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Bahrain paid its race sanctioning fee for 2011 despite not hosting an F1 race this year.

Amid the island Kingdom’s troubles earlier this year, Bernie Ecclestone revealed that he would not charge the government the reportedly more than $40 million fee.  Read more... (244 words, estimated 59 secs reading time)

The reason Jenson Button’s 2012 McLaren contract has not yet been announced is “simple”, according to a veteran correspondent.

At Monza recently, the paddock openly wondered why October is nearing without the British team having announced already that it is taking up the option on the highly-regarded driver’s existing deal.  Read more... (315 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

According to Giedo van der Garde, success in feeder category GP2 is no guide as to whether a driver will succeed in the world of F1.

The management of the 26-year-old Dutchman, who reportedly has sponsorship in tow, recently revealed talks about 2012 with three F1 teams.  Read more... (229 words, estimated 55 secs reading time)

Nick Heidfeld on Sunday insisted he is still pushing to stay in Formula One, even though he is being strongly linked with a move to DTM, the German Touring Car series.

The German veteran has been ousted at Renault but despite attending the weekend’s German touring car round at Oschersleben he said F1 remains his target for 2012.  Read more... (259 words, estimated 1:02 mins reading time)

Narain Karthikeyan will warm up with a Friday practice session in Singapore before racing in his native India next month, HRT announced on Saturday.

It was already expected that the 34-year-old, despite losing his full time race seat to Daniel Ricciardo earlier this season, would return to the cockpit for the inaugural Delhi grand prix.  Read more... (173 words, estimated 42 secs reading time)

The rumour mill is rumbling on Friday with the news Kimi Raikkonen made a visit to F1 team Williams’ Oxfordshire factory.

The sport10.at (Austria) and plaza.fi (Finland) websites said the famous British team had confirmed the 2007 world champion was given a tour.  Read more... (200 words, estimated 48 secs reading time)

Geoff Willis has not left the HRT team yet, a spokeswoman for the Spanish team insisted on Friday.

It has been reported in recent days that Briton Willis – the former Red Bull, Williams and Honda technical chief – was leaving due to not being happy about the plans for the 2012 budget and car.  Read more... (111 words, estimated 27 secs reading time)

Flavio Briatore has rubbished speculation he is eyeing a return to Formula One management.

Recent rumours have linked the flamboyant former Renault boss, banned from F1 because of the 2009 ‘crashgate’ scandal, with a leading role at Ferrari.

But the Italian told Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport: “I do not intend to return to Formula One as a team manager.  Read more... (230 words, estimated 55 secs reading time)

Despite Pirelli’s F1 boss Paul Hembery revealing last month that fast and sticky ‘qualifying tyres’ were amongst one of the ideas currently being investigated for Formula One, it has been confirmed that they will not come into play in the 2012 F1 season.  Read more... (88 words, estimated 21 secs reading time)

HRT is set to select the port of Valencia as its new headquarters, according to the Spanish sports daily Marca.

The newspaper said the back-of-the-grid Spanish team is targeting the harbourside site recently occupied by the BMW Oracle yacht racing outfit.  Read more... (137 words, estimated 33 secs reading time)