If Sebastian Vettel hangs on to the drivers’ world championship trophy at the end of 2012, he will be only the third driver in the sport’s history with a title hat-trick.

Eight drivers have won three or more championships in total, but only Michael Schumacher (2000-2004) and Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-1957) won more than two on the trot.

Names including Prost, Lauda, Senna and Alonso all failed.

“My guess is that he (Vettel) really can do it again,” Bernie Ecclestone told F1′s official website. “What points against it? I think anything else would be the surprise.”

So what does the 24-year-old German think about the chances of a treble?

“That only two or three had done it before, I was not aware,” he is quoted by SID news agency.

“All good things come in threes. Of course it would be great, but there’s a long way to go and we stay patient and keep the feet on the floor.”

The 2012 field, however, appears closer than in 2011, and the Red Bull perhaps not as dominant.

“To say that everything is perfect would be a lie, because we have some problems to solve,” admitted Vettel ahead of the 2012 season opener in Australia.

“It will only be possible to make a true assessment of our performance and the performance of the others this weekend.”

 Alain Prost believes it is “absolutely impossible” for F1′s newest teams to ever break the dominance of the sport’s top five.
He is referring to small privateers Caterham (formerly Lotus), Marussia (formerly Virgin) and HRT (formerly Hispania), who were enticed into formula one in 2010 following the departures of manufacturers Honda, BMW and Toyota.

As well as winning four championships as a driver, Frenchman Prost also ran his own team between 1997 and 2001, when it succumbed to financial problems.

The Russian website F1News asked Prost what advice he would give to F1′s current tailenders.

“I will say quite frankly that they cannot become competitive in today’s formula one,” he answered. “It’s impossible.

“They can make some progress, but – of course – you must immediately put the question ‘What goals do they pursue?’

“To break into the top five with a new team like this in formula one — it is absolutely impossible,” said Prost.

Alain Prost has revealed he has no desire to see the highly-lauded feature film about his former nemesis Ayrton Senna.
The award-winning ‘Senna’ movie focuses strongly on legendary Senna’s on and off-track rivalry with Frenchman Prost, who was portrayed as the politicking villain.

“I haven’t seen it and I don’t want to see it,” the 57-year-old told the Russian website F1News.

“I definitely don’t agree with how they went about it,” Prost explained. “I spent a lot of time trying to explain to the makers that they are wrong.”

The Frenchman was also asked about the late Ayrton’s nephew Bruno, who in 2012 will race for Williams-Renault, a combination that in 1993 powered Prost to the last of his four titles.

“Bruno is a great guy and I mean that sincerely,” he said.

“I cannot judge his ability as a driver, because it’s premature to talk about that, but he is a good person.”

Alain Prost has conceded it will be difficult for the once-great Williams to return to the top in formula one.
The legendary Frenchman won the last of his four world championships with the famous British team, which in 1993 was utterly dominant.

But Williams has not won a single race since 2004, and last year finished the constructors’ standings a woeful ninth, having scored only a handful of points.

“I talk often with Frank Williams,” Prost told the Russian website F1News, “and this winter I even tried to help find him some sponsors, but failed.

“It’s difficult for them,” he continued, “as when you get yourself into financial problems, it’s so hard to get out of them.”

Prost’s own team collapsed in 2001.

 Alain Prost has backed France’s touted return in 2013 to the formula one calendar.
Recently, the four time world champion was involved in a project to bring the sport to Paris.

“That’s a closed chapter,” he rued, according to the Russian website F1News.

“I really regret that, because – believe me – it was the best project I had seen in a long time.”

The latest proposal is for France’s Paul Ricard to share an annually alternating grand prix date with Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium’s fabled and much loved circuit.

Prost said: “Obviously the best thing would be for France and Belgium to have their own grands prix each year.

“But unfortunately you have to admit that Europe is facing great difficulties, so if this is the only way for the race to happen, then why not?

“It’s better than nothing,” he said.

Jarno Trulli has revealed he was offered a seat at Ferrari some years ago.
After fifteen consecutive seasons in formula one, the 37-year-old Italian has lost his Caterham race seat to the well-backed Russian Vitaly Petrov.

2004 Monaco grand prix winner Trulli, 37, drove since 1997 for Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Caterham’s former guise Lotus.

Writing in his New York Times blog, correspondent Brad Spurgeon said Trulli was made the Ferrari offer while he was racing for Toyota between 2005 and 2009.

Trulli reportedly told Italy’s Autosprint magazine that Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali’s predecessor, the now FIA president Jean Todt, made him the offer.

