NEWS FLASH

Felipe Massa is reportedly close to securing a three-year extension to his Ferrari F1 agreement, what would tie him down to the famed Scuderia until at least the end of 2013, a season longer than the current deal for double world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso. It is understood that a new deal has already been prepared and will be signed shortly. Alonso is committed to the Italian outfit until at least the end of 2012 and the Spaniard has hinted that he intends to conclude his F1 career there.

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Mercedes Grand Prix top brass Norbert Haug and Nick Fry have poured cold water upon speculation that record-breaking multiple world champion Michael Schumacher could bring a premature end to his return to F1 competition, leaping to the defence of the German legend, who they insist remains 'highly-motivated' and focussed on 'long-term' success.

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Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov has admitted that his principal goal now in F1 2010 has to be to see the chequered flag, after enduring three DNFs in the first three grands prix of his top flight career – as it emerges that the Russian has been instructed by his team to lose some weight to bring him more in-line with similarly tall but 10kg lighter team-mate Robert Kubica.