HRT has announced it will sit out next week’s rare in-season formula one test at Mugello.

For the first time in years, the sport has relaxed slightly its strict testing ban in order to give teams the chance to run between grands prix.

The three-day session at Ferrari’s Italian circuit will begin next Tuesday, during the three-week gap between Bahrain and Spain.

Struggling backmarkers HRT, however, will not be there, opting instead to be “completely focused” on relocating to its new Caja Magica headquarters in Madrid.

Every other team will be at Mugello, 30 kilometres from Florence — the first in-season test for four years.

26 drivers will be in action, as will a lot of update packages following F1′s return from the hectic ‘flyaway’ season.

Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Sauber, Marussia and Toro Rosso will use their regular race drivers.

Running regular racers and a tester will be Lotus (Jerome d’Ambrosio), Williams (Valtteri Bottas) and Force India (Jules Bianchi).

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said Caterham is “using the opportunity to earn some money” by accepting the sponsorship of the Venezuelan Rodolfo Gonzalez.

McLaren has scheduled to run its testers Oliver Turvey and Gary Paffett, although Lewis Hamilton has indicated he might gatecrash the programme in order to help solve the MP4-27′s newfound tyre problems.

Lewis Hamilton is rethinking McLaren’s scheduled approach to the rare and crucial in-season test at Mugello next week.

The British team announced last week that both Hamilton and his teammate Jenson Button would sit out Mugello, so that testers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey can run over the three-day session instead.

But that was before Bahrain, where McLaren’s early-season upper hand vanished, leaving the drivers and team members scratching their heads over the way the MP4-27 ate rapidly through the Pirelli tyres.

“It (the Mugello schedule) might change,” British newspapers report Hamilton as saying.

“I need to get back in the car. We need to figure out why the tyres are going off.

“If there are other things to test or ways to figure it out, I will be the one to do it, not let someone else do it,” said the 2008 world champion.

A McLaren source indicated that if Hamilton wants to test in Italy, the programme will be altered to accommodate him.

Button, however, appears unavailable to test, as he is scheduled to attend a promotional team event in Budapest early next week.

Sauber has become the second formula one team to reveal a brush with Bahrain’s civil unrest.

Force India was involved in a Molotov cocktail attack earlier this week, resulting in two team members returning to the UK and Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta sitting out the second practice session on Friday.

Now, the Swiss team Sauber has revealed it saw masked protesters throwing petrol bombs whilst returning from the circuit to their Manama hotel late on Thursday.

“At 20.50 the 12 mechanics, being on that minibus to the Novotel, noticed fire on the medial strip of the highway,” said spokesman Hanspeter Brack.

“On the opposite lane there was no traffic. The team members saw a few masked people running from there over to their lane where a bottle was burning as well.”

No one was hurt.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone on Friday played down the latest drama, accusing reporters of “wanting a story” and offering to ride in the cars with the frightened Force India team members if they are afraid of Bahrain’s night.

Bahrain’s Crown Prince on Friday ruled out cancelling the troubled island kingdom’s grand prix.

“I think cancelling just empowers extremists,” he told reporters, whilst standing alongside F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Pressure on the race organisers, Ecclestone and the FIA to cancel the race has only intensified after Force India and Sauber revealed their brushes with petrol bombs.

“I can absolutely guarantee that any problems that may or may not happen are not directed at F1,” the Crown Prince insisted.

Ecclestone, meanwhile, pointed his finger at the media.

“There are other countries much higher up the priority list you should be writing about,” he told the scrum of reporters.

“Go to Syria and write about those things there because it’s more important than here.”

When asked about the violent clashes between Bahraini protesters and the police, Ecclestone said: “It’s a lot of nonsense. You guys love it.”

However, he did admit that going ahead with the race is “a little bit silly” for the Bahrain government because it gives the protesters “such an incredible platform”.

Bahrain protesters have stepped up their anti-grand prix campaign, with formula one vowing to push ahead with a race in the troubled island Kingdom next week.

