Ross Brawn revealed on Wednesday he missed the recent Spanish grand prix to have checks on his heart.

After handing over to his Mercedes deputy Nick Fry in Barcelona, fellow Briton Brawn is back in action as the team boss in Monte Carlo.

Rumours hinted there was more to the story, but Brawn insisted to a German newspaper earlier on Wednesday that he was simply advised by doctors to take the weekend off after a night in hospital for checks.

He then told reporters in Monaco his symptoms had been “arrhythmia”, or an irregular heartbeat, insisting he is “back to normal now”.

Brawn, 57, joked the heart problem was triggered by watching an exciting football game on television.

 Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he travelled to Australia recently unsure if he would be immediately back up to speed in formula one.
The 2007 world champion spent the last two years rallying, after Ferrari ended his last F1 contract a season early.

“I always felt I could make a return to grand prix racing,” said the Finn ahead of his second race of 2012 with Lotus.

“But, I can confess now, I got some good answers (in Australia) to my own minor doubts how quickly you can adapt the racing rhythm after being away for some time. The speed is there,” added Raikkonen.

The 32-year-old has previously won the Malaysian grand prix with McLaren and Ferrari.

Giedo van der Garde will combine his new F1 reserve role with another season in the GP2 series this year.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, who has raced in the F1 feeder category in the last few years, will be Caterham’s reserve driver this year and appear in Friday morning practice sessions on a number of occasions.

According to a report in De Telegraaf newspaper, it has now emerged that van der Garde will race for Caterham’s GP2 team as well.

“The agreement will be announced officially on Monday,” said the Dutch report.

Van der Garde commented: “I want to stay sharp by being with Caterham Racing (GP2 team).

“I am very happy with my role as reserve driver, but when you’re on the road for the whole year with the F1 team and do only a fair number of Friday practices, then you would miss your rhythm.

“I just wanted to keep up some racing.

“I will be involved in everything with the F1 team and at every race, but when I need to race, then my full focus will be on GP2,” he added.

After the battle with his teammate and rival views Lorenzo in Motegi, Valentino Rossi seems to have recovered the enamel and the motivation to do well. His is the best time at the end of the first free practice session on the track at Sepang, with the pilot of Tavullia that marked a best lap of 2’02 .724.

Signals from the shoulder seem more positive, so that the “Doctor” will focus on tomorrow to find a rhythm important race, and try to get an important front row in the grid. The feeling with the bike is excellent, and this is a sign that the difference at this moment is making the nine-time world champion.

“It ‘s been another good start for us here,”says Valentino Rossi. “We found a good set-up right now. I feel really comfortable on my bike, and until now, the shoulder seems fine.

The track is quite dirty, but will improve and I really like racing at this track, is one of my favorites and are always happy to get on here. We are confident that we can improve tomorrow and be in good shape that allows us to obtain the first row tomorrow afternoon. “

At night race in Singapore Formula 1 is in the spotlight. 1,500 lighting ensure that the track also appears as bright as day in the late evening, the cars in bright colors seem almost unreal. “Visibility is surprisingly good. There is absolutely no problems with shadows, you will never blinded by the floodlights.”

“Before we first have driven there, there were some reservations,” reports the Lotus-pilot, who took in recent years as a McLaren driver in the Asian metropolis. “In the flood, the cars just look cool. You are almost in the spotlight again and look a lot better than usual”

“I fly at the last minute of the race, so my body can not enforce the will to get used to the time zone,” said the Finn. “Because it is a night race, then you have to maintain the European rhythm. I am not even at my clock. The hotel must be able to darken the window well. We see almost only artificial light.”

“The track is nice, aside times of the bumps,” said Kovalainen. “So far they have not be able to get a grip. No light waves, but really heavy blows. Are the real jump hill. Some drivers were already there back injuries because of it. We are deep in the car, have little suspension – comfort is not the .

“Let’s see how it will be this year. If they have smoothed out the bumps better, it’s just a great road course – a track where I really have a lot of fun,” expressed the 28-year-old from his anticipation. Specifically for the Lotus Event in Singapore is obviously important. It has been “spectacular news,” announced the driver election 2011, change of name of the team and switch to Renault engines.

Protagonist in the tests, Andrea Dovizioso concluded only fifth in the race. If his team-mate Dani Pedrosa won the race with a tremendous pace, Dovi acknowledged some problems in the last third of the race, unable to repeat the rhythm shown in the tests so much to settle for 5th place which is the third in the championship .

“I was expecting something more, they are obviously disappointed with the result, “says Andrea Dovizioso. “The start was good and for two thirds of the race I was fighting for the podium. Then unfortunately I started to lose ground in several areas, Valentino passed me and I could do other than check to close the fifth position.

Dani (Pedrosa) improved pace compared to yesterday while I was not able to replicate the same time. It ‘going strong, I think his driving style has helped him: I’ll probably see something to make me even better with this bike.

I hope for Misano, where I present the third in the championship, the only positive note for a weekend where I expect much especially after the positive test. “

A few laps of running in post-vacation, but at the end Jorge Lorenzo could not find the command of the standings after the first round of testing at Brno on the track where it has never finished on the podium in MotoGP has marked the best time the day in 1’57 “215 just found a good balance and rhythm of his Yamaha M1.

‘It’s always hard to get back on track after the holidays, especially in a circuit different from that at Laguna Seca, where we ran the last time, “says Lorenzo. “Brno is a difficult track, but when you find the pace the session was good, I felt good riding my bike had a good base setting.

Met opening, as for all the MotoGP riders are two unknowns: the tires and the meteorological conditions that appear to promise anything good for the rest of the weekend.

“I managed to try the two rear tires that Bridgestone brought here, but I need more time to choose. The rain allowed us to find all the information needed for this choice, so we have to wait until tomorrow, but I hope it is dry and that we can continue the work we begin today, “said the leader of the world.

Without having to go for the first time in three years, a summer to recover from injuries, Dani Pedrosa was presented at Brno in the best physical shape. The proof comes from his performance in the first test session in Brno, the second time while paying a lot (0 “5) by Jorge Lorenzo, but finding immediately the feeling, guided bike and circuit.

“I must say that I immediately found a good rhythm, was also quite easy to succeed in reaccustom the bike after the holiday,” said Pedrosa. “Everything went smoothly in this session was a really good start for us with only regret about the break in the final because of rain. With the bike I had a good feeling, but it started raining and I had to return to the pits. ”

For tomorrow, hoping for good weather, Dani Pedrosa has clear ideas about where to make some small adjustment in the development of his Honda RC212V.

“Unfortunately today we could not complete the work program in advance. There remains to verify all the solutions brought by Bridgestone tires, but I do not think a big problem. We must continue so sector by sector to have a good setup, but so far seems to have taken the right direction. ”