Martin Whitmarsh is sure McLaren’s recent errors will not affect contract negotiations with Lewis Hamilton.

The British team’s latest mistake not only cost Lewis Hamilton pole in Spain, it put the 2008 world champion to the very back of the grid.

Asked if he worries that the now seemingly constant flow of team gaffes will damage McLaren’s efforts to re-sign Hamilton, Whitmarsh insisted: “No, I don’t.

“He has got to build the support of the team, he has got to feel comfortable doing it, he has got to want to drive and he is in good shape,” British newspapers quote the McLaren team principal as saying.

“I look forward to working with him for a long time to come.”

But Whitmarsh admitted that, given Hamilton’s tumultuous 2011 season, he was worried the British driver might have despaired last Saturday when the team’s refuelling mistake cost the 27-year-old pole.

“I was concerned,” he said, “because it is a pretty tough thing to happen to a driver.

“But I have to say he showed some greatness I had not seen before. By the end of our chat he was consoling me.

“The relationship between Lewis and the team is stronger and better and hopefully we will work together for a long time,” added Whitmarsh.

They are the reigning back-to-back world champions and the favourites heading into 2012, but Sebastian Vettel has admitted Red Bull is not perfect.
“Yes, last year was nearly faultless”, the German is quoted by the Guardian newspaper.

But he admits he made mistakes.

“Fridays have been poor,” said the world champion. “I made mistakes. I crashed the car.”

Dr Helmut Marko elaborated: “He threw the car away four times unnecessarily.”

Vettel, 24, continued: “We got the concentration back when it mattered but on Fridays you only have a couple of hours to prepare the car — so we can improve on that.

“We had a meeting in January and went over the things that we need to do better and you would be surprised. It was a long list. There were lots of points to improve.”

Even heading into the fresh 2012 season, there are already new items on that list: Marko bluntly described the final day of pre-season testing, when Vettel did a paltry 23 laps and was dead-last, as “shit”.

But amid rumours the team might have to scrap its Melbourne update package for now, the Austrian insists Red Bull collected “sufficient” data from Mark Webber’s work last Saturday.

“We had three very good tests, but not perfect,” Vettel admitted to RMC. “Sure, there were a few pieces here and there that worked less well than expected, but overall there were not too many surprises.

“I feel good with the car, it (Sunday) was no big deal.”

McLaren’s Jenson Button, however – runner-up to Vettel last season – is keen to ensure Red Bull feels as much pressure as possible heading into 2012.

“In the last two years we weren’t able to (apply pressure) all that often,” he is quoted by the Koln Express, “but I think this year will be different.

“I want to see how they are when they are feeling that pressure,” the Briton added.

Valencia’s mayor has revealed active negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone over the future of the formula one street race.

The existing contract – as the European grand prix – runs to 2014 and it is rumoured the current talks are about Valencia then replacing Barcelona as F1′s sole Spanish event.

The port city’s mayor Rita Barbera has revealed to EFE news agency that she met with Ecclestone last Saturday and the talks are “on the right track”.

“I will confirm the meeting (took place) because it was extremely important for him (Ecclestone) to know (new Valencia president Alberto) Fabra and to resume the pace of negotiations,” she said.

Sao Paulo authorities reportedly suspect that the attempted robbery or kidnapping involving Jenson Button’s entourage last Saturday was a hoax.

According to Tuttosport newspaper, based on a report in the Brazilian news weekly Epoca, the authorities are investigating the matter and have discovered irregularities in the story.

“Various elements do not add up,” read the Italian report.

Among the discrepancies is that the off-duty policeman driver did not make an official report about the incident, and no calls to emergency phone numbers were made.

Epoca, suspecting that the incident was staged for publicity by the security team protecting Button, wrote: “What really happened?”

A spokesman for the security organisers of the Interlagos race said: “We have no hard data to say what happened, if it happened.”

Virgin will announce officially on Thursday morning that it has sold a major stake in the new British F1 team to Russian supercar maker Marussia.

The announcement will take place at the plush Yas Marina Hotel, which straddles the formula one circuit.

Virgin confirmed that announcements about the team’s “plans for 2011″ are scheduled for Thursday at 11.30 local time.

