Bernie Ecclestone has urged Lotus to organise a round of vision tests for Romain Grosjean. Since returning to F1 as reigning GP2 champion this year, the French driver has been often praised for his pace but labelled a "first-lap nutcase" by Mark Webber following numerous early-race accidents. He served an ultra-rare one-race ban at Monza but last weekend caused yet another incident at the start of the Japanese grand prix. F1 chief executive Ecclestone thinks he could have a vision problem. "Lotus should take him […]

Korea, among F1's new breed of grands prix, is far from the most popular stop on the sport's annual calendar. Well-known British F1 photographer Darren Heath tweeted from the metropolis Seoul: "Fantastic 3 days. Early train to Mokpo tomorrow. "(It's) like being in London then heading to Shetland for an F1 GP. Mad," he concluded. According to the German news agency DPA, Formula One drivers "like the track" in South Korea but are "bugged by the strange atmosphere". Michael Schumacher confirmed: "We don't get too […]

Jenson Button thinks McLaren will have to look to him to win next year's world championship. With Lewis Hamilton leaving for Mercedes, Button - to contest his fourth season at McLaren next year - will be paired with the young Mexican Sergio Perez. Before Hamilton decided to leave McLaren, Button said he hoped the 2008 world champion stays in 2013. Now facing the prospect of sharing a garage with 22-year-old current Sauber driver Perez, he said at Suzuka: "Having just one experienced person in the […]

Despite losing one of F1's strongest brands, Bernie Ecclestone has backed Michael Schumacher's decision to finally retire. "It is the right time for Michael to go," the F1 chief executive is quoted by Express newspaper. The 81-year-old Briton was a big supporter of the great German's return to F1, but at the tail-end of 2012 he admits: "There have been a few too many shunts and another one in practice today (at Suzuka on Friday)." When he made the big announcement, Schumacher admitted Mercedes' signing […]

Bernie Ecclestone is interested in securing the former Turkish grand prix venue in Istanbul, the Hurriyet daily reports. The newspaper said a tender is scheduled to take place next Wednesday. The Istanbul Park circuit hosted Formula One races between 2005 and 2011, and although poorly attended the Hermann Tilke-penned layout was lauded particularly for its challenging quadruple-apex turn 8. But Turkey fell off the F1 calendar for 2012, after local organisers and F1 chief executive Ecclestone failed to agree a new higher race sanctioning fee. […]

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is not worried plans for a Formula One street race next June are set to collapse. Bernie Ecclestone triggered the uncertainty by revealing that the race organisers currently do not have a contract, despite the fact a June 16 date for the 'grand prix of Jersey' was ratified by the FIA at the end of last week. The New York race, however, was listed with an asterisk denoting 'TBC' (to be confirmed). Governor Christie said he phoned chief organiser Leo […]

Bernie Ecclestone has once again cast doubts over the planned American Grand Prix in 2013, set to be held around the streets of New Jersey. During the Singapore Grand Prix, a draft calendar had the race penned for June 16th, replacing the European Grand Prix. The event has been publicised in the USA, with David Coulthard and Sebastian Vettel sampling the circuit in F1 machinery. But Ecclestone has been quoted by The Guardian as saying , "[The New Jersey organisers] have not complied with the terms and conditions […]

McLaren has slightly upped its monetary offer in a late bid to secure Lewis Hamilton's services for 2013, according to multiple British newspapers. The Daily Mail said McLaren has increased its offer by EUR 2.5 million to 15 million, which is still less than his current retainer of about 19 million. In the Times, correspondent Kevin Eason wrote that some in the paddock now expect an announcement to be made "in the next few days". But Eason also quoted an observer as saying: "For a […]

The Singapore Grand Prix will remain on the calendar for at least the next five seasons. Shortly after the end of third practice, organisers of the event announced that the Marina Bay Street Circuit will continue to host a race  until 2017. "All of us wthout exception like being here. We are all here for another five years", said Bernie Ecclestone. The circuit arrived on the F1 calendar in 2008 and has quickly established itself as one of the focal points of the season.

Rumours about Lewis Hamilton's future have exploded. F1 team owner turned television pundit Eddie Jordan told the BBC he understands the 2008 world champion is on the verge of quitting McLaren to join Mercedes in 2013. "I believe Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed personal terms and a deal could be imminent," he said. Jordan said he knows Hamilton's management - Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment - have had meetings with Mercedes chiefs. He said Hamilton, 27, will surely replace Michael Schumacher. "Bernie Ecclestone made it […]

Magny Cours has lodged an application to be considered for F1's 2013 calendar. French language sources RMC, L'Equipe and AFP said the application was given to the country's sanctioning body FFSA this week. The reports said Paul Ricard also intends to apply for consideration next week. RMC claimed that while the FFSA did not comment, both Magny Cours and Paul Ricard propose to host one race every two years, in alternation with another country. F1's governing FIA is expected to publish the draft of the […]

Turkey could return to the F1 calendar. Between 2005 and last year, despite poor spectator attendance, drivers enjoyed the Hermann Tilke-designed Istanbul layout, featuring the unique quadruple-apex Turn 8. But the race was not included on the 2012 schedule, after organisers and F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone disagreed over the sanctioning fee. 81-year-old Ecclestone, however, said on Wednesday that he, the teams and the FIA are "happy" to go to Turkey. He told the major daily Haberturk: "If we can solve this (fee) problem, Turkey […]