Mark Webber might have signed a pre-contractual agreement with Ferrari, one of Spain’s leading F1 correspondents has revealed.

Raymond Blancafort, writing for El Mundo Deportivo, referred to widespread speculation in the paddock about Sergio Perez’s likely future alongside Fernando Alonso.

“There may be a pre-contract,” he said, “but between Ferrari and Webber.”

Australian Webber was also linked with Ferrari last year, before Red Bull decided to sign him up for another single season.

The 35-year-old was overshadowed by his teammate Sebastian Vettel last year, but he has begun the 2012 season more strongly.

And Webber warned before the 2012 season began that if Red Bull didn’t re-sign him for 2013, “I’d need something (else) competitive (to drive)”.

“Being at the front, is certainly a big, big factor of me staying very hungry and motivated.”

Ferrari may be looking to replace Alonso’s current teammate, the struggling team veteran Felipe Massa, for 2013.

“They (Ferrari) would be able to take advantage of his (Webber’s) experience, the consistency of his results and the fact that he gets along with Alonso.

“Interestingly, Webber is also still involved with Flavio Briatore”, as is Alonso, Blancafort noted.

 HRT was a “risky team” for Bruno Senna to drive for in 2010, the Brazilian’s mother Viviane has admitted.
Senna, whose mother is the great Ayrton Senna’s sister, went on to race for Renault (now Lotus) last year and for 2012 has switched to Williams.

“What matters is that the team can give Bruno the best conditions to develop his ability,” Viviane Senna told TV Globo.

“I was not happy with Hispania. They had no spare parts, so if something was broken it would be patched up for the next race. You never knew when the next thing was going to break.

“Yes, that was a risky team,” she admitted.

Many observers see 2012 as 28-year-old Senna’s last chance to prove he is even a shadow of his late, great uncle.

Viviane insisted: “People remember Ayrton the winner, the champion, but few remember how long he took to get there.

“Bruno went from nothing to F1 in five years. It’s an unfair comparison to those who have done it (racing) for their whole lives.”

The Williams driver is angry at the brutality of holding against Michael Schumacher in his overtaking the Hungarian Grand Prix
In the final stage of the Grand Prix of Hungary passed Rubens Barrichello’s pit stop, came by with fresh tires back behind Michael Schumacher back on track. It took a few laps and then daring the racing driver from Sao Paulo, the first attack, which could fend off Schumacher, however.

A few laps later allowed the Williams drivers to have to suck on the long start-finish straight and into the wind shadow of the Mercedes driver. At the height of the pit wall, he sat next to the seven-time Formula 1 world champion. The response was hard and pushed Barrichello down towards the pit wall, so that only a few centimeters square remained. Only when Barrichello at the end of the pit lane exit road ran out, Schumacher made a little space.
“I like fair duels, but I do not think this was a fair fight,” said Barrichello to ‘RTL’. “It was such a go-cart maneuvers. If he wants to come before me in the sky, then from me. I would not be the first to be up there in front of him. So I will back down in such a situation, but never will. It is difficult for me to leave a comment. I’m happy for the team that we have, in the not so good qualifying got a few points. ”

“I have a lot of experience, and a crazy guy like this I would normally have gone from the gas, but not today, absolutely not,” Barrichello told the Spanish television. “I think it was one of the best maneuvers I’ve ever made, and one of the most horrible for him. Finally, we need such a thing. To make three year break, then return and something to do, we do not need . I mean, that this was not necessary. “

After rather modest achievements of Mercedes-superstar Michael Schumacher rattled on the 41-year-old world champion last down a lot of criticism. The expectations of many fans and observers could meet the Schumacher after his return to the Formula 1 scene so far barely. Especially after the race in Canada was fulminated against the Germans.

“Schumacher is a shadow of bygone days”, with David Coulthard said this had brought his view of things in the ‘BBC’ comment clearly. The Scot is now presenting in a video interview on the website of Red Bull still for once. The services of Schumacher are not in the foreground, but rather a principled position.
“It’s great to see that Michael is back on the track. It robs the new generation, however, that a place,” said Coulthard. He set himself apart not in accordance with a comeback. “Imagine I can to me, but I’m not going. I am with my Grands Prix satisfied with the opportunities I had. I am part of the Red Bull family and very happy that now the next generation of their gets a chance. “

When Mark Webber in failed to overtake Heikki Kovalainen, the rear wheel of the Lotus drivers, met the Australian was just a passenger. His car lifted into the air, turned 180 degrees in the air rang with the cockpit down on the tarmac, turned 180 degrees again and then slid with even high speed into the tire barrier. The Red Bull driver was able to enter the car luckily unhurt on their own.

