Formula One Features — February 2002

The other night I stayed awake until Stupid O'Clock in the morning, watching a group of women throw rocks down an ice rink. Curling is not usually what I'd class as entertaining television, but the fact that this was a fight for an Olympic Gold Medal made it oddly exciting. Even more of a shock to the system was that, against the odds, Great Britain won and it was only then that the reason for my fascination became apparent.

Renault comes back to Formula 1 this season with a full factory team - 100 years after the company's first major victory in automobile racing. And while victory this year may be difficult there is little doubt that the team will be more competitive than was the case in 2001.

They call it "The Louvre of the Automobile" and although the Schlumpf Collection at Mulhouse is in French territory, it is just a few miles from German border and within 20 miles of Switzerland as well. This is Bugatti country and the Schlumpf Collection is reckoned to have collection of Bugattis in the world.

The announcement that Mark Webber will race for the KL Minardi Asiatech team in this year's FIA World Formula One Championship marks the culmination of six years hard work by the 25-year old from Queanbeyan, New South Wales.