Jerome d’Ambrosio is the latest name linked with struggling Felipe Massa’s Ferrari race seat.

While Mark Webber or Sergio Perez are the Maranello team’s more likely longer term solutions, Ferrari may be looking simply for a stop-gap solution, having reportedly run out of patience for Brazilian Massa’s lack of pace and results.

The French sports daily L’Equipe named d’Ambrosio, the Belgian driver who lost his Virgin/Marussia seat at the end of last season.

He is managed by Eric Boullier, and now Lotus’ reserve driver.

Also named as potential substitutes for Massa in recent days were Nico Hulkenberg, Paul di Resta and Kamui Kobayashi.

But, according to L’Equipe, d’Ambrosio “has the advantage of being immediately available, giving Ferrari time to find a more permanent solution” for 2013.

Also ready to step in now is Adrian Sutil, the former Force India driver who is putting his career back together after the Eric Lux assault affair.

“I have no money to offer,” the German is quoted as saying. “After five seasons, people know what is my level. I want a normal salary, that’s all.”

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.”

Maria de Villota is not ruling out appearing during a Friday morning practice session some time in 2012.

The 32-year-old Spaniard made international headlines in March when she signed with Marussia as a test driver.

She subsequently admitted, however, that – despite travelling to all the grands prix with the former Virgin team this year – she is “not the reserve driver”.

De Villota, whose father Emilio is a former F1 driver, also clarified in March that she is not contracted to practice on Friday mornings.

But she is not ruling it out now.

“It depends on the team,” she told the Spanish news agency EFE.

“I am trying to do all my duties well so that they are happy with me. And I think they are,” said de Villota.

“But the car is new and the drivers need the miles to develop it. So it’s up to the team (to decide).

“Hopefully it will happen soon, but what happens this year will happen. There may be surprises, but for now I am getting to do a lot of work in the simulator.”

Meanwhile, she made a bold prediction when asked which team she tips to win the so-far unpredictable 2012 championship.

“I think that McLaren is very strong,” said de Villota.

The last female driver to take part in official grand prix sessions was the Italian Giovanna Amati, who failed to qualify for three races in 1992.

Jerome d’Ambrosio has revealed he could drive one of the Lotus cars during Friday morning practice sessions at some point in 2012.

The former Virgin driver, who is managed by Lotus boss Eric Boullier’s Gravity company, was appointed as the team’s third and reserve driver for this year.

But, until now, it was not known if the role would involve Friday morning practice duties.

Asked by the La Libre newspaper when he will be seen on the grid once again, Belgian d’Ambrosio answered: “I hope in 2013.”

He will get his 2013 campaign up and running on Tuesday, when he gets the chance to drive Lotus’ current E20 for the first time at the Mugello test.

The 26-year-old said on Monday: “I will try to show what I can do every time I have the opportunity, not only tomorrow but also during the Friday morning tests that I can participate in.”

D’Ambrosio admitted he would rather be racing this year, but insists that his role at Lotus is a good stepping stone.

“I’m not complaining,” he said. “I remain convinced that my decision to become a reserve driver with a big team was the best thing for me.”

And he insisted he is not jealous of the similarly-aged Romain Grosjean, who took the E20 to the podium in Bahrain recently.

“Honestly not,” said d’Ambrosio. “I would be a fool to think that if Romain had crashed twice more I would replace him in Barcelona.

“Instead, what Grosjean has done confirms that young guys can be trusted. I am glad to see him succeed.

“I don’t come to grands prix hoping one of my teammates is hurt. I’m here to learn, not to laugh.”

He thinks Lotus could win a race in 2012.

“It’s possible, yes,” said d’Ambrosio. “The E20 works well when it’s hot, degrading the tyres not too much.

“In Bahrain, we had the best car in the race. We cannot afford to miss opportunities.”

Lucas di Grassi has admitted that even his continuing role at Pirelli is not a ticket back onto the F1 grid.

“I’m in the best possible position technically, as the driver with knowledge of the tyres – almost choosing them for next season – it puts me in a very comfortable position.

“Of course I want to race again with a team and I’m working on it,” said the 2010 Virgin driver, who was replaced by the now Marussia team with Jerome d’Ambrosio at the end of his only season in F1.

