Formula One 2011

[Lineker]

All I can think of it being down to his past ties with Kolles. Weird one though, at least we get more Chandhok on the BBC though!

[Katsuya]

Well since they're getting rid of Legard and putting DC in his place, I'd argue that you could throw Karun on to the BBC main show and all will be good in those stakes >_>. I'd still love it if he managed to get in to Toro Rosso, he tested for Red Bull at least and lord knows Buemi's not going to be getting anywhere.

[Fry_4000]

Karthikeyan. thats just one step away from bringing back Yuji Ide

[Lineker]

Nah, Toro Rosso will stay as they are until mid-season when the weaker performer will be dropped for Daniel Ricciardo.

BBC dropped Legard? I had no idea.

[Katsuya]

Karthikeyan. thats just one step away from bringing back Yuji Ide

Actually, I'd argue that HRT chose the middle man halfway through last season and went for Yamamato >_>

[Katsuya]

Brazilian Bruno Senna's Formula One career appeared to have stalled on Friday when the HRT team ruled him out of the running for their second race seat this season.

"I can definitely say that Mr Bruno Senna is not going to race for HRT. 100 percent not," team principal Colin Kolles told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Senna, nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton, made his debut for newcomers HRT last year without scoring a point.

The team announced on Friday they had signed Indian Narain Karthikeyan, who last raced for Jordan in 2005, as one of their 2011 drivers.

The only remaining vacancies, apart from the second HRT seat, are now at Force India - who are expected to opt for Germany's Adrian Sutil and Scot Paul di Resta.

However Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi and Germany's Nico Hulkenberg are also under consideration.

The decision to sign Karthikeyan, 33, also dashed the immediate hopes of compatriot Karun Chandhok who started 10 races for HRT last year before being replaced by better-funded drivers at the Spanish-owned outfit.

Kolles said Austrian Christian Klien and Japan's Sakon Yamamoto, who both raced for HRT last year, remained in the frame along with others.

"There are a few drivers we are talking about," he said, without giving any names.

Colour me confused then, I was pretty sure they were going to keep Bruno. I'm not that unhappy though, he was pretty dire and got outraced by everyone other than Yamamato from what I recall. Klien might be a good shout, but why do I have the feeling more and more that they're going to give de la Rosa the race seat too...

Also interesting to see they said that the only seats left were at Force India, so either Toro Rosso are just keeping things quiet or they forgot about that. Seems like Buemi and Alguesuari have those seats locked up though. The rumour going round about Force India, meanwhile, is that it'll be Sutil and di Resta with Hulk as the reserve driver.

[Lineker]

No shock there, it's a known fact that they're holding out for an experienced driver to partner Karthikeyan, I suspect Liuzzi will end up there should di Resta get the second Force India seat.

[Katsuya]

The question would be if they could afford someone like Liuzzi, I'd have thought. The impression de la Rosa was giving was that they wanted people to provide money to the team through sponsorship to be able to drive there and I can't imagine that Tonio brings a whole load in. Presumably also the reason Hulkenburg's not going there (although that's probably also due to the fact that he doesn't deserve to have to drive the Hispania, even if they'll probably be more competitive than Virgin this year).

[Lineker]

Depends on who else is available really. I think it'll end up as a toss-up between him, Klien, and Yamamoto but as long as Karthikeyan pulls in enough sponsorship money (which he may well do, being an Indian set to drive at the premier Indian GP is a lucrative prospect) I think that Liuzzi will edge it.

[Katsuya]

Which is something I don't really understand. Klien's always been so painfully underrated and underused in my opinion, he held his own pretty well against Webber in his first season in the Jaguar (by no means a good car to make your debut in) and he outperformed Liuzzi in 2005 when they were meant to share the race seat at Red Bull. It was only really that unfortunate 2006 that's caused him problems I guess so far in his career.

I've always liked Tonio but he's never really showed enough consistency I guess.

[Lineker]

Karun Chandhok has explained how he turned down an offer from Hispania Racing for the 2011 season, with fellow Indian countryman Narain Karthikeyan having been confirmed by the Spanish outfit earlier today.

Chandhok drove with the Murcia-based squad for its first ten Grands Prix last season, Bahrain in March up to Great Britain in July, although the Mumbai man has explained that rejoining the team would not be a logical decision for 2011.

“Narain's return is good as Indian F1 fans will see at least one of our own drivers featuring in the inaugural Delhi race,” Chandhok told the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).

“I had the offer from them but I turned it down because it would not have served my purpose in the long run. Racing for the team in the first year made sense, but now I am looking at a team that could fetch me points.”

