Flavio Briatore has refused to simply rule out speculation linking him with a role at Ferrari.
Recent rumours have suggested the former Renault team boss could be signed shortly by the Maranello based as a consultant, in view of possibly replacing Stefano Domenicali when the ‘crashgate’ ban lifts in 2013.

The flamboyant Italian was asked about the speculation by Onda Cero radio in the wake of last weekend’s Hungarian grand prix.

“I am a Ferrari tifoso (supporter), but in life you never know — anything can happen,” said Briatore, who is still involved in the management of Fernando Alonso’s career.

In 2005 and 2006, Alonso won his two world championships at Renault under Briatore rule.

Briatore insisted: “I think Fernando Alonso can win the championship at Ferrari without Flavio Briatore.

“Fernando deserves to be the best driver in history. He has decided to be with Ferrari until the end of his career and I hope he can get the cars to win more titles than (Michael) Schumacher,” he added.

Briatore said he rates the newly 30-year-old Spaniard higher than any of his current rivals.

“If he had that car,” he said, referring to the Red Bull RB7, “Fernando would be winning by a huge margin. He is one of the few great drivers with Senna, Prost and Schumacher.”

As for the comparison with seven time world champion Schumacher, Briatore said: “They are two totally different drivers.

“Fernando is a little better, because when Michael becomes depressed, he falls back, while in the same situation Fernando’s concentration sharpens.”

Sebastian Vettel should not be worried about his 2011 championship running off track.
That is the view of the Red Bull driver’s rivals as well as pundits and journalists despite a third consecutive defeat for Vettel in Hungary last weekend.

German newsmagazine Focus observed that while Budapest winner Jenson Button “laughed” on the podium, it was the sullen Vettel who had “scored” by actually pulling out his championship lead to a huge 85 points.

“It is really beginning to look like it is a case of when, and not if, he will seal his second world title,” former driver Johnny Herbert wrote in his latest column for The National.

Some pundits believe Vettel needs to worry, however, given that McLaren and also Ferrari look to have caught up with his previously-dominant RB7 car.

“But,” Herbert insisted, “Vettel’s lead is so vast that just finishing in the top four or five regularly should be enough to see him home.”

Also pessimistic is Marc Gene, Ferrari’s test driver who writes a column for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

“Our resurgence has been outstanding,” he said, “but unfortunately the championship situation is not changing much.”

Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport said the remaining races this season will be closely contested by Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari, but likened the actual championship battle to a runaway leader in the Giro d’Italia bike race.

“It’s too late for the championship as the pink jersey is far ahead,” said the sports newspaper.

“Vettel no longer has a performance advantage but now he can use his head more than his foot, while behind him the protagonists take points off each other.”

Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore told Onda Cero radio on Monday that the world championship “is over” unless “something tragic happens”.

Agreed Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, who called the Hungarian grand prix with German Sky television: “That (Vettel’s second place) is how he will become world champion.”

For instance, Button – then with Brawn GP – won the title in 2009 with a smaller mid-season points advantage, a smaller and less financially-powerful team, and more pressure given that he was charging for his first title.

“If I had the lead he’s got, I wouldn’t be feeling any pressure at all,” the Briton told The Independent.

Button headed to Hawaii this week to begin F1′s summer break, and Bild newspaper reports that Vettel is Mallorca-bound.

“I need a bit of energy from the sun,” the 24-year-old German is quoted by Die Welt.

Said Italy’s Tuttosport: “Vettel can enjoy his holiday in peace.”

The sidepod of Nick Heidfeld’s Renault exploded as the German retired from the Hungarian grand prix.
A fan’s video posted on Youtube showed a marshal being struck by the debris and limping away, and Swiss newspaper Blick said it is “unclear whether the man was injured” badly.

Veteran Heidfeld admitted he has “never seen anything like that before” and that he was scared.

“I had a fire in Barcelona, but I wasn’t worried there at all -– but this one got quite close. This time I felt the heat, so I had to get out quickly,” said the German.

As for whether he is hurt, Heidfeld confirmed to Auto Motor und Sport: “No, nothing happened to me.”

And he joked to Bild newspaper: “I’m not burned — my suit was black even before I got in (the car)!”

Renault team boss Eric Boullier however appeared to blame Heidfeld for the incident, insisting that the car is “not designed to stay running (during a pitstop) on high revs for so long”.

