Marussia needs a KERS system to catch up with its direct rivals.

That is the admission of team boss John Booth, who told the Russian website championat.com that he is looking into adding the energy recovery technology to next year’s Marussia package.

“First of all, I want to say that while it is said it (KERS) is a ‘green’ technology, in reality it’s just a serious waste of money,” he said.

“But in our situation it’s time to start thinking seriously about KERS. Of the gap to Caterham, five or six tenths is due to KERS,” added Booth.

“So we are thinking seriously about it for 2013, but so far there is no decision.”

Both admitted the start of the 2012 season has been a disappointment so far for Marussia, which in its first two years was called Virgin.

He said the team has recently completed a phase of serious restructuring.

“We had a good team of people before, but now we have a good team of designers. Though we have been in F1 for three years, I have the feeling that we were actually born in July 2011.”

Both is undoubtedly referring to the split mid last year with former technical chief Nick Wirth, and the relocation to a new headquarters.

A third team has decided to join Red Bull in Abu Dhabi for the young drivers’ test.

Due to the calendar congestion at the end of this season, and also to cut costs, most teams have opted to drop the Abu Dhabi option in favour of testing young drivers in July, at Silverstone.

But Red Bull, and its second team Toro Rosso, are sticking with the original November plan, amid criticism July is too early to be assessing young drivers.

McLaren is now following suit.

“Our plan at McLaren at the moment is to test in Abu Dhabi,” said the British team’s sporting director Sam Michael, who said another factor against Silverstone is that teams are only half-way through their engine mileage allocations in July.

“Engines is a significant factor,” the Australian explained.

“If you want to test at the end of the year, you have so many part-mileage engines that all have a little bit of mileage on them so you can effectively do it for free, in terms of your race engines,” said Michael.

“If you try and do that in the middle of the year, you can’t use your race engines so you have to prepare a special test engine.”

The fact F1 has chosen the Singapore exchange for the sport’s high profile floatation does not mean the city-state’s popular floodlit street race is guaranteed.

The night event’s existing five year contract runs out this year, although a two-year notice clause in the deal means Singapore should stay on the calendar at least until 2014.

On the face of it, a new deal seemed a certainty, given it was Bernie Ecclestone himself who chose Singapore as the location for F1′s forthcoming floatation.

“Formula one is known in Singapore, and Asia is thriving. It is a simpler market and not as restrictive,” he said recently.

Talks about a new race deal “are underway”, the local Business Times reported in March, “but it is understood that one sticking point is the sanction fee.”

An unnamed banker commented: “The Singapore government wants formula one to be listed here and for that to happen, it knows the race has to remain here.

“But at the same time, it doesn’t want to pay top dollar again. So the bargaining should continue for some time.”

However, the English language newspaper now reports that F1′s floatation plans, and the expiring Singapore race contract, could be entirely unrelated.

“We are in the process of negotiating a possible renewal of the (race) agreement and the outcome will be announced once discussions are complete,” said a spokesman for race promoter Singapore GP.

Second minister for trade and industry S Iswaran insisted that the mooted floatation will not influence the outcome of the race contract negotiations.

And the Singapore tourism board’s Aw Kah Peng added: “You’ve got to see whether the deal is right in every way.

“We’re hoping everybody sees value in it and we get a so-called good deal for Singapore, in terms of whether all the numbers can work out and everybody takes home something — a kind of a win-win proposition.”

After months of evaluations and negotiations in which diverse options have been assessed, Spanish team HRT has finally opted for the facilities of the Complejo Deportivo Madrid Caja Mágica to locate its permanent headquarters.

The team will occupy part of the Caja Mágica facilities and will coexist with the Masters 1000 Madrid Open. HRT F1 Team will be specifically situated in the Indoor Sur and Indoor Central buildings, occupying a total surface of 11,000m2.