After the FIA declared that the race is definitely going ahead, Bernie Ecclestone on Friday met with team bosses in the Shanghai paddock.

“There’s nothing (bad) happening. I know people who live there and it’s all very quiet and peaceful,” the F1 chief executive insisted.

Media reports, however, suggest otherwise.

Photos have emerged of protesters burning flags depicting Ecclestone’s face, whilst others marched in F1 overalls and helmets, carrying machine guns.

Anti-F1 graffiti, meanwhile, is sprayed on walls throughout the capital Manama.

Ecclestone, however, told the BBC late on Friday that the Bahrain protesters are “not protesting about formula one”.

So with the race still scheduled, are the teams feeling comfortable?

“All the teams are happy to be there,” insisted Ecclestone.

Commented Red Bull’s Christian Horner after the meeting with the F1 chief executive: “The FIA have obviously done their research and come out with a clear statement that as a team entered into the championship we respect.

“We’ll do our best to ensure that all our guys and girls are in a secure environment, but I don’t doubt that for a moment.”

Damon Hill has changed his mind yet again on the controversial issue of Bahrain’s return to formula one later this month.

Amid the debate about the island Kingdom’s return to the calendar in the wake of the cancelled 2011 event, the 1996 world champion said initially: “F1 must align itself with progression, not repression”.

But he changed his tune after travelling with FIA president Jean Todt to Bahrain, insisting the situation on the ground had changed since the 2011 protests.

“The grand prix is of huge economic importance to Bahrain. You’d almost be putting an economic sanction on Bahrain by pulling the race,” said Hill.

But the Briton has now changed his mind again, apparently after the latest reports of violence on the streets and the reaction in the international media.

Hill is quoted by the Guardian newspaper: “It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for formula one, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race.

“Looking at it today you’d have to say that (the race) could be creating more problems than it’s solving.”

The former Williams driver is scheduled to attend this month’s Bahrain grand prix as a television analyst, but Hill brushed aside any thoughts about his lucrative contract with the British broadcaster Sky.

“Some things are more important than contracts.”

He also expressed misgivings about a recent media briefing in London, in which Bernie Ecclestone and team bosses stood with the Bahrain organisers and insisted the race is going ahead despite the continuing controversy.

Damon said that event was “troubling insofar as it tried to represent the rioting in Bahrain as the result of bad press reporting and as a ‘youth’ issue.

“I hope the FIA are considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing molotov cocktails, because that’s a gross simplification.”

Writing in O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio admitted he thinks it would be “almost reckless” for F1 to travel to Bahrain this month.

“At Sepang,” he wrote, “many team members were very concerned. They said their insurance companies had expressed concern about going to an Arab country in a belligerent state.

“Personally, I don’t think we will be attacked, but it is the goal of the protesters to do anything so that the grand prix is not run.

“The Arab Spring is very much alive in this small country in the Persian Gulf,” he admitted.

And the Times of London’s Kevin Eason wrote on Twitter: “I have been thinking F1 should give Bahrain a chance but I am not convinced now that safety can be guaranteed.”

Now less than three weeks before the island kingdom is scheduled to host its return to formula one, bitter protests and violence have once again erupted in Bahrain.

Witnesses claim a 22-year-old man who was filming the firing of tear gas on protesters was shot and killed by state-supporting militia on Friday.

The death – reportedly the first since last year’s troubles forced the cancellation of the 2011 race and test – intensified the clashes and calls for the forthcoming grand prix to be axed.

The government has denied it is responsible for the death.

“The ministry of interior will do all it can to find the criminal and bring him to justice,” a spokesman is quoted as saying by the Times of London.

The ministry also confirmed that Nabeel Rajab, the president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, has been arrested.

He had said last week: “We are going to use the opportunities that a lot of journalists are there (for the grand prix) and we are going to protest everywhere.”

The protests, however, continued.

“We (object to) holding a sports race that belittles the sacrifices of our children and ignores our suffering and wounds,” said a video statement posted on the internet by a protester.

