FORMULA 1 2011

[MIKA27]

Newey: Wing whiners becoming 'boring'

Adrian Newey is bored with complaints about Red Bull's front wing and says it's nothing more than "one team in particular" wanting the rules changed.

With Red Bull once again dominating qualifying and races, several teams, especially McLaren, have questioned the legality of the team's front wing.

According to rivals, the wing flexes more than the legal amount.

"Did you see Vettel's front wing?" McLaren's Lewis Hamilton told the Bild in the wake of Vettel's Australian GP win. "It bends down to the ground and gives him about half a second. Either they (FIA) close this loophole or we (McLaren) copy it."

However, the FIA have tested it on several occasions, even increasing the loads for the test, and have deemed it legal. And Newey is becoming rather bored with the continued complaints.

"To be honest, it's a bit boring," the technical guru said in an interview with The Red Bulletin.

"I've had a season of people moaning about our front wing last year. The tests were made more rigorous by the FIA, it's examined in great detail...

"I mean, frankly, I think it's an effort by one team in particular to get a change in regulations because the regulations are very clear in terms of what you can and cannot do with the front wing.

"The rest comes down to how you run the car. We choose to run the car with quite a lot of rake; that means high at the rear, low at the front.

"Others, McLaren for instance, have chosen to take the opposite route. They run the car quite low-rake. Once you run the rear low, that means the front wing is automatically high."

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Karthikeyan: Hispania important to F1

Narain Karthikeyan insists it is "coming together" for Hispania Racing after a difficult start to the Championship.

Having failed to put in a single lap in their 2011 car during pre-season testing, Hispania were on the back foot at the start of the campaign.

And although the team failed to qualify for the season-opening Australian GP, they have since succeeded in getting both cars onto the grid.

"Survival is a hard thing," Karthikeyan told the Hindustan Times.

"It's a small team. We have put together a pretty little car. The major difference against the bigger teams would be that we don't use KERS.

"We didn't get any mileage on the cars in the winter testing, so since then we were basically playing catch-up. But it's coming together for us now.

"If we keep making the upgrades I am sure we will have a good car for the Indian GP (in October)."

The Indian driver also insisted that although his team is not fighting for race wins and World titles, they are as important to the sport as those who are.

"We are all a part of the show," said the 34-year-old.

"The fact is we (backmarker teams) are never in contention for the title. But teams like these are equally important for F1.

"They provide the platform for younger drivers and for drivers like me who are coming back. There's this hierarchy in every sport, but it only makes it more interesting."

[MIKA27]

DRS could be banned for Monaco

F1 teams are considering banning the DRS wing for the Monaco Grand Prix due to safety concerns.

The Drag Reduction System, or adjustable rear wing, was introduced at the start of this season to much applause.

The device has without a doubt played a major role in improving overtaking as, when activated, it gives the driver a speed advantage over the car in front.

However, the powers-that-be are considering banning the device in Monaco, as the race takes place through the tight, twisty streets of the Principality.

According to Autosport, several drivers have expressed concerns about using the adjustable rear wing in Monaco.

They feel it could compromise safety as drivers try to use every advantage to gain a better grid slot, which could result in accidents as Monaco, unlike other circuits, does not have a long straight.

The matter is expected to be discussed at the next race in Turkey with the FIA giving serious thought to banning it for the Monte Carlo street race.

[MIKA27]

Alonso: Ferrari will fight back

Despite it not having been the start to the season that Ferrari wanted, Fernando Alonso is convinced his team can and will improve.

Ferrari impressed in pre-season testing, often ranking in the top few spots, if not leading the way. But the Italian marque was not able to carry that form through into the Championship.

The team has struggled to find short-distance pace in qualifying with Alonso claiming their best grid positions of P5.

And although their pace has been a little bit better during the races, neither Alonso nor his team-mate Felipe Massa were able to challenge for podium finishes in the opening three races.

"It was definitely not the start of the season we were hoping for, for us and all our fans," Alonso said.

"Fifty points between the two of us is not much and we know our performance is not good enough at the moment, but we are aware that this can change very quickly.

