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Although still officially contracted to 2009 employers Renault, it seems Fernando Alonso is eager to make himself at home at Ferrari ahead of his debut for the Italian team next season. And this week Alonso made his second semi-official visit to their Maranello headquarters, just a few weeks after his first trip.

The Spaniard spent two ‘intense’ days with the team, touring the factory and talking to engineers as they continue their preparations for 2010. He made his first visit earlier this month, just after the end of the season, when he met with team principal Stefano Domenicali and Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

With the FIA’s test ban still in place, the two-time champion will have to wait until February to test Ferrari’s new Formula One car on track. However, the 28 year-old did have time during his trip to complete several laps of the team’s Fiorano test circuit in a 458 Italia and a 599 road car.

BMW have announced on Friday that they have reached an agreement with Peter Sauber regarding the sale of the BMW Sauber team. The contract is subject to the squad having a confirmed entry for the 2010 season and means that the planned sale to Qadbak Investment Ltd will not be completed.

The German car maker revealed in July that they would end their involvement in Formula One racing at the end of the year after four seasons in the sport. BMW purchased the team in 2005 from Sauber, who founded the outfit in 1993.

“I am very relieved that we have found this solution,” said Sauber. “It means we can keep the Hinwil location and the majority of workplaces. I am convinced that the new team has a very good future in Formula One, whose current transformation with new framework conditions will benefit the private teams.

“Our staff here are highly competent and motivated, and I look forward to taking on this new challenge together with them. I would like to thank BMW for four shared years that have in the main been very successful.”

Dr Klaus Draeger, member of the board of management of BMW AG with responsibility for development, added: “We are very happy with this solution. This fulfils the most important requirement for a successful future for the team. Our relationship with Peter Sauber has always been excellent and marked by absolute respect. We would like to express our thanks to Peter Sauber and the whole team for the excellent cooperation during the recent four years.”

A further agreement with Sauber proposes personnel cuts from the current level of 388 to around 250 employees. Although BMW have said they regret the need for these cutbacks, they have stressed that the restructuring of the team has made them essential.

Renault have revealed their line-up for next week’s young driver test in Spain. Reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion Bertrand Baguette, Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung and the French team’s third driver Lucas Di Grassi will share driving duties during the three-day session at Jerez.

“Testing is so restricted nowadays, but this young driver test is the perfect opportunity for us to assess rising stars such as Bertrand, Ho-Pin and Lucas,” explained team principal Bob Bell. “All these drivers have shown great promise and we look forward to seeing what they are capable of as we complete our test programme for the year.”

Baguette will be on track on Tuesday. The test, which is a prize for winning this year’s World Series by Renault 3.5 category, will be the 23 year-old’s first taste Formula One power. Tung, who has tested for Williams in 2003, will then get behind the wheel of the R29, before Di Grassi racks up further mileage for the French team.

The test will run at the Spanish circuit from Tuesday 1 December to Thursday 3 December.

Force India have announced that Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi will continue to race for the team next season. The squad is hopeful that continuity in their driver line-up will be an important factor in the success of their championship challenge in 2010.

“We are very pleased to retain the services of both Adrian and Tonio for another season,” said the team’s chairman and team principal, Dr Vijay Mallya. “We have always maintained that consistency is key at this stage in the team’s development and for the first time in many years we will have the continuity of not only the same drivers, but also the same engine and senior management.

“With this stability now in place I truly believe we have an excellent platform to build on and move forward on our strong 2009 performance. I am sure we have one of the most dynamic line-ups on the grid and I hope this will stand us in good stead in what we all hope will be a transitional year for the team.”

2010 will be Sutil’s fourth season in Formula One racing. The 26 year-old German started his F1 career with Force India’s predecessors, Midland, as a test and reserve driver in 2006 before graduating to a race seat with Spyker in 2007. Last season he recorded his best-ever Formula One finish when he clinched fourth place in Italy.

“2010 will be my fourth consecutive year with the team,” said Sutil. “I feel good here, it feels like family, and when you feel at ease you can focus your energy 100 percent on getting it right on track. Next season I want to be in the points on a regular basis, maybe even challenging for the podium, and the team has exactly the same goals.

