Flavio Briatore and his wife Elisabetta have welcomed a baby boy. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Briatore Present For Birth Of Son Falco:Flavio Briatore's first son has been born and named Falco Nathan, according to the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 59-year-old Italian, who recently ruled out returning to formula one despite overturning his lifetime ban for the Singapore race-fixing scandal, was reportedly present for the birth at 8am in Nice. Falco weighs a healthy 4.1kg, and Briatore's 30-year-old wife Elisabetta Gregoraci, a wonder-bra model, is reportedly also well. It is Briatore's second child, the first being a 5-year-old girl called Leni whose mother is the supermodel Heidi Klum. In 2009 Leni was adopted by Klum's husband Seal, the British musician. FIA president Jean Todt said in Bahrain last weekend that F1 has not heard the last of the so-called crashgate saga. "We cannot forget a car was purposely crashed at the Singapore GP in 2008, and it cannot be without consequences," said the Frenchman. Briatore also recently stepped down as chairman of Queens Park Rangers.
Deutsche Post DHL Eyes Mercedes Sponsor Deal: Deutsche Post is contemplating a return to the livery of a Formula One car. The Munich newspaper TZ said the German logistics giant, who through its subsidiary DHL is already an official partner of the world championship itself, is in talks about backing the newly rebranded Mercedes GP team. It is reported that Deutsche Post figures met with Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche in Bahrain. TZ said the deal could be ready for its debut at the Spanish grand prix in May, the first race of F1's European season. The Jordan team, now Force India, ran with prominent yellow and red DHL and Deutsche Post branding in 2002. More recently, the company is a personal sponsor of the German driver Timo Glock, including minor branding on his Toyota and Virgin overalls.
Is Williams Looking For VW alliance? According to the latest reports from Germany, Williams could be a candidate to team up with the country's carmaker giant Volkswagen. The Sport Bild weekly suggested that Sir Frank Williams, who has already sold a 20 percent share in his once great Grove based team to Austrian Toto Wolff, could sell another stake to Wolfsburg based VW. "We are stronger with a manufacturer than as a private team. No question," 67-year-old Williams is quoted as saying. “And of course we have an affinity with Germany. I remember well, quite early on, we went to the races with VW buses -- we sometimes even slept in them!" he added. “German cars are great. With Mercedes, Brawn won the title last year, and with McLaren in the previous year. And now they (Mercedes) are up there with their own team." Williams, now powered by engines supplied by the British independent company Cosworth, last won a race in 2004 with works BMW power. The team has also won titles in the past amid works relationships with the carmakers Honda and Renault. Said VW's motor racing representative Hans-Joachim Stuck: "At the moment F1 is not a topic for us. If, however, the conditions change, we would have to think about it."
