Formula One 2012

[Starvinho]

Ferrari will retain Felipe Massa next season in what is planned to be a stop-gap deal before the arrival of Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

Sources inside Ferrari say they have signed a contract with Vettel, which is thought to be an option to join in 2014 depending on their results.

The contract is likely to define a position Ferrari must occupy in the title race at a point in 2013.

Ferrari have decided to keep Massa as Fernando Alonso's team-mate until then.

Big news.

[GA!]

Ferrari will retain Felipe Massa next season in what is planned to be a stop-gap deal before the arrival of Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

Sources inside Ferrari say they have signed a contract with Vettel, which is thought to be an option to join in 2014 depending on their results.

The contract is likely to define a position Ferrari must occupy in the title race at a point in 2013.

Ferrari have decided to keep Massa as Fernando Alonso's team-mate until then.

Big news.

That's... interesting to say the least. I always thought Ferrari was based around a #1 driver, so surely that will change. Or Alonso becomes the clear #2, that'd be great.

And I bet Hamilton wished he'd stayed put at McLaren until 2014 now.

[MJB]

If that's true, then Red Bull are going to struggle in 2014 without Vettel because I reckon Webber will be retiring after 2013. Watching Vettel and Alonso bickering at Ferrari could be fun though.

And yeah, Lewis must be so pissed right about now. Red Bull was always where he wanted to be but I think he just assumed that Vettel wouldn't be going anywhere.

[Summers]

Ferrari will retain Felipe Massa next season in what is planned to be a stop-gap deal before the arrival of Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

Sources inside Ferrari say they have signed a contract with Vettel, which is thought to be an option to join in 2014 depending on their results.

The contract is likely to define a position Ferrari must occupy in the title race at a point in 2013.

Ferrari have decided to keep Massa as Fernando Alonso's team-mate until then.

Big news.

That's... interesting to say the least. I always thought Ferrari was based around a #1 driver, so surely that will change. Or Alonso becomes the clear #2, that'd be great.

And I bet Hamilton wished he'd stayed put at McLaren until 2014 now.

Alonso who's dragging a poor Ferrari into a title race against better cars? He's the best driver in the sport. Vettel is fantastic, yes, but no way is he superior to Alonso.

Makes great sense for Ferrari, they'd have arguably the two best drivers in the sport in their cars.

[Lineker]

A move to Ferrari makes sense for Vettel. With the new engine rules in 2014, the fact that Ferrari make their own engines is huge.

Massa staying on is no shock at this point.

[Chris2K]

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has denied signing Sebastian Vettel, saying that would only create "instability" within the team.

Fresh reports emerged on Monday in which a 'source inside Ferrari' told the BBC that Vettel is expected to head to the Italian stable in 2014.

'Sources inside Ferrari say they have signed a contract with Vettel, 25, with an option to join in 2014 depending on their results,' reported the Beeb, who added that the German's arrival had been 'sanctioned' by Fernando Alonso.

However, di Montezemolo was quick to deny the claims, insisting that two very strong drivers at Ferrari would cause more harm than good.

"I've always said that I don't want two roosters in the hen-house," the Ferrari president told Italian radio station, RAI.

"I don't like that and it creates instability in the team."

Christian Horner has also said that Vettel will be driving for Red Bull in 2014 this morning. I have a feeling this is going to get messy.

[Katsuya]

Ferrari have confirmed that Massa is staying.

[Lineker]

One year contract. Will be interesting to see what happens this time next year.

[GA!]

One year contract. Will be interesting to see what happens this time next year.

Something like boot and Massa's arse, in that order.

[Lineker]

Formula 1 teams have won an important concession over the future governance of the sport ahead of next week's crunch meeting with the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone, AUTOSPORT has learned.

FIA president Jean Todt and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone are to meet the teams in Paris on October 23 to try and make progress in nailing down a new Concorde Agreement.

Sources have revealed that the FIA and Ecclestone have backed away from plans to limit an influence over the rule making process to just the six top teams, which had been singled out as an important issue.

AUTOSPORT revealed last month that seven teams had written to Todt voicing their worries about possible changes to the way the sport is run.

Other concerns - which cannot be addressed prior to the meeting - included a dramatic hike in entry fees, and a demand that the FIA gets tougher in controlling costs.

The teams had written: "The Teams ... accept there may be the need to review the composition and operation of an F1 Commission, but do not wish to diminish the authority of the Teams in such a forum.

