deepwater330.. Of course not, but nearly all drivers contracts will have performance clauses for the teams benefit. But yes I could be wrong in this case. Actually I was just having a dig at lawyers!!!!

As I understand it no teams will use KERS next year (FOTA decision) so how can redesigning the car without KERS detract from next year's programme? McLaren are already doing that. The way I see it is the only way to get the MP4-24 to the front is to use KERS (as proven in Germany)

Seb.. I suggest you read the performance clause in your contract instead of paying lawyers to do so.

I personally think that Jean Todt is a far better canditate for the role than Vatanen. Todt has vast experience of running teams (very successful ones) in F1, WRC, Le Mans and other catagories. He also has the experience of running a road car company so he knows the motor industry as well. I don't think Vatanen has anything like that experience or necessary knowledge. The obvious problem with Todt is that because of his recent and strong links with Ferrari any contraversial decisions will be perceived as being favoured towards Ferrari, even if they are not. The FIA member clubs should not overlook this point because it could continue the damage already created and ultimately destroy F1. I was going to suggest to everyone to contact your local FIA member club with your preffered candidate, but there is no point in Britain because one of Todd's key people is Graham Stoker, chairman of the MSA so that vote will already be going Todt's way.

I guess thats it then. Todt is president of the FIA, because Mosley will have done what he does best and rigged the vote amongst the minor FIA member clubs. Remember, the last vote (for Mosley after the scandal)

Pasikuikka ...I read elsewhere that Vatanen represented Finland in the European Union but lived in France. But by the nature of your name, I presume you are Finnish and probably know best ??

Good to see positive posts about DC. He wasn't the best driver ever but he is in the same league as Berger, Reutemann, Peterson, Ickx etc (the nearly men) and that is not a bad club to be in. I also think he is v good on TV. Go on, give Le Mans a go!!

Of course Whitmarsh will back Vatanen over Todt. Memories of 2007 will not have faded.

Everyone in F1 is trying to reduce costs except Bernie. Can't he see that the reason the Nurburgring stands were so empty is that the fans are struggling to afford the ticket prices. It is time he learnt that he is strangling the sport by forcing away the people that pay for it (the fans).

Yes he was good in f3 and showing some pace in WSR but how many laps has he actually done in a F1 car? I can't find any record of him doing any at all. Hungary should be interesting.

I want to know how Jonathon Leggard (BBC) knew for certain Alguersuari was replacing Bourdais before it was officially announced. Not very professional commentating! On at least 4 occasions I heard Leggard talk about Bourdais's last race in F1.

Well done Mark. We have all waited a long time for this. Maybe your bad luck streak is finally over.

Big deal.. Glock starts now from the other siside of the last raw.

Go for it Lewis. Hit that KERS button when the lights go out!

Yes Bernie.. and what about you?

Also, read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FISA-FOCA_war and change names for today's culprits and you get almost the same story 25 years on!!

ENOUGH!!!! I follow F1 to watch the best cars, teams and drivers compete. Can we get back to what it's all about now and stop this pathetic bickering.

alexisn1.. How can you say that? Todt is Ferrari through and through. The FIA need someone with no links to Formula 1 teams or manufacturers.

Shame for Brendon Hartley. I had high hopes for him.

My guess he is off to join one of the new teams.. the lure of money!! Excellent bloke though. I remember him doing a TV interview when he was at Williams.

CooperS.. I have been a serious fan of F1 since the 70s. All the people I know who follow F1 (quite a few) are in agreement that todays announcement from the FIA is great news. None of us really wanted a break away series but we did want great racing in the elite class.. Thats all we want. So be happy with the outcome and stop moaning. I guess there will always be moaners like CooperS though.

Intrepid.. Well said, in fact I thought I was reading what I was thinking. I actually like the idea of cars not guaranteed of qualifying again. But your main point is this story is Max's statement. I will not believe this until I hear a statement from FOTA.

No breakaway series, therefore Bernie will still charge his exorbiant track fees and get rid of the good racing tracks in favour of government funded tracks where nobody is interested.

I really hope so Lewis. You were fairly beaten in qualifying by Heikki at GB. Even your fans are doubting you can drive a bad car (I spoke to a quite a few of them at Silverstone)

Please Max, come to your senses and step down for the good of the sport. Mind you, I think that is like asking Hitler to stand down (yes there was a family connection!!)

Well said dmarshall79. The Brawn car, together with Button's driving style make that combination ideally suited to warmer track conditions of which most of the races are.

He was looking for an excuse for not coming up with the cash and F1 presented him with one on a silver platter. He was never going to find the money for whatever reason.

Come on FIA members.. where is your vote of no confidence for Max? Can't you see what he is doing to the organisation and motorsport in general. I still don't understand how one man can cause so much damage without approval from the rest of the FIA.

Isnt it about time for the FIA to issue a vote of no confidence to its president? Max Mosely has single handedly ruined the best motorsport series in the world.

OK, in previous posts I have maintained that a solution could be found, but after reading this I now really know that the FIA are not going to compromise and that spells the end of F1 as the elite motorsport. Yes there will be a full grid next year but without 8 of this years teams. I only hope that Williams and Force India have an option in their contracts to withdraw if the other teams do not compete. Then F1 will trully be dead.

This is getting stupid now. The chasm between FOTA and the FIA is getting wider and although it is very sad that this conflict has got this far, I would not blame any of the FOTA teams for leaving F1. It is unquestionable that MAx Mosely is to blame because it is not his or the FIA's job to involve themselves in any companies finances. He was right to suggest budget caps but wrong to enforce them. I cannot see this being resoved by Friday in which case F1 can never be the same elite sport again. Shame.

shibbyuk.. you have to be joking. The Benetton cars (96-99) were a disaster. Fantastic drivers like Berger, Alesi, Wurz and Fisi couldn't get much out of them. The reason for this is that Brawn and Schumacher (and a few others) left the team for Ferrari in 1996. Anyway Manor have earned their place in F1. I have followed them in both Formula Renault and F3 Euro. Shame about Prodrive. I suspect Richard's relationship with Mosely has something to do with that.

