Lotus looks set to begin the 2013 season without a title sponsor.

Late last year, it emerged that the Genii-owned team was close to announcing a $30 million per year deal with Honeywell, the American technology giant. But last month, Switzerland’s Speed Week reported that the deal is now “a way off”.  Read more... (193 words, estimated 46 secs reading time)

Ahead of the final pre-season test and 2013 season opener, Lotus has played down a new controversy about engine maps.

We reported on Monday that, after Red Bull were told to stop using certain ‘maps’ mid last season, the similarly Renault-powered Lotus was now also embroiled in a similar controversy.  Read more... (267 words, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)

Susie Wolff has vowed to continue her “step by step” progress towards the F1 grid.

Last year just a development driver, Williams has ramped up the 30-year-old Scot’s programme for 2013, and earlier this month she was bestowed the honour of debuting the new FW35 during an aerodynamic test. Revealing that Bernie Ecclestone is “massively pushing” for a woman to join the exclusively-male grid in the near future, Wolff said her next goal is to obtain an FIA super license.  Read more... (199 words, estimated 48 secs reading time)

Kimi Raikkonen has been tipped to fight for pole in Australia next month, and the world championship in 2013.

“I am quite sure Kimi will fight for the championship,” fellow Finn Mika Salo, now a commentator for the MTV3 broadcaster, said.  Read more... (123 words, estimated 30 secs reading time)

Unable to find a race seat for his F1 return, Jaime Alguersuari has signed up for a season of kart racing.

Spain’s El Confidencial reports that the former Toro Rosso driver will combine his continuing role as Pirelli test driver with a seat in the powerful KZ kart category of the European championship.  Read more... (157 words, estimated 38 secs reading time)

Teams are concerned about a forecast of bad weather for the final week of pre-season testing, according to the German language Speed Week.

Last week, the ‘middle’ Spanish test ended with cold and wet conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya.

“I can’t remember having a full test day this cold,” said Australian Mark Webber.  Read more... (224 words, estimated 54 secs reading time)

With the sophisticated ‘ERS’ energy recovery systems to complement next year’s V6 engines, F1 is not set to lose much horse power. That is the claim of Rob White, engine supplier Renault’s technical boss.  Read more... (231 words, estimated 55 secs reading time)

McLaren suspects its former technical director Paddy Lowe was lured to Mercedes on the promise of a “telephone number salary”.  Read more... (337 words, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)

Stefano Domenicali has admitted Ferrari will probably not field the fastest car at the 2013 season opener next month.

Indeed, based on the results of the opening two tests of the pre-season, most rivals and pundits think world champion Red Bull is still in the lead. Veteran correspondent Roger Benoit, of the Swiss newspaper Blick, ranks Lotus second in his early 2013 pecking order, followed by McLaren and then last year’s runner-up Ferrari.  Read more... (206 words, estimated 49 secs reading time)

Red Bull is still F1′s top team, according to Franz Tost.

Austrian Tost is the boss of the energy drink company’s Italian based second F1 team, Toro Rosso.

Asked to ponder the 2013 pecking order following two of the three pre-season tests in Spain, Tost answered: “The teams are close together, but by and large, not much has changed.  Read more... (92 words, estimated 22 secs reading time)