FORMULA 1 2009

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Teams preview the Turkish GP

The Formula One teams look ahead to the Turkish GP, which takes place at the Istanbul Speedpark on June 7th.

Force India

Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil are hoping to build on their good showing at this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix.

Brawn GP

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello have nothing but positive things to say about Istanbul Park ahead of the Turkish GP.

Toyota

Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock are hoping for a better weekend in Turkey after a disastrous Monaco Grand Prix.

Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso's two Sebastiens are expecting good things from their car in Istanbul this weekend.

Renault

With new developments on hand, both Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet are looking forward to a strong showing at this weekend's Turkish GP.

Williams

Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima are hoping for a step forward as Williams head to the Turkish GP armed with various upgrades for the FW31.

BMW

After an extremely disappointing Monaco GP, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld are hoping for a reversal of fortunes in Turkey.

McLaren

A favourite among the McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen intend racing for points in Turkey.

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Heikki: It's all about Turn Eight

With the next stop on the F1 calendar being the Turkish GP, Heikki Kovalainen admits tackling the Istanbul Park is all about mastering Turn Eight.

This unnamed corner of the Istanbul Park is actually a quadruple-apex left-hand corner that winds downhill, almost in a spiral. And although still relatively new to the F1, the turn is already recognised as one of the more challenging on the Formula One calendar.

"Turkey is all about Turn Eight - the high-speed, four-apex left-hander. On a good day in qualifying, it's flat-out - and that's a pretty good feeling when you get it right," said the McLaren driver.

"It's also very important to look after your tyres through Turn Eight - you put a lot of load through the tyres, particularly the fronts, so it's a good idea to look after them during the race."

MIKA: I think Heikki needs to worry about making it through to turn 1 before contemplating turn 8....

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Toro Rosso expect good weekend in Turkey

Toro Rosso are expecting good things from the STR4 in Istanbul this weekend.

The Italian-based outfit have performed admirable so far this season and have five points to their name heading into the seventh race of the season.

Sebastien Bourdais, who ended a string of disappointing results with an eighth-place finish in Monaco last week, believes everything is pointing to an excellent weekend in Turkey.

"We have begun to get a better understanding of what we are doing with this car, which should allow us to get more performance out of it now," Bourdais

"In Istanbul, we will run the car in a way which we hope will provide the key to a good step forward in terms of extracting all the potential out of our package.

"So far this year, it was often a case of waiting for Friday practice to see how the car would work and then establishing a set-up, but this weekend we will start with a good idea of what we want and that should see us being able to make more progress over the rest of the weekend."

Team-mate Buemi, meanwhile, is eager to bounce back following his crash with Nelson Piquet at the Monaco Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

"I tell myself I'm in Formula 1 trying to do the best I can, so there is no point in beating yourself up over what's happened," the Swiss national said.

"I just want to move forward and I hope that, starting with Turkey, things will improve and we can look to score points again. I think that with what we learned about the car in Monaco, we should be able to use all its potential now and Istanbul should provide a clearer picture of where we really are in the order.

"We definitely need to do better than at the last three races!"

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Webber: I will win a race before the season is over

Mark Webber is confident that this will be the season when he finally claims his first Formula One grand prix win.

The Red Bull racer has yet to take to the top step of the podium in his four visits, with his best result being his second-placed achievement at this year's Chinese GP.

Webber, though, is confident he will break his duck before this season is over.

"People will say, 'He should have done better' but look at the teams I have raced for and my team-mates - with the exception of this year, they did not win a race," he said in an interview with The Times.

"I've always been fair with myself. Am I Michael Schumacher? Maybe not. Have I the ability to win races? Absolutely, I believe I will do it this year.

"I really do think I'll win a grand prix this year and hopefully more than one because for the first time in my career, I think I've the chance to do that."

The Australian is eagerly anticipating the remainder of the season as he foresees an intense between himself and his team-mate Sebastian Vettel in a car that is more than capable of achieving the results he desires.

"There's a few things which are uncharted for me. I've always generally been on top of my team-mates but I've got one now who is testing me quite hard," he added.

"And the second thing is that I'm driving a car that is so bloody competitive, it's fantastic. I mean, you come up on people in practice and they move out of the way because they know you are quick and have a quick car."

MIKA: Well I hope MW hasn't jinxed himself by saying what he has said in this article...