Absolute rubbish. FOTA (which includes Ferrari, McLaren and Brawn) submitted a block entry so how can the press know who has been included or excluded. I await with interest the FIA's release.

Alexisn1.. F1 should not be based on the history and heritage. The history of F1 is fantastic and will always be there. It cannot be changed but F1 is about the future. Change, as seen this year is good. Having said that I agree that F1 should also be a series where the top teams in the world compete and yes those teams include the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Williams and not a load of F3000/GP2 type teams. I personally want F1 to remain but with stability and consistency (albeit with cost reduction)and, most importantly, without Max Mosely in charge.

I am a McLaren fan and this year I am supporting 2 good drivers in silver tractors and very slow ones at that!! I am not switching allegiance but well done Jenson, you and the team were the class act.

Hedgescraper.. Teamwork, design.. whatever! julesfoster is right. Brawn is a genius and has set the race up for all options covered. The only hurdle maybe Vettel.

This guy gives up before he has even started. Can he only win from pole???

Looks like another win coming Jens's way

Bring on Vanwall and BRM!! Oh yes and I am entering my push bike as well!

Here we go.. back to 1989 when there were about 16 teams with some teams (Coloni, Onyx, AGS etc) that hardly ever made it to the grid. Stupid then, completely ridiculous now!!

I have done a bit of research on Williams buying March. Actually Frank Williams bought a March 761 to kickstart the Williams team in 1977 before he built his own car (the FW01) for 1978. ATS bought the March assets and factory in 1977 so yes, Mosely doesn't know who bought his own team. And this is the guy who is running our favourite sport!!!!!

Robbeh.. I also don't remember Williams buying March, but as Mosely was the founder of March (with Robin Herd) he must know something we don't (unless he is going senile which I hear you all shout 'HE IS!!!')

I am not sure how you can compare a racing driver who relies on the car performance and his own skill to that of a swimmer who relies on himself (or herself) to perform.

Good point ARNETT. Nobody except Bernie and Ferrari will know the true answer to that question.

Yes .. It is Adrian Campos's team. He was a F1 driver who drove for Minardi in 1987 & 1988. (2 Finishes, 14 retirements, 1 DSQ, 1 DNS and 3 DNQs)

I think most fans know that Ferrari have a 'special treatment' contract with FOA so it is no surprise to us. We may moan about it especially if we are fans of other teams, but like the team principals we accept it as part of F1. The feeling I get from other fans here in Monaco is that this will blow over and F1 will be better as a result of Ferrari and FOTA's stance on the budget cap and two-tier issue. I now agree with that. I look forward to the press release from Flavio's boat!

Back in my hotel room now. I was standing at Beau Rivage and thinking f1 can't finish. It was awesome!!!

I totally support Ferrari (in this matter only!) and hope that they prove strong enough to stand their ground if the FIA enforce the new regulations. If the two-tier championship happens then F1 will have lost everything that makes it the pinnacle of motorsport. It is very sad having followed F1 since the 70s. I only hope that the FIA come to their senses for the sake of the fans, the sponsors, the teams but most of all the sport itself. I also believe that a rival series would not work in the strength that F1 does and it would take many years to get a new championship to mature into something (commercially and sporting) that can be even close to what F1 has achieved. I hate to say this but top level motorsport (open wheel racing) is in danger of strangling itself courtesy of the FIA.

and who is placing their interests above those of the sport in which they regulate? mmm

terrie.. yes to Suzie Stoddart but she's no American (in fact she's from my hometown Oban)and she drives tin-tops in DTM. And for all those slating women drivers there are loads in Karting and lets not forget Katherine Legge and Vanina Ickx.

Put Dario Franchitti in the car. He must have American citizenship by now! Actually my real reason is I want to see another Scot in F1 and he is very fast. Put Danica in the other car and I will be happy.

It seems there are some fans posting here that want a 2 tier championship ie, unfair rules not in the spirit of F1. Are they for real or have they no understanding about what is at stake? Go on Ferrari.. stick to your guns! (and I am not a Ferrari fan!)

Stop being so pessimistic and get it sorted.

This is a man trying to appear calm but desperate to save his income stream. Of course he will jump on the teams side because F1 needs the teams but it doesn't need the FIA (FOCA could and should do a better job).

Wow.. this is getting more serious than the FOCA (Formula One Constructors Association) / FISA (sporting arm of the FIA) fallout of 1982. Except then Ferrari and Renault were on the FIA's side. How things change.

At last.. someone steps forward and speaks sense. Well said Jackie. I agree the FIA (esp. Max) has overstepped their role in F1 and need to be brought back to what they are supposed to do and that is ensure fair and sporting racing. Something they have shown complete incompetance in recent years.

Lets hope Lola puts a bit more effort than they did in 1997. They were very good at supplying cars to other teams (notably Bowman-Yeoman in the 60s with John Surtees driving and Team Haas in the 80s with Alan Jones driving) but never had much success in their own right. Good luck this time

Some of the comments I am reading here are ludicrous. I repeat.. Ferrari have not said they are leaving F1 (They said they will if the 2-tier rules are implemented). All this amounts to is the dealing of the first card in a powerful game of bluff. Ferrari need F1 like F1 needs Ferrari. Hopefully, Ferrari have made the first step in the right direction and the other teams will support them. There will be a compromise and F1 will continue as normal next year albeit somewhat less expensive. (and that is what everyone wants in this current climate)

I think Ferrari's announcement might just save F1. Max will have to backtrack now.

