Looking purely at racing statistics, it is clear that – over the past two seasons – Red Bull is F1′s most successful team.  In fact, Red Bull has won 23 of the last 40 races and 13 of the last 20.  It only failed to make the podium in one race in 2011 (Abu Dhabi) and secured both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.  Certainly, this would mean that the Bulls get the biggest draw on F1′s pool of prize money as well, right?  Wrong.

Even though Red Bull has totally dominated the sport on track, it is Ferrari that hauls away the biggest share from F1′s clandestine “prize fund.”  Jonathan Noble at Autosport has reported that – based on its independent sources – Ferrari will collect the first 2.5% of the nearly $700 million in F1 prize money this year.  That’s over $17 million to a team that won only one race and finished third in the constructors’ championship.  According to Noble, this unique bonus is based on Ferrari’s “unrivaled historical contribution, consistent presence and strength of the brand.”

But that’s just the beginning.  Noble also reports that Ferrari will get the largest cut of so-called “Category B” entitlements which are based on “world title winning success.”  That amounts to another estimated $16 million.  Thus, before it will even start testing again, Ferrari has filled its coffers with over $33 million.  And it doesn’t end there.  By finishing third in the constructor’s championship, Ferrari gets another big payday.  By landing in the top three for two of the previous three years, Ferrari collects another $71 million.

When you add it all up, Ferrari will take home over $104 million in 2011.  That’s more than both Red Bull and McLaren who finished ahead of it in the season standings.  Doing similar calculations, Noble reports that McLaren should collect nearly $85 million while Red Bull will earn a tad over $93 million.

Despite this discrepancy in earnings – which would throw the NBA, NFL or Major League Baseball team owner’s association into cardiac arrest – the F1 teams give up the extra loot willingly.  In particular, Ferrari’s exclusive 2.5% bonus based on “historical contribution” is signed off on by all teams in the Concorde agreement.  As Noble writes, “every team recognizes the value of having the Prancing Horse there.”

At Brazil last week, Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Autosport that nobody grumbles about Ferrari’s favored financial status.  “It is better that Ferrari are here, than not,” Horner stated.  “Ferrari and F1 are synonymous and, for us, the prestige of winning in F1 with Ferrari in it is immeasurably higher than if they were not.  They are historically the most significant team and it is understandable why their commercial terms are slightly different to the others.

You have to recognize and be respectful of the Ferrari brand and the Ferrari heritage,” Horner continued.  ”And we would far rather race in a championship with them – and it is great prestige to beat a team like Ferrari.”

No doubt, beating Ferrari in F1 is prestigious.  But who knew it was so expensive!?

- Photo and Text by Dana Larkin

With the announcement that it has added 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen to  its driver lineup in 2012, Renault has immediately made itself a serious contender.  The decision to go with a 32-year old veteran rather than one of the many talented but untested drivers available sends a clear message – Renault wants to win and win now.  But after a conspicuous 2-year absence from F1, does Raikkonen give Renault the ability to immediately compete for race victories?  And if Renault fails to be instantly competitive, how will that shape Raikkonen’s motivation?  In short, does Raikkonen have the heart to write a compelling comeback story?

There is no doubting Raikkonen’s talent or ability.  He has proven himself as one of the world’s fastest living drivers.  He also brings a no-nonsense approach to the sport that is appreciated by many in the paddock and beyond.  But his performance while at Ferrari in 2008 and 2009 was fraught with mental inconsistency and a technical inability to master the Bridgestone tire.  Still, Raikkonen showed flashes of brilliance at times and logged double digit fastest laps during that span.  These flashes proved that he had the pace but ultimately lacked the focus.

