Nico Hulkenberg physically signed on the dotted line of a 2014 Force India contract in Brazil on Sunday. That is the claim of Germany's reliable Sport Bild, as it emerged that the German had until midnight to take up an option granted recently by the Silverstone based team, for whom Hulkenberg raced last year. The 26-year-old had joined Sauber for 2013 after Force India became late in its payments, but it was the Swiss team that found itself in the deeper financial trouble this year. […]

Pastor Maldonado and Nico Hulkenberg remain the keys to the last phase of F1's 2014 'silly season'. PDVSA-backed Maldonado, a grand prix winner, is the powerful 'pay driver' on the move, reportedly with EUR 40 million in tow and on the lookout for a new team after his Williams split. It is believed that if Lotus' 'Quantum' investment deal falls through, locking the highly-rated Hulkenberg out, Maldonado is in pole position to replace Kimi Raikkonen in 2014. But Maldonado muddied the waters at Interlagos on […]

So Kevin Magnussen has been confirmed at McLaren for 2014, alongside Jenson Button. Got that? Good. Because it’s not true. Well, not yet anyway. Several leading sources have suggested that Magnussen is in at McLaren, with Pérez – the supposed saviour 12 months ago – left out of a drive at Woking. But the deal between pen and paper has not yet been signed, sealed and delivered. Until an email from McLaren arrives confirming their 2014 line-up, it remains speculation, however strong the sources. This […]

Nico Hulkenberg, the new key to unlocking the remainder of the 2014 'silly season', has not signed a deal yet. That was the claim on Tuesday of his manager Werner Heinz, amid reports German Hulkenberg has now committed to a team for next season. Lotus boss Eric Boullier on Monday was quoted as saying 26-year-old Hulkenberg was the team's "choice" 2014 pick, but he has also been linked to Force India, McLaren, or even staying at Sauber. "I think Hulkenberg is still a little undecided, […]

Flavio Briatore insists Fernando Alonso will not be worried if Kimi Raikkonen is signed by Ferrari for 2014. As the long and sillier-than-usual driver 'silly-season' finally looks set to draw to a close, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said at Monza he is now poised to decide the famous Italian team's next lineup. "We will take a decision in the next days, and we haven't taken any kind of a decision yet," he said on Saturday. Undoubtedly, the frontrunners to be Spaniard Alonso's teammate next […]

Team owner Gerard Lopez on Saturday played down reports of financial strife at Lotus. Reportedly in debt to the tune of EUR 120 million, behind in payments to lead driver Kimi Raikkonen and with the new Infinity Racing investment in doubt, Lopez insisted at Spa-Francorchamps that Lotus is in fact in good health. Indeed, some believe the team's debt is actually just 28 million. "It is 120 million," Lopez confirmed, "but four-fifths of it we owe to ourselves, to Genii, because we do not sponsor […]

Kimi Raikkonen, no fan of the spotlight, is the man of the moment as F1's summer slumber ends this weekend in Belgium. The Finn's manager has ruled out a move to Red Bull, but some sources at Spa-Francorchamps think the fact the team has put off announcing Daniel Ricciardo's 2014 deal is a sign Raikkonen might still be in the running. At the same time, Lotus has made clear it wants to keep the 33-year-old on board, while reports continue to insist there is a […]

The 2014 driver 'silly season' has taken yet another shock twist. Germany's Bild newspaper claims Kimi Raikkonen, already wanted by Lotus next year and also in the running to switch to Red Bull, is now a contender to drive a Ferrari in 2014. Raikkonen, who drove for the great Italian marque for three years and even won the title in 2007, left Ferrari one year early at the end of 2009 when the team replaced him with Fernando Alonso. Alonso, however, although under contract through […]

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he is still waiting on some money from Lotus. "There is some problem," the 2007 world champion is quoted by Germany's sport1.de in Hungary. The news could have huge implications for the 2014 'silly season', as Lotus is pushing hard to convince the Finn to stay put rather than move to Red Bull. Team boss Christian Horner, however, said Raikkonen's considerable salary demands would not be a problem at Red Bull. "That (money) isn't really an element in our decision making," […]

Some more pieces of the 2013 'silly season' puzzle are set to fall into place. British broadcaster BBC reports with confidence that, with his return to the podium at Suzuka following a two-year drought, Felipe Massa could have his new contract to stay at Ferrari confirmed "before" this weekend's Korean grand prix. It's a blow for Force India's Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg, who were linked strongly with the Maranello team's potentially vacant cockpit. But Switzerland's Blick newspaper reports that German Hulkenberg has a […]

Kimi Raikkonen has kept rumours about his plans for 2013 alive by insisting he is yet to agree to stay at Lotus. Team chiefs Eric Boullier and Gerard Lopez have recently said the 2007 world champion is definitely staying in 2013, due to a contract 'option'. At the same time, there have been signs that Lotus is an active player in the 2013 'silly season'. And Raikkonen is now quoted by Turun Sanomat newspaper in Japan: "I don't have any agreement for next season yet." […]

A Ferrari spokesman has dismissed reports Felipe Massa is now definitely staying for an eighth consecutive season in 2013. "Not true," the spokesman told Spanish sports newspaper Marca, responding to the rumours. "Felipe has not signed anything yet," he insisted. Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport thinks Force India drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta are still candidates to switch to Ferrari next year. Switzerland's Blick newspaper, however, said German Hulkenberg is more likely to move to Ferrari-powered Sauber. What is definite is that the […]