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Vijay Mallya believes F1 future is in India

Vijay Mallya believes the Indian GP has a future in Formula One despite being dropped from next year's calendar.

The Indian GP, which takes place at the Buddh International Circuit, made its F1 debut in 2011 and has been plagued with bureaucratic issues including high local tax.

However, it is a change of date that has resulted in the race being cut from next year's scheduled as the race is switching to a March date in 2015 and the organisers do not want two races just months apart.

The axing of the grand prix has led to some speculation that India's long-term Formula One future is also in doubt. Mallya, though, is confident the race will be back.

"Obviously we built a fantastic track, fulfilled the aspirations of hundreds of millions of young Indians, and then started moving and getting established in a country with huge long-term potential," the Force India team boss told Autosport.

"So to miss a year for whatever reason is obviously disappointing. Racing schedules are obviously important, but whether a country as important as India should miss out on a race in one calendar year is a debatable question.

"I am hoping that we will see the race back in India in 2015 if Bernie has decided that there cannot be a race in 2014, because according to him the calendar cannot accommodate it.

"But I think Bernie is smart enough to understand the enormous potential that there is in India. I don't think he will take a short-term view."

The team boss also refuted speculation that if the Indian GP is scrapped that he will also withdraw from the sport.

"It is a disappointment but please understand that I bought this team, named it Force India, and continued to race in the world championship well before there was any Indian GP," he said.

"I am proud of the race, but I don't believe it is curtains. I know for a fact that the promoters in India have agreed all the commercial terms with Bernie [for 2015] and therefore I see no reason why it should not happen."

Ferrari will not reveal 2014 ine-up at Monza

Ferrari has ruled out making an announcement about its 2014 driver line-up at the Italian Grand Prix.

With Ferrari's home race heightening the scrutiny on the team, Ferrari has taken to its official website in the guise of the Horse Whisperer to dismiss speculation on Twitter from Italian journalists that Kimi Raikkonen had signed a deal for 2014 and that he would be announced at Monza. Ferrari dismissed any notion that it was customary for it to announce its driver line-up at the Italian Grand Prix before insisting no decision had yet been made on its 2014 drivers.

"I'm sorry to disappoint all those with feverish imaginations, who are awaiting Monza in trepidation, but this particular presumed custom is a non-starter," the Horse Whisperer wrote. "In fact, and as is normal practice in the law, all one needs to do is look at the facts: from 1991, when the Maranello press office first began to put its official pronouncements down on paper, until now, only twice, in 2006 and 2008, has the team's home grand prix provided the backdrop to an announcement regarding the drivers."

"And when it comes to those bird fanciers and their obsession with tweeting, they can calm themselves, because there are no announcements on the horizon. Why? Because no decisions have yet been taken. Furthermore, as happens in the best families, important decisions are taken together at the right moment and not because a certain date on the calendar has been reached."

Team principal Stefano Domenicali said at Spa that he would like to retain Felipe Massa but that his results must improve. Massa's one-year contract extension last season was announced ahead of the Indian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo ready for Red Bull seat

Daniel Ricciardo is convinced he has what it takes to go up against Sebastian Vettel and the rest of Formula 1's "big guys" should he land the coveted second Red Bull seat for 2014.

Although the World Champions have continued to hold off from making an announcement on the identity of Mark Webber's replacement for next season, and Christian Horner repeatedly insisted over the Belgian GP that they had yet to make a decision, most observers expect Red Bull to confirm Ricciardo as Sebastian Vettel's next team-mate possibly as early as next week's Italian GP.

But while the other driver who has been most strongly linked to the seat in recent months, Kimi Raikkonen, is a past World Champion and 20-time grand prix winner, Ricciardo has competed in just 42 races for HRT and Toro Rosso with a best finish of only seventh.

However, despite the prospect of arriving at Red Bull with no front-running experience in F1, Ricciardo believes he would be ready for the challenge.

"I am definitely aware that if I do get the opportunity to race alongside [Vettel], it is not going to be easy," Ricciardo said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

"But I would love to get the opportunity to prove to everyone that I have what it takes - and more than that, to know for myself that I can mix it with the big guys.

"If I can't, well, at least I can say I tried. But I believe I can."

Should Ricciardo, who also revealed he had just moved from Milton Keynes to Monte Carlo, duly be confirmed as Vettel's 2014 team-mate, then the 24-year-old Australian will widely be viewed as an effective number two to the triple World Champion given their respective experience and records in F1.

During the course of Webber's five years alongside Vettel, Red Bull have been at the centre of several 'favourism' rows but Ricciardo is confident he would be given an equal chance to race.