In only seven months, the new directors have carried out a restructuring process with the objective of providing the team with stability and viability, besides having a new identity. To reach these targets, a lot of hard work has been focused on three fronts in these last three months: the new car, the renewed operational and technical team and a permanent headquarters which, besides from uniting the whole team in a workspace with F1 standards, will contribute an added value to the team.

With the signing of Pedro de la Rosa this past October a long desired objective was accomplished, which was none other than to incorporate a Spanish driver. The recent addition of Narain Karthikeyan completes a driver line-up packed with experience, which is of great value in this new chapter for the team.

The renewal of the technical team started once the 2011 season was over and the new team members have been working ever since at the temporary logistical base in Paterna, Valencia, until the definitive relocation to the permanent headquarters is carried out. The chosen venue had to meet very specific and ambitious requirements.

And the Complejo Deportivo Madrid Caja Mágica meets the requirements that HRT Formula 1 Team considers indispensable for this new chapter. It is a versatile and sustainable space that will take in the different departments that make up the team besides being an area open to fans, sponsors, suppliers and collaborators.

Remodeling and adaptation of the space will begin immediately and it is calculated that in under a month the first workers will be able to move in. The technical and operational sectors of the team won’t do so until Formula 1 returns to Europe but the headquarters is expected to be fully operational for May. The Technical Design Office is anticipated to move in progressively as of early June, thus completing a programme which is calculated to generate more than a hundred jobs with different degrees of specialization.

The headquarters won’t only be a technological and R&D centre, but also a way of getting closer to the public, sponsors, suppliers and collaborators with accessible areas such as a future museum, guided tours or a conference area, whilst also becoming a formation centre.

Electric mobility and sustainability are fundamental aspects for HRT and something it shares with the Complejo Deportivo Caja Mágica. The team is a pioneer in the Formula 1 world after integrating alternative energies to petrol in its mobility plan and using electric bicycles to move around both at Grands Prix and away from them.

The Complejo Deportivo Madrid Caja Mágica is a multifunctional centre designed by the architect Dominique Perrault. It is located in the Parque Lineal del Manzanares, in a space of 17 hectares which includes large garden areas. The design and distribution of this space enables the celebration of all kinds of events, not only sporting ones, such as presentations, spectacles and conventions.

Saúl Ruiz de Marcos, HRT F1 Team CEO: “For us it is fundamental to have a headquarters that, apart from uniting the team and ending with the dispersion, is beneficial from a logistical and industrial point of view. But that also enables us to maintain a closer relationship with our fans, suppliers and sponsors. Madrid and the Caja Mágica facilities fit perfectly with the standards we were looking for. In the last few months we have assessed different options, looked at their pros and cons, and we feel that the decision to establish our permanent headquarters in Madrid was the best one. I want to thank Madrid Espacios y Congresos for the interest they have shown in this going ahead and I’m sure that this relationship will be very beneficial for everyone”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal of HRT F1 Team: “We’ve been working hard for months and establishing our permanent headquarters was very important. Finding a space in which we could all work together was vital, in order to optimize work and generate a good team feeling, a sense of belonging. When the adaptation of the facilities is completed and every department starts working under the same roof in a few months, we will only have one step left to take, which is to have the design department in Madrid too. All this implies not only becoming a place to feel identified with and carry out activities for the team, its sponsors, suppliers and fans, but also an important reference in technology and R&D in the centre of Madrid”.

Nick Heidfeld on Monday said he is losing out on the straights compared with his teammate Kamui Kobayashi.

The pair are driving identical Sauber cars, but the speed traps usually show Japanese Kobayashi with better ultimate speed in a straight line.

Heidfeld, 33, joined the Swiss team after serving test driving roles with Mercedes and Pirelli this year, and he is currently on the lookout for a full-time job for 2011.

In his three races alongside rookie Kobayashi so far, the German has been out-qualified two times, and is yet to finish a race higher than the Japanese.

Heidfeld said on his official website nickheidfeld.com that his speed deficit compared with Kobayashi is due to his “engine situation”.

