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Lewis Hamilton had a frustrating day at Suzuka after damaging his car in an off at Degner early in the first session.

Repairs lasted all through the lunch break and he finally got out with only eight minutes to go. However, he had to do without the latest rear wing, having damaged his example in the off. The team is hoping to have one back on the car tomorrow.

Inevitably on the back of his Monza and Singapore collisions the accident has raised questions about the pressure he has been under lately.

“I was in the early stages of the session, I was literally on my second real fast lap, second or third timed lap, and just went wide,” said Lewis. “I didn’t actually go very wide, but I couldn’t stop the car. Just very slippery on the marbles, and I went on the gravel. The gravel pulled me even further towards the barrier and destroyed the car.

“Probably pushing hard too early. I don’t know, it wasn’t even that big an off. It was just unfortunate that the gravel was really slippery at that point when I was on it. You’ve seen a couple of people that went off there and they got away with it. They say bad things come in threes, so hopefully it’s over and done with.

“The guys did an incredible job, they really had to work hard. But they are just so good. They worked so hard and got the car out and obviously we did the last 10 minutes of the second session, but a lot of time was lost. Nevertheless tomorrow is another day, and hopefully it’s going to rain. I guess everybody has to start again tomorrow.”

Lewis admits that he doesn’t know too much about the behaviour car, and matters were complicated by the loss of the new rear wing.

“I literally did a couple of laps with the updates, and then I broke the update that I had, so I didn’t have it on that last run there. I did four times laps just now. Obviously I’m on a different wing on the rear, so just trying to get back into the groove of things. I didn’t really get a feel of where the car is exactly. Tomorrow will be a little bit different and we have another session, which is good.

“Hopefully we’ll have an updated rear wing, so it won’t be a problem.”

Renault veteran Bob Bell has left the team, handing his managing director role to team principal Eric Boullier.

Bell was technical director until taking over the management role just over a year ago, following the departure of Flavio Briatore. The news signals the cutting of another link with the Briatore era.

A short statement from the team today said simply: “Eric Boullier, Team Principal since 5 January 2010, will take over the role of Managing Director with immediate effect following the departure of Bob Bell.”

Gérard Lopez said: “We would like to thank Bob Bell for his contribution to the performance of the team and for helping see us through a period of transition since Genii Capital became a shareholder in the Renault F1 Team. We are entrusting the post of Managing Director to Eric Boullier and we have every confidence that, under his leadership, we will achieve our racing objectives. Throughout the 2010 season, we have been assessing what is required to continue improving our level of competitiveness and we believe we are well positioned for the challenges ahead.””

Boullier added: “Since the beginning of the season, the Renault F1 Team has demonstrated its ability to react to a need for change. The results of the tremendous efforts made have been immediately apparent on the race track. Today, we have a competitive car and an incredibly motivated team. I am proud of the trust being placed in me to continue this good work, and I will make every effort to ensure the Renault F1 Team returns to the front of the grid as soon as possible.””

Former Lotus and Wolf F1 boss Peter Warr, who worked with an extraordinary list of big names over his time in the sport, has died at the age of 72.

Warr joined Lotus in the very early days in 1958, and was initially a salesman. Initially he had racing ambitions of his own, and famously won the first ever Japanese GP at Suzuka in 1963, when it was a invitational sportscar race.

For the 1970 season he became team manager of Team Lotus, running the day to day operations of the race team on behalf of Colin Chapman. Jochen Rindt won the title posthumously that year, and two years later Emerson Fittipaldi triumphed.

Warr also worked with Ronnie Peterson, Jacky Ickx, Mario Andretti and Gunnar Nilsson before leaving to join the new Wolf team for the 1977 season. Jody Scheckter won three races that year, while James Hunt briefly drove for the team in 1979. Warr was reunited with Fittipaldi when Wolf was merged with the Brazilian driver’s own team, and was involved in yet another future World Champion in Keke Rosberg.

When the team’s fortunes took a dive Warr returned to Lotus in 1981, and he took charge as team principal after Chapman’s death in December 1982. He had something of a strained relationship with Nigel Mansell, but established a good rapport with Ayrton Senna, who scored his first Grand Prix wins with the team in 1985-87. When Senna left he was replaced by Nelson Piquet.

Warr left Lotus in 1989 but retained links with the sport working with the FIA and BRDC. In recent years had been living in retirement in France. Last year he returned to Suzuka as part of the track’s re-opening celebrations, driving his Lotus 23 around the track.

Lotus will source its gearbox and hydraulics system from Red Bull Technology in 2011, rather than Renault as had been widely assumed.

In fact Renault was never in a position to supply a transmission to go with its engine, and at one stage Lotus was looking at a deal with McLaren – although when I suggested as much on Twitter a few weeks ago I got a few sceptical replies! However the RBT arrangement is clearly preferable as both teams will use the same engine and Lotus will in effect share the whole rear end of Adrian Newey’s RB7.