“The only problem is the lack of sponsorship,” di Grassi is quoted by Globo. “Let’s hope some Brazilian companies want to come in to support.”

Martin Brundle, a former F1 veteran whose son Alex now competes in the lower-tier GP3 series, admitted sponsorship is a problem for aspiring racers.

“Drivers are paying as much as $10 million to be a reserve at some teams,” the British commentator told the Daily Mail.

“Nine men who raced in F1 last year don’t have a drive any more. As soon as the money runs out, they’re replaced by someone who does have money.”

Becoming Pirelli’s test driver was “not an option” for Adrian Sutil, the out-of-work F1 driver has admitted.

“Right now I’m waiting,” the former Force India driver told Eurosport Deutschland.

German Sutil, 29, was an established F1 driver until 2011, when he became embroiled in a legal battle with Lotus team executive Eric Lux over an assault.

He has been left without a seat for 2012, causing many to wonder why he – and not the less experienced Jaime Alguersuari – was not selected to test with F1′s official tyre supplier Pirelli.

“A collaboration with Pirelli didn’t work out, but I was never in contact with them directly,” Sutil said. “It wasn’t an option.”

He also didn’t find a test or reserve seat with a team.

“The fact that there is hardly any testing, of course, is not very helpful,” Sutil insisted.

He has been linked with struggling Felipe Massa’s Ferrari seat.

“I do have to hope,” admitted Sutil, “that either some drivers don’t do well, or a cockpit becomes available. That is my chance.

“That drivers are changed is just a part of formula one,” added Sutil.

“My plan is to wait and see if there is a possibility. If not, then of course you have to give serious thought about what to do in the future — in 2013.”

With the F1 world now returned from Bahrain, the sport is assessing the fallout of one of the most controversial grands prix in history.

The drivers were conspicuously quiet over the saga in the island Kingdom, but – with no contract tying him down – former Force India driver Adrian Sutil admitted he was glad he was not there.

“In a situation like that, it is probably better not to go,” the German said on Sky Deutschland.

“On the one hand, the decision was made (to go to Bahrain), on the other hand, it’s very difficult when there are so many problems in a country.”

Red Bull reserve driver Sebastien Buemi, who has family living in Bahrain, does not agree at all.

“I arrived on Monday and I had no problem — maybe there were a few more police than two years ago, but nothing happened to me,” the Swiss insisted on Austrian Servus TV.

Force India and Sauber, however, witnessed Molotov cocktail attacks on their treks to and from the circuit.

And Caterham team spokesman Tom Webb told the Sun that there was “one minor incident when one of our (hire) vans slowed down in traffic and its occupants saw a local youth on the side of the main road brandishing a bottle with a rag stuffed in its neck”.

World champion and race winner Sebastian Vettel also admitted the feeling was tense in the paddock throughout the weekend.

“It was not easy for anyone,” the Red Bull driver admitted, according to SID news agency, “but I’m glad that nothing happened to any of us (in F1).”

And the Telegraph quotes Vettel adding: “Hopefully, we come back in the future when everything’s a little bit safer.”

Reuters reports that Vodafone, the main sponsor of the half Bahrain-owned McLaren team, sent no staff to the country and expressed concerns to the British outfit.

But Jim Wright, an F1 sponsorship expert, told the Guardian that he thinks while the sport’s image took a beating last weekend, sponsors will be happy.

“Most teams handled a difficult decision very well,” he said. “On that basis I think a lot of people would be pleased with that and happy to get involved with them.”

The television audience was also unaffected – even boosted – with the BBC reporting more viewers for Bahrain than Australia and Malaysia, and Germany revealing similarly strong figures.

Still, there remains criticism.

“Now is an opportunity to reflect,” former F1 driver Alex Zanardi told Tuttosport, “and make sure that major sporting events are assigned only to governments that deserve the honour of hosting them.

“Ecclestone is brilliant and has made formula one what it is, but he can’t administer races at any cost and above all else,” insisted the Italian.

Due to security fears, Force India sat out a practice session on Friday so that staff could return to their hotels in daylight.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was reportedly enraged, and according to rumours got his revenge by instructing Formula One Management’s television cameras to ignore the Silverstone based team’s cars in qualifying.