“Nobody knows this, but at this point I think I can publicly thank Jean Todt for having been one of the few top team managers to consider me during my career,” he said.

“I won’t tell you when exactly — I was racing for Toyota and I was doing very well. But I had signed a rather long contract with the Japanese, and in my career I’ve always honoured my commitments.

“In 15 years of F1 I’ve never needed lawyers,” added Trulli.

Trulli left Renault for Toyota at the end of the 2004 season, driving for the carmaker until it pulled out of formula one at the end of 2009.

Rubens Barrichello left Ferrari at the end of 2005, replaced by Felipe Massa. Michael Schumacher retired a year later, replaced by Kimi Raikkonen.

At Ferrari, Frenchman Todt handed over to Domenicali at the end of 2007.

 Caterham on Friday finally confirmed speculation that Vitaly Petrov will replace Jarno Trulli in 2012.
It has been rumoured Petrov, the Russian driver ousted by Lotus (formerly Renault) after two seasons, was waiting on his sponsors to decide whether or not to pay out veteran Trulli’s contract.

37-year-old Italian Trulli, permanently in F1 since 1997 and the 2004 Monaco grand prix winner, said mere days ago that he expected to race this season.

He tested Caterham’s 2012 car at Jerez last week.

“It was not an easy decision to bring Vitaly in to replace Jarno, but it was one we made to ensure that we give fresh impetus across the whole team and with a realistic eye on the global economic market,” said team boss Tony Fernandes.

The Malaysian businessman said an “agreement” was reached with Trulli to end his contract, “but he will always be part of our family”.

“I understand the decision the team has made and I want to wish to the whole team the very best of luck for the season ahead,” said the former Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Toyota driver.

Petrov, 27, had a seat fitting at Caterham’s Hingham factory on Friday and will test the car in Barcelona next week.

Two authoritative sources have admitted they doubt Adrian Newey was telling the whole truth about the air inlet in the ‘step’ nose of Red Bull’s 2012 car.
Designer Newey, the pioneer of the now-banned blown diffuser solutions seen throughout last year’s grid, insisted that the mysterious letterbox-slot gap in the RB8 is simply to cool the drivers with air.

But the aerodynamic expert’s explanation was met with some initial scepticism, amid speculation the monocoque air could also be flowing elsewhere for a performance benefit.

“The drivers are going to get their feet wet when it rains,” a suspicious unnamed engineer smilingly told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Also unconvinced is Joan Villadelprat, a veteran former formula one engineer who has worked at McLaren, Ferrari, Benetton, Prost and – most recently – heading the operations of the sports car team Epsilon Euskadi.

He wrote in El Pais newspaper: “Personally, I don’t believe Adrian Newey’s explanation that the opening is to refresh the drivers.

“If that’s what they need then Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber must drive half-asleep,” the Spaniard joked.

Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport speculates that the RB8′s inlet directs air underneath the floor, as per Ferrari’s innovative nose-slot of 2008.

Michael Schumacher has extended his Mercedes deal for another season, the German weekly Sport Bild reports.
The 42-year-old’s existing contract was set to run only until the end of next season, but Sport Bild said the seven time world champion is now staying at least until the end of 2013.

“There is no reason why Michael should not continue,” said team boss Ross Brawn. “He’s very valuable to the team and has not lost his edge.”

Schumacher hinted that he is not yet ready to return to retirement.

“I have proved I can run in the races faster than my teammate Nico Rosberg; overall we are on the right track.

“It is unlikely that in 2012 we will be in a position to go for the title, because first we need to lay down the foundation that we can then use in 2013,” he added.

Added Mercedes-Benz’s Norbert Haug: “Whoever wrote off Michael has been proved wrong. He is driving fantastic races; no one has made up more positions than him on the first lap.”

The next step for the Brackley based team is to keep Nico Rosberg beyond 2012, even though reports the 26-year-old could be snapped up immediately by Ferrari have proved wide of the mark.

“Winning with the Silver Arrows is my primary goal, but of course you always keep your options open,” he is quoted as saying.

The team looks strong on the technical front, with five former rival chiefs – Brawn and Aldo Costa (Ferrari), Bob Bell (Renault), Loic Bigois (Prost) and Geoff Willis (HRT) – all now peddling for Mercedes.

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.”

Joan Villadelprat on Monday insisted he has not given up on bringing his Spanish Le Mans team Epsilon Euskadi into formula one.

The Spaniard tried to acquire the thirteenth and final team entry for 2011, but the FIA ruled that none of the applicants had the financial resources to justify the go-ahead.

