Team owner Gerard Lopez says Lotus Renault GP is still weighing its options for its second race seat. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Toro Rosso Seals Major Deal, Title Sponsor For 2012 - Report: A deal between Red Bull's second F1 team Toro Rosso and the Spanish oil brand Cepsa is racing ahead. That is the latest claim of the Spanish sports daily AS, despite the Cepsa-linked, Abu Dhabi state-owned Aabar recently denying the reports. In June, part Mercedes GP-owner Aabar admitted to the talks with Red Bull but said they were not about the energy drink company's "Formula One teams." But AS says Toro Rosso's 2011 car will be wearing Cepsa colors starting from next weekend's Italian GP at Monza because Red Bull "has already closed the deal." The report said other brands linked to Abu Dhabi and its International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) will also be added to the STR6's livery. The main one will be existing Toro Rosso sponsor Falcon Private, a Swiss bank, and another is Canadian company Nova Chemicals. A full title sponsorship is then likely for 2012 and beyond, probably resulting in a wholesale livery change for Faenza-based Toro Rosso.

Berger Scolds Mercedes' Team Orders At Spa: Gerhard Berger has scolded Mercedes for apparently imposing team orders during last weekend's Belgian GP. Shortly before Michael Schumacher passed his teammate Nico Rosberg at Spa-Francorchamps, the younger German was told by the pitwall to conserve fuel. Former GP winner Berger told Servus TV that the position switch was conceived deliberately to give Schumacher a grandstand finish on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his debut. "It should have been a race and not a commercial shoot," the Austrian said. Team orders are legal in 2011 but Berger believes that "in the circumstances it is totally wrong for Mercedes to do such strategies. They should be putting more thought into making a winning car," he said. Berger also commented on McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who was involved in two crashes last weekend at Spa. "He is extremely aggressive and the best overtaker in the field, but at times he overdoes it. If he was sitting in the Red Bull, he would not have to take so many risks and so he would get into a lot less mischief," he said.

Red Bull Not Keen On F1 Rights Buyout - Report: Red Bull is not interested in a push among some rival F1 teams to buy into the sport's commercial rights. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said some of the major teams, but not Red Bull, want to commission a viability study into the idea. The report said Red Bull, owned by billionaire energy drink magnate Dietrich Mateschitz, considers the proposal a "senseless expenditure."

Gribkowsky Lawyers Ask For F1 Scandal To End: Jailed banker Gerhard Gribkowsky's lawyers have asked Munich prosecutors to drop the charges accusing him of corruption. Bernie Ecclestone is also involved in the affair surrounding the sale of F1's commercial rights some years ago, with former BayernLB risk officer Gribkowsky receiving from the sport's chief executive millions in suspect payments. But Gribkowsky's lawyer Rainer Bruessow said the prosecutors' case is "far fetched" and built upon only selective evidence and "massive omissions," according to Bloomberg news agency and the Financial Times. "Munich prosecutors' didn't comply with the necessary diligence and responsibility a German investigative authority needs to adhere to," the statement added. A spokesperson for the prosecutors, however, insisted that the claims of Gribkowsky's lawyers are "totally unfounded." The media reports said the story has emerged while a Munich court is considering whether to proceed. "It's of no use trying to influence the court's pending decision with public statements," the spokesperson added.

Alguersuari Hopes Rumors On Future Now Stop: Jaime Alguersuari hopes his best ever qualifying performance will stop the speculation about his future in F1. With Red Bull's next up-and-comers Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne knocking loudly on the door at Toro Rosso, driver manager Helmut Marko has said he will only consider the 2012 lineup after the end of this season. Spaniard Alguersuari, still just 21, qualified on the back of the third row at Spa-Francorchamps, five places ahead of his Swiss teammate Sebastien Buemi. "I hope now that all the people (reporters) stop asking me about this nonsense," he told Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo, referring to the constant speculation about his future. Another boost to Alguersuari's future could be the reported title sponsorship deal between Toro Rosso and Abu Dhabi's petroleum investment company (IPIC), with links to Spanish oil brand Cepsa. AS sports newspaper reports that Alguersuari has even been in direct contact recently with Khadem Abdulla Al-Qubaisi, the managing director of IPIC. Said Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost: "Both our drivers performed very well throughout the (Spa) weekend."

Alesi Happy With Spa/France Alternating Proposal: Jean Alesi has welcomed news his native France looks set to rejoin the F1 calendar. It is expected that, three years after Magny Cours dropped off the schedule, France will return in 2013 with a single annual date to be alternated between Paul Ricard and Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps. "The drivers love Spa and I think it is very important to always go there because of the spectacle, the history and everything else," Frenchman Alesi, who contested more than 200 Grands Prix until 2011, said. "But the problem is the money," the 1995 Canadian GP winner and Group Lotus ambassador is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo. "Spa doesn't have enough (money) to compete with places like Abu Dhabi. So it would be a shame to lose Spa but I say it's better to go every other year than not at all. The compromise would be beneficial for everyone. As I am French, I would love to see the French Grand Prix coming back," added Alesi, "and with the sharing (scheme), we can have both (France and Spa)."

D'Ambrosio Says Glock A 'Reference' At Virgin: Jerome d'Ambrosio has acknowledged the importance of his teammate Timo Glock to the Virgin team. German Glock, despite having only 65 Grands Prix under his belt, made his debut in 2004 and has also raced with the benefit of Toyota's huge budget until the Japanese marque pulled out of F1 in 2009. The 29-year-old switched to the startup Virgin outfit last year and he was recently re-signed through 2014. Belgian rookie d'Ambrosio acknowledged Glock's leading role. "He is the reference of the team, and therefore mine as well," the 25-year-old told France's Auto Hebdo magazine. Virgin Racing, along with fellow 2010 startups Team Lotus and HRT, are yet to score a point in F1. D'Ambrosio replaced 2010 Virgin driver Lucas di Grassi this year, but it is believed he is likely to stay put for next season. "I am really happy with the team and I think they are happy with me as well," he said. "So at the moment we are speaking (about 2012) and hopefully we will be able to work together again."