Formula One 2013

[Lineker]

The Indian Grand Prix has been dropped from next year's Formula 1 calendar - but is set to return at the start of 2015. Track owners want to move the race to a March slot to fit in with other flyaway events – and they believe that having two races within the space of six months does not make sense. The ditching of the Indian GP clears the way for Ecclestone to slot in the Russian Grand Prix in October next year.

Lotus's hopes of convincing Kimi Raikkonen to stay next year are set for a boost later this week, with the team hoping to finalise its investment deal with Infinity Racing. The Enstone-based outfit announced recently that the group of investors were to buy a 35% stake in the team to help provide a much more secure financial setup. Such a deal would not only give the team the foundations it needed to shore up its technical progress, but would guarantee the stability that Raikkonen has been looking for. Although there have been doubts about the Infinity Racing deal coming off after team owner Gerard Lopez revealed recently that things had not progressed as fast as he hoped, AUTOSPORT has learned that matters moved forward significantly last weekend. Key figures from Infinity Racing held talks with Lotus chiefs, and their presence at the Hungarian GP was viewed as a positive signal that the deal was back on course. Team principal Eric Boullier hopes that matters will be finalised in the next few days.

[Lineker]

Brilliant Russia, just brilliant.

Russia has missed the deadline to submit its application to the FIA to hold a Formula 1 race in 2014.

Although work is ongoing at the Sochi venue, and organisers announced last week that they had pencilled in an October 19 date, doubts have been cast on the event amid a dispute they are having with the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF).

According to correspondence distributed by the RAF on Tuesday, it had until July 31 to formally submit to motor racing's governing body an official application for its country to host the Formula 1 race next year.

But the RAF refused to lodge the necessary paperwork by that date because of financial disputes between itself and Sochi's promoters.

The only avenue left open for the Russian GP now is if the RAF can prove that there was a 'force majeure' reason for it to miss the July 31 deadline.

A statement issued by the RAF said: "The application to the FIA for submitting the Russian Grand Prix to the 2014 Formula 1 calendar was not sent in proper time as JSC Omega (Promoter) didn't fulfil the necessary conditions.

"That is: [it] didn't sign a contract with the Russian Grand Prix organiser, didn't sign a deal for an application submission and also didn't pay a fee to the FIA for including an event on the FIA F1 calendar.

"RAF informs that it is ready to include the Russian Grand Prix on to the FIA calendar under force-majeure conditions, permissible by the FIA, as soon as the promoter fulfils all the necessary formalities."

One of the areas of dispute is of marshalling personnel at the Russian Grand Prix, with the RAF having started its own project with the FIA Institute, in partnership with Australia's CAMS, to prepare safety personnel.

It has made it clear that it wants support from the Russian GP promoters to fund this ongoing programme.

Sergey Ivanov, CEO of RAF, said: "The F1 grand prix of Sochi gave a huge boost to develop the system of staff preparation.

"Until the end of 2012, we received grants from the FIA to organise seminars as well as do other work. Now we need to continue that programme and broaden it, which requires additional funding for the RAF."

Other areas of dispute include the commercial and intellectual property rights to the grand prix, as well as the length of the contract between the RAF and the race promoters.

[Katsuya]

If Bernie wants it, it will happen. Was it New Delhi or Korea where it wasn't even finished until like two weeks before they were meant to arrive?

[Lineker]

Red Bull will announce Daniel Ricciardo as Mark Webber's replacement for the 2014 season at this weekend's Belgian GP, according to reports in Germany.

Bild newspaper, which broke the news of Toto Wolff's departure from Williams to Mercedes earlier this year, claims that Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has made the decision to promote Ricciardo from junior team Toro Rosso to partner World Champion Sebastian Vettel next season.

Although Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen was installed as the favourite to replace Webber following the Australian's announcement he would quit F1 at the end of the season, Ricciardo has impressed in recent months - particularly in qualifying - and performed creditably when he piloted the RB9 during last month's Young Driver Test, lapping just a couple of tenths shy of Vettel's fastest time.