"In relation to the structure of the revamped Formula One Commission from 2013 onwards, the Teams are concerned over the proposed composition, with a reduction from twelve Teams to only six. Retaining the status quo is the preferred option."

Ecclestone had originally been keen to revise the F1 Commission to an 18-man body, made up of six team representatives, six FIA members and six members from Formula One Management.

The presence of just six teams - which were going to be Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Lotus – meant that other outfits would effectively be left with no say in how rules were proposed to the FIA.

Amid concern about the situation from several quarters, however, AUTOSPORT has learned that the future governance structure is to be revised.

A current more streamlined version of the F1 Commission – which will include representatives of all the teams – will remain in place as the final body to approve or reject rule changes before they are submitted to the FIA.

The 18-man body of team/FIA/FOM members will now become a 'Steering Committee' that will work on long-term strategic decisions for the sport and act as the first point of debate for rule changes or improvements to the sport.

It will be tasked with mandating the FIA to consult outfits directly on specific matters and will then vote on how best to implement regulation changes.

Once it has approved matters, these will then be submitted to the F1 Commission, which will only have the power to approve or reject rules that are proposed to it. It will not be able to amend them.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told AUTOSPORT that despite strong feelings about entry fees and cost control, the rule-making process in F1 was the key agenda to finalise at the October 23 meeting.

"The most important thing for the long term is obviously governance," he said. "How regulations are created; the process that regulations are created, which then obviously have an impact on cost.

"I think that is a critical factor moving forward."

[Lineker]

Formula One Management has confirmed that the NBC Sports group will be the exclusive Formula 1 broadcaster in the United States for the next four years.

FOM said the NBC Sports group will broadcast all 20 races of the 2013 season - four on NBC and 16 on NBC Sports Network - as well as practice sessions and qualifying.

NBC replaces Speed as F1 broadcaster in the US after a 17-year run.

"NBC and its various media assets have a huge profile throughout the United States and I am obviously delighted to have concluded this agreement," said F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

"I feel that they will promote Formula 1 to a level not seen before in the United States.

"I very much look forward to working with NBC. Together, we will endeavour to broaden the scope of Formula 1 coverage available to US viewers incorporating additional digital content in particular that has not been available before."

The Canadian Grand Prix and the final three races of the year will air on NBC, while the remaining events will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

"We are thrilled to add the top international open-wheel racing series to our already-strong motorsports portfolio," said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network.

"Formula 1 is a perfect fit for the NBC Sports Group as it provides content across three platforms - broadcast, cable and digital - for nine months a year with more than 100 hours of premier programming annually."

[Katsuya]

That's a pretty big one for them, isn't it?

[Lineker]

It is.

LONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Next year's inaugural Grand Prix of America in New Jersey will be postponed to 2014 because local organisers will not be ready in time, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Reuters on Friday.

"They've run out of time," said the 81-year-old. "There's all sorts of things...and they didn't quite think it all through. They've had a wake-up call but the wake-up call came too late."

The waterfront race, with the New York skyline as a backdrop, had been pencilled in for June 16 next year with an asterisk against it.

Formula 1's inaugural race in New Jersey, originally scheduled for next year, has been postponed until 2014.

Following recent doubts about progress being made at the track ahead of its planned first event in June 2013, local officials have revealed that an official announcement is expected on Friday to say it is being put back.

According to a report in the Jersey Journal, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said that race organisers were behind in both preparations for the race and in obtaining the necessary permits.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone later confirmed to Eurosport that the event was being put off - which now leaves a vacant slot in the calendar.

"It is not going to happen next year," Ecclestone said. "If they came up with the contract with us and we were satisfied the question is could they carry out the work in six months? Winter in New York is not good."

The New Jersey event had been scheduled to take place on June 16, just a week after the Canadian Grand Prix.

However, in the most recent calendar published by the FIA, it was only added subject to confirmation.

Due to the flyaway nature of Montreal, it is unlikely that Ecclestone will slot in a replacement in the gap before the next race - which is the British GP on June 30.

That could mean that next year's calendar drops to 19 events, although there have been rumours in recent weeks that Ecclestone could be looking at resurrecting the Turkish Grand Prix.

[Lineker]

(AP) COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri athletics department is tightening employee use of school-issued credit cards after an audit found a series of improper purchases, including bills for more than $7,600 from a Las Vegas strip club.

