No Double DRS 'Device' for Lotus until Suzuka | F1 Fanatic round-up

In the round-up: Lotus say they won't use their new Double DRS set-up at Monza or Singapore.

Formula Renault 3.5

I'm commentating on highlights of Silverstone Race 2 for Formula Renault 3.5 with Martin Haven tonight at 8pm on ESPN (UK). If you've not seen it, it's definitely a race worth watching.

The programmes are also going out on ESPN America. See here for more:

• Commentating on ESPN's Formula Renault coverage

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Lotus postpones DDRS 'Device' debut until Suzuka (Adam Cooper's F1 Blog)

Technical director James Allison: 'Although we would like to have it at Monza ' because it is the type of circuit that rewards such a thing ' we don't have the DRS device configured to cope with the Monza level of downforce. So it is not even on the table. In Singapore you won't see it either, because it's too high a downforce circuit with insufficient straights for it to be worthwhile. The earliest you might see it now is Suzuka.'

Kubica stopped contact with Lotus months ago, reveals Boullier (Daily Mail)

'He stopped contact with us months ago. I cannot make any assumptions about anything because I am not in contact with him anymore.'

Top F1 teams face entry fee hike (Autosport)

'Sources have revealed that the proposal that has been put forward to the teams is for the entry fee to rise to '500,000 (£395,850) per outfit, plus '7,000 (£5,541) per point scored in the championship.'

McLaren deny any rift with Hamilton

'It was embarrassing for Lewis I think, and I'm sure he will learn from that. But it hasn't driven a wedge [between Hamilton and the team], I've known Lewis since he was 11 years-old. He's someone who has grown up in the team, he's grown up in the glow of public criticism. Some things he has learned, some things he is yet to learn.'

• Hamilton's deleted Belgian Grand Prix Tweets

Button 'disappointed' by Hamilton Twitter gaffe (Reuters)

'We work so hard to improve the car and keep things like that secret and private. I didn't want to see it on Twitter. It was the whole telemetry from qualifying. It wasn't just the rear wing. I was very surprised and disappointed.'

Stewards to get tough on risk-taking young drivers in Formula One (The Independent)

'Sources close to the FIA have suggested that a tougher line is likely to be taken from now on by race stewards appointed by the governing body in order to tighten up driving standards ' not just in Formula One, but in the GP2 and GP3 feeder series.'

Odd Spa treatment (Sky)

Martin Brundle: 'There appears to be an actual or mental 'black book' kept by the stewards, and although the stewards vary from race to race, they obviously carefully note those who regularly turn up at the headmaster's door. That's inevitable and it's right to react to a pattern or serial offender. Maldonado has now received nine penalties in 2012 and he was top of the tables last year with nine too.'

Future classics (Darren Heath Photographer)

'Safety is paramount ' that's a given ' but after that it should all be about spectacle. Not in the way the characterless concrete behemoth of the monstrosity that is Shanghai's circuit provides. Unique in provoking feelings of awe and despair in equal measure. Not in the way Bahrain's desert track resembles a bland 1980s computer game. I'm afraid the addition of a few palm trees and two ponds containing aquamarine-coloured water doesn't cut it either!'

Franz Tost ' Get with the programme (Toro Rosso)

'During the race, I climbed up the famous Agip advertising panel, pushed open a hole and watched maybe four or five laps from there. After that I went to the two Lesmos and Ascari. At the end of the race, I was at the Parabolica. Then I saw some 'tifosi' cutting the fence with special cutters and going through onto the track. This seemed like a good idea to me, so I went with them but the police took a dim view of it and tried to surround us on horses.'

Codemasters eyeing next-gen consoles for F1 2014 (Videogamer)

'Next year's Formula 1 game is unlikely to be released on next-generation consoles ' despite rumours that the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 could be released during the second half of 2013.'

iWITNESS: Belgian GP (Williams)

'Pastor delivered his second best qualifying performance of the year yesterday, but amid the focus and pressure of the qualifying session he was still able to demonstrate his compassionate side. He wore a black ribbon on his helmet as a mark of respect towards the 42 people who died in an oil refinery fire in Amuay, Venezuela last weekend. Pastor is not alone; the entire Williams F1 Team shares in the country's grief.'

Comment of the day

James Hosford (@Hosford90) urges realistic expectations of Jerome D'Ambrosio's performance for Lotus:

I'd be very surprised if Jerome does anything spectacular. As excited as he'll be for any chance to race again, you gotta feel quite sorry for him in a way. In these modern times without testing, a one-off drive is pretty much the worst possible scenario you can find yourself in. You need so many races just to get on the pace after all that time off, and he'll have one.

Although he'll not be happy with it, I personally will be perfectly impressed and convinced he's done a solid job if he can manage to qualify solidly in the midfield, around the sixth or seventh row, and score a point. That's about what I predict.
James Hosford (@Hosford90)

From the forum

• Have a look at F1 Fanatics' pictures and videos from the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix and share yours
• Going to the next race at Monza? Join the discussion here
• ALMS and Grand Am are set to announce a merger today

Happy birthday!

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On this day in F1

Jochen Rindt died during practice for the Italian Grand Prix on this day in 1970.

Rindt was leading the championship at the time, and as no one was able to beat his score before the end of the season he became F1's first and, thankfully, only posthumous champion:

• 1970 Italian Grand Prix: Rindt killed at Monza

Image © Lotus F1 Team/LAT