Critically, the Toro Rosso youngster's promotion would also be an endorsement of Red Bull's Young Driver Programme, from which Vettel himself graduated before winning the first of his three World Championships.

Were Red Bull to confirm Ricciardo at Spa - the venue for a host of driver line-up announcements over the years - then it would serve to open up the driver market for 2014, with the annual merry-go-round currently in stasis awaiting the World Champions' selection.

Raikkonen is out of contract with Lotus at the end of the season and has been repeatedly linked in recent weeks with a return to Ferrari. Although the Scuderia have scoffed at the rumours, the Finn continues to be touted as a potential replacement for the struggling Felipe Massa.

[Lineker]

Kimi's manager has all but confirmed it.

Daniel Ricciardo is now set to secure the second Red Bull Formula 1 seat for 2014, with talks between the team and Kimi Raikkonen having come to an end.

Amid growing speculation that Red Bull had decided to pick Ricciardo, Raikkonen's manager Steve Robertson told AUTOSPORT on Monday that the Finn was no longer a contender to line-up alongside Sebastian Vettel next year.

Robertson confirmed the news, which first appeared in Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, that the former world champion's discussions with Red Bull had come to an end.

"It's true," said Robertson. "Kimi will not be driving for Red Bull in 2014. We held some talks, but a deal will not be happening."

Red Bull had openly admitted that its choice for Mark Webber's replacement was between Raikkonen and Ricciardo - despite being made aware in Hungary that Fernando Alonso could be available too.

Raikkonen had always been happy to stay at Lotus for 2014, but the prospect of racing for reigning champion Red Bull was given serious consideration.

The Finn's representatives opened negotiations with Red Bull, as the team weighed up whether to opt for Raikkonen's experience and guaranteed speed, or put its faith in a youngster like Ricciardo as a long term prospect.

Although Red Bull is insisting that it is not in a position yet to announce its 2014 drivers, Robertson's revelation that Raikkonen is now out of the running points to a Ricciardo deal being a formality.

An announcement about Red Bull's plans could be made as soon as this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, although the team may opt to wait for the following race in Italy.

Should Ricciardo be confirmed, he will move up to Red Bull's main team after two full seasons with its junior Toro Rosso outfit. He also competed in 11 races for HRT in 2011.

The collapse of the Red Bull talks means that Raikkonen's best option to remain in competitive machinery in 2014 is to finalise a fresh deal with Lotus.

But such a deal is not a formality, amid questions about the financial health of the team, with Raikkonen having been paid late on some occasions.

Robertson said that Lotus was just one possibility for Raikkonen as talks continued with a number of teams.

"We are pretty confident that Kimi will be in F1 next year," he explained. "There are options - and that is plural - out there and I will continue to talk to teams. I am hopeful we will sort something out in the not too distant future."

[MJB]

Can't see Kimi going back to Ferrari. Back to McLaren maybe alongside Button?

[MJB]

Can't believe that Mercedes have set their car up to be so slow in a straight line. Their top speed has only been 290kph (without DRS) while the Ferrari and Red Bull have reached well over 300kph. Seems like such a strange decision at Spa of all places.

Vettel looks to have this covered with Alonso second and Webber looks handy aswell.

EDIT: After 27 consecutive races in the points, Kimi retires.

[Lineker]

Booo, Vettel.

Mexico is poised to make a surprise return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014, after high level sources revealed that it is to be awarded a provisional slot in next year's schedule.

Although teams have not yet been given a draft calendar, AUTOSPORT understands that Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is intending to pencil in a race in Mexico City.

Sources suggest that the race, which is likely to take place as a back-to-back with Austin, is most likely to be given a provisional slot pending the completion of a commercial contract and work on the Mexico City track.

With recent plans for a race in Cancun having been dropped, Tavo Hellmund, who most recently spearheaded the United States Grand Prix at Austin, is leading efforts on the return of the Mexican GP at Mexico City.