This article really puts the situation at Ferrari in perspective. To me, apart from the KERS glitches, it is clear that the situation is down to appalling management decisions. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Ferrari board meeting this afternoon.

'We haven't lost anything'... except motivation, a decent car and good leadership. Apart from that everything is fine!!

If Max can't see what is happening then maybe the time is right for a breakaway series. For once I fully support Luca di Montezemolo along with Toyota, Red Bull and BMW. Could this be the end of F1? No, but it could be the end of Max Mosely. (I wish)

'The first bumpy patch for Brawm'? Has the writer of this article forgotten that Brawn were in front of the WMSC defending their diffuser? As for Barrichello, he was slower than Button in the last 2 stints, so he had his chance to win.

I saw the TV pictures (as did everyone else). That guy should be locked up.. Disgraceful and an embaressment to all the good Spanish people.

Rubens ..sorry but you had your chance today and you could have won on the 3 stop strategy. Unfortunately you were too slow in the last 2 stints. Excellent start though, reminded me of when you were faster than Schumi.

Go on Toyota.. Lead the way into a properly run elite tournament. The time is right and I am sure BMW, Mercedes and possibly Ferrari will follow. If they do the rest will as well. That would put Max and his cronies as well as Bernie in their places.

Respect Fernando... A true sportsman and gentleman. Unlike the Fernando of 2007!!

Why is everyone panicking? OK the championship will be tough but Ferrari will be back winning races before you can say 'Brawn GP'. So will McLaren. Not sure abot BMW though.

I am confused how this guy is still in Formula 1. In the same car as Alonso he is consistently slower by a long way. I remember a couple of years ago another rookie managed to beat FA in the same car. (OK NP jnr is no longer a rookie). Give Grosjean the drive, please (but maybe Fernando wouldn't like a fast team-mate again!!)

I applaud the mature posts on this item. My sincere condolences to the Mosley family.

I thought that Super Aguri went into receivership therefore all the assets, including the old Arrows Leafield factory, were sold. I am sure it will have to be a new team from scratch.

Mr Gillett... You are like an ostrich burying your head in the sand. You have major rent arrears and you are in the middle of a £100m revamp without having £100m in the bank. And we are in an economic depression. Think about it

In my opinion the Donnington project is doomed due to a totally amateurish approach. I agree with Damon Hill that they do not have the experience to do Formula 1 (despite their MotoGP experience). The Silverstone plans are professional and realistic. Also the government did invest in the supporting roads infrastructure. Despite Bernie's hatred of the BRDC and Silverstone, I do believe that the British GP will return to Silverstone and quite rightly. It's not just about the history, Silverstone remains one of the best racing circuits in the world and the new facilities can only add to Silverstone's value in F1.

Well said Stormwarning (& thetrotter). As I understand it, out of the F1 manufacturers, only Renault is below Ferrari in the world's top brands. But yes I would miss Ferrari, the team that we love to see beaten!!

Ha. This is The Daily Mail trying to stir up trouble yet again. I have been personally affected (me and about 700 others!!) by one of The Daily Mail's vindictive campaigns so I know what they are capable of.

OK gm914 what about Howden Ganley, Graham McRae, John Nicholson, Mike Thackwell (youngest driver to start an F1 race) and Tony Shelly. Along with Hulme, McLaren and Amon I think that is every Kiwi driver??

thorneh.. gp1.com is already taken. Shame you couldnt have found that out for yourself.

Max..how can you implement cost capping when you keep changing the rules. Just look at how much KERS has cost the teams for starters. And as for the 'grey' rules about diffusers, 7 teams are now having to spend millions to catch up. Try and get the old brain working Max.

Unbelievable!! A good decision by the FIA. I guess there were no infuencing Ferrari lawyers in the room. Hopefully we can get on with the racing now. (although McLaren may be a bit paranoid for the rest of the season!!)

Can you imagine Adrian Newey etc working for £100K a year? I don't think so. Anyway best of luck iSport. Maybe with either Lola, USF1, Aston Martin or iSport we might have a full grid next season. That would be good news.

I think KERS can add to the racing spectacle but only if all teams have a system. At the moment there are some problems with faster cars (without KERS) getting stuck behind slower cars (with KERS) and that is not right. Also I think that a lot of money has been invested in KERS and it would not give a good message it it was banned. Perhaps it should be removed this season until all teams are ready to race with it.

I don't understand how a team can be penalised twice. McLaren and Hamilton were disqualified after Australia. If they get a 2 race ban surely that earlier disqualification has to be reversed. As for the Daily Mail's reporting.. What will they come up with next??

At least we know that the Ferrari is capable of going faster than the pitlane speed limit!!!

I read on another story today Robson spouting on about his predictions always coming right. Lets go back a couple of months and remind ourselves of another Robson prediction...Ferrari will win both championships in 2009. Hee hee

F1GPIndia..you are talking about Toyota..I agree but I think they will get a win this year. Also to Parashar.. I wasn't just referring to the team as Force India, I was referring to the team since Midland took over Jordan, then became Spyker then Force India. All I was saying is I would like to see teams with racing pedigree compete in F1. Sorry if I upset the Force India fans, but they need to start scoring points otherwise they will remain in the ranks of teams like Forti, Simtek, EuroBrun, Fondmetal etc

I cant believe how this has blown out of all proportion. What we are talking about is a minor incident which happens at every stewards enquiry. Now one of the most successful teams in the history of F1 may be forced to quit because of it. Shame on the FIA. Bruce will be turning in his grave! How many time did Ferrari mislead the stewards? Monaco 2006 is a classic example.

I hate to say this but I said last year that Ferrari would fall under the leadership of Domenicali. He just isn't in the same league as Todt, Brawn etc. I am not a Ferrari fan but it is very sad to see them fall from grace. They need a huge shake up from the management to the drivers. I foresee another long drought with occasional lucky wins for Ferrari. Maybe they should persuade Schumacher to come back full time to run the team.