He took over ousted predecessor Pedro de la Rosa’s allocation of eight engines for 2010, after the Spaniard suffered several problems with his Ferrari units.

“Therefore the remaining engines have to cover a lot of extra miles,” said Heidfeld.

“This unfortunately leads to an engine power loss due to having ‘older’ engines, which is the reason for losing out on acceleration and top speeds,” he added.

Fernando Alonso’s engine situation is not as dire as it appears on paper, according to a German publication.

On the face of it, the championship leader is well into his allocation of eight engines for 2010, facing a ten-position grid penalty if he needs to use a ninth unit before the finale.

In fact, this weekend’s Brazilian race will be the last the Ferrari driver will have to tackle with a high-mileage engine, Auto Motor und Sport explained.

One of Alonso’s eight engines has very low mileage, but has been unable to be used because it was replaced after qualifying at the Bahrain season opener.

The rules prevented Ferrari from re-deploying this engine for anything other than free practice sessions, after it was replaced in Bahrain as a precaution due to the F60 almost overheating.

But because Abu Dhabi is the season finale, Alonso is allowed to use any engine in his allocation there, and the Bahrain qualifying unit is extremely low on mileage.

Paul di Resta will not be driving the Force India during Friday morning practice at Hockenheim.

The team announced that the decision to sit out its reserve driver in Germany is due to the extreme allocation of Bridgestone’s hardest and softest tyre compounds.

“It’s a shame but I completely understand the decision,” said the rookie Scot.

“It’s a decision that’s been taken relatively late but it’s better to err on the side of caution at such a crucial stage in the season,” added di Resta, 24.

Force India is currently sixth in the constructors’ world championship, 42 points behind Renault and just 16 points ahead of the improving Williams team.

“I’ll be back in the car in Hungary, replacing Tonio for free practice 1,” di Resta revealed.

F1′s safety car rules have been tweaked in the wake of the Valencia controversy.

The 12 teams met at Silverstone ahead of the British grand prix to discuss the incidents that so enraged Ferrari and its supporters.

The rule tweak, agreed between the teams and race director Charlie Whiting, addresses Ferrari’s complaint that Fernando Alonso was disadvantaged by following the rules and not overtaking the safety car on the Spanish street circuit.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, received a drive-through penalty for overtaking the safety car that was applied so late he was still able to finish the race in second place.

The result of the Silverstone meeting is that the safety car rules remain effectively the same, despite some pressure to see the pits closed when the safety car is circulating.

Instead, it has been agreed that drivers who are not being slowed by the safety car will have to drive on track at the same speed as the Bernd Maylander-driven Mercedes gullwing.

Previously, drivers not being immediately slowed by the safety car during the safety car period only had to keep within 120 per cent of a flying laptime.

In Valencia, the rule tweak would have meant Hamilton would not only have been penalised for overtaking the safety car, but also not able to negate the drive-through by driving around the track any faster than Maylander.

In the meeting, Whiting also promised the teams that efforts will be made to issue penalties like Hamilton’s faster in the future.

In Valencia, Hamilton’s penalty was delayed because the race director did not request the steward investigation until after the Mark Webber crash was dealt with.

But in future, potential penalties will be passed immediately to the attention of the stewards, while the race director can continue to focus on a Webber-like incident.

Moreover, because the arrival of crucial evidence about the Hamilton incident also slowed down the in-race investigation, there will now be cameras constantly monitoring the safety car lines 1 and 2.

There will also be trackside markings that show the location of the safety car lines, so that a driver cannot argue he did not notice the lines from his driving position.

Mark Webber has played down suggestions his allocation of chassis for the British grand prix demonstrates he is not treated equally with his teammate.

After his Barcelona and Monaco-winning car was damaged in his spectacular Valencia crash, the Australian will drive ‘Luscious Liz’ at Silverstone — the chassis humorously named by Sebastian Vettel at the beginning of the season.