A 2012 F1 contract will “probably” be Mark Webber’s last.
That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s driver manager and consultant to team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

The Austrian is known to be closer to fellow German-speaker Sebastian Vettel’s side of the garage, and he stunned F1′s Australian contingent on Sunday by effectively announcing 34-year-old Webber’s impending retirement.

Marko told broadcaster One’s coverage of the Hungarian grand prix that Webber is “probably going to retire” next year.

He said Red Bull therefore “would need to find one of our juniors who can replace Mark Webber”.

Ironically, a leading candidate is Webber’s countryman Daniel Ricciardo, who has been slotted in at HRT alongside Italian veteran Vitantonio Liuzzi.

“First of all, he has to beat his teammate, and he has to progress,” said Marko.

“He (Ricciardo) is losing too much in the pitstops, and losing too much when he is being lapped so he must get the feeling. And we want him to fight with the people who are around him.”

Christian Horner could not hide his smile despite a Red Bull not winning Sunday’s Hungarian grand prix.

Championship leader Sebastian Vettel finished the Budapest race second, but because the fifth-placed Jenson Button won, the German’s vast gap grew from 77 points to 85 over teammate Mark Webber.

And Vettel’s gap to the closest non-Red Bull runner – Lewis Hamilton – is now a whopping 88 points with just 8 races to run.

“Excluding the Red Bull drivers, Jenson was the one we wanted as the winner,” Red Bull team boss Horner is quoted as saying by German media.

“Congratulations to him,” said the Briton.

“We are not disappointed. In situations like that it’s always a lottery.”

Formula one figures are now looking forward to an almost one-month break before Spa-Francorchamps, including a mandatory two-week factory shutdown.

“We will be working at full speed for another week until we close the factory and re-charge our batteries — just like KERS,” joked Horner.

McLaren has modified the floor of its 2010 car to conform to new floor flexibility tests introduced this weekend at Monza.

Ironically for the British team, the FIA devised the new tests amid shrill complaints about the allegedly flexible Red Bull and Ferrari cars.

“The new offset load test is a little challenging,” admitted Tim Goss, chief engineer for the MP4-25 car, during a team teleconference on Wednesday.

“We’ve had to make some minor modifications just to make sure we’re well inside the deflection limits.

“We’ve taken the opportunity to roll it up into a minor performance upgrade as well,” he revealed.

The first wave of new tests debuted at Spa-Francorchamps two weeks ago, where McLaren figures observed that they thought the Red Bull was not flexing as much as it had previously.

Goss, who said McLaren did not need to modify its front wing at all, thinks the Red Bull will also be affected by the Monza floor tests.

“I think as far as the offset bib test is concerned, I would expect most teams would have had to have made changes to comply with that,” he said.

“As far as articulated planks are concerned, there are a number of teams who run floor skids in multiple pieces and I imagine other teams will have to make modifications for that,” added Goss.

He thinks this weekend’s Italian grand prix will be hotly contested.

“I think most people would say we’re unlikely to see Red Bull Racing with the substantial advantage they had at the Hungarian grand prix,” Goss concluded.  “I bet Monza will be very tight.”

The sports information service has for the Hungarian Grand Prix calculated that Sebastian Vettel are gone because of the numerous mishaps this season 128 World Championship points through their fingers.

But the Red Bull driver still has every chance of winning his first world title, he just ten points missing on the leading in the standings Mark Webber.

This objective can not Vettel during the four-week summer break, the Formula 1 in mind. “Nothing in the world counts for me as much as winning the World Cup”, the Heppenheim quoted by the ‘world’.

For this he had waived at a young age to many things.
While his friend had spent the summer, usually in the pool, he was himself in karting been away. “How I wish I’d been there, but I had to work hard and train. I already was working for my goal in life,” said Vettel. However, that has always been part of his job. “One is forced to live with some form of unfairness.”

Formula one teams must close their factories for a mandatory two-week period between last Sunday’s Hungarian grand prix and the next race in Belgium.

The shutdown – commenced at the stroke of midnight after the Hungaroring race by McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Sauber – is a cost-cutting measure agreed between the teams.

“It still seems odd to me to have a shutdown but it’s probably good for people,” said McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh.

It had been reported that Ferrari also closed its doors on Sunday, but the Maranello based outfit will in fact commence its shutdown next Sunday, as will F1′s other Italian team Toro Rosso.

