The driver market
In the next few days there may be some more driver announcements for 2009. The end of August is often used as an option date and so it will be no surprise to learn that one or two variables have been removed from the market.
IRL to go turbo. F1 to follow?
The Indy Racing League is set to switch away from normally-aspirated engines in 2011, and intends to adopt rules with small displacement turbo engines.
What is going on with Kimi Raikkonen?
Formula 1 is a world which tends to make judgements based on what happened five minutes ago, rather than looking at longer-term trends or the bigger picture. Thus it is no surprise that Felipe Massa's victory in Valencia is seen as confirmation that the Brazilian is now Ferrari's challenger for the World Championship.
Race Report - A siesta rather than a fiesta
Before the start of the European GP on the new Valencia street circuit we had a quick straw poll in the Media Center. How many Safety Cars are there going to be? "Seven," said one chirpy soul. "Three," said another. In the end, there were none - and the race was worse off for it.
Tensions at Force India
The Force India team has been doing rather better this year than in previous incarnations in previous seasons, thanks in large part to the arrival of Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, who has provided the team with financial stability.
Marlboro on the move?
The e-magazine GrandPrix+ is reporting that Marlboro may be preparing to end its relationship with Ferrari - earlier than has been thought.
Ferrari's $10,000 fine
The FIA Stewards have decided that Ferrari should be fined $10,000 for "unsafe release" of Felipe Massa from his pit stop. The stewards ruled that Massa had not gained any advantage from what happened and should not be further punished.
Race Results
European GP - Race Results
Qualifying Report - Felipe passes the port
Felipe Massa took pole position for the European Grand Prix after a weird qualifying session on the streets of the port of the Spanish port of Valencia.
Qualifying Results
European GP - Qualifying Results
Practice 3 Report - Kubica at the top
Robert Kubica set the fastest time of the morning session on Saturday at Valencia, on a track that had been washed clean by a huge storm on Friday night.
Practice 3 Results
European GP - Practice 3 Results
A hack looks back - On nothing in particular
By Mike Doodson
Are you enjoying the Olympics? If you happen to be British, I certainly hope so, because in four years' time it will be your tax money paying for all those athletes to descend on London and practise their peculiar trades in our fair country.
The Mole - Chinese puzzles
While The Mole was away on his sabbatical the decorators moved into the Motor Racing and Trade Development Department of the Secret Intelligence Service at Vauxhall Cross. They knocked down walls and applied new paint and a little Feng Shui.
The Mole - The Mole returns from holiday
The Mosley Scandal sent shudders through the British motorsport community in the early part of the summer. Formula 1 folk had to endure jokes about them liking a bit of spanking, which annoyed pretty much everyone. Then the British GP was sent to Donington Park.
A hack looks back - The Hungarian GP
By Mike Doodson
A peculiar thing about the Hungarian GP and its reputation for processional racing is that it has also thrown up an occasional thriller. Choose your favourite. Most recently it was the wrangle in the rain, with Jenson Button coming through after a superb Prost-style finger-tip performance.
The Man in the Pub - Rain or shine - it's Glorious Goodwood!
By Robert Sinfield
July and it may as well be October. It is raining so hard here in the Cotswolds that it looks like it’s actually raining upwards and even the cows ambling down the road outside The Amberley Inn, looking for shelter, look totally fed up.
A hack looks back - The German GP
By Mike Doodson
It's back to Hockenheim this weekend, after a two year gap now that the German GP is being alternated with the Nürburgring. I'm not so sure that this arrangement will be sustainable for much longer, given that Bernie's fees go up every year and the size of the crowd doesn't. That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster, one that the local municipality will not be willing to underwrite for ever.
And so to Valencia
Formula 1 teams have been visiting the city of Valencia for some time, to test at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo. This was not enough for the local government, which was looking for a sporting event to draw people to the city, following the successful America's Cup event in 2007.
An interesting settlement
Ferrari and McLaren have announced that they are bringing to an end the various legal disputes between them. McLaren has agreed to pay Ferrari's legal costs arising from the actions, which relate to the spying scandals of 2007.
Planning permission in England
Donington Park says it will be the home of the British Grand Prix by 2010, but there are many obstacles to be got over before that announcement becomes a reality.
Analysing the World Council
The FIA World Motorsport Council did not produce the fireworks that had been suggested might happen. However there are clear indications that Max Mosley is pushing ahead with his strategy to improve his historical reputation by creating the sport as it ought to be - rather than the sport he had fashioned before the scandal began.
What makes sense and what does not make sense
There have been a series of denials regarding rumours that there have been talks between CVC Capital Partners and News Corp about the possible sale of the Formula One group of companies.
The judgement of history
The decision by the FIA General Assembly to support Max Mosley paints the federation in a very poor light, at least in the eyes of the general public. A large number of people in this world believe that married men should not break their vows and involve themselves with lurid sexual games, involving professional uniformed dominatrices.
The FIA stands on the ledge
This week will be of huge importance to the international automobile federation as it decides what to do about its disgraced president Max Mosley. Mosley was caught in a sordid sex scandal six weeks ago.
Big FIA clubs demand that Mosley quit
Twenty-four FIA clubs in 22 countries have signed a letter to FIA President Max Mosley in response to his recent letter to the FIA club presidents. The clubs involved represent around 85% of the total membership of the FIA, based on motorist members, but they control only around 25% of the votes at the General Assembly. The letter demands that Mosley give "an immediate agreement" to step down.