I really do hope he gets a win this season because if he doesn't, he never will.

This is THE season where he finally has a competative car which is reliable and fast. MW is always fantastic in qualifying but he seems to always (In past) DNF!?

This season he has shown he can 'almost' get there to P1, and I am pleased to see him on the podium.

This bloke is best suited to being a test driver rather than a champion.

There are no excuses this season as far as I'm concerned so I hope for his sake, he wins a race because he does deserve it.

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Red Bull want head-to-head fight with Brawn

Red Bull boss Christian Horner insists the fight for the World Championship is far from over.

Brawn GP have won five for the first six races this season and Red Bull's sole success this year came in China when Sebastian Vettel won from pole position.

Horner believes things might have been different if they if they weren't held up by KERS cars in races like Bahrain and Spain.

"The cards have definitely fallen in favour of Brawn so far," Horner told Autosport. "Perhaps KERS cars have impacted our races.

"We're just looking forward to having a straight fight in clean air with the Brawns. Other than in China, we haven't really gone head to head with them."

Jenson Button has a 28-point lead over Vettel in third place while Red Bull are 43.5 points behind Brawn GP in the Constructors' Championship.

Horner, though, is confident the Milton Keynes-based outfit can catch Brawn once they've added "some great developments" to the RB5.

"Brawn has a huge lead in the constructors' and a significant lead in the drivers'," he said. "We're going to focus on every race as it comes.

"We believe that the next couple of races should play to the strengths of our car and we have some great development in the pipeline.

"Jenson is only four points off a maximum score, which is a remarkable achievement but things can change very quickly. We're going to take every race as it comes and the Championship will take care of itself."

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Massa eyes four in a row in Turkey

Felipe Massa heads to Turkey this weekend with hopes soaring of a potential victory at a circuit he has made his own over the last few years.

Massa has won the last three races at Istanbul's Otodrom, all from pole position, which prompted him to jokingly remark following his triumph last season he was ready to apply for Turkish citizenship.

But, following Jenson Button's stunning start to the year, with the Briton winning five of six grands prix with Brawn GP, there cannot be many willing to back Massa to make it four in a row.

However, Massa and Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen suggested a resurgence is on the cards for the team following their fourth and third-place finishes in Monaco nine days ago behind the Brawns.

Massa even set the fastest lap of the race around the streets of Monte-Carlo so, on a track he loves - even if he does not know why - the Brazilian is ready to resume his Turkish affair.

"I can't wait for Friday (practice) to see if the progress seen in Spain and Monaco will continue in Turkey," remarked Massa.

"I find it difficult to explain why I should be so strong there, other than the fact we have had three fantastic weekends in Turkey when everything has worked perfectly from the first session.

"Obviously, it would be nice to carry on in the same direction.

"I do prefer fast-flowing tracks and I have a feel for all the corners there as it's not good enough to only be fast over one particular section.

"It's not just Turkey, though, as I've won in Brazil for the last two years.

"It's been suggested to me that maybe the reason is they are two of three anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm better than others at driving through left-handed corners!

"Starting from pole for the last few years, I haven't had to give much thought to the overtaking possibilities in Istanbul.

"But this year, given how competitive the front of the field is in qualifying, it is going to be a very interesting Saturday."

With a decent Ferrari finally beneath him this season, the 28-year-old at least feels he is in with a shot at a win for the first time since the end of last year.

"It's nice to be able to have something really positive to say for the first time this season," added Massa.

"Finishing third and fourth in Monaco, and setting the fastest lap, are two excellent reasons to be positive.

"Sure, at Ferrari we are used to not settling for anything less than a win.

"But, given where we were at the start of the season, there is now a good reason to be optimistic for the next few races.

"The car definitely made another step forward in between Spain and Monaco, which meant it was even more competitive on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

"For Istanbul, we have another small step in terms of aerodynamic development, which should improve the car still further, which is down to a big push from the guys in the factory.

"We want to continue to improve as quickly as possible to try and win some races, and it will be fantastic if we find we are in a position to fight for the win in Turkey."

MIKA: It will be interesting to see if Massa does hold to his winning streak in Turkey however for some reason, I believe it will not happen this season. It may be close though.

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Encouraging signs for Mallya and Force India

Force India are hoping to maintain the momentum they picked up at the Monaco Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

The team started the weekend well and both Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil made it into the second qualifying session. Fisichella then came agonisingly close to breaking Force India's duck when he finished ninth on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Team boss Vijay Mallya says he was delighted with Force India's excellent all-round performance in Monaco.

