launch young drivers, both nationally and internationally. Ma Qing Hua is one those talents in which we believe and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1. We like his conditions and we want to take part in his formation by incorporating him to the team’s Driver Development Programme so that he can participate in races and private tests, with the objective of him being able to take part in the Formula 1 tests reserved to young drivers. Due to my responsibility in the Circuit de Catalunya young driver programme, I’ve been able to follow his progress and personally assisted some tests he did. I knew he had potential, but I was surprised with his speed, safety, adaptation capacity, attitude and professionalism. All these virtues make us believe that his incorporation to the programme will be very positive and will lead to a fruitful and lasting relationship”.

Profile

Date of Birth: 25th of December 1987
Place of Birth: Shanghai, China
Nationality: Chinese

Ma Qing Hua started racing at the tender age of 8 and won the youth National Karting Championship when he was 12 years old. He continued to race and achieve successful results in karting until 2004, when he entered the Asian Formula Renault Series and won the championship. In 2005 he represented Team China in A1 Grand Prix. From here he would move on to Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, before competing in Formula 3 Spain and Formula 3 Spain “Copa de España”, managing two podiums this season. One year later, the Chinese driver took part in various events of the British Formula 3 International Series. In 2010 he represented Team China for two races in Superleague Formula before moving onto the Chinese Touring Car Championship in 2011 where he came away with the title after four wins and four podiums in the eight-race season.

Career Summary:

2011: Chinese Touring Car Championship: 1st in the Championship (4 wins and 4 podiums)
2010: Superleague Formula: Team China
2009: British Formula 3 International Series: Team West-Tec
2008: Formula 3 Spain, Copa de España F3: Team West-Tec: 7th in the Copa (2 podiums)
2007:Chinese National Karting Championship (Super Group): 1st in the Championship
2006:Formula Renault 2.0 NEC: Team Astromega
2005:A1GP: Team China
2004:Asian Formula Renault Series: 1st in the Championship
Formula Campus Asia Championship: 1st in the Championship
Shanghai Karting Grand Prix (ICA Group): Winner
2003:Chinese National Karting Championship (ICA Group): 6th position
2002:Chinese National Karting Championship: 2nd position
Indian International Karting Championship: 2nd position

World champion Sebastian Vettel didn’t just criticise Narain Karthikeyan after their clash in Malaysia — he called the Indian driver a vegetable.

The back-to-back title winner’s points hopes went up in flailing Pirelli rubber towards the end of the rain-affected Sepang race following contact with Karthikeyan’s back-of-the-field HRT.

“He was off the track. In my view, it was over,” Red Bull driver Vettel, now 17 points behind the championship lead after just two races, said on German RTL television.

“As in real life, there are a few cucumbers on the road,” the German frowned.

“It’s extremely frustrating, because in a chaotic race where I lost the radio right at the beginning, a fourth place would have been satisfactory.”

More broadly, Vettel admits Red Bull has work to do.

Asked about the current pecking order in 2012, he said: “We are somewhere in the middle.

“(Ferrari’s) Fernando (Alonso) did a good race today but the key was to always come into the pits at the right time.

“We have work to do, no doubt,” added Vettel.

HRT was not ready to race last weekend in Australia, Pedro de la Rosa has admitted.
Ultimately, the Spaniard and his teammate Narain Karthikeyan failed to satisfy the sport’s 107 per cent qualifying rule, and therefore sat out the 2012 opener.

The hurriedly-compiled F112 car did not feature a functioning ‘DRS’ rear wing system, and de la Rosa has also revealed that it didn’t have power steering.

“It’s essential to fix that,” he is quoted by Marca newspaper, “as it can be very dangerous to try to make corrections without the (steering) assistance.”

Team boss Luis Perez Sala admitted that fixing power steering at a circuit is not ideal.

“Really it should be at the factory in almost laboratory conditions,” he said, “but we have no choice.”

As for whether he will qualify this time in Malaysia, de la Rosa is not sure: “I think so, I hope so,” he said.

 BAR founder Craig Pollock’s new 2014 engine supply venture, Pure, is setting up camp in Cologne.
A German-language report at motorsport-total.com said Jacques Villeneuve’s former manager has struck a deal with former F1 team Toyota.

The report said Pure, to move shortly, needs better facilities than it currently has at its Paris headquarters.

“We have signed an exclusive agreement with TMG (Toyota Motorsport GmbH),” Scotland-born Pollock is quoted as saying.

