Formula One News — August 2012

The washout conditions on the opening day of the Belgian GP weekend means that Lotus has abandoned plans to race its 'double DRS' system at Spa due to being unable to assess and calibrate it.

The way the F1 rules are currently written, it is likely that the new generation of V6 turbos due for introduction in 2014 will be debuted without any previous track testing, which is a concern to some of the sport's engine men.

Ross Brawn, who was working for Benetton when Michael Schumacher won his first grand prix at Spa in 1992, says that 90 wins and seven world titles later, it is still a privilege to work with him.

Belgian GP - Practice 2 Report

Belgian GP - Friday Team Quotes

Belgian GP - Friday Press Conference

Belgian GP - Friday Photos

Belgian GP - Practice 2 Results

Belgian GP - Practice 1 Report

Belgian GP - Practice 1 Results

Despite a healthy 40-point lead over Red Bull's Mark Webber in the world championship, Fernando Alonso says he does not see himself as out-and-out title favourite and that Ferrari needs to find more speed.

Chilean Eliseo Salazar makes his debut as an F1 driver steward in this weekend's Belgian GP at Spa Francorchamps.

Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, who celebrates his 300th grand prix this weekend at Spa, 21 years after making his F1 debut at the Belgian track, says he will not be making any decision on his F1 future until October.

Belgian GP - Thursday Press Conference

The team, highly competitive last time out in Hungary and set to debut its double DRS device in race conditions at Spa, says that dry weather at this weekend's Belgian GP would suit it best but that wet weather so often seen at Spa would not be a disaster.

This weekend's Belgian GP ends F1's summer break and sets the world championship on a hectic nine-race schedule in which only Singapore is not part of a back-to-back race schedule. Europe's final two races are at the classic Spa and Monza tracks with McLaren looking to continue where it left off in Hungary.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) chairman since succeeding Luca di Montezemolo in 2009, is to step down from the role.

Not satisfied with the car upgrade that saw team mate Jenson Button show impressive pace in Hockenheim and allowed Hamilton himself to win in Hungary, the 2008 world champion says that McLaren needs another good upgrade for the next race at Spa if it is to push Fernando Alonso for the world championship.

After Nurburgrimg went into administration, the Rhineland Palatinate state has injected capital to guarantee loans that the circuit took out as part of a big regeneration programme in 2009.

Bernie Ecclestone paid a weekend visit to London's Olympic Park against a backdrop of F1 being considered as one of four bids involved in the legacy planning of the site once the 2012 games are over.

Ferrari has a problem. Although Fernando Alonso leads the drivers' world championship by 40 points, the team is 57 points off the pace in the constructors' championship. Last year, Felipe Massa scored just 45% of Alonso's total; this year, so far, he stands at 15%. It all adds up to a new driver for 2013. But who?

Ferrari has denied an accusation in the German media that it has been running with an illegal manual suspension adjustment capability in the aftermath of the controversy that erupted in Hungary when it emerged that the FIA had requested Red Bull to make modifications to its car in Canada.

The Formula 1 constructors' championship, not to mention the drivers' competition, is poised for a fascinating second half of the season after the summer break. The Lotus 'double DRS' tweak is destined to make its debut at Spa despite planned regulation changes which wil outlaw it in 2013.