"Formula 1 has always been like this: in one race you struggle to get into the top five and in the next, you're fighting for the win.

"This year has been no exception to that rule: after the final test in Barcelona, everyone reckoned the McLarens were nowhere and then they always got on the podium, ending up with a win in China.

"At the same time, others were saying Vettel was unbeatable and then in Shanghai, we all saw how things turned out in the end. Three races are not yet enough to give a definitive judgement."

But despite his confidence that the situation will change, the Spaniard acknowledges that Ferrari have a great deal of work ahead of them in order for that to happen.

"This does not mean to say I am underestimating the seriousness of our situation, far from it. We have to work very hard to improve on every front. Success only comes when every element is operating at its best: the car, strategy, pit stops, drivers and everyone else included.

"I've stayed in touch with the engineers these past few days and I know there is no let up in the development of the car at Maranello.

"We have to catch up and we cannot allow ourselves to lose too much time, especially as the others won't be twiddling their thumbs over the coming weeks.

"I trust in the team: I know what it's made of and I can feel the will to fight back from everyone at Maranello."

And the double World Champ's confidence in his team is not unfounded, having experienced Ferrari's ability to fight back in the past.

"In the past I have experienced, first as an opponent and then as an insider how capable the Scuderia is of staging a comeback.

"I well remember when I was at Renault in 2006, that in the first part of the season I had built up a big lead but then Ferrari made such a good job of developing its cars that Schumacher staged a great fight back, overtaking me with two races remaining.

"Then you only have to look at last year: first in Turkey and then in England, it was suggested we should already be looking to the following year, but we did not give up and we managed to be in the fight for the title right up to the final race.

"It sounds like a slogan, but it's the absolute truth: never give up in Formula 1!"

[MIKA27]

Schumacher and Vettel confirmed for ROC return

Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel will once again join forces for the Race of Champions event, which takes place on an annual basis.

The two Germans are the most successful pairing, having won the nations' cup for the past four consecutive years.

The event brings together the best motorsport talent from around the world in several different disciplines, including; Formula One, WRC, Touring Cars, Le Mans and NASCAR.

This year it will be held in the German city of Frankfurt in the Commerzbank-Arena. Originally known as Waldstadion, it was one of the host venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Armed with a fully-closable roof, the stadium has a full capacity of over 50,000 spectators.

Past events have been held at the Stade de France in Paris (2004-2006), London's Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), Beijing's 'Bird’s Nest' Olympic Stadium (2009) and Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena (2010).

So far, Schumacher and Vettel are the only drivers confirmed, with further details set to be announced soon for the early-December event.

Schumacher says he is pleased to one again be competing in front of his home crowd.

"It's important to us to be in our home country so we’re really looking forward to throwing some beautiful cars around the Frankfurt circuit in December.

"Last year it was a great atmosphere. You're so close to the fans that you can hear them even though the engines are noisy. And I'm sure it will be even better in Frankfurt. We have a strong line-up in the ROC Nations Cup but no doubt the other nations will have plenty of motivation to finally beat us.

"Unfortunately the individual event takes place on the last day and we always have a good party after Team Germany wins so I guess I’m not completely fresh… I’ll try to work on that this year and I very much look forward to having lots of support. We need lots of cheering and lots of crossed fingers so please all come!"

[MIKA27]

Another funny advert: Who would you choose?

Mercedes know how to make a great commercial featuring Formula One drivers. Just a month ago they gave us the humourous commercial 'compliments' featuring Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen.

This time, they've done it again with their latest advert 'decisions' which sees a couple fighting over which driver should complete their journey to hospital following a break-down and a heavily pregnant women.

COMPLIMENTS:

DECISIONS:

SUNDAY DRIVER:

[MIKA27]

Stunning fan made posters for 2011 season

Check out these amazing fan made Formula One posters for the upcoming 2011 season inspired by James White's "Tron Legacy Countdown" and the creators love of the motorsport.

The designer is looking into printing the posters for general sale. We officially want them all!

[MIKA27]

Abu Dhabi circuit changes to aid overtaking

The organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will make several changes to the track in order to increase the chances for drivers' to overtake one another.

