Plan for Formula One racing in Austin, Texas, appears in jeopardy

Plans for a new Formula One race next year on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, appear to be in trouble Tuesday.

Construction had started on a $300-million complex called Circuit of the Americas to hold the United States Grand Prix on Nov. 18, 2012.

It would have marked the international racing series' return to the U.S. market after a five-year absence. There also were plans for the track to host a MotoGP motorcycle race.

But the group building the track said Tuesday that it suspended construction because a contract assuring that the race would be held there had not been signed. A statement issued by the group did not say who or what was causing the problem.

"We have spent tremendous resources preparing for the Formula One and MotoGP championship races, but the failure to deliver race contracts gives us great concern," Bobby Epstein, a founding partner of the venue, said in a statement.

The Austin American-Statesman reported that the problem was a contract dispute between the race's promoter, which has the F1 contract, and the group building Circuit of the Americas.

At Formula One's race last weekend in Abu Dhabi, F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone likewise reportedly said "there are two parties, one is building a track, the other has the contract and they've forgotten to talk to each other."

After the Austin race was proposed, New Jersey officials last month announced plans for their own Formula One race on streets along the Hudson River, with Manhattan as a backdrop, in June 2013.

That worries state officials in Texas. The state had committed to spending up to $25 million over 10 years to cover F1's annual $25-million sanctioning fee to help draw the race to Austin, according to published reports.

But Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said Tuesday that the state now would not pay any funds before the first Austin race.

"The recent announcement of an annual Formula One race in New Jersey is a concern, as additional races have the potential to reduce the number of attendees to a Texas race," she said.

— Jim Peltz

Photo: Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone last month at the Buddh International Circuit in India. Credit: Franck Robichon / EPA    

Remembering Richard Burns

Hard to believe that this month marks 10 years since Richard Burns and Robert Reid won their WRC title at Rally GB and six years since Burns died after a battle with brain cancer aged just 34. I never had the pleasure of meeting Richard but during my brief foray into rallying as a co-driver for Tony Jardine – which culminated in our crack at WRC Rally Sweden in 2009 – I was mentored by Robert and heard some wonderful stories.

The Richard Burns Foundation have just released this film to highlight the Foundation's Paint It Orange campaign, which will see stars from within the world of motorsport, including Sebastien Loeb and Sebastian Vettel, plus celebrities from outside the racing world, wearing commemorative orange t-shirts celebrating the 10th anniversary of Burns' WRC title success. The foundation raises funds to assist others facing neurological injury and illness.

India should not be singled out for criticism for putting on a grand prix

While the F1 community is clearly enjoying its stay in India thus far – exploring Delhi, tweeting about tuk tuks, and marvelling at the lawlessness on the roads out here – there is an elephant in the paddock. The poverty which is so apparent when out and about has led some to question the wisdom/taste of laying on such a feast of excess while millions live in squalor just miles away.

It certainly makes one feel uncomfortable, when out and about, knowing that only the extremely privileged will attend the race this weekend while it is beyond the means (and, let's face it, the interest) of everyone else.

But should that mean India is denied the chance to host a grand prix? Should that mean it is criticised for hosting one? I mean, isn't this the case in every country F1 visits to a greater or lesser degree? From China to Britain?

Surely it is hypocritical to dictate who can and cannot stage a race, and what is or isn't tasteful, based on how exclusive it is. F1 is exclusive, that much we already knew. The difference is that Delhi probably has the greatest disparity in wealth of any city F1 has yet visited, with the possible exception of Sao Paulo where slums border the Interlagos race track. So the elephant in the room seems bigger.

The charges against the Indian GP, of course, run deeper than tastelessness; that the organisers are only out to line their own pockets through the development of the land around the track and to dress the grand prix up as a boost for India and an example of the country being able to put on a great show one year after the chaotic Commonwealth Games is just marketing spiel; that it is not helping the local villager who has no electricity and has to walk for hours every day to get fresh water; that the $400million would have been better spent on education or inner city projects.