Engine supplier Cosworth’s F1 unit closed on Tuesday.  “I think the staff all deserve a break,” said Mark Gallagher.

On Wednesday, HRT will begin its two week closed period, followed by Virgin on Saturday.

And on Monday, Red Bull, Renault and Force India will close their doors.

In the eyes of the foreign language media, Michael Schumacher was the bad-boy of Sunday’s Hungarian grand prix.
In English, British tabloids called for the 41-year-old to return to retirement after pushing his former Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello towards the pitwall at the Hungaroring.

And even the Daily Telegraph said the Mercedes driver’s “arrogance can no longer be tolerated in formula one”.

In Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport said the German finally “went too far” with the violent defence of tenth position.

“The arrogant Schumacher showed no remorse but is the same as ever; never his fault. It was a miracle that this manoeuvre did not end badly.”

The Italian sports daily referred to the fact that the seven time world champion is an ambassador for the FIA’s road safety campaign.

“A little advice for those starting their holidays; if someone tries to overtake you, please to the exact opposite of what the celebrated ex-champion did in Hungary.”

La Repubblica and Corriere dello Sport called the move “madness”, Il Secolo XIX said it marked his “demise”, and Tuttosport said it was “dangerous”.

“Barrichello just avoided crashing into the wall and landing in hospital, if not worse,” added the report.

Corriere della Sera added: “Schumacher the villain, as he has always been.”

Spain’s sports newspaper Marca said: “Schumacher’s return to formula one is one of the darkest chapters in the history of the sport.”

At the same time, Schumacher posted an apology on his website, after viewing replays of the incident.

“I have to say the stewards were right in their decision. My move against him was too hard,” he said.

“I clearly showed him that I didn’t want to let him pass but, looking at it rationally, I wasn’t seeking to endanger him (Barrichello) with my manoeuvre.

“If he feels I was then all I can say is sorry, this wasn’t my intention,” he added.

Michael Schumacher has received a ten-position grid penalty after Sunday’s Hungarian grand prix.

Rubens Barrichello was furious at the Hungaroring after narrowly avoiding the pitwall as his former Ferrari teammate vigorously defended tenth position.

The stewards agreed with the veteran Brazilian, ordering Schumacher’s Mercedes ten places down the grid at Spa-Francorchamps later this month.

The FIA officials, including former driver Derek Warwick, said the German 41-year-old “illegitimately impeded” Barrichello, with whom he shared the Ferrari team for six years.

“For me it should have been a one race ban,” said Lotus technical boss Mike Gascoyne.

David Coulthard added: “It could have been a horrible accident. He never knows when to give it up, but perhaps now he should with his comeback.”

The stewards also penalised Mercedes $50,000 for releasing Nico Rosberg into the pitlane with a loose wheel, and a similar fine was levied against Renault for Robert Kubica’s pitlane crash with Adrian Sutil.

Everything looked in the run-off after a dull Hungarian Grand Prix, finally, was the overwhelming dominance of Red Bull and the Hungaroring is not known for his overtaking. But in the end it was just Sebastian Vettel, who could benefit from the pole position starts once more not the chance to get the victory. It was triggered by a safety car phase, which led to some incidents in the field.

The victory secured instead teammate Mark Webber ahead of Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari. For the Australians it was the fourth win of the season. Vettel was on the end of third parties was allowed, after all happy that he managed to make up properly because of a failure of Lewis Hamilton at the British soil.
Also in the points came Felipe Massa in a Ferrari in fourth position ahead of Vitaly Petrov (Renault), Nico Hulkenberg (Williams), Pedro de la Rosa (Sauber), Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) and Rubens Barrichello in Williams. Michael Schumacher was in eleventh without points, as Sebastien Buemi to twelfth and Timo Glock in 16th position

Not the finish alongside Lewis Hamilton came Robert Kubica (Renault), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Adrian Sutil (Force India) and Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso).

Fernando Alonso got off to a strong start to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mark Webber grabbed and placed first next to Sebastian Vettel, was temporarily in front, but had to re-sort in the first corner in second place. Caught a bad start, however Jenson Button, 15, on the Rank came back. Jaime Alguersuari had his Toro Rosso with an engine failure leave already after one round.

