Following the racing this weekend? Here’s all you need to know.

• BBC broadcast times for radio and TV served up day by day.
• How to view the BBC’s online racing coverage
• Details of The Nurburgring
• BBC Weather’s forecast for the Nurburgring
• The current time in Germany
• BBC iPlayer – UK viewers can catch up on the coverage they missed
• What’s happening in GP2? Check here for updates.

Got a suggestion for something else that we should include on this page? Let us know. And don’t forget you can join us at lunchtime on Sunday for our liveblog of the event.

At Silverstone three weeks ago Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel deprived formerly-unassailable championship leader Jenson Button of an emotional first victory in front of his home fans.

And, as the F1 caravan heads to Germany’s Nurburgring for the midway point of the season, fans are wondering whether Button will be able to return the favour.

His loss of form at Silverstone, where cool and changeable conditions left him simply unable to get enough heat into his tyres, coincided with a major leap forward by Red Bull.

But Brawn is wanting to make a point at the home grand prix of its engine supplier Mercedes – a partnership to which it owes its place on the 2009 grid. And it is bringing new aerodynamic parts to the Nurburgring that it never got a chance to try at Silverstone.

However the Red Bull car had made such a leap pre-Silverstone that some commentators were predicting a serious title challenge. The team were clearly overwhelmed with their success at the British Grand Prix and it’s safe to assume they won’t have been idle for the past three weeks either.

Bring it on.

The future of the Nurburgring as a F1 venue is currently in doubt after its partner Hockenheim, which joins with it in sharing the German Grand Prix hosting duties, said it no longer felt able to pay the asking price.

Attempts to patch up the situation were abandoned after Bernie Ecclestone pointed out to The Times how that Hitler chap wasn’t quite such a monster as people seemed to think.

That doesn’t go down well in Germany. As a result, the German Grand Prix is just the latest in a whole series of European races to come under threat.

Silverstone, Magny-Cours, Spa-Francorchamps – Ecclestone hasn’t felt he can threaten Monza or Monaco yet, but surely it’s only a matter of time.

So, dear reader, enjoy while you can the current 5.148km layout, dating from 1984 with further reprofiling in 2002, which still poses significant challenges for the cars and drivers.

According to Brawn GP, the lap has “a good range of low to high speed corners and “significant undulation change which is unusual for most modern circuits.”

Team principal Ross Brawn said of the race: “The team is looking forward to returning to the race track at the German Grand Prix next weekend and the Nurburgring should be a good circuit for our car and play to its strengths.

“We have several new aerodynamic parts from Silverstone which were not used in qualifying and the race due to the issues that we faced there, along with additional improvements scheduled for the Nurburgring, which should position us well going into the weekend.

“Whilst coming away with third and sixth placed finishes from Silverstone was still a good outcome from our home Grand Prix, we would be the first to admit that the result did not meet our expectations.”

But he said the team had always expected that it would have to fight to maintain its dominance as the season progressed.

“Everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth is looking forward to that challenge.

“As a team, we have a good history of going away from a race, thinking about the outcome, identifying where we need to make improvements and then coming back stronger.

“As the home Grand Prix for Mercedes-Benz, we will be hoping to come away from the race in Germany next weekend with a successful result.”

Button added: “The Nurburgring is a tricky circuit but there are two key characteristics which should be good for our car.

“It is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of the BGP 001. The Nurburgring is also one of the heaviest braking circuits on the calendar so you need a car which will be good through the four heavy braking zones.

“With the extra week’s break, everyone has been working extremely hard to get the best package for the race and we’re looking forward to showing what the car can do at the Nurburgring after a disappointing weekend by our standards at the British Grand Prix.”

He said that the last stint of at Silverstone showed that the pace of the car was still competitive, something that had left the team feeling confident for its next race.

“I’m sure we will see a really intense fight with our closest competitors and hopefully a great race for the fans.”

Over at McLaren, the prospect of not being the star attraction at Mercedes’ home grand prix must be quite a bitter pill and the team is stressing the longevity of its relationship with the grid’s most popular engine supplier in its preview.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh says: “This is our team’s second home race of the year. Having had such a fantastic and close relationship with Mercedes-Benz for 15 years means we meet many old friends in Germany and we really enjoy the fantastic support we receive.