“We are going massively in the right direction so with our combined energies I’m confident we can achieve even more than last season.”

Liuzzi was promoted from his test and reserve role to a race seat in September after predecessor Giancarlo Fisichella moved to Ferrari to replace the injured Felipe Massa. He had made his race debut back in 2005 with Red Bull and moved to Toro Rosso for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

“’It was always my goal to be back racing in 2010 and I’ve finally achieved it,” explained the 28 year-old Italian. “I feel the five races I did in 2009 were a bit of a warm-up; get back racing, learn the car, get the feeling back. Now I’ve done that I feel ready to really push next season.

“We were pretty strong in the last part of the 2009 season so if we pick up where we stopped I think we could be in for a good year. For sure points are the aim and showing everyone what we can do.”

Force India also revealed that an announcement regarding their third driver will be made following next week’s young driver test. The team will field upcoming British driver Paul di Resta and current Indy Lights champion American JR Hildebrand during the three-day test, which gets underway at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on Tuesday.

Force India have confirmed their line-up for next week’s young driver test in Spain. Upcoming British driver Paul di Resta and current Indy Lights champion American JR Hildebrand will share driving duties of the VJM02 at Jerez.

Twenty-three year old Di Resta and 21-year old Hildebrand were selected after strong performances in the team’s simulator last month and one could now land a full-time test and reserve role for 2010.

Di Resta, from West Lothian, Scotland, is a Mercedes works driver in the German DTM touring car series and finished third overall with one win in the 2009 championship. He previously won the 2006 Formula 3 Euroseries against a field including current F1 race winner Sebastian Vettel and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.

“I am thrilled to be joining Force India for this test,” said Di Resta. “It’s been a while since I last tested an F1 car but I’ve been working hard in the simulator and giving it my all in the DTM so I’m confident I’ll be up to speed quickly. It’s an exciting opportunity for me as F1 has always been my dream and I feel this is taking me one step closer to achieving it. I’m realistic that I’ve got a lot to prove and that I need a bit more experience of the cars and the F1 environment before getting a permanent seat but this is just the beginning of what I hope will be a very bright future with Force India. I’d like to thank Mercedes for giving me this opportunity and to Force India for being so supportive.”

Hildebrand, from California, USA, has quickly risen to prominence on the American racing scene thanks to impressive results in the junior formulae and, most recently, his victory in Indy Lights, the feeder series to the USA’s premier racing championship. In 2006 he secured the Formula Ford 2000 championship title and in 2007 was the top placed US rookie in the Atlantic championship.

“I’m ecstatic to get my first taste of F1,” said Hildebrand. “I’ve heard so much about the performance of the cars and know this is going to be quicker and more responsive than anything I’ve ever sat in before. I know it’s a big challenge but I feel ready to tackle it. The aim is to learn the track and the car and then hopefully show my potential. As an American we don’t necessarily have the culture of F1 but anything that’s so impressive and cutting-edge demands respect. I hope I can do the car and myself justice. Thanks to everyone for making this happen, I can’t wait to get to Jerez.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal of Force India, commented: “We are delighted to have Paul and JR join us for the young driver test. Both of their showings in the simulator were excellent and we had no hesitations in offering them some valuable testing. We will be looking at their performance on track very closely and should they perform well, as we are confident they will, we will look at a permanent role for one within the team in 2010, potentially as a test and reserve driver. As a young team we are looking for drivers who can grow with us. As we’ve always said, nationality isn’t the primary selection criteria – it’s talent and dedication to the cause and we have seen enough to know that these two have both.”

The Jerez session, to be attended by several teams, will run from Tuesday 1 December to Thursday 3 December. Force India will test Di Resta on day one, Hildebrand on day two, with the driver for the final day dependant on the progress of the team’s testing programme.

Despite pulling out of Formula One racing, BMW is staying true to its promise of giving two talented young Formula BMW drivers their first taste of an F1 car. Alexander Rossi and Esteban Gutierrez will take part in next week’s official Formula One test for young drivers at Jerez in Spain.