"I guess I only know what you guys know. Malaysia this year, Silverstone a couple of years ago," Ricciardo said. "But it's not something that I'm concerned with. From what I hear the team is very much interested in equality."

Amid reports in Germany that Ricciardo completed a seat fitting at Red Bull's Milton Keynes headquarters earlier this week, the Australian also responded to rumours that he might have problems fitting into one of Adrian Newey's famously tightly-packaged cars.

"I've got wide hips. It's not my a*** per se. I guess it's genetic," Ricciardo explained.

"Even when I signed for Toro Rosso we had to do a few seat fits and they did some scans to make that particular part of the cockpit a bit wider, so that we're not sitting on the actual carbon fibre.

"But yeah, I've heard that Adrian does like to build small race cars. I can't do much about it. Even if I go on a massive diet my hip bones aren't going to change."

Ecclestone dismisses possibility of Michelin return in 2014

Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed reports Michelin could return to Formula 1 in 2014, insisting FOM have a contract with Pirelli.

Talk of the French firm's interest in supplying F1 tyres next season has gathered pace in recent weeks and during the Belgian GP weekend Director of Michelin's Competition Department Pascal Couasnon said they were ready to open talks with the FIA.

However, when asked about the chances of seeing Michelin return, Ecclestone told US BroadcasterSpeed: "FOM and Pirelli have a contract."

Whilst that may be the case, Pirelli's Paul Hembery has admitted they are yet to agree a deal with the FIA, but Ecclestone does not see that as an issue.

"We don't need one, I don't think," he added.

"They are nothing to do with commercial. The FIA's position is that they are regulators. They regulate all the regulations that have been agreed."

The 82-year-old F1 supremo also denied any of the 11 teams were pressing for Michelin to be allowed to supply tyres.

"None of the teams who have spoken to me have said that," he said.

"All the teams who have spoken to me say they are very happy with Pirelli, and the problems they've had, they're happy that they've dealt with them."

Sam Bird believes he is ready for F1

GP2 Series frontrunner Sam Bird believes that he has shown enough potential during his junior career to consider himself a legitimate contender for an F1 seat.

The Briton, who received a late call-up to contest this year's GP2 Series with new team Russian Time, has rewarded that decision with four race wins – the most of any driver so far this season – and a surge towards the top of the points table with three double-header rounds remaining.

His ability behind the wheel has already been recognised by the Mercedes team, which regularly uses him for development work, but Bird believes that the time has come to take the final step and be on the grid.

"I would like to think now that I have done enough to prove that I am capable,” he told Sky Sports, “I have won the most races of anyone so far in GP2, [and] I certainly feel that I am ready and I feel that I have done enough now to prove that, if I was put into a race seat, I could do a good job for a race team.”

However, having been knocking on the door of the top flight for several seasons – 2013 is Bird's third crack at GP2, interspersed with a year in the World Series by Renault – the 26-year old is not blind to the fact that most F1 vacancies go to drivers able to bring a sponsorship budget.

"I think it is clear now that, in F1, you need to take money,” he confirmed, “Most, if not all, people now need to take some form of sponsorship to a team. I think that my performances so far this year have shown I warrant the chance, but I still need help and that final push to get into F1.

"Maybe I wouldn't need to take as much sponsorship as some people because of my performances, but that is still on-going work to try and secure a seat for next year. It is still the dream for me to be an F1 driver and it is just that last little push now that I need to try and secure the seat."

As well as his off-track efforts, Bird – who made his F1 testing debut with Williams as long ago as 2007 - knows that the remaining three rounds of the GP2 Series could help make or break his chances of graduating to the top flight next season. 

“I feel like I am driving at the best of my ability," he acknowledged, despite having been denied the chance to take part in last month's Young Driver test at Silverstone, “I think we have a little bit of momentum behind us at the moment and I think that the other teams know that as well.

"Our pace at Spa was very, very strong, [and] we are coming up to tracks that I like in Abu Dhabi and Monza. Okay, I haven't been to Singapore, but I will be getting some simulator time here at Mercedes prior to that event.

"My worst ever finish [at Monza] is fourth with no DNFs, so I have only won or finished second, third or fourth. Abu Dhabi [was] my first ever GP2 race [and] I qualified on the front row, so these are two good tracks for me to end the year..."

Lotus attempting to keep Raikkonen for 2014

Lotus are doing everything they can to persuade Kimi Raikkonen to stay with them next season, the British team's principal Eric Boullier has said.

The 33-year-old Finn's future has been the subject of much recent speculation.

