The French government is dashing to seal the lid on the country’s return to F1.

Bernie Ecclestone has said a deal has been reached to annually alternate a race between Paul Ricard in France and Belgium’s fabled Spa-Francorchamps.

But the final signature and official announcement are still missing.

David Douillet, the French sports minister, told Le Journal du Dimanche that the chance France will be on the 2013 calendar is “90 per cent”.

“The contract is going back and forth between the lawyers. I hope I get to London to meet with Bernie Ecclestone between Wednesday and Friday,” he added.

The newspaper said Douillet is dashing to complete the deal by this weekend’s presidential election, because socialist frontrunner Francois Hollande has hinted the grand prix project would be reviewed if he is elected.

Douillet admitted that it is “very likely” Hollande would “bury” the race.

Le JDD newspaper said organisers and Ecclestone have agreed the race sanctioning fee, EUR 22 million, which is still a few million short of guaranteeing a balanced budget.

And “without a balanced budget, we do not sign,” he warned. “The state, which does not participate financially, is still the guarantor of any debt.”

There also remains an odd silence from the Belgian side, who have not confirmed that Spa is the circuit that will alternate with France.

Sahara Force India looks ahead to the third round of the 2012 season in Shanghai, China. To download the full PDF preview or the media schedule for the weekend, please click on the links below.

Vijay’s Vision

After two races the 2012 season appears to have all the ingredients needed to serve up a spectacular year of racing. Already the fans have enjoyed two thrilling races and the intensity of the competition across the grid is sure to capture everybody’s attention.

I said last year that the competition in the midfield was close, but this year it seems to be even more so with the majority of the grid capable of fighting for points. It’s a good situation for Formula One, but it also means points are harder to come by. It’s encouraging that we have scored points in both races and that will be our aim once again in China.

I have to congratulate Paul and Nico on their excellent drives in Malaysia. They are only in their second full seasons of Formula One, but they both showed their maturity in the difficult conditions. At times Paul was one of the fastest cars on the circuit, excelling in the conditions, and it’s clear that we can expect another strong season from him. I was also delighted to see Nico pick up his first points with us after such a strong showing.

In terms of car development, the factory at Silverstone continues to work at full capacity to improve our performance. The first two races have given us a great deal of information to work with and we will put it to good use in the coming races.

Dr. Vijay Mallya

Paul on Shanghai
Following points finishes in the first couple of races, Paul Di Resta sets his sights on more of the same in Shanghai this weekend.

Paul, you must be pretty happy with your start to the season…
I think the whole team is pleased to have nine points on the board after two races and it was important that we picked up some good points on such an unpredictable day in Malaysia. We’ve seen how close all the teams are this year and getting points isn’t easy, so it feels good to start as we mean to continue.

Do you enjoy visiting China and experiencing the different culture?
China is a great place and Shanghai is a city I enjoy visiting. It’s such a big place, there is a lot to see and I enjoy it even more each time I go there.

Tell us about the track…
It has some unusual features. Turn one is very long and feels like it goes on forever. The key to getting it right is how much entry speed you can carry into the corner. You also have to look out for one of the biggest bumps of the year at the corner entry, which makes it difficult.

And what about the overtaking opportunities?
The best chance is turn one or into the very tight hairpin of turn 14, which widens on the entry and makes it difficult to defend. We also saw the effectiveness of DRS last year, which helped produce some good racing and it should be the same this year.

Nico on Shanghai
Nico Hulkenberg looks ahead to racing in Shanghai following his points finish in Malaysia.

Nico, after the disappointment of Melbourne, you finally got some racing miles under your belt in Sepang…
Yes, I’m happy with the race we had in Malaysia, which was basically the first proper race I have done since the end of 2010. It wasn’t an easy race and I was never in any clean air, but it was good to pick up a couple of points – my first points for the team.

Did you learn much about the car given that the conditions were so changeable in Sepang?
You always learn something and a race distance is always valuable for your knowledge of the car, even racing in the wet. The most difficult part of the race was just after the restart when I struggled for balance on the wets and intermediates, but when I switched to slicks the performance was pretty good.

Does the team have a better idea of the pecking order yet?
We’re only at the start of the season – we’ve only had two race weekends, so we still need to wait and see. Because the midfield is so compact nobody can afford to relax. We all need to push hard to improve performance and with 18 races still to go there’s plenty of time to do that.

What are your thoughts ahead of this weekend’s race in China?
It’s not my favourite race of the year, but they’ve done a good job to build a really impressive facility and it’s a fun track to drive. It’s difficult to predict how well we will do there, but given how close the grid is at the moment I think it should be a good show for everyone who is watching.

It was mission accomplished for HRT Formula 1 Team in Malaysia a couple of weeks ago after both cars qualified and completed their first race of the season after a hard start. The F112 accumulated many kilometres and data on the track and the engineers had a lot of information to work on during the two week period between the race in Sepang and China. Having met the team’s targets last time out, HRT now aims to progress from where it left things in Malaysia and continue improving.

