Ross Brawn should be firing on all cylinders as he returns to the pitwall in Monaco this weekend.

Mercedes’ team principal sat out the recent Spanish grand prix due to illness, but a scarcity of extra information triggered speculation.

One rumour was that he is seriously ill, whilst another was that his absence may in fact be due to his German employer’s high-stakes spat with Bernie Ecclestone.

The latter theory gained traction since Barcelona, with acting team boss Nick Fry taking a much higher than usual profile, including naming Paul di Resta as a possible 2013 successor for Michael Schumacher.

Explaining his absence, Brawn told Bild newspaper: “On the Tuesday before Barcelona I felt unwell so I went to the doctor and then stayed a night in hospital for some tests.

“When I got home, I decided on the advice of doctors to give myself a weekend off, to be sure that I am fit for Monaco,” the Briton said.

Partly because of Brawn’s deputy Fry’s recent comments, and also due to his paltry points tally and his crash with Bruno Senna, rumours about Schumacher’s future have intensified since Spain.

“A lot has been said and written,” acknowledged Brawn, “but we should not forget that we – the team – have let him down in three of the fives races, not delivering the job we should have.

“We must do better,” Brawn, who worked closely with Schumacher during the seven time world champion’s ultra successful Ferrari era, added.

“We saw Michael’s real quality again in the first race, so it’s for that reason that I believe we will see him on the podium this year.”

As for a possible contract extension for the 43-year-old, Brawn insisted: “When the time comes, we will sit down together and talk about the future.

“I’m sure it will become clear very quickly in what direction we will go.”

A tension has crept into F1 drivers’ relationships, as they look ahead to a fiery meeting at the Barcelona circuit on Friday.

Fernando Alonso had given the first hints about the tension when he hit out at Nico Rosberg’s aggressive tactics in Bahrain three weeks ago.

And earlier this week, the Spaniard insisted there is not enough “respect” between the drivers when they are jostling for position at grands prix.

“Fernando made it pretty clear,” world champion Sebastian Vettel told reporters on Thursday. “He said ‘you have to leave the space — all the time you have to leave the space!’”

Rosberg said he is happy if discussions about his driving take place this weekend, but also in the firing line is Lewis Hamilton, who passed the Mercedes driver on the asphalt run-off in Bahrain.

“I was surprised Lewis was allowed to keep his position,” said Mark Webber.

“I’m sure we’ll talk about it in the drivers’ briefing.”

McLaren’s Hamilton insisted he did nothing wrong, but he added: “I’m not really bothered. It’s good to have clarity.

“Mark is probably one of the most – if not the most – outspoken individuals here (in F1), so that is the least I expect from him.”

Also among the most aggressive – and regularly criticised – drivers is Michael Schumacher, and he insisted that the FIA is fully able to make judgements about incidents.

“If it’s not within the rules the FIA would have taken action,” said the seven time world champion, referring to the incidents in Bahrain. “They didn’t and I didn’t see anything wrong either.”

Montreal has been warned to spend around $15 million on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve or risk losing the Canadian grand prix.

La Presse reports that Bernie Ecclestone has said only a major redevelopment of the circuit will lead to talks about a new contract beyond 2014.

The report said that, in light of the F1 chief executive’s warning, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay has appealed to higher levels of government for the necessary money.

“Negotiations are underway between the three levels of government and the bodies of formula one”, the report said.

Race promoter Francois Dumontier told RDS: “It’s premature to talk about this.

“There are still two years to go on the current contract. We have started talking, but that it’s out now I find excessive. Honestly, I don’t know where it’s come from.”

He added: “Given that the permanent installations of the circuit, including the control tower and the garages, are nearly 25 years old, it is likely that their repair is an important element in the negotiations for an extension to the current agreement.

“But it seems to me to be premature to talk specific sums.”

An obvious tension was evident at Mugello when Pirelli’s Paul Hembery was asked about Michael Schumacher.

The seven time world champion had slammed F1′s official supplier after Bahrain, arguing that the 2012 tyres degrade so quickly it makes driving a grand prix car as slow as a safety car.

“We haven’t spoken,” Briton Hembery is quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. “I’ve just read something on the net about the tyres from his teammate Nico Rosberg which is very different.”

Asked if Schumacher’s criticism was irritating, he answered: “We built the tyres the way we were asked to.

“The FIA, Bernie Ecclestone, even the teams wanted it this way. The spokesman for the teams at the time was Ross Brawn, Schumacher’s team boss.

