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Davide Valsecchi and Luiz Razia look set to be announced as test drivers for Team Lotus, with both men expected to have a chance to drive on some Friday mornings – as Fairuz Fauzy did last year.

Razia was on a one-year deal with Virgin Racing as a test driver last year. He didn’t get much running, although he did take part in the Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi. It’s believed that his sponsors preferred that he follow the Lotus route, and that the split with Virgin is an amicable one.

Valsecchi has been in GP2 for three years, winning the Asian title in 2009. The 24-year-old Italian impressed when he had a go in the HRT at the Young Driver test.

Both men are also expected to drive for the sister Air Asia GP2 team, which means any Fridays they do will be outside Europe, when they have no GP2 commitments.

Here is the wing in 'normal' position...

...and here it is apparently in 'deployed' mode

The official pictures of Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari F150 shakedown at Fiorano yesterday gave us a chance to see the movable rear wing flap in action.

The wing is clearly going to be a major feature of upcoming testing for all the teams as teams test reliability and the drivers experiment with how to use it in practice and qualifying trim – where they are free to deploy whenever they want – and in race trim, when they can use it while running behind another car, but only when the FIA permits.

Teams still have a lot to learn about the wings. One technical director told me this week that while the wing ‘springs back’ into place automatically when a driver brakes at the end of the straight – with his car at least – that process might not happen fast enough to get the downforce back in time to get round the corner safely (we’re talking about just a tenth here). Thus the driver may have to press the button himself just before he brakes. Another thing to remember!

At some stage in testing drivers will probably want to find themselves in a traffic situation so that they can try it out. Indeed ‘friendly’ teams such as Red Bull and STR or McLaren and Force India could actually co-ordinate such a test. Not so sure that the two Lotus teams will co-operate though…

Alonso receiving some welcome advice from his boss

Luca di Montezemolo was in fighting mood today as he rallied the Ferrari troops and made it clear that the team intends to make amends for 2010.

He also suggested that there is still some flexibility in the FIA’s plans to have a 4-cylinder engine in 2013, something that will no doubt ruffle a few feathers.

Intriguingly he also took the opportunity to dampen recent speculation about Ferrari’s interest in Sebastian Vettel. Just as in the past he’d vehemently denied any interest in Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, et al. No smoke without fire…

Here is what he said in an interview issued by the team tonight.

Q: Chairman, you have asked for a car which can immediately win.

“Yes, I asked the team that with trust in the work we’ve done in the wind tunnel, setting the goal for improvement regarding last year’s car.”

Q: Aren’t you worried that maybe some rules this year might limit Formula 1?

“Let me use this question for a constructive discourse concerning the Federation, where we recreated a good climate. Historically Ferrari has always been collaborative and has respected the rules. I think that last year, without triggering a revolution, we had an intense season with unforeseeable results. I think that we have to concentrate on three fundamental points: first, Formula 1 is based in an excessive way on aerodynamics, which is the point, which makes the difference. In the 1970s it was more about the engine and mechanics, now it’s all about aerodynamics. Second, it’s about the tests: a sport on such a level can’t continue with such an absurd limitation regarding testing, in terms of development and in terms of safety, for our new drivers, who have to involved and have to be able to test. Last but not least the technology transfer. Formula 1 has to be more and more also a laboratory, a centre of advanced research for innovative technologies for tomorrow’s cars.

“The KERS is very important in this context and Ferrari as a manufacturer had and has extraordinary support in Formula 1. Just think about the F1 gearbox, modified chassis, electronics, flat underbody and many more in the road cars. It’s mainly about expenses and the permanence in Formula 1. Formula 1 will always have high and strong investment. Who can’t make these investments will race in other series. Limited expenses are easily to avoid, we have to continue on the right track reducing costs, while the real DNA of F1 doesn’t change. But if we’re heading towards an equalisation towards the bottom of performance, then this is not good and the engines can’t be the same for all. Naturally costs are fundamental, but without losing the sport’s essence. With serenity and dialogue you can improve a Formula, which already today is really extraordinary.”

Q: What about the future? The rule regarding 4-cylinder engines can still be changed? We know that Ferrari is engaged for a 6-cylinder engine.

“Yes, that’s true. I spoke to Todt and I’m glad the there is a different climate of dialogue than in the past. We’re engaged in technological challenges such as the FF: a 4-cylinder Ferrari seems absurd to me. We’ve not even built a 10-cylinder Ferrari and I’m still thinking that a 6-cylinder would have been more in line with the Formula 1 positioning on the market.”

