No-one seems to care about any team not on the podium, but I am heartened by a very encouraging weekend for Force India. They may surprise us all.

Switching to the 2010 car is a no-brainer. Brawn had all of 2008 to design their 2009 car, and it worked out quite well for them...

It's not just Red Bull - EVERYONE is overtaking Brawn, who are simply not keeping pace with the other teams' development. Let's see if Brawn really know WHY they've been doing well. They could simply have lucked into a good design (won't be the first time).

I must say I'm disappointed that Hamilton isn't showing a little more maturity on the track. He's a young fellow, after all! But he isn't becoming despondent - as soon as the car is competitive, he'll be back.

NOTHING cocky about Webber, you nitpickers. He was suitably excited and optimistic, and humble as ever. This is what we love - a close race for the title, with the two fastest guys coming hard from behind. GREAT!!

I'm not convinced that Ferrari can excel without the Benetton Boys. But we can dismiss neither them nor McLaren, as both teams have proven themselves over many seasons, not just after one change of regulations (like Brawn). Reg changes have always produced flashes in the pan, after which the status quo is usually restored. If I have to bet, I'll wager on whoever has Newey... Oh yes, they seem to be doing rather well at the moment!

I was looking forward to hearing "Advance Australia Fair", but US coverage ended too soon. Or maybe I went for a leak... Either way, GREAT for Australia (from a fellow ex-Colonial).

Sorry madsin, life is tough, and you get a certain time to prove yourself. Bourdais had his chance. Didn't cut it.

Tartan Jack is right. NASCAR is a different discipline with different skills, as is drag racing or rallying. Its drivers cannot and should not be compared with F1 drivers, and some of them are GREAT. But anyone who thinks that F1 drivers are "over-rated" is simply nuts! In open-wheeled road racing they are in a completely different league from any others, and Bourdais wasted his talent by racing in a backwater series with no significant competition to hone his skill. I hope that this will someday change, but for now Indycar is an irrelevance.

Brawn needs to be a leader, and chop Barrichello NOW - take advantage of these assinine comments. Hire Coulthard (unless Brawn can call on friendship with Schumacher) to protect Button's lead - this joker is an anchor, holding the team back.

This wannabe should lose his drive NOW. Brawn needs a second driver who can defend Button's now fragile lead, but did not really have an excuse to get rid of Barrichello without making it obvious that they wanted to play team orders.

Where is Rosberg going to go? Surely McLaren can't want him as much as they did. Rosberg is belatedly learning to drive under pressure, but the car is still better than he is. If McLaren don't call, he'd better pray that Williams don't either (to say goodbye).

Yeah, right... Competition for the rest of 2009 is strictly on a race-by-race basis.

Bourdais' results un-mask US open-wheel racing as an irrelevance. Racing in the US is the worst thing that Bourdais could have done - ruined his promising career with five seasons with no competition.

Is Nina Hartley related? She used to take it through the tunnel quite hard in Monaco, as I recall.

This joker will have to bankroll his own team to get a drive...

The designers are the real determinants of the championship. Vettel is a good, and will be a great driver. But when he (eventually) gets his championship, it's Newey who should be paid the really big bucks.

Campos will pull the plug without the budget cap. Sooner or later, someone will tell Dallara the news...

Alonso is the best driver in F1. But he's just a driver, and Ferrari seem to have reverted to the (losing) form of the days before they poached the Benetton Boys. Since Enzo's death there's been no evidence of a culture that can produce a lineage of winners. Ferrari is now just a fancy name on a FIAT racing car.

If DC had left sooner, there would be no DC-bashing. He was a good driver who stayed past his sell-by date, and the car was not yet good enough for Horner to justify dumping him. The RB5 would have been as wasted on Coulthard as is the Brawn on Barrichello. But it must be hard to leave the Circus when you're still ALMOST good enough...

I don't know if Rosberg's noticed, but Ferrari and McLaren are also-rans. Just like Williams...

Come on, let's be fair. Webber is not a GREAT driver, but neither were Hunt, Jones, Andretti, nor any Champion named Hill. These guys were good enough to take advantage of circumstances in their favour, and I have no doubt that Webber can do as this as well. Certainly, if the RB5 had been this competitive from Australia, Webber would have been in with a shot.

Forcing drivers onto an inferior compound for at least one stint is an EXCELLENT way to "manufacture excitement". There's a greater chance of overtaking, and everyone has the same handicap. Suck it up, Kubica.

Forget Max... Bernie will never allow a FOTA desertion without fighting with EVERYTHING at his disposal. Lawyers, biting, hair-pulling... EVERYTHING!

TriumphKen, it took you a while, but you've got it! Rosberg can put in fast laps when there's no pressure, then chokes when it really matters. The Williams is GOOD, but needs a good RACER and no-one's available. Kubica?... Does Heidfeld have a couple of good years left in him?... Rosberg is taking too long to come good!

This is just a hugely expensive ego trip. Silverstone may be a pain, but times are tough, and no-one NEEDS another British GP circuit.

The problem is, Hamilton is still driving like a FUTURE World Champion...

Jenson had already proved before this year that he could make good use of a good car. By putting Barrichello firmly in his place, he's now proving that he's top drawer driver. The naysayers are only making THEMSELVES look stupid.

Red Bull's interpretation was no different than Ferrari's, yet RBR are in the chase. Montezemolo needs to stop whining and get cracking on building a good car for 2010. Or perhaps on a new set of excuses: "we spent too much time in court"...

I'm no fan of Bernie, but EVERYTHING he says is true...

I wrote off Webber at the beginning of the year - he's proving all the doubters wrong. Webber's maturity and character are really showing through, and the Red Bull is coming on at just the right time - this Championship sems to be decided, but it isn't...

I wrote off Webber at the beginning of the year - he's proving all the doubters wrong. Webber's maturity and character are really showing through, and the Red Bull is coming on at just the right time - this Championship sems to be decided, but it isn't...

There's a simple solution to all this. Brawn should dump this whiny little joker and hire a driver who's either: 1. quick, or 2. knows his place.

I don't understand why a lawyer took the Brabham family's money. Surely they have no more rights to the "Brabham" brand in F1 than has 6 year old Lionel Brabham of Scunthorpe Primary School. Sounds like: "Pay us off or we make you look bad". There's a word for that...

This will mean 100% victory for Max, but he should remember that he came to power by charging that his predecessor, Balestre, was dictatorial...

Majority is not unanimity, and any member of FOTA should be able to register or not as it chooses. To force "unity" upon the unwilling is no better than any other example of tyranny. Shame!

BRILLIANT! This will all end with Max getting everything he REALLY wanted, while appearing to "concede" the things he always intended to give up...

Too soon, DC. Vettel may have cocked up Monaco, but I'll wait to see Newey's Red Bull Mk2 before I write off their chances of stealing the title from Brawn. Unlikely, but not impossible.

Hopefully Barrichello will stop his whining, accept his #2 status (with lower salary) and just enjoy still being part of the circus. "World's Fastest Geriatric" has a certain ring to it.

Ha ha ha! This is what Max wanted all along - he just OPENED with a low bid. After much hemming and hawing we'll end up with a higher budget cap and all parties will exit trumpeting how much they did to achieve something. British "diplomacy" does it again...

Williams would be doing better with a solid driver. I remember guys like Rosberg at school. They'd knock-up with the best until came the game, when they'd cave in under the pressure. Rosberg has shown the skill to put in fast laps, but not under pressure of qualifying. Still, Monaco was encouraging.

Ferrari have won nothing since 1980 except with a team poached from Benetton. They are essentially a big wallet. Which is why Ferrari's survival depends on fighting to maintain a financial advantage. Give Ferrari the same budget as Williams, and watch them crumble.

Everyone thinks Rosberg deserves a better car, but this year the Williams looks better than he does. Rosberg's practice times vs qualifying and races, tell a very revealing story. The car is fast, and so is he. But when it's all on the line, Rosberg chokes.

Max is just being a smart negotiator. He wants, say a GBP80m cap, reduced gradually over years. So he puts a GBP40m cap and a ridiculous 2-tiered formula on the table. Eventually he "concedes" the two-tiers, and "compromises" on a GBP80m cap. Gets what he wants, and looks reasonable, as well.

Qwheels came up with that one in a pub, I just know it...

Symonds knows far more than I, but I would expect that KERS' benefit at Monaco would be not so much power as TORQUE for an advantage in overtaking, notoriously difficult at Monaco. If Symonds is right all the teams will no doubt chuck KERS for Monaco - surely not difficult to do?

It would make a great Cinderella story, but there is no technology or racing culture in the US that approaches the level of F1, so it's very difficult to imagine that anything worthwhile will come of this. And where will American drivers learn to DRIVE? Not in the US, surely. I wish the team well, but limiting itself to American driving and engineering resources is a HUGE handicap.

Stewart is living in the same fantasy of unlimited resources as most PF1 posters. The Post-Bubble World must accept a new reality. Or die like the dinosaurs. Nothing controls a budget as effectively as bankruptcy.

A 40m cap seems fair - if technical regulations are relaxed the best brains will win. But it cannot be imposed immediately and with insufficient consultation. Great idea, but so was the UK poll tax...

Lola is by far the best name to declare an interest in entering F1. Great pedigree, huge engineering resources - just the kind of entrant we need in real-World non-schoolboy-fantasy 21st century motor racing.

Balance, please. The finest engineering brains will still triumph, whatever the budget (remember that regulations will be relaxed), so the cap is a no-brainer. But F1 will become irrelevant if the manufacturers race in a new series. Max is a great F1 manager, but if he is allowed to be a dictator he will bring down F1. Don't depose Max - reign him in.

