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Page last updated at 09:52 GMT, Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Wednesday's F1 gossip column

BBC Sport brings you a regular round-up of the gossip in newspapers and on specialist websites around the world.


Jenson Button's former boss Nick Fry, the managing director of Mercedes GP, says the world champion will have to up his game if he wants to beat McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton this season.
Full story: The Sun

Bahrain Grand Prix winner Fernando Alonso says he is only one of eight drivers who can take this year's Formula 1 crown. The twice world champion said all the "Big Four" teams showed they have the potential to win races.
Full story: The Sun

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is concerned that allowing team technicians and scientists to write the technical regulations has led to a decrease in the spectacle of the sport.

"I had a meeting with the teams and tried to explain to them what our business is about — racing and entertaining the public, not about playing with computers and going fast over one lap," said Ecclestone.
Full story: The Times

But Ecclestone has admitted the sport must for now live with its current set of rules, despite criticism of changes for the 2010 season, such as banning refuelling.
Full story: espnf1.com

Mercedes did not want to supply engines to Red Bull teams this year because the German marquee feared being beaten, claims Dr. Helmut Marko, the motor sport adviser to the energy drinks company mogul Dietrich Mateschitz.
Full story: www.speedtv.com

Peter Sauber is set to ask the FIA to change his team's name to "Sauber". Despite the withdrawal of German car manufacturer BMW from F1, Sauber's outfit kept its "BMW Sauber F1 Team" name for the start of the year.
Full story: autosport.com

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has revealed he found F1 easier than expected on his return to the sport with Mercedes in Bahrain.

"The race wasn't very hard for me," said Schumacher. "We are a lot slower than when I was driving before because of the tyres we have now. It's not possible to push as hard, so therefore it's easier for the driver."
Full story: The Guardian

The German TV ratings for the first race of this year's F1 season in Bahrain were double that of last year's opener in Australia because of the return of Schumacher to the competition. An average of 10.5m viewers tuned in this year, compared to 5.3m for last year's race.
Full story: gpupdate.net

This story will be updated through the day.



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see also
Tuesday's F1 gossip column
16 Mar 10 |  Formula 1
Monday's F1 gossip column
15 Mar 10 |  Formula 1
Friday's F1 gossip column
12 Mar 10 |  Formula 1
Thursday's F1 gossip column
11 Mar 10 |  Formula 1
Wednesday's gossip column
10 Mar 10 |  Formula 1
Tuesday's gossip column
09 Mar 10 |  Formula 1


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