Nico Rosberg to marry

Nico Rosberg is engaged to marry his long-term girlfriend Vivian Sibold, according to German reports.

"Yes, it's true," the Mercedes driver told Kolner Express newspaper. "We're getting married," added Rosberg, referring to Vivian, an interior designer.

"It all feels very, very nice.

"When and where it happens is still in the stars," added Rosberg.

The German driver lives with Vivian, who is also 28, in Monaco and Ibiza.

Daniil Kvyat to race for Toro Rosso in 2014

Russian 19-year-old Daniil Kvyat will race for the Toro Rosso team next season.

In a surprise move, the teenager, who competes in GP3, will partner Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, who has been retained for a third season.

Kvyat replaces Daniel Ricciardo, who has been promoted to Red Bull to fill the seat vacated by Mark Webber.

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost said Kvyat earned his seat with a "strong performance" during a test in July.

Portuguese Antonio Felix Da Costa had been next in line to replace Australian Ricciardo but has been overlooked after a mixed season driving in the Renault 3.5 category.

Da Costa said on his Twitter feed: "It hurts but it's like this. I'm happy for Daniil."

Kvyat described his promotion as "fantastic" and "a dream come true".

Tost said Kvyat had given "very informative technical feedback" at the young driver test at Silverstone.

"This suggests that the basic qualities from which he can progress are all in place," said Tost.

"Daniil can be sure that we will use all our experience of training youngsters to give him the best possible start to his Formula 1 career."

Webber will quit F1 at the end of the season to forge a new career leading Porsche's endurance racing programme.

At 19 years and 320 days by the time of the 2014 Australian GP, Kvyat will not be the youngest driver to debut in F1.

Competing in Formula 1 as a teenager is rare, but seven other drivers have taken part as 19-year-olds, as early as in the '60s with Mike Thackwell and Chris Amon.

The current championship contenders Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso made their debuts at the age of 19. Vettel at the 2007 United States Grand Prix for BMW Sauber, finishing seventh. Alonso at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix for Minardi, finishing 12th.

Porsche Supercup drivers campaign for Edwards

In an incredibly rare move, the drivers of the Porsche Supercup series are petitioning Porsche Motorsports to make the final round of the series, which is slated to be held at the Yas Marina Circuit on November 3, an exhibition, non-points paying race, allowing Sean Edwards to claim the title.

Edwards was killed in an accident last week when the car he was instructing in careened off track at the Queensland Raceway in Australia. If the field takes the green flag next month with a points paying event, surely another driver other than Edwards would claim the title.

Edwards currently has an 18 point lead in the championship.

The petition was started by Jon Miller, of the Pirelli World Challenge, on Change.org, a website that allows people to establish an official petition, to get it worldwide attention.

The petition states:

Porsche, you have the opportunity do something rare and very special. We are asking you to elect to hold the final two rounds of the 2013 Porsche SuperCup (rounds 8 and 9 on November 2/3 at the Yas Marina Circuit) as non-points scoring rounds.

We believe that the rightful champion of the 2013 season has already been crowned, however he won't be able to attend the final race to make it a formality. Racers and fans around the world are mourning the loss of driver, Sean Edwards, who currently leads the Supercup Championship by 18 points, with 3 wins in 7 races.

With a win being worth 20 points, and Sean never having finished lower than 5th, he was bound to be champion. If his nearest competitor were to win both races at the final round, Sean would only need to match his worst finish so far (5th) and the championship would still go to him. If Sean were to win the first race of the weekend, he could park his car and score no points during race 2 - and still be champion. Even his competitors can't argue: Sean Edwards has dominated Porsche Supercup this year. He deserves the title.

We want to make sure that Sean goes down in the record books as he was in the hearts and minds of his family, friends and competitors: a Champion. Please dedicate the final two races of Porsche Supercup to Sean Edwards, implore your drivers to race in his honor and put on a fantastic show for the fans. Pay them their prize money and hire the good ones to factory drives for next year. But do not award them any points.

Please, Porsche; make Sean Edwards your 2013 SuperCup champion and celebrate in his honor at the championship party in Abu Dabhi.

Thank you,

Racing fans, Porsche fans and Sean Edwards fans everywhere.

To be a part of this movement, check out the petition at: Change.org Sean Edwards Petition

Alonso and Magnussen to drive for McLaren in 2015

A Danish newspaper has looked into the future and spotted Kevin Magnussen, the brand new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, at McLaren in 2015.

The report in the tabloid newspaper Ekstra Bladet also said the now 21-year-old Dane's Honda-powered teammate in two years time will be none other than Fernando Alonso.

Magnussen, the son of former F1 driver Jan, wrapped up the Formula Renault 3.5 championship in Spain at the weekend.

With McLaren's backing, he is now linked with a move to F1 next year with Marussia.