Many teams have done well for a while in Formula One. McLaren have proven that they can prevail through the lean periods. Hamilton is exactly where he should be.

A #2 who doesn't know his place can cost a team the championship. Barrichello is just not good enough to lead a competitive team, and if he objects to being the unofficial #2, Brawn needs to get rid of him ASAP.

This might all sound a little better if Ferrari's little botty wasn't being kicked by pretty much everyone in Formula One.

It's always amusing how failure brings out the mindless vultures. A driver can be judged by how he handles the good and the bad cars, and on both counts Hamilton comes out looking pretty good.

Rosberg has a fast car now, but just when you think he's run out of excuses he comes up with new ones...

No team orders? The smart team will find a way to execute its strategy. One way or another...

No team orders? The smart team will find a way to execute its strategy. One way or another...

Rubens is the perfect #2 driver, except for one thing: He won't accept that he's just a #2.

As expected, Reuben is proving to be a solid, reliable #2 driver. Button is a fast, determined #1.

The only team you have to worry about is Red Bull, Ross.

I'm Max's (only?) fan, but he's playing God with these rule changes. Get serious, Max.

Button pulled it off like a real winner.

Not one, but TWO laughing stocks. I can't wait - I love comedy.

Alonso is still in the hunt, if they're hunting rabbits after the race.

Everyone has to grow up sometime (well, maybe except Eddie Irvine!). But whodathunk Alonso would blossom into a gentleman?

Methinks it's the 001 that's losing it's edge...

Ferrari needs to swallow their pride and BEG Todt to return...

Much too soon to label KERS a "waste of money and time", bravoF1. Hamilton's use of KERS had a significant effect on the outcome of the Bahrain GP, and the possibilities for production car applications are very exciting.

Gillet is awaiting "answers" on the debenture "scheme", the council hasn't passed the proposals, yet he's 100% certain of success. These guys always say whatever it takes to inspire CONfidence...

It's interesting that Vettel was able to match the Red Bull cars in 2008, but the new team of Sebs at Toro Rosso seem not to be able. Everyone says that results are 80% due to the car, but compare results of Button and Barrichello in the Brawn. The driver still matters. To doubters, I present Messrs Piquet and Kovalainen...

Why is "Brawn" any worse a name than "Ferrari"? Enzo was just a guy, like Ross, until his "Ferrari" cars won some races. And so far the "Brawn" cars are winning quite a few...

Briatore would never tolerate Piquet's incompetence if he didn't need to mollycoddle Alonso's prima donna ego. My question is - why expend resources on a second car that seems to make no positive contribution?

It's not all about the victories. We can learn a lot from watching Hamilton do battle in an inferior car. Let's enjoy it, while we can. McLaren won't be mid-field for long!

Fifth place, with the fastest car on the grid. How is Barrichello a "winner"?

Brawn should take a few big-money sponsors, but remember that Brawn was there BEFORE the big wins. That's the kind of title sponsor you want when McLaren and Ferrari are back on form...

This has become a matter of pride - Bernie's. There's no need for this "crisis" - come off your high horse and let Silverstone and the Govt work something out.

Button is no Hamilton, but he is making good use of a good car. In Barrichello's hands the Brawn looks... okay, I guess.

Send Rosberg to a psychiatrist to find out why he chokes under pressure.

McLaren certainly seems to be making progress, but the best that can be said for Ferrari is that merely ONE of the cars was a complete disaster. Well, I guess for Ferrari that's significant progress...

So all the resources invested in KERS is to be wasted? McLaren should sue... somebody!

Vettel v Hamilton will be the Senna v Prost of this time. Both of these guys are the Real Thing. Put Alonso in a Ferrari and this could be the greatest era of motor racing. Ever.

All credit to Button for being able to make use of a dominant car, but he's really never been much good without an edge. Barrichello, as when he was with Ferrari, looks second rate even with the fastest car on the track. Time to go home and grow tomatoes, Rubens.

This is the year that will earn Hamilton respect (like Alonso in 2008).

Should have kept the Benneton Boys, Luca...

Once again Rosberg flies in practice only to wilt under pressure. Pretty good race by Fisichella! But KERS should be either compulsory, or not allowed.

What a class act this guy is...

Suck it up, lad. Things always look better in the morning.

The story might have been different if Trulli had led from the start. Banning team orders is just so silly...

Button working hard for the credit for this one - but he deserves it! I'm still betting on Vettel (and Newey), though...

Rubbish. Ferrari glory was won with the Benneton Boys, and they were stupid to have chosen Domenicali over Brawn as Team Principal. Enjoy the spaghetti, tifosi...

This is just a load of grandstanding to minimise punishment. You've commited the crime. Now do the time.

Hamilton may pass Vettel at the start, but Vettel will win. 'Toyota now or never'? I think NEVER.

Okay, I'll stick my neck out (why not?). Vettel is going to win the race and the championship. GP of Bahrain: 1. Vettel 2. Button 3. Hamilton

Webber is NOT unlucky - he left it too late. Fortune favours the brave... and the smart.

Anyone who thinks that Webber is this guy's match is dreaming (yes you, zildog). MW is a great #2 for an inexperienced driver, but as soon as Red Bull no longer needs his experience, Buemi will change teams and he'll be out.

Who's taking bets that Rosberg blows it under Qualifying pressure? Again.

If Raikkonen doesn't "know any driver who develops the cars", surely this proves Coulthard's point. Hopefully Massa has some grasp of the driver's role in developing a eacing car - I'm SURE that Alonso does. And if Kimi hadn't lucked out when Hamilton messed up in 2007, would he also have "never really achieved anything"? Arrogance.

Massa is already living up to his vow. He's been leading the Force India cars at every circuit so far - GO MASSA!!

It would seem logical for Richards to try to get Aston into the Jaguar/Alfa/Maserati alliance. I'd love to see Aston roadcars with Ferrari engines, and an Aston/Ferrari F1 contender, but what's in it for Fiat/Tata? And will Aston get any kudos if the F1 car uses a Cosworth co-op engine?

Come on, give the guy a break. It's not every day that the frog gets to play the Prince. And Renault or Red Bull could end the Brawn Supremacy in one aero update. Enjoy it while it lasts, Jenson.

Luizzi needs to move over. So do Bourdais, Sutil, Fisi, Raikkonen, and Piquet. Nakajima.. the sport needs an Asian driver, and Heidfeld will be a racer until he drops. Or is dropped. But what's the deal with Rosberg? Blazing fast, then seems to fall apart when the pressure is on.

Buemi will make a great partner for Vettel in 2011, unless Webber astounds us all. Bourdais? Well, no-one can say he didn't have his chance.

Red Bull has the BEST driver pairing. Vettel is not quite up to speed, but he WILL be miles better than Massa, and Kimi doesn't seem to be able to drive without traction control. Ferrari has two ALMOST number ones. I've lost faith in Webber as a potential Champion, but he's the perfect number 2 to support an inexperienced Vettel. But then, in 1978 I'd have said the same about another Aussie named Alan Jones...

Alonso was a prima donna, but the Dream Team was destroyed by Dennis' inability to manage an explosive clash of personalities. The responsibility, and the failure, belongs to Dennis.

Wouldn't bet on their doing well, but you never know. Jaguar and Honda looked like perennial losers. Now after a management change Red Bull and Brawn are at the top of F1.

So Mercedes is really going to choose to supply Force India over Red Bull? I don't think so.

Does it really make a difference whether you lose by two laps or twenty?...

Don't get it. Why would anyone want to ask Timo Glock ANYTHING?

The playing field is level. The teams' abilities aren't.

Brawn himself says that the battle for the Championship down to the wire in 2009 severely handicapped McLaren and Ferrari readying a car for 2010's new regulations. Enjoy their frustration while it lasts, PF1 idiots. McLaren, at least, will be back on top in time. Cream eventually rises to the top.

Thought I was Max's only fan, deepwater330. These armchair wannabe critics haven't twigged that the interest shown in entering F1 during the scariest recession since the 30s is as great a vindication of Max as there could ever be. Hope Todt is half as good.

Ferrari were rubbish before poaching the Benetton Boys, and it looks like they're rubbish again now the Boys have moved on. Makes you wonder if the Ferarri legend is actually a myth...

Briatore could learn a lesson in common decency from Whitmarsh. But then, Briatore could learn a lesson in decency from my dog.

Perhaps Kimi should get Schumi to teach him how to drive a car without traction control...

Let's all stop the whining and enjoy the racing. Let the FIA deal with discipline - if they're not even-handed it won't be the first time nor the last. It's called "life" and it's not always fair.

Has there ever been a more meaningless statistic than "first grand prix victories of two different F1 teams in less than a year"? Sounds almost... American.

Steady, fellows. Ferrari's going through a crisis at the worst possible time. Or maybe the best. See what happened when Brawn turned a clean sheet at Honda. Maybe it's the right time for Ferrari to do the same thing. Hint - Kimi has to go. The guy has no motivation when the going gets tough. Maybe they should poach Vettel AND Newey from Red Bull...

How's that crow tasting, rrmarquez? Oh well, you probably like it by now, if it's an acquired taste!

Nice one, Brawn. No fodder for the tabloids, but ever the gentleman.

Don't write off the Brawns just yet. A car with superior high speed aerodynamics may simply not be able to go fast enough to dominate in a wet race. Let's see how Bahrain plays out...

GREAT quote from Peta: Ferrari coming up chumps...

What happened to the Brawn Supremacy? Now let's see the Red Bull when Newey redoes the aero around the biplane diffuser!

No surprise re the brilliant Vettel, but I'm happy for Webber that he kept it on the road AND kept sticking it to Vettel, constantly swapping fastest laps. Note to Horner - resist the temptation to replace Webber for 2010 with some young hotshoe like Buemi. Red Bull has F1's best driver team!