While saying he was hopeful that the 2007 world champion would not leave, Boullier admitted several unresolved issues need to be dealt with before any new contract talks could take place.

Raikkonen is 63 points behind leader Sebastian Vettel in the championship.

Frenchman Boullier added: "It's clear Kimi likes racing for us and would like to continue, which is a testament to all the hard work put in by everyone.

"From our perspective, we can see what a complete driver he is and how much he brings to the team in many different areas.

"Kimi wants to be assured we have everything in place to tackle the significant changes we will see in the sport next year.

"We're working hard to assure him Lotus is where he should be, and piece by piece we are getting all our ducks in a row."

In last Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, brake failure forced Raikkonen out of a race for the first time in 39 grands prix.

Lotus believe the problem was caused by a helmet visor tear-off that blocked a cooling duct, so overheating the component.

Boullier concedes if Raikkonen is to remain in the title hunt over the remaining eight races, starting in Italy next weekend, he and the team cannot afford another retirement.

"We're studying all the data and working on ways to avoid a similar situation from happening in the future," added Boullier.

"It was unfortunate for Kimi to experience his retirement, but this is sometimes part of motor racing, so we must now switch our focus to Monza.

"We need to get Kimi back on the podium and consistently. His 'Did Not Finish' in Spa was the first he has had with Lotus and we certainly don't want to see any more this season.

"We all know the gap to Sebastian is not getting any smaller, but behind Seb the battle is quite tight as we've seen over the last few races."

Ferrari deny Raikkonen link in 2014

Rumours that Kimi Raikkonen has signed a contract to drive for Ferrari next season have been played down by the Italian team.

With Raikkonen’s contract up for renewal at the end of the season, the Finn has been linked with a move to the Red Bull seat being vacated by Mark Webber.

Raikkonen, 33, has finished each of the 30 races he has contested since his return to the sport with Lotus in 2012, finishing in the points in all but one of them. He is second in the drivers’ championship, 38 points behind leader Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull and one point ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier has said he is “optimistic” of keeping his lead driver for a third season but the rumours about a move to Ferrari began when Alonso was linked with a move to Red Bull next season during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.

And according to Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Raikkonen has agreed a deal to move back to the team, where he won his one and only world championship in 2007.

However a Ferrari spokesperson told the BBC there is “no foundation” to the rumours the Finn is set to return.

“Right now, we’re really not giving any thought to the driver-market situation,” said a Ferrari spokesman. “That is our priority,” he said. “Drivers are not a problem for us even if we were to change Felipe (Massa).”

It would be a remarkable turnaround if Raikkonen made a return to Ferrari after he was paid off when they ended his contract a year early at the end of 2009 to make way for Alonso.

The rumours will also put pressure on Felipe Massa once again. The Brazilian, who has raced for the team since 2006, was in danger of losing his drive last year after a poor run of form.

However Massa, who outscored Raikkonen during their time together as team-mates in 2008 and 2009 before his life-threatening crash in Hungary in 2009, saved his career with a strong end to last season and continued that form into this season before tailing off.

All this comes around the time of the 25^th anniversary of the team’s legendary founder Enzo Ferrari’s death. It would be interesting to know what he would have thought of the Raikkonen rumours.

And what would he have thought of Alonso’s management talking to Red Bull? Would he have seen it as a mark of strength or disloyalty?

Speaking about the team’s founder, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who was hired by Enzo in 1973, said: “It’s impossible to sum up in a few words what Enzo Ferrari has meant to me.

“Next to my desk in Maranello, I have a photo of the Founder: at times when I have to take an important decision, I instinctively find myself looking at it and asking myself what he would have done. The example set by Enzo Ferrari is always kept in mind.

“Twenty five years on, he would be happy to see what Ferrari has become today, a unique industrial and racing institution, which represents Italian excellence and continues to enchant the millions and millions of fans of the marque, all over the world.”

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F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone has £500,000 of jewellery stolen

The daughter of billionaire Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has had £500,000 worth jewellery stolen from her London home.

Petra Ecclestone, 24, was not at her Belgravia home at the time of the theft, which is thought to have occurred during a viewing by a potential buyer. The man, who gave his name to estate agents as Oleg, is reported to have viewed a number of other multi-million pound properties in the area.

Mrs Ecclestone, a mother-of-one, returned home to find some diamond earrings and a diamond Rolex watch were missing.

One of the heiress's friends, speaking the MailOnline, said, “Petra thought that anyone going to see her home would be thoroughly vetted.

“She was out with her sister Tamara a few weeks ago when the viewing took place. As soon as this man left, it was discovered that the jewellery, which was on a bedroom nightstand, was missing.”

