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Yvan Muller (Chevrolet Cruze) took two victories in the opening two rounds of the World Touring Car Championship held in Monza this past weekend.

Frenchman Muller, who now drives a private Chevrolet Cruze ran by team RML following the withdrawal of Chevrolet at the end of last year, set the pace all the weekend long.

Despite the lack of winter testing, Muller's Cruze was systematically faster than the works Honda Civics of Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro.

Photo: FIA WTCC

Muller, who set the fastest time in free practice session and in qualifying - nine tenth of a second fastest than his new RML team mate Tom Chilton -, dominated race 1 from lights to flag under the rain, and took victory ahead of Chilton and another private Chevrolet Cruze driven by Alex McDowall.

Following the reverse grid regulation, Muller had to start race 2 from 8th position. But, as the rain continued to fall heavily, he was able to move up the field and took the lead on lap 6 away from Tarquini's Honda. The Italian driver eventually finished third behind Muller and Michel Nykjaer's Chevrolet.

Photo: Yvan Muller/Facebook

Both works Lada Grantas did not race, being involved in a collision in qualifying when Alexei Dudukalo missed his barking point and hit heavily the car of his teammate James Thompson. The cars were too heavily damaged to be repaired for Sunday's race.

Yvan Muller already holds a huge lead in provisional standings ahead of Tom Chilton and Gabriele Tarquini. Next rounds will be presented in two weeks in Marrakech, Morocco.

Andretti Autosport's  James Hinchcliffe fighted his way all through the race and finally earned his first ever IndyCar victory of his career in the season-opening race in St. Petersburg.

On three separate occasion, "Hinch'' had to regain the lead during the race after initially taken advantage early on over polesitter Will Power (Penske).

On a later restart, the Canadian had the best over Helio Castroneves (Penske) and was able to maintain the lead during the last laps as the Brazilian made himself a constant menace.

Hinchcliffe crossed the finish line 1.0982s in front of Castroneves. Hinchcliffe's teammate Marco Andretti outdone himself on the street circuit to finish third.

Helio Castroneves, James Hinchcliffe, Mario Andretti. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

Simona de Silvestro (KV Racing) remained amongst the leaders for the better part of the race but in the end her tires began to fade away, and within a few laps went from third to sixth.

Her teammate, Tony Kanaan and Ganassi's Scott Dixon completed the top five, finishing respectively 4th and 5th.

Rookie Tristan Vautier and his countryman Simon Pagenaud both experienced exhaust problems on their Schmidt Peterson DW12 and were forced to retire while Vautier was running sixth.

Current series' champion, Ryan Hunter-Reay was also forced to park his car with a mechanical problem, while his rival Power's afternoon did not go much better as he was rear-ended by a distracted JR Hildebrand that let Power with no choice than to get into the pits for repairs.

The Australian race ended a short time later when he hit the barriers.

James Hinchcliffe, Andretti Autosport. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

Results - 110 laps:

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 2h22m12.5502s
2. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy + 1.0982s
3. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 16.3664s
4. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy + 19.6083s
5. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 20.7627s
6. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy + 20.7890s
7. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 20.8229s
8. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda + 21.1878s
9. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda + 21.6832s
10. Alex Tagliani Herta Dallara-Honda + 22.5569s
11. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 22.7354s
12. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 24.5429s
13. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda + 37.5324s
14. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy + 45.2054s
15. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda + 45.7793s
16. Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy + 3 laps
17. Oriol Servia Panther/DRR Dallara-Chevy + 6 laps

Retirements:
Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy 79 laps
JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy 78 laps
Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy 72 laps
Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda 69 laps
Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 55 laps
Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda 50 laps
Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda 26 laps
Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honda 18 laps

A study published in the European Respiratory Journal reveals that 1 out of 7 chronic asthma cases may be the direct result of traffic-related air pollution.

Researchers compared children living near a major boulevard (10,000+ vehicles per day) with others living farther away. As they found out, the former had a higher number of asthmatics.

“Based on our findings, approximately 14% of all reported asthma cases among children can be attributed to traffic pollution. In other words, these children would not suffer from asthma if they were living away from a heavily polluted urban area,” the study reports.

Similar observations were made with older people. In fact, 28% of heart diseases are reportedly caused by traffic pollution.

The study was conducted in 10 European cities, including five in Spain.

Source: huffingtonpost

Fabio Leimer and Stefano Coletti each won a round in his past weekend's GP2 season opener in Sepang, Malaysia.