He has been working in conjunction with Mexican businessman Alejandro Soberon. Carlos Slim Domit, who sits on the FIA Senate, is also part of the project team.

Sources with good knowledge of the situation are adamant that the Mexico City track, which last hosted a race in 1992 (pictured), can be readied in time for a return in 2014.

Speaking earlier this year, Slim said that Mexico was closing in on an F1 return.

"I believe there is potential to do more races in the Americas and I believe that Mexico is in the right spot to do it," said Slim in an interview with AUTO, the journal of the FIA.

"It's a stable country by and large, our economy is doing quite well and we have drivers people can identify with.

"All of the pieces are coming together and I believe the potential promoters are doing a good job in trying to secure something."

Mexico's addition to the calendar comes with Austria also returning, and Russia hosting its first race.

India will be dropped, while there are also doubts about Korea and New Jersey.

Lotus is planning to introduce a longer wheelbase car in time for the Italian Grand Prix. The Enstone-based team had hoped to get the revised E21 ready in time for this weekend's race in Belgium, but it failed to complete all its necessary test proofing beforehand. Sources have revealed that although the car passed all the mandatory crash tests that are required because of the scale of the revisions, there was an issue with reliability proofing for parts fatigue that meant the team did not wish to risk running it at Spa. Lotus is confident that the matter will be sorted in the next few days, which means the tweaked car should be ready to race for the first time at Monza. It is expected that the changes planned for the Italian Grand Prix will be the last major tweaks for this season, as its development focus switches onto 2014.

[MJB]

Ricciardo confirmed by Red Bull.

[Lineker]

Correct and sensible decision from RBR. Fully expect him to play second-fiddle to that dickhead Vettel though for the foreseeable future.

Force India has signed James Calado as its new reserve and test driver, after impressing during his running in July's Young Driver Test. The Briton will begin his duties at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix when he takes part in Friday's first free practice session for the team. He will also get further outings over the remainder of the campaign. Calado will complete his GP2 campaign with ART Grand Prix.

[Rich]

Makes sense for Ricciardo, but I would have been more interested in putting another top driver in the Red Bull and seeing how good Vetell actually is.

[hugobomb]

Makes sense for Ricciardo, but I would have been more interested in putting another top driver in the Red Bull and seeing how good Vetell actually is.

They just would have done the same to them as they did with Webber. Smack them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper every time he finished above Vettel and tell him 'Know your fucking place!!'. Then futz with his car to make it retire the next two races with technical issues

[LUKIE]

News outlets over here are saying that Redbull announced that Vettel and Ricciardo will be treated as equals. This has than been followed up with snide remarks about how Vettel and Webber have never been equals.

It's like... do they not understand that Vettel is the Formula 1 superstar. Webber was never and should never have been treated his equal, and Ricciardo is the same fucking deal.

[Katsuya]

Bloody hell Hulkenburg.

[MJB]

Anybody see anything other than a Vettel victory tomorrow?

[Lineker]

Unless the promised rain runs amock, Vettel will likely win .

Massa not playing the team strategy? Writing seems to be on the wall there, especiallt with Hulkenburg's P3... Nice to see James Calado become Force India's reserve/Friday driver, he looks promising.

Sergey Sirotkin is set to begin an intensive Formula 1 testing programme next month to prepare him for his grand prix debut in 2014. Robin Frijns has been dropped.

Formula 1 is set for a 21-race calendar next year, including the return of Mexico but no New Jersey race, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

A first draft of the 2014 provisional calendar has been distributed to teams ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Although the 2014 schedule needs to be approved at a meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council that takes place in Croatia on September 26-28, teams are bracing themselves for F1's longest ever season.

An early version of the schedule, which has been seen by AUTOSPORT, does not include the proposed event in New Jersey that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had hoped to include.

However, it will feature events in Russia and Mexico, providing the circuits are ready in time.

