Formula One

In the round-up: Pirelli could leave F1 without 2014 deal • Raikkonen says Lotus are improving • Ecclestone to meet Renault on engine costs

Fernando Alonso said the team was relieved to have emerged from Thursday's practice sessions virtually unscathed.

Christian Horner, Paul Hembery, Gerard Lopez, Robert Fearnley, Franz Tost and Alain Prost attended the Monaco GP Press Conference...

McLaren had a difficult morning session but the afternoon proved slightly more fruitful. Jenson Button in particular is optimistic that McLaren seems to be heading in the right direction.

Red Bull Racing drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel did not have the greatest of days at Monaco with both drivers not really fighting with the best cars. The team knows there is still work to do if they wish to qualify in front on Saturday.

Lotus F1 is satisfied after the first free practice sessions of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The team once again showed strong longer run pace. One negative point however was Romain Grosjean who hit the barriers early in FP2 to end his day on track.

Jean-Eric Vergne is sporting Francois Cevert's helmet design, Sebastian Vettel has a pin-up girl on his and there are plenty more one-off colour schemes for Monaco.

Jenson Button believes McLaren is in better shape for the Monaco Grand Prix, but that it needs to improve its qualifying pace to have a chance of taking advantage of that improvement

Nico Rosberg set the pace in Thursday's second practice as team-mate Lewis Hamilton came to the fore, making it a Merc 1-2.

Force India have reportedly said no to any changes Pirelli want to make to their tyres, fearing they could hurt their chances...