Horner unhappy with cost-control plans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has made it clear he is against the latest cost-control suggestions in F1.

Horner has refused to sign up to the latest cost-control measures and believes there are real flaws behind the ideas. However, the Red Bull chief insists the team is, overall, fully behind cost control but is unsure if the sport's governing bodies are currently taking the right route.

"What I would like to make clear is Red Bull is fully behind cost control in Formula One," Horner is quoted by Sporting Life. "Whether the RRA is the right route to achieve that is what we question. I believe that letter, from what I read, requested for the FIA to police the RRA, which in our opinion would be the wrong route.

"We believe whole-heartedly in controlling costs in Formula One and not frivolous spending. But there are better ways of doing that and containing that through the sporting and technical regulations as opposed to a resource restriction that relies on equivalence and apportionment of time and personnel. "That is always tricky in subsidiary companies, particularly of automotive manufacturers. So we would be totally open to any discussion that involves cost control that pursued those avenues."

Red Bull, meanwhile, have begun the 2012 season poorly following Sebastian Vettel's back-to-back successes in 2010 and 2011.

The German did finish second in the season-opener in Melbourne earlier this month, but neither he nor team-mate Mark Webber could get on the podium last weekend in the Malaysian GP.

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Vettel hails unbeatable Button

German full of praise for Briton after opening victory in Melbourne

 

Sebastian Vettel admitted he was powerless to prevent Jenson Button's win on Sunday, describing the Briton's performance in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix as "unbeatable".


So often last year Vettel left his rivals trailing in his wake, claiming a record-breaking 15 poles from which he won 11 races and his second Formula One world title.


Over the course of the weekend at Melbourne's Albert Park, the shoe was very much on the other foot as it was Vettel and Red Bull who were found wanting.


In qualifying Vettel could only manage sixth, his worst grid slot for 25 races, 24 of which he had been on the front row.

The 24-year-old German at least went on to finish second, but was no match for Button who led for 57 of the 58 laps after passing McLaren team-mate and polesitter Lewis Hamilton on the run to the first corner.

"Jenson deserved to win, he was out of reach for us, unbeatable," said Vettel. "I'm very happy with second, especially after the difficult day we had on Saturday. "At least it was good to finally go racing again and stop all the talk, to see some results. "In winter testing we said McLaren looked very strong. They had a very solid winter with no issues with the car. - http://www1.skysports.com

 

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MOTORSPORTS news 12BET update 12/27

Rookie of the Year: Paul di Resta

The season brought another clutch of unobtrusive baptisms, although comparing the arrivals of Di Resta, Sergio Perez, Maldonado, Jerome d'Ambrosio and Daniel Ricciardo to the stellar ones of Vettel and, in particular, Hamilton is not entirely fair.

None of the fivesome (Ricciardo only completed a part season) appeared out of his depth, although Di Resta and Perez caught the eye the most - if for no other reason than they were in the best machinery.

Perez would have finished seventh in his very first race were it not for the fact the rear wing of his Sauber broke the rules. The 21-year-old Mexican had the speed to match Kamui Kobayashi (they were equals in qualifying) but without his team-mate's adventurousness. Whatever one thinks of the Japanese driver's approach, though, it yielded more points than that of Perez.

Experience also won out at Force India, where Adrian Sutil bested Di Resta - and just shaded him in terms of qualifying pace too. When comparing the benchmarks, however, it should be remembered that Sutil was contesting his fifth full season - all with the same team - whereas Kobayashi's was just his second.

And we should also bear in mind that, while Di Resta took part in a number of free practice sessions last season, he had spent the four previous seasons concentrating on the German DTM series - a rather different discipline than single seater racing.

Di Resta is staying put next season and assuming Schumacher does indeed call it a day for a second time at the end of 2012, then another good year, not to mention the long-time backing of Mercedes-Benz, will place the 25-year-old Scot right in the frame for a move. - http://www.sportinglife.com

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The McLaren star was in the wars yet again at the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks ago, with Hamilton departing the Marina Bay Street Circuit after barely uttering a word following his bust-up with Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

Hamilton picked up his fifth drive-through penalty of the season following a collision with Massa, and then ignored the Brazilian when he attempted to speak to the Briton after the race.

While Massa was subsequently vocal in his criticism of Hamilton, the latter's decision to snub the media raised questions about his management company, XIX Entertainment, from his father Anthony.

Hamilton Sr., who used to manage his son, suggested the absence of his handlers in Singapore meant they were failing to support him in his time of need.

However, the 2008 World Champion is adamant he is coping. Speaking on Thursday at Suzuka, venue for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, he said: "I don't read anything so I don't feel any of the criticism. - http://www.skysports.com

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