The 2010 event came under massive criticism after a fairly processional race took place, allowing Sebastian Vettel to take the crown unchallenged as Fernando Alonso failed to pass several cars including Vitaly Petrov.

According to Autosport, changes will include the widening of the chicane at turns five and six, giving drivers different lines to take into the hairpin.

Turn nine will be a banked corner, giving drivers the option to pass on the outside, carrying greater speed.

The final change will see turns 13 and 14 become one sweeping curve, rather than two slow, right-angle corners. The hope is that it will give the cars a better entry speed into turn 15/16, giving them a better chance at making a successful overtake.

The changes will be implemented for the 2011 race which is set to take place on November 13th, two weeks before the season finale in Brazil - another track which will have minor safety changes following two recent deaths.

[MIKA27]

Coulthard impresses fans in Singapore demo

David Coulthard impressed over 50,000 spectators along Singapore's stunning Orchard Road shopping district in the RB6.

He took to the street as part of a 'Street Speed' event last Sunday evening, organised by Spectrum Worldwide, an event management company responsible for organising iconic events such as the massively successful OCBC Cycle Singapore and the 2010 Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

Coulthard along with Alex Yoong, in a race-spec Audi R8, performed burnouts, engine breaks, short-sprints and donuts for an hour along the 800m temporary track.

[MIKA27]

Heidfeld says the aim is to beat Ferrari

Nick Heidfeld says the aim for Renault is to finish ahead of Ferrari this season following a positive start to the year.

The German driver has managed to score 15 points after taking a third place podium finish in Malaysia, one of two podiums for the team after Vitaly Petrov managed the same result in Australia.

Unfortunately, the outfit remain behind Ferrari by a deficit of 18 points, despite either Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa failing to make the podium at all.

Nevertheless, Heidfeld is confident that Renault can repeat its early season form to get them ahead of the Italian marque.

"I think that we can do that," he told the Renault website. "It's certainly not going to be easy because we are competing with the likes of Ferrari now, who we will definitely try to beat."

He also made it clear that the aim was to be the best, but admitted McLaren and Red Bull were out of reach for now.

"Mercedes seems to have improved and McLaren and Red Bull are still ahead, but the team's ambitions and our targets are clear - we want to go to the top.

"We are working very hard, the team has made big improvements over the last one and a half years and if we can keep that development speed up, I think yes [we can]."

[MIKA27]

Indian GP: We'll deliver a successful race

Manoj Gaur, the executive chairman of the construction company behind the Indian Grand Prix track in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, has assured fans they will deliver an event to be proud of.

Some concerns over whether the facility will be ready on time have arisen, but Gaur is confident it will be ready for the inaugural race on October 30th.

"Our and our country's reputation is on [the] line," he told reporters. "We are responsible people and we will deliver a successful race."

He revealed that the track itself is ready and is awaiting FIA homologation which, if successful, will grant them an F1 race license.

"The track is ready and the homologation of the facility will be done in July as per the timetable of the FIA."

On the subject of ticket pricing for the event, he couldn't give away much information but confirmed a ball-park figure.

"We can't disclose the pricing but it would be moderate. It is in the final stages and it will start from 2,500 rupees (£33, $56)," he added.

The interest in India for the sport is growing with Narain Karthikeyan making his return this year with the Hispania team.

He may also be joined by Karun Chandhok, who drove for HRT in 2010, as the Indian is hopeful of driving the Team Lotus T128 this year in India.

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Team Lotus confirm Caterham Cars takeover

Team Lotus Enterprises has confirmed that it has taken over Caterham Cars, but will retain the Lotus branding until a decision is made in the Lotus vs. Lotus court case.

The deal announced today at Duxford Aerodrome gives the small British manufacturer of lightweight sportscars the opportunity to expand its brand throughout the world, using F1 as a marketing platform.

“Caterham has a unique place at the heart of the motoring world," said Tony Fernandes. "As well as being proudly and staunchly British, it has an enviable and uniquely unblemished reputation within the industry for performance, handling and engineering excellence.

