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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."

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.

Fiat's Serbian factory, which will export the 500L minivan to the US, expects to deliver 110,000 to 150,000 vehicles this year after six-month orders exceeded targets.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Much as I generally like the E-class, the 2013

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.

Carlos Ghosn laid a $5 billion bet in 2009 that the world's next Ford Model T would be electric, and that Nissan would lead a revolution embraced by nations such as Denmark. Three years later, sales of Leaf plug-in vehicles in the Nordic country: 73.

A jury has ordered a Toyota dealership in Philadelphia to pay six crash victims $15.7 million for its negligent maintenance and repair of the 2006 Toyota Sienna rental in which they were riding.

A study by Mayo in the U.S. reveals that people with a pacemaker can safely drive a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Researchers wanted to see if the electromagnetic interferences generated by the electric motor could have ill effects on a pacemaker.

The study involved 30 people and a Toyota Prius. Tests were conducted at speeds of 50 km/h and 100 km/h, under acceleration and deceleration, as well as in different areas of the vehicle.

Overall, these interferences are not powerful enough to send a heart attack signal to the pacemaker, although it remains a possibility in an infinitely small number of cases.

While no definitive conclusions were drawn, future tests with other EVs will provide a clearer picture.

Source : cnetfrance.fr

Photo: Michel Deslauriers

A US-based version of the German DTM touring car series could debut in 2015, running alongside NASCAR and Unified SportsCar rounds.

The idea, born about a year ago, had been forgotten a little in the midst of the merger between ALMS and Grand-Am. With the new series now firmly on track, the focus has shifted back to DTM.

An announcement is set to be made later this week, at the New York motor show, by DTM, Grand-Am and Japanese Super GT representatives.

According to German news website Motorsport-Total, the American DTM could present eighth rounds in 2015, four of which at Unified SportsCar rounds, and the other four at NASCAR events -- all on road courses. Officials are studying the prospect of racing at Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Daytona and Indianapolis.

As far as teams are concerned, official DTM teams could be represented by American customer outfits.

But the American DTM could also shape up as an "all-star" series, pitching against one another stars from DTM, Grand-Am and Super GT.

Tune in on March 26 for more...

Top teams Red Bull and Mercedes want Pirelli to rush last year's tires back into service.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the two outfits are arguing that it is not fair that the tyre supplier's 2013 products seem to be penalising the best cars.

Indeed, while in the past high downforce tended to minimise tyre wear, the opposite phenomenom is apparently occuring now, and according to Red Bull and Mercedes that also poses a safety risk.

Correspondent Michael Schmidt said: "Adrian Newey has made the direct link between downforce and wear."

World champion Sebastian Vettel confirmed: "The better the car, the worse shape you're in."

The Renault R30 raced by Robert Kubica in 2010 (Photo: Renault F1 Team)

Another growing gripe is that Lotus has gained an unfair advantage by supplying its 2010 car - the Enstone-designed Renault R30 - to be used as Pirelli's exclusive track testing car.

"It's obvious that the Pirelli tires are designed for this type of car," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko is quoted as saying.

"The Lotus of today has the same DNA."

Robert Kubica was enjoying a healthy lead in his first European Rally Championship (ERC) appearance when he crashed out of the event.

The Pole lost control of his Citroën DS3 while going through the first run of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana special, in Rally Islas Canarias.

Robert Kubica before he crashed his Citroën DS3 (Photo: FIAERC.com)

"I tried to do the corner but I hit the barrier," he explained afterwards. "I didn't reduce enough speed but I hit the barrier with the rear-left corner. Then with the front we dived into the barrier.

"It's a shame but unfortunately this can happen."

Kubica's crash handed the lead of Rally Islas Canarias to Skoda driver Jan Kopecky.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has brought up the idea of enforcing a points-based penalty system in the future, while bringing reporters up to speed on technical issues in a FIA Q&A.

Romain Grosjean made the headlines several times, most infamously at the Belgian GP, where he flew over the head of Fernando Alonso at the start of the race.

Romain Grosjean, Spa (Photo: WRi2)

As a consequence, the Frenchman had to sit out the following round of the championship, in Monza.

Some say the hot-headed Grosjean never learnt from his mistakes on track, and that a better system should therefore be elaborated to stop drivers from ramming into each other.

According to Whiting, the idea of a points-based system is generally like, although "not unanimously (supported)".

The FIA will run a hypothetical system this season to gauge the idea.

For once this year Denny Hamlin was in the news with good news.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver who was fined in February for statements about the Gen 6 NASCAR Sprint Cup car and in a Twitter verbal war with Joey Logano had won his second-straight pole at Auto Club Speedway.

Driving a Toyota Hamlin turned a lap of 38.410 seconds around the two-mile oval.

Hamlin was surprised he took the pole because he was third in Friday's qualifying order. “I thought my chances of grabbing the pole were slim,” he said.

“I think our car was really fast. It's cocky to say, but I was saying I could almost guarantee a pole if we had a late draw. I think, except for one exceptional car, the pole would have been later. I knew my lap was really good. I knew it felt good. It's a good way to start the weekend. Hopefully I won't see any passing.”