“There have been four different winners in the four races so far, which alone shows that we must have done something right,” Hembery insisted. “As a fan I would be thrilled.”

Asked if he can at least understand Schumacher’s frustration, he continued: “The four winners this year have not won by chance.

“They were absolutely the best drivers in those races and all of them were faster than their teammates.

“I can understand that Michael was frustrated at the last race. Among the four winners so far were two Germans, and then you had Kimi (Raikkonen), who in the fourth race of his comeback is on the podium.

“Racers are winners; they’re not happy unless they’re winning.”

Hembery denied that tyres have, in 2012, become more important than the cars or drivers.

“That’s a misconception,” he insisted. “The driver has a huge impact.

“Anyway I’m convinced that at Silverstone at the latest the teams will have the problem under control. Just as they did last year.”

Finally, he insisted that Pirelli is not going to make any knee-jerk reactions.

“If there are 23 drivers satisfied and only one dissatisfied, then I don’t think we need to change something,” Hembery is quoted by Bild newspaper.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, however, acknowledged a slight frustration.

“For the top teams it’s a bit frustrating,” he told La Stampa newspaper, “when it’s difficult to exploit all your potential.

“It’s like Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan suddenly playing with the budget of Cesena.”

Norbert Haug has dismissed reports linking Lewis Hamilton with a switch to Mercedes for 2013.

With the 2008 world champion’s McLaren contract expiring, speculation had linked Briton Hamilton with the race seat currently occupied by Michael Schumacher.

“I can dismiss that speculation out of hand, as it was only ever conjured by putting two and two together,” the German marque’s Haug told Sport Bild.

“Lewis was and is a Mercedes man,” added the competition director, “but there are no agreements or conversations in that direction.

“At the moment we have one interest only — making our car as fast and reliable as possible, and then we’ll see where we stand.

“Only then will we talk to Michael about a possible extension,” said Haug.

Mark Webber is yet to secure his place at Red Bull for the 2013 season.
Team boss Christian Horner said the Australian has a “spring in his step” after a strong winter following Sebastian Vettel’s dominance last year.

But as for the future, he said that will only be discussed “in the summer”.

“We’ve extended his contract on a year by year basis, I think that’s something that Mark and the team agreed was the right way forward,” Horner told Sky Sports.

“His motivation is high at the moment, he’s still delivering and undoubtedly will sit down later in the summer to discuss the future.”

The biggest threats to 35-year-old Webber’s place are rookie team Toro Rosso’s new signings, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Horner admitted the young duo is “being groomed for the future”.

But the real tension for Webber will be in the Red Bull garage, as another trouncing by Vettel could signal the end of his tenure.

“(Vettel is) probably one of the best, if not the best driver on the grid at the moment and that’s what Mark Webber’s got to come up against, unfortunately,” 1980 world champion Alan Jones told News Limited newspapers.

“This is why I think Mark’s really got to come out of the blocks flying, he’s got to come out firing.”

 Mercedes is eyeing a new two-year contract extension for Michael Schumacher, according to the major German newspaper Bild.
The seven time world champion, having returned to F1 with the famous German marque in 2010, has not decided whether or not to continue his comeback beyond this season.

“Bild knows that Mercedes wants to keep him,” said the newspaper, after the Brackley based team’s new W03 car was launched in Barcelona.

The report said Mercedes has decided to offer Schumacher, 43, a new two-year deal through 2014.

“Before we talk to any other candidate, our first contact will definitely be Michael,” confirmed team boss Ross Brawn.

Schumacher commented: “I’ll decide when the time is right.”

Jean-Eric Vergne has revealed he will try to keep the “tension” down to a minimum inside the Toro Rosso garage in 2012.
Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz this week has admitted that, beyond Mark Webber’s 2012 contract, “Our primary goal is to put one of our juniors” alongside Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull.

With Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari ousted by the energy drink’s Faenza based secondary team after 2011, those most eligible juniors are now French rookie Vergne and his new Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

At Jerez last week in the new STR7 car, their rivalry got off to a fascinating start.

By the end of the four days of running, their fastest laps were separated by no more than one hundredth of a second — with Ricciardo enjoying the miniscule edge for the moment.

With a Red Bull seat up for grabs, 21-year-old Vergne admitted to RMC radio that the stakes are high.

But “There was not too much tension,” he insists. “You have to forget about all those different aspects when you think about the work you need to do.

“We had four good days of testing. The engineers are working now for the next test in Barcelona at the end of the month.

“There is a competition with my teammate but at the same time we can’t (let it) go in the wrong direction.

“You always want to beat everybody but my teammate is also the only other person who is working on the very same car as me,” added Vergne.

