Here’s a look ahead to the German Grand Prix with Toyota’s Timo Glock.

He drives the Nürburgring in a Lexus IS-F and answers some fans’ question (while, for reasons that aren’t explained, driving a race simulator of a track that doesn’t look much like the Nürburgirng. Can anyone tell what it is?)

Keke Rosberg won the only race at Dallas in 1984

Fuji Speedway is to disappear from the F1 calendar once again. Despite a multi-million pounds upgrade ahead of its reintroduction in 2007, its return last a mere two races.

But there are venues whose acquaintance with F1 was even more fleeting. Ten tracks held just a single race each and do not look likely to reappear soon. Here are Formula 1’s one-off venues.

Pescara, Italy (1957)
Winner: Stirling Moss

The 25th running of the Gran Premio di Pescara was also its only appearance on the world championship calendar. It is the longest circuit ever to hold a Grand Prix – and also the part of Italy Jarno Trulli hails from.

Pescara was the last of the classic road races to appear in F1, using closed-off public roads that blasted along the sea front, through the town and up into the mountains. By the late 1950s, permanent racing facilities were increasingly the norm.

The drivers faced 18 laps of the 25.57km (15.89 mile) track. Juan Manuel Fangio took pole position with a time of 9′44.6, 10 seconds faster than Stirling Moss, the pair the only ones to lap beneath the ten-minute mark in practice. Moss won the race from Fangio, all the while wondering whether the Argentinean driver was going to mount another comeback of the type that stunned Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins at the Nürburgring two weeks earlier.

More about Pescara

Ain Diab, Casablanca, Morocco
Winner: Stirling Moss

This was international motor racing’s last visit to Morocco until the World Touring Car Championship raced there (on a different circuit) this year. Morocco held its only Grand Prix in 1958, shortly after having declared its independence.

A high-speed coastal circuit in Ain Diab played host to the 1958 season finale, where the title was won by Mike Hawthorn, after being handed second place by team mate Phil Hill. Rival Stirling Moss was forced to accept the runner-up spot in the championship. He was also left grieving, after Vanwall team mate Stewart Lewis-Evans crashed and suffered terrible burns from which he died six days later.

More about Ain-Diab

AVUS (Automobil Verkehrs und Übungsstrasse), Germany, 1959
Winner: Tony Brooks

The bizarre AVUS circuit was no more than the parallel sections of a dual carriageway joined by a couple of hairpins. It has been used extensively before World War Two, but after it the encroachment of Soviet-occupied Germany forced the shortening of the track.

During its sole world championship race weekend in 1959 Jean Behra was killed in a support race when he flew off one of the high banks. The circuit remained in use until the 1990s as a venue for Germany’s popular touring car championship. But this gigantic crash which forced the abandonment of a DTM race in 1995 showed the dangers of continuing to race at the track:

Later that year Kieth O’dor was killed in a touring car crash at the circuit, and before the decade was out racing at AVUS was finished for good.

More about AVUS

Monsanto Park, (1959)
Winner: Stirling Moss

Peculiarly, three of the ten one-off races appeared on the calendar in 1959. The circuit at Monsanto in Portugal looped through a nearby park (much like Albert Park does today).

During the race eventual champion Jack Brabham suffered a nasty accident: he hit a telegraph pole trying to avoid a wayward car, and was flung onto the track. Team mate Masten Gregory arrived on the scene and narrowly missed hitting him. Gregory went on to finish second behind winner Moss.

More about Monsanto Park

Sebring, United States (1959)
Winner: Bruce McLaren

Venue of the first United States Grand Prix, the course around the Sebring airfield was the setting for the 1959 title-decider. And what an event it was, with Brabham securing the title after pushing his Cooper over the line to claim fourth place.

The race was won by Bruce McLaren, setting a new record as the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix, which stood until Fernando Alonso won the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2003.

The track remains in use today for sports car races, notably the Sebring 12 Hours which kicks off the American Le Mans Series.

More about Sebring

Riverside, United States (1960)
Winner: Stirling Moss

The only F1 race held at Riverside in California was run after Jack Braham had already wrapped up the championship. This was a blow for the organisers, particularly as Ferrari chose not to compete.

But there was some local interest. Phil Hill, without a Ferrari to drive, procured a Cooper for the race. And the American Scarab recorded its only Grand Prix finish, driven by Chuck Daigh.

After its one-off F1 race the rough, bumpy Riverside course held Indy Car, NASCAR and sports car races. But the circuit is no more: in the 1990s it was sold to property developers, bulldozed, and the land is now occupied by a shopping mall.

More about Riverside

Zeltweg , Austria (1964)
Winner: Lorenzo Bandini

The first venue for the Austrian Grand Prix was another airfield circuit. Short (less than two miles long), flat and slow, it wasn’t popular. Once the F1 teams discovered the nearby Osterreichingring – longer, very quick and undulating – Zeltweg’s fate was sealed.

Lorenzo Bandini won the race - his only win for Ferrari - while the bumpy service proved the undoing of rivals such as John Surtees (Ferrari, broken suspension) and Dan Gurney (Brabham, ditto). Richie Ginther was the only other driver to complete all 105 tours, the rest at least three laps in arrears.

More about Zeltweg

Le Mans Bugatti, France (1967)
Winner: Jack Brabham

It had little of the character of the long and hugely quick La Sarthe circuit which holds the 24 Hour race. And so the shorter Bugatti circuit proved an unpopular alternative to the likes of Rouen and Clermont-Ferrand when it held its sole F1 race in 1967.

A thin field of 15 cars arrived for the race, which was decided when the leading Lotuses of Graham Hill and Jim Clark expired (not an unusual sight in 1967), letting Brabham through to win.

More about Le Mans Bugatti

Dallas, United States (1984)
Winner: Keke Rosberg

The single race at Dallas in 1984 is always remembered for being run in searing summer heat on a decaying surface. Only seven cars were still circulating at the end, led home by Keke Rosberg, who had sussed the conditions and bought himself a water-cooled skull cap.

An eighth, Nigel Mansell’s Lotus, which had briefly led, expired within sight of the line. Mimicking Brabham some 25 years earlier, Mansell pushed the car towards the line, but failed to reach it and collapsed with typical theatrical effect.

Forgiving it its granular surface, the track (by street circuit standards) wasn’t too bad – reasonably wide, with some quick corners, places to overtake and lacking the 90-degree monotony of Phoenix. But when the race organiser skipped town with the profits it became clear F1 wouldn’t be going back.