“Caterham Cars has remained wholly faithful to Colin Chapman’s philosophy of ‘less is more’, and the DNA of the original Seven can still be traced to the newest additions to Caterham’s product offering.

“It is already a successful business with sales across Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East, and under the guidance of the existing management team,we now have all the ingredients and the launch pad to further evolve that spirit and take Caterham to new exciting horizons with innovative products and greater global brand exposure.â€

Whilst the rumoured name change and title sponsorship never materialised, it is thought that Fernandes could fall back on renaming the outfit Caterham if he doesn't succeed in retaining the Team Lotus name, which is currently being disputed in court.

[MIKA27]

Buemi 'focused' on the job at hand

Sebastien Buemi is refusing to get carried away with rumours that one of Toro Rosso's drivers could step into Mark Webber's race-seat in 2012.

Earlier this year, Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost warned about Buemi and his team-mate Jaime Alguersuari that they could be replaced by test driver Daniel Ricciardo before the season is out should they fail to deliver.

However, he also told them that could stand a chance of being promoted to senior team Red Bull Racing at the end of the season should they perform.

This prompted speculation that either Buemi or his Spanish team-mate could replace Webber as he's the only Red Bull driver without a contract for next year's Championship.

Buemi, though, is refusing to get carried away with the prospect of moving up the ladder.

"These are rumours. But maybe, who knows? These rumours are not about me, it's about stuff still far off," he told Autosprint magazine.

"It's not up to me whether Webber carries on or not. From my point of view I know that if I do my maximum and get important results, then my value can increase and I can have a chance.

"I focus on this. The rest is just gossip."

And by that same token, the Swiss driver is also not letting the threat of Ricciardo taking his race-seat put more pressure on his shoulders.

"I'm calm, because regardless of results I've always done my maximum, and compared to my team-mate I've never done badly.

"Also last year, despite not being the easiest for me, in the end I scored more than him and overall I did better than him in qualifying too.

"It's clear that at the end of last season I had some problems, I wasn't satisfied with my work, but I've worked hard over the winter and 2011 has started well.

"Red Bull gives young drivers a chance to get into F1, so you always know that besides you there are other guys that try to show their abilities and aim to drive for Red Bull. If you give up, it's over for you."

[MIKA27]

Boullier: Balance but it's fragile

Eric Boullier believes Lotus Renault are finding a "balance" in their new driver pairing of Vitaly Petrov and Nick Heidfeld.

Renault were forced to change their line-up in the weeks leading up to the start of the season after Robert Kubica was seriously injured in a rally accident.

The team called up the Pole's former team-mate Nick Heidfeld, who quickly impressed in pre-season testing.

However, it was Petrov who claimed Renault's first podium of the season, finishing third in the Australian GP. Heidfeld followed suit one race later in Malaysia.

But, given the success of the two drivers, there are many wondering just where Renault would be if Kubica was able to compete this season.

"With the word 'if' I would be World Champion... so I don't want to think about it," Boullier told Autosport.

"I think we need to not underestimate the progress of Vitaly. My job is to make sure my drivers feel confident and that they improve over the year - so you have this spike of performance.

"Mentally, it is very important for them to feel they can do better and that the team is here to support and give them the tools to do even better.

"So as a team we have to be careful about the environment - and to make sure that we can put the drivers in a situation where they can deliver more and more. Robert was clearly in this positive loop, and this is something we have also created with Vitaly.

"However, starting with a rookie you need some time to do it and for him to deliver. I think he is now starting to deliver, although he is still also making some mistakes.

"In the case of Nick, he was in a different place, so we have to put him back in this positive loop. And that will not come in a few days. With experience he can go faster than Vitaly, but we need time to go and catch the final tenths.

"It is all about a team effort - it is the noble way. The team is pushing, the driver is pushing, and everybody is pushing each other. You need to keep this balance, but it's a fragile balance."

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Haug: Shanghai pace was the real deal

Norbert Haug believes Mercedes GP may have turned a corner in China, insisting that Nico Rosberg's pace was "genuine."

Despite losing out in the latter stages of the grand prix due to a fuel consumption problem, Nico Rosberg put in a solid showing to finish fifth, even leading the race at one stage.

