Romain Grosjean is a potential grand prix winner.

That is the claim of the Frenchman’s first F1 teammate Fernando Alonso, who shared the Renault team with Grosjean in 2009.

The Enstone based team, however, was imploding amid the crashgate scandal, and Grosjean struggled to perform after being drafted in to replace the sacked Nelson Piquet.

He lost the drive at the end of the season and then found himself in the odd situation of farewelling his girlfriend, the French F1 presenter Marion Jolles, as she departed for a grand prix.

“She was there and I was home,” Grosjean is quoted as saying in Barcelona by the Gulf Daily News. “Honestly, I thought it was over and I would never come back to formula one.”

But, now as the new reigning GP2 champion, he is back in 2012 at the wheel of Lotus’ black and gold E20 — a car tipped by many as the favourite for victory this weekend.

Many naturally tip Grosjean’s famous teammate Kimi Raikkonen as the most likely winner, but Spaniard Alonso rates the Swiss-born 26-year-old as well.

“When his car was not so good he was criticised a lot,” Alonso told RMC Sport, “but when he has a good car he does very good results.

“He has won GP2 and has a fantastic career. He has talent and I’m happy he went onto the podium (in Bahrain).

“He can win a grand prix,” the Ferrari driver professed.

A support-race team and a respected journalist have become the next to pull out of this weekend’s highly controversial Bahrain grand prix.

The Porsche Supercup team MRS said its decision to skip the support race in the divided island Kingdom is the “first time in our history that we have had to cancel”.

“In the end we have the responsibility for our employees,” said team boss Karsten Molitor, citing security concerns.

Another withdrawal – joining the sacked Williams catering staff member, and the TV broadcasters Sky Deutschland, Fuji TV and MTV3 Finland – is the respected correspondent for O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Livio Oricchio.

“I have decided in agreement with Estado to not go,” he said. “We had the tickets for the entire season, except for Bahrain and the United States, because there was a doubt they would be run.

“Like many journalists, I will not be at Sakhir,” Oricchio admitted.

“I always believed that the race would not take place, and I’m still not 100 per cent sure that something will not happen that will lead the FIA or FOM to cancel.”

Indeed, following the sport’s decision to push ahead, the pressure on formula one to cancel at the eleventh hour has only intensified.

Nabeel Rajab, the leader of the government opposition group Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, admitted that the next protests – ‘three days of rage’, to coincide with the race’s three-day calendar – are aimed specifically at F1.

“We’re protesting to show anger at formula one for conducting the race here,” he is quoted by the BBC.

And the wife of a well-known jailed Bahraini activist who is on a long hunger strike, added: “I am not angry with the government… what makes me angry is people like Ecclestone who decide to come to Bahrain because he thinks everyone is happy.”

Italy’s La Stampa reports that F1 personnel have been advised to stay away from restaurants and shops, while “girlfriends and wives stay at home”.

That’s not entirely true, as Felipe Massa touched down at the airport on Thursday with his wife and baby son.

And Giedo van der Garde, the reserve driver for Caterham, said he has found Bahrain peaceful since his arrival on Wednesday.

“I’ve not been here long,” he is quoted by Auto Hebdo, “but everything seems quiet. Obviously, there’s a heavy police presence,” the Dutchman continued.

“But I haven’t seen any trouble or anything. Let’s hope it stays like that.”

Marco Canseco, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca, said he witnessed a “minor altercation” in the capital Manama on Wednesday.

“Then all the teams and everybody were able to get to the track for work without a hitch, the same on return,” he revealed.

Many are protesting the race going ahead on moral grounds, others due to security fears, whilst others fear for F1′s image.

“The ongoing debate about Bahrain is the only damage to the high gloss of the exciting 2012 season so far,” agreed Austria’s Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

Jenson Button is an outright favourite for the 2012 title, according to former F1 driver Mika Salo.
The Finn, Salo, will be a regular in the paddock this season with the MTV3 broadcaster, except for this weekend’s season opener for which he is detained to test last year’s Ferrari at Suzuka.

