F1′s next winner could be at the wheel of a black and gold car.

“I think Kimi (Raikkonen) will be the sixth different winner in the sixth race,” said Finnish commentator and former driver Mika Salo, to the MTV3 broadcaster.

Although the results in 2012 have proved impossible to predict so far, many paddock pundits expected Lotus’ E20 to be the car to beat last weekend in Barcelona.

“The big surprise was when Kimi didn’t win,” admitted former Ferrari driver Salo, referring to Pastor Maldonado’s victory for Williams.

Also confident about Lotus’ potential is Raikkonen’s teammate, Romain Grosjean, who finished behind the 2007 world champion last weekend.

“It’s good to be a little disappointed with third and fourth,” he told the French language RMC Sport. “It shows that as a team we are convinced we can win.”

According to the reigning world champion team Red Bull’s drivers, however, there is a downside to this year’s impossible-to-predict F1 landscape.

“Maybe we will see an HRT or a Marussia on pole in Monaco,” world champion Sebastian Vettel said, unenthusiastically and half-seriously.

Mark Webber insists that what has been described as the Pirelli ‘lottery’ might not be a good thing for the sport.

“I don’t know if they (the fans) will get sick of seeing so many different winners,” the Australian told Fox Sports.

“It’s nice to have different winners but also we want rivals.”

Former F1 driver Mika Salo believes his Finnish countryman Valtteri Bottas is being groomed by Williams for a race seat — in 2012.

When the Toto Wolff-managed Bottas, 22, was announced as the British team’s 2012 reserve, Sir Frank Williams said he would practice on 15 Friday mornings and then “most likely” be replaced with a “more experienced driver” for the rest of those race weekends.

That more experienced driver would ultimately turn out to be Bruno Senna.

So with Brazilian Senna struggling so far in 2012, Salo has revealed he senses things could be about to change.

“Bottas is incredibly respected by the team,” Salo, now a commentator for the Finnish broadcaster MTV3, said.

“When I spoke with Frank Williams, he praised Valtteri to the skies, and said that he belongs in the races.

“I asked him when and he said it wouldn’t be long.

“Yes, I read between the lines that he means this season,” added Salo.

One major spanner in the works, however, is that Senna brings crucial sponsorship to Williams.

“It is a difficult situation for Williams, where both drivers bring money,” Salo acknowledged.

“But the good thing is that Frank Williams is not a businessman first, he is an old racing driver. He thinks about nothing else but how to make his team successful.

“Although Senna is a nice guy, he is not able to drive at the level that he needs to be at.”

When asked about Salo’s theory, Bottas commented: “I have no information.”

Kimi Raikkonen can add a second title to his tally in 2012.

That is the claim of the 2007 world champion’s countryman Mika Salo, who now commentates on Finnish television MTV3.

In the fourth race of Raikkonen’s return to F1 from rallying, the 32-year-old last weekend challenged Sebastian Vettel for victory in Bahrain, finishing second for Lotus.

Five years after his title with Ferrari, he is 19 points from the head of the 2012 drivers’ championship.

“The most consistent team has been Lotus,” former grand prix driver Salo said. “They’ve been fast at every circuit so far.

“In that sense, Kimi’s situation looks very good. I would not exclude it at all that he will be fighting at the very end of the championship, if Lotus is able to maintain the pace of development.”

It is on Salo’s final point that Lotus’ 2012 season will really be made.

“They (as Renault) also began the previous season just as well, but soon after they were nowhere,” observed the Swiss commentator Marc Surer, speaking on Austrian television Servus TV.

“So the real question is ‘Do they have the resources to develop the car and stay where they are now?’”

Even if Lotus’ challenge fades, the future for Raikkonen – who has surprised some experts with his re-adaptation to F1 after two years of rallying – is bright, Surer insisted.

“I think he has shown everyone that he is still able to do just what he was doing before (leaving F1),” he said.

“He is a lot younger than Schumacher, and if you look at the past ten years, he is probably one of the best talents that we have seen in F1.”

Surer said he could therefore imagine Raikkonen leaving Lotus and returning to a ‘top’ team, but he wouldn’t know which one to recommend.

“Everything is so balanced this year that it’s impossible to pick a car that he could win the championship in.”

Heikki Kovalainen has dismissed advice he should quit Caterham as soon as possible.

Fellow Finn Mika Salo, a former Ferrari and Toyota driver, told the broadcaster MTV3 he thinks Kovalainen should jump ship now because Caterham has failed for the third year running to move into the midfield.

But Kovalainen hit back by insisting he will at least see out his contract.

“It is a fact that I have a contract until the end of this year. It’s written on paper,” he said in Shanghai.

Tony Fernandes has given a strident defence of his formula one team, Caterham.

The former Team Lotus outfit, headed by the cheery Malaysian entrepreneur Fernandes, entered its third season with high hopes it was set to join the midfield mix.