Rosberg's pace was a marked improvement on the team's start to the Championship, which saw them struggling to finish in the points, never mind fight for a podium finish.

"I honestly cannot promise you that we will do the same thing in Turkey - but the most important thing is to find the key to unlock the speed. The speed is there," Haug told Autosport.

"The performance in China was genuine."

The Mercedes motorsport director added that his team spent a great deal of time working out their problems and now have a "better understanding" of how their W02 works.

"I would have been happier if China would have been the first race, obviously.

"Saying that, the China track is not a night and day difference from Malaysia. There are a lot of similarities - and straight line performance accounts for a similar amount at both tracks.

"But we now have a better understanding of the car. Ross (Brawn) sat together with the guys and the engineers, and we changed the approach to the weekend.

"For example, you can destroy your tyres easily on a Friday when you are on a heavy fuel load - but if you have a good balanced car then you can afford to have a heavy fuel. It has given us some confidence."

One of the issues that the team faced was with regards to the adjustable rear wing with the Drag Reduction System failing Michael Schumacher as recently as qualifying in Shanghai.

"We had problems with the rear wing flap, but mainly we have sorted them out. We have a different system, but it is a clever system if it works - and we made it work in China.

"And compliments to the guys. I would rather have a fifth place with the speed for second or third, than a third place - although I would take it anyway - that you inherit."

[mikec]

Well I certainly do hope that Mercedes have found some consistent pace in the car as it is long overdue. I had great hopes for this team and it's really not to late for them to fight for the "best of the rest" as no one will catch up to RB anytime soon. They have been dogged by problems that surprised me such as their cooling problems and the rear wing actuation mechanism. Everytime they are in a hot climate they have to run those extra gills and it slows them down. We will hopefully see a spirited pace from the W02 next weekend in Turkey.

[MIKA27]

Well I certainly do hope that Mercedes have found some consistent pace in the car as it is long overdue. I had great hopes for this team and it's really not to late for them to fight for the "best of the rest" as no one will catch up to RB anytime soon. They have been dogged by problems that surprised me such as their cooling problems and the rear wing actuation mechanism. Everytime they are in a hot climate they have to run those extra gills and it slows them down. We will hopefully see a spirited pace from the W02 next weekend in Turkey.

I really hope so too Mike.

As I have previously stated, this is really disappointing to see the Silver Arrows struggle the way they have/are. Both drivers deserve a better vehicle in which to challenge the front runners and I do hope it's sooner than later.

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Lauda's 1976 season in film

Award-winning screenwriter Peter Morgan is working on a film about Niki Lauda and the season that turned him into a legend.

The British writer is focusing on the year 1976 in which Lauda almost lost his life in a crash at the German Grand Prix, suffering severe burns to his head when trapped in his burning Ferrari before being pulled out.

Lauda returned to the track only six weeks later, but narrowly lost the championship to his British rival James Hunt.

Although the project is still in an early stage, Lauda told public radio Oe3 he is already thinking about which actor could play him.

"Everyone who has had his right ear burnt off can already start making plans," he said jokingly.

Lauda won three World titles 1975, 1977 and 1984, with 25 race wins to his credit.

Peter Morgan has received a Golden Globe award and Academy Award nomination for his script for The Queen. His screenplay for Frost/Nixon was also nominated for an Oscar.

Morgan's current project 360, a modern version of Arthur Schnitzler's erotic play La Ronde, is currently being filmed in Vienna with Jude Law.

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Schumi vows to see out his Merc contract

Michael Schumacher insists he is not ready to throw in the towel following another difficult start to the season.

A lot was expected of the seven-time World Champion when he came out of retirement in 2010 to sign a deal with Mercedes GP. However, he failed to live up to expectations last year and finished a disappointing ninth in the Drivers' Champions - 70 points behind team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Although there has been a marked improvement this year, he is still finding it difficult to match the performances of Rosberg.

There have been suggestions that Schumacher could pack it in before his contract expires in 2012, but he is having none of it.

"I will fulfil my three-year contract with Mercedes after which I will work as a representative of the team's brand," he told Germany's Bunte.