More about Dallas

Since then three other circuits have held a single F1 race but are scheduled to hold more in the future: Valencia and Singapore (this year) and Donington Park (in 2010).

If you’ve spotted a hot news story, interesting new website or just something funny from the world of F1, please share your links in the comments below.

Ferrari or bust, says GP chief

Australian Grand Prix organiser Ron Walker: "In my view Mr Mosley should walk away from the sport with dignity rather than slowly strangle to death the great brand of formula One. The sport needs fresh and dynamic leadership more than ever before to lead F1 into a new era of motor racing. Bernie Ecclestone is absolutely trying to be a peacemaker, but if the most successful automotive companies in the world will not agree to the rules laid down by the FIA then that will be the end of it." It would be fair to describe Walker as an ally of Ecclestone’s, so this comment is a particularly interesting development.

Fota and Max Mosley rift raises spectre of F1 breakaway again

"'Max really seems to have gone out of his way to wind everybody up on this issue,' said one team insider who preferred not to be identified. 'Spelling out that the new teams should have a voice over the new rules was extremely provocative. Most of us think that they should not be allowed a vote on these matters, although by all means let them attend the meetings and listen to what is being discussed.'"

Formula One rebels frozen out as circus arrives in Germany

"The impasse led Brawn to make an impromptu return to London where talks between other FOTA leaders and CVC, the increasingly dismayed private equity firm who own F1, were held on Wednesday."

2010 FIA Formula One World Championship (FIA press release)

"On 25 June, instead of the 1998 Agreement with some minor amendments, the FIA received 350 pages of a completely new Concorde Agreement. It being wholly impractical to involve the Senate in such detailed negotiations, the contract was handed over to FIA lawyers, who worked on it tirelessly over the weekend 27-28 June and gave comments during a three-hour conference call on Monday 29 June. Then the 350 pages of 25 June turned out not to be the final FOTA/FOA version and elements of a new version appeared, partly on 2 July, partly on 3 July. Again, FIA lawyers worked over the weekend on 4-5 July, as did FIA President Max Mosley and FIA Deputy President (sport) Nick Craw. Further comments were then given on a three and a half hour lawyers' call on Monday 6 July and again in a conference call yesterday, 8 July, following the circulation of further drafts. Further significant progress was made yesterday evening in yet another conference call."

Q & A with Robert Kubica

"We have a few new parts like the diffuser, rear suspension, the revised front wing, so all in all we are expecting some improvement, but it's difficult to judge how big it will be. I don't think that it will change the situation a lot."

The Hack looks back on the German Grand Prix

"Interestingly, there are signs that the mediation between Bernie and the Jewish Chronicle was conducted by none other than Lord Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool, a politician who obviously has big gaps in his day when not supervising 10 of the nation's most important ministries and pulling the strings that give the impression there is still life in our shambling excuse for a Prime Minister. Would that his lordship had offered his help to Silverstone in its hour of need rather than scratching out a handful of suspiciously humble - not to mention uncharacteristic - words of contrition for a hugely wealthy businessman who has never before demonstrated the need for any form of PR."

Q & A with Fernando Alonso

"I think we've talked for too many weeks already about it, and we spent too much time with all these political fights in the last two or three months. Obviously it didn't help the sport, and hopefully now it is finishing, and we can talk only about the sport."

These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. You can see my Delicious profile here.

Shell and Ferrari have put out this short video interview with Michael Schumacher ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

Schumacher talks about how punishing his F1 fitness regime was, which were his favourite tracks - and the rival he rated above all the others.

Not as much fun as his appearance on Top Gear, of course, but still not a bad interview for a PR effort and worth a look for Schumacher fans.

Read more: Michael Schumacher is The Stig (sort of)

Nick Heidfeld had his strongest season in 2007

The early part of Nick Heidfeld’s F1 career was respectable, if unremarkable. But by the end of 2003 he was at something of a dead end, and found himself at Jordan, a team that was on its last legs.

Despite that, he soon found himself allied to one of F1’s emerging powerhouse teams - BMW.

2004: But first, he had to drive for Jordan. He did manage to race with Giancarlo Fisichella (with whom he had swapped seats) here in Australia, but Fisichelle was ahead of him most of the season. In fact, while Heidfeld did score a couple of times, it seemed as if he wasn’t getting another chance to move back up the order.

2005: Just when it almost seemed to be over for Heidfeld, he managed to get a seat at Williams-BMW. And he made the most of it - scoring podiums and beating teammate Mark Webber.

Heidfeld also grabbed his first (and so far only) pole position of his career at the Nürburgring. This video shows the difference in speed between Heidfeld’s 2005 pole lap and Raikkonen’s 2007 pole lap.

2006: With Williams and BMW ending their partnership, it always seemed likely that Heidfeld would move with BMW - after all, BMW were taking over his old team Sauber. He easily dispatched team mate Jacques Villeneuve, and readily raced with most of the field (like here against DC in Bahrain). He would find an equal, however, in Villeneuve’s mid-season replacement Robert Kubica.

2007: Heidfeld had a great season that year, scoring two podium finishes at Montreal and the Hungaroring, and beating his much-vaunted team mate Kubica.

But for me, Nick’s best moment that year was driving his BMW F1 car around the old Nordschleife. So here’s his whole lap - with onboards! Sit back and enjoy this one.

2008: While not as great as the heady heights of 2007, Heidfeld still had a very good 2008, scoring almost as many points as 2007, and finishing all the races. In fact, the last time he retired from a race was at Indianapolis in 2007. Here he is chasing down Felipe Massa for third at Hockenheim.

2009: After the brilliance of 2007 and 2008, BMW were bumped back to reality this year. Other than Heidfeld’s podium at Sepang, the team haven’t had much in the way of good results this year. Here’s Nick doing a qualifying lap at Melbourne.

So what does the future hold for Quick Nick? His contract with BMW ends this year, but with Kubica rumoured to be looking at other teams, BMW may want to keep him on for his experience.

In the meantime he faces an expectant home crowd - without a car to give them the result they want.

I can only conclude he’s playing for time, hoping that either FOTA will crack or one of the teams’ parent companies elects to withdraw them, giving him further justification to push for a budget cap. (Though some manufacturers may conclude the shambolic manner in which the FIA is managing the sport at present is sufficient cause to put their resources elsewhere).

