A match made in Heavan for the sponsors and livery guys, REPSOL and TR's colours will look great together when they repaint the car to look like the Honda bike team.

Seems taht being off in Cologne has always hampered Toyota, they can build a car for a new season, and even have it competitive, but when there is on going V high pressure inter race developement neeed they fall short and then fall off teh back of the Grid. Maybe a move to the UK's F1 Valley would get the dev staff they need on board.

Totally unispiring as usual, where did they get this guy? It's a long steep hill down from LDM, JT, RB and MS to Domenicali. An I'm sorry to say that it looks to have directly affected the factory as well.

You either have an agreement or you don't, it might be unprofessional to gloat as LDM seemed to have to, but that doesn't change the fact that there was an agreement and a statemennt to back it up after the WMSC meeting. The FIA are now messing around with that again, proving once again that they cannot be trusted and will happily mess with OUR sport, because it is OURS[fans], we pay in everyway, tickets, cars, fuel, sponsors product. We want a show that is the pinacle of Motorsport and can be relied on and understood by new fans and old alike.

The "Axeee" is always the last to know, lets hear from the "Axer" before this is news.

With Full wets on, is there a requirement to still put heat in the tires for mecanical grip, or will it all be down to balance of the car?

Maybe CVC should shoulder the distraction on the FOM side? A couple of million emails might do the trick.

Well at least we don't have to worry about there being a lack of Pit Babes! Hopefully, they will be at tracks we can all get to and afford.

I interested to see how FOTA are going to deal with the Fans wishes, as they mostly fall under the control of Ecclestone camp, cheaper tickets, traditional tracks etc.. Who will simply clain his hands are tied by teh agreement with CVC. Having slain one dragon there is a much tougher and slippery one to face.

Williams want back in!!! no surprises there. Frank Williams had the same option as the other members to take a stand on the basis that the FIA had already breached it's agreements with teams. They were happyto jump ship when they thought they would be teh big fish in a small pond, and they will be happy to odo it again. Leave them out on there own I say. At the very least give them a suspended exclusion and a suspended fine. For the same relative amount the other teams risked.

Really a disappointing outcome, after holding strong and forcing out Mosley it seems ludicrous to not then go on and address the issues of the FAN base, from which they all derive there daily bread; the loss of real tracks like all of those listed in the German papers, the cost of attending etc etc... I hope this is just the beginning because it is a very poor end.

The usual amount of loyalty shown by Williams to it's drivers. "It's all about the constructors title" It will be interesting next year to see who's lining up to see the Fifth place constructor or Nico Rosberg in another car! Teams, Drivers, Tracks gotta have em all.

Jean Todt vs Ron Dennis, really a difficult decision between the two, however either would be a whole solar system better than "Spanky" Mosley. I fear though that neither is free from percieved bias or controversy. Jean for his Ferrari years and links to the arch architect Luca Di... and Ron for all the stupidity at Macca in the last 2 seasons !! A real shame as they would both be brilliant... Have to look to the shadows then, and Chandhok as suggested elsewhere this week.

The BoyfromAus is fair dinkum, what makes F1 the sport we love is the TEAMS, the DRIVERS and the TRACKS, plus the sponsors. FOTA have them all and thanks to Bernies insatiable greed, the best traditional tracks are available as well.

Great news, with the number of tracks that Bernie has junked infavour of cookie cutter Tilke tracks, there is enough for a race season already. Bravo. I was concerned that break away series are often doomed, but with this level of support and stability built in with FOTA and the fantastic traditional tracks available my hope are high. ITV are you ready??

Is the KERS device in the Macca an intrinsic part of the chassis? Even if it is get a chainsaw for gods sake and cut it out, it is only being used as an anti-getting flogged device in anycase. Improve the balance and the car might go round corners without falling off, which it does now if you look at the work their doing in the cockpit during fast corners.

"Wheel Nut Retention devise" maybe max has a point, isn't that called a Spanner in other parts?

Yet another example of the ludicrous misguided regulations introduced by the FIA. No testing during the season doesn't save any money, how much do you think it costs to buy/rent/run a fluid dynamic computational computer? Fricken lot more than a couple of trips a month to Paul Richard or Bahrain. Much as I am enjoying Jensen and Brawn's success it would be good to think that others would have a chance to catch-up, and pile the pressure on so Jensen can show he can be the best against the all comers.