Coletti started from pole position, but was under pressure from Fabio Leimer (who's had a great start from fourth place) moments after the start.

Leimer powered into the lead and cruised to his first season win, ahead of Calado, who dominated free practice, and Coletti, who finally finished third.

Stephane Richelmi, who finished 8th in race 1, started the second race from pole position thanks to reverse grid regulation.

But Coletti, who had a brilliant start from sixth on the grid, muscled his way through the field and captured the early lead. Coletti maintained his position until the checkered flag, and moved into the championship lead.

Bad luck struck for Fabio Leimer and James Calado, who both crashed at the start.

GP2 - Sepang

Race 1:
1 - Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 31 laps in 57'49"385
2 - James Calado - ART - 2"045
3 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 11"271

4 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 12"810
5 - Julian Leal - Racing Engineering - 28"837

6 - Jolyon Palmer - Carlin - 34"209

7 - Sam Bird - Russian Time - 41"187
8 - Stephane Richelmi - Dams - 58"941
Etc.

Race 2:
1 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 22 laps in 40'49"455
2 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 0"832
3 - Mitch Evans - Arden - 8"358

4 - Stephane Richelmi - Dams - 11"935
5 - Johnny Cecotto - Arden - 15"874

6 - Simon Trummer - Rapax - 17"072

7 - Conor Daly - Hilmer - 17"479

8 - Rene Binder - Lazarus - 23"726
Etc.

Championship:
1. Coletti 36; 2. Leimer 25; 3. Nasr 24; 4. Calado 18; 5. Richelmi 12; 6. Evans 11; 7. Leal 10; 8. Palmer, Bird 8, etc.

Fabio Leimer and Stefano Coletti each won a round in his past weekend's GP2 season opener in Sepang, Malaysia.

Coletti started from pole position, but was under pressure from Fabio Leimer (who's had a great start from fourth place) moments after the start.

Leimer powered into the lead and cruised to his first season win, ahead of Calado, who dominated free practice, and Coletti, who finally finished third.

Stephane Richelmi, who finished 8th in race 1, started the second race from pole position thanks to reverse grid regulation.

But Coletti, who had a brilliant start from sixth on the grid, muscled his way through the field and captured the early lead. Coletti maintained his position until the checkered flag, and moved into the championship lead.

Bad luck struck for Fabio Leimer and James Calado, who both crashed at the start.

GP2 - Sepang

Race 1:
1 - Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 31 laps in 57'49"385
2 - James Calado - ART - 2"045
3 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 11"271

4 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 12"810
5 - Julian Leal - Racing Engineering - 28"837

6 - Jolyon Palmer - Carlin - 34"209

7 - Sam Bird - Russian Time - 41"187
8 - Stephane Richelmi - Dams - 58"941
Etc.

Race 2:
1 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 22 laps in 40'49"455
2 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 0"832
3 - Mitch Evans - Arden - 8"358

4 - Stephane Richelmi - Dams - 11"935
5 - Johnny Cecotto - Arden - 15"874

6 - Simon Trummer - Rapax - 17"072

7 - Conor Daly - Hilmer - 17"479

8 - Rene Binder - Lazarus - 23"726
Etc.

Championship:
1. Coletti 36; 2. Leimer 25; 3. Nasr 24; 4. Calado 18; 5. Richelmi 12; 6. Evans 11; 7. Leal 10; 8. Palmer, Bird 8, etc.

From GMM

Robert Kubica is "definitely" in the running to return to formula one with Lotus in 2014.

Turning down an offer to return to circuit racing in the German touring car series DTM this year, the Pole has got off to a highly competitive start as he prepares to contest the second-tier world rally championship in 2013.

The 28-year-old admits he cannot currently drive a single-seater due to the limitations of his still-injured right arm, but he has not ruled out a return to F1 at some point.

In 2010, Kubica drove for the Eric Boullier-run Renault team - now known as Lotus - and the former BMW driver was preparing for his second season in 2011 at the time of his near-fatal rally crash.

Robert Kubica preparing the 2011 season, beginning of February, before his crash. (Photo: WRi2)

It was believed the relationship with Lotus had subsequently broken down, but Frenchman Boullier now insists he would have Kubica back.

"If Robert is completely ready for a return to formula one, he definitely would be among the candidates," he told Russia's f1news.ru, when asked about Lotus' 2014 lineup.