“Well, you always need two for a tango, right?” Webber said in an interview with the ‘BBC’. ‘In this incident we were both involved. I looked for the best wind shadow lookout to do the job and to pass him. He defended himself pretty hard, and inside, blocked suddenly become very aggressive.
“Finally, I was surprised by the fact, as he braked early,” said the experienced racer. “This is what caught me cold. It did not matter where I was, or how close I was driving in the slipstream, I still had everything under control.”

“This was a horrible incident. Obviously, I was surprised about what happened on the access to this curve. At first I thought, ‘Okay, it me pass’ can be, because the speed difference was of course enormous. Then he started, the door , zuzuschmeißen and he showed this little maneuver. I thought ‘What’s he doing there? “.”

“Yes, he was slowed by the gas, or whatever. It turned out that this was the case 80 meters earlier than I had slowed down in the previous round. This means that this was the case in a different category than in the few laps before. “

Jun.15 (GMM)  British F1 pundits have rounded on Michael Schumacher after the eighth race of the seven time world champion’s comeback.

The 41-year-old German had already had difficult moments in 2010, but in Montreal – an event he has won a record seven times – he qualified 13th and on Sunday had a calamitous and pointless race.

“I think Schumacher has driven appallingly today,” said Martin Brundle, one of Schumacher’s former Benetton teammates, who now commentates for the BBC.

The Briton was referring to Schumacher being overtaken by Sebastien Buemi, both Force Indias on the last lap, and separate clashes with Robert Kubica and Felipe Massa that Brundle referred to as “naughty”.

“You have to treat the back of Schumacher’s car like the back of a donkey,” added Brundle.  “This is Schumacher’s worst weekend since he came back.”

The usually highly partisan German daily Bild newspaper agreed, describing Canada 2010 as ‘Schumi’s blackest lap’.

“Schumacher was humiliated in his comeback season like never before,” the report added.

Eddie Jordan, who gave Schumacher his initial F1 debut in 1991, commented: “The big story (of Canada) was that Michael Schumacher did not even make the top 10.

“That’s a big, big concern about the Michael Schumacher comeback.”

Former rival David Coulthard pointed out that, in his prime, Schumacher’s talents always shined on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

“In all honesty he looked a shadow of his former self on Sunday,” the Scot wrote in his latest column for the Telegraph.

“I’m not beating up on Michael.  But what is wrong with him?  If I had to guess I would say it is F1 that has changed.”

Coulthard refers not only to today’s harder and thinner tyres, but also the V8 engines and 18,000rpm rev limit, offering “no torque”.

“I like it when the walls are close to the track and if you can not afford any mistakes, because that is challenging and makes driving more fun,” said Kubica. “Even in the Macau Formula 3 I especially liked or in Formula 1 Monaco. The only street circuit, which I do not like is Singapore. Why am I not there, the track may, but I can not say for sure.”

The discussion is now about to go in the direction the formula 1, for among the fans, the discontent with Bernie Ecclestone’s house and court architect Hermann Tilke increasing. The German has built in recent years superb facilities such as Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, but is criticized for its routes have no character. Many fans believe that the idea of safety is partly already taken too seriously.

But: “That just is not that,” said Kubica. “I’m a fan of street circuits, but also a fan of security, because I had here a serious accident. It depends on the balance between risk and safety. The formula one has become, thanks to the FIA and thanks to the team much more secure. If I would indeed like this happens an accident ten years ago, today I would not be sitting here, maybe more. ”

In discussion forums time and again the argument that run-off should not be paved, as this driving mistake will be punished only lightly. We used to cut the chicane in from Montreal, was quick views of the front wing off, now it is hardly out of the wind shadow of the man in front. But the tarmac run-off areas have their advantages.
Rosberg against gravel beds

“In turn eight in Istanbul, many people took off,” says Nico Rosberg. ‘If there is a gravel and would have had to close the track standing wall, there would have been serious accidents. The risk is mainly that the car in the gravel into place and somersaults. That would be dangerous, so I think it is a good development, in such a tarmac run-off to have curves. ”

Felipe Massa puts it even more plainly: “Turn Eight in Monaco would not be very nice,” the Ferrari driver. The drivers love the one hand the great challenges such as Spa-Francorchamps Suzuka or most are, but at the same time conscious of the fact that the formula is an extremely dangerous and the security therefore must not be left out of sight. Lewis Hamilton is among those who see the rather loose.