Asked however in a pre-season interview to name some likely challengers to Sebastian Vettel’s crown, the 45-year-old answered: “Jenson Button is not necessarily the quickest driver, but he is able to collect points consistently.

“I would not previously have put him as a favourite, but when Hamilton had his personal problems, Button was immediately on the case.”

Behind Vettel and Button, Salo predicts Hamilton and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg to be on the favourites’ heels.

“It will depend on Hamilton, and whether or not he splits with his girlfriend every other weekend.

“Nico will be strong, if he has a good car. Webber, I think, is a bit past it, especially if Red Bull is no longer as dominant as they have been,” he added.

A few days ago, Red Bull’s team boss said Jenson Button – not the other McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton – is a more likely championship challenger for 2012.
On the eve of the new season, Christian Horner has now told British reporters that – with Hamilton’s current contract expiring this year – it is “difficult to envisage Lewis in our team”.

Hamilton, the 2008 world champion who had a tumultuous 2011 and was famously beaten by Button in the drivers’ points standings, insists he doesn’t mind.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard of (the remarks) but they definitely don’t wind me up,” the Briton is quoted by the BBC.

“There are a lot of opinions, and everybody has their right to an opinion, but it doesn’t really affect me.

“It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day when I go out and do the job.”

In fairness to Hamilton, he sounds confident and refreshed heading into the new season, has patched up his relationship with his girlfriend, and appointed Didier Coton to look after him in the paddock.

“Lewis was a child prodigy — this is the problem,” 1996 world champion Damon Hill told the Sun. “When you have been brought up from an early age to be a product, at some point something will crack.”

Another pundit, former McLaren driver David Coulthard, urged Hamilton not to be put off by Red Bull’s apparent lack of interest in his services.

“I don’t think Lewis will ever be out of demand for the top teams,” said the Scot.

“What are Lewis’ other options? I don’t think Mercedes are waving around a cheque book — I’d be surprised if Michael (Schumacher) and Nico Rosberg are in the top-four earners in formula one.

“You also want a competitive car and if McLaren give him that, then he will probably stay,” said Coulthard.

Eddie Jordan has advised Lewis Hamilton to stick with McLaren.
With the 2008 world champion’s current contract coming to an end this year, he said recently he would address the issue of his future “sooner rather than later”.

“After the first couple of races it’s something we will probably want to get out of the way,” said Hamilton last month.

For the moment, however, there is speculation, after Bernie Ecclestone said he doubts the 27-year-old will stay with the Woking based team forever.

The major German daily Bild then reported that Hamilton has been earmarked as Mercedes’ ‘plan-B’ in the event Michael Schumacher does not stay in 2013.

But Jordan, a former F1 team owner and boss, believes Hamilton should stay put.

“Given their (McLaren’s) resources and level of investment, can you tell me that Lewis would be better off in another team?” he said on Tuesday at a BBC event.

Jordan believes, however, that the famous British team can do a better job of handling Hamilton.

“I think – and this is in some way a criticism – that they will have learned from their mistakes last season,” he said.

One remedy is the placement by Hamilton’s management of Mika Hakkinen’s former manager Didier Coton, and another is the driver’s move from secluded Geneva to bustling Monaco.

Hamilton has also reunited with his girlfriend Nicole, and had a long winter break.

“McLaren appear to have given him a chunk of time off, to go away and to focus,” former long-time McLaren driver David Coulthard said.

Mark Webber has backed his rival Lewis Hamilton to bounce back in 2012.
McLaren’s 2008 world champion had a tumultuous season on and off the circuit last year, but has returned having reunited with his girlfriend and with extra support in the form of Mika Hakkinen’s former manager Didier Coton.

“It’s normal for a sportsman or woman to go through some headwinds in their career — particularly someone like him who had so much success so early, and he’s black, and he’s got interest, and he’s got a girlfriend of profile,” Red Bull driver Webber is quoted by the Sun newspaper.