Q: It’s paradoxical saying it, but calling a car today F150 and showing the Italian flag is a very strong signal. Don’t you fear that this might cost Ferrari some sympathy?

“Over the last 20 years we’ve always sported the Italian flag on the car. And personally I always thought that it is important. 2011 is the year we are even more Italian and we’re proud being it. When we’re listening to our national anthem after a victory of our country it’s always very emotional. I’m not talking about politics, we want to concentrate on sports. Just like many sportsmen are moved by competing for the Italian flag, we are happy to show it on our car. It’s the symbol of a winning Italy, united in sports. I want to add that it is an important signal for an Italian company, which is moving ahead with the deep conviction of being it.”

Q: Sergio Marchionne said that he doesn’t exclude that Alfa Romeo might come back into motorsports: do you consider a synergy with Ferrari?

“As far as Alfa is concerned, everything is possible, the brand is extremely sporty and connected to Ferrari since the early days of motorsports. There are many possibilities.”

Q: A question regarding the drivers: who of Fernando and Felipe will have more advantages from the Team’s new organisation?

“I’m glad that you’re asking, because it is since 1974 that I am asked this question, since Lauda and Regazzoni. I told you last December that there won’t be a revolution and we worked on two points: First, we don’t insert too many people from the outside, only a few, with specific competences, culture and a way of working in very specific areas. Second, improving the facilities and the tools today’s rules bring with them, so more investment in aerodynamics and tests in the wind tunnel for example.

“This doesn’t have any particular effects on the drivers. The drivers can give recommendations, talk about their impressions, can ask the car to be set up for their driving styles. But we have to put both drivers in a condition with the bets possible car. We restructured the organisation of the single teams, hoping that Massa will be competitive right from the start and Alonso with the same capacity as last year, where he showed that he is the best driver in the world.”

Q: In Germany they are talking a lot about Vettel coming to Ferrari: does that mean that someone contacted him for the future or is that pure fiction? The next Ferrari driver will be an exceptional driver from the market or a driver from the Ferrari Driver Academy?

“I hope that he will come from the Ferrari Driver Academy, because that would mean that he’s a “top star”. Naturally Ferrari puts a driver in the car able to win. One of the ideas of the Academy is to have the next Scuderia driver in-house. There is absolutely nothing going on with Vettel, apart from the congratulations for a wonderful season and the fact that he knew how to benefit from the last race in Abu Dhabi.”

Ferrari hasn't shown all of the F150's secrets yet

The Ferrari F150 is the first car to give us a clue as to how this year’s breed will look. Inevitably the Italian team hasn’t shown all its cards, and front and rear wings and other aero elements will change during the build up to the first race.

Aero wise, the team has had to deal with the rule changes that ban double diffusers and f-ducts, while this is also the first car we’ve seen with a proper adjustable rear wing, although Mercedes experimented with one at the Abu Dhabi test.

“The car’s evolution has been planned with two big stages,” says technical director Aldo Costa. “One during the winter tests, where we will mainly develop the area of the mechanics, which means that the car’s structure, the chassis, the gearbox and the suspension will remain the same for the first couple of races. The aerodynamics is simplified and temporary for the first tests, waiting for the real aerodynamic development for the first race.

“The major aspects with the most impact on the project were connected to the aerodynamic development. The car will change a lot. The double diffuser, the F-duct, is gone. The driver can’t change the car’s aerodynamic set up anymore. The underbody won’t have any ‘holes’ in the central part anymore. This is a fundamental change. The rear wing will be movable, so that the driver can overtake the car in front of him and use it in the qualifying according to his needs.”

The team’s biggest challenge will perhaps be the switch to Pirelli. While everyone else has had to do it too, Ferrari had a 13-year ‘special relationship’ with Bridgestone, and all of that accumulated data and knowledge means very little now. Those who were on Michelin at recently as 2006 arguably have less to lose, and also have more recent experience of how to deal with a change of supplier.

Like everyone else Ferrari has reintroduced a KERS system. Along with McLaren it had the most effective system in 2009, but it has been developed since then. Its location and packaging in the car has also changed, not least because cars have much bigger fuel tanks than they did two years ago.

Also for this year there’s a restriction on weight distribution, so all the teams have had to build their cars within the set limit.

The KERS packaging has also impacted on the engine – the architecture of the front of the V8 has changed, and updates to the KERS system have also had an impact on cooling and lubrication. All of this has been done on the basis that Ferrari is able to provide the whole package to both Toro Rosso and Sauber. The team says it has also addressed engine reliability, with particular regard to pneumatics.

