F1: Alonso Loses Temper With Portuguese Paparazzi, Lauda Worried About 2013 Engines

Fernando Alonso has landed himself in a controversy within the Spanish-language media.

After arriving in a private jet for a holiday on the small Portuguese island of Porto Santo, the Ferrari driver lost his temper with a group of paparazzi photographers as he walked through the airport.

A video shows the 29-year-old telling the group in Spanish: "The first photographer or camera I see in the next days, I will leave the next day and tell everyone that Porto Santo is a disaster.

"Ok? So please leave us alone," added Alonso, who gestured with a thumbs-down.

The footage was featured in the news coverage by several media, with some reporting that Alonso has been even more aggressive on occasion.

Alonso's next official engagement is Ferrari's traditional 'Wroom' event in the Italian Dolomites.

(GMM)

Lauda Worried About 2013 Engines

Niki Lauda has said he is concerned about F1's switch to four-cylinder engines.

Not keen on the newly announced turbo formula for 2013, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo recently insisted that "for the top class of racing it sounds a bit pathetic".

Triple World Champion Lauda agrees: "I am worried about the sound, which in Formula One has been so unique.

"Hopefully there will be more than a faint hum," the Austrian told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

(GMM)

2011 Mercedes Passes FIA Crash Tests

Mercedes has become the second team to have reportedly passed the mandatory FIA crash tests with its 2011 car.

On the day before New Year's eve, Italian reports said Ferrari's next single seater had passed through a series of monocoque crash tests at the CSI facility near Milan.

And on Monday, French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet wrote in his Auto Plus column that the 2011 Mercedes – the W02 – has been similarly crash-tested to FIA standards.

On the same day, the Brackley based team's famous German driver Michael Schumacher turned 42.

Moncet also reported that Force India will announce officially on Tuesday that Paul di Resta will race alongside Adrian Sutil in 2011, with Nico Hulkenberg as third driver.

(GMM)