It is thought that the man, described as a "fake Kazakh millionaire", had been left alone in the house by the estate agent.

Following the theft household staff were immediately searched by security, but found to be clean.

Lotus F1 Team in financial trouble

Troubling signs of financial weakness are emerging from Lotus.

The authoritative German website motorsport-total reports that, although in the hunt for the 2013 title, the Genii-owned outfit is “struggling to survive” under EUR 120 million in debt.

For example, although Kimi Raikkonen is second only to Sebastian Vettel in the chase for the drivers’ championship, development of the 2013 car is apparently all but over.

Asked also about rumours of ‘money problems’, leading Lotus engineer Alan Permane admitted to Auto Motor und Sport: “We have not much more in the pipeline for 2013.

“What was planned has already been developed and will be used in the corresponding race,” he added.

It is a worrying sign for a team fighting for a world championship, and pushing to keep lead driver Raikkonen on the books for 2013.

Indeed, amid rumours Red Bull and Ferrari are bidding to sign the Finn for 2014, Raikkonen admitted mere days ago that he is still waiting to be paid.

“This happened last year, now again so it is not ideal,” said the 33-year-old.

Lotus owner Genii announced in June that a consortium called Infinity Racing has bought 35% of the Enstone based team.

But reports soon followed that the deal is not actually done, with the subsequent delay having left Lotus – and Raikkonen – waiting for the money.

“We are going to reorganise the financial process of the company,” team boss Eric Boullier is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

“We are expecting a large financial investment, which is part of the team’s future plans.

“There may be some delays, but it will be repaired within a few days. It is part of the discussions and we will give Kimi all the answers,” said the Frenchman.

Boullier said he is hopeful the money issue will not cause Raikkonen to jump ship.

Asked how close a deal is, he insisted: “We are not very far from it.

“The package that ensures the future of the company is completed slowly, but we’ll get there.

“He will get all the answers and be able to take a decision within a few weeks.”

Russian GP may not go ahead as organisers miss deadline

Russian officials remain optimistic their debut grand prix will go ahead next season despite missing a deadline to submit their application to join the 2014 Formula 1 calendar.

F1's long-awaited first venture into Russia was first announced in late 2010 with a seven-year deal set to start next season on an under-construction circuit around the Winter Olympic Park in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Adding uncertainty to the composition of next season's calendar, however, is the emegence of a dispute between the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) and race promoters, which has contributed to the country's motorsport body missing the July 31 deadline to apply for a place on the calendar.

Local media has reported that the disagreement centres around liability for the costs associated with the track personnel required to staff the event but the RAF hopes to convince the FIA that unforeseen circumstances have been at play in the missed deadline.

"The application to the FIA for submitting the Russian Grand Prix to the 2014 Formula One calendar was not sent in proper time as [promoters] JSC Omega didn't fulfil the necessary conditions," the RAF said in a statement.

"That is, it didn't sign a contract with the Russian Grand Prix organiser, didn't sign a deal for an application submission and also didn't pay a fee to the FIA for including an event on the FIA F1 calendar.

"RAF informs it is ready to include the Russian Grand Prix on to the FIA calendar under force-majeure conditions, permissible by the FIA, as soon as the promoter fulfils all the necessary formalities."

Although an undoubted stumbling block for organisers, there is strong desire within F1 to see the sport enter the new market. The event comes with strong state support given that Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the signing of the contract with Bernie Ecclestone three years ago.

The first version of the 2014 calendar is set to be released by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council next month but it remains uncertain how many races the schedule will feature, and in what order.

Russia, New Jersey and Austria are all slated to join the schedule but Ecclestone has signalled the calendar will not go beyond a record-equalling 20 grands prix, which means there would be just one more than this year. One space has, however, already been created after Indian GP officials confirmed this week that they would sit out 2014 with the event to return in the early-part of the 2015 season.

Russia, should it go ahead, is likely to slot into India's mid-October slot next season.

Pirelli fighting to stay in F1

Pirelli is in "the most bizarre situation" with ongoing uncertainty over its 2014 contract, according to motorsport director Paul Hembery.

There has yet to be any official announcement over who will be the tyre supplier next season, with Pirelli's current contract running until the end of 2013. Despite having many agreements in place and commercial contracts beyond that time, Pirelli's future is still not certain with rumours Michelin is interested in a return to the sport.

With a Concorde Agreement yet to be signed Hembery doesn't know when Pirelli might get confirmation for the future but he says the tyre manufacturer is having to plan ahead regardless.