Instead, the green cars – whilst still the cream of the backmarker group – are still better only than fellow stragglers Marussia and HRT.

The Finnish broadcaster MTV3′s well-known analyst Mika Salo has advised lead driver Heikki Kovalainen to therefore quit Caterham at the end of 2012.

“Something has been wrong with the car,” Kovalainen is quoted as saying by Turun Sanomat newspaper this week. “We need to see what is not right.”

Fernandes, meanwhile, is looking fervently on the bright side, insisting Caterham has done markedly better than F1′s other 2010 start-ups.

“We are competitive,” he told the Sun, reminding that Caterham was the last 2010 team given its official entry by the FIA a few years ago.

“We’ve blown away Marussia and HRT when in actual fact they have been there six months longer,” insisted Fernandes.

“We are half a second away from the established midfield … you must remember that this team is only two years old.

“When I started, we were nine seconds away from the front. Last year we were about four seconds away from Red Bull.

“This year, on certain laps, we lapped at the same pace as them. So I am very happy and I am strengthening the team all the time,” he added.

But one of Caterham’s direct rivals, HRT, is looking to make a major step forwards this weekend in China, having struggled recently in the wake of team supremo Colin Kolles’ departure.

“We come into this grand prix having had much more time to prepare the cars,” Pedro de la Rosa is quoted by the Spanish news agency EFE.

“We will bring small improvements to China but what we really need is the cars back in Europe and then the team can concentrate at the (new headquarters) Caja Magica.

“Step by step we will improve,” said the Spanish driver.

After all the pre-season hype, the Melbourne paddock banter about its clever F-duct system and a strong showing in qualifying, Mercedes failed to shine in last Sunday’s season opener.
The situation has many paddock regulars confused as to just how good the new W03 really is.

“Good question,” Michael Schumacher told Bild newspaper at an event this week in Malaysia. “We don’t know yet.”

Agreed Finnish commentator and former F1 driver Mika Salo: “It’s going to be interesting.

“Malaysia requires a lot more from a car aerodynamically than does Australia.

“I am sure McLaren will still be at the front, but Red Bull and Mercedes will probably be closer.”

So what happened to Mercedes’ early promise in Australia?

“In the race we had some problems, especially with the tyres — they degraded too quickly,” revealed team boss Ross Brawn.

But for Sepang, “We have an idea about how we can get it under control,” he added.

If that is true, then Sir Jackie Stewart is looking forward to seeing “the old Michael Schumacher” for the first time since he initially retired in 2006.

“He is driving well again,” the famous Scot told Kolner Express newspaper, “but so too is Nico Rosberg.

“They have a much better car than last year, and Michael is finally showing what he is capable of.

“I don’t know if that will be (good enough for) victories, but for sure we will see him again on the podium,” added Stewart.

 Caterham’s hopes of pushing into the midfield in 2012 are not dead yet.
That is the claim of team owner and boss Tony Fernandes, despite the former Team Lotus looking to have once again emulated the pecking-order of the past two years by outpacing only Marussia and HRT in Australia.

“We have obviously improved our pace relative to our 2011 speed,” the Malaysian businessman said.

“But the teams ahead have also improved, so even though we are closer than this time last year we still have work to do to bridge the gap in qualifying,” he added.

Fernandes insists, however, that the race pace shown by Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov in Melbourne last weekend was “on a par” with some other teams.

Former F1 driver and Finnish commentator Mika Salo, however, is not impressed.

“The Caterham car is neither fast nor reliable,” he told MTV3.

 Mika Salo – a former Ferrari, Sauber and Toyota race driver – has admitted his surprise at how F1 technology has moved on since he retired in 2002.
The now 45-year-old Finn got back at the wheel of a modern grand prix machine last weekend at Suzuka, during the Ferrari Racing Days event.

“The power came as no surprise,” he told the broadcaster MTV3, “but the grip was quite unbelievable.

“It was almost contrary to the laws of nature, how hard you could be pushing on sixth or seventh gear in a corner.

“I would have needed many more days to really get back on terms with it,” said Salo. “I have to admit there is no way I could do a race right now.

“Secondly, my fitness really is not enough — I have such a sore neck and hands now that I could barely carry my bag at the airport,” he added.

HRT refugee Vitantonio Liuzzi has re-emerged on the grid of the Italian-based touring car series Superstars.
Despite having a 2012 contract, the 30-year-old Italian lost his race seat at the struggling Spanish team HRT for this year to the well-backed Indian Narain Karthikeyan.

So, in 2012, he will race a Mercedes C63 AMG – which he tested last week at Monza – in the Maurizio Flammini-organised Superstars series.

Also on the grid will be former F1 drivers Christian Fittipaldi, Mika Salo, Gianni Morbidelli and Johnny Herbert.