These arguments are flawed. The truth is the Jaypee Group is a privately-owned company and is out to make money. That is the way of business. It paid that sum as an investment in order to make a return on real estate, by building a city around the track which will house one million. Whether it has done anything shady with regard to the purchase of land out here is a matter for the Indian authorities. If it has, it would clearly be a black mark against it.

I asked Vicky Chandhok, the president of the Indian motor sports federation, about it on Monday and he claimed that the land on which Jaypee Sports City is being built is not in dispute; it was bought way before F1 was even a possibility and that "the problems with the land are over 20km away in a small town" and that the farmers are simply piggybacking on the GP in an attempt to leverage more money from future sales or ones that are already in motion. Maybe he would say that, I don't know.

But as for not helping the poorest, I can't see how this race isn't benefiting the local economy – hotels, restaurants, taxis, shops, construction etc - however trifling that benefit might seem when weighed against the scale of poverty in India. As Chandhok pointed out: "The race is privately funded so it is no sweat off anyone’s back. It is Jaypee’s risk. The government has not contributed anything.

“There were 10,000 people working on site during the construction. 7000 from day one. There will be over 1400 staff employed here. Their families will get a better education and a better living. So when all is said and done I can’t see a negative from this."

India may be the most gratuitous example yet of sport's skewed economic benefit, it may seem tasteless to some, but that's not a good enough reason to deny it to the many millions who will enjoy it, or criticise India for attempting to put on a good show with all the razzmatazz that other countries enjoy. Maybe it will inspire in a new an improved motorsport infrastructure nationwide which could help thousands.

The fact is that both Bernie and the race organisers are out to make money. We must accept that. The hope is that the wider economy will benefit and enough of it will trickle down to help all Indians.

Did Team Lotus miss a trick by not announcing Karun Chandhok earlier in the year?

Feel very sorry for Team Lotus reserve Karun Chandhok that he won't get to race in the inaugural Indian GP, especially after all the work he has done to promote the event and especially considering it was widely taken for granted when he signed at the start of the year that he would be racing in Delhi.

As Tony Fernandes said, Team Lotus are in a tricky position, with 10th place in the championship – which is worth a reported $33 million to their coffers rather than $10 million for 11th – still not assured. He went for the experience of Jarno Trulli.

“While all the emotional reasons for him [Chandhok] driving were right,” said Fernandes, "we were conscious that the limited running he has had in the car this season, largely due to the weather conditions that have hit most of his FP1 sessions, has not given him the best preparation for this race. So we have taken the very difficult decision not to run him in this weekend.”

It may have been a pragmatic decision – and I'm sure Fernandes feels bad about it – but I can't help but think that the team missed a trick here. I'm no sponsorship expert but if Lotus had confirmed Chandhok for India months ago, surely they could have picked up additional sponsors and made it work financially? By leaving it so late to make a decision, perhaps sponsors were unsure or unwilling to commit? Even if they couldn't have picked up big contracts the Team Lotus brand would have been given a big boost in this region so the long-term benefits may have been considerable.

There is also the question of whether Chandhok would have done so much worse than Jarno Trulli on Sunday anyway.

Either way, Chandhok reacted with commendable (and prudent, considering his position) dignity. "Everyone knows the most important and emotional race for any driver is their home race and particularly so in my case," he said. "I've been involved with the project since the track was an empty piece of land. There's such a buzz in India at the moment – I've done 28 interviews in the last two days."

"I'm sure it's been a tough call for Tony to make and on some level I think he's feeling some pain about it as we've always had a good personal relationship. I joined this team mainly because of him and his faith in me while looking at the long term. I continue to hope that this long term plan bears fruit and I hope that one day I get to race for him again."