And I predict that they will not find a buyer for the Cologne facility ala Honda, it is too remote for the motorsport world. Really they have been on a downward spiral since getting banned to cheating in the WRC championship.

Williams has never had any loyalty to anyone, drivers engine suppliers, and now added to that long list FOTA. The team will pay the price as it always does, he isn't the shining example of an independent he thinks he is.

LDM knows that the value of being F1 champion in a year that Ferrari were'nt there is negligible, if in fact anything at all! It is criminal the way that decisions have been made, especially after the teams formed and managed to utilise FOTA to good effect. This has to be the end for Mosley, if sanity is a normal state of being.

I'll wait till I hear this from Flav. If the team isn't putting pressure it is probably because they are talking to the another driver!! They cannot win the Contructors Championship with this line up even with FA dragging amasing results from a bad car.

Well there we all know where they kept the KERS device now don't we! In the floorpan taht they have just had to design. Seems Germany efficiency does not cope well with change! I fear that the season my already have slipped away from Dr Herr Mario. Braking, it has always been a BMW low light (think any of the road Cars) and seems to have scuppered them again.

The FIA is systematically destroying formila 1, in an effort to rain in the manufacturers after FOTA proved to be an uexpected success. Where do you think people like Newey, Murray, Brawn and many other truly brilliant engineers would be if F1 didn't provide the an environment for limitless progress? And therefore the type of follow on innovation that the FIA is supposedly looking for to aid the industry. How in the hell are we going to see this carry on with a budget formula, one make engines that make 600HP, jesus when was the last time that an F1 engine had that little power? 60's? Thats less than an Enzo, SLR, F1, Zonda and not muchmore than a fricken M5 or RS6 for craps sake. If you want to watch that watch Le Man. Who's to say that the aerodynamics that the teams have been working on and paying huge sums of money for, will not deliver more favourable results in time than a KERS system? The formula needs to be open and attractive to the guys that dream this stuff up and turn it into reality. Not some bean counter that thinks they can do it on less money but all along has a totally inferior product in mind. Rant Finished...

Why wait? The performance of the current drivers surely doesn't warrant keeping a driver you consider the future to stay on the sidelines.

They look to haqve the fastest non - DDD (Double Deck Diffuser) in anycase So hopefully RB will not lose out too much in the next 2 races. Big question will be whether the changes to the rear suspension, to accomodate the air flow front to back, to make full use of a DDD will lose them more or less than they gain from the DDD. It looks initial form that RB have the most to lose from this situation. Luckily they have the guy in Newey to overcome this, but he won't be getting much sleep between now and Barcelona. Good luck RB

Finally it is about the fastest not the richest. Hard to say but well done FIA for once, I'm going to confirm my ticket to Shanghai now. Yee haaaa.

PF1 come on guys, there isn't a stitch of fact to this report, not even a "unnamed source". Can we have a real insider scope pls.

"We need more downforce and we're working very hard on it." The 7 other teams need diffusers to make the cars driveable, declare them legal so we can see Jensen go head to head with Kimi, Hamilton and teh other top drivers in top cars. Lets go racing......

Who's up for Unsporting Director and Chief Espionage Officer now then???

Worth noting at this point I think that Ferrari are under the kind of pressure the usual mid field teams face race in race out. And how well do they perform in comparison to this! Get your act together and bring in the best people not the best Italians. Long Time Ferrari Fan

BarryF1 has a valid point, the Italian stallion has historically done best with non italians a substantial part of the team. These days the drivers are too "something" to offer opinions so they can't even be counted in the teams nationality hall. Domenicali instead of Brawn maybe the biggest mistake the Scuderia have made trying to pass the F50 off as road car!

11 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.515 30 laps Not sure that this time will stand as I believe that the Mclaren pit clock was wound forward!! What a dark day for the sport and disappointing for someone who is a role model to so many young racers. Whatever the Mclaren faithful say from here on in, he should have had the "stones" to go against team orders at the stewrds inquiry.

This is a good start though, espesicially on the shagging front! I hope Ross has some budget for the Brawn motorhome! Who know we could see aviator glasses and B&H return to the pit-lane sooner than anyone thought.

