Nico Rosberg (Left), Michael Schumacher (Right) and team principal Ross Brawn (Center) gather earlier this year for the unveiling of Mercedes W03 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Mercedes Hints No Plans To Change Drivers: Mercedes appears in no mind to change its driver lineup any time soon. Breakthrough China GP winner Nico Rosberg admitted this week that he could imagine staying with the German marque for the rest of his F1 career. "I see no reason why he shouldn't stay for a long time," agreed Norbert Haug, Stuttgart carmaker Mercedes' motor racing vice-president, in the pages of Germany's Sport Bild. "We're embarking on the road to success together, so what could be better?" Indeed, it is the future of Rosberg's teammate, the great Michael Schumacher, that is much more unclear. The 43-year-old's contract runs out this year, but he is performing better than in 2010 and 2011 with the improved W03 car. "I don't think he is going to go to another team," said Haug, indicating that if Schumacher does stay in F1 beyond 2012, it will be at the wheel of a Brackley-built car. German Schumacher showed his passion is still strong recently in Bahrain, hitting out at the heavily-degrading Pirelli tires. "I can understand his frustration," team boss Ross Brawn told the DPA news agency. "He has been very strong this year and when we get everything right we will see the results."

Mugello 'Not Right' For F1 cars - Petrov: Vitaly Petrov on Thursday dealt a blow to Mugello's ambitions to join the F1 calendar. The Russian, who drives for Caterham, said the Ferrari-owned circuit in beautiful Tuscany is too dangerous for modern Grand Prix cars. On Thursday, F1 teams are concluding their third consecutive day of rare in-season testing at the high-speed circuit near Florence. "I'm not sure the track is right for today's F1 cars," Petrov is quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency. "You get very close to the walls and it's maybe a bit small for the cars now." There have also been grumbles heard in the paddock all week about the wisdom of the test. "I wonder about the sense of having just one test session during the season," a Mercedes engineer told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Either we do more tests or we forget it." Also on Thursday, Fernando Alonso delayed Ferrari's test program when he ran off track with the newly upgraded F2012. He finished the morning session third fastest, behind Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) and Romain Grosjean (Lotus).

Experienced Teammate Would Be Better - Vergne: Jean-Eric Vergne has admitted his F1 debut would be easier if he was sharing the Toro Rosso garage with an experienced driver. Instead, the French rookie made his GP debut in Australia alongside Daniel Ricciardo, the young Australian with only a handful of races for struggling HRT under his belt. The Toro Rosso duel this year is one of F1's most interesting, given owner Red Bull's clean sweep of its 2011 lineup, and the expectation that either Vergne, 22, or Ricciardo could succeed Mark Webber at the senior team. "Of course it would have been easier to come in with a teammate who has more experience, because you always learn from your teammate," Vergne is quoted by Le Presse Canadienne. "But we (Vergne and Ricciardo) have a very good relationship. We've known each other for a long time, we came through together in the development program, we drove together in Formula Renault for a year. So we've had good laughs, a great time and have even taken vacations together. He's a good guy and a great driver. I think we're both progressing well." Vergne said he is settling into the F1 rhythm, but still has to check himself when he is out on track. "I tell myself that all the other drivers are just drivers as I am. I try to forget that these are guys that I have watched since I was 10. But there's no aliens. I tell myself that I have a steering wheel now just as they do, and I just need to go as fast as I possibly can," he said.

Barcelona Determined To Host GP In 2013: Barcelona has opened the door to alternating its Grand Prix with F1's other Spanish host Valencia. But the Circuit de Catalunya organizers, set to run the Spanish GP next weekend, are determined to appear on the 2013 calendar, vowing to put tickets on sale the day after Sunday's race. "We will put the tickets (for 2013) on sale on May 14," Vincenc Aguilera, the new circuit president, is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo. According to EFE news agency, however, Aguilera said alternating every year with Valencia is a "reasonable" proposition, given the current economic situation. "In a crisis, during a storm, decisions should be conservative," he said in Barcelona. "We are getting all sides to reach an agreement," he revealed. "It will take two, four, six weeks." Barcelona's existing contract, for a Grand Prix every year, runs through 2016.

Billionaires Line Up To Push Sauber On: Sauber has the swagger of a team of the future. The Hinwil-based team struggled for survival in the wake of owner BMW's shock withdrawal in late 2009. "We've been through a quite awkward time," admitted Monisha Kaltenborn, the chief executive. But with the Ferrari-powered C31, Sauber is back with a bang, pushing for victory in Malaysia and now counting on the billionaire backing of Sergio Perez's powerful Mexican sponsor Carlos Slim. And yet another billionaire is in tow, following the tie-up with Roman Abramovich's English premier league club Chelsea FC. Blick newspaper acknowledged, however, that it is unclear just how many millions the deal entails. Nonetheless, Russian billionaire Abramovich appears interested, amid suggestions he will visit the Sauber garage in Monaco later this month. At Mugello this week, the C31 is again performing well, Kamui Kobayashi sharing top honors on Wednesday with an identical time to that set by Lotus' Romain Grosjean. Of all the upgrades seen so far this week, Sauber's are the most comprehensive, and even more will be trackside in Barcelona next weekend. "We have ambitious dreams and goals," Kaltenborn is quoted as saying. "In this sport, if you don't have that, you don't have much."