F1: Red Bull RB7 An Evolution Of RB6, Engine Options Remain Open

Red Bull's 2011 car will be a further evolution of the pace-setting cars of the past two seasons.

This year, the Championship-winning RB6 was an evolution of the similarly Adrian Newey-penned 2009 car, which although beaten to the title by Brawn that year was ultimately the quickest package.

And Briton Newey is quoted by laola1.at in Austria: "It (the 2011 RB7) is a further evolution of the current series. The DNA of the car is the same.

"The (2010) RB6 was basically an evolution of the last car; one basically turned into the next."

Asked if the team's rivals will therefore once again spend the season complaining about the legality of the new machine, he answered: "I hope so!

"Because that would mean we have done a good job again. If you're out the front in F1, everyone always thinks you are cheating," laughed Newey.

Meanwhile, team boss Christian Horner has backed reports that Red Bull's F1 cars might one day be powered by their own brand of engine.

When Volkswagen was recently linked with an engine supply foray in the future, the closely-aligned Red Bull was mooted as a natural partner.

"We are on stand-by for an interesting partnership," said team owner Dietrich Mateschitz recently.

"And even the idea of developing our own engine, I think, is no longer so absurd," he added.

The new formula for 2013 might be the ideal time for Red Bull to split with its current supplier Renault and delve into F1 engine design.

"It is important to keep all the options open," Horner told the Austrian website laola1.at. "This is one of Mr Mateschitz's great strengths."

An F1 alliance with VW, however, might be considered more likely.

"With Didi's vision, anything is possible," acknowledged Horner.

(GMM)

Rosberg Not Sure Mercedes Can Catch Up In 2011

Nico Rosberg is confident of a more successful season for Mercedes in 2011.

But the 25-year-old German, who this year finished 70 points ahead of his famous teammate Michael Schumacher, is not so sure the team's progress will be enough to close the gap to the pacesetters entirely.

"On the one hand, I'm obviously happy that I was able to beat Michael (in 2010)," he told the SID news agency.

"That was very important because you compare yourself with who is in the other car.

"On the other hand, I had hoped for better results, but they will come -- hopefully in the near future," Rosberg, who spent Christmas with his family in Finland, added.

He acknowledged that he is unsure as to whether next year's Mercedes, designed and built at Brackley in the UK, will be a winner.

"The gap we are closing is of course fairy big," said Rosberg. "It will take time and I don't know how much. Perhaps at the beginning of next season we will be close.

"We will have to see, it is difficult to predict. What is definite is that we will look better than this year," he said.

(GMM)

Alonso Not Worried About Vettel/Ferrari Rumours

Fernando Alonso insists he would have no fear if he was paired at Ferrari with F1's new youngest World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said in recent days that the 23-year-old German will drive a red car "sooner or later", and Bild newspaper now quotes Vettel as saying a seat at the Maranello based team is a "desire and goal".

"I'm not worried about someone coming (to Ferrari) or not," the bearded Spaniard Alonso insisted in his hometown Oviedo for a charity run.

News agency EFE quotes him as insisting he has had "no problem" keeping up with teammates in F1, and that none of them have ever finished "even one point" ahead of him in the final classifications.

"I don't have much more to say on the matter," he added. "The truth is that it wouldn't be a problem whether Vettel or anyone else comes."

Alonso said his only focus for 2011 is Ferrari providing him with a "fast" car to mount another challenge for the title.

"I have no doubt that next year I will have the Ferrari that I want.

"Because of its prestige and pedigree, Ferrari is obligated to challenge always for the Championship so I am sure I will have a car that allows me to do that.

"In late January we will present the car and in February we will test it," he announced.

(GMM)