Bernie Ecclestone has continued to argue that ten teams is a better number for formula one.

The F1 chief executive was a staunch critic of the sport’s three new stragglers last year, but he has since said Team Lotus is a worthy competitor.

“I’m very happy that they are back,” Ecclestone told the BBC. “They will get on their feet and then sponsors will be attracted to them and we’ll see them grow.

“Frank Williams was like that years ago,” added the 80-year-old.

As for Virgin and HRT, however, he told Reuters late last season that “one or two of them (the new teams) shouldn’t be there perhaps … it’s a bit rich for their blood”.

When asked how the 2011 season will be for them, he answered simply: “Difficult.

“Twelve teams is too many. Ten is enough,” added Ecclestone.

A report in Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo said the Briton actually wants to drop the limit for the maximum number of teams from 13 to 10 for the new 2013 Concorde agreement.

The report said Ecclestone thinks ten is a better number to financially look after the teams and ensure there are enough good sponsors to go around.

Technical boss Mike Gascoyne said he is determined to move Team Lotus forward this year.

“Formula one is about competition, it’s the peak of motor sport, you shouldn’t be there as a spare part,” he said.

Virgin has also vowed to raise its game but had the slowest 2011 car in recent testing, while HRT will only run its new car for the first time in Melbourne next Friday.

Referring to 2010, Virgin boss John Booth said: “We thought F1 was achievable the way we were doing it, and we thought it was a wonderful thing. But you soon get the wake-up call, don’t you?”

A dispute that threatens the 2011 running of the Australian grand prix appeared to escalate on Friday.

24 hours ago, event promoter Ron Walker said he had travelled to Abu Dhabi for talks with Bernie Ecclestone because the national sanctioning body CAMS was threatening to pull next March’s race.

Walker said CAMS is a monopoly whose annual fees – $500,000 – are too high, and said an external organiser, like the organisers of the British grand prix, could be bought in to oversee the 2011 race at Albert Park.

But CAMS hit back on Friday by saying “only” it “has the experience, people and processes to safely organise” the race in Australia.

“This is an issue about safety and not fees and we do not believe the Australian formula one grand prix can be run safely without the high degree of professional and safety expertise that CAMS can deliver,” read a statement.

A deadline for the dispute is next Friday, when the World Motor Sport Council could be asked to remove Melbourne from the 2011 calendar.

F1′s governing body is pushing ahead with the selection process to fill the final spot on the 2011 grid.

Amid reports the FIA might prefer to keep the space open for now, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has made it clear he would even be happy if one or two of this season’s new teams do not survive beyond 2010.

And Ross Brawn, Mercedes team boss and also head of the FOTA group’s technical arm, warned that time is now tight for 2011, even though Lotus – the best new team this year – prepared its campaign in mere months.

“But it’s very difficult,” Brawn insisted  “So it looks pretty marginal to me to get a team together in time for next year.

“I think we’ve also got a pretty healthy grid now.  24 cars is a pretty good size and I don’t think it’s a disaster if a 13th team didn’t come in.  What we need to do is keep the teams we’ve got,” he added.

The competitive GP2 team ART has pulled out of the running for the 13th place for financial reasons, as has the American group Cypher.

But it is believed the Villeneuve/Durango collaboration, as well as Epsilon Euskadi and perhaps also Stefan GP, are still hoping to debut next year.

It has therefore emerged that the Paris-based FIA has invited the remaining contenders to a meeting in the French capital on 13 August — next Friday.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport believes the governing body has already turned down some applicants.

Red Bull might not test its new F-duct system on the long straights of Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next Friday.

The team took its initial version of the downforce-stalling concept off the RB6 after Friday practice in Turkey, after Sebastian Vettel reported that it had not functioned perfectly.

“We need to work on getting the right effect,” said the German.

It had been expected that the team would test the innovation again during Friday practice in Canada, where the straightline speed boost will be a big advantage on the fast layout.

But on Austrian television ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′ on Tuesday, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko indicated that the F-duct will not be used in Montreal next week.