When asked about his own Formula 1 future, Chandhok replied:

“I have zeroed in on two teams but I wouldn't like to reveal the names until I finalise the deal, which might come through in a couple of weeks.”

Here's an interesting little article James Allen just tweeted on about the changes going on behind the scenes at Force India:

The Force India team has yet to decide who will drive its cars, but behind the scenes the team has made some changes to the engineering management.

Dominic Harlow becomes Head of Circuit Engineering, a role which is similar in scope to that of Pat Fry in the new Ferrari set-up. In addition to his role in charge of engineering operations at the races, he takes an overview role on the design and development side. Meanwhile Andy Green moves into the technical director’s chair, replacing Mark Smith, who will soon leave the team to join his mentor Mike Gascoyne at Lotus. Smith had taken the TD role on from James Key, who left Force India for Sauber last Spring.

Photo: Darren Heath

One of the first decisions of the new management team was to take the 2010 car to the first test in Valencia on February 1 and delay the launch of the new car to the second test at Jerez. The thinking behind this is to give the new car longer in the wind tunnel but also to get some solid data on the latest Pirelli tyres using a well sorted reliable car, which will be able to cover a high mileage. Pirelli is bringing a wide range of tyres to the test, rather than the four basic compounds Bridgestone brought last year, so there is much to be gained from running lots of laps and collecting data.

Force India used a similar tactic last season and it paid off for them, as they scored 43 points in the first ten races. “It works for us,” said Harlow. “If you look at last year we are quick from concept to reality because of our size we can gain a good chunk of time by developing early in the year.”

Inevitably the better funded teams outdevelop them as the year goes on because their resources stretch to racing and developing at the same time.

There is also another benefit in that with many teams launching on January 31st, the smaller teams get drowned out and don’t get much airplay. By launching later there will be more attention on the car.

Last year Force India finished seventh in the constructors’ championship, just pipped at the final race by Williams.

[Katsuya]

Hm. A bit odd that Chandhok turned them down to be honest, unless we're going to see a shock somewhere with the "two teams" he mentioned as him targetting. I'll still hold out hope he's going to Toro Rosso then.

Plus, I can sort of get why Force India are doing that but to be honest, the reason they scored so many points early on in the year was based on the unreliability of some of the other cars. Red Bull had problems, Williams were just plain slow (but that was hardly a budget battle between the two) and Sauber's early season was just a mess. Force India didn't get outspent, they just didn't go anywhere.

[Lineker]

Chandhok and Senna both confirming tht they're looking towards test roles for this season, no shock there.

McLaren is set to use an interim car for the first Formula 1 test of 2011 at Valencia, AUTOSPORT understands, after announcing on Friday that its launch will be held in Berlin on February 4.

The first official test of the year takes place at Valencia from February 1-3, but McLaren will not unveil its new MP4-26 until the day after that test finishes.

AUTOSPORT understands that the launch is not simply a colour-scheme unveiling - but will be the actual first public appearance of the new car.

McLaren has declined to comment on its intentions for the first test at Valencia, but sources suggest the team is looking at using an updated version of the MP4-25 for the test - rather than its 2011 model.

It is understood that the car that will run at Valencia will likely be a modified hybrid of the current MP4-25, but fitted with aerodynamic developments and updates from the 2011 car.

Such a move would allow the team a few extra days of development time in the wind tunnel. Using a well-known platform will also ensure that McLaren should be able to complete plenty of mileage to gain data on how Pirelli's 2011 rubber interacts with the cars.

Tim Goss, chief engineer of McLaren's 2010 car, told AUTOSPORT last month that the outfit was upbeat about the progress being made with the new car.

"It's looking very good," Goss said. "We can't say much about it at the moment, but Doug [McKiernan, chief aerodynamicist] and his team have done a great job of creating the aerodynamic platform for the car, and it is looking good."

McLaren is not the only team that is choosing not to run its 2011 car in Valencia - with Force India, Virgin Racing and HRT all having so far confirmed that they will only run 2010 models for the first test.

World champion Red Bull Racing, which missed the first test last year, is making a big push to get its car ready for Valencia so it can understand better how the Pirellis work on the actual 2011 challenger.

[Katsuya]

McLaren and Ferrari are having a go at Red Bull again, saying that they overspent/overdeveloped last year. It's getting a bit pathetic that their idea of trying to beat Red Bull has so far been "complain and whine". Thankfully, the FIA appear to be deciding the same thing considering they've never found Red Bull guilty over anything.

[Lineker]

Red Bull Racing has played down speculation that Sebastian Vettel will be lured to Ferrari in the next few years - insisting the world champion would be 'stupid' to go up against Fernando Alonso at Maranello.

