Ferrari’s front wing has been causing a stir in India.
The team has recently been experimenting at the front of its current car ahead of the 2012 season, but it was at the Buddh circuit that heads really began to turn.

A wing fitted to Felipe Massa’s car has been seen violently oscillating and flexing towards the ground at high speed, attracting the attention of FIA technical boss Jo Bauer.

“I can’t see how the FIA is going to be satisfied with this situation,” said BBC pit reporter Ted Kravitz during the radio coverage of Saturday morning’s practice session.

“It is the amount of flex, not the sparks, that will raise the suspicions of other teams.”

Jean Todt held a media briefing at Istanbul Park on Sunday so low-key most journalists were not aware it had taken place.
In a rare meeting for the Frenchman with the press at a grand prix, his minders reportedly posted a notice in the media centre that was not seen by most journalists after qualifying.

Snippets of the press conference have however emerged, including those posted by BBC pitlane correspondent Ted Kravitz saying Todt called the total in-season testing ban “stupid”.

Todt reportedly wants to allow teams to do a few tests next season, and if they do not agree he said the rule will definitely be introduced in 2013.

The Telegraph’s Tom Cary, who was one of many reporters to miss the briefing, described Todt’s media aproach as “poor”.

The Times’ Kevin Eason said the meeting had been “so low key, key media missed it, including top agency staff”.

According to the latest rumour in the F1 paddock, Karun Chandhok may be in talks with Lotus about joining Tony Fernandes’ team for 2011.

The rumour was aired on British television on Saturday morning from Korea, with pit reporter Ted Kravitz saying the Indian driver could become reserve driver before moving into the race cockpit in 2012.

Kravitz quoted a Lotus team member as admitting that the 26-year-old Indian, who made his debut with HRT this year before being sidelined by the better-funded Sakon Yamamoto, is a “great guy”.

Chandhok said this week that he is hopeful his F1 career has not floundered permanently after just half a season.

“There is a lot to discuss for next year with the HRT team, but also with other teams to see what other options are available for me, but I do feel good about my prospects,” he is quoted by The National newspaper.

UK-based Chandhok has not attended the most recent Japanese and Korean grands prix.

Red Bull Racing is building up a new chassis for Mark Webber after his backflip crash during last Sunday’s European grand prix.

The Australian emerged unhurt from the frightening impact, which included a backwards somersault, a smash against an advertising hoarding whilst airborne, and a high speed final shunt into the tyre barrier.

The actual chassis was the one driven by Webber, 33, to a handful of pole positions and his wins in Barcelona and Monaco.

“It’s been good to me,” he said.  “It was very safe, thank god.”

BBC’s pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz on Wednesday reported that Webber will drive a brand new RB6 at Silverstone next weekend.

The new chassis is “currently being built up at the team’s Milton Keynes factory”, he said.

Webber slipped from third – a position now held by his teammate Sebastian Vettel – to fifth in the world championship with his Valencia crash.  Recently the drivers’ standings leader, he is now 24 points behind Lewis Hamilton.

“I lost some points, but in the end when you’re up there (in the air), you’re not worried about points, I was worried that I was ok and ready for Silverstone,” he said.

“The chassis has been good to me, and it has been good to me (in Valencia) as it saved me from some injures.

“I remain incredibly positive, we go on, it’s half way through the championship.  Bloody hell, let’s get on with it,” added Webber.

(GMM)

Little more than half a second separated runners for five different teams as Friday’s practice running concluded at Valencia.

The only car inside the top six without a so-called ‘blown rear diffuser’ was Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren, as Fernando Alonso led the pace with the heavily revised Ferrari.

Close behind were the Red Bulls, followed by Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, while the Renault of Robert Kubica was sixth quickest featuring an impressive emulation of the Red Bull-style rear exhaust layout.

“I can’t talk in high enough terms about it,” BBC pit reporter Ted Kravitz said on Friday, adding that the R30′s solution “is wonderful”.

After Red Bull earlier looked set to walk the 2010 title, before McLaren looked to have taken the upper hand more recently, victory in Valencia could be hotly contested.

“The cars are merging together, we’re not seeing one or two teams moving into the distance.  It’s very exciting,” said British commentator Martin Brundle.

(GMM)