“Not only from the many thousands of Mercedes-Benz employees who attend the race, but also from the hugely vocal crowd that always plays such a large part in making the atmosphere at a German racetrack so unique.

“While we can’t expect to match our previous record in Germany, where we’ve won the race for the past two seasons, we’re still pushing hard to develop MP4-24 into a more competitive proposition.

“Make no mistake, we’re hugely proud of having the Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on the front of our cars – and nothing would make us prouder than getting back to the front again as soon as we possibly can.”

Lewis Hamilton added: “It’s a fantastic circuit, a little older than a lot of the current tracks we currently visit and with quite a different feel to what we’re used to: it’s fast and flowing with some good spots for overtaking.

“And it’s in a fantastic part of the world too; deep in the forests of western Germany, where the fans seem to live and breathe Formula 1. It’s always an amazing party atmosphere whenever we race in Germany.

“While we aren’t expecting any major upgrades for this weekend, I’m still looking forward to the race. It’s an honour to be part of the Silver Arrows and, while our results haven’t recently shown it, we’re still pushing incredibly hard and are all hopeful of moving closer to the front before the end of this difficult season.”

Mercedes boss Norbert Haug revealed that Mercedes intends to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its iconic Silver Arrows racing brand with a parade on the racetrack and an exhibition at the paddock entrance.

Lord Drayson hands Ross Brawn his MIA Outstanding Achievement Award

Breaking news: Ross Brawn is outstandingly good at what he does, and has been recognised by his colleagues as such. Oh wait…

No, no, no, this is a news story, despite the fact that you may not yet be able to detect any news in it. Here’s the happening bit: the architect of Brawn GP’s fairytale season and the saviour of Jenson Button’s career has been presented with a Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) Award for the most outstanding contribution to the motorsport industry.

The award was presented by Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Innovation, and a racing driver in his own right, at the MIA’s annual Summer Reception at the House of Lords.

(Remember Lord Drayson. He successfully completed this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans in his GT2-class Drayson Racing Aston Martin – and we’re hoping to bring you a little more about him very soon.)

Previous winners of the award include Professor Sid Watkins, President of the FIA Instititute for Motor Sport Safety, Lord March, Sir Frank Williams, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart, as well as Tom Wheatcroft, David Richards and Bernie Ecclestone.

Ross Brawn’s career in racing started 33 years ago as a machinist at March – and from those humble beginnings he has gone on to win a World Sportscar Championship with the TWR Jaguar XJR-14. Oh yes, and the small matter of eight F1 championships with Benetton and Ferrari, of course.

MIA CEO, Chris Aylett said: “His exceptional race engineering talent is coupled with integrity, sincerity and humility – a rare combination in this aggressive competitive sport.

“His personal contribution has benefited many in this global industry – employees, suppliers and drivers. His influence makes motorsport and F1 a better place to be.

“Ross is a great inspiration to young engineers who we need to help us improve our future. As patron of Formula Student, for example, he is putting something back into tomorrow’s generation.

“F1 leaders can be great ambassadors for global motorsport – Ross is one of the new breed who will ensure its popularity will last well into the future.”

According to Brawn GP, the MIA’s summer reception, hosted by MIA President Lord Astor of Hever, is regarded as the most prestigious social gathering on the international motorsport business calendar.

The 2009 reception was attended by more than 300 guests, including peers, ministers of state, ambassadors, MPs and leaders from the international motorsport industry.

Allegations are surfacing in the national press that it was impossible to get a place on the Formula One grid for 2010 unless you were prepared to sign up to an engine deal with independent Northampton-based supplier Cosworth.

The allegations are, however, anonymous and are the subject of a carefully-worded denial by the engine manufacturer in question making it clear that it had no part in any behind-the-scenes manoeuvres that may have been taking place.

If they are true, the two teams to be most severely disadvantaged were the British squads Prodrive and Lola, both widely regarded as shoo-ins. Prodrive had already been awarded a place on the 2008 grid but declined to accept it after a row about the status of customer cars.

Unnamed team principals, quoted in The Telegraph and The Guardian, are accusing the FIA of commercial bias for refusing to consider those teams who were trying to tie up deals with Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari.

