Thanks Milli that is the info I was looking for. Taking your oldf employer to court means no new employer will touch you.

I just wonder who can bring in the sponsorship money because I guess that's who gets the ride. Sorry but Bourdais wasn't good enough. Champ Car is a very different world.

This story still has some milage left I fear.

You can only shout at your pit crew if you always drive perfectly, if you don't you have to take problems on the chin. If the crew make too many mistakes they'll be out and either back at the factory or on the streets the team management will see to that. Making yourself unpopular with your crew is not a wise move. Shouting at the team bodd isn't too clever either unless you're the best on the grid. May be Rubens thinks he is?

Uh no CharlieSierra F1 is about what you did for me yesterday and I'm afraid in this case the answer is not enough.

Hail Ross but you'll still win, won't you.

I agree with Druids. Bernie has said in the past the Max won't go.

Looks like this lot haven't written off 2009 after all then. Of course this could be testing for 2010.

Negociating ploy after negociating ploy.

These things happen

Very strange indeed. Has he done something wrong I wonder. I don't know the guy is he hard to work with? Anyone out there know?

Good move Martin but you need to know the tech specs first.

Bernie couldn't have timed it worse.

I'm not giving up F1 I've watched for too many decades now. However this just cannot go on for much longer. One has to ask where this puts the chief steward. Respect was probably already fairly low but is there any respect at all within the FOTA teams now. If FOTA are going out on there own time is getting short as finding the tracks and signing the deals will take a lot of time and work. Perhaps we all need to know by the end of August at the latest?

It is not difficult to see what has happened. The FIA want to reduce costs and Cosworth to supply engines for teams that cannot afford powerplants from the big names. Cosworth need a number of contracts to make this worthwhile hence this situation eveolved. I happen to agree that single engine and single chassis series don't work but for the FIA breaking the hold of the major manufacturers is vital. It was so much easier when there was cigarette sponsorship, whe sonsors just wanted a good international show, and smaller easier to manage teams. Now I just doubt that the FIA can really cope.

As it is 'unhelpful' to comment I guess the negociations are still in progress. Richard seems to have enjoyed turning up to races so it seems likely Virgin will stay involved. It seems that doesn't have to be at the front of the pack though.

Mario how about next year old chap.

Bernie hasn't actually said anything new here. He has previously said he likes dictatorship and doesn't like the UK, the situation here or British politics. I don't know if he has any great feelings for Jews either way but I suspect not. He just likes governments which give him the money and build tracks without worrying about what the locals feel about what is going on. I suspect he may not like paying tax too much either. The common people don't really matter and should do as they are told. That has been Bernie for many years now. Unfortunately this doesn't help F1's reputatuon too much and these comments won't go down well with Merc or BMW. Oh well lets hope we can talk about the racing again soon.

Kennytime. Yup

lazydrummer you speak for me too. However Max's egho is too big and he doesn't want to be a nobody.

mwc70 please tell me where anyone could overtake at Lagun Seca?

Congrats to Sabastian but that was one boring race. The BBC ended up looking at a battle for 17th place. Silverstone that was not good for you or F1.

I am sure many of you saw the interview on BBC. Bernie was honest he said a few years back that Max won't go. Bernie knows that win or lose legal action will simply increase bad feelings. We need new men at FOM and FIA ideally somewhat under sixty who can look hard at the whole world of motorsport and sort it out to everyones advantage. Unfortunately the old won't go and they aren't likely to either.

The question for me is do they have the incentive to throw much more money at this year. If the FOTA teams will be writing their own rules next year then Ferrari might well start thinking of what they, the new rules, should be and write off 2009. They might even see that as a slight for Max too.

Jenson just get as many points as you can fellow.

J would just like to know what autogyro would watch if FOTA teams left F1 now. Four cars on the grid with only two possible winners? I can accept people not liking FOTA or Mr Stewart but who is going to watch just four cars?

You can try and change course but backing the wrong horse can be painful to your wallet

We all knew this would happen. Might bve a few dollars/pounds/euros to be made betting on the judgement.

atec_racer you are right my friend, quite right.

