Sergio Perez nearly won for Sauber in 2012. (Photo: Getty Images)

Perez Treated After 'Acrid' Smoke Incident: Sergio Perez had to be treated at Mugello on Thursday following a smoky incident. Blick newspaper reports that, early on the final day of the rare in-season test, "acrid black smoke" emanated from Sauber's upgraded C31 car at the Italian circuit. "The smoke was so strong it could be smelt in the media center," wrote veteran correspondent Roger Benoit. "Sergio Perez had to have his eyes treated with drops because of the fumes." The Mexican driver admitted: "It was very unpleasant." Blick said the cause of the smoke was a burned plastic cover. Perez went on to complete 118 laps on Thursday.

Fernandes Rues Lack Of Malaysian Support: Tony Fernandes has admitted he would have liked corporate Malaysia to have backed his F1 team. The Malaysian entrepreneur founded a UK based start-up team in 2010, calling it Team Lotus before a bitter spat developed with the Lotus name's owner Proton. "While I was building a Formula One team, I was being sued by my own countrymen," he told The Star newspaper. "We're the only true Formula One team developed in Malaysia." Now called Caterham, the team's only Malaysian sponsorship is from AirAsia — Fernandes' own low-cost airline. "Never mind that we were not sponsored (by Malaysia). That's a company's prerogative," he said. "But, we were sued." Some have accused Caterham of not having progressed much since 2010, but Fernandes strongly disagrees. "Two years ago we had nothing. We're now 1.5 seconds away from Red Bull who are the World Champions. We're closing the gap. You can't build Rome in a day," he insisted.

Schumacher's Pirelli Spat 'Exaggerated' - Vettel: Sebastian Vettel has hit back at what he thinks was an "exaggerated" reaction to Michael Schumacher after the recent Bahrain GP. Schumacher, Vettel's countryman and friend, had heavily criticized the sport's official supplier Pirelli, despite the Italian marque's 2012 tires being widely credited for the exciting Grands Prix seen so far this year. "It's been a bit exaggerated," World Champion Vettel, referring to the reaction to Schumacher's comments, is quoted by Sport Bild. "Ultimately, we all have the same tires, but of course as a driver you always want more grip, whether from the tires or from the car. It is in our nature to want more — more especially than the others. When I talk about this with Michael, it's not so dramatic. He has been around for a long time and has seen a lot, also when it comes to tires. I don't think he is so easily shocked," insisted Vettel. Energy drink Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz made a rare visit to the sport's action on Thursday, catching the final day of Mugello testing.

Alguersuari Axe 'Incomprehensible,' Says Father: Jaime Alguersuari's father has slammed Red Bull's decision to axe his son. Jaime Alguersuari Sr. said the decision by Helmut Marko to oust the young Spaniard after a strong season and at the age of 21 was "unfair and incomprehensible." But "whoever killed him buried him badly," Alguersuari Sr. added, referring to his son's new full time roles as co-commentator on British radio and with Pirelli. Alguersuari Sr., who is involved with the organization of the Renault World Series, said his son is due to test Pirelli's 2010 Renault test car next week. According to EFE news agency, Alguersuari Sr. also said his son's career to date has been more impressive than Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, who are Toro Rosso's new drivers.

Red Bull Could Resume Dominance Now - Lauda: After Sebastian Vettel's first win of the season in Bahrain recently, Red Bull could now maintain its grip on 2012. That is the claim of the legendary triple World Champion Niki Lauda. Red Bull has been the dominant force since late 2009 and 2010, and Vettel was untouchable last year as he successfully defended his drivers' championship breakthrough. But four different teams have won so far in 2012, and only the last of them were Red Bull and Vettel, as the energy drink-owned team's superiority appeared to have waned. After Bahrain, however, Red Bull and Vettel are back, Lauda told Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport. "In Bahrain, they got the car and the tires right for the first time, and they won," said the Austrian. "They will have improved the car further in Mugello, so I see enormous potential for another dominant season." Lauda acknowledged that the blown diffusers of the past seasons was Red Bull's "great strength," and now that is gone. "Nevertheless, Red Bull is the team to beat," he insisted.