"Following a lot of hard work back at the factory, we ran a constructive, comprehensive programme during free practice and got the timing exactly right to have a superb qualifying," he said. "I would have been delighted with one car in Q2, but to get two was a dream. It then continued into Sunday's race where Giancarlo was so close to that eighth place. I was so proud of everyone and it's certainly very encouraging for the rest of the season."

The F1 roadshow now heads to Turkey, and Mallya hopes it will be more of the same at Istanbul's Otodrom.

"The result has had a great motivation on the team and the drivers - we just need that little bit more," he added. "We have some new development items coming through, such as new front wheel spinners and a small modification for the rear suspension, plus the rear wing we ran in Monaco will also undergo some slight changes to suit the downforce level in Istanbul.

"However, the main thrust of the upgrades will come through in Silverstone now, so our aim for Turkey should be to keep the momentum we picked up in Monaco going and consolidate our form rather than wholesale improvements."

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Vettel and Schumi set for ROC return

Formula One record world champion Michael Schumacher and fellow-German F1 racer Sebastian Vettel will aim for a third straight title at the Race of Champions event, organisers said on Wednesday.

Schumacher and Vettel won the team event in 2007 and 2008 in London's Wembley Stadium. This year's Race of Champions, which brings together various forms of motorsport, takes place November 3 and 4 in Beijing's National Stadium, the Bird's Nest.

"I'm really looking forward to joining in again this year, and am curious to see how the Chinese spectators will react to our crazy show on the track in the famous and beautiful Olympic Stadium. I'm sure they will love an event that has been entertaining European motorsport crowds for over 20 years," said Schumacher.

The team event is on November 3, the individual competition the next day. Races take place on a specially-constructed parallel tarmac circuit built inside the stadium.

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Schumi: Drastic changes unrealistic

Seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher insists that whilst it is all well and good to cut costs, manufactures can't be expected to do so overnight.

As the row between Formula One teams and the FIA rages on regarding the governing body's insistence that costs be dramatically slashed for the 2010 season, Schumacher has backed the likes of Ferrari, BMW and Renault as they look to limit the scale of cost-cutting.

"You cannot expect drastic changes to be accepted by such important manufacturers," the German told Ferrari's official website.

"Yes, you have a target, yes, you want to reduce costs, but you have to do it step by step, you cannot turn the world around in one day - that is impossible."

With Ferrari's future in F1 seeming uncertain, Schmuacher is adamant that a solution must be found to keep the team in the competition.

"You cannot see F1 without Ferrari or the other manufacturers who have participated for so long," he said.

"I really believe that somehow they must find a solution - and the solution can only be one that suits those teams that have built up F1 to the state that it is now," he added.

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Hamilton expects tough time at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton believes McLaren's woes are likely to continue at his home grand prix at Silverstone next weekend.

Hamilton and his McLaren team had another troublesome weekend in Turkey and he could only muster 13th place on Sunday. Team boss Martin Whitmarsh conceded after the race that Hamilton's Title defence is over.

The Brit, who is 52 points behind Brawn GP's Jenson Button in the Drivers' Standings after just seven races, admits things are unlikely to improve for McLaren at next weekend's British Grand Prix.

"We fully expect next weekend to be very difficult," he told his official website. "Firstly, Silverstone is one of the fastest courses on the calendar and it's clear that our car doesn't behave well through fast corners. It's also harder to harvest KERS there than at other circuits because there's not too many heavy braking spots - to give you an idea, we don't touch the brakes from the exit of Luffield right down to Stowe - about half the circuit - and there are no slow exits followed by long straights where you can use KERS for a boost.

"It will be difficult, but I'm looking forward to just racing in my home country, in front of my home fans, enjoying Linda's home cooking and soaking it all in."

Hamilton also had nothing but praise for Championship pacesetter Button, saying his compatriot "deserves" the success.

"I've know Jenson for many years - he's a fantastic driver and he thoroughly deserves the opportunity he's been given," he said. "He's waited years for the opportunity to drive a competitive car and, right now, he's showing exactly what he can do with it.

"I've always been impressed by Jenson: before I got to Formula 1, I thought he coped with the bad times really well, he never forgot why he was there and he never let the team down. That's why he really deserves this success. The reason he's leading the World Championship is because he's not made a single mistake since the very first lap of winter testing."