He added: "I am on a mission to take Mercedes GP to the top step of the podium. Fighting for 10th place is not always pleasant. I expect to be in a better position soon."

Although he is confident of improving, Schumacher also admits that being 42-years-old "is not the same as 25".

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Rubens backs Williams to fight back

Rubens Barrichello is confident Williams can turn things around and return to the top six before the end of the season.

Williams have made a nightmare start to the 2011 campaign and yet to come close to scoring a point. Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado failed to complete the first two races in Australia and Malaysia and although both saw the chequered flag in China, Barrichello could only manage 13th while his younger team-mate was down in 18th.

Barrichello insists the Grove-based team can get back on the right track if they put in a big effort.

"The team has all of the tools that it needs," he is quoted on Autosport. "This is an important year for them. This car needs to be in the top six by the end of the year and it can be, with work. If McLaren improved by two seconds before the first race, it shows that a good team can do that and I still regard Williams highly.

"When I came in last year and they developed, the car became quite good. But the target this year was to start off where we finished last year and then to go further. It remains to be seen what we can do. There is something that we are not understanding."

Williams CEO Adam Parr admits the morale of the team is not as high as it should be, but is confident they can make progress.

"My goal was to make progress," he said. "We come here to win, everyone does, but we've finished eighth, seventh and sixth in the last three years and I wanted to take another step. So fifth, minimum would be good. We are only three races in, this is a long season and it's not game over yet."

He added: "I would love to see more progress. The things that we are bringing are not developing so much. The morale in the team is not as high as it should be because we were expecting greater things and it's the same for me. I'm here to drive fast and to motivate people, but I would like to see the team perform better."

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Trulli: DRS pointless in Monaco

Jarno Trulli is not in favour of the F1 drivers running their DRS wings in Monaco as he doesn't think "there is any point."

There is some talk at present about the FIA scrapping the Drag Reduction System for the Monaco GP as some drivers have reportedly voiced safety concerns.

Added to that, the circuit, which runs through the streets of the Principality, does not have a long straight, which would negate the effects of the adjustable rear wing.

"At Monaco, to run with it is pointless," the Team Lotus driver told Autosport.

"You won't use it for much of the straights, they are too short, and it will mean you will be spending too much time concentrating on the buttons - and that means you don't have enough room or time to think about other things.

"It is not a benefit and won't help you at all for overtaking, so I don't think there is any point to run it. This is my personal opinion - it is shared by other drivers, but it is not down to us to decide if we run it or not."

In fact, that decision is down to the FIA and race director Charlie Whiting, who has spoken with the drivers about the issue.

"We have discussed about the DRS. At the moment the discussion with the FIA is very, very good. Charlie has been listening to u," Trulli said.

"We give Charlie our opinions because we drive the car, and he understands what our concerns are. Sometimes it is mainly on the safety side, and doesn't affect the new rules. We say what we think and then we say it is up to him. He takes our opinions.

"We are meeting nearly every race, apart from the normal briefing, to discuss about DRS and discuss about other things, and it is extremely positive I would say. The FIA has been doing a great job."

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Petrov: Doubling our efforts

Vitaly Petrov is eager to see his team take the fight to Ferrari, confident that "things are looking good" for Renault.

Petrov's 2011 campaign began on a high note when the Russian claimed his first-ever F1 podium result at the Australian GP. And although he failed to repeat that feat in Malaysia, his team-mate Nick Heidfeld put his R31 into the top three.

The team's run of top-three results came to an abrupt end in China where Petrov only just managed to finish in the points while Heidfeld was down in 12th place.

The Russian, though, is confident Renault can get back in the fight for the podium in Turkey where the team will be introducing an updated package.

"We have made real progress this year with the design of the car and innovations and it looks very strong," said Petrov.

"We have had some good races and took two podiums. We've also had some bad luck but we've still remained strong. Things are looking good for us I think.

"I'm pleased with my performance so far and with the results we have obtained but we need to stay focused and continue to work at the same rate.

"I will of course do the best we possibly can to get the best possible result. We're expecting upgrades for Turkey which is good, and of course the other teams will react too and work hard to beat us.

