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HRT is finalising plans to move its operation to Spain, having already established a temporary home in Valencia.

Until now the team’s operations have been based near Munich, where Colin Kolles has an HQ.

“We’ve never denied that one of our objectives is to move and unify HRT’s headquarters in Spain,” said CEO Saúl Ruiz de Marcos. “As of today, taking into account every factor, that is the best option. Different departments are spread around in different places right now, and keeping in mind that the team’s license is Spanish, the natural thing would be to move there.

“For communication, logistics, coordination and cost reasons it is essential that all the departments work together. It would save us time and effort, and also give the team an added value if we were based in Spain. Besides, we are one of the smaller teams in Formula 1 so we have to offer something different to our sponsors. We’ve had a logistical headquarters in Valencia since the 1st of November where we will work until the definitive base is ready.”

De Marcos says progress is being made in all areas.

“Work on the design of the car has been going on for months and the line of development was defined a while ago. We have a technical office in Munich where, as of today, we have more than 60 people working on the F112, both in the development and design department and the aerodynamics department. The car will come to fruition for 2012 and we hope to get it on track for preseason testing, although to do this we must work hard against the clock.

“We are meeting our targets and on the right path but we still have a lot of work to do. The 2012 car is going well and so is work on a new headquarters. We hope to complete our driver line-up once the season is over. We are also working hard on next year’s sponsors and partners.

“We will make our first announcements soon and we also hope that the recent events will help to generate confidence and attract people towards us. We are aware that the current economical situation in Spain and the rest of the world isn’t ideal but Formula 1 is still an unmatchable showcase worldwide and we can offer an interesting and different panorama than other teams.”

Robert Kubica has told the Lotus Renault GP team that he won’t be fit to race at the start of next season.

The Pole says that he needs more time, and the team has not ruled out employing him again when he is ready.

An LRGP statement said: “A test car is ready and waiting for him, and a dedicated crew is on stand-by. Of course, Robert will remain a member of the LRGP family in 2012 and he is already, through his management, holding talks about renewing his contract for the following season.

“Although very disappointed by the news, Lotus Renault GP will start assessing its options and will evaluate the most suitable candidate to drive from the first 2012 winter testing session.”

Vitaly Petrov, Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean remain the most likely options for the team, although the name of Rubens Barrichello has been mentioned in the media.

“Even if I’ve been working very, very hard over the course of the last few weeks, I came to the conclusion that I am not yet certain to be ready for the 2012 season,” said Kubica in a statement. “I have called the team and I have informed them of the situation. This was a difficult decision to make, but it is the most reasonable one. I also know that LRGP need to prepare for next year, and further extending deadlines would not have been the right thing to do.

“On a personal level, my recovery is still very encouraging and my doctors keep being impressed. I just need more time, as I want to be 100% ready before I commit to anything driving related. Finally, I regret not having been able to provide more news and not having appeared in the papers, and I thank my friends of the media for understanding that this has been the best way for me to cope with what has been the most difficult period of my life.”

Eric Boullier said: “Everybody in the team is, of course, very disappointed today. Robert not driving in Australia at the start of next season is not what we were all hoping for. However, he has taken a very mature decision, acting in the best interests of Lotus Renault GP. As a team and as a family, we remain 100% behind him and we’ll help as much as we can.

“A programme composed of simulator testing, single-seater and F1 track time is awaiting him. In the meantime, we will start talking to a few drivers in order to finalise our line-up for next year as soon as possible. Robert will take it step by step and will jump back in his racing car when he feels it is the right moment to do so. On behalf of all 520 members of the team, I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Pedro de la Rosa has left his role as McLaren third driver to take up a seat at HRT for 2012.

The Spaniard, who turned 40 earlier this year, has signed a two-year deal with the team.

In theory Tonio Liuzzi has a contract for 2012, and it remains to be seen whether the team intends to employ two experienced drivers rather than take a second driver with funding.

“This is a very important step in my sporting career and one of the most meditated ones I’ve taken,” said de la Rosa. “I’m at a very good stage in terms of maturity and am prepared to take on this challenge, which motivates me hugely. When deciding on joining this project, for me there were three decisive factors: my desire to return to the active competition, the fact that HRT is a Spanish team and getting to know the people leading this project, Luis Pérez-Sala being amongst them.

“I’m here to work hard, with modesty and humility, accepting where we are now but keeping in mind where we want to be in two years’ time. For me, this is the time to put into practice everything that I have learnt over the years at international top level racing teams so that we can grow together. I am proud that Spain has an F1 team and that I have this opportunity to be its driver.

“I can only show my gratitude towards HRT for having trusted in me for this. Lastly, I can’t forget to thank McLaren for allowing me to take this step. I have been very happy over the eight seasons I spent with them, growing as a driver and person. Without them I wouldn’t be here today.”

HRT team boss Colin Kolles said: “The team’s objective has always been to reinforce itself in every aspect: economically, technically and in a sporting aspect. Without a doubt, the addition of Pedro de la Rosa for next year will be a fundamental foundation in the development of our project. We are a young team that needs to continue progressing and with this incorporation I am convinced that we will do just that.”

