Ferrari is testing a new front wing in Korea practice this weekend in line with the aggressive philosophy of its 2012 car.
Italian and Spanish media reports have revealed that Maranello’s next single seater is known internally as ’663′.

Italiaracing reports that the wing tested in Korea on Friday is “inspired by Red Bull’s design”.

Designer Nikolas Tombazis confirmed recently that the front wing “represents a different approach in terms of how it works”.

“We can therefore try and learn as much as possible right away,” he said.

The 2012 car is reportedly very low with a higher driving position and longer wheelbase than the current 150 Italia.

Other Italian sources say that, so focused is the team on 2012, boss Stefano Domenicali and technical head Pat Fry travelled back and forth to Italy between the long-haul Asian races in Japan and Korea.

The 663 reportedly also features Red Bull-style rear suspension, allowing more efficient airflow.

“The Red Bull is not just a diffuser but a very complete car, and I am sure that if the first race (of 2012) would take place now they would still have an advantage.

“Our challenge between now and March is to avoid that,” said Fernando Alonso.

Hans-Joachim Stuck doubts Mercedes can turn its 2011 car into a winner.

“Maybe we need to rethink the concept of the car,” team boss Ross Brawn, referring to the W02 that was off the pace in Melbourne and Malaysia, is quoted by TZ newspaper.

The Briton, however, admitted the limitations of such an approach.

“We need to consider how we can engage in the battle for the lead,” said Brawn. “But there is a limit; the monocoque, for example, is a basic thing that is already set.”

Stuck, a German commentator and former F1 driver, thinks simply changing direction with the development of the W02 would not work for Mercedes.

“I doubt they can solve the problems with the current car,” he said. “They took a risk with – by far – the car with the shortest wheelbase. This seems to maybe have not been the best idea,” he said.

“It could well be that their season can only be saved with a new concept — that is, a new chassis,” added Stuck.

Meanwhile, Nico Rosberg has denied ridiculing the W02, with Cologne tabloid Express claiming he said: “It was planned that we start the (test) season with a cucumber, but not that we end up with a cucumber.”

Recovered with interest the success of failure of last year. Pedrosa dominates at Indianapolis centering the 3rd win of the season and 34th career MotoGP (11 of them in MotoGP), putting into practice his favorite among race strategies : the escape. Fourth after the first round, three-time World Champion has passed sequentially Hayden, Dovizioso and especially Ben Spies, a leader in the first seven laps later, giving the pole position yesterday. Since that time the road was inevitably downhill, with a wheelbase of reach for anyone not a matter of 2-3 tenths as shown by the evidence, but a “net at will, when necessary, when necessary. Couple as an important victory in sight last part of the championship, which could put it mildly for the championship (68 points are to be recovered), but portends a different for the 2011 Honda is finally following a path (which is one. .) development of the RC212V less dancing than usual, as only tamed Dani Pedrosa was unable to do in recent years.

America is called “runner up”, the second good, and today was definitely Ben Spies on the podium again after Silverstone, but this time after a weekend protagonist with the pole on Saturday and a valuable 2nd place in race . With the Tech 3 Yamaha team with technical updates of nature “motor” from Laguna Seca, a track like Indy, where he finished the 6th even with Suzuki in 2008, the Superbike World Championship in office did not miss the call using favorable opportunity to celebrate the best promotion to the official team for 2011.

A performance that could be a warning bell for Jorge Lorenzo, but the safety, speed and talent of the leader of the world does not pose any concerns, just think that today’s third place was his worst result of the season … down from the podium Valentino Rossi, 4th salvage in a weekend by three falls in four practice sessions (two days), paying duty against Lawrence, but also of Spies. Misano 7 days between the time comes to take stock of the situation to understand what is wrong if only compared to races like the Sachsenring and Laguna Seca.

There is the desire of the nine times world champion to fight for the top positions even in these his last adventure races for Yamaha before moving to Ducati Nicky Hayden in sixth place behind Andrea Dovizioso (15 “by the accused teammate Pedrosa) and Casey Stoner crashed in the early laps when he had his own “heir” with the Desmosedici for 2011.

If the 7th Marco Simoncelli resists attacks with a surprising Alvaro Bautista Suzuki Loris Capirossi has not gone beyond the eleventh place. On the ground Marco Melandri, only 13 riders at the finish line including the returning Hiroshi Aoyama preceded Randy De Puniet, returned in Misano Adriatico in 5 days where there will be time to recover from ailments, even for Dani Pedrosa to celebrate a success without discussions.

