Mark Webber appears headed for a new contract with Red Bull, after receiving a clear vote of confidence from the energy drink company’s chief.

Following speculation the 35-year-old Australian could be headed to Ferrari in 2013, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner insisted Webber “is happy to be here, and we are happy to have him with us”.

And the Swiss newspaper Blick has revealed that team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, the billionaire mogul, is also happy with Webber.

“I hope that he keeps driving with us for a long time,” the 68-year-old is quoted as saying.

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.

Just after backing his friend and countryman to bounce back, Rubens Barrichello has refused to rule out returning to formula one to replace the struggling Felipe Massa.

After 19 consecutive seasons in F1, 39-year-old Barrichello had to switch to the Indycar series for 2012 after losing his race seat at Williams.

Speaking to Brazilian television Sportv this week, however, the Brazilian said he cannot rule out returning to the grid — even with Ferrari.

After a six-year tenure, Barrichello left Ferrari at the end of 2005 and – until now – has not looked back overly fondly on his treatment alongside the famous Italian team’s former number one Michael Schumacher.

But in the wake of Massa’s recent performance struggles, Barrichello was voted in an Italian poll as the ideal replacement for the diminutive 30-year-old.

When asked about Ferrari, Barrichello said this week: “I want the fans to understand that I don’t have any hard feelings.

“If they called me today to go drive for them I would go. It was the best team I’ve ever driven for in terms of support, of creativity. But there were definitely some spicy episodes,” he added.

With the backing of sponsors, Barrichello has signed on with the KV team in Indycar for 2012, but he insists he is “completely open” about returning to F1.

“It would be something to think about,” he said in the televised interview on Wednesday.

“I think anything can happen. I’m not saying it will happen, but I have to be ready.”

Barrichello, the longest-serving driver in F1 history, revealed that he still enjoys the backing of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s influential chief executive.

“He asked me if I was really going to race in Indycar and I told him ‘Yeah, because you didn’t find me a place in F1′,” he joked.

“He said he will see what he can do about it. Really, you just have to see what happens, you have to stay open about it,” added Barrichello.

 Felipe Massa’s formula one career appeared in deep crisis on Wednesday, as the Italian press lined up multiple candidates to replace him.
Earlier, the weekly Autosprint suggested out-of-work grand prix winner and Italian Jarno Trulli is available to step in immediately to replace the beleaguered Brazilian, whose contract expires this year.

Ferrari seemed to clear a path for the 30-year-old’s removal by moving to replace his F2012 chassis ahead of Sepang, “to clear up any doubts about the unusual performance of his car” last weekend in Australia.

On Wednesday, the authoritative daily La Gazzetta dello Sport said Ferrari is considering dropping a driver mid-season for the first time since Rene Arnoux in 1985.

The newspaper said Ferrari development driver Sergio Perez, who is currently at Sauber, is an option, as is the former Force India driver Adrian Sutil.

A poll at Autosprint’s website, meanwhile, asked readers to nominate a worthy replacement for Massa — Mexican Perez scored the highest, with 44.7 per cent of the vote.

Second was Trulli with 27.6pc, followed by Rubens Barrichello at 6.6pc.

Only 1.3 per cent voted for 30-year-old Massa, who never returned to form following his serious accident in Hungary in mid 2009.

 He may not have a race or even a reserve seat, but Jaime Alguersuari will at least be a regular face in the formula one paddock in 2012.
The axed Toro Rosso driver will be experienced broadcaster James Allen’s co-commentator for British radio BBC 5 Live, the Telegraph newspaper reports.

Journalist Tom Cary said the news will be confirmed officially on Tuesday.

Still just 21, Spaniard Alguersuari revealed last month that he will remain fully focused on formula one this year.

“I am thinking only of F1,” he said. “What I can say is that I will devote myself body and soul to F1 in 2012.

“I will prepare myself, with no contractual relationships with anyone, to be ready and available for any opportunity that arises.”

 Lewis Hamilton has been earmarked by Mercedes as a potential replacement for Michael Schumacher beyond the end of this season.
That is the claim of the German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag, following the Stuttgart marque’s recent denial that Schumacher has already been offered a new two-year contract for 2013 and 2014.

The newspaper said Briton Hamilton, the 2008 world champion whose McLaren deal ends this year, is the ‘plan B’ should seven time world champion return to retirement before his 44th birthday.

Bild am Sonntag said Mercedes already knows Hamilton after powering his F3 title in 2005.

“If we had a plan B already,” motor sport vice-president Norbert Haug is quoted as saying, “we would not be well advised to talk about it in public.

“Before we talk to Michael, this is not a topic,” he insisted.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said recently he doubts Hamilton will see out his career with McLaren.