The accusations are reported to have come to light in the form of a letter to a senior figure in an existing team – perhaps one of the leading lights in FOTA?

The Telegraph says: “The bosses of several of these unsuccessful entrants have now claimed that during the application process the FIA said it was a ‘mandatory’ condition they had to buy engines from Northamptonshire-based Cosworth for their bid to be accepted.”

It goes on to point out that using Cosworth as an engine supplier was not an advertised condition of entry to the selection process, giving rise to a feeling that the FIA had acted unfairly and made its judgements based on political rather than sporting considerations.

But various anonymous team bosses claim in direct quotes that they were told that a three-year Cosworth engine contract was a pre-requisite of a 2010 grid slot and that anyone using an engine from a FOTA manufacturer need not apply.

The FIA has reportedly said that an independent supply of engines is crucial to prevent F1 being “at the mercy of the car industry” while Cosworth has made the interesting statement that it “in no way, shape or form requested that the FIA make demands on its behalf of potential entries to the Formula One World Championship.”

However the engine supplier has previously said that it would need to supply two or more teams in order to make its return to F1 a worthwhile venture.

In relation to the FIA statement, it is also interesting to recall an interview with John Booth of Manor, published by Autosport on June 12, in which he said: “We intend to have a car running in January with an FIA-spec customer Cosworth engine.

“We wanted to be independent of a manufacturer because we don’t want to be used as a political pawn – it was a conscious decision not to approach them.”

Here he may have hit the nail precisely on the head when it comes to the FIA’s objections to any team using an engine supplied by an existing competitor.

Team Ireland boss Mark Gallagher says signing driver Adam Carroll was the best decision he ever made in A1GP – but that doesn’t mean the Portadown native will be piloting the car in season five.

Gallagher made the suggestion that Carroll may be looking to move on to bigger things in an interview published on the series website that puts him head to head with his nearest rival – Team Switzerland chief Max Welti.

The championship-winning driver has repeatedly been linked with a possible F1 drive this summer and was thought to be under consideration by potential series entrant Lola, demonstrating cars for the company at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed.

However the failure of the FIA to select the Huntingdon-based outfit for 2010 entry means his prospects of entering the top flight of open-wheel racing now look more remote. But Gallagher hints that Carroll would also be interested in an IRL drive.

He says a driver of the calibre of Carroll, who took the title in a tight three-way race at the very last event at Brands Hatch in May, has been essential to deal with a car of the complexity of the one A1GP uses.

But he admits “we might want to bring other drivers on.”

Asked in the interview to recall the best decision he ever made in A1GP, Gallagher says: “To focus on getting Adam Carroll to drive for me.

“I did try to get him to drive for us in the first two seasons but he was busy. It wasn’t rocket science because the determining factor in making these cars go faster than one another is ultimately down to the guy behind the wheel.”

Asked about his biggest regret, he says: “That A1GP does not allow you to run a two-car team so therefore, in taking Adam, I had to give up on Ralph Firman.

“That is a regret because I have enormous respect for Ralph’s ability. He is, still to this day, underrated and he, like Adam, would have benefited from the way the team has grown.”

Asked if he has the best eligible racing driver, he says: “In Adam Carroll, unquestionably. I think all the other Irish drivers would agree on that and the only context that I would put that in is that at his age, with his experience and at his point at his career, he is the best and the correct man for the job and he has proven that.

“There are other members who are younger, highly talented but just need more experience and a bit more time in a car, there are also older drivers who are also talented but are at different points in their career, in terms of where they see themselves and whether they could go out in a single seater car as complex as this.

“Adam is at the right point and so it’s not the case of being better than anyone else, he is just the best man for the job and the best Ireland had at the present time.”

So, he’ll be in the car for season five, right?

“We have discussed this before and since winning the title at Brands Hatch. Adam would love to play a part in defending Ireland’s World Cup of Motorsport title.

“I think the phrase ‘play a part’ is important because he knows that after two years that we might want to bring other young drivers on and he would encourage that.

“It’s come as no surprise to people to learn that Adam would love to look at other opportunities beyond A1GP, he would love to do races like the Indy 500 and the Grand Prix in Monaco, and those other series do hold an appeal for him but he has a huge passion for A1GP.

