Renault’s Head of Track Operations Rémi Taffin believes the performance disadvantage likely to be suffered by Red Bull Racing as a result of their recent engine map changes will be measured in ‘”hundredths” of a second. The defending constructors’ champions were forced to alter the maps of their Renault engines following their referral to the race stewards at last weekend’s German Grand Prix. There, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer expressed concern that the engine base torque map of both Red Bull Racing RB8s would “artificially […]

Red Bull's drivers on Thursday played down the impact of the 'engine mapping' rule clarification. Following the 'legal traction control' and exhaust engine blowing controversy at Hockenheim, the team has for Hungary been forced to revert to a conventional software setting as the result of the FIA rules tweak. World champion Sebastian Vettel played down the change. "It's not as if the car doesn't work any more. I'm quite confident nothing will change," he said. When also asked what effect the clarification will have on […]

As expected, the FIA on Wednesday issued a rule clarification in the wake of the Red Bull 'engine maps' controversy at Hockenheim. The governing body's technical boss Jo Bauer shocked the paddock last Sunday morning by asking the stewards to look into what Red Bull is doing, amid suggestions the team had gone too far with a complex form of legal traction control and engine exhaust blowing. "None of us really know what it is that antagonised the FIA so much to provoke Jo Bauer […]

Red Bull will be reverting to a standard engine mapping setting in the days ahead of the Hungarian grand prix. Italy's Tuttosport is reporting that Formula One's governing body will shortly formalise their advice to teams that what was uncovered at Hockenheim last weekend will no longer be tolerated. The FIA's Jo Bauer had flagged up Red Bull's engine settings at Hockenheim, admitting he thought the 'maps' on Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber's cars were not legal. The stewards, however, found that while the settings […]

Norbert Haug has indicated that Mercedes is not currently in the running to secure Sebastian Vettel's services. Although the extension of Michael Schumacher's contract appears likely, the cockpit alongside Nico Rosberg is theoretically open for 2013. "We will sit down with Michael and make a decision together," Mercedes' motor racing director Haug told DPA news agency. "There is no rush." Scottish racer Paul di Resta has been named as a possible successor to Schumacher, with Haug confirming that Mercedes will "not necessarily" look to pair […]

Lewis Hamilton will mark his one hundredth grand prix at Hockenheim this weekend. The McLaren driver has not missed a single race since debuting in Melbourne in 2007. "That's incredible, because I still remember my first as if it were only yesterday -- I guess Formula One has that effect on you!" said the 2008 world champion when asked about his century. Also celebrating his century this weekend is Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen, even though he actually didn't start the race in Barcelona two years ago […]

Red Bull made a snap decision to re-sign Mark Webber in order to stop the "constant rumours" about the Australian's future. That is the claim of Dr Helmut Marko, who just hours before the team announced the 35-year-old Australian is staying in 2013 actually said Red Bull would only decide its next lineup "in August". Why the rapid change of heart? "Because we wanted to put an end to the constant rumours and the resulting unrest," the Austrian told Kleine Zeitung newspaper. Marko said Red […]

Australian Mark Webber will stay at Red Bull next season after agreeing a one-year contract extension, the Formula One team said on Tuesday. The announcement means the 35-year-old, who is currently second in the championship standings behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, will again partner double world champion Sebastian Vettel for a fifth successive season. Mark Webber said: “I’ve been with Red Bull Racing since 2007 and have achieved nine grand prix wins during that time. I’m high on confidence at the moment and firing on all […]

Mark Webber's second win of the 2012 season has only ramped up the already-rampant speculation about his future. Going into Sunday's British grand prix, rumours were linking the 35-year-old with either a new contract at Red Bull, or a sensational switch to Ferrari. Afterwards, with Australian Webber now within sight of the championship lead and joining Fernando Alonso as 2012's only multiple race winners, speculation he will be wearing red overalls next season is at fever-pitch. Sensing the rumour, Spaniard Alonso grinned: "I need to […]

Mark Webber has done little to quell rising speculation he could move to Ferrari at the end of the season. Amid talk he is either close to re-signing with Red Bull for another season, or moving to Ferrari to replace Felipe Massa, all he would say at Silverstone is that decision-time is "getting closer". It sounds as though Red Bull wants him to stay as Sebastian Vettel's teammate. Spain's AS newspaper says it's a done deal. "We're reaching the time of year when you sit […]

Renault has reverted to an older specification of its alternator for the use of customers Red Bull, Lotus, Williams and Caterham this weekend at Silverstone. The decision follows the French supplier's struggles to get to the bottom of the problems that caused Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean to retire last time out at Valencia. A similar issue was also reportedly linked to a problem suffered by Vitaly Petrov at Monaco. "This (problem) is a great puzzle," Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports. "Not even Renault […]

Jean-Eric Vergne has backed himself to improve after a difficult start to his F1 career. Almost half a season since Toro Rosso dumped its established lineup of Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, the perception is that French rookie Vergne has failed to match up against his only-slightly-more-experienced new teammate Daniel Ricciardo. The 22-year-old doesn't see it quite like that. "Overall it's been quite positive even though the results don't show it," he is quoted by RMC Sport. "I've learned a lot." Vergne said the biggest […]