This is Hamlin's third pole is his last six races at Auto Club Speedway and his second consecutive. He finished 11th last year. In October of 2009, he also captured the pole and finished 37th.

Denny Hamlin (Photo: Denny Hamlin Facebook)

It was Hamlin's 13th pole in 264 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and his first pole and four Top 10 start in 2013. Hamlin has just one Top 5 finish in 12 previous Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway, finishing third in August of 2008.

Greg Biffle and Brad Keselowski had the second and third fastest laps in qualifying, respectively, but both will start at the back because of engine changes. Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, Hamlin's teammates, rounded out the top 5.

Biffle explained, due to the engine change “unfortunately we had about eight minutes of practice today before qualifying. The guys worked really hard to get the engine changed. I got out with three minutes to go to make a lap and we made adjustments from that lap and we were able to put down a pretty fast lap.”

Keselowski, the series points leader, was likewise concerned that both he and Biffle had to change engines.

“I am a little nervous about the engine issues the 16 and 2 cars both had in practice and hopefully those will subside for the race and we are both going to start in the back. It is unfortunate but we will have a good time hopefully racing to the front.”

From GMM

Caterham has belatedly confirmed reports that talks about a possible merger with rival backmarker Marussia took place over the winter.

In explaining the delay in Marussia being offered a 2013 commercial deal, Bernie Ecclestone dropped the bombshell about the mooted merger.

"As I understand it, the conclusion (of the merger talks) was unacceptable to our shareholders," Marussia chief executive Graeme Lowdon said on Thursday.

Marussia MR02, Sepang (Photo: WRi2)

"So nothing happened."

Initially, Caterham pointedly denied the existence of the merger talks, team founder Tony Fernandes insisting "no such thing" ever took place.

New team boss Cyril Abiteboul told the New Straits Times: "I'm still young and new here, but since I've been here I must have heard stories about mergers at least ten times.

"These talks with Marussia happened over the Christmas period and as with everything, we looked at whether it made any sense and it didn't make sense," he added.

Caterham CT03, Sepang (Photo: WRi2)

"End of story."

Meanwhile, Abiteboul and Fernandes were spotted chatting in the Sepang pitlane on Saturday morning with former team driver Heikki Kovalainen.

"Who knows what will happen in the future?" the Finn, who arrived at the Malaysian GP venue on Saturday morning in a green Ferrari road car, told British broadcaster Sky.

From GMM

Sauber could have kept Nico Hulkenberg in the race last Sunday in Australia, it has emerged.

Ultimately, the German sat out Melbourne with a terminal fuel tank problem, so serious that he is at the wheel of an all-new chassis this weekend in Malaysia.

The all-new chassis of Hulkenberg (Photo: WRi2)

But he had qualified eleventh in Melbourne, seven places ahead of rookie teammate Esteban Gutierrez.

It now emerges that Sauber could actually have sidelined Mexican Gutierrez, giving the working C32 to Hulkenberg and maintaining a very real chance of a good result.

In the end, Gutierrez finished outside of the points in Australia.

"Did Sauber give away championship points?" wondered veteran Blick newspaper correspondent Roger Benoit.

"The team confirmed on Friday (in Malaysia) that the FIA would have permitted a driver change."

However, Hulkenberg would have had to start the race in Gutierrez's car from the pitlane.

And team boss Monisha Kaltenborn insisted: "It was not an option for us."

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said the situation raises a fascinating question.

"What would Red Bull or Ferrari do in the same situation, if the world title was at stake?  Would Mark Webber or Felipe Massa give up their cars to the team captains?" wondered correspondent Michael Schmidt.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel insists he is not worried his friendship with Kimi Raikkonen will suffer as they go wheel-to-wheel for the title in 2013.

The pair are arguably the closest friends among all the drivers in the pitlane, living close to one another in Switzerland and often meeting up to play badminton.

But they have never fought against each other for F1's biggest prize -- Raikkonen departed F1 at the end of 2009, just as Vettel began his series of titles in 2010.

So will the heat of a championship battle in 2013, with Raikkonen already leading Vettel in the world championship, spoil their friendship?

"I think you have to separate the two things," German Vettel told Bild newspaper.

"Anyway, we get along very well, but it's not like we spend every spare minute in the paddock together," he added.

Bild correspondent Frank Schneider wrote: "Raikkonen and Vettel are completely different.

"Raikkonen is tattooed, smokes, drinks, while Vettel lives a disciplined life free of scandal."

Current IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti) and runner-up Will Power (Penske) dominated each Friday practice sessions for this weekend St Petersburg season opener but the Australian was the one who set the fastest time at the end of the day.

Still, Hunter-Reay was a mere 0.1785s behind while Simona de Silvestro showed that she was at ease in her new KV Racing car by finishing third. The Swiss driver finished up 0.06s off Hunter-Reay's time.

Oriol Servia (Panther/DRR) was fourth-fastest, just ahead of Takuma Sato (AJ Foyt Racing), who was the best of the Honda-powered entries.

