Latest F1 news in brief

Alonso says Ferrari has to push the rules to beat Red Bull

Vettel will not forget Ferrari's behavior – Marko
Ferrari must push the rules to beat Red Bull – Alonso
Nurburgring and Hockenheim in running for 2013 race
Schumacher could race again 'in two years' – Todt
Sauber declares 2012 car 'ready' to test
Todt – not up to me to revive French GP

Vettel will not forget Ferrari's behavior – Marko
(GMM) Ferrari has damaged its chances of ever luring Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull, Dr Helmut Marko claims.

It has been rumored for some time that German Vettel, Red Bull's triple consecutive and reigning world champion, might one day consider a move to Ferrari.

But outspoken Austrian Marko said: "Sebastian has the memory of an elephant. He logs everything.

"And he will remember exactly how Ferrari behaved after the finale," he told Sport Bild.

Marko is referring to Ferrari's end-of-season suggestion that Vettel, 25, should be stripped of his latest title for overtaking illegally in Brazil late last month.

Marko claims Ferrari's charge was "below the belt", and that Vettel himself was unimpressed.

Vettel is quoted as saying: "You don't want to lose, but you still should know how to.

"You have to respect your opponent and recognize their good performances," he added.

Ferrari must push the rules to beat Red Bull – Alonso
(GMM) Ferrari should follow the lead of its challengers and look for "holes" in the rules, according to 2012 championship runner-up Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard said at a team sponsor event on Wednesday that, despite falling 3 points short of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel this season, his was "a perfect year".

So he said it is now up to Ferrari to push the envelope in terms of how it interprets and exploits the rules.

"There were several incidents in which the other teams were at the limit, but not us," said Alonso.

"This has always happened and always will," he is quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"However, we too have to think within the confines of the rules while looking for some limits, some holes, like the other teams do in order to improve our performances."

Nurburgring and Hockenheim in running for 2013 race
(GMM) Germany's recent formula one hosts, the Nurburgring and Hockenheim, are still both in the running to stage next year's July race.

As per the venues' alternating agreement, the financially-embattled Nurburgring was originally scheduled to organize the 2013 event.

But Malu Dreyer, the incoming minister-president for the ruling government of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, said the Nurburgring is still in the running.

"I hope so," she told the DPA news agency.

"For me, there is only one question: how do we ensure the future of this racing circuit?

"In any case, I believe the government has an obligation of support."

But Hockenheim, despite having staged the German grand prix in 2012, has also been mentioned as the possible 2013 host.

"We would be willing to have the formula one race next year," a circuit spokesman is quoted by Speed Week, "but we have not yet heard about it."

Schumacher could race again 'in two years' – Todt
(GMM) Jean Todt says he could imagine Michael Schumacher making a return to professional racing in "maybe two years".

But the FIA president, who was the team boss at Ferrari throughout the great German's reign of ultra-success – and is still a close friend – thinks 43-year-old Schumacher's days in formula one are now definitely over.

But "Who knows," Frenchman Todt said, "maybe he will decide to come back to race in a couple of years.

"His decision (to retire) relates only to formula one. He could decide to race in other categories," he added, according to reports in the Italian media.

Sauber declares 2012 car 'ready' to test
(GMM) Sauber is the first team to announce publicly that its 2013 car is "ready" to test.

The Swiss team said the C32 "chassis and safety structures have passed" the mandatory FIA crash tests.

The Ferrari-powered car is therefore "fully homologated and ready for winter testing", which will kick off at Jerez in early February.

The German-language Speed Week reports that almost every other team should also be ready for the first four-day session in southern Spain, even though Red Bull's Christian Horner is quoted as saying: "It will be pretty darn close.

"You know Adrian Newey," he joked.

Speed Week also said a slight question mark hangs above Caterham's plans, who are aiming for a Jerez debut but actually might only begin running with the 2013 car in Barcelona two weeks later.

"The same goes for Williams," the report claimed.

Todt – not up to me to revive French GP
(GMM) Jean Todt insists it is not up to him to revive France's grand prix.

Despite earlier efforts by venues Paul Ricard and Magny Cours to raise the tricolor once again, the last remaining spot on the 2013 calendar is now expected to be filled by either Turkey or Austria.

But with F1's Paris based governing body headed by a Frenchman, president Todt, surely the 66-year-old could wield his power in favor of a French grand prix?

"It is up to neither the FIA nor its president to address this problem," he is quoted as insisting.

"It is up to the French motor sport federation, the regions and eventually the French authorities.

"But as someone passionate about motor racing, I would be happy if there is a grand prix de France.

"If the file arrives on my desk, I will obviously do what I can for a favorable outcome. But that is still to happen," insisted Todt, according to French reports.