Here’s the press release from FOTA and more details on that story and others.

Press release - Formula One Teams Association

"As endorsed by the WMSC and clearly stated in the FIA press statement of 24 June “the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009”. At no point in the Paris discussions was any requirement for unanimous agreement on regulations change expressed. To subsequently go against the will of the WMSC and the detail of the Paris agreement puts the future of Formula 1 in jeopardy."

FOTA teams walk out of FIA meeting

"Some progress was made in terms of agreeing to scrap the specific budget cap rules introduced on April 29. However, the teams could not agree on a minimum weight limit for 2010, and there had also not been a sign-off of the legally binding agreement to reduce costs."

CVC apologises for Bernie Ecclestone’s Hitler gaffe

"'CVC was shocked at the comments made by Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday,' the private equity firm said. 'And we fully concur with the unreserved apology that was made by Mr Ecclestone yesterday.'" (via Vee8)

· · · — — — · · ·

"There are times when being an F1 reporter is like being a radio operator, sending out messages about how things are going on a ship that has been out at sea for a long while. Well tonight this radio operator feels the need for a distress signal. The F1 ship is once again in great danger of foundering. God alone knows what is happening up on the bridge, but there is a bloody great hole in the bottom and unless someone starts behaving in a smarter manner than they have of late – and starts doing it very quickly indeed – the whole thing is going to sink without trace."

Why Formula One is still so in thrall to the Nazis

"The inter-war history of the sport was bound up to a disturbing degree with the rise of the far-right, particularly in Germany, and traits of the outlook remain to this day."

Bernie Ecclestone stays away from German Grand Prix event after Hitler row

"A spokesman for Nürburgring GmbH, the company that runs the track, said Mr Ecclestone had called off a visit tomorrow after a phone conversation with organisers. No further explanation was given but none was needed: any kind of public approval of Hitler, however heavily qualified, is taboo in Germany. A newsreader, Eva Herman, had to leave a talk show and was later sacked for giving Hitler the credit for Germany’s autobahns."

These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. See other stories I’ve bookmarked here.

Nick Heidfeld, now a BMW driver, was previously linked to Mercedes

F1 Fanatic guest writer Journeyer gets us ready for the German Grand Prix by looking back at the career of Nick Heidfeld.

After a three week break, F1 is back in business at the Nurburgring. There are five German F1 drivers on the grid today, but one of them has been particularly good at this track - BMW’s Nick Heidfeld.

While he may have fallen tantalisingly short of a maiden win many times, his consistency in producing good results has ensured his stay in F1 for many years now. Let’s take a look back at his career so far.

1998: Quick Nick first came onto the F1 radar courtesy of Mercedes man Norbert Haug. Having been sufficiently impressed by his performances in German F3, he gave him a seat in McLaren’s Formula 3000 team.

Heidfeld had a very good rookie year, finishing runner-up to Juan Pablo Montoya. Here’s some highlights from that year’s race at Pau, where he spun, but managed to finish third.

1999: A second shot at F3000 saw him crowned champion. McLaren was also giving him some solid F1 exposure as a test driver. Here he is running the McLaren F1 car at Goodwood that year - when he set the all-time course record which still stands ten years later.

2000: He finally got his F1 break courtesy of Alain Prost’s team. Heidfeld had a rough year, failing to score any points in the uncompetitiv car. He also had some big crashes, including this one with team mate Jean Alesi at the A1-Ring.

2001: Having had enough of Prost, he decided to move to Sauber for 2001. It was the right move at the right time - he scored his first podium at Interlagos, and led the team to fourth in the constructors championship.

But he was shocked to find out that McLaren had skipped him over for his young team mate Kimi Raikkonen, despite outscoring him over the course of the season. Heidfeld hasn’t even been close to driving for McLaren ever since.

2002: Heidfeld next had to deal with Felipe Massa, whom he beat easily. However, he didn’t have too many memorable performances, either. He’d probably want to forget about this crash into, of all things, the medical car at Interlagos.

2003: It just got tougher and tougher for Heidfeld. While he did make a mistake while qualifying at the Nürburgring, he managed to go from P20 to P8 in the race. Sadly, he’d only score twice more that season. Worse, Sauber dropped him to make way for Giancarlo Fisichella.

Where would Nick go now? Part two tomorrow will show how he managed to revive an F1 career that looked like it had hit the buffers.

Peugeot brought its Le Mans-winning 908 HDi FAP to Goodwood

By popular demand, I’ve put together a small selection of pictures of non-F1 cars that I took at Goodwood.

The collection includes rally cars, sports cars, supercars and more.

Do let me know if I’ve labelled any of these wrong - they aren’t F1 cars after all!

More pictures from the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed

• My top 40 pictures from the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009
• F1 cars, post-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)
• F1 cars, pre-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Williams F1 cars collection (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Mercedes and Auto Union Silver Arrows (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)

Friday 10th July

First practice: 9:00-10:30, BBC Red Button and online
Second practice: 13:00-14:30, BBC Red Button and online

Saturday 11 July

Third practice: 10:00-11:00, BBC Red Button and online
Qualifying: 12:10-14:15, BBC One, BBC Red Button and online (session starts 1pm)

Sunday 12 July

Race: 12:10-15:00, BBC One, BBC Red Button and online (race starts 1pm)
Followed by the interactive forum on BBC Red Button and online
Race highlights: 19:00-20:00, BBC Three, BBC Red Button and online

Please post details of coverage in your area below.

Although this news has only broke publicly today, Mosley’s instruction to FOTA was sent in a letter dated June 26th - straight after his broadside against FOTA for describing him as a ‘dictator’.

More on that story and others in the links below.

FIA: FOTA can’t finalise rules by itself

Letter from Mosley to the teams reveals he will not stick to the 24th June agreement. "As you are aware, Article 66 of the International Sporting Code states that no change can be made to the published regulations without the agreement of all confirmed entrants."

The Weekly Grapevine (sub. req.)

"The validity of using Article 66 as a veto may be in doubt. It refers specifically to 'the/a meeting', which the Formula 1 world championship, by the FIA’s own definitions, most certainly is not. Furthermore, the term ‘Supplementary Regulations’ is defined as a ‘compulsory official document issued by the promoters of a sporting competition’ (which the FIA, by dint of its EU mandate, is not)."

Vatanen to stand against Mosley?