Don't write off Massa's WDC so quickly, fmellis. The season is young, and so is Massa. But it's beginning to look as if Ferrari are incapable of success now that the poached Benetton Boys have departed. The only one still in active service is a Mr Ross Brawn...

Hey annmarie - good to see someone who's been around F1 longer than I. Moss and Fangio I only ever saw in old copies of Motorsport! Yes, it's a great season, and it's not the first time that rule-benders have forced other teams to catch up. Chapman's greatest genius was his unique ability to read the rulebook! But what a vindictive troll Briatore is.

Pity that McLaren don't have Webber in the second seat. Ham doesn't yet have enough experience, and Kovalainen is just making up numbers. Red Bull has the ideal partnership in Vettel and Webber. Alonso, of course, simply doesn't NEED a partner...

Good on Webber for paying tribute to Renault mechanic Pierre-Emeric Benteyn. Drivers like Alonso will always win because they don't waste time thinking about things that don't help them to victory. But Webber will still have a fan club when he's a has-been. Not the best driver in F1, but my kind of guy.

The Red Bulls are running light with dodgy machanicals so we shouldn't expect great things in this race, but Newey's redesign and Vettel's masterful qualifying deserve high praise. It looks like another Brawn victory, but they start the race with the best driver on the track in front of them.

Anyone who tries to draw too many conclusions at this stage of this crazy season is just plain stupid.

Ferrari: Massa's prospects not looking good

Button HAS been slow - he's been handicapped by slow cars. So it's a little unfair to deny him credit now that he finally has a winning ride. But Briatore has never exactly been a gentleman, so we shouldn't expect him suddenly to act like one!

The playing field IS level. It's just that three teams have been smarter at playing on it.

Ferrari has not internally groomed a successful management team for decades. The Schumacher mob was highjacked from Benetton, so it's no surprise if there's no-one capable of taking over.

No-one's forcing anyone to follow the politics - if you're sick of it, simply stick to watching the races...

Barrichello is obviously not as young as he was at Ferrari, but Button is also now a senior driver. And so far Jenson is putting Rubens in his place as decisively as did Michael...

Vindication? Early form? Force India has gone from scoring zero points in 2008 to scoring... ZERO POINTS. I don't get it, but then that's probably why Mallya is a billionaire and I'm not.

What's with all the PF1 effrontery? This level of dispute over the rules was commonplace when Colin Chapman made a habit of bending the regs as far as possible. The FIA has certainly not always been fair - the 1978 Brabham-Alfa Romeo BT46 fan car (which thoroughly spanked the Lotus 78) was within the regs, so they banned it as unsafe (loss of downforce in case of failure). And life went on...

By Tozzi's definition Galileo was also 'a person of supreme arrogance', for thinking he was right 'when so many of his esteemed colleagues would disagree'. Note to Tozzi - Toyota and Williams also see it Brawn's way. There is ONE issue: is the diffuser within the regulations?

phillipdeane, the question is: does anyone actually BELIEVE the ridiculous saying 'there's no such thing as bad publicity'?

Cosworth 2009 shares nothing except a name with Cosworth 1968 of DFV fame. Different owners and engineers, so illustious history means nothing. What's in a name? The Mercedes (Ilmor) engine probably owes more to old-school Cosworth lineage than any motor the new guys come up with.

Sir Jackie must be drunk.

The mystery guy who made the rain-tyre call is now a laughing stock. If the rain had fallen, he'd have been a hero...

Now we know why McLaren was so harsh in firing Ryan. He can't be forced to testify, so will be the perfect scapegoat. That must have been one GOLDEN handshake.

Give the guy a break. He was dealing with much more torque than any rally car.

It's the job of the PROFESSIONAL interviewer to get good answers out of his subject. 'Were you surprised that Nico was quickest in 2 of the 3 practice sessions?' is just a STUPID rookie question...

Let's see where the teams stand when everyone develops their own diffuser. Cheating is always despicable, but I respect the fact that the McLaren team members (including Hamilton) are still RACING like champions, even if the car (and their ethics) aren't up to scratch.

It's so funny watching the wannabe vultures gather around Ferrari's corpse. There are new regulations, new technology - I remember Ligier's fleeting success in the early races of 1979... Let's wait until the end of the season before we write the epilogue.

Vettel goes off in a puddle on tired intermediates, and the doofusses are ready to write him off. No-one is immune from the laws of nature - not Clark, not Senna, and in Malaysia not even Alonso, best driver on the track. Join the Real World, THussey.

My mother could have told naughty Alonso that even racing drivers eventually suffer when they don't clean out their ears properly. It's all about the wax buildup, F-Zo...

Ham and Ryan were dishonest. Ryan was the sacrificial lamb, while Ham is the sacred cash cow who must be protected by McLaren and the FIA. The same thing would have happened if Ferrari had been the villains. That's the Real World. Deal with it.

All the "drivers most likely" should lose their drive. Eventually, Ferrari will realise that the significant difference between 2007 and 2008 was traction control, without which Kimi will never again be a front line driver. I wanted McLaren to replace Kovalainen with Rosberg, but the Williams may be the superior car this year! Piquet, Naka, Bourdais - who cares?

Fisichella will never be the World Champion he was once expected to be, but he's doing a good job at FI. Senna is a dud - surely Piquet Jr is proof enough that a name does not a champion make.

Exactly right - I had no reason to respect Alonso's character until 2008, from which he emerged as a great driver. Ham's mettle is being tested, and so far he's measuring up. The haters are Little People, which we will always have with us...

Fortune favours the brave - Ham earned this 3rd place with a great drive. I've been waiting for him to prove his worth in a mediocre car, and McLaren has delivered! Meanwhile Kimi is proving that he CAN'T DRIVE WITHOUT TRACTION CONTROL...

Great new era!

Truly EXCELLENT analysis.

I want to see what this guy is made of, and we'll only know that after a few races in a mediocre car. We didn't really know how good Alonso is until last year...

People say all kinds of things - it doesn't take a fool to say "I will always love you". But only a fool believes it.

It amuses me to witness these silly disputes over beauty - if Brundle dislikes the new cars, they are ugly TO BRUNDLE. If Cyrano likes them , they are beautiful TO CYRANO! Can't we all get along and unite against the real enemy - NASCAR!

Kimi will shine as soon as they bring back traction control.

Sandbagging works great in the pages of 'Boy's Own Weekly', but in the Real World there would be more to lose than to gain. Like most old guys, Bernie believes that the status quo will prevail.

dgrtscorpio's is a good principle. Even if 5 is not the number, he's on the right track - good thinking, dgrtscorpio.

I'm a fan of Max (probably his only one), but this "most wins" criterion (and the way it was handed down as a divine edict) has lost him a lot of brownie points.

Briatore may have reasons for doubting the Brawn's legality, but how is Barrichello qualified to say that the Brawn is legal?

We won't know until Melbourne, fellows...

Red Bull opts for freer regulations. Toro Rosso opts for unlimited spending, but spends on research for RBR's car. Then hires Nigel Stepney to manage "Technology Transfer" department. What's to prevent this?

I don't like the implications to the season's competition, but it WILL result in exciting racing. So I'll enjoy the advantages and suck up the downside because MY OPINION WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING!

Tribute to Max, and his cost cutting - BMW is spending 40% less than when they only supplied engines. The joke about technical relevance of F1 to production cars is that NO-ONE cares! Joe Public is happy if the racing car LOOKS like his daily driver, but doesn't care about what's under the skin (eg the utterly farcical NASCAR).

Surely Mallya must appreciate the rarity of talent such as Hamilton's, and the the degree to which that talent was nurtured. You don't just "see it happen"!

I'm happy to eat crow - Brawn has silenced us doubters. Of course, we don't know anything for sure until Melbourne...

the_duke 124 - how about celebrating the BEST team, whoever that may be?!

Could Brawn GP be about to confound the doubters (one here)? Don't forget Williams' excellent pre-season form last year, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

dlroberts is 100% right - Alonso was a jerk, but his setup and development skills seem to be streets ahead of any of McLaren's current drivers.

You said it for me, Edzio! Surely if Gascoyne was responsible for that 1999 season he would have done SOMETHING since. It will be interesting to compare this mob's results from the McLaren engine with those of Brawn GP.

Good news. Now we'll see what Brawn is made of. I've always thought of him as nothing more than a race manager, but the credit and blame are now firmly on his shoulders.

for spacedmanspliff, both answers and questions: F2 = Williams-Audi 400(+50)bhp 1.8 turbo I4 GP2= Dallara-Renault 580 bhp 4.0 V8 I've read that F2 is replacing GP2, and that GP3 is being developed. So will GP3 replace F3?

Williams' task was made relatively simple by the fact that this design doesn't have to COMPETE with any other. It won't matter whether (eg) the rear wing is great or crap, because the other cars' will be the same.

Danica seems to think there is a possibility that she could fit F1 into her Indycar schedule... Are we living on the same planet? And yes, meyerweb, she's a cutie.

Without a competitive car, I don't think that we punters get to see Rosgerg in circumstances where we are able to judge him. But clint99's list looks pretty good to me, except that Heidfeld is a hasbeen, and Webber is a neverwas.

Rosberg owes Williams nothing, graining. They chose him because he was the best driver they could get, and his decision to stick with them must have been pure loyalty, as McLaren was always the smart bet. At the end of the day, Rosberg's talent is better than the Williams car, and Sir Frank acknowledges this.