Vettel's deal with Red Bull runs until the end of 2012 and his team chiefs have been making moves to try to tie him down for another three years.

But that has not stopped talk that Vettel may be tempted by the prospect of being a part of the historic Ferrari name - and Alonso himself has said he would have no problem racing alongside the German.

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko sees things very differently, however, and reckons Vettel is too 'smart' to jump ship just because of a team name.

"It is a natural thing that a racing driver dreams of Ferrari, and Ferrari looks at a great driver like Sebastian," Marko said in an interview with German newspaper Bild. "But just for the legend of Ferrari, Sebastian will not leave us.

"He is smart enough to know that the circumstances would have to be right. He is not going to change as long as Fernando Alonso is still there – otherwise he would be stupid."

Marko believes Red Bull has all the ingredients it needs to ensure it can keep Vettel for as long as possible.

"We are the world championship winning team," he explained. "While we offer Sebastian a package that is better than the others, he is not going to go elsewhere just because of someone's image."

Marko is also confident Vettel can become the first man since Alonso in 2005-06 to successfully defend a world championship title.

"Last year Sebastian lost 66 points because of mechanical problems," he said. "These points were virtually all given to Fernando Alonso. If we can overcome those problems and not have bad luck, then we will defend the title.

"Then there is Sebastian himself – the world champion. He is a year more mature and is fully back on track."

Yeah, McLaren & Ferrari should shut up with their bitching about 2010 and focus on their 2011 cars!!

HRT has confirmed that it is no longer a part of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) - after claiming the organisation only serves the interests of the leading outfits.

Despite ongoing discussions about framing a new Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) to keep costs in F1 under control and aid the smaller teams, HRT reckons there is no benefit to it being a part of FOTA.

The exact circumstances of its departure are unclear, however. Sources suggest that back in December, HRT was suspended from the organisation because it had not paid its €100,000 yearly fee.

FOTA secretary general Simone Perillo said about the situation: "I can confirm that the Hispania Racing F1 Team did not fulfil its 2010 FOTA membership fee obligations."

However, team principal Colin Kolles insists that by the time HRT was suspended it had already decided to leave because it could not see the point in remaining a member.

"The truth is we left because FOTA defends only the interests of the big teams," Kolles told Gazzetta dello Sport about the background to HRT's decision.

"For example, it doesn't divide the extra points revenues in equal parts as planned. The difference in TV rights revenues seems excessive between 10th place, which gets $36 million, and 11th which gets $10 million. So why should the entry fee be equal for everyone?"

[Lineker]

Martin Brundle will become BBC's new lead Formula 1 commentator this year, it has been announced, following a shake-up of the coverage plans for 2011.

Just hours after former commentator Jonathan Legard announced he would no longer be a part of the BBC team for this year, the corporation confirmed that Brundle would be stepping up to the lead role - with David Coulthard joining him as a co-commentator.

Brundle, who retired from F1 at the end of 1997, has forged a successful career as a broadcaster but this will be his first time as the main commentator.

Speaking about his new role, Brundle said: "I'm absolutely delighted and very motivated that BBC Sport has asked me to become the lead Formula 1 commentator alongside David Coulthard.

"We have been friends, rivals and colleagues for 18 years and combined we have driven in more than 400 F1 Grands Prix and attended over 700. I've never felt more passionate about Formula 1 and I can't wait to get started."

Coulthard is embarking on his third season with the BBC, having retired from F1 at the end of 2008. Although he is stepping up to the commentary box, he will continue to provide his expert analysis for both pre-race build-up and post-race shows.

"I'm very excited to be joining forces with Martin in this new role of co-commentator," said Coulthard. "F1 is all about challenging yourself and this will be a big challenge for me, but one that I am looking forward to. There is a great team on the BBC F1 show and we're looking forward to the year ahead and to bringing something new to our loyal viewers."

The BBC's decision to put two former racing drivers into the commentary box is viewed in some quarters as controversial - as it breaks away from the traditional set-up of using drivers only for expert analysis.

However, Ben Gallop, the BBC's Head of F1, thinks that Brundle's vast experience and his strong relationship with Coulthard, will prove to be a winner for fans.

"We're always looking for ways to take our Formula 1 coverage to another level - and for 2011 we have an exciting new combination in the commentary box," he said. "We're keen to make the most of Martin Brundle's wealth of broadcasting experience and his popularity with the audience by giving him the role of lead commentator and putting him alongside David Coulthard, one of the biggest names in British motorsport and a skilled race analyst.

"We want to tap into their combined on-track expertise - together they will provide our viewers with more immediate discussion, analysis and debate as the action happens. The results of screen tests have been very impressive and we are convinced this combination will deliver a fantastic commentary for our audience for what promises to be a thrilling 2011 season."

