BBC Sport brings you a regular round-up of the gossip in newspapers and on specialist websites around the world.
Brazilian driver Felipe Massa is confident a new diffuser on his Ferrari at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix will keep his team competitive in Spa. Full story: ferrari.com Renault will run an F-duct for the first time at the Belgian GP this coming weekend and driver Robert Kubica thinks it may change the team's approach in Spa. Full story: grandprix.com The Formula One group, which runs the commercial side of the sport, has announced that the Swiss financial institution UBS is to become a Global Partner of the sport. Full story: grandprix.com F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone believes that Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher would win the Championship this year if the German was driving a Red Bull. Full story: formula1.com But the seven-time champion himself believes that, while it will take time, he can win another title in the Mercedes. Full story: formula1.com The Paul Ricard circuit in France is set to host Pirelli's next F1 tyre development test. Full story: 442race.com Meanwhile, Pirelli motor sport boss Paul Hembery says that German driver Nick Heidfeld was the ideal choice as test driver, and will do a "great job" for the Italian company. Full story: Adam Cooper's F1 blog Qatar is pushing ahead with plans to join the F1 calendar. The Losail circuit already hosts a MotoGP night race, and earlier this year it emerged that modifications were taking place with the aim of also accommodating F1. Full story: motorsport.com The FIA has announced several alterations to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. The biggest change has been made to the Les Combes chicane. In an effort to deter drivers from cutting the chicane, bumps similar to those used in Barcelona, Valencia and Monza have been laid on the run-off area. Full story: planet-f1.com Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher has warned not to "expect special things" this weekend in Belgium at a track where he has won a record six times in the past. (Press Association) The FIA is set to announce its decision on which team will join the 2011 F1 grid within the next few days. The contenders in the running for the position are thought to be Stefan GP, Jacques Villeneuve's Durango collaboration and Epsilon Euskadi. Full story: espnf1.com Sebastian Vettel says he has every confidence Red Bull Racing will be switched on in Belgium this weekend. (Press Association) The Williams cars of Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg will feature new front and rear wing packages for what will be the Brazilian's 300th grand prix start. Full story: updatef1.com Ferrari, where Barrichello spend a large chuck of his career (104 grands prix), have congratulated the Brazilian on his impending achievement. "On behalf of everyone at Ferrari, I congratulate him and wish him all the best, as he was part of our team when it was living through a great period in its history and he made a very significant contribution to our success at that time," said team principal Stefano Domenicali. Full story: ferrari.com Ferrari meanwhile will use Friday's free practice session in Belgium to evaluate some new aerodynamic parts, with the most significant change being an update to the diffuser. Full story: ferrari.com New York based credit card company Mastercard have ruled out getting involved with Formula 1 from a sponsorship perspective. Full story: Joe Saward's Grand prix blog McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is to step down as chairman of the Formula One teams association, FOTA with William chairman Adam Parr set to replace him. (Italy's Autosprint magazine) Force India have played down reports the team's assets might be seized while it is at Monza for the Italian GP next month. (Reuters) This story will be updated throughout the day.
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