“If he doesn’t perform this year he’ll be looking to move on. And the team, maybe, will also be looking to him to move on,” the 81-year-old Briton said.

According to Bild, however, more than 50 per cent of German fans surveyed want Marussia’s Timo Glock to replace Schumacher.

Hamilton secured 3.9 per cent of the vote.

“This is all just speculation,” a Mercedes spokesman is quoted by Germany’s Sport1. “There are no negotiations with any drivers and we will only speak with Michael at the appropriate time.

“For now our entire focus is on the start of the season.”

Jaime Alguersuari has admitted he was “hurt” by Red Bull’s late decision to oust him from Toro Rosso.
The 21-year-old announced this week that, amid speculation he might rescue his career with the reserve role at Mercedes, he will in fact be missing entirely from the F1 paddock in 2012.

In a Spanish-language statement, he admitted the career interruption was “unnecessary”.

“At the Brazilian grand prix, my continuity (at Toro Rosso) was confirmed verbally.

“After this confirmation by Red Bull and STR, we turned down a very good deal.

“A few days later, Toro Rosso sent me to the headquarters of (sponsor) Cepsa, and at a dinner I talked about my relationship with Toro Rosso and Cepsa with a script written at Faenza.

“No one has ever explained to me why, having fulfilled the expectations asked of me by the team, improving from 2010 and beating my teammate, I am stopped in December with no time to get a good position in 2012,” said Alguersuari.

He insisted, however, that he is not giving up on F1.

“I am thinking only of F1,” he said. “I am 21, have played 46 grands prix, I’m not a rookie driver anymore.

“Yes to formula one, but not at any price.

“I contacted (HRT team boss) Luis Perez-Sala, my friend and former mentor, in December, but we both agreed — HRT does not have a car for me and I cannot spend everything at my age struggling to improve a car that far behind.

“Williams? That option never even occurred to me as nowadays they only want drivers who pay.

“In January I had discussions with one of the best teams that could be decisive in my future. I was received with great affection and respect and we have opened a path.

“For obvious reasons I cannot reveal the nature of our intention, but what I can say is that I will devote myself body and soul to F1 in 2012.

“I will prepare myself, with no contractual relationships with anyone, to be ready and available for any opportunity that arises.”

F1 teams have discussed the possibility of allowing some in-season circuit testing in 2012.
FIA president Jean Todt said recently that the current blanket ban is “stupid” and teams should be allowed to do a few tests during the season in 2012.

A report at France’s autohebdo.fr said the teams, who must agree to the rule change for next year, discussed relaxing the test ban during a meeting at Silverstone.

But the talks “have made little progress”, the report said.

Williams technical director Sam Michael is quoted as confirming: “There has not yet been a vote, just some ideas about having a test for young drivers during the season.

“It (testing) was on the table but we had many other things to deal with (at Silverstone),” added the Australian, referring to the V6 engine rules and the blown exhaust saga.

Clouds still linger above the health of the 2012 US grand prix project.
Progress at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin appeared brighter last week, when the state’s $25m annual subsidy was signed off by the council and a legal action brought by a group of disgruntled taxpayers was dropped.

But the local Austin American Statesman newspaper now reports that a meeting of the event’s quasi-governmental Local Organising Committee was on Monday mysteriously called off.

The vote of the committee is apparently required as the next step in race organisers receiving the state funds.

“As recently as late June, the local lawyer representing the F1 efforts told the city council the project’s finances could be imperilled if the committee met later than the July fourth weekend,” read the report.

And a freelance reporter has been quoted by KUT News as revealing that organisers do not yet have permission to build the circuit pits and other buildings.

Jacob Dirr said “All they can do is start pouring the track, build a couple of tunnels and keep pushing dirt around”.

Bernie Ecclestone has organised a meeting of the F1 Commission in an attempt to formally scuttle the proposed engine rules for 2013.
That is the claim of the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that the meeting will take place on Wednesday.

The report said F1 chief executive Ecclestone, a staunch critic of the proposed rules, believes FIA president Jean Todt improperly introduced the four-cylinder turbos by bypassing the official bodies including the F1 Commission.

Despite Renault’s apparent threat to quit F1 over the controversy, Ecclestone is understood to have attempted to overturn the rules with a recent vote of the World Motor Sport Council.

The rules narrowly survived and Wednesday’s F1 Commission is his ‘plan B’ according to Auto Motor und Sport, with the 80-year-old also not ruling out a legal challenge.

The 2011 Bahrain grand prix saga came to a conclusion on Wednesday when the FIA confirmed Sakhir will not host a race later this season.