Meanwhile McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh paid tribute: “Pedro’s contribution to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been fantastically valuable – perhaps even more valuable than may be apparent to outsiders in fact – ever since he joined us in 2003.

“As a test driver, he’s been extraordinarily hard-working – on track and, latterly, more often, in our simulator – and his feedback has been reliable and expert. But his contributions have gone wider and deeper than that: Pedro is the archetypal team player, a big motivational presence in our team, and, perhaps because of that, he’s someone whom I personally will always count as a true friend.”

Tavo Hellmund said today that the 2012 US GP could still go ahead if Bernie Ecclestone is paid – but insisted that the finances were nothing to do with him.

Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference, Hellmund admitted that things began to go wrong when he fell out with his partners, but said that the real problem was the failure to pay Ecclestone the agreed sanctioning fee, despite being given extra time to do so.

“In late spring amongst our partners we had just a view of thinking of a different direction of the way things should go,” he said. “That happens, and no one’s necessarily right or wrong. That created the current friction, but nothing that would derail the project.

“The real reason that we’re having this press conference today, instead of announcing a huge sponsor, which I hope we can do in a couple of weeks, is the simple fact that we don’t have a contract with F1. And the reason we don’t have a contract with F1 is that as a project we have failed many times over to fulfil our financial obligations to F1. It’s literally that simple.

“I was encouraged today to see some news reports that the door is still open for us to be able to fix that, and I’ve also been encouraged in recent days to see that apparently all the funding’s in place. And so with that being said I’m really optimistic and hopeful that we’re going to get this done and we’re going to have a Grand Prix next year.”

Asked why Ecclestone hadn’t been paid Hellmund said: “To be perfectly honest, the money part has never been my role. If I’d had the money I wouldn’t have been willing 18 months ago to give up the majority of my project!”

Pushed further on who was supposed to pay, he said: “The other partners in COTA.”

Later he elaborated on the negotiations with Bernie.

“Right now we should be praising Mr Ecclestone. We were in breach on multiple issues since as late as May. He sent numerous requests and letters that we were all aware of, of how to fix it, and we failed to do that.

“More than anything this project needs to meet its financial obligations to F1. It’s just that simple. We can put a spin on it… Other people can point fingers at who’s to blame. I don’t want to do that.

“The project has been underfunded, and that’s not a surprise to anybody. I don’t think there’s any shame in that. If you budget for $150m or $200m and the project’s $300m, it’s a considerable difference. But again, I’m not party to that.

“I think the thing that’s disappointing is that the timing was just barely off. Mr Ecclestone gave us opportunities for three months, literally, and I like to think that my relationship with him, although strained and tested now, allowed us that flexibility. When they ask you for payment and you don’t do it repeatedly, over and over and over, eventually…

“And even as recently as the now publicised meeting three weeks ago he told us you can pay this now and we’ll continue with the current contract, or we can tear it up and issue a new one, or we’ll just cancel the whole thing. We didn’t for whatever reason choose to remedy the one that was in place, and to my knowledge there was another one sent that hasn’t been executed yet, but maybe it will.

“There’s a solution. If Mr Ecclestone and FOM get their money, there’s a Grand Prix next November. It’s that simple.”

He implied several times that the money is now in place.

“It’s not anybody’s fault that the project has been underfunded. No one’s done that intentionally, but it sounds like maybe that’s not the case now, and I hope everything will move forward.”

Hellmund insisted that there had been additional costs connected to the construction due to gas lines and unexpectedly challenging soil conditions, before adding once again that “…it’s not my place to speak about the money and the financing part – it’s not my role.”

He also confirmed that he would be willing to step out if the need arose and admitted that there were ongoing negotiations to that end.

COTA put out a short statement tonight indicating that it is amenable to postponing the first US GP in Austin until 2013.

The statement was in response to recent comments in the media from Bernie Ecclestone to the effect that a new contract could run from the later date, given that the original one with Tavo Hellmund has been cancelled.

However, the statement failed to address the bigger picture painted by Ecclestone – ie the apparent lack of funding.

COTA boss Steve Sexton said: “We have been excited for and working towards a 2012 USGP race and now understand that Mr. Ecclestone is interested in moving the Austin race to 2013. We know the U.S. market is important to the teams and their sponsors and 2013 certainly allows time for the Circuit of The Americas to be ready.”

Bernie Ecclestone has stressed that COTA’s final chance to save the 2012 US GP will come well before the crucial World Motor Sport Council meeting in India on December 7.

Ecclestone clearly wants time to shuffle the calendar around before the WMSC gathering, should it been decided that Austin is definitely out.

“It needs to be before that,” Bernie told Reuters today. “We don’t need any deadlines, having to thrash around at the last minute to do something. It’s gone on long enough.

“They have got next week anyway. We are going to be in Brazil so they can come back next week.”

Ecclestone made it clear that he held out little hope that the event could be saved, stressing that it all boiled down to lack of finance. The Texas state had promised to fund the sanctioning fee (see previous story on this blog) before Comptroller Susan Combs changed her mind.