“He believes this is the best series he has ever done, he has promised us that whatever or if ever he went on to do other things he will still drive for A1 Team Ireland again.

“He has told me that no contract or boss would ever stop him coming back, because he enjoyed it so much and because it is the most significant part of his career to date.”

When asked to pick out an aspect of the Irish team that impressed him most, Welti said: “A1 Team Ireland is a very professional organisation; there is a lot of experience in each team member.

“They have a big advantage that they have their technical team together that is working all year long to get there, it is always the same people working together for a long time and this helps a lot.

“All of the other teams have to put a new team together often and it automatically means they have to live with personnel changes and as we know in technical sports consistency is the key to success.”

Read the full interview on the A1GP site here >>

Justin Wilson celebrates his victory at the Glen

The 30-year-old from Sheffield had qualified second for the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen behind Penske’s Ryan Briscoe but overtook the Australian on lap three and never looked back, leading for the rest of the race apart from the pitstops.

“It feels fantastic,” he said after handing Coyne his first win in 558 starts. “This is the most important win in my career – winning with Dale and showing what we can do. It’s a fantastic feeling.

“It was just the fact that we’ve just worked at this all year, and we’ve put a lot of effort into the road courses. To dominate like we did is fantastic.

“I’ve got to thank Dale for putting me into the car – I didn’t think I would be driving [this year], and here we are in Victory Lane. It feels great.

“I was grinning from ear to ear on the last lap. It just felt so good to do that for Dale. We’ve been trying to build this team up, and we’re coming.”

Wilson’s moment of greatest danger came on the lap 53 restart following Hideki Mutoh’s crash, with Briscoe on his heels – exactly the scenario that had seen him lose a potential victory in the first race of the season on the streets of St Petersburg in Florida.

But unlike that occasion the Yorkshireman got a jump on the rest of the field and accelerated into the distance, leaving Briscoe, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves in his wake.

The victory was built on his superb qualifying performance, which put him on the front row while preserving one more set of the faster choice of tyres than the rest of the field. He was able to use these to pull away from Briscoe at the end.

“They were fantastic. A little bit more grip and a little bit more confidence,” he said. “It was a nice feeling to have those underneath me. I knew that Ryan didn’t have them and I did. And as soon as that yellow came out, we didn’t need to save fuel again, we could run flat out to the end.”

Dale Coyne - a winner at last

Briscoe spoke for almost the entire IRL pitlane in being pleased to see a popular driver and team owner take the win: “Big congrats to Dale Coyne and the whole team and Justin.

“We had to work hard to come through the field. We had some great pit stops and it was pretty exciting at the end with everybody on the softer compound. I had my hands full defending them.”

His boss Roger Penske added: “Congratulations to Dale on his first IndyCar win. Dale has been a great friend and a great competitor for many years, and we are very happy for him and his team. They worked very hard for this. I thought Justin Wilson drove a great race, and he certainly deserved the victory today.”

And Ganassi managing director Mike Hull said: “We’re absolutely ecstatic for Dale Coyne winning the race. He stepped up to the plate with his program this year, and he’s gotten results. That’s an owner that’s taken the initiative to make it happen, and those are the kind of owners that make a difference in motor racing.”

Coyne said: “It took too long. We knew Justin was a strong road racer. We almost showed it at St. Pete and we showed it here.”

Mike Conway - improving as the season goes on

Behind the leaders the under-fire rookie Mike Conway, whose season has been punctuated by crashes and errors, was driving his heart out in fifth place, having run in second for much of the race until losing out in the pitstops. He was caught on the final corner of the race by Marco Andretti and finished sixth – still by far his strongest performance of the year.

“It was a great result for everybody, we ran strong all day,” he said.

“It was a shame that we couldn’t quite get the result in the end. It was a case of me coming out of the box [in the pits] and I lost a couple of seconds and gave me the gap to Justin Wilson, and everyone came in between us.

“We were running top five and saving fuel. I struggled with the balance in the end, but we still brought the Dad’s Root Beer car home in sixth place.

“I just have to thank the crew; they did a great job all weekend, and I’m looking forward to Toronto.”

Missing from the front-runners was Dario Franchitti, who had gone into the race as series leader but spun on lap 23 trying to avoid a collision between Mario Moraes and Ed Carpenter for which Moraes was later penalised.

