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Ferrari is showing interest into the career of Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time Formula 1 World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi.

For a fourth year in succession, Banco Santander has invited several talented young sport drivers to undergo three days of special training at the Ferrari Driver Academy in Maranello.

The drivers underwent medical and physical tests, sessions at the simulator with Pedro de la Rosa, mental training and driving race cars on Fiorano's test track.

Pietro Fittipaldi (Photo: Santander)

One of these young drivers is Pietro Fittipaldi. The 18-year-old Brazilian won three karting championships between 2006 and 2010 and clinched the Protyre Formula Renault 2.0 British Championship this year.

Fittipaldi tested a Formula 3 car at Fiorano.

Pietro Fittipaldi (Photo: Santander)

Adapted from GMM

More than a week prior to the United States Grand Prix and the Formula 1 world knows little about the future of Fernando Alonso.

Insiders suggest Fernando Alonso is wavering between a McLaren-Honda contract on his terms or the very real prospect of a sabbatical as he waits for a seat at dominant Mercedes.

"He hasn't got many places to go has he?" F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told business journalist Christian Sylt. "There's nowhere else other than McLaren."

Spain's AS newspaper claims the Spaniard has received a concrete offer from Porsche, where his friend Mark Webber already races at the fabled Le Mans 24 hours.

Motorhome McLaren-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Nothing's official
But while Alonso's situation remains unclear, his current employer Ferrari waits.

The Maranello team has surely signed up Sebastian Vettel to replace him, but for now, it remains unofficial.

"If you're asking me if Vettel could be a good driver for Ferrari, the answer is yes," newly departed president Luca di Montezemolo said.

"He's young, he's a four time champion of the world, very good guy, good Ferrari client, so he has all the characteristics. So why not?"

Done deal
According to Red Bull, Vettel-to-Ferrari is a done deal. Dr Helmut Marko says even the details of his release to Maranello have been concluded, as the German will be prevented from driving a red car in the post-season Abu Dhabi test.

"Sebastian may not drive for Ferrari in this test," Marko confirmed to Germany's Auto Bild. "It is clear and we have told Sebastian."

It is an odd situation that, now some weeks since Vettel's next move became clear, it remains unofficial.

But the insiders are already musing Ferrari's chances of success with its new star.

Motorhome Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

Disappointment at Ferrari
The latest rumours out of Maranello are alarming, as the well-connected Autosprint claims aerodynamic figures from the 2015 car concept are not even as good as the ones from the disappointing current car.

"They need time to rebuild everything," F1 legend and former Ferrari driver Alain Prost told Spain's AS, "as they have been through a lot lately and it can't be fixed in the short term."

The Frenchman also doubts Vettel is the silver bullet.

"Alonso has proved in the past years that a driver cannot fix things at Ferrari. The managerial, technical and driver sides must come together.

"2015 will be difficult for Vettel," Prost predicted, "but I think his move is positive. When you spend so much time with a team and are a multiple champion, it is normal to lose motivation and require another challenge.

"He is young enough to have the time to build a future with Ferrari. His position is different to Fernando, who wants to win immediately."

From GMM

Nico Rosberg has admitted he will think more about his own interests now after Mercedes wrapped up the constructors' championship in Russia.

The German has fallen 17 points behind in the intra-team chase for the drivers' title, after Lewis Hamilton won the last four grands prix on the trot.

Some believe Rosberg is tightening up just as Hamilton is hitting his stride, but the German announced he will "attack with full force" beginning with next weekend's US grand prix.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

"The remaining tracks are among my favourites," he said, referring to the final flyaway trio of races in Austin, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

"I have never felt pushed into a corner," Rosberg is quoted by Germany's Sport Bild. "I am a hunter, I am hunting for the title and I have no reason to give up.

"There will be a tough fight over three challenging races," he continued, "and I have no doubt that after thinking about the team, now it is going to be more about our own interests."

Alain Prost, the F1 legend, agreed that although Hamilton is ahead in the standings and on form, Rosberg cannot be counted out yet.

"It's more in favour of Hamilton," said the Frenchman, "but he can always make a mistake at the wrong time. I would say it is 55-45," he told Spain's AS newspaper.

German car manufacturer Volkswagen will retain Sebastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen for its factory World Rally Championship team into 2015.