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Trulli: We're back

After a poor display at Monaco, Jarno Trulli is confident that Toyota's improved showing in Turkey is a sign of things to come.

Toyota showed impressive early season form before suffering a disastrous weekend in Monaco in which both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock were well off the pace.

The Japanese manufacturer turned things around at the Turkish GP, with Trulli finishing in fourth spot and his German team-mate coming in eighth.

Trulli reveals that the turnaround was due to a lot of hard work from all involved.

"Basically it has been achieved through a lot of hard work after Monaco, by everyone in the team," he said.

"Monaco is a one-off race and we felt sure our problems would not be repeated in Turkey but we didn't leave this to chance. We had a few upgrades, with changes to the front and rear wings, which brought additional performance.

"Timo and I have worked together with the team to understand where we can improve and the result we had in Turkey was a nice reward for our effort," he added.

The Italian was confident that the team's good form would be carried in to Silverstone next weekend.

"I am full of hope for the British Grand Prix. We think Silverstone will suit our car pretty well and, from what we saw in Turkey, we are at a good level.

"Of course, we need to continue to improve and we have a small gap on the fastest cars, but the team is working on that."

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Button eyes home GP win

Jenson Button has got his eyes firmly set on claiming his first British Grand Prix win.

The 29-year-old admits that it would be a dream come true to emulate fellow Britons Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill in winning at Silverstone.

"I watched Nigel winning here and the passion and emotion from the British fans was amazing. To win your home GP is very special," Button told The Mirror.

"My ideal season would be to win Monaco, Silverstone and the World Championship," he added.

Whilst the Championship Title is Button's ultimate goal, a win at Silverstone comes a close second on Button's wish list.

"The biggest landmark in an ideal career is obvious - the World c

Championship," he said.

"It's not how many times you win it, or how much you win it by, or how many races you win but winning it and getting more points than any other driver.

"After that it's Silverstone. It's something I've wanted to do since I was kid."

Button is currently 26 points ahead of Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello in the Championship Standings with the first seven races of the season completed.

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Raikkonen calls for patience

Kimi Raikkonen has called for patience as Ferrari's continued struggle to turn their season around was dealt a blow at the Turkish GP.

Despite starting in the top six on the grid, Raikkonen failed to finish in the points as his F60 sorely lacked the race-pace needed to challenge at the front.

It was a disappointing outcome for the former World Champion and his team as they had expected more after finishing on the podium at the previous race in Monaco.

"We definitely expected more from the Turkish GP and it doesn't make any sense to hide it. We knew that the situation would be complicated compared to the previous race at Monaco, but after the good qualifying we didn't think that the race would be so difficult," said Raikkonen.

"The start was decisive. At Istanbul, but also at Monaco, it makes it very difficult when you have to start from the dirty side of the track. And on both tracks the first corner is very close to the starting line, so we can't even exploit the advantage of the KERS there. I lost a position when the lights went out and another one in the first corner.

"During the duel with Alonso I touched his wheel with my front wing and damaged it, loosing downforce. We changed the nose during the pit stop, but it was too late to improve.

"If that hadn't happened maybe I would have gained a place in the points. We weren't fast enough in the race, not only compared to the Brawn GPs and Red Bulls, but also compared to the Williams and Toyotas, also due to the high temperatures."

The Finn, though, has called for patience, confident that Ferrari have the know-how needed to fight back from their early season disappointments.

"The team is continuing with its hard work improving the car and closing the gap to the leaders: the situation is much better in slow corners, where we are really competitive, while we're suffering in the fast ones," he said.

"We don't have any reason to give up, we just need patience; that's what I've said before the race at Istanbul. We do have the potential to achieve a good result, I know it.

"I hope that everything will work out at Silverstone, which is one of my preferred tracks. Ferrari has a good tradition in this race and it would be great to keep to that."

Raikkonen is currently tenth in the Drivers' standings on nine points while his team-mate Felipe Massa is eighth with 11.

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Bernie: I'll sue for hundreds of millions

Bernie Ecclestone has warned FOTA's members that if they start a breakaway Championship he won't hesitate to sue them for "hundreds of millions of pounds."

With the FIA set to publish next year's entry list on Friday, time is running out for the teams and the FIA to find a solution to the on-going political war.