The news follows reports earlier this week that team sponsor Marussia, headed by racing driver and Russian Top Gear presenter Nikolai Fomenko, is buying into the team.

Fomenko confirmed to state owned news agency Ria Novosti that Marussia Motors has acquired a “significant stake” in Virgin Racing.

“Now we can state with full certainty that we have our team in formula one,” he said.

“Of course, it was not an easy decision for us. I’m not entitled to disclose the contract value, but it’s big money, believe me.”

The contract was reportedly signed in London last Saturday, with the team to be called ‘Marussia Virgin Racing’ and the 2011 car to be launched in Moscow early next year.

Marussia co-investor Andrey Cheglakov said the marque wants to keep ‘Virgin’ in its F1 name “to gain better recognition for the team itself”.

A report in the Financial Times said Marussia is buying out the team stake previously held by Lloyds Banking Group.

In 2010, Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov became the first Russian driver in F1, and a deal for a Russian grand prix near Sochi in 2014 was signed.

Fomenko said he would be interested in signing Petrov in the future.

“Today I am unable to provide him with a competitive car. And he needs to continue his career in a fast car. Just wait for one more season,” he said.

Confirmation of Jarno Trulli’s extended stay at Lotus next year is due before the forthcoming Korean grand prix.

That is the claim of the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, insisting that the Italian’s current teammate Heikki Kovalainen has already penned a new deal for 2011.

It was reported from Suzuka that Trulli, 36, was bullish about the future, even though it had been expected that Lotus’ 2011 lineup would have been confirmed by now.

Turun Sanomat said Finn Kovalainen – who is currently staying in Kuala Lumpur at team chief executive Riad Asmat’s house – signed his new deal on the Sunday morning of the Italian grand prix last month, but that Trulli’s salary talks were ongoing.

The report added that Trulli still hasn’t signed a contract, but that news on the driver front is sure to be announced before Korea.

Lotus has been making many announcements recently, including the termination of its Cosworth contract, an altered name for 2011 and the Red Bull technical deal.

Confirmation of the Renault engine deal is still pending.

Lotus joked about the situation after qualifying was rained off at Suzuka last Saturday, revealing that the team “has nothing to announce for the first time in several weeks”.

Jun.9 (GMM)  F1 is unlikely to consider three-car team entries while the grid is already healthily subscribed.

That is the insistence of FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh, amid Ferrari’s continuing enthusiasm about entering a third Maranello built car for a driver like Valentino Rossi.

Rossi, however, broke his leg in a MotoGP practice crash last Saturday, and now Whitmarsh has revealed that the issue of three cars has not recently been discussed by the F1 teams association.

“It’s really an idea if you get a reduced number of teams,” said the McLaren boss.

Ferrari is a staunch critic of F1′s struggling new teams, but Whitmarsh insists that FOTA wants the entire current grid to “develop and flourish”.

“McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes would all probably be happy to have a third car, but I think in fairness to the smaller teams it would only disadvantage them further,” he explained.

However, if the big teams were able to enter third cars, Whitmarsh acknowledges that it would be an opportunity for celebrity drivers like Rossi, Sebastien Loeb and NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson.

“So in the event that the number of teams drops below 10 – and at the moment we’re hoping it is 13 next year – it would be a fantastic opportunity,” added Whitmarsh.

Jun.8 (GMM)  Such is the sport’s rumour mill that Valentino Rossi badly breaking his leg has reignited speculation he might switch to formula one sooner rather than later.

24 hours before he fell during MotoGP practice at Mugello last Saturday, the 31-year-old Italian admitted he would “like to explore the possibility” of racing a third Ferrari in F1.

With huge two-wheeled success behind Rossi, the New York Times’ F1 correspondent Brad Spurgeon admits the news of the Mugello injury gave him pause for thought.

“My first thought was ‘Could this finally be the end of his amazing run of dominating the sport?’

And “Whatever his physical state, will he have the motivation (to come back)?  Maybe now is the time to see Rossi go out a few more times testing a Ferrari F1 car, as he has done as recently as a few months ago.

“Personally, I’d love to see someone come along and try again to do what only John Surtees has done: be a world champion in both motorcycle racing and formula one,” added Spurgeon.

Also in the wake of Rossi’s crash, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said the Maranello marque fully supports the Italian’s return to full fitness.