Rosberg's boo-boo was last year - seemed crazy not to insist on being released to McLaren then, seems tragic now. But he's young, and at least he's getting great training in F1 rather than slumming in America like poor Bourdais (who may have wasted his life and talent there). Still, new boys like Vettel and Buemi have pushed him off of centre stage (see THussey's impertinent post), and Rosberg should start talking NOW to McLaren about a test. Just in case...

Enginman, the US may have been a "Sleeping Tiger" in the 1940s, but in the 21st century it's fast becoming a rotting carcass. USF1 will either go down in flames, or accept reality and buy STR (with "technical support" from Red Bull, and All-Italian Ferrari drivetrain!). They can still have a head office in North Carolina, from which Windsor can churn out his spin. Oops - he's British! Even the BS won't be All-American.

These drivers "have all been linked with the team" merely by spin (ie lies). They all know NOTHING about it! The closer it gets to 2010, the more obvious it will be that this is the biggest pile of BS two buffoons ever squeezed out.

Ken Anderson (last seen in the Real World in the 80s) says that USF1 can be based in the US because: "90% of technology that exists in F1 comes from the U.S.". One of us is an idiot.

Poor Bourdais. He should have been here five years ago, and now he's a geriatric paired with the hottest young driver in F1. Two years in a row...

Want "personality"? Easy - give Eddie Irvine a seat. Doesn't seem so desirable now, does it?

Come on lads - it's the silly season. Planet has to report on this garbage, as there's little else! Must say I'm half-expecting an April 1 denial of this USF1 farce. Has there ever been a more ridiculous idea? Well, since BAR, anyway...

Life (even F1) is about the optimum compromise. Max and FOTA will find it.

summerss: Webber is a steady and reliable driver who can string a few quick laps together, but he just doesn't have the racer's edge (sorry). It should now be obvious that he's no F1 star, but he seems up to the task of supporting Vettel, and good luck to them both.

davratta, before you get too "encouraged", check Williams' brilliant 2008 pre-season form, and then compare their miserable season. MUCH too early to call...

I've never liked Silverstone, but I wish the BRDC well. So good luck to them with this - MotoGP racing is far more exciting to watch anyway!

If Danica wants to do F1 she should learn the ropes by competing in GP2 first like everyone else. Otherwise she'll be a PR dream until the first race (and a joke thereafter).

STR is for sale, and this guy buys HONDA?!!!

The math is simple: (Danica vs Bourdais) + (Bourdais' F1 form) = (Danica F1 flop)

Does it even matter whether either Button or the Honda race? I guess Force India may want SOMEONE they can beat...

If Senna is so good, let him prove it in GP2 this year - he didn't do so in 2008. Give someone a reason (other than his name) to sign him. I'll weep for some drivers without a seat, but not for this guy.

Anything that gives this guy another chance must be good.

The skeptics also said that BAT, Beatrice, Penske and Eagle would fail. Oh wait - they did!!! Out-sourcing F1 engineering may be cheaper in US than Europe, but so what? Cheap garbage is still garbage - these jokers think NASCAR is hi-tech...

Come on Vettel, don't be such an under-achiever. Beating Webber is not exactly a very challenging target.

Perhaps USF1 can tap into some TARP funds to buy the team as an economic stimulus. Otherwise they're sunk - not even Ratan Tata would buy such an over-capitalised under-performing company.

Finally someone has the vision to exploit the huge American interest in F1, and their untapped sophistication in "racecar" technology. They could rebody a NASCAR chassis, fit an NHRA engine and bail out Jack Abramoff to pay off the FIA stewards. Sounds like a winner to me.

Red Bull's chances have been vastly improved by the fact that the car will finally have a driver (Vettel) on board.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (excuse me while I catch my breath...)

Bring someone better and I'll support him. But Max continues to do a great job, so I'll be happy if he stays on. I remember the Balestre days (most of Max's detractors probably don't even know who I'm talking about)...

I'm very excited about the new crop of drivers, and Sato, Webber, Fisi, Barrichello and Heidfeld simply need to move over for them. Sayonara, Takuma.

Max is right (again). The little whiners need to pay up or go back to their tax havens.

Anyone in his right mind would put his money on Ham, but the competition is too good and the teams' formbook too irrelevant (given the regulations changes) to give him good odds. And that's great for racing!

Ham in a red car? Great fantasy, but it'll never happen. Unless Ham sleeps with Ron's girl (or vice versa!).

Good for Bourdais! He deserves another chance, and Vettel is one helluva benchmark. Vettel in the STR and Alonso in the Renault demonstrated what a brilliant driver can do with a so-so car. Button is a so-so driver who has blown every chance to do the same. Move over, Dude.

I like neither Alonso nor Briatore, but you have to give the devils their due. These guys are the best, and deserve every success. Ferrari is my favourite team, but the Schumacher gang was stolen from Briatore. I'm a Ham-supporter, but he had the best car in his rookie year because Alonso set it up.

This must be an opening bid - surely ¿50m can't be a realistic amount! And how do you prevent say RBR and STR from secretly sharing their R&D resources? And SteveJeeper, your analysis is short-sighted. Restoring profligate spending will cure the symptom, but IS in fact the CAUSE of the financial crisis - Western spending in excess of earnings from PRODUCTION. The East produces and saves, the West spends and borrows to support it. Then blames the East for not spending enough!

Any comment yet from Sir Jackie?

Rossi obviously has the talent to be a champion in any formula, in any vehicle. But F1 would be a new trick, and Rossi is too old a dog.

If BMW gives Heidfeld the fastest car on the grid, Kubica will still run rings around him.

Everything suggests that Red Bull is on an up. Except Webber. Actually, freedom from of the pressure of being a #1 may liberate Webber to be a great supporting driver, until Vettel is up to say Alonso's level.

Great men make the most of their opportunities. Button blew his. Case closed.

Mayer did a great job in the context of his time, and so has Dennis. This is a tribute from one great Principal to another, and should not be an opportunity for little knowitall pipsqueaks to take potshots at Ron Dennis.

Alonso is a prima donna, but he's also the best driver in F1. Perhaps Briatore realises that he can't handle the challenge of a competitive second driver, but surely selecting the worst driver on the grid is overkill. Why not just use the 2nd car to sneak some extra (fully legal) testing? Maybe that is actually Piquet's role (would explain his woeful lack of pace)!

Has F1 ever had a better mix of talent? Good drivers like Webber and Bourdais look very ordinary in this company. I can't wait for Vettel, Ham, Kubica and Buemi to mature (and for Rosberg to get a decent drive).

Who cares about any of this? This team has always been a final resting place for overpaid mediocrity. I hope Button goes to STR - just for the pleasure of watching rookie Buemi clean his clock.

Webber is lucky that Horner even mentions his name, and he'll be out when his contract is up. He should really be a safe, steady WSC driver, and that's nothing to be ashamed of - the guy's just out of his depth in F1. Buemi will join Vettel in the 2010 RBR lineup.

Things do look good for Red Bull this year, now that they have a decent (if inexperienced) Number 1 driver. As for Webber's long-term chances - who knows? Maybe he'll make a good Number 2. Maybe...

Budget caps should help Williams - they've had self-imposed ones for years! No-one does speed on the cheap like Sir Frank!

Hopefully this will convince everyone (including Max) that they need to get rid of Bernie. Surely he's not the ONLY one who can make F1 work.

Steady, chaps - quick testers usually flatter to deceive. Remember Williams in 2008...

That's it, bigrob. To the punters, Ham is the face of McLaren, but he's really just one gear in the 'box.

Good for Webber, bad for Red Bull. Any chance to cancel this contract would have been good for the team - there are some drivers out there with no F1 seat who are really promising. Webber, on the other hand, is constantly promising... to do better NEXT year.

Whitmarsh will no doubt ignore, as did Dennis, potshots from self-appointed critics who are completely ignorant of the requirements of his job.

Has there ever been worse advice than this? The team were perennial losers when they had Honda's engineering and financial backing - where's this dramatic improvement going to come from? Meanwhile STR have improved consistently - I'll never forget Vettel pulling inexorably away from Ham at the end in Brazil. STR is Button's last chance to rescue a failed career.

No surprise here - Murray Walker made a career out of being a lovable idiot. He just isn't lovable any more.

Take your time, do it right. Force would be a good apprenticeship for McLaren engineers, perhaps with a senior ex-McLaren boss. Toro Rosso shows that the student can school the master!

Massa must have had divine assistance. Ferrari and McLaren battling for the championship - this is a truly inspired prediction.

Interesting how so many are ready to discard Kimi. The guy has had a bad year, and a great Team Principal would find a way to motivate his undoubted talent (Briatore would have sacked him before mid-season!). This is rather a make-or-break year (at his level), but I expect him to come through.

Dave Richards will be part of the F1 Rebirth that Max is creating. He's completely right - Honda is the epitome of everything that condemns the old Pre-birth F1. Its role is the "dinosaur" of this evolution story, and Richards will no doubt create a lean, efficient team that can take advantage of the co-op Cosworth engine, standardised driveline and suspension components, and cheap wind tunnel access. Let the mice titter - this guy knows what he's doing.

If Bourdais gets the second seat, the pressure to perform may be overwhelming - can any driver have had such daunting benchmarks for TWO years running?! Supporting roles for the teammates of both Buemi and Vettel seem both inevitable and sadly pointless. F1 is entering a Brave New World, and neither Webber nor Bourdais appear to belong in it.

Bourdais did well enough in 2008 to deserve another drive - the issue is whether others deserve it more. But Button had a career long before Honda, and has never really convinced. The pasture awaits.

Perhaps Mr Gillett might want to take a break long enough to get a haircut.

I find it hard to imagine that there exists a party with more to gain, more resources, and better able to withstand the recession/depression than Honda. If I were employed by the Honda F1 team, I'd be looking for a job.