“My intention is only to the asphalt between the white lines,” the McLaren star. “The FIA makes this line around a great job in terms of security, so we need to focus not. The most important thing is how cool the track – and that is between the white lines.” Hamilton also insists that it is “a fine line” between safety and danger aspect.

Note from the Editor: There were two titles for this piece, “Schumacher’s Karma catches up with him” or “Have FIA bungled with Schumacher penalty?” Either would have been appropriate, we chose the one we did because in the end it is perhaps more apt…

Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was overshadowed by an incident involving old sparring partners Michael Schumacher, and Fernando Alonso.

Due to the spectacular crash between Karun Chandhok and Jarno Trulli at Rascasse corner, the Safety Car was called upon 3 laps from the end. The flash point came when the German veteran slid up the inside of Alonso at the final Anthony Noghes corner after the Safety Car had peeled into the pitlane for the last time.

The Formula One paddock now finds itself in the situation where Schumacher has been given a retrospective 20 second penalty and dropped to 12th position in the final classification. Fernando Alonso was reinstated to his 6th position, and we head to Turkey with the Spaniard still in touch with the seemingly untouchable Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

However, the justification for this penalisation is hard to distinguish. It is true that Article 40.13 states: “If the race ends while the Safety Car is deployed, it will enter the pitlane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking”. The clarity of this rule is not in question.

There have been previous examples of this rule being enforced. The Australian Grand Prix of 2009 being one such example, where the Brawn cars of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello led the field across the line after the Safety Car had pitted following an accident between Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. In this case, the job of the trackside marshals was to signal to the drivers that there was to be no overtaking and that they were to stay in formation. This was signified by the continued use of yellow flags and Safety Car boards at each marshal post until the Start/Finish line.

Fast forward a year and five races, and we find ourselves in a similar situation. What seems incomprehensible is that following the end of the Safety Car period, green flags were waved and a green light was shown on the overhead light gantry of the last corner. Such a contradiction in actions seems confusing to say the least.

Under FIA Sporting Regulations, a green flag signifies “that any previous danger has been attended to. The track is now clear, and drivers may proceed at racing speed and may again overtake”. Why was this signal given? The green flag completely contradicted Article 40.13, and Schumacher acted accordingly.

Based on principle alone, a driver that sees a green flag or a green light is perfectly entitled to proceed at racing speed and make an attempt at an overtaking manoevre. It is worth noting that the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg also attempted an overtake after Alonso slid on the kerbs of the final corner, but was unable to.

Such a baffling decision decreases the credibility of the FIA stewarding panel, which had proved itself to be more than capable with a string of sound decisions so far in 2010. The accusation that Damon Hill was central to the decision-making procedure does not work, as his responsibility was to ensure a fair conclusion to any racing incidents. This was a decision based on the law of the FIA.

Neither is the common misconception that the stewards could have put Schumacher back into 7th position, as under Article 16.3 of the Sporting Regulations, only three possible sanctions are legally allowed; a drive-through penalty, a grid drop for the following race, or a ten-second stop and go penalty.

It appears that Schumacher has been penalised for a communication mix-up, which is why Mercedes have attempted to appeal the decision.
Based on the precedent set by the Lewis Hamilton decision at Spa in 2008, time penalties cannot be appealed. The only conceivable outcome for Mercedes is that they can lodge a protest of the result to the FIA. A 2,000 Euro fee is attached to this and is the only option that resembles an appeal procedure in this instance.

The two underlying themes are that the large reaction to this incident reflects more on the bland nature of the race itself, and that the nonsensical decisions taken by those working in this arm of the FIA are still commonplace. Perhaps if there was no need to interpret so widely the rules that are put forth by the FIA, decisions like this would not cause such debate. With the spectacle provided by the racing being put on the backburner, the spectacle of events off track have reared their ugly head once again.

