Romain Grosjean will replace Nick Heidfeld in the test session that Pirelli will perform next week at Monza circuit.

Romain Grosjean received an unexpected chance to drive again the Formula 1 car, after brief experience as a driver of the Renault team in the last part of the previous season.

Heidfeld had been released from his contract with Mercedes GP to test for the Italian company, which is taking over from Bridgestone as F1′s sole supplier next year.

However, it was announced earlier this week that the Nick Heidfeld is to replace Pedro de la Rosa at BMW Sauber, beginning at next weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Understanding between Grosjean and Pirelli is valid only for testing at Monza, with a chance that the French are in turn replaced in the following evaluations. After Renault withdrew its services, Grosjean has competed sporadically in sports cars and had a brief experience in GP2.

 Moreover, the Italian manufacturer has confirmed that is considering whether to offer the same specifications for tires in Formula 1 and GP2, but a final decision in this regard will be taken by the FIA.

Pirelli thanked Heidfeld for his contribution after the German completed some 200 laps over a two day test at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain at the wheel of last year’s Toyota TF109 car.

“The tests here at Jerez have gone extremely well and we completed all the work that we planned over the two days,”  said Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery.

“Now we move on to Monza where our task will be to finalise the (tyre) construction before we focus further on compounds.”

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BMW Sauber has officially confirmed that Nick Heidfeld will be driving for the team, replacing Pedro de la Rosa in the last five races this season.

BMW Sauber confirmed Tuesday rumors of international press erupted at Monza about change pilots line for the last five Grands Prix of the season in 2010.

Thus Nick Heidfeld returns to F1 racing after an absence of 14 races even at the team from where he left at the end of last year, it will replace Pedro de la Rosa at the end of this season.

The German was test driver at Mercedes GP in 2010, and subsequently, rated the tires that Pirelli will bring in competition next year, declaring himself ecstatic for the chance offered by Peter Sauber.

“I look like a fool again the opportunity to fly a good seater Formula 1 Grand Prix from Singapore . After last months are more motivated than ever. For me it’s like a return home because I drove a total of seven years for team in Hinwil. Without any doubt, I feel at home immediately and that should help me get familiar with the single user as soon as possible. I want to thank Peter Sauber for confidence, ” said Heidfeld, who drove for BMW Sauber in the periods 2001-2003 and 2006-2009.

Instead, de la Rosa said he was shocked by Peter Sauber’s decision to depart from the team after just 14 races, but intends to return to the starting grid next season.

“I am surprised the team decision but I respect and I wish all luck for the season. I intend to be in Formula 1 in 2011,”  said the Spaniard.

In turn, Sauber said that he had to take a difficult decision, but suggested that the motivation lies in Heidfeld ability to develop the single user .

“It was a hard decision for me as team leader and I thank him for his professionalism la Rosa. Signing a contract with Heidfeld have a very good pilot who knows how to help us to judge our potential seater” , said the Swiss.

Pedro de la Rosa returned to F1 after an absence of three years, was brought by Peter Sauber to replace Heidfeld just due to their experience at McLaren as test driver, an also  due to the promise of signing a sponsorship contract with the company Spanish Universal $ 15 million.  Subsequently, the cartel failed, and the Spaniard won only six points this season, compared to the Japanese Kamui Kobayashi which brought 21.  The latter has already contract for 2011 season, but his teammate name has not yet been announced.

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Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa can use one new engine in the last six races of the season without being penalized on the starting grid.

Ferrari rapidly approaching when both its drivers will suffer the penalty of 10 grid positions, whereas the number of engines available for this final of the season has been reduced dramatically.

According to sports regulations, each pilot can use eight engines per season, from the ninth, the  driver will be penalized 10 grid positions for each additional unit.

Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa

In the first 13 races of the year, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso ,seven engines were used each, which means that one new unit is available for  the last six Grands Prix. The situation is more complicated since the Monza circuit, Grand Prix of Italy home for over two weeks, is recognized as one of the most demanding engine, because the maximum speed achieved on the straights.