Department spokesman Chad Moller said Tuesday that director of video operations Michael Schumacher had repaid $7,605.50 for two credit charges from a May 5, 2011, visit to Olympic Garden. One of the charges included a $2,000 tip on a $4,400 bill at a nightclub billed as the “only Vegas strip club on the Strip.”

Schumacher was representing Mizzou at a professional conference but traveled alone, Moller said. He said “responsive and appropriate disciplinary action was taken,” but that he was unable to elaborate on a personnel matter. Schumacher did not respond to several messages left at his home and campus office.

The Aug. 14 Pricewaterhouse Coopers audit — part of a routine and periodic review of university business functions — also flagged nearly $3,000 in charges by former men’s basketball director of operations Jeff Daniels, who now works at Arkansas under former Tigers coach Mike Anderson.

Daniels billed the school for two charges of $1,489.54 each at the Vince Young Steakhouse in Austin, Texas, in January 2011; there is a $2,500 transaction limit. Those charges were for a team meal, both he and Moller said. Moller estimated the traveling party consisted of approximately 30 people, including coaches, team members and support staff, meaning an average dinner cost of nearly $100 per person.

Most of the remaining 85 purchases singled out by auditors involved much smaller amounts, from Federal Express invoices to three-ring notebooks for athletes’ academic support. There was a $77.83 purchase of flowers for athletic director Mike Alden.

Each of the comparatively few personal purchases made by employees on university purchasing cards was repaid, Moller pointed out.

“We’re very happy with the results of the audit,” he said. “Keep in mind that during the time period of the review, athletics had close to 14,000 (purchasing) card purchases. (The flagged charges) represents a very small percentage.”

The university has deactivated 32 credit cards out of the 120 that had been issued to athletics employees before the audit, Moller added.

An audit summary was presented to the university’s Board of Curators at its September meeting in Columbia. The Associated Press subsequently obtained a copy of the complete report as well as the documents related to the improper charges through a public records request under Missouri law.

The audit also recommended that Missouri tighten its procedures for giving away free tickets and accounting for unused tickets to campus sporting events. The report noted that while Alden and his compliance office are in charge of ticket giveaways, and two ticket managers assist Alden with reconciling those lists after games, an independent review is preferable.

The audit determined that “some users with access to the ticketing system also have custody of tickets and control the reconciliation process,” which increases “the risks that the reconciliations could be manipulated and unauthorized tickets could be distributed.”

The issue of athletic ticket office oversight is a familiar one in the Big 12 Conference, Missouri’s previous affiliation before it left for the Southeastern Conference earlier this year.

At Kansas, seven athletics officials were convicted for profiting from the unlawful sale of Jayhawk football and basketball season tickets to ticket brokers. Several of the key players were forced to pay back more than $2 million.

Missouri athletics responded to the audit’s ticket office findings by now having its business office “conduct an independent reconciliation at the end of each sport season,” Moller said.

Employees are also on notice. An undated document provided to the AP entitled “athletic department response to the purchasing) card review” notes that “personal use of purchasing cards (is) being tracked and reviewed with more scrutiny in the past.”

“It is not OK to just collect reimbursement after personal use,” the document states. “Enforcement of misused cards will result in a range of consequences from reduced limits, suspended and canceled card use and human resource personnel actions being taken when deemed necessary.”

[Twist]

So a guy with the same name as an F1 driver likes strippers?

[Lineker]

Yeah.

Funnier imagining that it is actually Schumi though.

[Lineker]

Sebastian Vettel translated his domination of Indian Grand Prix practice into another pole position as Red Bull again filled the front row in qualifying at Buddh.

An error at Turn 7 on his first Q3 run gave Vettel's rivals a tiny hint of potential vulnerability. But the world champion responded with a 1m25.283s at the second attempt to beat team-mate Mark Webber to the top spot. Webber's retaliation was then compromised by a mistake at Turn 3.

Vettel stayed out in case he had to defend his position, before abandoning the lap once it became clear he was out of reach.

His championship rival Fernando Alonso starts back in fifth. The McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button filled row two, pushing the Ferraris of Alonso and Felipe Massa down to row three.

Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus and Sergio Perez's Sauber will share row four.