But after sub-standard performances in May, Vettel was given a new car in Turkey.

Red Bull has now repaired Luscious Liz.

“There was nothing wrong with it. It’s fine. It’s all we’ve got anyway,” Webber told reporters at the team’s Milton Keynes factory on Wednesday.

Also fully fit for this weekend’s race is the Australian himself, despite some minor injuries caused by his backflip crash with Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus.

“I had a bit of whiplash, and I bashed my right foot pretty hard on the top of the chassis,” he revealed.

“I knew straight away that I’d hit my big toe pretty hard (but) you could injure yourself more in your lounge room.”

Meanwhile, Webber made clear his opinion after Lotus technical boss blamed him for the Valencia crash.

When British reporter Byron Young, of the Mirror, virtually launched his car whilst driving the Red Bull simulator, Webber observed wryly: “You didn’t even have any shitboxes to avoid.”

Chris Pook has confirmed he is involved with plans for a second formula one race in the United States.
Pook is a British businessman who championed the famous Long Beach street event for F1 before heading the Champ Car series.

It has been reported this week that, alongside Austin’s inaugural United States grand prix in 2012, Bernie Ecclestone is in talks for another race amid the New York skyline.

A recent proposal for a site in Jersey City was ruled out, but reports suggest another location in New Jersey is on the cards.

Pook, also involved with F1′s Watkins Glen race in the 70s and subsequent events in Detroit, Las Vegas and Dallas, confirmed that he is working on a New Jersey F1 project.

He said he could not give details, like the proposed site, because of a non-disclosure agreement.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone told the Austin newspaper American-Statesman: “There are no agreements (for a second race). We haven’t finalised anything.”

Red Bull’s Christian Horner this weekend accused a “naughty” Ferrari of breaching the “spirit” of the agreement by testing its new exhaust layout at Fiorano last week.

Ferrari argues that the run was allowed because “filming and promotional” activities were taking place, and FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh on Saturday said the teams association will react.

“I didn’t think they (the rules) needed clarification, but for some they clearly do,” he said.

“It isn’t ambiguous in my English interpretation of it, but others obviously thought it was.

“That’s why we have to remove that ambiguity, and I think we are going to do the correct and honourable thing.”

Whitmarsh made clear that, like Ferrari, teams including Mercedes and Renault have also made “some arguable decisions” with regards to the rules about in-season testing.

“Once one does it then everybody feels ‘well, if that’s how you are going to interpret something, then I’ll push it to the limit’,” said the Briton.

He made clear that when McLaren tries its Red Bull-like exhaust layout next week, it will do so with one of its allocation of straightline test days.

Whitmarsh also thinks it is time F1 relaxed its approach to in-season testing.

“We had to take significant measures given the crisis involving the economy and formula one,” he said.

“I think now, as we can see signs of the economy improving, we can go back to testing.”

Williams was able to improve the FW32 in recent days and weeks ahead. In Valencia again to some new parts will be bolted to the car. Is still uncertain is the use of the F-Duct. Fix seems that the system that provides more speed on the straight line is tested in the training sessions. After deciding on a bet in the race. Williams had the system already in use in Shanghai and Barcelona.

With or without F-Duct, the Williams drivers expect from the street circuit in the port of Valencia a good chance. Rubens Barrichello remembers only too happy to return to the last season. “I have fond memories of Valencia. I have won the race here last year, it was my tenth race win to date. He was also outstanding on the ground because he me brought back into the title race,” said the Brazilian.
Just hours before the triumph of the veterans had Nico Hulkenberg his finest hour. Namely, he won the GP2 sprint race. “Valencia is a great track that I like very much. I know them very well from the GP2 and I am already bringing them to drive the FW32, since I feel very comfortable here. As in Monaco and Montreal everywhere walls, but the track is slightly wider, at least I like the challenge, “says the GP2 champion last season.

