Sauber’s ‘teaser’ has done the trick, triggering paddock speculation about its forthcoming major backer.

Last weekend in China, off the back of Sergio Perez’s recent push for victory at Sepang, the small Swiss team ran mysterious ‘Out of the blue’ signage on the C31′s engine cover.

The Blick newspaper said it was a “teaser” for a “big sponsor” that will be “announced in a few weeks”.

So who is it?

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport relayed paddock rumours hinting that the deal could be with AT-T, the American multinational who last year pulled its title sponsorship of the then-struggling Williams team.

Another paddock whisper is that Sauber’s new deal could be with the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, to promote his English premier league club Chelsea.

After Sergio Perez’s surprise push for victory in Malaysia three weeks ago, things are looking bright on the Sauber balance-sheet.

The small Swiss team announced in Shanghai that it is continuing its deal to promote the North American country with colourful ‘Visit Mexico’ signage.

“We can assume that our good results in the first two grands prix have contributed to the renewing of the agreement,” said team boss Peter Sauber.

Not only that, another big deal is on the way, according to the well-connected Swiss publication Blick.

During Friday practice in China, the C31 was bearing mysterious ‘Out of the blue’ signage on the engine cover.

It is a ‘teaser’, the newspaper revealed.

“A big sponsor will be announced in a few weeks,” wrote the veteran correspondent Roger Benoit.

That is good financial news for Sauber, but Perez – who finished second three weeks ago at Sepang – is not getting carried away.

The Mexican was fourth in first practice in China.

“I think we are really realistic as a team,” Perez is quoted by AFP news agency.

“I think in normal conditions this (second place) is not where we belong, we have to be very realistic and our target is still to score as many points as possible.”

Toro Rosso has confirmed it will be sponsored with immediate effect by the Spanish oil brand Cepsa.
Spanish reports revealed the deal, involving the Mercedes GP part-owner Aabar, last week.

The AS newspaper said Toro Rosso’s 2011 car will be wearing significant Cepsa signage at Monza and beyond.

The report also said other brands linked to Abu Dhabi and its International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) will be added to the STR6′s livery, including the Canadian company Nova Chemicals.

Toro Rosso on Tuesday confirmed the deals with Cepsa and Nova.

AS last week said a full title sponsorship is then likely for 2012 and beyond, probably resulting in a wholesale livery change for Faenza based Toro Rosso.

HRT may be in breach of contract for sidelining Narain Karthikeyan ahead of the British grand prix.
India Today claims the 34-year-old has made both of his scheduled sponsor payments to the Spanish team, guaranteeing his race seat at least until the end of July.

The report claims Hispania team figures are saying Karthikeyan is “still part of the team”, despite the fact Daniel Ricciardo has replaced him at Silverstone off the back of a driver deal with Red Bull.

Karthikeyan as well as HRT, who are still running ‘Tata’ sponsor signage on the F111 car, have not responded to requests for comment.

India Today suggests the driver could be keeping quiet at the expectation of returning to the cockpit in Singapore, a month before India’s inaugural grand prix.

The other HRT driver is Vitantonio Liuzzi, who on Saturday qualified half a second ahead of Australian rookie Ricciardo at Silverstone.

Tony Fernandes’ F1 outfit is pushing ahead with the Team Lotus moniker, despite lingering expectations he might drop the name before the start of the 2011 season.

The Malaysian, whose official license for his team’s 2010 identity Lotus Racing was terminated because Group Lotus wanted to enter F1 separately, has said several times recently that he favours a “pragmatic” solution to the dispute.

But the latest news is that green and gold ‘Team Lotus’ signage, including the famous CABC logo, has been erected outside the outfit’s Hingham (UK) factory.

The signage also features at the team’s new official website, which is located at teamlotus.co.uk because teamlotus.com is controlled by Group Lotus.

“The migration to (the) Team Lotus brand has started,” Fernandes wrote on Twitter. “It’s a shame. I liked Lotus Racing and always thought Team Lotus should be returned to (the) Chapman family.

“But that’s the deck of hand (cards) we got handed,” he added.

Renault F1′s new website, located at lotusrenaultgp.com, will be launched on January 31.