And perhaps someday pigs will fly.

The product of a mind that is flexible, capable of both revolution and pragmatism. The mice can squeak as frantically as they wish - this is great thinking from a great FIA President.

As usual Max gets it. And the armchair CEOs don't.

It's in Red Bull's interest that Webber take all the time he needs, and come back when he's 100% fit. Like maybe 2010.

Buemi is a no-brainer. Button is not.

Ferrari engine? Great news! They're well on the way to a good car - now all they need is a Ferrari chassis.

No need to worry about Webber's career. He can always take up mountain-bike racing.

Hey robson, stick to jokes - you may be an egomaniacal anti-Brit-and-everything-else-except-Ferrari but you're funny. And I don't know if "Summerarse" was original, but it was funny - that's all that matters!

Yeah right, and I'm "not giving up on my dream" of bedding Salma Hayek. But McLaren obviously doesn't much care who's in the second seat, so who knows?

The teams will always do and spend what it takes to win - it's up to the FIA to make regulations that control spending. This CANNOT include a single-engine formula like IRL, but that's NOT what the Cosworth co-op engine is. It's merely an affordable ALTERNATIVE for independent teams - just the kind of thing that's required to save and sustain F1.

What kind of mental weakling does Schumie think that Ham is? Second in his first two Championships? Somehow, I think Ham would have got over it...

The financial arrangements need review, but I'm with Max until someone comes up with a better candidate (does no-one remember the Balestre era?). Not crazy about the guy, but I think he's done a pretty good job in a very difficult position. And no, I'm not talking about position 69...

Irvine's mouth was always his most impressive organ. Some things never change...

Schumacher was a Team Schumacher player, but Ferrari did his bidding because he was the best. Right now Alonso is THE BEST (not yet, Ham, sorry), and if they can get him, Ferrari will. Talent talks, BS walks.

MBEs are awarded for achievement of ANY kind (eg exports), not just bravery. ANY old fart (such as I) can give his life for his country - it's not exactly an achievement. There was the same BS hypocrisy when the Beatles got it!

Always seemed to be a golden-handshake deal - what does Ferrari get out of it? Perhaps the prestige is worth it: "Schumacher developed my pink F430, Sharon. Who did your Gallardo?"

Briatore may be a bit self-serving in his analysis, but Alonso's driving of the mediocre 2008 Renault was as impressive as anything Schumacher did.

Commitment? They'll be out tomorrow if it suits them. Ferrari must remain in motor racing, because that is the source of its road cars' prestige - Lambo, Bugatti, Aston are not in the same league. But the F1 team is NOT the reason why someone buys a Toyota.

Two separate issues. The teams need a greater share of revenue, but the BEST WAY to do this is to provide independent teams with access to affordable running-gear and wind tunnels. If the FIA can help fund the indies, F1 can be immunised against the fickleness of the economy, sponsors and manufacturers. I'm a Ferrari fan but I want them to win a FAIR FIGHT, and the deck is unfairly stacked in their favour when they receive a larger share of revenue. Unfortunately, there will always be some who deem the shooting of sitting ducks to be "sport"...

Great drivers somehow manage to impress in the worst machinery. Mallya has just acquired McLaren support while Karthikeyan is driving for a gimmick series. So who's "loud on talk"?

Slowly the haters will realise that Ham is far bigger than they, and couldn't care less about their frantic vitriol. Tiger shrugged it off, Obama shrugged it off - we know where it's coming from, and it's all part of what must be.

brade84's conjecture fits the plot nicely, and Richards was talking to McLaren about support, last year. This would make far more sense for all except Mallya. But perhaps he has more faith in Brawn than I...

Ferrari hopes that if they ignore the old codger's latest rant he'll eventually limp away, mumbling to himself. Problem is, he's right - Ferrari's share of the commercial revenue amounts to a restriction of competition. The big guy will always use his clout to stay ahead of the little guy. If you let him.

Don't let your passion control your brain, Richards.

LaughingGas is right. Better low overhead and a good support deal like Force India, than the MASSIVE overhead of this dinosaur. RESIST the temptation, Richards! Buy STR, or make a support deal with Ferrari. Aston could then ally with Alfa/Jaguar, to make it a family affair.

We all die with unfinished business, Barrichello. Deal with it.

Hamilton's win is no surprise, but McLaren preferred over Ferrari?! I smell a rat. The poll's population can't have been well selected - probably skewed in favour of internet newbies. I'm confident that a majority of long-time F1 fans favour Ferrari. As do I!

Poor Bourdais. What a pity he wasted his best years in the motor racing backwash. TERRIBLE career choice, but nobody held a gun to his head. Whatever. Kids are starving in the ghetto - I'll worry about THEM.

PHEWW! We can all breathe easy, now Dr Coulthard has given his prognosis.

Will the real Kimi stand up? We'll see. I wouldn't have re-signed Massa - it took him a LONG time to come good, and the current crop is HOT. Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel, Buemi, Kubica (wish I could say "Rosberg", but we haven't seen him drive a REAL F1 car, yet). I'm a Ferrari fan, and I'd sweat if I were depending only on Massa's driving.

Montezemolo is LYING. Better than anyone, he knows that both Alonso and Hamilton are better than either of his current drivers (at least until Kimi gets his head together), and he'd sign Hamilton tomorrow if he could. But he can't so he spins it. Except in business it's not "lying", it's PR!

Unlike Max, who is realistically dragging F1 into the 21st century, Bernie still seems to be living in a fantasy World of unlimited Asian and Middle Eastern money. But di Montezemolo must ALSO be forced to accept that Ferrari's large share of the teams' pie is an unfair restraint of competition. Physician, heal thyself.

Hmm... McLaren can share staff, testing duties, data (and budget) with say Force India, completely getting around the restrictions. McLaren has access to all Force info, but shares on a selective basis. Don't tell me that's not going to happen with RB/STR, and really, why not? Just make "technical partnerships" legal for all teams.

"Anything can be modified", but only if it's in both parties' interests to modify. Massa still has everything to prove, but I'm pretty sure Kimi's contract (like the man himself) is solid enough for him to stick to its terms. I don't think he's afraid of anything Ferrari can throw back at him.

It was just as "bleeding obvious" when you said it, Robson. Still, "obvious" is a step up from "ridiculous" - keep it up, and you may actually say something worth reading one day!

SHOCK - Buemi not at the head of the timesheet! Perhaps Vettel put the youngster in his place, but I'm thinking Webber isn't feeling very secure in that Red Bull seat right now...

Spot on target, usformuladriver. Trulli earned my respect in 2008 (as did Alonso) for taking a bad car by the scruff of its neck and WRINGING every ounce of pace out of it. It's possible that his efforts are responsible for Toyota's justifying a 2009 season at all - job well done.

If Robson lives to be 100, he's still be a boy. With a child's view of victory, and what makes a man a Hero.

VERY astute comment by Wombat_F1. I'm losing faith with Williams, but they've always kept their spending tight, and may better be able to compete when the big boys are FORCED to play on their level. Interesting times...

Commenters trying to find nits to pick with Buemi's fine performance and sensible remarks fail to see that he's not trying to race BMW drivers - he's earning an STR seat for 2009. Mission accomplished, as far as I can see.

It's like anyone in a bad job - you have to give it 100% WHETHER OR NOT your employer deserves it, or you become damaged goods. This is a real test of Rosberg's character, and it's a tragedy that his name isn't being mentioned with the other young guns. But this is the bed he CHOSE to lie in - I think he should consider getting a new manager!

Buemi and Button at STR! This an absolute no-brainer, as even his detractors must admit that Jenson is a better bet than the other contenders (although RB/STR hasn't had great luck with "mature" drivers). He will have a decent car (presumably!) and a brilliant young driver as a benchmark. If Button doesn't perform he can slink on back home to Somerset, but I'm not quite ready to write the lad off just yet.

Come on, TriumphKen, challenging Robson to post intelligent comments for a WEEK is a little far-fetched. Perhaps ONE sensible posting might be possible. But I wouldn't take bets on it if I were you.

Surely it would be worth McLaren's while to make a deal with Honda for Button's services - they would have an actual driver in the second seat. They could always teach Kovalainen to change tyres, or something.

Are you sure Bernie isn't a closet Planet commenter? His ideas seem just as loony, and as contemptuous of teams that don't finish on the podium. It's all about Ferrari, and McLaren, and... those other guys.

If anyone else had come up with this ridiculous medal plan, no-one would give it the slightest consideration. There's more overtaking now than there's ever been, and the rule changes are likely to result in even more. "...nobody asks the people..." - Max's ingratiating attempts to endear himself to the rabble are just too funny!

You fellows really have time to waste, if you're getting irritated by what Robson says - when I see his name I skip to the next one.

I've wanted Bourdais to do well, but you have to say that Sato pretty much has him covered. Looks like it's time to search your pockets for that USA return ticket-stub, Bourdais...

Massa has fully justified Ferrari's faith in him - Briatore would have dumped him years ago! I'm a Ham-fan, but I'll happily applaud if Massa prevails in 2009. Respect due.

I don't like the SOB, but he's the best Team Principal in the history of the sport.

Sorry, but if I were buying the team Button's contract would be a negative. Good driver, but not up to his pay-grade - there are better bargains on the shelf.

Now all Force India needs is a McLaren chassis, and then they'll have a good car!

Looks like NickUSA dusted off his old Class Valedictorian speech - I'll bet you had them weeping! Take off the red specs. The racers of the past were no more honourable, nor less greedy. Technology has simply reached a level where progress is ever more expensive, and there are fewer ideas that haven't already been thought of. I hope that the FIA is more sensible than F1's fans, and that Max can continue to bring F1 in line with the realities of the Real World. By REGULATING. And Rob Walker never won a World Championship, even with the Mossman driving!