"Vatanen is rumoured to have the support of the American Automobile Association (AAA) and probably has support from the biggest European club as well, Germany's ADAC. These clubs came out against Mosley a year ago during his sex scandal but were defeated by an alliance of small clubs from Africa and the Middle East that gathered around Mosley to protect him. This was led by the UAE's Mohammad bin Sulayem."

Vatanen’s perfect for the FIA - if he can get elected

Although he’s now stood down from MEP duty, it’s clear he made an impression. Take this testimony from fellow MEP Richard Helmer: “He’d be great in the job [as president of the FIA]. Ari was an MEP in European parliaments, and had a distinguished career. He was highly respected, especially on automotive issues. I am very sorry that he is not coming back in the parliament — I should have enjoyed working with him."

Analysis: Vatanen’s name not enough

"This cabinet system was introduced in 2005, just prior to Mosley successfully winning another term as president after standing unopposed. The original aim of the cabinet system was to ensure that wild card candidates could not put themselves forward and hope to capitalise on merely a negative vote for the current president." I wonder why the FIA thought that was a likely scenario?

Villeneuve keen to find F1 drive

"I've been saying it for ten years: ban pitstops, get back to slick tyres, and get rid of electronics. I'm only sorry that compulsory pitstops for tyre changes are staying, because that takes away some of the action coming from the fuel factor. It's good to see a driver who stays on the track without changing tyres, maybe running slower, while another one maybe wastes time in the pitstop then closes the gap." Jacques Villeneuve: a man who Gets It.

Bernie and Adolf (Letters to the editor)

"I totally agree with Bernie Ecclestone — dictators get things done. Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao and Saddam are just a few of the glorious list of stars. I can speak with authority since my family enjoyed the “getting-things-done” approach of Adolf, leaving me one of the few unscathed."

I was a fool to talk about admiring Hitler

"First, an apology. As readers of The Times will know, I remarked in an interview with this newspaper that Hitler was able to get things done. I have no complaints about the quote — it is what I said — but it was not what I meant to say."

Fuji pulls plug on Japanese GP

"Toyota's decision to stop the bankrolling of the Fuji event, which Reuters has suggested was costing it around £12-£18 million GBP, come against the backdrop of the company expecting overall losses of £5.5 billion GBP in the business year to March 2010."

Ecclestone: I was an idiot over Hitler

"He said he had been horrified at what he saw at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. 'It takes quite a lot to make me cry and I cried when I came out of that place. What I regret is people who have taken this the wrong way and have been offended, I’m really, really sad about because I have done an awful [lot] for Jewish community throughout, charities and whatever.'"

These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. You can see my Delicious profile here.

Several weather sites are reporting a strong chance of rain at some point over the weekend, with race day looking the most likely to see wet conditions.

Weather Underground rates the chance of rain on Sunday at 50%. But qualifying on Saturday has only a 20% likelihood of being run in wet weather. Friday practice is also likely to see rainfall.

Although it is quite early to be making such a precise prediction, Weather2 says the track will be hit by 5.4mm of rain after noon on race day.

When F1 last raced at the track two years ago a huge downpour fell as the race began. The Grand Prix had to be suspended, but not before Spyker’s Markus Winkelhock had jumped into the lead by taking the gamble of starting on wet weather tyres.

The Nürburgring is notorious for its temperamental weather and has seen rain-affected races in 1995, 1999, 2000 and 2007.

We’ve already had wet races in Malaysia and China this year, and on both occasions Red Bull proved to have a very strong car in the rain.

Fuji's F1 return has fizzled out after two years

Toyota has admitted the Fuji Speedway will not be on the 2010 F1 calendar, confirming rumours that circulated at the end of May.

As I said at the time, I’m not sorry to see Fuji go - it’s not a great circuit in its own right and it pales in comparison to Suzuka, which will hold this year’s race. What’s your reaction?

Question will inevitably be asked if Toyota is not prepared to spend an eight-figure sum on having a Grand Prix, whether it will be content to spend a nine-figure sum on having a Grand Prix team.

Last month new Toyota chief Akio Toyoda said it will take two years for the company to return to profit. In the last financial year it posted its first loss in over 70 years, of ¥461bn (£2.91bn/$4.8bn).

Toyota’s F1 team has been believed to be the highest-spending outfit since it arrived in the sport in 2002. Its 2008 budget was estimated at $445.6m. Reuters suggests it was costing Toyota £12-£18m ($19.4-29.1m) per year to hold the Grand Prix at Fuji.

Fuji held four F1 races: in 1976 and 1977, and on the Hermann Tilke-redesigned track in 2007 and 2008.

Read more

• Fuji Speedway to disappear from 2010 F1 calendar, things are looking up
• Why Fuji Speedway is F1’s worst track
• 1976 Japanese Grand Prix flashback
• 1977 Japanese Grand Prix flashback
• Japanese GP 2007 review: Mighty Hamilton takes crucial win (updated)
• Alonso wins as Hamilton and Massa stumble (2008 Japanese Grand Prix)
• Japanese Grand Prix 2009

Eurosport has confirmed a deal to show the series until the end of 2009 and the two following seasons:

British Eurosport is proud to announce that the GP2 Series has arrived on the channel, where it will stay for the next two and a half seasons.

Fans can look forward to evenly-matched racing machines with 625bhp engines competing in a Formula 1 support series which is known for excitement. The world’s rising four-wheel stars will jostle for the limelight as they attempt to follow in the footsteps of former GP2 champions such as Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock and Nico Rosberg.

GP2 now sits alongside the Porsche Supercup on British Eurosport’s roster of thrilling F1 support events.

The announcement does not say whether the coverage will start this weekend, or whether Eurosport is committed to showing all the races live. (I can’t seem to get Eurosport’s programme schedule to display the listings for Saturday and Sunday.)

Eurosport previously broadcast GP2 in Britain from 2005 until 2007. The series moved to ITV last year, and this year was taken up by pay TV channel Setanta. But the Irish firm went bankrupt at the end of last month.

Update: More from Eurosport. It will be showing this weekend’s races, but the feature race won’t be live:

Eurosport in the UK has secured a deal to broadcast the exciting GP2 series for the next two and half years.

The renowned feeder series for Formula 1 returns to British Eurosport after a two year absence, with the digital sports channel’s previous coverage showing the emerging talent of reigning F1 champion Lewis Hamilton and AT&T Williams driver Nico Rosberg, among others.