 Some distance may have crept into their relationship, but Mark Webber insists there is no tension between himself and fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo, the 22-year-old who has stepped up from HRT last year to the full-time Toro Rosso race seat for 2012, told the Melbourne Age newspaper that Webber – at the senior team Red Bull – is keeping his distance despite earlier easing his transition into the world of F1.

The feeling in the F1 paddock is that Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko is grooming Ricciardo and Toro Rosso’s other new driver Jean-Eric Vergne to potentially succeed Webber as world champion Sebastian Vettel’s next teammate.

As for the distance between him and Webber now that they are in competition for the same seat, Ricciardo said: “I guess he’s still got his career now and his things to worry about — I’ll try not to get in his way too much.

“And, you know, now we are on the same route together, maybe he doesn’t want to tell me too much but that is completely understandable.”

35-year-old Webber, however, insisted there is no real tension with his countryman.

“Not at all, you know, I’ve been through enough on and off the track to know that nothing is forever,” he said.

“I was supposed to be replaced by Kimi (Raikkonen) four years ago,” he laughed, referring to the notorious F1 rumour-mill.

 Charlie Whiting has given the 2012 cars at the Jerez test this week an early clean bill of health.
It was reported the FIA’s technical delegate decided to attend the opening test of the 2012 pre-season amid speculation the teams may have overstepped the mark with their new exhaust layouts.

Exhaust-blown diffusers have been banned for this season, but the early signs were that teams had been clever in their interpretation of the new rules to maintain an aerodynamic benefit.

“At the moment they’re all legal,” Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, following Whiting’s inspection of all the team garages on Wednesday, quoted the Briton as saying.

Red Bull’s Adrian Newey also played down all the speculation about 2012 exhaust interpretations, insisting there is unlikely to be a “bright idea” from this year’s restrictive rules similar to the double diffuser or blown exhaust innovations.

“We do not see any big differences between all the possible solutions,” he said. “The rules are very specific and very restrictive.”

That could, of course, be great news for Red Bull’s rivals, particularly with the FIA having also clamped down on flexing front wings — another area perfected recently by Newey.

“That rule change,” said Newey, referring to the halving of the allowable wing flex for 2012, “came very late.

“The result is that the wing has gained a lot of weight, making it harder to achieve the optimum weight distribution.”

Newey said the FIA’s new stance on wings was “probably” powered by the violently fluttering components on Ferrari’s car late last season.

Indeed, between Ferrari and Red Bull, there already appears some tension.

Spain’s Marca newspaper claims Newey suspected Ferrari’s initial exhaust solution on the F2012 was not legal.

Then on Wednesday – the day of Whiting’s pit visits – the Maranello based team hastily cut into its exhausts and fairings, ostensibly to meet the new rule about top visibility.

“Honestly,” Ferrari designer Nikolas Tombazis said, “I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. We have analysed what everyone is doing and I do not see a great innovation that we have not studied already.”

The saga will continue to run.

“They will still be able to use the exhausts (aerodynamically) this year,” predicted Remi Taffin, engine supplier Renault’s track boss.

“So we will see changes in this area in the Barcelona testing and probably also in Melbourne,” he is quoted by France’s Auto Plus.

Karun Chandhok has admitted it would be “fantastic” if he can contest his home Indian grand prix next month.
Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes said this week he would “like” to put reserve driver Chandhok at the wheel of team regular Jarno Trulli’s car in Delhi.

“It’s obviously very nice to hear,” Chandhok, 27, told CNN. “He (Fernandes) is the man who can make it happen. I’ve just got to wait and see what he decides.”

Chandhok’s father Vicky is the president of India’s federation of motor sports clubs.

“I’ve been very involved in the circuit,” said Karun, who replaced Trulli for a one-off race at the Nurburgring in July. “I’ve been visiting the (Buddh circuit) site every month.

“To have the opportunity to drive would sort of complete that circle,” he added.

Chandhok acknowledged that the fact he is now regularly considered for the race seat occupied by Italian veteran Trulli has created some tension at Team Lotus.

“It’s not ideal, there’s no doubt about that. I experienced it last year (at HRT), my drive was given to Sakon Yamamoto in the second half of the season. It’s tough,” he said.

“When they put me in the car in Germany … it’s a very difficult situation. It can be awkward. But I have to say Jarno was fantastic.

“He offered his advice and support all through the weekend. I have to say hats off to him, he was a model professional,” added Chandhok.

Trulli however has already been confirmed for the 2012 season, while Fernandes said this week that Heikki Kovalainen is the team’s “number 1 driver”.