“Depriving these junior drivers of the test we had promised them was not an option for us, even after the withdrawal of BMW from Formula One,” said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “BMW remains committed to motor sport and is keen to continue making a contribution to well-structured talent development.”

Rossi, from Nevada City in California, earned his opportunity to test an F1 car by taking victory in the 2008 Formula BMW World Final in Mexico City. The 18-year-old qualified for the international showdown by winning the Formula BMW Americas series earlier that year.

The 2009 season saw Rossi finish fourth overall in the International Formula Master series and wrap up the rookies’ title in the process. Shortly before his 18th birthday – which he celebrated on 25 September 2009 – the American was able to familiarise himself with the Jerez circuit during a test in a GP2 car. He went on to make his GP2 Asia debut in Abu Dhabi during the final weekend of the Formula One season, finishing fourth in race one and fifth in the sprint race.

“I take the opportunity to present myself as a driver at Formula One level very seriously and I’m very aware of the far-reaching potential it has,” said Rossi. “I feel very fortunate and my goals for the test are to put in a fantastic performance while fully absorbing the whole experience. There is a growing list of people that have helped me get where I am today. This is a team effort and I am very grateful for this support. A special thanks to BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen for making this test possible and having the confidence in me.”

Gutierrez – another 18-year-old – also secured his place at the Formula One test on the back of strong performances in Formula BMW. Having swept to the 2008 Formula BMW Europe title in convincing fashion, the Mexican went into the World Final on home territory as favourite, eventually finishing third.

Gutierrez was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon on 5 August 1991 and now lives in Paris. This year he finished ninth in the drivers’ standings in the Formula Three Euro Series. A GP2 test at Jerez in October enabled him, like Rossi, to gain prior knowledge of the track in southern Spain. In early November he completed a two-day test in a GP2 car in Le Castellet, southern France.

“We have put all our efforts into the preparations for this great opportunity that will provide me with an insight into what the future may bring,” said Gutierrez. “The opportunity to drive a Formula One car is the fulfilment of part of my dreams. I feel very pleased and will use this experience to learn about and experience the professionalism of a Formula One team. This will help me to find the aspects where I need to work on myself more. This test is the achievement of many people who have given me support. It is also an honour for me to represent my home country Mexico. I will deliver my best.”

The three days of testing (on 1-3 December) are for young drivers who have taken part in no more than two Formula One events. A large number of F1 teams are expected to travel to Jerez, not least because no other testing has been permitted since the start of the season and the ban remains in force until 31 December.

Three-time world champion Niki Lauda always has a keen eye for what’s going on in Formula One racing. He is full of praise for Ross Brawn and his achievements – and for Mercedes’ decision to take a majority stake in the Brackley team. And yes, Jenson Button is a worthy world champion – simply because he’s the champion. Lauda knows what he is talking about: half a point made all the difference to his third title in 1984…

Q: Niki, let’s start with the 2009 drivers’ championship. Jenson Button clinched the 60th title in Formula One history, but some questioned whether the ‘right’ guy won, citing his relatively lacklustre midseason spell. What is the opinion of a three-time world champion?
Niki Lauda: Worthy or unworthy is the wrong approach. A world champion is a world champion. You might argue about the manner in which he won, but history has shown that in some years you have guys who win everything, and then you have guys – and I count myself among these – who win with a half point lead in the last race. There are many ways to win a championship. He put in a good season: starting very strong at the beginning to forge ahead and then keeping the lead through difficult times of constantly losing points, but still staying in front. Yes, the 60th Formula One world champion is a worthy champion.

Q: Would you say the second half of the season proved Button’s strategic prowess, or was it simply the nail-biting scenario his critics would like to suggest?
NL: He was ‘nail biting’ himself to the title – at least from the outside. It is hard to say why he was losing out to Rubens (Barrichello) – someone running on the same equipment – in the second half of the season. In the end it’s a pointless discussion because he was not the only one running on a bumpy performance curve: Sebastian (Vettel) also had his share of poor results. In that scenario of ups and downs, Jenson was able to keep enough points to maintain his lead – that’s why he ended up as champion and not somebody else.