Chronicle of Race

Spies has an excellent behind the 2nd pass Dovizioso on Hayden, Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi, Stoner badly as much as 9 °. Nothing changes in the first round, wait overtaking Pedrosa Hayden at the damage curve 10 which is the third position in pursuit of Spies and Dovizioso who have already taken a few meters ahead. Intermediate phase of stroke to “warm up” the tires on the third lap Lorenzo’s passing Hayden, Pedrosa takes second position with the fastest lap in 1’41 “406, Melandri finds himself on the ground in an attempt to Stoner to resist the 7th square bitterly closing its 200th Grand Prix in MotoGP.

Skip a few laps before you see the race enlivened somewhat by passing Stoner Rossi Hayden rejoining except fall near the seventh lap ending in zero from the first race at Le Mans this part. Virtually the same time Pedrosa exploits the wake of Ben Spies and sets the command, following a step-by-race with frightening 1’40 “8 eleventh round, a” better than everyone, including Jorge Lorenzo which bypasses Dovizioso for third place.

He stops in the pits to a technical problem Colin Edwards, his teammate Ben Spies takes the comparison distance with Jorge Lorenzo view and does not seem to have trouble keep the second place: much more complicated the work of Andrea Dovizioso now also approached Valentino Rossi.

Towards the final rush falls Mika Kallio when he was in 9th place near Bautista and Simoncelli, there are more changes with Dani Pedrosa wins by dominating Ben Spies, Jorge Lorenzo was third followed by Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden and Marco Simoncelli. Appreciable eighth Alvaro Bautista with Suzuki, Loris Capirossi only better than 11 percent.

MotoGP World Championship 2010
Indianapolis Race Standings

01 – Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 28 laps in 47’31 .615
02 – Ben Spies – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – 3575 +
03 – Jorge Lorenzo – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 6812 +
04 – Valentino Rossi – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 12,633 +
05 – Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 21,885 +
06 – Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 35,138 +
07 – Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – 36,740 +
08 – Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki – Suzuki GSV-R – 36,825 +
09 – Aleix Espargaro – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 44,905 +
10 – Hector Barbera – Paginas Amarillas Aspar – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 51,368 +
11 – Loris Capirossi – Rizla Suzuki – Suzuki GSV-R – 55,386 +
12 – Hiroshi Aoyama – Interwetten Honda – Honda RC212V – 57,903 +
13 – Randy De Puniet – LCR Honda – Honda RC212V – 1’04 .139 +

May 27 (GMM)  Lucas di Grassi will this weekend finally race Virgin’s updated car, but it may still be slower than the one piloted by his teammate Timo Glock.

Due to the volcanic ash cloud and then the short turnaround between Spain and Monaco, di Grassi had to drive the original car with the famously small fuel tank while Glock raced one with significant developments.

Rookie di Grassi, 25, will finally receive the longer-wheelbase VR-01 in Turkey, he confirmed to Brazil’s Globo.

“For the first time I have the upgraded car,” he said ahead of the Turkish grand prix, “although it is a little heavier than Glock’s, because of our difference in height.”

Heavier drivers are not normally penalised with heavier cars in F1, due to the 620 kilogram car-plus-driver minimum weight.

But because Virgin’s basic car-plus-driver weight exceeds the 620kg minimum, the 10cm-taller di Grassi is unavoidably penalised in performance terms.

But di Grassi is still hopeful of taking a big step forward at Istanbul Park.

“These improvements will bring half a second in our laptime,” he said.

“I love to race in Turkey, a track where I have won twice in GP2.  I know it’s a quite different reality now, but let’s look to be the best team among the newcomers.

“We are focused on solving our problems of reliability and looking to get a good result,” added di Grassi.

Nico Rosberg insists he is not disappointed with the reversion to the newer long-wheelbase Mercedes car for the forthcoming Turkish grand prix.

After Michael Schumacher struggled with the original short-wheelbase car earlier in 2010, he was the team’s pacesetter in Barcelona, where a longer-wheelbase was introduced along with other car developments.

But for the twisty curves of Monaco, the original car is being used once again, and Rosberg has once again been in front of his famous teammate.

But for F1′s next stop in Istanbul, it has been confirmed that the newer car will be back in action.

Rosberg, however, insists it will not disadvantage him.

“Michael and I have the same driving style,” he told Germany’s Bild-Zeitung.

