Some news tidbits from the world of Formula 1:

Ferrari To Race F-Duct ‘As Soon As Possible’: Back at Maranello, Ferrari is hard at work to emulate the success of McLaren’s so-called ‘F-duct’ downforce-spoiling innovation. On the British team’s 2010 car, the once-controversial solution – with the drivers controlling a flow of air through to the rear wing with their left knee – passed scrutineering at the Bahrain season opener. At the next race in Melbourne, Sauber’s similar system made its first appearance, amid reports that Red Bull, Force India, Williams and Mercedes were also working on F-ducts at their respective factories. Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said after Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix that Ferrari is also working on a version for the F10. “We have seen that the advantage (of the system) is very, very big,” said the Italian, referring to the straightline speed advantage enjoyed by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. “We will bring it to the races as soon as possible, once we are sure that it is 100 per cent,” added Domenicali.

Sepang Promises Track Improvements For 2011: Some improvements to the ageing Sepang circuit will be ready ahead of the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. The track’s boss Razlan Razali admitted last week that the Hermann Tilke-designed venue has not had any significant upgrades since it first hosted Formula One in 1999. As long as three years ago, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone described Sepang as “shabby”, and Razali admitted that he would like to spend $60 million on bringing the track up to the standard of Bahrain and Shanghai. Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Rarak was at Sunday’s race, and given a garage tour of the new Malaysian-owned Lotus team by Ecclestone. Track chairman Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir then said Sepang is planning to build a new support paddock, new hospitality suites, and fix the leaking roof of the main grandstand. “We have promised FIA that we will have those facilities ready so it will be more comfortable for the teams, participants and spectators,” he is quoted as saying by the local Star newspaper.

HRT Must Look Beyond Finishing Races – Senna: Finishing races is good, but not good enough, Bruno Senna said after Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Having barely survived the winter, and then making its track debut in Bahrain without any prior testing, the fact that HRT’s Senna and Karun Chandhok both reached the checkered flag in Malaysia was hailed by boss Colin Kolles as a “fantastic day”. But rookie Senna, 26, told Globo: “Everyone is happy (with the double finish) because it is a feat for a team that did not have any testing and started the season with so many problems. “But we cannot stay content just to finish. The car was very bad under braking,” said the Brazilian. Virgin, who has a fuel tank that’s too small, was also happy just to get Lucas di Grassi across the line, with technical boss Nick Wirth saying “fuel saving techniques” were deployed “to excellent effect”. Much less happy was Rubens Barrichello, however, who’s lapped Williams was not competitive throughout the Sepang weekend. “I’m smiling, because otherwise I would be crying in the corner,” joked the veteran.

Schumacher Believed To Have Rejoined GPDA: Michael Schumacher is believed to have rejoined the F1 drivers’ union GPDA during the course of the Malaysian GP weekend. Earlier this season, the returning 41-year-old hesitated to rejoin the Grand Prix Drivers Association, despite playing a leading role until his retirement at the end of 2006. It was rumored that the Mercedes driver did not get along with the GPDA’s chairman Pedro de la Rosa, who quit the association in protest after Schumacher’s Monaco ‘Rascasse’ parking incident four years ago. In Melbourne, Spaniard de la Rosa stepped down and was replaced as chairman by Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld. Schumacher’s countryman and friend Sebastian Vettel, and his former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, have also now replaced Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso as directors. Schumacher’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm was not immediately available for comment.