The Ganassi squad had somewhat of a quiet start with Charlie Kimball leading the team with the 13th-best lap, leaving Dario Franchitti 17th and Scott Dixon 19th.


Morning session
1.  Ryan Hunter-Reay - 1m02.4534s
2.  James Hinchcliffe - 1m02.4544s  + 0.0010s
3.  Will Power - 1m02.5464s  + 0.0930s
4.  EJ Viso - 1m02.5759s  + 0.1225s
5.  Tony Kanaan - 1m02.6114s  + 0.1580s
6.  Dario Franchitti - 1m02.6823s  + 0.2289s
7.  Simona de Silvestro - 1m02.6950s  + 0.2416s
8.  Josef Newgarden - 1m02.7308s  + 0.2774s
9.  Sebastien Bourdais - 1m02.8867s  + 0.4333s
10.  Marco Andretti - 1m02.9252s  + 0.4718s
(...)


Afternoon session
1.  Will Power - 1m01.4467s
2.  Ryan Hunter-Reay - 1m01.6252s  + 0.1785s
3.  Simona de Silvestro - 1m01.6895s  + 0.2428s
4.  Oriol Servia - 1m01.7650s  + 0.3183s
5.  Takuma Sato - 1m01.7703s  + 0.3236s
6.  Helio Castroneves - 1m01.7853s  + 0.3386s
7.  Tony Kanaan - 1m01.8087s  + 0.3620s
8.  James Hinchcliffe - 1m02.0039s  + 0.5572s
9.  Tristan Vautier - 1m02.0459s  + 0.5992s
10.  Marco Andretti - 1m02.0877s  + 0.6410s
(...)

Sébastien Loeb will take part in the famous American hill climb of Pikes Peak.

The Frenchman will be at the wheel of a Peugeot 208 prototype especially developed by Citroën for the event.

The nine-time world rally champion has never raced before at the Pikes Peak, a 20-kilometre race against the clock that finishes at 4,300 meters of altitude.

Can 'won-it-all' Loeb find something new to win in 2013? (Photo: ppihc.com)

This year's Pike Peak is held on June 30th.

Sebastian Vettel scored his second consecutive pole position of 2013 during a bizarre wet/dry qualifying session for tomorrow's Malaysian Grand Prix.

The world champion set his fastest lap of 1m49.674s in the closing stages of Q3 on a drying track after pitting for a fresh set of intermediate tyres on his Red Bull. 

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

The Ferraris will line up behind Vettel, with Massa once again qualifying ahead of his teammate Alonso for the fourth race in succession after putting in an impressive lap at the end of Q3, albeit 0.9s from Vettel. This is the Brazilian's first front row start since Bahrain 2010.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F138 (Photo: WRi2)

Mark Webber split the two Mercedes' in fifth despite seeming during the early stages of the session he could repeat his 2010 pole position. The silver cars finished fourth and sixth, once again showing the potential for pole in the hands of Hamilton and Rosberg, with the Brit staking his claim for the top spot with a 1m51.699 and the German setting the pace in Q2.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W04 (Photo: WRi2)

Kimi Raikkonen qualified his Lotus down in seventh ahead of Jenson Button's McLaren which showed improved pace this weekend. But the Finn was pushed down to 10th for blocking Rosberg. Adrian Sutil continued his impressive return to action by putting the Force India in ninth, with the second McLaren of Sergio Perez rounding out the top-ten.

An unexpected rain shower was the surprise of Q2 and caught a number of drivers out, most notably Romain Grosjean and Paul di Resta who spun twice after pushing hard to make it through to Q3; the Frenchman and the Scot will line up 11th and 15th respectively.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E21 (Photo: WRi2)

Further down the grid, Williams' weekend worsened with Pastor Maldonado failing to set a time in Q2, which put the Venezuelan down in 16th. Teammate Valtteri Bottas once again failed make much of the hype surrounding him as he dropped out in Q3 after finishing 18th and was almost outpaced by the impressive Jules Bianchi's Marussia, which sits almost 0.2 seconds behind.

Bianchi's compatriot Charles Pic was the best of the Caterhams in 20th ahead of Marussia's Max Chilton. Giedo van der Garde props up the grid in the sister Caterham in 22nd and final spot.


Qualifying results* - Malaysian Grand Prix (Kuala Lampur)
1.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'49”674 - Q3
2.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'50”587 - Q3
3.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'50”727 - Q3
4.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'51”699 - Q3
5.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'52”244 - Q3
6.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'52”519 - Q3
7.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'53”175 - Q3
8.Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'53”439 - Q3
9.Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'54”136 - Q3
10.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'52”970 - Q3**
11.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'37”636 - Q2
12.Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'38”125 - Q2
13.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'38”822 - Q2
14.Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'39”221 - Q2
15.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'44”509 - Q2
16.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - no time - Q2
17.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'38”157 - Q1
18.Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'38”207 - Q1
19.Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'38”434 - Q1
20.Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'39”314 - Q1
21.Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'39”672 - Q1
22.Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'39”932 - Q1

*Unofficial
** Penalised