Christian Horner, the boss of Formula One team Red Bull, has scotched reports star driver Sebastian Vettel is set to switch to Ferrari. Numerous reports and sources have claimed double world champion and German Vettel, who turned 25 this week, has signed a 'pre-contract' that could lead to him moving to Ferrari in 2014. "I can't see that," Horner is quoted by British newspapers, "because all contracts have to be declared with the Contract Recognition Board for a kick-off. "I've also spoken to Sebastian about […]

Mark Webber has said that Red Bull heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix with the sole intention of winning. Webber finished fourth in last weekend's European Grand Prix and emerged victorious at Silverstone in 2010. "I’m really looking forward to the British Grand Prix and racing in front of a sell-out crowd that’s passionate about F1", said the Australian. "I’m sure the British Grand Prix won’t disappoint; we’re going to Silverstone with one goal in mind and that’s to win!” Webber also picked […]

Dr Helmut Marko insists life in the F1 paddock for Red Bull has become "really difficult" in recent times. The energy drink owned team has dominated the sport recent and is the reigning double champion, and according to owner Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand man, that is the source of the negative rumblings. There have been suggestions of cost-agreement cheating, regular technical infringements, and at Valencia recently both Marko and Sebastian Vettel suggested that the safety car was deployed chiefly to spoil Vettel's big lead. Marko even […]

Jean-Eric Vergne will have to dig into his own pockets after Valencia. The rookie Frenchman was given a ten-position grid drop for Silverstone after oddly jinking before crashing into Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen on Sunday and then speeding back to the pits with a disintegrating Toro Rosso. The incident caused the race director to call a safety car period, whilst stewards ruled that a EUR 25,000 fine was also in order for Vergne due to "the serious nature" of the indiscretion. "What he did was not […]

As Sebastian Vettel sped well clear of the otherwise tightly-bunched Valencia field in qualifying, the latest rumblings about the legality of his 2012 Red Bull began to grow louder. A new Adrian Newey-penned floor has debuted on the RB8 this weekend, which according to some sources produces a kind of 'double diffuser' effect. And veteran photographer Darren Heath said he heard from his regular trackside vantage point in practice "what sounds like off-throttle blowing" coming from German Vettel's car. Then, with the chasing seven drivers […]

F1's big teams continue to stride ahead, with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren using big car developments on the streets of Valencia on Friday. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said arguably the biggest development of all was seen on the Red Bull, whose designer Adrian Newey "has once again read the rules perfectly". The report said the development is a sort of "double floor", opening up beneath the sidepods to improve airflow to the rear of the diffuser. Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time of […]

Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel says he is 'flattered' by interest linking him with a move to Ferrari. Comments that Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said to Sport Bild and Auto Bild on Wednesday about Vettel and Alonso 'co-existing' at Ferrari were also published on the team's website. "It's very nice to hear that. I respect Ferrari a lot, I respect Fernando a lot. I see it as a compliment", he said. "I'm flattered, obviously. I've always said that Ferrari is a great team with […]

'2012 tyre lottery' is not a term one would hear seriously deployed this season within the garages of traditional midfield teams including Sauber, Lotus and Williams. Until now, as an unprecedented seven different winners scooped the honours at the opening seven grands prix of the year, top teams including McLaren and Red Bull have referred constantly to the tiny 'window' of operation of Pirelli's 2012 tyres. But "The window for the tyres has not become smaller," Sauber's technical director Matt Morris is quoted by Germany's […]

2012 has been described as 'topsy-turvy' and a 'lottery' that has ended the domination of Formula One's usual greats. But according to a detailed analysis by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, F1's old guard is still at the very top of the timesheets. The analysis shows that McLaren and Red Bull, respectively, have been the best teams overall when it comes to pace in the all-out 'Q2' qualifying segment, and the actual grands prix. The second best team in qualifying, however, has been Mercedes, whose […]

Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel believes passing will be risky at next weekend’s European Grand Prix around the Valencia Street Circuit, mainly due to the high amounts of turbulence created by the cars. This risk was clearly evident in 2010, when his team-mate Mark Webber flew over the back of Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus. After the most unpredictable start to a Formula 1 season in the history of the sport, Sebastian Vettel will be looking to retain his dominance atop the Drivers’ Championship at the European […]

Mark Webber appears headed for a new Red Bull contract. The Australian, who signed only a one-year deal prior to the 2012 season, has been linked with a move to Ferrari. "That's the way it is with them (Red Bull)," he told Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. "All I can say is that I have started the last few years without a job for the next championship." When asked specifically if the Ferrari rumours are true, the 35-year-old told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper […]

Joan Villadelprat has slammed the anti-Red Bull "witch hunt" that is casting the reigning world champions as F1 cheats. Recently, the energy drink owned team has been told not only to modify small holes in the floor ahead of the RB8's rear wheels, but also holes in the wheel hub that reportedly also gave an illegal aerodynamic benefit. Villadelprat, a former veteran F1 engineer and manager, wrote in El Pais newspaper that top team rivals McLaren and Ferrari are having to "do anything" to get […]