"I have focused entirely on achieving this goal (the 2013 title), because you cannot even dream of going to Formula One if you do not deserve it," he said in Barcelona.

Indeed, the Ekstra Bladet report might be slightly more than a speculative glance into the crystal ball.

Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper reports that there is more to the Alonso-to-McLaren story than mere rumours.

The newspaper said Honda has agreed with McLaren to split the Spaniard's huge annual retainer.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, however, insists he is not worried.

"I do not fear losing Fernando," he told the German magazine Sport Bild.

"He has a contract and he recently made clear that he is staying. He wants to win with us, and we want to win with him," Domenicali added.

New Jersey F1 race gets Valencia's barriers

Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly using the demise of Valencia's F1 project to give organisers of next year's provisional New Jersey race a boost.

Earlier this week F1 chief executive Ecclestone agreed to terminate Valencia's contract without financially penalising the Spanish hosts.

It means the Valencian government is avoiding a reported EUR 54 million in break costs.

"What we have agreed," said president Alberto Fabra, "is that we will not use any equipment in other circuits."

The Spanish sports newspaper Marca has now revealed more details of Ecclestone's termination deal with Valencia.

"Everything in Formula One has a price," wrote correspondent Paul Juanarena.

He said Ecclestone has negotiated to take possession of Valencia's street circuit equipment, including more than 10 kilometres of fencing and barriers, worth several million euros.

The beneficiary, Juanarena explained, would be organisers of the financially-pressed inaugural New Jersey Grand Prix, whose place on the 2014 calendar is conditional upon "circuit approval".

Maldonado sacked from Williams. Could Massa benefit?

Pastor Maldonado's exit at Williams could pave the way for Felipe Massa, the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo is reporting.

Correspondent Livio Oricchio claims talks between Venezuelan Maldonado's management and sponsors, and bosses of the Grove based team, are taking place now.

The 28-year-old has reportedly run out of patience at Williams, despite the fact his powerful sponsors PDVSA remain under contract to the British team.

Williams admits it has a problem.

"I've never seen a racing car that reacts so little to modifications," veteran team manager Dickie Stanford told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, referring to the FW35 that has powered Maldonado to just a single point in 2013.

One unnamed team member, however, said 2012 Spanish Grand Prix winner Maldonado has also been part of the problem.

"He still makes too many mistakes," the team member is quoted as saying.

"In Korea, we told him repeatedly in the last stint to take care of the right front and, if possible, stay out of the battles.

"But what did he do? Drives like a madman and ruins his tyres within three laps."

Maldonado also reportedly infuriated team bosses when he forced past teammate Valtteri Bottas in the final corner of the last lap in Japan, for a mere 16th place.

Both Germany's Auto Motor und Sport and O Estado de S.Paulo say Maldonado is eyeing departing Kimi Raikkonen's seat at Lotus.

Lotus would apparently prefer to sign Nico Hulkenberg, but that depends on the team finalising its 35 per cent sale to a group of investors known as Quantum.

"They (Quantum) are always saying 'We're coming, we're coming', but nothing happens," a Lotus source told Oricchio.

That is where Maldonado could come in. His sponsor PDVSA, bringing EUR 35 million a year to Williams, remains under contract to Williams for two more years.

But Oricchio said exit talks between the Maldonado camp and Williams are taking place.

Auto Motor und Sport's Michael Schmidt said deputy team boss Claire Williams was in Caracas recently, amid rumours PDVSA could pay millions to buy its way out of the deal.

Oricchio agreed that the exit talks have intensified since Suzuka.

The Venezuelan state oil company would then back Maldonado's switch to Lotus.

It is said Maldonado's manager, Nicolas Todt, is pushing for the deal to happen because it would open Williams' door to his other charge, Felipe Massa.

The Brazilian, who has reportedly put together a sponsor package worth about EUR 6 million, including Petrobras, is looking for a drive for 2014 after losing his seat at Ferrari.

Todt said: "Yes, it's been difficult for Pastor this year, with a car that does not allow the drivers to score points.

"They have to react and they have been hiring new people. Next year it (Williams) would be an excellent option for Felipe."

Hulkenberg to drive for Lotus in 2014

A Lotus contract with Nico Hulkenberg's name on it will be signed at Enstone "either today or tomorrow", the German newspaper Bild reports.

It was said that the team was poised to sign the 26-year-old German as soon as the deal with Quantum - formerly Infinity, a group of private investors who plan to buy 35 per cent of Lotus - is done.

If not, it could have opened the door to Pastor Maldonado.

Maldonado's lucrative sponsor PDVSA is locked in a contract with Williams, but O Estado de S.Paulo correspondent Livio Oricchio said the Venezuelan is desperate to move from uncompetitive Williams.

But Bild reports that Lotus' Quantum deal is finally now being formalised, which should boost the team's budget beyond EUR 200 million for 2014.