"I'm so proud to support the Jaypee Group in this historic weekend for Indian sport. For all the fans, including the hundreds from my home town in Chennai who have bought tickets in the hope of seeing me race and are travelling thousands of kilometres to Delhi, I hope that they all still have a wonderful time at the BIC."

Did Team Lotus miss a trick by not announcing Karun Chandhok earlier?

Feel very sorry for Team Lotus reserve Karun Chandhok that he won't get to race in the inaugural Indian GP after all, especially after all the work he has done to promote the event and especially considering it was widely taken for granted when he signed at the start of the year that he would be racing in Delhi.

As Tony Fernandes said, Team Lotus were in a tricky position, with 10th place in the championship – which is worth a reported $33 million to their coffers rather than $10 million for 10th – still not assured. He went for the experience of Jarno Trulli.

“While all the emotional reasons for him [Chandhok] driving were right,” said Fernandes, "we were conscious that the limited running he has had in the car this season, largely due to the weather conditions that have hit most of his FP1 sessions, has not given him the best preparation for this race. So we have taken the very difficult decision not to run him in this weekend.”

It may have been a pragmatic decision – and I'm sure Fernandes does feel bad about it – but I can't help but feel that the team missed a trick here. I'm no sponsorship expert but surely if Lotus had confirmed Chandhok for India months ago, they could have picked up additional sponsors and made it work financially? By leaving it so late to make a decision, perhaps sponsors were unsure or unwilling to commit?

Even if they couldn't have picked up big contracts the Team Lotus name would have been given a big boost in this region so the long-term benefits may have been considerable. There is also the question of whether Chandhok would have done so much worse than Jarno Trulli on Sunday anyway.

Either way, Chandhok reacted with commendable dignity. "Everyone knows the most important and emotional race for any driver is their home race and particularly so in my case," he said. "I've been involved with the project since the track was an empty piece of land. There's such a buzz in India at the moment – I've done 28 interviews in the last two days."

"I'm sure it's been a tough call for Tony to make and on some level I think he's feeling some pain about it as we've always had a good personal relationship. I joined this team mainly because of him and his faith in me while looking at the long term. I continue to hope that this long term plan bears fruit and I hope that one day I get to race for him again."

"I'm so proud to support the Jaypee Group in this historic weekend for Indian sport. For all the fans, including the hundreds from my home town in Chennai who have bought tickets in the hope of seeing me race and are travelling thousands of kilometres to Delhi, I hope that they all still have a wonderful time at the BIC."

New Jersey officials confirm Formula One race planned for 2013

Gov. Chris Christie and other New Jersey officials and promoters Tuesday confirmed plans for a Formula One street race along the Hudson River in June 2013.

The Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial would be a 3.2-mile course in Weehawken and West New York on the west side of the river across from Manhattan, with elevation changes up to 150 feet.

"I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone told Bloomberg.com. "You’ll be able to see the Manhattan skyline on TV."

It would be the second new Formula One race in the United States, which has been without F1 racing since the widely followed international racing series left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 2007 U.S. Grand Prix.

Formula One already plans to add a race next year at Circuit of the Americas, a track in Austin, Texas, being specifically built for an F1 race.

Christie said at a news conference at the track's proposed site that "there's no public subsidy that's being put into running this race" in New Jersey, with expenses being covered by race promoters.

Officials also said the average price of a three-day ticket to practice, qualifying and the race would be about $360.

ALSO:

Dan Wheldon was an engaging young champion

Dan Wheldon's death hits racing community hard

IndyCar boss faces scrutiny in wake of Dan Wheldon's death

--Jim Peltz

Photo: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (at podium) holds a news conference Tuesday at the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal to announce a Formula One race in 2013. Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Second U.S. Formula One race reportedly on tap in New Jersey

Formula One hasn't competed on U.S. soil in four years, but now the international racing series reportedly is set to unveil a second American stop starting in 2013.