The Scot rejoined the race but finished 15th, surrendering the title lead to Dixon. “The rear end just stepped out on me unexpectedly and we ended up in the gravel trap,” he said.

Dan Wheldon was another driver who suffered in the pit stops, dropping from third to eventually finish 10th. He said: “Unfortunately it might have just been one of those days for the National Guard Panther Racing team. The car was very competitive, we just had a little bit of a slower pit stop on the last stop. But that happens.

“With our tyre choice today we just got unlucky – when our red tyres were on there were some sporadic yellows and when we had the blacks on it stayed green. It was just one of those days, but everybody at Panther continues to work very hard and did a good job this weekend, and we’ll bounce back in Toronto.”

Race order

1. Justin Wilson, Dale Coyne
2. Ryan Briscoe, Team Penske
3. Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi
4. Helio Castroneves, Team Penske
5. Marco Andretti, Andretti Green
6. Mike Conway, Dreyer & Reinbold
7. EJ Viso, HVM
8. Tony Kanaan, Andretti Green
9. Robert Doornbos, Newman/Haas/Lanigan
10. Dan Wheldon, Panther
11. Danica Patrick, Andretti Green
12. Raphael Matos, Luczo Dragon
13. Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan
14. Mario Moraes, KV
15. Dario Franchitti, Target Chip Ganassi
16. Ed Carpenter, Vision
17. Milka Duno, Dreyer & Reinbold
18. Richard Antinucci, 3G
19. Hideki Mutoh, Andretti Green
20. Paul Tracy, KV
21. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Foyt

Oliver Turvey took a pair of podiums and James Walker moved up to second in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series championship as both home drivers put on a show for fans at the World Series by Renault’s visit to Silverstone.

Walker topped both testing sessions, with Turvey behind him in the first one, and the pair also took second and fourth in qualifying, bracketing Brendon Hartley and behind Charles Pic.

Race one, run on a reverse grid, was won by series leader Marcos Martinez – his fourth win of the year. Fairuz Fauzy of Malaysia took second ahead of Turvey and Walker, Bertrand Baguette surrending a potential podium by running onto the grass as Fauzy overtook him.

Walker, Pic and Turvey on the podium

The second race saw Pic win confidently from pole, while Hartley’s chances were ended by a penalty for speeding in the pitlane. The decision also ended the New Zealander’s hopes of out-performing his successor as Red Bull F1 reserve driver, Jaime Alguersuari, across the whole weekend having beaten him in the first race.

Hartley’s demise allowed Walker to take second and Turvey third. The race one victory helped Martinez retain the series lead at the end of the weekend, six points ahead of Walker who overtook Baguette for second.

Martinez, as series leader coming into Silverstone, also earned the opportunity to drive a demonstration in the Renault F1 R28. He said: “This is a fantastic experience, winning in Formula Renault 3.5 Series then driving an F1, just incredible.”

Also performing some demonstration laps, this time in a regular series car, was former F1 champion Nigel Mansell, who practised on Friday in his son Greg’s car before his demo on Sunday.

The two Mansells, with Nigel in Greg's WSR car

He said: “I have to thank Greg for allowing me to get in his car because he was very concerned with me driving it before qualifying and you all here can all be my witness that the car is okay; no spins, no nothing. To be reacquainted with an open wheeler which is close to Formula One was very nice. There is a very good feeling to the car and it was a great experience.

“It was a little bit tight in the car and the biggest problem I had on the first lap was I frightened myself going into Becketts because I went to brake and as I normally do, I put my foot over and as I pushed the pedal I accelerated because I used my right foot and not my left. Fortunately I was going slowly enough to stop but to get used to left foot braking and a number of things in the car is a good challenge.

“I think the World Series is one of the best series in racing because the car is very good and the driver has to push the car.”

Back at the racing, Walker had hoped for a victory but was still pleased with the outcome of the weekend: “After qualifying I was disappointed not to be on pole position, but in the end I’m very pleased today. This is a good weekend, I go second in the overall standings, that’s perfect. The end of the race was difficult because Oliver Turvey came back really strong. I managed to hold him off, but it was very complicated.”