Deepwater330, here here. Stop whinging and develope teh same concept, pity there isn't any testing days left :)

Seems that in their haste to reduce downforce and improve! the sport from the sidelines, the FIA forgot you need it to make the car go around corners! I would think that most of the big teams have by now a new diffuser on the CAD board if not actually setting in the Ovens. Let it be they will all have them by race 3 and then they will be in a position to catch-up, as it should be in the "Pinnacle of MotorSport". He who dares wins.

What a ludicrous analogy to use. The very though that a sport dictated by a single event over a period of time as short as 9 sec's with no technolgy save a pair of shoes has any bearing on F1! If you must use Athletic's, and I think it's totally incorrect, try the Decathalon, I seem to remember we all cared whether Daly thompson came second.

As any team worth their salt will have had budgets locked down for this season it isn't surprising to see little change, but, that doesn't mean the steam train of destruction hasn't already left the station! And if you want the teams to take less people, don't introduce KERS, which is as complex as the rest of the car, and needs a whole new bunch of technicans, what does he think you can re-train the wheel man as an expert on nano technology in the off season. FOTA please get rid of this man.....

If you don't push to find the limit how are you expected to drive up to it. This has always been Hamiltons style, it's a good sign he is confident to take the car there.

He doesn't have a seat for GP2, so he could be the poster boy for F2! A1 most likely though Brazil need some speed.

Bravo Chylout, could not agree more.

Anyone know if they are taking the whole drivertrain and KERS from Maccas? I would imagine that that will make the difference on the reliability front this year.

It would be nice to think given the objections that the Drivers association would grow a spine and refuse to pay on principal. I do not think that Max could withstand a 3 car grid in Melbourne he'd cave or better still not and then lose his job.

Smoke or don't smoke it's your bloody choice, no one is sticking it in your mouth. If they pay to give us F1 it works for me, bring back JPS Lotus, SilkCut Jaguar, MildSeven and the rest, remember non of those companies left F1 they got kicked out.

Arrr so there is your "Hostile" bid, seems it might be time for Nick to fall on his sword for the benefit of 700 souls. I wouln't rule out ProDrive appearing there somewhere though DR would make a good technical partner for Virgin. Virgin ProDrive F1 - sounds like a sex aid

He has been looking to get out and design America's Cup boats for I while I think, now there's a sport that isn't concerned about cost cutting!!!

Translation; "the bodywork had the drag coefficient of a barn door, so we're going back to look at the wind tunnel and start from scratch" I hope they manage it, thsi year without Alonso near the front won't be anywhere near as exciting.

Got to love the rain.....

Dispite different setting, fuel loads focus during testing, cars that were at the bottom of timesheets have rarely climbed to the front of the grid during the season. With less testing as well and more restrictions this year than ever it will be difficult to fix it and Renault will pull out by the end of the year I'm sorry to say. Ferrari will get Alonso for cheap so i guess that's one cost cutting exercise!!! Pity about the team that went though. What did they use for calabration at the wind tunnel "Jello".

Got to agree with ANDYGT, it's time to stack FOTA with friends, or better still dependents.

kwhyte it is pre season what do you expect?!, no one is telling anybody anything, and won't do till the first fly away races are done. Then it is time for the excuses stories. I'm just wondering if Zimba is being trained for a chance meeting with Seb Vettel, he is going to prove a tough teammate I hope.

"We had a failure of one of the sensors in the gearbox and we stopped the car to avoid any damage" Translation "The gearbox lunched itself again and we don't know why"

Kubica and H have such different driving styles, it will be interested to see which uses the car better. With Kubica's more aggresive style, the lack to rear down force may play aganst him don't you think?

Hmmmm, perhaps Luca had a few points then????

Great!!! After all the cost and up heaval we end up with a car that is the same speed as last years car, only faster in the slow corners. That doesn't sound like a recipe for more overtaking somehow, as with more grip you don't have to brake as hard, you can break later and the overtaking opportunties get less not MORE! Could have saved everyone billions and just kept last years cars for a further year, or two. That is a real world cost reduction. IDIOTS

It isn't so much the driver being able to see his own wing, as you quickly get the dimensions of your car. It is the overtaking driver closing the line heading for the apex. If overtaking is increased because of the rear wing design?!?!? then the number of time drivers need to shut the door goes up. When we're talking millimeters at thsi level, an extra 300 or so at the corners is massive!

This is just Bernie's latest flip to align himself with FOTA as they are giving him the most trouble. No more money for you guys but I'll get rid of Mosley for you... Nice pitch, only trouble is they are both where the rot sits...

