Pedro de la Rosa is to leave his current position as McLaren test driver and return to the grid next season with the HRT team. De la Rosa, who will be 41 when he begins his 2012 campaign, is a veteran of 85 Grand Prix starts and last raced with Sauber at this year’s Canadian round.

The Renault team - and Formula One in general - was dealt a heavy blow in February when star driver Robert Kubica was ruled out of the start of the 2011 season following a serious crash during the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy. Several surgeries and over two months later, Kubica is finally looking forward to leaving hospital and briefly heading home, before commencing the rehabilitation programme which everyone hopes will precede his F1 return. Speaking to his team’s official website, the Pole had the following to say to his fans…

Ferrari have not had the best of seasons so far, with Felipe Massa’s performances in particular coming under the spotlight. Critics have suggested that 2011 is a make-or-break year for the Brazilian’s career with the Scuderia, but in Shanghai he answered those critics by beating illustrious team mate Fernando Alonso to sixth place.

Christian Klien has revealed he’s making every effort to land the final vacant slot on the 2011 grid, at HRT. Klien, who raced for the Spanish team at three Grands Prix in 2010, is working hard behind the scenes to secure the second seat alongside Narain Karthikeyan, despite some tough competition from other drivers.

Ever wanted to know your favourite Formula One driver better? Ever wanted a glimpse inside their lives outside the cockpit and see what really makes them tick - away from the race track? You can with the help of our series, The Secret Life. Renault’s Vitaly Petrov is our latest target, as he reveals a hatred of early starts, a penchant for playing cards and a passion for Spanish football...