Gallop also paid tribute to former commentator Legard, who earned tremendous respect in the F1 paddock but whose commentary divided the opinion of fans.

"The change of direction we are taking unfortunately means there is no place for Jonathan Legard in our commentary set-up," added Gallop.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for his great work over the last two seasons. He is a first-rate journalist and broadcaster who has been a core member of our team, helping to re-establish BBC Sport as the nation's F1 broadcaster. We wish him all the very best for the future."

Great, F1 weekends now become the Coulthard Show... Legard was by no means the best but I could tolerate him. Ugh.

[Adam]

I'm lookng forward to seeing if this works. I like DC, I like Brundle. Legard was awful.

[Katsuya]

Yeah, the less Legard the better. Meanwhile, HRT is sounding more and more like a bad case of Arrows in their final year. They're now saying that Chandhok didn't bring in sponsorship money he said he would and that he was never in the frame for a 2011 spot, so someone's telling lies. I'm more likely to believe Chandhok, to be honest.

[Lineker]

Ferrari will be the first team to unveil its 2011 car; in Maranello on January 28. Domenicali has already had a pop about the new rear-wing rules in regard to boosting overtaking.

Formula 1's move to true high definition television coverage in 2011 has been officially confirmed by the sport's broadcast chiefs, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

Amid intense speculation over the last 24 hours about F1 television plans for this year, after Sky Germany announced that it was going to broadcast in HD, Formula One Management has now affirmed that all channels that have a deal to show the sport will be given an HD feed.

After detailed investigations over the winter into whether it can deliver a proper HD service, plus checks that new equipment that it has brought in will be ready on time, AUTOSPORT has learned that FOM informed broadcasters on Tuesday that it was going ahead with 'native' HD coverage.

FOM has invested in equipment that is good enough to ensure that it can download the data to broadcasters at a high quality rate of 42MB of data per second - and the broadcast will be in 1080i resolution.

All trackside cameras will be full HD, but due to the technical complexity of on-board cameras these will remain upscaled standard definition cameras for now.

Several broadcasters have already confirmed their plans to show true HD coverage in 2011 - including Sky Germany and Globo in Brazil - with other channels set to follow suit immediately.

AUTOSPORT understands the BBC is almost certain to show the high definition coverage on its HD channel, and then downscale the signal so it is suitable for its terrestrial channels.

The British broadcaster has so far not made public its broadcast plans for this year, however, but says announcements about what it intends to do will be made in the next few weeks.

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said last year that the move to HD coverage would only come when broadcasters felt the public were really ready to receive it, and that he could guarantee the quality would be good enough.

"We don't want to broadcast unless people want it," Ecclestone told AUTOSPORT at the Canadian Grand Prix. "I asked in England, the BBC, about it - how many people can receive it? They said about 20 per cent of the viewers who watch F1. Then I want to make sure that what we produce is top quality."

The BBC has announced that it will broadcast the 2011 Formula 1 season in high definition in the UK.

The news comes following the confirmation by Formula One Management (FOM) that all broadcasters will receive an high definition feed from this year.

As revealed by AUTOSPORT earlier today, FOM officially confirmed true HD coverage starting in 2011.

"Along with many, many HD viewers, I'm delighted that we'll have a chance next season to see Formula 1 in all its glory on television," said Danielle Nagler, Head of BBC HD and 3D.

"It's fantastic news that FOM has decided to green light HD broadcasts, and we're looking forward to sharing with the fans all the races in all their detail on BBC One HD and BBC HD."

The BBC also confirmed that former team boss Eddie Jordan will continue to be part of its commentary team, in an expanded role as primary analyst.

"It's fantastic that Eddie is rejoining the team, and this year in a more expanded role," said Ben Gallop, BBC Head of F1. "He's such a core character with his outspoken views, unrivalled contacts in the sport and his ability to unearth the stories from the paddock.

"We're also delighted to be broadcasting in HD, something we know fans have been waiting for and it will really add something extra to our coverage for 2011."

The only remaining non-HD stuff now is going to be the on-board camera's as that is just too complex right now.

[Lineker]

Long post here so I'll spoiler tag it up:

Russian GP facing possible delay over clash with Sochi 2014 Winter Games

Russia's inaugural Formula 1 race planned for Sochi in 2014 could be delayed if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) feels it will hamper preparations for its own winter games that year.

Although Russian GP organisers stated at the end of last year that the 2014 Winter Olympics would not interfere with their preparations, the IOC has made it clear that it has the power to delay the race if it wants to.