Might be bad timing for Sato-san, as as partof teh cost reductions Toro rosso are hoping to reuse parts this season including the uniforms and helmets from last year. With 2 Sebs again, although slightly different it's thought that the team could save millions in sign writing costs! :).

You know I really like that idea, perhaps DR reads these pages. A 20% public stake might take the edge off of start-up costs. In the long term, it has got to be good for Aston Martin/Pro Drive sales in Japan. The P1 WRX was still the best variant and they have turned fairly nasty towards Honda over there at the moment.

I suggest that if you haven't ever written to this website sight you do it no, because this is the end. reserve your place in history now; be the final contributor to what used to be the Greatest Show on Earth. Max and Bernie may you rot in hell.

RIP F1

Go Weisshach Go, if anyone can show up MB and Ferrari it is Porsche. Maybe they have a few of the old TAG engines left they can slip im, 1007hp in qualifying trim hmmmm.

He didn't get to be a Gazillionaire by luck. Oh' look there is an eagle!!!!!!!!!!! Mention something stupid, get everyone talking about it and guess what? They forget you the fella going around strong arming circuits into paying 150mio buck guarentees up front in the middle of the biggest financial down turn since none of the teams were around. (sry Norbert)

Got to be some sponship opportunity with Hilux there somewhere hasn't there? "Tougher than an X Trail":) Or renault truck division at least. Best of Luck Mark, and a speedy recovery.

Was it really necessary to mandate the wide front narrow back look? Wouldn't a banning of "extra wings, antlers" been sufficient? We can only hope that Red Bull (a marketing driven tean) and ferrari (italian flare) can make a silk purse from this sows ear.

Save all the "Tossing off" get Jeremy to put up a Charity competition for the F1 Drivers during the new seasons show. Same sh*t box car with all the drivers throughout the season. Oh and invite Loeb too. Pity it would never happen....

Probably moved out when she found out the house was only worth 10mio, didn't he pay 72mio for it, nice trade.

The search for top dollar continues, It is obviously, at least in the mind of the "Gnome" completely sane to have F1 races in QATAR, BAHRAIN, DUBAI and SAUDI. Total car population of the whole damn lot isn't as much as a bad morning on the LUPU bridge in Shanghai. Surely, Renault, Mercedes, Toyota and Honda have something to say about this? BRAKE AWAY SERIES NOW.

If anyone ever doubted whether it was about racing or Money tehn you have your answer. Anyone thought to mention fixing the track? You know that thing those mulitcolured money spinners race on?

You'll all be WHINGING when the cars break down, or there is no competition to watch. The thrill in in the chase remember. Not in having the biggest 'kin gun to start with.

You've got to look at the performance of the car, both drivers were no where until Germany. His performance has been spot on really since then, and mistakes are down as well. He works well in the team and with a good car is up there in the top 8, maybe not 6, you don't need 2 drivers develope the car but you do needed a balance of driving styles or you end up with car thaonly 1 driver can be successful in. With KERS etc next year there will be alot of new data to understand so adding a new driver woun't help calibration and after renaults wind tunnel cock-up a couple of years ago they are probably more aware of the need for knownfactors than most. Good Call Renault.

Seems to rely very heavily on the replay system, which doesn't bode well for the inclusion of Stewards that understand what it is to make split second racing decisions versus deliberate violations. Do see how watching Lewis or Massa in super slow mo help a non driver. More jobs for the Lads!

More points for more of the weekend has to be the way to go. LDM might not want that but it would give a better representation of the work and effort, plus it might add a bit of spice to the quali's, think v low fuel by customer cars for a ball out run. Would have worked for Vettel this year you'd have thought. Who knows with the ferrari engine behind them quail run to teh front by Force India might have been possible!

sourasis makes a good point, there is a reason there are 2 champion ships, driver's and constructor's. Ferrari just pipped McLaren in having the better car throughout the season, respite not being able to heat up the front tires. But mcLaren had the better driver, he won more points fact. If, the finnish boys wake up next year, it will be a real digdong season.

Job well done Seb.....

Hmm. Rain, counter clock wise and car taht won't put heat in the front tyres! I'm sad to say that 1st or 2nd looks to be out of reach for either Ferrari. PetefromBristol may be correct the other Ferrari with the better front end grip could steal the show.