“There was a bit of fuss about what we did,” deputy team principal Bob Fernley is quoted by Spain’s AS newspaper, “and it was not easy, but I think it turned out to be the right response.

“We had a lot of pressure, our attitude was not well received,” he confirmed, “but I think that we had a duty of care to our employees, and to do the right thing by the team.”

A support-race team and a respected journalist have become the next to pull out of this weekend’s highly controversial Bahrain grand prix.

The Porsche Supercup team MRS said its decision to skip the support race in the divided island Kingdom is the “first time in our history that we have had to cancel”.

“In the end we have the responsibility for our employees,” said team boss Karsten Molitor, citing security concerns.

Another withdrawal – joining the sacked Williams catering staff member, and the TV broadcasters Sky Deutschland, Fuji TV and MTV3 Finland – is the respected correspondent for O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Livio Oricchio.

“I have decided in agreement with Estado to not go,” he said. “We had the tickets for the entire season, except for Bahrain and the United States, because there was a doubt they would be run.

“Like many journalists, I will not be at Sakhir,” Oricchio admitted.

“I always believed that the race would not take place, and I’m still not 100 per cent sure that something will not happen that will lead the FIA or FOM to cancel.”

Indeed, following the sport’s decision to push ahead, the pressure on formula one to cancel at the eleventh hour has only intensified.

Nabeel Rajab, the leader of the government opposition group Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, admitted that the next protests – ‘three days of rage’, to coincide with the race’s three-day calendar – are aimed specifically at F1.

“We’re protesting to show anger at formula one for conducting the race here,” he is quoted by the BBC.

And the wife of a well-known jailed Bahraini activist who is on a long hunger strike, added: “I am not angry with the government… what makes me angry is people like Ecclestone who decide to come to Bahrain because he thinks everyone is happy.”

Italy’s La Stampa reports that F1 personnel have been advised to stay away from restaurants and shops, while “girlfriends and wives stay at home”.

That’s not entirely true, as Felipe Massa touched down at the airport on Thursday with his wife and baby son.

And Giedo van der Garde, the reserve driver for Caterham, said he has found Bahrain peaceful since his arrival on Wednesday.

“I’ve not been here long,” he is quoted by Auto Hebdo, “but everything seems quiet. Obviously, there’s a heavy police presence,” the Dutchman continued.

“But I haven’t seen any trouble or anything. Let’s hope it stays like that.”

Marco Canseco, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca, said he witnessed a “minor altercation” in the capital Manama on Wednesday.

“Then all the teams and everybody were able to get to the track for work without a hitch, the same on return,” he revealed.

Many are protesting the race going ahead on moral grounds, others due to security fears, whilst others fear for F1′s image.

“The ongoing debate about Bahrain is the only damage to the high gloss of the exciting 2012 season so far,” agreed Austria’s Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

Nico Hulkenberg insists he is happy in formula one without his famous manager Willi Weber.

After a year on the reserve bench, the German returned to the grid in 2012 with Force India, but no longer represented by Weber, the famous former manager of the Schumacher brothers.

“There were a few reasons why I separated with Willi Weber,” Hulkenberg told spox.com.

“Now I’m doing it without some new management,” he explained. “I have assistants, because of course I can’t do everything by myself.

“It’s going quite well at the moment.”

Hulkenberg, 24, is not the only F1 driver without a manager, as Kimi Raikkonen now handles his own career.

“I have (also) taken Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg as role models,” admitted Hulkenberg.

Jules Bianchi will kick off his season of Friday practice duties this weekend in China.

Despite remaining under contract to Ferrari’s development programme, the Frenchman was signed to be reserve driver at Force India this year.

The team said 22-year-old Bianchi will practice during “a minimum of nine” Friday sessions this season.

The first will be in Shanghai late this week, according to the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.

The report said Bianchi, who will also race in the Renault World Series in 2012, will take over Paul di Resta’s Mercedes-powered car in the initial free practice session beginning at 10am local on Friday in China.

“I hope it (the role) will put me in a strong position to one day move into a race seat,” Bianchi said in January.

