Adrian Sutil gets lapped often but nothing much else yet he seems to get by: Formula 1 in 2010

Welcome back, big man?

http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00055/Flavio_Briatore_55789s.jpg

No, Yes, God No, Probably, Maybe, No.

Before you knock back Flav, remember that he is raking in millions per year for the television rights to F1 in Spain (some insider trading deal with Alonso before he was massiv) which is he now allowed to keep after the court decision. And he is suing the Piquets. No, really.

I just get the feeling he would be an inconsiderate lover.

http://nickgilmartin.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/nelson-piquet-jr.jpg

"Tell me about it."

Can we just get a sponsor up in this joint?

http://solotune.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/magnum1.jpg

Old with the old, in with the older:

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u233/r7coo/schumacherlollipop.jpg

Omigod I forgot about the return of RoboSchumi.

dig the title reference, but I am wondering whether F1 is too EVIL to like in these troubled times? also whether it has any credibility as a sport left

Come on, Beardie is on board! And they've banned refuelling!

As for credibility, well...er, can we get back to you on that one?

Obviously it doesn't. I'm wondering most how many empty desert races F1 can stand before it becomes completely irrelevant, like the motorbikes

Hey, it's not all empty desert races! We might have an empty Korean race this year!

it's ok KB, you have won me over with your charming bluster. although this sport needs to accept Gaston Mazzacane back into the fold if I'm ever gonna forgive it completely

Korean race should take place in the DMZ imo

landmine + rpg deathmatch = I watch compulsively

A race in the snow I would watch

How about a race in Valencia? That surely wouldn't be boring...right?

imo a race across a ;arge capital city, where all the drivers are blindfolded, gathered together in their cars at an unannounced location, then released into daylight and traffic, with instructions to get to the Italian embassy, would be ideal

Kinda amazed F1 hasn't made it to Russia yet - they seem like a spiritual perfect match

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/i/512xn/12258006ef90a1124e56b77fed84b3d0f12ae9d3.jpg

"This Grand Prix here in the DMZ reminds me of the time when I ran me own Grand Prix team during the Korean War in 1952..."

thought Baddiel had let himself go a bit there

Even the most ludicrous evil Russian billionaire realises that building a circuit to FIA standard and paying The Big E at least thirty million a year plus all operating costs to run a Grand Prix is a really shit deal. (xp)

Who's paying for the Korean one?

At £30m, you'd think the Taliban would be interested

I'm sure it's the government because paying Bernie millions in taxpayers money is the thing to do for most Grand Prix around the world these days. Just don't ask what the benefit is apart from having Lewis Hamilton visit your country.

I don't think the Taliban need the negative publicity that a F1 Grand Prix brings along, tbqh.

A track paved with the rubble from the Bamyan Buddhas

Look at how happy he is, folks!

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6739/2010renaultvisit400.jpg

His hair does not have a bright future.

Yeah, really original paint scheme there, guys.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01565/mercedesgp_1565419c.jpg

shiny.

What year do you think it is, guys? 1996?

http://www.mclaren.com/mediaroom/plogger/images/mclaren.com_media_centre/launch_-_studio/vodafone_mclaren_mercedes_mp4-25_mtc_a4_300dpi_.jpg

Not bothering to post a picture of Jenson Button in McLaren overalls, that's even more ludicrous than the new car's aerodynamics.

that is an f'ing horrorshow. wish they'd ban non-sloping engine covers!!

http://imcdb.org/images/058/556.jpg

Well, here's the new Jordan Renault.

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2010-renault-r30-f1car-12.jpg

Also: a Russian driver??

Meanwhile, for a small fee, you can get your name on Pedro de la Rosa's car:

http://media.paddocktalk.com/2010/albums/39_sam31012010000052.jpg

minute-by-minute coverage of today's exciting, um, test session

1000: Morning. What a day this could be - Alonso, Button and Schumacher all out in their new cars. Lips smacking? Pulse racing? Mine are

Nick Worth's Beardymobile 01:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47235000/jpg/_47235743_virginthisone466.jpg

FIRST ALL-CFD DESIGNED CAR OMG DIGITAL CAR DUDE DIGITAL

At least a) it doesn't have that ugly rear fin and b) the pointy nose makes it a bit distinctive.

Meanwhile, USF1 and Campos' new cars are apparently falling apart and might not make the grid. In their place? Stefan GP: A Serbian (!!!) team who bought Toyota's old car and engines on the cheap. Apparently they're ready to test the car and will ship it to the opening round, even without a spot on the grid.

the renault looks good despite the fin, classic renault sport livery was always good.

Stefan GP will be my new favourite team ever if Emperor Todt and the FIA krew let them on the grid on Bahrain. It would be a shame if they didn't considering that they're actually shipping all their gear to Bahrain (and testing in Portugal) while Campos and That Annoying Bastard Peter Windsor's New Home For Pay Drivers can't even do that.

btw it isn't Toyota's old car, they used some of the tech but designed a fair bit of their car themselves

Also: a Serbian F1 team. Who can't get behind that?

croatians, i'd imagine!!