Q: Brawn GP were one of the three teams that introduced the double diffuser at the beginning of the season, leaving others to play catch-up for the first couple of months. How crucial was that to Brawn taking both titles?
NL: You can argue back and forth about Jenson, but one thing is undeniable: what Ross (Brawn) formed out of the bankrupt Honda estate, in a cloak-and-dagger operation, to dominate all the ‘big boys’ in the paddock, was truly phenomenal. That has never happened before in Formula One. That is the real sensation of the season and their winning the constructors’ championship is highly deserved.

Q: Other teams had to swallow the bitter pill of their parent company pulling out of Formula One racing. What do you see as the main reasons for BMW’s and Toyota’s withdrawal?
NL: I see commercial reasons behind these decisions. The global car sales have suffered, and as Formula One is part of the companies’ marketing concepts – and marketing costs have been severely downgraded – in the case of BMW and Toyota it meant the withdrawal from F1. Probably this year’s performance was just the last straw.

Q: What else springs to mind when you reflect on the 2009 season?
NL: Insane KERS was introduced, and all the big teams – Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and especially BMW – jumped on it in the hope that when pushing the button, three-tenths (of a second per lap) would be the gain. From the very beginning that gain seemed too little in my view, because three-tenths was the ideal scenario – when the car was perfectly balanced and set-up. Instead, what became clear almost from the first test was a situation where all the KERS followers faced weight distribution issues causing aerodynamic problems. It was as though that massive technical armament meant they couldn’t see the track any more. That is why the Brawns and the Red Bulls dominated – because they gave KERS the cold shoulder and concentrated on racing. The first team to bounce back was McLaren-Mercedes in mid-season. They then won two races, but didn’t play any role whatsoever in the hunt for the championship. If you think about that, this madness of KERS being abolished in 2010 is a shame for all the money invested.

Q: Two of your long-time companions in the paddock vanished in the course of the season: Ron Dennis and Flavio Briatore. Do you miss them?
NL: ‘Long-time companion’ is over-egging the pudding a bit. I once drove for Ron and won a championship with him and Flavio I know only on a personal level. Their departure from the paddock had completely different reasons: Ron was fined a $100 million penalty due to copyright violations – is that the politically correct term? Flavio had to go because of that Singapore incident. And that incident was one of the worst things that can happen in racing. Does their departure serve them right? Well, Ron played it too hard with (former FIA President) Max Mosley and what Flavio is accused of was a real stab against the sport – Singapore clearly was one step too far. Formula One folks have always been sort of frontier runners, but both Ron and Flavio exaggerated things and have been punished for it. It’s that simple.

Q: While two car manufacturers pulled out, another – Mercedes – invested heavily by taking over Brawn GP to form Mercedes GP. If it didn’t work for BMW and Toyota, how can it work so much better for Mercedes?
NL: Well, Mercedes made a very smart move by acquiring a majority stake in Brawn GP, to follow the concept of cost cutting that (former FIA President) Max (Mosley) had begun: to run a team with a reduced budget of $100 million per year by 2011. Brawn GP is the team already fit for that kind of financial downgrade, whereas many others will have a hard 2010 season being competitive on the track and simultaneously working their way down on the economic side. By reviving the real Mercedes ‘Silver Arrows’ – which means an excellent marketing tool for the car manufacturer – Mercedes stays involved with F1 at a very reasonable cost-benefit ratio. Never forget, they’ve got the world championship team!

Q: Nico Rosberg has been confirmed as the team’s first driver. Rampant speculation surrounds the second seat: could Michael Schumacher really switch from red to silver, or will Nick Heidfeld get it, or perhaps even ‘Iceman’ Kimi Raikkonen?
NL: The takeover of Brawn GP was a masterly achievement. Now it is important to proceed in this same manner by having a very close look at the important issue of the driver line-up. With the Button departure, Rosberg is at the moment their only driver – a good man for sure, but good men get even better with a team mate that gives them a hard time 24 hours a day. That is positive, performance and development-wise. They have to be very careful now in their selection, trying to get a top man for the second cockpit. Otherwise the advantage will be on Red Bull’s and Vettel’s side – and they might find themselves riding on Red Bull’s coat tails.