The order after the second round: Sebastian Vettel in front of Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton, Vitaly Petrov, Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica, Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg on the tenth. Adrian Sutil ahead of Michael Schumacher twelfth. Jenson Button 15th, Sébastien Buemi ranked 18th Timo Glock 21st After five laps Vettel had been exactly five seconds ahead of Alonso.

The distances for the first ten laps before Alonso Vettel 9.0 seconds, 10.0 ahead of Webber, 12.3 ahead of Massa, 13.8 in Hamilton, 18.2 before Petrov, before Rosberg 24.5, 25.3 before Kubica, Barrichello to 27.0 and 28.3 seconds on Hülkenberg in tenth place. Tenth Sutil (+30.4 seconds), Schumacher 13th (+32.5), Button 14th (+34.5), Buemi 17th (+38.8), Glock 21st (+54.7).

Already in the 15th Jenson Button came round and Vitantonio Liuzzi in the box. Liuzzi had lost part of his front wing, which was located on the right track. The race then sent the safety car on the track, which led to a lot of pit stops. Vettel responded here in the last second and bumped over the curb of the pit lane entrance.

Adrian Sutil in the pit lane and Robert Kubica collided with each other. The Renault team had had his driver pull out, although Sutil was on the march. While Kubica was able to continue the journey, Sutil had to retire with a broken front suspension. Also for Nico Rosberg the race was over – he lost a right rear wheel, which was apparently not tightened properly.

The order after the first stops: Webber (without stopping) before Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Barrichello (without stopping), Petrov Hulkenberg, de la Rosa, Button and Schumacher on the eleventh place. Buemi 13, Glock 17th Kubica and 21st

In the 24th Round brim over the events. First, Robert Kubica won by the race after the incident in the pits a 10-second stop-and-go penalty aufgebrummt, which he served immediately before he turned off the car in the pits.

In the same moment the world championship leader Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren-Mercedes had problems with park next to the track. In addition, the stewards announced an investigation against Sebastian Vettel, who obviously had not respected during the safety car period, the correct distance to the Safety Car.
In the 29th Round the stewards announced that Vettel must complete a drive-through because he had left too large a distance to the safety car. In the 32th Round of the German completed his furiously gesticulating through penalty – and went behind Alonso and in front of Massa back on track.

The order after 33 laps: Webber 16.1 seconds ahead of Alonso, 20.2 ahead of Vettel, 22.5 ahead of Massa, Barrichello in front of 39.6, 40.7 before Petrov, 42.4 before Hulkenberg, 44.2 before de la Rosa, 46.1 and 47.1 ahead of Button before Kobayashi tenth on the field. Michael Schumacher finished eleventh (+48.8), Glock 16th (+1 Lap).

In the 42nd Webber came round with more than 23.7 seconds ahead of Alonso for his stop – and turned loose in the lead back on track. While Webber took the new tires a new fastest lap after another, Vettel managed to catch up on Alonso, and go round after round in his slipstream.

In the 56th Round came the fifth-placed Rubens Barrichello to his first stop. The Williams driver went behind Michael Schumacher in eleventh place back on the track, was in the 60th Round, however, caught up with the Germans.

The distances after 60 rounds: Webber 21.2 seconds ahead of Alonso, Vettel before 21.9, 27.4 on Massa, 71.7 to Petrov, 75.2 Hülkenberg before, to 77.5 before de la Rosa, 80.6 Button, Kobayashi and 81.6 before a lap before Schumacher. In the 66th Lap Schumacher overtook Barrichello at the end of the start-finish straight, where the German pushed the Brazilians brutal towards pit wall, whereupon Barrichello claimed by radio the black flag for Schumacher. The stewards are investigating the incident at the end of the race.

With pleasant temperatures around 25 degrees, the Formula 1 drivers were once again on Friday afternoon 90 minutes of time to prepare for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Hungaroring proved in the 2nd Free practice as treacherous – the fans got many rides in addition to the asphalt and wild drifts seen.

In the end, as was the morning ahead Sebastian Vettel, who scored a best lap of 1:20.087 minutes. Team-mate Mark Webber finished 0.510 seconds with distance in third place. Between the two “cops” pushed Fernando Alonso, who in his Ferrari was 0.497 seconds behind. Team-mate Felipe Massa was fifth (+0.899 seconds).