Sergio Perez has denied his major sponsor Telmex is positioning to buy control of the Sauber team.

The Mexican telcom will have significant signage on next year’s C30, and its figurehead Carlos Slim – the richest man in the world – has been seen at several grands prix recently.

But boss Peter Sauber earlier this month denied he is considering selling the Hinwil based team, and Slim said the deal is a “commercial alliance” rather than a precursor to a greater involvement.

But when told that the rumours about Telmex buying Sauber still exist, rookie driver Perez said: “No, that’s not true.

“Telmex is entering as a sponsor and nothing more,” he is quoted by the AS newspaper.

The rumours are retaining their strength because Perez will be joined at the team by another Mexican, the test driver Esteban Gutierrez.

“Esteban and I are here because Sauber decided to sign us,” Perez, 20, insisted.

He also backed Fernando Alonso to win the 2010 world championship.

“He doesn’t have as good a car as the Red Bull drivers, but he is the best driver,” said Perez.

Sauber’s new major sponsor insists it has not bought partial control of the Swiss formula one team.

Telmex, headed by the world’s richest man Carlos Slim, will have significant signage on next year’s C30 car, as well as the Mexican rookie Sergio Perez at the wheel.

But team boss Peter Sauber this week denied he is considering selling the team to Telmex, and Slim’s son Carlos Slim Domit – the chairman of the Mexico City-based company – also insists the deal is for sponsorship only.

Speculation about Telmex’s new influence was triggered by suggestions Sauber would have preferred to pair Kamui Kobayashi with Nick Heidfeld next year.

“We are only an ally,” Slim is quoted by Mexican media.  “The structure and decisions of the team is their business.”

“This is a commercial alliance,” he added.

Slim Domit also denied suggestions the signing of Perez was a condition of Telmex’s Sauber sponsorship.

He said the Hinwil based team had signed the contract with Perez before Telmex decided to sponsor Sauber.

Sauber’s 2011 test and reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez, the first GP3 champion, is also Mexican and sponsored by Telmex.

Mercedes might not appoint a formal replacement for its departed F1 reserve driver Nick Heidfeld.

The Brackley based team agreed to release 33-year-old Heidfeld so that he can become Pirelli’s permanent tyre development tester.

The German kicked off his new role at Mugello on Tuesday, with photographs depicting a dark-helmeted Heidfeld driving a white Toyota TF109 with low-key Pirelli signage and unbranded tyres.

Spain’s daily AS sports newspaper said reigning F2 champion Andy Soucek, who recently ended his contract as Virgin’s reserve driver, is a candidate to replace Heidfeld.

But Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said Mercedes has not decided whether a single replacement for the veteran of 167 grands prix will be appointed.

Turun Sanomat, the major Finnish daily, said the team has no immediate plans to replace Heidfeld.

The appointment of a full-time reserve driver is not required by the sporting regulations, but each teams must field two drivers at each event.

If Mercedes does not appoint a permanent replacement for Heidfeld, it is likely the German marque will nominate a reserve driver on a race-by-race basis.

Bruno Senna has refused to shed any light on his mysterious one-race break from racing duties at Silverstone.
HRT’s reserve driver Sakon Yamamoto is in Brazilian rookie Senna’s car in Britain, amid paddock reports the Japanese and his sponsors offered 5 million euros to race the last ten grands prix of 2010.

The Spanish team has said only that it wanted to give Yamamoto an “opportunity” this weekend, but HRT had set up its Silverstone garage with ‘Bruno’ signage in the pits and even temporarily on the side of the F110 car.

After meetings involving Senna, boss Colin Kolles, HRT owner Jose Ramon Carabante and Senna’s managers Chris Goodwin and Bianca Senna, the team said the 26-year-old will be back in the car in Hockenheim and beyond.

Brazilian reports say Senna’s contract does not allow the team to change race drivers this year, but an agreement for Silverstone was reached in the meetings before the press statement was issued.

And Senna said only to Brazil’s TV Globo: “It was an internal decision.

“They wanted to give an opportunity to Sakon for a while. There are four drivers in the team.

“Of course I would like to be in the car and racing here, it’s one of my favourite tracks. But what matters most is that I will be back in Germany and the following races,” he added.