Kimi Raikkonen has been a regular on the podium this season. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Raikkonen Locked Into 2013 Contract Now - Lopez: Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez has moved to silence the persistent rumors about Kimi Raikkonen's future. Recently, the impressive F1 returnee and Finn was linked with a switch next year to his former title-winning team Ferrari. And now amid the Lewis Hamilton rumors, some have mentioned 32-year-old Raikkonen as the ideal successor, reprising his five-year McLaren career of 2002-2006. Lotus team figures have, however, revealed that Raikkonen is on a two-year contract. But, in F1, contractual situations are usually complicated, with drivers and teams often only obligated in the event of certain performance-related criteria. Lopez told Finland's Turun Sanomat that Raikkonen is staying in 2013. "At least in the short term, Kimi is with us," he said. "We have an agreement that is based on performance, and it has been fulfilled," he revealed.

Massa Succumbs To Team Orders, Button Still Fighting: Felipe Massa and Jenson Button will take vastly different approaches to the remaining races of 2012. Button admitted after retiring from Sunday's Italian Grand Prix that his title hopes are now all but over. The 2009 world champion is 78 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso with seven races to go, while his McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton is still right in the reckoning. "It (the championship) is going to be very difficult but nothing is going to change," Button said before leaving Monza. "I am still going to race hard and try to win every race. It is such a special feeling to win a Grand Prix." At Ferrari, however, the pecking-order is now firmly in place, and Felipe Massa - fighting hard to stay with the Italian team for 2013 - got the team orders firing on Sunday. He let Alonso pass him at Monza to maximize the championship leader's points tally, and vowed to do more of the same if possible between Singapore later this month and the Brazilian finale in November. "I worked for the team, trying to help Fernando, which is as it should be," said Massa. "I have always done it and will do it whenever it's necessary."

Vergne 'Fine' After Pain Of Monza Flier: Jean-Eric Vergne is unhurt after Sunday's incident at Monza. Toro Rosso is investigating why the French rookie's Ferrari-powered car suddenly veered out of control at the end of Monza's front straight during the Italian Grand Prix. The high-speed incident launched Vergne's car over a kerb, "And I count myself lucky that the car did not flip over", he said.He did, however, land with a bump, and immediately complained on the radio of a sore back. "I was taken from the accident to the medical center," explained the 22-year-old, "but apart from a bit of pain in my back and my head, I am fine."

Ferrari Rumors Fire Again After Perez Podium: Even suffering an illness all weekend at Monza, Sergio Perez still managed a performance that prompted podium-interviewer Niki Lauda to offer a rare dip of his famous cap. "I take my hat off, Sergio. You did an incredible job," legend Lauda, whose scalp is scarred from his fiery 1976 crash, said. The Mexican's performance - his third podium of the season so far - instantly breathed new life into rumors he could swap his Sauber for a Ferrari next year. Indeed, as he managed to overtake not only the endangered Felipe Massa but also Ferrari's impressive Fernando Alonso at Monza, surely he is now ready for the great Italian team. "I don't know," the hesitant 22-year-old said on Sunday.

Webber's 'Older' Alternator Survived At Monza: Mark Webber's alternator survived the Italian Grand Prix because it was an "older" specification. That is the claim of Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, after reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel on Sunday suffered a repeat of his Saturday morning failure and failed to finish at Monza. "The part was from the latest specification (of alternator) that came after the similar failure in Valencia," Marko is quoted by Salzburger Nachrichten. "Webber had an alternator from an older specification that had no problem," said the Austrian. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said engine supplier Renault, whose supply partner for the alternator is Magneti Marelli, is treating the problem as a priority. "Since 2011 we have changed virtually nothing," said Renault's baffled Remi Taffin. One glimmer of hope is that the Renault alternator used by Lotus' Jerome d'Ambrosio at Monza was showing early signs of failure, which could be useful for getting to the bottom of the mystery.