“Even if Ross Brawn wanted to make a car that only worked for Michael, it would also work for me,” insisted Rosberg.

(GMM)

Michael Schumacher on Saturday insisted it is not fair to suggest he is once again struggling to keep up with his teammate.

After a better weekend versus Nico Rosberg in Spain a week ago, the seven time world champion has once again qualified behind the 24-year-old on the streets of Monaco — where Schumacher won no less than five times in his former career.

But the 41-year-old said it is too simplistic to say the reversion to the older short-wheelbase car is the reason for the half-tenth gap to Rosberg.

“We are five hundredths apart.  That is less than a blink of an eye.  I think everyone can say where he could have found that,” Schumacher said after qualifying.

He also insisted that he is not bothered that, once again, Rosberg has the upper hand.

“For me it is more about the general situation than whether I am a little in front of or behind Nico.  And when you are talking about half a tenth …

“Instead, we have to look at what is our goal, which is to fight for the championship.  We have to win races, but in our situation that is not yet possible.

“That is more of what is important,” said the German, who qualified seventh, one place behind Rosberg and eight tenths off Mark Webber’s pole.

(GMM)

It is wrong to describe Mercedes’ original 2010 car as the “old” one, Norbert Haug insisted on Wednesday.

Despite the German team only debuting its ‘new’ longer wheelbase version in Spain last weekend, it has been confirmed that Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg will be driving the previous specification this weekend in Monaco.

Team boss Ross Brawn said the team “will run our new aero package but we will revert to our previous specification suspension system to allow for the steering lock required around this unique circuit”.

According to DPA news agency, Haug insisted: “There is no ‘old’ and ‘new’ silver arrows.

“There is one with a longer wheelbase, as used in Barcelona, and one with a shorter wheelbase, as used in the previous four races,” added the German.

Mercedes will revert to its original 2010 car for the Monaco grand prix this weekend.

The Brackley based team unveiled a car with a longer wheelbase in Spain last weekend, which is tipped to have helped Michael Schumacher get the upper hand over his teammate Nico Rosberg for the first time in 2010.

But according to German media sources, the pre-Barcelona package – which in Rosberg’s hands was driven to the podium twice in four races – will be up and running again in Monaco because it better suits the slow and twisty curves of the unique street layout.

The shorter-wheelbase car will however be fitted with the latest aerodynamic innovations in Monaco, including the knife-like rollover structure and engine cover air inlets.

“I am very optimistic that we will be more competitive than in Barcelona,” team CEO Nick Fry is quoted as saying by Germany’s RTL.

(GMM)

May 7 (GMM)  Michael Schumacher on Friday confirmed he is now feeling more comfortable at the wheel of his 2010 Mercedes.

Earlier at the Circuit de Catalunya, his younger brother Ralf remarked that “everything for Michael looks a whole lot better” as he outpaced the sister car driven by Nico Rosberg in both 90-minute sessions.

“Here I’m feeling comfortable with the car, it does do what I’m asking it to do,” said the German, after driving the revised W01 car with a longer wheelbase.

Nico Rosberg, meanwhile – who had previously been outpaced by Schumacher in just four other official sessions this season – said he “went wrong on the setup” of the updated car.

It had been suggested prior to the weekend that the changes implemented by Mercedes might suit Schumacher but cause Rosberg, who is currently second in the world championship and 40 points ahead of his teammate, to suffer.

“I’m not sure, we’ll have to see,” team boss Ross Brawn told the Evening Standard last week when confronted with the theory.

(GMM)  On the opening day of the fifth grand prix weekend of 2010, Michael Schumacher’s brother thinks the seven time world champion may have turned the corner.

6-time GP winner Ralf Schumacher, six years younger than the Mercedes driver, is in the Barcelona paddock this weekend as sporting boss of the GP3 team RSC Mucke.

Mercedes has heavily updated its 2010 car for the Spanish grand prix, including a longer wheelbase that is touted to suit 41-year-old Schumacher’s famous affection for strong front-end handling.

In morning practice, he was ahead of Nico Rosberg by more than three tenths, having been outpaced by the younger German in nearly every previous track session.

Schumacher looked comfortable and competitive once again in the afternoon.

“Here in free practice we have seen that everything for Michael looks a whole lot better,” Ralf told Sky television.

With rival Lotus hoping for a more than one second improvement in Barcelona, Virgin’s Timo Glock believes his similarly heavily-revised VR-01 car will be faster by about seven tenths per lap this weekend.