“Everyone at Ferrari is with you at this difficult time,” he said in a statement posted on the team’s official website.

“We are sure that you will be back on track soon, even stronger than before.

“If during your convalescence you feel you would like to do some training on four wheels, then remember that the door to Maranello is always open to you,” added Montezemolo.

NASCAR’s format for the opener, Pole Day locks in the top-two qualifiers for next Sunday’s (Feb. 14) Daytona 500 and establishes starting positions for Thursday’s 60-lap, 150-mile qualifying races. The results from the two 150-milers will determine the starting field — positions 3-43 — for the 500.

So it was a bitter sweet day for Ryan Newman who got third position at the Daytona 500 last Saturday, February 6th. As he did last year at the opening Sprint Cup event, he was the third fastest in Pole Day time trials at Daytona International Speedway.

“It would have been nice to lock in one of those front row spots for the 500,” said Newman, who was the second of 54 drivers to make a qualifying lap. “But overall we had a strong performance and I look for more of the same next week. I want to give a shout-out to all the Soldiers–we are doing our best for you.”

In Saturday’s two-lap qualifying show, Newman’s No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet covered the 2.5-mile oval in 47.225 seconds at 190.577 miles per hour.

He was a few ticks slower than the top-two qualifiers — Mark Martin (pole winner) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (outside pole). Martin’s lap time/speed was 47.074 at 191.188 while Earnhardt’s was 47.142 at 190.913.

It’s worth mentioning that the top-three cars are Chevrolets and are powered by Hendrick engines. Rounding out the top five were Bill Elliott (fourth) and Juan Pablo Montoya (fifth).

“It was shaky out there because the wind was tricky,” added Newman about his qualifying laps. “There was no good way to read the wind. A couple of things happened during the lap that I wish didn’t happen, but the wind was hard to predict. It was a great effort by the U.S. Army Chevrolet. Tony Gibson (crew chief) and all the guys did an outstanding job. From now until the 500 we need to be smart and get this Soldiers’ car ready for the big race.”

Newman’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Tony Stewart, was 21st fastest and will start 11th in Thursday’s second qualifying race.

The Cup series resumed practices on last week on Wednesday. The 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday were televised on SPEED.

Last Saturday, Mark Martin secured his pole position for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, which will take place February 14, 2010.

Behind the steering wheel of his number 5 Chevrolet, the 51 year old driver from Arkansas managed to earn the pole position driving at more than 191 mph at 191.188.  Next, on second place came Dale Earnhardt Jr., followed by Ryan Newman driving his number 39 Chevrolet.

Saturday’s qualifying decided only the front-row spots for the 500. The rest of the lineup will be set after Thursday’s two 150-mile qualifying races. Drivers who finished in the top 35 of last year’s owners standings are guaranteed to start somewhere.

Danica Patrick who finished 6th in the ARCA 200-mile race last Saturday, February 6^th,  will participate Saturday’s Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

Beyond Daytona, Patrick’s 2010 campaign is confirmed starting with the Feb. 20 race at Auto Club Speedway and the Feb. 27 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Following Vegas, Patrick will take a four-month hiatus to focus on her IndyCar Series responsibilities before returning to drive June 26 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

ARCA stock cars are almost identical to Nationwide Series cars. Patrick’s ARCA start Saturday was the first race in a stock car for the Roscoe, Ill., driver, who in 2008 became the first woman to win an IndyCar event.

Her participation in the Camping World race was contingent on her performance on the high-banked Daytona track. Patrick veered off track after contact with a car driven by former Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet, Jr., and slid sideways through the grass into Turn 1.

Her car sustained minor damage when it struck the 31-degree banking of the corner, but she rallied from the back of the pack and ran as high as 5th before the checkered flag waved.

JR Motorsports will still field two cars for the Nationwide Series season opener. Due to sponsorship reallocation for the upcoming season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet in place of Kelly Bires in what is the first of two scheduled races for the JRM co-owner. Bires will return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevy the following week at Auto Club Speedway and could be called upon to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet at Daytona should Patrick not compete in that event.

“We want to give Danica the best opportunity to compete at Daytona, and that includes making sure she is 100 percent comfortable in that driver’s seat,” said Kelley Earnhardt, JRM co-owner and general manager.