The front of the chassis has been affected by the more stringent crash tests, and it is higher, so that the driver sits higher. The side intakes are smaller than previously. Rear suspension is new, while the front has been altered to adapt to the changes to the monocoque. There’s also a revised brake system.

“We started when the previous car touched the ground,” says chief designer Nikolas Tombazis. “That was in late January last year. We put some basic ideas together, started talking about the new regulations and how they would influence the main parts and we set up a programme in the wind tunnel to examine the new regulations.

“This project had several important challenges, because the regulations are quite different from last year’s. We had to reintroduce the KERS in the car. We’ve learned a lot about the KERS two years ago. But now we’ve got a new package, so the installation wasn’t the same. We had to think about that a lot.

“Another challenge was the mobile rear wing. This is one of the novelties in Formula 1 this year. So we had to plan a wing, which doesn’t influence the performance when it’s shut in its normal configuration, but which gives us the highest possible reduction regarding CD, which means highest possible speed on the straights during the qualifying or while overtaking. This was a very important project. A third challenge was the introduction of new tyres. When you change tyres you also have to change several aspects of the car, regarding weight distribution, suspension between front and rear, but also some aerodynamic aspects.

“Because the Pirelli tyres are new, we’ve got lots of work. This is almost less important thinking about the aerodynamic aspect – this year we can’t use a double diffuser. So we had to set a very ambitious goal, gaining the performance we lost without the double diffuser.”

Tombazis says that there’s more to come, and intriguing he mentions exhausts, an area that many expect to be key this year in terms of aero: ”We’ve been working on different innovations for the car: some of ours and some new for Formula 1 in general. The rear suspension is really innovative, so is the rear wing system. But there are more novelties coming up regarding the configuration for the first race, which aren’t in the car yet, for example something for the rear wing and the exhausts.”

He believes that the team has achieved its performance targets.

“We think we did. We set targets we think are very ambitious regarding the development in the wind tunnel, the car’s weight and the performance of some sub-systems. We think, based on our analysis, that we’ve reached these targets. Especially for the car for the first race.

“Having said that, the regulations are new and it’s impossible to know exactly where our competitors stand. I’m convinced that also they set themselves some ambitious targets. I’m confident in what we’ve done, but as long as we don’t see the cars on the grid for the first race, it’s a little bit difficult to answer this question.”

Here’s a video issued by http://www.ferrari.com today:

The F150 is the first 2011 car to break cover

The Ferrari F150 became the first 2011 car to break cover this morning, although as ever it is far from definitive spec so some secrets remain.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali says that it’s going to be a tough season, but made it pretty clear that the team intends to make amends for last year’s disappointment. Here’s what he has to say.

Q: Let’s talk about the name: F150. Where does it come from?
F150, because we want to celebrate the 150 years of Italy’s unity. I think that our Team represents ‘Italianity’ in the world, although we are an international team, with members from all over the world.

Q: An obvious question: is victory this year’s goal?
A very simple answer: I think it is.

Q: There are some novelties as far as the team is concerned. Would you like to tell us about it?
I think the main organisational change is that we’ve restructured the team of the track engineers. There are the vice technical director, Pat Fry, who coordinates Alonso’s and Massa’s engineers, Andrea Stella and Robert Smedley respectively, and Technical Director Aldo Costa, who remains the Head Coordinator regarding all technical aspects. We had a further improvement regarding strategies, introducing a new person with several different experiences, Neil Martin.

Q: Alonso and Massa: how did you see them over the first weeks in 2011?
They are very motivated and ‘charged’. I’ve seen them in the last weeks and we spent some time together in Madonna di Campiglio during the “Wrooom” week. I have to say that they understand that this is, for many reasons, a very important year for them and they know that we all have to give it our all.

Q: Competitors: who do you think will be Ferrari’s main competitors?
I think that we have to consider everybody before we start: the big teams, which all will be very, very strong – Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren – and there will also be some other teams, who could be some dangerous outsiders. And let’s not forget the great drivers – there are many World Champions. This will be a very hot Championship.

Q:There are many technical novelties, many of them introduced to make it more exciting: do you think that there will be more overtaking manoeuvres?
I want to be a little bit careful regarding overtaking: it’s obvious that everything that has been done, especially regarding the mobile rear wing, was introduced to improve the possibilities of overtaking. To make sure that this system will reach the goal we all want, I think we need some Grands Prix to fine-tune the system. This remains one of the main goals to improve the races’ spectacularity.

Q:In 2010 the season was very uncertain. Do you think that it will be the same in 2011?
I think so. It will be a very intense season, just like last year. I expect many teams to be able to win. The competition will be even harder and the uncertainty even higher.