While Raikkonen’s ability is beyond question, his often fleeting motivation has always been an mystery.  Even during his 2007 world championship campaign, Raikkonen often seemed distant and detached.  This did not mix well with Ferrari’s history of steadfast passion and he was unceremoniously dropped from the team a mere two seasons later.  His apparent lack of motivation has stuck with Raikkonen like a bad nickname and it begs a critical question: If Raikkonen was unmotivated in Maranello, what is to there is inspire him about Enstone?  While at Ferrari, he was guaranteed a competitive car, technical support, endless funds and the most decorated team in F1 history.  At Renault, he won’t be guaranteed anything.

Yet there is room for optimism.  Hopefully Raikkonen has taken his two years away from Formula 1 to recharge his batteries, restore his vigor and – most importantly – lengthen his patience for the sport.  At 32-years old he is certainly young enough to have a long second wind in F1 and possibly win another world title – and possibly more.  Given his statements over the past 24-hours regarding his overwhelming “hunger” to return to the sport, many fans may legitimately look forward to a successful comeback bid.

It is just as likely – however – that Raikkonen will quickly grow tired of running in the midfield while bearing the burden of Renault’s expectations.  Despite his best-laid plans, he is likely to struggle upon his return to the grid as he adapts to a new team, new equipment and complicated new rules.  Remember, when Kimi left F1 there was no DRS, no Pirelli rubber and the most critical part of a pit-stop was refueling.  Given these challenges, it is entirely possible that the emotionally transparent Raikkonen could wilt under the pressure and begin to simply mail it in at Renault.

Expectations for Raikkonen could not be higher.  More than any other team on the grid, Renault needs a lift.  After losing Robert Kubica to injury and suffering the embarrassment of an innovative but unsuccessful new exhaust system in 2011, Renault has failed to replicate its excellent 2010 campaign.  The team’s technical troubles will not be easily cured in 2012 and replacing Kubica – who was the legitimate heart and soul of the team – is not an enviable assignment.  Ultimately, Raikkonen joins Renault when its spirits are at an all-time low.  And while Kimi is a great driver, he has never been much of a cheerleader.

It might not immediately seem like it, but signing Raikkonen is a big risk for Renault.  Obviously, Kimi has the skill and ability to write a compelling comeback story.  But – at the same time – he may find the need to reestablish himself as a top-tier driver tiresome and boring.  That could make his story a stumbling tragedy.  Which Raikkonen will show up is anyone’s guess.  But it certainly makes things precarious at a team where morale is already waning.

At this point we should all be wishing Raikkonen well upon his return. All of this forecasting really isn’t fair. He will almost certainly have his struggles early on, which – given the dearth of pre-season testing in F1 – will and should be forgiven. But his success will not hinge on the quest to once again master an F1 cockpit. Rather, whether he writes a successful comeback story will rest primarily on his ability to persevere. It will depend on his heart.

- Dana Larkin

Renault announced today that 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen would be returning to Formula 1 after signing a two-year deal with the team.  Raikkonen has been out of the sport since his retirement in 2009.  In 2010,  Raikkonen has competed in the World Rally Championship for Red Bull and sat for a race in the NASCAR Truck series.

About his return to the grid Raikkonen said: “I’m delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I’m grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity. My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can’t deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming.”

Raikkonen’s signing comes on the heels of Robert Kubica’s announcement that he would not be physically ready for the start of the 2012 season due to a catastrophic injury suffered back in February.

Text by Dana Larkin

Rain during a Formula 1 race can change everything. But can the mere threat of rain do so as well? Wet weather was forecast all weekend at Interlagos and seemed to be dominating the minds and strategies of every team. Nevertheless, the skies were clear when practice one got underway on Friday morning. The track was hot and so was Red Bull’s Mark Webber. The Aussie would set the fastest lap of the session with a time of 1:13.811s – just beating McLaren’s Jenson Button to the line. And thus – as the 2011 season made an anticlimactic end – the much expected Red Bull vs. McLaren showdown seemed finally afoot.