LeChef I'm afraid all the open questions have been asked over months and even years. There haven't been enough good answers to keep F1 on the road. There is still plenty of time to save it as FOTAs plans will still be at an early stage but sorry your questions have all been asked and the answers don't match up.

There is an interesting smell that of "panic".

Nope what Ross means is simply 'get out Max' and all will be well.

This guy's not impartial he works for the FIA. Just letbit go fellows please.

Well it seems easy enough to me if the FIA feel FOTA is being obstructive they can simply throw all FOTA teams out of F1. Solves all their problems overnight and Max is still king. Next years races won't have too many viewers of course but then who cares apart from us fans who just want to see top quallity open wheeled racing PLEASE

How I agree with Rochester yup this is negociating at its extremes. Road warriors out their listen up you might learn something. In the meantime we'll all have to look forward to the 'last' Silverstone race.

Friday is NOT a deadline and if need be it will be extended for as long as it takes. A budget cap cannot be policed as research from another part of the company, for those that have another part, won't remain a forbidden secret to the F1 boys. I just hope we end up with good racing next year with teams and drivers we can all cheer for if we like cheering.

Williams only other option was going out of business. They already have sponsor problems and therefore they had no choice. FOTA are well aware of these facts and, for the moment, Williams are a bygone name with no real chance of any champoinship for driver or manufacturer coming their way. I've always been a Williams fan but regretfully what they do at the in 2009 doesn't count for much.

Williams have nothging else to do they can either sign or go out of business and I doubt Frank wants that. Frank might well hope the big boys will leave and a budget cap would suit Williams whose main sponsor hasn't got any money any more. Ultimately though they have no where else to go and Bernie has them by the !!!!! Wallet(?).

Rubens your not out of it by any means. A couple of DNFs for Jenson and you could well be in the lead but you need to start winning soon because even at this early stage of the season time is running out.

I don't think wodergoblin is going to far out at all. Monaco is the only Grand Prix I've fallen asleep whilst watching and I've done that more than once. There is no chance of losing it because the sponsors all love it so much but it really is not a true race. Never mind it is over for another year. Yes we've had a few races now and the BBC coverage is dire but unfortunately they aren't likely to change it. I only watch the action and simply don't bother with the rest of the programmes.

Well done Lewis. You coughed to it straight away. Don't worry all the greats have done much the same.

With our backs against the wall we must remember there is another wall behind this one and probably further walls to fall.

thomas998 I think you've got it right fellow though it might have to be a little more subtle.

Yes Lewis that's right. Never mind it has happened to all the great drivers of the past. Get daddy to put the teddy back in the pram again

Regratfully F1 will not be as popular without Ferrari. Pro-Drive, Lola or any other team will simply not cut the mustard and Italian, and probably a lot of South American fans will stop watching. This is why Ferrari get a bigger slice of the cake. Max knows this because Bernie probably calls him at least twice a day. F1 will survive without Ferrari and Ferrari (Fiat) will survive without F1 but from Bernie's point of view it can't be allowed to happen so my guess is it won't. We shall see but claims that Ferrari will be locked out if they don't get the paperwork in are nothing more than negociating tactics.

We are still playing chicken.

Don't worry Robson they'll be there.

I Believe the game is called 'chicken'. We will see who makes it to the other side of Main Street.

Rubens fellow you are a hired hand. Follow orders or ship out. Remember at one stage you didn't expect to be racing this year. I can promise you that, regretfully, you just are not important enough to be holding anyone to ransom. Fear not if you want to go there will be plenty of others happy to take your drive. Make whatever noise you like but just do what Brawn tells you too, or leave.

Sorry Rubens you seem to be fated to always be the number 2. Never mind enjoy the money.

I end up having to say Mr. Button is right now I never expected that on a GP weekend

There is something very strange going on here. As others have already said it is fairly obvious that Kimi was going to be bumbed out and this has already happened to Ferrari this season. Good teams, and Ferrari are a good team, don't take chances with the first stage of qualli so I don't understand quite what the game is. May be and just may be it lets the car's designers off the hook but I really don't know.