“There’s nothing to save. They can’t bloody well pay. What do you want me to do, wait until next year? To put all our cars on it, run around the circuit and everything and come back with no money? The teams want paying.

“It’s not brinkmanship, it never has been with me. I’ve been trying to do a deal now with these people for 18 months or more…if they had the money, I’m sure there would be no problem.”

Yesterday’s statement from Texas state comptroller Susan Combs to the effect that no state funds will be paid out in advance of the 2012 US GP would appear to contradict a letter she sent to Bernie Ecclestone in May 2010.

In that letter – sent just before the Austin race was confirmed and clearly key to clinching the deal – she promised that the $25m sanction fee for the first race would be paid by July 31 2011.

The letter entered the public record earlier this year when a group of Texan taxpayers challenged the expenditure on the race, claiming that it contravened several elements of the guidelines for the Major Events Trust Fund.

The 13-page legal document, which I acquired in June, contains some fascinating details, but if you have not seen it yet the real gem is the letter. Addressed to Ecclestone, it reads as follows:

May 10 2010

Formula One World Championship Limited

Attn: Mr Ecclestone

Dear Sirs,

In response to the requirements for the race promotion contract for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Texas, I hereby certify the following:

With the understanding that the first full Formula 1 Grand Prix will be held in Texas in 2012, full funding for the entire sanction for 2012 will be paid to Formula One World Championship Limited (‘FOWC’) no later than July 31st, 2011.

In subsequent years, two through ten, of the race promotion contract, ie 2013 through 2021, we will be sending $25m to FOWC by the end of July 31^st of each year preceding the actual race.

We look forward with great enthusiasm to this event and a successful mutually beneficial relationship for many years to come.

Sincerely

Susan Combs

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

However, not only did that payment not come through by July 31 – which presumably played a big part in creating the current crisis – Combs now says that no payment can be made until after the event has taken place.

Yesterday she said in a statement: “Let me state clearly: We have not paid out any money for the Formula 1 event. The only dollars that can be spent on the United States Grand Prix are tax revenues attributable to the successful running of a race.  The state of Texas will not be paying any funds in advance of the event. Further, as is the case with all METF events, each application will be reviewed and analyzed for its likely economic impact and only after the race occurs would any funds be disbursed.

“If an METF application is submitted, it will be thoroughly vetted and economic impact data scrutinized based on the actual circumstances for that event. Ultimately, I am responsible for protecting the interests of Texas taxpayers, first and foremost. I will not allow taxpayer dollars to be placed at risk. My position on that has not changed.”

In fact it seems that her position has changed since she wrote to Bernie.

Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the US GP is on the verge of disappearing from the calendar – and that nobody holds a contract to run the race.

In essence the final deadline for any kind of resolution is the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in India on December 7.

Speaking to Ian Parkes of the UK’s Press Association, Ecclestone admitted that the race would be dropped if there was no solution: “Yes, it will be, for sure, 100%.”

Ecclestone also confirmed that Tavo Hellmund’s Full Throttle Productions no longer holds a contract to run the race, because it has been cancelled. COTA’s Bobby Epstein has thus been in negotiation over a totally new contract, rather than an acquisition of the one held by Hellmund.

“We had an agreement with Full Throttle Productions,” Ecclestone told Parkes. “Everything was signed and sealed, but we kept putting things off like the dates, various letters of credit and things that should have been sent, but nothing ever happened.

“Then these other people [Epstein and COTA] came on the scene, saying that they wanted to do things, but that they had problems with Tavo.

“They said they had the circuit, and that they wanted an agreement with me. I told them they had to sort out the contract with Tavo, which they said they would. But that has gone away now because we’ve cancelled Tavo’s contract as he was in breach.

“We’ve waited six months for him to remedy the breach. He knows full well why we’ve cancelled. He’s happy. But these other people haven’t got a contract. All we’ve asked them to do is get us a letter of credit.

“We are looking for security for money they are going to have to pay us. That is via a letter of credit, normally from a bank. If people don’t have the money they find it difficult to get the letter of credit, and so we don’t issue a contract.”

The big problem is that the race no longer has any guarantee of receiving $25m from the Texas Major Events Trust Fund, which was to have funded the sanctioning fee due to Bernie and the Formula One organisation.

An analysis by Pirelli has confirmed that Sebastian Vettel’s right rear tyre did not suffer any kind of structural failure – and the Italian company has not ruled out debris some kind of “outside circumstances” as the cause.

A Pirelli statement today said:

“Following an extensive investigation of the circumstances that led to Sebastian Vettel’s right-rear tyre suddenly deflating on the opening lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a structural failure of the tyre has been ruled out as the cause by Pirelli’s engineers.

“Although not much remained of the tyre afterwards, there was enough for Pirelli’s engineers to carry out a full investigation, in collaboration with Red Bull Racing. Having subjected the tyre to minute analysis, structural failure of the tyre or valve has been ruled out as a cause of the incident. Track debris or other outside circumstances cannot be excluded as a possible cause.”