A news conference is scheduled Tuesday to announce that Formula One plans a street race in June 2013 in the Weehawken and West New York areas of New Jersey along the west side of the Hudson River, with the Manhattan skyline serving as a backdrop, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.

Formula One's return to the United States already was planned for next November in Austin, Texas, where a course called Circuit of the Americas is being built specifically for the series.

The last U.S. Grand Prix was held in 2007 on a 2.6-mile road course built within the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which hosted the race for eight years. But the series and track then parted ways when they couldn't come to financial terms and other agreements to extend their contract.

But there always has been pressure on Formula One to return to the United States, because the U.S. is a major sales market for many companies that provide racing equipment or F1 sponsorships, such as Mercedes Benz and Vodafone.

--Jim Peltz

Dan Wheldon crash: IndyCar revises team members in probe

The Izod IndyCar Series on Wednesday revised its information about the team investigating the death of driver Dan Wheldon from injuries in a 15-car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The series initially said Tuesday that the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body for Formula One racing, and the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States, an umbrella organization of racing sanctioning bodies, would assist in its probe of Sunday's accident.

But "it was incorrect to state that either ACCUS or FIA are formally involved," IndyCar said without explanation in a revised statement. It added, however, that "individual members of various motorsports bodies" would help in the investigation.

IndyCar reiterated that it hoped to report preliminary findings about the crash "within the next several weeks."

A public memorial for Wheldon, who was 33 and a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, is scheduled Sunday in Indianapolis.

RELATED:

Dan Wheldon's death raises questions about IndyCar racing

Dan Wheldon's death hits racing community especially hard

Dan Wheldon was an engaging young champion

-- Jim Peltz

Photo: Dan Wheldon after winning the Indianapolis 500 last May 29. Credit: Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Force India ruffle feathers with Sahara announcement

The new Sahara Force India logo

Interesting news overnight from Delhi where Force India have confirmed that a 42.5 per cent stake in the team has been sold to Sahara India Pariwar, a large conglomerate, for $100m. The announcement was greeted with cynicism in some quarters since team principal Vijay Mallya  - who retains 42.5 per cent himself – reacted to media speculation last week by assuring everyone that he had no intention whatsoever of selling up. Of course, Mallya can point out that he has not actually sold the team, he has merely sold off part of it and become co-owner (the Mol family own the other 15 per cent). But some in the F1 press are nevertheless unimpressed with him, with rumours persisting that this is merely the first phase in a gradual exit. What is more important is whether this investment will help the Silverstone-based outfit (originally  Jordan.. then Spyker) become a force in the sport. With the Indian GP coming up later this month and a big F1 push in that country on the way, there is certainly potential.

Smedley-Massa radio message much ado about nothing

I have to say I was not much bothered by the radio message from Felipe Massa's race engineer Rob Smedley in Singapore, which was released in the official race edit on www.formula1.com over the weekend and has been doing the rounds since.

In the clip, which takes place at some indeterminate point during the race, Smedley is heard to say to Massa: "Hold Hamilton as much as we can. Destroy his race as much as we can. Come on, boy…"

As we all know, the pair collided on lap 12 when Hamilton appeared to misjudge his turn-in, clipping the back of Massa and damaging his front wing as well as giving the Ferrari a puncture. Hamilton received a drive-through penalty for his trouble and finished fifth, while Massa finished ninth before clashing with the Briton in the interview pen afterwards.

Although this 'revelation' is bound to stoke up the bad feeling that currently exists between them, I'd like to believe that Smedley was only trying to encourage his driver, quite naturally, to stay in front of what was patently a faster car for as long as possible rather than anything more sinister. He said it on an open radio channel after all.

The use of the word 'destroy' was probably ill-advised though. In the wake of 'Crashgate' in 2008, when it failed to ban Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds as it wanted to, the FIA brought in a 'staff licence' which commits six key members of the team – "including the Team Principal, Sporting Director, Team Manager, Technical Director and two race engineers" - to a new FIA Code of Good Standing.