He said the deal involves office space, a workshop and engine test stands.

Pollock explained that time and cost factors explains why Pure did not set up its own factory.

But he said there is plenty of time left to find at least two F1 team customers for 2014.

Pollock also said Pure will retain its French headquarters as a business base.

 HRT has confirmed that its 2012 car, the F112, will finally make its track debut on Monday.
Recently, the FIA barred Red Bull and Ferrari from tweaking their test schedules so that their Barcelona running could end on Monday.

But struggling backmarker HRT asked its rivals for special permission, given it had yet to use its separate allowed test day for ‘filming and promotional’ purposes.

Actually, the Cosworth-powered HRT is also being launched, debuted and shaken down, after a failed FIA crash test delayed progress for a team already recovering from a change of ownership and the exit of boss Colin Kolles.

A report in the German press said HRT has been focused not only on the ‘step nose’ 2012 car, but also buying up all the infrastructure needed for a new F1 team — like pitstop wheel guns at EUR 4000 apiece.

The team said Narain Karthikeyan will do the driving at the Circuit de Catalunya on Monday, with Pedro de la Rosa and reserve Dani Clos also on hand.

EFE news agency quotes de la Rosa as admitting the first six months this year will be “very hard” for HRT.

Other Spanish reports said the F112 was finally fired up in the factory on Sunday.

“I’m very happy,” said de la Rosa, “but also I know how much work is ahead, because we are two months late and we are starting with virtually no preseason.”

Referring to Monday’s shakedown, he added: “It’s better than nothing and, for us, it’s almost a victory,” de la Rosa is quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

 Tongues were wagging in the Barcelona paddock on Thursday when some drivers hit the Spanish circuit wearing odd-looking Pirelli tyres.
Some of the tyres, whose compounds are normally visibly differentiated with coloured branding, featured significantly different markings.

The big rumour was that, now just two weeks before the start of the season in Australia, teams had requested the blank tyres in order to hide their test programmes from their rivals.

According to France’s Auto Plus, motor sport director Paul Hembery cleared up the matter by explaining that the blank tyres were in fact “prototypes”.

They had been manufactured not at Pirelli’s usual F1 factory in Turkey, but elsewhere, in the event that a natural disaster forced the tyre supplier to change its plans at the last minute.

Hembery also answered the criticism that, after Pirelli’s initial 2011 tyres spiced up the racing early last year, the new generation might not be aggressive enough.

“We need data from the races to judge that,” he insisted. “It’s far too early.”

He also confirmed that Pirelli is close to announcing the identity of its 2010-specification test car, and a new test driver.

It is believed former Force India driver Adrian Sutil is a candidate.

Mercedes got its Barcelona test off to an early start on Sunday.
At the same time, the rest of the F1 world was only setting up at the Circuit de Catalunya ahead of Tuesday’s kick-off for the second of three pre-Melbourne group tests.

Mercedes, however, trod a different path recently by keeping its 2012 car under development at its Brackley factory while main rivals including Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren got their test campaigns up and running.

Again running Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg this year, Mercedes took its old car to Jerez and then sat out the last of the four days of testing.

Therefore allowed to make up the day in Barcelona on Sunday, and although details and laptimes are scant, it has emerged that both Schumacher and Rosberg ran the new stepped-nose W03 and completed more than a race distance.

“Michael and Nico’s first impressions are positive,” Mercedes’ Norbert Haug told Bild newspaper.

Also in action at the weekend was Williams, whose test driver Valtteri Bottas ran the new FW34 for an aerodynamic test at the Idiada facility in Spain.

“I am glad I got some time to get used to the car before my test date in Barcelona,” he is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat.

 Caterham on Friday finally confirmed speculation that Vitaly Petrov will replace Jarno Trulli in 2012.
It has been rumoured Petrov, the Russian driver ousted by Lotus (formerly Renault) after two seasons, was waiting on his sponsors to decide whether or not to pay out veteran Trulli’s contract.

37-year-old Italian Trulli, permanently in F1 since 1997 and the 2004 Monaco grand prix winner, said mere days ago that he expected to race this season.

He tested Caterham’s 2012 car at Jerez last week.

“It was not an easy decision to bring Vitaly in to replace Jarno, but it was one we made to ensure that we give fresh impetus across the whole team and with a realistic eye on the global economic market,” said team boss Tony Fernandes.