Eurosport takes on the 2009 championships with six rounds remaining, including races at Spa in Belgium, Monza in Italy and the season finale at Portimao in Portugal on September 20th. GP2 races are run during Formula 1 weekends as part of the race card at each circuit.

Dave Kerr, Director of British Eurosport said: “We are delighted to have this prestigious and exciting series back on British Eurosport and to be able to ensure that fans can see the rest of this season’s races! It’s great to add GP2 to our already superb line-up of motorsport, which includes the World Touring Car Championship, World Rally Championship, Formula 2, Dakar Rally, the Renault World Series and the IRC.”

GP2 has two races per weekend, 26 identical cars, compulsory pit-stops ands reverse grids which are designed to generate entertainment, excitement and test the skills of the emerging young drivers.

The next race takes place in Germany over July 11th/12th at the Nurburgring circuit. British Eurosport will broadcast race 1 in prime-time at 7.15pm on Saturday July 11th and race 2 the following day, July 12th live at 10.30am.

GP2 joins the US PGA Tour golf as Eurosport’s latest acquisition following the close of Setanta’s UK operations.

British Eurosport is available on Sky channel 410 and Virgin Media channel 521.

Another update: Have had further emails from Eurosport confirming this weekend’s races will both be shown live. Great news, thanks Eurosport

Saturday 11 July - 1500-1615 LIVE GP2 race one on British Eurosport 2

Sunday 12 July

0900-0930 GP2 race one highlights on British Eurosport 2
0930-1015 LIVE GP2 race two on British Eurosport 2

2230-2330 GP2 highlights on British Eurosport

Monday 13 July - 1500-1600 GP2 highlights on British Eurosport

Tuesday 14 July - 2130-2230 GP2 highlights on British Eurosport 2

We do not yet have all the broadcast details for the remaining rounds but will be in touch when we have the information.

Twittery update: Martin Haven confirms he will be doing the commentary with Gareth Rees. Back to the good old days!

GP2 on British Eurosport 2 at 3pm Saturday and 1030am Sunday - LIVE… I will be on the chair… Hoping to drag Gareth Rees back from hols

Read more: BBC F1 is great but motor sport coverage in Britain is getting worse

Jaime Alguersuari is Red Bull's latest reserve driver

The breakthrough success of a driver from a nation that has never before produced a world champion often paves the way for a generation of new talent from that country.

So it was with Michael Schumacher, now it may be the case with Fernando Alonso as well. Jaime Alguersuari looks to have the talent, the backing and the connections to become the next Spanish driver in Formula 1.

F3 champion

Alguersuari, 19, is the reigning British Formula Three champion. He snatched the title from the grasps of Carlin team mates Oliver Turvey and Brendan Hartley at the final round of the championship at Donington Park.

He came to the British series after two seasons in Formula Renault, including a championship win in the Italian winter series in 2006. Despite being bundled out of the first race at Oulton Park by Hartley, he bounced back to win in the second event.

By the end of the season Alguarsuari had five wins to his name and secured the title in one of the most competitive seasons of British F3 in recent years. As well as his competitive Carlin team mates, promising Mexican driver Sergio Perez (now in GP2) was also in the hunt for the championship.

A step up to World Series by Renault for this year surprised few people as his father helped set up the series. Alguersuari is still partnering Turvey, and at the halfway point in the series lies ninth in the championship.

Turvey, fifth, won the Monaco round. But for the time being it is Alguersuari who seems to have the strongest connections for an F1 drive.

Red Bull backing

He has just taken over from Hartley as Red Bull’s nominated third driver. Although this involves little testing at present due to the ban, it puts him in a position where he could be drafted in to replace Sebastian Vettel or Mark Webber if they have to miss a race.

Being a Red Bull junior driver gives Alguersuari a great opportunity to graduate to F1 in one of the teams’ four seats. Earlier this month he declared he has his sights on a Toro Rosso drive in 2010. It would be a big step up for a driver with just one season of WSR under his belt, but we’ve seen in the past that Red Bull are happy to take gambles on driver talent.

If that weren’t enough, the arrival of Spanish team Campos next year could present another avenue into the sport for Alguersuari. He carries the backing from Spanish petrol company Repsol on his car and overalls, who have sponsored teams and drivers in F1 before.

Alguersuari’s record may not make him stand out as an obvious candidate for immediate promotion to F1. But he is young enough, shows enough promise and is sufficiently well connected for it to look quite likely that he’ll end up on the F1 grid.

Whether Red Bull should get him into the car quickly, or give him a little more time to develop at the lower levels, will as usual be grounds for debate.

Who do you think should be featured in the ‘Meet the Rookies’ segment? Have your say below.

Read more

• Name a future F1 race winner
• Brendon Hartley gets dual F1 test role
• Sebastien Buemi (Meet the rookies)
• Kazuki Nakajima (Meet the rookies)
• Bruno Senna (Meet the rookies)
• Romain Grosjean (Meet the rookies)
• Nico Hülkenberg (Meet the rookies)
• Marco Andretti (Meet the rookies)
• Javier Villa (Meet the rookies)
• Marko Asmer (Meet the rookies)
• Jaime Alguersuari’s official web site

Jaime Alguersuari in action

More F1 pictures

Images (C) Renault, British F3

If you’ve spotted a hot news story, interesting new website or just something funny from the world of F1, please share your links in the comments below.

Vatanen prepared to take on Mosley for FIA helm

“Former world rally champion Ari Vatanen is considering standing against Max Mosley if the Briton seeks re-election as president of motorsport’s world governing body.” (Via Vee8)

De la Rosa for Campos?

"Adrian Campos says that he will make an announcement about drivers in Valencia and that de la Rosa is one of several candidates, including Marc Gene, Javier Villa and Roldan Rodriguez."

Ecclestone: I was an idiot over Hitler

"He said he had been horrified at what he saw at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. 'It takes quite a lot to make me cry and I cried when I came out of that place. What I regret is people who have taken this the wrong way and have been offended, I’m really, really sad about because I have done an awful [lot] for Jewish community throughout, charities and whatever.'"