Currently, Lotus' number 1 driver is Kimi Raikkonen, but the Finn is yet to commit beyond the end of his 2013 contract.

Boullier was asked if Raikkonen will still be in F1 next year, and he admitted: "It's a very good question! I don't know the answer."

Another candidate to join the team in 2014 is therefore Davide Valsecchi, the reigning GP2 champion who has signed on this year as Lotus' official reserve.

Asked what chance the 26-year-old Italian has of racing in 2014, Boullier answered: "He has a better chance than anyone else. We have some plans for this season and we will see how he copes with his work -- on the track and off. Not in the course of a grand prix (weekend), but he will test with the old car."

I like to think that the human race is getting better with age. The longer we spend on this great green earth, the wiser we become, right? Right?!

Seems to not be the case, especially when it comes to driving while under the influence.

It still shocks me to hear how many accidents and deaths are caused by drinking and driving. Truly, it'sappalling . According to Statistics Canada, the number of impaired driving incidents has once again risen (for the fourth time in five years in 2011). With over 90,000 reports of impaired driving across Canada, I can't help but shake my head in wonder and, let's be honest, shame.

How are we still making decisions like that? We've all seen the commercials and heard the news stories. Taking a cab or delegating a designated driver (usually my domain) really isn't that hard to do, people!

According to Statistics Canada, the highest rates of police-reported impaired driving in Canada took place in the North West Territories, Saskatchewan and PEI in 2011. The Canadian provincial average was 262 reported cases (per 100,000 inhabitants) and the North West Territories tipped the scale at over 1,400 reports. Their bar industry must be lucrative.

On the flipside, Ontario boasted the lowest number of reports dipping way below the 200 mark.

Numbers aside, I'm still upset that people are getting behind the wheel inebriated. Come on. It's more than stupid. It's downright negligent. Consider this: When your blood alcohol level reaches 0.10% you increase your chances of having an accident by 51%.

What more can we do to keep drunk drivers off the road? I think I might actually agree with the idea of having a breathalyzer installed in your vehicle after you've been caught driving impaired. If you blow even an mg over zero, your car won't start. Too bad for you.

However, that doesn't stop all those who've never been caught to begin with and who keep thinking it's OK to get behind the wheel when they can barely put their jacket on properly. It's just not cool, not at all. It's not an accomplishment that you made it home in one piece. It's not a cool story to tell the next day, it's dangerous and it must stop.

Of course, if you want to play devil's advocate here, you could say that the increased numbers of reported incidents of drunk driving are due to the increase in roadside checks. What we don't know won't hurt us, right? Wrong.

All too often I've seen groups of partygoers piling into their vehicle at the end of the night, clearly all three-sheets to the wind, and I just want to run up to the driver, shake them and take away their keys. It's just not a smart situation.

So, please, next time you're out drinking consider calling a cab to get home or asking a friend to be a designated driver. Trust me, it's not that bad and you get to be the memory-keeper for the night (i.e., the one who tells everyone what they did the morning after).

19-year-old Matthew Braham put on a clinic this weekend in St. Petersburg, racing for round three and four of the 2013 Star Mazda championship.

The grandson of three-time F1 champion Jack Brabham bounced back from mechanical problems in qualifying to win both races, presented Saturday and Sunday.

Diego Ferreira and Brabham's Andretti Autosport teammate Shelby Blackstock finished respectively second and third Saturday.

The same two drivers completed the podium Sunday, albeit in the reverse order.

From GMM

Mercedes' German-speaking faction has spoken out against the team orders that prevented Nico Rosberg from finishing on the podium in Malaysia.

German Rosberg asked and asked again to be let past his new British teammate Lewis Hamilton on Sunday, who was saving fuel to the finish as he ran in third place.

Team boss Ross Brawn answered repeatedly: "Negative."

Afterwards - but before Hamilton admitted on the podium that he was uncomfortable about finishing third - Rosberg told strategist Brawn on the radio to "Remember this one."

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. (Photo: WRi2)

It was a saga not unnoticed by Mercedes' newly-arrived Austrian shareholders and bosses Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff, who were not amused.

"From a sporting perspective, that was wrong," Lauda told German television RTL.

"They should have let him (Rosberg) go. We need to talk to Ross, if this is the strategy to be used from now on," he added.

Toto Wolff agreed: "From a sporting point of view, that's not what we want to see."