The Pilotenduo is convinced that the new developments have made their cars faster. “We are coming closer and closer to the top ten, as we showed in qualifying in Montreal. But we must keep up the pressure and take out a few tenths so we end up constantly in the top ten,” says Hulkenberg. Barrichello praises even the least seasoned of engine partner criticism: “Cosworth is making good progress in improving the durability.” His goals for Valencia has formulated the veteran clear: “I will enter into Q3 and points.”

The Technical Director Sam Michael knows the challenge to be made on the car: “At the beginning, the way only little grip. The numerous combinations of corners provide for the tires a not insignificant challenge by the coastal location can also always pay breezes, the affect the balance of the car. ” Michael also formulated the objectives for the weekend clear: “We have in the two previous races ever run in points, which is also the target for this time”

Bridgestone is taking a radical approach to next month’s German grand prix.

After extreme degradation and graining was credited for spicing up the recent Canadian grand prix, many paddock regulars suggested that it is the sport’s approach to tyres that that should be targeted for producing more exciting races.

F1′s sole tyre supplier announced on Monday that for the Hockenheim round late next month, the compounds on offer will be vastly different.

Both supplied compounds must be used at least once during grands prix, and in Germany, they will be the Montreal-spec ‘super soft’ as well as Bridgestone’s hardest tyre.

It is the first time there have been two hardness steps between the supplied compounds.

“The characteristics of the Hockenheim circuit allow us to bring the compounds from the extremes of our softness range,” confirmed head of development Hirohide Hamashima.

“This will give us very good data for evaluation and will be interesting for those who have called for a bigger difference between the allocated tyres.”

He explained that a similar approach was not possible for the subsequent Hungarian, Belgian, Italian and Singapore rounds.

“The Hungaroring requires a softer allocation as finding grip is always a target there.  Spa and Monza are high speed tests for cars and tyres, needing a harder allocation because of the heat durability requirements.

“Singapore is a high-speed street course where the softer allocation is suited,” said Hamashima.

Bridgestone said the compound allocation for the final five rounds of 2010 will be made later in the year.

(GMM)

Mark Webber on Friday played down the significance of his engine failure in afternoon practice.

Towards the end of the second session at Istanbul Park, the Australian’s RB6 stopped on track with a failed Renault V8.

But although Red Bull has suffered several reliability problems in 2010, the joint championship leader said the engine fitted to his car was high on mileage.

Drivers are allowed to use any of their allocation of eight engines on a Friday, with one engine only needing to be used consecutively on Saturday and Sunday.

“We were expecting it to be right on the edge,” said Webber.

(GMM)

A site for the 2012 United States grand prix has been selected.

It was earlier reported that although a promoter has won the rights to stage the race on a purpose-built track in Austin, Texas, the actual site for the venue is still being decided.

But a lawyer for promoter Full Throttle Productions is quoted by the local American-Statesman newspaper as revealing that land has been secured.

“We’re just not ready to disclose it (the actual location) yet,” said Richard Suttle.

Suttle also said regular F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke has been appointed.

But even with the new details, doubts about the project remain, including insider sentiment that it resembles past negotiating moves deployed by F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Until the shock news of the Austin deal emerged, Monticello Motor Club in New York was considered the front runner for a contract.

Club president Ari Straus said the 2012 start-date was the biggest surprise.

“Somebody starting from scratch would not be able to do it until 2013,” he said.

The implication could be that if Austin is unable to be ready for 2012, Monticello could be back in the frame for a project the following year.

“If Bernie comes back to the table,” Straus said, “Monticello is ready.”

But Austin promoter Tavo Hellmund, reportedly a friend of Ecclestone’s for decades, said he is not worried about the tight schedule for 2012.

“If it (the date) slides back, it slides back,” he said.

Although mainly funded privately, the project will also enjoy some state input, with a letter to Ecclestone signed by Texas governor Rick Perry pledging $25 million per year from the state’s Mayor Event Trust Fund.

(GMM)