Ferrari may be concerned that some will accuse them of unsportsmanlike conduct. I don't see that.

Mercedes GP add some more big names as they scrabble to catch up

Interesting news this morning that Mercedes GP have signed two of Formula One's technical big-hitters in Geoff Willis and Aldo Costa.

Big hitters, yes, but also with major points to prove. Costa, formerly Ferrari's technical director, left Maranello in May following their poor start to the season. Willis, meanwhile, has most recently been working with the struggling HRT team as a consultant.

Both will want to remind their old teams as well as their new bosses at Brackley that they are still at the top of their game.

Costa, remember, was a key member of the Ferrari design office under technical director Ross Brawn and chief designer Rory Byrne when they were dominating F1 in the early 2000s. So he is rejoining both Brawn and Michael Schumacher at Mercedes.

Willis is one of the sport's most respected aerodynamicists having worked under Adrian Newey at Red Bull and also at Williams during their successful years in the mid-1990s. Willis was also technical director of the BAR and Honda teams in the early 2000s.

It all adds up to some major restructuring at Mercedes GP where Brawn is adamant that – with Bob Bell having arrived from Renault as technical director – he now has the correct team in place and can begin to add to the head count to bring it up to the RRA limit. The Brackley team had shrunk massively in the wake of Honda's departure from F1.

The big teams, Brawn has pointed out, are still on a glide path  of reduction in line with the RRA so his hope is that they will soon be on an even keel. After a second disappointing season in a row in 2011, Mercedes' bosses at Daimler and the team's backers in the Middle East will hope likewise.

Hamilton: "Button has done a better job all season"

An estimated 40,000 turned up to watch Lewis Hamilton drive the MP4-23 in Bangalore

Lewis Hamilton believes that Jenson Button has outperformed him this year, adding that even an improvement to his form over the final five races would "not mean a lot" to him.

After driving his MP4-23 – the car with which he won the 2008 drivers’ championship – on a demonstration run through the streets of Bangalore on Tuesday, Hamilton was asked how he felt to be 17 points behind his team mate.

"Jenson's done an incredible job. I feel he's done a better job all season, really,' Hamilton said. "So even if I did a better job in the next five races it doesn't mean a lot to me. I mean, it's through a whole year.

“I think for me now it's just to find my ground and improve on the results that we've had in the last four races.”

Hamilton was also asked about his collision with Felipe Massa in Singapore and their ensuing clash in the interview pen, which caused the 26 year-old to leave the circuit without giving any interviews. “I was able to just ignore it and move on,” he said.

An estimated 40,000 turned up to watch Hamilton in Bangalore and the McLaren driver said he was looking forward to returning for next month’s inaugural Indian GP on Oct 30.

Lewis Hamilton in Bangalore

“It's incredible,” said Hamilton. “I've visited India many times over the last couple of years and it's never been more exciting to be here than now.

“The race is only weeks away and you can really feel the growing passion of the people, and the excitement levels continuing to build.”

F1 banks the Bahrain money – who saw that coming?

So after all that F1 has banked Bahrain's estimated $40million race fee, despite the grand prix not taking place in 2011. No surprise there.

Despite telling the Telegraph in February, at the height of the unrest, that he would "not charge them for a race they are not getting", no one really expected Bernie/F1 to lose out over the saga. Once Bahrain officially pulled the plug on the grand prix rather than the teams/Bernie there was no question of that happening, although Ecclestone claims he tried to return the fee.

"I don't think turnover will be down this year," the 80-year-old was quoted as saying this morning when asked about the sport's 2011 balance sheet. "I think it will be flat because we were paid for Bahrain. I said we will give them the money back and they said 'Don't bother'…. They are lovely people."

And clearly desperate to get their race back. It will be interesting to see how much goodwill their 'largesse' has bought, particularly if there are any repercussions before next April's race.