Bernie Ecclestone dismisses Hitler controversy as ‘misunderstanding’

"Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Ecclestone said: 'This was all a big misunderstanding.' He added: 'I did not put Hitler forward as a positive example, but simply noted that, before his appalling crimes, he acted successfully against unemployment and the economic crisis.' Ecclestone claimed that it was never his intention to 'hurt the feelings of a community … many of my closest friends are Jews.'" (Thanks LewisC)

The top-earning non-American athletes

Kimi Raikkonen is second on $40.1m, Fernando Alonso fifth on $35m and Lewis Hamilton ranks eighth on $32.8m. Jenson Button is the only non-champion on the list, 18th on $21m.Presumably this pre-dates footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's record-breaking $80m transfer to Real Madrid, which will put him higher up the list. (Thanks Eastman)

Bernie explains and gives F1 pause for thought «

"F1 is where it is today because it has been run by a dictatorship."

Politician cancels Ecclestone meeting

"German press agency DPA has reported that Guenther Oettinger, prime minister of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, who was due to meet Ecclestone to discuss the future of Hockenheim, has called off their get-together because of the controversy."

Hitler, Mosley and other stories

"None of this is good for the sport. It simply adds to the image that F1 is a tawdry business, run by very odd people."

The FIA is under attack - again

"Only days after Max Mosley’s right-hand man Alan Donnelly was accused of a conflict of interests when it became clear that he was involved in negotiating the switch of Richard Branson’s Virgin sponsorship from this year’s championship front runners Brawn-Mercedes to incoming new boys Manor F1, the FIA was accused of telling any new teams who wanted to have their entries considered for 2010 should be prepared to use a Cosworth engine as a ‘mandatory pre-condition’ for that entry."

Red Bull Racing to change engines?

"The success of Brawn GP has shown that the engines are highly competive and Mercedes-Benz is particularly interested in the team because it would give it access to rising German star Sebastian Vettel, who is otherwise tied into a Red Bull contract."

James Allen: Abu Dhabi in the spotlight

"Jenson Button has visited the track and he will have been delighted to hear that the expected temperature for race day on November 1 is 41 degrees, which will suit his Brawn car and the way it uses the tyres."

Team owners accuse Formula One bosses in engine row

"'We were told that if we wanted to take up the 2010 grid slot we would have to sign a three-year engine contract with Cosworth.' one team boss claimed. Another commented in a letter that he 'had a real possibility of obtaining a Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari engine. It was made very clear to me that it was considered a 'mandatory' condition from the powers that be that Cosworth was the engine supplier.'"

Jos Pirkner

Jos Pirkner painting the Toro Rosso livery (Thanks Tommy B!)

These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. You can see my Delicious profile here.

Greg Mansell shows father Nigel his World Series by Renault car

Nigel Mansell has dabbled in sports cars in recent years but last weekend he got behind the wheel of a single-seater at the track where he scored some of his most memorable wins - Silverstone.

Mansell demonstrated the Formula Renault 3.5 car raced by son Greg in the championship on Sunday after testing the car on Friday. Here’s some pictures of the 1992 world champion in action.

His stint in the Ultimate-run car was his first time driving a single-seater in public since the final GP Masters race at Silvertone in 2006.

Mansell won his 1992 champion in a Renault-engined Williams. He won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that year, as well as in 1991 and 1987.

He managed a 1’40s lap on Friday, six seconds off the pace of the championship runners.

Mansell said afterwards:

“My memories whenever I go down Hangar Straight are of the days in qualifying with 1000bhp, so you always want a bit more power. I gave myself a bit of a fright today when I went to hit the brakes for Becketts, I moved my right foot across and ended up hitting the accelerator. I managed to slow the car down in time as I wasn’t going flat-out, after that the left-foot braking took a bit of getting used to.

Greg currently lies 19th in the WSR standings with three points.

Were you at Silverstone this weekend? Did you see Mansell drive? Leave a comment vbelow.

More F1 pictures

Ecclestone's comments about Adolf Hitler have drawn widespread criticism

Fresh evidence of the failures of the status quo in Formula 1 have emerged over the past few days.

Whether it’s the rumours about Max Mosley’s close ally Alan Donnelly’s involvement with Manor, claims the prospective 2010 entrants were denied a slot unless they elected to use Cosworth power, or Bernie Ecclestone praising Adolf Hitler, F1 is finding itself mired ever deeper in sleaze.

Getting things done

Bernie Ecclestone’s remarks to The Times over the weekend were certainly not the first occasion F1’s tycoon billionaire has criticised democracy and talked up the virtues of dictatorship. But it was the first time he tried to justify it with reference to Adolf Hitler, which is why he got his fingers burnt:

In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people able to get things done.

Last year Ecclestone gave more insight into his preferred form of governance:

I hate democracy as a political system. It stops you getting things done. I think people should have decisions made for them. Torture is just an old-fashioned way of getting things done.

The arguments about what exactly Ecclestone might have meant by his Hitler remarks have already begun in the forum. It’s not hard to see why Ecclestone’s words have been met with widespread revulsion - he is praising a man whose actions led to the deaths of millions. Ecclestone’s self-contradicting attempt to exonerate Hitler from his worst crimes is perhaps even more alarming. Nor is it any surprise that German politicians are now refusing to meet with him.

To the outside world, it now appears that F1 is run by a Hitler apologist and a son of a close friend of Hitler. Whatever spurious arguments are concocted to defend the supposed virtues of dictatorship, this is not a good image to project.

The Cosworth connection

The Daily Telegraph this morning reported that the F1 teams which submitted applications to compete in 2010 were refused entry if they did not select Cosworth as their engine supplier. Cosworth had previously won the FIA’s tender to supply discounted engines to new F1 teams.

Should we believe the story, which is based on quotes from an unidentified team principals?

I am inclined to. It matches another rumour I heard over the Goodwood weekend, that Prodrive’s entry for 2010 was rejected because the team had arranged a deal to use Mercedes engines instead of Cosworths. Added to that is this telling quote from Manor F1 team principal John Booth:

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.

If he’d said “we picked Cosworth because they were cheaper” I’d’ve believed him. Instead this leads me to wonder who persuaded Booth’s team that choosing a manufacturer’s engines would be a “political” decision? I certainly don’t think his team has avoided becoming a “political pawn”. (Again, more discussion of this in the forum.)

The problem with dictatorships

On his blog, James Allen suggests we should look beyond Ecclestone’s eagerness to overlook Hitler’s crimes and instead take what he is saying at face value: that dictatorship has worked very well for Formula 1. Allen goes further, arguing this is and has always been what’s best for motor racing.

We could have an argument about whether a dictator’s touch was needed in F1 in 1982, or 1994, or 2005. But let’s stick to the present scenario. Is it working now?

