Latest F1 news in brief
- FIA would appeal 2010 rules injunction
- Schu returns to Superbike saddle
- Red Bull may shift focus to Vettel's hopes
- Vettel hopes for seat at end of F1 conflict
- Alonso urges Renault to not give up on 2009 car
- F1 soccer team plays in Monaco
FIA would appeal 2010 rules injunction
(GMM) Should Ferrari win its injunction against the 2010 budget cap, the governing FIA has indicated it intends to appeal.
Following a one-hour hearing on Tuesday, attended by three lawyers for the Italian team, Paris' Tribunal de Grande Instance is set to announce its verdict on Wednesday afternoon.
In the event of an adverse ruling, however, FIA sources have indicated that they will exercise their right of appeal.
Neither side commented specifically about Tuesday's events, but it has emerged that forming part of the FIA's defense was a dossier of letters from several potential 2010 entrants who support the move to a budget cap.
The FIA's lawyer is also understood to have argued on the grounds of jurisdiction, insisting that it is the Paris body's mandate, not a civil court's or a team's, to set regulations.
Ferrari is thought to have hit back by arguing that the FIA has broken the team's afforded rights under a 2005 agreement, where changes to the rules must have the involvement of the F1 Commission.
The FIA responded that Ferrari did not object to the regulations at the appropriate time.
Another noteworthy element of Ferrari's defense is that it is unreasonable to ask teams to slash expenditures by 90 per cent in one hit.
One lawyer for the Maranello team, Henri Peter, said the biggest teams' annual budgets can top "400 to 500 million euros" at present.
Schu returns to Superbike saddle
(GMM) Nearly 100 days after a major fall at a test circuit, Michael Schumacher on Tuesday returned to the saddle of a racing motorcycle.
The former seven time world champion, believed to have sustained severe concussion, neck damage and broken ribs in the February fall, booked the Nurburgring's F1 layout for a private session to reacquaint with his Honda Superbike.
Schumacher, 40, intended to contest the German Superbike/IDM round at the Nurburgring late this month, but on the basis of Tuesday's test called off his race return.
"I still don't feel 100 per cent fit to race. There is a big difference between some testing laps and 20 laps at full pace while dueling," he said.
Trackside at the Nurburgring was the German's wife, Corinna. "She would prefer if I gave up and instead rode horses," Schumacher is quoted as saying by Bild newspaper.
Red Bull may shift focus to Vettel's hopes
(GMM) Should Sebastian Vettel continue to pull clear of his teammate and nip at the heels of the 2009 championship leader, Red Bull will put its full weight behind the 21-year-old German driver.
That is the message of team boss Christian Horner, as Vettel enters this weekend's Monaco grand prix a clear favorite to battle for victory with title leader Jenson Button.
After five races and a victory so far this season, Vettel is 18 points behind Brawn driver Button's lead, and 7.5 points clear of the occupant of the sister RB5, Mark Webber.
"If it is clear that one of our drivers is fighting for the world championship, then we will have to concentrate on him," Horner is quoted as saying by the Austrian news agency APA.
Horner, however, hastened to add that Australian Webber, 32, is "one of the most underestimated drivers" on the formula one grid.
But in Germany's Sport Bild, he contrasted the pair by remarking that Vettel "drives despite his unbelievable speed very economically, using less fuel" than Webber.
Horner is not sure Vettel is the favorite to win in Monaco, though.
"Anything with a high-speed corner will be good for us, so I think Monaco is more Brawn-territory," the Briton acknowledged.
Vettel hopes for seat at end of F1 conflict
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel on Tuesday said he is reluctant to weigh into the budget cap row that threatens formula one's very future.
The 21-year-old German's team, Red Bull Racing, is among the so-called 'rebels' that are threatening to pull out of the sport if the FIA does not revoke its budget cap rules for 2010.
"As drivers we simply have to wait and see," Shanghai winner Vettel, who sits 18 points behind championship leader Jenson Button in the drivers' standings, is quoted as saying by the Austrian press.
He did admit, however, that – particularly from a driver's perspective – it is important a reasonable solution to the stand-off is found.
"For us all it is essential that we have a cockpit: in formula one," said Vettel.
Alonso urges Renault to not give up on 2009 car
(GMM) Fernando Alonso does not believe Renault should abandon development of the 2009 car in the hope of getting a head-start in next season's championship.
Despite technical director Bob Bell believing the R29 moved closer to the ultimate pace two weeks ago in Spain, team boss Flavio Briatore said this week that he expects Brawn to cruise to the titles.
Most analysts agree that a leading factor in Brawn's incredible leap in performance this year was the early decision to scrap the 2008 car and focus on the BGP001.
Alonso, 27, was asked by the Spanish press this week if he thinks Renault should now do a similar thing, given that Briatore believes the 2009 titles are lost.
"That is a decision of the team, but personally I am in favor of working until the last moments (of the season) and trying to improve," the Spaniard, who is linked with a move to Ferrari in the future, answered.
"Looking back to Renault's experience of 2007, the project was stopped very early in June in order to have a guarantee of success with the new (2008) car, and it didn't work out," added Alonso.
He said: "Next year will come and there is enough time (to prepare)."
F1 soccer team plays in Monaco
(GMM) On Tuesday evening, the formula one drivers' football team played its traditional pre-Monaco grand prix charity match.
With proceeds to a children's charity, the game was held at the Stade Louis II stadium, located in Monte Carlo's Fontvieille district.
In the familiar black and white checkered flag-style strip for the Nazionale Piloti were players including Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Giancarlo Fisichella, Sebastien Bourdais, Jarno Trulli and Nico Rosberg.
They were up against a Monegasque team represented by Prince Albert.