Cyrano that is a little unreasonable after Kimi's last season. In truth few drivers really make a car much better than it is, although lots make it worse. I'm not a Hamilton fan but given his car he's done pretty well so far. May be this weekend will be a good race but I still feel some teams have a long way to go.

F1 seems to have lost its way a bit. I'm not doing down Brawn GP and I believe F1 needs new teams but it would be great to get back to the simpler days when the best car with the best driver won. The way to make F1 cheaper is for all teams to race with a standard engine in a standard car and we know that is boring. So why can't we simplify the rules? I know FOTA can't go it alone because the tracks they raced on would be empty for the rest of the year because FIA would not alow any race under their rules to be held there. Somehow we need to start again and let the best team take the prize again. I'm not sure it can be done though.

Well done Ron. F1 will be poorer without you.

Budget caps are frankly impossible to police. Teams have always bent the rules and will continue to do so. I agree with what others have said we need a period of stability with regard to rules and engine developement. Ultimately the market will decide as sponsors choose how valuable F1 is to them.

I'm very sad to see Ron go. He wan't the easiest guy to get on with but few outside the PR tent are easy to get on with. I can't say I think F1 is any better today than it was yesterday. Anyway let's get on with the racing. I doubt if Ron is going to waorry about cash as so many of us do. I never got to fly on the private jet, he did all the time.

Lewis isn't in the clear yet himself so I think Brawn will stick with what they've got for this season. Maybe Mr. Hamilton Senior might be wise to just keep quiet in public and do the deals in private.

Of course they could the Spanish public is not exactly overjoyed with a Spanish Bank sponsoring a team without a Spanish driver so it's a easy way out for sponsor if they wish to take it.

I'm sorry Riff it was an entertaining race for a long time. What I would love to know is does Martin Brundle long for an ITV commercial break now and again. Particularly when the race was stopped. Well done Brawn GP.

Toyota have nothing to appeal and as such it will be forgotten. I'm afraid under the safety car I would tell my driver to let another through if the other guy was trying to get past. You just cannot overtake under yellow and that has been the case for a long time so you don't fight to keep someone from doing something that is clearly against the rules.

Yellow you speak for me too.

I agree that we have to give the Beeb team to settle in and learn from their mistakes. It'll take a while for the ball by ball guy Leggard and the colorman Brundle to get to know each others style and mesh together. As for Jordan and Coulthard they wouldn't be my choice but there we go they have to learn what is required of them. No one was a complete disaster. Kravitz is OK but we don't need a token girl which is what we seem to have. There are women in the F1 industry who might be able to do a good job, if they were given one.

Yes and they will work hard and they'll be back for sure.

Well done to Ross it was a great win. The job losses were bound to happen but I'm sorry for all those who will be looking for new employment. As for Virgin Richard won't be drinking a lot or going out with young ladies that is for sure. He is a businessman through and through. If it is good for the Virgin brand name and for him he'll put money into Brawn, if not he won't. One thing you can be sure of is that he isn't worried about possible price rises. He didn't want to get in too early and he will have factored in the wins and possible losses

If slade is right and tyres are going to be that important then the FIA really got it wrong. The idea was for more racing and overtaking on the track not stratagy in the pit lane surely.

The FIA can cope with changes in the teams leading the sport but I'm not sure Bernie will regard Brawn GP as the team he wants to see at the front. I suspect the diffuser row has plenty more milage in it yet. None the less it was a good race as long as you're not a Ferarri fan.

Oh good stuff. I would rather we could have had this decided before the racing but now we're along for the ride. It would be nice if no one gets to lose hard won points though.

Of course it is because you're quick Ross there isn't much incentive to protest a slow team but the decision as to whether or not the design is legal will be taken by others not you.

Flavio and Bernie are both major shareholders in Queens Park Rangers FC as I understand it so I have major doubts that Flavio is threatening his mate in quite the fashion reported. Team bosses do get hot under the collar but these two have worked with Bernie for years and know him perfectly well. I suspect behind the scenes we are still very much on first name terms. The truth is that we are ready to go racing so let the cars hit the track.