HRT Formula 1 Team announces the incorporation of Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua to the Spanish team’s young driver development programme.

The formation programme designed by HRT F1 Team for Ma Qing Hua includes professional assessment in his career as a driver, private tests with cars from different categories and simulator tests. If the results of the partnership are satisfactory, Qing Hua could take to the wheel of the F112 at the Formula 1 Young Driver test.

Ma Qing Hua will perform his first official act with HRT Formula 1 Team on Thursday the 12th of April at a press conference previous to the Chinese Grand Prix (13th to 15th of April), which takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit. The details of the press conference will be announced shortly.

The incorporation of Ma Qing Hua to HRT Formula 1 Team’s driver development programme is part of the Spanish team’s strategy in order to serve as a platform for the formation of professionals in the pinnacle of world motorsport. The driver born in Shanghai has been competing in different categories of national and international motorsport for many years. His incorporation to HRT F1 Team’s Driver Development Programme takes place after some simulator tests and a testing session in Cheste (Valencia) at the wheel of a World Series car. The qualities and attitude of Qing Hua convinced Luis Pérez-Sala of his potential to incorporate him to the programme which Dani Clos, HRT F1 Team test driver, is also a part of.

Ma Qing Hua: “I’m very honoured to form a part of the driver development programme at HRT Formula 1 Team since, with work and effort, it will allow me to become the first Chinese Formula 1 driver. It’s a very special moment for me and it’s hard to express how happy I am. I’ve dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small. I started in the karting world when I was 8 years old and I worked really hard to learn and become quicker every time. After competing in categories such as Formula campus, Formula Renault and F3, I learned a lot about car set-up, technique on circuits and team work to become more professional every time. And now finally my childhood dream has become true thanks to the opportunity that HRT has granted me to become an F1 driver. And even more so this year with all the drivers who are competing, with 6 world champions amongst them. Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I’m going to work hard to earn it. Thanks to HRT for offering me the chance to show what I’m capable of. And thanks to my family and everyone who has always supported me. This is only the beginning”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We are working so that one of the team’s signs of identity is to serve as a platform to launch young drivers, both nationally and internationally. Ma Qing Hua is one those talents in which we believe and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1. We like his conditions and we want to take part in his formation by incorporating him to the team’s Driver Development Programme so that he can participate in races and private tests, with the objective of him being able to take part in the Formula 1 tests reserved to young drivers. Due to my responsibility in the Circuit de Catalunya young driver programme, I’ve been able to follow his progress and personally assisted some tests he did. I knew he had potential, but I was surprised with his speed, safety, adaptation capacity, attitude and professionalism. All these virtues make us believe that his incorporation to the programme will be very positive and will lead to a fruitful and lasting relationship”.

Profile

Date of Birth: 25th of December 1987
Place of Birth: Shanghai, China
Nationality: Chinese

Ma Qing Hua started racing at the tender age of 8 and won the youth National Karting Championship when he was 12 years old. He continued to race and achieve successful results in karting until 2004, when he entered the Asian Formula Renault Series and won the championship. In 2005 he represented Team China in A1 Grand Prix. From here he would move on to Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, before competing in Formula 3 Spain and Formula 3 Spain “Copa de España”, managing two podiums this season. One year later, the Chinese driver took part in various events of the British Formula 3 International Series. In 2010 he represented Team China for two races in Superleague Formula before moving onto the Chinese Touring Car Championship in 2011 where he came away with the title after four wins and four podiums in the eight-race season.

Career Summary:

2011: Chinese Touring Car Championship: 1st in the Championship (4 wins and 4 podiums)
2010: Superleague Formula: Team China
2009: British Formula 3 International Series: Team West-Tec
2008: Formula 3 Spain, Copa de España F3: Team West-Tec: 7th in the Copa (2 podiums)
2007:Chinese National Karting Championship (Super Group): 1st in the Championship
2006:Formula Renault 2.0 NEC: Team Astromega
2005:A1GP: Team China
2004:Asian Formula Renault Series: 1st in the Championship
Formula Campus Asia Championship: 1st in the Championship
Shanghai Karting Grand Prix (ICA Group): Winner
2003:Chinese National Karting Championship (ICA Group): 6th position
2002:Chinese National Karting Championship: 2nd position
Indian International Karting Championship: 2nd position

Romain Grosjean has admitted he hopes France’s touted return to the F1 calendar is shown the green light.

