Latest F1 news in brief

Vettel uncatchable?

Prosecutors allege Ecclestone bribed banker
Ferrari to push for stability after exhaust farce
Renault plans tests to precede Kubica return
Petrov manager looks beyond 2012 contract
Vettel's chasers face James Hunt-like title task
Sutil crashes supercar at Nordschleife
2011 rules have doubled F1 overtaking – analysis
Vettel wants 'honesty and respect' from teammate

Prosecutors allege Ecclestone bribed banker
(GMM) German prosecutors have formally named 'Bernard E' as the alleged source of an almost $50 million bribe paid to jailed banker Gerhard Gribkowsky.

The development comes just hours before F1's 80-year-old chief executive Bernie Ecclestone had scheduled to travel to the country for round ten of the world championship at the fabled Nurburgring.

Although the Briton has not yet been charged, charges of breach of trust, tax evasion and receipt of corrupt payments have now been laid against Gribkowsky, according to London's Times newspaper.

The charges also allege that Ecclestone received millions in commissions from the BayernLB bank after paying its then chief risk officer Gribkowsky the bribe.

It is speculated that Ecclestone may ultimately be charged with aiding and abetting Gribkowsky.

Prosecution spokeswoman Barbara Stockinger confirmed in a news release that the reference to 'Bernard E' is to the "Formula one CEO", and identified his companies known as Bambino.

The prosecutors also confirmed to the Financial Times that Ecclestone, who was not available for comment to publications, remains under investigation.

Formula One Management did not return a phone call, Bloomberg said.

Ferrari to push for stability after exhaust farce
(GMM) Luca di Montezemolo has slammed F1's constantly changing rules.

The Ferrari president was referring to the recent British grand prix, at which the saga surrounding the evolving blown exhaust regulations was denounced as the "biggest farce ever" by outspoken Niki Lauda.

"Unfortunately we have to deal with a carousel of changes to the regulations, which does not help us," Montezemolo told Sky Italia this week as he insisted the famous Maranello team will push ahead with its 2011 car project.

"Once, the rules were changed after every year, then it was every six months, now they change within a weekend," he added.

Montezemolo said Ferrari contributed to the solution of the blown exhaust saga at Silverstone even though it disadvantaged the famous team.

"The situation was paradoxical," he is quoted by La Stampa, "but sometimes you have to put aside your personal interests. We want what is good for formula one."

But he is quoted by Turun Sanomat newspaper: "This must definitely end. Rules should be made to last. Ferrari will definitely take up this issue with the rule makers."

Meanwhile, Montezemolo confirmed once again that Felipe Massa's 2012 contract will be honored.

"Are the rumors about Felipe false? Absolutely. This is the period for these stories but the (Ferrari) drivers will be the same next year," he said.

Renault plans tests to precede Kubica return
(GMM) A return to formula one by Robert Kubica would be proceeded by a series of private track tests, according to F1news.ru.

The report quoted Renault team boss Eric Boullier as saying the tests could take place as soon as "the end of the summer", after Pole Kubica hinted last week that he might be fit to race at the Brazil season finale.

"I like to have a goal when it's a reasonable one," he said. "We'll see how the next few months go in terms of the rehabilitation process evolution and then we'll take a decision in due time."

And Boullier is quoted as saying: "We often talk with Robert. He feels good, but the recovery from damaged nerves always takes time.

"I think at the end of the summer the final phase of recovery will begin. Then it will become clearer when he can return."

As for the private track tests, the Frenchman added: "We have something planned for the fall."

Petrov manager looks beyond 2012 contract
(GMM) Vitaly Petrov has a solid contract with Renault for 2012, but the Russian's manager says she is already negotiating with other teams.

Oksana Kosaczenko told f1news.ru that there is no danger 26-year-old Petrov will not see out his Renault contract, even in the event of Robert Kubica's return to formula one.

"We are talking with sponsors and negotiating with teams," she said. "Life does not end after the 2012 season."

Kosaczenko would not divulge the names of the teams she has spoken to, but said Petrov is developing well at Renault despite the team's "shortcomings".

