Automotive World

"We have been talking for some time now about our plans for Caterham in all its guises, from the road car company to Formula 1 and GP2, and in the technology, design and innovation fields”, said Fernandes.

Last weekend, German magazine Auto Motor und Sport reported that McLaren was in talks with Honda to rekindle their 1988-1992 collaboration, which yielded four constructor championships, from 2014 onwards, when the rules mandate the change to 1.6-liter turbocharged engines.

NASCAR, on the other hand, despite being much more low-tech, is the series to watch in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Michelle Obama booing Brave. But it remains solely an American thing.

The pair's participation at the race as honorary grand marshals was meant to promote the “Joining Forces” program on behalf of military families. Retired Army Sgt. Andrew Barry, who was wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his family were standing beside them when the incident occurred.

Speaking at the opening of McLaren’s new Production Center, the F1 team's principal, Martin Whitmarsh, admitted that they underperformed this year.

Bernie Ecclestone, longstanding F1 chief executive, has issued an ultimatum to the race organizers, announcing that they must get their act together and solve their problems before the next meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on December 7, which will ratify the 2012 F1 calendar.

The novelty in Abu Dabhi wasn’t even the fact that the world champion, who up to this point had finished no lower than fourth in any race, didn’t score a single point.

Now, there are rumors that Schumacher, who for the better part of the season has been outperformed by his teammate, Nico Rosberg, is once again contemplating retirement – this time for good.

Although in his two years with Mercedes, Rosberg has scored three podium finishes, he has yet to win a race. “To win in a Silver Arrow will be one of the highlights of my life so far, and I greatly enjoy helping to lead out team in our quest to become the best in Formula 1”, said Rosberg after signing his new contract.

“Formula 1 is still our life, but without Ferrari there is no Formula 1, just as without Formula 1 Ferrari would be different”, said the Italian company’s CEO, Luca di Montezemolo commenting on the future of F1 during the Ferrari Mondiali event.

According to Montezemolo, F1 is heading the wrong way: “We race not just for the publicity it brings us, but above all to carry out advanced research aimed at all aspects of our road cars: engine, chassis, mechanical components, electronics, materials and aerodynamics, to such an extent that the technology transfer from track to road has grown exponentially over the past twenty years.”

Outside the tracks there was a bitter legal battle between two teams over the right to use the Lotus name since the end of last season.

In fact, Atkinson can be funny when you least expect it as proved by the following video that was filmed during the inaugural Indian Grand Prix this past weekend.

The Austrian had said that, given the right circumstances, Sebastian Vettel has the potential to match and even surpass Schumacher who so far, has broken nearly all records in F1.

The unstoppable Sebastian Vettel scored his 13th pole position this year, matching Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost for most poles in a season. He needs just one more to equal Nigel Mansell’s 1992 record of 14 poles, while his team has already set its own record in F1 with is 16th pole position in a season.