Formula-1 news

Williams will run Pastor Maldonado and Dean Stoneman during the young driver test, which will take place at the Yas Marina Circuit following November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The two-day test is scheduled to get underway on November 17.

Venezuelan Maldonado recently took championship honours in the 2010 GP2 series, while Briton Stoneman took the title in this year’s FIA Formula Two Championship. Williams additionally confirmed Valtteri Bottas will remain as the team’s test driver in 2011.

One of only two Italian drivers on this year’s grid, Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi is certainly better placed to take advantage of a quick car at his home Grand Prix this weekend than fellow countryman, Lotus’s Jarno Trulli. It has been 44 long years since an Italian – Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966 – won the Monza race and five since a local hero – Giancarlo Fisichella – even claimed a podium.

The question is can Liuzzi convert the VJM03′s latent pace into a real result? Sadly, recent form is not on his side. Although the car has certainly shown strong performance at recent rounds, and should do well at low-downforce Monza, the 2010 season hasn’t gone to plan for the man from Locorotondo. There have been some flashes of brilliance, but overall the Italian has struggled for results and, more importantly, struggled to match his team mate Adrian Sutil.

Team principals: John Booth (Virgin), Ross Brawn (Mercedes), Mike Gascoyne (Lotus) and Martin Whitmarsh (McLaren).

Q: A question to you all. This time of the year some people tend to wind down on the development of the current car, perhaps work more on the 2011 car. Some people less so as they are still in the championship. Can I just hear what your team’s concentration is on for the rest of the season?
Mike Gascoyne: For us it is very clear that we are fully focused on next year’s car…

Nick Heidfeld has been released from his contract as Mercedes GP reserve driver in order to become the official tester for Pirelli, who return to Formula One racing next year as the sport’s sole tyre supplier.

Heidfeld, who boasts over a decade of F1 experience, will join the Italian company for a series of tests to assist with development of the compounds to be used by teams in 2011…

As he showed to great effect at the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, Mark Webber in a Red Bull is a winning combination. And at the start of this month’s summer break the Budapest victor has sent out a warning call to his rivals that he plans to be just as strong at the season’s remaining seven races.

Although Webber missed out on pole in Hungary – it was claimed by his team mate Sebastian Vettel – the Australian notched up his fourth win of the year, crossing the line almost 18 seconds ahead of the chasing Ferrari of Fernando Alonso.

With a three-week break between races, you’d expect most drivers to hang up their race suits and take some well-earned rest and relaxation ahead of the season’s final push. McLaren’s Jenson Button has other ideas, however, and this weekend will take part in the world famous London Triathlon.

The annual event, which takes place over Saturday and Sunday, attracts 11,000 entrants making it the largest triathlon in the world. It encompasses a demanding 1500-metre swim, a 40-kilometre bike ride and a 10-kilometre run. Button – a regular triathlon competitor – took part in the event last year and impressively finished second in his age category.

Slower than the competition, yet still able to maintain the championship lead – that is either good luck or an amazing ability to pull rabbits – or positions – out of the hat. At Silverstone on Sunday McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton proved he has that ability, as he finished second to Red Bull’s Mark Webber. It’s making the best of things, even when times seem hard, that could decide this year’s title and Hamilton is more than ready to grasp any opportunity

Malaysian driver Fairuz Fauzy will back in the cockpit at Silverstone on Friday as he gets another practice outing for Lotus. Fauzy will also participate in Friday morning sessions at the Hungarian, Singapore and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.

It follows successful pre-season tests for the 27-year-old from Kuala Lumpur and an impressive appearance for Lotus earlier this year in practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix…

The UK’s Goodwood Festival of Speed always attracts a plethora of Formula One drivers and machinery, and with an impressive 2010 line-up, this year will be no different. The annual event, which this year celebrates the 60th anniversary of the FIA Formula One World Championship, takes place in the grounds of Sussex’s Goodwood House…

Cosworth enjoyed a satisfying European Grand Prix around the streets of Valencia on Sunday, with Williams’ Rubens Barrichello taking fourth place in his Cosworth-powered FW32. The result was the highest placed finish for a Cosworth-powered driver since David Coulthard took fourth for Red Bull in the 2005 European Grand Prix at Germany’s Nurburgring. It was also Cosworth’s best result of the year so far. Mark Gallagher, Cosworth’s F1 Business Unit’s General Manager, reflects on their weekend