F1: Webber Hints Close To 2012 Red Bull Deal

Mark Webber on Thursday hinted he is close to inking a deal to stay at Red Bull in 2012.

It has been suggested that the Australian is all set to sign on the dotted line, and that the basic deal would be agreed over the course of the recent summer break.

"I know some of you are waiting for news on my future," he is quoted as writing in a column for BBC Sport.

Webber, 34, said he met with Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz in Salzburg on the way to Hungary, the last race before F1 closed shop for the month of August.

And he revealed on Thursday that, "as planned, the ... break gave me a good opportunity to have a chat with team principal Christian Horner about me continuing in 2012".

(GMM)

Senna to also replace Heidfeld at Monza

Bruno Senna will definitely return to the wheel of axed regular Nick Heidfeld's Renault in two weeks at Monza.

His teammate, Vitaly Petrov, let the cat out of the bag in the form of a message of congratulations to Senna in front of masses of international media at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Senna, the nephew of great triple world champion Ayrton Senna, will this weekend resume his F1 race career after his rookie season with HRT in 2011.

It is believed the two-race deal for Brazilian Senna is a compromise, while Heidfeld's management press a legal claim to the seat.

Senna admitted on Thursday that the "intention" is to keep the drive for the rest of 2011 pending the resolution of "legal issues".

"I am confirmed for this race and the next race.  The intention is I will do the rest of the year but it is not confirmed," he added.

(GMM)

Rain and shine at typical Spa

Sunshine gave way to rain at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday, as F1 prepares for a typically unpredictable Belgian grand prix.

In the notoriously fickle Ardennes region, the sport's figures were surprised as they arrived at the fabled circuit to find a bright and dry paddock.

"Good news -- really warm and sunny at Spa," said Virgin Racing on its official Twitter channel.

Shortly afterwards, Mercedes GP reported: "Oh wait ... it is now raining."

The Telegraph's Tom Cary was more eloquent as he described how the "blue skies and sunshine have given way to thick white cloud and fine mist-like rain".

The official forecast is for a probably wet Friday ahead of potential rain for qualifying, with Sunday likely to be better.

But championship leader Sebastian Vettel said the most predictable forecast is for a weekend "full of surprises".

"Spa can be raining one minute and then the sun can be shining the next."

Agreed Force India's Adrian Sutil: "We should probably expect some more rain showers this weekend."

(GMM)

Buemi admits 'enormous pressure' for F1 survival

Sebastien Buemi has admitted to feeling the "enormous pressure" of his fight to stay in formula one.

It is a scarcely-guarded secret in F1 circles that either Buemi or his current teammate Jaime Alguersuari will have to make way at the end of the season for Red Bull's new hot talent Daniel Ricciardo.

But Swiss Buemi told veteran Blick correspondent Roger Benoit that he is determined to do his talking on the track in order to win the Toro Rosso contract for 2012.

"The only way I can affect the contract extension is with good results," said Buemi, 22.  "So I go at full throttle like there's no tomorrow.

"It's a task that is driving me even with the enormous pressure," he added.

(GMM)

Title situation 'worrying' for Vettel's rivals

The McLaren and Ferrari drivers have kicked off their weekend at Spa-Francorchamps by insisting they are still in the hunt for the 2011 title.

But as the rivals rightly refuse to just let Sebastian Vettel stroll to his second consecutive championship, Pedro de la Rosa has pointed out the enormity of their task.

"The figures don't lie," the McLaren reserve driver told formulasantander.com, "and they also tell us that Vettel won last year's world championship with 256 points.

"(That is) 22 points more than what he currently has.  I know these are only figures, but they are worrying," said the Spaniard, who said the driver who might manage to beat Red Bull's Vettel would have to put up a "heroic" fight.

On the bright side for Vettel's foes, the 24-year-old has not won a grand prix since Valencia in June, with the German press calling his slump a "mini-crisis".

In an interview with Bild newspaper, however, the German sounded unworried.

"You can't assume you're going to have a car able to drive away from all the others for a whole season," he said.

"I didn't win the last few races but we always did our best and scored (points) properly.  It will be good as long as we continue like this.

"There are still eight races and we have to make sure we are fighting every time.  You can't win every time and it's certainly not a drama to not win two or three in a row," added Vettel.

(GMM)

'Stubborn' Schumacher admits mistakes of past

Aug.25 (GMM)  On the 20th anniversary of his 1991 debut, Michael Schumacher has shown a rare moment of contrition as he looks back at his F1 career.

He is faraway the most successful driver in the sport's history, but according to some his achievements are blackened by controversial incidents including Adelaide 1994, Jerez 1997 and 'Rascasse' 2006.

"I could have reacted differently," seven time world champion Schumacher, looking back on unspecified incidents in conversation with FAZ newspaper, said.

"But I was stubborn and reacting to the environment I was in and the situation of the time.

"There are enough examples, like we've seen with Senna and Prost.  They have done it and got away with it," said the German.

"I told myself that I can use this grey area as well."

Meanwhile, even Schumacher's harshest critics seem to agree that he is much more relaxed now, as he struggles in his comeback with Mercedes to keep up with teammate Nico Rosberg.

"Nico is definitely the strongest teammate I've had.  In qualifying this year it is 10:1 in his favour.  But I know that I can be faster than him," he said.

Very outspoken in relation to Schumacher this week has been his first team boss Eddie Jordan, who is quoted by Blick newspaper as describing the comeback as "a huge mistake".

"To try to compete with guys who are 20 years younger is against the laws of physics and medicine."

(GMM)