Speaking to the media after receiving an update on Sochi's Olympic preparations, IOC executive director Gilbert Felli said that if there was any danger of the F1 event impacting on his games then he would force a postponement.

"It is good to have the F1 grand prix in Russia and Sochi," he was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. "However, we do not want the facility built for the grand prix to put construction or preparation for the games at risk.

"When we learned the GP could be organised in 2014 we wanted to know if it is an issue. In the contract they [Russian race organisers] signed there is an escape that if the IOC decides it is not feasible then it could be rescheduled in 2015."

When asked who would decide if the F1 race was to be postponed, he said: "It is the IOC."

Russia announced a seven-year deal to host the grand prix from 2014 towards the end of last year, with the country having long been linked with hosting an F1 race.

McLaren defend their decision to launch their car late and say that it was always planned that way

McLaren insists that its decision to not take its new car to the first test of the season gives it the best chance possible to win the world championship this year.

As AUTOSPORT exclusively revealed last week, the Woking-based outfit will be the only frontrunner that will not take its definite 2011 machine to the first test in Valencia.

Instead, the team will take an interim version of last year's MP4-25 - fitted with updated 2011 parts - for that first run before the launch of the new car in Berlin on February 4.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says that the decision to skip the first test with the new car is not because his outfit's plans are late – but instead is tactical.

"The MP4-26 is on schedule and will be launched on February 4, after which it will go through the normal testing processes," Whitmarsh told the official Formula 1 website.

"We feel that timetable is optimal with regard to providing Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton with the best possible package for the first race in Bahrain."

One of the benefits of missing the first test will be that rival teams will not have a chance to see close up McLaren's interpretations of the new F1 regulations until the second test in Jerez – which will give them less chance to copy any unique concepts that may feature on the car.

And a year after bringing the F-duct into F1, Whitmarsh has hinted about further innovation on its MP4-26.

"There are new regulations for 2011 - and the MP4-26 will not only adhere to them but it will also sport a few fresh design features in response to the opportunities presented by those new regulations," said Whitmarsh. "So, yes, there will be some new elements, but as you can imagine I'm not prepared to add more detail at the moment."

He added: "Our mission is to win, and winning five grands prix and coming second in the constructors' championship doesn't constitute enough of a win for us. It goes without saying that this year we aim to do better.

"As ever, it's impossible to make firm predictions, but we think we're on course to be competitive. Having said that, we never underestimate our opposition and we're sure they're working every bit as hard as we are."

McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe says the team had always intended to wait until after the first 2011 test before launching its new car, and is not behind schedule.

The McLaren-Mercedes MP4-26 will not be revealed until a Berlin event on 4 February, the day after the first winter test at Valencia ends.

While all the other frontrunners - including Red Bull, which has launched late in recent years - will run 2011 machines at Valencia, Lowe said McLaren preferred to get a benchmark with the new Pirelli tyres on its 2010 car first.

"It's always been in our plans to launch it after the first test," he said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in.

"One of the reasons was that we wanted to make use of the first test to work with the new car as a stable and known platform while we understood the new tyres. It also gave us a bit more time in the programme for the new car.

"So it's always been planned that way. It's just a plan we arrived at and one we considered optimal in race preparation overall."

Lowe revealed that the car used at Valencia would be largely a 2010 model rather than an interim machine.

"It's a relatively standard 2010 chassis," he said. "We have a number of development items on it, but nothing substantial in terms of elements of the 2011 package."

He acknowledged that McLaren was taking a risk by opting for a different testing strategy to all its main rivals.

"It's always a bit of a balancing act between how much mileage you're going to cover from the reliability point of view and a set-up point of view working with the new car," said Lowe.

"Then you're trading against development time in the lab and the windtunnel and in the office.

"In terms of reliability impact, more and more work is now done in the lab, typically on the dynamometer, to prove out the major mechanical systems on the car. So we're more confident these days that we can hit the ground running with a reliable package without needing to do thousands and thousands of kilometres on the track.

"You always do learn something from the mileage, but it's a trade. I hope we're not proven wrong in that respect, but we're reasonably confident that we can get the reliability that we need from those three tests."

Renault team boss Eric Boullier speculated that McLaren's late launch might be because the squad was perfecting a surprise innovation such as the F-duct, which it pioneered last winter.

"You never know the reasons behind it. It is obviously a strange decision, it could be a strategic decision as well," Boullier told AUTOSPORT.

"They have maybe tried to bring some very funny new systems, like they did, last year and they maybe need more time to manufacture them."

Alonso identifies Schumacher as his main threat in 2011

Fernando Alonso sees Michael Schumacher as his main rival ahead of the start of the 2011 season, despite the German's disappointing 2010 campaign.