Ecclestone is hopeful. "I spoke to the Bahrainis yesterday and they said everything is going to be fine," he said. "I hope they are right for their sake, not ours."

Hats off to Ron Dennis

Reassuring to note that some sectors of our economy are still going from strength to strength. 24hrs after announcing a five-year partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, McLaren this morning unveiled plans to build a vast new McLaren Applied Technology centre adjacent to its existing headquarters in Woking.

MAT, for those who don't know, is the part of the McLaren Group responsible for taking the company's know-how into non-motorsport sectors.

The new building, we are told, will consist of "60,000 square metres of workshops, prototype manufacturing and testing space, research and development equipment, offices, meeting spaces, innovation hubs and informal break-out spaces."

It will mean 300 jobs during the construction phase and 400 permanent jobs once the new site has been built. McLaren also claim that an additional 200 jobs will be created indirectly through manufacturing, suppliers and clients, and increased retail spend in the area.

Whatever you think of Ron Dennis, you have to say hats off to the man. Impressive.

“This is an incredibly exciting time not just for McLaren but also for the local economy and the UK’s technology innovation sector," Dennis said in a statement. "Our recent announcement regarding our new long-term strategic partnership with GlaxoSmithKline [GSK] is evidence of the demand and growth potential of this sector.

“By dedicating a part of this proposed new building to education and training, we’ll be able to train the young engineering talent of the future as well as create pioneering solutions to a wide range of problems. As part of this planning application we’re also investigating, with Woking Borough Council, opportunities for establishing a physical presence for McLaren in the town centre, allowing the community to feel part of the success enjoyed by McLaren.”

Derek Daly admission re: Schumacher-Hamilton raises questions regarding stewarding procedure

Derek Daly, the driver representative on the stewards panel in Monza last weekend, is being quoted today as saying he regrets not punishing Michael Schumacher for a "blatant double-block" on Lewis Hamilton on lap 20.

Interestingly Daly's change of heart is not down to the fact that he sees the incident differently to how he did on Sunday – it's down to the fact that he didn't see the incident at all.

“On lap 20, race director Charlie Whiting asked the stewards to look at an incident between Massa and Trulli at the second chicane,” explained the former Tyrrell and Williams driver.

“While looking at the slow-mo video of this incident, I missed the Schumacher/Hamilton incident that happened at that moment.

“When I looked at it again at home, I believe that Schumacher should have been given a drive-through penalty. He was warned repeatedly, and this style of driving is not what you want the future generation of drivers to perfect.

"We as stewards probably let Charlie down with this one.”

Whether you agree with Daly or not regarding Schumacher's driving, his admission raises certain questions.

Clearly stewards cannot investigate one incident and simultaneously monitor everything that is happening out on track. But with the high-profile Hamilton-Schumacher battle being shown to millions on the international race feed – and with the lap 20 "double block" replayed and discussed by commentators all over the globe – surely the first time Daly analysed it should not have been at home?

Should there be a review of how stewards watch the races to make sure incidents like this are properly analysed by the appropriate people at the time?

It will be of no consolation to Hamilton now, but had Daly convinced his fellow stewards then and there that Schumacher was deserving of a drive-through, the Briton may have caught Alonso or even Button before the chequered flag.

Derek Daly admission re: Schumacher-Hamilton raises questions regarding stewarding protocol

Derek Daly, the driver representative on the stewards panel in Monza last weekend, is being quoted today as saying he regrets not punishing Michael Schumacher for a "blatant double-block" on Lewis Hamilton on lap 20.

Interestingly Daly's change of heart is not down to the fact that he sees the incident differently to how he did on Sunday – it's down to the fact that he didn't see the incident at all.

“On lap 20, race director Charlie Whiting asked the stewards to look at an incident between Massa and Trulli at the second chicane,” explained the former Tyrrell and Williams driver.