Lewis Hamilton logged in with the third best time followed closely by Sebastian Vettel. The Ferraris came in fifth and sixth in the session. Neither Hamilton, Vettel nor Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso seemed happy with their car’s performance. This was especially true for Alonso who suffered an engine failure towards the session’s end.

In practice two, all of the front runners opted for soft tires and the lap times began to fall. Lewis Hamilton would top the session over Vettel by 0.167s. But the softer rubber was not quick for everyone. By the time most went to their qualifying setups, Button had faded to seventh. Alonso – who was still visibly aggravated with his car – logged in the fourth best time followed my Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa.

On Saturday morning, Vettel began to show his teeth. In practice three he set the fastest time of all, but only 0.087s better than a much improved Button. Webber, Hamilton and Alonso would log in next on the time sheets. Massa would come in a slow tenth place in the session after being stuck in traffic for his final few hot runs.

Come qualifying Vettel simply dominated and took his record-breaking 15th pole position of the season. His teammate Webber was closest to him, but still a tardy 0.2s back. Button and Hamilton – both of whom had quick runs in the practice sessions – would both disappoint and take third and fourth respectively. Vettel was confident heading into the final qualifying session. “I was already happy with the first lap in Q3,” he said, “but I knew that there was a bit more to come and put everything into the last lap.”

To the chagrin of those who were eager for a little help from Mother Nature, the much-predicted rain never materialized. The track stayed warm and so did the Bulls. The only drama on Sunday would be over what Bull would run faster.

Webber – who has become notorious for awful starts this year – got off the line just fast enough to keep Button and a charging Alonso behind him while Vettel stayed within a country mile. Still, after only three laps, Vettel was three full seconds ahead of Webber and six ticks up on everyone else. As has become the norm in 2011, the race looked over before it began.

But then Vettel’s crew began to inform him of menacing gearbox data that would ultimately end his chance at a 12th season victory. Despite an apparent drop in oil pressure, Vettel was able to adjust his gear shifting and keep the lead until lap 30. Yet, as his teammate closed in, the radio messages began to sound less like warnings and more like commands to let Webber pass. Eventually, Vettel would concede and demonstrably give up the lead. Interestingly, once Webber was past, former world champions Button and Alonso could gain no ground on the supposedly crippled Vettel. In fact, Vettel managed the gap perfectly and finished in second place.

To the cynical viewer, this could have looked like a setup to hand Webber a morale-boosting win and give him a shot at overtaking Button for second in the season championship standings. But Red Bull boss Christian Horner adamantly maintained that the scenario was genuine. “Of course there will always be people who have theories,” Horner snapped “but categorically there was an issue and that gearbox, how on earth it got to the end of the race is beyond me.”

Despite Horner’s protest, Webber’s subdued podium appearance seemed to tell another story. Not one to hide his dissatisfaction well, Webber looked like a disappointed schoolboy rather than the winner at Interlagos. In the end – however – the Australian would not add any flame to the fire but, at the same time, did not exactly banish the conspiracy theorists. “Well, I didn’t drive Seb’s car,” he said rather blithely. “All I can do is what I can do.”

In the midst of this drama, Button was passed by Alonso for third on lap 11. Indeed, the Spaniard stunned everyone with what appeared to be an incredible outside pass. While the crowd may have been impressed, Button was not. “I picked the wrong line,” he would later say. “I would say he was gifted the position quite easily.” Button would eventually run faster on the soft tire and retake the position from Alonso on lap 62.

For fifth and sixth place yet another battle ensued between Hamilton and Massa. Given their recent caustic history, the crowd held its breath as the two jockeyed for position. But Massa’s Ferrari seemed better and more connected on this day and – to the Brazilian crowd’s delight – quickly assumed the upper hand. Hamilton would eventually retire with a less than slightly ironic gearbox failure.