“It did not work perfectly,” he confirmed on Tuesday, referring to the Istanbul Park test.

“Therefore, we are developing it further.  We will bring it again to Valencia,” he added.

(GMM)

May 2 (GMM) Giancarlo Fisichella on Saturday tested a refined version of Ferrari’s own F-duct solution.

The Italian team’s test and reserve driver was at Vairano, where what Ferrari described as the “management system for the blown rear wing” was run along with the entire Barcelona-spec package.

Ferrari said that “depending on how things go in the two free practice sessions next Friday, a decision will be taken as to whether or not to use all the updates for qualifying and the race”.

The updated F10 also features inboard rear mirrors, in accordance with the ban that kicks off in Spain next weekend.

Fernando Alonso told Corriere della Sera newspaper that he thinks Ferrari can catch F1’s pacesetter.

“Red Bull is stronger in qualifying and they are very fast, but we can catch up in the race. (And) McLaren knows how to develop its cars very fast, but we’re not joking either,” he said.

Ferrari confirmed the test in a press release:

Today, Italy and many other countries around the world have been celebrating May Day, but for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro there has been no respite in its efforts to prepare for the Spanish Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2010 World Championship. After a very busy week of testing on the bench and in the wind tunnel, this morning saw the on-track baptism of the management system for the blown rear wing. It was tested at Vairano by Giancarlo Fisichella as part of the four days of aerodynamic testing allowed in the testing agreement, as defined by the twelve teams.

This was not the only new element evaluated by the Scuderia’s third driver. The F10 was also fitted with the aero configuration that it is planned will be used at the Catalunya Circuit during next Friday’s free practice for the Barcelona race, including a new position for the rear view mirrors which must now be located on the chassis. The chassis itself is also new, going by the code number 284: as from the Spanish Grand Prix, it will be used by Felipe Massa. Track data acquired today will be analysed by the team over the next few days and then, also depending on how things go in the two free practice sessions next Friday, a decision will be taken as to whether or not to use all the updates for qualifying and the race.

With March’s season about to begin and the first official test of the year scheduled to start in just a week, the teams are locked up at the factories busily preparing their single-seated cars.

This week may be decisive and surely enough, the teams will begin to unveil their cars to their expectant audience.

After months of waiting, this is always an exciting moment and with four new motor-racing teams, great surprises are guaranteed.

First with Ferrari, which will show its single-seated on January 28^th, with pilots Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa; an appointment one must not miss.

The MP4 McLaren with 25 engine, that will be driven by the current World Champion, Jenson Button and the also British, Lewis Hamilton, will be launched next Friday(January 29th) at Vodafone in Newbury, the sponsor’s British headquarters.

On the other hand, BMW Sauber, Williams and Renault will introduce their single-seaters directly in the Valencia racetrack on January 31^st, one day previous to the year’s first official test.  By the way, they have both refused to take place in the traditional show in the factory.

Mercedes has been the first one to officially introduce its team, but with the Brawn GP painted with the colors they will be using this year.

Red Bull and Force India will present their single-seaters in the second official test of the year, at the Spanish circuit of Jerez in February 10th.  Likewise, Lotus will wait until that second test to launch its single-seated car.  Mike Gascoyne has revealed he plans to start out his car’s engine for the first time in February 5^th, before introducing it in February 12th.

The mystery comes from the other side of the “ocean”, from the new USA team.  USF1 has decided to break conventionalism and its car will make its debut on the Barber Motorsport Park’s tests in Alabama, at the beginning of February.

The thing that is worrying most is the lack of information concerning the newcomers: Virgin Racing and Campos Meta which have not specified any date.

Presentations of single-seated cars and teams

28 January – Ferrari, Maranello, Italy.

29 January – McLaren, Newbury, Great Britain.

31 January – BMW Sauber / Renault, Valencia, Spain.

1 February – Mercedes GP / Williams, Valencia, Spain

10 February – Red Bull / Force India, Jerez, Spain

Beginnings of February – Barber Motorsport Park, Alabama, USA.

12 February – Lotus