Singapore hosted its first GP in 2008. (Photo: Getty Images)

Grosjean Hoping For Long Stay At Lotus: Romain Grosjean is hoping for a long stay with the Lotus team. Then known as Renault, the Frenchman made his troubled F1 debut with the Enstone-based team in 2009 but has returned on much better form this year as the reigning GP2 champion. The E20 car was a standout of the winter season but Grosjean, 25, told Auto Motor und Sport that Lotus' target for 2012 is "fourth place" in the constructors' championship. "We want to go for the World Title in 2015," he added. "I hope I'm still on board." Grosjean's promising return to F1 last weekend in Australia was left in the gravel when he clashed with Pastor Maldonado. He says he has not met to discuss the incident with the Williams driver. "Talking doesn't make the result come back," said Grosjean. Venezuelan Maldonado insists it wasn't his fault. "The suspension on the Lotus doesn't seem to be very strong," he said. "The contact was not intentional. I'm sorry for Romain, but that's racing."

Sutil's Manager Denies Ferrari Link: Adrian Sutil's manager has denied the former Force India driver is in the running to replace Felipe Massa at Ferrari this year. German Sutil, who has been left without a job for 2012, was mentioned as a possible candidate should Ferrari decide to imminently replace the struggling Massa. "That Adrian has been linked with Ferrari is of course very nice to hear, but unfortunately there is nothing in it," Manfred Zimmermann told the DPA news agency.

Ferrari To Race 'New Car' In Bahrain - Report: Ferrari might only have to suffer for two more races, according to a report in the Spanish sports daily Marca. The report said the Maranello-based team is hard at work on a "completely new car" that could debut as soon as the Bahrain GP late next month. Marca added that the "new" F2012 will have "not just a modified exhaust" but an almost entirely "new chassis," which is scheduled for FIA crash testing. The report said Ferrari has been working on the car since the first Barcelona preseason test. "We need to work more than the others knowing that we are a little bit behind now, but the championship is long," said Fernando Alonso in Malaysia. "We need to score as many points as possible in these couple of races and in a very short period of time try to be on the podium and win races."

HRT Car 'Dangerous' In Australia - De La Rosa: HRT was not ready to race last weekend in Australia, Pedro de la Rosa has admitted. Ultimately, the Spaniard and his teammate Narain Karthikeyan failed to satisfy the sport's 107 percent qualifying rule, and therefore sat out the 2012 opener. The hurriedly-compiled F112 car did not feature a functioning DRS rear wing system, and de la Rosa has also revealed that it didn't have power steering. "It's essential to fix that," he is quoted by Marca newspaper, "as it can be very dangerous to try to make corrections without the (steering) assistance." Team boss Luis Perez Sala admitted that fixing power steering at a circuit is not ideal. "Really, it should be at the factory in almost laboratory conditions," he said, "but we have no choice." As for whether he will qualify this time in Malaysia, de la Rosa is not sure: "I think so, I hope so," he said.

Red Bull Car 'A Construction Site' In Australia - Vettel: Red Bull is convinced it will put up a stronger fight to Melbourne winner McLaren this weekend in Malaysia. "In Australia we had basically a construction site, while McLaren's house was finished long ago," World Champion Sebastian Vettel said by way of analogy to Germany's Auto Bild. "So second place (in Melbourne) was not too bad." Team advisor Helmut Marko agrees: "Vettel spent most of the last day of the testing in Barcelona in the pits. Our car is not yet mature," he added, referring to the Renault-powered RB8. Team boss Christian Horner said the team brought out "only 60 percent" of the car's potential in Australia.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner does not expect next year's grid to differ drastically from 2012. (Photo: Getty Images)

Race Contract Key To Singapore Flotation - Report: Singapore's street race could be the key to the stock market flotation of Formula One. The Business Times reports that with the sport apparently wanting to float on Singapore's exchange, the first step will be a new contract for the Asian city-state's annual night street race. The current race contract expires this year. "Negotiations are underway but it is understood that one sticking point is the sanction fee," the report said. The Business Times said the Singapore government currently pays an annual race fee of about $40 million, a figure "roughly twice" the amount paid by Malaysia. "The Singapore government wants Formula One to be listed here and for that to happen, it knows the race has to remain here," an unnamed banker said. "But at the same time, it doesn't want to pay top dollar again. So the bargaining should continue for some time." The banker added that F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone also holds a strong negotiating hand. "(He) knows Singapore needs him because the SGX (exchange) hasn't had any big names in recent years. Being the shrewd businessman that he is, he will play hardball."

Raikkonen Admits 'Minor Doubts' About Return: Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he traveled to Australia recently unsure if he would be immediately back up to speed in Formula One. The 2007 World Champion spent the last two years rallying, after Ferrari ended his last F1 contract a season early. "I always felt I could make a return to Grand Prix racing," said the Finn ahead of his second race of 2012 with Lotus. "But, I can confess now, I got some good answers (in Australia) to my own minor doubts how quickly you can adapt the racing rhythm after being away for some time. The speed is there," added Raikkonen. The 32-year-old has previously won the Malaysian GP with McLaren and Ferrari.

Button Impressed With New Sauber: Championship leader Jenson Button has admitted he is impressed with Sauber. Button's McLaren team is the dominant force of 2012 so far, ahead of Red Bull. But not far behind the leading pack, the Briton argues, is the former BMW outfit from Hinwil, Switzerland. "They have definitely impressed me," Button is quoted by Die Welt newspaper. "They are very, very fast." Team boss Peter Sauber agrees: "We went into the season with great expectations. Now we know that we have a fast car."

Glock Happy Fans Still Rate Ability: Timo Glock has revealed he is happy to know F1 spectators still rate his talents. The 2012 season is the 30-year-old's third consecutive with backmarkers Marussia (formerly Virgin), after an impressive earlier career at Toyota. But a recent online poll in Germany showed that a majority of his countrymen think he would be a worthy successor at Mercedes for Michael Schumacher, should the seven-time World Champion return to retirement. "It's very positive that the fans who follow the races on TV are still able to say, 'Glock could still do it if he had a fast car,'" he is quoted by Auto Bild. But for now, he will have to wait even for an improved car, with the first real fruits of Marussia's tie-up with McLaren not expected until the European race season. "Our current car was still built just with CFD," Glock told Auto Motor und Sport. "The first concept of the car was already done when we went for the first time into the McLaren wind tunnel."

Sauber Battered After Melbourne Fall: Peter Sauber is sporting some bumps and bruises this weekend following a fall in Melbourne. Switzerland's Blick newspaper reports that the 68-year-old team owner and boss fell at the paddock entrance at Albert Park last Sunday, taking the brunt of the impact with his elbow and wrist. "It still hurts," he admitted. "All I could think of at the time was to protect my face." Sauber was treated by McLaren doctor Aki Hintsa, who said Sauber was lucky not to have injured himself more badly.

Alonso 'More Complete' Than Schumacher - De La Rosa: Fernando Alonso is F1's "driver of the decade," according to Pedro de la Rosa. The HRT driver said that, in his opinion, his Spanish countryman has been even better in F1's modern history than Michael Schumacher, who won every World Championship between 2000 and 2004. Alonso, now at Ferrari, won his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006. De la Rosa told Mundo Deportivo: "I think Fernando was the best of the decade, over Michael. Why? Because no matter what the rules, he was always on top; with grooved tires, with slicks, with blown diffusers, with double diffusers, with Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin ... If you look at it, he is the most complete." As for the 2012 contest, however, de la Rosa has another favorite. Asked to pick this season's champion, he hesitated before answering: "I think (Lewis) Hamilton."