Despite fearing that Williams lacked qualifying pace this weekend, Pastor Maldonado still made it into Q3 again and took ninth. Nico Rosberg also reached the pole shoot-out but did not set a time.

Several teams saw one of their drivers reach the top 10 while the other ended up in the midfield.

The second Lotus of Romain Grosjean was pushed outside the Q3 cut late on, leaving him 11th. Bruno Senna's promising start to Q2 did not translate into a top-10 appearance and his Williams fell to 13th, and Michael Schumacher was 0.6s off Mercedes team-mate Rosberg as he qualified 14th.

There were big intra-teams gaps for Force India and Sauber too, with 0.7s splitting Nico Hulkenberg in 12th and Paul di Resta in 16th, and Kamui Kobayashi a long way off emulating Perez's Q3 form in 17th.

Jean-Eric Vergne was again eliminated in Q1. Heikki Kovalainen spun into the gravel at the end of the opening segment, leaving his Caterham team-mate Vitaly Petrov free to lead the tail-end pack.

Qualifying


Pos  Driver                Team                 Time         Gap   

 1.  Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault     1m25.283        

 2.  Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault     1m25.327  + 0.044

 3.  Lewis Hamilton        McLaren-Mercedes     1m25.544  + 0.261

 4.  Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes     1m25.659  + 0.376

 5.  Fernando Alonso       Ferrari              1m25.773  + 0.490

 6.  Felipe Massa          Ferrari              1m25.857  + 0.574

 7.  Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault        1m26.236  + 0.953

 8.  Sergio Perez          Sauber-Ferrari       1m26.360  + 1.077

 9.  Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault     1m26.713  + 1.430

10.  Nico Rosberg          Mercedes             no time

Q2 cut-off time: 1m26.939s                                   Gap **

11.  Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault        1m26.136s  + 0.701

12.  Nico Hulkenberg       Force India-Mercede  1m26.241s  + 0.806

13.  Bruno Senna           Williams-Renault     1m26.331s  + 0.896

14.  Michael Schumacher    Mercedes             1m26.574s  + 1.139

15.  Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1m26.777s  + 1.342

16.  Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercede  1m26.989s  + 1.554

17.  Kamui Kobayashi       Sauber-Ferrari       1m27.219s  + 1.784

Q1 cut-off time: 1m27.517s                                 Gap *

18.  Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1m27.525s  + 1.477

19.  Vitaly Petrov         Caterham-Renault     1m28.756s  + 2.708

20.  Heikki Kovalainen     Caterham-Renault     1m29.500s  + 3.452

21.  Timo Glock            Marussia-Cosworth    1m29.613s  + 3.565

22.  Pedro de la Rosa      HRT-Cosworth         1m30.592s  + 4.544

23.  Narain Karthikeyan    HRT-Cosworth         1m30.593s  + 4.545

24.  Charles Pic           Marussia-Cosworth    1m30.662s  + 4.614


107% time: 1m32.071s

* Gap to quickest in Q1

** Gap to quickest in Q2[/code]


Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is ready to sign a deal that could put the French Grand Prix back on the calendar next year.


Just a week after the planned New Jersey race was postponed because the venue was not going to be ready in time, Ecclestone revealed in India on Sunday that a replacement race was on the cards.


When asked if there was a chance for the French GP to return, Ecclestone said: "As far as I am concerned, yes. I am hoping.


"We are ready to sign; we have a pen and are ready to sign."


French officials have been close several times to getting their race back on the schedule for the first time since 2008, but it had appeared their hopes were dashed when the original 20-race calendar, which was published by the FIA at the end of last month, did not include a slot for them.


There have been separate pushes by both Magny-Cours and Paul Ricard for an event, but it appears the latter venue is now more likely to secure a deal if the race is put on.


Ecclestone said, however, there he was not sure yet which of the bids would be most successful.


"Which circuit they are going to use is another thing," he explained.


The French GP could be easily positioned in the calendar in the gap that has been opened up by the absence of the New Jersey race.


The Canadian GP takes place on June 9, with the British GP at Silverstone taking place on June 30.


Ecclestone added: "If they are ready we can slot it in the calendar."

[maninblack]

And Vettel wins the India GP!

[Katsuya]

French GP being back would be lovely.

Edit: Yowch. Webber walked off from the press conference because they were just talking to Vettel and Alonso.

[Katsuya]

Hulkenburg officially signs for Sauber. Interesting one.