The three drivers currently stands first, second and third in the drivers' standings.

Sebastien Ogier, Andreas Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala. (Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport)

"We currently have the three best rally drivers in the world on our books,” said Jost Capito, head of Volkswagen Motorsport.

"Continuity is an important factor in any success in motorsport, and I am delighted to have been able to extend our cooperation with Sebastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen”.

"Renewing the contract with Volkswagen is a completely logical step," said Sebastien Ogier.

"The best team with the best car - there was no reason for me and [co-driver] Julien [Ingrassia] to want anything but what is far and away the best opportunity to battle for wins and world championship titles.

"I am very pleased that we will continue to work with this team, in which we feel so comfortable and with whom we have enjoyed our greatest successes."

From GMM

Gene Haas has played down suggestions Bernie Ecclestone could freeze him out of F1 long before his team's scheduled 2016 debut.

The American might be forgiven if he was alarmed by the F1 supremo's latest statements, including Ecclestone's desire for "a formula one with eight teams with three cars each".

And as backmarker Caterham sits on the brink of collapse this week, Ecclestone told The Sun: "I think it's better they go.

"I don't want people going around with begging bowls," he added.

But if Ecclestone's stance sounds ominous for a small startup beginning to plan for its 2016 debut, Gene Haas insisted: "We have a license, we will be there.

"Unless something changes that would be a shock to me," he told CNN.

"I think Bernie's objective is to have teams who are well-structured, well-funded and that race at a level that the world championship requires," Haas added.

He said that with the sport's existing teams spending between $50 million and half a billion per year, "We should be somewhere in the middle of that".

Marco Mattiacci (Ferrari) and Gene Haas. (Photo: WRi2)

And a powerful ally for Haas is F1's most iconic team, Ferrari.

Gene Haas confirmed: "Ferrari wanted to go beyond being just an engine supplier and they were going to help us with the basic structures of the car. It's an honour to have Ferrari help us in this way and we take all the help they can give us because you can't really get better than Ferrari."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top official apologized late Wednesday for publishing inaccurate information in its Monday warning about defective Takata airbags that may explode and for technical glitches that made its recall...

The UAW hopes to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for workers at Volkswagen's assembly plant in Chattanooga within a year, union President Dennis Williams said Wednesday.

The fourth generation Vauxhall Corsa will undercut the entry level Ford Fiesta, Britain's long-time best selling car, by GBP1,000 when it goes on sale at year-end.

The recall of some 7.8 million vehicles with faulty Takata airbags that may explode attracted additional federal scrutiny Wednesday, with prosecutors launching a probe into the Japanese supplier and a U.S.

New YouTube ads from Edmunds.com have provoked a backlash. Some dealers say the four videos perpetuate stereotypes of dealers as unscrupulous bargainers; Edmunds says the ads are simply spoofs intended to show that customers dislike haggling.

Toyota, the last major carmaker without a high-volume assembly plant in Mexico, said the group assessing whether to build a factory there is far from getting clearance from top management.

Gentex, which makes a variety of automotive mirrors, cameras and electronic components, said today that its third quarter net income surged 30 percent from a year earlier, with total revenue jumping 22 percent.

Delphi Automotive, the former parts unit of General Motors, is exploring a sale of a business that makes heating and cooling systems for cars, and will seek as much as $1 billion for the unit, people with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg.

Takata Corporation, the Japanese maker of air bags at the centre of an auto industry-wide safety crisis, has recovered from its biggest-ever drop in Tokyo share trading after saying additional charges related to recalls would be small.

The next-generation Audi A8 will be able to drive itself.

PSA Peugeot Citroen could reach its cashflow target two years early thanks to better than expected growth at its growth at its Faurecia parts unit which contributed to an unexpected increase in third quarter revenue.

BMW is lowering the estimated fuel economy labels on four 2014 Mini Cooper models after tests by the EPA, the agency said today.

Volvo says it is looking to double its market share to 2% in order to offer an alternative to German brands.

Thailand's new vehicle market continued to plummet in September, with sales falling by 27.5% to 68,843 units compared with 94,859 units in the same month of last year, according to data released by the Federation of Thai Industries.

Are Tesla shares overvalued? If you ask Daimler, investors have gotten ahead of themselves with their exuberant love for Elon Musk's EV carmaker.