Jody is wrong the Whaling commission run by the Norwegian and Japanese, manage to get there murderous ideas passed every year by enlisting the numerous smaller member states. What MAD MAX is doing is no less a capital crime and same tactics,and to think about it basedon the video I saw similar amounts of blubber!

I just realised this, embarrassed by the recent success of DORNA and MotoGP, where engines, technolgy are mostly free from restrictions (have you riden the latest sports bikes Yippeeee), MAD MAX has come up with a plan that would allow Yamaha, Ducati and Kawasaki to join the grid. Hmmm... Seem to remember on of those tried it before and made a DOG of an engine. But what the hell must be good yeah? Lets ditch all the teams that have supported F1 since 1950 and managed to make money, what a bad idea these days,"make Money". FIA does not exist without Maclaren and Ferrari, sorry to Renault, BMW and Red Bull fans.

How is it that the Manufacturers rep on FOTA LDM coudl be misinformed? More BS from MAD MAX.

Bravo - Scuderia. The Spankmaster has surely gone too far now. Our beloved F1 is not a one make class. There are plenty great ones already. F1 is the top,the pinicle (spelling?), the highest expression of manufactures abilities. I'm sure Mercedes are also over teh moon about the prospect of using a BMW engine!! Max you MAD.

Time for talk is over, PROFESSIONAL FULL TIME STEWARDS wanted; Must have (Motorsport, preferably F1) driving experience. How difficult is that?

Your Not Human your an F1 driver, which any number of us mere mortals would give a left n*t to be. Say all you want, but don't bring Karting level driving to the Mount Olympus of Motor sport.

You put yourself on the " I've learnt I'm not the same rash young rokie i was" soapbox and people will take shots. When those people are x 3times world champions like Sir Jackie Stewart you should have the humilitude to listen.

Alonso - Button BAD Honda - KERS,Brawn GOOD Long term contract would give Alonso the chance to emulate MS at Scuderia and build Honda up to where they used to be. Something I think that would appeal to him alot. Honda will pay richly for that 2-3 secs he can add to a car.

With so much being said about improving the sport and specticle it is unfathomable that cockeyed decisions like this should stand without some action! FOTA, GPDA manufacters whomever, get together and make a stand. Qualified Stewards or let them sort it out on track.

It is at times such as these that a No1 driver in a team needs to show something other than fastest loser credentials each race. It comes down to leadship, doing the learning first and dragging the team out of the hole. Micheal had it, Kimi unfortunately doesn't seem to, a big problem. Particularly as it seems that Lewis does have the 'right stuff', with a World title under his belt he and Maclaren should be in for a golden period '09-'10.

David could be great, I would hope that he be given the kind of freedoms of opinions we last heard when James Hunt was on the end of the Microphone. Although, he may need to be a little more PC about Japanese drivers! Finally, someone who knows what they are talking about and can recognise a passing maneuver in the offing and give an educated commentary on it's legality, even if in practice he couldn't pull them off. Now we need ex drivers as the track day officials.

Can you imagine the amountn of verification and checks that would need to go on if every manufacturer built their own "standard engine". The race would take 2 hours parc ferme 2 weeks! The scrutineers would most likely be draw from a long list of ex MacDonalds (and not Douglas)employees as well just like the race officials. Has Bernie just bought a legal firm?

I would assume that this effort to go green by Bridgestone is to slow the pack down and improve safety. It certainly worked for Honda.

Although Williams have a rich history in the sport, there track record of supporting long term the tradition of the sport is mixed, when Sir Frank had the chance to build a team around Damien Hill he dumped him, when BMW where on board he was unable to build a relationship similar to the one Ron Dennis has with Merc?ilmor. Now after a decade of self indulgence he's strapped to support go figure!

It may just be a rumour that Anthony Hamilton was seen with a suspicious looking TV remote control at the last race pointed at the Ferrari garage!

I'm the first to admit that the prospect of a night race with all of teh potential limiting factors was not one I looked forward to. However, tere is no denying that the SGP was a spectical of the highest order, although perhaps some fluro paint and UV lights ala Le Mans coudl be added next year. I'm sure Red Bull could come up with a suitable secondary colour scheme. Let's just hope that the tropical rains never hit on race night though as I can't see the spray leaving the track at all once the tyres have removeed it from the road.