Brawn, whose role as team boss is believed threatened by the Austrian duo and also the likely arrival of McLaren's Paddy Lowe, is understood to have defended the 'team order' on the basis that Rosberg was also low on fuel.

Rosberg denied: "I did not have to save fuel. Everything was alright. I will sit down together with Ross to rethink whether this was really the right decision."

The 27-year-old's rationale is that, with tyres in good shape and fuel in the tank, he might have been able to chase down the leading Red Bulls.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, 1996 world champion Damon Hill agreed: "He might at least have been able to hurry the Red Bulls into a tyre problem."

Rosberg added: "I don't know if I would have gotten the Red Bulls. But I felt good at the time. I was doing well and would have liked to see how far I could have gone."

Justifying his anger on the radio, he explained: "I tried to get them to reconsider their decision."

But Rosberg denied Red Bull figure Dr Helmut Marko's claim that the episode demonstrates that Lewis Hamilton is Mercedes' obvious "number 1" driver.

"I can understand how this (episode) creates that impression," Rosberg responded, "but I am sure that if I had been in front, the decision would have been the same."

Cadillac should be overjoyed at the speculation and interest surrounding the new CTS.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: What makes this

Opel workers in Bochum, Germany, appear to have lost a high-stakes gamble to save their factory after an attempt to put pressure on Opel parent General Motors backfired and GM opted to close the plant ahead of schedule.

Chrysler Group, for all its improved performance lately, doesn't sell a lot of luxury cars to wealthy aficionados of German sports sedans. With the new Chrysler 300 SRT8, the company hopes to change that.

Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand prix under controversial conditions from teammate Mark Webber and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

The Red Bull drivers had allegedly agreed to hold position after the fourth and final round of pitstops with Webber leading and Vettel second.

The start of a wet/dry Malaysian GP (Photo: WRi2)

However, in an action that supposedly ‘needed explaining' after the race, the current world champion challenged Webber, and in the final stages pulled ahead and claimed his 38th career victory by 4.2 seconds.

Red Bull was not the only team to be hit by controversy in the Sepang heat. The Mercedes of Hamilton and Rosberg finished third and fourth respectively, despite the German driver believing that by the end of the race he had a clear pace advantage which was played out over the radio in an entertaining exchange with team boss Ross Brawn in the race's closing stages.

Nico Rosberg uselessly chassing down Lewis Hamilton (Photo: WRi2)

Ferrari after displaying impressive pace yesterday were also not free of problems. Fernando Alonso was up to second by the first corner from the start but tapped Vettel's Red Bull at Turn 2 and damaged the front wing of the car; within a few corners, the Spaniard had slid into the gravel with a shattered front wing and became the first high profile retirement of the race.

Alonso now lies 22 points behind Vettel in the driver's championship.

Fernando Alonso's first lap in Malaysia was also his last (Photo: WRi2)

The race's opening stages were characterized by a wet start and Vettel and Webber running first and second after the Australian made an uncharacteristically good start off the line.  The two cars switched positions after Vettel pitted too early for slicks, handing the advantage to Webber.

The Red Bull team's pit decisions allowed for Hamilton to capitalize on the brewing inter-team battle, with the Mercedes at that point seemingly capable of challenging the blue cars for a victory.

Hamilton's pace led to Vettel - who had dropped behind his teammate - making the bizarre “Mark is too slow, get him out of the way. He is too slow” claim over the radio, after Webber was in front and clearly held a pace advantage at this point.

Mark Webber leading Sebastian Vettel reminescent of Turkey 2010 (Photo: WRi2)

Red Bull's race now echoed Turkey 2010, with anxious faces on the team's pitwall after Vettel made his final pitstop that now put him on the tail of his teammate after he emerged.

In a clear contravention of team orders, Vettel challenged Webber for a few laps after the team had turned the engines down and issued the “multi 21” directive, a term believed to mean “hold station” within the Red Bull camp. The rest of the race saw Webber drop back, and Vettel claim a win that puts him level with Sir Jackie Stewart in terms of wins.

Amidst the controversy, Felipe Massa finished fifth for Ferrari after a difficult Grand Prix, with the Lotus' of Grosjean and Raikkonen finishing sixth and seventh. Hulkenberg, Perez and Vergne rounded out the top-10 with each driver opening their 2013 points account.

McLaren also showed improved pace with Jenson Button on course for fifth until a loose front wheel forced the 2009 world champion to stop in the pit-lane and wait for two minutes for the mechanics to retrieve the stricken car.