And so the 2011 Formula 1 season comes to an end. This time with a whimper rather than a bang. The vast majority of drivers are likely relieved to be moving into the winter vacation. None more than Lewis Hamilton who had a roller-coaster season that he would like to forget. The same could be said for the Ferraris who are always disappointed with anything other than a championship. As for Vettel, he is likely still chuckling about how he won the 2011 world championship with second and third gears tied behind his back.

The bad news continues for the Formula 1 in the U.S.  Yesterday, the Circuit of the Americas – the venue at which the U.S. Grand Prix is to be held in Austin, Texas next year – suspended construction due to a contract issue with F1 and unrest between race promoters and the venue.  Now, F1 boss – and notoriously tough businessman – Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that the race may simply be cancelled.

“We’ve done everything we bloody well can to make this race happen,” Ecclestone told the Press Association. When asked whether the race was in danger of being dropped, he replied: “Yes, it will be for sure, 100 per cent.”

Ecclestone confirmed that his contract with race promoter Tavo Hellumnd and his Full Throttle Productions company has been cancelled.  This has lead to negotiations with circuit developers.  Those talks have stalled.

Ecclestone has issued a December 7 deadline for the negotiations to progress and for the circuit to show proof that they can afford the Grand Prix.

“We had an agreement with Full Throttle Productions,” Ecclestone explained. “Everything was signed and sealed, but we kept putting things off like the dates, various letters of credit and things that should have been sent, but nothing ever happened.

Then these other people [COTA] came on the scene, saying that they wanted to do things, but that they had problems with Tavo [Hellmund]. They said they had the circuit, and that they wanted an agreement with me.

“I told them they had to sort out the contract with Tavo, which they said they would. But that has gone away now because we’ve cancelled Tavo’s contract as he was in breach.

“We’ve waited six months for him to remedy the breach. He knows full well why we’ve cancelled. He’s happy. But these other people haven’t got a contract. All we’ve asked them to do is get us a letter of credit.

“We are looking for security for money they are going to have to pay us. That is via a letter of credit, normally from a bank. If people don’t have the money they find it difficult to get the letter of credit, and so we don’t issue a contract.”

F1 has not staged a race in the U.S. since the 2007 race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Ecclestone recently struck a deal with New Jersey for a race in 2013.

The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi is a sight to behold.  It is surrounded by luxurious structures both on and around the circuit property. It is certainly one of the crown jewels in the racing world.  Just as certain was the likely winner coming into round 18 of the Formula 1 World Championship.  Sebastian Vettel had already secured his second title and – with no signs of slowing down – was the odds on favorite to win his 12th race of the 2011 season.  Yet, these races are not carried out on paper or by predictions.  Anything can happen – and it did in Abu Dhabi.

In the first free practice session, it became clear that McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was both determined and focused.  He would lead most of the session until teammate Jenson Button and rival Mark Webber outpaced him while testing Pirelli’s soft option tire.  The Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa would struggle for grip throughout the session thereby plummeting down the time sheets.

Free practice two was a tale of two teams.  McLaren surged to the top in its short runs on the softer Pirelli compound.  Yet, it was Red Bull who appeared to maintain supremacy on the longer stints – on both sets of tires.  The biggest splash came when both Alonso and Vettel had major offs during the session heading into turn one.  Neither driver suffered any damage to themselves or their respective cars.  Vettel would return to the session while Alonso sat out the remaining minutes.  In the end, the grid saw the two McLarens on top – with Hamilton setting the session’s fastest time – followed by the Ferraris and then the Red Bulls.

In free practice three Hamilton would set a record lap time for Yas Marina – nearly a half second faster than Vettel.  Webber would run third in the session.  As qualifying approached, the top four drivers in the session were separated by a paper thin 0.5 seconds.  And with this, an exciting qualifying session was in the cards.