The Malaysian businessman said an “agreement” was reached with Trulli to end his contract, “but he will always be part of our family”.

“I understand the decision the team has made and I want to wish to the whole team the very best of luck for the season ahead,” said the former Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Toyota driver.

Petrov, 27, had a seat fitting at Caterham’s Hingham factory on Friday and will test the car in Barcelona next week.

 Five days before the W03 is publicly revealed, Mercedes remains highly secretive about its 2012 car.
The German squad went a different path than all of its main formula one rivals by opting to keep its new machine at the Brackley factory rather than debut and test it last week at Jerez.

Michael Schumacher will do the first laps in the silver car next Tuesday, as the first of eight days of Barcelona testing kicks off ahead of next month’s season opener in Australia.

Mercedes leaked out some ‘teaser’ images of the W03 this week, but all carefully masking the detail of the single seater, including the ‘step’ nose solution.

“I assume that they want to hide something from the competition,” surmised Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, according to Germany’s Sport Bild.

“It must be something that can be copied quite quickly, otherwise they wouldn’t try so hard to keep it secret.”

Agreed Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko: “They seem to have something special at the front of the car.”

Ferrari is reportedly likening the situation to when the team – then called Brawn GP – arrived late with the famous ‘double diffuser’ and duly went on to win the title.

The Corriere dello Sport website cited a Ferrari official in recalling Brawn was “like Cinderella” in sweeping in at the last moment and keeping her trick secret.

“It’s a calculated risk,” team boss Ross Brawn, quoted in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, insisted when contemplating the 2012 car’s late reveal.

 Lotus could become the next team to withdraw from the formula one teams association FOTA.
Already departed are HRT, Sauber and Toro Rosso and also the top teams Red Bull and Ferrari, leaving fellow grandees McLaren, Mercedes and the others on the wrong side of their competitors’ former unity.

Now, this week, team owner Gerard Lopez has been quoted as admitting that Lotus is contemplating pulling out.

The reasons for the withdrawals appear different, with Red Bull having been accused of breaching the gentleman’s Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) and Ferrari rumoured to want to use its individual power to shape the future of the sport’s rules and structure.

The formerly BMW-owned Sauber, however, insisted that recent cost-cutting in formula one has not made it easier for smaller teams to survive.

“The RRA was a step in the right direction, but now other steps must urgently follow,” he told F1′s official website.

“It definitely has not become easier for the smaller teams.”

But beneath the surface, unity has not broken down completely, argues McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who doubles as the FOTA chairman.

It is true, for example, that the new non-FOTA members will continue to respect aspects of the body’s agreements, such as the summer factory closure.

“I’m not too hung up on the brand ‘FOTA’,” Whitmarsh said recently.

“I think what’s important is that the teams realise there are critical issues within this sport where it will be better if we cooperate and take sensible decisions, and I hope and believe that we’ll continue to do that.”

He added last month: “Relations between McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari remain very good indeed.”

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull could be set to reign over a new era of dominance in formula one.
That is the view of former grand prix winner and paddock personality Gerhard Berger, a countryman and close friend of Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz.

He is also the former team co-owner at German Vettel’s first team Toro Rosso.

“If he keeps it up like this and Adrian Newey keeps on building such brilliant cars, then it pushes slowly into dimensions that have only been seen with Schumacher and Ferrari,” Berger told Die Welt newspaper.

But another Austrian, triple world champion Niki Lauda, is not so sure Schumacher’s seven world titles will be troubled. “What happened with Michael will probably remain out of reach for Sebastian,” he insisted.

Lauda referred to Schumacher’s era of success that featured a Ferrari budget approaching EUR 400 million a season, unrestricted testing and a works-style relationship with tyre supplier Bridgestone.

“For them it was the perfect system,” he said.

According to Pirelli’s Paul Hembery, however, it is the little things making the difference for Vettel, who he said was the only F1 racer in 2011 to make a surprise visit to the new tyre supplier’s factory.

Hembery told Spain’s Marca newspaper that the visit was in the dead of the Christmas period.

“He wanted to know what was going on, to see the labs, meet the staff, think about the sporting side and strategies, compounds, everything.

“I can’t say what advantage that gives you but if that’s what you do with each aspect of the car then you can understand the results,” he said.

Red Bull is now the works Renault team.
That is the claim of Red Bull principal Christian Horner, after the team’s new engine supply deal with Renault Sport F1 was announced at Monza.