“Let’s hope he’s strong but not too strong. As a competitor you hope he can realise his potential but clearly we still want to beat him,” added the plain-talking Australian.

Despite winning the season ending Brazilian grand prix last year, Webber also had a less than ideal 2011 as his teammate Sebastian Vettel utterly dominated.

The 35-year-old, however, has lost a couple of kilos over the winter and insists he is ready for 2012.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone backs Webber to succeed.

“I think Mark will be the guy who will threaten him (Vettel) if anybody,” the 81-year-old told The Australian newspaper.

“The last time I spoke to him about it, he was really motivated.”

 A former world champion has dealt Lewis Hamilton a mild rebuke after the Briton refused to appear at Adrian Sutil’s assault trial.
Not only did the McLaren driver defer to his team’s looming car launch date rather than leap to his former friend’s aid in Munich, he has also refused to contact Sutil or answer a single question on the matter posed by the media.

Sutil’s father has called the 2008 world champion “pathetic” while the former Force India driver himself described Hamilton as a “coward”.

“I don’t know whether you’d call him a coward,” 1980 title winner Alan Jones told GMM, “but I don’t know whether I’d like to have him in the trenches with me.”

Hamilton, who recently reunited with his girlfriend Nicole, had a tumultuous 2011 season and so this year will be accompanied to races by experienced manager Didier Coton.

When involved with Mika Hakkinen’s career, Coton worked for the management company headed by Keke Rosberg.

“In the past, Lewis has certainly made mistakes in the professional organisation of his life,” Rosberg, backing the changes Hamilton is making, commented to the Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

“You can’t go flying every other week to America when you’re making a serious job of being a formula one driver,” he said.

Keke Rosberg also questioned a recent claim made by the 27-year-old Briton.

“He says he wants to win all the races this season. That’s quite a claim.

“I would think Jenson Button wonders how he will do it when he will probably win a few races in the same car,” said Rosberg.

Lewis Hamilton has a new day-to-day manager, British newspapers have revealed.
As his on and off-track woes worsened last year, the 2008 world champion insisted he was happy with his management team headed by pop industry agent Simon Fuller.

But Fuller’s company, XIX Entertainment, has now appointed Didier Coton – the famous F1 driver manager who handled Mika Hakkinen’s career – to look after McLaren’s Hamilton.

Formerly with Keke Rosberg’s outfit, Coton now heads his own management firm, Monaco based Aces Group.

“Didier’s appointment builds on the existing strengths of XIX and I am delighted to have him as part of the team,” Hamilton is quoted as saying.

British tabloids also report that Hamilton, 27, has reunited with his girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger.

Lewis Hamilton’s split with pop star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger will make him a better man and driver.
That is the claim of the 2008 world champion’s father, following the news that Pussycat Dolls singer Scherzinger and Hamilton, 26, have parted after a four-year relationship.

The split would explain Hamilton’s foul mood in Korea just over a week ago, towards the end of arguably the Briton’s worst ever season in his professional career.

But Anthony Hamilton, despite no longer managing his son’s career, indicated the McLaren driver is now steering onto the right track.

“He’s turned a corner in everything he’s done, his life, his loves and his love of motor sport. Next year is going to be interesting,” he is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

“You’ve only seen a young Lewis Hamilton. Now Lewis Hamilton the man is coming,” added Hamilton Snr.

Jenson Button has travelled to Japan as the only driver apart from Sebastian Vettel still mathematically able to clinch the 2011 title.
But the Briton, who wears Japanese characters on his helmet and whose girlfriend is the model Jessica Michibata, told Die Welt newspaper that he knows German Vettel is the sure winner.

“There is no need to build sandcastles in the sky and kid ourselves,” said Button. “It’s really been clear for quite some time that Sebastian has earned the title. He’s been so strong all season.”

Even if Vettel cannot secure the tenth place he needs for the championship at Suzuka, McLaren’s Button would have to win in order to stay in the fight for Korea.