The news also emphasises that RBT wants to create as much extra income as possible, rather than rely on a massive subsidy from Austria as mentioned in my story yesterday.

Like the other new teams Lotus has suffered badly with its bought-in hydraulics system this year, and did not want a repeat next season.

In a team statement Mike Gascoyne said:“The announcement that we have reached a multi-year agreement with Red Bull Technology for the supply of our gearboxes and hydraulics from 2011 is obviously a massive step forward for us, both in engineering terms, and as an expression of our ambitions for next year and for future Championships. The gearbox/hydraulics package obviously plays a critical role in the performance of the car, not just on track but in design and packaging terms, and this deal gives our design and aero teams a very exciting platform to work with.

“The removal of the double diffusers in 2011 will allow the whole grid to tighten up the rear bodywork and mechanical structures around the gearbox, and this supply deal will allow us to capitalise on that with our 2011 car. Exciting times lie ahead!”

Christian Horner added: “We are very pleased about Lotus Racing’s decision to use Red Bull Technology gearboxes and hydraulic systems from 2011. The fact that Red Bull Technology has been chosen to be a supplier to another team despite its short history demonstrates how much we have achieved since our first season. We very much look forward to working with Lotus Racing from 2011 onwards.”

To no one’s great surprise Sauber has announced that Sergio Perez will partner Kamui Kobayashi next year, signalling the start of what it calls a ‘partnership’ with Mexican telecommunications giant Telmex.

Perez, who was beaten to the GP2 title by Pastor Maldonado, becomes the first Mexican in F1 since Hector Rebaque’s stint with the Brabham team in the early eighties.

It’s not clear yet whether that relationship will develop into a shareholding or ownership, but clearly getting the backing of the world’s richest man – Carlos Slim – is something of a coup for Peter Sauber. Having said that the company has been very careful with its expenditure on Perez and Esteban Gutierrez as they have worked their way through the ranks, and both youngsters have had to get the job done to retain their support.

In a team statement Perez said: “Formula One is the dream of every young racing driver. And now this dream is about to come true for me. Although I’m very much aware that this is also a big challenge and responsibility, I’m happy to accept that and am proud to be representing my country in the highest category of motor racing. I would like to thank Peter Sauber for the faith he’s shown in me and I’ll do everything I can to make the most of this wonderful opportunity.”

Peter Sauber added: “Sergio has been on a continuous upward curve over the past few years. He demonstrated his fighting spirit in races over the course of last season and proved that he’s ready to take the step up into Formula One. I look forward to working with him and am in no doubt that, in Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi, we will have a strong driver pairing.

“Telmex has been involved in motor sport for a number of years already and supports drivers in various race series. Now they are making the key step up into the top category of motor racing, and we are happy and proud that they are taking this step with us. Telmex is an outstanding company and represents a strong partner for our team. We are looking forward to a fruitful partnership.”

Regarding the new relationship, Carlos Slim Domit said: “Sauber has been not only a very successful racing team but also a strong talent developer of some of the most recognized names in racing since their early stages as well as one of the most respected people in the sport. Their decision of having Sergio with them is very significant on his career to become a top driver representing Mexico. For Telmex and our racing project Escuderia Telmex it’s a great step forward, and we feel very proud to be able to consolidate these years of work for having a Mexican driver in F1 with Sauber Motorsport.”

Pedro de la Rosa will start his Pirelli test programme at Valencia tomorrow, having taken over the job from Nick Heidfeld, the man who replaced him at Sauber.

Romain Grosjean filled in at the most recent test at Monza, and remains involved with Pirelli on GP2 development. De la Rosa will run for two days in Spain, focussing on compounds, after earlier tests revolved around constructions.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Pedro told this blog. “I’m happy to learn with them and improve the tyres. I can give them my experience, and that’s what they needed. I’m really, really happy that this deal came through. I will learn a lot and think I will also give quite a lot.”

For much more from Pedro check www.autosport.com later today.

Red Bull’s F1 accounts for 2009 reveal just how much was spent chasing the World Championship last season, with the Austrian drinks company pumping over £100m into the operation.

The title campaign, and specifically the requirement to build a double diffuser after the start of the season, contributed to the fact that the team spent more than in 2008. However a leading team source insists that the bulk of any increase reflects not so much the cost of competing, but the cost of success, and actual operating costs were less. 

Drivers and team members earned bonuses that reflected the rise from being a seventh placed team with just 29 points in 2008 to one that won six Grands Prix and challenged for the title.

Interpreting the numbers is not easy because the operation is split into two companies, Red Bull Technology, and its subsidiary, Red Bull Racing, an arrangement that was concluded to allow RBT to also supply Scuderia Toro Roso.