Stark presented itself Vitaly Petrov, who managed in his Renault to the fifth position (+1.108). Team-mate Robert Kubica placed with 1.288 seconds gap on the seventh. Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren-Mercedes pushed in between (+1.221). Jenson Button finished in the second chrome arrow in ninth place (+1.643).

Nico Hulkenberg Williams was eighth (+1.536). Michael Schumacher was found with 1.686 seconds behind the tenth place team mate Nico Rosberg in 13th (+1.952). Pedro de la Rosa presented himself in eleventh Sauber as a strong (+1.722).

Adrian Sutil Force India was in the 16th (+2.515) Before Sébastien Buemi Toro Rosso in (+2.515). Timo Glock finished 5.289 seconds with distance with his Virgin Rank 20th

(TMS)

Not even at the press conference the technology currently makes what Michael Schumacher will. On the podium before the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend in Budapest, the world champion several times unsuccessfully pressed the button labeled, to be heard. But only as a Mercedes sports chief Norbert Haug intervened game was Schumacher’s lead free.

“If Norbert touches, works for you too,” Schumacher said, adding with a grin: “Maybe he should touch it my car, it would also work again.” His humor is not the seven-time world champion has lost also. In the 41-year-old experienced so far the most frustrating phase of his already so disappointing first year after the sensational comeback.
Of all the home race at Hockenheim on Sunday he had been lapped. Actually, a humiliation, especially since the Kerpener then even the “best result” spoke. The young team-mate Nico Rosberg drives more successful than he. And the race in Budapest for Schumacher can not be more than one test run under competition conditions.

“In that situation there is only one directive: to work more hard,” says Schumacher and assured: “We did not get nervous. We just have to attempt to understand the car better. We must remain calm, view all the details exactly and everything closely . Analyze Why Schumacher, at least outwardly so calm remains is obvious. This season he has accepted as a learning year. The title of 2010 he had checked weeks ago, but the 2011 quite briskly re-issued as a target.
Results, times and points this season are now secondary. That Schumacher forages possessed as of old values and data. Even now he is working on the project “World Cup title in 2011,” it comes to knowledge for the construction of the new car. A strategy to his team chief Ross Brawn as early as 2009, the year before to the end at the World Cup crown struggling competitors by surprise.

For the Formula 1 scene Schumacher is either way a gain. The TV ratings rise, ‘RTL recorded’ on average over a million viewers more than last year. And the ticket to many places. In Budapest, currently at almost ten percent compared to 2009. “We have to thank to Michael Schumacher,” said Vice President Tamas Frank Hungaroring.

The audience favorite in honor they even have an audience rank in “Michael Schumacher stands renamed. “A great idea,” says Schumacher. He has visited “his” stand still, “but I will pass this weekend so more times.”

A wet weekend of weather is forecast for the 2010 Hungarian grand prix.

After rain intervened on many occasions during last weekend’s Hockenheim event, forecasters now expect the same sort of weather to feature at the Hungaroring, the twisty venue near Budapest that is set to stage its 25th consecutive formula one race.

An official report by Ferrari on Wednesday indicated that rain is forecast for Friday, thunderstorms on Saturday and perhaps a drier day for the race.

Another weather report backed the Italian team’s forecast, predicting a 50-50 probability of a dry race.

The weather in the Hungarian capital is already rainy, and it is not expected to improve on Thursday, when the circus is due to hurriedly recongregate in the paddock just three clear days after the German grand prix.

The Hungarian grand prix, staged in Mogyorod about 20 kilometres north of Budapest, is usually hot and dry.

The FIA reports that no changes to the circuit have been made since 2009 “other than routine maintenance”.

HRT on Tuesday confirmed that Sakon Yamamoto has retained his race seat for the weekend’s Hungarian grand prix.

The Japanese, reportedly with $5 million in sponsorship to pay to the struggling Spanish team in 2010, raced initially in Bruno Senna’s cockpit at the recent British grand prix.

He then replaced Karun Chandhok in Germany, but the Indian rookie – whose new sponsor Japyee was on the Cosworth-powered F110 at Hockenheim – said it is possible he will be back in the car this weekend in Hungary.

But in a media statement, Hispania Racing announced its Hungaroring lineup as Yamamoto, 28, alongside Senna.

“I can’t wait to go back to the Hungaroring as I know the circuit already very well from my formula one races with Super Aguri, Spyker and with ART in the GP2 series,” said Yamamoto.