Schumacher returned to racing last season after an absence of three years, but was overshadowed by Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg as the German car did not prove competitive enough to fight near the top.

Despite that, Alonso reckons Schumacher is still a big threat and believes he will fight for wins if his car is competitive.

"There will be five world champions on the track and the most dangerous champion for me is always Michael," Alonso told reporters during Ferrari's winter retreat at Madonna di Campiglio on Thursday.

"Now in January if I have to choose one name I have to say Michael. He is seven-time champion, he has nothing to prove. He had a difficult season but he is still a champion.

"He is still super class and if the car is right he will be a contender," the Spaniard added.

The Spanish driver, who finished as runner-up to Sebastian Vettel in last year's championship, believes the Red Bull driver will be stronger this season.

But Alonso is hoping his main opponent will be his team-mate Felipe Massa thanks to Ferrari producing a car that is better that its rivals'.

"Hopefully our car is better than the others and my toughest rival next year is Felipe," Alonso added.

"No doubt Sebastian will be a contender. He will have experience and will be calm in certain moments. He will drive better than last year and that makes him dangerous to us. McLaren will also be one of the favourites."

Virgin looking for a 'big' 2011

Virgin Racing is predicting a 'very big' step forward from its 2011 car as it ramps up preparations for its second season in Formula 1.

Having made solid progress during 2010 from a far from easy start to its time in F1, thanks to front wing and fuel tank issues, the team is upbeat that it will do much better this time around.

As AUTOSPORT first revealed, Virgin Racing confirmed on Thursday that it is doubling its CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) capacity for 2011 after strengthening its relationship with IT services company CSC.

And technical director Nick Wirth reckons the knowledge gained during its debut season, allied to the extra computing power, will pay dividends this year.

Virgin predicts 'very big step forward'"We see gain upon gain coming," he said on the main stage at the AUTOSPORT International Show on Thursday. "The increased productivity and throughput is amazing - and the new car is a very big step forward from the 2010 car.

"We are excited about putting these new things to use on the car, and we have tried to learn from all our lessons last year to bring it all together.

"I think it is going to be a very interesting season. We have new tyres, new rules, and a moveable rear wing. No-one knows how that [the wing] will work on the racing, but it will have an enormous effect on how the engines are used.

"There are a whole range of things that will be different this year, and we want to make a step forward up the grid to show what we can do."

With the new CFD facility due for completion in the next few weeks, Wirth believes his team will be unmatched in terms of how much it uses computer simulation to design its 2011 car.

"With the way F1 is governed, there is a limit to how much you can do [of either wind tunnel work or CFD]," he said.

"Teams like McLaren and Red Bull Racing will use a wind tunnel and a bit of CFD, but when we understood our [CFD] quota we realised we needed to make a huge step forward and use all of our possible aerodynamic development [allowance].

"We formed a fantastic relationship with CSC, which has helped us install a new computer system in our technology centre in Banbury, and it means we will be the first team to go to the limit of aero testing only in CFD. In 2011 we will be doing more CFD than any other team on the grid - and I can say that because I know that if we did one day of wind tunnel testing then we would be breaking the rules."

Virgin Racing's CEO Graeme Lowdon added: "It's great to no longer to be a new team, as we are going into our second season now.

"2010 was very much about getting established in a very short time, to get the team put in place, and we are very excited about 2011.

"We follow a different path to the other teams. We're focused on new technology and using the processes Nick has pioneered. We're very excited about moving into 2011 and making use of that."

Rome's hopes of holding a race further dented

Rome's hopes of hosting a Formula 1 grand prix faded on Thursday after the city's mayor admitted he had been told Italy can't have two races.

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone sent a letter to Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno saying Italy would have to host just one race per year, either at Monza or Rome.

Rome was hoping to join the calendar alongside Monza, the historic circuit that has hosted F1 since the start of the championship in the 1950s.

Alemanno made it clear that Rome would end its project if it meant having to choose between the city and Monza.

"In the last letter sent by Bernie Ecclestone, it is obvious that on his part Rome hasn't been rejected whatsoever, but there is the decision to grant Italy just one grand prix: either at Monza or Rome, or in both cities but in alternated seasons," Alemanno was quoted as saying by Repubblica.

"This decision is new, and comes after a long period of time where the FOM president reasserted, to me personally as well, his will to stage two grands prix in Italy, a national one in Monza and a special one in Rome.

"The new agreements, which see Ecclestone renewing the contracts with the F1 circuits, have moved the teams to ask for a limit in the number of races to be held at both national and international level.