It would be fanatastic to see such names as Lola and Aston Martin (proper racing pedigrees) back in F1 instead of Mickey Mouse teams like Force India.

Ridiculous decision. The Chinese will probably pay people to go and watch (just like the Olympics)

I am not a Ferrari fan but for once I agree with Domenicali. Parr cannot say these things without giving supporting evidence or opinions. There are clearly some individuals in F1 who are playing with the big boys and are way out of their depth.

Farewell to one of the best personalities in F1. A true racer like Sir Frank Williams. Hope you get your knighthood one day. Thanks for the last 40 years.

They certainly need to. Ferrari are at bottom of the table at the moment... Ferrari and Force India have 0 points, but Force India have 4 finishes while Ferrari have 3 finishes and a retirement. I am sure they will return to form soon but the Championship?? I am not so sure.

Well said aaronmullan789. AD got it spot on this time (makes a bit of change!!)

'The controlling body is so clearly anti Ferrari'... Robson, I am so curious to know what planet you live on. Maybe you just have an amazing sense of humour. Either way, you don't watch the same sport as the rest of us !!

Although I think the Diffuser 3 will win (and so they should!), I agree with FerrariStu. Planet F1, do you know something that the rest of us don't? If you do come right out and say why you think you know the outcome. Anyway, if the diffuser is deemed illegal, the impact will be far reaching. Brawn, Toyota and Williams will have to withdraw from racing until they can re-design their cars. Has anyone worked out the points standings if this goes against the Diffuser 3?

News of the World !! And there were no aliens involved !

Ralf who ??

Thay are not going to rule against the 'Diffuser 3'. If they do we will only have 7 teams on the grid. Or maybe 6 if they exclude McLaren. Why not get rid of all the teams unless they have the letters F, I and A in the team name?

Yet another media hype story. This will all blow over and McLaren will be back to their true performance at the Spanish GP. (So will Ferrari) McLaren need Hamilton like Hamilton needs McLaren. I can't wait for this story (and the diffuser row) to blow over and F1 can get back to racing.

Can somebody please tell me what the problem is with the diffusers. Not one mention of the technical aspect on any website or broadcast. The problem is that I don't think there is a problem and the other teams are just jealous. Well done Brawn, Williams and Toyota.

FIA...Listen to the fans. All I see is fans complaining about FIA / Stewards decision making. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THEM ALL !!!! What has become of our sport? You don't get this level of amateur stewarding in football, golf, rugby, snooker so why have we got it in F1?? GET IT SORTED. A very angry F1 fan (maybe even an ex F1 fan)

Well said Mr Gill. I was under the impression that the FIA promised to give full explanations of stewards decisions. That in itself has proved to be not the case. F1 needs to get in order quick, listen to the fans and stop feeding everyone complete BS. We want racing and results which are decided by cars and drivers..NOT SUITS !!!!

One race into the season and FIA / Stewards confusion reigns. Isn't it about time people were brought in that know what they are doing. It is getting ridiculous!! Fans are confused, drivers are confused, teams are confused. Come on F1 get it sorted NOW!

Did anybody else think that Jonathon Legard's voice sounded like those BBC commentaries from the 60's (I am sure you have all seen the archive footage). In fact he sounds like Raymond Baxter (pre-Murray I think). Anyway I agree Legard is a jack of all trades, but I am sure he will get better, especially with Brundle holding his hand. DC was better than I expected, Jordan was 'me,me, me', Mackenzie and Kravitz were non existant, Humphrey was a star and Brundle made the show (as usual)

The new rule is wrong but Jens..you are wrong ..we are more intelligent than to be confused by this new rule (at least most of us..Robson might still be confused)

If Nakajima is half a second quicker than the McLaren I think the Woking team still have problems.

So Bernie get's his way (nearly). What a surprise.

speedfreak.. I am with you on this one. There is no way that a team like McLaren are going to get it so wrong. I think its going to be very close (between at least 5 teams) at the beginning of the season, but the usual teams will develop faster. I would love to see Brawn GP upsetting the apple cart though!!

If current form in testing means anything, I don't think Vettel will be any problem to Lewis. Vettel will be too far ahead!! ...Or are McLaren playing a very risky game and hiding their true potential? Bring on Melbourne.

All you tecno nerds..get a life. Yes the technolgy is important (to the teams maybe), but the majority of F1 fans watch F1 for the racing (and the glitz). I am off to the pub now as well!!

Timo, I think you need to be a bit closer than half a lap for the new aerodynamics to have an effect.

wow ..I have never seen so many posts in complete agreement. Nigel you are crowned '2009 Buffoon of the year' and yes you have beaten a lot of people to that prize!!

That works for me !!

Yes of course it was Nige!! Now go and climb back into wherever you are these days. But remember how many uncompetetive teams there were that year... Dallara, Larrousse, Minardi, Footwork, March, Jordan, Ligier...just name a few!

I read elsewhere that the team is to be called Brawn Sport. Good news though and good luck to the team whatever they are called.

des316.. Good ideas and yes, Cape Town is fantastic. However building a racing track next to an airport is a nightmare. I am not sure how many radio frequencies are used at a F1 weekend but trying to fit them in with FAA frequencies is not easy. I know this is a massive issue for the new Donnington circuit which is next to the East Midlands airport. I have heard that that airport may have to be shut down for the weekend (at the expense of the circuit owners, or in other words, the ticket payers)

Good news if the rumours are true. I don't rate Senna and it seems his name and his money were pushing him forward. Ok he came second in GP2 but Pantano won the GP2 championship and we all know how good he isn't!

