Bernie Ecclestone is Formula One's long-time chief executive. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Ecclestone Defiant Amid Latest Bahrain Reports: Bahrain is in the headlines yet again, ensuring Formula One's return to the troubled island kingdom in just over a month remains controversial. Wire news reports and amateur video footage claim police clashed violently with a crowd following the funeral of a man who died during recent street protests. Asked about Bahrain in a new interview with F1's official website, chief executive Bernie Ecclestone answered: "What about it? "The (race) organizers say that they have everything under control and for now I think we should believe them."

No Personal Sponsors For Champion Vettel: Sebastian Vettel enters the 2012 season with a clean sheet when it comes to personal sponsorship. The German recently filmed a television commercial for the dandruff shampoo 'Head and Shoulders', but Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper reports that he has not extended that deal. "It is important to me that a brand is perfect for me. It is not my goal simply to make as much money as I can," said the Red Bull driver. Jenson Button filmed a similar shampoo commercial recently, and was widely ridiculed for his performance. "Of course, I've had a little bit of mickey-taking from doing the advert," Vettel admitted to the Sun. "At least I never took my shirt off - I think Jenson did - but you have to be able to poke fun at yourself."

Briatore Blasts F1 'Show': Flavio Briatore has hit out at Formula One by suggesting "any top driver" would have won last year's title with the 2011 Red Bull. "It's only a real show now when it rains," the former Renault team boss told Italy's Sky Sport 24. Briatore, 61, blames the huge role played by technology. "If you were to take GP2 cars and put the 6 world champions in them, it would be more fun," he insisted. "The car is now made in the wind tunnel, the engineers aren't even at the circuits and they spend 200 million euros making identical machines. "Last year, the championship was over after the first race, and this will be the same; McLaren are two tenths from Red Bull, Mercedes three, and Ferrari and Lotus 4 to 7. "Two tenths is like 2-0 behind in a football game. In F1, the Messi is Alonso, but if his car is not competitive, he is going nowhere."

HRT Was 'Risky Team' For Senna - Mother: HRT was a "risky team" for Bruno Senna to drive for in 2010, the Brazilian's mother Viviane has admitted. Senna, whose mother is the great Ayrton Senna's sister, went on to race for Renault (now Lotus) last year and for 2012 has switched to Williams. "What matters is that the team can give Bruno the best conditions to develop his ability," Viviane Senna told TV Globo. "I was not happy with Hispania. They had no spare parts, so if something was broken it would be patched up for the next race. You never knew when the next thing was going to break. "Yes, that was a risky team," she admitted. Many observers see 2012 as 28-year-old Senna's last chance to prove he is even a shadow of his late, great uncle. Viviane insisted: "People remember Ayrton the winner, the champion, but few remember how long he took to get there. "Bruno went from nothing to F1 in five years. It's an unfair comparison to those who have done it (racing) for their whole lives."

Ecclestone Says F1 Budget Cap 'Could Happen': Bernie Ecclestone has fired a warning shot as his negotiations ramp up with formula one teams over the next Concorde Agreement. The team bosses are pushing for more of the sport's lucrative revenue, but F1 chief executive Ecclestone said they already spend too much due to wearing rose-tinted glasses. His advice: "Change the color of your glasses and tighten your belts," the 81-year-old told F1's official website. "Stop spending more than you need to." The most recent political war between F1's authorities and the teams - in 2009 - was fierce, when former FIA president Max Mosley pushed hard for a budget cap. Ecclestone said: "You could (still) install a mandatory budget for all teams - on the basis of the smaller teams - but they (the big teams) don't like it and fiercely fight against it. "I would welcome it," he insisted. "Yes, I think it could happen."

Romain Grosjean was parked by the FIA for one race for his actions at Spa. (Photo: Getty Images)

Optimistic Grosjean Eyes Third For Lotus: Fourth in the 2012 championship is a "realistic" target for Lotus. That is the claim of reigning GP2 champion Romain Grosjean, amid suggestions his new mount - the black and gold E20 - is among the very best cars on this year's grid. "If I am really positive, we can say we are the third force, with Mercedes," he is quoted by RMC. "If I am more realistic, we can say that we will fight for fourth place with Ferrari, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso," added the Frenchman. Former F1 driver Mika Salo said the development race will be Lotus' true test. "They are a contender at least early in the season," the Finn told the MTV3 broadcaster. "But the biggest teams develop at such a fast pace."