“Do not tarnish the reputation of the respected auto sport with the blood of Bahrain victims.”

And on Twitter, the hashtags #BloodyF1 and #noF1 are being used to protest against the race and link to graphic photos and videos purporting to depict government violence.

Damon Hill has backed Bahrain as the island Kingdom returns to the F1 calendar this year.
After last year’s race was cancelled, the 1996 world champion travelled to Bahrain with FIA president Jean Todt and afterwards said he supports the decision to give the Sakhir circuit its April 22 date for 2012.

However, as some clashes between protesters and police are still taking place, there are some who believe strongly that Bahrain is not ready to host F1 again.

The teams are mainly quiet, but Red Bull’s Christian Horner said last week that, “As far as I’m aware, we’re definitely going.

“As of today there’s a race committed to Bahrain and we’ll be there,” he added.

Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary added: “I have decided I will be going to Bahrain if the race goes ahead.”

Briton Hill, the winner of 22 grands prix, thinks Horner and Cary are right.

“Everyone wants things to move in the right direction in Bahrain,” he is quoted by The Sun.

“The grand prix is of huge economic importance to Bahrain. You’d almost be putting an economic sanction on Bahrain by pulling the race.”

Dani Clos insists he is delighted with his new role as HRT tester, despite some seeing him as little more than a ‘pay driver’.
A reporter for Spain’s Diario AS newspaper admitted to the 23-year-old from Barcelona that when he read the news about his Clos’ new role, he surmised that the driver must have some lucrative backers.

“That’s definitely not why I’m here,” Clos insisted.

He admitted however that he is also “looking at some options” to split his time between HRT and another race series this season.

“There are offers but I’m happy with HRT. Some people would give their right arm to be here.”

Clos conceded, however, that if he had lots more money to spend on formula one, he might have been appointed as Pedro de la Rosa’s teammate in the place of Narain Karthikeyan.

“It’s obvious that if you contribute more then you have more options,” he said, “but for me this is my place now, and where I have to be right now.”

He revealed that the role will include running on Friday mornings at grands prix, rather than the symbolic role played by many ‘test drivers’ nowadays.

“Yes, yes, I’ll do Fridays,” said Clos. “I will not be one of those who are there just to be there.”

He also denied that his new deal could fall apart the way countryman Andy Soucek’s did at Virgin in 2010, when the Spaniard was promised track time that never materialised.

“I have no fear in that regard,” insisted Clos. “I trust the team.”

 With the 2012 season now just weeks away, the most serious doubts yet about April’s returning Bahrain grand prix have emerged.
Reports claim that, on the eve of the one year anniversary of the bloody ‘Day of Rage’ protests that led to the cancellation of the race and test in early 2011, violent clashes involving tear gas-firing police have broken out.

“Formula one is monitoring events there”, a report in the Guardian newspaper said.

“Formula one’s governing body is keeping a low profile because it doesn’t want to be part of the mounting pressure and speculation,” added journalist Paul Weaver.

International news agencies including Reuters and the Associated Press reported this week’s clashes involve protesters trying to reoccupy the symbolic scenes of the 2011 violence.

“Traffic came to a standstill on the main thoroughfare into the capital (Manama), and teargas canisters, rubber pellets and rocks littered the highway,” said Reuters, adding that elsewhere “youths threw petrol bombs, iron bars and rocks” and police returned fire with “stun grenades”.

The New York Times, meanwhile, referred to numerous

Pedro de la Rosa on Thursday said Pirelli’s formula one tyre feels different to the product currently used in the sport.

Next year, the Italian marque is replacing departing Bridgestone as F1′s official supplier, so tester de la Rosa was back at the wheel of the 2009 Toyota this week in his native Barcelona.

The Spaniard has an unique perspective on the characteristics of the developing Pirelli, given his job earlier this year racing the Bridgestone-shod Sauber.

Pirelli said after the two-day Barcelona test that it is now “close to defining the rubber that will be taken to Abu Dhabi” for the teams to test for the first time after the season finale in November.