As usual, robson knows exactly what STR is doing, and offers his invaluable advice on how better they should be using their resources. Without his expert insight I can only compare drivers with a similar objective in similar cars, and Buemi seems to have justified STR's interest in him - well scouted, STR!

Ham is a great driver, but in his ivory (or should that be ebony?!) tower he obviously knows NOTHING about the effects of the economy on motor racing! Learn your history, lad. And Hakkinen is out of touch - Max's proposal is for the "co-op" engine to be MADE AVAILABLE to the privateers, rather than to REPLACE the manufacturer's engines. But then, most of the Planet rabble don't seem to have understood that either...

Bernie knows far more about the subject than I, but sometimes I wonder if he's losing it. Bad example? Ferrari and Mercedes also spent mega-bucks - I APPLAUD Honda for keeping faith in their doomed F1 effort for so long. The free-enterprise rabble supports a brawl-to-the-death, but Honda's withdrawal is an example of how it works. It's up to the FIA to legislate costs downward with regulations BEFORE the free-market claims more victims.

Heikki should be testing full-time. I'm not a fan of Button, but surely he (or SOMEONE) would make better use of the McLaren race seat. Hamilton can deal with Ferrari perfectly well without support, but fielding a car for Kovalainen is just wasting half the budget.

I'd rather see the profits go towards funding a truly competitive "co-op" engine and gearbox, and facilities such as a "co-op" wind tunnel to enable the privateers to survive.

McLaren's success has been at the expense of its independence, and Williams remains the greatest private team in the history of F1, on a much smaller budget. If Max's measures result in the survival of teams such as Williams, he can continue to amuse himself in any way he chooses, as far as I'm concerned!

Hey, Whitecars - I can't believe that SOMEONE on Planet understands the severity of the situation. These children keep going on about "purity of the sport", and don't seem to realise that if the World economy tanks there may soon BE no motorsport (even Ferrari can't fund a team if they have insufficient revenue). I hope that attempts at stimulation will defer the crash (at least for now), but the days of the cash bubble are over.

McLaren will not always be the most successful team, but if Ham is happy there, then that's where he should stay. And any team that grooms and takes care of talent as McLaren has, DESERVES that kind of loyalty. Dennis is no angel, but compare his approach with that of "use them and discard them" Briatore...

Max is right (as usual), and his function is to foster the survival of F1, so anything that threatens this IS his business. The FIA should buy Honda's (or SOMEONE'S) wind tunnel, and make it available to all at cost. There are many potential team owners out there who have the expertise but were forced, or are kept out, by cost. Walkinshaw, Stewart, Prost, Jordan, Stoddart, Richards... this could be a great new era for privateers!

GREAT! As Max's only champion (apparently), I'm delighted that all appear to have agreed on a way forward. But funding for the "Co-op" engine must be sufficient for it to compete with the top engines, and Cosworth never seem to have regained the edge lost with the Ilmor exodus. I'd feel a lot more confident if Renault had got the contract...

No surprise that Max has more vision than Planet's resident armchair experts. The "CO-OP" engine is an investment in a future that doesn't depend on the support of fickle manufacturers. It's not sexy, but it's how big boys prevail when the going gets too tough for the Flash Harrys.

I'll be the first to admit that Buemi's pace has surprised me. Sato is no slouch and Bourdais, well, he has the potential to be a really good test driver one day.

The crash of Honda could well be the best thing for both TR and Button. If it alerts us to the need for cost-cutting it may also be good for us all.

Honda might well have had more luck taking a chance on Brawn's 2009 car, and selling the team with FIA ENFORCED cost-cutting measures in place. But I suspect that they saw which way the wind was blowing, and had no more belief than I in Brawn's promises (probably with a lot more evidence!).

A standard gearbox, bottom-end and engine management hardware would leave vast scope for differences in combustion chamber and valvetrain design between teams' engines. Perhaps shared suspension, around which teams would engineer their own aero design (with enforced sharing of wind-tunnels with new teams). The old Cossie DFV / Hewland days were VERY exciting!

The mystery is not why teams are NOT looking at Pantano, but rather why they ARE looking at Senna and Buemi. They were DISCIPLINED by this aging journeyman in GP2, so what chance will they have against F1's super-kids?

Honda is doing the right thing for itself, but this is what all car companies (except Ferrari) will do when the economy tanks badly enough. I hope the "purity of the sport at all cost" CHILDREN on this forum begin to see the necessity for caps that FORCE all the teams to slash costs.

Sounds like an exercise in self-hypnosis to me: "Everything is great, everything is great, everything..."

Steady, Richards. The great Tom Walkinshaw over-stretched himself when the World economy was in MUCH better shape. WRC and Aston is MORE than enough of a challenge right now, and in any case I'd imagine it would be much better to buy say Toro Rosso and ADD the necessary resources, than to buy Honda and CUT the dead weight.

Bearing in mind Williams' great pre-season 2008 form, how could Brawn POSSIBLY know that Honda has a winning car at this stage of the 2009 campaign? Prime BS - this guy should be a politician.

Who in F1 would be calling Montoya? He hasn't exactly set NASCAR on fire either. Methinks the lad is fibbing - Montoya isn't even on anyone's CHRISTMAS CARD list, anymore!

I think that a driver with a secure ego would race with ANY team to stay in the sport that he loves. But Red Bull/Toro Rosso has had rather more luck with youth than experience (including Bourdais). Reuben deserves the Honda seat as much as does Button, but I suspect he's out of F1.

To know if a driver is good, watch how he deals with rain. To know if a driver is great, watch how he deals with an uncompetitive car. Alonso was a bit of a rat last year, but proved himself as a driver (and chassis developer) this year and Ferrari knows it. If Brawn had sold his mother to buy Alonso, the Honda would be a different car today.

"MOTOR vehicle accident"?? I guess F1-driver-power qualifies a pushbike as a MOTOR vehicle...

These guys need to remember history. The current points system was introduced because Ferrari dominance meant that no-one else was in the hunt (lower places got too few points vs winner). The proposed system would reward the podium-finishers relatively MORE than even the old 8-6-4-3-2-1 point system, and there would be no way to rank lower placings.

Teams should limit the off-season activities of drivers. There are millions at stake.

It will be a real shame if Bourdais doesn't get another crack at F1. Rotten luck to be paired with the brilliant Vettel, after five seasons slumming in No-Man's-Land (ChampCar) racing bumper cars. Poor guy probably developed atrophy.

Yeah, Rossi, and Schumacher probably feels like a real Superbike rider. But it doesn't change reality.

Otis, don't forget Vettel's now with Red Bull!

Official position makes sense, and I don't see how de la Rosa driving for Force India helps McLaren - surely they'd want to use Force-I to ease in a prospective McLaren driver, which de la Rosa is NOT.

Brawn is deciding on which 2nd-rate driver is to replace Barrichello - this is "Ross the Boss"? I expect NOTHING of Brawn in this role, and so far he's living up to my expectations.

Bye-bye, Buemi...

If I remember correctly, he said much the same thing in 2008, and 2007, and 2006, and....

One and a half seconds may as well be an hour in F1 qualifying. Compare Loeb's first efforts in the Red Bull - now THAT'S potential!

Ecclestone enjoys being a manager, so assumes that EVERYONE should want to be a manager. Sometimes choices that seem obvious to us don't always result in happiness, Bernie. Like marrying beautiful Croatian models...

I like neither Briatore nor Alonso, but their class has come through again. Never forget that Schumacher's all-conquering Ferrari team was put together by BRIATORE at Benetton. This isn't good luck, this is one great Team Principal.

Sorry Bannor, a smart 4-year-old would see that this BRILLIANT proposal will force drivers to put in fast laps IMMEDIATELY. Qualifying will be a genuine contest from beginning to end, especially if drivers are fighting for a point. Nice one, FOTA.

You give some people grapes, and they always seem to make vinegar...

Will this make any difference whatsoever to Red Bull?

I wish Webbo well, but I don't believe in "bad luck". When Napoleon needed to decide whether a position should be filled by a particular officer, he'd ask "is he lucky?". "Bad luck" happens to those who invariably manage to make the worst of the cards they're dealt. You have to say that sounds like Webber.

If Honda is so sure that Barrichello is past it, they need to let the young guns outshoot him. Schedule a test day for all three - Barrichello has earned the right to go down like a man.

Newton was great. Einstein was great. We'll never know whose was the greater brain (and it DOESN'T matter), but I'm sure they shared certain strengths, as do Hamilton and Senna. If the unbiased want an indication of his TALENT, check his performance against his teammates, first as a rookie against the Master Alonso in 2007, then this year against Kovalainen. Does he have the CHARACTER to be a great driver? We won't know for years, so let's defer judgement until that time.

Don't get too excited about RB/TR, chaps - remember Williams' rapid 2008 pre-season form! And put Webber in the RB on the same day as Vettel. Let's not wait until 2009 to see if Williams and Red Bull have been suckered by Webber-BS all these years. If so, stick him in the Toro Rosso to mentor Bourdais, and put Loeb in the Red Bull seat.

The "Senna" name won't have marketing power for long if it's devalued by a second rate driver. Pity both Renault stand-ins couldn't have got some pointers from Loeb.

Nice to see that Newey's cars can still top the timesheets. It would be even nicer to see them do it DURING the season...

This test promised to be the usual sideshow, but Loeb turned it into a serious demonstration by a Master. All teams with an empty seat (TR!) take note - Loeb has redefined the concept of the "learning curve".

