The British outfit has...
The British outfit has secured the final two places on next year’s F1 grid, and if all goes to plan, it will become the official McLaren-Mercedes B-team. As with Hamilton before him, Paffett is currently a test driver for McLaren – a role that puts him in a great position to secure a plum seat with the promising Prodrive set-up, should the proposed deal come to fruition.
The 2007 motorsport...
The 2007 motorsport season was a cracker, but 2008 promises to be just as good – and not only for Formula One fans. However, F1 bosses are hoping that the first night-time grand prix will bring the sport to a whole new audience.
The inaugural Singapore race on 28 September will forge a new trend in far-flung events planned around European TV schedules. As such, it’ll be the first Asian race to let viewers enjoy a lie-in on a Sunday.
Although the merry-go-round of seat-swapping in F1 has yet to finish, some old-timers have completed their last race. Alex Wurz has retired, while neither Ralf Schumacher nor Giancarlo Fisichella has a drive confirmed for 2008.
The good news is their seats are being taken by three exciting novices. Kazuki Nakajima was mighty on his debut at Williams in Brazil; Timo Glock lines up for Toyota as reigning GP2 champ, while Nelson Piquet Jr will race for Renault in a bid to prove that he’s as good as everyone in Brazil claims he is.
It’s all change at the top of rallying, too. Double world champion Marcus Gronholm has retired, and with no big-name driver to take his slot, 2007 team-mate Mikko Hirvonen will be Ford’s main hope in the battle to stop Sebastien Loeb taking five titles on the trot.
But Loeb could have another challenger, in the shape of former title holder Petter Solberg. His odds have received a boost with the news that former Subaru boss David Richards will take charge of the squad in an effort to reverse its fortunes. And the all-new Impreza is set to come on song in August.
As with Loeb, Audi should face a renewed challenge at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Next season will be the second year of Peugeot’s campaign, and the firm will be hoping its cars will be just as fast as they were in 2007, but not so fragile. Battle for glory at the enduro starts in March, when the squads go head-to-head in Florida at the Sebring 12 Hours.
The British Touring Car Championship appears to be a two-horse race between SEAT and Vauxhall. Jason Plato’s hopes of lifting a second crown could improve if the squad uses the diesel Leon that proved successful in the 2007 WTCC.
And with former title holder Matt Neal lining up alongside this year’s champ Fabrizio Giovanardi at Vauxhall, Plato could benefit from the duo taking points off each other. As you welcome in 2008, raise a glass for a year of classic racing to come.