Q: From a personal point of view: do you feel obliged to win this year?
It’s not about obligations, but it’s about objectives. I’d say that this is and remains my and the whole team’s objective.

The highly respected Paddy Lowe has been given the role of technical director at McLaren, a job title that has not been used since the departure of Adrian Newey at the end of 2005. Meanwhile chief engineer Tim Goss takes on the role of director of engineering.

It’s not always easy for outsiders to work who does what in the design and engineering process, so it’s best to refer to McLaren’s own description of what the changes mean: “Paddy will continue to lead our technical strategy in his own quietly authoritative way, but his new role will afford him even greater levels of focus as he will be spearheading new and innovative technical projects relating to our Formula 1 future. He’ll also continue to represent the technical aspect of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes within FOTA and with the FIA.

“Paddy’s broader remit means that Tim Goss, our chief engineer on MP4-25, will assume a larger role within the car development programme. As a result, Tim now becomes McLaren Racing’s director of engineering.

“Underpinning them both is Neil Oatley, a McLaren veteran who joined the team in 1986, and continues in his role as director of design and development programmes. Neil will set and execute many of our top-level projects as well as working tirelessly to bring new projects and upgrades to our cars.”

So now you know! Since the departure of Newey Lowe – who joined in 1993 – has become an increasingly important member of the team.

“It’s great for Neil and me to be joined by Tim as another director on the technical side,” he said in a McLaren statement. “With the three of us, we’ll not only be able to more efficiently spread our workload, but, through Tim and me, we’ll also share race attendance.

“It’s very important to have senior technical management at the racetrack, because that’s where you score the points, but, equally, if you spend all your time away then you risk overlooking some of the hard work that happens back at the factory.”

Goss explained: “I used to be jointly responsible for the direction of our cars with Pat Fry. Now I’ve taken on both roles – but there’s obviously been some shifting of responsibilities within the team as, clearly, I can’t do the work of two people.

“As director of engineering, my role will be to co-ordinate a small team of project engineers who are responsible for the specification, design and development of our cars.”

Famed British directors Ridley and Tony Scott- the men responsible for movie hits such as Blade Runner, Gladiator and Top Gun – have put their weight behind a TV series project set in the world of motor racing of the fifties and sixties, with a focus on Le Mans.

The brothers’ Scott Free Inc organisation will join forces with production companies Headline Pictures and Sennet Entertainment in creating The Drivers, with funding from Freemantle Media Enterprises.

The series is based on the book, Shelby: The Man, The Cars, the Legend written by Cobra/GT40 expert Wallace A Wyss, and according to FME “…tells the true story of wild young drivers from the US, Germany, France, Italy and Britain, friends and rivals, amateurs risking everything for a shot on the tracks.” Sounds good!

The Scott brothers have already produced successful TV series such as cop show Numb3rs, and The Good Wife. Tony Scott has had a crack at motor sport before, with the critically panned 1990 Days of Thunder Tom Cruise movie.

Series such as Mad Men have demonstrated that there’s an appetite for period TV drama.

“I grew up in the North of England at a time when Stirling Moss was a hero,” said Ridley Scott. “Everyone wanted to be a racing driver. This is a hugely ambitious project and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tell the story of these iconic and legendary men who risked everything to win at Le Mans. It’s an epic story of courage and ambition and a history of racing which has never been told on such a grand scale.”

David Ellender of FME said: “Having Ridley and Tony on board brings something really special to the project. They are indisputably two of the best filmmakers in the world today and their involvement raises the bar on this project to a much higher level of storytelling and production. Their vast international success combined with their British background puts them in a unique position to understand characters and stories from both sides of the Atlantic.”

No more details are forthcoming, but one presumes there will be lots of  money to be made by owners of period race cars who are willing to loan them out…

Nico Hulkenberg has made no secret of his ambition to land a 2012 race seat with Force India, having signed up as third driver for 2011.

He won’t be the first driver to do a rookie season, take a year off, and bounce back, the likes of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso having done so in the past – although they had a busy year of testing.

“Well, of course I’d rather be a race driver, but the most important thing is that I stay within the F1 circus,” said the German. “Every driver wants to compete in races – that is what we are all driving for. But my motivation is to convince the team of my skills in order to be back in a race cockpit in 2012.

“I feel excited about my new home in F1. I am looking forward to working here and of course I am especially looking forward to driving the car for the first time. The team have made a huge leap forward within the last years and I want to be a part of the next step.

