Narain Karthikeyan has struggled this season with HRT. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Keep Politics Out Of F1 - Karthikeyan: Narain Karthikeyan has explained why he did not respond to the Ferrari flag controversy at the weekend by flying the colors of India's navy. Ferrari irked Indian nationals and officials at the weekend by putting the flag logo of the Italian navy on the front of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa's F1 cars. The Maranello team insisted it was not a political move, but it most certainly triggered a highly politicized debate. So did Karthikeyan, F1's only Indian driver, consider responding in kind by adding the Indian naval flag to his helmet livery? Some thought so, when they spotted that the top of his helmet resembled the logo on the Indian flag. "I support my country," he is quoted by Italy's Tuttosport, "and for this I have the national symbol of India on my helmet, but it's something I've done from the beginning of my career." As for the naval flag saga, Karthikeyan added: "It is better to keep politics out of the race. "What the military has done is wrong, but there is an ongoing process," he insisted.

Sutil Could Replace Hulkenberg In 2013 - Mallya: Vijay Mallya on Monday suggested former Force India driver Adrian Sutil is a possible contender to replace Nico Hulkenberg in 2013. But Mallya, the Silverstone based team's co-owner and boss, said he is not certain German Hulkenberg is switching to Sauber. "I hear from the media that Nico has signed with Sauber," he is quoted by the Indian Express. "He hasn't sat down with me and told me that," added Mallya. But if Hulkenberg does go, Mallya is confident he will not be difficult to replace. "Yes absolutely, why not? Never forget I always have the potential of considering Sutil again. Sutil is always quick. So there are many options," he said. Sutil was a long-time Force India driver until last season, when he was embroiled in the Chinese nightclub assault saga and thereafter lost his seat.

Marko Says Buemi Could Go To Force India: Red Bull's reserve driver Sebastien Buemi on Sunday had a meeting with Force India officials, Blick newspaper reports from India. The Swiss, who lost his Toro Rosso race seat at the end of last season, has already been named as a possible successor for the probably Sauber-bound Nico Hulkenberg. Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko also seemed to confirm the possibility Buemi is in with a shot of the Force India cockpit."If Buemi doesn't go to Force India," he is quoted by the Swiss newspaper Blick, "then we want to keep him."He might also do the (sports car) endurance world championship with Toyota," added Marko.

Webber Apologized After Press Conference Snub: Mark Webber walked out of the official FIA press conference after Sunday's Indian Grand Prix. The incident occurred at the tail end of the media formalities at the Buddh circuit, when not a single question from the floor was addressed to the Australian. So, when Bild newspaper's Frank Schneider asked title contenders Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel what they would each like from one another, Vettel turned to Alonso and grinned: "Ah, no, you have a cap. "I was just about to say his cap, but ... where did you get that from?" Webber's Red Bull teammate joked. Alonso looked puzzled: "I can give it (the cap) to you but ... I didn't understand the ..." Webber, "shaking his head" according to the SID news agency, had already walked out. F1's media delegate Matteo Bonciani told the Indian news agency IANS that he later apologized. "He said it is something he should not have done. Maybe he did that as he didn't like the questions asked in the room," said Bonciani. Bonciani told SID: "He apologized and I accepted." Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko also defended Webber. "Mark actually had an early fight and was running late," he told Bild. "So because the last question was not for him, he got up (and left)." Marko also dismissed the 'psychological games' played by Ferrari's Alonso in India this weekend, when the Spaniard said his title fight is not with Vettel but with car designer Adrian Newey. "It's just games," he insisted. "But they don't make us nervous."

Paul Ricard Seeking More Talks With Ecclestone: Paul Ricard will hold more talks with Bernie Ecclestone over France's potential return to the F1 calendar in 2013. After the circuit's boss Stephane Clair last week indicated a "90 per cent" possibility that France will replace the delayed New York Grand Prix next year, F1's chief executive Ecclestone indicated similarly in India on Sunday.
"We are ready to sign," he said. "Which circuit they are going to use is one thing (to resolve), and who is going to pay for it. That's the bottom line."Clair is now quoted by the French-language sport24.com: "Bernie Ecclestone never speaks in a vacuum. "He has told the teams by announcing that there will be 20 races in 2013, not 19, despite the withdrawal of the Grand Prix of New Jersey."The message is heard," he added. "We will try to continue the negotiations next week." Sport24.com predicted that the story will continue to develop behind the scenes this week, as F1 gathers in Abu Dhabi for the next race.