Q: And the Schumacher rumours?
NL: I don’t believe that there is one single grain of truth in them, at least from all the signals that I get. There was a window of opportunity after Felipe’s (Massa’s) accident and had Michael been fit he would have taken up that chance to race for three or four races – to prove himself, get the adrenaline rush, and see where he stood in the pecking order. But I cannot believe that he would be up for a full season. Why then he did stop racing in the first place? But that is my personal opinion.

Q: Were you surprised by Jenson’s switch to McLaren?
NL: Not really. That was a true ‘Ron Dennis’ move – to run a team with two British world champions. On the other hand, I am sure that Ross (Brawn) was not completely satisfied with Jenson’s performance in the second half of the season. But if Mercedes ends up with someone not as good as Jenson, then they’ve drawn the short straw. I would not have an idea who they should take.

Q: Ross Brawn and Mercedes. How do you see this relationship working? Who’s wearing the trousers?
NL: Ross Brawn and the team. Mercedes will sit on the board and be part of the decision-making process. And to use your term who is wearing the trousers – always those who delivered the success. Anything else would not make sense.

Q: Taking a glimpse ahead into 2010, when you look at the driver line-ups who do you think promises the best performance: Alonso and Massa, Hamilton and Button, Vettel and Webber – or Rosberg and whoever?
NL: Ferrari’s pairing of Alonso/Massa and McLaren with their two British champions will be very, very competitive. We have also seen how Vettel and Webber egg each other on to top performances, so the ‘Silver Arrows’ will be confronted with competitors with top driver line-ups. In my opinion all the top drivers are already signed.

Q: Never in modern Formula One history have there been so many new teams in the making. Do you expect them all to show up in Bahrain?
NL: First of all there is what you might call the Sauber team – the leftovers of BMW Sauber. They have facilities, people and an investor willing to bankroll them, and yet it is not clear if they will get a (2010 grid) slot. On the other hand you have four teams that are difficult to judge. For me the most doubtful case is this American team. They seem to be nowhere. Campos seems to have the basics – at least their car was homologated by the FIA some days ago, which is a big step ahead of all the others. I have no idea where Lotus and Manor are. Fact is that they all applied for a slot because of the budget cap already in place for 2010. Now we know that this is postponed by one year and that might be a stumbling block for one or the other. The winter will show what is cooking.

Q: November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw the last refuelling stop in Formula One racing. Running with full tanks is one of the biggest new challenges for the teams to come to terms with next season. A good idea?
NL: It is a good idea because it saves costs. On the other hand we had some attractive scenes surrounding refuelling. Just remember the little barbeque scene in Sao Paulo when Heikki Kovalainen was released from the pits with the fuel hose still on the car. But the refuelling ban is a real challenge, as the teams have to come to terms with cars that start the race with double the fuel load that they have now – some 170 or 180 kilos instead of the 80-something they have now. To find the right balance for the car will be an interesting task – and it will also be a new experience for the drivers. I remember very well how it was running with a fully loaded tank. Teams and drivers will have to set new criteria in how they strategically approach each race.

He may have to wait until next year to make his Formula One return, but Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will get the chance to sharpen his racing skills at his annual International Challenge of the Stars karting event in Brazil this weekend. It will be the first time Massa has driven competitively since he fractured his skull during an accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix back in July.

The Brazilian will be joined at the charity fundraiser by a host of famous motorsport names including seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, 2010 Williams driver Rubens Barrichello, Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi, former Williams’ driver Antonio Pizzonia, 2004 Indycar champion Tony Kanaan and ex-F1 driver Christian Fittipaldi.

