FLAVIO BRIATORE SPICES IT UP
Renault boss determined to make Formula One more exciting
NOW everyone in Formula One has kissed and made up, the top teams are working on adding a little 'spice' to the sport.
Having reached a compromise with the FIA this week after threatening to form a breakaway series, FOTA is now pushing to ensure F1 caters for the fans with Renault team boss Flavio Briatore taking on a new role.
The extravagant Italian will be personally liaising with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to help improve the show and keep ticket sales hight.
Briatore said: "We have achieved what we wanted: an F1 with the best drivers, the best teams, and now we want to work to have a better show, to entertain the people. We want to make sure the fans are with us, that they enjoy the fight between the drivers.
"In the last six or seven months there has been a lot of talk about politics and costs, and I don't believe this is a subject the fans like. The fans like a show, a race. We need to talk about sport again, and we are happy to achieve this, to work for that."
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RAE OF HOPE
WORLD SUPERBIKES racer Johnny Rae is gunning for his second consecutive win at Donington this weekend.
In an exclusive interview with Vroom at the Top, Rae admits to a strange pre-race ritual but is adamant winning will be down to him being the better driver - not luck.
The Red Bull-sponsored rider said: "I expect to win at Donington this weekend and I will be disappointed if I don't - I have the bike and the set-up and I am confident after coming off the back of a win - I'm pumped up and I wont be happy with second place.
"Whatever happens this weekend it won't be down to luck, I do have a habit of putting everything on my left-side first, like my gloves and boots, but it wont be any superstitious ritual that will win this race.
"Unlike F1, where the car dictates what kind of weekend you have and where you will finish pretty much before you have even started - this championship is focused on the drivers and with Donington being my adopted home GP it is familiar territory for me.
Passion
"If I can continue the success that I have had I would be over the moon if I could finish in the top three of the championship - that's the goal anyway!"
The Ten Kate Honda Team rider, who was a British motocross champion at the age of ten, BSB runner-up in 2007 and a World Supersport runner-up in his debut season last year, is refreshingly frank about how graduating to Superbikes was a forced decision.
He said: "I love motorcross and that is definitely my passion. When I was a kid my dad used to take me to meetings all over the place and financially it was tough. It is a very hard sport to get to the top of and make a good career of - when the RedBull rookie programme came along I saw that as a very good opportunity to make a decent living riding bikes - the rest as they say is history."
Despite recently signing a three-year deal the young Briton, who is fourth in the championship, says other teams are already knocking on his door.
He said: "I have had quite a few teams contact me already to see where I will be going when my contract expires. I don't fancy MotoGP at the moment because the competitive levels have taken a drop - unless you are on a full factory-backed bike you stand no chance in winning. WSBK is about the rider and having fun and at the moment I am happy where I am."
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TRULLI SHOCKING
TOYOTA F1 driver Jarno Trulli has announced he is confident of keeping the drive for next year but the Japanese squad may have other ideas.
Paddock rumours suggest the Italian, one of the oldest drivers on the grid, will be replaced Williams' Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima favourite for the drive.
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2 GOOD FOR F1
FORMULA ONE could learn a lot from its self-styled feeder championship F2.
Championship leader Mirko Bortolotti is just one point clear of the field with races five and six to come at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. The top five drivers are separated by just six points, 17 drivers have already scored points and nine have been on the podium.
Bortolotti said: "I'm really looking forward to Spa - this is the first time I've been here, which is a bit of a disadvantage, but the circuit has a great reputation and I think we will have a good package.
"I can be very happy with my start in Formula Two this season, especially my victory, but the championship is long so I have to look forward and continue winning."
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HIGH FIVE FOR A1GP
SEASON FIVE of the A1GP will open Down Under alongside the Australian V8 Supercars Championship and Nitro SuperGP.
The 10 dates for the 2009-10 season - which will visit Dutch circuit Assen for the first time - have been approved by the FIA, with the first race scheduled for October 25 at Surfers Paradise.
A1 GP chairman Tony Teixeira said: "We are in a totally different position to most series as we straddle two calendar years. This makes announcing a calendar with all its dates and venues more challenging.
"However, we are well advanced with all our Season Five contracts, and for those we have yet to make public have plans to announce them with events in the specific countries
"While at the moment we have submitted a 10-race calendar, I am hopeful of adding one or two more dates in the coming months," added Teixeira.
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