Hamilton would continue his blistering pace in qualifying.  Yet, it was only good enough for second best.  Squeezing everything he could out of the first two sectors, Vettel – once again – secured pole position by the slimmest of margins.  Hamilton appeared to have the pace to beat Vettel.  In fact, his Q2 time was faster than the German’s pole time.  But Hamilton clocked in 0.02s slower in the all-important final session and let it slip away.  On the other hand, Vettel would improve where Hamilton fell off and capture his 16th pole of the season.  Jenson Button – who lapped only 0.009s slower than Hamilton – would start third.

When the lights went out in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton was looking to exorcise the demons that have plagued his 2011 season.  If he was to accomplish that feat, he had to beat Vettel into the all-important first turn.  If Hamilton allowed Vettel to best him at the start, he would be left to fight with his teammate for second place.  In fact, Hamilton had let Vettel know before the race that he would not be giving an inch going into turn one.  This set the stage for a particularly exciting start.

Nevertheless – in the blink of an eye – Vettel made all of the drama disappear.  The two-time champ got one of the quickest starts of the season and was a solid two car lengths ahead of Hamilton coming out of turn one.  But on turn two, Hamilton would receive a bit of redemption – and more than a little luck.  As Vettel entered the second turn, he suddenly suffered a puncture to his rear tire, spun out of control and into the grass.  The deflation was instant and spontaneous.  Vettel had made no contact with other drivers during his getaway and had not attacked the curbing too aggressively.  The cause of the puncture was and remains a mystery.  When Vettel returned to the pits, his car was deemed too damaged to continue.  It was his first retirement of the season.

As soon as the lead fell to Hamilton, he began to dominate.  He survived a tremendous drive by Alonso who had surged into second place by overtaking both Mark Webber and Jenson Button.  The only real drama occurred when Alonso was able to squeeze a few extra laps out of his soft tires approaching the final pit stops.  But traffic in the pits and a slow stop would end the Spaniard’s march to victory.  He would end the day in second place.

A KERS issue would plague Jenson Button and cause him to fall well behind the Ferrari into third place.  His drive to the podium – however – was still one for the ages.  At the start of the race his KERS system had completely failed.  This allowed both Webber and Massa to gain the upper hand against him.  Still, Button somehow found a way to reset his KERS on-the-fly which allowed him to pull away from his rivals.

Webber would not give up and continued to take the fight to Button.  But a bad first pit-stop and a late strategy change would push him down the grid.  Utilizing a three-stop plan conceived and implemented during the race, Webber made a strong charge on soft tires into the final laps, passing Button in the process.  Yet, his compulsory tire change came on the penultimate lap and allowed Button to slip by him again.  Webber’s pace forced Massa into a mistake late in the race which gave him the breathing room necessary to secure fourth place and push Massa to fifth.

As Hamilton stood atop the podium in Abu Dhabi for the first time since July, he appeared to be reinvigorated.  His trademark smile was once again on full display.  He had exorcised some demons.  “I think it was one of my best races,” he said. “I am ecstatic, really very happy to be back up here. This is great and I can get on the flight tonight and smile.”  Victory – and a little bit of luck – tends to have that effect.

Text by Dana Larkin

When the F1 circus marched into Abu Dhabi last year, the World Championship was wide open.  There were still five drivers statistically alive and three of them – Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel – all had a legitimate shot at the title.  Still, a tremendous late-season surge made Alonso the odds on favorite to win his third World Championship.

Revealing a track that is not friendly to overtaking – however – Alonso spent most of his race stuck behind a stubborn Vitaly Petrov.  That – combined with a botched pit strategy – allowed the title to slip through his fingers.  Vettel was all too ready to take advantage and – with a race win – came from behind to win the championship in dramatic fashion.  Now Vettel returns to Yas Marina with a second title already in hand with no signs of slowing down.

Thus, the only meaningful position now is second place.  Over the past seven races Jenson Button has emerged as the likely runner-up to Vettel.  If he stands on the podium this weekend and his primary rivals – once again Alonso and Webber – fall down the grid, he will all but secure that honor.  This would be a major victory for Button whose heart and desire to win had been questioned earlier in the season.