Without actually mentioning the troubled island Kingdom, the governing body said a fax vote of the World Motor Sport Council had ratified the calendar that was “originally proposed” for the 2011 world championship.

The FIA said the vote was “unanimous”, even though the same word was used for the recent reinstatement of the Bahrain race for 30 October.

However, India will now host its inaugural grand prix on its original 30 October weekend, with the season ending a month later rather than in mid December.

Bernie Ecclestone revealed to the Independent newspaper that Bahraini officials travelled to Montreal last weekend to urge the F1 chief executive to consider rescheduling the race for 30 October, or 4 or 11 December.

“I told them that I thought withdrawing was the easiest way to handle the situation,” he said.

Bahrain will however be involved with the 30 October race this year, with the Sakhir circuit’s medical team tasked with training and assisting its Indian counterparts, according to the Gulf Daily News.

With the on-off 2011 Bahrain GP saga becoming farcical, Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday announced his sport “of course” cannot go to the troubled island Kingdom later this year.
Prior to the FIA last Friday controversially rescheduling the race for October 30, F1 chief executive Ecclestone seemed to favour that decision being taken.

But the 80-year-old Briton has now isolated president Jean Todt by urging the teams group FOTA to write their letter, demanding a new vote of the World Motor Sport Council, and now coming to the obvious conclusion that F1 must stay away for now.

“Hopefully we can return in the future, but of course it’s not on,” Ecclestone told BBC Sport.

“The schedule cannot be rescheduled without the agreement of the participants — they’re the facts.”

The FIA did not immediately comment.

Jarno Trulli rewinds on Thursday T128 with the new Lotus only from a few installation laps – private test on Friday
Without power steering, but with plenty of optimism for Jarno Trulli completed the test program on Thursday of the Lotus team. The Italians, after all, turned 38 laps at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, without, however, to set a lap time.

An assessment of the potential of the new Lotus T128 Trulli also dares not reason. “But I have no power steering feels good, and therefore it is the car can not really try, ” the veteran told Autosport. ”

Apart from the problems with the steering but the car had gone well. “Of course we’ll soon find out how good this car in terms of lap times and where we stand in terms of performance, ” admitted Trulli. “A few parts on the car are missing, of course, and we can not really work in the vote. In Jerez, we will come down on the car properly and learn to understand.”
Before the team from next week to pitch his tent in southern Spain, Trulli and team-mate Heikki Kovalainen on Friday will complete a further day of testing at Valencia. Lotus expects the power steering back then, which had meanwhile sent for repair the team headquarters in England.

Team boss Ross Brawn takes the Mercedes-good benefits from the fact that one understands the vote better, and can optimize performance.

In the last race, Mercedes has well presented, although the development of the W01 is set for a long time and the concentration to 2011. Team boss Ross Brawn sees the good form the fruits of efforts to improve the car and the structures within the team. Michael Schumacher missed the podium but in South Korea, but the speed of Nico Rosberg was up to the involuntary loss of strong and a podium would have been possible.

“We are making progress. It probably took longer than expected, but we see really good progress,” Brawn is of ‘Autosport’ quotes. “We do everything together for next year. Now we get everything to work properly. The F-shaft is good and we have the highest speed on the straights. We do not change many things, but to understand how we need to tune the car. It is a consolidation and a lesson. ”
When asked whether the team will benefit in the coming year, Brawn replied. “Maybe I do not think things can be transferred directly, but we have learned over the past few races a lot.

In South Korea, Rosberg could have the first time in Silverstone again climb on the podium. “He was very happy with the car, but I will not speculate. He was doing very well, has felt the car well and might have looked very strong.”

Filed the “triple” extra-European Jorge Lorenzo is back in his Palma de Mallorca for the due and deserved celebrations for winning his first world title in MotoGP. Long celebration, a few days to stop taking the high level of concentration in the shorter distance to Estoril in its agenda.

On the track where he won his first race in MotoGP in 2008, repeating the claim last year dressed as an astronaut … the world champion aims to return to the top step of the podium where missing from Brno: six races, too many for a driver like him.

“Now we have two races in a row, two very special race, “said Jorge Lorenzo. “The first of these two stages is Estoril where I had my best moments in MotoGP over the past two seasons. Here I had never won in 125 or 250, but I won two Grand Prix wins out of two races, is the only circuit where he won twice in this category!

The track I like very much and I seem to run into the house because there’s a lot of fans from Spain and I always feel their support. Also for me it will be the first time in a circuit ‘home’ by World Champion: I want to try to win maybe even repeat performance of 2009 when the astronaut arrived!”.

Jorge Lorenzo’s early in the last few days in Estoril will present a surprise to his devoted fans: what is it? We’ll find out only in the race weekend …