The Shanghai International Circuit is made up of sixteen turns, with nine being right-handers and seven left-handers. Cars reach maximum speeds on the 1.2km straight between corners 13 and 14, where they try and take advantage of the length of the straight to overtake. In China, the team will have a new member on board, Ma Qing Hua, who will be joining the outfit for the first time as a member of the driver development programme at his local Grand Prix.

Pirelli have elected their soft and medium tyres for this grand prix.

Pedro de la Rosa, #22: “After these first two Grands Prix we arrive in China much better prepared, with more mileage and having learned a lot, especially after the Malaysian GP. All the data gathered in the last race is very important for us, as we mustn’t forget that we didn’t have a preseason. Now we have a better insight on the areas where we must improve, but the most important thing in this initial stage is to finish races. That is the prime objective in order to learn and improve race by race. The hardest part comes now but we are better prepared. China is a circuit where I have always done well and a place I know well, both in dry and wet conditions. It’s not a particularly hard track for the car or the driver, but aerodynamics are fundamental”.

Narain Karthikeyan, #23: “We took a step forward in Malaysia and our aim is definitely to carry the momentum into China and rest of the season. Although we managed to finish the race, cooling was still an issue at Sepang and once we have it sorted out completely we’ll be able to unlock some more performance from the car. The back straight at the Shanghai circuit is of course one of the longest on the calendar and the tightening first corner is uniquely challenging since the corner entry is in top gear and by the time you exit you’re in second. Plus there are a fair amount of technical slow-speed corners as well, and the high-speed direction change of turns 7/8. Given these mixed characteristics, it is a demanding circuit for traction, aero and braking stability in equal measures”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “The start to the season was very complicated because we were behind schedule with regards to the other teams. We had to put in a colossal effort to be able to get on track in Australia and improve our performance just one week later in Malaysia. There’s still plenty to do and many areas to improve on to be where we should be but at least in these two weeks we’ve had a bit more time to analyse data, prepare and recharge batteries, therefore I’m confident that we’re arriving in China in a much better situation. We mustn’t forget that the F112 is only taking its first steps and, as of today, what we must do is progress without stopping. In Shanghai we’ll have some small updates to optimize cooling and aerodynamics, and the target for this weekend is to check that these adjustments work. To sum up, we have to get more out of the car but must also improve on teamwork and coordination”.

Ross Brawn has confirmed reports that Mercedes’ 2012 ‘F-duct’ will not be easily copied by rival teams.

We reported on Thursday that while Red Bull and now Ferrari worked quickly to copy Sauber’s clever exhaust solution, they are crying foul over the Mercedes F-duct.

Is it because they really believe it breaks the rules, or is the system simply difficult to copy?

Red Bull designer Adrian Newey was quoted by Brazilian O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper in Malaysia: “In regard to the aerodynamic (F) duct of the Mercedes, and sending the airflow from the back to the front, it is necessary to review the entire project.”

Mercedes team boss Brawn confirmed: “The opposition is so fierce (because) there’s a recognition it’s quite difficult to do.”

He rejected the rivals’ arguments about cost, however, insisting Mercedes’ system consists mainly of carbon tubing costing no more than thousands of pounds.

“It’s a very simple, cheap system, but not so easy to implement if you haven’t integrated it into your car,” said the Briton.

“This is at the heart of the frustration of some of our opponents. If someone could put it on their car easily, I promise you we wouldn’t be having these discussions.”

It emerged this week, however, that despite the FIA having consistently sided with Mercedes on the F-duct issue, Lotus’ technical boss James Allison has come up with two new arguments that will be put to Charlie Whiting next week in China.

“We would obviously be extremely disappointed if someone was to take a different view,” said Brawn.

“The FIA have been fairly consistent over their position so we have faith that they’ll maintain that consistency.”

In the case of Sauber’s clever exhaust solution, Red Bull simply rolled out a copy in the days before the 2012 season.

Writing in O Estado de S.Paulo, Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio said the Sauber philosophy makes ingenious use of something called the ‘Coanda effect’.

In the wake of the FIA’s strict clampdown on blown exhaust technology for 2012, the C31 uses the Coanda effect – named after Romanian aerodynamics pioneer Henri Coanda – to legally entice the flow of exhaust to the diffuser.

Ferrari is understood to be the next team set to follow suit.

Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus, however, have a vastly different attitude when it comes to Mercedes’ clever F-duct, which uses the existing DRS rules to redirect air from the rear of the W03 car to the front.

The concept not only significantly boosts straight line speed but also improves handling.

The FIA’s Charlie Whiting has declared that Sauber and Mercedes are doing nothing wrong.

But the three aforementioned teams continue to rail against the F-duct, even leaving open the threat of protest ahead of the Chinese grand prix.

Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko explains: “Lotus, who are very responsible, have discovered two ways in which the F-duct is not in accordance with the regulations.”

So is the difference in attitude when it comes to the Sauber and Mercedes innovations actually about the ease in which they can be copied?

Oricchio quotes Red Bull’s Adrian Newey as having said in Malaysia: “In regard to the aerodynamic (F) duct of the Mercedes, and sending the airflow from the back to the front, it is necessary to review the entire project.”