“I’m persuaded that Superstars is a great choice to open yourself to other categories than F1,” said Liuzzi.

The season begins in April at Monza, then moving on to Imola, Donington, Mugello, the Hungaroring, Spa, Portimao, Vallelunga and Sentul (Indonesia).

Since 2005, Liuzzi also raced in F1 with Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Force India.

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.

Mika Salo has now played down his two-day test for Ferrari this weekend.
It emerged last week that the 45-year-old Finn, who in 1999 replaced Ferrari’s injured Michael Schumacher, would test the famous Maranello team’s single seater at the Suzuka circuit.

A spokesman insisted Salo is simply appearing as a guest during the Ferrari Racing Days event, but media speculation hinted he is playing a more crucial role amid the famous team’s struggle to improve its new F2012.

“The news media got a bit out of hand,” Salo told Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

“It’s only a two day test for me in last year’s car. If you think about it rationally, there is no benefit for the F1 team.

“I am 45 years old and haven’t driven a single metre (in a F1 car) for ten years — I could not give any useable feedback,” he insisted.

Fourth in the 2012 championship is a “realistic” target for Lotus.
That is the claim of reigning GP2 champion Romain Grosjean, amid suggestions his new mount – the black and gold E20 – is among the very best cars on this year’s grid.

“If I am really positive, we can say we are the third force, with Mercedes,” he is quoted by RMC.

“If I am more realistic, we can say that we will fight for fourth place with Ferrari, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso,” added the Frenchman.

Former F1 driver Mika Salo said the development race will be Lotus’ true test.

“They are a contender at least early in the season,” the Finn told the MTV3 broadcaster. “But the biggest teams develop at such a fast pace.”

 Felipe Massa may have kept his seat at Ferrari for economic reasons.
That is the view of Keke Rosberg, the 1982 world champion and father of Mercedes race driver Nico.

Keke’s Finnish countryman Mika Salo, a former Ferrari driver, told MTV3 last week he was “surprised” Brazilian Massa kept his seat for 2012 after two consecutively poor seasons.

Massa already had a contract for 2012, but at the end of 2009 – when Kimi Raikkonen was replaced by Fernando Alonso – Ferrari showed it is not afraid of paying handsomely to end a deal.

So is Rosberg also surprised Massa is still Alonso’s teammate?

“I think that’s been influenced by the fact that they burned quite a lot of money with Kimi,” the 63-year-old said.

“They could have again paid off the guy with the contract and taken someone else, but at some point you have to be economically mindful — you can’t always go for the most expensive option,” added Rosberg.

Former Ferrari driver Mika Salo has admitted he was “surprised” his former team opted to honour Felipe Massa’s contract for 2012.
The Finn, who raced at the famous Maranello team for a time in 1999 after Michael Schumacher broke his leg, said Fernando Alonso is the “clear number one” nowadays.

“I don’t think Massa will be staying after this season,” former Sauber and Toyota driver Salo, who attended last week’s Jerez test, told the Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

“I was surprised that he was allowed to continue this year.”

Salo, 45, said there is a similar pecking-order at Red Bull, where Sebastian Vettel last year utterly dominated his teammate Mark Webber.

He also commented on McLaren’s duo, comprising two world champions.

“If McLaren has a good car then the drivers will be taking points off one another — that’s not something that will happen in the other teams.

“On the track, (Lewis) Hamilton is the fastest but not quite as smart as (Jenson) Button in the races.”

Salo sees less of a close battle at Lotus this year, where his countryman Kimi Raikkonen is returning to F1 alongside GP2 champion Romain Grosjean.

“Kimi should be much faster than Grosjean,” he said, “who is only there because (Eric) Boullier is his manager.”

As for Williams’ lineup of Pastor Maldonado alongside Bruno Senna, Salo said: “I think this is one of the worst pairings. Both are susceptible to mistakes.

“Senna had few good races last year but faded badly by the end.

“Maldonado is a bit of a hothead, so I don’t see it being a good year for them.

“For (test driver) Valtteri Bottas there could be a good opportunity to get a race.”

Ferrari’s worrying start to the 2012 pre-season got a boost on Friday when Fernando Alonso topped the times in the famous team’s new car.
Earlier, when Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz was in the paddock, he wondered to Blick newspaper: “What’s up with Ferrari?”

Former Ferrari driver Mika Salo answered: “They’re having problems at every corner.”

But although not as quick as the impressive Lotus earlier this week, Spaniard Alonso was faster than all comers on the last of the four-day session at Jerez, including Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel who had technical problems.

Typically, Alonso was giving nothing away.

“This time is worth nothing as is the one I set yesterday and those of the previous days,” he said.

He was also not getting excited about Lotus’ potential title challenge.

“I don’t know as even for them it’s a bit early and I would rather just say I am very happy to see Kimi (Raikkonen) back.

“He’s a great driver and a great person,” said Alonso.