I also really hope Williams finds good performance this year. Having survived and succeeded since 1978 (1969 if you include Sir Frank's private entries) the Williams team is the true essence of motor racing.. passion for racing. However I dont think Nakajima is the right partner for Rosberg. Nico needs to be pushed by a strong team-mate.

From what I hear it is $360m for a mini kart track and some arcade machines with very posh theming!! Oh yes and a secong hand roller coaster.

Jackie..why don't you buy the team..After all even you are going to be without job in 2010 now that RBS are going to quit F1. Is Paul Stewart Racing still going??

Well said. It would be great to see more female drivers in F1 to join the likes of Maria-Teresa de Filippis, Lella Lombardi, Divina Galica, Desire Wilson and Giovanna Amati. If you go to any karting event you will see loads of up and coming female drivers. As Fisi says..Why not?

geoff1.. I agree and would love to see them succeed. But they are saying all the wrong things and not giving me the feeling that they know what they are doing. Yes.. Go USF1 prove me wrong !! (And I am not a big fan of anything US either!)

Yesterday I watched the Speed TV interview with Anderson and Windsor. I am sorry to say that although they may be passionate about what they are doing, I got the feeling that they simply have no idea how to run a F1 team. A journalist and an engineer?? They told us nothing and what they did say was rubbish. Sending the team around the world by FedEx, saying all the technology in F1 comes from the US... I laughed loudly!! Sorry guys but this just isn't going to happen.

I really don't get it. The team is being sold for £1 and there are at least 2 interested parties. Of course the buyer must be rich enough to pay operating/development costs but surely a quick sale would ensure the employees jobs and get the team on the grid in Australia. Why are Honda stalling? Is there a hidden agenda? Come on Honda / Fry-Brawn / Branson ...whoever you are ..get it sorted for the sake of the employees!!

And guess what... I won't be driving for USf1 either!! Also we don't want any more Scott Speeds in F1 (maybe Danica Patrick though!!)

I wouldn't be opposed to a bit of target practice!! ... or is that not very PC these days?

Michael.. you should really stick to 4 wheels. How many crashes have you had now? And you will never pull off a 'Surtees'

Agree with all posts about Anderson's last comment. The man obviously knows nothing about Formula 1 and is living on Cloud 9. Nearly all the technology (ie parts & systems) comes from UK, Italy, Germany and Japan.

Does this show how good the Toyota and BMW cars are ? Or how slow the Ferrari is ?? I wish McLaren and Renault were in Bahrain.

I never knew about this arrangement. That surely gives some hope for the British GP (and the French GP wherever it ends up)

BuggyRider says it all. I went to my first GP at Dijon in 1979 (remember the Villeneuve/Arnoux epic fight). The new Tilke tracks (except Turkey) are all rubbish. I shudder to think what he is doing to Donnington. Also I think Turn 8 at Istanbul is the best corner in F1 at the moment, even better than Eau Rouge!

Max having another go at Sir Jackie Stewart!! Its unbelievable that Max can say that about someone is is an exdriver (as well as a WC) and currently involved with the sport. We all know Max is talking about JS. Jackie for president!!

Looking at the picture, I guess we will be watching scaletrix cars. Come on Lewis..we know how good you are with remote controls!!

how the hell did they manage to run at all with a foot of snow in the Cotswalds!!

kami.. you are a year behind..Alonso and Hamilton were in same car in 2007!!

Did Colajanni slip any documents into somebody's 'In Tray'? Or did he spend some time at McLaren's photocopier? LOL

Gerhard..you just relax now. Great career.. I saw you win at Estoril in 1989. and happy 50th birthday on 27 August (I will beat you to it by 3 months!!)

I agree with Howee. Pay attention Mr Todt. I eagerly await the Robson response!

atec-racer.. how much do you know about DTM?? Not much. Bernd Schnider, Christian Danner, Eric van der Poele, Emanuele Pirro, Jean Alesi and others (all F1 drivers) have been very successful in DTM. What about Allan McNish.. one of the most successful sports car drivers ever. Yes I totally agree with Lauda. Remember the days when Hill, Clark, Stewart et al used to do as many as 40 races a year in different classes. Actually I don't think the new drivers could cope with that.

Ok I wish people would stop harping on about F1 history. Times have changed. I have been a F1 fan since 1978 and do find the history interesting but it has little relevence to F1 today.

This man is so hypocritical. Bernie's private life (his divorce) is affecting him. How many more enemies can he make? And... now we know ...he does not care about the paying fans. He need to be put away for good.

I cant wait to see the new style front wings being demolished at the first corners !!

Schumacher buying the team?? Oh..I think I just saw a pink elephant flying over !!

Car launchs are for the media and public to see something resembling what will be on the grid in Australia. I am sure the Ferrari we will see on Monday will not be the same as the one they race with. So what difference does launching a car in January or March actually make? In reality.. none at all. So here is an article that has been produced out of boredom (no real F1 news) and is meaningless.

Yellow.. you didnt have to wait long for Robson to make his immature views. Australians must be really embaressed by this child's posts!

Tell us something we don't know !!

Jackie is 100% right, however there is nothing anyone can do about it in Formula 1 because of the way the Ecclestone and Mosely have set the contracts up. FOTA should consider a rival series with proper management (paid salaries by the teams) and revenue going to the teams and circuits. It's not rocket science to understand what is needed.

Isnt it about time Ron Dennis was made a 'Sir'

I really hope that David Richards can pull this off. With Middle East backing I believe that Prodrive and the remnants of the Honda team could prove to be a serious team. Any other ventures will not last more than one or two seasons (if F1 manages to survive that long!!)

another classic response from robson. My day would not be complete without the laughs i get from this idiot. Look up up 'Global' in the dictionary, then you might understand. Mind you most dictonaries don't have pictures !!!

