Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley has dismissed reports the Silverstone based team could pull out of the controversial Bahrain grand prix.

Two members of the team were allowed to return to Europe this week following a Molotov cocktail attack en route from the Sakhir circuit to the hotel.

There were high-level meetings involving Force India on Thursday, sparking speculation the entire team could follow its frightened members back to the UK.

But Fernley, admitting that security has been ramped up after the incident, is quoted by Express newspaper: “We are definitely taking part, that is decided.”

Bahrain’s information affairs authority also released a statement featuring quotes by Bernie Ecclestone.

“I have no knowledge of any teams planning to withdraw from the race and we are all looking forward to racing in Bahrain,” the F1 chief executive said.

According to Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary, however, another incident like the one involving Force India this week could force F1 to change its decision to go ahead with the race.

“If that happened again and someone was injured then that’s the nightmare scenario for organisers as it might push the teams over the edge,” he said.

Many drivers, like Kimi Raikkonen, have said the situation is normal this weekend in Bahrain, but Cary does not agree.

“Normally there would be PR events in town, you know, ‘meet the fans’ and that sort of thing but certainly as far as I’m aware there aren’t any of those happening,” he said.

World champion Sebastian Vettel said he will be happy when track action begins on Friday.

“I think it’s not a big problem,” the German said when asked about the security situation this weekend, “and I’m happy once we start testing tomorrow because then we worry about the stuff that really matters — tyre temperatures, cars.”

Earlier, Vitaly Petrov’s manager indicated the Russian would only travel to Bahrain if F1 could guarantee his safety.

“If it was dangerous they wouldn’t let us in,” the Caterham driver told The National in Bahrain.

“If they make sure nothing gets thrown onto that track to hurt us, then we’ll be fine. We are here; if it happens, it happens,” added Petrov.

In fact, almost everyone in Bahrain has been reluctant to comment in detail, but there is an obvious feeling of unease.

Peter Sauber told Blick newspaper: “I feel like a guest, and so it is not polite to criticise your host.”

But 1996 world champion Damon Hill allowed himself some criticism of F1, including the sport’s most powerful figures, Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt.

He pointed out that FIA president Todt has said “next to nothing” about the Bahrain saga.

“This I find baffling,” Hill wrote in the Guardian. “Surely it is possible to condemn acts of inhumanity without taking a side?”

As for F1 chief executive Ecclestone, who has consistently trivialised the Bahrain issue, Hill noted that “few” in the paddock “dare to publicly disagree” with the imperious 81-year-old.

“Perhaps we should (criticise him), instead of just muttering under our breath, scared of losing our passes,” said Hill.

Hermann Tilke, the German architect who designed the Sakhir circuit, sees the entire saga as a storm in a teacup.

“It is safe in Bahrain,” Tilke, whose company has an office there, told the Kolner Express newspaper. “I’ve never heard about any problems from our people.

“Of course there is some unrest, but it is protests, not civil war. As Bernie Ecclestone has said, we do sports, not politics,” he insisted.

“And if they demonstrate peacefully now, the media will report on it, so both sides benefit.”

Argentina looks set to replace Korea on the 2013 formula one calendar.

That is the claim of Italy’s Autosprint magazine, reporting that the Argentinean national government will sign a three-year contract next month.

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said last month that the 2013 Argentine grand prix, last held at the ageing Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez in Buenos Aires in 1998, will take place on the streets of the coastal city of Mar del Plata.

Autosprint now quotes Argentine tourism minister Carlos Enrique Mayer as saying: “The national government accepts the challenge of organising the grand prix of Argentina to promote our country to the world.

“In May, the three year contract between all the parties involved will be signed,” he added.

The report said Hermann Tilke will be responsible for the 5 kilometre city layout.

Autosprint also reported that next year’s calendar will remain at 20 races, so with the addition of Argentina as well as New Jersey, two current grands prix will need to give way.

One place will likely open up due to a new alternating scheme in Spain, with Valencia to wait until 2014 for its next race.

And Autosprint added: “The grand prix of Korea no longer seems able to honour the financial obligations agreed with (Bernie) Ecclestone.”

Malaysia is not yet committing its future to the formula one calendar beyond its 2015 deal.
Sepang was Hermann Tilke’s first full creation that made its grand prix debut in 1999.

But Razlan Razali, the Kuala Lumpur circuit’s chief executive, said on Wednesday he is unable to say if there will be a race in 2016.

“We can recommend all we want, but as (the) prime minister announced last year, the decision will be made by the cabinet,” he told the New Straits Times.

Sepang commissioned consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) last year to study the economic impact of the Malaysian grand prix.

“PWC advised us to have another study on this year’s event,” revealed Razali.

He also pointed some criticism at the lack of enthusiasm from some parts of the government, particularly when it comes to promoting the annual race.

“Not all ministries seem interested,” Razlan admitted.

F1 commentators might have a better view of next year’s Indian grand prix.
At the brand new Buddh circuit, television broadcasters were horrified to discover that the commentary booths did not have windows.

“I might as well be in Shepherd’s Bush,” said the BBC’s David Coulthard.