However, the FOTA teams, which include all the existing outfits barring Williams and Force India, have made it clear that if their two conditions; next year's Championship to run under the same rules as this year's and for a new Concorde Agreement to be signed by June 12th; aren't met, they will start their own series.

Ecclestone, though, has warned them they could face heavy legal action should they do so.

"If they do try to set up their own series - and I don't think they will be able to - there are big problems ahead for them," he told the Daily Express.

"Apart from my contracts with teams, if somebody went to any of our contracted people, companies, television contractors, we would view it very seriously.

"That would be inducement to breach contracts and I don't do that myself so I won't stand back and let it happen. Any action could run to hundreds of millions of pounds, who knows how much?"

As for Ferrari's claims that their contract with Ecclestone's Formula One Management is null and void in the wake of Max Mosley proposed rule changes, Ecclestone said: "That's not how we see it. But the lawyers will argue that for a long time."

The main issue behind the fight between FOTA and the FIA is Mosley's proposed budget cap, which the FOTA members are opposed to. Ecclestone, though, believes this year's Championship race, which sees Brawn GP and Red Bull leading the pack, is proof that money doesn't buy success.

"This is a great Championship for most people because they like having Brawn and Red Bull at the front rather than Ferrari and McLaren as usual. This has happened because of the rule changes and because we have stopped testing in a season, which I was always against," he said.

"What has happened here this year is exactly like when Colin Chapman ran Lotus when he was the guy who introduced the ground-effect car. Everyone said he was cheating, it was just that Colin spotted what he could do and other people couldn't.

"Ross Brawn and Adrian Newey have come up with the best cars this year, different styles, one with diffuser, one not, at the start. It shows it can be done with the right people.

"Don't forget that Ferrari spent a fortune and didn't win the title for 10 years. Money doesn't buy success. It could wreck the sport.

"As for the drivers, they want to win the FIA F1 World Championship or some of them would be elsewhere getting more money to win a title that means less. I don't think they will get a series going.

"The teams had a chance to sign the 1998 Concorde Agreement which would have protected them from Max's technical changes, but they said no."

MIKA: If this keeps up, I'm sad to say it, but F1 as a sport will be over....

The high spending is part of f1 is what makes it the sport it is, also get rid of some of these stupid regulations!!

Too many restrictions will kill formula one, there is already too many rules, KERS is a failure, and the budget will be a killer, new teams or not"

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Domenicali: Ferrari's position has not changed

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has warned the FIA not to just include Ferrari in next year's line-up unless they are willing to submit to FOTA's conditions.

Time is fast running out ahead of Friday's announcement that will name the teams who will be allowed to compete in next year's Championship. And with the war between FOTA and the FIA still unresolved, it remains to be seen whether any of the FOTA teams will be included.

Although FOTA, which consists of all the current teams barring Williams and Force India, did put their names forward for next year's campaign, they did so with two conditions attached.

One of those is for a new Concorde Agreement to be signed by no later than June 12th while the second stipulation is that next year's Championship run under the same regulations as this year's.

As of yet, though, FIA President Max Mosley has refused to back down on his plans to introduce a budget cap, while reports claim that the FIA could yet put Ferrari's name down as an automatic entry given their deal with the Scuderia that saw the Italian outfit given veto powers in return for signing on until 2012.

However, Domenicali, speaking after Wednesday's FOTA in London, warned Mosley and the FIA not to force Ferrari's hand in the matter.

"Ferrari's position has not changed," he said.

"Back on 29 May, we put in a conditional entry with the other teams that make up FOTA. Along with this entry, we put forward to the FIA a package of proposals which included among other elements, a significant reduction in costs.

"As always, we will do all we can to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties. If this is not possible, then the FIA will not be able to include Ferrari in the list of teams entered for the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship."

[IceChant]

I wish this drama will end soon.

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Senna still seeking F1 drive

Although Bruno Senna is still keen on a F1 drive, the Brazilian admits he would rather wait until next year than replace one of the existing drivers mid-season.

Senna had been in line for a Honda race-seat for this year's Championship, however, the sale of the team to Ross Brawn saw the nephew of three-time F1 Champion Ayrton loss out to Rubens Barrichello.

The Brazilian, though, has not given up on his Formula One dream, but admits there would be risks to replacing an existing driver in the middle of this season.