But Villadelprat told the Noticias de Gipuzkoa that the 13th entry is not the only route into F1.

“We have not thrown in the towel,” he confirmed.

“The most important thing in formula one is the funding that allows you develop for the long-term. We already have the infrastructure and human capacity.

“We are still working with a range of investors and we hope soon to have a final decision,” added Villadelprat. “If the decision is positive, we have a range of options.

“We can go for the 13th entry in 2012, or for 2011 buy an existing team.”

He ruled out buying the struggling HRT team.

“We are not in contact with them,” said Villadelprat, with decades of experience in F1 with Ferrari, McLaren, Benetton and Prost.

“But we are confident that there are licenses available, because there are several teams in a very delicate economic situation,” he added.

“If we secure the budget for the next four years to take over the project of one of these teams, we will — otherwise, no.”

The FIA has reacted swiftly to drivers’ concerns about the pit entry in Korea.

Numerous drivers on Friday warned that the fact the entry to the new Yeongam circuit’s pitlane is on the racing line in a fast corner is a safety issue.

“Someone coming into the pits will be slower than the guy behind who is staying on the track,” said Sebastian Vettel.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that, after meeting with the drivers late on Friday, race director Charlie Whiting has agreed to a quick fix.

The white line on the pit entry is being removed overnight, meaning drivers coming into the pits can remain on the power through the fast corner and then sweep into the pits at the last moment.

“So the difference in pace between those coming into the pits and those staying out is not so great,” confirmed Mark Webber.

It is also believed that a kerb at another fast corner is being slightly relocated, while the height difference between the kerbs and the track at turns 16 and 10 will also be attended to in the future.

“I am sure it’s just teething problems and people will look at that and see what they can do,” said McLaren and FOTA boss Martin Whitmarsh.

More generally, following the media’s horror stories of the past months, the F1 paddock seemed surprisingly happy with the venue on Friday, and the drivers gave the actual layout a big thumbs-up.

Nico Rosberg said Yeongam is “very interesting” with “some great combinations of corners”, and Fernando Alonso agreed the layout has “a bit of everything”.

And the venue itself was also being praised on Friday, despite some minor earlier complaints about electricity and gas supply issues, and internet dropouts in the media centre on Friday.

“With the government and organisers spending this kind of money we need to be thankful as it is something amazing, no doubt about it,” said Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali.

The most genuine complaint is about the accommodation, even though the well-heeled drivers and management are enjoying the five-star Hyundai Hotel.

Buzzing around the paddock are stories told by journalists and mechanics about sex toys in vending machines and rooms that are obviously frequented by prostitutes.

“Maybe they (the organisers) can work on that for the future,” said Vettel.

F1 indulged in a piece of rare nostalgia on Thursday by recreating a famous scene.

As the 1986 world championship fight came to a head in Adelaide, the four title protagonists – Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet – posed on the pitwall with Bernie Ecclestone for a media photograph.

Two and a half decades later, there are still five drivers in the running for the 2010 crown, so the ever-present F1 chief executive was back on the pitwall for the same sort of photograph.

This time, the scene of the photo – featuring Ecclestone and drivers Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel – was the brand new Yeongam barrier.

“It was good to do the photo with all the guys,” championship leader Webber said afterwards, “going back all those years with some of our heroes obviously in those (1986) photos.”

Joan Villadelprat is eager for the FIA to make its decision about the identity of F1′s thirteenth team for 2011.

The formula one veteran, who has worked at Tyrrell, McLaren, Ferrari, Benetton and Prost, is now pushing to bring his own Le Mans prototype and junior single seaters team Epsilon Euskadi onto the grid.

It is believed the Azkoitia-based outfit is in competition with Villeneuve/Durango and Stefan GP, but it is also possible that the governing body will deem none of the applicants worthy of the 13th place.

It is also rumoured that many more than the three aforementioned projects are still officially in the running for the entry.

“We are already working with our wind tunnel model,” Villadelprat is quoted by the Italian language Al Volante.

“From the economic point of view we have an interesting budget but not yet what I would want to have for the formula one programme.

“Before investing a lot of money, our possible partners want to be sure that we have been chosen (by the FIA), but this (situation) will end in August,” he added.

Indeed, the FIA’s decision about the 13th team entry is due late this month.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen will be the former driver serving alongside three conventional FIA stewards at this weekend’s European grand prix.

The German won three grands prix during his 160-race career between 1994 and 2003.

Frentzen, now 43, drove for Sauber, Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows, and subsequently for Opel and Audi in the German touring car series DTM.

(GMM)