So annoyed were Coulthard and his colleagues that the broadcasters called a meeting with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

In charge of the design of the new Indian venue was Hermann Tilke.

On the window controversy, he told Auto Motor und Sport: “This is a problem that we definitely have to solve.”

As for whether the solution will be in place for 2012, he answered: “We’ll see.”

F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke received a pat on the back on Friday after drivers enjoyed his latest effort.
The German engineer has been criticised for the ‘boring’ layouts at many of his latest formula one venues, including those in Bahrain, Valencia and Abu Dhabi.

“You are always nervous, there is no routine,” Tilke told DPA news agency when he arrived in India this week ahead of the brand new Buddh track’s first ever race.

But when Nico Rosberg emerged from his Mercedes at the end of the first practice session in Delhi, he immediately sought out Tilke to say ‘well done’ in person.

“This is the best track Hermann has ever built,” Rosberg confirmed.

Vicky Chandhok experienced a classically harrowing moment on Wednesday when greeted by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone at the new Buddh circuit.
The first Indian grand prix has endured a tumultuous build-up, but the Hermann Tilke-designed venue has ultimately been delivered just on time.

“You are always nervous,” Tilke admitted to the German news agency DPA. “Little things do go wrong at a (circuit’s) first grand prix.”

One of those ‘little things’ was the presence of mouse droppings all over the brand new team facilities buildings, and faulty wiring that had to be fixed, an unnamed member of the Williams team revealed.

Tilke told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper: “We did the project and advised the work. We are not responsible for the buildings.”

And Germany’s Die Welt revealed that there was a worrying glitch during a safety test this week when key marshals could not find the medical centre even after 20 minutes.

Vicky Chandhok, the boss of India’s motor sport clubs, admits he felt a rush of adrenaline when sternly greeted by Ecclestone on Wednesday.

“I had Charlie (Whiting) drive me round the track this morning, and afterwards Bernie came up, slapped my face and he said to me, How did you put up such rubbish?” he told the Daily Mail.

“I looked at him aghast and said, What are you saying?” added Chandhok.

“Then he laughed, gave me a big hug, a slap on the back and said ‘Great job’.”

The designer of India’s new Buddh circuit insists the venue will be ready for its inaugural race late this month.
Hermann Tilke was talking to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport after the latest round of speculation about the last stages of construction near Delhi.

Asked if the F1 paddock and spectators need to be worried three weeks before they arrive at Buddh, he said: “No, everything with the planning is on time.

“This is actually as it always is — almost all of the new tracks are finished just in time. It will also be the case in India.”

Tilke admitted however that the entire facility may not be complete.

“It is safe to assume that certain parts of the infrastructure will still have something to do. But that’s true of almost everywhere as well.

“I am very satisfied and I think the results speak for themselves,” he added.

There remains a chance Imola might return to the formula one calendar. The famous Italian circuit last hosted the San Marino grand prix in 2006, when delayed renovations and an increase in the race sanctioning fee moved Bernie Ecclestone to admit: “I’m sorry, but we have lost Imola.” Since then, there have been changes, including the complete rebuild of the pits, pitlane and paddock overseen by F1 track architect Hermann Tilke. But Imola, officially called the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, was granted a 1T rating, making it usable by formula one only for testing. It now emerges, however, that the track has received the top ’1′ FIA homologation rating after a recent inspection by Charlie Whiting. “We are proud of the objective reached,” said circuit chief Walter Sciacca, “which is a clear sign that we are working in the right direction. “With this approval we are in a position to once again host a formula one grand prix. So we don’t limit ourselves; if we experience the right economic conditions, we are ready to face any challenge.”

Organisers of the 2012 United States grand prix have submitted plans for the bespoke circuit outside of Austin with F1′s governing FIA.

The lodging is earlier than expected, with the body’s Circuit Commission not scheduled to meet until February.

“Our early submission is a true indicator of our ability to meet our slated opening in 2012,” said promoter Tavo Hellmund.

FIA senate president Nick Craw met with Hermann Tilke official Peter Wahl and Hellmund in October, and according to the Austin American Statesman newspaper said: “I have a very high degree of confidence that they’ll bless it (the plan).”

Added Hellmund: “Tilke has done this a million times so they know what is needed. It’s all the civil engineering. It’s a big book, a massive document.

“It’s a blueprint for what the track is going to look like with all the cross-grading and everything,” he explained.

The submission of the plans sets in motion the process for the circuit’s mandatory homologation.

“We look forward to approval and positive feedback from the FIA Circuit Commission, which will meet in February to review our submission,” said Hellmund.

Help from Germany ensured that Korea’s new F1 circuit is able to host its inaugural grand prix this weekend.

That is the claim of Hermann Tilke, the architect of the circuit but retained only as an ‘advisor’ to the actual construction of the venue in Yeongam.

When it became clear that the Koreans were struggling to complete the facility, Tilke stepped in, reportedly providing workers and machinery, primarily to get the track surface in racing condition.

“In the end we sent workers over from Germany, otherwise it probably wouldn’t have worked,” he is quoted by Auto Bild Motorsport.

