Formula One News — April 2008

Twenty-three drivers were in action in Barcelona over four days this week, but different development programmes, including work on 2009 slick tyres and rain on the final day meant that the times were largely meaningless.

Fernando Alonso has told the Spanish press that although modifications to the Renault R28 have improved the car, otheer teams have also made progress in recent weeks and that it is not likely that the team will he able to emerge from the midfield group. The car features much modified aerodynamics.

Scuderia Toro Rosso suffered a setback yesterday in Barcelona when Sebastien Bourdais crashed the new STR3 heavily.

FIA President Max Mosley has found some more support in the Middle East, with an invitation to attend the Jordan Rally between April 24-27. The event will mark the return of the WRC to the Arab World for the first time in 32 years.

Vijay Mallya is a mover and a shaker in the aviation world. His Kingfisher Airlines, and its sister company Deccan, operate 80 planes but have nearly 200 more planes ordered, mainly from Airbus.

A court in Melbourne, Australia, has been hearing that a group of Australian muslims planned an attack on Melbourne™s Crown Casino during the Formula 1 race weekend in 2006. Spiritual leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika and 11 of his followers have pleaded not guilty to charges that they planned a bomb attack in order to force Australia to pull its troops out of Iraq.

The word in the Middle East is that the bid from Magma International to buy Super Aguri F1 may have run into trouble, with Magma's backers, believed to be Dubai International Capital, apparently wavering about the price.

Motorsport SA, the national sporting authority of South Africa, has come out against FIA President Max Mosley.

The FIA member clubs are not very forthcoming at the moment about their intentions towards Max Mosley, the disgraced president of the international automobile federation. Some believe that Mosley will be able to survive in office when the Extraordinary General Assembly meets in June and the media hype about his sexual adventures has died down.

Scuderia Toro Rosso is up for sale but former F1 driver Gerhard Berger wants to hold on to his share in the team and is looking for a buyer for the shares currently owned by Red Bull.

Johnny Herbert sealed the title in the inaugural Speedcar Series at the weekend in Dubai. He ended the season level on points with France's David Terrien, who runs the driving school operations at the Dubai Autodrome, but scored more wins than the Frenchman and thus took the title.

Honda Racing F1 has announced that it has signed 16-year-old British karting star Will Stevens under a long-term driver support agreement. Stevens, who is managed by former F1 racers Mark Blundell and Martin Brundle, is currently racing for the TonyKart Racing Team in the KF1 class.

The Motor Sports Association (MSA), the governing body for motor sports in the United Kingdom, has been kept very quiet in recent days about the goings-on at the FIA, but clearly it is now getting pressure to say something. The result is a statement which says very little.

The European Grand Prix in Valencia has sold out all of its grandstand seating. The sale of tickets started on April 1 and after just 10 days none are left. According to the organisers nearly 40% of the seats have been sold to non-Spanish fans. The track is now looking at schemes to build more grandstands to meet further demand.

Motorsport New Zealand is the latest body to comment on FIA boss Max Mosley. Ross Armstrong, general manager of the organization, told Radio New Zealand that it would be an "excellent result" if Mosley resigned rather than being pushed out. Mosley had been invited to the New Zealand Automobile Association's transport and environment summit here in June but organisers this week withdrew that invitation.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, the President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, who oversees all motorsports events in United Arab Emirates, has come out in favour of Max Mosley.

Max Mosley took on News Group Newspapers Ltd in London, hoping for an injunction to stop the News Of the World newspaper using video footage of Mosley's sexual activities, with Mr Justice Eady presiding.

The FIA has set a date of June 3rd for the Extraordinary General Assembly meeting of the FIA Senate, which was called for by Max Mosley, the President of the FIA.

The High Court in London has refused an injunction against the News of the World which would have prevented them from publishing the controversial video of FIA President Max Mosley.

The FIA President Max Mosley will be watching the courts today in London as Mr Justice Eady considers the next round of a legal action between Mosley and News Group Newspapers Ltd in the Queens Bench Division of the High Court.

The full effect of the Mosley Scandal is still to be seen. FIA President Max Mosley is clinging on to office and there are few outside the FIA who understand the logic of why he is still there.

The Grands Prix of France and Spain have joined forces for the first ever joint promotional ticket package in Formula 1 history. The deal means that F1 fans can attend two races using a special discounted double ticket.

Felipe Massa's victory in Bahrain requires little analysis. The Brazilian took the lead at the start from poleman Robert Kubica and he held on to the advantage throughout the race, allowing others to lead only when there were pit stops.

Bahrain GP - Race Notes

Bahrain GP - Sunday Photos