I don’t believe it is. The dictatorial leanings of F1’s leaders is at the root of the problems the sport now faces.

Under the Ecclestone-Mosley hegemony, F1’s commercial rights were surrendered by the FIA for a pittance - compared to what Ecclestone then extracted from CVC for its stake in the sport.

CVC now need to make huge profits from F1 in order to pay for the loan it took to purchase it. And so the huge revenues F1 generates are returned not to the competitors or the circuits, but a private equity firm that brings nothing to the sport.

Would the teams have allowed this inequitable deal to go ahead if they had a say? I doubt it. Would Ecclestone have been able to execute it if he had been accountable to interests other than his own? Again, no.

Has dictatorship harmed F1? Yes it has.

Update: Ecclestone has done the sensible thing and apologised in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle.

Will Sebastian Vettel become Germany's new favourite?

Michael Schumacher may be long gone from F1 racing, but his lasting impact in increasing the number of German drivers in the sport is clear to see. Five of the 20 drivers in F1 this year have their home race at the Nürburgring this weekend.

And one of them is hotly tipped for victory following his runaway Silverstone success: Sebastian Vettel.

After the British Grand Prix there were two competing explanations for how Red Bull had managed to beat Brawn so comprehensively, and what might be in store for the rest of the season.

One holds that Red Bull have made a major step forward in performance that Brawn will struggle to match. The other claims Silverstone was a one-off; a freak of low tyre temperatures which exposed one of the BGP001’s few weaknesses.

There’s probably an element of truth in both explanations. But Ted Kravitz’s story about Christian Horner congratulating Adrian Newey on the Red Bull pitwall - and Newey bursting into tears - suggests Vettel’s team believe they have cracked the performance secrets of their RB5.

That would fit a pattern we’ve seen before with other Newey cars, particularly the 2005 McLaren MP4/20, which hit their stride once the teams had nailed their sweet spots.

Brawn, meanwhile, have a stockpile of new parts to throw at the BGP001 in an effort to stay ahead in the championship. These include the unused development parts from Silverstone (left on the shelf as the team grappled with its grip problems) as well as freshly-designed components for this race.

The other Germans

Timo Glock stands out as the next best chance of a home win for the German crowd. He led at Bahrain and was in scintillating form in the rain in Malaysia. But since then he’s often lagged a little too far behind his team mate.

Nico Rosberg has started to find consistency with the Williams, scoring in the last four consecutive races. But despite the promise the FW31 shows in practice, it has rarely looked like getting on the podium.

BMW’s Nick Heidfeld goes into the weekend with hopes that the team’s new developments for the F1.09 will pull the car further up the grid. They include revisions to the teams ‘double diffuser’ - a development BMW were among the last to introduce in the first place.

As discussed here last week Adrian Sutil’s Force India team are on a definite upward trajectory. A win may be out of the question - but their first ever points might well feel like a victory.

In the years since Michael Schumacher left F1, Germany has lost its privilege of having two rounds per year, and now the future of the Hockenheimring as an F1 venue is in doubt. Crowd numbers have inevitably suffered.

But this weekend Sebastian Vettel races at home for the first time since becoming a Grand Prix winner - and off the back of his last win. Will he become Germany’s new F1 superstar?

Lewis Hamilton at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

I snapped over 3,600 photographs at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.

I managed to get some close-ups of the drivers and lots of pictures of weird and wonderful cars in action and on display. Here are my 40 favourites from the weekend in high resolution:

I was fortunate enough to get into the preparation area on Sunday afternoon:

The scene in the preparation area when I arrived

Aston Martin and Ferrari sports cars wait to hit the track

Here I was able to get some pictures of the drivers at close quarters - including the world champion himself, Lewis Hamilton:

Lewis Hamilton meets his fans

Lewis Hamilton before his final run

Hamilton arrived in the preparation area shortly after his car got there. The fans were lined up several rows deep behind his car, and beginning in the middle, he worked his way down the entire line, signing autographs and having his picture taken with all of them. Then he went to the opposite end of the line and repeated the process until he was back at his car.

Lewis Hamilton gets into his McLaren

Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren

Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren

Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren

This picture (above) was the 3,613th and last one I took at the Festival. Here are some more of my favourites.

Ferrari F300 up on jacks

Also in the preparation area, a 1998-specification Ferrari F300.

Timo Glock's Toyota TF108 is wheeled into the paddock

I was actually sitting on the ground fiddling with the camera settings when I looked up and saw I was about to be run over by a Toyota…

Marc Gene before his final run

Marc Gene heads out for his final run

As you can see from the earlier picture, Marc Gene had his Ferrari moved into an earlier batch on Sunday so the team could get home earlier. This was probably because the event was running slightly behind schedule. I was able to get some pictures of Marc before he got in the car for his last run.

It's alive! The Life L190 manages its first run up the hill

Arturo Merzario squeezes into the Life

On its fourth attempt the Life L190 with its strange W12 engine was finally coaxed up the hill. At the wheel is Lorenzo Prandina, the man who restored the car. As you can plainly see, he was rather too large for the cramped cockpit.

Arturo Merzario drove the car on Sunday - I was there on Friday when he squeezed into the car for the first time, which you can see in the second picture. Merzario, a veteran of 84 Grands Prix, was one of the men who helped pull Niki Lauda from his burning Ferrari at the Nürburgring in 1976.

Kazuki Nakajima back in the first Williams he raced - the FW27

Adrian Newey drives his own creation - and gets two wheels on the grass

Red Bull designer Adrian Newey drove two of his earlier creations over the weekend - Damon Hill’s championship-winning Williams-Renault FW18 and this FW16 from two years earlier.

The 1971 Tyrrell-Cosworth 002 climbs the hill

On Saturday morning there was light rainfall and I’d gone a bit further up the hill to get pictures of the car as they came towards me.

Timo Glock got the Toyota properly sideways

Opposite Glock

Timo Glock was at the Festival on all three days and was still entertaining the crowd with power slides and burnouts on Sunday. You can see the heat haze behind the car in the first picture.

The Shadow-Cosworth DN5 heads towards the imposing flint wall

Not a very sharp picture of the ex-Tom Pryce Shadow-Cosworth DN5, but I like the splashes of colour on an otherwise dark car.

David Coulthard drives the Mercedes-Benz W154 on Friday

I really like the incongruity of Coulthard’s modern Red Bull overalls and crash helmet within the plain silver 71-year-old Mercedes.