“While looking at the slo-mo video of this incident, I missed the Schumacher/Hamilton incident that happened at that moment.

“When I looked at it again at home, I believe that Schumacher should have been given a drive-through penalty. He was warned repeatedly, and this style of driving is not what you want the future generation of drivers to perfect.

"We as stewards probably let Charlie down with this one.”

Whether you agree with Daly or not regarding Schumacher's driving, his admission raises certain questions.

Clearly stewards cannot investigate one incident and simultaneously monitor everything that is happening out on track. But with the high-profile Hamilton-Schumacher battle being shown to millions on the international race feed – and with the lap 20 "double block" replayed and discussed by commentators all over the globe – surely the first time Daly analysed it should not have been at home?

It will be of no consolation to Hamilton now, but had Daly convinced his fellow stewards at the time that Schumacher was deserving of a drive-through, the Briton may have caught Alonso or even Button before the chequered flag??

Jenson: "McLaren are listening to me more, which is nice."

The body language on display from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button following Sunday's race could hardly have been more different. Lewis, trying to say nothing, could not conceal his frustration with how things are panning out for him at present.

There was a strange moment (strange in terms of its timing, in front of a handful of journalists) when Ron Dennis walked over to where we were sitting and put a consoling arm around him, saying "you know you can call me whenever you like". It was both touching and revealing.

Jenson, by contrast, looks and sounds like a man who is at peace with himself. His driving since Hungary has been sublime even if his qualifying/starts remain a source of frustration. What struck me most was his appraisal of why he feels he is driving better now than he did when he won the world title in 2009.

"It is to do with confidence after winning the world championship," he said, "feeling the team around me and being in a good place off the circuit. I am really working well with the people within the team; the engineers and the mechanics.

"I took my engineers and mechanics out for dinner on Saturday night in Italy. It is not for a competitive edge over Lewis’s side of the garage, it was to pay them back for all the hard work they have done. These guys work long hours and having a bond with your team is important. You might not think it is going to gain you anything, but it definitely does.

"I am very confident in my engineer [Dave Robson] and he understands the way that I work. We have a good rapport and that makes a big difference.  At the moment we are working on developing the car for next year and they are really listening to what I have to say – the things I don’t like and the things I want to improve.

"Every time I drive the simulator we test something that I specifically want. I am really enjoying that and we are making really good progress for next year."

Asked whether his feedback was improving with age, and whether he is having a bigger say in how the car develops, Jenson said something interesting. "I don’t think I am having more of a say but I think they are listening more which is nice," he said. "Maybe that comes with winning the world championship, having the confidence within you. Some teams listen more than others.

"When I arrived here there were so many amazing things that I was gobsmacked with but there were one or two areas where I thought, “Why are they doing that? Why aren’t they doing this?” You give them your input and you try new things; it helps Lewis and it helps me.  We do have really good input, Lewis and me. The team really listen and it moves the car forward."

Was Jenson hinting that he is now the driving force in terms of the car's development rather than Lewis? Possibly, although I don't think that was his intention. I don't think he was necessarily trying to turn up the heat on Lewis. He just wanted to show how confident, how comfortable, he is feeling at McLaren right now. Which possibly amounts to the same thing.

Nine points ahead of his team mate with six races to go. Can he keep it going?

F1 in Iran? Never say never

An extraordinary PR release landed in my Inbox last night relating to the recent speculation about Iran as a possible F1 venue.

The email confirmed that the Tehran-based TSI Group is building an enormous multi-purpose facility called iLand just outside the capital with a 5km circuit designed by a UK agency called Apex Circuit Design at its centre.

The development, on which construction started in 2008, will also feature “housing for 50,000, shopping malls, water parks, hotels, an International standard 18 hole golf course,  indoor  and outdoor fun parks, equestrian facilities, auto mall, motorcycle dirt tracks, an Olympic standard sports complex and an International standard kart circuit designed by Schreiner Consulting in Austria.”