Well said Mr di Montezemolo. Lets hope the other team principals and bosses follow his lead. If the teams and the FIA can implement massive cost reductions then Bernie and is FOM should do so as well. His greed is just not appropriate in this day and age.

Lewis is right, 2009 is going to be different and great for the fans. The more teams that are at the front the better. Bring it on robson (sornob)!!

OK robson..you are right but guess who beat Ferrari (by 1.3 secs) at the Algarve. Thats right..McLaren !! by the way an anagram of your name is sornob.. says it all!! Seriously, Buemi is starting to look seriously impressive.

robson..you really need to change your nappies..they must be really bothering you.

Tell Bernie where to put his medals by voting on the official F1 website. It seems to me most fans don't want them but would like to see a change in the points system. So by voting we (the fans) maybe can have a say!!

I would love to see South Africa host GPs again but I agree with previous posts.. The idea contradicts current cost cutting as well as environmental issues transporting 9 or 10 teams to a location far away from any other F1 circuit.

Only testing and engines changes makes any sense to me for cost cutting. As far as staffing, spotters usually had other jobs (like truck drivers & tyre fitters)so teams will not cut jobs. Wind tunnels are being replaced by CFD systems so no saving there. I suppose it's a start though. As for Bernie's medal system, how is the market research going to be conducted?

ilAlfisto/whitecars..you are both right. I am no fan of Max and I don't even think much of most of his ideas but what he is doing is driving the cost reducing and the sport has reacted so if F1 survives this credit crisis, Max will have done his job and we as fans should thank him for it. In the space of just a couple of months, Max has successfully got FOTA to come up with cost reduction ideas which they can all agree on. They would have done that on their own. Of course Max will continue to spurt on about technical issues he doesnt really understand but at the end of the day he is successfully managing the bigger picture.

Have just read on another site that Button is about to be offered a 'no audition required' seat at Toro Rosso. That will really annoy Takuma Sato!!!

Jenson, if your old boss comes back remember the success of 2004. If Richards / Prodrive were to buy the team (with a middle east backer) that would certainly be interesting to watch. Carlin Motorsport would do a good job too (but I see they are reducing their premises in Aldershot so not much chance there)

Well done Lewis & McLaren. However I do think the Autosport awards are a tad biased towards the Brits. Just look at the winners list!! (We didnt have a rookie this year!). Yes, I am a Brit as well as a McLaren/Lewis supporter!

I think it is highly unlikely that Hamilton (or anyone else for that matter) will break Schumi's title record because those days of domination by one team will not happen again. Go on Lewis..prove me wrong!!

How many times do I have to repeat this.. There will be no change to the Constructors Championship ie points will still be awarded. This will ensure the back marker teams of their revenues. AD / OppositeLock .. are you listening this time?? But monercy is right.. (and I do not support the medals system)

Nicely said F1_FREAK_666. Jordan has clearly no understanding of the proposed system. The reason for not changing the WCC is to ensure teams (including the backmarkers) of their revenue shares.

If this system had been in place this year, 14 drivers would have made it on to the medals table. The biggest loser would have been Mark Webber (who finished 11th in the final standings). He finished in the points 9 times but failed to get a podium finish. Bizarrely, I actually think Bernie might be right because it will make the drivers try harder.

Good team, although I am not sure about Jake Humphrey. Coulthard and Kravitz have already come to verbal blows this year so should be interesting. Also Murray is back on the team, albeit writing and live chatting on the website. I think he will make the odd appearance at GPs.

I have never heard anyone say rallying is more of a comfort zone! I have driven in rally competition and single seater racing (Formula Ford) and although both require immense skill to be successful, rallying is a more difficult skill to master. In my opinion Loeb is one of the greatest drivers ever, having the skill to be competitive on tarmac, gravel, snow and mud.

Fantastic news!! To all those who think MB is biased towards the British drivers... Maybe he is but he IS British and the BBC IS British!! Have you seen German coverage? Thats is equally biased. Same with all the other TV stations I expect.

I can see it now.. Hoy beats Hamilton and all the anti-Lewis people will say he cant even beat a guy on a push bike!! PS I am a huge Chris Hoy fan and hopes he get's the BBC Sports Person of the Year.

Bizarre!! It seems Bernie thinks that the drivers do not want to overtake. He must have forgotten that the car designs and modern track layouts make it very difficult for them. I really can't see the medal system improving overtaking.

alternatego.. I think you missed my point. I work for a major race car constructor (not F1)and we build engines for several formulas for a fraction of the £16m they were talking about. I also know how the accountants transfer employees time into financial figures for the purposes of gaining additional sponsorship money. £16m is not an outcost to a company like Ferrari.

£16m for an engine?? And they build it themselves!! Sounds like the accountants are in control!

Bring on Paul di Resta !!

OK Jenson, but are you trying to hide the fact that you were beaten fair and square by Rubens this year? Anyway, summerss hit the nail on the head by pointing out Lewis's stunning drive on Top Gear. Come on Lewis, sign up for ROC and prove all the doubters wrong!!

Sour grapes..Jenson

Robson.. You said you have owned many Ferraris? Did they have the word 'Corgi' or 'Matchbox' stamped underneath the cars?

Big mistake (getting rid of Gascoyne). Next year all the teams are going to need designers with experience of slicks and low aero packages and Gascoyne has that experience with teams like Tyrrell, Jordan, Benetton, Renault etc. Mark Smith and James Key don't have that experience.

Maybe Robson / magickatt et al would like to be reminded of certain other drivers with attitude and aggresive (risky) driving standards.. Schumacher, Senna, Hakkinen (remember Spa 2000), Mansell and Hunt to name just a few. Thats why they were champions!! Anyway I look forward to reading the stewards explanations next year!!

