Rift Between McLaren, Mercedes?

Rumours of a rift between McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have emerged in the specialist motoring press.

The duo are closely aligned in the world of formula one, with Mercedes-Benz providing works engines and owning the largest slice of Ron Dennis’ company.

But Automotive News Europe reports that, despite their collaboration on the $600,000 SLR supercar, Mercedes is actually getting ready to pair with its German car partner for the DTM touring car series, HWA, for the SLR’s successor.

Other sources said Mercedes had been “disappointed by the performance” of the original SLR, which is built at McLaren’s F1 factory.

Schu, Liuzzi, watch MotoGP at Mugello

After attending the most recent Spanish and Monaco grands prix, Michael Schumacher this weekend switched his attention to the two-wheeled world of MotoGP.

The German, now an ‘advisor’ for the formula one team Ferrari following his sixteen year driving career, was spotted on the grid prior to motorcycling’s Italian grand prix at Mugello.

The Autodromo Internazionale di Mugello, occasionally used for formula one testing, is owned by Ferrari.

38-year-old Schumacher was observed chatting with Ducati’s championship leader Casey Stoner, and also Valentino Rossi, who rides for the Fiat-backed Yamaha team and in the past tested Ferrari’s single seaters.

Albers cynical about Verstappen test

Christijan Albers admitted to cynicism amid reports that Dutch countryman Jos Verstappen is likely to test his Spyker formula one car later this year.

The 28-year-old, who has struggled to match the pace of his rookie teammate Adrian Sutil so far in 2007, told Formule 1 Race Report that former grand prix driver Verstappen’s run would be “good for publicity”.

“But if you ask me,” Albers told the magazine, “a formula one team is assessed rather by performances and results. Of course, though, a sportsman would say that.”

Symonds seeks two-tenth step in Canada

F1’s reigning world champion team Renault is making strides towards returning to the pace in 2007.

That is the outlook of the French squad’s veteran engineering chief Pat Symonds, who suggested to the magazine Auto Motor und Sport that Renault is finally getting to the bottom of the reasons for its mysterious lack of speed earlier this season.

“The modified front suspension in Barcelona was the first step, and the new front wing in Monte Carlo (was) the second,” Symonds is quoted as saying by the German publication.

It is understood that the problem with the R27 has therefore been isolated to the front of the car, but even with improved pace, Giancarlo Fisichella still finished a lap behind the McLarens in Monaco.

Red Bull fits new rear wings for Canada

Both of Austrian energy drink Red Bull’s formula one teams will race new rear wings at the Canadian grand prix.

Many outfits, including Ferrari and Toyota, intend to debut new bodywork on the low-downforce Montreal layout this weekend, but the Red Bull news is particularly noteworthy in the context of the similarly new FIA deflection tests.

We first reported late last month that the intensified scrutineering tests, to be conducted for the first time in Canada, were a reaction to evidence that suggested the Red Bull wings were flexing illegally at high speed in Spain.

The team technical boss, Adrian Newey, confirmed in a press document this week that the RB3 will be fitted with a “smaller rear wing” in Canada.

Monaco slump was ‘rare episode’ - Todt

Jean Todt said on Monday that he thought the recent Monaco grand prix had been a “rare negative episode” for the Ferrari team in 2007.

The Italian squad, which is led by the 60-year-old Frenchman, finished a minute behind the leaders in the Principality, despite Felipe Massa winning the preceding Bahrain and French grands prix with superior pace to the McLarens.

Referring to Monaco, Todt said: “It was one of those rare negative episodes that inevitably occur during a season.”

Massa, meanwhile, is also quoted by the newspaper El Mundo as saying: “I know that (the) McLaren (car) did not have anything especially new (in Monaco) — it was not that they improved, it was that we did not perform at our best.

Hamilton factor may help Canada GP sellout

The Canadian grand prix this weekend could be heading for a sellout — thanks to Lewis Hamilton.

Montreal’s always-buzzing Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be missing two usual drawcards in 2007, following the retirement of Michael Schumacher and local hero Jacques Villeneuve’s formula one exit.

Canada’s National Post reports that the event is not sold out, “but (it) could be by the end of the week, depending on an anticipated rush for general-admission tickets”.

The ‘rush’ is expected due to a late marketing campaign centred around the success of British McLaren rookie Hamilton, who has scored as many points so far in 2007 as his world champion teammate Fernando Alonso.

Ralf Schumacher - a downward spiral that continues to get worse

Ralf Schumacher’s former manager says he was “shocked” by the Toyota driver’s performance in the recent Monaco grand prix.

The 31-year-old, who is currently the subject of wild speculation concerning his immediate future on the grid, hit a new low in 2007 when in Monte Carlo he was outqualified by a Spyker and then struggled to overtake the orange cars in the race.

But Willi Weber, who negotiated Ralf’s expiring $20m per-year Toyota contract before they split, told Bild newspaper: “He finds himself in a downward spiral that continues to get worse.

“Monaco shocked me — that he hung around behind (Christijan) Albers for so long, seeming to not be able to do anything about it.
“It is not the Ralf that I know.”

Kubica not sorry about Villeneuve absence

Robert Kubica says he is not nervous about racing in Montreal this year, after taking Canadian favourite Jacques Villeneuve’s seat at BMW-Sauber.

Former world champion Villeneuve split with BMW last season mere weeks after competing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which is named in honour of his late and legendary father.

But although the separation was in ex-tester Kubica’s favour, the rookie Pole refused to treat the subject carefully in conversation with the Canadian newspaper National Post ahead of his return to Montreal in 2007.

Kovalainen: "I don’t really like Piquet Junior so much"

Heikki Kovalainen has given a noteworthy insight into his relationship with his Renault team colleague Nelson Piquet Jr.


Finn Kovalainen has had a difficult start to his rookie season as the French squad’s race driver, after testing for the team last year.


Waiting in the wings in the Renault pit garage, meanwhile, is 21-year-old Piquet Jr, who filled Kovalainen’s test-seat shoes this year and wants to move into a racing cockpit no later than 2008.



In a blithe interview with ITV, Kovalainen, 25, was asked which famous racer he most admired — 1992 title winner Nigel Mansell or triple world champion Nelson Piquet.


He answered: “To be honest I don’t really know them so well -– it was too early for me when they were racing.


“(But) I don’t really like Piquet Junior so much, so maybe Mansell.”