Nico Hulkenberg has played down claims Force India could be a podium-getting ‘dark horse’ of the 2012 season.
Behind the top battle involving Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, there appears a closely-packed midfield, with potential challengers including Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Sauber and Force India.

German Hulkenberg is returning to F1 with Silverstone based Force India this season, after being ousted by Williams at the end of 2010.

Asked what his goals are by Germany’s Sport1, the 24-year-old answered: “First I want to establish myself (in F1), after the bad experience of 2010.

“A couple of points would also be great,” he smiled.

Some pundits, however, are predicting that podiums may be possible for Hulkenberg – the 2010 Brazil GP pole sitter – and his highly rated teammate Paul di Resta.

“Clearly this is a dream,” the German admitted.

“But at the moment I don’t think that’s our goal. Of course if we should be in that situation in a race, then we will try everything for it.”

Hulkenberg conceded that Force India is not ready to challenge F1′s frontrunners.

“I think Red Bull have their nose in front again, and McLaren are the closest to them. I have no idea what Ferrari are doing at the moment and Mercedes is also difficult to assess because they haven’t shown much.”

He said countryman Sebastian Vettel’s crown, however, may be challenged.

“It’s clear that he is the man to beat,” said Hulkenberg.

Felipe Massa’s chances of securing another Ferrari contract beyond 2012 appear to have taken a hit.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali told reporters during the summer media event in the Italian Dolomites that Fernando Alonso’s next teammate should be a “talented youngster on the way up”.

The early frontrunners for the seat are Jules Bianchi and Sergio Perez.

Domenicali was responding to a question about whether Lewis Hamilton might switch from McLaren to pair with his former teammate Alonso.

“I don’t think the question will arise,” he answered, “neither in the short nor in the long term.

“For the Ferrari of the future, I believe the right combination is to have one well established driver with great experience, alongside a talented youngster on the way up.”

Spaniard Alonso’s new contract will see him at Ferrari at least until the end of 2016.

He said: “I am very happy to have Felipe as a teammate and we work very well together. If the day arrives when someone else was to come here, that would not be a problem for me, even if it was Hamilton.”

Domenicali said Brazilian Massa, 30, has upped his game in 2011 and is “a very quick driver over a single lap”.

“(But) maybe he needs to improve a bit in terms of his consistency in the races. For us, it is vital for Felipe to be on top of his game, given that for at least another year and a half, he is one of our drivers.”

No less than 15 teams have applied for the final place on the 2011 formula one grid.

Italian website 422race.com reports that the governing FIA has now written to all those who expressed interest in the place made vacant by the demise of USF1.

June 21 has been set as the deadline for the teams’ actual application and dossier, at which time EUR12,750 must be paid.

The frontrunners must be successful GP2 team ART, headed by FIA president Jean Todt’s son Nicolas, and the Spanish Le Mans competitor Epsilon Euskadi.

422race.com claims that more than one team may be selected by the FIA, in case HRT or Sauber run further into financial trouble.

At Monaco, the less competitive pace of the new Lotus, Virgin and HRT teams has been the main topic of conversation, with frontrunners worried about being held up on the short and twisty layout.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that HRT is struggling for survival, while David Coulthard insists that the sport needs “quality, not quantity”.

“If teams are not competitive they will not stay on the grid for long anyway as sponsorship is driven by results on track,” the Scottish veteran wrote in his Telegraph column.

But fellow veteran Trulli, who now drives a Lotus despite previously working with big teams including Renault and Toyota, insists that the new teams have a place on the grid.

“Without us, it would have seemed that F1 had just a handful of teams,” he is quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper.

“I would be more cautious in asserting that we are not worthy of our place in F1,” the Italian added.