Tilke insists that fears the track surface will break up this weekend are unfounded.

“We have used a special formula — one that dries quickly and is ready immediately,” said the German, who said the only problem encountered by the drivers will be low levels of initial grip due to the bitumen sitting above the asphalt.

But Tilke admitted that, earlier, he did have “some doubts” that the circuit would be ready, according to France’s L’Equipe.

“It was necessary to analyse the problems and find solutions,” he said.  “We (Tilke GmbH) helped, but the construction companies in Korea worked hard.

“Overall, everything should be fine, but there might be some shortcomings here and there.”

Indeed, on Thursday as the F1 paddock filled up, many of the sport’s travellers moaned about plumbing and late media shuttles to the circuit, whilst highlighting the circuit’s imperfections.

“F1 has raced in a parking lot in Las Vegas, a desert in Bahrain and a swamp in Shanghai.

“But never on a building site in the middle of nowhere,” said Bild newspaper, as 1500 Korean soldiers hurriedly screwed in seats in the grandstands whilst workers painted dirt track verges green.

“We can hardly expect to be perfect from the outset,” said an event spokesman.

The good news is that organisers are expecting a healthy crowd – perhaps 90,000 on Sunday – for the track action, although it is understood this number of tickets has not yet been sold.

“We don’t expect too much on our first attempt at this event,” acknowledged the spokesman.  “We hope interest in F1 (in Korea) will increase after this.”

Hermann Tilke on Wednesday sounded confident the newly laid track surface at Yeongam will survive this weekend’s inaugural Korean grand prix.

With the top layer so recently laid and oils still seeping to the surface, it is feared this event could be a repeat of Spa in 1985, when the F1 cars had to go home because the track broke up.

But Tilke, the architect who designed the 5.6km layout, said he is not worried about the strength of the surface.

Instead, he predicted it will be a challenge for the drivers.

“It will probably have little grip in the beginning.  But they are the best drivers in the world and must cope with it,” the German, whose company provided machinery and expertise for the laying of the asphalt, told DPA news agency.

“It will be very slippery in the beginning.  But the track will become faster by the seconds until Sunday,” he added.

Also sounding bullish on Wednesday was McLaren’s chief engineer Phil Prew, who had worried about the state of the brand new asphalt before arriving in Korea.

“I walked the circuit this morning and the track surface didn’t look too bad,” he told reporters during a teleconference.

“It wasn’t particularly greasy underfoot and it looked – from what you can tell – smooth, well-laid and consistent all the way around,” added Prew.

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that, mere weeks ago, this weekend’s inaugural Korean grand prix risked not going ahead.

The F1 chief executive recently expressed doubt about the incomplete Yeongam venue, which has now been passed fit by the FIA to host the formula one circus.

“It’s done now,” Ecclestone said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper.

“Last month I didn’t think it would be finished. And it would have been cancelled then — for sure.”

But the Briton, to turn 80 later this month, defended his campaign of the last decade or so to expand the sport far beyond its traditional European base.

Since the late 90s, F1 has moved further into Asia and the Middle East, and the likes of India, the USA and Russia will soon also be on the calendar — despite waves of scepticism among some of the sport’s purists.

“In the end common sense has prevailed and we’ve expanded. It’s just having the courage to do it,” said Ecclestone.

A potential problem, however, is that F1′s expansion has put in jeopardy some of the historic, much-loved but outdated venues and hosts — like the popular Spa-Francorchamps.

But is the incredible Belgian venue really in danger of losing its grand prix? “Absolutely,” Ecclestone insisted.

“If it wasn’t supported by the government over there it probably would go because they wouldn’t be able to afford it. It’s the same with the British grand prix,” he added.

Another problem is that the circuits replacing the old guard are mostly penned by Hermann Tilke, who has been accused of churning out bland clones.

“Our problem is that we’re trying to build race circuits that are super safe,” Ecclestone explained. “You don’t get so much up-and-down because you can’t just put a new circuit anywhere.

“But one of the best circuits in the world is Turkey. It’s a great circuit — that’s up-and-down.”

But even the Istanbul venue is in doubt, the Briton revealed, because of efforts to cap the calendar at 20 races.

“Maybe someone will decide they need a rest because it’s not working for them commercially. A good example is probably Turkey,” said Ecclestone.

“They’ve built an incredible circuit and it might even be the best — but there’s not much enthusiasm from the public. I don’t know why.”

Korea’s plans for a futuristic city to be built in the middle of the new formula one circuit in Yeongam are on track.

Current aerial photos of the harbour-side venue depict a bland and messy setting, with much of the surrounding area resembling a construction site.

But the plans for the final section of the 5.6 kilometre is layout are grandiose.  The idea is that the Hermann Tilke-penned venue will eventually be part-permanent and partly a city street course.

According to the local Korea Herald newspaper, the government announced on Monday that it has approved plans for the leisure-themed corporate city.

The $1.67 billion plans, to transform the area into a motor sport and tourism city by 2021, were lodged by the provincial authorities and race promoter Korea Auto Valley Operation.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said construction is likely to start in the second half of 2011.