But will the race be worth getting up for?  While located in the very lap of luxury, Yas Marina has not produced many thrills to go with its opulent surroundings.  For those who watched Alonso’s futile attempts to pass a rookie driver in a middling Renault, there may be reason to doubt that the race will generate any drama.  Yet, there is still hope.  Two independent DRS zones should help with overtaking this year and all of the drivers – some of whom may be racing for their seats in 2012 – are keen to end the season on a positive note.

No driver wants to finish the season strongly more than Lewis Hamilton.  One thing is certain – if the race in Abu Dhabi is to reach its potential, Hamilton will likely be a big part of it.  Though plagued by mistakes all year, Hamilton has shown signs of overcoming his mid-season slump.  He snagged pole position – the first time this year a Red Bull car was not on pole – in Korea and would have been on the front row in India but for a practice penalty.  Also, Hamilton sat on pole at this race in 2009 and set the fastest lap during last year’s contest.  If he can just stay out of Felipe Massa’s way, he should have a strong race.

Beyond Hamilton, this race is critical to the likes of Force India’s Adrian Sutil, whose seat is under siege from Nico Hulkenberg and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello, who may be forced out by Kimi Raikkonen’s return to F1.  Also, Robert Kubica’s return is still undecided which may open up yet another seat on the F1 grid with Renault.  So there is a lot for the middle drivers to race for.

And then there are the constructors.  This is where the money is and is and what sponsors look to when considering where to spend their marketing budgets.  Force India is in a tight battle with Renault for fifth place while Toro Rosso makes a late-season push up the order.  Lotus could pull off a true stunner if they finish in tenth place.  Their decision not to allow affable but non-competitive Indian driver Karun Chandok to run in his home grand prix demonstrates how much this means to them.

In what should be a dry-weather race, Pirelli will feature its soft and medium compound tires at Yas Marina.  At a track where fast cornering is at a premium, short runs on harder rubber may not be the strategy of choice as it was at India.  More stops – at least three – will likely be needed to win the day.

As with the races, this preview has not mentioned Sebastian Vettel since the start.  That’s because he is likely already in the paddock with his slippers on and his feet up.

Text by Dana Larkin

When Sebastian Vettel crossed the line victorious at the Indian Grand Prix, it meant something special to Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey.  As Newey broke down in tears of joy, one couldn’t help but recall his walk through the paddock just hours before sporting an all-knowing and condescending grin.  It was clear to see from his glowing expression that everything his rivals were toiling so hard to invent, he had already perfected.

With all the buzz over Ferrari’s “new” flexing front wing, it is easy to forget that – for Newey and Red Bull – that is old technology.  They had mastered the flexible – and certified legal – front wing back in 2010.  Now Ferrari is openly trying to imitate it as part of its 2012 development program.  The sparks flying from Massa’s front wing told the story of how far they have to go.  Meanwhile, Newey and Red Bull continue to disappear into the distance.

In short, every Formula 1 team on the grid is desperately trying to take a bite out of Red Bull’s technology and development lead.  But they are all losing.

Nowhere is Red Bull’s dominance more apparent than in their development of the exhaust blown diffuser.  Though banned for 2012, those who mastered it and moved on in 2011 will have an advantage under the new regulations.  And no team has mastered it like Red Bull.  For them, it is old technology.  They have been there and done that.  And the news gets worse for those teams currently playing catch up.  Just as a few appear to be getting a grip on the art of exhaust blowing, the FIA has clamped down hard on a few loopholes potentially making the technology totally unusable in 2012.

Rumors from the paddock abound lately about exhaust collector tanks and directing gases through the back wings. These rumors have inspired the FIA to effectively forbid any off-throttle exhaust blowing by way of stringent engine mapping limitations to take effect in 2012.  More than one F1 boss – including McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh and Renault’s Eric Boullier – has expressed frustration with these regulations and how they are wreaking havoc on their 2012 engineering plans.

