LATEST: Ricciardo to replace Karthikeyan?

RichardsF1    Driver Market, F1 2011, Formula 1     Daniel Ricciardo, Hispania Racing, Narain Karthikeyan

A left-field piece of speculation is quickly gathering momentum here in Australia, with reports claiming that Toro Rosso reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo will make his F1 race debut at next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

According to reports, Red Bull will loan the West Australian to Hispania Racing, where he will replace Narain Karthikeyan, who has struggled in his return to Formula 1 after a lengthy absence from the sport.

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Donnelly to return to F1 cockpit at Goodwood

RichardsF1    Former F1 Figures, Formula 1     Team Lotus

Former F1 driver Martin Donnelly will get behind the wheel of a Lotus F1 102 chassis for the first time since his career-ending crash at the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

The Northern Irishman – who started 12 Grands Prix for Team Lotus in 1990 – will run in the car at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed event this weekend.

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Fighting – or desperate? – words from Buemi…

RichardsF1    Driver Market, F1 2011, Formula 1     Daniel Ricciardo, Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso

Sébastien Buemi has rejected suggestions that it is now his seat at Toro Rosso that’s under threat to the team’s reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo.

Prior to last weekend’s European Grand Prix, much of the speculation had suggested that it was the Swiss driver’s team-mate Jaime Alguersuari who was first in line to be dropped after struggling to come to terms with Buemi’s pace in the the opening races of the season.

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Pirelli confirms tyre allocation for British GP

RichardsF1    F1 2011, Formula 1     Ferrari, Pirelli, Tyres

F1 tyre maker Pirelli has confirmed it will bring its hard and soft compounds to the British Grand Prix weekend, these being the same tyre compounds used at the Spanish Grand Prix where both Ferrari drivers finished a lap adrift as their pace fell away running on the harder compounds.

Ferrari had, in the lead-up to this announcement, been less than subtle in its concern over the possibility over the hard-compound tyres being allocated for the race at Silverstone, even going so far as admitting that its competitiveness would be impacted when running with the harder rubber.

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It’s looking brighter for Webber…

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Christian Horner, Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing

It’s becoming increasingly likely that Mark Webber will remain at Red Bull into the 2012 season – and possibly beyond – according to the latest comments attributed to team boss Christian Horner.

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Meanwhile at Williams…

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Sam Michael, Technical, Williams

The Williams team has announced some new appointments to its technical team in the wake of its recent major reshuffle.

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Red Bull to use Renault engines until 2013?

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Engines, Red Bull Racing, Renault

Red Bull Racing looks set to sign an extension to its engine supply agreement with Renault Sport F1, at least until the end of the current V8 engine regulations.

In the wake of the FIA announcing it would delay the introduction of its ‘greener’ engine regulations – which will be turbocharged V6 units – until 2014, the team will look to continue with the same powerplants “at least until 2013”, according to a report in Italy’s Autosprint.

An extension to the relationship is also logical given that the team also enjoys a sponsorship deal with the carmaker Infiniti, a subsidiary of the Renault-owned Nissan group.

Burma ‘blacklists’ FIA president’s fiancée

RichardsF1    Formula 1     FIA, Jean Todt

Michelle Yeoh, the acclaimed actress and fiancée of FIA President Jean Todt, has been kicked out of military-led Burma after attempting to travel to the country for a meeting with pro-democracy champion and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Malaysian-born Yeoh had previously travelled to the controversy-torn nation in December and meet with Suu Kyi, whom she is playing in an upcoming film release, The Lady, which is is being made by French director Luc Besson in Thailand.

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Another day, another retraction…

RichardsF1    F1 2011, Formula 1     Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

No doubt after a fairly details exchange of views with team figures, sponsors and PR representatives, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has performed a miraculous about-face and recanted his earlier claims that the 2011 championship crown was all but lost to Sebastian Vettel.

After yet again seeing Vettel claim another race win at last weekend’s European Grand Prix, both Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso offered comments suggesting that they were abandoning any hope of challenging for this year’s Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship crown.

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One Spanish race from 2012 onwards?

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Circuit News

Reports in the Spanish press claim that a deal is set to be announced that will see Valencia become the sole Spanish Formula 1 race venue from next year, paving the way for the Circuit de Catalunya to finally be dropped from the F1 calendar.

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