The rule seems to be badly written, or at least less than clear, but I'm not exactly certain what can be done before scrutineering because before then each team can make changes to their cars so we can only be certain what diffuser each team will want to use when their cars are presented to the stewards. Teams have always tried to bend the rules. I have a model of the Tyrrell P34 from 1976 which had six wheels in front of me. Having let the matter go this far it will have to go to an objection and a decision. The rules need to be better written it is true but maybe teams might stop trying to gain an 'unfair' adventage on each other but that would spoil half the fun wouldn't it?

Kimi has known this since last season. If you are in a top team you perform or leave or settle in as a number two. Kimi wasn't a great number two so it is perform or get out. I just feel I could manage on the pension pot he has built up. I do agree though that the ghost of Shumacher hangs heavy over Ferrari and most seem to favour Massa.

Bernie still hasn't told us how he'll sell F1 if the season is, in effect, over with a number of races still left to run. I confess I don't mind crashes where bodywork and large egos get dented but I don't want to see drivers, marshalls, or fans injured during mad overtaking moves on the last lap and I'm worried that wuill happen. F1 isn't athletics and that is logic too Bernie. Still st least now we all have a year to think and the racing gets closer

Testing ain't racing and he could well be right. We shall see by this time next week and that is the best news.

The FIA are looking silly again because they cannot write regulations that are clear. If they are serious about controlling motorsport they have to make clear what is, and is not, acceptable in terms of construction and then enforce that well before the first race. We don't need cars with what is seen as an unfair advantage and we don't need teams being stripped of points later in the season. Get it together chaps and the PLEASE let's go racing.

Right on Luca.

OK happylab where are these good tracks? I'm not an Indy fan either but prior to Indy F1 raced on streets and in a car park. I've not seen any US circuit that is up to F1 standards anywhere so where are you thinking of?

This is a disaster. It could well kill the TV audience figures for later races and that hurts the sponsors. No, No, No.

It happens Fernado. it happens. The very best of luck, and form for the rest of the test.

Bernie said years ago now that he regarded Europe as finished and Asia as the New World. He wouldn't have had problems with tobacco advertising out there and governments are happy to support circuits. It follows that over time he'll be happy to see all the European races go with the probable exception of Monza. As far as he is concerned Europeans can watch on TV and he'll arrange race times to accomodate that so threats against the British, or any other European GP are not new and will continue. We shall have to see what actually happens. I suspect ultimately it may depend on where sponsors feel they need the maximum exposure.

I suspect we shall never know the true figure but as it was a quickie we can be sure it suited both parties. Somehow I doubt that Bernie will be going short of anything.

Yes it has all begun with no real money but what the heck I never thought it would get this far. Good luck Ross.

I'm afraid technology and glitz is F1. If you just want lots of overtaking take a trip to any track and watch the lower formulas and that's what you'll get but it isn't F1. F1 is a package that includes everything, the motorhomes in the paddock, the lovingly cared for race cars, the computers, the sponsorship and the computers both in the cars and on the pit wall. I still love it all and can't wait for this season to get underway.

Yes Nige you were the best ever. In fact you were even better than anyone who could come after you could ever be. Now we've got that out of the way please go back to the golf and let todays crew get on with it.

I like gstart171's ideas. I would even be happy to see a point awarded for leading the most laps in a race. Just don't expect drivers not to continue to play the 'points game' towards the end of the season. This is not of itself bad it shows how much the championship matters.

We shall see. I still not convince the team will survive.

F1 will survive but I agree that perhaps we don't need more rules changes and ultimately it isn't the FIA's job to save it. Perhaps it is time for Max to back off as well as retire.

I love Williams too and have done for years but this doesn't sound good to me. Still they have time even if it is at a difficult time.

I don't think it will happen either and Americans are mainly interested in US sports but I still wish the USF1 team well. They are very unlikely to get a major sponsor but they claim they can run with lots of little sponsors and I think that would be a great idea. No it probably won't work but we can dream a little.

