Vitaly Petrov has a solid contract with Renault for 2012, but the Russian’s manager says she is already negotiating with other teams.
Oksana Kosaczenko told f1news.ru that there is no danger 26-year-old Petrov will not see out his Renault contract, even in the event of Robert Kubica’s return to formula one.

“We are talking with sponsors and negotiating with teams,” she said. “Life does not end after the 2012 season.”

Kosaczenko would not divulge the names of the teams she has spoken to, but said Petrov is developing well at Renault despite the team’s “shortcomings”.

Ferrari could be looking to reunite with a recently departed team member.
Amid the Italian team’s poor 2009 season, head of aerodynamics John Iley left Ferrari and switched to McLaren last year.

Ferrari is now in the midst of a new restructuring, parting with technical director Aldo Costa who is expected to be replaced in that role by current chassis boss Pat Fry.

But the Maranello based team has acknowledged its shortcomings in the area of aerodynamics, and according to Autosprint wants Nikolas Tombazis to concentrate fully on the car design rather than head the aero department as at present.

The report mentioned Iley in connection with his old aerodynamics job at Ferrari.

It is also rumoured that a member of Force India’s aerodynamics department has signed to join Ferrari.

Help from Germany ensured that Korea’s new F1 circuit is able to host its inaugural grand prix this weekend.

That is the claim of Hermann Tilke, the architect of the circuit but retained only as an ‘advisor’ to the actual construction of the venue in Yeongam.

When it became clear that the Koreans were struggling to complete the facility, Tilke stepped in, reportedly providing workers and machinery, primarily to get the track surface in racing condition.

“In the end we sent workers over from Germany, otherwise it probably wouldn’t have worked,” he is quoted by Auto Bild Motorsport.

Tilke insists that fears the track surface will break up this weekend are unfounded.

“We have used a special formula — one that dries quickly and is ready immediately,” said the German, who said the only problem encountered by the drivers will be low levels of initial grip due to the bitumen sitting above the asphalt.

But Tilke admitted that, earlier, he did have “some doubts” that the circuit would be ready, according to France’s L’Equipe.

“It was necessary to analyse the problems and find solutions,” he said.  “We (Tilke GmbH) helped, but the construction companies in Korea worked hard.

“Overall, everything should be fine, but there might be some shortcomings here and there.”

Indeed, on Thursday as the F1 paddock filled up, many of the sport’s travellers moaned about plumbing and late media shuttles to the circuit, whilst highlighting the circuit’s imperfections.

“F1 has raced in a parking lot in Las Vegas, a desert in Bahrain and a swamp in Shanghai.

“But never on a building site in the middle of nowhere,” said Bild newspaper, as 1500 Korean soldiers hurriedly screwed in seats in the grandstands whilst workers painted dirt track verges green.

“We can hardly expect to be perfect from the outset,” said an event spokesman.

The good news is that organisers are expecting a healthy crowd – perhaps 90,000 on Sunday – for the track action, although it is understood this number of tickets has not yet been sold.

“We don’t expect too much on our first attempt at this event,” acknowledged the spokesman.  “We hope interest in F1 (in Korea) will increase after this.”

Despite quietening in recent days, the flexible front wing saga could be set to ramp up once again.

McLaren and Mercedes figures said after Spa-Francorchamps two weeks ago that, with the FIA now employing tougher scrutineering tests, they thought Ferrari’s and particularly Red Bull’s wings were flexing less visibly in Belgium.

But Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport has published a photo, taken at Spa, showing the front wing on Mark Webber’s RB6 almost scraping along the track.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is reportedly angry.

“The FIA should use the photo evidence. Cars that have the wings systematically closer than 65 millimetres to the ground in the braking zones should be excluded,” he said.

But Renault’s Robert Kubica is weary of the ongoing finger pointing.

“They’re probably looking for an excuse and to divert attention from their other shortcomings,” said the Pole.