Latest F1 news in brief

  • No rain, but sandstorm risk for Bahrain GP
  • Schu confirms talks over Ferrari future
  • Gascoyne eyes F1 return with Ferrari
  • Liuzzi hopeful of 2010 Force India cockpit
  • 'Too late' now for F1 switch – Rossi

No rain, but sandstorm risk for Bahrain GP
(GMM) Three grands prix into the 2009 season, most formula one figures are looking forward to a fully-dry race weekend in Bahrain.

The recent Sepang and Shanghai events were drenched by rain, clouding the assessment of the sport's new pecking order.

Bahrain is unlikely to be wet this weekend, with climate charts showing no more than 10mm rainfall for an average April month.

Local reports are indeed predicting a very hot weekend, with the possibility of a sandstorm or two.

"That would certainly shake things up," said reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton. "It's a weird circuit in the sense that you are just driving through the desert; there is no grass anywhere."

Bahrain's meteorology office said the highest chance of a light sandstorm is for Sunday.

"The chance of rising sand is there," a forecaster told the local Gulf Daily News.

Schu confirms talks over Ferrari future
(GMM) Michael Schumacher has confirmed he will enter talks with Ferrari "after the summer" about his future with the Italian team.

The seven time world champion has been an unspecified 'advisor' to the Maranello squad since stepping out of the race cockpit in 2006.

He was openly criticized by the media for his involvement in Ferrari's strategy bungles in Australia and Malaysia, and did not travel to the subsequent Shanghai-Bahrain double header.

40-year-old German Schumacher's Ferrari contract runs out this year.

"After the summer we will see what makes sense and what does not," he confirmed in an interview with the German news agency DPA.

He said his involvement with Ferrari could have been much deeper than it currently is.

"I could have taken on the role of Jean Todt, but it was not for me," Schumacher explained. "It would have been the wrong time and, above all, I think Stefano Domenicali is able to perform the job much better than I would have."

Gascoyne eyes F1 return with Ferrari
(GMM) Mike Gascoyne has admitted he would accept a job with the famous formula one team Ferrari.

Formerly perhaps the highest paid engineer in the sport, the 46-year-old Briton was ousted by Force India at the end of last season.

He acted as an expert pundit for Britain's TV coverage of the recent Chinese grand prix, and at the same time is believed to have spoken with teams about his desire to return to F1.

"I'm not looking for a fixed role," Gascoyne told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, "but I could carry out a consultant's role in the aero field, in the wind tunnel."

He said his talents and working method would gel with Ferrari.

"Ferrari would enrich my career, I live between Switzerland and Germany with my girlfriend Silvia so to go to Maranello wouldn't be a problem," said Gascoyne.

Liuzzi hopeful of 2010 Force India cockpit
(GMM) Vitantonio Liuzzi has admitted he is "very confident" about returning to the F1 grid next year with Force India.

The 27-year-old Italian is currently the Silverstone based team's test and reserve driver, and he recently returned to race action in the A1 GP series.

"There are good chances for me to get back to racing in F1 with Force India," Liuzzi is quoted as telling Italy's Autosprint magazine.

"I have a contract until 2011, while Fisichella and Sutil's contracts expire at the end of the year," he added.

Liuzzi, who took pole position on his recent A1 debut in Portugal, has contested 39 grands prix for Red Bull's F1 teams.

'Too late' now for F1 switch – Rossi
(GMM) Reigning and multiple MotoGP champion Valentino Rosso has reiterated that he will no longer attempt to switch to formula one.

The renegotiation of his Yamaha contract is looming, and he told Italy's Tuttosport that he sees his post-motorcycling future on four wheels.

"When I stop with motorbikes, it would appeal to me to go four wheels for many years. But for formula one it is much too late," said Rossi, who in February turned 30.

Three years ago, he came close to switching to F1 with Ferrari.

"We had long negotiations, there was a serious plan for me to be the test driver in 2007 and then to race in 2008. But in the end I decided to stay in motorbikes and now there is no time to look back," said Rossi.

He said he will consider his next step in the summer of 2010, with a switch to world rallying his "main option".