Many of the old teams started with customer cars so the first thing they can do is insure teams can still run customer cars. The next thing is to keep the rules the same for at least five years making changes only when there is a major safety issue.

I'm afraid I totally agree with Kackie for once.

I was always a Williams suporter although there hasn't been much to cheer about for a few years. I think and hope they can pull through but I have no idea where big time sponsorship is going to come from in the future. It sure won't be tobacco.

Comments about Vanwall and other teams of those years, which I knew too, are pointless for that was a different world. The Americans seem to be trying a NASCAR approach and we shall see if it works. I have my doubts but with cost-cutting who knows. Hopefully it will engage the US TV companies to cover their team, and our sport.

I have met Nik and he seemed a nice guy but I somehow don't think we need death back in F1. I like to see egos dented and carbon fibre broken but no more than that eh.

Sorry chaps F1 just isn't a good buy at the moment. If Honda want to come back, and I agree they probably will at some point, they'll be welcomed after all they've done it before and they'll want a clean sheet. I guess it is probably the end of the line.

I believe Rubens has gone and it is time to move on. Unfortunately it isn't just driving skills that matter in F1. The commercial side, who would watch because of Rubens that wouldn't otherwise watch, how much money he can bring to the team in sponsorship and how much extra exposure the team would have with him in it. His driving skills may be great but the new team's main need will be cash. Maybe Senna, it is the name that counts, can bring more.

Intrigue upon intrigue. Well we can write about now before the season gets interesting.

I don't know about the drivers, where are they to go that pays this sort of money but the fans yes standard cars would lose many of us I'm sure.

Yeh sure.

Put it this way I wouldn't mind if the British GP started at 17:00. I think this is about as good as it gets and, of course benzina it will be 7am CET and Bernie was after the Europians not us.

At first I was hopeful for the Virgin bid but the more I think about it the less likely it seems. Branson won't make any money directly from any deal and I just wonder if £80 million will forward the Virgin name enough to make the deal worthwhile. Once again with Virgin this 'bid' could be just a stunt.

If Senna comes in he'll have a free year as no one will expect anything in 2009. A better learning curve than most drivers get.

This would be a good deal for both parties with Virgin able to use this type of exposure. Sure they'll be at the back thgis season but there is a good chance to improve in the future. We don't really need to lose more teams.

That's OK Timo go and race in sports cars or carts or take up another sport.

I agree with THussey but what will matter at the end of the day is where anyone can raise £100 million for a race track. I have always said I can't see it ever happening.

I'm not convinced.

If it is going to happen then what is the delay. The team needs time to prepare so further delays mean the new owners are shooting themselves in the foot. I still have grave doubts this team can survive.

OK Guys don't race I'm sure there aren't others to take your jobs?

Hopefully this story well help to kill the idea that the best drivers get to F1 sometimes its is just the guys with the backing.

Why does everyone want a F1 GP. I've been watching for decades and none of the new curcuits match the old ones. I wish our friends across the world would just watch on TV as most of us have to do. As it is you can forget complaining at Bernie he looks to have no problems riding the gravy train and the racing just isn't getting better.

The problems are not really about overall cost but about value for money. What a big team gets out of F! is advertising and the question for teams will be is an outlay of ¿50 million going to bring in a return. This is totally different from the days of cigarette sponsors when it was just the exposure they wanted couple with the idea that it was cool to smoke. It may be time for the FIA to think more about the image of F1. I am not sure given the world problems that even Bernie's beloved Far Eastern market will be buying thousands of luxury European cars.

I'd love to know more about this 2 week holiday. When would it happen? Are the teams sure no one would 'bend the rules'? If there is to be no refueling then will tyres still get changed? I await more detail with interest.

I'm sorry the guy didn't make it but he didn't. May be it is time for him and for F1 to move on. As for the team if there was a worthwhile deal out there it would already have been done.

It is going to be hard Sir Frank but as a long time supporter I wish the Williams team well. May be we'll see a Williams-Cosworth again.