It was announced not only that Renault engines will continue to power the Red Bull cars through 2017, but that the parties will collaborate “to develop innovative technical solutions” for the new V6 engine of 2014.

Renault’s managing director Jean-Francois Caubet added that the deal, to utilise Red Bull’s “input, resources and vast in-house F1 car expertise”, will also benefit Renault’s “other team partners” like Lotus-Renault, Team Lotus and Williams.

For example, according to Renault’s chief operating officer Carlos Tavares, Red Bull’s input could be used to devise “formidable aerodynamic packaging” for the new engine.

So even though an entirely separate team still bears the Renault chassis name, and in light of Williams’ historic ties, it is Red Bull that should now be considered as having works status, according to Horner.

“The partnership with Renault/Nissan alliance is an important one for the team,” he told the Red Bull website.

“It guarantees stability, it makes us the premier, factory team of Renault Sport, so our colleagues where the engines are produced will be working hand in hand with the engineers and designers at Red Bull.”

Horner added that Renault and Red Bull will also set up a “joint venture” to supply gearbox and KERS systems.

Twenty minutes at the end of formal qualifications, the classical cloud peeps the Mugello International Circuit track wet enough not to offer pilots the opportunity to improve and give the assault on the pole. He was ahead of its time, its own way, Casey Stoner : 1’48 “034, a new lap record (the best joke 2008 pole from Valentino Rossi, 1’48″ 130) which is the fifth pole position in eight races, 27 ° MotoGP, MotoGP 31 ° in his career.

With this “Tempone” the leader of the world has not experienced opponents: the ranking sliding Ben Spies, a veteran of the first statement in MotoGP at Mugello, pay 4 / 10. Not least Marco Simoncelli , third to complete the front row with 451 thousandths of a disadvantage, enough to leave behind in order Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Colin Edwards unable to improve in the final minutes of Attibassi.

If Casey Stoner shows at ease in all conditions, the gap does not change from the top (1 “8) for Valentino Rossi once again grappling with a qualifying session to forget. Twelfth on the grid, fourth row at Jerez and Assen, more so than at Silverstone (13th), but still in a season where it has never gone beyond the 7th time in a row and the third test.

It promises to be a race issue, perhaps the most difficult for Ducati at Mugello in recent years, with only 9 ° between Nicky Hayden Dani Pedrosa (8 th to the back) and Hector Barbera with GP11 “Sat” Aspar team. With sixteen riders at the start without the complicity of Loris Capirossi, close the group Alvaro Bautista, Randy de Puniet and Toni Elias, hoping for rain tomorrow should not come. The expected 100,000 spectators and the people of ” do not sleep at Mugello “thank you ..

MotoGP World Championship 2011
Mugello Qualifying Standings

01 – Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 1’48 .034
02 – Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 0445 +
03 – Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – 0451 +
04 – Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 0660 +
05 – Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 0722 +
06 – Colin Edwards – Tech 3 Yamaha Monster – Yamaha YZR M1 – 0940 +
07 – Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0987
08 – Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 1364 +
09 – Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1475
10 – Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – 1629 +
11 – Karel Abraham – Motoracing Cardion AB – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – 1644 +
12 – Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11.1 – 1868 +
13 – Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – 2122 +
14 – Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki – Suzuki GSV-R – 2426 +
15 – Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – 2617 +
16 – Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – 2708 +

The inaugural running of last month’s Korean grand prix has been brought into question with a piece of emerging news on Thursday.

Although F1′s FIA inspectors cleared the bespoke venue in Yeongam for the October 24 event, it has emerged that state inspectors have deemed mobile stands unsafe for an international F3 race scheduled for late November.

Organiser Barry Bland said in a statement: “(Local promoter) KAVO have had to cancel the (event) due to Force Majeure.”

He said the reason was a “legal technicality with the circuit”, and a KAVO spokesman told AFP news agency that the cancellation is due to “delayed approval from inspectors”.

KAVO, or Korea Auto Valley Operation, is a joint private venture involving the Jeollanam-do regional government.

The spokesman Kim Jae-Ho said the decision will not affect next year’s Korean grand prix, unconditionally scheduled on the 2011 calendar for 16 October.

“We will do our best to build complete mobile stands,” he said.

“Compared to the lack of experience, we believe the first F1 race was staged in a satisfactory way, but we need to make perfect preparations for the F3 race next year,” the spokesman added.