“Last year was very important for me. I could gain lots of experience and had a good team-mate. I learned a lot from him on how to help developing a car in the right direction. I’m bringing a high level of motivation and will give my very best to be helpful for the team.”

Meanwhile team principal Vijay Mallya is happy with his line-up, although he made no mention of the departing Tonio Liuzzi in the team’s official statement.

“I am genuinely excited by the drivers we will be fielding in 2011. I believe that the combination of talent we’ve assembled gives us one of the strongest line-ups on the grid: Adrian has matured into one of F1’s most consistent and highly-rated young drivers, while Paul is, I believe, a real star of the future. He has won in every category in his career and this base speed was in evidence when he got in the car on Fridays last year.

“With Nico, signing him was too good an opportunity to let by. He showed a good racing head and talent and I was amazed by his control in Brazil last year. Together I think they are a formidable partnership and will help take us to the next level of performance.”

Paul di Resta’s appointment at Force India hardly comes as a surprise, and it was clear all through last year that he was being groomed for a race seat. Nevertheless it’s a welcome boost for British (and Scottish!) motor sport. Here’s an interview with him issued by team today.

Q: Paul, you are now a full-time, fully-fledged Formula 1 driver. What are your thoughts on making your F1 debut this year?

“Naturally I am thrilled to be making my race debut this season. Becoming an F1 driver has been a long-held ambition of mine, something I’ve wanted to do since I first stepped into a kart, and to finally realise it feels amazing. I’ve worked really hard for this opportunity throughout my career and to get it with Force India, a young team that’s got ambitions as big as mine, is genuinely exciting. I can’t wait to be on the grid in Bahrain, it can’t come soon enough!”

Q: How have you been preparing for your first season?

“I’ve been working on fitness to be completely ‘race fit’ and I’ll have some simulator sessions before the start of the testing programme. We will decide the days I will do very shortly, but I should be in the car at each of the tests to make sure the team and I have as much information as possible about the new car and its behaviour. I’ve been spending as much time as I can in the factory as well – even though I know the team very well from last season, I am strengthening those relationships so we function at our best level as a team.”

Q: You have stepped up from the test driver role, what do you think you’ll gain from that experience?

“Obviously I know the team very well, and understanding how people work and the systems and procedures in place gives a real advantage as everything you do is improving, rather than learning from scratch. I will also know some of the circuits from my Friday experience so getting up to speed on those weekends will be quicker and easier. It’s an ideal position to be in when you make your race debut.”

Q: Which circuits are you looking forward to this year? How much experience do you have on some of them?

“Silverstone will obviously be very special as it’s my home Grand Prix. Last year I was lucky enough to drive in the Friday practice session and was the first out on track so I could hear the crowd. The atmosphere was amazing so I’ll be geared up for that race. Equally all the circuits are special in some respects – Monza has the history, Belgium that incredible track and Singapore the lights. Really it will be about optimising every opportunity I have on and off track.”

Q: You’ll be the third British driver on the grid this year, but also joining some of the greatest names in British and Scottish motorsport. How does it feel to be stepping up to this level?

“Britain has produced some great drivers over the years and Lewis and Jenson have really stood out in recent seasons as two back to back world champions. To be on the grid with them is pretty special. To then follow in the footsteps of some other great names – Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark for example – is a real honour and I hope that I will do justice to their achievements.”

Q. What will your aims be for the coming season?

“Initially it will be to learn from the bottom up and create a solid foundation. Learn the tracks, understand the car and get the information everyone needs to achieve the ambitious goals we have set ourselves. To do this, we need to finish as many races as possible and to make sure that when we finish we’re in the points.”

Q: Have your family or anyone given you any advice?

“They are all so pleased that I’ve been given this opportunity, but no one has told me what to do or what not to do,  but I know that if I need some help or advice, all I need to do is ask. My father in particular has worked just as hard as I have to make this happen and to see his smile when we get to the grid in Bahrain will make me really proud.”

Q. Will you be competing in any other series this year, as you did last year, or will your attention be focussed on F1?

“No, F1 will be my only series this year. With 20 races on the calendar, that doesn’t leave a lot of time to compete in anything else! I’ve waited a long time to get this chance and now all my efforts are going into this to be as successful as I can.”

Q: You’ve got two very quick team-mates, both of whom have F1 race experience. How do you think your respective talents will benefit each other?

“Having two team-mates that have competed in F1 is an advantage as you have people who know the tracks, the business and how to deal with certain situations you only get when you are racing. Equally I hope that I can bring some experience from my outings last year, what I know about the team and a different perspective on things. I think we’ll complement each other.”