Amid expectations he would announce a race at Paul Ricard will go ahead in 2013, French prime minister Francois Fillon instead said last Friday that talks are ongoing.

“I’m crossing my fingers that it will happen,” Lotus driver and Frenchman Grosjean told RMC Sport.

“I think the enthusiasm for motor sport (in France) has been reborn,” he added, referring to the presence on this year’s grid of three French race drivers, plus Force India reserve Jules Bianchi.

“There has been lots of positive feedback after the first two races and also the first points for Jean-Eric (Vergne).

“I hope we will have a grand prix soon enough,” added Grosjean.

Patrick Tambay, a former grand prix driver from France, believes politics can be thanked for the country’s touted return to the calendar.

“I feel that the grand prix de France broke into the presidential campaign,” he said.

“Since 2008, we hardly heard anything about it, and now it’s a hot topic. There is a strong desire to make it work.

“All that remains is to validate the decision and set a timetable,” he added.

Claude Sage, the administrator of the Le Castellet circuit, said Paul Ricard will be ready.

“The circuit is approved for formula one,” he said.

“We need to prepare the facilities for the public, in the form of temporary stands, as in Monaco. We have room to install them,” added Sage.

Teams are making preparations just in case the Bahrain grand prix is called off at the last minute.

That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that the teams could put their back-up plans into action even as late as the Sunday in China — mere days before they are expected to be at Sakhir.

In London this week, F1 chief executive and team bosses stood side by side with Bahrain circuit officials, insisting the race will go ahead despite defiant speculation to the contrary.

But Auto Motor und Sport reveals that the teams will also be ready if the plug is indeed pulled at the last minute — for example, their freight would go not from Shanghai to Bahrain, but back to Europe via Dubai.

And the report also said tickets have been reserved for the teams’ travelling staff, in the event they do not have to hop directly to the island Kingdom.

Michael Schumacher, however, insists he is not worried about going to Bahrain.

“I’m pretty relaxed, honestly,” said the seven time world champion.

“From our perspective, we’re going to be very well looked after, because they (the race organisers) might foresee whatever and be prepared.

“I’m pretty sure we’re going to be ok,” added Schumacher.

 Gary Paffett is next in line for a Force India race seat this weekend in Australia.
The Silverstone based team’s new regular Friday and reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, is unavailable this week as he tests ahead of the Renault World Series.

Force India has therefore asked McLaren, its technical partner, for help.

With Pedro de la Rosa now at HRT, Briton Paffett is the famous British team’s new official reserve driver.

He has already been in action this weekend, demonstrating McLaren’s 2011 car to the crowds at Albert Park on Thursday.

And Paffett, 30, will step into Force India’s car during the race weekend, should bad fortune befall the team’s regular drivers Nico Hulkenberg or Paul di Resta.

“I’m happy to be available for Force India for this weekend,” said the DTM driver.

He will not participate in Friday morning practice.

“Of course, it’s unlikely that I will be called up and hopefully it won’t happen, but it’s nice to know that the team thought of me,” said Paffett.

 Ferrari will not appoint an official reserve driver in 2012, the famous Italian team has confirmed.
The Maranello based team’s former reserve, Jules Bianchi, has stepped up to the Friday role at Force India.

Also on Ferrari’s books are Davide Rigon, Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gene.

But in the event Felipe Massa or Fernando Alonso are unable to race at any point this season, Ferrari will “take one of the drivers who are running around the paddock”, a spokesman told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“Last year we saw that Pedro de la Rosa was there and ready to go when Sergio Perez needed to be replaced at Sauber,” the source added.

For example, it is believed ousted Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari accepted the full-time radio co-commentary role with the BBC in the hope he will be needed by a team at some point this year.

Mercedes, too, will not have its official reserve – Sam Bird – on site throughout the long 2012 season.

“It makes little sense with the test limits to pay for an experienced test driver full-time,” explained Norbert Haug.