Latest F1 news in brief
- Webber not pushing to be Red Bull's no.1
- Schu still in training for 2009 comeback
- Fisi's name to disappear from GP2 grid
- Vettel extends Red Bull deal through 2011
Webber not pushing to be Red Bull's no.1
(GMM) Even after pushing ahead of his teammate in the drivers' standings, Mark Webber does not believe it is time for Red Bull to appoint a favorite for the 2009 title.
When Sebastian Vettel was the team's leading points scorer behind leader Jenson Button earlier this season, Australian Webber insisted it was too soon and closely matched for Red Bull to ask him to play a supportive role.
But Webber, 32, is now 4.5 points ahead of his German teammate, raising the suggestion that it might be time to be nominated Red Bull's number one for the remaining seven races of 2009.
"Ah, that particular question's now for me," he told F1's official website.
"If we are both slowly catching Jenson – which is still a tall order – then it's a good problem for the team to have because one of us will get him.
"If only one of us is catching, then maybe the roles will change a bit in the future," added Webber.
Schu still in training for 2009 comeback
(GMM) Michael Schumacher has not stopped his new physical training program even though he called off his formula one comeback.
"Michael thinks 'I am back in the rhythm so I might as well stay in it'," his manager Willi Weber told the German newspaper Bild.
Neck and other injuries sustained in a February motorcycle testing fall meant Schumacher, 40, had to cancel his planned return in Felipe Massa's car at Valencia.
But speculation is now rife that the seven time world champion, to be trackside at the Spanish port city street circuit this weekend, is still trying to prepare for a 2009 return.
"He was really pushing very hard," said Luca Badoer, Ferrari's Italian test driver who will instead be at the wheel of Massa's car number 3 until further notice.
"He was training a lot, he spent a lot of time (doing that) because he wanted to come back.
"He did everything, he tried everything, he lost three kilos in seven days, he was really pushing one hundred per cent because it was sort of his dream to come back and drive in formula one again," Badoer said in Valencia on Thursday.
Fisi's name to disappear from GP2 grid
(GMM) Giancarlo Fisichella's name is set to disappear from the GP2 team entry list.
Switzerland's Motorsport Aktuell reports that the Force India driver, whose Fisichella Motor Sport team is a collaboration with Paolo Coloni, has sold the naming rights to the sponsor Party Poker.
The team's new name, to be announced officially at Valencia on Friday, is to be Party Poker Racing.com Scuderia Coloni.
Fisichella, 36, told Motorsport Aktuell at Valencia that he had no knowledge of the transaction.
"I was not particularly involved with the team except for the name," the Roman said.
"As long as I am an active driver I have to concentrate on that," said the veteran of more than 220 grands prix.
Vettel extends Red Bull deal through 2011
(GMM) Sebastian Vettel has extended his contract with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2011, the energy drink-owned team announced just prior to morning practice on Friday at the Valencia circuit.
Previously, the 22-year-old German driver's deal was set to expire at the end of next season.
In a short media statement, Red Bull said the new contract also features "an option for 2012".
Vettel won three of his opening 36 career grands prix, and has started from pole position four times.