“I’ve been very impressed because I have to say that the tyres were at an even higher level than I imagined,” said de la Rosa.

“These Pirelli tyres have their own quite different characteristics to the current supplier that the drivers will appreciate next year and I’m confident that they will form a very competitive package,” he added.

The next test will take place at Paul Ricard early next month.

Pedro de la Rosa has expressed interest in returning to the formula one grid next year with HRT.

After a long stint as McLaren tester, the Spanish driver returned to F1 with Sauber this year but was ousted recently and is now testing tyres for Pirelli.

De la Rosa, 39, was in talks with Hispania’s former guise Campos-Meta before signing with Sauber last winter, and he has told Spanish radio Onda Cero he is once again interested in joining the struggling team.

“If their sporting project is interesting and ambitious, I’ll be happy to be with them. So far there is no hurry,” he is quoted as saying by the EFE news agency.

“I am in contact with the Carabantes,” added de la Rosa, referring to the team’s owners.

“We talk a lot. For Spain it is very important to have a formula one team and what they have done so far has much merit,” he said.

“Now we (Spain) have a team but we are not getting the best value. They succeeded in just a few months to have a car on track at the start of the season and will have another car next year.

“But the project needs more support, not only from companies but also drivers like myself, and the fans. We have to get behind them,” added de la Rosa.

Nick Heidfeld fits the bill to spearhead new tyre supplier Pirelli’s formula one tyre testing.
That is the opinion of Paul Hembery, the Italian marque’s competition boss, after German Heidfeld earlier this year said he would be interested in becoming the Pirelli tyre tester.

Pirelli, F1′s new official tyre supplier beginning next year, recently started testing its 2011 prototypes, but only with a GP2 car.

It is believed the marque will use a 2009 Toyota formula one car for its real development testing in the forthcoming months.

“We need an extremely experienced but also very fit driver, who can do 500 miles a day and not collapse afterwards. Heidfeld fits this profile very well and would be an ideal candidate,” Pembery told Germany’s Auto Bild.

Previously, on the basis of fairness to all the other teams, it was believed Heidfeld had been ruled out due to his ongoing role as Mercedes’ reserve driver.

Pembery added: “Until the last race in Abu Dhabi, we will do six tests with an F1 car from 2009.”

He said the tests will be held at venues including Monza, Barcelona, Jerez and Paul Ricard.

Pembery explained that the focus of the tests would not be laptimes, but the development of “consistent and reliable tyres”.

Paul di Resta will not be driving the Force India during Friday morning practice at Hockenheim.

The team announced that the decision to sit out its reserve driver in Germany is due to the extreme allocation of Bridgestone’s hardest and softest tyre compounds.

“It’s a shame but I completely understand the decision,” said the rookie Scot.

“It’s a decision that’s been taken relatively late but it’s better to err on the side of caution at such a crucial stage in the season,” added di Resta, 24.

Force India is currently sixth in the constructors’ world championship, 42 points behind Renault and just 16 points ahead of the improving Williams team.

“I’ll be back in the car in Hungary, replacing Tonio for free practice 1,” di Resta revealed.

Jun.16 (GMM)  Williams’ new test driver must start winning races if he is to progress further in formula one.

That is the admission of the Grove based team’s technical director Sam Michael, referring to Williams’ 2010 test and reserve driver Valtteri Bottas.

The 20-year-old Finn is also contesting this year’s F3 Euroseries, and he drove in the same series last year as well as British F3, but has won no races so far.

Earlier this month, however, Bottas did win the F3 Masters event at Zandvoort, as he also did in 2009.

“Of course, it was a brilliant performance,” Michael is quoted by the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

“Valtteri is the first person to have won the event twice and the Masters has always meant a lot to Williams.

“But he knows what he needs to do.  We all expect him to win the Euroseries and hopefully he will do it soon,” added Sam Michael.

“Valterri is a clever guy and he knows that he has to start winning races in F3, and only then will we look together at the next stage.”