The additional new stand will be in front of turns 3, 4 and 5 at the Albert Park in Melbourne, according to F1's official website.

HRT folded at the end of last season for financial reasons, leaving the grid with only 11 teams this year. The Spanish team did not score a point in its three seasons on the circuit.

Despite growth in TV audience in Brazil, Spain and Italy, the dip in emerging Asian markets has pulled the overall number down.

This was De la Rosa's first time behind the wheel of the Ferrari after driver Felipe Massa practiced this week.

The 29-year-old was dropped by Williams last year after finishing 16th in the F1 drivers' standings with 31 points, reports Xinhua.

Formula One regulations specify that a minimum of ten teams and twenty cars are mandatory.

It was announced last month that the owners of the Spanish Formula One team are in talks with a number of companies and have put the team up for sale. This after the team, founded in 2010, failed to collect points in any of its three seasons.

Ferrari says it "duly takes note of the reply sent by the FIA this morning and therefore considers the matter now closed."

"Ferrari has asked, via a letter, an explanation from the FIA over VET's pass of VER on lap 4 of the Brazilian GP," the Italian team said in a Twitter post Thursday. It could spell disaster for Sebastian Vettel if this is taken into consideration.

Having now hung up his Formula One helmet for good after his initial retirement in 2006, which lasted until 2010, Schumacher walks away having won seven world drivers' championships in his career.

The only reason the world did not hear Sebastian Vettel cry after claiming his third consecutive drivers' championship title was because of a broken radio in the Red Bull car.

Team chief Christian Horner said he and his outfit accepted that F1 was a hard sport and that they had to face up to all the consequences of success.

Sebastian Vettel has said that he does not plan on playing it safe.

Force India will have a 50 million pound boost to help them move up the Formula One grid after a strong performance this year, Vijay Mallya announced.

These are the instructions that the Red Bull and Ferrari teams must be relaying over and over to their drivers ahead of the Brazilian GP.

The equation is very simple for the German: Finish in top-four to deny Ferrari's Fernando Alonso any chance of pipping him to the drivers' championship.

HRT's owners Thesan Capital had earlier this week said they were in talks with potential buyers for the team, which has yet to win a point in three F1 seasons.

The management hopes to conclude sales in the weeks to come. An official announcement will be made about the new owners subsequently.