Motor Racing
Head of BMW tells FIA not to meddle with teams
Published: 15 January 2008
The head of the BMW Formula One team, Mario Theissen, yesterday offered a robust rebuttal of the proposals of the sport's governing body, FIA, to limit teams' use of technical resources.
Fisichella lands race seat with Sutil at Force India
Published: 11 January 2008
Force India Formula One team named the Italian Giancarlo Fisichella to complete their driver line-up for the 2008 season. Fisichella, who had a disappointing 2007 at Renault, will team up with Germany's Adrian Sutil, who was a rookie last year with the Spyker team that Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya bought into and renamed.
Ferrari put Massa on pole with Raikkonen
Published: 10 January 2008
The Formula One world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, will not be given preferential treatment over his Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa this season, said Ferrari's new manager, Stefano Domenicali, yesterday.
Hamilton gets new car for birthday
Published: 08 January 2008
McLaren say they are looking ahead, not back, on their disastrous 2007 season, as the two leading Formula One teams unveiled their 2008 cars.
Threat of terrorist attack forces cancellation of Dakar Rally
Published: 05 January 2008
The Dakar Rally, the legendary race across the Sahara which is deemed to be one of motorsport's toughest and most dangerous competitions, has been cancelled for the first time in its 30-year history because of security fears.
Relief for McLaren as FIA draws a line under spy scandal
Published: 19 December 2007
The McLaren team can at least enjoy a measure of peace over the festive season after Formula One's governing body, the FIA, confirmed as expected yesterday that it has cancelled a meeting on 14 February to investigate the design of their 2008 challenger.
Kovalainen fills McLaren hole
Published: 15 December 2007
The last significant Formula One seat for 2008 has has been filled with Heikki Kovalainen replacing Fernando Alonso at McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's partner. The Finn effectively swaps places with Alonso, who has moved to Renault.
McLaren apologise for role in Ferrari spying scandal
Published: 14 December 2007
Following allegations of persistent and systematic pressure from powerful forces within Formula One, the McLaren team yesterday issued what amounted to a grovelling apology for their role in the "Stepneygate" industrial espionage scandal which sullied the 2007 racing season.
Alonso returns to Renault as No 1 driver for 2008
Published: 11 December 2007
Former world champion Fernando Alonso was named yesterday as the Renault team's lead driver for 2008.
Rosberg signs two-year deal with Williams
Published: 10 December 2007
Nico Rosberg has agreed a new two-year contract with Williams, ending speculation that he could move to McLaren as a replacement for Fernando Alonso.
McLaren facing threat of 2008 points penalty
Published: 08 December 2007
McLaren yesterday found themselves facing another threat from the governing body of world motor sport, the FIA, after Renault's Formula One team appeared to get off scot-free, with nothing more than a mild stain on their character, following the World Motor Sport Council's ruling that, though they were guilty of breaching rules by viewing confidential McLaren data, they would not be penalised.
Renault guilty but escape sanction
Published: 07 December 2007
The Renault formula one team have been found to be in breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, for possessing intellectual property belonging to the McLaren team. The ruling was made at yesterday's extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco, but, remarkably, the WMSC elected not to impose any penalty on the grounds that Renault had not used it to the benefit of their 2007 car.
Renault enter dock over McLaren's stolen data claims
Published: 06 December 2007
Formula One is bracing itself for further drama and acrimony as the Renault team face a World Motor Sport Council hearing in Monte Carlo today which will investigate allegations that they stole intellectual property from McLaren.
Rallying: Loeb denies Gronholm to take fourth world crown
Published: 03 December 2007
Marcus Gronholm stalked through the forests and wild elements for three days, yet deep down he never really believed he would be given the opportunity to satisfy his hunger.
Rallying: Hirvonen proves class but Loeb still on track for crown
Published: 01 December 2007
The World Championship contenders played cat and mouse through the fog, rain and mud here yesterday, leaving Mikko Hirvonen to enjoy his day as Rally GB's top dog.
Battle for the world in land of the Red Dragon
Published: 30 November 2007
Rally GB: Wilson goes for glory to honour late McRae
Published: 25 November 2007
Matthew Wilson is chasing a performance worthy of Britain's greatest rally driver at his home World Championship event next weekend. The 20-year-old Cumbrian aims to confirm his promise at Rally GB and ultimately to emulate the late Colin McRae by winning the world title.
Prodrive mothball F1 plan
Published: 24 November 2007
The Prodrive team yesterday confirmed their long-term commitment to Formula One while explaining further why they will not be racing as intended in 2008. Their entry has been hamstrung by a major problem facing the sport's power brokers, Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One rights holder, and Max Mosley, the president of the ruling FIA: the vexed question of "customer" cars.
Alonso move in limbo as McLaren-Renault rift grows
Published: 23 November 2007
As talks on Fernando Alonso rejoining Renault appear to have stalled – yesterday the Spaniard's manager, Luis Garcia Abad, said he is in no hurry to complete a deal – relations between Renault and the McLaren team continued to deteriorate ahead of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Monte Carlo on 6 December, which will investigate McLaren's claim that Renault had unauthorised possession of a significant amount of their confidential technical information.
Ecclestone makes capital from reviving London plan
Published: 22 November 2007
The notion of a London grand prix reared its head again yesterday when the Formula One power broker Bernie Ecclestone admitted that he was baffled that previous plans to stage one had not succeeded.
Renault claim to be in pole position for Alonso deal
Published: 21 November 2007
Renault's team principal, Flavio Briatore, insists they are "60 per cent" of the way towards re-signing Fernando Alonso for 2008, but other sources suggest the deal for the Spaniard to rejoin the team he quit for McLaren at the end of 2006 is far from certain.
Glock steers course back to F1 with Toyota
Published: 20 November 2007
Toyota's announcement yesterday that it has signed the German driver Timo Glock to replace Ralf Schumacher is a sign not just that a contractual tug of love with BMW Sauber has been resolved, but also that another potential berth for McLaren refugee Fernando Alonso has been closed.
Priaulx wins third touring car title
Published: 19 November 2007
Andy Priaulx set his sights on a fourth consecutive World Touring Car Championship title within hours of completing an amazing hat-trick yesterday.
Gronholm crash gives Loeb hope
Published: 17 November 2007
Sebastien Loeb capitalised on Marcus Gronholm's error to seize control of the World Rally Championship title race in Ireland yesterday. Gronholm, the championship leader, crashed his BP Ford into a wall in stage four, while reigning champion Loeb (Citroen) took the leg one lead, 11.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Dani Sordo.