When Massa was with Sauber I thought he was rubbish. Not only is he a very good driver (on a dry track!!) now but I respect him as a person as well now. I think both Hamilton and Massa deserved the championship this year. Good luck in 2009 Felipe. (and that comes from a McLaren fan!!)

It is one thing for fans to boo their sporting idol's opponents but the type of abuse that the Hamiltons have received, especially by the Spanish and Brazilian fans is completely unacceptable in this age and has brought a slur into the world of Formula 1. It is sick and something has to be done about these racists.

Congratulations Lewis, but I can't help feeling sorry for Felipe. The most amazing conclusion to a F1 season I have ever seen in 31 years of following the sport. PS No more James Allen.... Hooray!!!!!

Let's not forget the 'stewards' input on the result tomorrow!! Kovalainen must tuck himself in behind Hamilton (in front of Alonso) at all costs. Hamilton will probably want to go round outside of Trulli to stay safe. Going to be a good race!!

If Jordan does become part of the BBC team next year at least we are in for some almighty rubbish coming from him!! Jordan was one of the greatest private team owners (Sir Frank is the greatest), but as a pundit he is becoming the village idiot.

Grooves in road?? I bet Bridgestone are a bit worried. And watch those McLaren tyres disintegrate even faster!!

Why is it that before every GP you publish stories about certain drivers saying they will be fighting for the victory? Every driver will be fighting for victory. Are you really that short of anything worthwhile to say?

Does anyone know how many times the boost can be applied during a GP? (did I hear once or twice a lap?) And what is the estimated increase in BHP?

Well done Ferrari. That will put a stop to the ridiculous idea of standard engines. If it happens, F1 will cease to exist. Actually, that will save money.. nice one Max!!

ucfbeta..have you seen what the brazilian websites are saying about Massa or even a Polish website talking about Kubica? P-F1 is a British website and why shouldnt they support their man? If you don't like it then why are you wasting your own time visiting this site? P-F1 will not miss you if you don't come back.

I think the days are over of a driver winning more than 3 championships. With standard engines, slicks, reduced aero etc I think F1 will be very close and there are several drivers on the grid who with the right car are potential title winners.

Very good article, but as Fluffy says (and I have said this before)it should be presented to the FIA. I ask again, what are P-F1 doing about it?

Will they be saying the same if Lewis loses the Championship in Brazil? Flav for one wil say 'Told you so'. Why don't they learn and shut up instead of pandering to the press.

This is boring. Or maybe he is holding out for a seat at Toro Rosso???? Honda may improve next year but that is easy when you are 2nd bottom this year!!

Morality..I think you answered your own question 'Why is the FIA paranoid?'.. You said it 'The FIA has a lot of skeletons in the cupboard'. Brundle will spill the beans next year.. Good man

I read a quote once from Jack Brabham 'Hamilton should have been Australian. He is arrogant, self-confident and a winner!' I think Mark Webber has been living in the UK for too long!

How about the FIA stop creating situations that need so many lawyers? And.. How about the teams stop inviting C list celebrities to the races? That should cut down the hospitality costs.

Kovalainen is a good driver but plain to see not good enough. Bring in Paul di Resta who beat Vettel to the Formula 3 Euroseries championship in 2006. He is wasted driving tin tops in DTM!!

Breaking news.... Car 22 given 25 second penalty (demoting him to 5th) for failing to allow Cars 1 & 2 to overtake. Massa inherits win and therefore leads championship by 1 point.

Lewis. I think the Ferraris are quicker of the start line. Let them go, you will get them when the rain starts!! And yes, remember Fuji! Good luck

Go for it Lewis.. Prove them all wrong! Just make sure you are at the front after qualifying cos there are about 6 drivers who want to take you out and if they do you will get the penalty!! After the race of course!

And I thought PF-1 was a knowledgeable site. The writer of this article (AD) thought the last race was in Suzuka (see paragraph 7). Bizarre.. I could have sworn I saw Mt Fuji in background !!

From what I hear, McLaren are about the same stage of development of KERS as Ferrari. And that is a quote from someone who works for McLaren. So maybe the title contenders will be in the mid-field next year...yeah right!

I am sorry but I just don't buy into these new tracks. It is all about money now and not about good racing tracks. You cannot say that the Tilke procession tracks are anywhere near as good as Silverstone, Imola, A1-Ring etc etc. And we all know how they struggle to fill the seats in places like Malasia etc. OK but just don't preach that the replacement of the good old tracks is about better Formula 1... COS IT ISN'T !!!

Its like the school playground. F1 drivers grow up and that includeds Alonso, Massa and Hamilton. You are hardly behaving like role models that you are expected to be.

Well said Mark. Fancy a job as a steward next year?? For all your vocal quirks we will miss you as part of the F1 TV team. Will DC be any better ..I think not!

I think most F1 fans know that there is a problem with inconsistent decision making. However most fans are not in a position to do anything about it and sites like PF1 also have no say in the real F1 world. If they had they would put the fan's opinions in front of the FIA and not preach the obvious back to the fans. If PF1 is in any sort of position in F1, why don't they get the FIA to explain some of it's decisions?? (I am asking the same of some other F1 websites)

OMG..how childish. Grow up Fernando and put the past behind you. Also Massa does not need help, Hamilton is blowing it all by himself!!

I don't think the accident was deliberate. It was an accidental error by Massa which he was rightly penalised for. In the past this would have been classed as a racing incident but the blame culture has taken over. Sadly I now see that Hamilton cannot take the pressure and we are now seeing a repeat of 2007. For the last 2 races I am now supporting Kubica for the title.

This decision to penalise Bourdais is far worse than the 'Spa' decision. When will they see that this inconsistent, unfair stewarding is making a mockery of F1. Shame on the FIA, the stewards, Bernie and the team managers (for not having the balls to stand up and say something). Remember San Marino 1982 when the majority of the teams boycotted the race for wrongful disqualifications!

elcrowley clearly knows nothing about racing cars. Shame.

