Whilst admitting the RB8 has “very nervous” handling, Sebastian Vettel insists there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the 2012 Red Bull.

The German looks likely to struggle to add a third consecutive drivers’ title to his tally this season, after slumping to just sixth in the points standings after the first two races.

In China, he has reverted to a launch specification of the Adrian Newey-penned car’s exhaust layout, whilst Mark Webber is plugging ahead with a further development of the Australia-Malaysia solution.

“There is no question of something (being) wrong,” Vettel is quoted in Spanish media reports as saying in Shanghai, “just a few things that are probably just not working in an ideal manner.

“The problem we have is that the balance of the car is not as good as we had last year. It’s not a question of downforce, but of ensuring that all the parts are behaving as a whole.

“That is what we are trying to achieve.”

Vettel dismissed the suggestion that because Red Bull’s cars are in two different specifications this weekend, it means the team has “lost” its way.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said. “I firmly believe we have a very competitive car, at the moment we are just not able to take its full potential out.”

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old said he has spoken with Narain Karthikeyan, following their collision in Malaysia.

Vettel twice showed his Indian rival the middle finger, and described Karthikeyan – who was penalised by the stewards – as an “idiot”.

“I spoke with him and he apologised,” Vettel is quoted by Germany’s spox.com.

But when told that he was once a backmarker like Karthikeyan, the German insisted: “I was never as far behind as the HRT.

“Of course you have to drive your own race. But you still have to know what is going on around you.”

Peter Sauber has admitted his Swiss team is flattered after Red Bull apparently copied the C31′s exhaust layout ahead of the 2012 season.
Red Bull ran at the initial Jerez and Barcelona tests – and then the two opening days of the final Barcelona test – with its own solution in the wake of the FIA’s blown exhaust clampdown.

“We had a nice surprise on the penultimate day (of winter testing),” Sauber team boss Peter Sauber wrote in his column for Sonntagsblick newspaper.

“Red Bull announced their plans to use a heavily modified car, as it will race in Melbourne.

“Compared to their first version it had a completely different rear, which differs significantly from most cars — but not ours.

“The Red Bull and our C31 have a very similar concept, concerning the management of the airflow at the rear.

“For our engineers, it was an extra confirmation that they have chosen the right development direction. They are convinced that this concept has the potential for further development,” added Sauber.

With Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of a Toyota TF109 Pirelli is currently testing in Mugello – tires for Formula 1 and GP2 will be the same in future.

It is serious for Pirelli, the future Formula 1 tire manufacturer who will replace the previous incumbent Bridgestone in 2011 for at least three years, today officially launched at Mugello quasi with preparations for the coming season. At the wheel sat the test carrier as announced Nick Heidfeld.

The former Mercedes test driver took a Toyota TF109 from last season site, used by the company based in Cologne TTE, a remnant of former Toyota Formula 1 team. The main objective of the two-day test is to get the new tires and to collect valuable data for further development in the coming months. In this regard, Heidfeld will describe his impressions and give input.
However, it is not at the Mugello test track at the premiere of the forthcoming Pirelli tires. This took place in July with a GP2 test carrier in Le Castellet. For what many do not know: According to information of ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ Pirelli will offer in 2011 for Formula 1 and GP2, the same types of tires. This helps the GP2 as a springboard to the premier class, and also saves costs.

The Italian tire manufacturer will continue the test at home tomorrow. Then there are five more tests with the TTE test carrier on the program before it will be the week after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, the first tests of all the teams with the new Pirelli tires. Insiders expect that the tires are beginning to turn more conservative, after all do not want to stand out by Pirelli defects.

Mercedes GP has played down reports it has cancelled further development of its 2010 formula one car due to budget considerations.

The major German daily Bild reportedly said the Brackley based team’s focus has switched to the W01′s successor because this year’s budget is depleted.

A team spokesman told Sport1: “Our current car is developed, and the development of the 2011 car is well underway.”

It is also reported in Germany that Mercedes GP will soon have to replace its reserve driver Nick Heidfeld, because the 33-year-old is expected to commence his new role as Pirelli’s permanent tyre tester within the month of August.

With 67 points from seven races and sixth place overall World Cup Robert Kubica is perhaps the biggest surprise this season. The Pole has breathed Renault after the end of the era Alonso / FB / Symonds new life and is in the points standings of the last six races even before Sebastian Vettel and Alonso fourth.

“We must be happy with the start of the season, since Canada is only the eighth race, but we already have quite a few points in the account” is delighted Kubica. “We hope that the second half of the season as well or even better.” Lastly, we must put a good basis for 2011, because as Felipe Massa at Ferrari and Mark Webber at Red Bull have extended the most hotly sought-after alternative seem cockpits to be awarded.

At Renault, Kubica feels well, “It is no secret that I was not always satisfied in the past with the decisions of my former teams, but that had nothing to do with my crew, with which I had to work immediately,” he plays on BMW. “I am very happy at Renault, as the atmosphere is good and I respect the people who work for me, and people respect me. This is very important.”

Now he would like to stay ahead of Ferrari, as was the case in Istanbul: “Ideally we would be in front, but we must remain realistic,” said the 25-year-old. “The reality is that I’m faster in the last four of five qualifying as Massa was. We were faster not only in Turkey than they, but even before that. This speaks for our further development, but Ferrari will increase certainly soon . then billed after the last race will be. ”

(MotorSportsTotal)

Apr.28 (GMM)  Ross Brawn has conceded that Mercedes’ full ‘F-duct’ system might not be ready to debut in Barcelona next weekend.

The Brackley based team introduced an initial “passive” version of the downforce-spoiling rear wing device in China, as efforts to fully emulate McLaren’s innovative system continue at the factory.

Unlike McLaren’s system, Mercedes’ Shanghai F-duct was not operated by the driver, with air instead being cleverly ‘flicked’ at increasingly higher speeds through a slot in the rear wing.

“We’re still working on the proper system which we’re having in Barcelona or Istanbul.  There’s no point in having it in Monaco,” said Brawn.

“It is complicated to get to work properly,” the team boss added.

It is a similar story at Ferrari, where only some parts of a full F-duct system appeared on the F10 car in Shanghai.

“We are working on the F-duct and more progress could be made for Barcelona, although that’s not confirmed yet,” Fernando Alonso is quoted as saying by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

“It is not an easy system, but I know the team is working hard to make it available as soon as possible,” the Ferrari driver added.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that a further development of Sauber’s China-specification F-duct will be debuted on the C29 in Spain next weekend.

Williams also had problems with its initial F-duct in Shanghai, and technical director Sam Michael is not expecting a quick fix.

“I expect it will take us a couple of months to get it working properly,” said the Australian.