The FIA appears to have waded back into the ‘F-duct’ debate, indicating that the Mercedes-style solution is fully legal.

We reported on Monday that the saga looked set to continue into China next weekend, with some teams – notably Red Bull and Lotus – questioning the legality of the aerodynamic innovation.

It had emerged that Lotus technical director James Allison has come up with another argument against the technology that will be posed to the FIA’s Charlie Whiting ahead of scrutineering in Shanghai next week.

Christian Horner insists Red Bull and Lotus’ concerns are shared by others.

“Believe me it’s not just Red Bull, I think there’s half the paddock that’s been looking at this,” he told British television Sky Sport’s The F1 Show.

The Red Bull team boss revealed that Whiting left Malaysia wanting “to have a think about it”.

So, the latest development is the re-release via the FIA website of an “edited version” of the technical briefing that Whiting gave to reporters in Australia last month.

It is believed the complaining teams’ main objection to the Mercedes system is that it arguably uses ‘driver movement’ – the pressing of the DRS button – to be activated.

Under the heading “Pressing the DRS button and the issue of ‘driver movement’”, the media briefing quotes Whiting as stating simply: “This is specifically allowed (in the rules).”

Mercedes’ Ross Brawn is quoted by the BBC: “We call it the DRS, because that’s all it is. The purpose of the DRS is to improve overtaking and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Whiting’s stance in China, however, may not be the end of it.

“Then the teams are faced with alternatives,” Horner explained. “Either accept it and get on it and maybe look at your own solution if that fits your car.

“You’ve got the opportunity to protest if we were to feel – or any other team were to feel – that we didn’t agree with Charlie’s interpretation,” he added.

 Rumours are swirling in the Melbourne paddock that Red Bull and Lotus are preparing to lodge a post-qualifying protest.
“I’ve heard something like that,” confirmed Mercedes’ motor sport director Norbert Haug to German Sky television.

They are reportedly unhappy with the new ‘F-duct’ solutions seen on the W03 car.

British television Sky confirmed that team boss Eric Boullier has confirmed that Lotus will protest the outcome of Saturday afternoon’s qualifying result.

“The FIA has its opinion and so do we,” Haug added.

“I remember the noise made about the double diffuser; a noise, incidentally, that came from the same place,” said the German.

 Ferrari has fallen over by being too ambitious with the design of its 2012 car.
That is the assessment of Marc Surer, a former formula one driver from Switzerland who is now a pundit for German television Sky and the Die Welt newspaper.

He referred to Ferrari’s decision mid last year to abandon the 2011 car in order to restructure technically and philosophically and produce the radical F2012.

But the new car has proved unreliable and uncompetitive in testing, leading some analysts to predict Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will this weekend be beaten by not only Red Bull and McLaren, but also Mercedes, Lotus and possibly even Sauber, Force India and Toro Rosso.

“They wanted to build an aggressive car, but they have changed too much,” Surer said.

“Now they have realised that it doesn’t work and are having to back-track with parts.

“For them, it’s a serious crisis. They’ll be lucky if they finish fourth”, he added, referring to the constructors’ championship.

Alonso, however, sounded confident in Melbourne on Thursday.

“In winter testing, we see some teams that are quite quick and then when we arrive at the race they are not quick anymore.

“Maybe we didn’t reach targets that were very optimistic but that doesn’t mean we are slower than the other cars,” he warned.

 Nico Hulkenberg will also sit out the Indian grand prix in two weeks.
In Korea on Friday, with Force India locked in the battle for sixth place in the constructors’ championship with Sauber, the German did not perform his usual Friday morning driving duties.

“It’s a pity, for me,” he said on German television Sky. “Here in South Korea and probably also in India I am not driving.

“For now, the team has only one priority; to secure sixth place,” added Hulkenberg. “So the regular drivers need to be driving as much as possible.

“They need every lap in the car, and I can understand that,” he added.

The Schumacher brothers are adamant Red Bull must now impose team orders if it wants to win the 2010 drivers’ world championship.

Their young countryman Sebastian Vettel looked set to take the points lead from his Australian teammate Mark Webber, who crashed on the slippery Yeongam circuit, after controlling Sunday’s Korean grand prix from pole position.

But Vettel also retired from the race with an engine failure, leaving him 14 points shy of Webber, who is now 11 points behind new championship leader Fernando Alonso.

With just two races to go, Ralf Schumacher thinks Red Bull’s new strategy should be obvious.

“Now Red Bull need to play a single card; Mark Webber,” the former grand prix winner, in Korea to commentate for German television, is quoted by Bild newspaper.

“Sebastian needs to get as many points as he can, but Red Bull must see to it that Webber gets the title,” Schumacher added.

Reluctantly, because it will be to the detriment of his friend Vettel, seven time world champion Michael Schumacher also said a team strategy must now be taken by Red Bull for the remaining Brazilian and Abu Dhabi grands prix.

“I’m sorry for Sebastian,” he told German television Sky. “I have to recall almost a decade ago, when everyone thought we at Ferrari were crazy to be thinking about the championship so early.