Just for the record, Massa has started as well with exception of GB and Monaco this year (started from 2nd row). So not much in it. I hope they are both on front row in Japan and its dry. Then it will ball his wins from the front row and with the exception of Bahrain, France and Belgium (all 2008) he started from pole. So, yes, he is yet to win by overtaking on the track. But then Hamilton's wins all started from pole e an even race.

It would be fantastic if Paul di Resta got a F1 drive. I saw him drive in the DTM at Catalunya last year and he definately impressed me. And Scotland needs another F1 driver now that DC will be gone next year. He is Dario Franchitti's cousin as well !!

I think we all knew that was an excuse 'with wings'.

If this is true, I look foward to 2009. Especially if we no longer have to suffer James Allen in the commentary box. Although I will miss Mark Blundell, Louise Goodman and Ted Kravitz (an excellent pit-lane reporter). Don't know much about Jonathon Legard and Lee McKenzie though.

Targetting a 1-2... mmm Isn't that what they are supposed to do every race? So why start now with only 3 races to go?

Good preview. Especially agree with comments about Kovalainen. He has really disappointed this year and failed even to support Hamilton. Shame because I had high hopes for him.

Farewell to another great track. Bernie.. Shame on you for pandering to the new generation of boring Tilke tracks and their deep pockets to fill yours. The fans no longer matter !!!

Another great track bites the dust in favour of boring Tilke tracks from countries with fat wallets. Nice one Bernie.. Shame on you

I agree with Rusty on this one. I have heard stories that next year's KERS systems are costing 25-30% of team budgets. Every year Max introduces new rules that inevitably cost a lot of money.

I wonder what the manufacturers think of this decision. No F1 in North America... Not very sensible! Shame on Bernie for not thinking about the fans. and yes it will be the British GP to be axed next, esp when Donnington will not be ready.

Maybe Ted will be without a job next year !! Especially if Coulthard gets his (for the BBC).

If Formula 1 loses the Williams team we might as well say goodbye to the true spirit and passion of motor racing. Unfortunately I don't think Max and Bernie are interested in that despite their own backgrounds (March and Brabham respectively)

All this talk about who is the best driver. Thats a difficult one because a driver is part of a package: Team/Car/Driver. I personally think McLaren have got the edge over Ferrari (in terms of package), not because of the drivers but because of the team errors. As far as Alonso goes, he was outperformed by Hamilton in the same car last year and that is the only way to compare drivers. But my vote for best driver at the moment goes to Vettel. (Look at the last 4 races)I would love to see him in a McLaren or Ferrari.

singapore was fantastic, but I suspect that if Piquet had not crashed it would have been another Valencia ..yawn. Bring back proper circuits like Suzuka, Dijon etc

At last..an F1 specatacle!! And what were Ferrari doing??

There's nothing in it between Massa and Hamilton. Sadly I think we are in for another Valencia. Bring on the rain !!

My 6 year old son has come up with an idea for penalising drivers who cut chicanes. Listen up FIA.. If a driver cuts the chicane he must come to a stop, get out of the car, turn around 10 times then get back in the car and continue. Hee hee.. I like it!

I have never heard such a naive comment as that from Buffy.. quote 'Good will always win over evil'. Especially relating to F1 !!

There is a solution as used in BTCC and other formulae. The driver must come to a stop before re-entering the track. This solution works and is already being used. SIMPLE

Predictable !!

thomas998.. just a reminder.. Massa started from 6th and finished 6th. Hamilton started 15th and finished 7th (overtaking Raikkonen on the way. Wet skills your ass!!

Amazing.. How do the FIA manage to make such a mess of everything and still remain a credible organisation in the eyes of the F1 community? Formula 1 is becoming a pathetic pantomine.

Why don't McLaren take all the money they pay to their lawyers and set fire to it. It would be more effective than going up against the maFIA (or Ferrari International Assistance)!!!

All this talk of Hamilton doing anything to win.... mmm exactly what a 7 time champion (can't remember his name)of a couple of years ago was like. Nice one Vettel... brilliant drive.

Marcoman. What Hamilton did in Spa is not cheating. Its called taking chances and in order to win in any form of racing you have to take chances. Would you prefer to see processional exhibitions (like Valencia) than all out wheel-to-wheel racing. What we saw in Spa was fantastic between Lewis and Kimi. Just a shame about the final result. I think Kimi deserved the win until the rain got the better of him.

I wish I could agree with Ashley Mason, in that I believe that the decisions in Belgium will, unfortunately, make no difference to the future of Formula 1. Fans will threaten to never watch F1 again, but they will and Bernie and Max know that. Of course the UK fans are outraged but around the rest of the world I suspect there was a massive cheer when they heard Lewis was demoted to 3rd place.

Why are the FIA not taking control over their stewards decisions or at least explaining the reasons behind the decisions. I put it to them that it is because they do not know how to police their own rulebook. I don't think what has happened is the stewards' fault, I really believe they are operating under extremely vague guidelines and lack of proper training/experience and that has got to be changed for the sake of the sport. Richard

Well done Pete Gill for his article RIP - F1. I have watched the replay of the incident at least a dozen times and the decision of the stewards is outrageous, disgusting and clearly biased. What has F1 come to? With the ridiculous variation of penalties awarded for pit-lane incidents at Valencia and Spa (in both GP2 and F1) and now this penalty for McLaren/Hamilton, I no longer see Formula 1 (or any FIA governed class of motorsport) as a serious sport. Please please please.. will someone with an ounce of intelligence step in and bring motorsport back into credibility. If the appeal is not successful, then Massa and Ferrari should show sporting behaviour and refuse to accept the win. Bruno Senna and Lewis Hamilton were the true winners in Spa.