Renault's year-end trajectory looked better than BMW's.

It's taken Rosberg rather long to come to this conclusion. He should be schmoozing with Ron Dennis every chance he gets - God knows McLaren needs a driver in that second seat.

You can't condemn Senna in that sorry Honda-buggy, but I don't think he'd even be in it if his name were Bruno Smith. Loeb's performance is pretty impressive - I'd love to see him in a Renault seat, learning from the Master. I hope Briatore pays close attention to #8 and #9 on this list...

As usual, Robson mindlessly attacks the Brits. There's no justification for sacking Button, as Honda hasn't even hinted at the ability to give him a decent car since Dave Richards (another Brit) was sacked. But he happens to be right (I refuse to believe that LOGIC has anything to do with it) about Fry and Brawn - I have confidence in neither and Honda will be forced to agree if the new car flops. I'll happily eat crow if it succeeds.

Who the Hell does this "Stig" fellow think he is, to disagree with experts like Robson?! Still, after watching Vettel pull away from a struggling Ham in the last lap in Rio, I'd like to see them race identical cars against each other, in the wet. Any car, anywhere. FEAR VETTEL.

august1302 despises Barrichello for not signing his book, but still wanted a photo with him the following year. So who's the "loser"?

The guy needs a challenge (which DTM or WSC probably wouldn't be). He probably won't win at his age, but if his ego is secure this will motivate rather than crush him.

Honda should drop their drivers if they find young guns who are quicker (bearing in mind the input of an experienced driver, when developing a new car). What escapes me is the rationale for keeping Button and dropping Barrichello (who had AT LEAST as good a season in 2008).

Ecclestone plays a mean game of hardball. Careful Bernie - hit the ball too hard and it may blow up in your face.

We are pleased to announce that the ilAlfisto award for "Team Principal Of The Year" also goes to Franz Tost, pending a logical explanation for giving Red Bull's Ferrari engine to the "B" team.

The BAD news: BMW seemed to be wilting a bit in the closing races. The GOOD news: Renault and RB/TR were closing hard at yearend. 2009 is shaping up to be a cracker for all the European-owned teams except Williams. Sir Frank's ability to achieve miracles with cheap mega-talent appears (sadly) to have deserted him...

Yup - a test seat MUST be good for a career. A bad RACE seat is... well, ask Sutil.

Piquet hasn't been that bad, but neither was Kovalainen. And neither could be a threat to (nor much support for) Alonso. I don't get it, but I guess that's why Briatore is a Team Principal, and I'm not!

Button can do NOTHING without a competitive car. Brawn was a member of the most successful team in F1 history, but that doesn't mean that he can build and LEAD a successful team. Prove me wrong, Ross!

Both Bourdais and Sato deserve another crack at F1, in what should be a competitive TR. I'd truly love to eat crow, but I expect nothing from Honda, Button, Barrichello, Brawn nor Senna next year.

The REAL pressure is on Webber. Time to poop or get off the pottie, mate.

Maybe Van der Garde would be a better #2 choice than Piquet next year. Come to think of it, perhaps so would my dog.

Good choice for Senna: an under-performing team where HE can under-perform without immediate fear of being booted (eg Briatore doesn't suffer fools - Brawn may not have any choice). Senna is OK but he's no Ayrton, and based on his GP2 results I'd keep Barrichello for another year. I'd LOVE to see him matched against say Bourdais at TR.

Sorry, Frenchman. Bourdais' dominance of ChampCar has no relevance at this level. Moving to the US was a fatal mistake after winning F3000. But Red Bull has re-hired the perennially under-achieving Webber, and Bourdais did well in 2008 (against a BRILLIANT teammate). Surely he'll have a drive in 2009.

What the Babes In Boyland don't realise is that the World can no longer afford F1 as it is. It's a simple choice - vastly cheaper F1 or Ferrari all alone. Think about it: how many manufacturers have stayed in F1 through every recession? One - Ferrari, because its business model DEPENDS on F1. The others come and go with the whims of the boardroom.

Whatsup? Mallya thinks he's running things, and McLaren thinks he's a figurehead. I'd love to see that contract...

What about the "issue" of finding a driver faster than Hamilton?

These jokers are used to baiting other boys in the pub - they have no way of appreciating (much less testing) the strength of a phenomenon like Hamilton.

Button is right to want Honda to hold on to Barrichello. Someone fast would show him up.

Force India have made the right decision, given that they have proven that they are unable to build gearboxes, as well as engines.

The light at the end of JB's tunnel is another train.

Get some wheel time in various vehicles first, Ham - different tasks entirely. And forget about beating Team Germany, DC!

Well, Gascoyne didn't exactly set the World on fire at Force India. But never mind, Mike, there's always MGI Taverns...

This is rich - ROBSON complaining about Planet-F1 printing garbage! I'll mark this day in my diary...

If you look at McLaren's success over the past thirty years, it's not a bad team with which to stick! But I hope that Lewis doesn't expect McLaren to return the favour when younger, faster drivers outpace him...

If Kovalainen wants to succeed at his job, he must first take a job at which he can succeed. He does not currently have such a job.

This sideshow is okay, but I want to see Rossi where he rules - on two wheels. I love F1, but for racing NOTHING beats MotoGP, and no F1 driver can test The Doctor's moves. Capt Ahab would understand why Schumi rides bikes now...

These guys have to walk before they can run, but perhaps they should have peeked at Toro Rosso's notes on "How To Use A Ferrari Engine".

Jenson Button has simply never delivered on his promise. The Ham-eggers credit Lewis' success to his car, but Button started off his career with competitive Williams and Renault cars and did... well, okay, I guess. The simple truth is that Hamilton is the first Brit since Mansell who can grab a car and shake a win out of it like a terrier with a rat. Kovalainen can win in the McLaren, and so could Button. But great driver? Please.

jlgarbutt: Ferrari were in the wilderness before Schumacher, but he DIDN'T put a great team together - he simply stole the team of the guy who hired him - Flavio Briatore. He's a great driver, but I wouldn't introduce him to your girlfriend if I were you.

Poor Lewis! No more trophies to look forward to...

Alonso was a big baby last year, but he's a GREAT driver, and it must have been hard to see a rookie challenging him with his (Alonso's) own chassis settings! Full marks for manning up and showing respect - if Dennis had managed the situation better they might both still be teammates.

Remind me never to give Montezemolo bad news!

Eddy Irvine has never made a sensible statement in his life, and I guess this is no time to mess with tradition. It would be a mistake for Hamilton to jump ship when Ferrari makes a more competitive car (and they will, at some stage). He and McLaren have the kind of relationship that can't be created by simply signing a contract.

daveyboy33i, when you see a White F1 driver being victimised by racists, let us know.

I think that Bernie is wrong (the "blackface" antics are clearly racist) but it's ridiculous to instantly call for the resignation of every official who does something with which we don't agree. Zero-tolerance needn't mean DESTROYING everyone who messes up.

Raikkonen had remarkably little motor racing experience before F1, so is probably still learning to drive without traction control. I think his mega-talent and cool temperament will pull him through. I won't even notice if Barrichello or Fisichela decide to euthenise their careers, but we still need Kimi on the grid!

Every playground has a little pest like Robson who wants to play with the big boys. If you ignore him he may not go away, but by engaging him you feed any delusions of self-worth he may have.

Great team, great driver - why should either mess with it? Is Hakkinen too out of touch to be chassis development consultant for McLaren? Perhaps Wurz? I suspect that the chink in McLaren's armour is someone to mentor Hamilton in this area.

Massa's congratulation of Ham in the press conference came out like a molar extraction! But that was a tough situation, and his recent comments reveal the decent guy that he is.

Point taken, atj56, but many drivers have managers and Anthony is as trustworthy as any. Lewis still seems to need the support system, and that's cool. Regarding Ms Herzinger I'm less at ease. I suggest that Lewis keep hankies in his pocket - I don't need a fortune teller to see this one coming...

Lewis is as good as any as a racer, but as a chassis-developer I'm not convinced. Ron Dennis had the best (Alonso), then couldn't deal with the fact that he was a whiny Prima Donna. It's called MANAGEMENT, mate.

Bernie should not have validated the Glock-conspiracy-theories by commenting on them. A bit like encouraging Robson's enscriptive diarrhoea by responding to it...

You almost wonder how Renault justifies the cost/benefit of the second car, as Alonso doesn't really have a teammate. I guess the Master has proven he doesn't need one! I don't really like Alonso the man, but he's a very, VERY good driver, and only Schumi could develop a chassis as he can.

I like seeing strategy and consistency being rewarded (a bit like life, really), and some of us like this system's ability to rank the less competitive cars (though most seem to care only about the front-runners). But cars are now sufficiently competitive to allow refuelling after qualifying ("pole" has little competitive significance at present - is the car grandstanding on fumes?).

Sorry, challenge360, Hamilton finished second and Alonso was THIRD in the 2007 Championship (based on 2nd place finishes). End of story.

I think planet-F1 should check if Robson has a valid birth certificate. As far as I know, homo sapiens is the only species that can write, but Robson makes me wonder...

I'm sure that young Lewis is learning a lot from Ms Scherzinger. Positive energy. And support.

I try to come up with reasons for this hatred of Lewis, but I can only really think of one...

What can Barrichello achieve without a decent car? Honda should have kissed Dave Richards' tushie while they still had the option. I hope Ross Brawn proves me wrong, but to me he seems a race strategist par excellence.... and that's pretty much it. Sort of like the White House tea lady taking over the President's job.

I expected that MASSA was going to be the one who had problems without traction-control. I'm not sure that Kimi's right foot is up to the task, but we'll know by the end of next year...

