F1: Grand Prix News Briefs (Update 5)

Formula 1

F1: Grand Prix News Briefs (Update 5)

Red Bull has extended its contract with team boss Christian Horner...

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted December 01, 2012 GMM Newswire

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

Mercedes 'Too Late' To Poach Boss Horner - Marko: Red Bull's motor sport chief Dr Helmut Marko has claimed team boss Christian Horner will remain. The news follows speculation at the weekend that, in the wake of Norbert Haug's shock departure at Mercedes, the German marque had targeted Briton Horner as a potential successor. Bild newspaper claims Horner's name was definitely discussed during Mercedes' latest board meeting in Stuttgart last week. But Austrian Marko insisted: "Horner has extended his contract with us last week, by several years. "Mercedes is too late," he added. Bild said it is likely Haug's old role will be divided in two, with a German to run the DTM division and someone else taking over responsibility for F1 at Brackley. The report said: "Schumacher is not available. He has no interest in the job."

Mercedes Failure Brawn's Fault, Not Haug's - Stuck: Mercedes should not pin its failure to succeed as a Formula One works team on departing motor sport president Norbert Haug, according to Hans-Joachim Stuck. After 22 years in the role, spanning the famous German marque's entire Grand Prix involvement in the modern era, Haug has resigned.Niki Lauda, who arrived at Mercedes recently as non-executive chairman, said on Sunday that Haug resigned as a result of the team's failure to succeed since taking over Brawn in 2010.But Stuck, the president of Germany's motor sport federation, defended Haug by saying: "The failures in Formula One are solely attributable to Ross Brawn."The car was just not fast enough," he told the Focus newsmagazine in its Monday edition."He (Haug) was not the one who designed that car. He was the one who, after all those decades, made motor sport acceptable to Mercedes once again."

Haug Felt Responsible For Mercedes Failure - Lauda: Norbert Haug fell on his sword due to Mercedes' failure to succeed in its first three years, Niki Lauda has confirmed.Following last week's shock news, many sensed the new non-executive chairman Lauda's influence when it was announced that Haug is stepping down after 22 years in charge at the German marque.But the great Austrian insists he was as surprised as anyone."On Tuesday I was at the board meeting in Stuttgart for the first time in my new role," Lauda revealed to Welt am Sonntag newspaper."At the end of the meeting, it was an absolute surprise when Haug gave his resignation."I took my cap off to him, because he said essentially he feels responsible for the poor performance this year, and had drawn the appropriate conclusion."To be honest, there are very few managers in top positions who do such things. Personally, I'm very sorry about it. I would love to still have worked with him."Asked if he tried to convince Haug to stay, Lauda insisted: "No. If a person makes such a decision, you have to respect it."He admitted that Haug's departure leaves a "huge gap" at Mercedes."Mercedes will now consider how the loss will be dealt with. I don't see anyone at the moment who can take over Norbert's tasks one by one."The situation will have to be evaluated completely."Asked if he can step in to help fill the void, triple world champion Lauda answered: "No. I am chairman of the board, which has nothing to do with the operation of business."

Marussia Co-Owner Confirms Max Chilton For 2013: Marussia team owner Nikolai Fomenko has confirmed speculation British rookie Max Chilton will make his Formula One debut in 2013.Fomenko, the head of Russian supercar Marussia who bought into the then Virgin team at the end of 2010, was asked by Russian journalists the identity of the driver replacing Caterham-bound Frenchman Charles Pic.International reports, including RMC (France), Speed Week (Switzerland) and MTV3 (Finland) say Fomenko answered Chilton's name, the GP2 driver whose wealthy father Grahame is the chairman of the Aon company.The reports said Chilton comes with a financial contribution of EUR 11.5 million.Meanwhile, Fomenko dismissed reports Marussia is weighed down with US $125 million in debt."We have debts, but not $125m, as I read recently," he insisted.

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