“But if Red Bull had done the same, their worry lines would be much smaller now,” added the German.

His reference to “almost a decade ago” must surely be about 2002, when Ferrari was roundly condemned for moving Rubens Barrichello aside so that Schumacher could take maximum points from the Austrian grand prix.

Ferrari implemented a similarly controversial strategy at Hockenheim earlier this year, and on Sunday Fernando Alonso moved to the head of the drivers’ title standings.

But Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was quoted on Sunday as saying he will not be making Webber the number 1 driver for the rest of 2010.

But he also told reporters at Yeongam: “I haven’t had time to look at all the mathematics and scenarios. It’s something that obviously we will look at pretty closely between now and Brazil.”

Vettel, however, made clear he is not personally ready to give up, even though his engine failure seriously dented his charge in Korea.

“It is very significant for the championship situation, but I am the last to give up,” German media quote him as saying.

Another possible reason for Christian Klien’s graduation to the HRT race cockpit became clearer at Singapore on Saturday.

On Friday, team boss Colin Kolles announced that the Spanish team’s reserve driver would be taking over from Sakon Yamamoto for this race due to the Japanese driver suffering from food poisoning.

Asked if Yamamoto will be back in the car at Suzuka in two weeks, he said: “This is what we expect, yes.”

But it should be noted that Klien’s surprise chance in Singapore coincided with the emergence on the car of a new sponsor sticker.

The ‘Upsynth’ branding on the rollhoop of the Cosworth powered F110 under the Singapore lights was not present two weeks ago at Monza.

Upsynth is an Austrian brand of absinthe, a highly alcoholic beverage, hailing from Vorarlberg. Klien, 27, was born in the same west Austrian state.

“It’s nice that we succeeded in getting at very short notice a new partner like Upsynth,” he confirmed.

His HRT race cockpit debut has been very successful so far, outqualifying team regular Bruno Senna by more than a second on Saturday night.

“If I manage to help the team as reserve driver, then my mission is fulfilled for the time being,” said Klien.

“It has been quite difficult because it is a new track and practically a new car for me. But we are a long way from Lotus and Virgin.”

Klien told German television Sky that he is hoping to secure a full race seat for the 2011 season.

“You have to make the best of your chances and I think I did that in qualifying. Of course my goal is a race seat and for sure this weekend is very important,” said the Austrian.

His new sponsorship should help pay for a whopping EUR 14,400 in FIA fines for twice breaching the 60kph pitlane speed limit.

Rumours linking Flavio Briatore with Ferrari have shifted into a higher gear.

In July, it emerged that the disgraced, ousted and banned former Renault boss had visited the famous Italian team’s Maranello headquarters.

The visit unleashed a flood of rumours, including talk of a possible consultancy role with Ferrari.

Now, according to the major German daily Die Welt, 60-year-old Italian Briatore has visited Ferrari no fewer than two more times in recent weeks.

Additionally, Briatore was in the Monza paddock last weekend, as was Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, and Fiat chiefs John Elkann and Sergio Marchionne.

Briatore was also seen inside the Ferrari pits.

Welt reports that the charismatic Italian is endeavouring to have his FIA ban reduced so that he can return to a direct operational role in F1 before 2013.

If successful, he could replace Stefano Domenicali as Ferrari’s team boss, the newspaper said.

Briatore was asked about his Monza visit by German television Sky.

“I am meeting with Bernie (Ecclestone) and then flying back to London,” he answered at the Italian circuit before the race.

“It’s fantastic to be back, to see friends and to be in Italy,” added Briatore. “Ferrari are on pole and everyone is happy. Just wonderful.”

Briatore, who is Fernando Alonso’s manager and former team boss at Renault, played down suggestions he is itching to return to F1.

“I’m feeling very good and I’m happy with the way things are,” said Briatore.

To Italy’s Sky Sport 24, he indicated that a return to formula one in a commercial role is more likely.

“We will see what happens in the future,” said Briatore. “Next week I will not be in Singapore; I am also perfectly happy at home.”

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug and Force India on Friday played down reports about movement in the customer engine market for 2011.
Citing unnamed sources, a report in the Bayern newspaper TZ said Red Bull could be powered by Mercedes next year, with Force India switching to Renault.

Force India denied the story, insisting it has a valid contract with Mercedes until the end of 2012.

Also contrary to the report, the Silverstone based team said its payments to Mercedes are up to date “and always will be”.

Mercedes also responded to the report, with motor sport vice president Haug insisting the marque is also contractually bound.

“We would have worked with Red Bull already this year,” he told German television Sky.

“However, we have an exclusive contract with McLaren. Understandably, McLaren has put in the veto,” explained Haug.

“We have to respect contracts, of course. That is the situation.

“I would be very happy to see Mark Webber, who was formerly with us (Mercedes), and of course Sebastian Vettel, drive with our engines.

“But at the moment that is not the case,” said Haug.

The time is nearing for Mercedes to write off the 2010 season.

That is the opinion of triple world champion and famous German-language pundit Niki Lauda, after watching both W01s fail to qualify in the top ten at Valencia.