Those who believe in Karma, your time has come.

(James Rossi)

Apr.20 (GMM) The reaction prior to Sunday’s Chinese grand prix was already not positive, so Michael Schumacher is advised to avoid the media in the wake of the Shanghai race.

After finishing a minute behind Nico Rosberg at the chequered flag, and seven tenths off his teammate’s pace in qualifying, the specialist Auto Motor und Sport said China was probably “the worst weekend in the record winner’s whole career”.

The German magazine gave 41-year-old Schumacher just 3 out of 10 for his performance at the wheel of the grey Mercedes.

One of his former Ferrari teammates, who did not want to be named, told the Independent: “After the beating he got on Sunday, in conditions in which the old Michael Schumacher excelled, I don’t think he’ll ever come back to his old level.”

The Cologne publication Express published a photo-shopped image of a snail with the seven time world champion’s head and cap, while France’s Auto Hebdo observed that in China “the former rain king seemed lost”.

Bild newspaper’s headline read: “Rain God? Schumi got flooded!”, while Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport asked of Schumacher’s return: “Why did he do it?”

The sports newspaper Tuttosport said Schumacher “is only a shadow of himself”, while another sports daily Corriere dello Sport called him “an old lion attacked by a group of young and hungry animals”.

The broadsheet La Stampa said: “F1 without overtaking? Just ask Schumacher, who was passed constantly”, while the major La Repubblica said the German “is no longer in the league of the best formula one drivers”.

Hamburg’s Abendblatt called Schumacher a “learner driver”, while the Frankfurter Rundschau blasted his “horrible performance” and Austria’s Kleine Zeitung said he had been “humiliated” in China.

Britain’s The Guardian recalled the moment in the post-race press conference when Lewis Hamilton was asked how it had felt to race wheel-to-wheel with his childhood hero.

Jenson Button leaned over and demanded Hamilton “tell the truth” before the pair both laughed, and the Guardian said the exchange “may have been the unkindest cut of all” for Schumacher.

“The way things look, it would be no surprise to see him bowing out with as much dignity as he can salvage before the formula one season is very much older,” added the newspaper.

Well that’s how it panned out as the reigning F1 World Champion delivered a well judged and much deserved drive to notch up his second victory of the season. Prior to the start of the Chinese Grand Prix, at Shanghai International Circuit, few would have predicted a Jenson Button win, fewer would have waged odds on a McLaren 1-2.

The race under heavy Shanghai skies had everything: a dry spell, a semi-wet phase, wet with rain fall, first lap mayhem, a jump start and generous doses of overtaking.

It was by no means plain sailing (excuse the pun) for Button who took the lead on lap 19 and controlled the race from that point on, well almost, as in the final laps he faced a relentless challenge from team mate Lewis Hamilton who again was the star of the show with a gritty drive to second place.

Nico Rosberg, again showed impressively, bringing his Mercedes GP home third making it an all Merc powered driver podium. Rosberg flew the flag for the Silver Arrows as his illustrious team mate Michael Schumacher could only manage 10th place in an afternoon in some high profile battles which alas saw him come out second best in just about all of them. Twice he was overtaken with remarkable ease by Hamilton, Vettel and Webber, lost a battle with a rookie late in the race and was taken by a Ferrari on the very last lap which relegated him to tenth.

Fernando Alonso brought his Ferrari home in fourth, which was an impressive feat considering that the Spaniard was given a drive through penalty for jumping the start. It was marginal but replays showed the scarlet car edging forward before the lights went off. Hence he led briefly from the start. Team mate Felipe Massa was nowhere near Alonso’s pace all weekend and scrapped his way to ninth, well and truly overshadowed.

Renault again were impressive with Robert Kubica taking fifth place in yet another strong drive for the team and crowning a good day with rookie Vitaly Petrov having an action packed day with a  number of excursions, but also a number of duels with some big names and seventh place was a just reward for the Russian who clearly revels adverse conditions.

Sebastian Vettel who started on pole in his Red Bull will be wondering where it all went wrong. A win in conditions that he thrives in was almost a foregone conclusion prior to the start. But it was not to be and sixth is scant reward for a race that somehow escaped the team. Mark Webber who shared the front row defied his experience with some silly mistakes which saw him come home eighth. There will be few smiles in their garages.

YF1