The only good news for Ferrari is that the last race of the year, which will take place in November in Abu Dhabi, Alonso and Massa will be able to use an older engine, of eight regular set.

According to  published data on the FIA’s technical report at the end of the race at Spa-Francorchamps, Renault is the team with the best situation in this regard, as Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov were used only five engines since now.

All other pilots on the grid used six engines and two other units were fresh for the last six races. The only exception is Pedro de la Rosa, who used in Belgium the ninth Ferrari engine provided for BMW-Sauber, so was penalized 10 grid positions.

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Mark Webber won the 12th pole position of season for Red Bull and will go before him Hamilton and Robert Kubica in the Grand Prix of Belgium.

Domination of  Red Bull in Formula 1 team continues on the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps, despite RB6 F1 car  not fit very well its features.

In a rain affected qualifying session,  the Austrian team showed that is still unbeatable in qualifying after Mark Webber set the reference time, 1:45.778, good enough to start from pole position.

It is the 12th pole position of Red Bull in  the first 13 Grands Prixof the season and fifth of the Australian pilot, given that his teammate Sebastian Vettel took only fourth place on the starting grid.

Mark Webber Managed To Gain Pole Position

This time, the shortfall was much smaller to the rival, Lewis Hamilton managed to occupy second place on the grid after being less than a tenth of a second slower than Webber. McLaren driver has “blown” in the last two second  Robert Kubicaplace , who is has best weekend this year with the exception of Monaco, while JensonButton will start from the fifth position.

Although he left feeling that will fight for pole position, Ferrari was the great disappointment of the session. Felipe Massa won only six place, while Fernando Alonso was the slowest in Q3 and will start only 10th place.  From Scuderia pilots were inserted two Williams drivers (Rubens Barrichello 7th and Nico Hulkenberg 9th ), and Adrian Sutil 8th.

Mercedes GP: disappointment in Q2 and penalties Line

Part two of qualifications held on a dry track, but this has not helped all the people at Mercedes GP.Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosbergwere the first in line, but both will suffer major penalty on the starting grid. Schumacherwill start from 21st from the penalty of 10 positions due to duel with Rubens Barrichello at the Hungaroring, while Rosberg received a penalty of five positions that replaced the gearbox before qualifying and will go on 17.

Toro Rossomanaged process in Q2 with both drivers, Sebastien Buemi Jaime Alguersuariand runners will go to 11:13 after matching penalties.  But the big surprises were produced by the new Lotus  and Virgin team, both sending one pilot in Q2 after the chaos created by rain in the first half.  Heikki Kovalainen will start from 14th place at the Lotus F1 car steering wheel  , while Timo Glock (Virgin) has set the 17th time, but will leave on 15 penalties after correlation.

BRING RAIN TO SHOW IN Q1 APS

In the context of the rain threatened to arrive within minutes, the pilots had hoped to make a faster time on land, so that came in corpore track immediately after the session started. However, their plans were upset by the accident data for Vitaly Petrov, after only two minutes.

 The Renault team pilot lost control of his car after being tackled aggressively steering a curb and struck the front into the protection wall, was forced to abandon the qualifications. The session was adjourned for five minutes and immediately resume in some parts of the circuit started a downpour, which caused a collision of five F1 cars after Lucas di Grassi   lost control in turn Stavelot. However, the session continued, and soon the rain stopped, allowing pilots to carry out the relative competitive.

 the first pilot line the under was Jarno Trulli (Lotus), followed by Kamui Kobayashi (BMW Sauber), who left the track.  The two are followed by Bruno Senna and Sakon Yamamoto who obtained a good result for Hispanic, while the last places were occupied by Pedro de la Rosa (WB-Sauber), Lucas di Grassi (Virgin) and Petrov.

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Fernando Alonso set the fastest time in second free practice session at Spa, held on a mostly dry track in the last part.

After established the best time in  first training session affected by heavy rain, Fernando Alonso remained in first place and during the session scheduled this afternoon on the circuit at Spa-Francorchamps.

Even if the top circuit was soaked with water, it gradually dried up and gave the pilots a chance to compete a few minutes on slick tires, so times were significantly better than this morning.