Sorry er... No Nikki

Best of luck Mario we don't want to lose BMW but the economic situation is starting to bite m,ay be Bernie will have to free up a little more cash.

No doubt that on this one Bernie is right Ferrari have the biggest following worldwide amd have been around the longest. However they still need teams to compete against so the sport can never afford to favour Ferrari too much. By the way I'm not a fan of Ferrari I started as a Cooper fan and have followed a lot of team since tyhen.

Donnington just isn't going to happen is it.

The teams can decide!

I wonder I suspect this is a truce and not the end of the war.

Assuming the FIA cannot actually prevent teams from servicing their engine between uses I can't really see why anyone would need to use a ninth engine. Teams can always have different engines for different types of tracks. However I still feel very uneasy about the cost saving FIA ideas so far.

Good luck Ron and thanks for the ride. Don't work too hard there are other things in life you know.

Of course they'll stay for the time being they saw off Honda and that was a great victory for Toyota

Does any team want this expensive FIA idea?

Come on robson you know Ferrari are going to be rubbish this year. They've just got it wrong that's all!!!

If Honda had secret data they might have been a little closer to the front themselves robson. As it is this sounds like PR to me

Oops

I don't quite understand DC's reasoning. The Honda team are pretty sure to be at the back and they don't even have an engine yet. If JB wants to race then it is time to move on.

Hardly a great surprise but I wish them all the best and hope they have a great season. I doubt it will be a third McLaren though even if McLaren learn a lot from it.

I'm looking forward to the BBC coverage and no ad breaks so yeah bring it on Martin.

Yes Murray but I'm not quite sure where that takes us. Kimi is still at Ferrari and I doubt he'll have a pay cut for the 2009 season.

Ron I don't get it either.

Agreed Dave. Good move.

I can't understand robson's problems. I doubt if anybody thought that they would be great at the old 'Honda' team this year but they need to develop and Brawn knows Ferrari so it will be easier to go that way. It makes sense for Ferrari to be seen helping out a team in trouble too. I just cannot see where the sponsorship is going to come from to pay for it all.

This is another example of how to spend money when the original system still works. It makes me wonder how interested the top teams are in reducing costs at all.

Strangely enough Gerhard it was the teams themselves that raised the costs so high. It was win at any price and therefore the costs went through the roof. Concerns over Bernie and Max won't alter the fact that first cigarette manufacturers and then car makers saw F1 as great publicity and were prepared to pay and teams, and drivers, loved it. Now times are hard and advertising takes the hit first. NASCAR is suffering as well with Team Petty gone and others to follow. May be a return to the rather less professional type of team seen in the 1960s would help along with cheaper drivers. I have loved F1 for many decades now and I don't think it will die but it will change and not perhaps in the way that Bernie, Max, or Gerhard are going to like.

How good F1 is in 2009 won't depend on Bernie or Max it will depend on the racing. If the cars can run reliably and no one car is better than all the rest, I know some will be worse, then we shall have a good year. For 2009 we can only hope that both championships go down to the last race and we have enough happening on the track to disagree about and then it will be another great year. We might want more cars but it won't happen this year so let's hope we can enjoy what does happen and slag off the teams and drivers we don't support ourselves of course.

I am sure Jenson would feel the same but if he sits it out then the old rule of 'out of sight out of mind' will come into play. Better to keep up the skills driving for someone.

A contract with get-out clauses, what is that worth?

What is in the back of this competative package me wonders.

A Merry Christmas PF1 and everybody who has contributed during the year.

This is probably not the time David see how it pans out with F1 and come back later.

Well done Ron but NASCAR is what counts Stateside. F1 never filled Indie and Canada is not the US where the real action is. In truth Americans want their own race series and not one imported from Europe. There are no curcuits where the formula would work so curcuits have to be created and often they are not that good. Track break-up having been a problem over the years for example. Perhaps we need to sell it to their TV audience first and that means a good US driver. Got one in mind Ron?