At the same time, Chandhok is hoping for a regular race seat.

“I need to sit and figure things out with Tony and where we are and where we see the future. I’d like to stay with Tony, with Lotus, and in the future race for them full time. That’s my ambition,” he said.

Eric Boullier has dismissed speculation that Robert Kubica will not return to the Renault lineup this year even if the Pole is fully recovered.
It has been rumoured that, presumably in the interest of continuity, the Enstone based team plans to definitely conclude the 2011 season with substitute Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of the R31.

“The situation is very clear,” team boss Boullier told the Polish publication Sport.

“We have an agreement with Robert and Nick is well aware that if Robert is recovered and able to come back, he will come back. End of story,” said the Frenchman.

“There is no other possibility,” he insisted. “I should know as I am the man who signed the contract!

“Robert is improving very quickly. After the last surgery he had to relax for some time but now he is pushing really hard. I haven’t seen him lately but I’ve spoken to him a bit.

“I am also in constant contact with his manager Daniele Morelli and Dr Ceccarelli, who says that the situation is better than expected,” said Boullier.

As for Morelli’s recent claim that Kubica might return in Brazil this year, Boullier replied: “I hope so. That’s all I can say.”

There have also been reports recently about tension between Kubica’s management and the bosses at Renault.

“I can tell you one thing. Soon the communication between Robert and the media will begin. It seems that after this race (Britain) we will organise something,” said Boullier.

There is little tension in the Red Bull driver line-up this year because Sebastian Vettel has the clear upper hand.

That is the belief of outspoken former triple world champion Niki Lauda, who predicts that Mark Webber will also struggle to keep up with his teammate in Monaco this weekend.

“No. Vettel is simply faster than Webber,” the great Austrian told Cologne tabloid Express when asked if the high conflict between the pair seen in 2010 might soon return.

Australian Webber appeared to get his campaign back on track last weekend with pole in Barcelona, but German Vettel ultimately won his fourth race of the season.

“We will see that again in Monaco, so again there will be no discussion or tension. I would bet already that he (Vettel) will be three tenths faster,” said Lauda.

He also commented on the decision by Ferrari and Fernando Alonso to extend the Spaniard’s contract through 2016.

“I don’t understand it,” said Lauda. “I always did two year contracts, which was a mutual actual on both sides to promote competition. With a long contract, you lose that.

“I am sure that with Ferrari this is a combination of Alonso and the sponsorship of the bank Santander, but if I was Ferrari I wouldn’t have done it for so long,” he insisted.

The holdup on Nico Hulkenberg’s contract extension for 2011 is because Williams wants him to commit for a very long time, according to a German report.

It has been reported that the British team is contemplating replacing the 2009 GP2 champion next year with the Venezuelan pay-driver Pastor Maldonado.

But Sir Frank Williams has now described 23-year-old German Hulkenberg as “exceptional”, raising doubts about the reason for the delay in his re-signing for 2011.

According to Sport Bild, the Oxfordshire based team wants him to sign a new five-year contract.

The deal will reportedly include a EUR15 million ‘out’ fee in the event that Hulkenberg wants to switch to a different team before the five year term is concluded.

Christian Horner has answered “no” as to whether Red Bull will be using team orders in the three-race run to the 2010 world championship.

Separated by 14 points, both leader Mark Webber and his young teammate Sebastian Vettel are both in the running for their first drivers’ titles.

Flavio Briatore has been recently highly critical of the team’s philosophy of equality, but boss Horner insists he will not be favouring Webber over Vettel.

“What else should he (Briatore) say as Mark’s manager?” Horner is quoted on Friday by F1′s official website.  “My answer is a clear ‘no’.

“Of course, I can imagine that Flavio would prefer it if we go the Ferrari way and put our efforts behind only one driver, but that would be wrong, as both are right in the middle of the fight for the title.

“The only thing we expect from them is that they don’t hamper each other,” added the Briton.

Horner said it is a “luxury” for Red Bull to have two competitive drivers vying for the title, but it is feared their fight could allow Fernando Alonso to pick up the pieces and his third drivers’ title.

He admitted that it is not necessary to “dig too much into psychoanalysis to understand that if two guys are fighting for the most prestigious title in motor sport then tension is part of the game”.

Horner described their Istanbul crash earlier this year as a “huge challenge”, leaving a big task now so that “neither feels disadvantaged”.

But both Webber and Vettel are still able to be champion, he insisted.

“I promise that the team will not interfere in the race for the title,” said Horner.