The Brackley based team had taken a substantial upgrade package to the Spanish port city, but now look unlikely to score good points while Nico Rosberg trails the championship lead by 35 points.

“At some point, maybe in two or three races, one should say ‘stop, let’s get on and build a car for next year,” Lauda said on German television Sky on Saturday.

Team boss Ross Brawn said after qualifying that Mercedes needs to “reflect, assess and see what our next steps should be”.

But Mercedes’ competition chief Norbert Haug said that does not mean the German team is giving up.

“We will certainly not give up on improving our package as we have done continuously since the season began but our competitors have been doing the same,” he said.

(GMM)

Jun.12 (GMM)  The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday may host the bizarre situation of normal tyre-change pitstops within the first three laps of the Canadian grand prix.

After the overly ‘green’ surface chewed up the tyres on Friday, before overnight and morning rain washed away the rubber on Saturday, the extreme graining and degradation is now likely to feature throughout the Montreal event.

The prospect of a normal one-stop race has been ruled out, while it might seem prudent that drivers will qualify with the more durable ‘prime’ tyre in order to ensure a better product for the first stint of the race.

However, while only lasting a few laps, the softer ‘option’ is likely to still be used by many competitors in qualifying, Mercedes’ Norbert Haug has revealed.

“I think most will go with the soft, because in qualifying it simply means a better starting place,” he told German television Sky.

Haug acknowledged that the soft tyre, which must be used at least once during the race by every competitor, will not last long on Sunday.

“If the track does not pick up a lot more grip, then probably already from laps, three, four, five you will see very early pitstops,” said the German.

Dyed-in-the-wool racer Martin Brundle on Monday said he sees no quick end to Red Bull’s new self-induced crisis.

“I doubt that trip across the Atlantic for the next round in Montreal will extinguish these fireworks,” the BBC commentator said on Monday, as the international media got to work on Sebastian Vettel’s crash at Istanbul Park with race leader and teammate Mark Webber.

The Sun’s headline referred to the one-two gift handed to McLaren, toying with the energy drink’s slogan by insisting “Red Bull gives you wins”.

Other sections of the press were more serious.

“Red Bull has a conflict of jealously and betrayal,” said El Mundo newspaper in Spain.

Italy’s La Repubblica likened the previously dominant team’s self-destruction to “suicide”.

Britain’s The Independent referred to the fact that Webber, branded crazy by Vettel’s gesticulations and told by his bosses that he should have let the young German past, must now have the impression he is the number two driver.

Webber acknowledged that Vettel’s gesticulations were caused by the “adrenalin” of the moment, but “Red Bull need to take steps to ensure the current world championship leader can have complete faith that the support within the team is spread evenly”, said the newspaper.

And Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport noted that the 33-year-old is “not the kind of guy who is told to finish second”.

Strangely within the paddock, it was only the Red Bull bosses who thought Webber had done something wrong.

“Where should Mark have gone?” Lewis Hamilton – who had a box-seat view of the incident that unfolded in front of him – told German television Sky.

“I think the gap he left him was big enough.

“Even though Jenson and I both want to win, we also have respect for each other.  I’m really happy that I have such a good relationship with my teammate.”

Said Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg: “Mark didn’t move at all.  For me, it was clearly Sebastian’s fault.”

Niki Lauda said the 22-year-old had been “much too aggressive”, and former driver Alex Wurz noted in Turkey: “All my racing colleagues are in agreement that it was Vettel’s fault.”

Ross Brawn thinks these situations can be minimised if drivers know clearly the rules of engagement.

“It depends on what has been said beforehand,” the Mercedes team boss is quoted by Die Welt newspaper.  “Although it’s racing, the rules must be known to the drivers.”

Peter Sauber, meanwhile, had some sympathy for Christian Horner, admitting to Blick newspaper in Switzerland that these situations are “a nightmare for a team chief”.

(GMM)

Mark Webber is emerging as the favourite to win the 2010 world championship.

That is the belief of Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld, after seeing Webber’s second pole position within a week on Saturday.

Webber, 33, still lags his highly-favoured teammate Sebastian Vettel in the points standings, but won dominantly in Barcelona and is the favourite to hang onto first place in Monaco on Sunday.

He is 3:3 in his 2010 qualifying battle with Vettel, and now has the momentum of recent success, Heidfeld told German television Sky.

“We all know how strong Sebastian is,” said the German, “but Mark is now beating him. It’s his third pole position.

“More and more he is evolving into the world championship favourite,” added Heidfeld.

Also impressed with Webber is retired ten time winner Gerhard Berger, who is in the Principality this weekend and has spent time watching the cars from a trackside vantage point.

“What is great is that the driver can still make a big difference here,” said the Austrian. “At the chicane Webber is really very good — very aggressive, fast.

“We are seeing that it is not only the car but also the driver,” added Berger.

And triple world champion Niki Lauda told Kleine Zeitung: “Right now he (Webber) is almost unbeatable.

“Vettel’s problem is that suddenly his greatest enemy is within his own team, just as it was with myself at McLaren with Alain Prost,” added the Austrian.
(GMM)