"It would have to be a really good opportunity because F1 is extremely competitive and there is no testing," he told Autosport.

"So it is a question of analysing the risk. If the team had a great simulator then maybe, but if getting in the car on a Friday was my first experience then I think it's a bad idea."

Asked if he would rather wait until next year, he added: "The preference is that, yes."

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It's All Lewis Hamilton's Fault

SOURCE: PlanetF1

As the arguments about the future of F1 go on unabated and the furore just grows and grows, it may be the time to point out that this is all the fault of one man. And that man is Lewis Hamilton.

Ferrari are on the point of leaving F1, the manufacturers might be going off and forming a new series, FOTA are quietly furious about Force India and Williams breaking ranks, Prodrive Lola and Epsilon cannot believe they've been bypassed for some second-rate teams, Max Mosley is under siege and the money men behind CVC are fretting that they'll be stuck with a series that has all the TV appeal of Jonathan Leggard's socks.

Thank you very much Lewis Hamilton.

So why is it all Lewis's fault? Well, stretch your mind back to the closing stages of the Australian Grand Prix and touring behind the Safety Car an inept Jarno Trulli steers his Toyota off the track to gift a podium place to Lewis Hamilton.

All of a sudden McLaren get worried that they'll be penalised, because the stewards at most F1 races generally have it in for them. The team duly give Trulli back a place he doesn't deserve and pick up 4th instead. After the race, though, they get a bit greedy and think they can stitch Jarno up by grabbing third back under protest.

Hamilton is persuaded by his team boss Dave Ryan to change his story in front of the stewards. The merde hits the Pifco and they are found out. Now, had Lewis had the courage of his convictions and said to Ryan, "no, I'm a World Champion now and I'm not prepared to lie," we'd all be reading gently amusing stories about the worst-attended F1 grand prix in modern times. Istanbul.

Because the subsequent enquiry to Melbourne got McLaren hauled before an emergency meeting of the World Motorsport Council to face charges of bringing the sport into disrepute. And while he had the gang there Max suddenly thought they could vote on his wheeze for a two-tier technical system aligned to a budget cap before the 2010 entries were due in.

Straight after the April 29th meeting Ferrari, Toyota and the rest of FOTA began to realise the chess move that Mosley had just played."FOTA has concerns with the decisions taken at the last WMSC meeting regarding the 2010 regulations and therefore asks to begin urgent consultations with the FIA, "they said in a statement.

What's more, with McLaren's major F1 political honcho - Ron Dennis - now out of the way because of the Melbourne Misdemeanours and McLaren having to be on their best behaviour or risk being summarily ejected from the championship, the manufacturers were weaker than ever.

Mosley went for checkmate, first luring the manufacturers in by saying they could apply for 2010 conditionally, then saying no, they had to withdraw their conditions. At the same time he made entry into F1 so ridiculously easy that any old chancer started dusting off a former F1 name badge and saying they'd make an F1 team out of string and an old F3 chassis.

What's more, the three names with the highest calibre of motorsport personnel - Lola, Prodrive and Epsilon - the FIA didn't even give an F1 entry to.

So now we're in this fantastic mess of a situation where as every day goes by the chance of a breakaway series becomes more and more likely. Even at the 11th hour (Thursday night) we thought there might be some compromises made, but no.

The decision by FOTA on Friday to appeal to the World Motorsport Council direct is surely an indication that they've taken things as far as they can with Mosley and cannot reach an agreement with him at the helm. They are fed up with his politicking and his manoeuvres. Even if he were to back down, the suspicion might be that he'd try and introduce something by the back door.

The statement by the European Automobile Manufacturer's Association (ACEA) that the FIA should have a change of governance is similarly damning. The teams have the drivers on their sides and the highest profile motorsports figure in the world, Michael Schumacher, making a rare criticism.

And it's all down to Lewis Hamilton. Though if you want to extend the butterfly-flaps-its-wings analogy just a little bit further, maybe it's all Jarno Trulli's fault...or is it Vettel and Kubica's fault? They caused that Melbourne crash that brought out the Safety Car in the first place...

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Couldn't agree more

Same here...

I am a HUGE fan of F1, I love watching it and attending races when they are in Melbourne. I as a fan, am not interested in the ever growing politics of F1 nor do I like the continual change in regulations, rules and firmly believe that it is getting way out of hand to the point where alot of fans are throwing in the towel and no longer tuning in.

