FIA President Jean Todt is doubtful that the US Grand Prix scheduled for Austin, Texas in 2012 will go off as planned. (Photo: Getty Images)

No US GP Certainty For 'Weeks And Months' - Todt: It will not be known for "weeks and months" whether a United States GP will be held in Austin, according to FIA president Jean Todt. An unnamed official at F1's Paris-based governing body said Todt learned about Bernie Ecclestone's deal with the Texas promoter for an inaugural race in 2012 by reading about it on the internet. And promoter Tavo Hellmund, whose father has known F1 chief executive Ecclestone for decades, has "ignored or sidestepped" the FIA's "repeated inquiries" about the deal, according to the Austin Business Journal. Multiple sources said the vague plans could be Ecclestone's ploy to shift pressure from F1's carmakers and sponsors about the lack of an American race. A spokesman for Hellmund's office said: "Formula One Management is satisfied with our plans to fund and build an Austin track." But for now, it seems Todt is not. On a visit to Daytona last weekend, the Frenchman described the deal as "just a project," and to SPEED he said it is a "discussion" and "far too early to conclude anything. ... The coming weeks and months will be able to tell us what is really going to happen," Todt added.

Blown Exhaust Effort 'Backfired' Admits Fry: Mercedes' debut of a Red Bull-like blown exhaust layout in Valencia recently "backfired," team chief executive Nick Fry has admitted. The Brackley based team has struggled to move forwards with the W01 car this season, and the Briton said on Friday that the Valencia upgrade was a particular disappointment. "We have tried to copy the Red Bull exhaust system in Valencia and that probably backfired, if you'll excuse the pun," Fry told the BBC at Silverstone. "With the benefit of hindsight we maybe should have stuck with the setup we had previously." Fry insisted, however, that the situation will not cause Michael Schumacher to abandon his return to Formula One, even though the seven time World Champion has admitted he will not win the 2010 title. "Sorry to the other drivers, but he is going to be around for next season," said Fry.

Returning Drivers Need Year To Be Back On Pace - De La Rosa: Pedro de la Rosa insists a driver making a comeback to Formula One needs a full year to get back up to speed. The highest profile returnee in 2010 is Michael Schumacher, but Spaniard de la Rosa - two years younger than the great German - is also back in F1 full-time after seven years as McLaren's test driver. "At the highest level it is not easy," the Sauber driver said at Silverstone. "As the season goes on it is getting better. After a few races you are simply not yet right back on top. To really be there again, you need a full year." De la Rosa insists he was never completely away from the cockpit; he was regularly at the wheel of McLaren's state-of-the-art simulator, and occasionally tested on track. But "in order to really compete with these guys, you probably need a whole year," he added.

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Frank Williams Not Retiring: Sir Frank Williams insists he is not retiring. The 68-year-old's British team announced at Silverstone that former chief executive Adam Parr is taking over as chairman from founder, boss and co-owner Williams. Williams remains the team principal, but some figures saw Wednesday's announcement as an indication that his nearly half-century involvement in Formula One is nearing an end. A headline in Spain's El Pais newspaper said Williams, who recently sold some of the Grove based team to Austrian investor Toto Wolff, had "begun his retirement." But the Briton told reporters that, with his long-time business partner Patrick Head also in his advancing sixties, the move is simply another prudent step in a succession plan. "I wish to emphasise that this is absolutely not notice of my impending retirement," said Williams, who became confined to a wheelchair after a road crash in 1986. "I love Formula One, I have a strong involvement in the company and go to work every day. When I'm going to retire hasn't crossed my mind."

Sauber Undecided About KERS In 2011: Sauber has not decided whether or not to run KERS in 2011. With the car weight limit increasing next year and the weight distribution to be fixed, Force India's chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer said this week that there is "no other option" than to use the energy recovery technology. But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport had said that while the bigger teams are all planning to go with KERS, the new teams are almost certainly not. And the publication said it is not clear if middle of the grid teams like Sauber and Toro Rosso will use KERS next year. Hinwil based Sauber is still developing the C29, but work has also begun on the team's 2011 car. But technical director James Key said the KERS decision has not yet been taken. "It is certainly a possibility," he said, "but we are still weighing it up and will decide later on." Team boss Peter Sauber said recently that Sauber will definitely not be using the system developed and raced in 2009 by former owner BMW because it is "air-cooled with far too many disadvantages." If Sauber was to opt for KERS in 2011, it is believed the team would buy a Magneti Marelli system for 1 million euros through customer engine supplier Ferrari.