Can I agree with timem1 that I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye. I can see why Ferrari were and are important to F1 with their world wide support but I too wonder what is going on. Oh well it keeps us talking during the winter break.

Bernie you're still not telling us what happens to the teams who fight for the lower places, should they just give up? What happens to a driver who for what ever reason cannot come third in any one race? Should they stop in the pits abd save their team money? I still think this scheme is hgalf-baked.

I just wonder if it will be two years again at the end of the 2009 season. This, of course, assumes Renault keep the team going and their balance sheet wasn't too hot last time I saw it.

Without doubt staying put would seem to be Jenson's best bet. Honds may be prepared to continue to pay his massive salary partly to make the team a more attractive buy. A year away from F1 would be a dangerous option remembering the old rule 'outof sight, out of mind'.

100 million is less than a third of a season's budget so Honda are still in pocket. As for the earth thing most of us know F1 is not eco friendly but still love it. If you want eco friendly try the Tour D France without the support cars or helicopters as of the 1920s.

We shall see!

We might see F1 as a sport but to the car makers who fund teams it is a marketing scheme. The decision to stay or go will be taken by Board members not team principles. To many Merc produce large comfortable cars and BMW similar vehciles. Given a downturn they may well consider F1 not worth the outlay. I'm afraid Mr. Parr may well be right but F1 will survive remember once we never even had sponsorship.

Ron has achieved a lot over the years as have McLaren but I'm glad I'm not one of his children. I wonder if his wife incentivises him?

I suspect it was Honda's failure to beat Toyota rather than a straight reduction in revenue that led to their pulling away from F1. I think Brawn can get an engine and I think he is a great team boss but it will prove extremely difficult to build a winning car now. I wonder if a sponsor really wants another second rate team? I doubt it.

If Max is right, and I think he is, then we shall have to return to an F1 format last seen decades ago. That implies a vast reduction in drivers' pay as well. It will be interesting to see who hangs around.

Unfortunately F1 is about a lot more than driving fast. It is about how you look and how you sound as well. Mark may be good but he has never attracted a really top team and every year he gets older. I wish him well but I can't see a championship coming his way ay more I'm afraid.

Good luck Nicolas.

Of Course Flave even a thick fan like me could work that one out.

I don't want to see any more Europian races fold but it isn't looking good. F1 is a great event but unfortunately other race meetings are far less successful hence the losses. Bernie may have to do a lot of thinking because the far east isn't likely to be coming up with the dosh and the middle east also seems to have problems as PlanetF1 reported. I think the FIA need to try to get us to the lesser races as well.

When Bernie first came up with this plan I posted a message wondering why. It is highly unlikely to go through so what is Bernie up to. He will have known it wouldn't be popular and he is very devious so has anybody out there got any ideas on what is going on. Don't think Bernie is a fool he isn't he is highly intelligent and has been around a long time and made a lot of money.

Honda is a great company and Ross Brawn a great designer/team manager but time is getting short Honda won't support a team coming in behind Toyota for too much longer. As for Mr. Button being a great driver he still has to prove that with a few good wins.

Murray has a lot more faith in the FIA than I do.

Best of luck people it isn't going to be an easy sell away from the race itself particularly during a time of economic shortages.

I Know Wembley manages it but Donnington Park doesn't have a mass transit system (Underground) link. Funding the transport won't be a problem as it will pay for itself but 100,000 people need a lot of coaches. However as piglet rightly says the car parks will be free for the choppers.

I basically agree with the thoughts in the article but Bernie is such a devious guy I am forced to wonder if there is something we don't know about behind this crazy idea?

Sorry I still think that there can be better places to race than a dock area with a track made with concrete barriers. As I have admitted in the past this is one I don't like.

Juan is an honest guy but F1 has moved on since his days and I wonder which teams have asked him to return? He is a moderate NASCAR driver who drives hard without too many wins. If the sponsorship is there for him then that is where he belongs. F1 driver seldom have to move down the formula to survive by the way. The sport of F1 still pays drivers pretty well.

It won't increase overtaking at all. It may however mean that there is nothing for the lower teams to race for. Perhaps we should just have four teams in F1 because that is what we may well get.