"It's the most bizarre situation we're in really," Hembery said. "We've got our agreements in place with the vast majority of people involved; there's not a clearly defined process but we're going forward, getting the teams signed up, we've got the promoter signed up, we're working on 2014.

"We can only work with what we're being asked to do. We've got cooperation from the teams, we've got cooperation from the promoter and we've had ongoing cooperation from the FIA so until somebody tells us any different we don't really know what we should be doing differently."

However, Hembery said one bit of breathing space Pirelli has been given relates to the September 1 deadline for providing the teams with tyre information for next year.

"From the data we've given the teams we're going to go for October 1st so we've got a few more weeks. That was done a few weeks ago back in Germany when we had a meeting."

James Calado in Force India talks

James Calado is eyeing a few more outings for Force India following his impressive display at the Young Driver Test.

Having carried out a straightline test for the team earlier in the year, Calado was handed the driving duties at Silverstone last month and he made the most of the opportunity with some solid showings.

Now that he has had a taste of the action, he is hoping for more outings and his manager is already in talks with the team.

"Doing the Force India test was fantastic. It was amazing to get in a Formula One car," Calado told Sky Sports F1.

"I was getting evaluated by the team and I'd like to say I did a fantastic job!

"I got to grips with it quicker than I expected actually and was able to give good feedback.

"I can't hide we're having discussions with Force India. My manager Nicolas Todt is talking to them now, and it's hopefully likely that things will happen in the near future."

Calado would probably be the first to admit that he is unlikely to secure a race seat in 2014, but he is hoping to be involved in reserve driver duties and Friday practice sessions.

"Driving away from the track at Silverstone I was confident, I was pretty happy," he added.

"Then within a few days the team were ringing me up asking for more information, maybe a sim(ulator) work and things like that.

"So building up a relationship with the team now and hopefully we can do some more going forward."

John Coombs 1922-2013

John Coombs, who died on Saturday aged 92, was instrumental in the early career of Jackie Stewart as well as in convincing Jaguar to create the lightweight E-Type racer.

Proprietor of Coombs of Guildford, a Jaguar dealer, it was natural the Coventry marque featured heavily as he wound down his career as a driver in Formula 3, F2 and sports cars in the late 1950s in favour of building up his team which thrived in saloon, GT and F2 racing in the 1960s and early '70s.

F1 stars such as Jack Brabham, Graham Hill and Dan Gurney scored much success in Coombs' Jaguar saloons and it was a 1964 test in the Coombs lightweight E-Type that helped give the young F3 driver Jackie Stewart the momentum that took him into F1 the following year.

"It was Lofty England of Jaguar who sort of foisted me upon John," recalls Sir Jackie, "because I wasn't really a big enough name for him at the time.

"But it formed the beginning of a very close relationship that we maintained ever since."

When Ken Tyrrell moved into F1 in 1968, it was Coombs who took over the running of the F2 team.

F1 stars such as Stewart, Piers Courage, Jack Brabham and Francois Cevert continued to drive for Coombs in F2 over the next few seasons. He was also influential in recommending his F2 driver Patrick Depailler to Tyrrell.

He is survived by his wife Ellie to whom we send our condolences.

Felipe Massa warned his seat is not secure by Ferrari

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has warned Felipe Massa that his recent results have not been good enough to secure his future.

Massa has had a poor run of results since Monaco

Massa started the season strongly but in recent races he has struggled to deliver consistently, scoring just 16 points in the last five races. Having had a poor run in 2012 which led to his contract only being a one-year deal this season, Montezemolo said he has warned Massa that his future is in doubt.

"Felipe is a quick driver and a great guy," Montezemolo said in an interview with Corriere della Sera. "But in the past days, we were very clear with him: both he and us need results and points. Then, at some point, we will look one another in the eye and decide what to do."

Montezemolo was also cryptic when it came to the topic of Sebastian Vettel potentially joining the team in the future.

"Sooner or later, every driver sends messages to Ferrari, a dream to be made reality for every champion. Even Ayrton Senna did it. However, even if I have lots of problems, finding drivers for the future is not one of them. Fernando Alonso is a true great, as I've said before. He has proved it and will prove it again, very soon."

EDIT: Since this article was published, Felipe Massa has been replaced at Ferrari by Kimi Raikkonen for 2014 onwards

Formula One: The Greatest Overtakes

This video was not allowed on YouTube for some reason that they wouldn't specify, so here it is!

KEEP OMGPOP OPEN

Many people every day use OMGPOP.com as a way of escaping the rigours of everyday life. With the site closing on September 30th, people will lose the ability to socialise and meet new and exciting friends, and also stay in touch with the people we have met there.

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