RBT designs and builds the cars, while RBR is the actual racing team. Under UK company law, Red Bull does not have to disclose details of payments between the two.

In essence parent company Red Bull GmbH pays the team whatever it needs, and thus income automatically rises to cope with extra expenditure. RBT’s turnover was up 11% from £144.8m to £160.8m, with Red Bull GmbH’s contribution rising from £82.4m to £106.8m. The declared profit was £3.8m, up from £960K.

Included within the above numbers, RBR’s turnover rose from £123.5m to £132.7m. Red Bull GmbH’s payment (again a share of the above) was up from £78.9m to £96.9m. Profit was £704K, up from £470K.  RBR’s turnover would also have included income outside sponsorship and ‘Bernie money’ related to the Concorde Agreement.

RBT’s expenditure on R&D rose from £48.1m to £57.2m. There was also extra capital expenditure, on factory equipment and so on, of £4.9m.

Wages and salaries at RBT were up from £33.7m to £40.9m. Since there was no major change in staff actual numbers year on year, that reflects success bonuses. RBT employed total of 592 people in 2009 (although there are additional contractors who don’t figure in that number), of whom 61 officially worked for RBR.

 RBT’s accounts also reveal that Scuderia Toro Rosso paid it £10.4m in 2009 – which a dramatic fall from the £14.2m of the previous year, when Vettel was still on board and the team had a car that could win races. However that reflects the fact for 2010 Toro Rosso had to build its own car and thus at some point in 2009 in effect stopped dealing with RBT.

Lotus Racing is in the news again today after the team finalised its termination arrangements with Cosworth.

It was announced just after the Italian GP that the two parties were splitting at the end of the first season of what should have been a three-year deal, and it has taken until now to formalise the paperwork.

The agreement should also allow Tony Fernandes to announce his future Renault deal sooner rather than later. Cosworth has made it clear that Lotus is leaving for pastures new for reasons related to the reliability of the transmission, and the team obviously expects the fully integrated Renault package to be an improvement.

A statement from Cosworth said: “Cosworth and Lotus have today signed the termination of Lotus Racing’s engine supply agreement following completion of the deal which was established in principle and announced after the Italian Grand Prix on 12th September 2010. Cosworth’s support for Lotus Racing will cease at midnight on 30th November 2010.

“Lotus Racing has enjoyed a successful season with Cosworth and has enjoyed excellent performance, reliability and support from their engine supply. The decision to bring the partnership to an early termination has been driven by the team’s desire to solve reliability and performance issues unrelated to the Cosworth engine. Lotus Racing and Cosworth have agreed settlement terms satisfactory to both parties to secure an early termination of the agreement.

“Cosworth wishes Lotus Racing success in the future, and will continue to supply engines to AT&T Williams, Virgin Racing and HRT in 2011, thereby supporting 25% of the teams in Formula One.”

Clearly at one stage Cosworth expected to have Lotus and a 13th team in 2011, so it remains to be seen how that change affects the company’s business model.

The fight over the use of the Lotus name in F1 stepped up a gear when Lotus Racing brought former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir into the dispute.

Mahathir ran the country from 1981-2003 and was very much behind the birth of the Malaysian GP. He’s also been a keen supporter of Lotus Racing. Still a big player in the country, he is now closely associated with Proton.

A statement from the team today said: “In a bid to alleviate the public confusion surrounding the ongoing matter between Lotus Racing and Proton/Group Lotus, Lotus Racing shareholder and Deputy Team Principal Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun recently had the opportunity to meet Proton Adviser Tun Dr Mahathir. The meeting was to discuss the matter in person and agree a future course of action for Lotus Racing.

“Lotus Racing believes it is acting within its own rights, and as a result of this meeting, the team will now refrain from making any further comments on the matter. This action is upon advice from Tun Dr Mahathir, and it is out of our respect for him that we will act upon his wishes as he has supported us since our inception, and his backing has been invaluable in our growth.

“We are very grateful for having had the opportunity to put forth our case and have complete trust that a fair review will be made, and a decision on the matter will be announced in due course.”

Reading between the lines it sounds like Mathathir is siding with the team rather than Dany Bahar and co…

The Spygate case reared its ugly head again today when Nigel Stepney’s legal case came to a conclusion in Sassuolo, some three years after the controversial events of 2007.

According to the local paper, the Gazzetta di Modena, Stepney received a 20-month sentence and €600 fine after being found guilty of “sabotage, espionage, sporting fraud and attempted serious injury.” The latter related to the matter of the infamous white powder which in theory – had it caused Kimi Raikkonen’s engine to seize – could have caused an accident…

The sentence was reduced by a plea bargain with prosecutor Giuseppe Tibis. However it seems that the way Italian law works, Stepney won’t actually serve any jail time.

Lawyers from both Stepney and Ferrari expressed satisfaction with the verdict.