"In light of this turning point, it's obvious that more thinking is needed over the Rome GP project. In fact, we have always maintained that if it came down to a choice between Rome and Monza, we would have taken a step back.

"Next week, after the municipality's presentation, we will hold a press conference where we'll make our decisions formal and we'll present the results of a survey, demanded by the citizens committees, over the popularity of the race project."

Lotus Renault to switch from a French license to a British one

The Renault team is to switch to a British racing licence this season on the back of its tie-up with car manufacturer Lotus, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

The Enstone-based outfit has raced as a French outfit for the past few seasons, but with Lotus now playing a central part in its future plans it is to switch its official team nationality before the start of the season.

The move means that if Renault is successful in its ambitions to win a race then the British national anthem will be played for the winning constructor.

Renault team principal Eric Boullier said the change of licence was important not only because of the Lotus tie-up but because of what it meant to the Enstone staff.

"Lotus is an English manufacturer," he told AUTOSPORT after the unveiling of the 2011 Renault colour scheme at the AUTOSPORT International Show. "I have not announced this before, but we will be running under a British licence now.

"It means that if we win, we will play the British national anthem - and that is important for everybody inside the team. We are rebranding everything inside the company now."

The final version of the team's 2011 colour scheme revealed in Birmingham had some minor tweaks from the original impression released last year – including the removal of the small Union Jack flags from the nose.

When asked about why the flags had been removed, Boullier said: "It was nothing major. We wanted to make the announcement with the Union Jack, but clearly we have some French sponsors as well so we had to take consideration of everyone together."

& Boullier is targeting wins in 2011

Renault boss Eric Boullier says his team's sights are set on winning races again this year, as he unveiled its new black-and-gold colour scheme at the AUTOSPORT International Show on Thursday.

On the back of a tie-up with Group Lotus, Boullier believes that his Enstone-based outfit now has the resources, motivation and ability to lift itself into contention for victories in 2011.

"We want to win with this car," Boullier told AUTOSPORT in Birmingham. "To win you need to be a regular podium finisher - and then you will win – and that is our target.

"My ambition has always been to establish this team as a top team. I want us to be recognised as a top team like Ferrari or McLaren."

As well as the increase in resources that the team has available to it on the back of its sponsorship link with Group Lotus, Boullier thinks that the extra experience that he carries – plus the return of a belief inside the team – will pay dividends in 2011.

"I look much less stressed now," he said when asked about the differences that he feels 12 months into his job. "Let's say now, I have the impression that I fit in, and for me it is much easier to fit in. I can do many more things.

"At the team now there is a very, very good ambiance at the team, a very good spirit, and it is clearly a reward for them because of the hard work last year.

"We had some good success, in terms of the development rate and development targets, and to have a commitment for so many years from a title sponsor, and a complete rebranding, is just a reward.

"I am very happy to be a part of this - and they [the team] must be very proud of what they have achieved at Enstone.

"The team itself is really committed. The team is smiling again and very happy to be back at work. When you have the means to achieve your ambitions, and the resources to get there, that definitely changes your life.

"And we definitely will be much stronger, and the results will bring much more hope and expectation.

Boullier also said that all thoughts on the naming row that has overshadowed Group Lotus' entry into F1 with Renault have been put to the back of his mind – as he is simply overjoyed with the support his team is getting.

"I am pretty happy to be here," he said on the Group Lotus stage. "I have to say, to have Clive Chapman here is a good sign, I must say. Definitely we are representing Lotus Cars – and we don't claim any heritage or anything. We are the F1 vision of Lotus. It is good to have a Chapman family member here.

"The strategy of Group Lotus was to licence the F1 entry. For reasons that they decided on their own, they decided to change their strategy and to stick with us. That is it. There is only one Lotus manufacturer in the world and they have asked us to represent them in F1. That is the end of the story."

Whitmarsh says FOTA is still strong following the withdrawal of HRT

The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) remains strong and united in its efforts to improve the sport, despite suggestions the body is split over cost restriction moves and helping smaller teams.

That is the view of McLaren team principal and FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh, who has made it clear that HRT no longer being a member, plus ongoing friction about the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA), are not signs of growing rifts within the organisation.

HRT revealed earlier this week that it was no longer a part of FOTA after suggesting that the body only existed to help larger outfits. FOTA has claimed, however, that HRT's departure came after it did not pay its subscription fees for the year.

Reacting to the HRT situation, Whitmarsh said that HRT's departure was straightforward to explain - and he disputed claims that FOTA was not there to help all teams.

"HRT failed to fulfil its membership fee obligations," he told AUTOSPORT. "It's as simple as that.