It'll be fascinating to see how Loeb fares. The relevance of rallying skills to F1 is probably quite high (if he can resist the temptation to flick and drift!). Not like NASCAR, which is probably as relevant as barrow racing. Not to diss them barrow racers.

Who are these IDIOTS who are crediting Glock as being the "deciding factor" in Ham's Championship? Glock was only ahead because he hadn't changed his dry tyres. Then he couldn't maintain his position.... BECAUSE HE HADN'T CHANGED HIS DRY TYRES. Duuuuuuuuuuh.

Coulthard kept on telling jokes after everyone had stopped laughing. DC will be missed, but his driving won't.

How could Kovalainen POSSIBLY be unhappy driving a McLaren? The man deserves to be driving cattle.

Hate to break it to you, pbarreiro, but EVERY Champion is the Champion because he won the Championship. When you're done with those sour grapes, I have some crow for you to eat.

Aiden is joking - Massa repeated everything at least three times, before finally congratulating Ham (did he run out of words?). It would surely have been the first time a runner up has not acknowledged the Champion, but Massa came pretty bloody close!

Hamilton's safe strategy was right - Alonso and Vettel were simply the Jokers no-one counted on. GREAT drives by both!

The little Ham-Hater gnomes will no doubt be gleefully crowing, but Kovalainen just needs to defend him from behind (Trulli's challenge will last until his first, early pitstop). Ferrari 1,2 and McLaren 3,4 = Hamilton World Champion. Heikki's job-tile is "mobile chicane", and even if he can't hold off Alonso the Master (come on, let's admit it), Ham just has to keep it on the track and let Aonso by. Pressure, what "pressure"?

I hope that Bourdais gets another year to prove himself - he did well, considering he was out of World Class competition for five years. His instant dominance of Champ Car (from his first practice!) should have told him he was wasting his time.

I suspect that EJ underestimates the extent of Alonso's personal insecurity and vindictiveness. If Hamilton's race position is such that Massa's winning will deny him the title, and Alonso is leading the race with Massa second, ALONSO WILL LET MASSA PASS. His drive at Renault is safe, and his reputation as a driver is more solid now than ever - Alonso will ensure the move is "legal", and tell Briatore to pucker his lips and cork his nose!

Briatore is a tough judge - let's all wish Piquet good luck in IRL.

Both Barrichello and Honda need to ask themselves if there's any point in just showing up. DC could have retired gracefully last year, but he stayed too long at the party. In life we have to leave while they still want us around.

I think everyone knows (deep down) that Hamilton is potentially the greatest driver in F1 history, but this year Alonso has shown an ability to dig deep that a youngster like Hamilton has yet to show. As a MAN, Alonso was a bit of a rat last year, but as a DRIVER he deserves maximum respect.

Note to Force India gearbox engineers looking for work: My 10-speed bicycle is slipping gears, and I need it sorted. I can't tell you the brand - the badge is dented since the last time I used the hammer on it.

"18 points available"? FORGET the podium, Ham - race for the Championship...

Scheckter is a hypocrite: "What people do in their private lives is their business..." - YES, END OF STORY! Fortunately F1's culture is becoming more tolerant than Scheckter's.

Ferrari/Force India may suit the Tata/FIAT alliance. I have high hopes for Alfa/Jaguar, and this could be the beginning of a good PR opportunity. Pieces of a puzzle...

Massa has every right to defend himself, but he should have respect for Eddie Jordan, whose contribution to F1 is far greater than his own. And I hope he didn't get those undies from Piquet Sr, who took a dump rather than leave his car during testing. You have to rate the enthusiasm of the Greats!

F1 will be pointless if it ceases to be a contest for technical excellence, but ways MUST be found to SUBSTANTIALLY reduce costs. If F1 must continue without Ferrari (my favourite team), so be it. There was a time when most of the grid was Cosworth-powered and it was quite exciting, if (foggy!) memory serves me. "F1" and "Ferrari" are NOT synonyms.

I Have A Dream. In this dream Kovalainen gets the pole in Brazil, and supports Ham-bone's Championship by winning from the front, depriving Massa of ten points. Yeah, I know - the dream with Salma Hayek has a better chance of coming true...

For Ham there is no pressure but pressure itself. If he can treat Sunday as a day on the factory floor he'll be fine. Oh yeah, and stay FAR from both Ferraris (and Alonso!).

McLaren has no choice but to concentrate on the Driver's Championship - you can't seriously plan on Kovalainen beating the Ferraris without a huge stroke of luck. Hamilton is not yet strong enough to have such a weak teammate - McLaren must BUY ROSBERG before his self-belief is snuffed by bad cars (a la Webber).

Coulthard was clearly past his Sell-By date. Poor Webber has had TERRIBLE timing with teams, but is he still capable of making use of a good car? Against Vettel he will have to poo or get off the pottie.

Massa has always been FAST, ever since he was a rookie. He's a veteran now, but when he's leading I'm never confident he'll take it home. It takes more than winning a championship to be a true Champion.

Just don't bring back Murray. Please, please... have mercy...

Stick him in the 2nd car in Brazil, McLaren. The only effective Ham-support Heikki is capable of is plowing into the two Red cars...

Stick him in the 2nd car in Brazil, McLaren. The only effective Ham-support Heikki is capable of is plowing into the two Red cars...

Standardise gearbox, bottom-end/block, management hardware. Anything more than that and I'll tune off F1 go back to watching only porn.

Standardise gearbox, bottom-end/block, management hardware. Anything more than that and I'll tune off F1 go back to watching only porn.

Team Orders have always been with us, and will ALWAYS be with us (whether it's obvious or not). Let's get rid of the BS and stop catering to naive newbies.

If Heiki doesn't give effective support in Brazil, he can look for work Monday morning! I hear London Transport are hiring.

Please don't MENTION Scott Speed in this company! Bourdais had the ill fortune to be the teammate of a super-talented Vettel who landed in the TR seat completely up to speed, but he CHOSE to waste time in American bumper-cars when he should have been testing in F1. You blew it, dude!

I hope there's a Canadian GP next year, but I'd also love to see Canada tell Bernie to kiss their arse.

Robson; few Australians have heard of Hamilton? Surely SOME Aussies have access to modern inventions such as the NEWSPAPER. And denying the great achievement of Hamilton is the EPITOME of "sour grapes"...

It's impossible to rank two drivers unless they're teammates, but you have to question the honesty of anyone who denies that only a GREAT driver could achieve what Ham has in TWO seasons.

The key to Massa's Championship is not HIS ability to withstand pressure, but rather Hamilton's.

Fortunately, Ham doesn't have to depend on Massa wilting under pressure. As long as neither he (nor the McLaren) cracks, he'll be World Champion. Of course, that's assuming someone like DC doesn't do a "DC" and take them both out!

You've been reading my mind, Rosberg. Push Sir Frank for a release and go to McLaren NOW (they CAN'T be satisfied with Kovalainen!). Do it for ZERO salary if necessary, or your Championship potential is over.

Mr Ecclestone is risking the future of F1. Manufacturers need North American PR, and not everyone in the US is zenophobic! Asian and Middle Eastern money is as good as any other, but will these guys be there when things get tough? The times are too serious for irresponsible management of F1.

Very few men have sufficient character to maintain self-belief in the face of losing, losing, then losing again. Fisi and the Honda guys may as well go home and draw their pension, but Rosberg must beware Sir Frank eventually losing faith in him, even if the car is the reason for failure. Ask Webber.

To poor little Tony H: Team Orders have always been, will always be, and SHOULD always be with us. The recent Sporting Regs just result in a hypocrital farce to hide them. Nothing's changed. Now stick your thumb back in your mouth, and stop your whining.

McLaren lacks a second driver who can support Ham. Ron Dennis needs to pay Sir Frank for Rosberg, and Kovalainen and the Williams would be a good fit. "Good Enough" is NOT good enough for a McLaren drive.

McLaren lacks a second driver who can support Ham. Ron Dennis needs to pay Sir Frank for Rosberg, and Kovalainen and the Williams would be a good fit. "Good Enough" is just good enough for a McLaren drive.

Making team orders illegal (to suit naive newbie fans) results in this rubbish. Raikkonen should have given way to Massa at the first corner, allowing him to fight for the Championship. Unfortunately, I suspect the result would have been the same!

GREEN switch should work only if refuel coupling is disengaged, and should IMMEDIATELY return to RED if switch pressure is removed (allowing change of heart!). In case of system failure, clout driver's helmet and scream "GO!!".

Massa has no reason to panic. With only TWO races remaining in 2007, Ham was SEVENTEEN points ahead of Kimi, and we all know what happened next...

We all know that Kimi has the SPEED to win the last three races - nothing he has done or said to date demonstrates the CHARACTER required to deliver those 30 points to Massa and the team, while denying Ham the remaining 24. One impotent ex-champion on the grid is quite enough, I think.

I admire Sir Frank's commitment to independence, but I no longer expect success (other than the odd fluke) from his once-great team. Rosberg and the second McLaren seat would make a good match, and the Williams doesn't deserve a driver better than Kovalainen. Musical chairs, anyone?

The FIA should resume safety car refuelling, with a further reduced pitlane speed limit and strict policing of pitlane etiquette.

Alonso simply doesn't have the testicular fortitude to go up against a teammate of Kubica's pace, at BMW. He'd rather hope that lightning strikes a third time at Renault, where he's assured of #1 status.

This is the maturity that Ham didn't show last year. Boys (of all ages!) won't approve, but this is how you win a World Championship.

This headline should read: Jense - Preparation is Irrelevant. The outcome for Honda will be the same - racing for last place.

Prediction: Webber and Kovalainen on the dole for 2010.