The internet hacker group Anonymous has taken down the official Formula 1 website with a Distributed Denial Of Service (DDOS) attack. The group claims it is in response to the sport's decision to push ahead with the highly controversial Bahrain grand prix. The well-known 'hacktivist' group Anonymous brought down F1's official website on Friday, slamming Bernie Ecclestone as "evil" and threatening the "worst sh**storm" if the track action continues to proceed this weekend in the troubled island Kingdom. "Attacks on their (the teams') computer servers […]

The Force India team sat out the second free practice session in Bahrain on Friday, citing ‘logistical reasons’ for an early withdrawal from the day’s track programme. A press statement issued after the morning session stated: “For logistical reasons the team will run a rescheduled programme for the rest of the weekend, which will result in the team missing second practice to ensure the most competitive performance in FP3, qualifying and the race.” Rumour in the paddock suggested that the team opted to cut short […]

Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley has dismissed reports the Silverstone based team could pull out of the controversial Bahrain grand prix. Two members of the team were allowed to return to Europe this week following a Molotov cocktail attack en route from the Sakhir circuit to the hotel. There were high-level meetings involving Force India on Thursday, sparking speculation the entire team could follow its frightened members back to the UK. But Fernley, admitting that security has been ramped up after the incident, is […]

After a weekend which came agonisingly close to producing a real result for Kimi in China, the Finn puts the past behind him and looks ahead to his next opportunity for glory at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Chinese Grand Prix was full of action; how was it from your position? It was good racing but we ran out of tyre performance during the final stint. I felt comfortable in the car and I could push well, but we lost out in the end. I […]

Valtteri Bottas will return to practice action in Bruno Senna's car on Friday, even if the Shanghai skies open. English-language television weather reports in the Chinese metropolis on Thursday are predicting a close to 100 per cent chance of rain for the opening day of action. Finn Bottas, Williams' reserve driver who is managed by team shareholder Toto Wolff, is scheduled to drive Senna's FW34 no matter what the weather brings, according to the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. "The rain will not affect me, at […]

The pressure is on Romain Grosjean to have a clean race in China next weekend. The reigning GP2 champion has shown pace in his return to Formula 1 so far this year, making good use of the competitive Lotus E20. But in the actual races, the 25-year-old is yet to see much action in 2012, colliding with Pastor Maldonado in Australia and spinning in the Sepang rain. With Kimi Raikkonen also yet to enjoy a fully trouble-free race weekend on his own return to F1, […]

Teams are making preparations just in case the Bahrain grand prix is called off at the last minute. That is the claim of Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that the teams could put their back-up plans into action even as late as the Sunday in China -- mere days before they are expected to be at Sakhir. In London this week, F1 chief executive and team bosses stood side by side with Bahrain circuit officials, insisting the race will go ahead despite defiant speculation […]

F1's governing body has played down claims Sebastian Vettel faces a penalty for his behaviour during the Malaysian Grand Prix. After the race, the reigning world champion dismissed HRT's Narain Karthikeyan as an "idiot" following their on-track collision. On-board footage subsequently proved that Red Bull driver Vettel, 24, twice showed his Indian driver a 'middle finger' salute. Reports in Germany suggested the behaviour was a breach of the stricter code of conduct under FIA president Jean Todt, with the German theoretically facing anything from a […]

Official track action in 2012 has now begun, but the pecking order is still totally unclear. "The tea-leaf reading will go on until after the third practice session (on Saturday)," Peter Sauber told Switzerland's Blick. Only after that one-hour session will Melbourne qualifying be looming, but many paddock insiders believe Malaysia - a more 'normal' circuit - will be a better barometer. The confusion is greater in 2012 because the field is apparently so tightly packed. "I've never known it as open as this," said […]

Gary Paffett is next in line for a Force India race seat this weekend in Australia. The Silverstone based team's new regular Friday and reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, is unavailable this week as he tests ahead of the Renault World Series. Force India has therefore asked McLaren, its technical partner, for help. With Pedro de la Rosa now at HRT, Briton Paffett is the famous British team's new official reserve driver. He has already been in action this weekend, demonstrating McLaren's 2011 car to the […]

Arguably the single most influential person responsible for transforming Formula 1 into a multi-billion dollar motorsport, Bernie Ecclestone has also had some interesting - if not controversial - ideas on how to run the races and how to advertise the sport. One could argue that these ideas could also be used to promote the sport, which is after all what Bernie does well. From the idea of a medal-deciding drivers’ championship to the proposal of F1 tracks with shortcuts, or a sprinkler system that would […]

Paul Hembery has admitted Pirelli's new soft tyre might not degrade quick enough in 2012. The sport's new supplier was lauded at the beginning of 2011 for spicing up the action by bringing tyres that quickly degrade. But by the end of the season the teams had essentially solved the mysteries of the rubber, and in recent winter testing it seemed apparent that the 2012 tyre generation is not as inherently heavily-degrading as the last. Motor sport director Hembery admits: "The soft tyres are not […]