This isn't Melbourne soccer, we don't bring knifes to the pits.

Nick Heidfeld joins Mercedes as test driver, probably hoping that Old Man Schumacher won't be able to keep up with young'uns and will head back home to Corinna and the kids by Monaco.

Not that Nick had much choice, of course, unless he wanted to drive for Peter Windsor's Imaginary All-American Team.

In an era when Jenson Button wins world titles, Nick should be ashamed that he's never even won a race.

don't think so but kobayashi was awesome.

Top quality awkwardness in inteview with Vettel after the race, there.

yeah. some bad blood brewing there.

also Alolnso.

Lewis Hamilton just called Stirling Moss a 'cool lad'.

Ferrari Press Officer v Eddie Jordan. Nobody wins.

also poor Massa.

So the result stands but Ferrari are fined $100,000.

That'll learn 'em. Alonso got to keep his Piquetgate victory too.

$100,000? That's insane, how can a small Italian carmaker afford that?

Team sport, no?

Totally a team sport. If teams choose to play this differently, it adds a dimension, not takes one away. The ban on team orders is artifical and utterly straightforward to undermine (to the point that Ferrari couldn't really be bothered to do so). It's not remotely cheating, but I don't see a reversal of the rule because it would leave egg on various august faces.

this is fun

I'm getting tired of stupid, petulant Vettel. He has driving talent but the intelligence of phytoplankton.

I missed the first half. And a lot of the second half because there are so many ad breaks. I miss the UK.

I found a UK stream so caught the whole thing in pixelvision. Crazily entertaining race with a bit of everything.

yeah, best race of the year so far, probably. feeling a little sorry for Button though.

I never feel sorry for Button.

A big hand for Rubens Barrichello who failed to complete one lap in his 300th Grand Prix!!

That always happens though. I don't think David Coulthard even managed one corner in his big farewell race.

DC couldn't help it, his chin was swelling with pride.

Nice start from Hamilton. Ninny.

i wish brundle would cheer up and sound more enthusiastic sometimes

Kovalainen's fireman act was pretty awesome.

I'm shitscared that Ol' Hairy Eyebrows might somehow win this Championship. I'd even rather see Button win another Championship than 'El Mansello'.

Of course, Australian papers are already claiming that we have our first World Champion since AJ in '80.

Wow @ the spectacular rainy crashy race in South Korea today

That was pretty dark by the end. I approve of the early Sunday morning timeslot too - not worth arranging a day around, but decent watching over breakfast.

Hardly ever care for F1 but always up for a watch when it rains. Good stuff.

Son, you are BERGIN': Formula One legend Gerhard Berger accuses Mark Webber of crashing on purpose

First of all, that's retarded. Secondly, since when is Gerhard Berger a "Formula One Legend"?

that story about him throwing ayrton senna's expensive carbon fibre briefcast out of a helicopter in brazil was pretty legendary

OK, I'll give him that. And for escaping that crash at Imola when the car lit up in flames. And for winning the 1986 Mexican GP while suffering from, er, diarrhea.

Hulkenberg gets pole!!!

You almost wonder if Red Bull deliberately put Webber on a terrible strategy in the hope that Alonso would follow him...

OH HOW EXCITING.

Wgat a waste of a race. Two passes on track total? Yawn.

WHAT a waste...

Don't care. Vettel won and Alonso didn't so it's all thumbs up from me.

^^^ yes, this

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01172/SNN2709AN--2806_1172905a.jpg

"You have to remember we have a lot of problems in England, Oxford Street and places, and in New York people get mugged," he said.

"They look for victims, they look for people who are a little bit slow and simple, but the people who look a bit bright, they never go after them."

HAW I just saw a pic of Bernie on the front of the papers in the shop and I was rushing back here to post it.

Feel-good pic of the summer.

Where's Blair at the moment btw?

According to The Guardian, Blair just got sonned by Christopher Hitchens in a religion beef.

Anyway, Blair accepting The Big E's tobacco money turned out to be small change with later incidents, eh?

Yeah but he's got a lot of time on his hands to work through his grudge list now.

The real question is where Max Mosley is at (and a SB to anyone that suggested something related to fascism and/or bizarre sexual fetishes).

tbf the police probly drew up a short list of people with a motive and just gave up

And why did Wu-Tang namecheck him in 'Triumph' anyway?

I would suggest Paul Stoddart but even Paul Stoddart has forgotten about Paul Stoddart.

I don't know what I'm more excited by: a return to TURBOCHARGING in 2013 or TWO Lotus teams in 2012.

also it's amazing how pitpass gradually turned into a right-wing climate change deniers website