I have noticed that even prior to 'a' race being broadcast, the commentary team no longer discuss 'talk in the paddock' about drivers, strategies, F1 gossip but rather the politics of Ecclestone, FIA, FOTA.

F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, it is prestigious and expensive. It has been around for 60 years and up until now, has been the dream of most men in motorsport to get into.

[IceChant]

I'm surprised that it seems the breakaway might actually happen. I must admit I thought they would all have fallen in line by now, but it doesn't seem so. If the choice next year is F1 with Williams & Force India and another sieries with the other teams, I know which one I'll be following...

I think we'll loss some of the greatness of F1 but I know which one I'll follow too.

I'm wishing for good race today.

[smk819]

Vettel ran away with it he was a second a lap faster in the early going.

[IceChant]

I enjoined the race.

There were few great fights there:

- Nick Heidfeld Vs. Fernando Alonso.

- Fernando Alonso Vs. Lewis Hamilton.

- Jarno Trulli add nice fighting in the last 6 laps defending himself from Kimi Räikkönen.

- Good race for Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg.

[MIKA27]

I enjoined the race.

There were few great fights there:

- Nick Heidfeld Vs. Fernando Alonso.

- Fernando Alonso Vs. Lewis Hamilton.

- Jarno Trulli add nice fighting in the last 6 laps defending himself from Kimi Räikkönen.

- Good race for Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg.

I particularly loved Nick and Fernandos fighting/racing, Nick with the damaged front wing...great battle, that's what F1 is all about and I too will feel bad if F1 ends up with a breakaway series...

[MIKA27]

'Teams want Mosley ousted to save F1'

The FOTA teams threatening a breakaway from F1 have reportedly suggested that the removal of Max Mosley as FIA president would herald the sport's much-needed reconciliation.

A plot to remove Mosley will reputedly be led by Ferrari this week at a meeting of the FIA's world council.

According to The Guardian, 'the removal of Mosley from the presidency of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) would open the way for negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone, the holder of the sport's commercial rights.'

With the teams publicly insisting that they are pressing ahead with their plans to form a new series, the newspaper reports that behind-the-scenes machinations are already being plotted to oust the Englishman from his position.

'On Wednesday of this week, at a meeting in Paris of the FIA's world motor sport council, Luca di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari and chairman of the breakaway group, will begin a process aimed at securing the 69-year-old Englishman's departure from a post he has held since 1991, dissuading him from standing for re-election for a sixth term in November in order to prevent the damage likely to be caused to both sides by a split.'

While the dispute between the teams and the governing body is ostensibly over plans to introduce a budget cap next season, the Guardian reports that, 'according to a senior FOTA source, the teams' overriding priority is to rid themselves of Mosley's autocratic style of governance. Widely resented, it finally became intolerable to the bulk of participants in Formula One when he attempted to impose a swath of radical rule changes, in particular a £40m budget cap to take effect next season.'

Once Mosley has gone', the teams 'will expect Ecclestone to respond to a list of grievances including the refusal to grant them a bigger slice of Formula One's gross income, the insistence on charging such high fees to circuit promoters that ticket prices are unnecessarily inflated, and the failure to establish rounds of the championship in North America, an important market for the major manufacturers.'

[MIKA27]

But is Schu really the Stig?

Michael Schumacher is The Stig.

At least that's according to the latest episode of the BBC's car fanatics favourite, Top Gear.

In a segment of the show, broadcast on Sunday night on BBC Two, a driver put in laps of the Top Gear track in a Ferrari FXX and promptly slashed the previous record, set by a Gumpert Apollo, by almost seven seconds as he crossed the finishing line in 1:10.7.

Introducing the driver, Jeremy Clarkson, one of the show's presenters, said: "Some say that he invented the curtain, and that he recently submitted a £20,000 expenses claim for some gravel for his moat... All we know is: He's called The Stig.

"He's been fed up with newspapers speculating that he's a photocopier salesman from Bolton, or lives in a pebble-dashed house in Bristol."

And with that the helmet was removed...

To reveal Michael Schumacher.

Clarkson, though, later threw doubt on the whether the seven-time F1 Champion really is The Stig, saying: "You know what? I don't think that Michael Schumacher is The Stig."

As for the BBC, an insider told The Mirror that it was "a joke" while a spokesman said: "We never reveal who or what The Stig is."