Talk of Ferrari switch not realistic - Kubica

Robert Kubica has confirmed he would like to race alongside his friend Fernando Alonso at Ferrari.

Asked the question directly by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Pole answered emphatically: "Yes."

But 25-year-old Kubica, who is under contract for the coming seasons with Renault, added: "It is not realistic to speak about it, even less so after Massa renewed until 2012."

He said he is not concerned with F1’s incessant rumours and speculation.

"For me it’s no problem. In 2008, when Alonso left McLaren, it was said that he could come to BMW and I would have liked that. But it’s just speculation.

"Anything can happen - maybe in five years when Alonso’s contract ends we will be together at Renault," added Kubica.

Before joining Ferrari for the 2010 season and beyond, Alonso insisted that it was the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.

Is it the same for Kubica? "Yes and no," he answered.

"Ferrari is a great team with a long history of successes behind it. In Italy, it’s an institution; more than a team.

"So it is understandable that the Latin-character drivers have a lot of interest in racing with them," he added.

Also in Korea, Lewis Hamilton dismissed a suggestion from a reporter that the career of a great driver would be incomplete without a stint at Ferrari.

"Ayrton Senna was the best of all time and he was at McLaren," said the Briton.

"You never know what’s going to happen and you can never say never. But I will be here (at McLaren) for as long as they want to keep me."

Source: NextGen

Domenicali: No truth to Massa rumours

Stefano Domenicali says he's getting rather "bored" with rumours claiming that Robert Kubica will replace Felipe Massa next season.

As the silly season hits high gear, fresh reports claim that Kubica is on his way to Ferrari next season to team up with Fernando Alonso while Massa is heading to Sauber.

However, Ferrari's team boss insists there is no absolutely truth to the rumours.

Asked in Singapore whether he could 'put that story to bed completely and tell us it's rubbish', he said: "Absolutely.

"I totally underline what you've said, because I think it's getting boring news.

"Every day there is something new on that and I tell you that Peter (Sauber) and I meet a lot of times because we have a good professional relationship, so I can confirm what you said, absolutely."

Source: Planet F1

Massa, Webber, play down rumours about futures

Felipe Massa insists he is not being affected by the speculation predicting his Ferrari tenure will end this season.

The Brazilian's contract runs out this year, and amid rumours that Robert Kubica could be set to replace him in 2011, 29-year-old Massa is currently struggling to match the pace of his new teammate Fernando Alonso.

"For sure I am happy to stay (at Ferrari) if they want me, I trust Ferrari and in the end I have no interest in what people are saying.

"What I care about is working hard and fixing things as quickly as possible," Italian reports quote him as saying.

Corriere dello Sport suggested that Massa might be headed to Red Bull next year, to replace the possibly retiring Barcelona winner Mark Webber.

"In this world you hear so many things every week and every month," said Massa, who became Michael Schumacher's last Ferrari teammate in 2006.

The Massa/Red Bull rumour comes in the wake of Lewis Hamilton's assertion two months ago that 33-year-old Webber might retire at the end of 2010.

It is further rumoured that while Kimi Raikkonen was earlier expected to return to F1 in Webber's place next year, the 2007 world champion might in fact be content to prolong his new world rallying foray.

To Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper, Australian Webber has once again played down the Hamilton comments.

"They came about from when we were on a plane together back from the Japanese grand prix last year," he revealed.

"We were talking about getting the timing right in terms of retirement, in sport in general. When I do call it a day - and I really don't think that it will be at the end of this year - I want to do so on a good note.

"But I'm driving well enough and I believe I can still bring a lot to the plate in the next year or so -- meaning next year," Webber insisted. "I've got a few years in me yet."

Source: F1 Complete

British bank eyes Red Bull sponsor deal - report

British banking giant Barclays is looking for a road into formula one.

Sources told Marketing Magazine that the London based bank, which according to Forbes is the world's 25th largest company, is in talks with Red Bull Racing.

Barclays denied the report.

The bank is currently title sponsor of England's Premier League football competition, with its three-year deal estimated at close to EUR100 million.

The Royal Bank of Scotland is pulling out of its Williams deal at the end of this season, and Holland's ING left Renault amid the crashgate scandal of 2009.

But Spain's Santander is strongly involved with both Ferrari and the British team McLaren, having successfully expanded its European and UK operations.

Source: F1 Complete

RIKU KUVAJA DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE GERMAN CLAIMS: NOW WE CONCENTRATE ON RALLY

The German Bild am Sonntag -magazine is busy pushing Kimi Räikkönen back into the F1-circus.

Bild am Sonntag manages to push in fresh F1-rumours in a convenient time. Räikkönen's rally career has started in a coughing way and Webber managed to make a classic blunder in Australia GP.

Riku Kuvaja doesn't listen to the claim.

- Rumours. This is a genre where there has always been and will always be a lot of rumours, Kuvaja said to Iltalehti.

- We are focusing on rally with all we got. When something new appears we will inform.

According to Kuvaja Räikkönen doesn't have the interest to follow all the rumours about him.

- He doesn't read them. Kimi has lived in the same rumour mill for ten years already.

Source: Iltalehti.fi
Courtesy: Nicole