Turvey added: “Two podiums, in front of such a big crowd, it’s perfect. James didn’t make an error, so impossible to get past him. I’m not thinking about the title, it’s my first season, I’m here to learn. I’m savouring every result and we’ll see what happens.”

Championship standings

1. Marcos Martínez, 73
2. James Walker, 67
3. Bertrand Baguette, 65
4. Oliver Turvey, 52
5. Charles Pic, 44
6. Fairuz Fauzy, 41
7. Miguel Molina, 38
8. Jaime Alguersuari, 30
9. Chris van der Drift, 29
10. Marco Barba, 28
11. Adrian Zaugg, 27
12. Pasquale di Sabatino, 25
13. Daniil Move, 20
14. Sten Pentus, 19
15. Adrián Vallés, 19
16. Omar Leal, 10
17. Brendon Hartley, 10
18. Michael Herck, 7
19. Greg Mansell, 3
20. Jon Lancaster, 3
21. Stefano Coletti, 1
22. John Martin, 1
23. Guillaume Moreau, 1
24. Mihai Marinescu, 0
25. Frankie Provenzano, 0
26. Federico Leo, 0
27. Tobias Hegewald, 0
28. Harald Schlegelmilch, 0
29. Anton Nebylitskiy, 0
30. Filip Salaquarda, 0
31. Max Chilton, 0
32. Edoardo Mortara, 0
33. Alexandre Marsoin, 0
34. Jules Bianchi, 0

Britain’s Riki Christodoulou has denied Renger van der Zande a shutout by winning round 10 of the British Formula 3 International championship at Snetterton, earning his maiden victory in the process.

Riki Christodoulou

But Christodoulou, ending a run of somewhat erratic starts, staged a great getaway then led from lap three to ensure he was first to the chequered flag.

During the weekend the series announced that it is planning to increase its races next season by running a 10-meeting championship with three rounds per meeting instead of the current two.

Its organisers say the plan is to provide young drivers with the maximum possible race experience after consultation with F3 teams’ organisation FOTA.

Spokesman Peter Briggs said: “We believe that expanding the number of races in the championship to 30 is a logical extension of the policies which have helped the championship become the pre-eminent ‘university of motor sport’.

“The cars are reliable and FIA safety-approved, there is a large but controlled testing mileage available, and now three race starts every weekend. British F3 is first and foremost a drivers’ series, and the best training there is.”

Here’s how the weekend unfolded:

Qualifying: Van der Zande shut-out makes it four in a row for Hitech

Renger van der Zande narrowly topped the timesheets at Snetterton for round 9 qualifying, taking his second pole position of the season and the third successive pole for the Hitech team.

Brits Henry Arundel and Max Chilton narrowly missed out on the top spot, with eight-thousandths of a second separating the top three drivers and the top 15 separated by just nine-tenths.

Riki Christodoulou was sixth, Jay Bridger ninth and Fortec driver Daniel McKenzie impressed by filling out the top ten, a time that was good enough for the National Class pole by a tenth of a second.

In round 10 qualifying Van der Zande put in a best lap of 1:02.098s, slightly slower than his morning session race, but easily fast enough to secure a second pole of the day and the Hitech team’s fourth pole in a row.

His Austrian team-mate Walter Grubmuller was due to share the front row with him. Christodoulou went third fastest for the Fortec team, just ahead of Chilton. Wayne Boyd was seventh and Henry Arundel just outside the top 10.

Round 9 van der Zande capitalises on qualifying performance

Van der Zande staged a racing masterclass in the first of the weekend’s events, leading from pole to flag having secured a lead of a second within the first couple of laps.

After that he was beyond challenge, leaving the rest of the field competing for second place. It looked like Henry Arundel would secure it until lap 20, when his Carlin Motorsport Dallara suffered a gear selection issue.

That delayed him long enough to allow team-mate and championship leader Daniel Ricciardo through. He said afterwards: “I was struggling with the gears and Daniel made it through, but once I had worked out what the problem was I was able to drive around it and hang on to third.”

Van der Zande crossed the line 3.8 seconds clear of Ricciardo, who was in turn comfortably ahead of Arundel. Grubmuller held fourth place throughout, shadowed all the way by Christodoulou, Chilton and Bridger.