Stirling Moss gets reacquainted with his Mercedes-Benz W196

Sir Stirling Moss, on the other hand, went for a period look when he drove his Mercedes-Benz W196, wearing his old overalls.

Lewis Hamilton on the hill

Lewis Hamilton’s first run up the hill on Sunday morning, driving the same chassis he won last year’s British Grand Prix in.

The McLaren-Honda MP4/4 grinds to a halt

Hamilton didn’t get to drive the other car he wanted to, however. The McLaren-Honda MP4/4’s gearbox failed while Bruno Senna was driving it - as this very photograph was being taken.

The Lotus-Cosworth running on Saturday

I was worried when the Lotus 79 failed to appear on Friday, but happily the car that dominated the 1978 championship was running on Saturday.

Audi's display in front of Goodwood House

The Audi Streamliner on the centre display

It was Audi’s turn to construct a display in front of the mansion house, and they suspended an Auto Union Streamliner and a modern R8 V10 35 feet above the ground.

Sir Stirling Moss in the car named after him

Mercedes has produced a variant of its SLR McLaren supercar named after Stirling Moss - and the man himself took the car up the hill.

Lewis Hamilton drives a fan up the hill

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, gave a passenger ride to a fan who’d won a competition run by the event organisers.

B188 and B192 Benettons in the pits

For me, this is what makes the Goodwood Festival unmissable - getting so close to the cars you’re practically tripping over them.

Adrian Newey's Leyton House from 1990

I spent a long time poring over this Leyton-House CG901B from 1990, one of Adrian Newey’s earliest F1 car designs. It has classic Newey hallmarks of being incredibly tightly sculpted, to the point of imposing serious constraints on the driver. But it worked - the car came within a couple of laps of winning the French Grand Prix that year.

In the paddock, the car was presented with its various body parts removed, allowing a full appreciation of just how radically tiny and tightly-packaged this creation was.

Old-fashioned gear knob in a 1968 Ferrari 312/68

Michele Alboreto and Rene Arnoux didn't get much leg protection

A saucy up-skirt photograph

The Renault RE30B proved troublesome to get running and was hardly seen outside of the paddock. But I managed to get in to get a close look at its ’skirts’ - the ground-hugging trim down either side of the chassis which served to suck the car to the ground at speed. They were banned after the final year the car ran, in 1982.

Alain Prost's Toyota Auris

The same man who drove that Renault - Alain Prost - has more recently been driving this car. It’s a Toyota Auris ice racer designed to compete in the Trophee Andros which takes place in France every winter. Prost won the title in 2007 and 2008 - but lost to Jean-Philippe Dayraut’s Skoda Fabia this year.

The arrow-like Williams-Cosworth FW0 from 1978

Not an F1 car, but one of my all-times favourites: a Jaguar XJR12

This one's for Tommy B - Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 beneath the trees

I didn’t just snap the F1-related stuff, of course - here’s two of my favourite Le Mans racers to prove it. Let me know if you would like me to post some more of the non-F1 racing cars.

Marc Gene passes the Mercedes stand in his Ferrari F2008

The championshp-leading Brawn was a big draw, even as a static dsiplay

The only thing I failed to get from the Festival which I particularly wanted was a picture of Jenson Button. I did get a shot of his car though, which wasn’t allowed up the hill due to the 2009 testing restrictions.

The camera

Finally, a few people have asked me what camera I’ve been using at these events. I’m very fortunate that my girlfriend is into graphics and imaging and has recent bought a decent camera and some lenses, which I’m allowed to borrow (if I do my share of the housework, of course!)

I took my Goodwood pictures with a Canon EOS 450D. Most of the ones on this page were done using a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM lens. I also had a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS for wider angle pictures, but it didn’t get much use. Sorry I didn’t get around to answering your questions sooner!

Loads more pictures

I’m still updating the original galleries with more pictures of the cars - there’s over 400 pictures in there already:

• F1 cars, post-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)
• F1 cars, pre-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Williams F1 cars collection (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Mercedes and Auto Union Silver Arrows (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)

More pictures from other people

• @Knighttyme’s pictures from Friday
• Ollie White’s (BlogF1) set on Flickr

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Lewis Hamilton will not get to drive Senna's 1988 McLaren

I spent the first day at the Goodwood Festival of Speed running around taking tons of pictures.

Today I snapped a few more, but I also had a lot more time to talk to people and soak up the atmosphere.

A few of the F1 cars that failed to appear yesterday got running today. They included the gorgeous Lotus-Cosworth 79 (Mario Andretti’s championship-winning car from 1978) which was driven byformer Lotus pilot Martin Donnelly.

The Williams-Renault FW16 from 1994 appeared, driven by its designer, Adrian Newey, who drove another of his Williams creations yesterday.

Newey’s boss - Christian Horner - was also in attendance, taking to the hill in the Cooper-Climax T51 which won the championship 50 years ago.

There was one final F1 car which made it onto the Hill today - the Life L190, after three failures to get going, was finally coaxed up the hill and over the line by the man who rebuilt its engine, Lorenzo Prandina. I had a chat with Lorenzo and got lots of pictures of this bizarre car, and will write some more about it later.

Several F1 drivers past and present popped up in different cars. Kazuki Nakajima and Timo Glock were both present, driving a Williams and a Toyota respectively.

Alan Jones got behind the wheel of a Le Mans-specification McLaren F1, and succeeded in spinning it (thankfully without hitting anything) at the second corner. He also drove his old Williams-Cosworth FW07 from 1978, thankfully without damaging it.

But Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of driving Ayrton Senna’s 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 may be dashed. As Bruno Senna came past me at Molecomb in the afternoon it juddered to a halt. Senna said he suspected a failure in the clutch or gearbox, and the latter could prove difficult. Senna mentioned he’d been preparing to do a burn-out at the time, which we hadn’t been expecting the the 21 year-old car to be subject to for pretty much this reason.

Also due tomorrow are Jenson Button and Frank Williams, the latter celebrating 40 years in Formula 1.

I’ve added a couple of my new pictures below, the rest from today will be added to these artcles:

Update: McLaren have now confirmed Hamilton won’t be driving Senna’s car tomorrow.

• F1 cars, post-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)
• F1 cars, pre-1980 (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Williams F1 cars collection (Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 pictures)
• Mercedes and Auto Union Silver Arrows (Goodwood Festival of Speed pictures)