 Rival formula one teams complained when Sky News published a report suggesting Ferrari and Red Bull will receive special deals for the next Concorde Agreement.
There has been speculation the Bernie Ecclestone-headed Formula One Management ordered the article be pulled from the internet because it divulged secret plans about the teams’ deals and a $10 billion stock market floatation.

But the Financial Times (FT) reports that it was parent company BSkyB’s chief executive Jeremy Darroch who intervened because the article “had upset formula one racing teams”.

The producer of Sky’s new dedicated F1 channel reportedly “called his bosses from Melbourne”, where the broadcaster was making its debut as Britain’s new full-time live host.

He said “the article had caused a strong negative reaction from some F1 teams”, people familiar with the situation reportedly told the FT.

“The piece was withdrawn for further review,” a BSkyB spokesman confirmed. “We stand by the story and, following that review, took the decision to re-publish on Monday.”

The teams alliance FOTA, which no longer involves Ferrari and Red Bull, reportedly met in the Melbourne paddock on Sunday “to discuss how to respond to the (Sky) report”, the FT continued.

The fact the Geneva-based body no longer features two of the major top teams apparently gives Bernie Ecclestone the opportunity to agree deals with them, forcing their rivals to follow suit.

“FOTA can’t sign anything with anyone,” Ecclestone scorned, before declining to discuss the reports of Ferrari and Red Bull’s special deals.

Ferrari and CVC also declined to comment, but an unnamed senior team executive dismissed the apparent deals as “a pipe dream”.

Another said the story was a typical example of Ecclestone’s “divide and conquer” tactics.

 Organisers of the Spanish grand prix are set to propose once again that Valencia shares a single annual date on the formula one calendar in future.
Both the Barcelona and Valencia venues have admitted to financial troubles amid Spain’s dire economic situation.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is pushing the Spanish organisers to agree a deal whereby they open up a date to a new host country by annually alternating their races.

Valencia, however, is believed to have rejected a proposal along those
lines made by the Catalonian government last year.

“They said they were happy with how formula one had developed to date in Valencia and believed they could continue doing it the same way,” Barcelona official Germa Gordo, reportedly close to Catalonia president Artur Mas, told the DPA news agency.

“We understand that although there was the rejection, the new Valencian government is prepared to consider a proposal,” he added.

“The offer will be made in the coming weeks.”

Marca newspaper, meanwhile, quoted a Valencian official as reiterating that “the issue of major events” is “under review”.

“What we want is an agreement that is good for everyone,” the unnamed official said.

It is believed informal talks between the regional authorities have already taken place.

 Valencia could be mere days from dropping off the formula one calendar.
El Pais newspaper claims the regional government is yet to pay Bernie Ecclestone the fee for June’s European grand prix street race.

“We are still negotiating,” a spokesman is quoted as saying.

The Spanish region’s president Alberto Fabra said recently his government, amid the worsening European economic crisis, was reviewing its commitment to F1.

The Diario AS newspaper said the contract demands the 2012 race fee be made by March 9.

“Formula one is not our primary concern,” Fabra is quoted as saying when asked about the risk of contract breach.

When asked specifically whether or not the fee has been paid to Ecclestone, he answered: “I don’t know, I cannot say.”

It is also an uncertain time for Spain’s other F1 host Barcelona, with the regional Catalonian government pushing to annually alternate its race with Valencia in future.

“For budgetary reasons, this (solution) would be best,” said a spokesman for Catalan president Artur Mas.

 F1′s governing body reportedly rejected a push to lower the in-race pitlane speed limit from 100 to 60kph for 2012.
The latest edition of Italian magazine Autosprint said FIA president Jean Todt made the decision after reviewing the widespread lower speed limits in other major series, including Le Mans, GT1 and Nascar.

It was said the change would have a major impact on race strategy this year.

But in the wake of the Autosprint report, Britain’s BBC claims the FIA in fact rejected a push by the teams to lower the speed limit to 60.

Race director Charlie Whiting reportedly “told them he feels there is no need to make the change as there is no evidence that the current arrangement is unsafe”, according to the broadcaster.

Instead, the 2012 rules state that the race limit is 100kph at most races, but that the speed “may be amended by the stewards following a recommendation from the FIA F1 safety delegate”.

Martin Whitmarsh on Friday vowed to support Jenson Button as the reigning world champion pushes for a second consecutive drivers’ world title.

With Lewis Hamilton a lot better placed in the points standings, McLaren boss Whitmarsh earlier said the British team would discuss deploying a strategy for the remaining two races of 2010.

But Button insisted he wants to push ahead while he is “mathematically” still able to win, including next weekend in Brazil.

“Lewis is well placed in the drivers’ championship,” Whitmarsh said in an official preview on Friday.

“While Jenson lies 42 points adrift, he has vowed to fight on. As the reigning world champion, and a great driver, he knows better than most that you can’t lift the title without being a resolute fighter,” he added.

“That’s exactly why we hired him, and we’ll be supporting him fully this weekend.”