“You have to make a decision now on car concepts and it is already too late,” Boullier told Autosport’s Jonathan Noble.  ”Some teams like ours have already started producing concepts of the car, so the concept has been finalised weeks ago. We need to stop changing the regulations all the time.”

If all of this sounds a bit like sour grapes to you, join the club.

All the while Adrian Newey walks the paddock with that Cheshire grin.  A grin inspired by how dominant his Red Bull team currently is and how far its rivals must go to even begin catching up.

Text by Dana Larkin.  

Photo by Corbis Images, All Rights Reserved

Text and Photo by Dana Larkin

With the 2011 season rapidly reaching an end, any respectable Formula 1 team is already gearing up for the 2012 campaign.  Obviously, Renault is no exception.  After squandering a promising start and making a controversial midseason switch from driver Nick Heidfeld to Bruno Senna, Renault is anxious to fully implement a new strategy.  As part of its new program, Romain Grosjean is scheduled to test for Renault during Friday practice at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.  Despite these developments, a gaping hole remains in Renault’s plans – what about Robert Kubica?

While on the verge of superstardom at Renault, Kubica suffered life-threatening injuries in a Rallying accident shortly before the start of the 2011 season.  His recovery has been understandably up and down.  The only constant has been a lack of any details flowing from Kubica’s management team.  As the days tick on, Renault is getting understandably restless as it awaits word on a potential Kubica comeback.

“The last information I have is that we will have to sit down and discuss how we can handle his [Kubica's] comeback, because I don’t believe he can commit in the coming days.  In the coming weeks maybe – but not coming days.”  Renault boss Eric Boullier stated.  “So we have to make sure that we work together on a plan for him to come back.  But I still need to have a proper plan to make sure that . . . we go forward in a good way.”

While the word from Kubica’s camp remains upbeat and his manager insists that he will make a comeback to the grid, Renault continues to operate largely in the dark regarding any specifics.

“I know they are very confident and I am happy about this, because I am the first one wishing to have Robert back in the car, but nobody knows.  Boullier stated.  “Nobody has a medical report and nobody has seen him driving a car and being at speed.  Until we see him and have the confirmation then, we cannot say anything.  And we need to keep, unfortunately, the option of not having him back.  I am in regular contact with his manager, but until he is driving the car we do not know.”

Given the severe nature of Kubica’s injuries – particularly to his right hand – some medical experts are skeptical about his ability to drive competitively again.

Text by Dana Larkin

When the sun rose over the Buddh International Circuit, a mix of dust, fog and air pollution threatened to put a damper on India’s inaugural Grand Prix. But soon the air cleared revealing a racing circuit that may be among track designer Herman Tilke’s best work. Despite complaints about a dirty track, high curbs and a stray dog that interrupted the first practice session, the driver’s unanimously praised the circuit and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone declared the event a huge success.

In the first free practice session, the drivers cautiously took to the track until a clear racing line – free of dust and slightly rubbered in – began to appear. Once it did, the boys attacked the circuit with reckless abandon. In particular, Lewis Hamilton seemed to handle the tight corners and long straights with style and aggression This landed Hamilton at the top of the time sheets. Yet, in keeping with his up and down season, Lewis was slapped with a 3-spot grid penalty for disregarding a yellow-flag towards the end of the session. Hamilton would not contest the penalty.

Following Hamilton were the Red Bulls, his teammate Jenson Button, the Mercedes duo and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso suffered an engine failure just four laps into the session which landed him at the back. Home-grown Indian talent Karun Chandok ended 19th and Narain Karthikeyan 21st, while Force India – the so-called “local” team – had a tremendous session with Adrian Sutil running eighth fastest.