We're told that the track will be based on "naturally contoured circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the Nürburgring Nordschleife (Germany) and Donington Park (UK)."

I say 'extraordinary' because, while it is always nice to see motor sport expanding to new territories, it is difficult to conceive of a less likely venue for many people's idea of the apotheosis of bloated, western, capitalist culture. There is also the issue of security for F1's multi-national community (current FCO advice states that “British travellers to Iran face greater risks than nationals of most other countries… There is therefore a risk that British nationals could be arbitrarily detained, despite their complete innocence… There have been occasional cases of independent travellers detained for more than a month without access to anyone outside the Iranian system.”)

In fact, the PR statement goes on to say that the initial intention is only to apply for a FIA Grade 2 licence, which would not be enough to host a F1 race. But it's always possible to upgrade. And F1 has already shown that if a state is prepared to fork out the big bucks to host a grand prix then it is prepared to suspend moral judgement. Politics has no place in sport, so the saying goes…

"Initial groundworks have commenced for construction and Phase 1, the West circuit, is scheduled for completion in 2012, with full construction and operation anticipated in 2013," the statement adds.

Confusion still swirls around BBC/Sky deal and what it will mean for viewers

There has been a lot of talk this morning – and, indeed, over the weekend – regarding the BBC/Sky deal and what will/will not be shown by the BBC from next year. With just 10 race weekends live on free to air, the focus of the speculation regards what the BBC plans to do with the other 10.

When the split-channel deal was announced in Hungary in July, there was immediately intrigue on this score with McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh saying he had been “assured” more than once by Bernie that the BBC would be broadcasting full re-runs of the races they do not show live (remember, this is extremely important to the teams given their business models/sponsors).

Bernie himself sounded less sure, saying the matter had yet to be decided although the joint BBC/Sky press release seemed pretty clear-cut, announcing “extensive BBC highlights on TV, Online and Mobile, of all races and qualifying sessions that BBC is not covering live.”

Could that still change? Could the BBC still broadcast full re-runs of the races as the fans/teams want?

It seems unlikely. You would imagine Sky have protected themselves against such a possibility, which would surely impact on the number of new subscribers who take up their subscription service. Then again, watching the race live may be enough of a pull for many F1 fans.

Bernie has also poured cold water on the possibility. He is being quoted this morning as saying that the BBC will be showing “75mins” highlights at “6pm” for the races which it does not have live.

Yet I understand from other sources that things are still “up in the air”. The 75mins, I am told, refers to the “minimum” amount of time which the BBC must show while the possibility of some races being shown ‘delayed live’ on the BBC and others covered by highlights is still being discussed.

I’m told this would depend on the timing of each individual grand prix due to the “hold back” clause in the deal with Sky which means the BBC cannot broadcast any footage until a certain amount of time has elapsed. During the European season that could fall during in the middle of the prime time evening slot, when a full re-run of a race is impossible.

Clearly there is still some confusion on the issue. And that is before we have even got to the question of whether all 20 races may be shown in full on the BBC Red Button or on iPlayer once the “hold back” time has elapsed.

With BBC Director General Mark Thompson due to face questioning from the Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport select committee next month – in the wake of some stinging letters from Lib Dem MP Don Foster who is scathing of the deal – there are lots of questions left unanswered, both about how the deal came about and what it will mean for TV viewers in this country going forward.

Tom Cruise test drives Red Bull Racing F1 car

Tom Cruise, sporting a hint of purple in his locks, takes a break from filming Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, to pilot a 850hp Red Bull F1 car through California’s 2.5-mile Willow Springs circuit under the guidance of David Coulthard. Clearly still feeling the need for speed even after an unscheduled excursion off-road (during which time Cruise rather impressively cracks a joke, keeps the engine running and returns to the track unaided by flick-spinning the car around), the maverick actor then performs loop-the-loops in a helicopter. Get that man back to Miramar…