Yes well the competition was a little bit too much I supose.

We shall see. It won't be easy to build a spectator base for a night race around a docks area locally. The economic downturn has hit China too so we shall just have to wait to find out if it is viable long term. I confess it is not my favorite event.

Well at least they have hung onto Martin. I confess I'm not too certain about Eddie and I don't listen to Radio Five but let's start with an open mind and see how it goes.

Yes I'll miss him but perhaps not as an expert.

Allo the bast to the new arrival. I hope it has a long and happy life.

I agree with AD on this one. I suspect that without McLaren Force India might well pull the plug and we'd end up with one less team to watch.

I don't mind the teams managing the gas because they go faster that way but I don't want thirty minutes of empty track again PLEASE.

Yes Murray. Well they started by trying to do it on the cheap and got caught out. Tony hasn't been with us for a while now either. ITV decided that footie was a better seller then F1 and they are probably right so I don't think I'll bad mouth the Beeb before they get stated. Have a nice retirement Murray and go back to the motorbikes eh.

The sport needs teams like Force India and if they can do more than make up the numbers then it makes for better racing which is more fun to watch.

There is no need to see the contract. The golden rule applies. He who has the gold makes the rules.

No they need drivers too. Drivers that will be popular in parts of the world where they hope to sell a lot of cars and motorcycles. They know full well it will be a while before they can get to the top again after all they have done so twice in the past and I suspect they want drivers from South America where they hope to sell Honds.

Most interesting! I wonder if McLaren have someone they would like to see on the technical side if they are going to supply nthe bits thatmake the car go? I look forward with interest to the 10th.

So Barrichello is on the way out. That's a shame as I for one liked the guy. I can understand Honda getting a new driver in but have to wonder if it is worth their keeping Jenson Button?

Luck? There is always a throw of the dice in any sport. If there wasn't then the whole thing could be played out on a computer and we would have nothing to watch. I agree with most of the papers quoted Lewis worked hard and got the points so he is a worthy Wold Champion. Now for 2009.

I happily agree with everything Schumi said.

Wow, I was happy whoever won but what a finish now don't mess up next year FIA

Unfortunately being the best driver as Alonso may well be isn't enough you also need a car that can win. Renault have done well towards then end of the season but to be truly the best either Alonso has to drag them back to the top or find himself another team I suspect he was expecting a certain Italian team to pick him up but then so was I.

I like it!

The car makers would love a US Grand Prix rather than just a North American GP but the problem is that Single seat racing is not big on US Television. Unless F1 can get close to NASCAR the lack of a North American GP won't kill F1.

This is one European race I shan't miss. I hope they find a new track for 2010 though.

Once again we are talking about single engine supliers. What happens to the sponsorship from car manufacturers if that happens? Perhaps everyone, as they all seem to be agreed, could just spend less.

RichardW complains that F1 is all about money these days and he is right. The money comes from television rights and largely from TV companies in Europe hence night racing in the far east. If this venue can put up the money good luck to it but I do wonder if European viewers will start to get a little fed up of tracks that are very foreign to them?

F1 is under threat now. We never had the stewards getting so involved in the past so is it McLaren under attack from the FIA or F1 in general. If the FIA cannot keep its stewards out of the racing the TV audience will drop and sponsors will pull out and that just could be the end.

It is no surprise that those teams with car manufacturers as sponsors are sorry to lose a North American race, so am I, but the big race series in the US is NASCAR which is very different to F1. There have been a lot of attempts to make F1 big in the US and so far all have failed. Ultimately it is the TV audience that matters and that remains low in the US. Teams might like to find a way to raise the F1 profile. Then they can race there and we can watch a US race again.

I cdan't go so the partying is not my concern but it would seem in F1's interest to keep one North American race.

Any thing that helps make the newer andf less well funded teams faster must be good for the sport. However I suspect Max baby would loike it.

I believe there used to be something like this called Indy Cart. If you like single engine formats then I'm sure Sky TV could help but it sure ain't F1