Fernando Alonso Ferrari F1 Car

Timed with 1:49.032, Alonso was followed in the rankings by Adrian Sutil, who was recalled by the second performance achieved last year on this circuit by Force India, by  Giancarlo Fisichella. German was followed by Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, while Robert Kubica continued good evolution   and finished four behind Renault F1  steering wheel.

Ferrari completed Alonso performance   by Felipe Massa,  occupiing fifth place after the end of the session was a half second slower than team-mate.  Like in the morning, the Red Bull competed more anonymous, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber occupying seats this time 6 and 18. Neither Jenson Button was no sign that he  accommodated with circuit, McLaren driver finishing in seventh place, while BMW Sauber impressed by Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi, graded on 8 and 10. Inserted between the two finished Rubens Barrichello, who this weekend celebrates 300 races in Formula 1.

If the first session was quiet, the second was riddled with several incidents.  First, Timo Glock’s  caused the first accident of the weekend after losing control of the steering wheel in turn nine and entered into zdul protection, Virgin F1 car being damaged in a relatively large extent.

Subsequently, approximately one quarter of an hour before the final session was interrupted for about 10 minutes after several people entered on the circuit in an unpermitted area. The incident caused dissatisfaction ti the pilots, just as the circuit began to dry, they thus had little more than five minutes to assess the behavior of slick tires at Spa-Francorchamps.

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BMW Sauber is confident it can continue the good   last period atthe Grand Prix of Belgium.

Although he had the weakest debut season in the history of almost 20 years, the team owned by Peter Sauber  has returned to mid-season, and managed at the Hungarian Grand Prix for the first time this year to finish in the points with both Pedro de la Rosa, and  Kamui Kobayashi.

The team relies on a growing performance towards the end of this season and technical director James Key has revealed that Sauber prepares  new updates that take advantage of the nature of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

“Certainly we want to continue recent form that we  showed  and Spa Package is based on ongoing developments that we brought from Valencia. We must be open with regard to the F1 car  settings and the  downforce to find the best compromise for fast one and  three sectors, which benefit from a reduced air resistance force, and the two sectors, which favors a higher level of downforce . As always at Spa, you must be flexible and take into account unpredictable weather, ” said Key.

After the first 12 races of the year, BMW Sauber in the constructors’ championship occupied the  eight position with 23 points.

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Felipe Massa set the fastest time on the first day of testing at Valencia and surpassed Michael Schumacher by almost four tenths of a second.

Seven teams in Formula 1 have been started in the first test session this winter to properly prepare for the 2010 season of Formula 1.

In a beautiful, but relatively cold weather, Felipe Massa dominated most of the day, and eventually finished in the first position of the ranking after being clocked with 1:12.574 in the dying minutes of the session. In addition, the Brazilian was the most “hardworking” pilot on the circuit in Valencia, because he made no less than 102 laps.

The great surprise of the day came from the BMW Sauber Team after veteran driver Pedro de la Rosa finished second with 1:12.784.

As was anticipated, Michael Schumacher’s debut at Mercedes GP marked a special interest in the circuit, and the German has emerged on the track during the afternoon, after he replaced his team-mate Nico Rosberg. The seven times world champion impressed from the very beginning with his times and eventually finished 3rd with 1:12.947 after 40 laps, not before time of 1:08:000 to be canceled due to short-circuiting of a turn. Thus, he overcome Rosberg by nearly a second and proved that it still has the skills required to compete at the highest level in F1.

McLaren finished only on 5th place via Gary Paffett, while Rubens Barrichello, ranked 6th, caused the only red flag of the day after it stopped his F1 car on the track.

Scuderia Toro Roso had the most difficult debut in the new year, which has lost a few hours after technical problems of the new gearbox of the STR5. Sebastien Buemi has covered 10 laps in the morning and only 8 in the last ten minutes of the session, but this was enough to overcome Robert Kubica, the Renault pilot setting the lowest time of day.

Here is the complete ranking of the first testing day at Valencia:

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