"We'll be doubling our efforts in order to catch the teams in front. You never know what can happen during a race weekend but both my team and I will fight hard."

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Schumi: Now F1 gets more intense

Michael Schumacher believes Mercedes GP can build on their Chinese GP progress when they head to Turkey next weekend.

Schumacher's team-mate Nico Rosberg came to the fore last time out in Shanghai, claiming fourth place on the grid. The younger German eventually finished P5 after leading the grand prix for a number of laps.

It was, Schumacher is hoping, a sign of things to come.

"It is always exciting when the calendar returns to Europe and the racing schedule becomes more intense," said Schumacher.

"After returning from the first three races, I have enjoyed spending some time with my family in the short break, and I am now really looking forward to the action getting underway again.

"The venue for our next race, Istanbul Park, is a great track and provides a good challenge for the drivers. It's anti-clockwise, has a lot of gradient changes and different corner layouts, so it's quite nice to drive.

"I know that the team have been working very hard to continue the progress that we made during the last race weekend in China and, with the help of some developments planned for Istanbul, I am confident that we can enjoy an equally positive weekend."

Schumacher's sentiments were echoed by Rosberg, who reckons after a trying start to the Championship, his team have finally turned a corner.

"We had a more difficult start to 2011 than we had expected, and the first three races felt a little like a rollercoaster of emotions.

"We were all disappointed in Melbourne and Malaysia but, after leading the race in Shanghai, we have confirmed the potential of our car.

"The team did a very good job to take a step forward and we learned a lot from the weekend. Hopefully we can now make a further step for Turkey and produce another positive performance."

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Brawn: Fundamentally a good car

Ross Brawn is adamant that Mercedes GP have a "fundamentally good car", they just need to "achieve its full potential."

Despite being billed as potential race winners ahead of the season-opening Australian GP, Mercedes GP failed to live up to expectations.

The team failed to reach the chequered flag in Melbourne while at the following race in Malaysia only Michael Schumacher succeeded in finishing in the points.

However, it was a different story last time out in China with Nico Rosberg finishing in fifth place after leading the grand prix for a number of laps.

And had it not been for a fuel consumption issue, the German may have even challenged for a podium finish.

As such, Brawn is confident that his team has a good car in their W02, they just need to get the best out of it.

"The team and drivers have worked extremely hard in the short break before the European season begins to ensure that we continue to move forward," said the team boss.

"We have a fundamentally good car and we need to achieve its full potential in the races to come. The Chinese Grand Prix reminded everyone at the team what it is like to fight for a race.

"We didn't succeed on that occasion but it's a feeling that we would like to experience more often. When the car is working properly, we can be more competitive and the solutions we are bringing to Turkey will help us achieve this level more consistently.

"However, we also know that we need to push for more performance if we want to fight regularly at the front. The first three races have been a challenge but we have pulled together and will continue working hard to make progress."

[MIKA27]

Vettel: I answer because I'm asked

Sebastian Vettel says the only reason he talks so often about racing for Ferrari is because "I'm often asked about it."

With rumours at the start of the year suggesting that Ferrari could be lining Vettel up to replace Felipe Massa in 2012, Red Bull were quick to extend their reigning World Champ's contract.

There is, however, believed to be a performance clause in his new deal, although given that he's won two of this season's opening three races, it doesn't appear as if that will come into play.

But that doesn't mean that the German, who is signed with Red Bull until 2014, wouldn't one day love to race for Ferrari.

He told Italian magazine Autosprint: "Ferrari? If I talk about it so often, it's because I'm often asked about it.

"In fact, there are two reasons - first of all Ferrari is something special, as I've said many times.

"The second reason is that I have to reply to whoever asks me about it. It's a self-feeding situation.

"For me, Ferrari is a legend and, one day, it would be an honour for me to have my name on the list of Ferrari drivers.

"But that doesn't mean I want to go there now - I'm happy where I am and this is why I've renewed for a couple of seasons."

He added: "It is about all the team, not just me or one other person like Adrian (Newey, technical director).

"We are a group and we are together and that is why I decided to stay and to extend my contract by a couple of years more."