As has been widely expected, the season will start in Australia on March 16 for the traditional double-header with Malaysia.

The Korean Grand Prix has been moved from the end of season run of flyaway events to become the fourth race of the campaign, taking place in the week after the Chinese GP.

However, the event is likely to only be made official subject to the completion of a contract with Formula One Management.

The returning Austrian GP is pencilled in for June 22, earlier than the July 6 date that it was originally scheduled for.

The new Russian GP at Sochi will become a back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, while the Mexican GP is being twinned with the USA GP at Austin.

The Spanish GP is set to take place at Barcelona, with Valencia not making it back on to the schedule, while the German GP will return to Hockenheim.

DRAFT 2014 CALENDAR

March 16 - Australia (Melbourne)
March 23 - Malaysia (Sepang)
April 6 - China (Shanghai)
April 13 – Korea* (Korea International Circuit)
April 27 – Bahrain (Sakhir)
May 11 – Spain (Barcelona)
May 25 – Monaco (Monaco)
June 8 – Canada (Montreal)
June 22 – Austria (Red Bull Ring)
July 6 – Britain (Silverstone)
July 20 – Germany (Hockenheim)
July 27 – Hungary (Budapest)
August 24 – Belgium (Spa)
September 7 – Italy (Monza)
September 21 – Singapore (Marina Bay)
October 5 - Japan (Suzuka)
October 19 – Russia* (Sochi)
October 26 – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
November 9 – Mexico* (Mexico City)
November 16 – USA (Circuit of the Americas)
November 30 – Brazil (Interlagos)

* (subject to confirmation of track/contract)

[Katsuya]

I'd be shocked if Korea goes ahead, really. That seems to have been a nightmare in planning from start to finish, I have a feeling Bernie trying to make them host it twice within eight months is his attempt at killing it off and getting rid of it from the calendar.

Also, isn't Spain meant to rotate between Barcelona and Valencia or did that get scrapped?

EDIT: Also, I don't see it more as Massa not playing the team strategy and more that the strategy is stupid. Nice idea in theory but you have to get it spot on for it to work, and in two years at Monza it's backfired on Alonso. All things considered, this "definitely an ex-Sauber driver at Ferrari next year" rumour is rumbling. I'd hope for Hulk's sake he gets it, because another year in a midfield team would really harm him more than anything.

Any more on JEV maybe going to Lotus either?

[Lineker]

I think that got scrapped. And I'll be surprised if Lotus don't have the same line-up next year.

Adrian Sutil has been handed a three-place grid penalty for blocking Lewis Hamilton in Italian Grand Prix qualifying.

Hamilton's Mercedes came up behind Sutil's slower Force India at the Parabolica on his final Q2 lap and had to back right off.

The race officials accepted that Sutil had not acted deliberately the Briton but said a penalty was due.

"The stewards determined the impeding was not intentional, however it is the responsibility of the driver to be aware of the approaching car," said an official statement.

Sutil therefore falls from 14th to 17th on the grid, promoting Pastor Maldonado, Paul di Resta and Esteban Gutierrez.

Hamilton ended up 12th, but said he was on course for a disappointing result even before Sutil delayed him.

"It doesn't matter anyway," he said. "I should have done it on the lap before anyway."

Turns out that Hamilton had floor damage anyway.

Elsewhere, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says the team's 2014 Formula 1 driver line-up will be decided within days of Monza.

[hugobomb]

We have rain! DC reckons people will be starting on Inters. Button could take advantage and get a decent finish, not a win, or even a podium but 4-6th would be good for him, which says everything about how bad the McLarens are this season.

Also, DC and Mika re-union!!

[MJB]

Or it could be a dry race and Vettel wins by a distance

Ferrari and Red Bull way out in front. Lotus look to have run out of any development for this car. Mercedes don't look too great either but I think they'll be back on form in Singapore. Great drive by Hulkenberg and he must be in line to replace or Massa, or even Kimi if he leaves Lotus.