"I've read reports in the media that some HRT personnel have claimed that FOTA disfavours smaller teams. I'd take issue with that, and draw your readers' attention to comments made only this week by Tony Fernandes, himself of a smaller team, which are a ringing endorsement of the importance and value of FOTA membership."

Fernandes, the Team Lotus boss, wrote on his Twitter feed after HRT's announcement that he was fully behind FOTA.

Looking to the future, Whitmarsh has said that FOTA continues to be a solid organisation, and that any disagreements that do exist can be resolved.

"Going forward, I think that FOTA has and will continue to have a very important role to play in the crucial and continuing process of keeping our sport safe, relevant, environmentally sustainable, attractive to traditional and new media alike, and above all fan-friendly," he said.

"Furthermore, I feel very confident that we'll succeed in achieving those goals, working alongside FOM and the FIA, who share those ambitions.

"Formula 1 really is a great sport, and all the members of FOTA are more than capable of reconciling their mutual competitiveness with their mutual desire to see Formula 1 thrive."

Whitmarsh's belief that FOTA can move forward has been backed by Renault team principal Eric Boullier – who reckons that current disagreements regarding the RRA can get sorted.

"It is hard work from FOTA and clearly Martin has been supporting us a lot, and we support this idea of this concept," Boullier told AUTOSPORT.

"There is still some resistance, and we need to find out why, but we have signed an agreement which is binding. We just need to go to the end of the process."

When asked if he shared the suspicion of some teams that at least one outfit may have broken the RRA in 2010, Boullier said: "We always have respected the RRA limits that have been put in place.

"Yes, I have concerns that some of them have not respected this but I believe FOTA has the capability to find out if there were some problems. Obviously there is an auditing system so we will know soon what is right and what is wrong."

McLaren refute Ferrari claims that the new rear wing rules won't work

McLaren engineering director Paddy Lowe is confident that the FIA will get a full grip of the moveable rear wing rules in 2011 to ensure the concept works well for the sport.

Although there has been some concern expressed that the new wing idea will fail - either by not improving overtaking or making passing too easy so it is no longer exciting – Lowe is more upbeat about the plans.

Speaking on a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in, Lowe said he believed the rear wing design would work better than the failed front wing concept.

"Yes, I certainly do - it has a lot more leverage," he said. "On the front wing adjustment, that was introduced along with the OWG (Overtaking Working Group) regulations in 2009, and it was really only intended as a mild adjustment in order for the driver to trim the balance of the car when in the wake and attempting to overtake another car.

"I was a member of the OWG and we actually put it in there as an insurance policy as we were all a bit worried that we'd got it wrong and the car would be very unbalanced in the wake and possibly have oversteer.

"As it turned out, nobody really used the front wing for that purpose at all. So we all agreed last year that we would get rid of it in the interests of simplicity and cost saving. It will add a bit more of a challenge in the race in terms of balance because now we will have to make any front wing adjustments in the pit stops."

Although teams have a lot of work to do pre-season to tweak the rear wing regulations, and the FIA has to sort sporting rules out for their implementation, Lowe was confident it would not take too long to get the tweaks right.

"The one control that the FIA have is that at each race circuit they can set the deployment point on the straight at which you're allowed to press the button - for instance you might be allowed to press it for the last 300 metres of the straight to the braking point," he said.

"The FIA have it in their power to limit the situation so that the authority of the system is making sense, and that may take one or two races to settle down. But they can lengthen or shorten that amount of straight on a race by race basis. So I think that will give some ability to make the thing work in the way that we intended."

Fernando Alonso is equally upbeat that the concept should work – since so much research has been conducted into it – but thinks there are some concerns to be had about the number of buttons that drivers will be required to push in 2011 thanks to the wings and the return of KERS.

"They are all ideas from the Technical Working Group, from people that have been working for the show, for the results, for the overtaking for a long time," said Alonso during Ferrari's media Wrooom event in Italy.

"I think they came out with this solution, which is unknown for everybody at the moment, because we never test something like that, so I think it will work.

"If after big research of new solutions they came out with this, it is because of simulations, and all the work they do, this is [from] some positive results. So I am confident that it will work, the only difficulty, as you said, will be buttons on the steering wheel and a very short time you have to make some decisions, to react to buttons and still drive the car.

"So in some of the cases in wet races, poor visibility, things like that, we need to check. For sure, innovations, new things in Formula 1, are always welcome. This is one of those – if everything remains as last year, we know our difficulties, our problems. As I said, all the changes are meant to improve the Formula 1 sport, the Formula 1 show, so I think at the moment, without trying, we need to be very open and very positive."

Lots of news today due to the annual Autosport International conference. Can't wait for the cars to begin to be launched in the next few weeks now!