Due to the volcano-induced travel chaos three weeks ago, his teammate Lucas di Grassi’s car does not feature the major package upgrade in Spain.

Glock’s car has a longer wheelbase, a bigger fuel tank, a fuel system that allows the car to run light on fuel in qualifying, a new front wing, floor and bargeboards.

“The fuel tank is the main one,” the German told Auto Motor und Sport.  “If it works, it gives us five or six tenths alone.”

Glock added that the rest of the package will add a further one or two tenths.

“Our goal is to beat Lotus,” he confirmed.

After Mercedes surprised the F1 world with its airbox abolishment on Thursday, Nico Rosberg crowned the innovation “cool” and “futuristic”.

“That’s cool if you can do something new that nobody else has on their car,” said the German, after the updated W01 car was seen in the Barcelona paddock without a traditional airbox above the drivers’ head.

Instead, the rollover structure is now knife-sharp, with air now being fed into the normally-aspirated V8 engine via two inlets further back in the engine cover.

“I think it looks really futuristic,” Rosberg told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

However, the 24-year-old also had to confirm reports that Mercedes is not yet ready to debut its full F-duct system in Spain this weekend.

“I’m sorry, we don’t have the F-duct system like McLaren,” said Rosberg.

“The rear wing is basically the same as it was in Shanghai.  The longer wheelbase and the airbox are the only fundamental changes.”

(GMM)  Nico Rosberg has hit back at suggestions that Mercedes’ heavily updated car for Barcelona could adversely affect his performance.

After teammate Michael Schumacher notably struggled at the wheel of the W01 during the first four races of his F1 comeback, the package has been significantly altered ahead of this weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

In particular, the longer wheelbase is touted to better suit the seven time world champion’s driving style, even though Rosberg – second in the world championship – was comfortable and competitive with the original specification.

Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary wrote last week that the changes could “upset Rosberg” and cost him “the chance to compete for the world title”.

But Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper quotes Rosberg as saying: “Why would the new car only be better for Michael?”

He denied that he enjoys a car with understeer and predicts that more front grip will “suit me as well”.

May 3 (GMM)  Michael Schumacher moved to shake off more of the rust of his three year retirement at the weekend by racing karts.

After finishing just tenth at the wheel of his Mercedes in China, the seven time world champion reverted to 40 horse power at the Erftlandring circuit in Germany and set pole position in a Tony Kart for the 125cc KZ2 class.

The 41-year-old German won the first of two heats, but was beaten in the second.

Not only will Schumacher’s W01 chassis be a new one in Barcelona this weekend, the package has been updated for a longer wheelbase that should satisfy his desire for a less understeering car.

“I am hoping for a better race than I had in China and of course I would not mind having had better results so far,” he said.

May 3 (GMM)  Speculation about Michael Schumacher’s mood continues to rise, but the seven time world champion insists he is “extremely motivated” ahead of the fifth race of his 2010 comeback.

After three years of retirement, the 41-year-old German has been consistently outpaced by his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg so far in 2010, but will have a car with a longer wheelbase in Spain that should better suit his driving style.

“When he has that (revised car) I think we will have to reassess the whole story,” commented former triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

“If he then doesn’t deliver, then I think he has a problem,” added the Scot.

70-year-old Stewart thinks part of Schumacher’s problem will be reassessing his desire to honour the full three years of his new contract.

“You know, I don’t think he should have retired when he did in 2006 because I don’t think it was out of his system,” he said.  “This might take it out of his system.”

Schumacher’s old title rival of the 90s, Damon Hill, is not ruling out that “the old Schumacher magic” could soon return.

“Is it still there?” he told the Daily Mail, whose headline accuses Mercedes of “wasting money” on Schumacher.

“I’m sure that’s a question Michael will be asking himself — and it’s one that is starting to become valid after four races,” added Hill.

In an official Mercedes press release, Schumacher played down the likely effect of the car upgrades for Barcelona but sounded bullish about his own outlook.

Team boss Ross Brawn also said the German is “determined to succeed” despite the setbacks so far.

Added Schumacher: “Our step forward in Barcelona will be bigger than you can make at each race during the flyaways but it would not be realistic to expect us to suddenly be competing right at the front,” he said.

“However the good news is that after three years away, I am feeling extremely motivated.  So I am clearly ready to take this challenge,” added the record winner of 91 grands prix.