Jules Bianchi once again repaid Marussia's faith in him by finishing 13th making him once again the best of the backmarkers ahead of the two Caterhams and teammate Chilton who was classified as 22nd and last.

Three happy clams on the podium (Photo: WRi2)

Race results* - Malaysian Grand Prix (Kuala Lampur)
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 56 laps 1.38'56"681
2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 4"298
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 12"181
4 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 12"640
5 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 25"648
6 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 35"564
7 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 48"479
8 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 53"044
9 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'12"357
10 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'27"124
11 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'28"610
12 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1 lap
13 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1 lap
14 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap
15 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap
16 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps

Fastest lap: 1'39"199 (Sergio Perez)

Retirements
Lap 1 - Fernando Alonso
Lap 2 - Paul Di Resta
Lap 27 - Adrian Sutil
Lap 45 - Pastor Maldonado
Lap 51 - Daniel Ricciardo
Lap 53 - Jenson Button

Drivers' championship
1.Vettel 40; 2.Raikkonen 31; 3.Webber 26; 4.Hamilton 25; 5.Massa 22; 6.Alonso 18; 7.Rosberg 12; 8.Grosjean 9; 9.Sutil 6; 10.Di Resta, Hulkenberg 4; 12.Button, Perez 2; 14.Vergne 1.

Constructors' championship
1.Red Bull-Renault 66; 2.Lotus-Renault, Ferrari 40; 4.Mercedes 37; 5.Force India-Mercedes 10; 6.McLaren-Mercedes, Sauber-Ferrari 4; 8.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1

*Unofficial

After dominating most of the earlier practice sessions, Team Penske's Will Power earned the IndyCar season opener's pole position, in St Petersburg which makes it the 30th of his career.

The achievement is Power's 30th career pole, and fourth consecutive in St Petersburg.

Takuma Sato (AJ Foyt Racing) will start alongside him, having lapped second fastest, while KV Racing's Simona de Silvestro maintained her weekend's pace ending up in third.

Canadian James Hinchcliffe (Andretti) had a close battle with Helio Castroneves (Penske) untill the end and eventually beat the Brazilian to fourth place on the grid.

Newcomer Tristan Vautier completed the top six for Sam Schmidt Motorsport; once again showing his potential.


Qualifying results - St Petersburg (IndyCar)
1.Will Power (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 1'01"2070
2.Takuma Sato (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Foyt - 1'01"5776
3.Simona De Silvestro (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 1'01"7670
4.James Hinchcliffe (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 1'01"8229
5.Helio Castroneves (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 1'01"8991
6.Tristan Vautier (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 1'02"0645
7.Marco Andretti (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 1'01"6883
8.Ryan Hunter-Reay (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 1'01"7339
9.Sebastian Saavedra (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Dragon - 1'01"7944
10.Dario Franchitti (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 1'01"8150
11.Tony Kanaan (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 1'01"9139
12.Oriol Servia (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Panther DRR - 1'02"1483
13.Justin Wilson (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Coyne - 1'02"1777
14.Charlie Kimball (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 1'02"1198
15.Graham Rahal (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Rahal - 1'02"2709
16.Josef Newgarden (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Fisher - 1'02"1592
17.Alex Tagliani (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Herta - 1'02"3328
18.James Jakes (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Rahal - 1'02"1658
19.Simon Pagenaud (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 1'02"4736
20.Scott Dixon (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 1'02"1715
21.Sebastien Bourdais (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Dragon - 1'02"6537
22.Ernesto Viso (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 1'02"1986
23.Ed Carpenter (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Carpenter - 1'02"6634
24.JR Hildebrand (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Panther - 1'02"3179
25.Ana Beatriz (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Coyne - 1'03"2551

Adapted from GMM

Pressure is mounting on F1 supplier Pirelli to change its tires.

It is being whispered ever louder in the Sepang paddock that Red Bull, Mercedes and perhaps other teams are pushing hard for the Italian supplier to amend the heavily-degrading tires supplied so far in 2013 in Australia and Malaysia.

"There are definitely signs about a change of the compound," Mercedes' Toto Wolff is quoted by SID news agency.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko says Pirelli "has promised" to change its tyre compounds in time for next month's Bahrain grand prix.

Pirelli's Paul Hembery, however, said the marque will only look to change tack if the teams "unanimously" demand it.

"That (unanimity) is definitely not the case," he insisted.

