Remember last years podium?
Norbert Haug on standard engines…No way!
Can Formula one survive without Ferrari?
McLaren counting on a trouble free weekend.

Martin Hines Interview!!

King of Karting: Martin Hines is the undisputed “Guru” in the world of karting. His experience goes back to 1964 when he started in this business with his father. Their Zip Kart formula pioneered indoor karting in the early 80s. Martin has won seventeen major championships including three world titles and five European, the last of which he won at the age of 56 after beating cancer. He has won numerous British, European and World karting championships.

Martin discovered Lewis Hamilton at a karting track when Lewis was only eight-years-old and immediately recognized his potential, “even in the early years he had a fantastic mixture of focus, aggression and a touch of arrogance, and without those qualities you aren’t going anywhere in motorsport. Few drivers are the total package – Lewis is”.

In 2002 Martin was awarded the prestigious Autocar 2002 Motorsport Achievement Award.

Please enjoy F1weekly’s exclusive interview with Martin Hines on podcast # 107 and  you can download it here on the front page.

  Motorsport Memories 2009 calendar: Powered By Turbo.

The Professor who smoked the competition. Alain Prost won 35 Grands Prix in the turbo era, starting with his maiden win on home soil at Dijon-Prenois in 1981 driving a Renault. He captured two titles in 1985 & ’86 with McLaren and TAG-Porsche. He also won the final race of the turbo era, the 1988 Australian Grand Prix, on board a Honda-turbo powered McLaren. This great legend is featured in Motorsport Memories "Powered by Turbo" calendar.  

The 2009 edition of this classic Formula 1 calendar is now in stock for air mail delivery anywhere in the world. Other drivers include; Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda, Michele Alboreto, Didier Pironi, Nelson Piquet, Rene Arnoux, Riccardo Patrese, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Keke Rosberg, Patrick Tambay, Nigel Mansell and Gilles Villeneuve.

Good to the last drop: Lewis Hamilton dominated Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. The McLaren pilot scored a perfect 10 after grabbing pole position, setting the fastest lap and cruising to a comfortable win. Just like last year with one race to go he is again tasting "seven up" in the championship over the only challenger left Felipe Massa. Victory was Hamilton’s fifth of the season and number nine in two seasons of Formula 1. This tally is greater than some drivers who were in Formula 1 for a decade or more, like Eddie Irvine (4 wins), Michele Alboreto (5 wins) and Rene Arnoux (7 wins).

Championship finale takes place at the Interlagos Jose Carlos Pace circuit next month. Last year Hamilton’s seven-point lead before the race evaporated as a result of a needless and over-aggressive move on no-love-lost then teammate Fernando Alonso. A fifth place finish even with Massa winning will make Lewis Hamilton the youngest ever world champion. 

Shell shock: Massa’s wingman, the outgoing world champion Kimi Raikkonen, took-off from front row but never seriously challenged for the lead. He did display his biggest smile of the season when asked about letting Massa pass him for second place in the post race press conference. 

Fernando Alonso was fourth in his Orient-express Renault. Nick Heideld was fifth ahead of BMW-Sauber teammate Robert Kubica. Timo Glock in a Toyota was seventh after a one stop strategy. Final championship point from eighth place was earned by Nelsinho Piquet in the second Renault. 

GP2 Asia: Roldan Rodriguez of Spain was the winner in the season opener of GP2 Asia series. Kamui Kobayashi of Japan was second ahead of fellow countryman Sakon Yamamoto.

Davide Valsecchi of Italy won Sunday’s sprint race over 18-year old high flying Kiwi Earl Bamber. Javier Villa of Spain was final man on the podium in third place.

Podcast # 310

Lewis Hamilton dominates the Chinese Grand Prix!
Kimi gives second place to Felipe Massa.
Renault clinch fourth in the constructors.

Lewis Hamilton dominates the Chinese Grand Prix!
Kimi gives second place to Felipe Massa.
The WDC will be settled in Brazil.

Pos  Driver        Team                      Time
1.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1h31.57.403
2.  Massa         Ferrari               (B)  +    14.925
3.  Raikkonen     Ferrari               (B)  +    16.445
4.  Alonso        Renault               (B)  +    18.370
5.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber            (B)  +    28.923
6.  Kubica        BMW Sauber            (B)  +    33.219
7.  Glock         Toyota                (B)  +    41.722
8.  Piquet        Renault               (B)  +    56.645
9.  Vettel        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  +  1:04.339
10.  Coulthard     Red Bull-Renault      (B)  +  1:14.842
11.  Barrichello   Honda                 (B)  +  1:25.061
12.  Nakajima      Williams-Toyota       (B)  +  1:30.847
13.  Bourdais      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  +  1:31.457
14.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault      (B)  +  1:32.422
15.  Rosberg       Williams-Toyota       (B)  +     1 lap
16.  Button        Honda                 (B)  +     1 lap
17.  Fisichella    Force India-Ferrari   (B)  +     1 lap