Formula One News — December 2011

Williams Grand Prix Holdings has announced that team co-founder Patrick Head has stepped down from the F1 team's board of directors with immediate effect.

Adrian Newey has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the order of the British Empire) in the UK New Year's Honours list.

Gerhard Gribkowsky, the German banker who allegedly received $44m in bribes from Bernie Ecclestone, has been handed a default judgment by a High Court judge in London.

Twice world champion Fernando Alonso and pop singer wife Raquel del Rosario have split after five years of marriage, they have announced in a joint statement.

A question and answer with HRT's new Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala.

Force India have announced that Paul di Resta will continue with the team for 2012, and test driver Nico Hulkenberg will step up to replace Adrian Sutil.

Luis Perez-Sala has taken over from Colin Kolles as HRT team principal as the team pursues its new all-Spanish flavour with a home base and Pedro de la Rosa confirmed for 2012.

Scurderia Toro Rosso has announced an all new driver lineup of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne for 2012.

Former F1 driver JJ Lehto has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison as a result of a boating accident that occurred in his native Finland in June 2010.

As anticipated, HRT and team principal Colin Kolles are to go their separate ways in 2012.

Bernie Ecclestone has joined a number of paddock pundits in calling into question whether Lewis Hamilton's management direction impacted on a 2011 season in which he seemed to lose focus and endured his worst year since his 2007 arrival in F1.

Frenchman Romain Grosjean has been signed to drive for Lotus Renault in 2012, to partner Kimi Raikkonen.

Sauber is the latest team to serve notice of its intent to leave the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA).

Professor Sid Watkins has retired after eight years as FIA Institute president, with Professor Gerard Saillant taking over the role. Garry Connelly takes over Saillant's position as deputy president.

Team Lotus, which becomes Caterham F1 Team from next Wednesday, has confirmed the recruitment of McLaren's head of aerodynamics, John Iley, who starts with the team as Performance Director next June.

The sport's governing body, the FIA, has confirmed a number of changes to the F1 sporting and technical regulations at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in India.

The Circuit of the Americas organisation, has confirmed in a release that they have finalised an agreement and paid Bernie Ecclestone to enable the US GP in Austin, Texas to proceed in November of 2012.

The FIA, Formula 1's ruling body, has confirmed the 20-race 2012 calendar that it released this past August.

Sky TV has confirmed that David Croft and Martin Brundle will be its raceday F1 commentators next year.

F1 driver Peter Gethin, famous for winning the closest finish of a Grand Prix in the Italian GP at Monza in 1971 has died at the age of 71.

McLaren has announced that it is the first F1 team to become carbon neutral, with new investments in two carbon offsetting projects.

The Mercedes-Benz owned F1 team will compete under the name "Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team" starting in 2012.

Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have served notice of their intent to quit the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA).

Williams F1 announced today that Pastor Maldonado will continue to drive for the English team in 2012.

Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has given the Circuit of the Americas another week to fulfill contractual demands.