"If we do something, and suddenly two or three cars are no longer competitive but some others are suddenly faster, then we just have a new problem.

"We are analysing the situation," Pirelli is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, "but there is still no decision."

Despite safety concerns, Red Bull finished 1-2 in Malaysia followed by... two Mercedes (Photo: WRi2)

Mercedes and Red Bull's argument revolves around a safety issue.

"(The) fact is that the tires are not only developing extreme degradation after only a few laps, but big chunks quarry out," Marko told F1's official website.

"So this looks like there is an issue with the basics of the tires.  Note, the tires have these problems -- not us."

So rather than rush back to Milton-Keynes to make improvements to the car that will perhaps make it slower, Marko said the priority for Red Bull is to "sit down with Pirelli".

As for the claim that Lotus is doing so well because its 2010 car - the Renault R30 - is now used by Pirelli as its test mule, Hembery dismissed it as a "conspiracy theory (that is) not based on fact".

And a Lotus source is quoted by Italy's La Stampa: "If our car was like 2010, we would be in bad shape."

Adapted from GMM

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton completed a sour-faced podium on Sunday by finishing third, after his faster teammate Nico Rosberg was told by boss Ross Brawn to hold station.

Nico Rosberg "holding station" (Photo: WRi2)

First and second of the same race were Red Bull teammates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who had their fair share of team orders controversy.

"If I'm honest, Nico should be standing here, he had better pace," said Hamilton. "I can't say it is the best feeling being up here (on the podium)."

Hamilton was just as happy as Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel to stand on the podium in Sepang (Photo: WRi2)

Earlier, Rosberg pleaded to be able to pass the sister W04, but Brawn's answer was "negative".

"Remember this one," Rosberg said over the radio as he pulled into parc ferme in fourth position, but he soon reassured reporters that he understood and respected the team's decision.

Red Bull's Marko, who in the Vettel-Webber row took the side of the Australian, said of the Mercedes situation it is obvious the team wanted its "number 1" driver to finish in front.

Adapted from GMM

Martin Whitmarsh has failed yet again to "kill off" suggestions McLaren will ultimately scrap the 2013 car and revert to the winning model of last season.

"Everything is an option," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport when asked the old question about the possible return of the 2012 car.

"But we have made some initial progress and I believe up to China we will make some more."

Jenson Button apparently agrees, saying qualifying in Malaysia "just two tenths off the guy (Kimi Raikkonen)", who won in Australia, "can't be bad".

Still, the rumours about the 2012 car persist, even though Whitmarsh insists there is nothing "fundamentally" flawed - or unfixable - about the MP4-28.

The team boss was asked on Saturday if he can "kill off" the 2012 car speculation.

"I can kill it off for the time being," he told reporters.  "We have made a clear decision and we are working hard to understand this car in order to improve it and turn it into a race-winning one."

His message is clear -- if fixing the MP4-28 falters, the MP4-27 is always there.

"The fact is," continued Whitmarsh, "we took too long to realise (the mistakes with the MP4-28) and we are responding now."

From GMM

Romain Grosjean will soon be a father.

After his new wife Marion Jolles - who met Grosjean whilst a F1 television reporter - was spotted apparently pregnant, the French Lotus driver confirmed the news.

He said their baby is due in the summer.

"We are absolutely delighted," said the 26-year-old.

But according to Swiss journalist Roger Benoit, of the Blick newspaper, Lotus is apparently "not very happy about it, because (the team thinks) he should concentrate on the sport".

Meanwhile, former Marussia driver Timo Glock's newly born first child - a son born by his partner Isabell - has been named Mika.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he is considering dropping Interlagos from the F1 calendar.

Indeed, Britain's Daily Mail reveals that F1 chief executive Ecclestone, who has not travelled to the opening two races of the 2013 calendar, has in fact just returned from Rio de Janeiro.

The city's mayor is reportedly "pitching hard" to become the new Brazil GP host.

"The mayor has told me they can get it done," said Ecclestone.

"I have been unhappy with Sao Paulo for a long time.  It's a super race track, but the facilities need a big facelift.

"We could be there (Rio) for Olympic year (2016), but I know how hard it was for London to run just the Olympics," he added.

Meanwhile, Ecclestone has expressed interest in extending Malaysia's F1 contract, but told The Star newspaper that organisers need to give Sepang a "paint job".

"It is obviously not the same as Singapore," he said.  "Maybe because they don't spend the money."