In the second practice session Ferrari came out swinging. As rumors about 2012 test parts swirled, both Alonso and Massa shot to the top of the time sheets.  Soon – however – Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel would split the two Ferraris and his teammate Mark Webber would do the same to the McLarens in fifth position.  Both Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg appeared to be running race-day setups and settled for spots well down the grid in 19th and 21st.

Practice three contained quite a bit of competition and many spirited hot laps.  Nevertheless, Vettel ran fastest in the session – but just three tenths ahead of Jenson Button who looked dominant early on. Webber, Hamilton and the Ferraris would follow in order. In a real treat for the Indian fans, Force India came in fastest among the middle-running teams with di Resta in seventh and Sutil in ninth place.

Like a broken record, qualifying would belong to Vettel. Battling a dusty track, Vettel was able to find a few tenths in the first sector to nip teammate Mark Webber for pole position. Sparking promise for Ferrari, Fernando Alonso would lineup first on the second row in third spot. Jenson Button – who was hindered by a Felipe Massa shunt during his final hot lap – landed in fourth place. Although posting the second best time of the session, Hamilton lined up fifth on the grid due to his three-spot penalty. Massa and Rosberg would follow with Adrian Sutil snagging a surprise eighth spot.

Despite the oppressive dust that caused poor visibility and a slippery track, the Indian Grand Prix produced a successful weekend that bodes well for the event’s future. Although the turnout for the practice sessions and qualifying was disappointing, the race itself drew a massive and passionate crowd.

Unfortunately, the race turned out to be a somewhat dull affair as Sebastian Vettel once again crushed the competition. It was his eleventh victory of the season which brings him even closer to Schumacher’s record of thirteen. Even more impressive, Vettel completed a rare driver’s “grand slam” by taking pole position, leading each lap of the race and setting fastest lap.

As the lights went out, Jenson Button surged up the grid into second place as he passed Alonso – who had run wide into turn one – and powered past Webber into turn four. Yet Vettel continued to disappear into the distance. This created a spirited battle for second place among Button, Webber and Alonso.

Early on, Button looked particularly competitive and separated himself from the rest into second position. This left Webber and Alonso to fight for the final spot on the podium. Webber would eventually lose the battle as Alonso ran a few laps longer before his final stop and jumped the Australian in the pits. Webber never faded entirely – however – pushing the Spaniard to the end.

As Button battled on in his pursuit of Vettel, each effort was met with perfection from the young German. Each time Button would gain a bit, Vettel would settle into a rhythm and pull away. While Vettel’s lead had never been much more than five seconds going into the final few laps – and had even been reduced at one point to 2.8 seconds – he would end up taking victory by more than eight seconds over Button.

Despite Button’s podium effort, it was his teammate Lewis Hamilton who would snag top billing as he – once again – tangled with Felipe Massa. Massa passed Hamilton on the first lap and had developed a slight edge going into lap 23. But a small mistake by Massa on that lap would open the door for Hamilton to run him down. On the next lap Hamilton tried a bold move into a difficult turn five and the two came together for the sixth time this year. Both drivers went off track and Hamilton lost his front wing. In the end, Massa was judged to be at fault and served a drive-through penalty as a result. Later, Massa would vehemently deny that he had done anything wrong.

Hamilton would return and ultimately finish in seventh place behind Rosberg in sixth and Schumacher in fifth place. Although he recovered from the run-in with Hamilton, Massa would eventually retire from the race due to a broken front suspension sustained as he ran hard over a curb into turn nine.

The final laps of the race saw Webber and Vettel swap fastest lap times as Vettel – unwilling to concede anything – pushed hard and completed his grand slam on the final lap. In a moment of humor, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner would jokingly chide Vettel on the radio for taking unnecessary risks as the end of the race. Everyone knew that Vettel wouldn’t have it any other way.

The podium ceremony was somewhat somber as all three men dedicated their races to the memories of Indy’s Dan Wheldon and Moto GP’s Marco Simoncelli who were killed in racing incidents in the weeks prior to the event.