Vettel's chasers face James Hunt-like title task
(GMM) A defeat for Sebastian Vettel in 2011 would involve the biggest formula one comeback since James Hunt won the championship 35 years ago.

Finland Turun Sanomat newspaper reports that the task for Vettel's pursuers – including his teammate Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso and the McLaren drivers – is greater even than Briton Hunt's in 1976.

Then, flamboyant Hunt won the title by one point after Niki Lauda sat out races to recover from his near-fatal Nurburgring crash, before the great Austrian voluntarily pulled out of the treacherous Japanese finale.

Asked if he is enjoying his near-unprecedented dominance this season, Red Bull's Vettel told DPA news agency this week: "No, I only enjoy success when I have it.

"Ask me again after the last race in Brazil."

Sutil crashes supercar at Nordschleife
(GMM) Adrian Sutil has got his home grand prix off to a bad start this week by crashing at the Nurburgring's fabled Nordschleife circuit.

Ahead of the German grand prix at the adjacent modern circuit, the 28-year-old was turning laps of the notorious 28 kilometer north loop at the wheel of a Gumpert Apollo.

German Sutil was photographed walking away from the black carbon fiber supercar, which apparently suffered mainly superficial damage.

2011 rules have doubled F1 overtaking – analysis
(GMM) The 2011 regulations have more than doubled the prevalence of overtaking in formula one.

An analysis by Mercedes GP shows there have been 623 passing moves so far after nine of the scheduled 19 grands prix this year.

That is already more than the entire tally of 547 passes in 2010, according to the AFP news agency.

Mercedes' figures show that 225 of the overtakes so far in 2011 were 'normal', with 180 assisted by the new overtaking rear wing system 'DRS'.

That suggests that the heavily degrading Pirelli tires are the bigger contributing factor to overtaking this year.

DRS was reportedly less influential than earlier this season at the most recent races at Valencia and Silverstone, with only 44 and 29 overtaking moves recorded at those rounds respectively.

And Ferrari's Pat Fry is also not expecting DRS to be overly influential this weekend at the Nurburgring.

"The DRS zone (in Germany) involves following someone closely through the high speed corner onto the back straight which will be a little bit of a challenge," he said.

Asked this week by F1's official website what further innovations Michael Schumacher would like to see in the sport, he answered: "Even more overtaking."

Vettel wants 'honesty and respect' from teammate
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel has admitted his desire for an honest and respectful teammate.

The reigning world champion was asked the question during an interview with the German news agency DPA, less than two weeks after a team orders row re-emerged at the Red Bull team.

Vettel's current teammate, Mark Webber, had admitted to ignoring the order to ease his attack on the world championship leader in the closing stages of the British grand prix.

The 23-year-old told Germany's motorsport-magazin.com at Silverstone: "I think the most important thing is that when I go home tonight, I can look in the mirror and feel fine about myself."

The incident triggered speculation that Vettel would prefer a new teammate for 2012, even though Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has indicated that Australian Webber will be retained.

"In the end it doesn't interest me who my teammate is, as long as he or she is honest and we respect one another," German Vettel told DPA ahead of his home race at the Nurburgring.

"Many people have misunderstood the relationship between Mark and myself. Even if we aren't best friends, we do respect each other."

Amid talk that Lewis Hamilton might replace Webber, team boss Christian Horner recently ruled out the 2008 world champion on the basis that it might disturb the "harmony" at Red Bull.

"It is talked about a lot," Vettel admitted, "because definitely team harmony is very important. But you also need two drivers who push each other to constantly explore the limit."

Meanwhile, Vettel refused to comment on Bernie Ecclestone's recent claim that he has embarked on a new era of Michael Schumacher-like dominance.

"Firstly I am not happy to talk about myself, I'd rather others did that," he insisted.

"Of course to hear that (from Ecclestone) is an honor, but I don't compare myself with Michael.

"He has won seven titles and I've just won my first, even if of course I want to keep the trophy I got last year for as long as I possibly can," added Vettel.