Formula-1 news

For the four remaining title contenders, qualifying for this weekend’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a fraught affair. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was the quickest when it counted, taking pole position for the tenth time this season, but his team mate Mark Webber seemed to crumble under the pressure, managing just fifth on the grid. In between were the Red Bull duo’s remaining championship rivals McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, as well as 2009 title holder Jenson Button in the second MP4-25. The scene is thus set for a storming race. We take a team-by-team look at qualifying

When McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 drivers’ title, his entry into the record books was made all the more special as he became the sport’s youngest-ever world champion. Just two seasons later and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has outshone even Hamilton, clinching his maiden championship in Abu Dhabi at 23 years and four months-old – a full five months younger than Hamilton was back in ’08.

It’s a remarkable achievement, made even more remarkable because up until the Yas Marina race there were still four drivers in with a shout at the drivers’ crown. And not just any drivers – Hamilton, two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Vettel’s own team mate Mark Webber. To take a title at such a young age is an accomplishment, but to beat drivers of such calibre is a feat indeed.

Boasting the famous Senna S, one of the longest straights on the calendar, a bumpy track surface and an anti-clockwise layout, Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit is a true test of driver skill. Add in passionate fans, unpredictable weather and some real overtaking opportunities, and no wonder the venue remains a favourite. Drivers and senior team members look ahead to the race and discuss their prospects

Fernando Alonso comes to Monza under the greatest pressure to deliver a strong result to keep Ferrari in the hunt for the world championship. And yesterday he admitted here that this race, and the next in Singapore, will have a crucial effect on his and the Scuderia’s chances…

Michael Schumacher has admitted that his blocking of Rubens Barrichello in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix was

While Red Bull won the race, Williams also had reason to celebrate in Hungary, with drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Rubens Barrichello both finishing in the top ten in Budapest.

The impressive pace of the FW32 – and the team’s haul of nine points – have certainly put technical director Sam Michael in a buoyant mood ahead of the summer break. Michael discusses the Hungarian weekend and looks forward to the Belgian race

Hockenheim was a weekend of extremes for Ferrari. They finally found the speed needed to beat Red Bull and rediscover winning-ways, but their much-needed one-two came at a price – $100,000 to be precise. The team insisted Alonso’s pass on Massa was not the result of team orders, but the stewards disagreed and now the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council must decide if the matter is taken further. While the result stands, however, it puts Alonso very much back in the hunt for a third drivers’ title, as his key rivals – unable to match the race pace of the two red cars – were left to conduct damage-limitation exercises. We take a team-by-team look at Sunday’s events in Germany

It was another promising but ultimately frustrating weekend for Williams in Germany, with both Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg making the Q3 cut in qualifying, only to be stymied in the race by poor starts. Technical director Sam Michael reviews the events of Hockenheim and looks forward to this coming weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix

Red Bull may have won the last two races but McLaren have scored enough points to retain the lead in both championships. In a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes ‘Phone-In’ session, team principal Martin Whitmarsh discusses F-ducts, blown diffusers, the team’s chances at the forthcoming Hockenheim race and their rivals for the titles

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on his frustrating start from pole; McLaren’s Jenson Button on his triumphant drive from 14th to fourth; Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso on his controversial pass on Renault’s Robert Kubica; and Red Bull’s Mark Webber on clinching his third win of the season. All 24 drivers, and senior team personnel, report back on Sunday’s race