“On paper, I think it (Suzuka) will suit the Red Bulls, particularly in the high speed sweeps,” 31-year-old Button admitted, “but we showed at Spa that we also have a car that’s very effective in high speed corners.”

Lewis Hamilton’s decision about his new manager is not just about formula one, the 2008 world champion has admitted.
The McLaren driver on Monday said signing up with XIX Entertainment is because its chief Simon Fuller “shared my ambitions for the longer term”.

Fuller is famous for creating American Idol and its spinoffs, managing the Spice Girls and coming up with Honda’s ‘earth car’ concept of 2007.

A report in Germany’s Bild newspaper said Hamilton “Wants to get away from having purely an athletic image”.

26-year-old Hamilton, whose girlfriend is Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, confirmed: “I’m open to music and film.”

Heikki Kovalainen will spend another week recovering from a head injury sustained recently.

The Lotus driver was ordered to bed early last week after medical checks showed he suffered a heavy concussion when he crashed an Audi R8 during the Race of Champions event in Dusseldorf.

Kovalainen, who was knocked out in the crash while his girlfriend suffered minor injuries, wrote on Twitter that his recovery is “going well”.

“Final scans for the head done today, no problems and just one more week resting then back to fitness training!” reported the 29-year-old Finn.

Heikki Kovalainen has been ordered to bed for a few days to nurse “heavy concussion” sustained at the weekend in Germany.

After clipping a wall, the Lotus driver crashed at the start of the Race of Champions evening in Dusseldorf when the throttle of his Audi R8 stuck open.

Finn Kovalainen, 29, was knocked unconscious for 30 seconds and sent to hospital for checks.

He then had some more checks in Switzerland on Monday and confirmed that he was “put to bed at home as a precaution” due to “heavy concussion” and a headache.

Kovalainen wrote on Twitter that he will have more tests in the next few days “as (my) head took a big hit”.

His girlfriend and passenger Catherine Hyde was also injured in the crash, confirming a hairline fracture of her pelvis and hip, and damaged leg muscles.

“Both of us (are) on bed rest for a while,” she said.

Heikki Kovalainen was on Sunday knocked unconscious in a crash at the Race of Champions event in Germany.

“Hardcore shunt with throttle jammed and rear suspension damaged, got knocked out, now some medical checkups,” the Finnish driver wrote on Twitter after the crash in an Audi R8 in Dusseldorf.

Kovalainen’s British girlfriend Catherine Hyde was seated alongside the Lotus driver, who had already taken the chequered flag to win the race, but she emerged unscathed.

“Catherine is sore and her back is painful, got to look after her now,” 29-year-old Kovalainen, who went to a local hospital for checks, added.

He also said on Twitter that, after arriving home to Switzerland, he will have further medical checks on Monday.

“Head’s a bit sore, (I) was unconscious for 30 seconds,” revealed Kovalainen, a former Race of Champions winner.

Bernie Ecclestone was kicked unconscious by his muggers and on Saturday was sporting a very badly bruised eye.

The 80-year-old F1 chief executive told British newspapers his minor injuries are “painful” but he is “ok” after a group of men attacked him whilst outside his office with his girlfriend in London.

“I’m feeling it now, bit painful, it was a good whacking,” said Ecclestone.

“When I was on the ground I could hear Fabiana (Flosi) screaming for help and I took a kick or two in the head and went unconscious,” he revealed.

“When I came to there was blood everywhere from my head wound but I was lucky.

“It was completely stupid and uncalled for. If they had confronted me and asked for everything we had, I would have handed over everything in my pockets, my wallet, anything,” said Ecclestone, adding that the muggers “ripped” the earrings from his girlfriend’s ears.

He said reports that the Hublot watch taken from his wrist was worth more than $300,000 is “bollocks”.

Ecclestone’s daughter Tamara condemned the “hideous” attack but said her dad has already returned to work.

“It takes a lot to throw my dad off,” she told the Evening Standard. “I spoke to him this morning and he is in good spirits.”