RUSSIAN GREEN: Caterham confirmed Vitaly Petrov as its second driver for 2012, joining Heikki Kovalainen and replacing Jarno Trulli. Petrov’s debut in Caterham’s CT01 will take place at the second pre-season test Feb. 21-24 at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Trulli’s departure leaves Formula 1 without an Italian driver for the first time since the 1960s. The switch to Petrov was ascribed largely the greater sponsorship he could bring to the team.
BRAWNY MERC: Mercedes’ 2012 car, the F1 W03, will debut in the pit lane at Barcelona prior to testing. Car design was led by team principal Ross Brawn, who also penned the Mercedes-powered self-titled Brawn Racing machine Jenson Button drove to the title in 2009. Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg return as Mercedes’ drivers in 2012. The team finished 4th in 2011. The two drivers will alternate test days in Barcelona, with Schumacher getting things started.
SEMENTALES ROSSO: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne had the first and second fastest testing times at the first round of testing in Jerez, Spain.
BUEMI’S LONG RIDE: Toyota confirmed that 2012 Red Bull reserve driver (and 2009-2011 Toro Rosso pilot) Sebastian Buemi will drive for its works team in the 24 Hours of LeMans. Buemi’s co-drivers in the TS030 Hybrid will be Anthony Davidson and Hiroaki Ishiura. Alex Wurz and Kaz Nakajima are piloting Toyota’s first vehicle.
SAFETY FIRST: HRT postponed its F112 car’s debut after it failed two FIA mandated crash tests. The vehicle passed 14 other tests successfully and the FIA approved its chassis. The F112 will make its debut at the final pre-season testing, Mar. 1-4, in Barcelona. Pedro de la Rosa drove the team’s 2011 car in the first round of tests.
ODD CAR OUT?: McLaren’s 2012 car retains a smooth nose, lined up with the rest of the body, differentiating it form the other stepped-nose machines which have so far bowed. New regulations forced a lower nose, which most teams responded to by raising their chassis to get as much air under the car as possible. Team principal Martin Whitmarsh assured enthusiasts that McLaren has made the right choice and not been caught out.
HUGO’S MILLIONS: PDVSA, Venezuela’s state oil company, reportedly paid Williams $46 million for its 2012 sponsorship. Venezuelan officials question the legality of the deal, with the country’s congress conducting an investigation of the matter. Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez is de facto ruler of PDVSA and a friend of Williams’ driver, Venezuelan Pastor Maldanado.