Former Renault driver – and fellow Brazilian – Nelson Piquet will also be in action and can’t wait to get started. “I’m happy that I can be back in Brazil to do Felipe’s race this weekend,” said the 24 year-old. “It’s going to be very competitive as usual, there are some great drivers confirmed and I want to try to win it this year!”

Both Schumacher and Piquet should be well prepared. Only last weekend they went up against some of the world’s best karters at the SKUSA Supernationals in Las Vegas, USA, finishing the final an impressive seventh and eighth respectively.

The Challenge of the Stars was launched by Massa in 2005. Last year it was won by Barrichello, whilst in 2007 Schumacher clinched the honours. In 2006 Massa himself secured the winner’s trophy. This year’s on-track action will get underway at a brand new circuit in the Brazilian city of Florianopolis on Saturday.

Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Norbert Haug has agreed to become a patron of the F1 in Schools Challenge in Germany. Haug joins a roster of top Formula One names that already support the global educational initiative, including Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, technical director of the new Lotus team Mike Gascoyne and Red Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey.

“Formula One is a technically sophisticated sport which attracts highly qualified engineers who have a passion for motor racing,” said Haug. “F1 in Schools is definitely a great initiative to motivate students to envisage an engineering career in Formula One. It is never too early to train in the basic skills you need if you want to become an engineer one day.”

The annual contest sees school children, aged 11 to 18, from over 30 countries use CAD/CAM software to design, analyse, manufacture, test and race their own miniature compressed air-powered balsa wood F1 car.

“F1 in Schools provides the ideal basis for young people worldwide to prove their engineering talents in a very competitive environment and lead them up to the technical side of Formula One in a way that is real fun,” continued Haug. “I really appreciate the work that is done by F1 in Schools which also is of great social value.

“It is nice that F1 in Schools is also represented in Germany and that it is now in the fourth year of the challenge. I am happy to support Formel 1 in der Schule (F1 in Schools) as a patron and I wish the promoters, the young competitors and everybody involved in the project every success.”

F1 in Schools founder and chairman Andrew Denford added: “We are very grateful to Norbert Haug for linking with F1 in Schools and in particular Formel 1 in der Schule, the challenge which takes place in Germany, just one of over 30 countries in which we operate.

“This comes at a very exciting time for Mercedes-Benz Motorsport and Formula One, with the manufacturer now having their own team, led by another of our patrons, Ross Brawn. Norbert has been involved in Formula One for over 15 years and has a great depth of knowledge and passion for the sport. We know that he will be inspirational to all the students who participate in our F1 in Schools programme and thank him for giving us his support.”

Former Renault Formula One tester Jose Maria Lopez says he expects to be confirmed as a 2010 race driver for the new US F1 Team very soon. According to the Argentine, a contract with the US-based squad is in place, subject to the completion of personal sponsorship arrangements.

Lopez raced in Formula 3000 and GP2 between 2004 and 2006, scoring a GP2 win in Spain in 2005. He then returned to Argentina and touring cars, becoming national champion in 2008. He visited the US F1 Team’s North Carolina factory last week.

“Until now, all the contacts had been by telephone, but given the advanced negotiations, we went there to visit the team headquarters and talk with (team founders) Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson,” Lopez told his official website.

“We have a verbal agreement that will be completed next week,” added the 26-year-old, who is thought to have the vast majority of the required backing in place. “The visit has been highly positive, we just need to complete some economic supports that are already committed.”

Lopez, a veteran of Renault’s driver development programme and a test driver for their Formula One team in 2006, said he had been pleasantly surprised by what he found at the US F1 Team’s Charlotte facility.

“It is a new team, starting from scratch, something different from what I experienced in Renault, where the structure had many years of experience. But I was impressed by the commitment and professionalism they’ve put into this project. There is a wind tunnel that is almost 1:1 scale, which is very important to develop the car I will be able to drive in 2010.”

The US F1 Team is just one of four new teams joining the Formula One grid next season. Campos Meta have already confirmed Bruno Senna as their first driver, while former Toyota star Timo Glock will head Manor GP’s line-up. Lotus have signed one driver, but have yet to reveal his identity.