Daniel McKenzie slotted his Fortec Dallara into eighth on the opening lap and held on all the way to the flag to collect his sixth National Class victory of the season.

Round 10: Christodoulou takes maiden win

It looked like van der Zande was all set for a shut-out – until another driver, Riki Christodoulou, produced the kind of commanding performance in round ten that had previously been the Dutchman’ preserve.

The Fortec driver got an uncharacteristically good start from third on the grid to pass van der Zande who came close to stalling on pole as his team-mate Grubmuller took the lead.

But Christodoulou passed the Austrian on the third lap, getting clear of a fight between Grubmuller and Carlin’s Ricciardo as he did so, a contest that the Carlin driver won.

A series of quick laps from the British driver secured his lead and, apart from a period when he needed to get clear of the backmarkers, he was home for a clean victory. Ricciardo was second and Grubmuller third.

Van der Zande could do no better than fourth with T-sport Adriano Buzaid and Wayne Boyd fifth and sixth. Carlin’s Max Chilton, another first-lap loser, was seventh despite a brave attempt to make up places, followed by team-mate Henry Arundel in eighth and Litespeed’s Jay Bridger in ninth.

Christodoulou’s Fortec team-mate Victor Garcia rounded out the top ten and National honours went to T-sport’s Gabriel Dias in 11th.

Standings (points-scorers only):

1. Daniel Ricciardo, Carlin: 119 points
2. Walter Grubmüller, Hitech: 96 points
3. Renger van der Zande, Hitech: 85 points
4. Riki Christodoulou, Fortec: 81 points
5. Nick Tandy, JTR: 68 points
6. Marcus Ericsson, Raikkonen Robertson: 65 points
7. Max Chilton, Carlin: 64 points
8. Daisuke Nakajima, Raikkonen Robertson: 59 points
9. Adriano Buzaid, T-Sport: 56 points
10. Henry Arundel, Carlin: 46 points
11. Carlos Huertas, Raikkonen Robertson: 18 points
12. Wayne Boyd, T-Sport: 15 points
13. Víctor García, T-Sport: 13 points
14. Robert Wickens, Carlin: 12 points
15. Jay Bridger, Litespeed: 10 points
16. Oliver Oakes, Carlin: 7 points
17. Hywel Lloyd, CF Racing: 6 points

You can get a complete set of stats, standings and news at the series website here >>

JTR Racing’s Nick Tandy has announced he is leaving the British F3 International series with immediate effect to compete in F3 Euroseries instead.

And race-winner Tandy, who recently had to deal with the loss of his brother and team boss Joe in a fatal road accident, says he has mixed feelings about leaving the UK.

However, the offer of a works-assisted drive with the Volkswagen-backed Kolles team in the European competition is something he views as simply too good an opportunity to pass up.

He said: “This is the sort of chance for which I have been aiming all my career, so it would have been crazy to pass it up.

“I am devastated that I will no longer be driving with JTR, but the whole team knows that I am fully behind them and will continue to support them in every way possible.”

Tandy said every effort was being made by JTR to find a competitive new driver for the team’s Mygale-Mercedes, which he drove to victory at Rockingham in May.

The driver made his debut in the recent F3 Euroseries races at the Norisring in Germany and was offered a drive on the basis of his performance.

This meant he had to leave British F3 International with immediate effect, leaving him unable to compete in either race at Snetterton this weekend.

You might think that the day jobs of Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen aren’t up to much at the moment, with McLaren’s MP4-24 misbehaving so badly, but we bring you evidence that they should definitely stick to race driving.

That’s because, unlike other sporting names such as former WWE wrestler Dwayne Johnson (better known as The Rock) and former combat footballer Vinnie Jones, a profitable career in Hollywood probably doesn’t beckon for either.

They don’t even have the excuse of inexperience – the numbers of viral videos that are pouring out of the Technology Centre and the HQ of sponsors Vodafone mean they are getting more than enough practice in front of the cameras.

But, as the attached clip shows, an attack of the giggles is never very far away. And it’s canny marketing when the out-takes get released, and possibly manage to circulate better than the clip that was being filmed at the time. It looks pretty unscripted, but still plenty of mentions of the sponsor’s name, you’ll notice.

Still, we appreciate the light relief, and are pleased to see that the boys are still smiling despite their dreadful season.